10 Fascinating, Little-Known Moth Facts

10 Fascinating, Little-Known Moth Facts Moths arent just the dull brown cousins of our beloved butterflies. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Before you dismiss them as boring, check out these 10 fascinating facts about moths.   1. Moths Outnumber Butterflies by a 9 to 1 Ratio Butterflies and moths belong to the same order,  Lepidoptera.  Over 90% of known Leps (as entomologists often call them) are moths, not butterflies. Scientists have already discovered and described well over 135,000 different species of moths. Moth experts estimate there are at least 100,000 more moths still undiscovered, and some think moths actually number half a million species. So why do a few butterflies get all the attention? 2. Most Moths Are Nocturnal, but Many Fly During the Day We tend to think of moths as creatures of the night, but this isnt always the case. Some moths are quite active during daylight hours. Theyre often mistaken for butterflies, bees, or even hummingbirds. The clearwing moths, some of which mimic wasps or bees, visit flowers for nectar during the day. Other diurnal moths include some tiger moths, lichen moths, wasp moths, and owlet moths.   3. Moths Come in All Sizes Some moths are so small theyre referred to as micromoths. Generally, moth families in which the member species measure just a centimeter or two are considered micromoths. But a still undescribed species collected in Africa is likely the smallest moth of all, with a wingspan of just 2 mm. At the other end of the moth spectrum is the white witch moth (Thysania aggrippina), a neotropical species with a wingspan that reaches up to 28 cm, or the size of a dinner plate. 4. Male Moths Have a Remarkable  Sense of Smell Keep in mind that moths dont have noses, of course. An insects sense of smell is essentially its ability to detect chemical cues in the environment, called chemoreception. Moths smell these cues with highly sensitive receptors on their antennae. And male moths are the champions of chemoreception, thanks to feathery antennae with lots of surface area to grab those molecules from the air and give them a sniff. Female moths use sex attractant pheromones to invite potential mates to mingle. Silk moth males seem to have the strongest sense of smell of all and can follow a whiff of female pheromones for miles. A male promethea moth holds the record for tracking a scent through the air. He flew an astounding 23 miles in the hope of mating with the girl of his dreams and was likely disappointed when he realized hed been tricked by a scientist with a pheromone trap. 5. Some Moths Are Important Pollinators We dont often think of moths as pollinators, perhaps because we arent outside in the dark watching them work. While butterflies get all the credit, there are plenty of moths moving pollen from flower to flower, including geometer moths, owlet moths, and sphinx moths. Yucca plants require the help of yucca moths to cross-pollinate their flowers, and each yucca plant species has its own moth partner. The yucca moths have special tentacles with which they can scrape and gather pollen from yucca blossoms. Charles Darwin famously predicted that orchids with exceptionally long nectaries were pollinated by insects with equally long proboscises. Though ridiculed for his hypothesis at the time, he was later vindicated when scientists discovered the Madagascan sphinx moth, an orchid-pollinating species with a 30 cm proboscis. 6. Some Moths Do Not Have Mouths Some moths dont waste time once they reach adulthood. They emerge from their cocoons ready to mate, and content to die soon afterward. Since they wont be around for very long, they can get by on the energy they stored as caterpillars. If you dont plan on eating, theres really no point in developing a fully-functioning mouth. Probably the best-known example of a mouthless moth is the luna moth, a stunning species that lives just a few days as an adult. 7. Not All Moths Eat, but They Are Often Eaten Moths and their caterpillars make up a lot of biomass in the ecosystems where they live. And they arent just empty calories, either. Moths and caterpillars are rich in protein. All kinds of animals feed on moths and caterpillars: birds, bats, frogs, lizards, small mammals, and in some parts of the word, even people! 8. Moths Use All Kinds of Tricks to Avoid Being Eaten When everything in your world is intent on eating you, youve got to get a little creative to stay alive. Moths employ all kinds of interesting tricks to avoid predation. Some are masterful mimics, such as caterpillars that look like twigs and adult moths that blend in with tree bark. Others use startle markings, like the underwing moths that flash brightly colored hindwings to distract pursuing predators. Tiger moths produce ultrasonic clicking sounds that confuse sonar-guided bats. 9. Some Moths Migrate Everyone loves migrating butterflies, like the famous long-distance flights of the North American monarchs. But nobody gives props to the many moths that also migrate, perhaps because they tend to fly at night. Moths tend to migrate for practical reasons, like to find a better food supply, or to avoid uncomfortably hot and dry weather. Black cutworm moths spend their winters on the Gulf Coast but migrate north in the spring (like some senior citizens). Olympic trivia buffs may remember the hordes of migrating Bogong moths that pestered athletes during the 2000 Sydney Olympics. 10. Moths Are Attracted to Light Bulbs, Bananas, and Beer If the previous 9 facts convinced you that moths are pretty cool insects, you might be interested in attracting moths so you can see them for yourself. Moth enthusiasts use a few tricks to lure moths closer. First, many moths will come to lights at night, so you can start by observing the moths that visit your porch light. To see a greater diversity of the moths in your area, try using a black light and a collecting sheet, or even a mercury vapor light. Some moths might not come to lights but cant resist a mixture of fermenting sweets. You can mix up a special moth-attracting recipe using ripe bananas, molasses, and stale beer. Paint the mixture on a few tree trunks and see who comes for a taste. Sources: Australias Bogong moth invasion turns even yawning into a potential health hazard, The Independent. November 4, 2013.Capinera, John L. Encyclopedia of Entomology, 2nd edition.Corcoran, A.J., Barber, J. R., and Conner, W. E. Tiger moth jams bat sonar. Science. July 17, 2009.Cranshaw, Whitney and Redak, Richard. Bugs Rule! An Introduction to the World of Insects.Kritsky, Gene. Darwins Madagascan hawk moth prediction. American Entomologist, Volume 37, 1991.Largest Lepidopteran Wing Span, University of Florida Book of Insect Records, April 17, 1998.  Moisset, Beatriz. Yucca Moths (Tegeticula sp.). US Forest Service website.Smallest Moth in the World?, UC David Department of Entomology and Nematology website, June 29, 2012.Status of Pollinators in North America, by Committee on the Status of Pollinators in North America, 2007.Waldbauer, Gilbert. The Handy Bug Answer Book.

Freedom Of Speech essays

Freedom Of Speech essays Imagine a time when one could be fined, imprisoned and even killed for just simply speaking ones mind. Speech is the basic vehicle for communication of beliefs, thoughts and ideas. Without the right to speak ones mind freely one would be forced to agree with everything society stated. With freedom of speech ones own ideas can be expressed freely and the followers belief will be stronger. The words sound so simple, but without them the world would bee a very different place. Without the right to speak freely one would not be able to debt, nor would one be able to receive full coverage on world issues. There would be no interesting newspapers, no free religion and no free thoughts. This amendment seems so simple but, the boundaries of which issues and incidents are covered are so complex and varied. What is legal and illegal? What can be said and cannot be said? Does this amendment include spoken word only or does it include action also? What, if any, limits should be put to this amendment? As long as the government has existed, people have battled over censorship. Censorship takes on all different shapes and forms: banning of books, television guidelines, laws that curb specific types of speech, and imprisonment or even death for openly speaking. For example, in sixteenth century England, a loyal subject of Henry VII was imprisoned for saying, I like not the proceedings of this realm.1 In earlier times this would have been punishable by death for treason. The need for freedom of speech was first brought up in Massachusetts Body of Liberties in 1641. After the Revolutionary War in America, many states recommend that free speech be put in the United States Constitution. Nevertheless, freedom of speech was written into the Bill of Rights and A few years after the First Amendment was ratified, the government passed the Sedition ...

Managing Property Businesses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Managing Property Businesses - Essay Example based businesses are easy to operate and have no fuss, than one must think again, yes there are exceptions but one is likely to find same fuss in the service based business as in manufacturing business. A service based business that is going to be discussed is â€Å"property business†, it sounds simple to hear it, but very difficult if all things are kept in mind while planning for a property business, the first impression that might appears after listening â€Å"property business† is perhaps small business, with simple operations though it can be very tough to operate it, the property business should be started keeping in mind following few factors. Property businesses provide pure services to the clients, the dealer performs the role of a middleman or a broker, there is a seller and a buyer, the seller or buyer contacts the dealer and the dealer responds to the seller or buyer on a particular property if available, though it has also been seen that people usually buy properties at their own and than sell it to buyers having buying power, so to get the buyer’s and seller’s attention the Location of the office is important as it should be in clear view to the clients or otherwise you should have done heavy investment in advertising to keep them aware. If the business is relocated than there must be so many reasons for that, one mentioned earlier might be location, the other one may be high overheads and perhaps a threat of bankruptcy, or may be the firm was unable to collect the receivables from clients and thus the firm was in loss, so the firm should reduce its operating costs, may be by eliminating employees, hiring people on commission basis rather than going for fixed salaries and so, it would definitely help the firm to operate itself with in the budget. When the business consists of a lot of dealing than the communication side must be very strong, one can say that in such businesses it is all about to convince or persuade the clients, and let them

An Investment in a Mutual Fund and its Goals Article

An Investment in a Mutual Fund and its Goals - Article Example A mutual fund is a form of collective investment that pools money from many investors and invests their money in stocks, bonds, short-term money market instruments, or other securities. While investing in mutual funds, there can be a variety of investment goals and their options. Mutual funds have their own goals also, therefore it is imperative for an investor to make sure that the fund's goals align well his/her own goals. Apart of making huge amount of money in a very quick period, the most common investment goal which also is in accordance with my planning is saving for the life after retirement. This goal requires a certain portion of earnings to be saved and invested on a periodic basis. Since majority of the mutual funds offer retirement plans, which also are secure plans, I look forward to invest my money in these plans as my tiny periodic investment installments will add up and grow into a healthy and substantial sum after the agreed time span. Hence, I will make investment in a mutual fund company that offers and works with balanced or index funds.

