Organizational culture Essay Example for Free

Organizational culture Essay 1. Discuss several areas in which HR can affect organizational culture positively or negatively. A human resources department plays a significant role in determining the culture of an organization. Human resources cultivate and execute policies and procedures in key areas such as hiring practices, compensation, management relations and employee conduct and behavior. The decisions made by the human resources department can have significant positive and negative implications for the overall cultural quality of the organization. Some of the affected areas include creating awareness, compensation plans, hiring practices and behavior. Company executives may not always have a true understanding of their corporate culture, as they are often far removed from the front lines of the operation. Human resources personnel can provide the benefit of instructing top management as to what the culture is really like. This may lead to positive changes in the corporate culture, it could also lead to changes that meet with resistance from employees, such as when management decides it needs to change or eliminate popular employee programs that it deems wasteful or unproductive. When it comes to compensation, the human resources department typically accepts the responsibility of designing compensation programs for the organization. Depending on how they achieve this, it could have a positive as well as negative impact on organizational culture. For example, an incentive program for salespeople may provide the opportunity for these employees to increase their compensation through greater productivity. Nevertheless, it could also cr eate an environment where the salespeople are competing against each other, leading to the deterioration of teamwork and morale. Human resources also determine the hiring and recruiting practices used by the organization, which has a great impact on the organizational culture. A strong attention to characteristics of job candidates such as education and experience can certify that the company hires employees who are capable of performing the job. In contrast, if there is a lack of focus on characteristics like personality and people skills, the company may end up hiring candidates who will have difficulty being a sole member of the corporate culture. Another key area subsiding under human resources is the conduct of the organizations members. In many organizations, particular larger ones, this involves the development of a code of conduct or ethics that specifics how employees should treat each other and conduct their daily activities. An operative code of conduct that denotes the core values of the organization and is strictly enforced can promote a culture characterized by high levels of ethical behavior. On another note, a weak code or one that is only given lip service by human resources could lead to a culture of dishonesty and distrust. 2. For many individuals, the nature of work and jobs is changing. Describe these changes, some reasons for them, and how they are affecting both HR management and individuals. In reference to our textbook, our world is ever changing when it comes to the workplace. Some of the issues that affect the organization include technology, changing demographics, education and cultural issues. According to the article, â€Å"The Changing Nature of Organizations, Work and Workplace,† In todays world, the structure, content, and process of work have changed. Work is now: * more cognitively complex * more team-based and collaborative * more dependent on social skills * more dependent on technological competence * more time pressured * more mobile and less dependent on geography. In todays world, you will also be working for an organization that is likely to be very different due to competitive pressures and technological breakthroughs. Organizations today are: * leaner and more agile * more focused on identifying value from the customer perspective * more tuned to dynamic competitive requirements and strategy * less hierarchical in structure and decision authority * less likely to provide lifelong careers and job security * continually reorganizing to maintain or gain competitive advantage. 3. Why is it important for HR management to transform from being primarily administrative and operational to becoming a more strategic contributor? According to the PowerPoint, â€Å"Changing Nature of Human Resource Management,† Dr. Zaw states that the typical roles are still apart of human resources managers job descriptions, but the magnitude and percentage of each within the job description has altered. Human resources roles typically include; * Processing and recording keeping * Operational and employee advocate role Human resources strategic roles typically include: * â€Å"having a seat at the table† by contributing to organization results and success * Human resources becomes a strategic partner * When it focuses on creating program that will enrich the organization performance * Engage human resources in strategic planning at the onset * Contribute in the decision making in reference to mergers acquisitions and downsizing * Recreating of organizations and work processes * Accounting and documentation the financial means of human resource activities He then explains the nature of strategic Human Resource Management. 