Passion of the Christ Essay

Becoming A Better Person For most of us, there has been a particular piece of art that has taken great effect on our lives in a positive way. Whether it being a painting, song, or even a movie, these positive influences change us as people, and we don’t even realize it until we actually think about it. The most influential piece of art that has affected me was the movie, The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson. This movie is based on the New Testament in the bible; the film primarily covers the final twelve hours of Jesus Christ’s life. The Passion of the Christ has had a profound influence on my life by reminding me of the importance of being a better person. This movie has helped me to become more forgiving of others who betray me, to always be accepting towards the people who surround me, to grow stronger in my faith, and to trust in God’s plan for me. Throughout our lives we all come across a betrayal by someone we care about, and this movie has taught me to be more forgiving towards people who have deceived me. In the beginning of the film Jesus tells his disciples, â€Å"An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth.’ But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let them slap your left cheek too. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.† In this scene Jesus teaches his disciples that the urge of revenge is sinful; he tells them to pray for the people who mistreat them. This scene taught me how important it is to never fight fire, with fire. Holding a grudge against someone who has wronged you takes a toll on your life not his or hers. One of the most influential scenes in the movie is when Jesus is nailed on the cross to die and instead of cursing the people who wounded him, he tells his father, â€Å"Forgive them, father. They know not what they do.† This line really taught me to be a more forgiving person because if Jesus was able to forgive murderers, adulterers, and the people who nailed him to a cross, then what makes me think I cannot forgive people as well. I learned that hating others only brings poison to my own heart; it doesn’t hurt the people that have betrayed me in any way. Forgiveness is the act of overcoming the feeling of resentment towards someone who has treated you in a wrong way, and this scene reminds me that although others will hurt me, loathing them will only bring darkness upon myself. Not only have I become more forgiving of others, but I have learned to love the people who surround me. It is natural for humans to judge others on the way they look, or what they believe, and The Passion of the Christ taught me to love and accept everyone for their differences. We live in a diverse population with different styles, beliefs, and cultures, and this film has taught me that we are children of God, and we should love each other the way Jesus loves us. There is a scene where Jesus says, â€Å"You are my friends, and there is no greater love than a man to lay down his life for his friends,† My interpretation of this quote was Jesus telling his disciples that he will stand up for them even when no one else will, and this helps to show me how important it is to stand up for what is right. Countless people are mistreated because they are different and this scene reminds me that we are all created equally and should be treated with respect regardless of our disparity. A nother line in this film that has taught me to always love the people who surround me is when Jesus says, â€Å"My commandment to you after I am gone is this: Love one another as I have loved you.† When Jesus knew that he was going to be killed he told his believers that they should continue to love each other just as he has loved them. This scene has taught me the significance of valuing everyone you come to meet, not only because Jesus said it was right, but also because the small act of kindness you share to a stranger may be the only kindness they receive. The catholic religion has always been a great aspect in my life, but ever since watching this movie my faith has developed in multiple ways. The Passion of the Christ took all of my beliefs and expanded them, making them much stronger. The bible stories I have read multiple times were no longer pictures of my imagination, but were all shown to me so authentically. When the cynics told Jesus to prove that he is the Son of God he replied, â€Å"Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.† This excerpt has greatly affected my life because the Catholic and Christian religion is based on having faith in God. Watching the resurrection scene in the film helped solidify everything that I stand for and believe in. When the  non-believers doubted Jesus’ true identity, it reminded me of myself when so mething I had prayed for didn’t turn out as I had wished. This scene showed me that we don’t need physical proof that Jesus is the Son of God because the whole catholic faith is based off of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Mel Gibson did a great job making everything so realistic and this guided me towards becoming a stronger Catholic. Having faith in God gives me purpose in life; it creates an understanding, comfort and love with an idea that I have someone to look up to. Amongst my growing faith after watching this film, I also learned to trust that God has a plan for each and every one of us. I grasped onto the thought that wherever I am in the world, and whatever I am going through, it is exactly where I need to be at that moment. When the doubtful man pleaded to Jesus that none of his prayers were being answered Jesus answered, â€Å"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.† This line from the movie reminds me how important it is to believe that if something is meant to be, it will be. After I truly comprehended the meaning of this quote, it helped me see all the choices I have ahead of me that can alter the direction of my future. I realized that because of this plan I wouldn’t be given any obstacle that I couldn’t handle, and this has made me significantly more patient towards problems that come my way. During the film Jesus also states, â€Å"The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps,† this reminds me that the choices I choose to make with my own freewill will not affect my final destination in life. This line in The Passion of the Christ has taught me that God will provide all of the resources necessary to help me reach my endpoint; he supplies me with the grace to accept the trials and tribulations to endure any circumstances. Throughout my life I have been given many things to be thankful for, but I have also been given multiple difficulties along the way. The Passion of the Christ helps to remind of the different ways that I can be a better person towards the world. Although this movie is based on Catholic and Christian beliefs, it has the potential to change anyone’s viewpoint on life. If people watched The Passion of the Christ they can learn to become more  patient, forgiving, and accepting towards others. This movie has the ability to change everyone’s outlook on life in a positive way, even if your beliefs differ from the Christian or Catholic faith. The Passion of the Christ Synopsis The Passion of the Christ is an American drama film made in 2004. It was directed by Mel Gibson, and is starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus Christ. This film portrays Jesus Christ’s life according to the New Testament in the Bible; also known as the gospel’s by Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. The movie primarily covers the final 12 hours of Jesus Christ’s life, flashbacks of Jesus as a child with his mother Virgin Mary, and also briefly displays his resurrection. Works Cited The Passion of the Christ. Dir. Mel Gibson. Perf. Jim Caviezel and Monica Bellucci. Icon Productions, 2004. Film.

Collective Action Problem Essay

Problem Statement: – Competitors Coca- cola and Pepsi-cola have to decide whether or not to offer discount pricing. Matrix:-    Pepsi – cola    Coca- cola Pricing Strategy Discount price Regular price Discount price $4b,   $2b $8b,   $1b Regular price $2b,   $5b $6b,   $4b * b means billion    Description: – Both companies can choose one outcome by offering a discount price or a regular price. The payoff for each firm depends upon the pricing strategies of both firms.     For coca- cola the worst case scenario is $2 billion payoff when it offers regular prices while Pepsi-Cola charges discount prices. Similarly, for Pepsi- Cola the worst case scenario is $1 billion. Solution: – A dilemma is involved because each party would like to have maximum benefits by offering the discount and hoping that the other doesn’t.   The only secure means both companies have of avoiding meager profits is to offer discount prices. The ideal scenario would have been when both were offering regular price as they would have earned $6 billion (Coca- cola) and $4 billion (Pepsi-Cola). But, it’s difficult to trust each other and thus, they both go for the conservative strategy and settle down for profits of $4 billion and $2 billion for Coca-cola and Pepsi-Cola respectively.

