Guiding Principles to Rewarding Performance and Performance And Reward Essay

Guiding Principles to Rewarding Performance and Performance And Reward Strategies - Essay Example The paper tells that most organizations trying to gain competitive advantage in the market without success attribute their failure to such items as organization structure, poor communication; employee incompetence as well as policies and procedures hence end up redesigning or restructuring the organization to eliminate the problems. Little do they realize that their problems are as a result of poor performance and reward systems and strategies leading to poor performance by employees and the organization as a whole. A high performing organization should develop a performance-driven organizational culture where all employees are encouraged to develop and utilize their capabilities in a way that leads to improved performance. Organizations should thus involve themselves in redesigning their performance and reward systems in a way that reinforces performance and underpins business strategy as well as other organization and human resource strategies such as staffing, development and empl oyee relations. The performance management is a process that enhances organizational performance by developing the performance of individuals and teams in the organization. It entails identifying strategic goals that the organization needs to accomplish, identifying how the management and employees can help in supporting such objectives as well as carrying out performance appraisal and reviews to determine if the objectives are being achieved. Reward systems on the other hand, are used to reinforce individual commitment to performance through reward and recognition programs. However, performance should be measured properly to ensure that the reward programs pay off in terms of business goals. According to eNotes (2012), the management should ensure that performance has actually occurred before rewarding employees and also ensure that individual and group efforts are rewarded. This is to promote individual initiatives and foster group cooperation. 1.1 Purpose of the Report The purpos e of the report is to guide the CEO of DIY stores on how the organization can redesign its performance and reward systems in a way that reinforces performance, increases staff motivation as well as company’s ability to attract and retain the right people in line with the stores mission of achieving a more dynamic, performance-focused corporate culture. 1.2 Objectives The objective of the report is to design a performance and reward system that integrates business strategy and HR strategy. It is also to create a working environment that ensures just, fair and ethical treatment of employees. It also aims to develop a program that recognizes and rewards exceptional performance and ensures that reward systems are market based, equitable and cost effective. It is also to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are met by developing a total reward system. It is also aimed at achieving high performance, customer service, high profits and ensuring product availability and minimisat ion of losses. 1.3 Background DIY store (DIYS) is a chain of large warehouse-style stores selling DIY equipment and is also a wholly-owned subsidiary of a larger retail group. It runs 250 stores across the country serving over a million customers a week and employs 12,000 people. Despite having a well established performance management and reward system clearly understood by all employees, it still experiences low morale, poor performance, high staff turnover,

