Issues Relating To Collaborative Working within a Childcare Setting

Introduction Childcare has increasingly grown popular in many countries across the world. United Kingdom in particular, has developed mechanisms that would ensure that it has a system that would support children from very tender age. Nussbaum (2002, p. 28) says that for a long period, the position held by children in the society has been regarded as a concern for individual families.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Issues Relating To Collaborative Working within a Childcare Setting specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although families have cherished their children, the society has not been able to look at the issue of childcare as a responsibility of the entire fraternity of the community. Childcare centers offer a forum where different parents come together, in collaboration with teachers and other professionals, to take care of children in a community setting. Inasmuch as many families protect and care for their c hildren at family level, there are families that have shown lack of concern to their children. Morrison (2008, p. 45) notes that parents who are drunkards, drug addicts or are just social misfits have abused their children in various ways according to the report by UK Department of Education 2004 (Morrison 2008, p. 64). This has seen many children go without the basic needs of food shelter and clothing, not to mention education. This happens, not because the parent is not in a position to provide for this, but because in one way or the other, the parent is irresponsible (Darder Rodolfo 2003, p. 39). The need to form a communal approach towards handling children has developed. In United Kingdom, many Childcare institutions are developed to help in caring for children on various bases. There are orphanages for the orphaned and childcare institution where families drop their children in the morning and pick them in the evening. This essay is based on the latter. The author seeks to in vestigate issues relating to collaborative working within a childcare setting. The research seeks to investigate ways through which a child moving from one institution to another can be helped to ensure a smooth transition. It seeks to investigate the role of teaching assistant, and the collaborative role of the parent, the teacher, and other responsible stakeholders in enhancing the general welfare of the child.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Planning and Preparation Nardi (2001, p. 24) stated that failing to plan is planning to fail. Every successful activity must be carefully planned for success to be achieved. In a childcare institution, the management needs to plan for the various activities in order to have smooth running of such institution. The planning and preparation stage should entail how children would be taken care of when they are within the facilities, clearly outlini ng individuals who will be performing different activities at various stages. The institution would need to assign teachers and other staff different duties as far as the management of these children is concerned. Panning is very important because through it an individual or organization is able to focus ahead on what needs to be achieved within a specified period. In any given childcare institution, there should be a proper blue print on how various activities would be carried out and the specific individuals who would be carrying them out. In this regard, there should be a clear definition of duty at hand. Morrison (2008, p. 35) asserts that no one can claim to perform a duty he or she does not properly understand. It is through planning that an individual would comprehend the magnitude of task ahead of him or her. The planning process should incorporate all the stakeholders within the childcare facility. According to Hurst (2007, p. 36), planning is a very important stage that re quires effort of every stakeholder in an organization. This idea is supported by Hurst (2007, p. 36), who says that when the junior employees are incorporated in the process of planning, they would be motivated as they would feel their contributions are appreciated by the management. As this is a collaborative work that involves teachers, parents and other professional individuals within a childcare set up, all of them should have specific duties clearly drawn in the original plan. The parents have a role to play. Besides bringing the child to the center, the parent should meet the financial obligations that may be necessary to ensure smooth running of the institution.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Issues Relating To Collaborative Working within a Childcare Setting specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The parent should also be in close touch with the teacher and share information about the child. Other professiona ls concerned in this process should also have their duties clearly defined. According to Bush (2003, p. 48) collaboration requires that all individuals concerned appreciates their respective duties and shows commitment towards performing such duties. The administration should lay a plan on how all the concerned parties are going to relate to one another in the quest to achieving collective goal of ensuring the well being of the child. As Hurst (2007, p. 36) observes, this would make the follow-up process much easier. The parents are very important part of this collaboration because of their financial and moral support to the institution. There should be a clear communication between the childcare unit and the parents. The parents should be involved in the activities of the childcare center and the management should always respect their wish. Bottery (2001, p. 43) notes that in the plan, there should be a statement defining how the institution will relate to the national, state and l ocal government. According the Children’s Act 2004 of the constitution, the role of childcare units within United Kingdom is clearly defined (Morrison 2008, p. 28). There are specific expectations that must be met by such institutions for them to be considered to be working within the set standards. The management should therefore lay the program down and set the standards to be met by every stakeholder that would ensure that the institution performs to the expectation of all the concerned parties. As Cogan and Webb (2002, p. 56) notes, care should be taken to ensure that every individual takes the responsibility meant for him or her, without pushing this duty to another individual. Parent should know what they are expected to do and avoid pushing this duty to teachers. Teachers on the other hand should not be too assuming as to believe that some duties are automatically performed by the parents. There should be a close communication between the individuals to ensure that the y both perform their duties as is expected of them.