Procter & Gamble Global Business Services: A Case Study Essay

A Time to Make a Change at P&G Some of the signs and signals experienced by an organization which indicates that it is time to make a change are: experiencing rapid growth or a decline in growth, a decline in productivity, a decline in resources, stakeholder pressures on management, environmental crises, sociopolitical influences on the organization, environmental turbulence and changes to customer expectations and behavior. The highly competitive global marketplace where Procter & Gamble operates is forcing the company to continuously do more with less. Advancements in technology, the pace of competition, globalization, the need to control cost and the increased efficiency coupled with the increasing customer expectations mean that the organization has to evolve and regenerate in order to survive. This is all the more important because if business has to know anything about the future, it is that it will be different from the present. Whatever is, will change. There’s no way to avoid it. But it can be managed. The inevitable changes in the organization will take P&G to a higher level, and will bring them to new avenues opened up for growth, in the face of the increasingly boundless global market that the nature of the consumer goods business is mercilessly made to put up with. Communicating Change to Employees Within the popular management literature, John Kotter (1996) has put forward an eight-stage model on how to successfully manage change. This is very applicable to the situation in P&G and comprises of: (1) communicating a sense of urgency; (2) creating a vision; (3) communicating the vision; (4) forming a powerful coalition; (5) empowering others to act; (6) planning short-term wins; (7) consolidating change and (8) institutionalizing new approaches. He argues that change leaders should communicate their vision in many different forums over and over again if they wish to develop an effective implementation strategy. The question of what to communicate should be all information that interrelate employees in their work in order to inform, to convince and to determine action during a time when the employees are most confused and apprehensive of the circumstances within the firm. The matter of when to communicate should be at all times, when there are new developments in the change that seems to be in the scope of concern of the employees, as they would naturally ant to be informed of any progress that the transition is taking. Effective communication in times of change helps facilitate smoother change management. Recommendations One effective strategy to overcome expected resistance is to think beyond it. The Procter & Gamble management must attend to the more specific reasons for resistance, such as loss of control or loss of self-efficacy, to diagnose problems more accurately and to overcome them more efficiently and effectively (Dyer, Dalzell and Olegario, 2004). It must also be kept in mind the context of the change and focus on explanations other than individual resistance for why change may not be successfully implemented. Likewise, senior management must think beyond the wisdom that people resist change by challenging themselves to consider the role they, as change leaders may play in creating resistance. The unavoidable changes in corporate culture should be supported through revamping internal reward systems and introducing training programs in order to improve result orientation among employees. It sold its rigorous training to potential recruits during that time in much the same way that the US Army sells its educational opportunities to its own recruits. Two integration programs are seen as useful for these types of changes: training & development and reinforcement. Training and development, as any decision that would be reached would inevitably bring about change within the company. Reinforcement is necessary also, in which the staff will become so used to the changes that the tendency to resist it fades as they are bound to ultimately follow such policies if they are to stay in the organization and contribute to its continued growth. WORK CITED Dyer, D., Dalzell, F. & Olegario, R. (2004). Rising Tide: Lessons from 165 Years of Brand Building at Procter & Gamble. Massachusetts: Harvard Business School Publishing. Kotter, J. (1996) Leading Change. Harvard: Harvard Business School Press.

