Performance appraisal methods Essay Example for Free

Performance appraisal methods Essay In order to succeed in the market, companies need to ensure they provide efficient management of human resources. Companies can perform well only in such a case when all of the employees are able to realize their potential, apply their skills and make sufficient contribution to the development of the company. Performance appraisal is particularly important for all of the organizations because it enables them to determine the contribution of every employee to the performance of the company. Performance appraisal is currently one of the most important issues in human resources management which â€Å"continues to be a subject of interest and importance to human resource specialists. † (Hornsby et al. 1996, p. 10). Bernardin Klatt (1985); Hall, Posner, Hardner (1989); Maroney Buckley (1992); Thomas Bretz (1994) have all devoted considerable attention to the development of theoretical models of performance appraisal. How can a manager of the organization make a conclusion about the necessity to promote this or that employee, increase of decrease his salary, shift him to another department? How can the manager decide which employee needs special training or which can perform on the highest level without additional training? The most efficient tool in such a case is performance appraisal. If carried out correctly and on the basis of efficient methods, performance appraisal can be very helpful for the evaluation of employees’ work. â€Å"Companies that hope to succeed in todays competitive business environment must learn to identify their most capable employees for placement in key organizational appointments. To do this, managers should devote more attention to maximizing the effectiveness of performance appraisal systems. (Mcbey 1994, p. 23). Appraisal methods for the performance of the customer care supervisor in Fabulous. com require both the application of generally recognized methods of performance appraisal and their slight adjustment to the specification of the position. On one hand, this position needs to be appraised with the help of commonly used principles and methods. On the other hand, it requires deep understanding of the functions which customer care supervisor needs to perform daily, his responsibilities, all of the complication which can occur in the process of the fulfillment of his responsibilities. The choice of appraisal methods needs to be guided by the specifications of the position. In order to make a decision about the appraisal method which will be used for the position of customers care supervisor, it is necessary to analyze all of the most well-known methods of performance appraisal in relation to their effectiveness for this position. What needs to be kept in mind is that there is no possibility to find one completely efficient method. All of the methods will have both advantages and disadvantages. After more than 30 years of serious research†¦ it seems that little progress has been made in developing an efficient and psychometrically sound alternative to the traditional graphic rating scale. One major conclusion to be drawn from this research is that there is no easy way to get accurate and informative performance data. † (Rice 1985, p. 30). Even though there is no possibility to determine a completely accurate method, some tools of performance appraisal need to be used in any case because â€Å"timely, useful, and accepted feedback can help individuals make great strides toward optimal performance. (Coyens, Jenkins 2001, p. 34). Comparative standards include straight ranking method; alternative ranking method; paired comparison method; forced distribution method. All of these methods are inappropriate for the position of customer care supervisor due to the specifics of his activities. Comparative standards can be very efficient for the types of job in which employees need to do exactly the same kind of work and it is possible to tell the differences between their performance. However, the position of customer care supervisor is created in order to maintain a solid relationship with customers and supervise all of the major activities dealing with customer service in the company. This is not the type of job in which employees’ performance can be compared because it is hard to find the criterion of comparison in such a case. Comparative standards application in performance appraisal of customer care supervisor would lead to inaccurate results. Besides, in customer care it is particularly important to make emphasize on the further improvement of performance of the supervisor. Comparative standards do not provide any information on that point. The straight ranking method is the simplest and the most inaccurate because it only enables to compare employees. It does not let the appraisers to perceive the qualities of the employee himself. Alternative ranking method, paired comparison method and forced distribution methods can all be used in manufacturing companies and organizations of similar type but they will be completely useless when appraising customer care supervisor at Fabulous. com. Absolute standards include narrative essay; critical incidents method; weighted checklists; forced choice; Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS); Behavioral Observations Scale (BOS). â€Å"With this style of appraisal, managers use written, absolute standards. Reviews are not based upon relative standing of the employee in a specific work group. Absolute methods facilitate intergroup comparison of employees in an