Performance Management Plan Essay Example for Free

Performance Management Plan Essay I have been gathering information to help analyze your business and to assist in giving you recommendations based on the business strategy you have compiled to increase performance of the employees and business. I will be looking at several objectives to help with the performance plan that your company will use to identify any area of improvement and to enhance on the areas of expertise. I understand that your expectations are as follows, Landslide Limousine will be at a negative $50,000 for the first year with the expectation of a growth of 5% over two years, and you are planning to have 25 employees with a turnover rate of 10%. To assist in explaining the plan I have in mind, I will break the plan into different subject topics for you to follow, and give explanations as well. A. Aligning performance to the business strategy When considering performance it is necessary to incorporate some type of performance appraisal program within the organization. This serves as a tool for the employees to work toward, with the proper appraisal program the employee will feel a since of ownership of their own behaviors and will have a benefit for achieving goals or objectives. This also gives the employee a  motivation to change positions and continue with a training program to enhance their own personal wealth within the organization. The employees will also feel more open in providing feedback to other employees, provide ideas and help to develop new employee’s skills as they learn the importance of enhancing their own skill set. Using a management by objective process will give the employees the objective to work toward, and will give the employee a standard of acceptable behaviors. Self-appraisals will be key in this realm, customer feedback, and continual monitoring will help to evaluate the performance of each individual. Immediate supervisors or managers will assist in the appraisal process, and you will be informed of the continual behavior of each employee on a regular basis. Customer feedback will be useful information as this will be one of the key elements in the appraisal as customer service is what will drive your business to the next level. Cascio, (2013). 2. Job analysis The skills necessary for the employee to have will be the basis of the job analysis. This is why it will be important to determine what skills are needed in this field. What measures will be used to evaluate each individual’s job or merit pay. We must define what job will require what skills and what will be the qualification for each position. By determining the job qualifications for each position will help in the selective process to find the right people for the right job. Mr. Stonefield, you will need to define the positions you will have within the organization by separating each skill set required and what each job title will need. This can be done with a job analysis; it should include the tasks required for each job by title. It will be necessary to determine what the limousine drivers will be expected to accomplish while transporting clients. The job can be also defined by how much lifting, long periods of downtime, ability to drive extended vehicles, and the skill set of the individual to navigate to different geographical areas within the region. The job must reflect the experience of the driver, their educational background, and what are their abilities or proven track records. 3. The organizational performance philosophy The rewards to excellence are the Landslide Limousine motto. The company  is committed to the best customer experience; this is measured by consistency, customer satisfaction, and continual development of the staff. 4. Measuring the employee’s abilities and continual skill enhancement Measuring employee skills is important to the performance of the individual; this provides continual feedback, coaching, and growth for the employee. The goals set for these individuals must be clear, concise, and obtainable, Cascio, (2013). Employees should have ongoing meetings with the management staff to reflect on achievements and goals set for future achievements. This setting should also encourage feedback from the employee; this will allow the employee to feel as though their suggestions count in the process of the growth of the organization. The objectives should have a clear vision of how each one will be achieved, using a graphic rating scale can assist in this process. The behavior anchored rating scale (BARS) can also help to analyze critical incidents and then compare these to the norm. Casico, (2013). 