Provision of Customer Service within Intercontinental Hotels Group Case Study

Provision of Customer Service within Intercontinental Hotels Group - Case Study Example In accordance with Hoffman et al. (2008) customer services excellence can be achieved in modern organizations by focusing on specific sectors, such as: ‘competence, credibility, security, communication, responsiveness, accessibility and understanding’ (Hoffman et al. 2008, p.418). On the other hand, McNeill (1993) notes that customer services excellence means that ‘the organization is able to identify and fulfill the customer’s unique expectations’ (McNeill 1993, p.87). It is explained that the above target offers to the organization a competitive advantage towards its rivals who are able to offer to their customer only a series of standardized services. In the study of Christopher (2005) another approach is used for explaining the service excellence is used; in accordance with the above researcher the achievement of service excellence is depended on the ability of the organization involved to create ‘a market-driven logistics strategy’ ( Christopher 2005, p.65). Trying to explain the context of customer service excellence, Gallan (2008) supported that the specific term is used for referring to ‘service that meets or exceeds provider and customer expectations’ (Gallan 2008, p.30). It is made clear that customer services excellence can significantly help the development of organizational performance; however, the potential requirements of the specific initiative would be made clear ensuring that the risks for the organization involved are minimized. (Hoffman et al. 2008, p.418).  

Thermal Equilibrium Essay Example for Free

Thermal Equilibrium Essay Thermal Equilibrium If you want to know the temperature of a cup of hot coffee, you stick a thermometer in the coffee. As the two interact, the thermometer becomes hotter and the coffee cools off a little. After the thermometer settles down to a steady value, you read the temperature. The system has reached an equilibrium condition; further interaction between the thermometer and the coffee cause no more changes. This is a state of thermal equilibrium. If the systems are separated by an insulator, such as wood, plastic or fiber glass, they influence each other more slowly. An ideal insulator is a material that permits no interactions at all between the two systems. It prevents the systems from attaining thermal equilibrium if the systems are not in thermal equilibrium at the start. That’s why ice is packed in insulating materials so that the insulation delays the process of achieving thermal equilibrium with the surrounding. Zeroth law of thermodynamics If system A is in thermal equilibrium with system C, and system B is in thermal equilibrium with System C, then System A and System B must be in thermal equilibrium. Important implication: THERMAL ENERGY HEAT Thermal energy is also frequently described as internal energy of a system. The internal energy of a system is the sum of kinetic energy and potential energy possessed by the molecules of the system. Heat is the amount of thermal energy transferred from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature. Important note: Heat and work are energy in transit. A body does not contain work; a force is needed to transfer energy between two interacting mechanical system. Likewise, a body does not contain heat; heat is the transfer of energy between two systems due to a temperature gradient. Does your body contain heat? If not, what does it contain? 1 The diagram shows two interacting bodies A and B. How would the heat flow; from A to B or B to A? A Internal energy = 100000 J Temperature = 40oC B Internal energy = 4000 J Temperature = 100oC Direct contact and thermal contact Two systems in direct contact mean that they are physically touching each other. Two systems in thermal contact may not always be in direct contact. Can you think of a situation where two objects are in thermal contact but not touching each other? CONDUCTION Conduction is the process by which thermal energy is transferred in a medium from faster vibrating particles (solids) or faster moving particles (liquids/gases) to slower ones through collisions. When one end of the rod is heated, the local molecules gain energy and vibrate faster. These molecules collide with their neighbouring molecules and transfer some energy to them. This process carries on with the next layer of neighbouring molecules and the energy is passed from the region of high temperature to regions of lower temperature on the rod. Why are metals good conductors of heat? 2 Hwa Chong Institution Sec 3 (SMTP) Example 2 The tiled floor feels colder than the carpeted floor even though both surfaces are at the same temperature. Why? Example 3 Why will the snow melt faster on some parts of the roof than others? Example 4 Sometimes during the winter, it is possible for the temperature to drop below freezing point during the night. In this case, farmers spray water on the fruits to prevent them from freezing. Explain how spraying water on the fruits may help. Question: Using the logic above, can we boil water in a test tube which is placed inside a beaker of boiling water? 3 CONVECTION Convection is the transfer of heat energy from a hot region to a cold region by the transfer of matter. The flow of convection is called the convection currents. Natural convection is due to a temperature difference that causes the density at one place of the fluid to be different from the density at another. Hot fluid expands and becomes less dense and consequently will rise. Whether the convection currents form convection loops (or a convection cell) depend on the space available for the convection to take place. Forced convection uses an external device such as a fan or a pump to mix warmer and cooler portions of the fluid. Question: You can hold your finger beside a candle flame without getting hurt but not above the flame. Why? Question: Some ice is trapped at the bottom end of a test tube by steel wool. A flame is applied near the mouth of the test tube until the water at the mouth of the test tube boils. Yet, the ice cubes are still present for quite a while. Explain why a fluid like water, which can transport heat by conduction and convection, does not transfer energy quickly from the flame to melt the ice. 4 Hwa Chong Institution Sec 3 (SMTP) Example 5 A half-boiled egg is prepared by placing a fresh egg inside hot water (slightly less than 100oC). You have placed three eggs at the bottom of the container with hot water. After a minute, you decided there is enough space for more eggs so you put one more egg on top of the bottom three. 15 minutes later, which of the eggs will be the most cooked? RADIATION Radiation is the process by which energy is transferred by electromagnetic waves. Radiation can travel through vacuum. This form of energy is sometimes called radiant energy. A good radiator is also a good absorber but a poor reflector. Some factors that can affect the rate of absorption / emission of radiation include 1 2 3 Colour of surface The classic experiment that shows that dark colour surface is a better absorber of radiant energy than a shiny surface. Clearly, a shiny surface tends to reflect radiation that falls on it. Hot water Surface temperature The hotter the surface, the more radiation it emits. A surface can emit all types of radiation, but at a specific temperature, it has a dominant emission wavelength (a particular type of radiation). For example, at human body temperature, the dominant type is infrared (that’s why we have infrared thermometers). In general, the hotter the surface, the type of radiation emitted will tend to shift more to the higher energy type like ultraviolet, x-ray or gamma rays. Surface area The larger the surface area, the more radiation it can emit. There are two important physics law describing radiant energy: Stefan-boltzmann law and the Wien’s displacement law. However, these laws are not within our syllabus. 5 APPLICATIONS OF HEAT TRANSFER A thermos bottle, sometimes referred to as a Dewar flask, reduces the rate at which hot liquids cool down or cold liquids warm up. A thermos flask usually consists of a doubledwalled glass vessel with silvered inner walls. The space between the walls is evacuated to reduce energy losses due to conduction and convection. The silvered surfaces reflect most of the radiant energy that would either enter or leave the liquid in the flask. Finally, little heat is lost through the glass or rubberlike gasket and stopper because these materials have low thermal conductivities. Covering a space satellite with highly reflective material can prevent excessive temperature fluctuations that can damage the highly sensitive electronic circuitry. By reflecting much of the sunlight, the foil minimizes temperature rises. Being a poor absorber means it’s a poor emitter too. When the satellite is not shone by the sun (e.g. in Earth’s shadow), it will not emit a lot of radiation and causes the temperature to plummet. Halogen cooktops use radiant energy to heat pots and pans. A halogen cooktop uses several quartz-iodine lamps, like the ones in ultra-bright automobile headlights. These lamps are electrically powered and mounted below a ceramic top. The electromagnetic energy they radiate passes through the ceramic top and is absorbed directly by the bottom of the pot. Consequently, the pot heats up very quickly, rivaling the time of a pot on an open gas stove.

Effects of Overpopulation and Industrialization on the Environment Essa

Effects of Overpopulation and Industrialization on the Environment Throughout history, the world’s population has expanded in an extremely exponential fashion-- taking over three million years to achieve a one billion person benchmark, it then only took 130, 30, 15, 12, and 11 years to reach subsequent billions, respectively. (Southwick, 159) Such a massive and still increasing population, combined with the environmentally detrimental repercussions of industrialization (as a result of the need to sustain such a large population), namely pollution from fossil fuels, has begun to take a serious toll on our planet’s ecosystem. Moreover, â€Å"some scientists have calculated that an optimal human population on earth in terms of reasonable living standards is no more than 2 billion people.† (Southwick, 161) Already, we are well over this â€Å"optimal† population level at more than 6 billion people with projections of growing by another 2 to 4 billion in this century. Still, with the advent of modern technologies, primarily in the areas of medicine and agriculture, humans â€Å"have effectively increased the size of the globe over the last two centuries, in terms of the maximum population which it will support.† (Dolan, 58) Nonetheless, in spite of such stark improvements in technological efficiency and capability, the fact remains that one in five people worldwide lives malnourished and without adequate housing. Equally important, and especially pertaining to the topic at hand, is the notion that such overpopulation, in conjunction with industrialization on a global scale, has led to increased emissions of harmful pollutants, some of which can cause ozone depletion and global warming. Global warming, which will be examined shortly, is the phen... ...nmental salvation and continuity. This transition, led by developed nations, must include a commitment to the efficient research, development, and production of alternate fuel sources—those that are renewable, clean, and cost efficient (ie, hydrogen fuel). Otherwise, the uncertain long run implications of our current excessive consumption patterns may bring about the end of existence, as we know it. Sources: Dolan, Edwin G., "TANSTAAFL: The Economic Strategy for Environmental Crisis" 1974, pp. 55-72. Ponting, Clive. Chapter 13, "The Second Great Transition," St. Martins Press, NYC, 1991, pp. 288 Southwick, Charles H., "Global Ecology in Human Perspective" Oxford Univ. Press, 1996, pp. 159-182. Stanitski, C. et al (eds.), Chemistry in Context, Applying Chemistry to Society, Mcgraw-Hill, 2003 Internet 1 (http://cop5.unfccc.int/convkp/begconkp.html)

