How does Faustus use the magical gifts that he receives? Essay

Faustus is an extremely ambitious and clever man. This is seen to the extent that he sells his soul to fulfil his ambitions. He uses magic in order to strengthen his power and knowledge and thus this makes him dangerous. He is hubristic and aims to posses knowledge that no other mortal should have. In doing so he becomes synonymous to God. Faustus states â€Å"O what a world of profit and delight/Of power, of honour, of omnipotence/Is promis’d to the studious artisan! † This is what he intends to do with the magical gifts he receives but it soon becomes clear that ultimately everything Faustus does is for his own selfish needs. By comparing himself to a ‘studious artisan’ he hopes to gain the recognition of a scholarly work however, he fails to understand that scholars study for personal enlightenment and not material gain. Therefore ultimately Faustus achieves nothing with his magical gifts throughout the whole play. He gains no wealth, no recognition and no delight from his magic. Instead he condemns himself to death and illustrates that no man can ever be God as all men are fallible. Faustus’s attempts to use his magical gifts are futile and thus he gains nothing and is forever in debt to Mephostophilis. The pursuit of knowledge is directly linked with obtaining power. Faustus intends to acquire a greater intellect so that he can control everything. This is demonstrated by Faustus in Act one Scene one; â€Å"All things that move between the quiet poles/Shall be at my command. † Faustus exemplifies his desire to be the master of all. His reference to the quiet poles means that Faustus wants to rule the entire world, from North to South. The audience are reminded that Faustus is just a man; â€Å"Yet art thou still but Faustus, and a man,† however, he forgets his place in society. Faustus wants to use his magical gifts in order â€Å"to make men to live eternally/Or being dead raise them to life again. † The magical gifts allow Faustus to take on the role of God and this hubristic nature and desire for power is his downfall. Significantly, everything Faustus says is only what he intends to do with the magical gifts. He never does use the magical gifts to commit such acts and rather uses them for trivial acts such as comedy. This is illustrated in Act four Scene six when the Horse-Courser recounts his encounter with Faustus Dick and Robin. It is clear that Faustus has done nothing with the power that his magical gifts provide him with. Faustus also wants to use his magical gifts for his own pleasure and selfish needs. He aims to accomplish this by sending spirits to â€Å"search all corners of the new-found world/For pleasant fruits and princely delicates. † This pleasure could result in pride for Faustus which is what he claims that he wants at the beginning of the play. More importantly he considers himself worthy of these ‘princely delicates’ and thus forgets his place in society. The pleasure of these new found objects shows the material gain from his magic rather than personal enlightenment. Thus this demonstrates that Faustus uses his magical gifts not as a scholar but as a sorcerer for his own pleasure and happiness. In addition, Faustus wishes to be pleasured sexually exploring the woman for new treasures. This is evident in Faustus’s conversation with Valdes in Act one Scene one. However, once again Faustus wishes are not fulfilled and his dreams are only lived in words. It is once again apparent that Faustus does not use his magical gifts at all. The magical gifts allow Faustus direct power in order to conquer the world; â€Å"And reign sole king of all our provinces. † He is obsessed with the idea of reigning supreme and become omnipotent just like God. Faustus has no intention to use his magical gifts for good omitting to mention any wish of helping the poor and poverty stricken people in Germany. His only aim is to become a ‘mighty God. ‘ This ultimate power means that there is a clear distinction between Faustus and the rest of the characters in the play; a divide between mortal and god. Thus Faustus’s power enables him to obtain considerable fame for his astonishing magic. He wishes to â€Å"be eterniz’d for some wondrous cure† demonstrating his desire to be remembered forever. His magical gifts do not allow Faustus to become immortal and it is only in literature that he becomes immortalised. One final aspect that Faustus wishes to achieve with the magical gifts is wealth. He could be a physician and â€Å"heap up gold,† or â€Å"ransack the ocean for orient pearl. † Wealth is another way in which Faustus could gain power. Faustus’s obsession with wealth also illustrates his materialistic attitude. Knowledge in Faustus’s eyes is only another form of wealth like money. He takes no pleasure in making himself a better person. Once again by the end of the play Faustus has not achieved wealth and this is another example of how he has in fact not used his magical gifts. Throughout the play it is evident that Faustus wishes to use the magical gifts to gain power, knowledge, wealth and immortality. He aims to be a creature that is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent and thus his desire is to be god. He becomes obsessed with using his magical gifts to achieve this and continually speaks about all his ideas. However, his dreams never become a reality as he never attempts to actually pursue his desires and use the magical gifts. Instead Faustus uses his magical gifts merely as a comedic tool therefore demonstrating the weakness of his character.

The Importance of Education

Probably no single movement so greatly affected colonial America as the Protestant Reformation. Most of the Europeans who came to America were Protestants, but there were many denominations. Lutherans from Germany and Scandinavia settled in the middle colonies along with Puritans and Presbyterians. The Reformation was centered upon efforts to capture the minds of men, therefore great emphasis was placed on the written word. Obviously schools were needed to promote the growth of each denomination. Luther†s doctrines made it necessary for boys and girls to learn to read the Scriptures. While the schools that the colonists established in the 17th century in the New England, southern and middle colonies differed from one another, each reflected a concept of schooling that had been left behind in Europe. Most poor children learned through apprenticeship and had no formal schooling at all. Those who did go to elementary school were taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion. Learning consisted of memorizing, which was stimulated by whipping. The first â€Å"basic textbook†, the New England Primer, was America†s own contribution to education(Pulliam, Van Patten 86). Used from 1609 until the beginning of the 19th century, its purpose was to teach both religion and reading. The child learning the letter a, for example, also learned that â€Å"In Adam†s fall, We sinned all. † As in Europe, then, schools in the colonies were strongly influenced by religion. This was particularly true of schools in the New England area, which had been settled by Puritans and other English religious dissenters. The school in colonial New England was not a pleasant place either, physically or psychologically. Great emphasis was placed on the shortness of life and the torments of hell. Like the Protestants of the Reformation, who established vernacular elementary schools in Germany in the 16th century, the Puritans sought to make education universal. They took the first steps toward government-supported universal education in the colonies. In 1647, Puritan Massachusetts passed a law requiring that every child be taught to read. [It being the chief object of that old deluder, Satan, to keep men from the knowledge of the scriptures,†¦ it is therefore ordered, that every township†¦ fter the Lord hath increased them to the number of fifty householders,†¦ shall†¦ appoint one within their town to teach all children as shall resort him to read and write. It is further ordered, that where any town shall increase to the number of one hundred families†¦ they shall set up a grammar school, the master thereof being able to instruct youth so far as they may be fitted for the university. Old Deluder Satan Act. -Massachusetts Laws of 1647(Pulliam, Van Patten 51)] Puritan or not, virtually all of the of the colonial schools had a clear-cut moral purposes. Skills and knowledge were considered important to the degree that they served religious ends and â€Å"trained† the mind(Gutmann 180). Early schools supplied the students with moral lessons, not just reading, writing and arithmetic. Obviously, the founders saw it necessary to apply these techniques, feeling that in was necessary that the students learn these particular values. As the spirit of science, commercialism, secularism, and individualism quickened in the Western world, education in the colonies was called upon to satisfy the practical needs of seamen, merchants, artisans, and frontiersmen. The effect of these new developments on the curriculum in American schools was more immediate and widespread than its effect in European schools. Practical content was soon in competition with religious concerns. Vocational education was more significant in the Middle colonies than elsewhere in colonial America. The academy that Benjamin Franklin helped found in 1751 was the first of a growing number of secondary schools that sprang up in competition with the Latin schools. Franklin†s academy continued to offer the humanist-religious curriculum, but it also brought education closer to the needs of everyday life. Teaching such courses as history, geography, merchant accounts, geometry, algebra. These subjects were more practical, seeing as how industry and business were driving forces in the creation of the United States, while religious classes could not support a family or pay the debts. By the 1880s the United States was absorbing several million immigrants a year, a human flood that created new problems for the common school. The question confronting educators was what to teach to educate and prepare them for the work force. Religion was still an important part of their lives but with so varied a population it was impossible to teach any one and families kept their members involved in the church and children learned about religion through Sunday school and by being active in church social gatherings. By the mid-19th century the diversification in the curriculum characterized virtually all American secondary education. America came into its own, educationally, with the movement toward state-supported, secular free schools for all children, which began with the common (elementary) school. Religious denominational or parochial schools remained common in the middle colonies until the country became independent, but such sectarian schools were weakened by the withdrawal of English financial support and by the separation of church and state. The revolutionary period saw academies, with their emphasis on practical subjects such as bookkeeping, navigation, and surveying, increase in popularity. After the common school had been accepted, people began to urge that higher education, too be tax supported(Gutmann 201). By the end of the century, such secondary schools had begun to outnumber the private academies. The original purpose of the American high school was to allow children to extend and enrich their common school education (Diane 56). Schools now needed to ready the students for college-an even higher form of education instead of preparing them to immediately enter the work force. America†s educational ladder was unique. Where public school systems existed in European countries such as France and Germany, they were dual systems. When a child of the lower and middle class finished his elementary schooling, he could go on to a vocational school. The upper-class child did not attend the elementary school and was instead tutored until the age of nine and could enter a secondary Latin school. The purpose of the Latin school was to prepare him for the university, from which he might well emerge as a potential leader of his country. With the independence of America came freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights. Freedom of Religion was included in the first amendment which prevented Congress from making any law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting religious practice. Some states had provisions for tax-supported religion, but were abolished by 1833. Although the long range effects of disestablishment and religious freedom were beneficial to public schools, the immediate result was to take away public funds that had been used to support church-related schools. Separation of church and state also contributed to the educational problems of today, such as the issue over prayer and bible readings in public schools. Nevertheless, sectarian control over public education was broken by the provision for religious freedom. The Industrial Revolution began in Europe and spread to America a few decades later. One effect of the change from an agricultural to an industrial economy was the demand for schools to train students for the workforce. Vocational and industrial education better supplied students with the knowledge to enter a career rather than religious studies. The vocational value of shop work was considered part of general education. The need for skilled workers and the desire for high school education for those not college bound caused the manual training to gain speed. Religion was the major subject in colonial schools, but with the separation of church and state, public schools could only teach non-sectarian religious principals. Still, the curriculum remained heavily influenced by religious writings, prayer, and Christian morality. Bible reading was considered nonsectarian in most communities. The fact that a Protestant bible was not acceptable to Catholics carried little weight, and Jews were also discriminated against in school prayers. Before the twentieth century, minority groups often chose not to make an issue of religion in the public schools. If Catholic, Jewish, or other minority religious groups were unable to support their own schools, they normally accepted the rules of the public schools even when the requirements contradicted their own beliefs. In recent times however, there have been a great number of court cases over the religious requirements or practices in public schools. Although a majority of the cases have decided against the inclusion of religious practices, a large number of Americans are of the opinion that schools are responsible for moral training of America†s youth. The questions arise over and over whether this is a valid requirement or responsibility of the educational system. How does one teach moral values and respect for teachers, students and the community without including the basic philosophy of religion and the worth of prayer. Religious liberals and non-believers have attacked beginning the school day with prayer. With the removal of the Pledge of Allegiance from the daily rite of school curriculum America had made a drastic statement to element any reference to any God, any religion and this sent a message to every household in America that receiving an education would not include any word or association with any God. However, our society will always have a multitude of beliefs and opinions on whether or not it is a responsibility of the educational system to teach respect, honor and morale standards to our children. What responsibilities do parents have to teach religion to their offspring? Do children need to know the beliefs of more than one religion, do children have a right to practice religion in school? A hundred questions could be asked regarding this subject and because we are such a diverse society I do not believe it would be possible to teach religion in school. Which is why I think it is better to live religion out of the schools as to not offend anyone of believing in another religion or does not believe in religion at all. Personally I believe that parents should have the responsibility of teaching children right from wrong. The reason why society is so bad isn†t the fault of the school system, but the lack of good upbringing by parents. The Importance of Education The importance of education has become apparent to many families across the globe. Entering a University has become progressively easier over the past decades. Even though the entrances have become easier, it doesn't mean that actually graduating college is any easier. Education is the essential part of every minor's life, if they aren't subject to a good education or they are but they fail to take advantage, they will most likely end up on the â€Å"losing end† of the race to make money once they graduate from either college or high school. As a whole, getting into a college and graduating provides the student with a â€Å"fast pass† in life. For example, if someone were to drop out of high school, they would most likely never get the spot that requires a college degree because they have to know what they are doing in order to actually complete the job. The college graduate on the other hand, could easily take the position of any person that has not completed college or especially high school. But thanks to the opportunity provided to the children in the United States, they have a chance at getting into college as long as they don't have bad grades or are students who often misbehave and acquire a large array of referrals. Children that do not behave and/or have bad grades have a much lower chance of actually getting into college, let alone actually graduating from it. Education is most likely the most important aspect of a child's life, whether they know it or not. An education not only provides students with the tools they need to survive a normal day in the life of a normal working adult, but it provides them with the knowledge to solve problems some have never seen and/or heard of. Even one of our founding fathers clearly understood the importance of an education. George Washington knew that an education was important, especially to a democracy because they need people to understand the issues, discuss them, and be able to solve them. Without an educated population, there could easily be criminals who could oversee the non-educated and use their knowledge to loop around laws and commit crimes easily considered some of the worst by today's standards. Due to this, it is clear that an education isn't only important to the individual and their lifetime income, but it is also very important to major departments of society and law. As a whole, Education gives us knowledge of the world around us. It develops in us a perspective of looking at life as well as helping us build opinions and POV's in our lives. Education helps us develop a world that could function and what is right and what is wrong. Considering the fact that in today's society everything is about business, the students who have studied the most and have the most desirable degrees become necessities to the companies recruiting them. No matter how important it may seem to someone, it is most likely the most important aspect of their life.

