Defining the Humanities Essay

After reading this week’s lecture and my understanding of what humanities are is the study of what people have experienced and how they express this experience. Humanities are how people have interacted throughout their existence and how people interact today. Humanities are the study of the philosophical beliefs of a culture. The philosophical approach to understanding a culture is what separates humanities from science and history. Science and history are exact and rarely are open for debate once it is proven to be fact. Science will set out to prove its point, whatever it may be, through precise calculations. Science also studies theory and probability. Science lacks imagination in their calculations whereas humanities use imagination to understand past culture. Science wants to prove how people came to exist whereas humanities seek to understand why people exist. History is different from humanities because history studies documentation as facts and undisputable regarding what happened. Humanities seek to answer why it happened and to understand it. History was recorded in books in libraries, Humanities are written on walls in caves or in the design contained in buildings. Today cultures express their interests, their experiences, and their values through many forms such as art, music, and movies. Sharing experiences is perhaps the most basic form of explaining who people are. By sharing these experiences in the forms of art, music, and movies, it allows us to share information about us through our creativity. In today’s culture these three forms of expression allow people to show their individuality and to connect with many on different levels. Art takes many forms and is interpreted by an individual differently. Colors and design reflect our feelings. Black and white expresses loneliness and pain whereas bright colors express happine ss. A painting for example, allows an artist to express themselves in a way he or she feels. It is their visualization of their thoughts (Kitchin, 2004). Society looks at the painting and is free to interpret it their way. One person may see happiness whereas another sees sadness. A picture of time square could mean chaos and seem overwhelming to one from a rural area where someone from a city sees everything he or she needs. People continue to express themselves with music. The meanings behind the words of the songs often come from the feelings and the experiences of the author. It is the responsibility of the musician to express those feelings and experiences through sound. Music with soul (Hakes, 2011). Music has been very important to our culture. Think of how important the Beatles were to world or even the Grateful Dead. My personal favorite band is Linkin Park. They are my favorite because I can relate my life to the words of their song. Their music attracts those who appear to be weak or who do not appear to be societies strongest. Their song â€Å"The Little Things Give You Away† was written about Hurricane Katrina. The devastation from Hurricane Katrina was widespread devastation. Their song attempts to reflect through music the pain and suffering affected by it. Movies are much like music however instead of only simply able to hear words and visualize it; the movies create the visualization for the person. Movies use categorization such as romance, action, and drama. Movies based on real life events attempt to capture those events and explain them. Movies can show the romance side of a situation or even the heroics. The recent movie Argo is about the falling of the United States Embassy in Iran, which was overrun. This movie reflects the horror that six members went through while showing the heroics of a CIA member to return the members of the Embassy to the United States. These three forms of expression will continue to exist as time continues. They are acceptable means of expressions and are a very important part of today’s society. All three bring joy to people and if capable a person can express him or herself like none before. References Kitchin, M. (2004). Art and expression. Retrieved from http://www.students.sbc.edu/kitchin04/artandexpression/artandexpression.html Hakes, T. (2011, March 11). Music as expression vs. music as entertainment. Retrieved from

Training and Development Program for Bass Pro

Training and Development program for Bass Pro Shops Top Managers Training and Development Final paper Bass Pro Shop Company Overview Bass Pro Shop (Outdoor World) is a private retailer known of selling hunting, fishing and camping gear related to all outdoor and recreational activities that started in Missouri in 1972. By 1974, Bass Pro Shops became very popular and its first catalog first was mailed out. Soon, it became the world's largest mail order sporting goods store. Around 1995, Bass Pro Shops Sportsman's Warehouse opened in Atlanta, Georgia, its first store outside the state of Missouri.Today, Bass Pro Shops became one of America’s premier outdoor retail leaders serving over 75 million sportsmen. Bass Pro Shops have over 39 stores within the US and have several other stores that do not fall under the Outdoor World flagship brand The article we will be analyzing for this paper is called, Bass Pro Failed to Hire Blacks and Hispanics at its Stores Nationwide, EEOC Says in Suit. The article was press released on September 21, 2011 by The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World is being accused in a nationwide federal lawsuit of discriminating against qualified black and Hispanic employees and applicants since 2005 (EEOC, 2011). Bass Pro Shops is additionally being accused of retaliation against employees who were against the discriminatory practices, firing them or forcing them to quit their jobs. They also destroyed or did not save documents associated to internal discrimination complaints that made racially derogatory remarks about minority employees and employment applications.In the lawsuit it cited examples from Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Indiana showing a national pattern of discrimination. Analysis of the EEOC Article This topic and article was chosen by our team from the EEOC website for the following reasons: 1) It is a credited article 2) It includes the findings and the fact based upon the EEOC filled t he lawsuits against Bass Pro 3) It is well written, accurate, verifiable, clear and concise 4) Broad in its coverage: (a) It addresses the main aspects of the topic; and b) It stays focused on the topic without going into unnecessary detail 5) Neutral: it represents viewpoints fairly and without bias, giving due weight to each. 6) It is very detailed in the findings and investigation processes. 7) It provides information and help for those who have been discriminated against and never dared to file a lawsuit or complain. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is a federal agency charged with enforcing antidiscrimination laws in employment.The EEOC found evidence of nationwide discrimination by Brass Pro under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, â€Å"which prohibits discrimination based on race and national origin, and prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who complain about employment discrimination and requires them to keep certain employment recordsà ¢â‚¬ . (EEOC, 2012) Bass Pro is been held responsible for consistently denying jobs to qualified minorities based on their race (African-American), ethnicity (Hispanic or Latino) or national origin not their skills, knowledge, abilities or work experience.The EEOC did an investigation and found statistical evidence based on the number of minority employees working nationwide for this employer that Bass Pro has engaged in discriminatory hiring procedures. The underrepresentation of minority employees and applicants was so noticeable that the possibility that it could happen without discrimination is extremely small. The EEOC found plenty of data to accuse Bass Pro with a national pattern of discrimination. In the lawsuit there were a number of examples of racially derogatory remarks made by management at different Bass Pro stores.Some of the examples are the following: â€Å"it is getting a little dark in here, you need to hire some white people†, â€Å"Hispanics are wetback s†, â€Å"Hispanics should be shot at the boarder by the Border Patrol†, â€Å"hiring black candidates did not fit the corporate profile. † (Samuel, Post, 2011) The EEOC also specified in the lawsuit that Bass Pro did not offer any evidence that the company is using fair hiring practices. On the EEOC website you can find what is considered Race/Color Discrimination and Harassment.The EEOC considers harassment to include, â€Å"racial slurs, offensive or derogatory remarks about a person’s race or color. Harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision such as the victim being fired or demoted † (EEOC, 2011). The reason Bass Pro is being sued by the EEOC is because they believe they have a case against them based on the evidence and data they collected throughout the investigation. Needs Assessment Organizational Analysis:The top manager s of Bass Pro Shops are reluctant to apply diversity practices on their recruitment processes, which has significantly damage their reputation and organizational climate. The successful implementation of a training and development method focused on promoting diversity will attract more customers and skilled employees to Bass pro shops stores. Thus, improving the reputation of the company in both employees and customers. The lawsuits derived from their discrimination practices has already damage Bass Pro’s reputation and might jeopardize their cost structure.Thus, the implementation of a diversity training method is a good strategy to change the top managers mindset and promote the benefits of having a diverse workforce across the organization. Person Analysis: The top managers of bass pro shops need to be trained to understand the importance of having diverse workforce across the organization. This means, that trainers should ensure that the managers are committed with the tr aining before the implementation of the program.According to (Brighthub, 2011) it is essential for managers to understand the problem they are involved in and be mentally committed to change their mindset regarding discrimination acts. On the other hand, the managers of Bass pro shops have sufficient technical skills that allow them to utilize technological equipment and understand software solutions that the training program might contain. Task Analysis: The task analysis would be focused on the top manager’s job. The activities that the program contain involve the interaction of top managers with non-white employees.The main objective of the interactive activities is to break up with the existing bias that top managers have of non-white employees. Thus, the creation of activities that require the collaboration of both managers and employees will improve the knowledge and skills that top managers require to get along with non-white employees. Recommendation: According the in formation stated in the article, Bass pro shops have four main issues that we as consultants are trying to address by the implementation of a training and development program for the top managers of the organization.The four main issues include, the misconception of the basic assumption, which is the organization necessity to hire only white people in order to maintain customers satisfaction; the legal implications derived from their discriminatory practices against afro-American and Hispanic people in their hiring policies; the potential high costs of losing the case and the bad reputation the organization might build with these discriminatory practices. According to (Noe, 2010), There are six stages that the training and development method should accomplish in order to positively impact the main issues that the organization is facing.These include: Ensuring Managers’ Readiness for Training & Creating a Learning Environment in an open dialog with diversity counselors. This i s very important because managers can get feedback regarding their performances. That way, the manager can evaluate the employees perspectives regarding his/her own diversity practices. According to (PACT Training, 2006) The development plan of a succesful training and development program should always start with the definition of the learning outcomes. There are two learning outcomes of the training and development plan for Bass Pro Shops.The first learning outcome is to increase the knowledge of top managers about discrimination acts, and the seccond learning outcome is to build in top managers, skills and behaviors that enables them to effectively apply diversity practices. If managers successfuly learn how to apply these two expected outcomes, there must be a decrease in the number of complaints and litigations against the Bass pro shops. Thus, reducing the potential costs derived from lawsuits and improving their public image. A Cost-benefit analysis will also be a part of the developing plan.Costs such as the purchase of the training program, learning materials, equipments, facilities, and the salary of trainers will be included in the analysis. Some of the specific benefits that the program will pursue include: improvement of managers performance derived from diversity practices, increase of the number of customers, increasing sales of products, and cost saving derived from a decrease in lawsuit payments. Selecting Training Method The training program has to be in adherence to the legislation.Bass Pro Shops need a training program that helps its managers to understand when their behaviors violate the equal employment opportunity laws. Some of the strategies used to enforce this knowledge include: †¢ Encourage managers to learn about Title VII online. Managers can the web to self-train their knowledge about laws. When the self-training is finished, use evaluation test such as online tests or paper-based tests to evaluate the learning outcomes. †¢ Use case studies (Noe, 2010), to encourage anagers to understand the legislation. Managers might find in case studies, a more practical exercise to learn about behaviors that may violate the law. †¢ Incorporate diversity-related news items into the content of the program (PACT Training, 2006). For example, the article mentioned that Abercrombie & Finch had to paid over $50 million dollars to settle employment discrimination suits in 2004. This type of news might increase the awareness of top managers about the implications of engaging in discriminatory practices. Conduct adventure learning activities that encourage the interaction of top managers with non-white employees (Noe, 2010). These type of activities promote trust between the two groups, which allows top managers to deeply observe the characteristics of non-white employees. Thus, improving the managers ability to hire based on skills qualifications rather than hiring based on a specific race. Monitoring and evaluatin g the program There are different techniques that Bass pro Shops can use to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the training program.Bass Pro Shops can use test methods to evaluate the impact of the training. These test can be conducted online and paper-based, and they will be focused in measuring the training outcomes. Some of the tests that Bass pro shop can use to evaluate the training program include: Performance appraisal and pretest/posttest evaluation methods (Noe, 2010). Both of these evaluation methods will strive to evaluate the extent to which the top managers apply diversity practices in the organization, and how the results are aligned to what was taught, practiced and expected.Additionally, they will also measure the extent to which the employees performance has improved as a result of the diversity practices. Bass pro shops can also encourage managers to research about workforce diversity best practices and continuously put new practices into action as a part of the monitoring process of the program. These new practices maximize the skills, satisfaction and retention of the employees as well as promoting a continuous learning environment. References Basspro. com (2012). Retrieval April 3, 2012, from Bassproshop Website: http://www. basspro. com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPageC? storeId=10151&ca

