Immigration Laws and Their Effect on the Economy of California

 

Immigration laws in the United States have been in place since the founding of the nation and these have been changed to suit the various circumstances that it has faced. One of the most significant issues in the contemporary world, immigration has received both support and opposition from various sections of American society. Immigration policies, especially within the Trump administration have become such a controversial issue that it has the potential of affecting various parts of the country, especially the economy. One of the states that is likely to experience some economic effects if the Trump administration’s immigration laws and rules are implemented to their fullest is California. In this paper, there will be a discussion of the impact that immigrants have in the local economy, how they affect taxation, and the potential effects of the Trump administration immigration policies on California’s economy.

Studies have shown that the state of California is one of the biggest beneficiaries of immigration in the country. This is because a considerable number of immigrants, especially undocumented ones, have settled in the state. These individuals take on those jobs that many locals would not take and this ensures that some sectors continue running.[1] In addition, because they demand lesser pay than their American counterparts, they act as a fuel for the local economy because employers have more money at hand to ensure that they make investments that not only expand their businesses, but also create jobs. Business expansion makes it possible for employers to create jobs that Americans are able to take; showing that immigration does not have to be seen in a negative light since it plays a role in creating local employment. Most immigrants are also consumers, meaning that they make purchases of what they need while at the same time promoting the local economy because of their expenditures.

Moreover, they are also important contributors to the government revenues at all levels, including the local, state, and federal levels.[2] This is an extremely important factor because one of the major points that are made against immigration is that the government tends to spend more on these individuals than on the average American. However, a study conducted by the Trump administration, which was later rejected because of significant pressure from the White House, shows the considerable benefits that refugees and immigrants have on the economy.[3] The study shows that despite the considerable government expenditure that the government commits towards these individuals, the latter brings in billions more in revenues. A result is that a decision to curb immigration would have a negative effect not only on the economy, but also on government revenues. Rather than creating jobs for Americans, it has the potential of leading to a situation where those jobs that Americans do not want to undertake would be left undone; creating a negative economic impact on the nation.

The development of immigration policy in the United States is often driven by interest groups. This is especially the case considering that these groups often lobby in Congress to ensure that laws favoring their positions are adopted. Among the most influential interest groups in the country are unions, which have essentially driven the narrative of the need to take a hard line when it comes to immigration.[4] These unions have done so because of the belief that immigrants take on jobs that rightfully belong to Americans and that there is need to impose lower caps on the number of immigrants allowed into the country. Another interest group that is influential in the formulation of immigration policy is made up of businesses, which benefit the most from immigrant workers.[5] These promote the idea that it is essential for immigration levels to be increased for the sake of the economy. However, in the current administration, it seems that unions have an upper hand when it comes to promoting the development of immigration policies.

In conclusion, the discussion above has sought to bring about an understanding of the benefits of immigration to the United States through an analysis of the impact that immigrants have in the local economy, how they affect taxation, and the potential effects of the Trump administration immigration policies on California’s economy. It has shown that immigrants are an integral part of the economy, and despite their status, they are important in helping in the advancement of the nation. Immigrants are also important because they not only spend their income in the country, but also pay taxes that increase government revenues.

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[1] Jeffrey S Passel and D Cohn, "Size of Us Unauthorized Immigrant Workforce Stable after the Great Recession," Pew Research Center Hispanic Trends  (2016): 8.

[2] Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Somini Sengupta, "Trump Administration Rejects Study Showing Positive Impact of Refugees," The New York Times  (2017).

[3] Ibid.

[4] Giovanni Facchini, Anna Maria Mayda, and Prachi Mishra, "Do Interest Groups Affect Us Immigration Policy?," Journal of International Economics 85, no. 1 (2011): 118.

[5] Jens Hainmueller and Daniel J Hopkins, "The Hidden American Immigration Consensus: A Conjoint Analysis of Attitudes toward Immigrants," American Journal of Political Science 59, no. 3 (2015): 531.

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

 

The two-factor theory suggests that there are a number of factors that affect either job satisfaction or dissatisfaction and these cannot be measured using the same continuum. It is based on a literature review that was conducted on literature from 1900 to 1955 involving issues concerning job satisfaction and dissatisfaction and the reasons behind them. This theory was also developed in the 1950s; a time when there was full employment in the United States, with most factories or manufacturing plants working fulltime. These circumstances were highly instrumental in the development of a perspective concerning job satisfaction and dissatisfaction because it involved a situation where there was considerable unionization, which is in contrast to the current job situation, where there is a high unemployment rate and a considerable reduction in unionization. Among the most significant findings of this theory is that there is a relationship between job satisfaction and the productivity of employees. In addition, the characteristics of dissatisfaction among workers are well documented in the literature that was reviewed. Furthermore, the attitudes related to work has also been well defined in the literature; a sign that there had been extensive research on the subject over the decades. The theory suggests that while there are a considerable number of factors that might bring about the development of dissatisfaction among employees, there are only a few factors that can lead to the advancement of job satisfaction.

