An Analysis of Amazon’s High Turnover Rate

Amazon’s internal and external environments were analyzed using PEST and SWOT models.Taking into account of relevant literature on strategic human resource management(SHRM)and models like the Harvard model and the human resource management/industrial relation(HRM/IR)model,the reasons for Amazon’s employee high turnover rate were analyzed.In this paper,several solutions to this issue are indicated,including improving incentive policies and organizing training.At the end of this paper,my personal experiences and the lessons learned throughout the course are summarized.

Reduced turnover rate of topsoil organic carbon in old-growth forests:a case study in subtropical China

Background:Old-growth forests are irreplaceable with respect to climate change mitigation and have considerable carbon(C)sink potential in soils.However,the relationship between the soil organic carbon(SOC)turnover rate and forest development is poorly understood,which hinders our ability to assess the C sequestration capacity of soil in old-growth forests.Methods:In this study,we evaluated the SOC turnover rate by calculating the isotopic enrichment factor β(defined as the slope of the regression between ^(13)C natural abundance and log-transformed C concentrations)along 0-30 cm soil profiles in three successional forests in subtropical China.A lower β(steeper slope)is associated with a higher turnover rate.The three forests were a 60-year-old P.massoniana forest(PF),a 100-year-old coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest(MF),and a 400-year-old monsoon evergreen broadleaved forest(BF).We also analyzed the soil physicochemical properties in these forests to examine the dynamics of SOC turnover during forest succession and the main regulators.Results:The β value for the upper 30-cm soils in the BF was significantly(p<0.05)higher than that in the PF,in addition to the SOC stock,although there were nonsignificant differences between the BF and MF.The β value was significantly(p<0.05)positively correlated with the soil recalcitrance index,total nitrogen,and available nitrogen contents but was significantly(p<0.01)negatively correlated with soil pH.Conclusions:Our results demonstrate that SOC has lower turnover rates in old-growth forests,accompanied by higher soil chemical recalcitrance,nitrogen status,and lower soil pH.This finding helps to elucidate the mechanism underlying C sequestration in old-growth forest soils,and emphasizes the important value of old-growth forests among global C sinks.

Chinese medicine practitioner turnover rate and the development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong,China

Objective:To establish that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region(HKSAR)government is actively promoting Chinese medicine(CM)and to examine turnover rate of Chinese medicine practitioners(CMPs)in Hong Kong,China in light of this governmental push.Methods:This study covered two major areas:reviewing CM development in Hong Kong,and assessing the turnover rate of CMPs in Hong Kong.The first part of the paper is a historical review.The investigation of turnover rate had two sections.Section 1,quantitative method,involved online questionnaires;Section 2,qualitative method comprised interviews with CMPs from different types of CM clinics to ascertain the reasons for the turnover among CMPs.Results:A total of 123 online questionnaires were received in Section 1(55 from male CMPs;66 from female CMPs;2 respondents were unwilling to disclose their sex).The proportion of CMPs who had resigned in 2018e19 was 22.8%(28),of whom 5.7%(7)had resigned twice in one year.The rates of resignation in 3 years and 5 years were up to 40.7%(50)and 56.9%(70),respectively.Six CMPs were interviewed in Section 2.Young CMPs were more likely to resign than seniors.The large gap between actual salary and expectations appeared to be the main reason for the high rate of resignation.Conclusion:HKSAR government keenly desires to promote CM in Hong Kong,however,high turnover rate of CMPs was detected even under this positive governmental support.There is an urgent need to conduct a more representative study of the reasons for the inclination of CMPs in Hong Kong.The study highlights an important issue in CM development,and these results should remind different stakeholders in the CM industry and the government that CMPs need better career prospects and support in various areas.

Soil Carbon Balance in a Native Temperate Grassland in the Xilin River Basin of Inner Mongolia

Based on historical data and field investigation, some major fluxes and reserves of carbon were estimated, and a tentative analysis of the soil carbon balance was made in a native grassland community in the Xilin River basin of Inner Mongolia. Major results were reported as follows: 1) Annual average carbon input from above-ground biomass production was 79.8 g C(.)m(-2.)a(-1), and from root biomass to 30 cm. depth averaged 311.9 g C(.)m(-2.)a(-1). The summed mean annual carbon input of shoot and root materials in the study site was approximately 391.7 g C(.)m(-2.)a(-1). 2) The annual amount of above-ground biomass consumed by insects averaged 14.7 g C(.)m(-2.)a(-1), and the carbon output by leaching or light-chemical oxidation was 3.2 g C(.)m(-2.)a(-1) The annual evolution rate of CO2 from net soil respiration averaged 346.9 g C(.)m(-2.)a(-1), and the summed mean annual output was approximately 364.8 g C(.)m(-2.)a(-1). 3) A mature, steady-state system could be assumed for the community for which growth and decay were approximately in balance, with a net carbon accumulation of about 26.9 g C(.)m(-2.)a(-1). Based on the soil organic carbon density of the field, the turnover Irate of soil carbon in 0 - 30 cm depth was calculated to be 6.2%, with a turnover time of 16 years.

