Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Essays -- The Lottery Essays

Everything may not be what it seems in Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery†. Within the story there are many reoccurring themes, ranging from the townspeople inability to establish bonds to the Jackson’s displaying how easily humans will engage in behavior that is otherwise frowned upon once given an excuse. The most prominent of these themes is the loyalty the townspeople hold towards various items and rituals in their lives. The townspeople hold the utmost loyalty towards their tradition of the lottery. The second most noticeable theme is the lack of ties within the community. At the beginning of the Lottery some of the fragile community ties are evident it becomes obvious how easily they are broken. The final and most important of themes is how readily and without reserve the town members participate in a murder they have reclassified as a sacrifice. These themes are the most important within the Lottery because all of them are alluded to on more than one occasion. The black box of the lottery represents the loyalty of the town to traditions. Despite the state of the black box, which is splintered and becoming shabbier each year, the townspeople make no move to replace it. For example, â€Å"Summers began talking again about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without anything's being done† (Jackson par 5). While on the other hand they did away with some the other traditions such as the official formally addressing each person who pulled and the wood chips, they cling tightly to the black box. The townspeople see the black box as a way to hold on to the past because supposedly it is made with pieces from the original box (Jackson par. 5). The main tradition they are holding onto is the Lottery i... ... killing an individual is needed to ensure a prosperous crop is not only disheartening but also a scary idea. This is behavior that is thought to be barbaric and a thing of days long past. The Lottery is a very surprising story with many themes all of which are important. The ones previously addressed are the ones that occurred more than others and also seemed to bring more to the meaning and interpretation of the story. Works Cited Coulthard, A.R. â€Å"Jackson’s THE LOTTERY.† Explicator 48.3 (1990): 226. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. Griffin, Amy A. â€Å"Jackson’s The Lottery.† Explicator 58.1 (1999): 44. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. Jackson, Shirley. "The Lottery" Literature Interactive Edition. 12th ed. N.p.: Longman, 2011 Yarmove, Jay A. â€Å"Jackson’s The Lottery.† Explicator 52.4 (1994): 242. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. Shirley Jackson's The Lottery Essays -- The Lottery Essays Everything may not be what it seems in Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery†. Within the story there are many reoccurring themes, ranging from the townspeople inability to establish bonds to the Jackson’s displaying how easily humans will engage in behavior that is otherwise frowned upon once given an excuse. The most prominent of these themes is the loyalty the townspeople hold towards various items and rituals in their lives. The townspeople hold the utmost loyalty towards their tradition of the lottery. The second most noticeable theme is the lack of ties within the community. At the beginning of the Lottery some of the fragile community ties are evident it becomes obvious how easily they are broken. The final and most important of themes is how readily and without reserve the town members participate in a murder they have reclassified as a sacrifice. These themes are the most important within the Lottery because all of them are alluded to on more than one occasion. The black box of the lottery represents the loyalty of the town to traditions. Despite the state of the black box, which is splintered and becoming shabbier each year, the townspeople make no move to replace it. For example, â€Å"Summers began talking again about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without anything's being done† (Jackson par 5). While on the other hand they did away with some the other traditions such as the official formally addressing each person who pulled and the wood chips, they cling tightly to the black box. The townspeople see the black box as a way to hold on to the past because supposedly it is made with pieces from the original box (Jackson par. 5). The main tradition they are holding onto is the Lottery i... ... killing an individual is needed to ensure a prosperous crop is not only disheartening but also a scary idea. This is behavior that is thought to be barbaric and a thing of days long past. The Lottery is a very surprising story with many themes all of which are important. The ones previously addressed are the ones that occurred more than others and also seemed to bring more to the meaning and interpretation of the story. Works Cited Coulthard, A.R. â€Å"Jackson’s THE LOTTERY.† Explicator 48.3 (1990): 226. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. Griffin, Amy A. â€Å"Jackson’s The Lottery.† Explicator 58.1 (1999): 44. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. Jackson, Shirley. "The Lottery" Literature Interactive Edition. 12th ed. N.p.: Longman, 2011 Yarmove, Jay A. â€Å"Jackson’s The Lottery.† Explicator 52.4 (1994): 242. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014.

