Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 25

Marketing - Essay Example fragrance is a step in the right direction and Levi Strauss will not have any foreseeable problems in this venture being already a market leader in the apparels business which is also a part of the modeling scenario. However, the ride may not be smooth and it will take the company every effort from the launch of the new products to ensure that the perfume brand does not fall short on any count. The competition is tight and the present players in the field, including the grey market, are not likely to part with their market share without a fight. Internationally, the cosmetics and fragrance market is the domain of the affluent and the middle class. These sections of the population are vigilant. It is also a shifting clientele who are ever on the lookout for better products and will not bat an eyelid to change over to a new brand if it proves to be more effective. Cosmetics and fragrance are products of personal preferences and the packaging is as important as the product. The market is in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia. The clients in each zone have tastes and habits peculiar to the region. Zonal cultures have a role in the preference of cosmetics and fragrance. Hence it is important to keep in view factors that influence sale of the products in different regions. After the launch, the product may require changes in content or outlook for acceptance in different regions. Do not take anything for granted and keep feedback notes so that changes wherever required can be made in the next production batch (Cosmetics market research). The management of territorial markets is necessary to monitor the performance of the products in a specific region. Every outlet is a specific locality and it is important to get the views of the local players for they are knowledgeable about customer needs. Big brands like L’Oreal have strong presence in local markets almost everywhere. L’Oreal invests substantially in research and development. This enables them to keep

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

Company analysis - Essay Example Ans: The firm interacts with the financial markets, as a U.S. private equity firm, has bought a 48% minority interest in lululemon. The markets get the information thy need through these .the markets get the information of the company's position trough other companies feedback . Also ,lululemon athletica when announce divididends all arecatered to . Ans: This firm considers its social responsibility a very vital task; they manage their image in society, by treating their employees well. The employees are remunerated; a charge above the mini mum wage rate. Lululemon athletica offers other good services to its employees as well. This is why the goodwill of lululemon athletica circulates in the economy. Lululemon athletica has always looked at good organization and waste reduction. This is considered by them is actual elegant business. These are particularly taken care of in the production process. . Lululemon athletica is offering other good services to its employees. And so goodwill of lululemon athletica circulates within the society The programme of charitable giving is the one which actually gives the consumers back their power , their power to select from a group of locally held health charities . it is estimated that in the year 2005 lululemon athletica actully gave back almost $300,000 back to their communities . Lululemon athletica also holds , free yoga demonstration classes . further more , activties are held each year to raise funds for the department . II Stockholder analysis: Q: Who is the average investor in this stock (Individual or pension fund, taxable or tax-exempt, small or large, domestic or foreign) Ans: The individuals in this stock are the average investors; they are both small and large groups who are not exempted of taxes. Common stock and the exchangeable shares. Q: Who is the marginal investor in this stock An s: The marginal investor is the companies that are running through these plants frequently are the average investor; lululemon athletica has sold its shares upon some equity firm. They are the ones which are basically apart of the investment. IV. Measuring Investment Returns Q: Is there a typical project for this firm If yes, what would it look like in terms of life (long term or short term), investment needs and cash flow patterns Ans: This Company typically runs a specific project for the firm. This is to have maximum investment, pay the share holders more than the minimum, and pay their employees more than the minimum. This company wants to sustain over the longer term of the business. Q: How good the projects are that lululemon athletica has on its books currently Ans: They look pretty good, lululemon athletica plans to expand its franchises further more, which means more recruitments will need to take place. And alongside that they would definitely have to plan and establish departments respectively . lululemon athletica

The Contradicting Gorgias Philosophy On The Non Existent Philosophy Essay

The Contradicting Gorgias Philosophy On The Non Existent Philosophy Essay Existence, this word affects many primitive philosophers. One of these is Gorgias, he is a nihilist or a person who believes nothing exists, or that the world is incomprehensible, and that the concept of truth is fictitious. He said that Nothing exists; Even if something exists, nothing can be known about it; and Even if something can be known about it, knowledge about it cant be communicated to others. Even if it can be communicated, it cannot be understood. Heidegger  says that the fundamental problem of metaphysics is why there are beings rather than nothing. As it happens, and as Heidegger was certainly aware, there was an answer to this in the earliest days of Greek philosophy.  Parmenides  said, For you could not know that which is not (that is impossible) nor utter it; for the same thing can be thought as can be [the same thing exists for thinking as for being]. That which can be spoken and thought must be; for it is possible for it, but not for nothing, to be; that is what I bid you ponder [The Presocratic Philosophers, G.S. Kirk J.E. Raven, Cambridge University Press, 1964, pp.269-270]. The short answer is thus that beings exist rather than nothing because there  cannot be  nothing. 