Lean Management

LEAN IN PRODUCTION AND SERVICE The word term ‘’LEAN’’ was put together to describe and personalize Toyota’s business activity during the 1980’s by a research team headed by one Jim Womack, Ph. D. , at MIT’s international Motor vehicle programme. According to them, the concept of ‘LEAN’ was fathered by Taiichi Ohno of Toyota. Ohno developed a contrasting approach to the mass production methods of US car firms through necessity. Later, in 1996, Jim Womack’s team espoused the five lean principles and also lean tools that they believed were the secret for Toyota’s success. According to Oxford dictionaries, Lean means efficient and with no wastage. The core idea of lean is to minimize wastage and at the same time maximize customer value. Customer value is of utmost importance to a lean organization and the organization will focus on its key processes to continue increasing the value. Ultimately, the goal is to provide the perfect value creation process that has no wastage. To accomplish this value creation and zero wastage goal, lean thinking changes the focus of a management from optimizing separate technologies, assets and vertical departments to optimize the flow of products and services through entire value streams that flow horizontally across technologies, assets and department customers. By reducing or eliminating waste along the entire stream of value, we will be able to come up with processes that would need less effort, less space, reduced capitals and reduced time in order to make products and services at prices far less than normal and with fewer defects. Organizations will be able to be responsive towards changing customer needs and wants with a lot of variety, higher quality, reduced costs and with less throughput times. Information management will also be much simpler and much more accurate. Lean management is a concept which can be applied in every business and every process. It should not be compared with a cost reduction program or tactic because it is a way of thinking and acting that applies to the whole organization. Nowadays, it is common that businesses across all industries and services, including the health care and even governments around the world are applying the concept of lean as the way they think and operate their business. Many of these organizations does not use the word lean out of choice and tend to label their practices as their own system, such as the Toyota Production System or the Danaher Business System. It is done to instill a point that lean is not a simple programme or a short term ost reduction solutions, but the way the company operates. the term ‘Transformation’ or ‘lean Transformation’ are usually used to characterize a company that is moving from an old way to a lean thinking way. this transformation requires a complete transformation on how a company usually conducts their business, thus, requiring long term perspective and perseverance through the changing time. It is also interesting to note that the concept of lean in production and servic e has the touch of one of the greater management thinkers, W. Edwards Deming who had great influence in Japanese manufacturing. He believed that the present manufacturing scenario is a prison of interacting people and stressed the importance of re-inventing the management processes in order to achieve higher efficiency and value. In implementing lean in production or services, I will be following the concept espoused by Womack’s team that stressed on three important business issues that will be able to guide the transformation process of an entire organization into a lean organization. In order to achieve lean objectives in an organization, it is important first of all to note that the organization and the people leading the transformation need to have a lean vision. In order to develop this lean vision, we can concentrate on three fundamental business issues which are Purpose, Process and People. By thinking deeply into these three aspects, a lean implementer can try to answer critical questions on the vision of the organization. If we are able to answer the key questions that I have associated with each of the aspects, I believe that we can develop a vision for lean implementation in our organization. The questions would be:- 1. purpose what are the customer problems will the organization try to solve in order to achieve their own purpose of prospering? 2. Process: how will the organization assess each major value stream devised to make sure each step in the value stream is valuable, capable, available, adequate and flexible? 3. People: how will the organization ensure that every important process in the value stream has someone responsible for continually evaluating it in terms of business purpose and also lean process? How will everyone involved in the value stream be engaged actively in the process of operating it correctly and continually improving it? As for the next step that I would take, it would be on the possible implementation of the core lean principle into my organization. This, I believe would involve the core of lean which is basically waste reduction. Usually, in an organization including production and service oriented organizations, we can find seven basic types of waste, which I am listing below. ? Producing goods and services beyond the immediate need of the customers. Unnecessary movement of products due to poor layout planning. ? Wasted motions when working. ? Time idling and wastage. ? Implementing processes that are unimportant to finish a product. ? Poor inventory management. ? Many defects in the finished product or output. Usually, waste will be present in any activity that does not add any value to the finished product or services. By trying to eliminate waste, the materia l velocity will be increase drastically. This means products will reach the customers hand in a very quick manner. This is an advantage because it delivers high strategic advantages beyond the obvious cost savings. Bad quality will be eliminated and lead times are shortened effectively. Eliminating waste can be considered as a strategic goal in service oriented and manufacturing oriented organizations. As I have mentioned before, elimination of waste will ensure increase in strategic advantages such as increased income and increased customer satisfaction. In adapting lean processes and services, we may be confronted by some constrains and challenges. The adaptability of lean depends on the nature of our business. We have to remember that there is a vast difference in between the service and production industries, and it lies in the source that creates the variation that causes waste to happen. Logically, manufacturing operations are far more controllable compared to service industry, because of its laboratory like settings compared to the service industry. Uncertainty usually does result from material and labor inputs, but we can still anticipate those uncertainties and take steps to control it to a great extent. For example, Toyota, pioneer in lean management is production/manufacturing based organization, and the employees, product esign and the production tools are usually under the control of the operations to a great extent, rendering it easier for implementers to anticipate uncertainty and implement the efficient lean management. In contrast, service organizations operate in a vast sea of uncertainty and risks and when uncertainty is present, it is much harder to anticipate and control variability that will be present together with it, For example, a project management company. We know that each project that the company will receive or implement will be different in nature. The volatility of the service industry, in particular a project management company, requires that lean management principles is implemented on a case by case method, i. e. different implementation and methods for different projects. This nature of the service industry is contributed by a few causes. Let's look at these causes one by one:- ? Uncertainty in task times. It is the nature of service products that the execution of each and every service delivery has some uniqueness. Taking the example of the project management company, each project taken may not be similar to each other, thus making it difficult to judge the task time needed. This variability in the service industry leads to a negative exponential distribution of task times. This simply means to say that most of the tasks execution will fall within a tight range, and some execution will take a longer time. Considering airplane boarding as another example, there is uncertainty present in the sense that it will take different amount of time among different groups of customers to board the plane. ? Uncertainty in demand. While there are ways to forecast demand in service industry, we can’t claim that it is 100% perfect. Usually, manufacturers buffer this forecast uncertainty with some finished goods inventory, but this is not the case in the service industry for example, we can forecast that reservations for a hotel will increase during peak seasons but it depends on many other fluctuating factors. Sometimes it is very hard to predict the demand of individual customer. As an example, a wedding planner essentially does planning job for customers wedding, but this lanning differs based on customer preferences, budget and also other factors. This uncertainty renders each wedding and the process that the organization goes through to put together the wedding, a unique one. ? Customers' production roles. As we can see from both the uncertainties above, we can summarize that it has much to do with customers. This is because typically, customers have some role to play in the production of a service, w e introduce variability based on how well we perform our roles. Customers almost always have to provide some information to the service agents to initiate service, and we usually have some tangible tasks to perform. So, as I have already stated it before, this condition create unique situations that needs personal implementations of lean in order to make sure wastage is reduced and value is delivered to each individual customers. Lean implementation involves finding solutions that will be able to offset the challenges and difficulties that we may face in our organization to achieve a successful outcome that will support a competitive operations strategy. Professors Kent Bowen and Steven Spear (HBS DBA '99), drew on a framework of 4 principles of the Toyota Production System that they believed will reduce the constrains, difficulties and challenges to a minimum in order to enjoy leaner productions and service. The framework contains 4 easily implement able rules:- Rule no. 1: all work should be highly specific as to content, sequence, timing and outcome. Rule no. 2: every customer-supplier connections must be direct, and there must be an unambiguous yes or no ways to send request and receive responses. Rule no. 3: the pathway for every products and services must be simple and direct. Rule no. 4: any improvements must be made in accordance with the specific method, under the guidance of a teacher, at the lowest possible level in the organization. Basically, my plan for a successful implementation of lean depends on the 4 rules given above, but I am going to give it some twist with adding some additional techniques that I feel would encourage faster and easier ways to overcome challenges faced by organizations implementing lean. I am going to add a three step initiative taken by Wipro, an Indian software developer, which can boost the implementation of lean, which are:- †¢ Abolish Hierarchies. Devise a bottom-up organization that allows many people to have a field-wide view of the process to spot problems and identify efficiencies. †¢ Continuous Improvement. Using â€Å"kaizen† initiative. Encouraging organizational level knowledge sharing through effective and efficient work improvement. †¢ Lean Tools. Use of tools specific to the process based on lean principles which can be utilized to pinpoint wasted time and effort. A combination of both these initiatives, I believe can lead to a lean flow which will be the tool that I would utilize to mitigate the challenges that can be faced during lean implementation. Drawing up a process flow chart that represents each step that a product/service would go through is essential. It is advisable to represent these sequential processes graphically in a flow chart. This is the first step towards an error and waste free production. For each and every products or processes that are present in the process flow charts, another level of details is required. This involves the task-level work with associated , with associated work-content times, with associated work-content times, quality verifications and worker qualifications. We can also produce a product/process matrix with products on the vertical axis and processes on the horizontal axis. At every intersection of product and process, this matrix, or spreadsheet should be recording the total reasonable validated work times that has been devised. We must also be able to calculate Takt. Takt is a German word which basically mean beat, pace or rhythm. Businesses, especially service oriented business must march to the beat of the customers and we must keep up with our customers pace.. Takt, can be calculated as, work time per day divided by customer requirements per day. This calculation represents how often each process must be performed, and at what capacity level, to take care of your customer’s needs and demands and be able to meet it as soon as possible. In order to have sustainable lean benefits, the implementation of lean must bridge the gap from project to project and also business practices. Quality documents procedures, policies and measures must reflect and drive Lean as a way of life. This will ensure success in reducing waste. Planning and procurement drives daily lean execution. Lean manufacturing is more responsive, with shorter lead time and greater mix and volume flexibility. We must be able to change our planning to take full advantage of lean. Bibliography Womack. J. P, Lean Enterprise Institute Inc. 2009, What Is Lean (Online) Available at: http://www. lean. rg/WhatsLean/ (Accessed 20th October 2009) Ahlstrom, P (2004) ‘Lean service operations: translating lean production principles to service operations’ International Journal of Services Technology and Management, Vol 5, nos 5-6 pp545-564 Spear and Bowen 1999 ‘Decoding the DNA of the Toyota Production System’ Harvard Business Review Sept-Oct Womack, J. P. and D. T. Jones 1996 ‘Lean Thinking’ New York, Simon & Schuster. Taylor: FW 1998 ‘The Principles of Scientific Management’ Dover Publications: New York. First published in 1911 Ohno, T 1988 ‘Toyota Production System’ Productivity Press: Portland, Oregon. Translated from Japanese original, first published 1978 David McPhetrige, 2009, An industry consultant provides guidance on implementing a basic Lean plan. MPO magazine. (Online) Available at: http://www. mpo-mag. com/articles/2009/09/meeting-the-challenges-of-lean-flow (Accessed on 21st October 2009) Hanna. J, 2007, Bringing ‘Lean’ Principles to Service Industry. Harvard Business School (Online) Available at: http://hbswk. hbs. edu/item/5741. html (Accessed on 21st October 2009)

Classroom †Toelf Essay Essay

In general, most people tend to view things differently, even whether if classrooms environment should be interactive or not. To some people, they may think that classrooms are places where teachers lecture and the students listen. However, in my opinion, I believe that classrooms should be interactive. The following cases and examples will help support my point of view. People have different backgrounds. Students, especially in international schools, have varying backgrounds, which may result in different views. A classroom is a place for learning experiences, therefore, it is crucial that varying opinions are brought to the table. Take the example of a business class. In discussing whether or not coffee stands should be locate within the campus or outside, the teacher may Do you think that students will always understand every single thing the teacher lecture about if they weren’t allow to ask questions? In complicated classes such as math or science there are many things that usually confuse the students. It is nigh impossible for the teacher to be able to make sure that everyone understands, let alone knowing whom doesn’t what. Courage. When your kids grow up, they do not work alone. Courage is an important aspect in working with others, whether it is to lead or just to follow. In the case of Pearson Hardman, an international law firm, they seek not only people with knowledge but also people who have individuality, people who could think for themselves and are not afraid to express their opinion. Where is a better place to develop those traits than in classrooms. Classrooms where students are allowed, and encouraged, to speak out their mind. In conclusion, it is hard to make all people view things in the same way, even in the case of whether or not classrooms should be interactive. Some people may agree that it should not be because discussions may lead to the teacher not being able to teaches everything he intended to. However, to me, I strongly agree that classrooms should be interactive. The examples and cases mentioned above have supported my point of view to the best.

