How implementation of Minimum Wage affect the economy market

How implementation of Minimum Wage affect the economy market BY yuxtangol 25 Statutory minimum wage regulation was first introduced in New Zealand in 1894. Some attempt to control wages had been present since policymakers started believe that the market wages of labour was unfair to the workers. Minimum wage laws dictate a lowest hourly or monthly wage rate that employers may legally pay to workers. For instance, the Minionion government had set a new minimum wages rate of MS900 which intend to ensure that the basic needs of the workers and their families are met.Since that the growing debates over the imposition of minimum age policy have become a very popular topic with examiners in recent year, therefore we may examine the effects of the minimum wage by looking at the theory behind it. Diagraml shows a classical minimum wage set up in a competitive labour market. Like all other markets, competitive labour markets are modelled by the forces of supply and demand. In this case, worke rs determine the supply of labours and firms determine the demand of labour. The Minister of Human Resources, Mr Bananaa Yellow claimed that the new minimum wage (MS900) represented an average increase of 18. % compare to the previous minimum wage (MS757. 7), which affecting some 128,500 low-skilled workers in Minionland. But the diagram above illustrates that there will be a decrease in the quantity of from B to D, which resulting in a surplus of labour from D to C. This should make an intuitive sense that an increase of minimum wage raise the input costs of firm so that they are now less willing and able to hire more workers, while they are more people would like to have a Job because of the higher wage rate.The exceed supply of labour includes both a reduction in employment (A to C) along with the second component consisting of orkers who are drawn into the labour market by the prospect of earning higher minimum wage (D to B). In this case, raising minimum wages rate seems to be wrong as it only benefit some typical high-skilled workers but comes at the expense of those low-skilled workers (typically low-skilled youth) who are shut out of the labour markets.However, several studies and researches find that the magnitude of negative effect on employment varies across countries due to differences in labour market characteristics and the prevailing economic environment. For Minionion, while they maybe some risk on lower unemployment, this effect is expected to be ransitory and contained, given the strong economic and labour market fundamentals and proficiency. Improvement of the economic and labour markets conditions are expected to increase the quantity demanded of labour by shifting the demand curve from DO to Dl .Assuming this strategy is going to push the demand curve upward to the same 128,500 amount of the low-skilled workers, thus it will substantially shrink the effects of the new minimum wage rate on unemployment. In fact, there is a lot of arguments claimed that the traditional view of the minimum wage doesn't hold true in real life. There is the Krueger and Card study that oncluded that â€Å"We find no indication that the rise in the minimum wage reduced employment†. (Robert,2013) Most studies find that the minimum wage policy has only a slight ettect on employment but not result in the mass unemployment predicted in the traditional view.One of the possible assumptions to explain this phenomenon is that the labour demanded by firms and the demand for the product that workers produce is both highly inelastic due to the rapid economic and population growth. Diagram2 above indicates the elasticity of demand on employment and the elasticity of demand on product. In view of the sky-rocketed growth of economic and opulation, hence the firms need more workers to increase production and also productivity to satisfy the demand and maximise their profit, even though they are forced to increase wages.Since the demand of product i s highly inelastic, the firms can also pass on the increase in wage to consumers in the form of higher prices without lay off any workers. The magnitude of price increase would also be constrained by the adjustments that made by the larger firms which tend to be less affected by the imposition of new minimum wage rate. On the contrary, the Smurfland government does not favour setting a minimum wage. They believe that imposition of minimum wage policy will reduce employment in affected industries and affected groups of low-skilled workers.Hence, the Smurfland government believe that it is better to focus on the supply sides (workers), rather than emphasis on the wage setting institution. Their interventions focus on enhancing the skills of low- wage workers, thus increasing their productivity through training and development. Rapid development in science and technology boost the demand for high-skilled workers, it resulting in wages premium for more highly educated workers. Therefore , ther things unchanged, the wages rate is believed to be positively related with the education and productivity of the workers.Thus we can tell from diagram3 below, assume that the supply of labour is inelastic, while the technology advance increase the demand of skilled workers, the demand curve shifts from DO to Dl, putting a pressure on employment upward from QO to QI . And by enhancing skills, more workers meet the prerequisite for higher wages, which results in raising the equilibrium wages rate from WO to WI . Therefore in order to achieve the objectives of reduce poverty and improve living standard of workers, it is important to uarantee those low-skilled workers to undertake productivity-enhancing measures.Skill enhancement policy is believed that can improved supply-side performance and achieved sustained development of economic. It is important to note that enforcement of this policy won't accompany with negative effects like inflation and unemployment. It improves both q uantity and quality of supply and labour, make the labour market more competitive and flexible so that it is more able for labour force to match the demand. Provided training, especially for those who facing problem of structural unemployment, is expected to improve the occupational mobility of orkers.Additionally, a well-educated workface also plays an important role as a magnet to attract foreign investment flows into the economy. In order to raise the low-skilled worker's living standards, the most efficient way is to increase their incomes to levels that fulfil their basic needs. Undeniably, in the long run, the income levels reflect the ability to produce high quality goods and services. Make no mistake that improvement in income levels and living standards cannot be achieved without expansion in outpu t.Studies ot IJ e n te Nations Human Development Programme found that the ratio of the amount of children of fficial secondary school age enrolled in school, to the amount of chi ldren of official secondary school age in the population, is higher in developed nations than it is in developing ones. ( Radcliffe,2012) Hence, invest in education and training for workers is not only benefits in increase their earning potential, but also assist us to transform into high income, high productivity country. Overall, it concludes that both policies could achieve the same goals in different way.However, when we talk about efficiency, we may find that increase the equilibrium wage rate by raising the skill level of workers is actually challenging in practice. For instance, without intervention of government, we can't guarantee that the firms will take the right steps to increase productivity, instead of relying on the low-cost workers. Besides, skill enhancement policy require government to spend more budget on investing education, and it also takes longer realisation period to see the results.Due to the greater opportunity costs and less efficiency, it could be evaluat ed that skill enhancement policy may not be the first choice to reduce poverty. As contrasted, setting a minimum wage rate is envisaged to have obvious effect in educing poverty since it directly increases low-skilled workers wage rate. Firm may be encouraged to provide training to improve the productivity of workers since the relative cost between capital and labour narrows. These changes would facilitate the transformation of nations into high productivity and high income economy.We may conclude that set up a minimum wage will probably have slightly negative effect on unemployment. But with this small opportunity costs, it may boots our economy and improve the living standard of most workers. In other words, the benefits of minimum wage far outweigh the negatives. There should be a simple rule in life that if you are willing to work hard, you should be able to feed yourself. Minimum wage policy is envisaged to be a positive step towards encouraging a fairer wage structure.And othe r productivity-enhancing measures such as provision of training to up-skilled workers will further complement the minimum wage policy to hit its target. I believe that minimum wage policy is well-positioned to achieve its goal, with government support, as well as proper supervision and enforcement. Reterences Oganisian, A. 2013. Economics 101 : Taxes, Minimum Wages, and Why You Shouldn't Boycott Sweatshops – TheCollegeConservative. [online] Available at:http://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/09/education-training-advantages.asphttp://www. s-cool. co. ukhttps://www.tutor2u.net/economics/reference/economic-growth-an-introductionhttp://www.bnm.gov.my/   

Do Soap Operas reflect life in the 21st Century? Essay

Soap operas are very popular. All ages watch soaps, from young children to retired grandparents. People are interested in soaps because they reflect life in the 21st century. They reflect life in the 21st century by making the characters seem real and by making he setting like an average town or part of town. I think that soaps are popular because they offer a chance for people to escape from the real world. Soaps make peoples problems seem small. People think that their problems can never be as bad as peoples problems in soaps because characters in soaps have such extreme problems which makes people feel a little better about themselves. Another reason that people like soaps is because it conveys society in a dramatic way, they cut out all of the small talk and everyday routines which nobody is interested in. Most people are interested in other peoples business and know that soaps aren’t real. The way soaps are made give it some reality so watching soaps is the same as knowing other peoples business but soaps mix the extreme with everyday life. As the soap characters problems are dramatic and usually major, people become absorbed into the story and soaps usually finish with a cliffhanger, which leaves you with half a story so that you will have to watch the next episode(s) to find out how the story ends. Soaps have many different characteristics, which are peculiar such as the fact that the show is ongoing; the only repeats are on channels such as UK gold. The characters have peculiar characteristics too. The characters are extreme. They are extremely nice people in soaps and then there are evil people. The characters also forget things very quickly. Things that happened two months ago aren’t mentioned now. Soaps are like a microcosm, the problems are bigger than usual and more focused on. The characters problems are also never ending, as soon as one ends another begins or a new problem arises at the worst possible time. Compared to a drama there are no central characters, a few peripheral characters, and the setting is always the same, there is no travelling outside the setting. I think that soaps for fill a social purpose because when people watch sops they know that they don’t want some of the things that happen on soaps to happen to them. People may subconsciously receive messages about life, for example teenage pregnancy. If a teenager has seen the consequences of unsafe sex perhaps they won’t make the same mistake. On the other hand people may think that things that happen in soaps can never happen to them. The language in Eastenders tries to be realistic. Because it is a soap this is impossible to make it the same as real life speech. The reasons for this are time and the fact that it would make the soaps boring. People in soaps don’t talk about the weather because it’s not what people want to hear. Characters in soaps don’t stutter or hesitate because it wastes time as there is only half-hour to squeeze everything in. Characters don’t swear as much as they would in real life because of the time it is shown. The way soaps try to be realistic is by using some slang, having background noise and the use of accents although some accents are obviously put on, It also isn’t very realistic because speech is very structured. Everybody has immediate responses in soaps and that isn’t how the real world works. Different soaps are aimed at different people but generally speaking soaps are aimed at teenagers and families. I can tell this because of the times soaps are shown at, the characters in soaps and the issues in soaps. There are all sorts of characters in Eastenders and issues about teens and about adults. It is on after people get home from work but before children go to bed. This information shows that Eastenders is a family soap. Soaps change with the times so I can see changes in soaps in the future. Soaps change because the world changes. The big issues in the world are reflected in soaps so as the world’s problems change, soaps change. Soaps can also teach us morals such as things can only get better. Characters in soaps are strong teaching us to be strong. When bad things happen to bad characters its showing us that people get their just desserts. I think that soaps can’t really affect our lives unless you are easily influenced but it can affect our lives in the way I mentioned earlier. It can make us more aware of problems and make us not want to be in that situation. Since working on this my attitude towards soaps has changed a little. I’m not a big fan of soaps but doing this essay has made me a little interested in soaps. This may be because I’m more aware of what goes on in soaps. In my opinion soaps do reflect life in the 21st century because they have the same problems as real life people but it isn’t realistic because if it were too real people wouldn’t be interested. This is why the characters are more extreme and why there are a lot more problems for one character than in real life.

