What are the main benefits and costs of monetary union What are the Essay

What are the main benefits and costs of monetary union What are the main criteria for the optimality of a currency area - Essay Example Thus it eliminates a big hurdle in the way of trade. At the same time, countries get free from any exchange rate uncertainty; get smaller rates of transactions and more secure price transparency. A neutral body acts as central bank on behalf of all member nations of the monetary union. This body being neutral and free from influence of any nation makes it credible for not only all members of the monetary union, but also for outside world. For example, European Central Bank acts as a combined central bank of the European Union. Monetary union is the way of promoting greater economic alliance which is beneficial for all member states and the outside world. For example, it is easy today to deal with a group of 28 countries of Europe at a single platform named European Union. Optimal currency area is also known as optimal currency region. This area refers to single market areas having a single currency across the region. There are many elements that define the optimality of a currency area (Alexandre Swoboda, 1999). It is important to have these elements to become the member of an optimal currency area. So following is the main criteria for the optimality of a currency area: (University of North Carolina,

VitraHaus Construction Analysis

VitraHaus Construction Analysis The home of Vitra Home Collection, VitraHaus (2006-2010), is located on Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany.1 It was designed by Basel-based architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron and opened in 2010.2 The purpose of the VitraHaus was to provide a space to present Vitra Home Collection furniture arrangements in different style genres and also provide inspirational ideas for visitors home and their own taste in design.3 In Charles Ray Eames Showroom, this was overcome by use of precedents which includes minimalism and the architects previous projects in Munich, Basel, and Paris.4 A) Historical Introduction: The VitraHaus(fig.1) was initiated as the home of the Vitra Home Collection that launched in January 2004.5 The company Vitra is a manufacturer and retailer of many leading furniture designers works.6 Vitra is also known for the Vitra Campus(fig.2) that make up its premises in Wil am Rhein.7 It is where company s widely acclaimed architecture of museum, atelier, showrooms, warehouse and manufacturing buildings are situated which make up its premises.8 These buildings are known for its internationally recognized architects such as like Frank Gehry, Tadao Ando, Zaha Hadid, Nicholas Grimshaw, Alvaro Siza and Antonio Citterio as well as structures by Jean Prouv? and Richard Buckminster Fuller.9 Since its foundation in 1950, the company focused mainly on office furnishings and has targeted business clients until they launched its Home Collection in January 2004 with a new target group in mind: individual customers with an interest in design.10 It features collection of unique home product s including design classics, re-editions, as well as works by contemporary designers.11 The Vitra Home Collection was displayed in a former factory building on the main Vitra production site until the company decided to have a space solely serve for the Home Collection.12 To construct an additional space on the Vitra Campus, the company commissioned two Basel based architects Herzog and de Meuron in 2006 to design the home of Vitra Home Collection the VitraHause.13 The design development took place from 2006 to 2007 and the construction continued from 2007 to 2009 where the VitraHaus opened in Feburary 22nd 2010.14 The construction of VitraHaus was also a starting of a new chapter in the history of Vitra Campus since it was the newest addition in sixteen years since the last building the Vitra Design Museum by Frank Gehry in1994.15 B) Spatial Organization and Planning: The VitraHaus is a five storey structure with twelve houses within the building.16 (fig.3) The Charles and Ray Eames showroom (fig.4) is located in the third floor of VitraHaus with dimension of approximately 90sq.meter.17 The visitors discovery on the path through the VitraHaus starts from fourth floor of the building towards the lower floors.18 As one starts their tour in fourth floor loft, they are introduced to a spectacular view of the Tullinger Hill and the history of Vitra and the VitraHaus.19 After one has been introduced to a brief knowledge of the Vitra and its history of furniture, The Vitra Classic awaits in the third floor (fig.5) where Charles and Ray Eames showroom is located.20 The Vitra Classic floor can be reached by three different paths throughout the building.21 First is to take the main stair which connects all the floors in the building.22 This main stair will introduce you directly to Charles and Ray Eames showroom which is located in the North East side of the floor.23 The second method is to take a lift which also connects all the floors in the building.24 However, the lift will lead you to the other collection of Vitra Classics which is located in the South West side of the floor.25 But one can easily walk to the other side of the floor.26 The third is a spiral stair which is accessible from the second floor.27 On the arrival of this spiral stair, one can choose to walk straight forward to the South West part of the floor or turn around to visit the Charles and Ray Eames collection.28 As you enter the showroom (fig.6), the front facade with glazed gable ends opens up the room to the view of landscape and the Vitra Campus.29 The daylight from the window also makes the room feel more spacious. On the East of the room is the display wall with wall mounted shelving and colour coded signage to categorize Charles and Ray Eames designs.30 To the West side of the space, chairs are displayed on the floor along the wall with different flooring that separates between the display area and circulation floor.31 The West side of the space also has the spiral stairs which opened up upper part of the wall which gives view of second floor which presents the Living, Eating, and Working at Home collections.32 C) Materials and Construction Method(s): The VitraHaus is a five storey structure of stacked volumes of the archetypal house which comprised of twelve houses.33 Five houses are set at the ground floor with seven more houses are stacked up, intersected and in support of one another.34 Stacked into a total of five storeys and breathtakingly cantilevered up to fifteen metres in some places, the twelve houses, whose floor slabs intersect the underlying gables, create a three-dimensional assemblage ? a pile of houses that, at first glance, has an almost chaotic appearance.35 The VitraHaus rises above the other buildings on the Vitra Campus with maximum dimensions of 57 metres in length, 54 metres in width and 21.3 metres in height.36(fig.7) The deliberate intention was to grant an overview of the surrounding landscape, the campus as well as an overview of the Home Collection by constructing a vertically oriented structure with a small footprint.37 The charcoal coloured stucco on the exterior of the building unifies the structure, and connects it to the surrounding landscape.38 (fig.8) A wooden plank floors made from the local larch wood defines an open central area, where five ground floor buildings are grouped.39 (fig.9) It performs as a conference area, Vitra Design Museum Shop, business lounge and a Vitrine exhibition space, the lobby with a reception area and a caf? with an outdoor terrace for summer use.40 As interior and exterior spaces interpenetrate, so do two types of forms: the orthogonal-polygonal, as perceived from the exterior, and the organic, which produces a series of spatial surprises in the interior. 41(fig.10) It is a secret world that is intended by Herzog de Meuron with a suggestive, almost labyrinthine character. 42 On the path through the five storeys, the complexity of the interior space arises not only from the angular intersection of the individual houses but also from the integration of a second geo metrical concept.43 All of the staircases are integrated into expansive, winding organic volumes that figuratively eat their way through the various levels of the building like a worm, sometimes revealing fascinating visual relationships between the various houses, at other times blocking the view.44 The individual houses, which have the general characteristics of a display space, are conceived as abstract elements.45 With just a few exceptions, only the gable ends are glazed, and the structural volumes seem to have been shaped with an extrusion press.46 An important feature of the VitraHaus is the glassed end gables(fig.11); a feature which gives the house two personalities.47 By day the surrounding countryside appears to be drawn into the interior and to become almost a part of the decoration; in contrast, however, when darkness falls, the illuminated interior of the building glows from within, while its physical structure seems to dissipate.48 The rooms open up; the glazed gable ends turn into display cases that shine across the Vitra Campus and into the surrounding countryside.49 D) Furnishings and Ornamentation: The philosophy of Vitra Home Collection is to provide inspirational ideas for individuals home and their own taste in design rather than an interior design system or a homogeneous product line.50 Vitra Home Collection wishes to inspire customers to furnish their home as a process of collage of products and objects according to one s individual preferences and circumstances.51 To allow one to be inspired, and encourage to explore and heighten their sense of design, the interior of the overall space is very simple and furnishings are used as minimal as possible.52 The interior walls are finished in white which gives priority to the furniture displays and allow the characteristics of furniture presents its fullest .53 Since the space is used to showcase the retail furniture, series of wall shelving and signage are used to display.54 The white shelves are mounted in different levels with colourful signage to categorize the types of Charles and Ray Eames chairs into plastic, wire, aluminu m, and ply wood groups.55 The rugs or different variety of floor furnishings are used to give the boundary to the additional furniture displayed on the floor.56 The spot lightings are mounted in the ceiling as ambient light as well as to emphasize the products.57 Since there are minimal use of ornamentations, the abstract structural volumes interacting through the space and the glazed gable ends adds rhythm to the space.58 The high ceiling, white finishes, light wood floors, and large windows give spacious feeling to the space.59 Each house has a touch screen catalogue(fig.12) where each visitor can insert their VitraHause keycard and browse through Vitra s catalogue, purchase a product on a spot or learn about particular design or designer.60 The Vitra Classic Collection also features the Photo me La Chaise Armchair which is set of a La Caise Armchair by Charles and Ray Eames with a camera that allows visitors to have memorable photo time upon their visit to the VitraHaus.61 The photo can be stored in a personal VitraHause keycard and can be emailed later.62 E) Functions and Signification: Since the company Vitra is a manufacturer and retailer company that acquired licenses for the designs of Charles and Ray Eames in 1951, it is not a surprise to see that one of the showrooms in VitraHaus was dedicated to the designs of Eames.63 The Charles and Ray Eames showroom functions as a space that showcases the works of Charles and Ray Eames in different range of groups.64 The groups are categorized by the materials used in the making of the chairs which includes but not limited to; plastic, wire, aluminum, and ply wood.65 As mentioned earlier, the deliberate intention of the building was to grant an overview of the surrounding landscape, the campus as well as an overview of the Home Collection by constructing a vertically oriented structure with a small footprint.66 This has been illustrated in the Charles and Ray Eames showroom with large window that has an overview of the campus and the opening for the spiral stair case allows an overview of the Home Collection on lower floors.67 The philosophy of the Vitra Home Collection also has been demonstrated successfully in the space.68 The Vitra Home Collection s intention was to provide inspirational ideas for individuals own taste in design so one can furnish their home as a process of collage of products and objects according to one s individual preferences and circumstances.69 This philosophy is successfully delivered through minimal interior design of the space.70 It allowed the unique characteristics of each chairs to be presented in its fullest with the contrast of the white wall.71 This contrast and display almost creates an imagery of pallets of colourfull paints on a white canvas which inspires visitors to explore and imagine their own design of space.72 The special photograph set and digital catalogue also adds excitement and convenience to the visit.73 The space that is solely dedicated in respect of the design classic, with the company s philosophy of provide a space that can inspire one to build and develop their own design world.74 This suggests that the space not only functions as a showroom, but it also functions as a space for an education, preservation of stories, personal knowledge and to be one s muse.75 F) Designer s Sources/Inspirations/Influences/Precedents: The concept of the VitraHaus contains two direct quotations of the themes that appear repeatedly in the oeuvre of Herzog de Meuron: the theme of the archetypal house and the theme of stacked volumes.76 Herzog de Meuron has aimed not for virtuosity but innovation, looking always to the broader culture and art for inspiration.77 Referring to Andy Warhol, Jacques Herzog has said, He used common Pop images to say something new. That is exactly what we are interested in: to use well known forms and materials in a new way so that they become alive again. 78 Their influences of the archetypal house and theme of stacked volumes can be seen in many of their work from precedents to future projects that are in progress.79 The Goetz Collection, in Munich 1989-1992 (fig.13), St. Jakob Turm in Basel 2005-2008 (fig.14), and Rue des Suisses in Paris 1996-2000 (fig.15) are one of the precedents that has been designed by Herzog and de Meuron.80 Another form of their precedents study can be found at the Herzog and de Meuron Exhibition at the Walker Art Centre in November 2000 to February 2001.81 The exhibition included from material studies to technical drawings and from initial models to full-scale prototypes(fig.16).82 Here, many prototypes of stack up of geometrical shapes can be found.83 In VitraHaus, it was especially appropriate since the primary purpose of the five-storey building is to present furnishings and objects for the home.84 Due to the proportions and dimensions of the interior spaces ? the architects use the term domestic scale ? the showrooms are reminiscent of familiar residential settings.85 Architect Jacques Herzog, naturally, sees the situation somewhat differently.86 For Herzog, the project was a chance to get away from development driven architecture and a rare opportunity to complete an author driven project.87 Through the stacking and interlacing you not only create a multitude of new forms and architectural spaces but achieve a wonderful paradox: a simple, familiar house design which appears complex on account of the numerous intersections.88 This perceived complexity is further enhanced by the combination of the external orthogonal-polygonal form and the more organic internal form which results, principally, from the spiral staircases and occa sional open spaces and small side windows.89 Principally the black exterior allows the effect of floating houses by allowing the structure to merge with the darkness.90 In addition the anthracite of the VitraHaus contrasts with the brilliant white of Frank Gehrys neighbouring Vitra Design Museum.91

