Child and Young Person Development Essay Example

Child and Young Person Development Essay Contribute to the Support of Child and Young Person Development 1. 2 Identify different observation methods and know why they are used There are four different methods of observing a child within the nursery and they are; naturalistic, structured, longitudinal and snapshot. Naturalistic observations are observations of children which are carried out in the child’s usual surroundings. The observation allows the child to carry out tasks which they would normally carry out without any structuring being attempted by the practitioner observing the child. Structured observations are the opposite of naturalistic. This is when the practitioner has specifically set up a particular activity in order to observe how a child carries out a specific task. For example, an obstacle course could be created to observe a child’s balance and co-ordination, or a painting activity to observe a child’s fine motor skills, or seeing if a child can successfully use inset boards to observe their mathematic development. Longitudinal observations are when you have settled into a pattern of regularly observing the children in your care and recording your findings, you will begin to build up  longitudinal  records of observation, as your findings will show how the children in your care change and progress over a lengthy period of time. Each child’s set of records and observations will be their  longitudinal  record which will enable the important adults in their lives, namely you, their key worker, and their parents, to identify the important milestones and achievements in their lives. We will write a custom essay sample on Child and Young Person Development specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Child and Young Person Development specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Child and Young Person Development specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As the name suggests, snapshot observation involves trying to achieve a ‘snapshot’ of how a child is behaving at any given period of time. For example, a snapshot observation of how a child reacts immediately after their parent has dropped them off may be helpful in trying to deal with a child who is clingy and difficult to settle.

George Washington school

George Washington school George Washington is one of the schools belonging to Elizabeth Public schools. The school has a vision that guides its employees and students. In 2011, the school adopted some of the strategies that would help it perform well in the education sector.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on George Washington School specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The vision of the school is that it will one day become a leading public school in the American nation. From the vision statement of George Washington School, it is evident that a vision serves to foster development in the school. Scholars observe that a vision is defined a blueprint that helps the school community to engage the locals in development. Through a vision, the goals and objectives of the school are developed. A vision is very important in convening the needs of students, as well as the management. Whenever a decision is made at the school level, the vision of the school is always reflected. This is because a vision offers an opportunity to policy makers to join forces with other stakeholders, such as parents. The vision of the school is put into operation through continuous assessment of various programs. This is done through championing for open communication among various stakeholders. To put into operation the stewardship of the vision, it is advisable that the school management should foster integration of students into mainstream society, but at the same time respect cultural diversity. In this regard, it should be noted that it is a complex process to develop the vision of the school. Therefore, the management should incorporate each stakeholder into the process of formulating the vision to avoid conflicts. Scholars observe that the vision would only be preserved when people are allowed to share the principles, attitudes, purposes, and objectives that guide their actions. The main abilities of the leader are to guide and supervise the activi ties of the school.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More District School Goals and Objectives Through the process, it was observed that transformational leadership is needed to improve the performance of the school. Transformational leadership is defined as a type of leadership that uses motivation to enhance the performance of employees. Leadership is a process where an individual (a leader) offers guidance to a group of individuals (followers) in an organizational structure. Leadership is one of the most important factors in any organization. Leadership and management share a number of attributes, but they differ in various fronts. Transformational leadership, as the name suggest, provides a completely new path to approaching various issues in an organization. It provides an insight the employees. One of the main aims of a transformational leader is to create a completely new a pproach in managing various issues within the organization. This is what the current world demands a firms. Emerging technologies are changing various approaches of management. The emerging trends need new approaches that can be used to provide a way in which they can be managed differently. Through transformational leadership, students would be given an opportunity to present their views before major decisions affecting them academically and emotionally are made. In particular, students will be consulted before introducing new learning materials. For instance, the school will come up with ways through which the needs of children with special needs would be convened. This demands extensive consultation because the support of each stakeholder is needed to fulfill this objective. In class, the management will discuss with teachers on how to differentiate the instructional plans. Many students perform dismally because their interests are never considered when designing existing lesson plans.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on George Washington School specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Transformational leadership would offer an opportunity of formulating policies that aim at convening the interests of all students. To ensure sustainability, the management would come up with both long-term and short-term policies. The staff will be taken through continuous training on matters related to leadership. This would be a long-term policy aimed at ensuring that the transformational leadership is adopted fully. As a way of ensuring continuity, the policies designed would be implemented in bits. A number of things would be done differently. For instance, the decision-making processes would be adjusted to suit the new form of leadership. Moreover, consultation and peaceful resolution of conflicts would be advocated among various stakeholders. Parents would be given sufficient time to express their views before fin al decisions is formulated. Teaching and Learning The main aim of the school is convene the needs of all students. In the school, there are various categories of students. There are gifted students, as well as students with special needs. The school has developed a program aimed at identifying the needs of all students. The school encourages interaction between students and teachers. In particular, students with special needs are given individualized care whereby the teacher ensures that their concerns are addressed amicably. For instance, children with hearing problems are given special lessons whereby the teacher can use instruction materials designed specifically to cater for their needs. The teacher ensures that students with hearing impairments are taken through the course content procedurally. The teacher avoids the use of verbal language and instead impresses the facial language. It is known that students with hearing problems follow the lips of the teacher. For gifted studen ts, they are given extra work after completing the allocated assignment.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This makes them busy because their rate of comprehension cannot be compared to that of an ordinary student. Through differentiated instruction, the needs of students are met. For teachers, the management ensures that they are given freedom to interact with students freely. Their needs are catered for through their union, which represents them whenever a crisis emerges. The development of the staff is productive because a trained workforce is effective and efficient. It is effective because it understands what the students want. Since it takes less time to pass information to students, it is said to be efficient. National and state standards act as the blueprint meaning that offer guidance to teachers and other stakeholders. Analysis helps in improving the performance of the school economically and academically. Through analysis, some programs are eradicated. Moreover, others are adjusted while others are formulated. Community Action Plan The family is the primary socializing agent m eaning that it is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the child is given the much needed care and advice. The community moulds the behavior of the child through its laws and regulations. The community and the family unit play a critical role in ensuring that the child excels in academics. Families with excellent reading culture would influence the child positively while those with poor reading culture would influence the reading behavior of the child negative. Similarly, a community that cares for its members would support children to do well in class while those that value individual interests would not care about the performance of children. The communication between the school and the community is positive because the management would always brief parents before introducing new programs. Parents are supportive because they provide necessary learning materials whenever they are called upon to play their part. The school has a culture that respects diversity. This is w hy parents are always supportive. By offering an alternative leadership, which respects each person’s opinion, the communication between the school management and the community would be improved.

The Roman King L. Tarquinius Priscus According to Livy

The Roman King L. Tarquinius Priscus According to Livy Like the reigns of the kings of Rome who preceded L. Tarquinius Priscus (Romulus, Numa Pompilius, Tullius Ostilius, and Ancus Marcius), and those who followed him (Servius Tullius, and L. Tarquinius Superbus), the reign of the Roman King L. Tarquinius Priscus is shrouded in legend. The Story of Tarquinius Priscus According to Livy An Ambitious CoupleProud Tanaquil, born to one of the foremost  Etruscan families in Tarquinii (an Etrurian city northwest of Rome) was unhappy with her rich husband, Lucumo not with her husband as a man, but with his social status. On his mothers side, Lucumo was Etruscan, but he was also the son of a foreigner, a Corinthian noble and refugee named Demaratus. Lucumo agreed with Tanaquil that their social status would be enhanced if they moved to a new city, like Rome, where social status wasnt yet measured by genealogy. Their plans for the future seemed to have divine blessing or so thought Tanaquil, a woman trained in at least rudimentary arts of Etruscan divination,* for she interpreted the omen of an eagle swooping down to place a cap on Lucumos head as the gods selection of her husband as a king. Upon entering the city of Rome, Lucumo took the name of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus. His wealth and behavior won Tarquin important friends, including the king, Ancus, who, in his will, appointed Tarquin guardian of his children. Ancus ruled for twenty-four years, during which time his sons almost grew up. After Ancus died, Tarquin, acting as a guardian, sent the boys on a hunting trip, leaving him free to canvass for votes. Successful, Tarquin persuaded the people of Rome that he was the best choice for king. * According to Iain McDougall, this is the only truly Etruscan trait Livy mentions in connection with Tanaquil. Divination was a mans occupation, but women could have learned certain common basic signs. Tanaquil may otherwise be viewed as a woman of the Augustan age. The Legacy of L. Tarquinius Priscus - Part ITo garner political support, Tarquin created 100 new senators. Then he waged war against the Latins. He took their town of Apiolae and, in honor of the victory, started the Ludi Romani (Roman Games), which consisted of boxing and horse racing. Tarquin marked out for the Games the spot that became the Circus Maximus. He also established viewing spots, or fori (forum), for the patricians and knights. ExpansionThe Sabines soon attacked Rome. The first battle ended in a draw, but after Tarquin increased the Roman cavalry he defeated the Sabines and forced an unequivocal surrender of Collatia. The king asked, Have you been sent as envoys and commissioners by the people of Collatia to make the surrender of yourselves and the people of Collatia? We have. And is the people of Collatia an independent people? It is. Do you surrender into my power and that of the People of Rome yourselves, and the people of Collatia, your city, lands, water, boundaries, temples, sacred vessels all things divine and human? We do surrender them. Then I accept them.Livy Book I Chapter: 38 Soon he set his sights on Latium. One by one, the towns capitulated. The Legacy of L. Tarquinius Priscus - Part IIEven before the Sabine War, he had started to fortify Rome with a stone wall, Now that he was at peace he continued. In areas where water couldnt drain he built drainage systems to empty into the Tiber. Son-in-lawTanaquil interpreted another omen for her husband. A boy who may have been a slave was sleeping when flames surrounded his head. Instead of dousing him with water, she insisted he be left untouched until he woke of his own accord. When he did, the flames disappeared. Tanaquil told her husband that the boy, Servius Tullius would be a light to us in trouble and perplexity, and a protection to our tottering house. From then on, Servius was raised as their own and in time was given Tarquins daughter as wife a sure sign that he was the preferred successor. This angered the sons of Ancus. They figured the odds of their winning the throne were greater if Tarquin were dead than Servius, so they devised and carried out Tarquins assassination. With Tarquin dead from an ax through the head, Tanaquil devised a plan. She would deny to the public that her husband was mortally wounded while Servius would carry on as the king pro-temp, pretending to consult with Tarquin on various issues. This plan worked for a while. In time, word spread of Tarquins death. However, by this time Servius was already in control. Servius was the first king of Rome who was not elected. Kings of Rome 753-715 Romulus715-673 Numa Pompilius673-642 Tullus Hostilius642-617 Ancus Marcius616-579 L. Tarquinius Priscus578-535 Servius Tullius (Reforms)534-510 L. Tarquinius Superbus

