Friday, December 27, 2019

Discuss the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using...

Topic 4 – Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using short-cuts in an organisational setting The shortcuts in organisations are used for valuating the characteristics of co-workers. In organisations, the managers are always assessing their employees, also the make judge about their employees performance and efficiency at work. The perception of individuals may derive from the time environment, mentality, purposes, and history of the perceiver. The great significance in perception takes place the appearance, personality and their attitude. The most important perception in the processing of an organisation is the managements perception on employees. The managers take control and make significant decisions, and also control the†¦show more content†¦The main applications of shortcut in organisations are: the first is employment interview, the second is performance expectation, the third is ethic profiling and the final is the performance evaluation. (Robbins, 2008) The first application of shortcuts in organisation is the employment interview plays a most significant role in organisation. Human resources managers see for the efficient, productive and not very expensive people. At employment interview the interviewer make perceptual judgment that is not often equals their expectation. However, if the manager has high skills and express knowledge of individual characteristics allows to the manager to interview quickly that is beneficial for some organisations. For instance, Human Recourse organisations (HR), where the interviewer need to interview a lot of people a day. Another advantageous factor for the organisation is if the interviewer would group the people with similar characteristics that can help the interviewer to extract the needful specialized applicant’s quickly. Such process may create simultaneous atmosphere in organisation where the employees have a similar behavior and skills in organisation. In contrast, the negative effec ts may occur when the interviewer have limited information of applicant and can hire a person not suited for a particular position. For example, the negative affect on judgment may occur when the applicant is overweight person because in theShow MoreRelatedAcca P3 Revision Notes5881 Words   |  24 PagesAnalysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦14 External Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....15 Strategic Options†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.17 Method of Growth†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦............18 Portfolio Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.19 Strategic Choice Change Management†¦....20 Marketing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...21 Organisationa l Structure†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.22 International Market Place.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....23 Business Process Change†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..24 Information Technology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..........25 Quality†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦......26 Project Management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦27 Role of Finance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..Read MoreIntroduction to Large Scale Organizations18988 Words   |  76 Pagesbetween LSO s encourages all organisations to strive for world s best practice status -World s Best Practice – comprehensive, integrate and continuous approach to apply and improve upon worldclass standards of performance to all aspects of an organisational How do LSO s increase: *Merging – two or more organisations join, implies both parties have taken a degree of equality *Acquisition – purchasing of an organisations shares and assets by another, also known as a takeover For themselves Dis-economiesRead MoreEmployment Cycle15431 Words   |  62 Pagesgroup of tasks performed by an employee job analysis systematic process of gathering information relating to a job being performed job description a written description of a job’s title, duties and responsibilities, including its location on the organisational chart job specification detailed listing of the personal skills and characteristics required to perform a particular job Job analysis is the systematic process of looking at a particular job to find out exactly what it entails, and what kindRead MoreManagement Theory Practice16081 Words   |  65 Pagesoriented †¢ Relatively homogeneous workforce Diverse workforce †¢ Workdays defined as 9 to 5 Workdays have no time boundaries †¢ Hierarchical relationships Lateral networked relationships †¢ Work at organisational facility Work anywhere, anytime during specific hours POINTS FOR DISCUSSION 1. What are the three characteristics of organisations? 2. Why are managers important to an organisation’s success? 