Discuss the role of social medias influence (Twitter, Facebook, and Essay - 2

Talk about the job of social medias impact (Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube) in the lives of kids and youthful adolescents today - Essay Example The AACAP states that â€Å"60% of 13 to 17 years of age have in any event one profile on a person to person communication site† (Aacap 1). Long range informal communication sites have a few highlights and one of the most significant highlights is news and data. Data accessible on these sites incorporates scholarly related data just as news with respect to recent developments (Strader 98). At the point when youngsters get to these highlights they wind up creating knowledge with respect to what's going on in their general surroundings. This component even encourages them in learning more than what is offered at schools. Online life is in any event, helping kids create and support social connections. Internet based life, for example, Facebook permits youngsters to discuss online with others including kids from their own schools. OKeeffe states that â€Å"social media permit adolescents to achieve different undertakings incorporating remaining associated with friends† (OKeeffe 1). This helps youngsters in staying in consistent contact with companions consistently. This expansion in time went through with companions even prompts increment in the supporting of associations with people who exist in the virtual just as the physical world. Internet based life is in any event, helping kids in keeping themselves engaged. Online life, for example, YouTube permits youngsters to share pictures, recordings, music and undertakings with other internet based life clients (Harlen 122). YouTube helps youngsters in finding their main tunes and films and kids get to these engaging components to keep themselves occupied and engaged. Youngsters even offer their own recordings and tunes over YouTube to communicate before other online life clients. OKeeffe states that internet based life helps in the â€Å"enhancement of individual and aggregate imagination through turn of events and sharing of masterful and melodic endeavors† (OKeeffe 1). There are

Definition and Examples of Jargon

Definition and Examples of Jargon Language alludes to the specific language of an expert or word related gathering. While this language is regularly valuable or important for those inside the gathering, it is normally good for nothing to untouchables. A few callings have such a great amount of language of their own that it has its own name; for instance, attorneys use legalese, while scholastics use academese. Language is likewise once in a while known as dialect or parlance. An entry of content that if brimming with language is supposed to be jargony. Key Takeaways: Jargon Language is the mind boggling language utilized by specialists in a specific order or field. This language regularly assists specialists with speaking with clearness and accuracy. Language is not the same as slang, which is the easygoing language utilized by a specific gathering of individuals. Pundits of language accept such language accomplishes more to darken than explain; they contend that most language can be supplanted with straightforward, direct language without giving up importance. Supporters of language accept such language is essential for exploring the complexities of specific callings. In logical fields, for example, scientists investigate troublesome subjects that most laypeople would not have the option to comprehend. The language the specialists utilize must be exact on the grounds that they are managing complex ideas (atomic science, for instance, or atomic material science) and streamlining the language may create turmoil or make space for blunder. In Taboo Language, Keith Allan and Kate Burridge contend this is the situation: Should language be censored? Many individuals think it should. However, close assessment of language shows that, albeit some of it is vacuous pretentiousness...its legitimate use is both vital and unobjectionable. Pundits of language, be that as it may, state such language is unnecessarily entangled and at times even intentionally intended to prohibit outcasts. American artist David Lehman has depicted language as the verbal skillful deception that causes the old cap to appear to be recently popular. He says the language gives a demeanor of curiosity and plausible significance to thoughts that, whenever expressed straightforwardly, would appear to be shallow, stale, negligible, or bogus. In his popular article Politics and the English Language, George Orwell contends that dark and complex language is regularly used to make lies sound honest and murder good, and to give an appearance of robustness to unadulterated breeze. Language versus Slang Language ought not be mistaken for slang, which is casual, informal language now and then utilized by a gathering (or gatherings) of individuals. The principle distinction is one of register; language is formal language one of a kind to a particular order or field, while slang is normal, casual language that is bound to be spoken than composed. A legal advisor talking about an amicus curiae brief is a case of language. A high schooler looking at making batter is a case of slang. Rundown of Jargon Words Language can be found in an assortment of fields, from law to instruction to designing. A few instances of language include: Due constancy: A business term, due tirelessness alludes to the exploration that ought to be done before making a significant business decision.AWOL: Short for missing without leave, AWOL is military language used to depict an individual whose whereabouts are unknown.Hard duplicate: A typical term in business, the scholarly world, and different fields, a printed version is a physical printout of an archive (instead of an electronic copy).Cache: In registering, store alludes to a spot for shorts of detritivores incorporate night crawlers, ocean cucumbers, and millipedes. All encompassing: Another word for thorough or complete, comprehensive is frequently utilized by instructive experts regarding educational program that centers around social and enthusiastic learning in extra to customary lessons.Magic shot: This is a term for a straightforward arrangement that takes care of a mind boggling issue. (It is typically utilized scornfully, as in I dont think this arrangement youve concoct is an enchantment bullet.)Best practice: In business, a best practice is one that ought to be embraced in light of the fact that it has demonstrated viability.

9 Tips for Last-Minute Christmas Shopping

9 Tips for Last-Minute Christmas Shopping 9 Tips for Last-Minute Christmas Shopping 9 Tips for Last-Minute Christmas ShoppingYou promised yourself: this year it would be different. This would be the year that you got all your Christmas shopping done early, the year you wouldn’t wait until the very last second to buy gifts for your family, friends and loved ones. Sure, putting off Christmas shopping was what you did last year. And the year before that. And the decade before that. But this year, no. This year, things were going to be different.Oops.Now here you sit, on Christmas Eve-Eve-Eve, with a shopping list a mile long and a very un-Christmas-like sense of impending doom. But don’t worry, all hope is not lost. We have shopping tricks and tips, as well as some recommendations for great gifts that you can purchase at the very last second.So take a deep breath, take a big gulp of caffeine, and let’s get to work!1. Amazon PrimeIf you already have Amazon Prime, congratulations! You might have a chance of ordering stuff and having it arrive in time for Christmas. Not only that, but you get free 2-day shipping and could possibly qualify for free one-day or same-day shipping.Receiving your items shipped on-time isn’t a guarantee, though. So be careful. It depends on where you’re having the items shipped to. For instance, OppLoans is headquartered in Chicago, where there are already two local distribution centers (and plans for a third). For us, getting our packages on time is pretty easy. But if you’re located somewhere that isn’t near a distribution center, like in Jackson, MS, it’s going to take your stuff a little longer to get there.For folks who don’t have Amazon Prime, here’s a little trick you can use: sign-up for a free, 30-day trial. You can take advantage of the free-shipping benefits and then cancel your subscription before the trial period is up.2. Order Online, Pick Up In-Store.This option is available through most major retailers, and it’s a great way to make your shopping more efficient. Just select the “pick up in-store” option on their website and then follow the instructions. Usually, they’ll have you go to their Guest/Customer Services area where youll be able to pick up your item.Don’t expect that you’ll be able to pick-up any item in-store, though. In many instances, a retailer will not have that option available for certain items. And sometimes, your local store might simply not have the item you want in stock. (This is one of the downsides of waiting until the last minute.)If you can’t reserve the item online, go ahead and call the store to see if they have the item in stock. You might not be able to reserve it, but you can at least go to the store knowing that they have what you’re looking for. (Doesn’t guarantee that they’ll still have it by the time you get there, but that’s a risk you’ll have to take.) When shopping last-minute, time management is critical.3. Shop During Non-Peak Hours“Non-peak hours” is retail-speak for “really early or really late. ” Basically, don’t go at times when everyone else is going. That way, you won’t have to deal with long lines, and you can hit more stores. It’s really that simple.Ideally, you should be going early. Stores restock overnight, so you’re more likely to find the stuff on your list. Going late at night can mean that the store’s shelves have been entirely picked through by the time you get there. If the store looks to be out of something, make sure you ask the staff to check whether or not they have any remaining units in the back.Here’s one area where major retailers have definitely got your back. A lot of them are extending their hours to accommodate last minute shoppers. Heck, this year Kohl’s is going to be open for 107 hours straight leading up to Christmas.4. Compare Deals and Find DiscountsOne of the big problems with last-minute shopping is that you can end up getting gouged with high prices. If it’s 11:55 pm on Christmas Eve and you’re desperately looking for that new Rogue One toy at Target, you don’t have much of a choice to search for a better price.Luckily, it’s easier than ever now to compare prices between different retailers and locate promo codes that’ll knock your price tag down even further.If you’re looking to compare prices, here are five fantastic website that you can use:PriceGrabber.comGoogle ShoppingShopping.netNextag.comShopzillaLikewise, if you want to find promo codes to help you save, you should check out these five sites:DealNews.comSlickDeals.comRetailMeNot.comBradsDeals.comCouponSherpa.comThere are also a lot of great price comparison apps out there. Just make sure if you use one that it’s not an app designed for comparing prices while you’re shopping at the store. (Most of these include some kind of “bar code scan” feature.) One you’re at the store, you want to be making your purchases and moving on.Hopping from store to store looking for the absolute price is a great strategy for running out of time.5. Keep Your ReceiptsLook, if you’re shopping at the last-minute, you’ve pretty much given up the right to be super picky. This might mean compromising on something like color, extra features, even specific brands. Sometimes, you might just have to make the best purchase available, even if it’s not what your gift recipient specifically requested.However, if the person you’re buying a gift for is the picky type, holding onto the gift receipt is a great way to make sure they can still get what they asked for. Gift receipts don’t include the price tag, and they can make exchanging the gift easy.There is literally no reason to not hold onto your gift receipts. They’re a classic example of something that you’d rather have and not need. Because the reverseâ€"needing them and not having themâ€"is not a pickle you want to find yourself in.6. Gift BoxesIf you’re a regular listener to podcasts (literally any podcast) then you’re probably familiar with gift boxes. These are subscription servicesâ€"some of them weekly, some monthly, other quarterlyâ€"where you get fun/awesome/delicious stuff delivered to your door.Gift boxes have been increasing in popularity for years. At this point, there is pretty much a gift box for everyone. And because the subscription won’t start till 2017, they’re make for perfect last-minute Christmas gifts.Here are some of our favorites:Blue Apron: tasty recipes, easy instructions, and fresh ingredients delivered right to your door. Perfect for someone who wants to cook more but doesn’t have the time, energy or advanced know-how to make it happen.Book(ish) Box: the perfect box for the literary-minded person in your life. Working with small businesses and occasional guest authors, this box delivers 3-5 items and a t-shirt each month that are inspired by a different theme.BarkBox: Every month, they send you different kinds of bark. Just kidding! This is a gift box for dog lovers. Every month they send new toys, treats, and goodies to get those puppy tails a’ wagging.LootCrate: No, this isn’t a crate filled with stolen goods. It’s a box with stuff aimed at gamers and fans of geek culture. Past crates have included items inspired by Labyrinth, The Incredible Hulk, BioShock, and The Fifth Element.DollarShave Club: With a high-quality razors and men’s grooming products delivered on the cheap, this club might be a great way to gently hint to your friend that, no matter how much they try, that moustache they’re growing just ain’t gonna work out.If you didn’t find any of those options particularly inspiring, we recommend you check out CrateJoy.com. If there’s a gift box subscription out there that’s right for you (and for your gift recipient) CrateJoy is the place to find it.7. SubscriptionsInstead of getting that TV or movie lover in your life a single movie or boxset, why not give them access to hundreds of movies and tv shows? Some of the best streaming platforms for TV and movies i nclude:NetflixAmazon Prime VideoHuluSling OrangeOr what about a subscription for the book lover in your life? Some of the top subscription services for eBooks are:Kindle UnlimitedScribdPlaysterOysterFor audiobooks, you should look at:AudibleSimplyAudioBooksOverDriveScribd (again)You could even get a subscription to a newspaper or magazine! Most newspaper subscriptions have a digital only or a digital + Sunday edition. And most magazines have content that is only available for subscribers.8. Gift CardsOkay, so this is a bit of a cop-out. Gift cards are the classic example of a gift someone gets you when they don’t have time to shop for you. When it comes to that special, personal touch, gift cards are most definitely lacking.Here’s the thing about gift cards though: they let you buy things you actually want. People might poo-poo them in theory, but in practice … they’re pretty dang nice.Most gift cards can be purchased at a discount too. Take a look at the deal finder and pro mo code sites listed earlier in this article; most of them will have gift card discounts that can help you stretch your holiday shopping budget just a little bit further.A good place to find gift card discounts IRL is at your local gas station. No really! They use discounted cards as a way to encourage people to shop there. We bet you never thought that buying Christmas gifts at the gas station could turn out to be such a good idea!9. ExperiencesMany of the best things in our life aren’t actually things at all. They’re experiences. Think about buying your friend or loved one a package for a spa day, tickets to see their favorite band or sports team, or a gift certificate for their favorite restaurant.Groupon.com has a ton of deals for spas, restaurants, concerts, plays, sports events and other (sometimes weirder) types of experiences. And they’re not the only game in town either. Take some time to think about what kind of stuff your gift-recipient likes to do, and then take so me more time to hunt down the perfect experience that you can buy for them.Even though the clock is ticking down, we can assure you that the time you take to figure this out will be time well spent. Plus, once you’ve decided, making the purchase itself is just a few clicks away.Good luck, last-minute shoppers! And remember: next year, it’ll be different.