Buying the Perfect Horse :: Free Essay Writer

Buying the Perfect Horse Last weekend a Mr. Charlie Goodrich called my office. He told me that an old friend of mine, who had given me very high recommendations, had referred him to me. Mr. Goodrich said that he was looking for a horse. He was not sure what exactly he was going to use it for, but he was examining a couple possibilities. Since my job is to help people decide which breed of horse would best suit their plans and lifestyles, I needed to know exactly what it was he wanted to use a horse for. He told me that he owned a very reputable stable, with a variety of expensive breeds, and he was looking to expand his stock. Mr. Goodrich said that he wanted a stallion with a future in racing, and good siring bloodlines. That is what many owners do with retired racehorses. After the horse’s racing career is over they are sent to what is like a retirement home for horses. Here they live out the rest of their lives, breeding and siring many young foals. I explained to him that two of the best horses for racing were the Thoroughbred and the Arabian. My personal favorite is the Arabian, I told him, because of it’s unique beauty and rich heritage. In order to try and find which would be the best for him I researched both breeds and presented him with the results. While both the Thoroughbred and the Arabian are very beautiful, and both are well reputed in the racing world, the Arabian horse is far superior. Its ancient, mysterious origins, and unique beauty make it a very desirable horse. It excels on the track, and produces incredible offspring. The Arabian stallion has also been the subject of many novels, etching its figure into many hearts, and making it even more popular. Origins The term Thoroughbred describes a breed of horse whose ancestry traces back to three foundation sires – the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian, and the Byerly Turk. Named after their respective owners – Thomas Darley, Lord Godolphin, and Captain Robert Byerly – these three stallions were brought to England around the turn of the 17th century and bred to the stronger, but less intelligent, native horse. They were bred to native spring mares – very probably Scottish Galoways – and the resulting foals were the first real thoroughbreds.

Mango Street Essay Essay

Throughout history, women have been seen as inferior to men. In the novel, The House On Mango Street, the main character, Esperanza sees many examples of women who are treated lower by their husbands. These women are imprisoned in their own homes on Mango Street. The author, Sandra Cisneros uses the motif of Imprisoned Females to show that women have been seen as inferior to men. There were many chapters in the novel in which women were seen as inferior to men. On page 79 in the novel, Rafael gets locked indoors because her husband is afraid Rafaela will run away since she is too beautiful to look at. Rafael is just one of the many victims of Imprisoned Females on Mango Street. She is scared to leave because she thinks her husband will do something, he doesn’t want other man to take her away from him. Esperazana could also been considered a â€Å"Imprisoned Female. All she wants to do is live in a house she can call her own and be free but she is stuck on Mango Street where she meets all these other women who are stuck like her and she thinks she will never get out. Men treat women like they are nothing. Why? Because they are scared. Scared that women will leave them for someone better. Scared that women will tell someone of all the awful things they have done to them. Scared that women will finally tell the truth.

Descriptive Essay on Soccer Ball

Most would take for granted how a soccer ball looks. They would put it as an pointless detail to the sport. To those people, they see this wonderful object as just a b all. Nothing more and nothing less. Others, however, know better. At first look you may n twice the specific black and white color coordination belonging only to the soccer ball. A closer look will reveal twenty white, hexagonal and twelve black, pentagonal surface s that make up the covering of the ball.When rotating the ball you may notice name Ross cuts along to the surface of the ball, the dust, crosshatched lining peeking out fro m under. Spots of mud all over the surface of the soccer ball. If the ball is so close to your face you can smell the scent of dirt and grass mix De with the light smell of rain that perfumes the ball in your grasp. When you breathe deep you can almost taste the dirt and grass on your tongue, a bittersweet flavor that SST says In your mouth, the taste of the rain adding to the already fun ky odor and flavor I n your mouth.The feeling of the ball is something entirely unto itself. If you pick up a soccer ball and hold it in your hands, you can feel the smoothness of the covering and how or undo in shape it is. As your hand curves around the ball, you feel the graininess of the rediscovered surface between your hand and the surface. As your hands contain u to move your hand around the ball's surface, you are able to tell the difference when your fingers fall into the smooth cracks of the stitching, same as to the delicately or ugh cuts and scrapes on the surface of the ball, made from the bounce against a solid wall.A perfect ball, if squeezed, it will be squeezed a little because of the pressure of your fingers on the ball. If kicked properly, the fierce kick of your foot hitting the baa II does not hurt at all. In fact you will feel strong after a good kick. Rolling the ball under y our foot, oh get a feel for its shape, how it moves, and how it's resistance to your body The feeling of a ball hitting your body can sometimes be a bad encounter. If ski eked with enough force, the impact of flesh and soccer ball can be really painful.Though h a the ball may not feel hard when held, when it is flying at a rapid pace and comes to an sudden stop when it meets your stomach, chest, leg, forehead, and even face, it can f eel as hard and solid as a rock. The sound of a soccer ball is really something special. You can tell by the soon d the ball makes how good your kick was. Essentially, the sound aimed for is a loud, Dee , popping sound. This shows you have kicked the ball in the right area.

Critical Essay Outline

Critical Essay Outline Critical Essay Outline Critical Essay Outline Critical essay outline is a tool that helps you to organize your material logically and helps you to sort and to classify the material systematically. As a result, you are empowered to see the relationships that exist between ideas in your critical essay writing. Outline writing helps you to develop and organize plan for presenting the material. The goals of the outlines are to present logically the general information, to summarize it schematically, and to provide a visual and conceptual plan of the writing process. An outline reflects logical thinking and classification of your ideas. Prior to writing an outline, you should set up the purpose of the critical essay, write down the thesis of essay and think about the ideas you plan to cover. At this stage you can write all of the ideas you want to include in your critical essay writing, plan the work by grouping ideas together that are related to each other, organize the work by dividing the material into groups ranging from the gene ral to the specific, or from abstract to specific. Critical Essay Format Create a title page if it is necessary. Use MLA style for headings, headers and pagination. Type in 12-point font, for example, Arial which is the easiest to read, make it double-spaced with one-inch margins. Always make a back-up copy of your essay on diskette and an additional hard copy. Usually, short critical essay must be minimum 2-3 full pages; the longer critical essay must be minimum 5-7 full pages in length. In the short critical essay, you must include at least three quotes from the works you are analyzing. Add quotation marks around direct quotations; identify the sources of all paraphrased information. Be careful and avoid plagiarism while writing a critical essay: Writing a Critical Essay The purpose of writing a critical essay is to evaluate somebody's work, to express your ideas on the raised theme, and to reveal your understanding of the material. Critical essay is a paper in which you should express your opinion or provide evaluation of the text. Prior to writing a critical essay, have a clear topic in mind. Once more read the text, be sure that the topic in mind correspond to the essay's topic. Develop an argument and state it in your first paragraph. The argument should prove your chosen position. If no one would disagree with what you're saying, it's not an argument. Critical Essay Help It is not easy to write a good critical essay without outline. Moreover, it is even harder to write a good critical essay on the topic you are not familiar with. You are welcome to ask for assistance. We are ready to write an impressive critical essay for you on any topic! In addition, you receive free title page, outline, and bibliography list. Related posts: Hamlet Thesis Dissertation Writers Dissertation Subjects Dissertation Paper Dissertation Help

Fruits to make a fruit battery Essay Example

Fruits to make a fruit battery Essay Example Fruits to make a fruit battery Paper Fruits to make a fruit battery Paper Magnesium, due to its reactivity, has a very high potential energy, so the electrons travel from it to the copper, which has a very low potential energy due to its unreactivity. The difference in the potential is called the cell potential difference. If the difference of potential energy is large, then clearly the voltage produced by the galvanic cell will also be large as voltage is potential difference. From the electrochemical series, magnesium has a standard electrode potential of -2. 37, and copper has one of +0. 34. The difference between the potentials is 2. 71, which is large, and therefore this will mean more electrons will be conducted creating a larger current, and also the difference between the potentials will also mean a higher voltage. If the anode was zinc (-0. 76) then the difference would be 1. 1 not as large a difference as the magnesium due to it being less reactive. Other examples could be zinc and magnesium, a difference of 1. 61, lead (-0. 13) and iron (0. 04), a difference of 17 and so on. This is how galvanic cells operate, storing chemical energy that is released as electrical energy when a conductor is connected between the two electrodes. This scientific theory supports my initial prediction that the magnesium and copper will produce the highest voltage due to their potential energy difference. Evaluation: I think that the experiment went quite well. It is hard to spot anomalous results on a bar graph, but I think my results are pretty accurate, and fit my prediction. However I feel accuracy was limited and could have been improved if a set of 3 results was taken, because I only took 2, it is possible that one result could have been wrong and changed the average, while accuracy is increased with three results. : There was not enough time to do this though. I think that the results gained using zinc and magnesium were more unreliable than the others, because there were big differences between the two results that were taken. For example, using lead and zinc the first time (in the grapefruit) a voltage of 0. 17 was produced, while the second reading was 0. 49V. This could be because we didnt change the metal strips after every fruit, meaning they had been reacting with both the air and the electrolyte/fruit. Accuracy could also have been lacked due to the difficulty in cutting out equal sized strips. We had to use a steel nail of similar surface area because iron foil was unavailable. Fruits are also very unpredictable and vary. I think that we should have perhaps focused on one fruit, like the lemon, and used three different lemons to increase accuracy. This would perhaps be a more useful approach. I believe further investigations are needed to help fulfill the aim of the experiment. I think that acids and alkaline solutions should be used instead of fruits due to their unreliability. This will make the experiment quicker too. The outcome would be more predictable. The distance between the two metals in the fruit could be varied in further work to again test the voltages produced using different combinations of magnesium, iron, zinc, lead and copper. You could start them with a centimetre difference between them, and then increase this by a cm until it reaches 5 cm. A variety of fruits could again be used as a variable in this method. Other variables to be tested are the surface area of the metals and how that would affect the voltage produced, as it clearly seemed to affect my results.

