Inflation :: essays research papers

INFLATION: In the 1970s the prices of most things Americans buy more than doubled. Such a general increase in prices is called inflation. Prices of selected goods may increase for reasons unrelated to inflation: the price of fresh lettuce may rise because unseasonably heavy rainfall in California has ruined the lettuce crop, or the price of gasoline may rise if the oil-producing countries set a higher price for oil. During inflation, however, all prices tend to rise. Over the last 400 years there have been many periods of inflation. In the 16th century, when the Spaniards began bringing back gold and silver from the New World, prices in Western Europe moved upward as the supply of money increased. During the 19th century prices tended to go downward as food and raw materials became cheaper. After major wars such as the Napoleonic Wars and World Wars I and II, prices again moved upward. In the 1950s and '60s a so-called creeping inflation occurred, when the general price level in the United States and Western Europe rose by an average of 1 to 5 percent each year. In the 1970s inflation increased until it reached as much as 13 percent a year in the United States. Many countries have suffered from inflation more than has the United States. Israel had inflation of more than 100 percent a year in the early 1980s, meaning that the cost of living more than doubled every year. In Argentina inflation was greater than 400 percent in 1975 and averaged more than 100 percent each year from 1976 to 1982. The most remarkable inflation in modern times was the German hyperinflation of 1923, when people went to the store with wheelbarrows full of money to buy a few groceries. A similar hyperinflation occurred in Hungary after World War II. Inflation has been defined as "too much money chasing too few goods." As prices rise, wages and salaries also have a tendency to rise. More money in people's pockets causes prices to rise still higher so that consumers never quite catch up . Inflation can go on continuously year after year so long as the money supply continues to increase. Continued inflation affects people in diverse ways. Those who live on fixed incomes, or those whose incomes increase very slowly, suffer most from inflation because they are able to buy less and less. Those who lend money when prices are lower may be paid back in dollars of reduced purchasing power.

Upholding English Proficiency for Communicative Competency Essay

For many years since the World War II, the English language had been the lingua franca of numerous countries and territories all around the world. It is used in the everyday lives of many people – from selling and buying to creating laws. Being an English proficient person, one must be able to speak, read and write the language. To be truly proficient, he must have advance abilities in the three divisions wherein he can convey and relay his thoughts fluently. But being good in this language doesn’t just mean being mainstream. It is more than that. It is being able to communicate and relate with different people from different cultures. Whenever a person goes to a foreign land without properly learning its native language, he has to find ways how to converse with the natives. And whenever this happens, people always opt to use English. Since it is the universal language, it is no more a surprise that most human beings walking on this planet can utilize the lingo. Learning English gives the people confidence, confidence to face the world and its people. Schools use the language as the primary medium of instruction because many believe that by doing so, they are preparing the students to become globally competitive. They believe that they can achieve what other people can achieve by being skilled in the language. The students will have brighter future ahead of them. Many opportunities await them if they have this specific skill. This is because they can openly communicate and share ideas. They can face international questions that will challenge them. Learning the language would not just bring us opportunities, it would bring us success. Let us have debate as an example. In many formal debates, it would be the English language that is going to be used. If one is not proficient enough, then he cannot express his arguments effectively, he can’t be an effective communicator. In a court trial, a lawyer has to bravely defend his case using the language. He has to speak clearly,

How Employees Define Understands, And Link Engagement At...