5. Addressing skill gaps within the organization A skills gap analysis identifies specific skills needed to complete any given task and then takes that information and compares it to the level of current requirements. This is completed by doing a skill assessment which will determine the skills needed for any of the particular jobs within the organization or job category (Cascio, 2013). Then by applying the assessment as a benchmark for the job you can develop a plan for the training process needed to assist the employees in their road to success. One must develop a list of skills per job and determine the knowledge needed for each role, and then once the skills are assessed and the training is planned out one must go through the skills needed to improve on these skills by reviewing with an appraisal review. According to (Lorri Freifield, 2014), transfer knowledge can assist in enhancing a technical talent through mentors helping employees to explore their best practices. 6. Delivering Performance through feedback Delivering performance is very important, I would suggest using a process of multi-rater or the 360-degree feedback. This uses observations from many aspects of a person in many roles. Cascio, (2013). The immediate supervisor or manager, co-worker and customers rate the employee through feedback form the performance of that individual that is observed. This will  assist with any self-evaluation error and the feedback from different areas will give a 360 view of the individual, this will assist in understanding how the employee is effective in their role. Observant views with others assist in keeping a fair and objective view of employees; this will also assist in continuing a fair and objective review process. Mr. Stonefield the performance management framework given outlines the steps necessary in reviewing standards of an individual and team by actual performance. When looking at the overall strategy of the company as a whole Landslide Limousine will need to minimize the turnover and enhance on the skill set to enhance the overall employee performance. It will be necessary to look into the best cost effective way to handle any performance management and by using the recommendations I have listed Landslide Limousine will be striving to the goal of being the best in the Austin Texas area. References Cascio, W. F. (2013). Managing Human Resources (9th ed.). New York, NY: The McGraw Hills Companies, Inc. Lorri Friefield. (2014). Training the Source for Professional Development Retrieved from http://www.trainingmag.com/solving-todays-skill-gaps

Effect of Multiple Plots in The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver :: essays research papers

The Bean Trees, written by Barbara Kingsolver, uses multiple plots throughout the novel. At the beginning, two plots are introduced. One involves Missy/ Taylor, the protagonist in the story, and the other involves Lou Ann. Kingsolver unites these two plot by having them move in together. Other minor plots describe the life of other characters such as Estevan and Esperanza, Edna and Virgie, and Mattie. Multiple plots in The Bean Trees increase suspense and depth in the story. The main characters in The Bean Trees are Taylor and Lou Ann. The first chapter is about Missy leaving Kentucky to find a better life. This chapter is written is 1st person, with Missy being the narrator. She is a person that is tired of her boring life, she changes her name to Taylor, and wants an adventure. She leaves home and goes on a road trip across America. Before Taylor began her trip, she stated, ?And so what I promised myself is that I would drive west until my car stopped running, and there I would stay? (Kingsolver 16). She later continued on Tucson, Arizona. On her trip, a baby girl is abandoned with her by a Native American woman. She decides to take care of Turtle as her road trip goes on. Taylor now has someone to talk to during her trip. Unfortunately for Turtle, her life has been ?Tempest-Tossed? (301). In other words, her life hasn?t been trouble-free and she?s gone through many things. It is possible to predict that the bruises on her body when she was abandoned with Taylor, was from being molested. Half her time with Taylor was on the road, and she was adjusting to a new life. The second chapter is about Lou Ann?s dilemma with her husband, Angel. This is written in omniscient limited point of view. Lou Ann and Angel have a young baby boy, Dwayne Ray. These two plots meet when Taylor responds to Lou Ann?s advertisement about a room mate, and they move in together. This gave the novel a unique introduction with two plots going on as the readers endure the suspense. The novel seems to be set in one tiny area in Tucson. Lou Ann is heading home and has just pasted the Jesus.Is.Lord?s and Fanny Heaven, when the narrator creates a clear picture of the area: ?She rounded the corner and stopped to do some grocery shopping at the Lee Sing Market, which faced the park directly across from where she and Angel lived?

The EU Trade policy aims to develop both multilateral liberalization..

