How to Learn a Language while Travelling the World

How to Learn a Language while Travelling the World Travelling is one of the international joys of the world. There are a variety of reasons to explore the world and not all of them are about relaxing and having fun. In fact, you could learn a new language while travelling around the world. © Shutterstock | EKSIn this guide, we’ll explore the benefits of learning a language while travelling and share two different language learning routes with you: enrolling in a course and learning on your own. Finally, we’ll provide you three keys to mastering a language while travelling.THE BENEFITS OF LEARNING A LANGUAGE WHILE TRAVELLINGBefore we examine the advantages of learning a language while travelling, it’s a good idea to understand the benefits of learning a language. There are multitudes of reasons for learning to speak in a different language to your mother tongue.The most impressive benefits of learning a new language include:It can improve your cognitive skills.It can boost your career prospects.It will make it easier to get integrated into a foreign culture.It will make you more flexible to move all over the globe.Furthermore, Kaplan’s fun infographic shows 270 British dating agencies have found the knowledge of a foreign language making people more attractive. In terms of money, the study also found that multilingual employees could experience a 20% increase in their salary in certain jobs.Watch the below YouTube video for more information on benefits to learning a new language: While the above makes learning a new language highly advantageous, there can be a few drawbacks to language learning as well. Perhaps the most obvious one is how learning a new language can take a lot of time and it requires plenty of motivation. This is especially true for mastering a language properly.Furthermore, keeping up the motivation can sometimes be difficult if progress is slow, but this is sometimes due to the learning methods we choose to use.In fact, many language students make the two crucial mistakes of learning solo, without no outside help or support, and learning too slowly. It can often seem like taking it slow is the best approach, but it can actually stall your progress if you keep going over the same things.Learning a language while travelli ng can therefore be a great way to solve those two problems and ensure you only enjoy from the benefits mentioned above.The advantages to learning a language while travelling include:You can’t escape the language or the need to learn it, as you are completely immersed in it.You can instantly see and enjoy the benefits of learning more, since you are able to communicate better with the people around you. This is a fantastic motivation booster.You learn the cultural context of the language and the everyday use of it instead of a textbook version.The more you learn about the language and its use, the more you are able to immerse yourself in the culture. This will open your eyes to the culture and the customs and you’ll expand your understanding of different people and cultures.You can meet new people, with some of them being fellow travelers and students trying to learn the language, and this is a great way to learn together.ENROLLING ON A COURSE VS. STUDYING BY YOURSELF â€" WHICH ONE IS FOR YOU?A new language can typically be acquired through two different routes when travelling the world: you can either enroll on a course in the destination country or you can study on your own while you are in the destination country.Let’s examine what options both of these routes offer, so you can see which one would suit your plans better.Enrolling on a courseWhen it comes to language courses abroad, you have plenty of different options available. When considering enrolling on a course, you should answer the following questions:Have I studied the language before or am I starting from no-knowledge?How long do I want to spend in the country?Am I looking to stay in a single location or move around?What else am I going to do while there? Will I simply study the language or also do other things such as work or study?The easiest option is often to find a language course, which lasts for a specific amount of time and find a course for advanced students or beginners. A number o f worldwide organizations offer these sorts of language courses. For example, you should check out organizations such as EF, STA Travel and Sprachdirekt.In addition, you can find smaller courses in your destination country and even the city. Simply go to Google and search for “[Your chosen language] language courses in [Your chosen country or city]”.The above option can work well if you are interested in experiencing different parts of the country, as you could always spend a month or two in one destination and swap schools later as you move along.On the other hand, you could also consider enrolling on a university language program. If you are already studying at a university, check with your language and exchange program department what options might be available. Exchange programs are a great way to learn a language and experience a new culture. You should also check out the site StudyAbroad.com for more information.Furthermore, university language courses are not only for stu dents. Many larger universities and institutions run summer language courses for adult learners and you can join these even if you’re not a student. It’s a good idea to check for universities and their options by searching for institutions online.Studying on your ownYou might be more interested in studying on your own while travelling the world and it’s not impossible to learn a language like this. Studying on your own gives you a bit more freedom in terms of how you spend your time and it makes travelling around the country easier.While there’s no exact pattern for learning on your own while travelling, there are certain routes you could keep in mind. These can make the process a bit easier and guide you to learn the language quicker.First, you could consider getting a job or becoming an au pair in your chosen country and use it as a stepping-stone to learning a language.Furthermore, you can try volunteering. There are plenty of