1The argument that Parmenides offers is that for us to think about something or talk about something, there must be something but nothing by definition is not something. Therefore, we cannot think about it or talk about it, and should not. In other words, we cannot properly use the concept; and when we dont, things like coming into being and perishing. which require non-existence, stop to exist. B. Statement of the problem This study sought to prove that the philosophy of Gorgias about the Non- existent is wrong. The researchers also sought the answers to the following questions: 1. What is existence? 2. How something can exist? 3. How can you sure that something is really existing? C. Significance of the study The researchers hope that the findings of this study helps and give new ideas to the readers. As long as the other philosophers that actually contradicted to Gorgias that this also has the point of view. 2 D. Scope and limitation This research contained the contradicting philosophy of the researchers towards to the philosophy of Gorgias about the Existence. This contains the different perspectives of various philosophers. CHAPTER 2 OVERVIEW ABOUT THE EXISTENCE A. The Existence According to Wikipedia, The word existence comes from the  Latin  word  existere  meaning to appear, to arise, to become, or to be, but literally, it means to stand out. It says that the existence can actually define when something is recognized. Some says that, it is the  world  we are  aware  or conscious  of through our  senses, and that  persists  independently without them.  Others define it to be everything that most people believe  in. When something is already existed in that kind of instance probably it would already knew by others. It is affirmative to the question of whether it is then when we say existence it is always actual and opposed by its nature. And according to Schopenhauer  claimed that everything that exists for knowledge, and hence the whole of this world, is only object in relation to the subject, perception of the perceiver, in a word, representation.  According to him there can be No object without subject because everything o bjective is already conditioned as such in manifold ways by the knowing subject with the forms of its knowing, and presupposes these forms. Materialism  holds that the only thing that exists is  matter that all things are composed of material, and all phenomena or consciousness are the result of material interactions. 3 B. Being The word being is a noun. According to Gilsons theory, it signifies either a being (that is, the substance, nature, and essence of anything existent), or being itself, a property common to all that which can rightly be said to be. The same word is the present participle of the verb to be. As a verb, it no longer signifies something that is, nor even existence in general, but rather the very act whereby any given reality actually is, or exists. Let us call this act a to be, in contradistinction to what is commonly called a being. It appears at once that, at least to the mind, the relation of to be to being is not a reciprocal one. Being is conceivable; to be is not. We cannot possibly conceive an is except as belonging to some thing that is, or exists. But the reverse is not true. Being is quite conceivable apart from actual existence; so much so that the very first and the most universal of all the distinctions in the realm of being is that which divides it into two classes, that of the real and that of the possible. Whether or not an object is present in a set; that is, exists there as a being, is based on universal experience or evidence of it. Existing objects are present to the experience of anyone. It is a legitimate goal therefore for philosophers of being to try to find a principle or element a something accounting for the presence of the object over the other possibility, its non-presence.   In Parmenides philosophy, he begins what he takes to a self-evident truth: it is. It is a truth of reason. It cannot be denied if you say, it is not, then you have proved that it is; for if nothing, its not nothing, rather it is something. Parmenides believed that being is rational; that only what can be thought can exist. Since nothing cannot be thought, there is no nothing, there is only being. 4 C. Cogito Ergo Sum Through reasoning there is a claim that cannot be doubted: when one contemplates one existence, it is not possible to have the slightest doubt that one does in fact exist (Cogito, Ergo Sum I think therefore I am); a philosophical Latin statement proposed by  Renà © Descartes.   The I in claim is not a physical person but an immaterial mind. The Cogito can only prove that I think. And he might just as well infer from it the existence of thought as the existence of I, one cannot be doubted that he thinks, therefore if you think, you are using your mind so your mind is existing. 5 CHAPTER 3 ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION Based on the data that the researchers gathered, the researchers cannot say that there is nothing because if theres nothing, there will nothing to be explained or theres nothing to be communicate. If a man thinks, there will be a something that can explain or can communicate with, in contradiction to the philosophy of Gorgias that Nothing exists; Even if something exists, nothing can be known about it; and even if something can be known about it, knowledge about it cant be communicated to others. Even if it can be communicated, it cannot be understood. So if its true that it cannot be understood, therefore theres no use for him to have a philosophy of nothing because he use to know that there will no knowledge to be understood. For this reason, theres no sense of having a teacher, professor, philosopher, orator etc. if there will no way of understanding. In this case, he himself is having a non-sense philosophy of nothing because the value of a word, phrase, sentence or a paragraph i s based on its knowledge that we can get from it. By the justification of Being of Parmenides, even the things that come into your mind is existing, even if its not existing the present time, it is existing in your mind. We can say that the mind is place where those specific things you think exist. It is it is a truth of reason. It cannot be denied if you say, it is not, then you have proved that it is; for if nothing, its not nothing, rather it is something. Parmenides believed that being is rational; that only what can be thought can exist. Since nothing cannot be thought, there is no nothing, there is only being. And based on the responses of the philosophers about Existence, few of them were actually believe that there can exist. One of them is Rene Descartes perspective. The cogito(mind) can exist through thinking. It more proves that a person is existing by knowing that his mind I existing because whenever you think, you are existing.

Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy of Education Statement Tea

Philosophy of Education I am twenty-eight years old, and have only decided to become a teacher within the past two years. I have always wanted to help people in some way, yet I was not sure of what area or angle to go with my humanitarian instincts. While at University, two of my professors would continually express their feelings on what an impact I would make as a teacher. This planted the seed. I later became pregnant with and gave birth to my daughter. When you are pregnant and have children you have many worries and anxieties, including the stress of who will be caring for and teaching your child. I then examined the public school systems, for it is very difficult to ignore the negative media it has received in just the past few years. Something inside of me has told me that this is where I want to be. Somehow I want to make a difference in that child’s life by showing the child that someone does care and that they do have a positive place in the world. Hopefully this can open the c hild up to the realization that knowledge is the power and the key to a successful and productive life. The more experiences that I acquire in the development of children, the better I understand the nature of the child. I reject Hobbes’ theory of the nasty brute, for I do not view children as being born inherently evil. My views of the nature of children also differ from that of Rousseau, for I do not view children as noble savages being born inherently good. I do advocate the theory of John Locke, the tabula rasa, stating that the mind of a child is born with a blank slate. Marx also plays a key role in my theory of the nature of children. Like Marx, I view human nature as dynamic and changing. In part, I feel ... ...ities out in order to properly to these students. I finally realized that I want to be in a special education setting, for this is my passion. I feel as if I am in a point in my life to begin teaching. Upon completion of my education degree at Concord College, I plan to begin my life as an educator. Not only do I plan to educate my students, but I also plan to further educate myself by obtaining my Masters Degree. My education will not stop at merely obtaining another degree. The world is in constant change, and to effectively teach my students I need to not only be aware of the change, yet I need to be knowledgeable of and interactive with the change. Empowering myself enables me to empower my students. Not only do I desire to obtain my goals as a teacher, yet I also want to assist in the formation of the goals of those who inherit the world.

Ethical Issues in India Essay

For Subject Business Ethics & Corporate Governance 2G Spectrum Scam We have had a number of scams in India; but none bigger than the scam involving the process of allocating unified access service licenses. †¢It is Rs.1.76-lakh crore worth of scam. The amount is approximately 2% of national GDP or 1/3 of current tax revenue of India. It is also equals to annual income of telecom service sector. †¢The former Telecom minister A Raja who according to the CAG, has evaded norms at every level as he carried out the dubious 2G license awards in 2008 at a throw-away price which were pegged at 2001 prices. Beneficiaries: Reliance Communication allegedly had stake 10.7% of in swan telecom.But according to rule a telecom operator cannot own more than 10% stake in another telecom operator company operating  in  same  area. Unitech had no experience in telecom sector but according to rule the license should be given to those who have experience in telecom sector. They got license for throw away price of Rs. 1661 crore. It sold its 60% stake to Telenor at Rs. 6200 crore. Swan Telecom got license for Rs. 1500 Crore.it sold 45% stake to UAE based Etisalat at Rs. 9800  crore. Swan  Telecom  had  no  experience  in  telecom  sector. Other beneficiaries include Datcom solution, Loop Telecom, Tata teleservice, STel ltd, Idea cellular & spice communication. Ethical issues: With outbreak of 2G scam following ethical issues on the part of Government, Regulatory bodies, Media & industry came into forefront. Governance: Spirit of collective responsibility not conserved.  Seemed like throwback to the license raj era. Regulation: Toothless with only advisory powers. Insufficient manpower worsens the situation  Appointment process aid conflict of interests  Proper decentralization of powers & implementation of existing rules may have prevented this scam. Media should understand its responsibility towards people of India. Adequate power & resources should make available to regulatory bodies. Common Wealth Games Fraud The Delhi Common Wealth Games (CWG) investigations by Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) revealed irregularities and fraudulent practices adopted by the organization committee members.  The estimated figure for misappropriation of funds is Rs 8000 crore (Rs 80,000 million). The investigations have recently commenced and the problems reported are as follows. †¢ Purchase contracts signed with varying rates for the same product †¢Prices over-inflated in some contracts †¢Contracts given to relatives and friends †¢Sub-standard products purchased †¢Vendor payments made without confirming quality and delivery †¢Payments made to non-existent vendors The organization committee members ignored the Prevention of Corruption Act and government procedures for contracts and tenders. Ethical issues: From the perspective of purchasing process, the following ethical issues are apparent: †¢ Improper and inadequate vendor selection and evaluation procedures were followed. †¢Conflict of interest was not disclosed while signing contracts with related parties. †¢Tenders were not given to bidders quoting lowest price of the product. †¢Vendors did not deliver the contracted quality and quantity as per the delivery schedule. †¢Vendors were not penalized for sub-standard quality or late delivery. †¢Vendor payments were not linked to delivery of products or completion of deliverables. †¢There was no segregation of duties. The same officials authorized the contract and approved payments. An independent evaluation of contracts by risk managers may have prevented misappropriation of funds. A periodic audit by government agencies could have highlighted these issues at an earlier stage. As Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) group is required to conduct periodic audits of all government expenses, it is surprising that these issues were not discovered earlier. This clearly indicates miss-utilization of public funds. Adarsh Scam A tall building is built in Colaba area of mumbai just adjacent to lands of Indian navy, now as per navy this building is security threat for its assets and as per law it is illegal to build such structures near defence land. Now another issue is that the land on which the Adarasha society ( building) has been built is allocated for relocation of families of Kargil war Martyrs. but thing happened is that the society was granted permission under name of Kargil war heroes and most of the flats were allocated to relatives of maharashtra ministers Now from looking to a facts it gives impression that biggest culprits in this scam are ministers of maharashtra who sanctioned the permission, bureaucrats who had sufficient money to purchase flats in the society on the name of their relatives, So overall looking scam is result of joint Venture of bureaucracy and politicians of Maharashtra. Ethical issues: †¢Why objection is taken after completion of building and not during the building was being built? †¢Power to give land at discounted rate should be more transparent. Government should bring more transparency in process of giving land at discounted rate. They should monitor whether housing societies or organizations are following rule applicable to them. ‘Adarsh scam’ in Pune Details of another land scam have surfaced from Pune in which high ranking army, police, civil, transport and urban land department officials had joined to grab houses in what was meant to be a defense society. Documents in possession of TIMES NOW prove that Defense Personnel Housing Society (DPCHS), which was supposed to house Kargil war widows, has illegally been sold off to bureaucrats. The list of allottees in this society also includes the personal secretaries of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Narayan Rane. The DPCHS, which was formed by defense personnel, had applied to the district collector for allotment of land for a housing society in 2003. In response, the government had allotted 1.86 hectares in Lohegaon. In 2003 the society was alloted the land which was meant for Kargil war widows. However, in 2010 the society filed a fresh list of allottees 100 of which included bureaucrats. The Pune collector has cracked down on the society and ordered an inquiry into the irregularities. Ethical issues: †¢The DPCHS was fromed for defense personnel. At present it has 200 members. Nearly 50 per cent of the members are employees at various government departments. †¢Power to give land at discounted rate should be more transparent. Government should bring more transparency in process of giving land at discounted rate. They should monitor whether housing societies or organizations are following rule applicable to them. The loan scam The economic offences wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation on unearthed a major fake housing loan racket and arrested eight officials from various banks on graft charges. CBI arrested CEO of LIC Housing Finance Ramachandran Nair and seven others senior bankers in connection with a housing finance racket. Apart from Nair, those arrested are Naresh K Chopra, Secretary (Investment), LIC, R N Tayal, General Manager of Bank of India (Delhi), Maninder Singh Johar, Director (Chartered Accountant) of Central Bank of India, Venkoba Gujjal and Dy General Manager of Punjab National Bank (Delhi). Rajesh Sharma, CMD of Mumbai based firm Money Matters Ltd and two of its employees Suresh Gattani and Sanjay Sharma were among those arrested. The bank officials allegedly colluded with the firm to sanction large scale corporate loans, overriding mandatory conditions for such approvals along with other irregularities. The Finance Ministry said it would explore the possibility of instituting a departmental inquiry into the housing finance racket that led to arrest of senior officials of the LIC Housing Finance and public sector banks. The CBI has alleged that Naresh Chopra, secretary (investment) LIC, had assured Rajesh Sharma of Money Matters that he would â€Å"disfavour the proposal of DB Realty, which had approached it for a loan through some other agent.† Subsequently , DB Realty approached Money Matters and got a loan worth Rs 200 crore sanctioned and disbursed within four months. Ethical issues: †¢Role of intermediaries such as money matters is suspicious in entire scam. †¢Too much power in the hands of a very few. There should be greater transparency in giving loan by financial institutes. there is need to destroy such rackets in financial institutes & banks. Air India charged double fare to rescue Indians in Egypt. The 320 Indians who were evacuated on the special Air India (AI) flight had to pay more than double the cost of a single ticket from Cairo to Mumbai. A one-way ticket in this sector averages at Rs 17,000-20,000, but stranded travelers said they had to pay Rs 45,000 before they were assured of a seat on the AI 160 flight to Mumbai. For a few people, the fare was as high as Rs 55,000. Tourists and honeymooners, many of whom were on a budget and did not have access to immediate funds, were the worst hit. Many fliers complained that they had to pay cash on the spot to be able to procure a flight ticket. AI flight was a boon because our earlier flight had been cancelled. But they had to pay double money on the spot to get on the plane. At the end of a holiday, most people do not have so much cash in hand. Ethical issues: †¢AI took undue advantage of Emergency situation. †¢Air India should understand the responsibility towards Indians. There should be transparency in fare of airlines especially during time of emergency. Rs.300 Crore Citibank Fraud Mr. Shivraj Puri, an employee of Gurgoan branch had siphoned of money from 40 high networth investors (HNI) amounting to Rs 400 crore. Mr. Shivraj Puri is a Senior Relationship Manager in Citibank Gurgoan branch. He used a forged notification of Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) stating that few select clients would earn higher returns (18% to 20%) if they invested in his suggested schemes. He invested the money obtained from HNI in the stock market in his personal capacity over a period of few months. He invested money in share market through brokage firms Religare and Bonanza the main client affected by the fraud is Hero Honda group and the amount diverted is to the tune of Rs 200 crore (USD 44.67 million).  Mr. Sanjay Gupta, Assistant Vice President in the accounts office of Hero Corporate Services have formed two finance companies BG Finance and G2S Consultancy and diverted Hero group promoter funds in these two companies. These funds were then fraudulently invested by Mr. Shivraj Puri of Citibank. Mr. Sanjay Gupta has allegedly taken Rs 20 crore (USD 4.46 million) as commission from Mr. Shivraj Puri for diverting these funds. It is suspected that Mr. Sanjay Gupta was aware of the forged SEBI letter but recommended the investment to a number of people. Ethical issues: †¢Lack of control and supervision on the activities of the Relationship Manager. †¢Religare and Bonanza should have questioned the source of funds of Mr. Puri as he is a salaried employee. †¢The fraud department was alerted by the customer complaints. This raises questions on fraud detection and monitoring procedures implemented at the bank. Banks & financial institutes should monitor suspicious transactions with special emphasis on HNI accounts. There should be adequate control over relationship managers activities. India’s latest rice scam involves Rs 200,000 crore The latest of the scam series in India, the UP rice scam could be the biggest of them all, even outdistancing the so called 2G Spectrum scam. According to reports, a huge stock of food grain meant for distribution under the Antyodaya, Annapurna and Mid-Day Meal schemes was smuggled outside the state and even the country to Bangladesh, Nepal and other nations. It is believed that top officials of the state as well as the central government colluded to divert the food grain between 2001 and 2007. The scam involves goofing up of rice worth Rs 200,000 crore. It was a scam that stretched to almost 7 years and 300 FIRs. The scam was reported in Uttar Pradesh in the period when Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadev was the chief minister of the UP. This food grain was for poor people either free or at highly subsidies rate. Ethical issues: Food grains meant for poor had been smuggled into the open market and also into the neighboring countries and none of that could have happened without the involvement of higher authorities. Transportation by goods trains to far off corners of the country indicated that smuggling happened in collusion with different authorities. No action was taken in last 10 years. Distribution system of food grain for poor people should be more transparent. it should be more accountable. It is necessary to break such rackets in public distribution system to avoid national loss. Proper use of technology such as GPS tracker, RFID tag can make distribution more efficient. There is need for frequent checks.

Reward Systems Essay

Once of a manager’s most important tools is the ability to select rewards and time the rewards properly. Even if managers are not solely responsible for financial rewards, they can use a number of tools to increase the effectiveness of their organization. Reward systems can address several important managerial objectives as they relate to employee motivation. A solid reward system requires concerted attention in its development. The following sections provide a basis for a well-contructed reward system. Purposes of Reward Systems Reward systems serve several purposes in organizations. Effective reward systems help an organization be more competitive, retain key employees, and reduce turnover. Reward systems also can enhance employee motivation and reinforce the image of an organization among key stakeholders or future employees. People are the most important resource for organizational competitiveness, and keeping them on the job is a key task for any manager. Competition to attract and keep the best employees is intense. For people looking for a career opportunity, that’s great news, but as a manager of an organization needing to keep the best and brightest, it is a challenge. It may be even harder in the nonprofit and public sectors where flexibility in providing financial rewards may be more limited than in a commercial context. Retaining employees saves money on retraining costs, improves the consistency of services, and allows for relationships to develop between clients and the organization. In a ddition, proper rewards systems can reduce absences. Absences cause innumerable headaches for managers. Instructors who don’t show up, too few staff members at busy times, and the lack of a cleanup crew can all increase workplace stress. Absences not only affect the manager but also fellow employees who need to pick up the slack and clients who feel the brunt of too few employees on site. As suggested earlier, understanding who, what, and when to reward can improve employees’ performance. However, the improper use of rewards can have a debilitating effect on employee performance. Managers need to understand their employees’ perceptions of the importance and fairness of the reward and then clearly communicate what needs to be done to receive the reward. Effective use of rewards can encourage employees to gain the skills that are necessary to  help them and the organization grow. This can also increase their desire to continue being part of the organization. For example, an organization can pay and provide time off for employees who want to take advanced courses in an area that is valuable for the organization. Some organizations may even provide time off or support to help employees advance their own personal goals or skill sets. Ideally, an organization wants employees who not only show up to work but are excited about being there as well. This passion for work has been referred to as affective commitment. Although research is somewhat preliminary, there is s ome indication that affective commitment can be strengthened by rewards that enhance employee perceptions of being supported and having control of the work situation. Finally, reward systems can also help with recruiting efforts. Just as happy customers may be the best advertisement for a particular product, happy employees are often a great tool for recruiting new employees and making the organization a workplace of choice. Think about the kind of job you want. Often you will easily be able to identify an organization that stands above the others as a great place to work. As a consequence of this, the organization can attract the best and brightest, creating a virtuous circle whereby it becomes an even more attractive workplace. Hopefully you can see that establishing the right reward structure for an organization is critical to its success. The following sections delve into the details of various reward structures. Types of Rewards Understanding how each employee perceives and values different rewards is an essential part of management. Managers need to grasp an understanding of extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. Extrinsic rewards are external rewards tied to certain employee behaviors, skills, time, or roles in an organization. How employees perceive these rewards relevant to their performance and the rewards given to others will ultimately determine the effectiveness of the rewards. Managers also need to understand how much value each employee places on specific extrinsic rewards. For example, a well-paid but overworked employee may value additional vacation time or a reduced workload more than a few extra dollars. Money, praise, awards, and incentive prizes such as tickets to a concert or a game are all examples of extrinsic motivators. Whatever motivator the manager chooses, the employee must see  the reward as a motivator for it to be effective. For example, if the extrinsic reward is tickets to the opera, an employee who hates the opera likely would not be motivated by the tickets. On the other hand, if the employee is a football fan and the extrinsic reward is tickets to a major game, the motivator might be more effective. It is simpler to explain what intrinsic rewards are by discussing what they are not. Intrinsic rewards do not have an obvious external incentive; that is, people are not acting to get a tangible reward, be it time off or money. Instead, they act because it feels good or provides some form of internal satisfaction. Intrinsic rewards are often more highly valued and more effective over time, yet using them is a difficult managerial task. Intrinsic rewards derive from employees feeling good about the job they have done, the effort they have put forward, or the role they played in a team project. Intrinsic rewards in the workplace come from the job itself, so to provide intrinsic reinforcement, a manager should enrich the job. Job enrichment involves improving work p rocesses and environments so they are more satisfying for employees, such as eliminating dysfunctional elements or enlarging jobs (increasing the duties and responsibilities of a job). Developing an effective reward system can be a difficult task. The following sections provide some guidance on the basics of an effective reward system. These sections focus almost exclusively on extrinsic rewards, but intrinsic rewards should also be considered when developing each employee’s job. Monetary Versus Nonmonetary Rewards Monetary rewards are most commonly given in the form of pay increases, bonuses, or increases in benefits, such as pension or health care premiums. Such rewards can be divided into two categories: direct and indirect compensation (table 11.1). Both contribute to the financial betterment of an employee. Direct compensation is relatively straightforward and consists of increases in hourly pay, increases in hours (for nonsalaried employees), increases in salary, merit pay based on performance, seniority pay based on time with an organization, and bonuses based on the achievement of individual, group, or organizational objectives. Indirect monetary compensation includes increases to benefits or the addition  of benefits such as a dental plan. It can also include paid leave in the form of vacation days, days off for training, or longer time off such as a sabbatical, as well as paid leave for illness, caring for a child, or caring for an elderly parent. Additionally, some organizations may offer services as part of an indirect compensation package, such as on-site child care, an elder care program, an on-site cafeteria, a games room or gym, and confidential counseling services for employees and their families. Again, indirect compensation should be valuable to employees and ideally should offer choices from a range of services. Nonmonetary rewards cost the organization but do not directly improve the employee’s financial position (table 11.1). Supplying employees with the best tools possible to do their job is an example, such as providing a new high-end laptop or having an excellent training facility f or coaches at a university. A good office location, choice of furnishings, or special parking place can all be nonmonetary rewards. Employees may not know the full details of pay and other monetary benefits of coworkers, but nonmonetary rewards are often visible and can create perceptions of inequity in an organization. In some cases, this may be the intent of managers who want employees to strive to achieve the stereotypical corner office, but often it may also unintentionally encourage feelings of inequity. That inequity may have positive implications for an organization if employees strive to increase performance, or it can result in turnover and reduced performance. As with any reward, nonmonetary rewards need to be carefully thought out before being implemented. Performance-Based Versus Membership-Based Rewards One of the most difficult challenges for managers is to decide what to base rewards on. A common distinction is performance-based versus membership-based rewards. As the name implies, performance-based rewards are tied to the ability of an individual, team, group, or organization to meet some previously agreed-upon standard of performance. Performance rewards are based on an evaluation of contribution and awards are allocated based on that evaluation. Membership-based rewards are allocated solely for being part of a group within an organization. These rewards commonly include annual cost-of-living increases to a base salary or support for an equity policy. For example, if a park and recreation department was looking to  encourage staff to have master’s degrees or obtain certification, they might offer pay incentives for having either or both. Membership-based