Sainsbury Supermarket Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sainsbury Supermarket - Case Study Example The 2008 outlook also reports that downside risk to the outlook seems more threatening that at the time of the September 2007 outlook. This is because oil price declines since last august and generally benign global financial conditions have helped to limit spillovers from the corrections in the US housing market and to contain inflation pressures. (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2008). Thus, multinational companies must rethink their global strategies, in the phase of foreign exchange rate and falling price of oil. The present circumstances make them victims of foreign exchange risk and exposures. Against this background, the purpose of this paper is three fold. The study first of all is aimed at carrying out an analysis of the impact of foreign exchange exposure on a United Kingdom UK based retail company-Sainsbury Supermarket. In the second part of the paper, the paper analysis the impact of capital investment appraisal tools on the activities of Sainsbury group. In the third part of the paper the paper asses the impact of share valuation on Sainsbury group. The last section of the paper presents conclusion and a brief recommendation to the company's management on how to go about getting the best from foreign currency exposures. Like macroeconomic analysis the analysis of the industry i... In the third part of the paper the paper asses the impact of share valuation on Sainsbury group. The last section of the paper presents conclusion and a brief recommendation to the company's management on how to go about getting the best from foreign currency exposures. 1.1 Brief Overview of Sainsbury Supermarket Like macroeconomic analysis the analysis of the industry is important because it enables the analysts to make abnormal profits arising from information asymmetry between the proper analyst and competitors who fail to carry out a proper analysis. Just as it is difficult for a firm to do well in a poor macroeconomic environment, so too is it difficult for a firm to perform well in a troubled industry. (Bodie et al, 2002). Similarly, as performance can vary across countries, so too does it vary across industries. (Bodie et al, 2002). According to the company, (2008) report, J Sainsbury plc is a United Kingdom-based food retailer with interests in financial services. The main activities of the company are in the groceries, related retailing and financial services. According to the corporate report, J Sainsbury plc consists of 504 supermarkets and 319 convenience stores and Sainsbury's bank. Sainsbury's Online is the Company's Internet-based home delivery shopping service, which operates from 97 stores. Bells Stores operates a chain of 54 convenience stores in north east England. Jackson's Stores operates a chain of 114 stores across Yorkshire and the North Midlands in the United Kingdom. Sainsbury's Bank, owned by J Sainsbury plc and HBOS plc group, offers a range of products, including savings and loan products. The Company's businesses are organised into two operating divisions: 1.2

Corporate Social Responsibility Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corporate Social Responsibility - Research Paper Example As an international franchise, this is an opportunity to participate in counseling and such-like initiatives that will help to alleviate this drug abuse menace. First and foremost, as for a franchise in the hotel industry, the relevance of drug abuse is rife and the implications are severe. When the youth abuse drugs, insecurity, crimes and vandalism are the likeliest results of their actions with hotels (ICAP, 2004). As a hotel with such highly recognized international standards, the benefits of dealing with the menace will be immense. The youth will be rehabilitated while the company will help to make the locality a safe haven for its visitors. It will also provide a chance for guests to invest in the area thereby providing a great leverage for raising the standards of living of the local people (Benabou and Tirole, 2010). The youth will engage in meaningful social and economic activities, hence assuring the industry of its continuity. This is a low-cost initiative, given the benef its expected at the end of it all. Given that most of the Marriot employees are from within the locality, the initiative has a high chance of success. The employees will lead the initiative while directing the management team to areas with the greatest need for resources and specialized attention. This will also act as a way of recognizing the employees’ efforts, hence maintaining loyalty within the workforce. Therefore, less money will be used to contract people to take part in the whole process. The company will save money that could have been used for advertisements since the employees will act as the advertisers in the locality (Benabou and Tirole, 2010). Once its kicks off, the project will require lesser monetary contributions from the company. This is so because the number of sponsors is expected to increase and support this noble cause. The youth will also have their initiatives from which they will gain money and sustain themselves. The implementation will be as foll ows. Employees from the locality will be given a chance to map out the areas that require the company’s intervention. After the areas have been identified, the neediest of them all will be picked as the first to receive assistance (Thompson, 2005). This will act as the stepping stone to all other areas since the success or failure of the first initiative will determine the approaches used to tackle the remaining ones, and thus mapping the initiative’s success path. The hotel will then include the costs of hiring the counseling personnel to train the works on how to go about this issue and what factors to look out for when seeking to help individuals affected by drug abuse. This is crucial as it increases awareness and allows each to use their skills and any prior information to ensure the initiative succeeds (ICAP, 2004). The creation of rehabilitation centers is also important as a way of ensuring that those young people who wish to get help can have a place where the y can run to without being judged or mistreated. To ensure the company benefits from this initiative, there are several aspects that need to be done from the initial stages. The employees must first be brought on board for full participation to be accorded. Those who will be at work will also

