Motivation and Job Satisfaction

In today’s hyper-competitive marketplace, understanding what fosters and forwards employee motivation—and, thus, organizational performance—is critical. Based on theories, studies, best practices, case studies and resources about motivation, this solutions-focused research article presents valuable information for the senior HR leader seeking competitive advantage. Introduction In today’s marketplace, where companies seek a competitive edge, motivation is key for talent retention and performance. No matter the economic environment, the goal is to create a workplace that is engaging and motivating, where employees want to stay, grow and contribute their knowledge, experience and expertise. Motivation is generally defined as the psychological forces that determine the direction of a person’s level of effort, as well as a person’s persistence in the face of obstacles. The direction of a person’s behavior refers to the many possible actions that a person could engage in, while persistence refers to whether, when faced with roadblocks and obstacles, an individual keeps trying or gives up. The responsibility for motivation is three-fold: it falls on the senior leadership, the direct manager and the employee. Numerous factors are involved, from trust, engagement and values (individual and organizational) to job satisfaction, achievement, acknowledgement and rewards. Motivation is essential for working autonomously, as well as for collaboration and effective teamwork. The ultimate focus of the organization is to successfully retain talent, meet goals and go beyond expectations. It is the role of HR and organizational leaders to foster an environment for excellence. Through a foundation of research, theory, studies and practical examples, this article addresses the questions of what motivates employees, what managers need to do, and what supports motivation and, thus, performance. What Influences Motivation? Motivating employees for better performance encompasses these critical factors: employee engagement, Organizational vision and values, management acknowledgment and appreciation of work well done, and overall authenticity of leadership. Chana Anderson, CCP, SPHR-CA, director of HR and a member of the SHRM Employee Relations Special Expertise Panel, says that motivation is influenced equally by the employee and the company: â€Å"Motivation and engagement is truly a 50-50 relationship between the employee and employer. Employees are expected to come to the workplace with the intrinsic motivation and desire to be successful, be value-added and contribute to the obtainment of an employer’s vision. Conversely, it is incumbent upon the employer to provide resources, opportunities, recognition and a cohesive work environment for employees to be successful. Employee Engagement Engagement influences motivation. It is reflected in the extent to which employees commit, how hard they work and how long they stay. People join organizations for different reasons, motivated by intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Intrinsic rewards are reflected in actions believed to be important. Examples include an employee who wants to help people by providing excellent customer service or a senior manager who gains a sense of accomplishment from overseeing a large corporation. Intrinsic outcomes include responsibility, autonomy, feelings of accomplishment and the pleasure of doing interesting work. Extrinsic-motivated behavior includes actions performed with the goal to have material or social rewards, with outcomes such as job security, benefits, vacation time and public recognition. It is the responsibility of managers to motivate employees, with the goal for employees to contribute to the organization. Managers can best motivate employees by offering rewards that are meaningful to them. Vision and Values Employees are often motivated differently. To develop a work environment that promotes motivation, organizations need to know what is important to their employees and then to emphasize these factors. In fact, some companies and researchers are beginning to look at â€Å"work spirituality†Ã¢â‚¬â€not in a religious sense, but in a sense that what an employee does aligns with his or her greater sense of life and purpose. Aside from monetary gain, work provides people with fulfillment on various levels, from earning a living and â€Å"doing good work† to aspiring to a vision and ultimately having an impact on the quality of life. These reasons can change over time in response to changes in people’s home life and responsibilities. Further, in response to drastic economic changes and natural disasters, companies can change over time as well. Management Acknowledgment and Appreciation How employees are treated is a strong determinant of employee motivation and performance. Edward E. Lawler III, author and consultant for human resource management, emphasizes that â€Å"treating people right is fundamental to creating organizational effectiveness and success. It is also easier said than done. † According to Lawler, this includes â€Å"a highly complex set of actions on the part of both organizations and employees. Organizations must develop ways to treat their employees so that they are motivated and satisfied; employees must behave in ways to help their organizations become effective and high-performing. † This winning combination for performance requires a partnership between the organization and the employees. Lawler states: â€Å"One can’t succeed without the other. To provide people with meaningful work and rewards, organizations need to be successful. And to be successful, organizations need high-performing individuals. The challenge is to design organizations that perform at high levels and treat people in ways that are rewarding and satisfying. To describe this mutually beneficial relationship, Lawler uses the term virtuous spiral, a relationship that occurs when the organization values its employees, and in return, workers are committed to high performance. Leadership and Making a Difference In today’s pressure-cooker environment, performance is carefully noted at all levels of the organization. No matter an individual’s title, everyone has the opportunity to lead in some capacity and have a positive impact on performance. Understanding the value that can be achieved through different roles is one way of providing motivation, performance and thus leadership skills. A recent article published on [email  protected], titled â€Å"Putting a Face to a Name: The Art of Motivating Employees,† emphasizes that workers have better results when they can identify with those they serve. Specifically, face-to-face interactions and task significance (â€Å"what I do makes a difference†) are key drivers for motivation and performance. Research by Adam Grant, Ph. D. , a Wharton management professor, indicates that making human connections is critical for motivation, leadership and high job performance. He found that face-to-face interactions—no matter how superficial—can lead to significant improvements in performance, and that motivation and performance increase simply by an employee’s awareness of the impact of his or her job on others. Dr. Grant has observed this result through studies of all types of jobs and roles in the workplace, from customer service representatives, managers, nurses, doctors and medical technicians to security guards, engineers, salespeople, police officers and fire fighters—based on when people can directly see the impact of their efforts. Mini Case Study In a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, Dr. Grant found that lifeguards at a community recreation center who read about how their ability to avoid fatalities made a difference were stronger leaders/performers. Their work improved by 40% in contrast to lifeguards who merely learned that lifeguarding can be personally enriching. Grant points out that in today’s economy, where work is often virtual without the end user physically present, â€Å"it is important for employers to build in systems that reinforce employees’ awareness of whom they are helping. 6 As HR leaders work on processes and systems designed to improve motivation and performance, it is important to be cognizant of the issue of technology and how it can create distance between employees and the end users of their work. Dr. Grant suggests that focus on the mission of the organization is one way to overcome the challenge of a virtual workplace and lack of direct interaction and is a successful strategy for creating the energy for motivation necessary to achieve high performance and quality of service. Leadership for Motivation To reach the hearts and minds of employees, leaders need to be authentic with an impelling vision. It is exceedingly important for a leader of any organization to communicate his or her vision constantly to ensure that there is no doubt about the direction a team is heading,† says Ken Blanchard, world-renowned management coach. He emphasizes: â€Å"One of the most destructive traits a leader can have today is arrogance—acting like you’ve got it together all the time. On the other hand, one of the most endearing qualities a leader can have is to be in touch with his or her vulnerability. It’s that side of a leader that keeps the vision from crumbling under the pressure of circumstance. 7 In addition, leaders need to connect the organization’s vision and values to the employees’ day-to-day work and help them see how the work they do every day connects to the bigger picture. The 2009 study Best Companies for Leadership conducted by Bloomberg BusinessWeek. com and the Hay Group reveals that leading companies were focused on leadership even during the recent economic downtown. This annual study ranks the best companies for leadership and examines how they develop leaders. The 2009 study found a shift in what the top 20 leading organizations value regarding leadership. Specifically, the most valued qualities in leaders are strategic thinking and inspiring leadership. In a press release, John Larrere, national director of Hay Group’s Leadership and Talent Practice, and co-leader of the Best Companies for Leadership Study, stated: â€Å"For organizations to succeed, they will need to understand what key leadership elements are paramount in driving their organizations toward growth. It’s more than just getting people to produce the right outcomes. It’s about getting them to be passionate about their work and grooming them to handle the challenges ahead. The Best Companies for Leadership have figured this out. According to this study, companies are now focusing their efforts on positioning for the future. To do so, 94% of the best companies have leadership development programs to enable employees to deliver on goals/strategies, 90% provide all employees with the opportunity to develop and practice the capabilities needed to lead others, and 87% have a sufficient number of internal candidates ready to assume open leadership positions. In fact, 94% of the best companies actively manage a pool of successors for mission-critical roles, 83% invest a great deal in their people, and 80% promote growth opportunities. In addition, 95% use corporate social responsibility to recruit employees, 66% have a high proportion of women in senior leadership, 91% make it easy for people to work from home, and 91% have an appreciation of global issues as a key job requirement. Finally, the best companies for leadership focus on employee engagement through commitment and discretionary effort and on employee enablement, with optimized roles and a supportive environment, leading to financial success, customer satisfaction and employee performance—all to drive organizational performance. In today’s economy, leaders need to be mindful of economic pressures when looking for ways to motivate employees. Some organizations find cost-effective ways to provide opportunities through â€Å"developmental assignments,† where people can grow their skills in other areas to be ready for promotions when they may occur. A good manager will take the time to consider ways to motivate employees, whether performance levels are good or need improvement. For the leader, it is beneficial to take a step back and consider, on a personal level, what is motivating oneself. Important questions to ask are: 1) what are your own values; 2) what keeps you motivated; 3) how are your own engagement levels; 4) are you committed to the values of your company; and 5) do you take pride in your work and in your organization? By taking the time to examine these questions and thoughtfully answer them, a leader can gain a refreshed and even enlightened viewpoint to perform better—both for him/herself and for his or her staff—and be able to better optimize for improvement. By identifying three areas that need most attention, for example, a leader can develop a plan and put it into action. Employees need to have acknowledgment and respect and know that their contributions are valued. It cannot be stressed enough how demotivating it can be when managers do not recognize, acknowledge or appreciate employees and their hard work. Two strategies that can help motivate employees are 1) to provide training (including current job, new technologies and the ability to keep up with changes in the employees’ areas of expertise) and 2) promotional opportunities (promote from within). Positive and supportive leadership clearly makes the difference for an engaged and motivated workforce. In an interview with Hospitals and Health Networks, Jo Manion, R. N. , Ph. D. , points to the bottom line for hospital and patient care, as outlined in her book, The Engaged Workforce: Proven Strategies to Build a Positive Health Care Workforce. 12 Since excellent health care is critical for everyone at different points in life, employee motivation that results in excellent patient care is one example of motivation that all can relate to on personal and professional levels.