rewards are also often tied to length of time with an organization. For instance, after a certain length of service w ith an organization, employees may receive a certain percentage increase to their pay or be eligible for additional benefits. In a unionized environment, many of these rewards are spelled out in a labor agreement. To illustrate the difference between the two structures, let’s look at annual raises. A performance-based structure means that each employee’s performance is evaluated and raises are based on performance, with the highest performers getting the most money. A membership-based structure means that all employees receive the same raise regardless of performance. Membership structures can be demotivating to high performers because they get the same rewards despite working harder. Nontraditional Rewards As more and more managers understand the importance of individualizing reward systems, the use of nontraditional rewards will continue to grow. Time is often a key constraint, and for many people work is a major time commitment. Ways in which employees can individualize their work schedule are becoming increasingly important rewards. Four methods of individualization are reduced workweeks, staggered daily schedules, flextime, and working from home. Reduced Workweek A reduced workweek often sees employees working a 4-day week instead of 5 days. In return for that extra day, employees work longer on their 4 days in the office. For example, in a 40-hour workweek from Monday through Friday, employees would work 8-hour days, but the reduced workweek would see hours increase to 10 hours a day for 4 days. The benefits to the employees are longer blocks of time to take care of their personal lives, less frequent and often less busy commutes, and ultimately more useful time for themselves. The organization has no additional expenses and evidence suggests that absenteeism and time lost for personal reasons decreases. However, there are also downsides for both employees and the organization. Parents, for example, may find it difficult to find child care that is open late or early enough to accommodate the longer work schedule. The longer  work day may also be a constraint to people who are involved in weekly evening activities, be it coaching a team or attending an art class. Some jobs may also not lend themselves to longer days. A lifeguard or sport instructor may be considerably less effective in those last 2 hours, which can lead to decreased performance and in some cases safety risks. Also, the hours and timing of work may affect service to clients. Even if an organization maintains its regular schedule, clients expecting to reach a particular person during traditional business hours may find the new schedule frustrating. Finally, reduced workweeks seem to be most effective when employees themselves are involved in creating the schedule. Understand that employees participating in reduced workweeks need to be scheduled so that the entire organization is not gone on Friday! Staggered Daily Schedule An alternative to a reduced workweek may be a staggered daily schedule. Employees still work their designated weekly hours but can allocate those hours in different ways. For example, one employee may want to come in late and leave later to accommodate dropping off children. Someone else may prefer being in the office an hour earlier and leaving an hour earlier. These schedules may even be adapted weekly or monthly to accommodate changing employee needs. This idea meets employees’ individual needs but can often be difficult to manage. Again, a staggered daily schedule may not be appropriate in all settings and must consider not only employee needs but also organizational requirements and client desires. Flextime Flextime allows some employee freedom while still meeting client and organizational needs. Employees are expected to be in the office during a certain time frame, usually ranging from 4 to 6 hours, such as 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Flextime emphasizes productivity and allows the employee some leeway in that flexibility zone (before 9:30 a.m. and after 3:30 p.m.). For example, take Pat, an aquatics programmer. Pat has two school-aged children and requires some flexibility to drop them off and pick them up at school. Pat has worked with the employer and agreed that he will be at the pool between the hours of 9:30 and 3:30 but will complete the rest of his work elsewhere. This ensures that Pat’s coworkers and clients can reach him at predictable times while still allowing him the personal flexibility he  requires at this point in his life. This type of arrangement has been effective for many organizations and employees, although obviously it won’t work in all situations. Fl extime also allows a staff person more control over their hours. For example, a special events coordinator works 5 hours over the weekend. The following week, the coordinator comes in an hour later than usual each day. Working From Home As technology has advanced, the option of working at home for some or all of the workday is becoming increasingly possible. A high-speed Internet connection and a laptop computer connected to the workplace network provide many people with everything they need to do their job. Obviously this arrangement is more suited to some positions than others. A job developing programs for a municipal recreation department would be more suited to a work-at-home plan as opposed to the job of instructing the programs. Working for some or all of the workweek at home can offer fewer workplace distractions, allow employees time to concentrate on projects that are important to the organization, and make more effective use of the day by eliminating the need to commute as well as the usual time killers present in most offices. However, working from home is not for everyone. The distractions of the home require discipline, and for those who consistently work at home the blurred distinction between home an d office can be unsettling. Additionally, monitoring employees at home is nearly impossible. Evaluation needs to be performance based and work-at-home schemes do not work for organizations that want to monitor how employees spend their time. Allowing employees to work at home part of the time, however, may be an excellent compromise for both employees and the organization.

New Zealands History, Government, and Geography

New Zealand's History, Government, and Geography New Zealand is an island country located 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Australia in Oceania. It consists of several islands, the largest of which are the North, the South, Stewart and Chatham Islands. The country has a liberal political history, gained early prominence in womens rights, and has a good record in ethnic relations, especially with its native Maori. In addition, New Zealand is sometimes called the Green Island because its population has high environmental awareness and its low population density gives the country a large amount of pristine wilderness and a high level of biodiversity. History of New Zealand In 1642, Abel Tasman, a Dutch Explorer, was the first European to discover New Zealand. He was also the first person to attempt mapping the islands with his sketches of the North and South islands. In 1769, Captain James Cook reached the islands and became the first European to land on them. He also began a series of three South Pacific voyages where he extensively studied the areas coastline. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Europeans began to officially settle on New Zealand. These settlements consisted of several lumbering, seal hunting, and whaling outposts. The first independent European colony was not established until 1840, when the United Kingdom took over the islands. This led to several wars between the British and the native Maori. On February 6, 1840, both parties signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which promised to protect Maori lands if the tribes recognized British control. Shortly after signing this treaty, though, British encroachment on Maori lands continued and wars between the Maori and British grew stronger during the 1860s with the Maori land wars. Prior to these wars, a constitutional government began to develop during the 1850s. In 1867, the Maori were allowed to reserve seats in the developing parliament. During the late 19th century, the parliamentary government became well established and women were given the right to vote in 1893. The Government of New Zealand Today, New Zealand has a parliamentary governmental structure and is considered an independent part of the Commonwealth of Nations. It has no formal written constitution and was formally declared a dominion in 1907. Branches of Government in New Zealand New Zealand has three branches of government, the first of which is the executive. This branch is headed by Queen Elizabeth II who serves as the chief of state but is represented by a governor general. The prime minister, who serves as the head of government, and the cabinet are also a part of the executive branch. The second branch of government is the legislative branch. It is composed of the parliament. The third is the four-level branch comprised of District Courts, High Courts, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. In addition, New Zealand has specialized courts, one of which is the Maori Land Court. New Zealand is divided into 12 regions and 74 districts, both of which have elected councils, as well as several community boards and special-purpose bodies. New Zealands Industry and Land Use One of the largest industries in New Zealand is that of grazing and agriculture. From 1850 to 1950, much of the North Island was cleared for these purposes and since then, the rich pastures present in the area have allowed for successful sheep grazing. Today, New Zealand is one of the worlds main exporters of wool, cheese, butter, and meat. Additionally, New Zealand is a large producer of several types of fruit, including kiwi, apples, and grapes. In addition, the industry has also grown in New Zealand and the top industries are food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, mining and tourism. Geography and Climate of New Zealand New Zealand consists of a number of different islands with varying climates. Most of the country has mild temperatures with high rainfall. The mountains, however, can be extremely cold. The main portions of the country are the North and South islands that are separated by the Cook Strait. The North Island is 44,281 square miles (115,777 square kilometers) and consists of low, volcanic mountains. Because of its volcanic past, the North Island features hot springs and geysers. The South Island is 58,093 sq mi (151,215 sq km) and contains the Southern Alps - a northeast-to-southwest oriented mountain range covered in glaciers. Its highest peak is Mount Cook, also known as Aoraki in the Maori language, at 12,349 feet (3,764 meters) above sea level. To the east of these mountains, the island is dry and made up of the treeless Canterbury Plains. On the southwest, the islands coast is heavily forested and jagged with fjords. This area also features New Zealands largest national park, Fiordland. Biodiversity One of the most important features to note about New Zealand is its high level of biodiversity. Because most of its species are endemic (i.e.- native only on the islands) the country is considered a biodiversity hotspot. This has led to the development of environmental consciousness in the country as well as eco-tourism. New Zealand at a Glance Population:  4.9 million (2018 estimate)Capital:  WellingtonArea:  103,737 square miles (268,680 sq km)Coastline:  9,404 miles (15,134 km)Official Languages:  English and MaoriHighest Point:  Mount Cook (Aoraki) at 12,349 ft (3,764 m) Interesting Facts About New Zealand There are no native snakes in New Zealand76% of New Zealanders live on the North Island15% of New Zealands energy comes from renewable sources32% of New Zealands population lives in Auckland References and Further Reading â€Å"The World Factbook: New Zealand.†Ã‚  Central Intelligence Agency, 22 April 2010.â€Å"New Zealand.†Ã‚  Infoplease.â€Å"New Zealand.†Ã‚  U.S. Department of State, Feb. 2010.