Short Article Reveals the Undeniable Facts About Argumentative Essay Topics about Technology and How It Can Affect You

Short Article Reveals the Undeniable Facts About Argumentative Essay Topics about Technology and How It Can Affect You Argumentative essay format is dependent on your professor's requirements, since there is not any typical pattern for each and every essay. Care ought to be taken that the data utilised in the essay is related to the topic. You may examine the extra info about how to compose an eye-catching essay introduction with a hook. The structure of your paper's outline is just like the structure of your whole essay. The upcoming few paragraphs will constitute most of your essay. The very first sentence of the essay has to be interesting enough to produce the reader read on. Then you ought to endeavour to choose an appropriate argumentative essay format. If you really need to get folks to find things your way, you want to convince them with evidence and facts. Look through the list of topics cautiously and get started making a mental collection of the evidence it's possible to use on topics you prefer. An excellent method to tell if your topics is an argument topic is to see whether you can debate your topic employing the info you find. Choose from popular topics that folks are passionate about. The next portion of your intro is devoted to offering some in depth background information on your topic. Essentially anything that must be understood before reading the remainder of the essay is background info, and ought to be included in the introduction. If you can't determine what the question is, return and reread the prompt. Knowing the question you're answering is the most crucial portion of AP writing. Argumentative Essay Topics about Technology at a Glance Each region of the essay exerts a specific function in its general structure. Any fantastic task finishes with an amazing conclusion and the very best examples of the argumentative essay will arrive in with a conclusion which has an overview of all of the points together with a gist of the evidences provided. After you get to the conclusion, you need to make a synthesis of the human body of your paper. In the end, the conclusion contains a restatement of the position and a succinct overview of the reasons and counte rs. Argumentative arguments are simply arguments that are written back on paper. An argumentative essays purpose is to convince your reader to back up your side of the argument. They use logic, facts, and reasoning to determine the victor. An argumentative essay is a kind of essay that presents arguments about each side of a problem. The Ultimate Argumentative Essay Topics about Technology Trick Before concluding the essay, it is vital to summarise with a strong emphasis on the subject. The absolute most essential part of your paper is the introduction. The matter here is that it takes so many parts of paper to write just a single textbook. It's crucially important to completely engage yourself in the subject you will write. What You Don't Know About Argumentative Essay Topics about Technology An outline is a good tool to remember what you're planning to write about and to steer clear of a fear of getting started. Without an excellent evidence, nobody is likely to believe my words. Second, talk what you shouldn't do instead of what has to be carried out. All you have to have is a small curiosity besides that everything will end up an intriguing game of knowledge. Even though both work to the improvement of a business, the broad disparity has the capacity to induce a great deal of grudge and bad vibes. The first thing you're likely to have to do is to choose a topic that has more than one clear side. If you become lost on your way, refer back to our guide, and we'll be pleased to assist you with anything that you demand. Writing an argumentative essay is a skill that anyone in school should know, although it can be useful outside the classroom, also. Therefore, for your coursework, you will want to have the very best ideas. For this reason, you can stay sure that you'll find the best possible grade! The Start of Argumentative Essay Topics about Technology You're going to need to choose a topic first, but your topic needs to be something that has two conflicting points or various conclusions. An argumentative essay example will reveal the should possess some critical components which make it better in the practice of convincing. If you would like to learn what an argumentative essay is, the very first thing you need to remember is that its primary aim is to convince the audience to accept your standpoint. In order to really convince readers of your perspective, the argumentative essay must also check at the opposing views.

