Entrepreneurial Management In Marks And Spencer

Entrepreneurial Management In Marks And Spencer The issue of entrepreneurial management is utterly important for any organisation, as it is responsible for the realisation of strategic plans and business objectives by means of the human resources available for a company. This report discusses the perspectives and challenges of entrepreneurial management in Marks Spencer and particularly the issue of the relationship with human resources. The analysis of the problem relies on the models of organisational design context, organisational culture and entrepreneurial skills. The author explores and analyses the changes that the organisational has undergone in respects to MSs organisational structure and how their culture has been formulated. The necessary components of core managerial skills and competencies have been discussed in-line with MSs entrepreneurial activities. These factors have been evaluated and recommendations have been made. The author concludes that on the one hand, the recent reduction of the levels in the organisational structure of MS is beneficial for the company as the communication between the level, transparency and overall effectiveness increase. On the other hand, precise hierarchy and centralisation (mechanistic structure) make the company inflexible and difficult to adapt. Also tight environmental conditions and the current strategic objectives emphasise the need for organisational learning and professional development for both common employees and managers, which should be oriented to develop their existing entrepreneurial skills. The author states that MS should reward the most active and progressive managers creating motivation by all means. It is recommended that the organisational structure is flattened further, managerial control and communication should be improved to ensure better performances of MS and that the company should act in a more consultative manner. 2. Case Study: Marks Spencer The company Marks Spencer (MS) was founded by Michael Marks in 1884. Michael initially opened a stall at Leeds Kirkgate market that sold various items such as nails, screws, soap and wooden spoons for a penny each. In 1893 Michael decided to return back to his home routes in Manchester, and set up a shop downstairs from where he lived. He decided to seek a business partner; the business partner being Thomas Spencer. Today, MS is the largest UK retailer with 600 domestic outlets. Furthermore, the company is presented in over 40 other countries (294 foreign outlets). Marks Spencer concentrates predominantly of clothing and food retailing, which constitute 49% and 51% of its business respectively. The company offers stylish, high quality and great value clothing, as well as giving customers the opportunity to purchase food that is of outstanding quality that has been responsibly sourced from approximately 2,000 suppliers globally. The company has grown substantially throughout the years; the company direction and strategies have been manipulated to cater for the needs and desires of their existing and potential customer base and other stakeholders such as the employees, community, suppliers, shareholders and so forth. MS believes that their company values of Quality, Value, Service, Innovation and Trust are not newly established, and state that they are the principles that the business was founded (MS, 2010). More than 75,000 are employed by the firm all over the world. In 2009, revenue of MS was equal to  £9,062 million; net income constituted  £506 million. The companys profitability has been much higher prior to the recession. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and is included in the FTSE 100 Index (MS, 2009). The share price reached its peak in 2007, and took a dramatic fall in 2008. MS has a variety of competitors ranging from the main supermarket groups, to specialists in fashion and homeware. The competitive environment has changed in recent years due to the rise of home shopping, and more consumers purchasing products from catalogues and the Internet. MS have to compete on price, what they have to offer, the rising expectations of the consumers and on the in-store experience. MSs management recognise the need to do business in an ethical way; to provide products and services to stimulate public interest and to abide by legislations/regulations such as consumers rights, environmental rules and other Industry regulations. Management have attracted 21 million people visiting the stores each week by their entrepreneurial implementations through their decision making processes by acting competitively and innovatively, also by differentiating themselves from their competitors in the retail industry by what they have to offer and by their strong ethical stance. The organisational design, organisational culture and the entrepreneurial skills that the management possess have contributed to MSs success in recent years. Management have been able to spot opportunities first were other competitors havent, or have not been fast enough to act; such as in 2002 MS announced that it was the first ever retailer to use only free-range eggs in all of their products, in 2005 MSs Cafe Revive were the first UK Coffee chain to offer Fair-Trade tea and coffee as standard, and in 2008 by becoming the first retailer to remove all artificial colour and flavourings from their entire food and soft drinks range (MS, 2008). MS empl oyees may therefore feel a sense of satisfaction for working for a well established, strongly ethical and successful company, thus potentially improving their co-operation and motivational levels. Stuart Rose, the Chairman/Chief Executive of MS expressed that the company has a key goal in everything they do: to build a sustainable business for the long term, generating shareholder value through consistent, profitable growth whilst making sure that customers can trust them to do the right thing. Rose states that customers of MS have told us that despite the impact of the recession our commitment to the environment and trading fairly is still important to them (MS, 2009). MS have planned ambitions to satisfy the general public by challenging themselves with the implementation of Plan A, aiming to become the worlds most sustainable major retailer by 2015 that could also prove to be a factor that encourages customer loyalty and help establishing a competitive advantage. Plan A was launched in January 2007 and is a five year eco-plan which has a positive contribution to the environment and society in every aspect of how MS do business so that they grow in a sustainable way. The plan addresses challenges across five areas: Climate change, waste, sustainable raw