Defining and Measuring Corruption

Ackermann Rose 2008) Abuse is a worse description than only a false use as the term misuse of power implies. Albeit both terms have the same result, the term abuse of power implies a stronger illegal aspect and greater harmfulness than just a wrong use of power. Such an abuse of power is particularly expressed through the illegal use of willingness to pay which is a crucial criterion. Furthermore in this definition the benefit solely relies on material, especially monetary, motivation and so it has to be consequently applied on other sorts of motivation.As we can see in this example it is going to be clear that the amount of money finally tips the scales whether a corrupt person really accepts the bribery or not. This is also easily applicable for the example of a Gestapo officer whose decision depend: on the amount of human lives which has to be high enough before he engages in to the risk. Power in connection with corruption can also be a in a form of a specific position which can be based on trust. This refers to fact that power can often only arise through trust and power needs in most of the cases corrupt persons with a certain position.So a politician always needs the trust of his citizens to get elected by them to his trustful position of power. (CB. Ephraim 2005) As a result the power term has to be extended on the trust aspect. Marc Philip shows another definition approach which is more technical because he differentiates between the different protagonists in a corruption process more detailed and gathers through listing of exceptions more precisely the overlaps and the exact consequences more appositely while he keeps in mind the above shown compositions. (CB.Philip 2006) At the starting point in this definition which refers explicitly to the public sector, but is however applicable to the private sectors using slight modifications, is an official (A) who acts against the norms of his agency and Hereford derogates the public (B) to obtain a benefit fo r a third party (C). Here it is to be declared that the norms of his agency are usually beneficial of the public so that he prefers private benefits for himself more than the social benefits for the community. Cases in that A is equal C seem to be marked through high ran king appointees who are involved in practicing systematic corruption.B equal C should be seen as another special case where the corrupted action is limited on the fact that A charges a tax for an advantage of C, while this advantage already legally belongs to C in the first place. Here the fact is important, that some of the worst cases of corruption are those which are not recorded by a specific definition because those tend to be institutionalized into an approved fixed form. Moreover this approach distinguishes between A-initialized and C-initialized corruption, whereas A-initialized corruption does not need necessarily C, while Scintillated corruption however always needs A.Hence official (A) and the structure o f the affected function are in the centre of corruption, independent whether the official accepts bribes or a third party blackmails. To stretch this approach of political corruption to other sort of corruption is only a change of the protagonist' s names necessary. For example at economic corruption it is more important to focus on the exploitation of the market. 2. 2 Measurement 2. 2. 1 Implications of definition for measurement The problematic of defining corruption directly affects the measurement of corruption and influences the findings.While it is quite intuitive to be comprehensive when trying to find a theoretical definition, specifications are more important when it comes to practically measure corruption. Measurement for itself needs a variation which measures according to something constant. The problem when corruption is tried to be measured is that there is no constant state of corruption, I. E. Corruption is regarded differently and there is no normal state of corrupt ion as well as no real absence of corruption. Whatever is going to be measured, will not be measured against a natural standard, but has to be defined strictly.Therefore specifications of actors, the kind of corruption and the situational factors are crucial for correct measurement. A definition of corruption solely saying corruption is the aggregation of several incidents leads to errors in measurement, e. G. Taking the relative frequency of an incident, e. . Bribery, as a measure leads to an error in the findings as a country can be far more corrupt than another even though there might be no bribery at all but several other occurrences of corrupt actions. (Philip 2006) 22. 2 Methodology of measurement and problems Corruption happens in secrecy and only a small part of it happens openly.Unfortunately it is only possible to record this small known part thus the measurement of corruption is quite limited. Theoretically it is possible to measure corruption in different ways; first of all direct and focusing on experiences, secondly analyzing perceptions, thirdly using proxies and earthly applying more quantitative methods. The direct measurement of corruption is only possible by registered crimes. Looking at the amount of crimes it is not possible to determine whether corruption is not widespread or if the anti-corruption provisions are just effective in their function. Landforms 2006) Studies about crimes are more focusing on questioning about experiences. For example, the International Crime Survey asks first of all about perceptions and then directly about experiences. The answers show big differences between the interviewees' subjective perceptions and experiences. Less than 2% in Italy and Great Britain have experience with corruption but the opinion about corruption in the public sector shows that it occurs about 15% in Italy and 7% in Great Britain. (Miller 2006) This difference shows that individual or statistical perceptions are not 100% trustful.Percep tions can be blurred through cultural settings and country- specific peculiarities. Also the coverage about corruption blurs the perceptions, because corrupt persons on a high governmental level are mostly able to manipulate reports. (Miller 2006) Furthermore people notice probably phenomena because of the disability f heuristic more often when there are more reports about them in the media. (Taverns, Keenan 1974) So it is possible that signs which are based on perceptions like Transparency Internationally Corruption Perception Index and their influential public relations lead to a self-created bias in their measurements.Perceptions can also directly affect corruption when for example the population acts differently if they think their courts and police are corrupt or not. However the measurement of perceptions is often the only probate way to evaluate corruption. Cultural settings influence the definition of corruption but in practice it can be seen hat those differences do not hav e a big influence on the perception. For example the correlation is really high between perception of corruption in studies across the abutters of countries and the results of commercial agencies which evaluate the risk and development banks.Most of the studies and signs are based on surveys Of perception Of experts and individual protagonists in corrupt systems. The third method of measuring corruption is based on the assumption that corruption is determined by the presence or absence of specific measurable factors. The problem of this approach is that proxies are only opinions about notations of corruption and not about the corruption itself. Only the existence of the possibility of corruption means that there is in fact corruption. Glissando's formula â€Å"corruption = monopoly position + closeness – duty of integrity† is one proxy based approach to measure corruption.Glissando's model manifests three problems. First of all it claims that there is no integrity and everyone that has the possibility to be corrupt, is corrupt. Secondly, systems or protagonists are corrupt as soon as there is no perfect duty of integrity and it is expected that the duty of integrity cannot be corrupt. Thirdly, the formula implies a western way to organism political systems. This approach is described in the Transparency Internationally National Integrity System based on Egalitarian. The generalization and comparison of political systems is problematic because even western systems are very different to each Other. Philip 2006) Alternative ways have a more quantitative character which include more specific research methods. Those define the different sorts of corruption more exactly and consider the conditions under which they arise. The comparison between countries is based on an analysis between those entries instead of comparative signs. As a result of this it is possible to compare the police device of single countries without taking care about the political hi story. (Philip 2006) 2. 2. 3 Data acquisition As corruption is nontransparent, it is not possible to obtain direct data.Furthermore the protagonists try to falsify or dissemble data which implies using many different sources and methods in order to obtain reliable data. Apart from secondary analysis of already available sources and investigations of institutions in different countries there are several possibilities to collect data. Surveys about the perception, evaluation and experience with corruption among the public are the most used tool as these data can be classified into subjective (evaluation, experience, perception) and objective (number of incidents).It is important to check the representatives of the survey participants as most people do not get in contact with corruption on high level, but mostly on a low level, e. G. Bribing policemen. Such focus groups can be used for a qualitative predestination, on which further investigations rely. These groups can provide more det ailed data about the reasons and the impact of different kinds of corruption than broad surveys. Also they can be used as an instrument for the development of solutions. Case studies can be quantitative or qualitative as they can explain specific incidents or be part of greater investigations.Using these data it is possible to give statements about the process of corruption as well as progress of anti- corruption provisions. Field enquiries are another tool which provides highly specific findings even over a longer time period. Observers can take an investigative role of a judge as they are able to collect data about certain asses of corruption. (Miller 2006) In higher developed countries expert opinions are furnished which concern different areas of corruption, e. G. The health care system or legislative.These expert opinions can provide findings about which mechanisms of anti-corruption provisions are working in which area. Comparing these expert opinions it is possible to explain weaknesses of different provisions. 2. 24 Analysis of data using indexes Indexes allow aggregating and evaluating data. The dimensions of corruption regarded in one index construct the feature space of the index and therefore fine the amount of information this index can provide. Unfortunately, there are no objective criteria that all relevant data are considered or that the considered data are really relevant. Schnabel 201 1) Different indexes from governmental or non-governmental institutions serve the different goals of the sponsors to present different views about the occurrence and spreading of corruption. Therefore it is important to take in account which institution published which index and which part of corruption is observed. The Corruption Perception Index (ICP) provided by Transparency International measures the public perception of corruption in 1 77 countries. This index measures the perception, spreading and visibility of corruption. Since 2013 the ICP relies on 13 d ifferent independently aggregated sources of data.In the years before it was not possible to compare the ICP from different years as it was computed relatively to other countries. Since 2012, only raw data and the latest available data are used which enables a comparison over time. Changing his â€Å"modus operandi†, Transparency International responded to critics from scientists. (Gallant 2006) The ICP is he most common index but yet it is not without controversy. The methodology Of the ICP falls into four categories: Firstly, the data have to quantify perceptions in different countries equally using reliable and valid methods.All sources see corruption as misuse of power for personal gain. The investigations have to be repeated often enough to guarantee a high enough variation in order to obtain reliable findings. Secondly, the data is standardized on a scale from 1-100. Thirdly, data from the different sources are averaged. A country can only be included in the ICP if ther e are at least three independent sources of data. The ICP finally is an estimated and averaged value of all available sources. Fourthly, using the variation, the standard derivation of a country is obtained which can help to check the statistical significance.The data on which perception-indexes rely are simple ordinal-scaled measurements; taking this into account, the method of scaling used in the ICP is totally sufficient. Here however it gets obvious that the problem lies within the collection of data. A solution for this problem is the use of multidimensional approaches to measure corruption as done in the World Wide Governance Indicator. Latest studies concerning the ICP however show that the ICP provides quite reliable data as well as it is possible to compare different countries using the ICP.Some suggestions for the ICP include the use of at least six different sources Of data as well as an adaptation of the standard error for countries with smaller population. Even though t he ICP is statistically significant, the findings have to be handled with care. The main remaining problem is the one- sidedness towards the public sector. (Miller 2006) The World Wide Governance Indicator issued by the World Bank measures he quality of governments using objective data, expert opinions and surveys.The index relies on six dimensions, which are firstly â€Å"voice and accountability' of political freedom rights, the opportunity to take part in politics and freedom of opinion, secondly the perceptions of political stability and the absence of politically motivated violence and terrorism, thirdly the perceptions of effectiveness of the government and the quality of their political actions, fourthly the regulative capabilities of the government to pursue reasonable political actions helping the development of private enterprises, fifthly constitutional legality and sixthly control of corruption.

