Ways In Which Consumer Choice Is Influenced Commerce Essay

Manners by which Consumer Choice Is Influenced Commerce Essay The point of this paper is to fundamentally assess the manners by which shopper decision is impacted by our mental need to make and keep up both our own and social self-idea. Two years back, I took a gander at my closet and reached the resolution that I had enough garments yet something was all the while missing. I had all that anyone could need garments however I didnt have an ideal pack that fit all my garments. I arrived at the decision that I had another crucial. Rather than purchasing a generally modest sack I chose to set aside cash to purchase the ideal pack I generally needed to have. It required some investment before I had the measure of cash of purchase the ideal sack. Anyway I needed the ideal sack so severely that I endeavored to get the cash. Following a couple of months I purchased the ideal pack that fit my whole closet. Anyway after the buy I didn't feel better with my new and moderately costly flawless pack. It was not even large enough to fit al my own assets. I asked myself the inquiry for what good reason I needed that sack so gravely and why the pack didn't make me more joyful. Why didnt I simply set aside my cash for something progr essively extraordinary? For what reason did I need such an elegantly thing? Generally I asked myself the inquiry what sorts of variables have impacted me to purchase that unique sack. Besides I inquired as to whether this crucial not an ideal delineation of variables that affected my own purchasing conduct. In the article I will assess my buy understanding and break down why purchasers can show a specific buyer conduct. As per Asome (2012) I am ideal case of indicating my character with a specific sack and that I need to be viewed as a selective customer. At long last I purchased the sack to remunerate myself, to fulfill my mental need and to attempt to cause myself to feel better. I go through hours in different shops considering and looking at other changed sacks, not agonizing over the cost, however at long last anything shielded me from purchasing that unparalleled pack. This buy was an ideal case of my self-idea. I needed characterize myself with this costly and select pack, yet a few components have impacted my buy. I didn't decide for a less expensive other option. I needed to be related and seen by others as an individual who was exceptional and following the most stylish trend patterns. Anyway the pack was not even down to earth. The outside of my pack was saying all the more regarding my character. My first decision did not depend on the structure or capacity of the pack yet about how I wo uld have preferred to show my personality. Individuals have impressions of their perspectives towards themselves. Regardless of whether these perspectives are negative of positive, these mentalities will assist with settling on a choice about items or administrations. Most perspectives are consequently being impacted because of the past experience and the view of specific items and administrations. Anyway these consequently perspectives won't generally lead to indistinguishable decisions from it will be more impacts by the social and social condition also. Buys can be utilized to help purchasers confidence or to compensate themselves. This is the thing that I did in the wake of setting aside cash to purchase the ideal sack. At long last the assets of individuals will assist with mirroring their characters. As per Knor ang tatt (2010) Modern customers purchase things to compensate themselves, to fulfill mental necessities or to cause themselves to feel great. Purchasers are being impacted by their discernment, inspiration, lea rning or convictions and mentalities also to purchase a specific item. These mental impacts enormously affect the shopper purchasing conduct. The world is changing just as the necessities and needs of the purchasers all through the world. Patterns, innovation, advancement and the World Wide Web are affecting the manner in which individuals are. These elements are influencing the purchasing conduct of the purchaser all through the world. The globalization makes the world littler just as making more interest for items and administrations. Advertisers are continually trying to see how customers act far and wide. They are attempting to make holes in the worldwide market just as reacting to the necessities of the clients. Their impact has never been so solid because of the impact of programming, online networking and publicizing. The procedure by which individuals buy items and administrations is impacted by their need and needs. As per Solomon (2007) the procedures included when people or gatherings select, buy, utilize or discard items, administrations, thoughts or experience to fulfill needs or wants. The procedure by which purchasers choose which items and administrations they will choose can be profoundly progressively unpredictable and variable. (Solomon 2007). The customers needs and needs are continually evolving. These days the individual utilization conduct is in consideration and it is a significant act of our consistently life. My buy was vigorously impacted by the conclusions and practices of my social gathering. Every one of my companions had an ideal pack that fit their whole closet. I was affected by having discussions about the most popular trend patterns with my companions instead of being impacted by the ads, magazines or publicizing made by the advertisers. I would not like to purchase a pack from possibly a progressively down to earth and greater quality brand. I needed to be endorsed by my companions that all cherished that specific brand. Individuals share social qualities and have convictions and mentalities about how they figure the world ought to be. Different gatherings are impacting individuals too: their subculture or their social class. Purchasing an ideal sack doesn't imply that it connote my societal position except if others in the reference gatherings or social gatherings share indistinguishable thoughts and convictions from I did. For this situation my reference bunch had vigorously affected me. The individuals who matter to me esteem the possibility that I should have been style cognizant, free, show your personality with costly garments and following the most stylish trend patterns. My buy was intensely impacted by the feelings and practices of my companions. Every one of my companions had an ideal pack that fit their whole closet. I was affected by having discussions about the most popular trend patterns with my companions instead of being impacted by the plugs, magazines or promoting made by the advertisers. I would not like to purchase a sack from possibly a progressively down to earth and greater quality brand, as I needed to be endorsed by my social gathering that all adored that specific brand. Advertisers need to attempt to character reference gatherings of their objective markets. As indicated by Bearden and Etzel (1982) reference bunches ideas have been utilized by publicists in their endeavors to convince customers to buy items and brands. The impact of the reference bunch is enormous on client practices since they open individuals to new practices and ways of life. Taking a gander at patterns and advancement individuals change their way of life continually to prop up with the remainder of the world. Reference bunches impacts mentalities and the self-idea also. Reference bunch use of a brand gives client picture affiliations and psychologi-cal advantage relationship for brands (Muniz OGuinn, 2001). This implies certain brands are being utilized to make and characterize a customers self-idea. Shoppers need to interface themselves with the things they like and they need to introduce themselves to others through their image decisions. They are deciding for specific brands because of their mental self view, brand picture and the decision of the reference gathering. Reference bunches are related with specific brands. Clients need to be associated with a specific reference bunches since they need to be related with them. Escalas and Bettman (2003)states that brand use by reference bunches is a wellspring of brand affiliations, which become connected to purchasers men-tal portrayal of self as customers effectively build themselves by choosing brands with affiliations applicable to a part of their present self-idea or conceivable self. This implies purchasers like indistinguishable things from the reference bunches do. So clients are not just connected with specific brands as their reference gathering yet in addition due their self-idea. I generally had the expectation to purchase the pack since it fit my picture yet my reference bunch truly pushed me somewhat more to by the sack at long last. Another perspective is the impact of culture that makes a specific significance of items in various sort of social orders. Each individual conveys inside oneself examples of reasoning, feeling and acting that were found out all through their lifetime. (Hofstede 2005) Cultural impacts are the premise of client conduct since it is the manner in which individuals act, make and learn things in the general public. It makes a specific significance of things throughout everyday life. As per Hofstede (2005) culture is the aggregate programming of the brain that recognized the individuals from one gathering or class of individuals from others. This implies the emotional culture impact the practices, values and subjective convictions of buyers, which at long last impacts the mentality and accepted practices too. Culture varies starting with one society then onto the next and hence there are diverse customer conduct taking a gander at various social orders. Clients who emphatically feel associated with their condition, care about their own way of life and are giving cautious musings about specific items and administrations. Markets are distinguishing different sorts of social gatherings: subculture, social class to comprehend the necessities and needs of shoppers also. A fascinating component is shoppers change constantly. The world changes continually thus individuals. Shoppers have the capacity of being a piece of one subculture just as being impacted through different factors hence they can change. Client can have numerous suppositions about garments, food, administrations and how individuals communicate with one another. This can change in the wake of experiencing various conditions. Anyway once somethin

