Ikea’s Global Sourcing Challenge Indian Rugs and Child Labor

IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor Ethics in Business and Society Professor Stephen Griffith Otis West Tuesday, November 6, 2012 IKEA is the world’s largest furniture store that offers well-designed, functional home furnishing products at low prices. The store offers home furnishings to meet the needs of everyone. The company vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. Ikea is able to back their vision with their products and prices. In additional to Ikea offering great products, the company also believes in taking responsibility for people and the environment as a pre prerequisite for doing good business. IKEA works actively to reduce its impact on climate change and IKEA products must†¦show more content†¦The International Labor Organization (ILO) is the international organization responsible for overseeing international labor standards. The ILO gives an equal voice to workers, employers and governments to ensure that the views of the social partners are closely reflected in labor standards and in shaping policies. According to ILO, there are more than 215 million child w orkers in the world today, many of them in hazardous environments doing back-breaking work. Millions are forced into slavery or exploited in drug trafficking and prostitution. Most of these children do not attend school or receive the most basic nutrition or medical care that all children deserve (ILO.com, 2012). For a company like IKEA who has operations worldwide, both set of laws affect their business if their suppliers go against the Fair Labor Standards Act or laws implemented by the International Labor Organization. In the case this week one of IKEAs suppliers are using child labor to produce Indian rugs that IKEA sells. Although IKEA is not directly employing these children, the company is employing a third party who is hiring children to produce products for them. This gives consumers a negative perception of the company in a way that says that the company supports child labor when indeed they do not but their suppliers do and therefore, IKEA must take action. A reputation l ike this could affect IKEA sales tremendously. As part of the company’s code of conduct it states thatShow MoreRelatedIkea’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor2782 Words   |  12 PagesIKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor Jordan de Jong Case Study _ The case I will analyze and discuss in this case study is â€Å"IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor†. I will begin with the vision, values, and strategy of IKEA and an internal analysis ofRead MoreIkea Global Sourcing Challenge2551 Words   |  11 PagesIKEAs GLOBAL SOURCING CHALLENGE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The IKEA Group, one of the world’s top furniture retailers, has emerged as the fastest-growing furniture retailer in the US. Its unique business strategy has given it its strengths for its success today. However, like all strategies, IKEA’s strategy has its own flaws that can pose as weaknesses. IKEA also has a lot of opportunities in the marketplace such as expansions of their company and threats such as competitors in the same industryRead MoreIkeas Global Sourcing Challenge1241 Words   |  5 PagesIKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge IKEA, one of the world’s largest specialized furniture retailers, has been presented with a large issue within their operations. In 1995, a German TV station released an investigative report which exposed one of the suppliers for IKEA rugs for exploiting child labor in their factory. A recent addendum was signed by all IKEA suppliers which forbid the use of child labor (Bartlett amp; Sjoman, p. 1, 2006), so this incident has called the company to make an actionRead MoreIkea Children Labour6495 Words   |  26 Pages14, 2006 CHRISTOPHER A. BARTLETT VINCENT DESSAIN ANDERS SJÃâ€"MAN IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor (A) In May 1995, Marianne Barner faced a tough decision. After just two years with IKEA, the world’s largest furniture retailer, and less than a year into her job as business area manager for carpets, she was faced with the decision of cutting off one of the company’s major suppliers of Indian rugs. While such a move would disrupt supply and affect sales, she found theRead MoreCase Study of Ikea1445 Words   |  6 PagesCase Study of IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge In 1995, IKEA met a problem that its main supplier, Indian rugs, used the child labor to produce products, although they had signed an attachment of the contract to ban employing child labor. In addition, a German documentary maker was about to broadcast the problem of child labor on German television and also invited an employee from IKEA to have a live discussion in the TV program. Marianne Barner, the leader of IKEA, must find a great solutionRead MoreIkeas Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs Essay1242 Words   |  5 PagesThe case â€Å"IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor (A)† is about IKEA’s development from a backyard company to one of the world’s largest furniture retailers, which has to deal with the issues of child labor and how they should behave considering economical issues and the company’s policy! Conclusions made in this study are only based on the facts given in the case, considering pros and cons of an action. How should Marianne Barner respond to the invitation for IKEA to haveRead MoreEthical Issue Ikea2982 Words   |  12 Pagescompany was founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad and kept growing tremendously from 2 stores in 1964 to 114 stores in 1994 to 285 stores in 2008 in 36 countries with an additional 26 stores to be opened in 2009 welcoming a total of 522 million visitors. IKEA’s success story is the result of its founders opening store in 1951 to allow customers to inspect products before buying them, using a catalog to tempt people to visit an exhibition. Its key feature of providing self-assembled furniture starting fromRead MoreIkeas Global Sourcing Challenge2533 Words   |  11 PagesIKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor (A) Case Synopsis IKEA is a â€Å"privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories† (www.worldisyouroyster.com). The company was established in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden when he was just 17 years old. Kamprad himself, who still owns the private company, is rumored to be the world’s richest man. IKEA is currently the worldRead MoreIkea s Global Sourcing Challenge Indian Rugs And Child Labor1532 Words   |  7 PagesIKEA’S GLOBAL SOURCING CHALLENGE INDIAN RUGS AND CHILD LABOR In 1995, Marianne Barner, IKEA’s manager for carpets, faced a difficult situation when one of their Indian rug supplier apparently was involved with the use of child labor in the manufacture of its products for IKEA. Even though they had a contract where IKEA explicitly forbid the use of child labor. These Allegations generated mixed opinion regarding the future of all the Indian carpet suppliers and the company was studying the futureRead MoreIKEA Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor1176 Words   |  5 PagesProposal Case: IKEA Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor Summary In this case, it is known that IKEA s procurement model is the mode of global sourcing. IKEA products are shipped to the 26 distribution centres from the trade area after procurement, and then delivered to the shopping malls in the world. IKEA s procurement philosophy and assessment of suppliers mainly include four aspects: continuous price improvement; strict supplier performance and service levels; Ikea’s Global Sourcing Challenge Indian Rugs and Child Labor IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor Jordan de Jong Case Study _ The case I will analyze and discuss in this case study is â€Å"IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor†. I will begin with the vision, values, and strategy of IKEA and an internal analysis of the issues that they have faced as of the time of the case. Next, I will detail the issues IKEA faced in the years prior to the Indian rugs and child labor challenge. Then I will describe the Indian rug and child labor problem that IKEA faced†¦show more content†¦Another example came in 1985 when IKEA introduced the â€Å"MOMENT† sofa. The â€Å"MOMENT† sofa had a metal frame that was manufactured by a supermarket cart factory. As the company grew through the 1960’s and 1970’s the culture of the company was starting to solidify. Kamprad had a very strong idea of how he wanted the company to operate and be managed. He was eager to share his ideas on management with his staff and thus authored the document, â€Å"A Furniture Dealer’s Testament† in 1976. The document described the nine cornerstones of IKEA culture and his vision statement, â€Å"To create a better everyday life for the many people.† The testament nine cornerstones were as follows: 1. The product range – our identify 2. The IKEA spirit – A strong and living reality 3. Profit gives us resources 4. Reaching good results with small means 5. Simplicity is virtue 6. Doing it in a different way 7. Concentration – Important to our success 8. Taking responsibility – A privilege 9. Most things still remain to be done. A glorious future While the company, CEO, and staff were all dedicated to the nine cornerstones of the business there were still some issues that IKEA would have to deal with, suppliers and sub-suppliers. IKEA ran into trouble in 1981 in Denmark when government regulation was changed with regards to formaldehyde emissions for building products. WhenShow MoreRelatedIkea’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor1548 Words   |  7 PagesIKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor Ethics in Business and Society Professor Stephen Griffith Otis West Tuesday, November 6, 2012 IKEA is the world’s largest furniture store that offers well-designed, functional home furnishing products at low prices. The store offers home furnishings to meet the needs of everyone. The company vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. Ikea is able to back their vision with their products and prices. In additionalRead MoreIkea Global Sourcing Challenge2551 Words   |  11 PagesIKEAs GLOBAL SOURCING CHALLENGE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The IKEA Group, one of the world’s top furniture retailers, has emerged as the fastest-growing furniture retailer in the US. Its unique business strategy has given it its strengths for its success today. However, like all strategies, IKEA’s strategy has its own flaws that can pose as weaknesses. IKEA also has a lot of opportunities in the marketplace such as expansions of their company and threats such as competitors in the same industryRead MoreIkeas Global Sourcing Challenge1241 Words   |  5 PagesIKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge IKEA, one of the world’s largest specialized furniture retailers, has been presented with a large issue within their operations. In 1995, a German TV station released an investigative report which exposed one of the suppliers for IKEA