Management Innovation and New Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Innovation and New Technology - Essay Example However, modern theories are moving away from this inventor mythology to more holistic approaches that are often based on complete processes and this has led to successful commercialization of new products and processes. An individual can confidently state that product innovation is a complex process rather than a one-day event. This means that there is a lot that is involved in product innovation. A number of insights are evident in the product innovation complexity. To begin with innovation starts and ends with invention (Wield & Rhode, 82). Invention refers to the discovery of new and intelligent ideas and artefacts. Despite the fact, that creating new idea is the baseline of innovation, it is noteworthy that the idea must be sorted out as to whether it is workable and or applicable into the societal context. In other words, innovation takes into consideration adapting the newly found ideas into practical productive application in particular work processes or product markets of a particular firm. The applications should not only be to specific firms but also to the entire economy and into the society. This proposition can be justified by the fact that despite Spencer Silvers discovering the Post-it brand adhesive before 1970 this noble invention was only commercialised in 1978 after the company (3M) had ignored for that long owing to lack of practical applicability (Ketteringham & Nayak 427). Silver’s moment of discovering the Post-it brand adhesive began in 3M’s Central Research Laboratories under program dubbed â€Å"Polymers for Adhesives† in 1964. It is unfortunate that despite the fact that silver came up with unique form of adhesive his new idea could not be taken seriously by the management because Silver could not find a problem to apply this great idea. It was until Arthur Fry a 3M chemist, a choir director and an amateur mechanic found a problem to Silver’s idea when he came up with the paper to paper application of the adhesive. According to Wield & Rhode (84), the complexity of product innovation can be understood by withdrawing the assumption that innovation takes a â€Å"linear flow†. It is noteworthy that successful innovation has no straight line considering that it does not spring from scientific invention all the way to develop a competitive edge. The nature of the link between a scientific invention and the technological development is in itself very complex and because of this reason, the link has often been confusing. Individuals need to understand that scientific invention benefits a lot from technological development in a number of ways that include but not limited to transfer of knowledge, network of profession, skills and instruments. In the case of 3M, it is evident that the company boasts of a poll of skilled scientists that range from chemists and engineers who worked tirelessly in 3M’s Central Research Laboratories to come up with new inventions. The idea that led i nto development of one of the best selling product of 3M named Post-it Note Pad resulted from a series of technological developments that took approximately 10 years (Ketteringham & Nayak 425). Successful product innovation is also a matter of interaction between a number of factors within and outside the organization (Wield & Rhode, 84). Studies indicate that those factors that key determinant to the commercial success of a product are found outside the areas which are commonly associated with the with the

SZT Task 4 Disaster in Franklin County Research Paper

SZT Task 4 Disaster in Franklin County - Research Paper Example This was significant because they had to be coordinated and encouraging to tackle all cultural, social, health and material issues emerging in the community every now and then. The health workers in the local vicinity synchronized transportation, communal services, public utilities, unpaid helpers, salvage works as well as support from outside members. The public health nurse had roles to play too. They were to communicate efficiently working in partnership with the whole of health units and other groups so as, to systematize resources that were essential throughout the disaster. In the simulation, they went door to door carrying out interviews of the community members. From these interviews, it was possible to obtain safety status as well as the health of the community. During the disaster, there are several people who also participated in ensuring that the rescue mission was success. For instance, the incident commander on the ground ensured that all the nurses were posted in the r ight position. At the same time, they saw to it that the head count of all the victims were in order. The logistic chief also played a part during the disaster. It was his mandate to ensure that all the required materials and machinery were in order. This step was taken to determine the availability of food, shelter and medicine for the victims. The financial chief on the ground made things easy for the victims and doctors in ensuring that he okayed the government ad the banks to avail money that was needed to be used. The public health director of the region was the overall overseer of the entire rescue mission. He authorized everything that took place during the rescue. In order to react well to a disaster, an effectual succession of command is necessary. It is there to facilitate knowledge and coordination of groups of people as well as individuals caught up in the emigration and relief efforts. In the simulation, the chain of commands offered

Culture and development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Culture and development - Essay Example The convention for the protection and promotion of cultural expression diversity established one of the best foundations that acknowledge the importance of cultural expressions. It sought to promote cultural expressions diversity and provide distinctive nature of cultural activities.2 I find this essential in promoting principles of equitable access, sustainable development, and balance. I also think that the convention established the grounds for harmonious coexistence of all people regardless of color or race since it respects the existence of differences in cultural activities. The article on Millennium Development Goals, MDG, is correct, with regard to my assessment, on most of the arguments put forward. For instance, mental health has been ignored when setting up health related goals.3 According to my view, the claim that mental health controls the overall person’s performance is correct since the brain controls a person’s activities. For the millennium goals to be achieved, mental health must be in the agenda although it is challenging due to the ambitiousness of the MDGs. On a personal view, the MDG might take very long to accomplish or fail entirely due to the failure of similar previous attempts. The UN declaration of indigenous people’s rights, in my viewpoint, is out of order in some clauses. This implies that some of its clauses are too assumptive. For instance, the idea that respecting the culture and knowledge of indigenous people leads to sustainable development is a weak assumption.4 This is because when individuals mix, they pass information and ideas that are used in innovating and developing the society. Although, the indigenous ideas could be effective in this quest, new ideas are better. Additionally, the declaration over-emphasizes on the rights of indigenous people implying that the non-indigenous people may not be respected. However, other areas are correct such as the idea that all

The Negligence In Term Of Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Negligence In Term Of Law - Essay Example The above definition has been taken from the case of Ryland. According to the Civil Act 2002 Section 42, the first part of negligence is the duty of care:â€Å"the standard of care required of the defendant is that of a reasonable person in the defendant’s position who was in possession of all the information that the defendant either had or ought reasonably to have had, at the time of the incident out of which the harm arose†   After ascertaining that there was a duty of care, the plaintiff has to prove that there was a breach of such duty, which resulted in an injury to the Plaintiff. In order to establish negligence as a Cause of Action under the law of torts, a plaintiff must prove that the defendant had a duty to the plaintiff, the defendant breached that duty by failing to conform to the required standard of conduct, the defendant's negligent conduct was the cause of the harm to the plaintiff, and the plaintiff was, in fact, harmed or damaged.The defense of Marv in would be the appropriate precaution of risk, and before concluding that argument let us define and precaution of risk as covered in the Act:â€Å"A person is not negligent in failing to take precautions against a risk of harm unless— (a) The risk was foreseeable (that is, it is a risk of which the person knew or ought to have known); and (b) the risk was not insignificant; and (c) in the circumstances, a reasonable person in the person’s position would have taken those precautions.†... The defence of Marvin would be appropriate precaution of risk, and before concluding that argument let us define and precaution of risk as covered in the Act: â€Å"A person is not negligent in failing to take precautions against a risk of harm unless— (a) the risk was foreseeable (that is, it is a risk of which the person knew or ought to have known); and (b) the risk was not insignificant; and (c) in the circumstances, a reasonable person in the person’s position would have taken those precautions.†4 Marvin has the defence of saying that he took enough precaution against the risk, but the pothole was in such a place that any other person in a similar situation would not have been able to avoid the accident. Along with this fact, the bike did not get damaged and Norton faced injury due to the fact that he had already been injured at the spot where he fell, which resulted in the aggravation of such injury. The right of Marvin is to sue the University of Canberra under the common law principle for not taking enough precaution in order to avoid the pothole where the bike crashed. He can transfer the liability onto the college by arguing on the basis of negligence on the part of college through not maintaining the University campus in the right order. The liability of Marvin is the fact that his actions caused injury to Norton, and on top of that he was drunk while he was riding. He did not take enough care and precaution when he knew while being drunk he should not have ridden the bike. Moving onto Norton, let us first deal with his liability. Norton was the one who introduced Marvin for drinking to drown his sorrows. From this point it can be inferred that he was totally aware of what was

Write a 1.5 page memorandum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Write a 1.5 page memorandum - Essay Example Each author employs, in his own right, extremely ridiculous scenarios and/or ironic character development which ultimately serves to belittle and criticize the society in and about which they were written, in this case early 18th century Britain. In A Modest Proposal, Swift, in order to criticize and make public the English crown’s shameful policy and practices towards Ireland, employs irony. So as to address the rampant and widespread poverty of Ireland, he sagaciously proposes that England ought to begin eating the children of mendicant women so as to alleviate the need to feed them. That is, Swift declares that cannibalism is the answer to solving poverty. â€Å"....[A] young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout† (Swift 1949, p. 883). Swift is counting on the reader to be so disgusted by the idea that he/she will find solace in the criticism he makes of the English landed gentry, which is in fact the true intent of the work. He writes, â€Å"I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they ha ve already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children† (Swift 1949, p. 883). The proposal is ridiculous only to make a point: the aristocrats, having exploited the poor, would not mind also enjoying the â€Å"benefit† of their offspring. In similar fashion, John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera employs satire for the purpose of social criticism. Opera, for the most part, has traditionally been the preserve of the well-to-do. Gay, knowing that his audience would include many members of the upper classes, creates characters and settings which highlight the abject poverty in which much of England’s poor lived. It opens with the narrator, intentionally chosen to be a beggar, stating â€Å"If

