Tuesday, April 28, 2020

The Impact of the End of the Cold War on Canada free essay sample

This article examines major network news coverage of Cuba in Canada (CBC and CTV) and in the United States (ABC, CBS, and NBC) from 1988 through 1992. Given the different histories of Canadian-Cuban and U. S. -Cuban relations since the revolution, the extent of similar negative coverage of the island in both countries reporting is somewhat surprising. Also, it is apparent that the end of the Cold War did not change, in any fundamental way, the frames employed by television news in its coverage of Cuba. Resume: Les changements profonds dans le systeme politique international qui ont eu lieu de 1988 a 1992, et quon decrit generalement comme marquant la chute du communisme, indiqueraient la possibilite dun changement dans la facon que les chaines nord-americaines auraient de rapporter les evenements dans leurs programmes dinformation sur le Cuba. Cet article examinera les programmes dinformation des chaines canadiennes les plus importantes (CBC et CTV) et de celles des Etats-Unis (ABC, CBS et NBC) de 1988 jusqua 1992. We will write a custom essay sample on The Impact of the End of the Cold War on Canada or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Etant donne levolution differente dans les relations Canada / Cuba et Etats-Unis / Cuba depuis la revolution cubaine de 1959, nous avons ete frappes par le degre de ressemblance entre les reportages negatifs sur le Cuba faits par les chaines des deux pays nord-americains. En plus, il est evident que la fin de la guerre froide na pas change de maniere fondamentale le point de vue des reportages televises sur les evenements cubains. INTRODUCTION Between 1988 and 1992, the years for which we examine coverage of Cuba on Canadian and American television news, the international system experienced a series of profound changes. The fall of the Berlin Wall in late 1989 signalled the end of Communism in Eastern Europe, while the failed coup in Russia in the summer of 1991 marked the end of Communist control in that country as well. These events ended the Cold War which had set the framework for international politics for over 40 years and, while scholars debated what it would look like and what forces would drive it, a New World Order was widely proclaimed (Cox, 1994; Huntington, 1993; Pfaltzgraff, 1994; Sideri, 1993). From 1947 to 1992 the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was waged on a global scale. While no country in the Western Hemisphere completely escaped the machinations of the Cold War, Guatemala, Guyana, the Dominican Republic, Chile, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Grenada were deeply affected. Cuba, however, was the pre-eminent flash point for U. S. -USSR conflict in the Hemisphere (Dominguez, 1978; Geyer, 1991; Huberman Sweezy, 1969; Oppenheimer, 1992). Most analysts agree that the few weeks of the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 marked the closest point during the Cold War where a full-scale nuclear war between the U. S. and the USSR could have begun (Blight, Nye, Welch, 1987; Garthoff, 1988). Thus, not discounting U. S. hostility to Fidel Castros domestic policies and their impact on U. S. interests, it was Cubas role as a military ally / base /surrogate which allowed the USSR to project its military power into not only the Western Hemisphere but also Africa that magnified U. S. pposition to the Cuban Revolution (Bernell, 1994). Canada was a full partner of the United States in the Cold War as evidenced by military alliances such as NATO and NORAD. Nonetheless, a desire to conduct an independent foreign policy as a middle power frequently led Canada to adopt postures different from their ally. None has turned out to be as significant as Canadas independent policy on Cuba. An historical detachment from Latin America had meant that fe w Canadian vital interests had developed in the area that were threatened by the Cuban Revolution. Thus, Canadian policymakers did not accord Cuba the same prominence as did their American counterparts. Indeed, as time passed, the maintenance of some degree of normalcy in relations with Cuba was viewed as a testament to a made in Canada foreign policy. The contribution of mass media to understanding the world beyond ones range of personal experience is wide ranging (Bennett, 1988; Galtung Holmboe Ruge, 1965; Stevenson Shaw, 1984; Thompson, 1988). We know that there is reality as well as multiple media portrayals of that reality (Chang, Shoemaker, Bredlinger, 1987; Gans, 1979; Tuchman, 1978; Whitney Becker, 1982) and, as Todd Gitlin (1981) has summarized the relationship, the role of media is to certify reality as reality (p. 2). The question is which reality is certified? That is to say, which of a myriad of events are reported and in what perspective are those events portrayed? The momentous changes in the international system from 1988 to 1992 resulted in basic alterations in the structure of international conflict and significant foreign policy changes on the part of both Russia and the United States. In such circumstances media were offered an opportunity to re-assess the frameworks employed to explain international events. In this regard, Deutsch Merritt (1965) argue that perceptions of international reality (in their words images), once formed, act as filters or screens through which new information on the subject must pass. In the case of Cuba, the summary justice employed by the Castro government against officials of the Batista government in the immediate post-revolutionary period, the souring of relations between Cuba and the United States followed by the abortive Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, and the move by Cuba into the Soviet orbit culminating in the Missile Crisis of October 1962 established a powerful set of negative filters through which events involving Cuba and Castro were interpreted by U. S. media in subsequent years. In a study of Fidel Castros image presented in The New York Times from 1953 to 1992, it was found that beginning in 1988 precisely when changes in the international system suggested a reduced threat emanating from Cuba Castro was presented in a more negative manner. For the first time, including the hostility-filled years of the 1960s, there was a focus on the negative aspects of Castro the person, as opposed to Castro the politician (Soderlund, 1997; see also Lewis, 1960; McCaughan Platt, 1988). It appears that U. S. edia would have four main framing or filter options available for dealing with Cuba in the post-Cold War era (Entman, 1991; Gamson, 1989; Iyengar, 1991). First, they could retain the Cold War frame of conflict and confrontation toward both Cuba and Castro without noticeable change. Second, they could depart radically from the earlier frame, presenting a positive, forgive and forget image, characterizing Cuba as an emerging nation and Castro as a misguided, but nevert heless honourable, leader. Third, they could separate the image of Cuba from that of the man who has dominated its politics for the past 40 years. Cuba could be presented in either a positive or negative fashion, while Castro could be presented in the opposite direction. Presenting Cuba and Cubans as a country and a people in need of liberation from a demented, power-hungry dictator who has lost touch with world developments is probably the most likely scenario for the third option. Fourth, as suggested by the change in The New York Times treatment of Castro beginning in 1988, we could see an increased coupling of Fidel Castros leadership with the progressively severe problems faced by Cuba in the post-Cold War period. This frame would result in the image of the country and its leader in fact coming closer together. Each of these options offer a reality that U. S. media can choose, independent of the facts of the situation. Each version of reality could serve as a possible framework for presenting facts regarding Cuba as events occurred over the period of the study. Perhaps there is a fifth filter more relevant for Canadian media. This would frame Cuba as a relatively unimportant, small country which, having lost its Cold War status, is no longer considered to be particularly newsworthy, hence coverage would drop off. U. S. -CANADIAN COMPARISONS This study compares U. S. and Canadian television news treatment of Cuba during a critical period of transition from one world order to another. As noted above, Canadian foreign policy toward Cuba had diverged considerably from that of the United States (Baranyi, 1985; Gorham, 1991; Haglund, 1987; Rochlin, 1988). Most notably, Canada never recognized the U. S. -imposed economic embargo of the island and continued to carry on diplomatic and trade relationships with Cuba. Pierre Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister for most of the period 1968 to 1984, developed a warm personal relationship with Fidel Castro, and in 1976 the Trudeau family made a highly visible visit to Cuba. Canadian foreign policy differences with the United States made Canada wary of entry into the Organization of American States, which finally occurred in 1990, because successive Canadian governments feared that membership would either lead to conflict with the U. S. over Latin American policy (Cuba in particular) or could create circumstances in which Canada might be perceived as a foreign policy handmaiden to the United States. In any event, one would expect that coverage of Cuba in the Canadian mass media would have less of an ideological basis than would be the case in the United States. If a countrys mass media broadly reflect government policy (Herman Chomsky, 1988; Parenti, 1986), one would hypothesize a less negative image of Cuba and Castro on Canadian, as opposed to American, television news and predict further that this less negative image would be even more evident with the end of the Cold War. In the case of American TV networks, in addition to expecting a more negative portrayal of the island and its leader overall, it is debatable as to which reality filter U. S. television would follow when moving from a Cold War to a New World Order relationship with Cuba and Castro. Thus there are two interrelated questions which guide our inquiry: (1) What differences were there in Canadian and American TV presentations and images of Cuba and Fidel Castro? and (2) How did the end of the Cold War affect television coverage of Cuba in each country?

