Economic Growth Essay Example for Free

Economic Growth Essay In any nation, the government policies, institutions, and laws collaborate to create a growth infrastructure which coordinates, enables, and encourages the economic behavior that results in the accumulation of human capital, physical capital, natural resources, and technology. These resources have a role in generating sustained long-run economic growth. Physical capital refers to the tools that are used to leverage the productive ability of an average worker. Physical capital includes transportation equipments, computers, machinery, and factories which facilitate the production of goods and services. They expand the capacity of an economy to produce goods in the future, thereby promoting economic growth. (Jones, 2002) Human capital refers to the numerous abilities that enable an average worker to apply and understand new, productive knowledge. An increase in the stock of human capital is achieved through education and on the job training. This equips workers with the appropriate skills to increase production, and, therefore, increasing economic growth. Natural resources provide the raw materials that are used in the production of goods and services. A nation that is endowed with adequate natural resources and has tools to extract them, can acquire the necessary raw materials for production and improve its economic growth in the long-run. Technological knowledge is used to bring scarce resources together to produce the required services and goods. Technology facilitates the production of better and more output from a given quantity of scarce economic resources, and this is what sustains the economic well-being, and drives economic growth of a nation. (Jones, 2002) The government through its policies and institutions can discourage or contribute to long-run growth. The government can encourage growth by developing power, transport, and other utilities. Growth can also be encouraged by using policies that will result in stable and low inflation. Heavy taxation by the government will discourage economic growth as it will reduce investments in the economy. Reference Jones, I. C. (2002). Introduction to economic growth. New York, NY: W. W. Norton Company.

Symbols and Symbolism in Heart of Darkness - The Symbol of Ivory :: Heart Darkness essays

The Symbol of Ivory in Heart of Darkness In Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad often uses vague,"muted" descriptions, leaving a melange of possible meanings in the reader's lap. One exception to this trend is Conrad's symbolic use of ivory. Within the frame of the story, his references to ivory can obviously be seen as a representation of the white man's greed. Towards the end of the book ivory comes to symbolize the oozing evil that drips from the heart of darkness. It isn't long before Conrad makes a commentary on the greed of the whites. By the thirty-seventh page via Marlow associates them with a "false religion." He says that the men at the Central Station are, "like a lot of faithless pilgrims bewitched inside a rotten fence. Pilgrims are usually people who travel to a holy place, so why the choice of words? Conrad further explains in the following lines when he says, "The word 'ivory' rang in the air, was whispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it." In their rapacity the "pilgrims" have placed ivory as their God, a realization that has greater meaning towards the end of the book. The significance of ivory begins to move away from avarice and takes on a purely evil connotation as Marlow approaches those hearts of darkness: the Inner Station and Kurtz. Kurtz's relationship with ivory seems to have been reiterated by every company member through the course of the story. Of course Kurtz "harvested" more ivory than all the other stations combined, and therefore it almost seems appropriate that Conrad would use extensive ivory imagery in describing Kurtz. Earlier, during his digression on Kurtz, Marlow says, "The wilderness had patted him on the head, and, behold, it was like a ball-an ivory ball". By the time that Kurtz is carried out on a stretcher the evil has so overtaken him that, "I could see the cage of his ribs all astir, the bones of his arms waving. It was as though an animated image of death carved out of old ivory had been shaking its hand with menaces at a motionless crowd of men made of dark and glittering bronze". The evil has now grown to encompass his entire body, and soul.

