Production and Operations Management (Case Study on Renewable Energy Essay

Production and Operations Management (Case Study on Renewable Energy Technologies Implementation) - Essay Example Energy development closely associated with the development of the economy and thus, the efficiency of energy use needs to be increased to reach moderate energy growth. Renewable energy is one of the ways aimed at meeting increased challenges of energy use and environmental concerns. This offers an alternative of traditional sources of energy for developing countries. Alternative sources of energy help in meeting the needs of customers like the use of solar heaters to produce hot water and even small-scale industries of agro-processing plants. Renewable energy use is promoted around the globe and by studying this case; the researchers will gain knowledge and understanding on how to reduce carbon dioxide and green house gases emission. For this case study, several issues that need addressing include schemes of financing the project, technical testing, and appraisal, transfer of technology, creation of the job and manufacturing of the products. The establishment of this project will bri ng into light the implementation of renewable energy projects by analyzing the causes for the failure or success of technologies and or projects. This case study aims at identifying the possibility of eradicating existing barriers. Hence, promotes the implementation process of Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs). The benefit of implementation of this project bears sanitation or environmental and agricultural profits that will address rural needs of drinking water. The case study project will be able to improve skills, knowledge and confidence of the NGOs in identifying instances in which, renewable energy technologies contributes to the energy needs of developing countries. Secondly, it aims at strengthening the capacity of NGOs for implementation and analysis of RET project. Lastly, it will generalize the experiences and disseminate findings in an international way for other groups to benefit from gained knowledge. From this research, it is evident that, some of the common barrier s hindering the implementation process include market, institutional, information awareness, and financial, technical, social, economic, environmental, capacity and political issues of the country. The greatest problem contributing to the implementation process is associated with the lack of information, skilled manpower and facilities of training respondents. These same respondents also refuse to give this technology a chance to be incorporated into the society. Thus, their lack of social acceptance and participation in local levels is a hindrance to RETs implementation. In order for this process of implementation to be successful, a company needs to identify all barriers and remove them. Some of the actions needed include changing of policies, mechanical institution setting for upgrade and availability of technology, financing, making skilled personnel available, and designing and implementing a framework that accommodate law changes. By critically examining and evaluating existin g problems, the company was able to make the necessary changes and implement renewable energy technologies. The case study also evaluated both direct and indirect effects by using a qualitative assessment approach. Social, environmental, political and other effects comprise the direct impacts of implementation

HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry Essay Example for Free

HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry Essay The International Journal of Human Resource Management 9:1 February 1998 HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry: A comparative study of Australia and Singapore Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown Abstract This study explores the perceptions of HR managers on the strategic management of labour tumover in a selection of large hotels in Australia and Singapore, The main argument is that the effects of labour tumover can be mitigated with strategically managed human resources through the four key HR activities. The hotel industries in both Singapore and Australia revealed a comparable range of HR policies and practices being adopted, with an explicit recognition of the contribution an organizations human resources have on the bottom-line. There was a clear convergence towards minimizing tumover primarily through the recruitment, selection and induction processes. This was despite fundamental social, economic and labour differences between Singapore and Australia, Keywords Human resources, HR functions, labour tumover, hotel industry Introduction In recent years, there has been widening recognition that human resource management (HRM) strategies impact on an organizations perfomiance and bottom-line results, contributing to overall effectiveness (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995). Particularly in the service industry, the effective utilization of human resources can give an organization its competitive edge (Schneider and Bowen, 1993). This has led to an increased interdependency of corporate strategy with human resource management (HRM), By effectively linking HRM with organizational objectives and needs, human resources can be recruited, developed, motivated and retained towards gaining a competitive advantage, i.e. strategic HRM. In this unique industry, that essentially comprises both a production and a service aspect, both the creation and the rendering of services from the hotel to the customer are primarily achieved through the employee, i.e. the hotels representative. Therefore, the people essentially represent the industry (Lewis, 1989; Thompson and Abbott, 1990; Schneider and Bowen, 1993). The success of this industry is therefore dependent on the calibre of its employees and how effectively they are managed in order that they help the organization achieve its objectives (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995; Berger and Ghei, 1995). It is essential that the hotel industry develop efficient HRM practices and policies that enable them to recruit, select and retain competent employees who contribute to the achievement of their objectives. However, the hotel industry is constantly plagued with high staff tumover levels, resulting in high personnel costs incurred because of recruiting and training new replacements (Hom and Griffeth, 1995). With few staff staying longer than five years 0985-5192  © Routledge 1998 HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 137 (BTR, 1990, cited in Nankervis, 1990), tumover contributes significantly to labour costs through high replacement costs (Riley, 1991a). With a skilled labour force needed in the trade and hotels increasingly providing the required training, premature tumover may waste a hotels sizeable investment in employee development (Beckert and Walsh, 1991; Hom and Griffeth, 1995). Many tumover studies have focused on other industry causes and effects. To date, however, comprehensive and substantial studies have not been conducted to determine the direct and indirect causes of tumover in the hotel industry, although some hotels have undertaken individual tumover analyses to address this issue (Nankervis, 1991; Debrah, 1994). This could be attributed to the fact that, even though employee tumover has financial consequences, the problem is often ignored because the costs are indirect and hidden (Donelly, cited in Hiemstra, 1990). Furthermore, many hotels may consider it simply part of doing business in this industry. This paper outlines some recent research which examined the impact of HR policies and practices in the respective hotel industries on labour tumover, specifically through the processes of (1) recruitment and selection, (2) orientation and socialization, (3) training and development, (4) performance management and (5) remuneration. The study focused on a selection of medium to large hotels in Singapore and Australia. Labour turnover and the hotel industry Denvir and McMahon (1992: 143) defined labour tumover as the movement of people into and out of employment within an organization. It can be voluntary or involuntary. Correspondingly, on the basis that people leave an organization for a multitude of reasons that may not be management-related, Eade (1993) further categorizes tumover into controllable and unavoidable tumover. For the purpose of this study, the focus was on voluntary and controllable tumover. Tumover in the hospitality industry has been shown to be unacceptably high (Kennedy and Berger, 1994), averaging up to 200 or 300 per cent per annum (Woods, 1992; Tanke, 1990; Boella, 1988; Wheelhouse, 1989), although substantial variations exist between different establishments. The literature has so far identified factors that impact on tumover rates as orientation and socialization processes (Kennedy and Berger, 1994; Woods, 1992); ad hoc recruitment and selection procedures (Bonn and Forbringer, 1992; Woods and Macaulay, 1989; Wagner, 1991; Wheelhouse, 1989); discrimination at the workplace (Antolik, 1993); training and development opportunities (Hogan, 1992; Hiemstra, 1990; Conrade et al., 1994); management styles (LeeRoss, 1993; Boella, 1988; Wheelhouse, 1989; Rowden, 1995; Woods and Macaulay, 1989); organizational commitment (Denvir and McMahon, 1992); competition and organizational culture (Woods and Macaulay, 1989); labour shortage (Debrah, 1994; Woods, 1992); stress and bumout (Vallen, 1993; Woods, 1992; Hom and Griffeth, 1995); the seasonal nature of the industry (Boella, 1988; Denvir and McMahon, 1992); and job dissatisfaction (Bonn and Forbringer, 1992; Hom and Griffeth, 1995; Wheelhouse, 1989). Relatedly, Denvir and McMahon suggested that labour tumover is not an isolated occurrence, where multi-dimensional aspects include low staff morale, substandard work performance and absenteeism (1992: 143). Each incident of employee tumover is estimated to cost up to $2500 in direct costs and $1600 in indirect costs (Hogan, 1992). However, the pervasive impacts of labour tumover on a hotels bottom line can be classified into two categories: (1) direct expenditure and (2) intangible costs. 138 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown Direct impacts are essentially financial consequences that include administrative costs as a result of increased recruitment and training expenditure of new employees (Woods and Macaulay, 1989; Boelia, 1988; Woods, 1992; Riley, 1991a; Mullins, 1995; Mercer, 1988). The indirect consequences of tumover include productivity losses due to unfamiliarity of the workplace, poor service quality as a result of insufficient manpower (Denvir and McMahon, 1992; Riley, 1991a; Wheelhouse, 1989), compromised standards and low morale due to the constant departures of workmates; which are in tum integrally damaging to the hotels reputation (Woods and Macaulay, 1989; Riley, 1991a; Mullins, 1995) because dissatisfaction in the employee will ultimately lead to the dissatisfaction of the customer (Lewis, 1989; Boelia, 1988; Woods, 1992). Samuel (1969, cited in Denvir and McMahon, 1992: 144) summarized this when he stated that discontinuity in employment discourages people from entering the industry and encourages others to leave i t . . . [preventing] continuing relationships between employers and employees and so inhibits the growth of mutual responsibility. It involves heavy administration costs and a substantial loss of productivity through the breaking up of teams who are used to working together. However, Mount argues that labour tumover within an organization may not necessarily be detrimental. Rather, an organization thats choosing to thrive and grow must expect a higher tumover rate than companies that settle for the status quo . . . [where] more talented and experienced people replace those that are leaving, and the new workers take the organization to the next level (1995: 109). Price found that the hotel industry tended to live with high levels of labour tumover and rely on the extemal labour market to fill vacancies (1994: 47). However, high labour tumover cannot be excused as an inherent characteristic feature of the hotel industry (Mullins, 1995). Mullins suggested