These conclusions are based on two hypotheses that seek to advance an understanding of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. The first of these is that the “…factors leading to positive attitudes and those leading to negative attitudes will differ.” The second hypothesis suggests that there are “…factors and effects involved in long-range sequences of events would differ from those in short-range sequences.” Through a study of a number of engineers and accountants, there was an attempt to understand their level of job satisfaction. One of the most significant findings was that while salaries were considered an important dissatisfier, there were instances where it was appreciated, especially in situations where it involved a reward for a job well done. Hygiene factors were considered to have a significant effect on satisfaction, with a large number of those interviewed stating that good hygiene had a positive effect on the performance of individuals in the workplace. Therefore, when the hygiene needs of employees are satisfied, it becomes possible to ensure that there is the advancement of a reduction of dissatisfaction and poor performance. According to Herzberg, it is essential for jobs to be restructured in such a way that ensures the advancement of the ability of workers to achieve their maximum productivity. Motivational factors have to be employed in order to bring about job satisfaction, and this should be done with recognition of the role of the supervisor in the work environment. Finally, there is need to ensure that workers are supposed to be allowed an opportunity to determine how best to achieve their work goals, and this is in order to complement the role of supervisors in organizing and planning how work is to be conducted.

The Decisional Role of a Manager

Introduction

Within the organizational environment, the manager should undertake the process of not only making decisions, but also solving problems. Under such circumstances, it is essential for the manager to make sure that he has knowledge concerning the problems and potential problems, as well as the promotion of means through which to come to decisions that have a positive effect on the work environment. it is also necessary for the manager to make sure that the decisions that he makes are relevant to the issue being resolved in order to bring about a situation where there is the achievement of organizational goals. This paper focuses on the decisional role of the manager and the manner through which he can be able to achieve effectiveness in his role.

Literature Review

When it comes to the decisional role of the manager, it is essential for them to ensure that they are able to undertake the role of entrepreneur (Horlacher & Hess, 2016). This is a highly critical responsibility because it involves a process where they are required to make sure that there is a constant improvement of the units under their jurisdiction. The process of improvement can be considered essential because it involves the promotion of a situation where the organization ends up being highly equipped when it comes to handling a diversity of technological challenges. Managers under such circumstances have to make sure that they are constantly looking out for new ideas that can help them ensure that their products are improved and value added to them (Laitinen, 2017; Ollila & Yström, 2017). The role of the manager when making decisions should also include the initiation of feasibility studies that seek to determine the path toward which the organization is heading. It is also necessary to make sure that necessary arrangements are made for the acquisition of capital for the development of new products, as well as undertaking to gain suggestions from employees concerning the various ways that the organization can be improved (Verboncu & Zeininger, 2015). All of these processes can be easily achieved through the holding of strategy meetings with the project managers and using suggestion boxes, as in the case of other employees.

Decisional management is one that also considers the role of the manager as an arbiter of conflicts within the work environment (Karanja & Rosso, 2017; Kumar, 2015). This is a highly pertinent role because it involves a process where the manager takes on the role of arbiter in conflicts between subordinates. A similar case arises when it comes to conflicts between the management of the organization and employees. These conflicts might come about because of a variety of reasons, which include agitation for an increase in wages or a major client of the organization going bankrupt, which might end up leading to a situation where its financial future is left uncertain. Therefore, managers should be able to anticipate such issues and take preventative action whenever it is possible. It is also necessary for the manager to sometimes take corrective action in situations where problems have arisen (Thomas, Lorange, & Sheth, 2015). Among the problems that might arise include complaints from customers, machine breakdowns, labor disputes, and interpersonal conflicts, which have the potential of interfering with the activities of the organization. The role of the manager under such circumstances can therefore be considered critical, because it involves a process where individuals have to be managed in a manner where they view the manager as the final arbiter to issues involving them. Through this process, the manager takes on a pivotal role within the organization in a way that ensures the achievement of its mission.

Another role that has to be undertaken by the manager within the organizational setting is that of being able to allocate resources (Sule & Wahyuningtyas, 2017). This is an extremely important role because it involves a process where the manager has to establish priorities concerning which tasks are the most critical for the organization and how many resources have to be allocated to each. The different activities within the organization that require budgetary allocation receive it based on their importance to its objectives, meaning that it is essential for the manager to determine those with the highest priority (de Oliveira, Escrivão, Nagano, Ferraudo, & Rosim, 2015). It is also their role to make sure that the necessary personnel are assigned to the various tasks at hand, and this is aimed at bringing about a situation where the most qualified individuals are given the tasks to which they are most suited. This ensures that there is the establishment of means through which to bring about greater efficiency in the workplace (Cohen, Rozenes, & Faccio, 2016). Furthermore, in conjunction with giving tasks to those best suited for them, it is necessary for the manager to make sure that there is the establishment of effective means of allocating their own time to different activities in a manner that ensures that they are seen to be on the lead by all the teams involved in the process.

The manager also has a pertinent role to play as a negotiator on behalf of the organization (Laud, Arevalo, & Johnson, 2016). This is an extremely important role because it involves a process where the manager plays an active role in the negotiation of deals that are favorable for the organization. These deals are necessary because they make sure that there is the achievement of agreements aimed at making the activities taking place both within and outside the organization smoother (Liew, Talib, & Jacobs, 2016). Furthermore, they promote the development of guidelines through which the organization is able to interact with other organizations as well as stakeholders in society. Such guidelines make it possible for the organization to have an effective action plan that can be developed and implemented in a manner that enhances its role within its industry. Negotiation skills on the part of the manager are also critical in bringing about the achievement of the goal of promoting the interests of the organization when it comes to negotiations of contracts with unions, as well as the negotiation of prices with major customers (Soltwisch & Krahnke, 2017). Therefore, the ability of managers to recognize their role and undertake them appropriately ensures that there is the promotion of means through which they not only enhance their efficiency within the organization, but their overall effectiveness ensures that there can be an assessment of how well their role as decision makers is performed.

