Architectural Design for Payroll Processing Application...

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FOR PAYROLL PROCESSING APPLICATION SOFTWARE Inventors: Andreas Elkeles (Foster City, CA, US) Fabian Guenther (Mauer, DE) Philipp Suenderhauf (Leimen, DE) Andreas Bold (Ludwigshafen, DE) Peter Latocha (Malsch, DE) Bernhard Drittler (Walldorf, DE) Joerg Heitmann (Walldorf, DE) IPC8 Class: AG06Q1000FI USPC Class: 705 32 Class name: Time accounting (time and attendance, monitoring billable hours) Publication date: 03/18/2010 Patent application number: 20100070395 [pic] Ads by Google Offshore Banking License - Offshore banks incorporation licensing. Banking software. - www.mybankinglicense.com MS in Comp. Sc. – Delhi - Master Degree In Comp.Sc, Info. Sys S/W Engg. 1 Yr in Ind Bal in US -†¦show more content†¦9. The product of claim 8, wherein the inbound process agents comprise a first inbound process agent operable to start the execution of step requested in a first inbound message by creating or updating one or more business object instances. 10. The product of claim 8, wherein the outbound process agents comprise a first asynchronous outbound process agent that is called after a business object that is associated with the first outbound process agent changes. 11. The product of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise synchronous and asynchronous operations. 12. A system, comprising:a computer system comprising one or more hardware platforms for executing a computer software application;a plurality of process components, each of the process components being a package of software implementing a respective and distinct business process, the plurality of process components including:a payroll processing process component that handles the execution and monitoring of regular as well as off-cycle payroll processes;an employee payroll administration process component that handles the administration of the employee specific payroll agreement and theShow MoreRelatedArchitectural Design for Payroll Processing Application Software16071 Words   |  65 PagesARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FOR PAYROLL PROCESSING APPLICATION SOFTWARE Inventors:   Andreas Elkeles (Foster City, CA, US)   Fabian Guenther (Mauer, DE)   Philipp Suenderhauf (Leimen, DE)   Andreas Bold (Ludwigshafen, DE)   Peter Latocha (Malsch, DE)   Bernhard Drittler (Walldorf, DE)   Joerg Heitmann (Walldorf, DE) IPC8 Class: AG06Q1000FI USPC Class: 705 32 Class name: Time accounting (time and attendance, monitoring billable hours) Publication date: 03/18/2010 Patent application number: 20100070395 Read MoreEssay about It210 Syllabus2323 Words   |  10 PagesCourse Design Guide IT/210 Version 5 1 Syllabus College of Information Systems Technology IT/210 Version 5 Fundamentals of Programming With Algorithms and Logic Copyright  © 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course provides students with a basic understanding of programming practices. Concepts covered include flowcharting, pseudocode methodologies, and an understanding of programming practices. Students will learn how theseRead MoreMgt2 Task18567 Words   |  35 PagesCapabilities with self-service features ....................................................................... 32 Employee database ..................................................................................................................... 33 Payroll Capabilities with self-service........................................................................................... 33 E. F. G. H. I. Compensation Capabilities ..........................................................................Read MoreProject on Wipro13311 Words   |  54 Pageswhich includes software services as well as hardware products, makes up the largest chunk of business for Wipro. It accounts for 84% of total revenues of Wipro ltd. the Global IT services contributes 57% of total revenues whereas Indian IT services contribute 27% of total revenues. The IT business makes up 84% of the revenues of Wipro Limited and around 93% of its PBIDT. Wipro has a very good client base with over 50 Fortune 500 companies and over 100 leading Indian corporates. In software Wipro has emergedRead MoreReview of Payroll and Rostering Solutions13285 Words   |  54 PagesReview of payroll and rostering solutions Queensland Health September 2010 In March, 2010, Queensland Health went live with a new payroll and rostering solution for all staff in every location across the state. Queensland Health engaged Ernst Young in August 2010 to conduct a review of the payroll and rostering systems. Contents Executive summary Introduction and scope Current state assessment Vendor analysis Peer analysis overview Solution options assessment Findings Conclusion AppendixRead MoreSdlc23489 Words   |  94 Pages†¢ To discuss in detail various System Development Tools like – DFD, Decision Tree, Flowcharts etc.; and †¢ To understand the auditors’ role in SDLC. 2.1 Introduction Information systems serve many different purposes, ranging from the processing of business transactions - to provide information needed to decide recurring issues, assisting senior officials with difficult strategy formulation, and linking office information and corporate data. But how do such complex information systemsRead MoreDifferent Type of Information System11191 Words   |  45 PagesInformation Systems are can be seen as a subset of Decision Support Systems). However these examples are not the only overlaps and the divions of these information systems will change over time. At present there are five main types:    |Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) | |Decision Support Systems (DSS) | |Expert Information Systems (EIS) | |Management Information Systems (MIS Read MoreBus Reservation System9872 Words   |  40 Pagesbeing on my side. Contents Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Development model Chapter 3 System Study Chapter 4 Project