that an organization can theoretically influence tumover by various intervention processes (1995: 185) that include placement and orientation, job performance and training and development. Denvir and McMahon (1992: 146) further argued that individual hotels experience different levels of labour tumover, thereby confirming the view that tumover is partly within the control of management, and conflicts with the widespread impression that tumover is high and uniform throughout the industry, and hence an uncontrollable characteristic of the trade. This might therefore suggest that tumover is, in effect, manageable through effective and strategic human resource practices. Based on a recent pilot study undertaken by one of the authors (Cheng, 1996), the hotel industries would be perceived to have recognized the adverse effects of labour tumover (Debrah, 1994; Nankervis, 1993b) through the adoption of strategic human resource management practices. Specifically, five variables that will be considered are: (1) recruitment and selection; (2) orientation and socialization; (3) training and development; (4) performance management; and (5) remuneration. Central to all these process es [however,] is the critical activity of recmitment and selection practices (Mullins, 1995: 185). There have been numerous studies conducted on labour tumover that have focused on other industries. These may not be applicable due to the unique features of the hotel industry, as discussed earlier. For example, the organizational structure of the hotel may be a major determinant in influencing labour tumover, as compared to other industries. Riley (1991a: 18, 1991b: 237) estimates that operative and unskilled staff comprise up to 64 per cent of the entire staff population. This might therefore indicate limited HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 139 promotional and developmental opportunities for lower-level employees, resulting in a movement of staff out of that organization to one that provides better career options. Labour turnover in hotels in Singapore and Australia Labour tumover in the Australian and Singaporean hotel industries has not been substantially researched and documented. This is despite the significant contributions made by the tourism industries in both countries to the respective economies. Tourism is arguably the nations largest single export earner in Australia (EIU, 1994b), with Singapores tourism correspondingly generating a surplus on its balance of payments travel account of around S$5 billion per year in recent years (EIU, 1994a). Employment growth in the hotel industry in both Singapore and Australia has been significant during the past decade (Table 1). A number of new large hotels have opened in both countries, creating significant job opportunities. In Singapore, this has been in a context of generally tight labour markets which has forced hotels into employing more part-time staff (Debrah, 1994). Correspondingly, in Australia, many of the jobs which have been created by the growth in the industry have also been part time, although not due to labour shortages. A survey of the Australian industry in 1991 (KPMG Peat Marwick Management, 1991) indicated a relatively plentiful supply of employees to the industry, although it noted that a general economic downturn in the industry was apparent at the time. Comparatively, surveys of the Singapore labour situation indicated significant shortages of labour in the industry (Debrah, 1994) The figures in Table 2 indicate that the hotel sector in Australia employs a much higher proportion of part timers than that in Singapore. Many jobs,  such as waiting Table 1 Growth in employment in the hotel industry Singapore Australia Year No. of employees Year No of employees 1980 1987 1992 38,620 54,412 74,136 1983 1986 1993 17,617 22,001 29,770 Source: Singapore, Department of Statistics, Economic Surveys Series, Hotels and Catering. ABS Cat No 8674 Table 2 Work-force composition Futl time Status Part time Age profile 70% of employees 35% of employees Australia 43,766 30,370(41%) 35 yrs 25 years Singapore 25,719 3,958(15%) 40 yrs 25 yrs Source: ABS Labour Force Australia, May 1991, Cat No 6203.0, ABS Cat No 8674: STPB Singapore Tourism and Promotion Board 1992 Survey of Tourism Manpower Deployment in Singapore; Economic Surveys Series, Hotels and Catering 1993; Department of Statistics 1995 140 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown Table 3 Turnover rates in the hotel industry per annum Australia Singapore 45% 42% Source: Callus et al, 1991; 1995 Singapore Yearbook of Labour Statistics, Ministry of Labour (1991 figures) staff, kitchen hands and bar staff, are seen as transient jobs by young people such as students, due mainly to relatively few skill barriers and ease of entry. The data in Table 2 also show that the hotel labour force in both countries is relatively youthful. An implication of these statistics is that tumover in the hotel industry is partly due to the casual employment characteristics of the labour force, particularly in Australia. In Singapore, the relatively long period of buoyant labour market conditions may have led to job hopping. The tumover rates for the hotel and recreation industries is generally three times greater than the average for other industry groups in Australia (Callus et al., 1991), while in Singapore it is about average among various occupational groups (Singapore Ministry of Labour, 1995). However, these industry figures do disguise tumover rates at individual establishments which can vary considerably, as shown in the sample of hotels for this study. For Australia, the highest tumover rates are for front-line and service employees where the rate averages 43 per cent. Tumover is lower in larger hotels (KPMG Peat Marwick Management, 1991) and varies slightly according to gender, with annual tumover rates averaging 45 per cent for males and 38 per cent for females. The paucity of documented research and studies is evident through the limited amount and quality of material in this area. Studies on labour tumaround and retention have primarily focused on the UK and US hospitality industries (Woods and Macaulay, 1989; Bonn and Forbringer, 1992; Hogan, 1992; Alfus, 1992; Feiertag, 1993; Kennedy and Berger, 1994; Denvir and McMahon, 1992). The exception is Debrahs (1994) study of operative staff in Singapores hotel industry in view of environmental influences. Research design The study adopted a qualitative approach, employing a comparative case-study methodology towards researching the Australian and Singaporean hotel industries HR programmes on tumover. Commonly, qualitative research is where the study is done in its natural settings in an attempt to interpret phenomena through the meanings associated with them. Correspondingly, this research focuses on the phenomenon of labour tumover in the hotel industry, interpreted through the perceptions of HR managers within that trade. This qualitative approach also involves the studied use and collection of a variety of empirical materials, e.g. grounded theory procedure, surveys, observations, etc. (Denzin and Lincoln, 1994). Specifically, a personal interview, examination of relevant documents and multi-case study method were used for data collection and data analysis, respectively. The sample size for the study was six hotels in each country. They were medium-tolarge hotels, managed either as part of a consortium, an intemational chain, or as HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 141 individual properties. An exploration of the views of HR managers, or managers responsible for the HR function, on the potential impact of HR strategies on managing labour turnover within their organizations was sought. In some cases follow-up telephone interviews were held with relevant HR personnel to clarify matters raised in the initial personal interviews. The targeted respondents were considered suitable on the premise that the participants, all senior managers, were primarily responsible for the development, formulation and implementation of key HR processes and strategies in relation to managing labour tumover, and would therefore have the required knowledge of HRM practices and business strategies (Ragburam  and Arvey, 1994). Consequently, this research basically reflects the perspectives and perceptions of these participants. The small sample size of twelve, typical of a study of this qualitative nature (Gay and Diehl, 1992), was considered appropriate, offering the opportunity to glimpse the complicated operations, character and culture of the hotel industry. In qualitative research, the sample tends to be small and purposeful, where the purpose lies in selecting information-rich cases for study in depth (Patton, 1990: 169). The subject population was pre-selected based on the primary criteria of size and rating of the hotel, i.e. at least 250 rooms and a minimum rating of four stars. However, the final sample was selected and determined on the basis of accessibility to the hotels and their targeted respondents. The sample for the Australian study came from the state of Westem Australia. Tumover rates in individual hotels ranged from 26 to 47 per cent per annum for Australia. Corresponding data for Singapore ranged from 48 to 120 per cent, although the highest tumover rate was for a new property which had only recently opened. Findings An equal sample size of six hotels was studied in each country. Although the properties in Singapore were generally larger in size and staff than in Australia i.e. maximum staff and rooms at 1,300 and 1,200 respectively in the fomier country, compared with 440 and 417 respectively in the latter human resource strategies employed in both cultures were largely similar. However, due to the different labour markets of the two industries, there were inherent differences in the importance and priorities placed on HR strategies, with regard to controlling and minimizing labour tumover. These are discussed below. Recruitment and selection Hiring practices employed by the hotels in both countries can be seen as having progressed from the adoption of purely traditional (advertising, walk-ins, selection interviews, reference checking, etc.) to more strategic approaches (networking, intemal labour market, behavioural interviewing, targeted selection, etc.) (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995; Nankervis, 1993b). This has primarily been influenced by changing labour markets, as well as the clear recognition that mitigating labour tumover begins with the hiring function, specifically the selection process. This is consistent with current literature that highlights selection as the predominant variable impacting on eventual tumover rates (Hom and Griffeth, 1995; Boles et al., 1995; Mercer, 1988; Dunn, 1995; Woods and Macauley, 1989), albeit recmitment and selection is generally considered an integrated function (MuUins, 1995; Croney, 1988; Nankervis, 1993b). 142 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown This progress seems to be in part due to the general realization that people ultimately represent the crux of the industry, where they are the product and the providers of service (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995; Mullins, 1995; Thompson and Abbott, 1990; Lewis, 1989; Schneider and Bowen, 1993; Berger and Ghei, 1995). Hence, the ability to hire and retain the right kind of people to fit the organization, and give the organization a competitive edge (Schneider and Bowen, 1993) begins primarily with the selection process (Hom and Griffeth, 1995; Boles et al. 1995; Eade, 1993; Mercer, 1988; Dunn, 1995). There is evidence that hotels in both countries draw from a wide range of recruitment sources both intemal and extemal. Hotels in Australia and Singapore tend to place greater reliance on recmiting from an intemal labour market of current employees within the establishment and from other hotels which are part of the chain within the same ownership. Although this was perceived to be more evident in the Australian environment, this was inclusive of promotions as well as transfers of casual and parttime staff. There was also the consideration that Singapore had a more stable labour force of full and part-time employees, while the Australian hotel industry tends to rely on a higher proportion of casuals in employment, thereby implicitly contributing to tumover levels to a greater degree. However, in both instances, the use of this intemal labour source was predominantly restricted to supervisory positions and above, usually associated with a career development plan. Such efforts to develop career paths would assist in overcoming a major reason given for tumover in the industry in Australia  as identified in a survey (KPMG Peat Marwick Management, 1991). None the less, this effort has resulted in the per centage of managerial promotions, in at least one hotel each, as high as 85 per cent in Singapore and 95 per cent in Australia. Intemal allocative strategies are therefore encouraged where extemal recmiting costs can be reduced because, for example, current staff do not require re-training or acculturation into the organization; i.e. the direct costs of tumover (Woods and Macauley, 1989; Boella, 1988; Woods, 1992; Mullins, 1995; Mercer, 1988). As such, this can be perceived directly to drive staff tumover levels down (Simms et al. 1988; Debrah, 1994) through increas ed promotional and career opportunities (Woods and Macauley, 1989). Extemal sources of new recmits included: databases of previous applicants, unsolicited applicants, newspaper advertising, employee referrals, recmitment consultants, industrial attachments and networks with associates in the industry. Hotels in Singapore seem to be more resourceful in attracting new people with employee referrals becoming increasingly popular, where current employees are usually offered incentives for a new staff member employed on their recommendation. Although there is no scientific evidence to support this theory, hoteliers argue the general principle on the basis that birds of a feather flock together; that is, referred potential candidates would be expected to be of similar calibre, personality and behavioural qualities to the referrer since they are friends or family. This reduces the cost of extemal sourcing, as well as a diminished probability of tumover occurring through the yielding of more reliable and committed employees (Debrah, 1994). Networking is also more prevalent in Singapore than in Australia. Despite it being regarded as a form of people-poaching, it is considered common practice in Singapore. Hoteliers in Australia, on the other hand, generally do not support this mode of recmitment as it is considered there, to some degree, unethical and generally not very nice. Both countries, however, attributed their respective stances to the small but close-knit fratemity of the hotel trade. HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 143 To combat the potential difficulties of building a full-time committed work-force in Singapore, Debrah (1994) in his earlier research, pointed to the use of part-time staff. Benefits that accme through employing regular part timers include increased flexibility in scheduling, thereby reducing the impact of tumover (Greengard, 1995), as well as lower wage outlays (Inman and Enz, 1995). Although this practice is prevalent in the Australian hotel industry, where sometimes up to half of the total employee population are part timers or casuals, part timers are usually hired on a needs basis and predominantly in the food and beverage (FB) or banqueting departments in Singapore (Debrah, 1994). Hotels in Australia are typically seen by young people as a source of casual employment due to ease of entry. A problem increasingly faced by Singaporean hotels due to rising educational standards and employee expectations is the shortage of applicants for the less desirable shift-work positions mainly at the operative level. One hotel, at least, has attempted to combat this through the hiring of foreign labour, mainly from Malaysia. While interviews remain a core selection device, there is an increased emphasis placed on the behavioural aspects of a potential candidate in both countries, where selection tools are used to assist in determining a persons personality, attitude and character in relation to the specifications that a position may require. It was felt that experience and expertise, although valuable, could be gained from training and development while attitude and personality were more important in new recmits in attempting to fit employees into a particular organizational culture. Singapore, however, has a more dominant use of the behavioural interview than Australia, where attitude is perceived to be more important than experience. This is assessed essentially through structured, oral employment tests given to potential candidates in the course of the interview. Berger and Ghei (1995) further argue that this method is more effective in the selection of new hires than more commonly practised approaches, e.g. reference checking, which the Australian hotel industry  utilizes extensively, biodata through weighted application blanks, etc. However, a sample of employment tests from a couple of respondents suggests that the behavioural interviews conducted in the Singapore hotel industry have a primary focus on the biodat a of a potential candidate. Current literature also supports a higher correlation between biodata and the eventual retention of that person (Dickenson and Ineson, 1993; Mitchell, 1989; Ineson and Brown, 1992) according to the past behaviours and reactions, attitudes, interests, etc. Reference checking was advocated by Dunn (1995) as a proactive and aggressive way of reducing tumover and maintaining a higher work-force quality. Despite obvious disadvantages like potential litigation consequences, e.g. defamation, negligent hiring suits (Dunn, 1995), the Australian lodging trade diligently adopts this approach when employing. There was significantly less importance placed on this method of selection, as apparent through its lack of use, by Singaporean hoteliers. Industrial placement, however, is a common practice in both countries. Although generally regarded as a labour source, industrial placement (referred to as work attachment in Singapore) has not been maximally utilized as a selection tool in either Australia or Singapore. Despite some evidence of it occurring, the potential benefits of effectively utilizing this practice as a selection tool are not being fully realized; for example, that applicants would ah-eady be familiar with the organization (Leslie, 19 91), thus having a realistic preview (Woods and Macauley, 1989), thereby increasing the retention probability for that person (Hom and Griffeth, 1995). At the 144 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown same time, the applicant would already be trained in their area of operations, thereby directly and positively impacting on recmitment and training costs. The labour-scarce situation afflicting the Singapore hotel trade is, to a large extent, attributed as the major factor influencing modifications in local hiring practices, which supports earlier research (Debrah, 1994: Nankervis and Debrah, 1995). This is especially so in relation to the recmitment sources the industry approaches in seeking new  hires. However, some of these approaches may seem to exacerbate, rather than mitigate, labour tumover despite an acknowledgement of their detrimental effects. For example, networking as a labour source would probably indicate recmiting a new hire from another hotel. This would inevitably mean filling a position in one property at the expense of increased tumover in another. On the other hand, Australia has been comparatively slow in adopting more innovative methods of recmitment and selection, although there is an indication of a move towards a more strategic direction. Although acknowledged as an issue, tumover is not given priority consideration when hiring even though there is a recognized need for a match between the organizations values and the potential employee. Rather, a reduction in labour tumover is essentially considered an incidental benefit to the meeting of organizational and operational objectives. In summary, hotels in both countries are placing more emphasis on recmitment and selection practices in an effort to reduce the potential for labour tumover. Variations exist where Singapore places more emphasis on behavioural interviews, employee referrals and networking, while Australian hotels emphasize reference checks and assessing attitudes in the employment interview. Australian hotels also tend to use more casual employees than their Singaporean counterparts. Orientation and socialization Induction sessions in hotels of both countries were conducted regularly upon the employment of a new recmit, consistent with Mullins (1995) suggestion that orientation is basically a natural extension of the recmitment and selection function. Hotels in both Singapore and Australia were seen to conduct both general and departmental orientation (St. John, 1980; Kennedy and Berger, 1994; Eade, 1993) in order to provide overall hotel information, as well as specific job details. General orientation for new employees in Singaporean hotels ranges from two hours to 90 days, while in Australia between two hours and one and a half days is the norm. The content of these sessions is comparable and includes hotel cultures, employee handbook, mles and regulations, health and safety procedures, salary details and so on. More specific orientation is the responsibility of the employing department. The importance of this function in facilitating and sustaining the long-term retention of employees was perceived to be recognized by all respondents. It was basically a matter of familiarizing new employees with the daily operational requirements and culture of the organization (Mullins, 1995; Eade, 1993; Thompson and Abbott, 1990); that is, acculturating them into the organization in order to align their individual goals with that of the hotel. To encourage this assimilation, Singapore hoteliers tend to be more systematic in the orientation process and usually conduct interim and follow-up sessions to provide employees an opportunity for feedback (Eade, 1993) as well as to evaluate their progress (Day, 1988). These sessions were usually related to a probationary employment condition to which newcomers are subjected (Thompson and Abbott, 1990) in an HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 145 effort to further ensure a person-position match for both the organization and employee. This practice, however, was more evident in Singapore (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995), since only two hotels in Australia had this system in place. For purposes of inducting and eventually training new employees, some hotels in Singapore have in place a buddy system where new employees are matched with seasoned, experienced staff members who are responsible for their training. This concept has been supported as providing new hires with the guidance that may be needed in training and providing answers (Eade, 1993; Day, 1988), particularly where there is a case of information overload, that is, too much information being disseminated within that short span of time. Despite the potential benefits of this practice, however, only one Australian hotel explicitly suggested the availability of such a system, but for specified lower-level positions only. Some of the available literature suggests that existing employees could, in effect, also reap positive experiences through an organizations induction  of new employees. This is based on the assumption that current staff would also have to adjust to changes within an organization, as, for example, to a new colleague (Sutton and Reis Louis, 1987; Day, 1988). Perhaps this lack of consideration of current staff might, to some extent, account for labour tumover that occurs, not within the confines of the induction [or] recruitment crisis (Thompson and Abbott, 1990; Mullins, 1995), but among seasoned employees who may have been conveniently overlooked in relation to organizational modifications. One way of potentially combating this problem is to conduct re-orientation programmes for staff. Deemed important by both the Singapore and Australian hotel industry, these sessions take into account old employees, e.g. people who have been with the hotel since its founding, sometimes up to twenty five years. The primary rationale is to reiterate organizational philosophies and values or to communicate recent or planned changes in a hotels culture or structure (Martin and Van Eck Peluchette, 1989). Despite the potential benefits, such sessions are only conducted by all Australian hoteliers, with only one hotel in Singapore administering annual corporate reorientations for seasoned employees. This is notwithstanding the age of some of the Singapore hotels, whose history may go as far back as twenty five years. Generally, induction is still regarded as exerting a significant and direct impact on the successful retention of employees. This relates to the consistency of products and services provided by the hotel industry primarily through its human resources (Denvir and McMahon, 1992). Therefore, orientation and socialization essentially serve the hotel industries by apprising newcomers of, acculturating and gelling them into to the organization, thereby minimizing the probability, and eliminating a potentially major cause, of labour tumover such that there is a stable foundation from which the hotel can operate. Training and development There is a clear recognition in both countries of the strategic contribution made by training to the retention of staff that the willingness to invest in an organizations people leads to an increase in their commitment and job satisfaction, leading to a reduction in staff tumover (Woods and Macaulay,  1989; Conrade et al., 1994). Training needs analyses are generally carried out by the hotels in both countries, although Singaporean hoteliers were perceived to be more systematic in establishing potential training requirements. There is a greater emphasis on analysing guest 146 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown comment cards in the Australian hotel trade, whereas only two Singaporean properties explicitly take customer comments into account when determining training needs. One Australian hotel, on the other hand, basically depends on consultation sessions among staff to gain infonnation and feedback on potential gaps in employee training and development. Despite these systems of determination, only one hotel in each country had a training directory, with the remaining properties generally having a list that employees could be referred to. To some degree, this may reflect Conrade et al.s (1994) suggestion that, despite the importance and significance training is accorded within the industry, the reality of the availability of such planned, quality training programmes within hotels is limited. The content of training and development programmes was relatively similar in Singapore and Australia and included: language courses, quality management, health, stress handling and telephone etiquette. Job-related skills were also an important component of training. Much of this training is done in-house, although for managerial and supervisory employees extemal sources are usually utilized. None the less, there was an emphasis on the involvement of line employees in the administration of the training function. The Singapore lodging trade expressed this delegation of responsibility through the constant interaction between supervisor and employee (St. John, 1980; Day, 1988), whereas the Australian hotels validated this practice based on the training requirements of the industry, e.g. on-the-job training and as a control mechanism in training effectiveness (Day, 1988). This argument also aligns itself with Tysons (1995) suggestion that the HRM function will become more functional throu gh its integration with line management. Developmental opportunities were perceived to be linked to the training function in the industries of both countries. Employees are primarily trained to the requirements of their job, with a secondary focus on fulfilling their individual needs that is usually required to be in alignment with the operational needs of the hotel (Tracey and Tews, 1995; Walker, 1992; Mabey and Salaman, 1995). This again relates, to a degree, to the earlier argument, put forward with regard to the willingness to invest in people, that a workers need for growth and leaming can be met with a sense of morale and commitment (Mullins, 1995). Hotels in both cultures provide developmental opportunities for employees, generally incorporating an open-door policy, i.e. staff can approach and discuss with the HR department or person-in-charge their leaming directions and career aspirations. Most hotels adopt a more systematic and regular approach to involving employee feedback through the perfonnance management process; this will be discussed in greater detail in the next section. There was, nevertheless, a more methodical approach to career development in the Australian industry. Four hotels, compared to only two in Singapore, had adopted a formal targeted development programme for staff at all levels. This response does not take into account any future plans to formalize developmental opponunities in the hotels, is more evident in Singapore, where the youthful age of some of the hotels may have accounted for the cunent lack of systematic developmental practices. The presence of formal career paths may, in effect, reflect the progress Australian hoteliers have experienced in their attempts to modify a short-term employment perception (Timo, cited in Nankervis, 1993b), contrary to the recent findings of Nankervis and Debrah that suggested casual and transient employment was endemic (1995: 33) and a lack of formal career paths in the hotel industry. HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 147 None the less, the existence of developmental opportunities were evidence of the hotel industries attempts to minimize voluntary staff tumover through long-term career opportunities in the trade (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995; Nankervis, 1993b). This consequently acts to offset the perception that labour tumover is an inherent and acceptable facet of the hotel industry (Mullins, 1995; Riley, 1991a; Woods, 1994; Meier, 1991), supporting the argument that it is manageable through effective HR practices. Mabey and Salaman (1995: 130) further argue that an investment [in an organizations people] will allow them to respond more effectively in a changing environment. This is especially tme considering the dynamic nature of the hotel trade, where consistency in service through an organizations people is considered most important (Denvir and McMahon, 1992; Anastassova and Purcell, 1995; Berger and Ghei, 1995). This may therefore be achieved through the use of training and development as an agent of change (Mabey and Salaman, 1995), where employees may be constantly informed and updated about, as well as strategically equipped for, the changing requirements of the hotel. Performance management Evaluating an employees performance is viewed as being very much related to employee development within the hotel trades of both countries. The prevalent adoption of this function in Australia reflects a significant improvement where earlier research (Nankervis, 1991, 1993a) showed a comparatively low usage of performance appraisal. A management-by-objectives (MBO) approach (Oberg, 1972; Kramar, 1994) to perfonnance management is used by all but one of the hotels in each country. This usually involves both supervisors and employees completing separate evaluation forms and conferring on the final report. Employee feedback and input are considered significant parts of the performance appraisal process, which is essentially modelled after the performance development plan (PDP) adopted by Harvey Hotels (Beckert and Walsh, 1991). The exceptions were primarily attributed to the fact that employee appraisal may not be as effective as a democratic process, for example where supervisors may not  want to create undue conflict and many attempt to be nice about the assessment. This would essentially introduce inaccuracy and prejudice into the procedure and would therefore reduce its effectiveness. Hotels in both countries distinguished between managerial and operative staff for performance management processes, with some hotels also having different appraisal standards among the particular levels of management, e.g. supervisory, middle management, etc. However, there was a general consensus on the criteria against which managerial and operative employees were evaluated: behavioural aspects were stressed for the fomier, with the latter being assessed on the more generic aspects of performance (Eade, 1993). In spite of the various appraisal methods available (Eade, 1993; Walker, 1992) (peer evaluation, subordinate appraisal, etc. all the hotels interviewed adopted a supervisor subordinate approach to assessing an employees performance and determining potential developmental requirements. However, half the sample in Australia adopted a combination of appraisal techniques, i.e. self-appraisal in conjunction with supervisor subordinate evaluation. This could be perceived to provide increased employee input, as well as a more balanced assessment of that staff member. The employee input was often 148 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown viewed as an important mechanism for them to express issues relating to their developmental needs. One Singaporean hotel, however, was more rigorous in its appraisal process with the secondary supervisor also required to appraise the employee. This could be perceived to lessen any potential bias on the part of the immediate supervisor, and provide a more impartial and accurate evaluation of the worker. In Singapore, apart from assessing the overall performance of an employee through identifying and evaluating weaknesses and strengths, performance management was often used as a means of justifying remuneration adjustments. This was less common in Australia where award rates of payment rather than individual contracts govem pay rates. The frequency of conducting the performance management interview is also consistent between the two countries, i.e. either semi-annually or annually. In instances where probationary periods are required for newcomers, the first performance assessment occurs at the end of that period. Since probationary periods are more prevalent in Singapore, the early occurrence of this process also serves to diminish, somewhat, the incidence of staff tumover as a result of the recruitment [or] induction crisis (Mullins, 1995; and Thompson and Abbott, 1990), acting as an opportunity for feedback, clarification and identification of any necessary training needs. There was, none the less, an emphasis on determining an employees potential developmental needs through the identification of discrepancies in meeting performance objectives (Walker, 1992; Riley, 1991a). Exit interviews as a final evaluation process were a more commonly used among Singaporean hoteliers, even though there was one hotel in each country that did not see the need to undertake this practice. Despite the evidence that formal exit interviews are conducted with departing Australian employees, the ability to utilize the information derived effectively in identifying and isolating possible causes of tumover (Mok and Luk, 1995; Eade, 1993; Vetula, 1991; Kiechel, 1992), and consequently to propose necessary corrective action (Woods and Macauley, 1987), is more apparent in the Singapore hotel industry. Exit interviews in Australia are predominantly conducted as a routine process to ensure that final administrative matters are resolved before the employee leaves. Overall, although considered to be significant and contributory to the bottom-line, the performance management function is generally viewed as having an indirect effect on labour tumover in both countries, primarily through its determination of an employees training requirements, developmental opportunities and remuneration issues. Remuneration The role of remuneration was similarly perceived, in both industries, to be a  secondary factor through which labour tumover can be mitigated, especially monetary compensation. Generally incongruous with the limited literature that argues that remuneration is a major contributing factor in labour tumover (Hom and Griffeth, 1995; Woods and Macauley, 1989), the role compensation plays in the hiring and retention of staff was, however, acknowledged to primarily be through the concept of equity, value and satisfaction (Walker, 1992; Riley, 1991a). According to the expectancy theory (Mullins, 1995), there would be an increased tendency for people to leave an organization if a discrepancy existed between their expected and associated value, evident through the remuneration received. For example, if employees feel they are not compensated in accordance with the service provided to HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotei industry 149 the organization, they would be inclined to feel unappreciated and undervalued, thereby contributing to their decision to leave the company. This diminished significance attributed to remuneration, however, does not discount the contributory role that compensation plays in a hotels tumover statistics, and associated consequences like labour shortage, hiring expenses, etc. (Woods and Macauley, 1989; Boella, 1988; Woods, 1992; Mullins, 1995; Denvir and McMahon, 1992; Riley, 1991a; Lewis, 1989). There is also a direct impact on an organizations bottom-line essentially through a potential reduction in employee start-up costs, which include orientation, socialization, training, etc. However, remuneration has a comparatively large influence on tumover in Singapore. Unlike the Australian hotel industry that pays award rates for operative staff, different hotels in Singapore pay different rates according to their individual collective agreements (Debrah, 1994). Because of the tight labour market (Debrah, 1994; Goh et al., 1995), potential employees are allowed to choose their employers and work environments, a process  which may include job-hopping to hotels that can afford to pay higher wages (Debrah, 1994). However, the differences in the impact of compensation policies on supervisory and managerial staff in Australia and Singapore were comparatively negligible. The remuneration received by these salarial staff is not performance-based, but positionbased, thereby hardly affecting decisions of tumover and retention. Remuneration in Singapore, however, refers to a total compensation package, unlike in Australia where it refers primarily to monetary compensation, i.e. basic pay. The package is generally inclusive of the basic wage or salary, insurance coverage and fringe benefits, e.g. discount rates at sister-hotels (Walker, 1992). Employees at this level tended to remain with their employer for factors other than money. The impact of remuneration on labour tumover can therefore be perceived to be secondary, although more direct in Singapore, under conditions of labour scarcity and a potentially competitive wage market. Even so, in Australia, where particular categories of employees, such as chefs, are in relatively short supply, remuneration packages may play a role in attracting and retaining them. However, the function of remuneration has not been ignored, particularly in relation to the concepts of expectancy and equity. In summary, people would leave if they are not compensated according to their expectations, suggesting therefore a direct, albeit minimal, influence on labour tumover. Conclusions This research suggests that hoteliers in Singapore and Australia are adopting a more strategic perspective to HRM in tackling labour tumover. In both countries the greatest emphasis was placed on recruitment, selection, induction, socialization and training and development practices as mechanisms for minimizing tumover. Performance management and remuneration strategies were seen as having a more indirect impact through the strategies listed above. The broad range of strategies adopted by Singapore hoteliers to combat the initial difficulties in recruitment (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995) reflect a longer-term approach to HRM. This could be attributed to the correspondingly higher tumover rates in the hotels and the countrys low unemployment rate, and hence the industrys concened effort to attract and retain committed employees. However, it needs to be recognized 150 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown Table 4 Key differences in HR activities between Singapore and Australia HR practices and policies Singapore Australia Recruitment †¢ Employee referrals †¢ Networking †¢ Reliance on part-time staff Selection †¢ Structured interviews behavioural emphasis †¢ Skills tests †¢ Person-job specifications †¢ Structured interviews †¢ Reference checking Orientation socialization (induction) †¢ Follow up feedback sessions †¢ Buddy system Training †¢ Guest comments analysis †¢ Employee consultation Development †¢ Targeted development, e.g. management trainee programme Performance management †¢ Impact on remuneration policies operative levels †¢ Exit interviews †¢ Limited impact on remuneration policies Remuneration †¢ Annual remuneration review position perfonnance based †¢ Individual collective agreements for operative staff †¢ Package remuneration †¢ Annual remuneration review position-based only †¢ Award rates for operative staff †¢ Monetary compensation that the attention given to recmitment and selection is as much an operational matter as it is a strategic approach attempting to reduce tumover. Orientation and socialization processes were emphasized similarly in Singapore and Australia, although there was comparatively more utilization of probationary periods (Eade, 1993; Thompson and Abbott, 1990; Day, 1988) and a buddy system (Eade, 1993: Day, 1988) to ensure an employees effective assimilation into the hotel in Singapore. Training in both countries has been closely associated with the induction process, with the latter seeming to be considered a subset of the former. Because orientation involves the basic operational instmction of staff, it is perceived to be part of the overall training function. Nonetheless, tumover is perceived to be significantly influenced by willingness to invest in this function, and therefore in an organizations human resources, such that there may be an increased sense of job satisfaction and morale; thereby retaining staff (Woods and Macauley, 1989; Conrade et al., 1994). Although developmental opportunities are present in both Singapore and Australia, they are concentrated in the supervisory and managerial, and therefore skilled (Riley, 1991), levels of the organization. None the less, the correlation between developmental paths and an organizations tumover rates were apparent, that is the opportunity to grow and advance within an organization would offset a perception of h otel employment as HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 151 transient and casual (Nankervis, 1993b; Woods, 1992; Riley, 1991a; Mullins, 1995; Denvir and McMahon, 1992) through the availability of true career  paths. Performance appraisal and remuneration policies have minimal impact on labour tumover, except on the operative staff in Singapore where wages are negotiable and individually determined according to the collective agreements of each property. To summarize, the impact of the five variables on labour tumover has been comparable in both countries, although the primary distinction lies in the recruitment and selection processes adopted in view of the differing labour situations and employment levels (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995). As such, the results of this study indicate that hotels in Singapore may be more proactive than their Australian contemporaries in their use of HR strategies to mitigate labour tumover, despite a higher and more developed HR profile in Australia. The labour market situation in each country also exerts conside rable impact on the strategies employed. Further research might examine the casualization of employment in the industry in each country. Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown Edith Cowan University References Alfus, P. (1992) Structure Interviews to Reduce Turnover, Hotel and Motel Management, 207(1): 28. Anastassova, L. and Purcell, K. 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(1995) Managing Human Resources in Hotels in Singapore and Australia: A Comparative Study, Asia Pacific international Business Regional Integration and Global Competitiveness: Proceedings of Academy of Internationat Business Southeast Asia Regional Conference, 20-3 June: 31-6. Oberg, W. (1972) Make Perfonnance Appraisals Relevant. Harvard Business Review, 50(1): 61-7. Patton, M.Q. (1990) Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. Price, L. (1994) Poor Personnel Practice in the Hotel and Catering Industry: Does It Matter?, Human Resource Management Journal, 4(4): 44-62. Ragburam, S. and Arvey, R.D. (1994) Business Strategy Links with Staffing and Training Practices, Human Resource Planning, 17(3): 55-73. Riley, M. (1991a) Human Resource Management: A Guide to Personnel Practice in the Hotel and Catering Industry. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Riley, M. (1991b) An Analysis of Hotel Labour Markets. In Cooper C.P. (ed.) Progress in Tourism, Recreation and Hospitality Management. London: Belhaven, pp.232-46. Rowden, R.W. (1995). The Role of Human Resource Development in Successful Small to Midsized Manufacturing Businesses: A Comparative Case Study, Human Resource Development Quarterly, 6(4): 355-73. Schneider, B. and Bowen, D.E. (1993). The Service Organization: Human Resource Management is Cmcial, Organizational Dynamics, 21(4): 39-52. Simms, J., Hales, C. and Riley, M. (1988). Examination of the Concept of Intemal Labour Markets in UK Hotels, Tourism Management, 9(1): p.3-12. Singapore, Department of Statistics (1993) Economic Surveys Series, Hotels and Catering 1993 Singapore, Ministry of Labour (1995) 1995 Singapore Yearbook of Labour Statistics. 154 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown St. John, W.D. (1980) The Complete Employee Orientation Program, Personnel Journal, 59(5): 373-8. 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A Comparison of McDonalds and Foxs Diner :: comparison compare contrast essays

McDonald's and Fox's Diner       McDonald's and Fox's Diner are two of the restaurants in Lake City, Tennessee. But even though they both sell hamburgers in the same town, they don't have anything else in common. They cater to different types of customers, there is a noticeable difference in service speed, and every facet of doing business is handled differently. Even the atmosphere of these two places is in contrast.    These two restaurants do not compete for the same customers. McDonald's is located just off the interstate, so many of their patrons are not local residents. Another reason is that they are universally known. Fox's is further away from the interstate. Aside from the over-the-road truck drivers who know the area, most of the Diner's customers are local residents. As well as targeting different customers from Fox's Diner, McDonald's also places more emphasis on speed. McDonald's makes job specialization an integral part of their operation. They crank meals out on an assembly line. They use computers to take orders, automatic timers to assist in cooking, and radio headsets to communicate. Even the color scheme used by McDonald's promotes speed. Studies show that loud colors like red and yellow increase customer turnover. With the exception of handling money, tasks are shared by the staff at the diner and there isn't anything high-tech about the operation.    Fox's Diner is a world away from the bland, impersonal McDonald's just a few miles north. It sits on the right side of a two-lane highway leading into town. The Diner serves both as a truck stop and as the restaurant for a small motel next door. The parking lot looks vacant until about five in the morning because it is large enough to accommodate a dozen tractor trailers. Years of use have left potholes and a patchwork of asphalt that resembles a moth-eaten quilt.    The diner itself is a doublewide   trailer set high on a five foot, cinderblock foundation. An aluminum awning extends outward about six feet along the front of the building. Underneath the awning, yellow fluorescent lights, which theoretically do not attract bugs, glow at night. They are mounted over a row of metal framed, screened-in windows.

African Americans unnoticed :: Essays Papers

African Americans unnoticed For too many years, African Americans have lived without knowing the people who have influenced their way of life. We walk around without taking the time to appreciate the people that have allowed us to go to these black colleges and universities, or the African Americans that have dedicated life their to make life better for all mankind as well as blacks. Women as well men have gone out of their way to make life better for their future. We know that women have influenced life from the beginning of time whether the role of the women is a mother, wife, doctor, or educator. But women have not always been able to advance in society, as men have been able to. As a black women I am proud to hear of women such as Lucy Laney, who she dedicated her life to get funding for black Georgia schools. She believed that women are better teachers than men and that an educated Negro woman is what is needed to teach students of all ages. Annie Julia Cooper was an active participant in the women's organizations in the 1980s. She believed that higher education of the black woman was too rare and did what she could so that young women like me can attend college. Fannie Barrier Williams realized that racism was a major problem, but also realized that sexism was an even greater problem in equality. For, as she said, "to be a colored woman is to be discredite d, mistrusted and often meanly hated." Through times of strife and stress she worked, sometimes successfully, to eliminate discrimination against black women. Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Dubois, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Stokely Carmicheal; these names when said are ones to which black people respond to, because all of these men improved social conditions for African Americans. All were part of large organized mass movement in black history. Each on of these men played a different part in influencing black America. Washington was skilled at politics. He was powerful and influential in both the black and white communities, Washington was a confidential advisor to presidents. DuBois was a public speaker who noted how America tactically sidestepped the issues of color, and how his approach of "educate and agitate" appeared to fall on deaf ears. Marcus Garvey drawing on a gift for oratory, he created "Garveyism" eventually evolved into a religion of success, inspiring millions of black people worldwide who sought relief from racism and colonialism.

Hp Case Study

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S 1. INTRODUCTION4 Hewlett-Packard: The Company4 The HP Way4 2. Current Situation4 Current Performance4 Strategic Posture4 Mission Statement of Hewlett Packard4 Vision statement of Hewlett Packard5 Improved Mission statement5 Improved Vision statement5 Why? 5 Comparison of Mission statement to a leading competitor statement5 Objectives:5 Strategies:6 The Current Strategy6 Focus on Your Customer6 Create Measurable Goals6 Create Major Initiatives6 3. Strategic Managers7 Board of Directors7 Top Management7 4. External Environment(EFAS Table)7MEGA Scanning(PEST analysis)7 Task Environment (Porter Five forces Model)7 5. Internal Environment (IFAS Table)8 Corporate Structure8 Corporate culture8 Corporate resources8 Marketing8 Finance8 R&D8 Operations9 Human Resources9 Information System9 Market Position9 6. Strategic Myopia (Filtration)10 7. Analysis of Strategic Factors10 Situational analysis (SWOT)10 TOWS Matrix13 SPACE Matrix15 INTERPRETATION16 Interpreting t he SPACE Analysis Matrix Diagram17 ixixGrand Starategy matr18 QSPM18 8. Strategic Alternatives and Recommended Strategy20 Recommended Strategy20 9.Implementation20 Expanding Geographically21 Reaching into new market segments21 10. Evaluation and control22 Appendix A23 Gross profit margin ratio23 Operating profit margin23 Net profit margin23 Current ratio23 Quick ratio23 Inventory turnover ratio23 Sales to receivables ratio24 Return on assets24 Debt to worth ratio24 1. INTRODUCTION Hewlett-Packard: The Company In 1938, two Stanford graduates in electrical engineering, William Hewlett and David Packard, started their own business in a garage behind Packard’s Palo Alto home. One year later, Hewlett and Packard formalized their usiness into a partnership called Hewlett-Packard. HP was incorporated in 1947 and began offering stock for public trading 10 years later. Annual net revenue for the company grew from $5. 5 million in 1951 to $3 billion in 1980. By 1997, annual net revenue exceeded $42 billion and HP had become the world’s second largest computer supplier. The company, which originally produced audio oscillators, introduced its first computer in 1966. In 1972, the company pioneered the era of personal computing by introducing the first scientific, hand-held calculator.Hewlett-Packard introduced its first personal computer in 1980. Five years later, HP introduced the LaserJet printer, which would become the company’s most successful product ever. The HP Way In 1956, Bill Hewlett, Dave Packard, and a handful of other HP executives gathered at the Mission Inn in Sonoma, California, to create a set of values and principles to guide their company. The six objectives that this small group subsequently created not only helped shape â€Å"a new kind of company, but ultimately became the foundation for what came to be known as â€Å"the HP way. 2. Current Situation Current Performance See Appendix 1 Strategic Posture Mission Statement of Hewle tt Packard â€Å"We are committed to developing a wide range of innovative products and multimedia services that challenge the way consumer’s access and enjoy digital entertainment. By ensuring synergy between businesses within the organization, we are also constantly striving to create exciting new worlds of entertainment that can be experienced on a variety of different products. † Vision statement of Hewlett Packard We recognize and seize opportunities for growth that builds upon our strengths and competencies. † Improved Mission statement To provide product, services and solution of highest quality and deliver more value to our customers that earn their respect and loyalty. Improved Vision statement To view change in market as an opportunity to grow, to use our profit and to ability to develop and produce innovative products, services and solutions that satisfy customers need. Why? They are brief and to the point. It is highlighting all the main points.Compar ison of Mission statement to a leading competitor statement IBM IBM, we strive to lead in the invention, development and manufacture of the industry most advanced information technologies, including computer systems, software, storage systems and microelectronics. We translate these advanced technologies into value for our customers through our professional solutions, services and consulting businesses worldwide. DELL Dell mission is to be the most successful computer company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve. Organization |Customers | |Opportunities: |Threats: | |Globally acceptable software used in the laptops which makes them easy to use and|Competitor’s technology & pricing. | |repair Political-Legal. |Less global coverage than competitor. | | |Low compatibility with non- HP product. |The prices are very affordable. |Booming of mobile technology such as IPAD and IPHONE. | |Potential of using technology is very high. |Due to toug h competition bargaining power of customer is low. | |One of the top market leader with trusted Brand name. | | | | | |The HP is continuously keeps on updating their technology which keeps the | | |interest of the customers intact. | |High product differentiation (servers, Laptops, scanners Printers and others. | | |Expansion of retailed stores for customer convenience. | | |Participation in joint venture | | |Mass production leads to high bargaining supplier power. | |Key External factors |Weight |Rating |Weighted Score | |Opportunities | | | | |1. Globally acceptable software used in the laptops which makes them easy to use and repair |0. 02 |4 |0. 08 | |Political-Legal. | | | | |2. The prices are very affordable. 0. 1 |3 |0. 3 | |3. Potential of using technology is very high. |0. 05 |4 |0. 2 | |4. One of the top market leader with trusted Brand name. |0. 1 |4 |0. 4 | |5. The HP is continuously keeps on updating their technology which keeps the interest of the customers |0. 1 |4 |0. 4 | |intact. | | | | |6. High product differentiation (servers, Laptops, scanners Printers and others. |0. |3 |0. 3 | |7. Expansion of retailed stores for customer convenience. |0. 1 |3 |0. 3 | |8. Participation in joint venture |0. 05 |2 |0. 1 | |9. Mass production leads to high bargaining supplier power. |0. 01 |3 |0. 03 | |Threats | | | | |1.Competitor’s technology & pricing. |0. 2 |3 |0. 6 | |2. Less global coverage than competitor. |0. 01 |3 |0. 03 | |3. Low compatibility with non- HP product. |0. 01 |2 |0. 02 | |4. Booming of mobile technology such as IPAD and IPHONE. |0. 1 |2 |0. 2 | |5. Due to tough competition bargaining power of customer is low. |0. 05 |3 |0. 5 | |Total Weighted Score | | |3. 11 | Current strategy can catch opportunity and avoid threats |Key Internal factors |Weight |Rating |Weighted Score | |Strengths | |Organized into 7 business sections with strong position in each |0. |4 |0. 4 | |The company competes both at local and international leve l. It has increased its competitiveness |0. 1 |4 |0. 4 | |through policies and strategies that supports free-market economies | | | | |Strong financial position |0. 1 |4 |0. | |Leading provider of personal computers and imaging and printing |0. 05 |4 |0. 2 | |Good Operational Efficiency |0. 05 |3 |0. 15 | |Multi-vendor customer services, including infrastructure technology and business process  outsourcing,|0. 05 |3 |0. 5 | |technology support and maintenance, application development and support services  and consulting and | | | | |integration services. | | | | |Highly talented workforce |0. 05 |4 |0. 2 | |Ability to provide end-to-end IT solution H/W, application development and support. |0. 15 |4 |0. 6 | |Hewlett-Packard is a global enterprise and especially after its  merger  with Compaq, the company |0. 5 |3 |0. 15 | |became world’s biggest  computer hardware  and peripherals consort in the world and has ranked 20th in | | | | |the Fortune 500 list. | | | | | Weaknesses | | | | |Financial condition leans very heavily on the state of economy not just in the US but worldwide |0. 5 |2 |0. 1 | |Struggling to Add Value and Remain Profitable in Low-Cost High-Volume PC Business |0. 01 |1 |0. 01 | |R&D department has significantly less investments compared to historical spending |0. 1 |1 |0. 1 | |Slow speed to market or responsiveness The past acquisition of Peregrine made the HP’s  portfolio  even|0. 5 |2 |0. 1 | |more diverse and complete but HP Open View’s lack of mainframe management capabilities created | | | | |several problems | | | | |Lack of in-house management consulting division |0. 1 |1 |0. 01 | |Dependency on third-party suppliers, and our revenue and gross margin could suffer if HP fails to |0. 01 |2 |0. 02 | |manage suppliers properly | | | | |Pay cuts has brought low morale to employees |0. 02 |1 0. 02 | |HP did not yet hit a CMDB  product  that includes discovery and mapping. This cause many customers to | 0. 05 |1 |0. 05 | |switch the brand | | | | |Total Weighted Score |3. 6 | HP has strong internal position TOWS Matrix |IFE |Strengths: |Weaknesses: | | |Organized into 7 business sections with strong |Financial position leans very heavily on the | | |position in each. state of economy not just in the US but | | |The company competes both at local and international|worldwide. | | |level. It has increased its competitiveness through |Struggling to Add Value and Remain Profitable in | | |policies and strategies that supports free-market |Low-Cost High-Volume PC Business. | |economies. |R&D department has significantly less investments| | |Strong financial position. |compared to historical spending. | | |Leading provider of personal computers and imaging |Slow speed to market or responsiveness the past | | |and printing. acquisition of Peregrine made the | | |Good Operational Efficiency. |HP’s  portfolio  even more diverse and complete but| | |Multi-vendor customer service s, including |HP Open View’s lack of mainframe management | | |infrastructure technology and business |capabilities created several problems. | |process  outsourcing, technology support and |Lack of in-house management consulting division. | | |maintenance, application development and support |Dependency on third-party suppliers, and our | | |services  and consulting and integration services. |revenue and gross margin could suffer if HP fails| | |Highly talented workforce. to manage suppliers properly. | | |Ability to provide end-to-end IT solution H/W, |Pay cuts has brought low morale to employees. | | |application development and support. |HP did not yet hit a CMDB  product  that includes | | |Hewlett-Packard is a global enterprise and |discovery and mapping.This cause many customers | | |especially after its  merger  with Compaq, the company|to switch the brand. | | |became world’s biggest  computer hardware  and | | | |peripherals consort in the wor ld and has ranked 20th| | | |in the Fortune 500 list. | |Opportunities: |SO: |WO: | |Globally acceptable software used in the laptops |S1, S2, S3, S7, O3 to develop new products |W5, O8 to develop new HR policy in order to | |which makes them easy to use and repair |(Intensive strategies). |retain the human capital. | |Political-Legal. |S2, S3, S5, O9 (backward integration – Integrative |W6,O9 (backward integration – Integrative | | |strategies). |strategies). | |The prices are very affordable. | | | |Potential of using technology is very high. | | | |One of the top market leader with trusted Brand | | | |name. | | | | | | |The HP is continuously keeps on updating their | | | |technology which keeps the interest of the | | | |customers intact. | | |High product differentiation (servers, Laptops, | | | |scanners Printers and others. | | | |Expansion of retailed stores for customer | | | |convenience. | | |Participation in joint venture | | | |Mass production leads t o high bargaining supplier| | | |power. | | | |Threats: |ST: |WT: |Competitor’s technology & pricing. |S2, S9, T1 to offer products standardizing with |W1,W8, T1 to develop new products (Intensive | |Less global coverage than competitor. |lowest cost for broad range of customers |strategies) and to drop the non-profitable | |Low compatibility with non- HP product. |(competitive strategy). |products. | |Booming of mobile technology such as IPAD and |S2, S3, S5, T4 to develop new products (Intensive | | |IPHONE. strategies). | | |Due to tough competition bargaining power of |S2, S3, S5, T2 to open retail stores worldwide | | |customer is low. |(Forward integration -integrative strategies). | | | | | | SPACE Matrix Internal Strategic Position |External Strategic position | |Competitive Position (CP) |Industry Position (IP) | |Market Share |-2 |Growth Potential |5 | |Product Quality |-1 |Profit Potential |5 | |Customer Loyalty |-2 |Financial Stability |5 | |Technological know-h ow |-2 |Labor cost |2 | |Control over suppliers and |-4 |Technological know-how |5 | |distributors | | | | |Total |-11 |Total |22 | |Average |-2. 2 |Average |3. 7 | |Financial Position (FP) | Stability Position(SP) | |Return on Investment |5 |Technological changes |-4 | |leverage |6 |Rate of Inflation |-2 | |Working Capital |5 |Price range of Competing products |-3 | |Liquidity |5 |Competitive pressure |-4 | |Price earnings ratio |4 |Barriers to entry into market |-2 | |   |   |Demand variability |-3 | |Total |25 |Total |-18 | |Average |5 |Average |-3 | |   |X Value = 3. 67 – 2. 2 = 1. 47 |   |Y value = 5- 3 = 2 | [pic] INTERPRETATION Assessing the SPACE Analysis Scores Each factor in the Strategic Position and Action Evaluation matrix can be quickly judged but there are benefits for exploring each in detail.There are a large number of factors that can be considered and each industry will have its own key features which should be included in the detailed SPACE evalu ation. A few factors to be considered to give you a flavour of what to include in your SPACE analysis are listed below. SPACE Analysis Factors For Financial Strength †¢ Return on Sales †¢ Return on Assets †¢ Cash Flow †¢ Gearing †¢ Working Capital Intensity SPACE Analysis Factors For Competitive Advantage †¢ Market Share †¢ Quality †¢ Customer Loyalty †¢ Cost Levels †¢ Product Range SPACE Analysis Factors For Industry Attractiveness †¢ Growth Potential †¢ Life Cycle Stage †¢ Entry Barriers †¢ Customer Power †¢ Substitutes SPACE Analysis Factors For Environmental Stability †¢ Political Uncertainty †¢ Interest Rates Technology †¢ Cyclical †¢ Environmental Issues Interpreting the SPACE Analysis Matrix Diagram The arrow indicating the strategic thrust can be drawn from the origin by calculating the net result on each axis and plotting this net position. The Aggressive posture in the SPACE Anal ysis Matrix occurs when all the dimensions are positive. The implicit strategy is to aggressively grow the business raising the stakes for all competitors. The main danger is complacency. ? According to the space matrix score HP falls in the â€Å"AGGRESSIVE quadrant† . Their strategies should be one of the following: Vertical and horizontal integration1 Market penetration2Market development3 Product development4 Diversification5 ixixGrand Starategy matr |[pic] | | | |Horizontal diversification | |Concentric diversification | |Conglomerate diversification | |Divestiture | QSPM | |Key Factor |Weight |Horizontal |Market |Product |Horizontal | | | |Integration |Development |Development |Diversification | |   | | |Low Product Cost |This orientation is focused on developing the lowest cost or highest value product. This is typical of companies| | |with commodity type products, products reaching a mature phase in their life cycle, or where there is | | |consolidation or a shrinking market. This orientation typically will require additional time and development | | |cost to optimize product cost and the manufacturing process. | |Low Development Cost |This orientation focuses on minimizing development cost or developing products within a constrained budget. | |While this orientation is not as common as the other orientations, it occurs when companies are developing | | |products under contract for other parties, where a company has severely constrained financial resources, or | | |where a â€Å"stealth† development effort is being undertaken on a â€Å"shoestring†. This orientation is somewhat | | |compatible with time-to-market, but involves tradeoffs with product performance, innovation, cost and | | |reliability. |Product Performance, Technology & Innovation |This orientation focuses on having the highest level of product performance, the highest level of functionality | | |or functions and features, the latest technology or the highes t level of product innovation. This orientation | | |can be pursued by companies in many industries or many products except commodity products. Pursuit of this | | |strategy involves higher risks with newer technologies and accepts a trade-off of time and cost to pursue these | | |objectives. | |Quality, Reliability, Robustness |This orientation focuses on assuring high levels of product quality, reliability and robustness.This | | |orientation is typical of industries requiring high quality because of the significant costs to correct a | | |problem (e. g. , recalls in the automotive or food processing industries), the need for high levels of reliability| | |(e. g. , aerospace products), or where there are significant safety issues (e. g. , medical devices, | | |pharmaceuticals, commercial aircraft, nuclear plants, etc. ). This orientation requires added time and cost for | | |planning, testing, analysis and regulatory approvals. |Service, Responsiveness & Flexibility |This orientat ion focuses on providing a high level of service, being very responsive to customer requirements as| | |part of development, and maintaining flexibility to respond to new customers, new markets and new opportunities. | | |This orientation requires additional resources (and their related costs) to provide this service and | | |responsiveness. | 10. Evaluation and control 1. Determine what to measure: Top managers and operational managers must specify implementation process and results to be monitored and evaluated.The processes and results must be measurable in a reasonably objective and consistent manner. The focus should be on the most significant elements in a process – the ones that account for the highest proportion of exposure or the greatest no. of problems. 