organizations, such as BUNAC, which provide f antastic volunteering opportunities around the world and these can truly help you immerse yourself in a new language.Second, even if you are just leisure travelling, add language learning books, podcasts and other such materials to your study arsenal. It can help deepen your understanding and ensure you don’t overlook things such as grammar. The free podcasts in iTunes have available shows in languages ranging from French to Filipino. You should also try out apps such as Duolingo, which can get you started on the airplane!Finally, you should consider attending different meet-ups and conversation exchange meetings. These are not only great for enhancing your language skills, but also help you make new friends in the country. You can even help someone to learn your language, while they teach you theirs. Check out sites like MeetUp.com and ConversationExchange.com.Scott and Vat explain one simple method to learn any language in this TED talk. 3 ESSENTIAL KEYS TO MASTERING A LANGUAGE WHILE TRAVELLINGWhichever route you take, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. It’s quite easy to forget about the actual purpose of your travels (=learning a new language) and simply end up having fun abroad. Even if you keep studying, you need to focus on a few things to truly master the language and not simply learn a few phrases.The following three points are essential for taking your language learning to the next level.#1: Avoid your own languageIt is crucial to forget about your own native language while travelling and fully immerse yourself with the language of the country. This will speed up your language learning quicker than you know it.Avoiding using your own language will be more difficult if your native language is English, as it is the lingua franca. Nonetheless, whether your mother tongue is English or Swedish, you should avoid using it as much as possible. Only converse in the language you are learning and try to swap your thinking for that.This include s even the smallest of things like using your phone or hanging out in social media. Change the settings for the language you are learning to guarantee you see as little of your native tongue as possible.It’s common for people to seek the company of their compatriots, even when travelling. It’s a common phenomenon, which can be hard to avoid. But you should try to distance yourself from hanging out with people who speak your language and find friends who don’t.If you’re travelling with a friend, then try to ensure you don’t spend the whole time discussing in your mother tongue. For example, have a rule that you can also talk in your native tongue for two hours a day and use the language you are studying during the other time.Don’t hang out in restaurants, cinemas or other venues, which use either English or your mother tongue as their language. Instead, try to find the local venues and use the country’s official language when having fun as well.Avoiding either your moth er tongue or English in particular means that you might want to stay away from the big cities and other very touristy places. For example, learning Spanish might be easier in a smaller town of Huesca rather than Madrid.Some more tips on learning a new language. #2: Start speaking immediatelyAdults tend to have one particularly bad habit that hinders language learning: the inhibition of letting go. While children aren’t afraid of trying things they have no clue about or conversing in languages they don’t speak, adults find it hard to start talking in a language they don’t feel comfortable speaking.But in order to improve, you’re going to have to start talking. Whether you are familiar with the basics or you struggle to speak at all, you should use the language as often as possible. Don’t try to avoid situations where you could use to language, but instead, actively seek them.For example, you might know where the local bank is, but stop someone every once in a while and ask for directions. This will give you confidence to speak and you’ll get to practice those important skills. In the shops, ask for help and advice, even if you could manage without it. Throwing yourself in conversations might seem strange, but don’t try to avoid it â€" let go of those inhibitions.When you do start talking more, mimicking how the natives talk can be a good idea. Furthermore, if you are having a conversation with someone and you didn’t understand something or you are unaware of a specific pronunciation, ask questions.Most people are impressed with anyone who is trying to learn their language and are therefore more than happy to help you on your journey. But remember, when people do correct you or point out mistakes, you shouldn’t take it personally. This is only constructive critique and you should simply learn from it.Soon enough, you’ll start noticing a huge difference in your ability to speak. Regularly using a language makes you feel so much more confident in it and it helps you to memorize and learn words and grammar, without feeling like studying.Finally, as you start using the language on your travels, keep it simple. Don’t try to start talking complicated sentences or use extremely fancy words. Again, take notice from children and speak like one, so to speak.Simple and straightforward language won’t perhaps sound as sophisticated, but it’ll get you started. It’s much easier to understand, especially when you are likely to still make small mistakes and pronounce things differently to natives.At first, the key is to gain the confidence to talk and manage to hold a conversation long enough. After your vocabulary develops and you tune into the language of the locals, you’ll start almost automatically to create sentences that are more complex.In addition to using simple language, you shouldn’t start copying the local slang too much. Different regions typically have their own variations and slang words in every language. But the aim for you is to get a grasp of the language as a whole, not a specific regional dialect.