Continental Europe seeks to combine flexibility with security in its relations with the workforce via a range of measures one of which is flexicurity. The WritePass Journal

Continental Europe seeks to combine flexibility with security in its relations with the workforce via a range of measures one of which is flexicurity. Introduction Continental Europe seeks to combine flexibility with security in its relations with the workforce via a range of measures one of which is flexicurity. a, p. 1). Flexicurity is thereby an important element of the European Employment Strategy, which must be incorporated into all of the Employment Guidelines within the EU. This helps to modernise labour markets (Flaschel and Luchtenberg, 2012, p. 14) and achieve the 75% employment rate target that has been set by the Europe 2020 Strategy. This Strategy seeks to change Europe into a â€Å"smart, sustainable and inclusive economy† (European Commission, 2012b, p. 13). In effect, flexicurity is vital for the labour market and must be promoted by all so that unemployment and long term exclusion from the labour market can be sufficiently tackled. It was made clear in the 2011 Annual Growth Survey that in order for an integrated labour market to be created â€Å"rigorous fiscal consolidation for enhancing macroeconomic stability† (European Commission, 2011, p. 1) is needed. Growth enhancing measures as well as reforms for higher levels of employment would also create a more integrated labour market, which would help to achieve the employment rate target. However, it was stressed by Linda Richardson that in order for the employment rate target to be successful attained, work needs to be â€Å"an economically attractive option† (European Employment Observatory, 2012, p. 1). Therefore, individuals need to be provided with the incentive to work in order for this to prosper otherwise the Flexicurity strategy will become futile. In order for Flexicurity to be fully achieved, nonetheless, it is important for all Member States to â€Å"design solutions that offer flexibility and security beyond company borders in order to facilitate good and timely labour market transitions and to reduce labour market segmentation† (European Expert Group, 2007, p. 41). It remains to be seen whether this approach will also address national borders in future years b ut it is evident that Flexicurity provides an opportunity to achieve â€Å"economic efficiency and social equity to a higher level in Europe† (European Expert Group, 2007, p. 41). In addition, the pathways to establishing Flexicurity need to ensure that national contexts and histories are taken into account since each Member State has a different legal and contractual model, which often stems from historical viewpoints that have become embedded into national cultures. This ultimately shapes the ways in which Member States adapt and change, which illustrates the importance of this when it comes to implementing policy measures relating to Flexicurity. Arguably, it is manifest in accordance with this that whilst there are a number of different pathways to achieve Flexicurity, each Member State will adopt their own according to their own cultures of industrial relations. This was clearly recognised by Wilthagen (2008, p. 14) when it was pointed out that: â€Å"There is not one common or standard pathway to flexicurity and every Member States will have to construct its own pathway, based on its typical history and its political, cultural, institutional and organisational tradition and particularities.† Despite this, each Member State can in fact learn from the approaches undertaken by other Member States, yet this will require intervention by the EU so that the different pathways to Flexicurity can be promoted. It is important that Flexicurity s uccessfully addresses the problems surrounding young workers. This is because, young workers are mostly affected by reduced employment opportunities and as a result it is vital that Flexicurity is able to address this. Flexicurity should thereby â€Å"reduce the divide between insiders and outsiders in the labour market† (Eurofound, 2012, p. 1). In doing so, it is vital that insiders are being supported during job-to-job transitions, whilst outsiders are provided with easy access to work and stepping stones, which will â€Å"enable progress into stable contractual arrangements† (Eurofound, 2012, p. 1). Flexicurity for young workers has proven successful in helping young people find work (OECD, 2008, p. 109). This clearly highlights the significance of Flexicurity and demonstrates how Flexicurity can be used as a means to support specific groups of people who are usually disadvantaged within the labour market (Broughton, 2012, p. 1). Arguably, Flexicurity appears to be a solution to the problems faced within the labour market, which is why it is important for the promotion of Flexicurity to be fully realised by the EU. Not all agree that Flexicurity is the solution for all Member State s, however, and instead believe that â€Å"the concept reveals itself to be less convincing when it comes to its application within the framework of different socio-economic realities and differently shaped labour markets† (Heeger, 2012, p. 1). Therefore, whilst Flexibility does appear workable in theory, the same cannot be said in practice since there is no one size that fits all and different approaches will need to be employed. Conclusion Overall, whilst Flexicurity is an important concept, which aims to combine flexibility with security in order to achieve the 75% employment rate target that has been set by the Europe 2020 Strategy, it is evident that there are a number of different pathways to achieving Flexicurity. Because of this, there is much difficulty in deciding what the best approach to take is, however this will differ according to the historical cultures of industrial relations of each Member State. Flexicurity does appear workable when it comes to solving the problems relating to young workers, and evidently helps young workers enter the labour market. This is vital given that young workers are mostly affected by unemployment levels and as such it is imperative that Flexicurity is better promoted by the EU and its Member States. References Broughton, A. (2012) Using Flexicurity to Support Specific Groups of Workers at Company Level, IES, [Online] Available: employment-studies.co.uk/news/es16art4.php [03 January, 2012]. Eurofound. (2012) Flexicurity – It Takes Three to Tango, [Online] Available: eurofound.europa.eu/resourcepacks/flexicurity.htm [03 January 2012]. European Employment Observatory. Workshop on ‘Making Work Pay’ Meeting Report, [Online] Available: www.eu-employment-observatory.net//EEOThSeminar-MWP-21Fe [03 January 2012]. European Commission. (2011) Commission Publishes Annual Growth Survey, Economic and Financial Affairs, [Online] Available: http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/articles/eu_economic_situation/2011-01-annual-growth-survey_en.htm [03 January 2012]. European Commission. (2012a) Flexicurity, Employment, Social Affairs Inclusion, [Online] Available: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=102langId=en [02 January 2012]. European Commission. (2012b) Europe 2020, [Online] Available: http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/index_en.htm [02 January 2012]. European Expert Group. (2007) Flexicurity Pathways; Turning Hurdles into Stepping Stones, [Online] Available: ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=1519langId=en [03 January 2012]. Flaschel, P. and Luchtenberg, S. (2012) Roads to Social Capitalism: Theory, Evidence and Policy, Edward Elgar Publishing. Heeger, K. (2012) Flexicurity – Further Erosion of Workers Rights? EU Observer, [Online] Available: http://euobserver.com/opinion/114980 [Accessed 03 January 2012]. OECD. (2008) Jobs for Youth: Netherlands 2008, OECD Publishing. Wilthagen, T. (2008) Mapping out Flexicurity Pathways in the European Union, Tilburg University, Flexicurity Research Programme.

