Abraham Maslow †Theory of Human Motivation

Abraham Maslow – Theory of Human Motivation Free Online Research Papers Abraham Maslow is a well-known psychologist for his theory on human motivation, specifically the hierarchy of needs theory. He is also called the founder of humanistic psychology. Maslow’s theory can also be defined as â€Å"intensity at a task†. This means that greater the motivation, the more constant and intense one will perform a specific task. The basis behind this theory is the knowledge that all behavior is goal driven, meaning one will do tasks according to what they obtain after the task is complete. Maslow has been a very inspirational figure in personality theories. Abraham Harold Maslow was born in Brooklyn, New York on April 1, 1908 and the first child out of seven born to his parents. Maslow’s mother and father were uneducated Jewish immigrants from Russia. Wanting the best for their child in the new world, they pressured Maslow hard for academic success. Due to this, he felt very alone as a boy and found haven in books and his schoolwork. He first studied law at the City College of New York to appease his parents as they insisted that he should study law. After attending three semesters, he decided to transfer to Cornell, but then transferred back to City College of New York. On December 31, 1928, Maslow married his first cousin, Bertha Goodman, without his parent’s blessing. Mr. and Mrs. Maslow had two children and moved to Wisconsin where he attended the University of Wisconsin. There Maslow received not only his Bachelor of Arts in 1930, but also went on to obtain a Masters of Arts in 1931 and eventually received his Doctorate in 1934, all in psychology. While in Wisconsin, Maslow met and worked with his chief mentor, Harry Harlow, who was well known for his controversial experiments on Rhesus monkeys and attachment behavior. A year after his graduation, he went back to New York to study with E. L. Thorndike at Columbia, where he became interested in research on human sexuality. (Boeree, 2006) Maslow taught at Brooklyn College full-time, and during his time there, he met many leading European psychologists that were immigrating to the United States, particularly to Brooklyn. These intellectuals were people such as Alfred Adler, Erich From m, Karen Horney, as well as many Freudian and Gestalt psychologists. Maslow served as the chairman of the psychology department at Brandeis University from 1951 to 1969. He began this theoretical work there and met Kurt Goldstein who introduced Maslow to the idea of self-actualization. Also, during his time at Brandeis University, he began his crusade for a humanistic psychology; something ultimately much more important to him than his own theorizing. (Boeree, 2006) In his later years, Maslow spent his semi-retirement in California. After several years of ill health, he passed away on June 8, 1970 from a heart attack at the age of 62. Maslow worked with monkeys in his early career and while doing so he observed that some of our needs take superiority over other needs. One example would be if you are thirsty and hungry, you are most likely to try and satisfy the thirst need first. This is because most humans can do without food for days or even weeks, but our bodies can only go without water for a few days. Thus, thirst is a more powerful need than hunger. Maslow came to find out that when faced with circumstances such as these, one need might take priority over another. From this idea, Maslow created the hierarchy of needs, a systematic arrangement of needs, according to priority, in which basic needs must be met before less basic needs are aroused. Abraham Maslow projected a general overview of human motivation. His theory strikes a distinctive sense of balance between biological and social needs that integrates many motivational concepts. According to Maslow, individual needs are set in a hierarchy and everyone must satisfy their basic needs before they can satisfy their higher needs. The hierarchy is many times portrayed as a pyramid, beginning with physiological needs at the bottom, then safety and security needs, love and belonging needs, esteem needs, cognitive needs, aesthetic needs, and self-actualization at the top of this pyramid. The needs at the lower level are the most basic. The higher levels in the pyramid represent progressively less basic needs. Individuals progress upward in the hierarchy when lower needs are fulfilled reasonably well, but they may regress back to lower levels if the basic needs are no longer pleased. (Weiten, 2001, p.506) Maslow used the case study method with subjects that included living persons, Albert Einstein and Eleanor Roosevelt, and historical figures, Abraham Lincoln, all of whom achieved their personal dreams and hopes for society. (Kuntz, 2005, p.12) The physiological needs are our biological needs. They consist of air, water, food, health, rest and sleep, shelter from the elements, and general survival. Human beings who do not meet these needs will often resort to selling themselves for sex, working for very little money or taking things that don’t belong to them in order to acquire them. Physiological needs also have to do with the maintenance of the human body. If we are unwell, then little else matters until we recover. Pain and discomfort can range from mild to excruciating and will have a proportionate effect on our rate of abandoning higher needs. So long as physiological needs are unsatisfied, they exist as a driving or motivating force in a person’s life. A hungry person has a felt need. This felt need sets up both psychological and physical tensions that manifest themselves in overt behaviors directed at reducing those tensions such as wanting something to eat. Once the hunger is sated, the tension is reduced, and the need for food ceases to motivate. At this point, assuming that all the other needs have been meet and are no longer controlling thoughts and behaviors, the needs for safety and security can become active. Safety and security needs can be best defined as the need for stability, freedom from fear and turmoil, dependency, protection, desire for structure and order. In everyday life we may see this as a need to be able to fall asleep at night, secure in the knowledge that we will awake alive and unharmed. In the workplace this need translates into a need for at least a minimal degree of employment security, the wisdom that we cannot be fired on a whim and that appropriate levels of effort and productivity will ensure continued employment. Most adults have little awareness of their security needs except in times of emergency or