Women and Motorcycles Essay Example for Free

Women and Motorcycles Essay Introduction An American tradition can be dated back to 1903 when two young men brought their idea to life and produced the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle. At the time, the motor-driven motorcycle that these young men were inventing was to be for their own personal use. Once it was produced, it became popular with motorcycle enthusiast and having survived some difficult times Harley-Davidson is just as popular today, as it was when if first began (Bolfert). According to the company’s gross revenue in 2010, Fortune 500 list Harley-Davidson at number 430. What keeps Harley-Davidson going strong? Is it the motorcycles, the people who ride these machines, or is it because Harley-Davidson Motor Company is a great American success story (Bolfert)? The story of Harley-Davidson is an interesting story that I hope you will enjoy learning about. The motorcycles are true legends of art, but the people who choose to ride these machines are truly remarkable people. People often judge a group of riders as being a rough and rowdy crowd looking for trouble, but as you will learn through this paper, most of these groups are the friendliest and most helpful people you could find. Harley-Davidson and motorcycles are usually considered a masculine sport intended for men (Mitchel). However, there are women out there who enjoy the freedom of riding their own Harley. So, when did women become so passionate for the open road and begin riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles? What does Harley-Davidson Motor Company do to attract women to the sales of its products and services? Let the story of Harley-Davidson and women riders begin. History Although there had been steam powered tricycles and gasoline bicycles in the 17 and 1800’s, the story of Harley-Davidson begins in a small shed of a neighbor. William Harley and Arthur Davidson were neighbors and boyhood friends that worked at a Milwaukee manufacturing company as an apprentice draftsman and pattern maker with dreams of their own. They set out to build a motor-driven bicycle for their own personal use. Having built their own bike in 1902, they were not satisfied that the engine didn’t take all the work out of cycling and soon sought the help of Arthurs’ brother Walter, who was a skilled mechanic, to help produce a more powerful engine. They also needed a toolmaker to help with the development of the motorcycle and asked their brother William to join the team (Bolfert). Later, the same year the first true Harley-Davidson engine was completed and Bill Harley and the three Davidson brothers were ready to put their idea into production. Needing more space to produce their creation, the Davidson brothers’ father built a 1015-foot building in their backyard. It was here that a legend was born with the boys painting â€Å"Harley-Davidson’s Motor Company† on the door and producing three motorcycles in 1903 (Bolfert). Harley-Davidson’s reputation of being durable and dependable began with the very first produced motorcycle. This motorcycle had been bought and sold to several different men, who performed very low maintenance to the bike, and accumulated 100,000 miles with its original bearings (Bolfert). To meet the demand for stronger engines and better performance, Harley and the Davidson brothers produced the first V-twin engine in 1909. However, the first 27 manufactured V-twin motorcycles were recalled and destroyed, with the exception of one which resides in the Harley-Davidson museum today. In 1910 no V-twin models were produced because they wanted to make sure they developed an engine that would â€Å"measure up to the Harley-Davidson reputation for power, dependability and performance† (Bolfert). The V-twin model was reintroduced in 1911 and the Harley-Davidson low, deep rumble sound known today roars on (Bolfert). From the beginning, women have had the same enthusiasm as men for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Photos from the early years of 1900 show advertisements of women posing on the legendary Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In 1910 one of the first articles published of a woman riding a motorcycle is in, The Bicycling World and Motorcycle Review, who wrote about Miss Leda Leslie and her Harley-Davidson (Harley-Women). Another early article of a woman on a Harley-Davidson is about Della Crewe and her dog named â€Å"Trouble. † Having only ten days of riding experience this lady and her dog set out to see America on her V-twin that had an attached sidecar. They left Waco, Texas in the summer of 1915 and by November they had made their way to Ohio traveling through rain and snow. When they finally reached their destination of New York City, they had traveled 5,378 miles and Della stated, â€Å"I had a glorious trip. I am in perfect health, and my desire is stronger than ever to keep going. † It wasn’t long before this pair was making their way to tour the South (Bolfert). The Enthusiast dubbed Vivian Bales as â€Å"The Enthusiast Girl† for her 5000 mile trip on her Harley-Davidson. During the Depression, Dot Robinson competed in endurance races right along with the men and in 1940 would win the Jack Pine Endurance sidecar race. During this time, another avid motorcycle rider contacted Dot Robinson to help form an organization for women riders. It was in 1940 that Dot Robinson and Linda Dugeau formed the first motorcycle riding club for women called â€Å"Motor Maids. † The first African-American to travel cross-country through 48 states in the 30 and 40’s was Bessie Springfield, who often had to sleep at filling stations on her motorcycle. She later joined a motorcycle dispatch unit for the army and rode across America delivering documents for the U. S. Army. During her life she owned 27 different Harley-Davidson motorcycles and continued to ride long after the doctors advised her not to (AMA Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame). These brave and bold women paved the way for women today, to enjoy the pleasure of riding out on the open road on their own motorcycle. Geographical Scope While the Harley-Davidson headquarters are still located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where it first originated, the company has grown and has other areas across America that helps with the production of the Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The company has testing and evaluation centers located in Meza, Arizona and Naples, Florida. In Franklin, Wisconsin is a distribution center is that is accountable for materials going from suppliers to warehouses. Harley-Davidson Dealer Systems that provides software, hardware, training and customer support to dealerships is located in Valley View, Ohio. Ann Arbor, Michigan holds the plant that protects the trademarks of Harley-Davidson. Wouwatosa, Wisconsin is home to the facility that produces â€Å"middleweight† engines for the Sportster models. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin known as â€Å"Home of the Big Twin† produces engines and transmissions for the larger model motorcycles. The Product Development Center is located in Wouwatosa, Wisconsin and is responsible for the development, testing, and styling of new products. Talladega, Alabama is home to a testing site for Harley-Davidson. Tomahawk Operations in Tomahawk, Wisconsin is responsible for fiberglass body parts, windshields, and saddlebags. Kansas City, Missouri is home to the plant that produces the Sportster, Dyna, and V-Rod models. While York, Pennsylvania produces the Touring, Softail, and factory custom motorcycles such as the Screamin Eagle (Harley-Davidson). Products and Services The number one product of Harley-Davidson is its line of motorcycles with the Screamin Eagle editions being the most popular. The Screamin Eagle models have a limited number manufactured and come with all the chrome and custom work already done. The service departments can do anything from a simple service to rebuilding an engine. Need body work done to your ride? Harley-Davidson service departments can rebuild your ride for you (Harley-Davidson). Harley-Davidson offers a large variety of products for men, women, and children. Most men and women will ride out in full leather gear which includes gloves, chaps, bandanas, helmets, and jackets. Most people think bikers wear all this to look tough, but truth be known, all the leather is protection for your skin in the event of a fall on asphalt (Harley-Davidson). Harley-Davidson offers a full line of apparel and jewelry for women, men, and children. In 2010, Harley-Davidson came out with the Pink Label collection with a percentage of the proceeds going to the Y-me National Breast Cancer Organization. Even men wore shirts with the pink ribbon and slogan reading â€Å"On This Road, No One Rides Alone (Harley-Davidson). † One service that Harley-Davidson offers to attract women riders is the â€Å"Riders Edge† course that teaches a person how to handle and ride a motorcycle safely. Upon completion of this course one can go to the DMV to take the motorcycle written test and with a passing score can receive a motorcycle endorsed license. Harley-Davidson will even take off the amount paid for the course toward a purchase of a new motorcycle. That’s three hundred dollars off a new bike before any other discounts. Subsidiaries. Harley-Davidson has two subsidiaries in Italy, MV Augusta and Cagiva. Both of these companies sell motorcycles that are used in racing and what is known here as â€Å"crotch rockets. † Buell, an American made motorcycle, is another subsidiary of Harley-Davidson that was founded in 1994, but sadly closed in 2009 (Subsidiaries of H-D). Due to being lighter and easier to handle and maneuver, Harley-Davidson uses these bikes to teach riders how to operate a motorcycle safely through the â€Å"Riders Edge† course. Harley-Davidson has a subsidiary known as H. O. G. which stands for Harley Owners Group, for people who own Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Anyone who buys a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle is automatically enrolled for a one year membership. By being a H. O. G. member you can receive discounts on insurance and Harley-Davidson products. H. O. G. even recognizes women riders by giving them a special â€Å"Ladies of Harley† patch and pin. The H. O. G. chapters are in nearly every city and form rides to get owners on their bikes (Harley-Davidson). Finance In 1995 women represented only about 2% of the motorcycle sales. With more women learning to ride, women represent about 12% of the motorcycle sales in 2010 (Clothier). For the year of 2010, the Harley-Davidson homepage reported income from continuing operations being 259. 