Motivation Report On Industrial And Organizational Psychology

Wayne Shaddock PSYC : 3327 Industrial/Organizational Psychology Professor: J. Dimoff 25 November 2014 Motivation in Industrial/Organizational Psychology Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology is devoted to the study of employee behavior in the workplace and understanding the issues facing organizations and employees in today’s complex and ever changing environment. Motivation refers to the set of forces that influence people to choose various behaviors among several alternatives available to them. An organization depends on the ability of management to provide a positive, fostering and motivating environment for its employees in order to increase profits, productivity and lower turnover rates of its employees. The purpose of this paper is to discuss and compare six academic journal articles and explore the behavior, job, and need based theories of motivation that can aid management in motivating and understanding their employees. Finding that delicate balance to can sometimes be elusive so effectively learning how to motivate by understanding, controlling and influencing factors to manipulate behavior and choices that are available to employees can produce the desired outcome. Behavior based motivation such as Equity Theory, Expectancy Theory and Reinforcement Theories are built on the premise that employee behavior is directly linked to the consequences of their actions. Equity theory tries to define the measurement and the satisfaction relationship ofShow MoreRelatedOrganizational Psychology Paper Psy 428924 Words   |  4 PagesOrganizational Psychology Paper Shanna Brookins PSY/428 12/12/2011 Organizational Psychology Paper Introduction Organizational psychology is the study of a formal organization and how individuals and groups act within that organization; in other words, the scientific study of the workplace. The goal of organizational psychology is to help organizations function the best way possible. This is achieved by helping people understand their interactions with each other and create an environmentRead More History of Psychology Time Line Essays1308 Words   |  6 PagesTime Line The history of psychology just might be the greatest type of history to explore. From 387 B.C Plato?s Academy of Athens, where his metaphysics, epistemology, and social philosophy found expression and came to pervade Western thought. Plato was a dualist, separating the physical world from the world of true form. His assertion that reality is known through reason was not challenged until the rise of empiricism, to the Supreme Courts ruling on April 30, 1979. In Addinton v. TexasRead MoreInternship Reflection Paper : Psychological Associates1712 Words   |  7 PagesInternship Reflection Paper: Psychological Associates During the summer of 2015, I obtained an internship at Psychological Associates. I applied for the Organizational Development Intern position during winter break of 2014. After the assessment and interview process, I was given the opportunity to expand my knowledge in the field. Psychological Associates is located in the heart of Clayton, Missouri where I immediately fell in love with the culture and atmosphere of the company. No matter the organizationRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Waiting 1604 Words   |  7 Pagesthe employees, its focus is on the dinner rush and how the employees interact during that time. This paper mainly focuses on the different Industrial/ Organizational related unique constructs and its analysis based on the movie and its examples. Some of the constructs that are presented in this movie are: Counterproductive Work Behavior (CWB), Lack of Motivation, Group think, Leadership and Bullying. Although many more unique constructs can be analyzed in this movie, s ome of the main ones are listedRead MoreA Brief Note On Industrial And Organizational Psychology1819 Words   |  8 Pagessegments that corresponds in industrial and organizational psychology (i.e. occupational, work, business) is the scientific study of human behavior in the workplace which applies to psychological theories and principles to organizations. Industrial/Organizational psychology field has insights on increasing productivity in the workplace and related matters such as physical and mental wellbeing of employees (Youssef Noon, 2012, sec.1.1). Industrial organizational psychology is known to be the most importantRead MoreMotivational Theories and Factors844 Words   |  4 PagesClary Psy 302 Industrial / Organizational Psychology Dr. John Moore August 30, 2010 Stress and conflict in the workplace can cause major emotional and physical damage to the facility and workers. In the past, there have been reports of tragedies caused by disgruntled workers who may have clocked in with a gun in hand. 