Strategies for Employee Performance Management at MS

Strategies for Employee Performance Management at MS Study on how MS improve employee performance management through motivation and training? 1. Introduction One of the major issues for competitive advantage, therefore, is the successful motivation and training of staff. Despite a plethora of theories (Locke and Latham, 1990a; 288) which have analyzed work based motivation and satisfaction, however, theories remain commoner than the evidence to support them. In the increasing competitive environment, organizations have to focus on value of investments in human resources especially performance management as a major source of competitive advantage. Although, business strategy means of competition is common conversation in the executive suite, taking a strategic approach can be especially beneficial for staff functions within companies, as they often are required to justify their need for resources and their contribution to the company. The following study presents the analysis of performance management issues on Marks and Spencers (MS) employee motivation and training. Performance improvement provides MS with needed information on their employees. The information helps MS develop the skills of the employees based on the information collected at the appraisal, it helps recognize when training is needed. Performance improvement helps MS by improving their service by having able workers that work to their full ability and by improving the relationship between workers and the company. Here is Marks and Spencers definition of performance management: Performance management is a joint process that involves both the supervisor and the employee, who identify common goals, which are linked to the goals of the organization. This process results with the establishment of written performance exceptions later used as measures for feed back and performance evaluation. (MS Annual report and financial statements 2008) Marks and Spencer is a multinational company have grown from a penny bazaar in the late 1880’s. UK based company to become one of the largest and most well known organisations of British culture. As a leading retailer, with a customer base of 10 million per week in over 300 UK stores, also trades in 30 countries worldwide, producing a Group turnover in excess of 8 billion. (MS Annual report and financial statements, 2008) MS have to be able to manage its resources to meet the customer’s needs and those of the market. Following three years of declining profits due to economic recession, the company has attempted to rejuvenate itself. Though the company is regaining market share and profits are beginning to raise they are still suffering some problems which have resulted in the company selling some of their foreign subsidiaries and axing jobs to concentrate on their core business. Such a turn around exemplifies well the need for strategy in this type of organisation. Strategic issues will revolve around the long-term and concentrate on the direction and scope of the organisation. Furthermore they will concern resources, competition, meeting needs of stakeholders and markets. All of this will be in a constantly changing and dynamic environment and so organisations must concentrate their human recourse management especially employee’s performance management each level and use right strategy on HR policy. This paper is trying to find out that employee performance improvement by motivating and training. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Techniques of Performance Management A key issue in understanding and applying techniques of performance management is defining exactly what is meant by ‘performance’ and ‘performance management’. The paper hereafter discusses and evaluates the competing definitions as they are understood in organizational and human resources practice. Performance is a multi-level, multi-dimensional construct. It is important to understand what level of performance is considered important when an organization talks about performance management. At each level- organizational, work unit or individual; there are a combination of factors that influence performance: direct, indirect, individual and situational. Any human resource intervention designed to assist, enhance, encourage ‘performance management’ has to be effectively targeted at the right combination of factors (Study Guide 2004, pp.2-8). 2.2 Performance, a Definition Contemporary organizations consider performance to fall into two major areas: performance at the individual level and performance at the organizational level (Williams 2002). At the individual level there are differing views on what performance is. Some research regards it as simply the record of outcomes achieved (Bernadin 1995). Performance has also been defined as behavior, that is, the way in which teams and individuals get work done (Campbell 1990). At the individual level performance can be thought of as either ‘what’ is achieved, that is as output and results, or as ‘how’ it is achieved, that is demonstrated behaviors, competencies, adherence to process (Study Guide 2004, pp.2-6). Williams (2002, cited in Study Guide 2004, pp.2-7) starts with the proposition that individual performance is behavior, which is determined by factors of declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge and motivation. Declarative knowledge is the ‘what’ of performance; procedural knowledge is the ‘how’ to do’ whereas motivation refers to the exercise of choice over whether or not to perform; what level of effort to expend; and, whether or not to maintain a consistent level of effort on the specified tasks over an extended period. The three factors above are direct determinants of performance. There are also indirect determinants which might be termed ‘situational’ factors, first are those inherent in the individual employee, the second are those inherent in the work context, which might be termed ‘situational’ factors (Study Guide 2004). However, the most comprehensive view of performance is achieved if it is defined as embracing both behavior and outcomes (Armstrong Baron 1999). Performance at the individual level cannot be seen as merely a function of ‘ability’ and ‘motivation’. Issues such as individual differences, the context in which performance is expected, and the interactions between system and individuals should also be considered. Performance at the individual level is even more ‘multi-dimensional’ than performance at the organizational level (Study Guide 2004). The concept of performance as embracing productivity or efficiency as well as effectiveness, adaptability and responsiveness. It is clear, then, that organizational performance is far from being a simple concept (Williams 2002, p. 68). Somehow, at the organizational level we are concerned with issues of efficiency, effectiveness and productivity. To address the aforementioned multi-dimensions, we need meaningful performance measures. An increasingly popular approach to measure organizational performance has been through the use of the ‘Balanced Scorecard’ developed by Kaplan and Norton in 1996, which attempts to capture some of the contradictory nature of organizational performance (Williams 2002). It aims to measure performance in terms of four sets of indictors namely financial, customer, internal business process and learning and growth. The aforementioned four sets of indicators have each taking a different