Workforce Diversity Essay Example for Free

Workforce Diversity Essay An organisation is said to be a social arrangement for achieving controlled performance in pursuit of collective goals (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2010, Seventh Edition). The social arrangement referred to the group of people who interacted with each other as a result of their membership in the organisation; whilst collective goals meant that the members shared the same goals and objectives. These concepts, especially collective goals, were the major arguments advocated by classical management theorists to explain the nature of economic and social life within the organisation. For example, Weber (1964) stressed the importance of rationality and impersonality, and argued that, managers and employees behaved and interacted in a stable and rational way. Henri Fayol (1916) also advocated for the subordination of personal interests and preferences because ignorance, ambition, selfishness and all other human passions tend to cause the general interest to be lost sight of However, as a result of modern growth and expansion of businesses in a globalized economy, corporations became more complex, providing manager with the problem of controlling and organising economic activities. It also resulted in the re-examination of using classical management theories in explaining the new social arrangement, as classic writers focused on rationality and impersonality as it improved organisational efficiency and tended to neglect what McGregor (1960) described as the human side of the enterprise. In other words, there was need to examine the social interaction amongst members of the organisation, as well as recognize that there were differences that existed that prevented a homogeneous workforce. It was these differences that are part of the workforce diversity concept. Workforce diversity, then, is the concept of accepting that the workforce consists of a diverse population of people. The diversity consists of visible and non-visible differences which will include factors such as gender, age, background, race, personality and work style. It is founded on the premise that harnessing these differences will create a productive environment in which everybody feels valued, and where their talents are being fully utilised (Fullerton and Kandola, 1994). In other words, workforce diversity concept accepts that there are fundamental differences in the organisations social arrangement and theses differences play a significant role in achieving organisational objectives, at is has both benefits and implications which can affect the company. Ignoring the importance of workforce diversity can cost the organisation time, money and efficiency. It can lead, for example, to an inability of the organisation to attract and retain talented people of all kinds. For example, Ron Ruggles (2004) argued that in the restaurant industry, it would be difficult to fully staff restaurants, retain management and staff at competitive leadership levels, as well as broaden our understanding of and appeal to our diverse customer base without diversity. We can see then, ignoring workforce diversity can lead to high employee turnover, which in itself would mean a loss in investment in recruitment and training. It would also lead to a limited customer base, thus reducing the potential profit to be earned by the organisation, and can cause the company that is not diverse to be viewed negatively by the public and customers, resulting in a further loss of goodwill and reputation. Ignoring workforce diversity can also lead to legal complaints and action, as the company may be perceived as discriminatory. For example, Clive Seligman (2003) highlighted the case of Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, which advertised a female only faculty position in Development Psychology, with Professor Angelo Santi, chair of the department , admitting that they would not consider a male for the position, even if he were to be better qualified. This practice could be seen as unfair and discriminatory and may have resulted in controversy and bad reputation for the University. This could also happen to an organisation if they were to utilize such practices. Despite this, workforce diversity also has benefits if managed properly, which would be of significant interest to the organisation. One benefit of managing workforce diversity is that it allows for better use of societys stock of human resources, and thus allows the organisation to access the range of skills, expertise and talents available. As Elaine Keight, manager of car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover said, We are focusing on investing in our work environment to ensure that there are no barriers to anyone joining the company. We want to attract the best talent available, not just graduates, but from all section of the community. (Broughton and Strebler, 2008). This would be important to an organisation, as it should ideally pursue a workforce possessing different skills and backgrounds, and not just from a narrow cross section of society. Workforce diversity may also be significant to the firm in that it can improve levels of social understanding which may lead to new target markets. As Lynn Sullivan (1998) stated, Having a diverse workforce will result in having the capacity to develop more creative ideas and solve problems. After all, people of different backgrounds bring a wide range of experience and more ways of looking at an issue. Chris Pierce et al (2004) concurred, stated that recruiting and retaining people of diverse backgrounds who can share a common business approach is a priority Diversity in gender, age and race is correlated with superior business performance in worker productivity, gross revenue, market share and shareholder value. This means that members of a diverse workforce will be able to give different insights on particular problems and issues, for example, how different products and services may be viewed by different groups, either positively or negatively, which can be a useful tool for the organisation to gauge how successful the product might be. The challenge of workforce diversity, therefore, lies in the continuous improvement of integration and social acceptance of people from different backgrounds. People possess different human characteristics which influences the way they think, act interact and make choices. It is these differences which offer challenges to building trust and commitment and affect the ability to effectively function together. (Kelly, 2001). To address this challenge, management can promote diversity, by various methods, such as mentoring diverse employees; empowering employees to challenge discriminatory behavioural acts and perceptions, as well as provide training for increasing the accuracy of perceptions, and create an appreciation for diverse skills. By doing this management can avoid future problems as well as deal with current issues that may occur in the organisation, thereby improving and strengthening organisational performance. We have, therefore, evaluated the significance of workforce diversity as it relates to the modern organisation, by analyzing the benefits and challenges of workforce diversity, as well as the consequences and adverse repercussions the organisation may encounter if it were to ignore workforce diversity issues.