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This report aims to critically evaluate two process theories of motivation which is the Expectancy Theory by Victor Vroom and the Equity Theory by John Stacy Adams. The methodologies used in this report include a study and analysis of textbooks, writings and journals from the internet. As a conclusion, the question is not whether each of these approachesRead MorePersonal Leadership Critique Essay example2037 Words   |  9 Pagesof the Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College in Florida (Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2009). Bass was the founding director of the Center for Leadership Studies at State University of New York, as well as the founding editor of The Leadership Quarterly journal (Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc., 2009). In 1949, Bass obtained a PhD in Industrial Psychology from Ohio State University. Bass has held faculty positions at the UniversityRead MoreDefinition and History of Industrial Psychology2947 Words   |  12 PagesOF INDUSTRAL PSYCHOLOGY Industrial psychology is a relatively recent subfield of psychology. In fact it did not become fully productive until about the late 1920s. The industrial side of industrial psychology has its historical origins in research on individual differences, assessment, and the prediction of performance. This branch of the field crystallized during World War I, in response to the need to rapidly assign new troops to duty stations. After the War the growing industrial base in the

Electronic Addiction Essay - 873 Words

Electronic Addiction Welcome to the world of the over stimulated, desensitized, and burnt out. There is a huge problem in our society, a problem that I cannot claim to be free of by any means; in fact, as I sit here writing this I am feeling its effects. The worst part of this issue is that it started for me in early childhood, as it did for many others. Kids start younger than ever before and they use more frequently. The fix is never good enough. New mediums are being created and old ones are being improved all the time. Our largest industries revolve around it. It seems to create in the users a need for more and more; it is an unending cycle that eventually can destroy ones life socially and in every other way too. When†¦show more content†¦I was two when I first started watching television, three when I watched my first video, four for my first film in a theater, and I was about six when I first learned to use a computer. As I grow older I would like to think that I am separating my self from this, but that is not the case. Right now I sit in front of my computer with my stereo headphones on, playing music from a list of over four hundred songs, writing poetry to friends over the internet, and using a microphone that takes the sounds of my environment and feeds them though a maze of green on green circuit boards and then mixes them with my music and I can hear myself typing this though my music is rather loud. It is a very surreal experience for it is a new one. Soon, however, as I get used to it, I will think that somethings wrong when I dont have my microphone on. I realize that although I control the media more, Im still a heavy user. It has been argued that this new phenomenon of being able to interact with your media makes it less brain sucking and, in a sense, that is true, but I would argue that although it does require the user to be thinking and this is a good thing in some respects, it also distances one further from reality. I am not alone in dev eloping reflexes that are only usable on a computer interface and attempting to apply them to my real life. I have a close friend who has tried to strafe out of the way when he thought he saw a terroristShow MoreRelatedElectronic And Information Technology Addiction969 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The term electronic and information technology includes, but is not limited to, telecommunications products (such as telephones), information kiosks and transaction machines, World Wide Web sites, multimedia, and office equipment such as copiers and fax machines† (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internet working, and Technology). Online technology addiction started soon after technology came out; it is only new being readjusted as culture is changing. Addiction is a need based bonding process whenRead MoreTechnology Has A Positive Or Negative Impact Essay1627 Words   |  7 Pagesimpact nearly every day. The uninformed consumers are deceived into believing that their excessive usage i s unavoidable, because without such habits electronic producers businesses’ would never prosper to their full extent. As technology becomes more accessible, the more this generation is being distracted, consumed, and physically damaged by electronics. Time Management Solution Some plan is necessary in order to make those disturbing statistics tame down a bit. In order to make an educational andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem An Unplugged Proposal 1242 Words   |  5 Pagesdisconnecting people from the outside world. Technology is dominating society, and now it is imperative to find a solution to end our addiction before it completely destroys our lives. Therefore, for our world to progress, it is necessary to simply eliminate the source of the addiction itself. From this day forth, the government should declare all forms of electronics and social media illegal. Immediately, cellphones, video games, computers, Facebook, Twitter, etc. should be destroyed. If a personRead MoreAre Texting And Driving Laws Strong Enough?1596 Words   |  7 Pagesmain reasons for car accidents and deaths in the United States. The use of electronic devices while driving undoubtedly represents a serious danger to everyone, it is a fact that driving while utilizing these devices affects our ability to keep our car in lane, our ability to react in time and our judgment. These impediments could cause an accident that injuring person or in other cases may cause death. 