Intellectual Property Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Intellectual Property Law - Essay Example This fact is negligible. Wherever the deal took place is irrelevant. As long as there was some verbal agreement, that could still be considered a contract, as will be shown in the next point. 3. No formal contract was signed between TWD and Yello. Even though TWD and Yello did not sign a contract, LMI and TWD made the agreement that LMI would arrange it so that they would pay TWD to set up a website for the band. â€Å"Such relationships are termed quasi-contract. Although there is no contract or agreement between the parties, they are put in the same position as if there were a contract between them.†1 The definition of what a quasi-contract is can be given here. As defined in Black’s Law Dictionary, a quasi contract is â€Å"an obligation which law creates in absence of agreement; it is invoked by courts where there is unjust enrichment†¦ [The] [f]unction of ‘quasi contract’ is to raise obligation in law where in fact the parties made no promise, an d it is not based on apparent intention of the parties.†2 Also, contracts do not have to be written down to be enforceable. A contract, by definition, is â€Å"[a]n agreement between two or more persons which creates an obligation to do or not to do a particular thing. Its essentials are competent parties, subject matter, a legal consideration, mutuality of agreement, and mutuality of obligation.†3 Additionally, a contract â€Å"is formed in any transaction in which one or both parties make a legally enforceable promise. A promise is a commitment or undertaking that a given event will or will not occur in the future and may be express or implied from conduct or language and conduct. A promise is legally enforceable where it: was made as part of a bargain for valid consideration; reasonably induced the promise to rely on the promise to his detriment; or is deemed enforceable by a statute despite the lack of consideration.†4 There are several types of contracts, in addition. Contracts may be one of three types: express (an agreement brought about by words); implied-in-fact (an agreement brought about by conduct); or implied-in-law, also known as a â€Å"quasi-contract† (which is â€Å"not a true contract but an obligation imposed by a court despite the absence of a promise in order to avoid an injustice.†5 Since it has been shown that there was a quasi-contract between LMI and TWD, TWD is now committed to performing services for LMI under the deal that was hammered out in the Wine Bar—even though nothing was put down in writing in a formal sense. However, this could indeed hurt LMI later as one shall see. 4. The website includes photos of Yello given to TWD, and three (3) short extracts of songs from Yello’s first album. TWD does not necessarily own the images or the three (3) short extracts of music given to TWD in order to market the band Yello. The copyright of the music belongs to LMI since they had a deal sign ed with them. Whoever took the photographs (one would presume that would be the photographer) who would own the copyrights to the band Yello’s photos. However, if Yello purchased the copyright of the images, then the images belong to them—or if the Yello band’s image is already copyrighted. This can be a complex issue. If Yello’s image is not copyrighted, it may be able to be distributed other places. Also, the copyright on the song excerpts must also be copyrighted in order to make sure that if there is any type of infringement, then the people or person infringing upon the copyright of

Media Technologies and convergence Raymond Williams Essay

Media Technologies and convergence Raymond Williams - Essay Example Raymond Williams is strongly opposed to Marshall McLuhan’s analysis that the world has been altered by television, which is intended to mean that watching television reduces one’s intelligence quotient (IQ). Although McLuhan’s line of thought is somehow consistent with experience in the media, Williams argues that it would be overly deterministic to believe in the precepts of this model. On this point, Williams’ line of thought makes quite a lot of sense because some television programs are greatly educative and laden with facts. The implication is that the society can learn a great deal from these facts and effectively develop their IQs. Technological determinism assumes that technological advancement is an accidental, self-driven process. It pre-supposes that the advancements are never pre-determined by external forces. However, most of the technological developments arise as a result of the needs (either real or perceived) of the society. This way, technology is the ultimate result of many years of carefully designed research. Put differently, the kind of technology that develops in a particular place is normally related to the challenges associated with the place. Technology is, therefore, aimed at providing definitive solutions to the needs and challenges of the society. Williams reinforces this point further by making reference to some television-related inventions such as the electric eye, the copying telegraph, the cathode-ray tube, and the scanning system. The details of these inventions show clearly that discovery of the modern television had been long foreseen, and it was in the process of being perfected. One of the challenges that had motivated the conception and subsequent realisation of these inventions is pressure that came with the expanding business and military operations; a situation that demanded a faster and robust broadcasting platform. Raymond Williams emphasises the value of technology in influencing the cultural perception of television. In doing this, he resists the assertions of McLuhan that the message lies in the medium. Williams reasons that if the medium is the message, then the human component would have been left out of the broadcasting system. Williams further argues that contrary to McLuhan’s beliefs, viewers have the will and ability to alter and or pre-determine the otherwise latent logic of technology and history. This is attributable to two factors: first is that television is part of human life, and second

Last will & testament Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Last will & testament - Essay Example by reason under this will, be paid out of my residuary estate; and I hereby waive on behalf of my estate any right to recover from any person any part of such taxes so paid. My Executor, in his sole discretion, may pay from my domiciliary estate all or any portion of the costs of ancillary administration and similar proceedings in other jurisdictions. In my position of being the owner of any real estate at the time of my death, do instruct and empower my Executor and my Trustee (as the case may be) to hold such real estate for investment. They may sell same, or any portion thereof, as my Executor or my Trustee (as the case may be) shall in his sole judgment determine to be for the best interest of my estate and the beneficiaries thereof. I hereby direct that my said wife shall be entitled by her last will and testament, duly probated, to appoint a successor Executor of my estate, as well as a successor Trustee or successor Trustees of all the trusts to be created under my last will and testament. If, for any reason, my said mother be unable to serve or to continue to serve as Executor and/or as Trustee, or, be deceased and shall not have appointed a successor Executor or Trustee, by virtue of her last will and testament as stated above. Then I appoint my wife, Mary Bono (Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, n.d.), as successor Executor and/or as successor Trustee of all trusts required to be established hereunder. None of the appointees named hereunder, including any appointment made by virtue of the last will and testament of my said mother, shall be required to furnish any bond or security for performance of the respective fiduciary duties required hereunder, notwithstanding any rule of law to the contrary. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. (n.d.). Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved from Biographical Directory of the United States Congress:

Managing Through People Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Through People - Assignment Example ions, including, eg, career development, training, organization development, etc.†1 Human resource Management (HRM) is the management activity of the employees of an organization where as the Human Resource Development (HRD) is a more general term in which apart from the management function the developments of the organization and the employees (internal and external) through different types of training activities are also the functions of an HRD department. The globalized current business environment has made the task complicated for the HR department. Most of the companies are now establishing their manufacturing units in overseas countries in order to exploit the overseas markets. Some employees need to be sent to the overseas countries in order to set up the business there. The HR managers need to train such employees in accordance with the needs of the target country. The difference in culture, language, environment all must be addressed by the HR managers while formulating the training procedures. Microsoft is believed to be one of the biggest software companies in the world. In fact it controls the majority of the world’s software market with their monopoly. Even other companies like Intel were forced to make microprocessor chips suitable for the Microsoft’s Windows operating system because of their monopoly. Microsoft did this by creating a series of operating systems (DOS, then Windows), and by defining the kind of machine that could run their OSs.† (Why is Microsoft a Monopoly?) Microsoft is lead by its founder Bill Gates. It is actually the great leader ship Bill Gates, shaped Microsoft into such a big monopolistic firm in the world. â€Å"Leadership is setting a new direction or vision for a group that they follow, ie: a leader is the spearhead for that new direction. Management controls or directs people/resources in a group according to principles or values that have already been established.†2 The leader always concentrated on setting the

How Educators Can Meet the Challenge Annotated Bibliography

How Educators Can Meet the Challenge - Annotated Bibliography Example These findings would help the researchers provide useful data for the research related to second language in South Korea because the implications look into the content teachers teach and the way they teach as well as the ways in which students learn. The author of this research is the student of Masters of Education of Second Language Learning in the University of Southern Queensland. This research was done as a requirement of receiving the Masters degree. The intended audience of this research is the instructors and students of English language in general and the faculty at the University of Southern Queensland in particular. Students and teachers particularly in South Korea can gain beneficial information from this research. The research may enable the instructors to modify their content and ways of teaching for good so that it may be conducive for better learning on the part of the students. Department of Defense Education Activity. (2007, March). English as a Second Language Program Guide: Planning for English Language Learner Success. Retrieved from http://www.dodea.edu/curriculum/docs/esl/eslprogramGuide0307.pdf. This is an excellent program guide for teaching English as a second language (ESL). The article available online is based on 9 chapters. The article makes a step-by-step approach to design a comprehensive program for teaching ESL. The first chapter offers an overview of the program. The second chapter is based on the process of ESL student identification, the third chapter focuses on instructional progra.

The American War in Viet Nam Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The American War in Viet Nam - Term Paper Example Despite their active involvement, people from Australia were anxious about the country’s involvement in the war. It is noteworthy that various novels and other cultural texts focus on Australia’s involvement in the war and its consequences. An example of a book that talks about Australia’s participation in the war is â€Å"The Things They Carried† by Tim O’Bien. This book contains short stories that talks about the country’s involvement while criticizing the complex political web that led to both America’s and Australia’s participation while featuring O’Brien and his fellow soldiers (O’Brien 18). The author has explained the roles of politics in the war while focusing on the soldiers who participated in the war. The initial chapter in the book talks about soldiers from Australia and American carrying weapons in literary way. The book contains well-researched information with the main source being the experiences of the author during the Vietnam War. Based on the author’s arguments in the book, the book is against the soldier’s participation in the war. The author describes the emotional pains and burdens carried by the soldiers in form of weapons thr oughout the war. It makes the audience identify with the soldiers’ suffering instead of focusing on their positions in the war. According to the author, the country got involved in the war because it lacked enough information and was misled by other countries such as the US and Vietnam. Through the book, the audience realizes how the soldiers were caught up in a complicated political game during the war. The author explains how the Australian soldiers were alienated during the war (O’Brien 18). In the later chapters, the book seems to accuse the country’s governments and the public for betraying the soldiers. The book pictures the real event in the country during the war. For instance, through the book, the audience realized how soldier were being manipulated in

End of White America Essay Example for Free

End of White America Essay Racism and prejudice have always existed in human history. Being a taboo subject and a debated issue, many people have tried to explain and find the reason to such conduct concerning another group of people. Such researches are the hope of many to see the racial discrimination ending. Vincent N. Parillo, through his essay Causes of Prejudice tries to explain the reasons of racism in the U. S. Parillo divides his essay in two parts, one for the psychological causes and one for the social reasons. In the first part, Parillo cites the main psychological causes as: levels of prejudices self-justification, personality and frustration. In the second part he transactions into the social explanations, which are: socialization, economic competition and social norms. For each cause he gives strong arguments based on historical data and actual facts and statistics which made his essay reliable. Along the same lines Hua Hsu in â€Å"The End of White America? † argues that America is becoming post racial. According to him race will matter less and less and whiteness will come to an end. Hsu is positive and confident that Americans will overcome resentment stimulated up by these changes and produce a culture in which race won’t be an important factor. These feelings might have been embedded within the people over a really long time and it will take a lot of time and determination to overcome the resentement that is stirred up from within the people. Parrillo provides a great deal of emphasiz into prejudice and the potential or future problems posed by the changing power dynamic between the roles to help us understand the shift and the reason behind the shift. Will Hsu’s words come true? Will white regain their power? Or will they remain threatened about their fading culture and value in America. In my opinion white people have lost power but the only reason that happened is because now there is a more variety due to people immigrating to America and therefore white people are not a majority anymore and have more competition. A couple of decades ago, children were easily influenced by the decisions of others due to demographic shift. In the 1950’s the culture was mostly white. Either people were white, were forced to be white or wanted to be white to fit in. This was because most of the population was white. Accoring to Hsu by the 2050’s white will no longer be there and that most American’s will no longer be white. Hsu always carefully observed the shift in culture which has already started taking place. He touches upon the subject of the white people not having a strong culture. Parrillo talks about different types of prejudice. He states that in the socialization process, people learn the â€Å"values, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of their culture or subculture† (Hsu, 504). Children are being easily swayed because they are taught to obey their parents, and respect that which often takes on the beliefs and ideas of their parents without them knowing what is right or wrong or what they want and don’t. The beliefs of a child’s parents also become the child’s beliefs at a very young age because their parents are the ones that are with them every step of the way. It is believed that people learn from their parents and from others in society may be stereotypes since they don’t have a mind of their own at that age to judge what is true or not. However, many people don’t recognize this, since people are so accustomed to hearing these stereotypes. One example that Parrillo gives is of the Jim Crow laws of the 1890’s and the early 20th century. â€Å"Prejudice, like cultural values is taught and learned through the socialization process. The prevailing prejudicial attitudes and actions may be deeply embedded in custom or law, although socialization explains how prejudicial attitudes may be transmitted from the generation to the next, it does not explain their origin or why they intensify or diminish over the years† (394). The people who grew up with Jim Crow laws accepted them as normal, though they weren’t. Things in the world are slowly and gradually changing. Before, parents used to influence their child’s thoughts and beliefs; however, nowadays other elements influence the child’s beliefs. Watching Dora and more TV shows which give out little facts that are stored in the child’s mind and therefore the child is affected by it. This therefore has influenced the youth greatly, â€Å"the youth market is following the same pattern: consider the cheetah girls or Dora the Explorer, the precocious bilingual seven year old Latina adventurer who is arguably the most successful animated character on children’s television today† (Hsu, 503). They are getting more swayed by the shows. Several decades ago they did what their parents did or asked of them. The only factor that influenced the kids judgment was their parents but now things are different and a lot more influences them like characters, shows, media, and society and therefore parents involvement in their children’s judgment has decreased over the years because so many other factors are more appealing. Hsu gives an explain of Dora, since she is a character who does not conform to the â€Å"white middle class mold†. Referring to different types of prejudice according to Parrillo, it would have to be social norms, since the norms are what society or parents teach their children in that time period. â€Å"By learning and automatically accepting the prevailing prejudices, an individual is simply conforming to the norms. This theory holds that a direct relationship exists between degree of conformity and degree of prejudice† (396). Peoples prejudice would increase or decrease only if the people were introduced to something that is not the norm and most of the kids in today’s world make their own decisions by getting influenced by their own interests and not their parents. Socialization and social norms instill in people certain attitudes, which can manifest themselves under the stress of economic competition. An additional sociological view of prejudice is that of economic competition. The young kids today are the future of tomorrow and therefore economic competition is much more visible in today’s world than it was a few decades ago. People are more â€Å"hostile toward others when they feel that their security is threatened thus many social scientists conclude that economic competition and conflict breed prejudice† (Parrillo, 394). This viewpoint is based on the confidence that when people feel as though their security is being exposed, people are more forceful and unpromising. â€Å"Considerable evidence shows that negative stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination increase markedly whenever competition for available jobs increases† (394). Which is therefore one of the reasons that people are prejudiced because of economic competition which exists a lot in the world of today. Adding Hua Hsu’s thoughts into this, his main example is hip-hop. â€Å"During popular musics rise in the twentieth century while artists and produced main streamed African American innovations. But hip-hop the sound of the post civil-rights, post-soul generation was a global audience on its own terms† (502). Instead of being watered down and whitened like black music in the past, it has remained unmistakably black and yet has taken over the music industry. Sean Combs, like Barack Obama, can be black and yet be accepted by Americans of all colors and reach the top of his field. According to Census data, about 50% of Latinos identify themselves as white. How one identifies them is shaped by both personal and social factors. Due to this de-indianized immigrants click on white in the census. They believed being white was a step closer to being American. This is having a drastic shift according to Hua Hsu. â€Å" Whiteness is no longer a threat or an ideal; its kitsch to be appropriated, whether with gestures like combo’s white parties or the trickle-down epidemic of collared shirts and cuff links currently afflicting rappers†(502) and therefore an expansive multiculturalism is going to be replacing the â€Å"us against the world mentality that lent a thrilling edge to hip-hops mid 1990’s rise† (503). Economic competition now plays a major part in today’s world as it did decades ago. Decades ago, life was a different ball game and people were content with what they had but today every little things are a competition. May it be a battle between the sexes or a competition between who has a better job. To claim that a person is White but against ignorance and oppression is like saying one â€Å"hates the concept of baseball but is a Boston Red Sox fan†. How does white exist outside of the historical background of America’s social rift? Eventually, the same subject pertains to all Americas racial colors that were used for whiteness to even exist. The difference, however, is that behind minority racial colors is a concrete culture whether it be Indian, Mexican, Native American, Chinese etc. that contributes to a greater American background that belongs to everyone, but is institutionally coordinated by the one racial demographic bereft of culture. (Hsu, 504) So again, what do you think defines the identity of whiteness and more importantly how is it exclusive to being a white person? A cultures constitution is formed by how it has come into existence and the methods used to maintain its traditions. White is not a race. It is a arranged social notion designed on isolating the human race. The young is the future of tomorrow, which is why economic competition plays such a big role. Self- Justification and frustration are other levels of prejudice mentioned in Parrillo’s theories. It â€Å"involves denigrating a person or group to justify maltreatment of them. In this situation, self-justification leads to prejudice and discrimination against members of another group† (387). Parrillo also relates this to a person’s financial status; â€Å"a person may avoid social contact with groups deemed inferior and associate only with those identified as being of high status† (387). When people feel inferior to other person, they react to it and want someone to feel inferior to them. According to Hsu â€Å"Pop culture today rallies around an ethic of multicultural inclusion that seems to value every identity—except whiteness† (503). The white culture is declining and the white people are surrounded by so much diversity that they feel like they are so bland compared to them. They don’t feel exotic or different anymore. â€Å"The classic thing white students say when you ask them to talk about who they are is, ‘I don’t have a culture’† (505). A few decades ago white people took pride in being different and exotic. But now slowly and gradually they are becoming a minority because of all the immigrants. â€Å"People tend to be more hostile toward others when they feel that their security is threatened† (Parrillo, 394). White people are more accepting to other cultures and races now since they feel like they are threatened because of the amount of immigrants present in America right now. Since the white people feel like their culture is faded they are getting more paranoid and frustrated. â€Å"Frustration is a result of relative deprivation in which expectations remain unsatisfied† (391). When one does not have sufficient resources in their lives, and their lives are compared to other individuals, they feel inferior and humiliated. With all these immigrants coming to the United States it is making us the majority race, and with all the white people moving away they are giving us the opportunity to overpopulate and put the standards high for whites to accommodate to our lifestyles. This therefore is fading the white culture as due to the immigrants they don’t feel like they are exotic anymore. They believed that everyone wanted to be a white American but now the definition of American itself is changing. It is not a typical rich, white person anymore. I believe that throughout the years, races will all have their chances in population and high power, because it all depends on what race is growing and succeeding at that time of that period. I do not think that whites will become a minority because as i stated before, we all have a time when a race is higher than others and when some are lower than others. If that day does come when whites become minorities, then I sure hope they get the thrive to come up again because I believe that for a country to be successful it needs all types of cultures, races and ethnicity. Even if one race does become the main focus, it is not till to long and it will fade away eventually due to all the immigrants that are present and coming to America.

