Within the Context of the Boundaryless Career Critically Analyse the Coursework

Within the Context of the Boundaryless Career Critically Analyse the Challenges Faced by Graduates in a Volatile Global Economy - Coursework Example 1 1 Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Boundary less Careers 3 Challenges Faced by Graduates 4 Conclusions 6 References 7 Introduction The recent economic downturn had a deep impact on the job market as companies went overdrive to cut jobs in the backdrop of a severe financial crisis. The period of economic recession saw many individuals being handed pink slips (Tuppen, 1988, p.54). It also meant that fresh graduates even from reputed institutions could not find a job of their choice. This has led to emergence of certain very critical aspects with regards to career growth and development of individuals (Roberts, 2009). The present study would analyze the career aspects of a graduate in the recessionary environment in the backdrop of a boundary less career for an individual. Boundary less Careers The definition of boundary less career itself is a matter of research with varied version of the definition of the term across academic circles. Among the most accepted of the definition is t he one given by Arthur and Rousseau (1996) that defines boundary less careers as the complete opposite of organizational career that span across various organizations against traditional assumptions of employment. The definition given above was challenged by Eby (2001) who defined boundary less careers as a connecting sequence of expertise across jobs and companies (Barling & Cooper, 2008, p.279). Greenhaus, Callanan & Godshalk (2009) Conducted a research into the aspect of boundary less careers and concluded that the aspect was majorly due to the inter organizational mobility and a change in attitude among the employees to look for greener pastures in their careers. This trend is particularly been observed in the capitalist economies of USA, UK and other developed nations as there are large number of business organizations that are ever in need of good professionals for their company. There are many perspectives on this approach firstly, certain researchers propose that boundary fe wer careers involve increased mobility towards better opportunities and rewards. Another contradictory school of thought states that aspects like mentality, identity and psychological aspects that defines the aspect of boundary less careers. Networking and connections also play a major role in the mobility of individuals across organizations (Greenhaus, Callanan & Godshalk, 2009, p.23-24). The aspect of boundary less careers has also been debated with regards to the aspect of commitment and loyalty. On one hand some individuals feel that the aspect of boundary less careers has reduced the loyalty and commitment aspects. The protagonists of this theory feel that boundary less carers have increased and improved individual performance in the quest for greater improvements in the careers due to which individuals resort to job hopping across organizations and business verticals in an attempt to better influence the careers (Purcell & Wright, 2007, p.133-134). Guest & Conway (2004) stated that there was a contrasting view in boundary fewer careers as it led to development of loyalty towards an individual’s own career and personal interests. Academic and research professionals have often critiqued this aspect and stated that this was detrimental to the organizational interests as individuals in boundary less careers often put themselves and their personal ambitions before the organizational interests (Guest & Conway, 2004, p.51). Challenges Faced by Graduates The recent market recession has led to a serious job cuts within economies. According to the data released by OECD USA alone reported a major job cut that is evident from the fact that there were 145362000 employed civilians in 2008 as compared to 139877000 individuals in the following year. The statistics reveal a clear

