The Effects Of Ptsd And Cultural Factors On Domestic Violence

Introduction The topic of my research design is the exploration between PTSD and cultural factors relating to domestic violence later on in life. Starting with my observations, firstly being how exposure of domestic abuse or lived environments when young make women more prone to PTSD and it’s side effects as an adult. My observation questions whether or not past experiences has any impact on how domestic violence will be handled or inflicted when these women are adults. It is my belief that PTSD and where someone comes from will lead women to be more prone to domestic violence when they are older. Firstly PTSD can lead to the women being less likely to go out and look for help and secondly if a young child is conditioned by cultural backgrounds that abuse is okay they will be less willing to stop the abuse or look for help. The variable that will be researched will be the effects of PTSD as a child and the impact that it has on relationships later on in life with the unit of analysis being the women. The articles I chose talk about effects of PTSD as a child and the effects of cultural conditioning as a child. The first article is, â€Å"Attachment Security and Parental Perception of Competency Among Abused Women in the Shadow of PTSD and Childhood Exposure to Domestic Violence† by Amiya Waldman-Levi, Ricky Finzi-Dottan and Naomi Weintraub. The second article is, â€Å"Strength Trapped Within Weakness/Weakness Trapped Within Strength: The Influence of Family of Origin Experiences onShow MoreRelatedThe Correlation Between Domestic Violence And Post Traumatic Stress Disorder1182 Words   |  5 PagesThe Correlation Between Domestic Violence and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Domestic violence is a horrific circumstance that is an ongoing issue to the public health of the world. Affecting the lives of millions annually by psychologically crippling the minds of the affected through chronic exposure to abuse. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (2014), 1.3 million women are subjected to this devastating situation. â€Å"No such global estimate was applicable for men† (TrevillionRead MoreMy Interest Of Study Society1154 Words   |  5 Pagesare, in order to learn how to deal with them. Domestic Violence can be view—using Mill’s conceptual vocabulary introduced in his article, as both a personal trouble and a public issue. Individuals make daily choices every day, but their choices are inhibited by their social, historical, cultural, political, and economic factors. These individuals frequently do not even realize the extent to which their lives are affected by those external factors and outside of their control (Mills, 1959). TheirRead MoreThe Effects Of Violence On Family Violence1319 Words   |  6 Pagesthe safest and most secure. Unlike other forms of relationships the bonds between family members already exists though it could be easily impacted and broken. When looking at violence in families one wonders that, what could possibly cause violence to occur amongst the most secure relationships such as family? Family violence is any type of abuse whether it is in a form of physical or emotional abuse. It could be a simple mistreatment of neglect t hat is experienced by someone within a secure relationshipRead MoreIntroduction. This Paper Describes The Headline Findings1409 Words   |  6 PagesINTRODUCTION This paper describes the headline findings from Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) on the extent of, and trends in, domestic abuse among the black women in the United Kingdom aged 18 to 45, who are the resident in households of England and Wales. Domestic abuse includes a number of various forms of physical as well as non-physical abuse consisting of partner and family abuse, sexual assault and stalking. The abuse can be either of the victim-offender relationship or of the abuseRead MoreA Shocking Study On Childhood Traumatic Experiences892 Words   |  4 Pages543). Although, children make up a large portion of the population, their voices often go unheard due to familial/cultural acceptance, a lack of societal education on the matter, and the inability of the victims to speak about their trauma. In 2013, a study conducted by Diehle, de Roos, Boer, Lindauer, (2013) with Dutch children, observed that sexual abuse (11.6%) and domestic violence (8.3%) were the most persistentl y recorded recurrent traumatic events (p. 2). These statistics are only accountableRead MoreViolence Against Women Is A Women’S Health Issue Stemming1465 Words   |  6 PagesViolence against women is a women’s health issue stemming from the cultural acceptance of the power dynamic between men and women. Specifically, men are socialized to be more powerful, commanding and assert themselves in the public sphere. While females are socialized to be more docile, reserved, obedient and to consume as little space as possible – both physically and figuratively. This mindset is something that adversely affects the health of women, taking away her autonomy, and subverting herRead MoreDefinition Of Violence Against Women Essay1372 Words   |  6 PagesThe United Nations defines violence against women as any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coerc ion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life (WHO Fact Sheet, 2016, para. 1).† There are many terms used to describe violence. The term domestic violence usually refers to interpersonal violence in a domestic setting such as family orRead MoreIntimate Partner Violence Essay1795 Words   |  8 PagesIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a type of abuse that occurs between people who are involved in a close relationship. â€Å"Intimate partner† is a term that is used to include both current and former spouses as well as dating partners. IPV exists along a continuum that ranges from a single episode of violence through ongoing battering. Incidents of IPV are known to include four basic types of behavior, including: Physical abuse, which is when a person either hurts or attempts to hurt their partnerRead MorePrescription Drug Use And Drug Abuse1691 Words   |  7 Pagesongoing problem in rural teens. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health suggests that 13% of teens between the ages of 12-17 have experimented with nonmedical prescription drugs at some point in their lives. Researchers have identified several factors linked with nonmedical prescription drug use such as their school enrollment status, history of depression, and a two parent household presence (Gever, 2010). Nonmedical prescription drug abuse has been the rise, in small towns such as in West VirginiaRead MoreSocial Justice Or Injustice : Domestic Violence1489 Words   |  6 PagesSocial Justice or Injustice Domestic violence (DV) has and continues to affect millions of, women, men, children and the elderly every day. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, defines Domestic violence as, â€Å"hurtful, repeated and intentional behavior that one person uses to maintain power and control over another in an intimate relationship.† (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, n.d.) Abuse impacts many individuals from various backgrounds. Abuse comes in many forms, verbal, emotional