Recruitment and Selection Strategies †Landslide Limousines Essay

Hello again, Mr. Stonefield. Traci Goldman has requested I give you some final recommendations for recruitment and selection strategies for Landslide Limousines. The following recommendations will be based on the organizational goals for your company, forecasting demographic changes, projecting workforce needs, diversity objectives, branding for Landslide Limousines, recruiting and screening methods, and methods for selecting candidates for open positions. We will cover each subject matter so you are aware of the proper assessment of new employees and how to successfully create a team of employees that will lead Landslide Limousines to a successful future in providing a great service to its clients. Organizational Goals As the owner of Landslide Limousines, the organizational goals you have developed for the company, reflect your individual goals for success. The first year of operation, it is your goal to have a -5% growth and -$50,000 profit. Innovation will help you introduce new ideas to the company that will help your business grow in productivity. This will help you reach your goal of 5% revenue growth in the following two years. As a limousine company, we recommend you focus on your physical and financial resources. Keep in mind you will need to maintain all of your limousines to keep them in good working condition for your clients. You will also need to maintain all registration and insurance policies for the equipment. The maintenance of the vehicles must be followed for the long term. This will ensure increased cash flows. We also recommend performance and development training for managers as it is a key to organizational success. In addition, the most important asset for Landslide Limousi nes is the employees. We recommend all employees are involved in having performance goals. We also  suggest Landslide Limousines considers gaining legitimacy in the public eye by taking on some social responsibility. Landslide Limousines, later, may consider local community volunteer efforts (reyerson, n.d). Forecasting Demographic Changes Populations grow because of fertility, mortality and migration that are influenced by external factors. Projection models of population are used as evidence on births, deaths and migrant flows to give estimates of the makeup of future populations based combined impact of natural change and migration. Demographic forecasting is important because changes are a key issue for the future. The change in size of populations is a matter of concern for businesses and society in general because of the number of people to hire for a given position. Using modelling methods to evaluate population outcomes, which result from demographic trends and policy initiatives, should reinforce all national, regional and local decision-making ideas. Demographic aging is described as the low levels of fertility, and continuous improvements in life expectancy that are a concern for ageing residents at a unique rate. 2010 showed a climax as the first of the baby boomers born between 1945 and 1970 turned 65. The next 21 years, will show more people move into old age while the effects for health care, wealth sharing, pension provision, housing, transport and employment will become increasingly critical (Edge Analytics, 2014). Analysis of Projected Workforce The analysis of workforce data is a key element in the planning process of your workforce. The workforce analysis takes information into consideration such as skills, occupations, experience, eligibility, diversity, education, and turnover rates. We recommend Landslide Limousines consider the following four steps to workforce analysis phase planning. Supply analysis is the first step of the projected workforce analysis process. It focusses on a company’s existing and future workforce supply. This step analysis the question â€Å"What is the existing profile of the current workforce, and what does it need to be in the future to accomplish the agency’s goals and objectives?† (Keel, CPA, 2006). We recommend Landslide Limousines involve creating workforce profiles, review the trend data and  project future workforce supply. Also, create a future workforce profile that will help project the future supply of the workforce. Demand analysis is the second step of the workforce analysis process. It will identify the future workforce needed to carry out the Landslide Limousine mission. The focus is for the company has to perform for the employees that need to carry out the job tasks assigned. Most of the information needed for this step can be obtained from step one of the process. Next step is the gap analysis, which involves comparing the workforce supply projection for the second step and answering the following questions Gap analysis involves comparing the workforce What new skills with the company need to accomplish goals and objectives? Does the company currently have employees with the needed skills? What functions or skills for the jobs are no longer needed? Landslide Limousines can establish workforce strategies from the results of the answers. The last step in workforce analysis involves the development of strategies that will cover the future gaps and surpluses. Strategies will include programs, policies, and practices that will assist in recruiting, developing, and retaining the needed staff and achieve the mission and strategic goals in addition to dealing with the workers that may no longer be needed (Keel, CPA, 2006). Workforce Diversity Objectives The key to successfully building a diverse, high quality workforce begins with strong leadership, and knowledge of the state of Landslide Limousines. Additionally, experience has established that successful diversity initiatives depend on first positioning the business with three main steps in diversity objectives. We recommend Landslide Limousines ensure a strong commitment to a diversity program, as it is essential for the company. This commitment is the foundation to success in building and maintaining a diverse workforce. Landslide Limousines will need to take action and guarantee the staff is available for the program. As recommend, Landslide  Limousines must create an environment of inclusion and value, clearly assign resources to diverse activities, managers must be directly involved in planning, and consider training employee in intercultural communications to address differences in communication across cultures. It is important for Landslide Limousines to have a realistic picture of moving forward in the diversity process, this will include the basis of current demographics and the cultural atmosphere that exists in Austin, Texas. You will need a clear understanding of the demographic situation, and this is accomplished by developing a workforce profile as explained earlier. Annual workforce reports are a good source of data concerning the current workforce. This will create a clear picture of the current diversity status. Finally, the above information will need integrated into an existing workforce-planning model. This can be used to target future opportunities for recruitment, hiring, and retention of skilled employees. Organizational Branding Branding is the outward expression projected by the business. The brand for Landslide Limousines will be the product of the corporate strategy, mission, image, and the activities of the business. The brand is distinguished from all competitors, and positions the company in the minds of the clients and employees by creating a perception of what Landslide Limousines stands for as a business. Landslide Limousines will benefit from developing a brand with a strategy that will reflect throughout all of the communications from the company. There should be detailed discussions as to what the branding