Childrens Implicit and Explicit Ethnic Group

Introduction Implicit attitudes in children develop according to their surroundings. These surroundings range from cultural processes, which the child undergoes, to the intergroup and child preferences as he or she grows up. Age is not an important determinant since when implicit association test (IAT) is administered; the same results are evident in both the adults and children.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Children’s Implicit and Explicit Ethnic Group specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the level of biasness differs from child to child, and it may not appear as much in the adults. A great divergence is observed at the age of 10 onwards. This is where a child begins to develop other important traits, which will assist in attitude development. Consequently, at this age, a child is in a position to start analyzing issues critically and pay much attention to things he or she must have assumed at a very tender age. The Children’s implicit and explicit ethnic group attitudes’ development can also be influenced by the parents. Since children copy what their parents do, they will become very resistant to anything that their guardians do not believe in. This is why many children will show a lot of favoritism in the in-group compared to the out-group. Connections between Readings Self-esteem and intergroup attitudes play a major role in the development of the children’s implicit and explicit attitudes. Many children will show more favoritism towards the in-group than the out-group. This is the same when it comes to implicit and explicit assessments. Therefore, it is important to note that, it is very hard to find a child who has a very low attitude in his/her in-group. However, if data are accumulated, it may appear that the white children normally have cumulative low attitude in their in-group. Many British children, both the whites and the blacks, value the b lack culture and show positive implicit and explicit attitudes on the blacks. It is also evident that, the adults have low in-group preference, compared to the children.Advertising Looking for report on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Both readings also portray that implicit attitudes are attained at an early stages and remain practically stable throughout the development stage, up to around age 10 when there are some split between the conscious and the less conscious ethnic attitudes (Siegler, DeLoache Eisenberg, 2005). New Novel Extension Study has proved that the white children normally show greater out-group positivity than the in-group. This area should be researched more to identify why this is the case. It is not clear why the black children normally present a contrary picture, that of showing favoritism to the in-group than the out-group. Various tests have confirmed this fact and a new novel should be dev eloped to try to explain why this case happens even in children who are brought up in the same surrounding. Connections between Findings, Arguments and Theory It is evident that, there are claims based on collection of data, which are not true, about the children’s implicit and explicit attitudes. According to the findings, it is very difficult to pick data from a specific study and generalize the entire traits shown by children as their true and accurate stereotyping degree. Different scholars also argue that, since the theories are developed on sample basis, if the entire population was to be involved in the research, the results may be far reaching and completely different from the ones made. In fact it is not easy to analyze the entire population. Reference Siegler, R., DeLoache, J., Eisenberg, N. (2005). How Children Develop. New York, NY: Worth Publishers. This report on Children’s Implicit and Explicit Ethnic Group was written and submitted by user Harley Buchanan to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

3 Essays - Collaboration, Political Philosophy, Free Essays

3 Essays - Collaboration, Political Philosophy, Free Essays 3 MEETINGS 1 Delete the word(s) that do not form natural collocations. a I'd like to raise an important issue /an objection/the matter later. b When are we going to call/hold/have/ arrange/organise the next meet ing? Do you think we could put it back/delay it/postpone it/ bring it forward ? c It's getting late, and I think we should close/finish/adjourn/end the meeting. It looks like we've reached a conclusion/a decision/a dead-end . d I'd like to give/express/put forward my own opinion on this issue/ /topic/subject/question . e We've had a full and frank/constructive/fruitful di scussion on this issue, and I'm sure we can reach a decision/an agreement/a compromise/a consensus . f It would be dangerous/risky/premature/a mistake/wrong to draw/reach/ jump to any conclusions at this stage. g This decision is going to have wide-ranging/far-reaching/serious implications, and we need to take into account /consideration a number of different factors. h I'd just like to clarify/deal with your doubts about /objections to this proposal. i I see /appreciate/understand what you're saying, b ut I think you're taking a very narrow/short-sighted/short-term view. j Before we can make/take/come to/reach a decision, we'll have to make/undertake/carry out a detailed study. 