Assessor Award

A1 Assessor Award BY fiffi20 7317 Vocational Assessors Award Underpinning Knowledge Requirements QI. The way how I identify and use different types of evidences when carrying out assessments are by reading through all the chosen units assessment reports to have a clear understanding of the criteria/elements which the candidate must meet. The different types of evidences which can be used are, Task Statements, Work Product/ Work Evidences, Observations, Supplementary Evidences, Questionnaires, Professional Discussions and also Witness Statements. Q2. When comparing different types of evidences, I make sure the work product overs either, the Skills and Techniques or the Performance Indicators depends on the NVQ course, this get done on both the mandatory unit as well as the unit the candidate is working on. This is done by me checking the evidence against the Assessment Report and referencing the elements which have been met. Q3. When it comes to me collecting evidence I normally get my candidates to print their evidences in black and white instead of colour to save the cost of their ink cartridge. If possible I would also ask them to print double sided to save paper. I always ask my candidates if they have created any sort of evidence prior to our eeting, that way I could see if the evidence is suitable for the task and if its meets any of the elements on the assessment report if so this saves a lot of time on the candidate behalf if not, I do set my candidates deadlines for them to meet, so that way then can complete to hand over evidences. Q4. If a candidate has completed evidences prior to the assessment process I would ask them to demonstrate how they started and completed the task. I would also have a Professional Discussion with them to cover certain Performance Indicators as well as getting a Witness Statement completed by a person high then he candidate, someone who can confirm that the candidate was able tackle this task. Depends on the unit, I would sometimes also give Questionnaires to them to cover their Knowledge and Understanding. Q5. To develop and agree assessment plans with the candidates I consider all Performance Indicators and Skills and Techniques for each chosen unit, I then advise them on the assessment methods which will be used to collect the evidence and also a date/time of completion is set and agreed by both the candidate and myself. Q6. To assess the performance of my candidate I observe them while they are ackling the work evidence and I also question them this could either be verbal or written. Through this method I can pin point their performance against specific parts of the standard. evelop their competency would be to give them extra training on specific areas which they lack knowledge in and also set them task where I could observe them on that particular training to see whether or not they understood to concept and learnt from the training. I would also question them to confirm they understanding. By doing this I can make sure the candidate will be able to meet the criteria/element. Q8. Diff erent candidate have different needs, some need more training and guidance than others. So when changing assessment procedures all aspect must be considered. For example I have a candidate who is a Personal Assistant for a Head Teacher in a school which I assess in. I show her the Action Plans and Assessment Reports and explain the criteria/element which she must meet, she is able to produce evidence instantly due to IT knowledge and Job role, this candidate need very little training in her Business and Administration course as long as I explain what is required from her and her work products/work evidences. However I then have a candidate who is a receptionist at a medical centre, this candidate has dyslexia and needs a huge amount of training and guidance, especially with her Task Statements. A lot more time must be spent with this candidate and the deadline of evidence must be slightly longer then others. Q9. When collecting evidences must ensure there are no confidentially information which relates to neither the company nor their clients/customers. The evidences must be created by the candidates so that way they are valid and fair. If the candidate does not create the evidence then it is hard to identify whether or not it is air. All evidences must be valid. I must check dates and check the assessment reports. I must speak to the Manager and advise them which type of evidence the candidate will be submitting. QIO. When completing work evidences, the evidence must follow the assessment standard of the CADCentre unit standard booklet. QI 1. To measure existing levels of competence I always question my candidates, this could either be verbal or written. I also get the candidate to perform the task so Im able to observe and Judge their competency level. Q12. To make a valid and reliable assessment of my candidates knowledge I ormally hold a professional discussion with them and also given them questionnaires to complete. Q13. To make a valid and reliable assessment of my candidates performance I get my candidate to produce work evidence to support there claim, to complete a Task Statement and I then type out the Observation which will backup the task which they completed and also to reference the criteria/elements which they successfully matched. collect the work evidence and the Task Statement from the candidate and then I would go through the assessment report and tick off the criteria/elements which they uccessfully met. This is done once IVe collect all evidences towards the relevant unit. This will show that the candidate was capable to meeting the required criteria/ elements. QI 5. To check that the evidence was created by the candidate I always ask them to demonstrate who they created the evidence and also I would take down the file path. The file path is added to the candidates work evidence as well as in my Observations. Q16. To make sure that supporting evidences supplied by other people are reliable I ask the Manager to write out a Witness Statement, I would also speak to the witness egarding the candidates unit, explaining the criteria/elements which they need to cover and will be assed on. The witness must have knowledge and experience in the area which I will assess to allow them to write up the statement otherwise it will not be valid. QI 7. I always tell the candidates that they can use evidences which they previously created towards the chosen unit. For instance an ITQ candidate might have already created a Powerpoint presentation a few weeks ago and as she/he Chose this particular unit, instead of getting them to re-create another resentation we would use the same as long as it met all the relevant criteria/ elements. This saves the candidate a lot of time and effort and fast tracks he collection of the evidence. Q18. The way how I give constructive feedback to my candidates is by after the completion ofa task I would sit down with them and go over the task again. My feedback sheet will state the unit number, the task which the candidate has completed, date of completion, a brief paragraph giving a positive feedback on the task, state any issues which the candidate might have had during the task and also I ention the next stage which they will be moving on to. Q19. The way how I involve my candidates in the planning of assessment , I sit with them and explain all the criteria/elements which they will need to meet, the date of completion must also be agreed by both parties. I would also Judge whether or not the candidate will need extra training times on certain criteria/element to allow them to meet them. Q20. To keep to the data protection act I must store all candidates details safe and secure. Candidate detail must not be shown nor shared with any other candidates or any one outside the CADCentre. Q21. I have a lot of patients and give a lot of my time to my candidates who I feel lack to take part in different in their assessment. Im constantly training them to regain their confidences and knowledge. I also advise them that they can email or call me regarding any questions which they might have. I also give them the option of training them through specific area. IVe noticed that more practice the candidate has the better their understanding is. Q22. I make sure that I treat all my candidates the same, all with the same respect regardless to age, gender, race or beliefs. I train all my candidates equally, however I o sometimes give extra time/training to those who are in need. Q23. To meet the needs to each of my candidate, I assess them on the second initial visit after the signup. I question them verbally to have a clear view of the competency and needs. From that I can Judge which candidate will need extra training. Q24. I always give a feedback to all my candidates after the completion ofa task or even a unit. Again in this I will verbal talk to them as well as write out a feedback sheet. Feedbacks are very important to candidates, they can see their progressions and also identify their weaknesses. Q25. I have always built a good friendly relationship with all my candidates, make them feel at ease to ask questions and get in contact with me at any time regarding any issues which they might have with the course/evidence. Q26. To monitor and review the progress of my candidates I always complete an eight week review which states and identifies how the candidate is progressing, whether its a slow progression or an up to date progress. Deadlines are always set with my candidates and some do meet them and some do go over the deadline. Q27. Candidates are always upgrading their positions within companies. I must ake sure that my knowledge and understand of the course, assessment reports and standards are ofa high level to allow me to assess the candidates. Knowledge in softwares are also very important, as a candidate might chose to complete their NVQ in a specific software such as Access. Access is a database software which not many people know how to use and not many companies use, so to be able to assess and train in Access my knowledge and understand must be high. Q28. To update my existing skills and experience I would take full advantage of any training/course opportunities which may arise. This will enhance my skills, nowledge and also experience. Q29. I would take in consideration any Internal Verifier feedbacks, I would also constantly look at the City and Guilds web site and also sign up for the Newsletters. Q30. To improve my personal development I would again take full advantage of any qualifications and criterias. Q31. To meet my candidates needs in a safe, fair, valid and reliable manner I would take in to account there needs and work in line with the relevant legislations. As I mentioned before I have a candidate who suffers from Dyslexia, with her I need to print the text in a larger font and explain each point to her fully for her to have fully nderstanding of what is required from her. Q32. To recognise and challenge unfair discrimination in assessments I would refer back to the procedure, CADCentre Handbook. Q33. I would liaise with the Internal Verifier and then External Verifier to get advice on meeting candidates special assessment requirements. Q34. To identify and plan for issues of confidentiality and data protection during the assessment process I would either collect the Work Product or if the data is confidential then I would only request the file path. The file path is needed in case he Internal Verifier or External Verifier wanted to go to the company and have a look and the evidence. Q35. The way how I would record, store and pass on assessment decisions to other people within an agreed system would be by recording it on assessment plans and completing a summary of achievement. Q36. I would say to identify and assess things that could influence my own competence, could be an ITQ unit such as (214). By observing another person I could learn new skills on a particular software. Q37. I would liaise with my manager and request training in either a particular course, scheme, FL, CPD and also PTTLS.

Review of Business Case and Environment of Tesco in Regards to Essay

Review of Business Case and Environment of Tesco in Regards to Training and Development - Essay Example The net profit before tax of Tesco is approximately three billion British Pounds (The Times 100 Business Case Studies, 2012). Business Environment of Tesco In the opinion of Henry 2008, p.6, business organizations face â€Å"a constantly changing external environment and need to ensure that their own internal resources and capabilities are more than sufficient to meet the needs of the external environment†. The SWOT analysis is a suitable framework for identifying strategies to exploit changes in the external environment based on internal strengths of a business organization (Hill & Jones, 2008, p.19). Leigh 2010, p.115, defines the SWOT analysis â€Å"as a process by which a group of stake holders (a) identify internal and external inhibitors and enhancers of performance, (b) analyse those factors based on estimates of their contributions to net value and approximations of their controllability, and (c) decide what future action to take with regard to those factors. SWOT Ana lysis of Tesco Strengths Opportunities Proactive remuneration policy Competitive markets Employee stake in organization Resilient Asian markets Training and development focus Improving American markets Weaknesses Threats Non-standardized application of Recession in European markets HR policies Rising consumer pricing demands Wide range of training needs High employee wage bill (Adapted from Haerifar, 2011, p.12-13). The PESTLE (political, economic, social/cultural, technological, legal and environmental) analysis is suitable way to look at the macro-environment or the â€Å"the set of factors that are not specific to an organization or the industry in which it operates, but that nonetheless affect them† (Haberberg & Rieple, 2008, p.105). The main PESTLE element impinging on employees at Tesco is the economic recession and the slow-if-any recovery. Consequently, Tesco is reducing employee resources outside its headquarters in UK and shifting that work to its Headquarters. Thus , employee staff will need to be trained to take in these new responsibilities likely to be shifted back from overseas operations (Mulligan, 2010). Porter’s Five Forces Model helps to identify competitive forces and their activities in the external environment. According to Hill and Jones, 2008, p.42, Porter’s Five Force Model is made up of â€Å"the risk of entry by potential competitors, the intensity of rivalry among established companies within the industry, the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of suppliers and the closeness of substitutes to an Industry’s products†. From the perception of human resource management, it is quite likely that competitor’s may choose to use more economical labour from the Eastern European countries to reduce their wage bill in this period of poor economic growth. Tesco will have to factor this possibility in its HR practices (House of Commons Trade and Industry Committee, 2007, p.53). Training an d Development at Tesco The ‘one stop’ shopping experience that Tesco offers its customers means that in addition to a wide range of products, it also offers a wide range of servicers from its outlets to its customers. Hence to cater to this need the work force of Tesco at its outlets needs to be knowledgeable, skilled and flexible (Vance & Paik, 2011, p.219). At Tesco training is provided to its employees that allow them to choose their training towards getting specific retail qualifications to

