Parle G

Parle G The following case study is from the Richard Ivey School of Business. It is about the development of a leading Indian biscuit manufacturer, called Parle Products Pvt. Ltd. Company overview The company was found in 1929 as a candy manufacturer and started producing biscuits in 1939. At this time only few processed and ready-to-eat food items were available. Parle G are glucose biscuits and the company’s flag brand. It became the largest selling biscuit brand by volume in 2002.The company was using a mass market strategy which is why the price of the Parle G biscuits has maintained 1$ per Kilo since 1990. In 2009 the company had 74% of the market shares of the Indian glucose biscuit category. The biscuits were sold in 2. 5 million outlets. Other brands of Parle Products Pvt. Ltd. are Marie in the tea time category and Hide n Seek and five other brands in the premium category. In 2008/2009 the company recorded sales revenues of INR35 billion. 68 percent came from Parle G. The company is known all over India for offering high value for a low price (value for money).The products are available in India, Bangladesh and South Africa because the company had adopted a â€Å"follow the costumer† strategy in order to maintain low marketing costs. The two main target groups are 5-14 year old children and their mothers next to institutions. Until 1992 there was only little competition in the sector when Surya Food & Agro Limited entered the market. From 1999 on several companies such as Britannia Industries Ltd. and Hindustan Unilever Ltd. also entered the market because of the high potential in the premium category due to the change of income in Indian households.Problem statement Since 2004 the company had to deal with rising costs of the two main raw materials – sugar and wheat. In 2004 the company tried to raise the prices of its most popular product the 100g packet by 12. 5%. Within 6 month the sales dropped by more than 40%. In 2008 the raw material prices raised again. The management decided to do a hidden raise in price by reducing the weight of the 100g package slowly to 82. 5g without losing high sales. In 2009 the margin from Parle G had fallen from 15 to 10% of the revenue within the last 18 years, which is why Parle G needs a new strategy.The consumers’ perception was rooted so strongly in the low price that it was undermining other product attributes such as quality and taste. This made it impossible to raise the price. The company tried to deal with this problem by changing to a cheaper packaging material and dealing directly with the raw material deliverers. Alternatives There are several approaches to restore the margins to minimum 15% of the revenues again. To evaluate the different strategies two criteria have been selected – costs and time.One approach would be repositioning the brand as a qualitatively high and tasty product for which the costumers do not mind spending more money on. This strategy would be cost intensive and would take at least 12 – 18 month to see the first results. The brand also exists since 1939 which is why it would be very difficult to change people’s prescription of the brand. Therefore it is not the best strategy at this moment. The second strategy could be introducing product variations like for example with different flavours which can be sold for 20 – 25% more expensive than the normal Parle G.The costs for this would be high because of the different researches that have to be conducted, the increasing production costs and the upcoming marketing costs. It would take 6 – 12 month to introduce a new product. This is why this strategy is also not ideal. The third strategy is offering one more brand in the premium category because of the increasing demand in this sector. The fact that Parle Products Pvt. Ltd. already offers 6 brands in the premium category, as well as the high costs of research, production and marke ting are the reason to dismiss this idea.It would also again take 6 – 12 month to introduce the new product which is why a better strategy needs to be found. Plan of Action Another approach would be offering only 4 or 5 instead of 12 different price categories to safe packaging costs. The costs for this action would be very low compared to the other strategies. The time this strategy needs would also be short which is why this a very good short term approach. In order to also find a long term strategy the idea of exporting into more than 2 countries should be reconsidered. A brand can only grow to a certain point f it does not become an international brand. Parle G is at the point where it is no longer enough to only sell within India, Bangladesh and South Africa. The company has to expand in countries with a high amount of Indian citizens, low competition and an increasing demand in biscuits. Therefore several researches have to be conducted because this measure is very cost ly and also very time intensive. But it is necessary for Parle Products Pvt. Ltd. to become a global player in order to restore the margins to minimum 15% of the revenues again and to secure company growth within the next 15 – 20 years.Therefore both criteria time and money can be neglected. The best course of action is changing the offers from 12 to 4 price categories starting within the next 10 – 14 days as a short term plan. The long term plan is exporting Parle G into at least 3 different countries within the next 15 month and 10 countries within the next 3 years. The company should try to conquer the institutional sectors first by offering at least 5-7% discount on bulk purchases at the beginning and create a demand within the rest of the population (pull-concept).

Sec.22

SEC. 22. The State recognizes and promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities within the framework of national unity and development. Rights of Indigeneous cultural communities. As used in the Constitution, the term â€Å"indigenous cultural communities† refers to non-dominant groups in our country which possess and wish to preserve ethnic, religious or linguistic traditions or characteristic markedly different from the rest of the population. Section 22 recognizes constitutionally the existence and rights of the indigenous cultural communities.It directs the State to promote their rights within the framework of national unity. Thus, the State is bound to consider the customs, traditions, beliefs and interests of indigenous cultural minorities in the formulation and implementation of State policies and programs. In a multi-ethnic society like ours, the above provision is necessary in promoting the goal of national unity and development. (see Art XVI, Sec. 12) Under provision, the government may even enact the laws especially for them taking into account their customs, traditions, beliefs and interests. H. de Leon, Phil. Constitution 2005, pp. 67-68) SEC. 23. The State shall encourage non-governmental, community-based or sectoral organizations that promote the welfare of the nation. Non-governmental, community-based or sectoral organizations The State is required to encourage these organizations because recent events have shown that, under responsible leadership, they can be active contributors to the political, social and economic growth of the country.It should refrain from any actuation that would tend to interfere or subvert the rights of these organizations which in the words of the Constitution are community-based or sectoral organizations that promote the welfare of the nation. (Ibid, p. 68) This topic is discussed at the length under Article XIII (Social Justice and Human Rights), Sections 15 and 16 which categorically state the role an d rights of people’s organizations as vehicle to enable the people to participate and intervene meaningfully and effectively in decisions which directly affect their lives. (Ibid. p. 68) SEC. 24.The State recognizes the vital role of communication and information in nation-building. Vital role of communication and information in nation-building. Communication and information, as used above, include not only print or broadcast media (radio and television) but also motion pictures, advertising, cable, telephone and telegraph. Those means of communication designed to gather and convey news or in the formation to the public are called mass media because they reach the mass of the people. (see Art. XVI, Sec. 11[1]. That they play a critical role in nation-building is very obvious. 1) Formation of an enlightened citizenry. – Mass media shape people’s thoughts and beliefs, their attitudes and values. In a country like the Philippines composed of people with diverse cul tures, they can be an effective instrument in promoting national integration and preserving Filipino values and traditions. By educating the citizenry on important public issues, they also help create a strong, vigilant and enlightened public opinion so essential to the successful operation of a republican democracy. (2) Promotion of effiency and economy in government and business. Information and communication can be used to link our geographically dispersed population an effect faster delivery of educational, medical and other public services in remote areas of the country. In any organization, ready information maximizes internal efficiency. Particularly in business, it reduces cost of production and services. (3) Development of society. – On the material side, it is difficult to imagine a progressive country, in today’s world of high-tech computers, internets, cyberspace and information highways, with antiquated ommunication and information structures. In the last few years, the world has witnessed a steady stream of a technological progress in the field. The Philippines must keep abreast of communication innovations but at the same time be selective and discriminating to insure that only those â€Å"suitable to the needs and aspirations of the nation† (Ibid. : Sec. 10) are adapted. Utilized and managed wisely and efficiently, communication and information are very useful tools for the economic, social, cultural and political development of society. (H. de Leon, Phil. Constitution, p. 9) Sec. 25. The State shall ensure the autonomy of local governments. Autonomy of local governments R. A. 7160, known as the Local Government Code, enacted on January 1, 1992 covers all matters concerning local governments and political subdivisions. Sec. 26. The state shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law. Equal access opportunities for public service This topic discuss ed under Article VI Legislative Department, Sections 4, 5, and 7 and Article X (Local Government), Section 8.Additionally: (1) Limitation of terms of office. – The provisions limiting the terms of office of elective officials (President, Vice President, Senators, Representative and local officials) enhance equal access to political opportunities although they may not completely do way with evils spawned political dynasties that proliferated in the country in the past. With his political and economic resources, an elective official can have a close kin or follower run for the latter.Hence, the need for a declaration expressly prohibiting a political dynasties. (2) Prohibition of political dynasties. – The constitutional policy on the prohibition of political dynasties expresses a national commitment to democratize election and appointment to positions in the government and eliminate a principal obstacle to â€Å"equal opportunities for public service†. It is not uncommon to have the most of the top elective positions in a province (or city) down to barangays occupied by one family and close relatives of the family members.Politicians form husband-wife teams, or father-mother, son-daughter teams and hold to elective positions for decades. The dominance of political families in the past not only kept more deserving but poor individuals from running or winning in elections; it also enabled powerful and affluent politicians to corner appointive positions for their relatives and followers as it they alone are gifted with the ability to serve the country. (3) Prohibition constitutionally mandated. The law implementing the constitutional policy shall define what constitutes political dynasties, having in mind of evils sought to be eradicated and the need to insure the widest possible base for the selection of elective government officials regardless of political, economic and social status. Note that the State is expressly mandated to prohibit â⠂¬Å"political dynasties†. Congress has no discretion on the matter except merely to spell out the meaning and scope of the term. (deLeon,2005,p. 0). Sec. 27. The State shall maintain honesty and integrity in the public service and take positive and effective measures against graft and corruption. Honesty and Integrity in public service (1) The perennial problem of graft and corruption. – In the Philippines, every new administration since the postwar period has made a pledge to eradicate graft and corruption in government. The popular perception, however, is that this baneful ill has become more rampant and sophisticated through years.To be sure, the above provision was incorporated in the Constitution because of revelations of â€Å"unprecendented magnitude† of graft and corruption allegedly perpetrated by officials in the highest circle of the government during the previous regime. (2) Ways to attack problem. – The malady of graft and corruption must be e liminated or at least minimize to a tolerable degree because of the staggering amount of public money that has been lost through it.What is needed is moral leadership by example on the part of the top officials in the government and a continuing, the public service which have considerably slowed down the socio-economic progress of our country. Having the honest Presidents with the best intentions is not enough to reduce corruption to minimal proportions. This perennial problem cannot be solve by mere empty promises and congressional inquiries, but by prosecuting without the fear or favor and putting behind bars so-called â€Å"big-fishes† found to be involve as concrete examples of the government’s determination to achieve decency in the public service.Any campaign against the scourge of society will be made more effective if accompanied by a morality crusade. (3) Need for honesty and integrity in public service. – The fulfillment of the constitutional mandate w ill go a long way in strengthening the peoples trust in the government and its leaders. It will also ensure the efficient use of the meager resources available for national development. (deLeon,2005,pp. 71-72) Sec. 28.Subject to a reasonable conditions prescribed by law, the state adopts and implements a policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions involving public interest. Full Disclosure by the State of all it’s transactions. 1. Duty of the State – Sec. 7 of the bill of rights guarantees the people’s right of information on matters of public concern and access to records pertaining to official transactions of the government. In the other hand, Sec. 28 requires the State to make public it’s transactions without demand from individual citizens.It stresses the duty of the State to release the information. 2. Transaction covered – The policy covers all State transactions involving public interests, i. e. , transactions which the people h ave a right to know particularly those involving expenditures of public funds. The law, however, may prescribed reasonable conditions for the disclosure to guard against improper or unjustified exercise of the right. The policy will not apply to records involving the security of the State or which are confidential in character. (H. de Leon, Phil. Constitution, pp. 64-72)