Motivation and Means of Colonization essays

Motivation and Means of Colonization essays With the dawn of the 16th century, there came together in Europe both the motivation and the means to explore and Colonize territory across the sea It is true; in the beginning and throughout the 16th century, the time for Europeans to explore the vast unknown territory outside of their realm was ripe. Until this time, the people of many European nations had not developed the means or the motivation for the dangerous, risky, and costly expeditions. However, with an age of new thinking, known as the Renaissance, impacting the thinking of society, people were able to collaborate and begin the adventure of discovery. People had many different reasons for attempting the voyage across the ocean. Firstly, vast improvements in technology enabled people to travel on fast, light ships that could move swiftly and predictably. The invention of the compass allowed for accurate landings on the new shore; and once they were on dry land, gunpowder was used to subdue, or impress, the natives. One impression that the Europeans left on the Americas was one of power and greed. For many centuries, trade was the backbone of the European economy. By expanding the trade route into the New World, more money would be brought into the respective country, thereby improving society, and economy. Also, the competition for the trade routes was fierce, so that anyone with a controlled, private route would have the upper hand in trading. In fact, Christopher Columbus was actually searching for an alternate route to Asia when he stumbled across America. The effect of the conquistadors on Americas native tribes was destructive, yet gone unnoticed by their relentless search for treasure. Not everyone who braved the journey to America went in search of lost cities and fountains of youth. Many religious conflicts were taking shape throughout Europe, and for those who wished to escape persecution, a journey into an unknown land ...