2 . Complet e the chairperson's closing comments with the words in the box. There are two words you don't need to use. All the words appeared in 1. promise topic Well, colleagues, I thin k we've had a very constructive (a) discussion this afternoon, and a number of very important (b) issues have been raise d. But it's getting late, and I can see that we're not going to co me to a (c) decision today. I don't think that presents a problem because any decision we t ake will have far-reaching (d) implications and it's important not to jump to any (e) conclusions at this early stage. Before the next meeting we need to carry out a detailed (f) study of all the options involved, and circulate it amongst everyone prese nt. And if I can express my own (g) opinion , I think that the report needs to t ake into (h) account the financial costs as well as the marketing aspects of the project. Well, unless there's any other business, I think we can finish there. 3 Are the following statements True or False? 1. The person who is in charge of the meeting is the person who takes the minutes. F alse 2. The best way to call a meeting is to inform each participant individually by phone. F alse 3. An agenda should outline the order and amount of time to spend on each item at the meeting. T rue 4. Engaging in small talk throughout the meeting is an effective way to keep the focus. F alse 5. When someone agrees with a motion it is "seconded". T rue 6. The person who is speaking during a meeting is the person who "has the floor". T rue 7. A polite way to indicate that you want to make a comment during a meeting is to say: "If I could just come in here..." T rue 8. When there is a tie vote, it is customary for the chairperson to ask one participant to reconsider his/her decision. F alse 9. During the closing remarks, the person holding the meeting should introduce new staff members or guest speakers. F alse 10. Reminders are typically announced after all of the items on the agenda have been covered. T rue 4 R ead the text. Write one phrase in each gap. The problem with brainstorming Brainstorming is one of the most popular techniqu es used in meetings to generate ideas for solving a specific problem. Alex Osborn, the inventor of the term Brainstorming', established four rules. Firstly, it's important to focus on quantity (1). Wri te everything down, the more ideas, the better. Secondly, participants need to withhold criticism (2). Never criticise another person's idea during the brainstorming session, as it will prevent people from being creative. There's plenty of time for criticism in the evaluation stage later. Thirdly, we should welcome unusual ideas (3). Tr y to challenge your assumptions and ask what if ?' questions. Finally, try to combine and improve ideas

RITZ CARLTON HOTEL COMPANY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

RITZ CARLTON HOTEL COMPANY - Essay Example The logo of the hotel, which had the British royal seal (the crown) and the logo of a financial backer (the lion) was designed by Cesar Ritz. The hotel assumed the status of a private club meant for the very rich. The hotel entertained only those guests who were on the Social Register or were the Who’s Who of the society. Edward Wyner, the owner of the Ritz-Carlton,  Boston passed away in 1961. The property was thereafter owned and managed by land developers Cabot, Cabot & Forbes and their chairman Gerald W. Blakely. Charles Ritz, son of Cesar Ritz, remained an active board member of the Ritz-Carlton hotel until he died in 1977. William B. Johnson bought the hotel and the rights to The  Ritz-Carlton name from Blakely and established The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company (Ritz-Carlton, 2014). Herve Humler is the President and Chief Operations Officer of Ritz-Carlton. Leeny K. Oberg is the Chief Financial Officer while Bob Kharazmi is the Global Officer, Worldwide Operations (Marriot, 2014). Simon F. Cooper remained the President and Chief Operating Officer of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company from February 2001 to September 2010 and was instrumental in the expansion spree of the hotel chain during the period (Ritz-Carlton, 2014). Ritz-Carlton is committed to providing top-notch service to its esteemed customers. The hotel chain has adopted the motto; â€Å"We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.† Genuine care and comfort of its guests is the highest mission of Ritz-Carlton. All the employees of the company are taught the â€Å"The 12 Service Values,† â€Å"The Credo,† â€Å"The Three Steps of Service,† and â€Å"The 6th Diamond† which together form the basis of day-to-day working of the company. The company has been honored with the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award twice (Ritz-Carlton, 2014) The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. operates the Ritz-Carlton chain of luxury hotels. It is

Outsourcing IT Servises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Outsourcing IT Servises - Essay Example Another form of outsourcing is based on salary cost arbitrage that takes place between national economies when a company will seek to contract with another business abroad where the labor costs are cheaper, so that cost savings will be gained in the overall organization. Some companies may establish overseas branches of their company and hire employees directly in the foreign market, but this is technically different than outsourcing on a business-to-business basis. In this context, most companies perform a cost analysis on the savings that can be gained through outsourcing by comparing local salaries and the internal requirements for managing the services with the quoted rate of the outsourcing company for the same work. The labor arbitrage through outsourcing may also include tax savings, a reduced requirement of benefit payments, or lower insurance costs for the company. Thus, in software development and hardware maintenance, the quality of the outsourcing services