Hrm roles in change management issues

Hrm roles in change management issues Identify, Evaluate And Discuss Human Resource Management Roles In Change Management Issues. Executive Summary Change management is the process, tools and techniques to manage the people-side of change to achieve the required business outcome. Successful change addresses both the technical and the people side. Change management focus is helping individual employee make their own personal transition. The organizational viewpoint is â€Å"The Change† to how we do business; whereas the individual viewpoint is â€Å"The Change† from how one does his or her job today, to how one will do his or her job after the change is implemented. Today, the world of human resource management is changing more rapidly than ever changing. Human resource roles in many multinational organizations are facing constant challenges as a result, of constant environmental changes. The emphasis of human resource management is adding value as organizational player, the role of the human resource department becoming more multi-dimensional in many multinational organizations. This paper context will identify and evaluate why human resource management today is taking advantage of gradual yet profound changes in the nature of the field in the current human resource management best practices, and overall human resource management policies, mission and vision. Human Resource Management functions or roles are performed in many organizations by different functional heads independently. The most important challenge in recession period is revolutionizing of the human resource systems to identify, maintain, develop and utilize talents across the organization to their fullest capacities. An organization may claim that it has the best of the systems to identify talents across the organization. Human resource has now a chance again to prove their value creation role in the corporate if it understands what it needs to do now. Some of the basic strategies should be followed by the corporate managers i.e. reduce administrative and establishment costs, hold large bonuses and reward payments, create participative forums for dealing with the difficult times ahead, retaining top talents should be emphasized by the human resource managers to the management and human resource managers need to network with fellow managers to find out how best to visualize the problems and try to solve them. There are basically four distinct human resource roles classified (Kossek and Block, 2000, Pg 3.18) in the human resource activities into four distinct roles: Transactions, Translations, Transitions and Transformations. Generally, the transaction and translation roles are more focused on people and have a short-term view, whereas the transition and transformation roles are more oriented towards improvement or transformation of new processes; where organizational processes are realigned to support ‘customer and market demands, and having a future orientation. In short, the transaction roles include human resource activities such as hiring and firing people, protecting employees welfare, ensuring on-time pay as well as handling employee grievances. The human resource role is building an efficient infrastructure by acting as an â€Å"administrative expert† (Kossek Block p.3.19); however, the translation role of human resource is the communication responsibilities associate d with the listening and responding to employees and customer concerns, as well as explaining to and implementing the policies established by top management to the employees. Today. the human resource role also act as an employee champion and advocate by ensuring that their views and rights are being expressed; such as communicating to employees the human resource policy relating to matters like career opportunities, laws and legislations, business operating objectives and customer needs. Moreover, the transition role simply refers to the execution of human resource activities, policies and best practices making all necessary on-going changes to support or improve the companys business operational and strategic objectives. Typically, such role is focused on the implementation of new or revised human resource practices and long term procedural changes in the human resource policies and best practices. Lastly; the transformation role of the human resource roles acts as an agent and realigns the human resource systems to support Introduction In todays arena the most common word we come across are recession and downturn. Therefore, organizations must make plan for recession or downturns as it does to plan for good, economic times. The management people and employees may experience anxiety around issues during an economic crisis or downturn. This assignment context identifies the possible challenges of human resource management roles in the global recession situation. Beginning with the definition of human resource management and its roles in an organization through analyzing how the human resource activities is adding value and contribute to the organizations overall effectiveness. Basically, change is complex and there is no single solution. Having an effective leadership is a key enabler as it provides the vision and the rationale for change in the organization. Launching a change initiative is not likely to succeed if the organization is not change-ready. During a downturn, human resource role acts as an employee champion and advocate by ensuring that their views and rights are being expressed; such as communicating to employees the human resource policy relating to matters like career opportunities, laws and legislations, business operating objectives and customer needs. Moreover, the transition role simply refers to the execution of human resource activities, policies and best practices making all necessary on-going changes to support or improve the companys business operational and strategic objectives. Typically, this role is focused on the implementation of new or revised human resource