Conclusion

For a manager at a decisional capacity, it is necessary to make sure that there is the promotion of a situation where there is a tight rein on all agreements that have been made within the team. This means that all the rules and agreements concerning the conduct of members of the team have to be respected at all times. There is also a need to make sure that there is the promotion of means through which there is the promotion of result orientation within the team, because the manager is therefore able to ensure that the team achieves all the intended results and targets. As seen above, the clarification of targets is a critical means of making sure that there is the promotion of the integrity of the work that is conducted by the team; meaning that the manager has a critical role in determining the direction towards which his team is heading. Double checking for mistakes and errors within the team context it critical in bringing about a situation where exemplary work is created; meaning that decisional management can have a positive effect on the way that the team functions, since the leader is able to ensure greater efficiency among its members.

References

Cohen, Y., Rozenes, S., & Faccio, M. (2016). Modeling a Manager’s Work as a Service Activity. Paper presented at the International Conference on Exploring Services Science.

de Oliveira, J., Escrivão, E., Nagano, M. S., Ferraudo, A. S., & Rosim, D. (2015). What do small business owner-managers do? A managerial work perspective. Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, 5(1), 19.

Horlacher, A., & Hess, T. (2016). What does a Chief Digital Officer do? Managerial tasks and roles of a new C-level position in the context of digital transformation. Paper presented at the 2016 49th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS).

Karanja, E., & Rosso, M. A. (2017). The Chief Risk Officer: a study of roles and responsibilities. Risk Management, 19(2), 103-130.

Kumar, P. (2015). An Analytical study on Mintzberg’s Framework: Managerial Roles. International Journal of Research in Management & Business Studies (IJRMBS), 2, 12-18.

Laitinen, E. K. (2017). Managerial work, importance of information and corporate profitability: evidence from Finland. International Journal of Accounting and Finance, 7(4), 301-334.

Laud, R., Arevalo, J., & Johnson, M. (2016). The changing nature of managerial skills, mindsets and roles: Advancing theory and relevancy for contemporary managers. Journal of Management & Organization, 22(4), 435-456.

Liew, C., Talib, A. A., & Jacobs, R. (2016). Malaysian aviation technologist promotion to managerial role: an empirical overview. Paper presented at the IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering.

Ollila, S., & Yström, A. (2017). An investigation into the roles of open innovation collaboration managers. R&D Management, 47(2), 236-252.

Soltwisch, B. W., & Krahnke, K. (2017). Maximizing Decision Making Style and Managerial Effectiveness: Understanding How Maximizing and Locus of Control Impact Managers' Performance on the Job. Managing Global Transitions, 15(3), 215-230.

Sule, E. T., & Wahyuningtyas, R. (2017). Managerial Roles in a Dynamic Environment. Advanced Science Letters, 23(1), 656-659.

Thomas, H., Lorange, P., & Sheth, J. (2015). Dynamic capabilities and the business school of the future EFMD Insights into Business Education: case studies from business schools worldwide. Volume 2 (Vol. 1, pp. 1-6): European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) in association with GSE Research.

Verboncu, I., & Zeininger, L. (2015). The Manager and the Managerial Tools: Job Description. Review of International Comparative Management/Revista de Management Comparat International, 16(5).

Operation Management at Costco

The management of the operations within an organization is extremely essential in bringing about its success. This is especially the case considering that for the most part, organizations in the business world are increasingly getting involved in competition with each other in order to remain competitive. Costco is one of the organizations that seek to bring about the best quality in their services through making sure that its employees are satisfied and this is achieved through the advancement of their interests both within and outside the company. In this way, Costco has been able to develop a good reputation based on its need to promote its image through its employees while at the same time providing the best services possible to its customers.

One of the most fundamental aspects of Costco’s operations is that is seeks to promote the efficiency of their employees. This is especially considering that it seeks to create an environment within which its employees are able to do their best for the sake of the company through the advancement of their interests within it. A good working environment where employees are provided with free reign on how to handle customers on a more personalized basis has made it possible for employees to feel empowered in their work. Taking competitive advantage into consideration is another aspect of management that can ensure Costco’s success (Heizer and Render 71). This has been achieved through the provision of benefits and higher wages to employees for the sake of advancing their quality of life which has in turn made them more loyal to the company. The result is that Costco has allowed for the advancement of its workforce in a manner that brings about the best in them for the sake of promoting its own interests in the market. Moreover, the empowerment of employees can also be considered to be a sound strategy especially considering that other companies tend to deny their employees the right to do what they think is best for the sake of promoting the products that they are selling. The result is that there is a loss of morale among employees who come to believe that they are not valued enough by management to independently bring in customers. This is not the case with Costco which has put employee empowerment at the forefront of its strategy because it has made employees the biggest promoters of its image.

Another aspect of Costco’s operations that can be considered to be important to its success is employment stability. This has been achieved through the promotion of benefits for its employees which include job security as well as benefits in case of disability as well as when suffering from any ailments (Heizer and Render 435). This is an extremely sound strategy because it ensures that employees are completely focused on their work instead of seeking more stable work elsewhere. Works schedules that put into consideration the need to take case of the welfare of employees have also been put in place. This, in addition to the higher wages that they receive when compared to rival companies, has allowed for an increase in motivation to work among employees to such an extent that they give their best to their work. The various constraints to its human resource strategy, such as the need to control the expenditure that it places on its employees when compared to other companies, have been smoothed over by Costco through its making sure that the potential financial problems it might face are outweighed by its excellent performance in the market. This has been to such an extent that a significant number of employees have ended up doing their best in their work in the comfort of knowledge that they will be compensated.

