Small Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Small Business - Essay Example Perfect Grill will use technology to solve this problem and thus make it easier to compete with Jacob’s Grill. A programmer will be hired to develop an app that the customers can install in their phones. The customers can use the app for the following; The customer can place orders before arriving at the restaurant. This will mean that the kitchen manager can know the demand prior to the customers arriving to the restaurant. This will mean that the customers will not have to wait for too long after arriving at the restaurant. This improves the level of service and the customers will be happy with this. The customers will also be able to pay for their orders through the app. This will be important in that it will help in dealing with customers who may cancel the orders. If the customers are given the option to order through the app but not pay, the rate of cancelling the orders may be high and this is not be good for business. However, by allowing the customers to pay through the online app, the rate of order cancellation will be low. The customers can also access the day’s specials and know what to order. Apart from displaying the menu for the restaurant, the app will be able to help the customers to access the day’s special. This will be updated on a daily basis and the customers can be able to know what the day’s specials are even before they arrive at the restaurant. Once the customer places an order for a meal, the app will be able to determine if there are enough materials to make the meal for the customer. This will mean that the app will be linked to the inventory records of the firm. For instance, if a customer uses the app to order for a grilled chicken, the app will have to first check if there are chicken in the inventory which will be used to make the order. The customer will also have to give a timeframe of when he is expecting to arrive at the restaurant. This will

Induction and training Essay Example for Free

Induction and training Essay Inductions for staff are a huge concern for many organisations because it provides them with information about their duties and responsibilities. However it is procedure an employee experiences when beginning a new job. It also assures them how important and effective customer service is in the travel and tourism industry, however it also enables them to adapt into the organisation quicker as it will help them gain knowledge and be more familiar with the facilities at the organisation. Induction and training also discusses all the procedures which the staff need to know which about and what is compulsory in a work environment. Thus induction procedures are carried out in many different ways; this varies from company to company. However there are certain items which need to be discussed by law for instance health and safety, first aid and which way the fire exits are. Some company also have the disciplinary procedures which is also a very compulsory factor for many organisations. Booklets and leaflets are also given out at inductions including all the reasonable precautions however this is also carried out verbally as well as just being written down. On the other hand many organisations like their staff to be fully familiar with the history of the organisation and other major information about the company and again this varies from company to company. Training is another way to improve the skills and knowledge and make employees more familiar with their job roles and what they are responsible for; this will also help them gain a better understanding about the company and how to take care of its customers needs. It is vital for staff to provide good service so when training is being taken at a work place it is mainly because it benefits the organisation in many different ways, when someone is being trained to do a certain job they are being taught how to handle things, for instance customers and their needs. If an organisation has fully trained staff it benefits customer service in many ways for example satisfied customers, increased sale, repeat business, better public image and edge over the competition. We all know excellent customer service brings higher sales and raises profit which benefits the organisation and the external customers as well as the internal customers. However training new employees would also help them feel more motivated about their job, as well as help them be more familiar with the organisation itself. On the other hand when employees are being trained they are also being taught how to deal with external and internal customers in an appropriate way, for instance the other members of staff who may be working with you. However when employees adapt into the working environment they also need to adapt with the people that are there as well as the organisation which they work for to make it a nice environment to work in, so basically if employees get on well with other members of staff their will be happier staff and in result of that there will be better business and more happier and efficient workforce for the staff. Thus, training may also help employees build up their self confidence in other words it may help them get to know other members of staff ; starting a new job may be quite nerve racking. However some employees starting a new job may lack of self esteem because there not sure what the should and shouldnt be doing, and they may also be scared that if they did something wrong they may be laughed at, however an a induction may change that because it will make them more relaxed and more motivated about their new work place. However it also helps staff to absorb the information and adjust the information faster on those areas they are being trained on, this is good news for the external customers because a happy workforce leads to team work and greater efficiency, and this then eventually leads to excellent customer service. Training staff also makes a good working atmosphere for them as they will get on with the their colleagues more so this will make the workplace a friendly workplace, however also may improve job satisfaction as this will help employees love their job and take pride in it, this leads to improved chances of promotion of the company. Training would also look into how to communicate with customers as well as understand their needs, Good customer service is more than just selling products to customers, and it takes motivation and skill in how you deal with them. All employees in the travel and tourism industry need to know how to communicate with their customers appropriately, and how to use different skills in different situations whatever job you do because you dont know when you might be expected to deal with a customer and because you cannot walk away from it. Training gives guidance and teaches different types of communication as well as builds up enthusiasm. The Marriott Hotel At the Marriott Hotel customer service is extremely crucial like it is for any other companies in the travel and tourism industry; there are many principles of customer service at the Marriott which is why it is compulsory for hotel to train their staff up to a certain standard. Thus, although it may mean that it costs the hotel up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2000 to go through recruitment for each employee they train it is still worth the money. At the Marriott they believe that training and induction are preparing staff to provide good customer service. However this is beneficial to the organisation because it improves job knowledge and builds confidence this would result to more motivated and happier working staff which means employment cost will be reduced. Induction at the Marriott At the Marriot hotel there is a 3 day induction procedure which is an initial training procedure. Initial training which is provided by the organisation to new members of staff, as the hotel believes that recruiting new members of staff is quite a big investment for the Marriot. However this is a very long period for training process for the hospitality industry. Thus, the initial training takes place at the hotel itself and they use up their own facilities and conference rooms. The Marriot takes a high interest in providing high standards which is why they dont mind whatever it costs to train their staff; as they strongly believe that the