Humanitarian Cases in Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Humanitarian Cases in Africa - Essay Example Several different causes may have played a vital role in the stimulation of this famine, most prominent being lack of rain and inability of the Government officials to provide sufficient funds to the agricultural and irrigation schemes of the country. Out of the four countries majorly affected, the most affected one is Somalia, where at least 6 out of 10,000 children are dying everyday due to inadequate amount and poor quality of edible material. (BBC News 2011) The question here rises as to why is Somalia most affected by this nature’sdisaster? According to senior journalists and analysts, Somalia had become a failed state since its establishment collapsed in the earlier 1990s. Adding to the situation, the major areas of the country including Southern, Central and the famine affected areas are under the control of a militant group called â€Å"al-Shabab† which is said to have links with â€Å"al-Qaeda†. People of Somalia, after two decades of non-stop struggle for their land, were already in astate where they fought for their very existence everyday. And when one thinks that what would be worse than this, the al-Shabab group forces out most of the Western Agencies from the areas under their control in 2009, which were mostly working for the aid of the aboriginals.(BBC News 2011; Ross 2011) A major portion of the people living in countries of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, are pastoralists and nomads. They are mostly dependent on earning from livestock. But the intensity of the famine is so severe that even their drought-resistant camels also could not bear this famine and died. And their farms will now take many years of rain to recover to their previous state. The famine-hit areas of Somalia mostly receive rain in the month of November and the people who fled the famine are unlikely to return any time soon to plant crops in their fields. A prediction has been made by The Famine Early System Network that thewhole of Somalia is likely to experience a famine in the upcoming months.The area of Lower Shebelle which was considered as the bread-basket of Somalia has also been affected severely by the drought which forced many of the famers and businessmen to find an alternate for their home. (BBC News 2011) It has been reported that some 10,000 people have entered in the city of Mogadishu during the last two months with the plans of aiding the natives by several methods possible. While at the same time, danger and the fear of the al-Shabab group has made it difficult for the aiding agencies to perform their functions effectively. However it has been said that al-Shabab group has been escorted out of this city but still some armed members of this group can be seen patrolling certain areas. (Ross 2011) African pastoralists are among the most famine-vulnerable groups in the modern world. The long-term results of the famine crisis can be great or small, depending, in part, the form of relief. When famine strikes, the first problem which may arise is related to the transportation of food to the affected people. Can ways be found to offer relief to the pastoralists who discourage the formation of camps? For pragmatic reasons, donors or governments must institute food-for-work projects, how well can these involve the affected people in decisions regarding the o bjectives and beneficiaries of work? Where the traditional political leadership is credible and respected, can relief be administered in a manner which is more sensitive to such structures, even to the point of simply giving the relief food to the elders to distribute in a local fashion? The types of long-term development into which agencies and governments often drift

The Social Network Movie Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Social Network Movie Analysis - Essay Example The social network gives us the price of the need for acceptance when it changes into the blind ambition of social climbing. This movie rejects the tropes of money and power. It explores the moment of time at which facebook was invented, via the perspectives of clever youthful men who acclaim to be present at its inception. Plot In the fall of 2003, Mark Zuckerberg (Jess Eisenberg) tries to explain to her girlfriend (Rooney Mara), the significance of being a member of one of Harvard University’s 8 prestigious all-male social societies called ‘final clubs’. Mark describes these social societies as being exclusive. Mark Zuckerberg is not good at articulating himself in person. He first distances himself from his girlfriend, who feels that communicating with him is like working the 'Stairmaster' while taking strong exemption to his haughty remarks towards her. This leads to his girlfriend dumping him. Mark’s first effort to create a website in film, a site whe re photos of female Harvard students are placed beside each other, and then users click on the girl who they think is the hottest. This site is wildly accepted and admired but results in every campus girl considering him as a sexist pig, and their boyfriends constantly threatening him. Together with his friend, Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), they both copy a proposed website for networking from Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra, which was made solely for Harvadites, and renaming it, 'The Facebook'. This website which they come up with, connects students, express what drives life in college, who is single, and how to connect with girls in school. They are then approached by Napster-fame Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), and following his advice, 'The' is removed, thus giving rise to the now-innovative and revolutionary,’Facebook’. This website, Facebook can be accessed by any individual worldwide, and not just some elite campuses. His communication ina bility, urge to emerge number one, and competitiveness, will distance him. This results in two lawsuits, one from his best friend Eduardo, and the other from the Winklevoss twins. (Www.imdb.com). in this analysis, I will use Mark Zuckerberg, his girlfriend Rooney Mara, and his best friend Eduardo Saverin, to explore on the interpersonal variables. I will use the variables of, electrically mediated communication, and, ingratiating. Interpersonal Concepts and Variables By definition, interpersonal concept is when the needs or ideas of two individuals are opposing to each other. Electronically Mediated Communication refers to any form of communication that takes place through the use of two or more electronics, such as computers, and websites. This concept of communication applies to forms of text-based interaction such as text messaging, or those communications that take place through formats that are computer-mediated such as chat rooms, and websites. This term encompasses both ICTs (information communication technologies), and computer-mediated communication. Computer-mediated communication is the style of online communication and the message it conveys. ICTs, on the other hand, means machines themselves, mobile phones, PDAs and computers.( www.netlingo.com) Ingratiating, on the other hand, refers to what an individual would actively do in an attempt to make another individual or individuals to like him or her.(faculty.Babson.edu) Electrically Mediated Communication In the movie, this variable was widely used. We see that Mark Zuckerberg first