Folate Supplementation In Food Essay Example for Free

Folate Supplementation In Food Essay Generally, fortification of foods have proven beneficial to people over the past years as it restores the nutrients that may have been lost in food processing and also enhances the vitamins that the food contain. Examples of food fortification include the addition of Vitamin C, to an orange drink, Vitamin D to dairy products, and Vitamins B1 and B2 to bread, among many others. However, while food fortification is generally considered beneficial to consumers, a recent article, Folic Acid Fortification: One Size May Not Fit It All, which was published in Natural News. com, showed that foods fortified with folic acid increase the risk of colon cancer. While I am in generally in favor of the fortification of foods, the article made me think twice before consuming foods that are high in folic acid. Although the article showed that folic acid had a number of benefits, particularly the 20 per cent reduction of birth defects of the spinal cord and the central nervous system, it still had health risks which, for me, should be greatly considered before taking in foods that are high in folic acid. In addition, even though the number of benefits outweigh the risks when consuming food that are fortified with folic acid, I believe that food manufacturers, nutritionists and members of the health sector should further conduct a collaborative and in-depth study on folic acid-fortified foods before they are made available for public consumption. The findings of the study should be then showed to the public so that people are aware of the risks of eating too much of a certain food. Another option which I believe would greatly avoid the risks of consuming food fortified with folic acid is the modification of food labeling. At present, food labeling is mandatory. However, it only shows the amount of nutrients, carbohydrates, calories, cholesterol, and other contents of the food and not the risks associated with it. In this regard, I would recommend that food manufacturers label fortified foods which contain substances that have known health risks in such a way that the people or consumers can see what exactly the risks are. For example, if a food is high in folic acid, which were shown to increase the risks of colon cancer, its label should clearly indicate that too much consumption of this food can lead to the colon cancer or should at least contain a warning. Furthermore, I also believe one way to lessen the risks of consuming foods fortified with folic acid, is for the government to make the public more aware of the exact content of the food and the dangers associated with them. Nevertheless, the article stated that only those who consume too much food fortified with folic acid are at risk for colon cancer, which means that these kinds of food are relatively safe if consumed moderately. The bottom line is people should always be aware of the exact content of the food they are eating in order to avoid possible health risks.