Microsoft’s Diversification Strategy Essay

1. For what reason did Microsoft, the best program organization, decide to cure its key confusion? Microsoft is a global PC innovation enterprise headquartered in Redmond, Washington that creates, makes, licenses, and supports a wide scope of items and administrations identified with registering. The organization was established by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on April 4, 1975. Microsoft is the world’s biggest programming creator estimated by incomes. It is likewise one of the world’s most important organizations. Be that as it may, after a string of awful news truly subverted the future development of Microsoft, the awful impression was emerged. Microsoft attempted to cure its key disorder, in light of the fact that in the high-innovation industry, stop is equivalent to end it all. IT industry is actually an exceptionally serious industry. Microsoft must to take care of their issues at the earliest opportunity. Microsoft was the best program organization. In any case, in the event that they overlook its vital disorder, they might be vanquished. I might want to utilize SWOT investigation to show my perspectives why Microsoft decided to cure its vital confusion. Qualities: Microsoft is the world’s biggest programming organization with worldwide name acknowledgment and solid notoriety for imaginative items. Microsoft’s Software items have high name acknowledgment, expansive based corporate and purchaser acknowledgment (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access), and various incredible highlights that are being used around the world, in this manner advancing normalization and upper hand through their simplicity of reconcilia tion and cost-viability. Windows 95, 98, 2000 arrangement are internationally known as the PC work area working framework with a piece of the overall industry of about 88%. What’s more, Microsoft has generally quick item advancement forms that consider opportune refreshing and arrival of new items. Shortcomings: Between1990-1995, Microsoft authority neglected to effectively envision the development or notoriety of the Internet. Also, it saw by numerous individuals as a relentless contender that utilizes its prevailing business sector position to underestimate rivalry by taking/decimating the competition’s items, smothering item development, and diminishing the accessibility of contender items. Moreover, Microsoft had its key chaos in the mid 2000s. Openings: In the mid 2000s, the interest for PCs in American and worldwide markets stays solid regardless of the development and expanding prominence of individual handheld gadgets. Besides, less expensive worldwide media transmission costs open new markets as individuals interface with the Internet. Dangers: From the contextual investigation, fundamental office programming had been tested by a string of new companies. Between 1993-1995, Sun Microsystems, Netscape, Oracle, IBM, AOL, and different organizations moved into the Internet space and characterized it while Microsoft neglected to envision its development or fame. These new contenders had the option to produce mainstream projects, for example, email, work area web indexes, and texting over the Internet a lot quicker than Microsoft. So Microsoft need rethink itself. For example, Red Hat, the one of key contenders of Microsoft, overwhelmed the market for Linux, opened up to the world in 2000. Red Hat got popular. What’s more, in 2001, Red Hat extended its product items and included database applications and a web based business programming suite intended for normal estimated organizations. By and by, a string of terrible news sabotaged the future development of Microsoft since the mid 2000s. On the off chance that Microsoft didn’t cure its key chaos, Red Hat or different contenders may outperform Microsoft later on. Moreover, from the contextual analysis, as per an examination directed by McKinseyï ¼â€ Co. in 2004 on IT spending patterns, despite the fact that IT spending had expanded since 2003 following three years of decrease. 2001 is the principal yearly decrease since 1958. Clients would hope to get progressively out of their innovation speculations. Organizations had been increasingly worried about its estimation and authorized tough standards and rules for IT spending. In this way, Microsoft would have less chance to create in the U.S. Also, Apple and Linux compromise Microsoft’s 88% piece of the overall industry of the work area working business sector. Linux impact developing from 7% in 1998 to 17% in 1999. Furthermore, Personal PCs, cell phones, individual digit collaborators, diversion arranged hand-held PCs, and comparative remote items for Internet get to don't require Window working framework items. Also, Software theft of business and purchaser applications programming on a worldwide scale compromises income streams. When all is said in done, the shortcomings and dangers exceed the qualities and openings in the mid 2000s. Around then, Microsoft was undermined by a progression of difficulties, both outer and inner. That why Microsoft decide to cure its key disorder around then. 2. How did Microsoft handle advertise opportunities to differentiate its activity past its customary range of familiarity, battling right with its significant rivals? Microsoft decided to expand its activity past its usual range of familiarity since mid 2000s. Enhancement showcasing system is a corporate technique to build deals volume from new items and new markets. Broadening can be venturing into another portion of an industry that the business is as of now in, or putting resources into a promising business outside of the extent of the current business. As what we have realized in the course book, expansion methodology has numerous favorable circumstances. Broadening methodology can help Microsoft to constrain hazard. This is on the grounds that a broadened portfolio isn't overexposed to a solitary industry and accordingly is fairly protected from downturns and instability †or showcase vacillations †in that industry. Moreover, expansion restrains an investor’s hazard stretching out from an individual organization or sort of ventures. Notwithstanding restricting drawback chance, broadening procedures likewise have the impact of boosting portfolio returns. This is to some degree since hazard is restricted †by maintaining a strategic distance from introduction to significant misfortunes, the portfolio can be bound to bring in cash. Microsoft was moving past the (PC) programming business and extended its product offerings into big business programming, shopper items, and administrations markets. It got into different gadgets, for example, cell phones, TV arrangement boxes, and game consoles. Microsoft had wandered int o the administrations advertise through MSN so as to create new income. MSN is an assortment of Internet locales and administrations gave by Microsoft. It was a Web entryway that offered a wide scope of online administrations including: news, data search, email, texting, internet shopping and games, visit rooms, and message sheets. In view of its achievement in MSN, Microsoft had planned to use its experience to change its Windows-based administrations for buyers and endeavors. Besides, Microsoft likewise utilized MSN to produce income through customary promoting on its Web webpage, and furthermore sold content based ads to rival Google’s AdWords and AdSense, and Yahoo! Search Marketing. In the undertaking programming market, Microsoft intentionally decided not to rival driving endeavor applications suppliers, for example, SAP and Oracle for enormous worldwide organizations. Rather, the product monster forcefully sought after circumstances with little and fair sized undertakings. In 2001, Microsoft obtained Great Plains Software, a long-term accom plice and a master in bookkeeping applications for little and fair sized organizations. In 2002, Microsoft gained Navision, a Denmark-based endeavor programming creator. In this manner, Microsoft Business Solutions offered a wide scope of programming applications. This sort of system is extremely clever. On the off chance that Microsoft contends with driving endeavor applications suppliers at start of the expanding stage, it is unrealistic. Microsoft utilized obtaining strategy to improve its quality so as to contend with driving organizations later on. Microsoft entered the video gaming business in 2001 contend with Sony. After the main dispatch of the computer game reassure, Xbox, Microsoft is in the far off second spot behind Sony’s Playstation 2. Microsoft attempted to challenge Sony’s predominant position. To begin with, the product giant’s Xbox 360 was propelled a while in front of its rivals’ items: Sony’s Playstation 3. Some accepted that the accomplishment of Sony’s Playstation 2 had been somewhat because of its bit of leeway in arriving at the market sooner than its opponents. Thus, Microsoft duplicated this promoting stunt by turning into the primary game comfort in the new business cycle. It is called, overwhelming the market by striking first. We can gain from the Microsoft that catching activity is significant in the business. Second, gaining from the lemon of the first Xbox in Japan, this time Microsoft worked intimately with the makers of the Japanese games in the expectation of killing the conventional points of interest of its two fundamental opponents. I can gain from this case, we ought to gain from disappointment as Microsoft did. Staying away from in reverse and creating merit. Third, Microsoft deserted its past methodology of utilizing off-the-rack parts gave by Intel and Nvidia. Albeit proficient, that approach did not have the adaptability that Microsoft’s rivals delighted in diminishing the consoles’ costs and expanding the net revenues during their lifetime. For instance, Sony had bit by bit decreased the quantity of chips required by its Playstation 2 without giving up its exhibition. So Microsoft received another structure for Xbox 360, planning to accomplish another level of adaptability that could help incorporate different segments and benefit later on. Microsoft likewise wandered into the portable correspondences advertise. Microsoft went to the portable administrators in light of the prohibition of the versatile handset makers. Around then, numerous versatile administrators, particu

The Symptoms of Panic Disorder

The Symptoms of Panic Disorder Panic Disorder Symptoms Print The Symptoms of Panic Disorder By Katharina Star, PhD facebook linkedin Katharina Star, PhD, is an expert on anxiety and panic disorder. Dr. Star is a professional counselor, and she is trained in creative art therapies and mindfulness. Learn about our editorial policy Katharina Star, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on January 25, 2020 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on February 04, 2020 Istockphoto.com/Stock Photo ©Highwaystarz-Photography More in Panic Disorder Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Coping Related Conditions In This Article Table of Contents Expand Panic Attacks Agoraphobia Treatment Options for Panic Disorder View All Back To Top Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that is characterized by fear and worry. One of the most salient symptoms is the experience of persistent and often unanticipated panic attacks. Panic attacks are typically experienced through a combination of frightening physical sensations and distressing thoughts and emotions. These attacks bring on severe apprehension and discomfort, despite a lack of actual threat or danger.?? Panic disorder is diagnosed as occurring with or without agoraphobia. Agoraphobia involves a fear of having one of these intense panic attacks in a place or situation where it would be very difficult or embarrassing to escape.?? Often times, the fear associated with agoraphobia can lead to many avoidance behaviors. By limiting one’s ability to be in certain situations, people with agoraphobia often experience feelings of loneliness as well as overall diminished quality of life. Below we will discuss panic attacks which are the main feature of panic disorder. Panic disorder may occur with or without agoraphobia, and the symptoms of agoraphobia will also be discussed. We will also talk about some of the treatments for panic disorder, and the importance of getting help if you suffer these symptoms. Panic Attacks The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders is the handbook used by mental health specialists for diagnostic purposes. Professionals who treat panic disorder use the criteria set forth in the DSM-5 to determine a person’s diagnosis. The diagnostic criteria for panic attacks are outlined in the manual. Panic attacks, as part of panic disorder, include four or more of the following symptoms:?? Heart palpitations or an accelerated heart rate (pulse)Excessive sweatingTrembling or shakingShortness of breathFeeling of chokingChest painNausea or abdominal painFeeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faintDerealization or depersonalizationFear of losing control or going crazyFear of dyingFeelings of numbness or tingling sensationsChills or hot flashes The symptoms of panic attacks typically occur spontaneously and peak within the first 10 minutes before gradually subsiding. However, these symptoms have the potential to last longer. Additionally, numerous panic attacks can occur one after the other, making it difficult to fully recognize when one attack has ended and another one has begun.?? The fact that many of these symptoms occur spontaneously does not mean that they were not at all expected. There are two separately defined types of panic attacks depending on just this factor: Unexpected panic attacks occur without any obvious trigger or cause. They can come on seemingly out of the blue even when you are relaxed and resting.Expected panic attacks are those which occur when you are exposed to one of your triggers. For example, if you have a fear of flying you may have a panic attack when you board a plane. Agoraphobia Approximately one-third of people with panic disorder will also develop agoraphobia. People with agoraphobia are afraid that they will have some anxiety symptoms or a full-blown panic attack in a place where it would be very challenging or embarrassing for them to flee. This condition can lead to avoidance behaviors, in which they try to stay away from all places or situations in which they may have a panic attack. The avoidance behaviors associated with agoraphobia can greatly restrict a person’s life. People with agoraphobia often develop groups of feared situations that are related. For example, many people with agoraphobia become extremely upset and uncomfortable in areas where there are many people in a confined space. This fear may limit them from standing in line at a store, going to a movie theater, or traveling on an airplane. Other commonly feared situations for people with agoraphobia include forms of travel, being alone, and open spaces. These fears may result in an inability to even leave their homes. While many people with agoraphobia can face their feared situations, it involves intense stress and anxiety. The symptoms of agoraphobia often limit the person’s day-to-day functioning and restrict where they can work, shop, or travel. Treatment Options for Panic Disorder Panic disorder is a condition that causes many disturbing mental, physical, and emotional symptoms. Despite these intense symptoms, panic disorder, panic attacks, and agoraphobia are all treatable conditions. Given that agoraphobia typically develops early in the course of panic disorder, it is important to seek out help early on. However, treatment can provide much improvement, even for those with long-term symptoms. There are several effective treatment options for panic disorder. These include:?? Medications for panic disorder can assist with reducing the severity of panic attacks and reducing the feelings of anxiety.Psychotherapy can aid in developing new ways of thinking and behaving that can help a person cope with her symptomsRelaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, and visualization, which can offer strategies to overcome panic attacks and help with anxiety overall.Good self-careâ€"Taking care of yourself such as with exercise, eating well, and managing your sleep habits can also go along with helping you cope with panic disorder. Find Support With the 9 Best Online Therapy Programs A Word From Verywell Panic disorder can greatly impact a persons quality of life, limiting your life, and causing you to miss out on many things, including anything beyond your door. That said, there are many effective treatments and strategies which can help people overcome panic attacks. You can learn to manage the symptoms of panic disorder and regain control over your life.