Introduction It is frequently said that the European Union ( E.U. ) is â€Å" an economic giant but a political midget † . If the 2nd statement seems controversial, the first 1 is verified. Indeed, the E.U. is a major trading power as it is the universe ‘s largest exporter ( 16.2 % of planetary exports[ 1 ]) and importer of goods and services, accounting for a fifth of universe trade[ 2 ]. The European Union has been developing its internal market since 1993 and the â€Å" Individual Market Program † . Following the rules of the GATT/WTO[ 3 ], which is â€Å" an organisation for liberalising trade †[ 4 ]as it is written on the web site, the E.U. has borrowed a broad rhetoric based on the aim of liberalisation. Associated with the neoclassical economic theory, the European liberalisation could be defined as an â€Å" unfastened market with free competition † ( art. 119 Lisbon Treaty ) , without obstructions or barriers to merchandise. Article 206 of the Lisbon Treaty underlines the importance of the part of the EU to the â€Å" development of universe trade † and to â€Å" the progressive abolishment of limitations on international trade † . The EU Trade policy, as a tool of entree to the liberalisation, is pursued by the Common Commercial Policy ( CCP ) , which has been a portion of the community competencies since the Treaty of Rome. The implicit in thought is that liberalisation of trade has brought and will convey economic benefits and growing[ 5 ], which is the first measure to a public assistance system and a peaceable society. The EU Trade policy aims to develop both many-sided liberalisation and regional integrating. The OECD defines the EU trade policy as: â€Å" Partially by necessity, partially by design, the EU ‘s trade policy has been ‘walking on two legs ‘ since its early yearss: many-sided liberalization and regional integrating. †[ 6 ]The Lisbon Treaty considered that the CCP â€Å" shall be conducted in the context of the rules and aims of the Union ‘s external action † . Therefore, the external dimension of the EU trade has effects on the SM as the internal policy interplays with advancement in the SM. Presents, the E.U has become an attractive economic pole of about 500 million consumers, developing intra-EU and extra-EU exchanges. However, this attraction, this â€Å" magnet † consequence ( S. McGuire ) , has provoked a defensive reaction from the Member States ( MS ) , fueling the demand to protect the SM from external competition.[ 7 ]The analogue of openness seems to be the containment of external menaces which can destabilise the SM and the whole European economic system. Many physical or administrative barriers still remain and the EU has even created new barriers as proficient 1s, linked to the alleged European values. If the EU is non a complete â€Å" fortress † , these obstructions are harmful and lead to circumvent universe trade understandings. In such a instance, the dealingss between Trade Policy and the liberalisation of the SM are neither systematic nor drone. Sensitive goods: Would all sectors be wholly liberalized? Duties and non-tariffs barriers to merchandise. The EU remains stigmatized for utilizing protectionist mechanisms for sectors such as agricultural merchandises and fabric and vesture. The EU is a chief user of subsidies, anti-dumping steps and voluntary export restraints ( VER ) in order to protect the alleged â€Å" sensitive sectors † which still remain a beginning of tenseness between WTO members. Indeed, the external dimension of the EU Trade policy convergences with the internal Common Agricultural Policy ( CAP ) . The CAP has been created in order to protect the internal European agricultural market, curtailing the market entree to EU trade spouses and lessening exports[ 8 ]. This policy was applied in the model defined by the Uruguay Round which created specific regulations for agricultural-food merchandises and textiles-clothing, leting high duties on some merchandises. Even if these regulations have been weakened by farther WTO statute law, the EU still applies a assortment of techniques. Price support and export subsidies Export subsidies have became the chief instrument of domestic monetary value support in Europe. The sugar sector is one of the most conclusive illustration, being a major receiver of subsidies. To call a few, Tereos Group ( France ) , Azucarera Ebro ( Spain ) , Krajowa Spolka Cukrowa ( Poland ) received severally about a‚ ¬178 million, a‚ ¬119.4 and a‚ ¬135 million in aid in 2009[ 9 ]. 