(lean)Supply Chain and Operations Management Essay

(lean)Supply Chain and Operations Management - Essay Example Many large corporations have intricate purchasing and supplying operations that inevitably create waste and foster non-value added activities. In order to minimize waste and reap maximum profits, corporations exercise lean management practices. One such corporation that practices lean management is Toyota Motor Corporation. It has remained one of the key practices in Toyota (KERBER AND DRECKSHAGE, 2011). One of the key steps in lean is to recognize which steps create value and which do not. By breaking down all activities in to the two aforementioned categories, concrete steps can be taken to promote the former and eradicate the latter. The lean management identifies seven activities as the â€Å"seven wastes†, they are as follows: Over-production: This occurs when more products are produced than what is demanded by the consumer. One common erroneous practice is the production of goods in bulk, as often transpires that customers need change over long periods that products in bulk require. This practice is considered the worst source of waste, as it begets all the other wastes, as more inventory and expenditure is required for the storage and preservation of goods; this does not benefit the customer nor generates income (TAYLOR AND BRUNT, 2001). Continuously improve: This is the mindset which a company is required to adopt. It must always work on the incremental enhancement of processes, services and products over time, with the aim of reducing waste and maximizing

The Painted Door Essay Example for Free

The Painted Door Essay â€Å"No man is an island, entire of itself†. This quote from John Donne, states that no person could live there life without cn from people around them. They must live in an environment where they can communicate freely with someone even if it would be just one person; but what would happen to someone who does not receive or give proper communication? In the story, The Painted Door a wife named Ann lives in a deserted country side where communication with other people is hard to come by. Her husband, John, is the only person who she has by her side on a day to day basis, yet he does not put Ann as his first priority due to his obsession with working hard to pay of his debts. Due to this she feels as though she is locked out of society and resorts to secluding her own personal feelings from anyone around her. Even though she is unable to find the love that she once had for John she is able to see that Steven is able to provide her with the many necessities that John is unable to give her. Throughout the story, Ann struggles to find the love she once had for John causing her to break her bonds with him. She begins to break her bonds through lack of attention, Seclusion of personal feelings as well as finding new love in Steven. Throughout the story Ann always talks bout how she is unable to receive the attention she desires and is simply not cared for by John. Due to her lack of social interaction within the environment she lives in she tries to seek attention from anyone. When talking to John just before he leaves for his fathers farm, Ann begs him to stay and keep her company yet he refuses to do so. â€Å"It isnt right to leave me here alone. Surely Im as important as important as your father[John] But there is nothing to be afraid of even if it does start to storm. You wont need to go near the stable.Ill be back at the latest by seven or eight†,(Ross,288). Despite Anns plea for John to stay, she is completely ignored and all of Johns attention is focused on his father. Instead of trying to comfort her he tries to change  Anns mind by telling her that she will be alright even if the storm hits and that she does not even have to go outside and do any work. This shows how John does not take into consideration how scared Ann might be during the storm . Instead he puts the job of taking care of the farm into far greater priority evidently showing how Ann receives little to no attention at all from John. As a result of this Ann get put aside so that John can take care of his father. Later on in the story, as John is getting ready to leave he tells Ann how committed he is to get to his fathers house and brings up the past where he claims that he never missed helping his father every time he needed it. â€Å"You ought to know by now I wouldnt stay behindno matter how it stormed. Twice a week before we were married I never missed and there were bad blizzards that winter to,†(289). John has made it clear that he doesnt intend on staying. He shows Ann how committed he was to visit his father whenever he could even before he was married to her. His commitment to his father is far more important to him than staying at home to keep Ann company. Now Ann is certain that Johns care for her is very little in comparison to his father. Due to Anns lack of attention from John, Ann begins to break her bonds with John. Ann believes that no one is truly there to give her the attention that she desires. John has set his eyes on helping his dad and refuses to stay no matter how much Ann begs of him. Due to this Ann tries to do the same and starts to seclude her own personal feelings from him in hopes of trying to get him to show the least bit of care for her. She does this by sarcastically telling him how all her needs have been met just as he is heading for the door. â€Å"Yes – of course – I heard youPlenty to eat – plenty of wood to keep me warm – what more could a woman ask for?†,(288). Instead of directly telling him how she feels about him leaving, Ann makes this sarcastic comment in hopes of attaining some kind of sympathy from John however John responds trying to defend his father.â€Å"But hes an old man – living there all alone. What is it, Ann, youre not like yourself this morning†,(288). Instead of getting John to care of her she causes a bit of tension between the two of them. She does the exact opposite of what she intended to do and begins to put distance between herself and John. When John finally leaves to go and help his father Ann begins to talk to herself  showing how she truly feels about John. â€Å"Thats all I need – someone to talk to. John never talks. Hes stronger – he doesnt understand†,(295). Ann begins to tell herself that all she needs is someone to talk to. Ann knows that John doesn’t need attention from anyone because â€Å"hes stronger† but Ann knows that she isnt â€Å"strong† like John is. Instead of addressing these problems directly with John she keeps these thoughts to herself. By doing this she is unable to tell John how she wishes to be treated allowing more room for John to ignore her true feelings. Through this Ann breaks her bond with John due to the shadowing of her personal feelings. Although Ann hides her personal feelings from John she is not afraid to show her true colors as soon as Steven comes over. Steven is viewed by Ann as someone who can fill the gaps that John could not. He is someone who cares for her and is willing to give her the attention she wants in order to make her happy. Later on in the story Ann begins thinking to herself how Steven may not come to visit Ann. She makes herself believe that Steven would not come because he knows that John would come home to comfort his own wife in this gruesome storm. â€Å"It would be only natural for him to think that when the storm rose John had turned again for home. Another man would- would have put his wife first†,(295). However despite the treacherous storm raging outside, Steven comes to aid Ann in her time of need. Ann is is truly captivated by Stevens determination and begins to find comfort in Steven. â€Å"At the assurance of his touch and voice the fear that had been gripping her gave way t o an hysteria of relief. Scarcely aware of herself she seized his arm and sobbed against it†,(297). Ann is so overjoyed by Stevens