perspective. To succeed financially, how should we appear to our shareholders; to achieve our vision, how should we appear to our customers; to satisfy our shareholders and customers what internal business processes must we excel at and to achieve our vision, how will we sustain our ability to change and improve. It is important to remember that when studying performance management, we must consider both inputs – the behavior aspects and outputs the results aspects. Hartle (1995) calls this the ‘mixed model’ of performance management, reflecting the importance of both the ‘how and what’ of performance. This is when we consider that performance is about how things are done as well as what is done. Efficiency is defined by Robbins, Bergman, Stagg Coulter (2000, p. 8) as the relationship between inputs and outputs, the goal of which is to minimize resource costs whereas effectiveness is defined as the goal attainment. Efficiency is often as ‘doing things right’ – that is not wasting resources; effectiveness is often described as ‘doing the right thing’ – that is, those work activities that will help the organization reach its goals. Whereas efficiency is concerned with the means of getting things done, effectiveness is concerned with the ends. Performance and its relationship to productivity are of a vital importance in understanding and applying techniques of performance management. Guzzo (1988, p. 63 cited in Williams 2002, p. 52) claims that productivity may mean different things to different people, Pritchard (1995, p. 448 cited in Williams 2002, p. 52) has recently noted the wide range of meanings attaching to the term productivity: the term has been used to refer to individuals, groups, organizational units entire organizations, industries, and nations. It has been used as a synonym for output, efficiency, motivation, individual performance, organizational effectiveness, production, profitability, cost/effectiveness, competitiveness, and work quality. Productivity is the ratio of outputs to inputs, a ratio that reflects the efficiency with which resources are transformed into outputs (Guzzo 1988, cited in Williams 2002). And Williams 2002 refers productivity as a systems concept and that inputs are subject to some conversion processes which lead to the production of outputs; in seeking to measure productivity a basic question that is concerned is how well or how efficiently available inputs are converted into outputs. In a general sense, by inputs, it is meant all the resources, employees, raw materials, energy, buildings, equipment etc, that are required to manufacture a product or deliver a service. Output is typically taken to mean what an organization produces. Output has traditionally been measured in quantitative terms, however, there is also a quality aspect of output (Williams 2002). Viewing productivity as a system concept tells that inputs are converted into outputs via some transformation processes. Similarly, an organization, as a system, comprises many subsystems and it is these which are concerned directly or indirectly, with the transformation processes that convert inputs to outputs (Williams 2002, p. 57) 2.3 Performance Management, an Overview Performance management is defined by De Cieri Kramar (2002, p. 286) as the means through which managers ensure that employees’ activities and outputs are congruent with the organization’s goals. Performance management evolved out of a long history or managerial attempts to improve productivity, efficiency and effectiveness at all levels in an organization. Study Guide 2004 outlined that one of the difficulties with the concept performance management is that the term means different things to different people. One main interpretation that has come to dominate in practice is that performance management is a system for managing organizational performance; a system for managing employee performance and a system for integrating the management of organizational and individual performance (Williams 2002, p. 10). Walter (1995, p.10) states that performance management is about directing and supporting employees to work as effectively and efficiently as possible in line with the needs of the organization. Armstrong 1994 defined performance management as a process designed to improve organizational, team and individual performance whereas Armstrong Baron 1999 describes performance management as a strategic and integrated approach to deliver sustained success to organizations by improving the performance of the people who work in term and by developing the capabilities of teams and individual contributors. Performance management is far more than its precursor ‘performance appraisal’, it goes beyond the annual appraisals, ratings and interviews to incorporate employees’ goals, training, rewards and individual development. Thus, a performance management system focuses on an ongoing process of performance improvement, at the individual and organizational level, rather than emphasizing an annual performance review (DeSimone, Werner Harris 2002, cited in Study Guide 2004, p.1-3). There is no one right way of managing performance. The approach will depend on the context of the organization. That is, its culture, structure, technology and the type of people involved. Thus, recognizing the importance of managing within the context of the business. Organizational structure is defined as the degree of complexity, formalization and centralization crated to facilitate the coordination of activities and to control the actions of organizational members (Robbins, Waters-Marsh, Caccioppe Millett 2001, cited in Study Guide 2004, pp.1-12). Organizational culture is a more intangible aspect, based on the shared values, customs, rituals and norms of the organization. Culture, is long-lasting and can often take decades to change, it is very enigmatic and complex. Culture can assist performance management – they can also act as a major impediment. Conversely, performance management can be used as a tool to change culture (Study Guide 2004, pp.1-14). Williams 2002 raised, from one point of view technology is part of performance management, one of the tools, that is, for managing performance. And, indeed, technology, especially information technology, has been in many cases a solution to a performance problem which has led to that business gaining competitive advantage. 