Womens Rights in the 20th Century

Womens Rights in the 20th Century Throughout the history of the human race, women have been chastised, degraded and completely controlled by their male counterparts. Women have been oppressed and controlled without any room for retaliation. Whether it be an over-bearing father or an abusive husband, women had barely any say in what happened to them. They were housewives and child-bearers first and human beings second. Only during the 20th century did women make the most considerable progressions towards gender equality. Opportunities arose and women seized them, grasped for them; and used them to their full potential. Inter-related events throughout the 20th century allowed women to progress and they provided the necessary pushes towards gender equality. The women of the 20th century are responsible for the rise of gender equality in Canada The role of women in World war one (WW1), the Persons Case and the Famous five the first wave of feminism were important turning points in the beginning of the century as well as the roles of women in World War 2, their changing roles, and the actions of Agnes MacPhail which all lead to the second wave of feminism that instigated the alteration of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The beginning of the century was extremely important to the proclamation of gender Equality. It introduced Women as important figures in society and that they could make as much of a contribution to the world as men. Women participated in World War 1 and helped with the war effort; they combated womens rights on a legal scale for the first time via the Persons Case and sparked the first wave of feminism. Women sewed socks and attire for the men in the war and prevented them from suffering from diseases such as trench foot and they provided money for the war effort as well as took care of the children back at home; some women even worked in factories to make sure the economy was stable in Canada. In fact, by 1914, almost 20% of the workforce was female (Hundey and Margarry, 45). Almost 2400 nurses worked near the horrific battlefields in World War 1 and provided aid for the injured men (Santor, 36). These were important contributions because they gave women a base to fight with; they showed their capability and that they were not helpless individuals. This displayed that women could make just as much contributions to the world as men. Robert Bordens promise to allow women to vote after the war was important in starting the first wave of feminism because women could now vote. It allowed them to make a legitimate say in what occurred in the government by voting who becomes the leader of the government. In the beginning, it only permitted them to vote if they had husbands in the war or if they were participating in the war by being nurses. This eventually escalated to them being able to vote without complications which sparked the first wave of feminism. The first wave of feminism included the flapper movement which emancipated them from the bonds of traditional womanhood through the scandalous clothing and makeup (Hundey and Margarry, 118-119) also the previous events of World War 1 had more women going into the workforce. Women no longer had to have husbands to b e self-sustainable, independent women. Unfortunately, women did not earn as much as men and at the end of World War 1 were expected to step down from their jobs for men (Hundey and Margarry, 45). Regardless, some women proved that they were capable and even fought for womens rights more intensively. The first step into legal battles against gender equality was initiated by the famous five through the Persons Case. Famous women like Emily Murphy and Nellie Mclung petitioned and fought a legal battle to have women be considered as qualified persons recognizing their right to education and work, relinquishing them of their ambiguous person status (Historica). This was a vital step in setting up the stage for the Charter of Rights because it recognized women as legitimate members of society. Women tried hard to promote gender equality and it paid off. The efforts of the women in the beginning of the 20th century were the women who would be the initial instigators of the re-evaluation of the Charter of Rights and freedoms. At the start of World War 2 women had a chance to portray themselves as the useful and needed members they were of Canadian society. f They were not incapable second-class citizens. Women throughout the 1930s and World War 2(WW2) participated in World War 2, changed the role of women and portrayed their commitment to politics through Agnes MacPhail. Women played a pivotal role in World War 2 because the participated in directing planes in the RAF as well as cooking, cleaning and supporting the men in military bases, over 46,000 Canadian women were enrolled in military services (Hundey and Margarry, 221-222). On the home front, everyone relied on women to work and to take care of their children. Many women took care of the children back at home and worked in factories in order to provide munitions for the military, by 1944 1 million Canadian women were in the Canadian workforce (Hundey and Margarry, 221-222). Unfortunately, it seems like women made no advancement in the public mind be cause people still expected women to drop their jobs for men when they came back from the war but even so women kept fighting (Hundey and Margarry, 223). However, just like in WW1, it continued to give women a base to fight with. They used their participation to accentuate their contributions and once again to prove that they should not be