Sentencing and penology law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sentencing and penology law - Essay Example 175 in particular. Corlett argues that Kant’s theory does advocate for fairness and human dignity (61). Shoham, Beck and Kett’s examination of Kant’s theory of punishment in International Handbook of Penology and Criminal Justice is very instructive and intuitive and will be relied on it to a greater extent than the others. Kant’s theory is interpreted to mean that if society does not punish offenders, society is complicit in the crime†¦see pp 384-385 for further discussion. Another relevant area of study is the general theory of punishment in the field of criminology: Look at the deterrent principle and how it development as a discipline in criminology see Cragg’s The Practice of Punishment: Towards a Theory of Restorative Justice, beginning at p. 42. Also note Braithwaite’s theory of punishment as expressed in Not Just Deserts: A Republican Theory of Criminal Justice and the move away from deterrence. Use Lord Dennings quote as a lead-in: Lead into the move toward rehabilitative justice as opposed to retribution and deterrence as theories of punishment. See Gaines and Miller Criminal Justice in Action: The Core beginning at p. 259. See also Tonry’s Sentencing Matters on the move away from rehabilitative justice (190 onward). Braitwaite’s discussion on restorative justice in Restorative Justice and Therapeutic Jurisprudence 244-262 should also be incorporated into this section to demonstrate the principles of sentencing and developing theories of punishment. Also tie in Walgrave and Aertsen’s Reintegrative Shaming and Restorative Justice and Bandura’s Mechanishms of Moral Disengagement for arguments in favor of restorative justice as a means of demonstrating that Kant’s theory of punishment is not conducive to the aims and objective of criminal justice. Also look at Austin’s Using Early Release to Relive Prison Crowding: A Dilemma in Public Policy to demonstrate that Kant†™s theory of punishment is

How police officers might be held criminally liable for their Essay

How police officers might be held criminally liable for their misconduct - Essay Example Sometimes they take bribe; sometimes their personal enmities and sometimes they may be threatened by the criminals. (Posner, 1981) One of the historical examples of such an incidence is the Guildford Pub Bombings (England). These bombings were planned by Irish Republican Army (IRA). On Oct 5, 1947 two bombs detonated at two pubs (Horse & Groom Pub and Seven Stars Pub) in Guildford, England. These pubs were targeted as they were famous for British Army personnel being stationed at Pirbright (a village near Surrey, England). The Metropolitan Police was pressurized to cope with the situation. They apprehended four people (three men and a woman). These people are popularly known as the â€Å"Guildford Four†. These were: Gerry Conlon, Paul Hill, Patrick Armstrong, and Carole Richardson. These people were erroneously convicted by torture by the Metropolitan Police. They served prison for about fifteen years. They appealed many times to High Court ad at last their convictions were overturned, when it was proved that their confessions were obtained by torture. (Greenfield and Osborn,

John Wesley Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

John Wesley - Essay Example Wesley’s preaching mainly focused in developing the Modern Methodist movement, which encompasses the concept of Pentecostalism, the Charismatic movement and Neo-Charismatic churches. Thus, he strongly emphasized on the evangelical status which was much more deviated form the Orthodox Catholic Christianism. Also, he insisted much on perfectionism among the Christians, where he focused on implanting holiness in their heart and life. He framed small groups through which he preached the sacraments and other religious instructions among the members of the groups. Thus the concept of Christian perfectionism was his major basic sacramental theology. â€Å"Wesley wished Methodist to become peculiar people; to abstain from marriages outside the societies; to be distinguished by their dress and by the gravity of speech and manners; to avoid the company of even relatives who were still in Satan’s kingdom.† (Bloy, n. d). Thus, pertaining to the above statement he insisted th at the Methodist to lead a disciplined and spiritual life. Moreover, he always opted for the Open-air teaching where he preached the essence of faith in Salvation and to feel that each and every human being is the child of God and they are filled with God’s spirit. Also he maintained a cordial and amicable relationship with his fellow followers. This part of the content will identify and link the relationship of John Wesley with his followers and his contribution to the Christian History. Wesley traveled all throughout his life meeting all sections of people propagating the vital elements of Methodism and the concept of evangelism. â€Å"He traveled almost constantly, generally on horse back, preaching twice or thrice a day.† (Theology thru Technology). As mentioned above, he formed small groups or societies and propagated his preaching through the groups. Each group had to follow the religious instructions strictly. He insisted the concept of personal responsibility i n developing the spirituality among the members of the societies. He also selected preachers among the groups and they had the role of spreading the concept of evangelism and taking care of the people. His main motive was to administer discipline among the members of the society and thereby allowing them to feel the spirituality and ultimate salvation. His link and relationship with the people, who were his followers, can be easily identified through various events that he implemented during his period. For example, he opened many chapels and made the people to assemble in those chapels and commissioned the preachers respectively. Importantly, he raised funds for the schools, orphanages and established charity homes in various regions of United States of America. Also, he assisted the poor and the sick people by providing them with appropriate medication and other treatment for illness. Thus, he rendered a helping hand for the people who were in need. Moreover he took earnest steps in preparing the religious literatures through which he could make even a lay man understand the essence of Christianity. Through his continuous and constant traveling he was able to meet people and enlighten them with his preaching. â€Å"He is believed to have traveled in the course of his itinerant ministry more then 250,000 miles and to have preached more than 40,000 times.† (John Wesley, n. d.). Thus he spread the vital essence of spiritual Holiness among the people. John Wesley can be considered as a keen observer of Human behavior,