Case Analysis Nike the Sweatshop Debate

CASE ANALYSIS NIKE THE SWEATSHOP DEBATE Summary of the Facts Nike was established in 1972 by former University of Oregon track star Phil Knight. †¦ Nike has $10 billion in annual revenues and sells its products in 140 countries. †¦ Nike has been dogged for more than a decade by repeated accusations that its products are made in sweatshops where workers, many of them children, slave away in hazardous conditions for less than subsistence wages. †¦ Many reporters, TV shows, companies and organizations have repeatedly exposed negative comments towards Nike. For example, a â€Å"48 Hours† news report aired on October 17, 1996 regarding a Nike factory in Vietnam, which was visited by reporter Roberta Baskin. The reporter discovered that Nike hired millions of workers who are literate, disciplined, and desperate for jobs at wages lower than minimum wage. Another example of the criticism against Nike came from a newsletter published by Global Exchange. The newsletter uncovered that the majority of Nike shoes were made in Indonesia and China, countries with governments that prohibit independent unions and set the minimum wage at rock bottom. †¦ In September 1997, Global Exchange published a report on working conditions at four Nike and Reebok subcontractors in southern China. †¦ In November 1997, the organization obtained and then leaked a confidential report by Ernst & Young of an audit that Nike had commissioned of a factory in Vietnam owned by a Nike subcontractor. †¦ Nike formulated a number of strategies and tactics to deal with the problems of working conditions and pay in subcontractors. †¦ In early 1997, Nike also began to commission independent organizations such as Ernst & Young to audit the factories of its subcontractors. Finally, on May 12, 1998 Nike founder Phil Knight spelled out a series of initiatives designed to improve working conditions for the 500,000 people that make products for Nike through subcontractors. †¦ Even though Nike has admitted there have been problems in some overseas factories and has attempted to do things to rectify the problems, the company continues to be a target of protests and a symbol of dissent. Statement of the Problem On the May 12, 2001, Nike’s CEO Phil Knight made six commitments to improving the working conditions in Nike’s international All Nike shoe factories will meet the U.? actories. The six commitments were: The minimum age for Nike factory workers will be raised to 18 for footwear?†¦ Nike will include non-government? factories and 16 for apparel factories. organizations in its factory monitoring, with summaries of that monitoring Nike will expand its worker education program, making? released to the public. free high school equivale ncy courses available to all workers in Nike footwear Nike will expand its micro-enterprise loan program to benefit four? factories. housand families in Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Thailand. †¦ Nike has yet to hold up to these commitments they made to its workers and customers. Nike continues to be criticized by human rights organizations and the media because they have ignored demands that labor and human rights groups have requested. †¦ Causes of the Problem Nike has treated sweatshop allegations as an issue of public relations rather than human rights. †¦ Nike has not released documentation to date of their reports from the working conditions in the factories. .

Free Essays on Oglala

The first few chapters that were assigned for Monday painted a picture of an Indian society that has been influenced by a white majority in a negative way. Like the Bedouins Stories book, Oglala Women shows the change from tradition to modernization. The colonization of the west has ruined tradition in the Oglala culture, not to mention every other Indian culture in the US. This cannot be changed, this is forever. Reservation life is the major factor for corrupting the Lakota and Oglalas. When the whites forced Indians to live on reservations such as Pine Ridge, their lifestyles changed completely. I believe this is one of the biggest reasons why tradition is no longer prevalent in many Indian tribes today. Living on a reservation is like living in another country within a country. The Indians are forced to live by our government, but at the same time live off their own government. Powers’ description of â€Å"the compound† was eerie to me. First off describing a community as a compound is just wrong. It makes it sound like Waco or another cult complex. Christianity on reservation really pisses me off also. Why does the BIA or tribal councils take steps forward to get rid of these American ideals? I can go on and keep talking about this, but everyone knows the US screwed when they began relocating the Indian. What our government should do now is help these tribes get th eir tradition back. The last or second to last chapter on gender roles really illustrates the unique role change that is going on with the Lakota and Oglala. This is a big deal because for the first time women in these Indian cultures are becoming professionals and leaders. This is contrary to how the Indians were back in the day. Modernization is a tricky subject to debate. In one way it is good for the Oglala Women to achieve higher standards, but in a way they are losing all they once were.... Free Essays on Oglala Free Essays on Oglala The first few chapters that were assigned for Monday painted a picture of an Indian society that has been influenced by a white majority in a negative way. Like the Bedouins Stories book, Oglala Women shows the change from tradition to modernization. The colonization of the west has ruined tradition in the Oglala culture, not to mention every other Indian culture in the US. This cannot be changed, this is forever. Reservation life is the major factor for corrupting the Lakota and Oglalas. When the whites forced Indians to live on reservations such as Pine Ridge, their lifestyles changed completely. I believe this is one of the biggest reasons why tradition is no longer prevalent in many Indian tribes today. Living on a reservation is like living in another country within a country. The Indians are forced to live by our government, but at the same time live off their own government. Powers’ description of â€Å"the compound† was eerie to me. First off describing a community as a compound is just wrong. It makes it sound like Waco or another cult complex. Christianity on reservation really pisses me off also. Why does the BIA or tribal councils take steps forward to get rid of these American ideals? I can go on and keep talking about this, but everyone knows the US screwed when they began relocating the Indian. What our government should do now is help these tribes get th eir tradition back. The last or second to last chapter on gender roles really illustrates the unique role change that is going on with the Lakota and Oglala. This is a big deal because for the first time women in these Indian cultures are becoming professionals and leaders. This is contrary to how the Indians were back in the day. Modernization is a tricky subject to debate. In one way it is good for the Oglala Women to achieve higher standards, but in a way they are losing all they once were....

Free Essays on Child. Dev

Second Paper on Journal Topic Often, research articles are composed of results of new findings and past research. Experimental psychology relies heavily on the researcher’s ability to further expand previous research conducted. Child psychology, in particular, is constantly building unto old research in hopes of uncovering more knowledge about children. More specifically, Baillargeon’s article â€Å"Object Permanence in 3  ½- and 4  ½-Month-Old Infants† is an example of one researcher utilizing proven research from another. In this case, Baillargeon uses DeLoache’s article â€Å"Rate of Habituation and Visual Memory in Infants† to unveil more ground about the understanding of object permanence in infants. DeLoache’s found that infants habituate and interpret visual stimuli at different rates, fast and slow. The relationship between these two articles show that research can often help other researchers to prove their hypothesis, more clearly, research is a never ending field. Baillargeon’s article proves that some infants have object permanence as early as 3 ½-months. In order to test object permanence in infants, Baillargeon set up an experiment with two types of events. Recreating two types of real-life situations, an impossible and possible situation, the experimenters tested their hypothesis. These situations were designed to find out if infants understand whether objects have permanence even when they are occluded. Measuring the looking times of each infant on the events tested understanding. The experiment started by habituating the infant to the rotating screen. After habituation, they would set up one of the two events. The impossible event was a box in plain view, which slowly disappeared by the rotating screen. Then to complete the impossible event an experimenter would take away the box and the screen would continue until it reached 180*. The possible event was a box in plain view, which slowly disappeared by the rota... Free Essays on Child. Dev Free Essays on Child. Dev Second Paper on Journal Topic Often, research articles are composed of results of new findings and past research. Experimental psychology relies heavily on the researcher’s ability to further expand previous research conducted. Child psychology, in particular, is constantly building unto old research in hopes of uncovering more knowledge about children. More specifically, Baillargeon’s article â€Å"Object Permanence in 3  ½- and 4  ½-Month-Old Infants† is an example of one researcher utilizing proven research from another. In this case, Baillargeon uses DeLoache’s article â€Å"Rate of Habituation and Visual Memory in Infants† to unveil more ground about the understanding of object permanence in infants. DeLoache’s found that infants habituate and interpret visual stimuli at different rates, fast and slow. The relationship between these two articles show that research can often help other researchers to prove their hypothesis, more clearly, research is a never ending field. Baillargeon’s article proves that some infants have object permanence as early as 3 ½-months. In order to test object permanence in infants, Baillargeon set up an experiment with two types of events. Recreating two types of real-life situations, an impossible and possible situation, the experimenters tested their hypothesis. These situations were designed to find out if infants understand whether objects have permanence even when they are occluded. Measuring the looking times of each infant on the events tested understanding. The experiment started by habituating the infant to the rotating screen. After habituation, they would set up one of the two events. The impossible event was a box in plain view, which slowly disappeared by the rotating screen. Then to complete the impossible event an experimenter would take away the box and the screen would continue until it reached 180*. The possible event was a box in plain view, which slowly disappeared by the rota...