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lastly, every childcare institution should appreciate the fact that due to mobility of parents caused by career reasons or otherwise, there would be frequent need to ensure that children who move into the unit, and out of it does so without any adverse effect. There should be mechanisms that would facilitate a smooth transition of children out of the institution without a strong sense of nostalgia (Austin 2007, p. 51). To the children coming from other institutions, plans are needed to eliminate any melancholic moods that may come out of the memory of the previous institution. The management should ensure that such children are enough moral support that would help them adapt to the new environment. This would help the child feel more relaxed hence find it easy to adapt to the new set up. Child Development and Supporting Transition As stated above, issues relating to job would see parents move from one state to another or from one locality to another, forcing them to move their child ren from one school to another. Reynolds (2011, p. 19) observes that young children socializes very fast. He states that this is the stage in life where socialization comes automatically, once two young individuals meet. They would be driven into socializing by the need to play. Save for the few who are extra ordinarily shy, children would take little time to socialize. However, this scholar observes that these children can also develop attachments. He notes that once they adapt to a given community, they will be affected by any movement from it, just like an adult would. This effect is what should either be minimized or eliminated if possible. For this to be done with success, Kohl (2000, p. 97) suggests that there should be a corporation between the teaching assistant, the parents and the management of childcare institutions. The discussion below gives a comprehensive analysis of the role of the three named people (teaching assistant, parent, and management). Teaching Assistantâ⠂¬â„¢s Role The person with the greatest responsibility in the entire system of childcare is the teaching assistant. Gardner (2006, p. 31) noted that at every point in a child’s development there would either be two parents or two categories of parent. The two parent would be the father and mother. Some children may lack either of the two or both due to death, divorce or any other reason. The two categories of parent are the biological parent (if they are alive) or guardians, and the teacher. In case the child lives in an orphanage, then a parental figure (a priest, sponsor, a relative) would develop, besides the teacher who in this case would be the immediate parent. A teacher features most in the development of a child from the above philosophy. A teaching assistant role defines the operational activities of the entire institution. A teacher as a parent One of the most important roles of a teaching assistant is his or her role as a secondary parent to the child. Children wh o came to these institutions are always of tender age. Given the opportunity, they would like to stay with their parents for they still need the care. However, because of commitments of the parent, and the need for them to start learning, these children find themselves in childcare centers. As a teacher, there is need to appreciate the fact that these children need parental care (Gardner 2006, p. 12). The teaching assistant should make a deliberate attempt to ensure that he or she has a comprehensive knowledge of each individual child. This involves understanding strength and weaknesses of a given child. With this knowledge, teaching assistant can then device mechanisms, custom made for every child, to ensure that the child feels free within the childcare center. To a new child who has just come to the institution, the teaching assistant should make efforts to ensure that they feel welcome (Lindon 2006, p. 43). They should be made to feel part of this new family as soon as would be possible. They teaching assistant should be kind to such new students and encourage other students to be friendly to the child too. In case a child is to leave the unit for another, the teaching assistant should make them feel that the place they are going to is as good as the place they are leaving (Austin 2007, p. 67). Any fear that such a child may be having about new institution should also be addressed before the departure of the child. A teacher as a motivator and talent developer Children of this age would need to be motivated in order to be in a position to meet the expectation of the parent, the childcare facility, and the government. From this tender age, they should be convinced that they could achieve, if only a little more effort is put in every activity that children perform (Leithwood Steinbach 1999, p. 34). A teaching assistant can also note a talent in this child at this tender age. This may be a special ability to sing or play, or keen interest in a given art, lik e drawing or painting. A teacher as an educator Education is the main thing, besides proper care, that makes parents opt to bring their children to such institutions, other than leaving them with house helps. Teaching assistant has the obligation to ensure that the child learns the basics of language and mathematics. According to the report by Effective Provision of Pre-School Education based on the