The Galapagos Island in Ecuador Essay Example for Free

The Galapagos Island in Ecuador Essay Nineteen breathtaking islands stunningly situated in the Pacific Ocean comprise the Galapagos Islands. Aside from the wonderful corporeal attributes of the island, it is also well-known for its â€Å"showcase of evolution. † The island houses different species of sea animals, which were believed to have evolved due to the volcanic activities affecting marine life. In fact, Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution was based on his observations in the Galapagos Island. (UNESCO, 2007) Unique creatures living in the island including land iguanas, giant tortoises, seal colonies, cormorants, bats, rats, and such presents the importance of supporting advocacies to protect and preserve this world heritage site. These animals, also including penguins and other kinds of birds who frequent the island coexist for a balanced marine ecosystem. (The Galapagos Island) Overall, the island boasts of over 1,600 species of various insects, over 800 species of shells, 200 starfishes, 120 crabs, and many more worthy of efforts and support for their conservation and sustained existence. (Explore Galapagos) Animal seclusion in the island was identified to cause nonchalant behavior of animal life in the area. (The Galapagos Island) Imbalance in the existing animal life community in the island is said to be caused by human interference. Human practices that threat the harmony in the Galapagos Island dates for more than two decades ago when explorers hunted animals in the area for personal provisions. Aside from this, people who inhabit the island alter the physical environment affecting the balance in the island’s ecosystem. For instance, some foreign plants set in the area have been identified to damage the life of native plants in the island. To protect the area from further damage brought about by human actions and practices, majority of the area in the Galapagos was transformed into a National Park. Ongoing scientific investigation to sustain preservation is also conducted in the area by the Charles Darwin Station. (Galapagos Conservation) Although the government of Ecuador and other international organizations such as UNESCO are working very hard to continue the protection and preservation of the island, conditions that threaten the unspoiled nature of the Galapagos still exist. Therefore, continuous and intensified support is needed to prevent the destruction of this immaculate heritage site. Primarily, what should be worked on is the growing economy and population in the area, increasing the presence of insidious species of plant and animal life, as well as man-made products that disturb the balanced and harmonious community in the island. Funding and efficient management skills should be a primary concern of everyone involved. To air the call for protection and preservation of the Galapagos, efforts should also be made to educate all people in order to determine the significance of the diverse community existing within the Galapagos and look out for ways on how the advocacy can be supported by all means possible. References Explore Galapagos. (2008). Retrieved October 1, 2008, from Galapagos Conservation Trust.Website: http://www. gct. org/intro. html Galapagos Conservation. (2008). Retrieved October 1, 2008, from Big Five Tours Expedition. Website: http://www. galapagos. com/conservation. php The Galapagos Island. (2006). Retrieved October 1, 2008, from interKnowledge Corp. Website: http://www. geographia. com/ecuador/galislands. htm UNESCO. (2007). Galapagos Island. Retrieved October 1, 2008, from UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Website: http://whc. unesco. org/en/list/1

Shampoo Market Analysis

Shampoo Market Analysis The shampoo market is one of the fastest moving and innovative sectors of the FMCG market. It represents 35 of the EU hair-care market and is lead by three main competitors, Procter and Gamble, Unliver and LOrà ©al who own corresponding market shares 44.9%, 17.7% and 11.4%. The attached report discusses the following points: Main market competitors Growth, decline, trends and developments in the shampoo market Strengths and weaknesses of the main competitors Segmentation of the market and differences between competitors segments Customer profiling and behaviour Shampoo purchasing process It is recommended that in order to achieve a substantial share of the market competitors must cater for as many of the different needs of customers as possible. Wella caters for a wider spectrum than the other competitors: various mens needs, various womens needs and even the elderly. It supports this theory as it has the highest market share as a company. They must also take into consideration the disposable income and current family situation of the customer. They must price products adequately in order to enable the correct targets to purchase their specific product whilst still making profit as a business. Introduction This report was commissioned to analyse the size, structure and segmentation of the UK shampoo market. Shampoo is a Fast Moving Consumer Good (FMCG) that is the cheapest and fastest moving good within the FMCG industry. Within this we focused on the three main competitors; Proctor and Gamble with a 44.9% market share, Unilever with 17.7% and LOrà ©al with 11.4%.We analysed each competitors strengths, weaknesses, methods and processes to target each segment of its market. Main competitors Globally shampoo is the leading segment of the hair care industry holding a 40% share of the market. The leading competitor of this sector is Proctor and Gamble (P G). Similarly, the same trend follows within the EU as it is again the most profitable segment of this market with a 35% share of the hair care market. The same competitor, P G, also leads the EU industry with 24% of the market value. Growth And Decline Since the recent recession, the hair care industry has not emerged unscathed. According to Mintel the recession led to a quarter of shampoo users spending less on shampoo, thus contributing to the  £15 million slide in market value between 2008 and 2009. However, revenue statistics from 2012 show that there was a 3% expansion in hair care products between late 2010 and early 2012, this is supported by the predictions of analysts that shampoo revenue will reach  £19 billion by 2015. Innovation and an ability to adapt helped the hair care market to survive the economic crisis demonstrated by the 165% increases in new product launches between 2006 and 2008. Trends And Developments There has been a number of developments to Shampoo over the years since it first became a product in 1762. In 1890, this then developed into a detergent product, and then the product became further enhanced when in 1903, Shampoo became a powdered product for the first time. The first shampoo product to appear as it does nowadays came about in the 1960s. Most recently, consumers who are looking for a quick beauty fix have helped the dry shampoo market double in size in the past two years. Sales have rocketed by 140 per cent year on year, and research by Mintel found 23% of women and 13% of men own a bottle of dry shampoo. According to Mintel it is especially popular amongst younger women, with nearly 4 in 10 of those aged 16 to 24, compared to 1 in 10 of the over-55s. They also predict that dry shampoo sales will reach up to  £17million this year. A trend that we noticed whilst researching was penetration pricing which is when a business initially sets a low price when entering a new market. When the product becomes established, the company gradually increases its price. We found that around 80-85% of companies launching a new shampoo in the market use penetration pricing as their entry mode strategy. An additional significant trend that we can see in the shampoo market sector is the constant demand for innovation; a brand must maintain its competitive advantage by continuously promoting its brand and undertaking research development. This helps to avoid losing market share and customers to its competitors. Out of all the products that are launched in the UK, a 1/4 of those are new shampoos. One example is the launch of Tescos new affordably priced, high quality range called HBM which targets those most affected by