High Employee Turnover in the Retail Industry

High Employee Turnover in the Retail Industry Executive Summary This dissertation has been written to determine why the employee turnover in the retail industry is so high. The reason for this is that managers are not following the basic human resource principles such as offering employees competitive wages, opportunities of promotion or challenging work in order to keep employees motivated. As individuals are not motivated at work, they look elsewhere for better paid jobs where they can develop themselves further so they can progress with their careers. The researcher has also recognised that employees want flexibility at work. This is due to many of the participants of the survey having personal priorities that are more important to them such as children or studying while working. There are clear recommendations for employers stating what can be done with the intention of reducing the employee turnover rate. The most vital are that managers find out specifically why employees are leaving, this can be done by using exit interviews. Once this is determined, they will be able to pinpoint the causes for employees leaving them so that they can then make the necessary changes to keep staff attracted to the job. The study has also shown that it is of vast importance for employers to offer more flexibility in the workplace in order to be able to cater for the employees requirements. The estimated basic turnover cost for a retail assistant is  £1,425 per individual. (Taylor, S 2002:47) This total only includes the expenses of the employee leaving i.e. the paper work and the recruitment process to replace the individual. The total does not account for overtime being paid out to the individuals colleagues or temporary staffs who may be hired to fill the vacancy on a short-term basis. The employee turnover rate for people working in retail is considerably high at 31.3%; retail has the highest employee turnover rate throughout all sectors. (CBI Labour and Absence Survey 2004) The researcher has been working in sales for almost four years now and it is of great interest to the individual as to why staff turnover is so high and what can be done to prevent it and how the company can benefit from retaining staffs. To the researcher, it seems more practical to retain staffs rather then recruit new employees. If employers invested money into staffs, they may find that this will save a lot of money in recruiting and training new staffs. Aims The aims of the dissertation are to: Identify the cause of high employee turnover rates within the retail sector Find out what employees in this sector want from an organisation Establish what can be done by employers to retain people in this particular segment of the labour market. Rationale This dissertation seeks to inform businesses of how high employee turnover can be costly and time consuming which is why the well-known idiom can be used to express the basis of the dissertation: â€Å"prevention is better then cure.† In the business context, this relates to investing more in staff in order to retain them rather then recruiting, selecting and training new staff. High staff turnovers can influence a businesses performance as it is the employees who are in direct contact with the customers and if they are not satisfied with their jobs, they will not be providing the best service possible to the customers. Limitation: This dissertation is concerned with the retail sector as motivation and retention methods vary in different environments. The proposal does not focus on a particular company but on the retail segment as a whole in order to establish the factors, which account for retention within the sector. The study will be based in London; and will focus on individuals who have had experience of working within the retail sector. Literature Review 7.1 Definition of Employee Turnover When employees leave an organisation, several factors need to be considered which all lead to expenses on behalf of the organisation. The organisation will need somebody to cover the workload of the employee that has left the company and the process of recruiting will need to take place in order to fill the vacancy. The higher the employee turnover rate is of a business, the higher the costs will be to replace these workers which is why it is so important for businesses to calculate. To evaluate the labour turnover, the following calculation can be used: (CIPD 2004) â€Å"Crude Wastage Method† ___Number of leavers in a set period_____ x100 Average number employed in the same period Once labour turnover rates have been identified, it will then be possible for the organisation to recognise the extent that staff turnover can affect them by. Reducing labour turnover will mean that less people are leaving the organisation therefore; there will be less wastage of employees so that money can be saved, as less people will need to be recruited. However, not all organisations calculate the cost of employee wastage. In fact, over 50% of organisations believe that this information is not relevant and 31% believe that it takes up too much time and is not worth the effort. (Recruitment, retention and turnover Survey, CIPD, 2004:33) If organisations do not calculate the employee turnover rate, it will be difficult for them to distinguish its affect and recognise the benefits of reducing it. 7.2 The Effect of Employee Turnover on Staff When an individual leaves a job, either a temporary replacement is hired or the workload is split between the individuals colleagues until a suitable replacement is found. Hiring temporary staff can be expensive while at the same time, giving the individuals colleagues, an increased workload will cause them further stress. If this was to happen consistently, it could be another cause for people leaving the organisation. The graph shows how employee turnover can have a knock on effect because of the impact it has on staffs. (Employee retention report, Reed, 2003:4) The employer must ensure that people are replaced as soon as possible to prevent other staffs from being put under additional stress and pressure. However, if employers tried harder to retain staffs then they would have to put less time and resources into replacing the workforce. 7.3 The Effect of Employee Turnover on the Organisation The impact of employees leaving organisations is that it leads to expenses. Replacing staffs takes up time and money, which are both valuable resources that should be saved wherever possible in order to achieve a more efficiently operated business. When a position is vacant, the amount of paid overtime can rise up to 25%, which accounts for the usual workload that is to be completed by less staffs. (Employee retention report, Reed, 2003:4) The graph shows the adverse affects that happen because of employee turnover. Reducing employee turnover will decrease expenses as the company will not have to spend as much money to hire temporary staffs, recruit new staffs or pay so for so much overtime. 7.4 The Importance of Retention from the Recruitment Stage It is important in an organisation to recruit the right person with the right skills and qualifications for the job. â€Å"People who represent the best ‘match in terms of their personality attributes, skills and experience are those who are likely to perform best in the job against a range of criteria. They are also the people who are most likely to remain employed for some time and the least likely to take the first available opportunity to leave.† (Taylor, S 2002:171) This is essential as recruiting a person whom is inadequate to do the job would be pointless as they would not be able to complete the tasks of the job to meet the expectations of the company. Therefore, recruiting a person who is not right for the job would be a waste of time and money as the right person for the job will still need to be found for the long-term. 7.5 The Importance of Inductions Once a suitable candidate is found and hired, they will require preliminary training, which is known as an induction. This is where the employee is introduced to the company, its culture and procedures. This will help to familiarise the employee with the company and the job requirements. As a result, the employees will learn the various procedures of how the company wants to operate. Inductions are used to welcome the new employee into the organisation and ensure that they feel comfortable in performing their job role successfully. â€Å"Labour turnover is frequently highest amongst those who have recently joined an organisation. The term ‘induction crisis is used to describe the critical period when new starters are most likely to leave. A well planned induction course can help to decrease labour turnover by ensuring that new starters settle quickly in their jobs and reach an efficient standard of performance as soon as possible.† (Kenney, J and Reid, M 1990:241) The induction is a very significant part of training as if it is not carried out it can lead to the new employee feeling pressured and may lead to feeling that the job difficult to undertake. Poor or even no induction training can be the result of an employee leaving the company within the first few days or weeks of the start date. 7.6 Affects of a Quality Induction Programme Clarks is a well-established shoemaker company that has developed a valuable induction programme to ensure that its store employees are capable of achieving the companys targets. Just over 40% of the companys retail staff has already taken part in the training scheme called Shine. The programme is significantly recognised as it won a UK National Training Award. The scheme is part of a strategic plan to improve performance, productivity and employee retention. New starters receive Shine on the first day off work as on-the-job training. The new trainees are given a workbook which is similar to an employee handbook as it covers safety, the job, pay, hours, rules, selling steps, finding stock and equipment knowledge of products, shoe-care, deliveries, credit cards, cheques and refunds. The programme encourages teamwork and helps the new employees to bond together. It is clear that Clarks has recognised the importance in induction training in order to retain employees which is why the com pany has devised such a satisfactory training scheme. (â€Å"Shoe shop staffs shine! In training† 2004:91) 7.7 Retention Plan In order to retain employees, the company must first find out what is causing them to leave. As there can be a wide variety of reasons for people leaving a company, the plan is broken down into key factors: Pay and benefits: the company must be able to offer a competitive rate of pay. This is essential as if an employee can perform the same job and be paid more elsewhere then they will most probably leave the company. The company must be able to keep compete with the pay and benefits offered by rival companies. These benefits can consist of; share options, pension schemes, retention bonuses and flexible benefits Recruitment and selection: when recruiting employees it is crucial to ensure that the employees skills and abilities match what is required of the post in the company. If this is not done then the employee will have problems in carrying out the job role successfully. It is also vital to produce a truthful image of the job as if it is made to sound more glamorous or exciting then it actually is, the employees expectations will not be met therefore they will not be fulfilled in the new job thus causing them to look for a better job elsewhere. Training and development: a good induction process is imperative. Employees also need to have the chance to progress through promotion so that they will not feel like they have to be trapped in the same job. Job design: the work may be too boring or undemanding therefore the position may need redesigning or a new approach such as teamwork. This makes it easier for job-share therefore employees will be able to work when it suits them better as the job will be flexible. Management: ensure that managers and supervisors have the skills and ability to manage effectively and fairly. (Bevan, S. 1997) These are the key features, which the organisation has the control to change. The company has no control over circumstances such as people wanting to move to a different location or ill health therefore these factors cannot be influenced in order to retain employees. Motivation With the intention of retaining employees, keeping individuals motivated is another way to prevent them from leaving the organisation and to ensure that the employer is getting the best from each individual. â€Å"Boredom and frustration at work is often the result of an employees lack of involvement with the companys goals and feelings that their ideas are not wanted or listened to. Companies that involve their employees in achieving company goals are able to motivate employees.† (Chapman, M 1997) For individuals to fulfil their full potential this must be motivated thus The harder an employee works, the more / bigger reward(s) they should gain which will keep them motivated to continue working hard. Motivated staffs lead to a more productive workplace therefore; it will be more profitable. (Maslows Hierarchy 1954) states that people first needed to fulfil there basic needs before they can progress to achieve self-actualisation. This is best shown in a pyramid, each person first starts from the bottom and through work, the individual fulfil each stage and works his or her way up. (Maslows Hierarchy of Needs 1954) Physiological needs: food, water, air, rest Safety needs: security, job security Social needs: affection, love and friendship Esteem: recognition, achievement and status Self-actualisation: personal growth and self-fulfilment. The hierarchy of needs shows that: Employees need money to pay for necessities such as food, rent etc. This is the basis of satisfaction Employees need to know that their job is safe so that they do not have to worry about looking for a new job. It is best to work in teams to encourage socialising between employees as individuals can learn from one another and share knowledge. Employees will be motivated to work harder if they know there is a possibility of promotion. This is the hardest to achieve, as most people want to be the boss. This will take a lot of time and very hard work to achieve. Maslows theory explains how individuals have needs and by employers meeting these needs, they are able to motivate them to keep on progressing. It is vital for the needs of individuals to be met as if they are not it will lead to individuals feeling unfulfilled thus leading them to look elsewhere for another job. (Herzbergs Two Factor Theory 1968) This consists of satisfiers and hygiene factors. A satisfier is what motivates an employee, e.g. achievement, recognition, responsibility, advancement, personal growth and the actual work itself. Hygiene factors are elements that do not motivate people e.g. pay and conditions, status in the organisation, job security and benefits. The theory expresses that employees will be motivated by good wages, promotion and other benefits etc. Employees are not motivated by poor wages, poor working conditions, no job security etc. Ultimately, employers need to offer staff satisfiers to motivate them to work hard. As long as individuals are happy and fulfilled in their jobs and feel that they are progressing, they will continue to work hard and stay within the organisation. 