Cultural Observation Essay

Cultural Observation Culture is the sum total of learned beliefs, values, and customs in which a people of a particular society live. Culture is dynamic and always changing but retains patterns that form its basic infrastructure. Many aspects of a people’s society make up one’s culture including religion, economy, language, politics, etc. Cultures are not finite and in many instances have there own number of sub cultures within them. This variation among cultures brings about man consequences between populations, which can be positive or negative. I have been given the task to use participant observation in order to form a complete report on the daily social interactions of humans in the Saint Louis area. The location I chose is in the middle of a higher learning environment known as a college campus. The area lies in the middle of the campus and has a large structure with a device that measures and tracks time. It is a frequently used path by the students of the campus, which allows for many social observations to be made. As stated earlier the space is a walking highway for students with the most traffic-taking place in the morning at the end of each hour for a period of about ten minutes. The pathway is a large round a bout that circles around the clock tower structure with 4 perpendicular paths continuing off from the circle. I sat on a large concrete staircase that overlooks the circle, for my observations. I sat for one and a half hours observing the following. For the duration of my observation, which began at 11:00am I had many people sitting on the stair case fixture in front of me. At one point there were a total of 23 people sitting on the concrete stairs. These 23 people were paired off in groups of no more than 6. When the time came closer to the end of the hour, there was a dramatic increase in traffic flow around the clock structure. Many of the people walked at a steady pace and seemed to have been walking solo. Some people walked in groups but if it was a group of more than one the majority walked in pairs. As the new hour began the traffic flow dramatically dropped. The make up of the study population varied in many categories. The ages of the people were predominantly that of 18-21 year olds, with occasional middle-aged people and young professionals. During the rush of traffic it seemed to have a larger population of females than males walking through the area. This was also found for the people who chose to sit on the concrete stairs. Of the people who sat down, 15 of them were female and the rest male. During the rush I noticed many different ethnicities that ranged from Caucasian white, to Asian, to Middle Eastern, and African American. Disregarding race, a pattern among the people arose during observation. The females leaned towards wearing more high cost garments than the males did. This related to the observation that many women seemed to be of high economic status in comparison to males. In regards to discernable space I found that females were much more prone to putting minimal space between themselves when interacting. Males seemed to keep a good distance from each other while interacting. For the majority, during the rush of walking traffic, people followed the rule of walking to there right while entering the circle even though this rule was not stated on any sign that I could see. Some people were more aggressive in there walking patterns and people on bicycle contraptions were permitted the right of way in most occasions. Physical interactions were most abundant among females and males who interacted. Males who were walking with a female had less space between them than males who were walking with another male. People sitting on the stairs would occasional engage in physical contact with the highest percentage of outcomes being a laugh following the physical touch. Overall I noticed a pattern that people of the same â€Å"race† for the majority stuck together, giving the impression of subcultures with in the population. Given the location, I concluded that the reason for all the people in the walking rush had the shared commitment of attending classes for learning purposes. For the people who sat down on the stairs it was much harder to find a reason for there public social interaction. The weather was optimal that day which would most likely attract such a leisurely activity response. The population was visually extremely diverse but some common trends were found that differentiated people. The most apparent difference was that of the nature of the people of Asian descent. They more than anyone kept to there own group and clearly spoke a different language than the rest of the population. This could be a barrier between them and the rest of the people who seem to speech the dominant language of the area. From my observations I have been able to determine many things about the population of Saint Louis. More research must be done especially with people of different ages in order to get a more accurate picture of how people in Saint Louis behave but from my observations many patterns stuck out among people from ages 18-21. One of the most puzzling aspects was the wearing of a garment on the top of a person’s head. I could not find a distinct pattern as to what type of people or what situations these head garments were supposed to be for. The only practical usage I came up with was the use of it to keep the sun of their eyes, but many did not use it for this purpose. If it pertains to simply a fashion accessory it would appear to be more common among younger male populations. Another observation was the commonality of wearing t-shirts or other garments that either said Saint Louis University or Saint Louis in some form. From this I have determined that people are proud of the organizations and areas they have some sort of investment in. This also led me to believe that people use their garments to communicate subtly to other people certain information about themselves. A majority of garments worn had some form of there language written on them. Overall more research must be done on the human race to cross-reference these ideas. It is obvious that culture is dynamic and works on several different levels in this complex society of people. Simply observing can tells us many things about there culture but will only get us so far. We must make plans to immerse ourselves in there actual culture to truly get an accurate picture of what it means to be part of Saint Louis, and ultimately, what it means to be human.

Globalization of Mcdonalds

Contemporary World Culture Globalization of McDonalds Globalization has affected almost every aspect of life in most all countries around the world from economic to culture with the exchange of goods, services and ideas influencing cultural changes around the world. Food is an important element in defining culture and the globalization of McDonald’s is huge. Most people when they hear the name McDonald’s immediately think of America. Equating McDonald’s with America is sensible since they opened their first restaurant in America back in 1953 and over the years directly influenced American culture in a tremendous way. From the days of a child’s first words McDonalds naturally comes off their lips as a place they want to eat. McDonald’s terms such as super size me have influenced teen culture by making its way into slang. McDonalds is the cool place to eat while at the same time driving our fast past give it to me now American culture. McDonald’s made it easy for Americans to get what they want fast and move on with life. McDonald’s has and still is a strong expression of American culture. When a McDonald's opens in a new neighborhood in a different country, people think of Americanization of the local culture. In reality McDonald’s more times than not has conformed to the local culture, not the other way around. McDonald’s also alters its regional menus to conform to local taste. McDonalds is in the business of making money and has found it makes the most money by giving people what they want. Different countries and cultures around the world have different needs and wants thus becoming an expression of global culture bring a common thread to pull together different cultures from around the world into one global fast food culture.

Biology in Everyday Life

This Perspective from Penney Gilbert and colleagues from the USA and Sweden focuses on adult stem cells found in skeletal muscle, also known as satellite cells. They address the problem that, once extracted from muscle and placed into culture, satellite cells quickly lose their ability to self-renew, complicating studies into their biology. The development of new bioengineering approaches, such as hydrogel microwell arrays, could solve this problem. These approaches can accurately monitor the behavior of satellite cells and provide robust data sets, thanks to the number of different tests that can be carried out in parallel. To illustrate the usefulness of such tools, the authors show how stem cell division and self-renewal can be tracked in clonal assays using time-lapse microscopy. By increasing the stiffness of the hydrogel microwells in the assays, satellite cells can be maintained in culture for up to one week and successfully engraft back into mouse muscle. Stem cells hold the potential to become part of powerful medical treatments and therapies, but only if we understand how we are changing them by removing them from their niche. This Perspective pushes this issue to the fore and offers some suggestions as to how we can further improve stem cell culture http://the-scientist. com/2012/04/01/are-cancer-stem-cells-ready-for-prime-time/ Biology in Everyday Life This Perspective from Penney Gilbert and colleagues from the USA and Sweden focuses on adult stem cells found in skeletal muscle, also known as satellite cells. They address the problem that, once extracted from muscle and placed into culture, satellite cells quickly lose their ability to self-renew, complicating studies into their biology. The development of new bioengineering approaches, such as hydrogel microwell arrays, could solve this problem. These approaches can accurately monitor the behavior of satellite cells and provide robust data sets, thanks to the number of different tests that can be carried out in parallel. To illustrate the usefulness of such tools, the authors show how stem cell division and self-renewal can be tracked in clonal assays using time-lapse microscopy. By increasing the stiffness of the hydrogel microwells in the assays, satellite cells can be maintained in culture for up to one week and successfully engraft back into mouse muscle. Stem cells hold the potential to become part of powerful medical treatments and therapies, but only if we understand how we are changing them by removing them from their niche. This Perspective pushes this issue to the fore and offers some suggestions as to how we can further improve stem cell culture http://the-scientist. com/2012/04/01/are-cancer-stem-cells-ready-for-prime-time/

Sony TV Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Sony TV Marketing - Case Study Example Australians are generally overweight, less likely to marry, and consuming more goods and services. (Australian Social Trends 2007). As their household income increased, household spending also rose. Since 1985-86, real (i.e. adjusted for inflation) household final consumption expenditure per person has increased on average by 2% each year (from $17,500 in 1985-86 to $26,100 in 2005-06). The largest increases have been on communication services and goods for recreation and culture. The Sony television set falls under the goods for recreation and culture. Australia has experienced an increase in marriages registered. In 2006, there were 114,222 registered marriages, representing an increase of 4,899 (4.5%) from 2005. (Australian Bureau of Statistics). This signals the most significant increase in the number of registrations from 1999. This increase in registration numbers is consistent across all states and territories. New South Wales contributed the highest increase in registrations at a national level, reporting a rise of 2,144 (6.0%) marriages from 2005 to 2006. Consequently, Australia's total fertility rate has increased, reaching 1.81 babies per woman in 2005. This constitutes the highest level of increase from 1995. The main source of this increased spending are women aged 30 years and over. The immigration rate has also increased. ... EconomicEconomic growth and development has been steady at 7% per annum. Australia forms part of the developed country block. International trade has quadrupled as businesses produced various goods and services for export to the United States, Japan and South America. Agricultural commodities and machinery constitute a significant portion of outbound trade. Industrial goods also form a sizeable component of Australian export. Imports are made up of raw materials and tools for industrial production. Natural The Australian government, business sector and civil society have banded together to push for the adoption of adaptation and mitigation efforts given the global climate change. Many local companies have implemented efforts to save energy and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The legislature is studying proposals on how to speed up the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. The Australian government had ratified the Kyoto Protocol. This enabled Australia to be active in international negotiations on climate change for the first time. The new government has set a long-term target of a 60% reduction in emissions by 2050, with a national emissions trading scheme to be implemented by 2010 to enable it to reach the target. The signatories to the Kyoto Protocol have committed to achieving certain emissions targets on average over this 5 year period. TechnologicalSony is selling a thin TV (just over 3 millimeters thick). The new televisions have an 11-inch screen and cost 200,000, or almost $1,800. The Sony TV which is known as the XEL-1, features saturated colors and superlative slimness due to the emerging technology of organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs. OLED displays are produced not by the fluorescent bulbs of LCDs, but by