Capital Punishment Is The Lawful Infliction Of Punishment

Capital punishment is the lawful infliction of punishment by death that has been practiced since ancient times. It has been over 30 years since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty, but it still continues to be a very controversial debate among many. Now that the death penalty has been reinstated the focus is on reforming its procedures. These procedures have been narrowed down to having lists of crimes eligible for the death penalty and providing guidance to jurors. History Capital punishments origins can seen as far as the Code of Hammurabi. It was classified according to the victim’s and perpetrator’s class or group. The Code of Hammurabi had a list of 23 crimes that would warren the death penalty. It can be given for theft in temple or palace or when a runaway slave is given refuge. When European settlers came to the new world they brought the practice of capital punishment. This type of punishment was heavily influenced among the colonies. Death penalty laws varied from colony to colony. Treason, murder, rape, arson, and counterfeiting were all considered capital crimes. The death penalty was understood as something that had to be seen in order to have its maximum effect. One common way of directing the terror of capital punishment to possible criminals was to have an execution as close as possible to where the crime was committed. Capital punishment was expected to prevent prospective criminals and it prevented existing crimina ls fromShow MoreRelatedIs the he lawful infliction of death as a punishment the death penalty. Capital punishment1000 Words   |  4 PagesIs the he lawful infliction of death as a punishment; the death penalty. Capital punishment continues to be used in several countries despite controversy over its merits and over its effectiveness as a deterrent to serious crime. A sentence of death may be carried out by one of many means, through electrocution, hanging, lethal injection, gas chamber, and firing squad. The debate as to whether capital punishment is right or not is an emotive one. Some people say it is necessary in some circumstancesRead MoreEssay on Capital Punishment863 Words   |  4 PagesCapital Punishment Capital punishment is the lawful infliction of the death penalty, and since ancient times, it has been used to punish a large variety of offenses. The penalty of death is reserved for the most serious and detested crimes. The legal system must sentence the death penalty to capital crime offenders. Criminals convicted of murder or rape need to be executed because they are dangerous to the world and the human race. However, America seems to to always want to put people in prisonRead More Speech In Favor Capital Punishment1282 Words   |  6 PagesSpeech In Favour Of Capital Punishment Capital Punishment is the lawful infliction of death and has been used in Britain since the 5the century. It was not until 1964 that capital punishment was abolished and this has been described by many historians as Britains worst decision in over 500 years. Along with these Historians, I also believe that our country was much better off with the death penalty as a punishment for sick and twisted people, murderers, rapists and peadophiles. Did youRead MoreCapital Punishment : The Death Penalty975 Words   |  4 PagesACCEPTABILITY OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT INTRODUCTION Capital punishment also known as the death penalty refers to the lawful infliction of death as a punishment. The first case of death penalty laws was first established in the Eighteenth Century B.C. Capital punishment is still used in the United States despite the controversy surrounding the law. Death penalty is done by either fastening the criminal to an electric chair, hanging or a firing squad shooting at the criminal. In Atkins v. Virginia theRead MoreArguments for Capital Punishment852 Words   |  3 PagesCapital punishment is the death penalty .Capital Punishment is the lawful infliction of death as a punishment and since ancient times it has been used for a wide variety of offences. As real justice requires people to suffer for their wrong doing, and to suffer in a way appropriate for the crime. Each criminal should get what their crime deserves and in the ease of a murderer what their crime deserves is death. Capital punishment permanently removes the worst criminals from society and should proveRead MoreEssay on Capital Punishment in the United States 598 Words   |  3 PagesAre serial criminals effectively being punished? Indeed much improvement must be done. The death penalty needs to be legal in every state. Capital punishment is the lawful infliction of death as a punishment and has been used in America since 1608. The death penalty has been mainly aimed at murder and rape perpetrator s. For the past two hundred years with over 15,600 executions since 1608, most executions were completed though hangings; however, beginning in the 1900s new forms of execution developedRead MoreTaking a Look at Capital Punishment1080 Words   |  4 Pages Since 1608, legal systems have used capital punishment as justice. â€Å"As of November 2014, 32 states have the death penalty. There have been a total of 1348 executions from January 1977 to the end of 2014† (capitalpunishmentuk). The capital punishment only affects those who sentenced in the crime of rape or murder. The most popular death method is lethal injection. There are other options such as â€Å"electrocution, hanging, shooting, and the gas chamber† (capitalpunishmentuk) but theses alternativeRead MoreEssay on Reinstating Capital Punishment in Britain912 Words   |  4 PagesReinstating Capital Punishment in Britain Capital Punishment is the legal infliction of death as a penalty for violating criminal law. Throughout history people have been put to death for various forms of wrongdoing. Methods of execution have included such practices as crucifixion, stoning, drowning, burning at the stake, impaling, and beheading. Today capital punishment is typically accomplished by lethal gas or injection, electrocution, hanging, or shooting. The deathRead MoreThe Death Penalty Essay examples859 Words   |  4 PagesPenalty in America†, capital punishment is the lawful infliction of the death penalty. The death penalty has been used since ancient times for a variety of offenses. The Bible says that death should be done to anyone who commits murder, larceny, rapes, and burglary. It appears that public debate on the death penalty has changed over the years and is still changing, but there are still some out there who are for the death penalty and will continue to believe that it’s a good punishment. I always hear aRead MoreThe Death Penalty Has Always Been One Of The Most Hotly1204 Words   |  5 Pagesthere needs to be a definition of what capital punishment and the death penalty is. According to Hugo Bedau, capital punishment is the lawful infliction of the death penalty. The United States use the forms of hanging, electrocution, firing squad, lethal injection, and the gas chamber . Although, some are used much more than others. Furthermore, I am not sure why, but it seems it as if the government is being hypocritical in some ways, stating â€Å"Capital punishment is allowable because after all the criminal