Characteristics of a Leader

There are certain characteristic found in some people. It is just that, they put them in a position where people looked up to as a leader. People often say ‘ He or she is a born leader’. Whether in fact a person is born a leader or develop skills and abilities to become a good leader is open for debate. There are some clear characteristics that are found in good leaders. These qualities can be developed and naturally is the part of their personality. Firstly, a good leader must have a positive attitude. This quality is a required not just for a leader but everybody. However, this is specially necessary for a leader. A leader needs to be positive and motivate his team, in times that are hard and times that are brutal. When times are tough and his team is absolutely down, when times are really frustrating, a leader is the who carries his team and his organization forward and that is what a leader needs to do look at the bright side of each and everything. Besides a good leader must be a good listener. This is because a good leader needs to listen to her followers. She needs to get feedback on a regular basis, open her eyes and ears and keep listening. Now a word of caution. Listening does not mean to blindly follow and accept everything that is said and shown. What goes hand in hand is listening. This also helps her followers to express theirs feeling or even to speak their rights. The quality which a leader should possess is intelligence and alertness. A leader has to use his brain every time and also has to remain  Ã‚   alert with   eyes and ears open otherwise he could easily be carried by any fraud or enemy. Many a times we see such situations around us, where a person in trouble or problem doesn’t hesitate in blaming and embarrassing even his closest friend to save himself, and also does not bother about his friends at all because the person has to get rid of his problems anyhow. So, he just thinks about himself and his life,   the life of other does not matter to him much. Some people have a misconception that only those people who are physically strong can become good leaders, but this is not the fact. A leader may not be physically strong but he needs to be mentally strong and firm in decisions. For example, Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation was the greatest leader but he was active and had a firm desire to serve the Nation. He had the power of organizing and uniting people and attracting people towards him by his speeches. This is the best quality of a leader which he had in him. We can also say that, a person who can satisfy the basic psychological needs of his followers can also be an effective leader. A leader must have average character . There are no perfect people, but for a leader to be considered good, they must have a character that is unquestioned within the organization. Leadership always draws criticism from someone, so a leader may not be able to get everyone to believe in him or her, but the people who know the leader best should trust the leader’s character. In a nutshell, a good leader must be faithful to his group members and activities. This in turn, will result in an atmosphere of assurance among the followers. Having faith in self abilities and the world around him , the leader gains inspiration and also inspires others in the process.

Analyse and discuss lesson planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyse and discuss lesson planning - Essay Example An effective lesson plan commences by the teacher addressing learners’ thinking. The teacher ought to determine the curriculum in which sociology as a subject is embedded. As such, it calls on the teacher to determine the subject content of the lesson while at the same time critically assessing what the students are able to do on their own after acquiring the selected knowledge. In this initial stage of planning for an ideal lesson plan, the teacher ought to establish the learners’ entry behaviour prior to starting the lesson on sociology. The analyses and research of the learners’ entry behaviour enables the teacher to lead into the present curricula whereupon they keep on the established track and avoid veering off the set trend (Buchberg, 1996). At this stage, the teacher establishes better means of assisting the involved learners in not only receiving but also understanding the new subject matter as stipulated in the curriculum. Ideal lesson plans on sociolog y also call on teachers to determine the specific time for assessing the learners’ outcomes in a learning process whereupon he or she is obliged to segment the lesson plan. In the initial planning of a sociology lesson so as to address the inherent differences among learners, the teacher is called upon to describe the classroom context as well as the learners’ features that ideally make them different from the others. If the lesson is not meant for a real group of learners, it is recommended that the teacher should constitute the features as well as context of a sample class that the educator had in mind in the process of planning the lesson (Davies, 1999). It is also critical for the teacher to identify precise aims or objectives that he/she intends to meet upon the conclusion of the lesson. In meeting these objectives, it is absolutely critical that the teacher ensures that

Effective Management Of Post-Operative Pain Literature review

Effective Management Of Post-Operative Pain - Literature review Example Effective pain management not only reduces the stay of patients at the hospital but also reduces the cost involved. Pain management is considered as the second most common nursing intervention. It is however still a consistent problem faced and has not been adequately addressed yet. The recurrence and higher probability of pain after surgery indicates the overall significance of the problem faced by the medical professionals. Since last many decades, various studies have critically highlighted the inadequate nature of the post-operative pain management by the physicians as well as by the nurses. These studies not only highlight the inadequate knowledge of the medical professionals but also provide a critical insight into the attitude of nurses and medical professionals towards post-operative pain management. Since it is also the second most common cause of nursing intervention therefore it directly affects the way nurses perform their job. What is critical to note however is the fact that medical professionals including nurses lack the knowledge, education and face other barriers to manage the post-operative pain. This literature review will present a critical review of 10 articles on this topic using Critical Appraisal Skill Programme tool to critically evaluate the articles under study. Methodological Overview of Articles Rajeh et.al (2008) used a qualitative approach to understand and explore the perceptions and experience of nurses regarding post-operative pain management. By using semi-structured interviews from 26 nurses in Iranian educational hospitals, this study utilized constant comparative method to analyze the data. It has been suggested that there are widespread knowledge gaps which need to be addressed in order to effectively tackle post-operative pain management issues. Same approach has been undertaken by Blondal & Halldorsdottir (2009) also where through 20 dialogues with 10 experienced nurses were conducted to understand as to how nurses care patients suffering post-operative pain. This was a phenomenological study with focus on understanding the motivations of nurses in pain management and what actually restricts them to achieve the objective of relieving patient sufferings. A similar type of study was carried out by Subramian et. al (2011) by using semi-structured interviews of 21 nurses working in the critical care of the acute teaching healthcare trusts in UK. This study was qualitative and exploratory in nature and a framework analysis was performed. This study however, highlighted various challenges faced by the nurses in terms of their ability to provide pain management support to patients under critical care. Wilson (2007) aimed at understanding as to whether education actually results into better pain management capabilities of nurses or not. Wilson (2007) focused on understanding the influence of post-registration education and clinical experience could actually result into better management of pain. 100 questi onnaires were circulated by the researcher out of which 86 were returned. However, a sample of 72 was taken out of which 35 nurses were from hospice/oncology and 37 were from district hospitals (general). It has been argued that working environment tend to have relative greater influence on the ability of nurse to administer pain as compared to their knowledge and education suggesting that overall influences on nurses in terms of their ability to manage pain are complex in nature. Richards (2007) conducted a qualitative study to understand the influence of experience on the nurses’ ability to actually manage post-operative p

Contextual and Theoretical Studies (Information Design - London Essay

Contextual and Theoretical Studies (Information Design - London Underground) - Essay Example This is normally not the case with other forms of art where it is not possible to know what part of the piece was intended for communication and what information it was intended to pass to the viewers. These reasons therefore argue for the case why people may choose a diagram to analyse at the expense of other forms of art (Penrice, 1975). The London underground diagram is used to communicate to ordinary people in the London underground railway system but due to the fact that people have gotten very familiar with it, they tend to ignore it and therefore fail to utilise the information that it provides. It was expected that the diagram would receive a lot of attention from the citizens of the country as well as British art critics due to the fact that the London underground diagram is considered a master piece of art of the twentieth century. Another reason that there should have been more appreciation directed to the diagram is the fact that a lot of artists of the United Kingdom hav e their residences in London as it is considered a centre for art and culture. It is therefore this reason that studying the diagram is important in order to understand how it communicates to the people of London in the city’s underground railway network (Walker, 1979). History of the London underground diagram The LUD idea dates back to 1931 and was brought by an artist named Henry C. Becks but was first rejected on the argument that it was a very revolutionary piece of art. This rejection was however over turned and the diagram was accepted in 1933 at the expense of Stingmore’s map. It is important to note that Beck, the original designer of the diagram, was also responsible for the various subsequent revisions that were carried out on the diagram to reflect the additions of various lines of the London underground railway line system. The reason why Beck chose to use a diagram instead of a map was as a result of a thorough evaluation of the needs of the public in ter ms of the need for clarity of the diagram rather than geographical accuracy. The fact that there were additions of various lines to the underground system made it impossible to maintain a geographically correct diagram and therefore the only option was to ensure that the diagram was clear to the public in the sense that they could see clearly the various lines and the outline of the underground train system (Penrice, 1975). The diagram as a map The diagram has been referred to as a map by various artists as well as ordinary people but it should be noted that this reference has been discredited due to various reasons. Most of the critics have argued that diagrams do not possess some of the unique and communicative features found in maps and therefore cannot be referred to as maps. It is however important to note that a further study by various academicians revealed that there are various common characteristics that are shared between maps and diagrams and therefore it is not wrong to refer to diagrams as maps. The main argument about the differences is due to the specific characteristics of maps as they are used to depict actual pieces of earth although in a much smaller size and on a piece of paper. It is also clear that maps are used to reduce