#3: Listen activelyThe final important thing to focus on is listening actively. Be mindful of this, as it’s all too easy to think you are listening when you aren’t paying attention to the minor details. When you are listening, you should focus on the pronunciation and the flow of the sentences. For example, in languages such as Spanish, the emphasis is placed on different parts of the word and the sentence depending on the context.Paying attention to these intricacies will help your own speaking and improve your understanding. As mentioned above, you want to start mimicking the speakers and the best way to do it is by listening closely to the flow of the language.When you are hanging around town and exploring the new country, try to listen to people talking in different situations. Pay attention to the way the language is used and the tone the speaker is using in these various situatio ns. There are plenty of interesting conversations happening in the markets, at the parks and in the busses. Just remember to avoid being too nosy or invading people’s private space too much.Outside of hanging around and listening to people’s conversations, there are plenty of other ways to improve your listening skills. Learning a language while travelling is especially good because it’s easy to immerse yourself in the language.One of the simplest ways to listen more is by turning on the radio. Don’t get stuck in the channels that mainly play music (especially if it’s in English most of the times), but try to find radio channels with plenty of talking. If you’re into sports, then sports related radio stations could be the perfect way to spend time listening to the language. News channels are naturally another good option.In addition, watching the TV is definitely recommended â€" not to mention how easy it is to be hooked on local soap operas! You should also consider tur ning on the chosen language’s subtitles, if they are available. The same applies for movies. When you are watching movies, you can occasionally turn on the English subtitles, as it can help you learn idioms. Just ensure you don’t simply read the English subtitles and forget to listen to the language.Finally, a super funny show on learning English with comedy series. A must watch. ?? IN CONCLUSIONLearning a language while travelling the world is an amazing way to gain new experiences and quickly turn your language skills up a notch. The biggest benefit about practicing language while in a country where it’s the native language is the immersion you experience. Everywhere you go you are greeted with an opportunity to listen and speak in your chosen language.It is these opportunities that you must cherish and avoid falling back to using English or your own native tongue. Whether you learn with the help of a course or on your own, ensure you let go of your inhibitions and just expl ore the country and its language to the fullest!

The Worlds Newest Countries Since 1990

Since the year 1990, 34 new countries have been created, many as a result of the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. and Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Others became new countries as a result of anticolonial and independence movements, including Eritrea and East Timor. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Fifteen new countries became independent when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) dissolved in 1991. Most of these countries declared independence a few months before the Soviet Union officially collapsed: ArmeniaAzerbaijanBelarusEstoniaGeorgiaKazakhstanKyrgyzstanLatviaLithuaniaMoldovaRussiaTajikistanTurkmenistanUkraineUzbekistan Former Yugoslavia Yugoslavia dissolved in the early 1990s into five independent countries: June 25, 1991:  Croatia  and SloveniaSeptember 8, 1991:  Macedonia (officially The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) declared independence on this date, but wasnt recognized by the United Nations until 1993 and the United States and Russia until February of 1994.February 29, 1992: Bosnia and HerzegovinaApril 17, 1992:  Serbia and Montenegro, also known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Other New Countries Thirteen other countries became independent through a variety of circumstances, including independence movements: March 21, 1990:  Namibia became independent of South Africa.  Previously, Namibia was known as South West Africa when the latter was officially a German territory.May 22, 1990:  North and South Yemen merged to form a unified Yemen.October 3, 1990: East Germany and West Germany merged to form a unified Germany after the fall of the Iron Curtain.September 17, 1991:  The Marshall Islands was part of the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands (administered by the United States) and gained independence as a former colony. On this date,  Micronesia, previously known as the Caroline Islands, also became independent from the United States.January 1, 1993: The Czech Republic and Slovakia became independent nations when Czechoslovakia dissolved. The peaceful separation was also known as the Velvet Divorce, after the Velvet Revolution which had led to the end of communist rule in Czechoslovakia.May 25, 1993: Eritrea, which was part of Ethiopia, seceded and gained independence. The two nat ions later became involved in a violent war over disputed territory. A peace agreement was reached in 2018.October 1, 1994: Palau was part of the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands (administered by the United States) and gained independence as a former colony.May 20, 2002: East Timor (Timor-Leste) declared independence from Portugal in 1975 but did not become independent from Indonesia until 2002.June 3, 2006: Montenegro was part of Serbia and Montenegro (also known as Yugoslavia) but gained independence after a referendum. Two days later, Serbia became its own entity after Montenegro split.February 17, 2008: Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. The representatives of the Kosovo people unanimously agreed that the country would be independent of​ Serbia despite the objections of eleven representatives of the Serbian minority.July 9, 2011: South Sudan peacefully seceded from Sudan following a January 2011 referendum. Sudan had been the site of two civil wars, and the referendum received near unanimous approval.

Socialism A Controversial Topic That Americans Either...