The Patriot Act Impact on Law Enforcement Research Paper

The Patriot Act Impact on Law Enforcement - Research Paper Example Law enforcement is an integral part of ensuring the security of the US public is restored. This is because they are responsible for enforcing the policies recommended to restore the security of the country after this attack. The correction system also plays a crucial role in ensuring the security of a country is maintained. The security of citizens of a country is high up on the priority list of any nation. This is not any different for the US. After the devastating attacks of September 11, the American government was made to realize that measures needed to be taken to make certain that a repeat of the attacks does not occur on American soil. In order to restore security and treasure that the American public of their security, President George W. Bush signed an act into law that would significantly influence the security policies of the country. The patriot act was created in order to ensure that the intelligence community and law enforcement agencies were empowered by law, to combat acts of terror rather than be held back by it. The act reduced the restrictions that affected the intelligence agencies while gathering information on terrorist threats against the US. The act also expanded the mandate of the secretary in the treasury department to have the authority to have power over the financial transac tions, mostly those that involved individuals from foreign nationalities, and entities in order to make it difficult for terrorism to be funded within US soil. The act also aimed to strengthen its border security and control immigration to prevent the percolation of terrorists into the country (Bailie, 2012). They empowered the immigration authority to detain entrants who were suspected of having any link to terrorism. The authorities were also allowed to deport the individuals who could pose a terrorist threat to the country. This provision will ensure that terrorist elements a rode from the American population ensuring their safety.  

Issues In Policing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Issues In Policing - Essay Example The justice department issues a directive that the so called â€Å"bad apple syndrome† whereby we blame the problems plaguing the police force on a few bad elements is misguided. Consent decrees require that police are held accountable for their actions whether they are at work or anywhere else. They can also be referred to as settlement agreements, consent judgments or stipulated agreements. A consent decree originates from an order given by a judge, which expresses a voluntary agreement by all the individuals involved in a lawsuit or case. Consent decrees arise when the participating parties want to avoid a court trial. Court trials can be long, tiresome and expensive, however, consent decrees are issued because of their ability to obtain results are similar to a court trial (The United States Department of Justice, 2014). Consent decrees can also arise due to the following reasons. There are no financial costs incurred (legal fees) because both parties forgo a trial. A trial is unpredictable, and both parties try to avoid the uncertainties surrounding a court trial. It is good because the necessity of proof and guilt is not required. Consent decrees are mostly favored because the parties involved have control over the remedial plan. They allow both parties to decide on how best to remedy their issues. Consent decrees allow them to implement their agreements voluntaril y rather than by force, and since they hold the same outcome as a court trial, any disregard for the decree is seen more as a violation of the law. It is because the parties involved are bound by the consent decree. A pattern of practice refers to a lawsuit. It is whereby a plaintiff attempts to show that the accused individual(s) or defendants have systematically engaged in prejudiced activities. The plaintiff must provide proof to show that the defendant`s behavior forms a pattern within the routine practices (Pallitto & Weaver, 2007). Discriminatory activities

Christian Worldview Essay Example for Free

Christian Worldview Essay Worldview Part I What is a worldview? â€Å"A worldview, is a response of our heart or inner being; our intellect, emotion or will. It is the total framework we bring to decision-making† (Weider Gutierrez, 2011, p.51). An example is the Christian worldview. The way we as Christians behave should be in direct correlation with the teachings of Jesus as to how we should live our lives. People who hold to the Christian worldview should act as if everything they do matters. Many Christians these days do not act in a consistent manner to what their worldview is (Keener). Part II The question of Origin, Genesis 1:1 (ESV Bible) shows God creating the heavens and the earth in the beginning. â€Å"God is the infinite, personal, sovereign and good being who created the universe† (Lefebvre, 2011). Isaiah 45:18 (ESV Bible) describes how God created the heavens and formed the earth and create it and intended it to be inhabitated. The question of Identity- Genesis 1:27(ESV Bible) God created man in His own image. Psalm 139:14(ESV Bible) I am fearfully and wonderfully made. It is because we are made in God’s image that sets us apart from all other aspects of creation. This identity with God bestows upon us great distinction. We have to understand as clearly as possible what it means to be created in the image and likeness of God (Naugle, 2010). The Question of Meaning/Purpose- We as Christians believe that our purpose is to do the will of God. John 15:16(ESV Bible) we are appointed to go and bear fruit. In Matthew 28:19(ESV Bible) we are commanded to go and make disciples. Through-out the Bible, God has charged us with being the salt of the earth and light of the world, He has commanded us to go and compel them to come so that his house may be filled. As we can see our main purpose is to live a life that exemplifies Christ and leads others to Him. The Question of Morality- Romans 5:12-14(ESV Bible) sin entered the world. Romans 3:23(ESV Bible) we all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. God is the ultimate standard of morality and because of the depravity of man we cannot live up to His standard, thus needing redemption through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. The Question of Destiny- it is clear throughout the Bible about our final destination. John  3:16-17, John 5:13-14 (ESV Bible) and many other verses in the Bible make it clear that if we do not put our faith and trust in God and accept the gift of salvation that we will not spend eternal life with Him but rather burn in the lake of fire. God also makes it clear that the gift of salvation cannot be earned Eph. 2:8-9. Part III A biblical worldview should influence the way you think about, treat, and speak to others on a daily basis because we should treat people how we would want to be treated, Matthew 7:12 (ESV Bible). If we are to believe that God created us in His likeness and He commands us to go out and make disciples for Him then we would have to also believe that we should think, treat and speak to others in a Christ like manner on a daily basis. To not do so would make us as Christians look hypocritical in the eyes of non-believers. †¦.treat/interact with the environment and non-human creation? In Genesis 1:26(ESV Bible) God commands us to have dominion over the earth and subdue it. This does not mean that we can ravage the land and kill all the creatures on it. We are to be stewards of what God has given us and that includes the earth and the creatures on it. References Keener, D. (n.d.). What is a worldview?. Retrieved from http://www.dkeener.com/keenstuff/wv.html Lefebvre, M. (2011, April 02). Worldviews-christian. Retrieved from http://warrantedbelief.wordpress.com/2011/04/02/worldviews-christianity/ Naugle, D. (2010, February 14). Developing a biblical worldview. Retrieved from http://www.colsoncenter.org/the-center/columns/indepth/14423-developing-a-biblical-worldview Tackett, D. (n.d.). Whats a christian worldview?. Retrieved from http://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/christian_worldview/whats_a_christian_worldview.aspx Weider, L., Gutierrez, B. (2011). Consider. Virginia Beach: Academic Publishing Services, Inc.

