Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations Essay

CHAPTER 14 Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations Chapter Summary This chapter provides an overview of private-sector labor-management relations in the United States, with brief attention to public-sector differences and international labor relations. After a model of labor-management relations and a context for current relationships are provided, various aspects of the process of collective bargaining are described. Cooperative forms of labor-management relations are then presented. Finally, an explanation is given for how changes in competitive challenges are influencing labor-management interactions. Learning Objectives After studying this chapter, the student should be able to: 1. Describe what is meant by collective bargaining and labor relations. 2. Identify the labor relations goals of management, labor unions, and society. 3. Explain the legal environment’s impact on labor relations. 4. Describe the major labor-management interactions: organizing, contract negotiations, and contract administration. 5. Describe the new, less adversarial approaches to labor-management relations. 6. Explain how changes in competitive challenges (e.g., product-market competition and globalization) are influencing labor-management interactions. 7. Explain how labor relations in the public sector differ from labor relations in the private sector. Extended Chapter Outline Note: Key terms appear in boldface and are listed in the â€Å"Chapter Vocabulary† section. Opening Vignette: Labor Relations and the Bottom Line The main issue in the 54-day strike by the United Auto Workers (UAW) at two General Motors parts plants was job security and whether GM would invest in plants in the United States or continue its effort to cut U.S. employment and shift production overseas to reduce labor costs. The strike postponed all of GM’s plant operations, which caused annual earnings and market share. GM plans to spin off a new unit, which would eliminate 200,000 of UAW workers from the payroll. Ford is thinking about doing the same thing but has postponed the move because of UAW opposition. I. Introduction—Labor-management relations are complex, and many are in transition as competitive challenges force a realignment of management and worker interests. The need for many U.S. companies to become smaller and more efficient translates into actions (job loss) that are at cross-purposes with the interests of union members. II. The Labor Relations Framework (text Figure 14.1 and TM 14.1) A. John Dunlop suggested a labor relations systems that consists of four elements: 1. An environmental context (technology, market forces, etc.). 2. Participants: employees and their unions, management, and the government. 3. A web of rules (rules of the game) that describe the process by which labor and management interact. 4. Ideology (acceptance of the system and participants). B. Katz and Kochan have presented a model that focuses on the decision-making process and outcomes. 1. At the strategic level, management makes basic choices such as whether to work with its union or develop nonunion operations. 2. These labor and management choices made at the strategic level affect interaction at the second level, the functional level, where contract negotiations occur. 3. These strategic decisions also affect the workplace level, the arena in which the contract is administered. III. Goals and Strategies A. Society—Labor unions’ major benefit to society throughout history has been the balancing of power and the institutionalization of industrial conflict in the least costly way. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA, 1935) sought to provide a legal framework conducive to collective bargaining. B. Management must decide whether to encourage or discourage the unionization of its employees. Based upon issues of wage cost, flexibility, and labor stability, as well as ideology, management must decide. If management has a union, it has the option of supporting a decertification vote, an election in which employees have a chance to vote out the union. C. Labor unions seek to give workers formal representation in setting the terms and conditions of employment. (See text Table 14.1 for categories of provisions in collective bargaining agreements). IV. Union Structure, Administration, and Membership A. National and international unions are composed of multiple local unions, and most are affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) (see Table 14.2 in the text for a list). In 1995, three major unions, the UAW, the United Steelworkers, and the International Association of Machinists, announced plans to merge by the year 2000. | | |A related reading from Dushkin’s | |Annual Editions: Human Resources 99/00: | |(â€Å"HR Comes of Age† by Michael Losey | 1. Craft unions are those that organize members of a particular skill or trade, such as electricians or plumbers. Craft unions are likely to be responsible for training programs called apprenticeships. 2. Industrial unions are made up of members who work in any number of positions in a given industry, such as the auto or steel industry. Whereas craft unions may wish to control the number of members, industrial unions wish to maximize the number of members. B. Local unions are frequently responsible for the negotiations of a contract as well as the day-to-day administration of the contract, including the grievance procedure. Typically, an industrial local corresponds to a single manufacturing facility. C. The AFL-CIO is a federation of national unions. It represents labor’s interests in the political process and provides numerous services to its members, in terms of research and education (text Figure 14.2). | | |A related reading from Dushkin’s | |Annual Editions: Human Resources 99/00: | |(â€Å"Labor Deals a New Hand† by Marc Cooper | D. Union security depends upon its ability to ensure a stability of members and dues. Unions typically negotiate a contract clause that defines the relationship it has to employees and that provides for an uninterrupted flow of dues. 1. A checkoff provision is an automatic deduction of union dues from an employee’s paycheck. 2. A closed shop is a union security provision under which a person must be a union member. 3. A union shop requires a person to join the union within a certain length of time after beginning employment. 4. An agency shop is similar to a union shop, but does not require union membership, only that an agency fee be paid. 5. Maintenance of membership requires only that those who join the union remain members through the life of the current contract. 6. Right-to-work laws—As a function of the Taft-Hartley amendment to the NLRA, states may decide to make mandatory union membership (or even dues paying) illegal. E. Union Membership and Bargaining Power—Employers are increasingly resisting unionization. Unions are making new attempts to organize new memberships and to provide new services. Union membership has consistently declined since 1950 and now stands at roughly 10 percent of private-sector employment (text Figure 14.3 and TM 14.2). Reasons for this decline are noted below: 1. Structural Changes in the Economy—These changes include decline in core manufacturing and increase in the service sector. But these changes, according to studies, only account for 25 percent of the overall union membership decline. 2. Increased Employer Resistance—Almost 50 percent of large employers in a survey reported that their most important labor goal was to remain union free. Unions’ ability to organize whole industries has declined, and therefore wages are rarely taken out of competition. Additionally, studies have shown that if a union wins an election, it is frequently the case that managers lose their jobs (see Figure 14.4 for the increase in unfair labor practices filed). | | |Competing by Meeting Stakeholders’ Needs: | |Is Strong Labor Relations Good for Business? | | | |Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls is not looking to cultivate a unionized work force. That is why it endures strikes at its seat| |making factories by UAW workers who were trying to negotiate their first collective bargaining contract with the company. Ford | |has taken a different view because it has begun a strong commitment with the UAW to be a competitive advantage. Ford realizes | |that it is not in the best interests of its employees to accept seats by replacement workers because their relationship with the| |union and respect for the team are too important to them. Finally, Johnson Controls agreed on a contract with the UAW at its | |two plants with help from Ford. | 3. Substitution with HRM—In large nonunion companies, HRM policies and practices may encourage positive employee relations, and therefore union representation is not desired by employees. | | |Competing through Globalization: | |UAW Concedes Defeat at Transplants—for Now | | | |UAW is diverting its attention from the Japanese-owned assembly plants to the German-owned plants because the Japanese are | |turning their backs on the UAW. Transplant operations are tough to implement, but they are continuing to grow in this country | |and employment continues to shrink. Also, the UAW membership is beginning to shrink because it depends on the auto industry for| |its existence. Transplant operations usually offer pay and benefits and the social and political environments don’t support | |unions. BMW and Mercedes-Benz are willing to work with the U.S. auto union because it is easier to organize during economic | |times and they may be able to influence affairs with Germany. BMW pays workers hourly with bonuses as well as using a | |self-directed work team concept. These pay and benefits are attractive to the workers at this company. The union must also | |contend with plant expansions because employees find themselves considering job promotion or at least a move to a more appealing| |work slot. BMW and Mercedes-Benz are expanding both their factories and their payrolls. | 4. Substitution by Government Regulation—Employment laws have been passed that reduce the areas in which unions can make a contribution. 5. Worker Views—The lack of a U.S. history of feudalism and class distinctions has limited the class-consciousness needed to support a strong union movement. 6. Union Actions—Corruption, resistance to obvious economic change, and openness to women and minorities have all hurt the perception of union. V. Legal Framework—Legislation and court decisions that provide the structure within which unions must operate have had an effect upon membership, bargaining power, and the degree to which unions and managements are successful in achieving their goals. The 1935 NLRA enshrined collective bargaining as the preferred mechanism for settling labor-management disputes. Section 7 of the act sets out the rights of employees, including the â€Å"right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining.† A. Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs)—Employers: The National Labor Relations Act (1935) prohibits certain activities by both employers and labor unions. Section 8(a) of the NLRA contains ULPs by employers. 1. Employers cannot interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in exercising their Section 7 rights. 2. Employers cannot dominate or interfere with a union. 3. Employers may not discriminate against an individual for exercising his or her right to join or assist a union. 4. Employers cannot refuse to bargain collectively with a certified union (other examples are given in text Table 14.3). B. Unfair Labor Practices—Labor Unions: These were added by the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act. 1. These ULPs parallel those listed previously. For example, unions may not restrain or coerce employees in the exercise of their Section 7 rights (see Table 14.4 in the text for additional examples). C. Enforcement—The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has the primary responsibility for enforcing the NLRA. 1. The NLRB is a five-member board appointed by the president. Additionally, there are 33 regional offices. 2. Only businesses involved in interstate commerce are covered by the NLRA and therefore subject to the NLRB. 3. The NLRB has two major functions: a. To conduct and certify representation elections. b. To prevent ULPs and to adjudicate them. 4. ULP charges are filed at and investigated by the regional offices. 5. The NLRB may defer to the parties’ grievance process instead of holding a hearing. 6. The NLRB can issue a cease-and-desist order to halt a ULP. It may order reinstatement and back pay. The court of appeals can choose to enforce the NLRB’s orders. VI. Union and Management Interactions: Organizing A. Why Do Employees Join Unions?—Is it for wages and benefits? Do unions help increase wages and benefits? B. The Process and Legal Framework of Organizing—An election may be held if at least 30 percent of the employees in the bargaining unit sign authorization cards. A secret ballot election will be held. The union is certified by the NLRB if a simple majority of employees vote for it. 1. A decertification election may be held if no other election has been held within the year or if no contract is in force. 