7.9 How to find out why Employees are Leaving The organisation needs to find out why its staffs are leaving so they can then devise a plan to try to prevent this from reoccurring in the future. The methods of finding out why employees are leaving can consist of: Exit interviews: these interviews are normally held soon after the employee has resigned. The interviewer can take the opportunity to find out why the employee is leaving, the conditions under which they would have stayed and improvements the company can make in the future. Leaver questionnaires: these are either completed during the interview or sent to people once they have left the company and normally consist of closed questions to make it easier to analyse. (Leavers questionnaire are also known as Attitude Surveys) â€Å"The exit interview is an increasingly common procedure when an employee leaves an organisation. Ostensibly these are conducted to gain information about the reasons for the employees departure, information which can then be used to improve human resource management.† (Furnham, A 2001) Once the reasons for employees leaving has been established, they can be put into separate categories so the organisation can see what the most popular reasons are for people leaving. They can then go on to make relevant changes in order to help retain workers. 7.10 Conclusion of literature Overall, it seems that in order for the retail industry to grow, organisations must improve their retention methods to ensure they have enough employees to cope with the increase in productivity. It is the sales assistants that have the majority of contact with customers which is why it is so vital to ensure that they receive sufficient training in order to serve customers effectively and efficiently while at the same time providing a service to encourage them to come back. A key way to reduce employee turnover is to keep staffs motivated, so the industry will be investigated to find out how this is done and how successful current methods are. The employee turnover rate is so high within the industry so there must be something that is going wrong to cause such a high turnover rate. Exit interviews seem to be the most crucial method of finding out why people are leaving the industry. It is vital to find out why people are leaving so that action can be taken to prevent staffs to from leaving for the same reasons in the future. Therefore, it will be important to find out if retail organisations carry out exit interviews; and if they do not, then why not? 8. Methodology 8.1 Introduction There are varieties of methods that can be put into practice to assist the researcher to seek out relevant information in order to find out the answer to the research question. Examples of such methods are; observations, case studies, interviews, questionnaires and focus groups. If would be difficult to make observations to find out why people are leaving their retail jobs as people resigning can happen randomly so its not guaranteed to happen when the researcher has scheduled to make an observation. Case studies will not be used as the dissertation is based on the retail industry as a whole, not on specific shops or department stores. Interviews will not be used either as although they lead to a large amount of information being uncovered, they take up quite a lot of time of so the amount of people being interviewed will be limited. A broad selection of peoples opinions need to be taken into consideration therefore, the researcher has chosen to use focus groups and questionnaires in order to obtain both qualitative and quantitative information. As the study is based on the whole retail industry, a wide variety of people who have worked or still work in retail need to be targeted to find out the main causes of employee turnover within the sector. The study will be based on primary research, which will be put into practise to find out peoples viewpoints of the topic. 8.2 Primary Research It will be ideal to use questionnaires to find out information, as it seems to be the most efficient way to use a large sample so a wide amount of information can be collected. Another advantage of using questionnaires is that they are not very time-consuming therefore; more people are likely to respond to them. In addition, they are relatively cheap to produce so the researcher will not need to worry too much about the costs. The questionnaires will be anonymous so people will not feel obliged to answer in a specific manner; hence, they will be able to express their own opinions without feeling obligated. An additional feature of a questionnaire is that people can randomly be asked to fill one out as long as they have had a job in retail. This means that no appointments need to be arranged and that the survey can be conducted at any time or place. However, there are some disadvantages with questionnaires such as the structure of the questionnaire needs to be simple and easy to understand so that people do not get confused. This could ruin the results of the questionnaire as if people misunderstand the questions or the layout they will not answer or complete it properly. If people have literacy problems, it may make it difficult for them to complete the survey accurately. Some people may leave out some of the questions, which could cause a problem when recording the data. This could also lead to the wrong conclusions being drawn to as if people skip questions the results will differ. Consequently, this will need to be taken into consideration when recording the results of the survey. Another possible problem is that the response rate is not guaranteed to be one hundred per cent so some questionnaires maybe wasted. The questionnaire will need to be short and straight to the point, if there are too many long questions it may disc ourage people from completing it as they may feel that it will take up too much of their time. One more problem with questionnaires is that they are limited so people will only be able to give feedback on what they have been asked so a different perspective may be overlooked. With the intention of preventing any issues being overlooked, two focus groups will be instigated before the questionnaires are created. This will be done with the intention to stimulate the topic and look at it from a variety of angles. The focus groups will allow for the upward and downwards approach to be put into use, as the information gathered from the focus groups will then be used to develop the questionnaire. One focus group will be made up of university students whom have worked or still work in retail; therefore, the viewpoint of part-time retail workers whom have other commitments can be established. The other focus group will consist of full time retail workers so that their perception of the issues raised can be distinguished. These group members may have responsibilities such as children, another job, a mortgage etc that is why the researcher feels it is relevant to use two focus groups. Each focus group will have between four to six group members. The focus group will be started by introducing everybody to each other, followed by a summary of the topic. A Dictaphone will be used to record the discussion so that all the information can be recorded so that nothing is left out. The following questions have been prepared to ensure that the discussion is kept on track; Q1) Where does everybody work? / Where has everybody worked? Q2) How long have you all been at these jobs? Q3) Do/did you enjoy it? Q4) What do you like best about it? Q5) What do you hate about it? Q6) Do you feel that your organisation seems to constantly be recruiting new people? Q7) Do you feel that this affects you? i.e. do you have to help train them? Are you often left with a bigger workload? How does this make you feel? Q8) When you have left a job did u receive and exit interview? Q9) Do you think this procedure would help the organisation to find out why they are loosing staffs? Q10) If you were the manager, what would you do to retain staffs? A copy of the minutes of the meeting is available in appendix A. The problems associated with focus groups are that some of the members may feel uncomfortable, as they do not know each other so they may keep their opinions to themselves. However, the researcher will introduce all the members to each other and start the conversation off in a relaxed way to help everyone feel more at ease. Another problem is that it may be difficult to get all the members together at the same time as some people maybe working or have other responsibilities like studying or children. 8.3 Pilot Study When the focus groups have been carried out, the information will be used as the foundation for the first draft questionnaire. This will then be tested in order to get feedback on it for improvements. This process will continue until all feedback has been taken into account and all the necessary changes have been made. When this is all completed, the questionnaire will go through a pilot study of about ten people to ensure that all the questions run smoothly and are not misunderstood. The final version of the questionnaire is available in appendix B. 8.4 The Survey After the required changes if any have been edited, the survey will be carried out at Charing Cross train station on a sample of one hundred people whom work or have worked in retail as a sales assistant. The people completing the survey must meet the specific criteria, which are that everybody who takes part must work or have worked in retail. The location was chosen as it is very busy and it should be easy to find a variety of people that meet the criteria that could spare five to ten minutes to fill out the questionnaire while waiting for their train. 8.5 Analysis of Data Once the survey has been carried out, the data gathered would be entered into an Excel spreadsheet where the data will be put together to analyse it and to find out what are the main reasons for employee turnover within the industry and what can be done by employers to reduce the amount of employee wastage. The data will then be evaluated in order to identify if there are any trends or relationships that can be established. This information will then be examined to find out what the industrys employees require so that employee turnover can be reduced. 8.6 Limitations It was too difficult to get a group of full time workers from different retail segments together at the same time to hold the second focus group. Some people refused to be part of it and others who said they would participate were not able to agree to a specific time where they would all be free. Therefore, only one focus group of university students could be conducted. The survey will be carried out on one hundred people whom have worked in the retail industry. In addition, the survey will be based in central London, if the survey was carried out around the whole of England, the results could differ. 8.7 Secondary research The dissertation focuses on primary research carried out by the researcher however, secondary data in the form of academic books, reports, articles and CIPD studies have been used to look at the existing trends in the labour market. Information has been gathered from various human resource textbooks to look at employees behaviours more closely and to define what factors motivate individuals within the working environment. The Internet was used to find out reliable facts and statistics about the retail industry in order to examine it closer and determine what has already been established so the researcher could identify if these trends were also shown in their research. 9. Analysis and Findings 9.1 Introduction From the information found out through the focus group, the researcher decided to use open-ended questions in the questionnaire as a means to find out what people really thought. Peoples opinions have then been categorised so that relationships can be identified more easily. One hundred questionnaires were handed out and fifty-four were handed back fully completed thus the response rate for the survey is 54%. 9.2 Demographics The results from the survey show that out of the fifty-four respondents, only 22% were male. In 2003, the retail workforce was made up of 63% females and only 37% males. (Learning and skills, research report, 2004:8) According to the survey, just over a third of the industry was made up of men meaning that women dominated the workforce. These results are not biased, as the researchers sample resembles the trends in the industry, as just over three-quarters of the sample are female. Therefore, although the gender is not evenly split, it will not affect the findings of the survey. The results of the survey also showed that the majority (fifty per cent) of the sample fell between the twenty-one to thirty age-range. However, the sample did consist of a variety of ages as shown in the graph below: This graph clearly shows that women dominate the sample and that no men over the age of forty-one took part in the survey. In fact, only seven per cent of the sample are over the age of forty-one. The under twenty category is the only age range which shows there is an even gender split; nine per cent are male and eleven per cent are female. Overall, the survey was completed by respondents with a variety of ages to ensure that different generations of workers could give their viewpoints on employee turnover within the sector. The majority of participants have no children under the age of fourteen: only seventeen per cent have children; forty-four per cent are male and fifty-six per cent are female. Out of these candidates, fifty-six per cent are married, twenty-two per cent are single and twenty-two per cent are divorced. Forty-four per cent have left the industry due to having children while twenty-two per cent are working full time and thirty-four per cent are working part-time. The thirty-four per cent that are working part-time consist of the individual that are single or divorced. These candidates have to work part-time as they are single parents and they have their children to care for. 9.3 The length of time people have worked in the industry and the amount of different retail jobs they have experienced Almost a third of the participants have worked in retail for between three to five years and only four per cent of participants have worked in the industry for ten years or more. This is a very small amount considering that the most amounts of jobs undertaken in retail by a participant were twelve. This was by only one person who worked in the industry for between five to seven years. Seventy-six per cent of respondents have had between one to four retail jobs which seems to be fairly high considering the fact that over a quarter have worked in retail for a year or less. Out of the whole sample of respondents, only eighteen per cent are still in the retail industry, which means that just over two thirds of the sample have actually left the sector and changed careers. 