Marketing principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing principles - Essay Example Nike's core business is in the research design and marketing on a global scale of shoes, equipment, apparel and related services, with a special focus on athletic apparel as well as athletic footwear. Present in more than 190 nations around the world, Nike utilizes a variety of distribution channels, including the Internet, Nike-owned stores, and retailers, even as the Nike stores are either owned by the company directly or are franchised to others. Aside from athletic gear, Nike is also present in the segment of recreational wear, and there is an overlap in the categories as they pertain to the sale of specialized sports and leisure apparel for different sports, including cricket, American football, wrestling, baseball, lacrosse, walking, golf, activities in the outdoors, volleyball and tennis. It is heavily present too in the major team sports globally, including football,.soccer and basketball. The seven categories around which the Nike business are organized, meanwhile, are as fo llows: Action Sports, Basketball, Nike Sportswear, Soccer, Running, Women's Training and Men's Training. The company has a line of products for children, and its product lines also include other accessories as well as bags. It's IHM subsidiary is a direct to customer distribution channel, and it is via this channel that Nike is able to tap into a network of non-affiliated entities to produce and market goods under the Nike name, including devices, apparel, and software applications together with all sorts of other equipment. The company owns Converse as a wholly-owned subsidiary, through which the company manufactures and markets products under certain key brands, including Chuck Taylor and Jack Purcell. The company also owns the Hurley International, through which it markets apparel as well as accessories for young people and for those engaged in action sports activities. On the other hand, it has disposed of its Cole Haan and Umbro brand, the latter a marketer of soccer-related ap parel, accessories and general merchandise (Google; Reuters). There is no better way to gauge the performance of the company and the overall success of its marketing strategies than to look at how the share price of Nike has fared historically. Looking at the financial performance of the firm in this respect, one sees that the company has done well crafting and executing on its marketing strategies and marketing mixes. The chart below shows that Nike's stock has done well over the past ten years, indicating such success. The stock price chart shows that the company's shares have consistently been on an upward trajectory by way of stock price trends, and generally doubling over the past three to four years on the back of a successful overall business strategy and marketing strategy(Google) : Graph Source: Google II. The 4 Marketing P's as they Apply to Nike The above discussion points us to the various brands, product lines, and product categories or segments where Nike has chosen to compete, and it is clear that the focus on athletic apparel and athletic wear in general is a major company focus that has contributed to much of its success.

Expectations of Current Economy Essay Example for Free

Expectations of Current Economy Essay The U. S. economy in 2013 has a projected growth increased to an annual rate of 2. 5 percent in the first quarter, but not enough to meet the expectations made by the economists (Aljazeera 2013). The reason why all of these projections came to be was because of disappointments that came about; plans did not follow through, or because of accident and uncontrollable events. For example, part of the acceleration in activity reflected farmers filling up silos after a drought in the summer decimated their crops output, but the growth rate was a halfhearted 1. percent (Aljazeera 2013). Because of this event that transpired, the economy did need to compensate in other areas for this event not to be an overall bust. To help with the compensation would be all the other fields of the economy such as the spending of the consumer. The consumer spending, accounting for more than two-thirds of US economic activity, increased at a 3. 2 percent. It grew at a 1. 8 percent rate in the fourth quarter of last year (Aljazeera 2013). However consumer spending was not enough to compensate for other downfalls. Households cut back on saving to fund their purchases after their incomes dropped at a 5. 3 percent rate in the first quarter (Aljazeera 2013). The saving rate fell to 2. 6 percent from 4. 7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012(Aljazeera 2013). But now, based on projections, housing is showing positive signs and can be expected to keep improving over the next year The spending of the government fell to a 4. 1 percent annual rate and most of the increase in the first-quarter spending came from car purchases and outlays for utilities (Aljazeera 2013). But with this good news, the purchase of equipment and software by businesses slowed sharply. But it picked back up at only three percent rate after a brisk 11. 8 percent pace in the fourth quarter (Aljazeera 2013). The forces needed for a quickening US recovery are already in place, but they are going to occur slowly but surely. The balances of items that are or could be affecting the US consumer spending have turned positive (IHS 2012). Also seen is that US businesses are likely to spend and hire more, which means that growth will average around 2% next year (HIS 2012).

Todays Educational System Essay Example for Free

Todays Educational System Essay What is wrong with the education system we follow today in the country? The general education system is focused only on examinations rather than training students for the future and really testing their knowledge. Because of this, students are forced to take tests that show only their retention powers, not their actual capacity or knowledge. So engineers today cannot do actual work in technology and doctors do not go to people who need their services. Is the problem with the system or the approach towards education as a whole? Today, students are completely professionally-oriented and they take examinations for the same rather than to gain knowledge, or do research in the subject. In our colleges, we have infrastructure and good faculty, but there is no motivation to do research. Even in the field of medicine, no one is motivated to do research because everything is so examination and job-oriented. But that is also a requirement of today’s times. Yes, but not at the cost of real learning. India’s education system looks at commercial gains only and students are trained to look at their monetary future. The curriculum is also built around clearing an exam and getting into particular professions. Learning is not a priority. So who is at fault for this mess? Those regulating and those making policies are equally responsible. If the system has deteriorated to this level where learning has been substituted by a race to clear an examination, regulators and policymakers are to blame for not acting on time to correct this anomaly. It’s also not enough to have rules and regulations, it is important how they are implemented. Government bodies are not controlling institutions. That should become a priority. Also, for good institutions that are promoting real learning, there should be no interference. Is the present practice of allowing the private sector indiscriminately into education the right approach? Most educational engineering and medical colleges owned by the government are not equipped in terms of infrastructure and faculty and their quality has been suffering. The better government institutions cannot accommodate the vast number of students who are seeking to get into them. So the need for the private sector comes in. They are filling the gap. But private sector institutions also charge very high fees. Yes, many of the private institutions take advantage of the situation and charge high fees. There are very good students in rural areas but they can’t afford good education today. In some states, the government does regulate fees, including your state (Tamil Nadu). Yes, but instead of concentrating on just the private sector institutions, the government should strengthen and improve the quality of the government educational institutions. Once that is done, quality education will become affordable and everyone would be willing to join them. Now the standard of these institutions, barring a few leading ones, has gone down so much that no one wants to go there. Everyone is going to private sector colleges, even at a much higher cost. â€Å"The combined engineering entrance exams is a good idea. Without it, many rural students will not be able to get in.† What’s the solution? How can we put the system in order? One way to do this is through public-private partnership. It has succeeded in many sectors, so why not in education? The private sector can develop the institutions and provide infrastructure and the government can build the curriculum and run them. In fact, policymakers, professionals and the public should come together with an aim to build good educational institutions. It is good to have as many universities as possible, because many students do not get an opportunity to get into good colleges. But the government should have a strict control on every aspect, like infrastructure, faculty, facilities and curriculum, right from the time they are set up. There should be a periodic accreditation system where once every two years institutions seek accreditation and the regulatory bodies check if all norms are being followed, for it’s often seen that once a sanction comes through, institutions openly flout norms. Corruption is rampant at institutions as well as regulatory bodies. Yes, and seats are today sold for a lot of money. This is because private institutions spend a lot of money to set up infrastructure and they try to get that back in any way—scrupulous and unscrupulous. This is something that needs to be totally weeded out. There is a big debate on the combined engineering examinations. Is that a healthy idea? It is a good proposal and should be extended to the medical colleges too. Without the entrance exams, many rural students cannot get in because those from the big cities have the advantage of coaching and scoring high marks. With a common exam, everyone will be on an equal footing. Your institution, Aravind Eye Care Group, has set examples of fair play and stands out in this system with values and principles. How do you continue to do that? We have set our own standards and we select purely on merit. Our tuition fees are not enhanced to suit our needs and we provide value-based education. We ensure that adequate facilities like infrastructure and faculty are available before we start a course. We cannot forget that students sacrifice a lot to come to learn. And we do periodic evaluation. Is there anything you want to tell today’s students? They must remember that college education is the basic foundation. It’s the only place they will get to learn. Once they are outside, they will have to practise what they learnt herethey will not get a chance to learn outside. So they should seize the opportunity, make the most of it.