1.5 billion per twelvemonth is spent on subsidizing sugar sector, as a monetary value of 632 euros per metric ton can be guaranteed to manufacturers[ 10 ]. It makes two times the universe monetary value. The EU is one of the important universe ‘s exporter of sugar Beta vulgaris ( EU was the first exporter before CAP reform[ 11 ]) even though its production cost is higher than in Brazil or Thailand. Besides, tariff barriers are still imposed on cane-sugar exporters. Harmonizing to this trade policy, 3rd states have a really restrictive entree to the EU market entree. Brazil , Thailand and Australia succeeded in conveying the instance to the WTO difference colony. WTO assessed that EU sugar exports were â€Å" up to four times more subsidies each twelvemonth than allowed under WTO understandings †[ 12 ], conflicting with the WTO agreemement on subsidies and offseting step ( SCM ) . To this extent, EU trade policy was regarded as protectionist, safeguarding the internal market from third-countries exportations. From the external dimension of the individual market, the chief end of liberalisation was non reached. On the other manus, internal integrating suffered trade recreation. These types of ordinances have created biaised competition and have merely permitted to large manufacturers who are capable of run intoing high criterions to come in the market, ensuing in a really restricted liberalisation[ 13 ]. Voluntary export limitations ( VER ) Export subsidies can be associated with voluntary export limitations. VER have been outlawed harmonizing to WTO regulations. However, it remains a tool of EU trade policy, utilizing as a barrier against the flow of Chinese fabric imports for illustration. VER are quantitative limitation as the celebrated illustration is the understanding for restriction of Chinese fabrics measure authorised on the EU market. China â€Å" voluntary † accepted to curtail its imports assisting EU industries to confront competition. Even if import quotas ended in December 2008 with the Multiple Fibre Arrangement ( MFA ) taking to farther liberalisation, VER are still used protectionist tools. Anti-dumping steps Harmonizing to the WTO web site, dumping â€Å" occurs when goods are exported at a monetary value less than their normal value, by and large intending they are exported for less than they are sold in the domestic market or third-country markets, or at less than production cost †[ 14 ]. Article 6 of GATT/WTO allows state to develop anti-dumping responsibilities ( ADD ) if unjust competition consequences from. But the EU circumvents the WTO model, utilizing arbitraly just trade regulations. The European Union uses the â€Å" Community involvement † to warrant the infliction of ADD which can last up to five old ages[ 15 ]. However, voices have risen against a protection maltreatment of these policies. The EU initiated 287 anti-dumping instances in ten old ages, between 1998 and 2008[ 16 ]. Harmonizing to L. Davis, â€Å" 59 % of instances have involved Asiatic exports, 22 % from China entirely † , particularly because of the higher competition in chemical and metal sector increasing with the development of Asiatic economic systems[ 17 ]. China is now the biggest manufacturer of washers and bolts and this led to enforce anti-dumping on its imports: for case, duties for steel and Fe fasteners are risen from 26.5 % to 85 % , as we can see on the pie chart below[ 18 ]. The developpment of anti-dumping instances underlines the â€Å" subsitution consequence † from duties to non-tarrifs barriers[ 19 ]. The rhetoric of liberalisation fells an implicit in protectionism. Beginning: L.Davis, â€Å" Ten old ages of anti-dumping in the EU: economic and political targeting † , Ecipe working paper, No. 02/2009. The policies applied to these sensitive sectors exemplifie what Professor M. Monti called â€Å" the ambivalent feeling ( of the EU ) about the external dimension of its individual market †[ 20 ]. Surely, harmonizing to B.-T. Hanson, it can be possible to liberalise the internal market associated with external protectionism. However, the chief end of EU trade policy is defined as liberalisation of the universe ‘s market. This contradiction between theory and facts is underlined by the indispensable controversial nature of the nexus between liberalising external trade policy and making a individual market for 27 states[ 21 ]. If what is frequently called â€Å" the Fortress Europe † does non be, inclinations to protectionism are still important in specifying EU trade policy. The statement of Pearce, Sutton and Batchelor in 1985 remains relevant: â€Å" Even if the European economic systems revive, and there is no rush in protectionism elsewhere in the universe, de ficiency of international fight will go on to bring forth force per unit area to protect some sectors in some or all member provinces. The disposition if authoritiess to give to these force per unit areas will likely non alter much †[ 22 ]. Then, if a weak nexus between EU trade policy and individual market liberalisation can be found, the part of EU trade policy to the liberalisation of the SM is non obvious and even seems an obstruction to farther external liberalisation. Discriminatory Trade