provided by for eign or offshore companies who provide the same service as local companies is critical and determinant as to whether outsourcing actually makes sense for a business. If the company cannot receive a quality of service from the outsourcing company that they can receive from local employees, it will generally not make sense for the company to pursue an outsourcing business model because the overall operations will suffer if there is a weak link in the organization. However, if the IT services such as medical software programming, computerized physician order entry (CPOE), and hardware maintenance can all be acquired from outsourcing companies in the U.S. or abroad at the same quality or higher and simultaneously a lower cost, then it does make sense to pursue outsourcing as a business model. Because some outsourcing companies are specializing in hiring highly skilled and trained staff for the employment positions, it is also possible to outsource abroad with the same level of quality o r higher than local staff, and to save significant operating costs in doing so. Outsourcing can potentially save billions of dollars in costs from within the U.S. healthcare system, but if quality is compromised in pursuit of greater profits or budgetary savings, the people who are being served by the business will not be satisfied or happy. (Rand, 2005) b) What component of IT services in your current organization makes the most sense to target as an early candidate for outsourcing? Why? Our organization is currently focusing on going live with a 50 person, outsourced Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) program that is expected to save considerable costs for the hospital annually while still providing the same quality of service expected by doctors and patients alike. CPOE is ideal for outsourcing as it involves the digitalization of medical records that are linked to a master database of records in the IT department. The core skill required by the outsourcing team is the abi lity to quickly and accurately transcribe hand-written doctor notes and prescriptions, to archive these documents with the appropriate patient records, and also to forward the transcriptions to other offices within the medical network. In this manner, the skills

Greenpeace and Politics Essay Example for Free

Greenpeace and Politics Essay Greenpeace is an organization which often collides with governments in countries all over the world in its attempt to stop things like global warming, deforestation, overfishing and more. Greenpeace tries to reach their goals by direct action and lobbying. This is the part where they often collide with the governments. My questions about this topic are: -What conflicts does Greenpeace have (or did they have) with the government and corporations in the Netherlands and governments and corporations of other countries in the world? -How exactly does Greenpeace influence governments and corporations? -What influence does Greenpeace have on governments and corporations? I want to answer these questions by first telling a bit more about Greenpeace. Then I will tell about some conflicts which Greenpeace have had and still have with Dutch government and corporations. I am also going to tell how Greenpeace acted in those conflicts and if they reached their goal(s). by telling this, I will have answered the second and third question. I will also tell about some conflicts Greenpeace has with other governments and corporations and how Greenpeace acted there. Greenpeace Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization. It has offices in more than forty countries all over the world. Its international coordinating body is in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Greenpeace states its goal is to ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity.’’ It focuses on worldwide issues such as global warming, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling and anti-nuclear issues. Greenpeace is known for its direct actions and lobbying to stop or delay things but also uses research and innovation to achieve its goals. Greenpeace does not accept money from governments, political parties, or companies. It relies on more than 2.9 million individual supporters and foundation grants. Greenpeace is a founding member of the INGO Accountability Charter; an international non-governmental organization that intends to promote accountability and transparency of non-governmental organizations. Greenpeace has been described as the most visible environmental organization in the world. It has raised environmental issues to public knowledge, and influenced both the private and the public sector. Greenpeace has also been a source of controversy; its motives and methods have received criticism and the organizations direct actions have led to legal actions against Greenpeace activists. Greenpeace and conflicts with the Dutch government and Dutch corporations In August 2008, Greenpeace threatens the negotiations of the Dutch government and civil society organizations concerning the designation of protected nature reserves in the North Sea. Greenpeace threw large rocks in the Sylter Buitenrif, near the German-Denmark border. Each of the rocks are about two to three tons. Because of the rocks, fishing is impossible in that area because the fishing nets might get hooked on the rocks, which will be dangerous for the boats. The reason why Greenpeace did this was because the Dutch government was too slow with the designation of protected nature reserves. In 1995, all EU countries promised they would take protective measures known as ‘Natura 2000’, but all North Sea countries, including