Strategic Analysis of Nestle

Strategic Analysis of Nestle Background of the company: Nestlà © with headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland was founded in 1866 by Henri Nestlà ©. In the beginning, Nestlà © Company specializes in selling infant milk; which provide alternative for mothers who could not breast feed their infant or infants who were unable to tolerate their mother milk (Nestle.com). His product became a success, and it created a demand throughout Europe. As Nestlà ©s popularity grew more businesses wanted to merge and become partners with Henri Nestlà ©s business. From 1866 to 1947 the Nestlà © Company had gone through several name changes. In 1905, Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co. and Farine Lactee Henri Nestlà © merged, and the companys name became Nestlà © Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co. Then in 1929, Peter-Cailler-Kohler Chocolates Suisses S.A. merged with the company. The name was then changed to Nestlà © Anglo-Swiss Holding Co. Ltd, on November 27, 1936. In December 1947, Co. acquired all the shares capital of the Alimentana S.A. Company in exchan ge for fifteen Nestlà © shares and fifteen Unilac shares for each of Alimentana S.A. share, so this point the name was at Nestlà © Alimentana S.A. And then finally, the last name change that the company would endure was in 1977, where it adopted the name Nestlà © SA (Mergent Online). Along the way Nestlà ©s company remain successful, which allowed them expand to new region and territories throughout the world, making them the worlds biggest food and beverage company. Nestlà ©s headquarters are located in Vevey, Switzerland, but the Nestlà © Company has factories or operation in almost ever country in the world. In addition, to the increase in the size of the Nestlà © Company; Nestlà © also has increased the variety in the different products they offer. In Nestlà ©s business strategy they encourage product growth through innovation and renovation (Nestle.com). This strategy has allowed Nestlà © to develop many different products in the various fields: baby foods, dairy prod ucts, breakfast cereals, ice creams, chocolates and confectionery, prepared foods, beverages, food services, bottled water, and pet care. Introduction of the Company: Nestlà © is the worlds leading food company. Since it was set up by Henri Nestlà © to provide an infant food product, it has been associated with providing high quality, customer and consumer focused products. In recent years it has focused on becoming a nutrition, health and wellness company. Wellness is about supporting people to live more healthy lives e.g. through the development of probity yoghurts that help maintain the balance of the digestive system. The company is a world leader in research and development, and Nestlà ©s scientists work in all areas to create healthier and more nutritious foods. Brief History: In 1866 Henri Nestlà ©, a pharmacist, developed a food for babies who were unable to breastfeed. His first Success was a premature infant who could not tolerate his mothers milk or any of the usual substitutes. People quickly recognized the value of the new product, after Nestlà ©s new formula saved the childs life, and soon, Farine Lactà ©e Henri Nestlà © was being sold in much of Europe. In 1905 Nestlà © merged with the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company. By the early 1900s, the Company was operating factories in the United States, Britain, Germany and Spain. World War I created new demand for dairy products in the form of government contracts. By the end of the war, Nestlà ©s Production had more than doubled. After the war Government contracts dried up and consumers switched back to fresh milk. However, Nestlà ©s management responded by streamlining operations and reducing debt. The 1920s saw Nestlà ©s First expansion into new products, with chocolate the Companys second m ost important activity. Nestle felt the effects of World War II immediately. Profits dropped from $20 million in 1938 to $6 million in 1939. Factories were established in developing countries, particularly Latin America. Ironically, the war Helped with the introduction of the Companys newest product, Nescafe, which was a staple drink of the Nestlà ©s production and sales rose in the wartime economy. The end of World War II was the beginning of a dynamic phase for Nestlà ©. Growth accelerated and Companies were acquired. Nestlà ©s growth in the developing world partially offset a slowdown in the Companys traditional markets. Nestlà © made its second venture outside the food industry by acquiring Alcon Laboratories Inc. Nestlà © divested a number of businesses1980 / 1984. In 1984, Nestlà ©s improved bottom line allowed the Company to launch a new round of acquisitions, the most important being American food giant Carnation. The first half of the 1990s proved to be favorable for Nestlà ©: trade barriers crumbled and world markets Developed into more or less integrated trading areas. Since 1996, there have been acquisitions including San Pellegrino in 1997, Spillers Pet foods in 1998, and Ralston Purina in 2002. In July of 2002, there were two major Acquisitions in North America, Nestlà © merged its U.S. ice cream business into Dreyers, and in August, a USD 2.6bn acquisition was announced of Chef America, Inc. In the later year, Nestlà © also focus their diversification in the ice cream market. The beginning of this interest shows in the year 2003 when the company decided to acquire Movenpick Ice Cream. Then, in 2005 and 2006, Nestlà © bought 2 huge ice cream companies, Delta Ice Cream and Dreyers; making them the worlds biggest ice cream maker with a market share of 17.5%. These decisions further enhance Nestlà ©s position as one of the world market leader in this product category. In 2007, Nestlà © Company made a related acquisition and strategic alliance to improve the overall performance of the company. The first one is their acquisition of Gerber Products from Novartis AG. Although Nestle has a strong position and market power in baby food market in emerging countries, such as China and India, they do not have the same strong position in baby food market in the US. Acquiring Gerber product, which has around 80% market share in baby food in US market, allows Nestle to grab the market easier. Today, it is an international conglomerate operating as a food manufacturer with nearly 500 factories around the globe. With a presence in almost every country, Nestlà © employs some 230,000 people of more than 100 nationalities and of many creeds. It claims to be the leading food manufacturer and major purchaser of agricultural raw materials for over 130 years. It produces too many brands too count with some of the most popular appearing in various markets; coffee, bottle water, ice cream, infant nutrition and pet-care. Accusative of SCM in Nestlà © To actively contribute as the first association in an incorporated supply chain approach with the accusative of: Increasing supplier relationships which highlight value and thereby surpass the traditional notion of price; Serving a affirmable, quantifiable, competitive advantage for Nestlà © while concentrating expertise and ensuring both quality supply and full satisfaction to all internal clients; Satisfying the companys supplies for materials, goods and services delivered in full, on time and efficiently; Contributing to the growth and profitability of the company, while seeking continuous improvement in the benefits provided by suppliers through reducing lead time reduction or flexibility in supplies; Nurturing competition between suppliers; Constantly monitoring the performance, dependability and feasibility of suppliers. Scope of SCM in Nestle The Scope of Nestle is to cover all Nestlà ©s spent with third parties logistics excluding trade spend. And to act with the knowledge source on all matters pertaining to the procurement of materials, services and supplies. Two primary supply chain functions that encompass strategic and operational activities are used in Nestlà ©: Logistics Buyers: As Nestle came in Pakistan in 1988 and they are the market leaders in the dairy products. As nestle Pakistan is already in the business of dairy so Nestle bargaining power of supplier would be very moderate and performing its strategic activities such as market research or analysis, supplier profiling and selection, negotiation, Nestle and contract management, in collaboration with other professionals. And buys can remain within their functional area, as long as there is a line of responsibility to the relevant Head of supply chain. This will ensure that they are informed of and contribute to purchasing strategies, training, budgets, etc.Thus, at the raw materials stage, Nestle supports sustainable agricultural and dairy farming practices, including environmental protection. Logistics Buyers are responsible for the following; Expansion of reliable suppliers; Strength of understanding and subsequent implementation of Nestlà ©s strategies and tactics; Price and total cost management of materials, goods and services purchased, including involvement in the determination of physical stock objectives; Establishing and managing contracts and frame agreements; Helping with new product development; Channelizing suppliers technology and Nestlà ©s for the benefit of Nestlà ©; Safeguarding quality standards; Keeping a market view, product knowledge and, wherever possible, benchmarking competition; Ensuring confidentiality of proprietary know-how belonging to both Nestlà © and suppliers. Functional Buyers: They perform functional activities such as sending purchase orders, call-off against catalogue, etc. When it comes to production, all Nestle factories try to maximize eco-efficiency, i.e. increase production while minimizing Nestle consumption, waste and emissions. PLACE Nestle products placed by different channels to hit the target consumers in Pakistan. Nestle coverage has been quit flexible for intended positioning. Assortments regarding Nestle product is very enthusiastic. Nestle plant locations are positioned in such a manner which makes it accessible either to consumer as well as retailers. Nestle have a completely separate department which is in place to make assure that the inventory remains fresh. Nestle transportation are marked by Nestle brand name and finally Nestle logistics and equipment are installed by the professionals of Motorola to keep track of everything. Global/Zone/Region/Local To meet operational objectives, supply chain is organized geographically or by business through a network of buyers (virtual) on a global/zone/region/local basis. Products are manufactured in five facilities scattered around the Pakistan, from Islamabad in the north, to Karachi in the south. Nestle has two state-of-the-art milk processing plants one in Sheikhupura other in Kabirwala both located agricultural heartland of the Punjab with its head quarter in Lahore, Punjab and the remaining three are dedicated to producing Nestlà ©s trusted brands of bottled water. The aggregation of supply chain up to the highest appropriate level, for any material category or supplier(s) with the purpose of: Shaping and executing a Nestle strategy; Leveraging Nestlà ©s purchasing power; Improved management in the supplier base; STRENGTH According to nestle.com, Nestle is the worlds largest food and beverage company in terms of sales. Due to strong brand name Nestlà ©s product has gained a wide consumer acceptance from all over the Pakistan. The biggest strength, Nestle has is the strong brand name the risk in investing would be reasonable very low and the pledge of getting a viable business, one that has been worked many times before. Nestle has set a complete transparent manufacturing system for customer satisfaction in terms of hygiene. Nestle has strengthen Nestlà ©s product by broad distribution network by increasing the capacity for innovation which lead to an improvement in sale growth. Nestle has organized teams which inspect and observe the accumulation (stock) on daily bases to prevent any damages occurring and also in order to maintain the standard these teams also monitors inventory fresh. Nestle maintain a standard of inventory to avoid any surprise like shortage, weather it is winter or summer no matter what circumstances are. Further strengths are; Strengths: Skilled labor. Educated staff. Large number of offerings. Pre purchase virtual display. Arrangement of events. Good background of the company. Easy to approach outlets. Physical evidence WEAKNESS The main weakness of Nestle product is the lack of an established good standing. Nestle competitors have been around for decades and therefore have a loyal base. Spending millions in a strong brand is no guarantee to wealth. It may the safest way to get into the business, but it is not necessarily the cheapest. Further weakness would be. Weaknesses: Small target market. Lack of awareness among the target market. Dependency on others (govt. sponsors) for the arrangement of events. OPPORTUNITIES The biggest opportunity Nestle would have to consider geographically. Pakistan is situated in an area where summer is the available most of the time. Due to strong brand name in the market Nestle product has a great potential of earning profits. Further opportunities would be. Opportunities: Increasing interest of people Few and weak competitors in some products THREATS The biggest threat to Nestlà ©s product is the fierce competition in the local market. Walls by (Unilever) are one of the biggest names in ice cream which not only distribute their products nationwide but also had a total control on the local market. The second thread that Nestle product will face would be Shezan, Gourmet and many others small bakeries which have their influence on the market. Threats: Major player may enter target market Legal and ethical issues. Market segment growth could attract new entrants. Economic slowdown can reduce demand. To leverage Nestlà ©s supply chain as a strength in a business environment where the impact and importance on many spend categories is increasing, requires that planning and strategy determination, receive as much consideration today as at anytime in the past. It is necessary to understand that supply markets are not and will not always be in surplus or excess, so the assurance of long term competitive supply through sound purchasing planning and strategy implementation is essential for Nestlà ©s growth and profitability objectives. Planning The successful execution of a purchasing strategy demands that the analysis has been performed with: Confidence in the accuracy of the information provided; Clarity in the way the information is presented; Completeness of the information to be considered. As Nestlà © seeks the aggregation of volume to the highest appropriate level, supply chain planning takes on a heightened level of importance because the number of customers/stakeholders and specifications make the planning exercise more complex. Planning must also address the Nestles and expertise that will be needed to implement the chosen purchasing strategy. The trend to outsource (see Subcontracting/Outsource) both the initial conversion of raw materials, the manufacture of certain semi-finished or finished products and some services, requires that the original expertise in purchasing these materials and services is now needed to manage suppliers fulfilling a higher added-value process. In addition, consideration must be given to decide the specific value drivers of the subcontracting initiative for which Nestlà © needs to control either the Nestle or pricing (or both). The realizations of the importance of the Supply chain spend categories will result in supply chain allocating more attention to them. The task of planning a supply chain initiative may well require a different skill set and knowledge base to that traditionally expected of a Strategic Buyer. Strategies The evaluation of different supply chain strategies can only take place once a detailed spends analysis has been completed. Strategic considerations need to focus on the long-term management of the supply base and must take into account: Business sector objectives; Total cost of ownership; Supply market and its evolution; Appropriate purchasing approach (e-Auctions, tenders, negotiations); Value creation opportunities; Realization that while cost containment/ reduction is critical as a tactical move to achieve short term objectives, the strategic emphasis focuses on ensuring that suppliers commit themselves to work with Nestlà © (production capacity reservation, RD investment, technology and process-driven improvements and, where appropriate, the sustainability of the suppliers business); Emphasis on price management through competitive bidding; Key stake holders involvement and their support. The next quantum leap in supply chain benefits and savings will be achieved from purchasing ability to work with suppliers to have fewer and standardized specifications. As citizens of Pakistan, we consider it Nestle duty to make sure that Nestle manufacturing processes are clean, hygienic and safe. We are constantly working to reduce emissions at Nestle factories, reducing and treating wastewater, and making Nestle packaging environmentally friendly. Regular audits have confirmed that Nestle factories environmental management meets the Nestlà © international standard. As is the Nestlà © policy around the world, we care for Nestle people. We uphold the principles of the UN Global Compact and encourage women to participate. Specification rationalization will not only allow higher volume price leverage but also, and more importantly, expose efficiencies throughout the supply chain, resulting in lower costs. Subcontracting/Outsourcing A key strategy in Nestle products and services is Subcontracting (also known as co-manufacturing co-packing or contract- manufacturing contract-packing)/ Outsourcing. The responsibility of subcontracting activities relating to manufacturing rests with Technical and Production. Normally a Strategic Buyer (see definition in Organization and Structure,) will lead this process and manage cross functional teams to safeguard the commercial relationship as well as to ensure optimum terms and conditions for Nestlà ©. Subcontractors and Outsourcing contractors are required to adhere to Nestlà ©s Corporate Business Principles and to this document. Cross-Functional Teamwork Different initiatives with colleagues from various functions within the Technical Division are proof that supply chain must continue to work within and expand the use of cross-functional teams. Managements expectations from supply chain, especially in the categories, will only be achieved by a cross-functional effort. Depending on the scope of the project, such teams may also involve suppliers and third-party expertise. Nestlà © believe and encourages the role of suppliers in improvement, creativity, innovation and the identification of new business proposals, which will enhance and add brand value. Nestlà © always considers suppliers as a vital information source and. As the relationship with supplier progresses, it may well evolve into that of a preferred supplier. Supplier Selection Nestlà © selects suppliers based on the following certain criteria: Suppliers ability to offer a competitive value; Reputation in market, financial position and previous record with Nestlà ©; Ownership, management structure and competence; Innovation, service level and transparency; Corporate social responsibility standards; Ability and willingness to work with our preferred tools, processes and solution providers; Sustainable business practices. Supplier Management To improve and manage the supplier base and reduce transactional expenses, Nestlà © may ask for suppliers to: Offer their products or services via e-Requisitioning (catalogues); Accept payment by credit card; Deliver materials through a vendor managed inventory (VMI) or consignment stock initiative; Work together using e-Supply Chain tools; Other similar consideration. Approval/Accreditation The following elements of the suppliers business environment are considered key evaluation requirements before formal approval is agreed: Management structure and competence; Financial circumstances; Ownership ; Morals and ethical business principles/conduct Competitiveness Price/cost transparency. The suppliers technical competence in the following areas is evaluated if a material, product or service is needed. Capability / Capacity; Process controls; Quality assurance programs (safety and legal compliance, good manufacturing practices); Sustainable environmental practices Research and Development (RD) emphasis. Quality Management For the Nestlà © Group, Quality is the Number One Priority. Throughout the world, over ten million people enjoy Nestlà ©s products each and every day. Nestlà ©s objective of offering consumers high quality nutritional products similarly nestle expect suppliers to assure the quality of the material they supply or the service they give. To attained that particular task suppliers must therefore be fully aware of Nestlà ©s quality and safety standards, understand Nestle quality policy; share the objectives and work jointly to achieve them. In particular they consider their suppliers responsibility to ensure the traceability of all materials used in their own production or process. Nestle believe suppliers superior quality is a competitive advantage and a joint effort by all parties in the value chain is needed Supplier Audit Suppliers of raw and packaging materials must be incorporated into a formal assessment scheme, which covers audits and inspections of their quality records. Formal audits of the suppliers quality assurance system and technical capabilities must be carried out, with focus on the First Priority Level aspects of the Nestlà © Quality System. Suppliers need to be open and responsive to Nestlà ©s requirements and provide all necessary information on the composition and manufacture of their products. This includes information on any additives and processing aids used, allergenic substances (Intended addition, indirect addition by carry-over or possibility of cross-contamination), individual components of packaging materials, or in changes to the manufacturing conditions of the product. Communication Communication in corporate environment is fully integrated and communication is must ensuring that it; Is advised on time of the goals/plans concerning manufacturing/product line/policies and regulation, investments, new or revised specifications, etc.; Has enhanced cooperation and decision-making ability as a result of better, real-time information/data; Can quickly inform organization and business colleagues of unanticipated operating constraints, changing supply market conditions and opportunities, and forecasted cost variances, supply issues (supplies, quality), etc. Purchasing Intranet To share information about market prices, supplier information, and organizations, spends information, templates and best practices nestle Web-based communication tool used internally within the Nestlà ©. It is frequently modified and frequently evolves to meet the needs of Nestlà ©. E-Procurement Nestlà © encourages and promotes the utilization of electronic tools to maximize the value chain to lower price, generate efficiencies, make product availability and improve customer service. Nestlà © believe two dimensions to e-Procurement: Transactional tools i.e. e-Requisitioning (catalogues), e -Sourcing, e-Tenders, electronic ordering and invoicing-Cards; E-Collaborative tools i.e. collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment (CPFR) and VMI using electronic messaging. Supply chain evaluates and promotes the use of e-Procurement tools both within the company and within the supplier base. This is much more a subject of viewpoint (and business excellence) rather than one of technology. Information Systems/Technology Supply chain will be really facilitated by superior IS/IT infrastructure, common business applications and best practices. Visibility of standardized, real-time purchasing data/information will allow aggregated spend category study. This will help identify opportunities and define more effective supply chain strategies with the objective of achieving lower total cost. HR is dedicated to Nestlà ©s employees, and ensures that they have all the right people with the right skills, in the right places at the right time. Understanding that people are the bedrock of all the business strategies, it is Nestlà ©s mandate to enhance their skills with cutting-edge training and provide them with world-standard facilities. Nestle select flexible, innovative people who are ready to confront new challenges and make a difference. Nestlà ©s groundbreaking Management Trainee Program aims to develop talented young men and women and help them achieve their potential in a dynamic and enabling environment. Over a hundred people travel out of the country every year to take advantage of Nestlà ©s international training and development events Following critical areas by which Nestle has achieve its goals in the success of supply chain: Selection The outline of the applicant must correspond to the demands of the post to be filled and corporate values. Additionally selection choice will include strong work ethic, sincerity, technical awareness, entrepreneurial persona, initiative, communication skills, cooperation and result oriented. No favoritism on the basis of origin, ethnic group, religion, race, gender, disability or age will occur during selection. Individuals with high potential will be primary/ priority candidates, in order to upgrade both the position and the function. Skills Skills further than managing transactions and costs are required to meet up the growing complexity and effect of the supply chain management role. Indeed, contributing to results through project work and particular assignments becomes extra frequent, reaching beyond conventional limits to help attain enhanced group performance. For supply chain staff in senior positions, leadership and people management skills such as the ability to motivate and to develop people within a result-oriented rather than a task-oriented organization are mainly important. Training Supply chain management personnel do receive official training as well as coaching by superiors and on-the-job training. Self-studies through e-Learning is promoted whenever likely, as well as participation in specific supply chain programs. Training are to be focused on enhancing specialized and human skills, knowledge and competence for the current position and, where appropriate, for developing and preparing the individual for future challenges. Development Constant communication between the worker and his/her manager is required through constant feedback, objective oriented criticism and formal planning for kaizen continuous improvement. Managers will organize less but place greater emphasis on training and supporting to achieve the required targets. Involvement and Motivation Key elements include in involvement and motivation is the following: Transparent accountabilities and clear definition of jobs; Clear declaration of objectives and performance feedback; Administration recognition to worker; Fair play in reward with other functions; internal career moves within or outside firm must be clearly defined to complement the move towards a flat and flexible structure. In line with Nestlà ©s global commitment, Nestlà © Pakistan is dedicated to playing its role in helping to protect the environment. Nestle comply with the Environmental Act (1997), and try to ensure that at every stage of its operations, the environmental impact is minimal. Nestlà ©s factories are equipped with complete testing and monitoring facilities for waste and air emissions. To eliminate air pollution, they have stopped using heavy fuel oil in factories, which are now run on clean natural gas. This has reduced their emissions into the atmosphere to well below the legal limits In 2006, Nestle has upgraded their wastewater treatment plants in two factories. Thats not all; they are continually reducing on consumption of raw water per ton of production. Irresponsible packaging can have a heavy impact on the environment. To reduce the amount of material used without jeopardizing the safety and quality of Nestlà ©s products, they are always working on new packaging solutions that have minimal weight and volume and can be easily recycled. Natural gas furnaces at Sheikhupura Kabirwala factories are used to safely dispose of material that cannot be recycled dumped. Their factories have environment committees to manage routine environment issues and review performance. Environmental impacts assessment is done in advance for every new project and measures are adopted to minimize adverse impacts on the environment. Raw Materials Nestlà © supports sustainable farming practices that, by meaning, satisfy long-term economic, environmental and social necessities. These points are best to achieved through integrated and advance production methods. The following principles Nestle desires when sourcing raw materials: All raw materials should meet both legal and internal quality standard, including environmental consideration; Whenever possible, preference is given to raw materials that are produced by environmentally sound farming methods (e.g. integrated c

