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A Comparison Of Machiavelli And Hobbes Politics Essay

A Comparison Of Machiavelli And Hobbes Politics Essay Machiavelli and Hobbes were the most significant political savants of early innovat...

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Theory Analysis Of Virginia Henderson s The First Lady...

Theory Analysis – Virginia Henderson Virginia Avenel Henderson has been called the â€Å"first lady of nursing† and the â€Å"Nightingale of modern nursing.† She is known for her definition of nursing, â€Å"the unique function of the nurse is to assist the individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery (or to peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will or knowledge. And to do this in such way as to help gain independence as rapidly as possible.† (Henderson, 1966, p.21) Henderson’s Need Theory was inspired by her career in public health and nursing education and research. Background Virginia Henderson was born November 30, 1897 in Kansas City, Mo, into†¦show more content†¦1. Breathe normally. 2. Eat and drink adequately. 3. Eliminate body wastes 4. Move and maintain desirable postures 5. Sleep and rest. 6. Select suitable clothes dress and undress 7. Maintain body temperature within normal range by adjusting clothing and modifying environment 8. Keep the body clean and well-groomed and protect the integument 9. Avoid dangers in the environment and avoid injuring others 10. Communicate with others in expressing emotions, needs, fears, or opinions 11. Worship according to one’s faith 12. Work in such a way that there is a sense of accomplishment 13. Play or participate in various forms of recreation 14. Learn, discover, or satisfy the curiosity that leads to normal development and health and use the available health facilities. (Henderson, 1966) The fourteen components of basic nursing care developed by Henderson branch from Florence Nightingale’s thirteen canons, expanding upon the basic patient needs Nightingale identified. Henderson’s theory takes a modern stance on â€Å"ventilation and warmth† (Nightingale, 1860), addressing the basic needs as â€Å"breathe normally† and â€Å"maintain body temperature within a normal range†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Henderson, 1966) While other components directly from Nightingale’s theory: â€Å"personal cleanliness† and â€Å"food† (Nightingale, 1860) are repeated in Henderson’s: â€Å"keep the body clean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"eat and drink regularly.† (Henderson, 1966) Henderson’s Need Theory is an interactiveShow MoreRelatedGrand Theorists in Nursing: Henderson, Peplau, Levine, Watson1145 Words   |  5 PagesNursing theories have been a fundamental tool used to explain, guide and improve the practice of nursing. Theorists have contributed enormously to the growth of nursing as a profession. The four grand theorists I chose are Virginia Henderson, Peplau, Myra Levine and Jean Watson. These theorists have contributed tremendously in the field of nursing through their theories, and research. One thing the theorists have in common is that they are patient centered. They are all concerned on ways we canRead MoreNursing Theory: Foundation for Nursing as a Profession Essay2496 Words   |  10 PagesNursing Theory: Foundation for Nursing as a Profession Wilma J. Vintson Chamberlain College of Nursing NR 501: Theoretical Basis for Advanced Nursing Fall 2011 Nursing Theory: Foundation for Nursing as a Profession Introduction This paper will discuss nursing theory and review how it relates to nursing as a profession. It will also focus on aspects of Virginia Henderson’s theory on the complementary-supplementary model of nursing. Nursing leadership, as it relates to Henderson’s theoryRead MoreA Brief Note On The Australian Nursing And Midwifery Accreditation Council3013 Words   |  13 PagesWork in the Nursing Profession Activity 1. Research the significance of the following professional organisations and provide details on – What does the acronym stand for? What does the organisation do? †¢ ANMAC - The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council ANMAC develops national competency standards for nursing and midwifery education to facilitate the health and safety of the community. It accredits nursing and midwifery programs, courses taught by education providers under theRead MoreCase Study About Pneumonia10478 Words   |  42 Pagesatelectasis, and consolidation. In aspiration pneumonia, films may be clear initially, but later show consolidation and other abnormalities. Sputum specimens for Gram stain and culture and sensitivity studies detect infectious agent. Arterial blood gas analysis evaluates oxygenation and acid-base status. Blood cultures detect bacteremia. Blood, sputum, and urine samples for immunologic tests detect microbial agents. Laryngoscopy/bronchoscopy determines if airways are blocked by solid material. The treatmentRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesand permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufacturersRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesbuilt-in pretests and posttests, focus on what you need to learn and to review in order to succeed. Visit www.mymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. Cameron UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul SingaporeRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pagesfollowing classification of cases by subject matter to be helpful. I thank those of you who made this and other suggestions. Classification of Cases by Major Marketing Topics Topics Most Relevant Cases Marketing Research and Consumer Analysis Coca-Cola, Disney, McDonald’s, Google, Starbucks Product Starbucks, Nike, Coke/Pepsi, McDonald’s, Maytag, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Newell Rubbermaid, DaimlerChrysler, Kmart/Sears, Harley-Davidson, Boeing/Airbus, Merck, Boston Beer, Firestone/FordRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 Pagesincreasingly is being seen as positively affecting performance in organizations, both large and small. A joint venture between General Electric and a Japanese company, GE Fanuc is a manufacturer of factory automation and control products. Headquartered in Virginia with 1,500 employees, the HR department primarily performed administrative support activities. But when Donald Borwhat, Jr., took over as Senior Vice President of Human Resources, he and his staff began by restructuring and decentralizing the HRRead MoreManaging Information Technology (7th Edition)239873 Words   |  960 Pagesand permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. Many of the designations by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Relationship Between Dianne And A Single Parent

It seems as though, like day evolves into night, people change and evolve as well. Dianne and I have been working together throughout the course of three sessions. We have built a strong helping relationship and it seems as though Dianne has placed trust in our bond. During our previous sessions, Dianne has disclosed that she is 33 years old and was previously a social work student before she had to pause her schooling. She is a single parent, however her child is in care due her crack cocaine relapse. Dianne suffers from cervical cancer and has also been diagnosed with Bipolar and Multiple Personality syndrome. She explained that she experienced personalities that exhibited anger, addiction, depression and a combination of all three of these. Dianne is also homeless with no source of income. Dianne has also explained that she is originally from Ottawa, where she used to reside with her parents, but has come to Windsor to seek out treatment for her substance abuse problem. At this po int in our relationship, Dianne and I will be working towards assessing her current situation, creating a contract, as well as intervention and treatment plans. This will further be analyzed throughout this paper. Assessment The assessment phase of the generalist social work interview allows the social worker to aid the client through empowerment, making rational judgments, as well as decision making (Timberlake, et. al., 2008). The assessment phase thus, allows the social worker and client toShow MoreRelatedTake the Lead1333 Words   |  6 Pagesteacher who believed in the talent of a group of problem kids. This film not only gives us a fun and relaxation but it also gives us knowledge about modern dancing and model dancing. Not only that, the film gives us the morality as teacher. How relationship between teacher and student should be in school as well as in their personal encounter. One day In New York, the polite dance instructor Pierre Dulaine sees a black teenager vandalizing the car of the director of a public school and on the next dayRead MoreWheelchair5342 Words   |  22 PagesStudy on â€Å"HOUSE OF WHEELCHAIR† In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of Bachelor of Science in Accountancy College of Business Administration Presented to: Mrs. Cecile Baniqued Presented by: Christian Aris Guy Jeffrey Jaramillo Dianne Lozano Janelle Ann Sotto CHAPTER I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A. Company Name : House of Wheelchair The business proponents came up with the House of Wheelchair as the name of the business. House of Wheelchair can be interpreted as one of the placesRead MorePersuasive Essay : Child Motivation2274 Words   |  10 PagesDraft: Child Motivation I remember those days from my childhood when my parents would punish me for not doing my homework or not being disciplined. I was not much of a thinker back then but I always wondered why our family relied on rules and punishments when our immediate neighbors treated their children with rewards. The concept of them being motivated with a muffin or a chocolate bar or some playtime—if they complete their wok in time—contrasted with my family’s tradition of punishment when itRead MoreEditing Theory Of Hannah And Her Sisters1758 Words   |  8 PagesAaron Texeira Editing Theory Shaaron Murphy Editing Theory of Hannah and Her Sisters By Aaron Texeira Pacing:- A thanksgiving dinner marks the time for Hannah â€Å"Mia Farrow†, her younger sisters Lee â€Å"Barbara Hershey† and Holly â€Å"Dianne Wiest† and the men in their lives. Lee who has an affair with Hannah s husband Elliot â€Å"Michael Caine†. Holly who has a unsuccessful acting career and who is always financially depended on Hannah, until she finds Mickey â€Å"Woody Allen†. Hannah and her sisters have aRead MoreGender Roles 22190 Words   |  9 PagesThe Psychological Effects of Gender Roles #8220;Let the boys be boys.#8221; You#8217;ve heard this phrase before. Often repeated by parents regarding their little boys. So what makes a boy, a boy? Rambo like characteristics? Muscles? Short hair? Wearing blue? Wearing T-shirts and jeans or playing with sporting equipment? Well last I remember, the main characteristics boys shared were penises. The role gender association play in the lives of our children can sometimes affect them negativelyRead MoreBlack Women in Gloria Naylors The Women of Brewster Place Essay2078 Words   |  9 Pagesexplored the burdens of both being a woman, and being an African American, as she wrote a story of seven African American women overcoming their circumstances in their deteriorating community. The women, all have their own obstacle whether it’s being a single mother, moving away from everything they knew, their sexuality, or rape. They each had to become stronger if they wanted to get to a better place in life. Unfortunately, the imag e portrayed in Women of Brewster Place is not too different from theRead MoreWill Your Faith Lead You to Salvation?1761 Words   |  8 Pagesfurther understanding according to the different parables. They all reach out to Jesus the Son of David. The Lord ask them all â€Å"what do you want me to do for you?† The last similarity is the blind man was sitting on the roadside. The difference between the three are that in Matthew there are two blind men, instead of one. Here they hear Jesus and immediately begin calling his name instead of inquiring about what was going on, same as in Mark. Also when Jesus ask what they want from him they sayRead MoreProblems with Adoption4520 Words   |  19 PagesIntroduction Why do some adoptions go wrong? Adopting a child from a foreign country is usually a positive experience, for both the child and the parents. â€Å"Over the last 20 years, foreign adoption has become more popular, and Americans now adopt about 20,000 children from Guatemala, China, Russia and other nations each year† (Wingert). The comparison in Figure 1 shows the number of children adopted by U.S. citizens in 1990 and 2001. It illustrates that the number of international adoptionsRead MoreLegalization of Same Sex Marriage9779 Words   |  40 Pagesrequirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Tourism By Ang, Dianne Marie M. Bayot, Donalynne B. October 2011 CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND INTRODUCTION    In our generation today, homosexuals have been widely accepted by the majority may it be a gay or a lesbian. People have come to recognize the existence of the third sex and through time they have also accepted â€Å"same-sex relationships in our society. But controversies and arguments arise when homosexualsRead MoreConstruction of Positivity in the Indian Scenario3291 Words   |  14 Pagesunderstand what constitutes as ‘positive’ in their lives with respect to their country, culture, education, family and relationships, life-style and changing trends, personal experiences, technology and sports. Open ended personal interviews of the sample were taken. The sample comprised of 80 subjects with the age group of youngsters ranging between 18-25, while that of the older group between 40-55 years. The content analysis of the interviews was done to understand the positivity in Indian perspective