Free King Lear Essays: Comic Relief :: King Lear essays

Comic Relief in King Lear Combining the antics of a circus with the pomp of a royal court is a difficult task indeed. William Shakespeare's genius came from how closely he intertwined the two seemingly mutually exclusive realms to appeal to all socioeconomic groups in his audience. In King Lear, Edgar's appearance as Tom of Bedlam, Lear's insanity, and Lear's Fool provide the comic relief which slices the dramatic tension. Among these, Lear's Fool provides the closest intercourse of the two realms of royalty and tomfoolery while still maintaining their separation. Fools, as I understand them, were kept by kings as entertainment devices prior to the advent of television. Lear's Fool, how-ever, transcends the role as entertainer to assume the role of both Ann Landers and Jim Davis. Particularly intriguing to me are his witticisms and humorous tidbits which interweave foreshadowing, practical advice, humor, and characterization into a succinct, meterical saying. The Fool begins by offering his jester's cap to Kent, saying that if Kent is to follow Lear, he had better have a coxcomb, insinuating the folly of following Lear. He goes on to say that "if I gave my daughters all my property," I'd have to keep a coxcomb. The Fool is quick to juxtapose his comment against his statement that he does not have a "monopoly" on foolishness. The Fool further points out the presence of a "wise man and a fool" without saying who is who, and he criticizes Lear for "going the fools among," implying that Lear is usurping the Fool's position as one prone to lapses of judgment and sheer stupidity. He tacitly insinuates through his actions and statements that he is among the company of fools, which provides the hint of foreshadowing the audience needs to know that Lear is losing his wits. The Fool also uses argument by analogy several times. He first relates Lear to a hedge sparrow which feeds cuckoo babies, which then bit the sparrow's head off. The Fool also relates empty egg shells to Lear and his crown. Shakespeare's unique touch comes in the double meaning of the egg shells. The Fool says that Lear is left with two empty egg shells for a crown, but he also implies that Lear's head is like an empty egg, related most clearly in the comparison of the color of Lear's head to the color of an egg. Free King Lear Essays: Comic Relief :: King Lear essays Comic Relief in King Lear Combining the antics of a circus with the pomp of a royal court is a difficult task indeed. William Shakespeare's genius came from how closely he intertwined the two seemingly mutually exclusive realms to appeal to all socioeconomic groups in his audience. In King Lear, Edgar's appearance as Tom of Bedlam, Lear's insanity, and Lear's Fool provide the comic relief which slices the dramatic tension. Among these, Lear's Fool provides the closest intercourse of the two realms of royalty and tomfoolery while still maintaining their separation. Fools, as I understand them, were kept by kings as entertainment devices prior to the advent of television. Lear's Fool, how-ever, transcends the role as entertainer to assume the role of both Ann Landers and Jim Davis. Particularly intriguing to me are his witticisms and humorous tidbits which interweave foreshadowing, practical advice, humor, and characterization into a succinct, meterical saying. The Fool begins by offering his jester's cap to Kent, saying that if Kent is to follow Lear, he had better have a coxcomb, insinuating the folly of following Lear. He goes on to say that "if I gave my daughters all my property," I'd have to keep a coxcomb. The Fool is quick to juxtapose his comment against his statement that he does not have a "monopoly" on foolishness. The Fool further points out the presence of a "wise man and a fool" without saying who is who, and he criticizes Lear for "going the fools among," implying that Lear is usurping the Fool's position as one prone to lapses of judgment and sheer stupidity. He tacitly insinuates through his actions and statements that he is among the company of fools, which provides the hint of foreshadowing the audience needs to know that Lear is losing his wits. The Fool also uses argument by analogy several times. He first relates Lear to a hedge sparrow which feeds cuckoo babies, which then bit the sparrow's head off. The Fool also relates empty egg shells to Lear and his crown. Shakespeare's unique touch comes in the double meaning of the egg shells. The Fool says that Lear is left with two empty egg shells for a crown, but he also implies that Lear's head is like an empty egg, related most clearly in the comparison of the color of Lear's head to the color of an egg.

