Horizontal Mergers Essay

Mergers occur when one business firm buys or acquires another business firm (the acquired firm) and the combined firm maintains the identity of the acquiring firm. Business firms merge for a variety of reasons, both financial and non-financial. There are a number of types of mergers. Horizontal and non-horizontal are just two of many types. WHAT IS HORIZONTAL MERGER? A merger occurring between companies in the same industry. Horizontal merger is a business consolidation that occurs between firms who operate in the same space, often as competitors offering the same good or service. Horizontal mergers are often a type of non-financial merger. In other words, a horizontal merger is undertaken for reason that have little to do with money, at least directly. Simply stated, a horizontal merger is usually the acquisition of a competitor who is in the same line of business as the acquiring business. By acquiring the competitor, the acquiring company is reducing the competition in the marketplace. Suppose, for example, that Pepsi were to buy Coca-Cola. This would be a horizontal merger. Horizontal mergers are common in industries with fewer firms, as competition tends to be higher and the synergies and potential gains in market share are much greater for merging firms in such an industry. Many businesses use this strategy when one is failing to perform. T hey merge as a last ditch effort to keep from going completely out of business. NON-HORIZONTAL MERGER A non-horizontal merger is the opposite of horizontal mergers. A merger between companies in different industry. It is a business consolidation that occurs between firms who operate in different space offering different goods and services. They involve firms who do not operate in the same market. It necessarily follows that such mergers produce no immediate change in the level of concentration in any relevant market. Although non-horizontal mergers are less likely than horizontal mergers to create competitive problems, they are not invariably innocuous. FORMS OF HORIZONTAL MERGERS There are two basic forms of non-horizontal mergers: vertical mergers and conglomerate mergers. Vertical mergers are mergers between firms that operate at different but complementary levels in the chain of production. Vertical mergers or vertical integration happens when the acquiring firm buys buyers or sellers of goods and services to the company. In other words, a vertical merger is usually between a manufacturer and a supplier. It is a merger between two companies that produce different products or services along the supply chain toward the production of some final product. Vertical mergers usually happen in order to increase efficiency along the supply chain which, in turn, increases profits for the acquiring company. In vertical mergers there is no direct loss in competition as in horizontal mergers because the parties’ product did not compete in the same relevant market. Just like horizontal mergers, vertical mergers can result in anti-trust problems in the marketplace by reducing competition. An example would be if an automobile manufacturing company was to buy up other businesses that exist along its supply c hain. It takes many different types of businesses to support automobile manufacturing. If an automobile company bought a seat belt manufacturing company, companies that manufactured different parts of the engine block and the transmission, as well as sources of its raw materials, transportation, technology, and sales (dealerships), imagine the market power that would accrue to that automobile manufacturing company. It would effectively totally control the price for its vehicles without having to consider any other factors. That is the kind of market power that anti-trust laws are meant to control. However, it should be noted that in general vertical merger concerns are likely to arise only if market power already exists in one or more markets along the supply chain. Conglomerate mergers involve firms that operate in different product markets, without a vertical relationship. They may be product extension mergers, i.e. mergers between firms that produce different but related products or pure conglomerate mergers. Conglomerate mergers generally involve the union of two companies that have no type of common interest, are not in competition with any of the same competitors, and do not make use of the same suppliers or vendors. Essentially, the conglomerate merger usually brings together two companies with no connections whatsoever under one corporate umbrella. This type of arrangement can be very desirable when the investors for the newly created conglomerate wish to create a strong presence in two different markets. In practice, the focus is on mergers between companies that are active in related or neighboring markets, e.g., mergers involving suppliers of complementary products or of products belonging to a range of products that is generally sold to the same set of customers in a manner that lessens competition. Proponents of conglomerate theories of harm argue that in a small number of cases, where the parties to the merger have strong market positions in their respective markets, potential harm may arise when the merging group is likely to foreclose other rivals from the market in a way similar to vertical mergers, particularly by means of tying and bundling their products. When as a result of foreclosure rival companies become less effective competitors, consumer harm may result. However, it should be stressed that in these cases there is a real risk of foregoing efficiency gains that benefits consumer welfare and thus the theory of competitive harm needs to be supported by substantial evidence

Family Vacations to Disneyland

After packing four adults and one child into a small car and traveling for two days we finally reached our destination. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the front entrance of Disneyland; finally my childhood dream had come true. I was overjoyed with emotions that I was able to not only fulfill a dream of my own, but provide a vacation for my kid that he would never forget. After getting through the front gates it seems like your day flies by without you even noticing.There’s so much to do and so little time in a day to get through all the exciting rides. I was just as sad as my kid when we had to leave the park when closing hours came. With our stuffed animals, Mickey ears, and cotton candy in hand we left the park glad that we had one more day to come back to enjoy the fun. Many years ago a vacation such as this might not have been as feasible as it is now for the average American family. Theme parks including Disneyland have for a long time served as a cultural symbol f or our country that thrives off being entertained.Families need places where they can go that everyone can have a good time and not have to worry about work or school. With as many resources available now, there has become more opportunities for families to provide vacations to theme parks such as Disneyland. The term theme park didn’t catch on until the beginning of Disneyland. Before then places like Coney Island were where families could go to get cheap thrills. Disneyland may not have been the first theme park but it certainly brought new ideas that no one had done before.The combination of development of audio-animatronics, themed sections of the park, shopping and food made for a place with mass appeal. Having been famous in film certainly helped in the popularity of the park as well. The first place that a lot of people might think about for a family vacation is Disneyland. Besides Disneyland being a fun place for a vacation, it has also been seen as an American staple for a dream family vacation. It’s a place specially made for people of all ages to truly enjoy themselves.Going on a family vacation not only can be fun and relaxing but provide for time to build and strengthen bonds, create everlasting memories, and create chances to learn new things. Even in times where money can be tight, by researching your possibilities and providing ample time for planning, vacations don't always end up breaking the bank. Bigger family vacations, such as Disneyland, need ample time to save up money for and can't just be planned over a couple of weeks. With all the resources that we have now compared to what there used to be, it helps for planning.There are all kinds of travel websites that have packaged deals for hotels, flights, and rental cars. Along with added packages for trips like Disneyland that provide park tickets and discounts. It seems like in today's busy world that family time isn't held as important as it once was and can be easily pushed aside. More and more parents have to work longer hours or weekends to make ends meet. Also the rate of single parents has increased dramatically over the last couple decades, which can cause a struggle for having quality time together.Even though my family and I all have hectic schedules we have always found spending time together to be extremely important. Whether that be playing board games, going on walks, or even reading a book. It not only keeps us close but also helps instill good values for our kids to pass down. This is one of the reasons why my husband and I wanted to take a vacation to Disneyland. We wanted to provide a vacation that would give us time to not have to worry about schedules or homework and be able to just relax and have fun.Another reason why I hold strong values on family time is because I didn't come from a family that had any. I've seen how not spending time can impact you as a kid on up into adulthood. American families now spend more time apart from ea ch other than together. This causes families to grow apart; parents have a hard time relating to their own kids and even struggle to know how to talk to them. Though coming from a family that did struggle so much with connecting has made me really cherish every moment that I spend with my own family.Disneyland has been a symbol of American culture for over 50 years and will continue to be for years to come. Being a country that loves our entertainment, theme parks will continue to trend in popularity. With better technology over the years family vacations to places such as Disneyland have become easier for families to access. Hopefully over time more and more families will understand the importance of spending time together and going on vacations. Making everlasting memories together is something that can never be taken away and will hopefully be passed on for generations to come.

Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana

Pros and Cons Of Legalizing Marijuana Marijuana is a very common street and recreational drug that comes from the marijuana plant. The plant that produces marijuana, as is well known, is the hemp plant cannabis sativa. The pharmacologically active ingredient in marijuana is tetra-hydro-cannabinol. Marijuana is used to heighten perception, affect mood and relax. It is estimated that about thirty percent of adults in the U. S. use marijuana. Many people think marijuana is harmless. It is not. Signs of marijuana use include red eyes, lethargy and uncoordinated body movements. The long-term effects may include decrease in motivation and harmful effects on the brain, heart, lung and reproductive system. People who smoke marijuana are more likely to develop cancer of the head and neck. The more often a person smokes marijuana and the longer they continue to smoke it, the greater is their chance of developing cancer in places such as the mouth, tongue, larynx or pharynx. A number of movements to legalize the use of marijuana have been gaining steam lately. There are places in California where it's already legal for medicinal purposes. Much of the American public now believes that the drug should be legalized but others are still concerned about health damage and other adverse affects. The argument whether to legalize the drug marijuana has Been going on for years. Many different pros and cons come with the drug marijuana. Legalizing marijuana is an important legal battle for several reasons. First, decriminalizing marijuana would make it readily available to individuals that need it, in safe and healthy way. Cancer patients, AIDS sufferers and many other patients must now obtain marijuana illegally in most states. The objections of the federal government to legalizing marijuana have almost nothing to do with how much harm it may or may not cause–it is a matter of pharmaceutical companies resisting legalization because it will be difficult for them to profit from the legal use of marijuana. Some of the chemical components that make up marijuana have been isolated and made into pill form through government-sponsored research, which directly contradicts the current legal view of marijuana. In fact, the former Surgeon General of the United States Jocelyn Elders asserted that overwhelming evidence exists that marijuana can relieve certain symptoms of ain, nausea and vomiting. (balanced politics. com). There are many pros for legalizing marijuana. Legalizing marijuana has many positive aspects, including increased tax revenue through the legal sale of marijuana. There is also the matter of the medical benefits of marijuana to those with illnesses that limit range of motion or induce nausea an d pain. (marijuana today. com). One of the most common arguments for legalizing marijuana is for medical benefits. Particularly health benefits for people who suffer from illnesses such as depression, cancer, glaucoma and even AIDS. Marijuana has been proven helpful for inducing appetite and combating nausea. Furthermore, marijuana has also proven beneficial for increasing the range of motion for those suffering from multiple sclerosis. As an illegal substance, many who suffer from debilitating illnesses would be arrested or imprisoned for simply seeking relief from their ailments. (marijuana today. com). The studies of the harmfulness of marijuana are inconclusive and contradictory. Most doctors would agree that it's not very harmful if used in moderation. (marijuanatoday. com). It’s only when you abuse the drug that problems start to occur. But isn't abuse of almost any bad substance a problem? If you abuse alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, or even pizza, health problems are sure to follow. Would you want the government limiting how much coffee you can drink or how much cheesecake you take in? Some medical examples that marijuana helps is chemotherapy for cancer. Chemotherapy often causes extreme nausea and vomiting. An active ingredient of marijuana is THC which often reduces vomiting and nausea. Marijuana usually lowers pretreatment anxiety as well. Another illness marijuana helps with is AIDS. AIDS usually causes low appetite, loss of lean muscle. Marijuana improves appetite. Pain and muscle spasms associated with epilepsy and multiple sclerosis can be less occurring with the use or marijuana. Marijuana may ease incontinence of bladder and bowel and relive depression. Lastly the disease Glaucoma is a progressive form of blindness due to increased pressure inside the eyeball. When marijuana is smoked it may reduce pressure within the eye. Another positive aspect for legalizing the use of marijuana is it would significantly decrease the number of marijuana-related arrests and imprisonments in the United States. Police and court resources would be freed up for more serious crimes. More than 200,000 individuals are incarcerated each year for marijuana possession, as part of the U. S. government's War on Drugs. Decriminalizing marijuana would also eliminate much of the crime associated with the illegal sale and trafficking of marijuana. Moreover, several states allow legal use of marijuana when prescribed by a physician, yet thousands of dispensary owners and patients are arrested every year by the federal government. Legalizing marijuana could bring in more revenue for states, as well as help individuals receive care who may be unable to receive it otherwise. (marijuana today. com). If marijuana was legalized the cost on prosecuting offenders would decrease dramatically. Many consider the War on Drugs an expensive failure. Resources for DEA, FBI, and border security are only the tip of the iceberg. You must add in the cost of police officers, judges, public defenders, prosecutors, juries, court reporters, prison guards, and so on. Legalization of marijuana would free up those people to concentrate on more important things like terrorism, harder drugs, rape, murder, and so on. In addition, an already overloaded civil court docket would be improved; and, the wait time for other legitimate court cases would be reduced. Border agents, TSA staff, drug-sniffing dogs, and scanners are some of the resources that are being directed to drug law enforcement. When these resources are focused on drugs, less time & energy is devoted to protecting against terrorism and the closing of our borders. For example, dogs are trained to sniff for drugs rather than bombs. (marijanatodaypros. com). Another pro of legalizing marijuana is that the government could regulate the quality and safety of drugs. Many people die or become sick because of what is added to the marijuana they purchase. Last but not least if marijuana is legalized the government would have one more thing to throw a tax on and profit from. An enormous amount of money is raised through government taxation of alcohol, and cigarettes. The legalization of marijuana would create another item that could be taxed. I'm sure the government would have no problem spending all that extra money. The federal government's argument for criminalizing marijuana appears to be based on pressure from tobacco and pharmaceutical industries who find the non-patentable nature of marijuana harmful to profit margins. marijuana today. com). Along with positive reasons for legalizing marijuana there is also many cons for the legalization of marijuana. One concern that appears if marijuana is legalized is that it would increase the chances of the drug falling into the hands of kids. Even unhealthy legal items such as cigarettes and alcohol are prohibited from being sold to kids. This is because kids generally don't exhibit the sa me reasoning, responsibility, and judgment of an adult. And their bodies aren't as equipped to handle the intake of these substances. The problem is even worse for marijuana use. Developing brains and bodies can be dealt serious blows by the use of marijuana. Any time you make something legal, you increase the accessibility to children. All too often kids and teenagers get their hands on alcohol or cigarettes. They shouldn’t let the same thing happen with marijuana. Another bad effect that may occur if marijuana is legalized is more widespread use would increase the dangers of secondhand smoke-damage to bystanders. The dangers of secondhand cigarette smoke are well-publicized. Common sense tells us that more widespread usage of marijuana increases the likelihood that other people would suffer the damage of inhaling other people's smoke. Public places like bars would expose innocent patrons. In the home siblings, roommates, kids, and spouses would all face increased exposure. A huge concern in legalizing the use of marijuana is driving while under the influence of marijuana. Which is referred to â€Å"stoned diving†. Driving and smoking is harder to detect than drinking and driving. Only because it doesn’t usually have a distinct smell unless just smoked and the only sign is usually redder eyes. Driving while being under the influence of marijuana may be more prone to cause a car accident. Marijuana causes the brain to function slower than usually, so driving abilities may be inadequate. Marijuana is often used to a stepping-stone drug leading to heroine, cocaine, or harder drugs. Studies show that marijuana use often progresses to the use of harder drugs. In other words, people experiment with what is often thought of as a harmless drug. Then, after using it for a while people want to feel a better high. This is particularly a problem since most people will not directly start abusing the harder drugs that are generally understood to be harmful. The last and most common reason marijuana hasn’t been legalized yet is the physical damaged that is done to users’ body after a period of time. Although some studies have been disputed, marijuana abuse has been tied to brain damage, cancer, lung damage, depression, amotivational syndrome, and even death. The brain damage has been shown to cause memory loss and difficulty in problem solving. It is the governments duty to protect the public from such dangerous drugs. After all, that's why the FDA was created. (marijuanatodaycons. com). Immediate effects after someone has smoked marijuana may include: loss of restlessness, excitement, hallucinations, psychotic, paranoia, psychotic episodes, impaired coordination, impaired motor ability, mood swings, increased appetite, and impaired ability. Long Term effects of marijuana may include: the loss of brain cells, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, energy loss, slow confused thinking, apathy, and blood vessel blockage. Physical effects of marijuana may include diarrhea, cramps, weight loss or gain, and impaired sex drive. Marijuana can be a gateway drug, which means it can lead to the use of many other harmful drugs. Marijuana has been linked with teen violence, suicide, crime, and unsafe sex-HIV transmission. Smoking marijuana by adolescent user can disrupt their emotional development, delay puberty, and can delay the monthly cycle in females. Marijuana may produce a mild physical dependence that causes minor withdrawal symptoms when discontinued, including nausea, insomnia, irritability, and anxiety. marijuanatodayeffects. com) Marijuana is an addictive drug that can harm your body which is the main reason that the government would rather leave the use of it legally out of the law. Marijuana is a commonly used drug in the united states and all over the world. Many people feel differently about the legalization of marijuana. Which is clear because in some states the drug is legal, or at least lega l for medical purposes. There is many pros and cons that come with the substance of marijuana. Regardless of the law the drug is very wide spread and used.

The Nature of Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Nature of Crime - Essay Example Therefore according to this theory low self control will increase the possibility of a person committing a crime, self control is achieved during early age when a child is socializing, poor parenting will lead to low self control to a child in future while strict and proper parenting will lead to high self control to a child. This theory applies to age, race and gender, a research done to determine the age crime relationship showed that the age variable for certain crimes supported the theory in that the age was a direct result of low self control depending on level of socialization. There also exist differences among races and ethnic groups because of the difference in supervision among this groups, but the races and ethnic groups do not directly determine crime instead it is the amount of socialization by parents that determine the occurrence of crime. According to the two classical scholars low self control is as a result of poor parenting which determines the quality of socialization, parents therefore should undertake the responsibility of punishing their children incase of any misconduct in order to avoid the development of low self control which intern will lead to a h... s low self control is as a result of poor parenting which determines the quality of socialization, parents therefore should undertake the responsibility of punishing their children incase of any misconduct in order to avoid the development of low self control which intern will lead to a high possibility of the occurrence of crime. Various scholars have tested this theory and there exist various criticisms, some scholars argue that the theory relates behaviors such as drinking and smoking as criminals behaviors but to be realistic smoking and drinking individuals do not necessarily mean that they are criminals. Another critic is that the theory assumes that crime is committed for the purpose of pursuing self interest, but this may not be true for all types of crimes because some other crimes such as murder may be committed for other reasons other than self interest. The theory is also criticized for favoring traditional roles of the family, the two classical theorists favor the traditional society and argue that a child should have both parents, this is unrealistic. Other studies have opposed the theory and suggested that adult social bonds such a person who has a stable job and a happy marriage may not involve himself in crime despite a poor socializing and parenting. However the theory is a clear breakthrough in criminology and has helped understand the causes of crime, although the theory faces some critics it is the only theory that well explains he concept of crime and also possible ways of minimizing crime through proper parenting. Question 2 Discuss the role of formal "sanction threats" in offender decision making. In doing so, your essay should address: Formal social controls play a major role in the prevention of crime; control is expressed

English Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English - Research Paper Example that there is a way to be good again, there is a way to redeem himself of his past misdeeds, and there is a way to atone for his past sins (Housseini, 2005; Hayes, 2003). Amir grows up in a country full of prejudice, injustice, wars and conflicts, and without a mother. He is therefore eager to please his father, make him proud of him, and show him that he has what it takes to be a competent member of society one day. But Amir is portrayed as a child who lacks some qualities like courage, conviction, daring. He is quite fearful, perhaps even gentle and timid, preferring not to get into trouble, to stay out of harms way. When he is approached, teased or attacked, and his best friend Hassan, the son of his fathers longtime servant and good friend, jumps in to save him and suffer the consequences- Amir is ashamed of himself, of his inability to step in and help the fight, help his friend Hassan. Hassan steps in to save Amir each time, and Amir cowers and doesnt participate in these fights. This is seen at its worst when Hassan runs all over town to bring Amir a kite and is caught by some taunting kids he and Amir know. One of them decides to punish him a nd brutally rapes him, as Amir is standing at the background, listening and doing nothing. As Hassan leaves the street later, his eyes encounter Amirs, as he leaves behind a trail of blood. His eyes are filled with disappointment, sadness, but he does not say anything or blame Amir (Stagnetto, 2008). Amir is therefore so full of guilt, remorse, shame that he cannot bear being around Hassan anymore. Hassan has always stood up to him, and has now paid the ultimate price for this. After the terrible incident, Hassan is not the same child again. He refrains from being in contact with others, just does his chores and returns to sleep in his bed, and becomes an unhappy, detached child. Amir is so guilt ridden that he plans for Hassan to be accused of theft, and as a result Ali and Hassan leave the house. Hassan knows once

Abortion is it The Right Thing to Do Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Abortion is it The Right Thing to Do - Essay Example In the USA, the debate is predominantly between pro-life and pro-choice groups, which oppose and support abortion respectively. The contention in this paper will be to examine both sides of the debate with the intention to determine which side has a more solid argument on the matter. Since the legalization of abortion in 1973, its opponents have brought forward several arguments to protest against it, most of them being based on moral and religious as well as health grounds, and many of these have been and are still quite compelling. One of the most common arguments against abortion is that it is tantamount to murder,and inducing an abortioninvolves ending a human life; this is because most anti-abortionists mostly hold that life begins at conception. Pro-life groups often cite the fact that since there have been over 52 million abortions in the USA alone over the last forty years, abortion has quintessentially claimed more lives than most of the wars in modern times. As such, it is argued that those who procure and provide abortions are in essence conspirators in murder and should get the same treatment meted out to convicted murders. In addition, another reason why abortion is opposed is the danger involved in its procurement, owing to the fact that there are many parts of the world where abortion is either illegal or the facilities are not available. In addition, in comparison with other medical procedures, abortion is often unregulated, and as a result there are many instances of botched up abortions leading to severe complications, especially when it is procured illegally by unqualified personal (Vlassoff et al. 114). Despite the fact that abortions carried out legally and by qualified medical professionals are considered generally safe, it is estimated that since the legalization of abortion in 1973, over 347 women have been killed while undergoing abortion. It has also been speculated that abortion increases one’s risks of getting breast cancer by at least 50 percent in addition to being possible cause of complications and difficulty when giving birth in future. However, as long as abortion is legal and carried out in health facilities, women are informed of all the potential side effects before they agree to the procedure. That way they make an informed decision out of their own free will in more or less the same way the government respects smokers’ right to smoke despite the potential risks (Kilerbert). Pro-lifers have also been very vocal in propagating the argument that abortion is offensive to God, and since he is the only one who can create life, he should be the only one who can take it away; therefore, abortionists try to play God, which is both immoral and sinful. As aforementioned, several of the arguments put forward in opposition of abortion are actually quite tenable; however, they do not tell the whole story and many of them, especially the ones based on religion and morality, are highly subjective and often emotional. For instance, despite the beliefs of several religious organizations that abortion is illegal and despite the fact that none of the religiou s books such as the Bible or the Koran mentions it, not everyone comes from the same religious background or is a believer at all. As such, arguing

Transformational Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Transformational Leadership - Essay Example Some of the factors were the rapid changes in technology, an increase in the circulation of products from recently industrialized nations, increased competitiveness among the competitors, pricing strategy in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) being volatile, and changing market structures led to a strong, volatile and competitive atmosphere in which important changes in the organization were crucial. Downsizing and adopting of new types of business agreement were the most common changes carried out. Therefore these changes took their toll on employee empowerment and satisfaction. This broke the old social agreement that had long term employment and in exchange get the employee's loyalty (Griffin 2003, p. 1). Secondly, in the 1970s, we had the contingency theory on leadership. The theory on leadership was established in research of behaviors, character, and circumstances and did not account for several untypical features in leaders (Simic 1998, p. 50). These are the fact tendencies that led to the realization of the theory of transformation.Odom and Green (2003), based on research and the analysis of a number of legal cases, claim that when the concept of transformational leadership is used in ethical dilemmas that managers face there is less litigation and better moral results than if the transactional approach to values that is common was used. Within academic surroundings, as a result of transformational leadership, instructors are more likely to work together and are perceived.