Rhetorical Devices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rhetorical Devices - Essay Example Soliloquy is used as the best way to give insight into the character of the narrator because he or she would not lie to himself when he talks to himself. In Act I, scene 3 lines 149-197, Othello basically portrayed himself as a great heroic figure beginning from his childhood to his later exploits evident with this line â€Å"the story of my life  From year to year--the battles, sieges, fortunes  That I have passed. I ran it through, even from my boyish daysâ€Å". This narration of Othello’s heroic exploits was necessary to convince the Venetians that he is not a threat to them, particularly the Duke who was about to send him against the Ottoman soldiers. Othello needs to convince the Venetians as well as the Duke because he is considered as an outsider in Venetian society as he looked different from them and to some extent, he was perceived as a sort of witch doctor. So he has to convince them that he will act in their best interest even if he is an outsider. Othello a lso needs to convince the Duke that he did not bewitched Desdemona (daughter of the Duke) and that the only thing he did was charm her with his stories. These stories were then told to the Duke that these are harmless personal exploits of bravery to convince him and the Venetians that he is not a threat. During the process of Othello’s soliloquy, he claimed that Desdemona fell in love with him because of this background as told by his soliloquy. These adventures of his, was a sort of an aphrodisiac that Desdemona loved him because of this. For his part, Othello fell in love with her because of her fascination to his story indicating that Desdemona’s patronage and faithfulness to his self-image is very important to him and probably one of the pre-requisite for him to fall in love with her. Through this rhetorical device of soliloquy also, it is hinted to us the nature of Othello’s character to be somewhat narcissistic or that he loves himself too much but at

Veolia Environment and Global Compact Principle Assignment - 3

Veolia Environment and Global Compact Principle - Assignment Example Veolia Water has developed many strategies to deal with environmental issues. Veolia Water has prepared innovative systems such as wireless meter reading which can monitor the water consumption and control the wastage of water. The good performance of Veolia Environment ensures that it is well positioned towards making recommendations to Local Network (Howard & Mas 2005). Veolia Environnement has played an active role in fighting against the GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emission and has successfully reduced the direct emission. Veolia Environnement converts fossil energy into thermal energy. Veolia Environnement is striving to improve the efficiency of energy facilities. It has developed waste to energy process and decreased usage consumption. It has evaluated the design of the system to recover energy in electric buses and tramways. The company created a modeling tool which enumerates the air renewal rate in a refrigerating warehouse and also can regulate cold air generation according to th e requirement. Veolia Environnement had developed projects to improve the maintenance of water supply systems that can prevent the leakage of water and also reduce the energy consumption related to excess–production of drinking water. In the year 2006, Veolia Environnement developed a custom-built ‘Pilot Biomass Boiler’. The main aim of this machine is to evaluate the energy and environmental relevance of different biofuels. The ‘Pilot Biomass Boiler’ has the capacity of producing warm water for approximately 40 families. The local network can be benefitted by the various solution of Veolia Environment regarding drinking water and GHG emission (Veolia Environnement Research & Development 2008). Veolia Environnement is the only company which can deal with solid as well as liquid, hazardous and nonhazardous waste. It offers an effective solution for the collection of waste, treatment, and recovery. It services produce electricity and heat from non†“recyclable waste. Its energy recovery plants and landfills can produce renewable energy which can decrease the requirement of fossil fuel for producing electricity. Over the years, Veolia Environnement developed ‘new solutions’ in order to produce bioenergy, and biogas which can be generated by waste fermentation. Veolia can also transform and recycle the cooking oil into biofuel which can be used as industrial production. The biogas which is derived from waste can fulfill the energy need of people and industry. Veolia can provide energy through the removal of waste in local networks which can fulfill the energy needs as well as purify the environment through decreasing the waste (Veolia Environnement Communication Department 2009). Veolia Environnement’s wastewater treatment focuses on to evade water contagion, combat the deterioration in ecological balances and meet the requirement of fresh water (Veolia Water 2010). Veolia Water recycles the wastewater from sewage plants. It supports as well as produces and operates the widest possible range of water solution for people needs. Veolia’s recycling of water involves elucidation, bio cure, filtration, membrane, disinfection, and wastewater recovery installation.

Dell International Communication Strategy Essay

Dell International Communication Strategy - Essay Example Dell has been learnt to be a company with its roots in the United States and deals in sales as well as services related to computer hardware. The company was established in the year 1980 by Michael Dell. It was witnessed to scale fresh heights in the past three decades which made the company amongst the largest multi-national corporations worldwide with its business presence in about 190 countries accompanied with almost nine manufacturing plants spread out in six different continents. The company has been learnt to earn quite considerable revenue amounting to above $49 billion annually and is also believed to engage a workforce of 55, 000 employees. Dell marks its presence in nearly every individual corner across the globe by way of selling its products directly to its respective end users. The paper would focus on comprehending the communication strategy adopted by Dell which has contributed to a significant extent towards its worldwide success (IBS Case Development Centre, 2010; A rgenti & et. al., 2005). Objectives of Dell Dell pursues an objective of creating dedicated customers with the help of offering better experience at an enormous worth. Dell prefers to focus their complete attention on their customers by maintaining direct associations with them along with serving them with the best possible products accompanied with benchmark based technology that is aimed at surpassing the degree of competition with an increased degree of customer experience and worth. The company is observed to pursue a mission of attaining the position amongst the most flourishing computer companies across the world by way of providing superior experience to its customers with regard to the markets that are catered by Dell. The company’s vision is believed to be a pioneer in the different regions of its business operations (Hanson, 1999). Background of the International Communication Strategy of Dell Corporate Culture & Ethics Dell has been learnt to witness a marvellous development in the last twenty years. In the course of this period, the company was found to constantly make endeavours in uplifting its excellence standards. The mission, values as well as vision with regard to the company has enabled the company to attain its ascertained illustrious objectives. The vital competency factor which has helped the company to attain success has been stated to be its communication strategy (Summit Strategies Inc., 2005). It has been mentioned that the company, in spite of witnessing such remarkable development has continued to remain dedicated to the core values. Dell is believed to maintain an ethical structure where the individuals are considered to be the common line that connects the present posi tion along with the future applicants of the company. The company is observed to pursue a mission of attaining the position amongst the most flourishing computer companies across the world by way of providing superior experience to its customers with regard to the markets that are catered by Dell. The company’s vision is believed to be a pioneer in the different regions of its business operations (Hanson, 1999). Dell is learnt to be a flat company which carries out its business operations on the basis of open communication and claim outcomes. The employees of the company at every individual level are provided complete independence for the reason of structuring fresh and increasingly effectual ways of conducting their respective tasks. The persuasion and completion of the individual tasks with regard to the employees does not call for the requirement of prior authorisation from the higher management. This

The Problem with Rich Kids Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Problem with Rich Kids - Essay Example Consequently, the author goes on to explain that similar and detrimental problems are experienced by the wealthy as their children who learn in prestigious schools, colleges and universities still have social and emotional issues as youths. The maladjustments levels registered in affluent children tend to worsen, as they grow older en route to colleges.   In a study conducted by the author in 1990s, on both the poor and the affluent, the rich children were found to indulge in activities of substance abuse like hard drugs than their counterparts. Consequently, a study conducted by Luthar & Latendresse (2) corroborated with the views of Luthar as affluent youths â€Å"reported the significantly higher use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and hard drugs† (Luthar & Latendresse 2). Even though crime is highly likely in poor youths, Luthar states that the levels of wrongdoing among these youths are comparable to those of the affluent society (Luthar Para 4). In an attempt to decipher the cause of various disturbances among affluent youths, Luthar states that it is demand for high-octane accomplishments as â€Å"the children of affluent parents expect to excel at school and in multiple extracurriculars and also in their social lives† (Luthar Para 8). Many parents put emphasis on performance and success as they wish that t heir offsprings experience similar gratifications through the rich educational environment, professional lives, and experiences. As a result of the pressure, the children generate elevated symptoms of anxiety and depression (Luthar Para 18).

Book Report on The Immortal Life of Henretta Lacks Essay

Book Report on The Immortal Life of Henretta Lacks - Essay Example The cells that belong to Henrietta Lacks are known by the code name HeLa. When Henrietta died in 1951 because of the cervix cancer, cells from her cancerous tumor were cultured by George Otto Gey and create immortal cell line for medical research. HeLa were the first human cells vigorous enough to survive outside the human body, have been productive enough, increased and multiply in test tubes long after her death. Henrietta’s family had no idea that the said cells were used according to this purpose until during the year 1970’s where the medical companies merchandised the cells for profit purposes. Rebecca Skloot describes the HeLa cells as undergoing mitosis which defines in the normal cells as dividing into two. Currently, there are over 50 metric tons of the said cells that are still booming, and flourishing. This New York Times best sellers takes the readers to an extra ordinary journey from the John Hopkins Hospital in the 1950’s to winning several awards i ncluding 2010 Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize for non fiction, 2010 Wellcome Trust Book Prize, 2011 Audie award, and has been featured on over 60 critics’ best of the year list. ... The Primary Characters of the Book Henrietta Lacks is the main characters of the book. The book tells her story from her being a tobacco farmer down to the bed of the hospital of John Hopkins, from her death to the immortality of her cancer cells. One of the main characters to be considered in the book is the family of Henrietta, they could hardly understand why despite the death of their loved ones, Henrietta’s cells still exists and live. However, the love for the family remains strong and the search for justice and to unravel the truth continues. Implications of the Ethical Leadership and Cultural Competence During the time wherein Henrietta Lacks hospitalized at John Hopkins hospital, there is no Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) to govern and approve their research protocols during that time. Even the people who are discriminated and belong to the black race are illiterate about the procedures in relations to the rights of the patient while in the premise of the hospital . Giving the comparison in the evolution of the biomedical evolution during the 1940’s-1970’s between the dilemmas that facing us today, during the time of the HeLa cell dissemination, informed consent was the main point of debate, whereas at the present, two core elements of ethics in biomedical research: privacy and managing conflicts of interest. Recently, the HIPAA privacy rule was enacted. It is a security standards and safeguards for the use of electronic health care information as well as the creation of the privacy standards for protected health information. However, the rules claim equality among all members of the community regardless of the race. How Various Aspect of the Seven Revolution Woven into the Book In the