Abercrombie & Fitch Essay Example for Free

Abercrombie Fitch Essay Think about high school and all the students that fill up its student body. When thinking of the students, do stereotypes and cliches come to mind? As teens form close relationships with others, they struggle to understand who they are and where they fit in; they start to form their own identity in relation to others. High school is a critical time of social development which forms these cliches. Social styles differ- some teens want to join groups, others prefer not to interact in extra curriculum activities after or during school, and then there are students that are just socially awkward. For example, some students prefer to play sports which lead them to hang out with all the athletes. Some students despise sports and so they form their own groups like the nerds or bums. Within each different cliche, there is a distinct style in their clothing. These stereotyped cliches are often classified by their clothing style which creates the groups like â€Å"preps†, â€Å"jocks†, and â€Å"nerds. † The word prep was originally used for rich students who went to expensive private schools that were well known to students from public schools. See more: Basic Economic problem of Scarcity Essay These students weren’t always snobs, and they normally did much more sophisticated things then an average middle class student. For example, instead of playing football, they played a game of polo, and shopped in Grunkemeyer2 stores like Coco Chanel, Dolce and Gabana, Christian Dior, and Gucci. They dressed on the formal end with exceptions of wearing plaid shorts, or canvas pants on casual occasions. In today’s society, we have the public school â€Å"snobby preps†. Snobby preps are the people that everybody loves, but hates at the same time. The prep is the boy or girl that is concerned with the way they look. They can usually see themselves on the cover of a Ralph Lauren catalogue or modeling for Abercrombie and Fitch because of their great looks and style. The prep usually dresses nice everyday to school and swears to the bible to never wear sweatpants to school or wear the same outfit more than twice. The prep would never want to be caught at Goodwill, The Dollar Store, or Wal-Mart shopping for clothes. Brands like Polo, Tommy Hilfiger, Hollister, Abercrombie, and Coach are the stores they prefer to shop at and whenever they need money, they just ask their daddy. Their personality is usually outgoing and they are very involved in activities. The popularity of themselves may be the product of their happiness. There would be no one for the prep to date if we didn’t have the jocks. There would be no school spirit if we didn’t have the jock guys and gals. Jocks tend to be those star athletes that have the confidence that relies on cockiness. Oh wait, it is cockiness. As a jock, they must have a high self-esteem that gives them the right to be popular. Being a jock isn’t as easy as it sounds; you have to love the sport you play, and enjoy the pressure of being so good. After all, the entire school is counting on them to win and get that winning title. Jocks feel lucky for who they are because they get many perks for being an athlete. First, they can come to school every day wearing Nike, Under Armour, or Michael Jordan clothes looking like a bum and not be judged on their looks. The girls can go without doing their hair and wear it in a messy bun and the boys can go without matching cloths and no one will say a thing to the athlete. Of course, you can’t Grunkemeyer3 forget the free spirit apparel that gets given to them so they can have a new pair of sweatpants and t-shirt for everyday of the week. Second; if they are good enough, their grades won’t matter because they’ll be going to college on an athletic scholarship. Don’t be ashamed, the jock physically earned their way there! Unlike a jock, where everybody praises them, literally everyone: the team, coaches, teachers, students, family, and the community. Then there are people like the nerds who get picked on because people look down on them. The nerds are very shy, wear unflattering clothes, and have a congestion problem, so what? They have the brains. Who cares what everyone else thinks, they still have friends and way more success for their future. The nerds might blame it on the thick crooked lensed glasses or high water jeans because they cannot get â€Å"Ms/Mr. Perfect† to date them. However, it’s the Harry Potter, Star Wars, and science fiction shirts that no one understands and stops them from getting a date. It could also be their whitie tighties or grandma underwear that is still hanging out from the wedgie they got after gym class. Nerds are very insecure when it comes to fashion. Unfortunately, they will not go outside their box when it comes to clothing, but they will go out of the box when it comes to math or science. Since they can’t score â€Å"Ms/Mr. Perfect† they established a great group of friends that they can do math problems with on the weekends. No moment is ever dull in a nerd’s life. Fashion can tell a lot about a person. What kind of clothes someone wears can allow people to label them and make stereotypes. Stereotypes will classify you in to a cliche, which is what everyone has to deal with even outside of high school. The most common cliches are the preps and the snobs. They dress to impress by wearing the best of best name brands and wear Grunkemeyer4 them every day as they walk down the hall judging other’s outfits. Next are the jocks, of course, people can tell they are jocks because they are wearing their free Nike sweat suit with the team logo as they walk down the hall way with confidence. Lastly, the nerds are wearing their science fiction t-shirts that people are reading and thinking â€Å"People really wear those? † as they walk down the hall way. Think about your style, what cliche do you think you are in?

Confessions For the Rest of Us :: Literary Analysis, God, Augustine of Hippo

Novels are written with the intent to entertain, textbooks to educate, and scripture to exhort. All writing has a purpose, intentional or otherwise. If this were not the case, writing would contain nothing of value. Autobiographies typically serve to inform the reader about the life of a specific person, yet, in Confessions, Augustine of Hippo displays loftier aims. Among other goals, he attempts to use his life story to indirectly guide others to God and truth, an objective to which he applies his considerable literary skill. Often famous historical icons seem to tower in the public eye, casting a shadow of influence that only increases through the ages; they seem somehow more than human. St. Augustine is just such a figure, yet his simple, candid commentary of his life in Confessions paints him as an ordinary man. Augustine went to great lengths to achieve this image, especially in the commencement of his narration. He begins by hyperbolizing his sin even in childhood stating, â€Å"At the time of my infancy, I must have acted reprehensibly† (Augustine 9), and continues this pattern of self-degradation throughout, not out of false humility, but to prove to his audience that he was not born a saint. Augustine spends greater time than necessary covering his ‘sin’ of stealing pears (Augustine 29-34), an act that most would consider a childish prank, and his sexual desires (in which he certainly was not the greatest sinner of his time) not only to explore the nature of transgression b ut also to build his reputation (or lack of it) with his reader (Augustine 24-28). Later in the narrative he describes what most would view as a moral triumph: I also recall how, when I had decided to enter for a poetry competition at the theatre, a soothsayer of some sort sent to ask what fee I would give him to ensure victory. But I replied that I hated and abominated those vile mysteries, and that even if the crown were immortal and made of gold, I would not allow a fly to be killed to bring about my success. For in his mysteries he would be going to kill animals, and by offering these creatures in honour of daemons, his intention was to gain their support for my winning. (Augustine 53-54) He then proceeds to condemn his intentions saying, â€Å"I refused sacrifice to daemons on my behalf; yet by adherence to that superstition I sacrificed myself to them† (Augustine 54).