this training also benefits the organisation as well as the employees. The initial training covers a wide area of knowledge to cover by the employees which involves many factors form providing information, health and safety, company history, manual training, control of substances and so on. The hotel believes telling the new staff about the companys history as it will make the employees feel apart of the organisation because they know everything about it, however it would also make the staff feel extremely motivated and happy. However it is also very important for staff to be familiar with the organisations history because it looks extremely professional when staff has the information about the organisation as they may be asked questions in relation to the organisation by the visitors, and if they struggle to give answers it may make the organisation lose its credits. Staff must also go though the general information about the hotel for instance the managers name and the procedures of how to handle a complaint, at the Marriott they may have a certain way of handling a certain compliant because the customer would not care how long the member of staff has been working there whether its just for 3 days or six months they have paid and they except answers and good service. The Marriott trains their new employees incredibly well up to a pace where it allows the employees to comprehend and well and understand the work up to a standard as well as recognise the importance of it. However induction at the Marriott has many areas to cover, and one thing the hotel takes into serious account is providing the new employees with general information on the hotel, for instance what the organisation does, all though this may be obvious it is still mandatory for staff to be familiarised with this sort of information. Thus, during these inductions employees are also made to be familiar with their role in relation to the hotel. On the other hand, by law it is officially permitted employers should provide their new employees with the terms and conditions which involve with the job, in many cases this is a written statement. At the Marriott they believe providing their new employees with this sort of information may be a really good idea as this will give them a good taste of the companys scheme. However this involves things such as the hours of work, such as the working hours and the flexi-time system and the pension scheme if necessary, this is so employees are familiar with the major policies. Thus, inductions also include other various areas as well such as holidays, absence sickness reporting procedures and so on, however they also go through the any uniform standards as this also relates to health and safety as well as personal hygiene. On the other hand the Marriott believes that employees must be taught and told how to wear their uniforms correctly, because visitors judge the whole organisations by how the staff present themselves, at the Marriott they dont want their staff coming to work looking like that have just been down the fashion aisle, as the Marriott only likes the professional look, which is why they tell their new employees to keep it simple. However keeping the uniform simple doesnt just mean wearing the uniform correctly it also means that they do not want their staff in to much make up and big jewellery. Another area which is very important as the Marriott is the food and safety procedures Thus, at the Marriott they also provide other trainings such as the learn model which teaches the staff how to handle complaints and acknowledge it effectively. At the Marriott the learn model is important as it makes the guests feel they are most welcome at the hotel, the may also feel as though they are being valued so they may go away and then come back, repeat customers. LEARN model Listen Empathise Apologise React Notify On the other hand there is also the guest model; this procedure teaches how staff should treat guests. Greet the guests Use the guests name Establish guests needs Show interest in the guests Thank the guest Conclusion I think it is most fundamental for the employees at the Marriott to receive that sort of induction and training as it will keep up the professional image which the hotel has already succeeded in. I suppose this kind of induction policy at the Marriott permits the staff to receive comprehensive training and it will also help them boost their eagerness on their particular job they are doing and it will also make them feel more motivated. On the other hand I also think that induction policy will also allow staff to strengthen their communication skills, because they may also learn different methods and techniques when it comes to selling a products or even presenting it. Better communication skills also permit an individual, a sales person in this case to adapt and identify an excellent sales presentation for different types of customers; however this would again result in excellent customer service. At the Marriott, they rely on their staff bring out the best of their customers by providing a good service and projecting a professional image. This is because at the Marriott they are keen on receiving good attitudes from their customers, as this will result in happy staff as well as happy customers. On the other hand employees who offer good product knowledge are the ones who are motivated about their job, because they can advise customers as they have been trained to do so. Probationary period at the Marriott The probationary period at the Marriott is a three month process; however this process starts after the induction programme. Though the probationary period allows staff to pick up many skills and knowledge about their jobs and in many cases it may also be useful in the future if that employee is considering another job in that same direction. However the probationary period permits staff to work under many different conditions. It is short-term, temporary contract which allows the employers and the Marriott to consider and assess closely how the employee is getting on with the job, if they are managing it well. On the other hand it also involves personal judgements of the staff employing the employee as they decide whether they are capable of doing this job and establish whether or not they should offered the job. Conclusion I believe that the probationary period at the Marriott benefits the hotel a lot as they are spending a lot of money on recruiting and training many different people. However the probationary period helps them ensure that they have hold of the right people as it provides a good indication to both the staff member and the organisation on how the staffs is finding the job. On going training at the Marriott Every organisation believes it is mandatory to train employees legally; training needs to be motivational and engaging as this will help new employees handle responsibilities proficiently and adapt to the environment faster. On the other hand training would also increase knowledge and contribution in the workforce. Conversely there are also many health and safety laws related when it comes to training staff and at the Marriott Hotel. They are very aware of these strict regulations which are why the Marriott has a training policy which makes sure that new employees are trained clearly and instructed well to their duties. The Marriott has a specific standard operating procedure which ensures that employees are taught how to work safely up to a certain standard, the Marriott standard, however this strict regulation runs across the globe in every Marriott Hotel there is. At the Marriott, employees are made aware of all the risks and hazards they may come into contact with, they are told how to deal with these situations and are also made aware about the emergency procedures. Health and safety training mostly take place during working hours and during these lessons employees are adequately supervised. During training at the Marriott it is emphasised to the staff that good customer service is one of the main aims of the organisation. However throughout the training role play situations are introduced where the staff are put into the customers shoes or given a part to play. Like any other organisations the Marriot believes every customer deserves first class service and has two main aims which are making profit and providing excellent customer service, which is why