How to Get Learning Accommodations at School

How to Get Learning Accommodations at School Some students struggle in school and need more support than is typically found in the traditional classroom, but that extra support isnt always easy to come by. For college students, typically the institution will require that the student provide documentation and request accommodations in a timely manner, and most will have the resources available to meet the students needs. However, the same isnt always true at secondary schools or middle/elementary schools. For schools who dont have robust academic support programs, students may be  forced into special education classrooms or they may be required to stumble along without accommodations in the traditional classroom.   However, there are options for students struggling in school, and one of those options is a private school. Unlike public schools, parochial and private schools do not have to grant students with learning disabilities accommodations. This ruling falls under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act  and is a direct result of the fact that private schools dont receive public funding. These private schools also have a pass when it comes to the need to follow the regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), which states that public schools must grant students with disabilities a free appropriate public education. In addition, unlike public schools, private schools do not offer students with disabilities IEPs, or Individual Educational Plans. Private Schools: Varying Resources and Accommodations Because they do not have to adhere to these federal laws governing the education of students with disabilities, private schools vary in the support they grant to students with learning and other disabilities. While years ago, private schools often said that they did not accept students with learning issues, today, most schools accept students who have diagnosed learning issues, such as dyslexia and ADHD, and other issues such as autistic spectrum disorder,  recognizing that these issues are actually common, even among very bright students. There are even a number of private schools who cater to the needs of students with learning differences. Some private schools for learning differences were founded specifically for students whose learning challenges  dont allow them to enter the mainstream classroom. The goal is often to support students and teach them to understand their issues and develop coping mechanisms that allow them to enter the mainstream classroom, but some students remain in these specialized schools for their entire high school careers.   Dedicated Learning Specialists In addition, many private schools have psychologists and learning specialists on staff who can help students with learning issues organize their work and refine their study skills.  As such, a number of mainstream private schools even offer academic support program, ranging from basic tutoring to more comprehensive academic support curriculums that provide students with a personal educational expert to help them better learn how they learn and understand the challenges they have. While tutoring is common, some schools go beyond that and offer organizational structure, time management skill development, study tips, and even provide advice on working with teachers, classmates and handling workloads.   Private schools also may be able to grant accommodations to help students in school, including the following: extra time on testsuse of a computer or tablet for writing in-class essays and assignmentshelp from a learning specialist to learn how to prepare for tests, study, organize study materialsuse of a private room for testing or work If youre thinking of private school and either know or suspect that your child may need extra assistances, consider these steps you might pursue to determine if the school can meet your childs needs: Get Started with Professional Evaluations If you havent already, make sure to have your child evaluated by a licensed professional. You may be able to have the evaluation conducted by the local school board, or you may ask your private school for the names of private evaluators. The evaluation should document the nature of your childs disabilities and the required or suggested accommodations. Remember, that while private schools arent required to grant accommodations, many offer basic, reasonable accommodations, such as extended time on tests, for students with documented learning issues. Meet with Professionals at the School before you apply Yes, even if youre just applying to the school, you can request meetings with the academic specialists at the school. Assuming you have the testing results available, you may set up appointments. You would likely coordinate these meetings through the admission office, and they can often be combined with a school visit or sometimes even an Open House, if you provide advance notice. This allows both you and the school to assess whether or not your childs needs can be properly met by the school. Meet with Professionals at the School after youre accepted Once youre accepted, you should schedule a time to meet with your childs teachers and learning specialist or psychologist to begin developing a plan for success. You can discuss the results of the evaluation, the proper accommodations for your child and what this means in terms of your childs schedule. Here are more strategies about how to advocate for your child with learning issues. Article edited by Stacy Jagodowski.

Job Design, Job Characteristics, and Job Crafting Essay

Job Design, Job Characteristics, and Job Crafting - Essay Example This is because, as the specializations increases in job positions, people working in that job position become invaluable natural resources for the company. It is a known fact that the productivity declines if the people who are working are dissatisfied with their life. There are many methods which can be used for designing a job so that it can be done in an efficient manner. The first step is to assess the job fully in terms of its usefulness to the organization. Then, you need to divide the job into various parts and get suggestion about the best way of doing them quickly and efficiently. The third step is to implement the streamlined method to complete the job. The best method to design a job so that it can be motivating is the job crafting which can done by the person who is working on that position. The first step is this method is the assessment of the job profile and altering one or more than one core aspect of the work. He or she can consult with their supervisor and change the job boundaries by changing the numbers of tasks, changing the method or increasing the scope as per that person’s choices. The organizations hire the experts to study physical and other aspects to optimize the system performance as well as minimize the physical demands on the workers. It assesses the human capabilities and designs the tools, systems and work environment in order to make them efficient, comfortable and safe jobs for the employees of any company. There are many ways in which an organization can plan for the mental demands of any job. They can change the thinking of the person or his perception about the job. The person concerned can divide his job in two separate parts, one which he can think as a challenge and the other which can think as the vacation from the tedious parts. He can assess the job profile and responsibilities very deeply. Then, he can reconfigure them as per his choices. Job crafting can be broadly defined as the simple visual framework

The staff recruitment and selection policy of IKEA in China Essay

The staff recruitment and selection policy of IKEA in China - Essay Example The recruitment and selection policy of IKEA is value driven and espouses s teamwork, simplicity, communicative forthrightness and urgency. The core values of IKEA are employee empowerment, flexibility, dynamism and cost consciousness (Smith, 2010, p. 70). Advertising is the main means of design that IKEA uses to emphasize these values. Job at IKEA webpage is used to communicate the core value of the Chinese company. A cost effective campaign is carried out, which is used directly to harness the customer base of the business. IKEA wants to recruit about 8,000 people over the next five years. IKEA employees must have certain characteristics in order for them to be selected in the company. These characteristics are important compared to specific experiences and qualifications. The applicants must be down to earth; they must be well with other employees and must have a sense of humor (Bach & Edwards, 2013, p. 19).  IKEA wanted to attract the right candidate and through the spirit of advertising, they would attract a large number of applicants who were good at their work. The selection process involved bringing together twenty potential candidates who had some specifications that IKEA required that is education, experience, age and attitude. The group of twenty would be given a series of questions and a personal interview with the panel of the board of directors. After the selection process, the applicants will undergo training, which involves traditional classroom courses. Co-workers in the company are requested to master current jobs as well as seeking new opportunities hence, they are allowed to apply for new job opportunities in IKEA. Through the selection process, emphasis is put on the value fit as selection criteria. After the applicants have been selected, employees who have worked in the organization previously are requested to assist the new coworkers adjust in the company through mentorship (Rothacher, 2004, p.

The History of Work Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The History of Work - Research Paper Example From creation, people used to live unorganized lifestyles where they for example lived in caves doing nothing for livelihood. The urge to get organized and engage in some activities geared towards making their lives productive and enjoyable led to development of some tools which they utilized to make a living, for instance, through hunting and gathering. It is from there that they saw the importance of settlement and they became more organized and engaged in activities like farming although to very small scale which later developed to large scale production with advancement or utilization of technology in terms of the tools and products used. The farming revolution was experienced after 9,000 BC and brought a lot of notable changes in the world as people considered farming of crops like wheat, peas, barley and lentils among other plants as opposed to engaging in gathering them or hunting animals. Domestication of animals for instance sheep, goats and pigs was also an aspect that was adopted by the people. The first farming practices can be traced in the Fertile Crescent, which spreads from north Israel to the south east Turkey all the way to the south east of the Persian Gulf. Agriculture was however developed differently in other parts of the world as people now attached a lot of importance to it. Farming spread from the Middle East to Europe and some traditional forms of farming was practiced, for instance, the use of oxen to pull the ploughs and even the wagons. Farming was considered a very critical source of work in the agrarian revolution and people did not think of formal work since things like education and industrialization had not hit their minds. Aspects of farming did not change much in the middle ages as the peasants still considered it a difficult task due to lack of technology that could make their work easier and enjoyable. Changes were only experienced in terms of invention of some new

Founding of Ross Screenprint Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Founding of Ross Screenprint - Research Paper Example s refined his idea about T-Shirts and eventually started Ross Screenprint as a small business that served residents within the town in early 1993 (Ross Screenprint, N.p). Despite facing various challenges such as market uncertainty, funds constraint, and inadequate supplies of T-Shirts, Daniel Ross was quite optimistic that his business will grow and serve the interests of the community while still maintaining the overall purpose that was to generate profits. He took the bold step and went out of his way to seek for financial assistance and advice from close family members including his father who perpetually motivated him to move on with the dazzling, and apparently precarious idea. When forming Ross Screenprint, Daniel was aware of the fact that the design industry required an empathetic approach. In 2008, for instance, the business was faced with the challenge of a potential failure resulting from the worsening economic situations that were fueled by the 2007/08 economic recession. However, Daniel demonstrated his management ability by regulating the production of T-shirts and reducing the costs of customizing clothes. Apparently, no customer was left behind, and his concern for customers made his business thrive amidst the hostile economic environment (Palmer, 122). He has always stayed engaged and motivation, vital factors that have helped the business to maintain a strong customer-base. Under the assistance of Industry Canada that works with firms in several areas to ensure Canada’s innovative performance and improve the economic conditions to attract investors, Ross Screenprint started growing and expanding its services in 1994. Daniel Ross, the company’s CEO and major executive, immediately realized that there was the need to include more people in the administration of the venture. Consequently, he hired three people who helped him in managing the affairs of the business as well as spread the word about the existence of the business. As the company