S By: Jaden Fisher 05/4/16 ocialism is such a controversial topic that Americans either love it or hate it. People are either educated on the consequences involved with adapting a socialist government or they firmly believe that socialism will be the solution for the United States’ problems. To tell you the truth, socialism will have a negative effect on our society. It may not seem as though capitalism is working for the U.S. based on its huge national debt as well as its wealth disparity, but staying a capitalistic country will help out in the long run. Maintaining capitalism is not the only problem that the U.S is facing. With the upcoming election in November 2016, 47% of U.S citizens are unware of socialism s effects, as they would†¦show more content†¦Although there are many forms of socialism, it was originally created by two German Philosophers named Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. These two men wanted to solve Europe s capitalism dispute by creating a system that terminated social classes, as well as allowing workers to be able to control their means of production and receive equal wealth for the products they produced (â€Å"Socialism†). Some of the most notorious men in history were socialists. Adolf Hitler; dictator of the Nazi Party was a national socialist, and Joseph Stalin was a dictator of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Party. Adolf Hitler was well-known for the brutal abolishment of Jewish citizens during the Holocaust, and Joseph Stalin had started the Cold War but had also done an equivalent amount of killing as Hitler (â€Å"Prentice Hall World History Book†). There are most likely more socialists in history who were quite notorious, but these were the most notable socialists, and therefore goes to show the possible outcome of having a socialist leader. Another outcome of socialism would not only be death and misery, but communism. The founders of Socialism, had intentions that Socialism would transfo rm into communism which is one of the most despised forms of government in the world (â€Å"Socialism is the 1st Step Toward Communism†). There were also many socialist’s thinkers in history who had tried to make claims about the economic inequality in the country they

Marketing Analysis Diamond Snow Slope Apparel - 1706 Words

Diamond Snow Slope Apparel will carry a wide variety of top of the line quality ski and snow board apparel and accessories. Our styles and selections will range from the basics and trendy style of outdoor snow apparel. We plan to purchase through a variety of distributors located across the globe. Our specialty will be offering outdoor snow sport apparel that are unique in color and style to fit our customer base. Diamond Snow Slope Apparel is organized as a Limited Liability Corporation in the name of Tami Pellas. Diamond Snow Slope Apparel will occupy a 2500 SQ FT space at nearby Amazing Ski Valley Resort. Diamond Snow Slope Apparel Business Summary Diamond Snow Slope Apparel is organized as a Limited Liability Corporation in the name of Tami Pellas. The store location will be near the Amazing Ski Valley Resort in a location that is zoned for commercial use. A street-level entrance leads into a foyer and parlors which are already renovated to accommodate the business. Pre-built shelving with lighting will highlight the items, while tables will hold display special and sale items, and accessories. The location is already equipped with a security system with monitors and if fully prewired for phone and internet. Diamond Snow Slope Apparel will use a point-of-sale system to handle in-house sales. Website sales will be processed by an online credit card processor affiliated with our web hosting company. The planned operating hours will be Monday - Friday 10Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Garmin And Black Diamond5606 Words   |  23 Pagescome together to form this product we chose Garmin and Black Diamond. A product name which resembles our brand name (Garmin) and the product itself (Walking poles and canes) had to be used. Hence Garmin-Stick was born. II. Background The two companies which are coming together have a great name in their respective industries already. The two companies which are coming together to create the brand new Garmin-Stick are Garmin and Black Diamond. Garmin Garmin is the leading worldwide provider for navigation1Read Moremarketing questions13877 Words   |  56 Pagessingle-source system b. marketing information system c. primary data system d. marketing decision support system e. database marketing system       ____  Ã‚  Ã‚   2.  Ã‚   The function of _____ is to address what if questions. It entails planning, collecting, and analyzing data relevant to marketing decision making, and the communication of the results of this analysis to management. a. data collection b. proactive marketing management c. decision support d. marketing research e. single-sourceRead MoreBrand Building Blocks96400 Words   |  386 Pageslargely limited to low-quality, low-price products unsupported by effective packaging or marketing. Given these characteristics, they enjoyed only temporary sales spurts during recessionary times. No more. While still offering so-called price brands, retailers are also increasingly offering private label brands at the high end of the business. Such brands are competitive with national brands in quality and marketing support but have substantial cost advantages - in part because the cost of the brand