interlopers :: essays research papers

In a forest of mixed growth somewhere on the eastern spurs of the Karpathians, a man stood one winter night watching and listening, as though he waited for some beast of the woods to come within the range of his vision, and, later, of his rifle. But the game for whose presence he kept so keen an outlook was none that figured in the sportsman's calendar as lawful and proper for the chase; Ulrich von Gradwitz patrolled the dark forest in quest of a human enemy. The forest lands of Gradwitz were of wide extent and well stocked with game; the narrow strip of precipitous woodland that lay on its outskirt was not remarkable for the game it harboured or the shooting it afforded, but it was the most jealously guarded of all its owner's territorial possessions. A famous law suit, in the days of his grandfather, had wrested it from the illegal possession of a neighbouring family of petty landowners; the dispossessed party had never acquiesced in the judgment of the Courts, and a long series of poaching affrays and similar scandals had embittered the relationships between the families for three generations. The neighbour feud had grown into a personal one since Ulrich had come to be head of his family; if there was a man in the world whom he detested and wished ill to it was Georg Znaeym, the inheritor of the quarrel and the tireless game-snatcher and raider of the disputed border-forest. The feud might, perhaps, have died down or been compromised i f the personal ill-will of the two men had not stood in the way; as boys they had thirsted for one another's blood, as men each prayed that misfortune might fall on the other, and this wind-scourged winter night Ulrich had banded together his foresters to watch the dark forest, not in quest of four-footed quarry, but to keep a look-out for the prowling thieves whom he suspected of being afoot from across the land boundary. The roebuck, which usually kept in the sheltered hollows during a storm-wind, were running like driven things to-night, and there was movement and unrest among the creatures that were wont to sleep through the dark hours. Assuredly there was a disturbing element in the forest, and Ulrich could guess the quarter from whence it came. < 2 > He strayed away by himself from the watchers