The Complex Codes Of The United States Essay - 1574 Words

While Americanah is considered a novel by most literary assessment standards, I would suggest that it is perhaps a unique reference manual, a commentary on the complex codes and various ways that we have developed when talking about race in the United States. These complex codes, as presented by Adiche, is the notion that will propel the following road map for this essay. I will begin by examining Ifemelu’s initial landing and introduction to the United States, followed by a sense of depression which ensued post her various life disappointments. Then we will take a peek at a few racial identifiers, not originally known to Ifemelu, that exist to categorize people in the US, with a slight focus on the role that hair plays in Americanah. Finally, we will examine the ways that Ifemelu is compelled to voice her unique perspective via blogging and her compulsion to spread her insights to the world. Ultimately, it will be my mission to analyze Americanah, and the unique insights it g ives us in regards to race through an outsider’s perspective, to conclude that it is a crucial text for better understanding race in America. Ultimately supporting our guiding question that Americanah is an essential text for an African-American studies class. For the sake of length and effectiveness, I will omit the themes of romantic love and other various major perspectives found within the book, such as Obinze’s, and just focus on Ifemelu’s experiences with race. Let us begin by examining why anShow MoreRelatedThe Long And Complex Tax Code The United States1241 Words   |  5 PagesThe issue at hand is the long and complex tax code the United States currently has in place, there are more than 74,000 pages in the tax code. From 2001-2010 4,430 pages were added to the tax code, an average of a page a day. Because of the extensive tax code, there are many loopholes that allow people and businesses to evade paying large amounts of taxes, some people save billio ns of dollars. There are at least six loopholes that the average tax filer can exploit to save large amounts of money onRead MoreComputer Science Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg. These three men all have one thing800 Words   |  4 Pageswork, write code, and browse Reddit.† (Droptables, Bobby) This is a very vague reply that I received so I went on to ask questions about â€Å"What these codes do?†, and, â€Å"What the codes are used for?† His particular job, being a Cryptologist, requires him to â€Å"analyze exploits of code and then patch those using codes†. (Droptables, Bobby) Apart from this interview, a separate job in the same field as a Computer research scientist is a different way of working. 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Since before the beginning of United States history, the people of the United States have oppressed and repressed the Native Americans that have lived on this land long before them. The lyric, â€Å"All of the other reindeer/ used to laugh and call him names/Read MoreDouble Victory: A Multicultural History of America in World War II by Ronald Takaki642 Words   |  3 PagesIn the United States World War II has been one of the most remembered wars of all time. Acclaimed historian Ronald Takaki asserts that for many Americans, World War II was fought for a â€Å"double victory†: on the battlefront as well as on the home front. Takaki’s book Double Victory: A Multicultural History of America in World War II reminds the audience that there was much, much more happening at home and on the frontlines during World War II than in the battlefield. Takaki presents a strong centralRead MoreCultural Relativism Essay1702 Words   |  7 Pagessocietal customs and practices, there are many different societies and sub-societies that create a very complex nature to cultural relativism. Rachels points out that the idea of cultural relativism is complex (Rachels, 1999, p. 2). The complexity of cultural relativism makes it a relative phenomenon, and so it can be looked at in many different points of views. In order for society to adhere to a code of morals and ethics, there must be an agreement within that society. However, if the society is notRead MoreEssay on Navajo Code Talkers in WW21719 Words   |  7 PagesNavajo Code Talkers: Unknown Heroes Seldom has it ever occurred that heroes to our country, let alone in general, have had to wait decades for proper acknowledgement for their heroic deeds. This is not the case for the Navajo Code Talkers. 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This did not eliminate the need for federal court systems, however, and so the dual cour t system was bornRead MoreEssay on Qr Codes and Nursing1094 Words   |  5 Pagesinvented in 1994, by the Denso Wave Corporation in Japan, Quick response codes, or QR codes were intended to for the auto manufacturer Toyota as a means to track vehicles, as well as vehicle parts, during the manufacturing production stages of building their cars. The QR codes were designed to allow Toyota manufactures to identify parts by scanning a two dimensional barcode, or, QR code at high speed. Since its inception in 1994 QR codes have become one of the most popular types of barcode used in JapanRead MoreThe Second Amendment Of The United States1513 Words   |  7 PagesThe Fourth Amendment states in part â€Å"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated†¦.† 14 United States Code 89 gives the U.S. Coast Guard authority to board, inspect, or seize any U.S. vessel on the high se as or in U.S. territorial waters. The Supreme Court has ruled not every search or seizure requires probable cause or a search warrant, however, these are the exception to the rule. The Coast

How to Study for an Open Book Test

Open book tests teach you how to find information when you need it, and under a significant amount of pressure.   Even more importantly, the questions are designed to teach you how to use your brain. And contrary to popular belief, you do not get off the hook when it comes to studying for an open book exam. You just need to study a little differently. Open Book Test Questions Most often, the questions on an open book test will ask you to explain, evaluate, or compare information from your textbook. For instance: Compare and contrast the different views of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton as they pertained to the role and size of the government. When you see a question of this nature, dont bother scanning your book to find a statement that summarizes the topic for you. Most likely, the answer to this question will not appear in a single paragraph in your text—or even on a single page. The question requires you to have an understanding of two philosophical views that you could only comprehend by reading the entire chapter. During your exam, you will not have time to find enough information to answer this question well. Instead, you should know the basic answer to the question and, during the test, look for information from your book that will support your answer. How to Prepare for an Open Book Test If you have an upcoming open book test, take the following steps to prepare. Read the chapters ahead of time. Dont expect to find quick answers during the test.Know where to find everything. Observe headings and sub-headings and make your own outline. This reinforces the structure of the text in your mind.Mark all important terms with sticky notes and flags. If the teacher allows it, mark your texts with these removable tags wherever you notice important concepts and terms. Be sure to ask first!Review lecture notes for themes. Your teachers lectures usually provide an overview of the themes and concepts that appear on tests. You wont always get this by reviewing the book alone.Make your own notes if allowed, and write down important formulas or concepts that you’ve covered in class. What to Do During the Open Book Test First, evaluate each question. Ask yourself if each question requires facts or interpretation. The questions that require facts may be easier and faster to answer. Fact-based questions will begin with expressions like: List five reasons . . . What events led up to. . .? Some students like to answer the fact-based questions first, then move on to the interpretation questions, which require more thought and concentration. As you answer each question, you will need to quote the book when appropriate to back up your thoughts. Be sure to quote only three to five words at a time—otherwise, you may find yourself copying answers from the book, which will result in a loss of points.

Marketing Efforts Paper Free Essays

Big Brothers Big Sisters Metro Atlanta – Marketing Efforts Paper Tolejala Keel PA 572 Managing Nonprofit Development Programs Keller Graduate School Professor Ian Coyle Table of Contents I. Introduction 3 II. Historical Background 3,4 III. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Efforts Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now Mission Statement4 IV. Marketing Methods- Organization Centered4,5 V. Marketing Methods- Customer Centered5,6 VI. Recommendations6 VII. References7 Big Brothers Big Sisters I. Introduction The greater metro Atlanta organization is one of the most successful and diverse chapters of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) helps at-risk children beat the odds. Big Brothers Big Sisters is the world? s largest mentoring program helping over 270,000 children around the world reach their potential through professionally supported one-to-one relationships. They nurture children, help them realize their potential and build their futures. In doing so they also strengthen communities. Each time Big Brothers Big Sisters pairs a child with a role model, one-to-one relationships are built on trust and friendship. These friendships often develop into a future of unlimited potential. II. Historical Background In 1904 Ernest Kent Coulter, a young New York City court clerk named noticed the increased of young boys introduced to the court system. He knew something needed to be done to help these kids and set out to find willing and caring adults volunteers that could help these boys stay out of trouble. That marked the beginning of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City and the Big Brothers movement. At around the same time, the members of a group called Ladies of Charity were befriending girls who had come through the New York Children’s Court. That group would later become Catholic Big Sisters. Both groups continued to work independently until 1977, when Big Brothers of America and Big Sisters International joined forces and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta (BBBS) has been serving the Metro Atlanta area for nearly fifty years. Our goal is to enrich children’s lives and provide a solid foundation to allow the next generation to be all they can be—one child at a time. III. Mission Statement The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Vision: all children achieve success in life. Accountability: by partnering with parents/guardians, volunteers and others in the community we are accountable for each child in our program achieving: * Higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships * Avoidance of risky behaviors * Educational success IV. Marketing Methods- Organization Centered Big Brothers Big Sisters plan involves the development of a more robust, sustainable resource engine focused on our mission and vision, led by strong board and executive leadership, and strengthened by investments in our fund development systems Below are some of their marketing programs that are organization-centered: A. School-Based Mentoring program is built on partnerships between Metro Atlanta corporations and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta (BBBS) with the goal of creating mentoring friendships between corporate volunteers and elementary or middle school within close proximity of the corporate site. The corporations sponsor such programs as job shadowing and career day activities on site. The School-Based program includes partnerships with local colleges in addition to those with local corporations. B. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta is a well established, recognized and respected charity, and has been changing the lives of disadvantaged children for over 100 years. With the support of their valued partners, they can provide and expand many programs, activities and services. They offer many attractive partnership opportunities, from cause marketing campaigns, Workplace Mentoring, and event sponsorships. These partnerships helps businesses achieve their own business objectives while empowering (BBBS) to strengthen the resiliency of the children, heightening their self-esteem, improving their school performance, enhancing their social and family relationships, and helping them avoid trouble with the law. V. Marketing Methods- Customer Centered When people think of mentoring programs, they think of Big Brothers Big Sisters. As an established youth organization, we’ve worked for more than 100 years to develop youth mentoring programs that work. Our experienced approach to recruiting, screening, matching, and supporting our mentoring relationships has resulted in thousands of lasting relationships and helped change the lives of young people across the country. Below are some of their marketing programs that are customer-centered: A. Mentoring Towards College (MTC) is a comprehensive curriculum with a dual mission: to support academic success in each grade level AND to ensure on-time graduation and college matriculation. In this program, the Mentor uses the MTC curriculum to provide direction and guidance while the child is actually responsible for completing the objectives which include workshops, discussions and programs. All MTC activities work toward the goal of academic success in high school and college preparation. B. The Star Program allows the mentors and children matches to experience theatre first-hand, and explore their imaginations as well as the world around them. Through special after-school performances, matches experience the Atlanta’s many unique and artistic performances and exhibits geared towards complementing student development. VI. Recommendations Research has shown that most non-profit organizations have an â€Å"organization-centered† mindset. However moving from an â€Å"organization-centered† to a â€Å"customer-centered† approach to marketing will provide a better opportunity for non-profit organizations to increase their competitive advantage and aid in meeting the terms organizational mission. There are two ways in which Big Brothers Big Sisters can become more customer-centered in their marketing efforts: A. Big Brothers Big Sisters can capitalize on Atlanta’s reputation as a very cultural city and professional sports teams. Most Valuable Kids (MVK) will provide (BBBS) children with ticket donations to attend cultural events, professional and collegiate sports and entertainment events. Live entertainment provides a positive source of inspiration for children in a world where there are many negative alternatives. B. Hispanic Mentoring Program- According to the U. S. Census Bureau. Latinos make up about 14 percent of the nation’s population and more than one-third of all Hispanics in the United States are under age 18. Over one-quarter of Hispanic children under 18 in the U. S. live in poverty. The Hispanic Mentoring Program continues the Big Brothers Big Sisters tradition of outreach to at-risk youth by emphasizing the connection with Hispanic communities and the recruitment of Latino volunteers. References Andreasen, Alan R. , and Philip Kotler. Strategic Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2008. â€Å"Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. † Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Sept. 2012. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Big_Brothers_Big_Sisters_of_America. â€Å"The Big Move! † Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. http://www. bbbsatl. org/. â€Å"Start Something for a Child Today-Big Brothers Big Sisters. † . N. p. , n. d. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. http://www. bbbs. org/. How to cite Marketing Efforts Paper, Essay examples