7 million dollars, with Harley-Davidson Financial services contributing 181. 9 million dollars to that income. Dealerships world-wide sold a total of 222,110 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles at retail with the U. S. selling 143,391 of these new bikes. A total of 210,494 Harley-Davidson motorcycles were shipped from the company in 2010. The following table breaks down each quarter income and losses with the last column showing the total for the year (Harley-Davidson). HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOMEUnaudited YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2010 (IN THOUSANDS) Q1Q2Q3Q4TOTAL Net Revenue from motorcycles and related products$1,037,335$1,135,101$1,087,115$917,076$4,176,627 Gross Profit379,547396,984379,806271,0661,427,403 Selling, administrative and engineering expense205,204208,952210,828260,153885,137 Restructuring expense48,23630,12567,47617,671163,508 Operating income from motorcycles related products126,107157,907101,502(6,758)378,758 Financial services revenue169,837173,705172,845166,322682,709 Financial services expense143,155112,860121,977122,844500,836 Operating income from financial services26,68260,84550,86843,378181,873. Operating income152,789218,752152,37036,720560,631 Investment income8671,5511,2391,7765,442 Interest expense23,45523,59123,10220,20990,357 Loss on debt extinguishment85,24785,247 (Loss) income before income taxes130,210196,712130,507(66,960)390,469 (Benefit from) provision for income taxes61,46957,42536,790(24,884)130,800 (Loss) income from continuing operations68,71139,28793,717(42,076)259, 669 Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax(35,416)(68,130)(4,888)(4,690)(113,124) Net income$ 33,325$71,157$88,829(46,766)146,545. At the end of the fiscal year, Keith Wandell (President and CEO of Harley-Davidson) states: â€Å"We feel good about our 2010 results. † â€Å"While there is still hard work ahead and we remain cautious in our outlook, I am confident we are positioning Harley-Davidson to succeed and deliver value for all our stakeholders into the future. † â€Å"For 2011, we plan to build on our position as one of the strongest brands in the world through our continued focus on customer led products and experiences. † Future Trends To help boost sales in 2011, Harley-Davidson will allow customers to design a Sportster 1200 Custom on-line, order it from their local dealer, and Harley-Davidson will build it at the factory and ship it to you (Harley-Davidson). Another trend for 2011 is Bike Builder, which is an online tool that allows customers to visualize different options on their motorcycle as they are building it (Harley-Davidson). This will allow customers to get the real look of the bike with their choice of custom work before spending the money on the bike and not being satisfied with the outcome. By listening to the customers and giving them what they want, Harley-Davidson will continue to be leader in motorcycle sales. Miscellaneous Freedom and America being a part of Harley-Davidson history Harley-Davidson has formed a Harley’s Hero tour that honors and supports Disabled American Veterans. Harley-Davidson pledged one million dollars to this foundation in 2006 and another one million dollars in 2010 to support the Nations Heroes. â€Å"Through this foundation Harley-Davidson provides free access to benefits for all veterans,† and shows them our appreciation for our freedom (Harley-Davidson). Local Harley-Davidson dealerships hold benefit rides to raise money for various cancer organizations such as Relay for Life, Bikers for Boobs, and for individuals who needs help paying medical expenses. Harley riders love to come out and support these benefits with as many as 400 to 500 bikes in one ride. It not only gets us out to raise money for cures, but gives us a chance to ride. Conclusion By attracting women into the sport of motorcycling, Harley-Davidson has now launched May as Women’s month. During May, Harley-Davidson will hold garage parties, and rides for women to help attract even more to the sport. So women like Dot Robinson and all women riders today have helped make Harley-Davidson a success. The motorcycles being dependable and reliable, the people who choose to ride these machines, and the fact, that it is a great American success story have all made Harley-Davidson legendary. Harley-Davidson has faced many difficulties over the last 108 years and is still going strong, so when we are having a bad day and going through difficult times, let’s do as the Harley-Davidson slogan states: â€Å"Screw it, let’s ride. †

Works Of Andy Goldsworthy

Works Of Andy Goldsworthy It is immediately evident that Goldsworthys works, in general, strongly accentuate texture and shape. Goldsworthy describes the working process as a tactile expression, implying the involvement of a multi-sensory extension of the body, a recurring artistic intention, especially through cues signifying touch and vision. For me, looking, touching, material, place and form are all inseparable from the resulting work. It is difficult to say where one stops and another begins. This obsession with recurring forms in nature using different materials has a ritualistic edge, where the earthworks have lost the purpose and functionalism of the commercial product. This tactile gaze, used as the central way of identifying the object, is further evoked through the use of text. For example, in a photograph of a spherical ice ball positioned aside a bleak Autumn bridge, his texts connotes the image not only in terms of its visual impact but also the texture implied by its aural qualities: Stacked ice sound of cracking. The shape and texture of the river in the 1988-9 Leadgate and Lambton Earthworks symbolizes its sensual form in a way which still identifies it as relating to a river, but without the non-abstracted seamless visual art representation of a river. Goldsworthy describes this process: The snake has evolved through a need to move close to the ground, sometimes below and sometimes above, an expression of the space it occupies. Similarly, rather than use the language of signposts to designate a river (in its non-place), the use of more tactile cues reclaims the spectators newness of vision: in Auges words, the traveller (AG) is recapturing the landscape like it is the first journey of birththe primal experience of differentiation.While Auge asserts that non-places exist only through the words that evoke them, AGs words work to clarify the gaze rather than condense it to a unified vision. But what constitutes this gaze? When we refer to his earthworks, are we referring only to the symbolic object, or the whole space inside the photo frame? Like a travel writer, a heightened perception or rediscovery of the landscape is the central tenet of Goldsworthys working process: Some places I return to over and over again, going deeper- a relationship made in layers over a long time. There is a suggestion by AG that site or context affects and, to an extent, has a significant role in generating the features of his objects: When I work with a leaf, rock, stick, it is not just that material in itself, it is an opening into the processes of life within and around itThe energy and space around a material are as important as the energy and space within While the train, for Auge, is one of the greatest culprits behind the spectators fleeting vision of space, Goldsworthys immobilization and transposition of the train track and its practical function to a snaking in the Lambton earthwo rks?, is a way for AG to recapture the essence of the landscape, to shift its perceptual status from non-place to place: Staying in one place makes me more aware of change. However, part of this awareness is awareness that the land itself is fleeting and transforming according to environmental whim, and that the photograph merely represents a certain moment in a process. His emphasis on spontaneity and change according to environmental and