Transformation of Macbeth :: Macbeth essays

Transformation of Macbeth   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the beginning of Shakesphere's, Macbeth, the character, Macbeth is basically an everyday normal type of soldier fighting and killing for his king.   His title at this point is the Thane of Glamis.   Upon having a great day on the battlefield, including killing MacDonwald, Macbeth has no clue as to what is in store for him. When Macbeth and his friend Banquo meet the witches for the first time, they are completely shocked.   While talking with the witches Macbeth and Banquo are told that Macbeth will be named the Thane of Cawdor, and then later king.   They also told Banquo that his children will be kings, but that Banquo would not.   After hearing this Macbeth begins to become ashamed with himself to think that he actually thought about killing the king in order to the throne from Duncan.   At this point he is somewhat confused and maybe more curious than anything.   His thought was not to do anything drastic to become king.   He basically says, whatever happens, happens.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Macbeth arrives home to his wife, Lady Macbeth, she begins to play mind games with him.   She does this by trying to convince him to murder Duncan. She tells him things like â€Å"If you were a real man you'd do it†.   This upsets Macbeth, and he begins to think that he is actually going to do it, and eventually carries it out. What he doesn't realize is that he will later regret his actions, and wish that he could turn back time.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As soon as Macbeth has killed Duncan, he seems to start to lose his mind. He just doesn't know what to do with himself.   In fact, he cannot finish smearing the blood on the chamberlains, lady Macbeth had to.   As time goes by Macbeth begins to think that to keep his name clear he must kill all the people that may pose a threat to him.   Even if it means killing his best friend, Banquo.   Macbeth did this by hiring people to kill him.   They succeeded in killing Banquo but his son Fleance escaped. Although this wasn't the end of Macbeth's killing, for instance he killed one man's(Macduff's) family, which basically didn't make any sense.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After a couple more run ins with the witches, Macbeth completely loses all his ability to think straight and starts killing people just to prevent anyone from finding that he killed Duncan.   Not only has Macbeth lost his mind, so has lady Macbeth.   She is always caught walking in her sleep talking about Duncan's death, and she eventually commits suicide.

Behavioral Learning Theories Applied

Behavioral Learning theories Applied Education is quite the central focus in our current society. As the economy advances, education becomes of greater importance and our student’s future is strongly dependent on their educational opportunities. As many theorists have proven, there is no one way of teaching that targets an entire audience. Instead, every child has their own unique learning style that they respond best to. Any educator that takes on the responsibility of teaching must familiarize themselves with the different approaches so they observe the â€Å"No child left behind† act and fulfill their duty as a teacher. The many different approaches to learning include Behavioral, Social Cognitive, Information Processing, Constructivist, and Brain-based. The behavioral approach is concerned primarily with measureable and observable aspects of human behavior (Good & Brophy, 1990). Behavioral learning theories focus on the ways in which pleasurable or unpleasant consequences of behavior change individuals’ behavior over time and ways in which individual model their behavior on that of others (Slavin 2006). The emphasis is put on responses to experiences, especially reinforcement and punishment, as determinants of learning and behavior. The 4 prominent behaviorist and key players in the development of the behaviorist theory, that I like to relate to, were Watson, Pavlov, Thorndike, and Skinner. Pavlov’s main interest was physiology but it was the Classical Conditioning theory that made him so famous. Classical Conditioning is a learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus. Both Thorndike and Skinner- although differently expressed- delved into the formulation of Operant Conditioning. Operant conditioning is a learning methodology that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. An association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior through operant conditioning. Skinner’s theory of Operant conditioning basically explains how we acquire our range of learned behaviors that we exhibit. If an individual’s behavior is immediately followed by pleasurable consequences, the individual will engage in that behavior more frequently (Slavin, pg. 137). The relationship between the behavior and its consequences is what later a learned behavior becomes. Skinner mentions reinforcement, punishment, extinction and rewards as the mechanisms for his theory. All of these responses have a time and place where its effectiveness is at its peak. Knowing our students, knowing ourselves, knowing the situation, and knowing what we want our outcome to be will help us determine which approach to use. As maintained by the above behaviorists, our behaviors change in accordance to the immediate reaction/consequence. These immediate reactions are the secret weapon that teachers should master for optimal success in the classroom. A teacher can observe and take note of the various responses her students respond best to. A teacher should constantly be asking herself â€Å"What serves as a motivation or reinforcement for this particular student to do well†? â€Å"Does the student utilize the Expectancy Theory†? The theory of motivation is based upon the belief that people’s efforts to achieve depend on their expectations of reward, or do they lean towards achievement motivation; the tendency to strive for success and to choose goal oriented, success/failure activities? There are countless responses that can work to motivate our students. Although some students seem naturally enthusiastic about learning, many need that extra motivational factor to help them with their studies. Psychologists define motivation as an internal process that activates, guides, and maintains behavior over time (Murphy & Alexander, 2000; Pintrich, 2003; Schunk, 2000; Stipek, 2002. ) As a student, I was often motivated to do especially good work when I felt the teacher doubted my capabilities. I practiced the quote â€Å"I do it because I can, I can because I want to, I want to because you said I couldn't†. That really pushed me to do well. It may have been a childish but it worked for me. Personally, I had a hard time doing well under reinforcements be it negative or positive. The lack of consistency and the time lapse between the action and response never worked for me. If I were to utilize a token system or any other system (I. E. praise, charts etc.. ) I would review the pros and cons very carefully. I feel that employing such methods carelessly can produce destructive results. Observing a second grade class, I noticed the teacher exercising very harsh consequences to eliminate behaviors. Indeed, her classroom was always spotless, and quiet. The student did not dare misbehave or not know their work for fear of punishment. Ultimately, these students lived in fear. They disliked the teacher, they disliked learning, and whatever they did learn was just to avoid punishment. Were they motivated to behave? Indeed. They were afraid of the consequences. Was the atmosphere an optimal learning environment? Most definitely not! It was at that point that I understood that employing Behavioral Learning Theories do not always produce favorable results. When I was a short term substitute teacher, I had the opportunity to visit many classrooms over the period of a few months. When I entered the classroom with an air about myself and dressed well, the students automatically received the initial dose of motivation to behave and to please. I then continue to hold their interest by teaching in an unconventional manner or in any way that they are unaccustomed to. Teaching unconventionally is fairly simple in one of the schools I substitute. The simplicity of the teaching style has not changed from 20 years ago. The teachers use the same old text-books, they practice â€Å"one teaching style fit all† methodology, just one teacher for the entire class, etc. When I enter a class, I ask them to rearrange their chairs so they are sitting in a semi-circle or in groups depending on the lesson. As the lesson continues, I try to avoid giving extrinsic motivation unless I feel the absolute need. I try to make the actual lesson the incentive. I praise after inquisitive questions and seem genuinely happy with correct responses. It’s an aura that a teacher needs to create that will infuse a sense of ‘wanting to do well’, most frequently by the desire to please. I have frequently observed many teachers successfully pair less desired behavior with desired behaviors for great results which is referred to as the Premack Principle (Premack, 1965). One incident stands out in my mind when a third grade teacher told a student that if he completes his homework, he will be able to remove his name from the â€Å"completed homework† sign outside the classroom. The teacher explained to me, that this particular student dislikes the fact that his name is up on the board, so she pairs doing homework with the favorable act of removing his name. Having his name on the board was supposed to be a reinforcement for doing homework, however Slavin mentions that if the behavior does not increase or decrease in frequency with the reinforcement than it is not necessarily a reinforcement (Slavin, 143). Behavioral Learning Theories are quite established and they are useful in changing behaviors. It is important to acknowledge however, that the theory has its limitation. Mainly, because of its focus on observable behaviors, other more abstract and conceptual learning remains unspoken. However, Social Learning theory helps bridge the gap between the behavioral and cognitive prospective (Slavin, pg 159). —————————————————————————————————————————— Appendix: 1)Slavin, R. E. (2006). Educational psychology: Theory and practice (8th ed. ). Boston: Pearson. 2)Premack, D. (1965). Reinforcement theory. In D. Levine, Nebraska symposium on motivation. Lincoln: Univeristy of Nebraska Press.

Literary Analysis “The Kiss”

In the story â€Å"The Kiss† by Julia Alvarez, we see a family with four daughters, a father and mother. The father, who is old-fashioned and strict, has his own ideas of what he wants from his daughters. The daughters except for Sofia, the youngest one, have always done what he has asked for. Sofia does not agree with her sisters and she does what she wants. She runs away with a man, a decision her father cannot forgive. Although Sofia tries to reconcile with her father with no luck, she lets her father know that she has her own way of thinking.No matter how much the father tries to change Sofia’s way of seeing life, in the end he could not. Trying to control a person does not guarantee that the other person will always do what we want. The father of this story is a strong man, trying to control his daughters as if they were small kids. Even when they were grown-ups and married, he always tried to control them. â€Å"They would gather together, without husbands, would -be husbands, or bring-home work, the apartment was too small for everyone, the father argued. † (Alvarez 416) His daughters will do anything to please their father. Even after they’d been married and had their own families and often couldn’t make it for other occasions, the four daughters always came home for their father’s birthday. † (Alvarez 416) They were raised in an old fashion way, and they respect their father. â€Å"But standing up to their father was a different matter altogether. Even as grown women, they lowered their voices in their father’s earshot when alluding to their bodies’ pleasure. † (Alvarez 416) Sofia was different she had her own way of living and did not agreed with her father. She ran away from her house and since then her relationship with her father was not good.Her father did not forgive her for what she did. â€Å"And yet, she of all the daughters, did not want to be the absent one because for the first time since she’d run off with her husband six years ago, she and her father were on speaking terms. † (Alvarez 417) Sofia had always lived her life as she wanted. She had many boyfriends; she also dropped out of school. Her father could not accept her way of living. He found out after searching into her letters that Sofia had an active sexual life. For him this was not acceptable. â€Å"After his initial shock, the father regained his own fury.Are you dragging my good name through the dirt? † (Alvarez 418) After six years Sofia’s father still could not forgive her. Sofia tries to reconcile with him by preparing her father’s birthday party at her house. Sofia prepared everything to please her dad. But after everything that she did, he would still not forgive her. Sofia let her dad know that she had her own way of doing things and her own way of thinking, and he could not change that after all. â€Å"After all her had work, she was not to be in cluded in his daughter count. Damn him! She’d take her turn and make him know it was her!Quickly, she swooped into the circle and gave the old man a wet, open-mouthed kiss in his ear. She ran her tongue in the whorls of his ear and nibbled the tip. † (Alvarez 422) Sofia was different from her sisters and her father never accepted it. I think this made her attitude worse, and when she found out that he would never forgive her, she did not care anymore, and let him know that she would never change. David T. Mitchell comments: Throughout the novel, numerous commentators remark on the poor fortune of a family that consists entirely of girls–â€Å"what, four girls and no boys? while each daughter struggles to free herself from the limitations of a communal designation that strips them of their uniqueness and individuality. Because the label â€Å"Garcia Girls† stands in for the plural identities submerged beneath the faceless anonymity of daughters (who, unlik e their male counterparts, do not need to be individuated as distinct human beings) â€Å"The novel's second chapter deals with Sofia, the youngest of the sisters, who leaves home when she gets pregnant on a vacation trip to South America, and then goes to Germany to convince the baby's father to marry her.Although the couple returns to the U. S. with the baby, the result of this stain on the family's honor is almost complete silence: their father does not mention Sofia's name for months, and even after a reconciliation of sorts the two rarely speak. † (Castells)

