Lydia Hall

Lydia Hall’s theory of core, cure, and care theory can be easily integrated into practice. The core aspect of her theory describes the person that nursing care is directed towards and the individuals behavior due to their feelings and value system. The cure component is the attention given to patients by medical professions. These include interventions or actions that can be used to treat or cure the illness or disease that the individual may be suffering from. The last element, care, is about nurturing the patient and providing comfort measures. This also includes providing patient teaching.An example used to integrate Lydia Hall’s theory will be a patient that has just found out that he has diabetes type 1. The patient may first be overwhelmed at the thought of managing the disease, fear of being alone and fear of the disease in itself which describes the core aspect of the theory. In the cure component the actions that nurses may take is to perform physical assessmen ts including glucose level, assess respirations for Kussmaul respirations and acetonic breath, monitor temperature, moisture, weight, assess diet compliance, and intake and output.The interventions nurses can provide the patient is to maintain fluid intake at least 2500 ml per day to prevent dehydration. Also, a comfortable environment should be provided and inform of covering at night with a light sheet which would prevent overheating and excessive fluid loss. Lastly, the element of care provides the patient with education and discharge planning such as teaching of how to give insulin, checking blood sugar, exercise rules and dietary changes.Open communication assists the patient in being comfortable in asking questions and expressing fears of disease management, emotional and or social issues due to lifestyle changes. Lydia Hall’s Care Cure Core model suggests that patients have three needs of care: the physical, the medical, and the social needs. This encourages open commu nication between patients and nurses. Nurses responsibility when using this model is to provide physical, emotional or social support, educating patients and through medical managementPatient outcomes would be improved self esteem including confidence and motivation in managing their disease such as in diabetes self injection of insulin. Patients would also be more knowledgeable in the disease process such as importance of checking blood sugar and identifying symptoms of hypo and hyperglycemia. This model helps build rapport between the patient and nurse by assisting them to communicate their concerns and apprehensions pertaining to disease management.

Different Between Vietnam and Us

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VIETNAM AND THE U. S I am an immigrant person who came to the U. S under family sponsorship. Living here for 4 years, I have learned a lot of interesting things in this country. There are so many differences between Vietnam and the U. S as relationship, weather, religion, fashion, language†¦. but the most three obvious differences between them are country size, education system and culture. Country size is a great difference between these countries. Vietnam is very small country that has S shape .It is bother to the North by China and to the East by Lao and Cambodia. The total land of Vietnam is only 127,276 square miles . it is lightly larger than New Mexico stare of America. On another hand, the United States is the third largest country in the world, which has 3,536,274 square miles. It is located in North America between Canada and Mexico. Another difference is education system between these countries. Vietnamese students face with more difficult than U. S students. They have to wear uniform going to school.They should obey and show respect to their teachers. Tuition in Vietnam is very high. Parents have to pay for their children. Government doesn’t help for poor people attending school. In the contract, the U. S education system is more comfortable. Students can wear whatever they want to school. In class ,they can say what they think in their mind, discuss equally with their teacher. Government pays all tuition for students form fist grate to the twelve grade . After graduating form college , they have more opportunities to get a job .Today more people around the world come to the U. S to have better education The last obvious difference between Vietnam and The U. S is culture. Vietnam’s culture is suffered form China. There are two to there generations living together in the same house. Man is leader in the family, which has more power. They go out working and doing business while woman in Vietnam stay home, take ca re family. Children must listen to their parents. Unmarried people living together is unacceptable . However, American culture is pposite and it was strange to me when I came here . Man and woman are equally. American families are smaller. Adult people like to move out living with their friends when they finish high school . Children can decide what they want to do . They are independent from their parents . Man and woman can live together without getting married In conclusion, Vietnam and the U. S have a lot of differences. I cannot tell which one is better because each country has advances and disadvances. It depend on each person’s life so they can choose where is the best for them .