Modern Democracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Modern Democracy - Essay Example The term "democracy" has been claimed by both the capitalist world and the socialist world. To take for example the former East Germany that called itself German Democratic Republic and Viet Nam likewise. The first Russian marxist party that was set up by Lenin in exile, in preparation for the revolution against the czarist regime, had the name of Russian Social Democratic Workers Party. Later it changed its name to Russian Communist Party, and after the split of 1903 with Plekhanov, to Bolshevik Party. Lenin insisted on that real democracy would come only through the great revolution, which leads to the State socialism of the "dictatorship of the proletariat, and finally to the classless communist society. He blamed "bourgeois democracies" of being false democracies, in which parliament seats were systematically bought by the richest bidder, thus perpetuating the status qua of the propertied class-a statement which, incidentally, is an unwarranted generalization. So we can see that even the communists have employed the terms "democracy" and "republic" with an obviously different meaning as compared to their Western usage. In order to clear up the meaning of the concepts, it is necessary to have a look at their historical development ever since the origin of the terms in ancient Greece and Rome. (De Torre, 1997). The word "democracy" is of Greek origin, "republic" is Latin word which means "the public thing": res publi. The concept, however is taken from the Greek polis, which means group of men living and working together, and politeia, which means that this group gathered into "public thing" or commonwealth or commonweal by means of laws guiding towards the common good. Thus, through the work of logos (reason) on physis (nature), society came out from jungle to civilization, from herds to communities, from chaos or disorder to cosmos or order, as man stopped to behave like an animal, guided only by his sensitive feelings and emotions, and learns to guide himself instead by his reason and free will (De Torre, 1997). Modern scientists such as Robert Dahl, Anthony Arblaster, Benjamin Barber, Andrew Heywood and many others have their own, new view on democracy today. There are several models of modern democracy described in works of these authors. According to Professor Robert Dahl, one of the most prominent democratic theorists of nowadays, modern democracy has four historical sources: the direct democracy in ancient Greece, the republicanism of Roman and Italian city-states in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the theory and practice of representative government, and the idea of political equality. The democratic transformation occurred in Greece in the 5th century BC.So as Greece was not a single country, but consisted of a number independent cities-polices Athens was described as having the most innovative and sophisticated democracy (Dahl, 1989). Political ideals and aims of the classical Athenian democracy were expressed by the outstanding Greek philosopher Aristotle in The Politics dated between 335 and 323 BC. Aristotle identifies liberty as one of the founding principles of the classical democratic constitution. The philosopher argues that liberty has two major aspects, namely: 1) ruling and being ruled in

Freud Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Freud - Essay Example cre ability to hypnotize, necessarily took on a more imaginative turn that revolutionized the way people approached the treatment of the mind (Robbins, 1999). Although others had been doing work to understand the inner workings of the mind before him and others have come after him to refine and build on his theories, as well as add theories of their own, Freud is generally credited with the first break-through in treating the mind as an entity separate from the body. His identification of different levels of thought and how these levels interact and intertwine led to his development of psychotherapy. Within this theory, Freud outlines three major components of an individual’s psyche – the id, the ego and the superego. This intuitive leap, however, did not occur by accident. To understand Freud’s theories, his concept of the human mind and how that translates into his theories regarding human culture, then, it is necessary to understand a little bit about how thes e ideas were developed as well as how Freud himself expressed them. With his origins in the medical field, it should not be surprising to learn that Freud’s psychoanalytic theory had its earliest basis in the fields of 19th century biology and physics. One of the theories that held particular importance to Freud’s theories was that of Hermann von Helmholtz. According to Helmholtz’s dynamic theory of energy, â€Å"energy cannot be destroyed but can only be transformed into other states. Drawing upon this notion of undestroyable energy, Freud formulated a dynamic psychology, one of whose key points is that whenever a psychic drive or urge is suppressed, repressed or driven below (or out of) consciousness, its energy inevitably appears elsewhere† (Landow, 1988). This idea is supported in Freud’s Civilization and its Discontents ( ) as he discusses the aggressive energy associated with the super-ego. â€Å"According to one view, that energy merely carries on the punitive energy of the

Importance of Transportation to a Firms Supply Chain Operations Assignment

Importance of Transportation to a Firms Supply Chain Operations - Assignment Example How do truckload operations differ from less-than-truckload operations?As learned, truckload operations (TL) differ from less-than-truckload operations (LTL) in terms of the range of shipments. For TL, they carry shipments that are noted to be greater than 10,000 pounds and where the exact weight requirements actually depend on the product. On the other hand, for LTL they carry shipments where the weight ranges from 150 to 10,000 pounds. As evident, TL operations are not feasible through manual operations due to the weight specifications. LTL, as the term implies, do not fill ta truck but these operations could carry shipments of diverse customers all at the same time. Finally, LTL shipments were noted to be routed through terminals, as contrasted with TL operations that require direct shipment to the consignees’ destinations from the shippers’ locations.13. What are freight forwarders? Â  How do they function? Â  What services do they perform?Freight forwarders were revealed to act as agents and consolidators of freight. Accordingly, freight forwarders function through facilitating the following operations: (1) consolidate shipments in behalf of small shippers; (2) purchase transportation in volume rates; and (3) charge shippers a rate that range between the volume and non-volume rates. As such, the services that freight forwarders perform are: (1) pick-up and delivery services; (2) handle both domestic and international shipments; (3) handle both surface and air shipments;

Brose Case Study Essay Example for Free

Brose Case Study Essay What is the Brose Groups business and what are the critical success factors (CSF’s) in a business like Brose’s? [lists] * International automobile industry and delivery mechatronic system and electric drives to automotive manufacturers and suppliers * Brose standardize their operation, and uses ERP application. * Well-established Information technology management * Hire professional consultants to train employees * to better use ERP application system 2. What operational, management and control, and corporate learning/innovation challenges were faced by Brose during its rapid expansion over the last two decades? table] Operational | Management and control| The implementation of ERP system may cause a significant number of change within an organization | Lower total costs of information management information technology investment | The potential lake of in house skills and users’ resistance | 5. What steps did they take to minimize the risks associated with this kind of deployment? [list] * Reengineer business process, develop a detailed requirements specification, conduct system prior to the system implementation and closely monitor the system’s performance * Formulation of he steering committee, appointment of project sponsor, and internal audit’s involvement * Train project team, the establishment of a close working relationship between consultant and project team * Management support, user’s involvement.

Analyse of the Two Key Moments Essay Example for Free

Analyse of the Two Key Moments Essay Just before this key moment starts, the guards takes Rebecca Nurse out of her cage, on its way to the place where people are hanged. She is astonished that John is confessing. The key moment starts with Proctor refusing to say that he saw Rebecca Nurse in the Devils company, or anybody else. Danforth demands that Proctor prove the purity of his soul by accusing others, but Hale advises that it is enough that he confesses himself. Parris agrees, but Danforth demands that Proctor should sign a document. Proctor says that he has confessed to God, and that is enough. He asks Danforth whether a good confession must be public. Proctor wishes to keep only his name, and Danforth thus refuses to accept his confession. Danforth orders Proctor to be hanged. Hale begs Elizabeth to plead with Proctor to sign a confession, but Elizabeth states that Proctor has his goodness now, and God forbid that she take it from him. The characters have turning points in the key moments, and I am going to discuss what happens to Hale, John Proctor and Danforth in this key moment. Hales beliefs in witchcraft changes, so does his faith in the law. In Act 4, he tells the accused witches to lie, to confess their supposed sins in order to save their own lives. This change of heart and hopelessness, makes Hale gain the audiences sympathy but not its respect, since he lacks the moral character of Rebecca Nurse or, and as it turns out at the end of Act 4, John Proctor. Although Hale recognises the evil of the witch trials, his response is not resistance but surrender. He thinks that survival is the highest good, even if it means helping oneself to injustice, which honourable and truly heroic characters can never accept. John Proctor changes himself and provides a final charge of the witch trials. Offered the opportunity to make a confession that he has seen the Devil, he almost surrenders, even signing a confession letter. His great pride and fear of public opinion drove him to hold his truth, adultery, from the court, but by the end of the play he is more concerned with his personal honesty than his public reputation. He still wants to save his name, but for a personal and religious view, rather than the publics reasons. Proctors refusal to provide a false confession is a true religious and personal determination. His confession would dishonour his friends who are convicted who are brave enough to die as support to the truth. Also it will dishonour himself, staining not just his public reputation, but also his soul. He then decides to change his mind and tells Danforth that he does not want to lie, this bringing him to heaven. He has now redeemed his sin. As Elizabeth says to end the play, responding to Hales plea that she convince Proctor to publicly confess: He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him! In this key moment Danforth shows that his greatest interest is to protect the reputation of the court when he prompts Proctor to sign a confession, thus preventing the response of his death. I think that Danforth has changed internally but not externally. I think he believes that the witchcraft is fake, but externally he is still a strict and craving for a good reputation. If he did believe people at the end of the play, then he would not convict John Proctor, but he did because it was to late then, and his reputation would be ruined, as he has convicted people before. It is a crucial moment for the audience because they think Proctor is a bad and not a honourable man when he signs the paper. It is dramatic irony, but not as much. The audience know that Proctor does not see the Devil, to save his life by confessing and showing you don not lie, he says he has been seeing the Devil. But he suddenly changes, he rips the piece of paper representing his confession, and explains that his name is more important, he wants to show he is a heroic man, so he says he never has see the Devil, which is true, and the audience see how he is a better man, and is going to die being an honourable and a heroic man. A crucible is a melting pot, where substances are heated to a high temperature to get rid of impurities. Miller is suggesting the play is like to purge by fire, a form of cleansing. This is a metaphor for spiritual improvements as the result of a confession being exerted. It is known as cleaning or cleansing yourself by confessing to seeing the Devil. There is many ways to explain the name of the book and here are some more: first witches supposedly boil potions in cauldrons and a synonym for cauldron is crucible. Secondly, it has a metaphorical meaning: the society of Salem is being heated and stirred in an attempt to remove the impurities and leave only the pure members of the society. One of the central themes of the play is the spiritual development of John Proctor. It is a powerful and complex play. All of the action takes place indoors and it is very black, simplistic and it emphasises the lifestyle of the people and it echoes the claustrophobic atmosphere of the play. The play focuses on ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. In the play Miller is discussing the forces of evil. In the attempt to cut out evil there is certainly a degree of irony. The irony in this play is that evil and tragedy actually occur from the actions of the unwise and over eager characters such as Danforth and Parris and to a certain extent Hale, who became responsible for deaths, misery and cruelty. Miller is suggesting that humans are vulnerable to evil and he aims to show that the evil generated in Salem was through a combination of circumstances for which no one person could be held entirely responsible but yet none were guilt free. The Crucible was based on real events and characters. The people of the 17th Century Salem, witchcraft were a very real and forceful threat. Many people were accused of being witches, and were tortured and executed. The discrimination of witches spread to a lot of places around the world. Witches thought to commit crimes have various proofs of a witch including the testimony of a fellow witch, the common belief or accusation of those who live with suspected witch, cursing followed by some mischief or the person disagrees with the person when questioned. Miller was interested in McCarthy trials in the 1940s/50s and made the book parallel to it, Salem witch trials of 1682. Miller may have oversimplified matters, in that while there were no actual witches in Salem, there were certainly Communists in 1950s America. However, one can argue that Millers concern in The Crucible is not with whether the accused actually are witches, but rather with the refusal of the court officials to believe that they are not. McCarthyism limits, which wronged many innocents and this parallel was felt strongly in Millers own time. In real life, at Millers time, Abigail Williams was 12 years old, but in the play she is 17, but why did he change the age? He did this to make Abigail Williams a better character to make her do all the mischievous things she does in the play. At the age of 17, you are mature and able to make an opinion, and act more like an adult, unlike a 12 year old where you are still to young to do things adults do. Danforth was not a real person, he was made up, but the wonderful thing about him is that he is made up of 3 characters. These three characters were the judges, but they would not be as dramatic and neither strong, unless there is one person who rules, making that character more remembered, and more important to the play.