2. The NLRB must define the appropriate bargaining unit. The criterion they use is â€Å"mutuality of interest† of employees. 3. Certain categories of employees cannot be included. C. Organizing Campaigns: Management and Union Strategies and Tactics (see text Tables 14.5 and 14.6 for common campaign issues). 1. Table 14.7 in the text and TM 14.3 list employer strategies, legal and illegal, that are used during organizing campaigns. Additionally, note the significant increase in employer ULPs since the late 1960s. 2. The consequence of breaking the law in this situation is minimal, and discrimination against employees active in union organizing decreases organizing success. 3. The NLRB may set aside the results of an election if the employer has created â€Å"an atmosphere of confusion or fear of reprisals.† 4. Associate union membership provides a person who is not part of a bargaining unit with some of the services a full union member receives (access to insurance, credit cards, etc.). This is a strategy unions are trying in order to increase support. 5. Corporate campaigns seek to bring public, financial, or political pressure on employers during the organizing and negotiating process. Example: William Patterson, corporate affairs director of the Teamsters union, attended the 1996 Time Warner Inc.’s annual meeting, where he unsuccessfully pushed a Teamsters proposal to split the chairman and CEO position into two separate positions. The Teamsters pension funds have assets of $48 billion and actively pursue strategies as stockholders to support their positions. VII. Union and Management Interaction: Contract Negotiation—Bargaining structures, the range of employees and employers that are covered under a given contract, differ, as shown in text Table 14.8. A. The Negotiation Process—Walton and McKersie suggested that negotiations could be broken into four subprocesses: 1. Distributive bargaining occurs when the parties are attempting to divide a fixed economic pie into two parts. What one party gains, the other loses. 2. Integrative bargaining has a win-win focus; it seeks solutions beneficial to both sides. 3. Attitudinal structuring refers to behaviors that modify the relationships between the parties, for example, offering to share information or a meal. 4. Intraorganizational bargaining is the consensus-building and negotiations that go on between members of the same party. B. Management’s preparation for negotiations is critical to labor costs and productivity issues. The following steps are suggested: 1. Establish interdepartmental contract objectives among industrial relations and finance, production, and so on. 2. Review the old contract to focus on provisions needing change. 3. Prepare and analyze data on labor costs, your own and competitors’. Data on grievances, compensation, and benefits must be examined as well. 4. Anticipate union demands by maintaining an awareness of the union perspective. 5. Establish the potential costs of various possible contract provisions. 6. Make preparations for a strike, including possible replacements, security, and supplier and customer. 7. Determine the strategy and logistics for the negotiators. C. Negotiation Stages and Tactics 1. The early stages may include many individuals, as union proposals are presented. 2. During the middle stages, each side makes decisions regarding priorities, theirs and the other parties’. 3. In the final stage, momentum may build toward settlement or pressure may build as an impasse becomes more apparent. More small groups are used to address specific issues. 4. Getting to Yes by Fisher and Ury presents four principles of negotiations: a. Separate the people from the problem. b. Focus on interests, not positions. c. Generate a variety of possibilities before deciding what to do. d. Insist that the results be based on some objective standard. D. Bargaining Power, Impasses, and Impasse Resolution—An important determinant of the outcomes of negotiations is the relative bargaining power of each party. Strikes impose various economic costs on both sides and therefore, in part, determine the power. E. Management’s Willingness to Take a Strike—Willingness is determined by the answers to two questions. 1. Can the company remain profitable over the long run if it agrees to the union’s demands? 2. Can the company continue to operate in the short run despite a strike. 3. The following factors help determine whether management is able to take a strike: a. Product Demand—If it’s strong, there is greater potential loss for management. b. Product Perishability—A strike timed with perishability of a crop results in permanent revenue loss. c. Technology—A capital-intensive firm is less dependent on labor for continued operation. d. Availability of Replacement Workers—(Note that the Clinton Administration issued an executive order that at the time of publication was under an injunctive order. This executive order prohibits federal contractors from permanently replacing striking workers). e. Multiple Production Sites and Staggered Contracts—These permit the shifting of work from a struck site. f. Integrated Facilities—If parts are not available from a struck plant, other facilities may be shut down. g. Lack of Substitutes for the Product—A strike is less costly if customers cannot purchase substitute goods. F. Impasse-Resolution Procedures: Alternatives to Strikes 1. Mediation is provided by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. While a mediator has no formal authority to force a solution, he or she acts as a facilitator for the parties, trying to help find a way to resolve an impasse. 2. A fact finder is most commonly used in the public sector. The fact finder’s job is to investigate and report on the reasons for the dispute and both sides’ positions. 3. Arbitration is a process through which a neutral party makes a final and binding decision. Traditionally, rights arbitration (the interpretation of contract terms) is widely accepted, while interest arbitration (deciding upon the outcome of contract negotiation) is used much less frequently. VIII. Union and Management Interactions: Contract Administration A. The grievance procedure is a process developed to resolve labor management disputes over the interpretation and implementation of the contract. This happens on a day-to-day basis. 1. The WWII War Labor Board first institutionalized the use of a third-party neutral, called an arbitrator (now, the final step in the grievance process). 2. The effectiveness of grievance procedures may be judged on three criteria: a. How well are day-to-day problems resolved? b. How well does the process adjust to changing circumstances? c. In multi-unit contracts, how well does the process handle local contract issues? 3. The duty of fair representation is mandated by the NLRA and requires that all bargaining-unit members, whether union members or not, have equal access to and appropriate representation in the grievance process. An individual union member may sue the union over negligent or discriminatory representation. 4. Most grievance procedures have several steps prior to arbitration, each including representatives from increasingly higher levels of management and the union (Text Table 14.9 and TM 14.4). 5. Arbitration is a final and binding step. The Supreme Court, through three cases known as the Steelworkers’ Trilogy, confirmed the credibility and binding nature of the arbitrator’s decision. 6. Criteria arbitrators use to reach decisions include: a. Did the employee know the rule and the consequences of violating it? b. Was the rule applied in a consistent and predictable way? c. Were the facts collected in a fair and systematic way? d. Did the employee have the right to question the facts and present a defense? e. Does the employee have the right of appeal? f. Is there progressive discipline? g. Are there mitigating circumstances? B. New Labor-Management Strategies 1. There are signs of a transformation from an adversarial approach to a less adversarial and more constructive approach to union-management relations. 2. The transformation includes increasing worker involvement and participation and reorganizing work to increase flexibility. | | |Competing through High-Performance Work Systems: | |Look Who’s Pushing Productivity | | | |Aluminum Co. of America is working to create a high performance work system within its plant by setting up a labor-management | |partnership and spur productivity, protect jobs, and as using unions as consultants. The International Association of | |Machinists is implementing a revolutionary change in the way unions view cooperation with management. The goal is to protect | |workers’ jobs and pay by making their employers more competitive. By developing expertise in new work systems, unions have a | |chance to make themselves valuable to employers battling today’s intense global and domestic competition. Partnerships can also| |dilute the opposition many executives feel toward unions. However, the most willing unions still battle over wages. The IAM | |has opted for a soft-sell approach, marketing itself as a resource for employers. The one payoff is that unions get mo re jobs | |for its members even if it can’t win election battles against nonunion contractors. | 3. Union leaders have frequently resisted such change, fearing an erosion of their influence. 4. In the Electromation case, the NLRB ruled that setting up worker-management committees was a violation of the NLRA, given certain circumstances (see Table 14.10 for a description of what makes teams illegal). 5. Polaroid recently dissolved an employee committee when the U.S. Department of Labor claimed it was a violation. 6. In a third case, the NLRB ruled that worker-management safety committees were illegal because they were dominated by management. 7. These new approaches (with the boundaries of legality) to labor relations may add to an organization’s effectiveness. Table 14.11 in the text and TM 14.5 illustrate the patterns of traditional and transformational approaches. IX. Labor Relations Outcomes A. Strikes—See Table 14.12 in the text for U.S. strike data. Note that strikes occur very infrequently. B. Wages and Benefits—In 1997, private-sector unionized workers received, on average, wages that were 28 percent higher than nonunion counterparts. 1. The union-nonunion gap is most likely overestimated due in part to the ease of organizing higher skilled (therefore more highly paid) workers. The â€Å"union threat† more than likely causes an underestimation of the differences. The net difference is close to 10 percent. 2. Unions influence the way in which pay is given (across-the-board wages on top of occupational wage rates). Promotions are in large part based on seniority. | | |A related reading from Dushkin’s | |Annual Editions: Human Resources 99/00: | |(â€Å"Off the Tenure Track† by Barbara McKenna | C. Productivity 1. Unions are believed to decrease productivity in three ways: a. The union pay advantage motivates management to use more capital per worker, which is an inefficiency. b. Union contracts may limit work load, and so on. c. Strikes and other job actions result in some lost productivity. 2. Unions, alternatively, may increase productivity: a. Unions provide more efficient communication with management, which may reduce turnover. b. The use of seniority decreases the competition between workers. c. The presence of a union may encourage management to tighten up in terms of consistency on work rules, and so on. 3. Overall, studies have concluded that union workers are more productive than nonunion workers although the explanation is not clear. Example: Between 1978 and 1982, Ford lost 47 percent of sales. Today, Ford uses one-half as many workers to make a car as they did during that period. A major factor in Ford’s increased productivity has been the improvement in their labor-management relationship. Management has made a strong effort to increase employee involvement. The Walton Hills plant outside of Cleveland, Ohio, is given as an example of a change from an adversarial relationship to a more cooperative approach that allowed for a change of work rules which kept the plant open. D. Profits and Stock Performance—These may suffer under unionization if costs are raised. Recent studies have shown negative effects on profit and shareholder wealth. These research findings describe the average effects of unions. The consequences of more innovative union-management relationships for profits and stock performance are less clear. X. The International Context—The United States has both the largest number of union members and the lowest unionization rate of any Western European country or Japan (Text Table 14.13). A number of potential explanations exist. A. The growing globalization of markets (EC common market, NAFTA, etc.) will continue to put pressure on labor costs and productivity. Unless U.S. unions can increase productivity or organize new production facilities, union membership may continue to decline. B. The United States differs from Western Europe in the degree of formal worker participation in decision making. Work councils and codetermination are mandated by law in Germany. XI. The Public Sector—During the 1960s and 1970s, unionization in the public sector increased dramatically. By 1997, 37 percent of government employees were covered by a union contract. Strikes are illegal at the federal level and in many states for government workers. Chapter Vocabulary These terms are defined in the â€Å"Extended Chapter Outline† section. Web of Rules Decertification Craft Union Industrial Union Local Union AFL-CIO Checkoff Provision Closed Shop Union Shop Agency Shop Maintenance of Membership Right-to-Work Laws Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs) National Labor Relations Act, 1935 Taft-Hartley Act, 1947 National Labor Relations Board Associate Union Membership Corporate Campaigns Distributive Bargaining Integrative Bargaining Attitudinal Structuring Intraorganizational Bargaining Getting to Yes Mediation Fact Finder Grievance Procedure Arbitration Duty of Fair Representation Electromation Case Discussion Questions 1. Why do employees join unions? Employees join unions because of dissatisfaction with wages, benefits, working conditions, and supervisory method. Employees believe that collective voice (representation) will increase the likelihood of improvement. Unionization provides a better balance of power between management and employees (as a group). 