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Business Communication for International Rights- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theBusiness Communication for International Human Rights. Answer: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. The above mentioned statement is given under the article 19(1) (a) of the Article found in part III of United Nations Constitution , Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It should be noted that every human being has nature and desires to do things and seek information about things in the environment. Thus, the above mentioned rights talks about the rights and responsibility of one individual to other to provide the equal right of information and initiate activities which they want to perform in the environment. A man in the environment is free to do activities which they desire to do, but such activities should not harm the interest of any other person present in the environment. It should be noted that the right given under this article is good for the people prevailing in the environment but can also be misused by people in order to succeed in their cruel intentions (Freeman 2017). Talking about the scope of this right, it should be noted that this right gives opportunity to all citizens to attain the right to freedom of speech and expression. Freedom of speech and expression refers to the right to express ones own feelings and opinions freely without facing any restrictions. This right helps a person in attaining self-fulfillment, discover truths, participate in decision-making, oppose to notions which they do not like and lastly form their own beliefs and communicate freely and openly. With the changing environment, the mind of people is also changing their way of thinking and expressing things. So, also with positive aspects there are many negative ways to use this freedom of expression. Initially talking about the positive aspects it should be noted that this right helps people in acknowledging their rights which can access and use them as well (O'Reilly 2016). People living in remote area do not have the knowledge about their rights and duties which they p ossess, so this right will provide them the opportunity to access information about their right and responsibilities of societies towards them. Further, this right also holds accountability in front of the democratic government as with the help of this right, a person can easily question the government about their future goals and activities. So, basically this right of freedom of expression is the basic right which helps a person in living their life easily (Joseph 2016). Criticizing the event, it should be noted that there are many ways in which this right can be misused by people present in the environment. Like, a person under the right to freedom of expression can seek information from the governmental for the future actions which they are going to initiate can hamper the future activities of the government (Spring 2014). A person attain such information can be a friend of alien company which can negatively affect the interest of the country also. Further, it should also be noted that people also misinterpret the right which is given to them under this section; they believe that they can express anything irrespective of the harm which other person can get with their expression (Buergenthal, Shelton, Stewart, and Vazquez 2017). But it should be noted that no right is absolute as every right has a corresponding duty. Thus, right to speech for a person can be restricted if their aim is to defame the name of any person or organization. Also, this righ t can be restricted from a person under public interest order, as if anything disturbs public tranquility or public peace then the government has the right to issue public order against it (Lupu 2015). Thus, in the limelight of above mentioned events it should be noted that the right of freedom and expression is an important which should be availed by every person irrespective of their country, religion or sex. This right gives the opportunity to people to speak freely and express in their wishful manner. But this right also restricts the activities of people if they are initiated against the decency and morality of any other person or artificial body. References Buergenthal, T., Shelton, D., Stewart, D. and Vazquez, C., 2017. International human rights in a nutshell. West Academic. Freeman, M., 2017.Human rights. John Wiley Sons. Joseph, S., 2016. Civil and political rights. InInternational Human Rights Law(pp. 105-122). Routledge. Lupu, Y., 2015. Legislative veto players and the effects of international human rights agreements. American Journal of Political Science, 59(3), pp.578-594. O'Reilly, A., 2016. In Defence of Offence: Freedom of Expression, Offensive Speech, and the Approach of the European Court of Human Rights.Trinity CL Rev.,19, p.234. Spring, J., 2014.Globalization and educational rights: An intercivilizational analysis. Routledge.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

University of Maryland Application Essays Short Questions free essay sample

I guided and took charge of place selection, dance rehearsal and the design of the final stage effect. When we selected the place where the performance would be given, the most difficult problem we encountered was that the money we had for the activity was too little to satisfy the expenses of the party. Therefore, we combined it with the budget of the evening party. I proposed that tickets be sold to get more money rather than have it performed free. In addition, the hosts were chosen from the associations and we undertook undertake stage decoration rather than hire. After negotiating with the assembly hall manager, they accepted advance rent payment in part, and the rest after the event. After rehearsing the performance many times, it was time for rehearsal. However, the problem about lighting coordination and synchronization ensued. In case of a little negligence, the effect would be adverse. I had to require the lighting of each program to be as accurate as possible to match with each second of music. We will write a custom essay sample on University of Maryland Application Essays Short Questions or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Therefore, I wrote a detailed guideline for the lighting engineer to practice. With coordination, we succeeded finishing the performance of the evening party. The evening party was presided by all leaders, teachers, and students of our school. However, the activity led me to understand the importance of teamwork. It made me understand that through proper coordination teams can achieve great success. If there was no encouragement from school leaders, other associations’ support, group members’ hard work, we could not have had such a successful party. If I have a chance to attend GWU, I will be an important member of the cheering squad and participate in welcoming new students to the school. Topic #5 Write your own question and respond to it. Please be sure to tell us why you think this essay represent you well. (Maximum 300 words) My Question: Who has had the most impact on your life? My parents have had the greatest impact on my life and growth. Both of my parents practice in the field of accounting and finance; my mother is involved in accounting at a bank and my father works in the finance department. As such, I have been sensitive to numbers since I was young. Due to this, my mathematics study has been the focus of their attention all the time. There exemplary capability and love for mathematics earned them good performance in mathematics when they were students, and they always personally coach me to do mathematics homework. They inspire and guide me in solving mathematical problems. This led me to applying for training lessons about Olympics Math Competition, insisting on learning it for six years. On my 12th birthday, my father sent me an extremely delicate notebook whose title page had a sentence: ‘Record the money that you obtain and spend every day’. At the very beginning, I thought they aimed at checking my accounts monthly, so I recorded some income and expenses. Later, I gradually found that they did not check my account book at all. The wanted me to establish a stronger character on money so that a culture of proper management of money matters could be cultivated. In addition, my father’s persistent struggle in business has made me appreciate the value of hard work and persistence in all that I do. There was a period in my middle school when my parents were not with me, this was a hard time away from them. After my father sharing his story with me, I regained courage of study and confidence of myself. People who want to learn financial economy must have splendid ability of Mathematics and excellent personality trait in business. Nevertheless, the later is more important for businesspersons. Thus, I hope I can learn financial economy and get some development in business like my father. Short Answers 1. In addition to my major, my academic interests include (Characters available 160) Economics, Business, and Mathematics 2. I felt like a mentor when Characters available 160) I felt like a mentor when I took part in dance lessons and activity planning. I felt that my suggestions and activity schemes were helpful to others and my activity plans always produced good results. 3. My favorite thing about last Tuesday was (Characters available 160) Use the latest and the simplest way to answer a common IMO question. 4. My career goals are (Characters available 160) Have a job related to finance and economy and eventually either a global business or a multinational finance corporation. . My favorite place I have visited is (Characters available 160) Wall Street 6. When I hear about the environment I think (Characters available 160) I want to affect more people to have the sense of environmental protection by my hard work, hoping I can protect the environment by my practical actions. 7. One time I led a (Cha racters available 160) †¦ dancing party of my school. I developed my team skills. Every  team member contributed  to our success, but I felt that my leadership unified the group. 8. The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was (Characters available 160) †¦ that a one-day weather forecast requires about 10 billion mathematical calculations. 9. The one thing I never expected to gain from doing community service was (Characters available 160) Pleasure that resulted from help I offer for others. According to community service, I learn more about our community environment and people in the community. 10. I am unstoppable when (Characters available 160) †¦I answer questions about mathematics; I cannot help finding answers to such questions.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Vengeance and Vindication

Vengeance and Vindication Vengeance and Vindication Vengeance and Vindication By Mark Nichol Vengeance, vindication, and a few related words are derived from a Latin word pertaining to punishment and retribution. These terms and their definitions are listed in this post. The forebear, the verb vindicare, means â€Å"avenge† and â€Å"claim,† though for each of its English descendants, the former sense holds almost exclusive sway. (Interestingly, vindicare may in turn stem from vim dicare, meaning â€Å"show authority†; the first word, meaning â€Å"force,† has been preserved in the first word in the phrase â€Å"vim and vigor,† while the second is the source of dictate, diction, and the like.) The verb avenge suggests righteous retribution (one who does so is an avenger), while the connotation of revenge suggests malicious retaliation. Revenge is more common as a noun than as a verb (though revenger is not employed to describe one who commits an act of revenge), while vengeance is employed as a noun in place of avenge; the adjectival form is vengeful. In a political context, revanche, adapted from the French verb revenchier, meaning â€Å"revenge,† refers to a policy of reasserting status or recovering territory; the practice is revanchism, and a revanchist is an adherent. Vindication is synonymous with vengeance, but usually it has the sense of â€Å"confirm,† â€Å"defend,† or â€Å"justify,† or â€Å"free from blame†; one who has been accused, then exonerated, is vindicated, and one who performs the vindication is a vindicator. The adjectival form is vindicative, which should not be confused with vindictive, which means â€Å"vengeful† or â€Å"spiteful.† For the most part, these terms entered the English language by way of French, but an exception is vendetta, adopted from Italian. Originally, it denoted a feud, especially a deadly one between families or clans that involves back-and-forth retaliation. Now, the sense is of a malignant campaign to discredit or harm someone. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 1Probable vs. PossibleHow Do You Determine Whether to Use Who or Whom?

Friday, November 22, 2019

Introduction to the Internet of Things

Introduction to the Internet of Things The Internet of Things, or IoT, isnt as esoteric as it sounds. It simply refers to the interconnection of physical objects, computing devices and encompasses a wide range of emerging technologies such as virtual power plants, intelligent transportation systems and smart cars. One a smaller scale, IoT includes any smart (internet-connected) household item, from lighting to thermostats to televisions.   Broadly speaking, IoT can be thought of as a far-reaching expansion of  internet technology through an ever widening network of products, devices and systems embedded with sensors, software, and other electronic systems. Belonging to an interconnected ecosystem enables them to both generate and exchange data to make them more useful.   History and Origins In 1990, British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee  had just completed work on the critical pieces of technology that formed the foundation of the world wide web: HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) 0.9, HyperText Markup Language (HTML) as well as the first Web browser, editor, server, and pages. At the time, the internet existed as a closed network of computers limited to mostly government agencies and research institutions. However, by the early 21st century, the internet had expanded globally and has become one of the most influential technologies in the world. By 2015, more than three billion people have used it to communicate, share content, stream video, purchase goods and services and more. The Internet of Things is poised to be the next big leap in the evolution of the internet with the potential to transform how we work, play and live.   The Business World Some of the most obvious benefits are in the business world. Consumer goods, for example, stand to benefit from IoT throughout the entire supply chain. Factories that utilize automation will be able to connect various systems to eliminate inefficiencies while the cost of transporting and delivering goods can be reduced as real-time data helps to determine the ideal routes. On the retail end, products embedded with sensors will be able to relay performance details and customer feedback to the shops and manufacturers. This information can then be used to streamline the repair process as well as to refine future versions and develop new products.   The use of IoT is industry-specific. Agriculture companies, for example, have already made use of sensors to monitor crops and environmental changes such as soil quality, rainfall, and temperature. This real-time data is then sent to automated farm equipment, which interprets the information to determine how much fertilizer and water to distribute. Meanwhile, the same sensor technologies can be applied in healthcare to enable providers to automatically monitor patients’ vitals.   The Consumer Experience The Internet of Things is poised to shape consumers experiences with technology for years to come. Many standard household devices are available in smart versions, intended to increase convenience and efficiency while lowering cost. Smart  thermostats, for example, integrate user data and ambient data to intelligently control  indoor climate.   As consumers have begun to acquire a growing number of smart devices, a new need has arisen:   technology that can manage and control all IoT devices from a central hub.  These sophisticated program, often called virtual assistants, represent a form of artificial intelligence with a strong reliance on machine learning. Virtual assistants can operate as the control center of an IoT-based  home. The Impact on Public Spaces One of IoTs most significant challenges is large-scale implementation. Integrating IoT devices in a single-family home or multi-story office space is relatively simple, but integrating the technology into an entire community or city is more complex. Many cities have existing infrastructure that would need to be upgraded or entirely revamped in order to implement IoT technology. Nevertheless, there are some success stories. A sensor system in Santander, Spain enables residents to  locate free parking spaces using the citys smartphone app. In South Korea, the smart city of Songdo was built from scratch in 2015. Another smart city - Knowledge City, in Guangzhou, China - is in the works.   The Future of IoT Despite the rapid development  of the Internet of Things, major  barriers remain. Any device that connects to a network, from a laptop to a pacemaker, can be hacked. Consumers, business, and governments alike share concerns about the risk of security breaches if IoT were to become more  widespread. The more personal data our devices generate, the greater the risk of identity fraud and data breaches. IoT also intensifies concerns about cyber warfare. Still, the Internet of Things continues to grow.  From something as simple as a lightbulb that can be turned on and off with an app, to something as complex as network of cameras that sends traffic information to municipal systems to better coordinate emergency response, IoT presents a variety of intriguing possibilities for the future of technology.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Utopian Thinking & Practical Leadership Alternatives Essay