Impement and Monitor Marketing Activities Essay

Executive Summary The marketing plan reviewed in this report is for BBQ fun 2009. BBQ fun aims to be e leading outdoor†lifestyle retailer, catering to the growing need for furnishing new and renovated dwellings in the greater Brisbane area. The assortment offer of BBQs, outdoor furniture and BBQ accessories will position BBQ fun as best in class for outdoor†lifestyle retailing. BBQ fun will reinvent the way people shop for outdoor†lifestyle products. BBQ fun will build its reputation on offering the fullest assortment of products possible in their chosen fields, incorporating both local and imported goods with products sold on easy to manage long†term payment plans. Our after sales service and three†year guarantees will find traction with a market dominated by low†quality items. Strategies and Tactics BBQ fun will be operating with an advertising budget of $250,000 for the year. The advertising program will target: †¢Local letter†box drops †¢Radio advertisement and †¢Magazines with coupon inserts in the BrisNews magazine Stakeholders Briefing regarding their implementation roles Board of directors: the board of directors are required to approve the hence they will be briefed on details of the plan through a presentation conducted for them and also informing them their roles in the implementation process. Human resource staff: in order for the human resource staff to conduct the recruitment and training they will be informed through a report including need for recruitment, training based on the marketing plan which would be used to brief the stakeholders as well. Finance staff: these staff will need to set a separate cost centre for the budget associated with the marketing plan. A written request for a budget allocation, or similar, would be used  to brief this stakeholder group. Managers: managers will be informed of any possible impact of the marketing activities on their departments through a meeting with the marketing department, which would include new products and services. Marketing and non–marketing personnel briefing Objectives: †¢Increase sales from $15 million per year to $20 million per year in the next three years †¢Increase our loyalty customers list from 10,000 to 16,000. †¢Establish brand recognition in Brisbane so that at least two in three people recognise our brand in a random survey taken in 18 months’ time. Marketing department will have direct roles in relation to the implementation and hence they will require significant details about the overall plan as well as each of the strategies and the related tactics. Sales staff will need overview of the plan and the strategies or tactics to be used and will need detailed information of the activities that will affect them, such as new special offers/pricing or changes to sales processes. Staff directly responsible or accountable for activities listed in the action plan section of the marketing plan, an individual action summary will be used to record relevant information for later use in measuring their performance or contribution to the marketing plan. Performance Measures BBQ fun will adopt balanced scorecard approach to measure the performance will enable BBQ fun to monitor and manage overall business strategy by looking at the drivers of current and future success for the organisation. It will focus on the link between the marketing plan and the four critical areas of the business operations namely customer, financial, internal business processes and learning and growth. Sales personal will have a performance measure relating to the overall goal of BBQ fun which will be increase sales from $15 million per year to $20 million per year in the next three years. Marketing personnel will have performance measures that relate to overall marketing activities which is deliver all marketing campaigns on time and within budget. Prioritised list of marketing strategies  activity descriptiondeliverablesresources needed Local letter†box dropsLeaflets designed, printed and distributedCannon’s consultants Finances- $150000 Personal for distribution Radio advertisementRadio advertisement developed, slots booked and aired on radio.Cannon’s consultants Finances-$280000 Magazines with coupon inserts in the BrisNews magazineDesign and print coupon inserts, tie up with magazine and distribute in the local area.Cannon’s consultants Finances- $150000 Communication and team building strategies Before the commencement of the project a team meeting was be held with each team member present where they were provided with a summary of the overall project action plan with the goals and objectives detailed in a schedule timetable detailing implementation and points of measures. They were also provided with detail each team member’s area and tasks of responsibility. An interactive discussion was also initiated to discuss any issues of concerns. A half an hour will be scheduled on Monday morning of each week to monitor the overall campaign progress, discuss individual tracking and highlight any unexpected issues that need attention. During the initial meeting each and every employee will be made clear of where they fit in the organisation structure, their responsibilities and accountabilities. It was decided to organise a staff party at the completion of each milestone. Strategies for monitoring marketing activities and analysing performance The whole project will be monitored on a Gannt Chart which will illustrate the start and completion dates of each self-contained stage in the project. The chart will reveal the process sequence and highlight the dependencies of some processes on other processes. Week 1 Date:Week2 Date:Week 3 Date:Week 4 Date:Week5 Date: distribution Leaflet printing Inserting graphic enhancements Develop leaflet for letter box drops A separate Performances analysis will be conducted for each activity in following manner Task 2 Monitoring and implementing promotional activities A regular review of all the marketing activities is being conducted based on the Gannt chart to keep track, so that evaluation of any issue of concern can be carried out as soon as possible. †¢The regular review revealed that 70% of the people in the target market recognise the BBQ brand and what it represents, †¢sales growth target of Increase sales from $15 million per year to $20 million per year in the next three years has been achieved †¢gross profit margins are still 48% Monitor Product pricing and distribution decisions Product attributes: BBQ, outdoor furniture and BBQ consumables. Product benefits: easy manage payment plan. Product usage: All the products can be used in day to day household Product users: people residing in new dwellings, people renovating and people replacing their old BBQ. Product competitors: The Yard, BBQ’s R Us, Outdoorz. Product distinction from competitors: †¢BBQfun’s credit offer is backed by a top tier bank. †¢Imported products make up 33% of the assortment. †¢The three†year guarantee is unique in the market place. †¢Broadest possible range in chosen fields. Product classes: quality, fashionable and unique outdoor-lifestyle. Monitoring results against targets in the marketing plan Monitoring marketing performance is being done by looking at what has happened and why considering the results and how do they compare with our goals? To find the reasons for why it happened its being looked into by checking: Were the marketing efforts put in right direction? Was there any specific activity that contributed the most to boost the results? What part of the marketing plan did what? Monitoring process will be as follows Establishing standardsAchieving total sales of $11,000,000, Gross profit of 5,500,000 with a marketing expense of 180,000 by the end of 2009 Measuring performanceSales target of $11,000,000 has been achieved but the gross profit is $5,280,000 which is less by $220,000 Proposing measures to correct deviations from the standardSource a new manufacturer from overseas to provide products at cheaper prices hence increasing the gross profit margin. Monitoring marketing revenue and costs against budget Monitoring of marketing revenue and costs against allocated budgets is being carried out by analysing and recording variations. Detailed revenue versus expenses for all marketing decisions, will include, timelines involved in accomplishing the required goals and objectives. Budgets will clearly layout the spending requirements for †¢each decision †¢breakdowns by month †¢Breakdowns by year. It will be determined how sales vary between regions and where the resources are going. Marketing managers will analyse the information containing: †¢how marketing costs are spread †¢where the money is being spent: ï‚ §Is it on product development, promotion or customer research? †¢standards of how much should be spent on marketing †¢how much money needs to be spent on marketing in order for the organisation to be competitive †¢what results should be expected to result from marketing spending: †¢Is the revenue generated from marketing meeting budget expectations? †¢Are costs within budget? †¢Does analysis identify variations? Recording variations in revenue and cost against budget The budget figures for the revenue and cost would be compared with the actual figures and the variances will be recorded in revenue and cost variance template outlined below ItemBudgeted $Actual $Variance % Total sales11,000,00011,000,0000 Gross profit5,500,000$5,280,0004 Expenses Direct mail40,00040,0000 Magazine advertisement110,000110,0000 Radio Promotions30,00030,0000 Total180,000180,0000 Task 3 Section A Implementing marketing strategies and tactics Overview of the marketing activity to be implemented I am involved in implementing the following marketing activities for BBQ fun; †¢Direct mail †¢Magazine advertisement †¢Radio Promotions Strategies and Tactics BBQ fun will be operating with an advertising budget of $250,000 for the year. The advertising program will target: †¢Local letter†box drops †¢Radio advertisement and †¢Magazines with coupon inserts in the BrisNews magazine Stakeholders Briefing Board of directors: approval of the board of directors is required hence they were briefed on details of the plan through a presentation conducted for them and also informing them their roles in the implementation process. Human resource staff: in order for the human resource staff to conduct the recruitment and training they were informed through a report including need for recruitment, training based on the marketing plan which would be used to brief the stakeholders as well. Finance staff: This staffs was required to set a separate cost centre for the budget associated with the marketing plan. A written request for a budget allocation was used to brief this stakeholder group. Managers: managers were informed of all possible impact of the marketing activities on their departments through a meeting with the marketing department, which included new products and services. Roles critical to the success of the marketing plan activities RoleResponsibilities Board of directorsProvide approval for the plan and its implementation, make available all resources required for implementation and monitoring of the plan. Human resource departmentProvide with all human resources required to complete the tasks to meet the requirements of the plan Finance staffMake available pre-approved finances as and when required by the plan Line managersTo accommodate any impacts by marketing plan and working around it Marketing managerPrimarily responsible for marketing activities and has the authority and responsibility over all company activities that affect customer’s satisfaction. This is in addition to his other responsibilities. Radio companyTo develop in conjunction with marketing manager the advertisement and air Printing houseTo design and print promotional material in conjunction with marketing manager distributorsTo distribute the promotional material Briefing of marketing and non-marketing personnel To brief all marketing and non-marketing personnel individual meetings with these groups were organised and their roles and responsibilities and performance measures were discussed and a written statement of same was provided to them. The documents used to brief the stakeholders were used again for briefing purposes. Prioritised list of the marketing strategies and the resources required for their implementation The following is the prioritised list of the marketing strategies and the resources required for their implementation: strategiesresources retain existing customers by providing excellent after sales service and three years guarantee on the productsTrained customer service representatives, good quality service centres to confirm with guarantee Develop customer base by providing wide range, quality and unique productsWell-equipped research and development department to develop wide ranging, quality and unique products Generate business through new customers by conducting advertisement and promotion activitiesContracts with Printing house, radio stations and magazines Evaluation of Communication and team building strategies Before the commencement of the project a team meeting was be held with each team member present where they were provided with a summary of the overall project action plan with the goals and objectives detailed in a schedule timetable detailing implementation and points of measures. They were also provided with detail each team member’s area and tasks of responsibility. An interactive discussion was also initiated to discuss any issues of concerns. A half an hour will be scheduled on Monday morning of each week to monitor the overall campaign progress, discuss individual tracking and highlight any unexpected issues that need attention. During the initial meeting each and every employee will be made clear of where they fit in the organisation structure, their responsibilities and accountabilities. It was decided to organise a staff party at the completion of each milestone. Pricing: While BBQfun will price at comparable prices for comparable quality, it will not be cheap. We pus h value over cheap and back this up with a three year guarantee. Distribution: BBQfun products will be distributed through a chain of retail stores which customers can access easily via the large car parking arrangements. Advertising and promotion: The most successful advertising will be ads and inserts in the Brizzy as well as a PR campaign of informational articles and reviews also within the Brizzy. Promotions will take the form of in store entertainment and competitions with prizes to exotic overseas destinations. Customer Service: BBQfun’s philosophy is that whatever needs to be done to make the customer happy must occur this investment will pay off with a  fiercely loyal customer base that is extremely vocal to their friends with referrals. Strategies for monitoring marketing activities and analysing performance The performance was analysed by comparing the current collected data with the set goals and determining whether the following goals are being achieved. Timelines: were all the actions completed within stipulated time frame Resources: were all the resources used efficiently and effectively. Costs: did the cost of implementing activities stayed with in the developed budget Sales: did the campaign achieve the desired sales figures. A brief feedback form was circulated to all appropriate personnel weekly for all employees to note customer satisfaction, events or problems that need to be addressed, as they happen each day. Employees were required to record action taken when customers aren’t satisfied with products or services. A summary of these internal feedback containing relevant comments on improving customer satisfaction (or solving customer problems) were circulated each week to all employees to inform, educate, and improve total organisation problem–solving for customers. This assisted in improving communication. Surveys were sent to customers to gather their input on how well BBQ fun is satisfying their needs. A monthly or quarterly review with specific customers to determine: †¢summary of sales information compared to previous years †¢Current customer service problems, detailing what they were and steps that were implemented to resolve the issues. †¢customer service improvements summary The entire campaign was monitored on a Gannt Chart which illustrated the start and completion dates of each self-contained stage in the project. The chart revealed the process sequence and highlighted the dependencies of some processes on other processes. Section B Current progress of the marketing activities against the marketing plan and overall objectives Monitoring and implementation of promotional activities against communication objectives in the marketing plan communication objectivesImplementation  to position BBQ fun as the premier outdoor†lifestyle store in the greater Brisbane area, commanding a majority of the market share within five years In addition to radio promotion and magazine advertisement, direct mail campaign was one way to communicate directly with the consumer. BBQ fun also used ads and inserts in Brizzy magazine. communicate that BBQ fun offers the widest,  most exotic, easy access outdoor†lifestyle products in Brisbane Direct mail campaign was one way to communicate directly with the consumer. BBQ fun also used ads and inserts in Brizzy magazine. create customer awareness regarding  their services offered Grassroots PR campaign. This campaign invited people from Brizzy for lunch to get articles writte n about BBQ fun into the news  develop that customer base BBQfun’s did everything to make customer satisfied, this investment payed off with a fiercely loyal customer base that is extremely vocal to their friends with referrals. work toward building  customer loyalty and referrals BBQ fun’s did everything to make customer satisfied, this investment payed off with a fiercely loyal customer base that is extremely vocal to their friends with referrals. Monitoring of product, pricing and distribution decisions against organisational policy and the objectives of the marketing plan Marketing objectivesDecisions †¢Increase sales from $15 million per year to $20 million per year in the next three years †¢Increase our loyalty customers list from 10,000 to 16,000. †¢Establish brand recognition in Brisbane so that at least two in three people recognise our brand in a random survey taken in 18 months’ time.Product: The product will be wide ranging, quality and unique. It offers the house proud customer a different option from the cheap mass produced offer prevalent in the market. New products will be developed on a regular basis in line with changes in customer taste which is targeted at every 12 months. The plan for product testing is to engage market research firms. Pricing: All products/services were competitively priced relative to comparable high†end outdoor†lifestyle lines. While BBQfun priced at comparable prices for comparable quality, it will not be cheap. We push value over cheap and back this up with a three year guarantee. Distribution: BBQfun products were distributed through a chain of retail stores which customers can access easily via the large car parking arrangements. Easy to access stores with extensive choices in our chosen fields, that are sold on an easy to manage payment plan with a three†year guarantee are the keys to our customer’s needs and wants. Monitoring results against targets in the marketing plan Monitoring marketing performance was done by looking at what has happened and why considering the results and how do they compare with our goals? To find the reasons for why it happened its being looked into by checking: Were the marketing efforts put in right direction? Was there any specific activity that contributed the most to boost the results? What part of the marketing plan did what? Monitoring process will be as follows Establishing standardsAchieving total sales of $11,000,000, Gross profit of 5,500,000 with a marketing expense of 180,000 by the end of 2009 Measuring performanceSales target of $11,000,000 has been achieved but the gross profit is $5,280,000 which is less by $220,000 Proposing measures to correct deviations from the standardSource a new manufacturer from overseas to provide products at cheaper prices hence increasing the gross profit margin. Monitoring marketing revenue and costs against budget Monitoring of marketing revenue and costs against allocated budgets is being carried out by analysing and recording variations. Detailed revenue versus expenses for all marketing decisions, will include, timelines involved in accomplishing the required goals and objectives. Budgets will clearly layout the spending requirements for †¢each decision †¢breakdowns by month †¢Breakdowns by year. Recording variations in revenue and cost against budget The budget figures for the revenue and cost were compared with the actual figures and the following variances were recorded in revenue and cost variance template outlined below ItemBudgeted $Actual $Variance % Total sales11,000,00011,000,0000 Gross profit5,500,000$5,280,0004 Expenses Direct mail40,00040,0000 Magazine advertisement110,000110,0000 Radio Promotions30,00030,0000 Total180,000180,0000 Section C Evaluating and improving marketing performance Processes used to regularly assess marketing performance against objectives Evaluation of marketing performance was done by gathering information measuring customer reactions. This enabled us to analyse and gather invaluable information. This information was used to improve the targeting of our marketing activity. Further valuable information was gained by periodically assessing customers’ feelings and opinions of the organisation and how well their needs are being satisfied, which is collected by customer feedback survey. The information was gained by analysing: †¢customers’ feedback †¢Key focus of appeal? †¢Success in appealing to our targets †¢improvement suggestions available †¢product features promoted †¢benefits of the product promoted Interview questions 1.Overall, are you very satisfied with the way BBQ fun performed on this occasion? 2.BBq fun’s service representatives (CSRs) are well trained. 3.Did service representatives (CSRs) adhere to professional standards of conduct? 4.How often do you typically use the product? 5.How did your Product performed? 6.Overall, how satisfied were you with your new Product? 7.Have you ever contacted customer service? 8.If you contacted BBq fun’s customer service, have all problems been resolved to your complete satisfaction? 9.Considering only your most recent purchase experience, how likely would you be to recommend the purchase of this product to a friend or colleague? Changes in business practices required to meet changing customer requirements 1.In addition to closely located retail stores an online store should be set up for the convenience of the customers. 2. To create provision for providing possible franchise as there has been lot of request for the same. Improvement plan ActionResponsibilityTimeframe Engage information and technology company to discuss, develop and host the retail storeIT Manager31/07/2010 Work out a complete business plan to make available opportunities for offering franchiseBoard of directors and Chief financial officer31/07/2010 Memo To: board of directors, finance department, human resource department, IT department and Marketing executives. From: John Smith, Marketing Manager Date: July 1, 2010 Subject: Changes to the Marketing Objectives Dear All It is to inform all that based on the analysis of the customer feedback process the following recommendations are suggested: ActioncostAdditional revenue Start online retail store$15000.00$45000.00 annually Engage in franchising opportunities$3000.00$5000.00 fixed monthly and 10% of the net profit A detailed modified marketing plan to reflect the actions recommended is attached here with for your kind perusal. You will be informed when a meeting to discuss the details will be organised shortly. Section D Self-reflection Strategies and tactics Direct mail: direct mails contribution was also substantially big. Magazine advertisement: returns from this form were not that high Radio Promotions: worked really well and got the expected revenue even though the cost was substantially higher Team leadership skills Respectful As a quality team leader I was respectful to all team members. A respectful leader I empowered them by encouraging them to offer ideas about decisions that affect them. This informed team members that the i respect their input and opinions. Fair I treated all my team members fairly. I was consistent with rewards and recognition, as well as disciplinary action. I ensured all team members receive the same treatment. Delegation I shared leadership through delegation. Delegating certain tasks to team members allowed me to focus on improving workplace functions and production. Confidence I was confident in my abilities, as well as confident in the abilities of my team members. I was secure in the decisions I made that affected my team. I also reassured team members of my authority within the organization. Integrity I was honest and open with his team members. I gained the trust of team members because I did what I said. I did and treated others, the same way I want myself to treat. Appendix 2: Workplace evidence Individual action summary Team memberJohn Smith Objective:To develop, get it printed and distribute Leaflets in local letter-box drops Description of activities: †¢Design and Develop leaflet †¢Collect quotes for printing †¢Place order for printing †¢Arrange man power for distribution of leaflets †¢Receive printed materials †¢Execute distribution Deliverables:†¢Final design of the leaflet †¢Collecting quote and placing order for printing †¢Receiving printed leaflets †¢Actual distribution of the leaflets Timeframe:01/07/2009 to 31/07/2009 Resources required:Designers, printers, $40,000 Review date:15/07/2009 Reviewed by:Mark BoerDesignation:Vice President Marketing Signature: Dated: 30th June 2010 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN I have immense pleasure in stating that it should go without saying that John Smith is a remarkable marketing talent, with an eye for not only growing his traditional business, but also seeking out opportunities in to expand the business. John has always taken his role seriously and is passionate about his results. Beyond his passion on driving performance, Leif is a natural leader, and fights hard for his beliefs. He’s at his best in a group environment, and is consciously proactive at getting full involvement of all other team members to derive the best results possible. He has a very effective personal style, and will be looked to for continued executive leadership with our Marketing efforts. I have the deepest personal and professional respect for John, and sincerely belief he will bring his unique energy, optimism, passion, and tireless creativity to your class and classroom. He has my highest endorsement. If you have any questions about this recommendation or my endorsement of Leif, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will gladly try to help.