Leadership in Child Care Sector for Growing Place - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theLeadership in Child Care Sector for Growing Place. Answer: Introduction Growing place is an organization that provides childcare to the small kids. The founder of the organization is Evan Brever. Currently he is the Chairman of the organization. The company is operational from past seven years. The Chairman of the organization is looking for sponsors for their new program. The boards of directors of Growing places have decided that they will be providing scholarships to those children that belong to unprivileged families. They will be providing scholarships for some of the day care facilities. Thriyand is one such firm that the organization has approached for sponsorship of its new program. The head of PR of Thriyand Delores Dayton is being invited for a meeting as well (Trahms, Ndofor Sirmon, 2013). The CEO of the organization is Rob Miranda who is well known for his rude behavior, he is quite outspoken and does not think twice before speaking. His rude behavior has caused lot of discomfort for the staffs as well as the board of directors. The problem here is that the board of directors are threatened that the sponsors might not like his rude behavior and they might not want to invest in Growing places. His behavior towards Delores was also rude, the board of directors are worried that his rude behavior might ruin staff morale, clients might not choose their services and their share prices will also fall. Under the leadership of Rob, the organization has grown at a fast rate, despite the fact that child care industry is not much of a profitable industry (Trahms, Ndofor Sirmon, 2013). Scope of Essay- The Board of directors of Growing places are worried about the rude behavior of the CEO Rob Miranda. He impolite behavior and blunt nature according to them is affecting the organization. Analyzing the leadership theories, comparing and suggesting Evan Brevers for helping Rob correct his behavior serves as the scope of the essay. Objectives To study the leadership theories To compare the characteristics of Emotional Intelligent leaders with Rob To provide solution for correction of the behavior of Rob To Provide solution to the dilemma of Evan Brevers, whether Rob should be fired or not To provide solution so that Robs behavior can be changed. Types of leadership style Autocratic leadership- This kind of leadership is focused on the boss of the organization, the leader takes all the decisions and the employees are not involved in the process of decision-making neither their consultation is taken. In this type of leadership style, the decisions are communicated to the subordinates once it is being taken. This kind of leadership is generally practiced in very rare situations where the involvement of staffs in the decision-making is not necessary. Democratic leadership- The next type of leadership style is democratic leadership style, this type of leadership is employee oriented as they are considered in the decision making process of the organization. The ultimate responsibility lies with the democratic leader but the authority can be delegated among the other staff members. One of the positive features about the democratic leadership style is that the communication is both upward and downward. It is one of the most preferred leadership styles (Arnold et al., 2015). Transformational leadership- The motive behind this type of leadership is to bring change in the organization, in teams or departments. This type of leadership has comparatively more followers and the reason behind this is that this type of leadership empowers the followers. Transactional leadership- In this leadership style, exchange process is involved in which the leaders give their followers immediate rewards for fulfilling their orders or expectations. The important elements of this leadership are performance, expectations, feedback and rewards. Turnaround leadership- Turn around leadership is defined as a leadership in which the leaders turn an adverse situation in to a favorable situation. Leaders with their skill and wisdom strategically take the crisis situations as a challenge and change it into favorable opportunity (Herrmann Felfe, 2014). Situational leadership- This leadership changes with the situations, the leaders apply the style which best suits any particular situation, it could be Autocratic or Lassez faire depending upon the situation (Herrmann Felfe, 2014). Coaching leadership-This style of leadership involves teaching and supervision of followers. It is required when the staffs need some assistance for the work from their leaders. Lassez-faire- This type of leadership is when the authority is given to the employees. Employees take their own decisions and are not required to consult with their superiors, all power is give to them, and there is decentralization of authority (Coley, Lombardi Sims, 2015). The leadership style followed by Rob is autocratic leadership; he does not consult his subordinates in the process of decision-making. He is very outspoken and does not care about the impact his speech on the listeners. Rob is also a turnaround leader because because of his leadership, the organization has seen rapid growth. This style of leadership used by Rob is not appropriate for Childcare industry, he should used democratic type of leadership or transformational and transactional leadership so that his subordinates can be motivated (Trahms, Ndofor Sirmon, 2013). Emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability of individuals tom understand the emotions of other people, be emphatic rather being sympathetic. It helps the employees to understand the problems of the employees and help in finding the appropriate solutions to their grievances. It is not always necessary that the problems of the employees require any immediate solutions, sometimes mere listening to the employees is sufficient, because they are satisfied that they are being heard. In conflicts of employees or conflicts with the management, it is very important for the leaders to be emotionally intelligent and restrain from furnishing any biased decisions. In such cases, the leaders are required to listen to both the parties. A manager or a leader whose emotional intelligence quotient is very high will only be capable for handling this situation. Managers should follow diplomacy it helps to a great extent to give fair judgments, their personal views or opinions might be different at times and might even be against the interest of any particular employee. Listening to other people patiently is one of the key attributes of a good leader whose is emotionally intelligent (Padilla, 2013). Short temper and being outspoken are not the attributes of a good leader, they need to have balance in their emotions as well so that they misbehave and lose temper and misbehave with the employees. It can be said that an emotionally intelligent manager is one who knows to control his own emotions, shows the right kind of emotions and respects the emotions of his or her staff members. Rob can develop his emotional intelligence by inculcating a habit to listen to other people as well; he should listen more and talk less while he talks to his employees, he should try to understand the problems of the employees. He can take some classes of personality development and develop his managerial skills. Learning to manage stress will help in becoming emotional intelligence (McCleskey, 2014). Values of Childcare Industry Child care sector is one such industry where it is very important that the professionals show care towards their clients, health sector have values that are different from other industries, professionals here needs to pay attention to the needs and requirements of their clients, their health and concern are given priority rather than profit. Profit making should not compromise the concerns and problems of the clients (Corr Carey, 2017). The culture, values and rules of an organization determines the leadership style that is to be followed by the management. The leaders in the initial stage of the business shape the culture of the organization, later as the business grows the culture of the organization shapes the features of the leadership style that should be followed. It can be said that leadership and organizational culture has a bilateral relationship (Saeed et al., 2014). Robs rude behavior is in conflict with the values of the industry, he is rude and outspoken (Corr Carey, 2017). The leaders of Childcare sector are required train their staffs to be polite, caring and humble. They should set an example for their staffs by being kind and humble. If the leaders themselves are not following the values of the organization and the industry, it is obvious of that the employees will do the same. Rob is holding a very important position in the organization, his behaviors are in conflict with the values of the industry. If he is not being confronted or stopped from continuing the same behavior then there are chances that the organization will very soon lose its trusted clients, the business in this particular field depends upon the trust clients have on the organization, but rude behavior can make the clients unhappy. The clients will not rely on the caretakers, because care and good behavior are the services that are provided in the childcare industry (Herr mann Felfe, 2014). Persuading the Board of Directors for not firing Rob Evan should persuade the board of director to keep Rob and not to fire him, Robs behavior might be not appropriate for the childcare industry but he provides good ideas for the organization. His ideas are very beneficial for the organization; he is an intelligent man, and appropriate for the post he is holding, it is just the industry, which needs more emotionally intelligent leaders. Rather than firing Rob, who is an old and valuable part of the organization, the board of directors can give Rob training so that he can improve his interpersonal skills (Corr Carey, 2017). Evan should confront Rob and tell him to be polite and talk less, it has been observed that Evan does not confront or stop Rob from being rude and outspoken, although he has the authority to do that but still he chooses remain silent. If Rob is treated exactly in the same way, by immediately confronting him, that he was wrong then it might help. Evan needs to exercise his authority and command by showing Rob his flaws (Arnold et al., 2014). The other option could be to give Rob some other roles where he does not have to deal with the staffs and the clients. His designation could be changed, if he is demoted to a lower position then it could be beneficial for him, he might put some effort himself to improve his behavior and attitude. It is possible that Rob is not aware about his behavior because he had not been told or confronted, so if he is given a chance surely it could beneficial for both. Under his leadership the organization has grown rapidly, the industry is not much of a profitable industry yet the managerial skills of Rob have ensured growth. He is an asset for the organization; his presence is required in the organization. Instead of firing him, he should be provided some counseling sessions that will help him to improve his behavior. He should be taught to be sensitive towards the feelings of other people and think about the consequences that would follow by his behavior (Min, 2014). Conclusion Childcare is one such industry where right behavior is very much essential, to win the trust of the customers that their babies are safe and are getting the childcare services. Robs behavior is contradictory to the values of the industry and the organization. He is a very intelligent and effective leader, because under his leadership the organization has grown rapidly. The concern of board of directors cannot be ignored, his behavior towards PR of Thriyand was rude ad very unprofessional, but considering his inputs to the organization Evan should persuade the Board of directors not to fire Rob, they can demote him or provide him behavioral counseling sessions for improvement of his behavior because he is valuable for the organization. References Arnold, K. A., Connelly, C. E., Walsh, M. M., Martin Ginis, K. A. (2015). Leadership styles, emotion regulation, and burnout.Journal of occupational health psychology,20(4), 481-490. Coley, R. L., Lombardi, C. M., Sims, J. (2015). Long-term implications of early education and care programs for Australian children.Journal of Educational Psychology,107(1), 284. Corr, L., Carey, G. (2017). Investigating the institutional norms and values of the Productivity Commission: The 2011 and 2015 childcare inquiries.Australian Journal of Public Administration,76(2), 147-159. Herrmann, D., Felfe, J. (2014). Effects of leadership style, creativity technique and personal initiative on employee creativity.British Journal of Management,25(2), 209-227. McCleskey, J. (2014). Emotional intelligence and leadership: A review of the progress, controversy, and criticism.International Journal of Organizational Analysis,22(1), 76-93. Min, H. Y. (2014). The verification of path model on director's servant leadership and childcare center teacher's organizational citizenship behavior: Focused on teacher's organizational committment and cynicism.Korean Journal Of Human Ecology,23(4), 587-598. Padilla, A. (2013). Leadership: Leaders, Followers.Environments. Wiley. Saeed, T., Almas, S., Anis-ul-Haq, M., Niazi, G. S. K. (2014). Leadership styles: relationship with conflict management styles.International Journal of Conflict Management,25(3), 214-225. Trahms, C. A., Ndofor, H. A., Sirmon, D. G. (2013). Organizational decline and turnaround: A review and agenda for future research.Journal of Management,39(5), 1277-1307.