Merger and Acquisition Free Essays

In recent years human resource (HR) managers have been encouraged to play a more strategic role in their organizations, especially in the case of extensive organizational change processes such as international  mergers  and  acquisitions  (IMAs). Today this requirement is even more acute since the past decade has been characterized by enormous growth in IMAs. In addition, it has been argued that the challenge in making MAs work is the management of people. We will write a custom essay sample on Merger and Acquisition or any similar topic only for you Order Now In a case of IMAs the role of  HR  managers is very demanding because they needs to integrate  HRpractices and, moreover, perform two other roles simultaneously: a strategic role for company-wide integration and a support role for business unit transaction. Considering the importance of human resource management (HRM) in IMAs, it is surprising how little is known about the role and activities of  HR  managers in these processes. This study addresses the existing research gap by investigating the role of  HR  managers in the IMA process. Based on semi-structured theme interviews among corporate level managers in three Finnish international industrial organizations, the roles of corporate  HR  managers at different stages of the IMA process are analysed. This study applies Ulrich’s (1997) theory of the four  HR  roles in combination with the  HR  issues which are present at the different stages of the IM process. This paper demonstrates that HRM is an essential part of M and that  HR  issues are given a lot of emphasis throughout the process. In addition,  HR  managers play an important role in the IM process, although it is not self-evident in every case. Once a business has decided to merge with another company, one of the most important tasks is the combination of the two workforces into one. This task is primarily carried out by Human Resources (HR), and it is a critical and ongoing process that supports the entire merger or acquisition. HR must lead decision processes, prepare the company for integration and execute the actual reorganization. Throughout the process, they should also focus on building relationships with the new company. What about M tools? In today’s mergers and acquisitions, an  org chart  is a requirement as it will make the process of workforce planning easier and quicker. A good  software solution  can help management combine workforces by using visualization and workforce organizational tools. Management can then set new budgets and organize the structure to best meet the new organization’s objectives. Centralizing the data and personnel files helps in the allocation of resources, mapping out of the future company layout, and ‘what if’ analysis for possible reductions in force or promotions. The role of HR during mergers and acquisitions can be separated into three phases: Pre-deal ? Analyze hierarchies and reporting relationships ? Identify key personnel ? Generate headcounts by department ? Roll up total workforce cost ? Audit the workforce for diversity and other characteristics ? Assess government compliance issues Integration planning ? Model the workforce to determine optimal structure ? Conduct â€Å"what if† scenario planning to visualize merger integration ? Collaborate with department managers to plan resources and structures ? Identify duplicate roles and plan necessary reductions Plan optimal management and reporting hierarchies ? Determine pay structure and reward systems ? Determine retirement and benefits structure ? Align workforce costs with departmental budgets ? Determine HR technology Integration implementation and communication ? Consolidate workforce data into a centralized organizational chart ? Share the integration roadmap with management ? Provide managers with adjusted Spans of Control and budgets ? Publish a view of the new organization to all employees ? Produce documentation of the merger process for auditors ? Capture a history of organizational changes as planning progresses ? Communicate changes in compensation, benefits and reward systems Post-merger workforce management and optimization ? Merge workforce data into a single system of record ? Ensure the successful assimilation of corporate cultures ? Align resources with corporate initiatives and business goals ? Refine business processes and workflow to reduce operational expenses ? Communicate performance management, talent acquisition and succession planning data. ? Present the unified workforce via a globally accessible, secure, intelligent organizational charting system An increasingly important critical success factor in M is the ability to identify the organization that is not only the most strategic play but also the best organizational fit. Organizations with senior HR leadership are able to analyze the human capital factors during the due diligence process – often leading to better decisions ROLE OF HR DEPARTMENT AND HR PROFESSIONALS IN M HR department plays an important role during a merger. The success or failure of a merger or acquisition deal depends upon to a large extent on the involvement of HR professionals. Many mergers fail to achieve their objectives because HR professionals are either not involved or are involved at a very late stage in the merger process. To ensure a successful merger, the HR department of the concerned companies should undertake the following activities: Formulating strategy- all companies should formulate a strategy before starting the process of a merger or acquisition. HR departments should be involved in formulating the strategy. Creating teams- HR department should form teams including members from both the companies. The team members should be trained to develop various types of skills. Creating structure- HR department should create a new organizational structure in line with the merged entity’s new strategy. Developing a communication plan- HR department should prepare a communication plan so that information is collected and delivered to the right people at the right time. Creating a transition system- HR department should also prepare a blueprint of the new HR systems, like compensation and performance appraisal system to avoid confusion after the merger. In HR there are two phases †¢ Pre-acquisition Post acquisition period. In pre-acquisition phase things which needs to be taken care of: an assessment of the