Customer service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Customer service - Essay Example Customer Service Professionals has to be viewed as internal customers also and as such constant meeting has to be held to get feedback from not only to respond to their questions on how to handle customer concerns but also on their concerns as employees. Job designs or how tasks are combined to complete the job should also be responsive on how the Customer Service Professional responds to the customer’s needs. This can be done through perpetual job reengineering of processes and work-flows to enhance the frontliner’s effecitivity. Job improvement of a Customer Service Professional in a credit card company has to be viewed not only in terms of skills but also in motivation. The job can also be physically demanding as the employees has to work in shifts including weekends and holidays and as such, employees are susceptible to being burned out when this is not checked. The company has to guard itself from those tendencies to keep its employees motivated to perform. One way to guard it is by employing job enlargement whereby a job is enlarged, the worker performs a large work unit involving a variety of task elements rather than a fragmented job. An enlarged job can elicit intrinsic motivation for a number of reasons (Chung, Ross, 1977) and employees working on a greater number of workstations reported lower scores for resignation (Weichel et al, 2010) How would you improve the customer service professional's job through rewards and incentives only?   Rewards and incentives are very important to keep Customer Service Professional motivated to perpetually improve on their jobs. The company, being one of the leading credit card providers has to provide excellent customer service to remain competitive in the business and this translates to high expectation of performance from its frontliners, the Customer Service Providers. When metrics for the delivery excellent customer service are met and exceeded, management should give incentives among its Custome r Service Professional not only in monetary terms but also in recognition, career progression and an enjoyable working environment. For example, when the Customer Service Professional received a positive feedback from a customer and met the number of queries, cases resolved with minimal tardiness and absenteeism, a corresponding amount should be given as an incentive to the employee. On a team level, teams who perform are given bonuses as a reward. A team outing can also be arranged as a reward without affecting the operation of department where the team can go out to have fun. This will serve as a reward and also to guard the employees from being burned out with the demands of the work. How would you improve your current or last job?   It is a given that any employee who belongs to an organization should know his/her job. But beyond job knowledge, an employee should also involve in the Management’s initiatives on how to improve job performance. When suggestions are asked o n how to improve job work-flows and processes or to modify existing systems to enhance productivity, I should share my insight so that the Management will have a better perspective in improving productivity. I will also be open to job rotation where I will be moved through a schedule of assignments to give myself a breadth of exposure to the entire operation of the company. I will cooperate on