Healthcare benefits are some of the most important aspects of the success of any company because the more generous they are, the more likely that employees will be motivated to increase their performance. This is a lesson that Costco’s management seems to have taken to heart because it has provided extremely generous medical and dental benefits to its employees that have allowed for the advancement of the health of these individuals. Moreover, the extension of these benefits to dependents has made it possible for individuals that work at Costco to increase their output because of the motivation that they have based on the belief that the company cares for their welfare and that of their loved ones. The generous benefits that the Costco has advanced its employees are essential because it has become a major contributor to the success of its operations. The generous incentive system that has been put in place by the company is important because it allows employees to be self-directed in their work (Heizer and Render 438). This means that they are better able to make sure that they work with minimal supervision, which helps the company save both time and money when it comes to dealing with issues concerning employs. Thus, productivity remains high while at the same time making sure that the interests of employees are secured in a manner that advances the interests of the company.

By competing through the advancement of its employees’ interests, Costco has the potential of attracting some of the best individuals in the industry to work for it. The pro-employee policies that it has adopted can be considered to be essential for promoting not only its image as a viable employer, but also shows potential employees that unlike its rivals, it is a generous employer. In this way, it becomes possible to make sure that there is a large pool of potential employees to choose from when the time comes for recruitment. However, while it has the best possible number of potential recruits, there is need for the company to make sure that it only employs those individuals who display the highest ethical standards possible (Heizer and Render 455). This is because when companies in the contemporary world conduct their operations, it is essential for them to observe ethics at all fronts or risk ending up getting their reputations damaged and in turn ending up losing their market share. Therefore, in order to make sure that all operations run smoothly, it is important that Costco, when staffing its operations, is able to advance the highest ethical standards possible so that it can maintain and advance its market share. It is important for there to be an effort to observe ethical standards while at the same time promoting continuous improvement because it is one of the most fundamental ways through which employee commitment to the company can be ensured while at the same time promoting the competitiveness of the company in a way that allows for the creation of better market opportunities than it already possesses.

In conclusion, it is essential for Costco to make sure that it continues to promote the interests of its employees through providing them with incentive packages as well as better working conditions than its competitors. This is one of the most fundamental ways through which it will be able to continue performing well in the market while at the same time attracting the best talent possible to help run its operations. Making employees the center of its operations management is essential because it is these who are the driving force behind their success while at the same time advancing the good name of the company through their efforts to make it a success. It is, therefore, essential for the interests of employees to be protected as a means of making sure that there is a proper means through which operations can be advanced without any glitches as a result of lack of motivation.

Work Cited

Heizer, Jay and Render, Barry. Operations Management: Sustainability and Supply Chain Management. 11th Edition. New York: Pearson, 2013.

Social Inequality

The increasing level of social inequality in the contemporary world is a source of concern within society. This is as a result of the widening gap between the rich and the poor in society to such an extent that the latter have ended up in situations where they cannot hope to improve their lives for the better. Also, the rich, in the process of seeking to attain even more wealth, have ended up forcing making use of those resources that could have been utilized for the purpose of alleviating poverty among individuals in society. Despite the presence of a welfare system, it is not robust enough to cater for the needs of the poor while at the same time helping them rise above poverty. This paper seeks to analyze the nature and causes of poverty as well as the theoretical frameworks that deal with the issue of inequality.

One of the biggest causes of social inequality is that the economy is controlled by the rich, who make use of the available natural resources to become richer. The rich few people in the world have taken over the most crucial means of production; essentially forcing the rest of society to work for them or buy products from them. The result has been that a significant number of those individuals who do not have any means of making a decent living have ended up in a situation where they have been reduced to poverty. The latter tend to have very few opportunities to advance themselves in society, meaning that they have to ensure that they do the best that they can to make ends meet with minimal support (Parish, 1988). The rich, on the other hand, often seek to increase their wealth, but this process often comes at a price because it encourages unequal development in society. There is little that the poor can do to protect their own interests because the rich have both the means and the power to ensure that they are able to attain considerable control over most of the wealth and resources within their own societies. As a result of the power that they derive from their wealth, the rich have the ability to ensure that they not only achieve dominance over the rest of society, but also advance their own interests in a way that is often against the interests of the poor.

The rich often seek to protect their interests through influencing government towards establishing favorable policies to them. The result is that a significant number of rich people in society end up being given access to numerous resources while at the same time not paying their fair share of taxes. This is a situation of concern because government ends up not having enough money that can be used in the establishment of a welfare program that is not only efficient, but also caters for the needs of the poor in diverse circumstances. Furthermore, as a result of the actions of the rich, it becomes extremely difficult for the poor to have the much needed opportunities to bring about their advancement in society. These individuals do not often have the educational qualifications to attain sustainable jobs in the current highly competitive economy; meaning that they have few opportunities to improve their lives. The unequal relationship between the rich and the poor in society can be explained through the Marxist theory, which proposes that society is divided into two distinct groups; the bourgeoisie, who control the means of production, and the proletariat, who provide the labor that the former need to ensure that they exploit the resources under their control. Thus, due to their need to not only maintain their power, but also increase their wealth, the bourgeoisie end up seeking to control even more resources; essentially ensuring that the proletariat remains subservient to them while still providing the labor that they need.