materials, fair partner and health (http://plana.marksandspencer.com). MS has a standard centralised organisational structure that is characteristic to the majority of the UK multiple retailers. The organisation structure is vertical (Whitehead, 1994). MS has moved to a new flatter structure recently, which implies the reduction of organisational layers in the structure (Varley, 2006); this therefore makes the organisation faster to perceive any changes and respond to them. Due to the organisation having a large complex structure, MS have to ensure that managerial control and communication throughout the hierarchy is efficient and effective to try ensuring high employee morale and motivation, thus a more efficient and effective workforce to meet MSs strategic objectives. This is a key problem area that MS need to focus on. The structure of the hierarchy is complex; therefore employees attitudes and values may only be conveyed to the employees line manager. This reflects the importance of communication in MS between the vertical levels of authority. The leadership style is autocratic; the business decisions are typically made and influenced by management only with a lack of consultation of the employees. Consultation could give employees recognition, motivation and a sense of belonging/need. The recession has had direct effect on MS in terms of profitability and their entrepreneurial thinking in decision making processes, due to the serious nature and potential negative associations that can follow from such an economic downturn. In October 2008 Stuart Rose stated that Consumer confidence remained fragile and the retail environment was unpredictable (http://business.timesonline.co.uk); this enforcing company management to act in an entrepreneurial way, by being alert and acting rapidly in the best interests of the organisation and its stakeholders. MSs management realise that there is an importance of having the ability to spot any opportunities available; in the scope to improve customer loyalty and confidence in the brand to attempt to overcome the negative side effects of the recession and assisting the creation of stability/prosperity for the company. According to Morgan (2001) the corporation provides the training of technical skills and business competencies of their employees. Afterwards, the effectiveness analysis of the learning is conducted within six months (Schutt, 2006). The learning process is necessary for the management to develop entrepreneurial skills to lead the workforce in an effective, appropriate and motivational manner. In January 2009 management announced that they were to cut costs by reducing their workforce by 1000 staff members across the retail stores, head office and their support functions (www.telegraph.co.uk). This reflects the need for strict management of the workforce and certain constraints to be implemented in such a dynamic environment to meet short/long term company objectives. The company comprehend the requirement to ensure that there is a focused balance between each of the stakeholders needs and desires; sacrifices such as these cost cutting measures have been implemented in attempts to outweigh financial uncertainty. According to Stiegert and Kim (2009) the rewards and bonuses for the employees in MS have been reduced considerably with the coming of the global financial crisis; which could be detrimental for the workforces future efficiency, motivation and morale; thus potentially affecting customer satisfaction levels. MS strive to satisfy stakeholders through the utilisation of the management team and their employees. They emphasise the need for effective managerial control in-line with company objectives; for the employees to know the entailment of their job specifications to provide efficiency that may contribute to a competitive advantage being established for MS. The outcome of this process will decide the companys future competitive stance in their market. 3. Context of Organisational Design According to Ferrell (1979) and Gibson et al. (2003), the notion of organisational design is directly associated with the creation of formal relationship, roles and processes within an organisation. The researcher has chosen the model that describes the context of organisational design, since it is necessary to analyse the framework and conditions of the management process and managers roles within Marks Spencer from the very beginning. According to Stanford (2005), the model of the context of organisational design is five-fold, where all the components are mutually influenced. The context of organisational design in Marks Spencer can be presented as follows: Structure: MS has a standard centralised organisational structure that is characteristic to the majority of the UK multiple retailers. Marks Spencer does not possess any manufacturing facilities in Great Britain. This means that the success of this retail business is determined by greater centralisation. The company has a vertical structure (Whitehead, 1994). MS has moved to a new flatter structure recently, which implies the reduction of organisational layers in the structure (Varley, 2006). The composition of the second-layer management team is the following: human resources, international business, retail, IT and logistics, food, store marketing and design, merchandise, finance and operations, marketing (MS, 2009). It can be argued that such hierarchy and the reduced number or levels in the organisational structure to be an advantage (mechanistic structure). The communication between the layers is better arranged, tasks and responsibilities are clearly defined, which is the key to stability. However, it may be argued that the whole organisation is less flexible and adaptive as in the case of organic structure. This deals predominantly with the initiative of lower rank managers. Size: According to the size, Marks Spencer can be classified as a large business, since the company employs more than 75,000 people all over the world (MS, 2010). Huge size implies extensive hierarchy from the CEO to a common worker (Coe, 2004). Despite the fact that organisational structure has been flattened recently, it is complicated anyway. Huge size obliges MS to state and restate precise responsibilities on a regular basis. The fulfilment of duties raises the problem of advanced managerial control. Environment: The environment in which Marks Spencer operates can be characterised as complex. The company is to respect consumer rights, operate according to the regulations in the industry and comply with environmental rules such as waste control (Bevan, 2001). Furthermore, MS is responsible to provide timely salaries and wages to its employees (Jones and Simmons, 1990). Moreover, the