the crisis, offering them professional, salon quality formulations on a budget. Strengths and Weaknesses In order to compare the companies, we analysed their strengths and then their weaknesses. Firstly we studied the strengths of the global leaders Proctor and Gamble being that they operate on a large scale and have a strong brand portfolio which includes the well-known Wella brand. A further strength is that not only do they offer shampoos; but they also offer a wide variety of other household goods: Pampers, Ariel and Duracell. We then studied Unilevers strengths. The group contains many successful brands including shampoos such as VO5 and Tresemme and other FMCGs (Pot Noodle, Comfort, Vaseline and Lynx); if one brand were to suffer fluctuations in sales, it would be supported by the success of another. Within Unilever, each brand is successfully advertised and promoted. A further strength is that there is constant research and development suggesting that Unilever is competing to offer the best they can. Lorà ©al doesnt have the support of being a brand within a group however; it is more concentrated in one market (the cosmetics market) therefore bases its strengths in its portfolio. It is a global competitor and supports its UK market with sales in other countries (130) and employs very successful promotion and marketing techniques through celebrity endorsements. The primary weakness evident with all three main competitors is the stiff competition that they are subject to within the cosmetics market resulting in constant research and innovation. When studying the weaknesses of these organisations we found that Unilever and PG share similar weaknesses as they are groups which are not concentrated on one market. This can mean they have less expertise and experience possibly being a hindrance. (subivision) LOrà ©al has a competitive advantage to these two due to its one market focus. LOrà ©als decentralised organisational structure can be considered an internal weakness as it causes difficulties in managing their world-wide spectrum, a weakness also shared by Unilever and PG. High promotional expenses, primarily from celebrity endorsements, mean that higher investment is taking a substantial risk when launching a new product range. Segmentation This market sector can be segmented in many ways. Firstly it is segmented via demographics; the gender, age, race, religion and income of a person, within which it can be segmented further into life stages. For example an employed bachelor with a house and only himself to provide for, therefore having a higher disposable income, is able to spend money on luxury products including shampoos. However on the contrary in a Full Nest 1 situation, the disposable income is allocated to the needs of others e.g children. A further method of segmentation is through psychographics. This segment considers: the activities, interests, opinions, attitudes and values of customers. In relation to shampoo industry, the attitudes and values of customers are considered greatly importance. The psychographic segment has recently become more importance to companies as customers wanting organic and animal friendly products has become an increasing segment with sales increasing by 24% between 2011-2012. LOreals purchase of the Body Shop in 2006 also opened its doors to a wider customer market. By adopting some of The Body Shops policies such as no animal testing, the refusal to use chemical and products made with natural ingredients, Loreal has recently launched a new line of product befitting to the profile of customer whos psychographics influence their purchase choice. Thirdly there is behavioural segmentation via occasions. However we found that this is not a role taken by the company but a decision taken by the customer. It can be suggested that women in particular tend to use a specific shampoo for a specific occasion. We found that only one shampoo, Tresemme, catered for this type of segmentation, selling their range of salon quality shampoo. Competitor Differentiation Within the shampoo market, the competitors segments differ somewhat. LOrà ©al have always been known to have more of a focus on women, as do most shampoo brands including Wella, which we can see through their recent adverts. However, in recent years as men have started to place more of a focus on self-grooming, LOrà ©al has developed both shampoos and beauty products for them as have Wella. Wellas range is segmented into more specific needs of men than LOrà ©al, whose range is less extensive. Vo5 however, have equal gender segmentation within the brand but not with their shampoo range. Customer Profiling Wella segments its range into two main sections; men and women. Within its range for women it profiles its customers by further segmenting into different needs. Its main focuses are: sun damaged hair, condition improving, older age depleting hair and protection for coloured hair. Its focus is similar to those of other brands however it demonstrates some product differentiation in being the only one of the three main competitors which provides a shampoo to care for sun damaged hair. The bottles retail at  £4 each showing that although the needs of the customer may differ, the price remains constant. Wella has a rather extensive range of 10 shampoos to suit the needs of men all of which also have their corresponding conditioners. Their range includes: Hydrate, Repair, Volumise and again SP Sun like with the womens brand. They are more expensive shampoos than other brands on the market for men as they retail at around  £9 per 250 ml bottle. The 3 most famous brands in the Unilever group are Vo5, Tresemme and Sunsilk. Vo5 are the most recognised brand used by many people and focus on two main segments; gender and styling. As previously mentioned the gender segment is divided equally within the brand, however, they only offer shampoo for women but styling products for both. It can also be noted from publicity that the brand target a young audience of teens and young adults. LOrà ©al has 4 main segments for its shampoos which are directed at: women (selling through a company called LOrà ©al Paris), men (selling through a company called LOrà ©al men expert), the elderly and children (selling through companies called LOrà ©al kids and LOrà ©al Elvive Age Defying).It also has a small expert range of supposedly higher quality products at higher prices aimed at a higher class. Within these demographics its products are split into the different needs of its consumers. Expert Loreal also produce a higher quality, higher priced and ultimately higher class shampoo called hair expertise consisting of: Everpure includes a range of 9 products of which 3 are shampoos: colour cair and moisture, colour care and volume and colour care and smoothing Eversleek includes a range of 6 products of which 2 are shampoos: smoothing and moisture and smoothing and intensely nourish Everstrong includes a range of 3 products including only one shampoo : reinforcing and vitality These are separated into the various needs of the consumers; colour care, nourishment, volume, smoothing and moisture similarly to other loreal shampoos but these are aimed at a more affluent customer retailing between  £6 and  £8 a bottle 16Loreal women- Emma Loriel Elvive for women is broken down into 5 different needs within the demographic They are: coloured hair consisting of a range of 6 products of which 2 are shampoos; Colour protect and Nourish and Shimmer which both retail at  £4 a bottle Hard to manage hair consisting of a range of 7 products of which 2 are shampoos; smooth silk light and smooth silk intense which also both retail at  £4 a bottle Dry and damaged hair consiting of a range of 15 products of which 4 are shampoos; damage care ,triple resist, full restore 5 and re-nutrition which again all retail at  £4 a bottle Long or dull hair consisting of a range of 10 products of which 2 are shampoos; nutri gloss, nutri gloss light and nutri gloss crystal which like all the ranges we have seen so far for women retail at  £4 a bottle And normal hair consisting of a range of 9 products of which 3 are shampoos; multi vitamins and the nutri gloss range is also directed at this group. Again these shampoos all retail at  £4 for a 400ml bottle. So as we can see although the target