the Netherlands, took too long to do this and were behind schedule. The Dutch minister of agriculture, minister Verburg, agreed to designate four protected nature areas. Minister Verhagen declared he wanted a second nuclear power plant (NNP) to be built in the Netherlands, one much bigger than the NNP we already have in Borssele. He had already found a solution for the nuclear waste: put it under the ground. According to minister Verhagen, two soil types are suitable for storing nuclear waste, salt domes in the northern Netherlands and the Boom clay layer which extends over the Netherlands and a part of Belgium. And since a few months, Dutch Greenpeace activists have been protesting against nuclear energy in the Netherlands. They have been trying to persuade the cities to say ‘no’ to nuclear waste storages underneath their city. They did this in several ways, they for example placed warning signs under more than 64 signposts of cities in middle and south Netherlands. Greenpeace activists also visited cities and spoke to councilors and they dumped ‘nuclear waste’ in several places. By now, more than 75 cities said ‘no’ to nuclear waste and the energy company Delta declared in January to have put the plans for a second NPP on hold. They declared it was not feasible anymore to built a second NPP. However, minister Verhagen still wants a second NPP, though he does not seen to get much support anymore†¦ In December 2011, Greenpeace campaigned in the harbor of IJmuiden against harmful giant ships which was about to set sail to the waters West-Africa. Because of overfishing in the European seas, ships like these now have to go to other seas because they cannot catch enough fish in European seas anymore. The ships against which Greenpeace was campaigning was part of the Pelagic Freezer-Trawler Association (PFA). This is a company which is established in the Netherlands and is a partnership of several Dutch fisheries. PFA got more than 142 million euro subsidy from 2006 to 2011 on. the last five years more than 142 million Euros in European subsidies. Subsidies which are paid from tax money paid by European inhabitants. Greenpeace wrote the amount of money which one of the largest fishing ships in the world got on the ship itself. Also, on the 31st of January 2012, Greenpeace anchored one of Europe’s largest ships to the dock with steel cables to prevent it from setting sail to fishing waters. The Second Chamber will debate about overcapacity on the 15th of February in the Algemeen Overleg. Greenpeace and conflicts with other governments and corporations all over the world Finland, 1995 In June 1955, Greenpeace took a trunk from a tree and put it on display at exhibitions in Austria and Germany. They declared that the trunk was from a tree from a ancient forest in a national park which was supposed to be protected. Metsà ¤hallitus is a state-owned enterprise in Finland has the tasks of managing most of the protected areas of Finland and to supply wood to the countrys forest industry. They accused Greenpeace of theft and said the trunk was from a normal tree that had been destroyed during a storm. Greenpeace replied that the tree had fallen down because the forest around it had been clear-cut. With this action, Greenpeace wanted to highlight the fate of old forests, and they did, because the incident received publicity in some large Finish newspapers. Great Britain, 2008 On the 11th of September, 2008, six Greenpeace activists were acquitted in a case started by energy company E.ON. The activists were protesting against the emission of COâ‚‚ and the construction of a new coal plant in Kent. They climbed the chimney of an existing plant and wanted to write the text ‘Gordon, bin it’ on the chimney. However, they were stopped after they had written ‘Gordon.’ E.ON wanted the activists to pay the damage costs of  £ 35,000 but the judge decided that the damage to the environment done by the coal plant was many times bigger than the activists’ graffiti. France, 1985 The first ship of Greenpeace was the Rainbow Warrior, a 40 meter long former fishing trawler. From 1978 to 1985 on, it was used as a ship to prevent whale hunting, ocean-dumping of toxic and radioactive waste, seal hunting and nuclear testing. In 1985, the Rainbow Warrior was to lead a fleet of protest vessels into the waters surrounding a French nuclear testing site. The French government secretly bombed the ship in the Auckland harbor, New Zealand. The bombings killed a Dutch freelance photographer. At first, the French government denied they had bombed the ship, but in the end they were exposed by the New Zealand police. They agreed to pay New Zealand a compensation of 13 million New Zealand Dollar. They also paid 2.3 million French francs to the family of the photographer. Liberia, Greece, 2002 In 2002, Greek, German and Swiss activists boarded the vessel MV Zini in the port of Kalamaki. The vessel was there to unload logs which it had picked up at the Liberian port of Buchanan. That port is largely controlled by the logging company Oriental Timber Company (OTC). OTC is run by a close business associate of the President of Liberia, who has granted the logging rights to at least one third of Liberia ´s remaining 4.8 million hectares of ancient forest to the company. Liberias forests contain enormous biodiversity, but its timber industry is fuelling both environmental destruction and human rights abuses. The Greenpeace activists dressed like animals, the same animals that are being wiped out around the world through the destruction of ancient forests. In reaction to the Greenpeace action, the Greek ministry of environment joined other European