The Squid and the Whale (2005) directed by Noah Baumbach case Study

The Squid and the Whale (2005) directed by Noah Baumbach conceptualization - Case Study Example There were a lot of emotional changes and the behavior of the family members changed. There was a lot of animosity and anxiety as well as tensions. Whenever there is animosity over a divorce, the family becomes disintegrated and divided. However, this type of stress was managed through various methods that included paying attention to the emotional needs, staying active and fit. The management helped in relieving anger and anxiety and also letting go the problems that were beyond our personal control. The most affected people in the family were the children because we had so much attachment to our parents but on learning that was a planned divorce, attitudes and behavior changed. Another strategy was allowing permission to feel since emotions are normal. Doing things that were emotionally and physically healthy helped us overcome the trauma and experience of divorce. The most important was avoiding making hasty decisions especially after such a traumatizing experience. When the decision came up, we took time to rethink over and over about the consequences. The social systems theory will be appropriate in explaining the divorce to the parents and to the kids as well. The theory postulates that the society is a composition of different systems that are socially brought together.   According to the social systems theory, everything that human beings do, and every emotion human beings experience involves a concept. The concept in the theory is the one of doing things with affiliation to a group of some organization in the society. The structure of today’s family is in nuclear type that is a system within the main society. The children and parents will be guided to understand that the resources they have is because of the structures in the society. Basing on the theory and what the family was undergoing, the theory was applicable in a way to prevent the destruction of the

Annual Day Essay Example for Free

Annual Day Essay Field trips: Post office, Super market, Traffic Signal, Fire station, Horse stable, Plant nursery, etc. Goals: The goal of MapleBear schools is to establish an enthusiasm for learning and knowledge in young children that will serve as a foundation for future success in the education system and in life. In development of the MapleBear program, we have drawn on the best practices in early childhood teaching and learning. MapleBear recognizes that literacy in English is absolutely fundamental to a childs success in English medium schools. The MapleBear Methodology is based on the well established principle that children learn through experience and exploration. The program reinforces and builds on this positive attitude by offering varied stimulating and enjoyable experiences. The knowledge and skills that children acquire by the end of kindergarten, along with positive attitudes to learning that children develop in these early years form the basis of effective learning in later years of school. Aim: This year our aim is Accelerate Success. We have had a very strong growth year in 2010 and we are continuing to build momentum as we enter 2011. Our vertical segment focus is our children’s key elements en route to their success, Success as your child defines it. Our strategy is working, towards the need of our children resulting in their overall development . Our Facilitators will have a number of opportunities to learn more about our well proven curriculum and its execution. We will share with you our roadmaps, which will allow you to interact, involve and participate as parents. In the past year, we have achieved our mile stones and are setting much more aggressive mile stones for this year. We are open for ideas, suggestions feedback from you. We want to Initiate, Analyze and Implement. To do this, we need Innovation, freshness. Please partner with us in this journey to Accelerate your child’s Success.

Plato - Socrates Essay Example for Free

Plato Socrates Essay Apology, in greek, means ‘to give defense’ (###). In Plato’s Apology, Socrates is blamed for numerous acts and elegantly defends himself in front of the court. To start off, he was first accused of studying astrology and demonology and passing his knowledge and beliefs to other people. His first response to this was blatantly asking who has heard him speaking of such acts: â€Å"†¦should tell each other if anyone of you has ever heard me discussing such subjects to any extent at all† (19d). He also claims that if anyone has heard of him charging fees for his teachings, that that is a lie as well. Socrates continues by saying that god at Delphi claims that he is the wisest man in Athens, and he challenges anyone who believes they are wiser. Even though Meletus refuses to believe the words that Socrates speaks, he continues to listen as Socrates further explains his viewpoint. Socrates continues by saying that the reason behind his unpopularity lies behind his ability to analyze others. He criticizes the politicians, the poets, and the craftsmen for their apparent wisdom. Socrates first examines the Politicians, saying that â€Å"†¦I found that those who had the highest reputation were nearly the most deficient†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (22a) meaning that they possessed little to no wisdom. Next, Socrates examined the Poets. He simply stated that the poets had no clue what they were writing about. He believes that their poems come from sheer inspiration and natural talents, and their wisdom has nothing to do with it. Finally, Socrates speaks about the craftsmen. He shares his belief that the craftsmen are very wise, but they only possess knowledge of their crafts. Secondly, Socrates was accused of corrupting the minds of the young. Meletus originally claimed that only Socrates is guilty of corrupting the minds of the youth. Socrates asks Meletus a few questions such as: Who improves the young? In which Meletus responds by telling Socrates that the law is held responsible for improving the law. Socrates then follows up by asking who contains the knowledge of the law? : Where Meletus answers with the jurymen, audience, members of council, etc. Socrates then summarizes all of the premises for Meletus by concluded that everyone in Athens besides Socrates improves the young. Socrates continues his argument with an analogy. He uses an anaglogy involving a horse trainer. He states that there are very few horse trainers who are experts in their field, and their job is to improve them to the best of their abilities. If an ordinary person, one whom isn’t trained on horses, were attempt to train a horse, they would simply only make matters worse. What Socrates is trying to say here is that ther are very few ‘trainers’ that train people, and contrary to Meletus’s beleifs, Socrates is one of those trainers. Socrates quickly turns the boat around towards Meletus and claims that he has never given any thought towards the youth. He then continues to upgrade his argument by saying that most people, if not all, would rather live in a town full of good people rather than bad: â€Å"Do not the wicked do some harm to those who are ever closest to them, whereas good people benefit them? † (25c). This quote shows how he agrees with the previous statement that most people would rather live with good people. He states here that bad people will harm the ones that are closest to them, whereas good people will only bring them goodness. Socrates then follows up on his argument by repeating Meletus’s thoughts that he, Socrates, intentionally corrupted the minds of the young. He concludes by saying that, usually, when people harm another person, a harmful return should be expected. Therefore, if he intentionally harmed the youth, then he would be expected to be harmed as a result. He asks Meletus â€Å"†¦namely that if I make one of my associates wicked I run the risk of being harmed by him so that I do such a great evil deliberately, as you say? † (25e). Here, Socrates explains that if he were to harm another person, then he would be subjected to harm himself, and what person would subject themselves to harm in the first place? Socrates finalizes his attack on the second charge by saying that he’s either innocent of corrupting the youth, or he did so unintentionally. If he was found guilty, however, then he should rather be taught than to be subjected to the court. `In my eyes, Socrates argument was relatively strong here. During his speech, Socrates quickly turns to focus of his argument to the inconsistency of the charge and his belief in new spiritual things. He addresses Meletus’s belief in spiritual things by saying that it is a contradiction to atheism. Socrates justifies his beliefs by saying that you can’t believe in human activities but not believe in humans, or believe in flute-playing but not believe in the existence of flutes. Therefore, Socrates concludes by saying that you can’t believe in spiritual activity but not believe in spirits. He also makes his argument stronger by mocking the court in a sense with strong irony. In the beginning of The Apology, Socrates was being charged of impiety, using rhetoric to potentially acknowledge the truth behind the lies of the law. Reading about Socrates, it is clearly shown that he is quite fond of exposing the truth, making him a prime example of a rhetorician. In order to turn his case around in the court, Socrates uses rhetoric to defend himself. Since he saw no way out of the situation, he decided to complement his character and keep to his traditional ways. However, towards the end of the argument, Socrates seems to lose focus and his argument becomes less and less stable. In Crito, Socrates was given the death sentenced, and when the opportunity arised for an escape, he refused. Crito gave him numerous reasons as to why Socrates should escape. First, Socrates would be abandoning his wife and children. Secondly, people are willing to pay his way out of jail, that way he wouldn’t be in debt. Also, if he didn’t escape, Crito worries what people would think of Socrates’ companions. He is worried that the situation would reflect badly on them, that they did nothing to help Socrates escape. As well as deserting his wife and children, Crito believes that Socrates will also be deserting himself. After all he has believed in and persevered through, Crito doesn’t want Socrates to give up now. Finally, People are willing to risk themselves to help him escape from prison. Crito thinks that since Socrates has so many reasons to escape, that he should quickly act upon the situation. After Crito delivers his five reasons as to why Socrates should escape, Socrates states two different premises as to why he should stay in jail and accept his punishment. First, he defends himself against Crito’s speech. He first questions whether or not he should remain in prison and accept all punishments against him, or agree with Crito and escape. He states that if he were to escape from prison, then he would be saying that it is acceptable to perform injustice acts. He then corrects the statement by saying that no matter what the issue is, it’s unacceptable to wrong against any man. Following up, Socrates states that if one were to agree over something, then under no circumstances should that agreement be broken or cheated on. While Socrates is living in Athens, he is agreeing to all of the rules and regulations that the law presents. If he doesn’t agree with the laws, then he has the choice of leaving in pursuit of a new city or challenge the law itself. If he doesn’t perform either of these acts, then he is subjective to the laws of the city. Socrates then combines all of these premises to come to the conclusion that he should accept his punishments and refrain from escaping. Socrates then lays out his second premise by first stating that if he were to escape, he will then destroy the Law of Athens and the City, something that he promised not to break upon living in the City. At the age of consent, Socrates turned into a man, thus agreeing to the rues and regulations of the city. The law originally allowed his parents to wed and deliver Socrates, and then in turn allowed Socrates to wed and have children. So far, the Law of Athens have done nothing but help the upbringing of Socrates and his children. However, he then states that if the Law and the City’s ruling was unjust, then if Socrates were to escape, he wouldn’t be breaking the Law of Athens. The problem here is that the only way Socrates would be able to prove his ruling unjust is if he was on an equal footing with the Law of Athens or if he did not promise to abide by the Law of Athens and all of its rulings. If he was on an equal footing with the City, then whatever the city would do to Socrates, Socrates could do the city, which is inaccurate. After all, the city is responsible for the upbringing of Socrates and his family. Since he isn’t on an equal footing, and he did promise to follow all of the rules and regulations of the City, Socrates concludes by saying that the ruling of the jury was accurate. Socrates addresses the first three arguments of Crito by saying that they are irrelevant to whether or not his escaping is right or wrong. Secondly, Socrates says that although that remaining arguments are valid, the do not give good enough reasons. In Crito, the city is wronging Socrates by order of execution. Therefore, by complying to the wrong accusation, is Socrates committing an unjust act as well? With all of the arguments Socrates has made so far (one has to keep his promise, one should follow the rules of the Law, one should never commit wrongdoing), he cannot admit it. Another validation issue in Socrates’ argument is the potential contradiction with The Apology. In The Apology, Socrates states that under no circumstances will he obey any order to stop philosophizing: â€Å"Gentlemen of the jury, I am grateful and I am your friend, but I will obey the god rather than you, and as long as I draw breath and am able, I shall not cease to practice philosophy.. † (29d). Another example that seems to be contradictory in his beleifs in Crito is the story of Leon form Salamis. Socrates was ordered to bring in Leon for a possible execution, but instead headed home. â€Å"Then I showed again, not in words bu in action, that, it if were not rather vulgar to say so, death is something I couldn’t care less about, but that my whole concern is not to do anything unjust or impious† (32c-e). Here, Socrates shows how he refused to do something that he believes to be unjust. Relating this back to his situation in Crito, Socrates was being punished for being unjust, thus putting him in the same position as Leon. In Crito, he shows his obligation to obey the Law of Athens, even if that meant he was going to stop philosophizing as well as being wrongfully executed. In Phaedo, Cebes and Socrates have a long a thorough conversation of the existence of the soul. Cebes’s argument is that the soul is recycled through different bodies. However, the more times the soul is reused, then more it is damaged. Cebes believes that when the soul eventually runs out, it will result in the death of a birth. He finishes his argument by telling Socrates that unless you can prove that the soul is immortal, every man must be fearful of his soul and what will happen to it if it is reensouled. Thus, if anyone was to face death with confidence would be considered unwise. Socrates follows up with his New Method of Hypothesis. Here, he states that everyone is participating in a certain form, whether it’s the form of tallness, the form of beautiful, etc. : â€Å"I assume the existence of a Beautiful, itself, of a good and a Great and all the rest† (100b). He believes that the form of Beautiful is made up of participates, and that they all come together to create the form. Socrates also comes up with the Exclusion of Opposites. Here, he states that everything that is condisered a ‘universal fact’, will never have both itself and it’s opposite simultaneously. Socrates uses the example of the Form of Tallness, saying that one can’t possess both the Form of Tallness and the Form of Shortness. What he means here is that you can’t be both tall and short at the same time. He continues on by saying that certain states of affairs have opposites, but their character is made up of the opposite that they possess. As his argument goes on, Socrates states that the soul brings to body life as well as anything that it possesses. If this is true, then that would mean that the soul is immortal, always reensouling another body. This is unlike what Cebes said, since he was convinced that the more times the soul possessed a new body, then the sould would become weaker and eventually cease to exist. Following up on Socrates’s argument, if the soul never dies, then that you mean that it is imperishable. In conclusion, Socrates can say that the soul is abiding.