2.4 The Role of a Performance Management within an Organization From a human resource perspective it is very much a systemic process bringing together issues of: organizational performance; managerial effectiveness; individual performance; skill development; and reward management. These five aspects must be integrated through human resource personnel and managers working together with staff to achieve the organization’s desired outcomes (Williams 2002). The processes that are applied to reward and remunerate employee motivation are aligned with performance management. In the industrial era, performance and productivity came primarily from physical effort coupled with capital invested in technology. As enter the new era of information technology, the performance and productivity of employees comes not from physical effort but from within employees – their knowledge, insights information, skills, abilities, innovativeness and creativity (Smith 1998, p. 153 cited in Williams 2002, pp.1-16) For managerial effectiveness, on the one hand, the manager would know about the policy, objectives, mission and goal of organization. On the other hand, the product or service delivered has to meet customer needs for achieving its goal, having good relationship and trust between the company and customer, thus, be more competitive in the marketplace. Research is needed to best fulfill customers’ needs. A plan or strategy has to be implemented to improve the company and its stuff’s performance to be more successful. Performance should in line with the company’s business plan. Employees’ performance should cope with the company’s strategies and should also keep on improving. The focus of training and development programs and approaches in organizations is to achieve long-lasting behavioral changes which increase productivity at the individual, group and organizational level. As such, training and development comes under the ambit of performance management. As with other performance related aspects of the organization and its human resources, training and development is concerned with the identification of training needs. Based on a comparison of expected with actual performance, training interventions are designed, implemented and assessed to ascertain whether performance has been improved as a consequence of the training. Two of the significant performance management processes which assist the training and development cycle are job analysis and performance assessment. Job analysis provides valuable information on the tasks, job and role of the job and performance assessment assists in identifying where deficiencies in performance exist (Smith 1998, cite d in Study Guide 2004, pp.1-17) To unlock the intrinsic qualities of individual employees, not only does performance management address situational factors surrounding the employees, but it also seeks to address the motivational factors of employees. One approach to unlock these aptitudes and abilities is to consider compensation management as part and parcel of a performance management approach. Compensation management looks not only at extrinsic rewards, such as pay and bonuses, but also at those artifices, symbols, rewards and benefits which improve the motivation of employees to perform at higher levels. Suffice to point out that organizations which manage compensation and rewards poorly will fail to maximize their most important strategic resource – their human capital (DeSimone et al, 2002, p. 43, cited in Study Guide 2004 pp.1-17). It is because employees who achieve want to be recognized and rewarded for their efforts. And to motivate performance, outstanding performers must be identified and rewarde d accordingly (Stone 2002). 2.5. Employee Motivation theory and Performance According to Mitchell (1982) motivation is psychological process that cause encouragement, direction and insistence of voluntary actions that are goal oriented. Employee motivation is one of the key drivers of high performance as it encourages individuals to work hard, and desire to achieve a higher goal and a better performance. Robbins (1993) shares the same view, that motivation is the willingness to exercise high levels of effort towards organization goals and to satisfy individual needs. McKenna (2002, p.8) explains motivation as an emotion, ‘which is personal in nature, and comes from within the individual’. Robbins (1993) also describes that it is the individual needs that make the outcomes to be attractive and unsatisfied needs will create tension to stimulate drives within the individual and this is called motivation process. Please refer to Appendix 1 to see the phases of the motivational process. This study has been aimed to discuss different motivation theori es and how it effectively increases employee performance. There have been numerous motivation theories developed by many famous authors such as Chester Barnard, Max Webber, Joan Woodard, Bennis and Slater etc. According to Reis and Pena (2001), there was an evolution in the development of the motivation theories. Chester Barnard (1938) introduced the idea of traditional/classical form of motivation as â€Å"be tough† or â€Å"stick† and â€Å"be good† or â€Å"carrot† then followed with bureaucracy and human relation approach by Max Weber (1947) and Joan Woodard (1965) respectively. Then the turning point of the motivation history is in 1980s to 1990s was the â€Å"Total Quality Management† and â€Å"Reengineering† approach. Reis and Pena (2001) believe that today employee motivation is about satisfying your employees with empathy, understanding, friendship and respect at workplace. Please refer to Appendix 2 to view the evolution of motivation theories. According to McKenna (1999) the evolution of motivation theories have been breaking down and classifying generally into three categories. Ramlall (2004) also agrees that motivation should have three aspects of reinforcement, content and process theories. The reinforcement theory is based on the concept that reinforcement conditions behavior. Reinforcement is the attempt to develop or strengthen desirable behavior by either giving positive consequences or withholding negative consequences (Nelson Quick 1994). The theorists see behavior as environmentally caused. The reinforcement theory does not concentrate on the personal feelings of the individual, but rather what happens when the individual takes some action. What directs behaviors are reinforcements, when instantly followed by a response, increases the likelihood that the behavior will be repeated (Luthans Stajkovic, 1999). In the workplace, Nemerov (1993) emphasized that it is important for managers to recognize and reward employees. Such recognition also helps individuals to fulfill the higher needs in Maslow and Alderfers hierarchies, providing workers with self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment. According to Miner and Dachler (1973), content theories are primary emphasis on the particular motives or the types of motives. Berl and Williamson (1987) also describe content theories as understanding the key and driver which arouse or start behavior. Dainty (2002) and McKenna (1999) share a same concept of content theories; the two authors believe it is surrounding by four famous theories of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Herzberg’s Motivational-Hygiene, Alderfer’s existence relatedness and growth and McClelland’ needs theory. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs describes people have five classifications of needs which act as motivators; those are physiological needs, safety, social and belongingness, self esteem and self-actualization needs. According to Berl and Williamson (1987) the critical aspect of this theory is individual needs to satisfy lower level of need before moving upward. However, there have been many criticisms as Grigaliunas and Weiner (1974) argues that Maslow has been oversimplified and misrepresented. Wahba and Bridwell (1973) conducted a study which show that needs cannot be arranged in a hierarchy in every circumstance and hence feel that Maslow’s model is inappropriate. Herzberg theory has two factors called hygiene (physiological) and motivational (egocentric) also receive considerable criticism by Wahba and Bridwell (1976). Maslow and Herzberg share very similar concepts that individual must achieve basic needs in order to move upward. This theory was also never tested fairly and lack of supporting evidence that job satisfaction leads to high job performance (House and Wigdor 1976). The argument is that job satisfaction may lead people to their comfort zone and not actively look to risk their current rewards (House and Wigdor, 1976). Although there are criticisms, these theories are easily and widely used in practice by considering motivation as a systematic theory. Alderfer’s existence, relatedness and growth (ERG) theory assumes that if an individual can not satisfy the specific needs, then he/she can satisfy needs at a lower level, if the individual is frustrated at a given need level (Berl and Williamson, 1987). Maslow’s theory states that only one level of need can be motivational at a time while with Alderfer more than one level of need can influence a person to act at a given time. Berl, Williamson and Powell (1985), found through a survey that those who have satisfaction with growth needs have greater more desire for growth and individuals dissatisfied with existence needs had a greater desire for existence and related needs. Hence, this theory is useful for management to recognize a right person for the right task with realistic goal to motivate high performance. The relationship between these three theories is demonstrated in Appendix 3. McClelland argues that motivation could be learnt from life experiences and the needs are developed through life such as need for achievement, need for affiliation and the need for power. Acquired needs theory is also influenced by society and culture changing overtime (McKenna, 1999). Hence employees would be more motivated and perform better if managers know their goals and touch correctly to their needs. The process theories, according to Berl Williamson (1987) provide an explanation of procedures which enable people to choose among different courses of action, the degree of effort expended and persistence over time. The process theories include Equity theory, intrinsic motivation theory, and Expectancy theory. Process theories contrast sharply with the earlier content theories, which focused on identifying factors associated with motivation in a relatively static environment. Process theorists view work motivation from a dynamic perspective and look for causal relationships across time and events as they relate to human behavior in the workplace (Steers, Mowday and Shapiro 2004). The equity theory points towards the situations when individuals compare outcome-input ratio of their job to that of others (Robbins 2003). The people to whom individuals may compare themselves may belong inside or outside to the same organization as well as their own experiences in a different position within the same or another organization. This theory is strong when predicting absence and turnover behaviors and weak while predicting employee productivity. Equity theory points out that rewards significantly affect the level of motivation. McKenna (2005) argues that money and other rewards do not have a significant effect on motivation and it is other factors like better job satisfaction, positive feedbacks that do so. Locke and Latham (1990, p.241) state that expectancy theory developed by Vroom emphasizes that ‘performance is a multiplicative function of expectancy, instrumentality and valence’. It suggests that the factors that motivate a person to act in a certain way depend on ‘the strength of an expectation that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on the attractiveness of the outcome to the individual’ (Robbins 2003, p.173). This theory is strong to explain employee productivity, absenteeism and turnover. Quick (1988) further explains a five step process towards the practical application of the expectancy theory – define the expectations, make the work valuable, make the work doable, give regular feedback, and reward employees when they meet expectations. The various motivational factors can be broadly grouped into intrinsic and extrinsic. The intrinsic factors include those are directly related to the work itself, like the enjoyment, responsibility and satisfaction of completing a task while extrinsic factors refer to those external factors like the recognition and rewards associated with the work (Amabile 1993). A study by Nowlin (1982) indicated that majority of the managers in both the private and public sectors were motivated by intrinsic factors like the work itself and the job responsibility. Based on a survey by Mullins, in which workers were induced to perform better in their jobs either by verbal recognition of good work or by a pay increase, it was found that performance was improved more significantly by the intrinsic reward of verbal recognition than by the extrinsic reward of additional money (Mullins 1996). Cully et al (1999) support this by evidence that regular performance appraisals and monitoring of individual quali ty do help to boost morale and improve workplace well-being. It is also seen that it is possible to achieve synergy between these two types of motivational factors by creating a synergy between the person and his work environment (Amabile 1993). Smith (2005) adds to this argument by stating that it is important for leaders to understand the reason behind the employee’s motivation, otherwise they may offer things that are not really valued. Di Cesare Sadri (2003) explains the dimensions of cultural impact on employee motivation, stating ‘while the principle of leadership, motivation, and decision making may be applicable almost everywhere, their success or failure depends heavily on ways in which managers adapt to the local culture and work situation’ (cited in Di Cesare Sadri 2003, p.30). Motivation is culture-bound, and managers must be careful not to impose their value system when drawing conclusions about what motivates people in different countries. Motivational differences are best understood by exploring countries individually, first by gaining an understanding of the culture and then by drawing implications from that culture about motivation. 2.6 Highlights of ways in which managers can motivate employee to improve productivity Understanding what motivated employees and how they were motivated was the focus of many research which have been undertaken in this field by Frederic Herzberg, Douglas McGregor, David McClelland, Abraham Maslow and Elton Mayo. Each of them has a different theory about employee motivation. Frederic Herzberg’s developed this motivation theory during investigation of 2000 accountant and engineers in the USA. Two Factor Theory. He beloved that people are influenced by two factors- motivation and hygiene. Satisfaction and psychological growth was a factor of motivation factors. The result of hygiene factor was dissatisfaction. Hygiene factors are needed to ensure an employee does not become dissatisfied. They not lead to higher levels of motivation, but without them there is dissatisfaction. The typical factors are working conditions, salary, Security Company, job. Motivation factors are needed to motivate an employee into higher performance. He suggests that offer work should be arranged in the following ways: job enlargement, job nation and enrichment. 