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Prolonged use of the mouse and keyboard can cause carpal tunnel as it is required to rapidlyRead MoreGambling And Other Impulse Control Disorders Essay1339 Words   |  6 Pagesby: Prince Jose Sebastian Gambling and other process addictions are disorders that arise when a person engages in an action that can be satisfying, but the constant use of which becomes obsessive and inhibits normal life responsibilities, such as work, relationships, or health. Addicted people may not be conscious that their behavior is out of control and is creating difficulties for themselves and the others (DuPoint, 1997). Process addictions are dependent on a practice, such as gambling, eatingRead MoreThe First Generation Of Digital Era1148 Words   |  5 Pagesshows signs of Internet addiction. In Hong Kong these numbers are even higher, 26.7% of high school students are addicted to the Internet. On these side of the rates that show prevalence on youth people, a huge number of mental disorder has increasing such as, number of suicides principally in countries like Korea and China, number of children with depression and anxious, deficiency at School and so on. Wallace states, â€Å"While it is presumptu ous to blame ‘Internet addiction’ for such tragedies—theRead MoreThe Internet And Its Effect On Society917 Words   |  4 Pagessociety, we will discuss how the internet has played a part in addiction, influencing children, criminal activities and responsibility as a whole. Many of us, despite knowing the internet for a few parts of our lives, have decided it is just as important as the air we breathe. We carry our phones and laptops carefully so we can monitor what happens where and when in an instant. Some of us even gasp and get worried when our electronic devices fall, rather than when a fellow human being or friend falls

Case Study of Australia Post-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Case Study of Australia Post. Answer: Introduction: Australian Post Corporation now trades as the Australian Post. Established in 25th April 1809 it is a government owned enterprise which provides postal service in both local and international markets. In 2008 the country was serving one million service users. As it run by the government the company has an obligation to the public. The government business enterprise is self funding. It is the reason why the company finds letter delivering very exhausting.( Rakodi, 2014). However, the company delivers around sixty million items weekly mostly on time. In the company the year 2010, Ahmed Fahour, the MD and CEO of the organization announced the launch of the Future Ready Strategy for the Australia Post.( Budzianowski et ali, 2017) The strategy is aimed to bring a new structure and entry in the electronic market through the launch of e-Services. Though the company had incurred a loss of A$222 million in 2016, it got back in the game in the year 2017 due to a strong performance in parcel an d courier performance. The company holds a strong position as compared to its competitors due to its core competencies. The company owns 4417 post offices, 15805 street post boxes and 12,400 vehicles; it makes the company hold a store share in the distributed logistics market.( Salem, 2014) In addition to that the company has over forty eight retail superstores thus making it a huge retail and service network. Industry Analysis: Five-force Model The 5 force model comprises of the bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, rivalry among competitors, threat of new entrants and threat of substitutes. The five force analysis of Australia post can be understood by the following: Bargaining power of suppliers: The bargaining power of the Australian post is dominated by the hike or decrease in the rate of fuel. However the company in recent years has introduced bikers, vans and sedans which have high fuel efficiency. Owing to this, the company has been able to counter such risks. It is also influenced by the taxes the company has to pay.( Anvari et al,2017) It company does not get any funding from taxpayers and has paid more than 1.7 billion dividend to the government in the past decade. The bargaining power is also influenced by the government policies. Since the company is a government business enterprise, the Australian government is the only share holder through the Ministry of Finance. Thus the company is obligated to perform its business operations with sound commercial practice, has a community service obligation. In addition to that the company must operate within the set framework of the government, international conventions and other governmental obl igation.( Zeng et al2017) The cost of land increase along with the increase in rent also affects the company. The company seems to spend a lumpsump on these two criteria since it owns forty eight super retail outlets. Bargaining Power of buyers: This describes the effect that the customers of the company have on its profitability. The company seems to run an oligopoly in this segment. Rivalry among Competitors: This is perhaps the most important segment of the five force model. In recent times, the position of Australia post has come under serious threat due to the upcoming business. In the area of parcel delivery international players such as Japan Post, and FedEx have together taken up a lot of business.( Whittaker et al2013), Locally Australian post faces competition from Mailman and Parcel Point. Threat of New Entrants: Though the company still holds a strong position, other companies have seeped onto the market to challenge its position .Like all other logistic business Australian Post faces stiff competition from companies such as FedEx Toll Holding and DHL Threat of Substitutes- This becomes a matter of concern since customers always have the choice to change or alter its service providers. This becomes even more critical when new businesses enter the market.( .( Wan et al,2014) The company landed itself in a bit of a problem when it started charging people who did not pick up their parcel on time. This proved to be a wrong step for the company as many alternative turned up to people who were disappointed by the stand taken up by the company. Companies like WizMe, Sendle Officeworks Mailman came to the rescue. Competitor Analysis- The dissatisfaction with the Australian Post has given opened up many windows of opportunity for other business in the industry to challenge the position of the government business enterprise. Eminent few among them are FedEx, Toll Holding and DHL. FedEx challenge the Australian Post by having a strong global network. The company has been successful in establishing a strong brand value in the market place. Fred Smith, the CEO of the company was a visionary.( Hollensen, 201) Due to his efforts the company changed the way logistics work across the world strong management is thus another attribute of FedEx. The business strategy of Deutsche Post DHL group is build on the three pillars of focus, connect and growth. The company aims to focus on logistics s a part of their core business which will generate 85% of their total revenue by 2020.( Yan et al, 2017) The pillar of connect helps the company to tap the expertise, experience and talent in the organization. Lastly through the pillar of growth the company aims to grow and develop the business. It aims to identify area where the business must establish a close knit collaboration to improve quality of service. Toll Holding is yet another competitor of Australia Post and has a strong network in Australia. It currently dominates the local courier and delivery services and has a market share of 8.8 percent which is higher than that of DHL express which currently holds 6.7 percent of market share.( Nrhi, 2015) In March 2015 Toll was taken over by the Japan Post and has announced a full commercial launch. The company currently owns 24000 offices and 200000 staffs. Macro Environmental Factors of Australia Post: The companys iconic status as the leading Australian organization is marked by its commitment and responsibility to the environment.( Chen et al,2014) To this end the company puts in a lot of effort to reduce environmental impacts, costs and conducts effective risk management and improvement in the customer value. Environmental responsibility is the intrinsic attribute of the company. In order to achieve this end company has launched a companywide Corporate Responsibility Strategy in the year 2016. The company objectifies to create value by reducing environmental footprints and by creating a more circular form of economy. (Barkauskas et al,2015)The prime focus of the company is reduced carbon emission and to take up a responsive stand against climate change issues. Being an active member of the National Packaging Covenant since 2005, the company puts in a lot of research and effort in designing, composition and recycling of its packages. (Hoogendoorn, 2016).Climate change is one of t he major threats the world is facing today, Australia Post has taken positive steps to counter the challenge. To this end the company has launched the first of Australias 100% electric commercial vans. The company has also introduced motorbikes, vans and sedans that have high fuel efficiency.( Cant and Wiid, 2013) Companys Corporate Strategy The business strategy of Australia Post had been changing to suit the need of the modern times since 2015. The Company identified three key areas to work upon. The company focused its efforts to on retaining the current business position by investing in the postal and parcel facilities. The company worked towards turning its offices into ecommerce outlets for the benefit of customers of small business houses irrespective of their location. (Grinblatt and Titman, 2016).Secondly the company aimed to develop innovating means of ecommerce solutions, making it easy for customers to shop online.( Purce, 2014) This also created an opportunity for the business to grow online. In addition to that the company aimed to extend its service portfolio through digitalization which will act to the benefit of the Australian Government and other corporate sectors. Finally the company envisaged development by further investments in the growing domestic and international ecommerce ability by developing a low cost but effective parcel delivery model. In addition to this the company aimed at developing its supply chain solutions. Companys Business Strategy: In order to realize the aims of the corporate strategy the company attempts to bring about contemporary and relevant change in the services to meet the demand of its customers. Since the community is shifting away from the letter services at an increased rate, the company finds itself in a critical position.( Larson et al, 2017) With the introduction of the Future Ready strategy the company has been able to retain the customer focus. The Future Ready strategy has been useful for adapting the products for both he physical and digital world, streamlining the operations better connectivity with customers and community.( Barney and Peteraf, 2014), With the launch of its Future Ready business strategy the company was able to gain almost a seventy seven percent customer satisfaction.( Puranam and Vanneste,2016) The company aimed at providing the customers and consumers a twenty four hours access to the services. This was achieved by offering a twenty four hour zone in the new retail supers tores. Strategic Leadership: Listening to people is the key leadership strategy used by the Australia Post. The strategy has been kept responsive and dynamic. Big or medium sized organizations usually go broadcast in their communication.( Strategy, 2015) It is for this reason a more crowd sourcing approach is required by the company. The new leadership strategy of the company comprises of five top priorities. First the company is trying to develop a new value position, by reconsidering the meaning of recruitment. Secondly the company has diverted its effort towards an increased technological advancement including more automation. In addition to these, the Australian Post is trying to change the brand image of the company from an HR organization to a marketing organization. Fourthly the company aims to focus on its onboarding activities.( Peteraf et al, 2014) Finally the organization is trying to get a integrated view of talent. To that end both the talent team and development team s expected to work together. SWOT Analysis of Australian Post: Strengths: The Company delivers on Saturdays. The company has diverse a portfolio of parcels, mails, money and insurance. It is a self funded government business enterprise. The services provided by the company include postal services, digital services, retails, express posts, logistics and printing services. The company employs more than 30000 odd employees. (Sirn et al,2014) Weakness: The Company has a less international presence compared to its competitors. The company is taking time to switch to new solutions. Opportunities: Since its prime competitor FedEx is currently focusing attention in the international market, the company has the opportunity to make a strong domestic presence. The company must focus on the global market, mergers and acquisitions. Threats: Australian post is threatened by a loss of cash flow. The threat from competitors is increasing since they are acquiring other businesses in this industry.( Effelsberg et al,2014) For example the acquisition of Toll Holding by Japan Post. There is a threat from the stiff competition since competitors are giving services at reduced price rates. Current Position of Company: Recently, the Australian Post has announced the launch of developed Digital Id technology across various companies and government departments. (Bull et al, 2016)Andrew Walduck, Australian Post Executive General Manager said that this facility will help customers to access important services online. The Digital ID will assist customers to open a bank account or to request a service. Many of the traditional post offices of the company have been digitized to enable customers to get access to the services anytime from anywhere.( Niederwieser et al,2016) Irrespective of the devices used by the customer, the companys digital development empowers the customers to manage their delivery and transaction with greater control, ease and security.( Chen et al, 2014) With developed android application the company has made a benefit of a 23% rise in the digital product revenue, 38 percent increase in online mail and 39 percent growth in the online shops. (Rakodi, 2014). Conclusion Future of the Company: Australia Post still has a future even if traditional letter delivery service may end up on beaten tracks. The company still has an edge over the competitors since the service it provides in the rural and communities cannot be taken over by its competitors, Apart from delivering letters, the company has a diverse portfolio which includes items important for trade and communication. It is possibly the only provider of these services in the regional areas. However the company must indulge in more digitization and technological development in order to deal with the threats posed by its competitors References: Anvari, B., Bell, M.G., Sivakumar, A. and Ochieng, W.Y., 2015. Modelling shared space users via rule-based social force model.Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies,51, pp.83-103. Barkauskas, V., Barkauskien?, K. and Jasinskas, E., 2015. Analysis of macro environmental factors influencing the development of rural tourism: Lithuanian case.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,213, pp.167-172. Barney, J.B. and Peteraf, M.A., 2014. Comment on Hashai and Buckley: Transactions costs, capabilities, and corporate advantage considerations in theories of the multinational enterprise.Global Strategy Journal,4(1), pp.70-73. Budzianowski, W.M., 2017. High-value low-volume bioproducts coupled to bioenergies with potential to enhance business development of sustainable biorefineries.Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,70, pp.793-804. Bull, J.W., Jobstvogt, N., Bhnke-Henrichs, A., Mascarenhas, A., Sitas, N., Baulcomb, C., Lambini, C.K., Rawlins, M., Baral, H., Zhringer, J. and Carter-Silk, E., 2016. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats: A SWOT analysis of the ecosystem services framework.Ecosystem services,17, pp.99-111. Cant, M.C. and Wiid, J.A., 2013. Establishing the challenges affecting South African SMEs.The International Business Economics Research Journal (Online),12(6), p.707. Chen, W.M., Kim, H. and Yamaguchi, H., 2014. Renewable energy in eastern Asia: Renewable energy policy review and comparative SWOT analysis for promoting renewable energy in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.Energy Policy,74, pp.319-329. Chen, Y., Wang, Y., Nevo, S., Jin, J., Wang, L. and Chow, W.S., 2014. IT capability and organizational performance: the roles of business process agility and environmental factors.European Journal of Information Systems,23(3), pp.326-342. Effelsberg, D., Solga, M. and Gurt, J., 2014. Transformational leadership and followers unethical behavior for the benefit of the company: A two-study investigation.Journal of Business Ethics,120(1), pp.81-93. Grinblatt, M. and Titman, S., 2016.Financial markets corporate strategy. Hollensen, S., 2015.Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Hoogendoorn, B., 2016. The prevalence and determinants of social entrepreneurship at the macro level.Journal of Small Business Management,54(S1), pp.278-296. Jin, J., Ji, P. and Gu, R., 2016. 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Mapping Migrations Essays (904 words) - Diving Ducks, Aythya

Mapping Migrations Mapping migrations By Candace Savage Sometime this winter, waterfowl experts from across Canada will gather for their annual wing bee. Their task will be to sort through a small mountain of duck wings obtained from a randomly selected group of hunters, and assign the wings to piles by species, age and sex. Together with statistics from similar shindigs held in the United States, this information will provide a picture of the year's kill and will also offer hints about the ups and downs of duck populations. That may seem like a lot to learn from a heap of dried-up remains but, to Len Wassenaar of the National Water Research Institute in Saskatoon, a room full of duck wings is like an archive that can be studied for clues about each bird's life history and movements. Wassenaar and his colleague Keith Hobson of the Canadian Wildlife Service have developed a technique for reading a feather's chemistry and tracing it onto a map. The story begins with rain, which always contains a minute percentage of heavy water. That's regular H2O burdened with deuterium, a rare isotope of hydrogen. In North America, the amount of deuterium in rainfall is greatest along the Paci?c coast and decreases to the east and south, as weather systems sweep across the continent. Every region has a unique hydrogen isotope signature - a characteristic ratio of ordinary hydrogen to deuterium - imprinted onto the ecosystem, passing from the rain into soil, soil into plants, plants into birds and animals. When the hydrogen is incorporated into hard tissues, it provides a lasting clue to where those tissues were made. Last year, Wassenaar and Hobson used this fact to resolve a mystery that has troubled researchers for decades. Since the mid-1970s, we've known that monarch butterflies congregate for the winter in a dozen remote locations in central Mexico. Several hundred million monarchs from Eastern Canada and the U.S. settle onto the hillsides in orange drifts. But once the insects have landed, they all look the same to us, and we have no way of knowing their precise origins. Which ones came from Ontario? Which from Ohio? If one of the wintering sites were logged, how would this affect the breeding stock? The tried-and-true technique of tagging, which has taught us so much about the migratory movement of birds, has been disappointing with monarch migration. Over the past 50 years, hundreds of thousands have been marked with tiny identi?cation stickers, yet fewer than 130 have ever been recovered in Mexico. The tag recoveries are really appalling, Wassenaar laments. The beauty of the new technique is its directness. By gathering dead butterflies from the wintering sites and analyzing them in the lab, Wassenaar and Hobson were able to read each individual's hydrogen signature. This in turn revealed where the butterflies had grown up. As a result, we now know that the monarchs at the winter roosts are of mixed origins (Ontarians and Ohioans crammed in wing by wing) and that most of the overwintering flocks come from the midwestern U.S. The discovery of the midwest's crucial importance in maintaining the breeding stock will provide an added focus for conservationists. Gratified by this success, Wassenaar purrs with confidence. The sky's the limit with this new tool, he says. Rather than spend years on banding projects, with uncertain results, why not head for the isotope lab and an immediate outcome? Certainly, that prospect appeals to Bob Clark, also of the CWS, who has urgent concerns about the welfare of the lesser scaup, a diving duck. (That's scawp, an imitation of the bird's characteristic squawk.) Cute as a rubber ducky with its upturned blue bill, the scaup has traditionally been among the most plentiful of waterfowl, with an estimated population of six million. But its numbers took a downturn in the mid-1980s, a trend that has recently intensified into a seven-year sequence of record lows. Two-and-a-half million birds have vanished. The losses seem to be worst for scaups that nest in the boreal forest of northern Alberta and the southwest Northwest Territories. Is something funny going on in the north woods, as Clark suspects, or does the source of the problem lie farther south, along the birds' migration route or on their wintering grounds