Qualitative desertion review and analysis about the impact of music Essay

Qualitative desertion review and analysis about the impact of music videos on girls - Essay Example The researcher presents questions based on the literature review. This means that a more inductive approach rather than a deductive approach was taken towards the study. What this means is that in terms of the research questions, the researcher did not create or develop a hypothesis out of which a theory was generated through literature review. Rather, the researcher took a theory through literature review and critically synthesized it to develop a hypothesis based on the research questions (Alvesson, 2002). In effect, the questions were presented in a way that way used provide the researcher the opportunity of modifying existing theory in literature. A major advantage with the methods of the study was that the researcher made use of a snowball sampling method, which generally permitted that a group of available respondents be critically scrutinized for their appropriateness in providing the researcher with the nature of variables that were needed to be tested in the study. This is b ecause the researcher was particularly focusing on at-risk girls and so did not have to use a sampling technique that would bring in respondents who fell outside this domain. What is more, a triangular data collection approach was devised by the researcher in ensuring that data collection was approached from as many preambles as possible so that the testing of results could be internally valid. A research protocol was presented to give the reader an idea of how the researcher’s process was carried out. Through the research protocol, it was established that a triangulation method of data-gathering was devised to make the researcher look into variables such as the cultural... The researcher rightly identified that dealing with at-risk adolescent girls was a difficult situation and thus the need to observe maximum ethical adherence (McIntosh, 2003). This is because the as the researcher notes, â€Å"at-risk population are heavily protected by state and national privacy laws, organizational bylaws, and staff concerns about exposing these children to additional harm† (p. 108). In line with this, all necessary ethical processes were followed such as the use of several months in seeking official permission from the appropriate quarters for the study. In some cases, permission was not granted and in such instance the researcher did not force her way out with collecting data from such organizations. The researcher rightly admitted that collecting qualitative data of this nature could be extremely challenging on the validity of the study because they did not make use of empirical and statistical approaches which are objective and easily interpreted univers ally. To this end, a series of actions were taken to ensure the validity and reliability of the study. For instance a pilot study was conducted to test how best the data collection approach aided in collecting the identified data in the research problem (Dunning, 2004). Again, there was the evaluation of multiple forms of evidence in the data collection approach, making it possible for the efficacy of the various data collection tools to be tested.

Founding of Ross Screenprint Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Founding of Ross Screenprint - Research Paper Example s refined his idea about T-Shirts and eventually started Ross Screenprint as a small business that served residents within the town in early 1993 (Ross Screenprint, N.p). Despite facing various challenges such as market uncertainty, funds constraint, and inadequate supplies of T-Shirts, Daniel Ross was quite optimistic that his business will grow and serve the interests of the community while still maintaining the overall purpose that was to generate profits. He took the bold step and went out of his way to seek for financial assistance and advice from close family members including his father who perpetually motivated him to move on with the dazzling, and apparently precarious idea. When forming Ross Screenprint, Daniel was aware of the fact that the design industry required an empathetic approach. In 2008, for instance, the business was faced with the challenge of a potential failure resulting from the worsening economic situations that were fueled by the 2007/08 economic recession. However, Daniel demonstrated his management ability by regulating the production of T-shirts and reducing the costs of customizing clothes. Apparently, no customer was left behind, and his concern for customers made his business thrive amidst the hostile economic environment (Palmer, 122). He has always stayed engaged and motivation, vital factors that have helped the business to maintain a strong customer-base. Under the assistance of Industry Canada that works with firms in several areas to ensure Canada’s innovative performance and improve the economic conditions to attract investors, Ross Screenprint started growing and expanding its services in 1994. Daniel Ross, the company’s CEO and major executive, immediately realized that there was the need to include more people in the administration of the venture. Consequently, he hired three people who helped him in managing the affairs of the business as well as spread the word about the existence of the business. As the company

Article Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Article Analysis - Essay Example rategic choice because it launches innovative health care products, and that the strategy is implemented through building synergies with existing systems and providing space for adapting new ones. In addition, the basic meaning of the article is that Apple is ready to lead in the production of innovative health care products that both prevent and manage diseases. The article, moreover, will help me succeed in class and my employment because it inspires me to also find new innovations where I can use my strengths as distinct advantages. First, the article has the elements of strategic analysis, strategic choice, and strategic implementation (Kew and Stredwick 205). Apple has a vision of being a leader of innovative products that can change industries for the better (Hull). The Apple Watch represents Apple’s vision as it enters an industry that it is new to it too. This is similar to Nintendo’s Wii that became a health care product when it promoted physical activity that has entertainment and social value. Apple Watch is an innovation that can help Apple become a more familiar brand in the health care sector. Moreover, Apple shows that its strategic choice is about innovation. It is not afraid of promoting change, as its watch combines prevention and disease management (Tozzi). Furthermore, the strategic implementation of Apple is to start with a product that is already based on linking existing systems. For instance, Tozzi says: â€Å"HealthKit will plug into electronic health records from Epic and o ther providers, enabling smoother communication between doctors and patients.† Apple Watch shows that the strategic choice is about improving how systems can work together, and how it can offer something new now and in the future. Apart from these elements of strategic management, the article has the basic meaning that Apple is ready to lead in the production of innovative health care products that both prevent and manage diseases. Apple Watch can help people