Dover Bitch vs Dover Beach Essay

What is love? This is a question that is often discussed and argued about. Everyone seems to have a different perception on what love truly is. These perceptions help categorize what type of person you are when it comes towards love. This can range from being a hopeless romantic to a person who doesn’t even believe that love exists. A perfect example of how the views of love can be drastically different can be illustrated by these two poems; â€Å"Dover Beach† and â€Å"Dover Bitch†. â€Å"Dover Beach†, was written by Matthew Arnold in the 19th century. The love Arnold speaks of in his poem is a deep love that is indestructible. â€Å"Dover Bitch† was written by Anthony Hecht, in response to â€Å"Dover Beach† and refers to love as being a joke and nonexistent. Arnold can be portrayed as being a hopeless romantic while Hecht is skeptical and a cynic when it comes to love. There are many factors which influence the authors’ literary works including: the time period, the object of love in their poem and their overall view of the world. These components as well as the tones of the of the poems help convey the author’s view point on love and its place in society. Matthew Arnold’s legendary poem â€Å"Dover Beach† encapsulated the era that the poem was written in. He wrote this poem during the 19th century while he was honeymooning with his wife. Rumor has it that the newlyweds were honeymooning at Dover Beach but no one can be certain. In order to get a better grasp on what the text of the poem is referring to we must know what’s going on during the time period. When â€Å"Dover Beach† was written there was large transformation in how people thought and what knowledge was deemed acceptable. English society was changing from a primarily religious based society with high religious morals and standings into one that praised and honored the work of science. It was the dawn of the scientific and industrial revolution. With any major change there seems to always be benefits and side effects. Arnold’s poem addresses many of the side effects during this wave of change. Matthew Arnold’s primary point of concern has to do with the fact that people have lost their faith and are sacrificing their true feelings for knowledge. The Sea of Faith/was once, too, at the full, and round earth’s shore/ But now I only hear/its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar (lines 21-25)†. These are a couple of lines from â€Å"Dover Beach†; they help illustrate how people on Earth have lost their faith and how the world is being affected by it. The Sea of Faith refers to how everything used to be. People were full of faith and were attached to their emotions, but now that faith no longer remains all Arnold can here is a roar of sadness which is sweeping across the land. Anthony Hecht wrote â€Å"Dover Bitch† in response to the â€Å"Dover Beach† poem by Matthew Arnold. Although the poems were written only a century apart, views on love and life were immensely different. During the 20th century when Hecht wrote the â€Å"Dover Bitch† poem the world as Arnold once knew it no longer existed. Religion played a very minuscule role in society and it was the start of a sexual revolution. Sleeping with multiple people was not frowned upon anymore and the quest to be with one person for the rest of your life was thought to be ridiculous and was extremely uncommon. There was a mindset that there is no such thing as a â€Å"one true love†. Relationships were really just affairs and flings since there was a lack of emotional attachment. Hecht even pushes it as far to imply that what we believe to be love is actually lust and personal quest for pleasure. In a way Matthew Arnold foresaw what the world and what love would become if people were detached from their emotions. The world that he foresaw is the world in which Hecht inhabits; this world has caused Hecht to believe that love does not even exist. Both of the time periods in which â€Å"Dover Beach† and â€Å"Dover Bitch† were written help play a significant role in how the author views love. It is within this environment that they are able to perceive and formulate their opinions on love and whether or not it is present in their society. â€Å"Dover Beach† and â€Å"Dover Bitch† are both poems that describe â€Å"love†. However the objects to which the poem is directed are extremely different. The chosen object of the poem also corresponds to the time period in which these poems were written. Arnold’s poem as stated before speaks of a deep love, one that is forever constant. His poem is said to have been written for his wife, which would make sense since they were honeymooning together when it was written. Ah, love, let us be true/to one another (lines 30-31)†. In the poem Arnold is demanding that the love they have together should be pure and well intentioned. He believes that love exists and what he is experiencing is love and that this love can overpower any obstacle. By reading this poem it can be inferred that Arnold is in love with just one person and that he wants to spend eternity with them. In a way Arnold’s poetry is describing a â€Å"one true love†. The idea of a one true love is distinct to the time period in which Arnold lived. The tone used in â€Å"Dover Beach† is very melancholy and lamented. These two descriptive words of the tone are generally perceived as being negative, but in this instance Arnold is melancholic and lamented because he wants his love to last. So although after reading the poem the reader might perhaps almost feel dreary they are given a contrasting feeling of hope. In â€Å"Dover Bitch† however the object that Hecht speaks of is a casual fling. This makes the whole poem impersonal and is a blasphemy in the face of love. Hecht’s poem makes a complete mockery of Arnold’s poem. His word choice, tone and his nonchalant attitude devoted to the object support the fact that he does not believe love exists. There is an underlying theme built into his poem that love is not real and what the â€Å"lover† is pursuing is in fact lust and personal pleasure. This pleasure is purely physical and has nothing to do with the individuals emotions. An example of this is when the thoughts of the object used in â€Å"Dover Bitch† are revealed. â€Å"But all the time he was talking she had in mind/The notion of what the whiskers would feel like/on the back of her neck (lines 9-11)†. The object is thinking purely of partaking in pleasurable activities such as sex while the man in the poem is â€Å"declaring† his love for her. Obviously this is not an example of true love; this certainly doesn’t seem like love at all. In â€Å"Dover Beach† Arnold dedicates and pours his heart to a single person which makes the poem more intimate. Hecht however leads you to believe that there is more than one woman in his life and yet he is still unsatisfied. â€Å"She’s really alright. I still see her once in awhile/and she always treats me right. We have a drink/ and I give her a good time, and perhaps it’s a year/before I see her again (lines 25-26). The casual tone the author uses allows the reader to infer that the object of the poem is truly insignificant and holds no value to her so called â€Å"lover†. If you have ever witnessed someone who is in love going a few days without their significant other is hard but a year would be a living hell for them. This does not seem to bother the â€Å"lover† in Hecht’s poem at all. Basically by reading this poem you are allowed to make the assumption that people confuse lust for love. Hecht’s skepticism towards love is very apparent upon reading â€Å"Dover Bitch†. This skepticism of love is most likely due to the time period in which the poem was written. If most of society is partaking in affairs and are having multiple partners the idea of love might sound a little ridiculous. The words â€Å"I love you† wouldn’t take on any meaning after awhile and all hope for love might be lost. This is the attitude that I think the Anthony Hecht obtained and it was with this mindset he responded to Matthew Arnold’s â€Å"Dover Beach†. The last major difference between these two authors and their poems is their outlook on life and where they feel love’s place is in society. Matthew Arnold has a very optimistic outlook on life and feels that love always and needs to have a place in society. Arnold states in his poem that the world around him has been corrupted and is filled with illusions; love can exist in this environment and be a glimmer of hope to all. This corruption is probably referencing the loss of faith in religion and even though that has been disturbed the love that people have does not have to be extinguished. Being a hopeless romantic Arnold makes it seem that a world without love would be terrible and catastrophic. Hecht however has a cynical outlook on life and feels that love does not even exist in our society. To him love can’t exist in a world like the one we inhabit. In a world full of corruption how can something as pure as love exist? It is safe to say that Hecht never believed in the â€Å"one true love† theory and instead this theory was replaced with one night stands and sexual affairs. This is why I feel that Hecht as a negative connotation of love and is skeptical of its existence. The overall attitudes towards life reflect how they embrace and except love. Leaving us with a hopeless romantic and a cynic. Although there are a lot of differences between â€Å"Dover Beach† and â€Å"Dover Bitch† they do in fact have some similarities. Both of these poems reflect the viewpoints their author has on life and love. They both encapsulate the time periods in which they were written and show how love was represented in society. The tone of the two poems also plays a key role in deciphering the author’s true feelings towards love.

International business final exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International business final exam - Assignment Example Thus after being empowered these farmers are able to produce a lot of cotton more than they could have done before at relatively cheaper prices. There is thus much gain from the sustained income that the farmer is able to get which enables them to start small enterprises such as groceries. In some countries such as Uganda, a lot of gains have been realize even with small and basic improvements such as training farmers on the use of fertilizers, pesticides and tractors. These foreign owned enterprises also provide capital in form of loans so as to help in the expansion of production, in Zambia for instance, Dunavant has been lending to farmers millions of dollars every year to farmers at the beginning of every growing season. The farmers usually return the loans at harvest time. This aspect of lending to farmers has made Dunavant the largest micro financier in Africa. In return, Dunavant is able to get interest from the loans offered, has a chance of getting a constant and uninterrupted supplies of cotton for its factories ensuring there is streamlined production. Thus African cotton is profitable for Dunavant and also an intelligent hedge against any fall in American production. The other advantage reaped by Dunavant is the fact that the African cotton is usually produced with lower costs for both land and labor. And with the ongoing discussions by the Senate about the removal of subsidies for the American farmers, it means that the price of the A frican cotton will become more and more attractive and competitive. The fact that Dunavant has managed to establish loyal farmers in Africa, means that they have true business partners in them, which is a very important for any business to thrive and make profits. Dunavant willingness to pay farmers cash on delivery has also endeared them to the farmers, since money is scarce for most

The new 4Ps for Dasani water Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The new 4Ps for Dasani water - Research Paper Example This paper illustrates that Coca-Cola Company has increased the number of people taking part in the marketing ecosystem of dasani water as the market continues to become more complicated. For instance, its marketing involves the incorporation of Coca-Cola contact center, customers, and field marketing. Workers and other participants in different departments including finance and market research come together to assess marketing solutions for dasani water. Â  Participants are responsible for establishing how to appropriately align individuals and support teamwork across its marketing environment. Additionally, dasani marketers have to deeply understand the lives of consumers before determining their preferences. Â  After aligning people for teamwork and information sharing, the company documents and automates the processes thereby creating an effective coalition. As the market becomes more complicated, process becomes essential in aligning the correct individuals with the appropriat e marketing activities. This would assist in performing close-loop marketing speedily while penetrating new markets. When marketing dasani water, the company employs state-of-the–art marketing ideas by establishment the correct set of processes to control the activities involved. Some of the processes used in marketing the product include execution, operational and analytical processes. During the execution phase, Coca-Cola Company uses both outbound marketing and inbound marketing to introduce this brand into new markets. Â  Dasani is also being marketed digitally through social media.