Fraser Guidelines Essay

Gillick competence is a term originating in England and is used in medical law to decide whether a child (16 years or younger) is able to consent to his or her own medical treatment, without the need for parental permission or knowledge. The standard is based on a decision of the House of Lords in the case Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech Area Health Authority [1985] 3 All ER 402 (HL). The case is binding in England and Wales, and has been approved in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Similar provision is made in Scotland by The Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991. In Northern Ireland, although separate legislation applies, the then Department of Health and Social Services Northern Ireland stated that there was no reason to suppose that the House of Lords’ decision would not be followed by the Northern Ireland Courts. Contents [hide] †¢1 The Gillick decision †¢2 Subsequent developments †¢3 Australian law †¢4 Confusion regarding Gillick competency †¢5 Fraser Guidelines 6 References †¢7 Link [edit] The Gillick decision The Gillick case involved a health departmental circular advising doctors on the contraception of minors (for this purpose, under sixteens). The circular stated that the prescription of contraception was a matter for the doctor’s discretion, and that they could be prescribed to under sixteens without parental consent. This matter was litigated because an activist, Mrs. Victoria Gillick (nee Gudgeon), r an an active campaign against the policy. Mrs Gillick, a mother of ten (five girls, five boys), sought a declaration that prescribing contraception was illegal because the doctor would commit an offence of encouraging sex with a minor, and that it would be treatment without consent as consent vested in the parent. The issue before the House of Lords was only whether the minor involved could give consent. ‘Consent’ here was considered in the broad sense of consent to battery or assault: in the absence of patient consent to treatment a doctor, even if well-intentioned, might be sued/charged. The House of Lords focussed on the issue of consent rather than a notion of ‘parental rights’ or parental powers. In fact, the court held that ‘parental rights’ did not exist, other than to safeguard the best interests of a minor. The majority held that in some circumstances a minor could consent to treatment, and that in these circumstances a parent had no power to veto treatment. Lord Scarman and Lord Fraser proposed slightly different tests (Lord Bridge agreed with both). Lord Scarman’s test is generally considered to be the test of ‘Gillick competency’. He required that a child could consent if they fully understood the medical treatment that is proposed: â€Å"As a matter of Law the parental right to determine whether or not their minor child below the age of sixteen will have medical treatment terminates if and when the child achieves sufficient understanding and intelligence to understand fully what is proposed. † Lord Scarman The ruling, holds particularly significant implications for the legal rights of minor children in England in that it is broader in scope than merely medical consent. It lays down that the authority of parents to make decisions for their minor children is not absolute, but diminishes with the child’s evolving maturity; except in situations that are regulated otherwise by statute, the right to make a decision on any particular matter concerning the child shifts from the parent to the child when the child reaches sufficient maturity to be capable of making up his or her own mind on the matter requiring decision. [edit] Subsequent developments The decisions in Re R and Re W (especially Lord Donaldson) contradict the Gillick decision somewhat. From these, and subsequent cases, it is suggested that although the parental right to veto treatment ends, parental powers do not ‘terminate’ as suggested by Lord Scarman in Gillick. However, these are only obiter statements and were made by a lower courts; therefore, they are not legally binding. However, the parens patriae jurisdiction of the court remains available allowing a court order to force treatment against a child’s (and parent’s) wishes. A child who is deemed â€Å"Gillick competent† is able to prevent their parents viewing their medical records. As such, medical staff will not make a disclosure of medical records of a child who s deemed â€Å"Gillick competent† unless consent is manifest. In most jurisdictions the parent of an emancipated minor does not have the ability to consent to therapy, regardless of the Gillick test. Typical positions of emancipation arise when the minor is married (R v D [1984] AC 778, 791) or in the military. The nature of the standard remains uncertain. The courts have so far declined invitations to define rigidly â€Å"Gillick competence† and the individual doctor is free to make a decision, consulting peers if this may be helpful, as to whether that child is â€Å"Gillick competent†. Australian law The Australian High Court gave specific and strong approval for the Gillick decision in ‘Marion’s Case’ 175 CLR 189. The Gillick competence doctrine is part of Australian law (see e. g. DoCS vY [1999] NSWSC 644). There is no express authority in Australia on Re R and Re W, so whether a parent’s right terminates is unclear. This lack of authority reflects that the reported cases have all involved minors who have been found to be incompetent, and that Australian courts will make decisions in the parens patriae jurisdiction regardless of Gillick competence. In South Australia and New South Wales legislation clarifies the common law, establishing a Gillick-esque standard of competence but preserving concurrent consent between parent and child for the ages 14–16. [edit] Confusion regarding Gillick competency On May 21 2009, confusion arose between Gillick competency, which identifies under-16s with the capacity to consent to their own treatment, and the Fraser guidelines, which are concerned only with contraception and focus on the desirability of parental involvement and the risks of unprotected sex in that area. A persistent rumour arose that Victoria Gillick disliked having her name associated with the assessment of children’s capacity, although a recent editorial in the BMJ debunks this idea, quoting Victoria Gillick as saying that she â€Å"has never suggested to anyone, publicly or privately, that [she] disliked being associated with the term ‘Gillick competent’ â€Å". [1] [edit] Fraser Guidelines It is lawful for doctors to provide contraceptive advice and treatment without parental consent providing certain criteria are met. These criteria, known as the Fraser Guidelines, were laid down by Lord Fraser in the House of Lords’ case and require the professional to be satisfied that: †¢the young person will understand the professional’s advice; †¢the young person cannot be persuaded to inform their parents; †¢the young person is likely to begin, or to continue having, sexual intercourse with or without contraceptive treatment; †¢unless the young person receives contraceptive treatment, their physical or mental health, or both, are likely to suffer; †¢the young person’s best interests require them to receive contraceptive advice or treatment with or without parental consent. Although these criteria specifically refer to contraception, the principles are deemed to apply to other treatments, including abortion. Although the judgement in the House of Lords referred specifically to doctors, it is considered to apply to other health professionals, including nurses. It may also be interpreted as covering youth workers and health promotion workers who may be giving contraceptive advice and condoms to young people under 16, but this has not been tested in court. If a person under the age of 18 refuses to consent to treatment, it is possible in some cases for their parents or the courts to overrule their decision. However, this right can be exercised only on the basis that the welfare of the young person is paramount. In this context, welfare does not simply mean their physical health. The psychological effect of having the decision overruled would have to be taken into account and would normally be an option only when the young person was thought likely to suffer â€Å"grave and irreversible mental or physical harm†. Usually, when a parent wants to overrule a young person’s decision to refuse treatment, health professionals will apply to the courts for a final decision. An interesting aside about the Fraser guidelines is that many regard Lord Scarman’s judgment as the leading judgment in the case, but because Lord Fraser’s judgment was shorter and set out in more specific terms – and in that sense more accessible to health and welfare professionals – it is his judgment that has been reproduced as containing the core principles.

AQ-TD#1 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

AQ-TD#1 8 - Essay Example Influence can be generated through trustworthiness, competence and credibility. By influencing the other nurses, an advocate can build a case for the needed change (Almidei, 2010). Additionally, it is vital to establish positive, cooperative relationships with the other nurses in order to have them in the advocacy. Collaboration would allow the advocate to share a common goal with the other nurses. With this, the advocate would include the other nurses by involving them in the development of the common goals and strategies on how to attain the desired change (Almidei, 2010). Arguably, developing a collaborative relationship with nurses in other departments would make a valuable contribution. However, collaboration would be effective with communication to the other nurses. In essence, advocacy depends on communication. In order to bring the other nurses to share with the advocacy, an advocate would require to communicate the issue to the other nurses in order to convince them to join him or her (Mason et al., 2011). This would serve as a way of including other nurses in the

Marketing Across Cultures Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing Across Cultures - Case Study Example In fact, besides gender, culture is probably the biggest determinant of global marketing techniques. For example, Asians are known to be very conservative in fashion and indulgence. They do not like â€Å"loud† clothes, muscle cars, and they are cuisine is minimalist in nature. A global fashion giant may design and market summer clothes in North America, Europe and Latin America but launch entirely different designs of the same clothes in Japan. This is because it is aware of what sells in Japan, and it is dictated by culture. Film studio companies launch movies in some parts of Asia and Eastern Europe with some parts edited to avoid antagonising those populations and record low sales. Culture is therefore a major factor in global marketing; it is central to most global marketing strategies (Migliore, 2011:40). Introduction of a laptop in China and Thailand would probably require the sale of operating systems in languages that are common in those languages. For example, English is not the dominant language in the two countries, so the operating system would have to be in a culturally conducive language. In Nigeria, on the other hand, English is the main form of official communication; therefore the operating system would be in English. In China and Thailand, it is possible that certain colours are associated with negative connotations like bad omen (Migliore, 2011:52). Consequently, these colours would be avoided when introducing laptops lest sales be negatively affected. In Nigeria, on the other hand, laptops can be introduced in all possible colours because it means nothing to most