Problems with Included Tree Bark

Included bark or ingrown bark tissues often develop where two or more stems grow closely together causing weak, under-supported branch angles. Bark often grows around the branching stem attachment and into the union between the two stems. Bark has no strong supportive fiber strength as wood does so the connection is much weaker than a union without included bark. Pruning All maturing trees are subject to having bark inclusions and need pruning while limbs are smaller and easier to remove. Any signs of a cracked weak branch angle (shaped like a V) with included bark that occurs on the main stem or any included bark areas on larger, lower limbs should be considered a defect. Connected stems with a supported U or Y shape are desirable.  Proper pruning will help prevent included bark and encourage the proper shape. Dont Automatically Worry about Decay The presence of decay by itself does not make the tree a hazard tree. All trees have some rot and decay with advancing age. Decay is a problem where the wood is soft and hollowed out along with the presence of mushrooms/conks. Take immediate action if advanced decay is present or associated with weak branches or included bark. Signs for Concern   A weak branch union occurs on the main stem.A weak branch union is associated with a crack, cavity, or another defect.

The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien - 1111 Words

War is courage. War is sacrifice. War is heroism, to the outsiders at least. To the young men fighting for their country daily, a decision that is far beyond their control, war strikes entirely different emotions in their minds. In Tim O’Brien’s novel, â€Å"The Things They Carried,† he reveals that soldiers carry much more than meets the eye. Yes, soldiers carry loads of physical items needed for survival, but what about the emotional and psychological aspects war leaves for the young soldiers to carry in their minds? In this segment of O’Brien’s novel, he exposes that what these young men experience in their time at war changes them forever. A soldier before and after the war are two completely different people, simply because war is powerful, and it has the ability to alter your mind and feelings permanently. O’Brien shows this through themes of distraction, guilt, and lost love. O’Brien discusses the physical items the soldiers car ry with them to characterize each soldier and demonstrate how these items are used as an escape mechanism for them. For example, Rat Kiley carries comic books, Kiowa carries his Bible, Ted Lavender carries dope, and Lieutenant Cross carries love letters and pictures from his love back home, Martha. These items that distract the soldiers from war play a major role in the soldier’s sanity. Their personal distractions give them something else to focus on rather than the thought of misery and despair in their times at war, especially in LieutenantShow MoreRelatedThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien892 Words   |  4 PagesThe Vietnam War was a long, exhausting, and traumatic experience for all of the soldiers and those who came with them. The Things They Carried, by Tim O Brien illustrates the different affects the war had on a variety of people: Jacqueline Navarra Rhoads, a former nurse during the Vietnam war, demonstrates these effects within her own memoir in the book, The Forgotten Veterans. Both sources exemplify many tribulations, while sharing a common thread of suffering from mental unpredictability. DesensitizationRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1377 Words   |  6 Pageslove to have it as good as we do. Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried discusses many veterans who experience the burden of shame and guilt daily due to their heroic actions taken during the Vietnam War. The book shows you how such a war can change a man before, during, and after it’s over.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As I reflect on the many conflicts America has been a part of, none can compare to the tragedies that occurred in The Vietnam war. As told in The Things They Carried (O’Brien), characters such as NormanRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1457 Words   |  6 Pagesthe theme pertains to everyone regardless of their background. It conveys the same ideas to people from all across our society. Lastly, a classic is timeless, which means it has transcended the time in which it was written. In Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried, he offers a new, intriguing way to view war or just life in general and also meets all of the crucial requirements mentioned above to qualify it as a book of literary canon. Though this book is technically a war novel, many peopleRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1242 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Tim O’Brien is obsessed with telling a true war story. O Brien s fiction about the Vietnam experience suggest, lies not in realistic depictions or definitive accounts. As O’Brien argues, absolute occurrence is irrelevant because a true war story does not depend upon that kind of truth. Mary Ann’s induction into genuine experience is clearly destructive as well as empowering† (p.12) Tim O’s text, The Things they Carried, details his uses of word choice to portray his tone and bias. Tim O’BrienRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1169 Words   |  5 Pagesbut are set in the past and borrows things from that time period. A story that fits this genre of literature is The Things They Carried. The story is about Tim O Brien, a Vietnam veteran from the Unite States, who tells stories about what had happ ened when he and his team were stationed in Vietnam. He also talks about what he felt about the war when he was drafted and what he tried to do to avoid going to fight in Vietnam. The Things They Carried by Tim O Brien was precise with its portrayal of settingRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1004 Words   |  5 Pages Tim O’Brien is a veteran from of the Vietnam War, and after coming home from his duty he decided to be a writer. His work â€Å"The Things They Carried† is about a group of soldiers that are fighting in the Vietnam War. The first part of the story talks mostly about physical items that each soldier carries, and also mentions the weight of the items as well. Though, there is one exception to the list of physical things. Lieutenant Cross is a character of the story, and Tim O’ Brien quickly states theRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien896 Words   |  4 PagesTrouble without a doubt is what First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross c arried around his shoulders because he was out in war, where mistakes happen. Lost and unknown of his surroundings he had to lead his men into safety, while destroying anything they found. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross only holds onto one thing for hope and that is Martha, the woman who he hopes is a virgin to come back to. Tim O’ Brien introduces symbolism by adding a character that has a meaning of purity and a pebble, which symbolizesRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien Essay832 Words   |  4 PagesSummary: â€Å"By and large they carried these things inside, maintaining the masks of composure† (21). In Tim O’brien’s The Things They Carried, the American soldiers of the Vietnam War carry much more than the weight of their equipment, much more than souvenirs or good-luck charms or letters from home. They carried within themselves the intransitive burdens—of fear, of cowardice, of love, of loneliness, of anger, of confusion. Most of all, they carry the truth of what happened to them in the war—aRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1369 Words   |  6 PagesMany authors use storytelling as a vehicle to convey the immortality of past selves and those who have passed to not only in their piece of literature but in their life as an author. In Tim O’Brien’s work of fiction The Things They Carried, through his final chapter â€Å"The Lives of the Dead,† O Brien conveys that writing is a matter of survival since, the powers of s torytelling can ensure the immortality of all those who were significant in his life. Through their immortality, O’Brien has the abilityRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1407 Words   |  6 Pages       Our introduction stated that in â€Å"The Things They Carried,† author Tim O’Brien tells us not directly of the soldiers of Vietnam, or the situations they find themselves in, but about the things they carry on their shoulders and in their pockets. These â€Å"things† identify the characters and bring them to life.   I find that to be true as the author unfolds the stories about war and the uncommon things one carries in to war both inadvertently and on purpose.  Ã‚  Ã‚  As it was noted: Stories about war –

Essay on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Among College Students

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Among College Students Alcohol and drug abuse has been an active habit among college students sense the 1960s. The immediate cause of this behavior was the youth’s need to rebel against the overly conservative American society. This rebellion led to a since of freedom for the young adults, which caused them to continue acting in these unintelligent manners. After a short period of time, late teens just did not belong if they were not participating in the mischievous acts. Substance abuse quickly became a way of life for many young adults. As a result, this inapt behavior still continues today. To first-time college students, acting in a way that parents would disapprove somehow exhibits breaking from†¦show more content†¦Thus, the college years have developed into a time for finding oneself. Alcohol and drug abuse provide a means to conceal feelings of insecurity that arise from the students uncertainty of themselves. Substance abuse acts as a stress reducer through the beginning stages of college. The most common characteristic of a human being is the necessity to adapt to a given surrounding. This trait consists of both good and bad aspects. Certain adaptations are positive while others can be destructive. Many students enter college with extensive education on substance abuse. Unfortunately, these students receive a hands on lesson from peers that indicates using is inconsequential. Fraternity parties and dorm room gatherings overcome the students. Some of these students even disapprove of these social functions at first. However, they quickly become immune to the atmosphere. The end result is the participation of these once pure students in the conventional behavior. The facts and statistics are quickly forgotten and washed away. The students who do not adapt and choose to abstain are immediately labeled negatively. 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Is Man born Good or Evil free essay sample

I do not think that man was born neither good nor evil, I believe that man are raised into there chosen behavior because of the society, environment, family, culture, or even the media, but I believe man has this natural instinct to be good or evil. I do believe that man is both good and evil. Man can do great, wonderful, terrible, and horrible things. If the perception of man being both good and evil is true, then each decision that humanity makes must be struggle, since good tells you to do one thing, while evil tells you to do something else. Its like youre mind is split in two. When conversations come up like this or debates its very hard to talk about good when all people usually think about is the bad. Even I think more about the bad rather than the good. The evil might be affecting us in one way or another. We will write a custom essay sample on Is Man born Good or Evil or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page We try to do good, but sometimes the evil simply takes over and theres not much to stop it. We simply give in because its easier. The point is, doing evil is easy, while doing good is hard, but how can one truly live their lives if all they ever did was the easy thing? Itd be very hard to do. Sure, we all make mistakes, but when we do we try to learn from those mistakes. Humanity can do terrible, horrible things, but humanity can also do very good, even great things. We do a lot of good things yet we never really think about it. Humanity does more good than what they think. We arent evil, we are just born and raised to have different feelings.