the role plays are really effective. This is really a good idea because it gives the new staff a good flavour of what their job roles are like. On the other hand throughout the role plays it also allows the staff to realise how it is like to be a customer on the receiving end of service provided by the staff and judge whether that is a bad or good service. However the intense training procedure goes on forever, throughout their whole career, because the Marriott believes the more training an employee receives the better they will be at the their jobs. At the Marriott the on going training procedures which start as soon as the employee starts the job, there are two levels of induction. On the other hand there is also another level, making it 3 levels al together, however level 3 much more advanced and is provided for certain job roles, for a particular employee. On level 3 there are many different types of trainings which contribute to an individuals development of their job, so this level may vary from employee to employee as they all have different job roles However level 1 takes for 90 days as soon as the employee is on the job, this is al about the health and safety regulations. On the other hand level 2 is what the do for the first 180 days which is just provided to people who do room operation which is to help them increase knowledge on their job. However I think the passport to success training procedure at the Marriott is very effective at as it allows the new employees to adapt quicker and maintain a higher standard of work performance. On the other hand it may also allow staff to gain a good understanding of all the factors which may affect work performance and if they are trained will enough to avoid these or deal with then this would benefit the organisation very much. However the passport to success is a very optimistic idea as it allows employers to split up the training levels and provide those to the individuals who it may apply to most and more targeted at their job. I believe this training will increase enthusiasm, motivation and satisfaction for the individual. At the Marriott there is also another 20 day period orientation which monitors how well the employee is doing at their job and how they are progressing. However this is a unit and it is targeted at particular employees as it allows the manager to interview them. This interview by the manager is done again after 2 months, during this interview the manger takes into consideration whether the objectives are met by this particular employee. I believe this is very effective as this allows both the employee and the manger to indentify any necessary development needed for the individual for instance the employee might be having a rough time with other co-workers or they might be finding a certain part of their job difficult to do. However it also makes the employer feel they are being taken into thought and what they feel is right can make a difference, there again this increases job satisfaction. At the hotel there is training involved which involves staff with daily short takes. This procedure takes up to 15 minutes and is done every month; however this is done by everybody in the department and is called the short take training. However this training varies form department to department so for instance in the food department they will go over the food and hygiene, health and safety and finally how to serve the customers. On the other hand in the housekeeping department staff will be taught how to iron, how to do the beds, how to clean and how to maintain certain parts of the room. Although these tasks may sound very basic it allows the staff to expand their abilities on doing things and engage into doing effective management. However the short take training is prepared by the Human Resource department at the hotel, Te HR has facilitation role in relative to the inductions and training which goes on at the Hotel. The HR provides the tools which may be needed in training; they also support individuals on achieving the most as they do the performance review process on each of them. The HR keeps all the records of their staff and support them in relation to each individuals aims. It is very important for the HR to keep these reports of their staff of all training because it will have the evidence of what each individual staff have been trained and what needs to repeated. I believe that this is very relevant to the consult workers as they be more aware of the conditions which they staff are in, on the other hand it is also very effective and considerate.It is very considerate because sometimes training need to be repeated time to time and keeping track of that on a data security system in the HR would be extremely helpful At the Marriott the hotel is very keen in keeping their old staff rather than recruit new ones all the time which spend an awful lot of money on and take into serious account. However the hotel believes if a member of staff isnt still progressing well after all the training they have received other the forts 3 months they should not be thrown out the job. The hotel provides these weak staff with a buddy to mentor that weak individual for up to a certain period. On the other hand another time an individual who is provided with a buddy could be because they had been given a compliant letter. I believe that this would be very helpful and effective. This will allow the weak staff to watch and learn, this may also give them a chance to become accustomed more into their job as they will be watching others and from there they can be more familiar with what may be right and what may be wrong. The Marriott looks in for the best for each and every employee and do things which will benefit both the employee and the organisation. The hotel also provide their managers and assistant managers with training, they also pay for most of their employees to go to university and become more successful at their current job or what they might want to do in the future. The hotel is very fond of university graduates. Benefits of training Training staff helps improve their skills and also increases the efficiency of the organisation, in this case the Marriott Hotel. Training allows employees to develop a picture of the skills and talents needed at the workforce. It introduces improved job satisfaction by from employees as it allows them to feel more become accustomed with their job. On the hand staff will feel more secure and will find their jobs easier to do, they will also enjoy their work and feel more motivated which will then lead to more sense of pride and increase self confidence. However training staff would also make a more pleasant place to work for them and would co-operate with their colleagues more and work well together, however they be friendly and be polite which would make them be supportive and this would be result a happier staff and a happier work force. Training staff brings out the best in them, it allows staff to provide higher principles of their work performance; it enables them to understand and appreciate their job and job roles. On the other hand when there is a group of staff in department who are trained there is always a lot of team spirit, because training allows them to work with co-workers and they get to cooperate wit them. Training ensures that objectives are met and that each employee gains the best knowledge of their work role and understands it clearly; on the other hand, it prepares and equips the employees up to a certain standard which will make them capable of working and achieving their goals and work objectives, personally and potentially. I imagine that training staff well is the best way to maintain the professional image of an organisation as it will provide good quality service. The Marriott hotel appears to be the most successful in that as they provide their employees with all the different types of f training there is in the book. Which they also believe is the solution to good service. Where there is good service there is a big number of customers, good service benefits the customers as this makes them happy and more relaxed. And they will be more satisfied with the products and services they have paid for and the way they have been treated. Customers are the most fundamental when it comes to running business and as they will be paying the prices, so to please them I believe training is the