[Infographic] Growth Hacking The Characteristics Of A Content Hacker

[Infographic] Growth Hacking The Characteristics Of A Content Hacker Have you ever heard of growth hacking? Its a  marketing technique developed by technology startups that uses creativity, analytical thinking, and social metrics to sell products and gain exposure. Its a bit scrappy, and completely focused on results. Does that sound familiar? Growth hacking isnt too far off from its counterpart, content marketing, a technique that we all know and love. In fact, its so close that it just might call for an entirely new breed of hacker:  The content hacker. Wait, hacking? Cant you go to jail for that? #ContentHacker = A growth-focused content marketer. #growthhacking #infographicListen, if you want your blog to grow, you may want to learn a thing or two from the content hacker. He or she is traffic-obsessed and focused on nothing but growth. This infographic will give you a peek inside their inner inner psyche and help you become your own content hacker. Click on the image below to see a larger view:    The Tweetable  Characteristics Of A  Content Hacker The #ContentHacker doesn't see product/market fit, he sees content/audience fit #contentmarketing The #ContentHacker eats, sleeps, and drinks blog growth #contentmarketing An opportunistic #ContentHacker turns contacts into connections #contentmarketing Where a #GrowthHacker sees scale, a #ContentHacker sees sustainability #contentmarketing The #ContentHacker eats data and only settles for moving the needle forward  #contentmarketing An SEO-minded #ContentHacker has been leveraging the search base since 1991  #contentmarketing Viral growth can be manufactured if you're a real #ContentHacker  #contentmarketing

What would be the effects of banning the use of plastic bags Essay - 1

What would be the effects of banning the use of plastic bags - Essay Example He graphically describes the waste situation there points out to the message of boycotting plastic bags, which the locals have proposed. This engenders the extent to which these bags have been abused and misused in both the West and East (Manning 1874). Exposure to such information begs one to question the notion that plastic is indeed a necessary part of human existence. Taking to account the environmental damage it portends one cannot help but to wonder if we would not be better off without it. In his discussion of Lynn offers several facts about, he offers numerous statistics about plastic that bring out the enormity of the situation. Apparently, over 50 percent of the plastic used in the US is simply thrown away to contribute to the pollution problem and Americans throw away more than 31 billion tons of plastic annually (Hasselberger). He proposes several solutions among which are rejecting single packaging where goods as singly packed in plastic instead or in one bag, alternatively people should seek options to the plastic packaging they use. Blockstein, David (1988) in the Bioscience journal, explores another major con of plastics, which justifies regulation. This article detains the attempts of congress to reduce the problem of pollution, which has been found to negatively affect most wildlife directly, or indirectly more so marine animals as evinced by the fact that fishing nets often dredge up plastic waste (Blockstein 19). According to this article, over 3000 fur seals were killed by entanglement in plastic bags result in in suffocation and accounting for 15% mortality of the threatened species (Lockwood 18). It using plastic was banned; there would be a significant increase life expectancy of these and other young animals including sea birds and fish that tend to be negatively affected by the same. However, although this would seem an ideal solution to the problem, a complete ban on plastic bags use and manufacture would not