3 Reasons NOT to copy your Resume Summary into your LinkedIn Summary Section!

3 Reasons NOT to copy your Resume Summary into your LinkedIn Summary Section! Many people on LinkedIn make the mistake of copying their resume summary statements into their LinkedIn Summary section.   There are three major problems with this strategy: Problem #1: Trite Phrases Often your resume summary is laden with overused phrases like â€Å"Results-oriented team player with a proven track record†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"Dynamic, motivated self-starter with extensive experience†¦Ã¢â‚¬  If your resume summary looks anything like the above examples, please rewrite it and hire a professional resume writer if necessary!   This type of language belongs neither on your resume nor in your LinkedIn profile. Problem #2: LinkedIn Summary Real Estate You have 2000 characters at your disposal for a LinkedIn Summary, vs. three to four lines maximum for your resume summary.   Why would you choose not to use all that real estate to say something – really say something – about yourself? Problem #3: Keywords Your LinkedIn Summary is an essential place for you to insert keywords if you want to be found on LinkedIn.   By inserting a 3-line summary, you lose out on your chance to build keywords into your profile. Resume Summary Example For Resumes Only Here’s an example of a very strong resume summary statement that does NOT belong in a LinkedIn Summary (note I DO like this statement as a resume summary statement – in fact I wrote it!): LeeAnn Dance Producer    Writer Editor Award-winning television producer and groundbreaking investigative reporter -    experience covering issues ranging from pre-election to international news, with special emphasis on East Africa.   Creator and writer of highly acclaimed documentaries and promotional videos for non-profit organizations. Eight years as producer for CNN. LinkedIn Summary Example Great Model! What would a LinkedIn Summary look like for LeaAnn?   Here is the statement we wrote for her: Award-winning investigative and documentary television producer Video production and broadcast journalism have been my passions for over 20 years, ever since receiving my MS in Journalism from Columbia University. I have produced everything from groundbreaking news stories for CNN to promotional videos for non-profit organizations, and I am currently hosting a blog radio show for parents relaunching their careers. My journalism background gave me the ability to distill a large amount of material and hone in on what’s true and important. I can pinpoint the real message that needs to be conveyed, creating a human story that moves and inspires an audience. Promotional Videos for Non-Profit Organizations As a freelance video producer, I specialize in creating high caliber, professional and creative promotional videos for non-profit and educational organizations. I understand the budgetary constraints of non-profit organizations and will work within a range of budgets and scope of work. Funders respond to high quality video presentations that effectively convey your organization’s message. I will take your message, target it, and transform it into a concise and meaningful array of pictures, words, and sounds. You will then have the power of an impactful video to present your organization’s activities at fundraising events and through the web. Back in Force In addition to being a video producer, I was a stay-at-home mom for 13 years, and I am committed to providing resources to women who are returning to the workforce. The Back in Force blog chronicles my journey and shares information about the return-to-work process. Blog topics include emotional roadblocks to relaunching, preparing your resume, updating your wardrobe, and preparing your family for re-entry. Check out my weekly blog talk radio show on relaunching your career, with guests including authors, career counselors, therapists, and employers. (www.blogtalkradio.com/backinforce) What works about this LinkedIn Summary Example? Conveys LeeAnn’s story and her passion (the resume summary does not). Contains multiple keywords that will get LeeAnn found on LinkedIn. Covers the different facets of what LeeAnn has to offer. Draws the eye to sub-headings so that readers can easily see what LeeAnn is about.   The text is broken into bite-sized pieces, not so blocky that no one will read it. Has a call to action. Note that the resume summary does NONE of these five things, even though it is perfectly great as a resume summary. Can you write a LinkedIn Summary Statement for yourself that accomplishes at least four out of the five functions listed above?   If yes, great go for it!   If you need help, consider contacting The Essay Expert for a free 15- minute consultation.   We will be happy to write you a LinkedIn Summary that will help you get found on LinkedIn and have the impact you want on the people who read your profile.

Child marriage in Tanzania Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Child marriage in Tanzania - Essay Example Early marriage is a deadly practice that exposes a girl to numerous health challenges. One among them is the psychological trauma of being exposed to adulthood responsibilities before the child is fully mature. Most of the girls are married off to men that are much older than them, and even fit to be called their fathers. In the marriage, the man they are married to and his relatives expose them to physical abuse and assault. Early marriage also denies the child a chance to grow and enjoy her childhood. She is forced to behave like a woman as she takes upon the responsibilities that are too big for her. The girl is also denied the chance to attend school and achieve her dreams as she is looked at as property rather than a person with an independent mind. Most of the girls become pregnant at very tender ages before their reproductive systems are fully mature. Early marriage is a mentality that is deep rooted in the Maasai communities in Tanzania. A woman has no say in any matters that pertain to her life. The mentality implies that the men are the overall decision makers and the women have to agree to them, whether they think it is right or not. From the film, we realize that the mothers of the girls have no power to stop their husbands from marrying off their daughters at a tender age. Circumcision, commonly known as female genital mutilation is a cultural practice that binds women regarding making decisions. The women cannot say no to the practice, which is usually a sign that they are ready for marriage.

Page 463 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Page 463 - Essay Example The aspect of setting proposals requires prior understanding of what is needed. NSF provides information regarding its requirements and offers so much information regarding the increased productivity and the quality of ideas that will meet the inherent needs of the organization as a whole. Most people will have to get clarity and this will be essential because it will provide NSF with an easy time while going through the requests. Another thing that NSF attains by having these guidelines out is the ability of the audience to understand the persuasive nature of an argument based on the culture required within the company. In most cases, people present arguments that do not portray any requisite understanding of the language and culture present in the organization (Markel, 2012). It allows its clients to make better judgments when making choices as well as create precise proposals that can meet the desired working platforms within the organization. Like any serious organization, it is always important to stick to scholarship and proper rules of attribution. This essential part of the proposal gains more emphasis by the fact that research misconduct will be construed if the authors other than the major authors do not receive any acknowledgment. By creating such guidelines, it allows people to understand that relevant proposal writing skills need to be prevalent and people have to work on establishing the requirements beforehand. The important thing is to use experiences to benefit the intended topic and subject of concern, as well as mediate between the audience and the committee making the grant decisions (Markel, 2012). This process involves a lot of skills and identifies the main purpose of getting the grant. The lack of such details would see the grant proposal thrown out, something that might jeopardize the chances of getting any such attributes in the

Chinese judiciary independence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Chinese judiciary independence - Essay Example In a simpler way, making a complete and legitimate judgment has three procedures in China. Firstly, Public Security Organs apply the approval from Procuratorate to arrest suspects after they gather evidence. Second, Procuratorate would review the evidence. If they don’t think have enough evidence by the law to arrest criminal suspects, Procuratorate will disapprove the arrest. If they consider the evidence as enough, they will approve Public Security Organs to arrest the suspects. Then, Procuratorate transfers these cases to the court for prosecution. However, if Procuratorate consider that case should not prosecutable, then it drops the charges. Finally, the court makes a judicial decision and result after receiving cases from Procuratorate. Procuratorate can apply counter appeal if they don’t think the court’s judicial decision is fair and correct. The case then gets a retrial or transfer to the higher court to review. The Supreme Peoples Court is the highest j udicial organ. After it makes judicial decisions, people cannot apply counter appeal. Disapproval Arrest rate, Disapproval Prosecution Rate, and the quantity of Counter-appeal earlier mentioned as the three representative and important data at the beginning, are all respectively produced from the above three judgment procedures. If the value of the data is large, that means the level of judiciary independence is high. If they are small, that means the level of judiciary independence is low. I will compare the three data sets from different periods and areas to draw a conclusion on whether the Chinese judiciary has had any change and improvement in the past two decades. Disapproval Arrest Rate is only produced after the Public Security Organs apply the approval to arrest suspects, but the Procuratorate fails to approve it. It is the proportion of the disapproval arrest quantity divided by the whole quantity of the application to arrest. In terms of time, the average of

History Of Black Tea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History Of Black Tea - Essay Example As compared to the other oxidized teas, black tea is much stronger and contains more caffeine. There are two varieties of species, which are used in the black tea. One is the small-leaved Chinese variety plant, which is also used for the green and white plants. The other variety is the large-leaved Assamese plant. This type was only used traditionally for the Black Tea. Black tea is known as ‘Crimson Tea’, in Chinese and other languages influenced by Chinese. The name itself suggests a more accurate color of the liquid. In the ‘West’ when we talk about black tea, it mostly refers to tea without milk or cream, similar to the coffee that is served without milk. In ‘Chinese’, however black tea is regarded as Pu-erh, which is a common classification of post-fermented teas. Black tea retains its flavor for several years, unlike the green tea which loses it in a years’ time. Due to its retention of flavor, black tea has remained an article of trade. Moreover, black tea which is compressed into brick form is used as a form of de-facto currency in Mongolia, Tibet, and Siberia around the 19th century. Initially, when the tea was imported to Europe, it was either green or semi-oxidized. It was in the 19th century that black tea gained popularity, and people started preferring it over green tea. Despite the fact that green tea has its own health benefits, over 90 percent of the population in the west consume black tea (Tea Scapes n.p). Black tea is famously known as Red Tea in China.

Gods command Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gods command - Essay Example This passage shows that human beings are nothing without God and we cannot achieve anything until God decides to bestow his blessing upon us and fulfill our needs and wants. No matter how hard we work and no matter how educated or literate we become, we cannot achieve anything in this world without the blessings of God. For example, An individual who studies hard day and night can only end up scoring an â€Å"A† grade in his/her exam if God wants to allow him that grade. We should not only work hard, we should even pray hard and bow down before God if we want to achieve our aims and objectives. God has the ability to perform miracles such as the miracle of water flowing out of rock is one of the greatest examples of miracles that God can perform. This tells us that we should not be scared of anyone or any huge obstacle in our life. This even tells us that we should have faith in God and work hard and a combination of belief in God and hard work will help us in crossing the mos t difficult obstacles in our life. We see our politicians taking credit for performing very important tasks. Due to this we end up following them as we believe that these politicians will help us in attaining our aims and objectives in life. Firstly, these politicians should realize that they are nothing if God and if God does not want them to be popular, they will never become popular. God uses human beings to help His people as He cannot come to earth and help us out. So instead of praising the human element.

