Provide an explanation that reconciles this research finding with Coursework

Provide an explanation that reconciles this research finding with expectancy theory - Coursework Example Expectation theory operates on the premise that people choose a certain course of action because they find it more rewarding because of the desirable outcome. This desirable outcome can come in several ways either that the individual will become more successful and/or that there is remuneration that awaits for choosing such course of action. We can set the example in a sales organization where sales people are given high quotas which entail high compensation in the form of commissions and salaries and other perks (including recognition and possible promotion) and mediocre quotas where they are only given basic pay. Sales people will tend to prefer the more difficult goal of having high quota because its outcome is more rewarding and desirable. In sum, when difficult goals are established that it is more rewarding and has more desirable outcome, individuals would prefer it rather than mediocre goals that has little reward or less desirable

Assignment - Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assignment - Interview - Essay Example He gained working experience in server administration, and simultaneously specialized in network storage technologies by taking a certified course. His combination of skill, knowledge and experience saw him rise very fast up the corporate ladder. He now leads the ICT department of Travelways Inc. and takes a special interest in ensuring that there is no disruption to the ICT support his team provides to the organization. 1. Travelways Inc. is a travel and holiday organizer. Every aspect of its functioning right from the initial stage when a prospective client makes an enquiry is dependent on ICT. Clients access our servers for all information they require at all stages of their travel and holiday. We use the Internet to make contact with airlines, railways, shipping corporations, hotels and tour operators all over the world to book passages and make reservations. The very business of Travelways Inc. can be termed a ICT business. Its ICT department is the most crucial department. 3. Yes, some disasters are unavoidable in spite of all precautions. Of course, we have a disaster recovery plan integrated with out business continuity. I would like to distinguish between the two. The Disaster Recovery Plan or the DRP is usually specifically concerned with the restarting of a crucial set of ICT systems and infrastructure components. The process of Business Continuity Planning or BCP, on the other hand, is concerned with the enterprise as a whole, and deals with business functions rather than application systems. What however needs to be understood is that Disaster Recovery is a core component of any Business Continuity effort with many overlapping areas. They address the same basic problem. 4. Yes, many companies first build a working DRP before taking the next logical and inevitable step and developing an overall BCP. If the relation between the two processes is understood well enough, then knowledge gained in one