should entail, and should consist of working within a company to determine an image that will reflect the predetermined look of Landslide Limousines. The design of the organization’s branding should reflect on all business cards, brochures, publications, and websites. It also should be included in all business communications that come from the business. A branding strategy will create a guide for Landslide Limousines that is followed to achieve an organized look for the company (Matrrix AMC, n.d.). Methods for Recruiting Candidates Landslide Limousines is committed to finding the right employees for the positions available. There have been increased popularity in finding the right employees by using social recruiting, and employee screening and  background checks. We recommend you study the following pros and cons of each method, so you are able to choose the best method for your company. Social recruiting is becoming the primary focus of most recruiter and staffing firms. The strategies promote transparencies and two-way communication with you and the potential employees. Some pros of this method are It will help position your brand by targeting workers more vigorously that a basic job board posting It increases the response rate from candidates Allows research on publically posted information of the candidates. Some cons of this method are This method can tarnish the reputation of Landslide Limousines It is only good if the company puts effort into the research Is more susceptible than traditional techniques to favoring or excluding candidates based on characteristics such as race or religion. The concluding method may be more beneficial for Landslide Limousines. Background checks for potential candidates will show criminal history and work records that include past and present employment, performance, attendance, and reasons they left their past jobs. Background checks can also include drug or alcohol testing, fingerprint investigations, and credit scores. Some pros of this method are It helps identify problematic behaviors It helps reduce employee turnover rates It reduces employee theft costs It protects employers against discrimination lawsuits Some cons of this method are May give candidates the impression that Landslide Limousines is controlling May be taken as an invasion of privacy Can be expensive concerning time and money Must be conducted responsibly or fines are incurred for mishandling personal data (Fox, 2014). Methods for Screening Candidates Employee screening begins as soon as you receive an application from a perspective employee. The screening process for interviews has four steps to the screening process. The first process is phone screening. We recommend  Landslide Limousines create a list of open-ended questions for the specific position. A variety of competencies and experience should be mentioned to determine whether the applicant is a potential fit. Next, the in person interview. You will have the opportunity to be more in-depth with the questioning. An in person interview should last at least 45 minutes and should include the hiring manager from your company and one other person. A follow up interview is important for candidates that seem the most interested in working for Landslide Limousines. Finally, review the background check for the candidate. Background checks and references can provide insight on the best way to manage the perspective employee (The NonProfit Times, 2013). Tips to help pre-employment testing will deliver a desired outcome for Landslide Limousines, which is also legally defensible. You must make sure you choose the right test and certify validity and reliability, ensure the test meets all EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) laws, conduct through research if buying a test from an outside company, avoid test questions that are too personal or that can be considered offensive, and do not relay specifically on the test results (Quast, 2011). Considerations for the process of employee hiring are very important. When choosing your newest employee, Landslide Limousines should avoid illegal discrimination to protect all applicants. You should respect the applicants privacy rights, avoid making promises you can not keep, follow all legal rules for hiring immigrants, and follow legal rules for hiring workers younger than 18 years of age due to child labor laws. Methods for Selecting Candidates We suggest Landslide Limousines schedule interviews when you are sure to have uninterrupted time to review the resume and conduct an insightful interview. While conducting the interview, do not focus on the credentials or experience of the candidate. Focus on the hypothetical scenarios that the candidate explains when asked how they would solve presented problems. The interviewer at Landslide Limousines should listen to the answers without interruption and take notes on key points. Once the interview in completed, use the interview notes and compare each interviewee with the resume and look closely to find if there is information that has been missed while reading the resume during the initial process. The candidate selection process should be based on how he or she competently answered the questions asks and what questions they asked during the interview. Most likely, the interviewees that do not ask questions are either too shy, or are uninterested in you company (Richason IV, 2014). Conclusion There are several methods and ideas to consider when developing a recruitment and selection strategy for your company. Not only is the interview process an important step in the process but also, Landslide Limousines must consider organizational branding and the diversity objectives for the business. As described, there are several methods to consider as well. I trust you will find the information provided to help you in your hiring process. Here at Atwood and Allen Consulting, we want Landslide Limousines to be as successful as possible with all of the processes you choose in opening your new business. Good luck to you Mr. Stonefield, please contact us if you require our services in the future. References Edge Analytics. (2014). Demographic Forecasting. Retrieved from http://www.edgeanalytics.co.uk/forecasting.php Fox, S. (2014). Recruiting Trends: 4 Methods for Finding the Right Talent. Retrieved from http://www.witi.com/wire/articles/218/Recruiting-Trends:-4-Methods-for-Finding-the-Right-Talent/ Keel, CPA, J. (2006, February). Workforce Planning Guide. Retrieved from http://www.hr.sao.state.tx.us/workforce/06-704.pdf Matrrix AMC. (n.d.). Organizational Branding. Retrieved from http://www.matrixamc.com/content/services/org/org1.shtml Moulesong, B. (2011, June). Building a diverse workforce starts with an objective, accurate analysis of the status quo. Retrieved from http://www.nwitimes.com/business/jobs-and-employment/building-a-diverse-workforce-starts-with-an-objective-accurate-analysis/article_40dde3cd-dcdc-59df-bef0-bc90ae515e51.html Parekh, N. (2009, August). Top 5 Considerations When Hiring Employees. Retrieved from http://blogs.findlaw.com/free_enterprise/2009/08/top-5-considerations-when-hiring-employees.html Quast, L. (2011, September). Pre-Employment Testing: A Helpful Way For Companies To Screen Applicants. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2011/09/13/pre-employment-testing-a-helpful-way-for-companies-to-screen-applicants/ Richason IV, O. E. (2014). Methods of Recruitment & Selection. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/methods-recruitment-selection-2532.html The NonProfit Times. (2013, June). 5 Ways To Screen Job Candidates. Retrieved from http://www.thenonprofittimes.com/jobs/5-ways-to-screen-job-candidates/ reyerson. (n.d). Organizational Goals. Retrieved from http://www.ryerson.ca/~meinhard/841notes/goals.html

Why The Incarceration Rate So High For Young Black Males

America has the largest justice system in the world. America also has the highest incarceration rate with over 2 million people in prison. African Americans account for approximately 40 percent of those inmates. Why is the incarceration rate so high for young black males? By examining the data and demographics, and the causes and consequences a greater understanding will be gained as to why these disparities exist. As of December 2013, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the number of incarcerated males age 20-24 was 39,000 white males, 40,100 Hispanic males, and 68,400 black males (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2013). This paper will focus on why such racial disparities exist in the U.S. prison population. Research on prison sentencing can identify if there is discrimination in sentencing and imprisonment; however it is geographically limited to studying â€Å"hot spots†. Also the methodology and factors considered may be different. There are many causes that contribute to racial disparities in prison. Poverty is major factor. In 2002 African Americans experienced a poverty rate of 24.1 percent. For African American children under the age of 18 it was 30 percent in 2001, in contrast to a 10 percent rate for whites. Also, disparities in income levels exist between African American and white adults. The median earnings for African Americans in 2001 were 64 percent of that of comparable non-Hispanic whites (Mink and O’Conner, 2004). Another is the differentialShow MoreRelatedRacism in the Criminal Justice System Essay1276 Words   |  6 Pagesarrest rates of both whites and blacks and compares statistics on these arrests. It looks at the number of whites and the number of blacks in jails and prisons. In this critique, we will be looking into this article to see these points in which Mac Donald states proves that the criminal justice system is, in fact, not a racist one. 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