Friday, March 20, 2020

Writing Business Letters

Writing Business Letters Writing business letters is an art that very few people take the time to master today. For those who dedicate time towards learning the proper format and style of writing business letters, they’ll find that they’ve gained a very distinct advantage over those who haven’t. A business letter is often the first impression, so take the opportunity to do it right. Spend time fixing the wording and print the letter on high-quality paper. Master the techniques and points of writing business letters and you’ll never have to wonder how you came across in your initial contact with the individual. Before you begin writing business letters, try to research and find out as much as possible about the audience that you are writing to. Business letters can range from an extremely formal style of writing to a more casual mode. Knowing which to use will go a long way in gaining the interest of the recipient of the letter. No matter which style of writing you decide to use when writing business letters, there are certain rules that need to be followed. When writing business letters, you should always use your computer. They should never be written by hand. Begin by choosing the format in writing business letters. The most commonly used format is the block format. This requires left justifying the whole letter using single spacing with a double space between paragraphs. Next choose the font. In writing business letters, one may not think the font is all that important but it can make a big difference. Again, the type of company you are directing your business letter to will play a role in the font you choose. Traditional companies lean towards the more conservative font styles while others may allow for more creativity. Either way, your letter should always be easy to read. Some fonts are very creative looking and make for an interesting looking page but are difficult to read. If it’s too difficult then your letter may not get read. Keep in mind that you are writing business letters for the audience not for yourself. Read what you have selected and ask yourself if you’d have any trouble reading this. In writing business letters, remember that it’s a much more formal looking document than personal letters. The margin should be at least an inch on all four sides. Begin with the heading, which contains the return address then a date line with a space between the two. Skip another line after the date and write out the inside address. If you’re writing a business letter then most likely this is an important document that you truly need to have delivered correctly. The inclusion of an inside address on a business letter ensures the delivery to the correct person or department should the address on the outside of the envelope become damaged in some way. Skip another line after the inside address and type in the salutation. The greeting, when writing business letters, is always formal. It typically begins with â€Å"Dear† and includes the person’s full name and title. Skip another line after the salutation and you’re ready to begin writing the body of t he letter. The most important part of writing business letters is the body of the letter. Excellent grammar and spelling is a must to make a good impression on the reader. The information you are conveying here must be concise and to the point. The whole purpose of writing business letters is to get a point across or to request something. In doing these things, you need to have a good handle on proper grammar and English choices to make your statement as quickly and succinctly as possible. This is not the time to use flowery creative words and draw out your sentences. Do not attempt to show off your vocabulary skills. Be professional but yet clear on the subject. Again skip another line before your closing. Use a short but polite closing in writing business letters and skip two lines before typing in your full name. This allows a space for your handwritten signature. Follow these tips when writing business letters and you’ll find that this will set you apart from most people who haven’t taken the time to really study how writing business letters should be. Incoming search terms: what types of fonts and paragraph spacing would you use in a business letter What types of fonts and paragraph spacing would you use in a business letter? proper font for business letter business letter font What types of fonts would you use in a business letter formal letter font proper business letter spacing format What types of fonts and paragraph spcing would you sue in a business letter what type of font and spacing is used in business letter what font should i use for a business letter

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Losing the Dark

Losing the Dark Have you ever heard of light pollution? Its the overuse of light at night. Nearly everyone on Earth has experienced it. Cities are bathed in light, but lights also encroach on the wilderness and rural landscapes as well. A study of light pollution around the world made in 2016 showed that at least a third of people on Earth have skies that are so light-polluted they cant see the Milky Way from their locations.   One of the most astonishing discoveries the astronauts on the International Space Station share with us is the widespread light pollution that covers our landscapes with the yellowish-white glow of lights. Even at sea, fishing boats, tankers, and other ships light up the darkness.   The Effects of Light Pollution Because of light pollution, our dark skies are disappearing. This is because lights on homes and  businesses are sending light up to the sky. In many places, all but the brightest stars are washed out by the glare of lights. Not only is this simply wrong, but it also costs money. Shining them UP to the sky to light the stars wastes electricity and the energy sources (mainly fossil fuels) we need to create electrical power.   In recent years, medical science has also looked into the link between light pollution and too much light at night. The results show that human health and wildlife are being harmed by the glare of lights during the night time hours. Recent studies have linked exposure to too much light at night to several serious diseases, including breast cancer and prostate cancer. In addition, the glare of light pollution interferes with a persons ability to sleep, which has other health consequences. Other studies show that the glare of lights at night, particularly on city streets, can result in accidents for both drivers and pedestrians blinded by the light of electronic billboards and superbright headlights on other cars. In many areas, light pollution is contributing to tragic loss of wildlife habitat, interfering with bird migrations and affecting reproduction of many species. This has reduced some populations of wildlife and threatens others.   For astronomers, light pollution is a tragedy. No matter whether you are a beginning observer or an experienced professional, too much light at night washes out the view of stars and galaxies. In many places on our planet, people have rarely seen the Milky Way  in their night skies. What Can All of us Do to Prevent Light Pollution? Of course, we all know that lighting is needed in some places at night for safety and security. No one is saying to turn off ALL the lights. To solve the problems caused by light pollution, smart  people in industry and science research have been contemplating ways to have our safety but also eliminate the waste of light and power.   The solution theyve come up with sounds simple: to learn proper ways to use lighting. These include lighting places that only need illumination at night. People can reduce a LOT of light pollution by shining lights DOWN to the places where they are needed. And, in some places, if light isnt needed, we CAN just simply switch them off. In most cases, proper lighting not only preserves safety and reduces the harm to our health and to wildlife, but it also saves money in lower electrical bills and lowers the use of fossil fuels for power.   We CAN have dark skies and safe lighting. Learn more about what YOU can do to light safely and reduce light pollution from the International Dark Sky Association, one of the worlds foremost groups seeking to solve light pollution issues and preserve safety and quality of life. The group has many useful resources for city planners, and both urban and country dwellers interested in reducing the glare of lights at night. They also sponsored the creation of a video called Losing the Dark, which illustrates many of the concepts discussed here. Its available free for download by anyone wishing to use it in their planetarium, classroom, or lecture hall.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Complaint Letter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Complaint Letter - Assignment Example After placing my order, I had to wait for more than 30 minutes to receive it. To make matters worse, the order was wrong and the person who served me was not professional enough to address my complaint. Instead, he answered me in a rude way as if I was a stranger in this particular restaurant that I have always treated with great esteem. I have also been forced to write a letter of complaint as a result of the bad treatment I received from one of the company’s staff members. I always believe that the customer is king in business but I was treated as a villain on this day in question. Companies that fail to treat their customers as valuable assets are likely to be negatively impacted by bad publicity they are likely to receive from other disgruntled customers. I therefore expect to get formal apology for this bad experience at McDonalds’ since I am a very loyal customer to the company. This will help me not to issue negative statements about the company that can tarnish its image. The other issue is that the company has not yet responded to my complaint and this has also contribute towards doubting the authenticity of the company in offering reliable and quality services. I probably feel that I have not yet received a response from the organization as a result of the fact that they are investigating the case so as to get to the root cause of the problem. Such kinds of issues need careful attention since they can tarnish the image of the organization if not properly handled. Therefore, the manager dealing with the case ought to take necessary measures that are meant to ensure that this issue has been solved in an amicable way in order to avoid a scenario where the image of the organization will be tarnished as a result of such simple issues. From this experience, I have discovered that some employees can just be rude and they can tarnish the image of the company.