Conducting a management project Essay Example for Free

Conducting a management project Essay Introduction The project, as requested by the manager; is to come up with the ways that my team can make more savings in the company for the company and for their own growth. This was because the company has not been making savings as they had targeted in the beginning of their business year and the savings are even less as compared to the other financial years yet the company still appears to be run under the same principals. The project is aimed at coming up with the research and recommendations for actions to be taken to manage and change the situation at the company and write a suitable report on this. The report written at the end of this research is going to benefit the company in generating more profits and the employees in self-development. It is also going to cultivate the culture of team work, innovation and entrepreneurial culture among the employees. Simply put, the benefits derived from project management increase in proportion to how well project management processes are used. A well -executed project will be completed on time, within its approved budget. A well-executed project will deliver higher product quality by managing the time to design and test the new product. It will provide great satisfaction to its team, and it will meet (or exceed) the customers’ expectations. In todays business environment, it is critical that each project is run in the most efficient manner possible. For a project-oriented business, it is equally imperative that all projects are managed consistently, so that the benefits of well -executed projects extend corporate wide. The data that was used in this research was collected from the employees, customers and other stakeholders in the company. In preparation for the data collection, it is important to note that a diverse sample of the host companys employees is required in order to address the breadth of the organizational structure and the full range of roles and responsibilities of participants. Input to the list of interview participants should be secured from the company sponsor, but it   is the assessors function to challenge the sample to ensure it meets the needs of a balanced assessment. The assessor should recognize a tendency of most sponsors to provide participants who already are highly rated and can demonstrate high performance.   The participant pool needs to include these participants, but not be limited to them. All divisions of the corporate structure should be represented, including functional and supporting departments. In selecting the interview sample, the assessor should consider the population density of the host company’s divisions, revenue generated by the divisions, project count or cost, or several other attributes. The total number of interviews to be conducted must be limited to a number that is appropriate for the size of the host company; it is organizational structure and the time period in which the study is required. These factors also drive the composition and size of the assessment team. The methods used in the collection of data and information include; use of questionnaires, observation, collecting samples, taking pictures, oral interviews, reading on recorded materials. The process was not that easy since it was hard to get some confidential information especially on the accounts records of the company and some of the employees felt like they were being spied on and did not give the precisely correct information. Also collecting information from my seniors proved to be a bit hard, but all in all the information and data required for the research was successfully corrected. In all the methods used face to face conversation proved to be the best way to obtain information. Some of it advantages include; A people -to-people tool within a people oriented business Project management is ultimately a people -oriented business that requires personal interactions by and between all of the project team members. Face-to-face interviewing extends this principle to maturity assessments. Not only does the interview provide an interpersonal connection between the interviewer and the interview participant, it allows the interviewer to begin to assess the â€Å"people skills† of the personnel assigned to manage projects at the subject company. Interview participants who display grace and condor during the interview are more likely to carry those traits into their project teams, and are more likely to be open to the recommendations for change or improvement that will flow from the assessment study. Conversely, interview subjects who are less cooperative or more belligerent during the interviews are less likely to readily adopt new suggestions. Reveals actual, as well as intended behaviours conducting face-to-face interviews allows the interviewer/assessor to discover how the project team members at the subject company conduct their project business on a day-to-day basis. It is the only tool in the assessors toolbox that provides a means to evaluate the validity of several of the other tools, such as a review of policy manuals, or a project document search. Policy statements and procedures manuals provide guidance into how the subject company believes it should or wants to do work. By engaging project team members in open conversations, the interviewer can elicit comments that reveal, â€Å"What we really do† vs. â€Å"what we think we do† or â€Å"what we are supposed to do?† Additionally, by discussing different types of project reports with the people who write them, or use them, the assessor can gain insight into the value placed on each report. A simple document review, while important, can only indicate that a report exists, not that it is a valued tool, used by the project team to help control their projects, or by management to monitor progress. Provides opportunity to observe the corporate culture of the subject company. Corporate culture creates different patterns of behaviour at different companies that can have a significant impact on the outcomes of projects. The degree of openness to hearing and dealing with project issues, demonstrating appreciation for project successes, and the amount of information sharing between functional groups working on a project all contribute to the ultimate success of a project. All companies probably would respond affirmatively to possessing these traits; not all companies truly demonstrate these traits positively. During one-on-one conversations with working- level project team members, the assessor can learn how well the subject company responds to project information, or how often it â€Å"shoots the messenger. Difficulties associated with face-to-face interviews Need to establish credibility of assessors As an outsider, the assessment team will often encounter a â€Å"Who-are -you-and-why-should -I-give-you-any-of- my time?† reluctance to participate amongst the project management community at the subject company. This attitude can stem from two general sources: a general distrust of consultants and management’s motives for hiring them; or insufficient information about the assessors’ credentials. Neither of these difficulties is insurmountable, but neither can be ignored. And both can be addressed initially by a carefully worded introduction from the assessment’s sponsor within the host company. The sponsor for the assessment necessarily must possess sufficient status within his/her own organization to approve, or be able to solicit approval for the funding needed to conduct the assessment study. This status can be leveraged to convey the credentials of the assessment team to the host organization. The assessors must be introduced to the project management community in terms that readily establish the expertise and experience of the assessment team with this type of work. This also implies that the assessment team must be comprised of, or, at the least, be led by experienced, senior project managers, whose personal credentials will inspire confidence in the interview participants. Need to secure cooperation of interview participants. The assessor also needs to recognize that many people within the host company’s project management organization(s) will not view the assessment in an entirely positive light. Although the study is intended to be a continuous-improvement effort, it may still be perceived to stem from something being wrong, or judged to be not good enough. The outside assessor could be viewed as Management’s vigilante enforcer, coming in to identify and punish the under-achievers in project management. The assessor must defuse this impression, a task that can best be done if the assessor knows where the host company’s â€Å"sore spots† exist and why the host company has elected to conduct the assessment. Here again, the status of the assessment sponsor can be of great help in overcoming the reluctance of the interview participants. The sponsor’s introduction of the assessment team can be used to share the rationale for the study and remove much of the apprehension that could surround it. Need to prepare thoroughly. During each interview, it will be beneficial to allow conversation to flow in a freewheeling manner, rather than following a rigid, checklist question and answer. For this to work, the assessor/interviewer must be adequately prepared to conduct the interview. The assessor must know the assessment model in great detail, and be able to detect different levels of maturity for each knowledge area, regard less of whether or not the interview respondent uses catch phrases and key words from the model in his/her comments. It is the assessor’s responsibility to be able to take appropriate notes during the interview without disrupting the flow of the interview by having to shuffle papers or stumble from one topic to the next. The assessment team can help prepare for the interviews by constructing an easy -to-use interview form that guides them through the different areas, and offers reminders of key phrases to listen for. By creating the form, the team members will increase their familiarity with it, and find it more beneficial as a guide. Additionally, by constructing their own form, the assessment team members will afford themselves the opportunity to reacquaint themselves with the details of the assessment model. Compiling, synthesizing, and evaluating the information from all interviews. Specific data from individual interviews can be compiled if a set of common questions, with a short range of possible answers, is used for all interviews. In this circumstance, it is recommended that a set of standard analytical measures are identified prior to the interview phase, but it should not be assumed that these standard measures will adequately address the entire information content collected. The synthesis of the information is a process that requires the individual assessors to subjectively analyse the comments they heard and recorded during the interviews and identify common themes and touch-points along the maturity continuum. The assessors must then collaborate to yield consistent interpretation of the interview and confirm that the data gathered is appropriate for further evaluation. The assessors must collectively review the compiled data, interrogate it for trends and errors, and determine whether trends identified warrant further analysis. From the information gathered in data collection, many things can be realised; there is no transparent audit of the books of accounts in the company, the employees are taking bribes from the customers in return for unauthorised favours, the employees are very relaxed in their work and lack motivation, the board members are conduction the staffing process in a questionable manner, the employees were taking unnecessary and expensive trips at the expense of the company, the directors have very high unwarranted allowances, the taxes due to the government are not fully settled and the overall running of the firm is questionable. The things that need to be done urgently to make sure that the company is saved from being bankrupt and that it gives some profits are; there should be an immediate external audit of all the books of accounts in the firm, the recruitment and staffing in the firm should be done on the basis of qualification and therefore there should be a vetting process to eliminate all those who are there illegally, all the directors should be vetted and those found to be corrupt should be retrenched, the company should have a new board of directors, all the employees should sign a performance contract which should be followed strictly. Conclusions; the use of face-to-face interviews in Project Management Maturity Assessments has proven to contribute most and convey the project management actualities within any host organization. If executed correctly, the face-to- face interview will yield most insight into the host organizations current maturity and point to pockets of excellence as well as areas requiring correction. Although it is not recommended that an assessment be conducted using only face-to-face interviews, it is strongly recommended that a face-to-face interview always be included in an assessment. References Dove, K. E. (2002).  Conducting a successful development services program: A comprehensive guide and resource. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Fernald Environmental Management Project (U.S.), United States., United States., United States., Lippitt, J. M., Kolthoff, K. (1995).  Successful completion of a RCRA closure for the Fernald Environmental Management Project. Washington, D.C: United States. Dept. of Energy. Thomsett, M. C. (2002).  The little black book of project management. New York: AMACOM. Tjahjana, L., Dwyer, P., Habib, M. (2009).  The program management office advantage: A powerful and centralized way for organizations to manage projects. New York: American Management Association. Weir, J. R. (2009).  Conducting prescribed fires: A comprehensive manual. College Station: Texas A M University Press. Wysocki, R. K., Beck, R., Crane, D. B. (2000).  Effective project management. New York: Wiley.