arrival that she begins to cry in Stevens arm. She is relieved of all the loneliness the storm had caused her and is able to find comfort in Steven, something she could never truly find in John. As Steven proceeds to do his chores Ann begins to analyze Steven more carefully. She begins to compare John and Steven in her mind. â€Å"Swiftly she was making comparisons again; his face so different to Johns, so handsome and young and clean-shaven. Swiftly, helplessly feeling imperceptible and relentless ascendancy that therby he was gaining over her, sensing sudden menace in this new, more vital life, even as she felt drawn towards it†,(Ross,298). Ann starts to accept now that she has fallen for Steven she is drawn towards this â€Å"new,  more vital life† even if she feels that it puts her and Johns relationship in danger. By making these â€Å"swift† comparisons she is quickly able to see how much greater Steven is in comparison to J ohn. Steven is able to pick up where John is unable to finish. He is able to provide to Ann the care she needs and so much more. Due to Ann immediate attraction to Steven she begins to break her bonds as she is drawn into this â€Å"new, more vital life† where she wishes to stay forever. Ann was unable to find the love and care that she had been searching for in John. She had been given no attention despite the fact that she had needed so much of it from John. She found that John had not given much of a care to her feelings and therefore had begun to hide her own feelings from John. Although John was still not able to provide Ann with the basic love and care she needed from her husband she was able to find this love and care through Steven who provided her with exactly that and much more. Through these series of events, Anns bonds with John are broken as she approaches a new life that will provide her with the necessities she had been lacking in the previous one. She no longer has to seclude her personal feelings and she can now look forward to a new spring in which everything will blossom a new. She now does not have to worry about the lack of attention she will receive from John and no longer has to worry about John making it home in time. Now she can sit with Stev en and enter into the new vital life that awaits

Strategies for Employee Performance Management at MS

Strategies for Employee Performance Management at MS Study on how MS improve employee performance management through motivation and training? 1. Introduction One of the major issues for competitive advantage, therefore, is the successful motivation and training of staff. Despite a plethora of theories (Locke and Latham, 1990a; 288) which have analyzed work based motivation and satisfaction, however, theories remain commoner than the evidence to support them. In the increasing competitive environment, organizations have to focus on value of investments in human resources especially performance management as a major source of competitive advantage. Although, business strategy means of competition is common conversation in the executive suite, taking a strategic approach can be especially beneficial for staff functions within companies, as they often are required to justify their need for resources and their contribution to the company. The following study presents the analysis of performance management issues on Marks and Spencers (MS) employee motivation and training. Performance improvement provides MS with needed information on their employees. The information helps MS develop the skills of the employees based on the information collected at the appraisal, it helps recognize when training is needed. Performance improvement helps MS by improving their service by having able workers that work to their full ability and by improving the relationship between workers and the company. Here is Marks and Spencers definition of performance management: Performance management is a joint process that involves both the supervisor and the employee, who identify common goals, which are linked to the goals of the organization. This process results with the establishment of written performance exceptions later used as measures for feed back and performance evaluation. (MS Annual report and financial statements 2008) Marks and Spencer is a multinational company have grown from a penny bazaar in the late 1880’s. UK based company to become one of the largest and most well known organisations of British culture. As a leading retailer, with a customer base of 10 million per week in over 300 UK stores, also trades in 30 countries worldwide, producing a Group turnover in excess of 8 billion. (MS Annual report and financial statements, 2008) MS have to be able to manage its resources to meet the customer’s needs and those of the market. Following three years of declining profits due to economic recession, the company has attempted to rejuvenate itself. Though the company is regaining market share and profits are beginning to raise they are still suffering some problems which have resulted in the company selling some of their foreign subsidiaries and axing jobs to concentrate on their core business. Such a turn around exemplifies well the need for strategy in this type of organisation. Strategic issues will revolve around the long-term and concentrate on the direction and scope of the organisation. Furthermore they will concern resources, competition, meeting needs of stakeholders and markets. All of this will be in a constantly changing and dynamic environment and so organisations must concentrate their human recourse management especially employee’s performance management each level and use right strategy on HR policy. This paper is trying to find out that employee performance improvement by motivating and training. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Techniques of Performance Management A key issue in understanding and applying techniques of performance management is defining exactly what is meant by ‘performance’ and ‘performance management’. The paper hereafter discusses and evaluates the competing definitions as they are understood in organizational and human resources practice. Performance is a multi-level, multi-dimensional construct. It is important to understand what level of performance is considered important when an organization talks about performance management. At each level- organizational, work unit or individual; there are a combination of factors that influence performance: direct, indirect, individual and situational. Any human resource intervention designed to assist, enhance, encourage ‘performance management’ has to be effectively targeted at the right combination of factors (Study Guide 2004, pp.2-8). 2.2 Performance, a Definition Contemporary organizations consider performance to fall into two major areas: performance at the individual level and performance at the organizational level (Williams 2002). At the individual level there are differing views on what performance is. Some research regards it as simply the record of outcomes achieved (Bernadin 1995). Performance has also been defined as behavior, that is, the way in which teams and individuals get work done (Campbell 1990). At the individual level performance can be thought of as either ‘what’ is achieved, that is as output and results, or as ‘how’ it is achieved, that is demonstrated behaviors, competencies, adherence to process (Study Guide 2004, pp.2-6). Williams (2002, cited in Study Guide 2004, pp.2-7) starts with the proposition that individual performance is behavior, which is determined by factors of declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge and motivation. Declarative knowledge is the ‘what’ of performance; procedural knowledge is the ‘how’ to do’ whereas motivation refers to the exercise of choice over whether or not to perform; what level of effort to expend; and, whether or not to maintain a consistent level of effort on the