Growing Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Growing Managers - Essay Example As for employees who are now her team members, Richardson thinks they need to be constantly motivated and appreciated in order to improve performance. This is reflected by her thoughts on sharing ice-cream and pizza with her team members on a Saturday afternoon while celebrating their success (Booth and Karen 3). She also has the idea of having an open communication channel with them when team building and even during office hours’ time to remove animosity. What is the difference between an account or sales representative and a sales manager? A sales manager is the overall head in charge of the sales team which may comprise of even account or sales representative. The sales manager oversees all the sales operations of the area she or he is managing including even the communication with customers and the greenhouse and acting as their liaison. An account or sales representative on the other hand is the one who looks for customers and persuades them to buy their products. They i n turn report to the sales manager with their sales for accountability purposes and to get further instructions, clarifications among other guidance tips from the sales manager. What did Richardson do right when she started new job? Richardson was right to make early preparations and arrangement of her office and even getting acquainted with the files on her team early enough even before meeting the team in person. This made her avoid wasting time to start on her new responsibility. Reporting to work on her first day (Monday) early and before the others in order to personally welcome them and make them feel comfortable with her (Booth and Karen 5). The other thing was to hold a meeting with her team immediately and letting them know her goals for them and for the office in general. Finally, she made a tour of the greenhouse hence getting to know what to expect and meeting with the rest of the workers in that flower farm and even the other managers. What mistakes did she make? She ma de the mistake of copying her predecessor’s figures of the previous month which had been falsified (although she did not know that) and hence her report was not an indication of what had actually taken place in that period she was writing the report on. The other mistake was not addressing Peterson’s desire to become an accounts representative which led to her lawyer complaining about gender disparity (which may lead to a lawsuit if not properly addressed). What might have helped Richardson get off to a better start? Richardson landed a big client and other clients (Lowes and grocery chain customers) and this helped increase the sales of the month (Booth and Karen 10). She was also determined to make it work despite the lack of cooperation from her team members and this determination is what made her persevere and hence making it to a good start. Critique Richardson's first meeting. How could she have made a stronger impact on her team that first day? Richardson confro nted her team and called for a meeting without even letting them get acquainted with her first. She did not seek their opinion or way forward on how they expected her to work or even about their schedule which made them form an opinion about her leadership authority and power and this made it difficult to get along with her. Richardson should have sought the opinion of the team members and even asked them about how they related or worked with her predecessor in ensuring the organization moves forward. Describe some ways Richardson might effectively build her team. One of the ways is by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each of the team member and capitalizing on that. The other is to look for different motivating techniques that can match the

Partnership law (In Australia) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Partnership law (In Australia) - Assignment Example Question 1 In the case of The Money Doctors, the business is a partnership due to the fact that the three persons had come together with the intension of carrying out a business venture and make profit. Although they did not have a written agreement, this business relationship has everything that a business partnership has and it therefore makes them a partnership. The partnership is made of Adam, Moe, and Jeff because they were the proprietors of the business. Flo, Adam’s Wife, cannot be described as a partner in this endeavour because of two main factors. To begin with, the money that she contributed to the business was a loan which was supposed to be refunded to her in the course of doing business. Secondly, her second role in the business was as an employment receiving an annual salary. As a result, although she was related to the partners and contributed to the initial capital, she cannot be described as a partner in the relationship. As seen in the decisions made in Birt chnell v The Equity Trustees, Executors and Agency Company Limited [1929] 42 CLR 384 19291, the court decided that the actions which the partner carried out should have been in the interest of the partnership. In this case, the court predicated its decision on the fact that in a partnership, every action carried out by any of the partners must be seen as being carried out in the interest of the partnership. Therefore it found that when the accused failed to remit the profits which he had gained by acting in the capacity of a partner, he had failed to observe the law and betrayed the other partners. The profits made by the accused were therefore seen as supposed to have been shared with the rest of the partners due to the nature of the business association that existed between him and the partners. The same case appears in the Money Doctors case where the partners are acting in the interest of the partnership and the rest of the group. This therefore defines The Money Doctors as a pa rtnership. In Canny Gabriel Castle Jackson Advertising Pty Ltd v Volume Sales (Finance) Pty Ltd [1974], the court decided that the business venture constituted a partnership based on three major factors which the court looked upon. First, the court quoted the fact that the partners had come together with the aim of carrying out commercial ventures. Secondly the court quoted the Partnership Act of 1892 and pointed out that since the partners intended to share the profits equally as produced by the business venture, that this then constituted a business partnership. Thirdly, the court referred to the fact that the partners were concerned with the financial stability of each other. The fact that the parties involved met these three main factors which are used to describe a partnership led to the court deciding that the relationship was a partnership. These three factors are also eminent in the case of The Money Doctors and therefore the Money Doctors can be seen as a partnership. In Ka ng-Kem v Paine (2004)2, the court used the same rules to determine the existence of partnership between the two persons before the court. The court used the definition of a partnership as provided in the 1892 partnership act. It also used some parameters to determine the existence of the partnership. Among the factors considered included the joint tenancy, the sharing of gross returns and the sharing of the profits by the

Christina of Markyate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Christina of Markyate - Essay Example Christina was educated which also made her unusual for her time period. Through a unique biography written during her time, Christina has become immortal through literary history in the story of her life and of the many ways in which she fought to hold true to her virtue in order to serve God. The book, The Life of Christina of Markyate: A Twelfth Century Recluse is intended to provide readers an insight into the life of a prioress so that they can live by her example. It is believed that the surviving copy of the book was written near the middle of the fourteenth century, perhaps written at St Albans under the direction of John of Tynemouth for a series on the lives of saints that he was assembling. The original text is available which is written in one persons handwriting, although there are notes on the pages from others, and is said to be quite beautiful (Talbot 1). The manuscript, that came to belong to Sir Robert Cotton and was within the Cottonian collection, was damaged durin g the fire of 1731. However, only the first page and the last page seemed to have sustained any significant damage (Talbot 3). The only things that are known of the one who wrote the biography is that he was a monk in the monastery of St. Albans. It is clear that the biography, in its original form, was written by someone who was close to Christina and who was very familiar with Geoffrey de Gorham, the wealthy abbot of St Albans who offered support to Christina. The writer refers to ‘our monastery’, thus creating the impression that the monastery where Christina made her place, St Albans, is also his monastery (Talbot 6). Through the personalized way in which he describes the lives of the characters in her life, it is probable that he knew them all. Christiana was born into an Anglo-Saxon noble family at the end of the 11th century. Her name was originally Theodora, but she changed her name to Christina. Her family was in danger, however, because of the French occupatio n of England and in this situation, the Anglo-Saxon nobility was almost powerless. Christina went with her family to St Alban to pray and the effect that the visit had on her was to turn her devotion to God. She swore her virginal state to God as a devotion to a life in his service. However, a man decided to marry her and asked her father for permission. Her biography suggests a great many ways in which her parents tried to trick her into losing her virginity to her future husband, but through her own tricks and prayer, she was able to keep sacred her virginity (Amt 139). Christina is portrayed as being very intelligent, an intelligence that is recognized by her parents. One of the aspects of Medieval life for women was in the commoditization of their lives. Women were essentially sold into marriage in exchange for whatever the parents of that woman needed, whether that be political considerations, money, or social prestige. Through Christina, her parents could find a match that wou ld benefit their lives. Talbot translates that her biography states â€Å"For if she remained chaste in love of Christ, they feared they would lose her, and all that they could hope to gain through her† (Talbot 69). As a woman, Christina was intended to be a product rather than a person, an object rather than the subject of her own life. In her refusal to her parents in front of the Fredebertus of the monastery, she states â€Å".

Discussion post Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion post - Essay Example His criticisms of how Roosevelt was handling this depression and his constant fight for the minority to be given fair wages made him more popular then FDR. This was even included in his principles for the National Union for Social Justice which stated that â€Å"I believe that every citizen willing to work and capable of working shall receive a just, living, annual wage which will enable him both to maintain and educate his family according to the standards of American decency.† All in all, the greatest threat from Coughlin to Roosevelt was because he was a priest and hence majority of the people believed and trusted his doctrines, criticisms and ideologies more than they did that of President Roosevelt. Coughlin was constantly attacking and questioning the faith of Roosevelt through his weekly radio speeches and hence inflicted doubt on the American citizens about their President. This proved to be a major political bow and setback for the

Company analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Company analysis - Research Paper Example It is a holding company. The company is a supplier of communications, entertainment, and information services and products to customers, government agencies, and businesses. It functions in two most important segments: Wireline and Verizon Wireless. Verizon Wireless Communications services and products consist of data services, equipment sales, and wireless voice over all United States (Verizon). The services and products of Wireline include internet access, voice, long distance, broadband video and data, network access, Internet protocol network services, and various other services. The company gives these services and products to consumers of United States, as well as to businesses, carriers, and government consumers in both America and all its one fifty countries globally. Verizon Communications Inc. attained HUGHES Telematics Inc. as well. The long-term source of Verizon value is central role we usually play in industry fundamental to global economy and extremely embedded in cust omers’ lives. Even though it’s the iconic products that enhance people’s creative strategies, and lives that release new markets and develop technological access. The associations that endorse initiatives or innovation apply technology to imperative social issues. Verizon is standard-bearer for industry and organizer in giving advantages of our authorizing technology to the global (Verizon). Verizon Communications Inc. ranked number one in industry list of World Most Admired Companies in 2012 Fortune magazine. For Verizon Communications Inc, the philanthropic and technological resources to attend to world’s unmet environmental and social needs are the first priority. In this procedure, the social innovation that will release new markets, reinforce growth and grow Verizon’s important role in digital world. Verizon Wireless was founded in 2000 as a mutual venture of Verizon Communications and also Vodafone. It is an inventive wireless communications corporation that links businesses and people with innovative wireless technology and also available service (Verizon). Vodafone is also an innovation of Verizon Communications Inc. It is the biggest mobile telecommunications giver in Western hemisphere and accounts for 45% possession of the Verizon Wireless. Vodafone provides services in thirty countries and networks in more than fifty more. The mission statement of Verizon Inc is As follows: "As a leader in communications, Verizon's mission is to enable people and businesses to communicate with each other. We are also committed to providing full and open communication with our customers, employees and investors." (Verizon). â€Å"Vision statement of Verizon Communications Inc is, â€Å"Win customers by building wireless, broadband and global IP networks and delivering the innovative products, services, applications and content that transforms lives and empowers businesses and communities.† (Verizon). Strategic Imperatives A t Verizon Communications Inc, the power of technology is used to resolve the impediments any company may face. The Strategic Imperatives are to increase the revenue, customer retention and growth, give bundle services of Television, data, and voice and takes share from the competition. Verizon exploit the weaknesses of cable, outperforms cable on service of customers, give best customer service, and also provided flexibility of installation. Verizon believes in

