Actively Engage in Evaluation of Own Performance Essay - 1

Actively Engage in Evaluation of Own Performance - Essay Example The reporter declares that "the overall experience, according to me, was good as I realized my mistakes and got a chance to overcome my weaknesses. It is nice to have a person who was there to guide me about the shortcomings and show me the path to improvement. The path that my teacher suggested was free writing classes at Humber. The information about your weaknesses helps you improve and eliminate them. I have experienced it when my teacher my teacher gave me feedback that my writing skills need improvements and I took immediate steps to improve my writing skills. I also actively engage in evaluation of my own performance and it helps me in the identification of personal strengths and areas of growth and development. According to the article Thematic analysis of written assignment feedback: Implications for nurse education ,†Feedback is now accepted as a key factor affecting learning and, in educational settings, the term feedback is used in the context of assessments, where its main function is to provide information about students current performance as well as constructive comments that enhances future earning†. So, it is very important to measure your performance and evaluate the areas that require improvement. Description: In this week’s group meeting we created a project named logic model for community outreach project. In the Project logic model, we discussed all the steps that are part of our final project."

Staffing and Training Essay Example for Free

Staffing and Training Essay As multinational firms globalise they must learn to co-ordinate efforts among an increasingly culturally diverse workforce and environment. Nowadays people tend to be very defensive of their cultural identity and caution by others has to be taken so that insult is not caused. Through the years success of Japanese organisations global strategies has encouraged American firms. Although many point out the advantages, cultural diversity may leads to conflict, misunderstanding and lack of cohesion. (Tung, [1993]) states that cross cultural training process, helps in the development of building relations between individuals or groups, especially individuals/groups with diverse cultural backgrounds. (Welch [1998]) defines cultural training as any form of guided experience helping people to live and work more contentedly in another culture. Such training encourages understanding about differences and acceptance of the multicultural work environment and helps create and retain effective work teams and expertise in dealing with multicultural management (Hartenian, [2000]) describes the multi-cultural workforce as a workforce that excludes no one, from top-level management to low-level employees. He sees the multi-cultural workforce has one of the main opportunities for an organisation. Although multi-cultural workforces are beneficial to organisations in relation to performance and profitability, they can be very hard to manage. According to (Hill, [92]) the key to managing multi-cultural workforces is the realisation that majority and minority cultures do not always share experiences. To solve this managers can adapt different strategies such as: developing programmes that promote awareness of different cultures, recognise common links among different ethnic groups and express concerns and confusions. (Hill [1992]) believes that if organisations use these strategies, economic benefits will be reaped. This may be easier said than done, (Harisis Kleiner, [1993]) argue that the implementation of such workforces are extremely difficult. They say that not only within American society and businesses but on a world wide scale there are widespread barriers. Such barriers include unwritten rules and double standards for success which are often unknown to women and minorities, stereotypes and their associated assumptions and lack of communication about differences. In global organisations it is essential that effective cross cultural training occurs in order to help individuals obtain both the knowledge and the tools needed to reduce misunderstandings and improper actions (Black Mendenhall [1990]) suggest that multi-cultural training provides individuals with greater self confidence and decreased narrow-mindedness about people from diverse cultures. In addition (Barlett and Ghoshal [1990]) also pointed out that establishing a multicultural training programme improved the companys ability to operate more efficiently in different cultural environments. Although many multicultural training programmes are undertaken to enhance cultural diversity they are not always successful. According to (Woods [1992]) a systematic approach should be taken towards training. (Woods [1992]) established a four step cycle: Firstly was to specify certain job task of individuals and assess the needs of the corporate culture. Secondly is the identification of training objectives. Thirdly was the establishment of the proper training content in which the following was used; sensitivity training, cultural awareness and orientation programs. In addition (Cox, [1993]; Gamio Sneed, [1992]; Tung, [1993]) introduced the communication competency program. In the final stage (Milkovich Boudreau [1991]) stated that training programs need to verify whether the training is successful in junior members of staffs performances at work. The cycle used was concerned with the effectiveness of the training, however, (Mendenhall Oddou [1986[ Tung [1981]) found factors that deterred individuals. These included lack of specialised trainers, cost and perceived lack of usefulness. Research carried out by (Gamio Sneed [1992]) found that the deterrence factors are of major importance. Take for instance the catering industry. Mangers in restaurants may blame high staff turnover rates on lack of multi-cultural training, therefore using these rates as the reason to ignore the need for training programs. (Jackson [1991]) believes that heterogeneity among team members contributes to high