Physical Appearance and Status

â€Å"Physical Appearance and Status â€Å" Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but what the beholder sees and how it is interpreted are shaped by culture’s values. Appearance/ Beauty are social constructions. Appearance derives from status symbols. George Herbert Mead express through theory of significant symbols and language. His theory says symbols are those that arouse in the person expressing them the same kind of response that they are designed to elicit from to whom they are addressed. Society has excessive pride in their interactions with others.Society also has other traits which reflect their culture appearance, narcissism, and social status. Society has views which are built on appearances. This is because of the media’s influence on what Americans view as â€Å"socially acceptable†. Hollywood sets a standard by using celebrities to show off high fashion that trigger the minds of Americans on what they should wear and look like to be accepted. Men are usually viewed as wearing â€Å"masculine† clothing which emphasize the size of upper body musculature, allow freedom of movement, and encourage an illusion of physical power and a look of easy physicality all suggest masculinity.Such appearance of strength and readiness to action serve to create or enhance an aura of aggressiveness and intimidation central to an appearance of masculinity. On the other hand, women have more of a variety of clothing styles all of which reflect back to femininity. Feminine styles of dress display subordinate status through greater restriction of the free movement of the body, greater exposure of the bare skin and an emphasis on sexual characteristics. Along with clothes how a person presents his or herself through body language is also important to achieving a certain appearance.Americans set specific standards that others achieve through clothes and body language (among other things). Even though society may view them as coming from a very patriotic background they are also viewed for being self-centered. Even other countries have picked up on the fact Americans take pride in being narcissistic. In America people also view themselves based on social class. In America there are three social classes: the upper class, the middle class, and the lower class. The upper class is said to have all the wealth and the power. Hollywood has a way of, â€Å"Glamorizing the lives of the wealthy†.The middle class has been viewed in the media as, Not only as unlettered and uncouth but also as less desirable and less moral than other people. This can be seen throughout a variety of Hollywood films and television shows. The upper class (or the rich) are viewed in America has having all of the wealth and the power, while the middle and lower classes are left in the shadow. America’s culture is reflected through what is displayed in the media. Therefore a conclusion can be drawn that Americans base their stereotypes of soci al status off of what is viewed in the media.America uses values inherited from the industrial revolution to view itself as individual, class, or society. The Industrial Revolution created new values in Western society, values that are central to our thinking today. Three things from the Industrial Revolution that directly affected people's values were the creation of the middle class, the urbanization of cities, and the growth of rights for women. The Industrial Revolution was the first time when the middle class appeared. The Industrial Revolution was what made the middle class a recognizable group. The people in the middle class had their goals and shaped their values around them.The major goal of the middle class was to be like the higher or â€Å"old money† class. The shaped their values so that they could achieve this desired position. They strictly enforced manners and rigidity, making sure that all members always acted in the utmost respectful way. Also they tried to make their lives as controllable as possible and because children were the most unpredictable thing they believed strongly in the principle that children should be seen and not heard. The urbanization of cities also had an effect on the values of people. During the Industrial Revolution cities became more and more urban.This shifted people's focus away from country life and more towards city life. People's values were originally based on home life in the country, but as life shifted to the cities values also shifted. Family became less important. People focused more on getting the money because it was there. They also needed to get money to buy things this is how consumerism came about. Consumerism became the most important value to people. Woman also made their position known in society. Women struggled for their rights. They had certain values that they wanted society to accept. The worked hard for suffrage and equality in the work place.These were the values that were forced upon society just by the sheer volume of women supporting them. If not for the Industrial Revolution women would not have known what they were missing and thus would still be living sheltered lives. The industrial Revolution created new values for people that still influence life today. Values created by the Industrial Revolution such as women's suffrage, consumerism, and life styles of the middle class are all things still valued today. The values that are held today will stay with the people because they have been accepted and practiced.Values are not changed that much and as long as people keep living their lives they will be basing them on the same values as long as they are convenient. Works Cited â€Å"81. 02. 06: The Industrial Revolution. † 81. 02. 06: The Industrial Revolution. N. p. , n. d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Beauty and the Beast: Study on the Relationship between Clothing and Social Status. † Beauty and the Beast: Study on the Relationship between Clothing and Social Status. N. p. , n. d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013. Hurst, Charles E. Social Inequality: Forms, Causes, and Consequences. Boston: Pearson, 2013.Print. Kendall, Diana Elizabeth. Social Problems in a Diverse Society. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print. Ritzer, George. Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots: The Basics. San Francisco, CA: McGraw Hill Higher Education, 2010. Print ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Kendall, Pg 80. , (2013) [ 2 ]. Ritzer, Pg 59, (2010) [ 3 ]. Social Status. N. p. , n. d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013 [ 4 ]. Social Status. N. p. , n. d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013 [ 5 ]. Hurst, Pg 16. (2013) [ 6 ]. 81. 02. 06: The Industrial Revolution [ 7 ]. 81. 02. 06: The Industrial Revolution