Understanding Interpersonal Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Understanding Interpersonal Behaviour - Essay Example Individual behavior according research is a product of a multitude of factors that are interrelated (Capozza, 2000). As such, these factors are true for both particular actions and patterns of behavior. Based on the complexity of the said factors, it becomes challenging to underpin the exact influence of individual behavior with broad characteristics such as individual thoughts, genetics, feelings, social interaction with other individuals, macro-social environment, and individual interaction between groups (Barlow, 2013). In this essay, the researcher will answer the question: â€Å"In what ways does an individual’s behavior change when s/he is part of a group?†Considerationof various methods, perspectives and underpinning of epistemological assumptions will be undertaken in answering the question. It will also be necessary to consider the context of the individual and group such as cultural and societal factors and the importance of interactions, experience, values an d social norms (Brown, 2010). The key factors that are involved in group behavior include conformity, obedience, groupthink, prejudice, social identity theory, schemas and stereotypes (Brown, 2010). These factors will be discussed and evaluated in the essay alongside relevant research and theories. The rationale of discussing the aforementioned factors is due to how they influence the behavior of an individual under influence in a group. Group behavior is a situation in which individuals interact in groups which may be small or large, and within which certain values, norms and characteristics are internalized within an individual, status differentials and communication patterns (Capozza2000, p.16).Majority of research that is conducted in the area of group behavior have been mainly based on experimental perspectives in psychology (Capozza, 2000). However,

The Future of airlines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Future of airlines - Essay Example The security concerns shown by many passengers and increasing surveillance by the security agencies not only mean scheduling delays but airlines are also facing a general increase in the overall discontent of the customers. What will be the future of airline industry and how it will shape itself into future is a big question for strategists as well as futurologists as the fast changing business environment envisages completely new and revolutionary changes into it. However, before discussing what changes may take place in airline industry as well as well as the individual business practices of different airline firms. This paper will present an analysis regarding the future of airline industry and how it shape into future and what course of action industry will take over the different external as well as internal issues which industry is currently facing. It is being argued that the US airline industry is the victim of its own past success. The industry thrived on intense competition to lower the fare to attract as much passenger traffic possible however due to lack of government support in terms of increasing the overall capacity of the airports and runways, the increasing passenger demands were not adequately met due to which industry started to suffer a sharp decline from its previous position. The event of 9/11 aggravated the situation further by adding other dimensions to the overall air travel and that was of safety. There are many issues which are of concerns for most of the industry experts regarding the future of airline industry including the increasing concerns over customer services, safety of the customers which has become an increasingly important concern, changing technology as well as overall economics of doing the business. Further, due to safety concerns, the demand for the private jets especially light jets is increasing. The use of lightweight jets are predicted to be used air taxies to cover short distances at relatively low costs and more accuracy without loss of time. Apart from above factors, globalization, shifting of economic activity to countries such as China, Brazil, Russia etc, current credit crunch in most of the developed countries, ageing population with lesser requirements of air travel, corporate social responsibility as well as ethical consumerism are all the different factors which are said to be contributing towards defining the future shape of airline industry. The above graph1 suggests that the recent activity in airline industry is decreasing with the passage of time. Not only passenger traffic is consistently decreasing but the freight is decreasing too due to high oil prices. It is also because of this reason that most of the airlines have started charging baggage surcharge as well as reduced the amount of meals served in order to remain competitive in the face of reduced passenger and freight traffic. The above scenarios suggest that different factors which have been mentioned above are already taking their toll over the progress and growth of the industry. Corporate and Social Responsibility Corporate social responsibility is not a new concept and its relevance to the airline industry is as long as the concept itself. What is important however is the fact that corporate and social

Impact of Social Networking and Blogging on Internet Usage Essay

Impact of Social Networking and Blogging on Internet Usage - Essay Example These are just limited uses of blogging and social networking. The wide spectrum of using these interactivities online entails that blogging and social networking bring people closer and turning the world into a global village where there are no distances (Jacqui 2010). Introduction Social networking has become an integral part of millions of Internet users around the world. When people come back to home from their work places and educational institutes, the first thing most of them prefer to do is to check their personal profiles on social networking websites, such as Facebook, Twitter and many others. They find it a facilitating medium for interacting with hundreds of people within and outside their national borders. Social network or social networking websites actually provides Internet user a virtual interface where they can share their ideas and thoughts. The social networking websites are usually used for studying the social relationships of people. The term social networking d escribes a person’s or group of persons’ social structure and is determined with the help of their communication and interaction with others (Lusted 2011, Aleman and Wartman 2009). On the other hand, blogs or blogging websites provides a personal space to Internet users where they can lodge their posts, ides, believes and views on certain issues, keeping in view the area of interest. Blogs usually contain write-up of a person, group of personals or organization aiming to discuss a single agenda subject. Scholars and web technologists first utilized blogs in 90s and to post content containing ideas and beliefs of these scholars and technologists. Since then, non-technical users are using blogs as well (Rettberg 2008). Social media and blogs has attracted masses towards utilizing these internet tools to share ideas, market their products and services and help out individuals who are looking for solutions to their problems, let it be professional or academic one. A resear ch conducted by University of Maryland reveals that people across the globe are becoming addicted to using social networking sites and blogs. Social media especially has become a major source of communicating with rest of the world. The academic research conducted on understanding how the social networking sites are reshaping the behavior states that Facebook, world’s most used social networking website, has become a primary source of communication among students. On professional level, social networking and blogging is utilized extensively for providing business solutions and discussing new technologies and innovations. In broader spectrum, Internet usage has increased after the introduction of blogging and social networking websites and the analysis of statistical data shows that it is expected to increase even more. Academic Usage of Internet Societies and individuals living in these societies are of the view that their internet usage has increased since the arrival of inf otainment add ons like Facebook, Twitter, Blogger Online, Flickr, and others (Ishak 2010). This is because these individuals can share their precious moments with others, and also, take guidance and suggestions regarding the problems and issues they are facing. Students goes to social networking sites and blogs at least four times a day in order to keep in touch with their friends, to ask their teachers for solutions to

System Architecture & Design Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

System Architecture & Design - Research Paper Example The researcher of this paper states that the system design needs to improve the hard drives to increase their performance speed. System architecture is the specific model of a concept that describes the structure and the behavior of a given system. The design of the hard disk drive, that is created in the research paper acts as a system solution provider for the users. Developing the design of the disk drive includes some specific features like the application of the programming software systems to achieve this goal. Additionally, it is essential for the designer to ensure that the work undergoes documentation and recording. This is because this work can be improved in the future. Therefore, the importance of documentation is to keep the work for future references. Thus, the designer ought to document a part of the process that is significant for the intellectual purposes and for future reference. The design utilizes the technique of the input the process and finally the output of da ta. The design presented in the essay should be suitable for utilization by a large group of system designers and further it must be applicable in a variety of sectors of production. The hard disk design addressed is easy to use and has an easily understood design. The only limitation noted by the researcher are the risks that require thorough analysis to avoid them and to ensure flow of work. The failure to assess and also to manage any form of risks can lead to loss of clear project plan that can consequently cause failure.