only answer. Training helps staff gain, refine and update knowledge and improve their proficiency in the work place leaving them to be successful in all the work roles without getting a complaint or without feeling like they dont know what to do. Staff providing efficient and effective service Benefits to the Organisation The hotel is extremely competitive like every other organisation and it does its best to win business. If at an organisation the employee provides efficient and effective service the organisation would benefit from that in many ways. The Marriott Hotel would boost the image of the organisation because the staff would have a better job knowledge and provide better service; the better service the more the hotel meets its requirements, in other words the Marriott standards. At the Marriott hotel costs up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2000 to go thought the recruitment for one employee. Training at the Marriott does cost a lot of money and it is also time consuming but the Marriott hotel doesnt mind because they know at the end it is them who it would benefit the most in the long run. To gain public relation is huge factor to be considered by an organisation, public relations help create a good image for the organisation. good induction training programme will increase the number of motivated employees, and they may also be aware of a more effectual response to training, staff wont walk out of the job as they will feel they enjoy doing their job as well as being satisfied. On the other hand it will improve communications and relationships generally towards their managers. Benefits to the Organisation and shareholders The organisation shareholders are the ones who benefit the most because there will be more sales and increased market share which will result in making more money because there will be repeat business and recommendations. On the other hand good services always lead to repeat business, and old customers continue to return. Customers usually trust organisations where they have received good service and build up loyalty towards them and recommend it to people elsewhere so they may also become customers. However it may cause an edge over competition as other organisation may start to compete wit them so the receive the same amount of customers By providing excellent service an organisation will have better chance in maintaining existing customers and also attracting new ones. Training staff is a huge advantage to the hotel as the organisations image improves when dealing with customers, the organisation benefits most when there is good service which introduces more money to the company, more customers may also start to use the hotel. Benefits to the staff I think training helps staff become more competent and more flexible when doing their jobs, it increases their motivation and job satisfaction and they come to a stage where there is possible changes to be made in their job roles they adapt to that fast as they have been trained to do so. There may also be fewer accidents in the work place as they are trained to handle things and also shown how to do so. however I believe that once the staff are fully trained they may leave that job and go look for a better job which may pay them slightly more, because I think at the Marriott staff are over trained for their particular job. Benefits to the customers The benefit of training is that it allows employees to provide excellent customer service and also creates a very professional image of the organisation which then brings in new customers. However a good customer service provided by members of staff at the Marriott will always keep their customers happy and more satisfied. . On the other hand they may also feel contempt as well as pleased with the services provided as well with the products on which they are spending their money on. However if this kind of high-quality service carries on customers will always return. They will also be bringing new customers along wit them as they well pass on the good things to other people telling them what a good time they had at the hotel. In other terms this is also known repeat business. Overall Conclusion Overall I believe training staff should be considered a very is a significant aspect for all organisations if they are willing to succeed and do well in the long run. I feel training helps preserve new customers as well as the old ones to the organisation and this allows organisation to build their businesses well. However I feel that the Marriott hotel has become extremely conscious and aware of all the benefits training will bring to their business and that they are focusing well on that. Bibliography www.acas.gov.uk This was an extremely good site, it had all the laws and policies run by the government regarding induction and training procedures. I found the site very useful . www.cipd.co.uk www.businesslink.org www.businessballs.com www.cipd.co.uk www.tda.gov.uk www.cobent.com www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/ www.qaa.ac.uk Books Induction training- By Michael Meighan This explained a lot about what happens in inductions and training, this was very helpful as it had the information I was looking for. Induction Pocketbook (Management Pocketbooks) by Ruth Sangale This book was not as useful as it only contained basic information which I was already very familiar with but just needed some holes filling in, so it was helpful in some ways. How to Design and Deliver Induction Training Programmes (Practical Trainer) by Michael Meighan- This was very supportive as it explained in sections of what needs to be done at trainings and the importance of it. I would really recommend this book to anybody who is thinking to run a business and wants to be successful doing it as it was very accommodating

Social Media In The Business World

Social Media In The Business World It is hard to believe that there once was a time when horses were the latest thing in media technology. Horses were a means of communication over large amounts of land, which as a technological innovation changed the course of history (AMTEC). Media and technology has come an incredibly long way since that time. The rate in which technology is advancing makes it hard to keep up. Todays society revolves around the latest technology and what is current in the mediam everyone wants the latest and the greatest. Technology today gives people endless possibilities at the touch of their fingers at any time of day. A study done by The Nielsen Company projects that by the end of 2011 Smartphones will overtake feature phones in the United States. They also believe that one in two Americans will own a smartphone by Christmas of 2011. Smartphones, which are mobile phones that offer more computing ability and connectivity than feature phones, make it possible to communicate with and connected to anywhere in the world at any time. Smartphones are just one example of the technological revolution we are experiencing today. Social media is a part of the obsession people have with media and technology today. As stated above, technology makes it extremely easy to communicate with people and social media makes it even easier. It is no longer required for someone to be at a computer in order to long onto their favorite social media sites. Smartphones have teamed up with these sites to create applications that allow you to access your social media profile right from your mobile phone. This makes it possible to be literally connected and able to communicate with people twenty-four hours a day. The popularity of social media sites is unbelievable. Is social media a fad? Or is it the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution? asks Erik Qualman, founder of Socialnomics, which works to provide social and mobile statistics. One of the most popular social media sites, facebook, has attracted more than 500 million active users since it was created in February of 2004. Facebook added 100 million users in less than nine months (Qualman). In contrast, it took the television thirteen years and the internet four years to reach 100 million users. Facebook is not only used by people in the United States. About 70% of its users are outside of the United States and it is available in over 70 different translations, as stated on facebook.com. Also, people spend over 700 billion minutes per month of facebook. A survey