Joule Thompson effect Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Joule Thompson effect - Lab Report Example Credible sources were used to provide the needed literature review that would help in producing relevant information on the discoveries that preceded the Joule-Thomson experiment. Two equations and a diagram were given to form the basis of the work. A description of what the experiment was designed to test vis-a-vis the outcome that was expected It also became important to vividly describe what the Joule-Thomson experiment was designed to test and the outcome that was expected from this experiment. This would help us to know what Joule and Thomson sought to achieve in their experiment. From this expected outcome, it would be possible to deduce the result of the Joule-Thomson experiment. A detailed explanation of the experimental setup and procedure The experimental set-up and the procedure of the Joule-Thomson experiment were well detailed in this section. This helped to have a full understanding of the subject matter. The apparatus that was used in the experiment were highlighted an d the procedure for a typical Joule-Thomson experiment was properly elaborated. A diagram to show what a typical Joule-Thomson experiment should look like was also presented. The experimental setup and procedure was given in a step by step manner as this was done in order to ease the comprehension of the Joule-Thomson experiment. ... Hence, that was the notion behind this section. The criticisms that greeted the Joule-Thomson experiment and the impact of the experiment in the scientific advancement were briefly analyzed. The Sources for the work The report was processed in the MLA format. Three websites were used for this paper for ease of accessibility and one text book to balance the credibility of the work. The sources that were consulted for this paper are given below: Physical Chemistry by Joseph Noggle, http://home.sou.edu/~chapman/ch444/JOULET.HTM, www.pdfcari.com/THE-JOULE-THOMSON- EXPERIMENT.html & www.chem.arizona.edu/~salzmanr/480a/480ants/jadjte/jadjte.html Name of Student Name of Lecturer Course 27 June 2011 Joule Thompson effect The historical context of experiment It was based on a basic assumption of the Kinetic Theory of Gases that there is no significant force of attraction between molecules of an ideal gas that Gay-Lussac and J.P. Joule presented the relevant discoveries that preceded the Joule -Thompson effect. Gay-Lussac and J.P. Joule discovered that gas molecules attract one another (Noggle 104). They believed that the fact that gaseous molecules attract one another means that there is a force of attraction between them that is too significant to be neglected. They reiterated working on the dependence of energy of gases on pressure and as a result they investigated the dependence of energy of gases on pressure (Noggle 104). The apparatus that was used by Gay-Lussac and J.P. Joule are as follows: Copper bulbs A and B, Valve V and Water-bath and a sensitive thermometer. Air was pumped into Bulb A under pressure and this was secluded from the Copper Bulb

Gods command Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gods command - Essay Example This passage shows that human beings are nothing without God and we cannot achieve anything until God decides to bestow his blessing upon us and fulfill our needs and wants. No matter how hard we work and no matter how educated or literate we become, we cannot achieve anything in this world without the blessings of God. For example, An individual who studies hard day and night can only end up scoring an â€Å"A† grade in his/her exam if God wants to allow him that grade. We should not only work hard, we should even pray hard and bow down before God if we want to achieve our aims and objectives. God has the ability to perform miracles such as the miracle of water flowing out of rock is one of the greatest examples of miracles that God can perform. This tells us that we should not be scared of anyone or any huge obstacle in our life. This even tells us that we should have faith in God and work hard and a combination of belief in God and hard work will help us in crossing the mos t difficult obstacles in our life. We see our politicians taking credit for performing very important tasks. Due to this we end up following them as we believe that these politicians will help us in attaining our aims and objectives in life. Firstly, these politicians should realize that they are nothing if God and if God does not want them to be popular, they will never become popular. God uses human beings to help His people as He cannot come to earth and help us out. So instead of praising the human element.

Identify an organisation which has developed an e-business strategy Essay

Identify an organisation which has developed an e-business strategy and utilises ICT applications to deliver enhanced customer v - Essay Example Introduction General electric Inc. (GE) is a fleet management company with operations in United Kingdom and the US among other markets. GE has been using a platform computer based applications platform for fleet management over the years but over, better versions of the platform were developed were available in the market. E-Business strategies provide firms with growth opportunities (Hanna, 2010). GE adopted a growth e-business strategy in order to boost sales and avoid the risk of stagnating at the global market as Bhusry (2008) explains. To achieve success for its strategy GE decided, to adopt an ICT tool procured from Micro-strategies, an independent software vendor. The new tool is basically an upgrade on its existing fleet management software with additional functionality of supporting a Decision Support System(DSS). Theory and Analysis Evolution of the internet has enabled firms that embrace technology reap benefits related to better efficiency and effectiveness, increased sal es, better customer relations, new market discoveries as well as higher profitability in the event that the strategy was value driven(Cheung, 2007). Through the internet, GE has been able to access the global, targeting a larger potential market for its product offering. GE uses its ICT tools to provide information to the drivers of its fleet as well as the fleet managers with broken down easy to read reports. The reports assist in enabling a faster decision making process and response time to operational inefficiency encountered at the work place. The DSS systems provided the reports via email or text message service, thus regardless of location, a mobile phone is all a driver or fleet manager needs to have. Businesses can only realize benefits of adopting e-business strategies if they are keen enough to research, develop, and successfully execute these strategies (Kamel, 2006). In addition to this, (Kotleret al.2006) explain that only firms that adopt strategies that are relevant to the demand of clients and value driven can successfully reap the benefits of e-business. In order for the strategies to be relevant, a firm has to identify its value drivers and match this with the best e- business strategies it has, where possible merging the two with the internet, especially so for firms operating globally like GE in this case. Value drivers vary according to the different models of businesses different enterprises adopt. The drivers are key to operation of an enterprise and have a direct impact on how the business operates (Beynon, 2004) Opportunities Existent to GE GE, as at the time of adopting this e-business strategy was handling management of over a million commercial vehicles for its corporate clientele. According to Hitchcock & Willard (2006) a strategy drives the daily operations of a firm. GE, before adoption of the strategy, was using an e-commerce platform for fleet management that was functional and efficient in managing the fleet and relaying data back to the fleet managers. According to Hitchcock & Willard (2006), an ICT platform forms the foundation for the operations of an organization. GE has chosen the DSS platform to help in achieving success of their growth. The DSS system was to allow for faster decision making process to create value for customers by enhancing the quality of