cultural and organizational differences, which will include the organizational cultures, role of leaders in the organization, life cycle of the organization, and the management styles. In post acquisition phase: power equation between management and trade unions needs to be d ealt with utmost care. These are the issues which are very brittle. Designations for the employees’ compensation structure and performance appraisal systems BEST PRACTICES FOLLOWED BY HR DURING MA: Train managers on the nature of change †¢ Technical retraining †¢ Family assistance programs †¢ Stress reduction program †¢ Meeting between the counter parts †¢ Orientation programs †¢ Explaining new roles †¢ Helping people who lost jobs †¢ Post merger team building †¢ Anonymous feedback helpline for employees CULTURE COMPATIBILITY: An important issue in MA By understanding the similarities and differences between the two companies early in the game, it is possible to avoid a divorce before the marriage vows are taken. Should incompatibility be too great, it may even be wise to call off the wedding. It’s important to identify cultural areas of dissonance so that people can dispel misconceptions and begin creating a culture that’s right for the new organization. That’s often left until after the final papers are signed, which is risky because culture mismatches can be the Achilles’ heel of many deals. How do we identify cultural differences and similarities and learn to leverage them? Often, the most seemingly inconsequential programs and policies have great symbolic impact. Practices regarding casual dress, attitudes about long hours, and how offices are apportioned are deeply ingrained and must be dealt with. One can’t consider culture compatibility without touching on the different views that the acquirer and the acquired have about the new company. The acquirer assumes that the new company will closely resemble the original but with greater mass and capabilities. The acquired company expects that many of its strengths will be crucial to the new company (after all, isn’t that why it was acquired? ). Human capital development role of human resource (HR) during mergers and acquisitions Selden and Colvin (2003) stated that 70 – 80% of acquisitions fail, meaning that they create no wealth for the share owners of the acquiring company. Successfully integrating the target and the acquirer’s businesses after the transaction closes is critical to achieving the goal of the combination, which is, making the new entity worth more than the sum of its parts. One of the ways to accomplish this is to effectively implement the required changes and address the related dynamics occurring in the new entity. Most mergers and acquisitions deals fail to accomplish many of the strategic objectives so optimistically projected in the initial announcements. Schmidt (2003) has identified five major roadblocks to merger and acquisition (M A) success, the last three of which are HR issues: Inability to sustain financial performance (64%), loss of productivity (62%), incompatible cultures (56%), loss of key talent (53%) and clash of management styles (53%). According to Marks (1997), human resource professionals should take an active role in educating senior executives about HR issues that can interfere with the success of the merger and with meeting key business objectives. His work has stated the important role of HCD to smoothen the transition. The following ways have been described by him: Education of managers and employees To help employees and managers manage stress, low morale and productivity issues in work groups, educational seminars should be developed and delivered to minimize stress and uncertainty in the organisation during the merger process. These seminars should focus on specific issues which affect employees rather than on general change management HR Problems in Mergers and Acquisitions McCann and Gilkey (1988) have developed a seven-step model of the merger process that provides a useful framework for considering the difficult human resource problems that may arise in any merger or acquisition. The first five steps occur in the pre-merger stage and the last two in the postmerger stage. The Pre-Merger Stage Strategic Planning and Organization The first step is strategic planning in which the acquiring firm develops its mission statement and determines the type of merger or acquisition that will be sought and how it will achieve corporate objectives. In the next stage the firm is primarily concerned with organization—creating a specific team to manage the MA activity. In their eight-year study of mergers and acquisitions, Marks and Cutcliffe (1988) found that corporate executives generally failed to integrate human resource aspects into the merger process, perhaps because they were not familiar with the appropriate methods of managing the change in their organizations or because they did not realize that the merger might have a significant negative effect on their employees. Consequently, financial and legal concerns dominated the pre-merger stage, and human resource managers, who could have provided advice on managing the human side of the transaction, were -seldom included in the core planning group. Similarly, Bohl’s (1989) survey of 109 companies with active MA programs found that the human A better understanding of human resource issues in the integration stage of MAs could help them s u c c e e d. esource function had not played an important role in the pre-merger planning in about two-thirds of companies reporting post-event problems, while the same was true in only about half of those reporting no problems (34). With such results in mind Fombrun, Tichy, and Devanna (1984) stress the need to include human resource managers in the core strategic team. Because ‘people problems’ are a primary source of poor MA performance, including HR managers early in the decision-making process is an important part of any MA strategy (Marks and Mirvis 1986; Marks and Cutcliffe 1988; Tichy and Ulrich 1984). Searching Searching for potential acquisitions and thoroughly investigating the merits of each is the third step of the merger process. Of particular relevance to HR are the results of Schweiger and Weber (1989) who found in a survey of 80 firms that the most important factors in evaluating potential acquisitions were the talent and management philosophy of the acquired top managers and the talent of the acquired middle managers. Similarly, McCann and Gilkey (1988) and Walsh (1989) note that most MA’s are undertaken partly to capture the valuable asset of a qualified management team. The retention of management thus becomes a key factor in the success of a merger or acquisition. Analysis and Offer The fourth stage of the merger process is analysis and offer, in which a primary objective is to evaluate the ‘fit’ of the two firms. McCann and Gilkey (1988) identity three types of fit—financial, business, and organizational fit—that must all be present if the merger or acquisition