Essay about The Benefits of Community Service - 2460 Words

Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. -- Albert Einstein Volunteering personal time to a cause, service, or other person can be very rewarding for various reasons, and in various ways. These reasons can be specific to the volunteer task, whether the person was recruited for the work or if they found it themselves, life stage of the volunteer, or even the motivation behind donating time. Although research has proved that volunteering affects each individual differently, it has also proved that the affects are typically positive. Within the research done on how volunteerism affects well-being a few major themes emerge: motivations behind volunteering, the affects of volunteerism on the volunteer, and duration and†¦show more content†¦Along these same lines, there is the social capital, which is a persons social network, which provides people with trust and information that can be useful in the perspective volunteers search for work and gives the place of volunteering the benefit of that same knowledge. The social capital theor y says that we will do something if other people in our social networks are doing it and that is why those with greater social capital are more likely to volunteer than social isolates. People may begin volunteering because they are in need of a social network, or because their current friends are all volunteering and they want to be recognized as a member within their group. Marital and employment status also affects motivation and reasoning behind volunteerism. â€Å"Married people are more likely to volunteer than single people, although single people without children volunteer the most hours.† (Wilson, 2000) Research proves that if one spouse volunteers, the other is much more likely to volunteer as well. Research has also shown that as the husbands volunteer hours increase, the wives will also increase, but as the wives increase the husbands decrease. The catch within the marital status motivation is that, young married couples may be less likely to volunteer because they must do more paid work to establish themselves. It would stand to reason that if a couple is married andShow MoreRelated The Benefits of Community Service Essay2059 Words   |  9 Pageshours of volunteer service were reported† in the United States (Hoffman 418). For such an outstanding amount of time, only 26.7% of the population reported volunteer hours (Hoffma n 418-9). Philanthropy, a desire to improve the material, social, and spiritual welfare of humanity, especially through charitable activities, is dependent on the altruistic values of the American society. Philanthropy is a general love for all of humanity that manifests itself in the form of community service. Altruism isRead MoreThe Benefits Of Caregiver Information And Services In The Community1058 Words   |  5 Pagesdesigned to give caregivers a break, financial assistance programs which benefit caregivers, education and training programs, and support groups for caregivers. For caregivers who are separated from their loved one, for any reason, Senior Resources of Guilford has access to a program founded by the U.S. Administration on Aging called the Elder Care Locator. This program allows them to find caregiver information and services throughout the country. For those who do not have direct access to theseRead MorePersuasive Essay : The Benefits Of Community Service And The Success Of Service1605 Words   |  7 Pagesproclaimed, â€Å"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.† Serving others, more commonly known as volunteering, means to freely offer to do something out of the kindness of one’s heart. From helping serve at a local food shelter to going on a mission trip to Costa Rica, there are a variety of serving opportunities around every corner. For centuries, service has shown its importance through a plethora of benefits to both the individual and the world. Individuals who dedicateRead MoreIntroduction Community service is any work done for free for the benefit of a community or its1400 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Community service is any work done for free for the benefit of a community or its institutions. It is not the same as volunteering as sometimes it is done unwillingly. There are many reasons as to why people do community service. Some people, like those in the military, do it because it is required of them by the government as part of the citizenship requirement. Others do it because it is court mandated as part of punishment for a criminal offence. Others do it because the school curriculumRead MoreBenefits Of The Joint Community, Services, Defense, And Coalition Partners761 Words   |  4 PagesBenefits to the Joint Community, Services, Defense/Federal Agencies, and Coalition Partners In a fiscally constrained operating environment and a reduced footprint overseas, the Department of Defense is consistently looking for ways to mitigate challenges associated with rapid global projection. By having multiple means to deliver sustainment to the warfighter, the JMMLV will prevent a single point of failure. The JMMLVs design providesRead MoreCommunity Service: The Benefits Volunteering: The great experience no one can afford to lose.900 Words   |  4 PagesCommunity Service: The Benefits Volunteering: The great experience no one can afford to lose. Opposers say, mandatory community service can have several negative effects on students. â€Å"Community service hours are impressive additions to college applications and can provide a student with a great sense of accomplishment; however, the mandatory hours will have many negative consequences† (Cydney Hayes, 2012). Many students are barely even passing the regular school curriculum, and opposers believeRead MoreCommunity Benefit Analysis on Federal Tax-Exemption for Charitable Organizations1648 Words   |  7 Pagesthat would otherwise have to be supported by public funds. Nonprofit hospitals are able to qualify for federal