How does a mainstream school support new arrivals Essay

How does a mainstream school support new arrivals - Essay Example ganised but it is important that they are organised in such a way that there is a positive ethos and a learning atmosphere where every child succeeds in some way and where every adult works towards helping every child achieve his or her maximum potential’. Generally, the main purpose of schools in accordance with the above researcher is ‘to develop the intellectual, social, emotional and physical abilities of all children’ (Smith, 2002, 4). Although this purpose is absolute understandable in practice there are many cases where schools fail to meet the necessary requirements set by the governors and the social context (ethics) and as a result they can lead to the opposite direction: the creation to the children of severe ‘psychological injuries’ related with their presence in the school environment but also within their families (the influence of conflicts created within a school environment often ‘follows’ children to their homes). When d ealing with children that have recently entered a school environment, the difficulties during their ‘adaptation’ within the new school can be many. Issues like gender or race discrimination, equality and inclusion are then very likely to appear. The behaviour of children towards these ‘adverse’ conditions is usually depended on the support offered by the school administrator and the staff either directly (psychological support, punishment of those who have the responsibility for this situation) or indirectly (provision of extra benefits compared to other pupils of the same school). In this paper the main issue under examination is the support offered to bilingual learners in a particular Scottish school (the one of the Secondary Schools in the Support for Learning Department). Issues like the access to curriculum, barriers in language, equality, discrimination and social exclusion are being examined in order to identify the most appropriate plan of action for the development of support offered to bilinguals