market for each type of shampoo changes for the specific needs of the consumer, the price doesnt and remains consistent throughout. also: conditioners, sprays, serums, 2 in 1s, hair masks 17LOreal men- Jade Within the demographic for men Loreal Elvive Men Expert is broken down into only three different segments: Anti dandruff intensive 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner, Anti dandruff normal to greasy hair shampoo and regenium xy body building shampoo. These all retail at the same price as womens shampoos  £4 for a 400ml bottle. There are other products in these ranges for mens haircare mainly being styling products, but it is noticeable that the spectrum of products is much wider for women than it is for men. 18Loreal young and old- Yaz Loreal have a product range targeted specifically at children called Loreal Kids, each bottle retails at around  £2.20 Rather than having many products targeted at the various needs of its consumer, in this case as the consumers are children and their hair is less varied in type, they focus more on different aromas of shampoo to meet the different tastes of the children. The one need which children have with shampoo and which is catered for is that their shampoos do not sting their eyes, hence their no more tears slogan. Also to meet the needs of the customer- the parents helping with their childrens hair care routine it is also designed for no more tangles hence the second part of their slogan no tangles They do however have a specific shampoo designed to remove the smell of chlorine and salt from hair after swimming. Other products in the range include sprays and conditioners There is a very limited range available specifically designed for the elderly called age defying which is for those with depleted or thinning hair as they grow older. It retails at the same price as all other loreal shampoos but one will find it when looking, on the womens section of their UK website. This could largely be due to the assumption that men will lose their hair when they age rather than have a depleted amount or quality and therefore dont present much demand for such a product. Customer Behaviour Customer behaviour specifies the amount of involvement in a purchase decision and how frequent certain products are bought. Looking at two types of customers we can distinguish that shampoo can fall into both the variety seeking and the brand loyalty/repeat purchase categories. In the purchasing of a shampoo we have come to the conclusion that there is often low involvement in the decision making process. Sometimes people prefer to variety seek meaning that they will search for and try different shampoos, until they find the one that suits their hair the best. In this category price can be seen as an influential factor. On the other hand there are habitual buyers who may take longer in the purchase decision and prefer to repeat their purchases. This could suggest that they have found the shampoo that suits their hair and prefer to remain loyal with that one brand. Price may be a less significant factor in this process as people are willing to spend extra for a better service/product OR better quality. Purchasing Process The purchasing process that a consumer goes through first begins with the recognition of a problem, such as the need to treat hair in a specific way. The next stage is to search for information about the shampoo necessary for your hair. After this, the consumer then has to do an alternative evaluation looking at other shampoos based on factors such as recommendations and price. The fourth stage of the purchasing process is the store the consumer chooses to buy the shampoo from and whether they purchase the shampoo online or in store. The final stage of the purchasing process is the post purchase activities such as whether the consumer is happy with the results of the shampoo on their hair. Evaluation Conclusion Through our extensive research we have come to conclude that the hair care industry, especially shampoo, is fast moving and innovative. We expected this due to it being an FMCG but not to the degree that we found. Any company in this market must constantly research and aim to improve its products as competition is high. Not only does this demand come from within the industry but also from the customers. They must produce various versions of their product to fit the consumers requirements which has resulted in such broad segmentation. We have seen this through gender, age and other circumstantial means, and considering how many different types of people there are in the world it is not hard to believe that there is a corresponding shampoo for each and every one of us. Appendix Who are the main competitors in this market sector? pg 44.9 unilever 17.7 loreal 11.4 kao brands compaNT- 10.7 own lable- 5.2 jhonson- 5.2 others 2.7 pz cussons 2.2 The main competitors are firstly PG, which contain the very well known brands Pantene prov, head and shoulders and wella Secondly Unilever who own the likes of vo5 tresemme and sunsilk And then Loreal

Employee Turnover Types, Theories and Effects

Employee Turnover Types, Theories and Effects In this chapter, the literature review is aimed to present the concept, models, theories and previous research to the causes and correlation of employee turnover. The contents focus on employee turnover, the factors that influence the employee turnover: personal characteristics, job satisfaction, organisational commitment and perceived alternative job opportunities. Employee turnover has been defined by Price (1977) as the movement of members across the boundary of an organisation. As Mobley (1982) defined that turnover is the voluntary cessation of membership in an organisation by an individual who receives monetary compensation for participating in that organisation. This definition emphasises voluntary behavior because primary turnover model seek to explain what motivates employees to withdraw from the workplace. Furthermore, this concept focuses on separation from an organisation and not includes accession, transfer, or other internal movements through an organisation. Moreover, there are many definitions in same perspective from many authors as Van der Merwe and Miller (1996) stated that employee turnover is a permanent withdrawal and also function of the person-work relationship. The authors emphasise that there should be a fit between the worker, the agency and the environment. If this fit is not present or available, turnover is likely to occur. This relationship is considered pervasive. It can be affected by any or all aspects of the job situation, both inside and outside the employing organisation. Lane (2001) described employee turnover as the result of both quits and layoffs and further states that some turnover is a result of jobs in one firm being destroyed and jobs in another firm being created and hence due to the reallocation of jobs across the economy in response to changes in product demand. From the descriptions above, the researcher could conclude that job turnover is when employees leave their employment permanently and the entrance of new employees to the organisation. That employee turnover can either be positive or negative, but all have a significant impact on productivity (Boxall and Baldwin, 2002) Types of employee turnover There are two different types of employee turnover in an organisation that many authors have identified the following types of employee turnover: Voluntary turnover Gomez-Mejia et al (1997) defined voluntary turnover as a separation that occurs when an employee decides for personal reasons to end the relationship with the employer. The decision could be based on the employee obtaining a better job, changing career, or wanting more time for family or the present job is unattractive because of poor working conditions, low pay or benefits, and bad relationship with supervisor. In most cases the decision to leave is a combination of having attractive alternative opportunities and being unhappy with aspects of the current job. Sims (2007) conceded that voluntary turnover occurs when an employee initiates the termination of their employment of their own free will. Quits is one type of voluntary turnover. Grobler et al (2002) defined quits as occurring when an employee leaves the organisation