enslaved to lives as housewives and child-bearers. By participating in WW2, women proved their worth once again and they had sewn the seeds for a new wave of feminism (Hundey and Margarry, 223). Women finally began to challenge their roles in society and began going into higher level careers as well as entering into politics, they had begun developing more community organizations and services for women (Hundey and Margarry, 223; Anderson). The Role of women was changing throughout World War 2 and they were slowly becoming accepted participants of the workforce. Although their wages were still minimal they were presenting themselves as a capable mi nority that was beginning to work in professions such as Medicine and Law. Agnes Macphail was the first female senator and the first woman with a political position in Canada. Although her term was short, she made contributions to feminist movements by constantly writing articles and performing at speeches (Hundey and Margarry, 129-130, Doris Anderson). Although she did not actively participate in womans suffrage she was good friends with suffragists like Nellie McLung and was a role model for women all throughout Canada (Anderson). By the mid 1940s, women were still fighting for gender equality; they did not forsake the efforts of the women who strived before them and instead built upon the efforts of those who had started the surge of gender equality. The second wave of feminism was an international surge of all women in the world that promoted gender equality. By the 1960s women were fed up with their conditions, they felt like they were treated as second class citizens because wages were going up, unemployment rates were going down, but women were still considered lesser to men (Bellamy, Liz, and Kate Moorse, 73) and therefore started the second wave of feminism or the Womens Liberation Movement (Hundey and Margarry, 277-278). Women finally had the resources to strongly campaign for gender equality: they had the media, television, radio as well as constantly increasing literacy and education rates for women (Bellamy, Liz, and Kate Moorse, 73). The second wave of feminism would be the final push needed to seal the deal with gender equality. In response, the Royal Commission on the Status of Women was created in order to recommend steps towards womens equality (Hundey and Margarry, 341) and was important because it gave a layout a s to how the Charter of Rights and freedoms would be altered in the upcoming years. The Royal Commission made sure that in the 1970s discriminatory employment on the basis of gender was illegal and it gave recommendations towards how gender equality would be achieved (Anderson). All of these events, in conjunction were crucial in battling the government to change the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. By the 1980s women were still frustrated because they were not considered equal, even though 45% of the workforce was female at this point, women only earned 72% of what men earned (Colyer et al. 32) it was evident that the RCAW was not helping and it was time for a change. It was a turning point in the century because the constitution was the highest law in Canada and no government was allowed to violate it to the point where a government that did could be struck down (Colyer et al., 377) and in 1982 the constitution was finally changed to include sex in the following passage Every indiv idual is equal before and under the law without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.(Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Section 15[1]). Women had finally achieved what they rightly deserved. Their intense lobbying managed to push the government to change the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which was considered the highest law in Canada, it was a pivotal moment for women but it could not have been achieved without the struggles prior to it. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms made sure that women had completely equal rights in all aspects and any violation of it could be challenged in court as an offense towards human rights. Women had succeeded in triumphing over the gender boundary that had kept them chained for millennia. They put a stop to the battle of the sexes and legally introduced gender equality through the Canadian charter of Rights and freedoms, the most vital document in the history of g ender equality. In conclusion, the women of the 20th century and their actions were indubitably the prime forces in the rise of gender equality. The 20th century was the turning point for how women would live their lives. It is sad to imagine that prior to the 20th century women were confined to being wives, child-bearers and basically objects for a mans desires. This has all changed thanks to the efforts of women through all the events that occurred. The role of women in World War 1, the first wave of feminism and the Persons Case as well as the role of women in World War 2, Agnes Macphail and the changing role of women were all events that set the playing field and boosted the status of women in society to have the required edge to begin the second wave of feminism that would lead to the Charter of Rights being changed once and for all. Through all of time women were oppressed, manipulated and used and it is only now that they finally get the opportunity to flourish and succeed in an equal and fai r country, Canada. Nonetheless, women had to work hard and fight for their right to be considered equal; Roseanne Barr once said that, The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power.ÂÂ   You just take it.