Relationship Between Staff Motivation and Performance

Relationship Between Staff Motivation and Performance INTRODUCTION Shortages can be a symptom of demotivation, poor management and lack of organizational support (Zurn et al., 2005). Shortages are resulting in heavy workload, which is a precursor to job stress, and burnout, which have also been linked to low job motivation. Nurses job motivation is an elusive concept, which is defined within its extrinsic and intrinsic values (Cowin, 2002). Extrinsic values encompass the tangible aspects of the job including wages, benefits and bonuses, whereas intrinsic values include status, recognition, personal and professional development opportunities, and other similar factors (Cowin, 2002). Reasons for nurse demotivation have been well documented in the nursing literature. Such reasons include lack of involvement in decision-making, poor relationship with management, low salaries and poor benefits, lack of job security, poor recognition and lack of flexibility in scheduling (Albaugh,2003). Nurse demotivation has been also linked to emotional exhaustion and b urnout, Which can affect patient outcomes (Aiken et al., 1997). Furthermore Shields Ward (2001) and Tzeng (2002) has also stated that improper motivation is a primary predictor of nurses intent to leave (Shields Ward, 2001; Tzeng, 2002). A study conducted in the United States presented evidence showing that demotivated nurses were 65% more likely to have intent to leave compared to the motivated counterparts (Shields Ward, 2001). Other predictors of intent to leave vary from other motivation factors like low salaries and fringe benefits, inflexible work schedule (Coomber Barriball, 2007; Hayes et al, 2006), career advancement prospects (Tzeng, 2002, Rambur et al., 2003), in addition to poor management and job stress (Rambur et al., 2003). Nurses turnover is linked to situational factors (Larrabee et al., 2003) such as low levels of motivation (Tzeng, 2002). It is worth noting that improper motivation has also been found to be a better predictor of intent to leave as compared to the avail ability of other employment opportunities (Shields Ward, 2001; Purani Sahadev 2007). A study by El-Jardali et al. (2007) also found a negative correlation between motivation and intention to leave in Lebanese nurses. Their studys main objective was to examine the impact of motivation as a predictor variable on intention to leave used as dependent variable in the study. The finding of the study reveals that the main cause of the dissatisfaction and hence intention to leave was negatively associated with hospitals motivation schemes such as compensation and incentives (extrinsic rewards). Purani and Sahadev (2007) used motivation with multi-faceted construct as predictor variable and examine its impact on intention to leave among the nurses in India. Assuming one of the role as interaction and communication with clients and patient of both profession is common, their study also used experience as moderating variables to examine how working experience could affect motivation and inte ntion to leave relationship. Purani and Sahadev (2007) found that employees with long stay at workplace had higher level of motivation and would not incline to quit. Their finding also suggested that motivation and intention to leave relationship framework must also have other demographic variables consideration into the model of motivation and intention to leave. Pearson and Chong (1997) also examined the impact of job content and job information on motivation among Malaysian nurses in large public sector hospital. They found that job information is stronger predictor to nurses motivation and therefore argued that intrinsic factors such as job information and organization commitment also influence nurses motivation. However, they did recommend that motivation with information cues available to nurses are crucial to determine nurses motivation which may lead to intent to leave or higher job burnout, if not available. Tzeng (2002) examined the impact of working motivational factors a s well as job satisfaction factors as independent variables on nurses intention to leave in cross-sectional study in Taiwan. He found that low levels of motivation, emotional exhaustion and burnout and to the poor social image of the nursing profession influenced nurses intention to leave in Taiwans hospitals. This study therefore, suggested that motivation is a multi-faceted construct and should have both intrinsic as well as extrinsic factors to measure job satisfaction (Tzeng, 2002). HOW MOTIVATION AFFECTS EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE The extent to which employees are motivated in their work depends on how well those employees are able to provide output in their job. Motivation is expected to have a positive effect on quality performance. Employees who are characterized by a high level of motivation show a higher work and life satisfaction. Having a high level of motivation is therefore in itself valuable for employees and a decrease in motivation might affect employees negatively. The motivation leads to high level of initiative and creativity from the employee and where monitoring is difficult, motivation is therefore extremely important for ensuring high quality performance. In Armco Health Center, the quality of employee performance is measured by three individual measures of employee performance. The first measure of the individual performance items is a self-rating measure of employee performance through a program called SAP. The performance of the employee asks to indicate eight-points scale how well the em ployee is doing the job. The second measure of the performance of the Armco Health Center is the extent to which the nurses are willing to conduct tasks that are not part of their job description. The employees are asked to report on the SAP about their willingness to perform additional tasks that are not expected from them regularly and to think constructively about how the organization they work for could be proved. Last item that measure the performance of the nurses are the number of days they were absent. EMPOWERMENT AND STAFF MOTIVATION Nursing is increasingly broad in scope and encompasses an ever widening range of work behaviors and role responsibilities. However, they work within a climate of uncertainty and disempowerment along with high organizational demands placing them under considerable stress (1,2). This condition threatens both physical and emotional wellbeing of nurses and the profession itself and may results to low nurses commitment which in turn may contribute to disengagement or withdrawal of nurses from their organizations (3,4). Consequently, threatens organizational functioning and the quality care, since low nurses commitment leads to absenteeism or poor performance (5). However, the nurses low commitment is being a problem in many countries, Aiken et al(6) have cautioned that the health care workforce faces the serious risk of losing one in five registered nurse for reasons other than retirement. Supportively, several other studies revealed that the turnover rate for hospital registered nurse is among the highest rates found for professional and technical occupational groups (7,8). In addition, in 2002 the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) recorded that current annual registered nurse turnover rates range from 18% to 26% (9). Moreover, Victorian Governmental Department of Human Services Research suggests that at low levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, retention of nursing staff is difficult and this in turn increases absenteeism (10). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, like many other countries is also suffering from nursing low commitment which evidenced by registered nurses high turnover rate and resignation(11). However, some national studies and articles highlighted that governmental sectors in Riyadh city were suffering for many years from high turnover rate of nurses that reached to 70% in some hospitals and resulted in high nurses shortage (12,13) . Along with working condition, salary, nursing disempowerment and uncertainty being cited to explain why the nurses exhibit poor work performance or uncommitted to their organization. In a research conducted by Attree (17) that studies the relationship between nurses perception regarding their control and governance , revealed that registered nurse were dissatisfied with their governance, perceived lack of control over their everyday practice and commented on a popular perception that they had become disempowered , lacked influence and asserted that they have fairly little power. Its the managers and physicians who have the power, not nurses. Both managers and physicians decided, told and expected from the nurse to just get on with it, without discussion, or negotiation. As Salvage (18), nurses may see themselves as skilled practitioners, but the public still clings to its old image of the nurse as the doctors handmaiden. This indicates that nurses are not powerless due to lack in competence, motivation, and/or information, but because lack of awareness and enabling system and structure. Foser and Hoggett (19) termed this situation as a Do more with less culture where rhetoric is designed to empower the exhausted workers by emphasizing their commitment to organizational goals . However, disparity between the nurses desired and perceived autonomy and control over daily job activities interferes with nurses attempts to perform according to their expectations as professionals and may contribute to disengagement and withdrawal from the profession of nursing (17). Parallel to this is the national view of nursing in Saudi culture. Abu- Zinada (11,20) stated in many articles that the nurses were disempowered, and have a feeling of uncertainty. In contrast, she saw that the nurse has the right to make decisions that are separate of the physician ones. Moreover, Al-morshed (21) considered that the nurses were not assistants to the physician or that their role is limited to giving injection or helping a patient, since the nursing is a science before everything. Thus, creating conditions that foster a sense of empowerment in healthcare settings are critical to both employee wellbeing and organizational success(22) . For employee well-being, empowerment offers opportunities for learning, development, and playing a more active role in operational decisions through the personal development and involvement in decision making. As a result, employees can sense their feelings of self-worth, meaningfulness, job satisfaction and morale that result from their contributions and control or autonomy over their work. Additionally, empowerment is essential for enhancing nurses role, strengthening the professional image, and continuously improving the healthcare system. It allows the nurses to perform in a professional manner by being more autonomous, responsible and participative (23). For organizational success, many hospitals uses the concept of empowerment as a retention strategies to improve nurses commitment by fostering the desire not to leave the organization for selfish interests or marginal gains, and increase willingness to work by making personal sacrifice, performing beyond normal expectations , endure difficult times with an organization and increasing acceptance of organizations values and goals . As a consequence, nurses will be less burned-out and more engaged in their work and will contribute to organizational effectiveness (24). Although, the concept of empowerment is frequently used in health services and in nursing ,particularly in relation to the quality of care, since the mission of nursing is to provide safe and quality nursing care thereby enabling patients to achieve their maximum level of wellness(25). Also empowerment play a significant role in the management of job stress and job satisfaction as well as in nurse attraction and retention ( 26). Hence, creating healthy work conditions that empowered nurses and provide freedom to act according to their expectation as a professional, may be a fruitful strategy for nurse managers and administrators to retain nurses who currently work by promoting their commitment to the organization, especially in a critical care settings. Nowadays, many seek power but few possess it. Nurses are not exception (Marquis and Huston, 2000). In health care settings, an unequal power base exists among administrator, physicians, and nurses as a result of the competing goals of administration and the coexistence of multiple lines of authority (Sabiston and Laschinger, 1995). The rigidity of hierarchical rule-bound structures has been specifically blamed for nurses inability to sufficiently control the content of their practice (Laschinger and Havens, 1996). Kanter (1993) proposed that an individuals effectiveness on the job is influenced largely by organizational aspects of the work environment. This author identified power and access to opportunities to learn and grow, as structural determinants affecting the behavior of the individual. This power is derived from the ability to mobilize information, support, and resources necessary for getting the job done. Access to these empowering structures is influenced by the degree of formal and informal power an employee has in the organization (Kanter,1993). Formal power evolves from having a defined job that affords flexibility, visibility and centrality to organizational purpose and goals whereas informal power is determined by the extent of employees networks and alliances with sponsors, peers, and subordinates within the organization. Access to these empowering structures has a positive impact on employees, resulting in increase in their job satisfaction, level of organizational commitment and feelings of autonomy. Consequently, employees are more productive and effective in meeting organizational goals (Dutcher and Adams, 1994 ; Laschinger et. al., 1999). Nurses autonomy or control over work was seriously limited by unequal power relationships with medical staff, which enhanced physician power and restricted the nurses freedom, and consequently hindered their empowerment (McParland et al., 2000). To achieve excellence in nursing requires empowered staff nurses in order to be effective in their roles, and to be more autonomous (Marquis and Huston, 2000). Nurses who perceive them to be empowered are more likely to enhance client care through more effective work practice. Thus by providing the sources of job-related empowerment and autonomy, work methods and outcomes could be improved (Kanter, 1993; Sabiston and Laschinger, 1995). EMPOWERMENT IMPROVES MOTIVATION Empowerment. Thomas and Velthouse (1990) define empowerment as personal power that flows from professional growth, which is correlated with job satisfaction. Klakovich (1995) further states that the empowerment of nursing staff may be the critical variable in achieving positive organizational outcomes while maintaining the caring values of the nursing profession Klakovich (1996) defines three dimensions of empowerment as reciprocity, synergy, and ownership. Empowerment is a reciprocal leader-follower relationship that advances and aligns strategies, both organizational and individual (Klakovich, 1995). The Reciprocal Empowerment Scale tool reports in three subscales: reciprocity and synergy sub-scales represent the interactive leader/follower process; the ownership subscale represents the outcomes . Reciprocity involves a leadership behavior pattern of sharing power, support and information. Empowerment Research has shown correlations between nursing leadership job satisfaction and e mpowerment (Laschinger et al., 2003; Mrayyan, 2004). In recent years, the idea of empowerment has become popular in the nursing literature (Kluska et al., 2000; Laschinger Finegan, 2005). The review of the literature reveals empowerment being used in various contexts; such as, mental health, chronic care, and health promotion (Dahlgaard Dahlgaard, (2003), Paterson(2001) . In these contexts, the concept of empowerment incorporates positive and respectful relationships through constant dialog (Ellefsen Hamilton, (2000) Prybil( 2003). Morrison, Jones, and Fuller (1997) performed a non-experimental descriptive study that explored the effects of leadership style and empowerment on nursing job satisfaction. The participants included various nursing personnel, such as nurse managers, nursing assistants, nursing clinical leaders, licensed practical nurses and staff nurses. The researchers examined how staff nurses perceived empowerment The researchers results in their variance analysis i ndicated a statistically significant difference in empowerment among different job classifications within the organization Empowerment accounted for more variance with job satisfaction for licensed personnel than for unlicensed personnel, as well as, for differing by type of satisfaction. The researchers findings indicate the importance of empowerment to staff nurse job satisfaction. They also show the contribution of empowerment to job motivation and how they vary by personnel. This study gives reason for performing this research study that examined the relationship of nurse empowerment and motivation Furthermore, studies have shown that Indian nurses had a moderate empowerment level and their actual work empowerment perception was significantly lower than their expectation (Huang, Lin, Hsu, Chen, Huang, 2003). The findings also showed that nurses had the lowest score on participation in decision making. Researchers pointed out that the nursing leaders tended to use authority and might only consult several members opinions for decision making. The opportunity for nurses to participate in decision making is limited. As such, frontline nurses might think decision making is the managers responsibility, not theirs (Mok Au-Yeung, 2002). Participation can be seen as the highest level of empowerment. Nurses level of participation in decision making (PDM) can be used as an important indicator of empowerment. In western health care system, it has been found that the area where nurses prefer to be involved in decision-making is more related to the context of nursing practice, such as nursing unit operation (Blegen et al., 1993). Yet, in Indian nurses PDM is still not well studied. The extent to which nurses prefer to be or are actually involved in decision making is still not clear. Laschinger and Finegan (2005) surveyed 273 medical, surgical and critical care nurses concluding that structural empowerment had a direct effect on organizational trust and respect, job motivation and commitment. An important addition to the understanding of empowerment in nursing education was another finding that empowerment increased motivation level of the nurses (Falk-Raphael, Chinn, Anderson, Laschinger, Rubotzky, 2004) Work empowerment has been linked to many other important organizational outcomes, such as job motivation, organizational commitment, lower levels of job stress and empowering leader behaviors (Spence-Laschinger, Tuer-Hodes, 2003). Hollinger-Smith and Ortigara (2004) stated that nurses perceptions of work empowerment are related to commitment to and trust in the organization, autonomy, participation in organizational decision-making, and job motivation. Increased autonomy and work motivation have been directly linked to nurse retention and increased patient satisfaction (Hollinger-Smith Ortigara, 2004). Empowering work environments can also influence nurses ability to practice in a professional manner, ensuring excellent patient care and positive organizational outcomes. Organizational changes have a direct effect on the work environment and may contribute to higher rates of demotivation, burnout and absenteeism among staff (Kuokkanen, Savikko Doran, 2007). Factors of empowerment c an also provide a way to measure the effects of organizational changes (Kuokkanen et al., 2007). To achieve excellence in nursing requires empowered staff nurses in order to be effective in their roles, and to be more autonomous (Marquis and Huston, 2000). Nurses who perceive them to be empowered are more likely to enhance patient care through more effective work practice. Thus by providing the sources of job-related empowerment and autonomy, work methods and outcomes could be improved (Kanter, 1993; Sabistonand Laschinger, 1995). In Sochalskis (2002) survey of nurse empowerment , it was found that 1 out of 3 staff nurse participants (manager and staff level) were dissatisfied and hence demotivated in their job. Increasing job satisfaction, as it positively correlates with empowerment and organizational commitment, is a strategy to help retain employees (Laschinger, Finegan, Shamian, Casier, 2000). As patient care becomes more technologically advanced and complex, (requiring greater experience on the part of nursing staff to perform the job correctly), workplace stability and a utonomy become invaluable in a hospital setting (Laschinger et al,2000.). Many researchers have concluded that building collaborative decision making teams will empower both nursing and managerial staff; which boosts morale and work performance (Cowin, 2002 Kluska et al., 2004). Ellefsen and Hamilton (2000) concluded that nurse empowerment encourages nurses in management positions to perform their duties efficiently and with confidence and competence. Research suggests when hospital leadership encourages subordinate empowerment; there is a direct link to increased subordinate job satisfaction and motivation (Laschinger, Finegan, Shamian, Wilk, 2001). Evidence has shown that empowered nurses shift their self-perceived role from that of a subordinate to collaborator; which encourages consensus building, improves job ownership, improves trust and the followers motivation, sense of responsibility and organizational commitment( Wagner ,2006 Watson, 2002). Empowerment not only increase s job motivation, but inspirational and visionary transformational leadership encourages the highest level of staff efficiency and productivity (Keuter, Byrne, Voell, Larson, 2000; Moss Rowles, 1997). Masi (2000) concluded that empowerment provides opportunities for choice and promotes autonomy, which allows subordinates to demonstrate their competencies. The espoused benefits of empowerment The supposed benefits of empowerment can be broadly divided into two areas: benefits for the organization; and benefits for the individual. Much of the empirical research into empowerment has focused on organizational benefits assuming that these are the driving force behind attempts to engender empowered working (Cunningham et al., 1996). Certainly the motivation for managerial adoption of empowerment is typically driven to help managers manage and improve work organization and job performance, not to primarily create an environment that is beneficial for the employee (Psoinos and Smithson, 2002). Global competition and a changing business environment have prompted organizational change in response to increased pressures to improve efficiency and performance (Lawler et al., 1992). It has been argued that organizations with higher levels of empowerment have demonstrated improvements in various economic performance areas (Applebaum et al., 1999). The economic benefits of empowerment s pecifically may be difficult to assess as often it is introduced as part of a broader initiative such as BPR and TQM (Psoinos and Smithson, 2002). Despite the espoused organisational benefits Argyris (1998) argues that empowerment has still not delivered the promised benefits, remaining a myth rather than reality. While it could be argued that the primary motive for empowerment is initially driven by the need to improve the economic performance of the organisation, benefits to the individual employee have also been identified. Nykodym et al. (1994) found that employees who consider themselves empowered have reduced conflict and ambiguity in their role, as they are able to control (to a certain extent) their own environment. They suggested that this reduces emotional strain on the employee. Similarly, it has been suggested that empowered employees have a greater sense of job satisfaction, motivation and organisational loyalty (Koberg et al., 1999, Spreitzer et al., 1997). Empowerment cannot only impact attitudes but it can also impact on performance, specifically employee productivity (Koberg et al., 1999) and employee effectiveness (Spreitzer et al., 1997). Overall the literature points to many potential benefits to both organisations and employees like if the workplace empowerment is successful, then it produces a win-win situation (Lashley, 1999). However, despite the strong support for empowerment in theory, in practice empowerment may exist in rhetoric only and control is the reality for employees (Sewell and Wilkinson, 1992). Although it may be considered that employee empowerment will improve organizational performance but it is possible that empowered employees are not necessarily more motivated or have higher levels of job satisfaction (Collins, 1999). Thus the benefits of empowerment should not be assumed to automatically occur nor should the rhetoric of empowerment be confused with the reality. Measurement of the employee benefits is very difficult t o achieve. Unlike organisational benefits which can be measured using objective facts, individual benefits are much more complex. Certain objective measures, such as absence and turnover rates have been applied in this context (Psoinos and Smithson, 2002). However, it is often considered that softer measures of employees attitudes may provide informative insights omitted by other more tangible measures (Psoinos and Smithson, 2002). FACTORS IMPORTANT FOR MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES One of the most perplexing healthcare retention issues is keeping newly licensed nurses from leaving after just a year or two of employment in the clinical setting (Zucker, Goss, Williams, Bloodworth, Lynn, Denker, et al., 2006). Kovner, Brewer, and Djukic (2007) presented evidence that 13% of newly licensed 1490 RNs had changed principal jobs after one year, and 37% reported that they felt ready to change jobs. Nurses leave the profession mainly because of low pay and poor job satisfaction (DiMeglio, Padula, Piatek, 2005)Hence pay and motivation at workplace are very important factors of retaining the staff. Therefore, nurse leaders are faced with two challenges: to recruit sufficiently qualified nurses and to establish rewarding work cultures that promote retention. Recruiting a younger generation of nursing staff members and meeting retention demands of cross-generational nurses will be a challenge like no other previously seen in healthcare (Cordinez, 2002). Newly licensed nurse s recruitment and retention into the workplace are fundamental strategies for ensuring that healthcare systems have the continued capacity to deliver patient care (Berliner Ginzberg, 2002). Understanding why newly licensed registered nurses choose to remain in nursing is an essential component of recruitment and retention strategies. Despite a recent four year trend of increasing nursing school enrollment and graduation of qualified nurses (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2005), the latest data on the shortage of RNs in the United States is estimated to reach about 500,000 by 2025 (Buerhas, Staiger, Auerbach, 2000.This study shows that nursing shortage is going to increase and hence motivating factors like pay,proper work environment and empowerment are necessary for retaining the experienced nurse staff. Hecker (2005) predicts that more than one million new and replacement nurses will be needed by the year 2014. The problem is that many of the newly licensed nurses w ill not remain in nursing and will choose to leave the profession within four years of graduation from a nursing program (Sochalski, 2002). In a study by Bowles and Candela (2005), 30% of newly licensed RNs left their first nursing position within one year of employment, and 57% left their first nursing position within two years of employment.This study further provides evidence that adds to the case study done by Kovner, Brewer, and Djukic (2007) which also adds to data and evidence that nurses are leaving their profession due to lack of empowerment and motivation in hospitals. The nursing shortage and the high incidence of turnover among newly licensed nurses within the first year of employment need to be investigated. It is well documented that nurses are leaving the profession because they are dissatisfied with current working conditions and not because they are disenchanted with the ideal of nursing, which originally attracted them to the profession (Lynn Redman, 2005; Strachota, Normandin, OBrien, Clary, Krukow, 2003). There is limited research that addresses newly licensed registered nurses career choices post-graduation. The future of nursing rests in the ability to recruit and retain upcoming generations to the profession.Currently, however, there is limited knowledge concerning what influences the decisions of newly licensed registered nurses to remain in nursing. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify factors that influence newly licensed registered nurses decision to remain in nursing. The shortage of people entering professional nursing, nurses dissatisfaction, and high turnover of newly licensed registered nurses are issues of concern. The national shortage in the nursing workforce highlights the critical importance of encouraging nurses to remain in practice. Evidence suggests that a shortage of nurses is detrimental not only to quality of patient care, but also to staff morale, which in turn affects staff retention (Wilson, 2006). The socialization and assimilation of newly licensed nurses into the healthcare system is a pivotal event that influences the retention of nurses (Aiken, Clarke, Sloane, Sochalaski, Silber, 2002). Professional socialization and work readiness are contributing factors to the retention of newly licensed registered nurses. The transition from student to new nurse is a vital period in several ways. It is the quality of this transitional experience that is likely to influence new nurse retention (Clare van Loon, 2003; Duchsch er, 2001; Ewens, 2003). Professional socialization, a potential buffer to the effects of reality shock, includes the acquisition of knowledge, skills, identity, occupational traits, values, norms, and self-concept (Mamchur Myrick, 2003). The process of professional socialization, from career choice to transition to enculturation to the practice setting is influenced by others, especially other nurses (Beck, 2000; Hinds Harley, 2001). It is this initial professional socialization of nurses that will determine the success or failure of retaining new nurses in the healthcare workplace. The increasing complexity of health services and the acuity of patient care create an expectation by the healthcare organization that the new nurse will hit the ground running (Cowin Hengstberger-Sims, 2006, p. 61). Furthermore, Cowin and Hengstberger-Sims believe the workplace expects newly licensed nurses to quickly fulfill their potential as knowledgeable workers, but the health organization remune rates newly licensed nurses at the lowest possible pay scale. These researchers asserted that incongruencies such as high level of stress related to responsibility and high workloads paired with minimum pay compound the effects of reality shock of nurses new to the field. The healthcare workplace demands work readiness from its newest nurses and the partnership of responsibility for work readiness between nursing education and the workplace can be described as precarious. The strategies of mentorship and preceptor ship have been embraced within many healthcare organizations as a means of increasing work readiness, decreasing the effects of reality shock and lessening the possibility of new nurse attrition (Greenwood, 2000). The period that separates a novice practitioner from an advanced beginner is one which requires support, guidance and constant supervision by experienced individuals to ensure newly licensed nurses develop competently and safely, b

