Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Coming to the land of oppurnity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Coming to the land of oppurnity - Essay Example The philosophy also aimed at facilitating a vibrant and better state. In this context, an individuals ability and determination limits his or her capacity to become successful in life. This essay focuses on discussing why most immigrants come to America. In America, they tend to live the foreign dream and accept their way of life. The reports provided by CNN (2014) indicate that America has experienced diversity in the immigrant population. In 1960s, European immigrants dominated the statistics. At the time of the report, most of them came from Asia, China, India and North America. The striking feature of such immigrants is that most of them seek to gain permanent residence in the country. The report by the CNN also reveals that the state granted 990,553 immigrants permanent residence. Specifically, the report indicates that an Asia and North America were represented at 40% and 32% of the total immigrant population respectively. Mexico, China, and India, were also represented at higher percentages compared to other countries. In 2012, Americaââ¬â¢s homeland security projected that 11.4 million illegal immigrants also resided in the country (CNN, 2014). These trends show that America is one of the places where most people would wish to stay. The high rate of immigration into the country can be attributed to the promise held by American dream. It entails living a happy and prosperous life in the country. Such promises are daring and enticing beyond what immigrants experienced in their countries of origin (Murphy, 2010). The ideology has influenced how people behave in America. The central principle of the doctrine is that every person can work hard to become successful in life regardless of their social, racial or tribal backgrounds. In most cases, an individualââ¬â¢s material possession portrays the effect of the ideology on the behavior of American citizens. Another basis of measurements includes home ownership
Monday, October 28, 2019
Role of Merchandiser Essay Example for Free
Role of Merchandiser Essay The merchandiser is responsible for particular lines of merchandise. For example, in a department store, there may be merchandisers for menswear, womenââ¬â¢s wear, childrenââ¬â¢s wear etc. the basic duties of the merchandiser can be divided into four areas: planning, directing, co-coordinating and controlling. Planning: Though the merchandisers may not be directly involved in the actual purchase of merchandise, they formulate the policies for the areas in which they are responsible. Forecasting sales for the forthcoming budget period is required and this involves estimating consumer demand and the impact of changes in the retail environment. The sales forecasts are then translated into budgets to help the buyers work within the financial guidelines. Directing: Guiding and training buyers as and when the need arises is also function of the merchandiser. Many a times, the buyers have to be guided to take additional markdowns for products which may not be doing to well in the stores. Inspiring commitment and performance in the part of the buyers is necessary. Coordinating: Usually, merchandise managers supervise the work of more than one buyer, hence they need to coordinate the buying effort in terms of how well it fits in with the store image and with the other products being bought by other buyers. Controlling: Assessing not only the merchandise performance, but also the buyerââ¬â¢s performance is part of the merchandise managerââ¬â¢s job. Buying performance may be evaluated on the basis of net sales maintained mark up percentages, mark down percentages, gross margin percentages and stock turn. This is necessary to provide control and maintain high performance results. As a key aspect of merchandising involves selection of merchandise or products to be sold in the retail store, the job of the merchandiser also involves visits to suppliers or manufacturers of select goods. This is likely to involve working closely with retail buyers. They negotiate a price, order the goods, agree on a delivery date, complete all the necessary paperwork, and keep in ouch with suppliers to make sure that the goods arrive on time. Merchandisers work closely with the visual display staff and department managers to decide how goods should be displayed to best attract customersââ¬â¢ attention. This might involve planning and setting up sales promotions and advertising campaign. In some organizations, this is a separate role carried out by a visual merchandiser. Merchandiser may also travel to different stores to actually check the response to various items in the merchandise. To enjoy working as a merchandiser, it is essential that the individual has a mathematical ability to work out budgets and understand sales figures. He/she should be able to understand what the customer wants and translate that into specific products. The ability to work in a team is also essential, as the merchandiser would have a team of buyers reporting to him / her. Many retail organizations also have a Divisional Merchandise Manager (DMM) or similar position, wherein the person would be responsible for merchandising activities for particular liens of merchandise. For example, the childrenââ¬â¢s wear DMM supervises those buyers who purchase merchandise such as baby clothes, clothes for new born, clothes for boys, clothes for girls and accessories. Typically, the role of a divisional merchandise manager, immaterial of the size of the retail organization, would involve the following functions: 1) Forecasting sales for the forthcoming budget period: This involves estimating consumer demand and the impact of changes in the retail environment. 