Distributed databases Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Distributed databases - Research Paper Example Vertical partitioning involves creating of tables with fewer columns and utilizing additional tables to keep the outstanding columns. Normalization also comprises this partitioning of columns within tables, but vertical partitioning goes further than that and fragments columns even when normalized. Different physical storeroom might be applied to comprehend vertical fragmenting. Non relational databases initiated the idea of column based databases (Abuelyaman, 2008). The rationale for choosing this partitioning scheme is that it is cost efficient more than other schemes. In addition, it fits the required distributed databases required for this work. In order to surpass the limitations of accessible partitioning algorithm; a fresh algorithm known as VPartition, is recommended that enhances the performance of the current algorithm. The algorithm comprises an enhanced vertical partitioning system where cost is computed in terms of time utilizing greedy technique (Poniatowski & Safari Te ch Books Online, 2003). This leads to improved data consignment as compared to earlier approach. The characteristics of VPartition that comprises a series such as [I, T, TI, w, p, r, D, C comm., C route, N] where Recommended timing system to manage sale, purchase and management of data is a time warp. Time Warp system is a novel method for database concurrency management, varying from other kinds of systems in at least five respects (Jeffesron & Sowizral, 1999). First, it obeys an object-oriented strategy to database concept in which there are no prescribed distinctions between transaction u objects, system objects and Udata~ objects. Second, it uses neither abortion-and-retry nor locking to resolve right of entry conflicts. In its place, it employs a more influential synchronization instrument: broad rollback. The third unique feature is that it is free of starvation and deadlock. Another distinction is that it is

Stress Disorders Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Stress Disorders - Assignment Example Since then, he is having nightmares about that incident. I have spent quite a lot of time with him and have known him since childhood. He used to be a very present minded person, and was quite optimistic in his approach in every matter. But now, that he is back from Iraq, I see him as a completely changed person. Quite often, he gets lost and mentally disconnects himself from the company while physically being there. He remains pre-occupied with premonition of the incident in which his siblings got shot. He is obsessed with the dreadful memories and can not help thinking about them. The incident has altogether sapped his optimism. Instead, he has gone on the opposite pole of the scale. He avoids driving, though he is one of the finest drivers I have ever known. Despite knowing how to drive, he has kept a driver, and deems himself unfit for driving. The incident has shattered his personality altogether, and he may take years to compose himself.

Zara Plus Sized A Case Study for a New Product Line Assignment

Zara Plus Sized A Case Study for a New Product Line - Assignment Example Accordingly, Zara does not currently have any offerings in plus sizes or for the fuller figured woman. Therefore, this is a lucrative market in which Zara’s competitors are capitalizing and Zara apparel is not. If Zara intends to maintain its competitive edge in this evolving market, it will be forced to integrate a full figured line of clothes into its product offerings. Normally, the apparel industry is already one that is almost wholly driven by consumer tastes; however, now that consumer needs play such a key role, the evolution of the industry takes place even more rapidly than prior market demands dictated. Objective The overall objective is to create a prosperous new line of plus sized/full figured women’s clothing to augment the existing profitability of the Zara apparel firm. This objective will be accomplished by designing and producing a new line of full figured/plus sized women’s clothing, internally marketing that new product line, working to streaml ine and maximize the profitability of the new product line, monitoring its growth and success, and expanding the product line to different markets based on the profitability both online and in the initial US market introduction. As such, Zara’s primary objective is to achieve market share in an existing market with existing products. According to analysis of Ansoff’s matrix referenced below in Figure 1.0, this strategy is the safest of Ansoff’s 4 strategies. Figure 1.0 However, it is a well known fact that even with this safest of strategies, it is not without its limitations. Most prominent among these drawbacks is the fact that competitors will necessarily react to Zara’s entry into the market. As Zara will be attempting to cut down on the number of customers and market share which these firms previously held, expect the competition to be fierce. By carefully measuring Zara’s objectives within the metrics of SMART (specific, measurable, attainabl e, and time bound), Zara apparel will ensure that the metrics and milestones of the product launch are well defined, possible, and timely. SPECIFIC/Measurable With the plus sized clothing market approaching US 20 billion dollar a year industry in the United States alone (Stark, 2012), it will be Zara’s intent to capture 0.00875% of the US market - equating to total sales figures of around US 165 million dollars per annum. Figure 2.0 below shows overall sales objectives for the first year of the new product line as compared with the overall size of the plus sized clothing economy in the United States. Figure 2.0 Attainable/Time Bound It is the understanding of this analysis that such a figure is attainable given Zara’s current market share and net profits as of fiscal year 2011 totaling over US 2.14 billion dollars (Irish Times, 2011). Even without accessing total internet sales into the overall tally, each of Zara’s 49 stores in the United States will be respons ible for generating around US 3.34 million dollars in sales of plus sized clothing in order to reach the sales number set forth by this analysis. For purposes of this analysis, the sales goals, both online and in

HR Strategic Plan for the company I work for thhe company Essay

HR Strategic Plan for the company I work for thhe company - Essay Example It also set out new strategic directions and an action plan for implementation. A team headed by the Vice President, Human Resource Management has been inaugurated to monitor the implementation of the plan. The consulting firm is expected to evaluate plan implementation quarterly and present a comprehensive report to the Board of Directors, and also prepare and present an annual report at each AGM. JP Lexington was incorporated in the USA in 1978. It is essentially into manufacturing of electric generating sets and water pumping machines but has ventured into production of electrical and electronic accessories of automobiles. The company has its first and biggest plant at Ann Arbor, Michigan and three other plants in Virginia, Texas and Hawaii. JP Lexington has also successfully opened and operated offshore branches in Malaysia, Singapore and China. Its expansion plan included acquisition and partnership with firms in China and India for new or adaptive trademarks. The company’s headquarters in Ann Arbor and regional marketing offices in Brasilia, Brazil (for South America and the Caribbean), Abuja, Nigeria (for Africa), Dubai, UAE (for Middle East), Shanghai, China (for East and Central Asia), Moscow, Russia (for Russia, Caucasia and East Europe) and Amsterdam, the Netherlands (for West and Central Europe and Scandinavia). The company currently has 12,578 salaried employees and over 5,900 casualized employees. The company and its industry-specific, sector-wide and economic environment was x-rayed to identify the following strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, which this strategic plan is designed to explore and transform. JP Lexington will in the next 10 years advance to the next level in the use of environmentally-friendly technology. It will continue producing sophisticated version of its old products buts will systematically divert is energy, resources and competencies into

Plantation agriculture Essay Example for Free

Plantation agriculture Essay Plantation agriculture is a kind of commercial arable farming in the world. It is especially important in humid tropics with luxuriant growth of vegetation. Its economic effectiveness is always emphasized, bringing both positive and negative impacts. In recent decades, crop diversification is introduced and the ecological balance of the natural environment is greatly conserved. Plantation agriculture refers to the growing of cash crops on large foreign owned estates in countries of tropical environment. It is usually practiced in a large scale with monoculture, in which only a certain type of plant is dominant. Take Papua New Guinea as an example, in the area, cacao, coffee and rubber are mainly grown in the region for export to other countries. Under this kind of farming, there are positive impacts to the economy. Firstly, due to its large scale of operation and being export-oriented in Papua New Guinea, the supply of products is regular and of uniformly high quality. With high demand for the products, this attracts large amount of investment of capital from the foreign countries, such as Europe and North America, thus allowing the farmers being financially able to provide the expensive machinery capable of turning out a high grade product. Benefiting from economies of scale, this enables both the transportation cost and production cost to be lowered. Secondly, plantations are also able to undertake greater scientific research and the eradication of pests and diseases. For example, one large sugar company in the former British colony of Guyana was able to employ a large research staff to produce a strain of sugar cane resistant to leaf-scald disease. Besides, government assistance has brought improved crop varieties, scientific research, new pesticides and fertilizers and effective marketing, The government of Papua New Guinea launched The Cape Hoskins Oil Palm Scheme to solve land disputes of many small holdings, strengthening national self-reliance. With increasing demand for the plantation, the employment rate of Papua New Guinea is greatly increased as there are more needs for personnel to manage crop growing and researching. Some crop processing and manufacturing industries are set up to satisfy the demand for crops. The farm productivity is increased as well. As people can earn more income from this kind of farming, this stimulates the rate of urbanization, hence the development of infrastructure and improvement of public facilities, such as roads, railways, ports, towns, schools, hospitals and the supply of electricity and water. As a result, the living standard of the labour is greatly improved. Despite the economic benefits, plantation farming somehow brings negative impacts to Papua New Guinea. First is the reliance upon the protected markets in Australia. At present, about one-third of the copra, 40 percent of the coffee, most of the cocoa and rubber is exported to Australia, which is assigned to admit duty free. In return, Papua New Guinea has to pay taxes for any imports. This leads to outflow of capital to foreign countries because this kind of farming is highly export-oriented. Second is the problem of labour. Plantations require large amount of cheap labour, but the wage rate is progressively higher because of the rising living standard and commercialization of the country. This increases the cost of production and thus reduces the competitiveness among other countries for the same kind of farming. Apart from this, the risk of crop failure is an important factor for consideration. As plantation agriculture is highly specialized. People highly rely on monoculture to earn a living. When the price of cash crops falls drastically or there is a sudden of crop failure, the income of farmers will fall as well. As a result, the earning of farmers tend to be unstable and badly affected the national income of Papua New Guinea. Besides, people have to import other necessities from other countries instead of planting within their own country, self-sufficiency cannot be achieved. In this way, there is no other source to safeguard the return of farmers. To overcome the negative impacts, crop diversification is a good method to reduce the over-reliance on certain types of cash crops. Ecologically, this method can also be beneficial to the environment. Since different types of crops are grown, the risk of crop failure decreases. This can stop the spread of diseases and pests for a particular type of crops. The population of pests decreases. This in turn reduces the use of pesticides. Hence, the chance of stream pollution is smaller, the sea organisms will not be poisoned or suffocated so easily, the nutrient flow can be more stable. There will be greater diversity of species of biomass, so the ecosystem will be more stable. Furthermore, diversification of crops increases the vegetation cover. There will be less surface runoff and soil erosion, yet infiltration increases. The nutrients of the soil can be preserved. Crop diversification also reduces the exhaustion of certain type of nutrients, fertility can be maintained and thus the use of fertilizer will be less common as well. Climatically, because of less crop failures, the amount of biomass increases. The evapotranspiration rate and wind speed can be more stable, so the microclimate can be maintained constant, the risk of global warming will not be getting serious so fast. In conclusion, plantation of cash crops is significant in Papua New Guinea for economic development. Though crop diversification may not be as profitable as plantation agriculture, ecological environment should not be ignored. In long-term, diversification of crops is a good way to safeguard the natural environment and brings more stable income to the farmers as well.