without giving the normal period of notice (e.g. one month). It is usually a sudden decision by the employee. Thus, it should be noted that quits can occur at any time and mostly when the organisation least expects it. This can be serious impact on the organisations total performance and productivity. Although organisation can not do much about employee quitting, they can try to determine the possible reason for leaving or for making that decision. Involuntary turnover Gomea-Mejia et al (1997) defined that involuntary turnover occurs when management decides to terminate its relationship with an employee due to economic necessity or a poor fit. The organisation or the employee cannot control this type of turnover. It is further stressed by the authors that involuntary turnover results in very serious and painful decisions that can have a profound impact on the entire organisation, espacially the employee who loses his or her job. Mkhize (1998) concedes involuntary turnover as when an employee is asked by the organisation to leave. Involuntary turnover represents employer-initiated job separations over which employee have little or no personal say, such as dismissal or layoffs. Sims (2007) also concedes that involuntary turnover arises when employment is terminated against the wishes of employees. Those authors from their definitions stress the fact that with this type of turnover is result from the employers decision rather than the employee. It mig ht be employers would not want to keep poor performers or excess manpower. The costs of employee turnover Kelly (2001) stated that employee turnover costs are the problem that most executives are aware of but do not acknowledge as a potential loss of revenue. A lot of disadvantages that are brought up by employee turnover are clearly evident in cost benefit analyses. Human resource mangers know that employee turnover is a major cost and significantly impacts an organisation (Irvancewich, 1994). Many managers refuse to face up to these costs, but they might be forced to do so when considering the various factors necessary to calculate the cost of employee wastage (Stewart,1998) According to Mitchell et al (2001), employee turnover imposes extensive cost both the individual and the organisation level. At individual level, it does not matter if the person leaves voluntarily to another job or is forced to leave and take a personal toll. For organisation level, the problem arises when leaving employees take their valuable knowledge and expertise gained through experience with them. This turnover leads to numerous costs for the organisation, such as: Exist interview time and administrative requirement Payout of unused vacation time Cost of temporary workers Overtime for co-workers Training costs Replacement costs, include advertising, processing of candidates, interviewing, selecting. Potter (2002) postulated that employee turnover is a critical cost driver for American business. The cost of retaining and filling vacancies, lost productivity from vacant jobs and cost of training new employees increase operational costs. Elements of the cost of job turnover very widely and depend on whether all cost elements are recognised. The author further identifies three primary elements of employee turnover costs that include the following; Staffing Costs Sometimes are referred to as cost per hire. These include the costs of recruiting job applicants (such as advertising or job board posting, screening applicants, personal search, service brokerage fees, relocation expenses and signing bonuses). Vacancies cost While a position is vacant the productivity of the former employee is lost and the productivity of the overall organisation is reduced as the remaining workers cope with being shorthanded. Jay (1998) referred to these as the temporary replacement costs of getting the work done while the post is vacant and can include overtime, temps and many others. -Training cost The replacement employees time, other employees time and valuable resources must be expanded to train each employee and to facilitate the transition because no new employee starts working at 100% efficiency. Jay (1998) added the induction costs to the training and refers to this as direct costs and pay during unproductive early stages. Stone (2002) maintained that this phase is the non-productive time because it is characterised by dislocation of the other employees work as the new employee tries to settle down and incurs the same view on the lost productivity. Thus, training costs includes an organisations expenditure to orientate and train replacements and opportunity costs caused by inefficient production. The further statement identified an extension of those elements as follows: Redeployment Redeployment of an existing labour force as a result of labour turnover involves extra costs as this creates vacancies in the system. Assimilation and efficiency lost cost incurred before the new employee is fully proficient. Relocation Costs These costs include hotel charges, direct disturbances allowance, for example legal fees, removal fees, house purchase assistance and temporal travel subsidy of the new employee. Leaving costs These costs are associated with creating the vacancy, the closing of the previous appointment, for example refunding, superannuation payments, etc. Ham Griffeth (1995) refered to the leaving costs as the separation costs and describe them as those that quitting produces directly. A good example is exit interviews that are conducted when the employee leaves the employer to determine the reason for leaving. The researcher conceded that high employee turnover in an organisation means increased recruitment, selection and training costs. It can also mean a disruption in the efficient running of an organisation when knowledge, experienced personnel leave and replacements use be found and prepared to assume a position of responsibility. Theories related to employee turnover Expectancy theory holds that people are motivated to behave in ways that produce desired combinations of expected outcomes. Generally, expectancy theory can be used to predict behavior in any situation in which a choice between two or more alternatives must be made. For example, it can be used to predict whether to leave or stay at a job and whether to try substantial or minimal effort at task (kreitner and Kinicki, 2001). Vrooms expectancy theory (1964) According to Vroom (1964), the strength of tendency to act in a certain way depends on the strength of expectancy that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on the value or attractiveness of that outcome to the actor. Motivation, according to Vroom, boils down to decision of how much effort to put in specific task situation. This choice is based on a two-stage sequence of expectations that are effort-to-performance and performance-to-outcome. First, motivation is affected by an individuals expectation that a certain level of effort will produce the intended performance goal. Motivation also is influenced by the employees perceived chances of getting various outcomes as a result of accomplishing his or her performance goal. Individuals are motivated to the extent that they value the outcomes received. There are three key concepts within Vrooms model, which are expectancy, instrumentality, and valence. Expectancy According to Vrooms expectancy theory, expectancy represents an individuals belief that a particular degree of effort will be follow by a particular level of performance. In other words, it is an effort-to-performance expectation which refers to a degree of effort to which individual feels that it will lead to achievement of desired goal (kreitner and Kinicki, 2001) Instrumentality Instrumentality is a performance to outcome perception. It represents a persons belief that a particular outcome is contingent on accomplishing a specific level of performance (kreitner and Kinicki, 2001) Valence Valence refers to the positive or negative values people place on outcomes. For example, most employees have a positive valence for receiving additional money or recognition. In contrast, job stress and being laid off would likely be negatively valence for most individuals. In Vrooms expectancy theory, outcomes refer to different consequences that are contingent on performance, such