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Starbucks company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Starbucks company - Research Paper Example Another short term objective for Starbucks Company is to increase the customer’s awareness on Starbucks environmental concerns. Actively planning and setting short term environmental goals will achieve a long term reputation of environmental appreciation for Starbucks. Functional Tactics Functional tactics can be used by Starbucks Company to implement a strong action plan that generates positive results for the company. Functional tactics include training employees, creating a new serving materials and common areas that are environmentally friendly. Including a recycling unit in every Starbucks is a functional tactic that will increase customer awareness and help achieve short and long term objectives. Implying these functional tactics will give Starbucks and increased competitive advantage over competitors who do not show environmental concerns. Policies to Aid Strategy Execution Starbucks Company has used policies in the past to aid in completing objectives. Policies ensure that employees are empowering the company and completely understand the objectives that the company is trying to achieve. Currently Starbucks Company has implemented a policy that focuses on the customers’ needs. Managers must follow a specific policy that enables them to properly handle any issues that arise with customers. Starbucks also has a policy that empowers the Starbucks brand.

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Influence of Employee Relations on Work Performance

Influence of Employee Relations on Work Performance This research is based on the assumption that it is the good relation with staff factor that leads to increase staff performance in the service department of hotel industry. Both the variables are very important in hotel industry. Staff performance is key to success for the hospitality organizations because hospitality organization is labor intensive industry so it becomes very important to focus on those factors that motivate employees for the work and to deliver their best to the organization. There are many factors that influence employee and work of employees. Relation with employee is one of them. Employee motivation may relate with money, position in the organization, future perspective, but relation with the peer group and boss is foremost factor that have direct impact on employee performance. Good employee relation means creation of congenial environment that retain the motivation of employees and keep motivating them for their commitments towards the organization. 1.2 AIM AND OBJECTIVES / RESEARCH QUESTIONS / HYPOTHESIS: 1.2.1 Aim of this research: aim of this research is to find out the influence of good employee relation on work performance of an employees, with special reference to restaurant service staff of hotel industry. 1.2.2 Objectives: To explore the ingredients of good employee relation To explore the ingredients of employee performance To explore good relation of employee as an factor of motivation. To find out the impact of good employee relation on employee performance 1.2.3 Research Questions: R.Q.1 What are the basis of good relation? R.Q.2 What are the basis of employee performance? R.Q.3 How good relation of employee have positive impact on employee performance? 1.3 RATIONAL: Author believes that employee relation is very important as an motivating factor, and employee performance is also very important for the development of an organization and in achieving organizational goal. This philosophy is very much important in the hospitality industry because hospitality industry is guest based business and employees are the only factor that brings guest satisfaction. So keep employee happy should be the right slogan for human resource department of the hotel and concerned functional department too. This is the thinking behind choice of this topic. 1.4 STRUCTURE OF THE DISSERTATION: This research work is having many sections. Author is giving brief introduction and the sequence of the chapters. Chapter two is based on secondary research and placed just after this chapter, after that third chapter is on methodology and fourth is on depth analysis of the questions of the questionnaire and after that fifth chapter is containing conclusion of the research. After conclusion there is list of references followed by appendix section. Chapter2 Literature Review 2.1 What is employee relations? Employee relation or industrial relation is basically relation between employees and employer collectively. In this research author has established aim and objective which basically focus on impact of good employee relation on employee performance. Author is presenting this section as secondary research which is conducted through many books and websites. There are many variables of this research topic such as employee relation and its basis, employee performance and its basis, so all the related areas are also explored in this section of the research so that a valid conclusion can be drawn at the end of this section which would be conclusion based on secondary research. 2.2 Employee relation: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Employee relations can be seen primarily as a skill-set or a philosophy, rather than as a management function or well-defined area of activity. Despite well-publicised instances of industrial action, the emphasis of employee relations continues to shift from collective institutions, such as trade unions and collective bargaining, to the relationship with individual employees. The ideas of employee voice and the psychological contract have been accepted by employers and reflected in their employee relations policies and aspirations. Employee relations skills and competencies are still seen by employers as critical to achieving performance benefits through a focus on employee involvement, commitment and engagement. Employee relations is seen as strategic in terms of managing business risk: both the downside risk of non-compliance with an expanded body of employment law, and the upside risk of failing to deliver maximum business performanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. http://www.cipd.c o.uk/subjects/empreltns/general/emprelsovr.htm 2.3 Job Satisfaction and Job performance: To understand the nature of job satisfaction and its effects on work performance is not easy. For at least 50 years industrial/organizational psychologists have been wrestling with the question of the relationship between job satisfaction and job performance. Researchers have put a considerable amount of effort into attempts to demonstrate that the two are positively related in a particular fashion: a happy worker is a good worker. Although this sounds like a very appealing idea, the results of empirical literature are too mixed to support the hypothesis that job satisfaction leads to better performance or even that there is a reliable positive correlation between these two variables. On the other hand some researchers argue that the results are equally inconclusive with respect to the hypothesis that there is no such relationship. As a result of this ambiguity, this relationship continues to stimulate research and re-examination of previous attempts. This paper strives to describe t he relation of job satisfaction and performance, keeping in mind the value this relation has for organizations. http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/job-performance-and-satisfaction-53672.htm Job satisfaction is a complex and multifaceted concept, which can mean different things to different people. Job satisfaction is usually linked with motivation, but the nature of this relationship is not clear. Satisfaction is not the same as motivation. Job satisfaction is more an attitude, an internal state. It could, for example, be associated with a personal feeling of achievement, either quantitative or qualitative. In recent years attention to job satisfaction has become more closely associated with broader approaches to improved job design and work organization, and the quality of working life movement. The relationship between job satisfaction and performance is an issue of continuing debate and controversy. One view, associated with the early human relations approach, is that satisfaction leads to performance. An alternative view is that performance leads to satisfaction. However, a variety of studies suggest that research has found only a limited relationship between satisf action and work output and offer scant comfort to those seeking to confirm that a satisfied worker is also a productive one. Labor turnover and absenteeism are commonly associated with dissatisfaction, but although there may be some correlation, there are many other possible factors. No universal generalizations about worker dissatisfaction exist, to offer easy management solutions to problems of turnover and absenteeism. The study suggests that it is primarily in the realm of job design, where opportunity resides for a constructive improvement of the workers satisfaction level. Individual performance is generally determined by three factors. Motivation, the desire to do the job, ability, the capability to do the job, and the work environment, the tools, materials, and information needed to do the job. If an employee lacks ability, the manager can provide training or replace the worker. If there is an environmental problem, the manager can also usually make adjustments to promote hi gher performance. But if motivation is the problem, the managers task is more challenging. Individual behavior is a complex phenomenon, and the manager may not be able to figure out why the employee is not motivated and how to change the behavior. Thus, also motivation plays a vital role since it might influence negatively performance and because of its intangible nature.http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/job-performance-and-satisfaction-53672.htm 2.4 The elements of a job that create job satisfaction Flexible work arrangements, possibly including telecommuting Training and other professional growth opportunities Interesting work that offers variety and challenge and allows the worker opportunities to put his or her signature on the finished product Opportunities to use ones talents and to be creative Opportunities to take responsibility and direct ones own work A stable, secure work environment that includes job security/continuity An environment in which workers are supported by an accessible supervisor who provides timely feedback as well as congenial team members Flexible benefits, such as child-care and exercise facilities Up-to-date technology Competitive salary and opportunities for promotion http://www.answers.com/topic/job-satisfaction 2.5 Workers Roles in Job Satisfaction If job satisfaction is a worker benefit, surely the worker must be able to contribute to his or her own satisfaction and well-being on the job. The following suggestions can help a worker find personal job satisfaction: Seek opportunities to demonstrate skills and talents. This often leads to more challenging work and greater responsibilities, with attendant increases in pay and other recognition. Develop excellent communication skills. Employerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s value and reward excellent reading, listening, writing, and speaking skills. Know more. Acquire new job-related knowledge that helps you to perform tasks more efficiently and effectively. This will relieve boredom and often gets one noticed. Demonstrate creativity and initiative. Qualities like these are valued by most organizations and often result in recognition as well as in increased responsibilities and rewards. Develop teamwork and people skills. A large part of job success is the ability to work well with others to get the job done. Accept the diversity in people. Accept people with their differences and their imperfections and learn how to give and receive criticism constructively. See the value in your work. Appreciating the significance of what one does can lead to satisfaction with the work itself. This helps to give meaning to ones existence, thus playing a vital role in job satisfaction. Learn to de-stress. Plan to avoid burnout by developing healthy stress-management techniques. http://www.answers.com/topic/job-satisfaction Employee engagement:   Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The achievement of business goals and financial returns is increasingly dependent on delivery by front-line employees. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Engagementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ has been described as a combination of commitment and organisational citizenship. There is no shortage of evidence about people management policies and practices that contribute to building employee engagement. They include: Employee voice: Managers are much more convinced than they were a decade ago that involvement produces business benefits. This is confirmed by the range of methods for direct communication and recognising individual employee contribution that HR departments now implement and operate. Teamworking: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Training, teamworking, supervisors trained in employee relation matters and problem-solving groups are all associated with one another. In combination, this group of practices might be construed as a model of direct employee participation in decision-making. Work-life ba lance: Policies on work-life balance are being used by employers to underpin positive workplace behaviours. Our various surveys of employee attitudes, for example Guest and Conway5, have underlined the link between work-life balance, commitment and performance, and there is strong support by employers for the current legislation giving employees the right to request flexible workingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/general/emprelsovr.htm HR and employee relation: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Communication is the glue that makes policies real and without which they are ineffective. The fact that communication is necessarily a two-way process, involving dialogue rather than simply instruction, is well established. Yet many organisations perform badly in this area, failing to give communication the priority it deserves. Getting communication right involves both professionalism and persistence. The qualities required include focusing on positive behaviours and outcomes, taking a positive, problem-solving approach, anticipating problems, recommending solutions and being able to offer sound advice to senior managers about implementation. Negotiating skills are still useful but needed less often. A much wider area of knowledge is now required, along with the skills to apply it, including surveying and interpreting employee attitudes, communications and conflict management. Most important is the ability to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"fità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ policies and practices to suit the organisationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s goals and the character of its workforce. http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/general/emprelsovr.htm Value of employee relation: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“To a considerable extent, it is only in the public sector that trade unions retain a measure of their former strength and influence in the workplace. This is partly through the existence of institutions of collective consultation, reinforced by continued reliance in many cases on industry-level bargaining and the public policy emphasis on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"partnershipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. Union influence in the private sector, on the other hand, continues to decline. The main areas of the private sector where industrial disputes are still experienced from time to time, for example, public transport, are those where thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a clear public or political interest and/or the Government is seen as the ultimate à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"bankerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Employee relationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ as a term remains ambiguous, with no clear boundaries. Most HR people donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t use the term on an everyday basis. It is not calculated to help manage rs focus on what they need to know and do to increase performance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" the language has echoes of a historical era that offers few insights into contemporary practice. The traditional academic models of industrial relations have only limited relevance to what managers do today. Employers are in charge and the role of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"joint controlà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"rule-makingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ by employers and trade unions has been substantially replaced by employment regulation and organisational values. Employee relations can nevertheless point to an underlying philosophy and attitudes and skills that are still needed by HR practitioners. The current à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"business partnerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ model is helpful in identifying an à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"added valueà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ framework within which HR practitioners need to operate, but an unreflecting business focus may lead to a neglect of the softer skills, which are essential to managing the em ployment relationship, and of employee interests and influence. Employers also need HR managers with a positive, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"can doà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ attitude who will resist the temptation to adopt a defensive or compliance-led HR culture. Commitment and engagement are crucial to performance but they are not consistently high enough in the hierarchy of line management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" or, often, HR à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" priorities. The Employee Information and Consultation Regulations may be helpful in raising the profile of employee voice and involvement, but the WERS 20042 findings give little basis for optimism that this will happen. More effort needs to be put into training and supporting line managers in, for example, teamworking and change management as the basis for establishing and maintaining motivation and commitment, which is a critical role for employee relations managers. Issues about à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"alignmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ of HR and business strategies have mostl y to be resolved within this area. There is too much focus within organisations on strategy formulation and planning, and not enough on implementation and delivery. Managing the employment relationship rests heavily on the shoulders of line managers, but their competence in this area is, in general, seriously neglected. The concept of engagement is helpful in promoting wider interest in the measurement of HR outputs, including through the widespread use of employee attitudes surveys and in performance management/appraisalsystemsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“ http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/general/emprelsovr.htm Maintaining employee relation: Good employee relations means you create an environment which delivers what people want today. They want to feel good about who they are, what they do and where they work. Although there is probably an endless list of opinions as to what employees want today, here are 10 that are important as you consider building an employee relations program for your business: Employees want to be comfortable with what their employer stands for. Social psychology research indicates the chances of success are much greater for your organization if you have a clearly defined vision that all your people can follow. In some organizations, this is also referred to as a mission statement. Does your organization, department or division have one? Use it as a part of your employee relations strategy to ensure that your employees are comfortable with what your business is about. Employees want to identify with corporate principles. Today employees are very opinionated about the moral and ethical issues in business today. They care about such things as employee privacy and employee rights. By having a set of guiding principles, and following these principles, your organization creates a framework within which to develop principle-centered policies and procedures or make principle-centered decisions regarding difficult employment related issues. Employees want to know their employer cares about their opinions and concerns. If youre going to create a good employee relations program, you need to have a mechanism for finding out what your employees care about, what they are concerned about, what they think of you as an employer. Conduct employee opinion surveys. http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/1998/03/30/focus4.html Chapter: 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 RESEARCH METHODS Research methods can be qualitative, quantitative or both (Schiffman and Kanuk, 2000). The selection of the particular research method depends on the kind of information required. Qualitative method collects, analyzes, and interprets data that cannot be meaningfully quantified, that is, summarized in the form of numbers. For this reason, qualitative method is sometimes referred to as soft research method. Any research using non-structured questioning or observation techniques can be labeled qualitative research. Qualitative method typically studies relatively few respondents or units. In other words, a research of a large, representative sample would normally not be called qualitative research method even if it used some non-structured questions or observations. The non-structured and small-sample features of qualitative research techniques have an important implication. They are intended to provide initial insights, ideas, or understanding about a problem, not to recommend a final c ourse of action. Therefore, qualitative research techniques are most appropriate in situations calling for exploratory research. Quantitative research method, in contrast, is characterized by more structure and larger, more representative respondent samples. Consequently, the logical place for quantitative research techniques (usually in the form of large-scale questionnaire surveys or structured observations) is in conclusive studies. A primary role of qualitative research method is to generate hunches or hypotheses. In contrast, each of the situations under quantitative research calls for very specific data, capable of suggesting a final course of action (Parasuraman, et al. 2004). The above description suggests us that qualitative research method is a soft approach in which collected and identified data or information cannot be meaningfully quantified and more importantly in this approach non-structured research is conducted; but so far as quantitative research method is concerned, in this approach structured research is conducted with approaching larger respondents and the collected data can be meaningfully quantified. This research is qualitative based so required qualitative data to achieve the aims and objectives of the research, therefore qualitative research approach has been applied to conduct this research. 