2) Translating the sales forecast into inventory levels in terms of rupees. To do this effectively, the DMM needs to understands and provide for the inventory levels that would be needed to achieve of sales 3) Inspiring commitment and performance on the part of the merchandisers and buyers: Typically, as divisional merchandise managers are senior within the organization, it is believed that they can guide the merchandisers in terms of vendor selection, merchandise lines that can be developed and future trends. 4) Assessing not only the merchandise performance but also the buyerââ¬â¢s performance in order to provide control and maintain high performance results.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Issues Within the Discipline of Forestry :: Environment Conservation Growth Agriculture Paper
Issues Within the Discipline of Forestry The idea of forestry in the sense that we know it today is only about four hundred years old. Forestry developed mainly out of the need for a continual supply of wood products. There were a few forest reserves for hunting or preservation in Europe, but the idea of managing a forest for a number of resources is quite new. There are four stages that almost all societies have gone through when trying to develop this idea of forestry. The first stage has to do with the unregulated abuse of forest products to be used as energy, building supplies and also to be cleared to make way for agricultural land. This creates a kind of domino effect on forests everywhere. The overexploitation of regional forests means there will be a scarcity of products that are considered valuable, which in turn leads to the abuse of more outlying forests and the overexploitation of them and so on and so forth. In the United States this stage was seen with the colonization of America. Colonization began in the eas tern U.S. and as a result led to the destruction of forests there. People needed forest supplies to build their homes and farms, and when the regional forests were almost depleted they began taking resources from outlying forests (Kimmins, 1992). The U.S. prior to colonization had an estimated one billion acres of forested land. By the year 1900 that area had been reduced to 567 million acres (Berger, 1998, p.29). After this initial stage of carelessness is recognized there is a stage of regulation in order to make certain that the forests will be maintained for resources and other values. This is the point where the idea of forestry begins. Hamish Kimmins in his book Balancing Act: Environmental Issues in Forestry states this about the second stage, "It usually involves a centralized, authoritarian, non-ecological, administrative approach based on legislation and regulation rather than on a knowledge of how forests grow, how they respond to management, and how ecosystems function" (Kimmins, 1992, p.50). This administrative approach usually ends up failing, and there is recognition that management will only work if techniques that are in tune with the ecological characteristics of the area are taken into account. This stage was evident in the United States when the U.S. Bureau of Forestry was created in 1891 (Kimmins, 1992). The third stage is the promotion of an ecologically sound method to forestry. Issues Within the Discipline of Forestry :: Environment Conservation Growth Agriculture Paper Issues Within the Discipline of Forestry The idea of forestry in the sense that we know it today is only about four hundred years old. Forestry developed mainly out of the need for a continual supply of wood products. There were a few forest reserves for hunting or preservation in Europe, but the idea of managing a forest for a number of resources is quite new. There are four stages that almost all societies have gone through when trying to develop this idea of forestry. The first stage has to do with the unregulated abuse of forest products to be used as energy, building supplies and also to be cleared to make way for agricultural land. This creates a kind of domino effect on forests everywhere. The overexploitation of regional forests means there will be a scarcity of products that are considered valuable, which in turn leads to the abuse of more outlying forests and the overexploitation of them and so on and so forth. In the United States this stage was seen with the colonization of America. Colonization began in the eas tern U.S. and as a result led to the destruction of forests there. People needed forest supplies to build their homes and farms, and when the regional forests were almost depleted they began taking resources from outlying forests (Kimmins, 1992). The U.S. prior to colonization had an estimated one billion acres of forested land. By the year 1900 that area had been reduced to 567 million acres (Berger, 1998, p.29). After this initial stage of carelessness is recognized there is a stage of regulation in order to make certain that the forests will be maintained for resources and other values. This is the point where the idea of forestry begins. Hamish Kimmins in his book Balancing Act: Environmental Issues in Forestry states this about the second stage, "It usually involves a centralized, authoritarian, non-ecological, administrative approach based on legislation and regulation rather than on a knowledge of how forests grow, how they respond to management, and how ecosystems function" (Kimmins, 1992, p.50). This administrative approach usually ends up failing, and there is recognition that management will only work if techniques that are in tune with the ecological characteristics of the area are taken into account. This stage was evident in the United States when the U.S. Bureau of Forestry was created in 1891 (Kimmins, 1992). The third stage is the promotion of an ecologically sound method to forestry.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Principles of personal development in adult social care settings Essay