company is to adjust to recent social changes, which imply that the UK residents tend to spend more time online than outdoors. It is valid to argue that such a complex environment makes the management process within MS more difficult. Better entrepreneurial skills are required from the top management. And more sophisticated strategies should be used. It can be argued that in such conditions, there is a pressing need for greater integration of the departments of Marks Spencer. Technology: The technologies implemented in Marks Spencer would be rather characterised as routine technologies. Being of a clothes and food retailer, the company faces automatic and frequently repeated processes and tasks. Very few employees are required to demonstrate a creative approach to their responsibilities (non-routine technologies) (Dobson et al., 2004). It may be argued that routine technologies in MS can be explained by the considerable hierarchal organisational structure. In such a case the presence of bureaucracy is inevitable. It is valid to argue that the existing bureaucratic organisational structure should be improved by a more creative management process. This requires better entrepreneurial skills from the managers themselves. But this will enable to upgrade the inter-level communication quality. Strategy: Corporate strategy is quite a broad notion, but it can be stated that the key objectives of MS is to accentuate its own brand, to improve the clothing segment in order to reach the balance between food and clothing retail. Furthermore, the company seeks to improve the line of Home Beauty in its retail stores, to accelerate the programme of store renewal, improve the supply chain and start to use the space in outlets more effectively (MS, 2009; MS, 2010). In May 2008 a press release stated that international sales and profits were up by 16.8% and 33% (http://news.bbc.co.uk); it could be suggested that MS are hoping to overcome some weaknesses of the UKs current economic climate with geographical diversification by increasing stores internationally. As it is seen, these business strategic issues require optimisation and rationalisation of the existing directions. This means that MS is to provide professional training and organisational learning for its employees. According to Morgan (2001) the corporation provides the training of technical skills and business competencies of their employees. Afterwards, the effectiveness analysis of the learning is conducted within six months (Schutt, 2006). It may be argued by the author that the discussed strategic orientation of MS requires more specialised training of the employees. Furthermore, the training should not be academic by nature, but it must be integrated into the practical fulfillment of responsibilities. It is supposed that learning groups should be organised within departments and the team work is to be emphasised in such learning. The model of organisational design context can be criticised for the fact that it does not take into account the dimension of industry. Retail industry, in which Marks Spencer is engaged, is attributed to numerous specific features that do matter in the aspects of organisational learning, entrepreneurial skills and competences. First of all, this industry is customer-oriented (Stanford, 2005). Second, the whole structure should be aimed to provide a stable and high-quality service. From this standpoint, culture of communication, fast reaction between the organisational layers and strong lea dership are sufficient. 4. Organisational Culture The model of organisational culture has been chosen for discussion because it embraces a wide range of management categories associated with the company. It is possible to discuss leadership styles, controls and rewards in organisational processes. Managerial ethics and inter-industry specifics are also included into the model (Pinches, 1999). As it was mentioned, the previous model lacked these industry-related issues. However, the framework was formulated on the foundation of very fundamental assumptions about how organisations work and how they are managed (Cameron and Quinn, 2006); these assumptions may not be true of all organisations in practice; the model also represents that each of the four inputs are of equal importance in prescribing culture, this may not always be the case. Organisational processes: Discussing the leadership styles in Marks Spencer it is quite difficult to generalise since different managers can choose different leadership depending on personal preferences, educational background and experience. Nevertheless, the top managers of the company have been numerously characterised in the past as having an autocratic leadership style (Williams, 1992). This means that with such state of affairs the authority of managers is high, but the autonomy of departments, groups and individuals in the decision-making process is low (Messick and Kramer, 2005; Mullins, 2007). This is partially explained by the centralised vertical structure with considerable number of layers. It is difficult to judge whether this style is the best one for MS, but it is valid to assume that it contributes to bureaucracy, lower motivation and absence of the necessity of personal development of employees. Hence, the management can be at least recommended to improve the autonomy of the creative departm ents. The employees engaged in non-routine technologies should be managed consultatively. According to Stiegert and Kim (2009) the rewards and bonuses for the employees in MS have been reduced considerably with the coming of the global financial crisis. A press release in May 2008 stated that store teams are set to share  £12.8 million; the previous year MS paid a record of  £91 million in bonuses to its 75,000 staff (http://investmentmarkets.co.uk). This could generate negative effect on the motivation and productivity of the personnel. It can be argued that the corporation should find the possibility to reward the most active and progressive managers and employees. However, Stuart Rose believes MS are expecting market conditions to remain difficult for the foreseeable future and are managing the business accordingly. Tight stock control and management of costs are priority. (http://corporate.marksandspencer.com) The company announced cuts of 1000 jobs in January 2009; this could create uncertainty in the workforce that may lead to a lack of motivation, morale and in crease absenteeism levels due to stress and anxiety. Cognitive processes: One of the strongest features of MS is that the company supports professional ethics. This characteristic refers to both the employees and customers of the company. Managerial decisions and actions cannot