Impact of Motivation on Job Satisfaction Essay

The term ‘motivation’ is derived from the word ‘motive’ which influences the behavior of individuals. Motives are the expression of needs of a human being. Motivation is a process of getting the needs of the people realized to induce them to work for the accomplishment of organizational objectives. Motivation is a behavioral psychological concept. It seeks to understand why people behave the way they do. The intention is to produce goal-oriented behavior. It aims at influencing good result and arises from within the individual. The inner feeling balances the perception of an individual and satisfaction of his needs that influence the direction, volume, behavior limitation and efforts of an individual. Hence motivation is an inducement of inner feeling of an individual. It cannot be forced upon from the outside. According to Steers and Porter (1991), there are two ways to view motivation. The traditional way is to define motivation as a process of directing (stimulating) people to action in order to accomplish a desired goal. Based on this definition, motivation is the function supervisors perform to get their employees to achieve goals and objectives. The second view looks at individual motivation. Such motivation represents an unsatisfied need that creates a state of tension (disequilibrium), causing the individual to move in a goal-directed pattern towards need-satisfaction and equilibrium. The goal of the behavior is to reduce tension by achieving a goal that will satisfy that need. Both approaches to the study of motivation are motivation. Harmer (2001) defines motivation as some kind of internal drive which pushes someone to do things in order to achieve something. This significantly refers to an individual’s desire and willingness to take action towards the accomplishment of a given task. Invariably, people’s behavior at work is controlled by their intrinsic motives that characterize the work as well as the working environment. The manager’s job becomes one of identifying the right chord to play to influence each group member to achieve the group goals. However, the study of motivation addresses the distinctiveness of each individual, for each individual has a number of motivators (Robert and Hunt, 1991). Armstrong(1998) considers motivation as ‘why people at work behave in the way they do in terms of their efforts and the direction they are taking and what the organization can do to encourage people to apply their efforts and abilities in ways that will further the achievement of the organization’s goals as well as satisfying their own needs. Cole (2002) relates this to human behavior and defines it as ‘a process in which people choose between alternative forms of behavior in order to achieve personal goals’. According to Spector (1997:2) job satisfaction is simply how people feel about their job. It is the extent to which people like (satisfaction) or dislike (dissatisfaction) their jobs. As is generally assessed, is an attitudinal variable. In this context, job satisfaction can be considered as a global feeling about the job or as a related constellation of attitudes about various aspects or facets of the job. The management dilemma in many organizations in today’s fast paced technological environment is how managers can improve the motivation of employees, so that companies employ and retain a fulfilled work force that contributes optimally to organizational stakeholders. Essentially, the questions that must be answered by this study are: What makes some employees perform better than others? What makes some employees seem better satisfied in their jobs than others? In what ways can management improve the motivation of their employees? All organizations are concerned with what should be done to achieve sustained high levels of performance through people. This means that, there is the need to give close attention to how individuals can best be motivated either through such means as incentives, rewards, leadership and importantly the work they do and the organizational context within which they carry out that work. This is very important because according to Reece and Brandt (1996:234) they identified the importance of the emotional factor at work. Emotions play a critical role in the success of every organization, yet many people in key decision- making positions (leaders) with outstanding technical and financial skills fail to understand the important role emotions play in a work setting. In part, the problem can be traced to leadership training that emphasizes that doing business is a purely rational or logical process. These authors further emphasize that the cost of ignoring the emotional factor at work can be costly to companies in the form of lawsuits, resignation and death of valuable employees, etc. PROBLEM STATEMENT There are many and varied reasons why managers are continually under distress in many organizations. Resources both human and material as well as technology are but a few issues confronting managers daily. More importantly, the human aspect has questions that have perplexed and fascinated managers for a long time. These questions include: What makes some employees perform better than others? What makes some employees seem better satisfied in their jobs than others? How can we improve the motivation and overall job satisfaction of our employees? There are no easy answers to these questions, yet they plague managers in their day to day running of organizations. The reality is that the level of employee motivation affects their morale, performance and overall job satisfaction PROBLEM ANALYSIS DIAGRAM Employee Commitment Increases Profit Margins Effect of Motivation Increases Performance Job Satisfaction RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. To what extent does motivation lead to increases in job satisfaction? 2. To what extent does motivation lead to increases in performance? 3. Is there any relationship between increases in profit margins and job satisfaction? OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY GENERAL OBJECTIVES To establish the impact of motivation on job satisfaction and to propose alternative strategy or recommendation to enhance job satisfaction at the workplace. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 1. To examine whether motivation leads to an increase job satisfaction. 2. To assess whether motivation leads to an increase in performance. 3. To investigate whether motivation is the factor to increases in profit margin. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The fundamental purpose of this research is to determine the main causes of satisfaction and dissatisfaction amongst a group of employees within the frame work of the Herzberg study. This research is important or beneficial because: 1. It will broaden management’s insight that motivation plays a key role in the overall job satisfaction of employees. 2. It will enable managers to understand the factors and processes that are internal and external to the individual employee in an organization that have an effect in his/her behavior and performance. 3. It will also assist managers to devise strategies that sustain a highly motivated workforce so that the end result is that all stakeholders are content with the performance of the enterprise. 4. By understanding motivational issues behind employees, managers can systematically develop strategies to deal with motivational problems. RESEARCH DESIGN As part of our data collection method, we intend using qualitative and quantitative techniques. The research design we are going to use will be based on the descriptive design. For a comprehensive insight into our methodology kindly see the third chapter. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study is divided into five chapters. The first chapter looks at the background of the study, objectives of the study, the research hypothesis and significance of the study. Chapter two reviews existing literature in the area of the study, while chapter three discusses the methodology applied in collecting and analyzing data. Methodology is followed by the processing and analysis of the data as well as the findings from the study. The final chapter covers conclusions, recommendation and references. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 1 INTRODUCTION Understanding the theory and application of motivation is important in managing human resources for organizational success. This is more critical today due to the ever changing business environment organizations find themselves or operate. The relationship between job satisfaction, motivation, and efficiency or productivity is very important in the business industry as well as in personal life. Long term research has found that the single greatest predictor of longevity is work satisfaction. Work is one third to one half of a persons’ lifetime, and if frustrated the mental and physical effects are very costly. Job characteristics including skill variety, task identity, and task significance lead to psychological conditions in which in turn leads to increased motivation, performance and job satisfaction. It is important to investigate this area in order to determine how much of an effect does overall job satisfaction, motivation and productivity has on each other. It is also important to research the relationship between motivation and job satisfactions because it can assist businesses in designing and manufacturing an environment to maximize productivity and efficiency while keeping their employees satisfied. Finally, it is significant to study motivation and job satisfaction because it can help people better understand what job will best suit them to be motivated and satisfied while making a difference in the productivity level. As part of the research into establishing a correlation between motivation and job satisfaction, this chapter seeks to capture the relevant literature and concepts of motivation and job satisfaction. 2. 2 MOTIVATION THEORIES The fundamental approaches to motivation are underpinned by motivation theory. The most influential theories are classified as: content theories and process theories. Content theory: It focuses on the content of motivation and the nature of needs. It states that motivation is essentially about taking action to satisfy needs, and identifies the main needs that influence behavior that is those specific things that actually motivates the individual at the work place. Process theory: In process theory, the emphasis is on the psychological processes or forces that affect people’s perceptions of their working environment and the ways in which they interpret and understand it. According to Guest (1992a) in Armstrong M, process theory provides a much more relevant approach to motivation than the theories of Maslow and Hertzberg, which, he suggests, have been shown by extensive research to be wrong. Process or cognitive theory can certainly be more useful to managers than needs theory because it provides more realistic guidance on motivation techniques. MASLOW’S NEEDS THEORY The most famous need classification was formulated by Maslow (1954) in Armstrong M, a human relationist, argued that people are motivated to satisfy five need levels. Among these are: Physiological need, this talk about the basic needs of life which are need for oxygen, food, water, clothing, shelter and sex that present basic issues of survival and biological function. In organizations these needs are generally satisfied by adequate wages and work environment itself, which provides restrooms, adequate lighting, comfortable temperatures and ventilation. Safety, the need for protection against danger and the deprivation of physiological needs. Social, the need for love, affection and acceptance. A manager can help satisfy these needs by allowing social interaction and making employees feel like part of a team or work group. Esteem needs actually comprises two different sets of needs: the need for a positive self image and self respect and the need for recognition and respect from others. A manager can help address these needs by providing various extrinsic symbols of accomplishment; the manager can provide challenging job assignments and opportunities for the employees to feel a sense of accomplishment. Self-fulfillment (self- actualization), the need to develop potentialities and skills to become what one believes he is capable of becoming. The self actualization needs are perhaps the most difficult for a manager to address. In fact, it can be argued that these needs must be met entirely from within the individual. But a manager can help by promoting a culture wherein self- actualization is possible. For instance, a manager could give employees a chance to participate in decision making about their work and opportunity to learn new skills. Maslow (1954) in Armstrong M, suggests that the five needs categories constitute a hierarchy. An individual is motivated first and foremost to satisfy physiological needs. As long as they remain unsatisfied, the individual is motivated only to fulfill them. When satisfaction of physiological needs is achieved, they cease to act as primary motivational factors and the individual moves up with the hierarchy and become concerned with security needs. This process continues until the individual reaches the self actualization level. Maslow’s concept of the need hierarchy has a certain intuitive appeal and has been accepted by many managers. However, it has not been verified by empirical research and it has been criticized for its apparent rigidity. Different people may have different priorities and it is difficult to accept that people’s needs progress steadily up the hierarchy. Infact, Maslow himself expressed doubts about the validity of a strictly ordered hierarchy. Some research for example McClelland has found that, the five levels of needs are not always present and that the order of the levels is not always the same as postulated by Maslow. In addition people from different cultures are likely to have different needs categories and hierarchies. McClelland NEEDS THEORY. McClelland(1975) in Roberts,H. k. & Hunt identifies three needs that motivates managers and agrees with Maslow(1954) that needs motives are part of the personality, which he believes are triggered off by environmental factors. He further identifies these most important needs as: The need for achievement, The best known of the three, is the desire to accomplish a goal or task more effectively than in the past. People with a high need achievement have the desire to assume personal responsibility, a tendency to set moderately difficult goals, a desire for specific and immediate feedback, and pre occupation with their tasks. David McClelland, the psychologist who first identified this need, argues that only about 10 percent of the US population has a high need for achievement. The need for Affiliation Affiliation is a desire for human companionship and acceptance. People with strong need for affiliation are likely to prefer (and perform better in) a job that entails a lot of social interaction and offer opportunities to make friends. The need for power The need for power is basically a concern for influencing people- to be strong and influential. They are likely to be happy in jobs that give them control over budget, people and decision making. OTHER MOTIVATIONAL THEORIES ADERFER ERG THEORY Aderfer (1972), in John M. Ivancevich describes a three level hierarchy, compared to the five levels proposed by Maslow. These include: 1. Existence Needs- this category is grounded in the survival or continued existence, of the person. As such, it would include many of the issues covered by the physiological and safety needs identified by Maslow. . Relatedness Needs- this category is based on the need for people to live and function in a social environment. It would embrace the need to be part of a group and belong to a valued organization. It incorporates many of the issues covered by the safety, belonging and esteem described by Maslow. 