Effect of Reward Management on Employee Motivation

Effect of Reward Management on Employee Motivation How can Multi National Companies use Reward management to motivate the Employees of Different Countries? : A Case of Marriott Hotels in UK. Abstract Employees are always considered as people who play a vital role in each and every organisation. The relationship between employee and employer changes frequently through out the years. Several concepts of employees are also varying time by time. Now a days employees are having the bargaining power and they are more concerned about their individual needs and well being of their working environment. This dissertation analyses various factors which motivates an employee to work within an organisation. Employee will stay in an organisation only when their expectations are satisfied or otherwise there is a chance for him/her to leave the company. High employee turnover is a big issue in companies today. Organisations will look forward to retain only the potential key employees who will make real difference to their customers and their stake holders. This dissertation proposes a frame work to retain the employees and to reward those employees for their potential by which they are taking the organisation to a different level. This research has been progressed through literature study on employee concepts, Human Resource Management and Reward management of employees. The data from the primary research has been analysed compared and verified with the findings of secondary research and produced recommendations for the effective management of employee in multi national companies. Introduction Reward management is nowadays considered as an important topic in order to achieve the goals of a company. Employees are considered as the main factor which plays an important role in the organisation. The success of each and every organisation is its dedicated employees .Current world is filled with changes and competition. In order to survive in the current situation companies should be having employees who are loyal and expert in their own field. New technologies are developed constantly and the companies are eagerly trying to catch up those talented employees with right expertise in their own areas. Human resources as an important factor should get increased attention in managing business (Lindergen Paulson ,2008)`. Multinational companies are facing increased challenges from all around the world due to globalisation. 1.1 Reward management Reward system usually means the financial reward on organization gives its employees in return for their labour.The term rewards system, not only includes material rewards, but also non-material rewards. The components of a reward system consist of financial rewards (basic and performance pay) and employee benefits, which together comprise total remuneration. They also include non-financial rewards (holiday trips, moving to large office, recognition, promotion, praise, achievement responsibility and personal growth) and in many case a system of performance management. Pay arrangements are central to the cultural initiative as they are the most tangible expression of the working relationship between employer and employee. Many papers examine the role of organizational culture that is, the demand for monitoring compensation. Such investigations conclude that organizational culture places a significant role in determining the level of economic demands. Recent researches on industrial un rest indicate that reward criteria of the organisations both financial and non-financial rewards have tremendous influence upon the employees and employers performance. Reward is a broad construct that can include anything an employee may value and desire that an employer is able or willing to offer in exchange for employee contribution. A conceptual distinction can be made between the three main constituents of rewardtype, system, and criterion. (Henderson 1989, p.2) Chiang, Flora F.T. ; Birtch, Thomas A (2006) An empirical examination of reward preferences within and across national settings. Management International Review Reward type refers to the nature of the reward itself (e.g., financial and non-financial; extrinsic and intrinsic). Financial rewards include direct (e.g., basic salary) and indirect (i.e., benefits and services) as well as incentive (e.g., variable pay) and non-incentive (e.g., fixed pay) categories. Non-financial rewards, on the other hand, do not benefit employees in a monetary sense and consist of both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. Extrinsic non-financial rewards are tangible rewards attached to the job and are given and controlled by a firm. Examples include employment security, promotion, status, relationships, and work conditions. By contrast, intrinsic rewards accrue from performing the task itself and are self-reinforcing. Job challenge, variety, and sense of achievement are good examples of this category. Reward system represents the method or mechanism (e.g., seniority-based, performance-based) by which organizations determine employee reward outcomes (e.g., pay increases). Systems can be either performance or non-performance oriented. Where performance-oriented reward systems compensate employees based on how well they perform on the job, non-performance systems compensate employees based on a different set of criteria, such as seniority/years of service, and skills/competencies. Reward criterion then, refers to the basis of allocation (i.e., individual or group) used to determine the reward. 1.2 Marriott International Marriott International is a leading, worldwide, hospitality company and has more than 2,300 operating units located in the U.S. and 59 other countries and territories. It employs approximately 154,000 workers. Fortune magazine has recognized Marriott as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America (1997-2001), one of the Top 80 Companies for Minorities (2000), and one of Americas Most Admired Companies overall (2001). In addition, Sales and Marketing Management magazine has named Marriott Sales as one of the top 25 sales forces in the U.S. (1997-2000).(mariott.com 13th jan 09) Marriott is and always has been an equal opportunities employer in all aspects of employment. The company is fully committed to providing a good and harmonious working environment that offers equal treatment and equal opportunities for all its associates, and where every associate is treated with appropriate respect and dignity. It is the companys policy that there should be no unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation of any associate, job applicant, customers, providers of service or member of public, whether in connection with recruitment, placement, training, benefits or promotion, either directly or indirectly, on grounds of race, nationality, ethnic origin, gender, marital or family status(Marriott handbook for employees 2009) Marriott is committed to fair treatment of associates and to providing training and advancement opportunities to all. Marriott has an unshakeable conviction that there associates are the most important assets for them. Marriott always look forward to an environment which will always supports associates growth and development. Marriott is a reputation for employing caring, dependable associates who are ethical and trustworthy and is always keen to give a home like atmosphere and friendly workplace relationships. They always try to achieve a performance reward system that recognizes the important contributions of both hourly and management associates. There are two types of associates as explained above. Hourly associates are those employees who are paid on the basis of the hours they worked. In the other hand management associates are those who are paid a fixed salary on the basis of job content assigned to them. Marriott has been selected for the research as they are having employees from all over the world. They employ people not on the basis of ethnicity, caste and religion but on the basis of experience. As they have employees from different parts of the world their needs will be different. They will be looking forward to different types of reward schemes which will suit to their needs and will satisfy them to stay with the organisation. Research has been conducted by taking Marriott as the company because they are facing a high risk of satisfying the needs of employees who are having different tastes regarding rewards which they are looking forward from the organisation. As stated earlier, Marriott has been recognized as one of the 100 companies to work for in America by Fortune magazine. This states that the employees are satisfied to an extent with the rewards which they are allotted by the organisation. As the reward management plays a role in the organisation it will be worth doing a research on the company who cares and gives equal opportunities to each and every employee in the organisation. 1.3 Current postion 1.3.1Current Policy At present Marriott do not have an existing policy for reward system to their employees. However, their ‘unofficial approach can be viewed below. But they are considering reward management on the basis of â€Å"Spirit to serve†. It is based on the service which the associate delivers to the customer to keep the good will of the firm. The manager will nominate the name of the associate to the Human Res department according to their service. Associates name will be displayed in the notice board and sometimes this is valued more than money as an individual and as an employee. 1.3.2 Current Issues a) There is no documentation for reward management policy. b) There are currently no KPIs (key performance indicators) for monitoring and rewarding for employees performance activities. c) Human resource policy document is rarely provided to employees or its not updated. d) Literature tends to be piecemeal Employee guidelines are a separate document to the job without any details on employee recognition/reward. e) Employee recognition is applied inconsistently. f) Difficult to assess the employee performance and its questionable. g) Employee satisfaction stands at very low rate. 1.4 Expected Results Results are expected by looking through the issues regarding the current policies and try to make changes in order to get it done properly to satisfy the employees. Enhancements are required for the policies for the well being of the relationship between the employees and the employer. After this research it should be helpful for the company to implement activities and to sort out the responsibilities to the concerned parties. Reward management should be monitored and evaluated regularly .Employer should go to the next level to satisfy the reward and needs of the employees to get them done with the job allotted. 1.5 Objectives The objective of this research is to recommend improvements to Marriotts Human Resource policy. Ultimately, the policy will aim to: a) Reduce the dissatisfaction of the employees on promotion criterion, on appraisal system and on salary, bonus and other fringe benefits. b) Improve the work performance and productivity c) Reduce the level of occupational stress that arises from feeling of inequality on reward. d) Describe HRM, IHRM and its importance and various HRM strategies and its importance in the current scenario. e) Identify and analyse various factors that drive employees to dissatisfaction f) Analyse various factors that motivates the employees to stay with the organisation. g) Reduce the perception gap on reward management system and develop a culture of high performance. In order to carry out the above objectives it is necessary to analyse:- >What are the human needs? >What are the organisation various approaches towards employee needs and satisfaction 1.6 Scope The project will cover the following a) Review of all associated literature reward management in service and related industries. b) Review of the front-end activities to understand the extent of the employees work related problems and other dissatisfaction if any. c) Review of current HR policy promises and approach to recognising good work of employees d) Establish links with enhanced HR strategy The project applies to All UK domestic and international employees working in Marriott Both emergency and normal working conditions in and out of the working hours. Establish synergies with employee Performance and HR Policy. Out of scope Developing processes or process mapping. Service delivery project to amalgamate employee and their locations / roles (Including transfers). 