Mri tech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mri tech - Essay Example Therefore, with T1 weighted MRIs, the images will appear to be bright (high intensity). This is because the major composition of yellow marrow is fat and fat possess very short T1 relaxation phase. The red or hematopoietic marrow is framed up with 40% of water and fat and 20% protein. Water holds a longer T1 relaxation phase and therefore, the images of red marrow is low intense or dark in nature due to very low signal intensity. The diagnoses of bone marrow lesion on yellow marrow background are effective using T1 weighted MRIs but it can be difficult with the case of lesion on a red marrow. With T2 weighted images, the red marrow and yellow marrow cannot be easily distinguished. STIR is more effective than T2 weighted spin images. (Dimopoulos, Moulopoulos, 1997). The figure shows dark signals highlighted with small arrows that indicate the red marrow in the spinal region and bright signals highlighted with long arrows indicates yellow marrow around femoral epiphyses as well as apop hyses. This is an image of a normal bone marrow of a child. (Dimopoulos, Moulopoulos,1997). An abnormal situation characterized by severe pain and irritation in the knee as a result of high level of pressure offered from patella or kneecap is referred as Chondromalacia (cluett, 2010). The patella is normally covered with a smooth layer composed of cartilage. The cartilage moves effortlessly and flexibly across our knee and thus, facilitates easy bending of the knee joint. The case is different with patients affected with chondromalacia wherein the patella inclines to rub against one or another side of the joint. This results in irritation and pain in the knee. Chondromalacia patella symptoms include distributed knee pain mainly in the front and back side of knee cap. It is accompanied with worsening of pain while arising from an elongated sitting posture, climbing upstairs, wearing heels, kneeling or jumping. (Cluett, 2010) MRI appearance of chondromalacia comprises of signal hetero geneity surrounded by hyaline cartilage, predominantly with T2 weighted MR images, hyaline cartilage covered focal hyperintensity, mainly showing linear or focal abnormalities in the hyaline cartilage and asymmetrical configuration to the hyaline cartilage surface. It is required to use the modifier â€Å"severe† when variations that are greater than one cm in diameter are observed. If high density central defects are present then also the severe modifier need to be used. These defects can be distinguished from usual chondral defects by comparing the centralization of the final lesion that are widely spread and lacks surroundings (Loren, 2008) Full thickness chondral defect is appeared with high signal joint surface lesion represented in black arrow is covered by normal low intense hyaline cartilage on this spin echo T2 weighted image. (Loren, 2008) Osteochondritis dessecans is a medical condition that arises when certain amount of cartilage in a joint connected with a thin b oney layer separates from the rest of the bone. The affected person usually experience server pain, irritation and discomfort near a bone ending position. (Kennedy, no date) OCD is usually seen with larger joints such as the hips, knees and the ankles. The condition is also accompanied by severe rib pain. In association with rib pain, the uneasiness normally occurs in breastbone or in the spine where the ribs get connected. The major cause of OCD is certain type of repetitive injury or

Cloud Computing and Security Issues Dissertation

Cloud Computing and Security Issues - Dissertation Example Cloud com-puting services offer an innovative and cost effective means of utilizing IT capabilities, and as such are being offered as long term solutions for numerous educational, govern-mental, defense, and private businesses. Cloud computing can provide rapid scalability and enhanced IT capabilities to business operations with the investment of minimal costs. It allows the users to deploy services on demand using a network of pooled resources and hence helps the user in using the service as and when needed. The concept behind cloud computing is truly revolutionary as it allows small organizations to scale up their operations to high proportions without buying hardware and software and without hiring a fleet of IT experts. The immense potential offered by cloud computing is acknowledged across the industry, and yet, there is hesitation in its rapid adoption by many organizations (Armbrust et al, 2010). This is because the rapid growth in the technology is also accompanied by growing con-cerns about security related issues. Cloud computing, being an innovative method of using applications and hardware, has to face various implementation issues as it requires a shift in perceptions about work ethics, organizational culture and technical skills needed by the end users. Moreover, there have been several incidences where cloud technology has found itself defenseless in front of hacking attacks like the one against Gmail and the Sony PlayStation gaming network (Paul, 2011) The reasons for the security vulnerabilities are varied ranging from the inherent vulnerabilities in the core technologies to the network vulnerabilities (Armbrust et al, 2009). As cloud computing is an emerging technology, so are the concerns about security challenges being discovered and addressed. The current dissertation aims to explore the perception of the end users about the security challenges, their expectatio ns from the service provider and also attempts to make a list of recommendations for enhancing the security as well as building confidence in the end customers. Research Rationale There is very little evidence of any empirical research undertaken to gauge the performance of cloud computing services in organizations or to assess the satisfaction levels or expectations of the end users. There is however a plethora of information available on the various platforms and modes of cloud computing and their associated advantages and disadvantages ((Rochwergeret al, 2009; Reese, 2009; Armbrust et al, 2009; Rhoton, 2009; and Sosinsky, 2011). This information is in the form of technical knowledge regarding the concept and applications of cloud computing services and does not seem to include the point of view of the end users or the people who actually adopt and work with the services. Â  There is a growing sense of doom among some scholars who predict vicious cyber-attacks that can ride on th e security loopholes and vulnerabilities of the cloud computing services (Barroso and Hoelzle, 2009). However, there still remains a lack of research into assessing these security vulnerabilities empirically or using the perception and experience of those who are the end users of the service. There appears to be a need to conduct an analysis of the possibilities of the security attacks as well as to assess the perceptions of the organizations that are using it about the security sturdiness or vulnerability of the cloud computing environment. This knowledge is expected to provide an insight about possible challenges and opposition that cloud computing service providers’ face in marketing their products. It will also enable the researcher to develop a comprehensive set of recommendations that can be adapted to provide better satisfaction to the end users. The