contradict to the existing regulations (MS, 2010). Nevertheless, the process of strategic thinking is vertical as in the case of organisational structure. It is valid to argue that lower rank managers should be involved into the process of strategic thinking. Behaviours: Group member behaviour in Marks Spencer can be described as traditional teamwork. This kind of member and manager behaviour is characteristic to centralised vertical organisational structures (Morgan, 2001). Such form of behaviour implies lower control by group members and greater control by group facilitators. Again, the company can be criticised for increased control over employees and strict frameworks in which the employees have to perform their functions. Values: The values of Marks Spencer are the following: quality, service, innovation, trust and commitment towards employees and valued people (MS, 2010). The implementation of Plan A strives to meet the environmental concerns of the company, employees and customers, encouraging people to live a greener lifestyle (MS, 2010). Human resources are among the highest values of the company. However, such direction is to be confirmed by the practical actions of the corporation. 5. Entrepreneurial Skills Another model that can be applied to characterise Marks Spencer is the entrepreneurial skills model. It has been chosen for the discussion because it vividly illustrates the necessary components of core managerial skills and competencies developing that take place within the company to contribute towards forming the organisations culture and design. However though, research to determine whether identifiable relationships exist between the performance of the firm, the learning mode of the organisation and organisational competence does not provide clear statistically significant relationships and further work is clearly needed (Chaston et al, 1999). Entrepreneurial skills- The necessary components of core managerial skills and competencies: Research and practice connected to competence is focused by the ambition to achieve superior performance, and for economic gain or business success (Spencer and Spencer, 1993). As it has been already mentioned, the personnel of Marks Spencer participate in regular organisational learning aimed to develop the core skills and competencies (Johansson, 2004). However, the researcher argues that such learning is necessary in the first place for the management of the company to develop entrepreneurial skills; Deakins and Freel (2003) proclaim that there is need for sophisticated knowledge and competencies to operate larger production runs and manage a workforce. It may be stated that the connection to the industry should be emphasised at every stage. The business should focus on the management to build a reliable customer-oriented service. An Industry opportunity has been spotted by management in the implementation of Plan A, in which MS feel has motivated employees and involved them in taking part in contributing to the good cause that they have an interest in in the community where they and the customers live. Costs have also been reduced in result of Plan A, with a  £50 million surplus in 2009/2010 (http://plana.marksandspencer.com). It could be argued that the management team implementing these changes relate to the definition of an entrepreneur as according to Schumpeter and Kirzner. Shumpeter (1934) believed the entrepreneur is a special person who brings about change, whilst Kirzner (1979) believed the entrepreneur is anyone who is alert to the profitable opportunities for exchange; who has additional knowledge which enables the recognition and exploitation of an opportunity (Deakins and Freel, 2003). The skill to recognise and exploit the positive financial, environmental and employee motivational implications of Plan A appears to be welcomed by the general public (through the knowledge gathered from customers (MS 2009) which could establish a competitive advantage). Also by the company and its employees due to the improvement of environmental issues that may affect all of the stakeholders; and by the savings that have been made that can be utilised in other means to the companys strategic advantage. Personal motivation is necessary for managers. If they possess this, it would be a transmitter to further organisational levels. According to Lussier (2009) managers have come to realise that a motivated workforce can contribute powerfully to bottom-line profits and that the poor performance of employees can be caused inadvertently by managers themselves potentially due to their lack of motivation. In this light, the bonuses and rewards for the managers are extremely important. David Michels (Deputy Chairman of MS) expressed that he believes good governance encourages entrepreneurship and innovation within a framework of accountability (http://corporate.marksandspencer.com). The general management skills and human relationship skills appear to be the fundamental competencies for managers. 6. Conclusion and Recommendation It may be concluded that on the one hand, the reduction of the levels in the organisational structure of Marks Spencer is beneficial for the company as the communication between the level, transparency and overall effectiveness increase. On the other hand, precise hierarchy and centralisation (mechanistic structure) make the company inflexible and difficult to adapt. MS can be recommended to flatten its structure even more because the number of departments and layers has remained high in spite of the restructuring that was attempted (MS, 2010). Furthermore, communication, quality control and managerial control over the fulfilment of employees responsibilities should be improved to ensure better performance in the company. Tight environmental conditions and the current strategic objectives emphasise the need for organisational learning and professional development for both common employees and managers. In particular, the professional training of common employees should be carried out in real teams (departments) and should be practical. The professional development of managers in MS should be oriented to develop their entrepreneurial skills. Marks Spencer can be recommended to concentrate on industry specifics, general management and human relationship. Furthermore, the company is to reward the most active and progressive managers creating motivation by all means. MS can be recommended to reconsider leadership styles with respect to creative workers engaged in non-routing technologies (from autocratic to consultative). In addition, lower rank managers are to be involved into the decision-making process of MS that may encourage them to act in a more enthusiastic intrapreneurial way.