Diversity and Inclusion an Organization Emperical Study of Hul

ABSTRACT In the last few years, the focus of efforts in companies across the land has shifted from diversity to a focus on inclusion. This sea change has happened without fanfare and almost without notice. In most organizations, the word inclusion has been added to all the company's diversity materials with no explanation. This article is a short account of why this shift has happened and what it means. Probably the most widely-read article on diversity in organizations was Roosevelt Thomas's â€Å"From Affirmative Action to Affirming Diversity,† which appeared in the Harvard Business Review in 1990.Diversity, said Thomas, was no longer about complying with a legal mandate but about seeking to create a diverse workforce because it would be beneficial to the organization. Before 1990, most large companies had an Employment Equity and Affirmative Action Officer, usually a lower-level employee who worked in the bowels of the organization compiling statistics about how many employ ees were in targeted groups, eg, people of color and women. This project covers all the aspects of cross culture to the managing diversity by HUL. This project includes primary data analysis and the end of project recommendation also to be provided.Content Abstractii Signatory pageiii Topic approval letteriv Acknowledgmentv Approved thesis synopsisvii 1. Introduction 2. company profile 3. literature review 4. research methodology 5. finding and analysis 6. recommendation 7. CONCLUSION 8. Bibliography 9. annexure – questionnaire INTRODUCTION [pic] Today, at the beginning of the 21st century, the world is submerged in a wide range of demographic trends which have the potential to radically change the demographic, cultural and ethical mixture of the population in many countries within just a few decades.Top managers often say that their company's people are its most important asset. In a tight job market and a global economy a company that puts people first – regardless o f their race, religion, gender, age, sexual preference, or physical disability – wins. Companies, especially big multinational players which have to deal with these changes, are growingly forced to react. Employees, once a homogenous group in many countries, are increasingly diverse and need to be integrated within and into working environments.Diversity can present an immense source of opportunities but it can also mean the opposite, a big threat. Diversity management is a managerial approach in response to these trends and can help companies to effectively and efficiently manage their personnel diversity, i. e. personnel made up of diverse and multifaceted people. The text argues that a diverse workforce can be regarded as an instrument of sales promotion, a marketing tool to induce customers to buy certain products or services.To be successful at creating workforce diversity program involves attracting and retaining the highest quality individuals in the talent pool. For t he HR professional it means looking beyond obvious recruitment methods and venues for good people, then learning how to manage human potential sensitively. It requires an ever-increasing awareness of how people from different backgrounds deal with authority, communication, overall business etiquette, and relate to their communities of affiliation. Promoting workforce diversity is a process that takes place in many stages and on many levels.It requires HR professionals first to recruit a competent and qualified staff, then to accommodate individual needs within the context of the work team and the organization. In today's world of cultural diversity, our business can't thrive unless we implement a workforce diversity initiative. Besides tapping into the unique abilities and talents of people from different backgrounds, we can improve our image in the community by opening up a place of business to anyone regardless of race, color, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability. What is diversity? Diversity to us means all aspects in which people differ from one another.This includes both the visible and relatively easily demonstrable personal characteristics such as gender, age and ethnicity, as well as the less visible personal characteristics, such as competencies, needs and wants, work styles and character traits. Each employee has his or her own, unique combination of such characteristics. Another definition describes diversity as creating high performing organizations through valuing and using all the talents of employees of different groups. Regardless of how diversity is defined, it is an issue that is sweeping the nation.If the corporate society does not address the issue by learning how to manage diversity, they will fail. â€Å"It is very helpful to suggest that diversity is not so much an end in itself as it is a condition of our society and the condition of the World in which we live. † Frank Wong Vice President for Academic Affairs Univ ersity of Redlan Diversity Management Managing diversity is one of the most important challenges faced by managers and their organizations. In today’s work environment, co-workers are likely to be of different gender, age, religion, cultural background, race and ethnicity.They also differ in terms of lifestyle, choices available, perspectives, attitudes, value system, beliefs, behaviors, expectations, skills and experiences. These issues are not just about discriminatory practices but they modify the nature and demands placed on leadership and management and bring into prominence the concept of diversity. How well or how prepared managers are able to invest in the concept of diversity will impact not just on work issues but also on sensitivity to customer’s needs, legal compliance, business’ ethical issues, profitability and even social cohesion.Diversity management is a strategic process to manage a diverse workforce-including the fight against stereotypes, pre judice and all kind of discrimination due to the individual perceptions and assumptions- in the manner to maximize the benefit and minimize barriers of different opinions, behavior and attitudes of human beings within a company. PRINCIPLES OF DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT [pic] Categorization of Diversity Management Diversity management can be divided into two categories- 1. The internal effect has an influence on organizational structural changes within the company. 2.The external effect concerns the environment of the company e. g. customers, stakeholders, suppliers etc. The concept of diversity management is extensive; there are various components of diversity as follows: Diversity of ethnicity, nationality and cultures Diversity of demography (gender, age and experience) Diversity of competencies (educational and professional backgrounds) Diversity of organizational functions and processes Diversity of networks (i. e. relationships and communications channels and/or patterns etc. ) Misce llaneous diversity (sexual preferences, occupational disabilities, i. . handicap or physical mobility, etc. ) Work Force as a challenge First, there is an increase in the cost of training. This increase comes from costs associated with seminars, programs and lectures given to promote diversity in the corporation. These types of training are given to all levels of staff within the organization. They teach employees others. These programs also teach one how to deal with conflicts and prejudice in a professional and civil manner. A disadvantage of diversity in the workplace is an increase in conflicts.Conflicts arise when two or more individuals or groups do not see eye to eye on a particular situation. In regard to diversity, conflicts arise largely due to ignorance. Prejudice feelings or derogatory comments cause a lack of acceptance. â€Å"This can produce negative dynamics such as ethnocentrism, stereotyping and culture clashes†. The most common conflict comes from one feeli ng superior. If management ignores such conflicts, the company's performance may suffer. If conflicts can be managed and controlled creativity and performance can be increased.Employers will work harder to gain acceptance by creating a solution or invention first. Increases in labor turnover and absenteeism are another disadvantage in having a diverse workplace. Research has shown that the turnover rate for African Ameri-Ongori and Agolla 075cans in the US workforce is 40 percent greater than whites. Another study by Corning Glass stated that between the years 1980 – 1987, the turnover rate for women in a professional job was two times higher than males. Women also have a 58 percent higher absentee rate than men.Yet, another study shows that a person, who is not a member of the â€Å"inner group†, will be one of the first to leave a company (White, 1999). Some research contradicts the idea that flextime reduces these rates; however absenteeism and turnover can cost a c ompany up to and over $3 million annually. Workforce diversity increases labor turnover and absenteeism in organizations on employee satisfaction and productivity. Employees who perceive themselves as valued members of their organization are harder working, involved, and innovative.Unfortunately, minority-group members often feel less valued than do majority-group members due to stereotyping, ethnocentrism, and prejudice. Mismanagement of diversity in the form of denied access or unfavorable treatment can have negative consequences, such as inhibiting workers' abilities and motivation. Work Force as an Opportunity Managing diversity can create a competitive advantage. Potential benefits of this diversity include better decision making, higher creativity and innovation, greater success in marketing to foreign and domestic ethnic minority communities, and a better distribution of economic opportunity.Organizations with a diverse workforce can provide superior services because they can better understand customers’ needs. Diversity enhances creativity and innovation (Adler, 1997; Jackson et al. , 1992), and produces competitive advantages. Why should we strive for diversity in personnel? An often heard argument to avoid having to put energy into diversity is that it only leads to misunderstanding, undesired formation of groups, communication problems and conflicts in the work force. When put like this, paying attention to diversity seems a useless investment.But demographic developments cannot be ignored. In situations like labor shortage, organizations cannot permit themselves to exclude a substantial part of the labor force. Diversity in personnel has different advantages pertaining to business economics: Attraction for a wider group of customers: more people can identify with the organization. This could increase your turnover; More creativity within the organization: diversity leads to innovative products and services, which is necessary to compete with other businesses; An improved business image: more people see you as an ’employer of choice’.Diversity covers a wide variety of issues, including communicating with employees, whose first language is not English, helping a diverse team cope with conflict, learning which rewards are valued by different groups, and dealing with discrimination. Managers can improve handling of diversity issues by following these eight behaviors. Embrace diversity: Successfully valuing diversity starts with accepting the principle of multiculturalism. Accept the value of diversity for its own sake — not simply because you have to. You need to reflect your acceptance in all you say and do.Recruit broadly: When you have job openings, work to get a diverse applicant pool. Avoid relying on referrals from current employees, since this tends to produce candidates similar to your present workforce. Select fairly: Make sure your selection process doesn’t discriminate. Particularly, ensure that selection tests are job-related. Provide orientation and training for minorities: Making the transition from outsider to insider can be particularly difficult for nontraditional employees. Sensitize all employees: Encourage all employees to embrace diversity.Provide diversity training to help all employees see the value in diversity. Strive to be flexible: Part of valuing diversity is recognizing that different groups have different needs and values. Be flexible in accommodating employee requests Seek to motivate individually: You need to be aware of the background, cultures, and values of employees. What motivates a si0ngle mother with two young children and who is working full time to support her family is likely to be different from the needs of a young, single, part-time employee or an older employee who is working to supplement his or her retirement income.Encourage employees to embrace and value diverse views: Create traditions and ceremonies that promote diversity . Celebrate diversity by accentuating its positive aspects. But also be prepared to deal with the challenges of diversity such as mistrust, miscommunication, and lack of cohesiveness, attitudinal differences, and stress. IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSE WORKFORCE Our Nation is made up of people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, customs and beliefs. It is those differences that contribute to the richness and strength of our society. Like our Nation, the workforce Is also becoming more and more diverse.As a result, in order to recruit, hire and retain the best people from every background and community, we must foster diversity in our workforce, manage it effectively, and value what it has to offer. A diverse workforce is critical for any organization that seeks to improve and maintain a competitive advantage. Focusing on diversity and looking for ways to achieve an inclusive environment is not just a â€Å"nice to have objective,† it makes a good business sense. A diverse workforce off ers greater productivity and a competitive edge.Diversity improves the quality of our workforce and offers a higher return on our investment in human capital. Our agency’s future depends on the quality of employees we recruit today. New employees often consider an organization’s diversity efforts when deciding whether to accept or reject an employment offer. Potential candidates are usually more attracted to employers that are committed to sustaining a diverse workforce. Moreover, diverse perspectives increase creativity as they offer different perspectives, ideas and solutions. BENFITSPeople have a lot of viewpoints and having people from many backgrounds and places in life brings a lot of those viewpoints into the mix. In some situations, a lot of viewpoints give us a lot of options. Plus, since there are many different viewpoints and environments in the workers, there are many opportunities for these different viewpoints to come into the planning of strategic initia tives, allowing the firm to serve a wider group of consumers and interests. The Various . advantages of having a diverse workforce are the following; 1.It helps motivating employees. 2. It enhances the innovation and creativity of employees. 3. It helps in reducing cost. 4. It creates flexibility in the organization. 5. Immediate access to problem solving. 6. Easy transfer of knowledge. 7. Better marketing structure. 8. Innovative work environment. 9. Immediate outcomes. 10. Fulfillment of social responsibility. 