Human Population: The Overpopulation Problem and Sustainable Solutions Essay

Human society lives in the atmosphere of numerous environmental threats. However, no dangers are as threatening to humanity as those created by humans themselves. Like global warming and the extinction of animal and plant species, overpopulation has already turned into the definitive feature of the postmodern environmental reality. Few strategies have been developed to address the overpopulation issue. The positive effects of those strategies had been but few. Today, there is an urgent need to develop a global sustainable strategy that will reduce the rates of the population growth to the extent, which will allow humans to meet their present needs without compromising the needs of the future generations. Overpopulation: A Review of the Problem A wealth of literature was written about overpopulation, its causes and consequences. Gilland (2008) defines overpopulation as â€Å"relation to a country’s ability to feed its inhabitants† (p. 122). In the global contexts, overpopulation implies that the planet no longer possesses resources necessary to satisfy even the basic human needs. More often than not, the concept of overpopulation is discussed in relation to diet and food consumption patterns. For example, Gilland (2008) provides an extensive review of what a satisfactory average diet is and what nutrition problems usually indicate the presence of the overpopulation issue. Overpopulation is often equated with conditions of living that manifest through continuous imbalance between population numbers and the carrying capacity of land; and here, food and diets are fairly regarded as the basic measures of overpopulation per unit of land (Fellmann, Getis & Getis, 2007). Overpopulation is problematic because it leads to unavailability of food resources with the caloric content needed to meet individual daily requirements for energy (Fellmann, Getis & Getis, 2007). The situation with developing countries is particularly difficult, because these countries cannot meet the growing demands of the ever increasing population. Difficulties with food production, continuous poverty, climate changes and significant crop losses add their share of complexity to the issue of overpopulation. For example, Africa’s share of crop production decreased 30% between 1960 and 1990, and further 30% decrease is predicted in the next 25 years (Fellmann, Getis & Getis, 2008). These problems will widen the population-nutrition gap and will turn overpopulation into the basic cause of famines and economic scarcity (Fellmann, Getis & Getis, 2008). Overpopulation marks the beginning of the so-called â€Å"plague cycle†, which will lead to the collapse of the food supply systems and will create environmental constraints, which technologies cannot reduce (Cassis, 2004). The growing pace of technological advancement makes the problem of overpopulation even more controversial, achievements in technology lead to the growing scarcity of natural resources, especially oil and gas. The current state of overpopulation and the continuous population growth on the planet will lead to global crash of the most important supply systems (Cassis, 2004). Urban and densely-populated territories will be among the first to perceive the adverse effects of overpopulation. Their dense population and woefully inadequate sanitation provide the ideal breeding ground for diseases new and old – diseases that will, sooner or later, be carried to all parts of the world through migration and tourism† (Cassis, 2004, p. 178). The poorest parts of the world will experience the drastic consequences of resource depletion and are likely to plunge into anarchy in their fight for survival (Kaplan, 1994). With the population of roughly 6. 8 billion today and 211,000 people ad ded every day, the earth is likely to reach the 9. 2 billion point by 2050 (Johnson, 2007). Food and health systems will hardly withstand the pressure of the ever growing population. The world’s food supply per capita increased 30% between 1960 and 2000; meanwhile, the world’s oil reserves increased only 3%, and grain production increase did not exceed 2. 1% (Ehrlich & Ehrlich, 2001). Obviously, the time will come when the growing population will need to fight hard to satisfy the growing feeling of hunger. In light of these complexities, the lack of the overpopulation awareness is at least striking. Cassis (2004) is correct in that the media do little to help people better understand how overpopulation impacts the planet. Most individuals do not have any single idea about the finiteness of natural resources and do not recognize the need to preserve the environment for the future generations. However, the resource pie is far from big enough to divide it into equal pieces among everyone (Cassis, 2004). It is high time the human society reconsidered its consumption patterns and addressed the existing overpopulation concerns, before it is too late. Overpopulation: Living and Nonliving Factors and Positive and Negative Sides of the Issue Definitely, the current state of population on the planet is the result of both living and nonliving influences. The living factors of overpopulation include the growing availability of food resources (including animals), the growing resistance of the human organism to bacterial infections/ diseases, and the growing life expectancy. Among nonliving factors of overpopulation, the most important are public health improvements, the advances in human knowledge of ecology and biology, better access to nonliving resources like oil and gas, improved transportation and communication and, simultaneously, the growing social gap between different population layers. The availability of food and better human resistance to bacterial infections and diseases greatly contributed to the population growth on the planet. The past 150 years were marked with the remarkable increase in food production by farmers: between 1965 and 1985 alone, the amount of grain harvested and processed worldwide increased from 630 million tons to almost 2 billion tons (Miller, 1995). Rapid technological advancement led to the development of more sophisticated fertilizers, machinery, and new kinds of seed, which altogether sped up the expansion of agricultural production all over the world (Miller, 1995). Unfortunately, the distribution of food resources on the planet remains increasingly uneven. Meanwhile, human society continues conquering the most dangerous infections and diseases, making human organism more resistant to various kinds of living organisms. Better health is both the product of better nutrition and better medical practices. The latter are an essential nonliving component of the growing population. Really, significant improvements in medical practices and public health systems made the rapid growth of population possible and even threatening to the stability of the social order on the planet. Vaccinations, new theories of disease, better systems of food and water supply, and improved waste treatment became the basic prerequisites for the dramatic increase in human population on planet (Miller, 1995). Death rates fell sharply due to substantial progress in medical science, while birth rates, especially in the poorest areas of the planet, remained increasingly high (Miller, 1995). For many people, having more children became the symbol of healthier life (Cassis, 1994). Modern communications and the sophisticated system of transportation have created better conditions for giving birth to and bringing up children (Cassis, 1994). As a result, with time, overpopulation gradually transformed from a distant perspective into reality. Like any other issue, overpopulation has good and bad sides. Surprisingly or not, overpopulation creates a challenge the society must meet in order to survive. In this situation, people actively work to develop solutions to the most urgent food supply problems (e. . , the development of genetically modified foods). Nevertheless, negative factors of overpopulation overweigh its positive sides and include the growing scarcity of resources, environmental pollution, the failure of traditional food supply chains, and the growing population-nutrition gap. Overpopulation and the Current Sustainability Solutions The growing scarcity of food resources leads governments and social groups to propose and implement sustainable solutions t o the problem of overpopulation. Current sustainable policies cover a limited range of instruments and do not resolve the existing overpopulation controversies. In the system of overpopulation solutions, family planning and birth control occupy the central place and are based on Malthus’s theory that â€Å"all biological populations have a potential for increase that exceeds the actual rate of increase, and the resources for the support of increase are limited† (Fellman, Getis & Getis, 2007, p. 125). Indonesia was among the first to adopt a family planning program that established numerous village centers to distribute contraceptives and educate people about birth control (Pakenham, 2004). As a result, Indonesia was able to decrease its fertility rates by almost 40 percent (Pakenham, 2004). Other countries, including Thailand, Mexico, South Korea and Tunisia were able to decrease their birth rates; the dramatic decrease in birth rates ultimately led to a 33-percent increase in economic growth in East Asia (Pakenham, 2004). Chinese one-child-per-family policies received a great deal of attention (Cassis, 2004). Economies like Japan apply to complex policies of economic growth, based on the belief that economic prosperity and lower fertility rates are closely connected (Cassis, 2004). These, however, are separate attempts to resolve separate issues in separate countries. Humanity never tried to develop a complex strategy to address the most complex elements of the overpopulation problem at once.