Literature Review on How to be Efficient at Work-Free-Samples

Question: Write a literature review on how to be efficient at work. Answer: How to be efficient at work It is important to be efficient at work so that the activities can be conducted smoothly. It is seen that at workplace efficiency and productivity are always helpful to build a better environment for the organization. According to Maslow "efficiency at the work can be enhanced by motivation. If motivation is given to the employees then it can be seen that there is an increase in the overall productivity level". Maslow also introduced Maslow hierarchy theory that states that basic needs should be fulfilled so that employees can work with dedication towards the activities of the company. In the theory, there are basic needs, safety needs, belongingness needs and esteem needs that are important for the employees to conduct the activities. If these basic needs are fulfilled then it can be easy for the employees to conduct the activities with efficiency. To enhance the efficiency of work it is important to keep a clean and orderly workspace so that the overall productivity can be enhanced (Healy, 2016). If the employee is working in the office it is important to arrange the office space and desk so that the work can be conducted easily. The office employees who are managing the documents should clearly keep the documents in space so that it can be taken easily at the time of requirement. According to McGregor, it is seen that the impact is on productivity and performance of an employee if they have a different lifestyle. If his approach is considered then it is seen that many times what other perceive us influence us more but the performance of the employee also depends on the activities of the individual. In the recent scenario, the managers of the company emphasize on motivating the employees and also to create a positive environment so that the efficiency in the working pattern of the employees can be increased (Murphy Cooper, 2003). According to Wagner and Hollenbeck (2014), it is seen that X and Y theory is known as common sense theory that helps many people to enhance the overall productivity of the working pattern. Theory X employees emphasize on monetary benefits and theory Y workers emphasize on enhancing the lives and independence. They said that theory X workers are not reliable and are lazy towards work and theory y workers try to maintain goodwill in the organization. So the overall performance and productivity can be enhanced by the employees of this theory is considered in the organization. If this theory is taken then proper evaluation is done of the employees. The founder of apple also considered this theory that assists the team members to work with efficiency and dedication towards the activities of the organization. According to Pervin (2015), it is important to create a positive environment so that efficiency of the employees can be enhanced. If there is a positive environment in the company then it can positive results on the candidates who are conducting the activities. The companies should also give training to the employees so that they understand the working pattern and can enhance their efficiency towards the work. It is also seen that various companies have to face the problems related to high retention of the employees just because the employees do not emphasize on repetitive tasks. According to Miner (2015), Goal setting theory should be adopted so that the enhancement takes place in the overall productive performance of the employees. Goal setting theory assists the managers to consider SMART goals for the employees so that the activities can be conducted in a proper manner. Efficiency at the workplace can be increased by breaking the responsibilities into managerial pieces so that the big projects that are taken by the employees can be completed on time. If the employee breaks the responsibility then it can be easy to complete the task with full efficiency. It is also important to delegate the work if there is workload on one person as it helps to enhance the efficiency and also helps the company to attain overall profitability in a proper manner. The managers or the top management should conduct the meeting in every week so that the employees can know where they are lacking in their work and it is important to give proper guideline so that they can implement it on their routine activities and can complete it with efficiency. One of the effective ways to enhance the efficiency of the work is to enhance the communication pattern of the employees. So, it is important to increase the efficiency so that goals can be achieved by the organization (Kiresuk, 2014). References Healy, K. (2016). A Theory of Human Motivation by Abraham H. Maslow (1942)reflection. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 208(4), 313-313. Kiresuk, T. J. (2014). Goal attainment scaling: Applications, theory, and measurement. Psychology Press. Miner, J. B. (2015). Organizational Behavior 1: Essential theories of motivation and leadership. Routledge. Murphy, L. R., Cooper, C. (Eds.). (2003). Healthy and productive work: an international perspective. CRC Press. Pervin, L. A. (Ed.). (2015). Goal concepts in personality and social psychology. Psychology Press. Wagner III, J. A., Hollenbeck, J. R. (2014). Organizational behavior: Securing competitive advantage. Routledge..