Juvemile justice in America chapter 12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Juvemile justice in America chapter 12 - Essay Example The programme is mostly focused on the thoughts of an individual that leads towards certain undesired actions. These thoughts are because of experiences and other affecting factors. The programme is rooted in the fact that most individuals are aware of their thoughts and behaviours, and that they can change their actions from negative to positive. The change starts from the thoughts and finally the actions taken by the individual. The programme helps individuals to great lengths, it ensures that they adopt a positive line of thought resulting in change of behaviour and equips them with necessary social skills (Bartollas et al, 2014). The above programmes prove to be highly effective however, they are problems associated with them. The behavioural therapy for example rewards positive behaviour and ignores the negative. This type of approach may create further problems when an individual is doing wrong in a bid to seek attention. Ignoring such an individual is wrong because they will try harder to get the attention they seek, creating more

Main Trends in Births and Deaths in the United Kingdom Essay Example for Free

Main Trends in Births and Deaths in the United Kingdom Essay The birth rate of a country refers to the number of live births per thousand of the population per year. The general trend for the UK is that there has been a decline in the birth rate since 1900 however there have been fluctuations in the rate due e.g. After World War 1 2 and in the 1960s. Sociologists believe this is because of four major factors: changes in gender roles, falling infant mortality, children being seen as an economic burden and our society becoming more child centred. A main part of the decline can be explained in terms of women simply choosing to have fewer children. As the position of women in society has changed overtime, they have chosen to delay childbearing and to limit the number of children they are having because of several factors. Women now have equality with men because of the Equality Act 2010 as well as receiving increased educational and employment opportunities. Other ways in which women’s position has changed is that there is now easier access to divorce, contraception and abortion meaning that they can avoid unwanted pregnancy so have full choice over when they have a child. Beck and Back-Gernsheim(1995) said that the changes in the birth and fertility rate are due to individualisation meaning that people have more choice to follow their own norms and values as well as making their own decisions, rather the following what society deems acceptable. Also the falling infant mortality rate (number of children dying before their first birthday per thousand of live births) has fallen dramatically as a result of factors such as better living standards, improved hygiene and sanitation, improvements to healthcare and the developments made to the welfare state. Geographers explain that these circumstances lead to a demographic revolution in which birth and fertility fall because women no longer feel they need to have a large number of childre n to protect against the risk of infant mortality. It is clear that the attitudes towards children have changed and society in general has become more child-centred, meaning that we are now more concerned about the welfare of children than in the past. The social norms about childcare have changed significantly and the time and costs involved in raising children have significantly increased, therefore making a large family economically unattractive. In the early 19th century children were often seen as an economic asset because they were able to work and contribute towards the family income at a relatively young age however nowadays legislation has  banned children from working and has also increased the time that children have to stay in education for..Because of this, children are financially dependent on their parents for longer so are seen more as an economic burden rather than an asset. As well as this, due to the improvement of the welfare provision for the elderly, parents no longer need to worry as much about having large a mounts of children to look after them once they are elderly. Since people are now having fewer children, the dependency ratio, along with the birth rate has decreased meaning that there are fewer dependents within the population leading to less childcare and school services needed. Although there has been a decline in the birth rate, the amount of deaths occurring in the UK remains steady and the death rate is decreasing because of the growing population since 1900. The death rate refers to the number of people dying per thousand of the population per year. The average life expectancy is now around 78 years for men and 82 years for women whereas in 1900 it was 45 years for men and 48 for women. This tells us that people are staying healthier for longer and this is because of a number of factors including: improved nutrition and living standards, developments in medicine and improved government provisions of welfare and health. It has been said that over half the decline is the death rate is due to the decrease of infectious diseases and McKeow n(1972) argues that most of the fall in the death rate took place before immunisation and was based mainly on good nutrition and hygiene. Studies by Rowntree and others (1899, 1950) found a rapid decline in absolute poverty meaning that people have better living standards which have allowed significant improvements to diet that help increase resistance to some infectious diseases Medical knowledge has improved dramatically since 1900 because of the establishment of the NHS in 1949 as well as a better knowledge of antibiotics, surgery, treatment and immunisation which have helped decrease the death rate. The government also continues to make provisions for those who need it e.g. EMA, careers allowance, working class credits which allow people to have a better quality of life. After the Beveridge Report of 1944, the range of welfare provisions available has expanded and become more universally available. It provided protection against risk factors such as old age through pensions, and low income through housing benefits, unemployment benefit and the benefit now called income support. There are many of other factors involved in the  decrease of the death rate including that there are a lot less dangerous occupations available to people e.g. mining and factory working as well as having higher incomes meaning that people are able to afford better foods and medicines which contribute to the health and wellbeing of individuals. It is evident that even as the population of the UK increases, the death rate and birth rate are both decreasing. These are both because of a number of factors however the most important for both seem to be the improvement of medical knowledge and practices which stop people from becoming ill and include important things such as medicines, contraception and support services for those who become pregnant or suffer with diseases.

Embracing Ict In Nigerian Secondary Schools Education Essay

Embracing Ict In Nigerian Secondary Schools Education Essay Aim: The aim of this literature review is to describe the current state of ICT development in Nigerian Secondary Schools, discuss the problems of ICT development in Nigerian Secondary Schools, suggest possible solutions and highlight the importance of embracing ICT in education in Nigerian Secondary Schools. Introduction: The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a country located in the western part of the African Continent with an approximate land mass of 923,768.00 sq kilometres, lying between Latitude 40 140 North of the Equator, Longitude 30 and 140 East of the Greenwich meridian bordered on the west with the Republic of Benin, on the north with the Republic of Niger and on the east with the Federal Republic of Cameroun. The topic of ICT integration into the Nigerian economy is very crucial however , for the purpose of this literature review the importance of integrating ICT into Nigerias Secondary School Environment will be discussed. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) involves the use of all forms of Computer, Communications, Software ,Network and Mobile Technologies to process, maintain and mediate information. Communication Technologies include all media such as; Cable,Satellite, Fibre Optics, Wireless (radio, Infrared,Bluetooth,wi-fi) employed in transmitting audio,video,data or multimedia. Network Technologies include Personal Area Networks (PAN), Campus Area Networks (CAN), Intranets, Extranets, Local Area Networks (LAN),Wide Area Networks(WAN),Metropolitan Area Networks(MAN) and the Internet. Computer Technologies include all removable media such as optical disks, disks, flash memories, video books, multi-media projectors, interactive electronic boards, and continuously emerging state-of-the art PCs. Mobile Technologies comprise Mobile Phones, PDAs, Palmtops etc.(Illoanusi,O.N., Osuagwu,C.C. 2005).ICTs have become part of our very existence as a matter of fact, it affects all of human activities . Over the years, ICTs have created significant impact on the way we live. Significant improvements and developments have occurred in various fields as a result of ICT integration to those fields. The field of education is not excluded as ICTs have undoubtedly affected learning, teaching and research methods.(Yusuf 2005) cited by (Adomi, A.E., Kpangban,E. 2010).The impact of ICT on education has improved educational standards in developed economies, however this impact is still to be felt in developing economies such as Nigeria. Current Situation of ICT development in Nigerian Secondary Schools ICT in education involves embracing major components of ICT to enhance teaching and learning methodologies in institutions of learning.Presently,the integration of ICT in Nigerian Secondary Schools is minimal.In 1988,in an attempt to keep pace with development in computer education ,Nigeria enacted a policy on computer education. According to Okebukola(1997) the plan was to implement this innovation first to some selected federal government colleges and thereafter spread this innovation to other secondary schools and later to primary schools, unfortunately this project was never successful as intended because beyond the distribution and installation of computers in federal government colleges this project never took off ground.(Aduwa-Ogiegbaen, S.E. , Iyamu,E.O.S. 2005). The Federal Republic of Nigeria has no specific policy on ICT in education.The Ministry of Education created its ICT department in February 2007 more so, several government agencies and other stakeholders in the private sectors have initiated ICT-driven projects and programmes to impact all levels of the educational sectors.(Agyeman,O.T. 2007).At School level,the use of ICT aided instructional materials is minimal or rather not encouraging.This could be attributed to the fact that majority of Nigerian Secondary School teachers do not see the importance of improving their professional practice using ICT and are consequentially, less eager to adopt the use ICT in their teaching practice. If however the secondary teachers in Nigeria perceive the importance of integrating ICT in teaching methods they are more likely to embrace the use of ICT in their professional practice. A study which investigated teachers self efficacy in implementing computer education in Nigerian Secondary Schools found that most teachers in Federal Government Colleges in Nigeria lack experience in the use of computers for educational or industrial purposes ,most teachers in Federal Government Colleges cannot use common computer software because they lack knowledge of basic computer operations.(Yusuf 2005) cited by Ololube,N.P (2006).Students on the other hand are embracing ICT however not in the right manner .Nigerian Secondary School Students are yet to maximise the benefits of the internet in research and learning. This is evident in the use of Internet by these students who stay long hours on the internet chatting on social networking sites such as facebook and yahoo messenger. Problems of ICT development in Nigerian Secondary Schools Various factors are responsible for the problems of ICT development in Nigerian Secondary Schools. Nevertheless, the most significant amongst these factors are; Lack of adequate ICT infrastructure, Low percentage of teachers with ICT skills, Absence of National policy on ICT in education ,Low access to the Internet and Cost of acquiring ICT facilities where available. Lack of adequate ICT infrastructure in Nigeria seems a major issue. Though the International Telecommunication Union(ITU) has rated Nigerias Telecommunication Sector as the fastest growing in Africa, majority of Nigerians still have inadequate access to the Internet.(Aduwa-Ogiegbaen,S.E Iyamu,E.O.S 2005).Information,data,audio,video and multimedia are meant to be transmitted on reliable networks supported by adequate ICT Infrastructures unfortunately, these infrastructures are lacking in most Nigerian Secondary Schools. Inadequate funding and lack of technology budget exacerbate the problems of ICT infrastructures (Illoanusi,O.N Osuagwu,C.C 2005).Moreover ICT equipments were made to function with other infrastructures such as electricity (Aduwa-Ogiegbaen,S.E Iyamu,E.O.S 2005) the irregular and unstable supply of electricity in Nigeria poses a major difficulty in the proper functioning of ICT equipments even when they are acquired .There are recorded cases of electrical home appliance s damaged due to lack electrical power supply over period of months. The absence of electric power grids in most parts of the country even where adequate telecommunication facilities are available contribute to the irregular power supply.(Agyeman, O.T 2007). The percentage of Nigerian Secondary School Teachers with basic computer skills is low compared to their counterparts in developed economies.Nigerian Secondary School teachers attach little importance to IT literacy .Consequently,the use of ICT aids in teaching is minimal.Additionally there is widespread ignorance and misconception about ICTs among Nigerians (Ighoroye and Ajayi. n.d) cited by (Adomi,E.E., Kpangban,E. 2010).Secondary School teachers in Nigeria need to be trained on educational technologies and the importance of integrating computers into classroom teaching.(Aduwa-Ogiegbaen,S.E., Iyamu,E.O.S. 2005). Presently,there is no existing National Policy on ICT in education. Although the Nigerian Federal Government policy in 1988 introduced computer education in high schools(Okebukola 1997) cited by (Adomi,E.E, Kpangban,E. 2010).This policy was not successful as the only implementation was distributing computers to Federal Government High Schools which were never used for computer education of the students (Adomi,E.E, Kpangban,E. 2010).The Nigerian Federal Government have on several occasions revealed plans to integrate ICTs into school systems and provide infrastructure to schools,yet actions are still to be taken on these plans. In 2001,Nigeria started implementing its ICT policy which led to the establishment of the National Information and Technology Development Agency(NITDA) the purpose of establishing NITDA was to help Nigeria become an ICT capable country in Africa and a major player in the information society by 2005.This vision is yet to be fulfilled even few years after the set time for achieving this vision.(Agyeman,O.T.,2007) Major development of ICT in education depends largely on access to the adequate ICT infrastructures especially the internet.Access to computer equipment,internet and other accessories in most Nigerian Secondary Schools is low.(Agyeman,O.T. 2007).Underfunding and inadequate financial capacities lead to this problem. Irregular electricity supply exacerbates this problem. The availability of computers in few Nigerian Secondary Schools located in urban areas is in the ratio of 5 computers to 1 student on the contrary,the case in rural areas is absolutely not encouraging. Some rural areas still face total absence of power supply. Secondary Schools in Nigeria are not adequately funded to provide furniture, requisite books,laboratories and adequate classrooms let alone being given adequate funds for computers and internet connectivity.(Aduwa-Ogiegbaen,S.E, Iyamu E.O.S. 2005). The High cost of acquiring ICT facilities even when they are available cannot be overlooked. The cost of purchasing computers in Nigeria is high not so many can afford it. Moreover, monthly internet rates are exorbitant and the charges are unaffordable for most people in Nigeria consequently,it is difficult for secondary schools to acquire and install ICT facilities for the use of teachers and students (Adomi,E.E., Kpangban,E. 2001).Additionally,the high cost of computers still make most secondary schools unable to acquire these facilities. Suggested Solutions to ICT development problems in Nigerian Secondary Schools The integration of ICT in education in Nigerian Secondary Schools will produce sustainable development in the secondary school system..However,if the effort to integrate ICT into Nigerian Secondary Schools will be successful then it is pertinent that the Nigerian Government ensure ICT policy statements in education are translated into reality. Furthermore, the Federal Ministry of Power and Mines should work towards stabilising electricity power supply in Nigeria(Adomi, E.E., Kpangban,E., 2010).Additionally, stakeholders in Nigerian ICT industry must help spread the knowledge and usage of ICT amongst Nigerian Secondary School Teachers and students in the best way possible. The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology most importantly must ensure the NigComSat-1R which is meant to be a replacement of the failed NigComSat1 and the SAT3 submarine cable is delivered as scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2011 as this will immensely reduce telecommunication and internet connection rates. Adequate funding and budgets for ICT integration in secondary schools should also be made possible by the Federal Ministry of Education. The Importance of Embracing ICT in Education in Nigerian Secondary Schools ICT integration in Nigerian Secondary Schools system will gradually transform the quality of the Nigerian Secondary Educational System (Osuagwu,C.C., Illoanusi,O.N., 2009).The successful integration of ICT in Nigerian Secondary Schools will enhance teaching, learning and research methods moreover, significant development in Nigerias secondary educational system will occur. There is no doubt that teachers and students in secondary schools in Nigeria will have incredible resources at their disposal with reliable access to the internet.(Aduwa-Ogiegbaen,S.E., Iyamu,E.O.S., 2005). Conclusion There is no doubt what significant improvement successful ICT integration will bring in the Nigerian Secondary Educational System however the Nigerian Government must make adequate efforts to implement National policies on ICT in education, stabilizing electrical power supply,and provide adequate funding to secondary schools for the acquisition of ICT facilities if this goal of Integrating ICT in Nigerian Secondary Education System will become a reality.