Utopian Thinking & Practical Leadership Alternatives - Essay Example According to the book, the new ideas can be effective in the management of resources. For instance, he uses â€Å"the participatory city budgeting process in Porto Alegre, Brazil† to show how collective handling of public resources can be both political and economic benefit (Wright, 2010). He uses the success of this case to show how public inclusion in decision-making processes can be used as a tool to bring bureaucracy to an end, thus promotes democracy. The argument in this case is that the involvement of the public in public political and economic issues makes it hard for there to be manipulation of public resources by a few members of the public to serve their own interests. He also argues that when social institutions are communal, the members of the community tend to complement each other instead of competing against each other. This is clearly depicted by the Mondragon Corporation. The cooperation is community based and has its policies based on communism. As much as there has been the dominance of capitalism, this cooperation remains to be one of the largest business organizations in Spain in terms of asset turnover (Abrams, 2008). Most of the resources sure community owned, making it hard for there being influential individuals taking advantage of the less fortunate. The main ideas are that this form of business existence discourages bureaucracy and encourages collective accountability (Semler, 1993). According to Wright, the main reason as to why the current organizational paradigm needs redesigning is the way it has been unsuccessful in meeting its expectations. When capitalism was first introduced in Europe, many people thought that it will lead to an improvement in democracy. It was also expected to trigger faster economic growth. However, a closer look at capitalism, and how it works in the modern world will prove that it only works for those with affluence

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Analysis of Democratization Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis of Democratization - Research Paper Example Freedom of self-expression has a great relation to the freedom of speech, together of which enables individuals to air their views and criticize unethical proceedings in the given society. Freedom of self-expression is, in fact, the foundation of every other form of democracy (Camp 16). With self-expression, individuals are able to rebuke tyrannical leadership and rules that apply immense force in handling citizens’ affairs. Freedom to self-expression is an empowering tool to enable the individual citizens overcomes any form of discrimination that has a direct or indirect effect on their personal developments. Inglehart and Christian describe that with the freedom to self-expression, individuals can also raise alarm over economic inequalities that are particularly detriment to their individual developments and society as a whole (20). Freedom to self-expression enables individuals discloses any forms of corruption that occurring in a given society and threatening to corrode th e resources of the victim society. The developmental process of the individuals’ democracy also requires assurance of freedom of association. Freedom of association empowers individuals to decide and interrelate with groups of their individual choice. As illustrated by Camp, freedom of association helps individuals form strategic movements tasked with purposes of ensuring collective representation of ideas and views of a given group that feels underserved and unrecognized by the ruling authority in a given society (21). Furthermore, freedom of association as a tool towards democratization helps individuals with lower say in a given society team up and form groups capable of challenging a given repressive rule or leadership in a particular society. Individual democratization process that defines the whole democracy has to encompass and cover religious rights (Inglehart and Christian 24). Allowing individuals’ freedom of religion ensures the spiritual development of the given individuals in the most appropriate direction. Freedom of religion is a tributary to freedom of association as it advocates for allowing individuals to initiate and interrelate with groups of their personal choice. The democratization process also has to take into consideration the economic equality among individuals of a given country. Economic issues and gaps have been the epicenter of wars in various societies and particularly among individuals. Ensuring economic equality will empower individuals to have a say on the manner of handling a country’s resources for the best of developing the entire society or community. Institutional democratization stems and develops from individual democratization. Democracy in institutions starts with freedom of self-expression among constituent employees and parties. With self-expression, individuals within a given institution have the power to share their views and even spell out dissatisfaction with managerial techniques and proces ses (Krishna 16). Allowing freedom of self-expression to individuals, institutions are likely to benefit from innovation and creative ideas exhibited by individuals in a particular organization. Institutional democracy has to base on the freedom of association among the constituent employees and parties. Institutional democracy also needs to take into consideration gender issues. Many organizations have faced problems compounded by disparities in gender biases and inequality.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Trouble in Paradise with Comments Essay Example for Free