nations in committing itself to keep a very clear and strong position for the protection and sustainable management of the last ancient forests of the world and they made promises to take action against forest destruction. Japan, 2008 In June 2008, the Japanese police arrested two Greenpeace activists for stealing a box which was supposed to be full of cardboard, but which was in fact filled with whale meat. The two activists presented this box as evidence to the Public Prosecutor in Tokyo of wide-scale corruption at the heart of the government-sponsored whaling operation in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. There has been an investigation, but according to the Tokyo District Prosecutor Office, it has been unable to find evidence of the embezzlement. The investigation into crew and whaling officials has stopped. After their arrest, the two Greenpeace activists, known as ‘the Tokyo Two’, have been held without charge for some time. In that time, more than 170.000 people have done a cyber action, and a quarter million people sent a mail to the Japanese government to demand their release. The Tokyo Two have been handed a one year suspended prison sentence last year September, despite of the world wide protests against the unjust sentence. Although they are now in prison, they did manage to put whaling successfully on trial, both in court, and in Japans national media. Switzerland, 2010, Other European countries In 2010, the Swiss Parliament extended its ban on the cultivation of genetically engineered (GE) plants for three more years. Switzerland will now stay free of GE plants until at least 2013. The original moratorium was backed by Swiss voters in a referendum 5 years ago. Supporters of the ban included farmers, who were concerned about the impacts of GE crops on organic produce as GE crops pose unpredictable risks to human and animal health. The Swiss Greenpeace office has been supporting these farmers and Swiss consumers to ensure the country remains GE-free. The EU Commission President Barroso is trying to force GE crops into the EU and to bypass standard authorisation procedures. However, this approval has met many criticism and opposition. The governments of Greece, Austria, Luxembourg, Italy, Hungary and France have all publicly announced that they will not allow GE potato crops grown in their countries. Six other EU countries, Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary and Luxembourg have bans on GE maize cultivation. I hoped I was able to give an idea of the conflicts Greenpeace gets into with governments and corporations all over the world. Of course, what I told is only a fraction of the actions Greenpeace does and the conflicts and problems they walk into when campaigning but had I told about them all, or even half of them, I could have continued for a very long time. And of course, Greenpeace does not always get into conflict with governments or big corporations, sometimes they only get into conflict with small companies or a small group of people.

Basics of Quantum Computing Essay -- Physics Computers Science

Fundamental Differences of Quantum Computers In the standard architecture of computer storage, values are arranged as a series of bits, each of which is either true or false(0 or 1). This fundamental restriction of two states is the most basic difference when working with quantum states. Rather than allowing just the two singles states, a superposition of the two states is also possible, forming a state that is neither 0 nor 1, but something in between with a probability of either state. Further, in the standard organization, it is possible to attach various bits together to force correlations between their values. This is also possible within the superposition of the states represented in a quantum bit. (Qubit) The correlation between these superpositions in the two qubits is referred to as Entanglement. With proper tying it is possible to evaluate the qubit as both one and zero at the same time, and do so across the entirety of the set of qubits at the same time, allowing for massively parallel evaluations of all possible sequences at the same time. Of course in the end there can only be a single full set for the stable state, but information can be gathered from each of the possibilities by its influence upon the whole system during each step of the evaluation. History of Quantum Computers Initially the famous physicist Robert Feynman breached the subject of using quantum effects for computation in 1982, though his primary interest was in using the effects of one quantum effect to simulate another. Three years later in 1985 David Deutsch of the University of Oxford published a paper detailing the workings of a universal quantum computer, detailing the functionality of the theoretical process, but not... ...e technological barrier has not progressed so far as to allow convenient usage. At every stage of production the quantum computer has a great deal of work that needs to be done, and each step must be painstakingly analyzed and protected from the harsh environment that surrounds the extremely delicate system. Even once such systems can be produced for small experiments to confirm the effects we seek, it will be quite some time before the production techniques and applications are so well refined as to allow for mass production or even a working prototype. More importantly, there does not seem to be any choice but to move to these systems. As our computers become more and more compact, the effects of quantum events are going to make themselves first known and then become overwhelming. The solutions appear to be evolution or stagnation.