Protective Factors Among Youth Offenders Psychology Essay

Protective Factors Among Youth Offenders Psychology Essay Causal explanations of delinquent behavior and the identification of risk factors that characterize the young criminal offender have been the devotion of volumes of theoretical and empirical research. In an attempt to understand the causes of delinquency, and to work towards effective interventions, the juvenile justice field has adopted an approach from the public health arena (Shader, 2003), this approach toward the public health model, according to Farrington (2000), is the risk factor paradigm. Following this model, a risk assessment is thought to aid in identifying youth who possess the key risk factors for delinquency, and determining the type of intervention that will be best suited for the youths needs (Shader, 2003; Farrington, 2000). Risk factors are those conditions that are associated with a higher likelihood of negative outcomes, such as having trouble with the law and engaging in problem behavior. Such factors can compromise an individuals health, well-being, and social performance (Jessor, Van Den Bos, Vanderryn, Costa, Turbin, 1995). Findings from research on risk factors for delinquency have consistently shown these factors as predictive of increased probability of delinquency; however, this does not mean that the presence of risk factors, will definitely lead to offending or delinquency (Shader, 2003). From the risk perspective, the youth offender is depicted on a trajectory of criminality; with repeated delinquency leading to career paths in criminal activity later in life. However, not all of those exposed to risk factors and adverse circumstances, continue to commit criminal acts. Focusing on those adolescents who have desisted from delinquent involvement, and have transcended the limitations of their environment, emphasis is placed on the strengths and assets (protective factors) of youth offenders (Carr, Vandiver, 2001). Research within recent decades have brought major advances in the prediction of who becomes a serious delinquent; findings indicate that factors in several domains-in the individual, fami ly, peer group, school, and neighborhood-contribute to the prediction of delinquency (Loeber, Pardini, Stouthamer-Loeber, Raine, 2007). This work has prompted researchers to investigate the factors that may act as a safeguard, or provide a buffer between risk factors and delinquency. To better understand the protective factors that differentiate between nonrepeat and repeat youth offenders, this study further investigates the constructs of self-efficacy, empathy, problem-solving, and self-awareness in two ways: (a) in comparison to the normative data on these four internal assets and (b) in relation to risk for recidivism in youth offenders. Unlike prior studies, the current study will exclude external assets and look solely at these four internal assets of youth offenders and their relationship with recidivism within six months. For the purposes of this study and consistent with other studies of juvenile delinquency, recidivism is defined as being referred to the juvenile court or being adjudicated on another criminal other than the youths initial contact with juvenile probation. Status offenses (e.g., curfew violations, tobacco use) were not considered re-offenses. These four internal assets were chosen based on the available data and their importance, as relat ed to the development of resiliency. As a prelude to this investigation, a review of the literature is provided across the following topics as related to youth offenders: (a) juvenile delinquency in the United States, (b) theoretical background, (c) resilience, and (d) internal assets as protective factors. Juvenile Delinquency in the United States Over the last few decades, juvenile courts in the United States have seen an overall pattern of increase in the number of delinquency cases that involved juveniles charged with criminal law violations. From 1985 to 1997, the number of delinquency cases climbed steadily (63%), and in 2009, there were approximately 30% more juvenile delinquency cases than in 1985. Puzzanchera and Adams (2011) report 1.9 million arrests of persons under the age of 18 in 2009; juveniles under the age of 16 accounted for the majority (52%) of delinquency cases handled. Considering the staggering number of juvenile delinquency cases, it is important to also consider the number of those who return to juvenile court. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) report there is no national recidivism rate for juveniles. Such a rate would not have much meaning since juvenile justice systems vary so much across states. This  OJJDP report  does, however, contain a summary of findings from recidivism studies conducted at the state-level. State studies have shown rates of rearrests for youth, within 1 year of release from an institution, average 55%, and nearly 6 in 10 juveniles returned to juvenile court by the time they turned 18-years-old (OJJDP, 2012). In efforts to explain the prevalence of juvenile delinquency, theorists have proposed the existence of distinct developmental pathways with different etiologies (Farrington, 2003; Moffitt, 1993; Thornberry, Krohn, 2005; van der Geest, Blokland, Bijleveld, 2009). Theoretical Background The development of offending, has demonstrated a bell-shaped pattern, increasing in early adolescence and decreasing throughout adulthood (van der Geest et al., 2009). In an attempt to explain the process of delinquency that lead to this distinctive shape, Moffitt (1993) developed a dual taxonomy of offending behavior, which was later expanded to include a third group. Delinquency, according to Moffitt (1993), could be best understood if viewed as progressing along at least two developmental paths: those who continue to offend pre- and post- adolescence are life-course persisters, and those who only offend during adolescence are adolescent-limited offenders. In her developmental taxonomy, Moffitt argued that although delinquency is most often temporary, a small proportion of youth continue to offend beyond adolescence (1993, 2006). The large group of adolescence-limited offenders is composed of average youth from nonproblematic backgrounds. Adolescent-limited offenders have usually m aintained empathy and learn socially approved behaviors. Delinquency for these adolescents is considered normative, rather than abnormal. Thought to be rebelliously acting out personal autonomy, their minor delinquency often does not result in criminal justice involvement (Moffitt, 2006). Criminal activity for adolescent-limited offenders, is confined to the adolescent years; suggesting that causal factors may be specific to the period of adolescent development (Moffitt, 1993). According to Moffitt (1993) the rise in delinquent behaviors, for this type of offender, is markedly coincidental with the onset of puberty. This developmental period is characterized by features such as variability in biological age, increasing importance of peer relationships, and maturing of self-conscious values, attitudes, and aspirations (Moffitt, 1993). For youth considered to be classified as life-course-persistent (LCP) offenders, signs of persistent antisocial behavior can be detected early in life. Moffitt (1993) posits that there is evidence that these offenders suffer from deficits in neuropsychological abilities, such as deficits in verbal and executive functions. Verbal deficits can be seen affecting receptive listening and reading, problem solving, memory, and expressive speech. Inattention and hyperactivity are symptoms of executive deficits, which have been associated with this category of offenders (Moffitt, 2003). Personal characteristics of life-course-persistent offenders are thought to interact with their environment, produce negative outcomes, and promote delinquency across time and life domains. Moffitt (1993) suggested that the continuity of delinquent behavior may occur because these individuals fail to learn conventional prosocial alternatives, miss out on opportunities to acquire and practice such alternatives at each stage of development, and become ensnared in a deviant life-style by crimes consequences (p. 683). Life-course-persistent offenders are most at-risk for continued criminality when individual and family-level risk factors coincide (Moffitt, 1993; Thornberry, Krohn, 2005, van der Geest et al., 2009). In 2006, Moffitt added a third group to her taxonomy: low-level chronic offenders. These youth are thought to persist in delinquent activities, much like the life-course-persistent offenders, but do not increase in severity, or participate in serious or violent acts. In order to understand differences across these three developmental trends for delinquency, researchers have examined differences across factors that influence the different behavioral outcomes of desistence versus persistence in crime for youth offenders. The social-psychological framework known as Problem-Behavior-Theory was initially developed for a study of alcohol abuse and other problem behaviors in a small tri-ethnic community. Since then, problem-behavior theory has been employed in a variety of studies to account for a variety of adolescent behaviors including delinquency. Problem behavior is defined as behavior that departs from the norms-both social and legal- of the larger society (Jessor, 1987). Problem-behavior theory, according to Jessor (1987), has a psychosocial perspective, rather than biological, medical, or genetic. The psychological, social, and behavioral characteristics of a juvenile, as well as the relevant dimensions of the larger social environment and the attributes of the situation, provide an explanation of problem behavior (Jessor, 1987, p. 331). Problem-behavior theory emphasizes three systems of explanatory variables: perceived-environment system, personality system, and behavior system (Jessor, 1987). E ach of these systems, are thought to generate a dynamic state- proneness- which specifies the likelihood of involvement in problem behavior. Variables, within each of these systems, act as either controls against or instigations to