6,399,322 Ways to Get More Social Media Engagement [PODCAST]

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Summary of Ray essays

Summary of Ray essays The movie Ray is an outstanding movie because it provides a very detailed description of the legendary singer Ray Charles. This movie stands out from other similar films because the description of Ray is more honest. All the strength and weaknesses of Ray Charles are shown in the film. The movie reveals Ray Charles as a very inspiring singer who is gifted with a great voice having the ability to duplicate other voices. As the movie progresses, Ray makes his own music and his own career decisions. Ray also has the courage and dedication to overcome the disadvantages of his blindness and racial prejudice treated upon him. However, his downfall is his lack of self dedication and motivation, addiction to heroin and women, and the inability to stick to his own roots due to his rising fame. In the end, Ray overcomes his weaknesses when unfortunates events crosses path with both his career and his life. The movie starts by showing Rays mother telling him not to depend on others. Then he takes a trip to Seattle for a Job in a white mens bar. Before his bus trip, he is confronted by a white police officer. Racial prejudice is evident when, the police officer tries to deny Ray of his right to take the bus, claiming he will not take responsibility of Rays safety. Racial remarks are also stated by the police officer. When Ray states that he is not depending on anybody to take care of him and that he is going to support himself, the police officer feels sympathetic for him and apologizes. The officers attitude changes drastically and offers to look after him during the trip. At the bar, the owner refused to give a chance for Ray to audition for the job. The fact that Ray is black and blind is the first thought that came to the owners mind. However, once Ray is given a chance to play, all the people at the bar are amazed at his talent. What is astonishing about this is that Ray showe...

Video and Music for the Internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Video and Music for the Internet - Essay Example Bandwidth is very important when trying to determine how much you should allot in order to properly stream video or audio. Bandwidth is important to remember, because it can affect how well your video or audio is transmitted across the internet. For example, if you are trying to move a hour long feature movie across a 56k connection, the amount of bandwidth is uses would be immense, and result in a slow project for the person trying to stream the audio or video. Videos and audio use much more bandwidth than regular internet surfing and web page hosting, so it is important to keep it in mind when designing pages, video, and audio streams for internet use. There are several ways to reduce the bandwidth of your audio or video file. One way would be to zip the file and give the user the option to download it this way instead of streaming it in real time. You also could reduce the size of the video player, which would allow the video to play faster and reduce bandwidth usage. Another way to do this is to multicast the stream, which would allow multiple users to receive the feed at the same time and drastically cut back on the bandwidth usage of the video or audio stream.

Assignment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Assignment - Case Study Example Therefore, the buyers have a reasonable influence on the prices that Movie Rental Industry sets for its rental movies, though not wholesomely. The bargaining power of suppliers in the rental movie industry is high, since it is the content providers, the networking companies and the distribution studios that regulate the prices that movie rental industry pays for the supply of the rental movies (Patton, 142). Therefore, considering the fact that the movie DVD format are continuously getting out of fashion while the digital hiring of movies is becoming the common trend in the modern world, movie rental industry is completely vulnerable to the distribution studios terms and conditions, since the studios hold the copyright privileges and may rent or withdraw the rights at will (Patton, 42). This leaves movie rental industry without much say regarding what price to pay for whatever content is offered. Internal competitive rivalry for movie rental industry is low, because the niche market operated by movie rental industry has the theater as the other main competitor, meaning that the internal competitive rivalry is low (Patton, 140). However, outside of the niche market, the competitive forces might be high, owing to the fact that there are many other operators in the wider entertainment industry, especially the theater locations for live performances. Thus, while the movie rental industry is a growing industry where competition is set to be high in the coming days, the niche market of digital rental movies is currently not very crowded, making the internal niche market competition low. While the entry into the rental movie market is not very restricted, the cost of attaining the digital distribution license is high, thus making it relatively difficult for many similar entities offering the same product to enter and thus offer a low-medium threat to the movie rental industry services (Patton, 143). Additionally, the digital distribution of