11. It helps attract and retain employees. Management of Diversity in leading INC’s A manager or the superior must be aware of the background, cultures, and values of employees.The motivation factors for a full time working mother to support her two young children are different from the needs of a young, single, part-time employee or an older employee who is working to supplement his or her retirement. COMPANY PROFILE Introduction Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), a 5 1%-owned subsidiary of Anglo-Dutch giant Unilever, has been prying its way into India since 1888. India's largest consumer goods company, HHL markets products such as beverages, food, and home and personal care goods. Its brands include Kwality Wall's ice cream, Lifebuoy soap, Lipton tea, Pepsodent toothpaste, and Surf laundry detergent.HUL markets atta (a type of meal), maize, rice, salt, and specialty chemicals, and its export division ships castor oil and fish. The company also sells bottled water and over-the-counter healthcare products. Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India's largest fast moving consumer goods company, with leadership in Home & Personal Care Products and Foods & Beverages. HUL's brands, spread across 20 distinct consumer categories, touch the lives of two out of three Indians. They endow the company with a scale of combined volumes of about 4 million tonnes and sales of Rs. 10,000 crores.The vision that inspires HUL's 32,400 employees (40,000 including Grou p Companies), including about 1,425 managers, is to â€Å"meet everyday needs of people everywhere – to anticipate the aspirations of our consumers and customers and to respond creatively and competitively with branded products and services which raise the quality of life. † This objective is achieved through the brands that the company markets. Business nature HUL is India's largest marketer of Soaps, Detergents and Home Care products. It has the country’s largest Personal Products business, leading in Shampoos, Skin Care Products, Colour Cosmetics, and Deodorants.HUL is also the market leader in Tea, Processed Coffee, branded Wheat Flour, Tomato Products, Ice cream, Soups, Jams and Squashes. HUL is also one of the country's biggest exporters and has been recognized as a Golden Super Star Trading House by the Government of India; it is a net foreign exchange earner. HUL is India's largest exporter of branded fast moving consumer goods. The company's Exports por tfolio includes HUL's brands of Soaps and Detergents, Personal Products, Home Care Products, Tea and Coffe Market leading brands HUL’s brands have become household names. The company’s strategy is to oncentrate its resources on 30 national power brands, and 10 other brands which are strong in certain regions. The top five brands together account for sales of over Rs. 3000 crores. Some of the big brands in Soaps and Detergents are Lifebuoy, Lux, Liril, Hamam, Breeze, Dove, (all soaps), Surf Excel, Surf, Rin, Wheel (the number one detergent brand in India, and HUL's largest), 501, Sunlight (all detergents). HUL also markets the Vim and Domex range of Home Care Products. In the Personal Products business, HUL's Hair Care franchises are Clinic, Sunsilk and Lux shampoos; the company markets Nihar oil.In Oral Care, the portfolio comprises Close-up and Pepsodent toothpastes and toothbrushes. In Skin Care, HUL markets Fair & Lovely Skin Cream and Lotion, the largest selling Sk in Care Product in India; a brand developed in India, it is now exported to over 30 countries. It has been extended as an Ayurvedic cream, an under-eye cream, a soap and a talc, in line with the strategy to take brands across relevant categories. The other major Skin Care franchises are Pond’s, Vaseline, Lakme and Pears. In Colour Cosmetics, HUL markets the Lakme and Elle-18 ranges.In Deodorants, the key brands are Rexona, Axe, Denim and Pond's, while the Talc brands are Pond's, Liril, Fair & Lovely, Vaseline and Lifebuoy. Axe and Denim are HUL’s franchises for Men’s toiletries. SWOT ANALYSIS OF HUL STRENGTHS: ? strong brand portfolio ? consumer understanding ? R ability ? distribution reach ? high quality manpower WEAKNESSES: ? Increased consumer spends on education, consumer durable, entertainment, travel, etc resulting in lower share of wallet for FMCG ? limited success in changing the eating habits of people complex supply chain configuration and unwieldy nu mber of stock keeping units (SKUs) with dispersed manufacturing locations ? price positioning in some categories that allows for low price competition and high social costs in the plantation business. OPPORTUNITIES: ? market and brand growth through increased penetration especially in rural areas ? brand growth through increased consumption depth and frequency of usage across all categories. ? upgrading consumers through innovation to new levels of quality and performance. ? emerging modern trade to be effectively used for introduction of more upscale personal care products. growing consumption in out of home categories. ? Positioning HUL as a sourcing hub for Unilever companies elsewhere and leveraging the latest IT technologies. THREATS: ? low-priced competition now being present in all categories ? grey imports ? spurious/counterfeit products in rural areas and small towns ? Changes in fiscal benefits and unfavorable prices in oils, tea commodity, etc. DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AT HUL Diversity and inclusion is about creating a work force that represents the global communities in which we live and work and ensuring an environment in which every individual’s contributions are valued.A diverse and inclusive environment challenges our way of thinking by bringing together a variety of talents, backgrounds and experiences, and serves as a catalyst for new ideas and innovation. Discovering and developing the best ways to make our differences work – for the good of our enterprise, our employees, our vendors and our communities – is an ongoing process. We believe that these contributions and differences drive our competitive business advantage, stimulate personal growth and ultimately create success for the company.In our most recent employee opinion survey, ConocoPhillips maintained a high level of satisfaction for creating an environment where people with diverse backgrounds can succeed. [pic] |2009 Global Diversity Metrics – HINDUSTAN U NILEVER | |  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leadership  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All Employees | |Women  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  12. 4%  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   23. % | |Non-U. S. Employees   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   12. 9%  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   33. 2% | |2 009 U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Statistics   | |  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Officials and Managers  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Professionals | |Women  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   15. 1%  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   28. %  Ã‚  Ã‚   | |Minorities  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   11. 9%  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã ‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   17. 7% | Our diversity and inclusion statement captures our commitment to creating an inclusive work environment. Managers and supervisors are instrumental in developing and progressing global diversity and inclusion initiatives. In 2008, this was reinforced and renewed by communication from our CEO to employees about the importance of enhancing our focus on people through four key areas: Development – Providing career-long learning and development opportunities that maximize every employee’s potential and performance. †¢ Retention – Valuing all employees’ contributions; and providing challenging and rewarding jobs, as well as competitive compensation that is linked to performance. †¢ Recruiting – Hiring the best talent from around the world to support our global operations. †¢ Global Outreach – Partnering with professional organiza tions that can both help us in how we approach diversity and provide us greater access to diverse talent in our recruiting efforts.Our businesses and corporate staffs incorporate People Plans into their five-year operating plans. These plans include the strategies and tactics that are needed to ensure the optimum workforce size and capability over time. We monitor the progress on our People Plans twice a year to help drive accountability. We review demographic information on nationalization, recruiting, attrition, promotion, and the identification and development of future leaders. These metrics plus the efforts taken are used to assess progress and ensure that operating plans are successfully executed.The results of these metrics and efforts are assessed and tied to the performance-based incentives for managers and supervisors. Employee network groups exist globally and play an important role toward achieving the company’s long-term diversity and inclusion objectives. Each g roup is sponsored by a senior executive and is empowered to determine their key activities, while also providing input for the company's diversity and inclusion programs. For example, in our Houston headquarters, networks are established to support women, people of African descent, Asian-Americans and Hispanics.These groups meet regularly to network, develop professional skills and support community activities. Beginning in 2009, employee network groups will be integrally involved in the company's recruiting activities. To provide further access to best practices, innovative thinking and talent, in 2009, the company has formed strategic partnerships with five diverse professional organizations representing the African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic, and female professional communities. Arrangements also have been established with six new diversity job boards.We anticipate that these partnerships and arrangements will increase our access to a more diverse talent pool, and will su pplement existing external relationships already maintained by our businesses around the world. Ethnic background of the workforce in the companies [pic] Additionally, employees have participated in external diversity programs in order to enhance their professional development, and cultivate new ideas and share them with their colleagues. In July 2008, interested employees ttended the Black Woman’s Leadership Summit, which offered a unique networking opportunity with global decision-makers, challenged attendees to further develop critical skills, and defined specific tools to use to assure their career success. The 2008 Asian Leadership Summit was attended by employees who gained insight into how global companies are leveraging and growing their Asian leadership talent. The Summit also highlighted Asia’s expanding markets and work force, and several speakers addressed how cultural traditions impact their professional and personal life.To help employees achieve balance between work and their personal health and well-being, ConocoPhillips offers a number of programs in different parts of the world, including: flexible work schedules, corporate wellness, educational assistance, local volunteer programs, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and family-friendly corporate events. Individual locations also provide other programs based on local employee needs and cultural expectations. As an example, to promote greater diversity, inclusion and work/life balance, the Australian business unit created a work environment that provides increased employment flexibility.The program includes flexible work schedules and paid maternity and paternity leave provisions, and has been successful in encouraging more women to consider engineering, geoscience and geodata roles. In late 2008, HUL was recognized by the HUL Government with the Business Achievement Award for Outstanding Workplace Flexibility and internally with a SPIRIT Award for their efforts to promote a m ore inclusive workplace. Hindustan Lever created Shakti, a direct-to-consumer sales distribution network to reach millions of consumers in remote villages in India.Shakti taps into women's self-help groups and has been successful for both the company and women entrepreneurs. Started in 2003, the Shakti network has grown to over 45,000 micro-entrepreneurs selling products in 100,000 villages in India. The model creates profitable micro-enterprise opportunities. Armed with micro-credit, women from self-help groups become Shakti Entrepreneurs: direct-to-home distributors in rural markets. This micro-enterprise offers low risks and steady returns. The products distributed are some of the country's most trusted brands of consumer goods, nd include a range of mass-market products especially relevant to rural consumers. The company invests resources in training the entrepreneurs, helping them become confident, independent businesswomen. A typical entrepreneur earns a sustained monthly inco me of US$60 on average. As most of these women live below the poverty line in extremely small villages, this earning is very significant, often doubling household income. Further, this income is totally incremental as a woman entrepreneur spends about five hours a week on this initiative without compromising other economic activities.The company provides regular support to the entrepreneurs by providing on-the job and classroom training. Various social activities like medical camps and education programs are run with the intention of increasing the credentials of Shakti Entrepreneurs in the village and enhancing the standard of life of the rural community. After its success in India, the model was replicated in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as Joyeeta and Saubhagya respectively, followed by a similar initiative in Vietnam, as strategic and long term cooperation between Unilever Vietnam Foundation and the Viet Nam Women Union.Hindustan Unilever also started in 2003 the Fair & Lovely Found ation, which aims at economic empowerment of women across India by providing information, resources and support in the areas of education, career and enterprise. It specifically targets women from low-income groups. The Foundation awards scholarships to women with aptitude, drive and the ambition to carve a place of pride for themselves in society who do not have the financial strength to realize their dreams. Since 2003, over 500 scholarships have been awarded to women from across India LITRATURE REVIEWThroughout the 1990's, diversity continued to be about the numbers of different kinds of people in the workforce as a whole and at each level. Diversity staffs tried to increase the number of people of color and women in their organizations. They saw this primarily as a hiring task. During that decade, the definition of diversity expanded. Diversity came to include many dimensions beyond gender and race: age, class, disability, ethnicity, family situation, religion, and sexual orient ation. Companies started to pay attention to their representation of all these groups.It became clear over the years that it was not enough to focus on hiring