involvement in problem behavior. Variables that control against problem behavior are synonymous with protective factors, while variables considered to be instigations to involvement in problem behavior are synonymous with risk factors. Within each system, it is the balance of instigations and controls that determines psychosocial proneness for involvement in problem behavior; and it is the balance of instigations and controls across the three systems that determines the adolescents overall level of problem behavior proneness-or psychosocial unconventionality (Jessor, 1987). Values, expectations, beliefs, attitudes, and orientations toward self and others, are the different variables within the personality system. When juveniles are lacking the controls ag ainst involvement in problem behavior within the personality system, they are said to have personality proneness. Variables such as lower self-esteem, lower value on academic achievement, and more external control, are found in those who have personality proneness to problem behaviors (Jessor, 1987). Problem-behavior theory has been expanded to include research that tests other factors that may strengthen the predictive process. In a recent study, several protective factors were analyzed independently in order to determine their effect on risk behaviors taking place in relation to this theory. Similar to conventional behaviors, protective factors are absent of risk and act opposite of risk factors or unconventional behaviors (Jessor, Van Den Bos, Vanderryn, Costa, Turbin, 1995). Through analyzing middle school children in this longitudinal study researchers concluded that protective factors had a strong effect on adolescent behavior over time and certain factors even influence gender and ethnicity more directly (Jessor, et al., 1995).   Resilience As investigators studied risk, they began realizing that there were children flourishing in the midst of adversity; this led to the study of resilience (Garmezy, 1974; Rutter, 1979; Werner, Smith, 1982; Masten, Coatsworth, 1998). In an effort to account for individual differences in outcome in which exposure to risk was essentially held constant, Garmezy (1985) began to articulate factors that may serve to be protective against risk. Garmezy (1985) used three categories to organize the protective variables: (a) dispositional attributes (individual differences), (b) family attributes, and (c) extrafamilial circumstances, while exploring protective factors as moderators of the relationship of risk to behavioral outcomes (Jessor et al., 1995). The Kauai Longitudinal Study is one of the most influential studies of individual resilience and protective factors in children. Following 698 children born in 1955, over a 40 year span, Werner and Smith explored the impact of a variety of biological and psychosocial risk factors, stressful life events, and protective factors on the development of a multiethnic cohort (Werner, Smith, 1992). Findings from this study demonstrated that both internal and external factors work together to strengthen resilience in children, as they moved toward adulthood. Characteristics of resilient children, during early childhood, were found to be predictive of resilience in later years. When these children progressed through middle childhood and adolescence, they were characterized by their impressive communication and problem-solving skills. Findings also suggested other salient protective factors that were operated in the lives of the resilient youth. These factors included an internal locus of cont rol, self-efficacy, and a positive self-concept (Werner, 1995). According to Werner, the development of human resiliency is none other than the process of healthy human development-a dynamic process in which personality and environmental influences interact in a reciprocal, transactional relationship. The range of outcomes is determined by the balance between risk factors, stressful life events, and protective factors (Werner, Smith, 1982). Developmental asset framework. Resilience research supports a developmental theory of change (Bowlby, 1969; Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Erikson, 1963; Rogoff, 2003). According to the Search Institute (2003) as children move through their developmental stages, they acquire a set of personal assets, which help them become resilient and face the challenges and opportunities ahead. Focus on prevention, protective factors, and resiliency, the framework of developmental assets foundations are rooted in empirical studies of child and adolescent development. The original configuration of 30 developmental assets was described in several publications (Benson, 1990; Benson, 1996; Benson, Espeland, Galbraith, 1994) as well as in data-based reports developed for each of 460 school districts. These reports were based on Search Institutes survey, Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors, designed to measure the developmental assets. In 1996, the model was expanded to 40 developmental assets; gr ouped into 20 external assets and 20 internal assets (Search Institute, 2003). These assets, both internal and external, have been associated with protection against deviant behaviors; the more assets youth report, the less likely they are to engage in risk behaviors (Benson, Scales, Leffert, Roehlkkepartain, 1999). The external assets refer to the positive developmental experiences of relationships and opportunities that adults provide and are grouped into four categories: (a) support, (b) empowerment, (c) boundaries and expectations, and (d) constructive use of time. The internal assets are competencies, skills, and self-perceptions that young people develop gradually over time. Benard (1991) suggested four categories of overlapping personal strengths, or internal assets, of resilient children, which include social competence, problem-solving, autonomy and identity, and a sense of purpose. Benson, Leffert, Scales and Blyth (1998) have placed the internal assets in four similar categories: (a) commitment to learning, (b) positive values, (c) social competenci es, and (d) positive identity. Regardless of terminology, each of these four categories of personal strengths encompasses many inter-related individual characteristics associated with healthy development and life success. Research has demonstrated a clear association between the internal factors and the external factors, and their relationship to the development of juvenile delinquency; however, little is known about the direct effect that these factors have on an individual, once criminal behavior has been initiated. Understanding how these factors contribute to desistance from crime, is of critical importance for sustained post-onset interventions (Kazemian, 2007). Providing individuals with the resources and the skills to maintain desistance efforts is needed for rehabilitation and reintegration. Kazemian (2007) highlights the importance of viewing desistance as a process that occurs within individuals. Focusing on within-individual change, allows monitoring progress, and is more valuable for guiding post-onset intervention strategies; differences in internal factors that promote desistance from crime, are easier to manipulate through individual intervention, than the external factors between those who persist and those who desist (Kazemian, 2007). Internal Assets as Protective Factors The ongoing, dynamic process of resilience, reiterates the need for a better understanding of the factors contributing to this process. What factors are likely to build resiliency? What factors seem to alter the predictions of negative outcome and enable individuals to circumvent conditions of great adversity and stress? Once the onset of delinquency or antisocial activity has occurred, the same dynamic processes must be considered in order to understand the internal and external factors that promote or inhibit desistance within individuals (Kazemian, 2007; Benard, 1998; Mulvey et al., 2004). Mulvey et al. (2004) conceptualize the desistance process as involving the interactions among dynamic changes in psychological states, developmental capacities, and social contexts; therefore, developmental changes occurring in late adolescence, or the time of desistance, must also be considered. Review of the literature surrounding desistance, suggests that the desistance is an ongoing process of change over time. Findings also suggest that the desistance process is developmentally based, and that dynamic psychological traits differentiate adolescents who continue to commit criminal offenses from those who desist (Mulvey et al., 2004; Decoene, Bijtteber, 2008; Loeber et al., 2007). Preliminary investigations of factors related to desistance from youth offending provide increasing evidence for the importance of internal assets as protective factors. Traditionally, researchers have placed youth offenders within a high-risk, nonresilient category (Ferguson, Lynskey, 1996; White, Moffitt, Silva, 1989). Moving away from the risk perspective, by emphasizing the strengths and assets of youth offenders, and looking at those adolescents who have desisted from delinquent involvement, researchers have begun to identify protective factors in resilient children. Carr and Vandiver (2001) applied the knowledge gleaned from resiliency research to the domain of juvenile delinquency. This study sought to identify the stressors, risk factors, and protective factors among a population of youth offenders, and to determine if these factors are associated with recidivism status. Findings suggested that protective factors play an important role in decreasing recidivism among youth o ffenders. Additionally, personal characteristics were found to independently differentiate the non-repeat offenders and repeat offenders (Carr, Vandiver, 2001). Similarly, in an examination of factors discriminating between recidivists and non-recidivists, self-esteem, self-efficacy, expectations of future success, and resilience were the personal attributes expected to be discriminators (Benda, 2001). Social Competence. The social competencies assets include a personal skill set needed to deal with the myriad choices, challenges, and