periods of disorganization in the social structure, such as widespread rioting. Many homeless people wandering the streets and running from the police have no protective shelter and, in times of freezing temperatures, are sometimes found frozen to death on the streets. (Kuntz, 2005, p.11) Using a box as shelter is not enough to protect oneself from harm. We shou ld be able to feel as though our homes are a place of refuge. If our residence is a place of constant uproar, alcoholism, and verbal or physical abuse, we may feel as though we are living in a kind of hell. Having difficulty with the persons whom we live may result in our not wanting to go home. Be it ever so humble, all of us need our home to be a stable sanctuary of safe retreat. (Kuntz, 2005, p.11) When the needs for safety and for physiological well-being are contented, the next class of needs for love, affection and belongingness can emerge. Love and belongingness needs are where an individual seeks affection, friendship, children, a sweetheart, wanting to feel loved, and even a sense of community. Generally, as companionable creatures, humans have a need to belong. In a school setting this need may be satisfied by the ability to interact with a classmate and perhaps to be able to work collaboratively with these colleagues. In our day-to-day life, we exhibit these needs in our desires to marry, have a family, be a member of a church, a brother in a fraternity or part of a social group, or even participate as part of a softball team. In addition, this involves what we might consider when trying to make decisions regarding our careers. As children, these needs are usually fulfilled by the support, closeness, and caring of our families. In our adolescent years we all long to be accepted into the so called â€Å"popular group.† When we become adults these needs are typically met within the families we have sta rted. Once the aforementioned classes of needs are satisfied, the needs for esteem can become dominant. Esteem needs include the desire for self-respect, self-esteem, the esteem of others, recognition, dignity, and appreciation. When focused externally, these needs also include the yearning for reputation, prestige, status, fame, glory, dominance, attention, and importance. People have the desire to not only receive, but to also give. They also want to feel they are loved and that others want to care for them. Most of us feel as though we need to provide something to society. For some individuals this might be achieved in great successes artistically, politically or scientifically. However, this is not the only way one can attain their esteem needs. You can feel as though you have given a contribution by doing volunteer work for a credible association. In addition, one might become involved in their community’s various civic organizations by taking on the role of a leader. One of the most influential ways we can achieve our esteem needs is working at a place of employment we thoroughly enjoy, one where we feel as though we are making a difference in the lives of others in our society. As individuals, we all put our hearts and souls into working towards a profession that we can call our careers. When these needs are frustrated, a person can begin to feel inferior, weak, helpless, or worthless. The next stage in the pyramid is the cognitive needs which are the expression of the natural human need to learn, explore, discover, create, and perhaps even dissect in order to get a better understanding of the world around them. One way to gratify our need for knowledge is by attending school, but as individuals, we are continually learning each day. Some people acquire intelligence by watching the news or reading different newspapers from around the United States to keep up with current events going on in the world. Others may read several different types of books such as biographies or fiction to fulfill their quest for learning. Our need for knowledge may lead us to become research scientists, or we may have a â€Å"nose for the news† and become investigative reporters. (Kuntz, 2005, p.11) Individuals may also satisfy their need for exploration and discovery by traveling to different parts of the world. In order to broaden our horizons or improve our technical skill, we might enroll in classes at a local college or become more involved in leisure recreational activities. The fact is we are all inquisitive humans with a large need for knowledge. It seems that as the world becomes more technology based, we have a greater need to gain further knowledge. Once we have fulfilled our quest for knowledge, we can move on to our aesthetic needs which are the need to express beauty through art, writing, design, and environment. Humans need to refresh themselves in the presence and beauty of nature while carefully engrossing and observing their surroundings to extract the beauty that the world has to offer them. Some particular people have a desire that is so strong, that they might dedicate their whole life in the pursuit of painting, sculpting, singing, writing music or other artistic endeavors. Other people will satisfy this need by possibly tending to a garden, creating new inventions, designing clothing, automobiles, homes or buildings, or just dressing their children and fixing their hair for a party, church or school. In the business world the company knows that when things are going well they are creating a thing of exquisiteness. When drawing up plans for new roads or highways, community planners take great care in trying to care for and protect the earth’s natural beauty. When all of the foregoing needs are satisfied, then and only then are the needs for self-actualization activated. The self-actualizing needs are self-mastery, love, service to others, peak experiences, and suprapersonal goals. Self-actualizing is the need to express the highest potential that we are capable of reaching. (Kuntz, 2005, p.11) People that have reached this level in the pyramid embrace the facts and realities of the world, including themselves, rather than denying or avoiding them. They are spontaneous in their ideas and actions, creative, feel closeness to other people, and generally appreciate life. Many are interested in solving problems; this often includes the problems of others, and by solving these problems it is often a key focus in their lives. Most of them have a system of morality that is fully internalized and independent of external authority. They have discernment and are able to view all things in an objective manner, prejudices are absent. Mainly thi s need is reaching one’s fullest potential. Reference Boeree, C.G., (2006). Abraham Maslow. Personality Theories. Retrieved March 27, 2007 from Boeree’s homepage.http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/maslow.html Kuntz, L., O’Connell, A., O’Connell, V. (2005). Choice and Change The Psychology of Personal Growth and the Interpersonal Relationships. Seventh Edition (pp. 10-12). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Maslow Weiten, W. (2001). Psychology Themes Variations. Fifth Edition (pp. 505-507). Belmont, California: Thomson Learning, Inc. Research Papers on Abraham Maslow - Theory of Human MotivationEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XThree Concepts of PsychodynamicThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayStandardized TestingNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This Nice