Charles Dickens Essays (2110 words) - Gothic Novels, Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens Charles Dickens Dickens has always presented problems for literary criticism. For theorists whose critical presuppositions emphasize intelligence, sensitivity and an author in complete control of his work the cruder aspects of his popular art have often proved an insurmountable obstacle, while for the formulators of traditions his gigantic idiosyncrasies can never be made to conform. If difficulties such as these have been overcome by the awareness that Dickens sets his own standards, there remains a further problem: his won lifetime Dickens has invariably seemed as much an institution as an individual. The institution of the ?Dickens of Christmas', celebrated by Chersterton. The change may perhaps be defined by suggesting that it is now becoming increasingly necessary to insist that he was. Dickens's art was at once varied and constant; if themes, emphases and preoccupations developed towards the ultimate pessimism of Little Dorrit, and Our Mutual Friend, it is important to remember that Flora Finc hing and her aunt are cousins, not far removed. When he collapsed in 1870, having almost completed the sixth instalment of Edwin Drood, the manner of his death was peculiarly appropriate: his audience were left in the state of anticipation to which he had accustomed them, but this time there was to be no resolution. In the nineteenth century the writing of novels emerged from a permitted indulgence to an acceptable career. It is customary to think of Dickens as a critic of much of the Victorian ethos, but whatever reservations the novels may express about self-aggrandizement, no career could demonstrate the ideal of the self-made man more effectively than his own. The facts of Dickens's early life have been rehearsed frequently enough and there is little need to recount them here other than to emphasize the extent to which Dickens, the chronicler of afflicted children, saw in his own childhood the archetypal experience of the child frustrated by the pressures of an urban and commercialize environment. The account of his childhood employment in the blacking-shop, which he gave to his biographer Forster, has often quoted: The deep remembrance of the sense I had of being utterly neglected and hopeless; of the shame I felt in my position; of the misery it was to my young heart to believe that, day by day, what I had learned, and thought, and delighted in, and raised my fancy and my emulation up by, was passing way passing away from me, never be brought back any more, cannot be written. My whole nature was so penetrated with the grief and humiliation of such considerations, that even now, famous and caressed and happy, I often forget in my dreams that I have a dear wife and children; even that I am a man; and wander desolately back to that time of my life. (John Froster, The Life of Charles Dickens, Bk. I, ch. 2) Dickens is self-indulgent in this reflective mood, but the complaint is supported by the facts, and the tone of the passage, especially of its conclusion, was to be transmuted to the tone of David Copperfield and Great Expectations. A glance through the list of novels shows the extent to which Dickens's life was dominated by the demands of authorship, for apart from the gaps between the last three items there is scarcely an unproductive year. When one considers how each of the novels appeared in either weekly or monthly instalments, and that they were supplemented by short stories and occasional journalism, as well as, from time to time, the duties of an editor, it can fairly be said that Dickens's literary activity over a period of more than thirty years was uninterrupted. Serial publications thus posed its own technical problems and to a large extent dictated their solution. It had the effect of intensifying the relationship between the author and his audience to a degree that can perhaps be compared with the oral narrative poem of the Elizabethan stage. Tome some novelists, the need to tailor their novels to popular demand was a source of irritation. More than technical issues were at stake. In two vital areas audience-demand was a controlling factor over the content of exploitation of sentiment. The emphasis on the pathetic can be attributed to some extent to popular demand: it

Analysis of a Vacant Position in an Organization

Analysis of a Vacant Position in an Organization Abstract An organizations workforce is its most important asset. Managers today are looking at new and innovative ways for recruitment and selection of new workers due to the range of complexities involved in the mobility of employees in and out of the organization and their interaction with potential colleagues. Many changes have occurred within the 20th century and organizations now place much importance on flexibility and the rapid pace that takes place within the workplace. The labor force market today is mainly driven by unemployment and there are many individuals willing to take up job that are offered without considering their interest, qualifications and fitness to take up the job. Organizations are on the other hand taking up the advantage and leaning towards recruiting these desperate individuals to minimize costs of maintaining highly qualified workers. With the situation at hand, the recruitment process has, therefore, turned out to be tougher than it has ever been. As a result, many ethical issues come up. An understanding of business ethics is generally an issue that is still developing.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Analysis of a Vacant Position in an Organization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper aims at shading light on these ethical issues, with reference to a departmental manager job vacancy that was announced by a newspaper firm in Australia. It gives a brief overview of the job description for departmental manager position and the recruitment methods to be used and their relevance. The paper also goes further to discus the ethical and legal issues affecting recruitment, and incorporates the relevant theories associated with these issues. Introduction Workers are a fundamental component of every organization. These people are the primary machinery of the business and they are indispensible since they carry out the tasks necessary for the business or company. In recognition of the importance of the human factor in organizations, most companies have a Human Resource (HR) department which is charged with among other things hiring of new employees. The labor force market today is mainly driven by unemployment. Compared to the situation in the past, it is relatively easier to find a willing worker for a given position today than it was in the past. Most employees today are, therefore likely to end up in wrong jobs contrasting with their qualifications and even interest. This unfortunately translates into a disadvantage to the firms (Becker Gerhart 1996). Even so, as much as countries suffer from high unemployment rates on one side, firms in the same countries suffer from lack of suitable candidates for work. This phenomenon is probably caused by the absence of fit between the qualifications possessed by possible workers and those needed by the firms. With the situation at hand, the recruitment process has, therefore, turned out to be tougher t han it has ever been. It is much easier for a recruitment process to result in a wrong employee because employees are mostly driven by desperation rather than passion to take up any job that comes their way (Schwartz 2010). E thical issues, consequently arise from this complex situation. Firms are increasingly tempted to overlook the legal and ethical considerations for recruitment (Ryan 2006). In this paper I will analyze a vacant departmental manager position advertised by the leader newspaper organization. I will specify the various recruitment and selection strategies that can be used to obtain the best hire and discuss the ethical and legal implications of my selection choices.