opportunities presented in complex societies. Social competence is thought to develop with the social contexts and includes planning and decision making, interpersonal and cultural competence, resistance skills, and the ability to resolve conflicts (Benson, Leffert, Scales, Blyth, 1998). Social competence, according to Luthar, is considered to be a particularly useful indicator of childrens overall positive adaptation or wellness (Luthar, Burak, 2000, p. 30). Similarly, Kholberg, LaCrosse, and Ricks (1972), found social competence to be among the broad developmental-adaptational attributes, that were the best predictors of later adult outcomes. This category includes the characteristics, skills, and attitudes essential to forming relationships and positive attachments to others; such as empathy and caring, compassion, forgiveness, and communication. Studies on resiliency, not only document these attributes, studies done on individuals already experiencing problems with delinquency, crime, mental illness, and substance abuse have consistently identified the lack of these qualities. Deficits within social competence have been associated with a history of higher stress reactivity and lower self-control of attention and behavior (Masten, Coatsworth, 1998). Additionally, there is evidence that individuals with the poorest social competence have the worst prognoses and highest relapse rate, and childhood competence level is predictive of severity of adult psychiatric problems (Benard, 1998). Empathy has been defined as, an emotional reaction elicited by and congruent with anothers emotional state or situation (Hoffman, 1982). According to Eisenberg, Miller, Shell, McNalley, and Shea (1991), empathy begins being expressed in children during late elementary school and beyond; expressed through reasoning, which is reflective of abstract principles, internalized affective reactions, and self-reflective sympathy and perspective taking. Empathy, according to Hoffman (1984), is important for prosocial behavior, as it functions as a motive for moral behavior. Empathic children are more inclined to consider the implications of their actions for the welfare of others and to refrain from delinquent behaviors. As such, empathic capacities function as a deterrent against certain types of delinquent behaviors. Individuals with higher empathy scores, tend to be morally mature (Hogan, 1973). In fact, empathy has consistently been found to be positively associated with adolescents prosoc ial moral judgment and is a strong predictor of males prosocial behavior (Benard, 2004; Eisenberg et al., 1991). With age, moral judgment becomes a component of individuals prosocial disposition, or lack thereof. Understanding, and sensitivity to, others feelings, thoughts, and experiences, directly affects behavior as well as indirectly affecting moral cognitions. As the root of morality and mutual respect, empathy is considered a hallmark of resilience and is essential to healthy development. Problem-solving. Abilities such as planning, flexibility, critical thinking, and insight fall into the category of problem-solving. Several studies have found planful behavior to be the primary internal asset of individuals that helped them avoid choosing troubled mates. Studies have also demonstrated flexibility as a critical life skill; flexibility is one of the most often named personal resources, of adults asked what personal strength has helped them deal with stress and challenge (Benard, 2004). More effective problem-solving skills have been found in stress-resilient children and are strong indicators of adult adaptation and functioning (Luthar, Zigler, 1990; Werner, Smith, 1982, 1992, 2001). Problem-solving, according to Masten and Coatsworth (1998), requires skills useful for coping. In a study of offenders and non-offenders, Fougere, Daffern, and Thomas (2012) found those considered to be resilient, had stronger coping skills and better problem-solving skills. Findings also suggested that those considered to be resilient, were also more likely to be the non-reoffenders or succeeders. By the same token, offending behavior has been linked to cognitive predispositions, such as interpersonal cognitive problem-solving skills. Deficits in these skills have been associated with deficits in interactions with others (Kazemian, 2007). Furthermore, Tate, Reppucci, and Mulvey (1995), found chronically violent individuals to have constricted problem-solving skills. Autonomy and identity. The category of autonomy includes attributes revolving around the development of ones sense of self, identity, and of power; such as self-efficacy and self-awareness. Positive identity, according to Erik Eriksons (1968) theory of psychosocial development, is the critical developmental task of adolescence. Research has confirmed that a clear sense of identity is associated with optimal psychological functioning in terms of personal well-being and the absence of anxiety and depression. Positive self-identity is closely aligned with positive self-evaluation or self-esteem. These characteristics are not only critical to normative development but have consistently been documented as characteristics describing resilient children and adolescents (Masten, Coatsworth, 1998; Werner, Smith, 1992). Self-awareness. Self-awareness is a nonreactive, nonjudgmental attention to inner states (Goleman, 1995, p.47, 315). It includes observing ones thinking, feelings, attributions or explanatory style as well as paying attention to ones moods, strengths, and needs as they arise, without getting caught up in emotion. Self-aware individuals, according to Mead (1934), have the ability to look at themselves as others do. They can adopt an outside social perception of themselves. Self-awareness, as posited by Diener and Srull (1979), increases adherence to normative standards. Individuals, who are high in this asset, are more concerned with their social selves and are more likely to avoid anti-normative behavior. Studies of desistance indicate the importance of individual-level motivational traits in change toward positive behavior (Mulvey et al., 2004; Twyford, 2012). Mulvey et al. (2004) have suggested agency as a potentially relevant factor for promoting or inhibiting desistance. A sense of personal agency, is a pivotal role in cognitive development, and includes the first stage of self-awareness. A change in the way the individual sees him or her self, and who they believe they are, are important to the process of personal reformation and desistance (Mulvey et al., 2004). Self-awareness is considered a hallmark of successful and healthy human development; it is the fundamental internal asset upon which other assets are built (Werner, 1989; 1992). Self-efficacy. Self-efficacy has been defined as, ones belief in ones ability to succeed in specific situations. Ones sense of self-efficacy can play a major role in how one approaches goals, tasks, and challenges; affecting behavior through its impact on motivational, decisional, and affective determinants (Bandura, 1977; Caprara, Gerbino, Paciello, Di Giunta, Pastorelli, 2010). Research has demonstrated self-efficacy to be a critical component of developing ones identity and sense of self-the major developmental task of adolescent years (Benard, 2004). Self-efficacious children and adolescents have developed a sense of personal control. A sense of personal control is essential for individuals to surmount serious social and contextual adversities (Scales, Benson, Leffert, Blyth, 2000). When individuals have a sense of personal control, they are better able at recognizing what is out of their control and to understand that they are able to control the course of their lives, regardless of what cannot be controlled. Confidence in the personal control over their lives and their life choices, or a sense of personal agency, is crucial for adolescents to make any significant and lasting changes (Mulvey et al., 2004; Twyford, 2012). This may be, in part, because individuals with high self-efficacy beliefs are better at monitoring their behavior. According to Caprara et al., (2010) self-efficacious children may learn to cope and regulate temperamental and behavioral problems, by relying on cognitive and emotional resources. Studies have sho wn the positive influence that self-efficacy beliefs have on academic achievement and prosocial behavior and their positive role in counteracting antisocial careers. Self-efficacy is said to supply adolescents with the cognitive, emotional, and motivational resources to cope successfully with transition to adulthood (Caprara et al., 2010). Over the past few decades, researchers have begun to focus on both risk factors and protective factors; recognizing their interactive roles throughout youth development. Findings have demonstrated a clear association between the internal factors and the external factors, and their relationship to the development of juvenile delinquency; however, little is known about the direct effect that these factors have on an individual, once criminal behavior has been initiated. Therefore, as empathy, problem-solving, self-awareness, and self-efficacy have demonstrated to be a predictor of and a positive influence on prosocial behavior, these assets require further investigation to determine the extent to which they promote desistance and if they are indeed internal protective factors. Currently, research regarding the individual personal strengths, or internal assets, and their relation to youth offending patterns has been limited. The present study investigated the protective effects of the internal assets of empathy, problem-solving, self-awareness, and self-efficacy in a youth offender population. Specifically, the proposed study sought to explore these assets and their ability to differentiate between non-repeat and repeat youth offenders. It was predicted that youth offenders would have lower scores on the internal assets, than a normative sample. Furthermore, it was predicted that youth offenders with higher scores on the internal assets would be less likely to recidivate within a six-month period, than youth offenders with lower internal assets scores.