Remodeling HR at Home Depot Essay

Abstract Home Depot went through many changes as a result of new CEO Frank Blake and Vice President of Human Resources, Tim Crow. The culture inherited by both Executives from their predecessors went through a transformation process for the business to thrive once again. Blake and Crow justified laying off 1,200 workers as a result of their vision to enhance Home Depot’s position in the market and to go back to the organizations foundations embedded by founders Arthur Blank and Bernard Marcus. Specifically, a closer look at the Human Resources function in the organization was focused on in order to align an HR strategy with the business model. This paper will discuss the strategic initiatives taken by Blake and Crow and how they created a sustainable competitive advantage at Home Depot by focusing on strategic HR. Further, this paper will examine John Kotter’s Eight-step Change Model, the Organization and People Strategy, the â€Å"outside-in† HR approach, and Lepak and S nell’s HR Model. Organizational change became a necessity at Home Depot when the business failed to increase shareholder value and rivals were outperforming the company. Change at Home Depot started at the top with new CEO Frank Blake and Vice President of Human Resources, Tim Crow. Specifically, Blake and Crow transformed the way Human Resources contributed to the organizations success. Blake and Crow’s approach is comparable to a change model put forth by John Kotter—the Eight-steps Change Model. This model focuses on driving organizational changes through analysis, management, and communication. The first step in Kotter’s model is to establish a sense of urgency (Esther & Green, 2009). That is, looking at conditions within the organization to see where adjustments are needed. In Home Depot’s case, HR and its strategic role needed some attention; hence it was analyzed and modified to meet business needs. In the second step, Kotter’s suggestion is to find groups of people who can work together (Esther & Green, 2009). At Home Depot, the Store manager and HR manager were not working â€Å"together†. There seemed to be a barrier as one HR manager, overwhelmed with tasks, could not produce at the highest level. The third step in the Eight-step Change Model elaborates on creating a vision (Esther & Green, 2009). Both Blake and Crow had a vision when they took office. What is more, both Executives wanted to go  back to Home Depot’s core principles to see what changes should be made for the business to out-perform its rivals. Moving forward, the fourth and fifth steps in Kotter’s model talk about the importance of communication (fourth step) and empowering the vision onto others (fifth step) (Esther & Green, 2009). This step at Home Depot was critical—Tim Crow communicated his vision to Frank Blake and others in the company and drove them to change the way HR performed in the organization by eliminating positions that were not efficient. Step six in Kotter’s model recommends creating short-term goals (Esther & Green, 2009). Blake and Crow set realistic short-term goals and shared why taking away an HR manager from each store would be a beneficial move. That is, the Store managers gained 3 HR Generalist instead of one HR manager (Mello, 2010). Step seven in Kotter’s model rewards employees for promoting the chang e and step eight defends the organization’s position on how the new change leads to corporate success (Esther & Green, 2009). Home Depot has taken initiatives discussed later in this paper to carry out steps seven and eight. By using John Kotter’s Change Model, Home Depot went from not having an effective Human Resources presence to employing an operational HR strategy. Right now, Home Depot’s current state of HR is embedded with the company’s overall corporate strategy. The organization has HR professionals who are true business partners, something Tim Crow planned and worked towards during the Human Resources Planning (HRP) stage. Moreover, Crow has taken a strategic approach, one that compares to the Organization and People Strategy. The strategy focuses on three key areas: Reward and Recognition, Talent Management, and Organizational Effectiveness (Armstrong, 2011). Reward and Recognition programs at HD consist of the following: Success Sharing for stores that achieve sales targets (paid out $63 million in 2007), Homer Badges for employees who exemplify company values, and the Product Knowledge Recognition program to reward learning initiatives (Crow, 2008). As far as the Talent Management aspect of the strategy, Home Depot has a Master Trade Specialist program in place that hired 3,000 trade specialists who are licensed electricians and plumbers (Crow, 2008). What is more, the company has HR managers who are more involved than their predecessors with Store managers and the company has its own insourced call center to address employee concerns. To accomplish the third component of the Organization and People Strategy—Organizational Effectiveness, Home  Depot has the Aprons on the Floor program, action based training modules, and an Aware Line telephone service for individuals to call and comment on particular situations (Crow, 2008). Before Blake and Crow took over Home Depot, it