Kodak and Fujifilm Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Kodak and Fujifilm - Research Paper Example It was then that he started experimenting and finally developed a camera by the year 1880 based on which the Kodak Company was initiated. Thus cameras and photographic films were the core products that the company offered to the general public with intention to make it a large business (George Eastman, n.d.). The company had also focused sincerely on advertising of their products considering advertising as an important measure of business (George Eastman, n.d.). The core business of Fujifilm is manufacture of photographic film. This company was founded in 1934 and is now a leading company in the world of photography across the globe. With establishment of the company in 1934, the company gradually expanded globally and opened up its branches across different countries in the world (Corporate History n.d.). The fundamental approach that Kodak has been following for managing its operations has been a humanistic approach. Eastman believed that his employees were highly important and hence should be offered with more than just wages. There are four major principles that the company followed from its initial times. These include: Production of mass products at a low cost, Distribution of the products across the globe, Extensive advertising, and Focus on the customer. There have been three policies on which the management of the company has been maintained. These are: (1) Continuous research for development and growth of the company; (2) Well behaving with the employees to make them feel important and part of the company; and (3) Reinvestment of the company’s profits in expansion of the business (Schreiner, 2012, pp.1-3). The management approach at Fujifilm Company is focused on increasing and maximizing the synergies of its employees towards accomplishment of organizational goals. The company focuses on utilizing its human resources

Violence on children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Violence on children - Essay Example However, the other perspective is that corporal punishment is nothing more than violence against children masked as discipline. It is a crucial debate, and a complex issue that affects everyone. Although there are well-developed arguments for both sides of this topic, corporal punishment is sometimes necessary for children to become well developed, and it is not a form of behavior that should be considered the same as violence against children or physical abuse. Using corporal punishment on a child is often considered to be a form of violence, and some consider it to be a particularly bad form of punishment. This consideration comes from the fact that the offender is the person that the child looks to for protection, and as such, the act of violence directly breaks the trust the child has. The use of corporal punishment on children has been the subject of substantial research, as people attempt to determine whether this type of discipline has negative repercussions on children. A study published in Pediatrics provides persuasive evidence that shows the short-term benefits of using corporal punishment on children does not outweigh the long-term negative consequences. The authors found that children who were physically punished more often at the age of three was likely to be more violent than other children of his or her age by the time the child reached five years old. Not only were the five-year-olds who had been physically punished more vi olent and aggressive towards people, animals and objects, they were also more demanding, rebellious and become frustrated easier than children who were physically punished less often or not at all (Taylor 1057-65). It can be argued that this occurs because hitting a child results in fear, which does not help the child to understand the proper methods of behavior. It also has the potential to teach children that violence is the solution to the problems of adult life, leading them to turn to violence themselves

Psychological treatment plan Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Psychological treatment plan - Case Study Example There are signs for a variety of trauma that she is experiencing and for brief therapy it would be important to find out the type of trauma; she may be suffering from PTSD or the experience of her fathers abuse. The Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) is a level B instrument and it would be an important part of her work because it could generate information on why she is attempting suicide at regular intervals. (Briere, n.d.). There are so many challenges for Jane that she is unable to express so the second test I would use would be the House Tree Person Test because it may bring out reference to her "true" sexual orientation as well as other challenges that are affecting her now (Fredman and Sherman, p. 20). This test is usually used on children but I get the impression that Jane is "child-like" in her approach to life and since it may be difficult for her to respond within the therapy session verbally, tests that have her drawing or making up stories would be best. Currently Jane is already a possible danger to herself. If she continues the way she is going a psychiatric evaluation may be necessary. Although she is on medication it does not seem to be doing well for her and this may also be part of the reason why she is having problems with suicidal tendencies. Much of her problem may be due to her sexual orientation and the inability to express what she is feeling. Her relationship with Susan was a positive one for her and had it is not clear whether she had episodes of cutting herself while she was with Susan. According to Suzuki and Ponterotto, a thorough multicultural assessment should be done which would give another piece of information about this client. Because her case is so volatile, there may come a time when she is showing symptoms of psychosis though she is not showing them now. In this case, Jane would be better served by a psychiatrist. In the event that I needed to make a

Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma - Essay Example It will further establish the relationship between company ethics and ethical dilemma. The paper concludes that, though the company has its business strategy and goals, it is faced with ethical challenges within the stakeholders and shareholders. Therefore, the group should not only focus on growth, but also put into consideration the ethical impact of its operations on employees, the government, customers, suppliers, and the community. Ethical dilemma Business ethic is vital for any business entity to gain a competitive edge and attain its goals. Ethics ensure observation of morals and code of conduct within an organization as well as its operation with its stakeholders. Business ethics disciplines employees and other stakeholders as it defines what is wrong and what is right. At times, organizations experience conflict of interests with its employees, society, the business environment as well as the government policies. When such differences arise, the management decision-making or gan has to decide, harmonize, and reconcile the conflicting interests. For an organization to avoid and solve ethical dilemmas, it should be able to have a sound decision-making body. The body should be able to collect as many information and material facts as the situation permits. It should then identify the relevant and key ethical issue and consider alternative viewpoints. When dealing with ethical issues, it is crucial to identify, measure, and prioritize the effects on different stakeholders. This is because the effect may vary from one stakeholder to another due to their diverse interests and concerns. The decision makers should then consider what effort it has put towards the issue and how committed it is to solve the issue. This will enable the management to understand its failure and evaluate its commitment to the organization. In order to establish a well serving solution to the issue, the management should identify the available options for the issue. A variety of course of action will allow it choose the best action since they will be able in a position to analyze the consequences attached to each option. These consequences may be either long term or short term to the business. Positive results will be of much importance and the option with such results should be emulated while negative results will harm the business therefore, should be avoided. The practicality of benefitting options should be identified and the impacts upon ones character and integrity. The management should then pick most beneficial and practical course of action as it fits the situation better. Causes of ethical dilemma In a perfect business environment, employees and employers would always do the right and perfect thing while conducting business. However, ethical dilemmas are present in every workplace, as people have to make a very difficult choice between moral and immoral (Touchstone, 2008). Employees should handle work related pressure to perform well and facilitate comp any goals and objectives achievement. At times, employees experience temptations to apply the shortest route possible; to achieve targets or even handle the pressure. The shortcuts may be immoral or against the company policies. Therefore, pressure from management regarding profits and results can push employees to act immoral and witnesses not whistle blow for fear of victimization. Ambitions and discrimination also causes ethical dilemma especially when some employees are under hunger for

Marketing Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing - Article Example To some, the suggestion that an orderly and analytical process of decision making, not only on a personal level – but more so in business, should include the discussion of highly controversial ethical issues, about which honest differences of opinion are common and self-deceiving rationalization endless, is repugnant. Ethics, after all, encompass wider perspectives of human concerns ultimately affecting business organizations. Ethics and social responsibility are important in the business world for a variety of reasons. Business is not all about making money. Social responsibility is considered the â€Å"obligation of an organizations management towards the welfare and interests of the society which provides it the environment and resources to survive and flourish, and which is affected by the organizations actions and policies† (Business Dictionary, 2010, par. 1). Marketers consider the type of packaging appropriate for their products that must conform to ethical standards and environmental safety concerns. Most marketers veer away from packages which are not biodegradable and which can harm the environment such as using styropore or plastics. Plastic bags have effects which are endangering the environment at an enormously fast pace, most governmental environmental agencies have recognized the immediate need to take drastic actions to stop or minimize the use of plastic bags. Firms ultimately recognize that abiding by ethical standards pay off in terms of better financial performance with employees exhibiting higher performance and productivity due to an environment of trust, employees are therefore more loyal contributing to low turnover, and a preponderance for higher investor loyalty, among others. Firms that incorporate policies on ethics and cultural diversity, social responsibilities, the concern for the environment and the community, achieve their organizational goals more efficiently with the support from their

Hand Hygiene in Surgery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Hand Hygiene in Surgery - Essay Example It is obvious that more washing and scrubbing damage ecology and health of the skin and harm resistance of the skin flora, rather than reducing the risk of harbouring and transmitting infectious agents. Taking into account the increase in vulnerable patient population, effort should be made to identify proper antiseptic products that provide adequate protection from transmission of infecting agents, at the same time that does not damage skin health. Recent studies propose use of alcohol-based hand rinses as an alternative to detergent-based antiseptic products, because they have 'rapid and broad-spectrum activity, excellent microbicidal characteristics, and lack of potential for emergence of resistance' as well as require no washing or drying. In addition, alcohol-based formulations are found to be superior to antiseptic detergents for rapid microbial killing potential and addition of appropriate moisturizers make it milder and skin friendly. Extensive studies of use of antimicrobial soaps and skin care products in skin hygiene and role of hand-washing in reducing rates of infection abound in number, whereas studies to assess benefits in reducing transmission of infection without added risk or cost of using antimicrobial soaps and to compare efficacy of aqueous alcohol based preparations over plain or antimicrobial soap and water are still in nascent stage. Since outbreaks of Surgical Sight Infections are linked with transmission of micro-organisms from surgical personnel to patients, policies and guidelines for strict adherence to the principles of asepsis by all surgical workers is paramount in preventing surgical site infections. Background: Surgery is aimed to eliminate suffering and prolong life and the principles of antisepses introduced by Joseph Lister in the late 1860s helped reduce 'post operative infectious morbidity'. Healthcare delivery system in the United States has undergone dramatic changes recently with the opening up avenues for long-term care, home-care, and managed-care industries, leading to decrease in number of acute-care facilities. Whereas, there is increase in hospital acquired infections proportionate with the increase of patients requiring intensive care in acute-care facilities, and the number of surgical procedures performed in outpatient settings or surgical centres. "Because of the severely ill and immunocompromised populations in these settings, prevention of infections and other adverse events is a major component of providing quality care." (Emerging Infectious Diseases 173). Despite improved operating room ventilation, sterilization methods, barriers, surgical technique, and availability of antimicrobial prophylaxis Surgical Sight Infection (SSI) is the most common nosocomial infection causing morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients all over the world. Hospitals are breeding ground for pathogens and spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, because of inefficient hand hygiene by hospital personnel and frequency of bacterial carriage by