alone. It became important to retain â€Å"diverse† workers, as well. Some organizations were astonished to learn that after years of effort, they had fewer African Americans than they had earlier. Companies became aware that for the most part the upper ranks of their organizations remained heavily white and predominately male. These were the years when companies offered diversity awareness training and diversity skills training to help their newly diverse employees work well together.It's the culture Today, in the 2000's, as organizations try to retain diverse employees in their workforce, companies have started looking at the quality of these employees' experience in the organization. Do employees in all groups and categories feel comfortable and welcomed in the organization? Do they feel included and do they experien ce the environment as inclusive? To answer these questions, diversity staffs need to assess their environment and identify the barriers to inclusion, whether they are practices, policies, or the informal culture of the organization.Having identified barriers, the job of the diversity staff is to change the company culture and to create an inclusive workplace environment. Systems and policies As inclusion becomes the focus of diversity work, the attention switches to the systems, policies and practices of the company. Several systems influence the degree to which the climate is inclusive: †¢ Communications †¢ Work assignment †¢ Training and education †¢ Performance management †¢ Mentoring †¢ Coaching †¢ Hiring †¢ Career development †¢ Flexible work arrangements; and †¢ Managers' accountability.Companies that are known for their inclusive climate do not rely on the goodwill of their managers but work hard so that each organizational sy stem is equitable. Once barriers are identified, they take action to address them. Each system is analyzed to determine the degree to which it provides equitable access and benefits to all employees. Creating an inclusive environment: a case study Here is an example of how one company addressed inclusion issues. A division of an institute in the defense industry had the reputation of not being welcoming to women.For years, they had experienced difficulty in both hiring and retaining female employees at all levels but particularly in the highest ranks of management. For years they clung to the idea that what they needed to do was to hire two or three high-level women. But to their chagrin, as soon as they would hire a new high-level female executive, it seemed one of the other high-level women would resign. At first they explained these recurrent departures in terms of the personalities of the women – â€Å"She has family problems,† â€Å"She is too aggressive,† or â€Å"She is too timid. Gradually it dawned on them that these resignations were not about the women, they were about the culture and the organizational climate. This led to a whole new strategy. The director of the division created a Diversity Task Force to suggest and implement changes that would create a more inclusive workplace in order to support the efforts to recruit and retain women. The Task Force was supported with resources and time for its work. Guided by an organizational consultant and working in small action teams, they first conducted a series of focus groups to identify the issues and concerns of women in the division.Then they moved into action, devising a number of changes and short-term projects to address the important issues. As soon as a team implemented a change or completed a project, they took on another. Here are some of their accomplishments over the first two years: †¢ They created a buddy system for all new employees †¢ Senior Managers hos ted a series of lunches to meet lower-level women engineers and learn about their projects †¢ All brochures about the division were revised to include pictures of women †¢ They created a ebsite where articles about women in the workplace were posted †¢ They developed a special relationship with a women's engineering college, inviting students from that college to come on-site for field trips and setting up summer internships for women undergraduate engineers †¢ They instituted networking and professional development events for women †¢ Senior managers attended two training programs, â€Å"Men and Women Working Together† and â€Å"Flexibility. Two of their learnings about creating an inclusive climate were: 1) It doesn't take huge amounts of money to make significant progress; and 2) Changing an organizational culture is about doing many small things, not one or two big things. In reality, as this story attests, creating an inclusive environment is ab out a hundred small changes. As you look at your own organization, ask yourself: What are we doing, in ways large or small, to move from yesterday's diversity to today's need for inclusion?In a knowledge economy, it is people—not capital or market—who make all the difference. As talent occupies centre stage in the Indian workplace, managing and retaining manpower is becoming crucial to an organization's success. To achieve this, companies across sectors are focusing on some of the more critical HR practices. We identify 10 such trends: Leadership Development Creating a pipeline of leadership talent is key to a business' future growth.Peter Cappelli, the George W Taylor professor of management and director of the Center for Human Resources, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, says it is imperative for the top level of an organization to make leadership talent management a priority, and put its money into long-term plans, as opposed to short-term ones. If com panies are worried about their talent pipeline, they have to develop their people, says Cappelli.Also, good bench strength helps companies deal with volatility in labour supply. â€Å"Companies including Hindustan Unilever, Procter and Gamble and GlaxoSmithKline have been able to withstand attrition in key executives because they have always invested in developing leaders,† says P. Dwarakanath, president, National Human Resource Development Network. Experts say succession planning should not be seen in isolation, but as part of overall organizational development. Work-life BalanceNo company or employee has found the Holy Grail of balancing work and life, but that is a work in progress. However, multinationals, information technology (IT) and IT enabled services (ITeS) companies have been able to promote the balance between career, family and leisure-time better. Other sectors have also been increasingly promoting a work-life balance. Interestingly, most companies in India use benefits such as flexible timings, telecommuting, creche facilities and concierge services as an attraction and retention strategy. We are yet to fully buy into the fact that employees become more productive and remain motivated when companies allow them to have a life beyond work,† says Prabir Jha, global head, human resources, Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. Experts say companies should see the work-life balance as a business proposition since progressive companies carry business forward with employees and families. Inclusion and Diversity With higher numbers of Gen Yers joining the workforce in India at a time when companies across the world have an ageing workforce on their rolls, conflicts are to be expected. One of the challenges companies face today is resolving conflicts among different generations,† says Pavan Bhatia, executive director, human resources, PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt. Ltd. â€Å"An inclusive and diverse workforce is the future of the workplace,† he adds. Therefore, companies are investing both time and resources in ensuring that all age groups are comfortable working together. Organizations in India have also been focusing on making workplaces more representative.For companies such as ICICI Bank Ltd, Hindustan Unilever Ltd, Vedanta Resources, PepsiCo India, Shell Companies in India and Bharti Airtel Ltd, gender diversity has become a critical area of focus. â€Å"Diversity is a business imperative since it brings diverse skills, ideas and approach to an organization,† says Pallavi Tyagi, general manager, human resources, EI DuPont India Pvt. Ltd. Health and wellness The work culture at globalized workplaces involves long working hours, frequent travel, multitasking and tight deadlines—and all this often leaves employees mentally and physically stressed. Employees are increasingly grappling with lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol, which can be checked by regular monitor ing and a healthy lifestyle,† says A. Sudhakar, executive vice-president, human resources, Dabur India. Companies have begun to realize that healthy employees contribute to higher efficiency and productivity. Apart from medical benefits, companies are also offering yoga classes and health camps and have doctors on campus. HCL Technologies Ltd, for instance, like many other IT companies, has 24/7 medical facilities in all its centres.DuPont has an Intranet-based tool, which assesses an employee's health through a questionnaire and makes recommendations based on the scores. Right Skilling Right skilling, or matching jobs with a particular level of training rather than hiring overskilled workers, is gaining currency. Companies use this strategy to tide over a manpower supply crunch and to broaden their talent base. â€Å"You don't need an IITian to supervise a car maker's shop floor or a management graduate from a premier business school to sell soaps, which largely has been the case,† says T.V. Mohandas Pai, head, human resources, Infosys Technologies Ltd. Apart from IT and ITeS firms, organizations in the banking and financial services sector, too, have been increasingly hiring graduates and training them. The upside? Lower attrition rates and wage costs. Pai explains that when you have an over-qualified employee, it is very difficult to meet her aspiration levels and, therefore, the chances of the employee moving on to something more challenging are higher. Managing Solid Citizens Solid citizens† are the second-rung performers who make up 50-60% of employees in any organization. They are the backbone of any company. Although they contribute significantly to the company's overall performance, they don't have the potential to become leaders. â€Å"Unfortunately, most organizations focus on the 15-20% key talent at the expense of solid citizens,† says Dwarakanath. Organizations which neglect their solid citizens are doing this at their o wn peril, say experts.Unlike star performers who are potential leaders, and therefore more likely to move out of an organization faster, this group provides stability and bench strength to an organization. Experts say companies need to take a fresh look at solid citizens and invest time and resources in managing and developing this group Instant Rewards Recognizing and rewarding performers is one of the most effective tools to attract and retain the right talent. Companies in India are looking at rewards systems more seriously, and are adopting total rewards practices that include compensation in both cash and kind.Apart from lifestyle perquisites such as a house, a car or a club membership, profit-linked incentives, deferred gratuity, and wealth-building programmes in the form of stock options and soft loans, companies are also including work-life balance programmes; competency pay packages where niche skills are compensated; and career opportunities, such as overseas assignments, new projects, etc. , to reward staff. These rewards can be tailored to suit the top performers' aspirations to achieve maximum effect. Measuring human capitalEvaluation of performance plays a key role, not just in rewarding an individual employee, but also in setting performance benchmarks. And hence, the need for a fair and transparent performance management system. A strong performance analysis helps make human resources both efficient and effective. â€Å"In today's business environment, where the focus is on increasing performance, companies must have robust systems to identify performers so that the best performers get identified, recognized and duly rewarded,† says Ganesh Shermon, partner and head, human capital advisory service, KPMG India.Shermon cites the example of oil and gas company Bharat Petroleum Ltd, which has instituted a balanced scorecard based on key result areas to measure performance. Managing Aspirations As aspirations of organizations grow, so do those of employees. And, with the changing lifestyles and profiles of the workforce, personal and professional aspirations of employees are not just varied, but are increasingly on the rise. â€Å"Since competitive advantage depends on competent people, knowing what employees aspire for could just be the way to have an edge over competitors,† says Kishore Poduri, head, human resources, eClerxServices Ltd. Experts say people as well as organizations have aspirations, and when the two get aligned, achieving business goals becomes easier. Dwarakanath suggests companies should be clear about goals of individuals as well as of the organization, and the role each needs to play. The firm should also communicate the goals, and have robust and reliable processes to execute them, he adds. 360 degrees feedback Finally, recognizing the need to make performance appraisal systems more effective, an increasing number of companies are using the 360 degrees or multi-rater feedback process.Unlike t he traditional appraisal system, which gives unidimensional feedback, this one allows an employee to give feedback to her reporting manager, peers, direct reports and others. â€Å"Multi-rater feedback not only reduces the risk of biased perceptions, but also gives you a holistic view from all the stakeholders within the company,† says Sanjay Bali, vice-president, HR, Samsung India Electronics Pvt. Ltd. While most companies started using this system as a means for performance appraisal, most of them now use the 360 degrees feedback system to identify the learning and development needs of employees.This section of the review of literature focuses on the concept of Social Style as developed by Merrill and Reid (1981). The section begins with the history of the development of Social Style through Merrill and Reid. The next section focuses on the progression of Social Style since its conception. The origins of Social Style theories are found among the American Behaviorists of the 1950s and 1960s. During this time the field of psychology underwent a shift towards behaviorism and away from psychoanalysis. This shift on the part of psychologists was an attempt to demonstrate that their research was grounded in rigorous cientific principles and worthy of serious consideration within the broader scientific community (Merrill & Reid, 1981). Behavior and interaction were easily observed, manipulated and, most importantly, quantified. The concept of Social Style developed from theories that were evolving during this time period (Merrill & Reid, 1981). In the 1950s the United States Office of Naval Research, working in conjunction with researchers from Ohio State University, articulated a theory of style as a result of their attempts to discover the components of effective leadership (Merrill & Reid, 1981).Researchers developed a list of descriptive behaviors, then