Ai) Create a guide for the new social care worker about how to reflect on their practice. The guide must include the headings listed with an explanation of each. As part of our job role it is important to carry out reflective practice especially because we work with vulnerable adults and our effectiveness will have an impact on them and their care. Reflective practice means thinking about and evaluating what you do and discussing any changes which could be made. This means focusing on how we interact with colleagues, service users and the environment. It means thinking about how we could have done something differently, what we did well, what we could have done better. How we can improve what you have done. It also means reflecting our own values, beliefs and experiences which shape our thoughts and ideas. This will allow us to obtain a clearer picture of your own behaviour and a better understanding of our strengths and weaknesses- so that we can learn from our own mistakes and take appropriate future actions. Standards help social care workers so they work in the same level as other social care workers. It helps standardised the service they are giving. By having a standard, they can always reflect with it and achieve the same standardised level. You should know the standards to understand what is expected of you as a health and social care worker, and then you should reflect to ensure you are meeting these standards. These would be the CQC and your code of practice which are found in the managers office. All codes of practice should be adhered to at all times. see more:explain the importance of reflective practice in continuously improving the quality of service Aii) You arrange a mentor meeting to feed back to the social care worker. You have comments to make which include both praise and constructive criticism. It is important for a social care worker to seek feedback on their performance so they can improve on ways of working that they may need to, helping them work in the best possible way. If you do not agree with feedback regarding your performance, talk to a senior member of staff for advice. People may react differently to constructive feedback. Some may not agree and see the feedback as negative, where it is meant to help them improve their practice. Others accept feedback positively and work to improve their practice listening to and taking in advice. Some people may take the feedback but not work to improve on anything so stay at the same level. It is important for social care workers to use their feedback to improve their practice, not just in their jobs but in life. Feedback provides a framework with which to be a reflective practitioner, this means recognising both the good and bad in their practice and using that knowledge to make it better in the future. Without that you remai n stagnant, there is always room for improvement.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Palio’s Ristorante
Christopher Lee Week 6 Portfolio BUSS 150, L. Fortune Bryant & Stratton College February 20, 2013 Large number of couples living together among unmarried couples have brought a lot of issues and a lot decision making in Congress. Same sex marriage and extend Employment benefit to domestic partners have been hot topic for years. Base on heavy studies of unmarried committed partners there a law that determine the will of a person who die and that is the law of interstate.The result indicate that for some groups of unmarried committed partners, will studies may not adequately reflect the extent to which intestate decedants wish their partners to share in the estate. The statute of frauds is invoked by a defendant in a breach of contract action. If the defendant can establish that the contract he has failed to perform is legally unenforceable because it has not satisfied the requirement of the statute, then the defendant cannot be liable for its breach.For example, the written contract b een a genuine prenuptial agreement, it would have been fine. It did exactly what a ââ¬Å"pre-nupâ⬠is supposed to do, that is, it explained the terms of the agreement in specific, understandable language. However, it was not really a pre-nup, and that single fact gave the court pausehe statute of frauds will prevent the plaintiff from recovering thewhat a ââ¬Å"pre-nupâ⬠is supposed to do, that is, it explained the terms of the agreement in specific, understandable language.The actual written agreement those satisfied all the requirments because services have been performed based upon a contract that is unenforceable because of the statute of frauds, the value of those services can nevertheless be recovered on the basis of quantum meruit, or the reasonable value of those services. ââ¬Å"Shaping public policy is a complex and multifaceted process that involves the interplay of numerous individuals and interest groups competing and collaborating to influence policymakers to act in a particular way.These individuals and groups use a variety of tactics and tools to advance their aims, including advocating their positions publicly, attempting to educate supporters and opponents, and mobilizing allies on a particular issue. â⬠(Wolf Robert) The Wilcox opinion extends to cohabitants the right to recover on written contracts. However, serious questions are left unanswered regarding the enforceability of oral agreements, whether recovery is permissible on implied contracts, and whether recovery by equitable means is possible.The principal would have make since in modern world because he probably never would have guessed that it would