Bioinformatics for geneticists Essay Example for Free

Bioinformatics for geneticists Essay Bioinformatics is a recently evolved field in biology. The definition is still evolving but in essence, bioinformatics is the â€Å"computational branch of molecular biology† (Claverie 2007, p. 9). This is because the field integrates computer technology and information processing systems to combine biological data and analyse biological problems. The primary aim of this new field is the ascertainment of biological insights and establishment of a global view to support a unified understanding of concepts in biology. This found application in genetics by addressing the need for a database containing large volumes of biological information, especially on gene sequences. Eventually, bioinformatics allowed geneticists to access available data on genetics and combine new data for analysis to support continuity of knowledge building on genetics. (National Center for Biotechnology Information 2004) Bioinformatics Challenges for the Geneticist Bioinformatics create a number of challenges for geneticists. The aim of bioinformatics is three-fold. First is storage of large bulks of information in accessible databases. Second is the development and application of computer systems to support analysis. Third is the development of computer systems allowing interpretation of analysed data in a biologically meaningful manner. (Luscombe, Greenbaum Gerstein 2001) The second and third aims pose challenges for geneticists who need to be adept not only in accessing but also in developing and using information system tools in analysing and interpreting data in the context of genetic research. Having existing information in a database is useless without the competence to access specific data and integrate this with new data as well as analyse and interpret these in the context of the particular genetic research. Bioinformatics Needs of Geneticists Bioinformatics supports the needs of geneticists. One justification for computational systems in genetic research is to develop a global view of experimental design to integrate research efforts and results in different countries. This is necessary to link and bring together all existing knowledge on various areas of genetic research, especially nucleic and amino acid sequences. Another justification for bioinformatics in genetics research is database mining to facilitate the generation and testing of hypothesis on the functions and structures of gene and proteins by using available data as framework (Barnes Gray 2003) Managing and Manipulating Genetic Data Generally, there are two ways of managing and manipulating data. One is the use of software. A number of software emerged supporting the development genetic linkage maps and other purposes. Although software varies in function, the common aim is to aid in understanding genetic linkage information and automating the research process to support effective map building. (Weaver et al. 1992) The other is network systems comprised of a database and accessibility through network connections. Networks allow geneticists to access available information such as on genetic markers so they can combine this with new data for analysis and interpretation. This supports the continuity of global genetics research. (Cheung et al. 1996) Value of Bioinformatics The essence of bioinformatics to genetic research is innovativeness and huge potential in developing novel approaches to genetics research. Bioinformatics has the potential to analyse and interpret data not only for purposes of completing the research purpose but also for the practical purpose of usefulness in diagnosis or therapy. (Jones Phillip 2000) The potential of bioinformatics in translating genetic data into practical solutions for actual biological problems accounts for the expected increase in the value of the bioinformatics market to billions of dollars in the next five years (World Bioinformatics Market 2008). Bioinformatics for Genetic Study Designs and Analysis Bioinformatics allowed the development of better study designs and analysis for genetic research that address previous methodological problems. Genetics and bioinformatics both adhere to collaborative investigations. Genetic research necessitates phenotypes and researcher expertise in mapping or sequencing studies while bioinformatics depends on high quality databases as well as access and integration tools and expertise. (Schmidt 2003) Collaborative designs constitute a common challenge in genetics and bioinformatics. With bioinformatics, problem identification in research focuses on testing hypothesis such as gene identification in cancer research or linking new and previous data such as on mutations. Data gathering is through data mining by searching various databases using the Internet and networks. Data is then subject to integration and organisation according to the biological problem studied such as combining data on protein structure with its properties and functions contained in various databases. Data analysis considers breadth and depth. Breadth refers to analytical processes comparing genes using algorithms while depth pertains to the determination protein encoding of a particular gene. Tools such as modelling and simulation support data interpretation and presentation. (Luscombe et al. 2001) In the case of gene expression research, this required the efficient analysis of microarrays and population. Bioinformatics provided two-colour microarrays as a more effective analytical design by covering twice the number of distant pair design profiles and population. (Fu Jansen 2006) In cancer epidemiology research, bioinformatics supported the integration of genetic susceptibility factors to create innovative study designs (Malats Castano-Vinyals 2007). Non-Coding RNA Bioinformatics Bioinformatics plays an important role in non-coding RNA research. Hiro et al. (2006) explained that non-coding RNA genes have weak statistical signals and the potential of bioinformatics addresses this limitation by providing systems of searching and predicting non-coding RNA. Huang et al. (2008) discussed that bioinformatics can support non-coding RNA search through CYK-type and covariance programs but there is need to improve further programs to accommodate arbitrary RNA structures. Bioinformatics and Cancer Genetics Bioinformatics supports genetic research on cancer. Kato and Kato (2006) reported that that bioinformatics supports cancer research through omics data functions to support knowledge on genetic biomarkers linked to cancer including ‘predisposition, diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic markers’ using data and text mining programs. Barnes and Gray (2007) explained the contributions of bioinformatics to cancer genetics as cancer genomes, cancer genetics design, cancer gene mutations, and other breakthroughs. Bioinformatics and Gene Identification Biotechnology significantly contributes to the identification of disease genes by allowing the management of large bulks of data including DNA sequences and microarray data in identifying genetic functions that cause diseases. Chen and Chen (2008) explained the role of bioinformatics in linking genes and disease outcomes through gene identification algorithms incorporates into analytical software. Algorithms direct calculation and data processing by providing a sequence of instructions in handling data. Tu et al. (2006) discussed the use of the network-based stochastic algorithm in inferring disease causing genes and identifying regulatory pathways. Bioinformatics in Single Gene Orders and Mutations Bioinformatics is also useful in studying single gene orders and mutations to ascertain genetic causes of monogenic diseases. Barnes and Gray (2007) explained that the data storage and processing solutions of bioinformatics led to outcomes such as the genome-wide map of monogenic diseases, understanding of the nature of mutations in single gene orders, and implications of epigenetics on Mendelian traits. Cooper, Stenson and Chuzhanova (2006) explained that bioinformatics support studies of single gene orders and mutations via the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) that contains a wide range of information on nuclear genes, particularly germ-line mutations that are associated with inherited diseases. In 2005, the database contained 53,000 lesions together with data on DNA sequences, splice junction, and polymorphisms. The database provides core data with which new data is combined to build knowledge on monogenic diseases. Bioinformatics and Genetic Data Mining Bioinformatics supports data mining and analysis in genetics research. Wang et al. (2005) explained that bioinformatics support genetic data mining and analysis through various databases on areas of genetic studies such as the gene mutation databases as well as software or programs operating through context-based algorithms. This enables analytical processes, to integrate genetic data, via clustering methods for microarrays, comparison of DNA structures, identification of sequence characteristics, discovering disease markers, indexing of pathways and sequences, among others analytical outcomes. Geneticists can select which algorithmic tool in bioinformatics to use in managing and analysing particular data involved in the study or integrating data from various databases. Since bioinformatics continues to evolve, new analytical tools would evolve to address current problems in data mining and analysis for genetic research. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (2004) identified two breakthrough contributions of bioinformatics in genetic data mining and analysis. One is protein modelling. DNA sequences can encode proteins with particular functions but protein structures cannot be visually seen using x-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy making it difficult to study protein encoding. Bioinformatics allows protein modelling to visualize proteins in three-dimensions and by using templates enables the prediction of structures of similar proteins. The other is genomic mapping for the management of sequence information, which is painstaking when manually made. Bioinformatics provide maps to guide geneticists in pointing the precise location of gene sequences. Bioinformatics in Improving Genetic Research Schmidt (2003) explained that bioinformatics improve genetic research by providing evolving and improving means of managing data explosion. Research advancements resulted to large data on nucleotide sequences comprising DNA and amino acid sequences comprising proteins stored in databases around the world. However, manually pulling out data for use in succeeding studies and analysing vast data takes time. Manual study of outputs has become tedious. Bioinformatics improve genetic research by allowing geneticists to search databases for the gene composition, proteins and mutations as well as model the chemical and structural compositions of living cells to support various health implications such as cancer and drug studies. A researcher cannot be familiar with every known genetic interaction, so that bioinformatics becomes necessary in managing and interpreting systems-level information. Conclusion Bioinformatics has transformed the field of biology, particularly genetics, by providing approaches, processes and tools to ease the difficulties of managing and analysing large bulks of data that have accumulated over decades of genetic research. Bioinformatics has made genetics an information and practice science from primarily a laboratory-based science. Furthermore, the continuously evolving field of biometrics holds the potential to facilitate further advancements in genetics through the development of new software, algorithms, and processes useful in filling research gaps in genetics. However, geneticists play an important role in directing and enhancing the role of bioinformatics in genetics. This requires geneticists to understand bioinformatics to develop data processing and analytical tools addressing the different needs in various areas of genetic research. References Barnes, M. R,. Gray, I. C. eds. , 2007. Bioinformatics for geneticists. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, Inc. Chen, Y. P. Chen, F. , 2008. Using bioinformatics techniques for gene identification in drug discovery and development. Current Drug Metabolism, 9(6), pp. 567-573. Cheung, K. H. , Nadkarni, P. , Silverstein, S. , Kidd, J. R. , Pakstis A. J. , Miller P. Kidd K. K. , 1996. PhenoDB: an integrated client/server database for linkage and population genetics. Computers and Biomedical Research, 29(4), pp. 327-337. Claverie, J. , 2007. Bioinformatics for dummies. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, Inc. Cooper, D. N. , Stenson, P. D. Chuzhanova, N. A. , 2006. The Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) and its exploitation in the study of mutational mechanisms. Current Protocols in Bioinformatics. Unit 1. 13. Available at: http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/18428754? dopt=Abstract [Accessed 14 October 2008] Fu, J. Jansen, R. C. , 2006. Optimal design and analysis of genetic studies on gene expression. Genetics, 173(3), pp. 1993-1999. Hiro, K. , Akio, K. Masaru, T. , 2006. Bioinformatics analyses of non-coding RNA. Protein, Nucleic Acid and Enzyme, 51(16), pp. 2420-2424. Huang, Z. , Wu, Y. , Robertson, J. , Feng, L. , Malmberg, R. Cai, L. , 2008. Fast and accurate search for non-coding RNA pseudoknot structures in genomes. Bioinformatics, 24(20), pp. 2281-2287. Jones, P. B. Phillip, B. C. , 2000. The commercialization of bioinformatics. Electronic Journal of Biotechnology, 3(2). Available at: http://www. scielo. cl/scielo. php? pid=S0717-34582000000200002script=sci_arttext [Accessed 14 October 2008] Katoh, M. Katoh, M. , 2006. Bioinformatics for cancer management in the post-genome era. Technology in Cancer Research Treatment, 5(2), pp. 169-175. Luscombe, N. M. , Greenbaum, D. Gerstein, M. , 2001, What is bioinformatics? A proposed definition and overview of the field. Methods of Information in Medicine, 40, pp. 346–58. Malats, N. Castano-Vinyals, G. , 2007. Cancer epidemiology: study designs and data analysis. Clinical and Translational Oncology, 9(5), pp. 290-297 National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2004 Bioinformatics, Available at: http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/About/primer/bioinformatics. html [Accessed 14 October 2008] Schmidt, C. W. , 2003. Data explosion: bringing order to chaos with bioinformatics. Environmental Health Perspectives, 111(6), pp. 340-345. Tu , Z. , Wang , L. , Arbeitman, M. , Chen, T. Sun, F. , 2006. An integrative approach for causal gene identification and gene regulatory pathway inference. Bioinformatics, 22(14), pp. 489-496 Wang, J. T. L. , Zaki, M. J. , Toivonen, H. T. T. Shasha, D. E. eds. , 2005. Data mining on bioinformatics. London: Springer-Verlog. Weaver, R. , Helms, C. , Mishra, S. K. Donis-Keller, H. , 1992. Software for analysis and manipulation of genetic linkage data. American Journal of Human Genetics, 50(6), pp. 1267–1274. World Bioinformatics Market. 2008. ReportLinker. com. Available at: http://www. reportlinker. com/p092468/World-BioinformaticsMarket. html [Accessed 14 October 2008]

Stress Management in the Workplace

Stress Management in the Workplace The study of human relations looks at the interaction between people in the workplace. From study of Masters in Business and personal experience, I understand the one major problem for human relations and therefore corporations is how to manage stressful events/issues in the workplace. Highly stressed workers are less productive, change jobs much more frequently, and experience more negative health consequences than their less stressed colleagues (North Western National Life, 1991, 1992). This is exactly the reason why good management is needed to combat the problem of stress. This critical reflection will examine stress management from my personal point of view and reflect on the topics learnt regarding human relations in the workplace. This critical reflection utilizes the knowledge and experience I have gained from my fathers workplace, HDFC Bank Ltd India. This company like most banks can be a very stressful and fast paced workplace and like most companies there is conflict, co-o perative efforts and group relationships. From my fathers management in his company I understand that an employee is not just made up of his/her skills. An employee is a person, a human being, and an effective way of managing human relations is to utilize not just that persons skills but the diversity they bring to the company when individual employees make up a team. Companies must limit the amount of conflict within the workplace in order to increase productivity and maximize the efficiency of their workers. Conflict arises due to a difference in values, interest, cultures and can also arise due to miscommunication. It is important when dealing with conflict, that managers understand the underlying factors of why certain conflict arises. With understanding co-workers, employees become compassionate and empathise with each other as they start to understand and grow to know one another. On the other hand, too much agreement between employees is said to be unhealthy for a company. This does not necessarily mean conflict but rather relates to debate over certain issues. Debate is healthy for companies especially if it generates higher productivity. However, I believe, it is necessary for managers to make sure employees behave in a polite and constructive manner. In my opinion, it is also important for managers to have effective negotiation skills. With the arise of conflict, comes in need for managers to resolve conflict and disputes in a fair and equal manner. The two types of negotiation, distributive and integrative negotiation can be achieved with the effective management. Distributive negotiation refers to one party winning and the other party losing whereas integrative negotiation is a win-win situation. Unfortunately the latter cannot always be achieved and with conflict there is sometimes a losing party. Therefore conflict resolution, as a manager it is important to express the need to compromise when conflicts arise. As a manger, I am striving to create my skill in negotiating, more importantly I believe managers like myself, should increase their skill in collaboration and accommodating negotiation skills. In aiming to reduce stress in the workplace, negotiation skills such as finding a common ground, a common interest can divert a ttention away from the conflict and therefore end the stress. Stress in the workplace does not only come from conflicts between employees. In a bank it is very fast paced and the amount of work that the employees have can also cause stressful tensions. This type of stress is known as the treadmill syndrome. Another type of stress can be caused by interruptions in day-to-day processes. This means that employees that are interrupted many times have higher stress levels. However, other types of stress can come from managers and the employers themselves. Uncertainty in company policies, employee contracts or future employment can also result in tension. From personal experience I believe the manager must always aim to achieve a good relationship with co-workers and also aim to decrease the level of stress through effective management skills. I also believe that treating employees as individuals, respecting the diversity in the workplace can also lead to happy and less tensed employees. In my fathers company one effective way of achieving this is to be inclusive with all employees. This can be difficult when dealing with large teams however being able to make employees feel safe, secure and included can reduce the amount of stress in the job. An example of this is where employees share their knowledge and skills so that the team is not only made up of individuals working alone completing separate tasks, but instead works as a group to achieve a common goal. The effective control of self-esteem is also an important element in stress management. Self-esteem when properly managed, can allow employees to feel engaged and happy in the workplace. An effective level of self-esteem will create an effective worker. From personal experience creating a balanced self-esteem within employees is all about personal development. Setting goals and giving employees the knowledge and skills to achieve those goals can boost self-esteem, create confidence in the employees abilities and decrease the level of stress. Another way of creating confidence is by developing a reward system. A reward system allows for praise to be given when employees deserve it however the management of the system should be carefully scrutinised so that employee do not become dissatisfied when they cannot achieve goals. From personal experience I have seen this system in use and by giving employees praise and rewards for doing a good job the workplace can be comparative and employe es feel good about success thus creating high self-esteem and happy effective workers. Happy effective workers may be easy to establish, however the continuation of this emotion and the deliverance of a low stress workplace can only be achieved through effective management. My view of effective management begins with the ability for managers to be able to set an example of how they want their employees to work. This is closely related to the topic of self- management, which enables a manager to lead by example. The concept of leader and follower is very important to establish for managers. Being able to direct and instruct employees in an appropriate manner can also effectively manage stress. I have seen this when personally dealing with lecturers and teachers. An effective leader, manager or teacher should be able to make people feel calm, valued and secure through their attitude towards work and also the manner in which they conduct themselves. In personal experience teachers have made me feel calm, valued and secure by their positive attitude, friendly personality a nd ability to live what they preach (they lead by example). The managers ability to lead by example also relates to gathering information on employees likes and dislikes and making sure communication between employees is at an effective level. The main aims of communication are knowledge management; decision making; coordinating work activities; fulfilling relatedness needs; inform; express feelings and influence. (Evans, (2010) Communication: Interpersonal Effectiveness, [PowerPoint Slides] retrieved from www.jcu.edu). Although these aims are not directly related to stress management, it can be devised that if these aims are achieved the employees work load and general day-to-day tasks will become less stressful. In this day and age, intellectual technology has allowed fir communication to become more efficiently received. However, communication which has been received electronically has more of a chance at being misread. Email, memos, voicemails etc. can create greater conflicts than there would be with face to face communication. Through p ersonal experience and observing my father I have learnt that extensive training in electronic communication and how to write without mistakenly offending people is very important. Face-to-face communication also allows for employees to disclose certain information, allowing people to become comfortable with each other and work more closely as a team. The stress reduction factor in the ability for employees to communication effectively is seen when communication lowers the risk of conflicts and also decreases the amount of mistakes employees make due to miscommunication. In my fathers company I have heard of many mistakes made due to miscommunication, such as Bank Policies on human relations and employment conditions causing panic and unrest with employees and decreasing efficiency. The miscommunication between bank departments and the creation of rumours results in high levels of stress which could be avoided if better management had been in place. The kind of manager that I want t o be relates closely with the Johari window and the four panes of relationships. I believe that by developing a close, professional relationship with employees can generate trust and great communication skills. I also believe that a manager should have the ability to criticise employees in a way which will make them more efficient at their job. Constructive criticism, as many call this, is the ability to point out a persons behaviour in a way which makes that person examine their behaviour but is done in a positive manner. Learning to restructure the way in which I give criticism so that my communication is positive and employees are able to learn from the criticism I give them. I learnt from my father that the way he manages his employees, that positive language generates more positive responses to productivity. This ability to disclose information, communicate and take criticism can only happen if there is a certain level of trust already gained between co-workers. An example, Emp loyees perceptions of low role overload-quantitative, role overload qualitative and lack of career development as sources of stress most likely result in low job stress; in turn, this would benefit both the organizations and the employees themselves. Low job stress should result in better job satisfaction and organizational commitment, since researchers have found significant negative associations between job stress and both job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Jamal Badawi, 1995). Although communication is vital, being able to communicate with a diverse range of employees can be difficult. That is why it is necessary for managers to learn how to communicate in different styles. For example, in the workplace there may be employees which are able to process instructions which are verbally communicated. However, others may be more visually inclined and therefore managers will need the self-disclosure and close relationship with co-workers to develop and understand what communication styles are needed. However, managers are not able to control every little event that happens in the workplace and conflict can still arise even with good management. A managers ability to observe, notice and counter act any possible conflict is a great skill to have. However, no manager is able to control peoples emotions in this can develop into conflict. The managers job in this case is to educate employees on the proper ways of controlling and handling their emotions in times of high stress. In my point of view, I believe that company retreats where employees get to know one another in an environment other than the workplace can lead to high levels of trust between co-workers and also creates opportunities to develop their ability to handle emotional stressful events. From my personal experience in studying I have learnt how to deal with stressful events and control my emotions so that I make rational decisions through observing how my father deals with stress (Exercise and Hobbies) and also through seminars which have taught me how to understand how people think and react to different saturations. As mentioned above, positive language, communication and good management are all good ways to deal with stress in the workplace. One other way to create a stress free environment is to motivate employees in the belief that if workers are motivated and believe in their job conflicts will be diminished, emotions and irrational behaviours will decrease and staff will be happy within themselves and productive. Motivation, I find is a very hard skill to learn and can sometimes take years to develop. From the personal experience I have witnessed great management and motivational skills from one of my teachers. Her motivational skills came from her passion for her subject and the belief in what she was doing. Her passion and excitement motivated her whole class and her creativity and ingenuity for teaching and learning pedagogies catered to a diverse yet successful classroom. Along with motivational skills comes the ability to be able to observe and distinguish learning capabilities. Not every individual has the ability to learn in the same way, and as mentioned before, some may be visual learners others may be auditory and lastly, managers may come across tactile learners. In believe the ability to encourage employees to continue their lifelong learning is an important skill and through learning comes the ability to gain knowledge and ultimately understanding and consideration for others. As a manager, I believe it is this consideration which is also important to stress management. From personal experience I know that knowledge can bring wisdom and the ability to act rationally when conflicts arise. According to my point of view work life balance can be achieved through proper prioritising between work, career and ambition on the one hand and life, pleasure, leisure and family on the other hand. Through this the manager should be able to promote workplace health and understand the work or family conflict. Stress can be related to this, if an employee is does not have a good work life balance he will undergoing stress in all the ways. I believe that there should be a work life balance in the working environment where the employees should be happy and they can give their own effort to achieve the common goal. An example, Singaporean employee perceptions of a supportive HR environment will be negatively related to their perceptions of role overload and responsibility. (International Journal of Stress Management July 2002). In summary, it is very important for managers to learn this significance of stress management. As a manager I believe it is important to keep in mind the organisations, although made up of individuals are essentially individuals that work together. There may be different departments with different managers and therefore different ways of dealing with tasks however, these departments work as a whole in order to successfully achieve a common goal. This is a significance of why stress management is important. If employees are stressed and goals are not achieved, productivity and the company suffer. As expressed above in the critical reflection stress can arise from many situations caused from over work, interruptions or general conflicts between employees. In dealing with stress in the workplace it is important to continue learning new skills in how to deal with conflicts. Some of the factors underlying conflicts which were examined above included miscommunication, lack of knowledge or understanding over diverse workplace etc. The importance of these factors allows for managers to develop a process or plan helping to deal with these factors. I.E self-disclosure will hopefully create a better working environment due to greater knowledge and understanding of each other and thus the ability to communicate more efficiently and effectively with each other. With conflict comes the need for negotiation in order to resolve conflicts and establish a united workplace. My personal experiences and study has allowed me to develop into the kind of manager I believe is most efficient. This involves the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of learning abilities and also able to negotiate to the best of my ability so that compromises can be reached when conflicts arise. But most importantly, I believe in setting a good example for my co-workers which includes continuing my learning through professional development, sharing my knowledge and skills with fellow co- workers, listening and learning from my co-workers and lastly gaining the ability to be emphatic and understanding of diverse cultures and people which I may come across both personally and professionally.

Caribou coffee company inc.