Retention of Employees in Call Centres

Retention of Employees in Call Centres Personal computers Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION In the 21st century every child or adult have their own personal computers and ways of communication have been made easier with the help of email, mobile phones and faxes. These are adopted from Information Technology (IT) industries. The main concern of IT industries is to make life easy for the people. Information Technology can be defined as the branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers and telecommunications to retrieve and store transit information. (Wisegeek, N.D.) Call centres are a part of the IT industries, which is the most blooming sector and the role of these call centres is to make life easy to customers. Call centres are the upcoming field of employment for youngsters in Information Technology. Recruitment to get into a BPO (Business Process Organization) is done on the basis of qualification and good communication skills. BPOs are the fastest growing segments in Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES). These BPOs are striving out a new exposure of the westernized working environment that could lead to a few problems in other countries. Although it has a good side by providing a good pay and a better life style for the individuals, on the other side there are still some diplomatic problems that could be identified. Most researches are done on stress, physical and psychological problems that are faced by the employees. An article in the journal, An Exploration of Occupational Hazards in BPO industry, states, Majority of employees were found to have physical health, socialization and stress related problems due to their job. (Vashistha, 2008) Competition is more in todays world and organizations are trying to build a competitive advantage through more employees who are often challenged. These individuals try to be the best in their respected fields and give their best for the organization. As the competition between organizations increases the competition for the individuals also increase. The IT industry is one of the leading industries in the world and every company needs an IT section that plays a vital role as it controls most of the organization. As it is this is the most wanted sector in every organization, the pay for employees is also expected to be high. In an IT sector, there are a number of employees who although start as freshers and will expect to get a better income as the years of experience increase (Employee Engagement Report 2008 Published May 2008). India has become the hub to start IT industries in the world. India is one of the developing countries and allows foreigners to commence large MNCs as it will reduce the unemployment level and would help the educated to get immediate jobs after education. Most global organizations have always preferred outsourcing Call centres in India. The reason to it would be that India has the second most English speaking population after the USA. There are various other reasons such as skilled labour, educated workforce, etc. Indias large number of educated workforce will not reduce, as there is always been an increasing number of students graduating every year. It is difficult to take the analysis of the entire country as is too broad and vast to cover. There are many IT companies in India; Chennai is a part of Southern India that consists of many call centres. New IT companies emerge every week and a few get closed too. E.g. Call centres in Chennai have become very popular within students and graduates, who have just completed their course. They are given a reasonable pay as fresh employees, in course of time only a few employees stick to the organization and most employees take it as a fill in job or they shift to another company because they are paid higher than its previous employer. The following section will outline how the dissertation will be structured. This will include the following: the research question, research objectives, scope, methodology, benefits and justification. A good dissertation will attempt to answer the research question and will provide a conclusion based on both secondary and primary information. Research purpose This dissertation will help us to find out the retention of employees in IT industry (Call centres) by considering a MNC in Chennai (India), (Sutherland). This large MNC (Multi National Companies) would be used as a case in this research. Below are a few key issues that will be addressed in the dissertation process: To find out ways to improve strategies in retaining employees in call centres. To study the various reasons and the need for jumping to different organisationis it only money or Is Hierarchal Phenomenon the cause of employees to shift? Dissertation Aim The purpose of doing a research is to answer the proposed research questions in a dissertation. The research questions will articulate the research problem giving various findings and suggestions. The following are the research questions for this dissertation; these questions will help the researcher to get valid information of the employees and the HR team in the organization. Information from the HR team would give the researcher suggestions and methods based on retention strategies. Does the organisation take any steps to retain their staff? Why is the retention of an employee, a hectic problem in an IT (Call centre) than any other sector? The aim of the dissertation is to critically assess and evaluate HR strategies used in Indian call centres, in specific to improve staff retention rates. Research Objectives: The research objectives are subjected to the purpose of the research; these objectives give an outline of a dissertation. The main objectives in this dissertation are: To carry out a critical review of the literature on staff retention To identify and assess reasons for poor retention rates in the IT industry. To identify and evaluate strategies to improve employee retention rates in the IT industry. To provide conclusions based on both secondary and primary evidence To make relevant recommendations for improving employee retention rates based on the conclusions arrived at. Benefits of the research: The benefits of the research help in giving the company a better understanding of the employee status. E.g. do employees want to quit the job and shift to other companies? This research would help the organisation to identify key issues faced by employees in terms of retention that will enable them to improve their retention rates. Employee retention is a large cost to some companies and by improving retention rates, it can be argued that costs can be controlled and which in turn will improve the effectiveness of the organisation. India is a developing country and IT is a major source for all MNCs. The research would consist of a case study on an IT company. The scope in this research is referred only with respect to the place chosen for the research (India). The scope of an organisation is dependable on geographic location and the culture of the people. Scope depends on the people and the location of the organisation, such that the scope in India for Biotechnology is less when compa red to U.S. More problems can arise due to the involvement of different cultures in one organisation. The rationale of my research will provide an analysis for human resource planning on employee retention in the IT industry. This will also help to identify the HR practices and whether these can be improved. This dissertation will consist of a detailed research and analysis on IT Company chosen (Located in Chennai, India). Background to the company Sutherland is a BPO that is operating in Chennai (India), it was first established in New York by Rochester in the year 1986. The branch in Chennai was opened in the year 2000 and was the first offshore facility to be opened in India. Many other branches were opened in course of time in different countries such as Canada, Mexico Bulgaria and Philippines. Sutherland employs 24,000 professionals offering rich services from its 24/7 delivery centres globally (Sutherland, 2009). Sutherland won the award; Employer of the year in 2009. They state that their employees are given the best of training to excel in their field, either in terms of business methodologies or technology. Sutherland offers front office and back office services that provide customers a better service. CHAPTER 2 Review of literature Employee retention: Carsen, 2005 states that employee retention refers to the possible number of employees that stay around for a given duration of time. In simple words employee retention could be defined as a process in which the employees are encouraged and motivated to stay with the organization. Employee retention is important and beneficial for the organization. This dissertation deals with call centres, which is a part of the IT industry. Call centres are defined as specialized organizational units providing telephone-based customer services (Kleemann Matuschek, 2002, p.41). Call centres are a part of the IT sector and are of two types and they are outbound and inbound call centres. They usually operate 24/7 a week i.e. 365 days a year. (Marr Neely, 2004). IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYEE RETENTION Employee retention plays a vital role in every organization. Mobley, 1982 states that employee turnover may be important to some organizations and a few individuals. From the organizational perspective employee turnover can represent a significant cost in terms of recruiting, training, socialization and disruption, as well as a variety of indirect costs. There are many reasons for an employee to leave an organization and it could be due to age, length of service, organizational sector size, occupational group and geographic location. The problems that arise of poor retention should be assessed within the norms of a given external labour market. (Evans 2001) Models and Theories on employee retention: There is a reason for companies to retain their top most employees. There are several models that are being followed in retaining the top most employees. There are few common hiring models that are being used by organizations for employee retention. Each has its own advantage and all serve the purpose to get hold of maximum employee retention. The following are the models, which are being used commonly. The classic model- Core employees. The above model works best with senior management, where one would require a persons full time work and attention. This is best suitable for core activities within the organization and proprietary activities such as trade secret within the organization. Many organizations do make the mistake by assuming that core employee model is the only retention model and the organization tries to fit in all jobs within it. It is important for an organization to understand and follow the hiring models appropriately. Flexible work This type of model usually involves in sharing a job within the family. This model best fits in call centres as in this industry continuity is not mush required. On the whole this model cannot work for short shift works; for example; an advertising team launching a new advertisement cannot offer job sharing-posts, as the continuity of the job is very much required. Job sharing is a success in certain cases such as when there is no much need of individual continuity with customers or with a third party and when the degree of interaction is low between the employee and the consumer. This type of model makes employees feel at home and have very less probability in them leaving the job, as they are comfortable with it and it usually works within families. Free agents Many educated individuals in the IT industry do not like to work full time for a particular organization as these employees enjoy working as part-timers in more than one organization, these type of employees are called free agents. This is the next step to flexible work with respect to job satisfaction. These types of free agents are not given a usual salary but they are paid on their results that they produce. This model is not business orientated but it is project orientated and it attracts the employee to do the job as it a likely interest. These employees usually stay with the organization only if they are recognized for their work. Outsourcing The above three models not only explains the different types of employees in an organization but also explains how to retain employees according to the type of sector that is best suitable for the individual, the question arises only when the organization gets an employee from outside to do the job of the organization. These kinds of employees are taken only for a specific duration by different organizations or individuals. This model best works with low value transaction, low-tech uncomplicated activities and non-critical activities. Many organizations have concluded that it is not possible to motivate and train employees for specified jobs, so they agree with outsourcing. (McKeown, 2002) Svyantek McChrystal, 2007, p.225, shows in his book, a new model of retention, which is very different from the above models. In this model he states employees retain the jobs because they are self-concept-job fit and an experienced meaningful work. Self-concept-job fit is a method in which the human relations professionals input the meaningful work in employees. Horgans Roberts, 2000 have stated that the future should focus into the concept of self-concept-job fit either in existing or after recruiting employee. The above models are different from each other and each of them fits best for different kinds of organizations. The best suitable model must be used in order to retain their employees and get high job performance from them. Though we cannot satisfy all individual needs there are certain general factors that we can get rid of so that the employees who are working, feel at home. After one executes a type of model into an organization it is important that the employees are satisfied with the type of job that an individual is doing. Job satisfaction is related to employee retention and for an employee to retain in the organization the individual must be satisfied but the job. Job Satisfaction. Job satisfaction is very important to all employees and it is defined as the extent to which a person derives pleasure from a job (Muchinsky, 1993, p. 290). Locke (1969 as cited in Friday Friday, 2003, p. 429) defines job satisfaction as a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of ones job. Job satisfaction may be one of the most ideal characters for the employees to work in an organization. As job satisfaction is the most vital key for an employee to stay with an organization for a long-term relation. Spector (1997, p.5) comments, Job satisfaction is the degree to which people like their jobs. Attitudes towards job satisfaction differ between employees and may change in the course of time. A number of researchers have done research on job satisfaction and each researcher has given a unique definition for job satisfaction. Agho, Muller and Price (1992) stated that job satisfaction is the extent to which an employee likes the job. Ashp (2008, p. 323) states Job satisfaction is important to retention; although the relationship may be direct or indirect. With Employee satisfaction, an organization deals with employees opinions and work process such as workload distribution, schedule (work timings) schedule and flexibility and internal communications. But the frequently asked question by everyone; Are we satisfied with the job that we are doing. Most say that Job satisfaction in an organization is not a problem but a symptom within the organization. However one can describe job satisfaction can go up and down by the hour independently of the ones works performance. Mullins states, Job satisfaction is necessary in order to achieve a high level of motivation and job performance(Mullin 2007, p. 277). It is not possible for low performance employees to get high job satisfaction. A report published on May 2008 states that there is a clear correlation between employee engagement and employee retention, the writer states that 85% of engaged employees were indicating that they plan to stay with their employer through 2008. The report states that an effective employee retention strategy is based on employee engagement. (Blessing White, 2008) Theories on job satisfaction: Job satisfaction can be defined as ones attitude towards ones job. Job satisfaction pays much relation with retention as it is the attitude that the person gains with the job attained and this makes the employee decide whether to stay or not (Weiss, 2002). There are several theories on job satisfaction a few of them are listed below. Affect theory Lockes Range of Affect Theory (1976) is the famous theory of job satisfaction in which the theory gives an explanation of what one wants from the job. The theory gives views of the dissatisfaction level and satisfaction level of an employee working. The theory states the facet of work, for e.g. the degree of autonomy of position decides the employee to stay or leave. If an individual were satisfied with the job, then the individual would give his best in the job he is doing in the organization. Dispositional theory This is a basic theory that explains the nature of similar identities such as two twins are alike to think the same but in process they tend to end up with different results. Hence job satisfaction for each employee is quite different. This theory was narrowed down by Judge (1992) by his model called the Core self evaluation model, where in the theory states the higher levels of self esteem and self efficacy would result in high job satisfaction levels. Two-factor theory (Motivator hygiene theory) This theory has taken two variables (Satisfiers and Dissatisfiers) and the theory states that factors causing these two variables are different and it is these factors that are responsible for an individuals satisfaction or dissatisfaction of the job. Satisfiers or motivators are satisfied with their job in presence or absence of a working condition corresponding to the higher levels of Maslows hierarchy of needs. And the dissatisfiers or hygiene factors, which correspond to the lower levels of Maslows hierarchy, are not satisfied with the job when they are adequate or in an inadequate working condition. (Ellis, 2005) Job characteristics model Hackman and Oldham introduced the Job characteristics model that is used widely to study the job characteristics and job outcomes along with job satisfaction. This model derives and states that there are five characteristics; i.e. skill, task, significance, autonomy, and finally feedback. These characteristics combine to give three physiological states; experienced meaningfulness, experienced responsibility for outcomes and knowledge of the actual results that influence job satisfaction and motivation. This framework of five characteristics can be combined to form Motivation Potential Score (MPS). (Hackman Oldham 1976) Ones attitude towards ones job is defined as job satisfaction. These theories cannot change the attitude of the individual but can help the individual to get settled with the job. Evans (1998, p. 19) states, Job satisfaction increases with age, job values remain constant with age and job reward increase with age. Certain factors usually affect an individuals job and this will affect the willingness of the individual to carry on working. E.g., in call centres, high stress is a factor that affects employees performance; it is because of this factor that most employees may not be satisfied with their jobs. It is important that the organization take necessary steps to solve the problem else many employees would leave the organization. Factors affecting employee retention: There are several factors that affect the growth and development of an individuals carrier. If an employee cannot see his future ahead in the organization, there are a number of reasons for him to leave the organization. As these factors can affect the employees work profile, personal growths and dreams, training and development which consists of communication skills, technical skills, procedure improvement skills and skills from special projects. As this dissertation deals with Information Technology (IT) let us consider the factors that affect the employees working in Call-centres. An article by Krishnan Jagadeesan G. on Employee Satisfaction in Knowledge Industry shows the factors that affect employees and the cause of turnover in IT industries (Call centres). He states that surveys have revealed that 42.35% were found working at odd times which were the main causes for high turnover and stress disorders. In terms of job satisfaction and retention rates, while the future of the BPO industry appears bleak unless suitable changes like job rotation and intellectual pursuit in the job content are brought about, the lookout in the manufacturing and the IT sectors are promising. (Krishnan, 2008) The most common factors that affects retention of employees is: Age Length of service Industry sector Organization size Occupational group Geographic location Gender A survey done by CIPD (2006) on Employee attitudes and engagement of employees in UK shows the factors responsible for employees to leave the organization, such as older employees are engaged more than younger employees, women are equally engaged with men, management of the organization, leadership and communication, job satisfaction, length of service, stress and involvement. In this survey, the results show that a lot of stress is given to the employees and this is due to the absence of employees and the pressure from senior employees. This survey will be done to analyse few of the researchers findings. Employee retention strategy: Retention strategies are less effective than recruitment and training strategies. Case study agencies have also agreed with the same on an industry survey. The findings of retention activities are consistent with literature and it is identified that retention is a weak link in the employment cycle. Retention strategies that all organizations include are employee engagement, employee orientation and employee recognition (Davis, 2002, p.41). Each of these employee strategies helps the employee to connect with a goal in the organization. Researchers have done research and are doing research on how to retain employees for the company one is working for. The below are the findings from an article on the web which show the ways in retaining the employees. 