The Marxist perspective, therefore, proposes that social inequality comes about as a result of class struggle, or social conflict. The continuous struggle within the bourgeoisie, as well as the bourgeoisie against the proletariat and vice versa is essential in understanding social conflict because it promotes the idea that the different classes in society are often in conflict with each other. A consequence of this conflict is that a considerable number of individuals in society have ended up sinking into poverty while a very few have not only become rich, but have increased their wealth many times over. The resulting social inequality has created a potential for significant class conflict in the years to come, especially considering an increasing number of individuals have become poorer because of the social policies that have been established to protect the interests of the rich. The potential for conflict has become so great that it is possible that there will be an attempt, as Marx predicted, by the underprivileged classes in society to overthrow the rich in order to establish a just society. In most communities within the United States, specifically in large cities such as New York, the differences between the lifestyles of the rich and the poor can be seen through the manner that communities are separated. The rich live in exclusive neighborhoods that are not only secure, but also have all the amenities that they need. The poor, on the other hand, live in an insecure environment that is dominated by crime, low level of essential services, and high incidences of lack of basic needs; a sure sign of the inequality that has become dominant in society.

Additionally, the rise in inequality has led to a reduction in instances of social and economic justice. Social and economic justice is a situation where all individuals in society, no matter their class or status, are able to achieve a relatively high standard of living. Also, it involves individuals being able to ensure that they promote their own interests through having equal opportunities both within a social and economic context. Therefore, in the interest of advancing social and economic justice, the application of the Marxist theory is essential in creating equal opportunities. This perspective is one that promotes social equality where resources are owned by the entire community rather than by individuals. However, only essential property should remain in private hands, which individuals in society to have an equal share in the resources available while at the same time ensuring that individuals have equal opportunities for self development. The availability of equal opportunities would, however, involve taking away the significant power that capitalists hold over society. The nationalization of natural resources is an essential step in making sure that the state remains in the service of all people, without discrimination, rather than supporting the interests of a few people who form the elite. Moreover, in a society where all the people enjoy the available natural resources, social and economic justice can be achieved in a way that prevents the rise of class conflict.

In conclusion, the increase in the level of inequality in the contemporary world can be attributed to the way that a small number of individuals have come to gain control over a majority of the resources in society. Through this control, it has become possible to ensure that they continue further enriching themselves at the expense of both consumers and their workers. Therefore, in order to ensure that there is an end to inequality and the implementation of social and economic justice, it is essential for a Marxist-leaning type of society to be established.

Reference

Parish, R. (1988). Messages from a Welfare Mom. Newsweek.

Leadership Styles of Baby boomers and Millennials

The economic recession that has in the last few years come to affect the United States has had a huge impact in the lives of many Americans today. This impact has not only been on the economy, but it has also come to affect the working environment of people all over the nation. The economic recession hit the United States at a time when the Baby Boomer generation was on its way to retirement. Many of the members of this generation were not prepared for such an occurrence and this left them without any savings or a means to support themselves after retirement. This created a situation where many baby boomers had no choice other than to continue on with their current employment, and for those who had retired, to look for jobs in order to make a living. The workplace therefore came to be filled with people who would, under normal circumstances, have retired, creating a potential for conflict with the younger generation of employees. The fact that many baby boomers are currently still in the job market has created plenty of competition between them and the current young generation, the millennials. The millennials are those who are currently between the ages of eighteen and their early thirties, and as the most youthful generation, they are finding it much harder than their predecessors to either find jobs and to keep them. In addition, even after they get these jobs, their style of doing their work is much different from the way the baby boomers did things. This has come to raise questions concerning the attitudes towards work that is displayed by the baby boomer and the millennial generations.

It is a fact that the leadership styles of the baby boomers and the millennials in the workplace are quite different from each other. Each of these generations tends to have different ways of dealing with situations which enable them to achieve the goals set by the organization for which they work. The baby boomer generation tends to be completely obsessed with the achievement of results no matter the cost incurred. Since most organizations are headed by baby boomers, the main drive of these institutions tends to be the making of a profit and this has led to conflict with the millennial generation, which is more conscious of the social responsibilities of the organizations for which they work. In matters of leadership, the baby boomers and the millennials tend to have a conflict when it comes to matters concerning integrity and ethics at the workplace. Many millennials believe that when the leadership of an organization ceases to implement the original goals of an organization and instead concentrates only at making a profit at any cost, then this leadership has ceased to be ethical and steps should be take to have such leadership removed. In order to be effective, the leadership of an organization has to have integrity and this means that they have to stick by what they regard to be ethically necessary or worthwhile. It is therefore necessary for an organization’s leadership to have certain coherence in matters of ethics, either between ethical values over time or between values and behavior. Millennials believe that leaders should ensure that their goals or objectives are harmonious with those of the organizations that they lead so that matters concerning ethics do not arise in the day to day running of the organization. Without leadership integrity in an organization, there can be no ethical leadership and this is because integrity and ethics are things which are inseparable especially when one is considering the running of an organization whose reputation depends on how its leadership is running it. While this is a fact, many millennials often find that their workplace is frustrating because many of the baby boomer managers tend not to show any sort of integrity at the workplace, often keeping the millennials in the background where they cannot be able to make their ideas heard or implemented.