The Stock Market Crash Of 1929 - 1284 Words

The Stock Market Crash of 1929 â€Å"started† on the 24th of October 1929 with 12’894’650 shares being traded; this is the same day that Richard Whitney went to the stock exchange and bought targeted shares in an attempt to stabilize the stock market. As will be made evident, this did not work. In fact, an even worse day, dubbed â€Å"Black Tuesday†, occurred on the 29th of October where 16’410’030 shares were traded. From the week of October 23rd to 31st the panic settled in and a total of 70.8 million shares were traded. This crisis, beginning in the United States, rippled across the whole world given that it was interconnected through the gold standard. The Dow Jones Industrial Average had gone from a high of 386 points to a low of 40.56 points by 1932. In fact, according to Dietmar Rothermund’s study of the global impact of the economic crisis, â€Å"all major factors contributing to the depression can be traced back to the United States of America†. As a matter of a fact, the historic loss of 30% of the United States’ real GDP from 1929 to 1933 was the wake up call that the economy needs to be controlled. This loss is what led to unprecedented levels of government intervention and the reshaping of Western Civilization economics with the New Deal and following similar regulations. The Stock Market Crash led to pioneering changes in many aspects of the American government and society; one of those changes was the discontinued use of the gold standard. The gold standard linked theShow MoreRelatedThe Stock Market Crash of 19291289 Words   |  6 Pagesat home or in the bank into the stock market. People migrated to the prosperous cities with the hopes of finding much better life. In the 1920s, the stock market reputation did not appear to be a risky investment, until 1929.First noticeable in 1925, the stock market prices began to rise as more people invested their money. During 1925 and 1926, the stock prices vacillated but in 1927, it had an upward trend. The stock market boom had started by 1928. The stock market was no longer a long-term investmentRead MoreStock Market Crash of 1929835 Words   |  4 PagesThe Stock Market Crash of 1929 was the most devastating crash in U.S. history. It started on October 24, 1929 and the downfall ended in July 1932. I alwa ys wondered what caused this calamity. Before starting this report, I knew basic idea about the crash. It was a time of decline and huge fortunes were lost. Now I can figure out just why. The research process for my report was no easy task. The simple part was choosing my topic. As soon as I saw â€Å"Crash of 1929† on the topic list, I had my mind fixedRead MoreThe Stock Market Crash Of 19291598 Words   |  7 Pagesthe 1920’s there was a large boom in the stock market. By August 1929, there was massive expansion and stock prices reached their peak. In the words of PBS, â€Å"A boom took stock prices to peaks never before seen† (PBS 1). However, all good things eventually come to an end. What must have felt like over night, the stock market crashed and this would later be known as one of the most devastating economic downturns in U.S. history. The Stock Market Crash of 1929 was so significant but to this day peopleRead More1929 Stock Market Crash1413 Words   |  6 PagesThe 1929 Stock Market Crash In early 1928 the Dow Jones Average went from a low of 191 early in the year, to a high of 300 in December of 1928 and peaked at 381 in September of 1929. (1929Â…) It was anticipated that the increases in earnings and dividends would continue. (1929Â…) The price to earnings ratings rose from 10 to 12 to 20 and higher for the market s favorite stocks. (1929Â…) Observers believed that stock market prices in the first 6 months of 1929 were high, while others saw them toRead MoreThe Stock Market Crash Of 19291683 Words   |  7 PagesOn October 29, 1929, investors took a turn for the worse and were just in the beginning of a huge crisis that would cause them to lose everything. This crash pushed many Americans to depression, suicide, and destruction. By 1933, 4,000 banks had closed and Americans started to panic. The stock market crash of 1929 was a major turning point in the history of the United States and billions of dollars were lost. During the 1920s, throughout the country, there were social, economic, and political changesRead MoreThe Stock Market Crash Of 19291437 Words   |  6 PagesBy early 1929, people across the United States were rushing to get into the stock market. The profits seemed so certain that even many companies placed money in the stock market. In addition, even more problematic, some banks placed their customers money in the stock market (without their consent). With the stock market prices rising, everything seemed fantastic. Many believe incorrectly that the stock market crash of 1929 is the same as the Great Depression when in fact; it was one of the majorRead MoreThe Stock Market Crash of 19291013 Words   |  5 PagesBlack Tuesday was Tuesday, October 29, 1929. This was the day the New York Stock Exchange crashed. This was the single largest crash in the country. Black Tuesday hit Wall Street as investors traded 16 million shares in one day on the New York Stock Exchange. Black Tuesda y wiped out thousands of investors and billions of dollars were lost. Black Tuesday was an event leading up to the stock market crash. As a result numerous Americans lost all to a lot of their savings. Black Tuesday was also knownRead MoreThe Stock Market Crash Of 19291590 Words   |  7 PagesThe cause of the crash in the stock market in 1929, was an incident that occurred on October 29, which was called Black Tuesday. Investors traded 16 million dollar of shares toward the New York Stock Exchange in a day, upon that billions of dollars were lost and investors lost their business or their jobs. one of the major reason why was that car and other factory produced certain quota of cars. during the great depression people who were rich is now poor and the poor and the poorer. people wereRead MoreStock Market Crash Of 19291432 Words   |  6 PagesStock Market Crash of 1929 The United States was experiencing great optimism and economic growth prior to the stock market crash of 1929. The conclusion of World War I in 1918 ignited this exciting time known as the â€Å"Roaring 20’s.