...seemed to have the upper hand. In fact, it would be significantly easier to present all of the arguments against going back to school at this time. One could argue strongly that several significant life-changing events experienced recently would be reason enough to delay the initiation of the Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) program. Issues related to family loss and job change could be used as evidence in favor of postponement. Financial strains could also be presented as yet another reason that the time, effort, and expense required for an MBA would not be a necessary use of resources. However, despite all of the very valid arguments supporting a delay or abandonment of this goal, now is the time to begin my pursuit in earnest. In presenting the rationale for my decision, particularly related to all of the major life change I am going through, I am confident that the reader will concur that I am prepared to face the challenges of a postgraduate degree. According to The American Institute of Stress (n.d.), Dr. Hans Selye defined stress in 1936 as "the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change” (para. 2). Whereas the causes of stress and the responses to it vary, experts agree that significant life change can be a leading contributor to negative stress and stress-related illness (WebMD, 2010). After taking an online “Life Change Stress Test” (Curtis, 2009), it was not surprising to find that I easily tipped the scales to register a high stress...
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...Chapter 1 THE PROBLEM AND THE RESEARCH DESIGN Rationale Fact or fiction? A job interview will tell you much more about a person than any other psychological tests. The interview process will offer an accurate report of the actual behaviors of the person at work, the genuine skills that the person possesses, the productivity of the person and that the happy and affable responses of a prospective employee during the interview suggest that the person is most likely to like his/her job. If you think that the aforementioned statements are nothing more than a common sense, then you must know that common sense is not always reasonable. As a matter of fact, those abovementioned statements are untrue. In most cases, psychometricians who interpret psychological tests and conduct preliminary interviews have confirmed that interviews alone are not particularly good selection tool to distinguish the productivity, skills, behavior and the motivation of the employee. Using interviews alone does not give sufficient information for effective selection decision making, particularly in areas that are not amenable to training, such as cognitive ability and attitude ( Webster, 2010). Psychological assessments are used in succession planning, employee screening, pre-employment decisions, and employee counseling situations. From a purely financial view, if psychological testing can prevent you from making one bad hire, it probably saves you tens of thousands of dollars. From an organizational...
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...sought. Any federal and state laws discussed in this book are subject to frequent revision and interpretation by amendments or judicial revisions that may significantly affect employer or employee rights and obligations. Readers are encouraged to seek legal counsel regarding specific policies and practices in their organizations. This book is published by the SHRM Foundation, an affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM©). The interpretations, conclusions and recommendations in this book are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the SHRM Foundation. ©2005 SHRM Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the SHRM Foundation, 1800 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. The SHRM Foundation is the 501 (c)3 nonprofit affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). The SHRM Foundation advances the human resource profession and increases the effectiveness of HR...
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...explore the concept of Narcissism and Machiavellianism and the effect of these on a person’s personality as a whole. Narcissism, personality trait of egoism, conceit, or simple selfishness and Machiavellianism, employment of cunning and duplicity in statecraft or in general conduct, if in excess seem to have a negative effect on a person’s behaviour. The characteristics of the person indulging in these traits are analysed through this research and also the effects of their presence in excess to . Machiavellianism and narcissism can be called to be some of the most important and governing constituents of one’s personality and thus governs the behaviour of people at their workplace or in their decision making to a great extent. Consequences of very high or very low Machiavellianism and narcissism can be grave and therefore effects of both these conditions are evaluated. Also methodologies to determine the level of Narcissism and Machiavellianism in an individual are discussed through this paper. Hopefully this research will provide insights to the positive and negative effects of Narcissism and Machiavellianism and assist the reader in avoiding or minimising the negative effects of these. Narcissism The term was coined by Freud after Narcissus who in Greek myth was a pathologically self-absorbed young man who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool. It refers to the personality trait of egoism, conceit, or simple selfishness. Applied to a social group, it is sometimes...
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...The role of self concept in understanding brand experience, brand attachment and brand loyalty in the consumption of premium clothing brands Londiwe Mkhize Student Number: 28531907 A research project submitted to the Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration. 10 November 2010 © University of Pretoria ABSTRACT The foremost argument of this research is that self concept is of fundamental influence in the choices consumers make when purchasing luxury clothing brands. The objective of this research was to determine the relationships between self concept and the experience, attachment and loyalty that consumers have towards brands. The research further sought to confirm the role that identity theory plays in brand consumption. Sixty-nine respondents were surveyed via an electronic tool to understand how they view the role that self concept plays in the experiences they encounter with clothing brands. Experts were also interviewed to gain deeper insights into brands and the importance that communication and branding strategies play in developing brands for consumption. Ttests and bivariate regression was performed in order to determine relationships amongst the constructs. The findings show that consumers place a relatively high importance on the brand experience and self concept constructs. Marketing and advertising companies have an enormous responsibility...
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...Human Resource Management Applied Project #2 - Employee Selection at Dynamo Industries 1. Critique the selection methods that have been developed by Dynamo Industries. Specifically, critique the (a) personality profiles based on the (1) 16 PF and (2) the TAT, (b) interviewer ratings, (c) intelligence test, (d) handwriting analysis, (e) promotability analysis, (f) performance ratings and (g) work sample scores. Cite independent research sources as appropriate to support your position. (20 points) Personality Assessments Thematic Apperception Test While personality tests can offer one the ability to observe an individual’s psyche, both conscience and subconscious, respectively, its validity to actually “judge” an individual within an interview process is not a best-practice method. As research has indicated “…the TAT is a powerful and revealing measure that has made an undeniable contribution to the motivation literature. However, to the extent that the administration and scoring of the test can be improved and refined through the development of a standard set of cues, group norms, and a more efficient scoring system, the true potential of this measure is at present untapped.”TAT Administration TAT Administration Personality Factors (16) Similar to the TAT test, using standardized personality tests as determining factors within an interview process is controversial. However, personality tests are standardized and most employers consider quantitative scores...
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...STUDENT NO: 45492832 PYC4807: PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT 05: Assessment in an industrial context Closing date: 11 July 2011 CONTENTS SECTION A 1. Introduction 2. Competencies 3. Core competencies of successful accountants 3.1 Skill-related competencies (SPEEX) 3.2 Personality-related competencies (16PF) 4. The role of situational, personality and interest measures in establishing the core competencies of interviewees 4.1 Situational tests 4.2 Personality tests 4.3 Interest tests 4.3.1 The Self-Directed Search (SDS) 4.3.2 The MB-10 5. Approaching the process to appoint a suitable candidate 5.1 Components of the selection process 5.1.1 CV Screening 5.1.2 Reference checking 5.1.3 Short-listing 5.1.4 Competency based interviewing 5.1.5 Psychological assessment 5.1.6 Second interview 5.1.7 Appointment SECTION B References SECTION A 1. Introduction The aim of this essay is to critically discuss the importance of a job description by highlighting five important competencies that are relevant to the job description of an accountant, the use of various types of measures in the industrial context, and the process followed in selection, placement and development of employees. The modern work environment is competitive and employers need to be strategic in their hiring strategy. According to Bennie and Huang (2010) it is important for organisations to attract and retain...
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...Leadership and business performance Assignment of “a good leader influence a group of individuals to achieve a common goal and perform well, without having to watch over them” Word count: 2,927 Introduction Leadership is always considering as an important managerial topic because a good leader does not only able to guide behaviors from followers, but also leads individuals within an organization to achieve their common objectives (Morrill, 2010). The commonly accepted definition of leadership is contributed by David and Vince (2008, p2), who defined leadership as a person has “abilities of leading a group of people, and also has abilities of supporting group of people to achieve common objectives”. More specifically, Bass (1990) defines leadership as the ability to adapt the setting so everyone feels empowered to contribute creatively to solving the problems. The primary aim of this assignment is to critically discuss the topic of “a good leader influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal and perform well, without having to watch over them.” In order to answer this question well, the author selects Steve Jobs as the leader, and then with reference to Apple Inc to discuss why a good leader as Jobs influences group of individuals without watching them. As an essay based assignment, the author organizes this paper in three main parts, including introduction, main body and conclusion. In introduction section, the definition and importance of leadership...
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..."Employee Surveillance and Testing" Please respond to the following: Argue for or against the practice of electronic employee surveillance at work. Provide specific examples to support your argument. What laws, if any, may be violated by such practices? Employers want to be sure their employees are doing a good job, but employees don't want their every sneeze or trip to the water cooler logged. That's the essential conflict of workplace monitoring. New technologies make it possible for employers to monitor many aspects of their employees' jobs, especially on telephones, computer terminals, through electronic and voice mail, and when employees are using the Internet. Such monitoring is virtually unregulated. Therefore, unless company policy specifically states otherwise (and even this is not assured), your employer may listen, watch and read most of your workplace communications. One company offers technology that claims to provide insight into individual employee behavior based on the trail of "digital footprints" created each day in the workplace. This behavioral modeling technology can piece together all of these electronic records to provide behavior patterns that employers may utilize to evaluate employee performance and conduct. For example, it might look for word patterns, changes in language or style, and communication patterns between individuals. Recent surveys have found that a majority of employers monitor their employees. They are motivated by concern over litigation...
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...LSRC reference Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning A systematic and critical review This report critically reviews the literature on learning styles and examines in detail 13 of the most influential models. The report concludes that it matters fundamentally which instrument is chosen. The implications for teaching and learning in post-16 learning are serious and should be of concern to learners, teachers and trainers, managers, researchers and inspectors. Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning A systematic and critical review LSRC reference Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning A systematic and critical review LSRC reference LSRC reference Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning A systematic and critical review Frank Coffield Institute of Education University of London David Moseley University of Newcastle Elaine Hall University of Newcastle Kathryn Ecclestone University of Exeter The Learning and Skills Research Centre is supported by the Learning and Skills Council and the Department for Education and Skills The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Learning and Skills Research Centre or the Learning and Skills Development Agency Published by the Learning and Skills Research Centre www.LSRC.ac.uk Feedback should be sent to: Sally Faraday Research Manager Learning and Skills Development Agency Regent Arcade House 19–25 Argyll Street London...
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... Leadership: Leadership is the process by which a manager directs guides and influences the work of others in attaining specified goal. Leadership involves 1) Exerting influence over other members of a group 2) Helping a group achieve its goals. Leadership and management are two terms that are often confused. John Kotter of the Harvard Business School argues that “Management is about coping with complexity. Good management brings about order and consistency by drawing up formal plans, designing rigid organization structures, and monitoring results against the plans. Leadership, in contrast, is about coping with change. Leaders establish direction by developing a vision of the future; then they align people by communicating this vision and inspiring them to overcome hurdles." Robert House of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania basically concurs when he says that ‘Managers use the authority inherent in their designated formal rank to obtain compliance from organizational members. Management consists of implementing the vision...
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...of Management College of Management 12-1-2011 Facebook Addiction: Factors Influencing an Individual's Addiction Erica Sherman University of Massachusetts Boston Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.umb.edu/management_hontheses Part of the Marketing Commons Recommended Citation Sherman, Erica, "Facebook Addiction: Factors Influencing an Individual's Addiction" (2011). Honors Thesis Program in the College of Management. Paper 5. This Open Access Honors Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Management at ScholarWorks at UMass Boston. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Thesis Program in the College of Management by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at UMass Boston. For more information, please contact library.uasc@umb.edu. Facebook Addiction Factors Influencing an Individual’s Addiction Erica Sherman Erica Sherman MGT 478- Honors Thesis Advisor: Werner Kunz Director: Professor Jeffrey Keisler December 2011 ABSTRACT Prior research has proved that an individual could be addicted to the Internet in general, but no research has been done specifically to social networking sites such as Facebook. This study investigates how factors such as personality, gender, procrastination, boredom and ones values may affect the amount of time they spend on Facebook, further concluding that they are either overly obsessive or not about the usage thereof. Further, this study tests whether...
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...Assessment of British Airways Human Resource Management Strategies In a human body, heart is the most important part form where we can judge whether body working fine or not. In the same way in any organization the most important asset is employees. And to maximize their assets, management should always manage the employees working condition with intelligence and efficiency. If employees of any organization are well managed, the organizations mostly do very well. It is therefore necessary to work on development, building, motivation, enhancement and enrichment of the employees. In general every organization believes that Human Resource (HR) offers them reasonable advantage. These advantages can be Quality work force Quality culture etc. The Strategic Human Resource Management ensures that the employees or human capital of an organization contributes towards its achievements with their performance, knowledge and skills. The Traditional Human Resource is only concerned with the implementation of the policies like: Recruitment, Staffing, Reward, Assessment But when general HRM plug into the organization’s strategy the outcome of HR department more scope to increase the abilities of their workforce and focus on the vision and mission. This connection is made to improve the organization performance and develop organizational culture which in turn facilitates innovation and flexibility. Overall the key principle of Strategic HRM is to achieve organization’s...
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...and approaches. External environment – Influences and restricts a firm’s activities, objectives, strategies and personnel actions. It is influenced by : i) Government requirements – this is represented by laws and regulations as they affect the management human resources. ii) Union expectations – as manifested by leadership members. Restricts and influences firm operations. iii) Economic conditions – changing always. Hiring and payment of employees is itself a reflection of how economic conditions influence companies’ operations. iv) Labour market conditions always changing availability of skilled manpower and expectations of people. Definition Human Resources Management – Is the set of activities that are intended to influence the effectiveness of human resources and organizations. HRM Activities a) Human Resource Planning b) Employment Planning c) Equal opportunity employment d) Job design and analysis e) Recruitment f) Selection g) Career development h) Performance development (management) i) Compensation j) Health and Safety k) Evaluation of Personnel HANDOUT 1 Human Resources Planning - This is a future and Action oriented process and looks at each individual as unique. - It is a process by which management determines how the organization should move from its current (H.R.) position to a new desired position. - HRD integrates internal and external environments and focuses personnel decisions towards human...
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...9 CHAPTER PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 348 CHAPTER OUTLINE module 29 Psychodynamic Approaches to Personality Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory: Mapping the Unconscious Mind The Neo-Freudian Psychoanalysts: Building on Freud Try It! The Life Orientation Test Projective Methods Behavioral Assessment Becoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Assessing Personality Assessments module 30 Trait, Learning, Biological and Evolutionary, and Humanistic Approaches to Personality Trait Approaches: Placing Labels on Personality Learning Approaches: We Are What We’ve Learned Biological and Evolutionary Approaches: Are We Born with Personality? Humanistic Approaches: The Uniqueness of You Try It! Assessing Your Real and Ideal Self-Concept Comparing Approaches to Personality module 32 Intelligence Theories of Intelligence: Are There Different Kinds of Intelligence? Practical Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence: Toward a More Intelligent View of Intelligence Assessing Intelligence Variations in Intellectual Ability Exploring Diversity: The Relative Influence of Genetics and Environment: Nature, Nurture, and IQ Psychology on the Web The Case of . . . Mike and Marty Scanlon, the Unlikely Twins Profiles of Success: Raymond J. Matlock Full Circle: Personality and Individual Differences module 31 Assessing Personality: Determining What Makes Us Distinctive Self-Report Measures of Personality Who was the Real Bernie Madoff? To some, Bernard L. Madoff was an affable, charismatic...
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