Factors Causing High Employee Turnover Rates

Factors Causing High Employee Turnover Rates Staff Retention Human Resources Management Chapter 1 Introduction Employee turnover in the industry has become the custom today in the manufacturing, service and merchandising industry. Employees are moving from one form of employment to another because of several factors that the employers have not yet grasped. In this regard many industry players are busy defining ways to protect turnover of its employees. The most affected part of this is the merchandising industry. In the bid to prove influence in the fastest upcoming sector executives in the merchandising industry are fighting hard the high trend of their staff consistently changing jobs (Rueben 22). Today generating an atmosphere favorable and valued by all employees in the ever changing employee market may not be as pain-streaking as it may appear to the larger population. It engages a number of issues may make the brilliant minds that make up your staffs want to stay in the organization. A combination of this contribution may eventually lead to higher number of employees and thus reduce tur nover. The contributions made above require that they be performed in tandem for observable achievement to be achieved. Grasping the skill of staff retention requires that management delve deeply into what causes turnover of staff in institutions. Many questions should be put on the table in order to ascertain reasons why one would want to work in one organization and not prefer to work in another organization. The managements should not rest at that but proceed to look into the subsequent period that the employee has been absorbed into an organization. By asking these questions it is easy to discern that there are a lot of issues that have been left wanting for a long time. I find it easy to look at these issues by sympathizing with the employee and trying to assume his shoes at the company. This in real meaning requires doing proper research on standard ethical models that might be brought on board to encourage retention of employees. In the recent past the employers used to retai n employees. The confidence thus gained goes down well with those in the precincts of work thus offering them purpose and presence. Boosting the moral of workers is one way of improving confidence of staff. In this regard even the general productivity of the company of the company can be noticed. Working closely and collectively in addition grants the staff presence. Al in all its just a matter of saying thank you as morality demands. There are different styles of leadership in institutions that influence how relationships in the work place take place. People in leadership roles should be in the fore front in show wing proper codes of conduct to their employees, as opposed to taking the hind seat. In turn the employees may feel very motivated within the working environments that they are working. This enabling environment will thus lead to a sense of belonging by the individuals and cohesiveness thus leading to teamwork translating into a proud team. For one to retain staff he or she has to consider several important issues of the work place. Background Draper Co. Ltd. Found in 1987 is a sweater manufacturer that employs more than 100 people in Hong Kong. Since garment companies had bloomed in recent years. The role for merchandising people become more difficult and the manpower is short in the labor market. Draper is facing the problem of high staff turnover rate. In addition, with opening of the mainland market, many foreign enterprises had set up their merchandising sections in Hong Kong and some enterprises also invite Hong Kong garment companies to cope with their expanding business. As a result, the job vacancies of staff increased tremendously. Among the merchandising industry, garment sections are highest in demand for staff. This is due to the fast growing of the sectors as well as the high employee turnover rate and the lack of talent in the labor market. With the goal of identifying predictors of turnover, factors and employees intention to leave or stay with the company will be the major issue of Draper Co. Ltd. Research Problems Initially, the establishment of the project required the involvement of different parties who would provide data and statistical analysis. The study required involvement of external organizations which would require them to allow access their staff to cooperate during the course of the research. Unfortunately some of these merchants turned down request to take part a little after the project was already initialized, it was quite unfortunate. The team of researchers contacted several nationwide merchandise groups to request them to take part in the research as a subsequent measure. Within a short period of time, two particular staff articulated formal concern and primarily arranged to play a part in the project but with the approval of the Board of Governors of their respectful organizations. The team of researchers used up considerable hours meeting with a variety of the team of people representing the staff and giving important information related to the research and showing present ations that highlight the scope of the study. An agreement was made with these staff that the research panel would conduct industry job and staff retention survey within the merchandise organization, rather than concentrating on organizational loop holes as it would imply that there are indeed loop holes, in their respective organizations which might not be the truly case. However because of various unpredicted situations including the falling ill of one of the team members who acted as coordinator of the research team and these respectful staff, the staff in the end made the decision to withdraw its cooperation, leaving operation of the research between a rock a rock and a hard place. The research team then informed the Draper Co. Ltd of the current problems and suggesting a different research method design that would still be in line aims of the project and the objectives outlined before the research was initially flagged off. In this respect, a decision was made to advertise acro ss various merchandise outlets to secure individual people working as staff to act as respondents from different retail outlets, thus eliminating the process of approaching company heads or Board of Governors for endorsement to guarantee a speedy and effortless contact with respondents. The Draper Co. Ltd was highly involved in endorsing the submission for change in the approach for the research. The research carried out by the team concerned conducting 100 partially controlled telephone interviews with staff from different merchandising firms including own staff at Draper Co. Ltd . The research method design of the survey was cautiously designed and conversant with preceding works that dwelled on employee equality and diversity concerns all over the work environment (e.g. Sutherland and Davidson, 1997). The design of the interviews was such that it could be in accordance with the aims and corresponding objectives of the Draper Co. Ltd and eventually deal with a array of concerns as well as the recognition of possible occupational improvement barriers and the recognition of approaches for conquering these limitations, chances for education and training, job promotions and provision for leadership. The partially controlled interview timetable was then stored in secure modules and safe websites secured with passwords, which eventually made it easy for members of the research panel to enter information directly into the research database and online pages, and at the same time carrying out interviews with respondents all over the merchandising industry. The details of the research methodology and what will be contained in the schedule for the research is described in the subsequent sections. Research Objective This study was led by a research team commissioned by the Draper Co. Ltd. The research team was selected by the management of the company with advice by the legal advice wing experts. It was agreed that 16 members be brought aboard the team of researchers. The main goal of identifying predictors of turnover, factors and employees intention to leave or stay with the company will be the major issue of Draper Co. Ltd. The aims of the project were as follows: To examine two sets of potential causes of job turnovers and eventual staff retention mechanisms: firstly, those that impede the retention of workers in the organization and secondly, those that speeds the exit of the players from the organizations. Identify strategies for overcoming these barriers. Investigate the feasibility of constructing a national database, documenting the career paths of women in the merchandise industry. Develop, publish and disseminate good practice guidelines and recommendations using reports, conference presentations, feedback seminars, academic journals and merchandise specialist and national press. The objectives of the project were to: Investigate two sets of potential reasons for staff leaving the company: firstly, those that accelerate the exit of workers and staff and secondly, those that impede the efforts of retaining staff in the organization. Identify strategies for overcoming these reasons. Investigate the feasibility of constructing a company database, documenting the career paths of workers in the merchandise industry. Develop a promotion system, which is more sensitive to the needs of employees Develop an image of the company, which is based entirely upon team cohesion. Provide a concept of role models, which can be utilized by young employees to resolve possible work life balance conflicts. Produce a set of solutions, which can be applied to other retail settings. Develop, publish and disseminate good practice guidelines and recommendations using reports, conference presentations, feedback seminars, academic journals and merchandise specialist and national press. Research Questions: Why this company has high staff turnover rate Why staff relationship will make new comer difficult to fit in team work What relationship caused high staff turnover rate How to retain staff in this company Does the management policy affect staff retention? Does the company is responsive to employees needs and wants Does companys reputation retain staff? Terminologies Merchandising Retention Welfare Turnover Respondent Outsourcing Glass ceiling Dissertation Outlines Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This Section looks at the main literature in this area. The first sections focus on the structure of merchandising and the broader profile of the sector. The section then moves on to its main concern which is the job retention of staff at junior and senior levels in merchandising. Merchandising is an economic sector, which has traditionally been associated with the employment of staff. Overall, 60% of staff are low skilled employees and 40% are highly skilled in terms of there educational background. Even as these figures show that the merchandising sector clearly employs a larger number of low skilled than the skilled, it is not a ‘balanced industry (Stillsmart, 2004). The representation of low skill workers in the merchandising sector however, follows a number of important patterns. Official statistics are used to highlight the predominance of staff in part time work in the merchandising sector and the under representation of a section staff at senior levels. According to Sti llsmart, (2004), official figures are general and are unlikely to provide a clear understanding of the dynamics relating to the position in which staff is employed in merchandising sector. The following sections therefore outline theories that have been offered to account for these disparities, particularly in relation to barriers for staff attempting to progress into senior management positions. An examination of managing diversity is then offered and potential mechanisms for ensuring merchandising organizations fully utilize the talents of all employees to maximize productivity is discussed. 