research that they did for the period between 1997 to 2004, pre-school children should be allowed maximum time to play (Austin 2007, p. 78). However, an ample time should also be allocated to simple leaning of basic Mathematics and English language. In so doing, the teaching assistant should make use of teaching aids to enhance memory of the child. A teacher as a disciplinarian Ethics is very important. A child ought to grow up appreciating the fact that some actions are not recommended by the society and that they can warrant punishment. Blank (2004, p. 38) says that this is arguably th e toughest duty of the teacher in every learning institution. This scholar notes that corporal punishment is strictly prohibited in learning institutions and can lead to litigation if committed by the teacher. However, this scholar notes that it is what every child fears the most, and one that can make them act with restraints. For this matter, teaching assistant must devise ways of imparting discipline in children without inducing pain on them. This may involve making them appreciate the society’s moral standards, and consequences that some actions have (Baum, Viens Slatin 2005, p. 11). Teacher as Role Model As role models to the children, teaching assistants should conduct themselves with a sense of decorum that would make them admirable to children. Their acts should reflect what they expect of the child when it grows up. Managements Role The management may not have direct influence on the transition of a child from one institution to another. However, they have strong in fluence on how new children brought to their institution would easily adapt to the new environment and develop (Strauss Corbin 1990, p. 73). It should provide teaching assistants with appropriate teaching materials. It should also ensure the institution is well equipped with recreational facilities for the children. They should also be a link between parents and teachers. Parents Role A parent has a major role to play in the development of a child, and supporting transition of the child from one school to another. It may not be avoidable to move from one geographical location to another. However, parents should make an effort to reduce frequency of moving from one childcare center to another. Aristotle (1998, p. 43) said that it is easier for a child to develop in such aspects as social esteem and knowledge if subjected to one environment without frequent movements. The parents should also provide both moral and material support to their children. They should constantly make their children believe that they can make it in life. They should also make an effort to follow up the performance of their children in morals and in academics, with the teacher concerned (Cheminais 2006, p. 31). Managing Parents’ Expectation The Common Core and State Standards clearly states what a learner should achieve at every stage of education. This is the expectation the parents have; it is the expectation that childcare centers should fulfill. There are cases where the expectation of the parents is more than what the childcare unit can meet (Griswold 2004, p. 37). The best way to manage such expectation is through effective communication with the parents to keep them informed of the institutions current capacities, plans, and other issues related to expectation. Keeping Parents Informed As stated above, childcare is a collective responsibility. Both the parents and the teachers have a great role to play. Bolman and Deal (1997, p. 71) observes that teachers spend more time w ith the children. A child leaves home early in the morning when the parent is busy preparing to go to work, and come back late at night when the parent is too tired to give it an appropriate. The teacher spends most of the time with the child. The teacher is also to get to know the child better through reports from fellow pupils. Therefore, there is need by the teaching assistant to communicate effectively with the parents (Austin 2007, p. 31). In so doing, the parent would get updated on every improvement made by their children. They can help teachers understand their pupils better by informing them of their strengths and weaknesses. This close coordination would increase possibilities of the parent getting satisfied with what the childcare offers (Freire 2006, p. 6). Multi-Agency Working The UK Department of Education, in a report dubbed Every Child Matters: Change for Children, encourages corporation between agencies in a bid to ensure that a child achieves the most of their pote ntial (Hansen 2007, p. 34). The report encourages corporation between schools, government agencies, sports organizations, GPS, and the entire community. A child needs an all round molding in order to ensure that they develop properly. This would require the above-mentioned institutions to work as a unit to ensure that this is achieved. The government, as the regulator, should always ensure that all the concerned organizations could collaborate in an enabling environment that would facilitate achievement of the set goals. Information Sharing Within the Workplace Zipes (1997, p. 41) said that to information is one of the most important tools in a man’s life. In every organization, there is need to ensure that information flows smoothly from one office or individual to the other. Within a childcare unit, there are a number of officers working in various departments. All these individuals in various departments work hand in hand to ensure that the collective goal of the organizat ion is achieved. As the parents share with the administration about the child, the administration should in turn share the same with the teaching assistants so that they are duly informed (Leithwood Steinbach1999, p. 46). The teaching assistant should also share amongst themselves about any discoveries they might have made about a particular child. Conclusion The society has come to embrace the fact that childcare is a role of the entire community other than being the role a parent or a teacher. Childcare instructions play a vital role in offering children related services when parents are at their workplaces. In order to run such