Feminism Essays (407 words) - Feminist Theory, Womens Rights, Gender

Feminism The word feminism has many connotations. Some include lesbian, feminazi, man-hater, and baby killer. It is interesting to note that all these words convey a negative feeling. It is rare to hear feminism described as female empowerment or as an organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests, which is how it is defined in the dictionary. Why has feminism taken on such a negative meaning? In this course, feminism has been defined as female empowerment, the recognition of oppression, and the advocation of equality. The syllabus clearly states that academic feminism is not about male bashing?it is about challenging racist, sexist, classist, and homophobic ideologies in order to theorize about a more equitable society, and it is about transforming some of the existing patriarchal and racist paradigms in order to eliminate oppression. In my opinion, any strong and independent woman would want to be labeled as a feminist. Yet many women are cautious, afraid even, of aligning themselves with the word feminist. Fear is part of the equation?the justifiable fear of what lies ahead for any woman boldly proclaiming her commitment to empowerment(Morgan, 55). Is it because in order to be a feminist, a woman must deal with false assumptions about her sexual preference, cultural beliefs, and general outlook on life? I dreaded the long, tedious conversations spent exorcising others of the stereotypes that tend to haunt the collective consciousness?.when we think of the f-word?male basher, crew cut dyke..(Morgan, 56). What woman would want to deal with this constant barrage of insults in order to proclaim herself a feminist? Feminism is often identified with the radical and extreme definition associated with one of its subcategories, Radical Feminism. Radical Feminism emphasized the relationship of women to each other, even going so far as to advocate separatism (women only communes, withholding sex) in order to change the system. Unfortunately, this theory promoted the idea of feminists as lesbians, as man haters who wished to separate themselves from an unjust patriarchal society. Contemporary mass media has also contributed to the negative attitude surrounding feminism. The term feminazi, coined by television and radio personality Rush Limbaugh, is defined by anti-feminists as a feminist who is trying to produce as many abortions as possible, hence the term nazi. Limbaugh is obviously under the misconception that all feminists are pro-choice, which coincides with the whole lesbian/man-hating feeling towards feminism.

Biography of Physicist Ernest Rutherford

Biography of Physicist Ernest Rutherford Ernest Rutherford was the first man to split an atom, transmuting one element into another. He performed experiments on radioactivity and is widely regarded as the Father of Nuclear Physics or Father of the Nuclear Age. Here is a brief biography of this important scientist: Born: August 30, 1871, Spring Grove, New Zealand Died: October 19, 1937, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England Ernest Rutherford Claims To Fame He discovered alpha and beta particles.He coined the terms alpha, beta, and gamma rays.Identified alpha particles as helium nuclei.He demonstrated radioactivity was the spontaneous disintegration of atoms.In 1903, Rutherford and Frederick Soddy  formulated the laws of radioactive decay  and described the disintegration theory of atoms.Rutherford is credited with discovering the radioactive gaseous element radon, while at McGill University in Montreal.Rutherford and Bertram Borden Boltwood (Yale University) proposed a decay series to categorize elements.In 1919, he became the first person to  artificially induce a nuclear reaction in a stable element.In 1920, he hypothesized the existence of the neutron.Lord Rutherford pioneered the orbital theory of the atom with his famous gold foil experiment, through which he discovered Rutherford scattering off the nucleus. This experiment was fundamental to the development of modern chemistry and physics, as it helped describe the nature o f the atomic nucleus. Rutherfords gold foil experiment, also known as the  Geiger–Marsden experiments, was not a single experiment, but a set of experiments conducted by Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden under Rutherfords supervision, between 1908 and 1913. By measuring how a beam of alpha particles was deflected when striking a thin sheet of gold foil, the scientists determined (a) the nucleus had a positive charge and (b) most of an atoms mass was in the nucleus. This is the Rutherford model of the atom. He is sometimes called the Father of Nuclear Physics. Notable Honors and Awards Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1908)  for his investigations into the disintegration of the elements, and the chemistry of radioactive substances - Affiliated with Victoria University, Manchester, United Kingdom Knighted (1914)Ennobled (1931)President of the Institute of Physics (1931)  After the war, Rutherford succeeded his mentor J. J. Thomson in the Cavendish Professorship at Cambridge  Element 104, rutherfordium, is named in his honorReceived several honorary fellowships and degreesBuried in Westminster Abbey Interesting Rutherford Facts Rutherford was the 4th of 12 children. He was the son of farmer James Rutherford and his wife, Martha. His parents were originally from Hornchurch, Essex, England, but they emigrated to New Zealand to raise flax and start a family.When Rutherfords birth was registered, his name was mistakenly spelled Earnest.After completing his degree at the university in New Zealand, his job was teaching rebellious children.He left teaching because he was awarded a scholarship to study at Cambridge University in England.He became  J. J. Thomsons first graduate student at the Cavendish Laboratory.Rutherfords initial experiments dealt with the transmission of radio waves.Rutherford and Thomson conducted electricity through gases and analyzed the results.He entered the new field of radioactivity research, just discovered by  Becquerel and Pierre and Marie Curie.Rutherford worked with many interesting scientists of the time, including Frederick Soddy, Hans Geiger, Neils Bohr,  H. G. J. Moseley, J ames Chadwick, and of course J. J. Thomson. Under Rutherfords supervision, James Chadwick discovered the neutron in 1932. His work during World War I focused on submarine detection and antisubmarine research.Rutherford was called Crocodile by his colleagues. The name referenced the scientists relentless forward thinking.Ernest Rutherford said he hoped scientists would not learn how to split the atom until  Ã¢â‚¬Å"man was living at peace with his neighbors.† As it turned out, fission was discovered only two years after Rutherfords death and was applied to make nuclear weapons.Rutherfords discoveries were the basis for the design and construction of the  largest, most energetic particle accelerator in the world the Large Hadron Collider or LHC.Rutherford was the first Canandian and Oceanian Nobel laureate. References Ernest Rutherford – Biography. NobelPrize.org.Eve, A. S.; Chadwick, J. (1938). Lord Rutherford 1871–1937. Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society. 2 (6): 394. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1938.0025Heilbron, J. L. (2003) Ernest Rutherford and the Explosion of Atoms. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 123–124. ISBN 0-19-512378-6.Rutherford, Ernest (1911). The scattering of alpha and beta particles by matter and the structure of the atom. Taylor Francis. p. 688.

Dream Job Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dream Job - Essay Example In fact, from my early childhood, I have cherished assisting my peers learn new or difficult things. I always seek to lead group discussions as this gives me an opportunity to exercise my love for teaching. Thus, this job would provide me with the opportunity to practice what I enjoy. My choice of university as a place to exercise my love for teaching follows my belief that institutions of higher learning provide greater challenge to the teacher than pre-university institutions. It would be useful to appreciate that the undergraduate and postgraduate students could have greater knowledge of what is being taught than the instructor. As such, I would constantly be seeking for knowledge, thus keeping me active in the academic field. Universities stand out as institutions of higher learning where there is access to resources required to gain further knowledge, thus an advantage I would utilize to increase my knowledge. Furthermore, the diversity in the university population bringing toge ther nearly every aspect of the international outlook would provide me with the opportunity for beneficial networking. It would also be useful to appreciate that the career is well paying, the Government of Canada citing 90.1% practitioners in the field earning an annual income of greater than $50,000. Therefore, there are many push and pull factors that inform my choice of university instructor as my dream job. Even so, to achieve my dream would require a lot of hard work in my academics. As noted by the Government of Canada, a doctorate in a field of instruction would be the minimum requirement for any university to admit me as an instructor despite the huge variation in the requirements from different universities. However, it gives relief to note that holders of Master’s degree could also be considered as long as they are pursuing their doctorate studies or holders of Bachelor’s degrees with extensive experience in the area of instruction. This means

Pinnacle Airlines Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pinnacle Airlines - Research Paper Example A brief history of Pinnacle Airlines would be useful. As mentioned earlier, it was founded in 1985, and was initially named Express Airways I. By the next year, the airline had increased its fleet to 27 Saab turboprops, and had signed a partnership with Northwest Airlines and thus carrying its passengers too (Pinnacle Airlines Corp, n.d). By 1997, Northwest Airlines purchased Express Airways I, and the new CEO set about to retrain Express Airways I’s employees (Pinnacle Airlines Corp, n.d). Throughout this period, Express Airways I had been using turboprops, and only in 2000 did it shift to using small jets when it purchased a Canadair Regional Jet (Pinnacle Airlines Corp, n.d). These CRJs are beneficial in the sense that they are smaller in size than the Saab turboprops that Express Airway I was using, and offered satisfactory â€Å"jet speed, economy and comfort,† and could â€Å"serve cities that cant support the big jets,† (Warren, 1995). In 2002, Express Air ways I changed its named to Pinnacle Airlines, and embarked on a project to change everything about the airline’s public image, culture and so on (Pinnacle Airlines Corp, n.d). By 2004, Pinnacle Airlines was making revenues of more than $630 million, had more than a thousand pilots, and a hundred CRJs; it was also recognized as one of fastest growing regional airline in the US (Pinnacle Airlines Corp, n.d). Additionally, in 2003, Pinnacle Airlines was â€Å"incorporated as a Delaware corporation,† and by 2010 it came to control Mesaba, Pinnacle and Colgan airlines (Pinnacle Airlines Corp 10k, 2010). Pinnacle also signed capacity purchase agreements with Delta, and provided flights to Delta’s main airports in New York City, Atlanta and so on, and by 2010 it was using 126 CRJs to be used as â€Å"connection carriers,† to numerous states in the US as well as cities in Mexico and Canada (Pinnacle Airlines