3.2 DATA COLLECTION Research data can be collected either in the form of secondary or primary or both (Clark et al, 2003). In this research both primary and secondary data were collected considering the aims and objectives of the research. 3.2.1 SECONDARY DATA: Secondary Data usually factual information can be obtained through secondary data, that have already been collected from other sources and are readily available from those sources (Parasuraman, et al. 2004). The definition and characteristics of secondary data presented above suggest us that secondary data are data that have already been collected for purpose other than the problem in hand. Before detailing as how and what secondary data were collected in this research, in would be worth to examine the advantages and disadvantages of such data. Secondary data are easily accessible, relatively inexpensive, and quickly obtained. Some secondary data, are available on topics where it would not be feasible for a firm to collect primary data. Although it is rare for secondary data to provide all the answers to a non-routine research problem, such data can be useful in a variety of ways (Kotabe, 2002). Secondary data can help: Identify the problem, better define the problem, develop an approach to the problem, formulate an appropriate research design (for example, by identifying the key variables), answer certain research questions and test some hypotheses and interpret primary data more insightfully. Because secondary data have been collected for purposes other than the problem at hand, their usefulness to the current problem may be limited in several important ways, including relevance and accuracy. The objectives, nature, and methods used to collect the secondary data may not be appropriate to the present situation. Also, secon dary data may be lacking in accuracy, or they may not be completely current or dependable. Before using secondary data, it is important to evaluate them on these factors (Malhotra, 2004). Although so many disadvantages are associated with the secondary data, but such data were found useful in this research as identifying and defining the problem, and developing research objectives. The secondary data in the this research is in the form of literature review. The various sources of secondary data in this research were: books, journals, periodicals, newspapers and magazines and websites. 3.2.2 PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION Primary data is collected for the specific purpose of addressing the problem at hand. The collection of primary data involves various steps. Thus obtaining primary data can be expensive and time consuming (Malhotra, 2004). These suggest that primary data are those data that are collected for the particular purpose of research in hand. The disadvantage of collecting primary data is that it is lengthy and resource and time consuming process (in comparison of secondary data), but the advantage of primary data is that they are first hand information and comparatively more reliable (than secondary data). Primary data can be collected from various sources and methods that are case studies, observation, questionnaire survey and interview (Clark et al, 2003). In this research questionnaire survey method was applied in order to collect primary data. Designing questionnaires may appear to be simple, especially to those who have not designed one before. After all, you may think, once you have a clear notion of the information desired, it should be easy to formulate appropriate questions and arrange them in the form of an instrument (Parasuraman, 2004). Primary data collection approach adopted in this research: Sampling technique: Author has followed convenient sampling technique and chosen sample hotel based on the same technique. This technique involves choice of hotel which easily accessible by the author. Sample: samples were based on Delhi based 5 star hotels. Sample size: Tools used in primary data collection: Author followed questionnaire technique to collect the data from the samples, in some cases author went to the sample hotel and met with the person concerned for this research but in many cases author referred telephonic talk and get the questionnaire filled over the phone. 3.3 DATA ANALYSIS Before analyzing a data set using sophisticated techniques, a researcher should get a feeling for what the data are like. The purpose of preliminary data analysis is to reveal features of the basic composition of the data collected. It can also provide useful insights pertaining to the research objectives and suggest meaningful approaches for further analysis of the data. Preliminary data analysis examines the central tendency(mean) and the dispersion of the data on each variable in the data set. The measurement level of a variable that is, whether the variable is nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio has a bearing on which measures of central tendency and dispersion will be appropriate for it (Parasuraman, 2004). In accordance with the above prescription of data analysis, firstly all the collected data were coded and arranged in a systematic manner and then analysed in accordance with the objectives of the research to reach the conclusions after comparing secondary and primary data. Author has followed tabulation of data and use of percentage technique to find out average of the response and based on the same conclusion has been drawn. 3.4 LIMITATIONS Due to limited time and resources, the author had to downsize his plan on various fronts. Firstly, getting an appointment with the respondents was not easy as in some cases because they had tight schedule in their professional activities, whereas some were found unwilling to response. Secondly, due to provided limited time, the author could not get filled the questionnaire face-to-face or personally from the respondents, and thus in many cases the author had to satisfy with telephonic conversation for filling the questionnaire. Chapetr 4 FINDING AND ANALYSIS Question no-1-Do you feel that employee relation has importance in hotel industry? Answer no-1- ( ) YES ( ) NO OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE YES 10 100 NO 0 In the above response collected, it is visible that 100% of the employees said that good employee relation has significance in hotel Industry. Question no-2-Good employee relation leads to employee motivation. Answer no-2- ( ) TRUE ( ) FALSE OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE TRUE 10 100 FALSE 0 Above tabulation shows that all the 10 respondents said that good employee relation is motivating factor for the restaurant staff and leads to employee performance. Question no-3-Employees can compensated with other motivating factor with good relation? Answer no-3- ( ) AGREE ( ) DIS AGREE à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å" OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE AGREE 9 90 DIS AGREE 1 10 90% of the staff working in the hotel restaurant agree that employee motivation can be compensated with good employee relation due to the good relationship of the staff with the employer helps this help motivating employees. Due to good relation employee may be happy with differed financial benefits. Question no-4- Do you feel that Employees always want to be appreciated for job done? Answer no-4- ( ) TRUE ( ) FALSE OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE TRUE 7 70 FALSE 3 30 70% of them have said that the above statement is true as, employees want to be appreciated and recognized for a job done, and rest of them (30%) have said that this statement is false. Question no-5- Do you think reward based work promotes the team spirit among employees? Answer no-5- ( ) AGREE ( ) DISAGREE OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE AGREE 4 40 DIS AGREE 6 60 above table shows that reward does not lead to team spirit among the employees. Here author would like to say that it is very much clear that individual performance may go up by introduction of reward but integration of efforts can not be achieved with reward. So author would like to highlight that it is the relation among peer and employer that promote employee satisfaction and so overall there will be enhancement in the performance of entire employee as a team. Question no-6- Do you think gap between organizational objective and individual due to communication may lead to employee dissatisfaction and hence lower performance? Answer no-6- ( ) YES ( ) NO OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE AGREE 100 100 DIS AGREE 00 00 Here this response reveals that there should not be communication gap between employee and employer because this is also a reason of employee dissatisfaction. Employee actually want to know the overall direction of the organization failing which there is rise in reluctance and less performance. So this communication gap is part of good relation if there is gap means there is no good relation between employer and employee so again it is proved that good relation leading to positive impact. Question no-7-what you feel about relation between communication gap between employer and employee leads to low performance and motivation of employees? Answer no-7- ( ) TRUE ( ) FALSE Above table shows that 90% of the staff of the hotels are agree and having the same belief that communication gap increases employee de-motivation hence lower performance of employees. Chapter 5 CONCLUSION In order to conclude the topic author would like to mention the aim and objectives of this research which author had established at the starting of this research. Objectives: To explore the ingredients of good employee relation To explore the ingredients of employee performance To explore good relation of employee as an factor of motivation. To find out the impact of good employee relation on employee performance 1.2.3 Research Questions: R.Q.1 What are the basis of good relation? R.Q.2 What are the basis of employee performance? R.Q.3 How good relation of employee have positive impact on employee performance? Based on the research conducted by author now at this stage author have been comparing what was to achieved and what have been achieved then author found there is no variance in the research objectives and all the steps of research till conclusion. All the aspects have been recognized and evaluated. Based on the primary research conducted by the author it is very much clear that it is the good relation between employer and employee or peer group that leads to feeling of team work and overall performance of employees goes up that Influence of Employee Relations on Work Performance Influence of Employee Relations on Work Performance This research is based on the assumption that it is the good relation with staff factor that leads to increase staff performance in the service department of hotel industry. Both the variables are very important in hotel industry. Staff performance is key to success for the hospitality organizations because hospitality organization is labor intensive industry so it becomes very important to focus on those factors that motivate employees for the work and to deliver their best to the organization. There are many factors that influence employee and work of employees. Relation with employee is one of them. Employee motivation may relate with money, position in the organization, future perspective, but relation with the peer group and boss is foremost factor that have direct impact on employee performance. Good employee relation means creation of congenial environment that retain the motivation of employees and keep motivating them for their commitments towards the organization. 