institutions properly, there is need for planning. Such institutions also need to develop ways through which parents’ expectations are properly managed. Also of importance is the need for different institutions collaborating in a bid to have better care for children. Information sharing should be encouraged among such institutions. List of Referenc es Aristotle, 1998, The Nicomachean Ethics, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Austin J 2007, The Art of Teaching, Noir Publishing, New York. Austin, J 2007, The Last Snake Man, Noir Publishing, New York. Baum, S, Viens, J Slatin, B 2005, Multiple intelligences in the elementary classroom: a teacher’s toolkit, Teachers College Press, New York. Blank, 2004, â€Å"Teaching qualitative data analysis to graduate students†, Social Science Computer Review, Vol. 22, no. 2, pp 187-196. Bolman, L Deal, T 1997, Reframing Organizations: artistry, choice and leadership, Jossey Bass, San Francisco. Bottery, M 2001, â€Å"Globalization and the UK competition state: no room for transformational leadership in education?† School Leadership and Management, Vol. 21, no. 1, pp 34-78. Bush, T 2003, Theories of Educational Management, Sage, London. Cheminais, R 2006, Every Child Matters: A practical guide for teachers, David Fulton Publishers, London. Cogan, D Webb, J 2002, Introduc ing children’s literature, Routledge, New York. Darder, A Rodolfo, D 2003, The critical pedagogy reader, Routledge, New York. Freire, P 2006, Pedagogy of the oppressed Continuum International Publishing Group, Wiley, New York. Gardner, H 2006, Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons, Basic Books, New York. Griswold, J 2004, The meaning of ‘Beauty The beast’: a handbook, Broadview Press, New York. Hansen, D 2007, Ethical Visions of Education, Teachers College Press, New York. Hurst, C 2007, Social Inequality, Pearson Education, Boston. Kohl, H 2000,The Discipline of Hope: Learning from a Lifetime of Teaching. New York: New Press. Leithwood, K Steinbach, R 1999, Changing Leadership for Changing Times, Open University Press, Buckingham. Lindon, J 2006, Equality In Early Childhood: Linking Theory and Practice, Hodder Arnold, London. Morrison, G 2008, Early Childhood Education Today, Pearson Education, New York. Nardi, D 2001, Multiple Intelligence and Personality Typ e, Telos Publications, New York. Nussbaum, M 2002, For Love of Country? Beacon Press, Boston. Reynolds, K 2011, Children’s literature: a very short introduction, Oxford Press, Gosport. Strauss, A Corbin, J 1990, Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques, Sage Publications, Newbury Park. Zipes, J. 1997, Happily ever after: fairy tales, children and the culture industry, New York, Routledge. 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How to Write an Expository Essay Sample

How to Write an Expository Essay SampleAlthough it is not always necessary to use your own words to start an essay, there are still a few ways to start off an expository essay. By starting with something that you have already read in an article or even a book, you will be able to add your own ideas and have a good first draft. This can also be used as a way to learn about the writing process from start to finish.Books are a great place to start. There are many books in print or on shelves that can be found very easily. All you have to do is get yourself a couple of books on writing and try to read through them a few times and try to figure out what makes them successful.You can also look at articles. Many of the articles online are written in an expository style, and they can be very good resources to get started. They will often contain a little bit of information on the topic you are writing about. They may also have an introduction of sorts that can help you get started with your own essay.Now, when you look at the various forms of writing, it is important to know how to write an expository essay. This is something that a good writer can easily learn how to do. They can often benefit from the experiences of others that were in the same situation as they are now.As online is becoming more popular, this has helped many students and even some teachers to pick up the skills that they need to write better. There are many different writing sites online that are a great place to start. By reading through these and looking at some examples of how people are writing, you can easily find out how to write an expository essay.Thereare many types of essays to choose from and there are even more ways to write them. When you are looking at the different ways to write an essay, you should keep in mind the format that you want it to follow. A good essay will be well organized and it will also be able to be followed by someone else.Originality can be very hard to come by but once you learn how to write an expository essay, you can get to add your own. It is a skill that anyone can learn. All you have to do is learn the techniques and take time to write a good essay.

Situational Irony Research Essay Example

Situational Irony Research Essay Example Essay on Situational Irony According to Nordquist (1), situational irony involves an occasion in which the action that is envisaged has an effect which is opposite to what it was intended at. He notes that, in such cases, the outcome of the action taken is normally contrary to the expected results. This is due to the fact that the results of situational irony normally recognize the unfairness of a given incident which a person cannot typically explain using logics, but which is so obvious to those evaluating the situation. Nordquist (1) points out that situational irony primarily focuses on both the surprising and inevitable fragility of the human condition in which the results of actions taken depict the reversal of what is expected. Therefore, situational irony entails incoherence between what an individual says, believes, and does with what the actual things are. This paper narrates a situational ironic incident. The Situational Ironic Incident Mike is the only child in a family who has struggled for many years using cultural practice and medicinal intervention in order to