Trinidad and Tobago: Policies on Inflation

Trinidad and Tobago: Policies on Inflation On September 8th 2010, the Honorable Winston Dookeran, the Minister of Finance for Trinidad and Tobago presented the Budget Statement for 2010/2011 fiscal year. The budget gave a comprehensive summary of the financial plan of the government, giving details of its expected levels of revenues as well as expenditure for the 2010/2011 fiscal year. Of the many areas of concern raised in the Budget by the Minister of Finance, inflation and government expenditure take precedence in this analysis. Due to the high levels of inflation in Trinidad and Tobago, the paper seeks to address the impact that various monetary and fiscal policies proposed by the government in the 2010/2011 Budget Statement have on inflation. The positive and negative effects of monetary and fiscal policies on inflation will be examined. Further, the paper will also examine the areas of government spending for the fiscal year 2010/2011 with the aim of identifying changes in expenditures patterns of the government and justifying reason for expenditure in certain sectors in this tough global economic climate. Time series data was utilized in order to determine trends and determine major changes in government expenditure. Suggestions were also made in an effort to identify certain plans that the government should consider and policies that it should monitor based on its current policies which it intends to undertake. The problem of inflation is one which plagues most developing countries as well as developed countries in recent times. Inflation is characterized by increases in the overall prices levels in a country over a period of time. In recent time headline inflation in Trinidad and Tobago has been influenced primarily by surging food prices while core inflation has remained relatively stable. Headline inflation measures the extent of changes in the prices level of all goods and services within an economy whereas core inflation can be defined as headline inflation minus other volatile components such as food prices. Based on the Central Bank of Trinidad Tobago Annual Economic Survey for 2009, changes in headline inflation from 2005 to 2009 was primarily due to changes in food prices, during which core inflation was relatively stable. This postulates that changes in the overall inflation rate which is referred to as headline inflation was due mainly to changes in food prices during which core inflation remained relatively constant. Further, the Summary of Economic Indicators June 2010 by the Central Bank of Trinidad Tobago has summarized that headline inflation rose to 13.7 percent from June 2009 to June 2010 primarily due to food inflation which increased to 31.1 percent during this same period, while core inflation remained constant during the year at 4.3 percent. The Trinidad and Tobago 2010/2001 Budget Statement estimates were made based on an average inflation rate of seven percent. This figure can be identified as the Government forecast for inflation for the fiscal year. The budget statement identified inflation as a concern with particular emphasis being placed on food price inflation. Inflation reduces customers purchasing power and thus it becomes more difficult for people to acquire basic goods and services. Therefore, it becomes imperative for Government of Trinidad and Tobago to put measure in place to reduce inflation and also to ensure that policies implemented to promote various sectors within the economy have little or no inflationary effects. In the budget statement, the government proposed plans to revitalize the agricultural sector in an effort to increase food production and expand the agricultural sector. The government further identified factors such as water resource management, drainage and irrigation as paramount to its public sector investment programme tailored towards making agriculture more profitable. In addition it proposed certain initiatives such as the enhancement of the Agricultural Development Bank which will provide a Loan Default Fund facility to assist farmers with natural calamities and interest payment, the reduction of interest rates to between three and five percent and the availability of twenty million dollars for greenhouse projects. All these initiatives as mention before are geared towards making agriculture more attractive, more profitable and more productive in an effort to reduce the food import bill of Trinidad and Tobago. Due to the lack of a productive agricultural sector in Trinidad and Tobago, fluctuating oil prices and the global financial crises, the cost of importing good such as food items has become more expensive. As a result, this higher cost is being passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. This type of inflation is referred to as cost push inflation. Cost push inflation causes a contraction in aggregate supply and with aggregate demand remaining unchanged, the final result is an increased in overall prices. Therefore, if the initiatives undertaken by the government are successful and result in an increase in the production of food locally in Trinidad and Tobago, this could reduce the number of food items which are imported, thus decreasing the food import bill. Food prices will fall and subsequently headline inflation as changes in food prices is the major contributor to changes in headline inflation. Monetary policy can also be used to strengthen the local agriculture sector. The Budget also supports the Trinidad and Tobago Central Banks reduction of the Repo rate to 4.5 percent with further reductions to be expected. The repo rate is one of the monetary instruments used by the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago. The Repo rate was introduced by the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago in May 2002 and it is the rate at which the Central Bank is prepared to provide funds overnight to commercial banks that are unable to meet their liquidity demands. This reduction in the repo rate to 4.5 percent is expected to reduce the interest rate in an effort to attract investment. Lower interest rates are expected to attract investment from the private sector and also foreign companies in an effort to increase aggregate supply primarily through increased food production and thus reduce overall prices levels. A lower interest rate can lead to an increase in investment which raises aggregate exp enditure as purported by the Keynesian Cross. This increases real gross domestic product which further results in an expansion of the aggregate supply curve and a reduction in price levels. The Central Bank using accommodative monetary policy needs to ensure that the money supply does not grow too rapidly causing inflation. Accommodating monetary policy most times results in increases in the price level. Milton Friedman, a famous economist stated that inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon in the sense that it is and can be produced only by a more rapid increase in the quantity of money than in output. The Classical school of though is based on the quantity theory of money which is given by the equation MV=PY where M refers to the money supply, V refers to the velocity of money, P refers to the price level, Y refers to the real current gross domestic product and PY refers to nominal gross domestic product. The Classical school of thought believes that V and Y are constant and therefore, any changes in the money supply by the central bank will have a direct impact on the price levels. Therefore, it is imperative that the Central Bank ensure that the mon ey supply does not increase too rapidly and also that if the money supply does increase it is as a result of changes in output. The government in its effort to improve the production of oil and gas has reduced the petroleum profit tax from fifty percent to thirty five percent. In addition, due to the reduction in oil production over the past decade by approximately twenty five percent, the government decided to revise the Supplemental Petroleum Tax Regime with a new system which will use base rates and a sliding scale mechanism for both marine and land operations. The government also provided incentives which includes a twenty percent reduction in the Supplemental Petroleum Tax rates for mature or small oil fields, an Investment Tax Credit of twenty percent on qualifying capital expenditure in respect of the Supplemental Petroleum Tax for mature oil fields both land and marine. High energy cost in some industries will result in higher cost to consumer and a reduction in aggregate supply. Since oil and gas is used in almost all industries in some way or form, the reduction in these taxes could result in a fall in cost to companies both within and outside the energy sector. The lower cost of inputs would lead to an increase in aggregate supply. Additionally, lower operating cost can be passed on to consumers in the form of lower prices. However, it is important to note that if actual output does not increase, this would result in a contraction in aggregate supply. This would lead to and increase in the overall price levels and subsequently periods of falling real GDP. This phenomenon is referred to as stagflation. Stagflation is characterized by periods of falling output and increases in the price level. Situations like the CLICO Fiasco, the financial situation facing the Hindu Credit Union and other economic and social policies pursued by the government, has prompted an increase in budgeted expenditure from approximately $44 billion last fiscal year to $49 billion this new fiscal year. Government expenditure is a key component of aggregate expenditure which helps determine the level of gross domestic product. The gross domestic product of Trinidad and Tobago is made up primarily of revenues from the oil and energy sector. However, there has been declining production of oil over the past 10 years of approximately twenty five percent from 130,000 barrels a day to 103,000 barrels a day and based on the Annual Economic Survey 2009 from the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, there has also been a continuous fall in real GDP growth from 2006 to 2009 fell where in 2009 negative three percent of real GDP growth was registered. The Keynesians argued that increases in aggregate expenditure caused by increases in consumption, investment, government spending or net exports can lead to an inflationary gap when actual GDP exceeds potential GDP. Thus and increase in government spending as purported by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for this fiscal year can result in an inflationary gap. Furthermore, the budget also highlighted that the government owed contractors monies amounting to approximately $4 billion while there were outstanding VAT refunds still had to be paid in the amount of $2.8 billion. This lack of funds by the government has resulted in businesses experiencing cash flow problem. This makes it very difficult for businesses to meet their financial obligations. Also, based on the inventory system that the business uses whether it be First In First Out or Last In First Out it can be extremely difficult for the business to replenish stock in periods of inflation and can further affect the revenue that the business generates. As a result businesses may not have the necessary cash to replenish inventory which can result in limited supply which can manifest itself into even higher prices for customers in order for businesses to meet with the increase cost of inventory. Thus it becomes important that the government find ways to assist those businesses and pay o ff monies owed to these businesses in an effort to increase the cash flow within these businesses and prevent prices from rising further due to cash flow problem being experienced by businesses. Although the impact of government policies on inflation is very important, it is also important to analyze the level of government expenditure for this fiscal year 2010/2011 for Trinidad and Tobago. The Minister of Finance in his budget address stated that the calculations in the 2011 Budget were made based on a real GDP growth rate of 2 percent, average inflation of 7 percent, oil price of US$65 per barrel and gas price of US$2.75 per mmbtu. The total government expenditure for this fiscal year for Trinidad and Tobago was estimated at TT$49 billion. Government spending comprises transfer payments, current expenditure and capital expenditure and is financed by revenues raised through taxes or government borrowing or a combination of both. Government spending is a critical component of total expenditure and some of its functions include providing public and merit goods, promoting economic activity, influencing resource allocation, stabilizing the economy and the redistribution of inco me and wealth. When government uses government expenditure and taxes to influence the economy, this is referred to as fiscal policy. Based on the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, Annual Economic Survey 2009, there has been an overall increase in government expenditure from the fiscal year 2005/2006 to 2010/2011. In 2005/2006 government expenditure was TT$ 31 197.9 million, in 2006/2007 it was TT$ 37 765.9 million, in 2007/2008 it was TT$ 44 715.1 million. In 2008/2009 where the country experienced its first deficit in seven years government expenditure was TT$ 45 584.2 million, in 2009/2010 