done in a College Writing II class at Marist College showed that 100% of the students in the class have a profile on a social media site. The business world is certainly not being left behind by the social media revolution. Contrary to popular belief social media is not solely used for social purposes. As the popularity of these social media sites continue to grow at a rapid rate, businesses are starting to jump on the bandwagon. Businesses can certainly benefit and also be harmed in a number of ways by social media sites. As a result, Social Media is becoming a big factor in employment, affecting both job seekers and employers. People are mistaken when they believe that socializing is the only purpose of social media sites. Besides facebook, twitter and youtube, which are mainly used for social purposes, there are also sites that are used for professional business purposes. These sites are benefitial and present opportunities to both job seekers and businesses looking to hire new employees. One of the more popular professional social media sites is known as LinkedIn. The site defines itself as, A networking tool to find connections to recommended job candidates, industry experts and business partners. With nearly 25 million users LinkedIn serves almost any industry and professions explains Jake Swearingen a reporter for BNET. On LinkedIn users simply make a profile including all their professional information, and start searching and networking. In his article for the CBS Interactive Business Network, Swearingen states that it is easy to create a profile but it takes work to make it as useful as possible. In the article he outlines steps to making a LinkedIn profile that will benefit the user the most. He says before a user connects with other users they must first create a profile with their detailed professional history. Simply copying and pasting their resume on the site will not cut it. A successful LinkedIn profile should reflect professional interests, passions and ambitions (Swearingen). The site is helpful in making sure that the user fills in all areas of their profile but, Swearingen believes there are two specific areas that are crucial in making a profile as effective as possible. The first is the section located right under the users name on their profile. This section is a short headline which is usually four or five words. This will be the first thing people see on a LinkedIn profile besides the users name. In other words, this will be the first impression made on all viewers. This section should be a simple explanatory headline that contains keywords that will help users find eachother, for example, Senior Project Manager at MacDonnell-Douglas or, High-Performing Aeronautical Engineering Projects. The second section contain past job experiences and ambitions for the future. Swearingen informs that when listing past job experiences users should make sure to use verbs as much as possible. It shows that passion about what the user learned from each job. Also, non-jobs can also be listed here. These include positions such as leading a group project. Mrinal Desai, a former LinkedIn evangelist and current vice president at CrossLoop, Inc recommends including what you want to do in the future in this section. After creating the best profile possible on LinkedIn, the user can get and receive recommendations. People who are happy with someones work can write a brief description of their experiences on that persons profile. These recommendations can be seen by anyone who views that specific profile. Recommendations serve a similar purpose as references someone would use when filling out a job application. Having recommendations from past and present colleagues and, or bosses shows that this particular person has good working habits, trustworthy and reliable. All of which are qualities companies look for in employees. As well as being helpful to people looking for jobs, LinkedIn is also extremely beneficial to companies looking to hire new employees. 40% of Fortune 100 companies are using LinkedIn recruiting solutions as of August 2009 (Srinvasen). Businesses can post open positions right on LinkedIn and users can search through the jobs posted for the ones that apply. Then companies can use the LinkedIn Recruiter which searches the entire site for the best possible candidates based on what the company is specifically looking for. The company can then contact the candidates directly through LinkedIn mail. This process is quick, easy and saves companies money. Social media used for pre-employment purposes poses many benefits for people who utilize its tools; however it also can be harmful. The popularity of social media sites makes it extremely easy to acquire information about almost anyone. For example, there are 500 million people on facebook anyone could get to know by poking around their profiles. As a result of this popularity, businesses are beginning to use social media as a part of the hiring process. The purpose of a job interview is to learn something about the candidates personality but that person tries to make the best possible impression on the interviewer. This impression may not depict the persons true personality. Employers want to make sure they are making the best choice before hiring someone and content on social media sites can tell a lot about someones true personality. CEO Max Drucker believes, I personally think were moving away from the one-page resume. I think were moving toward where your online history is your resume. Do you have content on your profile you would not want a possible employer to see? 45% of companies use social media sites to research potential job candidates according to a survey of more than 2,000 HR professionals which was commissioned by CareerBuilder.com. That is nearly half of all companies. In addition, another 11% are planning to start similar practices in the near future. Out of the companies who admitted to using social media as a hiring tool 35% said they had actually rejected a candidate based on content they found during their research. But what exactly do companies find to cause such decisions? Having provocative pictures or information was the main reason employers opted out of hiring someone. Sharing content that involved alcohol and drugs was not far behind. Also, companies dismissed candidates for bad-mouthing previous employers, co-workers, or clients on social media sites. Even the use emoticons or smiley faces that have become very common when communicating technologically are seen as a negative to companies. This does not mean job seekers can no longer reminisce with their friends about the party they went to last weekend on social media sites. Facebook, as well as other social media sites, have made it possible to make your profile private. There are many different settings that can be changed in order to make sure only desired people can see a full facebook profile. The settings can either be set to everyone, which means everyone can see everything on that specific profile, friends of friends, friends only, or custom. Custom makes it possible to block certain friends, but not all friends. Each of these settings can be applied to each aspect of a facebook profile separately. For example, say someone wants everyone on facebook to be able to see their profile pictures, but only wants their friends to be able to see their posts. The everyone setting can be applied specifically to profile pictures, while the friends only setting can be applied to all posts. Also, say someone is friends with their Aunt Joan on facebook, but does not want her to see pictures of what they do on the weekends. Aunt Joan can specifically be blocked from all pictures, still be able to see other sections of the profile and still remain friends with her family member. Users can also make themselves unsearchable, which means if someone types their name in the search bar, at the top of the facebook homepage, their profile will not come up. This assures extra safety from employers looking to do some online research. Researching job candidates online sounds like a convienient way for employers to find out about their personality, but theres a catch. Companies need to be aware of legal issues when doing online research. Michelle Sherman described which information about job candidates is off limits in her article for the Social Media Law Update Blog. She described