climactic conditions, as well as his own sense of navigation, is significant because he is able to evoke the history of the object through capturing a synchronic moment in its processes. If we look at several of his works in which piles of material are neatly centred with a hollow hole, we sense their impermanence and a foreboding decay from seeing their present formal cohesion. A Cambridge earthwork with leaves is accompanied by this awareness in text, where a materialistic description of the object is transformed into a narrative of it: Torn Hole/horse chestnut leaves stitched with stalks around the rim/moving in the wind. Perhaps more than these smaller-scale earthworks, the earthworks in County Durham most forcefully use the concept of environmental process to allude to the movement of travel, not only through their obvious association with trains, but through the movement implied by the object, as ripples from a thrown stone. Freezing these processes is a way of reawakening the senses, by both seeing the object statically without moving too fast and by being aware of its continuing narrative, rather than being driven by the perpetual series of presents of those unrecognised non-places, exaggerated in Thomas Gurskys digital photos. According to Auge, the language of signposts etc. does not heighten the spectators perception of a place, but merely substitutes their relationship to it as a mere passing acknowledgement. Goldsworthys works seem to reclaim that historicity of the natural object that is lost in the immediacy of the commercial product, including the signs that describe and name features and punctuations in the land, trying to give it a sense of place. Challenging the prescriptions of discourse on our subjectivity, however, has always been a preoccupation in landscape art. Constables landscape paintings, for example, could represent a different challenge to the supermodern construction of landscape into a fleeting non-place, through his holistic, static, formalist and panoramic vision of the land. While Goldsworthy reconfigures the landscapes gaze beyond the static to an awareness of its morphology, materiality, unpredictability and precariousness, Constable and the landscape painters of the 18th century synchronized these natural irregularities, painting the clouds and sun simultaneously and consciously at different periods and freezing the movement of the Hay wain into a stance. In Goldsworthys work, therefore, landscape is no longer a site, implying static, but a process, implying diachronic, in which the object and its place are interdependent. Throughout the earthworks photographs and their accompanying text, two main interconnected subjectivities emerge, both of which seem threatened by the dislocation through the non-place: organic nature and Goldsworthy, who is simultaneously a conscious manipulator of natures autonomous processes as well as driven by the manipulations of nature itself. The larger scope of his County Durham Leadgate and Lambton Earthworks, encourages a more structural and slightly cartographic gaze. A disused railway track becomes the site for a snaking sand track photographed aerially alongside rows of monotonous houses. Their juxtaposition, their mutual encroachment on one another and the snaking imprints echo of movement, in one sense seem to re-establish the inter-dependency of urban structures and nature, and the similarities in the way we perceive them despite serving different functions. In this sense, it allows greater insight to its organic qualities by its association. In a technical sense, it could be argued that there is a tension between Goldsworthys organic creations and their technological control by the intrinsic features of the photograph. However, any hint of the artists exploitation, evoked in works such as Snowball in trees or in references to the name of the excavator driver in the Leadgate and Lambton Earthworks, is balanced out, in exchange, by their precarious existence in nature, where a rock could be precariously balanced on a boulder. This relationship between nature and its manipulations is significant because it represents a reappropriation of our relationship with those places, designated by the artists symbols rather than the symbols of industry with which individuals are supposed to interact only with texts, whose proponents are not individuals but moral entities or institutions. Goldsworthy navigates and finds his non-prescribed place, by being led by climactic and environmental factors rather than such moral entities. Auge defines non-place in detail against the anthropological concept of place, where the traveller occupies a non-communicative, solitary space with the language of ticket machines and train timetables. Accordingly, these public facilities and structures give the spectator an image of their individuality, or a distanced simulated familiarity, by discursively framing and displacing the gaze and the individual essence towards a simultaneous collective individuality, through the individualization of references. In contrast, by allowing the serendipitous influence of nature to produce a unique result on each object, each of the processes in the Earthworks produces individual objects, which, not over-prescribed by images and signs, evolve in partial autonomy.

Volunteer Management Has Become An Important Issue Management Essay

Volunteer Management Has Become An Important Issue Management Essay In a letter declaring September 11th a National Day of Service and Remembrance, President Barack Obama stated, No force for change is more powerful than that of Americans who are making a difference in their communities (Stewart, 2009, p. 28). Individuals who donate their time and expertise to help organizations address a need or concern are examples of these Americans who are making a difference in their communities (Stewart, 2009). Organizations over the past decade have seen a great deal of change in competition from globalization and market demands, causing them to rethink the way they are managed. This applies to both private sector and non-profit/public sector organizations, if they wish to survive in todays economy. Due to the United States economic downturn, non-profit and public sector organizations must find ways to efficiently manage their scarce resources. One of these scarce resources is a well trained and faithful volunteer workforce. Restricted budgets often make it ha rd for management to hire the sufficient number of employees needed to carry out the organizations mission, so a volunteer workforce can help fill those gaps. Volunteer workforces have become essential to fully performing everyday operations from basic office clerical work to arranging and holding fundraising events. Background Volunteer management has become an important issue today because organizational leaders must recruit, retain and motivate their volunteer workforce effectively. A number of organizations report that more volunteer assistance is needed, despite the fact that many Americans are already donating their time. This is why organizations must rethink the way they manage volunteers to recruit and retain the best individuals available. If organizations fail to look at the management of their volunteer workforce, they run the risk of losing their volunteers or not finding new qualified volunteers. In the past, a number of non-profit and public sector organizations had an abundance of individuals who were willing to lend a helping hand. However, times have changed in todays society. With a growing number of organizations needing volunteers and peoples lack of available free time, it has become essential to recruit and retain the appropriate volunteer candidates for the right jobs. Volunteers hav e a number of organizations to choose from, and they will choose the organization whose mission and values most closely align with their mission and values. Over the years a number of authors and researchers have introduced techniques and/or explored issues related to volunteer recruitment, retention and motivation. When developing a way to recruit volunteers, one might look at the talent management approach or a marketing plan that includes the four Ps (Product, Price, Place and Promotion). If improving volunteer satisfaction and retention is a priority, then the human resource management approach and the constructive feedback approach might help. However, neither recruiting the right volunteer nor retaining them is going to matter if the organizations cannot keep them motivated. This is where the psychological contract perspective comes into play, by ensuring volunteers feel appreciated and valued for their donated time. These techniques and approaches help organizations to recruit, retain and motivate volunteers. Purpose The intention of this study is to closely examine the management styles of volunteer programs and how they affect volunteers motivation, recruitment and retention. Today a number of individuals are volunteer coordinators, or responsible for managing volunteers, at organizations located throughout Central Illinois. Unfortunately, there are times that they feel ill equipped to fully understand how to manage volunteers in a way that maximizes retention and reduces turnover. At the same time, the findings of this study can help other volunteer managers and organizational leaders