Web Sites. The Web development methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Web Sites. The Web development methods - Essay Example As Taylor writes, "Over the years, web sites have become quite a phenomenal and developers are developing web sites using an ad hoc approach, which is causing problems. Developing efficient web sites requires meeting user needs by producing high quality web sites. One way of solving the problems developers are having is by developing a web development process for developers to use." (Taylor, n.d.)The web development methods include a process that describes the steps to follow during development of web sites. The web site development process is driven by use cases that are created based on user requirements, that's why it's so important to build up comprehensive user requirements. As Tran writes, "Requirements and specifications are very important components in the development of any embedded system. Requirements analysis is the first step in the system design process, where a user's requirements should be clarified and documented to generate the corresponding specifications." (Tran, 1999)According to Kaner et al. cited in Sisson (2002), "A requirement is an objective that must be met. Planners cast most requirements in functional terms, leaving design and implementation details to the developers. They may specify price, performance, and reliability objectives in fine detail, along with some aspects of the user interface. Sometimes, they describe their objectives more precisely than realistically." Website projects are usually done on tight schedules, with limited resources, and without a well-defined approach for achieving usability. For many developers it's easy to dismiss usability methods as an unnecessary overhead cost. But usability methods can be integrated efficiently and effectively into each stage of the website design process. Employing this process, and by using forms, checklists, and other tools to improve communication and workflow, website projects can be managed successfully achieving a highly-usable product. (Gergle, Brinck, Wood 1999) One very useful technique for implementing usable website requirements described by Rhodes (2006) is Pareto Principle. He writes, "Usability provides another benefit to product teams. It is very likely that you have one or more people on the team who live and die by the Pareto Principle. Everything is defined in terms of the 80/20 rule, where the majority of issues seem to stem from a small fraction of items. Similarly, most of the value seems to come from just a few features or functions." Various literature (Bolchini and Randazzo 2005; Tran, 1999; Cockburn, 2000; Courage, Baxter, 2004; Lauesen, 2002) mention 3 phases of user requirements life-cycle in web site development: Requirements Identification, Requirements Analysis and Requirements Definition/Specification. Requirements Identification Requirements Identification is the requirements engineering task during which raw new potential requirements are identified. The typical responsibilities of Requirements Identification are to: Identify the desires, potential needs, and expectations of the application's stakeholders. Transform these desires, potential needs and expectations into potential new raw (unanalyzed) requirements. (Cockburn, 2000; Lauesen, 2002) Requirements identification typically involves the requirements team performing the following steps: Identify possible sources of requirements, such as stakeholders, experts, reusable requirements and requirements specifications, documentation, etc. Interview customer representatives, user representatives, domain experts, marketing personnel, and user support agents. Observe representative users at work. Informally identify and capture the resulting potential requirements. (Cockburn, 2000; Lauesen, 2002) Requirements identification for website development can typically be performed using the following techniques: Website Studies. Reverse engineer requirements from legacy websites, competing websites, similar websites, and website databases. Textual analysis of websites (e.g., noun/verb for object/operation, shall/must/will for