that under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion and gender when making employment related decisions such as, hiring, discipline and termination. The Age Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination against people who are 40 years or older, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits discrimination against those who are qualified disabled. Many states add other factors to the list of information that is off limit. For example, the state of California adds sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, cancer, political affiliation, genetic characteristics, and gender identity to the list. Companies can easily gain information about the factors stated above by investigating social media sites. Michelle Sherman said, The challenge for employers who are researching job applicants, or monitoring the social media activity of their employees, is to not let this protected status information bleed into their employment decisions. On the other hand, Renee M. Jackson of the National Law Journal believes, Employers should consider whether the benefits of using social media to research applicants outweigh the risks. She also states certain guidelines employers should consider if they decide to screen social media sites. One guideline describes that companies should have a neutral party screen social media sites and filter out any information that is considered off limits under federal law. This neutral party can then pass on acceptable information to the individuals making the hiring decisions. Whoever is doing the online research should never friend a candidate in order to gain access to information. Finally, employers must be able to state a legitimate and nondiscriminatory reason for the decisions they make with documentation to support their claim. CEO of Social Intelligence Corp. Max Drucker says, Look, the employer is damned if they do, and damned if they dont. If they do screening themselves, its a legal landmine. If they dont, they open themselves up to negligent hiring. The presence of social media in the business world does not disappear after the hiring process is complete. People believe that employees who use social media sites while at work can actually benefit the business. It is said to result in external business generation. Considering the popularity of social media today it is the fastest way to advertise to the public. In 2009, Sodexo, a food company, got a lot of buzz because they had their employees tweet under the company name (Welstead). To put this into perspective, if 100 employees get involved, each employee has an average of 100 friends on their social media profile, and they post one company-related status per week that status will reach 10,000 or more people per week. In a matter of minutes a company can advertise to tens of thousands of people they may not be able to reach otherwise. Companies dont always have to rely on their employees to advertise on social media sites. Facebook has made it possible for businesses to create business accounts. Business accounts are different than personal accounts and are designed mainly to as a place for companies to advertise. Once a business creates a business account on facebook it can edit the businesses profile and add photos, videos and events. For example, Honda has its very own facebook page. The page contains information about the company, pictures and videos of the different types of cars, links to pages dedicated to one specific type of car, and promotions of their latest products and campaigns. In addition, businesses can also create ads that will show up on the side of the facebook homepage when the user logs on. Each company can choose their audience by location, age and interests when displaying their ad on facebook. Although, using social media for advertising creates a lot on benefits, it also may harm companies. It is obvious that if employees spend their entire day on social media sites production may decrease, but that is a small speed bump compared to the damage that could be done. The biggest risk is the unauthorized disclosure of confidential company information (Jackson). Leaking confidential company information can cause the company embarrassment, public relations issues and damage to the employers brand or reputation. As a result it is suggested that each company have a social media policy that all employees must follow. It is unrealistic to ban social media as a whole considering the amount of people who own smart phones. In other words, if social media sites are blocked on the company computers, employees can still log on using their mobile phones. Renee Jackson outlined some possible guidelines in her article for the National Law Journal. She described that companies should make it clear that the misuse of social media can be grounds for discipline and even termination. After that is made clear, it should be prohibited for employees to disclose confidential company information, trade secrets or proprietary information. Employees should keep company logos off their personal profiles and bring work-related complaints to human resources before writing about it on the internet. Also, employees should be prohibited from using their company e-mail address to register for social media sites. These are just a few suggested policies companies should consider there are many more additions to this that can insure further protection to the company. Social media has been and can be a source of friendships, which can carry over to the work place. Renee Jackson believes, Employee use of social media can result in an internal creation of a collegial atmosphere through less formal interaction and shared experiences between co-workers. In other words, social media allows co-workers to interact in a less formal manner. They can communicate online in addition to having face-to-face conversations while at work. This strengthens the relationships between co-workers creating a pleasant and strong work environment. The closer employees are the better they work together in a team atmosphere. In contrast to the quote stated above, Renee Jackson also states, On the other hand, employee use of social media can create awkward and potentially harassing situations when such use turns inappropriate. An example of this is if a supervisor wants to be a subordinates friend on a social media site. If the subordinate accepts the request the supervisor now has access to all the information on their profile. On the other hand, if the subordinate decides not to accept it may create an awkward situation in the work place because the supervisor may be offended. Misuse of such sites can cause sexual harassment or create a hostile work environment in more extreme cases (Jackson). Social media is not just a fad. Since facebook first launched in 2004 it has gained over 500 million users. The rate in which it gained popularity was faster than that of any other technological innovation. Social media is beginning to permeate the business world. It can be extremely beneficial to business, but also very harmful. If social media is going to continue to be used in the business world, it needs to be used correctly. For job seekers, site used strictly for socializing should be protected from professionals looking to gain insight into personalities. Professional social media sites make job hunting and networking quick and easy, but in order for them to be successful they need to be developed fully. For companies, social media sites are a convenient want to research possible employees, but they need to make sure they stay clear of all legal issues. Facebook has made it easy for companies to advertise on the site, and they can use their employees to reach more possible cus tomers. However, companies should have a social media policy that all employees must follow in order to make sure all problems are avoided. The concept of professional social media can be extremely beneficial to Generation Y when they being the career search, since they are the majority of the users on social media sites. If they learn how to use social media properly it will put them in a better place for the rest of their lives. They can use social media as a tool to get them a good job. Once they are hired they can use it to make business better. The key to successful and safe social media use is know how to use it safely and to the best of its ability.