9.4 The reasons for employee turnover Seven per cent of the survey is still in their first retail job, of which, eighty-five per cent have only been in the first job for one year or less. These candidates are all under twenty, therefore the reason they may still be in their first retail job is that they are so young and are just coming to terms with working life. The research has shown that older candidates are likely to have had more jobs in retail as High Employee Turnover in the Retail Industry High Employee Turnover in the Retail Industry Executive Summary This dissertation has been written to determine why the employee turnover in the retail industry is so high. The reason for this is that managers are not following the basic human resource principles such as offering employees competitive wages, opportunities of promotion or challenging work in order to keep employees motivated. As individuals are not motivated at work, they look elsewhere for better paid jobs where they can develop themselves further so they can progress with their careers. The researcher has also recognised that employees want flexibility at work. This is due to many of the participants of the survey having personal priorities that are more important to them such as children or studying while working. There are clear recommendations for employers stating what can be done with the intention of reducing the employee turnover rate. The most vital are that managers find out specifically why employees are leaving, this can be done by using exit interviews. Once this is determined, they will be able to pinpoint the causes for employees leaving them so that they can then make the necessary changes to keep staff attracted to the job. The study has also shown that it is of vast importance for employers to offer more flexibility in the workplace in order to be able to cater for the employees requirements. The estimated basic turnover cost for a retail assistant is  £1,425 per individual. (Taylor, S 2002:47) This total only includes the expenses of the employee leaving i.e. the paper work and the recruitment process to replace the individual. The total does not account for overtime being paid out to the individuals colleagues or temporary staffs who may be hired to fill the vacancy on a short-term basis. The employee turnover rate for people working in retail is considerably high at 31.3%; retail has the highest employee turnover rate throughout all sectors. (CBI Labour and Absence Survey 2004) The researcher has been working in sales for almost four years now and it is of great interest to the individual as to why staff turnover is so high and what can be done to prevent it and how the company can benefit from retaining staffs. To the researcher, it seems more practical to retain staffs rather then recruit new employees. If employers invested money into staffs, they may find that this will save a lot of money in recruiting and training new staffs. Aims The aims of the dissertation are to: Identify the cause of high employee turnover rates within the retail sector Find out what employees in this sector want from an organisation Establish what can be done by employers to retain people in this particular segment of the labour market. Rationale This dissertation seeks to inform businesses of how high employee turnover can be costly and time consuming which is why the well-known idiom can be used to express the basis of the dissertation: â€Å"prevention is better then cure.† In the business context, this relates to investing more in staff in order to retain them rather then recruiting, selecting and training new staff. High staff turnovers can influence a businesses performance as it is the employees who are in direct contact with the customers and if they are not satisfied with their jobs, they will not be providing the best service possible to the customers. Limitation: This dissertation is concerned with the retail sector as motivation and retention methods vary in different environments. The proposal does not focus on a particular company but on the retail segment as a whole in order to establish the factors, which account for retention within the sector. The study will be based in London; and will focus on individuals who have had experience of working within the retail sector. Literature Review 7.1 Definition of Employee Turnover When employees leave an organisation, several factors need to be considered which all lead to expenses on behalf of the organisation. The organisation will need somebody to cover the workload of the employee that has left the company and the process of recruiting will need to take place in order to fill the vacancy. The higher the employee turnover rate is of a business, the higher the costs will be to replace these workers which is why it is so important for businesses to calculate. To evaluate the labour turnover, the following calculation can be used: (CIPD 2004) â€Å"Crude Wastage Method† ___Number of leavers in a set period_____ x100 Average number employed in the same period Once labour turnover rates have been identified, it will then be possible for the organisation to recognise the extent that staff turnover can affect them by. Reducing labour turnover will mean that less people are leaving the organisation therefore; there will be less wastage of employees so that money can be saved, as less people will need to be recruited. However, not all organisations calculate the cost of employee wastage. In fact, over 50% of organisations believe that this information is not relevant and 31% believe that it takes up too much time and is not worth the effort. (Recruitment, retention and turnover Survey, CIPD, 2004:33) If organisations do not calculate the employee turnover rate, it will be difficult for them to distinguish its affect and recognise the benefits of reducing it. 7.2 The Effect of Employee Turnover on Staff When an individual leaves a job, either a temporary replacement is hired or the workload is split between the individuals colleagues until a suitable replacement is found. Hiring temporary staff can be expensive while at the same time, giving the individuals colleagues, an increased workload will cause them further stress. If this was to happen consistently, it could be another cause for people leaving the organisation. The graph shows how employee turnover can have a knock on effect because of the impact it has on staffs. (Employee retention report, Reed, 2003:4) The employer must ensure that people are replaced as soon as possible to prevent other staffs from being put under additional stress and pressure. However, if employers tried harder to retain staffs then they would have to put less time and resources into replacing the workforce. 7.3 The Effect of Employee Turnover on the Organisation The impact of employees leaving organisations is that it leads to expenses. Replacing staffs takes up time and money, which are both valuable resources that should be saved wherever possible in order to achieve a more efficiently operated business. When a position is vacant, the amount of paid overtime can rise up to 25%, which accounts for the usual workload that is to be completed by less staffs. (Employee retention report, Reed, 2003:4) The graph shows the adverse affects that happen because of employee turnover. Reducing employee turnover will decrease expenses as the company will not have to spend as much money to hire temporary staffs, recruit new staffs or pay so for so much overtime. 7.4 The Importance of Retention from the Recruitment Stage It is important in an organisation to recruit the right person with the right skills and qualifications for the job. â€Å"People who represent the best ‘match in terms of their personality attributes, skills and experience are those who are likely to perform best in the job against a range of criteria. They are also the people who are most likely to remain employed for some time and the least likely to take the first available opportunity to leave.† (Taylor, S 2002:171) This is essential as recruiting a person whom is inadequate to do the job would be pointless as they would not be able to complete the tasks of the job to meet the expectations of the company. Therefore, recruiting a person who is not right for the job would be a waste of time and money as the right person for the job will still need to be found for the long-term. 7.5 The Importance of Inductions Once a suitable candidate is found and hired, they will require preliminary training, which is known as an induction. This is where the employee is introduced to the company, its culture and procedures. This will help to familiarise the employee with the company and the job requirements. As a result, the employees will learn the various procedures of how the company wants to operate. Inductions are used to welcome the new employee into the organisation and ensure that they feel comfortable in performing their job role successfully. â€Å"Labour turnover is frequently highest amongst those who have recently joined an organisation. The term ‘induction crisis is used to describe the critical period when new starters are most likely to leave. A well planned induction course can help to decrease labour turnover by ensuring that new starters settle quickly in their jobs and reach an efficient standard of performance as soon as possible.† (Kenney, J and Reid, M 1990:241) The induction is a very significant part of training as if it is not carried out it can lead to the new employee feeling pressured and may lead to feeling that the job difficult to undertake. Poor or even no induction training can be the result of an employee leaving the company within the first few days or weeks of the start date. 7.6 Affects of a Quality Induction Programme Clarks is a well-established shoemaker company that has developed a valuable induction programme to ensure that its store employees are capable of achieving the companys targets. Just over 40% of the companys retail staff has already taken part in the training scheme called Shine. The programme is significantly recognised as it won a UK National Training Award. The scheme is part of a strategic plan to improve performance, productivity and employee retention. New starters receive Shine on the first day off work as on-the-job training. The new trainees are given a workbook which is similar to an employee handbook as it covers safety, the job, pay, hours, rules, selling steps, finding stock and equipment knowledge of products, shoe-care, deliveries, credit cards, cheques and refunds. The programme encourages teamwork and helps the new employees to bond together. It is clear that Clarks has recognised the importance in induction training in order to retain employees which is why the com pany has devised such a satisfactory training scheme. (â€Å"Shoe shop staffs shine! In training† 2004:91) 7.7 Retention Plan In order to retain employees, the company must first find out what is causing them to leave. As there can be a wide variety of reasons for people leaving a company, the plan is broken down into key factors: Pay and benefits: the company must be able to offer a competitive rate of pay. This is essential as if an employee can perform the same job and be paid more elsewhere then they will most probably leave the company. The company must be able to keep compete with the pay and benefits offered by rival companies. These benefits can consist of; share options, pension schemes, retention bonuses and flexible benefits Recruitment and selection: when recruiting employees it is crucial to ensure that the employees skills and abilities match what is required of the post in the company. If this is not done then the employee will have problems in carrying out the job role successfully. It is also vital to produce a truthful image of the job as if it is made to sound more glamorous or exciting then it actually is, the employees expectations will not be met therefore they will not be fulfilled in the new job thus causing them to look for a better job elsewhere. Training and development: a good induction process is imperative. Employees also need to have the chance to progress through promotion so that they will not feel like they have to be trapped in the same job. Job design: the work may be too boring or undemanding therefore the position may need redesigning or a new approach such as teamwork. This makes it easier for job-share therefore employees will be able to work when it suits them better as the job will be flexible. Management: ensure that managers and supervisors have the skills and ability to manage effectively and fairly. (Bevan, S. 1997) These are the key features, which the organisation has the control to change. The company has no control over circumstances such as people wanting to move to a different location or ill health therefore these factors cannot be influenced in order to retain employees. Motivation With the intention of retaining employees, keeping individuals motivated is another way to prevent them from leaving the organisation and to ensure that the employer is getting the best from each individual. â€Å"Boredom and frustration at work is often the result of an employees lack of involvement with the companys goals and feelings that their ideas are not wanted or listened to. Companies that involve their employees in achieving company goals are able to motivate employees.† (Chapman, M 1997) For individuals to fulfil their full potential this must be motivated thus The harder an employee works, the more / bigger reward(s) they should gain which will keep them motivated to continue working hard. Motivated staffs lead to a more productive workplace therefore; it will be more profitable. (Maslows Hierarchy 1954) states that people first needed to fulfil there basic needs before they can progress to achieve self-actualisation. This is best shown in a pyramid, each person first starts from the bottom and through work, the individual fulfil each stage and works his or her way up. (Maslows Hierarchy of Needs 1954) Physiological needs: food, water, air, rest Safety needs: security, job security Social needs: affection, love and friendship Esteem: recognition, achievement and status Self-actualisation: personal growth and self-fulfilment. The hierarchy of needs shows that: Employees need money to pay for necessities such as food, rent etc. This is the basis of satisfaction Employees need to know that their job is safe so that they do not have to worry about looking for a new job. It is best to work in teams to encourage socialising between employees as individuals can learn from one another and share knowledge. Employees will be motivated to work harder if they know there is a possibility of promotion. This is the hardest to achieve, as most people want to be the boss. This will take a lot of time and very hard work to achieve. Maslows theory explains how individuals have needs and by employers meeting these needs, they are able to motivate them to keep on progressing. It is vital for the needs of individuals to be met as if they are not it will lead to individuals feeling unfulfilled thus leading them to look elsewhere for another job. (Herzbergs Two Factor Theory 1968) This consists of satisfiers and hygiene factors. A satisfier is what motivates an employee, e.g. achievement, recognition, responsibility, advancement, personal growth and the actual work itself. Hygiene factors are elements that do not motivate people e.g. pay and conditions, status in the organisation, job security and benefits. The theory expresses that employees will be motivated by good wages, promotion and other benefits etc. Employees are not motivated by poor wages, poor working conditions, no job security etc. Ultimately, employers need to offer staff satisfiers to motivate them to work hard. As long as individuals are happy and fulfilled in their jobs and feel that they are progressing, they will continue to work hard and stay within the organisation. 