† The key economic factors that contributed to this time is that business’ were exporting to Europe (which was still rebuilding from the war), unemployment was low, and automobiles and other goods were spreading across America creating jobs and efficiencies forRead MoreThe Stock Market Crash Of 19292101 Words   |  9 Pageshorrendous events as these? Well, all of this was a result of what is known as the Stock Market Crash of 1929. In brief, the economy of the United States of America failed due to flaws within the market, and misunderstandings of its risk. Moreover, poor economic policies caused depression and financial turmoil, and took years of political reform to heal. When looking at the overall effects and workings of the crash, one must first understand what caused it, and what conditions allowed for such cataclysmic

Apple’s Disruption and New Business Model

Question: Discuss about theApples Disruption and New Business Model. Answer: Introduction Disruption and business model are the two most common terms in business world now days; technologies, demands and consumers taste and preferences are changing frequently due to that the level of competition has also increased between business farms. Due to globalization firms are used to serve multiple markets and the need for maintaining the current market trends is also very high. A firm must acquire the knowledge about the current market scenario and accordingly they should make the necessary changes in their business models for its successful operations. Apples customer advocacy is one of them which have recently been observed in their new business model. We will analyze on this by elaborating the terms of disruption and business model. Also we will compare the new and existing business model of Apple Inc and highlight the reasons for replacing the existing business model by new business model. For comparison of two business models we will relate few relevant literature reviews f or our knowledge and for the support of this essay. The literature reviews are Business model generation by Alexander Osterwalder Yves Pigneur and Customer advocacy: a new era in marketing by Glen L. Urban. Lastly we will conclude by discussing the importance of our findings for future business models. Concept of Disruption and Business Model Disruption means innovation an innovative approach which replaces the old technology, market, product, service, cost etc. with a creative and effective one (Rao, Rao Sivaramakrishnan, 2010). Whereas A business model is a strategy or a plan which a company or an organization follows for its successful operation; it allows an organization to reach into their goal point also it describes the sources from where the revenue can be generated. A well made business model helps a company or an organization to grab the particular market and to establish them as a well known brand. A business model can be made for a short term period or a long term period as per the requirement of the company or depending on the market scenario (Shankar, 2012). Apples Disruption and New Business Model Apple is a manufacturing firm and it is a pioneer of manufacturing Smart phones, Tablets, Computers and other IT products (Apple, 2016). Apple is a firm who was always focused on self decision making approaches due to that the firm faced lots of criticism in many angles. But recently they outlined their business model and they add customer advocacy in it, an example of that is their newly opened Apple support twitter account. This is quite notable because for a firm like Apple who was recluse in such social media activities (Grecon, 2016). Adding into that they take the opinion of customers before launching and selecting a feature for a particular product or services, they hire few trained customer advocates, the main purpose of this is to maintain contact with their customers whether they are facing any problems regarding the usability of their product or service or not, if yes; then solving those problems and giving an assurance that the problems will not rise again etc. (Plantes, 2013). By the time everything changes, business models are less durable now days; companies are focused on expansion of their businesses and trying to make better business models than their competitors. Due to high end competition in the IT based firms there is a need for change in business models (Jong Dijk, 2015). Comparison Between the two Identified Business Models If we compare the two business models of Apple then we will notice there is a huge difference between these two, both of these models works in two different manners. From our literature review we have found how Osterwalder Pigneur has given the view for designing a business model, according to them Business models define how an organization meets the unique needs of the customer, delivers a differentiated set of products or services, highlights required capabilities, configures resources at the highest level, and generates revenue and profit. (Osterwalder Pigneur, 2010). A company should understand what business they are doing and what are the ups and downs may occur in the near future. According to their given view, the new business model of Apple is fit for their company because they have adapted customer advocacy which will help them to analyze the customers preference what the customer want or what they are demanding in a particular product etc. This will help them to identify the future occurrence. They can easily maintain the stability of the firm because products will be designed as per the requirement given by customers also the risk factor is less involved in this compare to previous business model. Urban has mentioned that customer advocacy must be there in all business models through his journal Customer advocacy: a new era in marketing because market scenario is not same in all areas, though Apple is a global brand and they are doing business globally. A self decision approach in business model may work in one area but it may face problem in other markets in the world. The market conditions are different in different areas. Therefore to easily grab the market a customer advocacy business model always leads to succeed (Urban, 2005). Apple has identified this and they have adapted the new business model. Reasons for Disruption of Existing Business Model by New Model Due to globalization the customers preferences are changing, in order to grab the market a customer advocacy business model helps them to analyze the market well and to design its products as per the requirements of the customers. Technologies are changing frequently there is a huge competition in this field in order to compete with other brands a customer advocacy business model is more suitable for a brand like Apple. Due to their self decision making approach model they faced lots of criticisms which affects their brand image and operations, thats why the outlined the new business model. Apple is a global brand and the market conditions are different in different areas and a self decision making business model is not suitable for a firm for doing business in this kind of situations. Conclusion To avoid stagnation disruption must be increase; organizations must need to focus on cultures and current market trends accordingly they should go for new innovations this way they can increase the customer loyalty regarding the usability of a particular product or service. In order to capture the market specialized teams needs to be established who will be responsible for analyzing the current market scenario. Though Apple was always look for monopoly business in order to that they always produce products or services which are more unique compare to its competitors. But these days has gone when a company can easily sustain only by depending on their product line. A futuristic approach must be there in all business models to deal with the uncertainty of the future and to compete with other brands. References McKinsey Company. (2015, July 01). Disrupting beliefs: a new approach to business-modelInnovation. Retrieved 18 August, 2016, from https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/disrupting-beliefs-a-new-Approach-to-business-model-innovation Rao, C. A., Rao, B. P., Sivaramakrishnan, K. (2008).Strategic management and business policy: text and cases. New Delhi: Excel books. Shankar, R. (2012). Entrepreneurship: theory and practice. Noida: Tata McGraw Hill. Koontz, H., Weihrich, H. (2010).Essentials of management: an international perspective. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill. Creative ConsulTeam. (2010, January 10). Business model generation. Retrieved August 13, 2016, from https://consulteam.theblackbox.org/media/5985/businessmodelgenerationPreview.pdf Urban, G. L. (2005). Customer advocacy: a new era in marketing. Journal of public policy and Marketing, 24, 155-159. Forbes. (2013, September 17). 8 essentials of creating a sustainable advocacy program. Retrieved August 13, 2016, from https://www.forbes.com /sites/ekaterinawalter/2013/09/17/8-essentials-of-creating-a-sustainable-advocacy-program/#1e3f6c9c3052 Brookings. (2016, June 10). The importance of business models. Retrieved August 13, 2016, From https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/10-business-models-Kubzansky.pdf Innovation management. (2013, January 01). Why business model innovation is critically Important today. Retrieved 12 August, 2016, from https://www.innovation management.se/imtool-articles/why-business-model-innovation-is-critically-important-today/ Hearst. (2016, January 01). How does globalization affect an organizations business approach. Retrieved 12 August, 2016, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/globalization-affect-Organizations-business-approach-20077.html Apple Inc. (2016, January 01). Apple. Retrieved 12 August, 2016, from https://www.apple.com

Is HRM a worthwhile investment for an SME

Introduction Organizations’ management teams are increasingly appreciating the importance of human capital in an effort to improve their organizations’ competitive advantage (Kok 2003). This has led to an increment in the number of studies being conducted with regard to best practices of managing human resources.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is HRM a worthwhile investment for an SME specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There has also been increased recognition of the purpose of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the modern economies. This realization illustrates that, there is a point of convergence between human resource management and small medium enterprises. Human resource management [HRM] deals with management of a firm’s workforce (Kok 2003). It is composed of a set of different but interrelated processes, activities, and functions that are aimed at attracting, developing, and retain ing an organization’s workforce. Some of the activities undertaken in HRM include employee recruitment, selection and formulation of effective appraisal and compensation scheme. Through HRM, organizations can develop and retain talented and energetic workforces that can contribute towards attainment of the formulated organizational strategies, missions, goals and objectives (Transky Heneman 2006). Additionally, integration of HRM practices and policies can significantly contribute towards a firm improving its performance. However, integration of HRM in SMEs is relatively low (Cooper Burke 2011). Previous studies reveal that, most SMEs do not make optimal use of HRM practices in their operations (Bacon, Hoque 2005). Some of these studies assert that, most SMEs tend to operate in a more flexible and informal manner compared to large enterprises. For example, Kok (2003) is of the opinion that, a firm’s size is directly related with its incidence towards HRM practices s uch as training and planning. However, small firms are less likely to invest in training for their employees, performance appraisal, and recruitment practices probably due to limited capital and revenues. HRM in SMEs is mostly characterized by administrative tasks whereas the more strategic matters are not perceived with the weight that they deserve. A study conducted by Hendry and others in 1991 reveals that, SMEs perceive investing in HRM as an additional undertaking beyond the level that is necessary to sustain their operations; a luxury that can only be afforded if the firm makes substantial profits (Kok 2003). However, considering the environmental uncertainty facing firms today, it is paramount for SMEs to evaluate their operational practices in order to remain competitive and HRM optimization is slowly becoming indispensable.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In additio n to being characterized as being informal, management teams of SMEs are also considered to be less specialized compared to large enterprises. Employees of SMEs tend to perform different tasks compared to large enterprises, which means that the level of specialization is relatively low. This aspect is well illustrated by a qualitative study conducted by Berkley and Heneman in 1999. The study took into account a random test on 117 SMEs whose human resource base was less than 100 employees. Findings of the study showed that, 15 of the SMEs considered had a human resource management department (Kok 2003). There is growing evidence that HRM practices tend to be sophisticated especially for SMEs. On the basis of the above analysis, it is evident that there is a significant level of deficiency with regard to HRM in SMEs. This paper is aimed at critically evaluating whether it is worthwhile for SMEs invest in HRM. Analysis of the trend of HRM Previous studies conducted have shown that, dev elopment of an effective workforce and organizational culture is one of the ways through which organizations can develop their competitive advantage. Firm and employee culture are considered to be some of the most fundamental aspects in the success of SMES. An example of such culture includes operating in a social responsible manner (Mankelow 2008). As a result, it is quite unprofessional for SMEs to continue underutilizing their human capital (Cooper Burke 2011). HRM has over the past decade become one of the most crucial aspects that both small and large organizations have to consider. There are a number of reasons that have contributed to this shift. Some of these reasons are explained in the paper. Currently, the business environment is increasingly becoming knowledge based. This means that firms are considering knowledge as an important source of competitive advantage. This has arisen from the high rate of globalization that is being experienced today (Knowles, Diamantis El-M ourhabi 2004). As a result of globalization, most economies are eliminating trade barriers thus presenting a challenge to firms through increased competition (Tsui Lai 2009). Therefore, it is paramount for organizational management teams to consider ways of enhancing their organization’s performances (Cooper Burke 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is HRM a worthwhile investment for an SME specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With the development of the education sector in different economies, the workforce is becoming more and more educated. There has also been considerable growth with regard to employees’ expectations on working environment and quality work. Additionally, staff shortages have made firms experience intense competition for human capital. As a result, SMEs are reconsidering on the best practices that they can retain their talented workforce (Cooper Burke 2011). The importance of HRM in both large and SMEs is also being enhanced by the demographic changes occurring within the labour market. One of the demographic changes being witnessed arises from the fact that the workforce is becoming aged. As a result, it has become essential for SMEs to consider incorporating performance incentives and training and development initiatives in order to maximize on their employees’ working capacity. Organizations are also experiencing a significant transformation with regard to clients and customer expectations. As a result of customers and clients becoming more knowledgeable, they are demanding effective, efficient and high quality services and products (Cooper Burke 2011). Analysis of the changes occurring within the business environment reveals that, it is critical for businesses to consider ways of improving their competitive advantage through integration of HRM practices in their management practices. Theoretical frameworks formulated to explain the importance of HRM in SMEs A number of theories have been advanced to explicate the relevance of SMEs investing in HRM. One of the theoretical explanations is universalistic in nature. The theory is based on HRM best practices (Cooper Burke 2011). Through integration of HRM best practices, SMEs can attain considerable improvement in their performance. One of the ways through which this can be attained is by incorporating the concept of employee training and development (Jolly 2003). Findings of a study conducted in 2002 on the perspective of employee development in SMEs revealed that, training and development is an indispensable component in a firm’s effort to attain the desired growth. This arises from the fact that training and development contributes towards increased productivity within an organization’s workforce. Increase in productivity arises from the fact that employees perceive a higher opportunity for growth within such an organization. Training and development also e nhances the employees’ level of motivation. Despite the benefits associated with training and development, some parties are of the view that training and development can result into increased employee turnover as a result of poaching (Jolly 2003). However, for training to be successful in SMEs, management teams should ensure that it is well imbedded within the firm’s workplace, informal and flexible. The theory also asserts that incorporation of HRM by SMEs would result in adoption of performance based pay. According to Longenecker (2006), it is paramount for SMEs to acknowledge the importance of formulating a compensation plan that will contribute towards attraction and retention of well-qualified personnel.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One of the ways through which SMEs can achieve this goal is through incorporation of HRM best practices. Some of the elements that they should consider when formulating the compensation plan include competitive salary and wage levels, and financial incentives that will improve employee productivity. One of the financial incentives that are most effective in SMEs includes sharing profits. This arises from the fact that it is possible for SMEs to assess individual performance (Longenecker 2006). The second theoretical framework is behavioural in nature. The theory asserts that human resource management practices and policies have a significant influence on employees’ behaviour, for example, through organizational commitment, employee creativity and work engagement. These aspects consequently affect productivity, profitability and performance (Cooper Burke 2011). The third theoretical framework is economic in nature. This arises from the fact that significant cost is incurred i n the process of adopting formal HR practices. According to Phillips (2005), acquisition and maintenance of a strong workforce is quite expensive. There are numerous cost categories that are involved in the development of a strong workforce. Some of these are related to recruitment, selection, indoctrination, initial training, formulation of competitive compensation and reward systems, socialization and exit costs. This can be a challenge especially to SMEs compared to large enterprises. How HRM is worthwhile investing by SMEs There are a number of reasons that illustrate why it is worthwhile for SMEs to invest in HRM. For example, through incorporation of effective training programs, SMES can be able to derive more value from their workforces. This arises from the fact that the business will be able to effectively address the most pertinent issues facing its operation. Investing in HRM can also improve the employees’ attitude towards work. One of the ways through which this change of attitude is attained is by integrating effective leadership measures (Cooper Burke 2011). Findings of a study conducted in the US on leadership training revealed that revenues of firms that incorporate leadership training grow with a margin of more than 25% compared to their training cost (Cooper Burke 2011). This well illustrates the fact that training can result in improvement of SMEs financial performance. Additionally, investing in HRM can significantly improve the performance of SMEs through improved employee engagement. There are a number of ways through which organizations can achieve this; some of these include ensuring that the employees have a comprehensive understanding of their performance expectations. Additionally, SMEs should ensure that employees have sufficient resources to support successful completion of tasks. By investing in HRM, SMEs can be able to contribute towards staff development, improve on employee input, in addition to compelling the employe es to be focused towards attainment of organizational goals and mission. Integration of HRM in SMEs can also contribute towards development of a strong workplace culture. Work within the modern economy is becoming more and more demanding (Ulrich 1997). For example, organizations are demanding more from their employees with few resources. There has also been a decline in employment security, which is making the employees to reconsider their commitment and contribution to their employers (Ulrich 1997). However, incorporation of HRM by SMEs can significantly improve their performance in a number of ways. For example, HRM contributes towards development of an enabling environment for employees to work in. One of the reasons why organizations are experiencing a challenge with regard to employee turnover relates to the current global economic changes. Employees are constantly faced with the challenge of ensuring that they provide for their families. To achieve this, employees are consider ing improving their competitive edge within the labour market. To achieve this, employees are considering going back to school. The employees work demands coupled with their desire to enhance their competitiveness in the labour market are leading to increased stress levels amongst the employees. This arises from the fact that the employees are not able to balance between work and life. Occurrence of such a phenomenon would have adverse effects on the employees productivity and hence the organization’s performance and competitive advantage (Williamson, Lewis Massey 2011). Some of the HR practices that organization management teams should consider in order to deal with this challenge include incorporation of work-life balance and stress management policies (Williamson, Lewis Massey 2011). Effective formulation and implementation of work-life balance can be beneficial to SMEs through achievement of a healthier and happier life for the employees. One of the ways through which m anagement teams of SMEs can achieve this formulation is by integrating effective HR policies; for example, flexible career options and working hours (Cooper Burke 2011). Integration of such strategies can significantly improve the employees level of satisfaction and hence their productivity. Considering the competitive nature of the labour market, it is paramount for SMEs to ensure that they acquire a strong workforce (Michalski 2011). This can only be attained by ensuring an effective employee recruitment process. However, most SMEs do not consider investing their time and money towards developing their human capital. As a result, they do not have a formal employee recruitment process. Recruitment of a strong workforce in SMEs is also hindered by the fact that they are not well connected in the labour market (Cooper Burke 2011). Additionally, most SMEs tend to suffer image problem amongst job seekers. To improve on their ability of recruiting a strong work workforce, it is paramo unt for SMEs to be concerned on becoming more legitimate. To deal with this challenge, it is crucial for SMEs to consider investing in a comprehensive recruitment process. Through recruitment, an organization can attract a wide range of workforce to select from. SMEs should consider several issues in order to attract high-quality job applicants. For example, they should invest in initiatives aimed at making their organizations recognizable amongst job applicants (Hartman Spiro 2005). SMEs should also invest in developing human resource policies such as those used by large enterprises. This can be attained by outsourcing HR consultants to aid in the formulation and implementation of the policies. Such investment in HRM would have significant influence in SMEs’ operational efficiency. The recruitment process is followed by selection of the most qualified staff which is a relatively complex process (Harney Dundon 2006). Due to time and financial constraints, most SMEs conduct reactive selection and recruitment process. Additionally, a substantial proportion of SMEs do not have sufficient understanding on the requirements of a position intended to be filled. However, to ensure that they develop a strong workforce, it is critical for SMEs to invest in HRM practices such as employee selection and recruitment. Upon acquiring a strong workforce, it is paramount for management teams of SMEs to consider on the most effective ways of motivating and retaining employees. This arises from the fact that underperforming employees can be a threat to the success of SMEs. HRM provides a solution on the best practices of employee motivation. These strategies range from monetary to non-monetary benefits. Some of the non-monetary benefits include recognition of employee performance and promotions. To deal with underperforming employees, SME managers should ensure that they maintain constant communication with such employees in order to indicate what the firm expects of the m. Currently, SMEs can achieve this more effectively and efficiently considering the growth in information communication technology; for example, by using emerging social communication networks such as Twitter and video conferencing. This means that SMEs should invest in the current technology. Maintaining communication within an organization can significantly contribute towards development of a strong bond between employees and the management team (Cooper Burke 2011). SMEs, which have incorporated HRM in their operation, are able to deal with changes occurring in the business environment. This capacity to handle change easily is made possible by the fact that HRM enables organizations to undertake comprehensive human resource planning. As a result, they are able to evaluate and anticipate their current and future human resource needs. Therefore, investing in HRM can enable SMEs to be proactive in dealing with environment changes rather than being reactive. Conclusion The above ana lysis makes it evident that, SMEs do not pay much emphasis on HRM compared to large organizations. For example, studies conducted reveal that only a few SMEs have a functional human resource department. This means that, human resource activities are conducted more informally. There are a number of reasons that explain this trend. Some of the reasons range from lack of knowledge on HRM by management teams of SMEs to the high cost involved in implementing HRM. However, changes occurring within the business environment such as globalization have increasingly made SMEs to reconsider the role of HRM in an effort to survive in the challenging business environment. Despite this, the above analysis underscores the importance of HRM in SMEs. For example, despite investing in HRM policies and practices being costly to SMEs with regard to financial and time requirements compared to large organizations, there are numerous benefits that SMEs can achieve. Incorporation of HRM practices can contri bute towards improvement of SMEs’ competitive advantage in a number of ways. For example, by investing in training and development, SMEs can improve the employees working efficiency and effectiveness. Additionally, organizations that invest in training and development are more efficient with improving employee satisfaction. This arises from the fact that the employees develop a perception that the organization has an interest in their heart. This will consequently culminate in improvement of their productivity and hence their performance. Considering the dynamic nature of the business environment, it has become necessary for SMEs to shift their operations towards becoming knowledge-based to be competitive. This can only be achieved if SMEs undertake sufficient training and development. By investing in employee recruitment and selection, there is a high probability of SMEs developing a strong human resource base. The resultant effect is that the firm’s competitiveness w ill be enhanced. Additionally, if effectively formulated and implemented, investing in HRM practices and policies can result in the creation of an enabling working environment. This argument holds because HRM advocates for firms to incorporate strategies, which will contribute towards a high level of employee satisfaction. Some of these strategies relate to ensuring that the employees are well remunerated and their performance recognized by conducting sufficient performance appraisals. Investing in HRM increases the probability of SMEs to achieve their goals and objectives. One of the ways through which this scenario is made possible arises from the fact that HRM advocates for effective management of employees; for example, by integrating the concept of teamwork. Effective organizational leadership also plays a critical role with regard to enhancing cohesiveness in an organization. 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