3. Why areRead MorePersonal Development as Strategic Manager18363 Words   |  74 Pagesagainst the achievement of strategic goals and their chosen career path. C. UNIT CONTENT 1 Be able to assess personal and professional skills required to achieve strategic goals Personal skills: time management eg using time effectively, analysing time spent to improve productivity, setting SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-based) objectives, prioritising work tasks, dealing with time wasters, effective delegation; stress management; problem solving; decision making; effectiveRead MoreInternational Business Management Research Paper14582 Words   |  59 PagesWorld Vision Kenya (WVK), a member of a global organisation, WVI. WVK has clearly defined Vision, Mission, Core Values, Objectives and Strategy. The objectives of this research were; to research the WVK’s business environment, explore the advantages and disadvantages of Fixed Exchange Rate System (FERSs) propose a preferable FERS for WVK, assess impact of FERS on WVK and determine relevance of FERS to WVK. Only primary and secondary qualitative data were collected from responses to a questionnaireRead MoreChange Management49917 Words   |  200 PagesMBA –H4010 Organisational Development And Change ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE UNIT – I LEARNING OBJECTIVES The student is expected to learn the following concepts after going through this unit. 1. Change 3. Planned Change 5. Unplanned Change 2. 4. 6. Stimulating Forces Change Agents Lewin’s Three Step Model The change means the alteration of status quo or making things different. It may refer to any alteration which occurs in the overall work environment of an organizationRead MoreCase Study148348 Words   |  594 Pageswhich it is published, without the prior consent of the Publishers. 2  © Pearson Education Limited 2011 Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Using this Manual Planning Your Approach Designing the Teaching Scheme A Guide to Using the Work Assignments A Guide to Using the Case Studies Strategy Lenses The Exploring Strategy Website A Guide to Using the Video Material Exploring Strategy Teachers’ Workshops Teaching Notes for Student Work Assignments Case Study Teaching Notes 6 7 8 8 12 19 20 25Read MoreStrategic Human Resource Management72324 Words   |  290 PagesResource Management? Tools Available to help Measure Strategic Human Resource Management The Ethical Implications of Strategic Human Resource Management Introduction Main Ethical Issues in People Management and Development Equality and Diversity Advantages of an Ethical Approach to People Management and Development Promoting and Enforcing Ethical Behaviour Hard and Soft Human Resource Strategies The Strategic Approach to People Resourcing Introduction Employment Flexibility Human ResourceRead MoreThe Virgin Group.Doc6584 Wo rds   |  27 Pagesand individual business units pursuing their own strategies in an uncoordinated fashion (that could potentially be detrimental to the umbrella Virgin brand), the Virgin Charter sets out a management system and internet business strategy that takes advantage of information technology and the digital age to further establish the Virgin brand. A single website, Virgin.com, is where consumers can go to have access to all the Virgin services under one single portal. This is an example of cross-branding

Thursday, December 19, 2019

The Ragtime Vs. The Blues - 1616 Words

 ¬Ragtime vs. The Blues In the city of New Orleans emerged one of the most influential music genres in U.S. history. At the time, New Orleans was known for being a melting pot of people or rather, a region where people from all over the world came together in one place. This city served as a key seaport in the U.S. allowing for goods to be imported and exported. The purpose of this city was not only strategic to the growth of the country, but also, the atmosphere allowed for the incredible mixing of cultures, customs, and traditions that led to the creation of one of our nations most cherished genres of music: jazz. Jazz emerged towards the beginning of the 20th century, but didn t just spring up out of nowhere. Instead, it was a creation that developed from popular music styles of the 19th century that were blended and combined to entertain not only the social dancers, but also, the nation as a whole. The two main music styles that jazz evolved from were ragtime and the blues. Both ragtime and the blues had their beginnings in African-American communities. While both of these music styles strongly contributed to the creation of jazz and have a lot of similarities, they do have their differences. These differences lie within their origins, their instruments, the elements of the music styles and how these elements influenced jazz, and their artists and composers. First of all, ragtime and the blues are similar in that they both originated in the United States. While theShow MoreRelatedEssay on Hip Hip1788 Words   |  8 Pagesparody masses). According to one source, the roots of this phenomenon are in Jamaica in the 40s. By the 60s, it was common to find quot;soundsquot;, or a truck fitted with sound equipment parked at a street corner, playing American rhythm amp; blues records for the people in the neighborhood. Some of these DJs included Coxson Dodd, Prince Buster, and Duke Reid. By the 1970s this phenomenon was to be found in the US, particularly in the Farragut Projects in Brooklyn, NY. Some of these early DJsRead More Black Women in Rap Essay6410 Words   |  26 Pagesrappers to challenge the status quo of middle-class white America. Certain attributes exist within this GBM, helping to define rap as a genre and as a function of history, culture and, indeed, politics. These attributes include: â€Å"loudness,† â€Å"raw,† â€Å"blues,† â€Å"iconoclastic† and a â€Å"rooted departure† (ya Salaam 350). Loudness demands a rejection of what ya Salaam calls â€Å"the status quo,† meaning a departure of what he sees as the traditional detachment of European music and dancing. GBM demands total