practices and long term procedural changes in the human resource policies and best practices. Lastly; the transformation role of the human resource roles acts as an agent and realigns the human resource systems to support massive organizational change. Other than, those above roles stated could also be categorized into administrative experts, empl oyee champions, change agent and strategic approach respectively. It also represents a sweeping attempt to overcome the negative counter images of the personnel function and re-invent a new set of proactive roles for HR professionals (Ulrich, 1998 p.124) Elements Of Change Management Fundamentals Organizational change often presents human resource with a significant opportunity to engage in activities that impact business outcomes, as the Corporate Leadership Council teaching module provides an overview of the fundamentals of change management and the role of human resource. Such teaching module supports business organizations with the following change management fundamentals: diagnosing change-driven business problems; identifying the skills necessary to manage change; selecting the right change strategy; and overcoming barriers to change. Corporate Cultural Change Changing a corporate culture is an ongoing process, which takes time and requires constant monitoring. It is about transforming the organization through continuous influence and the shaping of beliefs, assumptions, values, and patterns of behavior of people towards creating a desired work environment. This Corporate Leadership Council research focuses on the challenges and solutions faced by organizations attempting to change the corporate culture. Major factors in this process in include leadership, timing, and behavior management. Once a corporate culture is in place, there are practices within the organization that act to maintain it by giving employees a set of similar experiences. For example, many of the human resource practices reinforce the organizations culture; such as the selection process, performance evaluation criteria, reward practices, training and career development activities, and promotion procedures ensure that those hired fit in with the culture, reward those who support it, and penalize those who challenge it. Three forces play a particularly important part in sustaining a culture, selection practices, the actions of top management, and socialization methods. Alternatives Of Downsizing For organizations to avoid possible downsizing issues, they can take the following steps as alternatives: Part Time Job – Reduce or cut the number of job hours and pay employee on hourly basis to engage employee with the company, and during his free time he can do any other work for earnings. Work at Home Give access to the employees to work at home rather then coming at office. This step will reduce the operational cost of the organization. Shift of Department One business unit of the organization is not doing well, organization can shift the employees to other business unit. Outsource Employees Organization can provide outsourcing services is specialized domain so their employees can work on other company projects. During these uncertain times, corporate will realize the importance of having competent skilled workforce which will ensure that focus stays on trainings but there may be a major reduction in training budgets. In this time any decision taken by the company impacts each individual personally rumors float around. Its top managements duty as human resource to ensure that the communication channels are kept open, transparency is maintained. We also need to ensure that accurate communication happens on time in full, instead of employees hearing things with details from the grapevine first. Adequate support from leaders and managers in terms of people management processes to find ways to keep up the motivation levels of employees. If the corporate plans are to retrench a portion of the workforce, counseling should be provided to those both employees who will be staying back but also the employees who have been asked to leave, be fair with them. Resistance To Change Resistance to change can be defined as an individual or group engaging in acts to block or disrupt an attempt to introduce change. Resistance itself can take many different forms from subtle undermining of change initiatives or withholding of information to active resistance, for instance through strikes. Similarly, there are two broad types of resistance: Resistance to the content of change; for example, a specific change in technology or introduction of a particular reward system in an organization. Resistance to the process of change. It concerns the way a change is introduced rather than the object of change per se; for example, management re-structure jobs without prior consultation of affected employees. The Strategic Roles Of Human Resource In Organizational Transformation Human resource can and should play a key strategic role in developing and implementing organizational transition and transformation strategies. It can provide help and guidance in analysis and diagnosis, highlighting the people issues that will fundamentally affect the success of the strategy. Human resource can advise on resourcing programmes and planning and implementing the vital learning, reward, communications and involvement aspects of the process. It can anticipate people problems and deal with them before they become serious. If the programme does involve restructuring and downsizing, human resource can advise on how this should be done humanely and with the minimum disruption to peoples live. When the corporate is in turbulence zone, human resource can put its categorical best in ensuring that he guides the corporate successfully. Human resource needs to be very powerful in such situations because they not only have to maintain the people motivation level but has to increase it using non-monetary tools. There are certain points that human resource can opt for in such a situation where people are