Human Resource

Human Resource Human Resource (H.R): Introduction The word â€Å"manage† as used in business can simply be defined as the art of dealing with people with the aim of bringing the best out of then so as to improve the productivity of the business. It is not easy to manage some of the things we have that have no life let alone people. People are complex in themselves and to have different people from different backgrounds to work together can prove to be very difficult. It is however possible for people to come together for a common goal. It does not matter how they are going to achieve their goal but the common thing that they want to achieve plays a very important role in taming people to put their differences aside and work together. Rothwell (2008, p.23) argues that it is mandatory for a leader in a business to be very good at people-skills for it is the people working at the business that are the most important people in the business. Without employees in a business then the business does not achieve its goals. They are the people that make things move. There is therefore no escaping people-skills if a business venture is to highly perform. â€Å"Management is nothing more than motivating other people†. These are the words of Lee Iacocca – former CEO Chrysler. It is therefore important for a manager to have some basic tips on how to manage people. It is vital that a manager delegates most of the objectives set to achieve so that he or she gets time to manage the team he or she has been given to manage. It also helps the manager to clear his or her mind. It is very important that the person who delegates has a clear head on his or her shoulders. Pearce and Conger (2002, p.41) identify that one of the most important â€Å"X factor† is team work. A strong team delivers most of the things put before it. This paper will focus on teamwork and critically analyse it on how it can be used to improve performance. When people come together, more ideas are bound to be generated, there is strength in numbers and also there is the variety being applied in order to achieve a common objective. Whenever humans come together with a common objective there is very little that they cannot do. It is important that the tem leader gets to have a one on one understanding with each of the team members so as to know the individual strengths of the team members. It is in this way that the responsibilities are divided. One does what they are good at but with the conscious awareness that he or she is only but a piece of a jigsaw, that there are others that are also specialising in their area of expertise to complete the jig saw into one complete thing that makes economic and objective sense (Michaels, 1994, p.45). The only reason a company would invest in its people is so as to enhance performance of the business. They are the key players in an organisation and should be handled with care. There are various ways in which organisations or businesses entice and build their employees so as to achieve higher quality and quantity performance. A business is judged by its outcome. It is the various people employed to work for the venture equipped with the spirit of teamwork that determine the performance of the business. It is quite clear that team work is then a very important factor as it is the ship in which if the business sails, it will never drown or subdue to the waves of furious business challenges. The winning team It is always feels good to be associated with winning. It makes one feel like they are pursuing a worthy cause. If a team is to be put together in a business then it better be a winning team. It is not enough to hire professionals who know what they are supposed to do at exactly which time to have a winning team but recruiting a group of people who will work together in the most efficient of ways. A team that has people who share the same destination work extremely well with each other. It is only when people in a team do not share a vision that they do not work well. A team is defined by the togetherness in achieving the specific goals and objectives of a business. When people share a vision then what do they have to fight over and not work together? Nothing. Differences may exist between individuals but for as long as they have a common goal then they can do anything despite their differences. In order for a team to have a common goal, then it is good practice for members to meet in order to discuss the various projects that have to be undertaken. The secret behind managing people is in a business is to make the employees or the team members feel like they coined and own the business objectives, vision and mission. Koestenbaum (2002, p.74) reveals that this will help people to have a common sense of direction. This implies that he visions, missions and objectives of a business need to have a strong base upon which, a strong team is built. Any team has problems but it is up to the team leader to be very sensitive to any slight behavioural change that would reduce the performance of the team in the long run. The team leader as a people manager should also talk to the team members and encourage them. When one is given motivation to do something, a person is performs even better as they flourish in the though that it is not only him or her that believes he or she can do it but also the team leader. There are teams made up of simple human beings like any human being but thee is always something about the teams. They have the attitude that they were born to win. An example of one such team is â€Å"Manchester United Football Team†. They believe that they are winners. When a person believes something, it is very difficult for them not to make it a reality. It is important that people managing people instil a winning attitude in their team members (Lawler et al., 2004, p.14). It goes a long way in building a strong competent team. How Teamwork affects other key performance areas This can be illustrated by a diagram which is shown below: According to Vandenberg and Lance (1992, p.156), under managing self we have several issues that are worth elaborating and they are eight in number. The very first one is the creative nature and originality of the self. Teamwork improves the ability of a person to get creative and think of ways to get out of tasks presented to him or her that are challenging. This is because the person is always trying to get out of something and always jogging his or her mind to get out of something. The person also wants to be original. It is very difficult to find unethical leadership in a person who leads a team or even the team member himself or herself. A person is always out to improve and to build the winning team so as to achieve the objectives of the business and also get to improve the performance of the team. Performance is core in teams so the self is built to consider ethics when tackling organisational challenges (Walker, 2002, p.36). It is the people around us that build us. Man is no island. People in good teams have been found to have a better way of communication and also have the character to go with this. For a good team to succeed, the members that comprise it have to be in constant communication with each other. A marriage is a good example of a team. Whenever there is breakdown of communication in a marriage then it becomes difficult for things to move. Good marriages are ones in which there is constant effective communication going on, on the regular (West, 2004, p.6). It is through teamwork that a person becomes effective in communication and also gets to know the character he or she should acquire in order to succeed in the business world. Managing people is not only about managing other people but also managing the self. Team work greatly helps in doing this. In teams, it is normal for people to make contributions that they own in order to steer their objective forward. This helps to build a person I problem solving skills which is a factor important to have in the business world. Williams and Anderson , (1991, p.604) concurs that the values of the self are also improved or built. In good effective teams, good values are encouraged as undesirable ones are normally discouraged. This helps a person to always focus on having good values whose practice leads to them sticking. Effective teams have brainstorming sessions where team members contribute in order to make the achievement of their objectives a success. This helps a person to improve their thinking capacities and also helps team members to think in a way that optimises the performance of the business (Blau, 1985, p.279). It gives the individual that deliberate way of thinking that involves thinking in a certain direction. Team members benefit by being in such teams. For a team to succeed then the personalities of the persons in it need to be on point. It is the work personality that helps team members to be able to work through their differences with that common vision in mind. When members learn the personality they need to have in order to work together they will definitely practice this as all of them want to get to the goal so bad. In life, it really matters how badly, one wants to get something as if one does not want something so badly, they will not put differences aside, they will not work hard enough and they will not value input from team members. Under managing people, there are four key areas that need to be discussed and team work is a major component or ingredient in managing people. Arbinger Institute (2002, p.9) suggests that there is team work, the diversity of people, transformed leadership and motivating people. Team work is intertwined with the three issues as it is in team work that people are motivated to push on in order to improve performance. Leadership Leadership is also transformed in team work as most of the time, it is not the team members that learn from the team leader but it is the team leader most of the time rather than not that learn from the team members (National Institute of Social Work, 1996, p.11). The members teach the leaders on hoe to lead knowingly or unknowingly. This gives birth to a new way of leading especially if the leader of a tea listens to his members. Teams can be made up of a rich diversity of people which can either be used to achieve the objectives of a business or also allow the differences that exist within to ruin the team. In International Companies, recruitment as in the type of the company is done at an international level. This means that people will be mixed from different cultures and backgrounds and also different races as well (Block, 1996, p.33). It is quite challenging building a team of people of the same background. It is quite tasking to build a team that comprises of different people. People of one background have been seen to appreciate the music from another background even when they do not know what they are saying. It is in this regard that a team leader needs to direct his team members to be able to dance to the same tune which is synonymous to achieving the same objectives of the business. Such teams come to appreciate diversity. They come to understand that people are different but sure can work together in order to achieve a common goal. Brown and Wardle (1996, p.12) argues that managing work is also another factor that is intertwined with team work. In order to manage a team then the work also has to be managed; the work needs to be kept track of. It is very important that work goes on smoothly in a team even when the management of the team has to be changed for this purpose. Managing work involves the judgement of decisions and also the ability to manage the decision. A decision can be evaluated on the basis of the results of the work that is done or the work that has been achieved in order. The team can easily be evaluated on the same based on the decisions the team made. A team can be judged based on the decisions they made. The decisions they make have to improve performance in the business or organisation (Covey, 2009, p.62). Once the decision is made, then it needs to be managed. When a decision is not managed, then it beats logic to have made the decision in the first place. It is important that team members carry follow through their decisions in order to achieve the task given to undertake. A good team is one that manages the team members well. A strong human resource management is a must in strong teams. Whenever the human resource in a team is good, there are very slim chances of a team not doing its best to accomplish whatever task that is presented before them. We have seen that people are very important and it is through people that a business gets to achieve its objectives. According to Dimma (2007, p.47), a good human resource department forming part of a team will value the employee and make that employee as reasonably comfortable as possible in order for the business to achieve its objectives. A good human resource sub team will provide incentives to persons working in their business; give them a reason to turn down job offers given by other businesses or companies. Good teams also ensure that they manage the information they have in a way to improve performance rather than sitting on information. It is the information we gather in business or in life that assist us in making decisions hence the word informed decision. It is important that a team acts on the basis that it has information. Innovation, Priority management and Objective setting are al components of managing work but also relate to team work (Harrison, 1972, p.28). It is in teams that innovative ideas, decisions and work emerge from. This is because of the team aspect. Teams also prioritise in terms of work so as not to leave important work pending for a long time than usual. It is important that a team sets for itself objectives aside from the objectives of the business so as to also have a common goal in terms of work. Team building and Team Work Companies have been seen to spend quite a lot of money so as to improve the team building skills of their employees. This goes on to show just how important team work is important in the world we live in today especially in the business world. It is essential that a manager has team building skills as it is part and parcel of managing people. It is an important part of managing people. The same people can work by themselves but achieve less productivity. A good, strong team is one in which these same people come together and work towards a goal but perform much better than when they were working on an individual basis. This is the idea behind merging. Some companies merge because together, they have more yields and perform on a different level, giving their customers higher quality of service than when the companies were doing it on their own (Iverson and Roy, 1994, p.39). This is the secret of synergy. Individuals are different but synergised so as to achieve optimum performance. In team building, there are two very important factors to consider. One factor that we have to appreciate in team building is the diversity that exists in terms of the personalities that exist and also the skills. The different people have to be in such a way that they fully exploit their potential to the last drop but again, the weaknesses of the same people are covered for by the other people‘s strengths. Their different personalities have to be in a way that they balance out. In a good team, all ideas, works and decisions in a team made by different individuals are directed to a common purpose either created within the team or the objectives of the business (Goodwin, 2005, p.91). The goals have to be clearly understood by the team members. When some team members get it while others don’t then already there is a loophole and the team is bound to fail because of a different set of goals embedded in the different team members’ minds. Team building Activities aimed at team building are very important so as to assist in the establishment of a strong team. To have a great team takes a lot of hard work, dedication and determination. Team building activities are therefore very important in that they assist in the building of a great team. It is important that a team is led by someone but not just anyone but a good leader. It may not help that a team has clearly understood the objectives, they ma have the same personality thus resulting in conflicts mostly because of fighting (Charan, Drotter and Noel, 2001, p.29). If everyone in a team wants to be a leader then we have a problem as each team member will be acting so as to show how he or she can dominate people. This has led to in-house fighting on too many an instance. There are many factors that have to be overcome to have a good team which is reason the more for team building activities to be taken seriously. There are basic techniques that have to be in place for an effective team to be built. The most obvious one is that all the team members need to have understood and clearly have the goals and objectives behind having the team and also the goals and objectives behind having the business or organisation. There also has to be a clear chain of command in that every single team member is completely aware of their duties and responsibilities and there should be no grey area in this. All the roles have to be distinct so that in the case that there is competition over a certain role then the role needs to be split into smaller distinct roles so as to avoid conflict in the team built. A team leader also needs to be able to spend time with his or her team members so as to understand the various personalities and skills he or she has in the team and also appreciate the same. When a team leader is fair, open, honest and loyal then it becomes a little bit easier to have the same back from the employees or team members. This may be summarised to leading by example. It is in team building activities that members learn how to trust each other and also be open with each other. When this is done then they work together better. The activities should have social times deliberately to prompt people to bond and share their experiences. They get to know each other better which is good for the business as this will help them accommodate each other’s faults but accentuating their strengths (Brion, 1989, p.32). This is what we want to achieve by having a team working on something. An example of one such activity is scheduling the week such that a specific day of the week is set aside so that employees or team members can share lunch. It is over this that they bond. The secret to having an effective team built is also to have the practice of involving the team members in the decision making process so that they feel like they own the decision. When one owns something, it is very difficult for them not to take care of it and watch it grow. The goal can be set in a group. The tactics to be used to undertake in undertaking challenges presented to a team are also brainstormed by the team with them being encouraged to give possible solutions. This leads to the obligated feeling of a team member since a sense of ownership has been cultivated in him or her, which leads to the commitment of team leaders to the cause of the team. There is also need to keep the lines of communication open in a team. It is through this that a team can succeed. Conclusion In today’s world, it is not so fashionable to do things on an individual basis as performance is result driven. The world expects so much from people that the only way the same expectation can be met is through team work. Most of the world’s greatest achievements have been accomplished because of team work. It is very difficult to achieve the results desired in a business single handily. It will have to be in a team. Team work is a very important aspect of business (Curry, et al., 1986, p.851). This explains why businesses always want to now if one is a team player before recruiting them into their companies. Business owners will look at a person’s history to be able to establish whether they are team players or not. It is quite normal in the global arena to find teams in businesses as people have appreciated strength in numbers. To achieve almost perfection in a business and to boost sales or improve the quality of businesses, team work is essential. It is important to have team skills whether one will eventually be a team member or a team leader (Kelley, 1999, p.63). A team leader is a leader to the extent of the performance of his or her team. A team leader is always a member of another team only on a different level. It is quite clear that the world revolves in team work. It is safe to say that the world is a family of teams; its just that they have different objectives and different personalities and skills. References Arbinger Institute, 2000, Leadership and self-deception: getting out of the box, London: Berrett- Koehler Publishers. Blau, G 1985, The measurement and prediction of career commitment, Journal of Occupational Psychology, Vol. 58, pp.277-288. Block, P 1996, Stewardship: choosing service over self interest, Sydney: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Brion, J.M 1989, Organizational leadership of human resources: the knowledge and the skills, New York: Jai Press. Brown, J., Wardle, M 1996, Chance favors the prepared mind: leadership, teamwork and mapping change for human resources, Cambridge: H.M.S.O. Charan, R., Drotter, S.J., Noel, J. L 2001, The leadership pipeline: how to build the leadership-powered company, London: John Wiley and Sons. Covey, S.R 2009, Principle-centered leadership, California: Summit Books. Curry, J., Wakefield, D., Price, J., Mueller, C 1986, On the causal ordering of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 29, No.4, pp.847-858. Dimma, W.A 2007, Tougher Boards For Tougher Times: Corporate Governance In The Post- Enron Era, Mombay: Wiley-India. Goodwin, N 2005, Leadership in health care: a European perspective, New York: Routledge. Gratton, L., Hailey, V.H., Stiles, P 1999, Strategic human resource management: corporate rhetoric and human reality, Cambridge: Oxford University Press. Hare, S.E., Hare, A.P 1996, SYMLOG field theory: organizational consultation, value differences, personality and social perception, Michigan: Praeger. Harrison, R 1972, Understanding your organization’s character, Harvard Business Review, pp.22-32.. Hersey, P., Blanchard, K.H 1988. Management of organizational behavior: utilizing human resources, 5th ed., London: Prentice-Hall. Iverson, R.D., Roy, P 1994, A causal model of behavioral commitment: evidence from a study of Australian blue-collar employees, Journal of Management, Vol. 20, No.1, pp.15-41. Kelley, R.E 1999, How to be a star at work: nine breakthrough strategies you need to succeed, Atlanta: Times Business. Koestenbaum, P 2002, Leadership: the inner side of greatness : a philosophy for leaders. 2nd ed., Cairo: John Wiley and Sons. Komives, S.R., Lucas, N., McMahon, T.R 1998, Exploring leadership: for college students who want to make a difference, Michigan: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Lahiry, S. 1994, Building commitment through organizational culture, Training and Development, Vol. 3, pp.50-52. Lawler, E.E., et al. 2004, Human resources business process outsourcing: transforming how HR gets its work done, Boston: John Wiley and Sons. Michaels, P 1994, An expanded conceptual framework on organizational commitment and job satisfaction for sales force management, Journal of Business and Society, Vol. 7, No.1, pp.42-67. Mowday, R., Steers, R., Porter, L 1979, The measurement of organizational commitment, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Vol. 14, pp.224-227. National Institute of Social Work, 1996, Leadership, teamwork and changing practice, New York: National Institute for Social Work. Parcells, B., Coplon, J 1995, Finding a way to win: the principles of leadership, teamwork, and motivation, Edinburgh: Doubleday. Pearce, C.L., Conger, J.A 2002, Shared leadership: reframing the hows and whys of leadership, Boston: SAGE. Phillips, D.T 1997, The founding fathers on leadership: classic teamwork in changing times, Beijing: Warner Books. Ramsey, R.D 2005, Lead, follow, or get out of the way: how to be a more effective leader in todays schools, 2nd ed., Berlin: Corwin Press. Rothwell, W.J 2008, Human Resource Transformation: Demonstrating Strategic Leadership in the Face of Future Trends, Edinburgh: Davies-Black Publishing. Roth, K.K 2004, Executive Leadership Attributes Relating to Transformed Organizational Human Resource Services: A Study of Transformational Leadership, Amsterdam: Universal-Publishers. Schermerhorn, J., Hunt, J., Osborn, R 1994, Managing Organizational Behavior, New York, NY: Wiley Sons. Stogdill, R.M 1974, Handbook of Leadership: A Survey of Theory and Research, New York, NY: Free Press. Storey, J 2004, Leadership in organizations: current issues and key trends, London: Routledge. Vandenberg, R., Lance, C 1992, Examining the causal order of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, Journal of Management, Vol. 18, No.1, pp.153-67 Walker, J 2002, Ready, Aim, Inspire!: 101 Quotes on Leadership Teamwork, Washington: iUniverse. 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The Evolution of the American Dream Essay -- Essays on the American Dr