Most organizations tend to have a corporate culture whose purpose is to govern the ways through which the people who work within the organization work, interact with one another, and work together towards the achievement of its goals. Furthermore, this culture is heavily influenced by the signs and symbols which an organization is recognized by and this determines the way the people who work within this organization behave, thus they are the embodiment of the organization’s culture. While this is the case, there has been a swift shift in the corporate culture of many organizations as the millennial generation has started going up the ranks of leadership in different organizations. While in the baby boomer generation, corporate culture was based on the formal interaction between employees, the millennial generation has influenced the introduction of a more informal atmosphere at the workplace. While there is still a shared language in many organizations, which is very important in the development of a corporate culture because language is the adhesive that holds a society together and without a common means of communication within the organization, then it would collapse, the way this language is communicated seem to have changed. It is a fact that each generation has its way of expressing itself and this is true of the baby boomer and millennial generations at the workplace, where the latter tend to express themselves in a way that many of the latter do not understand, and the reverse is also true. Furthermore, while the corporate culture in many organizations run by bloomers tends to separate work from their personal lives, in those run by millennials, the opposite is often the case. Millennials prefer working in an informal environment and this has enabled them to bring their work and personal lives together. It is therefore not a strange thing to find that most millennials prefer working from home than at the office. In most instances one will find that it is the baby boomers that prefer working at the office, since this favor keeping their work away from home. Although it is a very difficult thing to happen, the culture of a particular organization is subject to change and this has often come about because of the generational conflict between the millennial and the baby boomer generation. While this change does not come easily, it comes about when more of the latter generation retires and more of the millennial generation takes its place. This has caused the development of a culture where individuals are more attached to their work than previous generations. Millennials, despite their high attachment to their work are also quite strict concerning having time to themselves. Unlike the baby boomers, who would work long hours without going for breaks, millennials prefer working for a certain time and then afterwards do something else which is not work related.

All workplaces have many subcultures which interact with one another for the sake of the running of the achievement of the goals that have been set for the employees. Despite the fact that baby boomers and the millennials sometimes work within the same environment, these two generations do not always see eye to eye on many issues concerning work. Although this is the case in most instances, the two generations have been, out of necessity, forced to work together. Each of these generations have created its own characteristics and sense of identity and an example of this is within the workplace where employees can easily classify themselves socially according to their areas of specialization, membership in a particular union, and age. Although these generations may be diverse, each of them is developed for the purpose of furthering the goals of the organization through different means. In the baby boomer generation, people tended to have mentors in the workplace that would inspire and guide them through their careers. The millennial generation, on the other hand, tends to be extremely independent, preferring to navigate their own way through their career paths. They often see any advice from their bosses, who are more often than not, baby boomers, as being too paternalistic and unwanted. The workplace culture is slowly changing as the baby boomer generation is giving way, grudgingly, to the millennial generation and this is ensuring that the formal workplace environment is becoming informal. While many millennials, just like the baby boomers take their work extremely seriously, this seriousness tends to be accompanied by an informality which many baby boomers would find uncomfortable to work in. Baby boomers tend to take their work so seriously that everything that they do has to be done formally. In such instances where meetings are needed to clarify different things at the workplace, while baby boomers would prefer meeting in a boardroom for a fact to fact consultation, millennials prefer the use of technology to achieve the same goal. The latter have adopted new means of communication, such as social networking, and adapted to them so well that they have become a permanent part of their lives.

The baby boomers are a generation who were taught to function more as individuals than as teams at the workplace. They prefer working in a strictly structured environment with as little feedback as possible coming to them. This is in direct contrast to the millennial generations, who not only prefers working in teams, for greater efficiency, but also has a need for constant consultation with their managers. In order to better manage their workplaces, many of the baby boomer generation, to their credit, have come to adopt teamwork in order to be able to interact more with the millennial generation. This ensures that the employees are able to function as a team to achieve the aims of the organization. Working in teams is a means through which closer ties can be developed between the top management of an organization, who are often bay boomers, with its employees of the millennial generation. The close ties that are developed between these teams help in the reinforcement of the skills of the workforce in such areas as attitude, and knowledge. While previously, many baby boomers and millennials were wary of each other in the workplace, with the former feeling threatened by the possibility of being replaced, while the latter felt resentful because they felt that the baby boomers were not allowing them to advance at a pace which was suitable. It has come to be found that for the two generations to be able to work together there are certain factors, such as corporate culture and policy, the working environment and professional activities, which should not be seen as justifiable in the determination of the effectiveness of the task and responsibility. This has created the need for team building to ensure that the gap between the two generations has been bridged, so that each of them can be able to teach the other about what they know, to the benefit of both of them in doing their work. Team building between members of the baby boomer and the millennial generations at the workplace should be enforced entirely so that it can be incorporated as one of the compulsory norms and values of the institution's corporate culture. Furthermore, there has been the revelation that the skills such as communication skills, the ability to handle crisis and problems in the workplace, the traits of information sharing and motivation amongst workers between the two generations can be extremely helpful in making the workplace more efficient.