Factors Causing High Employee Turnover Rates

Factors Causing High Employee Turnover Rates Staff Retention Human Resources Management Chapter 1 Introduction Employee turnover in the industry has become the custom today in the manufacturing, service and merchandising industry. Employees are moving from one form of employment to another because of several factors that the employers have not yet grasped. In this regard many industry players are busy defining ways to protect turnover of its employees. The most affected part of this is the merchandising industry. In the bid to prove influence in the fastest upcoming sector executives in the merchandising industry are fighting hard the high trend of their staff consistently changing jobs (Rueben 22). Today generating an atmosphere favorable and valued by all employees in the ever changing employee market may not be as pain-streaking as it may appear to the larger population. It engages a number of issues may make the brilliant minds that make up your staffs want to stay in the organization. A combination of this contribution may eventually lead to higher number of employees and thus reduce tur nover. The contributions made above require that they be performed in tandem for observable achievement to be achieved. Grasping the skill of staff retention requires that management delve deeply into what causes turnover of staff in institutions. Many questions should be put on the table in order to ascertain reasons why one would want to work in one organization and not prefer to work in another organization. The managements should not rest at that but proceed to look into the subsequent period that the employee has been absorbed into an organization. By asking these questions it is easy to discern that there are a lot of issues that have been left wanting for a long time. I find it easy to look at these issues by sympathizing with the employee and trying to assume his shoes at the company. This in real meaning requires doing proper research on standard ethical models that might be brought on board to encourage retention of employees. In the recent past the employers used to retai n employees. The confidence thus gained goes down well with those in the precincts of work thus offering them purpose and presence. Boosting the moral of workers is one way of improving confidence of staff. In this regard even the general productivity of the company of the company can be noticed. Working closely and collectively in addition grants the staff presence. Al in all its just a matter of saying thank you as morality demands. There are different styles of leadership in institutions that influence how relationships in the work place take place. People in leadership roles should be in the fore front in show wing proper codes of conduct to their employees, as opposed to taking the hind seat. In turn the employees may feel very motivated within the working environments that they are working. This enabling environment will thus lead to a sense of belonging by the individuals and cohesiveness thus leading to teamwork translating into a proud team. For one to retain staff he or she has to consider several important issues of the work place. Background Draper Co. Ltd. Found in 1987 is a sweater manufacturer that employs more than 100 people in Hong Kong. Since garment companies had bloomed in recent years. The role for merchandising people become more difficult and the manpower is short in the labor market. Draper is facing the problem of high staff turnover rate. In addition, with opening of the mainland market, many foreign enterprises had set up their merchandising sections in Hong Kong and some enterprises also invite Hong Kong garment companies to cope with their expanding business. As a result, the job vacancies of staff increased tremendously. Among the merchandising industry, garment sections are highest in demand for staff. This is due to the fast growing of the sectors as well as the high employee turnover rate and the lack of talent in the labor market. With the goal of identifying predictors of turnover, factors and employees intention to leave or stay with the company will be the major issue of Draper Co. Ltd. Research Problems Initially, the establishment of the project required the involvement of different parties who would provide data and statistical analysis. The study required involvement of external organizations which would require them to allow access their staff to cooperate during the course of the research. Unfortunately some of these merchants turned down request to take part a little after the project was already initialized, it was quite unfortunate. The team of researchers contacted several nationwide merchandise groups to request them to take part in the research as a subsequent measure. Within a short period of time, two particular staff articulated formal concern and primarily arranged to play a part in the project but with the approval of the Board of Governors of their respectful organizations. The team of researchers used up considerable hours meeting with a variety of the team of people representing the staff and giving important information related to the research and showing present ations that highlight the scope of the study. An agreement was made with these staff that the research panel would conduct industry job and staff retention survey within the merchandise organization, rather than concentrating on organizational loop holes as it would imply that there are indeed loop holes, in their respective organizations which might not be the truly case. However because of various unpredicted situations including the falling ill of one of the team members who acted as coordinator of the research team and these respectful staff, the staff in the end made the decision to withdraw its cooperation, leaving operation of the research between a rock a rock and a hard place. The research team then informed the Draper Co. Ltd of the current problems and suggesting a different research method design that would still be in line aims of the project and the objectives outlined before the research was initially flagged off. In this respect, a decision was made to advertise acro ss various merchandise outlets to secure individual people working as staff to act as respondents from different retail outlets, thus eliminating the process of approaching company heads or Board of Governors for endorsement to guarantee a speedy and effortless contact with respondents. The Draper Co. Ltd was highly involved in endorsing the submission for change in the approach for the research. The research carried out by the team concerned conducting 100 partially controlled telephone interviews with staff from different merchandising firms including own staff at Draper Co. Ltd . The research method design of the survey was cautiously designed and conversant with preceding works that dwelled on employee equality and diversity concerns all over the work environment (e.g. Sutherland and Davidson, 1997). The design of the interviews was such that it could be in accordance with the aims and corresponding objectives of the Draper Co. Ltd and eventually deal with a array of concerns as well as the recognition of possible occupational improvement barriers and the recognition of approaches for conquering these limitations, chances for education and training, job promotions and provision for leadership. The partially controlled interview timetable was then stored in secure modules and safe websites secured with passwords, which eventually made it easy for members of the research panel to enter information directly into the research database and online pages, and at the same time carrying out interviews with respondents all over the merchandising industry. The details of the research methodology and what will be contained in the schedule for the research is described in the subsequent sections. Research Objective This study was led by a research team commissioned by the Draper Co. Ltd. The research team was selected by the management of the company with advice by the legal advice wing experts. It was agreed that 16 members be brought aboard the team of researchers. The main goal of identifying predictors of turnover, factors and employees intention to leave or stay with the company will be the major issue of Draper Co. Ltd. The aims of the project were as follows: To examine two sets of potential causes of job turnovers and eventual staff retention mechanisms: firstly, those that impede the retention of workers in the organization and secondly, those that speeds the exit of the players from the organizations. Identify strategies for overcoming these barriers. Investigate the feasibility of constructing a national database, documenting the career paths of women in the merchandise industry. Develop, publish and disseminate good practice guidelines and recommendations using reports, conference presentations, feedback seminars, academic journals and merchandise specialist and national press. The objectives of the project were to: Investigate two sets of potential reasons for staff leaving the company: firstly, those that accelerate the exit of workers and staff and secondly, those that impede the efforts of retaining staff in the organization. Identify strategies for overcoming these reasons. Investigate the feasibility of constructing a company database, documenting the career paths of workers in the merchandise industry. Develop a promotion system, which is more sensitive to the needs of employees Develop an image of the company, which is based entirely upon team cohesion. Provide a concept of role models, which can be utilized by young employees to resolve possible work life balance conflicts. Produce a set of solutions, which can be applied to other retail settings. Develop, publish and disseminate good practice guidelines and recommendations using reports, conference presentations, feedback seminars, academic journals and merchandise specialist and national press. Research Questions: Why this company has high staff turnover rate Why staff relationship will make new comer difficult to fit in team work What relationship caused high staff turnover rate How to retain staff in this company Does the management policy affect staff retention? Does the company is responsive to employees needs and wants Does companys reputation retain staff? Terminologies Merchandising Retention Welfare Turnover Respondent Outsourcing Glass ceiling Dissertation Outlines Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This Section looks at the main literature in this area. The first sections focus on the structure of merchandising and the broader profile of the sector. The section then moves on to its main concern which is the job retention of staff at junior and senior levels in merchandising. Merchandising is an economic sector, which has traditionally been associated with the employment of staff. Overall, 60% of staff are low skilled employees and 40% are highly skilled in terms of there educational background. Even as these figures show that the merchandising sector clearly employs a larger number of low skilled than the skilled, it is not a ‘balanced industry (Stillsmart, 2004). The representation of low skill workers in the merchandising sector however, follows a number of important patterns. Official statistics are used to highlight the predominance of staff in part time work in the merchandising sector and the under representation of a section staff at senior levels. According to Sti llsmart, (2004), official figures are general and are unlikely to provide a clear understanding of the dynamics relating to the position in which staff is employed in merchandising sector. The following sections therefore outline theories that have been offered to account for these disparities, particularly in relation to barriers for staff attempting to progress into senior management positions. An examination of managing diversity is then offered and potential mechanisms for ensuring merchandising organizations fully utilize the talents of all employees to maximize productivity is discussed. 2.2 The structure of the merchandising sector The merchandising sector is the largest private sector employer in the Hong Kong yet it is rarely recognized as such. Stillsmart (a not for profit organization, set up and part funded by Government to identify and address the skills needs of the Hong Kong merchandising sector), suggest that this is, possibly because its workforce is not concentrated in any particular region or locality. In fact, the merchandising sector is the largest public sector employer in the Hong Kong. Furthermore, Wang XI Inc is the Hong Kongs second largest employer after the Jubilee (Stillsmart, 2004). Overall, the merchandising sector employs three million people throughout the Hong Kong, which accounts for approximately ten per cent of employment throughout the Hong Kong. However, the structure of the industry is unusual, and is described by Stillsmart, as ‘hourglass shaped. The vast majority (95%) work in firms with less than ten employees. Consequently, there is significantly less (just over two th ousand) merchandising employers with more than fifty staff, reflecting the â€Å"hourglass shape† of the industry profile. 2.3 Job Retention and improvement Strategies The welfare reform programs of the 1990s moved many families from cash assistance into the work force. The strong economy provided an abundance of entry-level, low-skill job opportunities to support this transition. For most of these families, however, finding a job is only the first step in the difficult path toward self-sufficiency. Like other working parents, adults who leave welfare (â€Å"leavers†) often encounter barriers to job retention and advancement. Between 1994 and 2002, the welfare caseload declined drastically, by more than 2.5 million cases (or 50 percent). Simultaneously, the number of single mothers either divorced or never married— in the work force increased by more than 1.2 million (or 22 percent). Government welfare programs have been instituted to help keep women employed and off welfare. Job retention and improvement strategies are becoming increasingly important to state policymakers as unemployment rates rise and slowed economic growth, corpora te lay-offs, and hiring freezes limit job opportunities for parents who are moving into the work force. Current and former welfare recipients and those who dont have a strong attachment to the work force may find it more difficult to gain employment in hard economic times, thus increasing the demand for job retention and improvement services for those who currently are employed. 