rugs for exploiting child labor in their factory. A recent addendum was signed by all IKEA suppliers which forbid the use of child labor (Bartlett amp; Sjoman, p. 1, 2006), so this incident has called the company to make an actionRead MoreIkea Children Labour6495 Words   |  26 Pages14, 2006 CHRISTOPHER A. BARTLETT VINCENT DESSAIN ANDERS SJÃâ€"MAN IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor (A) In May 1995, Marianne Barner faced a tough decision. After just two years with IKEA, the world’s largest furniture retailer, and less than a year into her job as business area manager for carpets, she was faced with the decision of cutting off one of the company’s major suppliers of Indian rugs. While such a move would disrupt supply and affect sales, she found theRead MoreCase Study of Ikea1445 Words   |  6 PagesCase Study of IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge In 1995, IKEA met a problem that its main supplier, Indian rugs, used the child labor to produce products, although they had signed an attachment of the contract to ban employing child labor. In addition, a German documentary maker was about to broadcast the problem of child labor on German television and also invited an employee from IKEA to have a live discussion in the TV program. Marianne Barner, the leader of IKEA, must find a great solutionRead MoreIkeas Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs Essay1242 Words   |  5 PagesThe case â€Å"IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor (A)† is about IKEA’s development from a backyard company to one of the world’s largest furniture retailers, which has to deal with the issues of child labor and how they should behave considering economical issues and the company’s policy! Conclusions made in this study are only based on the facts given in the case, considering pros and cons of an action. How should Marianne Barner respond to the invitation for IKEA to haveRead MoreEthical Issue Ikea2982 Words   |  12 Pagescompany was founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad and kept growing tremendously from 2 stores in 1964 to 114 stores in 1994 to 285 stores in 2008 in 36 countries with an additional 26 stores to be opened in 2009 welcoming a total of 522 million visitors. IKEA’s success story is the result of its founders opening store in 1951 to allow customers to inspect products before buying them, using a catalog to tempt people to visit an exhibition. Its key feature of providing self-assembled furniture starting fromRead MoreIkeas Global Sourcing Challenge2533 Words   |  11 PagesIKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor (A) Case Synopsis IKEA is a â€Å"privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories† (www.worldisyouroyster.com). The company was established in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden when he was just 17 years old. Kamprad himself, who still owns the private company, is rumored to be the world’s richest man. IKEA is currently the worldRead MoreIkea s Global Sourcing Challenge Indian Rugs And Child Labor1532 Words   |  7 PagesIKEA’S GLOBAL SOURCING CHALLENGE INDIAN RUGS AND CHILD LABOR In 1995, Marianne Barner, IKEA’s manager for carpets, faced a difficult situation when one of their Indian rug supplier apparently was involved with the use of child labor in the manufacture of its products for IKEA. Even though they had a contract where IKEA explicitly forbid the use of child labor. These Allegations generated mixed opinion regarding the future of all the Indian carpet suppliers and the company was studying the futureRead MoreIKEA Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor1176 Words   |  5 PagesProposal Case: IKEA Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor Summary In this case, it is known that IKEA s procurement model is the mode of global sourcing. IKEA products are shipped to the 26 distribution centres from the trade area after procurement, and then delivered to the shopping malls in the world. IKEA s procurement philosophy and assessment of suppliers mainly include four aspects: continuous price improvement; strict supplier performance and service levels;

Racial Segregation In The Baltimore City - 1279 Words

Wear a mask, a sunglass , carry a bottle of water and an umbrella. This is how you walk in Kathmandu,Nepal, if you don’t want to be sick.Living in an unhealthy environment can bring a lot of health complications.You get sick and spend most of you time getting well. It was a surprise to visit baltimore ,because it was a very clean and green place. There were lots of trees and parks. It wanted to stay in baltimore, until I explored the outer county. I found there weren’t any bus shuttles, the houses were not managed properly , it looked dirty and most of all it smelled foul. And there are a number of people living in such poor conditions in Maryland.The contrast between the inner and the outer baltimore made me think, why is the outer†¦show more content†¦It determines where should malls , starbucks , parks , industries , power plants be established. Segregated baltimore has given the white community an upper hand ,because better resources are allocated near the m.According to the theory of social privilege, â€Å"if you are labeled white, you possess privileges connected with an ideology based on beliefs, values, behaviors, habits, and attitudes, which result in the unequal distribution of power and privilege based on skin color.†(Family 1). The racial difference would then influence the establishment of residence. It would also influence the environment in the residence . For example, â€Å"it show how whites in many US cities enjoy a disproportionate share of environmental amenities, such as access to parks and open space, clean air, and tree.