1.7 Overview This Report analyzed trends of reward management, and its influence in multi national companies in UK. It analyzed various approaches that the industry has taken to reward employees, primarily through literature reviews, and also through the analysis of questionnaire done with the employees from Marriott in UK .This dissertation also produced recommendations for the effective management of reward process for the improved business case. Chapter 1: This is the introductory chapter that explains the Significance of the chosen field, Aims and Objectives, Rationale, The reason for selection of multi national companies especially Marriott , and end with the Overview of the Project Report. Chapter 2: This chapter proceeds with a literature review about various HRM strategies and approaches taken for the reward scheme , and to maintain the needs of the employees in the organisation for the improved product quality and services etc. Chapter 3: This chapter illustrates the characteristics of Marriott, its business nature, global exposure and the various issues that the industry is currently facing in case of reward management Chapter 4: This chapter explains various research methodologies that are used for collecting data and information to carry out various analyses that are required to complete the research and documentation. Chapter 5: This chapter analyses various reasons in order to maintain a good reward management. This is carried out through literature analysis and through data analysis of the Survey conducted on various employees from the Marriott industry in UK. This chapter ends with the findings from the analysis with critical evaluations. Chapter 6: This chapter explains evaluated recommendations for the findings to the reward management of employees, as a management strategy for improving the brand standards. Chapter 7: this chapter gives conclusion about the future development in the industry if the reward management schemes have been allocated properly, which may provide a solution for the future possible issues. Literature Review The basic mantra for the success of any business organization is the appropriate allocation and usage of resources. The most important resources comprise of four Ms man, material, money and machine. The dissertation under consideration deals with the first ‘M that is the manpower or the employees of an organization. They are the backbone as they put every plan into action which is inevitable for the success of a company. So their importance in business cannot be ruled out and they form the backbone of every organization because they determine the success and failure rates. Since the most important set of public for an organization is its workforce which forms the key ingredient of its success, it is a necessary fact that the employees must be kept happy and well bonded. In todays competitive labour market, irrespective of the size of the organization it has become a major concern to attract and retain employees. One of the important reasons underlying the high turnover is low job satisfaction, appreciation and non competitive benefits package. Corporate should keep one point in mind that there is no lack of opportunities for a talented person. So if he/she is not satisfied means they will switch over to some other firm which provides them with more suitable job. So in order to retain the employees and make them happy, there are so many ways like appreciation, recognition, incentives and awards .In addition to that several motivational tools should be implemented from time to time to keep the employees morale high. These promotional items make for a smart tool because they serve as a token of gratitude and also show that you care. It is a great way of thanking the employees for their services .Moreover they are also expecting some sort of recognition from the company and promotional items help to do just that. Making the employees happy as well as a feel that they are cared is very important if the organization wants them to exhibit performance in a desired manner. Promotional items also give a sense of recognition to the employees. Thus it helps in the strong bonding between employees and the employer which ultimately leads to the smooth functioning and a pleasant work environment which is a must for an organization aiming to reach at the top. In the 1920s, the view on a persons role in the industrial working world started to change, the human was beginning to be seen as a subject with potential (Kressler, 2003). As described by Wilson† Technology can be replicated, capital can be acquired, and distribution channels can be created through new alliances, but the actions of people (what they do or fail to do) have become the critical factor in achieving enduring success† (Wilson, 2002, p.15). Todays competitive world demands the firm to invest in people and skills rather than spending huge capital on physical assets, then only they can achieve competitive advantage .Thus its no surprise that a reward strategy can help the organizations to attract and retain the talented ones and to motivate them to led the company to its desired goal . Companies in the service sectors require skilled and committed workforce to exhibit desired performance and also provide good services in a timely manner to their targeted consumers in various countries across the world .Commitment towards job and in return job satisfaction are unavoidable for the successful growth of the companies across the globe. All these facts interested the researcher to select this topic for research to analyze the reasons for the dissatisfaction of job and various factors which helps in motivating the employees of different sectors especially service sector. Kressler, H.W. (2003). Motivate and Reward Performance appraisal and incentive systems for business success. (S. Pearce, Trans). NY: Palgrave Macmillan. (Original work published 1988.) Wilson, T. B. (2002). Innovative Reward Systems for the Changing Workplace (2nd Ed.). Blacklick,OH, USA: McGraw Hill Companies. Retrieved 20071108,from http://site.ebrary.com.bibl.proxy.hj.se/lib/jonhh/Top?layout=documentid=10153055?nosr=1 2.1 Employee An employee can be defined as an individual who was hired by an employer to do a specific job(web.01). He has to do a specific job efficiently within a functional area or department to accomplish the goals of the firm. In most of the organizations a performance development planning process is undergone which will define the specific task of the employee as well as their expected performance. Employees trade their knowledge, skill and experience in exchange for compensation from the firm. If they are not satisfied with the compensation means the propensity to switch the company will be high, this will result in high turnover. So its high time to give importance to the rewards. Employees, considered as human resources of the organization are used for the benefit of the organizations, employees and the society. (Aswathappa, 2008). In order to drive the flow of business in the right direction for better results they have to be valued, respected, encouraged and appreciated .These can be done with the help of rewards. In a good working environment with efficient working methods and equipments employees will exhibit a better work performance and in addition to that natural motivation to do a job for an appropriate reward will surely pave the way for improved productivity and high profitability. For service sector employees are the most important factor, so implementation of new reward strategies and techniques are unavoidable for high quality performance of the employees, also to reduce the high turnover rate. 2.1.1 Impact of Changes on Employees Change is an inevitable part of life especially in the fast changing world. Todays commercial climate is compelling companies to implement changes in order to survive and grow in the global market. Changes always uproot a person and alter his lifestyle. The organizations adopt changes in order to meet the current standards; its employees also have to undergo change and should accept the new circumstances. Due to the technological, social and economic changes employees face a lot of insecurity and its the human nature to resist those changes without knowing about its real benefits. Its the duty of the management to handle this delicate situation in a tactful manner. One of the effective ways is to motivate and encourage the employees to put their best effort under the changing circumstances so that the net result will be high profitability and ultimate success of the business. By creating a good working environment and high morale, employees wont be negatively affected by the new changes. In order to cope up with the commercial changes companies need to be competitive and should attract employees to the job as well as should retain the employees. Employee compensation and benefit packages are the backing up factors for many potential employees who may face discomfort in their work environment due to the social, economical and technical changes without financially jeopardizing the success of the business. Today its a necessary fact that irrespective of the changes which companies are undergoing they should keep their employees motivated by providing them with rewards and recognition. So by communicating the change to the employees, by making them clearly understand about its impact on organization and its benefits, the company can encourage them to do the work in an efficient manner and in exchange employees will get the rewards for their expected performance. 2.1.2 Employee Management Engagement Employee management is the key to effective performance management and employee engagement. Employee engagement is the psychological commitment of employees towards their job. As said by Charles Kettering There is a great difference between knowing and understanding†. It holds true in the case of business and employees. Know your employees and make them understand about the goals to be accomplished. Understanding in business means the proper management of the employees and providing them with what they expect in return for their commitment and efficient work. Compensation can take the form of rewards, recognition, and reasonable benefits package. The first and foremost need for the employee management is the right employee for the right job. The keynote tip which helps to exercise a proper employee management are Structure establishment, which means that there should be a well defined structure for bringing out the desires performance from the employees such as setting of deadlines for a specific task etc. Another one is the value for employees. An organizations greatest asset are its employees so they should be motivated as well as their skills, knowledge and effort should be valued. Company should treat employees with respect by providing a positive work environment to the employees which will definitely boost their performance and to encourage them to meet the goals in an efficient manner. Listen to the employees and appreciate them for the effort they put to meet the goals and provide them ways to improve their potential, thereby creating belief that the company is taking care of them. If the organization wants to capture great heights, all it need is an engaged workforce. It is connected to three forces in an organization attrition, productivity and profitability. In order to reduce the attrition rate organizations should take care of the employees by incrementing their salaries, providing necessary incentives and bonus. Engaged workforce are always aware about the degree of expectation of work by the organization which yields high productivity. Thus they will result in an increase in the profitability of a concern which is the relative measure of success of a business. 