Nike strategy :: essays research papers

After Nike’s success in the US is inarguable, its intent to focus on the international markets. The company wants to generate more than half of its revenue from overseas. In my opinion, Nike’s strategies and tactics are to seek on the opportunity to do the marketing on its radical, rebellious and anti-establishment images to the international markets and to benefit from its use of overseas factories to outsource manufacturing processes. For example, †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Nike ad in Soccer America magazine that delivered the massage to Europe, Asia and Latin America. Part of its message mentioned to their local investors to better invest in some deodorant. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A TV commercial featured a Manchester United player explaining how spitting at a fan and insulting a coach won him a Nike contract. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Nike advertising campaign at the Atlanta Olympic Games with the slogan â€Å"You don’t win silver, you lose gold.† †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Nike’s factories in Vietnam, China and Indonesian. For those marketing efforts, Nike does successful to promote itself with its not-quite-nice images and also generate some criticism that I think they are irresponsible as we can see from their ad that they does not create any positive effects to the society. For its use of overseas factories, it is great opportunity to expand the production base to the lower cost of labor, but it is totally irresponsible and unethical when labor practice does not meet the standard. In my point of view, the most unethical Nike’s decision is not to take the responsibility to ensure at least minimum and humane standards that it should offer to its work force. For example, in Vietnam, Nike paid its workers less than the cost of three meals of rice and vegetables and tofu. It treated workers no better than in sweatshops with only two drinks of water and one bathroom break in an eight hour shift. Also Nike let its contractors in developing countries to use child labor under sub-standard conditions. On the other hand, the least unethical Nike’s decision is to have a TV commercial featured a Manchester United player explaining how spitting at a fan and insulting a coach won him a Nike contract.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reason that I reach these judgments, for the most unethical decision, Nike lacks of social responsibilities in term of both legal and ethical responsibilities. Although, there were some people agree with sweatshops because it was better than the firm leaves the workers, it was the best of the workers’ only bad options or it was a path from poverty to greater wealth, but if at least Nike improved their workers working standards, it would help to better increase their quality of lives.

Benefit and Compensation

This company is a commercial contractor with annual revenue between 10-20 million dollars (PC One Source Contracting, 2013). According to their website, PC begins part-time general laborers at $10. 50 per hour (www. Vociferousness. Com). They offer medical benefits, vacation pay, and merit increases for full time employees. Management and project leaders are also offered a car allowance, and retirement plans (www. Vociferousness. Com). Bellow Disaster Restoration is an international commercial construction company with operations in both Michigan and Arizona.Bellow currently creates approximately $20 million in revenue within the Detroit area (Bellow Property Restoration, 2013). They offer pay structures (depending on position) within both markets averaging from minimum wage to $1 00,000 per year (Bellow Group Salaries, 2014). They offer incentive programs for early completion of projects, bonuses for exceeding sales goals, and merit increases for exceeding performance or promotions. In addition, Bellow offers medical benefits, accrued paid time off, paid sick leave, retirement plans, and car allowance and travel expense reimbursement for applicable employees (Bellow Group Salaries, 2014).According to Glissando. Com, the national average wage for commercial contractors (not including additional benefits in a total compensation package) is $65,239 (Salary: Contractor, 2014). In both markets, competitors of similar size are offering wages between minimum and approximately $100,000 per year (dependent on position). Competitors also offer compensation packages with merit increases, health insurance, paid vacations, productivity incentives, retirement plans, and are within the national average compensation of $65,239 for commercial construction contractors.This market survey and evaluation will allow Clayton Commercial Construction to better prepare a competitive and relevant compensation package for employees of the Detroit, Michigan and Arizona operations. Compens ation Structure and Position in Market Since the company wants to be comparable to other construction companies it is easier to determine the pay structure that can be used for the company. This can be achieved by using the practice of benchmarking. This can be done one of two ways.The company can take a direct approach, go around to different companies in Arizona, and see if their human resources department will give them a look at how theirs works. Another way to benchmark would be to use the internet job boards to see what current salaries in the area are going for. The best recommendation would be to grade each job on a points scale to decide difficulty and importance. From there decide which jobs have an average salary and which ones should have a pay scale based on time in service and skill level.From there the company can