†(Boone 2).It shows that ,accessibility to the cleaner environment is also influenced by the racial prejudices.We all know that Industries are the backbone for development ,but they also create a lot of environmental problems to the surrounding areas.If so then,where would these polluting sites be more likely to be established? In a white neighbourhood or In a black neighbourhood ? The the polluting industries are more likely established in black and minority neighbourhood than in the white neighbourhood.The industries like waste incinerators, plant houses, power plants pollute the environment , especially the area surrounding it.These polluting sites are built near the minoritiesShow MoreRelatedThe Black Freedom Struggle Of The 1960s1664 Words   |  7 PagesYet, looking on the TV, radio, newspapers or social media, it’s easy to forget what decade we’re currently in. The recent cover of TIME Magazine illustrated beautifully the juxtaposition between where people think we are in the context of social and racial equality, and where most positions actually stand. The cover portrays a grainy, black and white photo of a young black man running down the street, face covered with a bandana, away from a mob of police officers with shields, weapons and pepper sprayRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement And The Federal Government Records Of The United States Essay953 Words   |  4 Pagesrelations, racial discrimination, and urban area. The records were generated to disclose the tense relationships between police enforcement and the black communities they served in. This collection included reports on police brutality, dishonest arrests, and police failure to act for protection, race relations, and police training programs in cities including Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, St. Louis, and Baltimore. I focused on the city of Baltimore. SomeRead MoreThe Rights Of State Governments And The Federal Government1442 Words   |  6 Pagescase of Barron v. Baltimore in 1833 helped define the constitutional relationship between state governments and the federal government and established the basic understanding using the Constitution. The case established the precedent that ruled that the freedoms listed in the Bill of Rights were only applicable at the federal level. John Barron, the owner of a boat dock on the coast of Maryland, sued for damages without compensation by the city of Baltimore. The city of Baltimore had plans to renovateRead MoreAnalysis Of Tableau And Incident By Countee Cullen726 Words   |  3 PagesThe Harlem Renaissance allowed for the expression of many African American artists such as Countee Cullen to illustrate the indifference of blacks and whites through poetry. Cullen wrote Tableau as well as Incident, which share a tone of power. The racial interaction between a black and white boy in the two poems both contradict and have similarities. Developing their separate themes comes with the comparison of the two races and how they treat one another. Countee Cullen uses figurative language andRead MoreThurgood Marshall Essay734 Words   |  3 Pagesthat deemed the exclusion of blacks from primary elections, the use of racial profiling in terms of housing, the separate but equal mentality concerning working facilities and universities, and especially the segregation of elementary schools unconstitutional. With a resume like that it is no wonder he is still considered one of the most influential of the civil rights activists. Thurgood Marshall was born in Baltimore, Maryland to an interracial family in an African American community whoRead More`` I Too, Sing America And Countee Cullen s Incident1542 Words   |  7 Pagesthe use of I here is showing that African Americans do not stress about what is happening, but how they are growing stronger as segregation continues, knowing soon they will be equal. The third stanza starts by saying â€Å"Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table† (Hughes, 1945, line #). This line is simply stating that in the future, blacks will be equal to whites and segregation will no longer exist. Using I helps show that the black community will soon grow and be equal with the rest of the country. TheRead MoreEssay Billie Holiday1341 Words   |  6 Pagesexperience, the effects of the Great Depression, and the racial challenges of African Americans during her time. The Great Depression was a major historical event that affected thousands of Americans during the 1930s. It was a time in which economic decline left people without jobs while struggling to keep a family and home together. It certainly was a devastating time for everyone. For African Americans, it was even more of a struggle as segregation and the oppression of blacks were just as strong asRead MoreRacial Feelings Of Chicago, Illinois1643 Words   |  7 PagesRacial feelings in Chicago, Illinois are very similar today to how they were in the 1950s. The Younger family from Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun was the epitome of a lower class, black family during that time. They dealt with the hardships of never having enough money and losing family happiness due to their lack of wealth. Modern-day Chicago can easily be compared to Chicago from the mid 1900s because of the ever-growing amount of poor blacks and the poverty riven African-American neighborhoodsRead MoreSocial And Economic Disparities Are Plaguing The City Of Baltimore Essay1519 Words   |  7 Pagesdisparities are plaguing