Risk analysis HW Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Risk analysis HW - Assignment Example Data complexity:-unstructured data are hard to handle and is triggered mostly by the various ways of generating data such as images and videos. From various sources such as tablet or smartphones and that they are hard to process because they are unstructured (Charles, 2011). Storage and publishing:- the storage o large amounts of data require large storage capacity and large storage distribution system which supports the given network used in the data analysis, storage and transfer (Charles, 2011). 2) a generally applicable analysis framework with appropriate new technique innovations, which can carry out system level risk analysis accounting for data incompleteness and heterogeneity, regardless the system logic structure. The system will be quite effective if the various components are protected from moisture and dust so that they do knock during the operations of the system. They should as well be cleaned regularly using the recommended wipe so that they do not get moisturized. Various soft wares should be installed into the system Justas the framework highlights so that the data processing is speeded up and there should be a lot of interlinking the departments in an organization. In this, there is need to have intranet and internet connectivity within an organization with a lot of e-filing being done for quick retrieval and safety storage. The installed software will make complex operations to seem lighter and they will be efficient. The staff that should be in operation should possess the desired skills and knowledge on computerization and technology so that the data are not mishandled due to

Presuade Your Employer You Deserve A Raise Essay

Presuade Your Employer You Deserve A Raise - Essay Example I believe that I have been exceptional in all that time that I have served the organization till now. I know that I have not given a full year to the organization but whatever, I have given is worth praise. There are people who work to earn a living. There are those who work to keep themselves occupied. There are also those who work to achieve a sense of fulfillment and those who work for a multiple combinations of the three reasons mentioned above. I work because I am passionate about what I do. It is not surprising then, to see that in a short span of a little under a year, I have achieved more than what you could have expected and have delivered on all fronts. When I joined the organization, I was completely new to the concept of the retail industry. However, in a small amount of time, I have achieved what was not possible for other people. I was given a higher position keeping the fact aside that I was not an experienced person. I appreciate the step taken by the organization in terms of my upgrade. However, I was also looking towards a raise in my pay. I do not think you can deny the fact that the consumer appliances segment of our store has been extremely well organized and my peers appreciate my contribution to the changes that I had suggested – and which have been implemented – in the way we track our inventory. I think the suggestions were a function of the time I had spent at the store and also my ability to innovate. Using the new inventory tracking process, our suppliers can be requested for replenishing the stock before a particular item gets completely depleted. You might like to believe that inventory management is not a central issue for a retail store, but I would request you to walk down to any of the other consumer electronics stores across the mall. You would observe two things: Another critical factor that I would like to draw your attention to is that I have developed my own set of regular clientele

Methodology and procedures Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Methodology and procedures - Research Proposal Example The survey used deductive, primary and secondary research, carried out by a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection (Bryman & Bell, 2003). The main aim of the research was to investigate marketing strategies for low cost airlines. Apart from that, the study also investigated low cost airline customer behavior in different demographic aspects With the use of quota sampling and random sampling this research also included the collection of primary data. Quota sampling was chosen because it facilitates the choice of the group of participants which can be interviewed, for example: 60 males and 60 females between the age of 19-25, 25-45 and 45-65. In contrast random sampling helped to select participants based on pure chance. Simple random sampling was chosen because it removes the bias that may occur in the selection of the sample. It was helpful in making sure that the data was accurate and portrayed the aspirations of the whole population. The investigation of the ra ndom sampling showed that some students did not have enough experience to answer the questionnaire and it took the surveyor some time to guide them filling the questionnaires. Some students held discussions on their own project papers and therefore did not have enough time to answer the low cost airline questionnaire. The nature of this research mainly consists of qualitative questions. These questions assisted the researcher to study the marketing strategies of low cost carriers in Europe.... More questionnaires were collected from College Lane than De Havilland because De Havilland students spent more time on the discussion of their assignments and therefore did not have much time to answer the questionnaires. The primary research included both male and female students. Specific responses about travel offers will be supported with opinions and thoughts from electronic journals and websites. The questionnaire comprised of seventeen questions. There were 13 close-ended and 3 open-ended questions. Close-ended questions limit the responder's choices and specify certain options which the responders have to choose. It is also considered useful because if responders see too many questions in which they have write their opinion they feel like not filling the questionnaire. This was the reason why the majority of the questions in our survey were close ended. However, since these questions do not answer the problem and does not ask for opinion they are not very helpful in reaching the conclusions. As a result, we opted for four open ended-questions. Open-ended questions are those questions which normally ask for the responder's opinion rather than giving them choices to choose from. The greatest advantage of these questions is that it removes the bias that may occur due to limited choice and it gives greater freedom of expression. However, the reasons why the less open ended questions were asked than the close-ended questions were because they are time consuming and the survey may mi sinterpret the response. A subtle mix or balance of open-ended and close ended questions is necessary when designing a questionnaire for primary research. As a result, a lot of time was given to designing the questionnaire and