identify how many positions for each job title the will have and can factor in the projected payroll of the company against the projected gross value. This will allow for growth within the company as well staying competitive with other companies. For the expansion to Arizona, the company will have to look at trying to undercut prices Of competitors. The positioning will be weak and should look to specialize in smaller jobs. According to central. Com (2014) the top 10 companies billing is from $500 million to $47 million.This company currently nets about 20% of the tenth ranked company's billing amount. Positioning themselves as a smaller company that offers a more intimate experience is the marketing strategy to go with. People like to do business with companies that give the impression of personal touch. Bigger companies can lose this eel and open the door for other businesses. This is where Clayton Commercial can really make their money. Compensation and Benefits Strategy Expanding into a new market presents many challenges, but perhaps the most critical element is recruiting excellent talent in the new market to ensure successful gr owth.Ensuring that Clayton Commercial Construction is attractive to potential hires is the key goal behind designing a competitive compensation and benefits strategy. Our recommendation for Clayton is to provide a wide variety of options to employees and then allowing them to hose the benefits they want to pay for. We recommend assigning costs to each benefit, and we will provide employees with a budget of â€Å"Benefit Dollars† to spend on the benefits they care about most. Employees may go over these â€Å"benefit dollar† budgets, but they will be responsible for extra expenses beyond their budget.We recommend allotting employees 20% of their annual base salary in â€Å"benefit dollars† to spend how they choose, and then charging employees based on the benefits they take. This cafeteria-style approach will allow Clayton to save money by not paying for benefits that are r low extreme flexibility to Clayton employees. It will also reinforce with the employees of Clayton just how much these benefits cost much off benefit the company is paying for. Morale and employ appreciation will be higher and employees will be less likely to tall benefits packages for granted.Regarding compensation, we erect Clayton utilize market research to set and maintain comparable Our preliminary research indicates that in Arizona, a typical front construction worker earns roughly $31 ,OHO per year (Indeed. Com skilled tradesman makes $46,000 per year (Salary. Com, 2014), an, rings home $120,000 (Salary. Com, 2014). In terms of raises, rata annual raises, we recommend that Clayton conduct annual mark into comparable salaries and then adjust pay as needed to stay IR with industry norms.Claptrap's plan is to increase workforce size which constitutes 130 employees. Assuming we have 1 director, 45 skilled laborers, 60 unskilled laborers, and 21 support staff, ‘M manage three different full construction teams. Each team will h manager, 15 skilled laborers, 20 uns killed laborers, and seven soul resulting in a per-team annual cost of roughly $1. 7 million. Clap dated that they are aiming for a net revenue growth of -3%, we r this team aim for exact revenue neutral, so they must earn $1. 7 revenue to offset the increased cost.Performance Incentives and A performance incentive system is and merit pay is a way to retail employees and should be used to recruit top employees. Enema) set goals for their employees that are attainable and realistic, who turn motivate them to work harder to attain the goals set by the Some incentives to look at would be bonuses, stock, and time off Merit pay is used frequently amongst businesses to pay their me based on performance. In order for the merit pay program to be employers must assure that the reward is delivered to the top en will be prominently healthier than raises given to average or subs employees.The theory of performance-based compensation for is that they should be compensated generously for out perf ormer workers, but if a worker performance is ordinary, that worker cord should show that. Compensation law The primary federal law to be aware of when it comes to compel benefits is the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or IRIS sets the standards ensuring employee benefits plans are fair and mound and establishes employer obligations to provide benefit AR retirement plans (United States Department of Labor, 2009).Thud requires persons managing plan funds to refrain from conflict of transactions, disclose information on conditions of the plan, and the funds of the plan to the exclusive benefit of participants. ERE! Codifies provisions for COBRA, which gives former employees of large companies the right to continue health coverage at previous group rates, well as establishing rules for exclusions relating to preexisting conditions (United States Department of Labor, 2009). With regard to state law, there are a few requirements: Clayton is required to pay employees twice a Mont no more than 16 days apart, on regularly scheduled paydays.Employees w work beyond 40 hours in a week must receive 1. 5 times normal base and characteristics such as sex, ethnicity, and religious preference may not be considered when determining salaries (State Bar of Arizona, 2014). Conclusion To assist with the expansion to Arizona, it was important for Clayton Commercial Construction's strategies are comparable to other commercial construction business within the area. Team a made recommendations WI sat considerations with the compensation laws, benefits, incentives and marketing to assist Clayton Commercial Construction to excel in their new location.