as pay, promotion, or recognition. An outcomes valence depends on a individuals need (kreitner and Kinicki, 2001) Peter and Edward Lawlers Expectancy Theory (1969) Lyman Porter and Edward Lawler III developed an expectancy theory of motivation that extended Vrooms expectancy theory. This theory attempted to identifies the source of peoples valences and expectancies and link effort with performance and job satisfaction. There are three key variables which are predictors of effort, predictors of performance and predictors of reward and satisfaction (kreitner and Kinicki, 2001). Predictors of effort Effort is a function of perceived value of reward which represents the rewards valence and the perceived effort to reward probability. Employees will exhibit more effort when they believe they will receive values rewards for task accomplishment. Predictors of performance Performance determined by more than effort. The relationship between effort and performance is contingent on an employees abilities and traits and role perceptions. That is, employees with higher abilities attain higher performance for a given level of effort than employees with less ability. Similarly, effort results in higher performance when employees clearly understand and are comfortable with their roles. This occurs because effort is channels into the most important job activities or tasks. Predictors of rewards and satisfaction Employees receive both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards for performance. Intrinsic rewards are self- granted and consist of intangible such as a sense of accomplishment and achievement. Extrinsic rewards are tangible outcomes such as pay and public recognition. In turn, job satisfaction is determined by employees perceptions of the equity of the rewards received. Employees are more satisfied when they feel equitably rewards. Finally, employees future effort to reward probabilities is influenced by past experience with performance and rewards. Models of employee turnover To reinforce the previous definitions of employee turnover Man Sararat (1984) stated that a labour force movement was a process whereby labourers would make decision in regard to where and when they would work. It means the labourers choose their own employers and locations where they will work, and may change their jobs and companies as many times as the wish. Personal characteristics The concept of personal characteristic The personal factors include individual qualities that can be viewed as personal traits the employee possesses and which are distinctive to the individual (Harmse, 1999). The author further asserted that it has to do with what and who the individual is within his total being and which guide his behavior or functioning. According to the researcher, the employees general outlook on life is one of the major factors that influence employee turnover. An employee with a high self-esteem, confidence in his or her abilities and with a positive outlook on life is more likely to stay than the one with a negative attitude. Thus, these factors are inherent in human behavior. The following are the personal factors that influences employee turnover as identified by different authors. Relationship between personal characteristics and employee turnover A large number of research studies have identified the importance of individual or personal characteristic factors as predictors of employee turnover (Arnold Feldman, 1982; Cotton Tuttle, 1986; Lee Mowday, (1987). Among the characteristics most commonly examined are age, education, and tenure (length of time a person has worked in an organisation) (McBey Karakowsky, 2000; Mowday, 1982) The personal characteristic differences had been identified as potentially important correlates of turnover. This was because gender and age may be important negative correlates of turnover intention and turnover (Thatcher et al., 2003). Various studies had attempted to look beyond the traditional relationship theorised between job satisfaction and voluntary turnover. Gleser (1990) states that sex, race and age variables should be considered since minority group may face discriminatory practices and may approach job satisfaction differently than more normative groups. Age and employee turnover Drafke and Kossen (2002) maintained that employee turnover typically increases with age. Older employees have more work experience. They have a better understanding of what work needs can satisfy and overall they have a more realistic view of work and life. Young employees have comparatively little or no job experience with which to compare their current jobs and because of this they are more likely to substitute the opinions of other people, their own beliefs about other peoples jobs and their own idealistic views of what should be their lack of experience. In another way, Younger employees had more entry-level job opportunities and few family responsibilities, thus making job mobility easier. They may also have inaccurate expectation regarding working, which are not fulfilled in their early jobs (Porter Steers, 1973; Wanous, 1980). Therefore, younger employees are more likely to terminate their employment than older employees. Furthermore, Mc McCullough (2002) who stressed that age is a widely known factor that influences employee turnover. The author further states that the younger employee, the stronger likelihood of employee quit. The longer that employee stays, the more turnover risk goes down. Similarly older employees are less likely to quit than younger ones, as younger ones are more likely to take employment risks and hop to other jobs. The author still concedes that research has confirmed that the older employee, the lower likelihood of quitting. Education and employee turnover Neither a strong nor a consistent relationship between education and turnover is evident in the literature (Mobley, 1979; Price, 1977). Since many turnover studies are based on individuals with similar educations, a relation between turnover and education is difficult to establish. However, Arnold and Feldman (1982) and Brief and Aldag (1980) stated that education is positively related to employee turnover. Wong et al. (1999) found that individuals with higher education levels are better informed of the alternative opportunities available in the external labour market. Managers with high educational qualifications, by virtue of their high employability, they are greater discretion in their choice to turnover. If mangers perceive that reward levels are not commensurate with education or human capital value and performance levels, it is likely that they will report a greater number of turnover cognitions (Trevor et al., 2007) Tenure and employee turnover According to streers (1997) and Mobley (1982), there are many research studies which suggest that a negative relationship exists between tenure and turnover. The research has indicated that relatively high turnover occurs among new employees (Mobley, 1982). It should be noted that tenure has been considered as a covariant of age (Bedeian et al., 1992; Kacmar Ferris, 1989), and consequently its influence is similar to that of age. As an employees tenure increases, the formal benefits (e.g. compensation and promotions) and informal benefits (e.g. status) also increase. Given these issues, employees with higher tenure are less likely to leave their organisation for fear of losing these benefits upon entry into a new organisation (Hellman, 1997). Job satisfaction The description of job satisfaction There are many authors define job satisfaction in the literature. Job satisfaction is influenced by economic factors such as pay, benefit and rewords as well as structural and procedural factors reflecting autonomy or fairness. Hersey and Blanchard (1993) defined the job satisfaction is a consequence of the past which refer to employees feeling about the reward they have received when comparison with work role input and its outcome. Robbins (1996) conceded that job satisfaction refer to a collecting attitude toward ones job which is different between the amount of rewards workers receive and the amount that they should receive. Mitchell et al (2001) stated that employees who feel satisfied with their jobs have a positive experience of their pay, supervision, chances for promotion, work