Discusses obstacles hindering women from reaching high management positions. Examines the history since WWII, pay, social bias and the old boys' network.
2,250 words (approx. 9 pages), 8 sources, 1995, $ 79.95
From the Paper "The glass ceiling is a term coined only recently, and generally applies to women. It relates to the statistical phenomenon wherein almost half of the American work force, women, account for less than 10 percent of the upper management in the business world. Specifically, the glass ceiling that women apparently face is that, no matter their ability or accomplishment, male-dominated corporate America is unprepared to let them rise above an artificial, sub-executive level of management.
Glass ceilings affect other groups, minorities, many of whom have a long history of participation in the business world, but have been denied executive position on the basis of race, religion or ethnicity. Women, however, are the group most affected by glass ceilings."
Abstract This paper examines the hotel and restaurant industry in the United States and provides several reasons for the rise in employee turnover rates in previous years. The paper shows that it might be the case that management is more at fault for this trend than the employees themselves.
Table of Contents
A Tight Job Market
Turnover Statistics
Salaried Versus Hourly
Part-time Employee Rates
The Hotel Industry
Layoffs Provide Potential Employees
Terrorism and the Economy
Attracting Employees
Surfing the Web
Luring Back Employees
Creating a New Image
Training the Future
Conclusion
From the Paper "Most people believe those in the hospitality industry work long hours, earn a low income and have very little chance for advancement in their career. The industry actually offers a wide selection of jobs with flexible hours. Hotels and restaurants are attempting to change their image by showing prospective employees the many benefits now being offered, which include training programs and the chance for advancement within the company."
Tags: hospitality, industry, training, recruitment, career
Abstract This paper discusses the sensitive issue of pay inequality between men and woman. The writer shows that despite laws passed as far back as 1963, a relatively large gap still exists, and the highest percentage is during peak earning ages (25-54 years old). The paper examines the factors that have contributed to this earning gap and also discusses programs which have been institutionalized in an attempt to decrease the inequality in earning between genders.
From the Paper "In 1963, President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, making it unlawful to discriminate against a worker on the basis of sex. Since that time, the wage gap between men and women in the United States has narrowed by just 15 cents, now being 74 cents, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau."
This paper reviews the article "Empowering Employees Through Training" by Jerry Fireman, which recommends that companies utilize e-learning as a method of providing employee training.
Abstract This paper discusses the above article which recognizes that the pace of new developments, especially technological, requires employees to constantly develop their skills. The paper points out that cost can be a problem, especially the cost of the employee's time. The author feels that for the program to be effective, the individual characteristics of the organization need to be taken into account.
From the Paper "The first good point made is that e-learning can be tailored to the organizations needs. The area that staff are trained in does not depend on the curriculum of a local college. Instead, the organization can determine what it wants employees to learn and how long it should take. The organization is not governed by class times. Instead, the organization can set any time for learning. This allows flexibility in both the time required and the content delivered. With this ability to tailor the material, the organization can make the best use of training time. Efficiency is important in all aspects of business, including training. E-learning makes training efficient by allowing the organization to train employees in the areas that are most important. As well as that, the flexibility means training time can be scheduled as it best suits the organization."
Tags: technology, skills, cost, time, organization
Abstract The Volvo car plant in Sweden is a workplace where employees on the production line experience high levels of stress. The paper first looks at the reasons for the high stress levels. It then examines steps which could be taken to reduce the stress, including the introduction of floor managers and consultation committees to ensure employees have control over their situation; the implementation of reward systems that focus on rewarding positive behavior; the introduction of job rotation to give employees variety and the improvement of the general working environment.