Which directrion will Cloud Computing take us Essay

Which directrion will Cloud Computing take us - Essay Example One of the themes that have been captured in this section is the threat posed by cloud computing on programming. This study will explore how this happens. The research concludes with lessons for the future and recommendations based on findings in the field of cloud computing. Background Information. Cloud computing is the fastest growing part of Information Technology. It is regarded as the fifth generation of computing after the mainframe, personal computer, client-server computing, and the web. It confers tremendous benefits to customers and users (Bechtolsheim, 2008). Experts have estimated that by the year 2012, the size of cloud computing infrastructure market will rise to $42 billion, up from $billion in 2008 (Bechtolsheim, 2008). This trend is as a result of the high growth rate in cloud spending, six times faster than the traditional IT spending. Stanley, states that public cloud workloads are expected to increase at the rate of 50% in the next three years, twice as the market currently expects (2011). Cloud computing represents a different way to architecture and managing remote computing resources. Its simplicity is evident in that one just needs to open an account with a service provider to start building and providing application systems into a cloud. The increased connectivity and increasing amount of data has led many service providers to employ large infrastructures with dynamic load and access balancing. This explains the reason behind the rapid growth in cloud computing. Service provider have been handing out and reproducing data across servers on demand, thereby improving the utilization of resources. This has enabled web servers to offer accessibility across multiple servers and routes according to the traffic (Jefrey, K. and Lutz, 2010). Cloud computing is not a novelty. It dates back to the 1990s where the ability of active traffic switching to stabilize utilization and to indicate virtualization of telecoms infrastructure became in use. Other data centers employed methods to maintain scalability and reliability in order to ensure the availability o f their hosted data. In the recent times, multiple cloud domains have emerged which explains the reason behind the many definitions and meanings of cloud computing. There are expectations in the industry that cloud model will find further uptake in future as means to manage the infrastructure of providers and provide small units with the capacities of a larger communications beyond their means. Warr (2009) says that big companies have an advantage over smaller ones as they can afford to expand their own data centers, unlike their counterparts who have house their IT infrastructure in someone else’s facility. cloud computing has enabled the development of coloration centers where multiple customers can locate network, server and storage assets, and connect to a wide range of telecommunications and other network service providers with minimum cost and complication (Warr, 2009) There exist various definitions and interpretations of cloud computing/cloud, hence one can only give a representative and not a comprehensive definition of the term (ELC, 2010). Lutz and Jeffrey define cloud as an elastic execution environment involving numerous stakeholders and providing a metered service at several granularities for a particular level of quality. Cloud computing is defined as the active provisioning of IT capabilities-‘hardware, software or services’- from third parties above a network-system (Warr,2009). ELS define it as an outsourcing of IT infrastructures via the internet. It saves the agony of maintaining hardware and software

Human relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Human relations - Essay Example When one enjoys healthy relationships with others, it affects one’s disposition, attitude and performance. Personal relationships have much power over an individual that when there are strained relationships outside of work, it usually affects how one performs at work. When a worker is emotionally weak and tend to dwell on the effects of a strained personal relationship outside work, he may not be able to concentrate well on his tasks, leading to lowered quality of performance and less productivity. On the other hand, if he enjoys fulfilling relationships both outside and at work, then, he becomes more stable in his performance, allowing him to focus well on his tasks and becomes driven to succeed. The same goes for conflicts with co-workers affecting one’s personal health and even the way he may release the job stress towards his family and friends. Being able to manage oneself and control impulses and emotional meltdown during challenging situations is a mark of a str ong person. If this is not mastered, then one will not be able to cope with the demands of the workplace where multiple conflicts and challenges abound. Chapter 2: Self-esteem and Self-Confidence Dubrin describes self-esteem as a sense of feeling worthwhile and the pride that comes from a sense of self-worth. When one has a healthy self-esteem, he feels good about himself and maintains a positive outlook on life. He develops favourable work attitudes and performs his task at a high level. This is because he believes that he is capable of being a competent worker that is why he is able to challenge himself more and more to validate his beliefs that he possesses the necessary skills for the job. However, if one suffers poor self-esteem, it gravely affects his disposition and work performance. There is a prevalent feeling of low self-worth that feeds on negativity. The individual cannot grasp the concept that he is an able human being and that he has unlimited potentials if only he bel ieves in himself and that he has innate gifts that can be developed. Enhancing self-esteem involves looking into one’s strengths and being proud of them. It is a good exercise to always find something positive about oneself when evaluating performance no matter how small it may be. For instance, when reflecting on a written work that may be filled with spelling mistakes, one can also point out that there were no grammatical errors. Somehow, this saves one from dwelling in the negative. Avoiding situations that threaten one’s self-esteem such as not participating in dance contests when one is admittedly awkward in dance movements is a wise move to preserve one’s self-esteem. Lastly, being with positive people who are able to boost the self-esteem of others is another thing that can be done to enhance one’s self-esteem. Having a healthy self-esteem leads to self-confidence, which is an important quality needed in both personal and professional growth. Self- confident people are more likely to be more effective in leadership and sales positions, as they set higher goals for themselves and strive to achieve those goals. Usually, such confidence comes from having several abilities that these individuals develop further and the positive feedback they receive from people even from the time when they were younger. One’s self-confidence is likely to be strengthened if he persists in doing better in the tasks assigned to him and he feels the

Big 4 Writing Sample Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Big 4 Writing Sample - Personal Statement Example Upon obtaining the sources, I had to paraphrase each to avoid the most heinous academic crime of plagiarism. Thereafter, the most dragging and tiring parts emerged after the research process that I have conducted. The writing process of the paper was one of the most tiring stages of the whole project. Factors such as the coherence of the sentences and the paragraphs, the direct statement of arguments and the supporting statements that should always follow and the most basic grammar and usage that gives the academic paper its definitive quality were all taken into proper consideration. It took me the entire week to revise and edit the chapter that I have prepared for the dissertation. Writing in such a way that any layman could understand your publication is one of the most daunting challenges in the fields of academic discourse. One must always remember that being too verbose and being over academic in a particular research will not merit the writer good for he risks himself of being misunderstood by the general audience who will read and inevitably, criticize his work. Although those two weeks of my life seemed to be stressful and tiresome, the experience of it as a whole was a fruitful one for me.

Strategy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategy Paper - Essay Example As mentioned, a bachelor’s degree is not directly proportional to outstanding performance. It is on this premise that our front liners – the people who will deal and interact directly with customers and suppliers – do not essentially need to be degree holders, but should have sufficient expertise in this field, and should have delivered excellent performance in their respective fields during previous work experiences. Customer Service is one of the company’s first priority as it reflects the values and objectives of the company, and this is something not really learned within the confines of a classroom, but in an actual interactive environment where one begins to learn and understand the needs of a customer. To further enhance the company front liners, they will also be subject to trainings and workshops that would contribute to the betterment of their performances. Same amount of regard would be given to the company’s sales and marketing teams, as they will be the backbone of the company. They will be given specific goals to achieve as far as sales are concerned. The Marketing team will likewise be given quantifiable objectives that could be equated to the success of the sales team. Each employee’s contribution definitely makes up for the company’s success, therefore making it crucial to find the right people who would deliver results for the company. 10-8 ensures that its workforce is maximized by giving high regards to the collective achievement of the team members, not only to individual performances. This way, each team member’s potential will be utilized in a manner whereby the results would always reflect to the team as a whole. 10-8’s core value is to give back to the community, and this is reflected in the company’s marketing and business strategy. The management would like to position the company as a

The Importance of Critical Thinking to Nursing Graduates Essay - 1

The Importance of Critical Thinking to Nursing Graduates - Essay Example Why do nursing schools highlight critical thinking so much? Why is it so important for nursing graduates to develop this skill? Research provides us with various answers to these questions. For one, nursing graduates on their first year discover that working in a health care facility is not as straightforward as that of nursing school – there are no written instructions, no mentors to guide their every move. Moreover, the various changes in health care institutions require nursing graduates the capacity to learn â€Å"on the job† and to make time-sensitive decisions without compromising quality of service delivery. Fresh out of college, with beautiful dreams on how to help their patients, most nursing graduates tend to underestimate the complexity of their chosen career. In fact, many nursing graduates have created ideals by which they want to base their practice on. These ideals are expressed in terms such as the â€Å"pursuit of patient-centered holistic care, of high quality care and theoretical knowledge, and of evidence-based care† (Wangensteen, 2010, p. 12). But research shows that reality soon catches up with nursing graduates as they strive gain experience from their practice while at the same time struggling to comply with convert rules, and organizational constraints (Maben, Latter, & Clark, 2007). Most new nurses feel no control over their situation as they strive to find their place in the organization. Hence, it is no wonder that most new nurses describe their first year in practice as a year of â€Å"uncertainty and chaos† (Wangensteen, 2010, p. 44). Research shows that whether nursing graduates worked in the hospital or in home care, the experience was the same – first time nurses found it difficult to adjust to their new role because reality was so much more different that what was taught in nursing school. Once working with health care