2. What has been the trend in union membership in the United States, and what are the underlying reasons for the trend? Since 1950, union membership has consistently declined as a percentage of employment to approximately 16 percent of all employment. Students may suggest a number of reasons for this (as discussed in the text): decline in the manufacturing â€Å"core† industries, increase in employer union resistance, more frequently adopted progressive HRM policies, increase in employment legislation, and a lack of union adaptation. 3. What are the consequences for management and owners of having a union represent employees? Various consequences may occur depending on the quality of the union-management relationship. Management may find less flexibility, higher wage and benefit costs, higher productivity, and a negative impact on stock price and profitability. 4. What are the general provisions of the National Labor Relations Act, and how does it affect labor-management interactions? The NLRA provides a detailed list of individuals’ rights regarding organizing a union, bargaining a contract, and involvement (or lack thereof) in job (concerted) actions. These rights are referred to as Section 7 rights. Section 8 lists unfair labor practices for both employers and unions. Students could present and discuss each of these. The NLRB (the primary enforcement agency) was also mandated by the act. The NLRA encouraged unionization in order to provide employees with a balance of power vis a vis employers. It affects labor relations by providing a structure for negotiations and conflict resolution. Students could be called upon to provide some specific examples. 5. What are the features of traditional and nontraditional labor relations? What are the potential advantages of the â€Å"new† nontraditional approaches to labor relations? Traditional labor relations can be characterized as adversarial in nature. Negotiations are generally win-lose, and grievances tend to be settled at the third and fourth levels of the process. Nontraditional labor relations include an emphasis on problem-solving and win-win negotiations. Grievances may be more frequently settled informally at the first step. Additionally, employees may be involved in team efforts and participate in decision making. 6. How does the U.S. industrial and labor relations systems compare with systems in other countries such as those in Western Europe? The U.S. industrial relations system has a very low relative union density rate. The union wage premium is higher in the United States. Western European unions have a much higher level of formal worker participation in decision making. Web Exercise Students are asked to visit UAW’s web site to read about and answer questions about their recent mergers. †¢ www.uaw.com End-of-Chapter Case A Floor Under Foreign Factories? The global economic crisis is turning up the heat on companies that use cheap overseas labor, and as a result many companies are taking action like Nike, Inc. Nike lifted wages for its entry-level factory workers in Indonesia by 22 percent to offset that country’s devalued currency and other companies are finding ways to fix these problems without being undercut by rivals. The American Apparel Manufacturers Association (AAMA) introduced a task force to set guidelines for companies to police their factories and suppliers. In addition, the Council on Economic Priorities launched a program toward labor relations by having companies self-regulate even in the face of negative publicity about sweatshops, which could in turn create a floor of basic working conditions evolving around the globe. The plan is to establish the Fair Labor Association (FLA), a private entity to be controlled 50-50 by corporate and human-rights or labor representatives. The FLA would accredit auditors, such as accounting firms, to certify companies as complying with the code of conduct, and inspect about a fifth of a company’s factories for certification. This plan however needs to address wages and unionization rights in order to be successful. These two efforts can pose a problem for companies who still want to deal with sweatshops because human-rights groups will continue to expose the companies that use this technique. Questions 1. From labor’s point of view, what challenges does the â€Å"mobility of capital† create of protecting worker’s rights? From labor’s point of view, the challenges are: decent wage levels, appropriate standard of living, and job security. 2. Should companies be obligated to pay a â€Å"living wage† to workers? What would the likely consequences be for workers? To avoid exploitation by companies, â€Å"living wages† certainly makes sense. It also treats employees as assets rather than cheap labor. 3. If international labor standards are to be enforced, what is the best means? Should enforcement take the form of self-regulation by industry groups or should national governments cooperate in enforcing such standards? If international standards are to be enforced, they should be consistent and similar for the whole international market. This way it will be easier to monitor and control when there are discrepancies or when there is check-ins in the factories. National governments should take a cooperative approach in this arena to make sure things are going as planned and companies are complying with standards. 4. As a consumer, do the conditions under which people work matter to you in choosing a product to buy? Answers will vary. For the most part, most consumers will not think about where the products came from or where they were made when deciding on whether to purchase a certain product. The people that will take this issue into consideration would probably be the human-rights groups or other informed and concerned consumers; however, many people do not understand or are well informed about such issues. Additional Activities Teaching Suggestions Students are frequently quite interested in how labor relations work. Additionally, they may have fairly strong opinions about unions and their effectiveness. Discussions are therefore quite easy to start and keep going. Below are a number of activities that can be added to the text material. One role play is included that allows students to try out the first step in a grievance procedure. The HBR case on the clerical and technical employees organizing campaigns gives students a good chance to think about how HRM policies and practices truly play a role in employee relations. Two of the â€Å"Competing through† boxes have discussion questions listed. Finally, the Saturn end-of-part case is very useful with this chapter, illustrating the benefits of a constructive joint union-management relationship. 1. Competing through Quality Discussion Questions: †¢ Certainly strikes bring about hostile attitudes in many cases. What strategies can management use to defuse these feelings once people are back at work? †¢  · Given the Electromation case, how careful does management need to be in using teams as a quality improvement technique? 2. Competing through Globalization Discussion Questions: †¢ What types of strategies should U.S. organizations use when dealing with labor relations in other countries? What information do they need and with whom should they staff the labor relations positions? †¢ Will unions ever move to have a multinational structure like many organizations do? Why or why not? You may wish to have students do some library or Internet research on this question. 3. An interesting case from the Harvard Business School is listed below with questions for discussion. This may be assigned to groups as a written case analysis or used in class to discuss and illustrate a number of points regarding why employees join unions and what sort of union organizing techniques are used. Case 9-490-027: Clerical and Technical Workers Organizing Campaign at Harvard University (A) Case 9-490-081: Part (B) Teaching Note (5-490-083) Supplement (9-490-081) This case describes a successful organizing drive among clerical and technical workers at Harvard. The union (HUCTW) relied on unusual strategies: espousing cooperation, avoiding specific demands, emphasizing the need for worker voice, and making use of volunteer organizers. Discussion Questions 1. Should Harvard oppose unionization? 2. How would a union affect the university’s â€Å"business† needs? 3. How effective were Harvard’s campaign tactics? 4. What did you learn about managing human resources from reading and analyzing this case? 5. The Saturn case presents a labor-management relationship (as well as a plant design process) designed from the ground up as a cooperative, joint interaction. After covering this chapter, students should be well prepared to discuss the demands placed upon both the union and management in a situation like Saturn’s. The case provides some focus on the political riskiness of a cooperative relationship for the union-elected officials. In the Saturn case discussion, it would be useful to note the difference between beginning a new operation in which the union-management relationship is based on â€Å"jointness† and trust and the effort needed to change a relationship in which trust has not existed in the past. 6. Assign the following article from The Wall Street Journal (May 24, 1993): â€Å"Why Ms. Brickman of Sarah Lawrence Now Rallies Workers† by Kevin Salwen. Note also that as part of the AFL-CIO’s new â€Å"union summer program,† more than 1,600 young people, mostly college students, have applied for pro-labor candidates and help organize workers. Ask the students to discuss this quote: â€Å"Every successful social movement in history, including the civil rights movement, was run by young people. If the labor movement is going to succeed and grow again, they need to be a big part of it.† 7. A role play is useful in talking about the grievance procedure. Using the following scenario, assign the roles of union steward, supervisor, employee, and observer to students in groups of four. Give them 20 minutes to try to resolve the issue informally, but if they are unable to, have them â€Å"write it up† as a grievance. Those groups that do resolve it may hand in their resolution. Observers should provide feedback to the students in the other roles on interpersonal skills, empathy, listening, idea generation to resolve the issue, and so on. It is Friday afternoon in the special-order fabrications section of the Caseville plant. As the supervisor Mary Reed is checking work orders, she notes that there is one order that has not been handled, and delivery is due the next week. Clearly, Mary is going to have to find several people to work a second shift on overtime. Under the Caseville-Local 484 contract, overtime must be distributed by seniority. The supervisor quickly pulls her seniority list from the file and, beginning at the top, walks around her area talking to the employees and asking about their interest in overtime immediately after the current shift ends. After talking with five men, Mary has only one who will work. Quitting time is five minutes away, and the whereabouts of Brooke Youngblood is not known (Brooke is next on the list). In desperation, Stevens asks three employees standing at their benches who are about to leave. Two of these people agree to work (both are junior to Brooke). That afternoon and evenin g the order is completed. Monday morning, upon arrival, Brooke is greeted and asked about his weekend. It turns out that he had taken a trip into the city with his son for a major league baseball game Friday afternoon. The tickets had been purchased a month before, and the special event was a birthday present. In the course of the discussion, Brooke learns about the overtime and realizes he hadn’t been asked about it by his supervisor. He immediately calls his union steward, Carry Stevens. A discussion ensues.