Time Management Essay Example for Free

Time Management Essay Time Management in the Business World It is true that the majority of the time, people learn to manage their time the proverbial hard way (i.e. working late at night, trial and error, barely meeting deadlines, etc.). The definition of time management can be stated to be the process of both controlling and understanding the time spent on a variety of activities. Time management is by and large affected by a variety of certain methods, techniques that are utilized to accomplish the goals, objectives and tasks at a company within a particular time frame. Time management has typically been discussed in business sectors, however, throughout the years; there have been an incorporation of personal activities within the topic. Literature has noted that how one manages their time is a fundamental question that should be inquired upon within the business management arena. The subject of what is time has also been expressed in the business area in order to get individuals to better understand how to utilize it more effectively and more efficiently. The definition of effectiveness is being able to accomplish a given project in a prudent manner; while efficiency operates on ensuring that the tasks associated with the given project run as smoothly as they possibly can (Adair and Allen, 2003; Covey, 2004; Saunders et al., 2004). Ritter (1989), Irons (2003) and Schwartz and McCarthy (2007) ruminate that the core issue surrounding time management is that time is a resource that is restricted and that employees have to have energy for a business to run successfully. Schwartz and McCarthy (2007) took a step further by stating that the behaviors and rituals associated with employees at companies have a direct effect on that companys revenue and reputation in addition to the factors of performance and productivity. Hence, time management becomes an even more precise concept to both analyze and examine in order that businesses function to the best of their ability (Jex and Elacqua, 1999). Time management is a â€Å"balancing act† ( Friemann, 2000). Employees and staff at certain companies and corporations have problems with time management mostly as a consequence of not learning how to manage their time prior to entering  into the career world (Chase, 2003; Gamauf, 2012), personal and/or workplace stressors (Adebisi, 2013) and a lack of discipline (Viswanathan and Olsen, 1992; Kay, 2011; Mancini, 2003). To combat the issue of time management, certain journal articles have posited that management needs to implement certain types of strategies that help employees, managers and staff manage time well within certain projects and tasks that they are given (Anonymous, 2009; Chesbrough and Appleyard, 2007; Oshagbemi, 1995; Oncken and Wass, 1999; Nagra, 2011). There is reason to believe that certain strategies along the lines of goal setting (Irons, 2003), Pareto analysis; and quadrant goal implementation also referred to as the Eisenhower Method (Adair and Allen, 2003; Mancini, 2003; Thatcher, 2006), as well the my time or yours strategy noted in (Saunders et al., 2004), which outlined the importance of time management for companies and corporations that operate on both virtual teams and what would be perceived as the typical 9-5 work routine. Certain literature has even posited that certain strategies work better at particular times of the year (Bingham et al., 2011). What essentially the n is the best practice associated with time management? How can companies and corporations ensure that their staff is managing time to the best of their ability so that they run smoothly? Statement of the Problem Time management is a problem. Many companies and corporations often suffer at the hands of goals and projects not being completed on time. This results in cutbacks, frustrated employees and workers who are not being recognized accordingly (i.e. appraisals, compensation) (HRLook.com, 2007; Mancini, 2003) and a lack of output for the companys products. While trial and error is typically the best way individuals learn to manage their time better, it becomes all the more important in the business management setting that time is managed, and managed properly; just not at the expense of the employees, managers and staff. Description of the Problem The focus of my research then will be to determine the best strategy (ies) that companies can implement to curtail the issue of time management. What courses of actions and methods best suit all sectors? While that is a loaded question, as there are many strategies that can be put into motion within  companies and corporations, there is rationale to ascertain that one strategy or two at a minimum can be employed in all areas of business management (in all sectors). As aforementioned, there are many different courses of action that a company can take in terms of aiding employees and staff to manage their time better so goals are properly executed. Stephen Covey (2004), in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People stated that time management could be approached from any of his four categories: first generation, which was noted to be based on timepiece, whose job is alerting individuals that a duty needs to be completed; second generation, which was more along the lines of planning solely based on setting goals; third generation, which was a prioritization technique utilizing certain objects daily to elucidate priorities efficiently and fourth generation, which was a blend of the first through third categories with urgent matters taking precedence (Covey, 2004). Perhaps, his discussion on time management can be expounded upon in the research to better understand what strategy actually works and what does not, the best. Definition of Key Terms Each of the presented key terms will be used throughout the research to highlight the topic of time management in the business sector. * Attention management which relates to an individuals devotion of the resources mentally to a particular outcome or task (Mancini, 2003; Warren, 2008). * The action item which is defined as what needs to take place within a particular task (Mancini, 2003). * Chronemics the study of nonverbal contact within the field of business management. Perceptions associated with interfacing and promptness fall within the realm of chronemics (Mancini, 2003). * Goal Matrix – technique associated with prioritizing what is most essential to be completed (Mancini, 2003). * Pareto Analysis – a statistical technique used to have efficient use of resources (Mancini, 2003). * Prospective memory – which is remembering to perform tasks when they are needing to be performed (Srivannaboon and Milosevic, 2006). * Perception of time – a psycholog ical term that refers to the subjective interpretation of what time is (Adair and Allen, 2003; Dight, n.d.). * Time management systems – tools that aid and support employees and staff to better manage their time (Mancini, 2003). Purpose of Study/Methodology Literature will be examined regarding time management. Each of the terms presented will be explicitly defined and discussed. In addition to the literature, questions will be asked throughout the research paper regarding time management such as why has certain strategies been more effective than others throughout the years; is it a manager’s job to motivate their staff to properly carry out duties; what has happened to companies that did not employ any kind of time management skills and strategies to their business; why is time management such an issue; can time management really be trained. In addition to these questions being answered in detail, much attention will be paid to the types of strategies associated with time management. Common strategies and not so common strategies will be important. With the methodology area of the research paper, interviews and/or surveys will be needed to assess and examine how individuals manage their time. While the crux of the research paper is on time management in business, time management is an important component in daily living as well. Thus, the function of the interviews and/surveys will be twofold: to delineate whether time management is a problem or is it laziness; and whether certain strategies that are being implemented by individuals in their daily activities can be incorporated into the business arena and vice versa. This will serve to highlight both the importance of time management and efficient use of time. Additional methodologies may arise throughout the course of the research that may lend itself to more literature reviewing, and analysis of a quantitative nature. Presently, there appear to be no limitations with this particular scope of topic, given the considerable and vast amount of information on it. While that does not contend that limitations will not present themselves over the course of the research, it can be posited that the research question will be answered. References Adair, J., Allen, M. (2003). Time management and personal development (ebook ed.). London, UK: Thorogood Publishing Ltd. Adebisi, J. F. (2013). Time Management Practices and Its Effect on Business Performance. Canadian Social Science, 9(1), 165-168. Anonymous (2009). Defining ‘‘strategy’’. Strategic Direction, 25(4), 9-11. Bingham, C. B., Eisenhardt, K. M., Furr, N. R. (2011, Fall). Which Strategy When?MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW, 53(1), 70-79. Chesbrough, H. W., Appleyard, M. M. (2007). Open Innovation and Strategy .CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW, 50(1), 57-76. Covey, S. R. (2004). The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Free Press. Dight, E. (n.d.). How do you view time? asks Eileen Dight. Retrieved July 16, 2013, from PerceptionsofTime.com website: http://perceptionoftime.com/ Friemann, M. (2000, September 14). Time management a key homebuilding skill. The Pantagraph, 1-2. Gamauf, M. (2012, October 1). Time Management Skills. DOM Notebook, 108(10), 1-3. Herbane, B., Elliott, D., Swartz, E. M. (2004). Business Continuity Management: time for a strategic role? Long Range Planning, 37(4), 435-457. HRLook.com (2007, J une 29). Time-management skills concern employers. C2. Irons, L. M. (2003, May). Time Valuing: A Teaching Strategy for Time Management. American Journal of Health Education;, 34(3), 172-173. Jex, S. M., Elacqua, T. C. (1999). Time management as a moderator of relations between stressors and employee strain. Work Stress, 13(2), 182-191. Kay, B. (2011, March). 3 Strategies for Better Time Management. Journal of Financial Planning, 26-27. Mancini, M. (2003). Time Management (ebook ed.). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Nagra, M. M. (2011, October). Human Capital Strategy: Talent Management. October-December 2011 33 THE ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT JOURNAL, 31-37. Oncken, Jr., W., Wass, D. L. (1999). Management Time: Whos Got the Monkey? Harvard Business Review, 1-7. Oshagbemi, T. (1995). Management development and managers’ use of their time.Journal of Management Development, 14(8), 19-34. Ritter, M. G. (1989). Cultivating time management skills. Case Notes, 16(6), 264-265. Saunders, C., Van Slyke, C., Vogel, D. R. (2004). My time or yours? Managing time visions in global virtual teams. Academy of Management Executive, 18(1), 19-31. Schwartz, T., McCarthy, C. (2007, October). Manage Your E nergy, Not Your Time.Harvard Business Review, 1-10. Srivannaboon, S., Milosevic, D. Z. (2006). A two-way influence between business strategy and project management. International Journal of Project Management,24, 493-505. Thatcher, M. (2006, March). Breathing life into business strategy. Strategic HR Review,5(3), 28-31. Viswanathan, M., Olsen, E. M. (1992, Winter). The Implementation of Business Strategies: Implications for the Sales Function. The Journal of Personal Selling Sales Management, 12(1), 45-57. Warren, K. (2008, Spring). Dynamic Strategy. Business Strategy Review, 68-70.