Case Study Of Qatar Diar Commerce Essay

Case Study Of Qatar Diar Commerce Essay The real estate industry is a development process that involves establishment of real estate in prepared land by individual, government or developers. In this work Qatar was chosen as the country and Qatar Diar as the real estate company. To support growing economy of Qatar with an eye to manage Qatars real estate development priorities Qatar Diar was established in the year 2005 by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) which is the autonomous wealth fund of Qatar state. Northwest of Doha and on the coast of Arabian Gulf Qatar Diars headquarter is located. It started with $1bn capital. Its main concern was investment in real estate and community based projects. Since the start the company has worked on its portfolio which is worth $60bn estimated through its global investments. Vision and Mission: Qatar Diars vision is to be the finest real estate company in the world by valuing consumer imagination, cultural values and inspiring relations. Companys vision statement is so far being honest with its vision. It has since its incorporation focused on luxurious ventures. Despite the fact that Qatar hasnt seen booming real estate bubble like its neighbour UAE Qatar Diar has provided with excellent opportunity to represent Qatar in the real estate market. Mission of Qatar Diar is to improve quality of life of Qatars people and in places they will have project by creating distinguished grand development projects by valuing top industry standards. Since the beginning the company has worked on the standard of its developments and it is evident from the projects they have done so far. More discussion on that will be in the next section. Projects of Qatar Diar: In a short span of time Qatar Diar has managed to create a global portfolio of real estate projects. At present the company has projects in Qatar and GCC, Asia, Europe, The Americas and Africa. Companys first project was Lusail City which was launched in December 2005 and soon it gained momentum. It wasnt long when Qatar Diars innovative outlook started gaining praise for its work. This city is progressively self-contained which is the largest singleton real estate development undertaken in state of Qatar. Although the project hasnt completed yet but Lusail have already created buzz about Qatars grand scale vision on next generation of developments. Qatar Diar already has become synonymous to quality. Lusail Real Estate Development Company started its journey in September 2008 to operate the expansion, construction and other development operations in legendary Lusail City Development. In 2009 November under Qatar Diars flagship Qatar Railways Development Company was established which was of significant value for its portfolio. This company brought Qatars vision of creating a fully integrated national rail network and this regions first ever integrated railway system into reality. In parallel with its developments in Qatar, Qatar Diar has always been committed to focusing on international market simultaneous to domestic market. Not only life of Qatars people was touched by Qatar Diar but also it has touched million people through its worldwide development ventures. As of now it is now one of the most famous, trustworthy, respected real estate company. It has become possible because of its continuous commitment to quality service, developing communities with state of the art innovative designs, worthy partnerships and trademark sustainability promise. In January 2012 report released by Qatar Diar it has US $4 billion capital with currently undergoing 49 projects solely in Qatar related to development and planning. Also they have projects in 29 countries all around the world which combined can be valued at US $35 billion. Strategic Business Management and Planning Tool: Every business operates in micro and macro environment. To be successful in this competitive age every business have to have strategy for its operations whether its company management or marketing its products. For a company like Qatar Diar it has greater responsibility towards its wider stakeholders. For the purpose of this study focus will be given on two widely used strategic tools. SWOT Analysis PESTEL Analysis SWOT Analysis of Qatar Diar: SWOT which stands as an abbreviation of Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats is a widely used tool to analysis an organisations current standing in the business environment. It also looks into the future considering current competitions. This is a comprehensive planning tool where internally it focuses on strengths and weaknesses of an organisation at current state and looks into external impact factors in forms of opportunities and threats (Sadler, 2003). http://www.lindsay-sherwin.co.uk/guide_managing_change/images/01_swot_1.gif Figure : SWOT to Business Strategy (Sadler, 2003) From both external and internal appraisal Confrontational questions are generated. For every single Opportunity which strength element can assist the company to take advantage of the opportunity and which weakness can form a barrier to do so. For every single Threat which strength factor can lead to compete with the threat and which weakness can bound the company not to do so. Following SWOT analysis examines Qatar Diars Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats considering its present scenarios. Strengths: Strengths of a business are all the positive elements that it do exceptionally well and generally are under its control. The strengths of a company gives it competitive edge over other business competitors. Often a company will emphasis on its strengths to reach to new dimensions. Below is a list of strengths for Qatar Diar. Having associations with other robust and prevalent businesses around the globe is a major advantageous point for Qatar Diar as it helps bring in new clients and make business more operative. Qatari Diar since beginning have formed strong alliances