Monitoring System Chapter 5 System Analysis Chapter 6 Operating Environment Chapter 7 System Design Chapter 8 System Testing Chapter 9 System Implementation Chapter 10 Conclusion Chapter 11 Scope of the Project Introuction In bus reservation system there has been a collection of buses, agent who are booking tickets for customer’s journeyRead MoreCase Study Instructional Notes8316 Words   |  34 PagesFoundation for Understanding Enterprise Resource Planning Systems a. The Emergence of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems 1. What is ERP? 2. The Evolution of ERP 3. The Integrated Systems Approach b. Business Benefits of ERP c. ERP Modules d. ERP Design Alternatives e. The Business Case for ERP 1. Cost-Benefit Analysis for ERP 2. Can ERP Provide a Competitive Advantage? f. The Challenge of Implementing an ERP System g. Summary ANSWERS TO END-OF-CHAPTER QUESTIONS Questions for Discussion: Read MoreImplementation of E-Commerce on Supply Chain Management7098 Words   |  29 Pages 18 1.4 Neo-Control Pvt. Ltd 22 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 24 CHAPTER 3.RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 27 3.1THE STUDY 3.2THE DESIGN 3.3THE TOOLS OF DATA COLLECTION CHAPTER 4. METHODOLOGY CASE STUDY 4.1 ACE PVT. LTD.

Wal-Mart Free Essays

It predicts higher performance from a diverse organization and view diversity as a business necessity’. [4] As a result, diversity is a concept celebrated by many organizations [4]. Yet, in spite of the amount of attention diversity receives, the concept is neither clearly defined nor well understood by the general public. We will write a custom essay sample on Wal-Mart or any similar topic only for you Order Now [4] Given diversity ambiguous meaning, people may interpret the concept of diversity in a manner consistent with their desire to preserve inequality along socially important dimensions, such as race. In our report, we will explore whether diversity s, in fact, a changeable concept capable of serving opposing social agendas. Diversity: Definition In simple terms, diversity can be defined as a point of reference. According to Coffey, â€Å"diversity is a term for valuing and promoting differences, similarities, and unique characteristics of groups and individuals in different areas in the world. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. † [1] In today’s world, we can all agree that everybody is unique and different as each has different characteristics and ideas. So, in general, it can be said that â€Å"diversity is no ore than Just tolerating differences†. [1] Diversity: Past Over 25 years ago, what we now dub diversity was often referred to as pluralism. [6] This Journey began when we wanted to recognize that there was more than one culture present in the workplace. We could continue to be different, yet be part of the same firm. We believed that co-existence was better than trying to help people to become culturally assimilated into one larger culture. 6] For some companies, the story of diversity started after the civil rights movement of the ass’s. It was about beginning to appreciate each other for who we are. In the ginning, we appreciated pluralism in an attempt to move beyond anti- discriminating laws. Pluralism encouraged people to be authentic – who they really are rather than who others want them to be. â€Å"Think of the bilingual employee who is challenged to hide his/her accent while at work but speaks on ly Spanish with his/her family. Or the white employee who works in a multi-ethnic work environment but worships in an all-white environment and has no friends or family of color. † [6] Following pluralism, diversity was the first attempt to move away from race and gender by adding other attributes to the equation. In order that society progresses award the ultimate goal of diversity, it was important to have a foundation of balanced race and gender. Diversity’s main purpose is that it â€Å"should help everyone assume that everyone is included and that there is no underestimations of any group in any given situation, team, group, etc. [6] Diversity: Present Discussions on diversity have evolved from consisting of advancement in race-based civil rights employment legislation to including a broad range of demographic dimensions not protected by law [4]. For example, in present-days research on organizational behavior, diversity has been defined as â€Å"the distribution of differences mongo the members of a unit with respect to a common attribute X, such as tenure, ethnicity, conscientiousness, task attitude, or pay’ [4]. It has also been defined more simply as â€Å"heterogeneity in personality attributes, personal values, work attitudes, education, and life-style† [4]. Thus, diversity now seems to encompass heterogeneity in a wide range of dimensions – not Just racial composition, as was originally intended when the term came into common use [4]. Research on laypeople understanding of diversity also suggests the term may be not be clearly understood. For example, Unguent found that people define diversity n broad terms that include a wide range of demographic dimensions (e. . , race, religion, parenting style, age and education). [4] Yet, other research shows that even when diversity is construed in racial terms, people disagree about which particular groups are most associated with diversity. Specifically, Unguent found that members of minority groups (I. E. , Asians, Latino, and African Americans) perceive diversity as primarily entailing the representation of their in-group. [4] Tod ay, many organizations are attempting to move closer to intellectual diversity or diversity of thought. [6] Diversity: In The Future To ensure future success, â€Å"diversity must be authentic and honest†. [6] â€Å"To keep diversity authentic in corporations, it will be vital that we create environments that allow for authentic contributions of all†. [6] It may not mean training that comes at the expense of only one group, but it does mean asking questions and listening and learning from those around us. If we are sincere about our intentions as well as respectful of our differences, â€Å"organizations have the potential for growth and the possibility of reaping the rich benefits that diversity has to offer†. 