Leadership in the workplace is one of the areas where the baby boomers and the millennials have both major differences and similarities about. Both of these generations believe in strong leadership in the workplace to ensure that all the employees are able to effectively implement what their leader wants. This enables the employees within an organization to know exactly what their leader wants and exactly how that leader wants it done and these employees are able to completely focus on the achievement of their leader’s vision. It is a common belief among workers of both generations that the leader that shows integrity in his work and in his vision will definitely inspire his subordinates to follow his example in their own work and this will ensure that a high level of ethics are practiced within an organization because of the ethical leadership inspired by the integrity of the organization’s leader. However, the difference comes not on the area of strength but on how the leader is to present himself to the workers. Baby boomers believe that for a leader to be more effective, he or she has to not only show strength of character towards the workers, but should also remain aloof so that the latter can have the opportunity to do their own work properly. Furthermore, baby boomers in the workplace today believe that they are being overworked and are shown very little appreciation by their leaders. This has created a situation where many have become disgruntled and only continue to work not because they love the job, but because they need an income to maintain themselves. Millennials on the other hand believe in more interaction between the leader and the other workers in the workplace. Millennials have been raised in a culture where there is need to have employment which has meaning to an individual and this has encouraged them to seek more interaction with their supervisors at work. The need to have meaning in work has ensured that many millennials do not stay on one job for too long because of their endeavor to seek meaning and fulfillment, something that is often elusive if one is not determined to find it. It has therefore become a culture among millennials to be constantly learning from their superiors in the workplace in a bid to not only create a path for their own advancement, but also for the purpose of creating space for themselves in the management positions which are currently dominated by the baby boomer generation.

In conclusion, it can be said that while the baby boomers and the millennials may have different attitudes concerning work and the workplace, both of these generations’ attitudes have been formed from the environment within which they were raised. In fact, while the baby boomers may feel differently from the millennials, when it comes to work, it is a fact that a large majority of the millennials was raised by the baby boomers, and it is this environment which has formed their attitudes. Moreover, one would say that these two generations are not as different as many think because of the fact that one generation raised the other. This means that the attitude towards work that is displayed by the millennials, is in fact, the very same attitude that is held by many of the baby boomer generation, only the former are more open about these ideas than the latter. One would further go on to say that the only major difference between these generations is age, and the other differences would not be there had there not been an economic recession which forced both generations to compete for work.

Performance Appraisal

Performance Appraisal is the estimation of how the employees of an organization have performed over a certain period as well as to gain an understanding of how these employees work. It is a process through which an organization’s employees are assessed to ensure that they work in conformity with its goals. The appraisal is conducted as part of the performance management process of the organization because how it is handled is what determines whether the organization is able to achieve its goals or not. It can further be said that a performance appraisal is an assessment and discussion of how an employee has performed in his or her work and this assessment is based purely on performance and not on the characteristics that a re displayed by the individual employee. This process helps in the measurement of the skills that have been displayed and the things which an employee has accomplished with as much accuracy and uniformity as possible.

The understanding that is developed by the employee’s supervisor enables him to determine the abilities of individual employees and this ensures that they are placed in positions within the organization which will further its growth and achievement of its goals. Furthermore, it is designed to help the employers determine the areas whose performance needs to be enhanced as well as ensuring that the employees are provided with the opportunities that are necessary for the promotion of their professional growth. This process is done in methodical ways which gives the supervisors the opportunity to measure the payments that are made to their employees in comparison to the aims and objectives of the organization. Performance appraisal also gives the supervisors the opportunity to make an analysis of the factors that determine how the employees perform over a certain period. It is a system which helps the management of an organization to be in a position where it is able to provide guidance to its employees towards a path which will lead to their performing better in their jobs.

While performance appraisal can be considered to be an immensely important tool for that can be used by supervisors to gain an understanding of the people who work under them, it is not necessarily the only one. This process has to be augmented by the supervisors ensuring that there are open lines of communication available to employees throughout that ensure that there is an understanding which helps in the determination of a good and effective working relationship. When conducting a performance appraisal, the supervisor must ensure that each employee is given an appraisal that is thoughtful and careful so that an accurate assessment can be made. In order for a performance appraisal to be successful, the supervisor must display a willingness to conduct an appraisal that is both constructive and objective. In addition, the employee must display a willingness to take positively all the suggestions that are made to him or her, and to be able to work with the supervisor to achieve the goals of their organization.

A performance appraisal is a process that is conducted once every year by a supervisor to evaluate the performance of all the employees that work under him. There might arise cases where an employee may have changed jobs within the period before the appraisal and in such cases, both of the supervisors of this employee during his period have to make a submission of his or her performance so that a fair appraisal can be made. During this process, the most up to date job description of the employee on file is evaluated by the employee and their supervisor and if it is found to be necessary, this description can be revised. The process also involves a review of the salary increase to which each employee is entitled and this tends to be subject to the approval of the administration. The basis upon which this increment is allocated is that of the merit of the employee’s performance and its aim is to reward the top performers within the organization as a match for their contributions. 

In many organizations, the performance appraisal is part of the annual activities that have to be conducted. However, in many cases, the role that is given to the supervisor as judge tends not to be taken lightly and it is in fact heartily disliked by many supervisors. This is due to the fact that many of the supervisors involved tend to hold the fate of their employees in their hands during this process, something which can be disastrous for both parties involved. Many of the supervisors who conduct the performance appraisal tend to be influenced more by the recent actions of the employees than that of the entire period of the appraisal. Since most of the information gathered by the supervisor is based on recent memory, it is often difficult to create a true picture of an employee’s performance. One would go as far as to say that the appraisal process is flawed because it lacks the objectivity needed to judge the employees fairly.

It is common practice in many organizations for the supervisors to put off conducting performance appraisals for their employees because of their discomfort over being the judge of the level of their employees’ performance. This, in the process, ensures that many of the performance appraisals are often long overdue and this creates a situation where the employees become resentful of their supervisors. Many employees often feel that their supervisors are denying them the right of receiving a well deserved pay increment since the annual pay rises of the employees tend to be tied to how well they performed in their appraisals. The performance appraisal is subject to many complications some of which include inaccuracy of the information concerning employees. This is because of the fact that many of the decisions made by the supervisors as judges is often from recent memory and it fails to put into account the performance of individual employees throughout the period, usually a year. To avoid any conflict with the employees, supervisors end up assessing them favorably and not according to their real performance, ensuring that there is a flaw in the day to day running of the organization.