60 years of research have shown that only research-based and theory-supported approaches will help in improving employee engagement, as employee engagement will improve retention strategies, by offering compliments, such as the best employee of the month, giving prizes and suggestion boxed. Short-term gifts or prizes such as the above do not help the employee to stay with the organization for long. The responsibility taken to create the change and implementing it will assure improved understanding and support from the employees in all aspects. Loyalty and commitment are significance to the employees working in an organization. Action oriented approaches will help the organization in order to move forward quickly. As this would bring an organization with best development practices to effectively build a high retention culture (Employee Retention Strategies, N.D.). Employees play an important role in every organization and are responsible for the growth of the organization; hence it is important that the employers retain their employees. The above findings describe a few strategies on how to retain employees. It is found that Employee Retention is not given much importance when comparing with recruitment and training processes. The above text states that employee engagement is related with employee retention, change in retention strategy will improve employee engagement. These findings will help the researcher in building a strong questionnaire as the previous researches have already showed good results. Keeping these results aside it would be easier to attain the research goal, as the path would be specific with no variation in between. It is only by research new strategies are found and changes are made in existing strategies to satisfy employees. These findings would give the researcher more space in finding the problems in deep, apart from the regular ones. In this dissertation, Sutherland (a call centre) is taken as the case study to find out and improve the retention strategies that are being followed with reference to the ancestral methods. Few common strategies on employee retention are Retention focused recruitment. Retention focused orientation. Job sculpting Retention focused Managing Retention focused Career support Work life balance measures Retention focused rewards Retention focused communication. The above are few strategies that are commonly used by organizations to retain employees by giving them high level of job satisfaction. As this dissertation is concerned with the IT sector let us see in detail the retention strategies that are used in IT (call centres) for retaining the employees. As this dissertation consists of a case study of a call centre, the researcher can examine what strategies could be used for retaining employee in this sector. An article published on the Internet shows a few strategies on how to retain the employees in a call centre. The job satisfaction of the employee will result in the performance of the employee which will give the employee a better working environment and henceforth which will result in customer satisfaction and productivity. A few ways of satisfying employees include: Recruit people who value work. Clarify expectations. Provide good and specific job training. Reward the employees for high performance. The above are few key elements that used to satisfy employees in the IT industry. There could be more elements that can satisfy employees and help the organization my retaining the employees. This research would help in finding more ways to satisfy employees so that they do not have to leave the organization. Interviews and questionnaires with the lower level and top-level of the organization will help attaining the research purpose and meet the research objectives. The findings from the questionnaire would be used to frame the structure of the interview. The interview will be taken with an agent, team leader and an HR team member of the organization. The Review of Literature in this dissertation helps to give an understanding of what is meant by employee retention and the existing models and concepts that being used such as strategies and techniques. Theories on job satisfaction helped the researcher in finding out the importance of job satisfaction with employee retention. Existing research-based theories on retention strategies were included so that the researcher will be able compare the primary findings with it. It would also be useful to find out, whether the existing strategies found by researchers are sufficient to maintain employee retention or changes should be made to the theories. These existing theories on employee retention, job satisfaction and retention strategies would give the researcher abundant satisfaction and confidence in moving towards the research as all the aspects of retention have been covered. Theories and models used in the review of literature gives a brief idea of the strategies that are being used in organizations and could be compared to one of the existing models. The contents in the review of literature could be compared to the case study companies to find the changes that are necessary and why does it need it. The researcher concludes by stating that the Review of Literature helps to achieve the aim of the dissertation in this research. CHAPTER 3 Research Methodology Clough and Nutbrown, 2007, p.5 states research is the investigation of an idea, subject or topic for a purpose. Research is used to investigate a topic or a theory in depth to get a better understanding in detail. The term research is a way of describing systematic investigation of a theory or area of activity. Although all research cannot be measured, a few can be scientifically measured or data collected and can be analysed to identify differences. Approach to the research Deductive and Inductive approach There are two types of approaches in doing a research, i.e. deductive and inductive methods. It depends on the researcher whether to choose a deductive approach or inductive approach. In deductive approach, the researcher develops a theory and designs a research strategy that analyses the hypothesis and in inductive approach, the researcher collects data from by various methods of research and end up with the hypothesis based on the data analysis. Deductive approach involves the improvement or development of a theory that is subjected to tests. Nwokah et al., 2009, p.4, states, Laws present the basis of explanation, allow the anticipation of phenomena, predict their occurrence and therefore fore permit them to be controlled. 5 stages in which deductive approach will progress. Deducing a hypothesis from a theory. Exposing the hypothesis in operational terms, which propose a relationship between two specific concepts or variables. Testing this operational hypothesis. Examine the outcome obtained from the inquiry. If necessary modifying the theory in the light of the findings.(Saunders et al., 2007, p. 117) Inductive approach is opposite to deductive approach; inductive approach starts with the collection of data that it is added to form a theory or hypothesis. The following is an inductive approach for analysis for a qualitative evaluation data is described. The reasons to use an inductive approach are (a) it compresses textual data into a summary format (b) provide links within the research objectives and findings that are derived from the data and (c) a framework can be developed of the structure of processes that are evident in the data (Thomas, 2006). The inductive approach provides an easy systematic set of procedures for analyzing qualitative data that can produce reliable and valid findings. The inductive approach is not as strong as some other analytic strategies for theory or model development, it does provide a simple and straightforward approach for deriving findings in the context of focused evaluation questions. Many evaluators are likely to use the inductive approach, as it is less complicated than using other approaches to qualitative data analysis (Schutt, 2006). Research philosophy The type of method used in this research Retention of Employees in Call Centres Retention of Employees in Call Centres Personal computers Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION In the 21st century every child or adult have their own personal computers and ways of communication have been made easier with the help of email, mobile phones and faxes. These are adopted from Information Technology (IT) industries. The main concern of IT industries is to make life easy for the people. Information Technology can be defined as the branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers and telecommunications to retrieve and store transit information. (Wisegeek, N.D.) Call centres are a part of the IT industries, which is the most blooming sector and the role of these call centres is to make life easy to customers. Call centres are the upcoming field of employment for youngsters in Information Technology. Recruitment to get into a BPO (Business Process Organization) is done on the basis of qualification and good communication skills. BPOs are the fastest growing segments in Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES). These BPOs are striving out a new exposure of the westernized working environment that could lead to a few problems in other countries. Although it has a good side by providing a good pay and a better life style for the individuals, on the other side there are still some diplomatic problems that could be identified. Most researches are done on stress, physical and psychological problems that are faced by the employees. An article in the journal, An Exploration of Occupational Hazards in BPO industry, states, Majority of employees were found to have physical health, socialization and stress related problems due to their job. (Vashistha, 2008) Competition is more in todays world and organizations are trying to build a competitive advantage through more employees who are often challenged. These individuals try to be the best in their respected fields and give their best for the organization. As the competition between organizations increases the competition for the individuals also increase. The IT industry is one of the leading industries in the world and every company needs an IT section that plays a vital role as it controls most of the organization. As it is this is the most wanted sector in every organization, the pay for employees is also expected to be high. In an IT sector, there are a number of employees who although start as freshers and will expect to get a better income as the years of experience increase (Employee Engagement Report 2008 Published May 2008). India has become the hub to start IT industries in the world. India is one of the developing countries and allows foreigners to commence large MNCs as it will reduce the unemployment level and would help the educated to get immediate jobs after education. Most global organizations have always preferred outsourcing Call centres in India. The reason to it would be that India has the second most English speaking population after the USA. There are various other reasons such as skilled labour, educated workforce, etc. Indias large number of educated workforce will not reduce, as there is always been an increasing number of students graduating every year. It is difficult to take the analysis of the entire country as is too broad and vast to cover. There are many IT companies in India; Chennai is a part of Southern India that consists of many call centres. New IT companies emerge every week and a few get closed too. E.g. Call centres in Chennai have become very popular within students and graduates, who have just completed their course. They are given a reasonable pay as fresh employees, in course of time only a few employees stick to the organization and most employees take it as a fill in job or they shift to another company because they are paid higher than its previous employer. The following section will outline how the dissertation will be structured. This will include the following: the research question, research objectives, scope, methodology, benefits and justification. A good dissertation will attempt to answer the research question and will provide a conclusion based on both secondary and primary information. Research purpose This dissertation will help us to find out the retention of employees in IT industry (Call centres) by considering a MNC in Chennai (India), (Sutherland). This large MNC (Multi National Companies) would be used as a case in this research. Below are a few key issues that will be addressed in the dissertation process: To find out ways to improve strategies in retaining employees in call centres. To study the various reasons and the need for jumping to different organisationis it only money or Is Hierarchal Phenomenon the cause of employees to shift? Dissertation Aim The purpose of doing a research is to answer the proposed research questions in a dissertation. The research questions will articulate the research problem giving various findings and suggestions. The following are the research questions for this dissertation; these questions will help the researcher to get valid information of the employees and the HR team in the organization. Information from the HR team would give the researcher suggestions and methods based on retention strategies. Does the organisation take any steps to retain their staff? Why is the retention of an employee, a hectic problem in an IT (Call centre) than any other sector? The aim of the dissertation is to critically assess and evaluate HR strategies used in Indian call centres, in specific to improve staff retention rates. Research Objectives: The research objectives are subjected to the purpose of the research; these objectives give an outline of a dissertation. The main objectives in this dissertation are: To carry out a critical review of the literature on staff retention To identify and assess reasons for poor retention rates in the IT industry. To identify and evaluate strategies to improve employee retention rates in the IT industry. To provide conclusions based on both secondary and primary evidence To make relevant recommendations for improving employee retention rates based on the conclusions arrived at. Benefits of the research: The benefits of the research help in giving the company a better understanding of the employee status. E.g. do employees want to quit the job and shift to other companies? This research would help the organisation to identify key issues faced by employees in terms of retention that will enable them to improve their retention rates. Employee retention is a large cost to some companies and by improving retention rates, it can be argued that costs can be controlled and which in turn will improve the effectiveness of the organisation. India is a developing country and IT is a major source for all MNCs. The research would consist of a case study on an IT company. The scope in this research is referred only with respect to the place chosen for the research (India). The scope of an organisation is dependable on geographic location and the culture of the people. Scope depends on the people and the location of the organisation, such that the scope in India for Biotechnology is less when compa red to U.S. More problems can arise due to the involvement of different cultures in one organisation. The rationale of my research will provide an analysis for human resource planning on employee retention in the IT industry. This will also help to identify the HR practices and whether these can be improved. This dissertation will consist of a detailed research and analysis on IT Company chosen (Located in Chennai, India). Background to the company Sutherland is a BPO that is operating in Chennai (India), it was first established in New York by Rochester in the year 1986. The branch in Chennai was opened in the year 2000 and was the first offshore facility to be opened in India. Many other branches were opened in course of time in different countries such as Canada, Mexico Bulgaria and Philippines. Sutherland employs 24,000 professionals offering rich services from its 24/7 delivery centres globally (Sutherland, 2009). Sutherland won the award; Employer of the year in 2009. They state that their employees are given the best of training to excel in their field, either in terms of business methodologies or technology. Sutherland offers front office and back office services that provide customers a better service. CHAPTER 2 Review of literature Employee retention: Carsen, 2005 states that employee retention refers to the possible number of employees that stay around for a given duration of time. In simple words employee retention could be defined as a process in which the employees are encouraged and motivated to stay with the organization. Employee retention is important and beneficial for the organization. This dissertation deals with call centres, which is a part of the IT industry. Call centres are defined as specialized organizational units providing telephone-based customer services (Kleemann Matuschek, 2002, p.41). Call centres are a part of the IT sector and are of two types and they are outbound and inbound call centres. They usually operate 24/7 a week i.e. 365 days a year. (Marr Neely, 2004). IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYEE RETENTION Employee retention plays a vital role in every organization. Mobley, 1982 states that employee turnover may be important to some organizations and a few individuals. From the organizational perspective employee turnover can represent a significant cost in terms of recruiting, training, socialization and disruption, as well as a variety of indirect costs. There are many reasons for an employee to leave an organization and it could be due to age, length of service, organizational sector size, occupational group and geographic location. The problems that arise of poor retention should be assessed within the norms of a given external labour market. (Evans 2001) Models and Theories on employee retention: There is a reason for companies to retain their top most employees. There are several models that are being followed in retaining the top most employees. There are few common hiring models that are being used by organizations for employee