in form of joint ventures with construction and management firms. In 2008 it signed agreements with Germanys Hochtief; in 2009 signed agreement with Germanys Deutsche Bahn to form the Qatar Railways Development Committee (QRDC). Under this committee, the Qatar Railways Company manages the expansion of Qatars $35bn rail system. In 2010 it joined with Frances Vinci Construction. Being a market leader, as Qatar Diar is, is key to their success as it increases status, revenue and market share. Under Qatar Diar there are several key real estate development is ongoing which gives Qatar Diar additional advantage. Innovation is a vital component of Qatar Diars overall accomplishment, as this retains them way above the other real estate companies. Riding high in the niche market in Real Estate industry has helped boost Qatar Diar and raised reputation and turnover. It has so far focused on high end luxurious projects. Not only they have ambitious projects in Qatar but also in several other countries with high profile construction work in prime locations. The US $1bn expansion of Londons past Chelsea Barracks is one such instance. The establishments developed by Qatar Diar are sustainable modern, meaning this high valued clients will return to Qatar Diar for future projects. Qatar Diars marketing strategy has proven efficiency. Which helped the company to raise profiles and profits and standing out as a major strength not only in gulf region but in the world. Qatar Diars innovation keeps it a leader in Real Estate as it is frequently implementing new proprietary technology and design. Experienced employees are key to the success of Qatar Diar helping to drive them forward with skill and knowledge. For example in March 2012 Qatar Diar appointed thirteen international law organisations to Qatari Diars six legal boards. High quality machinery used in sites, experienced staff, offices and equipment guarantee the job is done to the utmost standard, and is a strength of Qatar Diar. Qatar Diar has a widespread client base, which is a key strength regarding profit. Qatar Diar is spread in all over the globe in prime locations. Being financially strong helps Qatar Diar deal with any problems, ride any dip in profits and out perform their rivals. Qatar Diar has state backing which helps them to stay strong in volatile market. Qatar Diar has emerged as a strong brand which is an essential strength. Qatar Diars international operations establishes its authority over the business. 2012 World Cup will be held in Qatar. Before then the company will have some of their high profile projects finished which will enable them to capitalize the event. Weaknesses: Weaknesses of a corporation are things that should be improved for a better result; which are under their control. Weaknesses puts a business behind its competitors and create barrier to achieve its target. This section will present core weaknesses of Qatar Diar Global economic crisis will have an adverse impact on the sales of high end products. As more and more people are trying to hold their money in safe investments. Qatar is yet not as promising as UAE which is first preference among many client. Legal issues that buyers may face for the developments is still an issue for Qatar Diar as this creates barrier for potential customers. Opportunities: Opportunities are external deviations, drifts or desires that could improve the business or organisations strategic positioning, or which could be of a benefit to them. This section will summarize opportunities that Qatar Diar currently have. Qatar Diar gets direct backing from Qatar Government which allows them to have additional support when they go overseas or even inside the country with grants and favourable policies. Sudden change or adaptation of technology could give Qatar Diar an opportunity to strengthen future success. Use of social media network to promote its products to target markets may open new windows for them. Qatar Diar is in respectable monetary position, which is an opportunity for them to explore in terms of investment in new developments. Qatar Diar has the opportunity to enter niche market with their ever favourable government support to maintain leading position and therefore lift financial performance. Grasping the opportunity to magnify the customer base is something Qatar Diar can aim for, either geographically or through new products. Qatar Diar has planned to take its innovative developments to other countries in coming time. Qatar Diar can also explore takeover and merger opportunities could be explored for Qatar Diar and which later can be used to acquire new customers, new resources and enter new markets. Threats: Threats are reasons which may confine, harm or put areas of the business or organisation at jeopardy. They are factors which are external of the companys control. Being conscious of the threats and being able to prepare for them makes this section valuable when considering contingency plans and strategies. This section will outline main threats Qatar Diar is currently facing. Consumer lifestyle changes could lead to less of a demand for Qatar Diar products/services. A slow economy or financial slowdown could have a major impact on Qatar Diar business and profits. Rising costs could be a major downfall for Qatar Diar as it would eat into profit. PESTEL analysis of Qatar Diar In the macro environment there are many factor that affects decision making process of organisation. Changes can come in form of law change, trade barrier, impose of tax, demographic change along with government policy changes. These all are changes in the macro environment (Bennett, 2002). We can use PESTEL model to assess and analyse most of these factors. This arrangement differentiates between: Political factors. These factors denotes various government policy for example the degree of involvement in the economy. Which products and services the government wants to promote? Which areas will receive subsidy? Political factors can have