Ethical guidelines and sales standards Assignment

Ethical guidelines and sales standards - Assignment Example Thirdly, Marketing Research Association (2013) posits that no respondent or participant should be manipulated in the process of marketing the product particularly in the Help us Help you promotion involving a free makeover. In other words, the choice and opinion of the respondents must be respected. In this respect, the project participants in marketing Beauty Control must conform to this ethical principle. Fourthly, all information relating to the respondents or participants must be treated with utmost confidentiality (Marketing Research Association, 2013). This is in line to the fact that participants personal information such as credit card numbers may be used by third parties to commit a crime. In line with the United States sales standards outlined by Baxter Healthcare Corporation (2002), the Beauty Control product must be marketed in a fair and candid manner. For instance, the information given to the respondents or customers must conform with the information outlined on the label. Conversely, the marketers must not deliberately give false information to the customer or respondent in regards to all the relevant terms of sale such as pricing. It should also be unlawful for the marker to expect or request any kickbacks or bribes from the customers. All free promotions must be clearly outlined in the sales guidelines and effectively communicated to the markers in order to facilitate

I have a very important lab for statics class Report

I have a very important for statics class - Lab Report Example A fracture may be experienced if a strain continues beyond the proportionate limit. At zero the graph is starting to form linearity, however it reaches at 100 when it starts to decrease which can be associated with the proportionate limit. b) The graph of stress against strain reduced in a range just larger than the original portion. 2. a) Straine) is the fractional length change of a stretched material, while stress (?e) is the force per unit area of the stretched material. Therefore, deformation is a change in the size or shape of the object. Strain=  Stress =  and has SI units which are the same as those of pressure N/m2 or Pa . Where A is the initial cross-sectional area, Lo is the initial gauge length , and L is the change in gauge length. According to Hooke’s law, the deformation is proportional to the deforming forces as long as they are not too large. F= k L where k is constant and it depends on the length and cross sectional area of the object. So Hooke’s law written in stress will be  = And length change is ( L) is proportional to the magnitude of the deforming forces, Y depends on the inherent stiffness of the material from which the object is composed. k = Y , therefore, Y is the constant of proportionality called Young’s modulus which will be given by the slope of the stress-strain curve. Young’s modulus or elastic modulus has the same units as those of stress (Pa or N/M2) and can be thought of as the inherent stiffness of a material because it measures the resistance of the material to elongation or compression. So, materials that stretch easily and are flexible such as rubber have low Young’s modulus. While materials that are stiff such as steel have high Young’s modulus; it takes a lager stress to produce the same strain. From data young’s modulus is calculated as change in y-axis divided by change in x-axis Y (slope) = = = 2.117610 Young’s modulus (E) from the data is 2.117 610Pa b) Yield stress is the stress which is required to deform the material it is at that point when a permanent deformation takes place. It is usually at 0.2%; in this case of aluminum yield stress begins at 0.4%. At the point there is intersection between strain and yield stress and strain is called off-set stress. As strain is increased, many materials eventually deviate from this linear proportionality, the point of departure being termed the proportional limit. This nonlinearity is usually associated with stress-induced â€Å"plastic† ?ow in the specimen. Here the material is undergoing a rearrangement of its internal molecular or microscopic structure, in which atoms are being moved to new equilibrium positions. This plasticity requires a mechanism for molecular mobility, which in crystalline materials can arise from dislocation motion. Materials lacking this mobility, for instance by having internal microstructures that block dislocation motion, are usually brittle ra ther than ductile. The stress-strain curve for brittle materials are typically linear over their full range of strain, eventually terminating in fracture without appreciable plastic flow. c) Ultimate stress/ strength is the maximum stress that can be withstood without breaking. It is the stress which is called true stress it is calculated as  = ?u - ?0.2 The stress at the ultimate strain is calculated as shown below ?t= ?u (l+e) where ?t= 0.2, e=11918.55 ?t= ?u

Parallels Between Spartacus (1960) and American Life in 1960 Essay

Parallels Between Spartacus (1960) and American Life in 1960 - Essay Example In the movie, Spartacus is bought by Batiatus who trains slaves to become gladiators. The fights between two gladiators till one of them dies, and the fact that it is intended merely for the entertainment of patricians, demonstrate the lack of value attached to a slave’s life. The movie also depicts how two men discuss politics when other two men were fighting a battle that would define the line between their life and death. This situation reflects the state of affairs in the American society where thousands embark on the streets fighting for a cause where they are asking for their basic rights while others, who by their race are thought to be superior, decide what the people of lower racial status should or shouldn’t receive. The movie’s focus then shifts to how a deprived and exploited lot would react when the suppression gets in tolerable. When Crassus, a patrician, arrives at Capia along with his wife, Lady Helena, and insists that a gladiatorial match be arranged, ignoring Batiatus’ concern that forcing the slaves to fight to the death in their own camp could cause an uprising. In a fight that ensued, Draba overcomes Spartacus. However, he chooses not to kill his friend, and instead attacks Crassus. A guard kills him and it triggers a mutiny. The slaves form an ‘army’ that travels through the countryside, looting land owners and freeing slaves. However, in the end, they are overcome and Spartacus is killed. Such an uprising can be witnessed in the American history if we examine the Civil Rights and Black Liberation Movements during the 1960s.

Detail the Renaissance, and Baroque Periods of Art in Europe Literature review - 1

Detail the Renaissance, and Baroque Periods of Art in Europe - Literature review Example The term â€Å"renaissance† stands for â€Å"rebirth†; it describes a period in history when the classical values of Greece and Rome were reborn. According to Aigret & Kloss (2005), renaissance art is reported to have emerged in the nation of Italy; this was in the late 13th and early 14th centuries (Kloss, 2013). It is noteworthy that the Renaissance art period is generally categorized into three main periods; these are the early Renaissance, high Renaissance, and Northern Renaissance. Several characteristics describe the art in the Renaissance period (Kloss, 2013). In addition to being very naturalistic and individualistic in nature, the art of the Renaissance placed a great emphasis on perspective In addition to this, Aigret & Kloss (2005) purport that the art of the Renaissance was typified by intricate formal displays as well as a unique tendency towards emotional expression (Adams, 2001). Artists in this period, for instance in Flanders, wanted their audience to r eact emotionally to their work in order to derive inspiration or encouragement from the artwork. Renaissance art was also very realistic in nature and made expansive use of light and shadow for purposes of creating an appearance of depth (Kloss, 2013). According to Aigret & Kloss (2005), the art period described as the Renaissance occurred at a time in history when Europe was characterized by an increased level of prosperity and political stability. In addition to this, this time in history was typified by the emergent of new technology and knowledge, for instance, the establishment of new methodologies of astronomy and the creation of the printing press (Adams, 2001). The Renaissance art period in Europe is a time in history when literature and philosophy gained an increased level of preeminence.   

Morality and Money Essay Example for Free

Morality and Money Essay No doubt, Money is an essential, almost indispensable article in the present day world. It is the’ money’ through which we can purchase all the necessary comforts and amenities of life. If you have money, you can obtain what seems impossible to others. It is the money which gives man, confidence, creditworthiness, credentials, capacity, capabilities and courage. In present day materialistic world, money has become very powerful. In the present day corruption, cut throat competition, callous degradation of moral and ethical values, are for the sake of grabbing and accumulating more and more money. The prestige, respect, social status, commanded by a person is calculated per his monetary status. Time has gone, when we valued a person in evaluated of his moral and ethical values. People were earlier known for keeping their words, for donating every thing to a donee. Now people are know in terms of their ranking in the list of rich of the world. Money has become the centre of all activities. Money and muscle power have become essential ingredients of a successful political leader. Money is regarded as omnipotent by a few people, particularly by the poor. As whatever one does not possess, one aspires it badly, and it becomes mono aim of achievement. For the rich, that owe lots of money, still craving to earn more and more, by hook or by crook, with fair or foul means, without caring even for their own health, own family. They are the servants of money, earning money not for the sake of themselves but for the sake of money and a time comes they find themselves unable to use the money for their happiness. They are unable to eat, unable to taste the most delicious dish, unable to move, walk or enjoy because they suffer from many diseases which are the result of their undue craving for wealth at the cost of health. Can one purchase anything with the power of money? No, one cannot. You cannot purchase inner satisfaction with money, you cannot purchase the lost youthfulness with money, you cannot purchase time from the death at any cost. Those who earn money simply to a have more money, more balance in their accounts are no better than the proverbial miser king ‘Midas’. Excessive love for money, make a man slave of money. Money is important for our life, but it is not the most important thing for a human being. Those who use money for fulfilling their necessities, acquiring reasonable comforts and for the welfare of a common good, are the masters of money. But those who earn money just for the sake of increasing its volume and number are slaves of the money. They are the most unfortunate creatures of God who know well that whatever money they are earning, can’t be taken an iota of that when they die even they are minting more and more money. What a paradox Money has become their master and they are just slaves, having no peace of mind, no moral and ethical values, no inner satisfaction. So it is rightly said that money is a good servant but a bad master. Let us use the money for our comfort, not for the sake of money, minting more and more money.