A Change of Plans

Joey Hildreth Dr. Weston Composition 1 September 12, 2012 A Change of Plans Making a plan to do something is a normal occurrence in human life. People make plans to go see a movie, to go out to dinner, and to hang out with their friends all on a regular basis. Sometimes life can send unexpected events that can change those plans. I am sure this has happened to everyone at least once where things didn’t go exactly the way they had planned. To this day I would consider myself a good driver; however, I recall a driving experience where things did not go quite the way I had planned.I had made plans to go to Cedar Point with a friend, and we were going to meet up with someone we had met the last time we were at Cedar Point. My friend and I had both bought season passes in early June. It was the first summer that I had a car and we figured we could drive to Cedar Point once a month until it closed for the year. We had gone once with my friend’s family in late June, and anothe r time with my parents in late July. In early August we decided that we needed to make another trip up before school started and we would have a schedule to work around.Since there had been no more family trips planned, we were determined to make the drive by ourselves. I must have begged my mom to let me drive without parental supervision at least a thousand times. Only after I had promised her I would be careful, responsible, and follow the speed limit that she even considered it. After that it took many more pleads before she finally gave in. I still remember our conversation when she finally told me we would be allowed to make the trip. â€Å"Fine, but if you want to go you need to have Taylor text me every half hour so I know that you guys are still alright, and you have to call me as soon as you get there.While you’re at Cedar Point, you’ll text me every 2 hours to check in,† she said. â€Å"Alright Mom,† I replied as I hid excitement piling up insi de me. â€Å"I’m not finished yet,† she said and paused for me to pay attention â€Å"and you will leave no later than nine O’clock. If you don’t call or text, you better believe after you get home you won’t have a car either. † Saturday morning I left my house and headed over to Taylor’s to pick him up. It was no surprise to me that I had to wait for him to finish getting ready when I arrived.After the usual groans of â€Å"Come on† and â€Å"You’re a guy, you don’t need make-up, let’s go† we were finally ready to leave. We loaded our things into the car and got ready to take off. I popped in a CD I had burned that consisted of songs I knew well. I pulled out the driveway and drove off down the road; both windows down and the stereo blaring. We were nearing the halfway point when life decided to throw in an unexpected event. I was driving down a country road going 55 when I saw a groundhog crossing the street. He was near the middle of the road when I saw him and I didn’t know what to do.This was no ordinary groundhog, this groundhog was the sizeHe started to run towards the left side of the road, and then he turned around and darted back to my side. I slammed the brakes and swerved to the right. Just before my tires hit the gravel on the side of the road, I felt a slight a bump and heard a deep thud. As I realized I was going to go off-road I quickly turned the wheel to the left to try to correct myself. When I did this, my car fishtailed and threw itself into the ditch. â€Å"Oh my god! Are you alright Tay? † I asked. â€Å"Uh, yeah,† he responded with wide eyes.We both got out of the car to see what the damage was. At first everything seemed fine other than a small crack in my front bumper; until Tay pointed out that I had a flat tire. I called my mom to tell her what happened, and she was not a happy camper. I did not have a spare tire so she told me t hat she would call the American Automobile Association (AAA). Shortly after she called me back and said a tow truck was on the way. Once he arrived he loaded the car onto the tow truck, and I had quite the story to tell him about how life had thrown a change of plans to me.

Pay It Forward Paper

You are thinking that this class Is going to be a waste of time, I know this because I was an DEED-100 student last semester. I also thought that it was a waste of time but the class has actually showed me some great habits for studying and managing time that I will use for the rest of my life. I am an eighteen year old who works at Innards and also has to find time with my friends and family, as well as playing acquitted for the USB team.I thought it would be difficult and a lot f pressure but with DEED-100 1 learned how to manage my time better so I could do great in college, have a job, and do hobbies in the meantime. I came Into college with a high school mentality. I soon figured out a week later that I cannot be In high school any more I have to treat this like it is college, Like It was my future. In high school I went to bed late and would wake up, go to school, and do my homework while my teacher Instructed during class.In college I cannot do that anymore, I have to do my ho mework before class and turn It In right at the beginning of class with most of my professors. I also can no longer study the night before or not study at all. The material is a lot more difficult to where I have to actually study in order to achieve. My mentality had changed when I was introduced to DEED-100. Not only does it teach you better time management but it also helps you with how you are going to take on studying for exams and taking notes in class. Ye noticed that taking notes in college is a lot more complex and different than taking notes in high school. In high school you write down everything the teacher rights down whether you understand it or not. In college the professor throws you bone, (key terms you must know!! ) and It Is your responsibility to write It down, study It, and know It the day of the exam. Managing homework and studying along with a Job and other priorities can be tough but I came up with a system to manage it effectively.My job does a great job at going around my schedule but sometimes it can still be hard. I just look at my work schedule for every week and I write what times I'm going to study before and after work. Then I write down what times I will spend with my friends and family along with doing hobbies such as Judith. This way my time schedule is nice and organized and I don't have to worry whether or not I have enough time. It is following your schedule that is the hardest part I really had to commit to it. Time is money so you might as well manage your time better so you can save more money.This semester I had made a goal for myself, as a new college student I wanted to have at least a B average for my class grades. I knew that It would be a hard task coming In as a freshman barely knowing anything about college and how It was going to be. But now that the snow Is falling and winter break Is coming up and my first master is coming to a completion and I feel pretty confident about that B average habits to the DEED-100 class and its instructor as well as my success as a college student thus far.She was very helpful in all of my learning. Not only my professors are helpful though, there are other resources that have been quite useful for my success so far too. Whenever I am not too sure about a W-130 paper I can always count on the writing lab here on campus to help me out with my grammar and punctuation errors. Or when I am about to have a math exam and I am not too sure on how to graph a polynomial, or factor a quadratic equation, the math lab here on amp's is open almost every day of the week.These resources have guided me to success all semester. If you give DEED-100 a chance like I did you will soon find out that it can aid you in your success as a college student. Not only will you learn to have effective study and note taking skills but your college life will be a lot less stressful and difficult with your time management skills. If taken on correctly DEED-100 will drive you to success. Sin cerely.