the city of Baltimore. There are numerous issues that the city of Baltimore is facing, many of which did not come to light until the case of Freddie Gray. On April 2015, a 25-year-old black man by the name of Freddie Gray fell victim to police brutality. After the discovery of his death and the unreasonable way he was treated, Baltimoreans began to protest. The anger and frustration began to escalate due to other social and economic problems the city faces regularly. ChristianRead MoreThe First African American Justice Of The Supreme Court, And Served For 24 Years1113 Words   |  5 Pageswon a variety of cases to end many forms of legalized racism that helped to inspire the American Civil Rights Movement. Some people say that I was instrumental in ending legal segregation that helped earned me an important place in American history, I am Thurgood Marshall. Early Life I was born on July 2, 1908 in Baltimore, Maryland to William and Norma Marshall. My father was the grandson of a slave, who worked as a waiter at an exclusive club. My mother was a kindergarten teacher. Both set of

Diversity management free essay sample

Diversity is crucial and inevitable for any service organisations to create opportunities for more innovative ideas. Diversity involves individuals from different ethnic background, culture, age, gender, status and personality characteristics to communicate and share values. To promote and implement diversity, managers should have an effective recruitment strategy. Although diversity creates opportunities, it can create contemporary issues. The issues on diversity are rather complex. This is due to the changing nature of social trends organisations need to adapt. For example, there has been an increase of women entering in the workforce by 40 per cent since August 1961 [ABS, 2013. ] and an increase of employment in part-time and casuals since 1979. The percentage of full-time employees fell from 42 per cent to 39 per cent, while part-time increased from 25 per cent to 36 per cent [Lawson, 2007. ]. There are other several trends which influence the nature of diversity in the service industry. These include the recognition of Australia characteristics as more of a multicultural country. The country is also known as an aging population and is skewed towards white-collar services. An increase of technology development creates more of a diverse country through networking. This suggests that social attitudes, cultural trends and values can often change. For example, Qantas had the difficulty of maintaining the company’s consistency in terms of performance due to the changing nature of diversity. Work-life balanced positions are more in demand. Thus Qantas has responded in employing more casual and part-time employees. This change has driven Qantas to reduce costs and improved its international competitiveness. There has also been an increase in participation of women in the workforce. Qantas has the total 42 per cent of women in which only 23 per cent of women occupy senior roles [Broadbridge, D. (2013: 68)]. Thus Qantas had implemented family practices to maintain women within the airline. This reinforces that, there is a need of ongoing diversity management to gain a productive diversity. Hence organisations are able to gain a sustainable competitive advantage. Managing diversity is defined as â€Å"the challenge of meeting the needs of a culturally diverse workforce and of sensitizing workers and managers to differences associated with gender, race, age and nationality in attempt to maximise the potential productivity of all employees† [Ellis and Sonnenfield (1994: 82)]. Tesco, a UK customer focused retailer has identified the essential of diversity management. To reach its maximum potential goals, Tesco has established a clear mission statement – â€Å"we make what matters better, together† [Tesco PLC, 2013]. The retailer’s mission statement promotes productive diversity. Tesco has recognised the importance of inclusion to ensure high employee satisfaction. The strong communication between managers and employees encourages each employee to maximise their own potential productivity against the organisation values and its benchmark. The industry further provides flexibility to all employees where â€Å"everyone is welcome† to motivate employees to become further productive. Therefore as a result, Tesco has gained significant benefits. These benefits include an increase of diverse knowledge and skills towards customer services, innovative opportunities, positive reputation of the organisation and an increase of service productivity. Thus it reinforces the importance of effective diversity management to gain a sustainable competitive advantage. A financial company, Westpac has also incorporated diversity management strategies to ensure the company achieve its vision – â€Å"To be one of the world’s great companies, helping our customers, communities and people to prosper and grow† [Westpac Group Ltd, 2013.]. Westpac has established The Westpac Group Diversity Council and diversity policy to ensure their objectives have been achieved. The policy outlines that managers should have continuous review and discussions in addressing with any emerging diversity-related organisational issues. This provides the organisation a constant strategic and effective diversity management evaluation. It also outlines engagement strategies such as effective communication to increase its productive diversity. Hence ensures the company reaches its vision. Westpac Ltd, 2013.  