environment, clear roles and met expectations. Furthermore, Weiss and Cropanzano (1998) stated that job satisfaction represents a persons evaluation of his or her job and work context. It is an appraisal of the perceive job characteristics and emotional experiences at work. Satisfied employees have a favorable evaluation of their job based on their observation and emotional experiences. In the same way, Schermerhorn et al (2000) define job satisfaction as the degree to which individuals feel positively or negatively about their jobs. It is an attitude or emotional response to ones tasks as well as to the physical and social conditions of workplace. According to Locke (1976), job satisfaction is really a collection of attitudes about specific facets of the job. Employees can satisfy with some elements of the job while simultaneously dissatisfy with others. Different type of satisfaction will lend to different intention and behavior (McShane and Glinow, 2002). To access ones job satisfaction, five facets of job satisfaction should be measured following (Kreitner and Kinicki, (2001) : Work- itself (job) Harmse (1999) described a job as a position within an organisation depending on the scope of the organisation, which can be as small as one. The author still mension that it can also be viewed as a group of positions that are nearly as identical with respect to primary duties and tasks that are sufficiently similar to be included in less than one title. Kolen (1997) argued that a job is fully specified. Kolen (1997) defined the job as the kind and amount of work to be performed by a person or a piece of equipment within a given time period. The author still maintains that every well-conceived job definition should always consist of two parts namely: Job description- This is a detailed statement of the content of the job in terms of major tasks the sequence of those tasks and the conditions under which they will be performed. Mondy Premeaux (1994) described job description as a document that describes the tasks and responsibilities of a job and its relationships to other jobs. According to Harmse (1999), the job descriptions are beneficial for both the individual employee and the organisation. . According to Harmse (1999), the job descriptions are beneficial for both the individual employee and the organisation. The author further identifies the following advantages: The employee has a concise picture of why he or she is employed, The employee can easily identify how he or she will be assessed, The parameters of authority and accountability are clear, Given the big picture, i.e. the mission statements, the value of this specific position for the organisation can be identified, It assists in placing the right person in the right position, There is more efficiency and effectiveness throughout the organisation as tasks and responsibilities are identified. Job specification- This states the qualification an individual must posses to perform the job. Mondy Premeaus (1994) viewed a job specification as the minimum acceptable qualifications a person possess to perform a particular job. Luthans (1992) mention that work-itself is one of the major source of satisfaction. In additional, some of the most important ingredients of satisfying job included interesting and challenge work, work that not boring and a job that provided status. Van Dyk (2001) stressed that any job should have key characteristics that directly affect employee performance and satisfaction and thus in turn influences job turnover. The authors further identify the following three job characteristics; Variety-refers to the number of different tasks and activities included in the job. Challenge- is the level of difficulty of job tasks and activities. Autonomy-refers to the extent to which an employee can carry out his/her tasks independently on the job. The job that does not consist of the above job characteristics will not seem to have any meaning. Employees would what to do the job that is exciting and be able to use their abilities in doing it. Without these, chances of employees leaving their employers are accelerated. Pay Perceived competitiveness of pay refers to employees perceptions that salaries are Promotion Luthans (1995) described promotional opportunities as advancement in the hierarchy. Nel (2001) ascertained that a promotion occurs when an employee is moved from one job to another that is higher in pay, responsibility or organisation seniority. Various approaches can be used to promote employees and this can be based on the persons promotion potential, development needs and talent shortages in the organisation. Skidmore (1995) stated that promotions are important in the functioning of the organization. Nearly every employee wants to move ahead, both in position and in salary. The procedures and standards for promotion should be clearly defined through sound administration. Co-worker According to Robbins (2001), human need social interaction from their workplace in supporting, cooperate, comfort, advice, and assistance to the individual work. Therefore, to have friendly and supportive co-workers could lead to increase job satisfaction. Lance (2007) concedes that perception of co-worker integration and cohesiveness among peers directly affects job satisfaction. In the opposite way, turnover tends to increase for employees who are dissatisfied with their co-workers (Watt and White, 1988). Supervisor Lewis Souflee (1994) described that supervision is process that involves helping a less experienced person increase his or her effectiveness in service delivery. Through the vehicle of supervisory relationship, the supervisor provides support and encouragement, helps build skills and competences and oversees the supervisees work. According to Luthans (1992), supervisor is another moderately important source of job satisfaction. To the extent that supervisor provides technical assistance and behavioral support such as treated employees fairly, offers praise for good performance, listens to employees Kadushin (1992) stressed that supervision in an organisation is important because it enhances the morale of the staff while maintaining the system; meaning supervisee are supervised according to their different levels. For example, the less experienced tend to be supervised according to tutorial model, whereas those with more experience achieve similar purpose through case consultation, peer group consultations, peer group interaction, staff development programs and work teams. Skidmore, Thackery Farley (1997) shared this view by mentioning that supervision is a major part of work because it is concerned with helping the staff to use their knowledge and skills in getting the job done efficiently and well. Theories related to job satisfaction Luthans (1995) conceded that Herzbergs two factor motivational theories cast a new life on the content of work motivation. The theory offers an explanation specifically to the work place and job design (Grobler et al 2002). Robbins (1993) stated that Herzberg believed an individuals relation to his or her work is a basic one and that his or her attitude towards his work can very well determine the individual success or failure, and referred to this as motivation-hygiene theory. Herzberg concluded that there is a relation between job satisfiers and job content; job dissatisfiers are allied to hob on text. The author named the motivation factors satisfiers and called dissatisfiers hygiene factors. The hygiene factors are preventative because they can prevent dissatisfaction and are environmental in nature, and therefore are roughly equivalent to Maslows lower level needs (Luthans 1995). The motivators are intrinsic and related to job satisfaction for example achievement, recognition, and the work-itself, responsibility, advancement, and growth. The hygiene factors are extrinsic and comprise company policy, administration supervision, salary, interpersonal relations and working conditions. Robbins (2001) postulated that according to Herzberg, the factors that lead to job satisfaction are separate and distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction. Therefore managers who seek to eliminate factors that create job dissatisfaction can bring about peace, but not necessarily motivation. Thus, managers who