retention. Each has its own advantage and all serve the purpose to get hold of maximum employee retention. The following are the models, which are being used commonly. The classic model- Core employees. The above model works best with senior management, where one would require a persons full time work and attention. This is best suitable for core activities within the organization and proprietary activities such as trade secret within the organization. Many organizations do make the mistake by assuming that core employee model is the only retention model and the organization tries to fit in all jobs within it. It is important for an organization to understand and follow the hiring models appropriately. Flexible work This type of model usually involves in sharing a job within the family. This model best fits in call centres as in this industry continuity is not mush required. On the whole this model cannot work for short shift works; for example; an advertising team launching a new advertisement cannot offer job sharing-posts, as the continuity of the job is very much required. Job sharing is a success in certain cases such as when there is no much need of individual continuity with customers or with a third party and when the degree of interaction is low between the employee and the consumer. This type of model makes employees feel at home and have very less probability in them leaving the job, as they are comfortable with it and it usually works within families. Free agents Many educated individuals in the IT industry do not like to work full time for a particular organization as these employees enjoy working as part-timers in more than one organization, these type of employees are called free agents. This is the next step to flexible work with respect to job satisfaction. These types of free agents are not given a usual salary but they are paid on their results that they produce. This model is not business orientated but it is project orientated and it attracts the employee to do the job as it a likely interest. These employees usually stay with the organization only if they are recognized for their work. Outsourcing The above three models not only explains the different types of employees in an organization but also explains how to retain employees according to the type of sector that is best suitable for the individual, the question arises only when the organization gets an employee from outside to do the job of the organization. These kinds of employees are taken only for a specific duration by different organizations or individuals. This model best works with low value transaction, low-tech uncomplicated activities and non-critical activities. Many organizations have concluded that it is not possible to motivate and train employees for specified jobs, so they agree with outsourcing. (McKeown, 2002) Svyantek McChrystal, 2007, p.225, shows in his book, a new model of retention, which is very different from the above models. In this model he states employees retain the jobs because they are self-concept-job fit and an experienced meaningful work. Self-concept-job fit is a method in which the human relations professionals input the meaningful work in employees. Horgans Roberts, 2000 have stated that the future should focus into the concept of self-concept-job fit either in existing or after recruiting employee. The above models are different from each other and each of them fits best for different kinds of organizations. The best suitable model must be used in order to retain their employees and get high job performance from them. Though we cannot satisfy all individual needs there are certain general factors that we can get rid of so that the employees who are working, feel at home. After one executes a type of model into an organization it is important that the employees are satisfied with the type of job that an individual is doing. Job satisfaction is related to employee retention and for an employee to retain in the organization the individual must be satisfied but the job. Job Satisfaction. Job satisfaction is very important to all employees and it is defined as the extent to which a person derives pleasure from a job (Muchinsky, 1993, p. 290). Locke (1969 as cited in Friday Friday, 2003, p. 429) defines job satisfaction as a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of ones job. Job satisfaction may be one of the most ideal characters for the employees to work in an organization. As job satisfaction is the most vital key for an employee to stay with an organization for a long-term relation. Spector (1997, p.5) comments, Job satisfaction is the degree to which people like their jobs. Attitudes towards job satisfaction differ between employees and may change in the course of time. A number of researchers have done research on job satisfaction and each researcher has given a unique definition for job satisfaction. Agho, Muller and Price (1992) stated that job satisfaction is the extent to which an employee likes the job. Ashp (2008, p. 323) states Job satisfaction is important to retention; although the relationship may be direct or indirect. With Employee satisfaction, an organization deals with employees opinions and work process such as workload distribution, schedule (work timings) schedule and flexibility and internal communications. But the frequently asked question by everyone; Are we satisfied with the job that we are doing. Most say that Job satisfaction in an organization is not a problem but a symptom within the organization. However one can describe job satisfaction can go up and down by the hour independently of the ones works performance. Mullins states, Job satisfaction is necessary in order to achieve a high level of motivation and job performance(Mullin 2007, p. 277). It is not possible for low performance employees to get high job satisfaction. A report published on May 2008 states that there is a clear correlation between employee engagement and employee retention, the writer states that 85% of engaged employees were indicating that they plan to stay with their employer through 2008. The report states that an effective employee retention strategy is based on employee engagement. (Blessing White, 2008) Theories on job satisfaction: Job satisfaction can be defined as ones attitude towards ones job. Job satisfaction pays much relation with retention as it is the attitude that the person gains with the job attained and this makes the employee decide whether to stay or not (Weiss, 2002). There are several theories on job satisfaction a few of them are listed below. Affect theory Lockes Range of Affect Theory (1976) is the famous theory of job satisfaction in which the theory gives an explanation of what one wants from the job. The theory gives views of the dissatisfaction level and satisfaction level of an employee working. The theory states the facet of work, for e.g. the degree of autonomy of position decides the employee to stay or leave. If an individual were satisfied with the job, then the individual would give his best in the job he is doing in the organization. Dispositional theory This is a basic theory that explains the nature of similar identities such as two twins are alike to think the same but in process they tend to end up with different results. Hence job satisfaction for each employee is quite different. This theory was narrowed down by Judge (1992) by his model called the Core self evaluation model, where in the theory states the higher levels of self esteem and self efficacy would result in high job satisfaction levels. Two-factor theory (Motivator hygiene theory) This theory has taken two variables (Satisfiers and Dissatisfiers) and the theory states that factors causing these two variables are different and it is these factors that are responsible for an individuals satisfaction or dissatisfaction of the job. Satisfiers or motivators are satisfied with their job in presence or absence of a working condition corresponding to the higher levels of Maslows hierarchy of needs. And the dissatisfiers or hygiene factors, which correspond to the lower levels of Maslows hierarchy, are not satisfied with the job when they are adequate or in an inadequate working condition. (Ellis, 2005) Job characteristics model Hackman and Oldham introduced the Job characteristics model that is used widely to study the job characteristics and job outcomes along with job satisfaction. This model derives and states that there are five characteristics; i.e. skill, task, significance, autonomy, and finally feedback. These characteristics combine to give three physiological states; experienced meaningfulness, experienced responsibility for outcomes and knowledge of the actual results that influence job satisfaction and motivation. This framework of five characteristics can be combined to form Motivation Potential Score (MPS). (Hackman Oldham 1976) Ones attitude towards ones job is defined as job satisfaction. These theories cannot change the attitude of the individual but can help the individual to get settled with the job. Evans (1998, p. 19) states, Job satisfaction increases with age, job values remain constant with age and job reward increase with age. Certain factors usually affect an individuals job and this will affect the willingness of the individual to carry on working. E.g., in call centres, high stress is a factor that affects employees performance; it is because of this factor that most employees may not be satisfied with their jobs. It is important that the organization take necessary steps to solve the problem else many employees would leave the organization. Factors affecting employee retention: There are several factors that affect the growth and development of an individuals carrier. If an employee cannot see his future ahead in the organization, there are a number of reasons for him to leave the organization. As these factors can affect the employees work profile, personal growths and dreams, training and development which consists of communication skills, technical skills, procedure improvement skills and skills from special projects. As this dissertation deals with Information Technology (IT) let us consider the factors that affect the employees working in Call-centres. An article by Krishnan Jagadeesan G. on Employee Satisfaction in Knowledge Industry shows the factors that affect employees and the cause of turnover in IT industries (Call centres). He states that surveys have revealed that 42.35% were found working at odd times which were the main causes for high turnover and stress disorders. In terms of job satisfaction and retention rates, while the future of the BPO industry appears bleak unless suitable changes like job rotation and intellectual pursuit in the job content are brought about, the lookout in the manufacturing and the IT sectors are promising. (Krishnan, 2008) The most common factors that affects retention of employees is: Age Length of service Industry sector Organization size Occupational group Geographic location Gender A survey done by CIPD (2006) on Employee attitudes and engagement of employees in UK shows the factors responsible for employees to leave the organization, such as older employees are engaged more than younger employees, women are equally engaged with men, management of the organization, leadership and communication, job satisfaction, length of service, stress and involvement. In this survey, the results show that a lot of stress is given to the employees and this is due to the absence of employees and the pressure from senior employees. This survey will be done to analyse few of the researchers findings. Employee retention strategy: Retention strategies are less effective than recruitment and training strategies. Case study agencies have also agreed with the same on an industry survey. The findings of retention activities are consistent with literature and it is identified that retention is a weak link in the employment cycle. Retention strategies that all organizations include are employee engagement, employee orientation and employee recognition (Davis, 2002, p.41). Each of these employee strategies helps the employee to connect with a goal in the organization. Researchers have done research and are doing research on how to retain employees for the company one is working for. The below are the findings from an article on the web which show the ways in retaining the employees. 60 years of research have shown that only research-based and theory-supported approaches will help in improving employee engagement, as employee engagement will improve retention strategies, by offering compliments, such as the best employee of the month, giving prizes and suggestion boxed. Short-term gifts or prizes such as the above do not help the employee to stay with the organization for long. The responsibility taken to create the change and implementing it will assure improved understanding and support from the employees in all aspects. Loyalty and commitment are significance to the employees working in an organization. Action oriented approaches will help the organization in order to move forward quickly. As this would bring an organization with best development practices to effectively build a high retention culture (Employee Retention Strategies, N.D.). Employees play an important role in every organization and are responsible for the growth of the organization; hence it is important that the employers retain their employees. The above findings describe a few strategies on how to retain employees. It is found that Employee Retention is not given much importance when comparing with recruitment and training processes. The above text states that employee engagement is related with employee retention, change in retention strategy will improve employee engagement. These findings will help the researcher in building a strong questionnaire as the previous researches have already showed good results. Keeping these results aside it would be easier to attain the research goal, as the path would be specific with no variation in between. It is only by research new strategies are found and changes are made in existing strategies to satisfy employees. These findings would give the researcher more space in finding the problems in deep, apart from the regular ones. In this dissertation, Sutherland (a call centre) is taken as the case study to find out and improve the retention strategies that are being followed with reference to the ancestral methods. Few common strategies on employee retention are Retention focused recruitment. Retention focused orientation. Job sculpting Retention focused Managing Retention focused Career support Work life balance measures Retention focused rewards Retention focused communication. The above are few strategies that are commonly used by organizations to retain employees by giving them high level of job satisfaction. As this dissertation is concerned with the IT sector let us see in detail the retention strategies that are used in IT (call centres) for retaining the employees. As this dissertation consists of a case study of a call centre, the researcher can examine what strategies could be used for retaining employee in this sector. An article published on the Internet shows a few strategies on how to retain the employees in a call centre. The job satisfaction of the employee will result in the performance of the employee which will give the employee a better working environment and henceforth which will result in customer satisfaction and productivity. A few ways of satisfying employees include: Recruit people who value work. Clarify expectations. Provide good and specific job training. Reward the employees for high performance. The above are few key elements that used to satisfy employees in the IT industry. There could be more elements that can satisfy employees and help the organization my retaining the employees. This research would help in finding more ways to satisfy employees so that they do not have to leave the organization. Interviews and questionnaires with the lower level and top-level of the organization will help attaining the research purpose and meet the research objectives. The findings from the questionnaire would be used to frame the structure of the interview. The interview will be taken with an agent, team leader and an HR team member of the organization. The Review of Literature in this dissertation helps to give an understanding of what is meant by employee retention and the existing models and concepts that being used such as strategies and techniques. Theories on job satisfaction helped the researcher in finding out the importance of job satisfaction with employee retention. Existing research-based theories on retention strategies were included so that the researcher will be able compare the primary findings with it. It would also be useful to find out, whether the existing strategies found by researchers are sufficient to maintain employee retention or changes should be made to the theories. These existing theories on employee retention, job satisfaction and retention strategies would give the researcher abundant satisfaction and confidence in moving towards the research as all the aspects of retention have been covered. Theories and models used in the review of literature gives a brief idea of the strategies that are being used in organizations and could be compared to one of the existing models. The contents in the review of literature could be compared to the case study companies to find the changes that are necessary and why does it need it. The researcher concludes by stating that the Review of Literature helps to achieve the aim of the dissertation in this research. CHAPTER 3 Research Methodology Clough and Nutbrown, 2007, p.5 states research is the investigation of an idea, subject or topic for a purpose. Research is used to investigate a topic or a theory in depth to get a better understanding in detail. The term research is a way of describing systematic investigation of a theory or area of activity. Although all research cannot be measured, a few can be scientifically measured or data collected and can be analysed to identify differences. Approach to the research Deductive and Inductive approach There are two types of approaches in doing a research, i.e. deductive and inductive methods. It depends on the researcher whether to choose a deductive approach or inductive approach. In deductive approach, the researcher develops a theory and designs a research strategy that analyses the hypothesis and in inductive approach, the researcher collects data from by various methods of research and end up with the hypothesis based on the data analysis. Deductive approach involves the improvement or development of a theory that is subjected to tests. Nwokah et al., 2009, p.4, states, Laws present the basis of explanation, allow the anticipation of phenomena, predict their occurrence and therefore fore permit them to be controlled. 5 stages in which deductive approach will progress. Deducing a hypothesis from a theory. Exposing the hypothesis in operational terms, which propose a relationship between two specific concepts or variables. Testing this operational hypothesis. Examine the outcome obtained from the inquiry. If necessary modifying the theory in the light of the findings.(Saunders et al., 2007, p. 117) Inductive approach is opposite to deductive approach; inductive approach starts with the collection of data that it is added to form a theory or hypothesis. The following is an inductive approach for analysis for a qualitative evaluation data is described. The reasons to use an inductive approach are (a) it compresses textual data into a summary format (b) provide links within the research objectives and findings that are derived from the data and (c) a framework can be developed of the structure of processes that are evident in the data (Thomas, 2006). The inductive approach provides an easy systematic set of procedures for analyzing qualitative data that can produce reliable and valid findings. The inductive approach is not as strong as some other analytic strategies for theory or model development, it does provide a simple and straightforward approach for deriving findings in the context of focused evaluation questions. Many evaluators are likely to use the inductive approach, as it is less complicated than using other approaches to qualitative data analysis (Schutt, 2006). Research philosophy The type of method used in this research

Emperor Caligula Biography Essay -- essays research papers

Emperor Caligula On August 31st, 12 AD Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder gave birth to the third Roman emperor during the Julio-Claudian Dynasty. During the beginning of his reign, it seemed to be, as most would call it â€Å"a dream come true†. But after a few favorable accomplishments, Caligula became the deranged tyrant he is known for today. Born Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus, he acquired the name Caligula at the age of two. After being separated from his parents for eighteen months, Augustus prepared traveling arrangements that would re-unite him with his mother. His parents gave him an oversized soldier’s uniform with military boots and he became the mascot for the troops. Thus, he received the Latin nickname for â€Å"Little Boot†. Three months after he acquired this nickname, Augustus died and the troops rebelled. For the sake of her family, Agrippina prepared to leave with her son. Quickly realizing how savage their behavior was, the troops stopped rebelling and begged Agrippina to stay. They said, â€Å"the mere sight of little Gaius unquestionably calmed them down.† Germanicus let Caligula stay, but made Agrippina leave because she was about to give birth. After Germanicus (Caligula’s father) and the Roman army had defeated the Germans, a victory parade began in Rome. Caligula was placed in a chariot alongside his father as they rode throughout Rome. Not long after, Germanicus was sent to the Middle East with his family where he received new military duties. The five-year-old Caligula also accompanied him. Even though Germanicus had all authority in the East, Piso of Syria challenged him. After a long fought battle, Germanicus became ill and died. This event remained strong in Caligula’s memory and could have le... ...tus, was treated with more honor than the most honorable citizens in Rome. He intended to appoint the horse as a consul, but the little sanity he had left led him to abandon this idea. Not long after his many tyrannical actions, the Praetorian guards planned his murder. According to history books, the guards mainly killed Caligula for personal reasons but many believe that Caligula’s successor Claudius was involved. January 24, 41 AD, Emperor Caligula was assassinated by the Praetorian guards. Many Roman people believed that Tiberius’ later years damaged the carefully crafted political edifice put together by Augustus. They then realized that Tiberius was a glorious emperor compared to Caligula. As the people called him â€Å"our baby† and â€Å"our star†, it is ironic that his name later became synonymous with words such as hedonism, cruelty, tyranny, and insanity.

Eulogy -Robert Frost

Robert Frost Robert Frost once debated whether the world ended in fire, or ice. It is a sad thought that the world will end without him; that the future generations will be privy to such events made for people like Robert. He was an inspirational, American poet who questioned the very core of our beliefs, he chose paths that few had took, and that is why today he is remembered today. Robert Frost was born in San Francisco on March 26, 1874.His family moved to New England when he was eleven; he became interested in reading and writing poetry during his high school years in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He earned his formal degree at the arguably the most prestigious University, Harvard. He later worked through various occupations, ranging from teacher to editor of the Lawrence Sentinel. His first professional poem, â€Å"My Butterfly†, was published on November 8, 1894, in The Independent newspaper.In a 1970 review of The Poetry of Robert Frost, the poet Daniel Hoffman describes Fro st's early work as â€Å"the Puritan ethic turned astonishingly lyrical and enabled to say out loud the sources of its own delight in the world,† and comments on Frost's career as The American Bard: â€Å"He became a national celebrity, our nearly official Poet Laureate, and a great performer in the tradition of that earlier master of the literary vernacular, Mark Twain. † About Frost, President John F. Kennedy said, â€Å"He has bequeathed his nation a body of imperishable verse from which Americans will forever gain joy and understanding. Though his work is predominantly associated with the life and scenery of New England, and though he was a poet of traditional verse forms and metrics who remained unfalteringly detached from the poetic movements and fashions of his time, Frost is anything but a merely regional or minor poet. The author of searching and often dark meditations on universal themes he is essentially a modern poet who spoke truthfully in all that encomp asses, his work inspired psychological battles inside ourselves, his works were fused with layers of obscurity and irony.Robert Frost lived and taught for many years in Massachusetts and Vermont, and died in Boston on January 29, 1963. Two poems that debatably epitomize what Robert Frost stood for, what he believed in, how he opened the minds of many people to what is; These two poems are ‘fire and ice’, and ‘the road not taken’. The short poem ‘fire and ice’, outlines the familiar question about the destiny of the end of world, wondering if it is more likely to be devastated by fire or ice. People are on both sides of the debate, and Frost introduces the narrator to provide his personal take on the question of the end of the world.The narrator first determines that the world must end in fire after bearing in mind his personal experiences with desire and passion, the emotions of fire. Yet, after considering his experience with â€Å"ice,† or hatred, the narrator acknowledges that ice would be equally destructive. A reading will now be done of the poem: Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice.Only nine lines, this miniature poem is a vivid example of Frost’s concisely ironic literary style. The poem varies between two meter lengths (either eight syllables or four syllables) and uses three collections of interwoven rhymes, based on â€Å"-ire,† â€Å"-ice,† and â€Å"-ate. † In the first two lines of the poem, Frost creates a clear dichotomy between fire and ice and the two groups of people that believe in each element. By using the term â€Å"some† instead of â€Å"I† or â€Å"an individual,† Frost emphasizes that the distinction between the two elements is a univers al truth, not just an idea promoted by an individual.In addition to the unavoidable contradiction between fire and ice, these first lines also outline the prerogative that the world will end as a direct result of one of these elements. It is made unclear which element will lead to the destruction of the world, but it is noteworthy to know that these are the only two options given. The poem does not allow for any other possibilities in terms of the world’s fate, just as there are not any other opinions allowed in the black-and-white debate between fire and ice.Remarkably, the two prospects for the world’s destruction correspond directly to a common scientific debate during the time Frost wrote the poem. Much like this poem, scientists also debated the eventual end to the Earth, on one side; some believed the Earth will be destroyed by the burning magma core, incinerating the Earth to nothing, while others believed that a new Ice Age would wither all livings things on th e earth’s surface. Instead of preserving a strictly scientific perspective on this debate, Frost introduces a more emotional side, associating passionate desire with fire and hatred with ice.Within this metaphorical view of the two elements, the â€Å"world† can be recognized as a metaphor for and consequently foregrounding to the audience, a relationship. Too much fire and passion can quickly consume a relationship, while cold indifference and hate can be equally destructive Although the first two lines of the poem insist that there can only be a single choice between fire and ice, the narrator further details that a combination or a concurring sequence of both elements would destroy the Earth.Furthermore, the fact that he has had personal experience with both (in the form of desire and hate) reveals that fire and ice are not mutually exclusive, as the first two lines of the poem assert. In fact, though the narrator first concludes that the world will end in fire, he ultimately admits that the world could just as easily end in ice; fire and ice, it seems, are strikingly similar. This further highlights what Frost believes in relationships. That, although a concentration of one emotion, passion or hatred can be destructive he poses that one cannot be without both of them existing.The second poem analysed will be ‘The road not taken’. The narrator comes upon a fork in the road while walking through a yellow wood. He considers both paths and concludes that each one is equally well-travelled and appealing. After choosing a path, the narrator when he will come back to the fork to choose the different path, he later realises this will possibly never happen but that he will only come to new forks (new decisions), his mind then ponders on how different his life would have been if he chose the different path, a reading will now be done.Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood An d looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference. This poem is made up of four stanzas of five lines, each with a rhyme scheme of ABAAB. This poem is one of Frost’s most adored works and is used many times in English studies. Since its publication, many readers have analysed the poem as a nostalgic observation on life choices. The narrator decided to seize the day and express himself as an individual by choosi ng the road that was â€Å"less travelled by. As a result of this decision, the narrator claims that his life was essentially different, that it would have been had he chosen the well-travelled path. This reading of the poem is tremendously popular because every reader can commiserate with the narrator’s decision: having to choose between two paths without having any knowledge of where each road will lead. Moreover, the narrator’s decision to choose the â€Å"less travelled† path demonstrates his courage. Rather than taking the safe path that others have travelled, the narrator prefers to make his own way in the world.However, when we look closer at the text of the poem, it becomes clear that such an idealistic analysis is largely inaccurate. The narrator only distinguishes the paths from one another after he has already selected one and travelled many years through life. When he first comes upon the fork in the road, the paths are described as being fundamenta lly identical. In terms of beauty, both paths are equally â€Å"fair,† and the overall â€Å"†¦passing there / Had worn them really about the same. † It is only as an old man that the narrator looks back on his life and decides to place such importance on this particular decision in his life.During the first three stanzas, the narrator shows no sense of remorse for his decision nor might any acknowledgement that such a decision be important to his life. Yet, as an old man, the narrator attempts to give a sense of order to his past and perhaps explain why certain things happened to him. Of course, the excuse that he took the road â€Å"less travelled by† is false, but the narrator still clings to this decision as a defining moment of his life, not only because of the path that he chose but because he had to make a choice in the first place.So now, we will remember American poet, Robert Frost for his ingenious input into such universal truths and how such kno wledge can be extracted from his points of view. He is now gone from this Earth, but let us remember him, for his works, for inspiring us to take the road less taken when we come to our own cross roads, to temper our relationships with fire and ice. With these works, dear Robert has left us with enough knowledge and understanding to replace the hole that he has made.

School Levies essays

School Levies essays Most of you may think that school levies are a good thing. Pay a little more in taxes to help out the local school. It sounds like a great thing but there is a slight misconception about the school levies that most people dont bother to think about. Every so often, a new levy is introduced for the people to vote on. Some of those people think that the levy is a good deal. Their extra taxes goes to the extra-curricular activities at the school. Most of them have probably voted on another levy before and what they dont know is that the previous levy is still in effect. They are still paying taxes on it. The levy they will vote on in the future is an add-on to the one in the past. Each levy raises taxes just a little bit. Under one percent more. This seems like a small amount but add it onto the past levies and it can sum up to a lot of money. If your property is worth about $100,000, a one percent property tax is worth $1,000. Thats only one house. How much could the school spend on sports? The coaches salary and the bus for away games are about it. The players even have to spend money for equipment too. The school got by before with the money they obtain, why cant they go on without so much more. What is costing more money to the point that the school needs more or they threaten to take away all extra-curricular activities, including sports? What did they do before to keep these activities going? They should be able to do it again. When a levy is passed, all of the people in the area have this small increase on their taxes. How many students out of eight hundred actually play sports? The athletes of our school dont usually play only one sport. They know that they have to stay in shape for the next season so they play others. Lets say theres fifty football players. Not all of them will play basketball but some will. Then there are some people that didnt play f ...

SMC Training and Development Plan

SMC Training and Development Plan Free Online Research Papers SMC will implement a training program for existing employees to accommodate the need of increase in production. At SMC, the initial phase of training is a critical aspect to employee development. As a Human Resource (HR) Director it is our duty to establish a process for employee development to prepare employees help the organization meet its goals. â€Å"The definition of development indicates that it is future oriented. Development implies learning that is not necessarily related to the employee’s current job. Instead, it prepares employees for other positions in the organization and increases their ability to move into jobs that may not yet exist† (Hollenbeck, N, 2003). The HR’s training approach is an instructional design, a process of systematically developing training to meet specified needs. â€Å"The first step will be a needs assessment, which will evaluate the organization, individual employees, and employees’ tasks to determine what kinds of training, if any are necessary† (Hollenbeck, N, 2003). SMC has developed a staffing plan to accommodate the production demand by promoting existing employees to a Team Lead position. â€Å"SMC will be assessing existing employees within the Manufacturing Department by collecting information and providing feedback to employees about there behavior, communication style, and skills† (Hollenbeck, N, 2003). SMC implemented a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test to assess existing employees that may have Team Leader qualities to fulfill the Team Lead roles for the Manufacturing Department. This will give an opportunity for job growth and promotion to existing employees within the organization boosting employee morale. SMC will hire six Team Leads for the Manufacturing Department, which they will be responsible for training of 30 new temporary employees. They will be responsible and accountable for their team’s production and punctual deliverables. Existing employees will be promoted to Team Leads after the assessment and evaluations of each applicant are reviewed. HR will provide a training program that will establish the objectives of a Team Leader for the Manufacturing Department. By establishing objectives, it provides a basis to measure whether the program succeeded or not. The high output productive employees will be acknowledged first in becoming Team Leads for their Manufacturing Department. By hiring within company, the new Team Leads will already have hands on experience and high output production giving the department an effective training program that could be incorporated with the new hires (temporary employees) in the Manufacturing Department. The Team Lead training will be In-House training. It will be a 3-day training classroom instruction with a contracted trainer lecturing the group of Team Leads. Since all the Team Leads already have experience in the Manufacturing Department as production workers, the emphasis of the training is going to be more on Leadership and managerial skills with a high production environment. The first day trainees will receive information through a variety of presentation methods, from classroom lecture and computer based training. â€Å"The second day will consist of group building, where trainees will share ideas and experiences, build group identity, understand interpersonal relationships, and learn the strengths and weaknesses of themselves and their coworkers† (Hollenbeck, N, 2003). The final day they the trainees will have hands-on training by providing the trainees with interactive simulations of leadership skills and role-play. After the initial training of the new Team Leads HR will evaluate the effectiveness of the training program by administrating evaluations, which will ask specific training related task questions. The Manufacturing Department Supervisor will also observe the Team Leads to see if they demonstrate the desired skills and behavior of a Team Leader. An assessment of satisfaction of the training program by the trainee and supervisor can also evaluate the success of the training program. HR will reinforce the training program by focusing on helping employees improve performance of their current jobs. HR will not only have the initial training for new-hires or new positions but will emphasize on employee development. HR will provide quarterly management classes and career information seminars. Employees will get opportunities to cross train on different departments. By educating and informing upper management and employees of the importance of training and employee development, it will create overall asset employees within the company. Newly Hired Employees One of the challenges that SMC faces with the new hires is training and quick acclimation to company systems and procedures. The goal is to have the new hire become productive as quickly as possible. New employee must go through a process of familiarization with the product, co-workers, the equipment, the operating guidelines and parameters. Because of the increase in demand for SMC products, the company has a need for additional staffing. Regarding the new hires, taking steps to reduce learning curves will quickly optimize performance. This is a critical variable in quickly meeting the increase in demand for our products. There are numerous actions taken by SMC that includes providing operations and standard operating procedures manuals, orientation programs and training activities that assists new hires at quickly adjusting to their duties and tasks. Providing a ready resource for employees to use as a reference in undertaking job tasks, significantly expedites the learning proce ss. This is especially helpful for procedures that are intricate in details and involve multiple activities such as manufacturing, operations and customer service processes. Operations and standard operating procedures manuals at SMC provide step-by-step guidelines for duties and tasks, thus making it easier for our new employees to follow through the process. SMC’s operating procedure manuals also create a uniform method of completing job functions, which is important for building consistency in the performance of tasks and expediting production. SMC’s orientation period consists of 3 business days. The topics that SMC covers during the orientation period involve reviewing company policies and practices, management philosophies and priorities, job requirements and procedures, performance and productivity expectations, help resources and management introductions. A critical component of SMC’s orientation program involves a tour of the facility, allowing each new employee to become familiar with other departments and staff members. This allows all new hires to understand the role of each department and understand how that department works toward accomplishing SMC goals. It is important to give everyone the opportunity to develop his or her skills, knowledge and abilities regardless of prior experience. SMC’s training program takes place over a seven-day period and the trainer is always an SMC subject matter expert (SME) for that particular department. Training enables new employees to enhance the capabilities they initially bring to the company, and develop new skills. Training also serves to prepare new hires to take on additional responsibilities thus providing a foundation for handling new challenges. A major benefit of utilizing training, as a tool for grooming newcomers is that it provides higher comfort levels that boost new hires confidence and motivation levels, which in turn helps the company to be more productive. SMC’s training techniques focus on the needs of the target employee audience, as well as the time, financial and physical constraints of the company. The less experience the new hire has, the more attention is give n towards ensuring the training program is comprehensive. SMC’s training options range from informal on-the-job learning experiences to formal classroom sessions and from simple audiotape and videotape options to CD-ROM solutions and distance learning on-line courses. To help new employees get up to speed quickly, job aids and workplace displays provide access to step-by-step procedures and instructions of important performance activities. Supervisors and Directors Due to the reorganization at SMC to accommodate the increase in product demand, there will be two supervisory positions added to the Manufacturing Department staff. The creation of the two supervisor positions are due to the 30% increase of employees in the department and the creation of a night shift to accommodate the need for growth. Since these positions are new at SMC, there is an immediate need for the creation of job descriptions, as well as, a detail outline of training needs. The needs assessment include introduction to SMC’s corporate policies and procedures, training of HR employment law, hiring and firing practices and guidelines, payroll system operation, scheduling staff hours, and productivity reporting. The supervisors will require intense training and in order to expedite the training period they will receive training together. SMC’s HR Director will organize the supervisor-training program and inform them on the training schedule and implementation. The supervisors training program will be conducted in-house at SMC. Due to limited training resources at SMC; the HR Director prefers to use professional trainers. This method of training will be beneficial at this time because the Director wants to have a high level of assurance that the training program will be effective. This will also satisfy the CEO that the new hires will not put the company at risk since the supervisors will be responsible for HR issues and client deliverables. The HR Director will approach the training through instructional design, which is a process of systematically developing training to meet specified needs. The training program will prepare these employees for future growth within the company, enable SMC to respond to change more readily, reduce turnover, enhance work safety, improve customer service and product design, and meet many other goals of the company. The HR Director will work in conjunction with the outside training vendor SMC will be utilizing to conduct the training. Both supervisors will go through a person analysis, which is a process for determining the individual’s needs and readiness for training. The evaluation provides information on the individual’s knowledge, skill, and ability. Following the person analysis, track analysis will follow. This next process identifies the tasks, knowledge, skills, and behavior that training should emphasis and will assist the HR Director in determining the scope o f the training program. The training program will take place over a five-day period and the Trainer will come to SMC’s office to provide the training. The first day of training will cover the introduction to SMC’s policies and procedures, employment law, along with hiring and firing practices. Testing will take place at the end of the day to reinforce and evaluate the trainees understanding of the material covered. One day two before beginning training on the payroll system, the Trainer will review the results from testing on day one. They will cover topics the Trainer identifies as needing additional clarification. Computer based training will be the basis of the payroll system training. Test data will be set up to allow trainees to have hands on training on the system. Data entry, reporting, and learning how to trouble shoot payroll problems will be part of the agenda for this part of the training program. As in day one, there will be testing at the end of the day and the results reviewed the next morning, before beginning the next topic. Day 4 will cover measuring productivity and preparing reports, this training will measure the trainees’ analytical skill set, an important aspect of the job. Therefore, there will be additional training on this subject after the supervisors have worked two months on the job. Day 5 will include a recap of all topics covered in training; reinforcement of areas the supervisors may need additional training. All-inclusive testing of the materials covered for comprehension and understanding of the subject matter. Trainees will take a survey, which wi ll evaluate the training material, agenda, and the delivery of the instructor. Reinforcement and follow-up will be available by giving the supervisors access to the Trainer and HR Director as needed. After one month on-the-job, the supervisors will attend a weekend workshop to discuss issues that have come up in their first month. This will be a time for the HR Director to measure the progress and the success of the training program. There will be reinforcement training available as needed. The HR Director will schedule bi-yearly workshops to continue reinforcement and provide support to the supervisors. Work Cited Hollenbeck, N (2003). Training Employees and Developing Employees For Future Success. Chapter 7 and 9. The McGraw?Hill Companies, from University of Phoenix, Resources. 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