2.4 Present profile of turnover of employees Employment expectations have risen slightly in (Q1) from an already high level in Q4. Of the 514 sales executives surveyed, 54% expect to increase their hiring which is slightly up from 53% the previous. As the years go by, expectations have remained solid. The 54% planning to grow headcount this year is at the same level as Q1 2004, though there are some variations between the sectors surveyed. Companies are extremely confident about how they will perform in the next six months with 95% of respondents forecasting their companys performance to be excellent or good in the first half of 2007. Respondents in Hong Kong report higher levels of staff turnover than in any other market surveyed in Asia with 37% stating that turnover in the last twelve months has exceeded 10% (Hudson, 2007). Hudson, one of the worlds leading professional recruitment, outsourcing and capacity management solution providers, today released findings of its broad quarterly Hudson Report for Asia. With a status as a key socio-economic indicator in the present market since its Asia launch in September 2000, the survey has been built on the premise that employers expectations of an increase or decrease in staffing levels represent a significant indication of their optimism in the growth of their organization and their industry as a whole. The Hudson Report represents the expectations of over 1450 key employment decision makers from multinational organizations of all sizes in all major industry sectors, with 400 of these executives based in Hong Kong. 2.4 The general profile of employees in the merchandising sector Traditionally the merchandising sector is associated with the employment of low level and unskilled workers, the vast majority of whom work in the lower ranks of the organizational hierarchy. The profile of employees in merchandising also follows a number of other patterns. The merchandising sector for example employs a large proportion of young people. According to recent estimates 29% of those employed in the sector are between the ages of 16 to 24. This is compared to the overall economy figure of 14%. It has been suggested that this figure may be due to the popularity of merchandising as a part-time occupation for young people and students (Stillsmart, 2004). Merchandising is also a popular choice for older workers (persons over 55). In terms of ethnic minority employment, the merchandising sector employs a similar fraction to those figures available nationally (Stillsmart, 2004). Recent research has shown however, that certain recruitment practices may prevent ethnic minorities from gaining employment in merchandising organizations. For example a study for Birmingham and Manchester cities in Britain for example, found that employers might specify jobs as a matter of course that require the staff to work on Saturdays without realizing that a large pool of potential workers would be unable to work on this day as it is their Sabbath (Vector research, 2003). 2.4 The trends common in the merchandising sector Merchandising is an economic sector, which has customarily been associated with the employment of diverse people of different background. Overall, 55% of merchandising employees are women and 45% are men (Stillsmart, 2004). This gender factor in the merchandising sector remains fairly consistent throughout other nations and regions of the Hong Kong and this profile has been fairly consistent over the last 10 years. Skill level has also played a bigger part in influencing how long an employee is wiling to stay in a given organization. Better salaries in other organizations may lead to employees moving from their respective place of work in pursuit for better opportunities (Hudson, 2004). Level of qualification gives workers a broader scale of work opportunities that they willingly take into considerations. Stillsmart (2004) suggest that Hong Kongs larger ethnic population is likely to be the source of this greater proportion of the workers in the capital run by ethnic minorities may p roprietorship driven by highly skilled male people. It is important to note however, that the representation of retention in the merchandising sector follows a number of important patterns discussed in the subsequent sections. Firstly the prevalence of staff turnover in the merchandising sector will be discussed. Secondly, evidence will be presented to show the under representation of employee needs at senior levels within the merchandising sector. 2.4.1 The prevalence of staff turnover in the merchandising sector Statistics from Stillsmart (2004) indicate that merchandising sector employment occupy three quarters of all employment in the Hong Kong economic sector, which accounts for 40% of all employment. This is a significant figure when, compared to the economy overall, where only 25% of people are employed permanently. The other majority of those working are part time workers employed in sales and customer service occupations. Figure 2.1 outlines the proportion of full and part time employment in the merchandising sector by gender. Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.4.1.1 Job retention in the labor force as a whole The prevalence of staff turnover when compared with other sectors of the economy is particularly evident in the merchandising sector. This trend is also reflected in employment across the Hong Kong, particularly in the service industries. The numbers of staff entering the labor market has dramatically increased over the past thirty years and this rise in numbers has mainly been in by young people with low skill (Burke and Nelson 2002; Davidson and Burke, 2002). Because of this influx of young energetic minds quickly induces training for the staff. After gaining much needed experience then leave the industry for more lucrative jobs in other sectors. Youthful persons in the Hong Kong are far more likely than middle and old aged persons to work as part-timers (EAC, 2004). According to the National Office of Statistics, in 2005, 42% of young employees in the Hong Kong worked in the sector compared to just 9% of old people. Interestingly, the number keeps on increasing in the industry whe reas companies are reporting a high staff turnover hence posing a big threat to company survival in the highly competitive industry (EAC, 2004). Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.4.3 Explanations for the prevalence of staff turnover among staff in the merchandising sector Traditionally, the predominance of staff turnover is largely attributed to the level of education and other academic qualifications (e.g. those with degrees go for more lucrative jobs in other lucrative industries vacating there positions) traditionally occupied by them which limits the productivity of the company (Thompson, 2004; Stillsmart, 2004). When addressing the merchandising sector specifically, Lynch (2003) comments that it is the very nature of the merchandising industry that contributes to the high proportion of turnovers. In the merchandising industry, recruitment is largely secured from the local labor market, staff requirements vary due to seasonal demands and employees are often required to work unfriendly hours as outlets open longer. These are all factors that lead to the reduction of morale and interest in the jobs within any organizational sector, and specifically the merchandising sector. In addition, Lynch (2003) further suggests that due to these delimiting fact ors in the industry and the continuous fluctuation of workforce in particular, potential merchandising companies are provided with an available pool of labor that accepts inferior terms and conditions of employment, as staff attempt to resolve their need to educate and retain their staff. 2.4.3.1 The under representation of staff interests in the merchandising sector by executives and senior officials Official statistics show that there is a higher proportion of college educated in managerial and senior occupations in the merchandising sector than in comparison to the economy a whole. It is important to note, however, that if the representation of staff; male and female, skilled and unskilled were equal throughout the sector. Furthermore, low skilled staff tends to predominate in certain types of management positions including personnel, which are roles traditionally associated with low skilled. 2.5 Recruitment and Retention of Paid Staff It can be surely asserted that, paid staff is a vital part of the retail and merchandising sector. Lynch (2003) further suggests that almost half (40%) of Canadas estimated 161,000 nonprofit and voluntary organizations has least one paid staff member. The sector as a whole employs just over 25% of the total economy. Twenty percent of paid staff in merchandising organizations is in permanent positions and 56% work full-time. The survey asked all organizations involved about the challenges they face recruiting the type of paid staff they need. Twenty-eight percent of organizations said that this is a problem for them; 8% said that the problem is serious. Organizations with paid staff were also asked if they have problems retaining staff. Nineteen percent said that they do, with 8% saying that the problem is serious. As a group, problems relating to paid staff were reported less frequently than other types of capacity challenges. Nevertheless, challenges relating to paid staff are signi ficant for some organizations. 2.5.1 Size of Paid Staff Complement In general, the more paid staff an organization has, the more likely it is to report problems with staff recruitment and retention. Forty-one percent of organizations with 13% of paid staff members reported problems recruiting paid staff. This rises to 30% among organizations with 20 to 50 staff members, 63% among those with 100 to 500 staff members, and 73% among those with 1000 or more staff members. The relationship between the number of staff an organization has and staff retention problems is less pronounced. Seventeen percent of organizations with one to four staff members said this is a problem for them. This increases to 26% among organizations with 100 or more staff members (Stillsmart, 2004). Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.5.2 Reliance on Paid Staff Lynch (2003) suggests the greater the percentage of an organizations workforce that is comprised of paid staff (As opposed to volunteers), the more dependent on paid staff the organization can be said to be. The more reliant an organization is on paid staff, the more likely it is to report difficulties employing and retaining staff. Lynch (2003) further suggests that this relationship is particularly strong for staff recruitment. For example, among organizations in which staff makes up one-third or less of the workforce, 15% said that staff recruitment is a problem for them and 19% said that staff retention is a problem. Nevertheless, among organizations in which staff comprises two thirds or more of the workforce, 54% said that staff recruitment is a problem and 20% said that staff retention is a problem (Stillsmart, 2004).. Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.6 The Glass ceiling theory The under representation of minority group in management positions in the merchandising and other occupational sectors has led theorists to assert that a ‘glass ceiling exists. The minority in this case includes: physically handicapped, less educated and women. The term ‘glass ceiling is used to reflect the ability of and minorities to view the world above them but the metaphorical ceiling prevents the minorities from accessing the better opportunities they can view. This glass ceiling effect occurs when minorities with equivalent credentials as the other employees, i.e. those who traditionally occupy positions of power within organizations, are prevented from accessing top jobs simply because they have particularly weaknesses (Davidson, 1997; Powell, 1999; Konrad, Prasad and Pringle, 2004). Nevertheless, the proportion of minorities in management has increased over the past three decades in almost all countries and legislation in some countries (e.g. Affirmative Action L egislation in the U.S. and Canada) has contributed to this trend (Powell and Graves, 2003). Despite this encouraging increase, recent research by Catalyst (2005) has shown that the glass ceiling is firmly in place. In the U.K., seventy-eight Financial Times Share Index (FTSE 100) companies in 2004 had physically challenged directors, up 13% from the previous year. However, only eleven FTSE 100 companies had female executive directors, which was below the 2002 figure and twenty-two of the FTSE 100 boards in 2005 were all-male (Singh and Vinicrombe, 2005). These statistics largely reflect the experiences of white staff. It is important to highlight that black and ethnic minority staffs across the globe often face significant hurdles. Although there is a general lack of data on ethnicity and employment or physical handicap and employment, ethnic minority employees are under- represented at senior and professional levels in the labor market (Commission for Racial Equality, 2004). In Hon g Kong in 2004 for example, 17% of ethnic minority men were managers or senior officials compared to 10% of ethnic minority staff. The highest percentages of staff and men in these positions were Indian and Chinese (Commission for Racial Equality, 2004). Research has highlighted that a glass ceiling exists even in occupations where staff predominate. Approximately 90% of nurses, for example, are female but male nurses often experience greater career success than female nurses (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2005). The number of women studying merchandise in England now outnumbers men (Davidson and Burke, 2004) but partners of top merchandise firms continue to be predominantly men. An examination of data from the top 10 ten merchandise firms in the Hong Kong in 2005 revealed that on average, 15% of female partners in the top 10 merchandise firms are women (The Merchandise Society, 2005). Recent research has highlighted that whilst women and physically challenged are now achieving mor e senior roles, they are more likely than men to find themselves on a ‘glass cliff (Haslam, 2005). According to Haslam (2005), this is because staff are more likely to secure positions of leadership when organizations are not performing at their optimum level. This means that their appointments are made under more risky circumstances which make them more uncertain. This suggests that not only do staff experience hurdles to achieving senior roles; they are placed under greater scrutiny and face increased pressures when they do reach leadership positions. The disadvantaged experience of the glass ceiling is an important area of study and has implications for the future development of talent in organizations of all sectors including merchandising. Research has shown for example that frustrated by the glass ceiling, many workers quit and start their own businesses (Powell, 1999; Davidson and Fielden, 2003). This can have a detrimental affect within organizations as competent and e xperienced staffs remove themselves from the selection pool. 2.5.1 Pay Differences However, research shows that staff leaders and staff at all levels of the workforce are generally paid less than men with equivalent skills, training and experience, for performing the same roles. In 2005, the percentage difference between the average hourly earnings of staff working full-time in Great Britain for example was 17.1 % (Equal Opportunities Commission, 2004). In the US, staffs earn approximately 77 cents for every dollar earned by men (Retailers Bureau data, 2000, in Nelson and Michie, 2004). The Equal Opportunities Commission in the U.K. (2005) highlights three main reasons for this pay difference. Firstly, there is discrimination in pay systems. Staff are paid less than men for performing the same roles. Secondly, ‘occupational segregation exists. Many employees is concentrated in low paid jobs. Thirdly, staffs assume caring responsibilities for children and other relatives/dependents, which affects their progression at work due to the lack of flexible working. 