has clearly identified within its industry that, 43% of employees (36% men and 48% women) work flexibly, over 12% employees have disability, 61% employees are women are and 32% of employees were born outside of Australia and New Zealand. These statistics suggests Westpac have provided an inclusion of all recruited employees to promote a diverse service culture. As result, Westpac has gained positive response in managing diversity. The finance company has received recognition as one of the world’s most ethical companies [Ethisphere Institute, 2013.]; top ten employer for LGBTI (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex) inclusion [Australian Workplace Equality Index Awards, 2013. ]; won the Gender Equity in workforce [AHRI Diversity awards, 2013. ]; won the Employer of Choice for Women Award [Workplace Gender Equality Agency, 2013. ] and has been ranked 10th in the Global 100 list of the world’s sustainable corporations. Therefore it emphasises the need of diversity management in service industry to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage. Diversity can provide organisations great benefits, but it is also the cause of contemporary issues and conflicts when organisations need employees to think in the same direction. For example, according to Sunday Morning Herald, in 2002, TPG had a discrimination-related issue – a Muslim employee had asked the organisation to have a five minute break for his prayer was rejected. The issue was brought to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. As a result, TPG had failed to recognise its need of incorporating diversity with its culture values. Thus there was a need in changing its work ethnic values. Conflict can arise due to the differences of stakeholder’s values and miscommunication. Hence it is difficult to measure fairness and equality between the different cultures and social and ethical values. For example social etiquette is vital in a diverse service industry. The term â€Å"respect† can be interpreted in different perspectives. This is due to language barriers and different cultural aspects. It is also difficult to recruit a diverse workforce that is able to parallel with the organisational culture values. For example, most recruitment is based on skills, personal traits, experience and qualifications that are fitted to the organisation’s value. Conflicts are also inevitable, thus, managers should implement conflict resolution strategies to decrease the amount of conflicts. Conflict resolutions include identifying the issue, negotiating, mediating, grievance procedures and involvement of courts and tribunals. Thus, these strategies are a vital tool for service industries to promote productive diversity. Identifying the issue is the first step when a conflict arises. Managers who recognises the cause of the conflict are able to prevent further complex disputes. To avoid misunderstandings, managers should use active listening skills. This includes mirroring, paraphrasing, summarising, clarifying questions and providing the speaker motivational response. Negotiating is a bargaining process between two or more parties seeking to discover a common ground and reach an agreement to settle a matter of mutual concern or resolve a conflict [Chapman, S. 2011. ]. Mediation is the process of using a third party to settle a dispute [Samson, D.  and Draft, R. 2012. ]. Both solutions provide an ongoing communication between stakeholders to reach a â€Å"win-win† situation. Grievance procedures are used in certain conflict situations which must be handled in procedure. This method provides clear instructions on resolving a dispute. Courts and tribunals are a third individual mechanism that enforces a solution based on the conflict circumstance. Although it is used effectively to end a dispute, it could be argued that, this mechanism would be the causes of organisations to have further internal disputes. This is due to the negative publicity. In 2011, Qantas had a dispute in terms of different values between CEO and the union and employees. It could also be argued, that this conflict is due to poor management. The issue was based on providing employees a sense of job security, due to the â€Å"cultural shift† of outsourcing parts of its operation to Asia. The lack of flexibility and ineffective communication due to the top-down management hierarchy were also the causes of conflict. As result, the dispute had become internationally known and major costs were involved. Qantas human resource managers should have clearly communicated its vision to provide a sense of employee’s job security. Integrating diversity in the workplace is not only to create opportunities but it is to abide legal ethics. The legislation enforced in Australia to ensure equality employment is Equal Employment Opportunity Act 1987 (Cth). The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) outlines that all employees have equal access to the opportunities that are available, including promotion possibilities, overtime availability and leave entitlements [Chapman, S. 2011]. Thus, it could be argued, that, the legislation promotes diversity. Organisations which fail to abide the legal systems would be subjected to hefty fines and gain a negative industry reputation. For example, in 2003, the phone company, TPG had discriminated a female pregnant employee under the EEO. The company did not offer a suitable part-time position after her maternity leave. As a result of this issue, TPG had to cover $75,000 of damage [Sunday Morning Herald, 2003. ]. This suggests poor productive diversity. It is recommended, that TPG should evaluate its diversity management and its culture values. This case study also suggests the need to reform