Judgement in Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Judgement in Accounting - Essay Example Secondly, accounting follows a framework popularly known as â€Å"The Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting†. In addition, the overall accounting structure and basic formation of reporting, assists in conceptualizing accounting better. The knowledge of accounting principles, procedures, and rules is valuable to business and its eventual success in any given financial period. Financial records are made numerically and any accounting analysis on them should be numerical (Anthony, 1993). The â€Å"International Public Sectors Accounting Standards Board† sets standards and Recommended Practice Guidelines in accounting. They are used by government agencies in the national, regional, and local governments. According to this board, the Conceptual Framework for Financial Accounting is mainly used for preparation and presentation of general purpose financial reports (Needles & Powers, 2012). The Conceptual Framework also extends its authority to public sectors social secu rity funds, trusts, statutory authorities, as well as, international governmental organizations. However, the general purpose financial reporting has the main objective of providing financial information about a business that comes in handy when looking for current investors; reports to creditors when requesting for loans; and decision making regarding purchases, sales, equity holding and debts in line with the profits or returns. There are two types of financial reports. They include general Purpose Financial Reports and Special purpose Financial Reports. General Purpose Financial reporting refers to a central component of enhancement and support, of the financial reports by public sector entities. The intentions of these reports is to satisfy the information requirements, for users who may be in a position that lacks enabling factors for preparation of financial reports that are tailor-made, to meet their information needs. They also contain a number of reports each of which gives a response that is within the scope of financial reporting, with respect to the objectives of financial reporting. However, the scope of financial reporting also includes guidelines on how other various events and activities can be reported in the financial report. On the other hand, Special Purpose Financial Reports (SPFRs) are financial reports whose sole purpose is to respond to specifications for users that bear authority, to make such requirements and for a specific purpose (Piper, 2013). There are characteristics that guide the qualitative nature of important financial information. These characteristics include comparability, timeliness, verifiability and comprehensibility. However, the basic qualitative characteristics include relevance and faithful representation. For financial information to display relevance, it should influence the decision made by the user (Balakrishnan & sprinkle, 2008). Failure to consider the importance of the relevance of the information will create a niche, even after the decision is made. However, the financial information must display a predictive value and a confirmatory value to attain relevance. Moreover, the confirmatory value should either confirm or differ with the evaluations that were previously made. On the other hand, financial information that exhibits a predictive value must also exhibit a confirmatory value because these two values are interrelated. For instance, a company’s financial report can be used to project future earnings for the company (Gupta, 2009). However, it should also be verified that the method of prediction

Sales and Distribution Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Sales and Distribution Management - Assignment Example To solve the solve both the sales and distribution problem the company finds itself confronted with, it is important to objectively outline the situation. The situation, as it currently stands, is that our company had contracted with a sales/distribution company to both sell and distribute 3,000 tones of our toys across the United Kingdom in time for Christmas. The goods have been loaded onto the Emma Maersk and will arrive in the United Kingdom on the due date. The problem lies in the sales and distribution of the unloaded cargo to stores across the UK, given that the company which had originally been contracted to handle this process has gone out of business. As we have exactly three weeks to resolve this problem, the imperatives of immediately deciding upon a model for the effective and efficient sales and distribution of the unloaded cargo are inarguable. There are two steps to the resolution of the above-described problem. The first step involves motivating and managing a sales team to sell the goods within the specified time-frame and the second involves distributing the goods within that same time-frame. Our ability to do satisfy the first depends on our understanding of team behaviour and the ways and means by which to motivate sales teams. As for the second, the resolution of the distribution problem lies in the implementation of a modified version of the Just-In-Time paradigm. 2 Sales Team Management Models Researchers who study general team characteristics often examine and reference the models of Gladstein (1984), Hackman (1987), and Campion et al. (1996). These three key models are discussed below. 2.1 Gladstein's model Gladstein's (1984) model categorized the variables and labeled them as either input, process, or output (Figure 1). Gladstein defines inputs as contributions from individual, group, and organization for group effectiveness. Gladstein categorized the inputs into two levels: group and organizational. Process refers to the activities of decision-making and output refers to the outcomes of the team activities. Group task moderates the relationship between group process and group effectiveness. Group level inputs and organizational level inputs directly affect group effectiveness. Both levels of inputs indirectly affect the group process. Gladstein's model defines team effectiveness based on the performance of the team and the satisfaction of the team members. Figure 1 General Model of Group Behavior: Constructs and Measured Variables. From "Groups in context: a model of task group effectiveness," by D. Gladstein, 1984, Administrative Science Quarterly, 29, p. 502. 2.2 Hackman's model Hackman (1987) created a practical framework for team studies (Figure 2). Hackman's model (1987), like Gladstein's model (1984) uses an "input-process-output" framework for analyzing group behavior and performance. Hackman's model consists of six major variables: organizational context, group design, group synergy, process, group task, and group effectiveness. In Hackman's model, organizational context, refers to the reward system, the education system, and the information system, all of which support the work of the team. Organizational context, along with group design and group synergy, influences how well team members are able to apply their skill and knowledge to the team task. The model defines group synergy as interactions between members, which increases group progress and decreases

World War II in Japan Essay Example for Free

World War II in Japan Essay A case of implementation of import substitution industrialization can be examined with the help of the example of Brazil. Brazil was the country which carried the policy of import substitution industrialization later than other underdeveloped countries. The economists in Brazil carefully analyzed its effects and were planning the industrial development of the country while the other countries started import substitution mainly by accident. It is important to note that Brazil initially had all the chances for success in the policy of import substitution, since its population goes up to 170 million, which makes Brazil the fifth largest country in the world. Also Brazil is the fifth largest country by its land area. And finally, Brazil is rich in forest reserves, minerals, navigable rivers agricultural land, and hydroelectric capability. The development of Brazilian economy in the period from 1950 to the 1970s confirmed the most optimistic views. Brazil with its rich resources and reserves was called â€Å"the land of the future†. In 1950 Brazil attempted to establish the largest industry of motor vehicle having practically no sufficient basis. Thirty years later aircraft of Brazil were working on commuter airlines on the United States. Brazilian shoes spread everywhere. Moreover, Brazil opened up the richest iron mine in the world and Brazilians found out the capital city on the place where previously had been a roadless jungle and built the network of roads going deep into Amazon. When the oil prices rose and began threatening the development of Brazil economy, Brazilians launched huge hydroelectric projects to operate the growing industries of the Golden Triangle, which included Sao Paulo Rio de Janeiro, and Belo Horizonte and required the new automobiles to run on rum instead of gasoline. At the beginning of the 1980s even pessimists agreed that Brazil was â€Å"the country of future†, however added â€Å"and always will be†. The growth of Brazil stopped, when it was almost close to ripening. The modern cities in Brazil coexist together with miserable shanty-towns surrounded with open sewers. The roads are shared by modern vehicles and hand carts. The wages of Brazilian executives are the highest in the world, but at the same time average workers hardly reach subsistence level. Some economists call Brazil a Switzerland within an India. Other economists consider that the case of Brazil brightly illustrates economic growth without economic development. Economist Celso Furtado characterized the state of Brazilian economy in the following way: â€Å"The Brazilian economy constitutes a very interesting example of how far a country can go in the process of industrialization without abandoning its main features of underdevelopment: great disparity in productivity between urban and rural areas, a large majority of the population living at a physiological subsistence level, increasing masses of unemployed people in the urban zones, etc. † By the 1950s the industrial development by means of import substitution had been already a planned process in Brazil. New industries were protected from the foreign competition with the help of a number of methods. Basic industries (for example, steel, electrical power, petroleum reining) became either fully owned by state or received direct subsidies. Law of Similars aimed at putting high tariffs (sometimes tariffs went up to 300%) on imported goods as soon as any domestic firm somewhere in Brazil started manufacturing something ‘similar’. The industries considered high priority always could be credited under favorable terms by a national development bank. For some period of time, the government even set multiple exchange rates in order to lower the cost of imported capital equipment while the price of imported finished goods was kept expensive. One of the growing Brazilian industries in the mid of twentieth century was motor vehicles. The government hoped that foreign financing would help to expand Brazilian firms which were already producing motor parts, bus bodies, truck and so on and soon would turn them into real vehicle manufacturers. But this approach had to be changed for the government of Brazil faced the reluctance of American government to extend loans and the disapproval of the firms from Europe and the USA who owned a critical technology. The world famous giants Fiat General Motors, Mercedes Volkswagen, and Ford were threatened to lose their markets in Brazil if they did not manufacture vehicles within the country. It is important to note that modern manufacturing, in particular the production of appliances, motor vehicles, TVs and so on is a complex process that requires substantial knowledge and skill. Final assembly became possible in Brazil since it was the last stage of production and required the least skill. So, launching modern industries Brazil could start with final assembly and gradually came to more complicated â€Å"backwards†, which included more difficult procedures. For example, Volkswagen could start importing complete parts, such as engines, wheels etc. and assemble them in Sao Paulo plant. The tariffs allowed Volkswagen to sell 1960 30% Brazilian Beetle for twice what Europeans would pay even if the quality was not that high. Eventually, most of the parts became produced in Brazil and the quality of assembly improved. Gradually, the competition from Brazilian Fiats, Fords, and Chevrolets pushed the price down. In this way, Brazilian motor vehicle industry became more and more efficient and even in the 1970s Brazil exported subassemblies and parts to America and to the European countries. By 1980 Brazil started exporting entire vehicles. When import substitution industrialization was implemented in Latin America, the drawbacks of the policy soon revealed themselves. In Brazil as well as in other Latin America countries import substitution model led to foreign ownership in all the sectors in industry except those occupied by state enterprise. When the interests of foreign firms were threatened by Brazilian taxes, environmental or labor legislation, American, German, Italian, British Japanese or French owners were quick to call on their state departments. In particular, the Department of the United States defined one of its key objects as establishing favorable business climate. This meant undermining Brazilian government. Thus, in 1964 some Brazilian generals, being encouraged by American officials, made an attempt to overthrow constitutional government of their country. Another drawback of import substitution industrialization revealed in the fact that this policy led to huge foreign debts. It was not accidental, that Brazil and Mexico ran into debts in order to cover the expenses of their infrastructure development. The development of infrastructure needs a large number of hard currency imports. If infrastructure grows and increases exports together with hard currency earnings, a country can borrow in dollars. Then, under such condition, the country has to earn dollars in order to make the interest payments. But import substitution requires borrowing in dollars for the purpose of economic development of the domestic production that will not necessarily expand exports. By the end of the seventies the countries of Latin America faced the problem: Where to go next? And the next logical step was to export the goods which had been already produced efficiently. By the middle of the eighties Brazil became the largest exporter of shoes and coffee, among ten major exports to America, six were manufactured projects. Nevertheless, the expansion of manufactured goods made Brazilian economy vulnerable to retaliatory tariffs. Moreover, in the 1980s Brazil as well as other underdeveloped countries of Latin America did not manage to pursue the next layer of import substitution ( in particular, microchips, computers, capital equipment), although they attempted to create open markets for their manufactured consumer goods. Unlike the nations of Latin America, the majority of East Asian nations rejected the policy of import substitution industrialization. Due to this, as many economists think, East Asia had its superior performance in the seventies and the eighties of the twentieth century. Generally speaking, the Asian growth had started before World War II in Japan. The process of Asian growth included three groups of countries whose economic â€Å"miracle† began at different times:

Civil Rights in America Essay Example for Free

Civil Rights in America Essay The Cornell University Law School defines a civil right as â€Å"an enforceable right or privilege, which if interfered with by another gives rise to an action for injury† (2008). An example of a civil right in the United States is the freedom of speech. It is safeguarded in the First Amendment of the Constitution because this right allows for the free flow of ideas among individuals, organizations and other entities even if these opinions are unconventional, contentious or downright distasteful (Wang, 2001). The clash of opposing ideas in society facilitates the process in which the truth will emerge. Suppressing thoughts that counter another thought will not bring about a well-rounded understanding of an issue at hand and will lead to insufficient knowledge on which the public will base their positions, decisions or actions. Only by trying and testing ideas through competition guaranteed by free speech can the public become objective. Further, the freedom of speech is also one of the ways in which persons express their individuality and pursue self-development (Wang, 2001). Another example of a civil right is the freedom from involuntary servitude. The Thirteenth Amendment ended the more than two centuries in which slavery, the classic form of involuntary servitude, existed in the United States (Missouri Bar, 2006). This granted every inhabitant of the country, no matter what the race or ethnicity, gender or personal beliefs, the security from this form of inhumanity. However, involuntary servitude has a wider meaning in that in not only encompasses slavery but also peonage. The Thirteenth Amendment also protects against voluntary or involuntary labor of a person as a form of debt payment or a means for the fulfillment of obligations (Missouri Bar, 2006). The right against involuntary servitude assures citizens of their dignity and freedom even in times of economic difficulties. This right specifically protects persons of the lower economic status from the exploitation of the more affluent.