Caribou coffee company inc. Introduction This assignment presents an analysis on Caribou Coffee Company Inc. (Case study 28 Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008.) An overview of the industry, in which the company operates, is provided, with an analysis of the company itself. From the outset, an overview of Caribou Coffee Company Inc. is presented; a business segment analysis, and identification of the companys major competitors. The assignment comments on the Companys financial outlook, to year ending September 2009. Whilst some discussion is made in text, for the purposes of the word limit of this assignment, this analysis will appear in the appendices. The assignment concludes with recommendations as to the future direction of Caribou Coffee Company Inc. The work is sourced from existing literature and referenced throughout. Company Overview Caribou Coffee Company Inc., (Caribou) is a specialty retailer of coffees, teas, bakery goods, and related merchandise. As of September, 2009, Caribou Coffee had 525 coffeehouses, which includes 112 franchised and licensed locations, predominantly in the US as well as international expansion to Asia, the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates (UAE.) Caribou targets its customers by offering gourmet coffee and espresso based beverages in addition to specialty teas, baked goods, whole bean coffee, branded merchandise and related products. Furthermore, it sells whole bean and ground coffee to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, office coffee providers, airlines, hotels, sports and entertainment venues, university campuses and online customers. Caribou focuses on creating a unique experience for customers through a combination of high-quality products, a comfortable and welcoming coffeehouse environment, in ski-lodge style, and a unique style of customer service (Caribou Coffee Compan y, Inc., 2009.) The company presents its mission statement as follows: â€Å"Our mission at Caribou Coffee is to provide a total experience that makes the day better.† (Caribou Coffee Company, Inc., 2009) Market competition includes Starbucks, local and regional coffeehouses, restaurants, coffee shops and to some extent, Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds (See also: Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008.) The Company is a majority-owned subsidiary of Caribou Holding Company Limited and trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker (CBOU) (NASDQ, 2009) (Web-link provided.) Industry Definition Caribou operates in the fast food industry; the fast food market can be defined as the sale of food and drinks for immediate consumption either on the premises or in designated food areas which may be shared with other foodservice operators, or for consumption elsewhere; this definition excludes sales through vending machines and is restricted to sales in specific foodservice channels (Data Monitor, 2008) (Web-link provided.) All market values are given in operator buying prices that is the amount spent by foodservice operators on the food and drink that they serve and not the amount the consumers spend on food and drinks. The difference is the increase various companies add to cover their costs and generate a profit. Consequently, this values the market in terms of the amount of money for which food and drink manufacturers are competing. In terms of market segmentation, Caribou belongs to one of four: Quick service restaurants, take-away, mobile and street vendors, and leisure locations. However, in terms of the coffee industry, this comprises two business segments whole bean coffee and coffee beverages sales (see also: Dess et al, 2008.) Caribou has three reportable operating segments these being: retail, commercial and franchise. Arcapita Bank (Arcapita) based in Bahrain, has been the majority shareholder of the company, since 2000, with 60.6% holdings (NASDAQ, 2009) (Web-link provided.) For Caribou, however, the competitive market, along with a potential class-action lawsuit involving store managers, has caused some serious issues, including increasingly high net losses and decreasing stock price over the past few years (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009.) By providing â€Å"an experience that will make the day better,† Caribou Coffee has created competitive advantage in their store operations, but the question remains whether they can maintain this and use it to sustain their growth strategy. Creating strong human capital is the foundation for the companys differentiation strategy (see also: Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008; Shultz, 1961.) One of the issues that will be analysed in this case is whether or not Caribous attempts in developing human capital, will enable them to achieve Case Study: Caribou Coffee Company, Inc A Strategic Analysis a sustainable competitive advantage given the competition and threats they are facing. In order for Caribou to maintain its competitive advantage it must continue to create differentiation in its coffeehouses through their human capital. The company has developed strong capabilities in recruiting, developing, and retaining their employees (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009) but this can be easily copied by competitors however, this is not enough to sustain their advantages. To continue to expand they must maintain their strong focus on human capital, in addition to developing their other strengths to create a bundle of resources as the basis of differentiation. Brief Profile of the Industry The global fast food market has exhibited strong growth over the past five years; however, it is predicted to decline in the years leading up to 2015 (Dess et al, 2008.) The market generated total revenues of $154.7 billion in 2008 which represented a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.6% for the period 2004-2008. By comparison, the European and Asia-Pacific markets grew with CAGRs of 4.4% and 10.3% respectively over the same period and reached values of $26.5 billion and $47.1 billion in 2008 (Data Monitor, 2008.) The number of transactions increased with a CAGR of 2.2%, during the period 2004-2008, to attain a total of 85.8 billion, in 2008. The number of transactions is predicted to rise to 97.0 billion transactions by the end of 2013 thus, representing a CAGR of 2% for the period 2008-2013 (Data Monitor, 2008.) External Analysis PESTEL Political Caribou, like the rest of the food industry is directly concerned with public health and, as such government legislation is in place. Caribou, like all fast food manufacturers must strictly adhere to the regulations of the market in which it supplies its products. For example, frozen food must not be kept above -15C for longer than two hours over a 24 hour period. Furthermore, heating and cooling commercial buildings requires roughly six times more electricity. Since the government in several countries regulates electricity, then Caribou is highly vulnerable to government legislation. Economic A number of positive and negative factors can affect Caribous market growth, as well as the industry. For example, the increases in the price of coffee beans, milk as well as the worldwide economic recession and decreased globalisation of the economy and culture. The latter is evident by the introduction of products from Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Furthermore, demographic changes have increased the demand for, and consumption of fast foods and, for Caribou, this has impacted on their product performance, business profitability, production costs and firms overheads. In 2007-2008 Caribou reported that their production costs significantly increased as a result of higher wage demands due to global economic difficulties. In addition to being the majority shareholder, Arcapita also has two seats on the Board of Directors but its controlling interest could represent an overhang on the stock. Arcapita requires Caribou to operate in accordance with Islamic principles which may limit financial flexibility and impact the perception of the brand. Social Over the past 10-15 years, women have become more financially independent and entered the workforce, and the number of single households and single parents has increased, which has further increased the average disposable income. All of these factors favour fast foods. Specialty coffee is a strong and growing industry in the US. Specialty coffee consumption increased by more than 48% from 2001 to 2006 and the market is estimated to be over $11 billion annually (Dess et al, 2008.) The number of coffeehouses grew from only 500 units in 1991 to 24,000 units in 2006, but the industry remains highly fragmented (with the exception of market leader Starbucks) (Dess et al, 2008.) The reason for such growth is the consumer trend to specialty and traditional products such as micro brewed beer, single malt liquor, and organic foods. Coffee is seen as a new quality beverage, there is an expanding menu, and coffeehouses have become the â€Å"third place† for social consumption. However, the demand for coffee could fall as a result of changes in consumer preferences or concerns about caffeine. Technological Caribou has tapped into the market with their dedicated website. The site is interactive in style and content, with imagery or promotions based on business rules or consumer preferences. This provides the site visitor with more relevant information on coffee types or coffeehouses. Caribous marketing team can also update the site to keep the content fresh for site visitors. Caribou can also monitor consumer responses therefore, looking at new initiatives to meet consumer needs. Environmental As demonstrated, Caribou has many outlets throughout the US and its expansion to the Middle East, Asia and UAE. This means that the company could be affected by regional and national weather which may impact upon consumer preferences and needs. In terms of Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability, Caribou actively supports sustainable coffee production; for every pound of coffee the company purchases, a significant proportion of money is granted to sustain socially responsible initiatives in coffee-producing communities. Legal Caribou is not without exposure to the potential legal institutions of regional states within the US and those governing the countries outside of the US, where the company has its units. In 2008, Caribou faced legal proceedings, which was filed by three of its former employees, regarding overtime payments. The case was financially settled however, this left an element of disdain amongst other employees and, to a certain extent, consumers (Dayton Business Journal, 2008.) (Web-link provided.) Five Forces Analysis (Porter) Rivalry, Threat of Substitutes, Buyer Power, Supplier Power, Barriers to Entry Rivalry among competitors is quite commonplace in the coffee industry consequently, Caribou must maintain its differentiation to maintain their customers loyalty. There is strong competition in the coffeehouse industry, which is characterised by not only from the industry leader, but also from the threat of new entrants and substitutes attracted by such huge growth (see also Porter.) Caribous position is under threat from emerging and current competitors who have a differentiated approach to the provision of coffee. Caribou competes with specialty coffeehouses; including Starbucks, doughnut shops, bakery-cafà ©s, and traditional quick-service restaurants therefore it must maintain a differentiated concept to continue building on its market share. Caribou is under threat from Starbucks because they have increased their long-term store goals from 30,000 to a target of 40,000 (Starbucks, 2009; web-link provided.) As industry leader, Starbucks is committed to maintaining its domination of the industry, which gives them an overwhelming advantage which means that Caribou, and all the others, struggle to become the recognised second-place coffee ho use. In this instance, the buyer power is very high