A case study of the UK flooding: the river Uck, East Sussex, October 2000

During the wet season of October the Sussex the Uck-Ouse basin burst it banks and caused major flooding in the surrounding towns mainly a small town called Uckfield. Upstream of the town of Uckfield slopes are very steep and so runoff happens very quickly after rainfall. However the River Uck flood plain is relatively undeveloped, with natural flood plains remaining. Here land management practices are well adapted to flooding. The flooding in the central part of the Ouse catchments on Thursday 12th October 2000 was preceded by 3 days of storms and heavy rain across the whole area. The ground became increasingly waterlogged, and there was widespread, localised flooding from surface water run-off. Uckfield flooded dramatically from about 5.00am on the 12th October, with river levels rising rapidly to a peak between 9.00am and 10.00am, at which point a torrent of water up to 1.9m deep, was flowing through the town centre causing considerable damage. Barcombe and Lewes filled up and widespread flooding in Lewes started at about 1.00pm, as the rising river backed up behind the Cliffe Bridge and overtopped the flood defences at a number of locations. Within about an hour or so the flood defences throughout the town were completely overwhelmed and the town centre rapidly filled with floodwater. Many hundreds of people were stranded and had to be rescued by the Emergency Services in boats. By the time the floodwaters peaked at about 9.30pm, some parts of Lewes were less than 3.6m of water. As the flows passing downstream from Barcombe continued to increase at a rapid rate, the floodwaters weired over the river walls and surged through the streets and open areas in Lewes, rapidly filling up sections of the urban floodplain to a depth of 1m in about half an hour. The Police abandoned the centre of town, and the evacuation turned into a rescue operation as the RNLI and Emergency Services used inflatable lifeboats to reach people suddenly trapped in their homes or businesses. The flood devastated the centres of Uckfield and Lewes, as well as causing significant damage to surrounding rural properties and the farming community. * long periods of drying out and repair mean that many homes have remained uninhabitable for many months after the event, with residents having to live in alternative, temporary accommodation; * similarly, many businesses remain closed months after the flood, and a small number are believed to have closed permanently; * a long term loss of trade, both for the flooded businesses, and for the wider business community; * widespread concerns about property values and insurance; * losses of agricultural crops and livestock; * impact on County Council Social Services provision due to the loss of day centres and buses; * long term damage to road surfaces, and widespread blockage of highways drainage systems; * impact on Lewes District Council's housing provision due to temporary re-accommodation of flood victims; * disruption to the Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service due to the temporary loss of several of their buildings, including their control centres, and loss of vehicles; * in Lewes, 118 Listed Buildings and 230 other ‘traditional' buildings within the Conservation Area were damaged, requiring specialist repair; * long term needs for emotional support amongst some. This means that the upper and middle sections of the catchments become quickly saturated following heavy rainfall. During wet periods a large proportion of the rainfall will quickly run-off into the river system rather than drain through the ground, and this effect is exacerbated by the hilly nature of the upper parts of the catchment. * increasing the amount and rate of surface water run-off, thereby increasing flows; * reducing the area available for flood storage, thereby increasing peak levels; * reducing the area available for flood flow conveyance, thereby increasing peak levels, contributing to rapid inundation and high flood velocities, and extending the period of flooding. * River flows were increasing very rapidly at this time and continued to do so for several hours after the flood defences were overtopped. * The upstream flood storage areas were already ‘full' so that the majority of the flood flows passed straight downstream to Lewes with little attenuation. * Once overtopped, the flood defences acted like weirs allowing large volumes of water to pass over them in a short space of time, rapidly filling the low lying areas behind them, with high velocities being witnessed where flows were channelled through narrow gaps. * The natural narrowing flood plain as it approaches Lewes, together with the artificial obstructions across its path in Lewes (Phoenix Causeway, Mayhew Way, Cliffe High Street shops) severely reduces the ability of the flood plain through Lewes to convey flood waters, causing levels to rise higher still. *  It is an obvious point, but maybe worth stating, that the 12th October 2000 flood inundated the floodplain – so named for a good reason. The devastating impact of the flood was because large numbers of properties have over the years been built on the floodplain, and although artificial flood defences or river improvement works have protected those properties from more frequent flooding events, all property constructed on the flood plain is at risk of flooding occasionally. The Environment Agency's Flood Warning slogan of â€Å"You cannot prevent flooding, you can only prepare for it†. The existing flood defences were overwhelmed by the 12th October 2000 flood flows and it may be possible to justify future improvements to raise the current standards of defence to protect against an event of similar magnitude. A number of options are likely to be considered in the forthcoming Catchment Strategy Plan being commissioned by the Environment Agency. However, given the extreme severity of 12th October 2000 event, and the nature of the long-standing government rules and arrangements for project appraisal and flood defence funding, we do not believe that it is reasonable to assume that they should already have been of such a standard. Nevertheless we believe that there are a number of important issues relating to the existing flood defences in Lewes which need to be urgently addressed, in particular the apparently poor condition of many of the river walls through the town, and the long term settlement in the upstream flood embankments. The floodwalls were breached or damaged in at least 8 locations through the town, and the sudden failure of the river wall at Phoenix Industrial Estate is particularly worrying. The flooding took many residents by surprise, and it is clear that the Environment Agency and a significant number of affected residents have very different perceptions about the performance of the flood warning system. This is partly an issue of communication and education. We believe that it is important that the Environment Agency vigorously continues its efforts to educate local residents, and that it is explicit about its actual responsibilities and capabilities. With the benefit of hindsight, we also believe that a number of important improvements in the flood warning and forecasting service can be identified, and should be undertaken. These would not have had any impact on the extent, speed or depth of the actual flooding, but they may have meant that for many, vehicles, stock, or precious personal possessions might have been saved.

Computer Forensic Examiner Field Report Case Study

Computer Forensic Examiner Field Report - Case Study Example During the process of gathering digital evidence, elaborate documentation is necessary to help identity evidence, and demonstrate policies used in the exercise. In addition, appropriate documentation is essential in the location of evidence found in a crime scene. In relation to documentation, a clear chain of custody helps determine analysts involved in handling of evidence. It also identifies the owners of evidence and persons who receive it, as well as store them (Turkey, 2008). This concept is vital in tracing the movement of evidence from one analyst to another. During a digital evidence fieldwork, an evidence custodian will keep accurate documentation of the evidence and ensure that evidence has tags and stored in secure bags ready for transport. The most vital reason for maintaining chain of custody is ensuring that digital evidence is admissible as evidence (Soloman, 2011, p.55). Concisely, the above tasks transpired during a recent digital evidence fieldwork where I was call ed to identify, secure, and preserve digital evidence from a suspected corporate user. Observation Last week on 25 November 2012, our department received a request to from a local media firm for a digital evidence analysis. ... The room had several other pieces of computer hardware such as servers, switches, and network cables. There were some shelves on the right with some five computers. The administrator, who was showing us the computers, pointed at the computers and told us that the suspect used one of the computers. Seeing that we had room to use for the investigation, I agreed with Dorothy what we could carry identify the evidence on it. First, we asked the network administrator to help us identify the suspect computer. To do this, we asked network administrator to produce a list of IP address and associated MAC addresses during the period when the crime is believed to have occurred. Being that the he had prior records, we had the Mac address of the suspect computer, 00:80:R2:45:F7:67. We booted all the computers and indented the computer with the above MAC address. Dorothy documented the model of the computer and the serial number she found underneath the computer. Evidence collection Being that the owner of the computers—the media firm—we were ready to begin collecting evidence of the alleged CP, which was a crime and against the policies of the firm. First, we ensured that no one was around the computer alone except for Dorothy and I as we did not want any disturbance. We opened the computer and using our tools, we run some applications to check if there was any evidence of CP in the suspect computer. The first tool that we used was Retriever, which searched the entire hard drive and located child pornography material in the disk drive. The computer had several files and links of child pornography in the internet history and browser cookies. We did document what the retriever software displayed as the search result. Moreover,

Health care of vulnerable persons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Health care of vulnerable persons - Essay Example It can be due to individual capacities, such as level of educational attainment, income or wealth, and mental or physical capabilities. For example, those who have lower levels of educational attainment have significantly less knowledge or preparation to deal with disasters, and are thus vulnerable. The availability of support is also a significant factor in vulnerability. Those who have no families or social networks to rely on are more prone to being harmed than those who can draw support from others. Access to neighbourhood and community resources is also an important factor in assessing whether an individual or group is vulnerable. Other sources of vulnerability may include poverty and race and physical location. This is largely related to access to resources and care. This paper focuses on children who are victims of abuse as a vulnerable group. Children, due to their developmental state, are very fragile. They are usually weaker than adults, are less mentally developed, and hav e no or little means to defend themselves. Due to their age, physical and mental limitations, they are more dependent on others, making them susceptible to abuse and neglect (Reichert 2006). The Child Welfare Information Gateway (2009) defines child abuse as consisting of acts of parents or caretakers that result in death or harm of a child. It may also include the omission of certain acts, or neglect to do something. There are several types of abuse: physical, neglect or failure to provide for a child’s needs, sexual or exploitation, and emotional. Some states also include parental substance abuse as a form of child abuse. There are certain risk factors that make a child susceptible to abuse. Goldman et al (2003) describes four general categories of risk factors: parent or caregiver factors, family factors, child factors, and environmental factors. Parent factors include personality traits such as aggression, impatience, or dominance, and psychological disorders. A personal history of abuse, substance abuse, and faulty attitudes and knowledge are also factors. Families with single parents or constantly changing compositions have been found to be more prone to having abused children. Marital conflict and domestic violence, presence of stress, and flawed parent-child interactions are also risk factors. Child factors that contribute to child abuse are age, developmental stage, and presence of disabilities. Environmental factors include poverty, unemployment, social isolation, lack of social support, and being in dangerous neighbourhoods. This paper describes policies that work towards helping child abuse victims. It also goes into strategies that would prevent child abuse, offer help for victims, and address their vulnerabilities. Policies In 1989, the United Nations created the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which specifies the basic rights that every child, regardless of race or gender, should enjoy. Among these rights are: a right not to be dis criminated against; a right to have best interests primarily considered; a right to a name, nationality, and parents; a right to have own views and freely express self; a right to be free from interference with privacy; a right to adequate health care, education, rest, and leisure; and, most relevant to this paper, a right to be protected from abuse (Reichert 2006). Since the creation of the Convention on