Yosemite National Park Essay Example for Free

Yosemite National Park Essay The Yosemite Valley is regarded by its visitors as one of the World’s greatest natural wonders. People were attracted to its crowding beautiful scenery all in one small area. These include the five domes, lakes and caverns, cliffs and mountains elevated form 13,000 up to 15,000 feet (Hittell 1868). Yosemite National Park is found in eastern parts of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera countries located in east central California, United States. Extending across the Sierra Nevada mountain chain, the park area was measured 3,081 square kilometers (Harris 1997). According to Hamilton and Hamilton (2006), majority of Yosemite is composed of Plutonic igneous rocks which forms underground when magma cools and solidifies slowly forming large crystals. Yosemite Park is composed of plutonic rocks including tonalite, quartz monzonite, granodiorite and granite which were loosely treated as granitic rocks. Gabbro, quartz diorite and diorite are plutonic rocks which cannot be technically recognized as granitic rocks. Minerals including potassium feldspar, biotite, hornblende, plagioclase feldspar and quartz constitute plutonic rocks. The texture and relative extent of quartz and feldspar largely differs in plutonic rocks. The formation of different bodies of individual plutonic rocks was due to the repetition of magma intrusions into host rocks beneath the Earth’s surface taking 130 million years ago. The plutonic rocks previously inside the Earth are already out at the surface due to deep erosion and elimination of the previously overlying rocks. Within Yosemite, only small amounts of volcanic igneous rocks were found. Beneath the surface, latite lava flows, basaly flows and latite tuff are found while obsidian, ash-flow tuff, rhyolite and pumice were found on the surface. Huber (1987) stated that on each side of the batholith of plutonic rocks, metamorphic rocks of two northwest-trending belts were found. He added that metamorphic rocks were formed from the alteration of sedimentary and volcanic rocks due to high pressure, cutting stress and temperature beneath the Earth’s crust. Volcanically originated rocks are called metavolcanic rocks while those with sedimentary origin are called metasedimentary rocks. As explained by Lawson (1921) from the Handbook of Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada belongs to the class of mountains of the Basin Range type. The Great Basin is a region being described as without drainage to the sea which lies between Wasatch and Sierra Nevada. The blocks which were found in this region of the Earth’s crust were broken and elongated in a north to south direction. The blocks under the wide valleys of the desert have been reclined and depress while the others was uplifted and composed the linear mountain ranges. Matthes (1930) indicated in his work that the characteristic, structure and history of the two mountain systems were known by certain rock formations. The fossil remains preserved in rocks indicate the approximate time of creation. 415,000,000 years ago covered by the Paleozoic era, accumulation of thickness of thousands of feet on the Pacific Ocean’s floor was caused by the outwashing of sediments from the continent. The sediments are then uplifted dry folded forming mountain ranges in the Permian Epoch of the Carboniferous Period of the same era. During the Mesozoic era, which was 40 million years ago, in the Triassic period, the mountains slowly faded to hills and land sunk below the sea depositing new sediments. During the Jurassic period, as the sea bottom sinks more sediments were laid down. Parallel northwestward-trending mountain ranges came from the folded and crumpled remains of the old and new sediments. The folds below were accumulated with molten granite. In the Cretaceous period which is 75 million years ago, gradual worn down of the mountain ranges and the region resulted to its reduction into lowland. Streams carried away masses of thousand feet thick granite and sedimentary rock uncovering wide areas. The region together is gradually upwarded to moderate heights. Due to volcanic burst, the land in the northern region was continually covered with mud, mash and rhyolitic lava. In the Oligocene period, Rhyolitic materials were worn away due to continuous erosion. During the Miocene period which was 12 million years ago, the northern half of the region was covered with succeeding flows of andesitic lava and mud due to the beginning of another volcanic eruption. Irregular minimal crust movement and volcanic eruption happened. After that is a period of stability. The lofty block range with steep eastern front of the Sierra Nevada was caused by the transformed forceful tilting with strong faulting movements along its eastern margin. Pleistocene epoch is known for the great ice age, it was characterized by repeated mantles of glaciers at the higher regions of the range. Twenty thousand years ago up to the present time, is considered as the postglacial time wherein the normal climatic conditions returned. According to Harris (1996), island arc of volcanoes that was located at the west coast of proto-North America was due to the generation of Farallon Plate subducting beneath the North American plate. When two tectonic plates move and meet toward each other one moving down into the mantle and one sliding beneath is called subduction. During the Jurassic era, volcanism intruded and covered the rocks and these rocks eventually eliminated by the process of uplifted-accelerated erosion. 210 million years ago up to 150 million years before today, regional plutonism occurred. Plutonism is the process wherein rocks are formed due to volcanic activity. Around the same period of time, Nevadan orogeny occurred. Orogeny is the process of natural mountain building through distinctive structural phenomena. The rocks formed were composed of mostly granite and below the ground measures 6 miles. Uplifting of the Sierra Nevada was due to the vertical movement along the fault. The difference of westerm-flowing streams promoted the uplift of Sierra Nevada. The streams ran faster quickly cutting the valleys. Creation of Owen’s valley was due to the development of major faults to the east. Sierra’s uplifting accelerated during the Pleistocene. Exfoliation occurred due to the pressure produce by the increased erosion and uplifting exposing the granitic rocks into the surface. Exfoliation is responsible for the rounded shape of many domes in Yosemite National Park. Harris (1996) also stated that about 2 to 3 million years ago, the region has been changed by glaciations. Sherwin, Tahoe, Tenaya and Tioga are the four glaciations which have taken place in Sierra Nevada. The largest glaciers produced are from the Sherwin glaciation while the other stages only form smaller ones. It was said to be the reason for the largely excavated and shaped of the Yosemite Valley. Figure 1. Geological Map of Yosemite National Park Source: http://geomaps. wr. usgs. gov/parks/yos/yosmap. html References Hamilton, Calvin. , and Hamilton, Rosanna. Yosemite National Park Rocks. 2006. 14 May 2008 http:// www. scienceviews. com/parks/yrocks. html. Harris, Ann. Geology of National Parks 5th edition. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Pub. Co. , 1997. 2008 17 May 2008 http://people. uwec. edu/ERICKSKM/references. html. Hittell, John. Yosemite: Its Wonders and Its Beauties. 1868. 20 May 2008 http://www. yosemite. ca. us/library/yosemite its wonders and its beauties/general features. html Huber, N. King. The Geologic Story of Yosemite National Park. 1987. 17 May 2008 http://www. yosemite. ca. us/library/geologic_story_of_yosemite/rocks. html. Lawson, Andrew. Handbook of Yosemite National Park. 1921. 17 May 2008 http://www. yosemite. ca. us/library/Handbook_of_Yosemite_Nat’l_park/ Matthes, Francois. Geologic History of Yosemite Valley. 1930. US Geological Survey Proffesional Paper 160. 17 May 2008 http://www. nps. gov/history/history/online_books/geology/publications/pp/160/

Sexual Orientation And Diversity In The Workforce

Sexual Orientation And Diversity In The Workforce Todays organizations are becoming increasingly diversified in many ways. With respect to sexual orientation, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees constitute one of the largest but least studied minority groups in the workforce. Although invisible, sexuality is at the core of each workers identity. Therefore, it poses a number of complex challenges towards organizations and their human resources department. The Dont ask dont tell (DADT) policy of the U.S. Military presents a striking example of the silence surrounding their identity on the work floor. In this paper, the impact of silencing as well as the ways in which the voice of LGBT employees and other invisible minorities can be heard is studied. Introduction Diversity Diversity includes cultural factors such as race, gender, age, color, physical ability, national origin, etc. The broader definition of diversity additionally includes religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, education, language, lifestyle, beliefs, physical appearance and economic status (Wentling and PalmaRivas, 2000). The word diversity is not contained in any report or law; instead, it grew out of academic and popular press usage. Diversity in the workforce With respect to the workplace, diversity refers to the co-existence of employees from various socio-cultural backgrounds. Every human being is unique, but at the same time, every individual shares biological as well as environmental characteristics with any group of others. In this context, diversity can be generally defined as recognition of the people who share such common traits. These traits -the characteristics that make up a whole person- both unite and divide us. In the domain of human resources (HR), however, the term diversity can represent three major working definitions: the politically correct term for employment equity/affirmative action; the recruitment and selection of ethnic groups and women; the management of individuals sharing a broad range of common traits. The first definition represents the most narrow view of diversity and is usually found in organizations without formal diversity policies or programs. The second definition reflects the reality of many diversity programs focusing on employment regulation concerns. And finally, the last definition is the broadest and generally used in organizations containing diversity programs (Grobler, Wà ¤rnich et al., 2006). Dimensions of diversity When talking about diversity, one should keep in mind the differences between primary and secondary dimensions. Primary dimensions are those human differences that are innate and that have a drastic impact on us. Age, ethnicity, race, gender, physical abilities/qualities and sexual/affectional orientation are examples of primary dimensions at the heart of individual identities. Alternatively, secondary dimensions are more changeable and can be discarded or modified during our lifetime. Such dimensions add depth and individuality to our lives. Education, geographical location, marital status, income, military experience, religion, work experience and parental status are illustrations of secondary dimensions. The primary and secondary dimensions can be represented as a circle, with the primary dimensions at the centre and the secondary dimensions surrounding them. An illustration of both groups of dimensions can be found in Figure 1(Grobler, Wà ¤rnich et al., 2006). Figure 1: Primary and secondary dimensions of diversity In any initial encounter, people identify by the primary dimensions that are most readily observed: age, gender, race and physical abilities/qualities. Since most individuals live in homogeneous communities, or at least in circumstances far less diverse than our society as a whole, their entry into the workplace may be a first encounter with a diverse population. During this kind of first encounter, phenomena such as stereotyping and prejudice might appear. Stereotyping works against peoples individuality and limits their potential. Generally, if the stereotype is that the person is not competent, then people may not perform competently. This illustrates that, to a large extent, people perform in line with the expectations placed on them. Clinging to negative stereotypes about people other than ourselves leads to prejudice, which means processing our stereotypes such that ones own sense of superiority to the members of that group is reinforced. It is the role of the appropriate institutions within a country to recognize and eradicate both stereotyping and prejudice (Grobler, Wà ¤rnich et al., 2006). Managing diversity Managing diversity can be defined as: A planned systematic and comprehensive managerial process for developing an organizational environment in which all employees, with their similarities and differences, can contribute to the strategic and competitive advantage of the organization, and where no-one is excluded on the basis of factors unrelated to productivity (Thomas, 1996). On the work floor, managing diversity presents a key issue for governments as well as private organizations. Its importance has mainly been brought about by the free movement of labor due to globalization. The fight for human rights by certain minority groups, who feel excluded from the employment sector, discloses another impulse for the current significance of diversity management. Within the context of equal opportunities in the workplace, workforce diversity again plays a major role. This equal opportunity philosophy is aimed at ensuring that organizations make the most out of the uniqueness of a diverse workforce, which might assist the organization to be more efficient and effective, rather than losing talent. Broadly, diversity management is the systematic and planned commitment by the organizations to recruit, retain, reward and promote a heterogeneous mix of employees (Grobler, Wà ¤rnich et al., 2006). Valuing diversity For organizations to fight discrimination, it is essential to value diversity. This valuing starts with recognizing the fundamental difference between valuing diversity on the one hand, and employment equity and/or affirmative action on the other. Employment equity is an officially authorized approach to workplace discrimination. For instance, it is against the law to reject a person a job or job advantage because of age, race, sexual orientation, gender or other primary characteristics. Affirmative action is a reaction to the under-use of protected groups in various job classes in which a business attempts to attract people from such groups because of their failure to do so in the past as a result of inequity. Valuing diversity surpasses both concepts and leads to management designed to reap the benefits offered by a diversified workforce (Grobler, Wà ¤rnich et al., 2006). Whereas affirmative action and employment equity are government-initiated, legally driven attempts to alter -from a quantitative standpoint- the composition of a companys workforce, valuing diversity is a company-specific, necessity-driven effort to alter -from a qualitative standpoint- the utilization of the companys workforce. In an organization that values diversity, managing diversity becomes a substitute for assimilation (Grobler, Wà ¤rnich et al., 2006). Sexual orientation Within the framework of diversity management, sexual orientation represents a non-observable or