is to be successful. For the purposes of this study, organizational fit, which includes human resources and the two organizational cultures, is of primary importance, since it helps to determine how well the two firms can be integrated. McCann and Gilkey suggest that ‘the greater the differences between the two firms in these areas, the greater the difficulty in achieving the desired level of integration and in realizing business synergies which will ultimately show up in financial performance’ (58-9). The Post-Merger Transition The last two stages in a merger or acquisition are the transition and integration. These two stages are the most complicated and are surrounded by the highest level of uncertainty. The transition stage is in fact the most poorly managed of all, and consequently it is the stage where most failures occur (McCann and Gilkey 1988). A Delicate Balance Management of the transition stage requires a delicate balance between providing a stabilizing influence and creating a climate for change. Uncertainty and anxiety, anger, frustration, psychological withdrawal and family disruptions are pervasive during MA activity (Schweiger, Ivancevich, and Power 1987). Those who voluntarily leave their company indicate that uncertainty leads them to do so early in the acquisition process (130). The importance of transition management is further emphasized by Beatty (1990) which shows that negative employee reactions and behaviours are more common in failed acquisitions than in successes Insecurity and Anxiety Negative employee feelings and behaviour are typical responses to threatening situations (Dyer 1983)—in this case, job insecurity. The magnitude of the response will be determined by the employee’s perception of the severity of the threat and the degree of powerlessness to counteract it, which will in turn be a function of his or her confusion concerning the expectations of the new firm. For example, if employees are unaware of how they will be evaluated for the retention decision, feelings of powerlessness will be Transition and integration are the most c o m p l i c a t e d and are surrounded bythe highest level of uncertainty. high. Since information is generally scarce in the transition stage, the employee’s perceptions will be influenced predominately by rumour and speculation. Greenhalgh and Jick (1979) found a positive correlation between job insecurity and resistance to change (see also Staw, Sandelands, and Dutton (1981)). Individuals faced with a threatening situation exhibit strong attachment to previously learned behaviours, even if they are inappropriate. Since the transition stage in the merger process is supposed to facilitate change, high levels of uncertainty are clearly counterproductive. Unanticipated Turnover The predominance of negative attitudes caused by uncertainty often leads employees to act on the worst scenario and begin updating resumes (Greenhalgh and Jick 1975). The most valuable employees— those that the post-merger corporation can least afford to lose—tend to be the first to leave the organization. For example, when Fluor Corporation acquired St. Joe Mineral in 1981, in a deal costing $2. 2 billion, the large-scale migration of key managers following the acquisition contributed to millions of dollars in losses at the previously profitable St. Joe (Shrivastava 1986). Estimates of unanticipated turnover suggests that 47 percent of top executives in an acquired firm leave within the first year and 75 percent within three years. Within five years 58 percent of all managers leave (Walsh 1989, 313), and it is often the managers with the best performance histories who leave early on (Walsh and Ellwood 1991, 215). If there is no planned intervention strategy to deal with negative feelings and behaviours, the long-term behaviour of employees who do remain with the organization may be affected, significantly reducing the likelihood of a successful post-merger integration (Marks and Cutcliffe 1988). ‘More than any other issue, how you handle employees in the first three to six months will set thetone for future relations between the two firms’ (McCann and Gilkey 1988, 65). HR Interventions Several authors have suggested how to reduce the incidence of counterproductive behaviours (Bridges 1988; DeNoble, Gustafson, and Hergert 1988; Marks and Cutcliffe 1988). Preliminary interventions target emotional support, and may begin while negotiations are still underway. Activities in this phase are focused on providing stability. Other techniques are intended to create apositive environment for change by decreasing the level of uncertainty and fostering realistic expectations for the future. Feelings of powerlessness on the part of employees are reduced by providing information to determine how (or if) the threat to job security can be counteracted. Commitment to the new organization may be fostered if the employees are encouraged to see that career opportunities are available and continued success is possible in the new organization CONCLUSION Merger and Acquisitions success entirely depends on the people who drive the Business, their ability to Execute, Creativity, and Innovation. It is of utmost importance to involve HR Professionals in Mergers and Acquisitions discussions as it has an impact on key people issues. As Mergers and Acquisitions activity continues to step up globally, Companies involved in these transactions have the opportunity to adopt a different approach including the increased involvement of HR professionals. By doing so they will achieve a much better outcome and increase the chance that the overall deal is a total success. HR professionals can play an active role in the change process by offering interventions that will help ensure a successful merger. How to cite Merger and Acquisition, Essay examples Merger and Acquisition Free Essays In recent years human resource (HR) managers have been encouraged to play a more strategic role in their organizations, especially in the case of extensive organizational change processes such as international  mergers  and  acquisitions  (IMAs). Today this requirement is even more acute since the past decade has been characterized by enormous growth in IMAs. In addition, it has been argued that the challenge in making MAs work is the management of people. We will write a custom essay sample on Merger and Acquisition or any similar topic only for you Order Now In a case of IMAs the role of  HR  managers is very demanding because they needs to integrate  HRpractices and, moreover, perform two other roles simultaneously: a strategic role for company-wide integration and a support role for business unit transaction. Considering the importance of human resource management (HRM) in IMAs, it is surprising how little is known about the role and activities of  HR  managers in these processes. This study addresses the existing research gap by investigating the role of  HR  managers in the IMA process. Based on semi-structured theme interviews among corporate