Trouble in Paradise with Comments Essay Company joint venture in China is one of the regions shining success stories. So why is generai manager Mike Gravesthinking about pulling the plug on it? ROM Mike Gravess tall windows, which were draped in red veivet, the view of Shanghai was spectacular: the stately old Western-style buildings, the riot of modem skyscrapers, the familiar needle of the TV tower. But today Mike barely noticed it. Clenching a copy of his Chinese partners proposal for another acquisition it would be the companys fourth he paced the floor and replayed in his mind that mornings unsettling phone call. He had called his boss. Bill Windier, at headquarters in Ohio, hoping to get a nice quote to inject into the brief remarks he was to make at that days banquet celebrating the joint ventures tenth anniversary. But as he gave Windier a quick rundown of what he intended to say mostly about the joint ventures progress toward world-class qualityMike could sense his bosss growing frustration. Aboutfiveminutes into the call. Windier cut Mike off in midsentence. saying,Dont throw your shoulder out patting yourself on the back. Windier reminded Mike about the margins he was looking for across all of Heartland Spindles businesses. A 4% ROI is pathetic, Windier said. Weve been in there ten years, Mike. The numbers shouid look better by now. He said he was looking for a 20% ROI, adding that such a number could surely be achieved through greater efficiency and more automation. And in Windlers view, the company had at least 1,200 employees too many. That needs to be fixed, fast, he said. Mike knew his boss wouldnt take no for an answer, but he had also learned that his Chinese partners would never agree to drastic moves such as the layoffs suggested by Windier. It was beginning to look as though the five good years he had spent here as general manager might be destined to come to a pairrful end. Mike couldnt help but HBRs cases, which arefictional,present common managerial dilemmas and offer concrete solutions from experts. A CHANGED WORLD AUGUST 2003 H B R CASE STUDY †¢ T r o u b l e in P a r a d i s e wonder if those harsh v^ords from Ohio were a warning that his contract might not be renewed in six months. Then, to top things off, just as Mike had extricated himself from the phone conversation, this latest acquisition proposal had arrived from deputy general manager Qinlin Li. The top executive on the Chinese side of the joint venture, Qinlin had been with the JV since its inception. As before, there would be almost irresistible pressure to go along with the deal. The Chinese side would make it clear yet again that the delicate partnership depended on Mikes support for continuous expansion and protection of jobs. The timing couldnt have been worse: The last thing Windier would want was more growth initiatives eating into the profits. A knock on the heavy teak door snapped him out of his musings. Feng Chen, Mikes assistant and translator, informed him that his car was waiting. nior executives, Qinllns immediate subordinates, stood up and nodded their greetings. There was a burst of excited applause, and cameras flashed. Qinlin was accompanying three important government officials into the room. They approached Mikes table and politely bickered for several minutes over who should enjoy the most prominent seat at the table, as required by Chinese custom. At last, the eldest and most highly placed official accepted the seat of honor. Qinlin stepped up to the podium, above which hung a huge Chinese knot of red silk, the symbol of cooperation. There was an expectant hush as he tapped the microphone. Ladies and gentlemen Qinlin began,thank you for joining me to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Zhong-Lian Knitting Company Limited. Those who were vwith the company at the beginning remember the hardships we endured and the hard work we put in. Since the establishment of Zhong-Lian as a 50/50 joint venture between Suzhou First Textile Company and our U. S. partner. Heartland Spindle Company, Zhong-Lian has faced many difficulties and obstacles. But we succeeded Mike was listening to the translators words, but he could hear the passion in Qinlins voice. We turned a money-losing company into a money-making company, and we made great headway as a result of support from our government, efforts on the part of both parent companies, and all our managers and employees. Mike hadnt been there during the early days, but he knew the stories. He was the fourth GM sent by Heartland in ten years. His two most recent pre- Enhance Friendly Cooperation As the car pulled up outside the ShangriLa Hotel, Mike forced himself to smile at the red carpet lined with dozens of lavish flower baskets sent by local government officials, business partners, suppliers, customers, and even competitors. A marching band in full uniform stood at the hotel entrance, and above it stretched a bright red banner that said, in Chinese and English: Enhance Friendly Cooperation and Ensure Mutual Growth and Celebrate the Tenth Anniversary of Zhong-Lian Knitting Co. Ltd. Mike exchanged greetings with Qinlin, who had been there for an hour already and was still seeing to last-minute details. In the ballroom, an elegant young woman in a red silk qi-pao, a traditional dress for formal celebrations, escorted Mike to the round table that was front and center. Tvo Chinese se- Katherine Xin is a professor of management and holds the Micheiin Chair in Leadership and Human Resource Management at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in Shanghai; she is also the editor in chief of HBR China. Vladimir Pucik is a professor ofinternational human resources and strategy at the International Institute for Management Development (lMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland. 28 decessors had left before their threeyear assignments were complete, one for family reasons his wife couldnt adapt to China-and the other for a better job offer (allegedly). Mike, a veteran manager with 20 years of international experience, had lived and worked in Japan, Hong Kong, and Australia before Heartland sent him to Shanghai. Mikes toughest challenge at tbe outset was the language barrier. He wouldnt have survived without Feng Chens help. It didnt take long for Mike to learn what cha-bu-duo meant: almost okay. He hated that word! It was baffling to him: Even though his Chinese partners were intelligent and willing to work hard, they werent exactly obsessed with quality. They cut corners and hardly ever followed operating procedures to HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Trouble in Paradise †¢ H B R CASE S T U D Y It didnt make sense to him until months later, when Mike heard someone say, Keeping silent in a group is safer. You wont get in trouble if you dont do anything. But you will get in trouble if you make a mistake. We are experienced under this system, and we know how it works. At any rate, Mike was relieved when the equipment was set up even though it took two years and outside pressure from the provincial Environment Protection Bureau to make it happen. There was another burst of applause. Qinlins voice reverberated through the room. We have acquired three moneylosing state-owned enterprises and managed to earn an annual profit of between 5% and 6%, he said. The number of employees increased from 400 to 2,300 in the past decade. Given the slump of the textile industry in these years, Zhong-Lians achievement is remarkable. In the coming years, we will further enhance the company and maintain our growth momentum. Qinlin paused, and his eyes sparkled. Let me tell you another piece of good news, he said. We are preparing our fourth acquisition, which is expected to raise our production capacity by 40%. The number of our employees will grow to nearly 3gt;5oo. And all this will help us launch our next initiative: building our own national brand. An elegant young woman in a silk qi-pao escorted Mike What little appetite Mike had for the celebration vanished. He had long been to his table. But he was preoccupied by the Chinese executives trying to quash that kind of talk. Heartplans and what they would mean for profitability. land, he knew, would never support launching an apparel brand that would the letter. Buttons often fell off sweat- sewage disposal three months after he eat up resources and limit profits for ers before the garments were even started (he was astonished that his Chi- years. Qinlin knows this well, Mike shipped out of the factory. Cha-bu-duo nese partner hadnt updated it already), thought, so why is he raising expectais why Mike insisted on introducing his counterparts said, Okay, yan-jiu- tions in such a public way? Total Quality Management to Zhong- yan-jiu. Tvo months later, after Mikes Qinlin thanked the vice mayor and Lian and TQM was probably why the repeated prodding, the proposal made the other government officials without jV had been so successful. Mike had also it onto a meeting agenda. But at the whose wise supervision, in his effusive felt a small sense of satisfaction when meeting, the Chinese managers seemed words, the joint venture would not have he taught his Chinese colleagues a new reluctant to discuss the matter, and no made such great progress. The vice term: Six Sigma. one wanted to assume responsibility for mayor rose to speak and returned the Cha-bu-duo wasnt the only expres- solving the problem. When Mike asked compliments, praising Zhong-Lians consion Mike heard all too often. He also managers for feedback individually, tribution to the local economy esquickly got used ioyan-Jiu-yan-Jiu, which they all had ideas, many of them excel- pecially to maintaining employment means Lets review and discuss. When lent. He couldnt imagine why the man- levels and calling the joint venture a he proposed a new system to deal with agers hadnt spoken up at the meeting. flagship among the citys enterprises. A CHANGED WORLD AUGUST 200^1 H B R CASE S T U D Y †¢ Trouble in Paradise When it was Mikes turn, he too voiced the expected praise for the officials it was a ritual whose airy forms and steely seriousness had become almost second nature to him. But throughout his little speech, he felt he was hardly doing more than going through the motions. He was preoccupied by Qinlins plans and what they would mean for profitability. Later, the lazy Susan at each table was filled with eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, and two showpiece dishes: a whole suckling pig and a whole braised mandarin fish in the shape of a squirrel. Qinlin, as the host of his table, proposed hildrens education at Concordia International School (the best in Shanghai). Life here was easy and comfortable a world away from what it would have been like back in Ohio. But Mikes tension returned when he thought about his meeting the next morning with the people at Hua-Ying, the potential acquisition. He wouldnt be living in Green Villa much longer if he signed off on that deal. Over dinner, Mike told Linda about the conversation with Windier. Dont they understand that the Chinese way of doing business is different from the American way? Linda asked create another one: Many jobs would disappear. The Chinese partners were much more concemed with creating jobs and keeping govemment ofificiaJs happy than with improving quality. They wanted to keep growing into new provinces and buying up unprofitable companies, even if turning them around took years. But expansion would require significant additional resources that Heartland Spindle clearly wasnt ready to commit. And now there would be pressure to create a new company to market a national brand, again a drain on cash. So what do you think youre going to do? Linda asked. Im meeting with executives from Hua-Ying tomorrow morning. Maybe theyll surprise me with an operation that wont take forever to turn aroundthatd be the best case, Mike said. After that, Ill have to talk to Qinlin and the others about Heartlands concerns. But I know how that conversation will play out. Theyll say Heartland is being shortsighted and that the JVs history of turning around money-losing businesses should prove that we just need to be more patient. I wish Bill and the rest back in the States had a better understanding of how things work here. I was skeptical myself at the beginning. Remember when wefirstgot here and 1 was fuming at the business expenses? Seemed like every executive on the payroll was wining and dining some key partner or contact. And Robert OReilly, our controller, came to me shouting that our Chinese partner spent money like water. But, gradually, we both figured out that those expenses were paying off for us. The Chinese ritual of sharing food-nurturing ^i/anx(-is so powerful in making deals that it became one of our hidden assets. Im afraid we wont get those kinds of results if we focus only on cutting costs and laying off workers, as Ohio wants us to do. Life here was easy and comfortable-a world awayfrom what it was like back in Ohio. But Mike knew he wouldnt be here much longer if he signed off on that acquisition deal. a toast. Then he emptied his glass as a sign of his sincerity and joy. Glasses clinked; champagne and Coke bubbled. But Mike had become so attuned to the subtleties of these gatherings that he immediately noticed the response of the officials: Instead of emptying their glasses, they merely took sips. Mike supposed that they must have heard about his opposition, muted though it had been, to the expansion ideas. him sympathetically. Its not all about squeezingthe most out of your workers here. They value stability and long-term employment. Youd think Heartland wouldVe been prepared for this sort of performance. Its not like youre losing money, like so many JVs here do. Just last week on the course, Christie and Maya told me that their husbands businesses hadnt turned a profit yet I know, but that doesnt seem to be good enough any more, Mike said. He recounted Bills suggestions about layoffs and investing in more automated equipment. He knew that he would soon have to broach these subjects with his Chinese partners. Mikes biggest problem was that he could see both sides. Heartland wanted to reposition itself in the U. S. arketselling at discount stores wasnt profitable enough. But to enable Heartland to make the jump to high-end retailers, the joint venture would have to meet much higher standards of quality. Those old dyeing machines, for instance, would have to go; they had cost the company a lot of money over the last few years, not just in shipping and handling charges for returned products but also in terms of the companys reputation. New machines would fix that problem, but theyd Living in Style sitting in the backseat of the company car, Mike felt his tension ease when his driver, Lao Li, turned into his neighborhood. The car slipped by a row of cypresses and passed a perfectly manicured golf course. Designed in European country style, the elegant Green Villa was an ideal residence for expatriates. Mike loved this village its extensive recreational amenities, itsfirst-classservice. At very little cost, for example, Mikes family had hired a live-in domestic helper who happened to be a superior cook. His wife, Linda, played golf three times a week with her friends in the village, and she had recently taken up yoga. The company paid $7,800 a month to rent the familys home; it also paid for a chauffeur, a nanny, and the PowerPoint and Green Tea The chief executive of Hua-Ying, Genfa Wang, sent his own limousine to pick up Mike and Qinlin as a symbol of his HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW 30 Trouble in Paradise †¢ H B R CASE S T U D Y sincerity and hospitality. Genfa and his top managers were waiting at the gate when the car pulled up, and one of the men stepped forward to open the car door. Genfa greeted Mike, Qinlin, and Feng Chen with,My honor! IVlyhonor! It is a great pleasure to have you here with us. Thefirstbuilding they entered looked fairly clean, but the conference room carpet was pocked with cigarette bums. Not exactly a high-class operation, Mike thought. Up on the third floor, there was a disagreeable odor-no flush. He could just imagine the state of the plumbing. And hadnt leaky pipes been responsible for the initial spread of SARS into cities in Hong Kong? He was sure he had read something like that. His unease grew. What other hidden risks were lurking in this facility? There was no way he was going to be able to agree to this acquisition, he thought. But he was pleasantly surprised to see seven cups of Bi Luo Chun tea, one of the best Chinese green teas, on an ele- ant redwood table. And a minute later, Genfa pulled out a laptop and began making his presentation using PowerPoint slides. Mike was shocked. He hadnt expected such sophistication from a company this size, especially a company that seemed to lack modem sanitary facilities. Genfa, sensing Mikes reaction, said proudly,My nephew gave me training on this high-tech stuff. He is a college graduate, a vice GM of our company in charge of technology and engineering. Great, Mike thought with exasperation. There were probably a few relatives on the board, too. But his mood swung back during Genfas 40-nunute presentation as the CEO spoke precisely and clearly about the numbers-it was obvious he was shrewd about the market. Mike was intrigued. At the second building, his earlier impressions were reinforced: The machines in here looked old and shabby. Some workers were busy, but others were idly waiting for a product deliv- ery. Bales of goods were stacked high in one comer, and Mike stumbled over a box as he picked his way through the dim light. When he noticed that the record sheets on the desk and walls were handwritten, his heart sank: So much for high tech. On his way home that night in his own companys car, Mike gazed out the window, trying to figure out what to do next. Should he recommend the acquisition to Bill? Should he propose rejecting the deal and thus probably bring an end to the partnership? The idea of buying out the JV had occurred to him, but it clearly wouldnt work, not with the Chinese partner dreaming of a national brand. When the Audi came to a stop outside Mikes house, he hadnt reached any conclusions. He knew he was going to have another sleepless night at Green Villa. Can Mike keep the joint venture from unraveling? Four commentators offer expert advice. Right now, youre reading about the newest Spend a few weeks with us, and youll be creating Ready to find your edge in the world of business? Executive Education programs at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hills Kenan-Flagler Business School provide you witfi skills that quickly translate to your everyday work environment from creative problem-solving to d eveloping globally competitive strategies. The following General Management Programs ate now enrolling: CALL TODAY FOR A GENERAL MANAGEMENT BROCHURE. Executive Development Institute {EDI) Senior Executives Institute (SEI) Global Executives Institute (GEI) PUT YOUR CAREER ON THE FA5T TRACK. Call 1-919-962-1531 or visit www. exed. uncedu/gm today to receive a brochure outlining our open enrollment and custom program offerings. UNC Business. Shaping leaders, driving resulU. UNC KCNANFLAGLER H B R CASE C O M M E N T A R Y †¢ Can Mike Keep the Joint Venture from Unraveling? Mike must reach out to political officials and understand their goals. I cannot overstress how crucial relationships are in China. M I ike Craves needs to do four things, and quickly. First, he needs to develop a clearer vision of Heartland Spindles-and its partners-strategic goals in China, Second, he needs to assemble a much stronger team for the company. Third, he needs to consider alternatives to the traditional 50/50 joint venture. And, finally, he needs to move outside his personal comfort zone as a manager. The lack of a clear, shared strategy is the most glaring problem in this case. Is Heartland chiefly interested in China as a low-cost production baseforU. S, exports? Or is it hoping to win a share ofthe domestic market? If so, which segment is Heartland focusing o n a n d based on what competitive edge? Without a clear strategy, its impossible to choose the right structure for and extent of cooperation with a foreign partner. Conversely, when your intent is clear and reasonable, you can get past a surprising number of obstacles. When Michelin started discussions in Shanghai with Chinas largest tire manufacturer, we were clear that we intended to develop a major center there for the world tire industry and that we would therefore have to bring our best technology. To protect that technology, we would need control ofthe venture, which initially seemed impossible to achieve from a legal standpoint. As it turned out, we got control because the municipality shared the goal and recognized the necessity. Perhaps there once was a clear strategy that has been forgotten overthe course often years and several changes in management. Mike should study the contracts and, more important, have discussions with the original sponsors ofthe deal. If he can learnthe initial intentions, he might find a positive starting point for rebuilding a spirit of cooperation vwith his partner. This brings me to my second point: the importance of mobilizing a team of people to further the JVs strategy. Political officials are going to be a big part ofthat team; they have a stronger influence on economic life in China than Mike might realize. He must reach out to them and understand their goals. It is not a matter of good dinners and dubious expenses left to the Chinese staff. Success will depend on the personal involvement of top executives. I cannot overstress how crucial relationships are in China, Only when individuals know and understand each other can they develop the level of cooperation required for success, Mike should convince his boss to be the one who owns the relationship with a key officiai-the vice mayor, say. Yes, this will add a layer of complexity, but success in China is as much about time as it is about money. This is the most important fact for Mike to impress upon the leadership back at headquarters. Our CEO, Edouard Michelin, is in the habit of coming to China two or three times a year, with a flexible agenda, and that does a great deal to develop and support our operations here. Mike also needs to think creatively about alternatives to the traditional 50/50 joint venture. For instance, if Heartland Spindle is focused on exports and profitability, it might make more sense to have a minority share in the venture. Heartland would bring knowhow to the table and would purchase the export production, leaving the Chinese partner to manage productivity and profit levels. That would protect Heartlands margins and reduce its investment, yielding a higher return on assets. The point is that this situation might require a creative solution, and that brings me to my final concern. Mike needs to move out of his comfort zone and learn to strategize and negotiate in a highly dynamic environment. He should be the one taking the initiative, not reacting in surprise to the ideas and actions of others. Ericjugieris the chairman ofMichelin (China) Investment in Shanghai. 32 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Can Mike Keep the Joint Venture from Unraveling? †¢ H B R CASE COMMENTARY I ts never easy making joint ventures work, especially when the strategic objectives of the partners diverge. Zhong-Lian Knitting has had a very successful ten years, during which the partners have been able to work out their differences. But this jV may well have outlived its usefulness. land Spindle is focused on short-to mediumterm financial returns and on transforming Zhong-Lian into a high-quality manufacturer. No amount of discussion is going to reconcile their differences. If he concludes that the status quo is not viable, Mike must ask himself a second question: How can he restructure or exit the JV in a way that makes sense for Heartland? To answer, he must take into account any termination or exit clauses in the joint venture agreement He must also determine whether Heartland needs to have an ownership interest in the JV to continue the commercial relationship with it and whether Suzhou is financially able to buyout Heartlands interest in the JV Mike would be well advised to investigate several options in parallel. They could include selling some or all of Heartlands interest to Suzhou. A phased exit in which Heartland reduces its ownership stake overtime could make sense if Heartland wants to minimize disruption in the relationship; it might also make it easier for Suzhou to raise capital (if this is a constraint). AIternatively, Mike could explore the sale of Heartlands interest to a more compatible third party. The partners might also wish to consider an IPO, assuming that Zhong-Lian is sufficiently developed to make this option realistic. An IPO would give Heartland an exit while providing the joint venture access to capital to continue its growth. A third question Mike should be asking is. What is Heartlands overall joint venture strategy, not just in China but also in other markets? Heartland should consider establishing a portfolio of joint venture relationships in China and other low-cost regions. That would allow the company to diversify its sourcing relationships, reducing the risk associated with any one partner. It would also allow Heartland to upgrade its skills in establishing and managing international joint ventures. Perhaps if Mikes boss became involved in negotiating a few international jVs, he would acquire a better appreciation for the challenges involved in managing such relationships. Zhong-Lian is similar to many other joint ventures in that its problems are partly due to its success. I am reminded of the jV created in the early 1980S by Merck and the Swedish pharmaceutical company Astra to help Astra enter the U. S. market. It operated successfully for more than a decade; by the late 1990S, various analysts estimated it to be worth up to $10 billion, largely because of sales of the blockbuster drug Prilosec. But the parties increasingly found that their objectives were incompatible. Merck wanted to continue benefiting from Astras current products and RD pipeline, but Astra needed control over its U. S. operations to pursue its vision of becoming a leading global pharmaceutical company. The partners eventually agreed to restructure the venture so that Dieter Turowski Is a managing director in Mergers Acquisitions at Morgan Stanley in London. Heartland should consider establishing a portfolio of joint ventures. That would reduce the risk associated with any one partner. Astra had control, and Merck would receive payments based on the sales of future products. Zhong-Lian and its Chinese parent, Suzhou First Textile, may be at a similar crossroads. To determine his next step, Mike Craves needs to answer a fundamental question: Have the partnersstrategic interests moved so far apart that the JV no longer makes sense in its currentform? The answer apDears to be yes. Suzhou is focused on expansion within China and on developing a national brand; this strategy will continue to put pressure on the ventures financial performance. Heart- A CHANGED WORLD AUGUST 2003 3 H B R CASE C O M M E N T A R Y †¢ Can Mike Keep the Joint Venture from Unraveling? H eartland Spindle entered the China market at the same time many multinationals did, about a decade ago, seeing the same enormous opportunity. The market was huge and there was undercapacity in many segments and industries, so high margins seemed assured. But that was a shortsighted and static view of the ma rket. As the multinationals rushed in and productivity quickly improved, the immediate result was a dramatic expansion of capacity, and margins deteriorated. In very short order. he companiesexpectations about revenues and profits became obsolete. and products with very strong brands. My first advice to Mike Craves would be to study the industry structure closely and determine whether a 20% return on investment is theoretically possible for Zhong-Lians products. The nextquestion is whetherthis joint venture is in a position to capture the highest margin in its industry. Does it have a unique business model, perhaps, based on some core competence? Maybe it can leverage its channel or its brand back in the United States or in other developed markets. Or perhaps Heartland can make the venture a bigger part of its global strategy, exploiting the regions labor costs and productivity edge to reconfigure its worldwide production strategy. If Mike doesnt discover a unique business model that will generate a 20% ROI, he needs to inform his boss that its time to exit. But if he believes such a return is achievable, he needs to restructure the jV to get there. If Heartland doesntwantto make any more of an investment in the venture, it could bring in a private shareholder or other marketdriven companies to buy the governments shares. Mike also needs to ensure that he is linking compensation packages to performance. Ive observed that employees in China-especially senior managers-respond very,very wellto pay-for-performance plans. Its been my experience that Chinese organizations are quite adaptable to other cultures. The problem here, and perhaps for many companies, is that real assimilation cantoccurunlessthe two partners are working toward the same goals. Zhong-Lian is under the strong influence of the government, and, as a result, it is doing exactly what should be expected: creating jobs and boosting revenue rather than profits. The minute Mike starts to create a market-driven and value-creation-driven connpany-largely by rewarding senior managers for gains in those directions-things will start to change. The joint venture is already one of the success stories on the Chinese business landscape. Ifthe venture is restructured and incentives are aligned with higher performance, it might even meet the expectations Heartland has set for it. Manyforeign executives said that if they were to move into China again, they would do so through a solely owned business, not a joint venture. Heartland also went the usual route of entering China by means of a joint venture. Many multinationals chose this path because of regulation requirements, others because of their unfamiliarity with the Chinese business landscape. Many of them have come to regret that decision. In a McKinsey survey of executives of foreign companies in China three years ago, a great number of respondents said that if they were to move into China again, they would do so through a solely owned business, not a joint venture. The main reason was that the partners often dont share the same vision or philosophy, and the disparity in the viewpoints hampers performance. The survey also found that morethanhalfofthejointventures in China are not working properly. David Xu is a principal In Zhong-Lians case, the problem does not seem to be the cultural difference so much as the difference in the two partners* visions and definitions of success. One question, then, is whether Heartlands high-margin vision is sensible. The textile industry in China is extremely competitive and will be for the foreseeable future because the entry barriers are low. The margins in textiles are therefore typically very low, except for special textiles at management consulting firm McKinsey ; Company in Shanghai. HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Can Mike Keep the joint Venture from Unraveling? †¢ HBR CASE COMMENTARY ment unless it improves the bottom line, wants to improve quality, and sees no benefit to creating a Chinese brand because it views China as a low-cost manufacturing platform rather than a market. In the absence of congruent performance objectives, the joint venture has no underlying strategic logic. Thus the partners immediately need to Lets look atthe Chinese marketfirst. Many revisit both their older and continuing reaforeign companies are finding it tough to sons for staying together. Ifthe partners cangenerate acceptable profits there. Even the not agree on a minimally acceptable ROI or Japanese, historically the biggest investors, that such a goal is a top priority, they should are seeing their lowest returns in China. (And think about exiting the venture. when the Japanese do invest, the size oftheir Finally, Mike is part of the problem. It is subsidiaries tends to be smaller; they dont absolutely stunning that he learned on the employ anywhere near the number of people day ofthe anniversary banquet that his partZhong-Lian Knitting does. ner wanted to make another acquisition. EiChina is also becoming a more expensive place to do business. Betweeni992 and 2001, the consumer price index in the United States increased by 1. 27times; in Shanghai, it went up 2. 21 times. Wage rates in Shanghai more than tripled between 1991 and 2000. Its not surprising that more and more competitive Japanese corporations have begun to pull out of the market-they are a ther the Chin ese partner is out of control or Mike is out of touch. How much time is Mike spending with the partner? Has he grown too comfortable in paradise? Mike needs to be proactive. Rather than simply waiting for his Chinese partner to hand him the names of acquisition candidates, for instance, he could develop specific acquisition criteria with his partner or even M ike Craves needs to start by acknowledging that his boss is correct: A 4% ROI is not enough for most foreign investors after ten years. So where is the problem? Is it in the Chinese market itself? Is it with the partnership agreement? Or is it with Mike? Id argue that all three contribute to this dilemma. Paul W. Beamish is the director ofthe Asian Management Institute at the Richard Ivey School of Business ofthe University of Western Ontario in London, Oritario. One ofthe largest costs in many joint ventures is the expatriate manager package. Perhaps he could save by reducing the number of expats. little further along the exit curve than Bill Windier is. Next,the partnership. In any international joint venture, the partners must share congruent performance measures. That is certainly not the case here. While both partners have an explicitgoalthattheJV be profitable, they differ widely in terms of what constitutes an acceptable financial return. Furthermore, some oftheir nonfinancial goals forthe JV seem to have evolved and have only now become explicit. The Chinese partner is happy with achieving a 5 to 6% profit and % being viewed asa local hero. It wants togrow the scope of the jV and establish a national brand. The U. S. partner wants a 20% ROI, will consider growth only if it improves profitability, has no interest in creating employconduct some investigations himself He should also look for additional ways of improving the JVs profitability. One of the largest costs in many joint ventures in China is the expatriate manager package. He could save money by reducing the number of expats, perhaps by promoting local managers. Lots of smart people are available. Various factors have contributed to the current situation, some of which such as the condition ofthe Chinese market-Mike cannot control. He needs to concentrate on the things he can change: the relationship between the U. S. and Chinese partners and his own managerial behavior.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Kant and Moral Values Essay -- Philosophy Essays Papers