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Performance Management and Performance Appraisal- MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about thePerformance Management and Performance Appraisal. Answer: Performance management and performance appraisal are two common terms that form the spine of human resource management. The two terms are interconnected and provide the basis through which managers and employees fulfil their roles within the organization and by so doing, achieve the set goals and objectives. Performance management refers to the process through which managers and employees work in unison through planning, monitoring and evaluation of their performance as well as collective contribution to organizational development. On the other hand, performance appraisal refers to the process through which an employees performance is evaluated against set standards with the aim of spotting areas that need improvement (through training) as well as promotion, demotion or layoff (Bernardin Wiatrowski, 2013). From the two definitions, it is evident that the two concepts are differentiated by a few characteristics. The fundamental difference between performance management and performance appraisal is that the former is a process whereas the latter is a system (Toppo Prusty, 2012). Performance management is a process in that it is manifested in every organizational process with no limitations. As long as work is going on in the organization, performance management is also running. On the other hand, appraisal is a system that applies specific parameters in respect to a documented criteria and standards. Performance appraisal is a tool used by the management to increase efficiency through application of rewards and promotions whereas performance management is a strategic tool that is laid down in the organizational culture (DeNisi, 2000).The core essence of appraisal is to track individual performance and document the results. On the other hand, performance management is concerned with strategically positioning the organization to communicate certain cultures and values. Performance management is an exclusive responsibility of the human resource department of the organization. The HR department is the one tasked with monitoring and evaluating performance and taking the necessary measures in line with the outcomes (DeNisi, 2000). On the other hand, performance management is a role taken by all managers who oversee the day to day organizational activities across all spheres of the organization. The managers can influence operations in line with organizational goals and objectives and by so doing, replicate a certain performance pattern that is to be followed by the junior employees. Performance appraisal is periodical while performance management is a continuous exercise (Toppo Prusty, 2012). For most organizations, appraisals are carried out annually or bi-annually depending on the need for human resource as a result of expansion, replacement of transfers. On the other hand, performance management is a running process that is tied to the organizations existence. As long as the organization is operational, performance management is always present. Performance appraisal employs and individualistic approach and the outcomes are instant. For appraisal, it is an individual performance that is evaluated and the results documented at the end of the session so that the employee(s) can be promoted, fired or demoted (Buller, McEvoy, 2012). On the other hand, performance management applies a more collective approach and the outcomes are always forward looking. This is because performance management assesses individuals in relation to the systems and processes and seeks gradual improvement. In the same context, performance appraisal has predetermined outcomes that have to be met by the individual while performance management is more flexible. Performance management and appraisal present managers and employees with various challenges. For managers, employee resistance is a common challenge (Gruman Saks, 2011).Appraisal and management can be viewed as a process of re-interviewing the employee(s) and as such, it can be received negatively. More often, employees can feel uncomfortable with the scrutiny that comes with the processes and as such, they may resist in some ways. Another challenge for managers is maintaining neutrality/fairness. Although appraisal and performance are guided by organizational