specified tasks over an extended period. The three factors above are direct determinants of performance. There are also indirect determinants which might be termed ‘situational’ factors, first are those inherent in the individual employee, the second are those inherent in the work context, which might be termed ‘situational’ factors (Study Guide 2004). However, the most comprehensive view of performance is achieved if it is defined as embracing both behavior and outcomes (Armstrong Baron 1999). Performance at the individual level cannot be seen as merely a function of ‘ability’ and ‘motivation’. Issues such as individual differences, the context in which performance is expected, and the interactions between system and individuals should also be considered. Performance at the individual level is even more ‘multi-dimensional’ than performance at the organizational level (Study Guide 2004). The concept of performance as embracing productivity or efficiency as well as effectiveness, adaptability and responsiveness. It is clear, then, that organizational performance is far from being a simple concept (Williams 2002, p. 68). Somehow, at the organizational level we are concerned with issues of efficiency, effectiveness and productivity. To address the aforementioned multi-dimensions, we need meaningful performance measures. An increasingly popular approach to measure organizational performance has been through the use of the ‘Balanced Scorecard’ developed by Kaplan and Norton in 1996, which attempts to capture some of the contradictory nature of organizational performance (Williams 2002). It aims to measure performance in terms of four sets of indictors namely financial, customer, internal business process and learning and growth. The aforementioned four sets of indicators have each taking a different perspective. To succeed financially, how should we appear to our shareholders; to achieve our vision, how should we appear to our customers; to satisfy our shareholders and customers what internal business processes must we excel at and to achieve our vision, how will we sustain our ability to change and improve. It is important to remember that when studying performance management, we must consider both inputs – the behavior aspects and outputs the results aspects. Hartle (1995) calls this the ‘mixed model’ of performance management, reflecting the importance of both the ‘how and what’ of performance. This is when we consider that performance is about how things are done as well as what is done. Efficiency is defined by Robbins, Bergman, Stagg Coulter (2000, p. 8) as the relationship between inputs and outputs, the goal of which is to minimize resource costs whereas effectiveness is defined as the goal attainment. Efficiency is often as ‘doing things right’ – that is not wasting resources; effectiveness is often described as ‘doing the right thing’ – that is, those work activities that will help the organization reach its goals. Whereas efficiency is concerned with the means of getting things done, effectiveness is concerned with the ends. Performance and its relationship to productivity are of a vital importance in understanding and applying techniques of performance management. Guzzo (1988, p. 63 cited in Williams 2002, p. 52) claims that productivity may mean different things to different people, Pritchard (1995, p. 448 cited in Williams 2002, p. 52) has recently noted the wide range of meanings attaching to the term productivity: the term has been used to refer to individuals, groups, organizational units entire organizations, industries, and nations. It has been used as a synonym for output, efficiency, motivation, individual performance, organizational effectiveness, production, profitability, cost/effectiveness, competitiveness, and work quality. Productivity is the ratio of outputs to inputs, a ratio that reflects the efficiency with which resources are transformed into outputs (Guzzo 1988, cited in Williams 2002). And Williams 2002 refers productivity as a systems concept and that inputs are subject to some conversion processes which lead to the production of outputs; in seeking to measure productivity a basic question that is concerned is how well or how efficiently available inputs are converted into outputs. In a general sense, by inputs, it is meant all the resources, employees, raw materials, energy, buildings, equipment etc, that are required to manufacture a product or deliver a service. Output is typically taken to mean what an organization produces. Output has traditionally been measured in quantitative terms, however, there is also a quality aspect of output (Williams 2002). Viewing productivity as a system concept tells that inputs are converted into outputs via some transformation processes. Similarly, an organization, as a system, comprises many subsystems and it is these which are concerned directly or indirectly, with the transformation processes that convert inputs to outputs (Williams 2002, p. 57) 2.3 Performance Management, an Overview Performance management is defined by De Cieri Kramar (2002, p. 286) as the means through which managers ensure that employees’ activities and outputs are congruent with the organization’s goals. Performance management evolved out of a long history or managerial attempts to improve productivity, efficiency and effectiveness at all levels in an organization. Study Guide 2004 outlined that one of the difficulties with the concept performance management is that the term means different things to different people. One main interpretation that has come to dominate in practice is that performance management is a system for managing organizational performance; a system for managing employee performance and a system for integrating the management of organizational and individual performance (Williams 2002, p. 10). Walter (1995, p.10) states that performance management is about directing and supporting employees to work as effectively and efficiently as possible in line with the needs of the organization. Armstrong 1994 defined performance management as a process designed to improve organizational, team and individual performance whereas Armstrong Baron 1999 describes performance management as a strategic and integrated approach to deliver sustained success to organizations by improving the performance of the people who work in term and by developing the capabilities of teams and individual contributors. Performance management is far more than its precursor ‘performance appraisal’, it goes beyond the annual appraisals, ratings and interviews to incorporate employees’ goals, training, rewards and individual development. Thus, a performance management system focuses on an ongoing process of performance improvement, at the individual and organizational level, rather than emphasizing an annual performance review (DeSimone, Werner Harris 2002, cited in Study Guide 2004, p.1-3). There is no one right way of managing performance. The approach will depend on the context of the organization. That is, its culture, structure, technology and the type of people involved. Thus, recognizing the importance of managing within the context of the business. Organizational structure is defined as the degree of complexity, formalization and centralization crated to facilitate the coordination of activities and to control the actions of organizational members (Robbins, Waters-Marsh, Caccioppe Millett 2001, cited in Study Guide 2004, pp.1-12). Organizational culture is a more intangible aspect, based on the shared values, customs, rituals and norms of the organization. Culture, is long-lasting and can often take decades to change, it is very enigmatic and complex. Culture can assist performance management – they can also act as a major impediment. Conversely, performance management can be used as a tool to change culture (Study Guide 2004, pp.1-14). Williams 2002 raised, from one point of view technology is part of performance management, one of the tools, that is, for managing performance. And, indeed, technology, especially information technology, has been in many cases a solution to a performance problem which has led to that business gaining competitive advantage. 