1. The relationship of the organizational and HR strategic strategies a. Cost Leadership includes i. Competition on the basis of low price and high quality of product or service ii. Relies on building employees fit specialized needs iii. Requires a longer human resources planning horizon approach b. Differentiation iv. Competition on the basis of either offering distinctively different products or services v. Relies on hiring needed skills vi. Needs a shorter planning time frame in order to be responsive to dynamic environments 2. Organizational Productivity and Efforts c. Human Resources Productivity vii. Unit labor costs computed by dividing the average cost of workers by their levels of output viii. Low unit labor costs can be a basis for strategy focusing on human resources ix. Productivity and unit labor cost can be determined at the global, country, organizational or individual level. d. Organizational Effectiveness and Financial Contributions of Human Resource x. Linking with financial executive to certify human resources financial contribution to organization’s performance e. Customer Service and Quality Products Linked to Human Resources Strategies xi. High quality productions and services are the outcome of human resources enrichment to the organizational performance f. Organizational Culture and Organizational Effectiveness xii. Organization culture is the values and beliefs shared amongst the organization. 4. What steps can HR professionals take to ensure that mergers and acquisitions are successful? How can HR help during the integration process? In reference to the article, â€Å"What is the Role of Human Resource During a Merger?† , Diane Chinn covers five distinct areas that human resources must focus on during a merger which includes executive coaching, employee communication, culture integration, employee retention and human resources integration. Executive Coaching: Even though human resources have been considered a major staff function, it is shifting more to an essential strategy function. In the process of a merger, human resources should function as executive coaches assisting leaders in understanding the relationship with effective human resources management and merger success. It also gives management insight to the different assumption of issues that may hinder the merger and find different solution for dealing with the issues. Employee Communication: There should be ongoing communication with the employees in reference to the success of the merger. Even though employees do not understand the reason for the merger, they may presume to be against the decision without effective communication. It’s the responsibility of the human resources department to create a communication strategy in reference to each step of the merger process. Cultural Integration: It is the responsibility of human resources to examine and compare the cultures of the two organizations and develop and execute a plan to address cultural issues that could affect the merger such as shared or conflicting values, beliefs and assumptions. Employee Retention: Human resources must ensure that employees have the necessary skills and knowledge needed for the organization remain a part of the merged organization. Human Resources Integration: When the companies merge, there are duplicate systems that must be consolidated or merged. This is especially true in HR where employee management, compensation and benefits, employee training, development and HR information systems must continue to function throughout the merger process. 5. Many companies in the United States have recently put an end to the practice of giving an annual employee Christmas party due to complaints by employees with non-Christian religious backgrounds or spiritual values who claimed the Christmas party was discriminatory employment practice. These dissident employees argued that the employer who celebrated by paying for an employee Christmas party favored Christianity over other religions and belief systems. Do you think non-Christian employees are treated illegally or unethically when the employer decides to give a Christmas party for all the employees? What is the basis of your decision? What would be a reasonable accommodation that an employer could make to satisfy both the Christian and non-Christian employees? Yes, I do feel that non- Christian employees are treated unfairly because employers should be delicate to the religious beliefs of their employees. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. I feel that no one should be forcing to do something that’s not a part of their beliefs or character. My recommendation would be to have an end of the year celebration where all are able to attend and possible share their cultural experience with everyone through foods, decorations and performances.