tremendous impact on numerous important areas of business. It will determine how healthy the nation is and in terms of infrastructure how good it is i.e. road and rail network throughout the nation. Economic factors. Economic factors includes but not limits to purchase interest rates, taxation charges, slow or high economic growth, inflation and exchange rates. To understand how it might affect a business with high impact lets see the example: higher interest rates might discourage investment since it costs extra to borrow a strong currency may make exporting more problematic because it may increase the price in terms of foreign currency inflation may aggravate higher wage demands from employees and increase costs   higher national income growth may boost demand for a firms products Social factors. Changes in social tendencies can influence on the demand for a firms products and the accessibility and readiness of persons to work. In Qatar Diar most of the workers are from different countries. If they cannot offer a competitive salary with other benefits there might be issue with finding right people. Also in 10 years time there will be Fifa 2022 World Cup in Qatar this might mean there will be additional interest for people to get involved and invest in properties. Technological factors: new technologies generate new products and new procedures. Social networking, online shopping, online booking and computer aided design are all developments to the way we do business as a consequence of improved technology. Technology can lessen costs, improve quality and lead to innovation. These expansions can help customers as well as the groups providing the products. Qatar Diar has access to latest technologies in their work bases which helps them to minimize cost and maximize opportunities. Environmental factors: environmental factors comprise the climate and environmental changes. Tourism industry can get hugely affected by temperature change or issues like changed climate. Due to global warming slowly there is significant environmental awareness which indicates that it is not a problem of a region. Qatar Diar also has implications of environmental factors. Sustainable growth will mean that there will be less scope for doing non-environmental friendly tasks. The recent trend of being more environmental friendly is something Qatar Diar can work on to build up campaign or similar movements which will be beneficiary for the business. Legal factors: These factors are significant for a business in terms of the geographical area where they are based on. For example discriminations on the basis of age, sex, religion can have huge adverse impact on a businesss operation. Following laws of different country is also important as most of the time they does vary geographically. Also lawsuits can cost a company fortune. So having sound legal advisors are a must. Qatar Diar has an experienced panel of legal advisors to assist them with development planning. Different categories of law that has direct relation with Qatar Diar includes: consumer laws; these are intended to guard customers against biased practices such as ambiguous descriptions of the product competition laws; these are designed at protecting trivial firms against oppression by larger firms and safeguarding customers are not exploited by firms with monopoly influence employment laws; these cover parts such as dismissal, sacking, working hours and minimum wages. They aim to defend employees against the misuse of power by bosses health and safety legislation; these laws are aimed at guaranteeing the workplace is as safe as is sensibly practical. This legislation covers important issues such as training, accident reporting and other provision for safety equipment. Classic PESTEL features to ponder comprise: Factor Could include: Political e.g. Qatar government involvement in real state policies, investment agenda Economic e.g. inflation, credit crisis, national debt, exchange rates. Social e.g. view towards certain products, demographic characteristics, income Technological e.g. technological advancement, new ICT product, social networking, new product development by using new technology, rate of technological obsolescence Environmental e.g. global warming, climate change, natural disasters and other environmental issues Legal e.g. laws that company is abide by. competition law, health and safety, employment law However, it is significant not to just list PESTEL factors as this does not in itself tell very much. What business strategic management team need to do is to work out which of the many listed factors may change. For example as a government holding company Qatar Diar will more or less have favourable policies from the government. Problem will arise when it goes to a different geographic location. Qatar Diar has a global portfolio that makes it challenging to take into consideration all the wider aspects of all its development activities. In order to assess a big company like Qatar Diar it will be a good idea to distinguish between factors in terms of local, national and global (Drummond,2001). For example, we can evaluate Qatar Diars PESTEL factors as: Local factors such as designing a government project and its approval. National factors such as government law regarding recruiting people for the construction. Global factors such as entering into new market zones and its impact on business. Conclusion: This paper has looked into Qatar Diars business management from a strategic point of view. It is not long since the business was established. Getting world recognition in such a short time is really uncommon in todays world. Qatar Diar has proved how innovative approach in real estate industry can shape its future. Strategically, Qatar Diar has been lucky to have state support throughout its operation. Thanks to its joint ventures it has seen its growth over 29 countries. In coming years Qatar Diar will reach to its peak and probably 2022 will be a milestone year for Qatar Diar.