Technologyâ€Ups Competes Globally with Information Technology:

Technology—UPS Competes Globally with Information Technology: The website is pretty straight forward and easy to navigate. UPS has spent a lot of time and millions of dollars making a website user friendly and easy to use for all customers, whether small, large, international, etc. What Services does Website Provide? 1. Individuals. Individual shippers can check time in transit zones, how long it will take to ship a package to a particlar destination, costs of that shipment, and can even keep a mail list directly on-time for frequently used shipment addresses. The website will till you prices for each service such as ground, 3 Day Select, 2 Day Air or 1 Day Air overnight†¦ even Sonic Air which can move stuff in just hours. 2. Small businesses. Can do all things an individual user can plus track shipments, maintain contact lists, offer multiple options of transportation to the end user. The customers can even get notified through email and texts the location of their shipment or any delays, this is invaluable for UPS’s just-in-time logistics world. 3. Large businesses. Large business can track large volume of shipments using a service call Quantum View. It will track delivery performance, track exceptions during the delivery cycle, and get notified on key service thresholds. It can monitor shipping trends, zones, and potential help analyze the cheapest and most effective way to use all of UPS's services. Many large customers have volume discounts, incentives and all that can be managed within the UPS information network. I think the newly updated website has offered customers a lot of options and help clarify the complicated world of logistics†¦ specially international shipping and brokerage. UPS have actually won some awards in the internet world for our user friendly website. It is important to mention the international support the UPS can give a start up company. To many customers, information regarding a package is almost as important as the package itself. UPS has invested in scanning and tracking technologies to provide up to the minute information on where each package is while in the UPS system. If there are weather or service delays, that is tracked as ell and can even prompt a message to the receiver and shipper. Large companies also benefit from the full array of UPS's extensive portfolio, such as freight, ocean and air, trade direct, international brokerage, banking, logistics management, billing, managing customer databases, etc. UPS have logistics specialists that work with new companies to assist them in all the customs, brokerage, transportation, warehousing, payments, security, delivery, inventory managing, etc. all while doing business internationally. UPS has worked hard to offer customers a â€Å"one-stop-shop† so their customers won't need to look elsewhere for part of there logistics needs. UPS try to develop a deep, integrated relationship with each customer by developing value based solutions that support their business and in turn gives them business. If businesses grow, UPS grow, that is their motto. UPS have also business development associates that work with each customer and they become the one â€Å"go to† person for all issues when it comes to trade and transportation. It is almost like a partnership to help navigate the complicated world of logistics and shipping. UPS want business to focus on their core competency while they take over almost everything else, some large companies that have a deep relationship with UPS that they rarely talk about: Nike, DELL, IBM, Amazon, Ford, Williams Sonoma, Costco, HP, Verizon, Apple, ATT, etc. UPS also handle almost all of their logistics needs so they focus on what they do best. A department that I specially think is very important and unique in UPS is the overnight just in time world of UPS. They help manage the airline for them. UPS handle the most critical time sensitive shipments for their customers, such as machine parts, medical supplies, prescriptions, healthcare stuff, legal documents, etc. whatever needs to be there tomorrow for something urgent. UPS started the airline in 1987 and have grown to 245 jets and the largest cargo airline fleet in the world. Some trade direct stuff: Get Time Back on Your Side When doing business in North America, bypassing distribution centers and shipping direct to retail stores or end consumers can result in a competitive advantage. As your merchandise flows between the U. S. Canada, and Mexico borders, UPS Trade Direct ® Cross Border can eliminate inefficiencies in your North American supply chain. This results in a cost savings to you and enhanced service for your customers. Streamlined Supply Chain Let UPS act as your single source for cross-border supply chain management needs. From pickup to delivery across the Mexico/U. S. and Canada/U. S. borders, UPS Trade Dire ct Cross Border is the integrated solution that lets you focus on improving service to your customers. Definitely the UPS website is one of the most powerful tools of the company in order to attract and keep their customers loyalty.