From the Paper "The next step is to add a reward system that links with the overall mission statement. A reward system is an important part of an organization as it gives employees something to work towards and is a major source of motivation. A reward system for Volvo needs to focus on the overall goals of the organization, while limiting the potential for employees to be singled out. This is necessary to reduce the current environment of fear. A suitable solution would be to introduce a system of job rotation where employees work on different tasks. The overall team could then be rewarded based on the amount of cars produced and the quality of those cars. This would ensure that quality is emphasized as much as quantity. In addition, a set volume could be stated that must be made, with this number low. Employees could then be rewarded for production levels above this number. Since the target is low, this would not cause fear in employees but would motivate them into working hard. To encourage the improvement of processes, it is also recommended that employees are rewarded for making suggestions for improvement."
Abstract This paper looks at how unemployment has changed over time in terms of causes, makeup, degree of severity and possible solutions. It also discusses how over the last decade unemployment has both been reduced and has also changed its makeup in terms of the kinds of industries experiencing unemployment and the proposals for solving the problem. It examines how the degree of unemployment is affected by domestic policies and international relationships and events alike. It looks at the effect of the North American Fair Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with neighboring Mexico and Canada and how jobs are being created in Mexico instead of the U.S. due to lower salaries.
From the Paper "International competition has increased with the economic growth and, in some markets, domination of the Japanese and the Germans. In addition, there have been various efforts to improve the trading position of other regions of the world, notably the development of the European Community as a Europe-without-borders and as a trading bloc with respect to the rest of the world. Such changes remain uncertain at this time--will they work as intended or will they only create more problems for individual countries within the Community? Having recognized the need for a different trading stance, the United States has embarked on another uncertain experiment with the North American Fair Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with neighboring Mexico and Canada. This is in addition to provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which Mexico signed in 1986 ("U.S.-Mexico Free Trade Agreement" 34)."
Abstract This research examines human resource development in the U.S. and Europe from a comparative perspective. The research sets forth the context in which human resources management (HRM) issues have assumed importance in recent years in the U.S. and Europe, providing an overview of the field and then discusses ways in which the American and European approaches to HRM overlap and converge on one hand, and diverge on the other.
From the Paper "Comparison of the US with European approaches to human-resources development must take account of what appear to be three different Europes. First there is the Europe of Great Britain, together with what is viewed in popular imagination as the special relationship between American and British culture. Indeed, the literature reveals a body of work that seeks to analyze the Anglo-American model, as noted by Keenoy. Second there is Western Continental Europe, i.e., the Europe of the Cold War West. Finally there is the Europe of the Warsaw Pact East, where a host of nation-states have since the late 1980s sought to restructure their economies to accommodate private enterprise rather than central-government economic planning."
Abstract The concept of lifetime employment is a striking example of the Japanese habit of developing new, but tradition-based, customs to suit the needs of the moment and discarding them when they no longer serve a purpose. Although the idea of a promise of permanent employment strikes foreigners as either an excellent example of social justice or a ludicrous imposition on businesses, it is poorly understood in the West. The paper shows that the idea is of recent origin and was a practical means of facilitating the various surges of industrialization and industrial change in Japan throughout the twentieth century. In Japanese fashion, however, the concept had roots in the past and was developed as a complement to a whole set of Japanese concepts (such as the emphasis on group membership and family) that enabled its rapid rise to the status of a widely accepted facet of the social order. The paper shows, however, that since the downward slide of the nation's economy began in the early 1990s this "custom"--which only applied to a portion of Japanese workers--has come under attack and is gradually being dismantled since it now works counter to the interests of those who instituted it and to the interests of the nation as a whole.
From the Paper "Lifetime employment arose at a time when Japan was making a rapid transition to industrialization and companies based their ideas (and their appeal to prospective employees) on traditional notions, such as family and the uchi group--two entities from which the individual is never expelled. Lifetime employment for white-collar workers continued to be a drawing card as companies competed fiercely for the best potential workers in each upsurge of activity in the nation's industries. The idea of permanent employment eventually became a standard benefit of many jobs which was further encouraged by the nature of organized labor in Japan. Unlike almost every other place in the world Japan's unions are organized on the basis of employment within a firm rather than across firms by job specialization."