get a child. From the onset of his conception and then birth, Mikes family regarded him as a gift from God and hence offered him better living standards. Mikes parents wanted him to be successful in life, and therefore, offered him every quality services with a view of bettering his future. However, despite his parents efforts, Mike ended up being a clown. This was largely contributed by his nature of joking around since his childhood. As Oliveri (1) pointed out, a clown refers to a cosmic performer who entertains audience by engaging jokes, antics, or tricks in a circus. Mike then became one of the best known clowns who not only loved his job, but was also good at it and, therefore, did not think of the possibility of any misfortune arising out of his job. As Oliver (1) noted, a good and professional clown not only makes audience laugh, but he or she is a renowned true performer who has many talents and whose main objective is to make people happy. Therefore, dressed in his colored wigs, stylistic makeup, and outlandish costumes, Mike would perform either physical, hysterical or scary tricks such as walking on a fine line. This would make him to be an outstanding performer who normally catches peoples emotions and transformes them into happy endings especially through exciting jokes. Event though Mikes parents disapproved his occupation, they continuously warned him to be careful with his tricks so that he would not fall victim of the actions he engages into. However, not too long after, Mikes parents received a call from the hospital noting that their only son, Mike was dead. On the way to the hospital, Mikes parents kept on calling their relatives asking if they knew of any terrible accident or murder that had occurred. They ruled out the possibility of the death to have been caused by any disease since Mikes health had not previously shown any symptom of infection. Equally, the death could not have resulted from his occupation since he was a renowned professional clown. Amazingly, on reaching the hospital, Mikes parents were surprised to find out that Mike had died from choking on a balloon. This was really ironical. Conclusion In conclusion, Mikes incident depicts a situational irony right from its beginning when he opt into an occupation which was contrary to better educational and living standards he was given. Besides, the incident is ironical because Mikes parents, who were against his occupation, still offered cautionary advices to him which is contrary to what would be expected. Moreover, it was so ironical for Mike, a professional clown with immensely talented tricks and jokes, just to die from choking on a balloon or something. Even though, the unusual nature of the circumstances surrounding Mikes incident are obvious, there is no known logical and clear understanding of their explanation.

Coal Mining in the UK During the Industrial Revolution

Coal Mining in the UK During the Industrial Revolution The state of the mines which boomed throughout the United Kingdom during the industrial revolution is a passionately argued area. It is very hard to generalize about the living and working conditions experienced in mines, as there was great regional variation and some owners acted paternalistically while others were cruel. However, the business of working down the pit was dangerous, and safety conditions were often far below par. Payment Coal miners were paid by the amount and quality of the coal they produced, and they could be fined if there was too much slack (the smaller pieces). Quality coal was what owners required, but managers determined the standards for quality coal. Owners could keep costs low by claiming the coal was of a poor quality or rigging their scales. A version of the Mines Act (there were several such acts) appointed inspectors to check the weighing systems.   Workers received a relatively high basic wage, but the amount was deceptive. A system of fines could quickly reduce their pay, as could having to buy their own candles and stoppages for dust or gas. Many were paid in tokens which had to be spent in shops created by the mine owner, allowing them to recoup the wages in profits for overpriced food and other goods.   Working Conditions Miners had to cope with hazards regularly, including roof collapses and explosions. Starting in 1851, inspectors recorded fatalities, and they found that respiratory illnesses were common and that various illnesses plagued the mining population. Many miners died prematurely. As the coal industry expanded, so did the number of deaths, Mining collapses were a common cause of death and injury.   Mining Legislation Government reform was slow to take place.  Mine owners protested these changes and claimed many of the guidelines meant to protect the workers would reduce their profits too greatly, but the laws passed during the nineteenth century, with the first Mines Act passing in 1842. Although it contained no provisions for housing or inspection. It represented a small step in the government taking responsibility for safety, age limits, and wage scales. In 1850, another version of the act required regular inspection in mines throughout the U.K. and gave the inspectors some authority in determining how the mines were run. They could fine owners, who violated the guidelines and report deaths. However, at the start, there were only two inspectors for the entire country.   In 1855, a new act introduced seven basic rules about ventilation, air shafts, and the mandatory fencing off of unused pits. It also established higher standards for signaling from the mine to  the surface, adequate breaks for the steam-powered elevators, and safety rules for steam engines. Legislation enacted in 1860 banned children under twelve from working underground and required regular inspections of the weighing systems. Unions were allowed to grow. Further legislation in 1872 increased the number of inspectors and made sure they actually had some experience in mining before they began. By the end of the nineteenth century, the industry had gone from being largely unregulated to having miners represented in Parliament through the surging Labour Party.

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External Environment of Baker Mckenzie 1. External Environment of Global Legal Industry To analyze Baker McKenzie organization in order to provide its authorities with specific recommendation for the successful future management of the firm and its employees it is critical to evaluate the principal factors of External Environment of global legal industry that have implications for the management of people and organization. To design an elaborate plan and implement it successfully in the firm it is essential to be aware of the wide business environment in which firm operates and of how this environment is changing over time. PEST analysis is used to access Political, Economic, Social and Technological factors of the Global Legal Industry (see Appendix 1). In general, the legal market was highly segmented comprising a few prestigious law firms at the top and small practices, consisting sometimes of a single attorney at the bottom. 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Such social factor as a work-life balance tendency added a new criteria which were critical for potential employees while entering the company. In law firms associates were changing the employers more often than ever before due to various factors the main of which is disaffection of: Poor firms culture the main reason resulting into â€Å"long work hours, lack of meaningful assignments and unfriendly work environment†. Compensation system as a result of â€Å"war for talent† and the practice to attract and retain star attorneys from competing firms (â€Å"lateral hires†) there was a high spread between partner and associate rates (sometimes as much as 20:1). Promotion system firms expansion strategyaffected the timeline for reaching the status of equity partner which was extended and a second tier of partner termed â€Å"junior partner† was addedto prevent the growing number of equity partners. In many firms it was understood that high billables were a requirement for advancement but in reality it did not necessarily encourage efficiency and taking into account the global character of some law firms such practice ran the risk of superseding all other metrics when promotion decisions were being made. In the recent years the customers appetites to the quality of legal services have been changing significantly and the clients expectations have been rising all over the world. The legal market was saturated with the number of law firms with appropriate professional expertise but only a few of such firms could offer a †value-added† service. Thus, to have a competitive advantage in the industry and to make a client happy a law firm had to accelerate its efforts to reduces associates turnover by focusing on corporative culture and soft skills and emotional intelligence development in the organization reviewing the performance management systems, financial patterns as well as each firm is to pay appropriate attention to all aspects of the international character of business and personal development maintaining a good relation with clients to make them satisfied. 2. Internal Environment of Baker McKenzie Baker McKenzie was founded in Chicago in 1949 and from the very beginning has intended to be truly global. By 2004 it was the largest law firm in the world by headcount comprising about 9000 employees spread across 70 offices in 38 countries and being among the industry leaders in revenue. Regardless of the fact that the firm has a strong position in the legal industry there are some areas alarming that Baker McKenzie is to review its internal environment particularly focusing on attorneys retention, motivation and improving companys culture. Such concepts as firms strategy, structure and culture are to be analyzed. 2.1. Organizational Strategy For a long period of time the general strategy of Baker McKenzie was global expansion. Due to the increasing competitiveness in global legal market and bearing in mind the fact that some clients became more oriented on not expensive routing legal needs in the late 1990th the firm felt that some changes were required not to lose competitive advantage. Baker McKenzie came to conclusion that their initial strategy which included such learning program as professional management education for partners, key-client account program and four-point strategic plan, was not efficient and ambitious enough. Even though the firm did make impressive progress on many fronts a more sophisticated approach was needed to develop further. By 2004 a new strategy was developed the main objectives of which were as follows: To achieve market preeminence by building upon unparalleled international capabilities through: deeper penetration of major clients; growth of core practice areas; greater industry specialization; To develop the firm in a systematic way so each office is able to support multinational clients and global strategy and excel and prosper in its local market; To align the firms organizational, financial and management structures more effectively with its strategic objectives. Finally, Baker McKenzie realized that people were paramount to the firms successful future and in this updated strategy the focus was shifted from the expansion to peoples qualities prioritizing the HR management. To achieve a competitive advantage in the quality of legal services the following combination of HR and competitive strategies (Armstrong, 2000) were followed: Companys Strategy HR Strategy Resourcing HR Development Reward Achieve competitive advantage through quality Use sophisticated selection procedures to recruit people who are likely to deliver quality and high levels of customer service Encourage the development of a learning organization and support total quality and customer care initiatives with focused training Link rewards to quality performance and the achievement of high standards of customer service Achieve competitive advantage by employing people who are better than those employed by competitors Use sophisticated selection procedures based on rigorous analysis of the special capabilities required be the organization Develop organizational learning processes; encourage self-managed learning through the use of personal development plans as part of a performance management process Develop performance management processes that enable both financial and non-financial rewards to be related to competence and skills; ensure that pay levels are competitive One of the major improvements in HR strategy was the implementation of Associate Training Program (ATP) which allowed the associates to transfer for the period of a year to 18 months among any Baker McKenzie office in the world. The strategy was a success as it enhanced the lawyers experience by exposing them to different jurisdictions, laws and cross-border terms. Also it was a great tool to embed and develop the relationships across the firm. It is also important to mention the rewarding performance which was used in the firm. For many years Baker McKenzie used a compensation system of objective nature called â€Å"the formula† rewarding the following four criteria: â€Å"Work Credit† (personal productivity of a partner; â€Å"Client Credit† (partners ability to delegate and supervise work done not by partners); â€Å"Associate Profit† (work done by non-partners); Tenure with the firm (number of years as an equity partner). As a result of such strategy the partners were not focused on development tasks but principally on generating fees. Such compensation system was suitable in early years when the firm opened its first offices in different countries. However, such formula is not efficient today and Baker McKenzie was to review it bearing in mind the best interests of the business. In 2002 the firm adopted new rules that facilitated the evolution to discretionary compensation systems based on more subjective criteria. In spite of the fact that not all partners were satisfied with such method and it was hotly debated before being approved, the key implication of such approach is growing recognition within the firm that changes in the financial structure and compensation system were needed to advance the overall strategy. However, the updated compensation system involving such new subjective elements as development associates and demonstrating leadership used for the evaluation of partners meant that there could be risk for the partner to receive substantially less. To conclude it is to be emphasized that new strategy requires a well-developed framework for its successful implementation. 2.2. Organizational Structure As it was mentioned in the previous chapter the principal strategy of Baker McKenzie for a long time was global expansion with the local lateral hires which were more steeped in techniques and traditions of their regions law (only few offices were staffed from the main office)3. It resulted to decentralization and spread among continents (see Chart 1). As per Burns and Stalker (1961) Baker McKenzie could be defined as an Organic structure rather than Mechanistic and can be characterized by the following: High decentralization of authority; Tasks loosely defined; Horizontal communications; Greater individual authority; Flexible and adaptable. Chart 1. Baker McKenzie organization, 2004 The advantages offered in the decentralization are that it: + Increased responsiveness to the local circumstances; + Enables decisions closer to the operational level of work; + Improved level of personal customer service; + More in keeping with developments in flatter and more flexible structures. But there are also some negative aspects: The same lateral hires results in tough control over offices letting no interference; Firm becomes inert to new programs and changes or their implementation results are low; Low sociability and interaction between offices caused by rare meetings. 2.3. Organizational Culture A key weapon in the war for talent in the 21st century is going to be organizational culture. To analyze the culture of Baker McKenzie it is important to look at it from different perspectives and use various approaches. In general, Baker McKenzies culture was a strong one encompassing several core elements such as: Internationalism and multi-culturalism; Sense of friendship; Equality of employees; Strong sense of independence; Consensus-building based on multilateral mindset and highly consultative, transparent and respectful style; Attention to selection process of laterals. According to Goffee Jones (1996) Grid (see Chart 2) Baker McKenzie located in Mercenary area gravitating to Fragmented organization as of its numerous offices around the world which tend to be autonomous. That results in general low sociability of the employees. This can be supported by the fact that international interaction was quite poor, presented only by annual meetings for equity partners and some star lawyers. Solidarity is high due to result-oriented strategy (a lot of billable hours required to be rewarded by bonus) and high compensation for partners level only. Chart 2. Goffee and Jones (1996) Grid Organizational cultures and their associated structures typology of Charles Handy (1986) is another popular model to examine the firm. According to his classification Baker McKenzie is â€Å"the person culture cluster structure† which is described as structure where autonomous experts and professionals pursue their own interests. This type of culture is characterized by high autonomies of partners and associates where management hierarchies are not acceptable and the legal business is operated by mutual consent and influence based on expertise. Having noted that it could be stated that such culture is in balance with the decentralized structure mentioned in the previous chapter. Facing high turnover and â€Å"war for talent† Baker McKenzie has to pay more attention to its employees to shape a firm-friendly culture required not only for personal and professional development of the lawyers but such culture which could have an immediate positive effect on the successful future of the firm. 3. The Development Framework By 2000 Baker McKenzie recognized importance of retaining associates as every lawyer who left the firm within the first two years never provided the firm with even a partial return on investment in terms of training, development, and replacement costs. The developed HRM strategy was placed in jeopardy. To find the causes of high associates turnover KPDC lunched a survey lead by two outsourced HR specialists which educed the following gaps in performance management: No or poor feedback on associates performance were provided (no deep review, no examples are given). This circumstance was complicated by cultural obstacle as many of associates reported that â€Å"it is not the practice of their offices to conduct reviews or that is a new concept†; No guidelines explaining business and legal skills required for each career step were given to the associates. This resulted in low motivation and lack of self development; Development opportunities and training programs were not clearly explained or not explained at all to the lawyers. In April 2003 two industrial psychologists were invited to develop new framework to overcome these asperities and meet common performance expectation across different locations of the firm. It was the right choice as it is almost impossible to deal with the different cultures from the position of usual management. The following final Development Framework qualities were highlighted as the basic criteria: Personal Qualities (PQ); Key Performance Areas (KPAs) comprising Individual Activities Categories (IACs). By such framework associates have been rated on a scale of 1-3 for each component: 3 â€Å"exceeds expectations†; 2 â€Å"meets expectations†; 1 â€Å"falls short of expectations†. This highly segmented system of evaluation could satisfy everyone and could meet the needs of the multicultural firm. Also it represented an actual approach to talent management. In general, the talent management strategy of Baker McKenzie can be characterized by the following main aspects: Recruitment identifying and selecting right people to met the challenges of the firms strategic goals; Development personal and professional development of the employees; Career Management coaching and supporting the employees throughout their careers. Having analyzed the external and internal environments and the Development Framework it can be concluded the main tool for Baker McKenzie successful recruiting, developing and retaining the chosen talent and to win war for talent is to find a common language within international offices of the firm for discussing excellence in order to facilitate firm activities and find the best fit between a lawyer and Baker McKenzies operation and culture. 4. Recommendations Undoubtedly, the New Development Framework is a well-designed foundation ready to be implemented and now it fully depends on how much effort the Executive and KPD Committees will contribute to convince each partner of its implementation importance. Based on the analysis of the Baker McKenzies organization, culture and strategy, including New Development Framework aimed on successful recruiting, developing, and retaining the talent it is recommended to pay more attention to the following aspects: Recruitment and Selection Process Organizational performance depends considerably on the quality of its workers. It is required to continue generating a pool of skilled and qualified associates, which have some of the necessary attributes to enable a suitable candidate to be selected. Appropriate range of selection methods of evaluation which can be partly taken from the Development Framework (IACs and PQs) are to be applied to cover such gaps as lack of soft skills for the potential employees. This will facilitate the candidates to integrate into Baker McKenzies culture and to meet the expectations of the firm. It is worth recommending while selection and recruiting process to bear in mind the fact that firm is working on standardizing its processes on international level. It means that there should be given more attention to the ability of the candidate to be a good team member. Such characteristic feature of the human being can be measured by some psychological testing as well the firm could several steps of selection process one of which could be a simulation or role-playing within the number of candidates. Such simulation should be observed by a number of specialists and assessed accordingly. Also it can be added that due the nature of globalization the preference is to be given to those candidates who have international experience or willing to obtain it. Developing Competent Employees In spite of the fact that the firm is focused on the highly qualified attorneys recruitment we should not underestimate the role of work-based learning. This is particularly important for paralegals being loyal to the firm and associates whose target is to become partners. Such methods can be divided into following groups: Learning from another person consists of coaching and mentoring. Mentors provide two functions: 1) career advice and support, 2) psychological function. As we could see from the analysis of Baker McKenzies performance management the lack of career development advice was one of the main drawbacks in the firm. It is important to note that coaching does not come naturally to all managers and it requires a number of skills which can be developed by sending the responsible managers to special management courses; Learning from tasks consists of job rotation and delegation. This involves moving lawyers into different limitrophe groups (e.g. associates from the Major Project and Project Finance group may broaden their expertise by being placed into International Commercial or Corporate group, etc.) Delegation is also a way of developing of employee as it can offer new challenge and responsibilities. Retaining Associates As the final point Baker McKenzie have to be focused on staff retention as high turnover damages not only performance, service quality and financial side but also a corporate image. First of all, Motivation is directly expressed by how to make people contribute to organizational goals while satisfying their personal needs. A good balance between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation is the key to success. In terms of extrinsic motivation can be applied such tangible rewards as: improved salary, the firm is to develop a more reasonable and balanced compensation system between partners and associates which can result to comfortable work-life balance; Perks like corporate transport or enhanced workplace. Performance Management is the other aspect which is extremely important for the firm to develop particularly in providing associates with: Constant and detailed feedback with clear explanations of their performance. Exposing their strengths and weaknesses; Guidelines explaining business and legal skills required for each career step. That will result in high loyalty and motivation as well. All these recommendations will result in successful Talent Management and firms prosperity in the future. Detailed Implementation Plan provided in Appendix 2. Also it is important to control and shape the implementation of current Development Framework. The future researches on the results of implementation have to be carried on as well. Bibliography Case study. Baker McKenzie (A): A New Framework for Talent Management. MPO lectures. Goffee, R. and Jones G. (1996). What holds the modern company together? Harvard business review, November-December. Mullins, Laurie J. (2005), Management and Organisational Behaviour. 7th ed. Pearson Education Limited, Essex, England. Green, Richard, (2003), Business Environment: An MBA Study Guide. University of Hull, Hull, UK. Palmer, Adrian and Hartely, Bob (2002), The Business Environment. McGraw-Hill, New York, USA. Graeme Martin (2006), Managing People and Organizations in Changing Contexts. Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, UK.