Petro-Canada's Total Compensation Strategy and Program Research Paper

Petro-Canada's Total Compensation Strategy and Program - Research Paper Example So, the creation of petro Canada was a part of his dream of self-sufficient Canada. The creation of the petro Canada goes back to the year 1973 when the world found Arabs having huge reservoirs of oil were badly engaged in the bloody wars and the prices of oil went to the sky (Forster, 1993). The province of Canada, Alberta had plenty of the oil reserves which were controlled by an American corporation. This was the time when the Chinese president and the opposition felt the sheer need of the time of establishing a Canadian corporation which could control major part of the oil trade. The resident wanted the American corporation to spend more amount of the oil supply to Canada and les to be the states of America while the business was going on reverse. So, 1975 was the year of birth of the Canadian corporation petro Canada. This angered the western world (Greene, 2010). The company kept on working as the one of the Canada’ s largest corporation and fulfilling almost 40% of the Canadian domestic and industrial needs. The idea of the petro Canadian as a powerful tool however was not liked by the liberals who were against the establishment of the corporation and wanted to sell it off (IGI, 2009). 1988 was an important year in the history of the petro Canada; it was the time when the government tried to represent the corporation as a symbol of the Canadian nationalism though Olympic bid. This was the high time for the petro Canada to get popular inside and outside Canada. With the coming years, the corporation made its grounds firm by purchasing few of the world’s famous oil brands and suppliers however the services of oil and gas refinery were got by British Petroleum Canada (Forster, 1993). 1980 was the year of the changing history of petro Canada. This was the time when liberals came in power and with their authority in the government, the energy issue was raised. They stopped the idea of making petro Canada as a symbol of Canadian nationalism and m ade it just to compete with the oil companies in private sector (Shields, 2007). Soon the corporation saw its deterioration and the government decided to privatize petro Canada. In 1991 the shares were sold in the open market while keeping 19% in the company. The shares price fell dramatically and the company suffered a drastic loss with many employees being laid off (Forster, 1993). In 2009, it was merged with Suncor and now it is owned by it while the brand is used nationwide. It has owned refineries in Quebec, Alberta and Montreal. Its major projects were White Rose, Hibernia and Terra Nova (IGI, 2011). It was 2006 when the company decided to enter in the mobile market and launched a prepaid service known as Petro Canada Mobility. In 2009, it decided to open fast food restaurants and provided the services of car wash with drive thru. Its offered services also include car repair service which is known as Certigard Car Repair. The Suncor ownership has surely brought a changed envir onment while entering in the open race of competition and brings the services to increase its customer market. Petro Canada has though been privatized yet it still symbolizes the Chinese president’s dream of all being independent (Greene, 2010). Petro-Canada For entry level positions Like any other company, the level of