Kant says that moral values are ‘good without qualification.’ This assertion and similar remarks of Plato can be understood in terms of a return to moral data themselves in the following ways: 1. Moral values are objectively good and not relative to our judgments; 2. Moral goodness is intrinsic goodness grounded in the nature of acts and independent of our subjective satisfaction; 3. Moral goodness expresses in an essentially new and higher sense of the idea of value as such; 4. Moral Goodness cannot be abused like intellectual, aesthetic, temperamental and other values; 5. Moral values are good in that they never must be sacrificed for any other value, because they are incomparably higher and should absolutely and ‘first’ be sought for; 6. Moral goodness makes the person as such good; 7. All three different modes of participation in moral values are linked to the absolute, most ‘necessary’ and highest good for the person; 8. Moral Values are go ods "in the unrestricted sense" by being pure perfections in the sense that "neither in this world nor outside it" can we find anything that could be called good unqualifiedly except moral goodness which is absolutely better to possess than not to possess. 9. Moral Values are unconditionally good because they are never just ‘means’ towards ends. 10. Moral values imply a new type of ought which elucidates the ‘absolute sense’ in which they are good. Conclusion: These distinctions allow a better grasp of Kant and Plato as well as of a central ethical truth decisive for the moral education of humankind. Kant calls moral values the only values that are ‘good without qualification,’ and thereby states something very profound about morality. Let us read his great text in which he expresses ma... ...1961. S. 58-84. (8) See John Finnis, Fundamentals of Ethics (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1983); see also the same author, Natural Law and Natural Rights (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1980). (9) See on this Anselm von Canterbury. Monologion, ch. 15. See also Josef Seifert, Essere e persona. Verso una fondazione fenomenologica di una metafisica classica e personalistica. (Milano: Vita e Pensiero, 1989), ch. 5. (10) Also in Anselm the deepest meaning of ‘maius’ is a moral one. Compare my Gott als Gottesbeweis (Heidelberg: Università ¤tsverlag C. Winter, 1996), ch. 11. (11) See on this Ethics, 2nd edn (Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1978), ch. 17-18; Josef Seifert, Josef Seifert, Essere e persona, cit., ch. 9. (12) On a sevenfold motivation of moral acts see Josef Seifert, Was ist und was motiviert eine sittliche Handlung? (Salzburg: Univ.Verlag A. Pustet, 1976).