Causes and Effect of Job Satisfaction on a Company

Causes and Effect of Job Satisfaction on a Company Q.1) ABC company has heard rumors that some of their workers are dissatisfied with their jobs. You have been asked to explain to management the following: 1) what are the major causes of job satisfaction? 2) Why should management be concerned about the job satisfaction of employees? 3) How would you recommend that ABC Company verify or assess that employees are actually dissatisfied; how can job satisfaction be measured? 4) Once ABC Company has determined that the employees are definitely dissatisfied with aspects of their particular jobs, what are ways they could possibly decrease job dissatisfaction? ANSWER: Defining Job Satisfaction: Job satisfaction is a pleasurable feeling that results from the perception that ones job fulfills or allows for the fulfillment of ones important job values. It refers to an individuals general attitude toward his or her job. A person with a high level of job satisfaction holds positive attitudes toward the job, while a person who is dissatisfied with his or her job holds negative attitudes toward the job. What are factors that cause employee satisfaction? Review of the evidence and research* has identified several factors conducive to high levels of employee job satisfaction; some of these factors are controllable by managers and some are not. Factors controllable by management 1. Nature of Work Task Complexity: jobs that are mentally challenging have been consistently found as a main cause of job satisfaction. Simple, repetitive, less challenging jobs are found to a source of frustration and dissatisfaction in employee. Task Meaningfulness: employees belief that the work done by them is meaningful and has significance causes job satisfaction in them. Furthermore, giving autonomy to employees make them feel that they can display their competence and make a positive impact to the organization, is another factor in job satisfaction. Physical Strain: reasonable amount of physical strain and exertion is another determinant in job satisfaction. This factor is sometimes overlooked in the present age of technology. Fact is that advancement in technology has made physical strain even more undesirable work characteristic. 2. Relationship with Supervisor and Colleagues People expect more out of work than merely money or tangible achievements. For most employees, work also fills the need for social interaction. The behavior of an employees manager is found a major cause of satisfaction. Studies generally find that employee satisfaction increases when the immediate supervisor understands the employees, is friendly, praises for good performance, listens to employees opinions, and shows a personal interest in them. 3. Compensation and benefits factors Employees want pay systems that they perceive as just, unambiguous, and in line with their expectations. When pay is seen as fair based on job demands, individual skill level, and community pay standards, satisfaction is likely to result. 4. Promotion Policies and Career Development Factor Opportunities for promotion, training programs, and capacity of career development are other factors that cause job satisfaction. Employees seek fair promotion policies and practices. Promotions provide opportunities for personal growth, more responsibilities, and increased social status. Individuals who perceive that promotion decisions are made in a fair and just manner, therefore, are likely to experience satisfaction from their jobs. 5. Working conditions and environment factors Employees want work environments that support personal comfort and good job performance. Studies demonstrate that employees prefer physical surroundings that are not dangerous or uncomfortable. Most employees also prefer working relatively close to home, in clean and relatively modern facilities, and with adequate tools and equipment. Physical features of workplace like temperature, lighting arrangements, cleanliness, working outdoors, health hazards, sick-building syndrome, social density, privacy in work, all may result in satisfaction or dissatisfaction to employees. 6. Organization development factors Brand of organization in business field and comparison with leading competitor and potential development of organization is a cause of job satisfaction in employees. Missions and Vision of organization is another source of job satisfaction if it complies with employees personal views and goals. Factors not controllable by management: 1. Personality Contemporary research* indicates that employee job satisfaction can be genetically determined. Whether people are happy or not can be found by their gene structure. You either have happy genes or you dont. Scientific research in the field of psychology has been done to find the relationship of job satisfaction with five traits of personality i.e., Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. These factors with the exception of Openness to Experience have considerable correlation with job satisfaction, as given in Table 1. Impact of personality in work can be controlled if the managers make sure their selection process screens out the negative, maladjusted, troublemaking fault-finders who derive little satisfaction in anything job-related. This is probably best achieved through personality testing, in-depth interviewing, and careful checking of applicants previous work records. Table 1 Available meta-analytic correlations between Big Five personality traits and criteria Big Five Trait Conscientiousness Agreeableness Neuroticism Openness Extraversion Criterion Ï  SDÏ  Ï  SDÏ  Ï  SDÏ  Ï  SDÏ  Ï  SDÏ  Job satisfaction* 0.26 (0.22) 0.17 (0.16) -0.29 (0.16) 0.02 (0.21) 0.25 (0.15) Job performance†  0.28 (0.16) 0.13 (0.15) -0.16 (0.10) 0.08 (0.10) 0.07 (0.14) Leadership†¡ 0.28 (0.17) 0.08 (0.17) -0.24 (0.18) 0.24 (0.11) 0.31 (0.17) Workplace deviance § -0.35 (−) -0.44 () 0.26 (−) -0.08 (−) -0.03 (−) Motivation (goal-setting)** 0.28 (0.07) -0.29 (0.21) -0.29 (0.06) 0.18 0.00 0.15 0.00 Motivation (expectancy)** 0.23 (0.09) 0.13 0.00 -0.29 (0.17) −0.08 0.00 0.1 0.00 Motivation (self-efficacy)** 0.22 (0.15) 0.11 (0.17) -0.35 (0.18) 0.2 (0.04) 0.33 (0.16) Team effectiveness† Ã¢â‚¬   0.11 (0.11) 0.12 (0.13) -0.04 (0.04) 0.05 (0.13) 0.09 (0.04) Notes: Correlations are based on the most recently published meta-analysis for the corresponding criterion. Dashes indicate unreported information. Ï  = estimated true score correlations; SDÏ  = standard deviation of true score correlations. *Reported in Judge, Heller, and Mount (2002). † Reported in Salgado (2003). †¡Reported in Judge, Bono, Ilies, and Gerhardt (2002).  §Reported in Berry, Ones, and Sackett (2007). **Reported in Judge and Ilies (2002). † Ã¢â‚¬  Reported in Bell 2007 2. Emotions Regulations Scientific study* has explored the association between emotion regulation, defined as the conscious manipulation of ones public displays of emotion, and job satisfaction. Suppression of unpleasant emotions decreases job satisfaction and amplification of pleasant emotions increases job satisfaction by improving the quality of interpersonal encounters at work. 3. Life Satisfaction One common research* finding is that job satisfaction is correlated with life satisfaction. People who are satisfied with life tend to be satisfied with their job and people who are satisfied with their job tend to be satisfied with life. However, some research has found that job satisfaction is not significantly related to life satisfaction when other variables such as non-work satisfaction and core self evaluations are taken into account. Why is employee satisfaction important for the organization and the management? Job Satisfaction can be an important indicator of how employees feel about their jobs and a predictor of work behaviors such as organizational citizenship, absenteeism, and turnover. Further, job satisfaction can partially mediate the relationship of personality variables and deviant work behaviors. Satisfied employees can add value to organization such as: Enhance employee retention Increase productivity Reduce turnover Enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty More energetic employees Improve teamwork Higher quality products and/or services due to more competent, energized employees Job satisfaction and dissatisfaction has direct impact on organization, which can be seen by analyzing the following: Job Satisfaction and Productivity* The evidence suggests that the link between an individuals job satisfaction and his or her productivity is positive. It turns out the productivity can be affected as much by external conditions as it is by job satisfaction. The link between job satisfaction and productivity is much stronger when we look not at individuals, but at the organization as a whole. When satisfaction and productivity data are gathered for the organization as a whole, rather than at the individual level, we find that organizations with more-satisfied employees tend to be more effective than organizations with less-satisfied employees. Job Satisfaction and Organizational Citizenship Behavior Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is discretionary behavior that is not part of an employees formal job requirements and is not usually rewarded, but that nevertheless promotes the effective functioning of the organization. Organizational citizenship is important, as it can help the organization function more efficiently and more effectively. It seems logical to assume that job satisfaction should be a major determinant of an employees OCB. Job Satisfaction and Customer Satisfaction Employees in service jobs often interact with customers. Since the management of service organizations should be concerned with pleasing those customers, it is reasonable to ask: Is employee satisfaction related to positive customer outcomes? For front-line employees who have regular contact with customers, the answer is yes. Satisfied employees are more likely to be friendly, upbeat, and responsive—which customers appreciate. Job Satisfaction and Absenteeism: One can find a consistent negative relationship between satisfaction and absenteeism, but the correlation is moderate-usually less than 0.40. While it certainly makes sense that dissatisfied employees are more likely to miss work, other factors have an impact on the relationship and reduce the correlation coefficient. e.g. Organizations that provide liberal sick leave benefits are encouraging all their employees, including those who are highly satisfied, to take days off. So, outside factors can act to reduce the correlation. Job Satisfaction and Turnover: Satisfaction is negatively related to turnover*, but the correlation is stronger than what we found for absenteeism. Labour turnover is quite strongly correlated with satisfaction when there is high unemployment. Yet, again, other factors such as labour market conditions, expectations about alternative job opportunities, and length of tenure with the organization are important constraints on the actual decision to leave ones current job. Workplace Violence and Sabotage: Dissatisfaction in employees may cause violence and sabotage in workplace. Most violence that involves insiders is triggered by extreme levels of dissatisfaction and stress on part of attacker. Dissatisfied workers may either consciously or subconsciously produce faulty products. How can job satisfaction be measured? Job satisfaction is usually measured with interviews or questionnaires administered to the job incumbents in question. Most research is done with questionnaires. This is because interviews are expensive and time consuming to conduct. By contrast, one can survey a large number of people with a paper-and-pencil questionnaires with very little effort or expense. Furthermore, it is easy to quantify and standardize questionnaire responses. Perhaps the easiest way to assess job satisfaction is to use one of the existing scales which have been carefully developed, and in many studies, their reliability and validity have been established. There are many methods for measuring job satisfaction, few of these are briefly mentioned below: 1. Job Descriptive Index (JDI), created by Smith, Kendall, Hulin (1969), is a specific questionnaire of job satisfaction that has been widely used. It measures ones satisfaction in five facets: pay, promotions and promotion opportunities, coworkers, supervision, and the work itself. The scale is simple, participants answer either yes, no, or cant decide (indicated by ‘?) in response to whether given statements accurately describe ones job. 2. Job In General Scale (JIG) Job In General Scale (JIG, Ironson et al., 1989) was designed to assess overall job satisfaction rather than facets. Its format is same as the JDI, and it contains 18 items. Each item is an adjective or short phrase about the job in general rather than a facet. The total score is a combination of all items. Advantage of using JIG is that it is quick and easy to use, and disadvantage is that it only gives global measure of job satisfaction and does not provide information about specific facets causing job satisfaction/dissatisfaction. 3. Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) is designed to measure an employees satisfaction with their particular job. Method includes 100 items measuring 20 facets of job satisfaction. Three revisions of MSQ are available: two long forms (1977 version and 1967 version) and a short form. Long form contains 100 items measuring 20 facets, and short form includes 20 items that best represent each of the 20 scales. Advantages of this method are it is reliable, valid measure of job satisfaction, easy to use, easy to understand, applicable to any organization, applicable for managers, supervisors, and employees. Disadvantage of this method is that it is very long, and uses 20 different facets and it may not be meaningful to have info on each of them. 4. Satisfied / dissatisfied method In this method, you just send a question form that include: What is good thing in our company? What is not good one in our company? This method is suitable for â€Å"emergency events† and you need result in a short time. To assess and measure job satisfaction in employees of ABC Company I would recommend Job Descriptive method (JDI). Job Descriptive Index assesses five most important facets of job satisfaction: * The work itself—responsibility, interest, and growth. * Quality of supervision—technical help and social support. * Relationships with co-workers—social harmony and respect. * Promotion opportunities—chances for further advancement. * Pay—adequacy of pay and perceived equity vis-à  -vis others. The entire scale contains 72 items with either 9 or 18 items per subscale. Each item is an evaluative adjective or short phrase that is descriptive of the job. Responses are â€Å"Yes† â€Å"Uncertain† or â€Å"No†. Job Descriptive Index (JDI; Smith, Kendall, Hulin, 1969) has probably been the most popular facet scale among organizational researchers. It also may have been the most carefully developed and validated, as is well described in Smith et al.s book. It is easy to use with all types of respondents and is most commonly used measure of job satisfaction. Scales that measure the overall level of job satisfaction and do not measure the specific facet may not help in identifying the main cause of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction. Job dissatisfaction can be decreased by considering the following factors: 1. Work itself: Job dissatisfaction can be decreased by Job rotation Job enlargement: knowledge enlargement, task enlargement Job enrichment, add complexity to the task to make it challenging 2. Define Role and Expectations: When an organization makes the decision to fill a new position, it has an idea of what will be expected of the new employee. However, unless these expectations are clearly communicated and role is defined, the result can be disappointing for both the employee and employer. Such situations cause conflict and inefficiencies in the workplace. Therefore, it is very important that the employer establish a mechanism for making sure the needs of the organization are clearly communicated and understood. Role analysis technique can be used to identify and define ones role. 3. Organization development Shared mission or vision: In many organizations, employee doesnt know what is mission, vision, objects. Building a corporate culture that requires employees to be an integral part of the organization can be an effective way of getting the most from the talents or competencies brought to the organization by each employee. Feedback programs: Give employees opportunity to complain to the organization about his work situation. Feedback will help organization to know opinions of their employees. 4. Compensation and benefits: Policies of compensation and benefits are most important part of organization. But you should build your policies at â€Å"suitability† not â€Å"the best†. 5. Appraisal program: You should build the proper evaluation and fair and encourage employees perform work. 6. Relationship with supervisors: Relationship with management is the key factor often happen dissatisfaction of employees. The company should have policies to: Management must be fairly treat the staff Ready to help them Full training for staff Ready to listen and respond to employee 7. Promotions and career development Develop programs to promote all titles in the organization Develop training programs for employees Build programs for career development of each title 8. Working condition and environment Build occupational health and safety program. 9. Improvement programs of employee satisfaction HR department must have the monitoring methods for improvement programs of employee satisfaction. Many organizations just do appraisal of employee satisfaction but not pay attention to role of monitoring. Build solutions to improve satisfaction Training all level of management about the importance of satisfaction and methods to increase satisfaction. 10. Employees by themselves Hiring the right employees Clearly defined and communicated employee expectations. References References marked with an asterisk indicate studies included in the answer. *Timothy A. Judge, Daniel Heller and Michael K. Mount. Five-Factor Model of Personality and Job Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology 2002, Vol. 87, No. 3, 530-541 *Ste ´Phane Co ˆ Te and Laura M. Morgan. A longitudinal analysis of the association between emotion regulation, job satisfaction, and intentions to quit. Journal of Organizational Behavior. 23, 947-962 (2002) *Timothy A. Judge, Daniel Heller and Michael K. Mount. Five-Factor Model of Personality and Job Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology 2002, Vol. 87, No. 3, 530-541 *John A. Wagner III John R. Hollenback. Organizational Behavior, Securing Competitive Advantage, 5E. by South-Westrn, 2009 * Robbins, Stephen P., and Timothy A. Judge. Organization Behavior. 12th ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. 156-158. *Steven G. Westlund and John C. Hannon. Retaining Talent: Assessing Job Satisfaction Facets Most Significantly Related To Software Developer Turnover Intentions. Journal of Information Technology Management Volume XIX, Number 4, 2008 Q3) Compare and contrast the rational decision making model with the bounded rationality model of decision-making. In what ways does the theory of bounded rationality differ from the rational model and what are the characteristics of each? Which do you feel is a better representation of decision-making and why? ANSWER: The rational decision-making model is sometimes referred to as the rational economic model as it includes a primary assumption of economic rationality, that is, the notion that people attempt to maximize their economic outcomes, where alternative with the highest expected worth is selected as preferred alternative. Rational decision making processes consist of a sequence of steps designed to rationally develop a desired solution. Typically these steps involve: 1. Verify, Define, and Detail the problem: The first step is to recognize a problem or to see opportunities that may be worthwhile. A rational decision making model is best employed where relatively complex decisions have to be made. 2. Identify the Criteria: What is relevant and what is not relevant to the decision? What do you need to know before you can make a decision or what will help you make the right one? 3. Analyzing the situation: What alternative courses of action may be available to you? What different interpretations of the data may be possible? 4. Developing options: Generate several possible options. Be creative and positive. 5. Evaluating alternatives: What criteria should you use to evaluate? Evaluate for feasibility, acceptability and desirability. Which alternative will best achieve your objectives? 6. Selecting a preferred alternative: Explore the provisional preferred alternative for future possible adverse consequences. What problems might it create? What are the risks of making this decision? Assumptions made by rational decision-making model There are six assumptions of the rational decision-making model: Problem clarity: The decision maker is assumed to have complete information regarding the decision situation. Known options: Identify all the relevant criteria and can list all the viable alternatives. The decision maker is aware of all the possible consequences of each alternative. Clear preference: The criteria and alternatives can be ranked and given weight to reflect their importance. Constant preferences: The specific decision criteria are constant and that weights assigned to them are stable over time. No time or cost constraints: The rational decision maker can obtain full information about criteria and alternatives because it is assumed that there are no time or cost constraints. Maximum payoff: The rational decision maker will choose the alternative that yields the highest perceived value. Rational decision making model presupposes that there is one best outcome. The search for perfection is frequently a factor in actually delaying making a decision. Such a model also presupposes that it is possible to consider every option and also to know the future consequences of each. While many would like to think they know what will happen, the universe often has other plans! It is also limited by the cognitive abilities of the person making the decision; how good is their memory? How good is their imagination? The criteria themselves, of course, will be subjective and may be difficult to compare. These models require a great deal of time and a great deal of information. And, of course, a rational decision making model attempts to negate the role of emotions in decision making. Bounded Rationality Decision Making Model Bounded Rationality theory accepts the notion of bounded rationality and suggests that people act only in terms of what they perceive about a given situation. Because these perceptions are frequently imperfect, most organizational decision making does not take place in a world of complete certainty. Rather, the behavioral decision maker is viewed as acting most often under uncertain conditions and with limited information. Organizational decision makers face problems that are often ambiguous, and they have only partial knowledge of the available action alternatives and their consequences. As Herbert Simon states: â€Å"Most human decision making, whether individual or organizational, is concerned with the discovery and selection of satisfactory alternatives; only in exceptional cases is it concerned with the discovery and selection of optimal decisions.† Alternative model to rational decision making model based on the theory of bounded rationality called the administrative model is actually a critique of the rational model. Simon says the rational model is prescriptive or normative, the way it is supposed to be, rather than the way it is. Simon presented the administrative model as a realistic antidote, the way it really is. Administrative model he says is the way decisions are actually made. Simon coined a term of Satisficing means settling for the first alternative that seems to meet some minimum level of acceptability. Search for a needle in the haystack. Optimize is to look for the sharpest. Satisfied is to search until you find the needle that is just sharp enough to do the job. He says there are limits on decision making: Bounded rationality: imperfect information about goals and courses of action and relation of means to ends; Bounded discretion: constraints on optimizing, prior commitments, moral and ethical standards, laws, and social standards; Bounded rationality recognizes that it is impossible to comprehend and analyze all of the potentially relevant information in making choices. The only possible way of coping with the complexity of the world is to develop techniques, habits and standard operating procedures (SOP) to facilitate decision making. Widely shared SOPs are institutions. HabitRoutine responses and behaviors based on reinforcement e.g. brushing your teeth in the morning. TechniqueWays to deal with generalized situations e.g., read reviews before selecting a hotel. SOPgroup and organizational rules for decisions e.g., our firm reorders when inventories reach one month of recent sales. Which model better represents decision-making? Rational decision making model provides a guideline of what managers ideally should be doing, but it does not represent what managers actually do. When decision makers are faced with a simple problem and few alternative courses of action, and when the cost of searching out and evaluating alternatives is low, the rational model provides a fairly accurate description of the decision process. However, such situations are the exception. Most decisions in the real world do not follow the rational model. For instance, people are usually content to find an acceptable or reasonable solution to their problem rather than an optimizing one. Most decisions in the real world do not follow the rational model. People are usually content to find an acceptable or reasonable solution to their problem rather than an optimizing one. Thus decision makers may rely on bounded rationality, satisficing, intuition, and judgment shortcuts in making decisions. In an ideal situation, manager faces a clearly defined problem, knows all possible action alternatives and their consequences, and then chooses the alternative that offers the best, or â€Å"optimum,† solution to the problem. This optimizing style is an ideal way to make decisions. This rational approach is normative and prescriptive, and is often used as a model for how managers should make decisions. However, Behavioral scientists are cautious about applying rational decision theory to many decision situations. They recognize that the human mind is a wonderful creation, capable of infinite achievements. But they also recognize that human beings have cognitive limitations that restrict their information-processing capabilities. Information deficiencies and overload compromise the ability of decision makers to achieve complete certainty and otherwise operate according to the rational model. Human decision makers also operate with bounded rationality. Bounded rationality is sug gests that, while individuals are reasoned and logical, humans have their limits. Individuals interpret and make sense of things within the context of their personal situation. This makes it difficult to realize the ideal of rational decision making. As a result, the rational model does not give a full and accurate description of how most decisions are made in organizations. References References marked with an asterisk â€Å" * † indicate studies included in the answers. *John A. Wagner III John R. Hollenback. Organizational Behavior, Securing Competitive Advantage, 5E. by South-Westrn, 2009 * Robbins, Stephen P., and Timothy A. Judge. Organization Behavior. 12E. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. 156-158. * John R. Schermerhorn, Jr., James G. Hunt, Richard Osborn. Organization Behavior. 7E. John Wiley Sons, Inc, 2002 Q.4) Discuss goal-setting theory and its major conclusions. How do major conclusions of goal setting inform managers, or how can managers apply what research on goal setting has found in managing employees? ANSWER: Goal Setting Theory The prime axiom of goal setting theory is that specific, difficult goals lead to higher performance than when people strive to simply â€Å"do their best†, (Locke, 1966; Locke Latham, 1990). Goals play an important part in high performance work environments. Goal setting is the process of developing, negotiating, and formalizing the targets or objectives that a person is responsible for accomplishing. The model uses elements of expectancy theory to help clarify the implications of goal setting for performance while taking into account certain moderating conditions, such as ability and task complexity. Lockes research showed that there was a relationship between how difficult and specific a goal was and peoples performance of a task. He found that specific and difficult goals led to better task performance than vague or easy goals. Telling someone to Try hard or Do your best is less effective than Try to get more than 80% correct. Likewise, having a goal thats too easy is not a motivating force. Hard goals are more motivating than easy goals, because its much more of an accomplishment to achieve something that you have to work for. Locke and his colleagues spend considerable time on research* and studied the effects of goal setting, which can be concluded as: Specific goals increase performance, under certain conditions Difficult goals, when accepted, result in higher performance than do easy goals Feedback leads to higher performance Causes and Effect of Job Satisfaction on a Company Causes and Effect of Job Satisfaction on a Company Q.1) ABC company has heard rumors that some of their workers are dissatisfied with their jobs. You have been asked to explain to management the following: 1) what are the major causes of job satisfaction? 