Case Analysis Of Jason Learning Disability

Analysis of the case scenario suggests that the person Jason, a 29 years aged male, presents some variety of mental disorders. Upon his admission to the medium secure unit, a thorough analysis of the patient’s history suggests that he suffers from learning disability,  and intermittent explosive disorder. Signs of depression are also observed in the patient. People with mental illness are often subjected to social stigma and discrimination that worsen their situation and make it difficult for them to recover. According to research studies, 1 in 4 people are likely to experience mental health problems at some point of their lives (Fazel and Seewald 2012). Furthermore, such mental health problems have also been found among 1 in 10 children globally (Reupert and Kowalenko 2013). Learning disabilities are neurological problems that interfere with the basic skills of learning suggest writing reading or calculating. These disabilities are often found to interfere with higher mental faculties such his time planning, organization, memory, abstract reasoning and attention (Cortiella and Horowitz 2014). Such disabilities have been found to create a negative impact on the academic of a person in addition to hampering his or her relationship with friends, family and workplace. Owing to the fact that the patient Jason suffers from learning disability since childhood, it can be stated that there is a gap between his potential and actual achievements (Geary 2013). Emotional regulation can often be defined as a complex process that encompasses initiation, inhibition and modulation of the mental state and behavior of an individual in response to a stimulus. These stimuli provoke subjective experiences such as feelings or emotions, followed by cognitive processes such as thoughts (Barlow, Allen and Choate 2016). An analysis of the case scenario suggests that Jason suffered from depression, which features em otional dysregulation. It makes him unable to regulate his emotional response with regards to provocative stimuli. This is established by his previous history of conflicts in relationship or perceived abandonment. This often contributes to the sudden bursts of anger and passive aggressive behavior that he manifests. According to the DSM-V criteria, emotional dysregulation is considered as an essential feature of a large number of psychological disorders. Presence of depressive symptoms in the person can be attributed to symptoms of loneliness and social withdrawal (Strang et al. 2012). Loneliness often includes anxious feelings regarding lack of communication or connection with other beans. Such lack of social connection can be directly linked to his antisocial or hostile behavior towards others. Depressive symptoms are confirmed by signs of social withdrawal and lack of interest to attend pleasurable activities (Martin, Neighbors and Griffith 2013). The fact that Jason always carries a nice and gives repeated threats to harm others can be correlated with presence of intermittent explosive disord er, which is characterized by sudden outburst of violence and anger that is disproportionate to the situation (Coccaro 2015).   Such behavior is often triggered by inconsequential events and results in disproportionate reactions to real or perceives provocation. Therefore, there is a need to implement cognitive behavioral therapy, Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and psychotropic medications to improve the overall health and well-being of the person. The therapy is aimed towards helping people suffering from borderline personality disorder and mood disorders, by changing thoughts related to self harm to others or suicidal ideations (Linehan et al. 2015). It will increase the cognitive and emotional regulation of the person by gaining information about the triggers and underlying factors that contribute to search inappropriate reactive states (McMain et al. 2012). It will further help in assessing the coping skills that need to be applied to avoid such undesirable behavior. On the other hand, cognitive behavioral therapy such as cognitive relaxation and coping skills therapy will help in counteracting panic anxiety and anger, thereby treating intermittent explosive behavior. The intervention plan that will be device for the treatment of Jason will keep in consideration his presenting signs and symptoms, and the predisposing factors that might have increased his likelihood of getting affected with mental disorder. The common symptoms that he manifests include escalating patterns of sudden aggressive behavior such as using a knife to threat members of the community. Therefore, in order to treat presence of intermittent explosive behavior and depression, cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy will prove most effective. According to the DSM-5 diagnosis, depressed mood is characterized by subjective reports of feeling sad, hopeless or empty throughout the day. It is also marked by diminished pleasure or interest in daily activities, accompanied by psychomotor retardation or agitation (Copeland et al. 2013). DBT will focus on accepting and healthy and uncomfortable behavior and will help Jason to acknowledge that most of his self-destructive or depressing behaviors are inappropriate. A person suffering from major depressive disorder often experiences feelings of worthlessness, which in turn creates an overwhelming atmosphere of sadness that invalidate all aspects of their life (Harned et al. 2012). Therefore, the primary aim of this intervention is to reduce negative behaviors and modulates extreme emotions, which contributes to depression (Miller, Carnesale and Courtney 2014). Moreover, it will allow the patient to trust self-thoughts, emotions and activities. The proposed intervention includes conduction of dialectical behavior therapy for 1 hour, twice a week for 8 months, and coping skills therapy for 6 months. Establishing a good rapport with the patient is the primary criteria of providing the intervention as it will help in fostering an efficient therapeutic relationship. The background of the patient including his job information, his childhood, education and personal history will be collected, in order to formulate a better diagnosis plan. Effective communication can be initiated by making direct eye contact, and using appropriate hand gestures and nonverbal communication skills (Morse et al. 2012). Showing an authentic interest in the concerned patient and picking up on cues from his responses will also help in identification of issues other than the main problem. In addition to using appropriate communication skills, active listening will also facilitate establishment of a good rapport. Furthermore, it will help in miscommunication or misinterpretation. Mindfulness- This is the basic foundation of the therapy as it assists an individual to tolerate and accept all powerful emotions that appear while challenging certain habits or getting exposed to upsetting situations. The therapist will assist Jason to pay attention to the present moment, in a non-judgmental manner, while experiencing his senses and emotions to the maximum level. Jason will also be made more aware of senses related to smell touch taste sight and sound (Mehlum et al. 2014). Emotional regulation- This skill will create opportunities for identifying obstacles that prevent demonstration of appropriate emotion. It will also help in reducing vulnerability to the emotion mind and will increase mindfulness and positive approach to emotional events. It will help the patient to correctly interpret an event with appropriate use of body language sensation and action. A counselor will also be required while conducting this module of the therapy (Essau et al. 2012). The counselor will provide assistance in making the patient understand the ill effects of the drugs on physical and mental health. Distress tolerance- This is the third module of the therapy, which will allow the patient to respond or deal appropriately to distressing circumstances such as serious illness, traumatic events, financial loss, or death of beloved people. It will help the patient to learn the way of bearing pain skillfully. This in turn will enhance the ability to accept such situations in a non-judgmental and non-evaluative manner. Interpersonal effectiveness- This will focus on enhancing problem solving skills and increasing assertiveness. All the patients suffering from intermittent explosive disorder or depression possess good interpersonal skills. However, they often fail to apply these skills in current situation. The module will focus on situations related to changing an objective or to resisting changes. It will make Jason show an inclination to contact his family members, rather than avoiding them (Bedics et al. 2012). Jason will be provided with homework when he would have to pick specific problem sir behaviors from the provided list, and will have to identify the pros and cons of either acting on or resisting the urges. This will help in determining effectiveness of the therapy. Due to the fact that aggressive behavior can lead to an intended or serious consequences, coping skills therapy will be implemented in this case scenario to help Jason adapt himself to cope or mitigate with his reactions. Jason’s aggressive behavior can be attributed to his upbringing, relationship with family, being bullied at school and work difficulties. These results in the explosive behavior that makes him demonstrate harm towards self and others. Such overtly confrontational antisocial behavior can be correlated with his previous history of stealing and physical aggression (Coccaro 2012). Lack of proper parenting is also another major contributing factor. Practicing relaxation techniques- This will help Jason to manage his anger by participating in techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and meditation. Involving the diaphragm muscle of the abdomen while breathing, will help in reducing stress and anxiety. Progressive muscle relaxation will make the person coordinate between relaxing and sensing a variety of muscle groups in the body. Meditation will also help in achieving equilibrium, thereby balancing between emotions and gaining a mastery over thoughts and feelings (Meuret et al. 2012). Self-monitoring thoughts- This will help the patient to closely monitor thoughts and feelings with regards to the determined standard, which in turn will help in correlating the actions. It will also involve homework when Jason will be made to measure his thoughts in relation to social circumstances, and then compare them with behavior that should be displayed during such instances. Setting and managing goals- Having a goal or objective in life helps in giving a purpose or direction. This skill will motivate the patient to focus on improving his life and accomplish his goals in future. It will help him in setting appropriate objectives with a directed vision, without getting stressed. This in turn will improve his mood, and quality of life, by reducing hostile attitude and anger. Cognitive restructuring- This module will help in identifying and learning maladaptive or irrational thoughts, commonly referred to as cognitive distortions. It will focus on emotional reasoning, magical thinking and all or none thinking. This will help in preventing extreme thoughts in the person. A counselor will play an important role while implementing this module, by helping Jason identify his irrational beliefs that affect his behavior as well as emotions (Salloum and Overstreet 2012). The homework for this therapy would include coping skills exercise where Jason will be made to list a minimum of 5 instances when he felt like procrastinating, comforting himself, or showing violent behavior towards the receiver. He will be made to circle the coping skills that he considers counterproductive or an healthy, and will also be made to suggest healthier alternatives. This will determine positive implications of the administered therapy. In addition, physician will be consulted for administration of atypical antidepressant drugs such as aripripazole, citalopram or bupropion for preventing recurrence of his depressive symptoms. Several challenges and ethical considerations that might arise while caring for Jason include his low self esteem and unwillingness to participate. Presence of depressive symptoms often makes a person show apathy, which might make him reluctant to get treated. He might fail to understand the rational of the aforementioned two therapies, and may resort to violence attitude. Therefore, effective interpersonal skills and showing sensitivity towards the patient is needed. The primary strength of dielectric behavioral therapy lies in the fact that several randomized control trials have been conducted which have determined its effectiveness for treating borderline personality disorder and depression. The aforementioned mental diseases are severe and persistent in most people. Implementation of this therapy among such patients has shown long-term adherence and compliance in the target population. Recent findings have suggested that this behavioral therapy is successful in addressing the problematic behaviors manifested by patients, and help in elimination of abnormal mental state (Pistorello et al. 2012). According to research findings, use of DBT in combination with medication produces even better results. According to several research studies, combining the therapy with atypical antipsychotic medications such as olanzapine helps in reducing depression, impulsivity, and anxiety among patients, and also shows and improvement in treatment adherence. Effec tiveness of the therapy has been established by other studies conducted in outpatient settings as well, where the therapy has shown significant positive impacts in reducing suicidal ideation, and depression (Bedics et al. 2012). Similar findings have been reported other randomized control trials, where the therapy has been proved effective in eliminating signs and symptoms of hopelessness, social withdrawal, and para-suicidal behavior. However, the major limitation is associated with the fact that most of the available research that investigated effectiveness of the therapy had been conducted on small sample sizes, and focused on specific sectors of mental health population. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate whether the therapy is effective for people suffering from different mental health disorders. Moreover, most studies were conducted by doctoral level students or highly educated professionals, which indicate an intensive training is required before implementing the therapy on patients (Mehlum et al. 2014). Furthermore, there is a lack of follow-up interview in the trials that have been conducted. Hence, long-term benefits of the therapy are not yet established. Moreover, the therapy is a demanding p rocess and required patients to spend several hours during his conduction. Patient suffering from depression shows reluctance to its implementation. In addition, the therapy focuses on the approach that can be implemented up on patients who are ready to acknowledge their illness and show compliance during the therapy sessions. Hence, any form of hesitance from the patient might lead to misleading results. On the other hand, several studies have been carried out that have established effectiveness of the coping skills therapy. It has proved effective in increasing the ability to tolerate various forms of uncertainty during explosive disorder or depression. According to research trials, this therapy often leads to avoidance of situations that can make a person procrastinate or delay taking action. Another benefit is associated with the fact that it impacts the ability to recognize rumination or repeated botherations about a thought, by influencing the person to attempt problem solving (Hayes 2016). Research findings also suggest that this therapy helps in blocking out distressing thoughts, reduce intensity, and lower rates of intermittent explosive behaviour. Further benefits are related with the ability to identify thought distortions, such as, negative predictions or personalizing, which often contribute to such explosive attitude. The skills employed by this therapy have shown positive impacts in increasing will power, reducing avoidance coping, and preventing violent behavior (Rector and Beck 2012). Research studies also suggest that the therapy not only eliminates anxiety and panic behaviour, but also enhances self-improvement motivation. However, the major limitation is associated with the fact that not much research trials have been conducted to determine effectiveness of this therapy among people suffering from mental problems, in addition to learning disability. Furthermore, at times it may often overlook troubling issues, related to personal history or family (Collins, Woolfson and Durkin 2014). While the administration of atypical antidepressants might help in preventing recurrence of depressive disorder, certain side effects such as, insomnia, blurred vision, dry mouth, weight gain, increased appetite, fatigue, and nausea may be observed. Thus, a critical evaluation of Jason's case scenario suggests that dielectric behavioral therapy and coping skills cognitive behavioral therapy will be most effective in providing relief and improving his mental health status. Barlow, D.H., Allen, L.B. and Choate, M.L., 2016. Toward a Unified Treatment for Emotional Disorders–Republished Article.  Behavior therapy,  47(6), pp.838-853. Bedics, J.D., Atkins, D.C., Comtois, K.A. and Linehan, M.M., 2012. Treatment differences in the therapeutic relationship and introject during a 2-year randomized controlled trial of dialectical behavior therapy versus nonbehavioral psychotherapy experts for borderline personality disorder.  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology,  80(1), p.66. Coccaro, E.F., 2012. Intermittent explosive disorder as a disorder of impulsive aggression for DSM-5.  American Journal of Psychiatry,  169(6), pp.577-588. Coccaro, E.F., 2015. Intermittent explosive disorder.  Psychiatric Times,  32(3), pp.47-47. Collins, S., Woolfson, L.M. and Durkin, K., 2014. Effects on coping skills and anxiety of a universal school-based mental health intervention delivered in Scottish primary schools.  School Psychology International,  35(1), pp.85-100. Copeland, W.E., Angold, A., Costello, E.J. and Egger, H., 2013. Prevalence, comorbidity, and correlates of DSM-5 proposed disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.  American Journal of Psychiatry,  170(2), pp.173-179. Cortiella, C. and Horowitz, S.H., 2014. The state of learning disabilities: Facts, trends and emerging issues.  New York: National Center for Learning Disabilities, pp.2-45. Essau, C.A., Conradt, J., Sasagawa, S. and Ollendick, T.H., 2012. Prevention of anxiety symptoms in children: Results from a universal school-based trial.  Behavior therapy,  43(2), pp.450-464. Fazel, S. and Seewald, K., 2012. Severe mental illness in 33 588 prisoners worldwide: systematic review and meta-regression analysis.  The British Journal of Psychiatry,  200(5), pp.364-373. Geary, D.C., 2013. Early foundations for mathematics learning and their relations to learning disabilities.  Current directions in psychological science,  22(1), pp.23-27. Harned, M.S., Korslund, K.E., Foa, E.B. and Linehan, M.M., 2012. Treating PTSD in suicidal and self-injuring women with borderline personality disorder: Development and preliminary evaluation of a dialectical behavior therapy prolonged exposure protocol.  Behaviour research and therapy,  50(6), pp.381-386. Hayes, S.C., 2016. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Relational Frame Theory, and the Third Wave of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies–Republished Article.  Behavior therapy,  47(6), pp.869-885. Linehan, M.M., Korslund, K.E., Harned, M.S., Gallop, R.J., Lungu, A., Neacsiu, A.D., McDavid, J., Comtois, K.A. and Murray-Gregory, A.M., 2015. Dialectical behavior therapy for high suicide risk in individuals with borderline personality disorder: a randomized clinical trial and component analysis.  JAMA psychiatry,  72(5), pp.475-482. Martin, L.A., Neighbors, H.W. and Griffith, D.M., 2013. The experience of symptoms of depression in men vs women: analysis of the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.  JAMA psychiatry,  70(10), pp.1100-1106. McMain, S.F., Guimond, T., Streiner, D.L., Cardish, R.J. and Links, P.S., 2012. Dialectical behavior therapy compared with general psychiatric management for borderline personality disorder: clinical outcomes and functioning over a 2-year follow-up.  American Journal of Psychiatry,  169(6), pp.650-661. Mehlum, L., Tà ¸rmoen, A.J., Ramberg, M., Haga, E., Diep, L.M., Laberg, S., Larsson, B.S., Stanley, B.H., Miller, A.L., Sund, A.M. and Grà ¸holt, B., 2014. Dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents with repeated suicidal and self-harming behavior: a randomized trial.  Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry,  53(10), pp.1082-1091. Meuret, A.E., Wolitzky-Taylor, K.B., Twohig, M.P. and Craske, M.G., 2012. Coping skills and exposure therapy in panic disorder and agoraphobia: latest advances and future directions.  Behavior therapy,  43(2), pp.271-284. Miller, A.L., Carnesale, M.T. and Courtney, E.A., 2014. Dialectical behavior therapy. In  Handbook of Borderline Personality Disorder in Children and Adolescents  (pp. 385-401). Springer, New York, NY. Morse, G., Salyers, M.P., Rollins, A.L., Monroe-DeVita, M. and Pfahler, C., 2012. Burnout in mental health services: A review of the problem and its remediation.  Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research,  39(5), pp.341-352. Pistorello, J., Fruzzetti, A.E., MacLane, C., Gallop, R. and Iverson, K.M., 2012. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) applied to college students: A randomized clinical trial.  Journal of consulting and clinical psychology,  80(6), p.982. Rector, N.A. and Beck, A.T., 2012. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Schizophrenia: An Empirical Review Neil A. Rector, PhD and Aaron T. Beck, MD (2001). Reprinted from the J Nerv Ment Dis 189: 278–287.  The Journal of nervous and mental disease,  200(10), pp.832-839. Reupert, A.E. and Kowalenko, N.M., 2013. Children whose parents have a mental illness: prevalence, need and treatment.  The Medical Journal of Australia,  199(3 Suppl), pp.S7-9. Salloum, A. and Overstreet, S., 2012. Grief and trauma intervention for children after disaster: Exploring coping skills versus trauma narration.  Behaviour research and therapy,  50(3), pp.169-179. Strang, J.F., Kenworthy, L., Daniolos, P., Case, L., Wills, M.C., Martin, A. and Wallace, G.L., 2012. Depression and anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders without intellectual disability.  Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders,  6(1), pp.406-412. With a decade's experience in providing essay help,