level managers in three Finnish international industrial organizations, the roles of corporate  HR  managers at different stages of the IMA process are analysed. This study applies Ulrich’s (1997) theory of the four  HR  roles in combination with the  HR  issues which are present at the different stages of the IM process. This paper demonstrates that HRM is an essential part of M and that  HR  issues are given a lot of emphasis throughout the process. In addition,  HR  managers play an important role in the IM process, although it is not self-evident in every case. Once a business has decided to merge with another company, one of the most important tasks is the combination of the two workforces into one. This task is primarily carried out by Human Resources (HR), and it is a critical and ongoing process that supports the entire merger or acquisition. HR must lead decision processes, prepare the company for integration and execute the actual reorganization. Throughout the process, they should also focus on building relationships with the new company. What about M tools? In today’s mergers and acquisitions, an  org chart  is a requirement as it will make the process of workforce planning easier and quicker. A good  software solution  can help management combine workforces by using visualization and workforce organizational tools. Management can then set new budgets and organize the structure to best meet the new organization’s objectives. Centralizing the data and personnel files helps in the allocation of resources, mapping out of the future company layout, and ‘what if’ analysis for possible reductions in force or promotions. The role of HR during mergers and acquisitions can be separated into three phases: Pre-deal ? Analyze hierarchies and reporting relationships ? Identify key personnel ? Generate headcounts by department ? Roll up total workforce cost ? Audit the workforce for diversity and other characteristics ? Assess government compliance issues Integration planning ? Model the workforce to determine optimal structure ? Conduct â€Å"what if† scenario planning to visualize merger integration ? Collaborate with department managers to plan resources and structures ? Identify duplicate roles and plan necessary reductions Plan optimal management and reporting hierarchies ? Determine pay structure and reward systems ? Determine retirement and benefits structure ? Align workforce costs with departmental budgets ? Determine HR technology Integration implementation and communication ? Consolidate workforce data into a centralized organizational chart ? Share the integration roadmap with management ? Provide managers with adjusted Spans of Control and budgets ? Publish a view of the new organization to all employees ? Produce documentation of the merger process for auditors ? Capture a history of organizational changes as planning progresses ? Communicate changes in compensation, benefits and reward systems Post-merger workforce management and optimization ? Merge workforce data into a single system of record ? Ensure the successful assimilation of corporate cultures ? Align resources with corporate initiatives and business goals ? Refine business processes and workflow to reduce operational expenses ? Communicate performance management, talent acquisition and succession planning data. ? Present the unified workforce via a globally accessible, secure, intelligent organizational charting system An increasingly important critical success factor in M is the ability to identify the organization that is not only the most strategic play but also the best organizational fit. Organizations with senior HR leadership are able to analyze the human capital factors during the due diligence process – often leading to better decisions ROLE OF HR DEPARTMENT AND HR PROFESSIONALS IN M HR department plays an important role during a merger. The success or failure of a merger or acquisition deal depends upon to a large extent on the involvement of HR professionals. Many mergers fail to achieve their objectives because HR professionals are either not involved or are involved at a very late stage in the merger process. To ensure a successful merger, the HR department of the concerned companies should undertake the following activities: Formulating strategy- all companies should formulate a strategy before starting the process of a merger or acquisition. HR departments should be involved in formulating the strategy. Creating teams- HR department should form teams including members from both the companies. The team members should be trained to develop various types of skills. Creating structure- HR department should create a new organizational structure in line with the merged entity’s new strategy. Developing a communication plan- HR department should prepare a communication plan so that information is collected and delivered to the right people at the right time. Creating a transition system- HR department should also prepare a blueprint of the new HR systems, like compensation and performance appraisal system to avoid confusion after the merger. In HR there are two phases †¢ Pre-acquisition Post acquisition period. In pre-acquisition phase things which needs to be taken care of: an assessment of the cultural and organizational differences, which will include the organizational cultures, role of leaders in the organization, life cycle of the organization, and the management styles. In post acquisition phase: power equation between management and trade unions needs to be d ealt with utmost care. These are the issues which are very brittle. Designations for the employees’ compensation structure and performance appraisal systems BEST PRACTICES FOLLOWED BY HR DURING MA: Train managers on the nature of change †¢ Technical retraining †¢ Family assistance programs †¢ Stress reduction program †¢ Meeting between the counter parts †¢ Orientation programs †¢ Explaining new roles †¢ Helping people who lost jobs †¢ Post merger team building †¢ Anonymous feedback helpline for employees CULTURE COMPATIBILITY: An important issue in MA By understanding the similarities and differences between the two companies early in the game, it is possible to avoid a divorce before the marriage vows are taken. Should incompatibility be too great, it may even be wise to call off the wedding. It’s important to identify cultural areas of dissonance so that people can dispel misconceptions and begin creating a culture that’s right for the new organization. That’s often left until after the final papers are signed, which is risky because culture mismatches can be the Achilles’ heel of many deals. How do we identify cultural differences and similarities and learn to leverage them? Often, the most seemingly inconsequential programs and policies have great symbolic impact. Practices regarding casual dress, attitudes about long hours, and how offices are apportioned are deeply ingrained and must be dealt with. One can’t consider culture compatibility without touching on the different