Employee Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction Research

Employee Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction Research 1.0 Introduction Every human being has satisfaction and dissatisfaction for certain things. So, employees will have own satisfaction and dissatisfaction for the management team in the company. Employee satisfactions define as how happy for workers are with their job and working environment and dissatisfaction mean the employees not happy with the management or working and environment. Employee is very important for the organization. It is because if without labor, the production line cannot function well and it will lead to loss for the organization. The company that I was interview is SPK wholesale stationary Sdn Bhd and the employee that I was interviewed is Yee Jeun Fui and he was the information technology consultant in the company. Previously SPK were not having any system related to technology for example, bar code system and CCTV system. After Yee Jeun Fui was worked there in year 2009, bar code and CCTV system was installed in the company to get more convenience quality and all the transaction was record by computer system. Besides, the security for the company was also improved because CCTV was installed. 2.0 Body 2.1 Satisfaction 2.1.1 Position Provided The IT consultant mentions that the position provided by the company is satisfied for him. It is because the company gives the all authority about IT for him and then he will feel like he has the power in the company and this is better when compare with previous company. It is because previously he was worked at a computer shop and the shop only provided technician position for him. The opinion of our group is giving higher position and authority to the employee is important. It is because when giving higher position and authority can lead to satisfaction for the employee and then the more efficiency work will come out. For example, the SPK Company was already set up computer system and records all the transaction by using computer and currently is better than earlier, because earlier is using hand writing to record the transaction and now the work is more efficiency. 2.1.2 Holistic Concern Besides, company concern for their employees family was also important and it will also lead the satisfaction for the employee. If a company care about holistic concern for their employee then the employee will me more loyalty for the company it is because the company will giving a feeling to their employees about the company care for human relationship and not too tie follow the rules. The IT consultant giving real example and saying that in year 2009, his grandfather was pass away, and the company was also allowed him to take emergency leave even though that time, he just join the company for few month only. Besides, when his sister registered married in last year, the company also allowed him to take leave to attend for his sisters registered married. According to this two cases, shown that the company care for employees family. 2.1.3 Benefit Furthermore, the company also giving the benefit for employees likes Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Perkerja (KWSP), reward those who are done excellent job as an encouragement to encourage them to improve. Some benefit for the company giving KWSP is make sure their employee after retirement still can maintain their lifestyle. Besides, the company also invite their employee join a trip to have a holiday in oversea. This not only can enhance the relationship between each other and also can learn new knowledge from the trip. 2.2 Dissatisfaction 2.2.1 Salary The information giving by the IT consultant, the salary giving by the company is not reach for his expectation. It is because he needs to cover his petrol fees and the company office is far away from his house. So it means that, he needs to drive all the way from Kulai to Skudai to work every day and the company didnt give the subsidy for his petrol fees. The opinion of our group is salary must be given depends on the requirement of the employee like depend on their capacity level or academic level. For example, company can set their introductory salary for the new employee and depend on their level. Moreover, the transport fees also should be given by the company to fulfill the employees satisfaction then only the turnover rate in the company will become lower. 2.2.2 Stress According information giving by the consultant, the SPK Company is setting up franchise business. In year 2010, one new outlet has been opened in Kulai and it name as V-STAT stationary retailer shop. At the time, before open the new shop, the consultant has to rush up his work to inspect overall process of the new shop. For example, he has to inspect the decorate process; set up a computer system with can link to headquarter and recruit new employee. During the period, he was felt stressful to all these work, because he only was an IT consultant and the work giving by the top are too much. Those work given by the superior let him felt stressful and unsatisfied. Stress is invisible pressure, some of company just wants to achieve the goal set and never concern for their employee by giving more tasks and the task given was out of range. Therefore, the employees will be in stress situation and the work done become lack of quality. So, superior must given task to an employee according to their ability then only the dissatisfaction of employee will not happen. 2.2.3 Poor working environment condition The information given by the IT consultant, sometimes when he working in the office, he does not know what was happened outside, overwhelmingly more important, sometime he cannot distinguish night or day. It was because the working environment does not have window. Besides, the working area was also too narrow and the air conditioning was also not enough in the office. The observation of our group the poor working environment condition was an unhealthy part. It is because the working environment condition leads to employees feel the work was rough boring and doing aimless work. 2.2.4 Location The IT consultant provided the information that the location also will cause dissatisfaction to an employee. It is because the IT consultant lives in Kulai and every day need to drive car to his work place. Some more, he also had to fetch one of the worker of the company to work, it become a responsible for him. For example, sometimes he has urgent work to do; he had to arrange the transport for the worker, sometime he asks his friend to help. On our group opinion, location can cause dissatisfaction of an employee. It is because the location was causes some cases. For example, the IT consultant has to wake up early every morning in order to catch to work. Moreover, the transportation also was a reason. 2.2.5 Too much overtime and working hour Based on the information given by the IT consultant, too much overtime and working hour given by the company. Normally the working hour for him is 8.30a.m. Until 6.00p.m. But because of his superior want to get more business that is students business, his always had to do overtime until 7.00p.m it is because student back home from school on 6.45p.m. So, by this reason lead him to feel dissatisfaction. The opinion of our group, too much overtime will lead to dissatisfaction for an employee, even though the company will pay extra salary, but money is not everything for human being. For example, the relationship of family cannot measure by money and it is important for every human being. 3.0 Conclusion In conclusion, satisfaction and dissatisfaction of employee is an important part to determine success of the company. If a company within high turnover rate, the employee in the company might not be able to perform well it is because lack of trust and understanding of each other by contraries which is low turnover rate, the company can more easily achieve the goal. So every company or organization must try to meet the satisfaction of every employee in order to get better work. Question 2: What are the remedies an organization can undertake to rectify the dissatisfaction of its employees? 1.0 Introduction In an organization, employees always have satisfaction and dissatisfaction on their job. When dissatisfaction happens it can influence on employee working performance, efficiency and attitude on their work. And it will directly cause to the organization. Dissatisfaction because of the employees is not pleased on the organization, so the employees will feel unsatisfied and not happy with the organization. It will cause loss and not good for the organization. 2.0 Body 2.1 Not be respect and trust Employees need to be respect and trust by the upper management. If not it can let employees feel dissatisfaction with the company. Because that, the company are giving too many task and pressure to them, so they will feel unsatisfied and unhappy on the work. And this will cause the employees leave the company. For overcome this factor, company can organize some activities that employees wish to want. As for what activities should organize, employees should given the chance to voice out their suggestions. Here are some of the activities that suggested by the employees that we have interviewed, which are co-diner or outing with colleagues or company, and family gathering together. They just want to get together with their colleagues or friends, enjoy with them in the absence of work and without pressure. As an upper management, they should always try to accept employees ideas. This is a very good way to resolve the dissatisfaction of employees. This is because employees feel that they are respected by company once their opinions or ideas are accepted by company. 2.2 Lack of skills and knowledge Furthermore, some employees feel that working for the company will not lead to the kind of future they want. This means that, although some employees do not like their own job but are still forced to work on that due to the lack of skills and knowledge. Whats more, employees will feel boring or listless during working if they are not interested with the job that they in. By this, the sales might be drop. Thus, company has to know what their employees needs are in order to rectify the dissatisfaction of employees. Firstly, company should make a better recruitment and selection. As we mentioned that, training is available for employees in this company. Therefore, employees will learn and know more skills and knowledge than previously after they have been trained. For example, an organization can try for a new strategy, which is switching the employees from one section to another section once three months or half year. With good skills, employees can easily switch from one part to another part. By this, they not only will not feel tired or bored to their job, but also interested in their work. The most importance thing is they have put the right resource to the right position or area. In addition, company can give their employees the opportunity for promotion according to their performance. For example, if an employee helped company by increasing sales or solve the problems faced, this particular employee should given an opportunity for promotion. The company should give their employees a chance by offering them position or status together with power. Of course, they should be the one who possess the quality that is needed. 2.3 Company policy Company policy is one of the reasons that lead to dissatisfaction of employees. Moreover, some employees are dissatisfied with their immediate supervisor whom provides a not enough role model as they doing nothing while others are busy and tired in doing job. This can be considered as a serious problem and must be rectified as soon as possible. For example, you ask yourself; will you happy if your immediate supervisor assigned all the work for you and after that, they just sit there and doing nothing? In this case, company should give warning to that particular supervisor. Additionally, company should let them know that its important to let people follow you willingly. You should have the same side with your people if you wish to follow by them willingly. Once people are willing to follow you, this means that dissatisfaction has been resolved. 2.4 Lack of Supportive team Lack of team spirit and level of cooperation among employees is one of the causes of dissatisfaction of employees, which means that they are desire to work together with the others. There might be a situation that a group of friends work in different section. And, they feel that its not very satisfied as they have no chance to work together. Normally, people will enjoy their work if they are work together with friends. In addition, lack of cooperation or team spirit between employees could bring an effect to a company due to miscommunication between employees might happen, and, might lead to some bad things happen. This is because there might not close to each other due to the lack of cooperation. When there is something happen, people will tend to blame each other. To resolve this dissatisfaction, the company has to creating a supportive team environment to support their employees strengths and help them overcome their weaknesses. Further more, the employee will be more teamwork in working with colleague and less conflict happens, it will lead the company become more successful. 2.5 Too much of Overtime and working hour Too much of overtime or working hour too long will also can be dissatisfaction on the employees. This happen because of they had to spend most of time on work and less with their family, and it will let them cannot gather and some more only meet their family member few time in a week, so it will let them be not satisfied. Normally, people are more towards to personal individual interest and they are family oriented. Dissatisfaction of employees can be caused easily because of they do not have much chance to gather with their family, outing with them, or co-diner with them. Therefore, company should let their employees to balance up between their family and work, which is called holistic concern. Show holistic concern to the employees and their family, it would give employees be satisfied with the company and they will more loyalty to the company. 2.6 Poor welfare provide Company welfare is defined as realized that the employee is the most important resource, the company have many beneficial development programs for their employee. Not only salary is important for the employee, the welfare are also very important for them. So, if the company is provided poor welfare for the employee, the employee will be not satisfied and they might transfer to others company. Because of that, the company is not support them for some necessary needs. To solve this problem, the company can provide better welfare to the employee. For example, provide transport, health care, give them to continue their further studies and buy insurance for them. They can be satisfied by these elements because the company are sincerely and show support on them. So, the employees will willingly to stay and continue work in the company. 3.0 Conclusion In conclusion, dissatisfaction is a very serious problem that faced by the employees and it directly caused to the company. The company must be take action to rectify this kind of problem, because employees is the main power working for the company, if they feel unsatisfied with the company, they will leave the company or no mood to work. Therefore, the company must find out the remedies to rectify the dissatisfaction faced by the employees. References Organizational Behavior, Hiriyappa, B, 2009, New Age International, Viewed 20/03/11. Work Values and Organizational Behavior, Stashevsky, Kolowsky Sagie, December 2002, Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, Viewed 20/03/11. Managing Organizational Behavior, Sims, Ronald. R, June 2002, Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated, Viewed 21/03/11. http://books.google.com.my/books?id=zb0cItqvLJUCpg=PT315lpg=PT315dq=holistic+concernsource=blots=IoDnL6htIFsig=2m8_eWjEKbTYgjSE72JnJuJgWT0hl=enei=-7qITf6jEMymrAe45K3RDgsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=5ved=0CD4Q6AEwBA#v=onepageq=holistic%20concernf=false, Viewed 22/03/11. http://www.techrepublic.com/article/creating-supportive-engaging-work-environment-helps-fight-employee-burnout/5035231, Viewed 22/03/11. Bibliography Organizational Behavior, Hiriyappa, B, 2009, New Age International, Viewed 20/03/11. Work Values and Organizational Behavior, Stashevsky, Kolowsky Sagie, December 2002, Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, Viewed 20/03/11. Managing Organizational Behavior, Sims, Ronald. R, June 2002, Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated, Viewed 21/03/11. http://books.google.com.my/books?id=zb0cItqvLJUCpg=PT315lpg=PT315dq=holistic+concernsource=blots=IoDnL6htIFsig=2m8_eWjEKbTYgjSE72JnJuJgWT0hl=enei=-7qITf6jEMymrAe45K3RDgsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=5ved=0CD4Q6AEwBA#v=onepageq=holistic%20concernf=false, Viewed 22/03/11. http://www.techrepublic.com/article/creating-supportive-engaging-work-environment-helps-fight-employee-burnout/5035231, Viewed 22/03/11.

Case Study Analysis Ryanair The Low Fares Airline Management Essay

Case Study Analysis Ryanair The Low Fares Airline Management Essay The key objective of this report is to critically evaluate the strategy of Ryanair against the backdrop of the European air line industry and the bludgeoning Budget sector, in response to the challenges facing the Industry as a whole and Ryan air in particular also has evaluated the Ryan airs bid for fellow Irish carrier, Aer Lingus. This evaluation is done by using a strategic analysis of environment and the industry as well as the company, present strategic choices recommended new strategic initiatives and areas for improving strategy implementation using Macro-environment analysis, Industry analysis and Internal analysis. The analysis has been done by using significant theories such as PESTEL analysis, Porters five forces, Strategic group model, key success factors and value chain etc. knowledge on Ryanair. Through the Ryanair environmental analysis unproductive strategic decisions have been identified and finally suggest the recommendations to develop Ryanairs competitive gain in the future. (2.0) Introduction This document is based on the case provided; Ryanair the low-fairs Airline which was written by Eleanor OHiggins, University College Dublin, Republic of Ireland in 2007. Ryanair is Europes first and largest law fares airline which started 1985 by Ryan family. (Ryanair website) Its an Irish airline with head office in Dublin and its biggest operational base at London Stansted Airport in the UK (Ryanair Europes greenest airline n.d).Ryanairs has grown steadily to now in the most environmentally friendly way by investing in the latest aircraft and engine technologies which have reduced fuel burn and CO2 emissions and the implementation of certain operational and commercial decisions. According to the case the report has critically evaluated the strategy of Ryanair against the backdrop of the European air line industry and the bludgeoning Budget sector, in response to the challenges facing the Industry as a whole and Ryan air in particular also has evaluated the Ryan airs bid for fellow Irish carrier, Aer Lingus. For this evaluation as a member of the management consulting firm I have provided a strategic analysis of environment and the industry as well as the company, present strategic choices recommended new strategic initiatives and areas for improving strategy implementation using Macro-environment analysis, Industry analysis and Internal analysis from this document to the senior management team of Ryanair. The analysis of this report was done with the support of the provided case information, Ryanair website, industry related information from academic books, journals, websites, and other publicly available secondary data sources. (3.0) Overview of Ryanair Ryanair is a global airline which provides scheduled passenger airline services between Ireland and the United Kingdom. Starting in 1985 Ryanair followed the example of Southwest Airlines. It was set up with a share capital of just  £1 and a new staff base of 25. Since 1985 to now it has grown massively into one of the Europes largest low fare carrier. In 1990 the company suffered a  £20 million loss and was forced to completely restructure and a new management team was brought in headed by Michael OLeary who made major changes to the airline. Ryanair restructured itself and became a low-fares, no -frills carrier. After the next few years Ryan air significantly slashed its fares further and managed to open up many new routes. Today, Ryan Air has destinations in 26 countries with 950 routes. Also the headquartered in Dublin, employs about 4,200 people, operates with a fleet size of 120 Boeing 737-800, carries approximately 35 Mio passengers a year and had a turnover of 1,692.5 Mio in 2006 with a net profitability of about 10% (Mayor, 2007). Furthermore revenue has risen from à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬231 million in 1998 to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2,714 million in 2008 and net profits have increased from à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬48 million to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬480 million, over the same period despite the worldwide recession and the high oil prices. (3.1) Vision Ryanairs CEO, Michael OLeary, has a vision of a world where the fare could drop to nothing as local communities would subsidize the airline to bring a steady traffic of business people and tourists to their region. (Ryanair Report, 1997) Mission Statement Ryanair will become Europeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²s most profitable lowest cost airline by rolling out our proven `low-fare-no-frillsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ² service in all markets in which we operate, to the benefit of our passengers, people, and shareholders. (Mayor, 2007) Ryanair aims to offer low fares that generate increased passenger traffic with a continuous focus on cost-containment and operating efficiencies. Moreover Ryanair has main objective and other objectives to stay as the favorable and low cost airline in Europe. (Please Refer Appendix 01). Also refer Appendix 02 for financial analysis. (3.3) Critical Issues Though Ryanair has gone quite well all the way to now I have identified below critical problems through out the case. Major critical issues are; Negative public image due to aggressive CEO and unfriendly staff. Immature handling of sensitive issues such as criticizing politicians, disabled passengers Misleading advertisements and messy website. Unreasonable ancillary charges for example wheelchair charges, check in baggage charges, refund handling charges etc. Leadership issues (4.0) Environmental Analysis Environment has a great impact on functioning of any business. Environmental analysis is the process of monitoring the organizational environment to identify both present and future threats and opportunities that may influence the firms ability to reach its goals. (Certo Peter 1991). Its important to a business to adapt to the environment to be successful hence it needs to be analysis both internal and external environment. (4.1) External Environment Analysis Purpose of an external environment analysis is to identify or develop a finite list of opportunities that could benefit a firm and threats that could be avoided. Firms should be able to respond either offensively or defensively to the factors by formulating strategies that take advantage of external opportunities or that minimize the impact of potential threats. The external analysis can be divided into macro environment and industry analyses. (4.1.1) Macro Environment Analysis There are several influences of macro-environment on Ryanair within their operating countries. Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal factors had created a considerable impact in macro environment on the performance in a company. This is known as PESTEL Analysis. Please Refer Appendix 03 (4.1.2) Industry Analysis Industry can be defined as a group of organization or business unit producing close substitutes (Fletcher 2003). The aim of this analysis is to assess the industry environment and answer the following questions. Whatre the forces within the industry which are determining the profitability of the industry? Howre the forces changing and expected to change overtime? How will those changes affect future profitability? For the analysis of Ryanair industry environment have used porters five forces model and Strategic group. Please refer the Appendix 04 05 (4.2) Internal Environment Analysis An internal analysis should be conducted in-order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of an organization. It also assist the firm to find-out its resources and capabilities in-order to utilize those resources to the best potential. The main objective of internal analysis for this case is to measure the Ryanairs resources in terms of other major competitors such as Easy jet and South West air lines. For the internal analysis have used value chain model and key successes factors. Please Refer Appendix 06. (4.2.1) Key successful Factors Key successful factors are some of the important factors which are necessary in business. It brings a comparative advantage to the business. It is highlighted that low-cost companies concentrate on offering the lowest prices as the first critical success factor. Although Ryanair had encountered different problems especially in line with its cost structures, the company had been able to survive and grow in the marketplace. They have implemented different marketing strategy to make the company survive in the competition and to gain a competitive position in the airline market.   Ryanair has recognised recently as the most punctual airline between Dublin and London and also recognised as the second largest airline in United Kingdom and Europes largest low-fares airline because of the strategy of it. Technology related Expertise in given industry technology Scientific technology expertise in airline industry Making Internet the primary base of distribution and marketing Distribution related Accurate filling of customers orders A strong network of communication via internet Low distribution cost Marketing related Fast, accurate technical assistance Courteous customer service Clever advertising Manufacturing related Access to adequate supplies of skilled labor A strong brand identity among the buyers Low cost marketing and distribution methods Skills related Superior work power talent Ability to develop new products and product improvements. Expertise in technology Organizational capability Superior information system Experiential top management SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis given below is to help Ryanair to achieve their mission and objectives by capitalizing on opportunities using their strengths and reducing their weaknesses and threats. Strengths Ryanair is the 1st to launch low cost flights in Europe and has continuously maintained the low fare policy. They have a strong brand image and strong bargaining power in airport deals. Aggressive and Innovative leadership (CEO- Mr. Michael OLeary). Larger market share New fleets results in maximum aircraft utilization. Weaknesses Earn publicity through negative press reporting which affect brand image. Very poor customer relations which is damaging to the success. Low level of understanding for employees Misleading advertisements about ticket fares and destinations. In-flight mobile phones and gambling can deter some customers Opportunities Withdrawal of traditional companies from most of the less traffic intense point to point routes using regional airports. Industry growth in European air travel industry Being an fine choice of most of the market due to recession Threats Upper middle class economy travelers may seek greater value proposition than just low fares. Increasing Prices of Oil Markets and fluctuating currency issues Terrorism Impending legislations for environment protection. Recommendation. The whole analysis has summarized both pluses and minuses in the company. Through examining the Treats and weaknesses the following recommendation could be illustrates. Following strategies can be used to decrease the weaknesses and avoid threats of the company and improve its competitive upgrading. Total Quality Management The low cost strategy has hided the quality of the service. To attract and retain the customers Ryanair has to follow an effective total quality management process. Efficient total quality management values could make a great difference in the service quality. It will not only enhance the quality but also it will increase the productivity. Thus effective quality management will make the brand identity stronger and make a more brand loyalty with in customer base. Competitors Competitors like easyJet, Air Berlin, Basic Air are catering to the value market division and have established slots at some main airports and providing basic cost effective services. Later acquiring the Aer Lingus would increase Ryanairs showings in stock market and faster growth in to the value oriented market segments. Therefore Ryanair need to be more concern about the low price strategy. Customer Relationship Management In the service sector what is important is the satisfaction of the customers. Due to poor facilities and ancillary services Ryanair has lost their customer relationship. Therefore, a strong CRM strategy should be implemented to minimize the weaknesses of the company. Apart from the CRM strategies Ryanair could move on to CSR projects to draw the corporate position to the organization. (7.0) Conclusion Ryanair is the most favorable low fare airline in the Europe and with this they have been successful all the way so far. But now I can conclude from the above analysis that Ryanair have to develop a successful strategy not for only winning the low fare strategy but gaining a stable position in the value segment and in new non-European markets. References Barrett, S., (2000), Journal of air transportation of Transport Management Vol.6, pp. 13-27 (Butterworth-Heinemann; Oxford) David, F. R. (2005). Strategic Management (10th Ed.). NJ:Prentice hall Fletcher, J. (2003). Strategic Management à Ã‚ ¨ study guide and plan. Edith Cowan University. Lynch, R. (2003), Corporate Strategy, 3rd ed., Prentice Hall Financial Times Mayer, S. (2007). Ryanair and its low cost flights in Europe. University of the Sunshine Coast Queensland (Business Faculty). Retrieved April 23, 2010, from http://www.grin.com/e-book/87815/ryanair-and-its-low-cost-flights-in-europe Paul, V. (2007). French Accent Ryanair Slow on Emotion, Retrieved from April 27, 2010, from http://www.brandchannel.com/brand_speak.asp?bs_id=72 Ryanair case study analysis (2009), Retrieved from April 27, 2010, from http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2009/04/case-study-analysis-ryanair.html Ryanair and its low cost flights in Europe (2007), Retrieved from April 28, 2010, from http://www.grin.com/e-book/87815/ryanair-and-its-low-cost-flights-in-europe Ryanair Europes greenest airline. (2006). Retrieved from April 28, 2010, from http://www.ryanair.com/en/about/ryanair-and-the-environment (9.0) APPENDIX Appendix 01 Ryanair main objective is to: Offer the lowest fares at all time on all routes: Ryanair main objective is to establish itself as Europes leading low-fares scheduled passenger airline through continued improvements and expanding offerings of its low-fares service. Ryanair other objectives are to; Continue to find ways of reducing costs Though Ryanair has the lowest cost base of any of its competitors Ryanair can continue to lower its cost base as it grows even if at a slower pace. Ryanair 100% online Ryanair expect continuing to use the internet as its primary point of sale and over the next 5 years the aim is to have 100% of bookings via the internet so as to reduce the costly call centers. Increase the Frequency of Existing Routes On the moment Ryanair have an average of 3.88 flights per day per route. This figure, compared to Easyjet and traditional carriers, is very low. It means that Ryanair is losing out on business passengers who need more flexible timetables. If Ryanair can enhance the frequency on some of their routes they possibly will effectively steal some of the passengers from the traditional carriers thus increasing market share. Open New Routes in Europe There are many possible routes still un-served by low-cost carriers. Ryanair can also open routes where the competition is a more expensive for traditional carrier while attracting customers with the cheaper, no-frills option. Develop Its Smaller Continental Operating Bases Ryanair must look to other operating bases to expand their network. Although there is not the same demand outside there is still sufficient demand to make a considerable profit. Source: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FfQQcO538yAJ:solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdf+http://solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdfHYPERLINK http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FfQQcO538yAJ:solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdf+http://solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdfcd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=lkHYPERLINK http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FfQQcO538yAJ:solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdf+http://solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdfcd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=lkcd=1HYPERLINK http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FfQQcO538yAJ:solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdf+http://solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdfcd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=lkHYPERLINK http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FfQQcO538yAJ:solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdf+http://solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdfcd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=lkhl =enHYPERLINK http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FfQQcO538yAJ:solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdf+http://solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdfcd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=lkHYPERLINK http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FfQQcO538yAJ:solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdf+http://solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdfcd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=lkct=clnkHYPERLINK http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FfQQcO538yAJ:solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdf+http://solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdfcd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=lkHYPERLINK http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FfQQcO538yAJ:solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdf+http://solvay.ulb.ac.be/cours/alle/BuspPresRyanair04.pdfcd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=lkgl=lk) Appendix 02 Financial Analysis Appendix 03 PESTEL ANALYSIS Political In political factor focused on Government stability, Taxation policy, foreign trade regulations and Social welfare policies but in the Ryanair case according to the provided information affected to; Increase of route charge by the government In 2006, airport and handling charges increased by 21%, slower than the growth in passenger numbers, reflecting a net reduction in costs from deals at new airports and bases despite increased costs at certain existing airports such as Stansted. Increase in trade union pressure Some of the countries in Europe have formed a trade-union among each others and due to this it gives the pressure for Ryanair to do business in these countries. Furthermore the Europe Union (EU) has expanded in the past few years and it is a big factor that affects the direction and strategy planning for Ryanair. Government passed The law for carbon emission to aviation industry to compensate further taxes Ryanair replaced its fleet of old aircraft with new more environmental friendly aircraft. The newer aircraft produced 50% less emissions, 45%less fuel burn and 45% lower noise emissions per seat. UK government put on compulsory security measures and restrictions due to terrorism attacks on airlines in August 2006, UK authorities imposed severe security measures at all airports in the face of an alleged imminent terrorist plot to attack up to 10 aircraft on transatlantic routes. Economical According to the Fletcher, 2003; The health of a nations economy affects the performance of individual firms and industries. The economic environment refers to the nature and direction of the economy in which a firm competes or may compete (Fletcher, 2003, M.3, P. 4) Economical Analysis consists of GDP, Price fluctuations, unemployment trends, depreciation of U.S dollars, interest rates and economies of scale etc. In Ryanair case they have affected by; High price ceiling of petroleum products and fuels From 2005 fuel prices are increased and Ryanairs fuel costs represented 35% of operating costs in 2006 compared with 27% the year before. Energy and fuel costs are cause of uncertainty Also jet fuel cost fluctuations are unpredictable and not controllable. Social The socio-cultural environment represents the set of values, ideals and other characteristics that distinguish members of one group from those of another according to the Fletcher, 2003, M. 3, P. 3). Organizations need to be aware of these factors because they can straightly affect the way the organizations manage the operations, more importantly human resources and marketing. Change in the mode of travelling due to the terrorist attacks Because of the terrorists attacks there was a treat that passengers would choose other forms of transport such as trains rather than facing to the inconvenience and expense of checking in luggage and extra time spent in airport security queues. Increase in travelling life style and flying patterns. Technology Many new advances in technologies can affect the way businesses are competing. Technological developments represent a real opportunity for the skillful people who can understand and apply them appropriately. It also helpful to reduce its costs effectively and furthermore can maintain good relationship with customers. Technological analysis consists of new communication technologies, product innovations, new product development and application of knowledge etc. Related to the Ryanair occurred; Technological expansion Ryanair has introduced new technological environmental friendly airlines in order to make profits High fuel efficiency, less noise pollution and lessening of carbon pollution using Boeing 737 planes Ryanair tries to reduce pollution. Web sales/services Ryanair tries completely to do online check-in in the future. Environment This consists of changes in environment that can impact on industries such as tourism and farming etc. nowadays more and more people are concerned about global warming and green house gas effects. According to the case Ryanair affect environment by; Contributing Global warming though Ryanair contribute to the global warming up to some certain they have introduced new aircrafts that reduce fuel burn in 45%. Noise level controls Also they have lower the noise emission in 45% in their new aircrafts. Legal Legal analysis consists of competition law, health and safety, employment law and product safety. As in the case Ryanair affected by; Allegations of misleading advertisement Ryanair accused it of misleading passengers on its website by exaggerating the prices of its competitors in making comparisons. Safety measures; pilots and passengers In July 2006 the Irish high court found out that Ryanair had bullied pilots and forced them to agree to a new contract, pilots had to pay à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 15000 for retraining on a new aircraft if they left the airline. In 2006 pilots of Ryanair lodged a pay claim stating that there is significant difference in take home pay between Ryanair and Aer Lingus pilots it also claimed that training pilots were working for nothing. Also the case says Ryanair has charged more money for the insurance than its actual amount. Appendix 04 Porters Five Forces Model. This five forces model is developed by Michael Porter and it described five forces which are Bargaining power of Suppliers, Bargaining power of customers, New entrants, Threat of Substitutes and Competitive Rivalry. These forces have analyzed below according to the Ryanair. Source: http://notesdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/porters-five-forces-model.jpg Bargaining Power of Suppliers Aircraft Suppliers Boeing is Ryanairs main supplier. There are only 2 possible suppliers of planes. They are Boeing and Airbus. Fuel Suppliers Price of aviation fuel is straightly related to the cost of oil (Ryanair controls these through hedging Regional and Bigger Airports Regional Airports have little bargaining power as they are heavily dependent on one Airline. Bigger airports, where Ryanairs competitors operate, have greater bargaining power. Ryanairs policy is to try and avoid these airports. Bargaining Power of Customers Low price Customers are price sensitive and they know about the low cost of supplying the service from Ryanair. Distribution power of travel agents was decreasing as prospects used to book tickets from internet or through direct booking. So it was a threat to travel agents, so they employed to offer complete travel solutions to customers. Direct bookings on the Ryanair website has meant that there have been savings in the region of 42.6% in marketing and distribution costs. New Entrants Some barriers to entry there are some regulations when entering to the European countries. High capital investment at the beginning of the new airlines need big financials otherwise there is a threat of losing money. Restricted slot availability makes it more difficult to find suitable airports European countries have many landing slots that were reserved or used by national carriers. Also for new entrants have a need for low cost bases. Threat of Substitutes Other modes of transport the treat of substitutes to the airline industry comes in three main forms. These are road, rail and boat service. Of these, rail would seem to suggest the maximum threat because, certainly around Europe, it offers a brilliant continental service around the main cities that Ryanair fly to. No switching costs for the customer there is no switching cost when changing the traveling mode and there is no close relationship between customers. Competitive Rivalry Most cost advantages can be copied immediately However if any company does choose to race on the same basis as Ryanair there will be heavy pressure on prices, margins and hence on profitability Low frills and low price Ryanair has a benefit over other airlines because their policy of bundling low frills and low prices together means that they are competing for the more price responsive customer. Appendix 05 Strategic Group Model Strategic group is a group of firms in an industry following the same or a similar strategy along the same strategic dimensions. (Fletcher 2003) It consists of competitors competes with similar strategic dimensions such as product, quality, target market, geographical area. Firms are competing directly with the aligned strategic groups as they hold same strategic scope. (Porter 1980) The below graph represent the strategic group analysis for the airline industry. The grouping has been done accordance to the dimensions of quality and price. 1st strategic group This is the basic strategic dimensions of this strategic group and Ryanair provides low cost fares with no frills. Ryanairs major competitor in this strategic group is Easy jet as they contain a similar resource promise in the industry. 2nd strategic group These companies targets the middle class hence they offer fares for a moderate cost and the service contain reasonable quality. The major players in this strategic group are Ethihad, Thai, Qatar and Kuwait air ways. 3rd strategic group: Emirates, British airways and Singapore airways generally targets the high end people. They provide a luxuries service with a high pricing system. According to the Strategic group Model Identifying Strategic group layers would enhance the understanding about the direct competitors, Different bases of competitive rivalry within the strategic group and also the threats and opportunities could be examined very clearly as it narrow downs the major players in the same category.