Abstract This paper discusses the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) which was passed by Congress in 1938 to establish a minimum wage, overtime compensation standards, record keeping requirements, child labor provisions and other regulations that affect employers and labor. The law was enacted to meet the economics and social problems of that era. It examines how the intent of the law was to make overtime compensation expensive and to open up more employment opportunities to the working population. It outlines some of the issues relating to the act and some business impacts to consider including a case summary.
From the Paper "An employee is not entitled to compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act for overtime hours he claims he worked but never recorded in his payroll book or submitted to management. When he has not created factual issue that would allow finding that employer's time records, prepared by employee himself, were inaccurate or that employee worked more hours than he recorded, and even if his assertions are credited, he has failed to establish that employer knew he had performed uncompensated overtime. The employee claims he failed to record all overtime worked because the employer expected employees to work as long as necessary to complete assignments. Also, because he feared a "big hassle'' if he did report the overtime."
Abstract This paper examines the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which bars employers from discriminating against employees or prospective employees based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It discusses how enforcement of Title VII has transformed the American labor force into a diverse group that mirrors the multicultural society at large, though not without controversy. It provides some examples of court cases which highlight the inability of some courts to correctly apply the law.
Outline
Introduction
Title VII
Judicial Application
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Saucedo vs. Brothers Well Service
Garcia vs. Gloor
Jurado vs. Eleven-Fifty Corporation
Gutierrez vs. Municipal Court of the Southeast Judicial District
Garcia vs. Spun Steak Company
Problems With Garcia vs. Spun Steak
Misapplication of the Law in Garcia vs. Spun Steak
The Spun Steak Court Improperly Rejected EEOC Guidelines
Conclusion
From the Paper "The Supreme Court outlined the standards for such a cause of action in McDonnell Douglas v. Green and restated those factors 20 years later in St. Mary's Honor Center v. Hicks. First, a plaintiff must establish a prima facie case of discrimination. Satisfying that requirement is not too difficult. For example, in McDonnell Douglas, the Court held that the plaintiff could meet his burden by showing that he belonged to a group protected under Title VII, that he applied for a job opening with the defendant and was rejected, and that the position remained open after his rejection. "Establishment of the prima facie case in effect creates a presumption that the employer unlawfully discriminated against the employee.""
Abstract A review of Karl Marx's "The Communist Manifesto". Written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848. The writer claims that this book has grown into the most influential, most criticized and most well-known political pamphlet ever written. This paper explores how Marx and Engels describe the process by which humanity has become divided into two distinct and opposing social classes: The proletariat - the property-less working class and the bourgeoisie or the property-owning class.
From the Paper "The Communist Manifesto" opens with the assertion that "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles"(p. 57). From this, the essence of the Manifesto is derived. Marx and Engels present humanity as divided most distinctly along lines of social class. As the world has traversed into modernity, the nature of this distinction has simplified."
Abstract By the year 2005, more than 60 percent of the American workforce will be women. However, the questions remain: What part of that percentage will be managers? And, does the "glass ceiling" really exist?To determine if the "glass ceiling" is, indeed, real, this analysis focuses on that question. The paper examines one industry -- commercial airlines and examines the role of women at Delta Airlines in the United States and Air France in France.
From the Paper "It is apparent that the lack of women in senior management positions in both airlines is a confirmation of Adler and Izraeli's 1988 seminal study that detailed corporate opinions of dealing with the two contrasting views of male-female management "equity," assuming a similarity between male and female contributions, and ?complementary contribution," assuming a noted difference between male and female management contributions. The challenge, say the authors, is for the corporation to strive to recognize the value of these differences (Adler & Izraeli, 1988)."
Tags: discrimination, Joan, Juliet, Buck, Sharon, I., Wibbem
This paper discusses the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which was signed into law in 1993, one of the most important pieces of labor legislation ever enacted in this country.