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Overview of departmental manager position: sales department Department manager is an important position in meeting the profit goals of the organization. The managers oversee all the functions of a sales department. They implement strategies and oversee the departmental employees to increase productivity. It is their responsibility to maintain and implement merchandise presentations, directing the daily activities in the store and reconciling averages or shortages to balance daily cash transactions. The departmental manager will conduct seminars and trainings to build skills and motivate their team members. He will perform continuous assessments on the productivity levels of employees and help them in achieving their sales goals. He will be relied upon to come up with methods that will benefit their departments and business at large. They implement changes as initiated by the company and support business efforts. By training their staff on sales pitches and stress management techniques, they help organizations in maintaining quality customer service (Brannick Levine 2002). This directly translates into higher sales in the organizat ion and new business opportunities. Recruitment methods Person-based analysis Skills Recruitment is the process of identifying the need in an organization to add an employee to fill a given role and announcing a vacancy position to the public or prospected candidate for the same. When recruiting for the above described position, I will post an advert in a daily public newspaper announcing the vacancy. This will be to maximize the number of people who will have knowledge of the vacant position. Word of mouth within top rank managers in the organization will not be the primary form of communication for this position as it is the case in many organizations today (Warren 1999). The announcement will be open to the public and will not give preference to any group of individual on the basis of race gender, religion or color. The advert used in this case is an open opportunity to all applicants, not specifying minimums in terms of education level or qualifications. It however specifies that the applicants should be enthusiastic, dynamic â€Å"people focused† leaders. Such open vacancy announcements encourage many applicants and do not hold the possibility of locking out talent. The ethical and legal implication As humans, our lives are guided by rules and standards which tell us how to act in given circumstances. In most cases, these norms are well established over many years and they are referred to as ethics. Chryssides and Kaler (1993) proceed to define ethics as a system of moral principles which assists in judging social conduct as â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong† and this system is important for harmonious coexistence in the society.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Analysis of a Vacant Position in an Organization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The ethical implication of my choice of recruitment will be to offer an equal opportunity to all interested candidates. Family and political connections will not come before skill and competency as the key factors in this process of recruitment. On the part of legal measures, it is illegal to give preference or discriminate against job applicants in terms of race, sex, religion, color, marital status, political stand, place of origin, and physical or mental disability during job postings (Guardiano 1994). Job requirements should be described in a way to give all potential applicants a chance to apply (Ryan 1995). In addition to this, since Australia is a multicultural community which harbors some minority and disadvantaged groups I shall have to consider whether there are any affirmative action programs in place. Affirmative Action consists of a set of antidiscrimination measures put in place which are intended to ensure access to some positions by society members who would otherwise by under-represented or entirely excluded (Kellough 2006). Selection Process Selection follows recruitment and it involves choos ing a suitable candidate from the submitted application forms to fill the post. Selection is geared towards matching people to specific jobs. This is considerably one of the most essential elements in successful people management of an organization. After receiving a pool of applicants as an outcome of the job posting, I will base on several methods of analysis to select applicants who qualify for an interview. By looking at the many application letters that I will receive, I will first perform a person-based analysis for the departmental manager position, by looking at personnel skills and competency of the applicants (Milkovich Newman 2010). Skill-based analysis During the selection, I will require a minimum qualification of a bachelors degree in business or a related discipline for this position. I will require that the successful applicants be well equipped with Information Technology skills to manage and plan business activities and records. Training skills are essential to help the manager in recruiting, coaching and assessing employees, and it will be an added advantage to those applicants who will have stated these skills in their application letters. (Brannick Levine 2002). The ethical implications of the skill-based analysis will be to give priority to the highly qualified applicants for the good of both the organization and the society.