6] This means an all-inclusive organization with the richest of profits. Diversity: What you Want It To Be Research reported by Unguent suggests that when people are exposed to vague information concerning an organization’s diversity, they interpret diversity in a manner consistent with their social-dominance motives. [4] Specifically, anti- egalitarian individuals broaden their interpretation of diversity to include nonracial (I. E. , occupational) differences when an organization’s racial differences are low. By contrast, egalitarian individuals broaden their understanding of diversity to include nonracial heterogeneity when an organization’s racial differences are high. [4] The inclusion of occupational differences in perceptions of diversity allows people across the spectrum of social-dominance orientation to Justify their support for or opposition to affirmative-action policies. Nausea’s findings suggest that diversity may not have a fixed meaning and that, without a specific sketch of what the concept means in particular contexts, people may interpret diversity in a manner consistent with their social motivations. 4] Factors that Affect Diversity There are several factors that affect diversity among people and in organizations across the world. Such factors include, but are not limited to the following: â€Å"giving errors a chance to be trained, long-term evaluation of training results, awarding successes among people and managerial rewards for increasing diversity, an d believing the power of inclusion in the organization†. [1] Different characteristics are other factors that affect diversity and diversity management. Examples of such characteristics include but are not limited to are: â€Å"age, culture, cognitive style, disability (mental and physical), background (economic, geographic, and psychological), ethnicity, race, education, gender identity, language(s) spoken, partnered status, physical appearance, political affiliation, religious affiliation ND so on†. [1] Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity Management Workforce diversity can generate both advantages and disadvantages for organizations. The advantages include mainly enabling access too changing marketplace by mirroring increasing diverse markets, better-quality solutions to brainstorming tasks and displaying more cooperative behaviors, among others†. [3] The disadvantages are the existence of segregated ethnic communities within the organization, increased conflict, increased training costs, communication breakdown, low cohesion, and high turnover. [3] According to Jaguars, the key to capitalizing on the advantages and minimizing disadvantages of workforce diversity is to effectively manage diversity [3]. Main business benefits of focusing on diversity management are â€Å"the ability to recruit from a wider selection of people and retain better workers for longer, broader market intelligence and internationalization, greater creativity and innovation, diverse perspectives on business issues, and improved problem solving and decision making, improved marketing, improved community relations and an enhanced company image, increased productivity, reduced costs linked to turnover and absenteeism, and increased resilience and flexibility’. 3] Managing Diversity Managing diversity involves understanding that there are differences among employees and that these differences, if properly managed, are an asset to work being done more efficiently and effectively [3] â€Å"Diversity management initiatives are specific activities, programs, policies, and any other formal processes or efforts designed to promote organizational culture change†. 3] Its objective for organizations is to â€Å"raise awareness of cultural differences; develop the ability to recognize, accept, and value diversity through organizational intervention to minimize patterns of inequality, modify organizational culture and leadership practices so that members of all socio-cultural backgrounds can contribute and achieve their full potential†. [3] Some examples of diversity management initiatives include flexible work arrangements, work-life balance initiatives, education and training programs to raise cultural awareness, and equal opportunity policies and practices. 3] Conclusion As the world becomes global, the managers’ Job is changing. In broad terms, â€Å"diversity is any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups, workers, and people from others†. 1] That means people should respect and appreciate differences in ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, education, and religion. [1] â€Å"But no one can deny that it’s more than this. Diversity management has an important role for the organizations. It is significant to understand diversity in diversity management to manage people†. [l] Other research may suggest that diversity may be in the eye of the beholder. It is a concept that is widely discussed yet poorly understood. It seems that diversity meaning can shift in accordance with people’s social motivations. Rather than reading a more welcoming environment for underrepresented minorities, attempting to achieve equal racial representation for example, may inadvertently allow people to turn diversity into whatever they want it to be. How to cite Wal-Mart, Papers Wal-Mart Free Essays It will describe Wal-Mart as a non-union employer, paying lower wages to heir employees than other retail and grocery stores. They do not offer benefits to all employees and most are unable to afford them. Between Wal-Mart’s business practices in increasing their profits and the need to recognize their social and ethical responsibilities, Wal-Mart needs to find a comfortable balance of profitability and responsibility in order to improve their reputation. We will write a custom essay sample on Wal-Mart or any similar topic only for you Order Now During the process of writing this report, we found that there was much more Information to be discussed about Wal-Mart’s unethical business practice than what was reported. We also wanted to point out that although all companies do everything ossible to lower their costs and maintain high production rates, Wal-Mart has crossed the line over the years by managing their profits In unethical ways compared to otner large corporatlons wno nave Deen etnlcally ana successTully managlng tnelr business practices. Information that can be found on Wal-Mart is changing everyday and it was sometimes difficult to keep up. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Wal-Mart has been recognized as the leader in its industry and the largest company in the nation. With its powerful profit making abilities, Wal-Mart has grown from a local corner store to the money making â€Å"monster† it is today. The company has amaged its reputation over the years due to unethical choices made by its top executives. As a result, its anti-union stance has been singled out on issues concerning benefits, wages, and overall business practices. When reviewing Wal- Mart’s financial statements, one would be overwhelmed to see such high performances; but when you are a Wal-Mart employee, it is no surprise why that is true. Employees have been denied opportunities of advancement and pay raises. Lawsuits have been pending against the company with employees claiming they have been denied promotion opportunities in the company due to their gender, and some mployees have sued for being over-worked and under paid. Wal-Mart has become so big in its industry, that it has lowered the wages through out the country and has influenced economic change. Since most of Wal-Mart’s employees live below the poverty line, it is difficult for them to afford health insurance when deductions out of their paychecks are sometimes as high as 33%. A Wal-Mart employee who obtains health insurance would have a very difficult time raising a family with this kind of premium. Wal-Mart employees are unable to receive healthcare benefits because the cost is too high and their wages are low. As a result, employees face a difficult time deciding whether to sacrifice such a large portion of their pay to obtain health insurance; in most cases Wal-Mart employees persist without health coverage. Deductions for health insurance are higher for Wal-Mart employees than other national retail employees. A Wal-Mart employee pays about 25% more for health insurance than the average retail worker. Wal-Mart has also been opposed by its female employees, who make up two- thirds of its workforce. Women have been discriminated in wage and have been denied any advancement to upper managerial positions – dominated my men. Men ake approximately more than women and have a higher chance of advancing to a better position. Dukes vs. Wal-Mart, filed in 2001, was the largest lawsuit against a private employer in the nation and represented 1. million female employees who were discriminated based on their sex. From lawsults to employee complalnts, Wal-Mart nas Deen Tacea wltn a great deal 0T difficulties that have developed through their own unethical business practices. Although every company’s goal is to lower costs and produce large numbers, Wal- Mart has made sky-rocketing profits by unethically hurting its employees and cutting down their wages. Many question why Wal-Mart, the rich est retailer in the world, chooses not to provide adequate wages or health benefits for its employees. If Wal-Mart were to reform its health benefits program, raise their product prices by as little as a penny, and create a bias free working environment for women, Wal- Mart would be in better terms with its employees and improve the reputation it sacrificed from the start. NOT ON WAL-MART WAGES INTRODUCTION Background Wal-Mart, the large international discount chain was founded by Sam Walton. On May 5, 1950, Walton purchased a store in Bentonville, Arkansas, and opened Walton’s 10. Little did the small town residents know that they would later become the headquarters for the world’s largest retailer store in the U. S. Through his sa’. n. y, and sometimes unusual, business practices, he and his associates led the company forward for thirty years. As Wal-Mart grew into a global corporation it is today, it has dealt with a great deal of criticism by outsiders. Wal-Mart’s ethical citizenship has been questioned numerous times and researched by many. There have been many doubts about Wal- Mart’s business integrity and questions whether their practices are ethical or not. Wal-Mart has faced, and is still facing, a significant amount of controversy over several different issues. Wal-Mart has been caught bribing its employees, discriminating against women, denying its employees of training or promotions, paying low wages, and providing high deductibles for health insurance. Wal-Mart is now paying the consequences and need to become socially responsible in order to maintain a better reputation with society. Although consumers are reeled in with the low prices Wal-Mart has to offer, others feel their ethical beliefs are more important than saving a quick buck. Purpose Statement of The purpose of this report is to examine Wal-Mart’s unethical business practices with a focus on employee wages and high health care deductibles. The report will question Wal-Mart’s aptitude to sell products cheaper than any of its leading competitors and yet maintain making a substantial amount of profit. The report will analyze the unethical practices that have developed through Wal-Mart’s history as a result of focusing on high productivity and profit making strategies. cope The report will describe Wal-Mart’s unethical business practices that