Leadership Management and Administration in Early Childhood Education Essay

Part 1 Operating a childcare centre can be a very challenging and rewarding career. Success in this field requires dedication, love and patience. There are a few types of childcare programmes catering to parents who have to leave their children at school and go to work. There is full-day programme, half-day programme and flexi-care programme. For those who do not want their children to be in a school environment for long hours, they have kindergartens and enrichment programmes. The demand for childcare services steadily increases as more and more women enter the workforce, giving up their roles of full-time mothers and house makers. Planning and operating a childcare programme consumes much time and energy thus, it is important that motivations, skills, experience and personality are thoroughly assessed. Early childhood care and education services are under the control of two Ministries in Singapore; Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and the Ministry of Education (MOE). MCYS targets the childcare sector, which consists of children from two months to six years whereas MOE concentrates on children aged four to six in a kindergarten setting. Quality has become a priority issue for all concerned with early childhood care and education services. Starting from the premise that quality is a relative and dynamic concept based on values and beliefs. Providing quality education for children ensures that the learning journey and relationships in the early years of their lives have meaningful effects to their future achievements. (â€Å"Singapore pre-school accreditation,† 2010) Role of a Supervisor According to SPARK, â€Å"Leaders set the direction and tone for the preschool. † Leaders are a very important aspect in any organisation. Leaders must understand and play important roles; they must use evidence from research to make decisions; and they must work collaboratively. A good leader must have a strong philosophy which will enable her to deliver well. Having a good philosophy enables the leader to plan meaningful goals and objectives for the centre. Supervisors can play a pivotal role in â€Å"reinforcing philosophy in school settings and helping teachers integrate the theoretical frameworks with classroom realities. † (Grossman, 1990, p. 133) Having a good bond with the teachers will ensure that the supervisor has found a good team to work with and should constantly keep renewing the bond with her teachers. This can be done by looking into the teachers’ welfare and giving them benefits from time to time to motivate and encourage the teachers to work consistently. At the same time, the supervisor must set a good example to her team of teachers by practising what she preaches. A good supervisor should also encourage her staff to further their education and when they do, not hesitate to promote them and give them bigger responsibilities. The supervisor should evaluate the quality of the learning environment and the centre as a whole. Catering to Children’s Needs It is well documented that racial and ethnic identity, and developing concepts about racial and ethnic diversity are development tasks that begin in early childhood. According to NAEYC(2005), diversity in children, families and colleagues should be respected. Multiracial and multiethnic children not only have identity needs but they are also having difficulties adjusting to our early childhood and school programmes because their unique needs are not being met. For successful implementation of a programme, the supervisor has to look into the diverse backgrounds of the children. According to DAP (2009), â€Å"Development and learning occur in and are influenced by multiple social and cultural contexts†. The supervisor has to understand that children’s development requires viewing each child within the sociocultural context of the child’s family, educational setting, community and the society. The contexts are interrelated thus, they all strongly influence how the child develops. Celebrating different festivals together as a centre and talking about different cultural backgrounds during lessons are a good way to include children from various cultural backgrounds. While implementing a programme, the supervisor might come across children from dysfunctional families. Providing the proper financial assistance to these families is very important. Centre-based Financial Assistance for Childcare (CFAC) can be arranged for children who come from dysfunctional families. This scheme helps eligible families to offset childcare fees of their children every month. The government also gives childcare subsidies to working parents who enrol their children in childcare centres. (MCYS) Parents of children from dysfunctional families might find these two schemes helpful in providing their children with proper early childhood education. This should be taken care of so that every child has an equal opportunity to education and care regardless of their cultural and financial backgrounds. 656 words Part 2 In order for the quality of child care to improve and for childcare services to become more readily available, the administration of childcare programmes must become professional, effective and efficient. The effective preparation of childcare supervisors directly impacts the programme quality and enhances the ability to meet the various challenges facing the field of early childhood education. (Caulfield, 1997) a) Effective Supervision A good supervisor should be prepared not only with a background in early childhood education and teaching but with a working knowledge of management, principles and procedures, marketing and evaluation techniques, public relations, staff training and development, family counselling, community services and public policy. (Catron, & Groves, 1999) The supervisor’s role is more than observing teachers conducting lessons. There are many similarities between good teaching and good leading. A good supervisor does not only develop a programme and worry about enrolments. The supervisor must look into the safety aspects in the childcare centre. Meeting all safety requirements before starting the programme is very essential. This ensures that children’s needs are taken into consideration and taken care of. Planning a proper timetable is very important in developing a programme. It allows the whole programme to run systematically and also for smooth transitions in between lessons. Resources and materials should also be distributed evenly among the teachers to avoid lack of resources during planned lessons. The supervisor should also keep track of the resources and materials and replenish them regularly. b) Regulations and Policies In order to set up a childcare programme, license should first be acquired from MCYS. The child care centre has to comply with the standards set out in the Regulations of MCYS. All the pre-requisites stated in setting up a childcare centre should be taken into consideration in order to provide quality care and education. (MCYS, 2011) The type of programme that I am looking into implementing is a full day childcare programme. The centre will be catering to children from two years to six years old. It will be operating five and half days a week. The programme will be conducted from seven o’ clock in the morning to seven o’ clock in the evening. This is to cater to parents who have to leave their children and go to work very early in the morning and for parents who end work late in the evening. On Saturdays, the centre will operate from seven o’ clock in the morning to two o’ clock in the afternoon. This caters to some parents who have to go back to work on weekends. The childcare centre will be open throughout the year except on Sundays and gazetted public holidays. Half-days will be observed on the eve of Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year. In addition, the centre will be closed for another five and a half days in a year, following the MCYS policies. These regulations and policies of the centre strictly follow the MCYS Childcare Policies as MCYS firmly believes that children should not be cared for in the childcare centre for more than 24 hours continuously. c) Operational Issues How you structure your programme for your centre is another very important aspect to consider. The programme will be the key to your professional success and pleasure. Having a proper Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will ensure that your programme runs smoothly and effectively. SPARK (2010) will be a good guide to get started with. Spark (2010) focuses on seven criterions. Leadership, Planning and Administration, Staff Management, Resources, Curriculum, Pedagogy and Health, Hygiene and Safety. Reflections should be done on the programme regularly to ensure that children are being delivered with nothing but quality excellence. Opening/Closing Time The opening and closing hours of a childcare centre is a very important period. The supervisor must ensure there is enough staff to open the centre and close the centre. There should be at least one first-aid trained, qualified teacher to open the centre and it is required for the teacher to arrive at least fifteen minutes earlier to do the opening duties and to receive children. The teacher, however, has to remember that parents are only allowed to send their children in at seven o’clock onwards. There should be two teachers doing closing daily. Out of the two teachers, at least one teacher should be first-aid trained. Should the opening/closing teachers be on leave, they are required to find a replacement for their shifts before they go on leave. Should they be on medical leave, they should inform the centre either the day before or by seven-thirty in the morning so that replacements can be found. Staff-Child Ratio Staff-child ratio must be observed at all times as according to MCYS Regulations. (Refer to Appendix 1, pg 10, Table 1) Teachers’ Qualifications Teachers hired in the centre should be trained in Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education- Teaching (DECCE-T). According to MCYS policy, the programme staff should be certified by MCYS/MOE. Teachers should also have at least two years of teaching experience in a childcare setting, hold a valid first aid certificate recognised by MCYS and certified by MCYS/MOE as a Level 2 Teacher. d) Administrative Procedures School fees are a major part of a programme. All school fees have to be paid via GIRO. Deductions will be made every 5th of each month for fees payable that month. Parents are to ensure that there are sufficient funds in the bank account for deduction on the due date otherwise there will be a $10 administrative fee payable for every unsuccessful GIRO transaction. If they choose to opt out of the GIRO payment scheme, they are required to place a two month deposit upon enrolment. An additional fee of $5 per day will be imposed for late payment after the 5th of each month. All outstanding fees must be cleared before a child is promoted to the next level. e) Quality of Curriculum Integrated curriculum is a form of interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning that emphasizes on content learning and knowledge acquisition. It incorporates several subject areas such as language and literacy, math, music and movement, creative arts, self awareness, social awareness and motor skills into a curriculum that provides a holistic learning for children. In this curriculum, children apply skills, concepts and processes derived from the total curriculum in the meaningful context of thematic learning. (Erikson, 2001) Teachers are supporters of children’s learning. The curriculum should be designed to enable teachers to scaffold and support children’s knowledge and understanding and thinking. The curriculum should be designed to aid the child’s intellectual, social, emotional and physical development. (KCG, 2008) f) Documentation of Children’s Progress and Portfolios All records should be kept up-to-date and readily accessible. Periodic reports of children’s progress, documentation of children’s habits, character traits and interests and anecdotal notes of children’s behaviours that are significant are all documentation of children’s progress. The centre should have a system which evaluates records for completeness, accuracy of contents and timelines of entries at regular intervals. Portfolios are collections of student work representing a selection of performance. A portfolio may be a folder containing a student’s best work pieces and the student’s evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the pieces. (Wortham, 2008) Portfolios are usually used as the center-piece of teacher-parent conferences. Portfolios can be used in the intention of motivating students, to promote learning through reflection and self-assessment and to be used in evaluations of students thinking and writing processes. An archival portfolio will be used to document the children’s progress from year to year. This portfolio can be useful to the child’s future teachers. It provides useful information about the child’s developmental progress, strengths and weaknesses. (Wortham, 2008) The portfolio should be organized using the developmental area approach. Using this approach, a child’s developmental areas such as physical, cognitive, social-emotional, creative and language and literacy can be assessed. The teacher can use this type of portfolio during parents-teacher conferences to show parents the specific skills that has been prominent and those that need improvement in the child. Using the developmental area approach a student’s growth and development can be clearly visible as the work collected usually spans throughout a year and observers and parents can clearly see the child’s progression in this. (Benson, & Smith, 1998) A combination of work samples, checklists, observation records and photo documentations have been used to compile this portfolio. Developmental checklists have been used to assess the child’s progress in terms of skills. (Hanson, & Gilkerson, 1999) The checklists used aid in assessing and reporting the child’s progress and development. It also assists in assessing teaching processes. The developmental checklists used in this portfolio are categorized into four domains. They are namely language and literacy, math, social-emotional and physical skills. The assessments done on the child in this portfolio was collected when the child was participating in various types of activities with other children in the class. These kinds of activities allow scaffolding to take place as the child gets assistance from other children or adults. The checklists designed centers towards the objectives that the teacher has set for the child. These objectives are developmentally appropriate according to the child’s age. g) School, Family and Community Partnership Having strong family involvement in children’s education are best achieved through family-school and community collaboration. By articulating a common mission and developing proactive ways of strengthening families and schools, parents and teachers can influence children’s school success positively. Parents should be encouraged to be involved in their children’s school activities as much as possible. Parents can be encouraged by volunteering for centre events like celebrations, excursions and field trips. They can even conduct workshops for children in the centre like speech and drama or art workshops. References Benson, T. R. , & Smith, L. J. (1998). Portfolios in first grade: four teachers learn to use alternative assessment. Early Childhood Education Journal, 25(3), Catron, C. E. , & Groves, M. M. (1999). Teacher to director. Early Childhood Education Journal, 26(3), Caulfield, R. (1997). Professionalism in early care and education. Early Childhood Education Journal, 24(4), Erickson, H. L. (2001). Stirring the head, heart, and soul: Redefining curriculum and instruction. (2nd Ed. ). Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Pr0065c007Axzxz ss Inc. Hanson, M. F. , & Gilkerson, D. (1999). Portfolio assessment: more than abcs and 123s. Early Childhood Education Journal, 27(2), Ministry of Education. (2008). Kindergarten curriculum guide. Singapore Ministry of Education, Pre-school Education Branch. (2010). Singapore pre-school accreditation framework:quality rating scale. Singapore: Ministry of Education. NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Washington, DC Wortham, S. C. (2008). Assessment in early childhood education (5th ed. ). Upper Saddle River: New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Anonymous – Creative Writing