Business Ethics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Business Ethics - Assignment Example Business ethics examine the general conduct of stakeholders involved in commercial relationships. In essence, business ethics regulates interpersonal relationships between employees and an organization’s management. On the other hand, the ethics provides a guideline relating to employees’ relationship with the consumer market. It is undeniable that any business organization adopts a substantial degree of profit making objectives. Realization of these objectives depends of some economic factors like production resources and market environment. In this context, organizations may experience some inherent hindrances in their efforts to maximize profits. According to Weiss (2008), corporate ethics strive instill checks for the greed on profits and social concerns of an organization. Business ethics came into consideration during the 1980’s when world’s industrial organizations experienced the most competitive marketing environment since time immemorial. As a re sult of competition, every organization utilized resources and opportunities within their disposal in ensuring profit maximization. However, the period witnessed dramatic increment in government laws and regulation meant to control commercial activities. Weiss (2008) acknowledges that despite presence of government regulations, some organizations conducted their business practices with limited regard and sensitivity to the society. As a result, corporate ethics emerged as a systematic mechanism meant to implicitly regulate business practices that falls beyond control of governing authorities. Employees and Ethical concerns Employees would like to associate with a company that respects the rule of law as well as their responsibility towards members of the society. This section covers the relationship between ethical practice and employee retention and commitment within an organization. Through the therapy program, I could observe practical application of therapy techniques in treatme nt of a juvenile problem concerning Eating Disorder. In this context, I appreciated the level of success and resourcefulness of employing therapy programs in solving juvenile problems. Actual application of Employees and Ethical issues From my perspective, workers are usually attracted and committed to their duties in ethical organizations. In modern business environments, organizations adopt pre-determined ethical principles in their undertakings. In this regard, companies outline ethical principles in a documented professional code of conduct required of all employees. Ferrell and Odies (2010) assert that the code of conduct provides guidelines concerning the professional behaviors that employees should apply among each other, and to other parties outside the organization. In the long run, strict adherence to ethical principles within an organization translates into a positive image on the public’s perspective. Ethical organizations strive to achieve a balance between the g oals of social responsibility and that of profit maximization. In this case, an ethical organization values their employees and consumers as well as they value their economic goals. Ethical organizations ensure creation of a suitable environment where employees feel comfortable during their respective duties. Consequently, friendly working environments allow development of a motivated workforce with improved productivity. Typical ethical principles towards employees may include proper compensations and safe working environme

Old Testament law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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The illegal Diamond Trade of Sierra Leone Case Study