views that the acquirer and the acquired have about the new company. The acquirer assumes that the new company will closely resemble the original but with greater mass and capabilities. The acquired company expects that many of its strengths will be crucial to the new company (after all, isn’t that why it was acquired? ). Human capital development role of human resource (HR) during mergers and acquisitions Selden and Colvin (2003) stated that 70 – 80% of acquisitions fail, meaning that they create no wealth for the share owners of the acquiring company. Successfully integrating the target and the acquirer’s businesses after the transaction closes is critical to achieving the goal of the combination, which is, making the new entity worth more than the sum of its parts. One of the ways to accomplish this is to effectively implement the required changes and address the related dynamics occurring in the new entity. Most mergers and acquisitions deals fail to accomplish many of the strategic objectives so optimistically projected in the initial announcements. Schmidt (2003) has identified five major roadblocks to merger and acquisition (M A) success, the last three of which are HR issues: Inability to sustain financial performance (64%), loss of productivity (62%), incompatible cultures (56%), loss of key talent (53%) and clash of management styles (53%). According to Marks (1997), human resource professionals should take an active role in educating senior executives about HR issues that can interfere with the success of the merger and with meeting key business objectives. His work has stated the important role of HCD to smoothen the transition. The following ways have been described by him: Education of managers and employees To help employees and managers manage stress, low morale and productivity issues in work groups, educational seminars should be developed and delivered to minimize stress and uncertainty in the organisation during the merger process. These seminars should focus on specific issues which affect employees rather than on general change management HR Problems in Mergers and Acquisitions McCann and Gilkey (1988) have developed a seven-step model of the merger process that provides a useful framework for considering the difficult human resource problems that may arise in any merger or acquisition. The first five steps occur in the pre-merger stage and the last two in the postmerger stage. The Pre-Merger Stage Strategic Planning and Organization The first step is strategic planning in which the acquiring firm develops its mission statement and determines the type of merger or acquisition that will be sought and how it will achieve corporate objectives. In the next stage the firm is primarily concerned with organization—creating a specific team to manage the MA activity. In their eight-year study of mergers and acquisitions, Marks and Cutcliffe (1988) found that corporate executives generally failed to integrate human resource aspects into the merger process, perhaps because they were not familiar with the appropriate methods of managing the change in their organizations or because they did not realize that the merger might have a significant negative effect on their employees. Consequently, financial and legal concerns dominated the pre-merger stage, and human resource managers, who could have provided advice on managing the human side of the transaction, were -seldom included in the core planning group. Similarly, Bohl’s (1989) survey of 109 companies with active MA programs found that the human A better understanding of human resource issues in the integration stage of MAs could help them s u c c e e d. esource function had not played an important role in the pre-merger planning in about two-thirds of companies reporting post-event problems, while the same was true in only about half of those reporting no problems (34). With such results in mind Fombrun, Tichy, and Devanna (1984) stress the need to include human resource managers in the core strategic team. Because ‘people problems’ are a primary source of poor MA performance, including HR managers early in the decision-making process is an important part of any MA strategy (Marks and Mirvis 1986; Marks and Cutcliffe 1988; Tichy and Ulrich 1984). Searching Searching for potential acquisitions and thoroughly investigating the merits of each is the third step of the merger process. Of particular relevance to HR are the results of Schweiger and Weber (1989) who found in a survey of 80 firms that the most important factors in evaluating potential acquisitions were the talent and management philosophy of the acquired top managers and the talent of the acquired middle managers. Similarly, McCann and Gilkey (1988) and Walsh (1989) note that most MA’s are undertaken partly to capture the valuable asset of a qualified management team. The retention of management thus becomes a key factor in the success of a merger or acquisition. Analysis and Offer The fourth stage of the merger process is analysis and offer, in which a primary objective is to evaluate the ‘fit’ of the two firms. McCann and Gilkey (1988) identity three types of fit—financial, business, and organizational fit—that must all be present if the merger or acquisition is to be successful. For the purposes of this study, organizational fit, which includes human resources and the two organizational cultures, is of primary importance, since it helps to determine how well the two firms can be integrated. McCann and Gilkey suggest that ‘the greater the differences between the two firms in these areas, the greater the difficulty in achieving the desired level of integration and in realizing business synergies which will ultimately show up in financial performance’ (58-9). The Post-Merger Transition The last two stages in a merger or acquisition are the transition and integration. These two stages are the most complicated and are surrounded by the highest level of uncertainty. The transition stage is in fact the most poorly managed of all, and consequently it is the stage where most failures occur (McCann and Gilkey 1988). A Delicate Balance Management of the transition stage requires a delicate balance between providing a stabilizing influence and creating a climate for change. Uncertainty and anxiety, anger, frustration, psychological withdrawal and family disruptions are pervasive during MA activity (Schweiger, Ivancevich, and Power 1987). Those who voluntarily leave their company indicate that uncertainty leads them to do so early in the acquisition process (130). The importance of transition management is further emphasized by Beatty (1990) which shows that negative employee reactions and behaviours are more common in failed acquisitions than in successes Insecurity and Anxiety Negative employee feelings and behaviour are typical responses to threatening situations (Dyer 1983)—in this case, job insecurity. The magnitude of the response will be determined by the employee’s perception of the severity of the threat and the degree of powerlessness to counteract it, which will in turn be a function of his or her confusion concerning the expectations of the new firm. For example, if employees are unaware of how they will be evaluated for the retention decision, feelings of powerlessness will be Transition and integration are the most c o m p l i c a t e d and are surrounded bythe highest level of uncertainty. high. Since information is generally scarce in the transition stage, the employee’s perceptions will be influenced predominately by rumour and speculation. Greenhalgh and Jick (1979) found a positive correlation between job insecurity and resistance to change (see also Staw, Sandelands, and Dutton (1981)). Individuals faced with a threatening situation exhibit strong attachment to previously learned behaviours, even if they are inappropriate. Since the transition stage in the merger process is supposed to facilitate change, high levels of uncertainty are clearly counterproductive. Unanticipated Turnover The predominance of negative attitudes caused by uncertainty often leads employees to act on the worst scenario and begin updating resumes (Greenhalgh and Jick 1975). The most valuable employees— those that the post-merger corporation can least afford to lose—tend to be the first to leave the organization. For example, when Fluor Corporation acquired St. Joe Mineral in 1981, in a deal costing $2. 2 billion, the large-scale migration of key managers following the acquisition contributed to millions of dollars in losses at the previously profitable St. Joe (Shrivastava 1986). Estimates of unanticipated turnover suggests that 47 percent of top executives in an acquired firm leave within the first year and 75 percent within three years. Within five years 58 percent of all managers leave (Walsh 1989, 313), and it is often the managers with the best performance histories who leave early on (Walsh and Ellwood 1991, 215). If there is no planned intervention strategy to deal with negative feelings and behaviours, the long-term behaviour of employees who do remain with the organization may be affected, significantly reducing the likelihood of a successful post-merger integration (Marks and Cutcliffe 1988). ‘More than any other issue, how you handle employees in the first three to six months will set thetone for future relations between the two firms’ (McCann and Gilkey 1988, 65). HR Interventions Several authors have suggested how to reduce the incidence of counterproductive behaviours (Bridges 1988; DeNoble, Gustafson, and Hergert 1988; Marks and Cutcliffe 1988). Preliminary interventions target emotional support, and may begin while negotiations are still underway. Activities in this phase are focused on providing stability. Other techniques are intended to create apositive environment for change by decreasing the level of uncertainty and fostering realistic expectations for the future. Feelings of powerlessness on the part of employees are reduced by providing information to determine how (or if) the threat to job security can be counteracted. Commitment to the new organization may be fostered if the employees are encouraged to see that career opportunities are available and continued success is possible in the new organization CONCLUSION Merger and Acquisitions success entirely depends on the people who drive the Business, their ability to Execute, Creativity, and Innovation. It is of utmost importance to involve HR Professionals in Mergers and Acquisitions discussions as it has an impact on key people issues. As Mergers and Acquisitions activity continues to step up globally, Companies involved in these transactions have the opportunity to adopt a different approach including the increased involvement of HR professionals. By doing so they will achieve a much better outcome and increase the chance that the overall deal is a total success. HR professionals can play an active role in the change process by offering interventions that will help ensure a successful merger. How to cite Merger and Acquisition, Papers

Importance of open book assessments free essay sample

An open book examination is one in which examinees are allowed to consult their class notes, textbooks, and other approved material while answering questions. It is ideally suited to teaching programmes that especially aim at developing the skills of critical and creative thinking In order to appreciate the merits of open book examinations, it is first of all necessary to understand the nature of teaching programmes in general. Most conventional examinations test how much information the students have been able to store in their minds. In order to cope with this demand, students memorize the information in class notes and textbooks, and transfer it to answer books during the examination. In this type of examination, success depends on the quantity of information memorized, and the efficiency with which it is reproduced. Does this leads to creative thinking? Noooo This is where open book examinations come in. Open book examinations Provides a chance for students to acquire the knowledge during the preparation process of gathering suitable learning materials rather than simply recalling or rewriting it. We will write a custom essay sample on Importance of open book assessments or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It Enhances information retrieval skills of students through finding the efficient ways to get the necessary information and data from books and various resources Also it enhances the comprehension and synthesizing skills of students because they need to reduce the content of books and other study materials into simple and handy notes for examination A more important reason for using open book examinations is that they have a tremendous impact on promoting the right mental sets in both learning and teaching. The most immediate result on students will be that they will stop mugging or rote learning. Most students used to conventional examinations think of studying as the mechanical memorization of information in textbooks and class notes in order to reproduce it in examinations. Open book examinations will effect a fundamental change in this attitude. If textbooks can be consulted in the examination rooms, why bother to memorize them? Does this mean that students dont need to study for examinations? No. It implies that studying should not be equated with memorizing; instead, it should be of understanding concepts, and using these concepts (along with available information) to practice the skills of modifying and building knowledge, thinking critically, and solving problems. In acquiring the right strategies of studying, nothing is as effective as the shocking realization that mugging is of no use in the examinations. Given open book examinations, there will be no more mugging. Once the burden of mugging is taken away, education can be a pleasurable activity, not a painful drudgery. What is learnt with pleasure is learnt more effectively, and retained better.