organization. † (Mcbey 1994, p. 11). They are more efficient and could be applied for performance appraisal of the position of customer care supervisor. However, they have many disadvantages which need to be discussed. Narrative essay generally could give a good idea about the employee working at the position of customer care supervisor. However, it is more a qualitative description than a quantitative method of appraisal. It would not provide all of the important data about the performance of the employee. Critical incidents method is efficient only to some extent because it provides information about the employee’s behavior only in critical situations. The work of customer care supervisor does not always consist of critical situations, in fact, they are quite rare. That is why there is no sense the measure the employee’s performance with the help of this method. Weighted checklists can be useful but they have a very large impact of the appraiser’s opinion, and weighting coefficients can sometimes be applied incorrectly. Forced choice is not the most efficient method to be applied for the case of customer care supervisor because this method does not meet developmental needs and does not allow the appraiser to interpret the ratings correctly at times. Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) are used quite frequently nowadays. BARS uses expected performance levels as a basis for the appraisal. Behavior is judged by a job analysis and comments from those in the same or similar jobs. Behavioral statements are developed for each job in the organization and are anchored by numerical scales. † (Mcbey 1994, p. 12). However, this method has some important disadvantages. â€Å"Although BARS provides excellent specific behavioral guidance for employees, it is among the most complex and difficult performance appraisal system that can be introduced, especially for smaller organizations without significant human resource staff capabilities. † (Mcbey 1994, p. 2). Other authors also point at the complexity of this method: â€Å"While advocates of BARS, particularly the consultants who do a thriving business with it, claim its a great leap forward, critics point to several drawbacks. The lengthy job analyses and complex scale construction require a major investment of a companys time and money. A scale designed for use in one department may not apply in another. † (Rice 1985, p. 32). In our opinion, there is no sense to apply very complicated performance appraisal techniques in our case because the position which is being analyzed is not the key position in the company. Such complex techniques should rather be used for employees occupying positions of senior- and top management. Behavioral Observations Scale (BOS) are very similar to BARS in their complexity. â€Å"The BOS system observes past performance as the standard for appraisal. BOS offers many of the same benefits as BARS, most notably concrete examples to guide employee behavior and developmental difficulty. † (Mcbey 1994, p. 13). The application of this method is also not efficient for the position which is being analyzed due to its over-complexity. Objectives-based approaches include Management by Objectives (MBO) and work standards approach. These approaches are the most suitable for the performance appraisal of the customer care supervisor because it is particularly important for the employee in the position to achieve his goals. There are types of jobs in which the goals are pre-determined for many years ahead of time: for example, a salesperson needs to ensure he or she sells as much merchandise available in the store as possible. There are no adjustments of this goal or any corrections because it is universal. The position dealing with customer care and maintenance of successful relationship with customers is very challenging and deals with change in many aspects. The goals constantly need to be re-adjusted according to the needs to customers. The capability of the customer care supervisor to achieve all of the goals is the measurement of his success in this position and his adequate performance. There can be no better appraisal methods for this position than objective-based approaches. Management by Objectives (MBO) is very useful in this case. â€Å"MBO became popular because, in theory, it can be tailored to each individual job and because it lets subordinates know how their performance will be measured and gives them specific, mutually-agreed-on goals. (Rice 1985, p. 33). Its mechanism is relatively simple. â€Å"As customarily practiced today, supervisors and their subordinates sit down at the beginning of each year, or every six months, and agree (often in writing) on specific goals to be accomplished. At the end of the period, the supervisors evaluate their subordinates in terms of how well they have met those objectives. † (Rice 1985, p. 33). Work standards approach is similar to MBO except that organizations determine goals and appraisal techniques on the basis of their past experience. Of course, there are some disadvantages of this method which need to be taken into consideration. For example, â€Å"one major weakness is the difficulty of setting reasonable goals well in advance, when they may be vulnerable to factors outside the employees control, such as economic conditions, labor problems and price increases. † (Rice 1985, p. 33). At the same time, this disadvantage can be interpreted as an advantage in such a case if the goals are constantly re-adjusted according to the needs of the consumers. In such a case, the performance appraisal method will work efficiently.