in the Central Illinois community improve their work with volunteer workforces. Ultimately, the individuals who volunteer will be impacted and/or helped by this study because the organizations that enlist their help will be better equipped to manage their needs. By managing the needs of volunteers, an organization can strive to maximize retention and minimize turnover. Direction A survey distributed to volunteers at local non-profit or public sector organizations in Central Illinois would have been the desired method to explore this topic. Answers to a set of survey questions would need to be analyzed in order to see if a particular management style had any effect on a volunteers decision, satisfaction, or motivation at a certain organization. Volunteers being defined as people who willingly and without pay perform a service or undertaking for an organization, and the management style being defined as the methods and techniques organizations use to recruit, retain and motivate volunteers. A case comparison between Central Illinois organizations would be needed to fully address the extent of the studys research question. However, this type of data was either nonexistent or unable to be collected in the time allotted and because of IRB approval. So this study will look at secondary data from the Current Populations Surveys volunteer supplement, two surveys con ducted of volunteers and the perspectives of two individuals who work with volunteers on a daily basis in Central Illinois. The variables from these sources includes the following: volunteers by annual hours, volunteers by number of organizations for which activities were performed, volunteers by type of organization for which volunteer activities were performed, main volunteer activity for organization, volunteers by how they became involved and items that motivate volunteers. By looking at these variables, this study will explore the question: is there a correlation between the management styles in volunteer programs and the effect they have on volunteer motivation, satisfaction and retention in Central Illinois? Literature Review When people think about volunteer management, they usually think about the supervision and selection of volunteers. However, it involves so much more! Volunteer management is an important tool used by organizations to leverage resources to accomplish designated results. It ensures that the community is involved in current issues and ensures that there is buy-in of the organizations mission. At the same time, it strengthens the credibility of the organization in the publics eyes. A number of different authors discuss that good volunteer management must encompass three key areas: (1) volunteer recruitment, (2) volunteer satisfaction/retention and (3) volunteer motivation. Together these three things can create an effective volunteer management system. Without a good balance of the three, organizations could experience high volunteer turnover and dissatisfaction. A number of different methods and techniques have been studied and/or introduced to improve volunteer management. Volunteer Recruitment To have a strong team to assist in their endeavors, first volunteer managers need to recruit good volunteers. Like everything else in volunteer management, there is more to the process than meets the eye. Volunteers do not grow on trees. Most of the time the volunteer manager has to actively search for the right person for the job. This requires the ability to reach out and even educate people about the organizations volunteer needs. On the other hand, sometimes volunteer managers have to weed through a number of interested volunteers to find a good organizational match. Eisner, Grimm, Maynard and Washburn (2009) suggested that a talent management approach be used when recruiting volunteers. With this approach, Eisner and his fellow colleagues felt that the proper volunteer, with the appropriate talent, would be recruited (Eisner et al., 2009). At the same time, it is important to create the proper infrastructure that will not only recruit the appropriate volunteers for the jobs, but place, develop and retain them as well (Eisner et al., 2009). Karl, Peluchette and Hall (2008) observed that volunteers responded positively towards organizations that know how to have a fun workplace. This fun workplace can be created by recruiting the right volunteers through a marketing strategy. Their marking strategy creates an internal marketing plan based on the four Ps (Product, Price, Place Promotion) of the marketing mix (Karl et al., 2008). By conducting a study of their marketing strategies, Karl, Peluchette and Hall (2008) found that organizations had a better success rate when they recruited volunteers by advertising the psychosocial benefits offered for their time (Karl et al., 2008). They also observed that recruitment advertisements that emphasized the personal benefits gained from volunteering were just as effective as the altruistic (i.e. wanting to help out) advertisements (Karl et al., 2008). Basically, volunteers can be recruited by showing the benefits received in lieu of money. It is also important to make sure that the organization has a staff member in the organization that can handle volunteer recruitment efforts. The recruitment techniques can only take the organization so far if it does not have a dedicated staff member to develop the relationship between the organization and interested volunteers. The Urban Institute in 2004 confirmed that there was a correlation between the amounts of time a staff member spent on volunteer management and the ability of the organization to handle additional volunteers (p. 17). However, only three out of five organizations in this study had a staff member devoted to volunteer coordination, despite the fact that a large percentage of organizations report how beneficial volunteers are to their operations (Urban Institute, 2004, p. 8). Volunteer Satisfaction and Retention When it comes to the retention and satisfaction of volunteers within an organization, the way that they are managed can determine whether they stay or find another organization where they can donate their time. In a study by Cuskelly, Taylor, Hoye and Darcy (2006), the implementation of the Human Resource Management (HRM) approach to volunteer management and retention of volunteers was observed. The HRM approach seeks to professionalize and create a business like approach to the management of people. When the approach was implemented, fewer volunteers were reported leaving an organization because of management problems (Cuskelly et al., 2006). When improved planning and orientation was used for volunteers, fewer problems were reported, therefore improving the retention and job satisfaction of volunteers within an organization (Cuskelly et al., 2006). Communication between paid staff and volunteers also plays a major role in volunteer satisfaction and retention. Garner and Garner (2010) found that organizations that encouraged their volunteers to give constructive feedback and keep the lines of communication open had a lower turnover rate than organizations that did not encourage it. Garner and Garner (2010) stated, volunteer satisfaction made little difference in participants communication choices, but participants motivations to volunteer did influence how they communicated problems to paid staff (p. 826). By allowing volunteers to address a problem, and giving them the freedom to figure out a solution, managers are giving them empowerment (Garner Garner, 2010, p. 815). This can increase the volunteers satisfaction with an organization because they can see how their contributions help the organization achieve its mission. However, sometimes it is hard to avoid volunteer turnover in the current economy. Lesley Hustinx (2008) found that in todays society, volunteers motivation for quitting can be caused by both outside and inside pressures. In a survey of ex-volunteers, Hustinx (2008), found a number of pressures that caused individuals to give up their volunteer work. Some of the outside pressures included: time pressures, family commitments and regular job or school schedules (Hustinx, 2008, p. 245). Managers can do little to address these issues. The inside pressures included: management differences and organization of volunteer work (Hustinx, 2008, p. 248). Volunteer Motivation In order to improve volunteer motivation, it is important to make sure that volunteers feel valued and appreciated. It helps them to know that the organization has a genuine concern about their efforts and well-being. Farmer and Fedor (1999) studied the Psychological Contract Perspective approach and how it could motivate volunteers. The Psychological Contract Perspective helps volunteer managers understand volunteer behaviors and motivators. Farmer and Fedor (1999) confirmed that a number of organizations were not meeting the expectations of their current volunteers. However, if the organization was meeting their expectations, then the levels of participation increased (Farmer Fedor, 1999). In a couple of instances the volunteers were willing to overlook their unmet expectations if they shared common values with the organization (Farmer Fedor, 1999). Shortly afterwards, however, Farmer and Fedor (1999) reported that the volunteers would develop a sense of separation from the organ ization because they felt the organization did not care about their well-being. Occasionally, the expectations of volunteers can change as the volunteer activity grows and changes. Wu Luping (2011), in an interview with 24 young volunteers, found that when developing a volunteer activity, special attention should be given to the possibility that people might advance and expand their abilities during the activity (p. 190). This means that more prominence should be placed on the enjoyment received when publicizing volunteer activities (Wilson, 2012). These authors have introduced a number of studies and techniques that volunteer managers and organizational leaders should consider when creating and implementing a volunteer management system. However, most of the authors only focused on one element of a good volunteer management system. In order to have a truly effective system, managers need to encompass these best practices in the recruitment, retention and motivational processes. This is why a study needs to be conducted that can explore all three key areas together, while also looking at what methods and techniques work best to develop a strong and well rounded volunteer management system. Looking at data collected in the past years will help to examine if any of these ideas introduced still have any validity in the current volunteer market. Much like everything else in society, interests and motivations change from generation to generation, so it is important to discover what techniques work best on different demographics. Fur thermore, a technique that works well in one community might not work in another. This is why it is important to study the populations that are in the community. Methodology It is important for individuals who work with volunteers to discover what suitable motivational tools are required for each volunteer when recruiting and retaining the best individual available. When taking into consideration the purpose, and the available data, this study will examine if there is a connection between the management style in volunteer organizations and the effect it has on volunteer recruitment, satisfaction/retention and motivation in Central Illinois. In order to study the areas of volunteer recruitment, retention/satisfaction and motivation, this study will look at the published data collected in the Current Population Surveys volunteer supplement of 2007 through 2011, a research project by Esmond and Dunlop (2004) on developing the volunteer motivation inventory in Western Australia and the 2012 Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois Volunteer Survey. However, using this secondary data has limitations of only representing the individuals who answered the survey, and it might not represent the population in Central Illinois. Also, a sample of the population might differ from the entire population results. In order to address reliability and validity issues of this data, the perspectives of professionals who work with volunteers on a daily basis at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois will also be incorporated. The Current Population Surveys Volunteer Supplements The Current Population Surveys (CPS) volunteer supplements for 2007 through 2011 is a national household survey administered by the U.S. Census Bureau (Census) for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2011), the CPS is a survey of about 60,000 households that obtains information on employment and unemployment among the nations civilian population age 16 and over (p. 1). The volunteer supplement is an annual set of questions specifically aimed at gaining information on the rate of volunteering and the characteristics of volunteers in the United States. The survey defines volunteers as persons who did unpaid work (except for expenses) through or for an organization (Current Population Survey, p. 1). This data will examine volunteer recruitment, retention/satisfaction and motivation by looking at the number of hours spent volunteering, type of organization for which volunteer work was performed, volunteer activity performed and how the volun teer became involved with an organization. Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia In the Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia study a total of 2,444 volunteers and 15 organizations participated in a five-stage research process (Esmond Dunlop, 2004). Esmond and Dunlop (2004) also collected the demographic details, such as age, gender, occupation and time spent volunteering from each participant to observe trends (p. 22). The volunteer manager of each organization distributed the survey via mail or internally. How individuals answered the survey questions will allow me to examine what factors motivate volunteers. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois Volunteer Survey The 2012 Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois is small nonprofit located in Springfield, Illinois that uses volunteers to provide a temporary home away from home for families who have a child seeking medical treatment at a nearby medical facility. In the first quarter of 2012 the House Manager and Executive Director conducted a survey of about twenty-two current house volunteers. The survey was conducted via Survey Monkey and consisted of twenty-five questions. These questions were designed to give the organization a better understanding of their current volunteer pool and the volunteers general satisfaction with the organization. This study will examine selected answers to explore volunteer motivations at a Central Illinois non-profit organization. Together the data collected from these three sources will help in analyzing the current retention, satisfaction and motivation of a sampled population of volunteers. Looking at the percent of the population that volunteers, how many hours they volunteered and what types of activities they performed, this study will explore what methods and techniques work on recruiting and retaining volunteers. The survey results from Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia study and the 2012 Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois can be used to explore volunteer motivations at fifteen organizations in Western Australia and from a Central Illinois non-profit organization. Having data samples from various individuals from completely different communities and parts of the world will show if viewpoints differ from community to community. Analysis The analysis of this study will be divided into three sections: (1) volunteer recruitment, (2) volunteer satisfaction and retention and (3) volunteer motivation. Each section has a number of graphs and/or tables that represent the data collected from the sources identified earlier. These graphs and tables will help to better understand the motivations and current volunteer statistics of the sampled population. However, it is important to keep in mind that this only represents the sampled population at the time of collection and not the entire population as a whole. Volunteer Recruitment Table 1 Volunteers by How They Became Involved with Organization Years Percent distribution of how volunteers became involved Approached the organization Was asked by Other Not reporting Boss or employer Relative, friend, or co-worker Someone in the organization/school Someone else 2011 41.6 1.3 15.3 23.8 1.2 13.0 3.8 2010 41.6 1.4 14.9 24.9 1.2 12.4 3.6 2009 40.9 1.7 14.8 26 1.2 12.3 3.1 2008 40.8 1.4 14.2 26.8 1.2 12.6 3 2007 40.1 1.3 14.8 27.2 1.2 12.7 2.7 Note. Percent Distribution of How Volunteers Became Involved with Organization. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Table 1 shows the percent distribution of how volunteers became involved with their main volunteer activity organization. This information comes from the Current Population Surveys (CPS) volunteer supplements from 2007 to 2011. Over the past five years the way that volunteers have become involved with organizations has stayed relatively the same. This graph shows that volunteers are either recruited by approaching the organization themselves, being asked to volunteer by someone or other forms of volunteer recruitment. Volunteers that approached the organization have steadily stayed around forty percent over the past five years. Additionally, the percentage of volunteers who became involved due to someone asking them has also stayed relatively steady. Adding the percentages of those asked by boss or employer; relative, friend, or co-worker; someone in the organization; or someone else, the total is consistently a higher percentage than the percentage of volunteers who approached the o rganization on their own. This indicates that a greater number of volunteers were recruited by someone asking them to participate, with largest percent being asked by someone within the organization. Figure 1 Figure 1. 2011 Volunteer Rates by Organization. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011 Figure 1 shows the percentage of volunteers within selected organizations. This data comes from the CPSs volunteer supplement for 2011. In the survey, participants were asked to identify the type of organization where most of their volunteer time was spent. They were given the list of sport, hobby, cultural, or arts organizations; civic, political, professional, or international organizations; educational or youth service; environmental or animal care; hospital or other care; public safety; religious; social or community service; and other (Current Population Survey (CPS), 2011). The results show that the greatest percentage of volunteers spends their time with religious organizations at thirty-three percent and educational or youth service organizations at twenty-six percent. Volunteer Satisfaction and Retention Figure 2 Figure 2. Number of Volunteers Percent of Population. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Figure 2 shows the number of reported volunteers from 2007 to 2011 and the percentage of the general population that make up this volunteer core in the United States. Again this data comes from the CPSs volunteer supplements for 2007 through 2011. The results show that over the past five years the number of volunteers has steadily stayed around sixty million, with a slight dip between 2009 and 2011. The volunteer rate rose 0.2 percent from 2007 to 2008, 0.4 percent from 2008 to 2009 and dropped 0.5 percent between 2009 and 2010. However, it rose again 0.5 percent from 2010 to 2011. The data shows that the percentage of the population that volunteered has stayed steady (around twenty-six percent) over the past five years. Figure 3 Volunteers By Annual Hours of Volunteer Activities Figure 3. Volunteers by annual hours of volunteer activities. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Figure 3 shows the results from the CPSs volunteer supplements for 2007 through 2011. In the survey participants were asked to fill in their average hours spent on volunteer activities for the year. The data was then coded into the categories: not reporting hours, 1 to 14 hours, 15 to 49 hours, 50 to 99 hours, 100 to 499 hours and 500 or more hours (Current Population Survey (CPS), 2011). This graph represents the percentage results of their responses. The results show that the greatest majority of volunteers, at about twenty-nine percent, are spending between 100 to 499 hours on their activities. However, it significantly drops from 500 or more hours. Figure 3 also shows that from 2007 to 2011 each category of reported hours has stayed fairly constant. Figure 4 Figure 4. Main volunteer activity for organization. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Figure 4 represents the percentage of main volunteer activities for organizations. The results were collected from the CPSs volunteer supplement for 2007 through 2011, in particular the questions that dealt with the type of volunteer activities conducted at their main organization. The main organization is defined as the organization where the volunteer worked the greatest amount of hours during the year (Current Population Survey (CPS), 2011). The results show which activities had the greatest percentage of volunteers over the past five years, with the highest percentage being in the category of other activities, and the next highest in fundraising or selling items to raise money. Over the past five years each category, except collecting food and teaching/tutoring, has stayed at the same percentage of participation from volunteers. Collecting/serving food has seen a slight increase, while teaching/tutoring has seen a slight decrease from 2007 to 2011. Volunteer Motivation Table 2 Distribution of Responses to Volunteer Motivation Inventory Motivational items Survey question Percentage of Responses Disagree Undecided Agree Values I volunteer because I believe I am meeting a need in the community in my volunteering role 1.4 2.8 95.8 I volunteer because I feel that volunteering makes the world a better place 4.7 5.3 90 I volunteer because I believe everyone should volunteer 39 20.3 40.7 Self-Esteem I volunteer because I feel that volunteering is a feel-good experience 14.1 10.4 75.5 I volunteer because volunteering makes me feel like a good person 25.4 17.3 57.3 I volunteer because volunteering makes me feel useful 10 8 82 Personal Growth I volunteer because I feel that volunteering gives me a better understanding of what life is about 10.7 10.4 78.9 I volunteer because I feel that volunteering has given me the opportunity to appreciate the differences in people 16.6 14.3 69.1 I feel more settled in myself after volunteering 26.4 23.5 50.1 Career Development I volunteer because I feel that I make important work connections through volunteering 70.8 13.5 15.7 I volunteer because I feel that volunteering will help me to find out about employment opportunities. 77 12.7 10.3 I volunteer because volunteering gives me an opportunity to build my work skills. 56 14.1 29.9 Social Interaction I volunteer because the social opportunities provided by the agency are important to me. 53.2 20.7 26.1 I volunteer because I feel that volunteering is a way to build ones social networks. 54.1 19.8 26.1 I volunteer because volunteering provides a way for me to make new friends. 40.7 16.7 42.6 Recognition Being appreciated by my volunteer agency is important to me. 10 11.6 78.4 Being respected by staff and volunteers at the agency is not important to me. 75.3 8.2 16.5 I feel that it is important to receive recognition for my volunteering work. 50.4 18.6 31 Note. Distribution of Responses to Volunteer Motivation Inventory. Adapted from Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia, by P.J. Esmond P. Dunlop, 2004 Table 2 represents the percentage of responses from some motivational questions that were pulled from the Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia. The responses to questions related to volunteer motivational factors were coded on a one to five scale, with one being strongly disagree, two disagree, three undecided, four agree and five strongly agree (Esmond Dunlop, 2004). Table 2 shows the percentage of responses to the selected survey questions, with strongly disagree and disagree combined into one category, and the same with agree and strongly agree, while undecided was a separate category. The results indicate that most of the respondents are motivated by their values, self-esteem, personal growth, and recognition. It also indicates that social interaction and career development have significantly lower impact on their motivation to volunteer. Values such as believing that they are making a difference in the community play a highly significant role in volunteer motivation. Volunteering because it makes them feel good also plays a significant role in volunteer motivation. Being appreciated by the volunteer agency and receiving recognition was also regarded highly for volunteer motivation. (Continued on Next Page) Table 3 Distribution of Responses to RMHCCI 2012 Volunteer Survey Survey question Percentage of Responses Good Average Poor

Power Corrupts Essay -- History, Hitler, Napoleon

Power is a very dangerous obsession because it corrupts many individuals. The idea of power corrupting individuals has been present since the time of Hitler, and Napoleon but it has gotten worst in the present time because of the advance technology and individuals ambition for money. A perfect example of an individual that is corrupted by power is Muammar Gaddafi. Muammar Gaddafi, tyrant of Libya, shocked the world by his use of power. Another great example of how power corrupts an individual is shown in the play, Macbeth written by William Shakespeare. The protagonist, Macbeth, shows how he is corrupted by the use of power. Unfortunately, power corrupts an individual to an extent that it affects people surrounding them and it can eventually turn the individual into a tyrant. To begin with, individuals who are corrupted by power all exhibit similar character traits. Gaddafi is the current Libyan leader who has abused his power. Gaddafi displays a very courageous type of attitude, which is clearly made known of when he says, â€Å"[he] have not yet [order] the use of force†¦when [he] do, everything will burn† (Ghosh 2). Gaddafi can also be seen as a tyrant, when he says, â€Å"[he] am not going to leave this land, and [he] will die here as a martyr† (2). One can conclude how ambitious Gaddafi has gotten to remain in power. Moreover, Macbeth also displays similar character traits in the play Macbeth. As Macbeth starts getting power in his hands, he wanted more. He too showed a very fearless and daring attitude like Gaddafi which is shown when Macbeth says â€Å"The very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand† ( Shakespeare 4.1.166-167). Here, Macbeth is trying to emphasize that he is willing to commit any felon y to remain ... ...land’s citizens thought that Macbeth was crazy and hate him because he killed many innocent people; the citizens want Macbeth to leave, just like how Gaddafi’s men hate him and want him to leave. Before showing any violent actions a tyrant must think over the reactions to prevent future conflicts. In conclusion, one can say that when an individual abuses the use of power it causes negative impacts on a nation. Power has very dangerous uses and it corrupts people, which not only affects the individual but it affects the people surrounding them and turns them into a tyrant. One can learn that power can be beneficial to an entire nation and help stop issues in the world only if it is used correctly. Gaddafi and Macbeth both exhibit how power corrupts which results in a downfall in both of their nations. Power is very dangerous when one tries to take advantage of it.