tax-exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has recognized the promotion of health for the benefit of the community, where medical assistance is afforded to the poor or where medical research is promoted, as a charitable purp ose. (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2008) Thus, not all hospitals are considered charitableRead MoreEssay On Community Service Hours1557 Words   |  7 Pagesschool students have to complete community service hours to graduate? Goal or Thesis 2007, WA high schools to make community service compulsory The Western Australian Government is introducing a compulsory program which will force all high school students to complete community service work in order to graduate. The program will require students in years 10, 11 and 12 to do at least 20 hours of community service. Partnerships between schools and community service organisations will be centralRead MoreBuilding Effective Service Learning Programs in Local Communities1387 Words   |  6 Pagesnegative side of the adolescents in their community. In fact, â€Å"sixty-one percent of American adults are convinced that today’s youth face a crisis in their values and morals, look at teenagers with misgiving and view them as undisciplined, disrespectful, and unfriendly† (Latham, 2003). One way to help change the attitudes of adults and also encourage youth personal development is service learning programs in local communities. By participating in service learning programs, students learn how toRead MoreHow to Better a Community; Step One: College Students1711 Words   |  7 PagesJacob Schekman Julio Leal English 1A 6 July 2009 How to Better a Community; Step One: College Students â€Å"I went to a large state school – the University of Illinois – and during my time there, I became one of the best two or three foosball players in the Land of Lincoln. I learned to pass deftly between my rigid players, to play the corners, to strike the ball like a cobra would strike something a cobra would want to strike. I also mastered the dart game called Cricket, and the billiards

Organizational Culture And Human Resource Management

Research by Newman Nollen (1996) indicated that organization performance is better in the companies which there is congruency between national culture and human resources practices. If the human resources management practices are not in line with the basic tenets shared by employees, it will lead to dissatisfaction, lack of commitment and discomfort among the employees (Early, 1994). Introduction Culture affects and governs all facets of life by influencing values, attitudes and behavior of a society, while organizational culture relates to the unique modes of carrying out their activities (Dartey-Baah, 2013). Furthermore, the nature of organizational culture is largely influenced by the cultural orientation of the individual forming†¦show more content†¦Under the high hierarchical company structure in china (which scores 80 in Hofestede’s index), the manager is more likely to hold the value that he has more power and rights, thus, more priorities than his subordinates. so the managers have more rights to be assigned overseas to gain experiences and knowledge. Conversely, in a small power distance culture like US (index 31 in Hofestede’s culture dimension), power is rather equally distributed among the members and employees. For oversea assignment in US, all suitable candidates are equally considered and carefully selected by employers. Detailed expatri ate policy is also provided to guide and govern the assignment (jian wangye; Kopp, 1994). Long-term orientation Apart from the high power structure, the other distinction of Chinese companies is interpersonal (guanxi) networks within the organization (managing the human resource in Chinese-western joint). Guanxi is adopted from the Chinese language of â€Å"relationship† having good guanxi is synonymous with positive functioning in society (Tsui Lau, 2002). In China, employees may be invited for dinner together when they first meet, in the middle of a project and when the project is finished. They build up relationships at work and to personalize the guanxi keep the relationship deep and long, so in the future, they could get possible help from each other if there is any difficulty in both work and personal life. SimilarShow MoreRelatedOrganizational Culture And Human Resource Management Essay2510 Words   |  11 Pagesdiscuss the concept of organizational culture, the internal and external factors and its relation to human resource management. The critique of how organizational culture can promote or hinder organizational processes and outcomes is discussed. The concept of organizational culture refers to the personality of an organization, and the personality is build up by group of people with differences. Each individuals of the organization plays an uniqueness roles. Organizational culture is defined as an assemblyRead MoreNursing and The Organizational Culture of Human Resource Management1495 Words   |  6 PagesOrganizational culture can play a very important role in any corporation’s success. As we learn more about how to make a company more successful through effective management of Human Resource, we are learning of the value of people, as a whole, and how they contribute to the success or failure of an organization. That’s even more so true with in healthcare organizations. Nurses play a pivotal role in the health care profession and make up the majority of healthcare workers in a hospital settingRead MoreHuman Resource Management Affects Organizations Performance1141 Words   |  5 PagesThe issue of how the human resource management affects organizations performance has always presented in academic world. Many scholars have done a lot of theoretical and field work, trying to prove that the contribution and impact of human resource management on organizational performance. Human resource management provides direction and enhances competitiveness in organization, and becoming a strategic partner in helping companies