Theme of Deception in Much Ado About Nothing Essay -- Much Ado About N

Theme of Deception in Much Ado About Nothing Each of the main characters in Much Ado About Nothing is the victim of deception, and it is because they are deceived that they act in the ways that they do. Although the central deception is directed against Claudio in an attempt to destroy his relationship with Hero, it is the deceptions involving Beatrice and Benedick which provides the play's dramatic focus. Nearly every character in the play at some point has to make inferences from what he or she sees, has been told or overhears. Likewise, nearly every character in the play at some point plays a part of consciously pretending to be what they are not. The idea of acting and the illusion it creates is rarely far from the surface - Don Pedro acts to Hero, Don John acts the part of an honest friend, concerned for his brother's and Claudio's honour; Leonato and his family act as if Hero were dead, encouraged to this deception by, of all people, the Friar who feels that deception may be the way to get at truth; and all the main characters in the plot pretend to Benedick and Beatrice so convincingly that they reverse their normal attitudes to each other. In I.1 Don Pedro offers to play Claudio and win Hero for him. This plan is overheard, and misreported to Antonio. His excited retailing of the false news of Don Pedro's love for Hero to Leonato is, however, not without some caution: the news will be good as 'the event stamps them; but the have a good cover, they show well outward' (I.2.6). Leonato shows a sense here that he could well do with later in the play: 'Hath the fellow any wit that told you this?' . . . 'we will hold it as a dream' . . . 'peradventure this be true'. Admittedly he does not question the 'good sharp ... ...ne else in the play the power of language to alter reality, and the issues of conscious or unconscious deceit. It shouldn't be forgotten that in the body of the play those who are masters of a language of extraordinary wit and polish - language that seems to guarantee rationality and good judgement - get things almost completely wrong. The resolution of the play comes via the agency of the people whose discourse is an assault on language, who are dismissed - by Leonato - as 'tedious' when they should be patiently listened to. But, as Borachio says 'what your wisdoms could not discover, these shallow fools have brought to light' (V.1.221-222). And even more disturbing, that resolution comes by mere accident: by the chance overhearing of a conversation. Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. Much Ado about Nothing. Ed. A.R. Humphreys. New York: Routledge, 1994.

Rcsc214 Exam 1

Chapter 1 Retailing-consists of the final activities and steps needed to place merchandise made elsewhere into the hands of the consumer or to provide services to the consumer. Last step in supply chain. Trends that affect Retailing today: * E-tailing- ie. The Internet accounts for less than 5% of retail sales but has changed consumer behavior. (speed, convenience, control, vast info, lowest prices) hasn’t destroyed †¦ *Bricks-and-Mortar retailers – Retailers that operate out of a physical building. ’ but B & M retailers must give customers more control to combat E-tailing.Outshopping-when customers get needed info (such as proper size or how to assemble a product) in the store and then orders it online for a lower price and to avoid paying sales tax. * Price Competition Loss Leader-selling a product at or below its cost Bottom Line-net profit on an income statement *Same-Store sales-compares an individual store’s sales to its sales for the same month in the previous year. *Market Share-the retailer’s total sales divided by total market sales *Scrambled Merchandising- exists when a retailer handles many different and unrelated items.The result of the pressure being placed on many retailers to increase profits by carrying additional merchandise or services (with higher profit margins) that will also increase store traffic ex. Convenience store that sells low margin gasoline but high margin bread, milk, beer, ciggs ETC. Supercenters, gift cards in grocery stores but causes cost increases in RENT, INVENTORY COSTS, LABOR COSTs *Category Killer-a retailer that carries such a large amount of merchandise in a single category at such good prices that it makes it impossible for customers to walk out without purchasing that they need, thus KILLING the competitionCategorizing Retailers Census Bureau- NAICS code Number of outlets- Chain? Or not? *Standard Stock list-a merchandising method in which all stores in a retail chain stock t he same merchandise *Optional Stock List approach-merchandising method in which each store in a retail chain is given the flexibility to adjust its merchandise mix to local tastes and demands. *Channel Advisor or Captain-the institution (manufacturer, wholesaler, broker, or retailer) in the marketing channel that is able to plan for and get other channel institutions to engage in activities they might not otherwise engage in.Large store retailers are often able to perform the role of channel captain. *Private Label Branding- May be store branding, when a retailer develops its own brand name and contracts with a manufacturer to produce the product with the retailer’s brand, or designer lines, where a known designer develops a line exclusively for the retailer. Margin/Turnover Gross margin percentage- measure of profitability GROSS MARGIN/NETSALES Gross Margin-NET SALES – COST OF GOODS SOLDOperating Expenses-expenses that a retailer incurs in running the business other t han the cost of merchandise Inventory Turnover- refers to the number of times per year, on average, that a retailer sells its inventory. High Performance retailers-retailers that produce financial results substantially superior to the industry average. Low margin/low turnover-operates on a low gross margin percentage and a low rate of inventory turnover†¦ will not be able to generate sufficient profits to remain competitive and survive. High Margin/Low turnover-(bricks and mortar) high gross margin percentage and low ate of inventory turnover ( high end stores, mom and pop) Clicks and Mortar-instore and online Low margin High turnover- low gmp, high rate of inventory turnover (wal mart, amazon. com) High, High- convenience stores, 7 eleven, circle k, Location- new non traditional places. Size *Store management- the retailing career path that involves responsibility for selecting, training, and evaluating personnel, as well as instore promotions, displays, customer service, buil ding maintenance, and security *Buying-retailing career path whereby one uses quantitative tools to develop appropriate buying plans for the store’s merchandise lines.Analytical method –finder and investigator of facts Creative Method- Idea person Two pronged approach- both analytical and creative CHAPTER 2 Strategic planning- involves adapting the resources of the firm to the opportunities and threats of an ever changing retail environment * Development of mission statement * Definition of specific goals and objectives for the firm * Identification and analysis of the retailers strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats –SWOT ANALYIS * Development of basic strategies that will enable the firm to reach its objectives and fulfill its missionMission statement- a basic description of the fundamental nature, rationale, and direction of the firm. Market Share- retailer’s TOTAL SALES/ TOTAL MARKET SALES Profit-based Objectives-deal directly with the monet ary return a retailer desires from its business ROI/RONW- Return on investment/ Return on Net Worth STRATIEGIC PROFIT MODEL (MEMORIZE) Net ProfitMargin| Net Profit /Total Sales| Return on Assets| Net Profit* /Total Assets| Financial Leverage| Total Assets/Net Worth| Return on Net Worth|Net Profit*/Net Worth| X = Asset Turnover| Total Sales/Total Assets| Stockouts- products that are out of stock and therefore unavailable to customers when they want them Productivity objectives- state how much output the retailer desires for each unit of resource input: Floor space, labor, and inventory investment. * Sales prod: net sales/ total square feet of retail floor space * Labor prod: net sales/#of full time equivalent employees * Merchandise prod: net sales/average dollar investment in inventorySocietal Objectives- those that reflect the retailer’s desire to help society fulfill some of it’s needs. * Employment objectives * Payment of Taxes * Consumer Choice * Equity * Being a b enefactor RASM- (revenue per available seat mile) calculation used by airlines. Yield Management- the understanding, anticipating and reacting to changing customer needs in order to maximize the revenue from a fixed capacity of available services. (1)low marginal costs (2)fixed capacity (3) perishable product (4)fluctuation demand (5)different market segmentsPersonal Objectives-reflect the retailer’s desire to help individuals employed in retailing fulfill some of their needs. * Self Gratification * Status and respect * Power and authority Strategy- a carefully designed plan for achieving the retailers goals and objectives. 3 strategies Get shoppers into your store/ traffic strategy Convert these shoppers into customers by having them purchase merchandise (retailers conversion Do this at the lowest operating cost possible that is consistent with the level of service that your customers expectTarget market-the group of customers that the retailer is seeking to serve Location-g eographic or cyber space where the retailer conducts business Retail mix- the combination of merchandise, price, advertising and promotion, locations, customer service and selling, and store layout and design Value proposition- clear statement of the tangible and/or intangible results a customer receives from shopping at and using the retailer’s products or services Operations Management- deals with activities directed at maximizing the efficiency of the retailer’s use of resources. It is frequently referred to as day to day management.CHAPTER 6 Horizontal Price Fixing- occurs when a group of competing retailers (or other channel members operating at a given level of distribution) establishes a fixed price at which to sell certain brands of products ILLEGAL violates Sherman Antitrust Sec 1 Vertical Price Fixing-occurs when a retailer collaborates with the manufacturer or wholesaler to resell an item at an agreed upon price Price discrimination- occurs when 2 retailers buy an identical amount of â€Å"like grade and quality† merchandise from the same supplier but pay different prices. Clayton act makes only certain forms illegal DEFENSESCost justification- differential in price could be accounted for on the basis of differences in cost to the seller in the manufactur, sale, or delivery. Due to differences in quantity or method. Changing market differences-justifies based on the danger of imminent deterioration of perishable goods or on the obsolescence of seasonal goods. Meeting Competition in good faith -lower price was made in good faith in order to meet an equally low price of a competitor Deceptive Pricing-occurs when an misleading price is used to lure customers into the store and then hidden charges are added; or the item advertised may be unavailable.Predatory Pricing-exists when a retail chain charges different prices in different geographic areas to eliminate competition in selected geographic areas. Palming off-occurs when a retai ler represents that merchandise is made by a firm other than the true manufacturer Deceptive advertising-when a retailer makes false of misleading advertising claims about the physical makeup of a product, the benefits to be gained by its use, or the appropriate uses for the product. Bait and switch- advertising or promoting a product at an unrealistically low rice to serve as â€Å"bait† and then trying to â€Å"switch† the customer to a higher priced product. Product liability laws-deal with the seller’s responsibility to market safe products. These laws invoke the forseeability doctrine, which states that a seller of a product must attempt to foresee how a product may be misused and warn the consumer against hazards of misuse. Expressed warranties- are either written or verbalized agreements about the performance of a product and can cover all attributes of the merchandise or only one attributeImplied warranty of merchantability- made by every retailer when t he retailer sells goods and implies that the merchandise sold is fit for the ordinary purpose for which such goods are typically used Implied warranty of fitness- a warranty that implies that the merchandise is fit for a particular purpose and arises when the customer relies on the retailer to assist or make the selection of goods to serve a particular purpose Territorial restrictions-are attempts by the supplier, usually a manufacturer, to limit the geographic area in which a retailer may resell its merchandiseDual distribution- occurs when a manufacturer sells to independent retailers and also through its own retail outlets One way exclusive dealing arrangement-occurs when the supplier agrees to give the retailer the exclusive right to sell the suppliers product in a particular trade area Two way exclusive dealing arrangement- occurs when the supplier offers the retailer the exclusive distribution of a merchandise line or product in a particular trade area if in return the retaile r will agree to do something or the manufacturer, such as heavily promote the suppliers products or not handle competing brands. ILLEGAL. Tying agreement-exists when a seller with a strong product or service requires a buyer to purchase a weak product or service as a condition for buying the strong product or service Ethics-set of rules for human moral behavior Explicit code of ethics-consists of a written policy that states what is ethical and unethical behavior Implicit code of ethics- an unwritten but well understood set of rules or standards of moral responsibility Chapter 14Empowerment- occurs when employees are given the power in their jobs to do the things necessary to satisfy and make things right for customers. Servant leadership-an employees recognition that their primary responsibility is to be of service to others. 20% of customers generate 80% of sales value proposition-the promised benefits a retailer offers in relation to the cost the consumer incurs customer relation ship management CRM-comprised of an integrated information system where the fundamental unit of data collection is the customer, supplemented by relevant information about the customer erformance appraisal and review- is the formal, systematic assessment of how well employees are performing their jobs in relation to established standards and the communication of that assessment to employees Motivation-is the drive that a person has to excel at activities, such as a job, that he or she undertakes Esprit de corps- occurs when a group of workers feel a common mission and a passion for that mission and a pride in being part of the groupFixed component- typically is composed of some base wage per hour, week, month, or year Variable component-is often composed if some bonus that is received if performance warrants Fringe benefit package-is a part of the total compensation package offered to many retail employees and may include health insurance, disability benefits, life insurance, retire ment plans, child care, use of an auto, and financial counseling Job enrichment- the process of enhancing the core job characteristics to improve the motivation, productivity, and job satisfaction of employees.

Childrens Relationship with Classmates a Comprehensive...

Children s Relationship with Classmates: A Comprehensive Analysis of Friendship Nominations and Liking Psychological Profile: Subject is young male 7 years old (my nephew), will be 8 years old January 1st, 2006. Height is approximately 4ft 1 inches and weight is roughly 58lbs. Olive toned skin complexion, brown short hair, and big brown eyes, with a devilish smile. The subject has a personality that constantly changes based on the people in his surroundings. More playful and rough with children of his own age group, and seems to act more shy and tranquil around an older age group of adults. The subject is currently in the middle of his second grade school year. He The subject is doing very well with his A B C s and is also†¦show more content†¦I thought it would be a nice gesture to buy a box of munchkins for the 2nd grade students and a coffee for the teacher to show appreciation and thanks for allowing me to interrupt their daily routine. We drove the elementary school and checked in, then continued up to the classroom where the subject sat. His desk was located on the far right front of the classroom. As the subject s mother and I walked in, all the students in the classroom got stirred up and eager to ask their teacher questions faster then she/he could answer. We sat aside and waited for the teacher to approach us at her convenience. A school bell rang and the students all quickly ran out for their recess time. This is when the subjects mother and I stood at the window, which overlooks the parking lot area where recess was held. But even before we observed the subject at play we noticed the seating arrangements in class. The subjects class was assigned seating chart so when the bell rang, the subject immediately ran to his closest friend which was another boy 2 rows over to the left of him. They got their jackets from their cubbies on the wall and ran outside together. Subject s mother, the teacher, and I went to windows that were closest to the parking lot and observed the subject interacting with his classmates. During recess I noticed that