hire wages will be placating their workforce rather than motivating them. It is evidenct that the Herzberg two factor motivational theories indicate that the more resources are poured down the hygiene drain for example increasing fringe benefits, the more resources will be needed in future. This is because with hygiene factors, ever-increasing amounts are needed to produce the same effect. A classic example is the issue of salary that never seems to be resolved; employees will still be discontent over wages even after concluding salary negotiations. As indicated earlier, motivators are intrinsic in nature and reflect the work content of the job. The supervisor cannot disperse them to the employees but they are controlled by employees and are administered personally. It is evident that no one can give another person the satisfaction that comes from accomplishing a particularly challenging job. According to the researcher, the need to motivate workers is a very crucial one. Motivation is required if the workers are to make a significant impact on their work given the limited budgets they operate on and the very difficult circumstances. In any situation, every employer would like to have employees who are motivated to do their work efficiently and effectively. This bears fruitful results and enhances organisational productivity and a lot of problems associated with de-motivation like absenteeism and late coming can be avoided. Relationship between job satisfaction and employee turnover During the past century, a variety of conceptual models for the turnover process have been developed (Lambert et al., 2001). It has been extensively studied, both as a dependent and independent variable. In 1976, Locke estimated the number or articles and dissertations dealing in some manner with the subject of job satisfaction to be over 3,300. By 1996, Spector estimated that the number of studies that have incorporated job satisfaction in some manner to be over 12,000. While these models have diverse origins from a wide array of disciplines, many researchers have theorized that job satisfaction is a key antecedent of worker turnover (Mobley et al., 1979; Price Mueller, 1986; Williams Hazer, 1986). Roznowski and Hulin (1992) contended that overall job satisfaction measures are the most informative data a manager or researcher can have for predicting employee behavior. Further, it has been theorised that high levels of job dissatisfaction lead to employee withdrawal, particularly in terms of voluntary turnover. According to Danserau et al. (1974), Mitchell (1981), Porter and Steers (1973), job satisfaction has been related to turnover. Muchinsky and Tuttle (1979) analysed nineteen articles dealing with job satisfaction and turnover. Overall, there was a negative relationship between job satisfaction and turnover although the strength of the relationship varied form study to study. In general, satisfied workers are less likely to leave their jobs than those with high job satisfaction quotients. The review noted that the relationship remained constant over different types of samples, organisations, and measures of job satisfaction (Birdseye Hill, 1995). Organisationa

Essay --

As a basic knowledge, solids that caught or settled within the treatment process can be reused or disposed in an environmental friendly way. Rule such as safety wastewater treatment has to be implemented to the wastewater solids is regulated by several federal laws, including the Clean Water Act (CWA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and so on. Recently, most of the biosolids produced is either reused as a soil conditioner, fertilizer or disposed by incinerated and land filled. As a matter of fact, biosolids have to be stabilized first to control odours and reduces the microbial population by thickening, composting, heat treatments, drying, conditioning and dewatering. Lime, ferric chloride, alum or polymers are used to condition the biosolids as to produce larger particles for easier removal and prepared for further dewatering. Dewatering processes include vacuum filtration, pressure filtration, and centrifuges. The process of decomposing volatile material naturally is known as digestion (a type of stabilization method), manages to reduce the odour, yields biologically stable end product (aerobic digestion) and produces methane gas (anaerobic digestion). After stabilization, the biosolids are either introduced to land application or disposed after incineration. Biosolids can act as fertilizer and soil conditioner, as they contain organic matters (nutrients) for the plants and manage to amend poor soil structure land due to practices such as construction activities. Moreover, biosolids can be incinerated (burned) to ashes, having high fuel value as a result. Pressure filtration dewatering equipment is basically used or refuse-derived fuel is added to obtain biosolids which are sufficiently dry to take advantage of... ... manage to direct the wastewater reclamation plants to meet the quality requirements of intended reuse applications. (National Academies, 2012) Disposal of municipal wastewater have been distributed into two categories, which are those that discharge directly to surface water and those that discharge to land. Surface water discharge economically has been preferred because it provides rapid mixing of effluent with surface water, and is the least expensive discharge option. Nonetheless, indirect discharge to groundwater or hyporheic water may be more environmentally beneficial if planned, installed, and operated correctly. There are also many methods for land discharge, for example, discharge into two to three feet wide and two feet deep of ground trench and added in successive layers until the lagoons is completely filled. (Department of Environmental Quality, 2007)

The Computer :: Technology Internet Electronics Essays

The Computer Even though J. David Bolter wrote Turing’s Man: Western Culture in the Computer Age in 1984, at least a century ago in computer years, his observations and concerns about the electronic age are in no way obsolete. Bolter examines from a historical perspective how the computer will reshape our understanding of the human mind and our relationship with nature. By comparing the computer with defining technologies of previous ages, Bolter anticipates the many qualities and values of people in the digital age, his so-called â€Å"Turing’s men†. In doing so, he encourages those in the humanities to take an active role in shaping some of the perceptions of the emerging era. Humankind has created, used, and replaced innumerable technologies over the past 10,000 years of written record. Turing’s Man concentrates on only four of these technologies: the spindle and potter’s wheel of ancient Greece, the mechanical clock of Renaissance Western Europe, the steam engine of Industrial Europe, and finally the computer of the electronic age. According to Bolter, each of these inventions â€Å"defines or redefines man’s role in relation to nature†(13). Although Bolter considers the influences of these technologies on many facets of culture and society, his main efforts are devoted to understanding their implications for a culture’s view of time, space, thought, and creation. The spindle and the potter’s wheel of Ancient Greece suggest an intimate relationship between man and nature. The tools are seen more as an extension of the human hand than a barrier between craftsman and material. Bolter argues that the image of the potter, fashioning his finely crafted, but still imperfect vessel on the rotating wheel, made a great impression on the thinkers of that time. The rotating nature of these tools, mimicking the great circular paths followed by celestial bodies, led Aristotle to claim that â€Å"circular motion . . . was natural, whereas motion in a straight line required further explanation†(116). As a consequence, the Greeks adopted a cyclical view of time. The world did not progress forward in linear motion but repeated over and over. Rather than progressing, ideas and institutions would remain static or decay. The potter and his clay also served as a metaphor for divine creation. The world and its human inhabitants were fashioned out of imperfect materials by divine force. This material makes up the entirety of the world.