asked various people to identify those behaviors they felt demonstrated good leadership. In the end, 1 50 behaviors were identified as characteristic behaviors of good leadership. Factor analysis was done to organize the terms into categories. â€Å"Next, several questionnaires were developed to determine which factor characterized the best leader, but no reliable results were obtained† (Merrill & Reid, 1981, p. 41). Fred Fiedler determined that the research was flawed because it examined eadership in a vacuum. He decided to take context into consideration. His research concluded that effective styles of leadership vary depending upon different situations (Merrill & Reid, 1981). From this background research Merrill and Reid began to study the concept of style in the 1960s. They borrowed a questionnaire that was developed in the early 1960s by James Taylor, a staff psychologist at a large corporation. Taylor developed his questionnaire by asking corporate employees to mark the adjectives that they felt described their own behavior.Through testing he narrowed his original list from 2331 adjectives to 150 adjectives. Through factor analysis of the responses to the narrowed adjective checklist, Taylor found a tendency for clustering of adjectives. He then developed five scales that took into account this clustering effect. The original five scales of human behavior were â€Å"1) self-confident; 2) considerate; 3) conforming; 4) thoughtful; and 5) rigid†. With Taylor’s permission, Merrill and Reid adapted his research and worked towards creating what is now known as Social Style.Conforming to the behaviorist thought of the day, Merrill and Reid altered the way that respondents answered the questionnaire. Instead of marking adjectives describing one’s own behavior, others were asked to report on the subject. This method would be more like clinical research in that it would provide only observable patterns of behavior. Another change Merrill and Reid made was to do a second factor analysis, where they found significant clustering around on ly three scales rather than five. The scales that would from then on determine Social Style were 1) assertiveness, 2) responsiveness, and 3) versatility.As defined by Merrill and Reid (1981) assertiveness is the tendency one has to â€Å"ask† or â€Å"tell† in an effort to influence the decisions of others; responsiveness is a dimension that indicates whether a person â€Å"emotes† or â€Å"controls† feelings. Assertiveness and responsiveness were then put together to become the two scales that form the Social Style Profile, a questionnaire designed to determine Social Style. It is important to note the third scale, versatility. This third dimension of human behavior is not affected by the other two. It often is tested separately.Merrill and Reid even provide a separate questionnaire for determining an individual’s versatility. Versatility is determined by the amount of endorsement, approval of behavior, that we receive from others with whom we int eract. Since it is a separate dimension that does not effect how an individual is plotted within the orthogonal Social Style matrix, this study will not look at the effects of an individual’s level of versatility. Further research may want to investigate the sex-role effects on an individual’s level of versatility.Psychometric properties: As discussed earlier, psychometric properties include an instrument’s reliability and validity. Because Social Style questionnaires have been used primarily in a corporate environment rather than an academic one, information regarding the psychometric properties of Social Style measures is limited and contradictory. Most corporations that sell these instruments make claims about the reliability and validity of the instruments that often are not confirmed by independent research.Although there has been little research regarding the psychometric properties of these scales, they continue to be used widely by corporations. With thi s deficit in mind I suggest that data gathered during the present study should be used to conduct tests for reliability and validity on the Social Style instrument. Only continued testing of these instruments will allow for certainty of their ability to do what they are designed to do. The next section will look at the applications of Social Style.With hot topics like globalization and cross-cultural opportunities in the Asia Pacific rim, one might think it would be easy to research the implications of cross cultural issues. Rather, what the writer found was a significant discussion all around the periphery but little in-depth analysis. Discussion prevailed on the socio-economic and technological ramifications. Others resources focused on the language issues but little work was intuitively available on the subtleties of cross cultural issues one may encounter.Based on experience working in the Asia Pacific rim for two years as a PMO Manager, and training PM’s in many European countries, I decided that understanding international socio-cultural issues encountered in business is essentially at the heart of the issues companies will encounter in globalizing operations. Therefore, the writer will approach the crosscultural issues from a personalized understanding based on his many months of first hand mistakes in understanding cultural issues encountered in Asia Pacific.I will base my observations of cross-cultural issues on my experiences in working most closely with individuals from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, and India. Naturally there are more countries in the Pacific Rim but these mentioned provided the most opportunity for interaction. I want to also acknowledge the contributions of my wife, Helena Shiu Leung Chow Ballow, whom I initially met in Asia. Her wisdom, coaching, and meaningful insights on the many differences between Western and Eastern business and cultural practices were, and remain till this day, illuminating, h elpful and daunting.Clearly we all understand to some degree the impact of cultural issues in communications. If nothing else, we have encountered situations where language was the barrier. But language may be the smallest of the issues when dealing with other cultures. Even when we pull out our Translation Guides or employ translators we may get pass some of the language difficulties. But from the writer’s experience, language is the least of the issues. Ingrained and systemic patterns of cultural behaviours can be so subtle as to completely deny meaningful communications.I found a really good example of just how easily cultural variances can cause communications problems. In this case the issues was â€Å"psychological filtering† of appearance or gesture. I would think is would also be easy for the reader to extrapolate this example into some experiences that may have encountered even in the West. Timofeev (2002), in an article in National Concepts and Globalization, provided the following example: â€Å"The idea or rather the hypothesis that underlies this paper was stimulated by a trivial chat with a friend of mine.Being a linguist by trade, Russian by origin and living in Finland, she is well aware of cross-cultural discrepancies and provided me with a curious example. It was a TV commercial of an international brand of Persil washing powder. Two young ladies were shown sitting in a crowded place, some restaurant or a cafe. One of the ladies notices quite a peculiar manner her friend has chosen to wear her wristwatch. It was placed above the cuff of her blouse. It turned out in a second that the only reason for placing her watch there was to cover some stain that regular detergents failed to deal with. Oh dear, you should use Persil instead! † When multinationals develop into or with other countries there may be an assumption that because everyone within the company is working for the same goals and to the same values, they will autom atically communicate, think and view the world in the same way. When multiple cultures begin working together, problems or difficulties arise that many people within these companies are not skilled or adept enough to deal with effectively. This can simply be because they've never had to deal with the issue before. Language is often the least difficult barrier to breach.When we know there may be language differences, we have a greater awareness of the potential for problems. However, much more often it's a completely different way of seeing things and an inability, or unwillingness, to see what the other person is seeing that causes the difficulties. Misunderstanding is the norm At Impact Factory we say that ‘misunderstanding is the norm'. We assume that because the other person knows our language (or we know theirs) that we speak the same language. Often we don't. Even when our ‘Mother' tongue is the same, we don't speak it the same way.When we work with other cultures, it's easy to be influenced by common stereotypes, misconceptions and prejudices about our new colleagues. Without realising it, we carry those misconceptions and stereotypes into meetings, conferences, trainings or even social gatherings that can make communication difficult and hard work. In our own culture (where we feel at ‘home'), we are all individuals with a host of differences; yet there are so many similarities that the differences can seem negligible. There appears to be more in common than may actually be so, but somehow we absorb and adjust to the differences.When we are abroad, or even in our own home territory working with others from abroad, the differences are far more apparent and it becomes much harder to see the similarities. ‘Home' is that place where we feel most comfortable. The landscape looks familiar and we know the signposts that tell us where we are. When we are away from ‘home' we may try to recreate that landscape: we surround ourselves with people who are like us; we join clubs where we're all similar; we may even try to get the ‘aliens' to be more like us so that we feel more comfortable.Not only that, if we start having difficulties with someone, it seems easier to focus on the differences and to start gathering ‘evidence' to support our case about how difficult they are, than to look for the common ground which might lead to a resolution. We might even create a hurdle out of a hillock! Changing you to change others Life would certainly be a lot simpler if other people would just shape up and see things our way! As ridiculous as that statement looks when written out, that is often what we think when things aren't going well, particularly when communication starts breaking down.We wait for the other person to change so we’ll be all right (‘If only he'd listen to me I'd be fine. ‘ ‘If only she'd be clearer I could get my work done more efficiently. ‘). All of us at some t ime or another have thought something similar. The reality is: the only person you can change is you. When you are the ‘interloper' you can't afford to wait for the other person to change and see things your way. If you are in trouble and it feels as though people won't meet you halfway, unless you change and do something different, communication will continue to disintegrate.Even if you aren't the interloper but are working at ‘home' with someone from another culture, waiting for the other person to change could mean a long wait. The really good news The really good news is that something can be done about these difficulties that doesn't require you to change everything about you. It is far easier to make small adjustments, tweaks and fine-tunings in order to become a more effective and aware communicator when working cross-culturally. On an Impact Factory Cross-Cultural programme delegates:Examine how to look after themselves whilst changing the outcome of difficult or complex communications. Practise how to be in charge of the way communication happens. Look at some of the things that separate cultures and create unnecessary misunderstanding. Discover how they can adapt their behaviour without being in conflict with who they are. A Cross-Cultural Programme looks at: †¢ Diversity of Difference Terms of Reference and Language Assumptions Projection and Perception Images (media, historical) Beliefs and Traditions Avoiding Avoidance Finding Common Ground Spheres of Influence Blame vs.What CAN I do Conflict Resolution and Negotiation (Creating Win/Win solutions) Dealing with Misunderstandings Getting what you want Delegate's specific situations and difficulties Companies that have asked us to include material on cross-cultural issues have been concerned that the vital work of their companies can get compromised (or at least, slowed down) if problems (or potential problems) are not brought into the open and addressed. For instance, Nokia Communic ations knows that there are communication issues between Finland and Britain, because in general Finns and Brits communicate differently sometimes very differently). People from each culture think they are making adjustments and accommodations to suit the other, but those changes are not necessarily the ones that are needed: they are often the ones that people assume are needed! Impact Factory would be pleased to provide a complete proposal with a more detailed outline of the course content. Naturally, a full day's training will provide a comprehensive look at the issues involved. However, Impact Factory is able to offer a Cross-Cultural Programme in a four-hour module to individuals who already communicate at a relatively high level.I will present the materials in a table format such that it may be easier to digest. A simple summary provided by Bhagat et al (2002 provides a good stepping-stone for analysis of the cross-cultural issues: Cross-border transfer of organizational knowle dge is most effective in terms of both velocity and viscosity when the type of knowledge (i. e. , human, social, or structured) being transferred is simple, explicit, and independent and when such transfers involve similar cultural contexts.In contrast, transfer is least effective when the type of knowledge being transferred is complex, tacit, and systemic and involves dissimilar cultural contexts. (p. 204) Table 1: Cross-cultural Implications – Asian (China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan) and the West [pic] †¢ [pic] [pic] Because most of the areas discussed in Table 1 also apply to Indian culture, we will only look at a few areas that are subtle variances in implications. This time I will ask the reader to think about the implications based on a review of Table 1. Let’s see if you have started to figure it out. [pic] [pic] Applications of Social StyleAt the time that Merrill and Reid developed Social Style they primarily focused on insurance sales agents as participants when developing their Social Style questionnaires. Since the development of the concept of Social Style, researchers have focused on determining other areas to which the concept of Social Style also would apply. This section will look at the applications for Social Style. Most research has looked at how Social Style can aid in organizational communication through training, consulting, and staff development. Other social science research has taken a more academic look at Social Style.This section will be divided into the areas of corporate application and social science research. Corporate application: The

