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Georgia-Pacific Corp (G-P), in 1990, launched a successful two-front marketing program to increase sales of its A-C pine plywood. G-P first sent 10,000 promotional pamphlets and samples of its product to lumber and construction materials companies across the US. G-P gave incentives to its sales personnel in the form of merchandise prizes for increases in sales generated. The program increased product volume by 35%.

Mazda Motor of America Inc rewards its parts managers for demonstrating a commitment to genuine Mazda parts by awarding travel and merchandise prizes. Mazda promotes the program to counter tendencies by its dealers to sell cheaper but inferior parts from Brazil and Taiwan. The program encourages managers' commitment to selling genuine Mazda parts by awarding points according to the dollar value of parts sold.

E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company Inc's fiber department has developed a program which enables employees to have a stake in whether the firm achieves profit goals. Put into effect in January 1989, 900 of the department's 20,00 workers decided to make part of their compensation dependent on company profits. Aspects of the program include: it is based on the performances achieved by the department's 25 businesses; every February employees are paid on a sliding percentage scale based on whether the department has achieved its goals; and it includes all employes at all levels. Du Pont utilized an extensive education/communication program to educate employees about profit-sharing, and the firm has realized that other companies that are interested in developing such a program need to make sure it reflects organizational values.

Employee recognition programs, including the use of incentive awards, are effective human relations tools to improve recruiting and retention results, and to increase company productivity, morale, loyalty, and sales motivation. The New York-based NYNEX organization, composed of 12 firms stemming from the AT and T breakup, demonstrates the trend toward upgraded award plans that are more suitable to a changing workforce. NYNEX has developed a Service Recognition Program with several types of employee recognition, including five-year rewards of tasteful gifts created by Tiffany and Co. for NYNEX. The costs of this award winning program, and its benefits, are discussed.