2.2 The structure of the merchandising sector The merchandising sector is the largest private sector employer in the Hong Kong yet it is rarely recognized as such. Stillsmart (a not for profit organization, set up and part funded by Government to identify and address the skills needs of the Hong Kong merchandising sector), suggest that this is, possibly because its workforce is not concentrated in any particular region or locality. In fact, the merchandising sector is the largest public sector employer in the Hong Kong. Furthermore, Wang XI Inc is the Hong Kongs second largest employer after the Jubilee (Stillsmart, 2004). Overall, the merchandising sector employs three million people throughout the Hong Kong, which accounts for approximately ten per cent of employment throughout the Hong Kong. However, the structure of the industry is unusual, and is described by Stillsmart, as ‘hourglass shaped. The vast majority (95%) work in firms with less than ten employees. Consequently, there is significantly less (just over two th ousand) merchandising employers with more than fifty staff, reflecting the â€Å"hourglass shape† of the industry profile. 2.3 Job Retention and improvement Strategies The welfare reform programs of the 1990s moved many families from cash assistance into the work force. The strong economy provided an abundance of entry-level, low-skill job opportunities to support this transition. For most of these families, however, finding a job is only the first step in the difficult path toward self-sufficiency. Like other working parents, adults who leave welfare (â€Å"leavers†) often encounter barriers to job retention and advancement. Between 1994 and 2002, the welfare caseload declined drastically, by more than 2.5 million cases (or 50 percent). Simultaneously, the number of single mothers either divorced or never married— in the work force increased by more than 1.2 million (or 22 percent). Government welfare programs have been instituted to help keep women employed and off welfare. Job retention and improvement strategies are becoming increasingly important to state policymakers as unemployment rates rise and slowed economic growth, corpora te lay-offs, and hiring freezes limit job opportunities for parents who are moving into the work force. Current and former welfare recipients and those who dont have a strong attachment to the work force may find it more difficult to gain employment in hard economic times, thus increasing the demand for job retention and improvement services for those who currently are employed. 2.4 Present profile of turnover of employees Employment expectations have risen slightly in (Q1) from an already high level in Q4. Of the 514 sales executives surveyed, 54% expect to increase their hiring which is slightly up from 53% the previous. As the years go by, expectations have remained solid. The 54% planning to grow headcount this year is at the same level as Q1 2004, though there are some variations between the sectors surveyed. Companies are extremely confident about how they will perform in the next six months with 95% of respondents forecasting their companys performance to be excellent or good in the first half of 2007. Respondents in Hong Kong report higher levels of staff turnover than in any other market surveyed in Asia with 37% stating that turnover in the last twelve months has exceeded 10% (Hudson, 2007). Hudson, one of the worlds leading professional recruitment, outsourcing and capacity management solution providers, today released findings of its broad quarterly Hudson Report for Asia. With a status as a key socio-economic indicator in the present market since its Asia launch in September 2000, the survey has been built on the premise that employers expectations of an increase or decrease in staffing levels represent a significant indication of their optimism in the growth of their organization and their industry as a whole. The Hudson Report represents the expectations of over 1450 key employment decision makers from multinational organizations of all sizes in all major industry sectors, with 400 of these executives based in Hong Kong. 2.4 The general profile of employees in the merchandising sector Traditionally the merchandising sector is associated with the employment of low level and unskilled workers, the vast majority of whom work in the lower ranks of the organizational hierarchy. The profile of employees in merchandising also follows a number of other patterns. The merchandising sector for example employs a large proportion of young people. According to recent estimates 29% of those employed in the sector are between the ages of 16 to 24. This is compared to the overall economy figure of 14%. It has been suggested that this figure may be due to the popularity of merchandising as a part-time occupation for young people and students (Stillsmart, 2004). Merchandising is also a popular choice for older workers (persons over 55). In terms of ethnic minority employment, the merchandising sector employs a similar fraction to those figures available nationally (Stillsmart, 2004). Recent research has shown however, that certain recruitment practices may prevent ethnic minorities from gaining employment in merchandising organizations. For example a study for Birmingham and Manchester cities in Britain for example, found that employers might specify jobs as a matter of course that require the staff to work on Saturdays without realizing that a large pool of potential workers would be unable to work on this day as it is their Sabbath (Vector research, 2003). 2.4 The trends common in the merchandising sector Merchandising is an economic sector, which has customarily been associated with the employment of diverse people of different background. Overall, 55% of merchandising employees are women and 45% are men (Stillsmart, 2004). This gender factor in the merchandising sector remains fairly consistent throughout other nations and regions of the Hong Kong and this profile has been fairly consistent over the last 10 years. Skill level has also played a bigger part in influencing how long an employee is wiling to stay in a given organization. Better salaries in other organizations may lead to employees moving from their respective place of work in pursuit for better opportunities (Hudson, 2004). Level of qualification gives workers a broader scale of work opportunities that they willingly take into considerations. Stillsmart (2004) suggest that Hong Kongs larger ethnic population is likely to be the source of this greater proportion of the workers in the capital run by ethnic minorities may p roprietorship driven by highly skilled male people. It is important to note however, that the representation of retention in the merchandising sector follows a number of important patterns discussed in the subsequent sections. Firstly the prevalence of staff turnover in the merchandising sector will be discussed. Secondly, evidence will be presented to show the under representation of employee needs at senior levels within the merchandising sector. 2.4.1 The prevalence of staff turnover in the merchandising sector Statistics from Stillsmart (2004) indicate that merchandising sector employment occupy three quarters of all employment in the Hong Kong economic sector, which accounts for 40% of all employment. This is a significant figure when, compared to the economy overall, where only 25% of people are employed permanently. The other majority of those working are part time workers employed in sales and customer service occupations. Figure 2.1 outlines the proportion of full and part time employment in the merchandising sector by gender. Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.4.1.1 Job retention in the labor force as a whole The prevalence of staff turnover when compared with other sectors of the economy is particularly evident in the merchandising sector. This trend is also reflected in employment across the Hong Kong, particularly in the service industries. The numbers of staff entering the labor market has dramatically increased over the past thirty years and this rise in numbers has mainly been in by young people with low skill (Burke and Nelson 2002; Davidson and Burke, 2002). Because of this influx of young energetic minds quickly induces training for the staff. After gaining much needed experience then leave the industry for more lucrative jobs in other sectors. Youthful persons in the Hong Kong are far more likely than middle and old aged persons to work as part-timers (EAC, 2004). According to the National Office of Statistics, in 2005, 42% of young employees in the Hong Kong worked in the sector compared to just 9% of old people. Interestingly, the number keeps on increasing in the industry whe reas companies are reporting a high staff turnover hence posing a big threat to company survival in the highly competitive industry (EAC, 2004). Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.4.3 Explanations for the prevalence of staff turnover among staff in the merchandising sector Traditionally, the predominance of staff turnover is largely attributed to the level of education and other academic qualifications (e.g. those with degrees go for more lucrative jobs in other lucrative industries vacating there positions) traditionally occupied by them which limits the productivity of the company (Thompson, 2004; Stillsmart, 2004). When addressing the merchandising sector specifically, Lynch (2003) comments that it is the very nature of the merchandising industry that contributes to the high proportion of turnovers. In the merchandising industry, recruitment is largely secured from the local labor market, staff requirements vary due to seasonal demands and employees are often required to work unfriendly hours as outlets open longer. These are all factors that lead to the reduction of morale and interest in the jobs within any organizational sector, and specifically the merchandising sector. In addition, Lynch (2003) further suggests that due to these delimiting fact ors in the industry and the continuous fluctuation of workforce in particular, potential merchandising companies are provided with an available pool of labor that accepts inferior terms and conditions of employment, as staff attempt to resolve their need to educate and retain their staff. 2.4.3.1 The under representation of staff interests in the merchandising sector by executives and senior officials Official statistics show that there is a higher proportion of college educated in managerial and senior occupations in the merchandising sector than in comparison to the economy a whole. It is important to note, however, that if the representation of staff; male and female, skilled and unskilled were equal throughout the sector. Furthermore, low skilled staff tends to predominate in certain types of management positions including personnel, which are roles traditionally associated with low skilled. 2.5 Recruitment and Retention of Paid Staff It can be surely asserted that, paid staff is a vital part of the retail and merchandising sector. Lynch (2003) further suggests that almost half (40%) of Canadas estimated 161,000 nonprofit and voluntary organizations has least one paid staff member. The sector as a whole employs just over 25% of the total economy. Twenty percent of paid staff in merchandising organizations is in permanent positions and 56% work full-time. The survey asked all organizations involved about the challenges they face recruiting the type of paid staff they need. Twenty-eight percent of organizations said that this is a problem for them; 8% said that the problem is serious. Organizations with paid staff were also asked if they have problems retaining staff. Nineteen percent said that they do, with 8% saying that the problem is serious. As a group, problems relating to paid staff were reported less frequently than other types of capacity challenges. Nevertheless, challenges relating to paid staff are signi ficant for some organizations. 2.5.1 Size of Paid Staff Complement In general, the more paid staff an organization has, the more likely it is to report problems with staff recruitment and retention. Forty-one percent of organizations with 13% of paid staff members reported problems recruiting paid staff. This rises to 30% among organizations with 20 to 50 staff members, 63% among those with 100 to 500 staff members, and 73% among those with 1000 or more staff members. The relationship between the number of staff an organization has and staff retention problems is less pronounced. Seventeen percent of organizations with one to four staff members said this is a problem for them. This increases to 26% among organizations with 100 or more staff members (Stillsmart, 2004). Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.5.2 Reliance on Paid Staff Lynch (2003) suggests the greater the percentage of an organizations workforce that is comprised of paid staff (As opposed to volunteers), the more dependent on paid staff the organization can be said to be. The more reliant an organization is on paid staff, the more likely it is to report difficulties employing and retaining staff. Lynch (2003) further suggests that this relationship is particularly strong for staff recruitment. For example, among organizations in which staff makes up one-third or less of the workforce, 15% said that staff recruitment is a problem for them and 19% said that staff retention is a problem. Nevertheless, among organizations in which staff comprises two thirds or more of the workforce, 54% said that staff recruitment is a problem and 20% said that staff retention is a problem (Stillsmart, 2004).. Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.6 The Glass ceiling theory The under representation of minority group in management positions in the merchandising and other occupational sectors has led theorists to assert that a ‘glass ceiling exists. The minority in this case includes: physically handicapped, less educated and women. The term ‘glass ceiling is used to reflect the ability of and minorities to view the world above them but the metaphorical ceiling prevents the minorities from accessing the better opportunities they can view. This glass ceiling effect occurs when minorities with equivalent credentials as the other employees, i.e. those who traditionally occupy positions of power within organizations, are prevented from accessing top jobs simply because they have particularly weaknesses (Davidson, 1997; Powell, 1999; Konrad, Prasad and Pringle, 2004). Nevertheless, the proportion of minorities in management has increased over the past three decades in almost all countries and legislation in some countries (e.g. Affirmative Action L egislation in the U.S. and Canada) has contributed to this trend (Powell and Graves, 2003). Despite this encouraging increase, recent research by Catalyst (2005) has shown that the glass ceiling is firmly in place. In the U.K., seventy-eight Financial Times Share Index (FTSE 100) companies in 2004 had physically challenged directors, up 13% from the previous year. However, only eleven FTSE 100 companies had female executive directors, which was below the 2002 figure and twenty-two of the FTSE 100 boards in 2005 were all-male (Singh and Vinicrombe, 2005). These statistics largely reflect the experiences of white staff. It is important to highlight that black and ethnic minority staffs across the globe often face significant hurdles. Although there is a general lack of data on ethnicity and employment or physical handicap and employment, ethnic minority employees are under- represented at senior and professional levels in the labor market (Commission for Racial Equality, 2004). In Hon g Kong in 2004 for example, 17% of ethnic minority men were managers or senior officials compared to 10% of ethnic minority staff. The highest percentages of staff and men in these positions were Indian and Chinese (Commission for Racial Equality, 2004). Research has highlighted that a glass ceiling exists even in occupations where staff predominate. Approximately 90% of nurses, for example, are female but male nurses often experience greater career success than female nurses (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2005). The number of women studying merchandise in England now outnumbers men (Davidson and Burke, 2004) but partners of top merchandise firms continue to be predominantly men. An examination of data from the top 10 ten merchandise firms in the Hong Kong in 2005 revealed that on average, 15% of female partners in the top 10 merchandise firms are women (The Merchandise Society, 2005). Recent research has highlighted that whilst women and physically challenged are now achieving mor e senior roles, they are more likely than men to find themselves on a ‘glass cliff (Haslam, 2005). According to Haslam (2005), this is because staff are more likely to secure positions of leadership when organizations are not performing at their optimum level. This means that their appointments are made under more risky circumstances which make them more uncertain. This suggests that not only do staff experience hurdles to achieving senior roles; they are placed under greater scrutiny and face increased pressures when they do reach leadership positions. The disadvantaged experience of the glass ceiling is an important area of study and has implications for the future development of talent in organizations of all sectors including merchandising. Research has shown for example that frustrated by the glass ceiling, many workers quit and start their own businesses (Powell, 1999; Davidson and Fielden, 2003). This can have a detrimental affect within organizations as competent and e xperienced staffs remove themselves from the selection pool. 2.5.1 Pay Differences However, research shows that staff leaders and staff at all levels of the workforce are generally paid less than men with equivalent skills, training and experience, for performing the same roles. In 2005, the percentage difference between the average hourly earnings of staff working full-time in Great Britain for example was 17.1 % (Equal Opportunities Commission, 2004). In the US, staffs earn approximately 77 cents for every dollar earned by men (Retailers Bureau data, 2000, in Nelson and Michie, 2004). The Equal Opportunities Commission in the U.K. (2005) highlights three main reasons for this pay difference. Firstly, there is discrimination in pay systems. Staff are paid less than men for performing the same roles. Secondly, ‘occupational segregation exists. Many employees is concentrated in low paid jobs. Thirdly, staffs assume caring responsibilities for children and other relatives/dependents, which affects their progression at work due to the lack of flexible working. 2.6 Perspectives on barriers to staff in management Authors have identified an array of complex factors that contribute to the existence and pervasive nature of the ‘glass ceiling. Three main perspectives have been offered to explain the adversity facing staff aspiring to senior levels within organizations. These are commonly referred to as the ‘person centered or ‘gender-centered approach (Powell, 1999), the organizational structure perspective (Fagenson, 1993; Kanter, 1977) and the social systems perspective. It is widely acknowledged that the glass ceiling is a result of a culmination of these three main perspectives (Omar and Da Factors Causing High Employee Turnover Rates Factors Causing High Employee Turnover Rates Staff Retention Human Resources Management Chapter 1 Introduction Employee turnover in the industry has become the custom today in the manufacturing, service and merchandising industry. Employees are moving from one form of employment to another because of several factors that the employers have not yet grasped. In this regard many industry players are busy defining ways to protect turnover of its employees. The most affected part of this is the merchandising industry. In the bid to prove influence in the fastest upcoming sector executives in the merchandising industry are fighting hard the high trend of their staff consistently changing jobs (Rueben 22). Today generating an atmosphere favorable and valued by all employees in the ever changing employee market may not be as pain-streaking as it may appear to the larger population. It engages a number of issues may make the brilliant minds that make up your staffs want to stay in the organization. A combination of this contribution may eventually lead to higher number of employees and thus reduce tur nover. The contributions made above require that they be performed in tandem for observable achievement to be achieved. Grasping the skill of staff retention requires that management delve deeply into what causes turnover of staff in institutions. Many questions should be put on the table in order to ascertain reasons why one would want to work in one organization and not prefer to work in another organization. The managements should not rest at that but proceed to look into the subsequent period that the employee has been absorbed into an organization. By asking these questions it is easy to discern that there are a lot of issues that have been left wanting for a long time. I find it easy to look at these issues by sympathizing with the employee and trying to assume his shoes at the company. This in real meaning requires doing proper research on standard ethical models that might be brought on board to encourage retention of employees. In the recent past the employers used to retai n employees. The confidence thus gained goes down well with those in the precincts of work thus offering them purpose and presence. Boosting the moral of workers is one way of improving confidence of staff. In this regard even the general productivity of the company of the company can be noticed. Working closely and collectively in addition grants the staff presence. Al in all its just a matter of saying thank you as morality demands. There are different styles of leadership in institutions that influence how relationships in the work place take place. People in leadership roles should be in the fore front in show wing proper codes of conduct to their employees, as opposed to taking the hind seat. In turn the employees may feel very motivated within the working environments that they are working. This enabling environment will thus lead to a sense of belonging by the individuals and cohesiveness thus leading to teamwork translating into a proud team. For one to retain staff he or she has to consider several important issues of the work place. Background Draper Co. Ltd. Found in 1987 is a sweater manufacturer that employs more than 100 people in Hong Kong. Since garment companies had bloomed in recent years. The role for merchandising people become more difficult and the manpower is short in the labor market. Draper is facing the problem of high staff turnover rate. In addition, with opening of the mainland market, many foreign enterprises had set up their merchandising sections in Hong Kong and some enterprises also invite Hong Kong garment companies to cope with their expanding business. As a result, the job vacancies of staff increased tremendously. Among the merchandising industry, garment sections are highest in demand for staff. This is due to the fast growing of the sectors as well as the high employee turnover rate and the lack of talent in the labor market. With the goal of identifying predictors of turnover, factors and employees intention to leave or stay with the company will be the major issue of Draper Co. Ltd. Research Problems Initially, the establishment of the project required the involvement of different parties who would provide data and statistical analysis. The study required involvement of external organizations which would require them to allow access their staff to cooperate during the course of the research. Unfortunately some of these merchants turned down request to take part a little after the project was already initialized, it was quite unfortunate. The team of researchers contacted several nationwide merchandise groups to request them to take part in the research as a subsequent measure. Within a short period of time, two particular staff articulated formal concern and primarily arranged to play a part in the project but with the approval of the Board of Governors of their respectful organizations. The team of researchers used up considerable hours meeting with a variety of the team of people representing the staff and giving important information related to the research and showing present ations that highlight the scope of the study. An agreement was made with these staff that the research panel would conduct industry job and staff retention survey within the merchandise organization, rather than concentrating on organizational loop holes as it would imply that there are indeed loop holes, in their respective organizations which might not be the truly case. However because of various unpredicted situations including the falling ill of one of the team members who acted as coordinator of the research team and these respectful staff, the staff in the end made the decision to withdraw its cooperation, leaving operation of the research between a rock a rock and a hard place. The research team then informed the Draper Co. Ltd of the current problems and suggesting a different research method design that would still be in line aims of the project and the objectives outlined before the research was initially flagged off. In this respect, a decision was made to advertise acro ss various merchandise outlets to secure individual people working as staff to act as respondents from different retail outlets, thus eliminating the process of approaching company heads or Board of Governors for endorsement to guarantee a speedy and effortless contact with respondents. The Draper Co. Ltd was highly involved in endorsing the submission for change in the approach for the research. The research carried out by the team concerned conducting 100 partially controlled telephone interviews with staff from different merchandising firms including own staff at Draper Co. Ltd . The research method design of the survey was cautiously designed and conversant with preceding works that dwelled on employee equality and diversity concerns all over the work environment (e.g. Sutherland and Davidson, 1997). The design of the interviews was such that it could be in accordance with the aims and corresponding objectives of the Draper Co. Ltd and eventually deal with a array of concerns as well as the recognition of possible occupational improvement barriers and the recognition of approaches for conquering these limitations, chances for education and training, job promotions and provision for leadership. The partially controlled interview timetable was then stored in secure modules and safe websites secured with passwords, which eventually made it easy for members of the research panel to enter information directly into the research database and online pages, and at the same time carrying out interviews with respondents all over the merchandising industry. The details of the research methodology and what will be contained in the schedule for the research is described in the subsequent sections. Research Objective This study was led by a research team commissioned by the Draper Co. Ltd. The research team was selected by the management of the company with advice by the legal advice wing experts. It was agreed that 16 members be brought aboard the team of researchers. The main goal of identifying predictors of turnover, factors and employees intention to leave or stay with the company will be the major issue of Draper Co. Ltd. The aims of the project were as follows: To examine two sets of potential causes of job turnovers and eventual staff retention mechanisms: firstly, those that impede the retention of workers in the organization and secondly, those that speeds the exit of the players from the organizations. Identify strategies for overcoming these barriers. Investigate the feasibility of constructing a national database, documenting the career paths of women in the merchandise industry. Develop, publish and disseminate good practice guidelines and recommendations using reports, conference presentations, feedback seminars, academic journals and merchandise specialist and national press. The objectives of the project were to: Investigate two sets of potential reasons for staff leaving the company: firstly, those that accelerate the exit of workers and staff and secondly, those that impede the efforts of retaining staff in the organization. Identify strategies for overcoming these reasons. Investigate the feasibility of constructing a company database, documenting the career paths of workers in the merchandise industry. Develop a promotion system, which is more sensitive to the needs of employees Develop an image of the company, which is based entirely upon team cohesion. Provide a concept of role models, which can be utilized by young employees to resolve possible work life balance conflicts. Produce a set of solutions, which can be applied to other retail settings. Develop, publish and disseminate good practice guidelines and recommendations using reports, conference presentations, feedback seminars, academic journals and merchandise specialist and national press. Research Questions: Why this company has high staff turnover rate Why staff relationship will make new comer difficult to fit in team work What relationship caused high staff turnover rate How to retain staff in this company Does the management policy affect staff retention? Does the company is responsive to employees needs and wants Does companys reputation retain staff? Terminologies Merchandising Retention Welfare Turnover Respondent Outsourcing Glass ceiling Dissertation Outlines Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This Section looks at the main literature in this area. The first sections focus on the structure of merchandising and the broader profile of the sector. The section then moves on to its main concern which is the job retention of staff at junior and senior levels in merchandising. Merchandising is an economic sector, which has traditionally been associated with the employment of staff. Overall, 60% of staff are low skilled employees and 40% are highly skilled in terms of there educational background. Even as these figures show that the merchandising sector clearly employs a larger number of low skilled than the skilled, it is not a ‘balanced industry (Stillsmart, 2004). The representation of low skill workers in the merchandising sector however, follows a number of important patterns. Official statistics are used to highlight the predominance of staff in part time work in the merchandising sector and the under representation of a section staff at senior levels. According to Sti llsmart, (2004), official figures are general and are unlikely to provide a clear understanding of the dynamics relating to the position in which staff is employed in merchandising sector. The following sections therefore outline theories that have been offered to account for these disparities, particularly in relation to barriers for staff attempting to progress into senior management positions. An examination of managing diversity is then offered and potential mechanisms for ensuring merchandising organizations fully utilize the talents of all employees to maximize productivity is discussed. 2.2 The structure of the merchandising sector The merchandising sector is the largest private sector employer in the Hong Kong yet it is rarely recognized as such. Stillsmart (a not for profit organization, set up and part funded by Government to identify and address the skills needs of the Hong Kong merchandising sector), suggest that this is, possibly because its workforce is not concentrated in any particular region or locality. In fact, the merchandising sector is the largest public sector employer in the Hong Kong. Furthermore, Wang XI Inc is the Hong Kongs second largest employer after the Jubilee (Stillsmart, 2004). Overall, the merchandising sector employs three million people throughout the Hong Kong, which accounts for approximately ten per cent of employment throughout the Hong Kong. However, the structure of the industry is unusual, and is described by Stillsmart, as ‘hourglass shaped. The vast majority (95%) work in firms with less than ten employees. Consequently, there is significantly less (just over two th ousand) merchandising employers with more than fifty staff, reflecting the â€Å"hourglass shape† of the industry profile. 2.3 Job Retention and improvement Strategies The welfare reform programs of the 1990s moved many families from cash assistance into the work force. The strong economy provided an abundance of entry-level, low-skill job opportunities to support this transition. For most of these families, however, finding a job is only the first step in the difficult path toward self-sufficiency. Like other working parents, adults who leave welfare (â€Å"leavers†) often encounter barriers to job retention and advancement. Between 1994 and 2002, the welfare caseload declined drastically, by more than 2.5 million cases (or 50 percent). Simultaneously, the number of single mothers either divorced or never married— in the work force increased by more than 1.2 million (or 22 percent). Government welfare programs have been instituted to help keep women employed and off welfare. Job retention and improvement strategies are becoming increasingly important to state policymakers as unemployment rates rise and slowed economic growth, corpora te lay-offs, and hiring freezes limit job opportunities for parents who are moving into the work force. Current and former welfare recipients and those who dont have a strong attachment to the work force may find it more difficult to gain employment in hard economic times, thus increasing the demand for job retention and improvement services for those who currently are employed. 2.4 Present profile of turnover of employees Employment expectations have risen slightly in (Q1) from an already high level in Q4. Of the 514 sales executives surveyed, 54% expect to increase their hiring which is slightly up from 53% the previous. As the years go by, expectations have remained solid. The 54% planning to grow headcount this year is at the same level as Q1 2004, though there are some variations between the sectors surveyed. Companies are extremely confident about how they will perform in the next six months with 95% of respondents forecasting their companys performance to be excellent or good in the first half of 2007. Respondents in Hong Kong report higher levels of staff turnover than in any other market surveyed in Asia with 37% stating that turnover in the last twelve months has exceeded 10% (Hudson, 2007). Hudson, one of the worlds leading professional recruitment, outsourcing and capacity management solution providers, today released findings of its broad quarterly Hudson Report for Asia. With a status as a key socio-economic indicator in the present market since its Asia launch in September 2000, the survey has been built on the premise that employers expectations of an increase or decrease in staffing levels represent a significant indication of their optimism in the growth of their organization and their industry as a whole. The Hudson Report represents the expectations of over 1450 key employment decision makers from multinational organizations of all sizes in all major industry sectors, with 400 of these executives based in Hong Kong. 2.4 The general profile of employees in the merchandising sector Traditionally the merchandising sector is associated with the employment of low level and unskilled workers, the vast majority of whom work in the lower ranks of the organizational hierarchy. The profile of employees in merchandising also follows a number of other patterns. The merchandising sector for example employs a large proportion of young people. According to recent estimates 29% of those employed in the sector are between the ages of 16 to 24. This is compared to the overall economy figure of 14%. It has been suggested that this figure may be due to the popularity of merchandising as a part-time occupation for young people and students (Stillsmart, 2004). Merchandising is also a popular choice for older workers (persons over 55). In terms of ethnic minority employment, the merchandising sector employs a similar fraction to those figures available nationally (Stillsmart, 2004). Recent research has shown however, that certain recruitment practices may prevent ethnic minorities from gaining employment in merchandising organizations. For example a study for Birmingham and Manchester cities in Britain for example, found that employers might specify jobs as a matter of course that require the staff to work on Saturdays without realizing that a large pool of potential workers would be unable to work on this day as it is their Sabbath (Vector research, 2003). 2.4 The trends common in the merchandising sector Merchandising is an economic sector, which has customarily been associated with the employment of diverse people of different background. Overall, 55% of merchandising employees are women and 45% are men (Stillsmart, 2004). This gender factor in the merchandising sector remains fairly consistent throughout other nations and regions of the Hong Kong and this profile has been fairly consistent over the last 10 years. Skill level has also played a bigger part in influencing how long an employee is wiling to stay in a given organization. Better salaries in other organizations may lead to employees moving from their respective place of work in pursuit for better opportunities (Hudson, 2004). Level of qualification gives workers a broader scale of work opportunities that they willingly take into considerations. Stillsmart (2004) suggest that Hong Kongs larger ethnic population is likely to be the source of this greater proportion of the workers in the capital run by ethnic minorities may p roprietorship driven by highly skilled male people. It is important to note however, that the representation of retention in the merchandising sector follows a number of important patterns discussed in the subsequent sections. Firstly the prevalence of staff turnover in the merchandising sector will be discussed. Secondly, evidence will be presented to show the under representation of employee needs at senior levels within the merchandising sector. 2.4.1 The prevalence of staff turnover in the merchandising sector Statistics from Stillsmart (2004) indicate that merchandising sector employment occupy three quarters of all employment in the Hong Kong economic sector, which accounts for 40% of all employment. This is a significant figure when, compared to the economy overall, where only 25% of people are employed permanently. The other majority of those working are part time workers employed in sales and customer service occupations. Figure 2.1 outlines the proportion of full and part time employment in the merchandising sector by gender. Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.4.1.1 Job retention in the labor force as a whole The prevalence of staff turnover when compared with other sectors of the economy is particularly evident in the merchandising sector. This trend is also reflected in employment across the Hong Kong, particularly in the service industries. The numbers of staff entering the labor market has dramatically increased over the past thirty years and this rise in numbers has mainly been in by young people with low skill (Burke and Nelson 2002; Davidson and Burke, 2002). Because of this influx of young energetic minds quickly induces training for the staff. After gaining much needed experience then leave the industry for more lucrative jobs in other sectors. Youthful persons in the Hong Kong are far more likely than middle and old aged persons to work as part-timers (EAC, 2004). According to the National Office of Statistics, in 2005, 42% of young employees in the Hong Kong worked in the sector compared to just 9% of old people. Interestingly, the number keeps on increasing in the industry whe reas companies are reporting a high staff turnover hence posing a big threat to company survival in the highly competitive industry (EAC, 2004). Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.4.3 Explanations for the prevalence of staff turnover among staff in the merchandising sector Traditionally, the predominance of staff turnover is largely attributed to the level of education and other academic qualifications (e.g. those with degrees go for more lucrative jobs in other lucrative industries vacating there positions) traditionally occupied by them which limits the productivity of the company (Thompson, 2004; Stillsmart, 2004). When addressing the merchandising sector specifically, Lynch (2003) comments that it is the very nature of the merchandising industry that contributes to the high proportion of turnovers. In the merchandising industry, recruitment is largely secured from the local labor market, staff requirements vary due to seasonal demands and employees are often required to work unfriendly hours as outlets open longer. These are all factors that lead to the reduction of morale and interest in the jobs within any organizational sector, and specifically the merchandising sector. In addition, Lynch (2003) further suggests that due to these delimiting fact ors in the industry and the continuous fluctuation of workforce in particular, potential merchandising companies are provided with an available pool of labor that accepts inferior terms and conditions of employment, as staff attempt to resolve their need to educate and retain their staff. 2.4.3.1 The under representation of staff interests in the merchandising sector by executives and senior officials Official statistics show that there is a higher proportion of college educated in managerial and senior occupations in the merchandising sector than in comparison to the economy a whole. It is important to note, however, that if the representation of staff; male and female, skilled and unskilled were equal throughout the sector. Furthermore, low skilled staff tends to predominate in certain types of management positions including personnel, which are roles traditionally associated with low skilled. 2.5 Recruitment and Retention of Paid Staff It can be surely asserted that, paid staff is a vital part of the retail and merchandising sector. Lynch (2003) further suggests that almost half (40%) of Canadas estimated 161,000 nonprofit and voluntary organizations has least one paid staff member. The sector as a whole employs just over 25% of the total economy. Twenty percent of paid staff in merchandising organizations is in permanent positions and 56% work full-time. The survey asked all organizations involved about the challenges they face recruiting the type of paid staff they need. Twenty-eight percent of organizations said that this is a problem for them; 8% said that the problem is serious. Organizations with paid staff were also asked if they have problems retaining staff. Nineteen percent said that they do, with 8% saying that the problem is serious. As a group, problems relating to paid staff were reported less frequently than other types of capacity challenges. Nevertheless, challenges relating to paid staff are signi ficant for some organizations. 2.5.1 Size of Paid Staff Complement In general, the more paid staff an organization has, the more likely it is to report problems with staff recruitment and retention. Forty-one percent of organizations with 13% of paid staff members reported problems recruiting paid staff. This rises to 30% among organizations with 20 to 50 staff members, 63% among those with 100 to 500 staff members, and 73% among those with 1000 or more staff members. The relationship between the number of staff an organization has and staff retention problems is less pronounced. Seventeen percent of organizations with one to four staff members said this is a problem for them. This increases to 26% among organizations with 100 or more staff members (Stillsmart, 2004). Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.5.2 Reliance on Paid Staff Lynch (2003) suggests the greater the percentage of an organizations workforce that is comprised of paid staff (As opposed to volunteers), the more dependent on paid staff the organization can be said to be. The more reliant an organization is on paid staff, the more likely it is to report difficulties employing and retaining staff. Lynch (2003) further suggests that this relationship is particularly strong for staff recruitment. For example, among organizations in which staff makes up one-third or less of the workforce, 15% said that staff recruitment is a problem for them and 19% said that staff retention is a problem. Nevertheless, among organizations in which staff comprises two thirds or more of the workforce, 54% said that staff recruitment is a problem and 20% said that staff retention is a problem (Stillsmart, 2004).. Source: Survey by National Employment Institute 2.6 The Glass ceiling theory The under representation of minority group in management positions in the merchandising and other occupational sectors has led theorists to assert that a ‘glass ceiling exists. The minority in this case includes: physically handicapped, less educated and women. The term ‘glass ceiling is used to reflect the ability of and minorities to view the world above them but the metaphorical ceiling prevents the minorities from accessing the better opportunities they can view. This glass ceiling effect occurs when minorities with equivalent credentials as the other employees, i.e. those who traditionally occupy positions of power within organizations, are prevented from accessing top jobs simply because they have particularly weaknesses (Davidson, 1997; Powell, 1999; Konrad, Prasad and Pringle, 2004). Nevertheless, the proportion of minorities in management has increased over the past three decades in almost all countries and legislation in some countries (e.g. Affirmative Action L egislation in the U.S. and Canada) has contributed to this trend (Powell and Graves, 2003). Despite this encouraging increase, recent research by Catalyst (2005) has shown that the glass ceiling is firmly in place. In the U.K., seventy-eight Financial Times Share Index (FTSE 100) companies in 2004 had physically challenged directors, up 13% from the previous year. However, only eleven FTSE 100 companies had female executive directors, which was below the 2002 figure and twenty-two of the FTSE 100 boards in 2005 were all-male (Singh and Vinicrombe, 2005). These statistics largely reflect the experiences of white staff. It is important to highlight that black and ethnic minority staffs across the globe often face significant hurdles. Although there is a general lack of data on ethnicity and employment or physical handicap and employment, ethnic minority employees are under- represented at senior and professional levels in the labor market (Commission for Racial Equality, 2004). In Hon g Kong in 2004 for example, 17% of ethnic minority men were managers or senior officials compared to 10% of ethnic minority staff. The highest percentages of staff and men in these positions were Indian and Chinese (Commission for Racial Equality, 2004). Research has highlighted that a glass ceiling exists even in occupations where staff predominate. Approximately 90% of nurses, for example, are female but male nurses often experience greater career success than female nurses (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2005). The number of women studying merchandise in England now outnumbers men (Davidson and Burke, 2004) but partners of top merchandise firms continue to be predominantly men. An examination of data from the top 10 ten merchandise firms in the Hong Kong in 2005 revealed that on average, 15% of female partners in the top 10 merchandise firms are women (The Merchandise Society, 2005). Recent research has highlighted that whilst women and physically challenged are now achieving mor e senior roles, they are more likely than men to find themselves on a ‘glass cliff (Haslam, 2005). According to Haslam (2005), this is because staff are more likely to secure positions of leadership when organizations are not performing at their optimum level. This means that their appointments are made under more risky circumstances which make them more uncertain. This suggests that not only do staff experience hurdles to achieving senior roles; they are placed under greater scrutiny and face increased pressures when they do reach leadership positions. The disadvantaged experience of the glass ceiling is an important area of study and has implications for the future development of talent in organizations of all sectors including merchandising. Research has shown for example that frustrated by the glass ceiling, many workers quit and start their own businesses (Powell, 1999; Davidson and Fielden, 2003). This can have a detrimental affect within organizations as competent and e xperienced staffs remove themselves from the selection pool. 2.5.1 Pay Differences However, research shows that staff leaders and staff at all levels of the workforce are generally paid less than men with equivalent skills, training and experience, for performing the same roles. In 2005, the percentage difference between the average hourly earnings of staff working full-time in Great Britain for example was 17.1 % (Equal Opportunities Commission, 2004). In the US, staffs earn approximately 77 cents for every dollar earned by men (Retailers Bureau data, 2000, in Nelson and Michie, 2004). The Equal Opportunities Commission in the U.K. (2005) highlights three main reasons for this pay difference. Firstly, there is discrimination in pay systems. Staff are paid less than men for performing the same roles. Secondly, ‘occupational segregation exists. Many employees is concentrated in low paid jobs. Thirdly, staffs assume caring responsibilities for children and other relatives/dependents, which affects their progression at work due to the lack of flexible working. 2.6 Perspectives on barriers to staff in management Authors have identified an array of complex factors that contribute to the existence and pervasive nature of the ‘glass ceiling. Three main perspectives have been offered to explain the adversity facing staff aspiring to senior levels within organizations. These are commonly referred to as the ‘person centered or ‘gender-centered approach (Powell, 1999), the organizational structure perspective (Fagenson, 1993; Kanter, 1977) and the social systems perspective. It is widely acknowledged that the glass ceiling is a result of a culmination of these three main perspectives (Omar and Da