Memo †Investment Recommendation for Centagenetix Essay

After looking over the material regarding Centagenetix, I have a recommendation as to whether or not MPM should invest in Centagenetix. I realize that we have spent a great deal of time and resources on this project already, and that Harvard Medical School is anticipating that this deal will go forward. I also realize that backing out of the deal now could reflect badly upon MPM and upon you, but my recommendation is that MPM invest in Centagenetix at this point. The main reason is that if Centagenetix is actually able to create a product to increase human longevity, there are some major questions and concerns about first getting this product to market, as well as what conditions this product might carry for measurable efficacy and if the market will be willing to accept them. I will discuss other considerations shortly but I think that is itself a potential deal-breaker. Let us first consider the New England Centenarian Study (NECS). While it is a worthwhile and interesting study, w ith good correlations between family members and a sample pool large enough to provide preliminary findings, it still has some weaknesses. The two major ones being how geographically centric it is and the size of it. Scientists who study aging have long argued that environment and lifestyle play the largest role in longevity, but Centagenetix is setting out to see if that is incorrect: if there is in fact a heritable gene (or genes) for longevity. It would seem that in order to provide a strong argument that the study reaches beyond environment, there should be more samples from areas beyond the eight towns around Boston that the NECS used. It could also be a problem that the majority of the centenarians used had no history of smoking or obesity and were generally small in stature. Granted that using these samples, they found a linkage on chromosome 4, but this does not seem to match the homologous zones for longevity in the previously studied model organisms. There are possible correlations on other chromosomes that track with those model organisms, but the patent that they filed is for the 10 million base pair region on chromosome 4. I am also concerned that the first attempt to scale the study to a larger population resulted in a noteworthy decrease of the linkage’s strength. Scaling it up further restored the statistical strength of the linkage, but the overall strength and valuation of the IP remains in question. We also need to consider the possibility that this 10M bp region will contain genes that other groups are already studying and that the patent is not strong enough to survive a challenge. It is possible that these longevity genes will be related to insulin receptors or free radical management: two areas that several groups or companies are already studying. How strong will the IP remain when there is competition for these hypothetical genes? If that is the case, the company’s major resource will be its SNP datab ase of centenarians, which will cost at least another $10 million to get to a functional state, plus more money to expand and maintain it. I have not seen any market analysis as to how much companies will pay for access to such a database. While Millennium has a somewhat similar model, they are much more pro-active in what they offer their clients, and that is what arguably drives their profits. The database will be valuable, but just how valuable is an important question. We need to know what the likelihood is that building such a SNP database will turn a profit, who specifically would be interested in paying for its use, and how much they would pay. In addition, would Centagenetix receive any royalties or payments for products based off findings from that SNP database? These are important considerations, especially if the possibility exists that the SNP database will have to support the company for any protracted amount of time. There remains a conflict-of-interest issue with Tom Perls and Harvard. If he can be enticed away from Harvard, the study that the company is based on will potentially no longer be available. Perls will be a key founding member of Centagenetix, and is expected be motivated and incentivized to work hard. Without a stake in the company, it remains unclear if that will happen. We also need to consider that if Perls does leave Harvard, will BIDMC still allow Centagenetix the use of the NECS, or should we re-consider the proposal from Whitehead to buy them out? The value of the IP revolves strongly around the NECS and Dr. Perls’ work. There needs to be a much clearer sense as to if or how these issues will be resolved, or else MPM might own a major stake in a company that will require a much larger investment to restore the IP we have assumed they already have. Finally, I want to return to my main point: Aside from a SNP database, what is at the end of the Centagenetix pipeline? Let us assume that they do find a gene or several genes that directly relate to longevity and are not in conflict with another group or company, that they can find the function of these genes, and eventually develop a product built on that discovery. Presumably, the function of this product would be to increase longevity in humans. How would they run clinical trials for this, and how long would they take? If the measure of success is how long someone lives, might not the trials take far longer than is feasible for us to provide funding? Assume that they get past pre-clinical trials; will the FDA even allow such a product to be tested? I th ink that we need to know more about how the FDA would approach such a product, as it seems like the regulatory hurdles for this will not be what most pharmaceutical companies are accustomed to. They are not trying to treat or effect a disease state, but rather to increase longevity. Granted that Ponce de Leà ³n spent much of his life searching Florida for the Fountain of Youth, and that a product like this will appeal to the general public, there is likely to be some serious regulatory and clinical trial hurdles to get it there. We also need to consider how the medical community and public will react to such a product. It seems likely that, given how many of the subjects from the NECS lived relatively healthy lives, the product will have some stipulations about health for maximum efficacy. If the public is required to not smoke, or be obese before this product will work for them then that will significantly affect adoption. In addition, how would the medical community respond to so mething with claims of increasing longevity? I think it would be highly skeptical and cynical. There will be difficulty in both convincing doctors to prescribe it, as well as getting payers to compensate for it. This will presumably be a product that patients will take for the rest of their lives, meaning there will likely be a struggle for both adoption and compliance. The only real gauge of such a product will be how long someone lives, and it will be challenging to demonstrate proof that any increase in longevity is a direct result of Centagenetix’s product. Significant market research needs to be done that considers the varying scenarios for adoption and lifestyle changes, to see if the market size is as big as one would expect it to be. In closing, I acknowledge that other products may come out of Centagenetix that are related to actual disease states or physiological processes. It is possible that they will develop an impressive and profitable drug that is related to the longevity of the patients of the NECS and be yond. Heck, they may even discover the cure for cancer. Even so, there are far too many unknowns and uncertainties in this proposal. The strength of the IP is in question. The availability of the NECS and even Dr. Perl is uncertain. What an end product looks like and what sort of market exists for it. How much more money it will take if they need to build a SNP database to remain in business, or if they have to do another NECS-like study of their own. The risks and uncertainties are sizeable, and the question about actual market size is significant. I do not think that MPM should invest in Centagenetix at this point.