Purpose Researchers have found only 30% of employees in the United States are actively engaged in the workplace (Gallup 2013). In 2010, data provided by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (as cited in Moreland, 2013) show more individuals are voluntarily quitting their jobs. With over 70% of US workers disengaged, this topic has arguably prompted an interest that continues to be earnestly pursued by many. As a result, the Gallup Q12 expands the need for additional research based on their finding of employee engagement. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative research is to explore how employees define understands, and link engagement to productivity within the workplace. Without a well-defined rigor understanding of engagement, employees remain unfocused, disengaged, and unproductive during working hours. Moreland (2013) found that too many individuals pursue opportunities that are not aligned with their experience, behavioral competencies, and education background. This impact o f disengaged productivity undermine the success of other co-workers, and decrease employee morale across organizations. By exploring these factors this research will capture data that represent the contributing influences to improve the levels of engagement to increase productivity. Research Questions The central research questions in this study will provide the contributing factors of engagement. The following are the research questions addressed in the study and interview questions allowShow MoreRelatedWhy Job Design Is An Effective Mechanism For Providing Employees Voice1713 Words   |  7 Pagesprovide employees voice. Buchanan (1979) defines job design as â€Å"the specification of contents, methods and relationship of jobs in order to satisfy technological and organizational requirements as well as the social and personal requirements of the jobholder.† Job design arranges and often rearranges responsibilities and relationships associated with various tasks and determines authority and interdependence of various jobs so as to reduce or remove dissatisfaction of employees. Since employees spendRead MoreImproving Employee Engagement Within The United States Essay2094 Words   |  9 Pagesoften say that their employees are their greatest asset. However, this statement is only accurate if their employees are engaging in their work. Disengaged employees lead to high attrition, low production, and poor company culture. Employee disengagement in the United States is at its all-time high. According to the most recent Gallup poll, seventy percent of American workers are disengaged in their workplace (2013). However, this does not mean that our organization’s employees have to reflect thisRead MoreAnalysis Of George Elton Mayo And His Work Essay5478 Words   |  22 PagesEarly insights around employee engagement originated with George Elton Mayo and his work at Hawthorne Works (a General Electric Company) in the 1920s. In studying human behavior, Mayo’s research challenged Taylor’s principles of scientific management by providing alterna tive motivation theories outside of self interest (Mayo, 1933). This opened the door for additional research on employee motivation with future work by Argyris and Likert continuing to drive understandings of the relationship betweenRead MoreEmployee Performance Management At The Uk Retail Sector2497 Words   |  10 PagesNowadays, Human Resource Management is of particular significance to all companies as employees are one of the most valuable assets in their daily business affairs. Employee performance could be a driving factor for the business. 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As defined by Daniels (2010) a combination of commitment to the organisation and its values andRead MoreHigh –Performance Work Practices4595 Words   |  19 PagesIntroduction High –Performance work practices (HPWP) is a perspective which can hold that effective organizations incorporate several workplace practices that leverage the potential of human capital. According to John Tomer, the essential characteristics of HPWP are employee security, selective hiring of new personnel, self-managed teams and decentralization of decision making as basic principle of organization design, extensive training, reduced status distinctions and barriers across levels, andRead MoreLeaders Should Be A Successful Leader1570 Words   |  7 PagesGary Yukl (2006) defines leadership as â€Å"the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it, and the process of facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish shared objectives.† (Educational leadership: A reference handbook 2002) A leader needs to take control of its employees in a workplace. They should be a trusted person, and also be a people per son. Without communication, effective leadership will become a failure, due to the factRead MoreTesting the Impact on Productivity: Compromising Conflict Management Styles2006 Words   |  8 PagesTesting the Impact on Productivity: Compromising Conflict Management Styles Abstract This current research aimed to explore how compromising management styles impacted organizational productivity and employee engagement conflict. Prior research has shown a link between more cooperative styles of management with greater employee devotion and engagement in the health and success of the organization. This research used open-ended questionnaires to evaluate the responses of four subjects in threeRead MoreThe Modern Era Of Social Responsibility1523 Words   |  7 Pagessimple terms, it encompasses the â€Å"responsibilities that a business has to the society in which it operates† (textbook). By defining, reviewing literature and case studies, as well as outlining current problems and solutions, readers will better understand the relationship between CSR and ethics. Literature Review The primary CSR functions are as follows: to cause no harm, prevent harm, and do good. These functions can be implemented through several dimensions such as ethics, legal transparencyRead MoreCritical Review â€Å"Employee Motivation- a Powerful New Model† by Nitin Nohria, Boris Groysberg and Linda-Eling Lee1657 Words   |  7 PagesNohria, Boris Groysberg and Linda-Eling Lee Group 1: Ajit Shenoi (29), Mandar Jha (15), Nandan) Mathur (20), Kshitij Varma (39), Sarin Sio (33) PGDM-Communications 8/9/2013 SUMMARY The article attempts to shed light on the issue of motivating employees. The topic of motivation has been one that has intrigued thinkers thorough our history. As a result from Aristotle to Freud to finally Maslow everyone has had their own take on the topic. However the writer believes that some of the previous theories