turnover rates within organisations. Researchers may find that the re lationship between cultural diversity and staff turnover is of major importance to all organisations. Hospitality researchers Results of this study have provided useful directions for future research in the area of multicultural training. Respondents in this study perceived more success in improving interpersonal skills than dealing with culturally diverse people because those skills are probably more easily observable and acquirable. A more rigorous research design is recommended before definitive conclusions about the efficiency of the training can be reached (Black and Mendenhall, 1990). Without identifying a baseline of knowledge and skills before starting the program, it becomes difficult to measure training effectiveness. Researchers can solve this problem by utilizing a pretest-posttest design with a control group, identifying two separate groups during pretest. One group would be tested before and after receiving the training. The other group would simply be tested twice once before and once after the program but they would not receive the training. By measuring both groups, training managers could fully assess the impact of the training program. Furthermore, the measurement of the training effectiveness needs to incorporate the trainees estimation about the program in addition to perceptions from directors of human resources. Alliger and Janak (1989) advocated that training needs to integrate two evaluation criteria: 1 Internal. For assessing how trainees feel about the training experience. 2 External. For estimating the changes in job behavior and organizational effectiveness (Milkovich and Boudreau, 1991). . Such training encourages understanding about differences and acceptance of the multicultural work environment and helps create and retain effective work teams and expertise in dealing with multicultural management. Full Text (2411 words) Copyright InfoWorld Publications, Inc. Apr 24, 2000 [Headnote] As the IT workforce grows more diverse, managers must improve awareness without creating inconsistency Diversity will have a significant impact on the hospitality industry. On one hand, diversity may cause problems, particularly in older, traditional organizations with a homogeneous workforce, including communication difficulties with supervisors and co-workers as well as with customers. Thus, group cohesiveness may be reduced by an increased cultural diversity among group members (Cox, 1993). The lack of understanding of different cultures may lead to ineffective management techniques in directing, motivating, and rewarding culturally diverse employees. On the other hand, diversity enriches a hospitality organization by adding new cultures, ideas, and alternative methods for solving problems.). What is not understood is what effects, if any, these changes will have on an organization and how it can respond in a proactive way to them. Recognizing the significance of managing diversity in the hospitality organization, Welch et al. (1988) suggest that developing cultural awareness in a company helps employees become familiar with different values, interpersonal interactions, and communication systems which must be understood for an effective multicultural working environment. Christensen (1993) emphasizes that organizations failing to acknowledge the full range of variety inherent in their employees and customer populations will have difficulty surviving . Restaurants need to have more thorough multicultural training programs, focusing on training goals which are practical and job-specific. Job result-oriented training goals, including increasing employee teamwork among culturally diverse employees and improving cross-cultural skills, must be a part of the training goals to encourage employee participation and eventually help in facilitating job performance in dealing with multicultural work environments. In addition, training methods should be more comprehensive rather than limited. As case 3 reported, minority mentor and advisory programs could be utilized to encourage full participation of ethnic minorities. These involvement efforts, with full support from upper management, would help change employees attitudes and lower barriers between diverse workers and promote ethnic minorities, and hopefully lead to less turnover generated from the feeling of isolation and difference. Furthermore, human resource directors may consider utilizing employees with multicultural experience. For instance, the company can hire managers who have hands-on experience with different cultures or language skills for efficient interaction with diverse employees and for multicultural training. These comprehensive training approaches can eventually generate productive training results and increase better understanding among employees from diverse cultural backgrounds. Hospitality researchers Results of this study have provided useful directions for future research in the area of multicultural training. Respondents in this study perceived more success in improving interpersonal skills than dealing with culturally diverse people because those skills are probably more easily observable and acquirable. A more rigorous research design is recommended before definitive conclusions about the efficiency of the training can be reached (Black and Mendenhall, 1990). Without identifying a baseline of knowledge and skills before starting the program, it becomes difficult to measure training effectiveness. Researchers can solve this problem by utilizing a pretest-posttest design with a control group, identifying two separate groups during pretest. One group would be tested before and after receiving the training. The other group would simply be tested twice once before and once after the program but they would not receive the training. By measuring both groups, training managers could fully assess the impact of the training program. Furthermore, the measurement of the training effectiveness needs to incorporate the trainees estimation about the program in addition to perceptions from directors of human resources. Alliger and Janak (1989) advocated that training needs to integrate two evaluation criteria: 1 Internal. For assessing how trainees feel about the training experience. 