Organizational Structure and Competitive Advantage

Organizational Structure and Competitive Advantage In our fast-paced, ever-changing world, organizations are constantly seeking ways to gain and sustain effectiveness. Though there is no single thing that makes an organization successful no secret ingredient some concepts do universally apply. One fundamental is to create a right organizational structure for success by ensuring alignment in organization dynamic relative to core purposes, strategy, and culture. Organisational structure refers to the way tasks are divided up, how the work flows, how this flow is coordinated and the forces and mechanisms that allow this coordination to occur. It creates the framework within which organizations operate. It is the skeleton and later on becomes the engine of the business. Therefore an organization with a structure which does not fit into economic and business environment, differentiated from its core purposes cannot exist for a long time. The aim of this paper is to review an organizational structure as a competitive advantage. The objectives will be the guiding tour to achieve the goal: Review existing organizational structures and their respective Analyse relationship between organizational structure and strategy Define which organizational structure is relatively better for exporting companies As a case study, organizational structure of Hansa Flex was researched, and subject in question was applied to it to compare organizational theory in real business life. The paper starts formulating a unified theoretical framework by explaining what the organization is, and describing relationship within an organization. Then it defines common types of organizational structure, talks about their function principles, afterwards investigates organizational effectiveness and relationship between organizational structure and strategy. To describe how a company can gain a competitive advantage relying on this relationship, and to compare theoretical framework with real business life, at the end, organizational structure of Hansa Flex was studied and conclusion about comparison is described. Some have described organizational structure as a formal configuration of roles and procedures, the prescribed framework of the organization. Others have described structure as the patterned regularities and processes of interaction. Structure is important in organizations because it reduces ambiguity and clarifies tasks, expectations and goal. Bartol, Martin, Tein and Matthews (2001, p. 267) define organizational structure as the formal pattern of interactions and coordination that managers design to link the tasks of individuals and groups to achieve organizational goals. Different sources give different contingencies which define organizational structure. These contingencies change through the time due to economic and business environment, technology, innovation as well as designs of organizational structures. The elements that were main criteria for selecting organizational structure 20 years ago are not reliable nowadays. Contingencies like size of organization, role clarity, specialization and control, for example, have been replaced by speed, flexibility, integration and innovation (Ashkenas et al., 1995, p. 7). Methodology Before carrying out the research, it is reasonable to analyse particular method for a given study. There are two main points that the research process of the paper goes through, as the research is done to enlighten development of organizational structures and review organizational structures as a competitive advantage: Defining the resource for analysis of theoretical framework Applying the theory on particular case study (Hansa-Flex) Starting a new research paper is like starting a new project you have an idea of what you want to do, but are not sure how to start. Many writers, like many project planners and managers, find that outlining is frequently the most effective way to start writing (Keene, 1987, p. 2). So having this idea in mind, we started to draw a step-by-step methodology of the research. Following are the stages that paper went through. Formulating the research aim (Initiation). This is the first stage of our research process, and the purpose of this stage is for us to decide what we are writing about, therefore after this stage it is possible to know which are the other stages that are needed for the fulfilment of the paper. As it was mentioned, the aim of the paper is to review organizational structure as a competitive advantage. We want to analyse perspectives of modern organizational structures and see whether there is one best structure that exporting companies can use. Developing the objectives. Once the research aim is determined, the next stage of our research is to develop the objectives: Review existing organizational structures and their respective Analyse relationship between organizational structure and strategy Define which organizational structure is relatively better for exporting companies These objectives will keep the research study going on towards the aim of the paper. Resource selection. Having followed all the previous stages then is the next stage; determine how and where to collect the data that is crucial to draw inferences and conclusions for the study. Primary Data Secondary data Collection Purpose For the problem at hand For other problems Collection process Very involved Rapid easy Collection cost High Relatively low Collection Time Long Short Table 1. A Comparison of Primary and Secondary data Source. Malhotra (1996, p. 117) According to a source comparison table of Malhotra (1996, p. 117), due to absence of research budget and short time, secondary data was chosen to be relative as source. It was decided to use, for this area of study, the following sources: Books Records Journals Newspapers Internet articles Academic Papers Published censuses or other statistical data Company Hansa-Flex (interviews with representatives) Unfortunately, there were some difficulties using all the sources above. Since the research took place in Bremen, small town in North Germany, it was not easy to find physical books, journals or newspapers in English. Therefore, to help this situation, electronic versions of some of the books were downloaded from the Hochschule Bremens internet network. Also, not being able to have an interview with Hansa-Flexs representative had negative impact on the case study part of the research. Literature Review. After collecting necessary data, this stage is an integral part of the research methodology, because it makes important contribution to all the next stages of the methodology. This stage helps to understand the subject area as well as the research aim precisely and clearly. Although the secondary sources created a framework for the study, censuses and annual reports published by Hansa-Flex did not help a lot to analyse the organizational structure of the company and evaluate it as a competitive advantage. The company presentation of Hansa-Flex given at the Hochschule Bremen by the companys Development Manager was used to fill this lack. Interpretation. After collecting and analyzing the data, and also subsequent to the clarifying of the questionable points, the next stage for the study will be interpretation in which the raw data, clean of mistakes, will be applied to the research aim. In this case it will be related to the case study, which is organizational structure of Hansa-Flex. Results and formal write of conclusions reached. The last stage is writing the report, in which all the previous stages come together as one research study and with the principle of enlighten the reader what all the research is about and all the results achieved drawn from what all the previous stages have done. It will also help to finally come with the result, whether the research aim was achieved or not. Organization and organizational structure. Definitions As it was mentioned before, the purpose of this paper is to clarify the relationship between organizational structure and strategy, and describe organizational structure as a competitive advantage. However, the goal of this chapter, as a starting point, is to introduce some common view about an organization and organizational structure. What is an Organization? Organizations all over the world share the same characteristics; they are social entities that are goal-directed, are designed as deliberately structured and coordinated activity systems and are linked to the external environment. Not all organizations are the same, some are large, multinational corporations, others are small, family owned business, some manufacture products, others provide services. One key element of an organization is that indeed the organization will exist when people interact with one another to perform essential functions that will help the achievement of goals. One organization cannot exist without the interaction with customers, suppliers, competitors, and some other elements of the external environment like the government etc (Daft, 2007, p.10-11). Definitions of organizational structure Having defined the organization, it is next sensible to define organizational structure. The Morris describes organizational structure as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the framework around, and the systems that support, the work being done in an organization. Walton (1986) notes structure as the basis for organizing, to include hierarchical levels and spans of responsibility, roles and positions, and mechanisms for integration and problem solving. The similar definition is given in the Dictionary-Organizational Behavior (2003) as: the established pattern of relationships among the components of parts of a company; the way that a company is set-up; the formally defined framework of an organizations task and authority relationship. (p.2) The organizational structure is reflected in the organization chart (Daft, 2007, p. 190). It is the visual representation of the whole organization and its processes. The organization chart enables to see employees going about their duties, performing different tasks, and working in different locations. The organization chart is very useful in the understanding how a company works. In general, it refers to the way that an organization arranges people and their jobs so that the work can be done and its goals can be achieved. If the size of a work organization is not big and communication can be made face to face, formal structure may be not necessary, but in a large-scale organization the messengers have to be passed about the delegation of various tasks. Then, structure is established that distribute responsibilities for various functions. It is these decisions that determine the organizational structure. Organizational structure and effectiveness Having a common view about what an organization is, and saying that organizational structure refers to the way that an organization arranges people and their jobs, it is time to think about the impact of the structure on organizational effectiveness. Organizational structure and organizational effectiveness are interrelated, because organizational structure impacts organizational effectiveness based on organization creativity. Woodman explains that: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in general, adaptive organizational forms (e.g. matrix, networks, collateral or parallel structures) increase the odds for creativity. Bureaucratic, mechanistic, or rigid structures decrease the probability of organizational creativity. (Morris, 1995, p.64) Peguin (2003) comments that organizational effectiveness and its relation to structure are determined by a fit between information processing requirements so people have either too little or too much irrelevant information (para. 3). Andrews (1995) supports his idea and notes without clearly defined roles and responsibilities of getting information, any organization structure becomes dysfunctional. (p. 1) In analyzing the difficulties of realizing the organizational effectiveness, on the one hand, Bedeian (1986) says, Although effectiveness is a central theme in the study of organizations, it remains one of the most frequently cited yet least understood concepts in organization theory. (p. 186). He continues to argue that failing to consider organizations goals, characteristics, and constituents lead to fault assumptions of performance. (p. 190). He also believes that the relationship and consequences between organizational design and structure choice. Organizations are incredibly complex. They are molded by increasingly fluid and disorderly environmental forces that constantly threaten their rationally ordered structures and stated goals. (p. 198) On the other hand, he emphasizes the possible result of wrong structure choice. Declining organizations face many problems. One of the most serious of these is the lack of flexibility at time when adaptiveness and agility are especially needed. Among the attributes most commonly affected are an organization leadership, innovative processes, work-force composition, and relationships with interest groups. (p. 197). Relation between organizational structure and strategy This chapter is divided in two parts, while first part describes how organizational structure and strategy are related via environmental conditions; second part explains how to build proper organizational structure that supports strategy and defines the authority for each manager. Nearly always, development of corporate strategy begins by analyzing the industry in which it operates and environmental conditions. Then having industry and competitive analyses, through research and benchmarking the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, executives set out to carve a distinctive strategic position where they can outperform their rivals by building a competitive advantage. To obtain such advantage, a company chooses a structure, which is supposed to group people due to their duties, tasks and responsibilities as well as hierarchy of decision making (Mouborgne, et al., 2009). Developing an organizational structure that supports the strategy is not easy, because of uncertainty in the global economys rapidly changing and dynamic competitive environments. When a structures elements, such as reporting relationships, procedures, etc., are properly aligned with one another the structure facilitates effective use of the strategy (Hitt, et al., 2009, p. 309). Choosing the most appropriate organizational structure that supports the strategy does not ensure an organization from future mismatches. As previous chapters describes organizations has to change and adopt to innovation and changing environment, and just as organizations strategy needs to change with changing external environment, so must a structure change for proper strategy implementation. In other hand companys strategic options are bounded by the environment. In other words, structure shapes strategy (Mouborgne, et al., 2009). So organizational structure and strategy are like two different sides of the same coin. In structure strategy relationship, organizations must be wide awake in their efforts to verify that the structure calls for work to be completed remains consistent with implementation requirement of chosen strategy. There is no perfect or ideal organizational structure that lasts forever. The strategy must be supported by the structure that provides the stability needed to use current competitive advantage as well as flexibility required to develop future advantages. Therefore, properly matching organizational structure and strategy can create competitive advantage (Hitt, et al., 