affect its employees. It will examine Wal-Mart’s unethical behavior in conducting business with n overall focus on employee wages. Limitations Time constraints have limited the extent of the research. There is a vast amount of information regarding this issue and we are unable to report it all. In addition, no funds are available to conduct primary research. Methods of Research The meth od of research for this paper was secondary research through databases, internet websites, and books. The research databases of California State University, Los Angeles, will be used to locate articles in current and past publication. The databases used are Lexis/Nexis and Business Source Premiere. Also libraries, uch as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library at California State University, Los Angeles and Los Angeles Public Library in Porter Ranch, California. The major findings of this study indicate that Wal-Mart being the world’s largest and richest retail chain is setting the standard on wages for retail workers and beyond. Because Wal-Mart has become so big, it has dragged down wages throughout the country. Wal-Mart has become what it is today by selling products at low prices and paying their â€Å"associates† even lower wages. Unhappy Wal-Mart workers complain as much about being over-worked as underpaid. Wal-Mart has its own stated policies at its employees’ expense. Wal-Mart pays it’s â€Å"associates† below basic living wage standards and even below poverty lines. Overworked and Underpaid Employees H. Lee Scott Jr. is the chief executive of the powerful corporation we call Wal-Mart. According to Mr. Scott, by selling vast quantities of goods at its trademark â€Å"Every Day Low Prices,† Wal-Mart has single-handedly raised America’s standard of living, saving consumers about $100 billion a year (Bianco 2). They feel that selling vast quantities of low price merchandise gives them the right to act as if they represent the American people. Scott states, â€Å"Wal-Mart also provides good Jobs for hundreds of thousands of equally deserving employees, offers even part-time workers generous health insurance and other benefits† (Bianco 2). He accuses greedy labor unions, inefficient supermarket chains, and other Wal-Mart opponents of distorting â€Å"the facts† to suit their own purposes. Wal-Mart insists on describing themselves as â€Å"pro-associate, not anti-union,† but is quick to suppress any and all attempts to have unions organize in its stores. In his book The Bully of Bentonville, Anthony Bianco describes how Wal-Mart has ffected wages beyond their own company: Because Wal-Mart Is so Dig, It nas araggea clown wages tnrougnout the country. Economists at the University of California at Berkeley found that Wal-Mart’s expansion during the 1990s cut the income of America’s retail employees by 1. 3 percent-or by $4. 7 billion in 2000 alone. What is more, the depressing effect of Wal-Mart’s expansion on payrolls extended well beyond retailing. According to a 2005 analysis by economists at the Public Policy Institute of California, take-home pay per person fell by 5 percent across the board following Wal-Mart’s entry into a country. The evidence â€Å"strongly suggest(s) that Wal-Mart stores lead to wage declines, shifts to lower-paying Jobs (or less skilled workers), or increased use of part-time workers. (4) Today, Wal-Mart is surrounded by controversy, but the greatest is from within. Unhappy employees are quitting and dozens of class-action lawsuits are pending against the company. Managers have been known to force employees to work extra hours without pay; either by eliminating breaks or by having them clock out and keep working â€Å"off the clock†. This is Wal-Mart’s way of saving on costs at the price of its employees. Store managers earn bonuses based on earnings. Since the corporation dictates the inventory and operating expenses, managers’ only control is labor costs. Joyce Moody, a former manager in Alabama and Mississippi, told the New York Times that Wal-Mart â€Å"threatened to write up managers if they didn’t bring the payroll in low enough†. Depositions in wage and hour lawsuits reveal that company headquarters leaned on management to keep their labor costs at 8 percent of sales or less, and managers in turn leaned on assistant managers to work their employee’s off-the-clock or simply delete time from employee time sheet (ufcw. g). In the late 1990’s Wal-Mart’s annual turnover rate was a remarkably high 70 percent, 40 percent higher than in previous years (Slater 120). Wal-Mart does not see this as being a problem. The constant turnover reduces employees eligible for raises, promotions, benefits, and holds the average wage down. Just another way to keep payroll costs at a minimum. Employee Wages Wal-Mart employs 1. 3 million workers in Just the U. S. and operates more than 3,400 stores throughout the United States. A full time employee working 28- 40 hours a week at Wal-Mart is paid on an average of $250 a week. Besides having low wages, those workers who are interested or eligible in obtaining health insurance for themselves or for their family pay high premiums and frequently don’t get the coverage they expect. The majority of Wal-Mart employees live below the poverty line and after making deductions in taxes and insurance coverage, a Wal-Mart employee’s salary is not enough to provide them a standard way of living. â€Å"The 2003 poverty guideline for a family of four is $18,400, $4,256 more than the $14,144 in earnings a full-time Wal-Mart worker earns at $8 per hour†¦ A household of four with a gross ncome of $23,920 or less could be eligible for food stamps -$9,776 more than a full- time, $8-an-hour Wal-Mart worker would earn in a year. † (www. aflcio. org) These numDers are even worst Tor part time workers. I oaay, one -tnlra 0T Wal-Marts employees are part-time workers. They are limited to less than 34 hours of work per week and are not eligible for benefits and must wait 1 