The Republic by Plato Essay -- essays research papers

The Republic by Plato At the beginning of Book I, we are introduced to the narrator, Socrates, and his audience of peers. We are made aware, however, of Socrates' special charm and intellectual gifts through the insistence of Polemarchus and the other men for the pleasure of his company. The tone is casual and language and modes of expression rather simple, as is commonly the case in Plato's dialogues. However, Plato's unaffected style serves at least two purposes. For one it belies the complexity and elevation of the ideas, thus it is in accord with Socrates' characteristic irony itself, which draws the "fool" in by feigned ignorance, only so that the master can show that he does not know what he thinks he knows. And second, the plainness of style complements truth and wisdom, the aim of all the dialogues, which by nature are aphoristic. In Socrates' conversation with Cephalus, the proper approach to aging and the state of old age is addressed. Although other men Cephalus' age commonly complain that for them, "life is no longer life," Cephalus feels that they misattribute discomfort and unhappiness resulting from their defective characters to advanced age. Building on a statement by Sophocles, Cephalus concludes, "he who is of a calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age." Socrates' inquiry as to whether Cephalus' happiness owes to the comfort of wealth demands a qualification of this position? That while a man's nature ultimately determines his peace of mind in old age; wealth is also an undeniably important factor. The passage concerning justice illustrates Socrates' dexterous intellect and his dogged skepticism. Playful and humorous at times, the conversation ends, at several points, in absurd--and apparently inexorable--conclusions such as that the just man is a thief. What is at work here is another type of irony, in which Socrates and his auditors accept as a temporary resolution what the dialogue's audience, i.e. the reader, cannot. Here, Plato grants the reader space to think for himself. A central problem with Polemarchus' definition (borrowed from Simonides) a form of conventional morality of justice, "doing good to your friends and harm to your enemies," is the vulnerability of its individual terms. Not surprisingly, Socrates probes each one, exposing any and all weaknesses or limitatio... ...es itself on the wisdom. The souls of the wicked are a more complicated issue, for, insofar as they are immortal, evil cannot destroy them. However, Plato warns, there are various manifest parts to the soul, and evil-doing damages these. And unjust men also injure their own bodies and the bodies of others. In any case the afterlife is what is most important; there the good soul enjoys the benefits it may or may not have experienced in life. The moral of the tale of Er, if we may drain it of its color, is that of the eternal return, or recurrence. After death the soul is ultimately judged. This judgment determines the owner of the soul's order of choice in lots for the next life. Then, whatever wisdom he has accumulated previously helps him make his choice when his lot comes up. Both moments are essential because they represent choices between good and evil. One is an ongoing choice, alive in mortal life, and the other is the ultimate choice the sum of what the soul has learned in life. Man is responsible for his own behavior, says Plato. And the final twist is that, it seems, the wise man does not really forget, since if he is truly wise he will choose yet another wise existence.