The powerful low winter sun illuminated the seemingly endless road. The glass glistened like walls of diamonds; the highly polished doorknobs that led to the place of ones dreams were glowing like hot molten lava that had just erupted from the brittle and frozen pathway. The place would have been perfect if it weren't for the thick yellow lines that ran parallel with the crisp frozen pathway and the people who waltzed up and down it with no time to stop and look at the wondrous beauty, to time to stand and talk and no time to care about other people. Berny took one long deep breath of the cool refreshing air and filled his lungs with courage, for he knew he was going to need a lot of it. He stepped out onto the frost-covered pavement and immediately became one of those people. Yet secretly, he was taking in all of the smells of this beautiful street. He was secretly admiring the way the glass glistened and the doorknobs glowed. He wondered if he would ever be able to visit this wonderful place again and if so why. He reached the end of the street he loved so much. He knew this because there were now cars, vans and big red buses ploughing through the wide streets that were full of even more people that only cared about themselves. Berny started tapping his feet as he waited for the eyesore that changed the speed of the mercurial vehicles to tell him it was now safe to cross. Safely across the energetic and hectic road Berny opened the door of the inconspicuous Lexus that was parked waiting for him. As he slipped inside the nondescript, matt black box he was greeted by three men who he had never met. Although he had never met them he knew their names, well what they were called anyway. Even they probably couldn't remember their real names anymore. No one spoke as they were going through the dense traffic. The only sounds were that of buses stopping with a hiss or ambulances flying past with their sirens on; other than that there was nothing except for the heavy breathing of the three men he had the pleasure of travelling with. Whilst adjusting himself for the third time on the luxurious cream leather seta, he got a whiff of the man in front of him, the driver. He was obviously a bit of a chain smoker and it showed, as around his mouth there were wrinkles so deep Berny was sure he could see dust in the great canyons between them, or perhaps it was ash from the little white sticks he put in his mouth. He had tried to cover up the fact he was addicted to the little white sticks, by covering himself in a strong fragrance, it was too strong, he had probably got it half price in Superdrug. Berny despised cigarettes and felt no pity for the people who put them in their mouths and then complained of lung disease or some other illness caused by them. There was one reason for this; Berny's father had been a heavy smoker and died of cancer as result when Berny was still young. The only memory of his father was the strong smell created by the toxic smoke. Berny had blamed his fathers death for ruining Berny' life and getting him in to such a mess. A single tear had appeared from the bottom of his right eye. The salty liquid was stinging his eye and made it feel like he had been hit. He turned his head to the one-way window and right on cue the saturated tear ran down the harsh, bold contours of his face; over the faded ink scar he had been given by an energetic broom handle. He made no effort to stop the acidic liquid and it fell to the floor like a snow onto ice. He turned to face the person next to him; it was Knuckles, very original, so called because he had none. He was a thug and he looked like one, he had a shaved head, a prominent brow and very heavy shoulders. He looked uncomfortable in his pin-striped suit, and would have probably preferred to be wearing a leather jacket. As Berny looked at him, Knuckles' jaw twitched quite sporadically, his jaw seemed to be having a fit. Berny chose to ignore it and returned to looking out of the window. They had stopped at another ghastly set of poles with lights on when a police van containing enough policemen to storm The Ritz pulled up beside their box on wheels. This seemed to make the three men nervous, as far as Berny knew they had no reason to be, as they weren't in any trouble and hadn't done anything wrong, yet. The lights changed and the car and the threatening van went their separate ways. They were reaching the edge of the crowded and over populated city when Knuckles' phone rang. It was one of those really annoying tones Berny loathed, but everybody else seemed to love. Knuckles brought the inconspicuous brick out of his jacket pocket and put it to his ear. He did not talk, he just listened. Towards the end of the conversation, he spoke softly into the mouthpiece and said â€Å"Yes that's fine, see you tomorrow†. Berny had never heard him speak before. He had a timid but clear voice that would have been more suited to a poet rather than a football hooligan. â€Å"The plan's changed Bob† Knuckles said softly. â€Å"Where to now then?† Bob, the driver bellowed in a coarse Northern accent, which would have suited Knuckles much better than his existing one. â€Å"The barn† he replied as if he had rehearsed it. â€Å"K† was the acknowledgement he gave back. Berny sat thinking, the barn? He didn't know of any barn, was it actually a barn or was it code for something? He'd know soon enough. As they left the smog of the city behind them the eerie tension lifted also. â€Å"Alright chaps?† Al the man in the front passenger seat asked. Of all of the men he was travelling with Berny liked Al the best, he did not know why, he just did, perhaps it was because he was he was older than the other three and reminded Berny of his father. Knuckles gave a squeak that Al seemed to understand as â€Å"Everything is fine†. â€Å"Good† was Al's reassurance. â€Å"How you doing Berny? Long time no see mate† Berny didn't quite know what this meant as he had never seen Al before, he had spoke to him, many times they had spoken on the telephone and on internet chat rooms. In fact they knew each other so well it did feel like they had known each other for a very long time, they knew each other well but not too well as there were things they did not want to know about each other, these things were never discussed. â€Å"I'm fine. Still not sure what we're meant to be doing.† Replied Berny. Berny had dropped that question in as he did not want to confront Al directly about it. â€Å"We're going up North to see someone who would like to talk to you† was the answer to his cleverly disguised question. They were on a motorway now. The fields either side were empty except for the thin layer of ice that was preventing the rich soil underneath from being exposed to the harmful rays of the sun. they were going slower than the other polluting vehicles. This gave Berny a chance to get his bearings. The land was flat with small rolling hills. The clouds were lightly spread and presented no threat, allowing the powerful rays of the sun to shine off anything that was stupid enough to get in their way. Bob broke the silence â€Å"Off here Al?† â€Å"Yep† was the well thought out reply. Berny couldn't see anywhere to turn off. But Bob found the small lane and directed the car down like a heron swoops in on a fish. The lane was bordered by a hedge, which had lost all of its leaves and was now just one big mess of tangled branches. There was one on both sides. They grew over the road and touched once or trice in the middle. This place must look really beautiful in the summer or early autumn when the leaves are crisp and brown. Berny wished it wasn't winter, because now the mess of twigs were bare, they looked evil, each one trapping itself around the other starving it of the precious light there was. The peaceful little lane had now turned into a spiralling labyrinth of sharp bends and deep gully's. Berny leant to his left so he could see out of the front windscreen. Left right left again, the bends were getting closer together. Some of them you couldn't tell which way they went until the last second. Bob must have been a rally driver in a past life. Bob was now accelerating on every bend. It was as if he wanted to tip the car over. He was making it very hard for himself. Perhaps he liked a challenge. Everyone else started looking worried. It wasn't just Berny who thought Bob was taking the corners too fast. Al screamed to Bob â€Å"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?† Bob didn't hear, or didn't want to hear. He was in a trance. It was knuckles turn now â€Å"SLOW DOWN YOU'RE GANNA KILL US ALL!† This provoked no reaction either. Berny felt obliged to have a go â€Å"BOB STOP IT NOW† Bob must have heard this but it did not prompt the response they were all looking for. Instead it made Bob speed up even more. The corners were getting sharper, the speed was getting faster. There was nothing they could do except hold on and hope Bob would come to his senses. Bob was now finding it hard to see the corners. He was leaning forward. He was squinting to get a better look. His breathing was shallow and very fast. His arm started first. Then his leg, his hands and finally his neck. Bob had no hands on the wheel. He curled into a ball against the side of the car and started rocking like a pendulum going three times faster than it should. A thick froth had formed at his mouth and was now coming out of every hole on his body, including the tiny holes in his skin. Berny knew what was going to happen. He saw it first. It was a great oak. The most beautiful and overpowering tree he had ever seen. It did not feel like he had imagined it would. He was slammed into the seat in front of him. His legs hurt the most, there was a loud hiss. He was alive, well he thought he was. It was hard to tell. He looked at his legs, they were still there. He looked around him. Knuckles was covered in blood and stuck between the two seats. Berny did not even try to see if he was still alive and if he was what kind of life would he be able to live as his neck was at an angle that should b impossible to put it in. Where were Bob and Al? They weren't there, they couldn't have got out. Where they would have been sitting was now just a mess of tangled metal. The door opened first time, Berny slipped though the small inviting gap and found himself in a pool of liquid. As he inspected the liquid he found some of it was petrol and the rest a deep scarlet of red blood. Whose blood he did not know, he did not care either. The petrol and the blood did not mix, the blood sat in the centre surrounded by the strong smelling, flammable fuel. Berny pulled himself away from the wreckage. He sat in the road covered by blood and fuel. The birds sang almost as if trying to comfort him. Berny tried to take in what had happened. Was it his fault? What should he do now? Where will he go? Before he had time to answer any of those questions a face appeared in the wreckage. It was Al. He smiled and winked. His pleasant face was now a blur of deep red and pale yellows. Berny rushed over as fast as his crippled legs would take him. He was halfway when he heard it, a loud click. He was pushed back by the heat of the monstrous flames. Berny sat watching the overpowering flames take over the wreckage. He sat in his pool of fuel and blood and a single tear formed in his right eye.

Cars History Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Cars History - Research Proposal Example Although work on developing steam engines began in the 17th century, the idea to incorporate it into a road vehicle gained momentum only in the next century. In the course of the 18th century, many futile attempts were made to produce what was yet to be called the ‘car’. To be fair, engineers had indeed developed a few designs for steam-powered road vehicles, but they lacked the popularity and acceptance accorded to steam power in ships and railways. This was primarily because the steam based engine was too heavy for a practical road vehicle. Yet, the 19th century was called the Age of Steam. Harsh legislation was one great bane, at least in a few countries, with virtually strangling speed limits, at 5Â  mph in towns and cities, and 10Â  mph in the country. Laws went as far as directing a man bearing a red flag to precede every vehicle. In addition, tiime curfews applied to all vehicles except street trams. Electric Vehicles were among the earliest ones to be accorded the status of ‘automobiles’. They produce no exhaust fumes and are practically silent. Acceleration exceeds that of conventional vehicles. Sometime in the 1830s Robert Anderson of Scotland supposedly invented the first electric carriage while Professor Sibrandus Stratingh of the Netherlands, designed the small-scale electric car. Electricity as a means for transport propulsion found greater success in the field of public transport such as tramways and streetcars, where a constant supply of electricity was possible by means of overhead power lines. Historically, Electric Vehicles lagged in popularity primarily due to issues with high battery costs, low distance interval between successive recharges, long charging time, and low battery lifespan, etc. But these vehicles are generally cheaper to make and maintain than internal combustion engine vehicles because they have fewer parts. However, around 1900, electric land vehicles in America outsold all other

Toll Company Annual Report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Toll Company Annual Report - Case Study Example This is the group work component of the assignment. After inter-group discussion, each member of the group will complete a peer review on the group members which will be submitted to the tutor in the tutorial class. The group work component of the assessment is worth 10%. Part 4 of the case study must be completed as an individual assessment. This part of the assignment is worth 15%. Please see Part 4 for requirements and instructions for submission. Document 1: Each student will download from the Morningstar DatAnalysis Database, the company’s 2013 annual report (hard copy not necessary) and financial data in a excel spreadsheet for the past 10 years. It will be sufficient to use an electronic copy to use as the reference material for answering the case study questions. Morningstar DatAnalysis Database – (available via libguides or alternatively the JCU library databases): to obtain the necessary company annual reports and financial data in an excel spreadsheet for the past 10 years. Note, students will only require the financial data for the past 4 years to perform the financial statement analysis. Simply hide the column information that is not required. This information will be used for generating financial statement analysis (parts 3 and 4) of the assignment. Students may also find it useful to refer to the financial data when making comparisons in part 2. Groups will consist of students that have been assigned the same company for the case study assignment in each tutorial class. It is recommended that students answer the questions assigned for each class in advance, so they areable to participate in inter-group discussions during the tutorial class.If the weekly questions are done in arrears marks may be lost because of failure to participate in group discussions during the tutorial classes. What are the page references for the

Aramco project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Aramco project - Essay Example The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest Arabian state in Western Asia covering a land area of approximately 2,150,000 km2. it is the second largest in the Arab world after Algeria. Its neighboring states are Jordan and Iraq to the north, Kuwait to the northeast, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to the east, Oman to the southeast, and Yemen in the south. Currently the Kingdom has a population of 28.7 million people and is a world leader in the production an export of oil. The country’s national petroleum and natural gas production is called Saudi Aramco. The company is Arabian American and is based in Dhahran. Saudi Aramco is among the largest integrated energy production companies around the globe. Aramco was founded in the year1933, by the Standard Oil Company of California. Saudi Aramco’s is a story of the discovery and development of some of the greatest oil reserves ever known in the world and the rapid transformation of Saudi Arabia from a once desert kingdom to the modern nation-state that we know. Saudi Aramcos value as estimated by the New York Times is approximately $10 trillion and this makes it the most valuable firm globally. Saudi Aramco enjoys more than ten percent of the global market in terms oil supply and controls 98% of Saudi’s oil reserves which in turn represent 25% of the total global oil reserves. Considering that the petroleum sector contributes about 40% of Saudi Arabia’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Saudi Aramco is no doubt a cornerstone in the national economy. As such, Aramco is under intense pressure to remain competitive not only in the kingdom but also internationally. It I for this reason that the company requires a very efficient labor force. It has responded to this demand by developing and implementing a training program known as the Professional Development

Sentencing Rationales and Plea Bargaining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sentencing Rationales and Plea Bargaining - Essay Example One of the reasons why courts exist is to provide justice by ensuring that the punishment an offender is given is proportionate to the crime committed. After claims that unwarranted sentencing occurred in US, the congress decided to ensure justice by coming up with guidelines which were to be used by all courts when it came to criminal sentencing. The Sentencing Act was formulated and passed with the main aim of ensuring that unwarranted disparities which were thought to exist in the judicial systems were eliminated (Stith & Koh, 1993). Retribution which means offering sentencing criminals to serve punishments that are to some extent proportional to the crimes committed plays a major role in sentencing. This is because, the essence of judicial systems is to provide justice and justice means paying a price that is equivalent to the crime committed. The formulation of the criminal sentencing guidelines that have a table with ranges that people who have committed certain crimes should be sentenced clearly shows that retribution forms an extremely strong basis in sentencing. Based on the sentencing guidelines, the crime for which a person is convicted will always form the basic offense level with details of the case further determining the sentence by either subtracting or adding. The alteration in the sentence presented by the base offence depends on the role played by the person and the amount of damage that the person might have caused. For example a robbery will form the base offence with minor details such as whether the person used a gun or shot somebody adding to the sentence while a person who was involved in robbery with violence but played a minor role might end up getting le sser sentence than a person who will be judged to have played a vital role getting a tougher sentence (Stith & Koh, 1993). Plea bargaining is where the prosecutor and the defense counsel come to an

Regulations and policies for domestic flights in Canada (airline Research Paper

Regulations and policies for domestic flights in Canada (airline industry in Canada) - Research Paper Example vernment could decide to regulate the Domestic Airlines’ operations: the commonest ones include the need for transparency in airlines’ activities. The airlines are expected to be open and frank about their records, information systems and quality of services. This would assist the appropriate governmental agency to periodically investigate the level of conformity with Canada’s Air Transport Laws, in a bid to make the industry to be responsible towards the customers and the public in general (Reschenthaler et al 45). Another significant purpose for regulating the domestic airlines is the possibility of reducing the administrative burdens of the carriers: this means that cumbersome bureaucratic processes could increase the overhead cost of operations of the carriers, and this may lead to inefficiency and poor performance that could affect the activities of the airlines and make the customers discontented. If the Canadian government has failed to regulate the Domestic Airlines, the two important factors highlighted above may have caused unprecedented market failure and eventual collapse of Canada’s airline industry. Complaints have been mounting about some laxities in the operations of the Canada’s domestic carriers: and a close investigation of the complaints revealed that most problems are not unconnected to the inability to create transparency in operation of the carriers and cumbersome bureaucratic processes in the industry. The official agency saddled with the responsibility of regulating the activities of the domestic airlines in Canada is Canadian Transportation Agency, CTA. The agency primary responsibilities include handling and resolving all disputes connected with air transportation; improving the air transportation activities and, as a regulator, making helpful decisions about the operations in the air, rail and marine transportation (CTA 2009a). Canadian Transportation Agency got its legal regulatory powers from Canada’s Air Transportation

Protestantism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Protestantism - Essay Example And also their belief system compels them to save more in order to defer gratification, which transforms into investments and thus higher productivity in the longer run. This was suggested in Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism that a "Protestant ethic" was instrumental for economic progress, several interpretations have emerged how the greater economic affluence of Protestants relative to Catholics might have come about. The idea of Weber that Protestantism has a great impact on the economic progress of a country was depicted in Figure 2,3a and 3b. But not all areas in Prussia have exhibited the jolt of Protestantism to their economic status. Figure 2 has revealed a concentric pattern of the diffusion of Protestantism with Wittenberg at the centre. There was a marked x in Wittenberg, to emphasize the distance from the areas with dominant protestant population. The central, north and the north-eastern part of Prussia is predominantly Protestant, which accounts more than 75 % of their population. Protestant diffusion came to a halt in the western provinces (Rhineland and Westphalia) and in the eastern parts which were predominantly Polish speaking. As a general tendency, the predominantly Protestant regions in the centre of Prussia are also economically more successful (Figures 3a and 3b). Another centre of economic progressiveness is the western rural area with its mineral resources, in which not all residents were Protestants. The idea of having a positive correlation between Protestantism and the growth of per capita income in Prussia does not hold in the North-eastern and the Western Part of the region. The north-eastern part has a predominantly protestant population but it was not reflective to the percentage share of employment in manufacturing and services, they only have less than 22% share. In the western part, in which less than 22% of the population were Protestants, revealed a larger share of employment in manufacturing and services with more than 30% Becker and Woessmann have disputed Weber's idea that Protestantism itself generates greater growth. They have suggested that higher literacy among Protestants was responsible for greater growth of per capita income; it's not because of religion alone. The idea of Becker and Woessmann of literacy being the key factor to economic progress was base on Luther's Educational Postulations. Luther was the first one to translate the Latin Bible into German. His idea of convincing people to read the gospel, instead of a priest reading it to them, has lead to his advocacy of teaching them to read (in order for them to understand the bible). Luther has explicitly urged for the expansion of education (cf. Rupp 1996a, 1996b, 1998). Quite obviously, if one wants to read the Bible, one must be able to read. Very early on, in what is generally viewed his first major pamphlet that signified the breakthrough of the Reformation among the general public, To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation Concerning the Reform of the Christian Estate, Luther (1520, pp. 461-462) explicitly demanded that every town should have both a boys' and a girls' school where every child should learn to read the Holy Scriptures, in particular the Gospel. Luther's call to teach everyone in order for them to be able to read God's Word by themselves is the key feature for our alternative theory of the relative

Belonging Related Texts Essay Example for Free

Belonging Related Texts Essay What do you think the most powerful influences that impact on an individual’s sense of belonging? * Strictly Ballroom by Baz Lurhmann * The Red Tree by Shaun Tan * Who you are by Jessie J You will almost always find where you belong if you search for it. So ultimately a sense of belonging comes down to perception. This starts from places and/ or relationships, which potentially alter your understanding or you and the world around you, so you can accept the person you are and your individual identity by creating this sense of belonging. In strictly ballroom by Baz Lurhmann, The Red Tree by Shaun Tan and who you are by Jessie J the composers use a wide range of techniques to convey the ideas belonging through forcible authority, challenging authority and alienation. These are illustrated through the concept of belonging to a person or place. These three ideas demonstrate what the most powerful influences are that can cause someone to feel a part of something or not. Forcible authority is illustrated in the film ‘Strictly Ballroom’ by Baz Lurhmann. Forcible authority is when a person or group has the power to make you feel a certain way that you may not agree on and make you feel as though you do or don’t belong. This is conveyed in the film when Barry Fife the president of Australian Dance Federation (ADF) forces Scott Hastings to dance a particular way. The forcible authority is demonstrated in Strictly Ballroom with close ups and bright lighting on Barry’s face. This creates attention and power to the audience’s concept on Barry. Scott then feels isolated from the ADF as a result of Barry’s ideas for the ADF. Forcible Authority is also shown in ‘The Red Tree’ by Shaun Tan. This is conveyed through visual techniques of the little girl standing alone in many pages of the book. The concept of a powerful influence is a little red leaf with â€Å"without sense or reason† this demonstrates herself as a symbol of the ‘little red leaf’ with many factors contributing to that idea. E. g. ‘The little girl with the red hair’ The little girl becomes frustrated by society and not being able to find her place or where she feels she belongs without sense or reason. Here the most powerful influences that influence the little girl is her on mind set on other people and how she see’s everyone trying to conform and belong to a place she hasn’t been nor understands. Forcible authority is again conveyed in the song ‘who you are’ by Jessie J through the singers lyrics. Jessie illustrates a strong opinion on society’s sense of belonging when she states â€Å"forget how to fit the mold, yeah! † this informs the audience that society’s conception of belonging is based on a mould and she feels out casted because she doesn’t know how to find her place in society anymore. Jessie feels as though society has clung to a certain way of thinking and living, this is because of the forcible authority, which is the society as a powerful influence on Jessie’s sense of belonging. Challenging Authority is another idea shown in ‘strictly Ballroom’ this can be when you choose to do something about following other rules from a higher authority. This is illustrated when Scott is introduced to Fran’s grandmother Ya Ya. She explains that dancing comes from the heart. The close ups of Ya Ya’s hands beating the traditional rhythm of the Paso Doble on Scott’s chest gives both Scott and Fran the inspiration to dance their own moves which demonstrates to the Audience how they are challenging authority and now have somewhere to belong to. Challenging authority is illustrated in ‘The Red Tree’ when the little girl struggles to find herself in society; this becomes an issue throughout the whole book, always feeling as though she didn’t belong. The very last page is her standing in her room with a large Red Tree filled with lots of red leaves and you can see that she has accepted herself in the society. She has done this because she has a glowing smile on her face. Jessie demonstrates challenging authority in â€Å"Who you are† by giving advice to other people to be yourself instead of living a lie and following society’s rules. This is illustrated when Jessie sings â€Å"Don’t lose who you are in the blur of the stars! † Alienation is the estrangement of somebody who is forced or unforced to distance people from each other or of people from what is important or meaningful to them. Strictly Ballroom demonstrates many moments of alienation, one particularly is Scott feeling as though he doesn’t belong in the ADF because he doesn’t confine with the ballroom dancing rules. This is illustrated when himself and Fran dance their own steps and cause a stir in the ADF judging, this is a powerful impact on belonging because if you don’t follow the rules you are forced to feel neglected. Alienation is also illustrated in The Red Tree through pictures and descriptive language. The visual technique as quoted, â€Å"nobody understands†, It is raining and the brushstrokes are soft but distinctive nd the colours are dull and dark creating the audiences idea of how the girl is feeling. The girl is a seclusion to society showing her being an ‘outsider’, the visual techniques are a powerful influence to belonging and clearly demonstrate how the girl feels alienated by society. Jessie J also shows alienation in ‘Who you are’ b y the visual technique in the film clip, Jessie sings â€Å"Sometimes it’s hard to follow your heart. † In this particular part she is sitting in an empty bathroom with dim lighting, this demonstrates her feelings of loneliness and confusion. Jessie feels confused because she doesn’t know what the right thing to do is and this causes her alienation to the environment she is in, this particular songs provides proof with her excluding herself from society until she makes up her mind. Jessie being the most powerful influence as she is the only one making the decision to alienate herself. Strictly Ballroom by Baz Lurhmann , The Red Tree by Shaun Tan and Who you are by Jessie J all convey powerful influences such as authority to demonstrate people belonging and not belonging . This is conveyed through the techniques of forcible authority, challenging authority and alienation.

Hrm Practices In Hotel Industry In Australia Management Essay

Hrm Practices In Hotel Industry In Australia Management Essay There has been widening recognition that human resource management strategies (HRM) impact organisational performance and overall effectiveness particularly in the service industry where strategic HR practices can contribute to competitive edge (Cheng Brown, 1998). The hospitality and tourism industry essentially comprises a service and production sector and with the immense emphasis on service quality, people essentially represent the entire industry. The success of the industry is dependant on the calibre of its employees and how they are managed in order to help the organisation achieve its objectives. HRM practices in smaller organisations are given comparatively a lower priority with larger hospitality organisations. (Kelliher Johnson, 1987)have recorded studies to suggest that even larger hotels have not yet developed a model for HRM but is moving away from personnel management in the past two decades. The major challenges faced by the hospitality industry and organisations w ithin this industry are that the industry is known for poor pay and employment conditions and a low take-up of HR practices. It is also generally believed that the industry has relied extensively on low-cost, numerically flexible and disposable workforce. Within the Australian context, there has been controversy regarding the extent to which organisations are moving away from a low wage, low-road approach to HRM exemplified by high levels of contingent labour towards a more systematic high commitment approach consistent with functionally flexible, enabling work practices (Angela Knox Walsh, 2005). The key issues that have central implications for strategic HRM are the casualisation of the workforce and high employee turnover within the industry and human resource managers need to utilise practices that enable them to have flexibility with respect to employment contracts and casual labour and also have strategic objectives to reduce the high employee turnover. This report attempts t o identify the key issues within the Hospitality and tourism industry like casualisation of the workforce, employee turnover and its implications for strategic human resource management. The report also discusses the case of Marriott International Inc., a large hotel chain operating within Australia and world over and attempts to identify if there are trends of best practices within its HR department which can be applicable to the entire industry. 2. HRM practices in Hotel industry in Australia (Lockyer Scholaris, 2004)conducted a survey that revealed that there was a lack of systematic selection procedures in the hotel industry particularly the small hotels and the larger hotel chains were having difficulties meeting the demands imposed by the labour market and other recruitment constraints. HR practitioners must have a tacit knowledge of a hotels local labour market and customer base to be able to make strategic selection procedures. Recruiting and selecting staff members is essential to an organisation and since the hospitality industry is largely a service industry, the employees should also be considered as assets. Hiring practices in Australia have moved from traditional methods (advertising, walk-ins, selection interviews, reference checking, etc.) to more strategic approaches like networking, internal labour market, behavioural interviewing, targeted selection, etc. Australian hospitality industry trends suggest that there is more internal recruitment within organi sations and internal recruitment is inclusive of transfers and promotions of casual and part time staff. Recruiting methods in Australia are seen to be predominantly strategic but less innovative. Australian hotels place high emphasis on the recruitment and selection process to attempt to reduce employee turnover and there is a large number of casual labour hired especially amongst the young because of the ease of entry. Consequently it can also be recognised that effective training and development practices within the service industries is imperative to providing a unique and differentiating standard of service, enabling increased profitability and bottom line results. According to the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), the hospitality and tourism industry is the largest sector and effective HR practices like training and remuneration and will benefit the organisation succinctly through their implementation (Taylor Davies, 2004). Australian hotels use a number of methods to identify the training needs of the employees by usually analysing guest comment cards, consultation sessions amongst employees etc. The industry being highly labour intensive poses a major task for the management of this labour as the product delivery is conversely based on the effectiveness and manner in which service is delivered within the industry. The hotel industry is associated with long, unsociable hours and poor working conditions highlights the poor pay, low skills and lack of career opportunities as characteristics that influence the attraction, development and retention of managers.(OLeary Deegan, 2005), (G. Martin Woldring, 2001). Therefore a high emphasis must also be laid on the development of managers. (Brophy Keily, 2002) developed a competency framework for middle level hotel managers by mapping these to the key results areas of customer care, quality and standards, managing staff, achieving profitability and growing the business. They highlight the importance of operational activities for middle managers, concurring with the finding of (Watson McCracken, 2002)and (Watson, McCracken, Hughes, 2004) Another area of importance is performance management and most hotels practice procedures like the performance development plan (PDP) which involves employee feedback and input and are integrated into the performance appraisal plan (Cheng Brown, 1998). The practices adopted in Austrlian hospitality firms are a combination of self appraisal in conjunction with supervisor subordinate evaluation. This practice has been widely adopted by a number of Australian firms because it is perceived to be a more balanced assessment of the employees but a strategic and functional practice which can be adopted is the 360 degree feedback because this is a service oriented industry and the feedback from customers and peers would certainly benefit the evaluation of an employees performance. There is also an underlying practice amongst Australian hotel industry employers regarding employment relations and they engage directly in firm-level bargaining with trade unions. The Australian hotel industry was characterised by poor union participation but in recent years, evidence from (Angie Knox Nickson, 2007) suggests that this is not the case especially in larger firms. The union representation of this industry approximates about 37 percent density according to Australian Workplace Industrial Relations Survey. Wages and employment conditions are regulated by legally enforceable awards and Australian hotels are regulated by a combination of federal awards and collective agreements (Angie Knox Nickson, 2007). This in turn has a cascading effect on the type of employment relationship in existence and also introduces the issues pertaining to the hiring of causal labour, part time employment of majority of the entry level service jobs and also the prominent problem of employee retention. The most significant challenge faced by HR practioners is to work effectively with other function managers within the hotel to create integrative plans that help the firms achieve their business objectives and to link the strategic goals of the Human Resource function to that of the other departments and the organisation as a whole (Tracey Charpentier, 2004). This involves intensive practices of Corporate Social Responsibility implemented by the HR function but aligned with the organisational objectives. The interest in business ethics in Australia has also increased with significant research being conducted not only on the role of the HR function but also its ethical implementation. There is a low consensus among HR managers in translating ethical principles into organisational practice and strategic HRM helps to implement these principles and minimise the deficit in transfer of knowledge. Business ethics and the role of HRM is significant here as it includes the concept of product ivity, profitability, efficiency and effectiveness in achieving the organizations basic purposes, comply with legal requirements, or, alternatively, that they succeed in avoiding legal threats and to improve quality of work life, to ensure fairness in policies, and to foster harmonious relationships between management and workers. Therefore strategic HRM is important to achieve organisational goals and therefore achieve better firm performance (A. Martin, Mactaggart, Bowden, 2006). This sort of Strategic HRM practices can be seen in the case analysed below of Marriott International Inc. which is a large international hotel chain also operating within Australia. 3. Marriott International Inc. The case of Marriott International Inc. illustrates some best practice principles which have resulted in the organisation being awarded the employer of choice awards a number of times and placed 50th in a leading newspaper as the Best Company to Work For. Marriott uses its employees as a brand differentiation strategy as revealed by their surveys with employees which was the outstanding service qualities delivered by the employees. Marriott International Inc. has an organisational culture of spirit to serve whereby they use a three stage approach to implementing these strategies. Training programs lasting five days are conducted on a periodic basis for their leaders and managers and have a map of customer expectations created and a plan to exceed those predicted expectations. Managers are given techniques to improve self motivation and that of their team through positive attitude including visualisation, writing goals down, and positive vocabulary. They are also equipped with culture change to drive their business. They also deliver 15 minute training sessions that cover major aspects of job quality and also have a daily basics training that covers on one of the basics to deliver good products. Marriott has recognised that the only way to deliver the brand is through their people (Anonymous, 2003). Marriott is committed to fair treatment of associates and to providing training and advancement opportunities to all employees. Diversity is also an important policy in Marriott. The company believes that this is the way they attract, develop and retain talent people. Such diversity is not only within group, but also applies to suppliers, customers, owners and so on. Marriott states that one of major efforts are devoted to recognize associate hard work, provide health care, and create opportunity for growth and career development. The company is trying to build an associate-centered environment. Therefore, it provides a total compensation package which include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Medical, Dental, Life, and Disability Insurance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Annual Salary Increases à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Continuing Education/Tuition Reimbursement à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Hotel Room and Food Beverage Discounts à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ongoing Training and Career Development Marriott International Inc has a formal corporate culture; there are also holistically planned HR policies, although there are different emphases between those formal corporate culture and HR policies (Fu Liu, 2005). Marriott award their employees with the highest award, which is the J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence and the selection is made from over 300,000 employees (Anonymous, 1996). The company also awards employees on their excellence towards corporate social responsibility with the Alice S. Marriott Award for Community Service which goes to show their efforts towards building an ethical and socially responsible organisation through their spirit to serve our community efforts (Anonymous, 2003). Marriott International Inc., also has programs with its low-skilled, low-wage workers to offer them opportunities with day care, English classes, and other social services for loyalty, enthusiasm, and a low turnover rate. Employee stock options are also part of the package. This is one instance where the self-interest of low-skilled, low-wage employees coincides with the self-interest of their employer (Bethesda, 2009). It can clearly be noted here that considering the levels of the casual workforce in Australia, Marriott has made arrangements to attract and retain even these types of employees. Since, Marriott, have recognised that the hospitality industry is a labour-intensive service industry, depending for its success on the social and technical skills of its personnel, their ingenuity and hard work, their commitment and attitude, they have created a conducive environment to treat their internal customers with priority and it permeates to all the HR functions. 4. Casualisation of the workforce in Australia The Australian context of the tourism and hospitality industry has been characterised by casual employment which has been permitted under labour regulation with concerns of it being precarious (Campbell Brosnan). (Wooden Warren, 2004) also emphasises that this is one of the distinctive features of the Austrlian labour market and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data suggest that just over 27 percent of all employees were employed on a casual basis. Australian Employment law Guide reports that this percentage has been progressively increasing in the past 5 years as shown in Appendix 1 in terms of the number of labour hours worked. Milman suggests that 51.3 percent of teens are employed on a casual basis within the hospitality tourism and retail industries which is a significantly large number of casual workers. On the other hand (Angela Knox Walsh, 2005) suggests that research shows that a number of managers are employing temporary and casual workers and, to a lesser exten t, part-time employees, as well as female, ethnic minority and immigrant labour. The increased number of casual employees is largely filled by young workers especially in the Food and Beverage outlets, Banquets and Housekeeping. There is almost no qualification required for these entry level positions and employees are usually trained on the job. The employment of temporary and casual workers is shaped by fluctuations in customer demand and the size and number of extra events and functions that are scheduled during the day and tight labour cost-control practices are considered to be a key characteristic of HRM in the Australian hotel industry. These characteristics have been the primary reason for the employment of causal and temporary workers based on demand. This form of employment can be seen as employment that falls under Total Quality Management, where employment is on the basis of production, or in this case service demands. As labour regulation has developed, casual employment has come to be firmly embedded in labour regulation. Casual employment has a number of characteristics irrespective of the industry being examined and this can be further reiterated by the laws that provide for casual and temporary employment. The Australian Employment Guide says that it is important to distinguish casual contracts from continuing contracts because by definition casual contracts impose no obligation on either party to continue the relationship. Each period of hiring is distinct and severable and any continuing relationship does not mean in law a continuing contract. In casual contracts, therefore, there is a work/pay bargain that: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ provides no continuity of employment, and consequently no obligation on the employer to provide, or continue to provide, work; and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ directly ties work, output or time spent to the rate of pay. This is so whether the nature of the payment is on a piece-work or time-rate basis. The issues here that develop as a direct consequence of this kind of employment include but are not limited to greater job insecurity, low pay, limited opportunities for career progression, unsatisfactory working hours, low levels of access to work-related training and low levels of union representation. Even though the union membership has increased significantly over the past few years within the hospitality industry, the union membership for casual employees is virtually non existent. Wooden conducted research which provides conclusive evidence that although there are negative attributes of casual employment, it is extremely misleading to characterise non-standard jobs as sub-standard jobs. It thus follows that initiatives intended to inhibit the diversity of employment options that are available to employers will often not result in changes in working arrangements that will be unambiguously preferred by employees. If Australia wishes to develop a committed, highly skilled workforce, it must offer jobs which are secure and where the employees receive benefits commensurate with their skills and experience; in other words the many holes in the legislative and administrative framework need to be tightened up so that casual work is not abused. The practices used by Marriott International Inc. as described earlier have been very useful in preserving the ethical integrity of casual employment within the hospitality industry in Australia and even hotels like Hilton offer its employees a work at home option to improve both company as well as employee growth and performance. The research findings of (Angela Knox Walsh, 2005) also suggest that a number of recent studies have challenged the notion that the hotel industry takes an unequivocally low-road approach to employment and HRM matters and this reflects insights from research studies on the hotel industry that suggest that differences in employer po licy and practice may well reflect variations in organisational size and market position. As in the case of Marriott which is a large company with 300, 000 employees and with percentage of net profit to be 14.4 percent (appendix 2), the company size and market position have allowed it to take the high road and utilise the HRM function as a source of competitive advantage and align it consistently with the business strategy, goals and objectives. 5. Staff retention and high turnover The Australian hospitality and tourism industry not unlike the rest of the world is notably a highly labour intensive industry with employees often taking on varying degrees of work load and pressure within the service construct. Employees, especially entry level, casual, part time and temporary employees are often faced with high pressure work systems where performance is given considerable importance which has direct impacts on firm performance on the whole. Most leading hotel chains even have regulations on grooming standards and codes of conduct of employees and employees can be dismissed based on those grounds. This puts added pressure on the workers which can lead to an increased percentage of staff turnovers. The prominent issue that arises from high staff turnover is naturally increased personnel costs incurred because of recruiting and training new replacements, but the turnover analysis is often ignored within the Australian hospitality industry as it is seen as a hidden cost and is considered a normality within the industry itself (Cheng Brown, 1998) (Dibble, 1999) suggests that turnover may be caused by personal or personality factors, family issues, work, team relations, as well as organisational structure and strategic human resource practices. (Cheng Brown, 1998)Cheng and brown here suggest that HR practices should pervade every HR function and the organisation itself to reduce the turnover within the industry. Organisations that employ more flexible HR practices have a greater probability to induce low employee turnover. (Davies, Taylor, Savery, 2001) conducted research in hotels in western Australia that enlightened the fact that although researchers have long spoken about the numerous HR functions like training, performance appraisal, remuneration, employee development and their effect in reducing turnover, the most prominent function that indicates an improvement in quality, productivity and reduced employee turnover is the training function. Employees feel empowered and committed to the organisation for the training re ceived by them. The kind of training within the hotel industry can be skills acquisition, performance management training, leadership and development etc. Although the current economic crisis has increased the availability of talented labour for the hospitality it is still imperative to integrate HRM functions to retain employees within the organisation. 6. Recommendations The HRM department of Australian hospitality and tourism industry although strategic in their approach towards their function, needs to adapt to the increasing demands of the industry and the high increase in casual work force. HR managers need to conduct substanstiative training and development activities to empower even their casual staff to reduce turnover and utilise employees as a source of competitive advantage for firms. They need to align their strategy with the goals and objectives of the organisation itself so as to be able to recruit and select appropriate employees whether it is causal, part time or full time employees. Increasing the benefits and compensation given to employees also reduces the turnover in the industry as clearly indicated by the Marriott case. Providing low cost benefits for casual employees and training reduces the annual turnover and increases firm performance. 7. Conclusion The Australian hotel industry is highly dynamic and has various attributes to it; most significant of those are the casualisation of the workforce and high turnover. The recommendations put to practice certainly aides organisations perform better and reduces the negative implications for the HR department within these organisations. Taking a High road approach and focussing on delivery of quality helps the HR managers to focus on training and development of the employees and to increase higher commitment from them. The areas of significant change likely within the hospitality industry are technology, power paradigms, training and development, compensation programs, employee relations and family, social and work life balance. These areas need to be facilitated by the Human resource managers by integrating their practices to ensure high firm performance and low turnover by empowering employees.

A Comparison of Schools in the U.S. and Japan Essay -- Essays Papers J

A Comparison of Schools in the U.S. and Japan In Japanese schools, from elementary schools to universities, teachers direct what students should do or how they should be. Students follow the school rules and the directions of teachers. In American schools, on the other hand, students have to be more independent than Japanese students in many ways. Because of differences between Japanese and American schools, Japanese students who begin to study in an American school are shocked, and they take a pretty long time to adjust themselves to the way of American schools. Differences between schools in the two countries are seen in classrooms and during classes: the style of lectures, the relationship between student and teachers, and the style of examinations. First, many Japanese students are surprised by American schools because American students pay much attention to teachers, and also they interrupt teachers to ask questions or to express their opinions. The style of teaching in the U.S. is completely different from Japan, especially in two points. One difference is that teachers in Japan expect students to be quiet in classes. In general, teachers explain the content of textbooks, hand-outs, and other materials. But in American schools, teachers think class participation is very important, and they require students to give their opinions or ask questions in classes. Another difference is that teachers in Japan write down important things on a blackboard, but teachers in the U.S. seldom write everything; they just explain orally. Japanese students are very quiet during classes, and all they do is listen to teachers and copy what teachers write on blackboards. They seldom ask questions during classes but ask friends or teac... ... classes. School systems, including grading systems and examination styles, in Japan and the U.S. are quite different. Also, the relationship between students and teachers is completely different. Most Japanese students who transfer from Japanese schools to American schools, or who go to an American school after they graduate from a Japanese school, may be shocked by the new and different systems and the relationship to their teachers. For Japanese students, the way of American schools seems very difficult--to attend classes, to study, and to understand the system itself--but they also notice that they can study and live to the fullest as a student, as they talk or argue for or against other students or teachers in the classes. Also, they can get satisfaction from learning and understanding every class through the relationship between teachers and other students.

Scarlet Letter Charactor Analysis :: essays research papers

Hester Prynne was a beautiful, young, tall woman with shiny dark hair, piercing black eyes, and a beautiful complexion. She was living in Amsterdam with her husband, Roger Chillingworth, until he sent her to America alone while he cleared up business matters. In America, Hester had a love affair with Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale and realized she was pregnant with his baby. Nobody realized who the father was, so the Reverend couldn’t be punished. However, Hester was forced to wear a large scarlet A(representing Adultery) on her dress. It was a well-known symbol, so everybody knew she had committed adultery and were astonished. This was because adultery was a sin explained in the Seventh Commandment. Hester felt ashamed. After she completed community service, she truly learned her lesson and her citizens accepted her once again. She was also permitted back into Boston after her daughter married and the father of the baby died. She then became a reverend figure whom people confide d in and received sympathy from. Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale was young, very pale, and his body was fragile. He had large, caring eyes and a sweet, youthful personality women adored. He was shy and mainly kept to himself. Reverend Dimmesdale was deeply loved by his congregation because of his emotional way of speaking. Being a well-educated, trustworthy, highly admired pastor, no one suspected him to be the father of Hester’s baby. Finally, his conscience fell into play and he admitted to his sin. Immediately after confessing, he passed away. Roger Chillingworth was Hester’s husband. He was small and thin with dim eyes, a wrinkled face, and deformed shoulders(one was higher than the other). To me, he made an awkward couple with Hester, considering she was considered gorgeous. After he cleared his business matters in Amsterdam, he attempted to join his wife, Hester Prynne, in America. However, he was captured by Indians. By the time he reached his wife, 2 years since he last saw her, she was already up on the scaffold. He visited her in prison and pleaded for her not to reveal the fact he was her husband. He’d be ashamed to marry a disgrace people looked down on. However, he too should have been ashamed. He also committed sins. The first was marrying Hester. Although she had no desire to become hitched to him, he ignored that fact. The love was unrequited. The other sin was when he judged Reverend Dimmesdale and spent hours scheming up plots to make him lose his sanity, while he pretended to be his loyal frie nd.

vote for me :: essays research papers

It has been a year since the networks called the election for Al Gore, then for George W. Bush, which caused Gore to concede to Bush, after which the news of the closeness of the Florida vote caused Gore to retract his concession. Armies of lawyers then descended upon Florida and the nation was buried in a flurry of dimpled ballots and falling chads. Almost immediately, a number of influential academics, pundits, and political leaders seized the opportunity of confusion in Florida to blame the Electoral College and urge us to throw it out in favor of a simple national vote. Their cry for a more direct democracy makes a nice bumper sticker for their Volvos, but would it make good law? A new study released this week by the McConnell Center for Political Leadership at the University of Louisville casts doubt on the wisdom of those who would abolish our constitutional system of presidential elections and shows that much of what we think we know about the Electoral College is wrong. " Electing the President in the 21st Century" is based on survey responses of leading academic observers from across the nation. It provides sober warnings for those who would urge the abandonment of the system of presidential elections that has served the nation well for more than two centuries. Among the misunderstandings corrected by this study are several myths that have grown up around the Electoral College. Myth 1: An Election based on a national popular vote would have spared us the Florida debacle of hanging chads and dimpled ballots. Actually, the Electoral College saved us from a much worse national nightmare. The existence of the Electoral College that made the outcome of the election hinge on the winner of Florida's 25 electors served to focus the attention of the parties and the media in one state (and, in fact a few counties in that state). Imagine the trauma that would have befallen the nation in such a close election if a simple plurality of the national vote determined the outcome of the election? With just a few hundred thousand votes separating the candidates, every vote in every precinct, in every state would have been worthy of a recount and every recount in every county subject to suit and countersuit. When would it ever have ended? Myth 2: A direct national election would be more representative of the diversity of the nation.