1.2 AIM AND OBJECTIVES / RESEARCH QUESTIONS / HYPOTHESIS: 1.2.1 Aim of this research: aim of this research is to find out the influence of good employee relation on work performance of an employees, with special reference to restaurant service staff of hotel industry. 1.2.2 Objectives: To explore the ingredients of good employee relation To explore the ingredients of employee performance To explore good relation of employee as an factor of motivation. To find out the impact of good employee relation on employee performance 1.2.3 Research Questions: R.Q.1 What are the basis of good relation? R.Q.2 What are the basis of employee performance? R.Q.3 How good relation of employee have positive impact on employee performance? 1.3 RATIONAL: Author believes that employee relation is very important as an motivating factor, and employee performance is also very important for the development of an organization and in achieving organizational goal. This philosophy is very much important in the hospitality industry because hospitality industry is guest based business and employees are the only factor that brings guest satisfaction. So keep employee happy should be the right slogan for human resource department of the hotel and concerned functional department too. This is the thinking behind choice of this topic. 1.4 STRUCTURE OF THE DISSERTATION: This research work is having many sections. Author is giving brief introduction and the sequence of the chapters. Chapter two is based on secondary research and placed just after this chapter, after that third chapter is on methodology and fourth is on depth analysis of the questions of the questionnaire and after that fifth chapter is containing conclusion of the research. After conclusion there is list of references followed by appendix section. Chapter2 Literature Review 2.1 What is employee relations? Employee relation or industrial relation is basically relation between employees and employer collectively. In this research author has established aim and objective which basically focus on impact of good employee relation on employee performance. Author is presenting this section as secondary research which is conducted through many books and websites. There are many variables of this research topic such as employee relation and its basis, employee performance and its basis, so all the related areas are also explored in this section of the research so that a valid conclusion can be drawn at the end of this section which would be conclusion based on secondary research. 2.2 Employee relation: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Employee relations can be seen primarily as a skill-set or a philosophy, rather than as a management function or well-defined area of activity. Despite well-publicised instances of industrial action, the emphasis of employee relations continues to shift from collective institutions, such as trade unions and collective bargaining, to the relationship with individual employees. The ideas of employee voice and the psychological contract have been accepted by employers and reflected in their employee relations policies and aspirations. Employee relations skills and competencies are still seen by employers as critical to achieving performance benefits through a focus on employee involvement, commitment and engagement. Employee relations is seen as strategic in terms of managing business risk: both the downside risk of non-compliance with an expanded body of employment law, and the upside risk of failing to deliver maximum business performanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. http://www.cipd.c o.uk/subjects/empreltns/general/emprelsovr.htm 2.3 Job Satisfaction and Job performance: To understand the nature of job satisfaction and its effects on work performance is not easy. For at least 50 years industrial/organizational psychologists have been wrestling with the question of the relationship between job satisfaction and job performance. Researchers have put a considerable amount of effort into attempts to demonstrate that the two are positively related in a particular fashion: a happy worker is a good worker. Although this sounds like a very appealing idea, the results of empirical literature are too mixed to support the hypothesis that job satisfaction leads to better performance or even that there is a reliable positive correlation between these two variables. On the other hand some researchers argue that the results are equally inconclusive with respect to the hypothesis that there is no such relationship. As a result of this ambiguity, this relationship continues to stimulate research and re-examination of previous attempts. This paper strives to describe t he relation of job satisfaction and performance, keeping in mind the value this relation has for organizations. http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/job-performance-and-satisfaction-53672.htm Job satisfaction is a complex and multifaceted concept, which can mean different things to different people. Job satisfaction is usually linked with motivation, but the nature of this relationship is not clear. Satisfaction is not the same as motivation. Job satisfaction is more an attitude, an internal state. It could, for example, be associated with a personal feeling of achievement, either quantitative or qualitative. In recent years attention to job satisfaction has become more closely associated with broader approaches to improved job design and work organization, and the quality of working life movement. The relationship between job satisfaction and performance is an issue of continuing debate and controversy. One view, associated with the early human relations approach, is that satisfaction leads to performance. An alternative view is that performance leads to satisfaction. However, a variety of studies suggest that research has found only a limited relationship between satisf action and work output and offer scant comfort to those seeking to confirm that a satisfied worker is also a productive one. Labor turnover and absenteeism are commonly associated with dissatisfaction, but although there may be some correlation, there are many other possible factors. No universal generalizations about worker dissatisfaction exist, to offer easy management solutions to problems of turnover and absenteeism. The study suggests that it is primarily in the realm of job design, where opportunity resides for a constructive improvement of the workers satisfaction level. Individual performance is generally determined by three factors. Motivation, the desire to do the job, ability, the capability to do the job, and the work environment, the tools, materials, and information needed to do the job. If an employee lacks ability, the manager can provide training or replace the worker. If there is an environmental problem, the manager can also usually make adjustments to promote hi gher performance. But if motivation is the problem, the managers task is more challenging. Individual behavior is a complex phenomenon, and the manager may not be able to figure out why the employee is not motivated and how to change the behavior. Thus, also motivation plays a vital role since it might influence negatively performance and because of its intangible nature.http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/job-performance-and-satisfaction-53672.htm 2.4 The elements of a job that create job satisfaction Flexible work arrangements, possibly including telecommuting Training and other professional growth opportunities Interesting work that offers variety and challenge and allows the worker opportunities to put his or her signature on the finished product Opportunities to use ones talents and to be creative Opportunities to take responsibility and direct ones own work A stable, secure work environment that includes job security/continuity An environment in which workers are supported by an accessible supervisor who provides timely feedback as well as congenial team members Flexible benefits, such as child-care and exercise facilities Up-to-date technology Competitive salary and opportunities for promotion http://www.answers.com/topic/job-satisfaction 2.5 Workers Roles in Job Satisfaction If job satisfaction is a worker benefit, surely the worker must be able to contribute to his or her own satisfaction and well-being on the job. The following suggestions can help a worker find personal job satisfaction: Seek opportunities to demonstrate skills and talents. This often leads to more challenging work and greater responsibilities, with attendant increases in pay and other recognition. Develop excellent communication skills. Employerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s value and reward excellent reading, listening, writing, and speaking skills. Know more. Acquire new job-related knowledge that helps you to perform tasks more efficiently and effectively. This will relieve boredom and often gets one noticed. Demonstrate creativity and initiative. Qualities like these are valued by most organizations and often result in recognition as well as in increased responsibilities and rewards. Develop teamwork and people skills. A large part of job success is the ability to work well with others to get the job done. Accept the diversity in people. Accept people with their differences and their imperfections and learn how to give and receive criticism constructively. See the value in your work. Appreciating the significance of what one does can lead to satisfaction with the work itself. This helps to give meaning to ones existence, thus playing a vital role in job satisfaction. Learn to de-stress. Plan to avoid burnout by developing healthy stress-management techniques. http://www.answers.com/topic/job-satisfaction Employee engagement:   Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The achievement of business goals and financial returns is increasingly dependent on delivery by front-line employees. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Engagementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ has been described as a combination of commitment and organisational citizenship. There is no shortage of evidence about people management policies and practices that contribute to building employee engagement. They include: Employee voice: Managers are much more convinced than they were a decade ago that involvement produces business benefits. This is confirmed by the range of methods for direct communication and recognising individual employee contribution that HR departments now implement and operate. Teamworking: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Training, teamworking, supervisors trained in employee relation matters and problem-solving groups are all associated with one another. In combination, this group of practices might be construed as a model of direct employee participation in decision-making. Work-life ba lance: Policies on work-life balance are being used by employers to underpin positive workplace behaviours. Our various surveys of employee attitudes, for example Guest and Conway5, have underlined the link between work-life balance, commitment and performance, and there is strong support by employers for the current legislation giving employees the right to request flexible workingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/general/emprelsovr.htm HR and employee relation: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Communication is the glue that makes policies real and without which they are ineffective. The fact that communication is necessarily a two-way process, involving dialogue rather than simply instruction, is well established. Yet many organisations perform badly in this area, failing to give communication the priority it deserves. Getting communication right involves both professionalism and persistence. The qualities required include focusing on positive behaviours and outcomes, taking a positive, problem-solving approach, anticipating problems, recommending solutions and being able to offer sound advice to senior managers about implementation. Negotiating skills are still useful but needed less often. A much wider area of knowledge is now required, along with the skills to apply it, including surveying and interpreting employee attitudes, communications and conflict management. Most important is the ability to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"fità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ policies and practices to suit the organisationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s goals and the character of its workforce. http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/general/emprelsovr.htm Value of employee relation: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“To a considerable extent, it is only in the public sector that trade unions retain a measure of their former strength and influence in the workplace. This is partly through the existence of institutions of collective consultation, reinforced by continued reliance in many cases on industry-level bargaining and the public policy emphasis on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"partnershipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. Union influence in the private sector, on the other hand, continues to decline. The main areas of the private sector where industrial disputes are still experienced from time to time, for example, public transport, are those where thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a clear public or political interest and/or the Government is seen as the ultimate à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"bankerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Employee relationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ as a term remains ambiguous, with no clear boundaries. Most HR people donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t use the term on an everyday basis. It is not calculated to help manage rs focus on what they need to know and do to increase performance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" the language has echoes of a historical era that offers few insights into contemporary practice. The traditional academic models of industrial relations have only limited relevance to what managers do today. Employers are in charge and the role of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"joint controlà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"rule-makingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ by employers and trade unions has been substantially replaced by employment regulation and organisational values. Employee relations can nevertheless point to an underlying philosophy and attitudes and skills that are still needed by HR practitioners. The current à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"business partnerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ model is helpful in identifying an à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"added valueà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ framework within which HR practitioners need to operate, but an unreflecting business focus may lead to a neglect of the softer skills, which are essential to managing the em ployment relationship, and of employee interests and influence. Employers also need HR managers with a positive, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"can doà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ attitude who will resist the temptation to adopt a defensive or compliance-led HR culture. Commitment and engagement are crucial to performance but they are not consistently high enough in the hierarchy of line management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" or, often, HR à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" priorities. The Employee Information and Consultation Regulations may be helpful in raising the profile of employee voice and involvement, but the WERS 20042 findings give little basis for optimism that this will happen. More effort needs to be put into training and supporting line managers in, for example, teamworking and change management as the basis for establishing and maintaining motivation and commitment, which is a critical role for employee relations managers. Issues about à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"alignmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ of HR and business strategies have mostl y to be resolved within this area. There is too much focus within organisations on strategy formulation and planning, and not enough on implementation and delivery. Managing the employment relationship rests heavily on the shoulders of line managers, but their competence in this area is, in general, seriously neglected. The concept of engagement is helpful in promoting wider interest in the measurement of HR outputs, including through the widespread use of employee attitudes surveys and in performance management/appraisalsystemsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“ http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/general/emprelsovr.htm Maintaining employee relation: Good employee relations means you create an environment which delivers what people want today. They want to feel good about who they are, what they do and where they work. Although there is probably an endless list of opinions as to what employees want today, here are 10 that are important as you consider building an employee relations program for your business: Employees want to be comfortable with what their employer stands for. Social psychology research indicates the chances of success are much greater for your organization if you have a clearly defined vision that all your people can follow. In some organizations, this is also referred to as a mission statement. Does your organization, department or division have one? Use it as a part of your employee relations strategy to ensure that your employees are comfortable with what your business is about. Employees want to identify with corporate principles. Today employees are very opinionated about the moral and ethical issues in business today. They care about such things as employee privacy and employee rights. By having a set of guiding principles, and following these principles, your organization creates a framework within which to develop principle-centered policies and procedures or make principle-centered decisions regarding difficult employment related issues. Employees want to know their employer cares about their opinions and concerns. If youre going to create a good employee relations program, you need to have a mechanism for finding out what your employees care about, what they are concerned about, what they think of you as an employer. Conduct employee opinion surveys. http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/1998/03/30/focus4.html Chapter: 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 RESEARCH METHODS Research methods can be qualitative, quantitative or both (Schiffman and Kanuk, 2000). The selection of the particular research method depends on the kind of information required. Qualitative method collects, analyzes, and interprets data that cannot be meaningfully quantified, that is, summarized in the form of numbers. For this reason, qualitative method is sometimes referred to as soft research method. Any research using non-structured questioning or observation techniques can be labeled qualitative research. Qualitative method typically studies relatively few respondents or units. In other words, a research of a large, representative sample would normally not be called qualitative research method even if it used some non-structured questions or observations. The non-structured and small-sample features of qualitative research techniques have an important implication. They are intended to provide initial insights, ideas, or understanding about a problem, not to recommend a final c ourse of action. Therefore, qualitative research techniques are most appropriate in situations calling for exploratory research. Quantitative research method, in contrast, is characterized by more structure and larger, more representative respondent samples. Consequently, the logical place for quantitative research techniques (usually in the form of large-scale questionnaire surveys or structured observations) is in conclusive studies. A primary role of qualitative research method is to generate hunches or hypotheses. In contrast, each of the situations under quantitative research calls for very specific data, capable of suggesting a final course of action (Parasuraman, et al. 2004). The above description suggests us that qualitative research method is a soft approach in which collected and identified data or information cannot be meaningfully quantified and more importantly in this approach non-structured research is conducted; but so far as quantitative research method is concerned, in this approach structured research is conducted with approaching larger respondents and the collected data can be meaningfully quantified. This research is qualitative based so required qualitative data to achieve the aims and objectives of the research, therefore qualitative research approach has been applied to conduct this research. 3.2 DATA COLLECTION Research data can be collected either in the form of secondary or primary or both (Clark et al, 2003). In this research both primary and secondary data were collected considering the aims and objectives of the research. 3.2.1 SECONDARY DATA: Secondary Data usually factual information can be obtained through secondary data, that have already been collected from other sources and are readily available from those sources (Parasuraman, et al. 2004). The definition and characteristics of secondary data presented above suggest us that secondary data are data that have already been collected for purpose other than the problem in hand. Before detailing as how and what secondary data were collected in this research, in would be worth to examine the advantages and disadvantages of such data. Secondary data are easily accessible, relatively inexpensive, and quickly obtained. Some secondary data, are available on topics where it would not be feasible for a firm to collect primary data. Although it is rare for secondary data to provide all the answers to a non-routine research problem, such data can be useful in a variety of ways (Kotabe, 2002). Secondary data can help: Identify the problem, better define the problem, develop an approach to the problem, formulate an appropriate research design (for example, by identifying the key variables), answer certain research questions and test some hypotheses and interpret primary data more insightfully. Because secondary data have been collected for purposes other than the problem at hand, their usefulness to the current problem may be limited in several important ways, including relevance and accuracy. The objectives, nature, and methods used to collect the secondary data may not be appropriate to the present situation. Also, secon dary data may be lacking in accuracy, or they may not be completely current or dependable. Before using secondary data, it is important to evaluate them on these factors (Malhotra, 2004). Although so many disadvantages are associated with the secondary data, but such data were found useful in this research as identifying and defining the problem, and developing research objectives. The secondary data in the this research is in the form of literature review. The various sources of secondary data in this research were: books, journals, periodicals, newspapers and magazines and websites. 