improves its performance (Ajit Kumar Kar, 2012). However, when itRead MoreInfluence Of Organizational Culture On Corporate Performance746 Words   |  3 Pagesproposition that organizational culture is found to be a filter through which leadership influences various performance outcomes. Human Resource Management Organizational culture affects corporate performance. Corporate culture is a deeply embedded form of social control that influences employee decisions and behavior. Culture is persistent and operates unintentionally. It is an automatic pilot directing employees in ways that are consistent with organizational expectations. Corporate culture assistsRead MoreHuman Resources And Organizational Development1046 Words   |  5 PagesHuman Resources and Organizational Development Employee Empowerment Working together may be crucial since the individual functions of these two departments are not the same. The most important function of Organizational Development is to align the mission, values, and culture of the entire organization to create partnerships between employees and management. Their emphasis is on connecting the employees and departments to work as a team by instilling the company’s main beliefs. Many employers feelRead Moreorganizational behaviour1261 Words   |  6 Pages Organizational Behavior MG6013 The exploration of the theories, research and practices that allow a better understanding of human behavior in organizations. Topics include motivation and job satisfaction; decision making; group dynamics; work teams; leadership; communication; power, politics and conflict; organization culture, structure and design; impact of technology; management of work stress; organizational change andRead MoreTraining Needs Assessment, Evaluation, Success, And Organizational Strategy And Effectiveness1035 Words   |  5 Pages1. Anderson, J.E. (2000). Training needs assessment, evaluation, success, and organizational strategy and effectiveness: An exploration of the relationships. (Doctoral dissertation, Utah State University. Logan, UT). 2. Appelbaum, S.H., Ayre, H. Shapiro, B.T. (2002). Career management in information technology: A case study. Career Development International, 7(3), 142-158. 3. Arokiasamy, L., Ismail, M., Ahmad, A. Othman, J. (2011). Predictors of academics’ career advancement at Malaysian privateRead MoreThe Human Resource ( Hr )1655 Words   |  7 PagesThe human resource (HR) in an organization deals with the day to day operations of the human resources department. The HR department deals with business law, compensation, employee relations, benefits, medical and the like. HR focuses on whom the organization hires, whom the organization fires and remediation to employees who need discipline and retooling to continue their employment. The functions of the HR department in my organization include: recruiting and retaining talent, performance managementRead MoreAn Introduction to Organizational Behavior1638 Words   |  7 PagesAn Introduction to Organizational Behavior 1. Define organizational behavior (OB) and explain its roots - a field of study that seeks to understand, explain, predict and change human behavior, both individual and collective, in the organizational context - includes 3 levels ï  ® individual: employee motivation and perception ï  ® group: teams, communication, job design, and leadership ï  ® organization-wide: change, culture and organizational structure ï  ® interorganizational (network): outsourcingRead MoreOrganizational Development : Transformational Change1347 Words   |  6 Pagesmaking drastic changes in the way an organization generates revenue, makes profit from operating and changes in culture and often management. Performance and accountability are observable behaviors and actions which explain how the job is to be done, plus expected results for satisfactory job performance. If a company doesn’t clearly define and effectively manage its corporate culture specific to standards of performance and accountability (quality, customer service, achievement of goals), employees

Private Military Companies Mere War Profiteers free essay sample

This war has been privatized more than any other war in history†¦ forty cents of every dollar Congress controls goes to private contractors. †1 In Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers Robert Greenwald shows how private companies have made millions of the Iraq War performing duties that used to be done by the government. In that same documentary, private military companies are portrayed as greedy, profit-seeking organisations, who will do anything to maximize their profits. If a company is primarily concerned with profits, might they skim on their mission, might they offer cheaper services when possible? According to director Robert Greenwald the answer is yes. In their turn the private military companies and their supporters often claim that they are more nimble and cost-effective than the government (Isenberg 2009: 29), and therefore the right person to do the job. This paper will deal with three issues regarding private military companies in general and more specific in Iraq. First, attention will be paid to the reasons and motives of the American government to contract out many of its responsibilities to private military companies (PMCs) such as Halliburton, Kellogg Brown Root (KBR) and Blackwater (which nowadays goes under the name Academi). Second, this paper will address the challenges transparency as a public value faces in the light of outsourcing activities to PMCs. Finally attention will be paid to the question whether Greenwald is right in his claim that PMCs are in fact War Profiteers who are only looking for profit, or that contracting out military services is in fact a cost-effective alternative in a time where the national military of the US is downsized. American use of PMCs: military outsourcing in Iraq This section will describe the motives of the American government to outsource a large portion of its military in the Iraq War. This outsourcing is the result of three issues (O’Keefe 2009:1) a limited military capacity to unilaterally invade and occupy Iraq, sensitivity of public opinion and the need of specific technically skilled individuals. Limited military capacity One of the motives for employing PMCs in Iraq is the fact that the American military capacity is limited. One reason for this limited capacity is the military downsizing following the end of the Cold War (O’Keefe 2009: 3). In the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall, nearly 700. 