Robbery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Robbery - Essay Example This is even though both theories profess to be ones that posit their assumptions based on the criminal event - human ecology. The study ends with advice on how the inclusion of all people from all walks of life can enable a successful precautionary as well as preventive approach to crime as a whole and robbery in particular. Though some very elaborate theories are often proposed to explain robberies in the negative contexts of mental health and social problems the main and very down-to-earth explanations come from the perpetrators themselves - money, thrills, drugs and peer influences. These reasons, some of them quite trifling, are the principal propellants that induce persons to attempt to take by force things of some value from other persons. As representative of overall international demographical trends Canadian statistics reveal that robbery is almost the exclusive preserve of the young male. In Canada just 5 % of those accused of robbery are female, about two-thirds of those accused are below 25 and almost no accused is above 50. Also, approximately 16 % of those accused are young offenders (Research Division, Correctional Service of Canada, 1995). Though the derived statistics is slightly dated study of recent literature reveals that the trends persist to the present day for most countries, incl uding the USA. Another alarming trend revealed by statistics for robbery is that it is the crime most feared by victims. This is even though is constitutes about 10 % of all violent crimes committed in Canada (Research Division, Correctional Service of Canada, 1995). This is because robbery involves a high probability of suffering physical harm from a total stranger and it can happen to anyone anywhere, at any time. Robbery offenders are also more likely to use weapons than other offenders. About one quarter of robberies involve usage of fire-arms, one quarter involves usage of other weapons like clubs and knives and one half involves usage or threat of some sort of physical force. Also, what is alarmingly important, from the victims' point of view, is that almost one quarter of robbery victims in Canada sustained some sort of minor physical injury with about 4 % being treated medically either at the scene of the crime or at a medical facility after transportation there from the scene of crime (Res earch Division, Correctional Service of Canada, 1995). Another good indicator of the seriousness of the crime is that almost 80 % of offenders accused of robberies are incarcerated while, for offenders of other crimes convicted at Canadian federal courts during the same period, the figure is only 23 %. Statistics for those sentenced for two years or more in prison reveal that 20 % are there for robbery offenses. A December 31, 1994, survey revealed that almost one third of all federal offenders were identified as robbery ones (Research Division, Correctional Service of Canada, 1995). As mentioned earlier the statistic is slightly old but not much has

Sigmund Freud Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Sigmund Freud - Essay Example All human beings have aggression in them but some people are more aggressive than the others, Civilization dwells deep into aggression and why human beings get aggressive. Sigmund Freud has given logical explanations which sound really convincing to the readers. There are set laws in almost all the countries and this helps in keeping the aggressive people at bay. The most aggressive people tame their aggression when they think about the laws according to Freud. According to Freud the most important reason of aggression is unhappiness, an unhappy person reacts differently in most circumstances when compared to a happy person and this is very true and easy to understand. Unhappiness is also the root cause of several other problems; depression is directly related to unhappiness. People who become depressed often give up hope and try to inflict pain upon themselves, all this happens because they feel there is no place for them in the society. Psychological counseling comes into play here , the psychologist tries to explain to the victim the importance of their life and the ones closely related to him. According to Freud aggression also results from a very burdensome guilt, for instance a person who has committed a murder and is on the run would inevitably be more aggressive than a normal person because the burdensome sense of guilt will chase the accused everyday an make their life miserable. The other reason which triggers of bursts of aggression is psychological neurosis which means problems in the nerves. Some people are more mentally stable than the others and the ones who are mentally stable act appropriately even in the most difficult of all circumstances, on the other hand the people who are unstable act as they like and do not care about what the other people may think about their behavior. The disintegration of society is the result of over aggression; people get together and embark on an ambitious journey to rebel against a behemoth and this is when the di sintegration of the society begins. Freud also talks about the role of aggression in Eros and Thanatos, Eros refers to life and Thanatos refers to death drive. Freud talks about how we have a drive for death; this is why some bike riders especially the youths go at top speed. They do it because of the death drive and the aggression in them. â€Å"Freud argues that civilization is intrinsically inimical to human happiness. The process of "civilizing" the human being involves stifling many of the sexual impulses that lead most directly to pleasure. Freud also notes that participation in civilized life entails the renunciation of one's aggressive impulses. Thus, to be civilized we must do without the two strongest claims to our instincts, sex and violence.