it was TT$ 44 347.3 million and 2010/2011it is estimated to be TT$ 49 billion. It is also important to note that most components of government spending during this same time were also increasing such was current expenditure, expenditure on goods and services, wages and salaries and interest payments. During most of this period government spending as a percentage of GDP increased from 27.8 percent in 2006/2006 to 32.5 percent in 2008/2009. However in 2009/2010 government expenditure as a percentage of GDP fell to 31.3 percen t. Thus over the past five years government spending has increased by approximately TT$18 billion. In the 2010/2011 Budget statement, there was a breakdown on some of the areas of expenditure. Education and training received TT$ 8 325 million, Infrastructure received TT$ 5 918 million, Health received TT$ 4 341 million, National Security received TT$ 4 762 million, Agriculture received TT$ 1 836 million and Housing received TT$ 1 837 million. The government proposed expenditure pattern is an attempt to reduce inflation, foster economic growth and development and providing a better standard and quality of life for the people of Trinidad and Tobago. The government of Trinidad and Tobago has identified national security as one of its major areas on concerns. As of October 27th 2010, Trinidad and Tobago had recorded a total of four hundred and one murders. Crime has escalated in Trinidad and Tobago and the safety of resident and visitors are important. As a result the government has a projected expenditure figure of TT$ 4 762 million for national security. Recurrent expenditure for national security from 2004/2005 to 2008/2009 has increased from TT$ 1 874.5 million to TT$ 3 870.2 respectively. This shows the continued spending by the government towards promoting law and order and reducing crime. The government also has provided a special duty allowance of TT$ 1000 for more than 7000 police officers with taxes on this allowance waived. This increase in allowance can be used as a tool to motivate police officer in performing their duties. The government will also undertake initiatives such as the refurbishment and upgrading of polic e stations, introduction of bike patrols, the establishment of a National Security Operations Centre and a Special Criminal Court to expedite the court process. From 2004/2005 to 2008/2009, recurrent expenditure for Agriculture has increased continually from TT$ 362.9 million to TT$ 586.1 million respectively. However, recurrent expenditure in agriculture is not a significant part of recurrent expenditure as other areas such as health, education and energy. Therefore, Trinidad and Tobagos government expenditure in Agriculture is reflective of the government initiative to make agriculture more profitable and increase the local production of food. As mentioned before this venture is undertaken in an effort to reduce the food import bill of the country and further reduce the level of inflation caused by food prices. Also, this could result in increases in Agriculture contribution to gross domestic products thus making the country less reliable on energy and its associated products as its primary course of revenue. Further, expenditure in health has increased from 2004/2005 to 2010/2011. The Minister of Finance in the budget highlighted that health was another major issue facing Trinidad and Tobago. As a result expenditure in this sector will be geared towards the provision of adequate and timely health services to the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. Government expenditure in the health sector will include expenditure to build new health facilities such as hospital, upgrade and expand current health facilities and services, improve access to health services, reducing communicable diseases and improving health care management. These initiatives in the health sector reflect the importance of health services and how important it is for person to have access to adequate and proper health services. This fiscal year, education and training accounted to approximately 17 percent of total government expenditure. The government has realized that knowledge is a critical component of an economy and as a result the government will continue initiatives such as the GATE programme and also restructure the On the Job Training programme. Some economists believe that knowledge does not experience diminishing returns. Therefore, this reflects positively on the economy of the country as the country may even decide to sells advising services which is an initiative that Trinidad and Tobago are pursuing. Moreover, the government has also decided to allocate approximately 12 percent of its total expenditure to infrastructure. Initiatives include providing person with a steady water supply and other basic amenities, implementing flood mitigation plans and the cleaning and de-silting of rivers. Also, sights and several attractions will be upgraded. This is in an effort to market Trinidad and Tobago as a major tourism destination which will further creates jobs and increase the contribution of tourism to gross domestic product. Thus, this will also make the country less dependent on energy and its products as the countrys main source of revenue. It is also important to note from the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Statistics that from 2004 to 2009 government expenditure on areas such as goods and services, wages and salaries and transfer and subsidies increased continuously. For example, government expenditure on goods and services increased from TT$ 2, 440, 407 000 in 2004 to TT$ 5, 860, 175 000 in 2009 which marks an increase of approximately 58.35 percent over the five year period. This again reflects the high import bill especially on food items for Trinidad and Tobago over the past 5 years. The continuous increases in expenditure on wages and salaries paid by the government during this same period reflect the fact that the government is the main employer within the economy. This paper has sort to identify the effect of government policies and expenditure patterns on inflation and an analysis on government expenditure. The paper highlighted that certain initiatives undertaken by the government could help in reducing the overall price level in the country. These initiatives include the revitalization of the agricultural sector, increased government expenditure, reductions in the Petroleum profit tax and a reduction in the repo rate. The revitalization of the agricultural sector is geared towards reducing the food imports bill and subsequently food inflation. The reduction in the repo rate is in an effort to lower commercial banks interest rate to stimulate investment in certain areas such as manufacturing with the goal of reducing imports and subsequently food prices and inflation. The reduction in the petroleum profit tax to 35 percent is in an effort to stimulate oil production which has been declining over the past few years. However, as highlighted ea rlier in the paper, these initiatives need to be monitored careful as they can lead to further inflationary pressures. For example, a reduction in the repo rate can trigger lowers interest rates, banks experiencing excess liquidity and increased level of investment increases the money supply and leads to inflation as argued by classical economists. The paper also commented on government expenditure and identified an increase in government expenditure from the previous fiscal year to this fiscal year. Government expenditure in key areas such as education, health, infrastructure and national security increased over the past few years. National security and health were two major areas of concern for the government which received significant budgetary allocation by the government. The increase in crime and lawlessness has caused government to put measure in place to try to curb the crime problem in the country and also motivate the police to carry out their duties. Also, the government plan to improve the health sector was reflected by the governments budgetary allocation for the sector. The government also increased its funding in the agricultural sector in an effort to make agriculture more profitable and increase the production of food. The government also allocated revenues in other areas apart from energy in order to find alte rnative sustainable sources of revenue such as agriculture, tourism and manufacturing. It would be recommended that the government continue to pursue it agricultural initiatives and derive ways to make agriculture more attractive to individuals in its effort to make the sector more productive and profitable. In this way agriculture can contribute more to GDP both in the primary and secondary sectors as agricultural products are diversified and used into other sector such as manufacturing. This would also lead to other sector such as manufacturing contributing more to GDP and reduce the countrys reliance on primarily revenues from the energy sector. Also, the government would have to find ways to control the money supply which could take the form of selling government treasury bills and bonds. This would be in an effort to cope with the excess liquidity faced by commercial banks. In addition, due to the depletion of the natural resources available to the country which is reflected in the decreasing amount of oil produced for the past years, the government would be advis ed to develop other sector such as agriculture, manufacturing and tourism to increase the contribution of other sectors towards gross domestic product. It is know that an Open Petroleum Economy such as Trinidad and Tobago is one where rapid increases in GDP exist alongside high level of unemployment. According to the Open Petroleum Economy Model if anything negative happens to the oil sector the entire economy can suffer due to high dependence on that once sector. Seers argued that such a model represent a time bomb based on the balance of payment problems it can pose and how the wealth generated from it can disappear overnight. Therefore, it becomes increasingly important for Trinidad and Tobago to diversify into other sector of the economy. The country can pursue the manufacturing of some of the food which it imports and also pursue sustainable tourism development which can lead to increased employment. This would make the country less dependent on mainly oil as its main source of revenue as it currently the case. Further, the government should be extremely careful in its spending patterns and will be encouraged to spend in areas which will be productive to the country and benefit the citizens of the country. Spending should focus mainly on providing citizens with basic necessity items such as public and merit goods and proper social infrastructure. In this tough economic climate, the government should be very critical of the areas in which it spends money as excessive spending can have negative effects on the economy such as inflation. Does staff induction impact upon labour turnover? Does staff induction impact upon labour turnover? DOES STAFF INDUCTION IMPACT UPON LABOUR TURNOVER IN THE UK HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY? CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview This dissertation studies human resource management (HRM) and specifically employee induction and labour turnover. It aims to explore, evaluate and analyse the impact of employee induction on labour turnover in the hospitality industry. There is a plethora of literature that supports induction training and promotion of organisational culture, suggesting it can lead to higher levels of commitment, productivity, quality of service and profitability and reduced level of labour turnover (Boella, 2000: Fowler, 1999: Hofstede, 1994: Mullins, 1992: Nickson, 2007: Taylor, 2008: Torrington, 1994: Storey, 2007: Watson, 1995). 1.2 Rationale It is widely recognised by academics (Boella 2000:, Boella and Goss-Turner 2005:, Cook, 1993: Fowler, 1999: Goldsmith, Nickson, Sloan and Wood, 2003: Meighan, 2000: Mullins 1992: Sommerville, 2007: Storey, 2007) that high levels of staff turnover can lead to lower levels of customer service, reducing customer satisfaction decreasing profitability. The original reason for undertaking this study stems largely from the authors personal experience of working in the hospitality industry. Experiencing first hand the effect of a high labour turnover through team members either; resigning, being sacked, changing department or coming to the end of their contract. The effects of the high turnover added pressure to existing staff as they had to cover shifts, train new staff whilst also losing shared knowledge and expertise; leading to reduced staff morale, productivity, levels of service and customer satisfaction. Employee turnover has a research stream that can be traced back to the work of March and Simon (1958) and was primarily based upon the level of job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Labour turnover has always been high in hospitality, leisure and tourism compared to other sectors (Boella, 1992). This is reinforced with a survey by Roberts in 1995 (cited in Goldsmith et al 2003) found that of the 150 hospitality companies surveyed, where 95 percent identified high labour turnover as a problem. Ten years later and the industry still has a reputation for very high levels of labour turnover (Boella and Goss-Turner, 2005). The UK hospitality, tourism and leisure industry sector accounts for nearly 5% of the UKs total economic output, employing around two million people, representing one in 14 jobs, approximately 7% of the total UK workforce (People 1st, 2009). According to research by the Charted Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), the hospitality industry has the highest staff turnover in the UK. A survey by People 1st (2009) reinforced this point by highlighting the 31 percent turnover figure in 2008/2009, costing an estimated  £414 million. The average cost of filling the vacancy created by turnover at  £219 without marketing, with marketing it would cost  £673 and  £764 for a managerial position. With the world recession, organisations are looking to save money where ever possible, reducing staff turnover is one area that could be seen as a target. 1.3 Aims and Objectives 1.3.1. Aim To evaluate the effect staff induction has on labour turnover in the UK hotel sector; looking specifically at operational staff. 1.3.2 Objectives The objectives for this dissertation are as follows: To evaluate literature on labour turnover, staff induction, organisational culture and commitment and HRM approaches in the hospitality industry. To analyse different approaches to induction and its effect on labour turnover. To evaluate models of best practice in induction and evaluate their use in the hospitality industry. To make recommendations on a best fit model of induction in the hospitality industry. Concluding the research and identifying limitations to the dissertation. 1.4 Research Methodology Research can be defined as â€Å"an orderly investigation of a defined problem using scientific methods to gather representative evidence and draw logical, unbiased conclusions (Poynter, 1993-p1). Sekran (2000) defined research as â€Å"the process of finding a solution to a problem after thorough study and analysis†. This dissertation is â€Å"a review of existing knowledge in a particular area together with the creation of a new slant of this knowledge† (Clark, Riley, Wilkie and Wood, 1998: p.7). The dissertation uses secondary research only. According to Clark et al (1998) and Sekran, (2000) secondary research does not introduce any new data and is based solely on data that already exists. The generic topic of HRM, linked to organisation culture, commitment, loyalty and staff induction has been widely researched and producing many academic journals, articles and theory which can be drawn upon. There are numerous advantages to using secondary research. As the data has already been published it can save resources such as time and money (Sekran, 2000), larger sets of data can be collected, analysed and evaluated with the effort focused on the analysis and evaluation (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007). Furthermore, it can present higher quality data than primary research, it provides both qualitative and quantitative research (Sekran, 2000) and it can be checked by anyone at any time. Saunders et al (2007:p.256) stated that additionally it allows â€Å"more time to think about the theoretical aim and substantive issues† and can lead to â€Å"unforeseen or unexpected discoveries.† However there are some disadvantages to using secondary data. The data could have been collected with a purpose different to the research question it is being used for (Saunders et al, 2007). The data may be out of date, old or unreliable, so first the validity of the source must be v erified (Sekran 2000). Clark et al (1998) identified that up to date information may be difficult to obtain. Types of secondary data that are to be used in this research project uses various sources, including; government publications, industry statistics and reports, book and journals. These will be providing the main source of information, as the majority of this research is reliable and easily available. In order to locate information and sources, Emerald, Brookes Electronic Library, Google Scholar, and Brookes Library will be used. Online resources are quick, simple and easy to access. 1.5 Limitations to Research The research for this project does not include primary data, and is purely based on secondary research, as explained above this has its drawbacks. The project focuses on the UK as will hte literature however non UK sources will be used. 1.6 Chapter Structure This section will briefly outline the chapter structure and give an overview of what each chapter entails. Chapter 1 This chapter outlines the aims and objectives of the research paper, including a rationale justifying the reasons for this enquiry of research along with possible limitations and problems that may occur. It will also give a brief overview of the research methods used. Chapter 2 This chapter defines and identifies labour turnover in the UK hospitality industry. Exploring the patterns, causes and effects including the induction crisis. Chapter 3 This chapter aims to define and describe the current staff induction process, highlighting key approaches and models. Exploring the importance of socialization and building loyalty and the benefits. Chapter 4 This chapter draws on the research and applies it in indentifying a best fit staff induction model to reduce labour turnover in the hospitality industry. Chapter 5 This chapter aims to evaluate and review the effect staff induction has on labour turnover. This chapter also provides a conclusion with the recommendations and limitations to the research. CHAPTER 2 EVALUATING LABOUR TURNOVER IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND ITS IMPACT UPON PERFOMANCE 2.1 Introduction Labour turnover is an important issue to all employers worldwide; from governments and multinational companies to small privately owned business (Goldsmith, A., Nickson, D., Sloan, D. and Wood, R. 1997). Labour is an essential resource to any business, determining future success (Lucas, 2004). This chapter defines labour markets, explores the concept of labour turnover, defining it and highlighting key methods used to measure labour turnover, along with the effects. 2.2 Labour Markets The starting point for all strategic activity in HRM is to understand in which an organisation operates (Goldsmith et al, 1997). It is only possible to formulate accurate policies and practices once its keys features have been identified and their importance understood (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2005). The labour market is the source that provides the fuel for labour turnover. Riley (2000) refers to the labour market as a pool of available talent in which employers compete to recruit and subsequently retain staff. Labour markets are not organised, centrally planned, structure co-ordinated machines, rather a free flow or movement of employees in and out of jobs (Goldsmith et al 1997). Riley (1996) summed up the free flowing, erratic nature by stating that the market consists of thousands of individual decisions by employees and employers independently. Over time these small, singular choices provide a pattern or trend of the labour market, meaning the supply and demand in a labour market can be determined by the independent unconnected decisions (Torrington et al, 2005). One model created to help understand the labour market within the hospitality industry is the ‘dual labour market theory (Goldsmith et al, 1997 p16). They state the labour market is ‘made up of two distinct but related groups or markets, a primary labour market and a secondary labour market. Below in Table 1 is an outline of each theory. PRIMARY LABOUR MARKETS SECONDARY LABOUR MARKETS 1. Jobs are supplied by large, highly profitable firms. 1. Jobs are supplied by mainly small firms where profitability is not easily assured. 2. There is a high capital to labour ratio in these firms and high productivity. 2. There is a low capital to labour ratio and productivity tends to be low. 3. Production is usually large scale in nature and based on substantial proactive investment in technology. 3. Production is usually small scale and intensive in nature, and in commercial personal service industry at least, technological requirements are based on clearly defined needs. 4. There is a stable demand for products arising from national and international markets. 4. Demand for products and services is subject to irregular and/or seasonal fluctuations rooted in local and regional markets. 5. Wages and skill levels are relatively high. 5. Wages and skill levels are relatively low. 6. Opportunities exist for training and advancement. 6. Training opportunities are limited as are opportunities for advancement. 7. Employment is stable. 7. Employment is unstable. 8. Unionisation is often high. 8. Unionisation is low or nonexistent. Table cited in Goldsmith et al (1997) p17. Woods (1997) agreed with the dual labour market theory, summarising the primary market as consisting of highly profitable large firms, relatively highly skills jobs with the opportunity for training and development. It is widely perceived that the majority of the hospitality industry is similar to the secondary labour market; with profitability not guaranteed, relatively low paid, low level skilled jobs that are intensive (Goldsmith et al, 1997). 2.3 The UK Hospitality Labour Market The UK hospitality, tourism and leisure industry sector accounts for nearly 5% of the UKs total economic output, employing around two million people, representing one in 14 jobs, approximately 7% of the total UK workforce (People 1st, 2009). However as highlighted by Lucas and Wood (2000) the hospitality industry id highly reliant on young part time and casual labour. The State of the Nation Report 2009 by People 1st reinforces their point with 16 percent of the hospitality workforce aged between 16 and 19 years old, whilst only 5 percent are over 60 years old. Of the total workforce 59 percent are female of which 55 percent are part time employees, compared with 31 percent male. Boella (2000) identified that the common hospitality employee is typical of the secondary labour market; seeking short term employment, with relatively low or no skills. They have no desire to create a career and consequently leave after a short term of employment. This constant turnover is part of a vicious cycle, whereby employers are reluctant to invest in employees and as they leave soon after training (representing a loss of investment) and the employees leave due to little or no training (Goldsmith et al, 1997; Mullins, 2001). 2.4 Labour Turnover As already established the hospitality industry has a high level of turnover. Boella and Goss-Turner (2005, p178) define labour turnover as ‘the total number of leavers expressed as a percentage of the total number of employees in a department, unit or organisation. Lashley and Lincoln (2003) agreed by highlighting labour turnover simply as the movement of labour out of and into a working organisation. To understand how ones organisations faring it is possible to compare to industry averages. It is clear that hospitality had a higher than average figure in 2007. This high level of turnover is widely accepted as normal (Mullins, 2001). Industry Average Turnover 2007 Hotels and Catering 32.6% Retail and Wholesale 27.5% Media and Publishing 27.1% Construction 27.1% Call Centres 24.6% Communication 23.5% Manufacturing 20.95 Table: Turnover Rate. Cited in Taylor (2008 pp434). 2.4.2 Benefits of Labour Turnover It is highly debated in the literature as to whether turnover is a positive or negative within a business. Carrel et al (1995) in Taylor (2005) present the notion of functional versus dysfunctional turnover, suggesting that functional promotes innovative ideas and methods. Boella (2000) agreed and stated that with new employees ‘comes a breath of fresh air, a necessary change to prevent stagnation. Torrington et al (2005) also draw attention to research by Hom and Griffeth (1995) that has shown function turnover exists greater than dysfunctional. The net results is an improvement in productivity as the poorer employees quit, leaving a higher proportion of good employee enhancing organisational effectiveness. 2.5 Reasons for High Labour Turnover People leave employment for a variety of reasons, many of which are outside the power of an organisation to influence; such as leaving is retirement. Highlighted below are some of the key reasons of labour turnover. 2.6.1 Induction Crisis Mullins (1998) cited staff turnover to be at the highest level during the first few months of employment as the induction crisis. A report in 1984 by the HBTIB states that in the specific sector of guesthouses and hotels almost 45 percent of all new workers left their employment within the first three months, and 15 percent within the first month. This has reduce slightly over the last 20 years, with the People 1st (2009) survey highlighting that over 10 percent of turnover came within the first six months of employment, with bar staff at an average of 30 percent. This trend is disruptive and expensive, especially as the investment of training and time have been lost (Mullins, 1998). Torrington et al (2005) go further and identify more costs lost, such as marketing and interviewing, although these can be saved if the next employee is hired internally as opposed to externally. 2.6.2 Outside Factors Outside factors relate to situations where someone leaves for reasons that are largely unrelated to their work (Torrington et al, 2005). One of the most common reasons is relocation, whereby an employee moves cities or countries. Others might include the lifelong passion to travel, illness, and family issues (Meighan, 2000). To an extent this type of turnover is unavoidable, however is may be possible to provide childcare or flexible working hours (Torrington et al, 2005). 2.6.3 Push and Pull Factors With push factors the problem is dissatisfaction with work or the organisation, leading to unwanted turnover (Torrington et al, 2005: Lashley and Lincoln, 2003). Causes could include a range of issues from; insufficient development opportunities, boredom, ineffective supervision, poor levels of employee involvement or personality clashes (Goldsmith et al, 1997, Fowler, 1999: Mullins, 1995 and Torrington et al, 2005). If there are no opportunity to voice these concerns an employees tend to look elsewhere for work. Pull factors are the opposite, the attraction of a rival employer. Salary levels are often cited as the main cause, when a rival offers a better employment deal (Fowler, 1999). However it could also be; better opportunities, a chance to work with a particular person, or location issues such a commuting distance (Torrington et al, 2005). The two main aims for employers are to take are to ensure they know what the competition is offering, so they can be realistic and competitive (Meighan, 2000). Its also important that an employee understand what he has and appreciates it. 2.7 Understanding Labour Turnover Torrington et al (2005) stress that there is very little an organisation can do to manage turnover unless they understand the reasons for it. 2.7 Costs of Labour Turnover In monetary term labour turnover cost the industry  £414 million in 2008/2009 (People 1st, 2009). However this has a decreased since 2000 according to Boella (2000) who stated that labour turnover was  £430 million. The formula used to calculate labour turnover is the number of employees who left during a period divided by the average number of employed during a period, times by 100 and represented as a percentage. Boella (2000) identified that although the results of this formula givers a labour turnover percentage, it does not give any indication of productivity of the staff, so it is best to monitor both. Lashley and Lincoln (2003) state that there are a number of ways to determine the cost of labour turnover, yet the prevalent statistic used compares the number of leavers to the number to the normal component of staff. Whilst this is easier and quicker to calculated, it is less accurate and doesnt take into consideration the seasonality of an organisation, and giving no indication of the amount of time spent by an employee at the organisation Meighan (2000). Torrington et al (2005) suggests that labour turnover represents both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs include advertising, travel expense, marketing, additional staff overtime pay, interview time (Boella, 2000: Lashley and Lincoln, 2003 and Mullins, 1998). These cost are easily calculated and visible. Indirect costs associated with labour turnover include loss of leadership, low levels of staff expertise, reduced productivity, increased wastage and reduce customer satisfaction (Boella, 2000: Mullins, 1998: Taylor, 2005 and Torrington et al 2005). These intangible costs affect the remaining staff more, and are difficult to put a price on. 2.9 Conclusion The three common reasons stated by Torrington et al (2005) for leaving include: Dissatisfaction with the conditions of work, especially house. A perception that they were not being given sufficient career development opportunities A bad relationship with their immediate supervisor. The nature of the industry itself (seasonal, limited career structures). The nature of individual units (location, size, staff/work ratios). The nature of individual managers (lacking formal management training, acceptance of high labour turnover). High proportion of worker from the secondary labour market. Torrington et al. CHAPTER 3 AN ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT APPORACHES TO INDUCTION 3.1 Introduction The following chapter provides a definition staff induction and socialisation and its importance, highlighting the key areas and effectiveness. The aim is to investigate the theories behind the induction process and its requirements. An employee is an ambassador to their organisation, representing them through their attitudes and behaviour, how they act is partly down to the organisational culture (Sommerville, 2007, p 47). How employees understand and learn these attributes begins with staff induction and socialisation. In HRM literature, organisational socialisation is widely recognised as a key process ensuring new employees can be efficient and effectively integrated within the organisation (Taylor, 2006). Both induction and socialisation are entwined together. Staff induction practices govern unconsciously or deliberately organisational socialisation (Torrington et al, 2005). With the continuous process whereby new recruits are brought into the firm is an important element of HRM practice. If executed well it can help to retain the new employee and reduce staff turnover (Lashley and Best, 2002). 3.2 Performance Management Systems There have been a significant number of studies over the last 15 years investigating the link between HRM and organisational performance. These have focused on the extent to which (if at all) high commitment or best practice HRM may lead to improvements in worker or organisational performance (Taylor). The idea is that particular bundles of HR practices have the potential to contribute improved employee attitude and behaviours, lower levels of absenteeism and labour turnover, higher levels of productivity, quality and customer service in all types of organisations (Sommerville). Performance management aims to directly link together individual goals, departmental purposes and organisational objectives (Torringon et al). Examples of performance management systems include; recruitment and selection, training and development. Armstrong and Baron (2007, p7-8) defined a performance management system: Communicates the organisation vision and objectives to all employees Set departmental and individual performance targets linked to organisational objectives. Uses formal review procedures to communicate performance requirements. Conducts formal reviews of progress Uses the review process to identify training, development and reward outcomes. Evaluates the whole process. 3.3 Induction Training Starting a new job can be a stressful process, wondering if you will fit in with your new co-workers, if everything is as good as advertised. Whilst some nerves are inevitable, helping to reduce them and making the new employee feel welcome are vital in retaining new comers (Lashley and Best, 2002). The term ‘induction can be interpreted in several ways, however in the generally used in the context of the workplace to describe the entire process of an adjusting to their new working environment and jobs (CIPD, 2010). Whenever new employees join an organisation there is always a period of learning and adaptation before they become fully effective (Meighan, 2000). Partly, this involves finding out about the practicalities of the job and facts about pay, other employee benefits and the organisations rule and regulations (Fowler, 1999). But there is also the need to understand the less tangible but very powerful influence of ‘the way we do things around here or culture (Meighan, 2000). Every organisation has its own culture and new employees are unlikely to be fully effective or feel comfortable in their work until they have absorbed this cultural influence and adjusted to it (Taylor, 2006). Induction has a number of distinct purposes (Armstrong, 2007), all of which are concerned with preparing the new employees to work as effectively as possible and as soon as is possible in their new jobs. The induction is the initial process of learning and adjustment (Fowler, 1999). Meighan (2000, p5) went further and defined induction as ‘a planned, systematic process to help new employees settle into their jobs, quickly, happily and effectively. Marchington and Wilkinson (2008) suggest that induction covers a variety of informal and formal programmes. From simple greeting and showing a new employee to their work station to personalised programme away from the immediate place of work. However some academics (Lashley and Rowson, 2000: Marchington and Wilkinson, 2008: Skeates, 1991: Storey, 2007: Tayeb, 2005) believe that the induction process begins with recruitment and selection. Here the employee and employer can discuss expectations and understand whats realistic, assisting in reducing a mismatch the job role, benefits and expectations. In accordance with these views induction (Skeates, 1991, p16) has been describe as being any arrangement made to familiarise the new employee with the organisation, safety rules, general conditions of employment and the department in which they are involved in. Boella (2000) reinforces this point by suggesting that the induction processes also involve welcoming the new recruit and introducing them to their new colleagues, and that the process starts from the initial contact with the employer. Irrespective of whether or not a structure process is in place, all employees go through an induction phase. In many organisations especially those that do not have a specific human resource department or manager, this may be little more than greeting before being shown to their workplace. New employees may be told to ask questions if needed and are left to get on with the job as it is assumed they already posses the skills to complete the task. Sometimes a rite of passage may consist of a joke, (go and get me a long weight), with little attempt to explain anything about the company from its mission statement to direction. Even information regarding health and safety or disciplinary procedures. However this can leave the employee feeling isolated and confused, unaware of the rules, causing them to leave. Each problem represents a cost to the employer; poor quality of work, unproductive new starter, time spent on disciplinary issues, re advertising the job. In these circumstances it i s unlikely the employer will develop commitment and loyalty (Taylor, 2006). Organisation socialisation is one of the fundamental processes that define how cultures emerge (Tuttle, 2002). It underpins the social structures (Cable and Parsons, 2001) that shape not only how social actors interact but also the boundaries of action and the rules of engagement. In the context of organisations, socialisation is a process that significantly shapes their way of core practices shape how things are done and why they are done in a particular way (Torrington et al, 2005). Staff induction and socialisation (Ardts et al, 2001) are central to the replication of an organisation because they enable new individuals to become functional members of a group. Ardts et al (2001, p159) defines organisation socialisation as â€Å"the learning process by which newcomers develop attitudes and behaviour that are necessary to function as a fully fledged member of the organisation†. This extends the process of inducting a new employee to the organisation by imprinting the norms, expectations and behavioural patterns. It focuses on the interaction between a stable social system and the new members entering it. Successful socialisation is the transformation from an outsider to participating effective insider (Copper-Thomas and Anderson, 2006, p492). 3.3.1 Psychological Contract One of the major influences on behaviour at is the psychological contract (Boella, 2000). The contract refers to the unwritten expectations (Taylor, 2006) of the employer and employees have of their relationship. What each other expects to be delivered, what they expect from the working experience, how they expect to be treated (Marchington and Wilkinson, 2005: Meighan, 2000: Taylor, 2006). These expectations exist only in the head of employees, but this does not mean they should be underestimated (Torrington et al, 2005). Like written contracts they can be breached, broken or changed without consent, resulting in dissatisfaction, de-motivation, and higher levels of staff turnover (Armstrong, 2007). The loyalty and commitment from the employee are lost because of a perceived injustice or a disloyal breach of their contract (Boella, 2000). Riley (2000) stated that the old contract characterises the yester year workforce; focusing on building long term relations, job security and career progression in exchange for loyalty. The ‘new contract has modified to typify the current flexible, transactional workforce (Taylor, 2007). The employer offers employment for a limited period, with some development opportunities in exchange for the employee completing a set of defined duties to an agreed standard until a better offer arises. As a result there is greater flexibility with less commitment (Tanke, 2001) and loyalty, as employees see their employment as short term and an opportunity to make money, develop skills and experience (Torrington et al, 2005), increasing the likelihood of staff turnover. In recent years much debate has been raised on the subject of the old versus the new contract (See TABLE *****) The Old Psychological Contract EMPLOYEE OFFERS EMPLOYER OFFERS Loyalty Security Commitment Future career