Comparing the perspective of the American dream in the 1920’s to the American Dream in the 1940’s and present day seems to be a repeating cycle. The American dream is always evolving and changing. The American dream for present day is similar to the dream of the 1920’s. An Ideal of the American life is to conform to what our society has determined is success. Money, materialism and status had replaced the teachings of our founding fathers in the 1920’s. A return to family values and hard work found its way back into American’s lives in the 1940’s. The same pursuit of that indulgent lifestyle that was popular in the roaring twenty’s has returned today for most Americans, many Americans are living on credit and thinking that money and the accumulation of material items can solve all problems. Through film, literature, art and music, an idealized version of what it means to be an American has changed from money, materia lism, and status of the 1920s to hard work and family values of the forties. â€Å"Money is the root of all evil†(Levit). Man and his love of money has destroyed lives since the beginning of time. Men have fought in wars over money, given up family relationships for money and done things they would have never thought that they would be capable of doing because of money. In the movie, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the author demonstrates how the love and worship of money and all of the trappings that come with it can destroy lives. In the novel Jay Gatsby has lavish parties, wears expensive gaudy clothes, drives fancy cars and tries to show his former love how important and wealthy he has become. He believes a lie, that by achieving the status that most Americans, in th... ...the 1920’s hopefully in the next decade we will repeat the American dream of the 1940’s. Works Cited "Ain’t We Got Fun - Lyrics - International Lyrics Playground." International Lyrics Playground - Songs From Europe, North America and Around The World. Foreign Language Lyrics, Christmas and Holiday Lyrics! Web. 20 May 2010. . Applebee, Arthur N. The Language of Literature. Evanston, Ill.: McDougal Littell, 2006. Print. "New International Version." Bible Gateway. Web. 19 May 2010. Rockwall, Norman. Freedom From Want. About.com. Web. 19 May 2010. . The Great Gatsby. Dir. Jack Clayton. Perf. Robert Redford, Mia Farrow. Paramount Pictures, 1974. DVD.

How to Make Southern Style Spaghetti

A process analysis explains in step-by-step fashion how something works or how something is done or made. In this process analysis, I will be explaining how to make my favorite dish I would like to call it, â€Å"Southern Style Spaghetti. † This is my how-to-essay. Getting Started Making Southern Style Spaghetti is just as simple as making your traditional spaghetti with a twist. First thing you need are your ingredients which are: 2lbs. spaghetti noodles 2 lbs. ground beef or turkey 5 lbs. rumettes 1lb. of peeled shrimp 1lb sausage links 2 onions(chopped) 1 green pepper(chopped) 1lb cheddar cheese 2 cups of milk ? cup chopped parsley 4-6 qt. boiling water 64oz. spaghetti sauce Bring 4qrts. of water to a boil. Add 5lbs. of drumettes to boiling water. Boil chicken for 20-25mins. or until chicken is partially tender. / put aside. In a separate pot bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add shrimp and boil for 10-15mins. / put aside. Brown 2lbs. of ground beef or turkey. / put aside.Bo il your noodles for 5-7 mins. or until it reaches it desired texture. Drain water and rinse your noodles. / put aside. Cut your uncooked sausage into dices or desired shape. ( I prefer half-circle shapes) In a big bowl, mix all of your meats together. / put aside. Then in a large deep stew pot, mix your noodles and spaghetti sauce and bring to a boil. Add your bowl of meats, reduce heat to a simmer. Add your 2 chopped onions, chopped green peppers, parsley, and 2 cups of milk and stir for 2 minutes.Cover and let simmer for 20-25mins. stirring occasionally. Remove from heat then sprinkle top with the desired amount of cheese, cover and let stand for 10mins. serve and enjoy. Makes 10-15 servings. For Baked Southern Style Spaghetti, follow the same instructions, but you should preheat oven to 375 degrees. Use a large deep dish pan to pour everything into. (mix all ingredients together before pouring into pan. ) Cover with foil, place on center rack and bake on 375 degrees for 30-35 min s.Remove foil from pan then continue to bake for an additional 15-20mins, or until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10mins, and then serve. When making your Southern Style Spaghetti, you may omit or add more meat depending on your taste. You may also add more vegetables. Remember to reduce your heat when simmering to avoid scorching at the bottom of your pot. I suggest serving your spaghetti with garlic bread and salad. If the directions are followed correctly, you’re in for a great treat. This is delicious, guaranteed.

Economic freedom Essay

Does economic freedom help explain why the standard of living improves in some countries and declines in others? First of all we have to understand, what economic freedom is? Economic freedom according to William W. Beach and Tim Kane, PhD. â€Å" Economic freedom is that part of freedom that is concerned with the material autonomy of the individual in relation to the state and other organized groups. An individual is economically free who can fully control his or her labor and property.† (Taken from 2007 Index of economic freedom chapter no.3 by William W. Beach and Tim Kane, PhD). Or in simple words we can also say that everybody in his or her own country is said to be economically free, if their respective government protects their rights in every possible way and without any constraint. i.e. if an individual wants to learn anything, to do any kind of business or wants a job, then, he or she has a right to do that, while it is the responsibility of the government to make it convenient and possible for them. The first study of economic freedom was published in the year 1995, and it was improved over the years. There are about ten different types of economic freedoms, which are known as index of economic freedoms. The main purpose of defining these freedoms is to rank the countries in order to pave the way for foreign investment. Following is the list of ten economic freedoms: (taken from 2007 Index of economic freedom from chapter no.3 by William W Beach and Tim Kane, PhD). 1) Business freedom: To check the status of starting, operating and closing any business in how much time. 2) Trade freedom: To check the barriers and constraints in tariffs, import and export in the country. 3) Monetary freedom: To check the measure of price stability and how governments are controlling the prices, inflation etc. 4) Freedom from government: To check either state is providing public goods with minimum expenditure or not. 5) Fiscal freedom: To check the burden on the government with respect to revenue side. 6) Property rights: To check whether the public have keeping the private property rights, defined and secured by the laws, and are clearly defined by the government. 7) Investment freedom: To check whether the government deserves to have the foreign investment or not. 8) Financial freedom: To check the operation of financial institutions i.e. banking systems; are they out of government control or not. 9) Freedom from corruption: To check the status of corruption in the society, i.e. in the business system, judiciary, and administrative system in the country. 10) Labor freedom: To check the status of growth of labor and business either they are working without government interruption or not. (Taken from 2007 index of economic freedom from chapter no.3 by William W Beach and Tim Kane, PhD). Each one of the ten freedoms is measured on a 0-100 percent scale, 100 as the maximum freedom while 0 is the least or minimum freedom. The study of economic freedom was conducted on about 157 countries of the world. To show how it works, I choose two countries that are North Korea and South Korea. North Korea has a communist form of government and is ranked at no.157 in the index of 157 countries, its economy is 3% free. It has exports of $1.3 billion, it exports: minerals, metallurgical products, manufacturing (including armaments), textiles, fishery products etc. and imports of   $2.3 billion, it imports: petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment, textile grains etc. In communist form of government every asset in the country belongs to the state, therefore there is no business freedom i.e. 0 % (in 0-100 % scale) in N. Korea. Also government controls all the imports and exports so trade freedom i.e. 0 % is also nil. No data on income or corporate taxes is available so fiscal freedom i.e. 0 % is also zeroed. Also government owns all the property including businesses therefore freedom from government i.e. 0% is also nil. No publicly record of inflation data therefore monetary freedom i.e. 0% is also zero. Also no private financial sector, therefore financial freedom i.e. 0% is also nil. Wages and incentives are also controlled by government therefore labor freedom i.e. 0% is also nil, also corruption is heavily present in the country so corruption freedom i.e. 10% is also negligible, but there is some investment freedom i.e. 10%, after the opening of foreign investment zone in the far remote area of rajin sonberg where basic facilities are also not provided till date. The government does not cover property rights i.e. 10%, so they are also negligible.   (Taken from 2007 index of economic freedom from chapter no.5). While South Korea has democratic form of government and it is ranked at no.36 out of 157 in the index of economic freedom, and its economy is 68.6% free. S. Korea has export of $299.2 billion, it exports: semi conductors, wireless telecommunication, equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships and petrochemicals etc. It has imports of $269.8 billion, it imports: machinery, electronics, electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport, organic chemicals and plastics etc. As South Korea has democratic form of government, in that form, the government tries every possible effort to please its citizens, therefore starting, operating and closing the business in that country is relatively easy, there is a lot of business freedom i.e. 83.1% present in the country. S. Korea as compared to N. Korea has good trade freedom i.e. 64.2% present but there are some restrictions in its some activities like import, non-transparent regulations and standards etc. S. Korea has high income tax rate of about 38.5% and relatively low corporate tax of about 27.5%, so we can say that it has a good fiscal freedom i.e. 0-100 bracket it has about 81% free. After the foreign investment promotion act of Nov 1998 the government opens the doors to foreign investment in almost every sector except media, electric power and some agricultural sectors, and also residents and non residents can now holds foreign exchange accounts, so there is a lot of investment freedom i.e. about 70% free. The private property right i.e. 70% is secure by the government; corruption i.e. 50% is present at some extent in the country. The labor i.e. 57.7% market is working under restrictive employment regulations due to which employment and production growth rate is very low. Government interference in private sector is negligible, so freedom from government is 81.5%. The government regulates the prices in some sectors like agriculture, telecommunication and other utilities, which monetary freedom 79%, the government in retained some ownerships, second largest domestic bank is under them, which makes the financial freedom about 50% free. (Taken from 2007 index of economic freedom from chapter no.5).   In short economic freedom in South Korea is much superficial than North Korea, and it is mainly due to democratic and communism forms of governments, democratic people are enjoying the fruits of freedom while others do not.

Parallel Forces Physics Lab Essay Example

Parallel Forces Physics Lab Essay Example Parallel Forces Physics Lab Paper Parallel Forces Physics Lab Paper Parallel Forces Objective: Find FA and FB on the apparatus which are parallel to both Fulcrum A and B. Calculations: Theoretical FB = 0 +FB 0. 5 (0. 1kg x g x 0. 1m) (0. 2kg x g x 0. 4m) (0. 05kg x g x 0. 7m) (0. 1kg x g x 0. 3m) = 0 -[{(0. 1kg x 0. 1m) + (0. 2kg x 0. 4m) + (0. 05kg x 0. 7m) + (0. 1kg x 0. 3m)}x 9. 8] + 0. 5FB = 0 0. 5FB = [(0. 1 x 0. 1) + (0. 2 x 0. 4) + (0. 05 x 0. 7) + (0. 1 x 0. 3)]x 9. 8 FB = FB = 3. 04 N Experimental FB FB = mpanB g mfulcrumB g FB = (0. 385kg x 9. 8) (. 0816kg x 9. 8) = 3. 77 . 800 FB = 2. 97 N Theoretical FA -[(0. 1kg x g) + (0. 2kg x g) + (0. 5kg x g) + (0. 1kg x g)] + FA + FB = 0 -[(0. 1kg x g) + (0. 2kg x g) + (0. 05kg x g) + (0. 1kg x g)] + FA + 3. 04N = 0 -4. 41 + FA + 3. 04 = 0 FA 1. 37 = 0 FA = 1. 37 N Experimental FA FA = (mpanA x g) (mfulcrumA x g) FA = (0. 205kg x 9. 8) (. 0693kg x 9. 8) = 2. 01 . 679 FA = 1. 33 N Conclusion: Since the distance of FB is greater than that of FA, the torque of FB is larger. The line of FA, lies directing on the 0. 2 m axis, causing a torque of zero for FA. The theoretical and experimental values for both forces are very close, supporting the theory of torque and parallel forces.

How to Use Agile Project Management to Organize Your Marketing

How to Use Agile Project Management to Organize Your Marketing Are you sick of emergencies, of last-minute deadlines, and the stress of messy workflows? If so, agile project management might be just the strategy you need to use. Chances are great that you’ve heard of it before, but do you know how to use agile methodologies in your marketing? Today we’re going to talk about just that with Andrea Fryrear, the president and lead trainer at Agile Sherpas. She’s going to talk to us about what agile marketing is and how you can use it to prioritize your projects. Sit back, relax, and get ready to learn some high-value information that will help your business succeed. Information about Agile Sherpas and what they do. What agile marketing is, what it focuses on, and what the most popular methodology is. The difference between Waterfall and agile marketing. How agile marketers prioritize their projects. The concept of boundaries and why multitasking doesn’t work. Andrea also talks about the importance of saying no. How agile marketers can focus on the projects that make the most impact. How to build obstacles and roadblocks into your workflow. Tips on using Scrum, Kanban, and Scrumban for agile marketing. What you can do first if you are a marketer who would like to start using agile project management as part of your marketing strategy. Links and Resources: Agile Sherpas Scrum Kanban Scrumban podcast@.com If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Andrea: â€Å"Limiting our work and focusing is the only way we’re gonna get to the point of doing really good, high-quality work that’s focused on the audience.† â€Å"Scrum has the best PR agency of any of the agile methodologies.† â€Å"I would say don’t try to eat this whole elephant in one big bite.†

An analysis of Mark Rothko's Essay Example For Students

An analysis of Mark Rothkos Essay There seems to be no shadowing and modeling is poor which makes it difficult to locate one individual light source. It also gives the figures a two dimensional appearance and makes them seem vacant and somber. The tonal range is wide but the use of cool colors (in particular grey and blues) has the effect of distancing the spectator from the scene. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on color rather than detail because the brushwork is crude. These factors lend the scene a cold and somewhat eerie feeling. Rotators repeated use of vertical lines (specifically the railings and pillars) segregates the figures from one another and more significantly, from the spectator. The overlapping of these objects gives the scene perspective, but long with the idea of segregation and a high picture plane, this only serves to further distance the spectator. The two left most pillars are arranged in such a way that they run parallel with the two right most pillars and with the wall at the back left of the scene. Furthermore the figures on the descending staircase and the figures around the ticket booth are along the same parallel plane, and are framed within the pillars. The effect is that the eye is drawn towards the booth along this line, Perhaps then it is no coincidence that the ticket booth also mess to be the location for the vanishing point. These factors would suggest that the implied spectator position is further back along the same line as the ticket booth and the figures on the descending stairs. Roth uses the methods have discussed to distance and segregate the spectator from the scene. Along With his brushwork, lighting and choice Of colors, this lends the painting an eerie atmosphere. As such, Subway Scene is a bleak and cold image that stresses a feeling Of alienation to the spectator.

Global Health Access Project and the Mae Tao Clinic in Burma Essay

Global Health Access Project and the Mae Tao Clinic in Burma - Essay Example She realized the healthcare requirements of the refugees and established makeshift healthcare facility in Mae Sot so that the injuries and other healthcare problems of the Burmese refugees could be adequately cured (Clarke, p4). The clinic is equipped with adequate medical instruments and machinery and provides wide range of services to the patients. Along with the healthcare services, the clinic also offered social services, training programs, outreach programs, child protection awareness program and health education. (Sullivan et al, p255). Burma is the largest country of mainland South Asia by its geographical area. The official name of Burma is Union of Myanmar. The country is bordered with China, Thailand, India, Bangladesh and Bay of Bengal. The government has been dominantly controlled by the military after the General Ne Win’s coup in 1962. Since then the Burma is under the strict control of the State Peace and Development Council that is led by the military Junta. The country is blessed by the nature with rich and fertile land and resources. Under the military rule, the country has experienced economic downfall and also became the source of refugee crisis that is among the most extended refugee catastrophe of the world (Fink, p87). The cubing policies of the military Junta compelled thousands of inhabitants to cross the border of Burma. These people found rescue in the neighboring countries like Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Thailand and the number of the Burmese refugees has exceeded the limit of half million. It is also found that almost 150,000 Burmese migrated to Thailand that are living in the designated camps. Global Health Access Program (GHAP) is a nonprofit organization that works for the improvement of the communities facing certain crisis either locally or internationally. GHAP uses to support the healthcare initiatives taken by the Mae Tao clinic for the Burmese refugees in

Submit a brief profile of the organization and the leader For your Coursework

Submit a brief profile of the organization and the leader For your Final Research Paper - Coursework Example Autocratic leadership style generally provides for â€Å"managers to make decisions alone without the input of others† (Johnson, 2012). It has been argued that on the surface, no leadership style may be generally judged as effective or ineffective unless the situation to which it was applied has been tested (Saunders et al, 2003). To this end, a number critical ways in which the autocratic leadership style has been applied in the given organization are enumerated below with a conclusion on how effective or ineffective this leadership style has become in the organization. Largely, the autocratic leadership style is exhibited in character and with qualities which include the fact that major decisions on the day to day running of the organization are taken at the management level alone. In most cases, workers and employees take specific instructions as to how each day of the week is going to proceed in terms of activities and working roles. Issues of reshuffling at portfolios, recruitment and promotions are also done at the management level without the input of other subordinate workers and employees. Because this leadership style is commonly perceived by followers as rigid and undemocratic to the growth of their knowledge and skill (Gray-Toft, and Anderson, 2008), they often wish to meet it with stiff opposition. However, the leader has adapted a rigid approach whereby it is almost impossible to contact the management with one’s suggestions for change. The leader has also adapted a system of motivation that considers only people who adhere to i nstructions for rewards and promotions. This has been a motivational tool that the leader employs to ensure that his orders are adhered to. To a very large extent, it can be concluded that even though the leadership style used by the leader has often succeeded in getting the motives and directions of the leader established at the work place, it has often

Yellow Fever Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Yellow Fever - Essay Example It is similar to the â€Å"West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis virus, and Japanese encephalitis virus† (CDC 2010, section ‘Yellow fever virus transmission’). The virus is spread by mosquitoes in tropical regions of South America and Africa (CDC 2010, PHAC 2010, PubMed Health 2009, WHO 1993, WHO 2011). It replicates inside the mosquito (WHO 1993) and after being bitten by an infected mosquito, symptoms usually occur within three to six days (CDC 2010, PubMed Health 2009, WHO 2011). There is no treatment of yellow fever, but the focus is on symptom management and vaccination (WHO 2011). Many difference species of the Haemogogus and Aedes mosquitoes are vectors or hosts that act as a vessel to spread the flavivirus that causes yellow fever (WHO 2011). It can be transferred between monkeys, between people, and from monkeys to humans (WHO 2011). Mosquitoes can be classified as domestic, wild, or semi-domestic and there are three main transmission cycles (CDC 2010, PHAC 2010, WHO 2011). In the first cycle known as the sylvatic yellow fever (or jungle), monkeys are infected by mosquitoes who then pass on the virus to mosquitoes that bite them.

Important Sex Linked Disorder That Affects Humans Assignment

Important Sex Linked Disorder That Affects Humans - Assignment Example Crossing a female with the disease with a male that doesn’t have it will result in all male offspring having the disease and all females being carriers. Finally, crossing a female and a male both that have the disease will result in all offspring having it. Many genetic disorders are inherited recessively. As such the child must have two copies of the allele for it to show phenotypically. One such disorder is cystic fibrosis. This condition results in the excess build up of mucus in many organs including the lungs and liver, as well as increased susceptibility to developing infections. Without treatment, the disease often results in death at early childhood. A cross between a female carrier (Cc) and a male with the disease (CC) would result in 50% of the offspring having the disease, and the other 50% being carriers. A cross between two carriers (Cc) would result in a quarter of the offspring having the disease, half being carriers and the final quarter not inheriting the alle le. Lastly, a cross between two individuals with the disease would result in all of the offspring having the disease. ... Thus, a cross between two carriers (heterozygotes) would result in three-quarters of the offspring having the disease and one not. A cross between a female that did not have the disease and a male carrier (heterozygote) would result in half of the offspring having the disease and the other half not. Finally, a cross between two individuals with the disease depends on the genotypes of each. If both have only one copy of the disease allele, the one-quarterer of their offspring will not have the disease. However, if even one of them is homozygous, then all offspring will have the disease.

The atlantic slave trade 1460-1882 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The atlantic slave trade 1460-1882 - Essay Example The Atlantic slave trade took place from the mid-fifteenth to the late nineteenth century (roughly 1460 to 1882). It is estimated that at least 12.5 million Africans were forcefully transported from Africa during the trade. Many more besides died either during initial captivation, transportation or labour usually from diseases, malnutrition or being killed. This makes it one of the biggest mass migrations the world has ever witnessed made worse by the fact that it was not voluntary but forced, that too under harsh and inhumane conditions. The Atlantic slave trade began in the mid-fifteenth century with the Portuguese. What enticed the Portuguese to the west coast of Africa was gold, but as we now know from history, following their arrival this quickly became not the Gold Coast but the Slave Coast of Africa. Initially, slaves were taken in raids, but then the Portuguese took to the idea of bartering. When they established a ‘factory’ on Arguim Island, it is said that they carried away a thousand slaves every year (Rawley, 2005:19). This was the first European trading settlement in West Africa. The Portuguese settlement on Cape Verdes in 1460 was another milestone because these islands â€Å"were to be important in the Atlantic slave trade, both as importers of slaves and as entrepots for traffic to the New World (ibid). In 1482 they founded the great trading post El Mina to organise the slave trade in West and Central Africa for the Atlantic markets. By now, the trade was in the hands of the Portuguese c rown following the death of Prince Henry. At that time, Europe was expanding its empires, and slaves provided a readily available workforce. Moreover, unlike indigenous Europeans, it was found that Africans â€Å"were excellent workers; they often had experience of agriculture and keeping cattle, they were used to a tropical climate, resistant to tropical diseases, and they

Yellow Fever Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Yellow Fever - Essay Example It is similar to the â€Å"West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis virus, and Japanese encephalitis virus† (CDC 2010, section ‘Yellow fever virus transmission’). The virus is spread by mosquitoes in tropical regions of South America and Africa (CDC 2010, PHAC 2010, PubMed Health 2009, WHO 1993, WHO 2011). It replicates inside the mosquito (WHO 1993) and after being bitten by an infected mosquito, symptoms usually occur within three to six days (CDC 2010, PubMed Health 2009, WHO 2011). There is no treatment of yellow fever, but the focus is on symptom management and vaccination (WHO 2011). Many difference species of the Haemogogus and Aedes mosquitoes are vectors or hosts that act as a vessel to spread the flavivirus that causes yellow fever (WHO 2011). It can be transferred between monkeys, between people, and from monkeys to humans (WHO 2011). Mosquitoes can be classified as domestic, wild, or semi-domestic and there are three main transmission cycles (CDC 2010, PHAC 2010, WHO 2011). In the first cycle known as the sylvatic yellow fever (or jungle), monkeys are infected by mosquitoes who then pass on the virus to mosquitoes that bite them.

The atlantic slave trade 1460-1882 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The atlantic slave trade 1460-1882 - Essay Example The Atlantic slave trade took place from the mid-fifteenth to the late nineteenth century (roughly 1460 to 1882). It is estimated that at least 12.5 million Africans were forcefully transported from Africa during the trade. Many more besides died either during initial captivation, transportation or labour usually from diseases, malnutrition or being killed. This makes it one of the biggest mass migrations the world has ever witnessed made worse by the fact that it was not voluntary but forced, that too under harsh and inhumane conditions. The Atlantic slave trade began in the mid-fifteenth century with the Portuguese. What enticed the Portuguese to the west coast of Africa was gold, but as we now know from history, following their arrival this quickly became not the Gold Coast but the Slave Coast of Africa. Initially, slaves were taken in raids, but then the Portuguese took to the idea of bartering. When they established a ‘factory’ on Arguim Island, it is said that they carried away a thousand slaves every year (Rawley, 2005:19). This was the first European trading settlement in West Africa. The Portuguese settlement on Cape Verdes in 1460 was another milestone because these islands â€Å"were to be important in the Atlantic slave trade, both as importers of slaves and as entrepots for traffic to the New World (ibid). In 1482 they founded the great trading post El Mina to organise the slave trade in West and Central Africa for the Atlantic markets. By now, the trade was in the hands of the Portuguese c rown following the death of Prince Henry. At that time, Europe was expanding its empires, and slaves provided a readily available workforce. Moreover, unlike indigenous Europeans, it was found that Africans â€Å"were excellent workers; they often had experience of agriculture and keeping cattle, they were used to a tropical climate, resistant to tropical diseases, and they

Technology Review and Integration Plan Essay Example for Free

Technology Review and Integration Plan Essay In the 80’s children normally depended on flash card, heavy encyclopedia, libraries and their parents to learn. When the age of personal computers (PC) started to gain momentum in the 90’s, children started to experience computer programs that help them learn. In the late 90’s multimedia application distributed in Compact Disc (CD) can be installed into computer to provide an interactive learning for children. Just recently with the dramatic growth of the internet, nearly all children have access to an internet connected PC. This also boosts the demand for educational websites that provide learning tools either for a fee or completely free. There are probably millions of websites that can be classified as educational but only few studies that directs us which website are best for our teachers, parents and students. This paper examines educational websites for children by going through at least five educational websites. Then from these five, detailed comparison is done on three best educational website found. Technology Review and Integration Plan The internet which connects computers and servers around the world is now the leading source of information. Vast amount of data can be gathered from internet. One of the very useful websites for teachers, parents and students are educational websites. They come either for free or for a certain fee. Free educational websites normally earn through advertisement. Five of the most notable children’s educational website are http://funschool. kaboose. com/, http://www. kidsknowit. com/, http://www. teach-nology. com/, http://www. kbears. com/, and http://nobelprize. org/. The best characteristic of the Knowledge Bears website is the futuristic submarine like graphical interface. This feature makes the site very attractive and easy to use. Although on the other side, since it is full of flash interactive animation, it loads relatively slower than a more text oriented website like the KidsKnowIt. com website. One of the most interesting features of the Funschool Kaboose Website is the kid oriented look of the graphical user interface like the one shown in Figure 2. This makes it easy for kids to understand the usage of the site. The negative side of this site is that it is more of games than information. Each link are consists of educational games. This makes it less informative than the two other educational websites. The KidsKnowit website contains a simple interface that allows it to be loaded quickly in any internet browser. It has more topics and more information than the Knowledge Bears and Funschool Kaboose website. Although it has some disadvantages compared to other sites, but overall, from cost, ease of use, availability, reliability and learning outcome this site proves to be better. Even with the distracting Google ads, the KidsKnowIt website still gives the best experience. It would be easy to integrate these educational websites into the classroom. First, time must be allotted in every subject to learn from these sites. Then initially, an overview should be given to all the children how to navigate through these website’s educational tools. Then some rules must be set as to how long, what areas and what objectives must be met every time the students visit this site. Finally, an evaluation procedure such as how fast they accomplish the games or an exam about the subject matter must be provided to check the progress of learning.With all of these put in place, then there is no doubt that these sites will be very helpful in teaching students. References About us: Kidsknowit Network Outreach Program. Retrieved August 15, 2008, from Kidsknowit Web site: http://www. kidsknowit. com/about. php About us: Kbears. com . Retrieved August 16, 2008, from Knowledge Bears Website http://www. kbears. com/about. html Main Page: Kidsknowit. com. THE TOTALLY FREE CHILDREN’S LEARNING NETWORK. Retrieved August 16, 2008, from KidsKnowIt Website http://www. kidsknowit. com/

Performance Management Purposes and Definitions

Performance Management Purposes and Definitions INTRODUCTION Managing people in organisations is becoming more and more important nowadays so as to produce the best result and achieve efficiency. Therefore employees should be managed efficiently so as to add value in organisations. Performance management is not new, despite the fact that nowadays more emphasis is being laid on it, especially in the public sector. Performance management system is considered as a tool to an organisation. Performance management is a whole work system that begins when a job is defined as needed. It ends when an employee leaves your organisation. The performance management system is a process which increases competence, decreases cost and promotes quality. Performance management is a term borrowed from the management literature. The term performance management was first used in the 1970s, but it did not become a recognised process until the later half of the 1980s (Armstrong Baron, 1998). It has been among the most important and positive developments in the sphere of management in recent years. The meaning of performance management has evolved and continues to evolve. While in the sixties and seventies performance management was often equated to some form of merit-rating, in the eighties and nineties it has been linked to new management paradigms such as Management by Objectives, Performance Appraisal, Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales and Performance-related Pay. The ultimate competitive asset of any organization is its people (Band et al., 1994), thus organizations should develop employee competencies in a manner aligned with the organizations business goals. This can be achieved through performance management systems (Moullin, 2003), which act as both behavioural change tool and enabler of improved organizational performance through being instrumental in driving change. ORGANIZATION INDIVIDUAL Defines mission, values, strategies and objectives Understands and agrees objectives Define tasks, standards and performance measures Understands and agrees tasks, standards and performance measures Monitors organisational, team and individual performance Monitors own performance Develops team and individual performance Develops own performance Figure 1: The contribution of the organisation and the individual in performance management Performance management therefore aims to emphasize and encourage desired and valued behaviours (Risher, 2003), thus is a key tool of communication and motivation within organizations seeking a competitive edge through strategic change and control. Performance management then becomes a system for translating organizational intention and ambition into action and results delivering a strategic goal, such as behavioural change (Band et al., 1994). References: Band, D.C., Scanlan, G. and Tustin, C.M. (1994), Beyond the bottom line: gainsharing and organizational development, Personnel Review, Vol. 23 No. 8, pp. 17-32. Moullin, M. (2003), Defining performance measurement, Perspectives on Performance, March, p. 3. Risher, H. (2003), Refocusing performance management for high performance, Compensation and Benefits Review, Vol. 35 No. 5, pp. 20-30. DEFINITION OF PMS Fowler (1990) defines performance management as: the organisation of work to achieve the best possible results. From this simple viewpoint, performance management is not a system or technique, it is the totality of the day-to-day activities of all managers. The (then) Institute of Personnel Management (1992) produced a similar definition: A strategy which relates to every activity of the organisation set in the context of its human resources policies, culture, style and communications systems. The nature of the strategy depends on the organisational context and can vary from organisation to organisation. Storey and Sisson (1993) define performance management as: an interlocking set of policies and practices which have as their focus the enhanced achievement of organisational objectives through a concentration on individual performance. Fletcher (1992) provides a more organisational definition of performance management: an approach to creating a shared vision of the purpose and aims of the organisation, helping each individual employee understand and recognise their part in contributing to them, and in so doing manage and enhance the performance of both individuals and the organisation. Performance management systems are defined as: the formal, information-based routines and procedures managers use to maintain or alter patterns in organizational activities (adapted from Simons, 2000). Reference: Simons, R. (2000), Performance Measurement and Control Systems for Implementing Strategy: Text and Cases, Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. Armstrong and Baron (1998): Performance management, in a human resource management (HRM) sense, is the process of delivering sustained success to organizations by improving capabilities of individuals and teams. Armstrong and Baron define performance management as a process which contributes to the effective management of individuals and teams in order to achieve high levels of organisational performance. As such, it establishes shared understanding about what is to be achieved and an approach to leading and developing people which will ensure that it is achieved. They go on to stress that it is a strategy which relates to every activity of the organisation set in the context of its human resource policies, culture, style and communications systems. The nature of the strategy depends on the organisational context and can vary from organisation to organisation. In other words performance management should be: Strategic it is about broader issues and longer-term goals Integrated it should link various aspects of the business, people management, and individuals and teams. It should incorporate: Performance improvement throughout the organisation, for individual, team and organisational effectiveness Development unless there is continuous development of individuals and teams, performance will not improve Managing behaviour ensuring that individuals are encouraged to behave in a way that allows and fosters better working relationships. Armstrong and Baron  stress that at its best performance management is a tool to ensure that managers manage effectively; that they ensure the people or teams they manage: know and understand what is expected of them have the skills and ability to deliver on these expectations are supported by the organisation to develop the capacity to meet these expectations are given feedback on their performance have the opportunity to discuss and contribute to individual and team aims and objectives. It is also about ensuring that managers themselves are aware of the impact of their own behaviour on the people they manage and are encouraged to identify and exhibit positive behaviours. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AS AN INTEGRATING PROCESS Performance management is concerned with the interrelated processes of work, management, development and reward. It can become a powerful integrating force, ensuring that these processes are linked together properly as a fundamental part of the human resource management approach which should be practised by every manager in the organisation. CHARACTERISTICS OF PMS Armstrong and Baron (1998) define performance management by eliciting the characteristics of a performance management system, which are as follows: It communicates a vision of its objectives to all its employees. It sets departmental, unit, team, and individual performance targets that are related to wider objectives. It conducts a formal review of progress towards these targets. It uses the review process to identify training, development and reward outcomes. It evaluates the whole process in order to improve effectiveness. It defines a managerial structure to look after all the characteristics above, so that individual staff and managers are assigned specific responsibilities to manage the Performance Management System. Furthermore, a performance management system should have SMART objectives namely; Specific, Measurable, Appropriate, Relevant and Timed. PURPOSES OF PMS Armstrong and Baron (1998, pp. 51-6), Williams (2002, pp. 219-24), Poister (2003, pp. 9-15) and others have noted that organisations introduce performance management and/or measurement for a variety of purposes which might include one or more of the following 17 (the list below is not intended to be exhaustive): (1) to provide information on organisational effectiveness; (2) to provide information on employees effectiveness; (3) to improve organisational effectiveness; (4) to improve employees effectiveness; (5) to provide information on organisational efficiency; (6) to provide information on employees efficiency; (7) to improve organisational efficiency; (8) to improve employees efficiency; (9) to focus employees attention on areas deemed to be of greatest priority; (10) to improve employees levels of motivation; (11) to link employees pay with perceptions of their performance; (12) to improve the quality of employees training and development; (13) to raise levels of employee accountability; (14) to align employees objectives with those of the organisation as a whole; (15) to improve customer service; (16) to facilitate the implementation of an organisations mission and/or strategy; and (17) to act as a lever of change in developing a more performance oriented culture.

Character Development In Sense And Sensibility :: essays research papers

Book Review 1 Development of Major Characters Sense and Sensibility   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first of Jane Austen’s published novels, Sense and Sensibility, portrays the life and loves of two very different sisters: Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. The contrast between the sister’s characters results in their attraction to vastly different men, sparking family and societal dramas that are played out around their contrasting romances. The younger sister, Marianne Dashwood, emerges as one of the novel’s major characters through her treatment and characterization of people, embodying of emotion, relationship with her mother and sisters, openness, and enthusiasm.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marianne is in the jejune business of classifying people- especially men- as romantic or unromantic (Intro II). Marianne’s checklist mentality is observed by Elinor: â€Å"Well, Marianne†¦for one morning I think you have done pretty well†¦. You know what he thinks of Cowper and Scott; you are certain of his estimating their beauties as he ought, and you have every assurance of his admiring Pope no more than proper.† (Chapter 10) To site a specific incident, Marianne describes her opinion of Edward Ferrars- her sister’s interest- as being very amiable, yet he is not the kind of man she expects to seriously attach to her sister. She goes on to find, what in her opinion are flaws, that Edward Ferrars reads with little feeling or emotion, does not regard music highly, and that he enjoys Elinor’s drawing, yet cannot appreciate it, for he is not an artist (15). In a man, Marianne seeks a lover and a connoisseur, whose tastes coincide with her tastes. He must be open with feelings, read the same books, and be charmed by the same music (15). Marianne seeks a man with all of Edward’s virtues, and his person and manner must ornament his goodness with every possible charm (16). Marianne’s mother relates Marianne’s maturity beyond her years by reminding Marianne â€Å"Remember, my love, that you are not seventeen. It is yet too early in life to despair of such an happiness (16).† Marianne’s brand of free expression sometimes has little else to recommend it (Intro, I). What is true of Marianne’s classification system is true of her manners in general: In her refusal to place social decorum and propriety above her own impulses and desires, she is absolutely unbending (Intro, II). Marianne is also characterized as being very charming. For example, she believes her poetic effusions to be striking in themselves as well as accurate expressions of her inner life (Intro, VII).

Beowulf The Hero :: essays research papers

In Beowulf, the protagonist Beowulf is shown as a hero with extrodinary strength. This is not what makes him a hero. By definition, a hero is a man of exceptional quality. However this term does not do Beowulf justice. His self-imposed purpose in life is to help others, and eventually sacrifices his own life in doing so. Beowulf’s battle with the dragon serves as a critique of the notion that Beowulf is a hero. The Dragon section displays many of Beowulf’s heoric characteristics. Beowulf establishes himself as a hero by fighting the dragon, exemplifing strength and courage when fighting the dragon, and sacrificing himself so that others can live. Beowulf’s fight against the dragon shows Beowulf as a hero. Although Beowulf had previously defeated two other foes, he stands fast and fights his most formidable foe yet, the dragon. Dragons were notoriously difficult to kill, and the poem states that it was a great man, who could kill a dragon, even if it meant losing one's life. While others cower away Beowulf fights the dragon. Beowulf defeats the dragon but loses his life in the same instance. Like the classical hero Beowulf loses his special status in death. Beowulf sought no compensation for his services; the mere satisfaction of helping others was pay enough. Like his two previous battles Beowulf fights for those who could not fight for themselves. While fighting the Dragon Beowulf shows feats of strength and courage that define him as a hero. The classical hero displays a special quality that separates him from the rest of Moss 2 society. In Beowulf, Beowulf shows extraordinary courage and strength that gives him special status. This notion is shown, when Beowulf fights Grendel and Grendel’s mother, but it is especially noticeable when he fights the dragon. When Beowulf fought Grendel others had the courage to attempt to fight him. The same is true with Grendel’s mother. When Beowulf goes to fight the Dragon, the other warriors cower away into the woods. Beowulf shows his courage by fighting the Dragon. Even when Beowulf is fighting the Dragon and realizes that his sword can do no damage he continues to fight. After Beowulf is on the verge of death he shows a combination of courage and strength by delivering the death blow to the Dragon, and not just laying down to die. Beowulf’s strength is shown when he is able to actually do battle with the Dragon; any normal man would have fallen to the dragon immediately.

Environmental Analysis of Target Inc.

Running head: ANALYSIS OF TARGET INC. Environmental Analysis of Target Inc. Team B Contemporary Issues in Leadership and Management MM590 October 9, 2006 Abstract Team B conducted an Environmental Analysis and an Industry Analysis of Target Inc. In the Environmental Analysis, competition for customers is always a threat in any business but the success of Target is always looking for new opportunities. The Target Inc. analysis found that competition with the â€Å"big box† stores including the availability of substitute products and threats of new entrants are keys to their success. The analysis of the remote environment found new regulations and shifting demographics influence Target’s success. Falling petroleum prices, confidence in the stock market and families migrating from the city to rural areas were the result of the Industry Analysis. .Our recommendations for overcoming the threats and capitalizing on the opportunities were to increase internet shopping, become move competitive in smaller towns, globalization, and allow the Salvation Army to silicate donations during the holidays. Environmental Analysis of Target Inc. Team B conducted an Environmental Analysis and an Industry Analysis of Target Inc. o identify opportunities and threats that may arise in the near future. In this research paper, the team will evaluate the findings and provide recommendations for responding to the issues and opportunities that Target stores face. Environmental Analysis of Competition An analysis of the competition indicates there is availability of substitute produc es and threats of new competition entering every year. The retail industry provides steady competition among business and within departments of the organization. Target offers a wide variety of products and services, which leads to an immense competition pool. The organization rovides services with photo development, pharmaceutical, prepared food with some locations having chain services, optical, and portrait studio centers. These diverse services provided for the expansion of the competition pool to include non-general retailers. Since retail merchandise is Target’s primary source of profitability, the organization must make proper investments to ensure the quality of these services surpass those of the competition. Quality service in the food preparation department will increase the chances that a customer will pass other fast food companies in order to get the same service at Target. Target competes for the customer’s business in retail merchandise with other discount retailers, department stores, wholesalers, and supermarkets. The competition with other discount retailers is Kmart and Wal-Mart. Each company involved in general retail offers similar products to the customers. Customers can bring a shopping list to include socks, shampoo, DVD player, and holiday decorations to each of the general retailers with confidence that each company will satisfy the customer’s needs. The differences in each business, which determines a customer’s preference is the organization’s reputation. This reputation is developed by personal experiences, and/or by external influences like media and other consumers. A consumer’s life situation is another influence on a customer’s decision on business of choice. Some families find finical benefits in purchasing items found at Target in bulk at wholesaler. A consumer’s location in proximity to businesses is another influential factor. Some of these considerations cannot be altered by a business. Although, Target can offer outstanding service to force the customer’s preference to surpass all other factors in choosing a retailer. According to Kijoo and Kim, â€Å"†¦ store managers need to give their best effort to enhance their customers' perceived satisfaction because satisfied customers have a greater chance of purchasing merchandise† (2006). The retail business relies solely on the customer’s choice in where their money is spent. The best method for retaining customers is to provide them with the products or services they desire. Those businesses, which are successful at customer service, will out perform their competition. The final source of competition involves internal aspects of the company. The competition produces threats to an organization’s retention. In each of the organization in which Target competes in sales, Target also competes in filling similar jobs. All retailers have similar job necessities including cashiers, clerks, receivers, managers, and store managers. According to the article in Human Resources Department Management Report, companies should â€Å"aim to identify the most suitable candidates as well as track trends in applicants and employees, including reasons for departure, rehire possibilities, top performers, and job specifics† (2005). The authors maintain that reduction in turnover can positively affect the profitability of the company. Businesses can operate differently but this does not change the skill requirements for being a leader. Target defines superior leadership performance as the individual who can excel in communicating effectively, managing execution, and demonstrating accountability. Since leadership is not defined by retail experience, Target searches for managers with various experiences including education, military, or public service. As Target is expanding their applicant pool, so is their competition. Once Target recruits strong leaders, retention is significant to the company’s success. Therefore, competition affects Target’s sales growth but also internal growth. Remote and Industry Analysis The analysis of the remote environment found new regulations and a shifting of demographics that influence Target’s success and ability to operate. A corporation that conducts an analysis of the environment must review all available information. This should include, a comparison of one corporation’s information against others in the same industry, and a look at all influences whether they are market related, legally based or social trends that affect the environment. For this analysis, we will focus on Target Corporation, and their main competition (Bateman & Snell, 2004, p. 56). Overall, the retail industry has seen continued strength the last year. This is partially the result of falling petroleum prices, which has led to increased trips to the store, and increase in spending. Adding to the optimism is an increase in confidence in the stock market. Forecasts are for retail sales to continue to increase as they ramp up for the November-December holiday season. In response, the retail industry and Target alike has continued expansion in the e-commerce arena- highly ptimistic that forecasts achieve their estimate of 5% over last year (O’Donnell, 2006, p. 1). Other demographic factors include the continuing trend of families migrating from the city to rural areas, the movement of retirees to western states such as Arizona and Nevada, in addition to the continuation of retirees flooding into Florida. To capitalize on these opportunities, seve ral initiatives have been seen in the industry (PRB, 2006, p. 1). Target has continued a steady yet comprehensive expansion project estimating the addition of 60-65 new stores this next year, with an overall growth rate of 8%. This expansion includes the Super Target stores, which are designed to compete with the Super Wal-Mart, providing grocery as well as retail consumer service (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. 3). Targets advertising costs have increased by $24 Million, double the increase from the previous year. These expenditures are primarily in the newspaper and media circular areas, but Target also increased expenditures on focused advertising campaigns targeting college students as they return to class in the fall (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. 29). This type of advertising has proven fruitful. This is an example of how Target is carving their niche in the market by focusing  on a part of the marketplace that has specific needs (Bateman & Snell, 2004, p. 524). Another contributing factor to the overall increase in budget was the result of a, â€Å"†¦decline in viewer ship of the national networks and the increase in media fragmentation† (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. 11), which has caused a fundamental shift in advertising, utilize more web based services (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. 11). To capitalize on the continued growth of on-line marketing and distribution, Target renewed its agreements with Amazon reiterating their commitment to, â€Å"†¦remain focused on our core strengths of merchandising and design, and while continuing to benefit from Amazon's innovation and expertise† (Target E-Commerce, 2006, p. 1). The article goes on to explain how Targets goal is to provide the ultimate on-line shopping experience to the customer. This methodology helps ensure Target remains a viable competitor in the on-line retail industry. Distinguishing itself from the competition, Target continues to maintain a vibrant image through its promise to ensure its, â€Å"†¦distinctive merchandise provides style, timeliness and quality at â€Å"best in class† prices† (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. 5). As part of this brand recognition initiative, Target continues to build relationships to enhance the shopping experience with industries such as Starbucks and Pizza Hut (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. 5). This is an important part of its effort to distinguish itself from the rest of the retail environment. A study done by Moorehouse in 1984, shows that states that strictly regulate store-opening hours have fewer large stores. In these cases, the consumer pays more for the products in the larger stores, because operating costs are so much higher. This could affect many of the Target stores because it will cost the company more money to operate to give their customers more shopping flexibility, or they have to increase the prices. Target has tremendous growth and profits are high. From the studies, it appears that Target has kept their prices at the same cost, no matter what. Some of these states include many smaller towns that would not survive without the â€Å"big box† stores and welcome companies like Target. Many times even if the cost is higher, the profits are high because of the demand (Tanguay, 519). Globalization is a concept of the international marketplace that influences increased trade, economic interdependence and decreased market barriers primarily due to increased connectivity (Bateman & Snell, 2004, p. 538). Target has been no exception with recent expansion of services in India described â€Å"to perform business functions more productively† (Target Annual Report, 2005, p. ). This global expansion is a direct result of the environment, which fosters global interconnectivity, and more cost- effective operations sourced by major industry, lower labor costs, technology, and an ever-expanding international market. Recommendations Target Corporation has increased advertising dollars to ensure the corporation is targeting custom er’s needs. The increase has done well for the company due to increase in profits over time. The internet-shopping arena is a huge business in the United States. Target’s plan to renew a contract with Amazon was a good decision. This enables customer’s greater flexibility. Many consumers do not like to drive to find the product they need and this helps Target increase profits. One recommendation for the company would to promote more internet shopping in their advertisements. This will especially help with the stores located in certain states where there are stricter regulations on store hours. This helps the consumer in those areas and gives them more flexibility. This will also help the retail chain gain more profits than the competition in those areas. In the smaller towns where companies like Target are considered the â€Å"big box† stores, the company can become more competitive with the local businesses. Many â€Å"mom and pop† stores in smaller communities consider Target a threat because they can offer lower prices on many products. Target should evaluate the markets in these smaller towns to see what the consumers are looking for and at what cost. Globalization has a huge impact on the retail industry. A survey of American organizations shows that in 1996 $100 billion were spent by large organizations on outsourcing contracts. This helps companies like Target build more alliances over seas and reduce costs in technology and labor. This helps the retail chain spend more money on advertising and marketing ventures in the Unites States. Target should continue. On the other hand, the company should look into how many jobs that they are providing here in the US. Consumers like to see major companies consider the welfare of the job economy in the states (Greco, 50). One recommendation is for Target to consider working better with charities. The Target Corporation decided to eliminate any charities soliciting for money inside or outside of their stores. This was a huge headliner when the company stated nationwide that they were not going to allow the Salvation Army (bell ringers) outside of their stores during the holidays. Target’s defense was if they let the Salvation Army in, they would have to let all charities at their store. This created uproar with many consumers. Many customers will no longer shop at Target stores because of this. One of Target’s biggest competitors, Wal-Mart has an advantage because of this. Many of the Target locations are relatively close to the Wal-Mart stores and ecause of the cost proximity Target is losing business. The best decision for Target is to let the Salvation Army back for the holidays. This will increase their profits during that season and may potentially bring back old customers. This does not mean that they have to let all charities at their stores. Allowing this major nonprofit organization will help with the competition tremendously. In summary, Team B found in the analysi s that Target Inc. provides steady competition with the â€Å"big box† stores including the availability of substitute products and threats of new entrants. The analysis of the remote environment found new regulations and shifting demographics that influence Target’s success. Our recommendations for overcoming the threats and capitalizing on the opportunities were to increase internet shopping, become move competitive in smaller towns, globalization, and allow the Salvation Army to silicate donations during the holidays. References Bateman, T. and Snell, S. (2004). Management: The new competitive landscape. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. Greco, JoAnn. (1997). Journal of Business Strategy. Outsourcing: The New Partnership†. 18(4), 48-55. Retrieved from the Thomas Gale database on October 4, 2006. Human Resources Department Management Report. (2005). How ‘Closed-Loop Analytics' at Albertsons Reduces Turnover & Saves Millions of Dollars. 5(3), 2-4. Retrieved from EBSCOhost database October 6, 2006. Kijoo, K. , and Kim, E. (2006). Suggestions to enhance the cyber store customer’s satisfaction. Journal of American Ac ademy of Business. 9(1), 233 – 240. Retrieved from EBSCOhost database October 6, 2006. O'Donnell, J. (2006). USA TODAY: Holiday Season Sales Forecast. Retrieved October 5, 2006 from USA Today web site: http://www. usatoday. com/money/industries/retail/2006-09-18-retail-usat_x. htm Tanguay, George. (1995). Economic Inquiry. Shopping Hours and Price Levels in the Retail Industry: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis. 33(3), 516-525. Retrieved from Thomas Gale database on October 5, 2006. Target Annual Report. (2005). Retrieved October 4, 2006 from Target web site: http://investors. target. com/phoenix. zhtml? c=65828=irol-reportsAnnual

Improve Efficiency Essay

A very high percentage of the items selected (picked) in the distribution centers and re-stocked in the stores were in quantities of 1 case. This company’s roots were as a high volume, limited assortment retailer and distributor. Over time the business had shifted allowing the stores to reorder a higher mix of items at lower volumes. Given the companies market position as a low-price leader, this reduced profit margins. The two root causes of this shift were identified as: 1. Stock-keeping-unit (SKU) count growth outpacing sales growth, and 2. Allowing minimum order quantities from the stores to the distribution centers to drop to a quantity of one This white paper will study how this company quantified the impact of allowing its stores to order in one case quantity and then recalculated minimum order quantities for higher volume items. (For details of how SKUs were reduced see White Paper â€Å"SKU Reduction – Biggest SKLUsers†) A Supply Velocity Consultant led a team of employees through this 5 week project. The Supply Velocity consultant facilitated, but the employees did most of the analysis and therefore owned the improvements. nfo@supplyvelocity. com Copyright: Supply Velocity, Inc. 2 Project Outline ? Evaluated all SKUs and the case quantity they are most frequently ordered at, to establish baseline data for how stores are ordering ? Time studied retail store shelf restocking and distribution center order selection labor to determine the negative labor productivity impact of the current ordering policy o Graphed the results in a trend chart o Determined that the greatest labor productivity improvement happens when the order quantity increases from just 1 to 2 cases ? Recalculated minimum order quantity for all items using Multi-Variable Pareto analysis based on: o Item unit movement o Pack-out (number of units that fit on the shelf space allocated in stores) o Shelf life ? About 20% of all SKUs had a re-calculated minimum order quantity greater than 1 case o The most conservative methods were used to ensure this project didn’t just push inventory out to stores, resulting in shrink (throwing away items that go beyond their shelf-life limit or are damaged) ? Communicated all items on the minimum order quantity to all stores through a comprehensive communication plan o Communication plan included data to show stores how increasing minimum order quantity on select items would improve their labor productivity ? Created a control plan to ensure new items, SKU reduction and sales history will be used to update the minimum order quantity on a twice yearly basis info@supplyvelocity. com Copyright: Supply Velocity, Inc. 3 Time Study Analysis To quantify the problem, we time studied order selection in the distribution centers and shelf restocking in retail stores. We conducted a few snapshot analyses of different distribution centers to understand the current state of â€Å"order quantities†. The graph below shows that out of the approximately 2800 items, a majority are ordered in quantities of 1 case. The time study data also showed that the second case selected or stocked is essentially â€Å"free† and the same movement is used for two cases as for one case. At the outset of this project the team was worried that any increase in minimum order quantity would be viewed by store managers as an attempt to push inventory out from the distribution centers to the stores. This data showed that increasing minimum order quantity from one case to just two, gave us the greatest percentage of labor productivity improvement. However, we didn’t just want to increase all items to a 2 case minimum order quantity. Instead, a statistical tool, Multi-Variable Pareto was used to calculate the proper minimum order quantity based on a mix of inputs. nfo@supplyvelocity. com Copyright: Supply Velocity, Inc. 4 Distribution Center Order Selection Quantity (# of items picked per quantity) 57% of the items in distribution centers were selected at a 1 case quantity info@supplyvelocity. com Copyright: Supply Velocity, Inc. 5 â€Å"Time to Select per Case Quantity† in the Distribution Centers – Based on case count per selection When selecting 2 cas es of an item, the time per case drops by 45% from 1 case. info@supplyvelocity. com Copyright: Supply Velocity, Inc. 6 Time to Re-Stock SKUs on Shelves in Stores – Based on case count When restocking 2 cases of an item, the time per case drops by 61% from 1 case. This shows that the greatest productivity improvement occurs when going from 1 to 2 cases, which is easier to â€Å"sell† to the stores than making large increases in minimum order quantity. They can reduce labor by 37 seconds per case by ordering and stocking 2 cases of an item versus 1. info@supplyvelocity. com Copyright: Supply Velocity, Inc. 7 Multi Variable Pareto Analysis ? Recalculated minimum order quantity for all items using Multi-Variable Pareto analysis based on: o Item unit movement o Pack-out (number of units that fit on the shelf space allocated in stores) o Shelf life ? About 20% of all SKUs had a re-calculated minimum order quantity greater than 1 case o The most conservative methods were used to ensure this project didn’t just push inventory out to stores, resulting in shrink Multi-Variable Pareto is a method that uses more than one â€Å"measure† to sort SKUs from highest to lowest performing. Normal Pareto Analysis has been used to develop guidelines such as the 80/20 rule (20% of customers generate 80% of sales). When using multiple variables, there has to be a way to normalize the data so all variables are part of the analysis. We used three variables to determine the correct minimum order quantity for an item. ? Cases sold per week on average for each item ? The number of cases that fit in the given shelf space ? Product shelf-life Each of these variables are positively correlated to Minimum Order Quantity. ? The higher the cases sold equals higher Order Quantity ? The greater the shelf space (pack-out) equals higher Order Quantity ? The longer the item’s shelf-life equals higher Order Quantity The team of subject matter experts used retail experience to determine each of these factors and their impact on minimum order quantity. Results of this analysis are shown below. The calculation was very conservative, as the results have shown. Only 466 of 2800 items have a minimum order quantity greater than 1 case. This was largely driven by two factors. Item shelf-life limited our ability to make any shelf-life sensitive item greater than 1 case. Our calculation took this limiting factor into account, to ensure we weren’t causing shrink (throwing away items that go beyond their shelf-life limit or are damaged) at the stores. In addition, lower case movement drove many items to a 1 case minimum, even if they didn’t have shelf life limitations. The lower case movement is due to SKU proliferation and was addressed by the SKU Reduction (Biggest SKLUsers) project. info@supplyvelocity. com Copyright: Supply Velocity, Inc. 8 Results of Minimum Order Quantity Calculation info@supplyvelocity. om Copyright: Supply Velocity, Inc. 9 Communication & Control Plan ? Communicated with all retail stores about how the minimum order quantity analysis was conducted and the resulting new plan o Communication plan included data to show stores that increasing minimum order quantity on select items would improve their labor productivity ? Created a control plan so new items, SKU reduction and sales history will update the minimum order quantity on a twice yearly basis It was critical that this project was presented as a positive for our retail store-customers. We created a communication plan that showed two key aspects of this change: ? The conservative nature of the change o only 466 of 2800 items are receiving a minimum order quantity increase ? This change is good for the stores and will improve their labor productivity To ensure that this process endures and does not get reversed over time we included a control plan. This is shown in the graphic below. As Category Marketing Managers evaluate items, adding and reducing SKUs, changes will be reflected in new pack-out quantities. This quantity will get fed to Distribution Technology who will recalculate this items’ minimum order quantity using the same Multi-Variable Pareto calculation. A control group, made up of Merchandising, Distribution and Retail Directors will review the list, make changes in the ordering system and communicate changes to store customers. info@supplyvelocity. com Copyright: Supply Velocity, Inc. 10 Results By taking the higher sales volume SKUs and increasing the store minimum order quantity, we decreased the time per case to stock shelves in the stores and select items in the distribution centers. Using only the 1 to 2 case increase in minimum order quantity for the 466 SKUs reduced the labor time per case resulting in a labor savings of $1. 2 million. The expectation for this process is to slowly grow the number items with a minimum order quantity greater than 1 case beyond 20%. By rationalizing and reducing SKUs we should increase the shelf pack-out of remaining items, thereby increasing the minimum order quantity.