† (Civilization and its Discontents Theme) To conclude it is very fair to say that aggression plays a key role in the life of everyone, a person can make a grave mistake should he act aggressively where it is not at all require d. On the other hand a chaotic situation can easily be avoided if a person decides not to act aggressively. Eros and Thanatos are also linked with aggression, the death drive forces people to do unprecedented things. Aggression mainly stems from unhappiness; people who are unhappy with their lives tend to be more aggressive than the ones who are happy with their lives. Sense of guilt is also more than capable of causing people to be really aggressive; people also tend to be really aggressive when there is a problem with their psychological neurosis. â€Å"Individuals have consequently begun to rebel against civilization with an aggression that exceeds the level of aggression originally suppressed, threatening the disintegration of society.† (Civilization a

Human hand catching an object Essay Example for Free

Human hand catching an object Essay ANALYSING From this experiment I have found out that there are different factors that affect the resistance of a wire. The factors that I have investigated are the length and thickness of a wire. In the experiment, as the wire got shorter, the resistance decreased, and if the wire were increased then the resistance would increase too. If the thickness of a wire were to be changed then the thicker the wire, the less resistance and the thinner the wire the more resistance it will have. I have also found out that the resistance is calculated by dividing the voltage by the current. This calculation was used in my experiment and showed that the resistance is roughly constant. If some odd results were obtained, it was because at a low voltage the power packs are inaccurate and at a high current, we might gain a heating effect. Ohms law can be proved by the graph due to the fact that the graph has a straight line; therefore it has a constant gradient, meaning a constant resistance whatever current is passing through it, providing the temperature is constant. If the graph were a curved, then that would mean that the resistance was changing. If that were the case the resistance could be found for any point by taking the pair of values (V, I) from the graph and sticking them in the formula R= V/I. (Information obtained from physics revision guide. ) That would be disobeying Ohms law. In my opinion, the resistance of the 32- copper wire seemed odd since the thinnest wire is supposed to have the highest resistance. However a good conductor, which is what copper is, will allow current to flow through it easily. Therefore thats why the ammeter reading for the copper wire, which measures the current, was very high, compared to the reading of the other types of wire. A nichrome wire would have more resistance than a copper wire of the same size, because less current flows through it, making it not such a good conductor. We can also conclude that the thickest wire, type 26, had the highest resistance because less current could flow through it. EVALUATING: This investigation was conducted following the method above. By following those steps, I managed to obtain more than enough readings to plot a graph with and I managed to obtain accurate results, until the wire reached 30cm (TABLE 1). However my previous readings were fairly accurate, which were more enough for me to plot a graph with. I had seven readings when only 6 are needed to plot a graph. The results of the first experiment my group conducted, (TABLE 2) were much more accurate than the second one (TABLE 1). The resistance was very constant, however we did not complete the experiment. We planned to carry it on the next lesson, but it would not have been a fair test because we used a different power pack and the voltage was not the same. We found out that we were getting odd results to our previous ones; therefore we had to start the whole thing again. We made sure we finished that experiment and even had time to conduct another: an investigation to find out whether the thickness of a wire would affect the resistance. Since I only had to investigate five different wires, obtaining five results, this investigation was easier to conduct because there were fewer to do and I knew exactly what I was doing. It took me less time to set up the circuit and it was definitely a fair test. However when it came to the 32-copper wire the resistance was very high. I expected it to be high because it was one of the thinnest wires, however not that high. I suspect I either recorded the wrong reading or because at low voltage the power pack was inaccurate and at high current there was a heating effect. However, as I mentioned in the analysing section, there was a simpler explanation. From previous work, I remembered copper is a very good conductor, therefore the high current reading. In future if I conduct another similar experiment to this one there are some improvements that could be made: I could compare my results with other people to see if they got the same or near enough results. That way I would know whether I was on the right tracks. If I am stuck on connecting the circuit, I could draw a diagram first and follow that. I should finish every experiment the same day; so that I get more accurate results and can compare the results to the results of another experiment, on the same subject and would not have waste time having to start the same experiment again. I could have done some further research and find out what and if there are any other factors that affect the resistance of a wire and then I could have conducted an experiment.

Joggers Universe Essay -- Case Study Business Analysis, solution

Joggers Universe Evaluate Sue Koenig’s present strategy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think Sue is trying to satisfy too many customers. She needs to concentrate on her target market, which is a major portion of her core business and market to them. This would be the hardcore runners and expand on the services and information available to them. She should also create some special freebie that would gain word of mouth publicity to bring more people to her stores. Evaluate the alternative strategies she is considering. She has the right idea with the custom made shoes. The serious joggers would love this because they know what benefit they get from a shoe fitting perfectly. The small investment she has initially will be no problem once the word gets out that she has this special service or product off...