2 External. For estimating the changes in job behavior and organizational effectiveness (Milkovich and Boudreau, 1991). . In responding to the multicultural work environments and international scope of restaurant operations, the hospitality industry should provide proper training for line employees who require customer interactions during their routine jobs in addition to managers who deal with employee promotion and corporate culture. TRAINING Perlmutter identified three managerial attitudes toward international operations Managers with an ethnocentric attitude are home-country oriented. Home-country personnel, ideas, and practices are viewed as inherently superior to those from abroad and are used for evaluation purposes. A polycentric attitude is a host-country orientation based on the assumption that because cultures are so different, local managers know what is best for their operations. Managers with a geocentric attitude are world-oriented. Skill, not nationality, determines who gets promoted or transferred to key positions around the globe. This attitude attempts to maintain a balance between global standards and local discretion. A geocentric attitude can help management take a long step toward success in todays vigorously competitive global marketplace. complexity. Documentary programs. Culture assimilator. Language instruction. Sensitivity training. Field experience. TRAINING . . References 1. Alliger, G. and Janak, E. (1989), Kirkpatricks levels of training criteria: thirty years later, Personnel Psychology, Vol. 42 No. 4, pp. 331-42. 2. Andorka, F. (1997), Diversity task forces meet to set agenda, Hotel and Motel Management, Vol. 212 No. 4, pp. 32-6. 3. Barlett, C. and Ghoshal, S. (1990), Matrix management: not a structure, a frame of mind, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 68 No. 4, pp. 138-45. 4. Black, J. and Mendenhall, M. (1990), Cross-cultural training effectiveness: a review and a theoretical framework for future research, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 113-36. 5. Bochner, S. (1982), Cultures in Contact: Studies in Cross-cultural Interaction, Pergamon Press, New York, NY. 6. Bond, R. and Bond, J. (1993), The Sourcebook of Franchise Opportunities, Business One Irwin, Homewood, IL. 7. Christensen, J. (1993), The diversity dynamic: implications for organizations in 2005, Hospitality Research Journal, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 69-86. 8. Clark, J. and Arbel, A. (1993), Producing global managers, The Cornell Hotel Restaurant Administration Quarterly, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 83-7. 9. Cox, T.H. (1991), The multicultural organization, Academy of Management Executive, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 34-47. 10. Cox, T.H. (1993), Cultural Diversity in Organizations, Berrett-Koehler, San Francisco, CA. 11. Franchise Directory (1992), 1st ed., Martin, S. (Ed.), Gale Research, Detroit, MI. 12. Fullerton, H. (1987), Labor force projections: 1986-2000, Monthly Labor Review, Vol. 110 No. 9, pp. 19-29. 13. Gamio, M. and Sneed, J. (1992), Cross-cultural training practices and needs in the hotel industry, Hospitality Research Journal, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 13-26. 14. Glick, W., Harber, H., Miller, D., Doty, H. and Sutcliffe, K. (1990), Studying changes in organizational design and effectiveness: retrospective event histories and periodic assessments, Organization Science, Vol. 1 No. 3, pp. 293-312. 15. Harris, K. and West, J. (1993), Using multimedia in hospitality training, The Cornell Hotel Restaurant Administration Quarterly, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 75-82. 16. Houten, B. (1997), Harvest time, Restaurant Business, Vol. 15 No. 8, pp. 71-80. 17. Jackson, S., Brett, J., Sessa, V., Cooper, D., Julin, J. and Peyronnin, K. (1991), Some differences make a difference: individual dissimilarity and group heterogeneity as correlates of recruitment, promotions, and turnover, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 76 No. 5, pp. 675-89. 18. Jeffcoate, R. (1981), Why multicultural education?, Education 3-13, Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 4-7. 19. Mejia, L. and Palich, L. (1997), Cultural diversity and the performance of multicultural firms, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 28 No. 2, pp. 309-35. 20. Mendenhall, M. and Oddou, G. (1986), Acculturation profiles of expatriate managers: implications for cross-cultural training programs, Columbia Journal of World Business, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 73-9. 21. Milkovich, G. and Boudreau, J. (1991), Selection and design of training programs, in Human Resource Management, 6th ed., Irwin, Homewood, IL. 22. National Restaurant Association (1988), Foodservice Industry 2000 (Current Issue Report), National Restaurant Association, Washington, DC. 23. Tung, R. (1981), Selection and training of personnel for overseas assignments, Columbia Journal of World Business, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 68-78. 24. Tung, R. (1993), Managing cross-national and intra-national diversity, Human Resource Management, Vol. 32 No. 4, pp. 461-77. 25. US Travel Service (1990), Annual Summary of International Travelers to the US, US Travel Service, Washington, DC. 26. Welch, T., Tanke, M. and Glover, G. (1988), Multicultural human resource management, Hospitality Research Journal, Vol. 12 No. 4, pp. 337-45. 27. Woods, R. (1992), Managing Hospitality Human Resources, Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Motel Association, East Lansing, MI. 28. Zikmund, W. (1991), Business Research Methods, 3rd ed., The Dryden Press, Orlando, FL, pp. 3 Despite their popularity, the risk of failure of such ventures is high. There is a wealth of academic research studying the factors which may lead to greater success. Some authors suggest that greater attention up front to structural and partner characteristic dimensions will arrest the high failure rate (Parkhe, 1993). Recent research effort has been directed towards forwarding general prescriptions for managing the relationship once the alliance is under way Parkhe, A. (1993), Strategic alliance structuring: a game theoretical and transaction cost examination of interfirm cooperation, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 36 No. 4, pp. 794-829. The work of Hofstede (1980), in particular, is considered the most comprehensive effort, involving analysis of a large scale questionnaire based survey of one large American corporation in 40 of its subsidiaries. Hofstede found that differences in national culture varied substantially along the four dimensions of uncertainty avoidance, individuality, tolerance of power distance and masculinity-femininity. Hofstedes work has frequently been used as a starting point to identify and model cultural clusters (Kogut and Singh, 1988; Ronen and Shenkar, 1985). Although the methodological approach has been extended to explore the effect of culture on international cooperation (Johnson et al., 1993; Graham, 1988) the difficulties of measuring and monitoring exchange processes have been noted. Indonesian culture, particularly Javanese and Sundanese culture (the latter from the region of Bandung) is very different from modern Western European and North American culture. Particular aspects of these cultural differences can affect the trust-building process. The case provides key episodes which illuminate these cultural trait differences and suggests methods to work within this cultural diversity. The critical involvement of stakeholders A key cultural dimension in SE Asian culture is the collectivist approach to business. This manifests itself in our case study through the critical involvement of stakeholders in the formation phase of the JV. The role of stakeholders and management of their interests is a key theme running through the paper. In particular, the case study suggests a need to systematically identify the power and interest of potential stakeholders and plan for and subsequently negotiate their roles and influence in the venture. These factors have led many Western companies to look for help and expert local advice through collaborative arrangements with ASEAN country partners. Market entry strategies have favoured equity JVs, which several ASEAN countries prefer in order to protect their own interests and ensure long-term growth (Lasserre, 1995; Mann 1996). The JV formation process: an analytical framework Lorange and Roos (1993) proposed a formation process model for JVs and strategic alliances which consisted of two areas of consideration; political and analytical and two phases of development; the initial and the intensive phase. This model has been modified and extended to create an analytical framework which derives from the Indonesian JV experience. The marketing and economic benefits from such a JV were apparent to Lucas at the time. Essentially the JV would provide abundant and highly skilled low-cost labour (with future joint product development a realistic possibility), made up of a loyal, dedicated and, importantly, reliable workforce with excellent proven machine tool skills and capabilities. Good rail and air transport links with markets in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific made it an attractive proposition along with a burgeoning Western market for low-cost high quality aerospace standard precision machined parts and components Westerners, particularly from Northern Europe and North America are generally viewed as particularists (Trompenaars, 1993). They rely heavily on rules and legal agreements to structure and provide governance to cooperative ventures. Trompenaars, F. (1993), Riding the Waves of Culture, Nicholas Brealey, London The most commonly utilized starting point for organizational development work on managing diversity is some type of employee education program. Human Resource Planning, June 2001 v24 i2 p10 Workforce Diversity Training: From Anti-Discrimination Compliance to Organizational Development. Marc Bendick; Mary Lou Egan; Suzanne M. Lofhjelm. Diversity is not just race and gender. It has a lot to do with communication styles and work styles,

Diversity in Gender and Governance

Diversity in Gender and Governance Tuan Pham   Anh Quynh Nguyen INTRODUCTION In the past, women could only be at home and do the household chores while the majority of men went to work. They did not have the rights to work. However, this orthodox view has been changed. In todays society, more and more women are going to work than ever before. The figures from Statistics Canada (2017) show that more than 9 million women in Canada have jobs at the end of 2016. As it can be seen, the number of females in the labor force increased substantially. Not only do women work as employees but they are also employers as well. They hold many important positions in companies such as chiefs, managers, members or the chairman of boards. In Canada, women hold 21.6% of board seats in the Financial Post 500 in 2016 (Catalyst, 2017). According to Catalysts research, it shows that the percentage of women directors in many developed countries has been increasing significantly. For example, in Australia, it represents 23.4% of women on boards in June 2016, which almost tripled than that of 2009. Growth in the number of women allows companies to grow faster and become more successful. As a business student, we are interested in the contributions of women to the economy. They play an important role in developing the firm values. Dr. Mijntje Lu ¨ckerath-Rovers (2011) has investigated that enterprises with female managers run better than those with men only. Moreover, women can bring their unique skills, which male counterparts cannot, to diversify a wide range of the boards expertise (Kim and Starks, 2016, p. 270). They suggest that diversity in gender enhance higher firm values. Even though society makes an endeavor to fight for gender equality, there is no sign that this controversial issue will disappear. In this paper, we provide more in-depth evidence that the presence of women on boards develops companies performance actively and effectively based on personal research and surveys. We will also answer one of the fundamental questions: Will gender dive rsity be encouraged in the future? How would it change: in a good way or bad way? DEFINITION The Dictionary of Business in 1996 (as cited in Walt and Ingley, 2003, p. 219) indicates that diversity in boards is a mix of human capital, where human capital is represented as the skills and knowledge absorbed by a person through the process of learning and experience. In the context of governance, diversity is described as the composition of the board and the combination of the different qualities, characteristics and expertise of the individual members in relation to decision-making and other processes within the board (Là ¼ckerath-Rovers, 2011, p. 493). Therefore, one of the aspects of diversity is gender on boards. This paper only focuses on gender diversity for several factors. First, gender diversity is one of the major topics which has been fiercely debated for a long time. Secondly, gender is the most easy distinguished demographic characteristic compared with age, nationality, education or cultural background (Là ¼ckerath-Rovers, 2011, p. 493). Eventually, our research aims to show that diversity in gender makes all the difference in firm performance. BACKGROUND According to a 2017 statistical analysis conducted by Statistics Canada, among women in the labour force, approximately 94% of them are employed (full-time and part-time). This proves that the labour force changed rapidly and there are more rights for women than ever before. European countries now appear to take the lead in the number of women directors (Catalyst, 2017). This survey also shows that many countries, such as Norway, Iceland, Finland and Sweden, are using quotas and setting targets to expanding the number of women on boards. However, in some Asian countries, there are only a tiny number of female directors. Catalysts research series, The Bottom Line, indicates that the more women on boards a company has, the better financial results they receive.   For example, Companies with the most women board directors had 16% higher Return on Sales (ROS) than those with the least, and 26% higher Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) (Catalyst, 2017). WOMENS CONTRIBUTIONS TO CORPORATE BOARDS According to the research in 2013 on gender diversity in SP 1500, which is a stock market index of US stocks made by Standard Poors, about a quarter of its firms still have no female directors. With data from the ISS RiskMetrics and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, other smaller firms include SP 600 SmallCap, SP 400 MidCap, and SP 500 indices, the proportion of women on their boards just makes up by a small percentage (only 37%, 21% and 7% respectively have no women on their boards). However, surveys report that women are rated higher than men on the emerging leadership qualities of many aspects. As reported by the 2009 SEC Final Rule No. 33-9089 Proxy Disclosure Enhancements, there are in total 16 functional types recommended as critical skills: Financial, Mergers and Acquisitions, Accounting, International, Operations Technology, Marketing, Risk Management, Human Resources, Research and Development, Sustainability, Corporate Governance, Regulatory/Legal/Compliance, Political/Govern ment, Strategy and Leadership. Results show that adding women directors can enlarge diversity in corporate boards. Women are found to possess more uncommon expertise than men, which are four out of five least reported board skills (Research and Development, Human Resources, Risk Management, Sustainability, and Political Government). This shows that female directors can contribute both unique skills and expertise that are currently in distinction in the corporate boards, which can develop the heterogeneity of board skills. As a result, women directors can increase the value in corporate boards and enhance boards advisory effectiveness by adding these skills. Gender diversity is therefore related to higher firm value, and better director heterogeneity of expertise can increase the development in corporate boards.    DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN AS DIRECTORS Although some studies have found that men and women as directors and leaders do not differ in the way of thinking, orienting tasks and other people, women actually learn how to be a leader more easily than men. The reason for which is that girls are likely to be raised with a more egalitarian way than boys, this could affect the way they participate in their life. Also, as stated above, women have more unique skills than men, which translates into their relatively greater use of participative leader style. Another reason could be that gender stereotypes have somewhat affect female leaders to be more competitive in firms. They would care more about follower expectations and be more interested in complying with it. There are differences between men and women as both board directors and top leaders. As top leaders, men and women tend to have no difference in ages and qualifications. Nevertheless, female directors are more independent due to their better multi-directorships. According to research in Norway, 45% of female directors and 37% of male directors are outsiders. While female directors with an average age of 47.16 years and an average of 1.63 qualifications, male directors hold only average 52.7 years have 1.18 qualifications (Wang and Kelan, 2012, p. 456). The result shows that women are not only younger but also more educated than their male colleagues. It also reports that one female director in firm has 10 qualifications in average, while that number of other directors is just 3. Men as directors do not have as many resources through serving multiple boards as women, and are less likely to be outsiders than women. Female directors are reported to be younger and have more qualification s than male directors, while there is no significant difference between male and female as CEOs in some specific aspects such as age, qualifications and experience within the boardrooms and the corporations. The gender gaps and the differences between female and male leaders and directors are also affected by gender quota. As stated in www.wikigender.org, gender quotas are used to create equal representation among gender within legislation contribute to the promotion of gender equality, and ease the access of women into positions of government. Gender quotas were first introduced in some public sector entities in the 1980s and were extended in 2003 under legislation requiring at least 40% of women on boards of public limited companies (known as ASA), inter-municipal and state-owned enterprises (Sorsa, 2016). The enactment of the mandatory gender quota became one of the researchers studies since its introduction in Norway in 2005 (Wang and Kelan, 2012, p. 451). According to Ahern and Dittmars report in 2011, even though the increasing number of women was found to boost the boards strategy and effectiveness, this has led to the surge in the number of inexperienced women in corporate boards , which could damage the firms performance. However, Matsa and Miller (2011) found that there are positive effects of gender quota on firms, especially on the reductions of workforce and the rise in relative labor costs, compared with a matched sample in Scandinavia countries without gender quotas. The outcome shows that the gender quota in Norway created only a few experienced women as top leaders on their boards based on a number of proxies for influence, such as leadership and multi directorships, though this country has been increasing a large number of women in their firms (Seierstad and Opsahl, 2011). Despite the fact that there are no specific differences between the way women and men lead, gender diversity is still an important factor on boards and it may influence female directors contributions to board decision-making processes (Nielsenand and Huse, 2010). At the same time while having a female leader in the boardroom can make female directors easier to feel comfortable about expressing their opinions, male leaders show respect and openness towards views raised by women (Wang and Kelan, 2012, p. 451). They also report that female leaders not only enhance the effectiveness of board decision making but also benefit the operation of the organization. Female board chairs had more qualifications than their male counterparts during the pre-quota period, but this difference vanished after the gender quota had been enacted. This shows that female and male board chairs have similar levels of interlocks and are equally like to be foreigners (Wang and Kelan, 2012, p. 451) during the post -quota period. However, compared the pre- with the post-quota period, female board chairs seem to be more likely to have independent qualifications, more experience and less board interlocks, while male board chairs are older and more experienced after the full compliance of the gender quota in 2008. The average tenure of female board chairs in the pre-quota period, which is 2.04, is significantly lower than the one in the post-quota period (2.98), and female board chairs are more likely to be foreigners in both periods (Wang and Kelan, 2012, p. 451). This shows that Norwegian firms have talented female top leaders locally, not importing them from other countries. Results shown in these tables indicate that female directors are likely to be more independent and younger and have more qualifications than their male counterparts. Differences in independence status, age and qualifications between men and women as directors did not change after the full compliance in Norway in 2008. Women in the post-quota period are more experienced, have more board interlocks and are more likely to be foreigners than those in the pre-quota period, while male directors seem to be more independent in the pre-quota period than in the post-quota period. The differences between male and female directors also result from gender quota. After the legislation for gender quota in Norway was enacted in December 2005, the Norwegian seemed to be under the pressure of hiring more female directors and therefore it resulted in the large number of inexperienced and low-educated female directors in corporate boards. Figures in Table 2 indicate that the average number of females qualifications decreased than that of male directors. This means that the female directors in sample firms need to have a wider range of qualifications to achieve the fixed gender quota. The effects of gender quota on characteristics of directors in Norwegian firms have reflected that there was no difference between male and female directors, with respect to independence, age and qualification in 2001 and in 2010 (which was 5 years before and after the enforcement of gender quota). However, the differences in age and qualifications seemed to have widened over the period fr om 2003 to 2005, while that in independence seemed to be narrowed over the same period. Firms may have recruited younger but less independent female directors with more qualifications when they had the choice of voluntarily increasing the number of female directors on their boards. Therefore, age and qualifications somewhat have contributed to help corporate governance because the newly nominated female directors would have lacked the experience and independence to monitor firm management well (Wang and Kelan, 2012, p. 460). CONCLUSION With gender equality, having females on boards is an indisputable fact. The heterogeneity among companies is related to higher firm value. The profits women can make for companies are much higher than those without women on boards. We can see that the relationship between gender diversity and governance are likely to be positive. There are several journals, articles and research that show the contributions of women to developing firm value. However, diversity in gender on boards has both positive and negative effects on governance. The question of the relationship between gender diverse boards and firm value has generated considerable debate as well as analyses with conflicting findings and conclusions (Kim and Starks, 2016, p. 270). For example, the impact on decision-making and financial performance related to gender diversity is complex because there are other factors that affect the firms conduct. Moreover, getting companies to commit and change their perceptions would be no easy task. In many countries, their thoughts have not changed since feudalism. For instance, it is difficult to put up with the presence of female directors in Asian companies. They think that having women on boards can waste their money, which leads to a reduction of their productivity because of several reasons: maternity leave, lower retirement age, etc. From our study, we emphasize the mechanism through which director heterogeneity improves firm performance. More female directors on boards can make female employees dedicate themselves to work and improve the performance of the firms (Là ¼ckerath-Rovers, 2011, p. 507). She also proves that companies are more successful in making use of the whole talent pool for competent directors instead of only half of the talent pool. As a consequence, the increase or decrease in the firm value depends on companies choices. REFERENCES Adams, R. B., Ferreira, D. (2009). Women in the Boardroom and Their Impact on Governance and Performance. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1107721 Ahern, K. R., Dittmar, A. K. (2011). The Changing of the Boards: The Impact on Firm Valuation of Mandated Female Board Representation. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1364470 Catalyst (2017). Quick Take: Women on Corporate Boards Globally. Retrieved from http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/women-corporate-boards-globally Kim, D., Starks, L. T. (2016). Gender Diversity on Corporate Boards: Do Women Contribute Unique Skills? American Economic Review, 106(5), 267-271. doi:10.1257/aer.p20161032 Là ¼ckerath-Rovers, M. (2011). Women on boards and firm performance. Journal of Management Governance, 17(2), 491-509. doi:10.1007/s10997-011-9186-1 Matsa, D. A., Miller, A. R. (2011). A Female Style in Corporate Leadership? Evidence from Quotas. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1636047 Sorsa, P. (2016). Gender quotas for corporate boards do they work? Lessons from Norway. Retrieved from https://oecdecoscope.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/gender-quotas-for-corporate-boards-do-they-work-lessons-from-norway/ Statistics Canada (2017). Full-time and part-time employment by sex and age group. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labor05-eng.htm Statistics Canada (2017). Labour force characteristics by sex and age group. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labor05-eng.htm Walt, N., Ingley, C. (2003). Board Dynamics and the Influence of Professional Background, Gender and Ethnic Diversity of Directors. Corporate Governance, 11(3), 218-234. doi:10.1111/1467-8683.00320 Wang, M., Kelan, E. (2012). The Gender Quota and Female Leadership: Effects of the Norwegian Gender Quota on Board Chairs and CEOs. Journal of Business Ethics, 117(3), 449-466. doi:10.1007/s10551-012-1546-5 Wikigender. (n.d.). Debate on Gender Quotas. Retrieved from http://www.wikigender.org/wiki/debate-on-gender-quotas/

Essay --

Did you know that the levels of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere are almost 50ppm (parts per million) more than what they should be? Organizations such as 350 try to fix this, but can they do it all on their own? Carbon dioxide is one of the many greenhouse gases that controls how Earth’s temperature rises by absorbing solar radiation and allows life on Earth to exist. Carbon dioxide might appear as beneficial, but right now it is the leading cause of global warming. The process in which decreasing the amounts of carbon dioxide in the air includes geoengineering which means, purposely changing the environmental processes to affect Earth’s climate. Some examples of geoengineering at its finest are enhanced weathering, ocean fertilization, and carbon dioxide scrubbers (also called CO2 scrubbers). The first way to reduce the amount of CO2 in our atmosphere is to use enhanced weathering. When certain types of minerals dissolve in rainwater, carbon dioxide is taken from the air. We can use enhanced weathering by digging up other rocks that are able to covalently bond with carbon dioxide by storing it in the soil or ocean such as calcite (CaCO3) and forsterite (Mg2SiO4). In the chemical compounds for calcite and forsterite, there are the elements calcium and magnesium. That contributes to enhanced weathering because for every molecule of calcium or magnesium taken away by these compounds, one molecule of carbon dioxide is removed. Another way of executing enhanced weathering would be carbonate looping. Carbonate looping is the process of converting calcium carbonate into calcium oxide. To do this, you would take rocks that contain calcium carbonate and expose them to CO2, so that those rocks would react by storing the carbon dioxid... ...dioxide scrubber in action is created by a team of American scientists led by Klaus Lackner. Basically, the machine contains an ion exchange resin which the CO2 sticks to, while the clean air is released. They claim that it can suck in one ton of carbon dioxide in a day. It has not been made available yet, but is thought of to be an economic solution to making carbon dioxide scrubbers. In conclusion, we can decrease the levels of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere by using the geoengineering processes of enhanced weathering, ocean fertilization, and using CO2 scrubbers. If we do not acknowledge the fact that levels of greenhouses gases like carbon dioxide and methane are higher than they need to be, global warming has the potential of damaging the Earth and possibly us. We all have the chance to save the world from global warming. Will you take that opportunity?