2.6.1 Douglas McGregors theories called X and Y. McGregor said that there are two fundamental approaches to managing people. Many managers prefer theory x, and generally get poor results. Enlightened managers use theory y, which produces better performance and results, and allows people to develop and growth. â€Å"Authoritarian management† style Theory X The average person prefers to be directed. This person wants to avoid responsibility, is unambitious and wants security above all else. The average person does not like work and will avoid it. That is why most people must be forced with the threat of punishment to work towards organizational objectives. â€Å"Participative management† style -Theory Y People usually accept and often seek responsibility Effort in work is a natural People have self-control and self-direction in the pursuit of organizational objectives, without external control or the threat of punishment. Commitment to objectives is a function of rewards associated with their achievement. The capability to use a high degree of imagination and creativity in solving organizational problems is widely distributed in the population. McClelland based on the Murrays (1938) theory of personality. proposed a content theory of motivation. In his book (1961) The achieving society, McClelland said that human motivation comprises three dominant needs: the need for achievement , the need for power and the need for affiliation. Achievement People with a high need for achievement are trying to avoid both low-risk and high-risk situations. They avoid low-risk situations because the easily attained success is not a genuine achievement. In high-risk they can see the outcome as one of chance rather than ones own effort. High individuals prefer work that has ideally a 50% chance of success. Those people need regular feedback in order to monitor the progress of their achievements. They prefer either to work alone or with other people. Affiliation People with a high need for affiliation need to feel accepted by others and be in harmonious relationships with other people. Power Person who need for power can be personal or institutional. People who need personal power want to direct others, and this need is perceived as undesirable. Those who need institutional power –social power- want to organize the efforts of others to further the goals of the organization. 2.6.2 Elton Mayo Elton Mayo is known from his research including Hawthorne Studies and his books. He started his experiment on the effect light in produ

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Thank you President Rou, Thank you County School of Education but more specifically, a special Thank You to the Human Services Department and that includes faculty, administration, and fellow students. Thank You! Parents, Family Members, Relatives, Friends, Educators, Alumni, Turner Kids, and Graduates, We made it! Everybody give these graduates a-round of applause. Graduates give yourselves a-round of applause. Yes, we made it. We made it through all those late nights studying, studying in the early mornings, and we made it through cramming studies all night long. We made it through many obstacles placed in front of us, that we thought we could never overcome, but we made it. We made it through all the tests and papers, the research, the reading, the reading, and more reading, which was assigned, to us, and somehow we made it. But how were we able to keep our lives somewhat manageable throughout all this you might have asked? The answer is simple, the Educators of Western Washington University has shaped us, molded us, and guided us to become the leaders that it took for us to become, to make it here today. There were times I wondered if it would ever end. Or, I would think, what am I doing? It seemed as though I was studying around the clock everyday. Days were rolling into days and I often asked different people, what day is it? I began questioning the amount of work, because my original intentions was to go to school so I could earn more money and work less, which begged the questions; was this a set-up? Am I being trained and conditioned to work this hard after I graduate? Is this normal? Well, my fellow Graduates, because of the hard work and the abnormal lifestyle it took to acquire this degree, I learned that the... ...bout to put each and every one of us in a category where we can say, I am one of the 20% all the citizens in the United States with a college degree, and I am one of the 2% of all the people in the whole world, with a college degree. So you see, we really do deserve to be congratulated. So when we leave here today and set out on our path toward serving others, and making a difference in our world, whether that be shaping, molding, and guiding our children for a better future, leaving the ballot box after casting our vote for whoever, or whatever issue, or leading a march for a worthy cause, whether we stand-alone or we stand as a part of multitudes, We Need To Lift Our Heads Up High, Stand Tall, And Stand Proud because we are now, graduates of Western Washington University, and for that I congratulate you. May GOD Bless You In All Your Future Endeavors! GO Vikings!

Feline Companionship in Cat in the Rain Essay -- Cat in the Rain Essay

Feline Companionship in Cat in the Rain I chose to write about Hemingway's "Cat in the Rain" in part because it is one of the few of his stories I have read which has an "ending." There is a specific event at the end of the story which wraps up the story's events and gives the reader a sense of finality not found in most of Hemingway's short works. Written in his characteristic sparse style, "Cat in the Rain" is seemingly simple in plot and character, but a careful reading reveals deeper meaning behind its elements. The American wife's quest to save a kitty from the pouring rain becomes a more complex statement about her frustration and her isolation from human comforts. I think the portrayal of the wife captures these feelings which many women can recognize. In the first paragraph, the theme of isolation is introduced, as the author tells about the American couple on foreign soil with no friends or acquaintances. He also describes the beautiful park below the window and the many people who come to enjoy it, only to add that it is now raining and the wife may only look out the window and dream. The wife soon sees the poor cat, getting drenched in the rain and feels sympathy for it. Her reading husband is indifferent to her discovery, except to volunteer half-heartedly to get the cat (most likely to keep her from complaining). The woman can not seem to connect with her husband, who treats her almost like an annoying child, as much as with the pathetic cat outside. As she ventures out of the room to rescue the cat, she first passes the hotel-keeper in his office. In a series of parallel phrases, the author describes the hotel-keeper, or padrone, and what the woman likes about him. This passage sho... ...he husband's complacency about his wife and her desire for respect, admiration, and emotional fulfillment. A related but more direct contrast is between the husband and the padrone, who represent the status quo and the desires of the wife, respectively. In the final few paragraphs, Hemingway mentions that it is getting dark outside, and later that "it was quite dark and still raining in the palm trees" (170). Then, just before the maid comes to the door with the cat, a light comes on in the square. The amount of light seems to correlate with the hopes of the wife and the chance she has to change her situation. The light near the end is a signal for the arrival of the cat, a gift from the hotel-keeper. The reader is left to wonder whether the woman will demand more respect from her husband now that she has experienced a feeling of importance and self-worth.