000 American troops were no longer needed and became unemployed. This decline in troops greatly reduced American capabilities (Ballard 2005: 5). To this point, Andre Bearpark, the 2003 Coalition Provisional Authority’s (CPA) direct of operation says, â€Å"the military just hadn’t provided enough numbers [for the Iraq War]. It was stretched to the limit. †(Bergner 2005: 32). This argument is also set forward in the 1 Derived from the documentary â€Å"Iraq for Sale. The War Profiteers† (2006) directed by Robert Greenwald first minute of Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers, where the voice-over states that â€Å"there isn’t enough military infrastructure [ and PMCs fill the gap†. In other words, the reduced capacity of the national armed forces provides the private sector with the opportunity to fill the gap. PMCs might be filling a gap, but the use of PMCs is also convenient for the US government, they allow – in this case the Bush administration – to mount a military campaign by looking towards the private sector for support. Perlak, a judge advocate with the US Marine Corps, stated in a 2000 article in the Military Law Review that privatized forces function as an civilian contractors function as an â€Å"effective force multiplier. † This means they are hired to provide services that will free a â€Å"trigger puller† to fight, or they provide technical expertise to the force, thereby assisting the force in waging war or enforcing peace (Keefe 2004: 3). Also, by using PMCs America is recruiting personnel quickly and fielding forces for short periods of time without training large portions of the population or having to institute a draft. This is additionally beneficial to a state in the aftermath of war, Avant contends that â€Å"once dangers pass of local forces are trained and deployed, contracts can lapse† (Avant, 2009: 332). One could argue that despite the limited military capacity of the US, the PMC’s make it possible for the government to pursue their plans to invade Iraq in 2003. Technical skilled personnel: The need for PMCs The development of new, sophisticated weapon systems made military personnel more reliant on contractors for technical support. In Iraq PMCs have provided support for the B-2 stealth bomber, the F-117 stealth fighter, Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle, U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, the M-1 tank, the Apache helicopter, and many navy ships (Avant 2009: 329). This new equipment and highly sophisticated weapons systems demand specific training, experience and tools that make it â€Å"virtually impossible† for the American military to maintain modern systems without the use of contracted civilian experts. According to Evans: â€Å"Without contractors, the Army would have to expand significantly to account for the increase in required specialities to repair al weapon systems† (Ibid, 4). Taking this in consideration it is more or less inevitable for the US government to outsource this part of the military to PMCs. In the documentary Iraq for Sale the lack of enough sufficient military infrastructure is also mentioned as the reason for contracting out military responsibilities to PMCs. Hiring PMCs: the role of public opinion Domestic public opinion often has a significant role in determining the extent of a state’s military actions , some would argue that public opinion can constrain a state leader in their decision to go to war or not (O’Keefe 2009: 5). Yet, some of the pressure of public opinion can be alleviated when a state outsources military functions. The public does not equate the death of contractor with that of a national soldier, as contractors are not directly associated with the state’s military (O’Keefe 2009:5). The use of PMCs in the Iraq War allows the state to avoid what is known as the â€Å"body-bag syndrome†, where governments are increasingly pressured by domestic constituents as death tolls mount (Kinsey 2006: 96). In addition to the ability of states to avoid the body-bag syndrome, the way in which media report on the involvement of contracted troops further benefits the state as the public disassociates contractors with soldiers. When the media reports of fallen private soldiers, they are often referred to as contractors, which generates another response of the public than to the death of a national soldier. The next quotation from Thomas Pogue, a former Navy SEAL, who has worked for Blackwater illustrates this point; â€Å"These forces can be employed without a lot of publicity—and that’s a very useful characteristic for any government. It’s politically easier, and there is less red tape We’re expendable. If ten contractors die, it’s not the same as if ten soldiers die. Because people will say that we were in it for the money. And that has a completely different connotation with the American public. (Scahill 2008: 366)†. A compelling example of the efficacy of PMCs helping the state evade public opinion is a comparison between the events of Mogadishu on 4 October 1993 and Fallujah on 31 March 2004. In 1993, rebels shot down an American Black Hawk helicopter in Mogadishu, Somalia. In this attack eighteen American soldiers were killed and some of their bodies were dragged through the streets of Mogadishu. While the death of eighteen American soldiers in Mogadishu eventually resulted in a withdrawal of all American troops in the region – in response to mounting public pressure (Scahill 200: 107), the incident in Fallujah did not have the same result.