Assignment Exploring the Issues Related to the Management

Assignment exploring the issues related to the management of change within clinical practice In this essay I aim firstly to attempt to identify a change in practise I would wish to make and secondly, link this to the theory of change management and leadership management. The vision I would like to implement would be for the Worcester Royal Hospital psychiatric wards to have access to on site gym facilities, and for the psychiatrists to prescribe exercise to all inpatients. Currently exercise is not used widely as an intervention in psychiatric nursing. The Labour government acknowledged that the physical health needs of people with mental health problems had been neglected and that this group need support to access appropriate healthcare and health promotion services (Department of Health, 2009). Over the last ten years there has been progress made regarding the use of exercise in mental health services. In 2004 a research team asked GPs if they would consider prescribing exercise instead of antidepressants for low mood. Only 5% said they would. In a recent follow-up survey in June 2011, the proportion of those willing to prescribe it had risen to 22 %, reflecting a clear shift in attitudes and beliefs (Baker 2001) . However, I personally do not feel this is a large enough rise. From my experience in working in psychiatric wards at this hospital I have observed that exercise is much underused. For example there are no gym facilities and no exercise groups at all. I propose that all psychiatric inpatients should have access to and encouragement to attend physical exercise facilities. This is despite a large body of evidenced based research that has proven exercise can be an intervention to prevent and alleviate mental illnesses. For example, one study of the effects of physical exercise on depression concluded that after sixteen weeks exercise was just as effective as SSRI’s but without any of the side effects. Physical exercise also had the benefit of improving physical health and improving self-esteem through socialising (Craft et al 1997). In order to do this I will need to use change management theory and leadership theory. Change management  is a structured approach to shifting or transitioning  individuals,  teams, and  organizations  from a current state to a desired future state. It is an organizational process aimed at helping employees to accept and embrace changes in their current business environment In order to implement my change there would be a number of things I would need to consider. Firstly, I would need to consider how my change will be implemented. Ackerman (1997) has distinguished between three types of change: developmental, transitional and transformational. I would need to decide which strategy of change would best suit my vision. I feel it would be best to attempt to carry out a planned transitional change. This is an implementation of a known new state; involving the management of the interim transition state over a controlled period of time. My interim transition stage would be the process of building gym and exercise facilities while training staff capable to work in both psychiatric and exercise fields. This stage would also involve negotiating and finding a way around the administrative, health and safety and policy barriers which I estimate would be the biggest difficulty. My known new state would be encouraging psychiatrists to prescribe exercise and encouraging the service users to make use of the exercise facilities during their time as inpatients. I would define my change as episodic rather than continuous. Episodic can be defined as ‘infrequent, discontinuous and intentional’ (Weick and Quinn 1999). Sometimes termed ‘radical’ or ‘second order’ change, episodic change often involves replacement of one strategy or programme with another. However, once my intervention of exercise has been established I plan to make continuous change to it so as to make incremental improvements to ensure it is as an effective intervention as possible. Another, reason why I plan to use Ackmann’s transitional strategy as a basis for my change is because it has its foundations in the work of Lewin who conceptualised change as a three-stage process which I will explore later (Lewin 1951). When planning a change in the NHS such as this it is necessary to look at change theory models. These will be very relevant when implementing my change. The majority of contemporary research originates from the work of social psychologist Kurt Lewin in the mid-twentieth century. Lewin identifies three stages through which change must proceed before any planned change will become embedded in an organisation or system of working. These are unfreezing, movement and refreezing. I will base my change upon this model. Unfreezing is when I as a change agent proposes a plan for change to the team or organisation. During this stage I will attempt to win over team members who are not keen on my change, I will aim to resolve any anxieties or concerns regarding the change. Cummings and McLennan (2005) claim that an essential leadership role is to understand the different perspectives of individuals and stakeholders and to ‘align the changes to be meaningful for them’. During this stage I will attempt to access the relative merits of the forces for against change such as extent of the proposed change, nature and depth of motivation of stakeholders, and the environment in which change will occur. It is necessary for the driving forces for change to exceed the opposing forces for change, this is essential for change to be successful. As part of this stage it is considered necessary to conduct a force field analysis which I include in my appendices. In summary, I had several large forces for change. One being that exercise in alleviating the symptoms of mental health is supported by a large amount of evidence based research. Another large force for change is that people in mental health services suffer far worse physical health problems than members of the general population. I believe that my planned change or intervention will improve the physical health of this group. In my opinion the biggest force for change is that in times where health care cost demands are outpacing any rise in healthcare budgets, exercise is an intervention that can reduce the demands on the budget. After researching the topic I have concluded that the biggest force against this change would be the set up costs in terms of building facilities and training staff. Provision of physical activity also requires trained and qualified personnel; there is no data on availability, skills and training of staff with competence as exercise specialists and the expertise to treat people with a multitude of mental and physical problems as well as the skills to work in psychiatric settings. (Jones et al 2004). Another force against change would be navigating around administrative and policy rules. In the present culture of our society, procedures including health and safety, liability, manual handling and risk assessments may not allow ‘hospitals’ and ‘on site exercise facilities’ to be compatible. However, despite these concerns I believe I would be able to build up a good degree of teamwork within my team as I believe those I would be leading would be enthusiastic and motivated to make this change a reality. I will also conduct a SWOT analysis as part of this stage. This involves thinking about an organisation’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and using the result to identify priorities for action (Ansoff, 1965). SWOT analysis is a ubiquitous feature of business strategy texts and courses. In a survey of 113 UK companies, Glaister and Falshaw (1999) found that SWOT was one of the most widely used strategic planning tools in current use across a range of sectors. The basic theory of using a SWOT analysis is because it helps an organisation to think about the reasons why they may need a change. I have included a SWOT analysis in my appendices. As part of this initial ‘unfreezing’ stage I will need to be able to gain support of the workforce to make my change successfully, I will need to gain and maintain this support through a mixture of good communication, good interpersonal skills and developing a sense of achievement. Scholtes, (1998) in his trust, respect and affection model identifies trust as arising out of the feeling that leaders or managers both care for their staff and are capable of doing the job. At this unfreezing stage it will my job as leader to help those team members who are not keen on the change to resolve their anxieties or concerns so that they become committed team members. Senge in ‘The Fifth Discipline’ (1990) talks of the difference between commitment, enrolment and compliance, suggesting that while it is more pleasant (and reassuring) to have considerable commitment, it is not necessary for everyone to be as fully signed-up as this. There exist a number of positions along a continuum, along which players may position themselves in response to proposed action and change. These are, in reducing order; commitment, enrolment, genuine compliance, formal compliance, grudging compliance, non-compliance and apathy. Senge suggests analysing what level of support is required from each of the players and directing energy to achieve that, rather than at trying to persuade everybody to ‘commit’ The second stage is movement; this is movement towards accepting the change. At this point I will need to formulate a plan of action and implementation. I would use a Gantt chart to effectively communicate my change management plan. A  Gantt chart  is a type of  bar chart  that illustrates a  project schedule. Gantt charts illustrate the start and finish dates of the terminal elements and summary elements of a  project (Gantt 1910). Terminal elements and summary elements comprise the  work breakdown structure  of the project. I would also set up a small project or reference group to help manage the project with me. I will aim to include everybody whom would be affected by the change in the planning. I will set goals and objectives and set target dates and timelines. I will also be available to support others and offer encouragement throughout the change process. I believe that the multidisciplinary team work and layers of management, already established in the NHS will be an important lever to help implement and embed the change. Throughout this process, I will be constantly evaluating the changes and making modifications if necessary. The third and final stage is refreezing. This stage involves supporting others so that the change is sustainable and remains in place to achieve improved outcomes. My role as leader will be to help the continued integration of the change into practice to ensure refreezing-that is, the change becoming part of normal practice; if this does not occur the previous behaviours will occur. There are a wide range of different theories of motivation in business management. These are of importance because the style of management theory adopted could potentially make the process of change a smoother transition. The core models are McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y model, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model, Herzberg’s Motivation – Hygiene theory, Taylor’s scientific model and Mayo’s Human Relation model (Maslow 1970): (Herzberg 1966); (Taylor 1911); (Mayo 1933). Attempting change management under one of the more autocratic management models such as Taylor’s or McGregor’s Theory X model would have very different consequences when compared to Mayo’s or McGregor’s Theory Y model. Under Taylor’s model the workforce may resist change. This is because in such a work environment theory managers will make all of the decisions and simply give orders to the employees below them. In this working environment change would not be a smooth transition as there would be a barrier between management and workers, change occurs smoothly when the workforce work together to lead change. These models would not create motivation amongst the workforce. Alternatively, change may be more successful in an organisation culture based upon Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Maslow 1970). Maslow put forward a theory that there are five levels of human needs which employees need to have fulfilled at work. All of the needs are structured into a hierarchy, and only once a lower level of need has been fully met, would a worker be motivated by the opportunity of having the next need up in the hierarchy satisfied. A business should therefore offer different incentives to workers in order to help them fulfill each need in turn and progress up the hierarchy. Therefore to implement my change and to e successful at doing so this model suggests I should delegate responsibility to employees to ensure they achieve self actualisation in the workplace. This could potentially ensure a smooth transition of change. However, there are problems with looking at management models when implementing changes. Every workplace, particularly the NHS is very complex and has a range of different management styles within each workforce. To state that management should use Maslow’s hierarchy of change to ensure a smooth transition of change is too simplistic. Although in theory it appears to be a solution, in reality there are lots of faults of this model in the workplace place. The theory makes crude assumptions that simply don’t apply to everyone. Most importantly Maslow states people attend to basic needs first and progressively deal with more complex matters until they reach  a point he calls self-actualisation at the top of the  hierarchy’s  pyramid. However in reality not everybody gets that far. This criticism is especially relevant in the practice I wish to change. In the NHS it is widespread knowledge that there are a large number of managerial positions, but to implement my change once exercise facilities are available I would need the support of the nurses and support staff to actualise my change. My point being that not everybody involved in my change would be able to reach self actualisation in their particular job or role. Another criticism of Maslow’s theory which equally applies to all of the theories is that Maslow’s idea belongs to a time and place. Maslow was American and he first suggested the  hierarchy  in the 1940s. It’s highly specific to America’s individualist culture where middle-class people worry about their personal needs rather than any collective needs. This may not be so relevant in a less right ring country with public health care and with a workforce with such diverse ethnicities and cultural heritage as is in the United Kingdom. However, despite the criticisms that are directed at theories of motivation it will be important for me as a leader to have the knowledge regarding how to motivate my workforce. When thinking about how I as a manager would go about implementing this change I feel it is important to consider what type of leader I would be. Leadership will be very important if I am to be able to work with conflicting views to build up trust in the change proposal’s worth and the value of putting effort into my proposed change. House (2004) describes leadership as the ability to motivate and enable other people to achieve the goals of the organisation they work for. There are many different theories of leadership styles, the two main ones being transactional and transformational leadership. Transactional leadership is leadership at its most basic. The followers do what the leader asks of them in return for a reward. The role of the leader in this model is to state what needs to be done and who will do it and then allow them to get the job done, hence it focuses on getting a task done rather than on the person undertaking a task. In nursing this approach was traditionally used in previous years when task allocation was the role of the ward manager when patient care was perhaps less holistic than it is today. When implementing my change I aim to be a transformational leader. This will involve being able to share and communicate my vision of change effectively to others. Transformational leadership theory suggests there needs to be a relationship of trust between the leader and the follower. Bass (1985) suggested four essential components of effective transformational leadership. First, leaders must provide intellectual stimulation, challenging the way things are and encouraging creativity among the team. Second, they must demonstrate individualised consideration and by using good communication skills make followers feel able to share ideas and gain direct recognition for their unique contributions. Third, they need to demonstrate inspirational motivation which enables followers to experience the same passion and motivation as the leader to meet the team goals. Fourth, they need to have idealised influence; that is, they must act as a role model who followers wish to emulate whole taking on the values of the leader. As a leader I will also need to possess emotional intelligence. This refers to the ability of the leader or manager to understand the role that their emotions play in their decision making and the ability to recognise the emotions of the individuals within the team and how this affects the work they do (Goleman, 1996). Goleman’s emotional intelligence framework comprises five elements: self-awareness, motivation, self-regulation, empathy and social skills. Possessing emotional intelligence will be important if I am to be able to work with conflicting views to build up trust in my change proposal’s worth and the value of putting effort into my proposed change. As a leader I will also need to be assertive. This is as opposed to being submissive or aggressive. Assertiveness can be defined as ‘expressing opinions or desires strongly and with confidence so that people take notice’. (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary). Ruiz, M. (2004) The Voice of Knowledge argued that there were four factors involved in being assertive. These were to be impeccable with your word, not to take anything personally, not to make assumptions and for a person always to do their best. In conclusion in order to make my change successful there are many things I will need to do. Firstly, I will need to use theories of motivation to ensure I am able to motivate my workforce so that teamwork will be successful. I will then need to use Levin’s change theory model to ensure that I can gain support from my colleagues and to accurately plan my change. During my freezing, movement and refreezing stages there are lots of qualities I will need to display as a leader. I have identified I would consider it must appropriate to be a transformational leader as identified by Bass (1985). As a leader it would also be vital for me to display emotional intelligence and to be assertive. What I have learned from this module is that the business management theory behind making and implementing a change can be as important as the actual subject of change itself.