Musical Impact Essay

In society today, music is shown to have an impact on ways of life. People within the society are raised with it in some way. Music is always present in society. It is natural then, to wonder about the origin of music. Music is a special type of sound and noises mixed in together. People create the meanings of these sounds and noises to create their own opinions and emotions of expressing themselves. Many people believed that music is created in the mind for this same reason. That we have the sounds and noises that are heard are within our own human being and along that, it can come once we are born with it. Although, this may not be true, due to the differences in today’s society, there are many aspects that can have a control of the musical taste of a person. One’s musical interests are not based on biology, rather the individual’s environment: community, culture, religion, and geography. First of all a community can effect an individual interest in music. The definition of a community is having the same beliefs, resources, needs and risks. When people tend to share and have the same interest they tend to also have the same interest in music. The term â€Å"community music† finds no more resonating tone than within minority groups working toward social acceptance and assimilation (Hayes 6). As shown in the International Journal we can see people tend to stick together in order to have the same identity and be accepted in the group. Also sharing the same risks and resources will help them have communication within each other, making it be easier on them to be able to relate. An example of this would be people in community, such as in Honduras, they have a lot of different beliefs. For example, in the burials, the community gathers around in order to their last goodbye to the deceased. Then they called upon a band, which in their thoughts mean that they celebrate the life of the deceased. They each sing and walk with the burial service and take them around. This event mentioned, to some may be disrespectful, but to Hondurans is a way to communicate with the dead. It shows that they respect him or her and show him or her that they are celebrating the life they had. Having communication in music brings to a community a better aspect to people and it is also very important for them. Yes, they can be sounds and noises to some, but many do not think that way. Like the people in Honduras, their beliefs are very important and they demonstrate them through music. Therefore, a community could determine a person’s interest in music because a community makes an individual do the same thing as other people. Another example would be, if a person listens to rock and they see that other people listen to it too, than they will would go ahead and hear it to. Secondly, culture is also another factor that influences music preferences on individuals. The culture of someone can affect the way of music choices. The two factors that generate culture will be academic knowledge and manners taught to each person (Yudkin 27). Each culture then possesses on its own musical language. This musical language reflects its own traditions, concerns, and activities; and in order to begin to understand the music of another culture, we need to understand something of the nature of its culture systems and the role the music plays in them (Yadkin 5). This is because many of the cultures have different academics and manners taught to them. An example is the culture would be of the Mandinka of Gambia in Senegal, they have a special musician leader, known as a jali. This leader is very important to the tribe due to that fact that he knows all the prayers and all the history of the tribe (Miller 44). As shown in this example each culture has its own special person and holds music as a special part of the community. The important part here is that a person needs to grow up somewhere. That place holds a significant knowledge making them a part of that culture group. With growing with them they hold a place within the culture. Music brings them all together making them communicate with each other easily and bring them normalcy. When this takes place the individual takes the musical knowledge and incorporates it into their system and beliefs. The beliefs that they incorporated can be seen in their academic areas. The literature, dance, and theater cannot go anywhere and do their expected ideas across without music. Music has to be in these areas in order to function well and be able to get the individuals culture across to the people. For example, dance cannot function without music. It gives the person the beats and the melody in order to create the feeling they want to get across to their audience (Miller 57). Dance also has different meanings in culture. A New Yorker can have a different rhythm than a person from China. This difference can be seen with the music they choose for their arts and their dance. It’s really difficult to be able to be prejudice to others cultures, because every culture is different. Music has that effect on society because it teaches the cultures and meanings of one’s society. The mixture of music to other society is also shown. Many of these arts can be seen throughout the world and from them people learn the differences in music. Music such as Jazz, Blues, and Gospels were produced when Europeans and Africans came together during the late nineteenth and twentieth century’s (Miller 61). Here we can see two cultures mixed in together and this is shown through their mix of their own music. Music can bring together worlds and is all due to its simplicity such as using their melodies and sounds. Music creates a new world for many people. The third factor that can affect the music choices of the individuals is the fact of one’s religion. Many religions do not allowed their followers to hear music from the outside world such hip-hop and rock. As said by Kong, â€Å"its nature is presented in a stylized and stereotypical fashion by the mass media the moral barricades are manned by bishops (Kong 104)†. An example of this is Christians and Catholics which have very different opinions regarding music. Christians is the larger group that includes Catholics. Christian women followers are not allowed to wear pants or the followers are not able to hear any type of music because in their regard they are preventing is a sin from them. While Catholic Church allowed their followers to wear their clothing with respect to God and be able to choose the type of music they listen to. As seen the music plays a big role due to the fact that Catholic churches make prayers into songs and sing them with their hearts, believing that God can be able to hear them (Miller kj187). While Christians cannot be able to do the same pray and sing to God due to the banned of music within their own. To many this is not unusual seeing the difference of worship. But once looked inside and see the music playing its role is different because it makes people think about what God thinks and which one he would prefer. If it is just music and prayers, then there is no music at all in its gatherings of worship. This is important