Leadership :: School Leaders, Ethical Behaviors, Administration

â€Å"Real leaders concentrate on doing the right thing, not on doing things right.† According to Lashway (1996) this advice is nothing new to school leaders who face ethical dilemmas on a daily basis. Although administrators face these dilemmas on a daily basis, very few of them are trained or pedagogically equipped to deal with these conflicts. To prove the amplitude of this problem Reilly (2006) states that ethical breeches exist and â€Å"illegal behaviors happen even in the school yard in the presence of children, the can also serve to distract us from the larger matters to which we must attend† (p. 164). This is not a problem that can merely be swept under the carpet. Instead, administrators must take a look at why they do things, and why they make certain decisions. Kocabas and Karakose (2009) cite several leading experts that describe the self-examination that an administrator must make when they are faced with an ethical dilemma: Ethical issues are part of everyday life in schools. They frequently arise from decisions which require value judgments about doing the right thing, or saying the good or best thing in a particular situation. Although doing the right thing seems easy enough most times when an ethically difficult situation arises, it may cause individuals to examine their ethics in practice (p. 126). The situations that administrators face can cause them to take a close look at why they make certain decisions. Examining one’s own decision can greatly aid the decision making process. Administrators must examine their own ethics and make ethical decisions because schools are inherently dedicated to the well-being of the children who attend (Lashway, 2006). The ethical climate of the school is the responsibility of the administrator in charge. The relationships that develop ethically in the school between students, staff, and administrators are directly related to the behavior and decision-making of the administrator (Sagnak, 2010, p. 1136). This leads to the question: What is ethical behavior for an administrator? According to the American Association of School Administrators (2010), there are some behaviors that are required for an administrator to behave ethically. First an administrator must make the educational well-being of the students the fundamental condition of the decision-making process. Also, the administrator must fulfill their professional duties honestly and always act in a responsible manner. Further, the administrator should allow his positive ethical behavior to carry over to his staff.

Robert Frost Home Burial - A Reflection of Reality Essay -- Home Buri

Home Burial as a Reflection of Reality Robert Frost's "Home Burial" is a masterfully written work, conceived from his and his wife's anguish at the loss of their first-born son as well as from the estrangement between his sister-in-law and her husband due to the death of their child. In Donald J. Greiner's commentary on Frost's works, "The Indespensible Robert Frost," it is revealed that "Mrs. Frost could not ease her grief following Elliot's death, and Frost later reported that she knew then that the world was evil. Amy in "Home Burial" makes the same observati Often it seems that writers have their own personal inspiration that fuels a great work to cause its readers to realize the complexity of the human nature. Robert Frost's "Home Burial" is a masterfully written example of such works, conceived from his and his wife's anguish at the loss of their first-born son as well as from the estrangement between his sister-in-law and her husband due to the death of their child. In Donald J. Greiner's commentary on Frost's work s, "The Indespensible Robert Frost," it is revealed that "Mrs. Frost could not ease her grief following Elliot's death, and Frost later reported that she knew then that the world was evil. Amy in "Home Burial" makes the same observation". "Home Burial" illustrates the cause of the failing marriage as a breakdown of communication, both verbally and physically, between two people who adopt totally different views in the midst of crisis. Amy does not believe that her husband is in mourning over the death of their child. Her view can be defended by the fact that she is feeling unimaginable pain that she justly feels is unique to the nurturing nature of a mother. The child tha... ...eir ability to talk normally to eachother, but also because the physical side of their marriage is absent. Touch is a form of communication that the total absence of alone can destroy a loving union. Frost leaves the reader with a realistically portrayed image of their marital turmoil reaching a height as Amy opens the door, ready to walk out on the marriage. The melancholy conclusion to Frost's work ends up being the result of failed communication. "Home Burial" is unfortunately a reflection of the reality that many marriages fail in the event of a child's death. A lack of communication, both verbally and physically, tears apart two people even without a tragedy as profound as the one that Frost and his wife experienced. Frost's work is an expression of the more serious and traumatic side of nature and reveals the consequences of inevitable human flaws.

Management Influences on Turnover Intention of Software Developers Essay

Introduction The Information Technology (IT) Age has created many opportunities for employment in the IT and IT services industry.   IT professionals are in demand all over the world.   Organizations worldwide invest money that go not only into salaries but for further training of IT professionals they hire. However, around the world, the demand, supply, selection, recruitment and particularly retention of IT professionals has threatened organizations that use, manage or deal in IT or IT services for the past few years (Parà © and Tremblay 2000; Ermel and Bohl 1997; Morello 1998; Guptill et al. 1999). This is why the departure of an IT professional from a company usually comes with disastrous effects to the organization.   When an IT professional resigns, the organization suffers loss of business process knowledge and acquired technical skills (Dorà © 2004). Since late 1996, the turnover for IT professionals has jumped from 15% to 20% annually, with only 8 of 10 IT positions being filled with qualified candidates (McNee et al. 1998).   With the annual turnover rate estimated at 20% or more (Alexander 1999; Kosseff 1999), job-hopping of IT professionals has been one of the biggest problems among managers and human resources (HR) experts (Parà © and Tremblay 2000). IT professionals seem to have a tendency to change their jobs faster than other employees when they feel dissatisfied with their current employer (Hacker 2003).   The estimated cost of replacing IT professionals range from 1.5 to 2.5 times of their annual salaries for the companies they resigned from (Kosseff 1999).   On the other hand, the cost of losing a qualified IT professional is actually 3 to 6 times more expensive than the cost of losing a manager (Kochanski and Ledford 2001). IT professionals, as also mentioned previously in this study, also tend to change jobs more quickly than other employees when they feel dissatisfied with in their current employment (Hacker 2003).   However, rational models of voluntary turnover cannot be used to explain the high turnover rates for IT professionals (Rouse 2001) since many IT professionals remain dissatisfied with their jobs even though they enjoy high financial rewards yet their creativity and expertise do not receive high respect from their peers, supervisors and companies as a whole (Fisher 2000). Furthermore, another explanation why IT professionals may resign more quickly when dissatisfied with their current employment is that â€Å"much of IT work is project oriented, the technical employee’s loyalty may be more to the project, and not necessarily to the employer† (Hacker, 2003, p. 15). These trends place intense pressure on both IT executives and HR managers.   High IT professional turnover translates to a threat not only to an organization’s IT department but to the business as a whole. Most importantly, high IT turnover poses a threat to the growth, competitive positioning and strength of the global economy (Parà © and Tremblay 2000). A dissertation by Dr. Timothy Lee Dorà © (2004) studied the relationships between job characteristics, job satisfaction and turnover intention among software developers.   These two factors – job characteristics and job satisfaction – are deemed to play crucial roles in understanding turnover intention not only among software developers but IT professionals as a whole. The current study aims to investigate the management influences on employee retention of IT professionals, focusing on job characteristics and job satisfaction, and their impact on turnover and retention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1.1.1  Ã‚  Ã‚   Scope and Limitations of the Study This research will study the impact of job characteristics and job satisfaction on the turnover intention of IT professionals.   Although this paper intends to replicate some of Dorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s findings, the study will not be limited to software developers only as this sector only constitutes a small sample of IT professionals as a whole. Specifically, the research study will focus on the turnover intention of IT professionals in___________. In studying the relationships between job characteristics, job satisfaction and turnover intention, this study is limited to the use of the following theoretical models and theories to support its conclusions: For the discussion on job characteristics, the research study will make use of the Job Characteristics Model developed by JR Hackman and GR Oldham (1975/1980) and the analysis on Model Employers by Minda Zetlin (2001). For the discussion on job satisfaction, as well as motivation, the paper will use the Motivator-Hygiene Theory by F. Herzberg (1968/2003) and the Synergistic Model by T.M. Amabile (1997). For the discussion on turnover, the study will use the Voluntary Turnover Model by R.M. Steers and R.T. Mowday (1987); the Rational Turnover Model by P.D. Rouse (2001); the Instinctual or â€Å"Unfolding† Model of Turnover by T.W. Lee, T.R. Mitchell, L. Wise and S. Fireman (1996); and the Conceptual Model for Investigating Turnover in IT, developed by J.B. Thatcher, L.P. Stepna and R.J. Boyle (2002-03) These models will be discussed in detail later in this chapter, as well as in Chapter 2 on Review of Related Literature. Chapter 2 Review of Related Literature This chapter will analyze the various literature which are related to this research paper. It will discuss the works of other analysts and researchers on theories/models that will be used to support this study, as well as pertinent literature on IT professionals’ turnover intentions. The chapter begins with a general discussion on motivational theories, cutlure, and leadership which are all critical factors that affect an employee’s intent to leave. The discussion them dovetails into a more specific presentation of the framework used in the current study. This chapter will also include a definition of terms incorporated into the discussion of related literature. 2.1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Relationships between Job Characteristics, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention In 2004, Timothy Lee Dorà © submitted a dissertation titled â€Å"The Relationships Between Job Characteristics, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention Among Software Developers†.  Ã‚   According to Dorà ©, the factors leading to the turnover intention of software developers have been poorly understood.   His study was designed to further understand the relationships between job characteristics, job satisfaction, and turnover intention among software developers.   His study involved the use of 326 web surveys that contained questions relating to job characteristics, job satisfaction, turnover intention and demographic information. The results of Dorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s study showed that several factors can influence turnover intention, most significantly, job characteristics that may be influenced by management, such as training, autonomy, feedback, number of developers, task significance, and skill variety (Dorà © 2004).   In his study, Dorà © made use of two research questions and sixteen hypotheses to understand the job characteristics variables which contribute to the various dimensions of job satisfaction, and which of these job satisfaction dimensions, in turn, contribute to turnover intention. Dorà © made use of indirect effect tests, to determine if certain job characteristics could be linked to turnover intention through the job satisfaction scales he provided.   The results of his study indicated that ten of the indirect effects were statistically significant.   All ten of the statistically significant indirect effects were associated with only three of the seven job satisfaction scales: internal work motivation, general job satisfaction, and satisfaction with pay. The largest indirect effect, according to Dorà ©, was the effect of autonomy on turnover intention through general job satisfaction: higher levels of autonomy lead to lower levels of turnover intention by increasing general job satisfaction.  Ã‚   The next largest indirect effect was the effect of organizational training on turnover intention through general job satisfaction: organizational training decreased turnover intention through an increase in general job satisfaction.   The next three highest indirect effects in Dorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s findings were also between a job characteristic (feedback, skill, variety, and number of developers) and turnover intention through general job satisfaction (Dorà ©, 2004, p. 130). 2.2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Measuring Turnover Intentions Among IT Professionals Guy Parà © and Michel Tremblay, in contrast to Dorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s study, completed a research covering the turnover intention of not just software developers but IT professionals as a whole.   Their study, â€Å"The Measurement and Antecedents of Turnover Intentions among IT Professionals† (2000), submitted to Cirano research center, aimed to present and test an integrated model of turnover intentions that address the unique nature of the IT profession (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 3).   The authors identified a multidimensional set of HR practices that will most likely increase retention among IT employees.  Ã‚   They emphasized citizenship behaviors as well as two distinct types of organizational commitment as key antecedents of turnover intentions. The study involved the sending of questionnaires to 394 Quebec members of the Canadian Information Processing Society.  Ã‚   The study addressed four research questions: 1) What are the essential HR practices necessary to create an effective plan for retaining IT professionals? 2) What is the impact of compensation and negotiation conditions on the turnover intentions of IT personnel? 3) What is the effect of employee demographic characteristics on the turnover intentions of IT personnel? 4) Do organizational commitment and citizenship behaviors mediate the effects of HR practices, compensation and negotiation conditions as well as demographic characteristics on the turnover intentions of IT personnel? (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 4) Parà © and Tremblay provide that IT employees who are highly committed to their organization are less likely to leave than those who are relatively uncommitted.   They attach three distinct dimensions to organizational commitment: affective, continuance and normative commitment (Meyer and Allen 1997). 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Affective commitment – means an employee’s personal attachment and identification to the organization.   This results in a strong belief in an acceptance of the organization’s goals and values.   â€Å"Employees with a strong affective commitment continue employment with the organization because they want to do so† (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 5) 2)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Continuance commitment – is a tendency to engage in consistent lines of activity based on the individual’s recognition of the â€Å"costs† associated with discontinuing the activity.  Ã‚   â€Å"Employees whose primary link to the organization is based on continuance commitment remain because they need to do so.† (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 5) 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Normative commitment – provides that employees exhibit behaviors solely because they believe it is the right and moral thing to do. â€Å"Employees with a high level of normative commitment feel that they ought to remain with the organization.† (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 5) In their findings, Parà © and Tremblay provide that affective commitment and continuance commitment are negatively related to turnover intentions (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 6).   In addition to these two distinct types of commitment affecting turnover intention, their studies also points to the factor they call Organizational Citizenship Behavior or OCB. OCB is considered as a key element in organizational effectiveness.   OCB is defined as â€Å"an employee’s willingness to go above and beyond the prescribed roles which they have been assigned† (Parà © and Tremblay, 2000, p. 6, quoting from Organ 1990). Based on Parà © and Tremblay’s findings, the stronger the citizenship behavior of an IT employee, the more likely they are to stay in their company.   The IT professional’s affective commitment, or attachment to his or her organization, also decreases turnover intention. 2.3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Job Characteristics Model Hackman and Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model, as earlier introduced in Chapter 1 of this research study, predicts what aspects of jobs reflect the level of job enrichment for employees, and how these relate to employees’ individual differences and to the work outcomes required. The model includes five core job characteristics that can be applied to any job: skill variety, task identity, task significance, task autonomy and feedback. Skill variety is defined as â€Å"the number of different skills required in the job† (Hackman and Oldham 1980; Pilon 1998). Task identity means â€Å"the completeness of the tasks done in the job† (Hackman and Oldham 1980; Pilon 1998). Task significance on the other hand is defined as â€Å"the importance of the job to the served population.† (Mohamed 2004). Autonomy means â€Å"the vertical expansion of responsibility, the amount of decision-making and independence allowed for employees.† (Mohamed 2004). And lastly, feedback means â€Å"the extent that the job itself provides information about employees’ performance† (Huber 2000). These characteristics – skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback – are combined into a single predictive index which is called the Motivating Potential Score (Hackman and Oldham 1980). Figure 1. Job Characteristics Model Source: A.H. Mohamed (2004)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The five core job characteristics enumerated in the previous paragraph are in continuous interaction with individual differences that evoke three critical psychological states in an employee.   These three states are: 1) when the job is structured by skill variety, task identity and task significance this could lead employees to experience meaningfulness in their work. 2) The second state, task autonomy, which leads to feelings of responsibility for the outcomes of work. 3) The third and last state is feedback, which leads employees towards knowledge of the results of their work (Douthit 2000; Huber 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These three critical psychological states lead to a set of affective and personal outcomes:   high internal work motivation, high growth satisfaction, high general satisfaction, high work effectiveness, and low rate of absenteeism (Mohamed 2004; Donovan and Radosevich 1998).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These affective and personal outcomes are the results of en employee’s job characteristics.   They are defined as follows: High internal work motivation – this is the degree to which an employee is willing to work and to consider the organizational objectives as part of his or her own goals (Mohamed 2004). High growth satisfaction – this is the achievement of the employee in overcoming challenges, succeeding and growing (Steers and Black 1994) High general satisfaction – this the feeling derived from the overall satisfaction with the work itself. â€Å"This type of satisfaction is reflected mainly in decreased rates of absenteeism among employees† (Steers and Black 1994; Omachonu et al 1999). High work effectiveness – this refers to both the quality and quantity aspects of work performance (Hackman and Oldham 1980). Low rate of absenteeism. The Job Characteristics Model, also includes three attributes that are identified as Moderators: knowledge and skills, context job satisfaction, and employee growth-need strength.   These attributes indicate which employee will respond positively to the Motivating Potential Score of their job and its outcomes (Hackman and Oldham 1980). An employee’s knowledge and skills are dependent on their educational qualifications which in turn will reflect their perceptions toward their work outcomes (Sabiston and Laschinger 1995).   On the other hand, an employee’s perception of his or her context job satisfaction involves factors like pay, supervision, colleagues, and job security.   All these affect the employee’s outcomes as well (Mohamed 2004).  Ã‚   Lastly, growth-need strength is the degree in which an employee seeks opportunities in his or her job for self-direction, learning and personal accomplishment.   These elements in turn affect the employee’s level of work internal motivation (Mohamed 2004). An example of a study which made effective use of Hackman and Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model is the one conducted by A.H. Mohamed (2004) called â€Å"Using the job characteristics model to compare patient care assignment methods of nurses† for the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alexandria in Egypt.  Ã‚   The population used were the nurses in the Alexandria Main University Hospital.   Mohamed made use of a Job Diagnostic Survey (also developed by Hackman and Oldham) to determine nurses’ perceptions towards the components of the Job Characteristics Model in relation to their performance in utilizing the case and functional methods of patient care assignment (Mohamed 2004). In his study, Mohamed concludes that the jobs of intensive care unit nurses result in different expectations based also on the different categories of nurses, based on skills and challenges inherent in the work they perform (Mohamed 2004). Generally speaking thus, studies like Mohamed shows that an employee’s personal and affective outcomes are a result of the employee’s job characteristics. 2.4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Model Employers However, management also plays a crucial role in the retention and conversely turnover of IT professionals.  Ã‚   Since IT professionals still enjoy a wide selection of employers to choose from, employers constantly compete to attract the best IT professionals by becoming â€Å"model employers†.   In her 2001 article for Computer World, called â€Å"Model employers†, Minda Zetlin outlines the strategies that make certain companies â€Å"model employers†. By compiling its eight annual list of 100 Best Places to Work in IT, Computer World roughly sums up the model employers as offering not just top compensation, but also â€Å"opportunities for career growth, investment in training, diversity in the work place, work flexibility, and, ideally, a comfortable and fun place to spend their daytime hours† (Zetlin 2001).   Zetlin in her article outlines three common themes behind the success of these model IT employers: IT is central to the best employers’ success According to Zetlin, excellence in IT is a top corporate strategy.  Ã‚   Prioritizing IT should not be limited to companies that strictly provide IT or IT services.   Companies such as Avon, for instance, which ranks 4th in Computer World’s list of 100 best employers, may be perceived to operate on a relationship-based environment.  Ã‚   Yet to process its more than 60 million custom orders every year, the company relies heavily on IT to process its complex supply chain.   The fact that is it is actually a very transactional business, dependent on technology, makes IT one of its priorities (Zetlin 2001). Management takes an active interest in employers’ careers from the day they arrive This includes having development plan for employees as soon as they join the organization.   Employees meet with their managers on a periodic basis for a formal review to assess their development plan and to evaluate its progress.  Ã‚   Orientation programs at the start of the employment are also part of this strategy.   Apart from orientation, Harley-Davidson, Inc. (ranked as No. 11) also provides for a yearly self-assessment for its employees against the established competencies for their jobs, with their supervisors doing the same (Zetlin 2001).   Such focus on career development per employee makes the employee feel that management takes an active interest in aligning its objectives with the employee’s personal goals. Model employers also provide for continuous interest on their employees’ careers throughout their employment with the company.   Knowledge mentoring programs and career mentoring programs, used by the State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. (ranked No. 13), for instance, allow employees to learn more skills and career guidance from their more experience colleagues, and help management to identify employees to fill leaderships positions in the short and long term (Zetlin 2001).   State Farm’s mentoring program is in fact so successful that it has extended the program to employees who haven’t even arrived yet – such as assigning mentors to college students who plan to join State Farm after they graduate. There are no walls between business and IT Unlike other organizations, model employers ensure that IT people and business people work side by side.   There is no division or competition.  Ã‚   IT professionals are given a better understanding that what they do helps the business succeed.   This understanding leads to career satisfaction for IT professionals.   Technology people know exactly how they contribute to the revenues of their business and how important they are in the business plan.   One advantage here is that a close relationship between IT and business allows people to switch between the two fields (Zetlin 2001).   Another strategies such as cross-functional work teams gives career development not just to IT professionals but to business people in the organization as well.  Ã‚   There are continuously different career tracks available.   An IT professional may opt to advance by taking on management roles within technology, or they may shift to business management positions (Zetlin 2001). 2.5  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Voluntary Intention Model   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   R.M. Steers and R.T. Mowday, in their study â€Å"Employee turnover and post-decision accommodation processes† (1981) analyzed turnover as rooted in voluntary intention.   Steers and Mowday viewed the interaction of intention to leave, and alternative job opportunities (ease of movement) as direct antecedents to turnover (Steers and Mowday 1981; Rouse 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As earlier discussed in Chapter 1 of this study, the direction of the process in Steers’ and Mowday’s Voluntary Intention Model starts with Job Expectations, then Affective Responses, then Turnover Intention, then finally,   Actual Turnover (see Section 1.2.1.1 of this paper).   However, these four elements were actually grouped together by Steers and Mowday under three steps. As can be seen in the Figure 3: Each step in Figure 3 contains two constructs.   The second construct (Job Attitudes) of Step 1 becomes the first construct of Step 2.   The second construct (Intent To Leave) of Step 2 becomes the first construct of Step 3. Step 1 of the Voluntary Intention Model involves the manner in which job expectations influence an employee’s attitudes regarding his or her job.   Attitudes are composed of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and job involvement.   Job expectations in turn are influenced by three stimuli. The first stimuli focuses on individual characteristics such as occupation, age, tenure, family concerns, and personality form (Steers and Mowday 1981; Rouse 2001). The second stimuli involves information obtained during the recruitment process and at various assessments points throughout the employee’s career (Steers and Mowday 1981; Rouse 2001). For instance, studies have shown that job expectation levels are often high when the employee first accepts a new job (Porter and Steers 1973). At these particular periods, expectations are developed from both the employee and employer’s ends. In other words, a sort of unwritten social contract is deemed to be adopted by the two parties (Prouse 2001). Lastly, the third stimuli affecting job expectations are alternative job opportunities.   Studies have shown that the more alternatives there are confronting an employee, then the more negative the employee’s attitudes becomes concerning his or her current job (Pfeffer and Lawler 1979). Step 2 in the Voluntary Intention Model involves the Affective Responses that are elicited from Step 1.   These responses include the construct of job satisfaction, and how those responses influence the employee’s desire to leave the organization.   Factors that affect the employee’s decision to leave include non-work factors such as family, hobbies, religion and political influences (Cohen 1995). Steers and Mowday also identified the potential of employees to alter their actual job, in terms of pay, working hours, environment, etc., and thus change their attitudes regarding their jobs (Prouse 2001). Chapter 3 Methodology The aim of the research is to examine the relationships between job characteristic, job satisfaction and turnover intention among IT professionals in ______________.   The proposition is that job satisfaction and job characteristics as management influences have indirect impact to the levels of turnover intention among IT professionals.   The literature review indicates that there are different factors affecting IT professionals’ turnover intention.   This research is going to study the turnover intention of IT professionals in _____________. 3.1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research Questions The study will answer the following two research questions: Which job characteristic variable(s) causes the job satisfaction among IT professionals in ____________? What job satisfaction variable(s) cause the turnover intention among IT professionals in ____________?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In answering these two primary questions, the thesis will make use of the following framework:    Hypotheses Research Question 1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Which job characteristic variable(s) causes the job satisfaction among IT professionals in _______________?†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first research question will analyze the standardized effect of job characteristics to job satisfiers.  Ã‚   The null hypotheses tested were: Job Characteristics à   Job Satisfactions H1: The level of IT training does not affect the various measures of job satisfaction. H2: The level of user contact does not affect the various measures of job satisfaction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H3: The job-required skills do not affect the various measures of job satisfaction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H4: The level of task significance does not affect job satisfaction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H5: The amount of workload does not affect job satisfaction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H6: The amount of feedback does not affect job satisfaction. Research Question 2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"What job satisfaction variable(s) cause the turnover intention among IT professionals in ________________?†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first research question will analyze the standardized effect of the job satisfaction scales to turnover intention.  Ã‚   The null hypotheses tested were:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Job Satisfactions à   Turnover Intention   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H7: The level of internal work motivation does not affect turnover intention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H8: The level of job security satisfaction does not affect turnover intention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H9: The level of social job satisfaction does not affect turnover intention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H10: The level of job growth satisfaction does not affect turnover intention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H11: The level of satisfaction with pay does not affect turnover intention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H12: The level of satisfaction with supervision does not affect turnover intention. Research Procedures   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3.3.1  Ã‚  Ã‚   Data Collection   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research is a process of studying and analyzing situational factors of a specific problem or issue in order to determine solutions of it (Cavana, Delahaye and Sekaran 2001). According to Cavana, Delahaye and Sekaran (2001), there are three research paradigms: positivist, interpretivist and critical research.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the research hypotheses of this study try to explore the relationships between job characteristic, job satisfaction and turnover intention among the IT professionals in __________________, the positivist approach will be adopted and it will provide the framework upon which the methodology of this study can be used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In this study, the research problem requires primary data to specifically address the twelve hypotheses. An Internet questionnaire will be used as it is the most effective and appropriate data collection method. â€Å"Questionnaire† is defined as a â€Å"pre-formulated written set of questions to which respondents recorded their answers within closely defined alternatives† (Cavana, Delahaye and Sekaran, 2001). A well-designed questionnaire provides accurate and useable data for analysis in order to make a conclusion of accepting / rejecting a research hypothesis.  Ã‚   A copy of the questionnaire to be used is attached as Appendix A of this study.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After gathering the data from questionnaires, the analysis of the data (including frequency distribution, correlation analysis and regression analysis) will be performed by a quantitative data analysis tool called SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). SPSS predictive analytics advances in usability and data access, drawing reliable conclusions from the collected quantitative data (SPSS, Inc. 2002). In depth quantitative analysis of the data will be undertaken. Frequency Distribution, Correlation Analysis, and Regression Analysis will be used to analyze the collected data.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The population of this research is the _________ professionals in the country. The research is expected to have a 10% response rate (i.e. ____ questionnaires).   A reminder email will be sent to the students to ensure reaching the planned response rate. Participants are not inconvenienced or exposed unnecessarily to potential harm by recruiting more than is required. The research conducted by Dorà © in 2004 (which this paper intends to compare itself to) only received 326 responses which is less than 0.1% of the population.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An invitation email   will be sent to the administration managers of the participating institutions. Then the manager will forward the invitation email to all qualified IT professionals and invite them to fill in the Internet anonymous questionnaire within 10 business days. A reminder email will be sent by the manager on the 6th business day. The invitation email only contains a consent form   and a URL to the Internet anonymous questionnaire. Participation is entirely voluntary. The participant can withdraw at any time and there will be no disadvantage if the participant decides not to complete the survey.   At no time will any individual be identified in any reports resulting from this study. A copy of the consent form is attached with this application. Variables   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The variables which will used in this study can be categorized into two categories: job characteristics and job satisfaction.   The factors within each category are discussed as follows:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The following job characteristics for IT professionals were selected for this study, based also on previous usage in similar studies as indicated in the literature review: IT Training User Contact Job-required Skills Task Significance Workload Feedback   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, the job satisfaction scales include the following: Internal Work Motivation Job Security Satisfaction Social Job Satisfaction Job Growth Satisfaction Satisfaction with Pay Satisfaction with Supervision Data Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study will make use of descriptive and inferential analysis were used throughout the study.  Ã‚   Descriptive statistics (percentages, means, standard deviations, frequencies, and item means) were computed using the SPSS (SPSS, Inc., 2002).   This general-purpose analysis program will be used to characterize the sample in terms of demographic characteristics pertaining to gender, income, education, age, years as an IT professional, years in the current organization, and years in the current position.   SPSS will likewise used to analyze the correlation among job characteristics, the correlation between job satisfaction scales, the correlation between job satisfaction and job characteristics, and the correlation between job characteristics, job satisfaction, and turnover intention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The primary inferential technique that will be used is bivariate correlation.   SPSS will   also be used to analyze the regression analysis for the data.   A 0.01 level of significance was adopted for testing significance.   The standardized effects of all the job characteristics for each job satisfier will also be computed.   The same method will be used to analyze the standardized effect of all the job satisfaction scales to turnover intention.   From these standardized effect analyses, the prediction of turnover intention by job satisfaction scales will be computed.    The job satisfaction scales which had a 0.60 level were considered significant to turnover intention.   The reliability coefficients ranging between 0.60 and 0.70 are deemed adequate for research purposes (Aiken, 2000, p.88).   For purposes of this study, the job satisfiers and job characteristics which have indirect effects of 0.60 above significance to turnover intention will be used.   The standardized effect of the significant job characteristic will be multiplied to the standardized effect of the particular job satisfier.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Each of the twelve hypotheses of this study will be tested in essentially six multiple regression analyses – one for each job satisfier as the constant, independent variable and its relation to each dependent variable represented by the job characteristics.   Otherwise stated, each job satisfier will represent a criterion variable and the six job characteristics will be considered predictors in each of the six regression analyses. 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