Effects of human resource factors on employee retention in the quick-service industry

Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) play an important role in the overall economy. Globally, this sector accounts for over $570 billion, with the US bringing in over$200 billion in revenue in 2015 (“Fast Food Industry Analysis 2016- Cost & Trends,” 2016). To put it in perspective, QSRs account for over 50% of sales in the entire restaurant sector (“Fast Food Industry Analysis 2016 - Cost & Trends,” 2016). However, while QSRs seem to be a major portion of the food industry, not much research has been done that looks solely at this sector, and even less research aims to look at contributors to voluntary turnover in the quick-service industry (DiPietro, Milman, & Thozhur, 2007). This study will focus on the human resource practices of the quick-service restaurant sector, specifically with how these practices relate to voluntary employee turnover. The results will help managers direct their human resource practices to better reflect the wants and needs of the employee

Exploring The Attitudes Of Criminal Justice And Homeland Security Students Regarding Assessment Techniques In Online Courses

Substantial increases in online education since the start of the 21st century requires investigation in to how online courses differ from traditional face-to-face courses. It is particularly important to discover how online students learn and which assessment methods they prefer and see as most beneficial to online learning. Using online assessment techniques that correspond with those rated highly my online students can lead to better student experiences in online courses and improved persistence rates in online courses, which have traditionally be lower compared to face-to-face courses. The participants for the study sample included online students majoring in Bachelor of Science degree programs of Criminal Justice, Police Studies, Homeland Security, and Correctional and Juvenile Justice Studies within the College of Justice and Safety at Eastern Kentucky University This quantitative study examined these online students\u27 attitudes toward fifteen assessment techniques commonly used in online courses. The study participants were asked to complete an online survey where they rated each assessment technique from 1 to 6 based on their personal preference for the technique. They were then asked to rate each assessment technique from 1 to 6 based on the learning value of each technique. The mean ratings were order ranked with the top five rated assessment techniques for personal preference being were Multiple Choice Questions, Matching Questions, Reflections/Issue Papers, True-False Questions, and Short Answer Questions. The top five rated assessment techniques for learning value were Reflection/Issue Papers, Multiple Choice Questions, Short Answer Questions, Matching Questions, and Discussion Boards. A series of pair-samples t-test were conducted comparing the mean ratings of each assessment technique\u27s personal preference mean rating to its corresponding learning value mean rating. Significant differences were found between the personal preference and learning value mean ratings of Journals, Research Papers, Group Papers/Portfolios, Journal Article Reviews, Wikis, Multiple Choice Questions, Fill-in-the-Blanks Questions, and Essay/Discussion Questions. The data collected was finally tested to compare each assessment technique\u27s mean personal preference rating to its corresponding learning value mean rating to determine a significant correlation relation existed between them. Tests revealed positive correlations between the personal preference mean rating and the learning value mean rating of each assessment technique

Hydroclimatic and circulation anomalies associated with the North Atlantic subtropical high

Hydroclimatic and circulation variability in regions around the Atlantic sector are linked to the intensity, location, and areal extent of the North Atlantic subtropical high (STH). Few analyses focus directly on the influence of the STH on climatic variability. Using sea level pressure (SLP) data from the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis dataset, a time series of the STH was produced using principal components analysis (PCA) to describe the temporal variability of the STH from January 1948 to December 2001. A simple area average of SLP across the PCA domain is shown to describe the same phenomena (the dominant mode of the STH variability) with r2=0.828. Given the ability of a simple areal-average to reproduce PCA results, the areally-averaged subtropical North Atlantic SLP (STHTS) is used to define STH variability in all of the analyses and is correlated with global moisture and circulation variables. Spectral analyses were performed on STHTS to detect cyclic behavior for all months and for each of the four seasons: winter (DJF), spring (MAM), summer (JJA), and autumn (SON). Results indicate a 4.5 year peak for the all-month STHTS, while the seasonal power spectra indicate significant peaks around 2.6-2.8 years for DJF, 3.6-3.8 years for MAM, 2.8-3.0 and approximately 7 years for JJA, but no significant peaks at the 90 percent confidence level during SON. Three-month seasonal means were calculated from January 1948 to December 2001 using hydroclimatic and circulation variables and correlated with STHTS. Effects of the STH\u27s variability around the Atlantic sector and for specific regions (Brazil, Sahel/Guinea, East Africa, North America, and the Great Plains low-level jet region) are described. Results are generally consistent with published research but with some interesting exceptions and implications. Increased (decreased) precipitation and atmospheric moisture content were found throughout much of the year over Brazil (Sahel/Guinea), and during DJF over East Africa with a more intense STH. Over North America and the Great Plains LLJ region, the large spatial scale for which data were available, the heterogeneity of the terrain and extremes of climate from the warm to cool seasons prevent a consistent analysis, but results for other regions are consistent

Sport as a Vehicle for Socialization and Maintenance of Cultural Identity: International Students Attending American Universities

Sport can be utilized by immigrants as a vehicle for maintaining cultural identity. Conversely, sport participation provides immigrants with opportunities for adopting an entirely new culture. Previous research also suggests that sport provides individuals with opportunities for attaining social capital. While this can be a beneficial situation for some, sport is also promoting elitism and serving as a powerful mechanism for exclusion. Globalization has led large numbers of foreign nationals to seek educational opportunities in the United States. Due to the increase in the number of international students and the lack of empirical studies, the need to study their participation in sport is greater than ever. It is critical that sport managers ensure that these students are provided opportunities for socialization and cultural expression through sport. Thus far, there have been no holistic approaches that have examined international students with regards to socialization, cultural identity, and assimilation through sport. The present study is grounded in sociological theories that are widely recognized. For the purpose of the study, a scale measuring cultural identity and assimilation was developed based on literature review, exploratory factor analysis, and parallel analysis. The two factors retained; cultural maintenance and cultural assimilation through sport; were found to be valid and reliable measures of sport participation behavior among international students in the United States. A MANOVA test revealed that males scored significantly higher on the cultural maintenance through sport factor than females. The researchers detected a significant relationship between nationality and sport selection for participation. Practitioners involved in campus recreational sport are encouraged to utilize findings from the current study to enhance their programming efforts for international students. Furthermore, implications for sport managers are discussed with regards to promoting cultural diversity and inclusion. Additionally, the researchers examined sport spectatorship and media consumption behavior among international students. The researchers detected a significant relationship between nationality and sport selection for spectatorship. Also, males were significantly more likely to attend live sporting events with individuals from the same cultural background than females. Lastly, the international students\u27 age and the length of time that they have lived in the US significantly impacted their sport media consumption. Sport programming and marketing strategies are discussed

The Transition between Nonorthogonal Polarization Modes in PSR B2016+28 at 1404 MHz

Polarization observations of the radio emission from PSR B2016+28 at 1404 MHz reveal properties that are consistent with two, very different, interpretations of the pulsar's viewing geometry. The pulsar's average polarization properties show a rapid change in position angle (PA) near the pulse center, suggesting that the observer's sightline nearly intersects the star's magnetic pole. But single pulse, polarization observations of the pulsar show nearly orthogonal modes of polarization following relatively flat and parallel PA trajectories across the pulse, suggesting that the sightline is far from the pole. Additionally, PA histograms reveal a "modal connecting bridge", of unknown origin, joining the modal PA trajectories over much of the pulse and following the rapid PA change shown in the average data. The nonorthogonality of polarization modes is incorporated in a statistical model of radio polarization to account for the deviations from mode orthogonality that are observed in the pulsar. The model is used to interpret the rapid PA change and modal connecting bridge as a longitudinally-resolved transition between modes of nonorthogonal polarization. Thus, the modal PA trajectories are argued to reflect the pulsar's true viewing geometry. This interpretation is consistent with the pulsar's morphological classification, preserves the Radhakrishnan & Cooke model of pulsar radio emission, and avoids the complication that the modal connecting bridge might be produced by some other emission mechanism. The statistical model's ability to simulate the rich variety of polarization properties observed in the emission lends additional support to the model's applicability and its underlying assumption that the polarization modes occur simultaneously.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap

Effects of CO2-induced pH reduction on the exoskeleton structure and biophotonic properties of the shrimp Lysmata californica.

The anticipated effects of CO2-induced ocean acidification on marine calcifiers are generally negative, and include dissolution of calcified elements and reduced calcification rates. Such negative effects are not typical of crustaceans for which comparatively little ocean acidification research has been conducted. Crustaceans, however, depend on their calcified exoskeleton for many critical functions. Here, we conducted a short-term study on a common caridean shrimp, Lysmata californica, to determine the effect of CO2-driven reduction in seawater pH on exoskeleton growth, structure, and mineralization and animal cryptic coloration. Shrimp exposed to ambient (7.99 ± 0.04) and reduced pH (7.53 ± 0.06) for 21 days showed no differences in exoskeleton growth (percent increase in carapace length), but the calcium weight percent of their cuticle increased significantly in reduced pH conditions, resulting in a greater Ca:Mg ratio. Cuticle thickness did not change, indicating an increase in the mineral to matrix ratio, which may have mechanical consequences for exoskeleton function. Furthermore, there was a 5-fold decrease in animal transparency, but no change in overall shrimp coloration (red). These results suggest that even short-term exposure to CO2-induced pH reduction can significantly affect exoskeleton mineralization and shrimp biophotonics, with potential impacts on crypsis, physical defense, and predator avoidance

Introduction: transnational women’s activism

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio