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Effective management of people continues to have prominence in ensuring sustained business performance improvement. Therefore, business enterprises are encouraged to pursue management practices that concentrate on the added value which a highly motivated work force may provide to the organization. Such an approach is essential in gaining comparative advantage, especially where the main areas of business hinge almost entirely on the attitudes and approaches to people. This concept applies most forcibly to Barbados and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the region covered by this study. It also focuses on other small island states that concentrate on offering hospitality services and where the emphasis is on giving customers such an uplifting memorable personal experience, that they will seek to become repeat guests and also be encouraged to persuade relatives and friends to share that experience.

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Dr. Hartley Richards is the CEO of Richards Consulting Services, a company based in Barbados, which provides financial, human resource and industrial relations guidance to individuals and businesses mainly in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.He received his Doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Bradford,United Kingdom,2008.

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