Agreement The Union supports trade liberalisation through many-sided dialogues within the GATT/WTO, which are based on rule of non-discrimination. Beyond WTO model, the EU has signed legion bilateral understandings with states and regional organisations based on article 24 GATT. For illustration, the EU is presently negociating a Free Trade Area ( FTA ) understanding with ASEAN. EU creates its ain pyramid of penchants that divide its â€Å" trading spouses into friends, lesser friends and enemies †[ 23 ]. These understandings create different degrees of trade liberalisation. It can be deep integrating as it is established in Europe ( EEC ) or free trade understandings as with Mediterranean states. The EU has besides signed partnership understandings with many African, Caribbean and Pacific ( ACP ) states or has established Generalized System of duty Preferences for the poorest countries. â€Å"[ 24 ] In general they are called Preferential Trade Agreements ( PTA ) and can be defined as â€Å" a assortment of agreements that favour member parties over non-members by widening duty and other non-tariff penchants † .[ 25 ]Being of such discriminatory intervention can menace the liberalisation of planetary trade by doing trade recreation. Trade recreation exists because states within trading axis will instead merchandise between them even if the states outside the axis would hold a natural comparative advantage.[ 26 ]The most known instance of favoring the regional penchants was the Banana instance when the ACP states have enjoyed discriminatory entree to the EU market even if the manufacturers from Latin America were the cheapest. This caused a excess loss in economic footings. The SM undergoes external factors that limited complete liberalisation. However, the complex system of discriminatory trade policy does non ever have the lone position of trade liberalisation. As for illustration, under economic grounds are frequently concealed political 1s: protections of human rights or labor criterions travel beyond the pure trade issues[ 27 ]. These understandings are frequently asymmetric, between powerful EU and the development states, which is in a weaker economic and political place and can non truly enforce its demands. Trade policy can be seen as a tool of advancing development and assistance to hapless states as in the instance of ACP-EU Partnership understanding: â€Å" Everything but Arms † plan. The last 1 is a good illustration of understanding which in the name of â€Å" trade penchants is allowing zero-tariff entree to EU ‘s market for all merchandises from these states, except weaponries and weaponries, but in world the most competitory goods from these states as bananas or sugar are excluded from the trad e. †[ 28 ]The understandings of this type do non advance the benefits of farther liberalization to developing states, but are protecting their ain involvements.[ 29 ] The last controversial points about application of common commercial policy are non-trade values used by EU to protect internal market. EU values such as wellness, labor criterions, environment, rural development or cultural diverseness are grounds of curtailing the imports from other states.[ 30 ]We can mention to the prohibition on importing of meat from USA that is known to be treated with endocrines. EU argues that there are possible wellness hazards linked to immune system harm in kids.[ 31 ]Refering this issue we need to emphasize the importance of precautional rule which is defined by the Commission as â€Å" the precautional rule applies where scientific grounds is deficient, inconclusive or unsure and preliminary scientific rating indicates that there are sensible evidences for concern that the potentially unsafe effects on the environment, homo, animate being or works wellness may be inconsistent with the high degree of protection chosen by the EU † .[ 32 ]By utilizi ng this rule EU can curtail the importing of goods from its trading spouses on the footing of protection of consumers. Labour criterions and environmental protection are frequently used to condition the decision of bilateral or regional understandings. A «A The EU is steadfastly committed to advancing core labour criterions and nice work for all in its trade policy, and routinely includes cooperation enterprises and inducements to better working conditions in the trade understandings it negotiates.[ 33 ]A A » Servicess Servicess became a topic of international dialogues merely on the Uruguay Round ( 1986-1994 ) and resulted in the sign language of General Agreement on Trade in Services ( GATS ) . Members committed themselves to avoid any favoritism in the application of its criterions or standards for the mandate, licensing or enfranchisement of services providers and to non curtail trade in services[ 34 ]. Despite this declaration, â€Å" the liberalisation of services is still in its babyhood †[ 35 ]. Covering more than 70 % of EU ‘s GDP[ 36 ], services are instead secondary in its trade forms. Merely 20 % of services, produced in 27 Member States, are provided abroad ( including intra-trade )[ 37 ]. Szymon Bielecki, Sylvie Gori. EU27 international trade in services declined in 2009 following the oncoming of the planetary fiscal crisis. Eurostat Statistics in focal point. 