3. Growth Needs- this category is grounded in the need for people to develop their poten tial. As such it would cover the self-actualization and much of the esteem needs described by Maslow. HERZBERGS TWO FACTOR MODEL The two-factor model of satisfiers and dissatisfiers was developed by Herzberg et al (1957) in Armstrong M, following an investigation into the sources of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction of accountants and engineers. It was assumed that people have the capacity to report accurately the conditions that made them satisfied and dissatisfied with their jobs. Accordingly, the subjects were asked to tell their interviewers about the times during which they felt exceptionally good and exceptionally bad about their jobs and how long their feelings persisted. It was found that the accounts of ‘good’ periods most frequently concerned the content of the job, particularly achievement, recognition, advancement, autonomy and the work itself. On the other hand, accounts of ‘bad’ periods most frequently concerned the context of the job. Company policy and administration, supervision, salary and working conditions more frequently appeared in these accounts than in those told about ‘good’ periods. These categorized into two types of motivation as Intrinsic Motivation: the self- generated factors that influence people to behave in a particular way or to move in a particular direction. These factors include responsibility (feeling that the work is important and having control over one’s own resource) autonomy (freedom to act), scope to use and develop skills and abilities. Interesting and challenging work and opportunities for advancement. Extrinsic Motivation- what is done to or for people to motivate them? This includes: rewards such as increased pay, praise or promotions, punishment such as disciplinary action, withholding pay or criticism. Frederick Herzberg theory had close links with Maslow’s and believed in a two factor theory of motivation. He stressed that, certain factors could be introduced into a business that will directly motivate an employee to work harder (Motivators) included are achievement, recognition, responsibility and advancement. However, other factors called (Hygiene factors) de-motivate an employee. The most common hygiene factors, or dissatisfies include: company policy and administration, supervision, salary, interpersonal relationship and working condition. Hygiene factors are factors which â€Å"surround the job† rather than the job itself. Importantly, Herzberg viewed pay as a hygiene factor which is in direct contrast to Taylor who viewed pay and piece-rate in particular. Herzberg believed that business should motivate employees by adopting a democratic approach to management and by improving the nature and content of the actual job through certain methods. Some of the methods managers could use to achieve this are: Job Enlargement- workers being given a greater variety of tasks to perform (not necessarily more challenging) which should make the work more interesting. Job Enrichment- the design of jobs so that they contain a greater number of motivators which involves workers being given a wider range of more complex, interesting and challenging tasks surrounding a complete unit of work. This should give a greater sense of achievement. Empowerment- means delegating more power to employees to make their own decisions over areas of their working life. For the purpose of this research, emphasis will be laid on Herzberg two-factor model. Though recognition is identified as a motivator by Herzberg, Miller (2002:15) mentions four common incentives (money, contests and competition, recognition including praise and rewards, and disciplinary action) thought to motivate others, but they discourage intrinsic motivation. She says the key to performance is to create an environment for intrinsic motivation, using four incentives (competency, empathy, autonomy and fulfillment). Green (2000:155) captures this issue well when he says employees are motivated by what they intrinsically believe is going to happen, not by what managers promise (extrinsic) will happen. Managers can motivate employees by setting in motion the conditions required for motivation namely, confidence, trust and satisfaction and creating an environment that reinforces those conditions. Pollock (2002:10) recognizes three of Hertzberg’s motivators as being crucial in motivating people. These are recognition, interesting work and responsibility. He says, over and above monetary rewards, what people crave is praise. They need assurance that their efforts are known, valued, and appreciated. Sometimes all it takes to satisfy this deep desire is a sincere well done†, preferably delivered in front of their peers. Making peoples work interesting means driving away bore doom because it’s a great de-motivator. Make their work meaningful and you will spur them to realize their own highest potential. Giving people additional responsibilities implies not only giving them extra work, but work that is important and requires a higher level of knowledge and skill. GOAL THEORY Goal theory as developed by Latham and Locke (1979), states that motivation and performance are higher when individual set specific goals, when goals are difficult but accepted and when there is feedback on performance. The implication of goal theory is that, goals set by management should be challenging enough but realistic. Participation in goal setting is important as a means of getting agreement to setting higher goals. People strive to achieve goals in order to satisfy their emotions and desires. Goals guide people’s response and actions and also direct work behavior and performance which lead to certain consequences or feedback. The feedback should be complete, accurate and timely in order to provide a means of checking progress on goal attainment 2. 3 JOB SATISFACTION THEORY VIE THEORY This theory is derived from the expectancy theory of Vroom, by Porter and Lawler (1968)in Armstrong M. In addition to three basic components of valence, instrumentality, and expectancy, this model incorporates abilities and traits, role perceptions, intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, and the perceived equity of the rewards. The model assumes that, for an effort to translate into a desired level of performance, the person must have the ability to perform well (abilities and traits), and he must understand the demands of his job (role clarity). The model acknowledges that people work for both extrinsic rewards, such as money and promotions, and intrinsic rewards, such as pride in ones work and a sense of accomplishment. The model assumes that the level of performance a person attains will affect the level of rewards he perceives to be equitable. Specifically, if a person expends a great amount of effort that culminates in high performance levels, he will perceive that he deserves a substantial reward. (Dipboye, Smith, and Howell, 1994:( 116-177). Job satisfaction is the met expectations or desires of a job. I t is a collective term of specific attitudes about work or job and it varies as a function of other non-work attitudes (age, health, etc. ). Genetic research suggests that 30% to 40% of job satisfaction is inherited. Job satisfaction and life satisfaction are interrelated and influence each other. A Gallup poll indicates that approximately 10% to 13% of workers are dissatisfied, while about 85% of workers are satisfied. Other surveys asking questions in a different manner suggests that more workers are dissatisfied. Job satisfaction varies with the type of occupation, for example, higher management means more satisfaction. Personal characteristics of workers also have an impact on job satisfaction. Job satisfaction increases age. Whites have greater job satisfaction than non-whites. The level of education is slightly negatively related to job satisfaction. If personal skills and abilities are not required by a job, job satisfaction decreases. When a person is wage may be the most important variable to job satisfaction. High job satisfaction is associated with low turnover and low absenteeism and with high commitment. Although the evidence is not conclusive, high job satisfaction is associated with high performance and prosocial behaviors. . 4 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOTIVATION, JOB SATISFACTION AND MONEY The basic requirement for job satisfaction may include comparatively higher pay, an equitable payment system, real opportunities for promotion, considerate and participative management, a reasonable degree of social interaction at work, interesting and varied tasks and a high degree of autonomy: control o ver work pace and work methods. The degree of satisfaction obtained by individuals, however, depends largely upon their own needs and expectations, and the working environment. The level of job satisfaction is affected by intrinsic and extrinsic motivating factors, the quality of supervision, social relationships with the work group and the degree to which individuals succeed or fail in their work. Purcell et al(2003)in Armstrong M, believe that discretionary behavior which helps the firm to be successful is most likely to happen when employees are well motivated and feel committed to the organization and when the job gives them high levels of satisfaction. Their research found that the key factors affecting job satisfaction were opportunities, job influence, teamwork and job challenge. 2. BENEFITS OF EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION. * Increases Productivity Skilled and motivated people work harder and better in improving productivity. Incentive programs promote productivity in a number of ways . Employees are often motivated for reaching targets or for good work done in general. These motivations vary but the main aim is to encourage employees to work towards company goals. With the promise of motivation and clearly defined targets, employees are more productive and motivated. * Reduce Absenteeism The bottom line with motivation programs comes down to the very simple fact that people like been rewarded for hard work and a job well done. The rewards are only part of the equation. Motivation schemes show employees the company cares and appreciates the work they are doing. If an employee feels appreciated and has clear targets that result in rewards then they are more likely to want to come to work. * Increased Company Morale Rewards, incentives and recognition make for a happy, harmonious working environment. Goal setting and targeting objectives helps with focus and purpose . Employee motivation programs offer all of these things and are highly conducive to company morale. Increases in company morale helps reduce absenteeism and overall company cost. Public Recognition. Investor in people status brings public recognition for real achievements measured against a rigorous national standard. Investing in people helps to attract the best job applicant. It may also provide a reason for customers to choose specific goods and services. CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3. 1 INTRODUCTION This chapter explains how data was c ollected for the study. It also deals with the research tools used to gather the data, the method used or adopted in analyzing the data and the problems encountered during the process of data collection. The chapter distinctively discusses the following: * Sources of data * Research design * Population of the study * Sampling * Sampling procedures * Data collection techniques * Data analysis * Constraints The proposed methods adopted were structured towards the collection of data from primary and secondary sources. On the basis of the literature review, the existing acqiutance of the theme under discussion— definition, motivation, job satisfaction, motivation theories, job satisfaction theories thus its impact on employee job satisfaction fell under the following broad headings: * Definitions of motivation Job satisfaction * Motivation theories * Job satisfaction theory 3. 2 Data Sources The researchers used secondary and primary data to facilitate the data build up for the research. This was done through the use of questionnaires. The secondary sources of data collection included: * Textbooks of relevant importance to the research topic. * Published articles in Psychology and motivation journals 3. 3 Research Design The model used for this study was the descriptive research design. This design was chosen because it is on one of the best research designs which are deemed appropriate when a researcher attempts to describe some aspects of a population by selecting an unbiased sample of individuals who are asked to complete questionnaire. 3. 4 Population of the study The population of the study comprised of 50 employees of SSNIT. This population provided the researchers with all inclusive views from diverse perspectives on the effect of motivation on employee job satisfaction. 3. 5 Sample Size The sample size for the study was thirty (30) employees of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT). Due to responses of constraints the sample size was reduced to 20. 3. 6 Sampling procedure Because the researchers wanted to select their sample from a population which is diverse based on management hierarchy, we used stratified sampling to group our sample population into a strata based on management hierarchy at SSNIT. The population was grouped according to low level management, middle level management and top level management. After stratified sampling, we then use simple random sampling to select our target group of thirty(30) from the sample population of fifty(50). The reason was to give everybody an equal opportunity of being chosen or captured. 3. 7 Method of data collection A combination of primary and secondary data was used to acquire information. The secondary data was collected by going directly to some of the data sources. The primary data on the other hand was collected by the use of questionnaires. All the questionnaires were designed with both open ended and closed ended questions. 3. 8 Data collection All data was collected concurrently, that is both secondary and primary data were collected simultaneously. 3. 9 Data Analysis Various respondents provided series of data for the making of the research report, all data collected was coded and edited to eliminate all errors and information that did not fall within the objectives. The researchers then used the information provided by respondents and analyzed the information by the use of report, using tables, charts and so on. 3. 10 Constraints In carrying out the research, the researchers encountered some problems. Thus, the refusal of the organization to release certain important data needed for the project, especially, the historical data pertaining to human resource. The researchers could not get these data as they were deemed too confidential because of fear of competitors getting hold of them. This therefore imposed a limitation on the study. Another problem was time constraint and also inabilities to respond to the questionaires. Only twenty were responded to. Financial constraint was also a factor. CHAPTER FOUR RESULTS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 4. 1 Introduction This chapter describes the responses to a series of questions designed to examine the impact of motivation on job satisfaction. The chapter begins with the findings about motivation and its impact on job satisfaction on SSNIT. The questionnaires administered were 50 employees through stratified sampling out of which 30 was picked based on simple random sampling. 4. 2 1. LENGTH OF SERVICE AT SSNIT TABLE 1. OPINIONS| NO. OF RESPONSE| PERCENTAGE (%)| 0-1 years| 4| 20| 2-4 years| 8| 40| 5-10 years| 5| 25| Above 10 years| 3| 15| Total| 20| 100| SOURCE OF DATA (FIELD DATA) DECEMBER 2010 GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF TABLE 1 The respondents length of service at SSNIT were sought to determine how long they have been working there. According to the table above, 40 % of respondents constituted those who fall within (2-4 years). That is, they have been employees for two to four years. Those who have been employees for five to ten years made up 25% which was the next highest (5-10 years). Also, 20% represented those who fell between (0-1) years. They have only served a year at the time the questionnaires were administered. Lastly, 15% of respondents were within the above ten years group. From the above, it can be observed that the organization (SSNIT) has a young and fresh workforce which constitutes the bulk or majority of their employees. . Think of a time at work when you felt especially bad about your job, an incident or incidents which had a long lasting effect on you, and which led to bad feelings. Describe the circumstances, and how your work was influenced by it or them. TABLE TWO. INCIDENTS THAT CAUSED DISSATISFACTION OPINIONS| NO. OF RESPONSE| PERCENTAGE (%)| COMPANY POLICY| 8| 40| OTHERS| 6| 30| WORK IT SELF| 3| 15| INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS| 3| 15| TOTAL| 20| 100| SOURCE OF DATA (FIELD DATA) DECEMBER 2010 GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF TABLE 2. INCIDENTS THAT CAUSED DISSATISFACTION COMPANY POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION (40%) The majority of cases (40%) in the sample mentioned this factor as a major cause of unhappiness at SSNIT. OTHERS (30%) This was mentioned as the second strongest factor that contributes to job dissatisfaction and was experienced by people who did not choose any of the stated factors. They responded to none of them. WORK ITSELF (15%) This contributed to job dissatisfaction in 15% of the cases and related to the content of the job. INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS (15%) This also contributed to job dissatisfaction in 15% of the cases related alongside work itself. 4. 4 4. Which of the following gives you Job Satisfaction? TABLE THREE: CAUSES OF SATISFACTION OPINIONS| NO. OF RESPONSE| PERCENTAGE (%)| Work Achievement| 6| 30| Recognition| 4| 20| Work Itself| 2| 10| Promotion/Advancement| 3| 15| Salary| 3| 15| Others(please specify)| 2| 10| Total| 20| 100| SOURCE OF DATA (FIELD DATA) DECEMBER 2010 GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF TABLE 3. Regarding the issue of which motivating factor gave them job satisfaction, 30% of respondents felt work achievement gave them satisfaction according to the table. This means they value a sense of achievement for the accomplishment of some milestone set by the individual himself or supervisor. Also, 20% of respondents felt recognition was what gave them satisfaction. They felt issues like recognition for job well done, good idea, appreciation, positive feedback and simply a tap on the back to acknowledge them was most important to them. Those who chose the work itself constituted 10% as can be seen from the table above. The design of the work and the demands is enough to keep them satisfied. Advancement and salary equally had 15%. Some based their satisfaction on increments in salaries whiles others taught promotion or advancement was their main satisfiers. They all recorded 15% each as can be seen from the table. Lastly, others represented 10% and they simply did not agree with the above motivation factors or had a different set of opinion. Bateman (2004) views motivation as forces that energize, direct and sustain a person’s effort. He says that all behaviors except involuntary reflexes like eye blinks (which usually have little to do with management) are motivated. A highly motivated employee will work hard towards achieving performance goals. With adequate ability and understanding of the job, such an employee will be highly productive. An aspect of the definition implies that people have certain beliefs about which behaviors or actions will help them satisfy their needs. This belief may or may not be accurate but they help guide behavior. From the table above, you find out that if the organization (SSNIT) wants to know whether their employees are satisfied or not then they must pursue the motivating factor of work itself. That is they have to continually design the work and its demand to suit employees. 5. which of the following gives you job dissatisfaction TABLE FOUR: CAUSES OF JOB DISSATISFACTION OPINIONS| NO. OF RESPONSE| PERCENTAGE | Lack of Recognition| 9| 45| Company Policy| 3| 15| Low Salary| 5| 25| Technical Supervision| -| -| Work Itself| 3| 15| Others(please specify if any)| -| -| Total| 20| 100| SOURCE OF DATA (FIELD DATA) DECEMBER 2010 GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF TABLE 4 Respondents were also asked which of the above in table five gave them job dissatisfaction. In other words which of the above make them not fell satisfied about their work. Lack of recognition was the most important demotivator that caused dissatisfaction constituting 45% of respondents. They feel the contributions they make towards organizational accomplishment is not appreciated. They are not congratulated for good work done in the midst of their colleagues or their ideas accepted and appreciated. This was followed by 25% of respondents who felt low salary was a dissatisfier. Company policy and work itself represented 15% equally. The views were taken from a total of 20 respondents. From the above, it can be clearly seen that lack of recognition was the strongest dissatisfier. According to Herzberg (1959) this falls under extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation is what is done to or for people to motivate them. This includes rewards, punishment and recognition or praise. In this case the failure of management of SSNIT to recognize their contribution is a dissatisfier. CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 5. 0 Introduction Motivation is a major issue in every organization. Any organization that fails to motivate its employees usually faces the severe consequence of low morale. Motivation plays a significant role in the attainment of competitive advantage and job satisfaction in every organization. Findings from the analyzed data were related to the objectives of the research in this chapter. It concluded with a general summary, findings, summary of findings, conclusion and recommendation providing suggestions on how motivation is a tool to achieve job satisfaction in SSNIT. 5. 1 SUMMARY The findings from the empirical research have indicated that 30% of the respondents ranked work achievement as number one motivator for job satisfaction from a list of five factors. This contrasts with what earlier researchers adduced that total compensation and emotions were the real motivators. The reason for this could be mainly due to the fact that workers have a desire to accomplish a goal or task. People with a high need achievement have desire to assume personal responsibility, a tendency to set moderately difficult goals, a desire for specific and immediate feedback, and pre occupation with their tasks. There is the need for a motivation model that considers work achievement as a motivator to achieve job satisfaction. On the other hand, 45% of the respondents ranked lack of recognition as number one de-motivator for job dissatisfaction from a list of five. Workers want to be recognized and their contribution and ideas appreciated and also praised for a job well done. If this is absent, then it could pose significant consequences to job satisfaction. Management should ensure that workers contributions are recognized and appreciated so that they do not feel disheartened. 5. 2 CONCLUSION The conclusions are based on the gaps in the motivation theory, the assumptions on motivation and the motivation framework. The theories reviewed in this study have not eluded criticism. Indeed none of the theories were developed in Africa. Before they are acted upon therefore their relevance should be evaluated and integrated into the local organizational circumstances. Managers (supervisors) often assume that it is difficult to motivate people and that motivated workers perform better contributing to achieve organizational goals. This study has indicated that (work achievement) is a fundamental ingredient in the motivation recipe. The question of whether work achievement should be number one motivator to achieve job satisfaction has remained complex. Jobs that provide a sense of achievement and recognition may be satisfying to some individuals, as the survey results have indicated, because there is a sense of achievement when they accomplish goals set by themselves or management. However others may ot find it satisfying as compared to salary or company policy. Motivating workers is critical to the organizations success but it is an enigmatic concept. This study has not provided specific answers given the complexity and the multi-facetted nature of motivation. Instead job satisfaction guidelines have been developed and murky areas highlighted to tri gger an innovative approach towards managing job satisfaction and motivation issues. 5. 3 RECOMMENDATIONS The points discussed indicates that debates on whether or not work achievement is a motivator are not yet resolved. Infact this study will instead set the debate in motion. In the discussion work achievement was the number one satisfier contributing 30%. For work achievement to ensure job satisfaction, certain conditions must be met: According to Frederick Hertzberg, business should motivate employees by adopting a democratic approach to management and by improving the nature and content of the actual job through certain methods. Some of the methods managers could use to achieve this are: Job Enrichment-the design of jobs so that they contain a greater number of motivators which involves workers being given a wider range of more complex, interesting and challenging tasks surrounding a complete unit of work. This should give a greater sense of work achievement. The statistics of the responses given by the employees makes it significantly clear that motivation goes beyond work achievement to achieve job satisfaction. Many put significant premium on the work itself, recognition, advancement, salary, company policy among other needs. Managers must therefore make conscious efforts to understand the needs of employees at any point in time and meet them appropriately and not only rely on work achievement as the sole tool for job satisfaction. If the above conditions are fulfilled, then, work achievement can be used as a motivational tool for achieving job satisfaction and even competitive advantage. However, as already noted above some conditions are difficult to fulfill. On the otherhand,45% of respondents chose lack of recognition as the factor that gave them job dissatisfaction or dissatisfier. Dissatisfiers essentially describe the environment and serve primarily to prevent job dissatisfaction. This means that the workers at SSNIT feel their work is not appreciated or recognized. Workers want to be recognized whether a note or praise, for example a manager saying ‘good idea’, well done and was in the form of appreciation, positive feedback, positive compliments and admiration. The management of SSNIT should ensure that the contributions made by employees is recognized and appreciated and it will go a long way to achieve job satisfaction and competitive advantage. Skilled and motivated workforce can be a source of competitive advantage in today’s ever dynamic and turbulent business environment. 5. 4 TO FUTURE RESEARCHERS The findings in this research revealed a significant tradeoff between work achievement and other factors regarding those factors that gave them satisfaction. We recommend that subsequent research on this topic critically examines the rate of this tradeoff between work achievement and the other factors. And perhaps researchers may dare to exclude work achievement from the factors in subsequent studies in order to fairly examine the strengths of other factors against each other to achieve job satisfaction among employees.

Meaning of Life and Success Essay

The most important thing in my life is thought to be happiness. In order to achieve success you must adjust to very situation with ease. Success is it the process of doing a task and receiving a positive result, or is it simply achieving one’s own personal goals. According to The American Heritage dictionary success is, â€Å"the achievement of something desired, planned, or attempt†. The word success itself means to achieve your goal or get the point that you looking for. Some people success meant to them to be rich or to finish school and work high pay jobs. But for me success means more than that. Success means to me have peace and love; also to get married and to enter heaven after this life is over. To be sure, everybody who has peace and love is a successful succeeding person. Without peace and love there is no success. You wake up in the morning and you don’t worry about anything that day; that is success for me, because the life is short, you don’t have to be concerned about anything. Also if you have a family that loves you and is always happy for what you are doing, that is success. In addition, if you take care of your old parents and they love you and they live a happy life, which is success for me. Additionally, success is also something that is viewed differently in the eyes of everyone. This is because success means doing what I have always wanted do being where I have always wanted to be. My goal in life is to eventually get married to a good wife and have many happy children and if I accomplished that, then I could view myself as having success. Lastly, meaning of success for me is to enter the heaven after this life is over. We know that life in this world is too short, and we don’t know when we are going to die and what we are going to get after this life. That is a simple answer; do good deeds in this world and you are going to be successful in the life hereafter. That means you enter the heaven for sure and that is big reward from God to his mankind. There is no dying after this life; that means if you don’t enter the heaven you will be the loser and who ever go in the heaven will be the winner. In conclusion, I still agree with the idea I presented: however according to the dictionary and many other resources, success means to them achievement. But according to my own opinion success means to believe the ones of God, and to have peace and love in your whole life, and to get in heaven the life hereafter.

Apple Inc., 2008 Case Study

Executive Overview Apple has been established for over 30 years since Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computer in 1976. During Steven Jobs’s tenure as CEO, Apple’s mission was to bring an easy-to-use computer to market. However, Apple was not performing as good as Jobs projected, so he resigned in 1985. In the following 12 years, Apple experienced three different CEO’s and still could not be brought back to life. Under John Sculley, Apple worked to drive down costs by switching much of its manufacturing to subcontractors. But these efforts were not enough to sustain Apple’s profitability. During the Michael Spindler years, international growth became a key objective for Apple. Yet despite Spindler’s efforts, Apple lost momentum. Soon after Gilbert Amelio replaced Spindler as CEO, he proclaimed that Apple would return to its premium-price differentiation strategy. Despite some austerity moves, Apple lost its competitiveness and could not regain its share in the market. In 1997, Steve Jobs came back again as the CEO of Apple. This time he had a new game plan, and Apple started to focus on the digital lifestyle for consumers. Internally, Jobs worked to streamline operations and to reinvigorate innovation. This proved to be Apple’s most successful business strategy to date because a once ineffective company now has ruled the computer world. In order to understand this situation, Apples competitive advantages and industry forces must be analyzed. Competitive Advantages Apple has been in business since 1976, and has built quite a few competitive advantages along the way. Obviously, innovation has been at the forefront of Apple’s ability to compete in the world market. Other than that advantage, brand loyalty, product differentiation, superior quality, and retail strategy are also its advantages when competing with other brands. Innovation Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak sparked the PC revolution, making the world of computers on Apple’s head. The Apple II launched in 1978 drove the PC industry to $1 billion in annual sales in less than three years. Even if initially regarded as a toy by many other businesses, Apple soon revealed itself as a feasible substitute to the traditional mainframe. It continued to demonstrate its ingenuity. For example, it was the first to introduce a computer with color, a graphical interface, and many other firsts. These inventions defined Apple and its business strategies. On the basis of its all bundled package of hardware and software, Apple became synonymous with usability. Brand Loyalty In 1998, Jobs recognized that customers really wanted a Macintosh. Apples brand commitment is strong. Since 1970s, Apple user communities have been founded to connect together with enthusiasms. One of the main reasons to this is Apples ease of use. Adding extra hardware and software to a Mac is almost as easy as plugging speakers into a stereo system. Due to this advantage, Apple forms a strong relationship with its consumers, especially within the education and desktop publishing industries, which accounted for 60% and 80% of its market position respectively during the Spindler years. Product Differentiation Apple’s system continues to be one of the advantages because its closed operating system is not subject to the computer viruses and hacking that often destroy the Microsoft Windows operating system. In marketing its Mac products, Apple stressed characteristics that differentiated them form other PCs while also highlighted their interoperability with other machines. Apple trumpeted the Mac as an â€Å"Everything-ready† device that worked well with other devices. The feature of the closed system while incorporating well with other devices makes Apple more unique than other PCs. Superior Quality Apple’s high-quality bundled software distinguished the Macintosh line, such as iLife suite and iWork. In 2001, Apple introduced MAC OS X, offering a steadier environment than previous Mac platforms. In addition, Apple always urged its users to upgrade OS X every 12 to 18 months, with the aim of always providing a stable operating system to its users. Retail Strategy After Jobs returned to Apple, he revamped Apple’s distribution system, removing relationships with many smaller outlets and extending its presence in national chains. In 1997, Apple also started a website to sell its products directly to customers. Its retail strategy was regarded as a huge success. More importantly, people who visited the stores for iPod products usually checked the Mac too. This â€Å"halo effect† greatly benefited Apple’s Mac business. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis of Apple Current Competition Apple’s current rivalry is very competitive and intense. The PC industry has quite low switching costs, so the current competition is pretty high. Apple confronts tough competition from IBM, Dell, HP, and etc. Threat of Substitute Products The more differentiation of the product, the less likely the change to a substitute will happen. Apple’s operating system differentiation can always require higher pricing. However, owing to technology improvement, the â€Å"digital convergence† of PC and CE (consumer electronics) products has become more substantial in the PC market. Many different alternative devices have started to replace PCs. Therefore, this threat is becoming higher to Apple. Threat of New Entrants This threat is low since the existing companies have established powerful brand awareness. The computer industry is very saturated and new entrants would be reluctant to enter this industry. Bargaining Power of Suppliers There are two types of suppliers: microprocessors and operating systems with few sources as well as memory chips, disk drives, and keyboards with many sources. The bargaining power of the former one is high since there are mainly two sources: Intel and Microsoft. The bargaining power of the latter one is low since numerous suppliers exist in this industry. Bargaining Power of Customers As mentioned earlier, the switching costs are low. Such situation places the customers in a strong position that only companies with high product differentiation could increase the switching costs. Since product differentiation is one of Apple’s advantages to compete in this market, the bargaining power of buyers is not high to Apple. Conclusion Generally speaking, the PC industry is an intensely competitive segment. With technology undergoing paradigm changes, it could make life hard for Apple to deal with these shifts. These dynamics does not seem advantageous for Apple but simultaneously Apple has been able to maintain its technological brain and designer approach to walk away from this difficult position. Actually, Apple could transform some of these problematic features into opportunities. We all know that a key factor in bringing people into the stores is the popularity of the iPod. Most of the time, the purpose of People coming to the stores is not for Mac. No matter what brings customers to Apple stores, Apple should take advantage of this chance. This halo effect needs to be capitalized to the maximum extent. In addition, although some people complain Apple’s closed operating system, it is still seen as a secure, safe, and reliable system. Apple should try to make its system less closed, incorporating more other devices. Thus, people can use Apple more easily without too much restriction.

Sustainble business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sustainble business - Essay Example Social, economic, and environmental issues caused by businesses have prompted firms to act against the negative impacts of their operations (Folke & Gunderson, 2010). In essence, businesses are increasingly embracing green operations and/or strategies. The idea of sustainability is to ensure that business decisions account for the welfare of the entire society. In this respect, businesses are developing green products, employing sustainability-driven production mechanisms, or promoting environmentally friendly means of doing business. The ultimate objective is to shift from traditional competition practices to contemporary and greener modes of business within a highly competitive setting. The theory of sustainable business is subject to the influence of four major pillars, namely: economics, ecology, social science, and evolution (Holling, 2000). These pillars inform the completeness of sustainable business theories. The economic factor is critical in explaining both business and social welfare in the society. Business operations that negate the economic welfare of the masses fail to account for sustainable business practices. Drawing from principles of economics, sustainable business has to be financially viable and most importantly fit for future generations. Ecology and sustainable business connect based on maintaining, conserving, and protecting dynamic systems that define environmental relationships. Ecological systems host diverse and dynamic species, all of which compete with one another in many different ways. In this respect, sustainable business cannot afford to destroy ecological relationships that define people-nature interactions. Moreover, social science and evolution also play a central role as far as sustainable business is concerned. The interaction of people and nature crates many different developments that subsequently result in evolutionary processes (Penfield, 2008). For example,

What My Parents Told Me (How I learnt about sexuality) Essay

What My Parents Told Me (How I learnt about sexuality) - Essay Example That solely depends on one’s experiences. The experiences of one who has been sexually abused in the childhood or at the hands of a spouse can never be compared to those experienced by one who has always seen healthy romantic and sexual relationships. Love or hate about sex depends on how one perceives sex, and how one experiences sex in life. I have always been deprived of proper sexual education right from my adolescence into my adulthood, which led to my suffering from fear of sex, and HSSD later on in life. In this paper, I reflect upon how I learned about sex and sexuality when I was an adolescent, and how the lack of parental support and sex education led to my deteriorated concept of sex. I would also reflect upon why there is a need for a full fledge program regarding sexual education in schools. I would also describe what HSSD is, to explain what I was going through. To me, sex had always been a taboo. My parents had never spoken to me openly about sex and sexual issu es. When I stepped into adolescence, sex became a mystery thing for me. With no sexual education at home or in school, I thought about sex as a dangerous activity. Aunt Sally was there to guide me a bit. She had told me to go to her if a boy approached me or tried to lure me into sexual activities. She said, â€Å"When you start feeling like you want to be kissed by a boy come to me first, you and I will discuss birth control.† She wanted to tell me about birth control; however, her warning struck me in a negative sense, so I started fearing the word of sex and thought of it as a harmful activity. I was 12 at that time. My mother had told me her stories of horrible experiences about sex, and thus, I was unconsciously fearful about the whole thing. She was sexually abused at the hands of my step-father, and for her, sex was all about a dick and getting fucked. This story got validated when I was myself raped at the age of sixteen by my boyfriend. I had become pregnant, and I l ost my child five months later. This deteriorated the concept of sex and romantic love in my view. I had my first alive child when I was eighteen, in California. Even that did not improve my concept of sex. I was afraid to indulge in sexual activities or have a partner. I lost interest in sex, which proved that I was suffering from Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSSD). My body stopped responding to physical stimuli regarding sex. I never felt like advancing to solicit sexual desires, and I cringed when the sun would set. I gained no sexual knowledge from the media. Actually, I loathed media for exposing my and many others innocent children to a wrong perception of sex. When I reflect upon my life experiences about sex, I become convinced that United States should have a national policy on sex education (Lindberg & Maddow Zimet, 2012). Many advocates are working in collaboration with individuals from health sector and sexuality education, to bring forward national sexuality educa tion standards. The main objective of these national standards and policies is to offer understandable, reliable and simple assistance on the sexual education, which is right for the age and developmental phase of students belonging to Grades K–12. There is need for such a national policy that addresses the issue of minimum core content. In other words, educators and parents need to decide what minimum level of sexuality should be taught to what age. Should a second grader be taught what AIDS means and how it is transmitted? Should a third grader be made familiar with the birth control programs? There is need to devise such a policy that fosters age-appropriate sex education. Without such a national policy, it is very likely that our children will keep on getting indulged in

The Philosophy of Buddha Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Philosophy of Buddha - Term Paper Example Buddha taught four basic truths to people: Dukkha, Samudaya, Nirodha, Maggo. Dukkha According to Dukkha, â€Å"Birth is suffering, old age is suffering, disease is suffering, death is suffering, to be united with the unpleasant is suffering, to be separated from the pleasant is suffering, not to receive what one craves for is suffering, in brief the five Aggregates of Attachment are suffering †. Samudaya Samudaya says that â€Å" it is the desire which leads from rebirth to rebirth accompanied by the lust of passion, which delights now here now there; it is the craving for sensual pleasures, for existence and for annihilation†. Nirodha Nirodha says that â€Å"It is the remainderless, total annihilation of this very craving, the forsaking of it, the breaking loose, fleeing, deliverance from it."† Maggo It says that â€Å"It is the Noble Eightfold Path which consists of right understanding, right thoughts, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right endeavor, right mindfulness, and right concentration† From the study of these four truths, we see that their objective is that people should first understand these four truths, and then practically apply the knowledge from their understandings to their lives in order to gain happiness. Real happiness lies within oneself. These four truths can be experienced by people in daily life. Thus Buddhism can be considered as a practical philosophy. Buddha also gave the concept of Karma, according to which, a person’s actions in one age decide his state of existence in next stage. ... h delights now here now there; it is the craving for sensual pleasures (Kamatanha), for existence (Bhavatanha)7 and for annihilation (Vibhavatanha)."" Nirodha Nirodha says that "It is the remainderless, total annihilation of this very craving, the forsaking of it, the breaking loose, fleeing, deliverance from it."" Maggo It says that "It is the Noble Eightfold Path which consists of right understanding, right thoughts, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right endeavor, right mindfulness, and right concentration" 1 Bullen Leonard. Philosophy of Buddhism. 2007. V. Jayaram Buddha From the study of these four truths we see that their objective is that people should first understand these four truths, and then practically apply the knowledge from their understandings to their lives in order to gain happiness. Real happiness lies within oneself. These four truths can be experienced by people in daily life. Thus Buddhism can be considered as a practical philosophy. Buddha also gave the concept of Karma, according to which, a person's actions in one age decide his state of existence in next stage. There are different kinds of people in the world. Some of them face difficulties throughout their lives in spite of hard work and some of them achieve everything in spite of their lazy attitude. Some are born with saintly characteristics and others with criminal tendencies. The question arises, why there is such an inequality in world According to Buddhism this variation is due to our own karma, or in other words, due to the result of our own actions. We ourselves are responsible for our own actions and our state of life. Five Orders of Buddhism Buddhism says that there are five orders (Niyamas) which act on the physical and mental

Terrorism and civil liberties in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Terrorism and civil liberties in the UK - Essay Example The past two decades have brought forth a slew of harsher legislation   to deal with the problems of terrorism and deteriorating law and order, which seriously question former Prime Minister John Major’s contention that â€Å"we have no need of a Bill of Rights because we have freedom.†Ã‚   Some examples of the curbing of civil liberties of ordinary citizens are the curtailment of the right of public protest, control orders, indefinite detention and arrests without warrants.Public protests are generally encompassed within the framework of the right to free expression and free association   which is an essential part of a democracy. Restrictions on public gatherings, camping and other activities, to cope with criminal and terrorist elements, have resulted in a wider range of activities being construed as criminal offences.  Ã‚   Trespassing on land and refusing to leave when asked to do so by the police constitutes an offence . The Act also allows the police to pro hibit any gatherings of more than 20 people on any land â€Å"of historical, architectural, archaeological or scientific importance†Ã‚   by obtaining an order from a local authority to ban such an assembly if they have a reasonable suspicion that there could be disturbances . Such measures   have purportedly been introduced in the interest of controlling terrorism and public disorder, so that; â€Å"conduct which constitutes one or more offences shall be regarded as a serious  crime where it involves conduct by a large number of persons in pursuit of a common purpose.†

Business Relocating to Third World Countries Pay Cheap Essay

Business Relocating to Third World Countries Pay Cheap - Essay Example (Vestring Till et al, 2005) Source: Bain & Company, 2005. Reasons There are several reasons attributing to this shift of both the service sector and the manufacturing factories to third world countries. Apart from cheap labour that is available, people in these countries have become a highly educated workforce in terms of manufacturing, R&D and engineering. Countries like India and China have succeeded in providing cheap labour while at the same time maintaining quality. Data shows that 77 global companies have set shop in India. (Vestring Till et al, 2005) Cost of manufacturing in countries like Taiwan and Singapore is one fourth of the cost of manufacturing the same component in countries like Germany. Other reasons why some of these third world countries attract off shoring of factories is that it enables these MNC’s to expand market base. Having a manufacturing hub in Asia or Latin America helps them to cut transportation costs and engage in expanding business operations i n these countries. Emerson for example has put up shop in Asia and Mexico with its engineering and manufacturing being done at China, India and Philippines. Source: Bain & Company, 2005 Another major factor is the wide disparity in wages paid in the West and those in third world countries. A job that would require 20-30 dollars/ hour to be paid in the West could be completed in about 1 dollar/hour in China. (Vestring Till et al, 2005) Human right laws and adherence to such practices are also questionable in these countries. Severe lack of job opportunities, inflation and rising poverty indexes make employees work under harsh conditions without questioning authority. These have prompted civil society to question whether this kind of manipulation and exploitation of... This report stresses that the ethics of companies off shoring factories to third world countries and managing their business by paying meagre salaries and violating several labour laws regarding minimum wages and working hours are being debated constantly. It is true that to an extent the developed countries do not promote the growth of indigenous industries as it would severely impact their business. Import duties in rich countries on a variety of goods are high which discourages third world countries in developing their own industry. This paper makes a conclusion that several multinational companies over the last decade have relocated their factories and businesses to third world countries. This to an extent has managed to open up the economy of these countries by generating employment and also creating foreign exchange. In the face of stiff competition from emerging economies like China the concern of the business houses to look for cheaper avenues of manufacturing is true and needs to be considered. There are several examples of factories in third world countries running as per the stated labour laws of the particular nation but the number of companies doing it otherwise far exceeds those doing it ethically. It is therefore imperative that a fine balance needs to be struck between these extremes since it ultimately boils down to the question of human dignity, basic rights of fair wages, ethical business practices and whether you as a company or a consumer would want to be associated with a product that has been manufactured at the cost of another’s misery.

Prospectus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Prospectus - Essay Example The social ethics and morals should also be a considered in coming up with a stand on abortion. In my research I want to provide ethical reasoning to support my stand against abortion. In my research paper I will us the ethical standards that shape the society. Additionally, I will borrow heavily from the ethical and morality requirements from the bible. I will relate abortion to the biblical definition of murder. The main areas in my research paper will be why abortion should be illegal, the alternatives to abortion and the social and biblical approach when dealing with abortion. In this publication the author is strongly against abortion and she termed it as the worst case of murder in the society. According to Naden it is against the society and biblical norms to carry out an abortion (95). In Bacon’s words, abortion should not be treated as a way by which women are satisfied and taken care of. The author further argues that perpetrators of abortion should be prosecuted and charged with murder (68). The arguments by Libby revolve around ethical and moral issues related to abortion. The author argues that a child should be born even in the most complicated was so long as the existence of the mother is not jeopardized (113). Hunt argues that abortion is a shortcut by which individuals use to avoid responsibility (98). In an ethical and moral way, parents should be accountable for their own deeds. The author also uses biblical theories to support his stand against

Effects of Globalization on the Society Essay Example for Free

Effects of Globalization on the Society Essay Globalization is one of the contemporary policies implemented in attempt to resolve the economic dilemma of various countries and to encourage free flowing economic transactions among nations. And as such, globalization has become an influential phenomenon reaching various global scopes. It is an international process by which nations are being pushed to form a single and unified global society. The different societies within a globalized community undergo various transformation and developments which are comprised of common practices and beliefs known as the cultural universals. The cultural universals are adaptations in meeting the needs of the members of the society in terms of food, clothing and shelter. Developments are achieved through innovations. Innovation is the process of injecting new ideas or objects within a culture. And with these changes and innovations, this process also renders social consequences. There are two types of innovations: discovery and invention. The Chapter 3 of the book â€Å"Sociology a Brief Introduction† explained how development in culture occurs in the global setting. This chapter expounded the various concepts pertaining to the development of cultures such as globalization, diffusion and technology (Schaefer 58-60). The current globalization policy renders effects on the various aspects of the society. Globalization is a broad term. It encompasses the various aspects of the nation including politics, society and economy. More often than not, globalization is associated to the economic activities of the nation but it also affects the various aspects of society. Globalization Globalization is the integration of the economies and societies worldwide. Globalization is considered as one of the most hotly-debated topics in the field of international economics over the past few years (â€Å"Globalization†). It is the process of making the local or regional phenomenon into a global one. The nations are unified into a single society which carry out the function together. It is like integrating the economic, technological, sociocultural and political aspects of the nation (Croucher 10). Whenever globalization is mentioned, it is often associated with economic concepts and activities. Globalization is viewed as an economic process that integrates national economies into one international economy benefiting the activities of the inherent economy (Bhagwati 3). The term has been frequently defined by different economists, and as the such, the concept of globalization has developed so many definitions in accordance to the society’s point of view where the term is being utilized. The term â€Å"globalization† has been around for quite a long time. The concept has not been popular until the late 1980s and 1990s when its theoretical concepts became more well known. But the activities of globalization has already been put to practice even during the early times when the European countries colonized other parts of the world (Yergin). The first wave of globalization occurred during the 19th century which resulted to an incredible increase and growth in the international trade and economic interaction with the European countries dominating the world’s economic activities (Yergin). But the concept of globalization became more pronounced and used after the Second World War. The emergence of this concept came from the idea of the reconstruction of societies after the destructions caused by the war. The establishment of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank became two of the most influential international organizations that pioneered the reconstruction of war-devastated countries and became relevant agents in restoring economic progress and stability in these nations. Effects of Globalization Globalization is a strategic economic process which aims to provide prosperity and growth to the world’s economy. However, globalization has advantages and disadvantages. Although in the economic point of view, globalization is a positive and beneficial process. But its contribution to the overall increase in the global prosperity is still unparalleled. Globalization creates a process of disseminating modern methods and equipments needed in the contemporary enterprise management, economic growth and global financing. This way, globalization also increases labor productivity and efficiency of the factors of production (Bozyk 3). Moreover, globalization hastens the movement of the essential factors of production, especially the capital and technology. The other factors increasing the production is swiftly moving such as new and innovative ideas, modern technologies and production methods. Consumers, on the other hand, also benefit from the process by purchasing high-quality products due to the increase efficiency in production. In this process, globalization influences the consumption and quality of the products (Bozyk 4). The communication and information industries are also greatly influenced by globalization process. Information disseminated under the tenets of free trade and in the advent of advanced technology tools and gadgets rendered the information industry free movement and easy access to the people. The emergence of internet accessibility and telephone services brought information closer to the people. On the other hand, globalization also renders disadvantages that are inappropriate to some countries engaging in the contemporary economic trend. Some of these disadvantages include the reality that globalization only brings profit to the wealthy and well-developed countries and amplifies the marginal difference of the well-developed and developing countries. The international economic policy is leaning towards the wealthy and powerful countries and is unsuitable to the developing countries (Gavrilenkov et. al 233). Moreover, some countries are utilizing globalization to establish world domination, authority and power which will enable stronger countries to manipulate the relationships of different countries within the international order. Nowadays, the United States is enjoying the status of being one of the strongest nations or probably the sole world superpower. However, the current status of China, its economic stability, and the rate at which the Chinese economy progresses will soon rival United States in terms of industry, wealth and technological improvements (Hurst 91). Works Cited Bhagwati, Jagdish. In Defense of Globalization. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Bozyk, Pawel. Globalization and the Transformation of Foreign Economic Policy. Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2006. Croucher, Shiela L. Globalization and Belonging: The Politics of Identity a Changing World. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman Littlefield, 2004. Gavrilenkov, Evgeny, Paul J. J. Welfens and Ralf Wiegert. Economic Opening Up and Growth in Russia. New York: Springer Verlag Berlin Heidlberg, 2004. â€Å"Globalization†. 2001. The World Bank Group. 10 October 2008 http://www1. worldbank. org/economicpolicy/globalization/. Hurst, Charles E. Social Inequality: Forms, Causes and Consequences. Boston: Allyn Bacon, 2006. Schaefer, Richard T. Sociology:A Brief Introduction. United Kingdom: Academic Internet Publishers Incorporated, 2006. Yergin, David. â€Å"Commanding Heights†. n. d. 10 October 2008 http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/minitext/tr_show01. html.

The Impact Of Implicit Followership

The Impact Of Implicit Followership Gap on Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Quality: A Followership Approach We are often enamoured with heroic leadership, attracted to individuals known for their character, who meet challenges and overcome adversity with their charisma (1-SAF article). But we often forget, without followersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Napolean would have been just a man with grandiose ambitions (Lee, 1991, p. 2). While leadership has been viewed as a reciprocal relationship between leaders and followers rather than purely leader-centric, (Hollander, xxxx or 12-SAF article), the huge academic literature on leadership has focused mainly on the leaders characteristics, selection, development, and their contributions to organisational success (for review, see Avolio, Walumbwa Weber, 2009). In the words of Lord, Brown and Freiberg, the follower remains an under-explored source of variance in understanding leadership processes(p. 167, 11, -SAF article). Followers are integral to the leadership process (Marion Uhl-Bien, 2001). Yet, their influence is often either downplayed or neglected. The emphasis on leaders over followers has resulted in companies spending 80 percent of their time and research efforts focusing on the 20 percent within organizations, while spending barely 20 percent of their time and energy with the other 80 percent (Uken, in Riggio et al., 2008 book). Consider the huge resources allocated for leadership development that stand in stark contrast to the absence of plans for followership training. The 2003 United States Training Industry Study revealed 85% of U.S. companies offer leadership training to their employees (Gavin, 2003). The financial costs of leadership training alone is approximately US$6,000 to US$7,500 per participant annually (Delahoussaye, 2001). For large corporations, the amount can add up to millions of dollars (Brown, Eager, Lawrence, 2005). In addition, most training budgets support only 20 percent (leaders) in the organization, overlooking the training needs of the other 80 percent (followers). Moreover, many leaders in organizations have followership roles too. Managers at different points in their careers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ play both roles, though seldom equally well (Kelley, 1988, p. 142). Organizations must recognise a good leader or a good follower requires both leadership and followership, and should aim to develop both in its employees. Research objectives This study aims to examine LMX quality from a followership approach. This study would be the first to examine the followership expectation gap in LMX quality. How do Implicit Followership Theories (IFTs) impacts the leader-member exchange (LMX) quality in a dyadic relationship? How does the followership expectation gap, or the gap between leaders IFT and the actual followers behaviour, affect the leader-member exchange (LMX) quality? The Followership Approach Follower-centric approaches to leadership (Meindl, 1995, p. 330) considers how followers view their leaders and their leaders behaviours. Nonetheless, they are still primarily leader-centric (Shamir, Pillai, Bligh, Uhl-Bien, 2007). On the other hand, followership approach or follower-based approach (Graen Uhl-Bien, 1995, p. 223) considers how followers view their own behaviours and roles when engaging with leaders (Uhl-Bien Pillai, 2007). Followership explores how followers behaviours are related to organizational outcomes, e.g. leadership, and the follower becomes the primary focus. Thus, with its focus on the less celebrated role of followers, the followership approach helps reverse the lens (Shamir, 2007) in leadership research. The traditional perspective of the passive follower, characterised by the attributes of conformity and docility, has been increasingly replaced by the active follower, who is courageous to shape the outcome of leadership in todays organizational context (SAF article). Good followership involves subordinates who can think independently, send supervisors honest and truthful massages, and implement difficult decisions (Lundin, Lancaster, Gardner, 1990). In the contemporary context where team work, knowledge workers, and shared leadership is emphasized, good followership skills have never been more important. Indeed, having exemplary, courageous, and star followers is regarded as a precondition for organizational success (Chaleff, 2003; Kelley, 1992). Leader-Member Exchange Unlike leadership theories that contend that leaders have a predominant leadership style and tend to treat all their followers in a similar fashion, the leader-member exchange (LMX) theory (Dansereau, Graen, Haga, 1975) states that leaders form unique exchange relationships of different quality with each of their followers. Here, the dyadic relationship is seen as reciprocal.The role of the follower is informally negotiated between followers and their leaders over time (Graen Uhl-Bien, 1995). Regarding the development of the relationship, leader-follower relationships are thought to be initiated through an initial offer from the leader, which then is potentially reciprocated by the follower (Graen, 2003). After this initial phase, in which the follower can prove him- or herself, the relationship continues with a reciprocation of contributions, that is, a reciprocation of positive actions that foster the relationship by fulfilling the other partys needs. Put differently, depending on the leaders perception of the followers contribution, the leader will feel more or less indebted to reciprocate with an own contribution until he or she perceives an equilibrium of contributions. At this stage, the follower perceives the contribution of the leader and has to decide whether he or she needs to adjust his or her own contribution, etc. As long as either of the parties still perceives that an equilibrium of contributions is not reached, the relationship is still dynamic, that is, i t can either deteriorate (when a party perceives the other to contribute less than him- or herself and thus also lowers his or her own contributions), or it can thrive (when a party perceives the other to contribute more than him- or herself and thus also increases his or her own contributions). Indeed, relationships are found to be more satisfying and thus stable when a party perceives the contributions to be almost equal or the other party to contribute more (Buunk, Doosje, Jans, Hopstaken, 1993). Contrary, a lack of reciprocation by the other party will lead people to experience negative feelings, especially when they feel that they themselves have contributed a lot to the relationship (Walster, Walster, Berscheid, 1978). Summarizing, the stability of a relationship depends on perceived reciprocation of ones own contributions by the other (Blau, 1964; Burgess Huston, 1979) and the relationship can be considered stable when both parties perceive each other as contributing an ap proximately equal amount. Leadership effectiveness is related to the quality of the dyadic relationship between the leader and follower (van Breukelen, Schyns, LeBlanc, 2006). A high quality exchange relationship is characterized by mutual trust, respect, and liking (Dansereau et al., 1975). The quality of dyadic relationship has been found to be positively related to organizational outcomes (Ilies, Nahrgang, Morgeson, 2007). Specifically, followers in high quality LMX relationships work harder (Basu Green, 1997), perform better (Vecchio Norris, 1996), experience more satisfaction with the leader (Schriesheim Gardiner, 1992), experience more job satisfaction (Scandura Graen, 1984), and are less motivated to leave the team or organization (Vecchio Norris, 1996). Implicit Followership Theories Leaders and followers alike rely on implicit theories to process social information and make social judgements (Lord and Maher, 1991). Implicit Follower Theories (IFTs) help to advance our understanding of leadership by placing the focus on followers and examining leaders cognitions (Avolio et al., 2009). IFTs are cognitive schemas which represent the traits and behaviors that characterize followers (Rosenberg Jones, 1972). Just like Implicit Leadership Theories (ILTs) are used to understand how leaders are viewed, IFTs can be used to understand how followers are perceived. IFTs are most accurately represented by Followership Prototype and Antiprototype (Sy, 2010). Followership Prototype is defined as industry, enthusiasm, and good citizen, while Followership Antiprototype is defined as conformity, insubordination, and incompetence. It is noteworthy to mention Engle and Lord (1997) proposed leaders develop prototypes of effective followers, called Implicit Performance Theories, and then compare follower performance to this prototype (cf. Borman, 1987; Sanders, 1999; Wernimont, 1971). Thes comparison process leads to the labelling of followers as either effectively or ineffectively contributing to relationship. However, IPTs are restricted to followers performance, whereas the cognitive schemata for IFTs include a diverse set of attributes that would reflect on the overall quality of the relationship (e.g., being honest, enthusiastic, or trustworthy). IFTs are broader than Implicit Performance Theories and therefore better capture the range of behaviours and characteristics that followers may be expected to contribute to the LMX relationship. IFT and LMX IFTs serve as benchmarks from which individuals interpret, understand, and respond to followers, and predispose individuals to judge and respond to followers in a particular way (Engle Lord, 1997). Indeed, leaders have different follower-schemas that predispose them to interpret events differently, which results different behaviors toward the followers (Goodwin et al., 2000). This is expected as implicit theories affect judgments and behaviors as they operate on the levels of conscious and unconscious information processing (van Gils et al., 2010). Leaders who have more positive IFTs may behave differently towards followers than leaders who have more negative IFTs (McGregor, 1960). Differences in leaders behaviors towards followers, as a function of their IFTs should impact leader-follower interpersonal outcomes such as liking for leaders and followers, relationship quality, etc. Individuals engage in a matching process of comparing their IFTs with a follower and based on the degree of congruence, individuals form an impression of followers that subsequently shapes their behaviors towards followers. Leaders with proactive constructions of followership may become very frustrated by followers who act consistent with passive constructions; leaders with passive constructions may view proactive followers as pushy, insubordinate and disrespectful Passive followers may find it difficult to work with leaders who have a proactive construction of followership; proactive followers may find authoritarian leaders old school and highly ineffective IFT and Followership Expectation Gap If the process of comparison between actual behaviour and implicit leadership theory exists for leaders, it thus seems only plausible to assume that there is an equivalent implicit theory for the follower. Indeed, Van Gil posits, from the leaders perspective, a match between perceived follower behaviour and leaders IFTs will lead the leader to evaluate the LMX quality more favourably. From the followers perspective, a match between own behaviour and IFT will lead to the perception of higher own contribution to the relationship. The followership expectation gap is the difference between IFT and actual follower behavior. According to Saltz (2004), When a followers behavior match the leaders IFT, the leader is likely to be satisfied with the follower. This minimizes the leadership expectation gap. t is expected that leaders are likely to develop commitment to the organization the leader represents. However, if the followers characteristics contradict the leaders expectations, the leaders are likely to experience dissatisfaction and this will undermine commitment to the organization (Saltz, 2004). Sy (2010) found leaders Followership Prototype was positively related to follower outcomes, namely liking for leaders, relationship quality with leaders, trust in leaders, and job satisfaction, while leaders Followership Antiprototype was negatively related to all follower outcomes. Hypotheses Leaders Followership Prototype would be expected to be positively related to LMX quality. Conversely, leaders Followership Antiprototype would be expected to be negatively related to LMX quality. In addition, the followership expectation gap would be expected to be negatively related to the LMX quality. Measures Participants would consist of middle Implicit Followership Theories would be assessed using Sys IFT scale. The IFT scale consists of 18 items measures six dimensions of Followership Prototype and Antiprototype. Followership Prototype consists of Industry, Enthusiasm, and Good Citizen, while Followership Antiprototype consist of Conformity, Insubordination, and Incompetence. Each dimension consists of three items. Leaders would be asked to rate how characteristic each item was for a follower. Responses would be measured with a five-point Likert scale, ranging from not at all characteristic to extremely characteristic. The scale has a Cronbachs ÃŽÂ ± of .70. To measure the quality of relationship between leaders and their subordinates, the Liden and Maslyns (1998) multi-dimensional model of leader-member exchange (LMX-MDM) scale was used. The LMX-MDM scale comprises of 12 items, and incorporates the dimensions of affect, loyalty, contribution and professional respect, with each dimension consisting of three items. Responses were measured using a five-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The Cronbachs ÃŽÂ ± for the scale was .90. The actual followers behaviour (AB) would be measured using the same scale for IFT. Leaders would be asked to rate the extent the items in the IFT scale truly describe the behaviour they see in their followers. Responses would be measured with a five-point Likert scale, ranging from not at all true to very true. Information on gender, age, work experience (in years), duration of leader-follower relationship (in years), job position and highest academic qualification would be obtained. To ensure response to the items measuring IFT does not affect the response to the items measuring the actual behaviour, the order of the questionnaires would be IFT, LMX then AB. Followership expectation gap would be obtained by computing the squared difference between the IFT score and actual follower behaviour score. LMX quality would be obtained by adding up all the LMX dimensions. The association between leadership expectation gap and LMX quality would be examined using Simple Regression Analysis. The effect of duration of leader-follower relationship would be controlled all analysis, as it is known to have a moderating effect on LMX (Graen Uhl-Bien, 1995). Reflections IFTs may advance our understanding of Leader Member Exchange (LMX) theory by illuminating how congruence in leaders and followers ILTs and IFTs may account for relationship quality, i.e., leaders and followers both have ILTs and IFTs that function as interpretation frameworks from which relationship quality is judged (van Gils et al., 2010).

Information Technology Influences on NFL, NASCAR and Other Sports Essay

Information Technology Influences on NFL, NASCAR and Other Sports Information technology has influenced sports in many ways. Not only has it influenced sports in North America but also sports across the world. â€Å"In 1988, Stan Honey, Jerry Gepner, and Bill Squadron—three former executives at News Corp. and Fox Sports—founded Sportvision (http://www.sportvision.com). They used their extensive technology, sports production, and broadcast experience to create an innovative company that focuses on developing technology-based enhancements for the Internet, sports television, and new media platforms† (Shapiro). Sportvision has impacted sports like football, baseball, basketball, auto racing, horse racing, hockey, and a wide variety of Olympic sports. â€Å"The technological boom began with a glowing hockey puck† (Pierce). In the 1996 NHL All-Star game, the glowing hockey puck was introduced to viewers. By giving the puck a radiant glow the viewers were better able to follow the puck as it was passed from player to player and across the rink. Without this innovation of the glowing puck it was very easy to loose track of the player carrying the puck and at times which team had possession. â€Å"The idea was to give new viewers a closer glimpse of where the puck was flying and help them keep up with the game† (Pierce). Information technology has also helped college and pro football teams in a number of ways. The use of instant replay has decided the outcome of many professional football games. Without instant replay a bad call by the umpire could result in a loss for a team that actually should have won. Now with the ability to review a decision on the field, many bad calls are getting overturned and the team that should have... ... That way, graphics in the corner of the TV screen can show where they are on the oval track and how far apart competitors are. And the sensors can tell them how fast the skaters are going, what their acceleration is and how close they are to the current leader’s time† (Horiuchi). Since the skaters switch lanes so often, a graphic of each country’s flag will be electronically inserted into the lane that corresponds with that of the racer. â€Å"Sportvision also is using a system called AIRf/x during the free style aerials to show how far and high the skier went from the edge of the ramp† (Horiuchi). In any case, it is evident that information technology is changing the way audiences across the world watch sports. From a glowing hockey puck to a real time update on just about anything at as to do with statistics, technology is affecting sporting events everywhere.

Compare Nuclear Fusion vs. Nuclear Fission :: comparison compare contrast essays

Compare Nuclear Fusion vs. Nuclear Fission    Nuclear energy must be a consideration for the future with the rapidly depleting supply of fossil fuels. This type of energy can be created through nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. Nuclear fission is the splitting of a heavy atom into two or more parts, releasing huge amounts of energy. The release of energy can be controlled and captured for generating electricity. Nuclear fusion involves bombarding hydrogen atoms together to form helium. In the long run, nuclear fusion has greater potential than fission.    Cost and availability of fuel is a considerable factor when dealing with nuclear power. Fission requires an element that can be easily split in a particle accelerator, such as uranium or plutonium. Fusion, on the other hand, uses isotopes of hydrogen atoms, specifically deuterium and tritium, that can be obtained from ordinary water. Uranium ores occur naturally in many parts of the world but must go through a costly purification process before used as fuel. The unprocessed ore contains approximately 99.3% uranium-238, a non-fissionable isotope of uranium, and only about 0.7% of U-235 required for fission. One hydrogen atom out of 6700 appears as deuterium, a naturally occurring isotope of hydrogen with an extra neutron, and can easily be separated from the rest. Uranium-235 is a non-renewable resource that will eventually run out, much like the fossil fuels. The abundance of deuterium and lithium provide a virtually unlimited supply of fuel for nuclear fusion. Therefore, nuclear fusion seems to be the better choice.    Second, the potential amount of energy produced by fusion can greatly outweigh the fission. Initially, there are some disadvantages to fusion. The time and money required to develop technology needed to initiate, contain, and sustain a profitable fusion reaction is costly, but the development is still in its early stages and will continue to advance through the next century. Fission readily creates a chain reaction which must be slowed through use of a moderator to avoid core meltdown, while fusion can only be accomplished at temperatures similar to the centre of stars, about 100 million degrees celsius. The components used in fusion exist in the form of plasma where atoms are divided into electrons and nuclei.

Should We Legalize Marijuana? :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Should We Legalize Marijuana? In the perspective of America's war on drugs, marijuana is one of the biggest enemies. And since alcohol and tobacco, two life threatening substances, are legal it is a relevant question to ask why marijuana is illegal. The taxpayers of America can partly answer this question when they fill out their tax forms and when they hear the hash rhetoric used against marijuana by the government. The fact that marijuana is illegal is sufficiently caused by the amount of money, jobs, and pride invested in the drug war. In other words, the government cannot turn back now. In order to demonstrate this cause, the difference between illegal and legal substances (specifically alcohol and marijuana) must be abolished. Alcohol, as we all know, was once illegal. The reason that it was illegal was because the ill effects of alcohol led many people to fight for the prohibition cause. Some of these ill effects are direct and some alter the behavior and motor skills of the drinker, helping them do things they would not usually do. More often than not, the direct effects result from heavy drinking, like "depression is frequently diagnosed in alcoholics" (Rittenhouse 140). But just getting drunk can do serious harm. "Accidental trauma forms the major cause of brain damage from alcohol" (140) would indicate alcohol as a threat to human health. Marijuana on the other hand seems a little out of place in its classification as illegal. The source previously cited notes that, "Although it is classified as a Schedule I drug for regulatory purposes, it is clearly different pharmacologically from the opiate analgesics" (Rittenhouse 151). Also, recently a heated debate has arisen on the medicinal value of marijuana. Whether there is a definite use for marijuana is unclear, but there is surely no such debate concerning alcohol. So once again I posture the question why is marijuana illegal if it is not more dangerous than substances that are legal? The American government's investment in the war on drugs spans the spectrum of governmental offices. But the main recipient of funds from the budget is the Drug Enforcement Agency, located in the Department of Justice. Before I start quoting budget allocations, I would like to ask the reader to make a small assumption. The budget does not make distinctions between fighting marijuana and fighting cocaine, heroine, etc. So I would ask that the reader assume marijuana accounts for five percent of the budget's drug prevention allocations.