Understanding the Global Community - Liberalism/Neoliberalism

Milton Friedman on CSR

One of the most fundamental views proposed by Milton Friedman is that a business manager has to make sure that profits are maximized. This is supposed to be conducted in such a way that promotes the objectives of shareholders. These views, while quite important for the achievement of business goals, have been criticized because of the belief that Friedman basically aims at narrowing the moral attitude of a business manager to concentrate on profit maximization instead of applying the virtues of management practices. In this paper, there will be an analysis of the criticisms leveled at Friedman and the manner through which his stance can be defended.

One of the criticisms leveled at Friedman’s stance is that it promotes the idea that profit should be the motivating factor of business managers. An argument that has been made in response to this stance is that managers should always seek to make sure that they are able to advance the ideals and ideas affecting their enterprises rather than seeking to achieve profits (Wight & Calkins, 2008). Profit maximization does not necessarily account for the motivation of the manager towards the achievement of business objectives. Instead, it promotes a situation where there is a drive towards profit maximization without considering the consequences of their actions. Under such circumstances, the manager does not have the behavioral motivation aimed at not only promoting the interests of the business, but also those of the people that contribute to it; especially its stakeholders (Arrow, 1973). Another criticism that has been made concerning Friedman’s stance is that it fails to consider that there are a number of motives, other than making profits, which inform the desire of individuals to participate in business. The achievement of a successful business is not just based on the making of profits, but also ensuring that there is the advancement of inspirational sentiments as well as the motivation that is brought about within the institution. A result of this situation is that it becomes possible for an organization to achieve success without concentrating only on profit making.

Another criticism of Friedman’s model is based on the fact that there are a large number of alternatives to it. Therefore, rather than being perfect, it is a model that essentially has a considerable number of alternatives that could work better than it. When it comes to entrepreneurship, managerial motivations are not necessarily the only determinants of the success of a business (Wight & Calkins, 2008). This is because success often involves a situation where there is the advancement of such ideas as risk taking and the desire to build the business in such a way that it is able to achieve its goals. The actualization of management objectives is fundamental in bringing about a successful business, but it cannot be the only motivation because without such input as risk taking and the protection of stakeholder interests, a business cannot hope to thrive. Moreover, there is also a need to develop means through which rivalries can be handled and this is in such a way that ensures that there is the creation of tactics that keep the business ahead of others (Arrow, 1973). This is especially the case where there is a need to make sure that the business is successful through keeping ahead of rivals, because staving off rivalries helps businesses come to terms with themselves, especially their strengths and weaknesses. Through such knowledge, they can work towards the improvement of products so that they can remain competitive. This is a situation, it is argued, that is not factored in by Friedman’s model.

Moreover, Friedman is also criticized for not factoring in the inspirational components of business practice. This is especially considering that while Friedman explains that motivated self-interest is an essential factor when among managers when it comes to maximization of profits. However, this factor can also end up being a mask for the greed that the managers have because profit alone as an aim can end up making managers make some very unethical decisions (Wight & Calkins, 2008). Therefore, under such circumstances, managers could end up promoting the corporate social responsibility (CSR) not because they are motivated to do so, but because they would likely to make sure that there is the advancement of the reputation of the business. This is especially considering that a manager could make use of corporate social responsibility as a mask for the organization so that it can end up aiding in an increase in productivity, customer loyalty, and finally, profitability. There is, under such circumstances, a failure to consider the ethical responsibility that the business has towards its stakeholders because managers only consider CSR as a means towards an end rather than as an end in itself (Arrow, 1973). Such a failure can end up being disastrous for a business because it only inspires profit making while not really caring about the welfare of stakeholders who actually make the contributions to its profits.

Despite the arguments above, there are cases where Friedman’s views can be defended. One of the most significant aspects of businesses is that they often undergo pressure from shareholders to make sure that they make profits. This is especially the case when it comes to meeting set profit targets because managers are often under considerable pressure to perform. Therefore, an organization ends up developing a culture of profit maximization using any of the means that are available to it. A result is that the business ends up being able to ensure that it undertakes those initiatives aimed at making it more successful through the advancement of profit making for the sake of securing the welfare of all its members. Moreover, it becomes possible to make sure that there is the advancement of means to ensure a positive outcome from its activities because without profits, organizations end up not being considered successful and are at risk of collapse. Friedman is therefore correct because he proposes that the making of profits should be the ultimate goal of any business and managers should be geared towards making this objective become a reality.

In conclusion, Milton Friedman has been criticized for promoting a model that pushes managers towards profit maximization. These criticisms are based on the argument that businesses should do more to ensure that they protect the interests of all stakeholders rather than only shareholders. While this ethical argument is pertinent, Friedman can be considered to be correct in his assumption that the main purpose of business is to promote the making of profit. Shareholders often hold managers responsible for making profits, meaning that it is essential for them to make sure that they make the businesses as profitable as possible through any means necessary, including the use of CSR.

References

Arrow, K. J. (1973). Social responsibility and economic efficiency. Public Policy, 21(3), 303-317.

Wight, J. B., & Calkins, M. (2008). The ethical lacunae in Friedman's concept of the manager. Journal of Markets and Morality, 11(2).