year before they can enroll. Sex Discrimination in the Work Place In addition to Wal-Mart’s low wages, its female workers are more disadvantaged and discriminated against in wage than its male workers. More than two thirds of Wal- Mart’s hourly employees are women and make up most of the lower wage positions which include: working the cash registers, stocking shelves and working the sales floor. Although men take responsibilities in these positions as well, the majority of men who work at Wal-Mart have positions as Management Associates or much higher ranked positions. Seventy-two percent of Wal-Mart employees are female and less than one-third of those women have management positions in the company. With that in mind, the average male employee was paid about $5,000 more in 2001 per year than the average female full-time employee. As Wal-Mart’s own workforce data reveals, women in every major Job category at Wal-Mart have been paid less than men with the same seniority, in every year since 1997 even though the female employees on average have higher performance ratings and less turnover than men. (http://www. walmartclass. com). Dukes vs. Wal-Mart is said to be the largest and most famous gender discrimination lawsuit against a private employer and is the largest class-action suit in U. S. history, representing 1. 6 million current and former female employees. Betty Dukes was the leading plaintiff in the case and sued Wal-Mart for ex discrimination; she was a fifty-four year old African-American woman who worked as a greeter for Wal-Mart. Factors such as seniority and performance were Wal-Mart’s main excuses and reasons that women earned from 5% to 15% less than men. It is disappointing to see that even the cashier positions, that are dominated by women, have men earning more than women. Wal-Mart not only overworks, under pays and discriminates against women, but it also provides neither childcare for workers or affordable family health benefits. Unaffordable Healthcare Deductibles Wal-Mart employees are incapable of receiving healthcare benefits available for hem because of its high cost and their low wages. Since most of Wal-Mart’s employees are unable to afford these health benefits, most of these individuals either turn to government aided insurance such as Medicaid, depend on their spouse’s plans, or expect to see a doctor in rare and emergency cases with no insurance. It is argued that uncovered Wal-Mart employees are not signing up for medical insurance and benefits because most of them exceed the income ceiling and are not eligible. Wal-Mart provides insurance for over 900,000 employees that are with and with out dependants. Employee premiums range between $143. 54 to $249. 71 per month for family coverage and $33. 04 to $72. 04 per month for single coverage. The National Average of workers covered by employer health insurance is 67 percent, and only 47 percent of Wal-Mart’s employees are covered by the company’s health care plan. That is a huge gap when considering that each percent represents thousands of people. Most Wal-Mart employees have a difficult time aec101ng wnetner to attaln nealtn Insurance or stay unlnsurea Tor tne sake 0T saving money. ‘Cynthia Murray, who has worked at a Wal-Mart store in Laurel, Md. , or six years, suffers from asthma, but goes to see a doctor only when she suffers a bad attack. Murray is 50 years old, makes $9. 47 an hour, and says that the Wal-Mart plan that costs $23 a month has a $1,000 deductible, which makes it too expensive for her to use. Another plan subtracts $100 from her paycheck every two weeks. l don’t think anybody working at Wal-Mart has that kind of money,† says Murray. â€Å"All I’m asking from Wal-Mart is a fair share† (Gogol). Many Americans question why Wal- Mart, one of the richest companies in the United States, can’t offer affordable health insurance and pay a living wage. Comparing Wal-Mart’s employee heal th benefits and wages to Costco’s employee health benefits and wages, one will notice that Costco not only pays its employees higher than Wal-Mart but their deductions are far less. â€Å"The average wage at Costco is $17 an hour†¦. a full-time worker at Wal-Mart makes $7. 0 an hour on average. Costco workers pay Just 8% of their health premiums, whereas Wal-Mart workers pay 33% of theirs. Ninety-one percent of Costco’s employees are covered by retirement plans, with the company contributing an annual average of $1 ,330 per employee† (Cascio). Based on these facts, it is easy to ay that Wal-Mart employees are giving up a large portion of their paychecks to obtain health care. Wal-Mart employees who do have health insurance and receive coverage are paying more in premiums but receive less for their money; in large corporations this has become a trend. New laws have been passed intended to force large corporations to control employee wages and reduce insurance deductibles. From law suits to employee complaints, Wal-Mart has recently thought of ways to reduce the cost of health benefits. The new plan would charge monthly premiums ranging from $25. 00 for individuals to $65. 0 for a family, making that 45-65% less than what employees contributed in the company’s existing plan. But it is not enough to reform the reputation Wal-Mart has lost or the vulnerable employees they let down. oncluslons High productivity and lowering costs is one of the top and most important objectives in business. Wal-Mart being the World’s largest retailer can afford to pay their â€Å"associates† more than what the minimum wage offers. They are in fact, the richest retailer in the world and yet neglect to provide their employees affordable health care with a livable wage. Even if Wal-Mart was to pass 100 percent of the wage ncrease on t o consumers, the average impact on a Wal-Mart shopper would be quite small. Wal-Mart’s choice of action toward employee wages, health benefits, and bias work environment have not only brought an enormous shadow over its employees’ lives but also over its own big business reputation. The injustice decisions made through out the history of Wal-Mart has changed many lives and has forever changed the American economy. In the business world, there is big, and then there is Wal-Mart. Recommendations Based on the conclusions presented above, the following actions are recommended: 1 . Retaining â€Å"associates† already on staff would be more cost affective then high employee turnover. 