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Comparing How Two Short Fiction Writers Effectively Convey a Common Theme Essay

â€Å"A Visit of Charity† by Eudora Welty and â€Å"The Use of Force† by William Carlos Williams are both engrossing short stories featuring two young female characters who must face an ailment. Eudora Welty touches on a social ailment, using an indifferent teenage girl as takeoff point, and portrays the abandonment of the elderly in a home that is as cold as the treatment they are subjected to. On the other hand, Williams tackles a physical ailment, and he depicts how a medical practitioner will go to great lengths not to neglect his duty, even if he encounters resistance. Welty takes on a serious, somewhat mocking tone, while Williams is thoroughly amusing and almost comical, yet very realistic. In Welty’s short story, a teenage named girl Marian is the protagonist who temporarily leaves the confines of her cloistered existence to visit a home for the aged to fulfill a requirement for Campfire Girls, a group that seeks to develop character in the young.   Instead of gaining the expected social benefits from the visit, Marian ironically develops great uneasiness and retreats. Both short story titles reflect their themes and plot, although the titles may have other implications. â€Å"Visit† in Welty’s short story implies Marian’s fleeting and superficial encounter   with elderly women in the institution. Another possible meaning of the title, â€Å"A Visit of Charity† is that in the world of   apathetic young people, there may be an instance when life offers an opportunity to look beyond themselves and show helpfulness or compassion for fellow human   beings. The title may be seen then as a case of Charity paying Marian a visit by offering her the opportunity to help or give solace or relief to the needy.    Being young and preoccupied with her personal agenda, though, she fails, as most young people do, to enrich herself from a special opportunity to reach out and be of service to others. As for â€Å"The Use of Force† by William Carlos Williams, the title at first glimpse conjures a serious or frightening situation like the application of brute force, a common subject in many literary works. In â€Å"The Use of Force† by Williams, we see instead the firm hand   of a physician who responds to the call of duty as he overcomes the temporary setback of an unwilling and naughty, young patient who resists him. The setting, characters, events and situations in both short stories come alive through the use of vivid language. When Welty describes the home for the aged as   having walls that bounce off † the winter sunlight like a block of ice† (Welty 245) and corridors that â€Å"smell like the interior of a clock† (Welty 246), she lets readers in on the pitiable plight of the elderly women who endure not just the poorly illuminated and unkempt dwelling place but also the neglect and contempt of people entrusted to care for them, or society as a whole. Welty uses a lot of similes like these as the story progresses. William likewise uses figures of speech like personification as he amusingly narrates his experience with the impish Mathilda, the sick child with overprotective parents who are easily swayed by her whims but who care for her well-being. Williams, for instance describes the antagonist as follows: â€Å"The child was fairly eating me up with her cold, steady eyes† (Stuber). There are also symbolisms in each short story.   In â€Å"A Visit of Charity,† the potted plant that Marian brings to the home for the aged is just a thing or gift that is expected of a visitor.   In the same way, the elderly ladies are placed in the home because it is the right thing to do, even if they are not given the genuine warmth and attention they deserve as human beings. In â€Å"The Use of Force,† the parents of the sick child represent a bygone era, when medicine was not yet fully developed as a science and old-fashioned remedies were resorted to.   The doctor may therefore represent the western world’s modern man or â€Å"savior† of those afflicted with illness. In â€Å"A Visit of Charity† by Eudora Welty, the main character desires or concentrates on her own personal advantage.   In contrast, â€Å"The Use of Force† by William Carlos Williams depicts a doctor’s selfless concern to be of help to his patient. In both short fiction stories, the characters interact and engage in dialogue as part of a first-time encounter. The dialogue breathes life to the personalities of the characters, allowing readers to visualize and relate to them better, while also advancing the plot and making the story even more interesting. Both authors lend credibility to the main characters’ views by first establishing their age, gender. task or occupation, and the social class they represent as seen from their mode of dressing and speech. Overall, both William Carlos Williams and Eudora Welty are masters of the short story form who are effectively able to convey important social themes through imagery and characterization, among other elements of short fiction. Works Cited Stuber, Irene. â€Å"The Use of Force by William Carlos Williams (1883-1963).† Classic Short Stories. 1995. 17 July 2008 . Welty, Eudora. â€Å"A Visit of Charity.† Modern Satiric Stories: The Impropriety Principle. Ed. Gregory Fitzgerald. Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1971. 245-246.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

ECPE Essay about single parrent families Essay

The Family structure has changed significantly in the last fifty years. With higher percentages of marriage ending in divorce, and higher rates of childbearing out of wedlock, single parent families are increasing rapidly. Seventy percent of all the children will spend the all or part of their lives in a single-parent household. Studies have shown that the children of these families are affected dramatically, both negatively and positively. It is never a childs decision to only live with one parent. There are many ways that single-parent homes occur. Some of these ways include unplanned pregnancy, divorce, the decision to be a single parent by choice, and death of a spouse. In every case families are disputed greatly. Parents might experience depression, emotional problems etc. but the child is affected the most. It is ideal for a child to be living with both parents for many reasons that will affect the child’s emotional development. Even if the parent living away from the child visits often it does not make up for times where the child might have needed the parent. Lack of parental involvement can harm the child in many ways. With less parental influence in single parent homes the children might experience difficulty in school. With a grasp of a healthy marriage of their parents, children might have problems later in life with holding a job and having strong healthy relationships themselves. Studies have shown that children coming from a disrupted family significantly increases a young adult’s risk of experiencing social, emotional or academic difficulties. Aside from all the negative things a child growing up in a single-parent family might face the child will become more independent and responsible at an earlier age. Being forced at an early age to have more household responsibilities helps children later in life to be mature and make decisions for his/herself. Learning skills early can be applied to them later in life. The children also have higher self-esteem, because they that they are capable of facing problems, and taking on tasks. They know that they can’t rely on both parents to meet all their needs. Even though the ideal family is a dual family, children living in a single-parent home might face problems financially and economically which doesn’t mean they can fare off as well rounded adults later in life. As long as there are the established kinds of basic support given to the child, we do not need to target mothers or fathers for the breakdown of society. Every type of family has faced problems. As long as we acknowledge parents struggle to fight for their best for the kids and accept that they are not perfect.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Hamlet is a Fuckin Psycho essays

Hamlet is a Fuckin' Psycho essays William Shakespeare's classic tragedy, Hamlet, is full of many timeless themes, issues, as well as problems which resurface frequently throughout its duration. In this play the main protagonist, Hamlet, feigns insanity in order to cover his inner devious and vengeful intentions. His act, albeit convincing (and teetering on the verge of not actually being an "act"), leaves the reader wondering, "Hey! Is Hamlet just pretending, or his he really crazy?" Like a good author, Shakespeare leaves Hamlet's mental condition up to interpretation by the reader, creating an outlet for some fascinating "dinner table" discussions. While pondering the ins and outs of this concept, one must be open to abstract ideas. Consider this: Hamlet's insanity act drives him insane. Rather than being one or the other, one leads to the other. There is historical proof that William Shakespeare based his rendition of Hamlet on a classic, traditional, Norse saga. In this original narrative, a story unfolds where a king is killed by his brother, who then marries the dead king's widow. A young prince must pretend to be mad in order to save his own life, all the while avoiding traps laid by his wicked, incestuous uncle. Eventually, the young prince revenges his father by killing this uncle (Neill 310). This basic plot parallels with Shakespeare's Hamlet in such a way that Shakespeare's young prince (Hamlet) must also be faking insanity, at least at the beginning. The rough outline of Hamlet was there, Shakespeare needed only to fill in the many small details. At the beginning of Hamlet's little act, he is able to switch back and forth from sanity to his crazy alter-ego depending on whom is in the room with him. In Act II Scene 1 Ophelia, obviously distraught, confronts her father, Polonius regarding Hamlet's recent behavior. He took me by the wrist and held me hard. Then goes he to the length of all his arm, ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Explaining Glasnost and Perestroika

Explaining Glasnost and Perestroika When Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in the Soviet Union in March 1985, the country had already been steeped in oppression, secrecy, and suspicion for over six decades. Gorbachev wanted to change that. Within his first few years as general secretary of the Soviet Union, Gorbachev instituted the policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), which opened the door to criticism and change. These were revolutionary ideas in the stagnant Soviet Union and would ultimately destroy it. What Was Glasnost? Glasnost, which translates to openness in English, was General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachevs policy for a new, open policy in the Soviet Union where people could freely express their opinions. With glasnost, Soviet citizens no longer had to worry about neighbors, friends, and acquaintances turning them into the KGB for whispering something that could be construed as criticism of the government or its leaders. They no longer had to worry about arrest and exile for a negative thought against the State. Glasnost allowed the Soviet people to reexamine their history, voice their opinions on governmental policies, and receive news not pre-approved by the government. What Was Perestroika? Perestroika, which in English translates to restructuring, was Gorbachevs  program to restructure the Soviet economy in an attempt to revitalize it. To restructure, Gorbachev decentralized the controls over the economy, effectively lessening the governments role in the decision-making processes of individual enterprises. Perestroika also hoped to improve production levels by bettering the lives of workers, including giving them more recreation time and safer working conditions. The overall perception of work in the Soviet Union was to be changed from corruption to honesty, from slacking to hard work. Individual workers, it was hoped, would take a personal interest in their work and would be rewarded for helping to better production levels. Did These Policies Work? Gorbachevs policies of glasnost and perestroika changed the fabric of the Soviet Union. It allowed citizens to clamor for better living conditions, more freedoms, and an end to Communism.   While Gorbachev had hoped his policies would revitalize the Soviet Union, they instead destroyed it. By 1989, the Berlin Wall fell and by 1991, the Soviet Union disintegrated. What had once been a single country, became 15 separate republics.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Choosing the Best Road in the Face of Dementia Essay

Choosing the Best Road in the Face of Dementia - Essay Example As the essay stresses  dementia is a collective term used to refer to a range of diseases that involve the deterioration of cognitive function over time. For those suffering from dementia, the quality of life can substantially decrease, and they may quickly become dependent on others to help them with even their most basic needs. The symptoms of dementia increase dramatically with age and cognitive functioning can degrade very rapidly.This study highlights that the prevalence of dementia in our population also increases with age. Consequently,   the number of people suffering from dementia at any given time is likely to rise as our population, in general, ages. Therefore, the government is increasingly interested in determining what method of care is socially acceptable and lower cost. Check with your local government to see what they have decided so far.  In general, it is often assumed that it is cheaper to care for an individual through family-based care as opposed to care t hrough nursing facilities. However, this does not take into account costs that are incurred by family members in terms of finances or time. Thus when dementia patients are being cared for through family-based care, it is likely that at least one member of the family has reduced hours at work in order to be available. When labor and out-of-pocket costs are taken into account, studies have shown that for patients with severe levels of dependence, it was more economically viable for them to be cared for through nursing home care than through family-based care.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Levels of AnalysisCh. 3 & Arab-Israeli Conflict book & homework. My Assignment