Womens Reproductive Health: Human Rights

Womens Reproductive Health: Human Rights Womens rights to reproductive and sexual health are fundamental to womens health in the United States and abroad. Efforts concerning womens rights to reproductive health have been essential in expanding womens human rights. Adoption of a health and human rights framework encourages logical applications about the correlation between womens health and human rights, social justice, and respect for human dignity. Hindrance to reproductive health rights is political, legal, social, and financial in nature (Gruskin 1737). The purpose of this paper is to detail the significance of human rights associated with womens reproductive health rights in the United States and the public health implications of these rights. This paper investigates health and human rights, as it relates to a womans reproductive health in the United States, including the right to autonomy; the right to health care and information; and the right to equity in the distribution of health service resources, availability, and accessibility. The association of these rights to womens reproductive health in the United States has significant public health implications, discussed below. Historical and Modern Application of Modern Human Rights Development after WWII Human Rights Human rights are standards that defend all humans from serious legal, political, and social abuses (Mann et al. 9). Historical and modern applications of modern human rights development after World War II include, the World Health Organizations (WHO) Constitution in 1946, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948, and The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 1966. Each of these doctrines spelled out the premise that all humans are equal and free with rights, including the right to health. The right to health was first expressed in the World Health Organizations Constitution (1946). The World Health Organization declared in the Constitution that the fulfillment of the utmost achievable paradigm of health is one of the essential privileges of every person (Mann et al. 9; Ross 55; Robinson par. 8). Conversely, the right to health continues to be neglected in many parts of the world. This neglect, while not as grossly, is extended to the United States. The United States has abstained from passing this and other international agreements. In reality, the United States has not ratified a single treaty that acknowledges an entitlement to health for its citizens. The United States lack of ratifications of these treaties is challenging and will be elucidated later in this discussion. Human rights were also expressed by the United Nations in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was implemented as a reaction to the Nazi holocaust and set a benchmark by which the human rights actions of all countries should be defined. The UDHR commences by setting forth the fundamental principle that all people are born uninhibited and equivalent in distinction and rights (Mann et al. 10). Also, it prohibits any division in the fulfillment of human rights on the grounds as race, color, sex, language, religion, political, national origin, birth status. In addition, the UDHR clearly spells out the rights to security, life, and liberty, as well as the entitlement to be liberated from slavery, servitude, torture or cruel conduct or retribution (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 90-91; Ross 55-56). The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) further expanded on the issue of human rights by specifying socio-economic rights. These rights include, but are not inhibited to, the right to education, shelter, health, water and food, employment, social security, a healthy environment, and the right to advancement (International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights articles 10-12). The treaty exemplifies processes to be implemented by States parties to accomplish: maternal, child and reproductive health; healthy natural and workplace environments; prevention, treatment and control of disease; health facilities, goods and services. This treaty also states that all socio-economic rights must be declared without inequity (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 153) The right to health is also acknowledged in various other documents world-wide including: 1961 European Social Charter, 1978 Declaration of Alma Ata, 1981 African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, 1988 Additional Protocol to the American Convention on HRs in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. Womens Human Rights Womens human rights are the freedoms and benefits given to women and girls. Womens human rights are categorized collectively and distinguished from comprehensive philosophies of human rights because they frequently vary from the self-determinations essentially held by men and boys. Themes regularly connected with the concepts of womens rights include, but are not restricted to, the right: to physical integrity and autonomy; to education; and to have marital, parental and religious rights. In 1979, The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was adopted by the United Nations. CEDAW affirms women equal rights with men in all realms of life, including education, employment, healthcare, nationality, and marriage (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 198-203; Ross 1-3). In 1995, The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace, also popularly known as the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, was held in Beijing, China. The conference raised global knowledge of human rights, the inequalities and inequities between men and women, and bestowed the required motivation for accentuating gender-based violence as a precedence issue for engagement by the global community (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 79). Human rights are being used to promote public health. Reproductive health rights become visible in the globally reputable structure of human rights through established rights to life, security, equal treatment, education, development, and to the maximum health standards. The rights include the privilege to emergency medical services and to the fundamental health determinants, such as sovereignty from discrimination, and adequate food, water, and sanitation (Gruskin and Loff 1880). The right to health is an essential human right that consists of free will and privileges (Hunt 1878). The freedoms consist of the right to contribute to apposite decisions about ones health, including those made about sexual and reproductive freedom (Germain, Reproductive Health and Human Rights 65). Human Rights and Public Health Standards in Regards to Womens Reproductive Rights The associations amid medicine, public health, and human rights are developing swiftly, in result of a multitude of actions, occurrence, and efforts. These are comprised of the ongoing efforts on various aspects of womens health. To understand the associations between human rights and public health, it is fundamental to evaluate the important essentials of modern public health. Medicine and public health are two corresponding and interrelated methods for health advancement and protection through physical, mental, and social security. However medicine and public health must be separated because they serve different purposes (Germain 65). The primary disparity involves the population importance of public health, which varies with the individual center of medical care. Public health recognizes and measures health risks to the populations, composes legislative policies in reaction to these risks, and develops certain services contributing to the promotion of health and disease prevention (Gruskin and Loff 1880). Medicine, on the other hand, concentrates on the diagnosis and treatment of individuals. There is a strong association between public health and human rights. In the article Health and Human Rights, Jonathan Mann et al. describe a trinary outline of health and human rights and the impact and implications in health policies, human rights, and the connection between the two. Health practices, policies, and programs have an effect on human rights. Public health liabilities are accomplished in considerable evaluation through programs and policies distributed, employed and implemented with assistance from the state. Public health functions are appraising health concerns and inadequacies, cultivating policies intended to manage health issues of precedence, and ensuring agendas to employ planned health goals (Mann et al. 13-17). For example, compilation of information on population health problems may be gathered on particular significant health problems opposed to others. This consequently creates inequity and other human rights violations by neglecting to contribute suitable health services. Public health is concerned with the advancement and security of the health of populations. There is a correlation between socioeconomic circumstances and inadequate health on womens reproductive health and human rights. The themes of public health and human rights are each comprised of health promotion and clarifying standards for performance (Gruskin and Loff 1880). The health and human rights framework is applicable to population issues concerning womens reproductive health. Human rights violations, such as gender inequalities, and lack of access to family planning, have a negative impact on womens health. Encouraging gender equality, development and ascertainment of womens reproductive health services and the elimination of impediment to womens economic and educational contribution is essential to promote public health. Gender equality Gender disparities are a chief reason of disproportion in health status, including health care. Gender differentiations are evident in disease prevalence; access to preventive care; and reproductive health. Promotion of gender equality in other sectors can influence health status and have reinforced public health outcomes (Robinson par. 9). Unfortunately, there remains a considerable disparities among recognized allegiance to gender equality in reproductive health services within the United States and abroad. The foremost cause of death and disease in women globally age 15-44 are reproductive health issues. Globally, inadequacies in family planning access contribute to the chief aspect regarding the 76 million unplanned pregnancies each year; nearly 20 million result in unsafe abortions, and attributing to nearly 70,000 deaths yearly. In emergent countries, the primary reason of death and impairment among women of reproductive age is pregnancy and childbirth complexities. Less than a quarter of married women use contraception in Africa. Females contribute to half the people infected with HIV-nearly 100 percent live in emergent countries (United Nations, Reproductive Health Factsheet). Cultural and societal customs regarding reproductive health contribute to the variations among womens and mens health status. Acknowledgment of the dynamic gender roles and associations reliant on social perspectives where cultural, religious, economic, and political positions are mutual are necessary to promoting gender equality in healthcare. Gender customs and discrimination within the United States, in addition to policies and laws influence womens access to health services and education can have a significant effect on womens reproductive health and their interrelated human rights (Germain, Reproductive Health and Human Rights 66). It is imperative to acknowledge the significant health outcomes attributed to a womans capability of autonomy in controlling health and health decisions. The ability for a woman to have control over when and how many children she has is crucial to increasing womens economic abilities. Family planning Family planning occupies the use of contraception to control the amount of children and intervals between births. An effective analysis of reproductive health allows women to establish informed decisions about their reproductive health and welfare (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 45-48). Family planning also encourages the preservation of womens freedoms and protects their health by precluding unplanned pregnancies and decreasing womens vulnerability to the health risks (Koop, Pearson, and Schwartz 190-191). All women should have the freedom to determine unconditionally and conscientiously the amount and proportion of children to have and to be able to acquire the education and information required to realize this right. Services include access to contraceptives, education, legal abortion, sexually transmissible infection (STI) screenings and treatment, pregnancy testing and counseling. In many parts of the world, including the U.S., these services remain unavailable. For example, betwee n 1994 and 2001, impecunious women had increased number of unplanned pregnancies, rates of abortion, and unintended births contrary to more affluent women. Low-income women are less likely to use contraceptives, thus increasing the incidence of STIs and abortion (Finer and Henshaw 95). High-quality family planning and the highest medical care aim to reduce abortion rates. Prohibiting access to superior reproductive health services and education amplifies the rate of abortion. Reproductive health and human rights and social and economic development. Population health is necessary for continuing economic advancement and overcoming poverty (Novick, Morrow, and Mays 20-24). Men and women should have a fundamental right to health and welfare, but significant infringements and disparities in health determinants and healthcare access continue to exist (Germain, Reproductive Health and Human Rights 65). In the United States, numerous relations among poverty and sexual and reproductive behavior exist. Being disadvantaged is related to first intercourse acts at an earlier age; less constancy with or no contraceptive usage; and reduced rationale to evade childbearing and rearing (Gruskin 1737). The prevalent concern is to surmount social cultural barriers and initiate family planning courses and assistances to women and girls. Supporting and promoting womens reproductive rights and encouraging family planning, enhances economic circumstances of women and families. Violence and discrimination against women continue to negatively impact the ir United States economy. The collaboration between public health and human rights transforms social and political structures that prevent women from fulfilling their highest human potential. The theory of a complex association between health and human rights has outcomes. Health professionals may supply beneficially to public acknowledgment of the remuneration and expenses related to the realization in respect of human rights and dignity. Public health may encumber human rights. In the name of public health, gross misapplication of private health status information can, consequently, aid in harming individuals and violating rights. Mann et al. explains that mishandling of HIV information has resulted in limitations on human rights in such areas as marriage and family, education and work, and freedoms (14). When vital public health problems are delineated on the basis of religion, national origin, or sex, health issues of prioritization may cause bias and are assigned inferior precedence. Additionally, discrimination may arise when health services fail to consider economic and socio-cultural impediments to their access. There are health effects consequent from human rights violations. The extent and scope of health consequences resultant from violation of rights and dignity continue to be disregarded. It is indisputable that human rights and dignity violations have poor effects on health. Recognition of these health influences connected with violations of rights and dignity can promote health and human rights fields (Mann et al. 17-19). For instance, the right to information may be violated when a woman seeks to attain a surgical procedure without appropriate procedural and health risk information available to her. Exploring the link between human rights and health is challenging. The most extensively established examination concentrates on higher socioeconomic status and enhanced health status. Lawrence Finer and Stanley Henshaw explain in the article, Disparities in Rates of Unintended Pregnancy In the United States, 1994 and 2001 that the rates of unplanned pregnancies have elevated among American women, the most prevalent populations being: women aged 18-24, low-income women, and minority women (91). The socioeconomic model generates escalating consequences that further increases the public health issues and human rights violations (Mann et al. 19-22). U.S. Healthcare Systems and Womens Reproductive Rights Public policy Public policy plays a role in womens reproductive rights in the United States. Most of the policy options are related to health care policies. Public health policies, programs and practices can burden human rights because reproductive and gender equity and equality are not analogous. Reproductive Rights are lawful rights and freedoms involving reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as the fundamental right of couples and individuals to choose without restraint and conscientiously the quantity and timing of their children. In addition, the rights also encompass the right to achieve the maximum paradigm of sexual and reproductive health and education/information devoid of inequity, force and aggression (World Health Organization, Reproductive Health.). According to the Center for Reproductive Rights in Report on the United States Compliance with Its Human Rights Obligations in the Area of Womens Reproductive and Sexual Health, a womans access to inclusive reproductive healthcare in the United States is not standardized or definite. The United States Constitution does not unequivocally defend the right to health and, consequently, healthcare is obtained through public and private sectors (par. 2). The United States is a new affiliate of the United Nations Human Rights Council. In the near future, the United Nations Human Rights Council will evaluate the United States adherence with the human rights responsibilities as declared in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the United Nations Charter; and international humanitarian law (Center for Reproductive Rights; Report on the United States Compliance). This relationship will influence United States public policy as it correlates to public health issues as it exemplifies the importance of freedoms and human rights afforded people in the United States, as well as in other nations. Medical Ethics and Reproductive Health Rights There are ethical principles involved with womens reproductive health rights. Essential to contemporary medical ethics is a value for patient autonomy and the basic principle of informed consent. Medical ethics deals with the selections by both medical professionals and patients and the responsibilities and commitments of medical professionals to their patients. In addition, medical ethics also comprises of choices developed by society, the allocation of supplies and health care access and the problems evolving from these. Four elemental principles are feasible in modern medical ethics are: respect for autonomy, the principle of beneficence, the principle of non-malfeasance, and the principle of justice. Autonomy is respected when persons are considered ethical representatives with functions and responsibilities and the aptitude to comprehend and formulate ethical conclusions. The principle of respect for autonomy gives the power for the freewill of all people. In addition, the principle of beneficence attempts to promote the good of the person by doing good; the principle of non-maleficence attempts to evade producing injury; and the principle of Justice considers all people comparatively equal (Harman 40; Key Ethical Principles). Modern medicine considers the medical professional and patient reciprocally united in the treatment decision making process. Respect for autonomy, informed consent and confidentiality are also important for ethical performance. Autonomy In health care, respect for patients autonomy is imperative. Occasionally, autonomy can clash with opposing principles of ethics, such as beneficence (Pozgar 360-361). Autonomy can be limited through the position of the capability to make decisions for oneself, as in the case of a person in a coma or severely brain injured person. The principles of human dignity and respect for people are embedded within autonomy. The principle of human dignity is the fundamental worth that resides in every human being. Respect for people as a principle purports that all people should be treated as capable as they are free and responsible people (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 69-70; Key Ethical Principles). Informed Consent In health care contexts, the rights to informed consent and confidentiality are influential to assure decisions are made under the patients own free will. The principle of informed consent gives every capable woman the rights and responsibilities to progress her own health (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 86; Key Ethical Principles). These rights oblige certain associated obligations upon health care providers. To obtain informed consent of the patient, healthcare providers are obligated to divulge information of anticipated treatments and their alternatives, and they must revere her right to treatment refusal. In addition, healthcare providers are obligated to maintain privacy to permit the patient to make private decisions independent of others, including healthcare providers and family (Pozgar 278-279). Informed consent is an issue of determination. The most important characteristic is that it is patient enabling therefore providing the patient the information she requires in order to make a logical decision for her healthcare needs to be met. Confidentiality In U.S. health care, confidentiality is regulated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Privacy Rule, and many state laws (Miller 440-446). Confidentiality is generally used for discussions that occur between medical providers and patients in the course of treatment and/ or consultation. Legally, medical providers cannot disclose patient-provider discussions. In turn, the health care provider has a duty to respect the patients trust and keep sensitive medical information confidential (Miller 447-450; Pozgar 267-268). This necessitates the health care provider to respect the patients privacy by inhibiting others access to the patients private health care information thus, producing a trusting atmosphere supporting patient candidness with the health care provider. Technology and Challenges Unique to the U.S. and Developed Countries Technological Advances Technological advances play a role in womens reproductive rights in the United States. Reproductive technology includes contemporary and projected uses of technology for human reproduction, including facilitated reproductive technology, such as in-vitro fertilization; contraception; and abortion. The principles of integrity and totality assert that the wellbeing of the total person should be recognized when determining technology or therapeutic intervention usage (Harman 40; Key Ethical Principles). Assisted Reproductive Technology In the U.S., there has been an increase in assisted reproductive technology (ART). In the United States, the first baby conceived through ART was born in 1982. Each year since, there has been a remarkable increase in the amount ART procedures performed, from 64,681 to 134,260 between 1996-2005 (Wright et al. 9). Assisted reproductive technologies pertain to a number of alternatives to assist a woman in becoming pregnant (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 305). Because assisted reproductive technology procedures are very costly and invasive, they are frequently employed as a final recourse for conception. These medical procedures, when employed, are frequently used along with more conservative treatment to amplify the success of the procedure. Assisted reproductive technology methods include in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), and zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) (Wright et al 3-5). Donor egg or embryo and surrogacy are also considered forms of assisted reproductive technology (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 305-307). Recently there has been an increase in assisted reproductive technologies and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in particular. In-vitro fertilization is the method where the ovum is fertilized by sperm outside the womb or in vitro. The fertilized ovum is then relocated to the womans uterus with the intention of producing a pregnancy. In-vitro fertilization is the principal remedy in infertility to other unsuccessfully facilitated reproductive technology approaches. There are examples of womens health rights being violated with in-vitro fertilization. Women who are single, overweight, or of significant age past child bearing years may be denied the same rights as a married, normal weight, younger woman. Contraceptives Contraception is the utilization of a variety of techniques to inhibit pregnancy as well as thwarting sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). While, for the most part, the United States exemplifies elevated concentrations of contraceptive use as a method to prevent pregnancy, it is not uniformly dispersed within the United States. Certain populations, mainly urban and rural communities, contraceptive alternatives are restricted and access is complex, ensuing an unrealized necessity for contraceptive technology. (Guttmacher Institute, Facts on Contraceptive Use in the United States). In spite of evolvement of contraceptive technologies, method selection is individual. Classification of contraceptive technologies is based on the length of defense. These classifications are permanent, long-term, and short-term methods. Permanent methods of contraception have a very high success rate and include male (vasectomy) and female sterilization (tubal ligation). Both procedures are invasive and increase the risks of infection and other health complications and do not prevent against HIV and STDs. Long-term methods, while not as invasive as permanent methods, also have a very high success rate. Intrauterine devices (IUD), oral contraceptives, and hormonal injections are forms of long term contraceptive methods. This method, like permanent methods, can increase the risk of health complications and do not prevent against HIV and STDs. Short-term methods of contraception are to some extent less successful than long-term and permanent methods. Short-term contraceptives methods include condoms, spermicides, vaginal barriers, and emergency contraceptive pills. While side effects of this method are fewer than previously mentioned methods, only the condom prevents conception and HIV and STDs simultaneously when used appropriately (Guttmacher Institute, Facts on Contraceptive Use in the United States). Access to reliable, safe contraceptives is an essential component of a womans reproductive health and public health as a whole, with significant emphasis on the aspect of reproductive rights. It is imperative for healthcare providers to emphasize confidentiality and empower the womans autonomy regarding decisions about contraceptive methods. Abortion Abortion is a pregnancy that does not result in a birth (Pozgar 309). Therapeutic and elective abortions are the most common types of abortions in the United States. Therapeutic abortions are executed when there are fetal anomalies or when pregnancy endangers the mothers health. Elective abortions are the intended disruptions of pregnancy for basis exclusive of fetal irregularities or maternal threat. These types of abortion to end unintentional pregnancies are not uncommon (Guttmacher Institute, Facts on Induced Abortion). Access to reliable, legal abortion is a fundamental element of a womans reproductive health and an important factor of reproductive rights (Germain, Womens Health 193). Women must have significant procedure accession where abortion is legal. In the U.S. Supreme Courts 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, the constitutional entitlement to abortion was acknowledged but failed to give women attainment to abortion services because of the escalating amount of limitations. Consequently, numerous state laws constrain a womans ability to obtain an abortion thus increasing the number of illegally obtained abortions. These laws are intended to make it more complicated for an abortion to be attained. A womans capability to access abortion services is additionally threatened by public persecution of abortion providers and confines on federal and private resources has produced a scarcity of services (Center for Reproductive Rights, Report on the United States Compliance par. 16-23; Guttmacher Institute, Fa cts on Induced Abortion). A resolution cannot ensue without corroboration for alteration. A considerable portion of the issues with womens health are mortality of mothers in addition to the fetus due in part to little education and little or no maternal health care available. Conclusion The association of human rights with regards to womens reproductive health in the United States is a significant public health issue. The overall importance of womens health and human rights is to advance the health of women and girls throughout the lifetime. Future optimal balance should be negotiated between public health goals and womens health and human rights approaches. The extensive historical impact of womens health and human rights emphasizes the need for endorsement and defense of health through respecting; protecting and fulfilling of womens human and health rights that are inextricably linked. It is imperative for public health officials and law makers to understand the serious health consequences and implications of defiance of womens health and human rights can have. The creation of universal health policies and programs to promote womens health and human rights in their design can facilitate the support of rights to autonomy, participation, privacy, and information in health care. Finally, susceptibility to illness can be abridged by adopting measures to appreciate, defend and accomplish human rights through autonomy from inequity of race, sex, and gender roles, as well as a fundamental right to health, nutrition, and education. The focal point for womens health issues is to remedy the inequities in research, health care services, and education that have positioned the womens health in danger. By organizing womens health research, health care services, and public policy new programs and ideas required to advance womens health in the United States and internationally can increase (Gruskin, Reproductive and Sexual Rights). Expansion of improved womens health practices by recognizing and duplicating thriving womens health programs, advancement of public health education by expanding the involvement of women and girls in health education courses, and increasing access to womens health services by involving professionals, such as health care professionals and public health officials, on womens health issues will attempt to close the disp