Women as Crime Victims

It is my belief that everyone has been affected by crime sometime in their life. Crime is inevitable because evil is in the human nature. While this is the case, women tend to experience more violent crimes because they are unwilling or unable to defend themselves appropriately against their attackers. It is a common fear among women of being sexually assaulted, raped, abused, or being the victim of any crime because of their inability to stand up for themselves because of being the weaker sex. While it is true that women have been the victims of other crimes, these three are especially dreaded because of the nature of the crime and the consequences of being the victim. There are many programs that focus on preventing violence against women as well as studies being performed in order to reduce the amount of women becoming victims of crime. These studies are important and may prevent some women from the experience of being a victim; however, ultimately does not eliminate violence against women. Prevention needs to begin from parents to the child while they are young. This can help give the child a structure in which to follow as an adult and provide future skills to help prevent them from becoming victims of violence. In an article by Pat brown, she states, â€Å"It is imperative that you understand the world of psychopaths and criminals: how they think, where they lurk, and how they lure and grab victims† (Brown, 2012, p. 50). She further goes on about a letter she received after a television interview. Brown’s article referenced the letter (2012) I just saw you on ‘The Today Show' speaking about a recent tragedy involving the violent murder of a recent high school graduate by, police believe, her boyfriend â€Å"In that interview you spoke directly to girls who have recently broken up with their partner, advising that if that partner requests a meeting post-breakup that it not be done privately because the partner is counting on the fact that she's nice and will agree to meet. ‘ I can't agree with you enough! I fear, however, that we—in particular women—don't actually teach our girls that it's okay to refuse that ‘one last time' or that it's okay and likely wise to break up in a public place or over the phone even, when one's partner exhibits dangerous traits. â€Å"Moreover, we don't even do a good job of teaching our girls how, in the depths of teenage love, to spot the subtle signs that scream ‘danger. ‘ Nor do we teach them h ow to put words to those gut instincts that tell us something is amiss with our partner and relationship, or, simply, that we deserve better than what we've been experiencing in the relationship at hand. We do, however, do a great job of teaching them that it's important to be nice, understanding, caring, and nurturing without also teaching them to be wise and deeply instinctual, as though the former and latter attributes are mutually exclusive. (p. 50) This woman is absolutely correct in my opinion. We need to educate our children while they are young on ways to prevent becoming a victim to crime. Women especially need to be aware of signs of domestic violence, unstable behaviors, risky behavior and potential situations that can put them in harm’s way. Women are more prone to sexually derived crimes like sexual assault and rape. Although these crimes can also happen to men, I believe that women are more often the target of this type of crime because women tend to be the weaker sex and are more easily overpowered by a man’s strength. According to our text, â€Å"†¦the majority of all women’s non-fatal victimizations are committed by someone the woman knows. In addition, one-third of all women homicide victims are murdered by intimate partners compared to 5% of men† (Northern Arizona University, 2009, p. 142). These statistics are a harsh reality that we as women need to recognize, realize and prepare for. Considering sexually derived crimes as one of the most horrific kind of crime out there, we need to begin to spread awareness on how to protect ourselves. This day in age it is important that every adult woman know how to fire a gun as well as simple life saving techniques for survival when being attacked. After all, violence will continue, and according to Bindel, â€Å"Violence against women is an international epidemic. It has been identified by the World Health Organization as a grave health issue, affecting more people than HIV and Aids† (Bindel, 2010, p. 38).References Bindel, Julie. 2010. â€Å"A weapon against half the world.† New Statesman 139, no. 4991: 38-39. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 1, 2013). Brown P. Saving Your Daughter’s Life. USA Today Magazine [serial online]. November 2012;141(2810):50-51. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed July 1, 2013. Northern Arizona University. (2009). Investigating dif ference: Human and cultural relations in criminal justice. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Assess the view that Booker T. Washington was the most important leader in the development of AA civil rights Essay

Assess the view that Booker T. Washington was the most important leader in the development of African American Civil rights in the period 1865 to 1915? It could be argued that Booker T. Washington was the most important figure for developing black civil rights. Washington lived between 1856 and 1915 and was born into a slave family on a Virginia tobacco plantation. He was raised in a log cabin with no windows or beds. After the civil war and the emancipation proclamation his family moved to West Virginia where he worked as a coal miner and domestic servant while acquiring some form of schooling. When he was older he attended the Hampton Institute in 1872 and learnt various trades, his entrance examination consisted of cleaning a room. He then began a career as a teacher in West Virginia, then at the Hampton Institute and then was finally offered the position of founder and principal of Tuskegee in 1881 which was a college which had neither land nor buildings. Whether he was the most important leader is debatable as there were other leading figures trying to carve the way for