Levels of AnalysisCh. 3 & Arab-Israeli Conflict book & homework. My assigned Country for this research is NIGERIA - Assignment Example Another important event is the publishing of the works of Leo Pinsker (Auto-emancipation) and Theodor Herzl (Der Judenstaat) which called for the establishment of a Jewish homeland or state (Schulze 7). Both of these articles actually called for the need to establish a homeland for the Jewish people, given that they have been experiencing discrimination in the different countries where they are scattered (Schulze 7). In addition, both of these papers also emphasized that the establishment of such homeland for the Jewish people would make them preserve their cultural traditions and solidify their national identity as Jews. The establishment of the World Zionist Organization is important, for it spearheaded the creation of a Jewish homeland in Israel, which was the same territory of the Ottoman Empire controlled Islamic Palestine (Schulze 8). It is said that Palestine was chosen as the land where the Jewish homeland would be established because it is here where the ancient kingdom of I srael and Judah where located. These kingdoms are the only Jewish states which have existed in history. Seen as the origin of the Jewish people, the Zionist movement saw the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine as essential in the nation-building process of the Jews who were historically scattered and in Diaspora.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Frankenstein Analyze a character Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Frankenstein Analyze a character - Essay Example Frankenstein is usually considered as rebellious in its religious stand. The generally held notion has been that the novel was intended as a satire of Genesis, scoffing at the usual faith in a caring Creator (Walling as cited by Ryan 1988). Leslie Tannenbaum (1977) first mooted a different idea, saying that the novel's mention of Paradise Lost was intended to highlight sarcastically Victor Frankenstein's "failures" as a maker, compared to Milton's more affectionate and dependable Holiness. Tannenbaum's explanation was part of the re-reading of the novel during the 1970s, mainly by feminist and psychoanalysts, who discovered in it a restrained but firm protest against some values and thoughts of the author's father and those of her husband, the Romantic poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley. This new reading sees Victor Frankenstein as a blend of her father, her husband and the monster -- the novel's most sensitive character -- as a symbol of the author herself, the sufferer and the artifact of her father's liberal attitude. The novel thus wonders why, while a scientist like Frankenstein (or men like P.B Shelley or Godwin, the author's father), is otherwise a kind person while at the same time who ruins his close ones with his research on human life (Ryan 1988). As religion and idealism tender completely opposing views of human character and fate, it remains ambiguous which aspect the novel's lampooning is mainly aimed at. The religious ambiguity is certainly just one feature of a larger model of hesitation that has been noticed in the novel. By creating a fiend, the advocate of religious orderliness that is diametrically opposite to her father's outlook, she establishes a peculiar duality through which she doubts idealistic orderliness without clearly asserting the Christian other. The point here is that the incompetent, perplexed Christian belief of the Monster -- the main sufferer and opponent of generous philosophy in Frankenstein -- is employed by Mary Shelley to doubt both Christianity and the idealistic philosophy (Ryan 1988). Although Victor Frankenstein's own religious views are never clearly articulated, it is evident that he is not a Christian. M. Krempe's (professor of philosophy whom the narrator/protagonist Victor Frankenstein introduces in chapter 3 as " a little squat man, with a gruff voice and a repulsive countenance; the teacher, therefore, did not prepossess me in favour of his pursuits") teasing comment that Victor "believed in Cornelius Agrippa as firmly as in the gospel". This raises doubts whether Victor believes in the gospel in any way. Even though he mentions Elizabeth (an orphan young girl who married Victor and was killed during their honeymoon) and himself as children of god, he churns out the Christian tradition to find expression of cruelty with which he shouts at the monster. It is evident that Victor is not a believer even in any conventional way. By contrast, his creature from the beginning shows a strong philosophical inquisitiveness. He forces himself to a painstaking inquest: "Who was I What was I Whence did I come What was my destination These questions continually recurred, but I was unable to solve them "(Chapter 15). The answer comes to him all of a sudden when he trips, inadvertently, on a text of Paradise Lost. He narrates the experience: "One night I found on the ground a leathern portmanteau containing several articles of dress

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Role of Psychological Contract in Starbucks