2. Train employees. Give the opportunity to advance and have freedom to associate and organize. 12 3. Our analysis reveals that establishing a higher minimum wage for large retailers like Wal-Mart would have a significant impact on workers living in poverty or near- poverty. 4. In order to increase employee satisfaction, reforming the cost of health insurance would help keep Wal-Mart in good terms with their employees. 5. If Wal- Mart was to raise their prices by as little as a penny to the dollar it would afford them o pay the higher wages. Higher wages provide the employees opportunity to afford health coverage. . Implementing fair employment and labor practices. How to cite Wal-Mart, Papers

Analysis of Signed Sealed Delivery Company †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Analysis of Signed Sealed Delivery Company. Answer: Business problem The Managing Director of Signed sealed delivery Richard Tupin formed signed, sealed parcel delivery Courier Company after working with other large international courier companies. The reason of forming the courier company resulted from an opportunity on the market (Fanti, M. Iacobellis.V. Ukovich, W. Boschian, V. Georgoulas, G. Stylios, C. 2015, 86). Major large companies were unable to deliver parcels to customers within a day. The company saw the need to tap on the opportunity. It started in humble beginnings operating using mobile phone word to mouth contact delivery with customers, two employees, listing contacts in yellow pages, and one pick up. But has the business grew they were able to form a website, hired a logistics person to work on coordinations, maintained a liaison office (warehouse). The business grew to become complicated for more information was needed to be recorded and accounted. These include delivery time, location, weight of the package, and printed guide for the parcel. The owner decided to be the person concerned with coordination. With rising of customers it resulted into two types of customers (bills payable due and payable upon receipt). There are those customers who wish to pay after a monthly basis and those customers who pay upon delivery. It was then necessary to have an accounting system that would help record details for the debtors. They would later be furnished with information on their account statement. The business grew with other complexities as the need to maintain contact lists for all customers. It was then necessary to have a contact person for the corporate customers paying monthly. The complexities of the operations meant that the business had to control its packages to avoid delays and losses. All the packages were scanned in the warehouse and were able to be tracked to the final customer. Once the delivery reaches the customer signs to signify receipt. With changes in technology in the market the business was prompted to implement a system that would serve the business needs well. Statement of purpose The growth of the business necessitated sealed, signed delivery company to find a simple not complicated system to serve its business needs. Business needs have changed and every time new functions arise which need immediate solutions which a good system need to provide or cater for them (McKinnon, A. 2013, 45). The purpose of having a new technology system is to be relevant and competitive in the market. The system adopted is one that would provide a better service to the owner and the customer easy to operate by both parties using it at any given time. Benefits of the system The implementation of the system brought several benefits both to the owner, employees and the customer. A good system is one that can provide several benefits to its end users at any given time. The system was linked with the website where the customer would do self-service. They were able to login, make choices and make an order which were more convenient and comfortable to them. For the employees especially the drivers they were able to track, view their scheduled pickups and identify destination schedules. The device would provide to them an alert of any pending delivery within their scheduled route. In addition they were provided with information with the type of package and customer details to ascertain accuracy. The system was beneficial to the owner of the business because it solved majority of the logistics and business related problems (Yang, Y. Sung, C. 2016, 56). The scheduling and tracking that was done manually previously were now easy done with the system. The system would now track and advice on the scheduled routes, it would provide status reporting to the owner on where, when and if the delivery has been done. A good system is one that can provide information and improve business performance at a particular period of time (Schnsleben, P. 2016, 35). Billing was previously done manually but now that was solved by the adoption of the system, the customers were able to be issued a receipt on the spot after verifications and payments have been done. System capabilities From system analysts a good system is one that is capable to be integrated with several functions and other systems to perform several functions (Grabara, J. Kolcun, M. Kot, S. 2014, 28). There were several functions that the system was capable to perform. First it was able to carry out logistic function it helped to record the schedule routes and destinations for different packages. Packages delivered in one route were organized using the system that reduced costs of repeating the same route