It’s Time to Organize an International Environmental Protection Agency :: Environment Environmental Pollution Preservation

It’s Time to Organize an International Environmental Protection Agency After more than two centuries of destroying the Earth, we have finally come to the point where doing anymore harm will destroy not only our planet but also ourselves. The year is 2100. With average worldwide temperatures rising by six degrees Fahrenheit (EPA qtd Washington Post 1) numerous environmental problems have resulted. With the temperature rise Arctic and Antarctic ice caps began to melt, the resulting sea level rise wiped out numerous coastal cities. Along with the sea level rise came the destruction of ocean habitats and changing currents resulted in the death of numerous species of fish and sea life (Last 6). Temperature increase caused many diseases that only appear in warm parts of the world to spread across the Earth (EPA 5). And temperature rise wasn’t the only problem to plague the population. Over the past century the increase of car and air pollution helped to enlarge the size of the ozone layer. The increased amount of radiation coming in to the Earth made the number of cancer related deaths around the world go up 25 percent (Greenpeace 4). Not only did cancer rates increase due to radiation; immune system deficiencies due to radiation (McMichael 35) caused disease rates to increase. Because of emission increases in the 20th century the amount of carbon dioxide in the air doubled since the beginning of the industrial age (Quayle 1). As many third world countries continued to develop, they also continued to raise their air pollution rates (CO2 rates increased by more than 300%, rates were especially high in China and developing countries in Africa and Latin America (Ciba 62)). Combined with the already existent pollution, the number of reported lung cancer and other air pollution related health problems rise substantially. Although over the past one hundred and fifty years more than a few environmental laws were past by individual countries to try and stop large companies from dumping their waste in unsafe and illegal ways (and places), little worked. This large amount of industrial waste (air, land, and water based) is one of the reasons the world is in such dire environmental straits. In the beginning of the industrial age many countries around the world did nothing to try and stop companies from pumping waste into the world. As time went on it became apparent that steps needed to be taken to stifle pollution.

Education at a Year-Round School Essay -- essays papers

Education at a Year-Round School Consider the following situation: A car is driving past the local elementary school on a hot and sunny July afternoon. As the car approached the school the driver notices some unusual things. Students are outside with the teachers for recess, and it looks as if school is in session. The school is on a year-round schedule. The driver is intrigued and decides to do some research. From the research, this person found that students are achieving more academically and the teachers are well rested. Year-round schooling is beneficial to school systems because: it alleviates overcrowding, offers remedial opportunities, decreases teacher burnout, increases retention rates, assists English as a Second Language (ESL) and low-poverty students, and improves the entire school community. Wildavsky (1999) says, â€Å"[The National Association for Year-Round Education] defines a year-round school as an institution with fewer than eight weeks of summer vacation† (para. 7). According to another article (1997), â€Å"In 1986, there were about 400 year-round schools in 16 states. By 1997, the number increased to 2400 in 41 states† (National Association for Year-Round Education, para. 4). Additionally, Hunter (1998) adds, â€Å"†¦the U.S. National Association for Year-Round Schools stated that year-round schooling has grown by 500 percent in the past decade† (para. 4). These schools are capable of meeting the needs of our students, teachers, and administrators. Overcrowding Schools that follow a year-round schedule can help alleviate overcrowded schools. The number of students is growing, as studied by Hellerman, Schriffen, D., Colenso-Semple, Spiner, and Schriffen, J. (1997), at 30,000 to 40,000 per year and distric... ...Summer in class. Macleans, 111 (32), 47. Retrieved March 3, 2005 from Academic Search Premier/EBSCO database. Learning that lasts year-round (1997). NEA Today, 15 (7), 19. Retrieved March 3, 2005 from Academic Search Premier/EBSCO database. Rivera, E. (2003). It’s August, but for some, vacation’s over; Arlington Elementary pupils begin test of year-round school. The Washington Post, B.01. Retrieved March 3, 2005, from Proquest database. Shields, C. M., & Oberg, S. L. (2000). Year-round schooling: Promises and pitfalls. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. Wildavsky, B. (1999). Scholars of summer. U.S. News & World Report, 127 (5), 52-55. Retrieved March 3,2005 from Academic Search Premier/EBSCO database. Year-round schools can stimulate learning. (2000).USA Today Magazine, 129 (2663), 7. Retrieved March 3, 2005 from Academic Search Premier/EBSCO database.

07.03 Immigration

Graphic Organizer: Immigrant Journals| Lee Chew| Mary Antin| What is the main idea expressed in the author’s journal? | Â  Mistreatment of the Chinese| Â  The equality and freedom in America| Is the author happy or unhappy with his/her experience in America? | Â  Unhappy| Â  Happy| Explain one experience the author had that reflects his/her view of America. | Â  He talks about how he is unable to bring his wife to America over from China or marry an American woman, but how the Irish, Germans, Englishmen, and Italians are treated much nicer than the Chinese. She talks about how she was able to go to school without fees, examinations, machinations, rulings, and no questions asked. She was able to get education for free. | List at least three words from the journal entries that reflect the author’s point of view toward America. | Â  Mean, Misfortune, and Ignorant| Â  Hope, Delight, and Treasure | Two of the writers, Emma and Mary, thought of America as a place of fr eedom and hope, while the third writer, Lee saw that America as an injustice place to live.Mary’s journal excerpt was her experience of coming at living in America for the first time. Her story was a story of hope and happiness, of a little Russian girl able to receive free education with no tests, papers, or anything really in return. Emma’s poem was also very hopeful and happy. Instead of writing about her story of coming to America, she wrote about the symbolism that the Statue of Liberty held.She saw the Statue of Liberty as a place Americas welcoming to the homeless, jobless, and the poor. Were all those people could have a second chance of life and a first chance of freedom, but Lee’s point of view differs with these two writers. He believes that America is an unfair to his race and culture, while other immigrants get treated better. He feels discriminated and that nobody will do or does anything to help him and the rest of his Chinese culture.In my opinio n, I believe our attitudes, as Americans, toward immigrants are very different from the sentiments stated on the Statue of Liberty. Most Americans would not want to welcome the homeless and poor. Also many Americans feel that immigrants are taking jobs away from American citizens; especially now in that we are in a recession. So most Americans would probably have a ver changed opinion from the sentiments of the Statue of Liberty.

Mother to Son by Langston Hughes Essay

â€Å"Mother to Son†, published in 1922 by Langston Hughes, was one of the most famous poems he had written. Hughes was African-American and was born in 1902. While living in the 1900’s Hughes and his family experienced the hardships of racism, discrimination, and slavery. Therefore, this poem is not only words of encouragement from a mother to a son, but also words of encouragement to the entire African American community. This poem of inspiration let the community know that the difficulties that they all had to endure at the time were felt by all and that they were not alone in the struggle. Hughes wrote this from the standpoint of a mother encouraging her son to keep going no matter what hardships he may experience. She explained that life is hard and he is not the only one who has had to endure the experience of life’s hard lessons. The poem passes on a message from a mother to her son instructing him that he must remain optimistic despite the obstacles that life can bring. The mother compares her life to a set of old broken down wooden stairs. Using the metaphor that â€Å"life for me has not been any set of crystal stairs† (2, 20), she implies to her son that her life has not been easy or pleasant either. The mother continues to tell her son of the obstacles that she has overcome by describing the old wooden stairs. She says â€Å"it has had tacks in it and splinters and boards torn up and places with no carpet on the floor – bare.† (3-7) The tacks on the stairs were placed there by another person representing the wrong doings to her by another person and the splinters may have been the result of her actions. These tacks and splinters symbolize the cruel reality of life, as opposed to the ideal fantasy life, such as having a set of â€Å"crystal stairs†. Through the voice of the mother, Hughes uses the set of stairs as a metaphor for life and the hardships that they can bring. In spite of these obstacles the mother has moved up the stairs and has overcome them. She tells him she has â€Å"been a climbin’ on, and reachin’ landin’s, and turnin’ corners, and sometimes going in the dark when there ain’t been no light† (9-13). She means here that sometimes she was blind to where the  stairs or her life was leading her and the direction was unknown, but she still continued. The mother continues to encourage her son by telling him â€Å"not to turn back or set down on the steps ’cause you finds it’s kinder hard† (14-16). She is telling her him not to give up regardless of how hard things may seem at the time and if he continues on he will eventually overcome these obstacles that are causing him such despair. She believes that once you stop it is harder to get started again and she encourages him by telling him how she’s â€Å"still goin, honey and I’se sill climin’ and that life for me ain’t been no crystal stair† (18-20). She also tells him that she has made it and still has to encounter these obstacles even in her golden years and she did not give up and has not given up and if she is strong enough to make it then so can he. Through a mother’s voice Hughes uses metaphors, symbolism, and imagery. He also conveys a message of encouragement. Durring the time this he wrote this poem the message may have been directed towards the African American community; however, today the message is directed to all who feel like giving into the hard times that life can and will bring. Hughes also reminds us that we are not alone in these hard times and that everyone experiences the same hard times in some form or another. Langston Hughes’ died in 1967; I hope he knew that this poem spoke words of encouragement not only to the African American race but also to the rest of us needing some inspiration. His poem reminds up to be hopeful and to not give up on ourselves.