satan and the problem of evil :: essays research papers fc

Satan and The Problem of Evil Now the Serpent was the most cunning of the animals that the LORD God had made. The Serpent asked the woman, â€Å"Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?† The woman answered the serpent: â€Å"We may eat of the fruit of the garden; it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘You shall not eat it or even touch it lest you die’.† But the Serpent said to the woman: â€Å"You certainly will not die! No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is bad.† (Genesis 3:1-5) Serpent, Devil, Tempter, , Prince of Darkness, Fallen Angel, the Evil One, Lucifer, Diabolus, all of theses titles refer to the same figure, Satan. The name Satan comes from the Hebrew for adversary. It is theorized that Satan is a symbolic figure for those who opposed the Biblical writers, in the Old Testament the Satan was meaning th e other nations, the idol worshipers, and in the New the Pharisees and the Jews who ejected the growing Christian faith from the Jewish community. In the time of the later church, Satan and his works were meaning heretics and such. Anything on the outside that appeared to be a threat became of Satan. It is also a theory that Satan is a real individual, a real spirit, the fallen angel. Some stories hold that selfish pride and lust for power brought about the fall of Lucifer, â€Å"the light bearer†. St. Augustine wrote that the Devil was â€Å"inflated with pride, he wished to be called God†. The words of the prophet Isaiah illustrate this idea: How you are fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! How are you cut down to the ground, you who mowed down the nations! You said in your heart: ‘I will scale the heavens; above the stars of God I will set up my throne; I will take my seat on the mount of assembly, in the recesses of the North. I will ascend ab ove the tops of the clouds; I will be like the most high.’ Yet down to the nether world you go, into the recesses of Sheol! (Isaiah 14:12-15) St.

Poverty and the Global Sex Trade Essay

As the global economy continues to slide downhill, the global poverty case worsens. Major businesses are forced to shut down, causing more and more people to lose their jobs everyday. People are willing to do anything just to earn money in order for them to put food on their plates. Because of this, many are forced to do things they don’t even want to do. This is the case of the global sex trade. Fueled by the worsening global poverty, more and more people resort to prostitution in order to survive. The culprit: poverty Before we discuss the growing problem of global sex trade, we should focus first on its main cause: poverty. In the 2005 World Bank report on poverty, it is stated that almost half of the world’s total population or more than 3 billion people live on less than two and a half dollars a day (Shah, 2009). Also, around 80% of all humanity lives on less than ten dollars every day (Shah, 2009). With that established, we can say that majority of the people are suffering from poverty, pushing us to doing whatever we can to earn money for our survival. The facts mentioned above were taken even before the global economic crisis that we’re experiencing now. So if we consider it as another factor, it is easy to assume that the global poverty problem even worsened. From what I’ve read, I can say that everyone is affected by the global poverty problem. Even the rich people are shutting down their businesses. But still the ones more affected by the worsening case of poverty are the poor people. They are poor to begin with, so as the poverty problem worsens, their situation also worsens. They’re poor even when they have a job, so when they get fired or laid off because of the global economic crisis, then they’ll be the ones who will be forced to do anything just to earn money. They’re more likely to commit crimes or be involved in prostitution not because they wanted to, but because they have no other choice. The crime: global sex trade We have now established that poverty could push people into doing things they don’t want to do. We now focus on the specific problem of sex trade or sex trafficking. According to Sarah M. Gonzales, as spokesperson of Captive Daughters Organization, sex trade acts â€Å"as the delivery system for prostitution† and that it involves a lot of young, poor women and even under aged girls turning to sex trade and prostitution as that they would be able to provide for themselves and their families because they’re left with no other choice (Gonzales, 2008). What most of us don’t know is that usually, sex trade is a big business, wherein some people are exploiting others for their own profit. It is a big business, coming in second to drug and gun trafficking worldwide. According to the United States government, the profit that criminals make out of the sex trade business can reach up to $9. 5 billion annually. There are efforts to curb this problem, including the arrest of the people behind major sex trade business. But as the poverty problem worsens, more and more people resort to this business despite its illegal, exploitative nature. The trade has continued to grow worldwide, as we continue to suffer more with poverty. In order to address this problem, two aspects should be addressed properly. One is capturing the criminals who orchestrate the sex trade, and the other one is addressing poverty, which is the main reason why sex trafficking continues to proliferate. The victim: the youth For me, I am against sex trade, and with the worsening of its global condition, I firmly believe that we should give our best efforts to solve this problem. In order to further understand why we need to give more focus on this problem, we have to look at the ones who are directly affected by these problems. It isn’t really the middle-aged working class who suffer more from this problem. It’s the