Strengths and Opportunities of Walmart Essay Example for Free

Strengths and Opportunities of Walmart Essay Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart, is an American multinational retail corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the worlds third largest public corporation, the biggest private employer in the world with 2. 2 million employees and is the largest retailer in the world. Walmart is also one of the worlds most valuable companies. First of all, Walmart has good reputation for convenience and their low price strategy and these become their advantage to attract customers. Walmart reclaimed the top spot in the Fortune 500 in 2012 after slipping to No. last year. The retailer’s refocus on low prices continued to attract frugal shoppers into the discounters U. S. stores. Everyday Low Price (EDLP) is the cornerstone of the company strategy and their price focus has never been stronger. Today’s consumer seeks the convenience of one-stop shopping that they offer. From grocery and entertainment to sporting goods and crafts, Walmart provide the deep assortment that the customers appreciate. The company price investments across a broad assortment allow them to deliver a lower-priced market basket. Through Walmart’s localised and national market basket media campaigns, they show customers market by market that they are the low price leader on baskets of merchandise. In fiscal 2013, Walmart U. S. delivered a strong 1. 8 percent comp increase or an additional $4. 7 billion in comp store sales from last year. Net sales rose to $274. 5 billion, a 3. 9 percent increase and operating income grew by 5. 4 percent to $21. 5 billion. They are driving growth and meeting the customers’ needs by offering lower prices on a broad assortment of relevant merchandise. Each week, more than 245 million customers and members visit their 10,800 stores under 69 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 10 countries. By offering everyday low prices on a broad merchandise assortment, the company builds customer trust and resonates with consumers globally. Besides that, Walmart also has some successful cost leadership strategies. The strategies are efficiency in operations and distribution strategies, efficiency in supply chain management and the strong bargaining power. For fficiency in operations and distribution strategies: the Organisation Development (OD) strategies have helped Walmart achieve low prices- Walmart opens the stores outside of large cities and within 200 miles of existing stores. By bunching stores together in small areas, distribution costs are below average. Moreover, Walmart seeks to meet different customers’ needs with four main distinct retail options; these include supercenters, discount stores, Sam’s Club, and neighborhood markets. For the efficiency in supply chain management: Walmart is incredibly successful in managing its supply chain. The company applies the most reliable supply chain management system which is very efficient because almost all product data can be tracked to and from the manufacturer, warehouse, and the store shelf. Efficiency in supply chain system may save Walmart several million dollars as it can prevent losses from faulty product management. For the strong bargaining power: Walmart buys its products at rock-bottom prices, exchanges high purchase volumes for low cost while passing the savings onto its customers. The bargaining power of suppliers is weak. Many suppliers even give in to Walmart’s pressure because they depend on the discount retailer for the majority of their sales. Obviously, suppliers would do what Walmart wanted them to do if they hoped to maintain their sales. The cost leadership strategy enables Walmart to offer products at low price points. The company offers its grocery products at prices about 12% lower than the market. This strategy ensures a steady, recurring stream of customers for its goods, making Walmart synonymous with inexpensive and this keeps constant pressure on competitors. In addition, Walmart also has a focused strategy in place for human resource management and development. The employees are the key to Walmarts business and they are willing to invest time and money in training and developing them. They believe that the success of the business model relies on entrepreneurial employees who desire to learn and grow within the industry. They invest in the training and development of each employee, offering equal opportunities for learning at all levels. Training and development of employees provides a competitive advantage, enabling continual improvement of performance across the whole organisation. The employees must develop the knowledge, skills and abilities to serve, support and sell within the operating framework of their division. Therefore, the company’s goal is to expose employees to training that is specific to their area of