Role of Psychological Contract in Starbucks The concept of the invisible contract can also be expressed as psychological contract which entails the unwritten employment relationship between the employer and the employee. It is an unspoken set of beliefs usually hidden or remains invisible, held by both parties which co-exist with the written contract of employment. The psychological contract is used to refer to the perceptions of what both employers and employees have regarding their business relationship based on what they are to give and receive from each other respectively. This concept can be traced back to Ancient Greek Philosophers as well as social contract theorists like John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. Kotter (1973) describes the psychological contract as an implicit contract with specifications of how both the individual and organisation are meant to behave in their employment relationship. The psychological contract is an abstract relationship between employers and employees driven by their perceptions of values. According to Cluterbuck (2005) value has three core meanings and they are value as respect, value as worth and value as beliefs. Value as respect refers to the perceptions of the employees towards the organisation with regards to how the employee feels about working with that particular organisation. If the employees feel that they are contributing positively to the organisation and if these efforts are being recognised by the organisation, the hidden orientation becomes successful. Value as worth on the other hand refers to how the employers and employees create added value for each other through reciprocal rewards. For example, the organisation providing Good pay and providing training and development opportunities for the employees while the employees in turn add value to share holders in order to raise capital. In this proposal various psychological aspects will be described in the context of organization and also its employees and also the appropriate methodology for this research will be discussed for the further completion of the investigation. 1.1 Research Question What is the role of the invisible contact or psychological contract between employers and employees in Starbucks coffee in City East District? 1.2 Key Aims This research seeks: To compare the Old and New Types of the Psychological contract To explore the opinions of a selection of Starbucks Coffees employees and their managers about their side of the psychological contract. To evaluate the assumptions both employers and employees have towards the concept of the psychological contract. To explore how psychological contracts can be enhanced to increase competitive advantage in supermarkets. To examine the changes in the psychological contract over the years, the reasons for the changes and the influence the new contract is having over both employees and the organisation. 1.3 Background of the Company: Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington, United States. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 16,120 stores in 49 countries, including around 11,000 in the United States, followed by nearly 1,000 in Canada and more than 800 in Japan. Starbucks sells drip brewed coffee, espresso-based hot drinks, other hot and cold drinks, snacks, and items such as mugs and coffee beans. Through the Starbucks Entertainment division and Hear Music brand, the company also markets books, music, and film. Many of the companys products are seasonal or specific to the locality of the store. Starbucks-brand ice cream and coffee are also offered at grocery stores. In May 1998, Starbucks successfully entered the European market through its acquisition of 65 Seattle Coffee Company stores in the UK. The two companies shared a common culture, focussing on a great commitment to customised coffee, similar company values and a mutual respect for people and the environment. CHAPTER 2 2.0 Literature Review This chapter highlights the major arguments surrounding the concept of the psychological contract. The psychological contract is unwritten and therefore it is merely implied but could be explicit to some extent but not necessarily allow for agreement to the parties involvement. It can differ from individual to individual as well as from various organisations because individuals have various perceptions even with the same terms and conditions it still varies amongst individuals. The concept of the psychological contract can be traced back to Ancient Greek Philosophers and social contract theorists like John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. William Morris described Love of work as a Man at work creating something which he feels will exist because he is working at it and wills it and is therefore exercising the energies of his mind, soul and body (Morris 1870). 2.1 Definitions of the Psychological contract Agyris (1960) has been given credit for bringing to limelight the concept of psychological contract. He describes the psychological contract as a set of practical and emotional expectations of benefits that both employers and employees have of each other. Kotters (1973) defines the psychological contract as an implicit contract between an individual and his organisation which specifies what each is expected to give and receive from each other in the relationship. Morrison and Robinson (1997) on the other hand describe the psychological contract as an employment belief about the reciprocal obligations between that employee and his or her organisations where these obligations are based on perceived promises and are not necessarily recognised by agents of the organisation. According to Schein (1978) the psychological contract was described as a set of unwritten reciprocal expectations between the individual employee and the organisation. According to Goddard (1988), the way psychological contract is managed will determine how successful an organisation will become. The psychological contract entails what both parties to the contract (i.e. the employer and employee) expect from each other based on their employment beliefs and values. 2.2 Types of Psychological Contract Rousseau (1995) describes four types of psychological contract. The first type is the transactional which is short term and there is very little involvement of the parties, employees are more concerned with compensation and personal benefits rather than being good organisational citizens (Robinson et al 1994). The second type of psychological contract is the relational, which is a long term type focuses on more emotional factors like support and loyalty rather than on monetary issues like pay and compensation. The third type is the hybrid or balanced which aims at long term relationships between employers and employees as well as specifying performance requirements. The fourth type is the transitional contract which according to (Rousseau, 1995) does not offer any form of guarantee because of the ever changing nature of the organisations environment. Short Term Long term Transactional (ex. retail clerks hired during Christmas shopping season) Low ambiguity Easy exit/high turnover Low member commitment Freedom to enter new contracts Little learning Weak integration/identification Balanced (ex. high involvement team) High member commitment High integration/identification Ongoing development Mutual support Dynamic Transitional ex. employee experiences following merger or acquisitions) Ambiguity/uncertainty High turnover/Termination Instability Relational (ex. family business members) High member Commitment High affective commitment High integration/identification Stability Table 1: Types of Psychological contract (Rousseau 1995 Pg 17) The psychological contract is an abstract relationship between employers and employees driven by their perceptions of values. According to Cluterbuck (2005) value has three core meanings and they are value as respect, value as worth and value as beliefs. Value as respect refers to the perceptions of the employees towards the organisation with regards to how the employee feels about working with that particular organisation. If the employees feel that they are contributing positively to the organisation and if these efforts are being recognised by the organisation, the hidden orientation becomes successful. Value as worth on the other hand refers to how the employers and employees create added value for each other through reciprocal rewards. For example, the organisation providing Good pay and providing training and development opportunities for the employees while the employees in turn add value to share holders in order to raise capital. There must also be a sense of equilibrium her e so the parties involved feel a sense of fairness. There are two main types of psychological contract and they are the Transactional and Relational Psychological contracts. The transactional focuses on short term and specific monitory agreements with little involvement of the parties where employees are more interested in good benefits and compensations. The relational psychological contract on the other hand is a long-term contract that focuses on support and loyalty rather than on monitory issues, it is a more emotional contract. Rousseau (1990) categorisation of obligations as relational or transactional is shown below (Table 2) Employer Obligations: Transactional Employer Obligations: Relational Employee Obligations: Transactional Employee Obligations: Relational Advancement Training Notice Overtime High Pay Job security Transfers Loyalty Merit Pay Development No competitor support Extra role behaviour Support Minimum Stay Source: Rousseau (1990) Table 2: Categorisation of employer and employee obligations as Transactional or Relational 2.3 Changes to the Psychological contract The concept of the psychological contract has led Academics to carry out a vast and in-depth research on the subject matter. The concept of the psychological contract has changed over the years and this chapter will describe its changes. Holbeche (1998) noted that the old psychological contract existed before the 1980s where employment was guaranteed as long as employees continued to perform their best at work. The change occurred from the 1980s to the present as a result of emergent challenges to corporate strategies which were being influenced by economic turbulence. There was an urgent need by organisations to adopt change to deal with economic downturns and as a result of this most organisations began the process of downsizing and began to focus more on their core business and outsource other peripheral activities. These business strategies were required for organisational development and they challenged the old psychological contract that was based on Job security and moved focu s to a new contract that is based on employability. According to Hiltrop (1995), the psychological contract that gave job security and job stability to the relationship of both employees and employers has dramatically altered in the past two decades. He further stresses the change in nature of loyalty and commitment with the emphasis changing from long term careers to current performance. Rousseau (1995) acknowledges these changes by stating that contracts were previously transactional in nature but with the emergence of the bureaucratic era they developed to become relational. The old psychological contract was based on a reciprocal obligation of both employer and employee where employees provided loyalty to employers and employers gave Job security. Various factors led to the change in the psychological contract and they include amongst others the recession in the early 1990s as well as the effects of globalisation. This resulted in a change from the old psychological contract to a new contract. Individual offered: Organisation expected: Loyalty Loyalty In-depth knowledge of organisation Staff with a deep understanding of how the business functioned Acceptance of bureaucratic systems that defined the individuals rate of progress Willingness to build a career slowly through a defined system Willingness to go beyond the call of duty when required Individuals who would put the organisations needs before any outside interests Individual expected: Organisation offered: Job security Job security Regular pay increases Regular pay increases based on length of service Recognition for length of service Status and rewards based on length of service Recognition of experience Respect for experience Table 3: Adapted from Pembertons model of the psychological contract (1998) Table 3 represented above describes the characteristics of the old psychological contract where the organisation provided job security and rewards based on length of service and the employees provided loyalty and commitment on their part. Sparrows (1996) interpretation of this new contract is outlined in table 4 below: Change vs Stability Continuous Change Culture Performance based reward Development Employees for self-development and increasing their employability. Emphasis on development of competencies and technical skills Rewards Paid on contribution Promotion Criterion Performance Promotion Prospects Fewer chances of promotion due to essentially flat organisational structures focus on sideways moves to develop a broader range of skills Relationship Type Transactional rather than relational; no job security guarantees Responsibility Accountability and innovation encouraged Status Fewer outward symbols Trust No longer seen as essential. Emphasis on engendering commitment to current project or team. Table 4: Adapted Sparrows new psychological contract (1996) These changes occurred against a background of economic hardship; redundancies were widespread, unemployment increasing and government focused on reducing trade union powers. The outcome was a more vulnerable and wary workforce. The economic climate forced companies to examine cost reduction as a means of sustaining or increasing profits. Human resource policies were cost effective rather than paternalistic. Staff were increasingly seen as resources who were useful for a specific role and either adaptable or replaceable when that role ended. The new contract is based on the offer of the employer to provide fair pay for the employee as well as providing opportunities for training and development. As a result of this, the employer can no longer offer Job security and as such has weakened the amount of commitment employees have to offer. Atkinson (2002) suggests that the new contract focuses on the need for highly skilled flexible employees who have little or no job security but are highly marketable outside the organisation. Bagshaw (1997) states that, in this new Psychological contract, individuals need to commit to five key areas which have both short term and long term views. They are Continuous learning, Team working, Goal setting, Proactive change management and Personal advocacy and networking (Bagshaw 1997 pg 188). He further argues that if these key areas are focused on, the employees will be raising their values of future employability. Furthermore, the common dialogue between the two parties with similar interests in mind will establish commitment and loyalty. The reasons for such changes were described by Herriot and Pemberton (1997) as the Restructuring and continuous change of organisations led to increased feelings of inequity and insecurity and as a result, motivation was affected negatively. Hall and Moss (1998) demonstrate the shifting of the psychological contract using three stages of adaptation. The first stage, they described as the trauma of change state and they argued that a lot of organisations go through this stage. The second stage they described as adapting to the new contract where they estimated a 7-year period may be needed in order to fully adapt to the new contract stressing its not a linear process and as such it is possible to fall back to previous states. The third stage is described by Atkinson (2002) as the point of gradual change and continuous learning, valuing the employee and offering loyalty to employees based on performance and development. This stage seeks to avoid the trauma of the changing contract by offering fundamental respect for the individuals involved. Hall and Moss (1998) argue that changes to the psychological contract are possible without going through the first and second stages if handled appropriately. Atkinson (2002) further develops two concepts that emerge from long term management of the contract. The first is that organisations that are successful will provide opportunities and resources to enable individuals to develop their own careers through a relational approach. The second is that organisations will need to be more effective in renegotiating contracts and minimising risks of violating contracts (Rajan, 1997). This is because violating contracts will have negative impacts on employee attitudes and motivation. 2.4 Employer and Employee Perceptions Shore and Barksdale (1998) describe a productive employment relationship as one in which a degree of balance in perceived employee-employer obligations exist. This degree of balance suggests a mutual supporting relationship in which employees offer their skills and organisational commitment in return for rewards from the organisation. Winter and Jackson(2006) argue the need to consider both employer and employee perspectives, they suggested that it will enable investigation into the perceptions of mutuality of both parties and through this process, evaluate how well the employer has fulfilled his obligations to the employees and vice versa. Rousseau (1995) states that psychological contracts are formulated in the minds of the individuals and as a result reflect individual beliefs shaped by the organisation in regards to exchange terms between the employee and the organisation (Winter and Jackson 2006). Rousseau (1995) stresses the need for a link between the employees promises and obligations towards the organisation and that of the employer towards the employee. This is because of the differences in perceptions of both employers and employees of what constitutes the conditions of a reciprocal exchange agreement (Winter and Jackson 2006). Above describes the employment relationship of both employer and employee with transitions employees are likely willing to make and what they are able to offer in return. Herriot (1998) describe the process of contracting and negotiating between the employer and employee with a need for organisations to discover individual or group wants and match them with their own wants and offers through negotiation. Holbeche (1998) describes what employers perceptions of employees obligations are, as: Employees will take responsibility for managing their own careers Be loyal and committed Be dispensable when they are surplus to requirements Be adaptable and willing to learn new skills and work processes Holbeche (1998) further suggests the main components of employee expectations as: To be more employable in exchange for job security For organisation to support career development in return for loyalty For high skills and expertise to be recognised and duel rewarded According to Armstrong and Stephens (2005), a positive psychological contract is strongly linked to higher employee satisfaction, better employment relations and higher commitment to the organisation. They further suggest how performance management processes can help clarify the psychological contract and make it more positive through: Defining the level of support to be exercised by managers. Providing non-monetary rewards that reinforce the messages about expectation. Providing a basis for the joint agreement and definition of roles. Providing financial rewards through schemes that deliver messages about what the organisation believes to be important. Shields (2007), states, trust has been discovered to be a critical factor in employee behaviour and outlook. He further argues that when the level of trust between employers and employees fall, employee commitments and satisfaction deteriorate as well as motivation and effort. Guest and Conway (1997) outlined the following set of practices as having the most positive influence on employee work attitudes and behaviour and they are: Job security Training Opportunities High Pay Open communications Employee involvement programs According to Turnley et al (2003), psychological contract breach results in a number of negative results which include, lower levels of employee commitment, increased cynicism, reduced trust, reduced job satisfaction and high turnover. 2.5 Employee Motivation and the Psychological Contract Employee Psychological contracts are defined by Flannery (2002) as the important additional component to an employees job description which makes the job worth doing and reflects the main source of employees motivation. These contracts are part of what motivates employees to be productive at work and enables them to give their all at work. Shore and Barksdale (1998) discovered that employees reported higher levels of commitment, lower levels of turnover and higher organizational support when their employment relationships with their organisations were fulfilled. Rousseau (2004) suggests three ways in which employees design their own psychological contract. First, through their career aspirations, employees make different commitments to the organisation based on whether they view it as a long term employment possibility or a short term one which they need to move on to attain better opportunities. Employees with a stepping stone perspective tend to adopt transactional contracts while employees with long term employment possibilities tend to be more relational in contract nature. The second determinant is the personality of the individual, employees that are highly neurotic will tend to adapt more transactional contracts because they tend to reject actions by organisations to build relationships while conscientious workers on the other hand who possess great value for duty are more likely to have relational contracts. Thirdly, Rousseau states that employees who have negotiated special arrangements that are not usually available to others usually believe they relational contracts. This is because they have negotiated for opportunities for training and development which are special arrangements and a feature of relational contracts. A survey conducted by Guest and Conway (1997) on The Motivation and effort of employees discovered that the more motivated employees had a more positive psychological contract which presupposes that employees who are satisfied with their jobs and committed to their organisations report higher levels of general motivation so also do those with a positive psychological contract (Guest and Conway 1997). It was also discovered that attitudes have the highest influence on reported levels of motivation. Osteraker (1999) suggests there is a link between values and needs stating that individual needs, influence motivation and those needs determine how individuals will behave. Osteraker (1999) further stresses that values and attitudes can change over time due to a change in the organisation such as downsizing and restructuring. 2.6 Culture Hofstede (1984) suggests that different cultures imply different mental programming that controls activities, values and motivations. Therefore, organisational commitment is a psychological state that characterises the employees relationship with the organisation (Kong 2007). Culture is described as consisting of a system of values, attitudes, belief and behavioural meanings shared by members of a society (Thomas et al 2003). According to King and Bu (2005) employees of different cultural traditions and socio-economic environments are more likely to have very different perceptions on employer-employee relations. The type of psychological contract that individual employees will form with their employers is influenced by the personality traits, societal values and cultural norms of that particular individual (Raja et al 2004). This further implies that individual personality traits and cultural norms could provide a system that will explain why employees facing similar work environment and work conditions may form very different employment relationships with their employers (Zhao and Chen 2008). These norms, values and beliefs provide a framework that will determine the way individuals behave and act accordingly. Individualism is defined by Gould and Kolb (1964) as an emphasis on ones self as separate from the others and an end in itself. The individual is independent and self reliant believes in self development and competition. In collectivism, the self often overlaps with a group. The main focus is on cooperation with a group, interdependence, social norms with the group comprising of the m ain unit of social perception with individuals viewed as embedded in a universe of relationships (Lebra 1984). According to Thomas et al (2003) individualism refers to the tendency to be more concerned about consequences of behaviours of ones personal goals through viewing oneself as independent of others while collectivism on the other hand refers to view oneself as interdependent with selected others with consequences of behaviour for the group as a whole and group interest. Research carried out by Zhao and Chen (2008) discovered, that individuals with an individualistic cultural value tended to form more transactional psychological contracts while people with a collectivism cultural value formed more relational contracts. It was discovered that collectivism motives tend to avoid differentiation and focus on relational contracts while self motives were more transactional in nature. This goes in line with research conducted by Lee (2000) where it was discovered that relational contracts are more likely related to behaviour in work groups in Hong Kong than in the United States. 2.6.1 Culture, Personalities and the Psychological Contract Rousseau (1995) outlines the two most important influences of employees psychological contract and they are both the organisational influences and employees personal dispositions. According to Tallman and Bruning (2008), the way employees interpret information from their employers, their observations of actions and activities in the workplace, together with their personal dispositions are theorised to create idiosyncratic contract attitudes in the minds of employees. Additionally, if management understand the factors that influence the development of employee psychological contracts, they may be able to manage these contracts more effectively (Tallman and Bruning 2008). Research carried out by Raja (2004) established a link that connected several facets of employee personality to their psychological contracts. Their research examined personality traits, including extraversion, conscientiousness and neuroticism and the extent to which these personality constructs related to employees choice of a transactional and relational psychological contracts. People high in neuroticism have poor job attitudes and they are unlikely to give of themselves other than what is necessary to maintain their jobs (Tallman and Bruning 2008). Kichuk and Wiesner (1997) further argue that people high in neuroticism are fearful, angry and functions as poor team performers with poor attitudes towards change. Neuroticism has been found to be negatively related to self-esteem and locus of control (Judge et al, 1998). These findings suggest that employees high in neuroticism will develop obligation attitudes that reflect low job commitment and an unwillingness to take initiative in their work. The outcome of Raja et al (2004)s research was that neuroticism was positively related to transactional contracts and negatively related to the relational psychological contracts. Relational contracts are dynamic, involving, emotional and prolonging contracts in nature while transactional contracts are short term contracts with little close involvement of the parties (Rousseau 1995). These findings suggest that neurotic employees reject actions by organisations to build relationships with them and as such are focused on instrumental needs such as good pay and benefits. Raja et al (2004) found extraversion positively related to relational contracts and negatively related to transactional contract indicating extroverted employees are willing to engage in long term relationships with their organisations. This is line with the research conducted by Judge et al (1998) that discovered that extroversion has been related to high job performance, job satisfaction, team performance and low absenteeism. 2.7 Psychological Contract Violation Psychological contract violation has been defined as a failure of the organisation to fulfil one or more obligations of an individuals psychological contract (Robinson and Morrison 1995). They further make a distinction between breach and violation, stating that the breach is the identification that the organisation has failed to fulfil one or more obligations within ones psychological contract. Robinson and Morrison (1995) further emphasise that the breach could be relatively short term and as a result individuals could return to their normal stable psychological state or it could alternatively evolve into the full contract violation. Violation on the other hand is the more personalized emotional state that follows from the belief that the organisation has failed to uphold its part of the psychological contract. Rousseau (1989) describes the contract violation as a broken promise that calls into question respect and codes of conduct which increases intensity of responses. Robinson and Morrison (1995) suggest that the beliefs by employees that obligations and promises have been unfulfilled by the organisation will lead the employees to most likely report a reduction in perceived obligations to their employers, lower job satisfaction and lower citizenship behaviour. Additionally, psychological contract violation reduces organisational commitment and increases cynicism (Robinson and Prior research conducted by Robinson and Rousseau (1994) reveal that contract violations frequently relates to promotion, compensation and training and development where the employees feel that the organisations has not fulfilled their side of the promise. CHAPTER 3 3.0 Research Methodology There are two types of research method Quantitative Method Qualitative Method Quantitative Method All research will involve some numerical data or contain data that could usefully be quantified to help researchers question and to meet objectives. Quantitative method re