because music can be seen playing a role in religions and making individuals having a different taste to the one with a Catholic follower. The religion of a person a can limit the person the knowledge of the evolution of the music outside their group. This can make it hard on them to relate to the others outside the society. The last and important factor that can make a difference in ones interest in music is the geography. Many people as seen can have different views and belief but geography make them have a different taste in music. We hear the melody, but we feel the beat. People in all cultures move their bodies to the rhythms of music, whether drumming, dancing, or rocking an infant (Silver and Trainer 2). This is important because a person in Los Angeles California will not have the same beats and rhythm as a person in London, Great Britain. Each part of the world is bound to have some type of music but the music differentiated in each part of the world. As mentioned in the seven themes of music geography â€Å"specific involvement with location of musical activities, such as the compositions and travels of their composers, rather than broader world distributions of regional delineations mentioned in Theme Two† (Nash and Carney 66). This means that even with culture and communities, music was first put into the field of geography due to the travels of the musicians and the spread of their ideas and tunes. This is important because it not only gives a way for questions to arise such the one that geography is the main factor as to the interest of music in humans. Due to the composers traveling, they spread around the ideas meaning that culture is affected and the belief is shaken with these ideas. The population of the countries is also a big factor because due to the fact that people are mixed together. People with different geography regions tend to have a different viewpoint of the world and music can be included in that. In conclusion this can be said, that these types of points can create music interest such one’s environment: community, culture, religion, and geography. This can be reasonable because people cannot be born with music interests. They are shaped by ones environment. People can have the same music interests if they shared the same belief and the same religion where they live. Music is very common in and around the world. Music is therefore a symbol to society because it represents the life and beliefs of people. Music can have a great impact on the life of people and this is important because this makes society. Music is evidently an important part of the lives of human beings. Music is reflected to our society we are in. The four aspects which are one’s community, culture, religion, and geography can determine each person’s interests in music rather than biological. Other factors can also relate to one’s musical preference, but the four aspects are the ones that are most common. Music is bound to be heard everywhere and without music the world would have hard times understanding things. Music is important to our world because it brings us together and also puts life and excitement. Music will always motivate people and will always be part of our lives. Without music, our society wouldn’t be the same including our feelings and impressions about it. Therefore, music brings happiness to our friends, and families, and all the people around the world.

Human resource management principles and standards - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2739 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? The control and guidance of human activities have started with the gathering of human in communities but have become a necessity with the apparition of factories and work centres. The owner or person in charge of the business in order to achieve his smart objectives had to set rules and practices for the control and guiding of his employees. The need to understand and control their workforce had fuelled the emergence of theories and concepts by companies owners. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Human resource management principles and standards" essay for you Create order HRM is therefore a resultant a long list of management models. As a human concept, human management is set and implemented with a variety of shades, depending of the type of industry, company and culture, but four approaches can always be distinguished on managing employee in an organisation (Haffner, 2010, page 9 handout 1) Appendix 1 is showing these four different approaches HRM strategy Haffner in his handout 1 (2010) cited a definition of HRM by Armstrong as a strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organisation most valued assets, the people working there, who individually and collectively contribute to the achievements of objectives. HRM is a hard concept to defined as it is differently interpreted by authors or practitioners (see Appendix 2 Table 1: Textbook definition of HRM) but one fact seems constant in all definitions; the implementation of HRM is part of the business strategy of an organisation (Price, 2004). The integration of HRM strategy in t he overall business strategy of the organisation is a paramount requirement for achievement of its smart objectives. Socio-economic Technical Political Legal Competitive OUTER CONTEXT (PEST) INNER CONTEXT (SWOT) Management Style Culture Structure Finances Task-Technology Motivation of staff BUSINESS STRATEGY CONTEXT Feedback BUSINESS UNITS STRATEGIES SUCH AS HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HRM OPERATIONS EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OUTCOME OF STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND CONSEQUENCES Figure 1: An illustrated Typical HRM Strategy Model (source: Haffner handout 1, 2010, p.18) The implementation of human management can also be described as hard and soft HRM. According to Armstrong (2006) citing Storey and Legge, the hard HRM regards employees as commodity similar to others resources used by the organisation to achieve its smart objectives. For them soft HRM sees people as valued assets that the commitment is required to achieve the smart objectives of an organisation. An analysis of the reality show that most organisations used a mixture of all the approaches except the worker control one, in accordance with the environment, the nature of the organisation and the operational strategy (Haffners handout1, 2010). PEST AND SWOT ANALYSIS A better understanding of the environment (External and internal), was need during the writing of this paper. The Dairy industry in UK with a value of $16.5 Billion in 2008, seem to be an appropriated choice for a PEST analyse for the external impact of the environment and Dairy Crest with a value of  £1,629.7 million for a SWOT analysis for the internal impact (Datamonitor, 2010). Appendix 3 shows how the PEST and SWOT analysis were conducted The outcome of the PEST analysis shows that the Dairy industry stills in good condition despite the economic crisis and with status of its products in the UK population diet, it will remain a good investment for many years. The SWOT analysis of Dairy Crest