Essay --

YHWH gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments. These Ten Commandments â€Å"set the Israelites apart and enabled them to mold a distinctive culture† as said in the text book The Human Records sources of global history volume 1: to 1500. The Human Records mentioned that â€Å"Israelites evolved the idea that they enjoyed the special protection of god (YHWH)†. The Ten Commandments are the exact words of God which were engraved on a stone that was given to Moses by god. As mentioned in the text book The Human Records , in return for protection of the YHWH, the Israelites deity demanded their sole devotion. They were going to success in Canaan, a land the YHWH had promised them and had to maintain religious and cultural distance from all other people. First commandment lets the Israelites know that they should not have any other god before him, he should be everyone priority. Second commandment says that there should not be any other image of God and God should be worshiped. Third commandment says that Gods name should only be used with respect and nothing else. Fourth commandment is the Sabbath day Sunday, the seventh days where you shall not do any work and remember that you were a servant and god brought you out with a mighty hand. Fifth commandment says that you should respect you parents both mother and father. Sixth commandment says that â€Å"you should not kill â€Å"straight forward as the commandment says. Seventh commandment says that couples should be faithful in their marriage and not cheat. Eighth commandment says that you should never steal. Ninth commandment says that you should not lie. At last the tenth commandment says that you should not be envious of other people don’t say I’m going to buy thi s because they have that . The Hammur... ...ne that was given to Moses by god. Their differences show there unique distinction from the Ten Commandments and the Hammurabi code. Both are very important because both are still used today. The Ten Commandments up to this day I still use and believe in them and know that they will always show up and not disappear. The Code of Hammurabi probably had some modifications done to the code but some laws can still apply today. The Code of Hammurabi is far more detailed then the Ten Commandments .The Ten Commandment is written straight forward and addressing god. At the end there differences brings them apart the Hammurabi as the stricter than Ten Commandments. At the end there differences brings them apart the Hammurabi as the stricter than Ten Commandments. Ten Commandments a religious belief that many fallow counting myself and Code of Hammurabi set of punishable laws.

Himalaya Summary

HIMALAYA: Introduction: Himalaya Herbal is originated from India and has been around since 1930. Himalaya clams that it is the only manufacturer of consumer goods that provide a wide range of solution based on herbal ingredients. It has its presence in Malaysia since 2004. Ms Sue Ong a Malaysian with 22 years of experience in beauty and cosmetic industry was instrumental in bringing in Himalaya. The entry and the progress of the brand was quite visible as the brand was already seen in the leading pharmacy market nationwide.Himalaya offered a quite range of around 200 products under three main categories 1) pharmaceutical 2) personal care 3) animal care and all of these products were based on the ancient Himalayan practice of Ayurveda that were well known worldwide. Herbs include crude plant materials such as leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, stems and woods etc. It was estimated that one third of Americas use herbal products with herbal medicine. The Himalaya Drug Company has taken sup port from the Ayurveda expertise with modern medical research methodology.Malaysia had over 2000 plant species that possessed medical value. Out of 20000 herbal plants in Malaysia, 2000 has been identified to be beneficent for better health care. The advantages of the herbal products are being highlighted over time by Government as well as private parties. According to Safeena ‘The COO and founder of Herbal Asia’ the industry will leverage on Government initiatives like a National Biodiversity Policy to create a brand which will be recognized internationally. We want to educate people about the herbal superiority and quality.Market & sales in Malaysia: Marcel Gan the young and energetic COO talked about his dream of Himalaya â€Å"I want at least one product of Himalaya product in every household. † As per Shahida Musa, The Deputy Director, operations of the federal agricultural marketing (FAMA), the local herbal industry recorded sales around RM10 billion in 200 8 and was likely to grow by 8 to 15 percent annually based on the increasing acceptance of natural medicine. About 17. 1 % of Malaysian used herbals to treat their health problems while 29. % of them consumed herbal for their health maintenance. Ravi Prasad, President and COO of the Himalaya Drug Company, commented â€Å" This is a significant achievement for Himalaya as it provides us a platform to reach out to our customers and communicate with them the scientifically backed herbal formulations†. Over the last 5 years annual demand was recorded at RM4. 5 billion with a growth of 8% annually. For further promotion of the herbal products the Government has provided number of support programs for herbal entrepreneurs.Hundreds of the players have entered the herbal business after good support from the Government. As the herbal products are known as without side effects the demand for herbal products has shown a considerable growth over the conventional drugs. One of the establi shed local successful herbs entrepreneurs was Perusahaan Orang Kampong Sdn. Bhd. The business was established in 1975 and was operated as a small business. Key issues: * The main issue involved by building the brand image of the Himalaya for the Ayurveda product concepts. Initially the product benefits were not supported by scientific proofs and evidences as most of the production was going on previous results of the herbs. Due to the lack of scientific data the customer was not fully satisfied. * Locally made herbal products seriously lacked in advertising and promotion. * Most of the herbs entrepreneurs were small traders operating with limited resources, thus experiencing low productivity and efficiency in their daily activities. * Lack of capital and skilled human resources were common disadvantages faced by small traders. The volume of production was at times as low as it couldn’t meet the demand. For the purpose of expanding market, it went to the reliable value chain t hrough the new technology. Key Strengths: * Research and Development: Himalayas used scientific research in natural herbal remedies to provide scientifically proved products. In March 2001, they were awarded with â€Å"Good manufacturing practice† certified by the Licensing Authority of the Indian System of Medicine and in January 2004, they were awarded certification from Quality Management Systems certified by NQA. Effectiveness: Himalaya’s product goes under a period of 7 to 10 years of primary research and clinical trials before it went to market. * Natural and Safe: Himalaya provides mostly all the body and health products that promised goodness of natural ingredients with no side effects. * Wide range of products: Himalaya provides a wide range of products which consists of healthcare, body care, oral care, hair care and skin care.