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More During interviews, I will ask direct questions that offer an explanation on the job requirements and expectations. This will be to give the applicants a clear understanding of what will be expected from the position give me a chance to observe their immediate reaction, helping me to identify the best candidate for the job. I will take care to avoid unlawful and discriminatory questions. Asking questions on prohibited grounds such as whether an unmarried applicant intends to get married or have children will only increase the possibility of locking out talents on uncertain grounds. Such questions may also attract legal questioning of my company and increase the risk of facing legal confrontations. Basing interview questions on general assumptions, for instance, asking an applicant whether they have children to disqualify them from a job position that requires long working hours is discriminatory and ethically unacceptable. Competency analysis For an organization to prosper, it is m andatory for the employees to provide high quality work. This is because the individual performance of the employees brings about organizational success. The increase in the performance and productivity of individual workers is a primary concern of the company and it is one of the ways that a business is able to counter increasing costs of running the business. Solid authoritative personality and prior managerial experience demonstrated during the interview will help me qualify the applicants and eventually come up with a shorter lest of individuals capable of maintaining and improving company standards and implementing business strategies to help improve sales. The successful applicants should demonstrate their awareness of the business competitors and industry development (Atchison, Belcher Thomsen 2010). Recruiting personnel basing on competency is ethically approved for this position because, being a leadership position, competency is a key factor in commanding respect from the workers under him. The successful applicant will need to have outstanding interpersonal, communication and customer service skills so as to enforce the provision of quality customer service (Ryan 2006). To get the best candidate for the position, I will further make calls to check the reference for the job applicants, who have convinced me during the interview, especially to their former employers . I will ask questions concerning their reliability and punctuality at their previous work place. I will not base on discriminatory questions such as the number of sick leaves taken by an applicant at her former employer. This will be to keep my recruitment process ethically sound (Alexander Buchholz 1998). Motivation Levels Motivation is essential for people in all avenues of life since it brings about increased performance. Its importance is even more accentuated in the workplace setting where increased performance leads to the success of the organization (Chryssides Kaler 1993). As a process, motivation involves engaging a person such that they show desirable behavior or perform certain required action. A hire who is intrinsically motivated to perform desirable activity will be the most relevant for the post. I will therefore run background checks on the potential employee’s previous employers to inquire as to his/her level of motivation. Theories in the recruitment and selection process Three theories of recruitment have been involved, basing on three ways by which employees make the decision to join an organization. These are the objective factor theory, critical contact theory and subjective factor theory (Delery Doty 1996). (a) Objective Factor Theory Under this theory, an organization recruits its employee from a pool of applicants basing on his education qualification and other special qualifications such as the length of experience. Delery and Doty (1996) reveal that on the other hand, the employee joins an organization basing on the location o f the organization, pay package, nature of work and other opportunities such as educational and career growth opportunities. (b) Subjective Factor Theory Under this theory, the employer looks at the capability of the applicant in relation to the position in terms of personality and fitness. The employer also concentrates on the general competencies of the applicant such as communication skills and possession of a foreign language (Delery Doty 1996). An employee is, therefore, chosen with regard to the compatibility of the applicant in terms of individual personality, to the general image of the organization. (c) Critical Factor Theory Here, the recruitment process is geared towards discovering and filtering potential, not just for the anticipated vacancy in an organization, but to search for potential prospective employee. This is normally the case where the labor conditions in the country favors the employees, where there are plenty of vacancies and scarcity of qualified personnel (Delery Doty 1996). In this case, the employer is interested in applicants’ potential, success level at projects handled and critical incidences in the applicant’s work experience. Discussion and Conclusion The cost of hiring new applicants is high and it is therefore in the best interest of the company to reduce turnover by selecting the most appropriate applicant for a position in the first instance. Human Resource managers are therefore looking for new and innovative ways to recruit and select workers today. However, today’s environment is dynamic and HR managers have to face a wide range of complexities when hiring employees. Before selecting potential employees, a firm should undertake a recruitment process that is directed towards attracting a large pool of qualified applicants. Selection method should be aimed at identifying the best qualified candidate possible from the large pool of applicants. The ideal worker is one who is both competent and motivat ed. An understanding of business ethics is generally an issue that is still developing. Recruitment process should always be based on legal and ethical standards to protect an organizations’ reputation as well as minimize the risk of legal confrontations. Job offers and postings as well as interview procedures and questions all need to observe the legal requirements. In all the recruitment process steps, the prohibited grounds should always be kept in mind and all questions should be asked in to give all applicants a fair chance to respond basing on the job needs. Such practice and recruitment process culture will eliminate the risk of an organization being charged with discriminatory hiring practices. Good recruiting will also foster an organization’s positive reputation in terms of good business and ethical practice. This makes the recruitment process easier for the organization. It should be noted that interviews are like advertising opportunities and all the interv iewed candidates should leave wishing that they could work for the organization. References Alexander, G J Buchholz, R A 1998, â€Å"Corporate social responsibility and stock market performance†, Academy of Management Journal, 22(3), 479–486.. Becker, B Gerhart, B 1996, â€Å"The impact of human resource management on organizational performance: Progress and prospects†, The Academy of Management Journal, 39(4), 779–801. Brannick, MT Levine, EL 2002, â€Å"Job Analysis: Methods, Research and Applications for Human Resource Management in the New Millennium†, Thousand Oaks, CA.: Sage Publishers. Chryssides, G Kaler, J 1993, An introduction to business ethics, Cengage Learning EMEA. Delery, JE Doty, DH 1996, â€Å"Modes of theorizing in strategic human resource management: Tests of universalistic, contingency, and configurational performance predictions†, The Academy of Management Journal, 39(4), 802–835. 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