The illegal Diamond Trade of Sierra Leone - Case Study Example Charles Taylor, the leader of insurgents in Liberia, runs a non-state entity known as "greater Liberia".3 He does not have any official identity, but he maintained trapping of gold, diamond and hardwood. He has support from port city of Buchanan and a strong tie with several other trading partners. This insurgence has given rise to criminal activities which are being referred as "crime disguised as war". 4 The insurgency got integrated and has resulted to complex criminal networking.5 Along with exploitation of natural resource, other criminal activities such as drugs, money laundering and many other illegal activities are growing at a faster rate. The war state in Sierra Leone made the life of civilian people disastrous. This leads to humiliation for people who get caught in between the warring parties and as a result human residential areas get deserted. On the other hand the town and cities are getting flooded with Internally Displaced People (IDPs) who are living in overcrowded o utskirts. The resource based conflict in Sierra Leone is non-ending because some of the people involved in such conflicts are getting benefitted. Such situations create easy access for resource smuggling. If someone undergoes an in-depth research for the factors which were actually responsible for the present conflict in Sierra Leone, the following three main reasons will emerge out: These are: The main cause behind the war was closely associated with the competition for resource (mainly diamond). This strengthened with the passage of time. The conflict was directly linked with collapse of the state and emergence of non-state criminals with small arms. The war was never restricted to a single state, rather it was a regional problem and no state boundaries could actually restricted illegal trading of these resources.6 Different non government organizations are coming up to provide help to those people who are suffering the most from such resource conflict. They are also campaigning against trade conflict that is getting worst day by day in Sierra Leone. The innocent civilians are the one who suffered most from such a war state. For example on 19th and on 20th December, 2001 in Kono District situated to the eastern part of Sierra Leone, a clash emerged out between Civil Defense Force (CDF) and RUF that resulted into killing of 13 people while 40

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Motivational Management - Essay Example The researcher states that the most important things learned from the paper is the power of a good management practice. Utilizing a proper management program a business or organization is more likely to achieve its goals as opposed to not using. If am placed in a position of a future manager, the skills the author has acquired in the class will help him out in leading the company or business he will be running towards its success. The management theories of motivation are as follows: Content theory focuses on human needs and the motivating factor towards a particular achievement. Human needs do change with every achievement one makes. This comes from the need to be satisfied in life. Content theory looks at the motivating factors while process theory focuses on how the processes of motivation itself operates and maintain itself over a long period, not forgetting the factors that affect the amount of effort put into the act and the extension of the effort. Human beings doing various t hings due to different reasons as the theories have highlighted. Reward theory is not so different; it shows that an individual will be motivated towards doing or performing a particular action to get a specified reward at the completion of such an action.

Dispute Settlement between States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dispute Settlement between States - Essay Example Hence, it is a duty of the members of the United Nations to settle international disputes through peaceful means, which may cover either legal or political character. In the internal legal system of a state, it would be generally perceived that the dispute to be settled is legal. That is, when there is a dispute between individuals on rights, duties, and liabilities in accordance to law or legalization, the settlement of such may be carried out by negotiation or conciliation - that is, bringing the dispute to the consideration of a third party body which may act as an "arbitrator." The arbitrator may be a permanent organization of a state which shall serve as the "court," wherein both the arbitrator and the court shall consider the dispute by the principle of law, which essentially means that the rulings of the arbitrator and the judgment of the court shall legitimately bind the disputing parties. In the international legal system, the meaning and scope of the settlement of international disputes are broader than the settlement of internal legal disputes (Hill 1945). ... r since a state cannot be forced to settle international disputes without its consent, implying that the international legal system does not have any mechanism to force any state to settle disputes (Glahn 1970). It is explicit that in the international law, there is not one state, which, without its consent, shall be forced to propose a compromise, arbitration, or any other peaceful means of settling a dispute with another1. The principle of international law evident in the advice of the Permanent Court of International Justice is still deemed practical and accepted by members of the international community because even the United Nations Charter stipulates that there is not any enforcing measure for its members in the settlement of disputes (Glahn 1970). It is however stipulated as a duty of all members of the United Nations that if a dispute is to be settled, the parties concerned shall settle it through peaceful means2. Since issues of international disputes can be of any character, the settlement of international disputes is therefore not always related directly to international law. For example, an international dispute of a political issue may not require international law in consideration. However, even though international disputes of political nature, or of any other nature, are not related directly to international law, the disputing parties have to settle their dispute by peaceful means as s tipulated in the principles of international law and as evident in Articles 2(3) and 33(1) of the United Nations Charter. The disputing parties may exploit any means of peaceful settlement between each other as long as they have mutually agreed upon a direct negotiation between them, such as establishing a joint working group for inquiry of facts, introduction of a

A Report on Customer Satisfaction and Motivation at Brown Smith Essay

A Report on Customer Satisfaction and Motivation at Brown Smith Company - Essay Example Preliminary studies conducted had indicated that the decline was attributed to client discontent and de-motivation caused by long procurement procedures and poor handling of customers by company employees. Having been mandated to conduct this study, a proper procedure had to be selected, a selection of 40 percent of all regular clientele was interviewed between October 15th and November 10th 2011 on issues such as; The overall customer satisfaction on the services offered by Brown Smith Company, Common problems encountered that are linked to procurement procedure in the company, Suggestions for improvements of procurement policies and Problems associated with conduct of employees in the company. The report seeks to draw attention on the factors causing the sharp drop in company’s profit margins. It further seeks to suggest remedies to curb problems causing the company the current financial condition. Body The report draws hypothesis from the fact that in the last two years, Br own Smith Company had been a dominant share holder in the market. The profits generated over years had always doubled annually until last year when the huge profits and volume of sales started declining drastically. A case study conducted earlier showed that Brown Smith Company was worth $17 million. ... Investigations onto this move indicated that the clients were generally discontented with the services offered by the company. Moreover, customers were mostly dissatisfied with the long procurement process they go through before purchases are made. The long procurement process was much discouraging as it was characterized by other problems such as damage to goods. In addition, there are a number of mushrooming companies that are producing similar goods as Brown Smith Company and as a result competition in the market has gone high. This has split the profits and prevented market domination causing low volume of sales and less profits. It was also quite notable that since its inception, the company has not established away of motivating its clients. Furthermore, procurement procedures have not been reviewed for the last ten years. It was also noted that the company still uses the traditional system of purchasing and selling goods which is proofing to be much expensive, cumbersome and t ime consuming. Finally, clients encountered some problems especially when dealing with some company employees creating an almost impossible environment for reasonable business activity. Conclusion Owing to above facts and or claims, there is a need to put in place the following measures; Motivate customers by improving the quality of goods produced and offer after sale services. Review the current policies on procurement with a view of simplifying the whole process to meet the needs and expectations of the clients. There is a need for the staff of Brown Smith Company to have courtesy with the customers. This is possible through training and giving clients a chance to give views on how they think they should best be handled. There a need for the company to offer

