Business Commons^™

Illegal Substance Abuse In The Full-Service Restaurant Industry: An Evaluation Of Pre-Employment Drug-Testing, Miranda Kitterlin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this research is to assess the effect of pre-employment drug-testing policies on employee attitudes and aspects of work performance in the full-service restaurant industry. Specifically, this study attempts to compare the rate of absenteeism, turnover, and work-related accidents and injuries in full-service restaurants with pre-employment drug-testing policies against the aforementioned aspects of work performance in full-service restaurants without pre-employment drug-testing polices. This research also attempts to explore the perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs of full-service restaurant hourly employees and management staff in regards to pre-employment drug-testing policies in the full-service restaurant industry. For the purpose of this study, …

Employee Theft: Determinants Of Motive And Proactive Solutions, David Langner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Theft in the workplace, specifically performed by the employees, is a daunting situation for American business - both corporate and small proprietorships. This paper calls upon available literature to provide an in-depth analysis that focuses on employee's motive to steal from their employer and the potential proactive solutions organizations can implement to deter theft by improving morale and trust in the workplace. The topic will be examined from a linear fashion that looks at the concept of employee theft and common motivational determinants such as employer resentment, animosity, and the perception of fairness. Next, numerous organizations have adopted theft detection …

How Corporate Social Responsibility Influences Employee Job Satisfaction In The Hotel Industry, Chia-Chun Saprina Chiang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether strategic CSR programs in the hotel industry influence individual job satisfaction. Based on Valentine and Fleischman’s study in company ethics programs and employees’ perceived CSR, job satisfaction is related to many significant organizational factors and is usually a major concentration of business research that investigates employee-based phenomena (Valentine & Fleischman, 2008, p. 160). In addition, this paper will seek for the literature supporting the positive correlation between a company’s strategic CSR activities and its employees’ job satisfaction. In other words, this study will identify whether and how employees’ perceptions of their …

The Role Of Cultural And Change During Mergers And Acquisitions: Bringing The Pride Back, Geoffrey W. Denight Jr

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 1998 a small family run casino operation was acquired by a large Las Vegas Casino Corporation. At the time the two companies had different cultures and there was an immediate clash between the two as the larger corporation sought to change the ways business was being conducted. Compounded by out side economic factors the business experienced a dramatic decline in revenue and employee morale. In this case study, the personalities and outside factors that had an impact on this acquisition will be revealed and the steps taken to change and manage the culture of the company, improve morale and …

An Entry Level Managerial Training Program For Hourly Hospitality Employees, Cynthia Mejia

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to develop an entry-level managerial training program for line-level hospitality employees. An analysis of the current literature regarding training and motivation will be used as the foundation for the proposed training program. In addition, two central issues will be addressed to ensure the success of the participants in the managerial training program: a) The identification and resolution of perceived obstacles employees face when contemplating advancement, and b) the practice of developing internal employees to increase retention, and thereby reduce the high costs associated with middle management turnover.

The Impact Of The 2007 Oklahoma Immigration Reform Act On Labor Costs In The Restaurant Industry, Xun Zhou

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Restaurant industry is becoming the largest employer of immigrants in the United States, immigration policies are fundamental to the success of the restaurant industry, as entrepreneurs, as customers, and as workers. Therefore, this paper attempts to investigate current issues regarding the unauthorized labor force in the hospitality industry. In particular, this study will try to discover and explore the difference in labor costs in the restaurant industry before and after the newest immigration reform act enacted in Oklahoma. In addition, this paper will also provide suggestions for future researchers in this research field.

The Relationship Between Benefit Satisfaction And Intent To Leave: A Study Of Finance Departments In Las Vegas, Jung-In Bae

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between benefit satisfaction and intent to leave among employees who work in finance departments in Las Vegas hotels.

Employee benefits have generally been assumed to be an effective way to attract and retain employees; in fact, 70% of 45 U.S. companies include the benefit packages in their retention strategies. That idea that competitive benefits packages can help firms to win the retention war is widely accepted.

The results of the study indicate that benefit satisfaction was significantly related to intent to leave; those who were satisfied with benefits were less likely to …

Perceptions Of Employers Toward Hiring Graduates With Online Degrees, Leisa Dione Thompson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Since the late 1990s, online education programs for academic credit have emerged in colleges and universities across the country at an astonishing rate. Enrollment in online courses and online degree programs has grown dramatically. Online education is in high demand because it allows individuals to pursue an education while maintaining their full-time jobs and commitments to their families. However, the employability of a graduate with an online degree has not kept pace with the growth of this delivery method. This study was an attempt to explore the workforce sentiments concerning employment of college graduates obtaining a degree completed through online …

Diversity Leader: Case Study Of A Selected Organization's Transformation, Aileen Guerrero Zaballero