insecure about their job. Human resource can pay attention to develop the people on key skills and enhance competencies. Human resource has to play an active role in refrain the top talents, act as a caring mother while top performers punished with being rewarded for their performances, get people aligned and developed to fight with this critical situation, develop people on cross functional skills to balance the surplus and shortage of workforce, help the corporate to raise the people performance bar, ensure the fair evaluation of people performance, play an active role in control of communication flow, pass the onus of making the corporate lean, review its minor low cost benefits and contribute to enhance the value addition per employee by maximizing employees inputs. What Can Human Resource Do During A Downsizing? Human resource needs to be proactive and come up with early interventions as for any organization to survive during recession; the ability to retain its best people is must. During these days, human resource people sometimes even take the harsh decision of reducing the numbers and land up at downsizing. The word downsizing is even taken as rightsizing and optimizing but we may not know or ignore the fact that neither the bad situation nor the good conditions lasts long. The organization needs to invest in learning and development by providing appropriate learning opportunities and facilities, but the prime responsibility for learning and development rests with individuals, who will be given the guidance and support of their managers and, as necessary members of the human resource department. Develop and share the vision, belief in a desired and emerging future. Provide employees with a supportive learning environment where learning capabilities can be discovered and applied, for example, peer networks, supportive policies and systems, protected time for learning. When the going is tough, human resource and managers to challenge the challenges and the remedy is to downsizing the dignified way. Moreover, this is the time to implement new ideas; change the Human Resource Management processes and change the procedures. All this has to be done in a way that it cuts costs and motivates people. Human Resources Perspective And Sustaining Role The present challenges of human resource management are corporate reorganization, sustaining companys position and growth, changing demographic workforce, knowledgeable and multi skill workforce, changing mindset of workforce, new industrial relation approach and society based corporate responsibility. There are many more possibilities of sustaining human resources increasing role as not only growth catalyst but sustaining business through greater employee engagement. Therefore, human resource professionals needs to tighten their belts and get ready for some challenging yet meaningful activities which will help to change the perception of human resource forever. The economic crisis is forcing to separate some employee and there is no way around. Do it, but avoid creating a panic around, in employees, in investors, in market and in country by crying loud about the recession. Human resources task is also great, if the human resource manager creates conducive environment through his or her professional approach in achieving productivity, with the support of all teams which is the need of the hour. Business has experienced different dynamics that pose many challenges. Human resource and enforcement authorities together strive for achieving the common goals like compliance and adherence. Human resource makes all efforts to create and sustain an employer and employee friendly atmosphere and responding to the current needs and challenges. Human Resources Responsibility In todays economic melt down where job cuts, loss, pay reduction, last come first go, insecurity of employment atmosphere prevail, human resource has special responsibility to create ease environment to the affected by counseling, displaying care and concern, preparing them for multi skill task, engaging and deploying in other required areas of functions like security, crisis management team. Human resource should engage in more positive side, making and helping employees to reform, perform and transform which will ultimately make a solid impact on business. Conclusion Human Resource Management must be able to address the right kind of demands related to Human Resource functions or roles during the recession. Human Resource Management must play a highly proactive role in managing the issues of global recession by helping organization to enhance their abilities to learn and collaborates, manage diversity, ambiguity and complexity. Human Resource Management is responsible to manage the human resource of the corporate to maximize the productivity, efficiency at minimal cost and maximize profit. During this global recession, Human Resource Management is facing the many challenges and changes in organizational level, workplace and human resource department level itself. The challenges faced by Human Resource Managers effectively if proper strategies are implemented. The recession is the temporary economic climate of the business world. It will be changed through more productivity at minimal cost and maximize profit at moderate price of products in busin ess. Reference Dive, Brain; The Healthy Organization : A revolutionary approach to people and management; Kogan Page Armstrong, Michael; Strategic Human Resource Management 3rd Edition : p.98-136 Emerging issues in Human Resource Management: Pramod Vernia publishes and IBH publish (p) Ltd., Khanka, S.S.;: Human Resource Management Khanka Indian Journal of Industrial Relation Vol.35 No.1 July 1999 Human Resource Development News letter July 2006, Vol.22 issue The ICFAI journal of organizational behavior October 2006 Management trends Vol.2.No.2.April2005- Sept. 2005. Role of HR during recession, HRD News Letter Jan09 Vol.24.iss.10 p.22 HR has to Challenge the Challenges, HRDNews Letter Jan09Vol.24.iss.10 p.22