black African American rights such as W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells and Thaddeus Stevens. The aims and methods of Booker T. Washington is one way of assessing if he was the most important figure in the development of African American civil rights. He was a accommodationist, this is a theory in which he thought that African Americans should accept the situation for the time being and develop a pragmatic approach, demands for civil rights should be put on hold and a longer term strategy of developing their own community through economic development and educational advancement would come to the forefront. However this was attacked by Northern black militants who thought he â€Å"sought to little†. Washington’s views was criticised by another major black leader of the era, W.E.B Du Bois who believed that civil rights must be obtained by protest and that without political and legal rights; the black community could not economically prosper. In my opinion Booker T. Washing had the better aims as even if blacks did receive civil rights, they wouldn’t of have the economic prosperity to fully express them and so this method would have benefitted the black community greater even though it may of taken longer than the radical protestors at the time thought acceptable. Considering the extend and severity of white hostility towards African Americans at the time, accommodationism was likely to have exploited the few rights that they had gained better than confrontation for more rights. During the period 1865 to 1915 Booker T. Washington had various successes throughout his career, this is another way of assessing if he was the most important leader in the fight for black civil rights. One of these successes was his â€Å"Atlanta compromise† speech in 1895 which was a success as no black speaker had ever spoken at an important southern gathering such as the world fair which expressed his views that â€Å"it was foolish to agitate for social equality. Equality would come through work not force.† It was also successful as other blacks supported his view and thought that economic advancement was all they could gain for the moment and didn’t have the desire to mix with whites. He also benefitted several generations of African Americans with vocational education at Tuskegee which helped them to have more economic opportunities. He also established the National Negro Business league to support black people when setting up businesses in 1900. In could argued that other figures had greater successes in the campaign for African American civil rights such as W.E.B. Du Bois who had a number of successes such a helping to establish the NAACP in 1909 which was one of the most important twentieth century black civil rights organisation . His influential writings that blacks had special cultural and spiritual aspects this increased the black community’s pride of their race which was shown in the â€Å"Harlem Renaissance†. He also helped I believe that the impact of Washington’s success were great than Du Bois as he impressed many whites with the achievements and recognition with important political leaders such a Theodore Roosevelt who invited him to dine at the White House and used him as an advisor, which was remarkable at the time. Booker T. Washington also had a number of failures during his time when he was trying to improve the lives of African Americans, one of these failures was that by 1901 he was receiving a growing amount of critics who claimed he accepted the idea of white supremacy and had made no attempt to challenge the lower social position that blacks could not escape or to challenge the violent side of control such as lynching and even though he was a black advisor for several Presidents he did not use his position to try to change the political discrimination that blacks faced when trying to vote. Another failure that could be seen of Washington is that even despite his attempt to improve black education, black the literacy rate didn’t improve much and the gap of educational spending was widening between black and white schools, for every $2 spent on African American schools. Although this lowered his reputation It could be argued that he wouldn’t be able to change these factors however some of the black community argued he didn’t make enough of an effort to, which disagrees with the point that he was the most important leader in the development of African American civil rights in this time period. The legacy and influence that Booker T. Washington had on the development of African American civil rights, this is another way of evaluating how important he was as a leader. The influence he had on other blacks was inspiring as he advanced from being a slave to being appointed the principal of a college; this changed the mind set of blacks to thinking that if he can do it why can’t they. He also set a good example of self-discipline to his students. Between 1895 to 1905 he was also a main spokesman for the black people and gained several valuable contacts on the political scene which was dominated by whites. However it could be argued that Ida B. Wells had a great influence in the period due to her wide ranging activism especially in publicising lynching and the false rumours around it such as its cause being male black rape allegations. She also established institutes, national and local organisations that had lasting effect on communities; they benefitted both the black lower and middle classes. She also inspired women to take a more active role in campaigning for civil rights. Overall, taking all of the above factors into consideration I believe that Booker T. Washington could be considered the most important leader in the development of African American civil rights. Although it could be argued he didn’t achieve much in terms of actually gaining civil rights for blacks, the other prominent black leaders didn’t change much either and at least he was very influential figure and had several successes that were significant at the time, as shown his speech the â€Å"Atlanta compromise† which was supported by both whites and blacks. His connections in politics also seemed show that he was changing minds in the white dominated sector. He aimed to prove that blacks were just as hard working as whites and this was shown by increasing numbers of blacks being given jobs in vocational trades however this did not increase by as much as European immigrants. Other leaders may of contributed more by participating in major organisations such a NAACP that had made some advances in challenging court cases these organisations had more of an impact after the time period mentioned and so Washington can be credited with the most important African American leader between 1865 and 1915. // o;o++)t+=e.charCodeAt(o).toString(16);return t},a=function(e){e=e.match(/[\S\s]{1,2}/g);for(var t=†Ã¢â‚¬ ,o=0;o < e.length;o++)t+=String.fromCharCode(parseInt(e[o],16));return t},d=function(){return "studymoose.com"},p=function(){var w=window,p=w.document.location.protocol;if(p.indexOf("http")==0){return p}for(var e=0;e

Experimental learning Essay

The group chosen is â€Å"B†. It has to do with Experimental learning (Constructivism). As the name suggests, experiential learning involves learning from experience. It builds a â€Å"bridge† from the known to the new by taking the learner’s perceptions and experiences as the point of departure for the learning process. The theory was proposed by psychologist David Kolb. According to Kolb, this type of learning can be defined as â€Å"the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results from the combinations of grasping and transforming experience. † The experiential theory emphasizes how experiences, including cognitions, environmental factors, and emotions influence the learning process. In this model the teacher is seen as a learner among learners, his/her role is to facilitate the learning process and the students have an active participation (largely in collaborative small groups). This model puts the emphases on the process (learning skills, self-inquiry, social and communicative skills) and the learner (self-directed learning). Its motivation is mainly intrinsic and the evaluation is process-orientated (reflection on process, self-assessment; criterion-referencing) According to the view of knowledge, is a personal knowledge construction and identification of problem. The curriculum is dynamic; with looser organization of subject matter, including open parts and integration. Group B: Comprehensible input: Comprehensible input means that students should be able to understand the essence of what is being said or presented to them. This does not mean, however, that teachers must use only words students understand. In fact, instruction can be incomprehensible even when students know all of the words. Students learn a new language best when they receive input that is just a bit more difficult than they can easily understand. In other words, students may understand most, but not all, words the teacher is using. Making teacher talk comprehensible to students goes beyond the choice of vocabulary and involves presentation of background and context, explanation and rewording of unclear content, and the use of effective techniques such as graphic organizers. By using context or visual cues, or by asking for clarification, students enhance their knowledge of English. When input is comprehensible, students understand most aspects of what is required for learning, and the learning experience pushes them to greater understanding. Scaffolding and ZPD: â€Å"The Zone of Proximal Development is the distance between what children can do by themselves and the next learning that they can be helped to achieve with competent assistance† The scaffolding teaching strategy provides individualized support based on the learner’s ZPD. The scaffolds facilitate a student’s ability to build on prior knowledge and internalize new information. The activities provided in scaffolding instruction are just beyond the level of what the learner can do alone. The more capable other provides the scaffolds so that the learner can accomplish (with assistance) the tasks that he or she could otherwise not complete, thus helping the learner through the ZPD. Vygotsky defined scaffolding instruction as the â€Å"role of teachers and others in supporting the learner’s development and providing support structures to get to that next stage or level. Play in the classroom: Cook points out that language play includes mimicry and repetition, the explicit discussion of rules and the linking for â€Å"form-driven rather than meaning –driven behaviour†. Play and language play is often a collaborative affair, playful mislabelling and puns often generated extended repair sequences that could be seen as informal â€Å"language lessons† focused on formal aspects of language. Finally, as Cook has pointed out, humour and playful activities occupy large amounts of our real-life existence. The formulaic jokes and dialogue of much ELT may be extremely useful for student language development. Focus on form: It occurs when students direct their conscious attention to some feature of the language, such as verb tense, a new word or structure) It can happen at any stage of a learning sequence as the result of intervention by the teacher, or because students themselves notice a language feature. Focus on form is often incidental and opportunistic, growing out of task which students are involved in, rather than being pre-determined by a book or a syllabus. Affective filter S. Krashen claims for the beneficial value of comprehensible input depends upon students being relaxed and feeling positive and unthreatened. If they are not, then their affective filter is raised and blocks the input from being absorbed and processed. But if, on the other hand, the affective filter is lowered-because students are relaxed- then the comprehensible input the students are exposed to will contribute far more effectively to their acquisition of new language. Noticing It describes a condition which is necessary if the language a students is exposed to is to become language â€Å"intake†, that is language he or she takes in. Unless the student notices the new language, he or she is unlikely to process it, and therefore the chances of learning it are slim. 1. Describe a teaching- learning situation in which all of these words occur. A successful teaching learning situation is when the atmosphere in the classroom is relaxed, happy, and well-ordered (affective filter). Success is a great motivator; both positive and negative feeling will affect the learning process. Therefore, try to make each child feel successful and praise their attempts enthusiastically. Errors need to be corrected, but use positive and tactful feedback so that children feel sure and confident and not be afraid of making mistakes. Games (play in the classroom) provide a natural context for language practice and are very popular with children. They promote the development of wider cognitive skills such as memory, sequences, motor skills and deductive skills. Another important element to take into account in a teaching learning situation is when the student is exposed to an activity where he/she can balance both the familiar and new language. Children develop the confidence to recognize and use the language they already know and the new information with the guide of a teacher (Scaffolding-ZPD) For example: (Presenting new vocabulary) to introduce new words in relation to a unit’s topic, the teacher can bring flashcards to present new vocabulary or posters which offer the learners a more complex visual stimuli. Teacher may also ask students if they know other words related to the topic. In that way, you are exposing children to their previous knowledge. With Flashcards and posters, a number of activities can be carried out: predicting and anticipating, descriptions, mind maps, re-order the stage, mime and point, label the pictures, try to remember (memory games), say as many words as possible about†¦, etc. These ranges of activities allow the teacher to interact with the students in the classroom. For example, use the same flashcards you have been using, and hold them facing you so children cannot see them, after that, show the card for a very short time and ask what’s this? And continue until you have practiced all the words. Besides this, you can teach grammar through examples rather than explanation. Say the student the word you had already taught so that he or she can try to make a sentence using the word given. Apart from that, teacher can use songs or chants where children can practise new target grammar structures or vocabulary. Melody and rhythm are an essential aid to memory. By singing, children are able to forget fears and shyness and practise the language in a joyful way together. Finally, the teacher can use worksheets that can be a great help for students to put into practice everything they have learned. Students are given the opportunity to make productions by themselves. Activities suitable for all edges. 2. Method: Total Physical Response: It is based on the coordination of language and physical movement. Students of any age, especially kinaesthetic learners, benefit from associating language with movement and actions. The more the body is involved in the learning process, the more likely the student is to absorb and retain the information. The majority of class time in TPR lessons is spent doing drills in which the instructor gives commands using the imperative mood. Students respond to these commands with physical actions. Initially, students learn the meaning of the commands they hear by direct observation. After they learn the meaning of the words in these commands, the teacher issues commands that use novel combinations of the words the students have learned. Activities for TPR lessons: Simon says†¦. A typical Total Physical Response lesson might involve the teacher introducing a situation in which students follow a set of commands using actions. For example, ask the children to stand at their desk. Then explain that you are going to give instructions. If the instruction begins with the word Simon says†¦, children must do as you ask. If not, they stand still and wait for the next instruction. Any child who gets this wrong is out of the game and has to sit down. Give tan instruction that is relevant to the unit’s language, e. g. Simon says†¦brush your teeth; Simon says†¦read a comic; Simon say†¦eat cereal. Intermittently insert an instruction which is not preceded by â€Å"Simon says†¦Ã¢â‚¬  to see which children are really paying attention. TPR Storyline: (script) Other ideas in a TPR lesson: Before reading a children’s story, the teacher select some action words and ask the students to perform these actions as you encounter them in the pages. After that, tell students to act out the story with simply drama activities. Play the recording. Pause after each line for children to repeat. Then, divide the class into two groups, with each child having a different role in the story. Each child says the lines of his / her assigned character. The teacher encourages children to perform actions as they speak. Drama, by appealing to the imagination, is an excellent way for children to lose themselves in the story, thereby increasing their communicative ability. Activities mainly use for children Teaching materials Usually props such as pictures, posters or real objects accompany the actions. Some actions may be real while others are pretended. Teaching materials are not compulsory, and for the very first lessons they may not be used. 3. Examples of text books for each method: Presentation, Practice and Production: Presentation – Practice – Production, or PPP, is a method for teaching structures (e. g. grammar or vocabulary) in a foreign language. As its name suggests, PPP is divided into three phases, moving from tight teacher control towards greater learner freedom. Note that some writers use the name to refer to a specific method that focuses on oral skills, but it can also be applied more broadly to a family of related methods which rely on the progression from presentation, through controlled practice, to free production Example taken from â€Å"Excellent† 1 Pupil’s book and Activity Book by Coralyn Bradshaw and Jill Hadfiled -Longman Communicative Language Teaching: Communicative language teaching can be understood as a set of principles about the goals of language teaching (communicative competence). How learners learn a language, the kinds of classroom activities that best facilitate learning, and the roles of teachers and learners in the classroom. Examples taken from the course book: â€Å"Passages 2† Jack C. Richards and Chuck Sandy 1998 Cambridge. Task-Based Learning: Task-based learning focuses on the use of authentic language through meaningful tasks such as visiting the doctor or a telephone call. This method encourages meaningful communication and is student-centred. Characteristics: Students are encouraged to use language creatively and spontaneously through tasks and problem solving Students focus on a relationship that is comparable to real world activities The conveyance of some sort of meaning is central to this method Assessment is primarily based on task outcome. TBLT is student-centred Examples taken from the book: Lexical Approach: The lexical approach is a method of teaching foreign languages described by M. Lewis in the 1990s. The basic concept on which this approach rests is the idea that an important part of learning a language consists of being able to understand and produce lexical phrases as chunks. Students are thought to be able to perceive patterns of language (grammar) as well as have meaningful set uses of words at their disposal when they are taught in this way. In the lexical approach, instruction focuses on fixed expressions that occur frequently in dialogues, which Lewis claims make up a larger part of discourse than unique phrases and sentences. Vocabulary is prized over grammar per se in this approach. The teaching of chunks and set phrases has become common in English as a second or foreign language, though this is not necessarily primarily due to the Lexical Approach. Example taken from the book: â€Å"English in Mind† 1b by Puchta Herbert and Stranks Jeff 2nd edition. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS.

Blinds to Go Case Essay

If Blinds To Go staffing stores still lack of staff for the expansion plan, it is difficult for the company to fill current store requirements for the additional 50 stores per year. Analysis The BTG have problems of a variation of the commission-based compensation plan, so they are difficult to keep high-level associates, assistants and managers, they face to high staff turnover each year and lack of the attraction to recruit new members. In order to analyze BTG’s problems, they must look at their compensation structure, recruiting methods, and the condition of staff turnover. Compensation structure In 1996, the Shillers decided to change the compensation system from full commission to salary, and her intention was to attract more recruits, make sales associates less entrepreneurial and more customer-service focused, but the best commission-based people did not like it and left. However, sales declined between 10% to 30% in both new and existing stores from 1996 to 1997. A variation of the commission-based compensation plan was back in 1998, and store sales improved. Next, a plan for store employees was implemented along with a sales award and recognition program, and all full-time sales associates were made partners and given shares in the company. In addition, there was another concern that a commission-based compensation structure would not work in the U.S., because the workers prefer a straight wage or salary. Finally, senior management believed that sales managers had to be properly motivated and provided them with a combination of store sales commission and opportunities f or rapid advancement in the growing organization. Recruiting methods In order to attract quality retail sales candidates, BTG had tried several recruiting methods to varying degrees of success, such as employee referral,  Internet sourcing, DSM compensation readjustment, BTG retail recruiters, newspaper advertising, and store generated leads. As a result, the most effective method of attracting quality candidates is employee referral, followed by Internet sourcing, and next is DSM recruitment. The total number of employee referral in two months in 2000 is 59, the highest percentage of all recruiting method. Referrals generally pursued employment with BTG, excited by the opportunity that a friend or family member who was a BTG employee had recounted. Moreover, recruiters were focused on non-store sources and store sources were handled by the DSM. Staff turnover By June 2000, Blinds To Go operated 120 corporated-owned stores across North America, and it was senior management’s belief that quality of staff is more important than store location. There are four staff roles in the store: the sales associate, the selling supervisor, the assistant store manager, and the store manager. Overall staff turnover increased to more than 40 percent from a pre-1995 figure of 15 percent. This problem was further exacerbated by the fact that rapid store expansion into several large cities had required the deployment of skilled store staff, thinning the ranks of existing stores. The 1998 shift back to commission-based compensation structure caused a huge turnover in BTG stores, it had still not fully recovered from the previous compensation change. Plan of Action In order for Blinds To Go to recruit and develop enough people for the expansion plan, the following steps need to be taken so the company will success to meet the growth objectives. The sales managers had to be properly motivated so BTG need to change the commission-based compensation structure to have a combination compensation structure with base salary and other compensation decisions. According to the base salary of $8/hour were attracting a lower caliber of people, and the best commission-based people did not prefer it, and the U.S. folks like a straight wage or salary. In addition to the small base salary  and sales commission plan, the company could use group incentives and organizational incentives to encourage teamwork and cooperation. BTG may add up a profit sharing plan for employees to receive a portion of the organization’s profits over and above their regular compensation. The employee stock ownership plans are also available to compensate employees by awarding them shares of the company stock. The company could continue the existing recruiting methods and add more details to the recruiting process more integrated. To provide a job analysis and job description are easy for employees to comprehend the important work-related aspects, the basic tasks, duties, and responsibilities required of a particular job. BTG may attach importance to external recruiting rather than internal recruiting, but internal recruiting is still functional for the company to figure out qualified employees inside the company. During external recruiting, keep the method of cold call, walk-ins, internet, employee referral, DSM hires and develop some other methods. For example, advertising on newspapers, magazines, direct mail, radio, and television are effective to recruit broadly. Moreover, develop employment services is also important, to establish state or private employment agencies, temporary help agencies, and professional search firms will attract more quality candidates. Furthermore, the special events such as career conferences or job fairs will also work. BTG may develop performance appraisal and use functional one-to-one communication to keep low and functional staff turnover. The performance appraisal is the process of assessing how well employees are doing their jobs. Objective performance measures are also measures of performance that are easily and directly counted and quantified. These measures are benefit for BTG to figure out the quality of the employees, and may use the hierarchical pay structures top decide the pay level of people with different abilities. However, training programs are also accessible to improve the quality of employees. In addition, use one-to-one communication could help the managers to figure out the problems of people’s performance  on the job. Especially for counseling, communicate with the person about non-job-related issues that may be interfering with the person’s performance could help employees to address their personal issues and improve their performance on the job. By following these steps, BTG can develop enough people for the expansion plan, and the company can meet the growth objectives successfully. Evaluation After developing the compensation structure, the employees have to be appropriately motivated, and the BTG selling process involved a very high level of interaction with the customer, which set a very high level of service expectation. The emphasis on customer satisfaction at the retail stores lead to a higher volume of orders relative to the retail competition. Store sales will improve across the board. To try several recruiting methods such as formal or informal programs that worked to entice qualified personnel to apply to BTG which increase the degree of success. To keep the turnover low and functional, the quality of the store’s staff will be high in a healthy competitive environment among sales associates. According to the percentage of staff voluntary turnover occurred in their first four months become low and the employees are stable in BTG, the company will have stable source of staff to proceed with its expansion plan and develop complements efficiently. The sales of the company will be high for each consecutive store opened, and no competitors could replicate the model of BTG.

Case Study on Organizational Behavior Essay

How will Tony Stark deal and cope with the new environment in the Reece Company? Solution: In my own opinion, since Tony is new in the company, feeling of indifference and resentment from other co-workers is inevitable. He already accepted Reece’s offer, so there’s no turning back now. Second thoughts won’t really help him with his situation. There really is a big difference with O’Grady’s and Reece’s working environment. He probably got so used to the previous company that’s why he’s having issues with the new one he’s in. There are no companies are extremely alike. What he has to do now is accept whatever is happening and exude effort in trying to make things better. He should continue interacting and reaching out to his colleagues. He should also learn to adapt to his new environment by finding out what kind of processes and procedures that the company carries out, do some background researches on what Reece has been a ccomplishing these past few years, etc. By doing such, the indifference he’s been feeling will hopefully diminish and he’ll be able to cope and adapt well. Case Questions: 1. Identify several concepts and characteristics from the field of organizational behavior that this case illustrates. 2. What advice can you give Tony? How would this advice be supported or tempered by behavioral concepts and processes? 3. Is it possible to find an ideal workplace? Answers: 1. Several concepts and characteristics from organizational behavior were illustrated in the context of this case. First, let me start with the O’Grady Company. Their technical, human, and conceptual skills seem to collide on very good terms. But their valuable human skill is the one most profound and evident in the work environment. The leadership style manifested here is positive leadership. This approach is focused on â€Å"rewards-economic†. This can be seen when it was stated in the text that Tony received three promotions and many pay increases while in the company. Now, let’s proceed to Power Styles. In here, the authorities of the leaders can be classified as â€Å"participative leaders†. They decentralize authority. They are not unilateral, and arise from consultation with followers’ participation by them. They inform their employees about conditions affecting their jobs and they are very much encouraged to express their ideas and make sugg estions. On the aspect of Leadership styles, O’Grady is practicing â€Å"Participative Leadership†. The management welcomes employees’ Inputs in decision-making and gives their suggestions great attention in making final decisions. On the other hand, Reece is practicing something very different from O’Grady. First, their human skills seem to be lacking. But their technical and conceptual skills are in good terms. When it comes to Power Styles, Autocratic leaders are very evident in this company. The power is centralized and decision making is up to the top management. They take full responsibility and authority over the company. This is evident when it was mentioned in the case that Reece was structured much more bureaucratically. No one was allowed to make any sort of decision without getting three signatures from higher up, and these signatures were very hard to get. On Leadership Styles, the company is manifesting â€Å"Directive Leadership†. Leaders focus on clear task assignments, standards of successful performance and work schedules. 2. Since Tony came from a company very different to the one he’s now in, he should learn to cope and adapt to his new environment. He should make an effort to learn how things are run in the new company in order to become familiarized and will be able to manage himself well. Also, he needs to network with others within the company. This may allow him to assist in areas of the company which and enabling him to earn recognition from your colleagues and other managerial figures. This will make your positive contributions to the company more apparent, and may cause people to question your supervisor if he fails to discuss your work in a positive light. Although this may be a difficult task to accomplish because of the behavior that his colleagues are exhibiting towards him. They seem to be indifferent and very apathetic. This may pose a challenge to Tony as to how he’ll be able to make this kind of environment work for him. Adapting and easing in to the company may take awhile due to such circumstances. 3. I wouldn’t really say that a person can find a very ideal workplace, but one can make the place you work ideal through risk and reward strategies , as well as figuring out how to apply your skills and passions to the field that you’re in. It’s the whole â€Å"love the one you’re with† scenario. But it is definitely possible. Also, if the workplace isn’t working out for you, don’t go rushing out the door. You shouldn’t expect to find everything that you are looking in a work place. There’s no such thing as a perfect company. There will always be something that will come up and make things uneasy or uncomfortable for you. Therefore, be the change that you are looking for. Make these anxieties and worries as an opportunity for one’s self improvement and development. In conclusion, there is a possibility to find something close to an ideal work place, but it is up to you to if you can make the disadvantages turn into advantages. Recommendation: In conclusion to all what’s been said and done, it is up to Tony Stark to make all of the inconveniences and disadvantages he’s been experiencing in the new company work for him. It’s all about adapting, coping, and being the change himself. He must consider this as a challenge for him to overcome. Running away should not be an option. Indifferent or apathetic colleagues can make your working life difficult or ineffective. These people may routinely fail to notice your accomplishments, or may quickly undermine your work without much hesitation. Although this can seriously disrupt your professional output, it’s possible to minimize the effect which your co-worker’s behavior will have on your career by deciding to emotionally detach from the situation and seek positive support from others within the company. It’s very ideal to stay calm. Although it will be tempting to argue with your supervisor, you should avoid this impulse; you need to remain professional and polite in order to prevent the situation from damaging your reputation. This will also make you appear more reasonable and focused in the event that problems do occur later on. It is also advisable to maintain positivity. Although you may have a professional problem with your negative work environment, it’s important not to take the issue personally. If you remain on friendly terms, the issue may naturally resolve itself over time as the quality of communication between you and your colleagues improves. A positive attitude will also assist you in understanding if your own behavior can be improved to successfully motivate other people into action.

Understanding of operations in the hospitality sector Essay

Understanding of operations in the hospitality sector - Essay Example In this regard, companies such as Hilton Hotels & Resorts Corporation have emerged as major investors in the London market. Essentially, the Hilton Hotels & Resorts company has been one of the most successive companies in the hospitality sector in the London market. The company has established its operation bases in various locations across London. An analysis of the company’s success history reveals that it has gone through a strategic developmental process. This study focuses to evaluate the performance of Hilton Hotels and Resorts Corporation and providing an overview of the company’s areas of improvement as well as the appropriate course of action that can be employed to solve some of challenges facing the corporation. The company has shown remarkable performance in London. The number of people visiting the company’s establishments in London has been increasing from time to time. The outstanding performance of the company can be attributed to the effective use of the modern technology and employment of competent workers. The corporation  has realized  the need for incorporating the modern technology in all of its establishment. Most services of the company have been computerized to enhance efficiency and timely delivery. In essence, customers visiting any of the company’s establishments are assured of quality services and satisfaction. The company has established effective websites where customers can get any information regarding the various establishment. In addition to official websites, the company has ventured into the social media for advertisements and interaction with customers. In this regard, the customer services have been made more accessible and efficient. Apparently, the company has established reliable online payment and booking platforms. In this regard, customers can book and pay for accommodation form any part of the world. Therefore,