Psychology homework help
Hot Topic: Employees with Passion
Hot Topic Incorporated, located in City of Industry, California, is a retailer that licenses various products, such as T-shirts, clothes, and accessories geared toward alternative and pop culture with an emphasis on modern music trends. The average age of the employees at Hot Topic is 25 years old.
Hot Topic Incorporated reaches its customers through its two retail store lines—Hot Topic and its sister store, Torrid. Hot Topic offers a myriad of cultural items as well as accessories and clothing aimed at a younger market segment. Torrid is a fashion store offering modern, trendy clothing catering to plus-size women. The organization has been cited on the “Best Small Companies” and “Best Companies to Work For” lists many times over its 20-plus year history.
Former CEO Betsy McLaughlin believes that the culture at Hot Topic is based on a passion for a concept. For Hot Topic, that passion is music, and for Torrid, it is fashion. McLaughlin says that the passion for the products and the inspiration behind them is what makes Hot Topic different from many others, and the passion that drives the culture is shared across all levels and positions of the organization. In fact, McLaughlin claims that music inspires not only the products they sell, but also store design and even the people they hire.
Hot Topic has a unique corporate culture, but structurally does not differ tremendously from other organizations. Employees are fiercely loyal to the firm as a result of the great working environment where they feel they can “fit in” and be appreciated for what they contribute to the organization. One example of how Hot Topic encourages fitting in is its “concert reimbursement” program. Employees can attend a concert and bring someone with them, fill out an expense report, and be reimbursed for the cost of their tickets. The only requirement for this benefit is to submit a “fashion report.” The culture also values collaboration, open communication, and empowerment, and is perpetuated by a lack of walls and doors in the corporate headquarters. Everyone works in one big room and shares space, taking emphasis off hierarchy and promoting collaboration and open communication. The employees are supported in risk-taking decisions when taking care of the needs of customers. This gives employees a feeling of inclusion and empowerment to make decisions.
Hot Topic has grown from 15 stores just 15 years ago to nearly 800 stores today. This provides a ready applicant pool to allow the company to hire for corporate jobs from within—a practice that has the worker bring her or his sense of the corporate culture to the new job. Employees are kept satisfied through such perks as cell phone discounts, on-site massages, health fairs, scholarship reimbursement, and “employee of the month” programs. Another interesting and no-cost perk offered to employees is the “9/80” program. This program allows employees to work 80 hours over 9 days—giving them a three-day weekend every other weekend.
Senior executives talk to employees and customers to learn in what direction they want Hot Topic to go. This along with all of the innovative ideas and programs provides Hot Topic with a unique culture that helps keep their employees and customers satisfied and loyal.
Questions for Discussion
1. What makes Hot Topic so successful as a retailer? What makes them so popular with their employees? How can they keep their success going?
2. How does the idea of no walls and no doors in the corporate headquarters encourage the culture Hot Topic is trying to perpetuate? Do you think you would like to work in such an atmosphere?
Read the case study above : Employees with Passion and answer the ‘Questions for Discussion’ 1 and 2, providing evidence for points you make. For full points, ensure substantive responses to the questions. each answer to be atleast 300 words with supporting points to your discussion. provide the refrences.
no plagirism please

 
Psychology homework help
Assignment 2: Attentional Blink
There are many stimuli in your environment of which you are not aware. You use attention to filter out unimportant stimuli and focus on relevant stimuli. However, there are circumstances under which you cannot perceive stimuli, regardless of how hard you “pay attention.” One situation is when visual stimuli are presented in quick succession. If the interval between the two stimuli is short enough, you do not perceive the second stimulus. This lapse in attention is known as attentional blink. In this assignment, you will experience the attentional blink for yourself and will also read about practical implications of the phenomenon.
Access the CogLab demonstrationAttentional Blink. Follow the instructions to complete the demonstration.
Read the following article:
Livesey, E. J., Harris, I. M., & Harris, J. A. (2009). Attentional changes during implicit learning: Signal validity protects a target stimulus from the attentional blink. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 35(2), 408-408-422. doi:10.1037/a0014525 (ProQuest Document ID: 614494049)
Using the experience from the CogLab demonstration and information from the article, write a paper that addresses the following:
Explain how the attentional blink relates to attention. Analyze how the variation in time influences the probability of seeing the second target letter. Explain the circumstances under which the attentional blink can be eliminated.
In the CogLab demonstration, letters were used as targets. The target used can influence the duration of one’s attentional blink and whether the attentional blink even occurs. Complete the following tasks:
Propose at least two other targets that could be used to induce the attentional blink.
Predict the effect each of your suggested targets would have on the duration of one’s attentional blink as compared to the CogLab activity you completed.
Explain the reasoning behind your predictions.
Present and discuss at least three occupations in which workers’ performance could be adversely affected by attentional blink. Identify and explain the types of problems or mistakes that might occur in such occupations due to the attentional blink.
Several years ago, some vehicle models came with a heads-up display (HUD). Instead of looking down at a panel on the dashboard, speed, distance traveled, fuel level, and time appeared to be displayed over the hood of the car. Discuss this design in terms of divided attention and attentional blink. Do you think the design was a good idea?
Write a 4-page paper in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M2_A2.doc.