2.2 Human Resource Management The overall management process represent five basic functions for the managers to perform: planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. This research focuses on one of those functions the staffing which is the personnel management or human resource management (HRM) function. Human Resource Management is the process of acquiring, training, appraising and compensating employees and of attending to their labour relations, health and safety, and fairness concerns (Dessler, 2008pg 2). Heathfield, (2008) defined â€Å"Human Resource Management (HRM) as the function within an organization that focuses on recruitment of, management of, and providing direction for the people who work in the organization†. This can be further explained as â€Å"Human Resource Management is the organizational function that deals with issues related to people such as compensation, hiring, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, and training†(Heathfield, 2008). HRM is vital to the organization. It is the function which focuses its direction towards the management of people working in an organization. Dessler and Chiat (2009) states that, ‘Without HRM, organizations may find themselves in different kinds of unwanted situations, such as hiring the wrong people, getting fined by government ministries for unsafe practices, finding out that people are not giving their best, or even over/under- paying their employees. The most valued asset of an organization is its employees because improved quality and productivity can be achieved through trained, motivated and committed employees. The function of HRM is nothing but to train, motivate and provide the employees with opportunities to be more productive and effective. Since each and every objective of business is achieved through its effective workforce, the needs of the employees should be satisfied. 2.2.1 HRM Models HR systems and the organization structure should be managed in a way that is congruent with organizational strategy (hence the name ‘matching model) (Armstrong, 2006). They further explained that there is a human resource cycle, which consists of four generic processes or functions that are performed in all organizations (Armstrong, 2006 pg 10). 1. Selection matching available human resources to jobs. 2. Appraisal performance management 3. Rewards the reward system is one of the most under-utilized and mishandled managerial tools for driving organizational performance; it must reward short as well as long-term achievements, bearing in mind that ‘business must perform in the present to succeed in the future. 4. Development developing high quality employees. 2.2.2 Nature and Scope The role of HRM has grown broader and more strategic over time. In the earliest firms â€Å"personnel† first took over hiring and firing from the supervisors, ran the payroll department, and administered benefit plans (Dessler, 2008pg 12). As technology in areas like testing and interviewing began to emerge, the personnel department began to play an expanded role in employee selection, training and promotion. Today globalization, technological and nature of work trends mean that human resource managers have taken on several new responsibilities (Dessler, 2008pg 12). Human resource management involves all management decisions and action that affect the nature of the relationship between the organization and its employees-its human resources (Armstrong, 2006). Human Resource Management is pervasive in nature as it is present in all enterprises. Its focus is on results rather than on rules. HRM helps employees to develop their potential fully.HRM try to help employees develop their potential fully and to encourages employees to give their best to the organization. It is all about people at work, both as individuals and groups. It tries to put people on assigned jobs in order to produce good results. It helps an organization meet its goals in the future by providing for competent and well-motivated employees. It tries to build and maintain cordial relations between people working at various levels in the organization. It is a multidisciplinary activity, utilizing knowledge and inputs drawn from, for example psychology and economics. The Human Resource Management activities extend from selection to layoff of an employee in an organization. This includes the fixation of remuneration, training, motivation and induction of employees. Thus it helps to develop other industrial relations for employees to acquire more skills and competencies (Aswathappa, 2008).The functional diagram of HRM is given in 2.2 which clearly defines the interrelation between various functions which enable the organization to achieve its objectives by providing guidance and support on all matters relating to its employees. The scope of HRM can be limited to three aspects: 1. Personnel which mainly deals with the selection, recruitment, manpower planning, placement, promotion, training, development, remuneration, incentives, productivity, layoff and retrenchment. (web 02) 2. Welfare which is concerned with working conditions and amenities such as crà ¨ches, canteens, rest and lunch rooms, housing, transport, medical assistance, education, health and safety, recreation facilities. (web 02) 3. Industrial aspect that covers union-management relations, joint consultation, collective bargaining, grievance and disciplinary procedures, settlement of disputes, etc. (web 02) Web 02- http://expertscolumn.com/content/human-resource-management-nature-scope-objectives-and-function 2.2.2 Objectives of HRM The objectives of HRM are to help the organization to reach its goals, to ensure effective utilization and maximum development of human resources, to ensure respect for human being, to identify and satisfy the needs of individual, to ensure reconciliation of individual goals with those of the organization, to achieve and maintain high morale among employees, to provide the organization with well-trained and well-motivated employees, to increase the employees job satisfaction and self-actualization to the fullest, to develop and maintain a quality work life, to be ethically and socially responsive to the needs of society, to develop overall personality of each employee in its multidimensional aspect, to enhance employees capabilities to perform the present job, to equip the employees with precision and clarity in transaction of business and to inculcate the sense of team spirit, team work and inter-team collaboration. The above mentioned aims can be summarized as â€Å"the overall aim of human resource management is to ensure that the organization is able to achieve success through people† (Armstrong, 2006 pg8) 2.2.3 HRM Functions In order to achieve the above objectives, Human Resource Management undertakes some functions; some of them are Human resource or manpower planning, recruitment, selection and placement of personnel, training and development of employees, appraisal of performa Effect of Reward Management on Employee Motivation Effect of Reward Management on Employee Motivation How can Multi National Companies use Reward management to motivate the Employees of Different Countries? : A Case of Marriott Hotels in UK. Abstract Employees are always considered as people who play a vital role in each and every organisation. The relationship between employee and employer changes frequently through out the years. Several concepts of employees are also varying time by time. Now a days employees are having the bargaining power and they are more concerned about their individual needs and well being of their working environment. This dissertation analyses various factors which motivates an employee to work within an organisation. Employee will stay in an organisation only when their expectations are satisfied or otherwise there is a chance for him/her to leave the company. High employee turnover is a big issue in companies today. Organisations will look forward to retain only the potential key employees who will make real difference to their customers and their stake holders. This dissertation proposes a frame work to retain the employees and to reward those employees for their potential by which they are taking the organisation to a different level. This research has been progressed through literature study on employee concepts, Human Resource Management and Reward management of employees. The data from the primary research has been analysed compared and verified with the findings of secondary research and produced recommendations for the effective management of employee in multi national companies. Introduction Reward management is nowadays considered as an important topic in order to achieve the goals of a company. Employees are considered as the main factor which plays an important role in the organisation. The success of each and every organisation is its dedicated employees .Current world is filled with changes and competition. In order to survive in the current situation companies should be having employees who are loyal and expert in their own field. New technologies are developed constantly and the companies are eagerly trying to catch up those talented employees with right expertise in their own areas. Human resources as an important factor should get increased attention in managing business (Lindergen Paulson ,2008)`. Multinational companies are facing increased challenges from all around the world due to globalisation. 1.1 Reward management Reward system usually means the financial reward on organization gives its employees in return for their labour.The term rewards system, not only includes material rewards, but also non-material rewards. The components of a reward system consist of financial rewards (basic and performance pay) and employee benefits, which together comprise total remuneration. They also include non-financial rewards (holiday trips, moving to large office, recognition, promotion, praise, achievement responsibility and personal growth) and in many case a system of performance management. Pay arrangements are central to the cultural initiative as they are the most tangible expression of the working relationship between employer and employee. Many papers examine the role of organizational culture that is, the demand for monitoring compensation. Such investigations conclude that organizational culture places a significant role in determining the level of economic demands. Recent researches on industrial un rest indicate that reward criteria of the organisations both financial and non-financial rewards have tremendous influence upon the employees and employers performance. Reward is a broad construct that can include anything an employee may value and desire that an employer is able or willing to offer in exchange for employee contribution. A conceptual distinction can be made between the three main constituents of rewardtype, system, and criterion. (Henderson 1989, p.2) Chiang, Flora F.T. ; Birtch, Thomas A (2006) An empirical examination of reward preferences within and across national settings. Management International Review Reward type refers to the nature of the reward itself (e.g., financial and non-financial; extrinsic and intrinsic). Financial rewards include direct (e.g., basic salary) and indirect (i.e., benefits and services) as well as incentive (e.g., variable pay) and non-incentive (e.g., fixed pay) categories. Non-financial rewards, on the other hand, do not benefit employees in a monetary sense and consist of both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. Extrinsic non-financial rewards are tangible rewards attached to the job and are given and controlled by a firm. Examples include employment security, promotion, status, relationships, and work conditions. By contrast, intrinsic rewards accrue from performing the task itself and are self-reinforcing. Job challenge, variety, and sense of achievement are good examples of this category. Reward system represents the method or mechanism (e.g., seniority-based, performance-based) by which organizations determine employee reward outcomes (e.g., pay increases). Systems can be either performance or non-performance oriented. Where performance-oriented reward systems compensate employees based on how well they perform on the job, non-performance systems compensate employees based on a different set of criteria, such as seniority/years of service, and skills/competencies. Reward criterion then, refers to the basis of allocation (i.e., individual or group) used to determine the reward. 1.2 Marriott International Marriott International is a leading, worldwide, hospitality company and has more than 2,300 operating units located in the U.S. and 59 other countries and territories. It employs approximately 154,000 workers. Fortune magazine has recognized Marriott as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America (1997-2001), one of the Top 80 Companies for Minorities (2000), and one of Americas Most Admired Companies overall (2001). In addition, Sales and Marketing Management magazine has named Marriott Sales as one of the top 25 sales forces in the U.S. (1997-2000).