3.2.2 PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION Primary data is collected for the specific purpose of addressing the problem at hand. The collection of primary data involves various steps. Thus obtaining primary data can be expensive and time consuming (Malhotra, 2004). These suggest that primary data are those data that are collected for the particular purpose of research in hand. The disadvantage of collecting primary data is that it is lengthy and resource and time consuming process (in comparison of secondary data), but the advantage of primary data is that they are first hand information and comparatively more reliable (than secondary data). Primary data can be collected from various sources and methods that are case studies, observation, questionnaire survey and interview (Clark et al, 2003). In this research questionnaire survey method was applied in order to collect primary data. Designing questionnaires may appear to be simple, especially to those who have not designed one before. After all, you may think, once you have a clear notion of the information desired, it should be easy to formulate appropriate questions and arrange them in the form of an instrument (Parasuraman, 2004). Primary data collection approach adopted in this research: Sampling technique: Author has followed convenient sampling technique and chosen sample hotel based on the same technique. This technique involves choice of hotel which easily accessible by the author. Sample: samples were based on Delhi based 5 star hotels. Sample size: Tools used in primary data collection: Author followed questionnaire technique to collect the data from the samples, in some cases author went to the sample hotel and met with the person concerned for this research but in many cases author referred telephonic talk and get the questionnaire filled over the phone. 3.3 DATA ANALYSIS Before analyzing a data set using sophisticated techniques, a researcher should get a feeling for what the data are like. The purpose of preliminary data analysis is to reveal features of the basic composition of the data collected. It can also provide useful insights pertaining to the research objectives and suggest meaningful approaches for further analysis of the data. Preliminary data analysis examines the central tendency(mean) and the dispersion of the data on each variable in the data set. The measurement level of a variable that is, whether the variable is nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio has a bearing on which measures of central tendency and dispersion will be appropriate for it (Parasuraman, 2004). In accordance with the above prescription of data analysis, firstly all the collected data were coded and arranged in a systematic manner and then analysed in accordance with the objectives of the research to reach the conclusions after comparing secondary and primary data. Author has followed tabulation of data and use of percentage technique to find out average of the response and based on the same conclusion has been drawn. 3.4 LIMITATIONS Due to limited time and resources, the author had to downsize his plan on various fronts. Firstly, getting an appointment with the respondents was not easy as in some cases because they had tight schedule in their professional activities, whereas some were found unwilling to response. Secondly, due to provided limited time, the author could not get filled the questionnaire face-to-face or personally from the respondents, and thus in many cases the author had to satisfy with telephonic conversation for filling the questionnaire. Chapetr 4 FINDING AND ANALYSIS Question no-1-Do you feel that employee relation has importance in hotel industry? Answer no-1- ( ) YES ( ) NO OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE YES 10 100 NO 0 In the above response collected, it is visible that 100% of the employees said that good employee relation has significance in hotel Industry. Question no-2-Good employee relation leads to employee motivation. Answer no-2- ( ) TRUE ( ) FALSE OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE TRUE 10 100 FALSE 0 Above tabulation shows that all the 10 respondents said that good employee relation is motivating factor for the restaurant staff and leads to employee performance. Question no-3-Employees can compensated with other motivating factor with good relation? Answer no-3- ( ) AGREE ( ) DIS AGREE à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å" OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE AGREE 9 90 DIS AGREE 1 10 90% of the staff working in the hotel restaurant agree that employee motivation can be compensated with good employee relation due to the good relationship of the staff with the employer helps this help motivating employees. Due to good relation employee may be happy with differed financial benefits. Question no-4- Do you feel that Employees always want to be appreciated for job done? Answer no-4- ( ) TRUE ( ) FALSE OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE TRUE 7 70 FALSE 3 30 70% of them have said that the above statement is true as, employees want to be appreciated and recognized for a job done, and rest of them (30%) have said that this statement is false. Question no-5- Do you think reward based work promotes the team spirit among employees? Answer no-5- ( ) AGREE ( ) DISAGREE OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE AGREE 4 40 DIS AGREE 6 60 above table shows that reward does not lead to team spirit among the employees. Here author would like to say that it is very much clear that individual performance may go up by introduction of reward but integration of efforts can not be achieved with reward. So author would like to highlight that it is the relation among peer and employer that promote employee satisfaction and so overall there will be enhancement in the performance of entire employee as a team. Question no-6- Do you think gap between organizational objective and individual due to communication may lead to employee dissatisfaction and hence lower performance? Answer no-6- ( ) YES ( ) NO OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE AGREE 100 100 DIS AGREE 00 00 Here this response reveals that there should not be communication gap between employee and employer because this is also a reason of employee dissatisfaction. Employee actually want to know the overall direction of the organization failing which there is rise in reluctance and less performance. So this communication gap is part of good relation if there is gap means there is no good relation between employer and employee so again it is proved that good relation leading to positive impact. Question no-7-what you feel about relation between communication gap between employer and employee leads to low performance and motivation of employees? Answer no-7- ( ) TRUE ( ) FALSE Above table shows that 90% of the staff of the hotels are agree and having the same belief that communication gap increases employee de-motivation hence lower performance of employees. Chapter 5 CONCLUSION In order to conclude the topic author would like to mention the aim and objectives of this research which author had established at the starting of this research. Objectives: To explore the ingredients of good employee relation To explore the ingredients of employee performance To explore good relation of employee as an factor of motivation. To find out the impact of good employee relation on employee performance 1.2.3 Research Questions: R.Q.1 What are the basis of good relation? R.Q.2 What are the basis of employee performance? R.Q.3 How good relation of employee have positive impact on employee performance? Based on the research conducted by author now at this stage author have been comparing what was to achieved and what have been achieved then author found there is no variance in the research objectives and all the steps of research till conclusion. All the aspects have been recognized and evaluated. Based on the primary research conducted by the author it is very much clear that it is the good relation between employer and employee or peer group that leads to feeling of team work and overall performance of employees goes up that

Friday, January 17, 2020

My journal

Teacher Some say being a teacher is one of the noble professions of all time. They serve as a friend, as a counselor and as a second mother. Nowadays a lot of students In college are taking up education courses because of the benefits and high salary they can get once they've passed the LET. If that would be the case, then maybe some of those teachers are not holistically Inclined and passionate or effective enough to touch the lives of the next generation. Based on my experience, I have met 5 kinds of teachers.First is a teacher that spoon-feeds his/her students with the knowledge and skills he/she has. Second is a teacher who terrorizes her students and pressures them to get high grades and to pass her subject. The third teacher is what I call, the missing in action' teacher. Why? Because he/she is always absent and usually assigns the class to do some reports about the next subject next meeting (this happens in undergraduate students but then I guess It's a normal thing in graduat e school. The second to the last is a teacher who Just reads her lectures in a power point presentation without adding anything to explain the topic further and lastly, the teacher with a long lasting energy, which makes the environment and learning, fun and enjoyable. Now, as I go with the topic, â€Å"My Effective Teacher† I am thinking on how will I become one? The courage standing before a crowd is a challenge for everyone who is not exposed in an environment where different kinds of people are in.Being effective teacher is not about the lesson plan she makes every day, not about the exams she prepares to give every lecture, not about the visual aids she makes but rather the active participation of the students in class, the high scores they get every exams and more importantly, when the student passes the board exams. Being remembered by a student after four years of feeding their minds with knowledge Is one of the best proofs that you've been an effective and efficient professor. I hope 2 years from now, I would be able to be remembered and be a huge art of my student's lives. Y journal By Jennifer Jane-Gangs a friend, as a counselor and as a second mother. Nowadays a lot of students in can get once they've passed the LET. If that would be the case, then maybe some of those teachers are not holistically inclined and passionate or effective enough to then I guess it's a normal thing in graduate school. ) The second to the last is a importer, I should also reach out to my students in order for us to have a harmonious relationship inside and out of the classroom. My fourth element would be knowledge is one of the best proofs that you've been an effective and efficient