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Diversity initiatives have evolved from a focus on compliance-oriented training to a systematic approach which integrates the many dimensions of diversity in all aspects of business to enhance performance through the practice of organization development (OD) (Bendick, Egan, & Lofhjelm, 2001). Many organizations have implemented short term solutions to address the demographic changes in the workforce, but have had minimal results. When diversity interventions are conceptually grounded in organization development practices the results are much more substantial for both the employees and the organization (2001). The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceived influential factors of …

Developing A Comprehensive Training Guide For Dealers In The Gaming Sector Of The Hospitality Industry In Las Vegas, David Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Given that repeat business is at the core of profitable operations, particularly in the service industry, the purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive training guide for dealers in the gaming sector of the hospitality industry in Las Vegas. The comprehensive training guide will focus on customer service satisfaction to increase loyalty and add value to the Service Profit Chain (SPC). The efforts to develop and then implement this comprehensive training manual is to produce higher rates of repeat business, reflected in higher returns and overall profits. Therefore upon implementation, this comprehensive training manual will be the cornerstone …

Meeting Planning Basics: A Guide For Administrative Professionals, Larissa J. Schultz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Planning meetings and events is a job function that requires skills and knowledge of the meeting management industry. In today’s economy and within many organizations across the globe, both corporate and association meeting planning is a job function that is frequently being seen as a task that an administrative professional can take on in addition to their other workload. While in many instances this may seem like the most efficient and cost-effective route for organizations to undertake, in the long-run it can actually cost the organization more – in both time and money. In addition, it can lead to poorly …

City Of Las Vegas Human Resources Promotional Selection Process Program Evaluation, Rik Holman, Cecil Johnson, April Thomas, Steve Weber

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The City of Las Vegas Human Resources Department requested the evaluation team examine the perception of fairness in the promotional selection process as demonstrated by the results of the 2007 Diversity and Inclusion Survey and related complaints from some of the employees. Based on discussions with the Human Resources department and subsequent interviews with other stakeholders, the main focus of the evaluation team covered the strengths and weaknesses of the promotional process and determining the reasons for the perceived preferential treatment in the promotional process as expressed by city employees who responded to the 2007 Diversity and Inclusion Survey. While …

Creating, Sustaining, And Growing The Learning Culture Of A New Luxury Hotel, Andres F. Vargas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper uses exploratory, qualitative research to study the development of an organizational learning culture at a new luxury hotel. In the service industry, human resources represent the most valuable asset in the organization. Simply put, employees embody the brand as they interact with guests at every touch point. Internal and external guests evolving expectations, global competition and product commoditization, have forced lodging companies to look for ways in which to remain competitive and appealing to all stakeholders. A new property that joins a renowned hospitality management company, faces the challenge to deliver service that is up to its existing …

Market Feasibility Studies: Hospitality Decision Making, Kim Mangino

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The specific purpose of this paper was to create a teaching case, while analyzing data that was collected in an effort to determine whether or not the particular organization had achieved “excellence.” The resulting teaching case aims to be an additional resource in organizational behavior and mainstream business classes across the globe, as it provides an example of a highly successful company that is facing basic, fundamental organizational issues. Ideally, this research will provide readers with an avenue for scrutinizing major issues in the hospitality industry and potential solutions. The case is most appropriate for upper division undergraduates or graduate …

Embracing Uncertainty: The Passing Of A Legendary Casino/Hotel — Tropicana Resort And Casino, Bill Hiers

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Las Vegas is on the cutting-edge of today’s world, showcasing the newest and best of everything that can be offered at premium hotels. In this one isolated location of the United States, there have been dramatic changes to the philosophy of conducting business. In the past ten years Las Vegas has defined to the world that new innovations to hotel projects can be developed to achieve maximum profitability. Casino companies strive to build the next premier, exciting, state of the art, five star hotels. Change in the casino industry is always exciting with the prospect of a better way to …

Teleconference Training Within Commercial Customer Service At Us Bank, Christy Snyder

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research suggests that effective employee training methods are of key importance in the service industry today. The service industry uses customer service as a means of differentiating its product (Davis, 2005; Farrell, 2005; Feiertag, 2005; Furunes, 2005; Higley, 2004a; Jenkins, 1984; Simons, 2005; Walsh, 2004). “Friendliness and a willingness to serve others are the tools of the hotel trade, and training is the sharpener that refines the tools into hospitality machines” (Higley, 2004b). Training is integral in creating a positive environment for customers. If organizations want to ensure customers have this type of environment, employees must have both service and …

Hotel Employee Morale During Periods Of Low Occupancy, Nicholas J. Thomas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

According to the Monterey County Chamber of Commerce, each year an estimated 3 million tourists, who spend nearly $2 billion and create 36,600 jobs, visit the Monterey Peninsula in California (Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, 2000). Unfortunately, this area suffers from hospitality industry-wide low occupancy from late fall until early spring, mainly due to the cooler, rainy weather (Boerner, 2004). During these periods of low occupancy, I believe that there is a challenge in maintaining employee morale. The impetus of this research is my belief that there is a correlation between an increase or decrease in employee morale and the …

Grand Hyatt Hong Kong Training Academy: Achieving Business Results, Vida W. Chow

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to identify the essential elements, both tangible and intangible, of establishing a training academy at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong in order to achieve business objectives in a rapidly changing and competitive global environment in the hospitality industry. With the phenomenal growth of the tourism industry in Hong Kong, Macau, and the neighboring area in China, there is a growing competition in acquiring, retaining, and developing talents in the labor market. Having a well-established training academy is not only critical in consistently delivering the brand promises to the external customers, it is also fundamental …

The Hiring Of Wynn Las Vegas, Robert E. Murray Iii

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to examine the various human resource processes and systems that were established by Wynn Las Vegas. With a hiring of this magnitude the human resource team at Wynn faced many unique challenges. This study records these difficulties and also the decisions that were made that allowed Wynn to overcome these obstacles. Through the examination of the Wynn Las Vegas process this study will also give other employers who are considering doing a large scale mass hiring some ideas on what they should expect regarding on line hiring. It will also show how other executives …

Public Safety Communications Center Staffing: Do We Have An Emergency?, Steven L. Herrin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The 911 Public Safety Communications Specialist, operator, call taker, dispatcher, or whatever title these behind-the-scenes professionals operate under, they are indeed, the first public safety responder. Whether it is for police protection during criminal activity, fire extinguishment to save a burning house and rescue the victims, or paramedic treatment to remediate a life-threatening medical incident, the first contact the vast majority of these callers will have is with the 911 System.

Dr. Jeff Clawson, president of the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch, and creator of the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) first coined the term “first, first responder”1 to describe …

Workplace Violence: A Case Study, Robert F. White

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper addresses the problem of workplace violence. Because research into workplace violence is relatively new, there is not much research into managerial response to violent incidences. This paper helps to establish a template that may become a useful managerial tool to decrease the potential for future workplace violence that may lead to loss of life and unnecessary monetary loss. Managers are not necessarily equipped to develop appropriate measures to effectively deal with violent issues. Given the proper tool, managers can often work wonders. The paper focuses on homicide in the workplace, which has been the second leading cause of …

An Empirical Study Of Attitudes Towards Telecommuting Among Government Finance Professionals, Joseph J. Grippaldi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper presents the results of a preliminary study to evaluate attitudes towards telecommuting among finance employees who are employed by special district governments in the United States. Original data was collected by using a self-administered mail survey sent to 400 special district government finance employees who are members of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada. This paper will examine variables including employee support for telecommuting, the likelihood of employees working away from the office, and the number of days employees wish to telecommute. A factor analysis was employed to determine if patterns of …

‘Sworn’ Versus ‘Civilian’ Career Development Paths In The Fire Service In Nevada, Kelly Blackmon

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Clark County Fire Department has no formal career development path for fire prevention (civilian) personnel as it does for suppression (sworn) personnel. The purpose of this paper is to compare the career paths developed for suppression personnel and prevention personnel in five fire departments throughout the State of Nevada. Each department was chosen because they have over 100 total employees. Three dimensions relevant to the extent to which a career development path exists were identified and each department was assessed terms of these dimensions. The results illustrated the need to enhance the career development path in prevention to more …

The Workforce Investment Act Of 1998: Implementation In The State Of Nsvada, Kimberly Meier

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The topic of this professional paper is the implementation of the Workforce Investment Act in the State of Nevada. I have prepared this paper for the Department of Public Administration in partial fulfillment of a Masters of Public Administration degree. The paper focuses on information gathered through interviews with various stakeholders including those providing services, those needing service and those who designed the plan for the State of Nevada. The data presented supports that the initial implementation was successful, however further study and analysis are required to determine long term effects. At the conclusion, suggestions to increase the effectiveness of …

Will Succession Planning At The Department Of Energy/Nevada Succeed?, James H. Winget

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The topic of this professional paper is the succession planning program at the Department of Energy Nevada Operations Office (DOE/NV). I have prepared this paper for the Department of Public Administration in partial fulfillment of a Masters of Public Administration degree. The paper centers on the interpretation of data that was received through an office-wide survey of the staff and leaders of the DOE/NV. The data presented supports the theory that there may be significant weaknesses found in the current structure of the succession planning that may directly affect whether or not the program will succeed. The analyses performed focuses …

Impact Of The American's With Disabilities Act On Local Government (A Retrospective Review Of 10 Years Of Action) Specific To Personnel Administration, Mark A. Dascalos

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

President George Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law on January 26, 1990. This Act was intended to overcome many perceived or actual acts of discrimination against persons with disabilities residing in the United States of America. To date, no author has looked back to see what the impact of this comprehensive law has been on local government. This author through study will be determining what, if any, impact this law has had on the State of Nevada counties. This study is being limited in scope to personnel administration, and personnel related remedies. Recommendations for the future …