How successful is The Crucible as an allegory? Essay

In my coursework I will be discussing how successful the crucible is as an allegory. An allegory is defined as a story, poem, character in a story, or picture with a hidden connotation. The Crucible is a story set in Salem in the 1692 witch hunts. The play is based on the fear, suspicion, hysteria and paranoia which the people of Salem felt during the witch hunts. This is almost identical to what happened in America in the 1950s. Communism was at its all time peak and America was scared of Communism taking over their country, as it already had in Russia. The Americans panicked and they went fanatical with Hysteria. Everyone was accusing everyone. Almost everyone who was accused of being a communist was sentenced with a heavy punishment, usually a life sentence. No one felt safe; people were being accused for no good reason. This outbreak in paranoia is much like McCarthyism. McCarthyism was the situation in America during the 1950s. This could be why The Crucible is such an effective play. Salem was a very small religious town. It feared the unknown and anything that they found hard to explain. The community was very small and enclosed, scared of the world which was beyond theirs. This may be why the outbreak of paranoia occurred. Everyone seemed to know each other too well because in their society no-one seemed to mind their own business: The Salem folk believed that the virgin forest was the Devil’s last preserve, his home base and the citadel of his final stand. This shows how Salem was enclosed by the woods and therefore alone. The woods represent the fear surrounding Salem and it helps to show the danger from a different perspective. The most obvious allegory in the play is the link between 1950s America and McCarthyism. There are close similarities between Communism and witchcraft, in particularly how society was corrupted because of them. !692 in Salem and America during the 1950s are so alike in many ways. Miller based The Crucible directly on the situation in America. Both accusations of Communism and witch – craft tore apart the communities which they broke lose in. This is because they are the unexplained and you cannot prove that someone is a really a Communist or a witch. The reason people believed in witch craft was because there was so much which was still unexplained around the year 1692. They could not think up answers for things which were happening so they blamed everything on witchcraft. When Betty became sick, people started to talk and wander what was wrong with her. Suspicion over came Salem. When no one could explain what it was that was wrong with her, they realised that people holding a grudge could seek revenge by accusing others of being possessed or of being a witch. There were so many innocent people accused of practising witchcraft that it seemed the only way to get away with the accusation was to own up to being a witch, even though they weren’t. Sometimes the accusations went far. On page 47 of the crucible Reverend Hale and Parris begin to whip Tituba until she would own up to making contact with the devil, even though they have no solid evidence. This shows just how far they went through hysteria and suspicion of people practising witchcraft. A running theme throughout the play is people accusing each other and following others who establish themselves as a group leader, who to control the others. At the end of act one on pages 49 -50 you can see the link between McCarthyism and the Salem witch hunts. Here you can see how everyone is accusing everyone of being a witch. This is similar to the situation in America during the fear of the outbreak of Communism. Abigail: I saw Goody Hawkins with the Devil! Betty: I saw Goody Bibber with the Devil! Abigail: I saw Goody Booth with the Devil! The way that Abigail and Betty speak here makes the scene seem very dark and it really reflects what was happening in America during the outbreak of McCarthyism. People were accusing everyone and hysteria has broken lose. The way that the same phrase is repeated and said by different people a number of times is effective and helps to show that Salem is not the same and paranoia is setting in. Abigail is also shown as the leader of the girls and they all do as she tells them to. This is one of the first times this is clearly shown in the play. Miller uses many writing techniques in the play. He uses effective ways of showing hysteria and paranoia and the way he links McCarthyism is very well done. Miller introduces many characters into his stories, this makes it easier for him to show the effects of McCarthyism, it is easier for him to show how literally every one is accused at some point. During the play almost every character is accused and when you are accused it is hard to clear your name: Danforth: Mary Warren, how came you to this turnabout? Has Mr Proctor threatened you for this deposition?

Hero Cycle from the Odyessy Essay

Homer’s Odyssey provides a clear illustration of Joseph Campbell’s hero cycle through the journeys and characterization of the protagonist Odysseus. The hero cycle is used in epics to describe the journey of the hero from bad to good. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is characterized as arrogant, and and his journey from hubris to humility. The hero cycle is a theme that epics follow. It starts off with a departure then goes to an initiation where they come to an end in their return. Odysseus’ test is to see help him heal hubris. He must learn self-control, and humbleness. He comes to a breaking point because of some of the tasks that he endures, he must overcome them to help him with his need for life change. They start off in a departure phase where Odysseus gets the notification from Menelaus and Agamemnon that he needs to leave their home for Troy even though he does not want to go. He had just had his son Telemachus and he wanted to be there for him. He realized that it was his duty and that he needed to go. Then, in the hero cycle there is usually a supernatural figure that helps them with materials or knowledge. This is a god, monster, superhero, ghost, or fairy tale creature. When Odysseus and his fleet leave and come to their first part of conflict during their journey. When he is on his way he gets his visit from Athena, goddess of wisdom. She is a strategist and often fights in wars. She came to Odysseus on his way to Troy with words for the wise. Then he encounters his first test. This is the battle between the Greeks and Trojans. He was able to survive the war. The Trojan War had lasted 10 years and finally it was over. This is only the beginning of his journey. The second step of the hero cycle is initiation. This is when the tests and climax happen. Odysseus endures many tests with creatures that test him externally and also internally. Along the way Odysseus gets aided by many supernatural beings. He would not be able to go survive without their assistance. After winning the Trojan War Odysseus decide to attack the island of the Ciccones where he lost a ton of me, about six men from every ship he had. This demonstrates a clear act of hubris and stupidity. Odysseus thought he was high and mighty for commanding some of the Greek army to their great victory. After leaving this island he went to the island of the lotus eaters which had his men not wanting to leave the island so he had to tie his men down to the boat. After the island of the lotus eaters Odysseus went to the island of the Cyclopes, where he met Polyphemus. This is a place where he shows that he shows clear acts of hubris. He tells the Cyclopes, after blinding him, that his name was Nohbody, which is very clever. When he and his ships were leaving he yelled to him his real name and guided Polyphemus who was throwing rocks at him with his voice. This was just plain stupid and arrogant. Polyphemus prayed to his father, Poseidon that Odysseus should never return to Ithaca. Following the visit to the Cyclopes was island of Aeolus. He is the keeper of winds. He gave Odysseus a bag of winds and told him to open it when he was close to ithaca. He told his crew to not open it but of course they did thinking he was cheating the crew and they were blown back to Aeolus. Then he goes to the island of the Laestrygonians and they kill the rest of his fleet except for his boat. They end up on Circes Island and his men get turned into animals. He gets them turned back with the help of Hermes words and him coaxing her. He gets the knowledge from Circe that he must go to Hades. He goes and talks to a bunch of people who tell him of his past and future. This is where Odysseus has a change of heart and learns that he must recover from hubris. This is the turning point of his life. When he leaves he goes past the sirens where he demonstrates some more hubris. He then encounters the Scylla, a 6 headed monster where it eats 6 of his men. After escaping him they ended up on Thrinikia where they were not allowed to eat any cattle on the island. They all did except Odysseus and when they set sail the boat got destroyed. This is a start on recovery. Finally Odysseus ends up on Ogygia with Calypso. This is where Odysseus spends seven years able to think about what to do and what to change. The final part of the cycle is the return. This part of the cycle is when Odysseus makes all of his changes in life that need to be made, then puts them to use. When at Ogygia, Calypso gets a visit from Hermes saying that he is able to leave. When he does, he journeys across the seas until he gets to the island of the Phaecians. When here he talks to Nausicaa who helps him see the king, her father, and get a ship for his trip to Ithaca. When he arrives on Ithaca he was told by Athena to be a beggar and not Odysseus. This way he is able to see what it is like without him. When he meets Telemachus for the first time he does not reveal his identity, showing self-control. After he does reveal his identity, he makes Telemachus promise that he will not tell Penelope. Odysseus thinks it would be a bad idea to storm back into the castle and demand his throne. This would mess up everything and would eventually cause a battle. Penelope decides that is time for a new husband so she tells all the suitors to string Odysseus bow and shoot it through 12 axes. No one could do it until the beggar tried, this is Odysseus. He then kills all of the suitors, starting with Alchinous. Penelope still could not believe it so she tests him and says that she will move her olive tree bed that he made for her outside of their room for him to sleep on. This is a symbol of their firm relationship and his throne. He stops her and explains to her that she can’t. Only then, does Penelope truly accept that that was Odysseus. The book ends leaving you with all of the suitor’s families are ok and they go through a settlement, the kingdom is back in order, and Telemachus has finally become a man. Joseph Campbell’s cycle is all about a hero’s journey from good to bad. In The Odyssey this is shown throughout the story and follows the cycle closely. At first Odysseus starts off with being arrogant when Polyphemus is throwing rocks after being blinded by Odysseus and Odysseus is yelling at him and taunting him which guides Polyphemus who is throwing rocks toward their ship. He then after visiting Hades and learning what he must do and how he needs to change his ways he has the option of hearing the sirens song while tied to the mast of the boat or he cannot hear the song and just keep his ears plugged. He of course, chooses to hear the song. Soon after that they are on the island of Thrinikia where he starts to listen and understand what he must do and he was specifically told not to eat any of the cattle on the island. He didn’t but his men did. He survived but his men didn’t. Then when arriving upon Ithaca instead of barging in and demanding his throne back, Odysseus was very humble and patient by acting as a beggar. This shows self-control and when everything is over; you look back at how Odysseus handled things and realize that he has recovered from hubris.