youth who bears this burden in their shoulders. At times of need, these young men and women are compelled to risk their bodies and their lives just to earn money to support their family. They’re the ones exploited; the ones who are supposed to be our future would end up getting exploited and abused all because of poverty. This exploitation of the youth in sex trade is not confined to one part of the world only. It affects every corner of the globe, rich and poor countries alike. As long as poverty exists, the youth will continue to be exploited and be a global commodity in the sex trade. According to Stephan Faris, a WEnews correspondent, a foreign prostitute in Italy could make â€Å"far more than Nigeria’s average income of less than a dollar a day† and this could be a very encouraging deal for a girl’s family to send their daughter into sex trafficking (Faris, 2002). When sex trafficking became popular, Nigerian girls were seen as good for making money, though before they were viewed as something dispensable (Faris, 2002). They found their worth only as a source of income for them, so the families are really open to sending their daughters to sex traffickers, not minding where they’re sent. It is a pretty harsh environment for these young women, because their only chance to survive is to sell themselves for sex, and in foreign soil, they have no one else to rely on except themselves. At a very young age, they have to experience such things already, all because of poverty. The adverse effects of Global Sex Trade Another reason why I believe that we should give more attention to worsening case of global sex trade is its adverse effects. These outcomes affect not only those directly involved with the sex trade, but also other people in our society. Probably the most evident effect is the increasing rate of HIV/AIDS prevalence. In a United Nations report made available through the U. N. Wire, it is said that â€Å"the influx of sex workers has sparked fears about the spread of AIDS† in various places including refugee camps, communities, and a lot more (Nuhu, 1999). The situation is worsened because some people, including government officials, lack a sense of commitment to address this problem, and the people living in the community have very limited understand about these diseases. It is also said that with the worsening case of poverty, those who are likely to be affected by HIV/AIDS are the young children who are trying to make a living out of prostitution. Solving the problem For me, I can see this as a challenge to us all. Of course, we have to consider ourselves first before we deal with others, especially in this time of need. But still, there are some things that we can do to help solve this problem. One is through information. We can contribute to the solution by spreading what we know, about the causes, the victims, and the effects of this problem. The people who are able to give or lend a hand should do so, especially if they have some extra money or help that they can spare. Even though we are dealing with the poverty problem ourselves, we could still do something to stop another problem like sex trade from worsening. It does not only protect the young people who engage in the trade, but it also protects the whole community, including us. References: Faris, S. (2002). Italy’s Sex Trade Pulls Teens Pushed by Poverty. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from http://www. womensenews. org/article. cfm/dyn/aid/1005/context/archive Gonzales, S. M. (2008). Poverty & Sex Trafficking. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from http://www. captivedaughters. org/gatesfoundation. htm Nuhu, A. (1999). Poverty Fuels Commercial Sex Trade, HIV/AIDS. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from http://www. unwire. org/unwire/19990618/3267_story. asp Shah, A. (2009). Poverty Facts and Stats. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from http://www. globalissues. org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats

Bayeux Tapestry essays

Bayeux Tapestry essays William, Duke of Normandy was promised by his cousin, King Edward to be the next King of England after the Death of King Edward, but instead Harold Godwinson took the throne. Harold Godwinson was the second most powerful man in England and an advisor to Edward. Harold and Edward became brothers-in-law when the king married Harold's sister. With Harold becoming an even more powerful man and becoming an in-law to King Edward, Harold was a strong candidate for the throne. His claim was strengthened when the dying Edward supposedly uttered "Into Harold's hands I commit my Kingdom." With this kingly endorsement, the Witan (the council of royal advisors) unanimously selected Harold as King. Harolds coronation took place the same day as Edward's burial. William also had a strong argument on taking the throne, he was promised by his cousin King Edward. The day that Harold was crowned King William viewed that event as defying King Edwards wishes and a sacred oath. When Harold defied this oath, William gained the support of the Pope who excommunicated Harold. The last person claiming the right to the throne was Harald Hardrada, King of Norway, he was promised the throne by Harthcut (ruler of England before Edward) saying that who ever dies first must give their land to the other. Hardrada however was busy fighting for the rule of Denmark so he couldnt claim England. William took control of England in 1066 and ruled until his death in 1087. Made in 1067, it was commissioned by the half-brother of William, Duke of Normandy, Bishop Odo. It was built to celebrate the victory William had over Harold Godwinson in the battle of Hastings on the 25th of September 1066. The tapestry is 70 meters long and 50 cm wide. In the first half of the tapestry William wanted to show how he was destined to take the throne of England. After that the tapestry showed how William ...