Integrative Therapy Essay

I started my first class of counselling today. I was very nervous and excited at the same time. I was nervous because I had not been in formal education for the past ten years and excited because I was going to do something for myself after 3 years of sitting at home and focus on something other than domestic issues. I arrived to my first class late and that made me more apprehensive. Looking around I noticed that there were people from different age and background. I started the class by telling others about myself and listened to them. I felt like I was in a group therapy, in a way it actually was because we were using our listening skills, which I believe is essential part of counselling. As it happened at the end of the task I was less nervous than I was at the beginning. Our next task was to find a partner and talk about ourselves to each other. We talked about our lives and it was up to us how much to tell our partner and to share it with the rest of the group. Again here, our listening skills were tested. This task also acted as ice breaker where the atmosphere of the class become more relaxed as we listened to each individual’s life and their achievements as well as their aspirations. I realised that most of the people who attended the course were there because of their life experiences propelled them to this course and that they felt they have something to give back as counsellor, or that they may learn some counselling skills to help them with their own lives. As for myself, since studying counselling as part of my degree course 10 years ago, I have wanted to become a counsellor. I always was motivated to help others. My only inability is and has been my lack of confidence. This is not because I don’t have the ability to listen and help others, but just that I am not a confident speaker and my communication skills needs to be enhanced and by doing this course I am hoping to overcome both and be prepared for further qualifications in counselling. During the class in groups we also discussed, what we want from rest of the group and what is required of me. There were some points, such as, Respect, Confidentially, Honesty, Being non- judgmental, etc, that we all agreed on. We ended the class by â€Å"checking out†, where we said how we felt and what we learned, like me, the rest of group was also more relaxed and were looking forward to the rest of the course. I see this course as learning route, where by the end of it I have learned some counselling skills, hopefully I will also overcome my own issues, which might have an impact on my role as a helper.

Biography of Frida Kahlo †Political Science Essay

Biography of Frida Kahlo – Political Science Essay Free Online Research Papers Biography of Frida Kahlo Political Science Essay Frida Kahlo was born in 1907 in Coyocan, Mexico to a Jewish immigrant family. Her family basically consisted of her father, Guillermo, her mother, and her sister, Cristina. Her father was a famous photographer and her mother, Matidle, a strict Catholic, Frida’s father favored her over his other child. When Frida contracted polio at the age of five, Guillermo was the one who devoted his time to helping her try and recover. Even though he went through hours of strenuous exercises with her, she still ended up with a shriveled right leg. In 1925, Frida was in a horrible bus accident. A trolley car crashed into the bus she was on, sending people flying in every direction. Frida was found with a metal pole protruding from her stomach. At the hospital the doctors discovered that she also had a fractured pelvis, a dislocated shoulder, broken ribs and a shattered leg and foot. The accident would change her life forever. She paints a lot of self-portraits of her looking broken. I am not sick. I am broken. But I am happy as long as I can paint. My painting carries with it the message of painPainting completed my lifeI believe that work is the best thing. Frida met her husband, Diego while working on a mural in Mexico City. He was much older than her but they hit it off. They both had communist beliefs. In 1992 Frida (24) and Diego (42) got married in a courthouse in Coyocan. She got pregnant but had an abortion because her body could not handle a pregnancy. She also had many miscarriages over her life. She expressed her pain through her artwork. A lot of it portrays very bloody and gruesome childbirth. In 1930 the couple went to America. During her time in the states she was overshadowed by Diego’s artwork. People just knew her as his wife that stayed by his side. Frida continued working during this time and even though it never got exposed until recently it was very insightful and deep. A lot of it has Diego somewhere on the canvas. Sometimes he is displayed in her forehead or near her heart. She loved him but resented him a lot too. She expressed both sides. I suffered two grave accidents in my life. One in which a streetcar knocked me down..The other accident is Diego. And Being the wife of Diego is the most marvelous thing in the world. I let him play matrimony with other women. Diego is not anybodys husband and never will be, but he is a great comrade. They went back to Mexico in 1933. They were not exactly a happily married couple. They both had many affairs. Frida had affairs with famous author Georgia O’Keefe and Leon Trotsky, an exhiled Russian of many others. She was a known bisexual. Frida said , OKeefe was in the hospital for three months, she went to Bermuda for a rest. She didnt make love to me that time, I think on account of her weakness. Too bad. In light of her affair with Georgia O’Keefe. The last ten years of Frida’s life was more relaxed than the rest. She taught students at an art institute in Mexico. She had newly found medical problems with her spine that put her back in a hospital bed where she continued to paint. In the year 1953 Frida and her hospital bed where transported to the National Institute of Fine Arts in Mexico City. That raised a few eyebrows but Frida liked to get that kind of reaction. That was her first solo art exhibition. Frida Kahlo died in 1957 at the age of 47. Because Frida had tried at suicide and not been successful people rumored that it was a suicide. She had had a very painful life. She underwent over 30 surgeries throughout her lifetime. She last thing she wrote in her diary was I hope the leaving is joyful and I hope never to return. Citation: biography for frida kahlo at the hammond gallery. Retrieved Apr. 06, 2003, hammondgallery.co.uk.biography.php3?aid+35 Research Papers on Biography of Frida Kahlo - Political Science EssayPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationCapital PunishmentThe Spring and AutumnThe Fifth Horseman19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThe Hockey GameEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenWhere Wild and West Meet