Hilton Hhonors Worldwide: Loyalty Wars

Hilton HHonors Worldwide: Loyalty Wars 1. Why do you think the modern form of FMPs is more sustainable than the earlier forms like trading stamps and coupons? Trading stamps and coupons were required to give in to newer forms of loyalty programs because: oCompetitive pressure has made it necessary for corporates to innovate oTrades and coupons are not differentiating factors because they can be easily emulated by competitors †¢Modern FMPs are more sustainable because they can withstand emulation due to the following reasons: oFMPs can provide individual customised experiences for each consumer oData ware housing capabilities of computers has made information required for such customization easily available oFMPs can benefit alliances through mutually beneficial loyalty programs oFMPs also help in segmenting customers and formulate customized services to each segment 2. What are the benefits of HHonors Program to Hilton? Hilton would benefit from the HHonors Program through the f ollowing methods; oEfficient estimation of â€Å"Walking Cost†: The program would provide historical information about the customers and thus aid Hilton to gauge the customers’ characteristics which in turn would lead to better revenue and yield management oBenefits from Double Dipping: The program allowed transfer of benefits within Hilton and its partners which allowed both sides to earn currencies through joint customers. oBetter scope of gaining franchises/management contracts: The program’s ability to drive business made it more lucrative for the smaller hotels to strike deal with Hilton oEnhanced customer relationship: The program enabled Hilton to provide customised hotel experiences for each of its guests which would in turn help Hilton and its collaborators become the customer’s favourite oHelp gain corporate contracts: Hilton’s major business came through corporate clients and this program would aid the corporate travel managers ensure co mpliance to their overall travel policy 3. What is the decision problem of Jeff Diskin? What alternatives are left with him for HHonors program with announcement of competitive rewards program by Starwood? †¢Context: Starwood, one of the major competitors of Hilton, has announced the launch of â€Å"Starwood Preferred Guest Program† which is anticipated to be a bigger loyalty program than Hilton’s HHW which would be aided by a huge investment in advertising †¢Dilemma: Jeff Diskin, as the head of Hilton HHonors, has to take a call on Hilton’s reaction to the announcement and its future course of action. †¢Alternatives: Jeff Diskin currently has the following options to decide from; oCompete point to point with Starwood Position HHonors differently from Starwoods and hold on to loyal members oCut down on its costs and deliver the same business to gain better margins 4. What should he do? Why? The various alternatives can be evaluated as mentioned in the table given below; †¢All the four major hotel chains will soon start competing on frequent-stay programs thus leading to price wars which may result in serious damage to the industry. †¢Overtly generous loyalty programs have various risks which include the following: oCustomers tend to be variety-seeking and use loyalty programs to make profits oThus even the repeating customers might go to other hotel chains oThe more the rewards, the greater the expectation customers will have. Thus the rewards will tend to be ever-higher oLoyalty programs generally function as discount programs. Thus by offering greater incentives, Hilton will implicitly train the customers to expect lower prices which will lead to reduced margins and thus lower revenues †¢Cost cutting measures are likely to be limited in such service industries. Thus, Jeff Diskin should avoid loyalty wars and maintain current rewards levels. Further, he should explore differentiating Hilton’s brand through sustainable brand loyalty. One possible measure could be to reposition the brand as a unique experience and create brand loyalty and brand passion as competitive advantages.

Breaking the Unspoken Gender Rule Essay

â€Å"I keep trying to integrate my life. I keep trying to make all of the pieces into one piece. As a result, my identity becomes my body which becomes my fashion, which becomes my writing style. Then I perform what I’ve written in an effort to integrate my life, and that becomes my identity, after a fashion, (Bornstein, 1994, p. 1). † For Theatrical Writer and Author Kate Bornstein, born Albert Herman, being a gender outlaw is about breaking the general gender rules and stereotypes. According to Bornstein and many other gender outlaws the current association of gender and sex is limiting in scope. Furthermore, gender in itself is a socially constructed ideology that fails to associate sexuality beyond the confines of anatomy. Bornstein gives the detailed account of her transformation from a man into a lesbian woman. In addition, Bornstein looks at the issues surrounding trying to establish oneself according to societal gender roles. She says that as a man she was continually looking to â€Å"integrate† herself into the norms but finally came to the conclusion that this was not possible. Bornstein is not alone. There are many transsexuals and gender outlaws that are living their lives in defiance of common gender related stereotypes. â€Å"It feels like everything should have been obvious when I look back. But everything was so confusing as I grew up. It’s like one day I was absent and everybody else was taught the crucial aspects of being a boy or girl. I would lie in bed at night practicing and rehearsing how to be a boy, (Wyndzen, 1998, p. 1). † Both Wyndzen and Bornstein describe the emotional aspects of trying to fit their transsexual bodies into a single sex social stereotype. From an outsiders point of view they both provide the context that could make gender outlaws more understandable for mainstream society. Yet, neither addresses what makes them different from the normal stereotype. Esseintially both claim to be classified in the wrong gender category based on their sexual genitalia. Both were born with the working parts of men but psychologically they identified with women. For gender boundary breakers such as Bornstein it has become a personal mission to show that gender in itself can not be classified simply as male or female. However, scholars such as David Geary claim that sexual stereotypes are accurate. â€Å"Gender stereotypes such as the belief that men never help out around the house and women gossip, are generally true, David Geary, a psychology professor at the University of Missouri concludes after reviewing more than 1,200 studies by psychologists, biologists and anthropologists, (Researcher Finds Gender Stereotypes to be Accurate, Part of Nature, 1998,  ¶ 1). According to Geary, stereotypes are rooted in nature and ways in which the species attract the opposite sex. â€Å"The sexual strategies men and women use in their drive to procreate cause many of the stereotypical sex differences in males and females, including physical attributes and development, play patterns, social behavior and development, parenting interests, motivational and emotional patterns, cognitive abilities, and brain structure and functions, (Researcher Finds Gender Stereotypes to be Accurate, Part of Nature, p. 5). † Yet, Geary does not define the gray area which includes people who have an innate feeling of being classified incorrectly. Can there be a gender classification for people born as males but who participate socially as females and vice-versa? In conclusion, there are many examples of the emotional devastation caused by inflexible gender classification. And although there is evidence that current gender stereotypes have roots in human instinct there is no classification or category for transsexuals who either identify with the opposite sex as a source of identity or who were born into an ambiguous state of sexuality. Currently there is no gender category for gender outlaws. References Bornstein, K. (1994). Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us. New York: Routledge. Researcher Finds Gender Stereotypes to be Accurate, Part of Nature. (1998). American Psychological Association, 29(19). Retrieved from www. apa. org Wyndzen, M. H. (1998). All Mixed Up. Retrieved April 28, 2009, from www. genderpsychology. org