Nuclear Energy: Energy of the Future or Environmental Disaster? :: Physics, Atom, Radioactivity, Uranium

An atom slams into another, sending a wave of energy outward when it splits. The extremely hot heat wave collides with water, instantaneously turning it to steam. This steam shots up to turn a massive wheel- and electricity is made. This may sound like some cheesy sci-fi movie, but, in fact, is a real process used to make energy around the world. Nuclear power. But many critics and concerned citizens alike argue that it’s not worth it. The controversy around nuclear power only grows each year as the need for clean power increases- but is nuclear power the ‘silver bullet’ to the energy crisis or a risky gamble that we can’t afford to make? Pros The first question many ask is why, why use radioactive uranium instead of simple coal or oil? Think of it this way- Nuclear reactors make thirty-five tons of waste each year. Seems like a lot, right? But, coal plants make over 15 tons of waste†¦per minute. That’s over seven billion tons per year! ( Enc. America 2) Also, reactors release absolutely no emissions – gasses – into the air. That means they don’t contribute to global warming at all. (NEI 2) Not only are nuclear reactors environmentally friendly, they are also economical, too. The building of a reactor is a big project, so it ads many jobs to the US. By using reactors, we lower our foreign fuel dependence by over 2.1 billion barrels since 1979- that’s billions of dollars that stays in the wallet of the United States. (NEI 2) Many people who fear nuclear power imagine a nuclear meltdown to be like an atomic bomb – Mass destruction, mushroom clouds, the lot. But really, the truth is, no matter what, that can’t happen. There just simply isn’t enough uranium to explode. (NEI-2, 1) At a nuclear power plant, all disaster scenarios are considered and multiple safety systems are implemented against them. For example, plants have a wide variety of sensors and monitors measuring everything from temperature, water pressure, water level, and many other things. If any of these sense something wrong, the plant will immediately and automatically shut its self down. (NEI-2, 2) Not only that, but there are many physical barriers as well; ceramic pellets that hold the fuel and the waste; fuel rods made of a sturdy zirconium alloy; a large steel, sealed container with eight-inch wall; and last but not least, the massive concrete structure that is the plant itself.

How can cross cultural psychology be applied to other fields beyond the field of psychology? Essay

Cross cultural psychology can be defined as the study of the mental and behavioral conception of an individual within different cultural backgrounds by describing its invariance and variability. Human psychology is made to change invariably with changing environmental conditions. This process brings about changing dimensions into effects, self conceptions, cognition and psychopathological deviations. Conceptually, this leads to change in the individuals psychological aspects such as depression, and anxiety that comes as an adaptation to the changing psychological environment. Cross cultural psychology is therefore a fundamental process which is application in various aspects beyond the scope of psychology. At one level, it can be applied in the analysis of the social phenomena of people interaction within social settings and structures. This is primarily important because the influence of human interaction is modeled by various fundamental effects held in their psychological view. Social structures that are defined by the interaction of the people and their components are an important aspect in determining the basic scope of functionality into these societies. (Jimmy, 2004, p. 46) Cross cultural psychology is important in the current process of globalization and internalization. Different spheres of globalization have intermingled cohesively with one another as dictated by cross cultural psychology of the people. As of necessity, technological diffusion across different cultural origins modeled by different strands of psychological dispensations has been an important aspect. The variables of globalization and internalization have been cohesively safeguarded by the components of cross cultural psychology which is of necessity in creating mutual obligation and understanding between different party components (Jimmy, 2004, p. 57). Some health valuations have been modeled through principles of cross cultural psychology. Virtually, treatment of various disorders based on psychological foundations has used models of cross cultural psychology in developing persuasive intervention of the problem. For example, this phenomenon has been used in dealing with stress and other psychological disorders that emanate from the diversity in cross cultural foundations (Jimmy, 2004, p. 65) Reference Jimmy Peterson (2004) The Foundations of Cross Cultural Psychology. New York, Prentice Hall, pp. 46, 57, 65

Kudler Fine Foods

Firstly, it is necessary to mention that Kudler Fine Foods is a famous food store in a Southern California that offers its customer one of the finest foods and ingredients for home cooking. Actually, Kudler ensures one stop shopping for all customers meaning they are able to find all necessary products in one store. According recent marketing investigations Kudler is experiencing significant growth and it is going to expand and to work out new marketing strategies.   In the previous years only about 20% of customers were very satisfied with services provided, whereas more than 25% were fully disappointed. Therefore, Kudler Fine Foods is highly interested in working out such a system that would give customers an excellent opportunity to make purchases through so-called Frequent Shopper Program. So, the primary goal to achieve is to investigate customers behavior when purchasing at individual level and then to establish loyalty points program to make customers more interested and motivated in Kudler’s services. One more idea is to allow customer to redeem their obtained points. The next goals are to cut costs, to organize ordering procedures to save time, and to offer competitive prices. There will be a need to synchronize Kudler’s inventory. All the goals to be tracked and set are determined, achievable, real and measurable. Therefore, they can be used in evaluating the degree of success. The project goals should also include economic analysis, whereas special attention should be paid to analyzing costs and benefits. It makes Kudler rely on the economic stability and growth to prosper. With the economic stability the company will be able to get new resources for growth and specialization. The tangible measures for success are exploring financial costs, identifying necessary resources and setting the timeframe. There is a need to identify tasks and duties at individual level.   In order to prove that the current project is tangible and feasible, the company’s team should cover all the areas discussed. References Kudler Fine Foods. Retrieved August 13, 2007, from http://kudler.com/