Employee Retention Strategies in Insurance Sector

Employee Retention Strategies in Insurance Sector Increasing pressures on the corporates to cut the costs, resulting in frequent layoffs and downsizing, diminishing employee loyalty, absence of job security and increasing competition in the hunt for talent etc. are just a few reasons why the process of attracting and retaining talent has become an onerous task more than ever before. As the highly talented workforce in organizations, across various levels, enhances skills and job-hop from one company to another, managers seem to be feeling the heat in countering abnormally high attrition rates. One of the key responsibilities of a manager or supervisor is to get the work done through the employees. Moreover, when we say work, it is not just the basic minimum work to get by, but also those tasks that are accomplished when the employees are highly motivated to succeed, excel in their work, and continue to be committed to the organization. Managers and supervisors indeed find it extremely difficult in keeping their star performers satis fied and not wanting to shift their jobs. Employee retention is important in almost all the cases. It is senseless to allow good people to leave your organization because when they leave, they take away with them the intellectual property, relationships, investments (in both time and money), an occasional employee, or two, and a chunk of the organizations future. Employee Retention Strategies helps organizations provide effective employee communication to improve commitment and enhance workforce support for key corporate initiatives. The insurance sector in India is rising rapidly to bring in growth and employment opportunities. Insurance companies are basically human intensive, and human resources act as an undoubted differentiator. Quality manpower and its retention would act as a Litmus test. Turnover of sales force has been high because of low entry and exit barriers. The paper addresses issues of recruitment, retention, and turnover of sales force in insurance companies. An attempt is made to integrate them to Maslows Need Hierarchy. A survey was conducted among 350 employees who worked in or had left insurance companies to analyze factors that inà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uenced their decisions and job satisfaction. The data were treated with factor analysis. Factors such as Safety Security, Social Esteem, and Personal Work Style emerged as the inà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uencers to join insurance companies. Primary Needs and Social Self Esteem Needs were the factors associated with job satisfaction; Stress, Career Advancement, and Work Environment emerged as factors for leaving the companies. INTRODUCTION Intense competition and globalization of businesses has put mounting pressure on organizations to deliver more and better than before. Organizations need to develop and deploy human resources that can articulate the vision of the organization and make teams with the synergy to perform at much higher levels. Human resource management (HRM) is a strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organizations most valued assets i.e. the people working there, who individually and collectively, contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the business. Human Resource management is evolving rapidly. The terms human resource management and human resources (HR) have largely replaced the term personnel management as a description of the processes involved in managing people in the organizations. Human resource management is a business practice as well as an academic theory that addresses the practical and theoretical techniques of managing the workforce of an organization. The Human Resources Management (HRM) function includes a variety of activities, and the most important among them is to decide what are the staffing needs of the organization and the ways to fill these needs i.e. whether to hire employees or use independent contractors to hire employees to fill these needs, to recruit and train the best employees, to ensure that they are high performers, to deal with performance issues, and to ensure the organizations personnel and management practices conform to various regulations. Managing the organizations approach to employee records, employee compensation and benefits, and personnel policies are also the included activities. The small businesses whether for-profit or nonprofit ones usually have to carry out these activities themselves because they cannot yet afford part- or full-time help. However, it must be ensured by them that the employees are aware of the personnel policies, which confirm to current regulations. The HRM function and HRD profession have undergone tremendous changes over the past 20-30 years. Many years ago, large organizations looked to the Personnel Department, mostly to manage the paperwork around hiring and paying people. More recently, organizations consider the HR Department as playing a major role in staffing, training, and helping to manage people so that people and the organization are performing at maximum capability in a highly fulfilling manner Human resource builds and drives the knowledge assets of an organization, the value of which has been established to be many times more than the tangibles. In the present scenario, it is becoming important for organizations to focus on finding, developing, and retaining talented employees. This paper aims to enhance understanding of the phenomenon of high employee turnover in the insurance industry and factors that lead to job satisfaction of employees. Researchers have also made an attempt to integrate Maslows Needs Hierarchy to the underlying inà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uencers for the sales force of insurance companies to join or leave the organization. The findings may be helpful for the companies to improve retention levels. OBJECTIVES: Employee turnover is a larger problem currently faced by insurance companies, as a major part of their revenue is lost. Analyzing the causes of employee turnover is imperative for insurance companies. An exploratory survey is designed, keeping in mind following objectives: To identify the factors which influence the decision to join the Insurance Industry. To analyze the factors which play a major role in job satisfaction. To identify the factors which influence the high attrition rate. To study and formulate the strategies for employee retention. EMPLOYEE RETENTION OVERVIEW: By looking in a dictionary, we are given that the word retention has synonyms like preservation, maintenance, withholding, and custody. Not just the meaning, the concept has different perceptions for the employees and organizations. Effective employee retention is a systematic effort by employers to create and foster an environment that encourages current employees to remain employed by having policies and practices in place that address their diverse needs. A strong retention strategy becomes a powerful recruitment tool. Retention of key employees is critical to the long-term health and success of any organization. It is a known fact that retaining your best employees ensures customer satisfaction, increased product sales, satisfied colleagues, and reporting staff, effective succession planning and deeply embedded organizational knowledge and learning. Why are we concerned about employee retention now, when we also are talking about a reduced state workforce? The reality of hiring freezes and possibly even layoffs during economic slowdowns means it is critical to focus on retaining and enabling our remaining people to reach peak performance. Lean organizations depend heavily on the performance and quality of current employees. Current employees have specialized, institutional knowledge. Employee retention matters as organizational issues such as training time and investment; lost knowledge; insecure employees and a costly candidate search are involved. Hence, the failure to retain an important employee is a costly affair for an organization. The importance of retaining the best talent in the organization is usually realized by intelligent employers INDIAN INSURANCE SECTOR AT A GLANCE The insurance sector in India is one of the booming sectors of the economy and is growing at the rate of 15-20% per annum. Together with banking services, it contributes to about 7% of the countrys GDP. The sector has completed a full circle in India from being an open competitive market to nationalization, and back to a liberalized market again. The government of India liberalized the insurance sector in March 2000, lifting all entry restrictions for private players and allowing foreign players to enter the market with some limits on direct foreign ownership. Under the current guidelines, there is a 26% equity cap for foreign partners in an insurance company. There is a proposal to increase this limit to 49%. With several reforms and policy regulations, the Indian Insurance Sector has witnessed tremendous growth in the recent past. According to a report by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), a growth of over 200% is likely to be seen in Indian insur ance business by 2009-10, in which private insurance business would grow at 140% in view of aggressive marketing techniques. Insurance companies in India are growing vertically and horizontally bringing growth and new employment opportunities. Even after having so many private players in the insurance sector, still the largest company is the government owned, Life Insurance Corporation of India. Insurance sector is an intensively people-oriented business and human resources will be the undoubted differentiator. The quality of work force attracted and retained by insurers and how their abilities and ambitions are harnessed would be the litmus test for the industry. Traditionally, a large number of insurance agents, who work on a commission basis, manage the insurance business. The turnover of insurance agents has usually been high in this business. The insurance sector faces high rates of employee turnover. The highest employee turnover is at the financial advisors (agent) level, where the entry barriers are low but targets and work pressures are very high. The insurance companies in India are: Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited Birla Sun Life Insurance Co. Ltd HDFC Standard life Insurance Co. Ltd ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd. ING Vysya Life Insurance Company Ltd. Life Insurance Corporation of India Max New York Life Insurance Co. Ltd Met Life India Insurance Company Ltd. Kotak Mahindra Old Mutual Life Insurance Limited SBI Life Insurance Co. Ltd Tata AIG Life Insurance Company Limited Reliance Life Insurance Company Limited. Aviva Life Insurance Co. India Pvt. Ltd. Shriram Life Insurance Co, Ltd. Sahara India Life Insurance Bharti AXA Life Insurance Future Generali Life Insurance IDBI Fortis Life Insurance Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Religare Life Insurance DLF Pramerica Life Insurance Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance Agriculture Insurance Company of India Apollo DKV Insurance Cholamandalam MS General Insurance HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company ICICI Lombard General Insurance IFFCO Tokio General Insurance National Insurance Company Ltd New India Assurance Oriental Insurance Company Reliance General Insurance Royal Sundaram Alliance Insurance Shriram General Insurance Company Limited Tata AIG General Insurance United India Insurance Universal Sompo General Insurance Co. Ltd VIEWS OF RECRUITERS IN INDIAN INSURANCE COMPANIES The attrition rate is about 35% in the first year of recruitment. This goes down to about 18% by the fourth year. Most of those who drop out are non-performers, as told by the Executive Director of the Kotak Mahindra Mutual Life Insurance Company; he attributes it to the high expectations on the part of the agents. Most people think that they can make a lot of money in a short span of time. It is a high-pressure job. Sustenance requires constant networking and acquiring new relationships that requires a lot of discipline. MD Kotak Life Insurance opines that it is a sunrise industry, many people just want to join the race, but cannot retain the enthusiasm till the end of a year. The attrition rate in the industry is pitched between 14% and 38% at this rate; it will soon rival the 50 per cent churn rate of the ITs-BPO sector. Country Manager, Tata AIG, argues that the industry today is more at an attraction stage; insurers are also attracting a lot of talent from banking, Fast Moving C onsumer Goods, BPO-IT industries. Head (hr and Admin, HDFC Standard Life Insurance) stated that attrition rates are at 14% in the industry. Companies have to go beyond building a brand to offer the agents careers and let them grow with the market. While retaining employees may be a problem, attracting fresh talent is still relatively easy. The slowdown in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods and Consumer Durables sector and people trained by direct marketing companies like Amway and Orflamme, too find a way into selling insurance. Head (hr ICICI Prudential Life Insurance) opines that companies cannot hold on to people, especially among frontline sales force, and this will rise as the market matures, since people are actually experiencing large amount of money coming in. Managing director and CEO (Prudential Life Insurance), the hr challenge is being addressed by offering employees learning and growth opportunities. The company offers opportunities for cross-functional learning, skills and talent development, thereby expanding ones job profile. Further, employees also develop a sense of belongingness with the company. Recruiters explain that high employee turnover rates significantly increase the investments that are made in the employees. The problem of losing funds in employee acquisition is prominent. Companies invest significant amounts of money and time in training in the initial phase; but these investments do not always get converted into actual profits. In the case of the insurance industry, each agent level recruitment costs a company nearly Rs.5000, other associated costs of training and administrative service are also involved. Each agent works in a non-productive or partly productive mode in the organization for nearly the first 2-3 months. An employee leaving the organization within the first 6 months is a bad investment for the company. While most insurers were not willing to share the number of staff members they lost to competitors and other sectors i n recent times, industry sources indicate that newer companies like Reliance, Bharti Axa, IDBI Fortis, Pantaloons-Generali and others have been active in fresh recruitment of officials from established companies like ICICI Prudential Life, Birla Sun Life, HDFC Standard Life. LITERATURE REVIEW Researchers have done a literature review on the issues related to the reasons for and consequences of the employee loss and how the management may deal with turnover in various industries, in order to have a fair understanding of the strategies that can be adopted by the Insurance companies. William J Rothwell (May 2008) in his article, Motivating for Retention refers to motivation as a topic of perennial interest. As organizational leaders begin a war for talent, they need to consider new ways to motivate people to stay. Since much research indicates that people often make decisions to leave because of their supervisors treatment with them, it only makes sense to consider ways of improving managers treatment of workers and this article focuses on that particular issue. While many theories of motivation have been proposed, many managers today are looking for ways to