2.6 Perspectives on barriers to staff in management Authors have identified an array of complex factors that contribute to the existence and pervasive nature of the ‘glass ceiling. Three main perspectives have been offered to explain the adversity facing staff aspiring to senior levels within organizations. These are commonly referred to as the ‘person centered or ‘gender-centered approach (Powell, 1999), the organizational structure perspective (Fagenson, 1993; Kanter, 1977) and the social systems perspective. It is widely acknowledged that the glass ceiling is a result of a culmination of these three main perspectives (Omar and Da Factors Causing High Employee Turnover Rates Factors Causing High Employee Turnover Rates Staff Retention Human Resources Management Chapter 1 Introduction Employee turnover in the industry has become the custom today in the manufacturing, service and merchandising industry. Employees are moving from one form of employment to another because of several factors that the employers have not yet grasped. In this regard many industry players are busy defining ways to protect turnover of its employees. The most affected part of this is the merchandising industry. In the bid to prove influence in the fastest upcoming sector executives in the merchandising industry are fighting hard the high trend of their staff consistently changing jobs (Rueben 22). Today generating an atmosphere favorable and valued by all employees in the ever changing employee market may not be as pain-streaking as it may appear to the larger population. It engages a number of issues may make the brilliant minds that make up your staffs want to stay in the organization. A combination of this contribution may eventually lead to higher number of employees and thus reduce tur nover. The contributions made above require that they be performed in tandem for observable achievement to be achieved. Grasping the skill of staff retention requires that management delve deeply into what causes turnover of staff in institutions. Many questions should be put on the table in order to ascertain reasons why one would want to work in one organization and not prefer to work in another organization. The managements should not rest at that but proceed to look into the subsequent period that the employee has been absorbed into an organization. By asking these questions it is easy to discern that there are a lot of issues that have been left wanting for a long time. I find it easy to look at these issues by sympathizing with the employee and trying to assume his shoes at the company. This in real meaning requires doing proper research on standard ethical models that might be brought on board to encourage retention of employees. In the recent past the employers used to retai n employees. The confidence thus gained goes down well with those in the precincts of work thus offering them purpose and presence. Boosting the moral of workers is one way of improving confidence of staff. In this regard even the general productivity of the company of the company can be noticed. Working closely and collectively in addition grants the staff presence. Al in all its just a matter of saying thank you as morality demands. There are different styles of leadership in institutions that influence how relationships in the work place take place. People in leadership roles should be in the fore front in show wing proper codes of conduct to their employees, as opposed to taking the hind seat. In turn the employees may feel very motivated within the working environments that they are working. This enabling environment will thus lead to a sense of belonging by the individuals and cohesiveness thus leading to teamwork translating into a proud team. For one to retain staff he or she has to consider several important issues of the work place. Background Draper Co. Ltd. Found in 1987 is a sweater manufacturer that employs more than 100 people in Hong Kong. Since garment companies had bloomed in recent years. The role for merchandising people become more difficult and the manpower is short in the labor market. Draper is facing the problem of high staff turnover rate. In addition, with opening of the mainland market, many foreign enterprises had set up their merchandising sections in Hong Kong and some enterprises also invite Hong Kong garment companies to cope with their expanding business. As a result, the job vacancies of staff increased tremendously. Among the merchandising industry, garment sections are highest in demand for staff. This is due to the fast growing of the sectors as well as the high employee turnover rate and the lack of talent in the labor market. With the goal of identifying predictors of turnover, factors and employees intention to leave or stay with the company will be the major issue of Draper Co. Ltd. Research Problems Initially, the establishment of the project required the involvement of different parties who would provide data and statistical analysis. The study required involvement of external organizations which would require them to allow access their staff to cooperate during the course of the research. Unfortunately some of these merchants turned down request to take part a little after the project was already initialized, it was quite unfortunate. The team of researchers contacted several nationwide merchandise groups to request them to take part in the research as a subsequent measure. Within a short period of time, two particular staff articulated formal concern and primarily arranged to play a part in the project but with the approval of the Board of Governors of their respectful organizations. The team of researchers used up considerable hours meeting with a variety of the team of people representing the staff and giving important information related to the research and showing present ations that highlight the scope of the study. An agreement was made with these staff that the research panel would conduct industry job and staff retention survey within the merchandise organization, rather than concentrating on organizational loop holes as it would imply that there are indeed loop holes, in their respective organizations which might not be the truly case. However because of various unpredicted situations including the falling ill of one of the team members who acted as coordinator of the research team and these respectful staff, the staff in the end made the decision to withdraw its cooperation, leaving operation of the research between a rock a rock and a hard place. The research team then informed the Draper Co. Ltd of the current problems and suggesting a different research method design that would still be in line aims of the project and the objectives outlined before the research was initially flagged off. In this respect, a decision was made to advertise acro ss various merchandise outlets to secure individual people working as staff to act as respondents from different retail outlets, thus eliminating the process of approaching company heads or Board of Governors for endorsement to guarantee a speedy and effortless contact with respondents. The Draper Co. Ltd was highly involved in endorsing the submission for change in the approach for the research. The research carried out by the team concerned conducting 100 partially controlled telephone interviews with staff from different merchandising firms including own staff at Draper Co. Ltd . The research method design of the survey was cautiously designed and conversant with preceding works that dwelled on employee equality and diversity concerns all over the work environment (e.g. Sutherland and Davidson, 1997). The design of the interviews was such that it could be in accordance with the aims and corresponding objectives of the Draper Co. Ltd and eventually deal with a array of concerns as well as the recognition of possible occupational improvement barriers and the recognition of approaches for conquering these limitations, chances for education and training, job promotions and provision for leadership. The partially controlled interview timetable was then stored in secure modules and safe websites secured with passwords, which eventually made it easy for members of the research panel to enter information directly into the research database and online pages, and at the same time carrying out interviews with respondents all over the merchandising industry. The details of the research methodology and what will be contained in the schedule for the research is described in the subsequent sections. Research Objective This study was led by a research team commissioned by the Draper Co. Ltd. The research team was selected by the management of the company with advice by the legal advice wing experts. It was agreed that 16 members be brought aboard the team of researchers. The main goal of identifying predictors of turnover, factors and employees intention to leave or stay with the company will be the major issue of Draper Co. Ltd. The aims of the project were as follows: To examine two sets of potential causes of job turnovers and eventual staff retention mechanisms: firstly, those that impede the retention of workers in the organization and secondly, those that speeds the exit of the players from the organizations. Identify strategies for overcoming these barriers. Investigate the feasibility of constructing a national database, documenting the career paths of women in the merchandise industry. Develop, publish and disseminate good practice guidelines and recommendations using reports, conference presentations, feedback seminars, academic journals and merchandise specialist and national press. The objectives of the project were to: Investigate two sets of potential reasons for staff leaving the company: firstly, those that accelerate the exit of workers and staff and secondly, those that impede the efforts of retaining staff in the organization. Identify strategies for overcoming these reasons. Investigate the feasibility of constructing a company database, documenting the career paths of workers in the merchandise industry. Develop a promotion system, which is more sensitive to the needs of employees Develop an image of the company, which is based entirely upon team cohesion. Provide a concept of role models, which can be utilized by young employees to resolve possible work life balance conflicts. Produce a set of solutions, which can be applied to other retail settings. Develop, publish and disseminate good practice guidelines and recommendations using reports, conference presentations, feedback seminars, academic journals and merchandise specialist and national press. Research Questions: Why this company has high staff turnover rate Why staff relationship will make new comer difficult to fit in team work What relationship caused high staff turnover rate How to retain staff in this company Does the management policy affect staff retention? Does the company is responsive to employees needs and wants Does companys reputation retain staff? Terminologies Merchandising Retention Welfare Turnover Respondent Outsourcing Glass ceiling Dissertation Outlines Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This Section looks at the main literature in this area. The first sections focus on the structure of merchandising and the broader profile of the sector. The section then moves on to its main concern which is the job retention of staff at junior and senior levels in merchandising. Merchandising is an economic sector, which has traditionally been associated with the employment of staff. Overall, 60% of staff are low skilled employees and 40% are highly skilled in terms of there educational background. Even as these figures show that the merchandising sector clearly employs a larger number of low skilled than the skilled, it is not a ‘balanced industry (Stillsmart, 2004). The representation of low skill workers in the merchandising sector however, follows a number of important patterns. Official statistics are used to highlight the predominance of staff in part time work in the merchandising sector and the under representation of a section staff at senior levels. According to Sti llsmart, (2004), official figures are general and are unlikely to provide a clear understanding of the dynamics relating to the position in which staff is employed in merchandising sector. The following sections therefore outline theories that have been offered to account for these disparities, particularly in relation to barriers for staff attempting to progress into senior management positions. An examination of managing diversity is then offered and potential mechanisms for ensuring merchandising organizations fully utilize the talents of all employees to maximize productivity is discussed. 2.2 The structure of the merchandising sector The merchandising sector is the largest private sector employer in the Hong Kong yet it is rarely recognized as such. Stillsmart (a not for profit organization, set up and part funded by Government to identify and address the skills needs of the Hong Kong merchandising sector), suggest that this is, possibly because its workforce is not concentrated in any particular region or locality. In fact, the merchandising sector is the largest public sector employer in the Hong Kong. Furthermore, Wang XI Inc is the Hong Kongs second largest employer after the Jubilee (Stillsmart, 2004). Overall, the merchandising sector employs three million people throughout the Hong Kong, which accounts for approximately ten per cent of employment throughout the Hong Kong. However, the structure of the industry is unusual, and is described by Stillsmart, as ‘hourglass shaped. The vast majority (95%) work in firms with less than ten employees. Consequently, there is significantly less (just over two th ousand) merchandising employers with more than fifty staff, reflecting the â€Å"hourglass shape† of the industry profile. 2.3 Job Retention and improvement Strategies The welfare reform programs of the 1990s moved many families from cash assistance into the work force. The strong economy provided an abundance of entry-level, low-skill job opportunities to support this transition. For most of these families, however, finding a job is only the first step in the difficult path toward self-sufficiency. Like other working parents, adults who leave welfare (â€Å"leavers†) often encounter barriers to job retention and advancement. Between 1994 and 2002, the welfare caseload declined drastically, by more than 2.5 million cases (or 50 percent). Simultaneously, the number of single mothers either divorced or never married— in the work force increased by more than 1.2 million (or 22 percent). Government welfare programs have been instituted to help keep women employed and off welfare. Job retention and improvement strategies are becoming increasingly important to state policymakers as unemployment rates rise and slowed economic growth, corpora te lay-offs, and hiring freezes limit job opportunities for parents who are moving into the work force. Current and former welfare recipients and those who dont have a strong attachment to the work force may find it more difficult to gain employment in hard economic times, thus increasing the demand for job retention and improvement services for those who currently are employed. 