was led by former CEO Robert Nardelli and his regime. Nardelli and his choice of Executives turned the Home Depot culture upside down. That is, company officers were at the top, employees in the middle, and customers on the bottom of the pyramid. It took Crow’s strategic mindset to turn the pyramid back to its original position. Further, Blake played a significant role by making employee morale and career development a strategic priority (Crow, 2008). Blake and Crow did not turn the corporation around overnight. Instead, it was an ongoing process that needed commitment from everyone in the company. The reduction in force was the first step. The layoffs assisted Home Depot to take an â€Å"outside-in† approach to focus on strategic HR. This type of approach starts with analyzing the customer, competitor, and other challenges faced by the business (Armstrong, 2011). Further, the â€Å"outside-in† approach tackles ineff ective HR practices that should be revisited and aligned with corporate strategies. To integrate corporate and HR strategies, Home Depot replaced Human Resources managers from each store with additional Sales Associates (Mello, 2010). As Home Depot moves forward with strategic HR in the organization, the focus is on both the technical and managerial strategies. Technical strategies deal with the mathematical and behavioral methods of forecasting HR needs while managerial strategies consist of ways decision-makers tackle human resource issues (Reilly & Williams, 2006). Examples of technical strategies at Home Depot are the reduction of 1,200 human resource positions and establishing fresh roles for new HR teams. From a managerial standpoint, instead of having one Human Resource manager inundated with tasks, the three new Human Resources Generalist each are responsible for one function only—staffing and development, associate relations, and performance management (Mello, 2010). Both technical and managerial HR strategies are helping create a sustainable competitive advantage at Home Depot. When Crow decided to eliminate positio ns, resistance was inevitable. However, the cuts were an advantage to HR at Home Depot because organizational resources were not being allocated in the most efficient way. The trade-off of having a Human Resources manager in each store was the lack of manpower on the floor and that meant shifting  away from selling merchandise. By eliminating the HR manager position and creating regional HR teams, the organization went back to focusing on its core competence of providing customer service and increasing sales. Revenue growth at Home Depot suggests HR regional teams are better than one Human Resource manager in each store. Further, Home Depot’s reasoning behind changing the function of Human Resources can be examined closely by using the Lepak and Snell Model. Lepak and Snell have four quadrants in their model which classify Human Resources configurations. Right now, Home Depot appears to fall under the second quadrant. That is, the focus is on Job-based Employment and the company has Productivity Based HR (Mello, 2010). However, Home Depot is striving to reach Quadrant I: Knowledge-based Employment and Commitment-Based HR by having programs such as the Master Trade Specialist and a robust HR system in place. Overtime, Home Depot can drive their HR strategy to reach Quadrant I to get the most out of th eir business objectives. Conclusion: Home Depot is an example of how strategic HR can influence growth, productivity, and success in an organization. It starts with the willingness of the organization’s leaders to drive change. When Black and Crow eliminated 1,200 employees, the move was alarming to current workers and others in the industry. However, to revamp the HR strategy, layoffs were a necessity. By using theories similar to Kotter’s Eight-step Change Model, the People and Organization strategy, the HR â€Å"outside-in† approach, and Lepak and Snell’s HR Model, Blake and Crow turned around Home Depot’s culture to focus on customer service—its core business competence. Further, the company now has HR business partners who act as liaisons to Store managers to have an effective HR presence in stores. Home Depot is headed in the right direction as a result of its strategic HR focus. References Armstrong, M. (2011). Armstrong’s handbook of strategic human resource management. London: Kogan Page. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.library.georgetown.edu/login.aspx? direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=390442&site=ehost-live&scope=site Crow, T. (2008). Home REMODEL. Workforce Management, 87(12), 1-1,24,26,28. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.library.georgetown.edu/docview/219795604?accountid=11091 Esther, C., & Green, M. (2009). Making Sense of change Management. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page. Mello, J.A. (2010). Strategic Human Resource Management, Third Edition. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Reilly, P. A., & Williams, T. (2006). Strategic HR : Building the capability to deliver. Aldershot: Gower. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.library.georgetown.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=269752&site=ehost-live&scope=site