2.4 The Role of a Performance Management within an Organization From a human resource perspective it is very much a systemic process bringing together issues of: organizational performance; managerial effectiveness; individual performance; skill development; and reward management. These five aspects must be integrated through human resource personnel and managers working together with staff to achieve the organization’s desired outcomes (Williams 2002). The processes that are applied to reward and remunerate employee motivation are aligned with performance management. In the industrial era, performance and productivity came primarily from physical effort coupled with capital invested in technology. As enter the new era of information technology, the performance and productivity of employees comes not from physical effort but from within employees – their knowledge, insights information, skills, abilities, innovativeness and creativity (Smith 1998, p. 153 cited in Williams 2002, pp.1-16) For managerial effectiveness, on the one hand, the manager would know about the policy, objectives, mission and goal of organization. On the other hand, the product or service delivered has to meet customer needs for achieving its goal, having good relationship and trust between the company and customer, thus, be more competitive in the marketplace. Research is needed to best fulfill customers’ needs. A plan or strategy has to be implemented to improve the company and its stuff’s performance to be more successful. Performance should in line with the company’s business plan. Employees’ performance should cope with the company’s strategies and should also keep on improving. The focus of training and development programs and approaches in organizations is to achieve long-lasting behavioral changes which increase productivity at the individual, group and organizational level. As such, training and development comes under the ambit of performance management. As with other performance related aspects of the organization and its human resources, training and development is concerned with the identification of training needs. Based on a comparison of expected with actual performance, training interventions are designed, implemented and assessed to ascertain whether performance has been improved as a consequence of the training. Two of the significant performance management processes which assist the training and development cycle are job analysis and performance assessment. Job analysis provides valuable information on the tasks, job and role of the job and performance assessment assists in identifying where deficiencies in performance exist (Smith 1998, cite d in Study Guide 2004, pp.1-17) To unlock the intrinsic qualities of individual employees, not only does performance management address situational factors surrounding the employees, but it also seeks to address the motivational factors of employees. One approach to unlock these aptitudes and abilities is to consider compensation management as part and parcel of a performance management approach. Compensation management looks not only at extrinsic rewards, such as pay and bonuses, but also at those artifices, symbols, rewards and benefits which improve the motivation of employees to perform at higher levels. Suffice to point out that organizations which manage compensation and rewards poorly will fail to maximize their most important strategic resource – their human capital (DeSimone et al, 2002, p. 43, cited in Study Guide 2004 pp.1-17). It is because employees who achieve want to be recognized and rewarded for their efforts. And to motivate performance, outstanding performers must be identified and rewarde d accordingly (Stone 2002). 2.5. Employee Motivation theory and Performance According to Mitchell (1982) motivation is psychological process that cause encouragement, direction and insistence of voluntary actions that are goal oriented. Employee motivation is one of the key drivers of high performance as it encourages individuals to work hard, and desire to achieve a higher goal and a better performance. Robbins (1993) shares the same view, that motivation is the willingness to exercise high levels of effort towards organization goals and to satisfy individual needs. McKenna (2002, p.8) explains motivation as an emotion, ‘which is personal in nature, and comes from within the individual’. Robbins (1993) also describes that it is the individual needs that make the outcomes to be attractive and unsatisfied needs will create tension to stimulate drives within the individual and this is called motivation process. Please refer to Appendix 1 to see the phases of the motivational process. This study has been aimed to discuss different motivation theori es and how it effectively increases employee performance. There have been numerous motivation theories developed by many famous authors such as Chester Barnard, Max Webber, Joan Woodard, Bennis and Slater etc. According to Reis and Pena (2001), there was an evolution in the development of the motivation theories. Chester Barnard (1938) introduced the idea of traditional/classical form of motivation as â€Å"be tough† or â€Å"stick† and â€Å"be good† or â€Å"carrot† then followed with bureaucracy and human relation approach by Max Weber (1947) and Joan Woodard (1965) respectively. Then the turning point of the motivation history is in 1980s to 1990s was the â€Å"Total Quality Management† and â€Å"Reengineering† approach. Reis and Pena (2001) believe that today employee motivation is about satisfying your employees with empathy, understanding, friendship and respect at workplace. Please refer to Appendix 2 to view the evolution of motivation theories. According to McKenna (1999) the evolution of motivation theories have been breaking down and classifying generally into three categories. Ramlall (2004) also agrees that motivation should have three aspects of reinforcement, content and process theories. The reinforcement theory is based on the concept that reinforcement conditions behavior. Reinforcement is the attempt to develop or strengthen desirable behavior by either giving positive consequences or withholding negative consequences (Nelson Quick 1994). The theorists see behavior as environmentally caused. The reinforcement theory does not concentrate on the personal feelings of the individual, but rather what happens when the individual takes some action. What directs behaviors are reinforcements, when instantly followed by a response, increases the likelihood that the behavior will be repeated (Luthans Stajkovic, 1999). In the workplace, Nemerov (1993) emphasized that it is important for managers to recognize and reward employees. Such recognition also helps individuals to fulfill the higher needs in Maslow and Alderfers hierarchies, providing workers with self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment. According to Miner and Dachler (1973), content theories are primary emphasis on the particular motives or the types of motives. Berl and Williamson (1987) also describe content theories as understanding the key and driver which arouse or start behavior. Dainty (2002) and McKenna (1999) share a same concept of content theories; the two authors believe it is surrounding by four famous theories of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Herzberg’s Motivational-Hygiene, Alderfer’s existence relatedness and growth and McClelland’ needs theory. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs describes people have five classifications of needs which act as motivators; those are physiological needs, safety, social and belongingness, self esteem and self-actualization needs. According to Berl and Williamson (1987) the critical aspect of this theory is individual needs to satisfy lower level of need before moving upward. However, there have been many criticisms as Grigaliunas and Weiner (1974) argues that Maslow has been oversimplified and misrepresented. Wahba and Bridwell (1973) conducted a study which show that needs cannot be arranged in a hierarchy in every circumstance and hence feel that Maslow’s model is inappropriate. Herzberg theory has two factors called hygiene (physiological) and motivational (egocentric) also receive considerable criticism by Wahba and Bridwell (1976). Maslow and Herzberg share very similar concepts that individual must achieve basic needs in order to move upward. This theory was also never tested fairly and lack of supporting evidence that job satisfaction leads to high job performance (House and Wigdor 1976). The argument is that job satisfaction may lead people to their comfort zone and not actively look to risk their current rewards (House and Wigdor, 1976). Although there are criticisms, these theories are easily and widely used in practice by considering motivation as a systematic theory. Alderfer’s existence, relatedness and growth (ERG) theory assumes that if an individual can not satisfy the specific needs, then he/she can satisfy needs at a lower level, if the individual is frustrated at a given need level (Berl and Williamson, 1987). Maslow’s theory states that only one level of need can be motivational at a time while with Alderfer more than one level of need can influence a person to act at a given time. Berl, Williamson and Powell (1985), found through a survey that those who have satisfaction with growth needs have greater more desire for growth and individuals dissatisfied with existence needs had a greater desire for existence and related needs. Hence, this theory is useful for management to recognize a right person for the right task with realistic goal to motivate high performance. The relationship between these three theories is demonstrated in Appendix 3. McClelland argues that motivation could be learnt from life experiences and the needs are developed through life such as need for achievement, need for affiliation and the need for power. Acquired needs theory is also influenced by society and culture changing overtime (McKenna, 1999). Hence employees would be more motivated and perform better if managers know their goals and touch correctly to their needs. The process theories, according to Berl Williamson (1987) provide an explanation of procedures which enable people to choose among different courses of action, the degree of effort expended and persistence over time. The process theories include Equity theory, intrinsic motivation theory, and Expectancy theory. Process theories contrast sharply with the earlier content theories, which focused on identifying factors associated with motivation in a relatively static environment. Process theorists view work motivation from a dynamic perspective and look for causal relationships across time and events as they relate to human behavior in the workplace (Steers, Mowday and Shapiro 2004). The equity theory points towards the situations when individuals compare outcome-input ratio of their job to that of others (Robbins 2003). The people to whom individuals may compare themselves may belong inside or outside to the same organization as well as their own experiences in a different position within the same or another organization. This theory is strong when predicting absence and turnover behaviors and weak while predicting employee productivity. Equity theory points out that rewards significantly affect the level of motivation. McKenna (2005) argues that money and other rewards do not have a significant effect on motivation and it is other factors like better job satisfaction, positive feedbacks that do so. Locke and Latham (1990, p.241) state that expectancy theory developed by Vroom emphasizes that ‘performance is a multiplicative function of expectancy, instrumentality and valence’. It suggests that the factors that motivate a person to act in a certain way depend on ‘the strength of an expectation that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on the attractiveness of the outcome to the individual’ (Robbins 2003, p.173). This theory is strong to explain employee productivity, absenteeism and turnover. Quick (1988) further explains a five step process towards the practical application of the expectancy theory – define the expectations, make the work valuable, make the work doable, give regular feedback, and reward employees when they meet expectations. The various motivational factors can be broadly grouped into intrinsic and extrinsic. The intrinsic factors include those are directly related to the work itself, like the enjoyment, responsibility and satisfaction of completing a task while extrinsic factors refer to those external factors like the recognition and rewards associated with the work (Amabile 1993). A study by Nowlin (1982) indicated that majority of the managers in both the private and public sectors were motivated by intrinsic factors like the work itself and the job responsibility. Based on a survey by Mullins, in which workers were induced to perform better in their jobs either by verbal recognition of good work or by a pay increase, it was found that performance was improved more significantly by the intrinsic reward of verbal recognition than by the extrinsic reward of additional money (Mullins 1996). Cully et al (1999) support this by evidence that regular performance appraisals and monitoring of individual quali ty do help to boost morale and improve workplace well-being. It is also seen that it is possible to achieve synergy between these two types of motivational factors by creating a synergy between the person and his work environment (Amabile 1993). Smith (2005) adds to this argument by stating that it is important for leaders to understand the reason behind the employee’s motivation, otherwise they may offer things that are not really valued. Di Cesare Sadri (2003) explains the dimensions of cultural impact on employee motivation, stating ‘while the principle of leadership, motivation, and decision making may be applicable almost everywhere, their success or failure depends heavily on ways in which managers adapt to the local culture and work situation’ (cited in Di Cesare Sadri 2003, p.30). Motivation is culture-bound, and managers must be careful not to impose their value system when drawing conclusions about what motivates people in different countries. Motivational differences are best understood by exploring countries individually, first by gaining an understanding of the culture and then by drawing implications from that culture about motivation. 2.6 Highlights of ways in which managers can motivate employee to improve productivity Understanding what motivated employees and how they were motivated was the focus of many research which have been undertaken in this field by Frederic Herzberg, Douglas McGregor, David McClelland, Abraham Maslow and Elton Mayo. Each of them has a different theory about employee motivation. Frederic Herzberg’s developed this motivation theory during investigation of 2000 accountant and engineers in the USA. Two Factor Theory. He beloved that people are influenced by two factors- motivation and hygiene. Satisfaction and psychological growth was a factor of motivation factors. The result of hygiene factor was dissatisfaction. Hygiene factors are needed to ensure an employee does not become dissatisfied. They not lead to higher levels of motivation, but without them there is dissatisfaction. The typical factors are working conditions, salary, Security Company, job. Motivation factors are needed to motivate an employee into higher performance. He suggests that offer work should be arranged in the following ways: job enlargement, job nation and enrichment. 