The Life of Vincent Van Gogh Essay -- Biography Biographies Essays

The Life of Vincent Van Gogh Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most famous artists of all time. He is known for his paintings and is hailed as the quintessential expressionist painter in history. Yet, Van Gogh lived one of the most troubling lives one could ever imagine. Almost every painting can be viewed as a look into his troubled soul. Van Gogh’s Paintings today can be sold for millions of dollars, but during his life time he sold a single painting for a measly 40 francs. Van Gogh’s legacy has left behind stories of greatness and sadness having to do with both his personal life and his career as an artist. Vincent Van Gogh was born near Brabant, Belgium, the son of a minister. In 1869, he got a position at the art dealers, Goupil and Co. in The Hague, through his uncle, and worked with them until he was dismissed from the London office in 1873. He worked as a schoolmaster in England (1876), before training for the ministry at Amsterdam University (1877). After he failed to get a post in the Church, he went to live as an independent missionary among t...

Data Communications Essay

Differentiate between an analog and a digital electromagnetic signal. What are three important characteristics of a periodic signal. What is the relationship between the wavelength and frequency of a sine wave. Define fundamental frequency. What is the relationship between a signal’s spectrum and its bandwidth. What is attenuation? Define channel capacity. What key factors affect channel capacity? Problems: Figure 1 shows the frequency domain function for a single square pulse. The signal pulse could represent a digital 1 in a communications system. Note that an infinite number of higher frequencies of decreasing magnitudes is needed to represent the single pulse. What implication does that have for a real digital transmission system? Suppose that a digitised TV picture is to be transmitted from a source that uses a matrix of 480 x 500 picture elements (pixels), where each pixel can take on one of 32 intensity values. Assume that 30 pictures are sent per second. (This digital source is is roughly equivalent to broadcast TV standards that have been adopted.) Find the source rate R (bps) Assume that the TV picture is to be transmitted over a channel with 4.5Mhz bandwidth and a 35dB signal-to -noise ratio. Find the capacity of the channel (bps). Discuss how the parameters given in part (a.) could be modified to allow transmission of colour TV signals without increasing the required value for R. What is the channel capacity for a teleprinter channel with a 300Hz bandwidth and a signal-to-noise ratio of 3dB, where the noise is white thermal noise? A digital signalling system is required to operate at 9600bps. If a signal element encodes a 4-bit word, what is the minimum required bandwidth of the channel? Repeat part (a .) for the case of 8-bit words. Given the narrow (usable) audio bandwidth of a telephone transmission facility, a nominal SNR of 56dB (400,000), and a certain level of distortion, What is the theoretical maximum channel capacity (kbps) of traditional telephone lines? What can we say about the actual maximum channel capacity? Given a channel with an intended capacity of 20Mpbs, the bandwidth of the channel is 3MHz. Assuming white thermal noise, what signal-to-noise ratio is required to achieve this capacity? If an amplifier has a 30dB voltage gain, what voltage ratio does the gain represent? An amplifier has an output of 20W. What is the output in dBW? Answers: Short Questions With guided media, the electromagnetic waves are guided along an enclosed physical path whereas unguided media provide a means for transmitting electromagnetic waves but do not guide them. A continuous or analog signal is one in which the signal intensity varies in a smooth fashion over time while a discrete or digital signal is one in which the signal intensity maintains one of a finite number of constant levels for some period of time and then changes to another constant level. Amplitude, frequency, and phase are three important characteristics of a periodic signal. The relationship is ÃŽ »f = v, where ÃŽ » is the wavelength, f is the frequency, and v is the speed at which the signal is traveling. The fundamental frequency is the lowest frequency component in the Fourier representation of a periodic quantity. The spectrum of a signal is the frequencies it contains while the bandwidth of a signal is the width of the spectrum. Attenuation is the gradual weakening of a signal over dis tance. The rate at which data can be transmitted over a given communication path, or channel, under given conditions, is referred to as the channel capacity. Bandwidth, noise, and error rate.

Dynamic and Culture - 3539 Words

Cultural Uniformity versus Heterogeneity. Cultures differ from organization to another depending upon the leaders of the organization on how they shape organizational culture. It is merely dependant on the core business of the organization and vital values that needs to be embedded in an organization. They are many organizations who adopt uniformity in their organization cultures whereas others they adopt heterogeneity prospective in their organization culture. Nowadays many organizations prefer to have a combination of both cultures depending on their organization structures and departments core functions. Uniformity and heterogeneity differs from department to another depending upon their core function and if the organization would†¦show more content†¦Each of these divisions will have a separate subculture even though they all participate in the organizational culture and purpose of the charitable organization. The fund raisers, for example, may meet together on their own to plan strategies or share successes with each other. The field workers may meet together or with others to report on how the distributed charitable funds are being used. Each of these groups shares a commonality that is individual to that group even though they also share the organizational culture of the whole. Each of these groups can have more or less structure. They may have leaders or act as a cooperative. Some may be innovative and some may adhere strictly to the perceived values and rules of the parent organization. Some groups may have a similar enough culture within to allow for social interaction outside the workplace. Neither uniformity nor heterogeneity is wrong to be adopted in any organization rather having them distributed in a right manner will drive organization towards success and generates more revenue. Many advanced organization will have mix of both depending on their core functions. 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