have legal ramifications long after his death. I'd be surprised if anyone could name social norms anymore. ââ¬Å"Normalityâ⬠is being faught by the counter-culture, and with that goes society. Work Cited Law of Human Behavior, Vol 22(5) Oct 1988, 479-499 Wolf, Robert, ââ¬Å"Definition of Policy Analysis Palioââ¬â¢s Ristorante Christopher Lee Week 6 Portfolio BUSS 150, L. Fortune Bryant & Stratton College February 20, 2013 Large number of couples living together among unmarried couples have brought a lot of issues and a lot decision making in Congress. Same sex marriage and extend Employment benefit to domestic partners have been hot topic for years. Base on heavy studies of unmarried committed partners there a law that determine the will of a person who die and that is the law of interstate.The result indicate that for some groups of unmarried committed partners, will studies may not adequately reflect the extent to which intestate decedants wish their partners to share in the estate. The statute of frauds is invoked by a defendant in a breach of contract action. If the defendant can establish that the contract he has failed to perform is legally unenforceable because it has not satisfied the requirement of the statute, then the defendant cannot be liable for its breach.For example, the written contract b een a genuine prenuptial agreement, it would have been fine. It did exactly what a ââ¬Å"pre-nupâ⬠is supposed to do, that is, it explained the terms of the agreement in specific, understandable language. However, it was not really a pre-nup, and that single fact gave the court pausehe statute of frauds will prevent the plaintiff from recovering thewhat a ââ¬Å"pre-nupâ⬠is supposed to do, that is, it explained the terms of the agreement in specific, understandable language.The actual written agreement those satisfied all the requirments because services have been performed based upon a contract that is unenforceable because of the statute of frauds, the value of those services can nevertheless be recovered on the basis of quantum meruit, or the reasonable value of those services. ââ¬Å"Shaping public policy is a complex and multifaceted process that involves the interplay of numerous individuals and interest groups competing and collaborating to influence policymakers to act in a particular way.These individuals and groups use a variety of tactics and tools to advance their aims, including advocating their positions publicly, attempting to educate supporters and opponents, and mobilizing allies on a particular issue. â⬠(Wolf Robert) The Wilcox opinion extends to cohabitants the right to recover on written contracts. However, serious questions are left unanswered regarding the enforceability of oral agreements, whether recovery is permissible on implied contracts, and whether recovery by equitable means is possible.The principal would have make since in modern world because he probably never would have guessed that it would have legal ramifications long after his death. I'd be surprised if anyone could name social norms anymore. ââ¬Å"Normalityâ⬠is being faught by the counter-culture, and with that goes society. Work Cited Law of Human Behavior, Vol 22(5) Oct 1988, 479-499 Wolf, Robert, ââ¬Å"Definition of Policy Analysis
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Free Essays on Nightmares
Nightmares Dreams have been studied for a long time now. People have been having dreams for centuryââ¬Ës. People have wondered if dreams have any significant value in are life. If the dreams we have mean anything and why we have them is another question people have. Dreams play a bigger role and mean more in our life then people may think. Nightmares are a common type of dreams people have. Before one can fully understand why people have nightmares they must first know why people dream. Dreams occur during a type of sleep called Rapid Eye Movement ââ¬Å"REMâ⬠. While in this type of sleep the eyeââ¬â¢s move rapidly under the eye lids, and the large muscles in the body are relaxed. We experience REM almost every one and a half hour three to four times during our sleep phase. The last REM we experience can last up to almost and hour (Common Questions about Dreams). The brain has two parts a conscious and sub-conscious. The conscious part works while we are awake. Sub-conscious is always alert and keeps on working even when we are asleep. A large number of thoughts appear in our conscious mind. The thoughts come and then they go. They go to are sub-conscious part of the brain which disputes them in its own unique way. It then reappears in our dreams (Dreams). Dreams are more then random fragments that appear in are daily life. Understanding the dreams that one may have can help people understand themselves and the way they see the world. Dreams help people deal with problems in their life. Dreams also can help people figure out problems that they may not realize that they have (Dreams are Slippery Things). People have been fascinated by the secret of why people dream. It has been long understood that dreams deal with emotion. However, not all dreams come from emotion but instead emotional arousal unexpressed while awake (Elloitt and Tyrrell). ââ¬Å" So, for example, if you have a screaming row with your partner you are unlikely to drea... Free Essays on Nightmares Free Essays on Nightmares Nightmares Dreams have been studied for a long time now. People have been having dreams for centuryââ¬Ës. People have wondered if dreams have any significant value in are life. If the dreams we have mean anything and why we have them is another question people have. Dreams play a bigger role and mean more in our life then people may think. Nightmares are a common type of dreams people have. Before one can fully understand why people have nightmares