2009). Characteristics of organizational structures After the impact of organizational structure on organizational effectiveness and strategy was described, based on the literature review of the definition and characteristics of organizational structure above, this part explores the types of organizational structure. There are different approaches to design the organizations activity. In the other word, that is different types of organizational structure. Common types of organizational structure Numerous international scholars are working on identifying the types of organizational structure. Thus, various literatures identify several dominant organizational structure types from different perspective. According to traditional organizational type of bureaucratic and other new forms, dominant organizational structure types include functional structure, divisional structure and matrix structure. The descriptions below are summarized and supported by reference to current literature. Functional structure. It refers to a set of people who work together and perform the same types of tasks or hold similar positions in an organization (Ledbetter, 2003, p.13). Organizations that grow too complex to be administered through a simple structure usually adopt the functional structure as a means of coping with the increased demands of differentiation (Hatch, 1997, p.183). As Raymond mentions also a functional organization is best suited as a producer of standardized goods and services at large volume and low cost. Coordination and specialization of tasks are centralized in a functional structure, which makes producing a limited amount of products or services efficient and predictable. Moreover, efficiencies can further be realized as functional organizations integrate their activities vertically so that products are sold and distributed quickly and at low cost. Divisional structure. It refers to an organizational structure that is divided along some criteria, and most commonly it is geographic location, but there can also be product, functional, or strategic divisions. (Ledbetter, 2003, p.13) Matrix structure. It refers to simultaneously groups people in two ways: by the function of which they are a member and by the product team on which they are currently working. (Ledbetter, 2003, p.13) According to Hatchs organization theory, the matrix structure was developed with the intention of providing the best of both the functional and multi-divisional alternatives. The sad truth is all these structures have their disadvantages parallel to their advantages. If one of the structures did not have any disadvantage, it would be automatically accepted without any need to consider the pros. Pros and Cons of each structure Which structure effects efficiency most and works best for an organization can be quite complicated because of the nature of different organizations themselves. Every way of designing an organization has pros and cons. However, this section describes some general advantages and disadvantages of each organizational structure. This will help us to analyze the case study in the next chapter and see whether a company can use its structure as an advantage. Functional structure. In the functional structure, as it was recently described, the employees are allocated in departments based on their skills and what they do. Common functional departments are purchasing, accounting, manufacturing, sales and marketing, human resources. Each department acts as its own entity and they are focused on activity performance rather than final result. It leads to centralization of specialized personnel, equipment and facilities, and results high development of skills, however, this major benefit can be a major pain for the communication with other departments. In manufacturing companies, for example, weak communication within departments may affect the quality of final product. It also does not allow for flexibility because of the centralization. Divisional structure. As Rao (2003) mentions, the main benefit this structure provides arise from, appositely from functional structure, from the fact that this type of structure tends to be more result oriented than activity oriented. Each division in this structure contains all the necessary resources and functions within it. The employees of each division know about the specific needs of the division, and are involved actively to achieve the goal. This structure creates an atmosphere of individual commitment and motivation. Divisional structure has its own disadvantages. As it is decentralized, it results duplication of facilities, equipment, and personnel usually leads to more costly processing. Although the employees are aware of specific needs of the division, they might not know organizations overall needs. As functional structure divisional structure also may lead to a weak communication between divisions. The lack of cooperation reduces improvement of techniques. Matrix structure. This type of structure tries to get the benefits of functional structure and of divisional structure, reducing their disadvantages. One of the benefits is resources can be used from all over the organization. Another benefit, as Rainey (2009) underlines, is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the advantage of the ability to share or shift personnel or other resources rapidly across product lines. However, it is not easy to implement this structure because of the dual authority. Having two bosses may sometimes confuse the employees. But this fact can also have a positive impact, as two managers share responsibilities. Matrix structure requires heavy investment in coordination. Because such structure often produce high level of stress and conflict that must be resolved. It is important to remember that each managerial decision has its pros and cons. When designing an organizational structure management should take necessary actions to decrease the disadvantages of the chosen structure. Nowadays, many companies are based on mix of these structures. Whatever structure is chosen, management has to make sure that it supports organizations strategy and can be used as competitive advantage. Case study. Hansa-Flex As previous chapters suggest, when establishing an organizational structure a company has to make sure the structure supports companys strategy and fits into its culture. Having done this, a company can create sustainable resource for a competitive advantage. This chapter describes how Hansa-Flex, supplier of hydraulic hose, applies the theory of organizational structure to its business to achieve a competitive advantage over its rivals. Hansa-Flex. Company overview Since it was initiated in 1962 in the garage of the companys founder Joachim Armerding, Hansa-Flex Hydraulics has been Europes leading privately owned supplier of hydraulic hose, couplings, fittings, adapters and hydraulic accessories. Hansa-Flex offers replacement of spare parts due to customers require even at short notice. This can be done very efficiently as Hansa-Flex holds over 82,000 different parts permanently in its stock. With the expertise of committed workforce and focus on service Hansa-Flex provides fast, qualified help in any situation. Hansa-Flex equips more than 300,000 customers in various industries with hydraulic and metal hoses and components. Until now, it has more than 350 branch offices in 33 countries worldwide operations, has an annual turnover of 165 million à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ in year 2009 (Hansa-Flex Annual Report 2009). Furthermore, Hansa-Flex has a customer service fleet of 225 vehicles worldwide, of which 100 are in Germany on the road (Hansa-Flex Annual report 2009). The staff and training service in the fleet take FLEXXPRESS Services throughout the world around the clock repairs and install replacement parts. For instants, defective hydraulic hoses to forklifts and related fittings are replaced in the automobile production. In a word, the motto of Hansa-Flex is thinking globally acting locally, which means being positioned in Bremen with a worldwide network of branch offices. All of these branch offices guarantee great availability of their products throughout of world. For instants, by May 2010, the facility in Geisenfeld keeps about 150 branches in southern Germany (Hydraulikpresse 2010). In October 2010, Hansa-Flex opened their Operation Centre for the Asian market in Shanghai, China. This Operation Centre provides training program in training center and central warehouse as well as manufacturing and administrative space. Therefore, Hansa-Flex is well standing in Asian Market to take advantage of future developments. This is one of the last but not least successes for Hansa-Flex. Strategy of Hansa-Flex Hansa-Flex is also very well founded through all over world. Generally, in the process of globalization the competition between the companies is more disastrous. More customer attraction and more market share are the main targets of companies. In other words, the company needs the appropriate strategy for the organizational structure in different environment conditions, especially an international company. Well-designed structure provides effective outcome. This is the reason why Hansa-Flex has developed very fast in its founding in Germany and in Europe. Hansa-Flex believes that The whole is greater than the sum of its parts (Aristotle). It considers that it is more than just the number of its branches; more than the sum of its products and services. To be considered as a whole, Hansa-Flex has to include the totality of the experience and skills of every employee. Based on this point view Hansa-Flex sets a very important and interesting Strategy for the Company. It has opened the training center for their employees and potential employees early in 2001 when Hansa-Flex merely focused on local. Besides that, as a glocal  [1]  company, Hansa-Flex sees customer proximity as part of its responsibility for ensuring smooth processes in hydraulics. To sustain the proximity the company has chosen strategy of growth through diversification acquisition, subsidiary, partnership. This strategy makes sure Hansa-Flex is maintaining international growth while at the same time enlarging their product range. Figure 1. Number of branches Source. Hansa-Flex Annual Report 2003 According to the researches which are made by the majority of international scholars we find this growth strategy highly appropriate reflexed the following theory. The strategy must be supported by the structure that provides the stability to current competitive advantage as well as flexibility required to develop future advantages (Hitt, et al., 2009). In briefly, Hansa-Flex has a deeply understanding about how could organizational structure and strategy be related via environmental conditions and how to build proper organizational structure that supports their strategy to grow the market share and enter a new market. Hansa-Flex never stops changing and always thinks forward such as their catchword Think globally act locally. Organizational structure of Hansa-Flex Interesting point here is how the company controls such a large network of branches. How is the company organized to provide a strong communication between departments, and basically between warehouses to keep customers satisfied? This section answers this question by analyzing organizational structure of Hansa-Flex, and finds out whether or not the company uses it as a competitive advantage in the market. Obviously, as many other starter companies, Hansa-Flex was founded based on simple structure. Later on, as we see on figure 1, it starts opening branches in different regions of Germany, and so created functional structure. Starting from 1992, Hansa-Flex goes international. Being international and offering products in different countries is always a big deal and requires a lot of research. Nowadays, Hansa-Flex has established a mix of functional and divisional structures and customized it by its strategy and culture. The structured is divisioned by geographic location to push the company toward being bounderless organization. Basically it has centralized functional areas, such as purchasing, quality management, warehousing, human resources, marketing; and decentralized sales and local marketing. Most significant advantage of centralized purchasing is that it speeds up the purchasing cycle. Thanks to centralized purchasing Hansa-Flex can complete this process very fast, sometimes even within one day. It is because purchasing data is stored and accessible via the internet. The company can access the necessary order information and place an order much more quickly. It also saves a lot of time on conducting the correlation between supplier and Hansa-Flex. This way the company can easily forecast how it could suffer if the supplier goes bankrupt unexpectedly. This is easier to be done, because the company does not need to collect all the purchasing data from different branches. Another advantage is centralized purchasing makes it easy for everyone who needs to track the information even across multiple branches and corporate divisions. For Hansa-Flex this means insurance of customer proximity, and results on less time waste between branches and subsidiaries on tracking down the data. Thus, centralized warehouse again gives an advantage to Hansa-Flex to satisfy its customers faster than competitors. Having centralized HR, first of all Hansa-Flex ensures to have most qualified applicants for work. Because centralized HR decision making promotes a more equitable treatment of employees, and is political abuse. Therefore, HR experts review and rank job candidates very carefully and transparent. Using the advantage of purchasing power centralized marketing continue to create even better brand image among customers. The company also needs a local marketing on destination point. Because local employee knows local market better than foreigners employees. Therefore, central marketing transfer knowledge to local marketing to continue the whole process of marketing. Following the same logic Hansa-Flex has divisional sale force that is in charge of sales in specific regions. This gives the company flexibility to react and adapt to local environment changes. Conclusion Due to the globalization the concept of competitive advantage of a product or service has recently changed. It is not easy to sustain this sort of advantage, because of high competition and growing number of follower companies. Therefore, companies like Hansa-Flex use their organizational structure as a competitive advantage. As most of economic writers and managers say, there is no one ideal organizational structure. Each structure has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is also true that, due to its mission, organizational culture, and history, two companies in the same market can apply the same one structure, but still get totally different outcome. In our fast changing world, sticking into one classic structure is not enough. Establishing a structure needs a lot of creativity, knowledge, experience, and customization of the structure to the companys indicators. Following this logic Hansa-Flex designed a customized mix structure of functional and divisional structures. It efficiently uses advantages of both structures, reduces disadvantages. Therefore, having structure that supports strategy, Hansa-Flex can easily achieve its goals towards its mission. The model which Hansa-Flex constructs may not be applied in other companies; however, it provides a practical experience concerning the organizational structure, which is considered as the crucial factor for organizational effectiveness.