Die For Your Couintry essays

Die For Your Couintry essays Is it Glorious to Die for your Country? Is it glorious to die for your country?.... This question has been posed to many young people about to embark on war although the answer has usually been yes in response to their country due mainly to the fact that the government instills it in the people of the country to support one's country and one way is to send young abled bodied men into the army. If you were one individual that was not in favour of fighting for your country you would surely become an outcast by the countries people. To avoid ridicule and becoming outcasted by the people living around you, you would join the army just in the thought that you were obligated to for the sole sake of your country. Such thoughts were reinforced by the government promotion of propaganda. Glorifying death is not needed to be taught and should be up to the sole individual. School systems should teach an unbiased point of view of war to enable the child to make their own decision to fight for one's country. Is it Glorious to Die for your Country? Within the education system it was instructed to the teachers to teach the children at a young age during the brink of war to instill that their the life of the country and for them to defend their country against the enemy. Teachers showed being in a army was representing honour and the pride of the country. Guilt was laid on the students who showed rebellion by the teacher. Many times the teacher would try to show a soldier that looks happy and content trying to represent being a soldier makes you happy and content. Many young inexperienced soldiers were sent to training camps near the battle fields that they would soon be sent to fight, for their country and their life. The training camps were situated on similar enviroments that resembled the battle fields of where the fighting would take place. Reinforced displine to the young ...

The Bell Jar and Isolation Essay Example

The Bell Jar and Isolation Essay Example The Bell Jar and Isolation Essay The Bell Jar and Isolation Essay Isolation in general has a lasting effect on a person’s growth and understanding. As isolation comes in different forms, the effect it has on the nature of man also varies. The one thing that all forms of isolation have in common is that they influence an individual’s growth in some way. Forced isolation is isolation that is involuntary, or against the will. Isolation in which an individual isolates himself or herself is considered self-inflicted. Both of these types have adverse effects on an individual’s growth. Social isolation, as opposed to forced or self-inflicted isolation, has the most detrimental effect on an individual’s mental growth and understanding of illusion versus reality as it deprives the individual of the necessary factors that shape him or her into an acceptable member of society, manifested in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. The need for rules is instrumental in influencing an individual’s mental growth. This aspect of human nature is taken away by social isolation in Lord of the Flies. As the novel progresses, the boys agree that â€Å" [they’ve] got to have rules and obey them† (Golding 42). This affirms the boys’ innate need for rules and structure. For a time, rules are what bind the boys together. As rules and regulations begin to deteriorate, the boys’ senses begin to fade away as well. These rules begin to lose power as social isolation slowly strips away the their humanity and they begin to lose sight of reality. Another factor needed for growth into an acceptable member of society is the need for social interaction, or the need for assembly. More than once Ralph, the elected leader in Lord of the Flies, voices his opinions that â€Å" [they] need an assembly†(Golding 79). Social interaction is a necessity that shapes an individual into an accepted member of society. It is through relationships that people are able to learn common behavior that is universally acceptable. Family and community relationships are another part of the boy’s lives stolen by social isolation. Without some form of interaction, an individual becomes lost in the very core of his or her own nature. This rarely results in benefit to the individual as explored in this novel. Deprived of social interaction, the boys as a whole begin to lose sight of who they really are. A misunderstanding of illusion versus reality is amplified in J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. Self-inflicted isolation, portrayed by Salinger’s protagonist, Holden Caulfield, does not have the same effect on an individual as social isolation does. Self-inflicted isolation is not the most detrimental form of isolation, as it is a chosen path to take. Holden describes this state of isolation as he reflects, â€Å" I don’t even know what I was running for-I guess I just felt like it† (Salinger 5). Running is used as a symbol to refer to this character’s chosen decline into isolation. Throughout the novel, Holden has multiple chances to regain his mental stability. These chances are symbolized by the multiple opportunities to call Jane Gallagher, the character who represents Holden’s innocence and sanity. By not taking this chance, Holden has made a choice that leads him further into isolation. Salinger made himself an example of this self-infliction as he isolated himself from society. Forced isolation does not have the same effect on an individual’s cognitive growth as social isolation. Forced isolation, portrayed by Esther Greenwood in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, has certain characteristics that make it detrimental, but it also has a number of aspects that make it beneficial to an individual. One may be forced into isolation for his or her own good. An example of this is when a person’s psychological state is in question. Following Esther’s attempted suicide, Mrs. Greenwood, Esther’s mother, forces Esther into a hospital and then into a mental institution. Esther was a danger to herself and to those around her. As a result, she was committed to an institution and received