catcher in the rye :: essays research papers

Holden’s True Love Children: spirited, loveable, cute, and something that a society could not live without. But when ones life is so rotated around children like JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye character, Holden, one loses all conscious and can only find happiness when with children or thinking about them. Holden can only find genuine love in children, for they have not learned the dreadful prerequisite of life, â€Å"phonieness.† He hates the artificiality that adults eventually acquire because all his good memories remain in his youth and his life with young children his age. This characteristic of Holden is shown throughout the book, particularly with his love for Phoebe, his helping the innocent children who are unable to help themselves, and his love for Jane at their age of serenity and ignorance! Holden shows his love for Phoebe by continuously thinking about her and requiring for her company. The only gift we have ever seen given by Holden was his record purchase for Phoebe. â€Å"Besides, I wanted to find a record store that was open on Sunday. There was this record I wanted to get for Phoebe, called ‘Little Shirely Beans.’ It was a very hard record to get (114).† This is one example of Holden’s thought and love for Phoebe. We can believe that he only views Phoebe as one who deserves gifts in all the people that he knows. A great example of his love for Phoebe is how he risks showing himself at his own home just to see his sister. â€Å"Anyway, I went into D.B’s room quiet as hell, and turned on the lamp on the desk. Old Phoebe didn’t even wake up†¦ My mother, she has ears like a goddam bloodhound (159).† Holden takes this risk, a risk that could cost him much more then a week of hell. His love for his sister’s com pany is obvious by this and there is no denying that he would have never taken this risk if he found himself having a phony and older sister. What separates Phoebe from all of the rest of the phony people is by how â€Å"straight-up† she is. She gets to the point and she doesn’t try to squiggle out of the situation. This is proven when she says, â€Å"’How come you’re not home Wednesday?’ ‘What?’†¦ ‘How come you’re not home Wednesday?’ She asked me, ‘You didn’t get kicked out or anything, did you?

How Is Friar Lawrence Presented in Romeo and Juliet Essay

During the play of Romeo and Juliet, the characters show love in many different ways. Some characters fall in and out of love very quickly in Romeo and Juliet. For example, Romeo is in love with Rosaline at the start of the play, which is presented as an immature action. Today, we might use the term â€Å"puppy love† to describe this. Romeo’s lover Rosaline is shallow and nobody really believes that it will last, including Friar Laurence: Romeo – â€Å"Thou chid’st me oft for loving Rosaline† Friar Laurence – â€Å"For doting, not loving, pupil mine†. In the first meeting of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses religion in describing the first love & sight of Romeo and Juliet. Such as â€Å"good pilgrim† when Juliet first responded to Romeo’s compliment, this show religious use. However during Romeo’s & Juliet’s first meeting they share a sonnet to express each other’s first love for one another, â€Å"The gentile sin this† is a very ironic line because it’s end result is death. Just before Romeo & Juliet share their first kiss, Juliet exclaims herself as a saint â€Å"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake† – Juliet is saying that her prayers have been answered. Romeo described Juliet as a saint â€Å"O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do†, this means she’s seen holy by Romeo. During the first Balcony scene Shakespeare introduces the example of love from the first meeting of Romeo & Juliet, example such as â€Å"Dear saint†. Romeo says â€Å"Juliet is the Sun†, which is describing Juliet as a special part of the universe the centre of everything, for example, without the sun life would not be able to exist also life revolves around the sun and it seems to make Juliet seem brighter and more important. During the beginning of the fight between Tybalt and Romeo, Romeo pleads with Tybalt to not to fight â€Å"I do protest I never injured thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise† Only Romeo knows of the love and marriage between himself and Juliet. Tybalt, Juliet cousin is now part of Romeo’s family, and does not want to hurt/ kill him for the future love between himself and Juliet. Tybalt emphases his anger with horns on his costume in Romeo & Juliet the film. Also Tybalt does not know about Romeo and Juliet so he decides he wants a fight. After Romeo exits and Tybalt kills Mercutio Romeo enters and kills Tybalt, this questions Juliet over Romeo; does Romeo prefer friends of family? Romeo expected the death sentence, but the decision was to only banish him, he acted badly to this ecision – â€Å"Ha! Banishment? Be merciful – say death†, He would rather prefer death because he’d be with Juliet when she dies than never see her again – â€Å"Let me ta’en, let me be put to death† During the 2nd balcony scene Romeo says â€Å"more light and light, more dark and dark our woes† this means that whenever there’s more happiness, there will always be darkness in the ba ckground, and their love is gradually being taken over by darkness making them scared. During the dying scene Romeo sees Juliet as being dead. â€Å"Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die† Romeo exclaims that finally their love has been overrun with sin and wrong doing in life, the only way for them to be together is in death. When Juliet wakes up and realises Romeo is dead, she takes her own life because if she cannot be with her lover Romeo in life, than they shall share death â€Å"O Happy dagger!  This is thy sheath, – there rust, and let me die† she is happy to take death over life with sin. In conclusion Romeo and Juliet’s life was only taken from them because of the selfishness immaturity between themselves. Also Friar Lawrence should not have encouraged them to go forward with Juliet pretending to die. However because of the many sin’s Romeo and Juliet had committed, they would have probably chosen death over life.