37/2010, p. 4. Service liberalisation is non achieved even on the internal degree of the EU. Monopolies still exist in European states. For illustration, each national railroad company tends to continue dominant place on domestic market. It leads to tensenesss and competitory disadvantages for other possible providers, e.g. such a instance has late occurred between SNCF and DB for the entree to the Gallic web[ 38 ]. Regardless the acceptance of â€Å" Service Directive †[ 39 ], which aimed to advance the freedom to set up a concern in another MS and the freedom to supply services in other MS, the state of affairs with liberalisation of EU Trade in services did non alter significantly. This directive does non merely have considerable spreads in ordinance of legion services, but besides does non concern 3rd states[ 40 ]. The EU for good feels the deficiency of the cohesive trade policy in services. A divided service market is damaging for an economic system largely knowledge-based and service oriented. We should besides take into history the mutuality of services and thenceforth the negative knock-on consequence of barriers[ 41 ]. Technical barriers EU Trade Policy is closely related with other policies, which besides contribute to farther limitations. For case, the protection of the Intellectual Property Rights implies that both trading parties respect and protect rational rights. It resulted in the toughening of EU Customs ordinances[ 42 ]and in a creative activity of a list of precedence states in which state of affairs with IPR protection seems â€Å" the most damaging to EU fight †[ 43 ]. Other barriers are tax-related. The EU has a extremely disconnected revenue enhancement landscape that creates the loopholes for the dual revenue enhancement or revenue enhancement favoritism of consumers and companies. Another instance is the cross-border e-commerce, limited due to the differences in consumer protection regulations, regulations on VAT, recycling fees and levies[ 44 ]. The most dearly-won and hard to get the better of are administrative limitations. Harmonizing to EU jurisprudence a service â€Å" supplier † should hold its registered office, cardinal disposal or chief topographic point of concern within the Community[ 45 ], which about automatically extinguish any foreign provider from the domestic market. It prevents states or companies from â€Å" spread outing their end products in sectors where they have a comparative advantage †[ 46 ]. SMEs ( â€Å" the anchor of the European economic system †[ 47 ]) find themselves in even worse state of affairs than the large companies. The proportion between the antecedently mentioned costs and their size is so immense, that they can non every bit compete with domestic providers and will likely decline to supply cross-border services. â€Å" Now merely 8 % of SMEs are engaged in cross-border trade and merely 5 % have set up subordinates or joint ventures abroad †[ 48 ]. Harmoniz ing to the study, the most of import barriers for SMEs met in exporting are, to call a few, the establishing of a commercial presence abroad ( 16 % of all respondents ) , the deficiency of international criterions for services ( 14 % ) , revenue enhancement issues ( 10 % )[ 49 ]. These limitations have multiple negative effects. They cut down competition between domestic and foreign providers that cause higher monetary values and lower pick for consumers. There are still â€Å" losing links † or â€Å" constrictions † in the Single Market, which exists in theory, but, in world, it is constrained by multiple barriers and regulative obstructions[ 50 ]. Decision Despite the declared EU Single Market ends for the hereafter, such as â€Å" openness to planetary trade and investing † , â€Å" rejection of protectionism † , â€Å" the remotion of behind-the-border obstructions † and â€Å" greater attending to the international dimension †[ 51 ]in fixing the new ordinances, in pattern EU states resemble the half-open doors. By and large they have a free entryway, but the breadth of the transition varies well depending on the EU ‘s â€Å" pyramid of penchants † . the EU is frequently accused of holding an ambivalent attitude towards the GATT/WTO. Simultaneously it actively supports trade liberalisation via Rounds and the edifice up of a universe trade jurisprudence, but refuse to thoroughly implement it. Homes bias + province ‘s different policies.

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