with another delivery. The system was also a control measure for both the owner and the employees. Employees were able to be given alerts especially in case of wrong destination or wrong package delivery. The owner was able to track the package in terms of route and if it was delivered. It was important especially for valuable packages that needed attention. The status reporting is important especially if the owner is willing to cancel or re-route the package destination. The unique features of the system enabled a self-service method to apply. The system was directly linked with the website where the customers would login, identify weight category, calculate their charges, and order for the service conveniently. That means that the system was simple to operate and did not have any complexities. The portable digital with touch screen enabled the drivers to view their scheduled pickups and make deliveries for that run. The system was also capable of performing status reporting useful in tracking purposes. It was able to indicate if the packages are ready to be picked, have been picked, have arrived at warehouses, are out of delivery, delivered or have been cancelled. Any information regarding the order can be obtained easily any time making capable to provide decisional solutions. Another capability of the receipt is on the financial function. The system can do billing and provide receipts to the customers. Information maintained by the system can faci litate accounting related functions. Exclusions Exclusions in system management represent features, abilities and functions that a chosen system will not perform (Gilmour, P. 2013, 34). The system can provide business related solutions but there are other things that they cannot perform which might be necessary in parcel delivery business. The system is unable to calculate the weight of a parcel that has been delivered that makes it possible for any manipulations or risks. The customer can choose a weight category but the business will need to verify it manually. Payments are necessary when deliveries are made or need to be made. One feature that the system would do is receiving any payment in advance when the customer orders for the service. It would have facilitated pre-payments to avoid risks originating from customers not paying for services delivered. One other exclusion is on differentiating the types of customers. It does not report whether one is a monthly bill customer or is to pay on delivery. Only the owner is able to track the delivery status the customer is not given the opportunity by the system to track the whereabouts of its package that could have increased its accountability and service provision. The system excluded some of the security features of the package service delivery. No information of the packages needs to be provided to a third person in terms of content and value of the items this is to avoid pilferages and theft. References Fanti, M.P., Iacobellis, G., Ukovich, W., Boschian, V., Georgoulas, G. and Stylios, C., 2015. A simulation based Decision Support System for parcel delivery management. Journal of Computational Science, 10, pp.86-96. Gilmour, P., 2013. Benchmarking supply chain operatios. International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management. Vol4 (7), pp.23-56 Grabara, J., Kolcun, M. and Kot, S., 2014. The role of information systems in transport logistics. International Journal of Education and Research, 2(2), pp.28-36. McKinnon, A.C., 2013. Starry-eyed: journal rankings and the future of logistics research. International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, 43(1), pp.6-17. Schnsleben, P., 2016. Integral logistics management: parcel courier management within and across companies. CRC Press. Yang, Y.C. and Sung, C.Y., 2016. Service quality improvement strategies for liner-carrier-based global logistics companies. International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics, 8(4), pp.456-487

Keat And Shelley Essays - Literature, Poetry, Ode To A Nightingale

Keat And Shelley In Keat's "Ode to a Nightingale" and Shelley's "Ode to the West Wind" both poet's show much inspiration within their poetry. The bird in "Ode to a Nightingale" represents a supernatural being conjured up by the speaker. The wind in "Ode to the West Wind" inspires the speaker while serving as a "destroyer and preserver." In the poem, "Ode to a Nightingale" the reader sees that the poet draws his inspiration through hemlock which the poet had drunk and some kind of opiate. The poet speaks about dying from the consumption of some type of poisonous drink in stanza two. The speaker wants to, "Fade far away, dissolve, and quite forget / What thou among the leaves has never known (21-22)." He doesn't seem to have much respect for or admiration of the world. The speaker cites all of the bad aspects of life and the world which inspire him to contemplate suicide. This idea of death and suicide is further displayed through the quote in stanza six : " I have been half in love with easeful Death, ...Now more than ever seems it rich to die, To cease upon the midnight with no pain, While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad In such an ecstasy (52-58)." The reader's contemplation of suicide is thoroughly depicted through this quote. The reader is actually thinking these thoughts because he realizes that the beautiful bird's songs only occur through death because the bird is immortal and with the immortal bird comes the immortal song. He shows his admiration for the bird when he speaks of the bird's past experiences. He is greatly inspired by the bird and this is the reason for this poem, but in the last stanza he returns to reality and back to his "sole self". He no longer wants to die and hear this immortal song sung by the bird which he once longed to experience. In ?Ode to the West Wind', the reader sees yet another poet inspired by something that has caught the speaker's attention.