Living Machines, Constructed Wetlands and Sustainable Water Resources E

Living Machines, Constructed Wetlands and Sustainable Water Resources Thesis: Conventional waste treatment plants, Living Machines and constructed wetlands can all be used for water purification, but only living machines and constructed wetlands will provide the human race with a sustainable future. Introduction Our liquid planet glows like a soft blue sapphire in the hard edged darkness of space. There is nothing else like it in the solar system. It is because of water (Miller 311). - John Todd Water is the most important resource on the planet. Absolutely no life could exist with out the presence of water. Humans use water to cook, clean, bathe and drink. However it seems that humans as a race have extremely little respect for this resource. Humans continually pollute and damage the health of our aquatic ecosystems using irresponsible agricultural practices and improper disposal of our wastes. These issues must be examined because the way humans interact with the earth have strong moral and ethical implications. As the scarcity of potable water continues to increase the value of water will continue to rise. In many places throughout the world clean water sources cause mass immigration and emigration of people so adequate water resources can be accessed (Homer 73). This causes large-scale political and ethnic upheaval. In the future water shortages have the potential for invoking war between ethnic groups as well as nations. It is the best interest of the human race to pres erve and restore the health of our aquatic ecosystems since they have such large implications for human societies and cultures. One of the major sources of water pollution throughout the world is human sewage. Understanding how to properly dea... ...tific America, February, 1993. Kerezman, Jim. Personal Interview. Assistant Superintendent Goshen Utilities, 9-28-99. Lerner, Steve. Eco-Pioneers. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1998. Lyle, John Tillman. Regenerative Design for Sustainable Development. New York: John Wiley & Sons INC. 1994. Miller, G. Tyler. Living in the Environment: Principles, Connections, and Solutions. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, 2000. Schueler, Thomas. Design of Stormwater Wetland Systems: Guidelines for Creating Diverse and Effective Storm water Wetland in the mid-Atlantic Region. Washington D. C.: Anacostia Restoration Team, 1992. Todd, John and Jack Todd, Nancy. From Eco-Cities to Living Machines: Principles of Ecological Design. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books, 1994. Umble, Art. Concepts of Treatment of Municipal Wastewaters. Elkhart: City Press, 1999. Living Machines, Constructed Wetlands and Sustainable Water Resources E Living Machines, Constructed Wetlands and Sustainable Water Resources Thesis: Conventional waste treatment plants, Living Machines and constructed wetlands can all be used for water purification, but only living machines and constructed wetlands will provide the human race with a sustainable future. Introduction Our liquid planet glows like a soft blue sapphire in the hard edged darkness of space. There is nothing else like it in the solar system. It is because of water (Miller 311). - John Todd Water is the most important resource on the planet. Absolutely no life could exist with out the presence of water. Humans use water to cook, clean, bathe and drink. However it seems that humans as a race have extremely little respect for this resource. Humans continually pollute and damage the health of our aquatic ecosystems using irresponsible agricultural practices and improper disposal of our wastes. These issues must be examined because the way humans interact with the earth have strong moral and ethical implications. As the scarcity of potable water continues to increase the value of water will continue to rise. In many places throughout the world clean water sources cause mass immigration and emigration of people so adequate water resources can be accessed (Homer 73). This causes large-scale political and ethnic upheaval. In the future water shortages have the potential for invoking war between ethnic groups as well as nations. It is the best interest of the human race to pres erve and restore the health of our aquatic ecosystems since they have such large implications for human societies and cultures. One of the major sources of water pollution throughout the world is human sewage. Understanding how to properly dea... ...tific America, February, 1993. Kerezman, Jim. Personal Interview. Assistant Superintendent Goshen Utilities, 9-28-99. Lerner, Steve. Eco-Pioneers. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1998. Lyle, John Tillman. Regenerative Design for Sustainable Development. New York: John Wiley & Sons INC. 1994. Miller, G. Tyler. Living in the Environment: Principles, Connections, and Solutions. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, 2000. Schueler, Thomas. Design of Stormwater Wetland Systems: Guidelines for Creating Diverse and Effective Storm water Wetland in the mid-Atlantic Region. Washington D. C.: Anacostia Restoration Team, 1992. Todd, John and Jack Todd, Nancy. From Eco-Cities to Living Machines: Principles of Ecological Design. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books, 1994. Umble, Art. Concepts of Treatment of Municipal Wastewaters. Elkhart: City Press, 1999.

The Impact of Restaurant Reviews on Customer Decisions

The Impact of Restaurant Reviews on Customer Decisions Table of contents 1. |LITERATURE REVIEW †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. |3| |1. 1. |Restaurant Review Systems Context †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. |3| |1. 2. |Overview of Themes †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. |4| |1. 3. |Peer Vs. Expert Reviews Constraints †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ |4| |1. 4. Impact on Customer Behaviour †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ |5| |1. 5. |Consumer Information Utilization†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ |6| 2. |CONCLUSION †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ |9| 3. |REFERENCE LIST †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ |10| Page | 2 1. LITERATURE REVIEW 1. 1. Restaurant Review Systems Context As of January 2013 Yelp recorded 100 million visits on Yelp. om not including the 9. 4 million unique users of its mobil e application, ranking Yelp the 34th most trafficked website in the US. (Wilhelm, 2013). In addition, The Zagat New York guide sold 500,000 copies last year and it now includes 2,050 restaurants from all five boroughs in its 2013 edition. (Talmadge, 2008 ) Ultimately, The Guide Rouge sells around 1. 2 million copies per year in eight countries, and it impressively sold out 120,000 copies in no more than three days, on its first Tokyo 2008 edition (Michelin, 2011).Davis (2009) synthesizes â€Å"Restaurant reviews which, in addition to recording eating experiences, educate and inform us about how to culturally contextualize, judge, and compare eating experiences in both explicit and implicit ways, how to expand our vocabulary and fill up the bank, reviews are an important locus of meaning in the realm of food. † Coherently, gourmets argue that with the absence of writing, food is merely confined to its biological purpose and economic standing. Recording the dining experiences, avoids the quotidian encapsulation and impulses food discourse into the realm of intellectual pursuit. (Davis, 2009 , pp. 13-16)Food, being a vital necessity of human nature, has developed in the last centuries as not only a survival instinct, but a desire that can drive customers to a satisfactory and rewarding emotional experience. (Berridge, 2001 , pp. 234-242) Hence, the advancing phenomenon of eating out and the fast growing pace of the Gastronomic industry, has gained uncountable followers. (Upadhyay, Singh, & Thomas, 2007) The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of restaurant reviews upon consumer selecting criteria. Examine the information quality, and source credibility of restaurant review systems and their influence on consumer’s utilization.Page | 3 1. 2. Overview of the themes Technological advances have brought the ease of accessibility to immeasurable information. Restaurant reviews systems are widely spread, due to the fact that consumers are wil ling to refer to either expert or peer created reviews before a culinary venture, to avoid potential risk or uncertainty over food/service quality. (Choi & Ok). In contrast, Bouton and Kirchsteiger (2001), elaborate on the theory that the existence of favourable rankings might affect consumers by increasing the market power of firms, leading to inflating flexible prices and therefore lowering customers’ solvency power. Bouton & Kirchsteiger, 2011) 1. 