Benetton baby Essay Example for Free

Benetton baby Essay Benetton baby was produced as a 1991 advertising campaign that also included images of a priest kissing a nun and coloured leaves floating in a sea of petrol. Although I would presume Benetton would be trying to show the beauty and goodness of the new born baby they claim Benetton is not trying to emphasise the beauty a and goodness of its apparel, but rather is trying to capture the interest or people The objective is to brake through the barrier of indifference. But I believe that the image is in anyway offensive or wrong. The image consists of a newborn baby trailing its umbilical cord, the baby is covered in blood, and two hands, presumably of a Doctor, are waiting to receive the child. This was created to appear on billboard so the shire size would make the image impossible to be missed. The background is white therefore the baby stands out. The logo is included to the left of the advertisement and is very small almost insignificant. The image is very clear and not edited in any way to make the situation more attractive I agree with the advertisement entirely. Although it is a strange way to advertise I have no objections. The image is very large and might not be what all people want to witness it but birth of babies are publicized on the television as entertainment or education in more graphic detail. Isnt a baby being born the most wonderful experience? But people did however complain, the public disagreed strongly with this image the poster. Has attracted more than 800 complaints. 800 is not a particularly large amount when in comparison with the millions that would have witness the advertisement. The complaints consisted of the image is shocking and distasteful , many children are reported to have found it disturbing and objections regarding the exploitative use of such an image to sell clothes. All complaints where made to an advertising organisation called the ASA. The Advertising Standards Authority began in 1962 by the advertising industry. The ASA practises a voluntary code of practice called The British Code of Advertising and sales promotion practise. The code declares that all advertisements must be legal, decent honest and truthful. They must not be offensive or downgrade competitors they must not deliberately misinform. Benetton baby does break some of these rules. The first rule broken in some points of view is decency No advert should contain any matter that is likely to cause widespread offence. The advert may be offensive to a mother who recently had a miscarriage. As to a woman whose child has recently died or to a woman who cannot become a mother. Etc. however this information cant be held against Benetton as a second rule in the code states, [t]he fact that a product may be found offensive by some people Is not a sufficient basis under the code for objecting an advertisement for it therefore the advert is within its own rights. Honesty . cause be easily grasped and clearly understood the advertisement isnt entirely clear. From the advertisement alone you are not able to grasp what exactly the clothing company is retailing. However the advertisement does not lead you to believe that the Benetton Company sells babies or anything else, for that matter. Looking death in the face An ad showing the image of a man dying of AIDS, surrounded by his family. The logo is present also but, as with the others, it is small and unimportant. The camera shot is very provocative, it is very close up. The dying man obviously and purposely is made to resemble Jesus this has been done by computer. The image almost makes you fell an intruder in the scene. This has led to furious debate about the limits of advertising. Benetton claims, It was as if the reality of suffering only had dignity and moral value in the editorial section of a newspaper and lost all its ability to denounce and sensitize people when in `contagious contact with advertising. Published by an English daily before its official presentation, the photo provoked a controversy that extended from Great Britain throughout the world. The AIDS ad may, however be seen by some as trying to profit from peoples pain rather than simply offending the more traditionalist members of society. One British AIDS charity agreed, while some American gay activists disagree, saying the advertisements gives the issue a higher public profile. The parents of the dying man may feel the same since, according to Benetton, they approved the companys use of the photo. With this new project, Benetton has once again chosen to look reality in the face by embarking upon a social issue, as he did in previous campaigns that focused on war, Aids, discrimination and racism. Harshly attacked by some and internationally applauded by others, Benettons campaigns have managed to tear down the wall of indifference contributing at increasing the awareness of universal problems among worlds citizens. Both the advertisements, Benettons baby and looking death in the face Where concealed and eventually banned across the world. There is more to this than the old saying that all publicity is good publicity. Oliviero Toscani, Benettons adman, claims the campaigns are not designed to offend, but rather to raise consciousness. A more plausible interpretation is that Benetton is trying to sell sweaters to the young and hip and those who like to think of themselves in that way. What better means to appeal to them than by offending an older generation of their parents? 7th January 2000 At the beginning of the new millennium, Benetton publicized the real faces of the prisoners on death row, without a future. Remorseful or unremorseful, smiling or sad, healthy or ill, they all are guilty in the eyes of the human law. Many have their arms crossed; one is shown reading the Bible. Almost all of them are looking directly at the camera, at you. These portraits of dozens of individuals sentenced to death are the results of Oliviero Toscanis two years of work which he visited several American prisons. The campaign is about the death penalty this project aims at presentation to the public the reality of capital punishment, aiming to prevent people considering the death penalty as a distant matter, just something they might hear about on television. Toscanis images intend to give back a human face to the prisoners on death row, to remind respectable people who are always so sure theyre right that these people are human Beings not virtual characters easily removed or secured with a simple click as with a game. The campaign appeared on billboards and on the pages of the major publishing companies around Europe, America and Asia in January 2000. Toscani spoke for the prisoners when he said, that having killed has changed them forever, and for the worst. Speedy Rice a writer, on behalf of the NACDl (National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers) who has contributed to the campaign by patiently contacting and negotiating with prisons Mr. Rice mentions that during 1999 there has been a huge rise in the number of executions in the United States. Of the 600 death sentences that were passed between 1976 and the end of the 20thcentury, approximately 100 executions were carried out in 1999. Benetton advertisements to me have a strong meaning, which differs from individual to individual. For some the adverts are merely indicating how ignorant the world is today. How people emphasise on looking a certain way and how they foresee others. To others they may be seen as a source of entertainment something to discuss on the train or to your local cab driver that will never silence. There are many other views but mine is this I agree entirely with the advertisements, although others wont. The ads are unique and contain moral issues that may keep the brain puzzled all day to find. As there has been such uproar in disagreement concerning the ads this has given Benetton a vast amount of free advertisement. I like all the adverts I have been analysing although I do prefer the death row images. These appeal to me a majority more as they have more of a moral message, and become challenging to comprehend the death penalty law. You are left asking yourself, Do I agree with the death penalty? All of the benetton advertisements caused great amounts of controversial disagreement. The three mentioned esspecialy, as to more than half the world they have no meaning, as to others they offend highly.

The Financial Markets: Direct And Indirect Transfers

The Financial Markets: Direct And Indirect Transfers In economics, a financial market refers to a media that allows people to buy, sell, create and exchange financial securities such as share and bonds, commodities such as basic agricultural goods and precious metals, and other fungible items of value at low transaction costs and at prices that reflect the efficient-market. Both general markets where many commodities are traded and specialized markets where only one commodity is traded exist in financial market. Markets work by placing many interested buyers and sellers in one media, thus making it easier for them to find each other. The financial markets can be divided into different types such as capital markets commodity markets, money markets, insurance market and foreign exchange market. A saver refers to the one who deposit their money in bank, invest in company share and pays premium to an insurance company with objective to earn interest, dividend and profit. They aim also to accumulate their fund for future investment and expenses. However, a borrower just the reverse to saver. A borrower borrowed the money from saver by financial market to fulfill their need and need to effort the interest charge or give the dividend to saver. In a well-functioning economy, capital will flow efficiency from saver to borrower. The transfer of fund can make by three different ways such as direct transfer, indirect transfer through investment bankers and indirect transfer through financial intermediary. 2.0 Body 2.1 Direct transfer The first way is through direct transfer. It refers to a transfer of assets from one type of tax-deferred retirement plan or account to borrower. Direct transfers are not considered to be distributions and not taxable as income or subject to any penalties for early distribution. Most transfers take several days to complete, although this process is now generally faster in the electronic than in the past. Direct rollovers from qualified plans are a form of direct transfer. It occurs when firms direct sell their stock or bond to saver without going through any financial institution The advantages of direct transfer are direct transfers convenience and simple to trade between borrower and saver. The reason is when both borrower and saver agree with the term and condition, the transaction will be in process. Besides, it will be save time and cost. The reason is the transaction can complete online, just taking few days to complete and there is no high commission to pay for intermediate. Even though it is a lot of advantages using this method, there also bring some disadvantages to both parties. The savers will face lack of professional consultation from expertise. This will lead to the saver making wrong investment, facing loss the money and cheat by the business. Beside, the business will also facing less efficiency when direct transfer the securities. The reason is there is no expertise to help them promote the securities and it may not planning well when issuance of securities. 2.2 Indirect transfer through investment bankers The second way is indirect transfer through investment bankers. Investment bank refers to a financial institution that helps individuals and corporations to raising their capital by underwriting. They also act as the clients agent when issuance of securities such as stock and bond. An investment bank may also help organization involved in mergers and acquisitions and provides ancillary services. In investment banking there are two main which are trading securities for cash or other securities and promotion of the securities. In this way, the investment banker assumes the risk of selling a new security issue at a satisfactory price. This is called underwriting. An underwrite serve as a middleman and facilitates the issuance of securities. The companys securities and savers money will pass through the investment banking house. The investment banker will buy the entire issue of securities from the company that needs of financial capital. Then investment bank will turn sells these same securities to savers at a higher price. However, the investment bank taking the risk when they buy and hold the companys a security for certain time and it may not resell to savers for as much as they paid after a period of time. The reason is new securities are involved and company receives the proceed of the sale, this is called a primary market transaction. Besides, the investment banker also advises firms on the details of selling securities. The advantages for this method are the business will get professional suggestion from expertise about the details of selling securities. The business can raise the capital more efficient, the reason is the investment banker will buy over the securities and hold to sell for savers. This will help to business dispense with the pending time to wait saver transfer the money. The disadvantages for this method are the business may face depress in price of securities. The reason is when the business need capital emergency, the investment banker will depress the price of securities in order to make more money. The savers may also face receive inaccuracy information from investment banker. The reason is the investment banker wants to resell the hold securities, they may give inaccuracy information to the saver. 2.3 Indirect transfer through financial intermediary The third way is indirect transfer through financial intermediary. Financial intermediary consists of channeling funds between surplus and deficit agents. A financial intermediary is a financial institution that connects surplus and deficit agents. The classic example of a financial intermediary is a bank that transforms bank deposits into bank loans. Insurance companies, credit unions, pension fund and mutual funds also include as financial intermediary. Insurance defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. Credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at reasonable rates, and providing other financial services to its members. Pension fund is any plan, fund, or scheme which provides retirement income. Mutual fund is a professionally-managed type of collective investment scheme that pools money from many investors to buy securities Through the process of financial intermediation, certain assets or liabilities are transformed into different assets or liabilities. As such, financial intermediaries channel funds from savers to those borrowers. As example, saver will save the surplus money in bank and get the deposit certificate, the bank will use the money to borrow to borrower by term of mortgage. Financial intermediaries provide important advantages to savers. Lending through an intermediary is usually less risky than lending directly. The major reason for reduced risk is that a financial intermediary can diversify. Financial intermediary will give many loans to different borrower. When mistake happen, the financial intermediary can cover by others loan interest. But if savers borrow direct to business, the risk will face by individual. Another reason is financial intermediary specialize in lending and better predict which of the people able to repay compare to individual savers. Second advantage financial intermediaries give savers is liquidity. Liquidity is the ability to convert assets into form money quickly. A house is an illiquid asset; selling one can take a great deal of time. If an individual saver has lent money directly to another person, the loan can also be an illiquid asset. Third advantage financial intermediaries give savers is cost advantage. Using financial intermediaries can reduce the costs of borrowing. The reason is there are a lot of borrowings complete in financial intermediaries, it can lead to economic of scale and save cost for savers. 3.0 Conclusion