they must first know why people dream. Dreams occur during a type of sleep called Rapid Eye Movement ââ¬Å"REMâ⬠. While in this type of sleep the eyeââ¬â¢s move rapidly under the eye lids, and the large muscles in the body are relaxed. We experience REM almost every one and a half hour three to four times during our sleep phase. The last REM we experience can last up to almost and hour (Common Questions about Dreams). The brain has two parts a conscious and sub-conscious. The conscious part works while we are awake. Sub-conscious is always alert and keeps on working even when we are asleep. A large number of thoughts appear in our conscious mind. The thoughts come and then they go. They go to are sub-conscious part of the brain which disputes them in its own unique way. It then reappears in our dreams (Dreams). Dreams are more then random fragments that appear in are daily life. Understanding the dreams that one may have can help people understand themselves and the way they see the world. Dreams help people deal with problems in their life. Dreams also can help people figure out problems that they may not realize that they have (Dreams are Slippery Things). People have been fascinated by the secret of why people dream. It has been long understood that dreams deal with emotion. However, not all dreams come from emotion but instead emotional arousal unexpressed while awake (Elloitt and Tyrrell). ââ¬Å" So, for example, if you have a screaming row with your partner you are unlikely to drea...
Monday, October 21, 2019
Performance Appraisal as a Tool for Achieving Organizational and Employee Development
Performance Appraisal as a Tool for Achieving Organizational and Employee Development Overview of RMRDC The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) promotes the development of industrial raw materials in the Republic of Nigeria. It also oversees the utilisation of the same minerals, while its activities are considered part of the Nigerian government on a federal level.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Performance Appraisal as a Tool for Achieving Organizational and Employee Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The organisation started in 1988 and has grown to become an essential institution that supports federal service. It serves many stakeholders who are involved in the countryââ¬â¢s vast raw material sector. The organisation began when the country had limited foreign exchange earnings. At the time, Nigeria relied on petroleum products. With the functioning RMRDC, the country can lower its import bill by focusing on domestic raw material production, rather than rely on im ports (RMRDC, 2015). Background of the study This study will focus on the subject of performance appraisal. According to Armstrong (1998), researchers mainly concentrate on accuracy and fairness whenever they are conducting performance appraisal studies. This is a subject under Human Resource Management (HRM), and it refers to the use of tools and frameworks to enhance the productivity of human capital within organisations. When organisations measure their performance, they gain insights into their operations and can, therefore, address emerging issues related to performance. This can be in the actual sense of speed of delivery or the impediments to delivery. Being able to identify these areas allows the organisation to respond appropriately to avoid trouble and build on its past and ongoing successes. As a result, the use of performance appraisals can be a way of achieving competitive advantages.à Employees can offer their viewpoints on different aspects of their jobs with the sy stematic evaluation and its related adjustments. They use the process to improve their performance and get a basis for earning rewards. This reason makes the performance appraisal concept crucial as an HRM tool and highlights its ability to help realise capabilities of an organisationââ¬â¢s human resources.à Although performance appraisal increases employee productivity, much is unknown about its effects on financial performance.Advertising Looking for proposal on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Pollitt and Bouckaert (2011), there is no research evidence available for the link. Nevertheless, the consensus among researchers and practitioners is that the process should be continuous and involve supervisors who regularly evaluate their approach to measuring the performance of subordinate employees. The benefits of appraisal include an increase in efficacy, productivity, and morale. Many organisations exist as hierarchical structures. Such organisations require structured performance appraisals so that they can tell what each department in different levels is doing and why the problems that arise at any level fail to be resolved. With the information, the organisation can streamline its decision-making processes and achieve a better execution of strategic choices. It also moves away from the chaos that can plague its administrative hierarchy (DeVries, 1983).