retain their most talented people. One way to do that is to focus attention on how a manager treats the workers. This article also offers some thoughts on what behaviors to examine for improvement and has provided two instruments that may be helpful in doing that. Dongho Kim (2006) in his article Employee Motivation: Just Ask Your Employees says that the imperative need of discovering, comprehending and implementing employee motivation has been a principal concern for organizations, managers and even first line supervisors, as employee motivation has been and will be the deciding factor in work performance as well as the success or failure of an organization. The purpose of this paper is to re-emphasize and analyze the necessary components of employee motivation so that the contemporary managers, especially those who are inexperienced, can enhance their knowledge and understanding of employee motivation. If a company knows as to why its employees come to work on time, stay with the company for their full working lives, and are productive, then the company may be able to ensure that all of their employees behave that way. The priorities of employee motivational factors change over time, and there is more than one reason why these changes occur. The reasons may be the economic conditions, change of the working environment or industries, labor market conditions, industry competitions, change in the workers attitude etc. An organization must realize that the employee motivation and its process are there to motivate its employees, and hence, the employee input must be valued and included throughout this process. In todays knowledge-based economy, the most challenging task before a HR Manager is to motivate and retain employees. Though various attempts have been made in this direction, there has not been much of success and no one knows as to what exactly is the route to employees heart. Sanjeev Sharma (22 July 2006), in his article, A Right Way to Motivate an Employee is to Win his Heart, focuses on the reasons why motivation is ignored even though it is of greater significance motivation is intangible, drives all human actions, can be observed but not measured and is lost in a twilight zone; he compares motivation to that of a pop-up fly ball which can fall into cracks, if not handled or played effectively. Further, he explains the need for motivation and profile 10 areas that powerfully impact motivation which include economic rewards, promotion and transfers, opportunity to grow, challenging and stimulating work, autonomy, leadership, informal psychic rewards, goals and fun. Helping the management team optimize employees emotions will enable the organization to make significant impact on the primary sources of competitive advantage in todays market place. Beach, Brereton, and Cliff (2003) in their article Workforce turnover in FIFO mining operations in Australia: An exploratory study. examined that the term turnover refers to employee movements that create vacancies within an organizational unit. These vacancies may be the result of resignations, transfers, retirements, dismissals, or the completion of fixed term contracts. Jyothi and Venkatesh (2006), in their book Human Resource Management, have told that the application of skill or competence leads to performance and performance is the criterion for evaluating effectiveness. Therefore, a pay-for-competence program enhances productivity and product quality, reduces absenteeism, turnover, and accident rates. Campbell and Baldwin(1993), in their article Recruitment difficulties and skill shortages: an analysis of labor market information in Yorkshire and Humberside, suggest that in many industrialized countries there is a concern that skills shortages and mismatches are appearing in the labor market and that policy makers are aware that recruitment difficulties and skill shortages may reduce the competitiveness of small and large firms. Islam and Rasad (2006) in their article, Employee performance evaluation by the AHP: A case study, studies that employee performance appraisal has been practiced by numerous organizations since centuries. Though performance appraisal system has been debated by many, however, overall, it is viewed that performance appraisal is an inseparable part of organizational life. Wu (2005), in his article A DEA approach to understanding the performance of Taiwans steel industries 1970-1996, mentions performance management as a complex problem and it involves various kinds of judgments about which performance measure to use. Evaluation scores depend upon these criteria heavily. Hale (1998) in his article Strategic rewards: Compensation and benefits management. stated that employers cited recruitment costs of 50% to 60% of an employees first years salary and up to 100% for certain specialized, high-skill positions. Bowen and Shuster (1986) in their article American professors: A national resource imperiled. stated that while all constituting elements of an organization are important for its success, it is its enhanced ability to attract and retain the best quality talent that separates it from the others. Abbasid and Holman (2000) in their article Turnover: The real bottom-line. Public Personnel Management sought to determine the impact of employee turnover on an organization and found that excessive employee turnover often engenders far-reaching consequences and at the extreme may jeopardize efforts to attain the organizational objectives. Elangovan (2001) in his article Casual ordering of stress, satisfaction and commitment, and intention to quit: A structural equation analysis. has argued that there is a reciprocal link between organizational commitment and turnover intention, i.e. lower commitment increases turnover intention, which lowers commitment further. Abdul Rahman, Raza Naqvi, and Ismail Ramay (2008) in their article Measuring turnover intention: A study of it professionals in Pakistan. revealed that job satisfaction and organizational commitment had a negative effect on turnover intentions, whereas perceived alternative job opportunities had a significant positive correlation with turnover intentions and is the major factor associated with turnover intention among it Professionals in Pakistan. Van Dick et al. (2004) in their article Should I stay or should I go? Explaining turnover intentions with organizational identification and job satisfaction. have also identified job satisfaction as a predictor of turnover intention; however, they argue that it is a mediating variable between organizational identification and turnover intention. According to their study, organizational identification feeds into job satisfaction, which, in turn, predicts turnover intention. Gomez-Mejia, Balkin and Cardy (2003) in their article Managing Human Resources have analyzed that socialization is the process of orienting new employees to the organization or the unit in which they will be working. Socialization can make the difference between a new workers feeling like an outsider and feeling like the member of the team. Zheng and Lamond (2009) in their article Forthcoming Organizational determinants of employee turnover for multinational companies in Asia. found out that training, size, length of operation and the nature of the industry are significantly related to turnover. Determining what constitutes high turnover is a complex issue, because there is no simple linear relationship between turnover rates and the social and/or economic performance of companies. Issues ranging from poor job fit, lack of recognition or support from senior management, uncertainty about the organizations future and poor management communication are some of the reasons why people start looking for other opportunities. Reasons that can be attributed to high employee turnover in the insurance sector are: Being an insurance agent in India is seen as a societal stigma as there is uncertainty of job and income attached to it. People join insurance companies as a part time job or a gap filler occupation and not as a long-term career. Very few competent people want to become agents owing to low social status attached to it. It is a high-pressure job. It is expected from an agent to understand the customers needs and sell the products accordingly. This process involves a high level of persuasion and a sustained effort for a long period. A lot of people succumb to such pressures. The expectation achievement gap adds to the turnover. Many people are lured to the profession with a high earning potential. However, to earn a decent income, agents require a lot of patience, perseverance, and persuasion in the field. During early phase, the earnings of the agents are low despite hard work. This expectation achievement gap leads many of them to break down in the initial period of joining the profession. Scarce skilled or experienced human resource in insurance market leads to wide scale poaching and head hunting amongst the competitors. The industry has yet to witness mature hr processes, like work force planning, training, motivation, and retention. The lack of preplanned recruitment leads the firms to indulge in poaching human resources working in other insurance firms. With insurers having a high percentage of the workforce from multiple sectors (non-domain), the chances of losing employees to other fields, like Fast Moving Consumer Goods companies or other financial outfits, are high. Employee Turnover is perhaps paid the least attention among various employees issues. It is shrugged off as inevitable. Few companies take a proactive approach towards reducing employee turnover. It always includes substantial costs of replacing the key employee who fall into the category of high performers. Replacing includes the costs of recruitment advertisement, referral bonuses, selection testing, training costs, etc. Moreover, turnover results in loss of time and efforts, low productivity, loss of morale, loss of knowledge and so on. DEALING WITH EMPLOYEE TURNOVER Organizations that keep the front line staff motivated and equip them with the right tools are most likely to enjoy long-term superior performance (Rogers and Peccoud 2005). The challenge of creating a dynamic, enthusiastic, motivated front line environment is an opportunity in disguise for organizations. Organizations need employees who are committed, à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡exible, and ready to participate in decision-making. Retaining such employees in the organizations is becoming imperative in todays competitive environment. Behavioral research studies show that all human activities including jobs are directed towards satisfying certain needs. Patterns of individual behavior and motivation differ, because individuals seek to fulfill different sets of needs in different ways as adopted from their environmental and social backgrounds. Maslow (1943) propounded the Hierarchy of Needs theory originally applied as a general theory of psychological motivation. However, the usefulness of its the oretical model was adopted by organizational theorist McGregor in 1960, who applied Maslows theory in the work place. Later on, the Hierarchy of Needs theory has been adopted and incorporated into applications in many areas in business (Shoura and Singh 1998). In the management field, it is an effective approach towards understanding motivation. Motivation is connected to several levels of the needs hierarchy of human beings. Appreciation, love, respect and fulfilling work are several motivators other than monetary benefits that an individual looks for. An attempt is made in the paper to align Maslows Hierarchy of needs to the findings of the survey to offer a better understanding of employee turnover. Maslow suggests that each individual aspires for a higher-level unfulfilled need once they have gratified the lower order need. An individuals level of aspirations rise when needs on lower levels are satisfied. The lower four layers of the pyramid are called deficiency needs or D-needs, physiological, safety and security, love and belongingness and esteem. With the exception of the lowest layer of physiological needs, if these deficiency needs are not met, the body gives no physical indication but the individual feels anxious and tensed. Various levels of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs are analyzed  in the perspective of insurance agents: PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS: These include the most basic needs that are vital to survival, including the need for water, air, food, and sleep. These needs are the most basic and instinctive needs in the hierarchy. All other needs become secondary until these physiological needs are met. In the perspective of insurance agents, these needs are addressed by the compensation plan. Insurance companies primarily work on incentive-based compensation plans, which lead to income uncertainties. An employee looks forward to a sufficient compensation structure, which would take care of all of his/her basic physiological needs. A robust, safe, and easy to understand compensation plan may retain employees who are striving to materialize their physiological needs. It is necessary for the companies to update the compensation plan with time, so that it fulfills the physiological needs of the individual and his/her family at different stages of their lives. SAFETY NEEDS: Such needs are important for survival, but they are not as demanding as the physiological needs. Desire for steady employment, health insurance, safe neighborhoods, and shelter from the environment could be a few. There are two aspects of the security, which would concern a person in the insurance business. One is the personal physical security while on field; and the psychological fear of job security with high targets is the second. SOCIAL NEEDS: Maslow states that people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness and alienation. This involves both giving and receiving love, affection and the sense of belongingness. This need of an individual gets highly affected in insurance companies predominantly. Individuals do not gain a high status in society, which is attributed to the social stigma of being an insurance agent, and big target pressure causes separation from ones family, friends, and relatives. Employees have been found complaining about not being able to spend ample time with their family and friends. The insurance companies may compensate for this by creating a fun-filled work environment and developing a conducive work environment. Teambuilding initiatives can be taken by mangers to inculcate the sense of belongingness. NEEDS FOR ESTEEM: A normal human desires to be accepted and valued by others. People engage themselves to gaining recognition, attaining a sense of contribution, feeling accepted and self-valued, be it in a profession or hobby. Imbalances at this level can result in low self-esteem or an inferiority complex. Those working as employees in an insurance company are viewed as people of comparatively less ability. The attitude is developed due to mass recruitment undertaken by insurance firms, where not much focus is placed on selecting suitable candidates. This diminution in esteem leads to leaving the industry on getting a better opportunity. Many companies are focusing on creating a positive image of the industry by using the media, though much is yet to be done. Measures like change in job title and nature of the job could be positive steps in this direction. As the industry matures, the positioning needs a change from being a mere moneymaker option to an industry that provides learni ng and high growth opportunities. NEED FOR SELF-ACTUALIZATION: Maslow describes self-actualization as a persons need to be and do what he/she was born to do. These needs make themselves felt in signs of restlessness. A person