(mariott.com 13th jan 09) Marriott is and always has been an equal opportunities employer in all aspects of employment. The company is fully committed to providing a good and harmonious working environment that offers equal treatment and equal opportunities for all its associates, and where every associate is treated with appropriate respect and dignity. It is the companys policy that there should be no unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation of any associate, job applicant, customers, providers of service or member of public, whether in connection with recruitment, placement, training, benefits or promotion, either directly or indirectly, on grounds of race, nationality, ethnic origin, gender, marital or family status(Marriott handbook for employees 2009) Marriott is committed to fair treatment of associates and to providing training and advancement opportunities to all. Marriott has an unshakeable conviction that there associates are the most important assets for them. Marriott always look forward to an environment which will always supports associates growth and development. Marriott is a reputation for employing caring, dependable associates who are ethical and trustworthy and is always keen to give a home like atmosphere and friendly workplace relationships. They always try to achieve a performance reward system that recognizes the important contributions of both hourly and management associates. There are two types of associates as explained above. Hourly associates are those employees who are paid on the basis of the hours they worked. In the other hand management associates are those who are paid a fixed salary on the basis of job content assigned to them. Marriott has been selected for the research as they are having employees from all over the world. They employ people not on the basis of ethnicity, caste and religion but on the basis of experience. As they have employees from different parts of the world their needs will be different. They will be looking forward to different types of reward schemes which will suit to their needs and will satisfy them to stay with the organisation. Research has been conducted by taking Marriott as the company because they are facing a high risk of satisfying the needs of employees who are having different tastes regarding rewards which they are looking forward from the organisation. As stated earlier, Marriott has been recognized as one of the 100 companies to work for in America by Fortune magazine. This states that the employees are satisfied to an extent with the rewards which they are allotted by the organisation. As the reward management plays a role in the organisation it will be worth doing a research on the company who cares and gives equal opportunities to each and every employee in the organisation. 1.3 Current postion 1.3.1Current Policy At present Marriott do not have an existing policy for reward system to their employees. However, their ‘unofficial approach can be viewed below. But they are considering reward management on the basis of â€Å"Spirit to serve†. It is based on the service which the associate delivers to the customer to keep the good will of the firm. The manager will nominate the name of the associate to the Human Res department according to their service. Associates name will be displayed in the notice board and sometimes this is valued more than money as an individual and as an employee. 1.3.2 Current Issues a) There is no documentation for reward management policy. b) There are currently no KPIs (key performance indicators) for monitoring and rewarding for employees performance activities. c) Human resource policy document is rarely provided to employees or its not updated. d) Literature tends to be piecemeal Employee guidelines are a separate document to the job without any details on employee recognition/reward. e) Employee recognition is applied inconsistently. f) Difficult to assess the employee performance and its questionable. g) Employee satisfaction stands at very low rate. 1.4 Expected Results Results are expected by looking through the issues regarding the current policies and try to make changes in order to get it done properly to satisfy the employees. Enhancements are required for the policies for the well being of the relationship between the employees and the employer. After this research it should be helpful for the company to implement activities and to sort out the responsibilities to the concerned parties. Reward management should be monitored and evaluated regularly .Employer should go to the next level to satisfy the reward and needs of the employees to get them done with the job allotted. 1.5 Objectives The objective of this research is to recommend improvements to Marriotts Human Resource policy. Ultimately, the policy will aim to: a) Reduce the dissatisfaction of the employees on promotion criterion, on appraisal system and on salary, bonus and other fringe benefits. b) Improve the work performance and productivity c) Reduce the level of occupational stress that arises from feeling of inequality on reward. d) Describe HRM, IHRM and its importance and various HRM strategies and its importance in the current scenario. e) Identify and analyse various factors that drive employees to dissatisfaction f) Analyse various factors that motivates the employees to stay with the organisation. g) Reduce the perception gap on reward management system and develop a culture of high performance. In order to carry out the above objectives it is necessary to analyse:- >What are the human needs? >What are the organisation various approaches towards employee needs and satisfaction 1.6 Scope The project will cover the following a) Review of all associated literature reward management in service and related industries. b) Review of the front-end activities to understand the extent of the employees work related problems and other dissatisfaction if any. c) Review of current HR policy promises and approach to recognising good work of employees d) Establish links with enhanced HR strategy The project applies to All UK domestic and international employees working in Marriott Both emergency and normal working conditions in and out of the working hours. Establish synergies with employee Performance and HR Policy. Out of scope Developing processes or process mapping. Service delivery project to amalgamate employee and their locations / roles (Including transfers). 1.7 Overview This Report analyzed trends of reward management, and its influence in multi national companies in UK. It analyzed various approaches that the industry has taken to reward employees, primarily through literature reviews, and also through the analysis of questionnaire done with the employees from Marriott in UK .This dissertation also produced recommendations for the effective management of reward process for the improved business case. Chapter 1: This is the introductory chapter that explains the Significance of the chosen field, Aims and Objectives, Rationale, The reason for selection of multi national companies especially Marriott , and end with the Overview of the Project Report. Chapter 2: This chapter proceeds with a literature review about various HRM strategies and approaches taken for the reward scheme , and to maintain the needs of the employees in the organisation for the improved product quality and services etc. Chapter 3: This chapter illustrates the characteristics of Marriott, its business nature, global exposure and the various issues that the industry is currently facing in case of reward management Chapter 4: This chapter explains various research methodologies that are used for collecting data and information to carry out various analyses that are required to complete the research and documentation. Chapter 5: This chapter analyses various reasons in order to maintain a good reward management. This is carried out through literature analysis and through data analysis of the Survey conducted on various employees from the Marriott industry in UK. This chapter ends with the findings from the analysis with critical evaluations. Chapter 6: This chapter explains evaluated recommendations for the findings to the reward management of employees, as a management strategy for improving the brand standards. Chapter 7: this chapter gives conclusion about the future development in the industry if the reward management schemes have been allocated properly, which may provide a solution for the future possible issues. Literature Review The basic mantra for the success of any business organization is the appropriate allocation and usage of resources. The most important resources comprise of four Ms man, material, money and machine. The dissertation under consideration deals with the first ‘M that is the manpower or the employees of an organization. They are the backbone as they put every plan into action which is inevitable for the success of a company. So their importance in business cannot be ruled out and they form the backbone of every organization because they determine the success and failure rates. Since the most important set of public for an organization is its workforce which forms the key ingredient of its success, it is a necessary fact that the employees must be kept happy and well bonded. In todays competitive labour market, irrespective of the size of the organization it has become a major concern to attract and retain employees. One of the important reasons underlying the high turnover is low job satisfaction, appreciation and non competitive benefits package. Corporate should keep one point in mind that there is no lack of opportunities for a talented person. So if he/she is not satisfied means they will switch over to some other firm which provides them with more suitable job. So in order to retain the employees and make them happy, there are so many ways like appreciation, recognition, incentives and awards .In addition to that several motivational tools should be implemented from time to time to keep the employees morale high. These promotional items make for a smart tool because they serve as a token of gratitude and also show that you care. It is a great way of thanking the employees for their services .Moreover they are also expecting some sort of recognition from the company and promotional items help to do just that. Making the employees happy as well as a feel that they are cared is very important if the organization wants them to exhibit performance in a desired manner. Promotional items also give a sense of recognition to the employees. Thus it helps in the strong bonding between employees and the employer which ultimately leads to the smooth functioning and a pleasant work environment which is a must for an organization aiming to reach at the top. In the 1920s, the view on a persons role in the industrial working world started to change, the human was beginning to be seen as a subject with potential (Kressler, 2003). As described by Wilson† Technology can be replicated, capital can be acquired, and distribution channels can be created through new alliances, but the actions of people (what they do or fail to do) have become the critical factor in achieving enduring success† (Wilson, 2002, p.15). Todays competitive world demands the firm to invest in people and skills rather than spending huge capital on physical assets, then only they can achieve competitive advantage .Thus its no surprise that a reward strategy can help the organizations to attract and retain the talented ones and to motivate them to led the company to its desired goal . Companies in the service sectors require skilled and committed workforce to exhibit desired performance and also provide good services in a timely manner to their targeted consumers in various countries across the world .Commitment towards job and in return job satisfaction are unavoidable for the successful growth of the companies across the globe. All these facts interested the researcher to select this topic for research to analyze the reasons for the dissatisfaction of job and various factors which helps in motivating the employees of different sectors especially service sector. Kressler, H.W. (2003). Motivate and Reward Performance appraisal and incentive systems for business success. (S. Pearce, Trans). NY: Palgrave Macmillan. (Original work published 1988.) Wilson, T. B. (2002). Innovative Reward Systems for the Changing Workplace (2nd Ed.). Blacklick,OH, USA: McGraw Hill Companies. Retrieved 20071108,from http://site.ebrary.com.bibl.proxy.hj.se/lib/jonhh/Top?layout=documentid=10153055?nosr=1 2.1 Employee An employee can be defined as an individual who was hired by an employer to do a specific