The Regulatory Effects of Protein Kinase C on the Proliferation of Cultured Human Low-passage Meningioma Cells

The potential role of the protein kinase C (PKC) mediated signal transduction pathways in growth regulation was evaluated and the effects and the possible mechanism of PKC inhibitor on low passage human meningioma cells in vitro investigated. Freshly resected meningiomas obtained from the operation were placed into cell cultures. Cells from early passage were used for the following experiments. The numbers of the cultured meningioma cells were counted to evaluate the effect of the PKC inhibitor staurosporine on proliferation of meningioma cells. The basal phosphatidylinositol (PI) turnover rate and the inhibitory rate of starosporine on the proliferation of the meningioma cells were detected. It was found that the proliferation of the low passage human meningioma cells was inhibited by staurosporine in a dose dependent manner. The inhibitory rate of staurosporine was positively correlated with the basal PI turnover rate ( r=0.58, P<0.01) . It was suggested that PKC mediated signal pathway is involved in the proliferation of the low passage human meningioma cells. The procedure that PKC regulated the proliferation of human meningioma cells is a complex procedure. It is necessary to make more research in order to explore a non operation therapy or an adjuvant therapy.

Soil Organic Matter Dynamics Along a Vertical Vegetation Gradient in the Gongga Mountain on the Tibetan Plateau

Abstract: Our knowledge about soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics is limited although this is an important issue in the study of responses of ecosystems to global climate changes. Twelve sampling plots were set up every 200 m from 1 700 to 3 900 m along the vertical vegetation gradient along the east slope of Gongga Mountain. Samples were taken from all 12 plots for SOM content measurement, although only 5 of the 12 plots were subjected to radiocarbon measurements. A radiocarbon isotope method and a time-dependent model were used to quantify the SOM dynamics and SOM turnover rates along the vertical vegetation gradient. The results showed that the SOM turnover rate decreased and turnover time increased with soil depth for all vegetation types. The litter layer turnover rates presented a clear trend along the gradient. The litter layer turnover rates decreased with an increase in elevation, except that the litter layer turnover rate of mixed forest was higher than that of evergreen forest. Climatic factors, such as temperature and precipitation, were the main factors influencing the surface soil carbon dynamics. The turnover rates of the subsoil (including the A, B, and C horizons in the soil profiles) along the vertical gradient had no clear trends. The SOM of subalpine shrub and meadow turned over more slowly than that of the forest types in almost all soil horizons. The characteristic of short roots distributing in the upper part of the soil profile leads to different SOM dynamics of shrub and meadow compared with the forest types. Coniferous and mixed forests were susceptible to carbon loss from the young carbon pool, but their long and big roots resulted in high Δ14C values of the deep soil profiles and increased the input of young carbon to the deep soil. In evergreen forest, the carbon cumulative ability from the B horizon to the C horizon was weak. The different vegetation types, together with their different modes of nutrient and carbon intake, may be the mechanism conditioning the subsoil organic matter dynamics.

Long-term changes in biological soil crust cover and composition

Introduction:Communities change over time due to disturbances,variations in climate,and species invasions.Biological soil crust communities are important because they contribute to erosion control and nutrient cycling.Crust types may respond differently to changes in environmental conditions:single-celled organisms and bryophytes quickly recover after a disturbance,while lichens are slow growing and dominate favorable sites.Community change in crusts has seldom been assessed using repeated measures.For this study,we hypothesized that changes in crust composition were related to disturbance,topographic position,and invasive vegetation.Methods:We monitored permanent plots in the Columbia Basin in 1999 and 2010 and compared changes in crust composition,cover,richness,and turnover with predictor variables of herbivore exclosure,elevation,heat load index,time since fire,presence of an invasive grass,and change in cover of the invasive grass.Results:Bryophytes were cosmopolitan with high cover.Dominant lichens did not change dramatically.Indicator taxa differed by monitoring year.Bryophyte and total crust cover declined,and there was lower turnover outside of herbivore exclosures.Lichen cover did not change significantly.Plots that burned recently had high turnover.Increase in taxon richness was correlated with presence of an invasive grass in 1999.Change in cover of the invasive grass was positively related to proportional loss and negatively related to gain.Conclusions:Composition and turnover metrics differed significantly over 11 years,though cover was more stable between years.This study can be a baseline for assessing change in crust composition due to anthropogenic influences.