the legislation where women with pregnancy are included to avoid further conflicts. Thus, the Equal Employment Opportunity Amendment Act 2012 (Cth) legislation further reinforced and depicts issues on conflicts based upon discrimination, harassment and racism. Westpac and Qantas have obligated to promote EEO within the workforce. Westpac has effectively promoted EEO and its values to employees. The establishment of the diversity council group had lead Westpac to manage its diversity effectively. Through continuous evaluation, Westpac has created high staff morale. Thus the company is able to maintain its low staff turnover and absenteeism. Qantas has established a Diversity Statement to ensure the airline industry is obligated to the EEO. The EEO provides Qantas to promote diversity through leadership, talent and development programs, flexible work arrangements and recruitment and selection processes [Qantas Airways Ltd, 2013. ]. This management approach supports Qantas objectives, delivers competitive advantage and benefits to customers. In conclusion service industries that effectively implement diversity management allows organisations to achieve its maximum potential goal. Hence it is an essential strategy for managers maintain a sustainable competitive advantage through productive diversity. It is also an opportunity for organisations to embrace diversity to become more innovative. Although productive diversity allows positive recognition response like Westpac, it can also be the cause of contemporary issues. Unable to identify contemporary issues will lead to conflicts. Conflicts are inevitable. Therefore, there is a need for conflict resolution mechanism to maintain ethical practices in the workforce. Further disputes can create a disadvantage. For example, Qantas should have positive reinforcement if there is a need for change of work practices. The lack of job security has lead unions and employees to go on strike. As result, major financial costs were involved and negative publicity. The establishment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act 1987 (Cth) is enforced for all organisations to abide. The legislation ensures equity and fair ethical practices in the workforce. Failure to abide the legislation results in disadvantage outcomes. This could include negative publicity, increase of costs and decrease staff morale which leads to high staff turnover and low productive diversity. Overall the importance of incorporating diversity management, conflict resolution and equal employment opportunity determines the effectiveness in achieving organisations objectives. It is strongly recommended that, service industries should continuously evaluate its effectiveness of diversity management and conflict resolution to ensure an increase of productive diversity.

This Blessed House free essay sample

A House is not a Home Religion is a state of who you are. It signifies a persons mental activities as well as their physical attributions to the world that surrounds them. Religion is a form of state that distinguish between different types of groups and cultures. While in a specific religious group, one must abide by all the rules and commit to what the religion has to offer. It is known that when a person disobeys their religious they get looked at as an outsider, or just as a person from another religious group. In This Blessed House written by Jhumpa Lahiri, she expresses how religion can be the cause of destroying a perfect romantic relationship. The couple in the story, Sanjeev and his wife Tanima, also known as Twinkle are both Hindus, which is a religion that was formulated in the country India. After only knowing each other for a few months they had got married and moved in with each other. We will write a custom essay sample on This Blessed House or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Rushing into things was what they did, and moved into a beautiful house, but had no idea what was really behind those walls. The conflict comes up when Twinkle begins finding Christian relics all over the house. Sanjeev wants to put out all the found relics, but Twinkle collects them on the mantlepiece and shows them off to everybody. Twinkle, so ecstatic about finding the Christian relics, she decided to keep them and put them up in the house. Why would she do this when she is definitely Hindi? Was there something behind her action? But,at that point Sanjeev was already upset about the relics being displayed in their household, with people knowing that they are Hindus, not Christians. Sanjeev stated, â€Å"Were not Christian† (146). Meaning, that they should not be affiliated with any type of things related to Christianity. One can see how this action would form a major conflict in Sanjeevs and Twinkles household. Jumpa Lahiris choice of words shows how weak Sanjeevs and Twinkles relationship was. She stated, â€Å"He was getting nowhere with her, whit this women whom he had known for only four months and whom he had married, this woman with whom he now shared his life with† (146). Sanjeev refers to his beloved wife as â€Å"this woman. † This shows that he has no respect for Twinkle, neither does he care that she cares. One would think, does he really love her? Respect play a huge role in a relationship, and that is what makes one strong. Sanjeev simply does not give Twinkle any kind of respect. For example, when Twinkle finds a Virgin Mary statue, she decided to put it on the front lawn. As Twinkle was taking a bath, she was further disrespect by her husband. As stated in the story, â€Å"he didn’t knock. he took s breath, and then he informed her very calmly that after finishing his drink he was going to put on his shoes and go outside and remove the virgin from the front lawn† (148). It is clear that he has no respect for her because if he did, he would try his hardest to make sure that his wife is happy. It is ironic because in Christian families that is what they do. Maybe that is why Twinkle is cherishing the Christian relics like she did. Maybe she is doubting her roll in the Hindi and is thinking about converting into christian. Every relationship has their own problems, but with Sanjeevs and Twinkles it is different. Its different because the both of them seem to have their doubts of loving each other. According to Lahiri, she said that, â€Å"though she did not say it herself, he assumed then that she loved him too, but now he was no longer sure† (147). If Twinkle really loved her husband Sanjeev, she would have said I love you back instantly, but she did not say a word. But as a couple they still had mutual friends who they had invited to their housewarming party. Twinkle wanted to display all the christian items that she had found around the house, but it seemed that Sanjeev was too embarrassed for anyone to see the items. It simply was not because he was Hindus and the relics were Christian. It was because he was self-conscious of what his friends and neighbors would think of them. For example, Sanjeev even stated, â€Å"All the neighbors will see. Theyll think were insane† (146). One can see how ashamed he is toward they things his wife does. This is another example of a conflict which deeply shows his feeling towards the women he supposed to to spend his life with. This can all related to how Sanjeev feels. In the story it seems that the only things he think about is what other people think. People who do that tend to drive themselves crazy and affect the people surrounded around them. For example, in this case Twinkle commits innocent actions just to express what she feels and Sanjeev downgrade everything she does. Sanjeev brought the conflicts of their relationship upon himself because he did not let go and express himself in the way that his wife did. If he were to let go and explore new things in his life he would understand why Twinkle did what she did. He does not understand that people want to see diversity in the world today. For example, if a christian would have came into their home, it would have made that person feel right at home because they would feel comfort around their surroundings. Perhaps this was not the only way to solve their marital problems. Apparently by the end of the story Sanjeev and Twinkles relationship was still rocky and still had a few problems to work on. Although the love was there, it was still confusing if they really loved each other, or was they with each other to fill in the gap of someone just being there everyday. Sanjeev and Twinkles problem will never be resolved if they do not communicate with each other because communication is the key in every relationship. Also, trust is another aspect of a relationship. In this case it seems that Sanjeev will never trust Twinkle. This is so because at the end of the story Twinkle promised to Sanjeev that she will put all the relics away in her study room. Lahiri implied, â€Å"She would never out it in her study, he knew† (157). the fact that Sanjeev knew Twinkle was not going to keep her word when she said that shows that all of their problems are still there and never got solved. Religion can sometimes affect a relationship or it can grow and become strong. Unlike Sanjeev and Twinkles relationship, there was a lot that was not understood between the too. Both of their minds were on two different levels. You have Sanjeev who cared what every one thought him, which would make ones life miserable. Then you have his wife Twinkle, who lived her life in the moment. She didn’t care what people thought of her, she just lived her life freely and with expression. This whole time Sanjeev never dislike the christian relics fully, he just was so afraid to what people would say about his family. Maybe his actions had a lot to do with the way his parents raised him. If Sanjeev and Twinkle too more time out getting to know each other, then their relationship would less confusing, on the simply fact that they would understand why each other act the way they act. Unfortunately, they will never understand each other until they take the time out to connects and share experience with each other, it will efinitely make the relationship stronger. At the end of This Blessed House, the author provides some tender moments between the husband and wife which signals a possible resolution of the deeper conflict in the story. After the narrator describes Sanjeev’s hate for all that his [Sanjeev’s] wife loves, Twinkle asks him to carry the bust of Jesus for her. Then, â€Å"Twinkle gave his elbow a little squeeze and headed for the living room. Sanjeev pressed the massive silver face to his ribs†¦and followed her† (157). When Sanjeev pressed the bust into his stomach, there is a sense of forbearance. He signals that even though he hates some of the things Twinkle enjoys, he was willing to deal with them because she is his wife, and they may actually love each other. It takes time for a couple to adjust to having a shared life through marriage, and because they are practically newlyweds, there is hope of a resolution to their deep conflict. That resolution can best be described as patience, growth, and love. When they become certain of their love for each other, then the minute things will no longer matter, and love will make them whole.