à The definition of performance appraisal follows its tie to human resources, which is regarded as a source of competitive advantage for organisations (Farndale Kelliher, 2013). It can be a review, evaluation, or discussion about the development of employees in relation to the present standards. After examination, result documentation of the comparison occurs and the information serves as a guideline for intervening in employee relationships concerning their jobs and the realisation of an organisationâ⠬â¢s objectives (Farndale Kelliher, 2013). The employment of performance appraisal leads to the identification of staff members needing training, promotion, demotion, retrenchment, firing, or recognition, among other eventualities within the mandate of human resource departments (Farndale Kelliher, 2013). Aim This study aims to look at performance appraisal in the context of an organisationââ¬â¢s determination to achieve employee development. Therefore, the study is going to focus on the Raw Materials Research and Development Council of Nigeria. In doing so, it will specifically concentrate on how subordinate employees within the organisation perceive the existing performance appraisal methods used by the organisation. It will also examine the outcome of the evaluation of management staffs and the subordinate staffs. Lastly, the research will consider the strengths and weaknesses of the performance appraisal program at RMRDC in seeking to find out areas that can be improved o r introduced. Objectives To determine the perception of subordinate employees on performance appraisal program at RMRDC To examine the strengths and weaknesses of performance appraisal program used by RMRDC To examine the goal and outcome of performance appraisal in RMRDC on the subordinate employee level and management employee level To identify gaps in the efficacy of the current performance appraisal program in structure and purpose regarding best practices and organisational context. Justification of the research The research will be useful in the Nigerian organisationsââ¬â¢ context because of the following contributions.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Performance Appraisal as a Tool for Achieving Organizational and Employee Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It will enhance the view of performance appraisal and lead to its appreciation as a productivity tool for firms. It will result in the proper structuring of performance appraisals after highlighting the strengths and limitations of the current structure at RMRDC. The study will provide organisational insight that practitioners can readily apply to their respective institutions to realise the additional potential of their human resources. It will lead to the identification of the role and relevance of different stakeholders in a government agency, such as RMRDC It will highlight the benefits of performance appraisal from an empirical context. Purpose of the research The basis of this research is to understand the impact of performance appraisal program/s at RMRDC on the councilââ¬â¢s staff. It will result in is a significant contribution of information that is integral in decision-making by stakeholders for the improvement of the program/s or process of performance appraisal. Evaluation of the Relevant Literature Performance management links corporate objectives, performance standards, and evaluation in one proc ess, which is used by managers to serve the following three roles in an organisation. First, it assists in the administration, development, and communication functions of any entity (Beam, 2008). In its administrative role, it captures staffing, compensation, promotion, and punishment or rewards for members of the organisation to ensure that the human resource functions optimally. In its development role, it identifies and builds potential for future performance. It gives an organisation a capability that it can tap on when conditions are favourable. In its communication role, performance management seeks to offer feedback to employees concerning how they are executing their duties. According to Brown (2008), records of performance appraisals help employees to fight against wrongful dismissal.à The development of appraisal instruments so that the measurement of human effort is objective and accurate is an important research issue under performance appraisal (Cash, 2010). At the sa me time, Glaveli and Karassavidou (2011) noted that research tends to focus on supervisors and employee characteristics, thereby highlighting their bias on performance appraisal ratings. Lastly, research on the subject has also concentrated on the process as it is executed within organisations (Sinclair, 2005). Techniques of appraisal for management purposes can be observational or actual measurements. Organisations use ratings in their simple applications, and behaviour anchor scales in complex applications. This follows the theoretical assumptions of motivation. According to Watkins (2011), problems with performance appraisals relate to the lack of focus, poor training, inefficient communication, and biased criteria. A number of motivational theories can help explain performance appraisals. They include the Maslowââ¬â¢s needs hierarchy theory and the Herzbergââ¬â¢s two-factor theory because of their elaborate description and fit in organisational contexts (Watkins 2011). Acc ording to Watkins (2011), other relevant theories in performance appraisal include the expectancy theory, goal-setting theory, and the McClellandââ¬â¢s needs achievement theory.Advertising Looking for proposal on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The goal setting theory helps to explain better how employees operate in the work environment. It also offers insights on how to influence employee performance. It relates to the direction of employee attention. The theory encourages effort and provides avenues for encouraging persistence. Managers can use the theory to foster goal attainment and following of strategic action plans. The theory is relevant because every performance appraisal starts with a goal. The concept of performance appraisal management became famous in the mid-1980s, and Barry (2007) coined it. Since then, researchers have explored it further. Armstrong (2011) considers it a strategic and integrated approach. It offers sustained success of the organisation. This happens through the improvement of performance appraisal for people and the creation of capability teams and individual contributors (Armstrong, 2011).