Drama Script About Office

â€Å"OFFICE WORKERS† Cast: * Den Mae Pangilinan as Cheng Shi( in Sales Department ) * Cristine Joise Causo as Ms. Quin (Manager of Sales Department) * Analyn Miranda as Lee Min/ Rhen Yue ( in HR Department ) (VP in Merchandising) * Jennica Dela Cruz as Jing Shi ( CEO ) * Jeffrey Nartates  as Mr. Roy (in Sales Department) * Joseph Dela Cruz as Patrick Li ( Manager in Merchandising Department ) * Angelica Javate as Lyn Shao ( VP ) * Gracielle Ann Garcia as Ms. Rhue ( Employee ) * Charmaine Dela Cruz as Ms. Yao ( Assistant Manager of Manager in Merchandising Dep’t. * Joanalene Tanangonan as Ms. Yi ( Secretary of Jing Shi ) Directed by: Group 5 Submitted to: Mrs. Jennifer G. Fronda SYNOPSIS: Cheng Shi is a MBA graduate who has everything handed to her because she is the future successor of Jingshi Department Store. However, her mother worries she will not make a good manager and decides to train her by having him work as an entry-level employee for a year. During the yea r she has to live on her own salary and never reveal her true identity, or she will have to renounce his succession right. Shi could not have survived the year has it not been for Mr. Roy’s office survival guide. Mr.Roy is a Jingshi marketing specialist who has just saved her first Php 50, 000 for the down payment on a house. She works very hard to achieve her goal. Together, Roy and Cheng accomplish the impossible, which is to shine on the bottom of the office pyramid. SCENE 1: Narration Narrator: My name is Christian Roy, an employee in Sales Department of Jing Shi Department Store. I’ve been in the workforce for four years, never treat others, don’t buy clothes that cost more than Php. 1, 000, don’t go to the movies, don’t go to KTV (Karaoke), don’t take the taxi, I’m so frugal because I want to buy my own house where mom and I can live in.Today is the day I’ve been anticipating most. Heaven sees all our hard work. As an off ice boy, I swallow my pride, endure and suffer through anything, work overtime everyday and don’t feel tired, never fight back when my boss yells at me, Im frugal with my money, and from my limited income, I’ve saved first 50, 000 pesos of my life. Although this 50, 000 pesos is just a little dent in the global economy, it’s a big step in my life. This 50, 000 pesos put me one step closer to my dream of buying a house. Some people may think that the life of an office boy is very boring, but I don’t think so one bit.I love WORKING! (AT THE OFFICE) ( 8:00 am ) Ms. Quin: Hey! Ms. Lee Min, may I ask what you are doing? Let me see what you are holding? -Ohh.. you aren’t trying to clock in for Christian Roy from Sales, are you? Ms. Min: of course not, manager. -I’m afraid that once Roy get’s here, he won’t be able to find her card, so I’m holding it for him. Ms. Quin: What are you holding when he’s not here! Clocking in for others is seriously against company policy. You’re in the HR Department and you didn’t know that rule? I don’t want to complain about you young ones, we all work hard to†¦ Ms.Min: Manager, there’s a hot guy. Ms. Quin: Where’s the guy? (Min will get the card of Roy on the hand of manager. Roy will clock in at exactly 8:00 am) Mr. Roy: Yes! (Dance) Ms. Quin: That’s enough. Mr. Roy, you got lucky. If not, I was thinking that your history of four years of perfect attendance would have been ruined. Mr. Roy: Manager, from now on, I’ll leave my house earlier. Ms. Quin: In the afternoon, I’m having a meeting with the CEO. Hurry and prepare the past three months of sales performance report and put it on my desk. Ok? Mr. Roy: Manager!But isn’t it your responsibility to gather the sales report for meeting? Ms. Quin: oh yeah! (smile) Of course that’s something that I, as manager, have to report. But you’re re sponsible in gathering the data. Get on it! Now! (The steps of Ms. Quin would cross Ms. Min) Ms. Quin: Move! (Ms. Min will act threateningly to Ms. Quin) SCENE 2: AT THE OFFICE OF MANAGER (AFTERNOON) Ms. Quin: I told you to prepare a sales report and you really did gather all this crap for me. Take a look. The numbers are so squished and condensed; CEO will get angry at the sight of it. (angry) (sigh) didn’t I tell you before?Pick a few goals, think of some slogan, so when everyone’s in the meeting, ‘ho hey’ or â€Å"wow† all the managers will applaud you and say that you’re the best. Here, do it again. Look for yourself, such a thick stack, are you turning in a thesis? Listen carefully. The version that you redo cannot be more than two A4 pages. Put it on my desk when you’re done. Got it? Mr. Roy: yes! I got it. Ms. Quin: I still have a few more meetings. (exit) SCENE 3: (AIRPORT) Ms. Cheng Shi: Ms. Yi, I'm here. Which car are you dri ving to pick me up? What? I don't care. If it doesn't fit, that's your problem. (Angry) Gossh. become irritated) Background Music (Department Store) Ms. Yi: Good morning Maam. Ms. Cheng Shi: Why did you bring me to the department store? Ms. Yi: The President told me to bring you here directly. Ms. Cheng Shi: Why's she so impatient? Can't she let me first take a rest? She isn't wanting to discuss my inheriting the company, is she? Ms. Yi: I’m not sure maam. SCENE 4: CEO OFFICE Ms. Cheng Shi: Mom. Did you take a look at the proposal which I mailed you before I returned? Great, isn't it? Ms. Jing Shi: I looked at it. Of course I looked at it. It's the proposal that wanted to tear down the old neighborhood around the department store.From now on, you'll start at the bottom of the company. Work hard. Cheng Shi: Stop kidding around. The point of sending me to the US to get an MBA is so that I can inherit the company and become the CEO. I'm ready! Ms. Jing Shi: You're ready†¦ f or what? Are you ready to ruin my life's work? Your studying in the US, tell me how much of my money you spent! Other people can get their degree in two years. You took five years. When you were a student, you didn't wake up in the day and didn't sleep at night. Exactly what you were doing, think I don't know? Ms. Cheng Shi: Mom, I admit that in the past, I liked to play a little too much.But right now, I'm set on expanding the business. I understand your intention to have me start from the bottom. I can make do with starting from Manager. Ms. Jing Shi: Manager? Ms. Cheng: Yes. Ms. Jing Shi: All right. From now on, you are the new employee in the Sales Department of Jing Shi Department Store. Go and start as an assistant. Ms. Cheng: No, Manager. Ms. Jing: Start as an assistant. In the future, you can only spend the money that you earn. And you must sign these five clauses. One, you must not reveal your identity at the company. Two, your year-end performance must be above â€Å"very good†. Three, you can't use my money.You can't use your credit card. Four, you can't live at home. Five, you can't reveal this contract. If within a year you haven't violated this contract, then I will consider your inheritance of this company. Ms. Cheng: What if I violate the contract? Ms. Jing: Then, that means you don't have the ability to survive in the workforce, so don't even talk about managing. Why are you laughing? Ms. Cheng: What did I do that made you look down on me? I don't want to inherit the company anymore, all right? SCENE 5: CEO OFFICE (Knocking the door) CEO (Ms. Jing): come in. Ms. Shao: President CEO: you’ve worked with me the longest.You understand my daughter too. I think that you would agree my decision. Will you help me to discipline my daughter and take the opportunities I offered to her? Ms. Shao: (agree) CEO: Jing Shi Department Store is like my daughter. I don’t want to ruin her life and to destroy her of the other. Ms. Shao: Donâ₠¬â„¢t worry. Leave it to me. CEO: Thank you. SCENE 6: HR DEPARTMENT ( AT THE VP OFFICE) Ms. Shao: Cheng, your mother sent you abroad to study, not to play. MS. Cheng: I did. I even got my diploma. (take a coffee) all she wanted was that diploma. Ms. Shao: let me tell you, your mother is serious this time. If you show her good results†¦ Ms.Cheng: Auntie Shao, you’ve worked with her more than 10 years, you don’t know her past time, do you? She takes great joy in rejecting me. No matter how good a job I do, she’ll never be satisfied. I sometimes question whether I’m her biological daughter. Ms. Shao: of course you are! Why am I telling you all this? (sigh) then use your actions to prove to your mother that she’s wrong. This is your contract (give the pen) unless you don’t have the guts. Oh. And from now on please call me â€Å"VP Shao† Ms. Cheng: Yes VP Shao. May I ask if you have any other orders? Ms. Shao: yes. This is your accoun t book. Also Mr.Ralph has already rented a house for you. From now on, you have to move out and live on your own. The keys and address are inside. Ms. Cheng: (open the envelop) 5, 000? Is it dollars or euro? Ms. Shao: Philippine peso Ms. Cheng: Impossible! Ms. Shao: Possible! Ms. Cheng: My expense for one night is more than 3, 000! Ms. Shao: you should know this is the first time the company’s paid a salary in advance. Your future salary will be deducted to reflect that. You have to understand. The company’s been in business for more than ten years. This is the first time that an employee’s been paid in advance. So you should manage your money wisely.So, what do you think? You can’t afford to play this game? Ms. Cheng: (smile) can I not? Ms. Shao: of course. Then I call you this in future? Ms. Cheng: call me what? Ms. Shao: sissy. Ms. Cheng: I’ll play with her. (sign to contract) SCENE 7: SALES DEPARTMENT Ms. Quin: Mr. Christian Roy! What is this? Look, this page is filled with tiny characters. If you’re so good with small font sizes, why don’t you edit a dictionary? Mr. Roy: (sigh) I’ve already tried my best to focus on the important points, but there is too much data. 2 pages of A4 is not enough. Ms. Quin: A4 was just an example. Take it as an example. Got it?What are you trying to say by making the font so small? Do you want me to hold magnifying glass when I report it to the CEO? How can you comprehension be so low? Mr. Roy: then let me go and increase the size. Ms. Quin: no. never mind. Since, you’ve already done it, got to the meeting with me. Mr. Roy: Meeting? Ms. Quin: What? Are you questioning me? I’m letting you see for yourself how we high class managers hold an inter department meeting. If you aren’t at a certain level, you can’t even attend. It’s your luck to be able to go with me. Cherish and seize this opportunity, got it? Remember, after we go in, only sp eak when I tell you to.Don’t start a fire for me! Mr. Roy: yes sir. Ms. Quin: move. Move! Get on it. SCENE 8: SALES DEPARTMENT Ms. Quin: What? Did you go to the wrong department again? Ms. Min: Manager Quin.. this is the new employee in the Sales Department, Cheng Shi. This is her resume. Then, she’s all yours. Bye. Ms. Quin: bye.. , Ms. Cheng. Ms. Cheng: yes? Ms. Quin: you studied management. Ms. Cheng: yes. Ms. Quin: hey.. Ms. Cheng: yes? Ms. Quin: if you sent directly from HR, it means you have some connections. Tell me, what’s your connection? Ms. Cheng: I applied for the position myself. No one referred me. Ms. Quin: then listen to me Ms. Cheng Shi. The ost important department in Jing Shi Department is our Sales Department. Under my great and fine guidance, we have the highest performance of all departments. Ok. Ms Shin, do you really think that just because your last name is â€Å"Shin†, you’re the relative of the president or something? Hel lo no! the sales goal for our department is â€Å"do what I tell you to† ok? Hey you (pointing out Roy) this newbie is your responsibility. Mr. Roy: ok. She’s in good hands (Shin will step closer to Ms. Lou) Let me first introduce to you our co-workers. Ms. Cheng: it’s time for my lunch. (back out) Mr. Roy: hey Cheng, its working hours, where are you going?Ms. Cheng: I already told you, to lunch! It’s almost noon. Mr. Roy: I was introducing your co-workers and you didn’t care. Is that the attitude a Newbie should have? Ms. Cheng: then may I ask you what attitude should a newbie have? Mr. Roy: respect your boss! Ms. Cheng: so it doesn’t matter whether the boss is right or wrong, everyone should shut up and blindly follow. That shouldn’t be called respect. Mr. Roy: Oh my! I don’t care. Anyway, manager wants me in charge. If you perform badly, I’m responsible. Ms. Cheng: I’m really hungry. If you have anything to say do it over lunch!. Mr. Roy: grr.. SCENE 8: CONVENTION OFFICECEO: Jing Shi Department Store has always been the top performer of the department store industry. But this season, our sales have slumped badly. The gap between our sales and other five big department stores is narrowing. About this, I believe that each department has already come up with a proposal to reverse this trend. Manager Patrick Li, you go first. Mr. Li: Director, the Merchandising Department has always been able to attract the top brands. Of course, in the future we will to expand our market share. However, the performance of Sales department.. (Smile) the companies that we work with have all had problems.CEO: where’s VP Cruz of Sales? Ms. Quin: Director, VP Cruz has taken the day-off, so I, Ms. Quin, am temporarily taking her spot today. CEO: then does Sales have any thoughts on the matter? Ms. Quin: we do. The Sales Department is â€Å"always be ready†. Christian Roy will report to you. Mr. Roy: Manager, you didn’t ask me to prepare anything. Ms. Quin: I don’t care whether or not you’re prepared. Go for it! Here yes. Mr. Roy: Director, after a long observation period conducted by our department, we found that the companies we work with also work with many other stores. This means the brands lack exclusiveness. Ms. Yao: Ms.Lou, the Merchandising Department has already brought in world-class brands. If you don’t think that’s enough, please describe in detail what has to be done, so that we can improve. Mr. Roy: ahh.. hmm. Sorry Director but I don’t know we need first to conduct a new proposal again. Ms. Yue: Ms. Lou, don’t tell me you only have ideas but no concrete plan of action? How about this? CEO: Sales Department will take care of this case. Now, Mr. Quin how many days do you need? SCENE 9: SALES DEPARTMENT Ms. Rhue: hey, why did you started a fire and in front of Director too? What we need to do now? Mr. Roy: I was just giving an example.Who knew things would turn this way? Ms. Yao: You’re so pitiful Cristine Lou. You’re really a girl we should care about. I have an idea that could help you. Mr. Roy: how? Ms. Yao: easy. Just make an appointment with other competent store.. Ms. Cheng: (laugh) are you kidding Ms. Yao? Do you know guys why sales in the company have fallen? Mr. Roy: who knows? Ms. Cheng: because employee like you guys. You’re either stupid (staring at Lou), take pleasure in other misfortune (looking at Ms. Yao), complain after the fact (looking at Rhue), or have the attitude that it’s best to keep to yourself. I’d be shocked if the company’s sales increased.Mr. Roy: (take a coffee) excuse me. Ms. Yao: besides criticizing and complaining, is there anything else you can do? Ms. Rhue: Correct! Ms. Cheng: I really want to do something, but I don’t have the opportunity. Ms. Rhue: there are opportunities. How could there be none? You can help Cristine Lou to settle this issue. Ms. Cheng: Please take responsibility for your own action. Not my doing. Mr. Roy: Ms. Cheng Shin, I don’t need a newbie who flips through magazines during office hours to help me. Ms. Cheng: thank God. I don’t have any interest in helping a boss who has only experience but no capability. Mr.Roy: what did you say? SCENE 10: NARRATION Ms. Cheng made a secret proposal that can solve the company’s problem. All staffs and employers applaud Ms. Cheng for her great ideas and she is now promoted as the manager replacing its old one which is Ms. Quin. Ms. Cheng experienced some problems but only Roy helps her to come up. That’s why they became friends. Lately, Ms. Jing Shi becomes more proud to her daughter. Christian Roy  is not the best or the hardest worker, neither is he the worst. They enjoy working because it gives him the money to enjoy life. They are the new generation of office workers. Ending: Dance Craze