Dead Poets Society, Summary :: essays research papers

"The Dead Poet’s Society" is a movie about a group of kids. The conflict, characters, plot and theme are very interesting. So now I am going to tell you a little about it. In this movie there were many different points of conflict. One major conflict was with Knox and his father. Knox’s father wanted to choose Knox’s future for him. He told him everything he should do and shouldn’t. He wouldn’t let Knox be in a play. Knox participated in it anyway. His father showed up and saw Knox in the play. Knox got in trouble. His father was going to take him put of Welting. Knox got so put out with it that he shot himself. Another point of conflict was with Mr. Keating and the school of welting. The school blamed Mr. Keating for Knox’s death. Some of the students were with the school and some of them were against. The characters in "The Dead Poet’s Society" were very unique. Mr Keating was a very round character. He has a very unique way of teaching the class about poetry. Mr. Keating had went to the same school he is teaching in now. Knox was flat. He had problems with his dad. Todd was flat. He was on Mr. Keating’s side when the school tried to fire him. Cameron was dynamic. He went with the crowd. If a group of kids did one thing then he would follow right behind. The plot in the story is rather interesting. The exposition is simple. A group of students have a English teacher who is very creative in the way he teaches. One of the students finds out about a group that Mr. Keating was in when he went to the school. Him and his friends decide that they would start it again. The rising action is when the kids start to have the meetings. The students get a little more crazy than the have been before. The climax is when Knox shots himself. Everything falls apart after that. The kids start to get in arguments, Mr. Keating is blamed for his death, and the school board is very angry. The falling action is when the students start to come back together to get Mr. Keating back in the school. The resolution is when Mr. Keating goes into the classroom to get the last of the supplies.