In how far do the views of love presented in the play reflect 19 the attitude towards love the Elizabethan audience had Essay Example

In how far do the views of love presented in the play reflect 19 the attitude towards love the Elizabethan audience had Essay William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet has the high profile as the love-tragedy everybody knows1. Although it is regarded as the ideal of romantic love there are many other (quite unromantic) views represented in the play, too. In this term paper I will try to give a survey of the different views of love in Romeo and Juliet. First of all there are Romeo and Juliet, the star-crossd lovers (Prologue) who establish a quality of love, of life intensively lived, that becomes its own value2. Apart from these two main characters and their view of love there are in general five other attitudes towards love: to the servants of the house of Capulet, the Nurse and Mercutio love means nothing else than sex, to Romeos friend Benvolio the most important thing about love is not only sex but that love makes you happy, Juliets parents Capulet and Lady Capulet together with the Prince and Paris share an Elizabethan view of love and marriage, Romeos parents Montague and Lady Montague in contrast to Juli ets parents have a relationship full of love, and last but not least there is Friar Laurence who is afraid that Romeos and Juliets passion will lead to a bitter end but nevertheless shows a big sympathy for the young lovers and wants to make their love holy by marriage.In the following part of this term paper I will have a more detailed look on these shortly sketched views of love, dealing with them in the order just named above and laying great stress on Romeo and Juliet and the way they deal with their feelings.Finally Id like to take a short look on the question in how far the views of love presented in the play reflect the attitude towards love the Elizabethan audience had.2. Main part: Views of love in Romeo and Juliet2.1. Romeos and Juliets view of love: Love as the reason for livingThe star-crossd lovers Romeo and Juliet both fall in love at first sight and are determined to marry just after their first encounter. Their love is the most precious thing Romeo and Juliet have in their lives so both are ready to die for each other and chose to die in the end [] because each knows that he or she cannot live without the other, and knows this as a simple, literal truth to be acted on at the first opportunity3. Romeo as well as Juliet regards his banishment as death. Although the lovers are hoping to see each other again they are willing to die after Tybalts death/their wedding night.After their separation due to the banishment both kill themselves in order to be together again: Juliet drinks Friar Laurence sleeping potion in order to die and be with Romeo again when she awakes, and Romeo drinks the poison to be reunited with Juliet, whom he thinks lifeless, in death. When waking up in the monument and finding her love having committed suicide, Juliet kills herself for the reason of a reunion after death, too. The lovers even drink to each other when they drink their potions.Up to here Romeo and Juliet seem to share the same view of love but on having a closer look there are some differences in their ways to deal with their feelings. So Ill characterize both separated from each other in detail.2.1.1. RomeoFrom the beginning of the play, where Romeo is introduced as being lovesick, till the end of the action, where he takes the poison and commands himself to die quickly (V, iii, 117-118), Romeo is a Petrarchan lover. In the beginning he indulges himself in eloquent images and enjoys his role as the rejected lover. He pities himself and says that he feels heavy and burdened with his love for Rosaline (I, iv, 12; I, iv, 20-22).This is the Elizabethan lover, expressing himself in wild antitheses which are a sort of verbal equivalent for his distracted state balanced between two extremes ([e.g.] feather of lead, cold fire [I, i, 179], etc.), and in conceits ([e.g.] Love is a smoke [made with] the fume of sighs [I, i, 189]) which serve to represent the pleasing anguish of the lover, the grief of unrequited love which is yet happier than not lov ing at all would be.4But as soon as Romeo lays eyes on Juliet he is so overwhelmed by her beauty that his unhappy love for Rosaline is forgotten at that instant:O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright.It seems she hangs upon the cheek of nightAs a rich jewel in an Ethiops ear -Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear.[]Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!For I neer saw true beauty till this night. (I, v, 44-53)He gets to know Juliet after the dance and from the first moment their love is so right and true that their conversation effortlessly forms a sonnet. Romeo uses Petrarchan images in that first conversation (e.g. calling Juliet a saint that he is unworthy to touch) and goes on with this when he watches and describes Juliet in the orchard after the party. She is his sun (II, ii, 2 and 3), her eyes are even brighter than the stars (cf. II, ii, 15-22) and she is a bright angel. When talking to her Romeo wants to swear how much he loves her but she doesnt want to hear his oaths.Although in II, ii Romeos language is not different from the Petrarchan language he used to describe Rosaline and the love he felt for her, Romeos love for Juliet is much different from the love he bore for Rosaline. When loving Rosaline, Romeo was in love with love and unable to act. But now he has found a purpose for living in Juliet and in the fact that his new love doth grace for grace and love for love allow (II, iii, 82). Romeo is so much changed by this experience that for a short time he is able to be the old Romeo, the Romeo his friends are missing, again. He jests with Mercutio and wins their battle of wits which makes Mercutio cry out:Why, is not this better now than groaning for love? Now art thou sociable, now art thou Romeo; now art thou what thou art, by art as well as by nature. For this drivelling love is like a great natural that runs lolling up and down to hide his bauble in a hole. (II, iv, 88-92)Romeo gets more mature by his marriage to Juliet, too. When he comes back from the wedding, he is so full of peace and love that Tybalts insults cannot hurt him. Moreover he calls Tybalt cousin and tells him[I] love thee better than thou canst deviseTill thou shalt know the reason of my love. (III, i, 68-69)But when Tybalt stabs Mercutio, Romeo accuses Juliet of having made him act so peacefully:O, sweet Juliet,Thy beauty has made me effeminateAnd in my temper softend valours steel. (III, I, 115-117)In a fury he takes revenge for Mercutios death and kills Tybalt. This action throws him back in the role the feud forces him to play but at the same time it hinders him to be what he intends to be a peaceful young man enjoying his happiness as a freshly-made bridegroom. Romeo seems to realize this, crying out that he is Fortunes fool. He flies to Friar Laurence cell and bursts out in tears. When the clergyman informs him that the Princes doom is not death but banishment, Romeo moans about this banishment because it means that he has to leave Juliet whereasevery cat and dogAnd little mouse, every unworthy thing,Live here in heaven and may look on her,But Romeo may not. (III, iii, 30-33)This clearly shows that Romeo is himself only in his Juliet; she is his only reality, his hearts true home and idol5 and this strong and passionate love he feels for her makes him able to face death in the end of the play.To Romeo love is the most important thing in life. He has the blessing and the curse to feel things deeply6 so being banished from his Juliet after having killed Tybalt really is purgatory, torture, hell itself (III, iii, 18) to him. He doesnt want to live like this, so he denies to hide himself hearing someone (the Nurse) knocking at the door. Learning from the Nurse then that Juliet is in the same state of mind, Romeo is so afraid that Juliet might not love him anymore that he offers to stab himself. But Friar Laurence makes him go to his wife and after having spent the night with her Romeo is so absolute happy t hat death doesnt give him a fright anymore; he would die at that instant if it pleased Juliet: Let me be taen, let me be put to death,I am content, so thou wilt have it so.[]I have more care to stay than will to go.Come death, and welcome. Juliet wills it so. (III, v, 17-25)But she makes him leave her at dawn. Bidding her farewell Romeo shows himself certain that they will see each other again and that makes him accept his banishment. Just before he learns about Juliets death in V, i, he is happy having had a dream of Juliet which he takes as the harbinger of joyful news (V, i, 2). Hearing of his wifes death then he is at once determined to lie with thee [Juliet] tonight (V, i, 34) and gets to Verona to commit suicide at his ladys side. He is possessed by this idea and cannot be stopped by Paris who gets in his way. Romeo does not want to put another sin upon his head (cf. V, iii, 62) and beseeches Paris to leave him alone. But Paris refuses to go, so they fight and the County gets killed. Romeo promises to fulfil his last wish to lay him next to Juliet in the tomb. Noticing that the man he just killed is Paris, the man who should have been Juliets bridegroom, he pities him for being writ with him in sour misfortunes book (cf. V, iii, 82) and lays the corpse into the grave. Inside the tomb Romeo feels merry; he is with his beloved Juliet again, he will remain at her side and no one will ever separate them again. After having praised Juliets beauty, having taken her in his arms and kissed her once again, Romeo drinks the poison to his love and [t]hus with a kiss (V, iii, 120) he dies.2.1.2. JulietJuliets attitude towards love is a bit different to that of her lover Romeo. In this couple, Romeo is the romantic one, and Juliet is the practical one7. Whereas Romeo indulges himself in Petrarchan images she discourages Romeo from stereotyped love-vows, and spurs him to make arrangements for their wedding8. In the beginning of the play Juliet is a child, not yet four teen. To her marriage is an honour that I dream not of (I, iii, 66). This changes when she meets Romeo at the party and falls in love with him. To her as well as to Romeo this is love at first sight and right from the beginning her feelings for him are very deep:[] If he be married,My grave is like to be my wedding bed. (I, v, 134-135)After the party, Juliet as well as Romeo seems to be too excited to go to bed at once. Instead she is talking to herself in the orchard lamenting about Romeos name. If he were not a Montague and by this her enemy, she could be in love with him so she bids him todoff thy name,And for thy name, which is no part of thee,Take all myself (II, ii, 47-49)Juliet is as well happy as taken by surprise when Romeo disturbs her. She knows that he has overheard her private counsel and that is why she doesnt want to frown or play around. In her practical mind that would make no sense. Juliet is confused by this unexpected meeting, she is a bit shy. She is very young so this is probably her first love and first secret date. She wants a bit more time to make up her mind about all that has happened so far:[] Although I joy in thee,I have no joy of this contract tonight:It is to rash, too unadvisd, too sudden,Too like the lightning, which doth cease to beEre one can say à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½It lightensà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. Sweet, good night.This bud of love, by summers ripening breath,May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.Good night, good night. As sweet repose and restCome to thy heart as that within my breast. (II, ii, 117-124)However, at her re-entering Juliet has worked out a plan: if Romeo does honestly love her, he shall marry her the next day, otherwise he shall leave her to her grief (cf. II, ii, 143-148 and II, ii, 150-154).In II, ii Juliet presents herself rather as a child than a young women. This can be seen in the metaphors she uses to describe her love for Romeo, e.g.:Juliet: [] I would have thee gone,And yet no farther than a wantons bird,Th at lets it hop a little from his handLike a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,And with a silken thread pulls it back again,So loving-jealous of his liberty.Romeo: I would I were thy bird.Juliet: Sweet, so would I:Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing. (II, ii, 176-183)However, her marriage makes her become a young woman waiting impatiently for her wedding night:[]Come gentle night, come loving black-browd night,Give me my Romeo [] (III, ii, 17)She wants the night to[] learn me how to lose a winning matchPlayd for a pair of stainless maidenhoods.Hood my unmanned blood, bating in my cheeks,With thy black mantle, till strange love grow bold,Think true love acted simple modesty. (III, ii, 12-16)But before she can enjoy her wedding night, Juliet is informed about Tybalts murder committed by her bridegroom. Although she calls Romeo a despised substance of divinest show (III, ii, 77), she repents her words a minute later when the Nurse joins in her laments. If not herswhat tongue sh all smooth thy nameWhen I thy three-hours wife have mangled it? (III, ii, 98-99)Romeos banishment is worse to her than Tybalts death, she even mourns more over the lost wedding night than over her cousin:Take up those cords. Poor ropes, you are beguild,Both you and I, for Romeo is exiled.He made you for a highway to my bed,But I, a maid, die maiden-widowed.Come, cords, come, Nurse, Ill to my wedding bed,And death, not Romeo take my maidenhead. (III, ii, 132-137)When the Nurse promises to find Romeo for her, she bids her to bring him to her to take his last farewell (III, ii, 143).The next morning Juliet seems to have enjoyed her wedding night and doesnt want Romeo to leave at dawn. She pretends thatIt is not yet near day.It was the nightingale and not the lark,That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear. (III, v, 1-3)Nevertheless she makes Romeo go when he agrees to stay willing to die in case he should be found there. When Romeo descends from her balcony, Juliet is haunted by an e vil fore-shadowing. She sees him as one dead in the bottom of a tomb (III, v, 56) and bids fortune to bring him back to her quickly. After this parting Juliet is forced to get more and more mature. Things happen very quickly. Her mother enters telling her that she shall marry Paris, her father threatens her to throw her out on the street to starve if she doesnt agree to this marriage and she hasnt got a single friend in her household anymore since the Nurse advices her to forget Romeo and to marry the County.But to Juliet her marriage to Romeo and her love for him are holy and she will not betray those. So she turns from the obedient daughter she was in the beginning of the play into a woman who takes charge of her own life. She already showed her loyalty to Romeo when talking to her mother. There she speaks so ambiguously that she appears to be loyal to her family although she speaks well of Romeo, too. Now Juliet turns entirely against her familys will and seeks help in Friar Laur ence. She is even ready to die.

HRM Research Paper

HRM Research Paper Describe and critically evaluate the key factors that shape the role and practices of the HR/Personnel function within an organisation with which you are familiar. On the basis of your analysis identify the main HRM challenges currently facing this organisation. Relate your analysis to appropriate literature. Introduction People are an important and expensive resource to a business. This asset has the capacity to be highly productive and generate revenue for the firm, but it also requires much attention and maintenance. When the direct costs of employment are added to the indirect costs of recruitment and selection, training and development, the organisations investment in an average full-time employee can exceed ?00,000 in a short space of time. Therefore one of the fundamental factors is how to attract the right employee and retain their services, gaining efficiency throughout. Before answering the first part of the question Describe and critically evaluate the key factors that shape the role and practices of the HR/Personnel function within an organisation with which you are familiar, the differences between HRM and the older style Personnel Management requires defining. Human Resource Management HRM can be defined as any part of the management structure that relates to people at work. It involves everything from recruitment to training to performance appraisal and overall employee welfare. HRM is originally an American management term that has taken over from the more restrictive Personnel Management, and denotes a more proactive and business-focused role, with an emphasis on good communication and staff commitment, more flexible work practices, and performance-related reward systems. Once considered a more peripheral activity, HRM has now moved to the core of the business. The authorÐ ±Ã ¿s own perspective of this assignment is delivered from within the steel industry. An employee in middle management with a history of working from grass roots to Manufacturing Manager over a 10 year period within the Basic Oxygen Steel making plant (BOS). A plant where the iron from the Blast furnace iron is refined and then re-alloyed to be supplied at the correct time temperature and specification to the Continuously Cast plant (CONCAST) where semi-finished products are supplied to the mills for rolling. Current Economic Climate Due to the current economic climate that is affecting the trading situation, both within the home and world export market there has been immense pressure on the business to reduce operating costs to achieve business objectives. Many areas of the business especially within the carbon steels section are, and have been making a loss for an extended period. Not just since the tragic events of 11th September 2001, the events of which that have been blamed for losses in many other businesses. This event has merely compounded an underlying trend of difficult trading conditions in steel. We have as a business been implementing strategies to cut costs and increase efficiency, not just in operational performance terms but also changes in managements structures, team working implementation and further changes in manning levels (based on under utilisation of plant due to the low output). HR Role Many of the recent objectives set by the business at Ð ±Ã ¾Board LevelÐ ±Ã ¿ to reduce costs have required the need for the HRM function to take a role in the business, to be able to achieve the required levels. Some specific areas that the HR Department manage include Policies; such as Drugs and Alcohol and Equal Opportunities, as well as implementation of Company policy and Strategy, both long-term and medium-term. But these are day to say issues; the following headings are other fundamental areas that the HR function has played a part in during the recent cost cutting exercise. Manpower Planning This topic involves charting the future needs of the organisation with regard to numbers, skills profile, age and experience. This enables the firm to have the right people in the right numbers at the right time. There have been some major changes within the organisation over recent years; the implementation of Team Working has been key to reducing costs. It brings about some m ajor benefits, not least a reduction in employee numbers through more efficient use of the resource. Through this implementation at Scunthorpe, a 15% reduction of manpower has been achieved. The challenge that the HR function was faced with was how to achieve this kind of figure? In reality the HRM department had a minor role to play. From Board level through to Senior Management came the directive that a percentage manning reduction was required across the board, and that it would be fulfilled. Each individual department had to carry out Key Task Analysis (KTA) to determine what sort of levels of manning could be utilised based on Ð ±Ã ¾time and taskÐ ±Ã ¿ process. From this analysis came a set of numbers that indicated how many persons could manage an area. The dwindling numbers within the HR function meant that they hade no alternative but to take an lesser role and stand back to allow the production departments themselves to manage certain tasks. Many of the manning reductio ns have been found through voluntary redundancy and early retirement. Having had the departmental managers find the numbers the HR function has now stepped in to undertake the interviewing process that details the package available for early departure. Recruitment and Selection This process is by which the organisation gets the best people to do the jobs necessary to achieve its goals. Preparation is the key to effectiveness in this area, by clearly establishing the jobs to be done and the type of people needed to do them, the construction of an accurate Job Description and Person Specification will save time and money. Recruitment within corus has been very low for many years, 1988 was the last time anyone was taken from the outside environment; the only current source of new employees into the business is through Graduate recruitment. Since privatisation in 1988, apart from graduates, nearly all (blue collar) vacancies have been fulfilled though internal cross matching, and recruitment from the in-house Ð ±Ã ¾cleaning contractorsÐ ±Ã ¿. This source of employee recruitment is seriously flawed with many disadvantages, not least that the type of person employed for cleaning is not necessarily the right person for operation of technically based operating systems, education levels required for cleaning are significantly lower, and the nature of the work is totally different. The reason that this source has been used is due to the ease of the selection process, the lack of cost involved and the minimal time required to interview etc. Most are employed on the basis that their Contract Manager says Ð ±Ã ¾they are good eggs! The other benefit is that they are hired on a 6-month trial, if they do not size up then they are easily transferred back into the contract gang. An easy recruitment process but by far the right person for the job. Graduates are the main source of external recruitment. The HR Function carries out visits to colleges and universities to entice budding youngsters into the industry with the knowledge that they are joining a company that is renowned for being the most efficient steel producer in the world, and that they will gains skills to promote themselves within the industry. The corus website is seriously directed towards graduate recruitment and is a main source of applicants. Unfortunately at present there are not many wanting to join what is seen as an ailing industry, a challenge for the HR Department to continue to recruit from a reducing market. Training and Development This in most organisations is a major growth area, with firms realising that skill s development and flexibility are now key to business success. Unfortunately within corus over the last few years the amount spent on Ð ±Ã ¾externalÐ ±Ã ¿ training has been kept to an absolute minimum and has had an effect on plant operating performance, initiatives such as I.I.P, T.Q.P. and the likes have been dropped by the wayside due to the cost and lack of resources to implement and apply. The significant changes in manning have affected this. The main source of training at present is Ð ±Ã ¾sitting with Nellie, the disadvantages of this being that the trainee is getting a level of training that the trainer has been trained to give. Unfortunately Plant Trainers are non-existent and therefore the training given is from someone who has little experience of training people and very often not a lot of knowledge of plant and the process. The latter is inherent of the loss of knowledge due to the departure of experienced individuals. This has now been identified and new measures have been put in place that will be discussed under Ð ±Ã ¾ChallengesÐ ±Ã ¿. Performance Appraisal This involves a formal system of regularly collecting, recording, and sharing information between the employee and the appraiser about the employees work performance and potential. Conducted in the correct manner, it can enhance motivation, contribute to achieving organisational goals, and assist the process of rewarding good performance. One would like to think that this is carried out, in reality there again is insufficient time for the line manager to implement as the role of Ð ±Ã ¾fire fightingÐ ±Ã ¿ other issues on a daily basis is consuming time, and the fundamentals of managing people are not being addressed. Reward Management This involves designing the most appropriate methods of remuneration and increasingly incorporates broader, performance-related items such as bonuses and employee share option schemes. These have been implemented alongside the new Team Working and Management structures and are based on Payment for Performance (PFP) on an individual basis, and Bonus related schemes for achieving operational performance. Pay bands and application of the same is an element of the reward scheme that the HR function carries out. This is a broad based application, easy to maintain and implement, but unfortunately as experienced from a personal viewpoint it has been implemented poorly with little or no communication between Pay Departments, the HR function and the employee. Industrial Relations The process of collective bargaining based on employees terms conditions, resolving disputes that may arise, and adhering to the whole range of laws governing the relationship between employers and employees in the workplace. In reality the first line manager deals with any grievance or dispute that may occur locally and the HR department is only called upon for advice or when the dispute escalates. The Collective Agreements are through multi-union negotiations and may include Pay, Hours of work, Bonus payments, Sick Pay scheme and Holidays. There is also the Works Rules, application of, updating of and any changes of legislation affecting works rules to consider. Much of this is on an annual basis with most carried out at national level with minimal amounts at local level. CHALLENGES Skills and Knowledge The increase in voluntary and early retirements has had an effect on the organisation that relates to age, experience and knowledge. The reduction of people has mainly been achieve d from those that can afford to take early retirement, those with minimal or no mortgages, have a level of savings and a lifestyle that could be led with minimal supplementation. Thus the late 40Ð ±Ã ¿s and early 50Ð ±Ã ¿s are the target group. These are the people who have vast experience and knowledge in the steel making industry, gained over many years and they have now been removed. The challenge is to replace this knowledge in a short space of time. The average age has been lowered by 10-12 years since the implementation of team working, this reduction in age has highlighted the reduction in knowledge and experience of the remainder posing a further and future problem that the age range of those employed is such that they will all leave the industry at or around the same time. The cycle will start again unless there is intervention to bring about change. Training Training of the individuals that are left needs to be urgently considered. As stated previously the lack of trai ning over the last few years and the changes that have taken place have led to a deterioration in plant operational performance. This poor performance is unsatisfactory and is incurring costs to the process. The cost of training is not quantifiable, is seen by other organisations as a benefit but at present to corus it is a burden to costs and as such has not been pursued. This benefit has now been realised by senior management and the re-instatement of a Training Owner for plant and the re-launch of the InvestorÐ ±Ã ¿s In People initiative should be the start of an increase in performance. The HR function for their part are required to implement and continuously apply the new recording system required to follow this scheme up. This is not just for plant requirements but also for legislation such as COMAH, (Control of Management and Change) where there is a requirement to be able to identify an individualÐ ±Ã ¿s competency in the job that he is doing. Critically, we as an organi sation should be looking at the theoretical side of how to implement training programmes, studying the likes of Ð ±Ã ¾KolbÐ ±Ã ¿s learning cycleÐ ±Ã ¿ to ensure thorough understanding of the subject and correct implementation of the training received. But this is theory and unfortunately the current culture is that we are Ð ±Ã ¾fire fightingÐ ±Ã ¿, living for the present and just attempting to survive the current climate. Thus there is no commitment to provide resource that has no quantifiable financial gain. Graduate Retention This is an issue whereby in the current climate a high number of graduates are leaving the industry due to its poor outlook; safety and security are important factors to achieve motivation but unfortunately valued employees are leaving in droves. Employment packages are poor in relation to other organisations similar in size, graduates are drawn by the better working environment and benefits provided to organisations that practice. HRM rather than Personnel Management As a business we are very much in the old style of PM whereby we utilise the resource for the benefit of the organisation rather than nurture the person to provide a service that benefits the company for the good! The HR personnel can do little for the graduate financially to be an incentive for them to stay within the industry where environmental conditions are poor and achievement of goals is stifled. Manpower Reductions/Plant Closures Continuing with the theme of efficiency and cost reduction there have, and there will be more manpower reductions caused by plant closures and contracting out of services. Since the age profile is reducing there will be less chance of finding early and voluntary retirement from the younger average age of the existing employees, therefore individuals are not as willing to leave due to economic reasons. The decisions will be more difficult to make about who stays and who goes. Improve Morale One of the HR objectives is to improve morale. This at present is at a low, it is a difficult one for the HR function to achieve because the lack of numbers does not allow them sufficient time to address individual issues and as stated, first level management now carries out most of this. Their presence is rarely seen on plant and as such they cannot use the personal affect to improving moral. There is a need for them to relate the likes of HerzbergÐ ±Ã ¿s two-factor theory of motivation (Figure 1) and MaslowÐ ±Ã ¿s hierarchy of needs (Figure 2) through Team Working initiatives, personal objectives and manipulation of the reward scheme and use this to drive moral. With most though, this is an individual element and certain factors will affect certain