2.6.1 Douglas McGregors theories called X and Y. McGregor said that there are two fundamental approaches to managing people. Many managers prefer theory x, and generally get poor results. Enlightened managers use theory y, which produces better performance and results, and allows people to develop and growth. â€Å"Authoritarian management† style Theory X The average person prefers to be directed. This person wants to avoid responsibility, is unambitious and wants security above all else. The average person does not like work and will avoid it. That is why most people must be forced with the threat of punishment to work towards organizational objectives. â€Å"Participative management† style -Theory Y People usually accept and often seek responsibility Effort in work is a natural People have self-control and self-direction in the pursuit of organizational objectives, without external control or the threat of punishment. Commitment to objectives is a function of rewards associated with their achievement. The capability to use a high degree of imagination and creativity in solving organizational problems is widely distributed in the population. McClelland based on the Murrays (1938) theory of personality. proposed a content theory of motivation. In his book (1961) The achieving society, McClelland said that human motivation comprises three dominant needs: the need for achievement , the need for power and the need for affiliation. Achievement People with a high need for achievement are trying to avoid both low-risk and high-risk situations. They avoid low-risk situations because the easily attained success is not a genuine achievement. In high-risk they can see the outcome as one of chance rather than ones own effort. High individuals prefer work that has ideally a 50% chance of success. Those people need regular feedback in order to monitor the progress of their achievements. They prefer either to work alone or with other people. Affiliation People with a high need for affiliation need to feel accepted by others and be in harmonious relationships with other people. Power Person who need for power can be personal or institutional. People who need personal power want to direct others, and this need is perceived as undesirable. Those who need institutional power –social power- want to organize the efforts of others to further the goals of the organization. 2.6.2 Elton Mayo Elton Mayo is known from his research including Hawthorne Studies and his books. He started his experiment on the effect light in produ

Bill Clinton :: Essays Papers

Bill Clinton Born on Aug. 19, 1946, in Hope, Ark., William (Bill) Jefferson Blythe IV grew up in a troubled home. His father had died in an automobile accident three months before his son's birth, and his mother later was forced to leave her two-year-old son with his grandparents when she moved to New Orleans to pursue her nursing studies. The family settled in Hot Springs, Ark., after his mother married Roger Clinton, whose surname Bill later adopted. As a young man, Bill was determined to succeed and frequently earned academic honors, including selection as a delegate to the American Legion Boy's Nation program in Washington, D.C., where the 16-year-old Clinton met Pres. John F. Kennedy and determined to embark on a political career. Attending Georgetown University to study international affairs, Clinton served as an intern for Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas before receiving his B.S. degree in 1968. After winning a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University, Clinton returned to the United States to enroll at Yale Law School. In 1972 he helped to manage presidential candidate George McGovern's Texas campaign. After graduating from law school in 1973, Clinton returned to Arkansas to teach and to plan his political career. On Oct. 11, 1975, he married Hillary Rodham, a fellow law student he had met at Yale. After 12 years of Republican control of the presidency, Clinton came to office amid high expectations for fundamental policy change. Early in his administration he reversed a number of Republican policies. He ended the federal prohibition on the use of fetal tissue for medical research, repealed rules restricting abortion counseling in federally funded health clinics, and used his appointment power to fulfill a promise to place many women and minorities in prominent government positions. Although backed by a Congress controlled by the Democratic party, Clinton found it difficult to change the course of national priorities during his first two years in office. Early in his administration several of his appointees encountered congressional disapproval. His proposal to end the ban on homosexuals in the military met with widespread opposition from Congress, the military, and the public and had to be altered substantially. Clinton had promised to reverse the Bush policy of returning Haitian refugees to their homeland, but he eventually decided to continue implementing his predecessor's plan. The failure to enact comprehensive health-care reform proved to be a major setback for Clinton.

The Relationship of a Foster Child and the Social Worker

The relationship between a social worker and the children they represent in the foster care system evolves many different emotional connections. Social workers provide counseling and direction to people in crisis. Their clients may vary from the young and older unemployed to young children who are in need of foster homes right on down to the elderly people who have no one to care for them to provide for them or even someone to love them. They try to better the clients by helping them obtain government funds, education, and other treatments if needed. Social workers have many techniques for solving problems. Casework requires meetings with individuals and families. They may counsel young people whose parents have died or families who have lost all their possessions in floods or other disasters. Group work brings together people who have problems in common, such as mothers who are not married. Social workers help them solve those problems through deep conversation and well-planned activities. Community organization work usually has specific goals such as finding jobs for idle high school students and so on. In supporting my thesis I plan to highlight different situations that bring about many different emotions from both the child and the social worker. The reason that so many foster children feel the need to fight for power and control stems from what is for all intents and purposes their trying to live for or through others. The lack of known self drives the attribution of one's own attitudes, feelings, or suppositions to others that blur the boundaries between where a known self would end and others begin. Without personal boundaries the foster children often end up feeling helpless when they relate to others because essentially they aspect everything about how they feel and what they think is taking place in others. The power and control relationships a foster child and a social worker share are self explanatory. The child has been beaten badly by his or her mother. It is in the social workers power to go and remove this child from this abusive situation. This then shows the child that this person is now in control of my life, they are the ones who will save me from being harmed ever again by my mother or anyone else for that matter. Showing the child you as the social worker have the power and the control will allow the child to be able to call you and tell you if anything else may happen in their new foster home or even back at home.

Grade School Science Fair Project Ideas