à Therefore, performance appraisal is strategic, systematic, and holistic. It concerns the broader i ssues facing an organisation, as much as it is detailed on specific individual performance. Based on the research by Bach (2004), performance appraisal relates to behaviour and results. Behaviour comes from a performer. It transforms performance appraisal into action. Behaviour is an instrument for the result, and it is an outcome of mental and physical efforts. However, this is only as long as the mental and physical efforts go to a specified task. Therefore, behaviour can be judged independently or as part of a task. In the end, performance appraisal is reactive. Theoretical framework Scholars have examined individual employee performance for many years. Nowadays, researchers and practitioners agree that employees play an important part in a firmââ¬â¢s competitive advantage realisation. Rao (2011) sees that competitive advantages, in this case, arise in the presence of four conditions. Based on the resource-based theory of the firm, the researcher notes that the conditions are addition of value to a company, rarity of skills or advantages gained, difficulty in imitating human capital investments, and the ability to structure and program jobs so that employees work as desired. These conditions were also supported by research by Waldman (2011) and Barry (2007) concerning difficulties in other firms replicating another firmââ¬â¢s strategy. Based on the above citations, it is clear that the behaviour of employees in a firm affects the performance of the particular company. Therefore, performance appraisal will result in changes in organisational performance because it affects employee performance. It can affect motivation and skills of staffs positively. The associated return on investment due to increased performance and growth should result in better financial performance. Based on the understanding, it is possible to use these effects as dependent variables. Review of empirical studies Studies show that individualsââ¬â¢ attitudes and feelings about t heir work affect their behaviour at work and their attitude towards work practices, such as performance appraisals that human resource departments use (Chang Chen, 2011). According to Waldman (2011), age, tenure, and job experience predict the results of an employees appraisal.à On the other hand, Sinclair (2005) considered age, tenure, salary, and education, and performance appraisal as having a negative relationship. Other studies that look at the relationship between job attitudes and behavioural aspects are Downs and Swailes (2013) ââ¬â a capability approach to organisational talent management, Dimba (2010) ââ¬â on strategic human resource practices and how they affect employee performance, and Farndale and Kelliher (2013) with a study on the exploration of performance appraisal on the implementation of performance appraisal. The three studies support the findings by Sinclair (1995). They record relationships between job attitudes and behavioural aspects that can lea d to, interfere, promote, and arise from the individual performance evaluation.à The findings can be inconclusive and mixed. Meier (2005) indicated that the direction of the relationship between organisational commitment and other variables was conditional and relied on the types of commitment. On the other hand, a significant, positive relationship happened when there were affective commitment and performance appraisal. A negative relationship existed between continual engagement and performance appraisal, which was an illustration of the inconclusiveness of the present research and highlighted the need for additional studies on the same. According to Esu (2009), demographic factors and job attitudes like job satisfaction and commitment to a particular organisation are important because they are associated with positive results in an organisation. They lead to increased effectiveness and efficiency in the organisation. At the same time, Waldman (2007) indicates that diversity in individual characteristics has the potential to affect decision-making for performance appraisal. Research Philosophy Research philosophy relates to the development of research background, research knowledge, and nature, with research philosophy being a broad framework that comprises of perception, beliefs, understanding of theories, and research practices. Therefore, research philosophy acts as a precise process encompassing the steps that the researcher will undertake to create a relationship between the objectives and questions that the research seeks to answer (Galliers, 1991). Philosophical and Methodological Considerations This research will use a mixed method approach, where there will be primary and secondary sources of data. In the main research part, data collection will take place using questionnaires as the instruments. The questionnaires will be delivered to RMRDC staffs chosen to participate in the research. Therefore, RMRDC will be the case study organisation. The stu dy is going to include two interviews with two directors of the Council. The study timeline will cover the questionnaire survey first, before proceeding to the interviews with the directors. The expectation is that out of 30 questionnaires, at least 20 will be filled accurately and completely to aid in the analysis part of the study. The figure below elaborates the study process. Figure 1: Research onion showing the process of study (Saunders, 2009). The following section provides definitions and elaborations of the different concepts that inform the methodology of the proposed research. Data Collection Data collection relates to the act of getting information about a particular research question to inform decisions and analysis that seek