individuals differently, thus the need for a one to one basis to find out what drives or motivates each person. Most motivation is driven through line managers and thus the HR objective is somewhat misplaced for the current situation . Business Service One of the challenges facing the HRM function itself is the move towards being a Business Service, not supplying just to corus but also supplying a service outside of the industry. This has already been achieved with part of the Engineering function that supplies its services to outside organisations and has thus made an extra ?.3M this year alone. This has been an initiative throughout the firm to generate more income and reduce the burden of a department on the business. Compilation of services business wide has been managed partly by the HR function, it is part of their objectives to identify further areas for this type of development and quantify the benefits of disadvantages of such a move. For those within the HR Department the move towards a Business Service has seen a step backwards away from generalisation and towards specialisation, a return in some ways to old style management. HR Managers were given skills for them to cope with general issues, but the move back towards sp ecialisation sees them dealing with specifics and having a better working knowledge of one particular area rather than being a Jack of all trades. Trade Union An interesting point made by the local HR Manager Ð ¸C Not enough is done to train the TU representative to be made aware of the Business needs, the reasons for why such actions are needed and the manner in which they should be carried out. There is nothing sinister in supplying such a service to what has inherently been seen as an aggressor to the management. The wider the perspective that the trade union official has, the better he will be equipped to make more appropriate decisions on behalf of the employees that he represents, and the better his understanding of why it is being implemented. The role of Trade Unionism within Human Resource Management poses somewhat of a threat, Legge, p.273, states that Trade Unionism in HRM organisations was being bypassed through the development of Human Resource Management initiatives. Organisations are Ð ±Ã ¾softÐ ±Ã ¿ models of HRM; and can pose a threat to the TU. Another consideration may be, that if the employee is happy and committed in their job, that the need for union representation may not be required. To the organisation there is the need for the T.U. for multi-union bargaining purposes, therefore the HRM department must balance the need of HRM against the need of the Trade Union. Conclusion The increasing competitive pressures, expanding globalisation and a generally harder business environment has brought about a move to a more enhanced view of HRM as opposed to Personnel Management. Unfortunately as a business, corus are very much in the old style of Personnel Management whereby we utilise the resource for the benefit of the organisation rather than nurture the person to provide a service that benefits the company for the good. Numbers have reduced significantly since the implementation of Team Working; the structure has been cut to bare bones. The reduced operating cost set out at board level has been achieved, but at a cost to the business through a reduction in operational performance. Unfortunately the current culture is that we are Ð ±Ã ¾fire fightingÐ ±Ã ¿, living for the present and just attempting to survive the economic climate to make it through, there is no commitment to provide any resource that has no quantifiable financial gain. The HR Department has a role to play in modelling the objectives set by the Board, but their problems are much the same as that of plant management in that the resources are not available to support the fundamental ideas. There are many issues facing the company, short, medium and long term that require addressing, unfortunately it is a service and any gains made through expenditure are not readily quantifiable, therefore no capital is guaranteed whereby there is no return seen. Without an injection of cash or commitment to provide extra services for HRM then there will be no advancement towards achieving better results from the employee through HRM philosophies. HRM, as previously stated denotes a more proactive and business-focused role, with an emphasis on good communication and staff commitment, more flexible work practices, and performance-related reward systems as opposed to Personnel Management These philosophies are carried out by the first line management, which begs the question, Have the less er experienced plant personnel carried out a process that has inherently been carried out by trained professional HR managers and got the numbers wrong, furthermore, was it implemented correctly? Overall because of the reduction in numbers within the HR department, Plant managers and Line managers are now carrying out many tasks and the HR department have a significantly lesser role in the organisation. With no forecast of any change in philosophy and increase in expenditure then the situation is unlikely to change. The input of an active Trade Union and informed official needs to be considered, there is a definite need for both and the HRM department must ensure that a relationship continues.