seems to show that despite the positive state of the Dairy industry in UK, Dairy Crest seems to have some issues which threaten its position in the market. The management of Dairy C rest need to make some changes regarding its debt and lack of involvement in new products. ACTIVITIES TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT It is well recognised allowing employees to develop skills and attitude help most organisations to achieve their smart objectives and enhance their competitiveness (Bratton and Gold, 2007, p 307). In successful organisation the provision of training and development of the employees is set up, planned and monitored by the Human Resource Development (HRD) within the HRM department. See appendix 4 page 22 systematic training model and role of HRM and Line manager. Regarding the importance of training and development the Chief executive Sir Terry Leahy of the successful supermarket Tesco was quote saying We are not doing it at Tesco because it makes us feel good. Among apprentices we have higher employee satisfaction levels, which lead to higher retention levels and an increase in staff performance (www.hrmguide.co.uk, 2010). The training and develop ment approach in Tesco is flexible and structured in such way that it suited the individual needs of the employees (www.thetimes100.co.uk, 2010). See appendix 5 explained the models used by Tesco for training and Development for its employees. Figure 2: Shows the different training paths available to Tescos employees For the Eresearch (2010), Human Resources Development is the framework that focuses on the organisations competencies at the first stage, training, and then developing the employee, through education, to satisfy the organisations long-term needs and the individuals career goals and employee value to their present and future employers. The evolution of the HRM function and consequently the one of HRD, have seen the role of Line managers increased. They are encouraged to be mentor and coaches, integrated in the HRM strategy of Training and Development. Several reasons justified the involvement of the Line Manager: Training and development occurred more and more a t work place Effectiveness of training and development at the working environment The Line manager can intervene more rapidly when help is needed Much cheaper for the organisation as the employee remains productive and applied immediately what he is learning Training and development occurred also off job site, employees are sent to centres where they learn specific skills such as team building, leadership development, etc. The choice of the centre and the content of the learning are made by the HRD, after the employee and its line manager have identified gaps in skills and knowledge. The decision made is always in line with the overall strategy of the organisation (www.thetimes100.co.uk, 2010). The development of ICT has been notice by the HRD managers and been taking upon as training and development tools. RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION The recruitment and selection process is part of the operational strategy of in any successful organisation. A well conducted recru itment and selection can provide many benefits for the employees and the employer but most importantly for customers. For an organisation such as Enterprise, the customer satisfaction is correlated to an effective and efficient recruitment which also lead to a low workforce turnover (thetimes100, 2010). Various models of recruitment and selection existed but they are all subjected to the rules and regulations of the organisation geographical location. The organisations operating in the UK are under UK legislation, mostly on sex, race, disability and recently age discrimination which are depend on the EU directives. See appendix 6 Table 3.1: a list of Acts and they application in the UK. In HRM oriented organisations, while the Line manager in case of vacancy decide the need for filling it, change part of it or shared among others role, the HRM department which over-see the operational and strategic smart objectives of the organisation, will insure that the recruitment is contr ibuting to them (www.hr.wiltshire.gov.uk, 2010). The involvement of the Line manager in the job and person description is important as he is one receiving the selected person into his team, in charge of the induction and training. The role of the HRM manager regarding the recruitment and selection process should be limited to advising the Line manager or recruitment team on legal aspect of the process and to the respect of the overall smart objectives of the organisation. In reality, some organisations with a centralised HRM department, it is the responsibility of the HRM manager to conduct most aspect of the recruitment and selection process, while the Line manager has a passive role of involvement (www.acas.org.uk, 2010). The evolution and integration of the HRM role in the strategic operation of successful organisation have change the nature of the recruitment and selection approach. It is now understand that the recruitment and selection policy and process of an organisation will reflect on the way it managed its workforce (Bratton and Gold, 2007 pag. 269). It also a process which subject to external influences such as the state of the economy, the skill or competency of the national workforce like in the UK, a shortage of qualified IT professionals saw people from outside coming in with the consequence of a rise in the salary on that sector. See appendix 7 figure 3.2: an illustration of demand and supply of labour. The adoption of HRM strategy in successful organisation have seen the workforce considered as the most important resource, therefore their recruitment and selection is seen by the HRM manager as part of the organisations strategy. It can be used to strategically steer the culture and competency of the workforce toward the smart objectives set by the senior managements. The recruitment and selection in an organisation can occur internally or externally. Depending on the operational and strategic aims of an organisation, the recruitment and selection is mostly base on three approaches (Price, 2004). See appendix 9 Table 3.4: Recruitment strategies). The best candidate approach The culture fit approach Flexible person approach The recruitment which is the first part of this process, consist of acknowledge a need for a new employee, draft a job and person description, advertising the vacancy (several methods existed) and reception of application forms. The second and final part consists making a choice of best candidate among a pool of applicants using different type of technics (interview, psychometric test, graphology, selection test, etc..) depending of the organisation strategy (thetime100, 2010, Haffner handout2, 2010, pag. 12). See appendix 9 figure 3.3: Model of recruitment and selection stages) EMPLOYEE WELFARE According to Priti Shah (2010), Employee welfare is a comprehensive term including various services, benefits and facilities offered to employees by the employers. Through such genero us fringe benefits the employer makes life worth living for employees. It is statement in line with the philosophy of HRM, which see the employees of an organisation as its most valued assets, therefore need protection (Haffner handout1 pag. 10, 2010). The Employee welfare can be incited by the state, categorised as statutory and /or by the organisation which is non-statutory. The statutory welfare such as the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HASAW or HSW 1974), EU directives and the Social Charter, influence the management of employee welfare in most successful organisation, inciting the HRM managers to set up policies and rules for compliance (Bratton and Gold, 2007). They also trained and advised senior managers and line managers on the welfare of the employees not only on the legal aspect of the scheme but also on the beneficial aspect regarding the strategy of the organisation. According to Armstrong (2006, pag 846 10th ed.) the implementation of an employee wel fare scheme increases their loyalty and motivation. See appendix 10 figure show the relationship between management and employee wellness The implementation of employee welfare by an organisation consist of making sure the work place is safe for worker (equipment, working environment, shift pattern, etc) and it also concern issues such stress, counselling, trust fund and many other schemes like the one set up by G4S for its employees in Kenya. In early 2008 as a result of the post-election violence in Kenya, over 60 employees were left without homes when they were burnt down during the violence. The local (G4S) company quickly put in place a programme of support and assistance for those affected which included counselling for those suffering from post-traumatic stress. Financial assistance from the G4S Employees Trust Fund helped these employees to rebuild their homes and bring some normality back into their lives. (www.magee-ir.co.uk, 2010) When such scheme is put in place the Line manager are in charge of making sure the workforce is aware of it existence and monitor it impact on the employees. PAYMENT AND REWARD OF EMPLOYEE Among all the process analysed during this essay, payment and reward of the employee is the most strategic for the HRM as it is a contractual exchange where the workforce undertake a certain amount of activities and expect a fair level of payment or reward in return (Bratton and Gold, 2007). It is a strategic process as it has a direct and immediate impact on the behaviour and performance of the workforce affecting the public image or reputation and ability to achieve the operational and strategic smart objectives of an organisation. In the organisations that have adopted the HRM philosophy, a reward management system has been developed by the HRM management to use the payment and reward of the workforce to improve productivity, commitment, services and customers satisfaction without a negative effect on the organisations profit. See appendix 11 Model of reward management: elements and interrelationship Most payment of employee can be of a fix pre-agree amount which a salary or wage or a performance related reward which can depend on the quality, quantity or profit (Price, 2004, pag 529). Others types of reward are used by organisations to motivate their employees, rewards such as: over-time paid double the habitual rate, commission depending on success, bonus for harder worker item produce profit related pension scheme Trust fund Barclays Bank is an organisation that used bonus reward; they offer an annual discretionary bonus which depends on the performance of both individual employee and their team (www.personal.barclays.co.uk, 2010). The importance of the payment and reward of the employee has been valued as a strategic operation by the HR management which should be aligned or integrated to the organisation operational strategy (Bratton and Gold, 2007, pag 360). Acco rding to Price (2007) the reward system consists of integrated policies, process, practices and administrative procedures. This process has also been encouraged or influenced by government legislations such as in UK the Equal pay Act or National Minimum Wage Act. Act Date Coverage Equal Pay Act Sex Discrimination Social Security and Contribution and Benefit Act Employment Right Act National Minimum Wage Act Employment Act National Minimum Wage Act 1970 1986 1992 1996 1999 2002 2003 Male and female employees to receive equal pay for like work, equivalent work and work of equal value. Removal from the employers pay structure, wage regulations, collective agreement, and so on, of any tem that is discriminatory. Enforcement of statutory maternity pay for a maximum of 18 weeks Employer responsible for sick pay for the first 28 weeks of absence through sickness Restricts unauthorised deductions and payments from the wages of e mployees Guaranteed payment for a whole day Right to an itemised pay statement Notice pay if the employer become insolvent Enforcement of a statutory minimum wage Written statement on wage calculation Enforcement of a statutory paternity and maternity pay Details or rate of statutory pay Enforcement notice requiring an employer to pay the minimum wage to an employee amended in relation to past periods and termination of employment Table 3.4.1: Key UK legislation related to reward management (source: Bratton and Gold, 2007, p.391) According to CIPD website (2010) the HRM management design the reward system but the practice is delivered by the Line manager. The involvement of the Line manager will depend on the type of reward applied by the organisation; as he would be one explaining the scheme to his team, make decision about who deserve a reward and why (CIPD, 2010). The understanding of the diversity of what people as a reward regarding to the job satisfaction a l ead to development of new concept such as Total reward. The CIPD defined total reward as a reward strategy that brings additional components such as learning and development, together with aspects of the working environment, into the benefits package. It goes beyond standard remuneration by embracing the company culture, and is aimed at giving all employees a voice in the operation, with the employer in return receiving an engaged employee performance. The table below illustrated the how the two types of reward (financial and non-financial) combined can maximise the motivation, commitment and performance of the workforce. Financial rewards Base pay Total remuneration Total reward Contingency pay Employee benefits Non-financial rewards Learning and development Non-financial /intrinsic rewards The work experience Figure 3.6: The components of total reward (source Michael Armstrong, Handbook of HRM Practice 10th Ed. Pag,631, 2006) It is a concept tha t has been adopted more and more by organisations as it is seen as powerful tool of looking after their valued asset which their human resource. According to the CIPD (2010) two in five organisations have adopted the total reward system and 22% are planning to do so in the next 12 months. See appendix -table of number of organisations that are implemented the total reward concept and appendix show an illustrated model of total reward pag 633 Armstrong.