Religious Concepts in a Kantian Philosophy Essay

Religious Concepts in a Kantian Philosophy - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Immanuel Kant was an immensely popular and influential philosopher in 18th century Germany, who produced a wide array of works on metaphysics, ethics, aesthetics, and, most relevantly, religion. Probably the most amazing aspect of Kantian philosophy is the completeness of his theoretical and practical philosophies—a distinction he himself used wonderfully in creating his set of works. The difference between pure and practical reason forms the need for his two most seminal works, Critique of Pure Reason and Critique of Practical Reason, the latter of which is more relevant to his consideration of religion. In that work and others, he fleshes out the difference between a constitutive picture of religious concepts and a regulative picture of religious concepts. Accepting the latter as a legitimate answer to one troubling antimony, Kant derives a critical philosophy which evaluates the notion of â€Å"religious knowledge†. Sc eptical of such a possibility, Kant endeavors to move religion into the realm of the non-cognitive such that claims to know what is beyond experience—the phenomenon—are immediately cast aside. The regulative approach to religious concepts Kant adopts the view that human beings should use the belief in God merely as a system of reward and punishment in morality. God, despite existing outside the realm of natural cause-and-effect, has the power to reward goodness and punish evil, thereby making human beings committed to being moral.

Methodology chapter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Methodology chapter - Essay Example Theoretical issues are fundamental to any research process because they constitute what researchers ‘silently think’ about research (Scott and Usher, 2011). Therefore, philosophical assumptions about ontology, epistemology and axiology are critical in undertaking a research process (Klenke, 2008). In the following sections, clarity on the philosophical approaches and research paradigm for this study will be provided. Ontological approach addresses the philosophical question about the nature of reality and how it affects the methods of doing research. This approach focuses on ways of life and the relations behind social realities. According to Ritchie and Lewis (2003), ontology emphasizes on multiple and dynamic realities with no consideration of external realities. Qualitative researchers agree that ontology describes people views on the nature of reality both objectively and subjectively. Ontological assumptions affect our opinions and views on what is real and what is not. Such assumptions must be identified and considered so that the findings of particular phenomena can be objective and credible. Epistemology consists of appropriate methods of finding out the nature of the world through knowledge acquisition. This approach emphasizes on knowledge acquisition and use to form basis and background for explanation of social realities. In epistemology, researchers opt to work with visibly evident social realities to come up with law- like conclusions akin to the ones created by natural and physical scientists (Cohen, et al., 2011). However, this approach has been termed more subjective especially when gathering information directly from participants through data collection methods such as interviews and observation (Beck 1979). Creswell (1998) defines paradigms as world diverse views, while Denzin and Lincoln (1994) describe a paradigm as a set of basic beliefs that deal with

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Assignment

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) - Assignment Example VAWA has reauthorized funds for the prosecution processes. According to Doerner (2012), the creation of a national domestic violence hotline is also a provision of VAWA. Every victim of domestic violence has a right to use this hotline at any time. It has also allocated funds for different kinds of programs and initiatives which include shelter for the victims, education programs and programs to increase outreach to women living in rural areas (Doerner, 2012). In accordance to VAWA laws, it is a crime for a person convicted of domestic violence to transport, receive or possess firearms or ammunition. Government officials are exempt from this ban if the firearm is government issued (Nicoletti et al, 2010). The allocation of funds for initiatives and programs to support the victims of crime has tremendously improved their lives. The services offered such as healthcare and education has helped them restructure their lives and live comfortably. Reported cases of violence such as sexual assault and battery have reduced since the enactment of VAWA. This has a positive impact especially to girls and women who are the major victims (Biden, 2005). The federal civil right of action encourages women to make false allegations, and petition for child custody. This may lead to fathers being denied of the rights of being with their children. A woman seeking help from a center funded by VAWA is offered the option of leaving her husband, divorcing him and accusing him of being a criminal. VAWA makes all women victims of men (Schlafly, 2005). One of the controversial remedies has been the ban on possession of guns by anyone convicted of domestic violence. Firearms and domestic violence are a deadly combination. Abusers who have access to firearms pose a great threat not only to those they have abused but also to the larger society. Ineffective implementation of the laws by judges, as well as those in civil and criminal justice system, may bring a threat of injury or death to

Creative Intelligence and Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Creative Intelligence and Leadership - Essay Example In an organizational setting, innovation will enable the business organization to find new ways to doing business that would make them competitive in the marketplace. Design will make their products and services better while creativity will open endless possibilities to the organization to create opportunities as well as find new solutions to existing problems. Or, propose new ways that can debunk an existing method and processes that would save the company resources and make it more competitive in the market. These three items are crucial in meeting organizational objectives. Innovation, design and creativity are capabilities that enable organizations to create and perform better at a lower cost. This is consistent with the organization’s objectives which is not only to improve its bottom line but also to make the organization relevant in the marketplace as well as society by enabling it to create better products and services that does not only make profit but also serves society as

A Training Program for Persons with Mental Retardation Program Assignment

A Training Program for Persons with Mental Retardation Program - Assignment Example The test development can be traced back to the 1980s. In 1986, there was a trial version of it created by a student pursuing Masters Degree under one of the authors. The test operates on samples of the elderly population. In its first test, normative data was provided differently in groups of respondent ages, (50-69 and 70+ years) and the National Adult Reading Test Estimated IQ (NART-IQ) group (85-89,100-114,115 and above). This test was conducted on 186 men and women (50 to 96) inhabiting England, and the majority of those tested came from Bristol Area. Unfortunately, there is little validity evidence to underscore conclusions made from the LLT experimentation on the elderly people. As said before, the exam is purely conducted on the elderly people though not in groups but as solo individuals. The exam, however, faces criticism due to its minimal levels of validity in evidence purported to have been gathered and therefore not appropriate for clinical applications. (Coughlan. A Holl ows, S.p.22) 2 The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) is developed with the aim to identify people who are most probable to have substance dependence malady (is). The test can be of use in a forensic setting if one wants to know whether an individual’s behavior is dependent on substance dependence. It has been noted that behavioral traits of people dependent on substances vary a lot.     The test was authored by Miller, Glenn. A and published by The SASSI Institute. It has been reviewed in the book ‘’the fifteenth mental measurements yearbook’’ by Plake, Impara, and Spies (2003). The test includes face valid and items that are considered subtle that have no relationship with substance abuse. Materials used for the test includes guides that have instructions for administering, filling in the scores, interpreting and manuals providing information on validity, reliability and development. Examples of professionals’ inferences that may be extracted on the premise of scale scores include awareness of the negative effects of substance abuse, evidence of emotional pain, and risk of being in touch with the legal or judicial institutions and people. The test is applicable to adults and Adolescents between 12 and 18years.The SASSI’s room for easy administration, scoring and analysis and the availability of computer styles for relia ble storage of data and analysis makes the test instrument highly useful in producing valid results in research ventures. For example, the Adult SASSI-3 has helped identify persons who have high chances of substance dependence problem with a total objectively-tested accuracy of 93%.The Adolescent SASSI-A2 has a 94% overall tested accuracy. 3 The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 4th ed. (WAIS-IV) is used to examine IQ or Cognitive functioning and is designed to target adults who fall in the 16 to 90 years age bracket. The exam looks into cognitive ability using a basic group of 10 subtests that aim at four specific areas of intelligence: perceptual reasoning, verbal comprehension, working memory and speed of processing.

Should illicit drugs be legalized Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Should illicit drugs be legalized - Essay Example When one first hears that question, the mind immediately jumps to little packets of drugs like heroin and cocaine stacked on supermarket shelves where at most one would have to present id and thereby be in possession of them. However that might not exactly be the scenario the question itself is aiming at. No doubt drugs like heroin and cocaine should not be legalized. That is a matter so obvious that it is likely not to be the matter under debate and discussion anyway. The gray area arises when many of those illicit drugs are illustrated to have great medicinal benefit and seem no more capable of harm that cigarettes or alcohol. To answer the question, one must first explain what illicit drugs mean and how they may be further divided. Illicit drugs are any drugs that are illegal to trade, grow or possess. The word 'drugs', as mentioned, immediately gives rise to a negative stimulus in even the most educated of minds. But drugs do not necessarily have to be negative substances, or sub stances that harm a person. Medicines are also drugs, and many medicines also have the potential of being abusive substances, when administered incorrectly. Why then are they never sought to be made illegal? The answer to that is simple: because their benefits far outweigh any possible side effects that they may have. Certain illicit drugs such as Marijuana have been medically proven to have positive medicinal effects on patients suffering from diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis or even AIDS. Granted, it is more popular as a recreational drug than a medicinal one, but perhaps the question should be over how to reduce the recreational appeal and enhance it more medicinally, and the laws against it should be not on the basis of sale or possession, but rather on stricter guidelines for its distribution. To say that all illicit drugs should be legalized is wrong, but to say that none of them should be is equally wrong. Drugs that are capable of being beneficial if correctly use d, such as the aforementioned marijuana should be further studied so that their harmful effects can be minimized and they should then be sold as medicines, but under the supervision of a doctor and only in the possession of a prescription. Antidepressants and relaxants are one of the most popularly used substances for abuse, yet they continue to be sold in pharmacies across the world, in likely every city of the world. Even cough syrup and laxatives have been recorded as abuse substances. Humans are capable of extracting negative benefit from almost any kind of substance or object imaginable. To make the substance illegal is counter-productive, as humans are also capable of find ways around the restrictions imposed upon them. Furthermore, it makes no sense to have substances like cigarettes and alcohol, which are shown to have almost no medicinal or health benefits at all, are freely sold, served and used, but others such as the aforementioned marijuana are not. Indeed, the reason t he latter is used might perhaps be the only reason the former are used: mental relaxation. Adults that consume alcohol or some generally do it to achieve a certain sense of calm or relaxation. When marijuana aims to serve the same purpose, why is the matter considered taboo? Those that argue over its being multiply more harmful do not consider how certain forms of tobacco, such as cigars, might be even more harmful than marijuana, yet they too are freely and legally sold. Perhaps the main fear over legalization of these drugs is that they tend to appeal to the younger generation, who unlike the adults that consume alcohol or smoke, might not be able to control their dependence on

HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry Essay Example for Free

HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry Essay The International Journal of Human Resource Management 9:1 February 1998 HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry: A comparative study of Australia and Singapore Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown Abstract This study explores the perceptions of HR managers on the strategic management of labour tumover in a selection of large hotels in Australia and Singapore, The main argument is that the effects of labour tumover can be mitigated with strategically managed human resources through the four key HR activities. The hotel industries in both Singapore and Australia revealed a comparable range of HR policies and practices being adopted, with an explicit recognition of the contribution an organizations human resources have on the bottom-line. There was a clear convergence towards minimizing tumover primarily through the recruitment, selection and induction processes. This was despite fundamental social, economic and labour differences between Singapore and Australia, Keywords Human resources, HR functions, labour tumover, hotel industry Introduction In recent years, there has been widening recognition that human resource management (HRM) strategies impact on an organizations perfomiance and bottom-line results, contributing to overall effectiveness (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995). Particularly in the service industry, the effective utilization of human resources can give an organization its competitive edge (Schneider and Bowen, 1993). This has led to an increased interdependency of corporate strategy with human resource management (HRM), By effectively linking HRM with organizational objectives and needs, human resources can be recruited, developed, motivated and retained towards gaining a competitive advantage, i.e. strategic HRM. In this unique industry, that essentially comprises both a production and a service aspect, both the creation and the rendering of services from the hotel to the customer are primarily achieved through the employee, i.e. the hotels representative. Therefore, the people essentially represent the industry (Lewis, 1989; Thompson and Abbott, 1990; Schneider and Bowen, 1993). The success of this industry is therefore dependent on the calibre of its employees and how effectively they are managed in order that they help the organization achieve its objectives (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995; Berger and Ghei, 1995). It is essential that the hotel industry develop efficient HRM practices and policies that enable them to recruit, select and retain competent employees who contribute to the achievement of their objectives. However, the hotel industry is constantly plagued with high staff tumover levels, resulting in high personnel costs incurred because of recruiting and training new replacements (Hom and Griffeth, 1995). With few staff staying longer than five years 0985-5192  © Routledge 1998 HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 137 (BTR, 1990, cited in Nankervis, 1990), tumover contributes significantly to labour costs through high replacement costs (Riley, 1991a). With a skilled labour force needed in the trade and hotels increasingly providing the required training, premature tumover may waste a hotels sizeable investment in employee development (Beckert and Walsh, 1991; Hom and Griffeth, 1995). Many tumover studies have focused on other industry causes and effects. To date, however, comprehensive and substantial studies have not been conducted to determine the direct and indirect causes of tumover in the hotel industry, although some hotels have undertaken individual tumover analyses to address this issue (Nankervis, 1991; Debrah, 1994). This could be attributed to the fact that, even though employee tumover has financial consequences, the problem is often ignored because the costs are indirect and hidden (Donelly, cited in Hiemstra, 1990). Furthermore, many hotels may consider it simply part of doing business in this industry. This paper outlines some recent research which examined the impact of HR policies and practices in the respective hotel industries on labour tumover, specifically through the processes of (1) recruitment and selection, (2) orientation and socialization, (3) training and development, (4) performance management and (5) remuneration. The study focused on a selection of medium to large hotels in Singapore and Australia. Labour turnover and the hotel industry Denvir and McMahon (1992: 143) defined labour tumover as the movement of people into and out of employment within an organization. It can be voluntary or involuntary. Correspondingly, on the basis that people leave an organization for a multitude of reasons that may not be management-related, Eade (1993) further categorizes tumover into controllable and unavoidable tumover. For the purpose of this study, the focus was on voluntary and controllable tumover. Tumover in the hospitality industry has been shown to be unacceptably high (Kennedy and Berger, 1994), averaging up to 200 or 300 per cent per annum (Woods, 1992; Tanke, 1990; Boella, 1988; Wheelhouse, 1989), although substantial variations exist between different establishments. The literature has so far identified factors that impact on tumover rates as orientation and socialization processes (Kennedy and Berger, 1994; Woods, 1992); ad hoc recruitment and selection procedures (Bonn and Forbringer, 1992; Woods and Macaulay, 1989; Wagner, 1991; Wheelhouse, 1989); discrimination at the workplace (Antolik, 1993); training and development opportunities (Hogan, 1992; Hiemstra, 1990; Conrade et al., 1994); management styles (LeeRoss, 1993; Boella, 1988; Wheelhouse, 1989; Rowden, 1995; Woods and Macaulay, 1989); organizational commitment (Denvir and McMahon, 1992); competition and organizational culture (Woods and Macaulay, 1989); labour shortage (Debrah, 1994; Woods, 1992); stress and bumout (Vallen, 1993; Woods, 1992; Hom and Griffeth, 1995); the seasonal nature of the industry (Boella, 1988; Denvir and McMahon, 1992); and job dissatisfaction (Bonn and Forbringer, 1992; Hom and Griffeth, 1995; Wheelhouse, 1989). Relatedly, Denvir and McMahon suggested that labour tumover is not an isolated occurrence, where multi-dimensional aspects include low staff morale, substandard work performance and absenteeism (1992: 143). Each incident of employee tumover is estimated to cost up to $2500 in direct costs and $1600 in indirect costs (Hogan, 1992). However, the pervasive impacts of labour tumover on a hotels bottom line can be classified into two categories: (1) direct expenditure and (2) intangible costs. 138 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown Direct impacts are essentially financial consequences that include administrative costs as a result of increased recruitment and training expenditure of new employees (Woods and Macaulay, 1989; Boelia, 1988; Woods, 1992; Riley, 1991a; Mullins, 1995; Mercer, 1988). The indirect consequences of tumover include productivity losses due to unfamiliarity of the workplace, poor service quality as a result of insufficient manpower (Denvir and McMahon, 1992; Riley, 1991a; Wheelhouse, 1989), compromised standards and low morale due to the constant departures of workmates; which are in tum integrally damaging to the hotels reputation (Woods and Macaulay, 1989; Riley, 1991a; Mullins, 1995) because dissatisfaction in the employee will ultimately lead to the dissatisfaction of the customer (Lewis, 1989; Boelia, 1988; Woods, 1992). Samuel (1969, cited in Denvir and McMahon, 1992: 144) summarized this when he stated that discontinuity in employment discourages people from entering the industry and encourages others to leave i t . . . [preventing] continuing relationships between employers and employees and so inhibits the growth of mutual responsibility. It involves heavy administration costs and a substantial loss of productivity through the breaking up of teams who are used to working together. However, Mount argues that labour tumover within an organization may not necessarily be detrimental. Rather, an organization thats choosing to thrive and grow must expect a higher tumover rate than companies that settle for the status quo . . . [where] more talented and experienced people replace those that are leaving, and the new workers take the organization to the next level (1995: 109). Price found that the hotel industry tended to live with high levels of labour tumover and rely on the extemal labour market to fill vacancies (1994: 47). However, high labour tumover cannot be excused as an inherent characteristic feature of the hotel industry (Mullins, 1995). Mullins suggested that an organization can theoretically influence tumover by various intervention processes (1995: 185) that include placement and orientation, job performance and training and development. Denvir and McMahon (1992: 146) further argued that individual hotels experience different levels of labour tumover, thereby confirming the view that tumover is partly within the control of management, and conflicts with the widespread impression that tumover is high and uniform throughout the industry, and hence an uncontrollable characteristic of the trade. This might therefore suggest that tumover is, in effect, manageable through effective and strategic human resource practices. Based on a recent pilot study undertaken by one of the authors (Cheng, 1996), the hotel industries would be perceived to have recognized the adverse effects of labour tumover (Debrah, 1994; Nankervis, 1993b) through the adoption of strategic human resource management practices. Specifically, five variables that will be considered are: (1) recruitment and selection; (2) orientation and socialization; (3) training and development; (4) performance management; and (5) remuneration. Central to all these process es [however,] is the critical activity of recmitment and selection practices (Mullins, 1995: 185). There have been numerous studies conducted on labour tumover that have focused on other industries. These may not be applicable due to the unique features of the hotel industry, as discussed earlier. For example, the organizational structure of the hotel may be a major determinant in influencing labour tumover, as compared to other industries. Riley (1991a: 18, 1991b: 237) estimates that operative and unskilled staff comprise up to 64 per cent of the entire staff population. This might therefore indicate limited HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 139 promotional and developmental opportunities for lower-level employees, resulting in a movement of staff out of that organization to one that provides better career options. Labour turnover in hotels in Singapore and Australia Labour tumover in the Australian and Singaporean hotel industries has not been substantially researched and documented. This is despite the significant contributions made by the tourism industries in both countries to the respective economies. Tourism is arguably the nations largest single export earner in Australia (EIU, 1994b), with Singapores tourism correspondingly generating a surplus on its balance of payments travel account of around S$5 billion per year in recent years (EIU, 1994a). Employment growth in the hotel industry in both Singapore and Australia has been significant during the past decade (Table 1). A number of new large hotels have opened in both countries, creating significant job opportunities. In Singapore, this has been in a context of generally tight labour markets which has forced hotels into employing more part-time staff (Debrah, 1994). Correspondingly, in Australia, many of the jobs which have been created by the growth in the industry have also been part time, although not due to labour shortages. A survey of the Australian industry in 1991 (KPMG Peat Marwick Management, 1991) indicated a relatively plentiful supply of employees to the industry, although it noted that a general economic downturn in the industry was apparent at the time. Comparatively, surveys of the Singapore labour situation indicated significant shortages of labour in the industry (Debrah, 1994) The figures in Table 2 indicate that the hotel sector in Australia employs a much higher proportion of part timers than that in Singapore. Many jobs,  such as waiting Table 1 Growth in employment in the hotel industry Singapore Australia Year No. of employees Year No of employees 1980 1987 1992 38,620 54,412 74,136 1983 1986 1993 17,617 22,001 29,770 Source: Singapore, Department of Statistics, Economic Surveys Series, Hotels and Catering. ABS Cat No 8674 Table 2 Work-force composition Futl time Status Part time Age profile 70% of employees 35% of employees Australia 43,766 30,370(41%) 35 yrs 25 years Singapore 25,719 3,958(15%) 40 yrs 25 yrs Source: ABS Labour Force Australia, May 1991, Cat No 6203.0, ABS Cat No 8674: STPB Singapore Tourism and Promotion Board 1992 Survey of Tourism Manpower Deployment in Singapore; Economic Surveys Series, Hotels and Catering 1993; Department of Statistics 1995 140 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown Table 3 Turnover rates in the hotel industry per annum Australia Singapore 45% 42% Source: Callus et al, 1991; 1995 Singapore Yearbook of Labour Statistics, Ministry of Labour (1991 figures) staff, kitchen hands and bar staff, are seen as transient jobs by young people such as students, due mainly to relatively few skill barriers and ease of entry. The data in Table 2 also show that the hotel labour force in both countries is relatively youthful. An implication of these statistics is that tumover in the hotel industry is partly due to the casual employment characteristics of the labour force, particularly in Australia. In Singapore, the relatively long period of buoyant labour market conditions may have led to job hopping. The tumover rates for the hotel and recreation industries is generally three times greater than the average for other industry groups in Australia (Callus et al., 1991), while in Singapore it is about average among various occupational groups (Singapore Ministry of Labour, 1995). However, these industry figures do disguise tumover rates at individual establishments which can vary considerably, as shown in the sample of hotels for this study. For Australia, the highest tumover rates are for front-line and service employees where the rate averages 43 per cent. Tumover is lower in larger hotels (KPMG Peat Marwick Management, 1991) and varies slightly according to gender, with annual tumover rates averaging 45 per cent for males and 38 per cent for females. The paucity of documented research and studies is evident through the limited amount and quality of material in this area. Studies on labour tumaround and retention have primarily focused on the UK and US hospitality industries (Woods and Macaulay, 1989; Bonn and Forbringer, 1992; Hogan, 1992; Alfus, 1992; Feiertag, 1993; Kennedy and Berger, 1994; Denvir and McMahon, 1992). The exception is Debrahs (1994) study of operative staff in Singapores hotel industry in view of environmental influences. Research design The study adopted a qualitative approach, employing a comparative case-study methodology towards researching the Australian and Singaporean hotel industries HR programmes on tumover. Commonly, qualitative research is where the study is done in its natural settings in an attempt to interpret phenomena through the meanings associated with them. Correspondingly, this research focuses on the phenomenon of labour tumover in the hotel industry, interpreted through the perceptions of HR managers within that trade. This qualitative approach also involves the studied use and collection of a variety of empirical materials, e.g. grounded theory procedure, surveys, observations, etc. (Denzin and Lincoln, 1994). Specifically, a personal interview, examination of relevant documents and multi-case study method were used for data collection and data analysis, respectively. The sample size for the study was six hotels in each country. They were medium-tolarge hotels, managed either as part of a consortium, an intemational chain, or as HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 141 individual properties. An exploration of the views of HR managers, or managers responsible for the HR function, on the potential impact of HR strategies on managing labour turnover within their organizations was sought. In some cases follow-up telephone interviews were held with relevant HR personnel to clarify matters raised in the initial personal interviews. The targeted respondents were considered suitable on the premise that the participants, all senior managers, were primarily responsible for the development, formulation and implementation of key HR processes and strategies in relation to managing labour tumover, and would therefore have the required knowledge of HRM practices and business strategies (Ragburam  and Arvey, 1994). Consequently, this research basically reflects the perspectives and perceptions of these participants. The small sample size of twelve, typical of a study of this qualitative nature (Gay and Diehl, 1992), was considered appropriate, offering the opportunity to glimpse the complicated operations, character and culture of the hotel industry. In qualitative research, the sample tends to be small and purposeful, where the purpose lies in selecting information-rich cases for study in depth (Patton, 1990: 169). The subject population was pre-selected based on the primary criteria of size and rating of the hotel, i.e. at least 250 rooms and a minimum rating of four stars. However, the final sample was selected and determined on the basis of accessibility to the hotels and their targeted respondents. The sample for the Australian study came from the state of Westem Australia. Tumover rates in individual hotels ranged from 26 to 47 per cent per annum for Australia. Corresponding data for Singapore ranged from 48 to 120 per cent, although the highest tumover rate was for a new property which had only recently opened. Findings An equal sample size of six hotels was studied in each country. Although the properties in Singapore were generally larger in size and staff than in Australia i.e. maximum staff and rooms at 1,300 and 1,200 respectively in the fomier country, compared with 440 and 417 respectively in the latter human resource strategies employed in both cultures were largely similar. However, due to the different labour markets of the two industries, there were inherent differences in the importance and priorities placed on HR strategies, with regard to controlling and minimizing labour tumover. These are discussed below. Recruitment and selection Hiring practices employed by the hotels in both countries can be seen as having progressed from the adoption of purely traditional (advertising, walk-ins, selection interviews, reference checking, etc.) to more strategic approaches (networking, intemal labour market, behavioural interviewing, targeted selection, etc.) (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995; Nankervis, 1993b). This has primarily been influenced by changing labour markets, as well as the clear recognition that mitigating labour tumover begins with the hiring function, specifically the selection process. This is consistent with current literature that highlights selection as the predominant variable impacting on eventual tumover rates (Hom and Griffeth, 1995; Boles et al., 1995; Mercer, 1988; Dunn, 1995; Woods and Macauley, 1989), albeit recmitment and selection is generally considered an integrated function (MuUins, 1995; Croney, 1988; Nankervis, 1993b). 142 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown This progress seems to be in part due to the general realization that people ultimately represent the crux of the industry, where they are the product and the providers of service (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995; Mullins, 1995; Thompson and Abbott, 1990; Lewis, 1989; Schneider and Bowen, 1993; Berger and Ghei, 1995). Hence, the ability to hire and retain the right kind of people to fit the organization, and give the organization a competitive edge (Schneider and Bowen, 1993) begins primarily with the selection process (Hom and Griffeth, 1995; Boles et al. 1995; Eade, 1993; Mercer, 1988; Dunn, 1995). There is evidence that hotels in both countries draw from a wide range of recruitment sources both intemal and extemal. Hotels in Australia and Singapore tend to place greater reliance on recmiting from an intemal labour market of current employees within the establishment and from other hotels which are part of the chain within the same ownership. Although this was perceived to be more evident in the Australian environment, this was inclusive of promotions as well as transfers of casual and parttime staff. There was also the consideration that Singapore had a more stable labour force of full and part-time employees, while the Australian hotel industry tends to rely on a higher proportion of casuals in employment, thereby implicitly contributing to tumover levels to a greater degree. However, in both instances, the use of this intemal labour source was predominantly restricted to supervisory positions and above, usually associated with a career development plan. Such efforts to develop career paths would assist in overcoming a major reason given for tumover in the industry in Australia  as identified in a survey (KPMG Peat Marwick Management, 1991). None the less, this effort has resulted in the per centage of managerial promotions, in at least one hotel each, as high as 85 per cent in Singapore and 95 per cent in Australia. Intemal allocative strategies are therefore encouraged where extemal recmiting costs can be reduced because, for example, current staff do not require re-training or acculturation into the organization; i.e. the direct costs of tumover (Woods and Macauley, 1989; Boella, 1988; Woods, 1992; Mullins, 1995; Mercer, 1988). As such, this can be perceived directly to drive staff tumover levels down (Simms et al. 1988; Debrah, 1994) through increas ed promotional and career opportunities (Woods and Macauley, 1989). Extemal sources of new recmits included: databases of previous applicants, unsolicited applicants, newspaper advertising, employee referrals, recmitment consultants, industrial attachments and networks with associates in the industry. Hotels in Singapore seem to be more resourceful in attracting new people with employee referrals becoming increasingly popular, where current employees are usually offered incentives for a new staff member employed on their recommendation. Although there is no scientific evidence to support this theory, hoteliers argue the general principle on the basis that birds of a feather flock together; that is, referred potential candidates would be expected to be of similar calibre, personality and behavioural qualities to the referrer since they are friends or family. This reduces the cost of extemal sourcing, as well as a diminished probability of tumover occurring through the yielding of more reliable and committed employees (Debrah, 1994). Networking is also more prevalent in Singapore than in Australia. Despite it being regarded as a form of people-poaching, it is considered common practice in Singapore. Hoteliers in Australia, on the other hand, generally do not support this mode of recmitment as it is considered there, to some degree, unethical and generally not very nice. Both countries, however, attributed their respective stances to the small but close-knit fratemity of the hotel trade. HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 143 To combat the potential difficulties of building a full-time committed work-force in Singapore, Debrah (1994) in his earlier research, pointed to the use of part-time staff. Benefits that accme through employing regular part timers include increased flexibility in scheduling, thereby reducing the impact of tumover (Greengard, 1995), as well as lower wage outlays (Inman and Enz, 1995). Although this practice is prevalent in the Australian hotel industry, where sometimes up to half of the total employee population are part timers or casuals, part timers are usually hired on a needs basis and predominantly in the food and beverage (FB) or banqueting departments in Singapore (Debrah, 1994). Hotels in Australia are typically seen by young people as a source of casual employment due to ease of entry. A problem increasingly faced by Singaporean hotels due to rising educational standards and employee expectations is the shortage of applicants for the less desirable shift-work positions mainly at the operative level. One hotel, at least, has attempted to combat this through the hiring of foreign labour, mainly from Malaysia. While interviews remain a core selection device, there is an increased emphasis placed on the behavioural aspects of a potential candidate in both countries, where selection tools are used to assist in determining a persons personality, attitude and character in relation to the specifications that a position may require. It was felt that experience and expertise, although valuable, could be gained from training and development while attitude and personality were more important in new recmits in attempting to fit employees into a particular organizational culture. Singapore, however, has a more dominant use of the behavioural interview than Australia, where attitude is perceived to be more important than experience. This is assessed essentially through structured, oral employment tests given to potential candidates in the course of the interview. Berger and Ghei (1995) further argue that this method is more effective in the selection of new hires than more commonly practised approaches, e.g. reference checking, which the Australian hotel industry  utilizes extensively, biodata through weighted application blanks, etc. However, a sample of employment tests from a couple of respondents suggests that the behavioural interviews conducted in the Singapore hotel industry have a primary focus on the biodat a of a potential candidate. Current literature also supports a higher correlation between biodata and the eventual retention of that person (Dickenson and Ineson, 1993; Mitchell, 1989; Ineson and Brown, 1992) according to the past behaviours and reactions, attitudes, interests, etc. Reference checking was advocated by Dunn (1995) as a proactive and aggressive way of reducing tumover and maintaining a higher work-force quality. Despite obvious disadvantages like potential litigation consequences, e.g. defamation, negligent hiring suits (Dunn, 1995), the Australian lodging trade diligently adopts this approach when employing. There was significantly less importance placed on this method of selection, as apparent through its lack of use, by Singaporean hoteliers. Industrial placement, however, is a common practice in both countries. Although generally regarded as a labour source, industrial placement (referred to as work attachment in Singapore) has not been maximally utilized as a selection tool in either Australia or Singapore. Despite some evidence of it occurring, the potential benefits of effectively utilizing this practice as a selection tool are not being fully realized; for example, that applicants would ah-eady be familiar with the organization (Leslie, 19 91), thus having a realistic preview (Woods and Macauley, 1989), thereby increasing the retention probability for that person (Hom and Griffeth, 1995). At the 144 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown same time, the applicant would already be trained in their area of operations, thereby directly and positively impacting on recmitment and training costs. The labour-scarce situation afflicting the Singapore hotel trade is, to a large extent, attributed as the major factor influencing modifications in local hiring practices, which supports earlier research (Debrah, 1994: Nankervis and Debrah, 1995). This is especially so in relation to the recmitment sources the industry approaches in seeking new  hires. However, some of these approaches may seem to exacerbate, rather than mitigate, labour tumover despite an acknowledgement of their detrimental effects. For example, networking as a labour source would probably indicate recmiting a new hire from another hotel. This would inevitably mean filling a position in one property at the expense of increased tumover in another. On the other hand, Australia has been comparatively slow in adopting more innovative methods of recmitment and selection, although there is an indication of a move towards a more strategic direction. Although acknowledged as an issue, tumover is not given priority consideration when hiring even though there is a recognized need for a match between the organizations values and the potential employee. Rather, a reduction in labour tumover is essentially considered an incidental benefit to the meeting of organizational and operational objectives. In summary, hotels in both countries are placing more emphasis on recmitment and selection practices in an effort to reduce the potential for labour tumover. Variations exist where Singapore places more emphasis on behavioural interviews, employee referrals and networking, while Australian hotels emphasize reference checks and assessing attitudes in the employment interview. Australian hotels also tend to use more casual employees than their Singaporean counterparts. Orientation and socialization Induction sessions in hotels of both countries were conducted regularly upon the employment of a new recmit, consistent with Mullins (1995) suggestion that orientation is basically a natural extension of the recmitment and selection function. Hotels in both Singapore and Australia were seen to conduct both general and departmental orientation (St. John, 1980; Kennedy and Berger, 1994; Eade, 1993) in order to provide overall hotel information, as well as specific job details. General orientation for new employees in Singaporean hotels ranges from two hours to 90 days, while in Australia between two hours and one and a half days is the norm. The content of these sessions is comparable and includes hotel cultures, employee handbook, mles and regulations, health and safety procedures, salary details and so on. More specific orientation is the responsibility of the employing department. The importance of this function in facilitating and sustaining the long-term retention of employees was perceived to be recognized by all respondents. It was basically a matter of familiarizing new employees with the daily operational requirements and culture of the organization (Mullins, 1995; Eade, 1993; Thompson and Abbott, 1990); that is, acculturating them into the organization in order to align their individual goals with that of the hotel. To encourage this assimilation, Singapore hoteliers tend to be more systematic in the orientation process and usually conduct interim and follow-up sessions to provide employees an opportunity for feedback (Eade, 1993) as well as to evaluate their progress (Day, 1988). These sessions were usually related to a probationary employment condition to which newcomers are subjected (Thompson and Abbott, 1990) in an HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 145 effort to further ensure a person-position match for both the organization and employee. This practice, however, was more evident in Singapore (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995), since only two hotels in Australia had this system in place. For purposes of inducting and eventually training new employees, some hotels in Singapore have in place a buddy system where new employees are matched with seasoned, experienced staff members who are responsible for their training. This concept has been supported as providing new hires with the guidance that may be needed in training and providing answers (Eade, 1993; Day, 1988), particularly where there is a case of information overload, that is, too much information being disseminated within that short span of time. Despite the potential benefits of this practice, however, only one Australian hotel explicitly suggested the availability of such a system, but for specified lower-level positions only. Some of the available literature suggests that existing employees could, in effect, also reap positive experiences through an organizations induction  of new employees. This is based on the assumption that current staff would also have to adjust to changes within an organization, as, for example, to a new colleague (Sutton and Reis Louis, 1987; Day, 1988). Perhaps this lack of consideration of current staff might, to some extent, account for labour tumover that occurs, not within the confines of the induction [or] recruitment crisis (Thompson and Abbott, 1990; Mullins, 1995), but among seasoned employees who may have been conveniently overlooked in relation to organizational modifications. One way of potentially combating this problem is to conduct re-orientation programmes for staff. Deemed important by both the Singapore and Australian hotel industry, these sessions take into account old employees, e.g. people who have been with the hotel since its founding, sometimes up to twenty five years. The primary rationale is to reiterate organizational philosophies and values or to communicate recent or planned changes in a hotels culture or structure (Martin and Van Eck Peluchette, 1989). Despite the potential benefits, such sessions are only conducted by all Australian hoteliers, with only one hotel in Singapore administering annual corporate reorientations for seasoned employees. This is notwithstanding the age of some of the Singapore hotels, whose history may go as far back as twenty five years. Generally, induction is still regarded as exerting a significant and direct impact on the successful retention of employees. This relates to the consistency of products and services provided by the hotel industry primarily through its human resources (Denvir and McMahon, 1992). Therefore, orientation and socialization essentially serve the hotel industries by apprising newcomers of, acculturating and gelling them into to the organization, thereby minimizing the probability, and eliminating a potentially major cause, of labour tumover such that there is a stable foundation from which the hotel can operate. Training and development There is a clear recognition in both countries of the strategic contribution made by training to the retention of staff that the willingness to invest in an organizations people leads to an increase in their commitment and job satisfaction, leading to a reduction in staff tumover (Woods and Macaulay,  1989; Conrade et al., 1994). Training needs analyses are generally carried out by the hotels in both countries, although Singaporean hoteliers were perceived to be more systematic in establishing potential training requirements. There is a greater emphasis on analysing guest 146 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown comment cards in the Australian hotel trade, whereas only two Singaporean properties explicitly take customer comments into account when determining training needs. One Australian hotel, on the other hand, basically depends on consultation sessions among staff to gain infonnation and feedback on potential gaps in employee training and development. Despite these systems of determination, only one hotel in each country had a training directory, with the remaining properties generally having a list that employees could be referred to. To some degree, this may reflect Conrade et al.s (1994) suggestion that, despite the importance and significance training is accorded within the industry, the reality of the availability of such planned, quality training programmes within hotels is limited. The content of training and development programmes was relatively similar in Singapore and Australia and included: language courses, quality management, health, stress handling and telephone etiquette. Job-related skills were also an important component of training. Much of this training is done in-house, although for managerial and supervisory employees extemal sources are usually utilized. None the less, there was an emphasis on the involvement of line employees in the administration of the training function. The Singapore lodging trade expressed this delegation of responsibility through the constant interaction between supervisor and employee (St. John, 1980; Day, 1988), whereas the Australian hotels validated this practice based on the training requirements of the industry, e.g. on-the-job training and as a control mechanism in training effectiveness (Day, 1988). This argument also aligns itself with Tysons (1995) suggestion that the HRM function will become more functional throu gh its integration with line management. Developmental opportunities were perceived to be linked to the training function in the industries of both countries. Employees are primarily trained to the requirements of their job, with a secondary focus on fulfilling their individual needs that is usually required to be in alignment with the operational needs of the hotel (Tracey and Tews, 1995; Walker, 1992; Mabey and Salaman, 1995). This again relates, to a degree, to the earlier argument, put forward with regard to the willingness to invest in people, that a workers need for growth and leaming can be met with a sense of morale and commitment (Mullins, 1995). Hotels in both cultures provide developmental opportunities for employees, generally incorporating an open-door policy, i.e. staff can approach and discuss with the HR department or person-in-charge their leaming directions and career aspirations. Most hotels adopt a more systematic and regular approach to involving employee feedback through the perfonnance management process; this will be discussed in greater detail in the next section. There was, nevertheless, a more methodical approach to career development in the Australian industry. Four hotels, compared to only two in Singapore, had adopted a formal targeted development programme for staff at all levels. This response does not take into account any future plans to formalize developmental opponunities in the hotels, is more evident in Singapore, where the youthful age of some of the hotels may have accounted for the cunent lack of systematic developmental practices. The presence of formal career paths may, in effect, reflect the progress Australian hoteliers have experienced in their attempts to modify a short-term employment perception (Timo, cited in Nankervis, 1993b), contrary to the recent findings of Nankervis and Debrah that suggested casual and transient employment was endemic (1995: 33) and a lack of formal career paths in the hotel industry. HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 147 None the less, the existence of developmental opportunities were evidence of the hotel industries attempts to minimize voluntary staff tumover through long-term career opportunities in the trade (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995; Nankervis, 1993b). This consequently acts to offset the perception that labour tumover is an inherent and acceptable facet of the hotel industry (Mullins, 1995; Riley, 1991a; Woods, 1994; Meier, 1991), supporting the argument that it is manageable through effective HR practices. Mabey