due to the many choices and the switching costs for going from one coffeehouse to another being so low. In order to create a good quality beverage suppliers need to provide quality coffee beans and, since these are an essential commodity, suppliers are unable to place controlling price demands. Caribous position in the coffeehouse industry is encouraging; when one examines the conditions and different forces that are present in the industry, as well as taking into account its incremental expansion over the years, however, strong competition and buyer power limits profit potential. Partial SWOT Analysis Opportunities and Threats Opportunities Caribou recognises the long-term potential to invest in 2,500 locations which the company believes is achievable based upon limited penetration across markets outside of Minnesota. The company has already increased market penetration by company and franchises in the Middle East and Asia. Furthermore, the company intends to build upon and increase its broader licensing strategy including more franchised stores in the US (see also: Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008.) This should lead to more profitability for Caribou. Threats A too aggressive growth plan requires Caribou to execute an active development schedule whilst managing existing operations across a range of markets. Consistent performance depends upon suitable locations as well as the recruitment and retention of staff. Consumers in the new markets may not embrace Caribous concept to the same extent as in the core markets such as Minnesota. Inflation for key inputs, for example coffee labour, could impact, as the company may not be able to pass through sizeable price increases and the demand for coffee could diminish as a result of consumer preferences or health concerns about core products for example, caffeinated drinks. Internal Analysis Caribou has been able to achieve a competitive advantage by fulfilling customers needs by placing emphasis on its human and social capital; however, the company is at risk of being compromised as a result of recent events. Developing human capital is embedded within Caribous strategic initiatives, to improve operations by improving their selection and training of coffeehouse personnel (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Through the creation of human capital Caribou has been able to create domination between the individual capabilities, skills, knowledge, and experiences of the companys employees. Shultz, (1961) discusses human capital in more detail. At Caribou, the human capital is built through the extensive training procedures that help create customer satisfaction; social capital is created through the network of relationships that the employees have throughout the company (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Three main interdependent activities of creating human capital i.e., attracting, developing, and retaining, are an organisations main focus (Shultz, 1961.) Caribou attracts human capital by implementing very selective hiring practices. The most important part of Caribous human capital is their focus on creating operational excellence through extensive training procedures; the training at Caribou is very important and continuous, as they believe it is the employees who create the great products or customer service that differentiated the company. The training of employees was believed to be central to fulfilling the mission of creating â€Å"an experience that makes the day better† (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009.) The company implemented this into all of their training practices as one of the companys core competencies that would create strong commitment in their employees. All new employees were given instructions to become ‘drink certified, in-store Certified Instr uctor Trainers provided ongoing instruction in presentation and service, and courses were offered through Caribou College to improve career skills (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) The company also retained their human capital by implementing rewards that are both tangible and intangible. Shultz (1961) discusses reward mechanisms in more detail. Caribou follows a pay-for-performance philosophy which enables the company to identify and reward team members whom achieve high performance standards. Employees would work harder to make their coffeehouse the best since the bonuses for managers and the coffeehouse was based on sales, profit, and customer service. The company has a belief that excellence is a product of hard work; this sounds good to consumers because they will get the best, but may be a negative for the employees and will make it harder to have employees contributing to human capital. These factors are what created effective human capital for only a certain time, but other issues is not allowing them to sustain that advantage. Caribou has a culture that allowed a place â€Å"Where Entrepreneurial Spirit Roams Free† (see also: Dess et al, 2008.) The company is not overly structured, which is why employees are able to work on a variety of different projects and take on an extensive range of responsibility; moreover, Caribou has a culture which includes a strong belief in promoting from within the company, which creates a future to work toward for employees. The company is more on the personal or relaxed side where they would communicate in person rather than through emails and they would have a dress code that was business casual. These different aspects of company culture, creates social capital that gains employee loyalty for Caribou; it has a strong belief that customer service is led by their employees and that their selective hiring practices, extensive training, and low turnover created superior employees (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Caribou has created differentiation by implementing a strategy dedicated to creating human capital as a way to better meet consumer needs, but in the changing and rapidly growing industry it will be very difficult to create a sustainable competitive advantage. This strategy has been successful in creating competitive advantage at the business level however; it is arguable whether this is a source of sustainable advantage since this advantage is based on resources and capabilities that can be too easily imitated by competitors. Having dedicated employees creates a value for Caribou, which differentiates them from other coffeehouses; the companys culture has created a value that creates a common purpose for the employees and the company, which creates an effective outcome when presenting service or products to consumers. The challenges that Caribou is facing through the stock declines, company losses, or even the manager demands for overtime pay can possibly weaken their human capital as a source of competitive advantage. Also, the effects of the external environment can significantly impact upon the company if they remain on the same path. The changes that Caribou is facing will send them into a decline of their human capital as a source of competitive advantage, if they do not do anything to add to or change their strategy. SWOT Analysis Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Specialty coffee sales in the US are on the increase; the factors that are driving growth are a greater awareness of the quality differences between specialty brands and commercial grades. Caribou sells it appeal as their coffee houses are an ideal gathering place, especially amongst teenagers and young adults. Caribou recognises there is a high demand for the variety of their beverages and these can be customised to cater for individual consumer preference. Penetration for coffee consumption is low (16% daily consumption by US population) relative to overall coffee consumption (57%); this is indicative of a major opportunity for growth; Caribou is performing well compared to other competitors and is set to take advantage of the booming industry. Caribou has created a distinctive position through providing high quality coffee in comfortable, ski-lodge like atmosphere, which distinguishes itself from the chic, upmarket approach used by its competitors, in the main, Starbucks. This concept is good; as it enables the company to capitalise on favourable trends in the specialty coffee market. The quality of Caribous custom roasted coffee has been the key to its success, with taste tests demonstrating that consumers prefer Caribou coffee by a significant margin over other competitors (Caribou Coffee Company Inc, 2009.) In terms of Caribous financial position, the last quarter to year ending September 2009, demonstrated a fourth consecutive quarter of positive earnings. These results are driven by strong implementation at every level of the Caribou with a fundamental focus on expansion and diversification, which is a key component of Caribous future growth strategy. Caribou focuses on maintaining its position as a branded coffee company and are making the necessary investments to expand the brand. Financially, Caribou is in a good position to secure further expansion in the future. Weaknesses Caribou competes with specialty coffeehouses, with its main competitor being Starbucks. Caribou must maintain a differentiated concept to continue building its share of the market. During the financial year 2003-2008, Caribou announced net operating losses and negative free cash flow (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009.) Hence, the company needs to improve profitability and operating cash flow in order to sustain growth and achieve a health long term financial position. In terms of geographic concentration, Caribou is predisposed to local economic, meteorological factors and political issues. Conclusion and Recommendations With the industry leader creating new goals that target to make them almost a monopoly in the world of coffee, Caribou is in danger of losing its competitive advantage. This source of social and human capital is a key source of Caribous competitive advantage, but even that is in decline. In order to compete in the industry and even possibly surpass the industry leader, Starbucks, Caribou must have a sustainable competitive advantage. After conducting an internal analysis of the firm, it is clear that Caribou needs to maintain or better its human capital; it needs to implement the same practices, but the company must also consider implementing a way to satisfy overtime pay because the fact that managers work overtime shows dedication like an owner, but maintaining that belief is important for the company. Caribou has created a coffeehouse that is seen as an escape for consumers that helps the company maintain its differentiation from other coffeehouses, but the company is in its stag es of decline if no changes are implemented (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Although Caribous focus on human and social capital has created a temporary competitive advantage, in the current competitive environment these are likely to become necessary success factors, not valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable core competencies. It is more likely that their human and social capital, superior product quality, store design and atmosphere provide a collection of resources that can create sustainable competitive advantage. Porter (1985.) As Caribou continue to shift their strategies to meet politico-economic and socio-cultural demands, like most in this industry sector, the company is not able to predict the economic and social challenges to which consumers and businesses will be exposed. However, the company believes that it is in a very good position to enable it to react and respond to these challenges because of their remarkable customer loyalty, their unique product brand and its attractive price-value position. As it places emphasis on coffee, a nd combination beverages, the company will, undoubtedly, innovate by creating new products and experiences which complement the coffeehouse experience and drive transactions.