to answer a research question. This study will use surveys and interviews among the available data collection methods. The survey uses questionnaires as an instrument for collecting data. With questionnaires, respondents get forms that have specif ied questions that they have to answer. Questions will be both structured and unstructured. Structured questions require a particular response, while the other questions provide freedom for the individual to answer. The research will try to interpret the responses based on the study criteria. Interviews differ from questionnaires in the way they are conducted. Interviews could embrace structured answers or unstructured questions, depending on the needs of the study. In this case, both will suffice. Usually the researcher and the interviewee meet physically or virtually. Cross-sectional Study Cross-sectional studies are specially constructed explorations into a research question. The study collects data for a defined population. Cross-sectional studies happen once or for a short time. The aim of a cross-sectional study is to estimate the existence of a hypothesis in a given population. The researcher surveys information from a set of literature as a way of doing it as a secondary res earch. The literature sample will be selected using keywords, the focus of the studies consulted, and the time of research or any other relevant criteria. In this case, the keywords will be performance appraisal and human resource management. The focus will be on the keywords and public organisations, while the time will be the last decade. The findings will then be summarised to give a description of the secondary data. Case Study A case study is an in-depth investigation into an event or organisation. Data is gathered from different sources. A case study relies on several methods of research. Therefore, a case study is a research that includes all or any other research methods, such as surveys. It can be a cross-sectional study too, given that this research will be based on RMRDC. A case study allows the researcher to investigate a topic in a detailed way that would be impossible when there are so many participants and too many variables. In this regard, a case study is only an ap proach, but it is not a research method. It uses typical research methods highlighted above (Bryman Bell, 2011). Multi Methods As the name suggests, multi-method research relates to the inclusion of two or more methods of research in one study. It mixes qualitative and quantitative data, methods and methodologies, or paradigms to arrive at a comprehensive finding that would be impossible or shoddily done with only one method or research tool. It can be simply the inclusion of different standpoints, and may use many methods and standpoints (Bryman Bell, 2011). Inductive Research The inductive research follows the inductive reasoning, where the intention is to provide significant evidence for a conclusion. Thus, the study provides evidence to support a conclusion, which makes the conclusion probable pending further research that can confirm or deny it. The evidence presented in the study will support a conclusion about performance appraisal and its application at RMRDC (Bryman Bell , 2011). Positivist Learning Positivist learning concerns the collection of information that is observable and classifiable. It leaves out internal meanings, motives, and feelings or emotions of individuals, and only concentrates on the explainable and observable facts. Therefore, positivist learning relies on statistical data to facilitate learning. In positivist learning, correlations of different variables matter (Bryman Bell, 2011). Ethical Considerations This study will explain its importance to the organisation in question as a way of gaining acceptance. The researcher will seek permission from the relevant authorities before proceeding with the research. Respondents will volunteer information and the only information collected in relation to identity will be demographic collected used for specified exploration tenacities only. Here, staffs at RMRDC will receive requests for research and have seven days to respond. There will be no incentives used to obtain information. The e xpectation of the research is that all participants will provide accurate information without coercion. The participants will only access their responses and will not find any opportunity to know what other participants will answer. This option seeks to safeguard the job interest of participants and prevent any victimisation by colleagues, supervisors, or directors at RMRDC. Contingency Plan I have earmarked two directors for the interview and two chief scientific officers as alternatives in case the directors are not available for the research. The intention here is to use 20 questionnaires. Nevertheless, the researcher will commence an inquiry with 30 questionnaires presented to the Council. Conclusion It is important to understand the performance appraisal from a particular organisationââ¬â¢s context so that other practitioners can have a credible example to relate. Using a positivist learning approach, this research will contribute significantly to the existing literature on factors affecting the realisation of performance appraisal objectives in public organisations. Other than the meeting of research objectives, the shortfalls of this research could arise because of a small sample size and failure of participants to provide accurate information. However, the study will rely on professional conduct of the research process to increase its validity. References Armstrong, M., Baron, A. (1998). Performance management: the new realities. London, UK: Institute of Personnel and Development. Bach, S. (2004). 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