provisions, dealing with employees whom you have worked with for long and even formed friendships with can subject you to bias (Guest, 2011). Equally, managers can be tempted to overlook past shortfalls in favor of present or recent individual performances. Another challenge for managers is maintaining positive relationships with employees after the processes. As earlier stated, the outcome of appraisal and performance management can be as fatal as demotion. Consequently, managers may develop a feeling of guilt and this may escalate into negative relations with employees who have been negatively affected (Mone London, 2014).Equally, managers face a dilemma on the right scheduling for appraisals. In most organizations, the period is known and as such, employees can save their best for the period approaching the actual day. Consequently, managers can fail to meet the set goals and objectives due to disguise of behavior or performance by employees. For employees, performance management and appraisal can subject them to undue feedback or negative ratings. This is because the processes can be infiltrated by managers with ill motives who would want to use the exercises to favor certain individuals at the expense of others. This can lead to wrongful dismissal or demotion (Daley, 2012). Another challenge for employees is the possibility of receiving feedback and rating based on group or departmental performance. Some of the individual shortfalls may emanate from the organizational structure rather than individual character or competence, yet they affect individual rating and feedback. Another problem for employees is that there is no appeal mechanism (second chance). Any faults that might have occurred in the process and which are not of the employees making cannot be reversible since the processes are one-off (Bititci et al., 2012). Performance appraisal and management are executed with one goal in mind; helping the organization achieve its goals and objectives. Performance management ensures that all the processes are running in line with organizational goals. Any flaws detected in the system are addressed gradually to avoid any impasses (Buller McEvoy, 2012).On the other hand, performance appraisal ensures that the company has the right group of employees in terms of competence and behavior who fit in the firms culture and values. These employees are better placed to execute their roles and meet organizational goals and objectives both in the long and short term. Performance management and appraisal are tools for individual and collective improvement and skill development. Both processes are meant to empower employees and prepare them for future roles as well as adapting to any changes in the market (Armstrong Taylor, 2014). In appraisals, the feedback can serve as a motivational factor for promoted employees as well as their colleagues. When the employees are rewarded, they feel valued and ready to put on an extra effort to help the organization achieve their goals and objectives. Similarly, performance appraisal and management help the organization to get rid of underperforming employees and replace them with more productive ones. By doing this, the company increases the chances of success since unproductive employees are a liability rather than an incentive to the company. The role of the HR is policy formulation. The department lays down the necessary policies and guidelines that guide the entire processes (Armstrong Taylor, 2014).These policies determine the scheduling, standard measures as well as rewards that should be applied to each individual or the entire organization in order to achieve the set targets. Through policing, the HR is able to stay in touch with the current trends in the market and tailor performance management and appraisal to meeting these conditions. Secondly, the HR is directly involved in execution. The department conducts the appraisals and makes recommendations to the top brass for appropriate action depending on the outcomes. The HR department also plays the role of monitoring both processes. Whereas the outcomes in appraisal are instant, their role does not end at this point. Instead, the HR continuously monitors the progress of each employee in their new roles to see how they are fitting in their designations (Daley, 2012). In this context, the HR also has the responsibility of monitoring employee performance (performance management) and applying improvement tools such as training and inductions so that in the end, all employees are working towards a common goal. Through continuous training, monitoring and assessment, the HR sets up the organization strategically to have a competitive advantage while moving fast towards achieving organizational goals and objectives. Lastly, the HR is involved in research and development to discover new practices that aid future procedures. This also helps the organization to stay in touch with the labor market patterns and overcome barriers associated with obsolescence. References Armstrong, M., Taylor, S. (2014).Armstrong's handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers. Bernardin, H. J., Wiatrowski, M. (2013). Performance appraisal.Psychology and Policing,257. Bititci, U., Garengo, P., Drfler, V., Nudurupati, S. (2012). Performance measurement: challenges for tomorrow.International Journal of Management Reviews,14(3), 305-327. Buller, P. F., McEvoy, G. M. (2012). Strategy, human resource management and performance: Sharpening line of sight.Human resource management review,22(1), 43-56. Buller, P. F., McEvoy, G. M. (2012). Strategy, human resource management and performance: Sharpening line of sight.Human resource management review,22(1), 43-56. Daley, D. M. (2012). Strategic human resource management.Public Personnel Management, 120-125. DeNisi, A. S. (2000). Performance appraisal and performance management.Multilevel Theory, Research, and Methods in Organizations: Foundations, Extensions and New Directions. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 121-156. Gruman, J. A., Saks, A. M. (2011). Performance management and employee engagement.Human Resource Management Review,21(2), 123-136. Guest, D. E. (2011). Human resource management and performance: still searching for some answers.Human resource management journal,21(1), 3-13. Jiang, K., Lepak, D. P., Han, K., Hong, Y., Kim, A., Winkler, A. L. (2012). Clarifying the construct of human resource systems: Relating human resource management to employee performance.Human Resource Management Review,22(2), 73-85. Mone, E. M., London, M. (2014).Employee engagement through effective performance management: A practical guide for managers. Routledge. Toppo, L., Prusty, T. (2012). From performance appraisal to performance management.Journal of Business and Management,3(5), 1-6.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Leadership Discovery Project free essay sample

As we chatted I explained to him the baggy pants style began in the mid 1980’s with the birth and spread of hip-hop. I remember so well, pulling my oversized men’s pants down to my hips. The look was actually slimming to a larger girl like me as an added bonus. I also, remember, our assistant principal calling several of us into the office and telling us to pull up our pants – or be sent home, with zeros for the day. I am pretty sure that we did as he asked, at least until he turned around anyway. Sometime later, I learned the baggy pant style I sported (well into my 20’s) had negative beginnings. The style allegedly began as a salute to prison attire, which consisted of oversized pants and shirts. Often the pants would be falling down and inmates were not allowed to have a belt. Another claim is even more disturbing. We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Discovery Project or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Supposedly, the pants worn low, hanging down, were an invitation for sex in the prison world. Perhaps, I always thought, some kid just could not afford a belt and started walking around holding up his britches the best he could. Either way, baggy pants; they came and they have endured. (Parker, 2009) Some kids may be aware the style is reminiscent of prison attire. They might actually embrace the idea. The majority of the kids, however, who exhibit baggy pants, are more likely interested in looking like their peers, emulating musicians and actors, and wearing something that is defiant of the conservative nature of authority. Having a glance at someone’s underwear can be offensive. It can be downright aggravating. Even the president has chimed in on the controversial subject of baggy jeans. He said during his 2008 campaign( to MTV), â€Å"There are some issues we face, that you don’t have to pass a law, but that doesn’t mean folks can’t have some sense and some respect for other people, and you know some people might not want to see your underwear – I’m one of them. † (Blunk, 2012) I would have to agree with the president that I don’t want to see the underwear of young men with â€Å"pants on the ground. By the same standard, though, I would also like not to see, but cracks of older men hanging out, men in running shorts who expose their scrotum, muffin tops, thong underwear revealed, cops in cowboy boots, camel toes, and PLEASE, NO leggings worn by anyone over the age of ten. However bothersome, ugly, gross, annoying, disrespectful, or distasteful baggy pants are – or any other fashion fiasco none qualify as a good reason to pass a law . If baggy pants are linked to crime – especially gang crime such as lawmakers in Hawkinsville, GA, Trenton, NJ, and several towns in Louisiana claim, then it seems a fair ypothesis that all cowboy boot cops are racist, but crack revealers are child molesters and any woman who bears her thong is surely a â€Å"ho†. With a system such as this, racial profiling or any other profiling for that matter will become tools of the past. All we will need to ask is, â€Å"what were they wearing? † (Walton, 2011) (Parker, 2009) In spite of the fact that many people do not appreciate the appearance of baggy jeans, banning them is a counterproductive way to promote moral code or reduce crimes committed by young people. Pants are not a driving factor behind crime statistics. What leads to a life of crime are elements like