responsibility and provide opportunities for further learning and development for ongoing growth within the organisation. Opportunities Retail market growth in Walmart’s emerging markets gives an opportunity to the company. Retail markets grew by at least 5% on average in emerging markets in the last year, opening huge opportunities for Walmart’s revenue growth. The business currently operates in Brazil, Mexico, China and India markets. Since 2008 to 2012, the number of international locations has nearly doubled. Walmart International serves more than 105 million customers per week in 26 countries. The company’s portfolio provides a balance of growth with improved profitability and higher returns. In fiscal 2013, Walmart International contributed almost 30 percent of the company’s net sales, with an increase of 7. 4 percent from the prior year to $135. 2 billion. Besides that, the company operating income also grew 8. percent to $6. 7 billion. Walmart ended the year with 497 more new stores, totalling approximately 19 million square feet. As the largest retailer in the world, the retail market growth in its emerging markets has given Walmart a new reason to be successful. Another opportunity for Walmart is the concentration on grocery and food trends continue to grow. The perception that home-prepared foods are much healthier and an unmet desire to enjoy affordable, restaurant-type food at home have given food marketers the opportunity to recapture mealtime. The current trend of eating healthier food has resulted in higher demand for grocery products. Walmart’s largest part of the overall business food and grocery had successfully continued to gain share from the market from this trend. As the largest retailer in the world, Walmart has an opportunity to expand its grocery stores to earn more income from this trend. Besides that, the significant growth in the online grocery shopping has given an advantage to Walmart as Walmart had started to offer the customers the option to shop online using mobile devices since the year 2000. A 2012 Nielsen survey of consumers in 56 countries uncovered some fascinating insights on this trend. The number of people stating that they intend to buy food and beverages online grew 44% over the last two years and 26% of global respondents say they plan to purchase food and beverage products through an online connected device in the next three to six months. In addition, Online grocery sales are also expected to increase 9. 5 percent annually to become a $9. 4 billion industry in 2017, according to data from IBISWorld. The service fulfilled the customer desire for quick, easy, cost-efficient grocery shopping. Walmart is trying to expand their e-commerce operations with several tactics. One success of the company is the new search engine for walmart. com which delivers more relevant results to online shoppers and led to increased sales conversions. They are also testing some great innovations, such as same-day delivery of purchases from the company’s U. S. website. The company just expanded mobile self-checkout through their Scan and Goâ„ ¢ app. They have also launched a multi-year process to build the next generation global technology platform. Moreover, Walmart had also carried out many projects which will boost the companys public image. In the year 2012, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation’s charitable contributions surpassed $1 billion in cash and in-kind donations to positively impact local communities around the globe. This includes $1 billion in cash and in-kind gifts in the United States and $82. 2 million in cash and in-kind gifts in international markets. In addition, Walmart, Sam’s Club and Logistics employees volunteered more than 2. million hours, generating $18 million to U. S. nonprofits. At 20 June 2013, the Walmart Foundation announced $14 million in grants to provide more than 1. 7 million children and families with free meals and nutrition education programs. The grants will expand access to meals for children outside of school this summer and throughout the year, while also teaching families how to develop healthy, low-cost eating habits. Ethical sourcing is also practiced by the company. The foundation of Walmart’s business has always centered on helping people live better. This mission applies not only to their customers but also to the workers who make the products. The company collaborate with other retailers, brands, NGOs and government leaders to verify the products they sell are produced in a way that provides dignity and respect for workers in their supply chain. As the world’s largest retailer, they strive to positively influence global supply chain practices by raising their own standards and improving working conditions in the countries from which they source. These projects had successfully increased the company’s public image and community relations.