The Great Alaska Adventure team is planning a five-day

The Great Alaska Adventure team is planning a five-day fly-fishing trip for the executive team of BlueNote, Inc. at the bequest of the President. The trip will be into the remote back country of Tikchik River, an area known for its wildlife and rugged terrain.The area is best known for its salmon fishing.   The trip will be all-inclusive except that the executives will be responsible for their own transportation to the Dillingham base camp. We will need to provide transportation from Dillingham to the Tikchik River Basin, boat transportation with motors, camping equipment and meals, guides and a four-hour fishing class. We will provide fishing licenses for all the guests and four experienced river guides.DiscussionThe first thing we need to find to deal with in the planning process is to find a way to get from Dillingham to the Tikchik. Most of the time people going on float trips down the river begin by taking a float plane to the lake at the head of the river.Our first concern wi ll be the cost of renting the float plane and making certain that it has sufficient space for our guests and our equipment. We will also need to hire four experienced guides who are also adept at fly-fishing and can teach our guests how to fly fish once we get on the river.   Once we get to the river, we will be able to make the float trip in 4 to 5 days. We will plan on food for six days at minimum and also take additional equipment for immediate preparation of our catch. In case of really bad luck fishing, we will take sufficient food to take care of three meals per day for at least six days.We will also want to take water purification tablets for drinking water and snacks. The boats will then be taken to the river and we will commence our trip down the river. The first thing will be our fly fishing class and then we will have lunch. Then we will float down the river for about four hours and get to the campsite for the evening. We will make camp and begin the first evening of se rious fishing. This will be repeated for the next four days.It sounds simple and like nothing could go wrong, right? Right. Nothing. Except what if the motors on the boats don’t work,   it rains every day and the raft capsizes the first day and we lose our food. What if we encounter a grizzly who thinks our guests look like a good morning snack or one of the guests is allergic to fish?   What if they forget their hip waders and end up with hypothermia?Some of these risks we can plan for and account for and some we try to mitigate. For example, by hiring experienced guides we should be able to minimize the chance of capsizing the raft and losing our equipment. In addition, we will hire at least one, preferably two guides with extensive first aid training and survival training, so that they can deal with injuries or illness in our guests and whatever the wildlife try to thrown at us.We will precheck the equipment before leaving Dillingham to make certain that the equipment is functional. This should reduce the chance of malfunction once we get into the wilderness. In addition, we will take both cellphones and a CB radio so that we can communicate with civilization should we need immediate medical assistance.   We will carry flares and the guides will be armed with shotguns in case of an animal attack.Since we are going in June, the likelihood is that the weather will be cooperative and we should have warm enough temperatures, but we will need to consider what alternatives will be in place should the week of the trip arrive and the weather be inappropriate for a trip into the back country. For example, if we find that the entire week is expected to be rainy and cold, we need to have an alternative plan in place. What is our responsibility if the trip must be canceled due to inclement weather?   

