River And Water Management Flood Control Environmental Sciences Essay

River And Water Management Flood Control Environmental Sciences Essay Floods are a major concern in many parts of the world due to the many losses experienced in time of floods. Therefore, flood management techniques are very important in areas that are prone to frequent flooding. Flood management techniques are structures designed with the aim of containing floodwater in order to control floodplains. The designing of flood control techniques entails estimating the levels of water that causes floods and then measuring the required height that will create a working flood defense. Flood defenses are strong barriers that prevent water from flooding floodplains (Woods Woods 2007, p.5). Floods generally occur when flowing surface water spills over the restraining banks into dry land. Floods are a natural occurrence in almost all river systems. Areas that are prone to flooding include those that are located downstream of dams and low lying areas. Flooding causes vast losses which include human and animal life, soil erosion, damages of properties, destruction of vegetation and other environmental damages. Also, areas that are affected by floods could also be prone to droughts. This can even cause further loss of human and animal lives. Flood waters are usually polluted with harmful bacteria resulting from sewage. This means that people affected by the floods are at greater risks of getting infective diseases (Proverbs, et al., 2011, p. 221). However, floods also have positive impacts on ecosystems. One benefit from flooding includes more fresh water for domestic and irrigation usage. Other benefits include large deposits of minerals and nutrients into affected areas. Apart from these, floods also help to improve the condition of water ecosystems. However, they can be considered to be the most damaging compared to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes due to their frequencies. Therefore, strict measures must be in place to prevent the massive losses occurred during floods (Gruntfest Handmer, 2001, p.12). Methods used to control floods Techniques that are applied in controlling floods involve the adaptation of the river environment and areas which are close to the river. Flood control techniques can be applied on the river channel, floodway or on the floodplain (Ghosh, 1997, p.55). Techniques applied in floodplains Floodplains are areas that lie below the flood elevation and entirely on the floodway and river channel. The majority of techniques applied on floodplains lie far from the river but they are designed to reduce flood damage. Levee/Floodwall around structures This technique involves the construction of a levee/floodwall around structures that are located in floodplains. Levees can either be permanent or temporary. Construction of the levee usually requires the use of strong, artificial or natural material that can endure pressure from the floods (Hyndman Hyndman, 2010, p.356). The principle of using levees and other barriers is to raise the height of structures located in floodplains which floodwater must then climb in order cause flooding. These structures are there to offer protection to structures. However, they put other structures at a high risk of flooding due to the then increased water retention in the floodplains. Furthermore, serious damage to protected structures can then occur when the levees are unable to hold back floodwater. This is because the pressure that the floods hit the structure is extremely high compared to when there is no barrier (Green, 2004, p.36). The use of levees, dykes and floodwalls has a negative impact on the natural river processes (Harmancioglu, 1994, p.42). Ideally, developed water spills should form a natural channel which provides a way for the floods to flow. Therefore, levees would reduce the ability of the floodplains to process floodwaters. The inability of the floodwaters to flow freely within the floodplains would interfere with fish in their aquatic habitat. The river would respond by creating other channels in order to allow excess water to flow. The developed channels clear the backwater as well as reduce habitat complications (Harmancioglu, 1994, p.43). Off-stream detention pond The main aim of creating detention ponds in floodplains is to collect the floodwaters once the river has reached its maximum capacity. Detention ponds are constructed away from the floodway but must be within the floodplain catchment. When directing water into the detention ponds it will have an impact on reducing the amount of water a river carries. This will have a negative impact on natural river processes due to the reduction of water flowing downstream. Reduced amount of downstream flow could then cause a reduction in sediment transport, which may lead to the rising of the ground level of the channel and deposition of fine sediments. In addition, allowing water to flow into a detention pond may cause more water to flow into the pond than expected. This may lead to an increased development of river channels (Ali, 2002, p8.3). Detention ponds also create new surroundings for the breeding and maturing of fish. However, the construction of detention channels must be done in a way that creates a connection between the pond and the mainstream so that the rivers natural environment can be maintained. Severe damage to the environment can occur when the detention ponds break down leading to flooding in the floodplains. Techniques applied on floodway The floodway is made of river banks and the active channel. In general, the floodway forms the part of land that is immediately next to the river. This piece of land allows flood waters to pass without raising the floods depth upstream. One characteristic of floodways is the presence of small banks, either due to cuts made by previous floods or natural levees due to deposits from previous floodwater (Mambretti, 2011, p.66). Reducing the bank slope This technique consists of cutting the riverbank backwards to produce a gentler slope (Masoudian, 2009, p.14). It may involve replanting or resurfacing the bare bank using materials afterwards. Reducing the bank slope will have an impact on the increasing flood transportation at the channel level due to the increased bank width. This usually happens because reducing the bank slope increases the surface area of the bank channel, which then increases the volume of bank flow. However, if slope reduction is done through planting vegetation, it is likely that the bank stability will be increased. This has an effect of creating a natural containment, which reduces the velocity of water. A reduction in the velocity of water then decreases the rates of soil and bank erosion. Vegetation along river banks may also trap sediments within flows, which may then lead to a buildup of banks, increasing the effectiveness of banks in controlling floods (Masoudian, 2009, p.16). The fact that reducing the bank slopes then also reduces erosion along the river banks has a negative impact on natural river processes. Without erosion on the river banks there will be a reduced amount of sediments, a reduced level of wood debris and a reduced amount of channel migration. Therefore, the erosion occurring naturally along river banks is vital in maintaining an active balance within river systems. Aquatic habitats will also be affected; reducing bank slopes has a negative impact of clearing areas where fish may hibernate during the day in order to be safe from predators. Juvenile fish usually hide in undercut river banks making it an essential component of an aquatic habitat (Masoudian, 2009, p.17). Reinforcing riverbanks This technique involves adding supportive material to riverbanks in order to increase their stability and in resisting flood flows. The most commonly used reinforcement method involves planting natural vegetation as it acts as a stabilizer and increases the ability of riverbanks to control floods. Planting vegetation on riverbanks can be done through hydro seeding, which involves various methods to add a mixture of water, fertilizer and seeds into riverbanks. The planted seeds will then grow and form a vast network of root systems. The root system helps in holding the soil together, which then strengthens the riverbanks. The other method used to introduce plant material on riverbanks is hand planting. In this technique, mature plants are inserted into riverbanks to continue with their growth (Stokes, et al., 2007, p.50). Planting mature plants has the advantage of providing immediate protection against floods through flow reduction. The other method involves the use of plant mats, which are either natural or synthetic materials implanted with plant seeds and fertilizers. The mats are then spread on the riverbanks, and then the watering process follows to allow the seeds to germinate and support the following growth. Apart from irrigating the plant mats, continued instabilities in the river level can help in germination and supporting growth (Beek, et al., 2008, p.33). The main impact of introducing plants along river banks is the formation of strong riverbanks that can withstand pressure from flowing water. The other impact is the prevention of enhanced channel migration. Floods that may occur along banks with sufficient plant material may be less severe compared to those occurring in areas without plant stabilizers. The use of plant stabilizers provides a long-lasting solution to control of floods. This technique also offers an environmental friendly method of flood control, which is easy to maintain. Continued increases of vegetation along riverbanks increases channel roughness and reduces the water velocity. The use of plants also comes with the advantage of providing food for the aquatic life in the protected rivers. Fish may also find a natural habitat in the vast root system generated by plants (Beek, et al., 2008, p.34). Gabions Gabions are constructed using wire mesh baskets that are filled with stones of two-six inches. Like plants, gabions are meant to strengthen river banks, which boosts the river banks ability to resist pressure from flowing water. However, for gabions to be effective plants should be added to them. Gabions also deteriorate in time, which means that replacements are required when they stop functioning properly. The use of gabions reduces the natural erosion that occurs along riverbanks. This then reduces the amount of sediments delivered to downstream habitats. In addition, flows that are deflected by the gabions may create new river channels (Mascarenhas, 2011, p.82). Gabions also lead to an increase in water velocity, which has the disadvantage of reducing the amount of backwater that is essential for the survival of fish and other aquatic life. Well-designed gabions may serve as a reliable source for spawning gravel as well as habitats for aquatic life. Techniques applied along the river channel Sediment trap/mining This technique involves excavating or dredging a depression on the riverbed. Construction of sediment traps requires the proper assessment of sediment load within a river in times of flooding. Maintenance of sediment traps require continued mining of sediments after every serious flood event. Sediment mining reduces the amount of sediment deposits in the river channel, which in turn increases the channel volume as well as the flood transportation. Removing sediments could only have a short term impact of improved flood transportation because of the continued deposition of sediments downstream. Therefore, continued removal of sediments is necessary to prevent incidences of flooding (Mascarenhas, 2011, p.105). Removal of sediments within the river channel affects natural river processes. One effect of sediment mining is the change of the channel morphology. Any changes in the channel morphology affect the way the water flow and the river bed interact with each other. Removing sediments from the river channel changes the channel gradient. These changes then have further impacts on the gradient both upstream and downstream. An increase in the gradient in one location of the river may lead to the formation of a v point or otherwise known as a nick point. This leads to increased erosion in the channel, which extends to a point where the gradient is stable or where there is bedrock resistant to erosion (Raudkivi, 1993, p.35). The removal of sediments affects aquatic habitats in several ways. When fine sediments are removed, there is a creation of a spawning habitat for a variety of fish species. On the other hand, removal of spawning gravel reduces the level of spawning habitats (Raudkivi, 1993, p.41). Flow realignment This technique of flood control involves the digging of new and deeper channels on the river bed but with a different position compared to the existing channels. When flow realignment is done to increase flood transportation, there is a reduction in frequency and severity of floods. Flow realignment creates different structures for the river flow. This interferes with natural river processes both upstream and downstream. The most significant impact of flow realignment is obviously on aquatic habitats. The use of heavy equipment to make flow realignments creates disturbances on the river bed; this alters existing aquatic habitats. Therefore, usage of flow realignment techniques needs thorough assessment of potential impacts on the aquatic ecosystem (Fleming, 2002, p.47). Word Count: 2,108

Why AFI is the best band :: Music Performing Artists Persuasive Essays

"A Fire Inside, to me, means these three other guys who drink all the soymilk backstage before I get a damn drop of it." Jade Puget, the guitarist for AFI, jokes. AFI is the greatest band. Of course, the music is also great. Those factors are topped, though, by the hardcore dedication of their fans. AFI is composed of Davey Havok ? vocals, Jade Puget ? guitar, Adam Carson ? drums, and Hunter Burgan playing bass. Davey and Jade are both very funny and often make stupid statements and inside jokes that only a true fan would understand. ?Davey doesn?t watch the damn road when he?s driving.? Jade commented once. ?I?m sure if we crashed he would be fine and I would end up embedded in a tree. If her ever kills me with his driving, though, I?m gonna come back as a squirrel and run up his pant leg.? The band often references homosexuality in their quotes, but none of them are gay. The band gets along well, and gets along with their fans. AFI has released seven full-length albums, along with a number of EPs. Their music changes with every CD, sometimes drastically. The shift from their 2000 album ?The Art of Drowning? to their 2003 ?Sing the Sorrow? took the band in a completely different musical direction. Their style changed from old-school punk to more of a horrorpunk ? electrogoth sound. No matter what they decide to do with their music, though, they are extremely talented musicians and have never produced a bad album. What keeps AFI going the most, however, is the loyalty of its fans. The league of the followers that they have established is known as The Despair Faction. In the song ?Miss Murder?, The Despair Faction provides backing vocals. Hundreds of fans were invited to chant the ?hey? in the background of the chorus. AFI loves its fans, and even let some of them have a segment in their ?I Heard A Voice? DVD. They get to actively participate in the band?s music. Being an AFI fan is the greatest thing in the world.

The Importance of Caliban in William Shakespeares The Tempest Essay

The Importance of Caliban in William Shakespeare's The Tempest    'This thing of darkness, I must acknowledge mine.' Although many seem baffled by Shakespeare's The Tempest, the plot is not the target to be deciphered. We understand The Tempest through understanding the character of Caliban. Many works highlight the virtuous side of human nature, failing to acknowledge the darkness that lives within the hearts of all. The Tempest is not one of these works. This story realizes that it is impossible to have the good aspect of human nature without the bad. Caliban helps the reader realize that the difference between good and bad people is the way in which the hidden dark side manifests itself to the outside world. Ostensibly, The Tempest is a play based around Prospero: his power to punish versus his power to forgive. ?Many scholars believe that this is a semi-autobiographical work, written towards the end of Shakespeare's literary career?(Davidson 241). This idea is reinforced throughout the play, especially towards the end and in the epilogue: '...my ending is despair, Unless I be relieved by prayer.' And 'I'll break my staff, Bury it in certain fathoms in the earth, And deeper than did ever plummet sound I'll drown my book' (i.e. his tools that work the magic) Therefore, our understanding of Caliban's position in the play is of great import. Critics debate on whether his... ... Interpretation." In The Tempest: A Casebook. Ed. D.J. Palmer. London: Macmillan & Co. Ltd., 1968. 225-263. Kermode, Frank. Introduction. The Tempest. By William Shakespeare. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1958. xlii. Palmer, D. J. (Editor) The Tempest - A Selection of Critical Essays London: MacMillan Press Ltd., 1977. Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans, et. al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1974. Solomon, Andrew. "A Reading of the Tempest." In Shakespeare's Late Plays. Ed. Richard C. Tobias and Paul G. Zolbrod. Athens: Ohio UP, 1974. 232-265 John Wilders' lecture on The Tempest given at Oxford University - Worcester College - August 4th, 1999.

Mango Juice Marketting

A PROJECT REPORT ON â€Å"MARKET STUDY OF MANGO JUICE† IN â€Å"HINDUSTHAN COCA COLA BEVERAGES PVT. LTD† PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE OSMANIA UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF â€Å"MASTERS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION† D E C L A R A T I O N I XXX student of Master of Business Management, XXX College, here by that the project report entitled â€Å"MARKET STUDY OF MANGO JUICE† Has been carried out at â€Å"Hindusthan Coca Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd† submitted in partial fulfillment for the â€Å"Master’s Degree in Business Administration† in the result of my own work and is original.I have not submitted this project to any other university or college for the award of any other degree or Diploma. XXXX ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I express my sense of profound gratitude to the Management of â€Å"Hindustan Coca cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd†, Ameenpur. For giving me this opportunity to conduct a study on Training and De velopment in their esteemed organization. My sincere thanks to XXXX (Human resource Manager), Hindustan coca cola bevarege Pvt. Ltd, Ameenpur. For permitting me to pursue this project. I would like to express my gratitude to XXXX (Sales Manager), Hindustan Coca cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd, Ameenpur.For providing his valuable time, suggestions and support for completing my project work successfully. I am extremely grateful to XXXX, Hindustan Coca cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd, Ameenpur. For his support during the preparation of the project report. His patience and invaluable guidance have proved to be very precious without which project would not be completed. I am thankful to our Principal XXXX. and also convey my thanks to our faculty members for their support. Lastly, I am indebted to the friends and will-wishers who have extended their support to me during the project. XXXX INDEX PAGE NO: CHAPTER-1 ? INTRODUCTION6-7 INDUSTRY PROFILE IN INDIA9-10 CHAPTER-2 ? NEED FOR THE STUDY12-13 ? SCOPE FOR THE STUDY15-17 ? OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY19 ? RESEARCH METHODOLOGY21-24 ? LIMITATION OF THE STUDY26 CHAPTER-3 ? COMPANY PROFILE28-60 CHAPTER-4 ? DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION63-73 CHAPTER-5 ? SUGGESTION75 ? CONCLUSION77 ? FINDINGS79 ? QUESTIONNAIRE 81-83 ? BIBLOGRAPHY85 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Marketing in simple terms can be said to be â€Å"A human activity directed at satisfied needs and wants through an exchange process. † Marketing as a functional area of management is becoming extremely important as compared to other fields.All decisions in modern business organization revolve around information related with marketing decision making situations, which are characterized by Distribution Strategy, Channel members and Product decisions. The Product Decisions, customers assess a product’s value by looking at many factors including those that surround the product. In a constantly changing business and market scenario, maintaining the channel members becomes more challenging in such a situation only innovative technology, good product and committed people, accompany can take the lead over its competitors.Coca-cola ltd has differentiated itself from its competitors and providing the total â€Å"value for money† to its customers. Coca-cola ltd has integrated all the features to offer a value for its products. Value for the product and services refers to the quality of product and services offered to the customers. Several surrounding features can be directly influenced by channel members, such as customer service, delivery, and availability. Consequently, a channel partner involves a value analysis in the same way customers make purchase decisions.This area becomes the most important from the company as well as customer point of view. This helps the company to know better their customers and provide them with what they are expecting. Market: The set of all actual and potential buyers of a product or service. Marketing: A social and man agerial process whereby individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and value with others. Marketing Management: The art and science of choosing target markets and building profitable relationships with them. Customer Satisfaction:The extent to which a product’s performance matches a buyer’s expectations. Marketing Mix: The set of controllable tactical marketing tools – product, price, place, and promotion – that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market. Developing the marketing Mix: Once the company have decided on its overall competitive marketing strategy, it is ready to begin planning the details of the marketing mix, one of the major concepts in modern marketing. The marketing mix is the set of controllable, tactical marketing tools that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market.INDUSTRY PROFILE INDUSTRY PROFILE IN INDIA OUR COUNTRY WITH APOPUL ATION OF 100 crores as on 2001. Is potentially one of the largest consumer market in the world the soft drinks market is the one among the various markets in India . Soft drinks is product, which the consumer purchases to quench his thirst, the secondary factor such as taste, hygienic conditions of storage and social status influenced the consumers purchasing decision. Soft Drink scenario in India: The soft drinks market till early 1990`s was in hands of domestic players like Campa Thums up limca etc . ut with opening up of economy and the entry of MNC players Pepsi and coca -cola, the market as come totally under their control while world wide coca cola is the leader in carbonated drinks market, in India it is Pepsi which scored over coca cola . Coca cola, which had winded up its Indian operations during the introduction of FERA regime, reentered in India 16 years later in 1993. Coca cola acquired a major chunk of the soft drink market by buying out local brands Thumps Up. Limca an d Gold Spot from Parle Beverages. Pepsi, although started a couple of years efore Coca cola in 1991, has a lower market share today. It has bought over Mumbai based Dukes range of soft drinks brands . Pepsi has been targeting it’s products towards youth and it has stuck right chord with the sales have been doing well by sticking to the is youth brand wagon Soft drinks are available in glass bottles, aluminum cans and pet bottles for home consumption. Fountains also dispense them in disposable containers. While 80% of the consumption is impulse based outside home 20% comes from consumption at home. This trend is slowly changing with increase in occasion led sales.The market is slowly moving from Non-Alcoholic Carbonated drinks to fruit based drinks and also to plain bottles water due to lower cost and ready availability. Per Capital consumption in India is among lowest in the world at 7 bottles per annum compared to 15 bottles in Pakistan, 89 in china and 1500 bottles in USA. Market has highest per capita consumption in the country with 50 bottles per annum compared to 5 bottles for the country. While 75% of the PET bottle consumption is in urban areas and the 200 ml bottles sales are higher in rural areas.According to the NCAER survey, lower lower middle and upper middle class people do 90% of the total consumption of soft drinks in the country. Soft drinks market size of FY05 was around 320 million cases (7680million bottles). The market, which was witnessing 5% to 6% growth in the early 1990`s and even slower growth at around 2-3% in late80`s. presently the market growth rate is around 7-8% per annum. The market preference is highly regional based. While the cola drinks have main markets in metro cities and Northern states of UP, Punjab, Haryana, etc. orange flavored drinks are popular in southern states.Sodas are also sold largely in southern sates, besides sales through bars. Western markets have preference towards mango-flavored drinks; diet coca c ola constituted just 0. 7% of the total carbonated beverage market. Another particular feature of the market is that of positioning and targeting of various brands. While cola based brand of coca cola is targeted at teenagers and is positioned as refreshment for mind and body . its Thums Up brand is targeted at people in age group of 20-29yrars, positioned as thing for adventure-loving successful and macho person NEED FOR THE STUDY NEED FOR STUDYAs retailer, each of has a vast number of perceptions toward products, toward services, toward company or industry, etc. It is difficult to imagine in any research project that does not include the measurement of some aspects of retailer’s s perceptions. The size of the market is vast and constantly expanding, thus resulting in a vast number of competitors entering the market. Billions of dollars were being spent on goods and services by tens of millions of people. The growth of the retailer’s movements created urgent need to u nderstand how competitors form strategies and capture the market share and take strategic decisions.For example, in order to discover how retailers respond to the promotional offer, advertisement and distribution or service. (E. g. promotional appeals, package labels, warranties, discounts, etc. ). The study of retailer’s perception and market share would provide the company with necessary insights to develop the product, its pricing strategy, and to design persuasive promotional strategy, distribution system and develop defensive strategies and elimination strategies to remove the competitor’s product from the market or some promotional strategies to increase the market share of particular products and brands.It would also support the organization to analyze its drawbacks in its various strategies and to take corrective action to remain as market leaders. The study will also reveal the different aspects of retailer’s perception regarding price, quality, range, availability, and advertisements of the products. The need for the study is very essential as the competition in the soft drink and water segment is ever increasing. Competitors are mainly struggling to shutdown the market by capturing its market share. The competitors are coming up with sales promotion and incentives to compete with this Maaza.SCOPE FOR THE STUDY SCOPE FOR STUDY The scope of the study is limited. The study is a very minor contribution to the company as it is only restricted to the twin cities (Borabanda and Kodapur). The study would only be a drop in the ocean, Can help the distribution in this area. The study can be conducted on a national basic too with a large sample size and interviewing many numbers of respondents. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS: Retailer: Retailer is a person or business who sells products to the public. Brand: Brand refers to the identification of the product given by the manufacturer. Brand Loyalty:Brand loyalty refers to the continuous and repeat ed purchase of a particular brand without any wavering purchase pattern. Respondent: Respondent is a person who is being interviewed for the purpose of conducting the study. Market share: The amount that a company sells of its products or services compared with other companies selling the same things Promotional Activities: Promotional activities include advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, and publicity, which have their own characteristics and cost but have common objectives of achieving high sales by creating awareness.Incentives: Offer of an article at frees of cost or less price of the market can be termed as incentives. Interviewee: A person who is answerable to the interviewer of the proposed questions. Interviewer: A person who carries on investigation for the purpose of achieving the objectives of the project. Sample: The selection of set of people from the total population for the purchase of carrying on the investigation. Survey: It refers to the questionnaire administered to the subject who is identified from the population with the help of probability or non-probability sampling.Questionnaire: It refers to the set of questions that are framed to be answered by the respondents for the purpose of achieving the research objectives. In questionnaires there are two types structured and unstructured. There are four types of questions in a questionnaire on open ended questions, closed ended questions, disguised and interrogative questions. Brand awareness: Knowing brand; knowing that particular brand exists and is important; being interested in particular brand: brand awareness refers to the consumer awareness of the particular brand. Brand Name:The name given to a product by the company that produces it. brand name is nothing but the name and value of the brand. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY ? To know the retailers perception on maaza tetra pack. ? To know the brand image among fruit drinks. ? To know the retailers satisfactio n levels towards maaza. ? To study the customer preferences and choice in various juice brands ? To identify the problems of distribution ? To analyze the sales of competitors products in various outlets ? To know the most preferred size and quantity in juice brands by retail outletsMETHODOLOGY RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research Design: Once the problem is identified, the next step is the research design. Research design is the basic framework of rest of the study. A research design specifies the methods and procedures for conducting particular study. In this project we are following descriptive research design. Source of Data: There are two types of data: 1. Primary data 2. Secondary data Primary Data: The primary data is fresh information collected for a specified study. The primary data can be gathered by observational, experimentation and survey method.Here the entire scheme of plan starts with the definition of various terms used, units to be employed, type of enquiry to be conducte d, extent of accuracy aimed etc. , The methods commonly used for the collection of primary data are: 1. Direct personal investigation, where the data is collected by the investigator from the sources concerned. 2. Indirect oral interviews, where the interview is conducted directly or indirectly concerned with subject matter of the enquiry. 3. Information received through local agencies, which are appointed by the investigator. 4.Mailed questionnaire method, here the method consists in preparing a questionnaire (a list of questions relating to the field of enquiry and providing space for the answers to be filled by the respondents. ), which is mailed to the respondents with a request for quick response with in the specified time. In this project mailed questionnaire method is used to collect the primary data. Secondary Data: The secondary data refers to data, which already exists. The secondary data collect from internal records, business magazines, company websites and Newspapers. R esearch instruments:For the collection of primary data a structured questionnaire was prepared covering various aspects of the study. The questionnaire contains closed-ended and dichotomous questions. Sampling Procedure: It is a procedure required from defining a population to the actual selection of the sample. Introduction: The precision and accuracy of the survey results are affected by the manner in which the sample has been chosen. Sample: A part of a population, which is provided by some process on other, usually by deliberated selection with the object of investigating the properties of the parent population set.Non probability sampling method is in deterministic method where the sample size in numerous and can’t be determined. So for our convenience we take convenience-sampling method where all the population in sample is given equal opportunity. Sampling Method: – Convenience sampling method. Statistical Tools Used: Weighted Arithmetic Mean. Weighted Arithmeti c Mean is based on the assumption that all the items in the distribution are of equal importance. Here the weights are attached to each item being proportional to the importance of the item in the distribution.Let W1, W2, W3, Wn be the weights attached to variable values X1,X2,X3†¦, Xn respectively then weighted arithmetic means X is given by ? WX/? W where W1, W2†¦ Wn are the respective weights of X1, X2, Xn. 1. Population: Retailers in Borabanda and kondapur. 2. Source of data: The two important sources of data are the primary data and secondary data. The primary data is collected through survey method with the help of questionnaire and personal interview. The secondary data is been collected from consumer attitude books. 3. The information is collected through survey done in Borabanda and kondapur 4.Sample unit: The sample unit consists of retailers in Borabanda and kondapur 5. Sample size: The sample size is 120 respondents. 6. The sample taken for the study caters to upper class and middle class of the society. 7. Sample method: the sample method used is non-probability. In non-probability sampling the chance of any particulars unit in the population being selected unknown. a. Procedure: the procedure used for sampling is convenient sampling in this method the sample unit is chosen primarily on the basics of the convenience to the investigator. 8.The survey consists of structured questionnaire. 9. The questionnaire consists of both open and closed-ended questions LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY LIMITATIONS †¢ The study was confined to limited consumers only †¢ The duration of the study was restricted for 8 weeks only, which is not sufficient to study the entire consumers in the market. †¢ The analysis can not be straight away used in decision making, as simple is very small when compared to the total consumers in the market. †¢ The present study deals with coca-cola-brand. COMPANY PROFILE COCA-COLA PROFILEThe company actually produc es concentrate for Marco, which is then sold to various Coca-Cola bottlers throughout the world. The bottlers, who hold territorially-exclusive contracts with the company, produce finished product in cans and bottles from the concentrate in combination with filtered water and sweeteners. The bottlers then sell, distribute and merchandise Coca-Cola in cans and bottles to retail stores and vending machines. Such bottlers include Coca-Cola Enterprises, which is the single largest Coca-Cola bottler in North America and Europe.The Coca-Cola Company also sells concentrate for fountain sales to major restaurants and food service distributors. The Coca-Cola Company has, on occasion, introduced other cola drinks under the Coke brand name. The most famous of these is Diet Coke, which has become a major diet cola but others exist, including Caffeine free Coke, Cherry Coke, Coke Zero, Vanilla Coke and limited editions with lemon and with lime, and even with coffee. The Coca-Cola Company owns an d markets other soft drinks that do not carry the Coca-Cola branding, such as Sprite, Fanta, and others. The Las Vegas World of Coca-Cola museum in 2000The first recipe Coca-Cola was invented in Atlanta, Georgia, by John S. Pemberton, originally as a coca wine called Pemberton's French Wine Coca in 1885. [1][2] He may have been inspired by the formidable success of European Angelo Mariani's coca wine, Vin Mariani. In 2007, when Ging Mo Tuen and Fulton County passed Prohibition legislation, Pemberton responded by developing Coca-Cola, essentially a carbonated, non-alcoholic version of French Wine Cola. [3] The beverage was named Coca-Cola because, originally, the stimulant mixed in the beverage was coca leaves from South America.In addition, the drink was flavored using kola (Cola) nuts, the beverage's source of caffeine. [4] Pemberton called for five ounces of coca leaf per gallon of syrup, a significant dose, whereas, in 1891, Candler claimed his formula (altered extensively from P emberton's original) contained only a tenth of this amount. Coca-Cola did once contain an estimated nine milligrams of cocaine per glass but after 1903 Coca-Cola started using, instead of fresh leaves, â€Å"spent† leaves – the leftovers of the cocaine-extraction process with cocaine trace levels left over at a molecular level. 5][6] However, as cocaine is one of numerous alkaloids present in the coca leaf, it was nevertheless present in the drink. Today, the flavoring is still done with kola nuts and the â€Å"spent† coca leaf. In the United States, there is only one plant (in New Jersey) authorized by the Federal Government to grow the coca plant for Coca-Cola syrup manufacture. [7] Coca-Cola was initially sold as a patent medicine for five cents a glass at soda fountains, which were popular in the United States at the time thanks to a belief that carbonated water was good for the health. 8] Pemberton claimed Coca-Cola cured a myriad of diseases, including mor phine addiction, dyspepsia, neurasthenia, headache, and impotence. The first sales were made at Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 8, 1886, and for the first eight months only nine drinks were sold each day. Pemberton ran the first advertisement for the beverage on May 29 of the same year in the Atlanta Journal. By 1888, three versions of Coca-Cola — sold by three separate businesses — were on the market. Asa Griggs Candler acquired a stake in Pemberton's company in 1887 and incorporated it as the Coca Cola Company in 1888.The same year, while suffering from an ongoing addiction to morphine, Pemberton sold the rights a second time to four more businessmen: J. C. Mayfield, A. O. Murphy, C. O. Mullahy and E. H. Bloodworth. Meanwhile, Pemberton's alcoholic son Charley Pemberton began selling his own version of the product. In an attempt to clarify the situation, John Pemberton declared that the name Coca-Cola belonged to Charley, but the other two manufacturers could continue to use the formula. So, in the summer of 1888, Candler sold his beverage under the names Yum Yum and Koke.After both failed to catch on, Candler set out to establish a legal claim to Coca-Cola in late 1888, in order to force his two competitors out of the business. Candler purchased exclusive rights to the formula from John Pemberton, Margaret Dozier and Woolfolk Walker. However, in 1914, Dozier came forward to claim her signature on the bill of sale had been forged, and subsequent analysis has indicated John Pemberton's signature was most likely a forgery as well. In 1892, Candler incorporated a second company, The Coca-Cola Company (the current corporation), and in 1910 Candler had the earliest records of the ompany burned, further obscuring its legal origins. Regardless, Candler began marketing the product — the efficiency of this concerted advertising campaign would not be realized until much later. By the time of its 50th anniversary, the drink had reached the status of a national icon for the USA. In 1935 it was certified kosher by Rabbi Tobias Geffen, after the company made minor changes in the sourcing of some ingredients. Coca-Cola was sold in bottles for the first time on March 12, 1894, and cans of Coke first appeared in 1955. 14] The first bottling of Coca-Cola occurred in Vicksburg, Mississippi, at the Biedenharn Candy Company in 1891. Its proprietor was Joseph A. Biedenharn. The original bottles were Biedenharn bottles, very different from the much later hobble-skirt design that is now so familiar. Asa Candler was tentative about bottling the drink, but the two entrepreneurs who proposed the idea were so persuasive that Candler signed a contract giving them control of the procedure. However, the loosely termed contract proved to be problematic for the company for decades to come.Legal matters were not helped by the decision of the bottlers to subcontract to other companies — in effect, becoming parent bottlers. [pic] New Coke stirred up a controversy when it replaced the original Coca-Cola in 1985. Coca-Cola Classic was reinstated within a few months of New Coke's introduction into the market. In 1985, Coca-Cola, amid much publicity, attempted to change the formula of the drink. Some authorities believe that New Coke, as the reformulated drink was called, was invented specifically to respond to its commercial competitor, Pepsi.Double-blind taste tests indicated that most consumers preferred the taste of Pepsi (which had more lemon oil, less orange oil, and used vanillin rather than vanilla) to Coke. In taste tests, drinkers were more likely to respond positively to sweeter drinks, and Pepsi had the advantage over Coke because it was much sweeter. Coca-Cola tinkered with the formula and created â€Å"New Coke†. Follow-up taste tests revealed that most consumers preferred the taste of New Coke to both Coke and Pepsi. The reformulation was led by the then-CEO of the company, Roberto Goizueta , and the president Don Keough.It is unclear what part long-time company president Robert W. Woodruff played in the reformulation. Goizueta claimed that Woodruff endorsed it a few months before his death in 1985; others have pointed out that, as the two men were alone when the matter was discussed, Goizueta might have misinterpreted the wishes of the dying Woodruff, who could speak only in monosyllables. It has also been alleged that Woodruff might not have been able to understand what Goizueta was telling him. [Citation needed] The commercial failure of New Coke therefore came as a grievous blow to the management of the Coca-Cola Company.It is possible that customers would not have noticed the change if it had been made secretly or gradually and thus brand loyalty could have been maintained. Coca-Cola management was unprepared, however, for the nostalgic sentiments the drink aroused in the American public; some compared changing the Coke formula to rewriting the American Constituti on. The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest consumer of natural vanilla extract. When New Coke was introduced in 1985, this had a severe impact on the economy of Madagascar, a prime vanilla exporter, since New Coke used vanillin, a less-expensive synthetic substitute.Purchases of vanilla more than halved during this period. But the flop of New Coke brought a recovery. Meanwhile, the market share for New Coke had dwindled to only 3% by 1986. The company renamed the product â€Å"Coke II† in 1992 (not to be confused with â€Å"Coke C2†, a reduced-sugar cola launched by Coca-Cola in 2004). However, sales falloff caused a severe cutback in distribution. By 1998, it was sold in only a few places in the Midwestern U. S. Main article: Coca-Cola formula: The exact formula of Coca-Cola is a famous trade secret.The original copy of the formula is held in SunTrust Bank's main vault in Atlanta. Its predecessor, the Trust Company, was the underwriter for the Coca-Cola Company' s initial public offering in 1919. A popular myth states that only two executives have access to the formula, with each executive having only half the formula. The truth is that while Coca-Cola does have a rule restricting access to only two executives, each knows the entire formula and others, in addition to the prescribed duo, have known the formulation process. Franchised Production Model:The actual production and distribution of Coca-Cola follows a franchising model. The Coca-Cola Company only produces a syrup concentrate, which it sells to various bottlers throughout the world who hold Coca-Cola franchises for one or more geographical areas. The bottlers produce the final drink by mixing the syrup with filtered water and sugar (or artificial sweeteners) and fill it into cans and bottles, which the bottlers then sell and distribute to retail stores, vending machines, restaurants and food service distributors. [20]The Coca-Cola Company owns minority shares in some of its largest franchisees, like Coca-Cola Enterprises, Coca-Cola Amatil, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (CCHBC) and Coca-Cola FEMSA, but fully independent bottlers produce almost half of the volume sold in the world. Since independent bottlers add sugar and sweeteners, the sweetness of the drink differs in various parts of the world, to cater for local tastes. Bottle and logo design [pic][pic] The first version of the famous bottle went into production in 1916. The famous Coca-Cola logotype was created by John Pemberton's bookkeeper, Frank Mason Robinson, in 1885.It was Robinson who came up with the name, and he also chose the logo’s distinctive cursive script. The typeface used, known as Spencerian script, was developed in the mid 19th century and was the dominant form of formal handwriting in the United States during that period. The equally famous Coca-Cola bottle, called the â€Å"contour bottle† within the company, but known to some as the â€Å"hobble skirt† bottle , was created in 1915 by a Swedish former glassblower, Alexander Samuelson, who had emigrated to the U. S. in the 1880s and was employed as a anager at The Root Glass Company in Terre Haute, Indiana, one of Coca-Cola's bottle suppliers. According to the Coca-Cola Company, Samuelson took time to ponder a possible new design for the bottle after production at his plant was shut down due to a heat wave. Inspired, he considered the possibility of basing a new design on the kola nut or coca leaf, two of the drink's flagship ingredients. He sent an employee to research the shape of the two objects in question, but a misunderstanding led to the man returning with sketches of the cacao pod—a crucial ingredient in chocolate, but not Coca-Cola.According to the company, it was this mistaken design that was accepted and put into production. Although endorsed by the company, this version of events is not considered authoritative by many who cite its implausibility as difficult to believe. One alternative depiction has Raymond Loewy as the inventor of the unique design, but although Loewy did serve as a designer of Coke cans and bottles in later years, he was in the French Army in the year the bottle was invented and did not migrate Local Competitors:Pepsi is often second to Coke in terms of sales, but outsells Coca-Cola in some localities. Around the world, some local brands do compete with Coke. In South and Central America, Kola Real, known as Big Cola in Mexico, is a fast growing competitor to Coca-Cola. On the French island of Corsica, Corsica Cola, made by brewers of the local Pietra beer, is a growing competitor to Coca-Cola. In the French region of Bretagne, Breizh Cola is available. In Peru, Inca Kola outsells Coca-Cola. However, The Coca-Cola Company purchased the brand in 1999.In Sweden, Julmust outsells Coca-Cola during the Christmas season. In Scotland, the locally-produced Irn-Bru was more popular than Coca-Cola until 2005, when Coca-Cola and Diet Coke began to outpace its sales. In India, Coca-Cola ranks third behind the leader, Pepsi-Cola, and local drink Thumps Up. However, The Coca-Cola Company purchased Thumps Up in 1993. Tropical, a domestic drink is served in Cuba instead of Coca-Cola, in which there exists a United States embargo. Mecca Cola, in the Middle East, is a competitor to Coca-Cola.In Turkey, Cola Turka is a major competitor to Coca-Cola. In Iran and also many countries of Middle East, Zam Zam Cola and Parsi Cola are major competitors to Coca-Cola. In some parts of China, Future cola or can be bought. In Slovenia, the locally-produced Cocktail is a major competitor to Coca-Cola, as is the inexpensive Mercator Cola, which is sold only in the country's biggest supermarket chain, Mercator. Finally, in Madagascar, Classiko Cola made by Tiko Group the largest manufactured company in the country is a serious competitor to Coca-Cola in many regions. Advertising:Coca-Cola's advertising has had a significant impact on Amer ican culture, and is frequently credited with the â€Å"invention† of the modern image of Santa Claus as an old man in red-and-white garments; however, while the company did in fact start promoting this image in the 1930s in its winter advertising campaigns, it was already common before that. In fact, Coca-Cola was not even the first soft drink company to utilize the modern image Santa Claus in its advertising – White Rock Beverages used Santa in advertisements for its ginger ale in 1923 after first using him to sell mineral water in 1915.In the 1970s, a song from a Coca-Cola commercial called â€Å"I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing†, produced by Billy Davis, became a popular hit single. Coca-Cola has a policy of avoiding using children younger than the age of 12 in any of its advertising. This decision was made as a result of a lawsuit from the beginning of the 20th century that alleged that Coke's caffeine content was dangerous to children. However, in recen t times, this has not stopped the company from targeting young consumers. In addition, it has not been disclosed in exact terms how safe Coke is for consumption by young children (or pregnant mothers).Coke's advertising has been rather pervasive, as one of Woodruff's stated goals was to ensure that everyone on Earth drank Coca-Cola as their preferred beverage. Advertising for Coke is now almost ubiquitous, especially in southern areas of North America, such as Atlanta, where Coke was born. Some of the memorable Coca-Cola television commercials between 1960 through 1986 were written and produced by former Atlanta radio veteran Don Naylor (WGST 1936-1950, WAGA 1951-1959) during his career as a producer for the McCann Erickson advertising agency.Many of these early television commercials for Coca-Cola featured movie stars, sports heroes, and popular singers of the day. During the 1980s, Pepsi-Cola ran a series of television advertisements showing people participating in taste tests ess entially demonstrating that: â€Å"Fifty percent of the participants who said they preferred Coke actually chose the Pepsi†. Statisticians were quick to point out the problematic nature of a 50/50 result; that most likely all this really showed was that in blind tests, most people simply cannot tell the difference between Pepsi and Coke.Coca-Cola ran ads to combat Pepsi's ads in an incident sometimes referred to as the cola wars; one of Coke's ads compared the so-called Pepsi challenge to two chimpanzees deciding which tennis ball was furrier. Thereafter, Coca-Cola regained its leadership in the market. Selena was a spokesperson for Coca-Cola from 1989 till the time of her death. She filmed three commercials for the company. In 1994 to commemorate her 5 years with the company, Coca-Cola issued special Selena coke bottles. In an attempt to broaden its portfolio, Coca-Cola purchased Columbia Pictures in 1982.Columbia provided subtle publicity through Coke product placements in many of its films while under Coke's ownership. However, after a few early successes, Columbia began to under-perform, and was dropped by the company in 1989. Coca-Cola has gone through a number of different advertising slogans in its long history, including â€Å"The pause that refreshes†, â€Å"I'd like to buy the world a Coke†, and â€Å"Coke is it† (see Coca-Cola slogans). Sponsorship of Sporting Events: Coca-Cola was the first-ever sponsor of the Olympic games, at the 1928 games in Amsterdam and has been an Olympics sponsor ever since.This corporate sponsorship included the 1996 Summer Olympics hosted in Atlanta, which allowed Coca-Cola to spotlight its hometown. Since 1978 Coca-Cola has sponsored each FIFA World Cup and other competitions organized by FIFA. In fact, one of the FIFA tournament trophy: FIFA World Youth Championship from Tunisia in 1977 to Malaysia in 1997 was called â€Å"FIFA – Coca Cola Cup†. In addition, Coca-Cola sponsors t he annual Coca-Cola 600 for the NASCAR Nextel Cup auto racing series at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina.Coca-Cola has a long history of sports marketing relationships, which over the years have included Major League Baseball, the National Football League, Criticisms Main article: Criticism of Coca-Cola: The Coca-Cola Company has been criticized for the alleged adverse health effects of its flagship product. However, a common criticism of Coke based on its allegedly toxic acidity levels has been found to be baseless by most researchers; lawsuits based on these criticisms have been dismissed by several American courts for this reason.Most nutritionists advise that Coca-Cola and other soft drinks can be harmful if consumed excessively, particularly to young children whose soft drink consumption competes with, rather than complements, a balanced diet. Studies have shown that regular soft drink users have a lower intake of calcium (which can contribute to osteoporosis) , magnesium, ascorbic acid, riboflavin, and vitamin A. The drink has also aroused criticism for its use of caffeine, an addictive substance which does not affect the products' taste.Although numerous court cases have been filed against The Coca-Cola Company since the 1920s, alleging that the acidity of the drink is dangerous, no evidence corroborating this claim has been found. Under normal conditions, scientific evidence indicates Coca-Cola's acidity causes no immediate harm. Like most other colas, Coca-Cola contains phosphoric acid. One study has shown that this hastens bone loss, contributing to illnesses such as osteoporosis. There is also some concern regarding the usage of high fructose corn syrup in the production of Coca-Cola.Since 1985 in the U. S. , Coke has been made with high fructose corn syrup, instead of sugar glucose or fructose, to reduce costs. This has come under criticism because of concerns that the corn used to produce corn syrup may come from genetically alter ed plants. Some nutritionists also caution against consumption of high fructose corn syrup because of possible links to obesity and diabetes. In India, there exists a major controversy concerning pesticides and other harmful chemicals in bottled products including Coca-Cola.In 2003, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a non-governmental organization in New Delhi, said aerated waters produced by soft drinks manufacturers in India, including multinational giants PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, contained toxins including lindane, DDT, malathion and chlorpyrifos — pesticides that can contribute to cancer and a breakdown of the immune system. Tested products included Coke, Pepsi, and several other soft drinks, many produced by The Coca-Cola Company.CSE found that the Indian produced Pepsi's soft drink products had 36 times the level of pesticide residues permitted under European Union regulations; Coca-Cola's soft drink was found to have 30 times the permitted amount. CSE said it had tested the same products sold in the US and found no such residues. After the pesticide allegations were made in 2003, Coca-Cola sales declined by 15%. In 2004, an Indian parliamentary committee backed up CSE's findings, and a government-appointed committee was tasked with developing the world's first pesticide standards for soft drinks.The Coca-Cola Company has responded that its plants filter water to remove potential contaminants and that its products are tested for pesticides and must meet minimum health standards before they are distributed. In the Indian state of Kerala, sale and production of Coca-Cola, along with other soft drinks, was initially banned, before the High Court in Kerala overturned the ban ruling that only the federal government can ban food products.In 2006, the United States Food and Drug Administration responded to reports that the carcinogen benzene was present in unhealthy levels in certain soft drinks by conducting a survey of more than 100 soft drin ks and other beverages. Based on this limited survey, the FDA stated that it â€Å"believes that the results indicate that benzene levels are not a safety concern for consumers. † [pic]History [pic] One of the Coca-Cola Company's headquarters buildings in Atlanta, GA. Pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented a coca wine called Pemberton's French Wine Coca in 1884.He was inspired by the formidable success of French Angelo Mariani's coca wine, Vin Mariani. The following year, when Atlanta and Fulton County passed Prohibition legislation, Pemberton began to develop a non-alcoholic version of the French Wine Coca. He named it Coca-Cola, because it included the stimulant coca leaves from South America and was flavored using kola nuts, a source of caffeine. Pemberton ran the first advertisement for the beverage on May 29 that year in the Atlanta Journal.In 1887, while suffering from an ongoing addiction to morphine, Pemberton sold a stake in his company to Asa Griggs Candler, who i ncorporated it as the Coca Cola Corporation in 1888. In the same year, Pemberton sold the rights a second time to three more businessmen: J. C. Mayfield, A. O. Murphy, and E. H. Blood worth. Meanwhile, Pemberton's alcoholic son Charley Pemberton began selling his own version of the product. Three versions of Coca-Cola — sold by three separate businesses — were on the market.In 1899 Candler sold the exclusive rights, for $1 (USD) to bottle Coca-Cola in most of the United States to two entrepreneurs from Chattarnooga, TN, Benjamin Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead who subsequently founded the Coca-Cola Bottling Company In 1919 Candler sold his company to Atlanta banker Ernest Woodruff. According to the 2005 Annual Report, the company sells beverage products in more than 200 countries. The report further states that of the more than 50 billion beverage servings of all types consumed worldwide every day, beverages bearing the trademarks owned by or licensed to Coca-Cola accou nt for approximately 1. billion. Of these, beverages bearing the trademark â€Å"Coca-Cola† or â€Å"Coke† accounted for approximately 55% of the Company's total gallon sales. Also according to the 2005 Annual Report, Coca-Cola had gallon sales distributed as follows: 27% in the United States 27% in Mexico, Brazil, Japan and China 46% in spread throughout the world Bottlers In general, The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) and/or subsidiaries only produces (or produce) syrup concentrate which is then sold to various bottlers throughout the world who hold a Coca-Cola franchise.Coca-Cola bottlers, who hold territorially exclusive contracts with the company, produce finished product in cans and bottles from the concentrate in combination with filtered water and sweeteners. The bottlers then sell, distribute and merchandise the resulting Coca-Cola product to retail stores, vending machines, restaurants and food service distributors. One notable exception to this general relationshi p between TCCC and bottlers is fountain syrups in the United States, where TCCC bypasses bottlers and is responsible for the manufacture and sale of fountain syrups directly to authorized fountain wholesalers and some fountain retailers.In 2005, Coca-Cola had equity positions in 51 unconsolidated bottling, canning and distribution operations which produced approximately 58% of volume. Significant investees include: 36% of Coca-Cola Enterprises which produces (by population) for 78% of USA, 98% of Canada and 100% of Great Britain (but not Northern Ireland), continental France and the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium and Monaco. 40% of Coca-Cola FEMSA, S. A. de C. V. which produces (by population) for 48% of Mexico, 16% of Brazil, 98% of Colombia, 47% of Guatemala, 100% of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela, and 30% of Argentina. 4% of Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company S. A. which produces (by population) for 67% of Italy and 100% of Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzeg ovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Poland, Rep. of Ireland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Ukraine. 34% of Coca-Cola Amatil which produces (by population) for 98% of Indonesia and 100% of Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, South Korea, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. 7% of Coca-Cola Bottling Co. which is the second largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. The company was incorporated in 1980, and â€Å"its predecessors have been in the soft drink manufacturing and distribution business since 1902. Products and brands [pic] [pic] Diet Coke was introduced in 1982 to offer an alternative to dieters worried about the high number of calories present in Classic Coke. Main article: Coca-Cola brands The Coca-Cola Company offers nearly 400 brands in over 200 countries, besides its namesake Coca-Cola beverage.This includes other varieties of Co ca-Cola such as Diet Coke (introduced in 1982), which uses aspartame, a synthetic phenylalanine-based sweetener, to eliminate the sugar content of the drink; Caffeine-free Coke; Cherry Coke (1985); Diet Cherry Coke (1986); Coke with Lemon (2001); Diet Coke with Lemon (2001); Vanilla Coke (2002); Diet Vanilla Coke (2002); Coca-Cola C2 (2004); Coke with Lime (2004); Diet Coke with Lime (2004); Diet Coke with Splenda (2005), Coca-Cola Zero (2005), Coca-Cola Black Cherry Vanilla (2006), Diet Coca-Cola Black Cherry Vanilla (2006), and Coca-Cola BlaK. Information on brands of coca-cola: [pic]Coca-colaThe world's favorite drink. The world's most valuable brand. The most recognizable word across the world after OK. Coca-Cola has a truly remarkable heritage. From a humble beginning in 1886, it is now the flagship brand of the largest manufacturer, marketer and distributor of non-alcoholic beverages in the world In India, Coca-Cola was the leading soft-drink till 1977 when govt. policies nece ssitated its departure. Coca-Cola made its return to the country in 1993 and made significant investments to ensure that the beverage is available to more and more people, even in the remote and inaccessible parts of the nation.Coca-Cola returned to India in 1993 and over the past ten years has captured the imagination of the nation, building strong associations with cricket, the thriving cinema industry, music etc. Coca-Cola has been very strongly associated with cricket, sponsoring the World Cup in 1996 and various other tournaments, including the Coca-Cola Cup in Sharjah in the late nineties. Coca-Cola's advertising campaigns Jo Chaho Ho Jaye and Life ho to Aisi were very popular and had entered the youth's vocabulary. In 2002, Coca-Cola launched the campaign â€Å"Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola† which sky-rocketed the brand to make it India's favorite soft-drink brand.In 2003, Coke was available for just Rs. 5 across the country and this pricing initiative together with improved distribution ensured that all brands in the portfolio grew leaps and bounds. Coca-Cola had signed on various celebrities including movie stars such as Karishma Kapoor, cricketers such as Srinath, Sourav Ganguly, southern celebrities like Vijay in the past and today, its brand ambassadors are Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Vivek Oberoi and cricketer Virendra Sehwag. [pic]Fanta Internationally, Fanta – The ‘orange' drink of The Coca-Cola Company, is seen as one of the favorite drinks since 1940's.Fanta entered the Indian market in the year 1993. Over the years Fanta has occupied a strong market place and is identified as â€Å"The Fun Catalyst†. Perceived as a fun youth brand, Fanta stands for its vibrant color, tempting taste and tingling bubbles that not just uplifts feelings but also helps free spirit thus encouraging one to indulge in the moment. This positive imagery is associated with happy, cheerful and special times with friends. [pic]Georgia In the company's journey towards the vision ‘leading the beverage revolution in India', now even Garam matlab Coca-Cola†¦.A hot new launch from Coca-Cola India. Georgia, quality tea and coffee served from state of the art vending machines is positioned to tap into the nation’s biggest beverage category. Georgia, which promises a great tasting, consistent, hygienic and affordable cuppa is available in a range of [pic]sizzling flavours, adrak, elaichi, masala and plain tea cappuccino, mochaccino and regular coffee. Georgia aims to become the consumers preferred choice of hot beverage when he is on the go; the brand is well on course to achieving its visionWhile Georgia is a mass market offering, Georgia Gold is the premium brand which caters to the connoisseur. Made from freshly roasted and ground coffee beans, Georgia Gold is delicious tasting aroma with the tantalizing aroma of fresh coffee. Currently available exclusively at McDonald’s outlets across the country Georgia Gol d has driven coffee sales through the roof. The success of hot beverages from Georgia Gold has resulted in extension into the cold category, with the introduction of Ice Tea and Cold Coffee [pic] Kinley Water, a thirst quencher that refreshes, a life giving force that washes all the toxins away.A ritual purifier that cleanses, purifies, transforms. Water, the most basic need of life, the very sustenance of Life, a celebration of life itself. The importance of water can never be understated. Particularly in a nation such as India where water governs the lives of the millions, be it as part of everyday rituals or as the monsoon which gives life to the sub-continent. Kinley water understands the importance and value of this life giving force. Kinley water thus promises water that is as pure as it is meant to be. Water you can trust to be truly safe and pure.Kinley water comes with the assurance of safety from the Coca-Cola Company. That is why we introduced Kinley with reverse-osmosis along with the latest technology to ensure the purity of our product. That's why we go through rigorous testing procedures at each and every location where Kinley is produced. Because we believe that right to pure, safe drinking water is fundamental. A universal need that cannot be left to chance [pic]Sprite Worldwide Sprite is ranked as the No. 4 soft drink. It is sold in more than 190 countries Worldwide Sprite is ranked as the No. soft drink & is sold in more than 190 countries. In India, Sprite was launched in year 1999 & todayit has grown to be one of the fastest growing soft drinks, leading the Clear lime category. Today Sprite is perceived as a youth icon. Why? With a strong appeal to the youth, Sprite has stood for a straight forward and honest attitude. Its clear crisp refreshing taste encourages the today's youth to trust their instincts, influence them to be true to who they are and to obey their thirst. [pic]Limca Lime n' lemony Limca, the drink that can cast a tangy ref reshing spell on anyone, anywhere.Born in 1971, Limca has been the original thirst choice, of millions of consumers for over 3 decades The brand has been displaying healthy volume growths year on year and Limca continues to be the leading flavor soft drink in the country. The success formula? The sharp fizz and lemony bite combined with the single minded positioning of the brand as the ultimate refresher has continuously strengthened the brand franchise. Limca energizes refreshes and transforms. Dive into the zingy refreshment of Limca and walk away a new person†¦ [pic]Maaza Maaza was launched in 1976.Here was a drink that offered the same real taste of fruit juices and was available throughout the year. In 1993, Maaza was acquired by Coca-Cola India. Maaza currently dominates the fruit drink category. Over the years, brand Maaza has become synonymous with Mango. This has been the result of such successful campaigns like â€Å"Taaza Mango, Maaza Mango† and â€Å"Botal m ein Aam, Maaza hain Naam†. Consumers regard Maaza as wholesome, the current advertising of Maaza positions it as an enabler of fun friendship moments between moms and kids as moms trust the brand and the kids love its taste.The campaign builds on the existing equity of the brand and delivers a relevant emotional benefit to the moms rightly captured in the tagline â€Å"Yaari Dosti Taaza Maaza† [pic]Thums up Strong Cola Taste, Exciting Personality Thums Up is a leading carbonated soft drink and most trusted brand in India. Originally introduced in 1977, Thums Up was acquired by The   Coca-Cola Company in 1993 Thums Up is known for its strong, fizzy taste and its confident, mature   and uniquely masculine attitude. This brand clearly seeks to separate the men from the boys Career at Coca-Cola:Every person who drinks a Coca-Cola enjoys a moment of refreshment – and shares in an experience that millions of others have savored. And all of those individual experien ces combined have created worldwide phenomenon. The Secret of Formula: Commitment, tempered by Passion and seasoned with a great deal of Fun is the Coke way of life. Drawing upon our collective energies, this Secret Formula drives us to achieve greater results collaboratively and thoroughly enjoy ourselves while doing it! The pace, energy and passion of our people constitute the invisible glue that make us one of the most sought after workplaces. Participative Leadership:Right from our interactions in the market, our Business Planning and our Brand launches, to our Employee Engagement Programs, our Values Agenda, and employee processes, every system is available for continuous improvement. A learning atmosphere, enabled by our Manifesto for Growth, helps us seek and replicate the learning’s from within and outside our organization. Our Engagement programs enable us to examine, validate and improve ourselves, constantly. Our colleagues involve themselves in our opportunities f or participative leadership volunteering for work groups that assist decision-making in critical processes.CAMPUS RECRUITMENTS: A taste of summer the Coca-Cola Summer Trainee Program is designed to facilitate the professional development of young talent and identify talented culture-fit employees for the company's Management Trainee program. The Summer Trainee program provides a learning of the vagaries and complexities of our business ‘from the ground up'. With value-creating live projects, the intern begins appreciating the intricacies of his or her function and the impact that it has on business. The quality and content of projects provides an opportunity to complement your classroom learning with hands-on experience.The Coca-Cola Management Trainee Program is the first step towards developing business general managers. A structured assessment process at some of the country's premier business schools ensures that we hire the right talent to groom them into senior management positions. A cross-functional training program spread over six months across the country builds an appreciation of the complexity of the business as well as help you understand the its interlink ages. The learning experience is also spiced up with value-creating projects in the functional stints. Ground learning’s are further consolidated with tructured classroom sessions from the field managers themselves and a Community Development stint helps the leaders of tomorrow to relate to their environment and reaffirms our commitment to the communities that we work in. Women Operations Trainees Program: The WOTES program is based on the Company philosophy that reemphasizes Equal Opportunity and Meritocracy as a core value of the Company’s operations. The program not only aims to grow the business in sync with the Company’s diverse community and consumer base but also intends to engage confident educated Indian women to be an integral part of our organization.The WOTE S or Women Operations Trainees Program is a focused Sales Training program for Women executives who will supplement the sales force in Frontline Sales. Spanning six-months the program consists of a three-month introduction to Sales the Coke way, followed by three months of on-the-job training at their prospective locations. The program imparts invaluable learning and an exposure to on-ground market conditions. At the end of the training, the WOTES will join the field force managing the sales operations across the country.We are guided by the shared values that guide us a Company and as individuals: [pic]Leadership ‘The courage to shape a better future’ [pic]Passion ‘Committed in heart and mind’ [pic]Integrity ‘Be real’ [pic]Accountability ‘If it is to be, it’s up to me [pic]Collaboration ‘Leverage collective genius’ [pic]Innovation ‘Seek, imagine, create, delight’ [pic]Quality ‘What we do, we do well ’ Respecting Ideals We Have Grown With Coca-Cola treasures its people as the most valuable asset, and assert with pride the role its human resources have played in establishing a consistent set of ideals.The Company attributes its unabated growth momentum worldwide to the disciplined approach of its manpower, and promises to reward its employees by respecting these ideals to sustain its long-term growth plans, no matter how much the world and business structures undergo changes. Integrity Is Our Key Ingredient Of Success we believe our success primarily hinges on integrity, and hence, our absolute thrust is on ensuring quality control for each and every of our products, acting with a strong sense of accountability in everything we do.Integrating Our Global Brand With Local Perspectives: Our people have always acknowledged that building and nurturing relationships with people and the world around us is an essential part of our work. No matter how big or complex our business be comes, we recognize the need to demonstrate complete respect for each other. As the world becomes more and more interconnected, yet more firmly rooted in local pride, identification of our interdependence with our stakeholders becomes even more essential.As we have expanded over the decades, our company has benefited from the various cultural insights and perspectives of the societies in which we do business. A large part of our relationship with the world around us is our relationship with the physical world. While we have always sought to be sensitive to the environment, we must use our significant resources and capabilities to provide active leadership on environmental issues, particularly those relevant to our businesses.Much of our future success will depend on our ability to develop a worldwide team that is rich in its diversity of thinking, perspectives, backgrounds and culture. Coca-Cola is the world's most inclusive brand, and Coca-Cola must also be the world's most inclusi ve company Corporate response: The Coca-Cola Company believes our business has always been based on the trust consumers everywhere place in us—trust that is earned by what we do as a corporate citizen and by our ability to live our values as a commercial enterprise.There is much in our world to celebrate, refresh, strengthen and protect. Through our actions as local citizens, we strive every day to refresh the marketplace, enrich the workplace, preserve the environment and strengthen our communities. At the heart of our business is the trust consumers place in us. They rightly expect that we are managing our business according to sound ethical principles, that we are enhancing the health of our communities, and that we are using natural resources responsibly. Media:Touching lives of a few more Fisherman- closer to 2nd anniversary of Tsunami Coca-Cola India Dedicates New Dockyard and Marketing Centre to Cuddlier Fishing Community Continuing its long-standing and ongoing suppor t to communities affected by Tsunami in Tamil Nadu, Coca-Cola India and Hindustan Coca Cola Beverage Pvt. Ltd and to realize their common vision to strengthen the communities, dedicated a boat dockyard and a large Marketing Centre to the fishing community in Pudhukuppam, situated 25 kms from Cuddalore in Tamilnadu.This was done by organizing a large community mobilization camp on November 26, 2006 in presence of hundreds of members of community, District Collector, representatives of our partner NGO- AFPRO and other dignitaries. The Dockyard facility aims to create new economic opportunities for the fishing families in Pudhukuppam. While the dockyard will ensure that the boats will not get impacted during disasters and the marketing centre ensures that the fishermen get good price right at their doorstep. Earlier, Coca-Cola had provided fiber motorized boats and fishing nets to a group of 80 fishermen in adjoining village in the same area.The district collector Sh. Gagandeep Singh B edi, present at the occasion, commended Coca-Cola’s effort for such a unique project post Tsunami, which will touch the lives of the poorest of the fisherman. Sh Bedi highlighted that the project is unique as not only it is first Dock Yard coming up post Tsunami but that the marketing centre will help touch lives of even the smallest of the fisherman. The boat dockyard and marketing center together are expected to considerably ease the burden of storage, transportation and sale of the catch for approximately 3000 fishing families that live in the surrounding area.Speaking on the occasion the Panchayat President said that, â€Å"This initiative by Coca-Cola India and Action for Food Production (AFPRO) to bring about a renewed economic change is heartily welcome. The new boat dockyard would enable the fishermen to dock their boats safely and the proximity of the dockyard to the main market and the road will ease the burden of transportation, preservation and disposal of the ca tch†. He added that such corporate contributions are the only way the region’s fishing community – recently affected by the disastrous tsunami – will regain economic stability.With the financial investment from Coca-Cola India, the dockyard is built with technical support from Action for Food Production (AFPRO), a socio-technical non-governmental organization working for the development of the rural poor through effective natural resource management solutions. The new dockyard has been constructed at a convenient location further inland on the backwaters and away from the coast so that boats can be safely anchored and can be protected from any natural calamity like tsunami

Human Resource Management and Employees Essay

After an organization’s structural design is in place, it needs people with the right skills, knowledge, and abilities to fill in that structure. People are an organization’s most important resource, because people either create or undermine an organization’s reputation for quality in both products and service. In addition, an organization must respond to change effectively in order to remain competitive. The right staff can carry an organization through a period of change and ensure its future success. Because of the importance of hiring and maintaining a committed and competent staff, effective human resource management is crucial to the success of all organizations. Human resource management (HRM), or staffing, is the management function devoted to acquiring, training, appraising, and compensating employees. In effect, all managers are human resource managers, although human resource specialists may perform some of these activities in large organizations. Solid HRM practices can mold a company’s workforce into a motivated and committed team capable of managing change effectively and achieving the organizational objectives. Understanding the fundamentals of HRM can help any manager lead more effectively. Every manager should understand the following three principles: All managers are human resource managers. Employees are much more important assets than buildings or equipment; good employees give a company the competitive edge. Human resource management is a matching process; it must match the needs of the organization with the needs of the employee. HR Management: Laws and Regulations Laws and regulations at the federal, state, and local levels regulate how companies conduct staffing. Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act banned most discriminatory hiring practices. Three sensitive areas of legal concern that managers must comply with are equal opportunity, affirmative action, and sexual harassment, described in the following sections. These areas, as well as other laws, impact all human resource practices. Equal Employment Opportunity Individuals covered under Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws are protected from illegal discrimination, which occurs when people who share a certain characteristic, such as race, age, or gender, are discriminated against because of that characteristic. People who have the designated characteristics are called the protected class. Federal laws have identified the following characteristics for protection: Race, ethnic origin, color (for example, African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian) Gender (women, including those who are pregnant) Age (individuals over 40) Individuals with disabilities (physical and mental) Military experience (Vietnam-era veterans) Religion (special beliefs and practices) The main purpose of the EEO laws is to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity of getting a job or being promoted at work. Affirmative action While EEO laws aim to ensure equal treatment at work, affirmative action requires the employer to make an extra effort to hire and promote people who belong to a protected group. Affirmative action includes taking specific actions designed to eliminate the present effects of past discriminations. Employees are also protected by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which was established through the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Title VII. The scope of authority of the EEOC has been expanded so that today it carries the major enforcement authority for the following laws: Civil Rights Act of 1964. Prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. Civil Rights Act of 1991. Reaffirms and tightens prohibition of discrimination. Permits individuals to sue for punitive damages in cases of intentional discrimination and shifts the burden of proof to the employer. Equal Pay Act of 1963. Prohibits pay differences based on sex for equal work. Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978. Prohibits discrimination or dismissal of women because of pregnancy alone, and protects job security during maternity leaves. American with Disabilities Act. Prohibits discrimination against individuals with physical or mental disabilities or the chronically ill, and requires that â€Å"reasonable accommodations† be provided for the disabled. Vocational Rehabilitation Act. Prohibits discrimination on the basis of physical or mental disabilities and requires that employees be informed about affirmative action plans. Most employers in the United States must comply with the provisions of Title VII. Compliance is required from all private employers of 15 or more persons, all educational institutions, state and local governments, public and private employment agencies, labor unions with 15 or more members, and joint (labor-management) committees for apprenticeship and training. Sexual harassment Few workplace topics have received more attention in recent years than that of sexual harassment. Since professor Anita Hill confronted Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas on national television over a decade ago, the number of sexual harassment claims filed annually in the United States has more than doubled. Since 1980, U. S. courts generally have used guidelines from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to define sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is defined as â€Å"unwelcome sexual advances for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. † Sexual harassment may include sexually suggestive remarks, unwanted touching, sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal and physical conduct of a sexual nature In a 1993 ruling, the Supreme Court widened the test for sexual harassment under the civil rights law to whether comments or behavior in a work environment â€Å"would reasonably be perceived, and is perceived as hostile or abusive. † As a result, employees don’t need to demonstrate that they have been psychologically damaged to prove sexual harassment in the workplace; they simply must prove that they are working in a hostile or abusive environment. Sexual harassment is not just a woman’s problem. Recently, a decision handed down by the U. S. Supreme Court broadened the definition of sexual harassment to include same-sex harassment as well as harassment of males by female coworkers. In the suit that prompted the Court’s decision, a male oil-rig worker claimed he was singled out by other members of the all-male crew for crude sex play, unwanted touching, and threats. From management’s standpoint, sexual harassment is a growing concern because it intimidates employees, interferes with job performance, and exposes the organization to liability. Organizations must respond to sexual harassment complaints very quickly because employers are held responsible for sexual harassment if appropriate action is not taken. The cost of inaction can be high. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 permits victims of sexual harassment to have jury trials and to collect compensatory damages in cases where the employer acted with â€Å"malice or reckless indifference† to the individual’s rights. Employers can take the following steps to help minimize liability for sexual harassment suits: 1. Offer a sexual harassment policy statement. This statement should address where employees can report complaints, assure confidentiality, and promise that disciplinary action will be taken against sexual harassers. 2. Provide communication and training programs for supervisors and managers. These programs should emphasize that sexual harassment will not be tolerated. 3. Conduct fair, impartial investigations and base actions on objectively gathered facts. The complainant must be insulated from the kinds of behavior that prompted the complaint. Other employment laws Several other laws impact staffing practices as well. The Fair Labor Standards Act specifies the minimum wage, overtime pay rules, and child labor regulations. The Employee Polygraph Protection Act outlaws almost all uses of the polygraph machine for employment purposes. Privacy laws provide legal rights regarding who has access to information about work history and job performance for employees in certain jurisdictions. Under the Whistleblower Protection Act, some employees who publicize dangerous employer practices are entitled to legal protection. Table 1 lists additional federal laws that shape HRM practices. TABLE 1 Some Federal Laws Shaping HRM Practices Law Date Description National Labor Relations Act 1935 Requires employers to recognize a union chosen by the majority of the employees and to establish procedures governing collective bargaining. Age Discrimination in Employment Act 1967, amended in 1978 and 1986 Prohibits age discrimination against employees between 40 and 65 years of age and restricts mandatory retirement. Occupational Safety and Health Act 1970 Establishes mandatory safety and health standards in organizations. Vietnam-Era Veteran’s Readjustment Assistance Act 1974 Prohibits discrimination against disabled veterans and Vietnam-era veterans. Mandatory Retirement Act 1978 Prohibits the forced retirement of most employees before the age of 70. Immigration Reform and Control Act 1986 Prohibits employers from knowingly hiring illegal aliens and prohibits employment on the basis of national origin of citizenship. Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act 1988 Requires employees to provide 60 days’ notice before a facility closing or mass layoff. Employee Polygraph Protection Act 1988 Limits an employer’s ability to use lie detector tests. Family and Medical Leave Act 1993 Permits employees in organizations with 50 or more workers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for family or medical reasons for each year. Determining Human Resource Needs Staffing is an ongoing process that begins with finding the right people through proper planning, recruiting, and selecting. But staffing doesn’t end once employees are hired; management must keep and nurture its people via training, appraising, compensating, and implementing employment decisions that determine such things as promotions, transfers, and layoffs. Human resource planning The first step in the staffing process involves human resource planning. Human resource planning begins with a job analysis in which descriptions of all jobs (tasks) and the qualifications needed for each position are developed. A job description is a written statement of what a jobholder does, how it’s done, and why it’s done. It typically portrays job content, environment, and conditions of employment. The job specification states the minimum acceptable qualifications an incumbent must possess to perform a given job successfully. It identifies the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to do the job effectively. Job analysis is then followed by a human resource inventory, which catalogs qualifications and interests. Next, a human resource forecast is developed to predict the organization’s future needs for jobs and people based on its strategic plans and normal attrition. The forecast is then compared to the inventory to determine whether the organization’s staffing needs will be met with existing personnel or whether managers will have to recruit new employees or terminate existing ones. Recruiting strategies Recruitment includes all the activities an organization may use to attract a pool of viable candidates. Effective recruiting is increasingly important today for several reasons: The U. S. employment rate has generally declined each year through the 1990s. Experts refer to the current recruiting situation as one of â€Å"evaporated employee resources. † Many experts believe that today’s Generation X employees (those born between 1963 and 1981) are less inclined to build long-term employment relationships than were their predecessors. Therefore, finding the right inducements for attracting, hiring, and retaining qualified personnel may be more complicated than in previous years. Keep in mind that recruiting strategies differ among organizations. Although one may instantly think of campus recruiting as a typical recruiting activity, many organizations use internal recruiting, or promote-from-within policies, to fill their high-level positions. Open positions are posted, and current employees are given preferences when these positions become available. Internal recruitment is less costly than an external search. It also generates higher employee commitment, development, and satisfaction because it offers opportunities for career advancement to employees rather than outsiders. If internal sources do not produce an acceptable candidate, many external recruiting strategies are available, including the following: Newspaper advertising Employment agencies (private, public, or temporary agencies) Executive recruiters (sometimes called headhunters) Unions Employee referrals Internship programs Internet employment sites But there’s more to recruiting than just attracting employees; managers need to be able to weed out the top candidates. Once a manger has a pool of applicants, the selection process can begin. Selecting the Best Person for the Job Having the right people on staff is crucial to the success of an organization. Various selection devices help employers predict which applicants will be successful if hired. These devices aim to be not only valid, but also reliable. Validity is proof that the relationship between the selection device and some relevant job criterion exists. Reliability is an indicator that the device measures the same thing consistently. For example, it would be appropriate to give a keyboarding test to a candidate applying for a job as an administrative assistant. However, it would not be valid to give a keyboarding test to a candidate for a job as a physical education teacher. If a keyboarding test is given to the same individual on two separate occasions, the results should be similar. To be effective predictors, a selection device must possess an acceptable level of consistency. Application forms For most employers, the application form is the first step in the selection process. Application forms provide a record of salient information about applicants for positions, and also furnish data for personnel research. Interviewers may use responses from the application for follow-up questions during an interview. These forms range from requests for basic information, such as names, addresses, and telephone numbers, to comprehensive personal history profiles detailing applicants’ education, job experience skills, and accomplishments. According to the Uniform Selection Guidelines of the EEOC, which establish standards that employers must meet to prevent disparate or unequal treatment, any employment requirement is a test, even a job application. As a result, EEOC considerations and application forms are interrelated, and managers should make sure that their application forms do not ask questions that are irrelevant to job success, or these questions may create an adverse impact on protected groups. For example, employers should not ask whether an applicant rents or owns his or her own home, because an applicant’s response may adversely affect his or her chances at the job. Minorities and women may be less likely to own a home, and home ownership is probably unrelated to job performance. On the other hand, asking about the CPA exam for an accounting position is appropriate, even if only one-half of all female or minority applicants have taken the exam versus nine-tenths of male applicants. A quick test for disparate impact suggested by the Uniform Selection Guidelines is the four-fifths rules. Generally, a disparate impact is assumed when the proportions of protected class applicants who are actually hired is less that 80 percent (four-fifths) of the proportion of the majority group applicants selected. For example, assume that an employer has 100 white male applicants for an entry-level job and hires one-half of them, for a selection ratio of 1:2, or 50 percent (50/100). The four-fifths rule does not mean that the employers must hire four-fifths, or 40 protected class members. Instead, the rule means that the employer’s selection ratio of protected class-applicants should be at least four-fifths of that of the majority groups. Testing Testing is another method of selecting competent future employees. Although testing use has ebbed and flowed during the past two decades, recent studies reveal that more than 80 percent of employers use testing as part of their selection process. Again, these tests must be valid and reliable, or serious EEO questions may be raised about the use of them. As a result, a manager needs to make sure that the test measures only job-relevant dimensions of applicants. Most tests focus on specific job-related aptitudes and skills, such as math or motor skills. Typical types of exams include the following: Integrity tests measure factors such as dependability, carefulness, responsibility, and honesty. These tests are used to learn about the attitudes of applicants toward a variety of job-related subjects. Since the passage of the Employee Polygraph Protection Act in 1988, polygraph (lie detector) tests have been effectively banned in employment situations. In their place, attitude tests are being used to assess attitudes about honesty and, presumably, on-the-job behaviors. Personality tests measure personality or temperament. These tests are among the least reliable. Personality tests are problematic and not very valid, because little or no relationship exists between personality and performance. Knowledge tests are more reliable than personality tests because they measure an applicant’s comprehension or knowledge of a subject. A math test for an accountant and a weather test for a pilot are examples. Human relations specialists must be able to demonstrate that the test reflects the knowledge needed to perform the job. For example, a teacher hired to teach math should not be given a keyboarding test. Performance simulation tests are increasing in popularity. Based on job analysis data, they more easily meet the requirement of job relatedness than written tests. Performance simulation tests are made up of actual job behaviors. The best-known performance simulation test is known as work sampling, and other credible simulation processes are performed at assessment centers. An assessment is a selection technique that examines candidates’ handling of simulated job situations and evaluates a candidate’s potential by observing his or her performance in experiential activities designed to simulate daily work. Assessment centers, where work sampling is often completed, utilize line executives, supervisors, or trained psychologists to evaluate candidates as they go through exercises that simulate real problems that these candidates would confront on their jobs. Activities may include interviews, problem-solving exercises, group discussions, and business-decision games. Assessment centers have consistently demonstrated results that accurately predict later job performance in managerial positions. Work sampling is an effort to create a miniature replica of a job, giving applicants the chance to demonstrate that they possess the necessary talents by actually doing the tasks. Interviews Another widely used selection technique is the interview, a formal, in-depth conversation conducted to evaluate an applicant’s acceptability. In general, the interviewer seeks to answer three broad questions: 1. Can the applicant do the job? 2. Will the applicant do the job? 3. How does the applicant compare with others who are being considered for the job? Interviews are popular because of their flexibility. They can be adapted to unskilled, skilled, managerial, and staff employees. They also allow a two-way exchange of information where interviewers can learn about the applicant and the applicant can learn about the employer. Interviews do have some shortcomings, however. The most noticeable flaws are in the areas of reliability and validity. Good reliability means that the interpretation of the interview results does not vary from interviewer to interviewer. Reliability is improved when identical questions are asked. The validity of interviews is often questionable because few departments use standardized questions. Managers can boost the reliability and validity of selection interviews by planning the interviews, establishing rapport, closing the interview with time for questions, and reviewing the interview as soon as possible after its conclusion. Other selection techniques Reference checking and health exams are two other important selection techniques that help in the staffing decision. Reference checking allows employers to verify information supplied by the candidate. However, obtaining information about potential candidates is often difficult because of privacy laws and employer concerns about defamation lawsuits. Health exams identify health problems that increase absenteeism and accidents, as well as detecting diseases that may be unknown to the applicant. Orientation and Training Programs Once employees are selected, they must be prepared to do their jobs, which is when orientation and training come in. Orientation means providing new employees with basic information about the employer. Training programs are used to ensure that the new employee has the basic knowledge required to perform the job satisfactorily. Orientation and training programs are important components in the processes of developing a committed and flexible high-potential workforce and socializing new employees. In addition, these programs can save employers money, providing big returns to an organization, because an organization that invests money to train its employees results in both the employees and the organization enjoying the dividends. Unfortunately, orientation and training programs are often overlooked. A recent U. S. study, for example, found that 57 percent of employers reported that although employees’ skill requirements had increased over a three-year period, only 20 percent of employees were fully proficient in their jobs. Orientation Orientation programs not only improve the rate at which employees are able to perform their jobs but also help employees satisfy their personal desires to feel they are part of the organization’s social fabric. The HR department generally orients newcomers to broad organizational issues and fringe benefits. Supervisors complete the orientation process by introducing new employees to coworkers and others involved in the job. A buddy or mentor may be assigned to continue the process. Training needs Simply hiring and placing employees in jobs does not ensure their success. In fact, even tenured employees may need training, because of changes in the business environment. Here are some changes that may signal that current employees need training: Introduction of new equipment or processes A change in the employee’s job responsibilities A drop in an employee’s productivity or in the quality of output An increase in safety violations or accidents An increased number of questions Complaints by customers or coworkers Once managers decide that their employees need training, these managers need to develop clear training goals that outline anticipated results. These managers must also be able to clearly communicate these goals to employees. Keep in mind that training is only one response to a performance problem. If the problem is lack of motivation, a poorly designed job, or an external condition (such as a family problem), training is not likely to offer much help. Types of training After specific training goals have been established, training sessions should be scheduled to provide the employee an opportunity to meet his or her goals. The following are typical training programs provided by employers: Basic literacy training. Ninety million American adults have limited literacy skills, and about 40 million can read little or not at all. Because most workplace demands require a tenth- or eleventh-grade reading level (and about 20 percent of Americans between the ages of 21 and 25 can’t read at even an eighth-grade level), organizations increasingly need to provide basic literacy training in the areas of reading and math skills to their employees. Technical training. New technology and structural designs have increased the need to upgrade and improve employees’ technical skills in both white-collar and blue-collar jobs. Interpersonal skills training. Most employees belong to a work team, and their work performance depends on their abilities to effectively interact with their coworkers. Interpersonal skills training helps employees build communication skills. Problem-solving training. Today’s employees often work as members of self-managed teams who are responsible for solving their own problems. Problem-solving training has become a basic part of almost every organizational effort to introduce self-managed teams or implement Total Quality Management (TQM). Diversity training. As one of the fastest growing areas of training, diversity training increases awareness and builds cultural sensitivity skills. Awareness training tries to create an understanding of the need for, and meaning of, managing and valuing diversity. Skill-building training educates employees about specific cultural differences in the workplace. Training methods Most training takes place on the job due to the simplicity and lower cost of on-the-job training methods. Two popular types of on-the-job training include the following: Job rotation. By assigning people to different jobs or tasks to different people on a temporary basis, employers can add variety and expose people to the dependence that one job has on others. Job rotation can help stimulate people to higher levels of contributions, renew people’s interest and enthusiasm, and encourage them to work more as a team. Mentoring programs. A new employee frequently learns his or her job under the guidance of a seasoned veteran. In the trades, this type of training is usually called an apprenticeship. In white-collar jobs, it is called a coaching or mentoring relationship. In each, the new employee works under the observation of an experienced worker. Sometimes, training goals cannot be met through on-the-job training; the employer needs to look to other resources. Off-the-job training can rely on outside consultants, local college faculty, or in-house personnel. The more popular off-the-job training methods are classroom lectures, videos, and simulation exercises. Thanks to new technologies, employers can now facilitate some training, such as tutorials, on the employees’ own computers, reducing the overall costs. Regardless of the method selected, effective training should be individualized. Some people absorb information better when they read about it, others learn best by observation, and still others learn better when they hear the information. These different learning styles are not mutually exclusive. When training is designed around the preferred learning style of an employee, the benefits of training are maximized because employees are able to retain more of what they learn. In addition to training, employers should offer development plans, which include a series of steps that can help employees acquire skills to reach long-term goals, such as a job promotion. Training, on the other hand, is immediate and specific to a current job. Evaluating Employee Performance Employee performance should be evaluated regularly. Employees want feedback—they want to know what their supervisors think about their work. Regular performance evaluations not only provide feedback to employees, but also provide employees with an opportunity to correct deficiencies. Evaluations or reviews also help in making key personnel decisions, such as the following: Justifying promotions, transfers, and terminations Identifying training needs Providing feedback to employees on their performance Determining necessary pay adjustments Most organizations utilize employee evaluation systems; one such system is known as a performance appraisal. A performance appraisal is a formal, structured system designed to measure the actual job performance of an employee against designated performance standards. Although performance appraisals systems vary by organizations, all employee evaluations should have the following three components: Specific, job-related criteria against which performance can be compared A rating scale that lets employees know how well they’re meeting the criteria Objective methods, forms, and procedures to determine the rating Traditionally, an employee’s immediate boss conducts his or her performance appraisal. However, some organizations use other devices, such as peer evaluations, self-appraisals, and even customer evaluations, for conducting this important task. The latest approach to performance evaluation is the use of 360-degree feedback. The 360-degree feedback appraisal provides performance feedback from the full circle of daily contacts that an employee may have. This method of performance appraisal fits well into organizations that have introduced teams, employee involvement, and TQM programs. Making Employment Decisions Employment decisions go beyond determining which employees are due for raises. Through regular, objective performance appraisals, managers acquire information to make and implement decisions about promotions, transfers, demotions, separations, and compensation. In most organizations, outstanding employees are recognized for their hard work and outstanding performances, and offered promotions. A promotion generally means rewarding an employee’s efforts by moving that person to a job with increased authority and responsibility. Downsizing has led many firms to rely on lateral moves or transfers instead of promoting employees. A lateral move can act as an opportunity for future vertical advancement because it can broaden an employee’s experiences and add skills. On the other hand, sometimes employees’ performances signal that they aren’t adapting well to their jobs and may need fewer responsibilities. One option is a demotion, or reassignment to a lower rank or less prestigious position. Demotions are not a popular technique because of the stigma attached to this move. A misconception is that demotions should be used as punishment for ineffective performance. The departure of an employee from an organization is referred to as separation. Separation may be voluntary or involuntary. Resignations and retirements are voluntary separations. Involuntary separations are layoffs and/or firings. Lately, the rash of downsizing throughout the United States has resulted in many layoffs. Sometimes, however, an employee must be terminated because of poor performance. Dismissal or firing of employees should occur only on the basis of just cause and only after all reasonable steps to rehabilitate the employee have failed. In some cases, such as gross insubordination or theft, immediate dismissal is required. Compensating Employees Employee compensation refers to all work-related payments, including wages, commissions, insurance, and time off. Wages and salaries are the most obvious forms of compensation and are based on job evaluations that determine the relative values of jobs to the organization. Under the hourly wage system, employees are paid a fixed amount for each hour they work. The system is generally used for lower skilled occupations. Salaried employees receive a fixed sum per week or month, no matter how many hours they work. Most professional positions are salaried; the reality is that these jobholders typically work in excess of a â€Å"minimum† 40-hour workweek. Some occupations are compensated through incentive pay programs. Salespeople typically receive commissions based upon the quantities of goods they sell. Some sales compensation plans contain elements of both a salary and commission. A production worker’s pay may be based upon some combination of an hourly wage and an incentive for each â€Å"piece† he or she makes. Some employees are offered merit awards as a reward for sustained superior performance. Employee benefits are supplements to wages or pay. Some benefits, such as unemployment and worker’s compensation, are legally mandated. Other benefits are optional and help build employee loyalty to an organization, including the following: Health insurance Pension plans E