michael jordan :: essays research papers

Michael is married, and he and his wife Juanita have 3 kids, named Jasmine, Jeffrey and Marcus. He has been on two Olympic Gold Medal teams. Once as a college player in 1984 and the second time on Dream Team I in 1992. Air Jordan, is one of the two most explosive dunkers of all-time, the other being Dr. J. He has won the Slam Dunk Contest Twice (1987 and 1988, competing previously in 1985), then basically retired from the competition. Michael dons a brand new pair of Air Jordans for each game, usually donating the pair after the game. Jordan's father, James, was killed in a robbery in 1993. This devastating event in Michael's life was partially responsible for him leaving the NBA. He claimed that basketball held no more challenges for him. He turned to Baseball for a challenge where he played in the White Sox organization. He was quick, and could play defense, but he just couldn't do enough with the bat. His return to basketball came on March 19, 1995 against Indiana. The Bulls had retired Jordan's number 23 on November 11, 1994. When Michael returned he wore number 45, but soon returned to his familiar number 23. After a shaky return at the end of the 1995 season (only scoring 26.9 ppg), he was back in full form for 1995-96, winning another scoring title. He was named the MVP for the fourth time in 1996 and won his fourth NBA Championship and won his fourth NBA Finals MVP Trophy. Jordan was only the second person, the other was Willis Reed in 1970, to win the MVP for the regular season, Finals and AS Game. Jordan did it in 1996 after making his return and leading the Bulls to an NBA record 72 wins. Jordan led his Bull's to a Sixth NBA Championship in 1998, and he added a fifth MVP Trophy in 1998, after losing out to Karl Malone in 1997. He also beat Karl's Jazz for the Title that year. Jordan joins Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Bill Russell as the only five time winners of the MVP, Jabbar has actually won it six times. Jordan was named MVP in 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996 and now in 1998. In 1996 he was also selected to be on the All-Interview team, along with Malone, Barkley, Magic and Jayson Williams. He was a repeat on the All-Interview in 1998 when everyone asked him about his retirement.

Comparing the Use of Light and Dark by Melville, Poe, and Hawthorne Ess

Use of Darkness and Light by Melville, Poe, and Hawthorne Melville, Poe, and Hawthorne all tend to focus on the darker side of humanity in their writings. In order to allow their readers to better understand their opinions, they often resort to using symbolism. Many times, those symbols take the form of darkness and light appearing throughout the story at appropriate times. A reader might wonder how light functions in the stories, and what it urges the reader to consider. If we look carefully at these appearances of light, or more likely the absence of it, we can gain some insight into what these "subversive romantics" consider to be the truth of humanity. Hawthorne uses this technique to its fullest; however, it is also very obvious in the stories of Poe and Melville. All of these authors have something to say about what they perceive as the breakdown of man and society - and they often clue us in by using differing degrees of light. The presence of darkness and light is probably the most apparent in Hawthorne's pieces, and "Young Goodman Brown" is an excellent example. The story starts off as Young Goodman Brown begins his trip into the forest, away from his wife, Faith. The first presence of light is in the first sentence: "Young Goodman Brown came forth at sunset ...." Now, there is light in the sun, but the significance lies in the fact that the sun is setting. The brightness in life - that is, the goodness of humanity that once existed, is now being taken over by the darkness. YGB then departs down a "dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest." There is no mistaking this for anything but a symbol. YGB, representing all man, is going down a "narrow path" leading into one of the darkest and sca... ...aking of humanity): "this black conceit pervades him, through and through. You may be witched by his sunlight,--transported by the bright gildings in the skies he builds over you;--but there is the blackness of darkness beyond; and even his bright gildings but fringe, and play upon the edges of thunder-clouds." Â   Works Cited: Adler, Joyce. "Benito Cereno: Slavery and Violence in the Americas." Critical Essays in Herman Melville's Benito Cereno; Burkholder, Robert E., ed. Macmillan Publishing Co., NY, 1992. Gargano, James. "Art and Irony in William Wilson." New Approaches to Poe; Benton, Richard P., ed., 1970. Levin, Harry. The Power of Blackness. New York, 1967. Melville, Herman. "Hawthorne and His Mosses." From The Literary World, August 17 and 24, 1850. Accessed at: http://eldred.ne.mediaone.net/nh/hahm.html on May 1, 2000. Â