job(web.01). He has to do a specific job efficiently within a functional area or department to accomplish the goals of the firm. In most of the organizations a performance development planning process is undergone which will define the specific task of the employee as well as their expected performance. Employees trade their knowledge, skill and experience in exchange for compensation from the firm. If they are not satisfied with the compensation means the propensity to switch the company will be high, this will result in high turnover. So its high time to give importance to the rewards. Employees, considered as human resources of the organization are used for the benefit of the organizations, employees and the society. (Aswathappa, 2008). In order to drive the flow of business in the right direction for better results they have to be valued, respected, encouraged and appreciated .These can be done with the help of rewards. In a good working environment with efficient working methods and equipments employees will exhibit a better work performance and in addition to that natural motivation to do a job for an appropriate reward will surely pave the way for improved productivity and high profitability. For service sector employees are the most important factor, so implementation of new reward strategies and techniques are unavoidable for high quality performance of the employees, also to reduce the high turnover rate. 2.1.1 Impact of Changes on Employees Change is an inevitable part of life especially in the fast changing world. Todays commercial climate is compelling companies to implement changes in order to survive and grow in the global market. Changes always uproot a person and alter his lifestyle. The organizations adopt changes in order to meet the current standards; its employees also have to undergo change and should accept the new circumstances. Due to the technological, social and economic changes employees face a lot of insecurity and its the human nature to resist those changes without knowing about its real benefits. Its the duty of the management to handle this delicate situation in a tactful manner. One of the effective ways is to motivate and encourage the employees to put their best effort under the changing circumstances so that the net result will be high profitability and ultimate success of the business. By creating a good working environment and high morale, employees wont be negatively affected by the new changes. In order to cope up with the commercial changes companies need to be competitive and should attract employees to the job as well as should retain the employees. Employee compensation and benefit packages are the backing up factors for many potential employees who may face discomfort in their work environment due to the social, economical and technical changes without financially jeopardizing the success of the business. Today its a necessary fact that irrespective of the changes which companies are undergoing they should keep their employees motivated by providing them with rewards and recognition. So by communicating the change to the employees, by making them clearly understand about its impact on organization and its benefits, the company can encourage them to do the work in an efficient manner and in exchange employees will get the rewards for their expected performance. 2.1.2 Employee Management Engagement Employee management is the key to effective performance management and employee engagement. Employee engagement is the psychological commitment of employees towards their job. As said by Charles Kettering There is a great difference between knowing and understanding†. It holds true in the case of business and employees. Know your employees and make them understand about the goals to be accomplished. Understanding in business means the proper management of the employees and providing them with what they expect in return for their commitment and efficient work. Compensation can take the form of rewards, recognition, and reasonable benefits package. The first and foremost need for the employee management is the right employee for the right job. The keynote tip which helps to exercise a proper employee management are Structure establishment, which means that there should be a well defined structure for bringing out the desires performance from the employees such as setting of deadlines for a specific task etc. Another one is the value for employees. An organizations greatest asset are its employees so they should be motivated as well as their skills, knowledge and effort should be valued. Company should treat employees with respect by providing a positive work environment to the employees which will definitely boost their performance and to encourage them to meet the goals in an efficient manner. Listen to the employees and appreciate them for the effort they put to meet the goals and provide them ways to improve their potential, thereby creating belief that the company is taking care of them. If the organization wants to capture great heights, all it need is an engaged workforce. It is connected to three forces in an organization attrition, productivity and profitability. In order to reduce the attrition rate organizations should take care of the employees by incrementing their salaries, providing necessary incentives and bonus. Engaged workforce are always aware about the degree of expectation of work by the organization which yields high productivity. Thus they will result in an increase in the profitability of a concern which is the relative measure of success of a business. 2.2 Human Resource Management The overall management process represent five basic functions for the managers to perform: planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. This research focuses on one of those functions the staffing which is the personnel management or human resource management (HRM) function. Human Resource Management is the process of acquiring, training, appraising and compensating employees and of attending to their labour relations, health and safety, and fairness concerns (Dessler, 2008pg 2). Heathfield, (2008) defined â€Å"Human Resource Management (HRM) as the function within an organization that focuses on recruitment of, management of, and providing direction for the people who work in the organization†. This can be further explained as â€Å"Human Resource Management is the organizational function that deals with issues related to people such as compensation, hiring, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, and training†(Heathfield, 2008). HRM is vital to the organization. It is the function which focuses its direction towards the management of people working in an organization. Dessler and Chiat (2009) states that, ‘Without HRM, organizations may find themselves in different kinds of unwanted situations, such as hiring the wrong people, getting fined by government ministries for unsafe practices, finding out that people are not giving their best, or even over/under- paying their employees. The most valued asset of an organization is its employees because improved quality and productivity can be achieved through trained, motivated and committed employees. The function of HRM is nothing but to train, motivate and provide the employees with opportunities to be more productive and effective. Since each and every objective of business is achieved through its effective workforce, the needs of the employees should be satisfied. 2.2.1 HRM Models HR systems and the organization structure should be managed in a way that is congruent with organizational strategy (hence the name ‘matching model) (Armstrong, 2006). They further explained that there is a human resource cycle, which consists of four generic processes or functions that are performed in all organizations (Armstrong, 2006 pg 10). 1. Selection matching available human resources to jobs. 2. Appraisal performance management 3. Rewards the reward system is one of the most under-utilized and mishandled managerial tools for driving organizational performance; it must reward short as well as long-term achievements, bearing in mind that ‘business must perform in the present to succeed in the future. 4. Development developing high quality employees. 2.2.2 Nature and Scope The role of HRM has grown broader and more strategic over time. In the earliest firms â€Å"personnel† first took over hiring and firing from the supervisors, ran the payroll department, and administered benefit plans (Dessler, 2008pg 12). As technology in areas like testing and interviewing began to emerge, the personnel department began to play an expanded role in employee selection, training and promotion. Today globalization, technological and nature of work trends mean that human resource managers have taken on several new responsibilities (Dessler, 2008pg 12). Human resource management involves all management decisions and action that affect the nature of the relationship between the organization and its employees-its human resources (Armstrong, 2006). Human Resource Management is pervasive in nature as it is present in all enterprises. Its focus is on results rather than on rules. HRM helps employees to develop their potential fully.HRM try to help employees develop their potential fully and to encourages employees to give their best to the organization. It is all about people at work, both as individuals and groups. It tries to put people on assigned jobs in order to produce good results. It helps an organization meet its goals in the future by providing for competent and well-motivated employees. It tries to build and maintain cordial relations between people working at various levels in the organization. It is a multidisciplinary activity, utilizing knowledge and inputs drawn from, for example psychology and economics. The Human Resource Management activities extend from selection to layoff of an employee in an organization. This includes the fixation of remuneration, training, motivation and induction of employees. Thus it helps to develop other industrial relations for employees to acquire more skills and competencies (Aswathappa, 2008).The functional diagram of HRM is given in 2.2 which clearly defines the interrelation between various functions which enable the organization to achieve its objectives by providing guidance and support on all matters relating to its employees. The scope of HRM can be limited to three aspects: 1. Personnel which mainly deals with the selection, recruitment, manpower planning, placement, promotion, training, development, remuneration, incentives, productivity, layoff and retrenchment. (web 02) 2. Welfare which is concerned with working conditions and amenities such as crà ¨ches, canteens, rest and lunch rooms, housing, transport, medical assistance, education, health and safety, recreation facilities. (web 02) 3. Industrial aspect that covers union-management relations, joint consultation, collective bargaining, grievance and disciplinary procedures, settlement of disputes, etc. (web 02) Web 02- http://expertscolumn.com/content/human-resource-management-nature-scope-objectives-and-function 2.2.2 Objectives of HRM The objectives of HRM are to help the organization to reach its goals, to ensure effective utilization and maximum development of human resources, to ensure respect for human being, to identify and satisfy the needs of individual, to ensure reconciliation of individual goals with those of the organization, to achieve and maintain high morale among employees, to provide the organization with well-trained and well-motivated employees, to increase the employees job satisfaction and self-actualization to the fullest, to develop and maintain a quality work life, to be ethically and socially responsive to the needs of society, to develop overall personality of each employee in its multidimensional aspect, to enhance employees capabilities to perform the present job, to equip the employees with precision and clarity in transaction of business and to inculcate the sense of team spirit, team work and inter-team collaboration. The above mentioned aims can be summarized as â€Å"the overall aim of human resource management is to ensure that the organization is able to achieve success through people† (Armstrong, 2006 pg8) 2.2.3 HRM Functions In order to achieve the above objectives, Human Resource Management undertakes some functions; some of them are Human resource or manpower planning, recruitment, selection and placement of personnel, training and development of employees, appraisal of performa