and Salaman (1995: 130) further argue that an investment [in an organizations people] will allow them to respond more effectively in a changing environment. This is especially tme considering the dynamic nature of the hotel trade, where consistency in service through an organizations people is considered most important (Denvir and McMahon, 1992; Anastassova and Purcell, 1995; Berger and Ghei, 1995). This may therefore be achieved through the use of training and development as an agent of change (Mabey and Salaman, 1995), where employees may be constantly informed and updated about, as well as strategically equipped for, the changing requirements of the hotel. Performance management Evaluating an employees performance is viewed as being very much related to employee development within the hotel trades of both countries. The prevalent adoption of this function in Australia reflects a significant improvement where earlier research (Nankervis, 1991, 1993a) showed a comparatively low usage of performance appraisal. A management-by-objectives (MBO) approach (Oberg, 1972; Kramar, 1994) to perfonnance management is used by all but one of the hotels in each country. This usually involves both supervisors and employees completing separate evaluation forms and conferring on the final report. Employee feedback and input are considered significant parts of the performance appraisal process, which is essentially modelled after the performance development plan (PDP) adopted by Harvey Hotels (Beckert and Walsh, 1991). The exceptions were primarily attributed to the fact that employee appraisal may not be as effective as a democratic process, for example where supervisors may not  want to create undue conflict and many attempt to be nice about the assessment. This would essentially introduce inaccuracy and prejudice into the procedure and would therefore reduce its effectiveness. Hotels in both countries distinguished between managerial and operative staff for performance management processes, with some hotels also having different appraisal standards among the particular levels of management, e.g. supervisory, middle management, etc. However, there was a general consensus on the criteria against which managerial and operative employees were evaluated: behavioural aspects were stressed for the fomier, with the latter being assessed on the more generic aspects of performance (Eade, 1993). In spite of the various appraisal methods available (Eade, 1993; Walker, 1992) (peer evaluation, subordinate appraisal, etc. all the hotels interviewed adopted a supervisor subordinate approach to assessing an employees performance and determining potential developmental requirements. However, half the sample in Australia adopted a combination of appraisal techniques, i.e. self-appraisal in conjunction with supervisor subordinate evaluation. This could be perceived to provide increased employee input, as well as a more balanced assessment of that staff member. The employee input was often 148 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown viewed as an important mechanism for them to express issues relating to their developmental needs. One Singaporean hotel, however, was more rigorous in its appraisal process with the secondary supervisor also required to appraise the employee. This could be perceived to lessen any potential bias on the part of the immediate supervisor, and provide a more impartial and accurate evaluation of the worker. In Singapore, apart from assessing the overall performance of an employee through identifying and evaluating weaknesses and strengths, performance management was often used as a means of justifying remuneration adjustments. This was less common in Australia where award rates of payment rather than individual contracts govem pay rates. The frequency of conducting the performance management interview is also consistent between the two countries, i.e. either semi-annually or annually. In instances where probationary periods are required for newcomers, the first performance assessment occurs at the end of that period. Since probationary periods are more prevalent in Singapore, the early occurrence of this process also serves to diminish, somewhat, the incidence of staff tumover as a result of the recruitment [or] induction crisis (Mullins, 1995; and Thompson and Abbott, 1990), acting as an opportunity for feedback, clarification and identification of any necessary training needs. There was, none the less, an emphasis on determining an employees potential developmental needs through the identification of discrepancies in meeting performance objectives (Walker, 1992; Riley, 1991a). Exit interviews as a final evaluation process were a more commonly used among Singaporean hoteliers, even though there was one hotel in each country that did not see the need to undertake this practice. Despite the evidence that formal exit interviews are conducted with departing Australian employees, the ability to utilize the information derived effectively in identifying and isolating possible causes of tumover (Mok and Luk, 1995; Eade, 1993; Vetula, 1991; Kiechel, 1992), and consequently to propose necessary corrective action (Woods and Macauley, 1987), is more apparent in the Singapore hotel industry. Exit interviews in Australia are predominantly conducted as a routine process to ensure that final administrative matters are resolved before the employee leaves. Overall, although considered to be significant and contributory to the bottom-line, the performance management function is generally viewed as having an indirect effect on labour tumover in both countries, primarily through its determination of an employees training requirements, developmental opportunities and remuneration issues. Remuneration The role of remuneration was similarly perceived, in both industries, to be a  secondary factor through which labour tumover can be mitigated, especially monetary compensation. Generally incongruous with the limited literature that argues that remuneration is a major contributing factor in labour tumover (Hom and Griffeth, 1995; Woods and Macauley, 1989), the role compensation plays in the hiring and retention of staff was, however, acknowledged to primarily be through the concept of equity, value and satisfaction (Walker, 1992; Riley, 1991a). According to the expectancy theory (Mullins, 1995), there would be an increased tendency for people to leave an organization if a discrepancy existed between their expected and associated value, evident through the remuneration received. For example, if employees feel they are not compensated in accordance with the service provided to HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotei industry 149 the organization, they would be inclined to feel unappreciated and undervalued, thereby contributing to their decision to leave the company. This diminished significance attributed to remuneration, however, does not discount the contributory role that compensation plays in a hotels tumover statistics, and associated consequences like labour shortage, hiring expenses, etc. (Woods and Macauley, 1989; Boella, 1988; Woods, 1992; Mullins, 1995; Denvir and McMahon, 1992; Riley, 1991a; Lewis, 1989). There is also a direct impact on an organizations bottom-line essentially through a potential reduction in employee start-up costs, which include orientation, socialization, training, etc. However, remuneration has a comparatively large influence on tumover in Singapore. Unlike the Australian hotel industry that pays award rates for operative staff, different hotels in Singapore pay different rates according to their individual collective agreements (Debrah, 1994). Because of the tight labour market (Debrah, 1994; Goh et al., 1995), potential employees are allowed to choose their employers and work environments, a process  which may include job-hopping to hotels that can afford to pay higher wages (Debrah, 1994). However, the differences in the impact of compensation policies on supervisory and managerial staff in Australia and Singapore were comparatively negligible. The remuneration received by these salarial staff is not performance-based, but positionbased, thereby hardly affecting decisions of tumover and retention. Remuneration in Singapore, however, refers to a total compensation package, unlike in Australia where it refers primarily to monetary compensation, i.e. basic pay. The package is generally inclusive of the basic wage or salary, insurance coverage and fringe benefits, e.g. discount rates at sister-hotels (Walker, 1992). Employees at this level tended to remain with their employer for factors other than money. The impact of remuneration on labour tumover can therefore be perceived to be secondary, although more direct in Singapore, under conditions of labour scarcity and a potentially competitive wage market. Even so, in Australia, where particular categories of employees, such as chefs, are in relatively short supply, remuneration packages may play a role in attracting and retaining them. However, the function of remuneration has not been ignored, particularly in relation to the concepts of expectancy and equity. In summary, people would leave if they are not compensated according to their expectations, suggesting therefore a direct, albeit minimal, influence on labour tumover. Conclusions This research suggests that hoteliers in Singapore and Australia are adopting a more strategic perspective to HRM in tackling labour tumover. In both countries the greatest emphasis was placed on recruitment, selection, induction, socialization and training and development practices as mechanisms for minimizing tumover. Performance management and remuneration strategies were seen as having a more indirect impact through the strategies listed above. The broad range of strategies adopted by Singapore hoteliers to combat the initial difficulties in recruitment (Nankervis and Debrah, 1995) reflect a longer-term approach to HRM. This could be attributed to the correspondingly higher tumover rates in the hotels and the countrys low unemployment rate, and hence the industrys concened effort to attract and retain committed employees. However, it needs to be recognized 150 Angeline Cheng and Alan Brown Table 4 Key differences in HR activities between Singapore and Australia HR practices and policies Singapore Australia Recruitment †¢ Employee referrals †¢ Networking †¢ Reliance on part-time staff Selection †¢ Structured interviews behavioural emphasis †¢ Skills tests †¢ Person-job specifications †¢ Structured interviews †¢ Reference checking Orientation socialization (induction) †¢ Follow up feedback sessions †¢ Buddy system Training †¢ Guest comments analysis †¢ Employee consultation Development †¢ Targeted development, e.g. management trainee programme Performance management †¢ Impact on remuneration policies operative levels †¢ Exit interviews †¢ Limited impact on remuneration policies Remuneration †¢ Annual remuneration review position perfonnance based †¢ Individual collective agreements for operative staff †¢ Package remuneration †¢ Annual remuneration review position-based only †¢ Award rates for operative staff †¢ Monetary compensation that the attention given to recmitment and selection is as much an operational matter as it is a strategic approach attempting to reduce tumover. Orientation and socialization processes were emphasized similarly in Singapore and Australia, although there was comparatively more utilization of probationary periods (Eade, 1993; Thompson and Abbott, 1990; Day, 1988) and a buddy system (Eade, 1993: Day, 1988) to ensure an employees effective assimilation into the hotel in Singapore. Training in both countries has been closely associated with the induction process, with the latter seeming to be considered a subset of the former. Because orientation involves the basic operational instmction of staff, it is perceived to be part of the overall training function. Nonetheless, tumover is perceived to be significantly influenced by willingness to invest in this function, and therefore in an organizations human resources, such that there may be an increased sense of job satisfaction and morale; thereby retaining staff (Woods and Macauley, 1989; Conrade et al., 1994). Although developmental opportunities are present in both Singapore and Australia, they are concentrated in the supervisory and managerial, and therefore skilled (Riley, 1991), levels of the organization. None the less, the correlation between developmental paths and an organizations tumover rates were apparent, that is the opportunity to grow and advance within an organization would offset a perception of h otel employment as HRM strategies and labour turnover in the hotel industry 151 transient and casual (Nankervis, 1993b; Woods, 1992; Riley, 1991a; Mullins, 1995; Denvir and McMahon, 1992) through the availability of true career  paths. Performance appraisal and remuneration policies have minimal impact on labour tumover, except on the operative staff in Singapore where wages are negotiable and individually determined according to the collective agreements of each property. 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