3 Peer vs. Expert Opinion Constraints Luca (2011) discusses the criticisms on the reliability of the information obtained from both expert and en masse review systems. Constraints such as the hedonic value of palatability, as a result of the diverse interpretations of quality perception in conjunction with the possibility of stakeholders altering submissions, that will cause biased results. Equally important, the subjectivity of information on peer reviewed evaluations, which normally reflect a non representative sample of custom ers. (Luca, 2011)Concerns in the case of expert reviews, for example the Michelin Guide, include the propensity to cover small segments of a market and the companies’ obligation to comply with mandatory disclosure laws. (Luca, 2011) Furthermore, Geraud et al. (2012) considerate that even expert reviews might be somehow biased; bolstering French cuisine. Notwithstanding, Johnson et al. (2005) attributed the hegemony Francoise, to the long tradition and paramount magnitude of haute cuisine culture in France. Existing literature demonstrates the significance of experts? opinion and social learning, to model consumer criteria.However the Michelin star system, especially in Europe, is to some extent overwhelmingly pondered as the most recognized and respected system for haute cuisine. (Johnson, Surlemont, Nicod, & Revaz, 2005) Page | 4 Generally, three etoile restaurants are led by highly creative and skilled chefs, emphasize on hiring high quality personnel, employ first quality ingredients and secure an exclusive wine list. Nonetheless, the absence of standardized requirements suggest an unaccountably vagueness on the rigorously selected and qualified inspectors’ accreditation criteria. (Johnson, Surlemont, Nicod, & Revaz, 2005)Comparatively, peer reviews also face system imperfections. Anderson and Magruder (2001) encounter that there is a 49% increase on restaurant customer flow as result of a ? star increase on a Yelp rating, yet this ratings are rounded to the nearest half star which might convey an imperfect signal of quality. 1. 4. Impact on Customer Behaviour Bickart and Schindler (2001) highlight the effect that online reviews originate upon customer decision-making process, as they play an influential role providing an interactive venue to share quality perception of a product or service.Conversely, Banerjee (1922) and Bikhchandani (1988) et al. (as cited in Geraud et al. 2012) Localized conformity, fashion and heard behaviour sequence caus es the purchase decision to be purely influenced by prejudice. Following preceding peers actions without contributing an own judgment leads to an information disequilibrium. (Gergaud, Storchmann, & Verardi, 2012) In accordance with Andersson and Mossberg (2004) who suggest that dining experience engrosses much more than good fooD. Gunasekeran (1992) (as cited in Upadhyay et al. 007) concurs â€Å"A restaurant takes the basic drive – the simplest act of eating – and transforms it into a civilized ritual involving hospitality, imagination, satisfaction, graciousness and warmth† (Upadhyay, Singh, & Thomas, 2007) The dining experience is sorted and evaluated in components proposed by empirical qualitative data from first round interviews (Kivela et al,1999). Primary factors empowering diners’ visit intention are the food and service quality, atmosphere, and relevant convenience factors.Restaurant reviews focus and delineate their appraisals in these determini ng attributes to assist customers’ selection criteria process. (Kivela, Reece, & Inbakaran, 1999) Page | 5 Empirical evidence has also proven the assumption of the impact that social learning, thanks to technological diversification, or professional assessment evaluations indeed contain relevant information. (Luca, 2011) Subsequently, growing literature papers link the relation between restaurant revenue boost as the result of favourable reviews. For instance, Geraud et al. 2012) finding on the comparison between the continuity on pricing level from 2004 to 2007 in NYC, considering a priori and posteriori scenarios of the inclusion of the Michelin Guide (2005) in the city, proved a substantial marginal price increase of approximately 37%. Furthermore, Luca (2011) concluded that a one – star increase in Yelp rating leads to a 5 – 9 % increase in revenue. Nonetheless, consumers’ quality perception scope through pricing signalling quality is diminishing as c onsumers’ knowledge widens. (Gergaud, Storchmann, & Verardi, 2012) . 5. Consumer Information Utilization Yet, it is unclear that the consumers’ responsiveness and utilization of the available information which is reliant on the accessibility, simplicity and trustworthiness of the actual valuable content. This hypothesis portrays the Bayesian inference which customers act upon (Luca, 2011). â€Å"Bayesian inference is a method of statistical inference that uses prior probability over some hypothesis to determine the likelihood of that hypothesis be true based on observed evidence† (Mans, 2010 , p. 1) Cai et al. 2008) conducted a randomized natural field experiment proving that assessing consumer options on menu items by providing a forged list of the top 5 selling dishes, reported an increase on demand of 13% to 20%. On the other hand, Kivela et al. (1999) explore the consumer behaviour model under the disconfirmation theory, which construes that customers compar e their own dining experience with some basis gained by direct or indirect previous experiences. This might be obtained from either social or expert assessments, and the assumption that a customer will weight various restaurant attributes based on expectancy theory.Furthermore, they studied customers’ perceptions of restaurant attributes based on demographic characteristics which shape selection criteria. (Kivela, Reece, & Inbakaran, 1999) Page | 6 Upadhyay et al. (2007) research analysis differs from the scheme that Keevela et al. (1999) suggest, since demographic variables have an insignificant impact on consumers’ preference and visit intentions. Conclusion analysis elaborates on the deciding attributes for restaurant selection, quality of food per se being the most imprescindible component.Secondly, service quality which plays a major role in customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction and return patronage accordingly. Location, ambience and other facilities are inclu ded on the deciding factors, but disregard Keevela’s et al. (1999) finding of ambience being the fundamental factor. (Upadhyay, Singh, & Thomas, 2007) Page | 7 Page | 8 3. Works Cited Anderson, M. , & Magruder, J. (2011). Learning from the Crowd: Regression Disconinuity Estimates of the Effects of an Online Review Database. The Economic Journal , 2 . Berridge, K. C. (2001 ). The Phsycology of Learning .In Reward Learning (pp. 234-242 ). Academic Press. Bouton, L. , & Kirchsteiger, G. (2011). Good Rankings are Bad – Why Reliable Rankings Can Hurt Consumers. Centre for Economic Policy Research, 1. Cai, H. , Chen, Y. , & Fang, H. (2008). Observational Learning: Evidence from a Randomized Natural. Yale University. Choi, J. W. , & Ok, C. (n. d. ). The Effect of Online Restaurant Reviews on Diners' Visit Intentions. Kansas State University . Davis, M. (2009 ). A Taste For New York; Restaurant Reviews, Food Discourse, and The Field of Gastronomy in America. New York Universit y , 4.Gergaud, O. , Storchmann, K. , & Verardi, V. (2012). Expert Opinion and Quality Perception of Consumers. Johnson, C. , Surlemont, B. , Nicod, P. , & Revaz, F. (2005). Behind the Stars . Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly , 170. Kim, S. , & Jae-Eun, C. (2010 ). Restaurant Selection Criteria: Understading the Roles of Restaurant Type and Customers' Sociodemographic Characteristics. Ohio State University . Kivela, J. , Reece, J. , & Inbakaran, R. (1999). Consumer Research in the Restaurant Enviornment: Part 2 Research design and analytical methods.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management , 269 – 281. Luca, M. (2011). Reviews, Reputation and Revenue: The Case of Yelp. com. Harvard Business School. Mans, Y. (2010 ). Bayesian Inference. Machine Learninf Foundation , 1 . Michelin. (2011, November 29). Retrieved from www. michelin. com Talmadge, E. (2008 , August 29). USA Today. Retrieved from Tokyo Michelin Dispute: http://usatoday30. usa today. com Upadhyay, Y. , Singh, S. K. , & Thomas, G. (2007). Do People Differ in

Uk institution culture

Charity business has been an important part in English civil society through 400 years' development. This article alms to introduce two leading charities organisations In UK the National Trust and the Royal 3ritlsh Legion, and to research how they shape and reflect the UK culture. 2. The National Trust and UK Culture This section introduces the definition of the National Trust and states how it shapes and reflects uK culture trom three aspects. 2. 1 3ackground of the National Trust The National Trust was founded in 1895 as a charity body, independent of the UK government.Its' mission is to prevent the nation of lands and tenements (including uildings) of beauty or historic interest In perpetuity for the benefit of society (Lansley, 1996: 227). The National Trust has been one of the biggest environmental organizations In the world through hundreds development. It raises money heavily on the support of its' members, visitors, donors and partners. The membership fee accounts largely in the total amount. The memberships' numbers ot the national trust were 7,000 people in 1945, and it increased rapidly to 220,000 people in 1970.After that, the amount of memberships doubled every ten years. In 201 1, membership recruitment had reached the number of 3. million (National Trust, 2010/2011 : 2). Besides the huge number of memberships, it has a large number of volunteers. As the National Trust motto said â€Å"No volunteers, No Nauonal Trust†. From housing repair to gardens management, customers' service or cultural relics introduce, volunteers play an important role in the National Trust. From a recent statistic, the volunteers' numbers have reached 67,000 in the year of 201 1 (National Trust, 201112012: 6). 2 The influences of National Trust to UK culture The National Trust has an Influence to UK culture from the following aspects: nvironment protection, citizen awareness, and life enrichment. Firstly, the huge success of the National Trust In environment conserv ation shapes the uK culture deeply. The responsibility of Trust mainly reflected in protection of country land, coastline and historical culture relics