7.9 How to find out why Employees are Leaving The organisation needs to find out why its staffs are leaving so they can then devise a plan to try to prevent this from reoccurring in the future. The methods of finding out why employees are leaving can consist of: Exit interviews: these interviews are normally held soon after the employee has resigned. The interviewer can take the opportunity to find out why the employee is leaving, the conditions under which they would have stayed and improvements the company can make in the future. Leaver questionnaires: these are either completed during the interview or sent to people once they have left the company and normally consist of closed questions to make it easier to analyse. (Leavers questionnaire are also known as Attitude Surveys) â€Å"The exit interview is an increasingly common procedure when an employee leaves an organisation. Ostensibly these are conducted to gain information about the reasons for the employees departure, information which can then be used to improve human resource management.† (Furnham, A 2001) Once the reasons for employees leaving has been established, they can be put into separate categories so the organisation can see what the most popular reasons are for people leaving. They can then go on to make relevant changes in order to help retain workers. 7.10 Conclusion of literature Overall, it seems that in order for the retail industry to grow, organisations must improve their retention methods to ensure they have enough employees to cope with the increase in productivity. It is the sales assistants that have the majority of contact with customers which is why it is so vital to ensure that they receive sufficient training in order to serve customers effectively and efficiently while at the same time providing a service to encourage them to come back. A key way to reduce employee turnover is to keep staffs motivated, so the industry will be investigated to find out how this is done and how successful current methods are. The employee turnover rate is so high within the industry so there must be something that is going wrong to cause such a high turnover rate. Exit interviews seem to be the most crucial method of finding out why people are leaving the industry. It is vital to find out why people are leaving so that action can be taken to prevent staffs to from leaving for the same reasons in the future. Therefore, it will be important to find out if retail organisations carry out exit interviews; and if they do not, then why not? 8. Methodology 8.1 Introduction There are varieties of methods that can be put into practice to assist the researcher to seek out relevant information in order to find out the answer to the research question. Examples of such methods are; observations, case studies, interviews, questionnaires and focus groups. If would be difficult to make observations to find out why people are leaving their retail jobs as people resigning can happen randomly so its not guaranteed to happen when the researcher has scheduled to make an observation. Case studies will not be used as the dissertation is based on the retail industry as a whole, not on specific shops or department stores. Interviews will not be used either as although they lead to a large amount of information being uncovered, they take up quite a lot of time of so the amount of people being interviewed will be limited. A broad selection of peoples opinions need to be taken into consideration therefore, the researcher has chosen to use focus groups and questionnaires in order to obtain both qualitative and quantitative information. As the study is based on the whole retail industry, a wide variety of people who have worked or still work in retail need to be targeted to find out the main causes of employee turnover within the sector. The study will be based on primary research, which will be put into practise to find out peoples viewpoints of the topic. 8.2 Primary Research It will be ideal to use questionnaires to find out information, as it seems to be the most efficient way to use a large sample so a wide amount of information can be collected. Another advantage of using questionnaires is that they are not very time-consuming therefore; more people are likely to respond to them. In addition, they are relatively cheap to produce so the researcher will not need to worry too much about the costs. The questionnaires will be anonymous so people will not feel obliged to answer in a specific manner; hence, they will be able to express their own opinions without feeling obligated. An additional feature of a questionnaire is that people can randomly be asked to fill one out as long as they have had a job in retail. This means that no appointments need to be arranged and that the survey can be conducted at any time or place. However, there are some disadvantages with questionnaires such as the structure of the questionnaire needs to be simple and easy to understand so that people do not get confused. This could ruin the results of the questionnaire as if people misunderstand the questions or the layout they will not answer or complete it properly. If people have literacy problems, it may make it difficult for them to complete the survey accurately. Some people may leave out some of the questions, which could cause a problem when recording the data. This could also lead to the wrong conclusions being drawn to as if people skip questions the results will differ. Consequently, this will need to be taken into consideration when recording the results of the survey. Another possible problem is that the response rate is not guaranteed to be one hundred per cent so some questionnaires maybe wasted. The questionnaire will need to be short and straight to the point, if there are too many long questions it may disc ourage people from completing it as they may feel that it will take up too much of their time. One more problem with questionnaires is that they are limited so people will only be able to give feedback on what they have been asked so a different perspective may be overlooked. With the intention of preventing any issues being overlooked, two focus groups will be instigated before the questionnaires are created. This will be done with the intention to stimulate the topic and look at it from a variety of angles. The focus groups will allow for the upward and downwards approach to be put into use, as the information gathered from the focus groups will then be used to develop the questionnaire. One focus group will be made up of university students whom have worked or still work in retail; therefore, the viewpoint of part-time retail workers whom have other commitments can be established. The other focus group will consist of full time retail workers so that their perception of the issues raised can be distinguished. These group members may have responsibilities such as children, another job, a mortgage etc that is why the researcher feels it is relevant to use two focus groups. Each focus group will have between four to six group members. The focus group will be started by introducing everybody to each other, followed by a summary of the topic. A Dictaphone will be used to record the discussion so that all the information can be recorded so that nothing is left out. The following questions have been prepared to ensure that the discussion is kept on track; Q1) Where does everybody work? / Where has everybody worked? Q2) How long have you all been at these jobs? Q3) Do/did you enjoy it? Q4) What do you like best about it? Q5) What do you hate about it? Q6) Do you feel that your organisation seems to constantly be recruiting new people? Q7) Do you feel that this affects you? i.e. do you have to help train them? Are you often left with a bigger workload? How does this make you feel? Q8) When you have left a job did u receive and exit interview? Q9) Do you think this procedure would help the organisation to find out why they are loosing staffs? Q10) If you were the manager, what would you do to retain staffs? A copy of the minutes of the meeting is available in appendix A. The problems associated with focus groups are that some of the members may feel uncomfortable, as they do not know each other so they may keep their opinions to themselves. However, the researcher will introduce all the members to each other and start the conversation off in a relaxed way to help everyone feel more at ease. Another problem is that it may be difficult to get all the members together at the same time as some people maybe working or have other responsibilities like studying or children. 8.3 Pilot Study When the focus groups have been carried out, the information will be used as the foundation for the first draft questionnaire. This will then be tested in order to get feedback on it for improvements. This process will continue until all feedback has been taken into account and all the necessary changes have been made. When this is all completed, the questionnaire will go through a pilot study of about ten people to ensure that all the questions run smoothly and are not misunderstood. The final version of the questionnaire is available in appendix B. 8.4 The Survey After the required changes if any have been edited, the survey will be carried out at Charing Cross train station on a sample of one hundred people whom work or have worked in retail as a sales assistant. The people completing the survey must meet the specific criteria, which are that everybody who takes part must work or have worked in retail. The location was chosen as it is very busy and it should be easy to find a variety of people that meet the criteria that could spare five to ten minutes to fill out the questionnaire while waiting for their train. 8.5 Analysis of Data Once the survey has been carried out, the data gathered would be entered into an Excel spreadsheet where the data will be put together to analyse it and to find out what are the main reasons for employee turnover within the industry and what can be done by employers to reduce the amount of employee wastage. The data will then be evaluated in order to identify if there are any trends or relationships that can be established. This information will then be examined to find out what the industrys employees require so that employee turnover can be reduced. 8.6 Limitations It was too difficult to get a group of full time workers from different retail segments together at the same time to hold the second focus group. Some people refused to be part of it and others who said they would participate were not able to agree to a specific time where they would all be free. Therefore, only one focus group of university students could be conducted. The survey will be carried out on one hundred people whom have worked in the retail industry. In addition, the survey will be based in central London, if the survey was carried out around the whole of England, the results could differ. 8.7 Secondary research The dissertation focuses on primary research carried out by the researcher however, secondary data in the form of academic books, reports, articles and CIPD studies have been used to look at the existing trends in the labour market. Information has been gathered from various human resource textbooks to look at employees behaviours more closely and to define what factors motivate individuals within the working environment. The Internet was used to find out reliable facts and statistics about the retail industry in order to examine it closer and determine what has already been established so the researcher could identify if these trends were also shown in their research. 9. Analysis and Findings 9.1 Introduction From the information found out through the focus group, the researcher decided to use open-ended questions in the questionnaire as a means to find out what people really thought. Peoples opinions have then been categorised so that relationships can be identified more easily. One hundred questionnaires were handed out and fifty-four were handed back fully completed thus the response rate for the survey is 54%. 9.2 Demographics The results from the survey show that out of the fifty-four respondents, only 22% were male. In 2003, the retail workforce was made up of 63% females and only 37% males. (Learning and skills, research report, 2004:8) According to the survey, just over a third of the industry was made up of men meaning that women dominated the workforce. These results are not biased, as the researchers sample resembles the trends in the industry, as just over three-quarters of the sample are female. Therefore, although the gender is not evenly split, it will not affect the findings of the survey. The results of the survey also showed that the majority (fifty per cent) of the sample fell between the twenty-one to thirty age-range. However, the sample did consist of a variety of ages as shown in the graph below: This graph clearly shows that women dominate the sample and that no men over the age of forty-one took part in the survey. In fact, only seven per cent of the sample are over the age of forty-one. The under twenty category is the only age range which shows there is an even gender split; nine per cent are male and eleven per cent are female. Overall, the survey was completed by respondents with a variety of ages to ensure that different generations of workers could give their viewpoints on employee turnover within the sector. The majority of participants have no children under the age of fourteen: only seventeen per cent have children; forty-four per cent are male and fifty-six per cent are female. Out of these candidates, fifty-six per cent are married, twenty-two per cent are single and twenty-two per cent are divorced. Forty-four per cent have left the industry due to having children while twenty-two per cent are working full time and thirty-four per cent are working part-time. The thirty-four per cent that are working part-time consist of the individual that are single or divorced. These candidates have to work part-time as they are single parents and they have their children to care for. 9.3 The length of time people have worked in the industry and the amount of different retail jobs they have experienced Almost a third of the participants have worked in retail for between three to five years and only four per cent of participants have worked in the industry for ten years or more. This is a very small amount considering that the most amounts of jobs undertaken in retail by a participant were twelve. This was by only one person who worked in the industry for between five to seven years. Seventy-six per cent of respondents have had between one to four retail jobs which seems to be fairly high considering the fact that over a quarter have worked in retail for a year or less. Out of the whole sample of respondents, only eighteen per cent are still in the retail industry, which means that just over two thirds of the sample have actually left the sector and changed careers. 9.4 The reasons for employee turnover Seven per cent of the survey is still in their first retail job, of which, eighty-five per cent have only been in the first job for one year or less. These candidates are all under twenty, therefore the reason they may still be in their first retail job is that they are so young and are just coming to terms with working life. The research has shown that older candidates are likely to have had more jobs in retail as