Abstract This paper reports that the FMLA requires all covered employers to grant their eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period for four main reasons: To give birth or to take care of a newborn child; to adopt a child, take in a foster child or to take care of a newly placed child; to care for sick family members, meaning a spouse, child or parent and allows employees who are ill and unable to work an extended leave period. The author feels that the greatest problem with the FMLA lies in the difficulty of determining what counts as a "serious health condition". This paper quotes studies that show that the FMLA has not resulted in greater hardships to companies and businesses or in increased worker absenteeism.
Table of Contents
Overview
History
Assessing the FMLA's Effects
Problems with Implementation
Employee Concerns
Problem Areas
FMLA Reforms
Employer Reforms
The Next Step?
Conclusion
From the Paper "While employer complaints are mostly anecdotal or backed by private-interest research groups, these successful court decisions set precedents that demonstrate the need for FMLA reform. First, there is a need to clarify what illnesses fall under the classification ?serious health condition.? Critics argue that current definition of a serious health condition is too broad, including minor illnesses that are already covered by sick leave policies. In addition, while many workplace policies already provide for chronic conditions, employers believe that the FMLA regulations regarding chronic illnesses are particularly prone to abuse. Advocates thus believe that FMLA reforms should start by disqualifying short-term illnesses and other conditions with relatively brief recovery periods. Employers should also be given the right to verify the medical information on an employee's health form directly from the healthcare provider. Employers and human resources professionals have also identified several problems with the complicated procedures regarding leave requests and notices."
A research proposal which examines the effectiveness of the organizational approaches of employee assistance programs (EAPs) and health promotion programs which are implemented to deal with the problem of alcoholism in the workplace.
Abstract The proposed research study investigates two research questions. Are programs structured as EAPs or programs structured as health promotion initiatives more effective in dealing with alcoholism in the workplace? and what underlying conceptual base, social learning, physiological, psychological, sociological, or some combination thereof, leads to programs that are more effective in dealing with alcoholism in the workplace?
Statement of the Problem
Background of the Study
Rationale of the Study
Significance of the Study
Explanation of the Research Problem
Research Questions
Research Hypotheses and Variables
II. Literature Review
Classic Studies
Conceptual Background
Alcohol Related Factors
Health Program Initiatives vs EAPs
Flaws in Existing Research
Research Hypotheses and Variables
IV. Research Design
V. Sampling Strategy
VI. Data Collection
VII. Data Analysis
VIII. References
From the Paper "In contemporary American society, the ?use of certain substances to modify mood or behavior under certain circumstances is generally regarded as normal and appropriate. Such use includes recreational drinking of alcohol, in which a majority of adult Americans participate ?? (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1994, p. 165). Problems for most people develop when "maladaptive behavioral changes associated with the more or less regular use of psychoactive substances that affect the central nervous system" appear (p. 165). Alcohol use in the workplace is an increasingly important problem in the United States. Lost productivity for the organization, as well as adverse personal and family effects, are costly to organizations, individuals, and society (Welch, 1999). Employee assistance programs (EAPs) and health promotion programs are among the organizational approaches implemented to deal with the problem of alcoholism in the workplace. Despite these efforts, the problem persists (Pawsey, 2000)."
Abstract The writer of this paper discusses why unemployment is the most destructive problem among Native Americans. It examines the history of this problem and analyzes some of the sociological and political causes of unemployment in the Native American communities.
From the Paper "Most Native Americans suffer high unemployment rates and incredible poverty. In fact, Native Americans face higher unemployment rates than another other ethnic minority in America today (Morrison 122). "Tribal leaders say unemployment is one of the biggest problems facing Native Americans" (Nurnberger and Naylor). Unemployment among Native Americans, especially on the reservations, can reach 50 percent or even higher, and with current national unemployment higher than it has been since the 1980s, the problem for both urban and rural Native Americans does not show any signs of improving."
