Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Assignment - Essay Example Some of the continuous changes in the environment these organizations operate in include international competition, increasing acquisitions and mergers, reformations of individual organizations, and technological advances as identified by Dowling & Welch (2004). The implications of these changes on various aspects of the organization vary depending on the individual organization, however, for international corporations that experience the impact of these changing dynamic environments it is necessary to adopt a greater level of flexibility and search for novel sources of competitive advantage. As mentioned above, skills and core competencies are regarded as the key elements essential for driving effective innovation and desired change, and therefore are the major source of competitive advantage (Gratton, 2000). As highlighted by Boxall and Purcell (2003), these changes do indeed qualify knowledge work and employee skills. In tandem, this offers the suggestion that Human Resource Devel opment (HRD) is the core function around which Multinational Corporations (MRCs) succeed and maintain competitive advantage. Although all organizations are bound in such external environments, particular organizational features put emphasis on some important disparities in the role profiles of the people who have been tasked with carrying out the operations in each specific organization. It is widely held that the prevailing competitive environmental condition and appreciation of the significance of knowledge and learning to gain a competitive edge are increase the status and power of the HRD function and lead to the emergence of varied opportunities for HRD professionals (Boud and Garrick, 2001: Carter, Hirsh and Aston, 2002: Harrison, 2006). The increasing challenges manifest in the organizational structure of MNCs lead to the creation of distinctive roles for HR and HRD professionals that are not available in domestic organizations or the national context (Peterson and Thomas, 20 07). This paper therefore discusses the role played by the HRD function in MNCs in an international context concerning the changing environmental circumstances that have been highlighted above. In addition, draws on the conclusion that the role of HRD in maintaining a competitive advantage in a global stage has become greater than ever before, and is mainly influenced by the international factors that come into play. The International Context and the Role of HRD in MNCs The extant surge in globalization has been identified as a central environmental factor that continues to shape the operations of HRD professionals in MNCs across the world. Globalization entails a large quantity of issues such as the growth in international, multinational and transnational organizations’ advances in technology, mergers, acquisitions, ad strategic alliances. Short and Callahan (2005) state that in the quest for organizations to go global or maintain their position at the international stage, t hey are likely to turn to HRD professional to offer advice and support on the most viable strategies and practices to adopt. However, globalization forces the HRD function of such organizations to transform their way of thinking about the nature radically, role and tools of people development in order to remain competitive. The methods, therefore, adopted by the HRD function in MNCs is mainly influenced by the decision of the organization to lean toward international convergence, divergence or to operate as a transnational

Avoiding sexual harassment problems Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Avoiding sexual harassment problems - Term Paper Example The responsibilities and caution requisite for the achievement of an environment favorable for work and studies is one of the high expectations that the society has laid upon all members (Tatiana 2). The golden rules involved in the process of maintaining a sex harassment free zone is a core duty of all the members of the society (Tatiana 2). For instance at the workplaces, every employee holds a legal obligation to keep their working surrounding free from sexual harassment. In situations where such obligations are less taken into consideration or even ignored, Francis (23) offers a stern warning that low output from work, loss of dignity as well as low quality work may result. Coupled with the golden rule of life stating that individuals should always strictly aspire to do unto others what they would also wish to be done to, Kent State University developed an elaborative policy as regards unlawful harassment and the discrimination based on gender, race and tribe, political or even r eligious differences. Keeping in mind that sexual harassment is an act that may not spare an individual for some special reason, employees at all work places should ensure that they fully acquire a proper comprehension of the various forms of sexual harassment (Francis 20). ... As Francis (45) reports, many office managers have also been reported to instill extreme discomfort to the other office users such as cleaners by making sexually explicit statements in their presence. In times of ideological differences that may naturally arise among employees, others may belittle their coworkers by insulting them through using sexist or demeaning arguments in order to silence them. More frustrating is when employees harass the rest of the university workers by posting sexually oriented jokes such as pornographic pictures or videos on the university’s intranet bulletin sites as others also sends electronic mails to their coworkers that contain sexually oriented language (Linda & Hajdin 7). Similarly, in the higher learning institutions such as the universities, more or less similar cases of sexual harassment forms have been reported either from the male or female students against senior staff members such as the university professors and lectures. Workers with in the university are encouraged to beware of all forms of sexual harassment in the entire university community in order to help curb such vises completely. Tatiana (12) reports in his book that even though the act is gender and superiority neutral, most reported cases have been those against female students by fellow male students and the university professors and lectures. As opposed to the fellow student’s forms of harassment, the professors and the lectures resort their power and academic authority to intimidate the female students in favor of sexual pleasure with them (Linda & Hajdin 3). A professor may blackmail a female student by asking them to choose between either to getting an â€Å"A† in their examinations or fail the