2. Establish standards of Performance: Standards used to measure performance are detailed expressions of strategic objectives. They are measures of acceptable performance results. Each standard can be usually includ es a tolerance range, which defines any acceptable deviations. Standards can be set not only for final output, but also for intermediate stages of production output. 3. Measure actual performance.Measurements must be made at predetermined times. 4. Compare actual performance with the standard – if the actual performance results are within the desired tolerance range, the measurement process stops here. 5. Take corrective action: If the actual results fall outside the desired tolerance range, action must be taken to correct the deviation. The action must not only correct the deviation but also prevent its recurrence. The following issues must be resolved: †¢ Is the deviation only a chance fluctuation? †¢ Are the processes being carried out in correctly? †¢ Are the processes appropriate for achieving the desired standards? Objectives of Strategy Evaluation and Control Organizations are most vulnerable when they are at the peak of their success †¢ Erroneous s trategic decisions can inflict severe penalties and can be exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to reverse. †¢ Strategy evaluation is vital to an organization’s well-being; timely evaluations can alert management to problems or potential problems before a situation becomes critical. Appendix A Gross profit margin ratio The gross profit has increased from 23. 61% to 24. 53%. This means that profitability at the basic level has increased from previous year. This is a sign of good ratio. Operating profit margin Profitability before interest and tax has increased from 4. 00% to 7. 15%.This means that efficiency of the business before taking any financing has increased from the previous year. This also is a sign of good ratio. Net profit margin This also has increased from 2. 7% to 6. 76%. This means that overall profitability has also increased. This is a sign of good ratio. Current ratio Current ratio has decreased from 1. 38 to 1. 35. This means that working capital t o meet short term obligations has decreased, which shows a poor use of working capital. This is a sign of bad ratio. Quick ratio This ratio has also decreased from 1. 16 to 1. 13. So this shows that the ability to pay immediate financial obligations has also decreased. This quick ratio is acceptable but has decreased.Inventory turnover ratio The ratio has decreased from 9. 63 to 8. 93, which means that more capital is tied up in inventory which is not a good sign. Sales to receivables ratio It also has decreased from 8. 75 to 8. 43. This means that the efficiency in collecting accounts receivables has deceased. Return on assets This ratio has increased from 6. 9% to 13. 0% . This is the sign of good ratio. Debt to worth ratio This ratio has decreased to 6. 52% from 9. 12%. This means that debt financing has decreased and hence the risk also has decreased. Working capital . Working capital has increased from $11,874 to $12,414.This shows that the ability of a company to endure diffic ult financial periods has increased. |Gross profit margin |24. 53% |23. 61% | |Operating profit margin |7. 15% |4. 00% | |Net profit margin |6. 76% |2. 7% | |Current ratio |1. 35 |1. 38 | |Quick ratio |1. 13 |1. 6 | |Inventory turnover ratio |8. 93 |9. 63 | |Sales to receivables ratio |8. 43 |8. 75 | |Return on assets |13. 0% |6. 9% | |Debt to worth ratio |6. 52% |9. 12% | |Working capital |$12,414 |$11,874 | ———————– EFE

Libation

Libation Libation Libation By Maeve Maddox A cutesy use of the word libation is becoming popular with restaurateurs. I heard a radio spot for a local eatery of no particular elegance advertising â€Å"food and libations.† Pinterest has a category called â€Å"Elegant Food and Libations,† and numerous restaurants advertising on the web offer libations. One of them has made sure that potential customers know the meaning of the L word by posting the anticipated question and its answer on its home page: What are Libations? â€Å"They are drinks!† Until the 17th century, when some classically educated young gentleman thought it would be funny to call wine intended to be drunk by his guests â€Å"libations,† the word’s standard use was to refer to an ancient religious practice. libation: noun. The pouring out of wine or other liquid in honor of a god; the liquid so poured out; a drink-offering. Libation is from the Latin verb libare, â€Å"to libate, to pour out in honor of a god.† The usual liquid to pour out in the context of honoring a god or one’s ancestors is wine or some other alcoholic drink, although a libation can be any liquid. Water is poured out by Buddhists. In ancient Rome, milk was poured out to the goddess of childbirth. In addition to being offered to deities, libations were poured out in honor of one’s ancestors. Relatives visiting a Roman necropolis might pour a libation directly onto a grave, or into pipes installed for the purpose. The practice of pouring an offering of liquid onto the ground, an altar, an amulet, or a sacrificial animal has been a part of religious practice in all parts of the world. It continues into modern times in various religious and cultural contexts. A Cuban custom is to spill a drop or two of rum, while saying â€Å"para los santos (for the saints).† A similar custom exists in the Philippines, where someone opening a bottle of rum will spill a capful, saying â€Å"para sa yawa (for the Devil).† The following rap lyrics refer to a libation practice called â€Å"tipping,† in which malt liquor is spilled on the ground in memory of the dead: â€Å"Pour out a little liquor† Pour out a little liquor for your homies 2Pak Going down the drain I’d like to keep stepping But I can’t get past the pain, I tip my 40 to your memory Take a drink and I start to think DRS Gangsta Lean Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a UK Business LetterHow to Play HQ Words: Cheats, Tips and TricksEducational vs. Educative

Temperate Forests Are Mild-Climate Forests

Temperate Forests Are Mild-Climate Forests Temperate forests are forests that grow in temperate regions such as those found in eastern North America, western and central Europe, and northeastern Asia. Temperate forests occur at latitudes between about 25Â ° and 50Â ° in both hemispheres. They have a moderate climate and a growing season that lasts between 140 and 200 days each year. Precipitation in temperate forests is generally distributed evenly throughout the year. The canopy of a temperate forest consists mainly of broad-leaved trees. Toward polar regions, temperate forests give way to boreal forests. Temperate forests first evolved about 65 million years ago during the beginning of the Cenozoic Era. At that time, global temperatures dropped and, in areas further from the equator, cooler and more temperate climates emerged. In these regions, temperatures were not only cooler but were also dryer and showed seasonal variations. The plants in these regions evolved and adapted to the climate changes. Today, the temperate forests that are closer to the tropics (and where the climate changed less dramatically), the tree and other plant species more closely resemble those of the older, tropical regions. In these regions, temperate evergreen forests can be found. In areas where climate changes were more dramatic, deciduous trees evolved (deciduous trees drop their leaves when the weather turns cold each year as an adaptation that enables trees to withstand the seasonal temperature fluctuations in these regions). Where forests became dryer, sclerophyllous trees evolved to cope with periodi c lack of water. Key Characteristics The following are the key characteristics of temperate forests: grow in temperate regions (at latitudes between about 25Â ° and 50Â ° in both hemispheres)experiences distinct seasons, with an annual growing season that lasts between 140 and 200 dayscanopy consists mainly of broadleaf trees Classification Temperate forests are classified within the following habitat hierarchy: Biomes of the World Forest Biome Temperate Forests Temperate forests are divided into the following habitats: Temperate deciduous forests - Temperate deciduous forests occur in eastern North America, central Europe, and parts of Asia. Deciduous forests experience temperatures that range between -30Â ° and 30Â °C throughout the year. They receive between 75 and 150 cm of rainfall each year. The vegetation of temperate deciduous forest includes a variety of broadleaf trees (such as oak, beech, cherry, maple, and hickory) as well as various shrubs, perennial herbs, mosses, and mushrooms. Temperate deciduous forests occur and mid-latitudes, between the polar regions and the tropics.Temperate evergreen forests - Temperate evergreen forests consist mainly of evergreen trees that retain their leaves throughout the year. Temperate evergreen forests occur in eastern North America and in the Mediterranean Basin. They also include subtropical broadleaf evergreen forests of the southeastern United States, southern China, and southeastern Brazil. Animals of Temperate Forests Some of the animals that inhabit temperate forests include: Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) - The eastern chipmunk is a species of chipmunk that lives in the deciduous forests of eastern North America. Easter chipmunks are small rodents that have red-brown fur and dark and light brown stripes that run the length of its back.White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) - The white-tailed deer is a species of deer that inhabits the deciduous forests of eastern North America. White-tailed deer have a brown coat and a tail with a distinct white underside that it raises when alarmed.American black bear (Ursus americanus) - American black bears are one of three bear species that live in North America, the other two being the brown bear and the polar bear. Of these bear species, black bears are the smallest and most timid.European robin (Erithacus rebecula) - European robins are shy birds throughout most of their range but in the British Isles, they have acquired a charming tameness and are frequent, honored guests in backyard gardens, and parks. T heir feeding behavior historically involved following foraging animals such as the wild boar as it dug through the soil.