Managing Change in Organisation Essay

Today, teams and organizations face rapid change like never before. Globalization has increased the markets and opportunities for more growth and revenue. However, increasingly diverse markets have a wide variety of needs and expectations that must be understood if they are to become strong customers and collaborators. The ability to manage change in an organisation, while continuing to meet the needs of stakeholders, is a very important skill required by today’s leaders and managers. Organizational change is undertaken to improve the performance of the organization or a part of the organization, for example, a process or team. When an organizational system is disturbed by some internal or external force, the change may occur. The change is modification of the structure or process of a system that may be positive or negative. It disturbs the existing equilibrium or status quo in an organization and may affect the whole organization, or various other parts of the organization i n varying degrees of speed and significance. It may affect people, structure, technology, and other elements of an organization. It may be reactive or proactive in nature. When change takes place due to external forces, it is called reactive change. However, proactive change is initiated by the management on its own to enhance the organizational effectiveness. The change is one of the most critical aspects of effective management. Organizational change is the process by which organizations move from their present state to some desired future state to increase their effectiveness. The goal of planned organizational change is to find new or improved ways of using resources and capabilities in order to increase an organization’s ability to create value and improve returns to its stakeholders. An organization in decline may need to restructure its resources to improve its fit with the environment. According to Ackerman (1997) organisational change can be distinguished in three types, namely, developmental change, transitional change and transformational change. Developmental change refers to organisational change in which what already exists is continually improved but no radical progress is achieved or aimed at. Transitional change is a shift in the way a process is completed or designed to increase efficiency. A transitional change could involve the automation of a manufacturing process that was once done by hand. Transformational change refers to a shift in the business culture of an organisation resulting from a change in the underlying strategy and processes that the organisation has used in the past. A transformational change is designed to be organisation-wide and is enacted over a period of time. Significant organizational change occurs, for example, when an organization changes its overall strategy for success, adds or removes a major section or practice, and/or wants to change the very nature by which it operates. It also occurs when an organization evolves through various life cycles, just like people must successfully evolve through life cycles. For organizations to develop, they often must undergo significant change at various points in their development. That’s why the topic of organizational change and development has become widespread in communications about business, organizations, leadership and management. Leaders and managers continually make efforts to accomplish successful and significant change as it’s inherent in their jobs. Some are very good at this effort (probably more than we realize), while others continually struggle and fail. That’s often the difference between people who thrive in their roles and those that get shuttled around from job to job, ultimately settling into a role where they’re frustrated and ineffective. In this paper, it will be explained how the Digicel Corporation has converted from the traditional model to a transformed organizational model over the last five years. Digicel Corporation ia a telecommunication based company who provides land line, internet services, sale of handsets, credit for pay as you go customers, contract accounts, sale of tablets, etc. Digicel opened its very first store in 2001 by Irishman Denis O’brian. Digicel has transformed from a company into the region’s largest telephone corporations, leading in sales year after year. One of Denis O’brian techniques for change is technological changes. By the 2000’s the organisation had been so successful and had more increasing growth than any other telecommunication companies in the Eastern Caribbean region resulting in the purchase of AT&T in St. Lucia. Digicel provides consumers with low prices under the slogan â€Å"The Bigger Better Network† (digicel.com). The price sensitive merchandise allows customers to get more for their dollar. Digicel offers its customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week services, which is appealing in any retail market. The goal is to satisfy the growing telecommunication needs of customers. The best example of this organisational change that I can think of is the globalization of Digicel. This Organisational change began in 2001 when Denis O’brian opened in Jamaica. This was the beginning of Digicel’s vision of becoming an international company. Since then, Digicel has been aggressively expanding its markets and investments throughout the Eastern Caribbean Region, and Ireland. The company currently has operations in a number of countries including Ireland, Central America, Oceania, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent, Dominica, Antigua, Panama, Bermuda and Grenada to name a few. Digicel also employs more than 5,500 associates worldwide, with more than 1000 stores currently in operation. Digicel is committed to achieving leadership as a telecommunication service provider. In order to achieve this goal, it has implemented specific business strategies that include globalization. Digicel leaders believe that globalization is critical to the company’s growth and continued success. In its quest to remain competitive, Digicel is pressing onward on its mission of seeking new opportunities, innovations, solutions, and talent in the global markets. Major advances in technology and communication and the growth of the Internet have also made it possible for Digicel to conduct and manage business globally. The company’s utilization of technology has been and will continue to be critical in its business success. Digicel being a communication company, along with other global companies are now dependent heavily on electronic communication devices to conduct business transactions. Integration of enhanced information system has a significant impact on the way Digicel collects, access, and disseminate information. Technological innovations have increased the efficiency and quality of business processes. Digicel uses the internet through the social networks lik e twitter and facebook to attract new customers and advertise their services. However, in spite of all the advantages, technology also has its drawbacks. Digicel is now online and services can be done at local banks and connected through computers. Therefore, the company is vulnerable to hackers and computer viruses that can paralyze its business. Computer crime is also a threat and has damaging effects on any global information systems. Computer security and protection is critical to the business. The use of technology in the business also has a major impact on privacy issues. Violation of privacy, computer monitoring, and computer matching, unauthorized personal files are examples of privacy issues that can destroy the reputation or integrity of any company (O’Brien, J. 2003). Digicel must take these threats seriously as it continues to compete in both national and international markets. An issue that faces Digicel or any company that uses technology is that technology is not static. In fact, the dominant attribute of technology is that it is always changing. Digicel must continue to invest to keep its technology up-to-date and able to help make the company compete successfully in the global markets. It has to ensure that its employees are effectively trained on the use of technology to achieve maximum productivity and quality. Digicel’s managers and employees involved in international business regularly interact with people from different countries. They are constantly exposed to different social, political, cultural, and economical challenges. The globalization of Digicel can present complex problems for its international managers and employees. Post, Lawrence, and Weber , 1999 states that to do business in the international market, a company must â€Å"design a business plan that fits with the cultural, competitive, and political realities of diverse societies defined by features such as language, customs, religion, and traditions† (p.125). It is important for Digicel to not only appreciate the cultural differences, but also to understand how these differences can affect its international business operations. Digicel should vary its management process and practices to take these differences into account. Maintaining current or potential multinational customers is a challenge for any global business. Each time Digicel opens a store in a different country, it has to integrate the â€Å"company’s unique culture and effective retailing concepts to each new country†. However, the emergence of multinational customers’, demand that Digicel also has to take into account and be sensitive to the difference s in customer preferences, needs and requirements. The company has done considerable market research and analysis before its expansion to other countries. The globalization of a company’s market poses a challenge to the individuals responsible in the management of knowledge. Companies use knowledge management technologies to have a focused view of its customers around the world. Development of technology and expanding markets in different economic regions necessitates the use of knowledge management technologies. Organizational change is a major strength for Digicel. They are consistently redefining processes to reduce costs in the area of telecommunications, inventory replenishment lead times, purchasing and defining the appropriate product and merchandise mix at each of their locations. Operations at Digicel are built on the premise that they can offer everyday low prices. This has been a competitive area that Digicel has had success in. Digicel has been able to build consumer trust by delivering the promise of the cutting-edge technologies and services at a competitive price. By driving down costs in all portions of their business they have a successful business strategy. What makes Digicel successful is its â€Å"ability to apply technology to its critical processes† (www.digicelgroup.com). It is important to note that new knowledge and technology comes from the innovative and creative minds of employees and leaders. The need to be better and/or faster inspires new way of thinking. A company that encourages innovative and creative thinking and integrates these into its organizational culture will attain competitive advantage. The goal of planned organizational change is to find new or improved ways of using resources and capabilities in order to increase an organization’s ability to create value and improve returns to its stakeholders. An organization in decline may need to restructure its resources to improve its fit with the environment. At the same time even a thriving organization like Digicel may need to change the way it uses its resources so that it can extend its business and find new markets for its existing products. One of the findings from my studies revealed that the employees of Digicel resisted the change to conduct business online and through the local financial institutions. In a sense, this is positive. It provides a degree of stability and predictability to behavior. If there weren’t some resistance, Digicel may have taken on characteristics of chaotic randomness. Resistance to change can also be a source of functional conflict. For example, resistance to Digicel’s transformational change or its reorganisation stimulated a healthy debate over the merits of the idea and resulted in a better decision. But there is a definite downside to resistance to change. It hinders adaptation and progress. Resistance to change doesn’t necessarily surface in standardized ways. The resistance to change at Digicel was overt and immediate. It made it easier for management to deal with resistance when it is was this way: For instance when the change was proposed and employees quickly responded because they thought their jobs were being made redundant by voicing complaints, engaging in a work slowdown, threatening to go on strike, or the like. The greater challenge for management would have been managing resistance that was implicit or deferred. Implicit resistance efforts are more subtle – loss of loyalty to the organization, loss of motivation to work, increased errors or mistakes, increased absentism due to sickness and hence, more difficult to recognize. Similarly, deferred actions cloud the link between the source of the resistance and the reaction to it. A change may produce what appears to be only a minimal reaction at the time it is initiated, but then resistance surfaces weeks, months or even years later. A single change that in and of itself might have little impact becomes the straw that breaks the company’s back. Reactions to change can build up and then explode in some response that seems to tally out of proportion to the change action it follows. The resistance, of course, has merely been deferred and stockpiled what surfaces is a response to an accumulation of previous changes. When management is willing to discuss openly with their employees all aspects of an impending change, it is desirable that ample time be planned between the initial mention of the change and the state of its actual initiation. Management should use this interval to ensure that all involved attain maximum understanding of the change and its probable consequences. Management should plan the length of this interval by working out a trade-off betwe en two considerations. Often these will be in conflict with each other. The first of this is a question of how long it takes for the processes of accommodation and rationalization to occur for the most people involved. The second consideration is an evaluation of those situational factors which determine when the change must be instituted and implemented and when the benefits must be realized. To achieve the best trade-off between these two considerations, management needs to evaluate the relative costs of two alternatives; delaying the introduction of the change to gain more preparation time in the interest of realizing optimum benefits, conforming to the intended schedule with the possibility of an increased risk of resistance and the resultant probability of reduced benefits. In many instances, management may discover that it will be economical to delay the change until the possibility of its acceptance is enhanced. If management decides not to delay, resistance may cause not only reduction in the possible benefits but also probable delays in their re alization, management should plan sufficient time during the early phase of the change for accommodation and rationalization to occur and for understanding to be developed. Involvement and participation are perhaps the most powerful techniques management can use to gain acceptance of change. Commitment to carry out these decisions is intensified. Personal satisfaction derived from the job is increased. The extent of personal involvement can range from merely being informed, to discussing problems and voicing opinions and feelings to actually making and implementing decision. Digicel has become one of Caribbean’s most successful telephone companies by offering communication services at low prices for individual, families and corporations. It is strong because it shapes perception better than any company in the region. Digicel’s power position relative to the key policy issues and stakeholders is one of domination. The size, wealth, and financial power of the company are impressive. It is the largest communication company in the Eastern Caribbean States. It is the largest political and social donor in the retail sector. This dominance, and the company’s finances, coupled with retaining the top lobby shops in the Region give the company an advantage. The company manages its relationship with its key stakeholders in a way that maximizes the tactical advantage of Digicel. With groups that the company perceives as hostile, such as other communication companies, complaining former employees, or even local ad hoc opposition groups, who are fighting to keep Digicel out of their community, the company uses every means available to it in order to win. Digicel has established a foundation in an effort to give back to the community where the company is based by issuing scholarships, sponsoring sports personnel and assist the less fortunate. The company applies its retail philosophy, of being the best, and winning, into its political and public affairs strategy. Using tools at its disposal, such as the top law firms, and top Public Relations firms, the company does battle in court with those who challenge it. In public, Digicel uses top of the line Public Relations strategy firms to produce commercials for its stores and to portray the best possible image. Another way the company is successful is its ability thus far to keep out of the headlines any significant negative publicity. The company has also avoided being probed by regulators for some of its aggressive retailing and competition practices. In the case of Digicel and government relations, the goal is to have a low profile, and to keep government regulators away. Its relationships with key stakeholders are maintained as well by the communication of corporate statements on its Internet site and through other paper based corporate communications. It keeps contact with the Government offices and retained political groups. The strategic and tactical advantage of Digicel when pursuing a political and public affairs strategy is the use of its financial resources and to provide handset for communications. It can buy an army of the top lobby firms, lawyers, and public relations specialists should it need to. Since the company has a history of fighting back, and winning, when it is challenged, that may be keeping larger groups away from fighting the retail giant. From a scan of recent headlines, the company does not appear to be involved in fighting any major federal legislation. Notably, Digicel is involved in numerous municipal zoning disputes across the Region. In an attempt at meeting the demands of its customers within the region, Digicel embarked on purchasing various pieces of property in which to erect transmission towers. The top issue within this venture is the question of zoning regulations and the proximity of these towers in the communities and the population on the whole. The company has been making large payouts in an attempt to keep the towers which were erected and to erect more so as to establish greater services. The company’s strategic and tactical activities are more apparent at the state and municipal levels. Mainly, the company fights legislation through the courts. Top issues are municipal zoning regulations. At the federal level, it is worth noting that Digicel gives heavily to political candidates, who happen to be generally pro business in their voting. Digicel does not generally employ a grassroots campaign strategy, as it has no established infrastructure to do this. It has over five thousand, five hundred employees. Should the company wish to tap its â€Å"associates† to become active on an issue, such as trade, for example, they would have a large base of people to draw upon. May of the She Magazine noted that Digicel sometimes stages grassroots efforts to oppose local companies who are rallying against technological advances. Digicel will send in professionals and staff from its headquarters to form business development and revitalization committees, and use these fronts to challenge the anti Digicel groups (She Magazine, 33) In terms of consistency, the company has much to improve in the way of dealing with communities and groups. The company chooses to cut costs and push the boundaries of existing regulations. Then it falls victim to lawsuits and is sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars. The company has a goal of keeping out unions. Yet, the company by its frugal employee wage compensation practice, the reliance on part-time workers, and unfair shift scheduling practice, is creating discord among its employees. These conditions foster the development of labor unions. If the company were to improve its payment and treatment of employees, perhaps it can avoid future problems and issues such as turnover. The company is well positioned to tackle any obstacle. While not maintaining a large government relations department, the company retains top lobbyists, making it ready and capable to deal with issues as needs warrant. In conclusion, Digicel is the number one retailer in the Caribbean Region and operates in many countries and is moving into new countries every year. Digicel is also expanding as a telecommunication giant. Each year, the number of people who have a stake in Digicel also grows since gives shares to the employees. Digicel has had reasons to file law suits against its competitors as injunctions were placed against them as it relates to use of similar networks within the same region. Digicel is often able to uncut many other local industries and more communication companies are shutting down when Digicel moves into town. As a result of Digicel’s ever growing size and variety of services they offer, their public affairs department is going to become more and more important. As Digicel attain sectors of the marketplace, there is going to be more regulation against them and their public affairs department is going to have to work harder to make it possible for Digicel to continue to grow. And as the animosity against Digicel becomes more widespread, here and in foreign countries, Digicel is going to have to work harder to maintain their good reputation. Digicel’s foundation will become increasingly more important for giving things back to the community. 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