The Spread of Salvation Religions in the Roman and Han Empires

The Spread of Salvation Religions in the Roman and Han Empires ‚“Politics shaped religion, and religion shaped politics‚” (Tignor, 322)Religion for many of us is a tool we use to explain the world around us. Religion helps us define a standard of living, a code of conduct that describes the most appropriate way to live our lives and deal with situations. Religion also provides us with a meaning for our existence. In other words, religions such as Christianity and Buddhism for instance are a means of solace, a safety net that explain our adversities and consoles us with a better tomorrow; it assures us with salvation. The above mentioned salvation religions evolved under the framework of political institutions and states. Therefore, the salvation religions of Christianity and Buddhism were able to spread through the Roman and Han empires respectively because the political structure and the principles of the religions were able to find some common ground. This enabled a collective framework to emerge in the light of several politic al, economic and social factors.Queen Maya With Infant Buddha. Gandhara 2nd Centur...These elements include weakening political stability, nomadic invasions, economic hardships and class struggles. The purpose of this essay is to place the spread of Christianity and Buddhism within the context of the factors mentioned above and examine how the political and religious elements were able to reconcile within the Roman and Han Empires.The Roman and Han Empires established themselves as the epitome of empire building in the Mediterranean and East Asia around 2 BCE (Tignor, 277). Both the Roman and Han Empires were complex political and social structures that governed vast distances of land and large numbers of people. The paths for socio-political and economic developments were different for the Roman and Han Empires. Where the Han Empire built up on the tradition and the imperial culture of the previous empires, the Roman Empire without the past...

Free Essays on Marijauna

, they change how the brain works. They all contain THC, the main active chemical in marijuana. They also contain more than 400 other chemicals. Marijuana's effects on the user depend on the strength or potency of the THC it contains. THC potency of marijuana has increased since the 1970s but has been about the same since the mid-1980s. When someone uses marijuana, these chemicals travel through the bloodstream and quickly attach to special places on the brain's nerve cells. These places are called receptors, because they receive information from other nerve cells and from chemicals. When a receptor receives information, it causes changes in the nerve cell. The chemical in marijuana that has a big impact on the brain is THC. Scientists recently discovered that some areas of the brain have a lot of THC receptors, while others have very few or none. THC in marijuana is strongly absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. Generally, traces of THC can be detected by standard urine testing methods several days after a smoking session. However, in heavy chronic users, traces can sometimes be detected for weeks after they have stopped using mari... Free Essays on Marijauna Free Essays on Marijauna Marijuana Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant. You may hear marijuana called by street names such as pot, herb, weed, grass, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, or chronic. There are more than 200 slang terms for marijuana. Known in Central Asia and China as early as 3000 BC, marijuana was used as a folk medicine. From about 1900 it was used as a pleasure-inducing drug and by the 1960s and 1970s its use was widespread. It became, after alcohol, the second most popular drug. Although marijuana has not been proven physically addicting and no physical withdrawal symptoms occur when use is discontinued, psychological dependence can develop with consistent, long-term use. All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. In other words, they change how the brain works. They all contain THC, the main active chemical in marijuana. They also contain more than 400 other chemicals. Marijuana's effects on the user depend on the strength or potency of the THC it contains. THC potency of marijuana has increased since the 1970s but has been about the same since the mid-1980s. When someone uses marijuana, these chemicals travel through the bloodstream and quickly attach to special places on the brain's nerve cells. These places are called receptors, because they receive information from other nerve cells and from chemicals. When a receptor receives information, it causes changes in the nerve cell. The chemical in marijuana that has a big impact on the brain is THC. Scientists recently discovered that some areas of the brain have a lot of THC receptors, while others have very few or none. THC in marijuana is strongly absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. Generally, traces of THC can be detected by standard urine testing methods several days after a smoking session. However, in heavy chronic users, traces can sometimes be detected for weeks after they have stopped using mari...