socio-economics, education or lack of, history of crime in a family, and other situational elements. (Parker, 2009) It is not the baggy pants we have to worry about but, rather, the brain connected to the neck, connected to the torso, connected to the legs that hold the pants up. Unless you take into consideration, of course, the one benefit to law enforcement that baggy pants bring to the table; they are detrimental to the objective of escape! It seems to me that a cop would only hope for criminal wearing baggy jeans when in pursuit! Simply put, baggy jeans are a police officer’s best friend. (Feb. 17th, 2012) There is always an article of clothing or fashion statement for Americans to consider offensive. In the past it was anti-short skirts for women, anti-long hair for men, and anti-leather jackets for all. We graduated to anti-glove, anti-piercings, and anti-hoodie. But, the style†¦ and hatred for it†¦. that has endured longest is†¦ anti-baggy pants. (Walton, 2011) Americans are often guilty of setting limits on the issues that are irrelevant. If there is a school shooting – supply more cameras and metal detectors, if the classrooms are crowded and kids won’t listen then drug everyone up, and if kids are texting on cell phones while driving and dying from it then create a bumper sticker. Geeze! If we are worried about violence, crime, or the unsuccessful lives of young people, why then do we not set real, stern, limits on the things that hurt young people most; guns, drugs, automobiles, alcohol, tobacco and caffeine ? Perhaps this is because all of these things make money for a lot of people in our country. So, we go after the one thing that cannot talk back – a pair of pants. Or can they? Julius Hart was arrested in 2011 in Riviera Beach, Florida for wearing pants that were considered too low; exposing at least four inches of his boxer shorts. He spent the night in jail and was fined $150. 00. He decided to take the case to court and challenge the law. He claims wearing baggy pants is his constitutional right and he is hurting no one. The case is pending in the West Palm Beach Court. . (Feb. 17th, 2012,) This is just one example of what I like to think of as the â€Å"rise of the baggies,† but there are more. When the West Virginia House of Representatives tried to outlaw the wearing of low-slung pants circa 2007, they received ridicule from Sydney to London. Comedians joked about a â€Å"boxer’s rebellion,† and there were so many conflicting online political blogs the state Senate quickly killed the bill. (Parker, 2009) This mockery has not stopped other politicians from trying to eradicate the fashion we know as â€Å"the baggies. † Bans have become law or are being considered in at least eight states. The movement is fueled by growing worries that sloppy dress by America’s youth could be related to delinquency, poor learning and crime. (Parker, 2009) Elements of our society are obsessed with what the youth is trying to express in their attire. For me, however, the concern lies more in what they are not expressing in their attire; â€Å"I am not secure,† â€Å"I am not seeking a professional position,† â€Å"I am not able to stand apart from my crowd of peers†. I do not believe laws can solve attire concerns such as this; only education, consideration and personal motivation will do the job. There is racial discussion surrounding this debate. Many people, including law makers and religious affiliates, in all racial groups see this primarily as a black issue. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you walk down the halls of any white middle school or high school you will find there are many white boys wearing pants, â€Å"low and baggy. † The style is no longer associated as a hip-hop trend. It is cross-culture, crosses over socio-economic boundaries, and can be associated with also: punk, grunge, and mod, all trends that have surfaced in recent years. This is not a black issue as much as some may want it to be. Although I am resistant to this being racial issue, I am glad that many of the laws proposing bans on baggy pants have been met with resistance and action by the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). This is not just racial profiling. It is wardrobe profiling. I guess this means that all men in expensive suits are going to steal my retirement fund, or perhaps my son, who got cold in the theater and put his hoodie on†¦is actually a gun toting gang member. Conceivably a Supreme Court case for this would read, â€Å"The U. S. Supreme Court against Clothes! It makes me wonder if we are actually being manipulated by the powers that be†¦into a society of nudity. Maybe they just want to see us all naked. I think I will stick with the baggy pants. (Blunk, 2012) â€Å"Droopy Drawers,† â€Å"baggies,† or just â€Å"pants on the ground,† as they are referred to, are a fashion statement. For some , wearing them may mean a little more, for others they are only following the crowd. Some say it’s a ridiculously stupid, annoying, and sloppy way to dress. Others do not bother to care either way. Many folks connect these pants to criminal behavior. I do not and furthermore, I find it absurd that others do.