2.4 Present profile of turnover of employees Employment expectations have risen slightly in (Q1) from an already high level in Q4. Of the 514 sales executives surveyed, 54% expect to increase their hiring which is slightly up from 53% the previous. As the years go by, expectations have remained solid. The 54% planning to grow headcount this year is at the same level as Q1 2004, though there are some variations between the sectors surveyed. Companies are extremely confident about how they will perform in the next six months with 95% of respondents forecasting their companys performance to be excellent or good in the first half of 2007. Respondents in Hong Kong report higher levels of staff turnover than in any other market surveyed in Asia with 37% stating that turnover in the last twelve months has exceeded 10% (Hudson, 2007). Hudson, one of the worlds leading professional recruitment, outsourcing and capacity management solution providers, today released findings of its broad quarterly Hudson Report for Asia. With a status as a key socio-economic indicator in the present market since its Asia launch in September 2000, the survey has been built on the premise that employers expectations of an increase or decrease in staffing levels represent a significant indication of their optimism in the growth of their organization and their industry as a whole. The Hudson Report represents the expectations of over 1450 key employment decision makers from multinational organizations of all sizes in all major industry sectors, with 400 of these executives based in Hong Kong. 2.4 The general profile of employees in the merchandising sector Traditionally the merchandising sector is associated with the employment of low level and unskilled workers, the vast majority of whom work in the lower ranks of the organizational hierarchy. The profile of employees in merchandising also follows a number of other patterns. The merchandising sector for example employs a large proportion of young people. According to recent estimates 29% of those employed in the sector are between the ages of 16 to 24. This is compared to the overall economy figure of 14%. It has been suggested that this figure may be due to the popularity of merchandising as a part-time occupation for young people and students (Stillsmart, 2004). Merchandising is also a popular choice for older workers (persons over 55). In terms of ethnic minority employment, the merchandising sector employs a similar fraction to those figures available nationally (Stillsmart, 2004). Recent research has shown however, that certain recruitment practices may prevent ethnic minorities from gaining employment in merchandising organizations. For example a study for Birmingham and Manchester cities in Britain for example, found that employers might specify jobs as a matter of course that require the staff to work on Saturdays without realizing that a large pool of potential workers would be unable to work on this day as it is their Sabbath (Vector research, 2003). 2.4 The trends common in the merchandising sector Merchandising is an economic sector, which has customarily been associated with the employment of diverse people of different background. Overall, 55% of merchandising employees are women and 45% are men (Stillsmart, 2004). This gender factor in the merchandising sector remains fairly consistent throughout other nations and regions of the Hong Kong and this profile has been fairly consistent over the last 10 years. Skill level has also played a bigger part in influencing how long an employee is wiling to stay in a given organization. Better salaries in other organizations may lead to employees moving from their respective place of work in pursuit for better opportunities (Hudson, 2004). Level of qualification gives workers a broader scale of work opportunities that they willingly take into considerations. Stillsmart (2004) suggest that Hong Kongs larger ethnic population is likely to be the source of this greater proportion of the workers in the capital run by ethnic minorities may p roprietorship driven by highly skilled male people. It is important to note however, that the representation of retention in the merchandising sector follows a number of important patterns discussed in the subsequent sections. Firstly the prevalence of staff turnover in the merchandising sector will be discussed. Secondly, evidence will be presented to show the under representation of employee needs at senior levels within the merchandising sector. 2.4.1 The prevalence of staff turnover in the merchandising sector Statistics from Stillsmart (2004) indicate that merchandising sector employment occupy three quarters of all employment in the Hong Kong economic sector, which accounts for 40% of all employment. This is a significant figure when, compared to the economy overall, where only 25% of people are employed permanently. The other majority of those working are part time workers employed in sales and customer service occupations. Figure 2.1 outlines the proportion of full and part time employment in the merchandising sector by gender. Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.4.1.1 Job retention in the labor force as a whole The prevalence of staff turnover when compared with other sectors of the economy is particularly evident in the merchandising sector. This trend is also reflected in employment across the Hong Kong, particularly in the service industries. The numbers of staff entering the labor market has dramatically increased over the past thirty years and this rise in numbers has mainly been in by young people with low skill (Burke and Nelson 2002; Davidson and Burke, 2002). Because of this influx of young energetic minds quickly induces training for the staff. After gaining much needed experience then leave the industry for more lucrative jobs in other sectors. Youthful persons in the Hong Kong are far more likely than middle and old aged persons to work as part-timers (EAC, 2004). According to the National Office of Statistics, in 2005, 42% of young employees in the Hong Kong worked in the sector compared to just 9% of old people. Interestingly, the number keeps on increasing in the industry whe reas companies are reporting a high staff turnover hence posing a big threat to company survival in the highly competitive industry (EAC, 2004). Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.4.3 Explanations for the prevalence of staff turnover among staff in the merchandising sector Traditionally, the predominance of staff turnover is largely attributed to the level of education and other academic qualifications (e.g. those with degrees go for more lucrative jobs in other lucrative industries vacating there positions) traditionally occupied by them which limits the productivity of the company (Thompson, 2004; Stillsmart, 2004). When addressing the merchandising sector specifically, Lynch (2003) comments that it is the very nature of the merchandising industry that contributes to the high proportion of turnovers. In the merchandising industry, recruitment is largely secured from the local labor market, staff requirements vary due to seasonal demands and employees are often required to work unfriendly hours as outlets open longer. These are all factors that lead to the reduction of morale and interest in the jobs within any organizational sector, and specifically the merchandising sector. In addition, Lynch (2003) further suggests that due to these delimiting fact ors in the industry and the continuous fluctuation of workforce in particular, potential merchandising companies are provided with an available pool of labor that accepts inferior terms and conditions of employment, as staff attempt to resolve their need to educate and retain their staff. 2.4.3.1 The under representation of staff interests in the merchandising sector by executives and senior officials Official statistics show that there is a higher proportion of college educated in managerial and senior occupations in the merchandising sector than in comparison to the economy a whole. It is important to note, however, that if the representation of staff; male and female, skilled and unskilled were equal throughout the sector. Furthermore, low skilled staff tends to predominate in certain types of management positions including personnel, which are roles traditionally associated with low skilled. 2.5 Recruitment and Retention of Paid Staff It can be surely asserted that, paid staff is a vital part of the retail and merchandising sector. Lynch (2003) further suggests that almost half (40%) of Canadas estimated 161,000 nonprofit and voluntary organizations has least one paid staff member. The sector as a whole employs just over 25% of the total economy. Twenty percent of paid staff in merchandising organizations is in permanent positions and 56% work full-time. The survey asked all organizations involved about the challenges they face recruiting the type of paid staff they need. Twenty-eight percent of organizations said that this is a problem for them; 8% said that the problem is serious. Organizations with paid staff were also asked if they have problems retaining staff. Nineteen percent said that they do, with 8% saying that the problem is serious. As a group, problems relating to paid staff were reported less frequently than other types of capacity challenges. Nevertheless, challenges relating to paid staff are signi ficant for some organizations. 2.5.1 Size of Paid Staff Complement In general, the more paid staff an organization has, the more likely it is to report problems with staff recruitment and retention. Forty-one percent of organizations with 13% of paid staff members reported problems recruiting paid staff. This rises to 30% among organizations with 20 to 50 staff members, 63% among those with 100 to 500 staff members, and 73% among those with 1000 or more staff members. The relationship between the number of staff an organization has and staff retention problems is less pronounced. Seventeen percent of organizations with one to four staff members said this is a problem for them. This increases to 26% among organizations with 100 or more staff members (Stillsmart, 2004). Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.5.2 Reliance on Paid Staff Lynch (2003) suggests the greater the percentage of an organizations workforce that is comprised of paid staff (As opposed to volunteers), the more dependent on paid staff the organization can be said to be. The more reliant an organization is on paid staff, the more likely it is to report difficulties employing and retaining staff. Lynch (2003) further suggests that this relationship is particularly strong for staff recruitment. For example, among organizations in which staff makes up one-third or less of the workforce, 15% said that staff recruitment is a problem for them and 19% said that staff retention is a problem. Nevertheless, among organizations in which staff comprises two thirds or more of the workforce, 54% said that staff recruitment is a problem and 20% said that staff retention is a problem (Stillsmart, 2004).. Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.6 The Glass ceiling theory The under representation of minority group in management positions in the merchandising and other occupational sectors has led theorists to assert that a ‘glass ceiling exists. The minority in this case includes: physically handicapped, less educated and women. The term ‘glass ceiling is used to reflect the ability of and minorities to view the world above them but the metaphorical ceiling prevents the minorities from accessing the better opportunities they can view. This glass ceiling effect occurs when minorities with equivalent credentials as the other employees, i.e. those who traditionally occupy positions of power within organizations, are prevented from accessing top jobs simply because they have particularly weaknesses (Davidson, 1997; Powell, 1999; Konrad, Prasad and Pringle, 2004). Nevertheless, the proportion of minorities in management has increased over the past three decades in almost all countries and legislation in some countries (e.g. Affirmative Action L egislation in the U.S. and Canada) has contributed to this trend (Powell and Graves, 2003). Despite this encouraging increase, recent research by Catalyst (2005) has shown that the glass ceiling is firmly in place. In the U.K., seventy-eight Financial Times Share Index (FTSE 100) companies in 2004 had physically challenged directors, up 13% from the previous year. However, only eleven FTSE 100 companies had female executive directors, which was below the 2002 figure and twenty-two of the FTSE 100 boards in 2005 were all-male (Singh and Vinicrombe, 2005). These statistics largely reflect the experiences of white staff. It is important to highlight that black and ethnic minority staffs across the globe often face significant hurdles. Although there is a general lack of data on ethnicity and employment or physical handicap and employment, ethnic minority employees are under- represented at senior and professional levels in the labor market (Commission for Racial Equality, 2004). In Hon g Kong in 2004 for example, 17% of ethnic minority men were managers or senior officials compared to 10% of ethnic minority staff. The highest percentages of staff and men in these positions were Indian and Chinese (Commission for Racial Equality, 2004). Research has highlighted that a glass ceiling exists even in occupations where staff predominate. Approximately 90% of nurses, for example, are female but male nurses often experience greater career success than female nurses (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2005). The number of women studying merchandise in England now outnumbers men (Davidson and Burke, 2004) but partners of top merchandise firms continue to be predominantly men. An examination of data from the top 10 ten merchandise firms in the Hong Kong in 2005 revealed that on average, 15% of female partners in the top 10 merchandise firms are women (The Merchandise Society, 2005). Recent research has highlighted that whilst women and physically challenged are now achieving mor e senior roles, they are more likely than men to find themselves on a ‘glass cliff (Haslam, 2005). According to Haslam (2005), this is because staff are more likely to secure positions of leadership when organizations are not performing at their optimum level. This means that their appointments are made under more risky circumstances which make them more uncertain. This suggests that not only do staff experience hurdles to achieving senior roles; they are placed under greater scrutiny and face increased pressures when they do reach leadership positions. The disadvantaged experience of the glass ceiling is an important area of study and has implications for the future development of talent in organizations of all sectors including merchandising. Research has shown for example that frustrated by the glass ceiling, many workers quit and start their own businesses (Powell, 1999; Davidson and Fielden, 2003). This can have a detrimental affect within organizations as competent and e xperienced staffs remove themselves from the selection pool. 2.5.1 Pay Differences However, research shows that staff leaders and staff at all levels of the workforce are generally paid less than men with equivalent skills, training and experience, for performing the same roles. In 2005, the percentage difference between the average hourly earnings of staff working full-time in Great Britain for example was 17.1 % (Equal Opportunities Commission, 2004). In the US, staffs earn approximately 77 cents for every dollar earned by men (Retailers Bureau data, 2000, in Nelson and Michie, 2004). The Equal Opportunities Commission in the U.K. (2005) highlights three main reasons for this pay difference. Firstly, there is discrimination in pay systems. Staff are paid less than men for performing the same roles. Secondly, ‘occupational segregation exists. Many employees is concentrated in low paid jobs. Thirdly, staffs assume caring responsibilities for children and other relatives/dependents, which affects their progression at work due to the lack of flexible working. 2.6 Perspectives on barriers to staff in management Authors have identified an array of complex factors that contribute to the existence and pervasive nature of the ‘glass ceiling. Three main perspectives have been offered to explain the adversity facing staff aspiring to senior levels within organizations. These are commonly referred to as the ‘person centered or ‘gender-centered approach (Powell, 1999), the organizational structure perspective (Fagenson, 1993; Kanter, 1977) and the social systems perspective. It is widely acknowledged that the glass ceiling is a result of a culmination of these three main perspectives (Omar and Da