treatment. Following her treatment, Esther states that â€Å"the bell jar hung, suspended, a few feet above [her] head. [She] was open to the circulating air† (Plath 176). This proves that Esther begins to feel better after her being forced into isolation. Social isolation is the most detrimental form of isolation, regarding an individual’s growth and understanding of illusion versus reality. By inhibiting the factors that shape an individual into an acceptable member of society, social isolation creates a new person, one ruled by his or her own human nature. Without rules or social interaction, this person exhibits the worst flaws in humanity. Jack, the main antagonist of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, portrays this created individual. The consequences of other forms of isolation are not as severe. In certain situations, forced isolation is a benefit to the individual or for the greater good of society. An example of this would be a criminal being sent to jail. Self-inflicted isolation can also have positive results. An individual may isolate himself or herself for his or her own personal gain. A monk taking a sabbatical to become more in tune with himself or herself would be considered an example of self-inflicted isolation. Overall, it is evident that social isolation is the most detrimental to an individual as it inhibits human growth and understanding of illusion versus reality. Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. Great Britain: Faber Faber, 1954. Plath, Sylvia. The Bell Jar. New York: Harper Row, 1971. Salinger, J D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1951.

Impact of western culture on Big Box Business Essay

Impact of western culture on Big Box Business - Essay Example The research also analyzes these various situations and proposes recommendations regarding what is and what is not effective, in international expansion, relative to a respect for multicultural values and a sense of being open to new cultures. As shown in the case, a company like Wal-Mart which is expanding overseas must beware of perpetrating a situation which has the capability to be more divisive than unitary, and managers and leaders need to highlight issues of how important it is to examine intercultural communication and its effects on international negotiations. These are significant problems. Differences in language and culture can significantly impact movement towards global expansion of a company, be it Wal-Mart or some other entity. â€Å"Culture-centered approaches use qualitative anthropological approaches to describe a single culture in terms of its ethnology, religion, customs, etc. This approach is suitable when studying a single culture† (Hoffman, 2007). Cultural differences also highlight the need for global research into international markets, as a company like Wal-Mart that enters a foreign market unprepared and unversed in its language, regulations, union procedures, common reimbursement plans, and culture faces many potential difficulties and obstacles. For example, as Hoffman (2007) points out, Chevrolet introduced the Chevy Nova in Latin America without considering that â€Å"no va† means â€Å"does not go† in Spanish, and suffered some amount of embarrassment. Therefore, it is very important for a organization like Wal-Mart to consider differences in language and culture in its global research. The example of the miscommunications in the Wal-Mart case is a good illustration of how U.S. businesses have traditionally run into problems by relying too much on a centralized domestic command structure that does not give sufficient local autonomy for marketing and other operations. This is the same problem that the case mentions

Jesus as a Figure in History Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Jesus as a Figure in History - Case Study Example These young girls start comparing themselves with the women shown on the television who are nothing but a piece of crap as they are full of make up and designer label clothes on their skinny figures. One needs to remember that many of these models shown on television and more so on the fashion channels have eating disorders and some pictures as well as images of women shown on television and in movies have been falsely created from a number of different bodies, thanks to computer graphics and software that now make it possible. The extreme images of torture, sex and liberalism shown on television project a very significant impression on the minds of the people and more so the ones who do not have related exposure to such cultural tangents. (Author Unknown, 2004) These people start taking such images and movies as a part of their lives even though such television programming is far from the truth. Thus people's behavior comes across as being directly in line with what is being shown on television and their perspectives start to alter as a result of the same. Last cause of television and movies' excessive viewing is in the form of a number of diseases and mostly related with the eyes of the people. This means that the people watching can fall prey to a number of ailments which can have negative repercussions in the long term. These maladies could result in the Attention Deficit Disorder or ADHD as well as other diseases from time to time. The lives of the people are thus affected immensely by viewing television for stretch and it is best advisable to limit viewing under such measures. Television has diversified its transmissions into different fields like information, education, entertainment, live news, documentaries, reports, sports coverage, presentations, game shows, etc. What this in essence means is that the television is a significant tool at portraying the different aspects which usually happen within a society's life time. People can easily expect television to cover each and every detail related with them and thus show them what is happening throughout the world, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. Bibliography AUTHOR UNKNOWN. (2004). Teens who watch sex on TV are twice as likely to have sex themselves. Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics Word Count: