Running head: ESA PROJECT ABOUT SPAIN
ESA Project about Spain
ESA Project about Spain
General Attributes
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Spain is a country located in the Iberian Peninsula in the continent of Europe. It occupies
four hundred and ninety-eight, nine hundred and eighty square kilometers of land and six thousand
three hundred and ninety kilometers of water bodies. Spain is the fifty-second largest country in
the world with a total area of five and five, three hundred and seventy thousands square kilometers.
The state has a total of forty-seven million and forty-two thousand people. The national language
of Spain is Spanish. However, there are several minority languages spoken in some regions of
Spain like Catalan in Catalonia; Valencia in Valencia area; Basque/Fuskera in Basque County and
Galician in Galicia. Spain is a nation where the Spanish Constitution warrants freedom of religion.
However, the majority of the Spanish population is Catholic. There are other religions practiced
in Spain such as Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and Protestantism.
Most of the people in Spain are educated, and that is why the average percentage of menwomen literacy is ninety-eight percent. Men have the highest rate of literacy, scoring ninety-eight
percent, compared to women scoring ninety-seven percent. The Spanish Kingdom is a
parliamentary constitutional sovereign state headed by a king. The Spanish Constitution amended
the parliamentary constitutional monarchy in the year 1978 (Sawe, 2017). The position of the king
in Spain is inherited. However, daughters are authorized to inherit the kingship only if the ruling
king has no sons. The government is comprised of a devolved system with independent regions
and regional governments. The country is divided into seventeen independent societies and two
independent cities. The local governments in the regions are independent, but the state government
still maintains overall sovereignty. The king is supposed to administer an oath of office; thus
swearing that they will protect the constitution before they assume the office.
Economy of Spain
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Spain is one of the well-developed countries in the world. The economy of Spain started
to register a high growth rate from 2008. This growth has been experiencing for more than a decade
to date. It resulted due to better infrastructure development and the availability of cheap labor. The
development of a robust infrastructure sector such as roads, railways, and airports opened gaps for
the international and domestic market, which significantly boosted the economy of Spain. The cost
of living standards is relative to the wage and salaries Spanish workers earn (Expatica, 2018).
Spain's cost of living is also lower compared to the United States and other European states. This
makes it affordable for domestic citizens and foreigners living in Spain. The most expensive
regions to live in Spain currently are Madrid and Barcelona.
However, there is an abundance of opportunities to secure high-quality life in Madrid and
Barcelona at a cheap cost of living for expats. The lowest price of living is present in Valencia,
Granada, Seville, and Malaga. The cost of living in Spain is lower compared to the cost of living
in America. America's cost of living is higher compared to Spain because the country's economic
growth rate is higher than Spain's. Wages and salaries paid to workers operating in America are
higher than the wages and salaries paid to Spanish employees. This makes it possible for the
citizens in America to afford the costly living standards of the United States.
There is a disparity in income distribution for the Spanish population. However, Spain is
one of the best-performing countries regarding better life index. In Spain, the middles class
household net-adjusted revenue per capita is USD twenty-three thousand, three hundred and
twenty-nine annually. There is a significant gap between the royal class and the poor people. The
ruling class population totals to twenty percent compared to the average citizen's eighty percent of
the entire population. In Spain, the upper class earns seven times the salary earned by twenty
percent of the lower class.
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Similarly, there is inequality in income distribution in the United States. However, the
inequality income distribution in the United States is lower than in Spain. Income inequality In
America has increased since the 1970s. This means that the household income has increased.
America is ranked as the 30th in income inequality worldwide. This means that seventy percent of
United States citizens have a more equitable distribution of income. Therefore, the gap between
the rich and the poor is considerably lower compared to Spain.
More than five million Spanish citizens earn the Spanish minimum wage. The average
Spanish minimum salary for the last three years is about six hundred and fifty Euros per month.
However, this minimum wage is relative to the cost of living in Spain, which is lower compared
to other European countries. Additionally, the Spanish minimum wage is lower compared to the
other European countries like England and France. The minimum salary for Spanish workers is
three hundred and sixty-eight sterling pounds.
All wages in Spain must be paid in a period not exceeding one month as provided by the
Spanish constitution (Smith, 2018). The minimum wage in the United States is higher compared
to the Spanish minimum wage. In this year, the American federal government set the national
minimum wage at twelve thousand, five hundred and seventy-four Euros per year, meaning that
the minimum wage per month totals one thousand and forty-seven Euros per month. This shows
that the economic growth rate in America is higher compared to the economic growth rate in Spain.
However, there is racial discrimination in American wage payment where black Americans
receive lower wages compared to the American Caucasians. Black Americans earned a median
salary of thirty-five thousand, four hundred and twelve US dollars while the American Caucasian
men earned a salary of fifty-one thousand and sixty-four US dollars. In Spain, salary payment is
equitable for all workers in the country regardless of color, race, and religion.
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Recently, the number of employed people in Spain increased to sixty-four percent in the
third quarter of the year 2018 from sixty-three percent in the second quarter of the same year. This
means that the economy of the country also grew. The increase of jobs in Spain simultaneously
led to the decrease in the unemployment rate. The number of unemployed people decreased to
fourteen percent in the third quarter of 2018 from fifteen percent in the second quarter of 2018.
This was the lowest rate of jobless people in Spain since the year 2008.
For about six decades, the Spanish average rate of unemployment was sixteen percent.
High job gains were recorded in the sectors of industry and construction while the Agricultural
sector was affected by the loss of jobs, since people shifted from the agricultural industry to the
construction and service industry, while others went into other private sectors. In 2007, the female
employment rate was lower than the male employment rate in Spain. In 2007, women
unemployment rate was eight percent compared to the four percent male unemployment rate.
However, the unemployment rate in 2009 changed, where female unemployment rate increased to
fifteen percent and that of men was higher at eighteen percent.
This led to many men depending on female salaries to cater to family needs. Additionally,
the employment rate for the minority population is lower compared to the native population
employment rate. The employment rate for minority groups has increased for the last decade due
to the increased demand for labor in sectors of industrialization and construction (Smith, 2018).
Youth unemployment rate decreased gradually over the previous ten years in Spain meaning that
the employment rate to the youth in Spain has increased significantly. This is due to the increased
number of educated youth in the sectors of STEM.
There is a government directive in Spain that regulates the national minimum wage. For
example, in 2018 the federal government, with the authority of the Spanish constitution, fixed a
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minimum wage of eight hundred and fifty-eight Euros per month. Both the private sector and
public sector ware subjected to this directive. Furthermore, wage payment in Spain is also
influenced by the state of demand and supply (County Economy, 2018). When the local market
and the international market are profitable, the income of the business owners also increases; thus
leading to the increase of the Spanish wage. The country has experienced the expansion of the
international market. Industrialization and growth in agricultural activities have also lead to the
rise of income paid to the investors.
Industrialization and agriculture have increased the exportation capacity of Spain; thus
boosting the growth of the country's economy. Wage determination is also determined by
collective bargaining. Trade unions do eighty percent of the bargaining power for wage solutions.
In Spain, there are trade unions formed by all civil servants to serve the interest of the members.
Trade unions protest poor wage payments and also overworking of employed citizens. Therefore,
the wage determination is identified by government directives, demand, and supply in both
international and domestic markets, and collective bargaining.
In Spain, employers offer benefits to their employees to motivate and appreciate their
contribution to the organization. Workers are granted a maximum of eighteen months' leave in
events of sickness or accidents. Additionally, employees are entitled to social security pension.
Workers are awarded social security payments when they get sick. This amount is determined by
the employees' salary and their position in the company.
Moreover, workers are given vacation days provided they have worked in the organization
for at least one year. Employees are given a vacation of at least thirty days (Smith, 2018).
Employers in Spain also offer maternity leave. A paid maternity leave of sixteen weeks is entitled
to the workers. Female workers are also guaranteed a one-year unpaid maternity leave after the
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baby is born. These benefits are offered to the employees to maintain a healthy relationship
between them and the employer.
The Spanish Constitution stated that the maximum working hours a worker is permitted to
work should not go beyond an average of forty hours per week. The daily actual working hours an
employee should work must not exceed nine hours for the employees under the age of eighteen.
Traditionally, Spanish working hours are categorized into two parts, the morning from 10am-2pm
and 4pm-7pm. However, due to the high demand in labor, the working hours in Spain are
increasingly becoming identical to those of countries with business and service industries working
from 9 am to 4 pm.
Additionally, Spanish citizens are entitled to receiving payment for extra hours worked in
case the employee is required to work overtime. The overtime working hours an employee is
allowed is a maximum of eighty hours per year (Golding, 2018). This limit is set to regulate the
working hours suitable for the mental capacity and health of the worker. The safety of the Spanish
workers is a requirement by the government to all employers. Spanish workers working in
hazardous areas must be provided with proper safety equipment to use while at work. Moreover,
Spanish workers working in places associated with terrorist attacks should be provided with
adequate security. Furthermore, workers toiling in health centers and other areas that require a high
level of hygiene should be supplied with clean working centers to avoid infections.
Spain remains one of the highly unemployed countries in Europe with a sixteen percent
unemployment rate. Most the unemployed citizens are the youth, totaling thirty five percent.
However, in Spain, there are numerous skilled workers in the sectors of information technology,
service industries like the banking sector, teaching English, and jobs in tourism sectors (Study
Country, 2018). Spain is one of the most fabulous destinations many tourists travel to enjoy the
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sunny climate and also to enjoy the sports and fascinating Spanish culture. Due to many foreign
people English speakers living in Spain, English teachers are in high demand in Spain. Service
industries available in Spain also include ship construction, automobiles, metal production, and
pharmaceuticals. However, the Spanish labor market lacks some important skills such as adequate
medical professionals. There are few qualified doctors and nurse practitioners available in Spain.
This has led to a shortage of doctors and physicians in the health sector; thus forcing the country
to hire doctors and nurse practitioners from other countries.
References
County Economy. (2018). Spain National Minimum Wage - NMW. Spain: Country Economy.
Retrieved from https://countryeconomy.com/national-minimum-wage/spain
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Doyle, A. (2018). Average Salary Information for US Workers. Dot-dash publishing family: Dotdash publishing family. Retrieved from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/averagesalary-information-for-us-workers-2060808
Expatica. (2018). What is the Cost of Living in Spain? Spain: Expatica. Retrieved from
https://www.expatica.com/new/es/about/basics/cost-of-living-1159118/
Golding, N. (2018). Incentives to work in Spain. London: Employee Benefits. Retrieved from
https://www.employeebenefits.co.uk/issues/december-2007/incentives-to-work-in-spain/
Sawe, B. E. (2017). What Type Of Government Does Spain Have? World Atlas: World Atlas.
Retrieved
from
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-type-of-government-does-
Spain-have.html
Smith,
J.
(2018).
Work
in
Spain.
Prospects:
Prospects.
Retrieved
from
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/working-abroad/work-in-spain
Study Country. (2018). The Economic Activity of Spain. Spain: Study Country. Retrieved from
https://www.studycountry.com/guide/ES-economy.htm
Employee motivation (How "hard working" are employees? What
motivates their performance?)
B. Organizational
• Performance evaluation and discipline
• Recruitment and training
• Dispute resolution
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Grievances over rules applications
2. Impasses resulting from disputes establishing wages, hours,
and working conditions
Employee participation in decision-making
C. Governmental
• Extent of government intervention in private employment
• Existence and impact of labor laws
D. Role of Unions
• In the company?
• In the government or politics?
IV. Human Resource Management Analysis of your country)
A. Benefits - Reward System, Compensation, Practices (Table 14-6)
B. Liabilities - economic pressures/trends
C. Potential solutions
V. Conclusion
Summarize your key findings and include a recommendation as to whether to
locate or not locate in your chosen country.
Writing Requirements (APA format)
22-24 pages (approx. 300 words per page), not including title page or
references page
1-inch margins
Double spaced
12-point Times New Roman font
Title page with topic and names of students
• References page (minimum of 15-20 resources)
Grading and Assessment
This assignment
will be graded with the ESA Final Project Rubric
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