2) Why should management be concerned about the job satisfaction of employees? 3) How would you recommend that ABC Company verify or assess that employees are actually dissatisfied; how can job satisfaction be measured? 4) Once ABC Company has determined that the employees are definitely dissatisfied with aspects of their particular jobs, what are ways they could possibly decrease job dissatisfaction? ANSWER: Defining Job Satisfaction: Job satisfaction is a pleasurable feeling that results from the perception that ones job fulfills or allows for the fulfillment of ones important job values. It refers to an individuals general attitude toward his or her job. A person with a high level of job satisfaction holds positive attitudes toward the job, while a person who is dissatisfied with his or her job holds negative attitudes toward the job. What are factors that cause employee satisfaction? Review of the evidence and research* has identified several factors conducive to high levels of employee job satisfaction; some of these factors are controllable by managers and some are not. Factors controllable by management 1. Nature of Work Task Complexity: jobs that are mentally challenging have been consistently found as a main cause of job satisfaction. Simple, repetitive, less challenging jobs are found to a source of frustration and dissatisfaction in employee. Task Meaningfulness: employees belief that the work done by them is meaningful and has significance causes job satisfaction in them. Furthermore, giving autonomy to employees make them feel that they can display their competence and make a positive impact to the organization, is another factor in job satisfaction. Physical Strain: reasonable amount of physical strain and exertion is another determinant in job satisfaction. This factor is sometimes overlooked in the present age of technology. Fact is that advancement in technology has made physical strain even more undesirable work characteristic. 2. Relationship with Supervisor and Colleagues People expect more out of work than merely money or tangible achievements. For most employees, work also fills the need for social interaction. The behavior of an employees manager is found a major cause of satisfaction. Studies generally find that employee satisfaction increases when the immediate supervisor understands the employees, is friendly, praises for good performance, listens to employees opinions, and shows a personal interest in them. 3. Compensation and benefits factors Employees want pay systems that they perceive as just, unambiguous, and in line with their expectations. When pay is seen as fair based on job demands, individual skill level, and community pay standards, satisfaction is likely to result. 4. Promotion Policies and Career Development Factor Opportunities for promotion, training programs, and capacity of career development are other factors that cause job satisfaction. Employees seek fair promotion policies and practices. Promotions provide opportunities for personal growth, more responsibilities, and increased social status. Individuals who perceive that promotion decisions are made in a fair and just manner, therefore, are likely to experience satisfaction from their jobs. 5. Working conditions and environment factors Employees want work environments that support personal comfort and good job performance. Studies demonstrate that employees prefer physical surroundings that are not dangerous or uncomfortable. Most employees also prefer working relatively close to home, in clean and relatively modern facilities, and with adequate tools and equipment. Physical features of workplace like temperature, lighting arrangements, cleanliness, working outdoors, health hazards, sick-building syndrome, social density, privacy in work, all may result in satisfaction or dissatisfaction to employees. 6. Organization development factors Brand of organization in business field and comparison with leading competitor and potential development of organization is a cause of job satisfaction in employees. Missions and Vision of organization is another source of job satisfaction if it complies with employees personal views and goals. Factors not controllable by management: 1. Personality Contemporary research* indicates that employee job satisfaction can be genetically determined. Whether people are happy or not can be found by their gene structure. You either have happy genes or you dont. Scientific research in the field of psychology has been done to find the relationship of job satisfaction with five traits of personality i.e., Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. These factors with the exception of Openness to Experience have considerable correlation with job satisfaction, as given in Table 1. Impact of personality in work can be controlled if the managers make sure their selection process screens out the negative, maladjusted, troublemaking fault-finders who derive little satisfaction in anything job-related. This is probably best achieved through personality testing, in-depth interviewing, and careful checking of applicants previous work records. Table 1 Available meta-analytic correlations between Big Five personality traits and criteria Big Five Trait Conscientiousness Agreeableness Neuroticism Openness Extraversion Criterion Ï  SDÏ  Ï  SDÏ  Ï  SDÏ  Ï  SDÏ  Ï  SDÏ  Job satisfaction* 0.26 (0.22) 0.17 (0.16) -0.29 (0.16) 0.02 (0.21) 0.25 (0.15) Job performance†  0.28 (0.16) 0.13 (0.15) -0.16 (0.10) 0.08 (0.10) 0.07 (0.14) Leadership†¡ 0.28 (0.17) 0.08 (0.17) -0.24 (0.18) 0.24 (0.11) 0.31 (0.17) Workplace deviance § -0.35 (−) -0.44 () 0.26 (−) -0.08 (−) -0.03 (−) Motivation (goal-setting)** 0.28 (0.07) -0.29 (0.21) -0.29 (0.06) 0.18 0.00 0.15 0.00 Motivation (expectancy)** 0.23 (0.09) 0.13 0.00 -0.29 (0.17) −0.08 0.00 0.1 0.00 Motivation (self-efficacy)** 0.22 (0.15) 0.11 (0.17) -0.35 (0.18) 0.2 (0.04) 0.33 (0.16) Team effectiveness† Ã¢â‚¬   0.11 (0.11) 0.12 (0.13) -0.04 (0.04) 0.05 (0.13) 0.09 (0.04) Notes: Correlations are based on the most recently published meta-analysis for the corresponding criterion. Dashes indicate unreported information. Ï  = estimated true score correlations; SDÏ  = standard deviation of true score correlations. *Reported in Judge, Heller, and Mount (2002). † Reported in Salgado (2003). †¡Reported in Judge, Bono, Ilies, and Gerhardt (2002).  §Reported in Berry, Ones, and Sackett (2007). **Reported in Judge and Ilies (2002). † Ã¢â‚¬  Reported in Bell 2007 2. Emotions Regulations Scientific study* has explored the association between emotion regulation, defined as the conscious manipulation of ones public displays of emotion, and job satisfaction. Suppression of unpleasant emotions decreases job satisfaction and amplification of pleasant emotions increases job satisfaction by improving the quality of interpersonal encounters at work. 3. Life Satisfaction One common research* finding is that job satisfaction is correlated with life satisfaction. People who are satisfied with life tend to be satisfied with their job and people who are satisfied with their job tend to be satisfied with life. However, some research has found that job satisfaction is not significantly related to life satisfaction when other variables such as non-work satisfaction and core self evaluations are taken into account. Why is employee satisfaction important for the organization and the management? Job Satisfaction can be an important indicator of how employees feel about their jobs and a predictor of work behaviors such as organizational citizenship, absenteeism, and turnover. Further, job satisfaction can partially mediate the relationship of personality variables and deviant work behaviors. Satisfied employees can add value to organization such as: Enhance employee retention Increase productivity Reduce turnover Enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty More energetic employees Improve teamwork Higher quality products and/or services due to more competent, energized employees Job satisfaction and dissatisfaction has direct impact on organization, which can be seen by analyzing the following: Job Satisfaction and Productivity* The evidence suggests that the link between an individuals job satisfaction and his or her productivity is positive. It turns out the productivity can be affected as much by external conditions as it is by job satisfaction. The link between job satisfaction and productivity is much stronger when we look not at individuals, but at the organization as a whole. When satisfaction and productivity data are gathered for the organization as a whole, rather than at the individual level, we find that organizations with more-satisfied employees tend to be more effective than organizations with less-satisfied employees. Job Satisfaction and Organizational Citizenship Behavior Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is discretionary behavior that is not part of an employees formal job requirements and is not usually rewarded, but that nevertheless promotes the effective functioning of the organization. Organizational citizenship is important, as it can help the organization function more efficiently and more effectively. It seems logical to assume that job satisfaction should be a major determinant of an employees OCB. Job Satisfaction and Customer Satisfaction Employees in service jobs often interact with customers. Since the management of service organizations should be concerned with pleasing those customers, it is reasonable to ask: Is employee satisfaction related to positive customer outcomes? For front-line employees who have regular contact with customers, the answer is yes. Satisfied employees are more likely to be friendly, upbeat, and responsive—which customers appreciate. Job Satisfaction and Absenteeism: One can find a consistent negative relationship between satisfaction and absenteeism, but the correlation is moderate-usually less than 0.40. While it certainly makes sense that dissatisfied employees are more likely to miss work, other factors have an impact on the relationship and reduce the correlation coefficient. e.g. Organizations that provide liberal sick leave benefits are encouraging all their employees, including those who are highly satisfied, to take days off. So, outside factors can act to reduce the correlation. Job Satisfaction and Turnover: Satisfaction is negatively related to turnover*, but the correlation is stronger than what we found for absenteeism. Labour turnover is quite strongly correlated with satisfaction when there is high unemployment. Yet, again, other factors such as labour market conditions, expectations about alternative job opportunities, and length of tenure with the organization are important constraints on the actual decision to leave ones current job. Workplace Violence and Sabotage: Dissatisfaction in employees may cause violence and sabotage in workplace. Most violence that involves insiders is triggered by extreme levels of dissatisfaction and stress on part of attacker. Dissatisfied workers may either consciously or subconsciously produce faulty products. How can job satisfaction be measured? Job satisfaction is usually measured with interviews or questionnaires administered to the job incumbents in question. Most research is done with questionnaires. This is because interviews are expensive and time consuming to conduct. By contrast, one can survey a large number of people with a paper-and-pencil questionnaires with very little effort or expense. Furthermore, it is easy to quantify and standardize questionnaire responses. Perhaps the easiest way to assess job satisfaction is to use one of the existing scales which have been carefully developed, and in many studies, their reliability and validity have been established. There are many methods for measuring job satisfaction, few of these are briefly mentioned below: 1. Job Descriptive Index (JDI), created by Smith, Kendall, Hulin (1969), is a specific questionnaire of job satisfaction that has been widely used. It measures ones satisfaction in five facets: pay, promotions and promotion opportunities, coworkers, supervision, and the work itself. The scale is simple, participants answer either yes, no, or cant decide (indicated by ‘?) in response to whether given statements accurately describe ones job. 2. Job In General Scale (JIG) Job In General Scale (JIG, Ironson et al., 1989) was designed to assess overall job satisfaction rather than facets. Its format is same as the JDI, and it contains 18 items. Each item is an adjective or short phrase about the job in general rather than a facet. The total score is a combination of all items. Advantage of using JIG is that it is quick and easy to use, and disadvantage is that it only gives global measure of job satisfaction and does not provide information about specific facets causing job satisfaction/dissatisfaction. 3. Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) is designed to measure an employees satisfaction with their particular job. Method includes 100 items measuring 20 facets of job satisfaction. Three revisions of MSQ are available: two long forms (1977 version and 1967 version) and a short form. Long form contains 100 items measuring 20 facets, and short form includes 20 items that best represent each of the 20 scales. Advantages of this method are it is reliable, valid measure of job satisfaction, easy to use, easy to understand, applicable to any organization, applicable for managers, supervisors, and employees. Disadvantage of this method is that it is very long, and uses 20 different facets and it may not be meaningful to have info on each of them. 4. Satisfied / dissatisfied method In this method, you just send a question form that include: What is good thing in our company? What is not good one in our company? This method is suitable for â€Å"emergency events† and you need result in a short time. To assess and measure job satisfaction in employees of ABC Company I would recommend Job Descriptive method (JDI). Job Descriptive Index assesses five most important facets of job satisfaction: * The work itself—responsibility, interest, and growth. * Quality of supervision—technical help and social support. * Relationships with co-workers—social harmony and respect. * Promotion opportunities—chances for further advancement. * Pay—adequacy of pay and perceived equity vis-à  -vis others. The entire scale contains 72 items with either 9 or 18 items per subscale. Each item is an evaluative adjective or short phrase that is descriptive of the job. Responses are â€Å"Yes† â€Å"Uncertain† or â€Å"No†. Job Descriptive Index (JDI; Smith, Kendall, Hulin, 1969) has probably been the most popular facet scale among organizational researchers. It also may have been the most carefully developed and validated, as is well described in Smith et al.s book. It is easy to use with all types of respondents and is most commonly used measure of job satisfaction. Scales that measure the overall level of job satisfaction and do not measure the specific facet may not help in identifying the main cause of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction. Job dissatisfaction can be decreased by considering the following factors: 1. Work itself: Job dissatisfaction can be decreased by Job rotation Job enlargement: knowledge enlargement, task enlargement Job enrichment, add complexity to the task to make it challenging 2. Define Role and Expectations: When an organization makes the decision to fill a new position, it has an idea of what will be expected of the new employee. However, unless these expectations are clearly communicated and role is defined, the result can be disappointing for both the employee and employer. Such situations cause conflict and inefficiencies in the workplace. Therefore, it is very important that the employer establish a mechanism for making sure the needs of the organization are clearly communicated and understood. Role analysis technique can be used to identify and define ones role. 3. Organization development Shared mission or vision: In many organizations, employee doesnt know what is mission, vision, objects. Building a corporate culture that requires employees to be an integral part of the organization can be an effective way of getting the most from the talents or competencies brought to the organization by each employee. Feedback programs: Give employees opportunity to complain to the organization about his work situation. Feedback will help organization to know opinions of their employees. 4. Compensation and benefits: Policies of compensation and benefits are most important part of organization. But you should build your policies at â€Å"suitability† not â€Å"the best†. 5. Appraisal program: You should build the proper evaluation and fair and encourage employees perform work. 6. Relationship with supervisors: Relationship with management is the key factor often happen dissatisfaction of employees. The company should have policies to: Management must be fairly treat the staff Ready to help them Full training for staff Ready to listen and respond to employee 7. Promotions and career development Develop programs to promote all titles in the organization Develop training programs for employees Build programs for career development of each title 8. Working condition and environment Build occupational health and safety program. 9. Improvement programs of employee satisfaction HR department must have the monitoring methods for improvement programs of employee satisfaction. Many organizations just do appraisal of employee satisfaction but not pay attention to role of monitoring. Build solutions to improve satisfaction Training all level of management about the importance of satisfaction and methods to increase satisfaction. 10. Employees by themselves Hiring the right employees Clearly defined and communicated employee expectations. References References marked with an asterisk indicate studies included in the answer. *Timothy A. Judge, Daniel Heller and Michael K. Mount. Five-Factor Model of Personality and Job Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology 2002, Vol. 87, No. 3, 530-541 *Ste ´Phane Co ˆ Te and Laura M. Morgan. A longitudinal analysis of the association between emotion regulation, job satisfaction, and intentions to quit. Journal of Organizational Behavior. 23, 947-962 (2002) *Timothy A. Judge, Daniel Heller and Michael K. Mount. Five-Factor Model of Personality and Job Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology 2002, Vol. 87, No. 3, 530-541 *John A. Wagner III John R. Hollenback. Organizational Behavior, Securing Competitive Advantage, 5E. by South-Westrn, 2009 * Robbins, Stephen P., and Timothy A. Judge. Organization Behavior. 12th ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. 156-158. *Steven G. Westlund and John C. Hannon. Retaining Talent: Assessing Job Satisfaction Facets Most Significantly Related To Software Developer Turnover Intentions. Journal of Information Technology Management Volume XIX, Number 4, 2008 Q3) Compare and contrast the rational decision making model with the bounded rationality model of decision-making. In what ways does the theory of bounded rationality differ from the rational model and what are the characteristics of each? Which do you feel is a better representation of decision-making and why? ANSWER: The rational decision-making model is sometimes referred to as the rational economic model as it includes a primary assumption of economic rationality, that is, the notion that people attempt to maximize their economic outcomes, where alternative with the highest expected worth is selected as preferred alternative. Rational decision making processes consist of a sequence of steps designed to rationally develop a desired solution. Typically these steps involve: 1. Verify, Define, and Detail the problem: The first step is to recognize a problem or to see opportunities that may be worthwhile. A rational decision making model is best employed where relatively complex decisions have to be made. 2. Identify the Criteria: What is relevant and what is not relevant to the decision? What do you need to know before you can make a decision or what will help you make the right one? 3. Analyzing the situation: What alternative courses of action may be available to you? What different interpretations of the data may be possible? 4. Developing options: Generate several possible options. Be creative and positive. 5. Evaluating alternatives: What criteria should you use to evaluate? Evaluate for feasibility, acceptability and desirability. Which alternative will best achieve your objectives? 6. Selecting a preferred alternative: Explore the provisional preferred alternative for future possible adverse consequences. What problems might it create? What are the risks of making this decision? Assumptions made by rational decision-making model There are six assumptions of the rational decision-making model: Problem clarity: The decision maker is assumed to have complete information regarding the decision situation. Known options: Identify all the relevant criteria and can list all the viable alternatives. The decision maker is aware of all the possible consequences of each alternative. Clear preference: The criteria and alternatives can be ranked and given weight to reflect their importance. Constant preferences: The specific decision criteria are constant and that weights assigned to them are stable over time. No time or cost constraints: The rational decision maker can obtain full information about criteria and alternatives because it is assumed that there are no time or cost constraints. Maximum payoff: The rational decision maker will choose the alternative that yields the highest perceived value. Rational decision making model presupposes that there is one best outcome. The search for perfection is frequently a factor in actually delaying making a decision. Such a model also presupposes that it is possible to consider every option and also to know the future consequences of each. While many would like to think they know what will happen, the universe often has other plans! It is also limited by the cognitive abilities of the person making the decision; how good is their memory? How good is their imagination? The criteria themselves, of course, will be subjective and may be difficult to compare. These models require a great deal of time and a great deal of information. And, of course, a rational decision making model attempts to negate the role of emotions in decision making. Bounded Rationality Decision Making Model Bounded Rationality theory accepts the notion of bounded rationality and suggests that people act only in terms of what they perceive about a given situation. Because these perceptions are frequently imperfect, most organizational decision making does not take place in a world of complete certainty. Rather, the behavioral decision maker is viewed as acting most often under uncertain conditions and with limited information. Organizational decision makers face problems that are often ambiguous, and they have only partial knowledge of the available action alternatives and their consequences. As Herbert Simon states: â€Å"Most human decision making, whether individual or organizational, is concerned with the discovery and selection of satisfactory alternatives; only in exceptional cases is it concerned with the discovery and selection of optimal decisions.† Alternative model to rational decision making model based on the theory of bounded rationality called the administrative model is actually a critique of the rational model. Simon says the rational model is prescriptive or normative, the way it is supposed to be, rather than the way it is. Simon presented the administrative model as a realistic antidote, the way it really is. Administrative model he says is the way decisions are actually made. Simon coined a term of Satisficing means settling for the first alternative that seems to meet some minimum level of acceptability. Search for a needle in the haystack. Optimize is to look for the sharpest. Satisfied is to search until you find the needle that is just sharp enough to do the job. He says there are limits on decision making: Bounded rationality: imperfect information about goals and courses of action and relation of means to ends; Bounded discretion: constraints on optimizing, prior commitments, moral and ethical standards, laws, and social standards; Bounded rationality recognizes that it is impossible to comprehend and analyze all of the potentially relevant information in making choices. The only possible way of coping with the complexity of the world is to develop techniques, habits and standard operating procedures (SOP) to facilitate decision making. Widely shared SOPs are institutions. HabitRoutine responses and behaviors based on reinforcement e.g. brushing your teeth in the morning. TechniqueWays to deal with generalized situations e.g., read reviews before selecting a hotel. SOPgroup and organizational rules for decisions e.g., our firm reorders when inventories reach one month of recent sales. Which model better represents decision-making? Rational decision making model provides a guideline of what managers ideally should be doing, but it does not represent what managers actually do. When decision makers are faced with a simple problem and few alternative courses of action, and when the cost of searching out and evaluating alternatives is low, the rational model provides a fairly accurate description of the decision process. However, such situations are the exception. Most decisions in the real world do not follow the rational model. For instance, people are usually content to find an acceptable or reasonable solution to their problem rather than an optimizing one. Most decisions in the real world do not follow the rational model. People are usually content to find an acceptable or reasonable solution to their problem rather than an optimizing one. Thus decision makers may rely on bounded rationality, satisficing, intuition, and judgment shortcuts in making decisions. In an ideal situation, manager faces a clearly defined problem, knows all possible action alternatives and their consequences, and then chooses the alternative that offers the best, or â€Å"optimum,† solution to the problem. This optimizing style is an ideal way to make decisions. This rational approach is normative and prescriptive, and is often used as a model for how managers should make decisions. However, Behavioral scientists are cautious about applying rational decision theory to many decision situations. They recognize that the human mind is a wonderful creation, capable of infinite achievements. But they also recognize that human beings have cognitive limitations that restrict their information-processing capabilities. Information deficiencies and overload compromise the ability of decision makers to achieve complete certainty and otherwise operate according to the rational model. Human decision makers also operate with bounded rationality. Bounded rationality is sug gests that, while individuals are reasoned and logical, humans have their limits. Individuals interpret and make sense of things within the context of their personal situation. This makes it difficult to realize the ideal of rational decision making. As a result, the rational model does not give a full and accurate description of how most decisions are made in organizations. References References marked with an asterisk â€Å" * † indicate studies included in the answers. *John A. Wagner III John R. Hollenback. Organizational Behavior, Securing Competitive Advantage, 5E. by South-Westrn, 2009 * Robbins, Stephen P., and Timothy A. Judge. Organization Behavior. 12E. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. 156-158. * John R. Schermerhorn, Jr., James G. Hunt, Richard Osborn. Organization Behavior. 7E. John Wiley Sons, Inc, 2002 Q.4) Discuss goal-setting theory and its major conclusions. How do major conclusions of goal setting inform managers, or how can managers apply what research on goal setting has found in managing employees? ANSWER: Goal Setting Theory The prime axiom of goal setting theory is that specific, difficult goals lead to higher performance than when people strive to simply â€Å"do their best†, (Locke, 1966; Locke Latham, 1990). Goals play an important part in high performance work environments. Goal setting is the process of developing, negotiating, and formalizing the targets or objectives that a person is responsible for accomplishing. The model uses elements of expectancy theory to help clarify the implications of goal setting for performance while taking into account certain moderating conditions, such as ability and task complexity. Lockes research showed that there was a relationship between how difficult and specific a goal was and peoples performance of a task. He found that specific and difficult goals led to better task performance than vague or easy goals. Telling someone to Try hard or Do your best is less effective than Try to get more than 80% correct. Likewise, having a goal thats too easy is not a motivating force. Hard goals are more motivating than easy goals, because its much more of an accomplishment to achieve something that you have to work for. Locke and his colleagues spend considerable time on research* and studied the effects of goal setting, which can be concluded as: Specific goals increase performance, under certain conditions Difficult goals, when accepted, result in higher performance than do easy goals Feedback leads to higher performance