Grade School Science Fair Project Ideas Do you need a great idea for a  science fair project? This is a collection of grade school science fair project ideas submitted by readers: Lemons Batteries Can you use a lemon, wire, and a a human to test it on to make a battery using their saliva? If so, how does it work? Results -yes, you can make an electric shock. - Jordan Kasulas mold How long does it take different types of food to grow mold? Why? Do the ingredients affect how fast it grows mold? - Jordan Kasulas Can You Prevent Dust? Dust one half of a dusty table with a damp cloth. Dust the other half of the table using a product meant to remove and help prevent dust. Compare the appearance of the table after time. Do both sides of the table get dusty at the same rate? - PlaysWithMatches Which Diaper brand holds the most water? Get different diaper brands like Pampers,Huggies, Pull-Ups, etc. Fill in about 3 cups of water and which ever leaks the least is the diaper that can hold the most water!! x] - Wait Meh Can you change a chicks colors? Yes you can, if you put dye in the egg after Day 18 the chicks come out all sorts of colors. This one has won school and District science fair as well. - Dylan Do Pigs stink? This project has won my school and District Science fairs. I took two pigs. One I let get as dirty as it wanted rolling in mud and gunk. The other one I kept washed and in a very clean pen. After several weeks I rubbed a rag on both and determined, No they dont have sweat glands..So its the poop and pee that stinks. - Dylan creating bubble I use baking soda, water, and salt. Youre supposed to measure them and see which one can bubble more and wait till 5 seconds and shake it then the bubbles come up. - tania do cooked beans grow! Do cooked beans grow? This project is great, so try it and see if you like it. - Guest tresure Does color affect melting? Take like about 3 different colored ice-cubes (color them with food coloring) and put them in 3 cups of water. Put all 3 cups outside in the heat or inside your house and record your data on which one melts fastest or slowest. - Mika gum What kind of gum will blow the biggest bubble after chewing for 2 minutes? - tash599 Rain or tap. Okay get some rain water and tap water and start to grow some plants and see which has a greater effect on the plant. - Only the one beans Get beans and try them in different liquids and see which bean with liquid grows more roots. - y family EGG Place one cup of water with salt and one cup without salt. Put an egg in each one. Which one sinks, which one rises? - fart man 2 fruits!!!! o my Will fruits and vegetables stay fresh longer if they are in or out of the refrigerator? - lily candles Get your mom or dad to buy one white candle and a red candle (you can buy any color) and see which burns faster. - nikki which type of popcorn pops faster? act2 or pop secret? Its a really fun experiment. Try it! - leia209 soggy potatoes You have two potatoes and one goes in a cup of water and the other one goes in a cup of water with salt. You see which one gets soggier. Its very easy and FUN! - shoppa loppa ding dong POP POP POP You take as many different kinds of popcorn as you like, then see which popcorn pops the most!!!:) - awesome me!!:) my paper towel is better then yours You get 5 different brands of paper towels and see how much water it can hold, once it breaks then thats the end of that one. My friend and I did it twice for all the paper towels because we wanted to make sure. Thank you for reading my project. - keely color changing flowers Get a white flower (best if dry). Put it in a vase without water. Pour water and food coloring. Wait a day or two. It will be a different color. - shadow the hedgehog Battery Toy Take one toy that needs batteries and use Energizer batteries first and the second time use something else like Kodak. Time each use of the toy with each brand of batteries. Try to find out which battery works longer. Problem Statement: Which battery makes the toy work longer? - Julianna102.webs.com Candle You could maybe gather a few candles during cold weather, Place one inside, and one somewhere niether cold nor warm, and see which one burns out faster or which one burns the candle completely faster. - Salem Decaying Teeth Put fake teeth into a Coke can, a Pepsi can and a Mountain Dew can. See which one decays the teeth faster. - becky stop the rot Which preservative keeps apples freshest the longest: salt, water, air? Air is the perservative that keeps the apple fresh the longest. - cheermonkey Can oil control the evaporation of water I did this 4-7th grade. It is so easy. All you do is take 4 containers of water and put 10 drops of oil in the first one, 6 in the second one, 4 in the third one and 0 in the fourth one and record how much evaporation occurs in each container over 5 days. - you only wish you knew grass grows well Take one type of grass. Put 5 of those seeds in one pot. Do the same thing to other pot. Put one pot in an extremely bright window. Put the other pot in front of a cold window sill. Check your results every 2 days. Record the results. - farting is awesome sensitivity smell Do people have the same sensitivity to smell? Place people at one end of a room. Have another person open a scent, such as lemon oil or vinegar. Have your test subjects write down what they smell and what time they smelled it. Is the time the same for different scents? Does it matter whether the test subject was male or female? - jamie DOOOGGGG Can you teach an old dog a new trick - result...do it and find out! - I AM KELSEY!!!!! Marigolds of Juice Soda Milk and Water Get a small package of marigold seeds and put them in the same size pots and same amount of soil and same amount of sun. Now enter 1 cup of water in the first marigold pot, label it A.Then put 1 cup of soda in plant B.After that put 1 cup of milk in plant C.Finally put 1 cup of juice in plant D.Record your data of your conclusions...then repeat the project several more times until you find which plant (A,B,C,and D) has grown the largest and healthiest. - Ann grow Grow GROW Which grass seed grows the fastest (Please put this science fair project into your own words. Thanks) - Mary EFFECT ON BALLONS Get sugar and a balloon. Take the balloon and rub it on the wall, then take a plate and put sugar on it. Rub the balloon 10 times on the wall, then lay it on the sugar and see if the sugar is going to stick to the balloon. - TAYLOR DELAHOUSSAYE Water does tap water freeze faster than salt water-yes tap water does cause salt water takes longer to freeze cause it has salt i it. - Karma hoops does the placement of the hoops affect the distance a hoop glider will travel - shadow6452103 simple project which type of object is heavier? Use three different types of object and drop them. See which drops faster - trewimage gum galore buy 3 packs of mint gum have 3 people chew the gum for 5 min then take their temperature to see if the mint changes the temperature of their mouth - #$%!^ * H or C? Soda Carbonation You have to open 2 sodas and put one in the freezer and put one outside and then u c which is fizziest - fluffybunnyishappy SOCKS !!!!!!! After what kind of workout what kinds of socks give blisters. I did this and got 1rst place in the international science fair plus its simple and easy. - jmdofns Does temperature affect freezing levels? Yes, because the ice water would have a lower freezing point than hot water! - Guest stress Which age is stressed out the most? Get a teen and a grownup and interview them both. Then find out which one gets stressed more! - hi :) popcorn This science experiment is fun, edible and easy. You just take several kinds of popcorn and see what popcorn pops the most kernels. - coutney Do cooked beans grow? Do cooked beans grow? No, they dont because they are boiled and the cells are dead. - trevor Seashells A collection and classification of seashells with a report. - ***Sam*** Who listens in class the boys or girls? Well you first see who studies in class. For example if one of girls pays attention in class you put down a point and the same goes for the boys. After you have your data then you can see if the boys or girls pay more attention! - Blanca Quiroz Marin Egg In A Bottle This is fun and very easy. :) You will need a milk bottle,a hard-boiled egg, a piece of paper, and matches. Light a peice of paper with a match and drop the paper in the bottle.put the egg quickly on the top of the bottle. Then plop! The egg falls inside. If you want to get the egg out rinse inside the bottle. Put the bottle upside down and blow into it hard. Move your face after. Have fun!!!! ;) - Someone what type of chocolate melts faster What type of chocolate melts faster? This is simply fun for only 2 reasons: 1 you get to eat the chocolate sauce and 2 because it will get you a a(hons). This is so fun and yum seriously try it youll get the bast results ever... - tayla pop go the kernels! Which brand of popcorn pops and leaves the fewest amount of not popped kernels: popsecret, act 2,or orville redanbacher? - cutie pie fried egg You put an egg on the sidewalk and see if it fries!!! - sarah Magnetic Fields How big is the magnetic field for a refrigerator magnet? - Sahil Mehta Different types of Bridges Find different types of bridges on google then build a popsicle bridge - Kylie My idea Get different brands of napkins and soak them with 20 drips then see which one soaks more and which one didnt. - WOW! yeast try this and see in what temp does yeast work best 1:make bread dough with yeast. 2: put an equal amount of dough in same size bowls. 3: put them in different temp. 4:measure them every 30 min. - sammy THE SWING OF THINGS WHICH KIND OF BAT WILL HIT THE BALL FARTHEST ALUMINUM OR WOOD? - OHIO STATE human behavior How does lack of sleep affect human behavior? - jadeeeee What protects an egg the most? Get different things to make a nest or holder type thing and drop it from a high distance. See what protects it and what doesnt :) - PaTiEnCe_NiCoLe Ants lay out food in front of an athill and see which food ants like more. - 1234 Liquids and plants Water 3 of the same plant with 3 different liquids (you choose the liquids) which one grows better (use water :) - sciencenerd222 ice cubes my friend and i tested which drink (apple juice, water, sprite and gatorade) would melt an ice cube the fastest. My friend and i made it to the regional science fair and we got 2nd. Its pretty simple but remember to keep a log book.! - DOGFREAK :) How To Take Care Of A Egg Help The Egg As If You Were A Mother Or Father. After 3 Weeks You Take The Egg With You Every Where You Go. Start To Ask Test The Reactions Of A Male Holding An Egg Or The Female. Then Make A Chart On How People Act. Then Finally Make A Hypothesis Before This Process To See If Youre Right - Reinaldo I SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM !!! Ok well If your reading this your looking for a science Project well this is a GREAT one to do its Fun and Yummy :) This is what you do 1. u buy 5 different Types of icecream And test what one Melts the fastest You can see if The chocolate Chunks or the cookie dough Change the Affect 2. Write the Test Things Down after a hour or 2 and take pics that helps them now what your atlking about... lol. 3. thats about it ohh ya then you eat it :) This is real fun to do with a Partner !!!! I hope this helped :) - Micaela my idea Can you use pumice as flooring in flooded areas, doghouses? - jordan kasulas glow water take tonic water and a black light and you have a cool glow drink - kitty 8th grade project idea me and my friend are doing our science fair project on if the music you listen to before you go to bed affects your dreams! (: - Sami Gum Flavor I am going to do a gum flavor project! I AM Gonna C Which 1 Has LONG LASTING FLAVOR! - Caitlyn bread molding easy fun a every time first get a bunch of different types of bread wheat, white, rye, whatever put each in plastic bag watch - katie Light things on fire Light different things on fire and see which one takes the most damage. EXAMPLE MATERIALS: Trees, houses, people, plants, animals, food, soda - Ami txt plus drive do three different things in this: txt plus drive,speaker phone drive, and regular phone drive - joshua Which fabric burns the fastest! pick five or whatever different types of fabrics and burn them to see wich one burns faster by recording the type of each fabric and be careful have a parent when you do this with you! - mari plants get four plants put one in total darkness one in alot of sunshine and one with alot of water and one with no water - itz hayley water time!!! me and my friend had to do a clock using water it was very simple all you need is a friend water and paper cups - bubbles Fish Food Put dead shrimp into a container and alive shrimp in the other and see which shrimp the fish luvs better - Grace What is heavier water or blood? First put some water in a cup and some blood in a cup,then pour the blood in the cup with the water and see if the blood will sink or float. If the blood sinks that means that water is heaver than blood and if the blood floats that means that blood is heaver than water. - Ryian Special Gum Get any kind of gum get at least 2-4 packs of gum and let as much people as you want and take their temperature before they eat the gum wait for a minute then take their temperature and see if its HOT COLD OR NORMAL - Patrice1113 cuckoo Do cuckoo clocks sound different if they are the different sizes? - Jasmine 6th grade project idea i did a project on the skeletal system and why do animals need bones ? but if you like animals like me and your an animal freak you should try it and i actually got 1st place in this project ! - Brianna . T Freeze It! Take four Philadelphia Cream Cheese containers (and make sure theyre empty) and fill them up each with orange juice, apple cider, water, and olive oil. See which one freezes fastest. Check every fifteen minutes and change the temperature once you found out how fast it took for them to freeze. - Sailormoonfan Plop, Plop, Fizz Fast See what temperature an Alka - Seltzer fizzes longest. Go to science buddies for more info. - no name Mentos First make chalk lines on a wall to measure how high the soda goes and put the same type of mentos in both one soda diet coke and the other reg. coke which goes higher? - Science fair got an A boats does the kind of paper a boat is made from affect its length of floating - me What structure will hold a tower better? It can be straws, toothpicks or even wood rods. And the tower can be made of clay or paper or even cardboard too. - Nayeli Does your smell affect your taste? Have someone plug there nose and eat something. Can they taste it? - The Beast May the strongest win! see which elmers glue is the strongest. i won 3rd place last year doing this one. - Kaitlynn Wilson Bubbles! The effect of temperature on how long soap bubbles last. - Mackenz Water with stain Tee shirts, marker, water: See if cool water or warm water stains best. - Shakivikiou Laundry Detergent Is laundry detergent as effective if you use less than the recommended amount? More? - Nicole Makeup Qualities Take a nice brand of makeup (it can be mascara, eye shadow or blush) then get the same kind of makeup at a drugstore (basically any store that sells makeup!) and try out both of the makeups on your mom, your guardian, sister(s), or your self! and then see which make up is a better quality!! [this science project is a good excuse to get new makeup: )] - ~No Name Listed~ sinking and floating use sodas and diet sodas and see which one floats or sinks trust me it is awsome i am a 6 grader trust me ppl out their looking for project ideas that are middle schoolers peace out my science buddies bye bye xoxoxo - vere Lemon or Lime You can see whether a lemon or lime can turn on a light. You can Attach some wires (thin wires) and cut the lemon or lime together to see whether the lime or lemon turns on the light - flowers Get Science Fair Project Help