underlying type of diversity, as opposed to more visible traits such as race or gender. The reason is that gay, lesbian, and bisexual employees can choose to what extent they reveal their sexual orientation in the workplace. Lately, sexual orientation has received a growing amount of attention, including through the prohibition of employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation for both private and public employees. Another indication of this increasing attention regards the mounting number of organizations that fight against this type of discrimination. For instance, in the United States, in many large organizations, Lesbian and Gay Employee Groups are demanding the exclusion of discrimination based on sexual orientation, the provision of guidance to enhance tolerance in the work environment, and the equal treatment of significant others (e.g. relating to health care benefits ) (Van Hoye and Lievens, 2003). Parallel to the social and societal developments, there has been an increase in scientific investigation on sexual orientation in the workforce (Van Hoye and Lievens, 2003). Sexual orientation in the workforce: Literature overview Three research streams can be clearly distinguished within the literature on sexual orientation in the workplace. The first research stream studies the discrimination and minority status experienced by lesbian, gay, and bisexual people in the workplace. A second strand of studies takes the issue of coming out at work as the focal point. In fact, one of the work-related decisions that all gay, lesbian, and bisexual people face, is to what extent they unveil their sexual orientation on the work floor. The third and last research stream relates to the more specific work-related issues of gay, lesbian, and bisexual employees (as opposed to the general character of the studies belonging to the first research stream) (Van Hoye and Lievens, 2003). Within the first research stream, it was found that the majority of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people have once experienced discrimination on the work floor (Croteau, 1996). Here, the construct of heterosexism seems to play a central role. Heterosexism can be defined as an ideological system that denies, denigrates, and stigmatizes any non-heterosexual form of behavior, identity, relationship, or community (Herek, 1990). Research has demonstrated that heterosexism in the organization can lead to a decrease in perceived productivity, job contentment, organizational commitment, career dedication, and organization-based self-esteem. In addition, it can lead to an increases in perceived health problems, psychological distress, and turnover intentions among gay, lesbian, and bisexual employees (Van Hoye and Lievens, 2003). The outcome of the second research stream reveals that there are five different levels of coming out, namely acting, passing, covering, implicitly out and explicitly out (Chung, 2001). Nevertheless, other possible classifications do exist. The concealment of ones sexual orientation has negative consequences at the individual level (depressing work attitudes, low job contentment, anxiety, etc.), group level (dysfunctional communication, low work team cohesion, etc.) as well as organizational level (higher turnover and lower productivity) (Van Hoye and Lievens, 2003). To date, very few studies have taken the approach of the third research stream. An example of a scarcely studied topic within this field of research concerns the influence of the sexual orientation of job candidates on their evaluation by HR professionals. One of the motives that almost no research has specifically examined the consequences of sexual orientation on hiring decisions, is that it is very difficult to examine this issue in field settings with real candidates. Thus, although the outcomes of such studies are insightful, not enough research has been carried out so far to draw sound conclusions. For an illustration of the sexual orientation policy of the SAC company (Scottish Agricultural College), see appendix. SAC is an innovative, knowledge-based organization supporting the development of  rural communities and industries. (MOET IK NOG TOEVOEGEN) Diversity policy worldwide IEDEREEN ZN STUKJE OVER CONTINENTEN KOMT HIER The United States We first introduce the general conditions for acceptance of sexual diversity in America since these have shaped the context for coping with sexual diversity, and more specific LGBT, on the work floor . LGBT  rights are very complex in  the Americas since acceptance of the phenomenon varies widely between Canada, the United States or the Southern Americas. We will here focus on the United States (U.S.). In the U.S.,  LGBT-related laws include amongst others: government recognition of same-sex relationships,  LGBT adoption, sexual orientation and military service,  immigration equality, anti-discrimination laws, hate crime laws regarding  violence against LGBT people,  sodomy laws, anti-lesbianism  laws, and higher  ages of consent  for same-sex activities. Generally, it was not until 2003 that sexual acts between persons of the same sex became legal in the  U.S. However, many other laws are still not recognized on federal level and a wide spread amongst states co ncerning the enabling of those laws exist. We will now discuss the policy concerning LGBT discrimination in the work environment in the U.S. Legislative policy: the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) Employment discrimination  refers to discriminatory employment practices such as bias in hiring, promotion, job assignment, termination, and compensation, and various types of harassment. (Source) In general there is no common law that states that employment discrimination based on sexual orientation is wrong and discrimination against employees who are gay, or simply appear to be gay, is legal in many workplaces in the U.S. (Ragin, 2004) The first bill on the subject of sexual orientation discrimination was introduced in Congress in 1974. However it was not until 1994 that the  Employment Non-Discrimination Act  (ENDA), a proposed bill in the  United States Congress  that would prohibit  discrimination  against employees on the basis of  sexual orientation  or  gender identity  by civilian, nonreligious employers with at least 15 employees, was introduced.  [1]  It failed in 1994 and 1995, though by 1996, missed passage in the Senate by a 49-50 vote. Until 2009, every proposal in the legislative history of introducing the law failed. Furthermore, many versions of the ENDA only concerned LGB and did not include provisions that protect  transgender  people from discrimination. Currently, only twenty-two states have laws that ban sexual orientation discrimination: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampsh ire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. As a result of the limited coverage of States that enabled the law, LGBT people face serious discrimination in employment, including being fired, being denied a promotion, and experiencing harassment on the job.  [2]   Additional to the differentiation between the several states of the U.S., another distinction in employment discrimination based on sexual orientation that can be made involves the difference in coping with diversity between public and private sectors.  [3]  Extensive anti- discrimination legislation protecting public sector workers makes workers in the public sector less likely to be arbitrarily fired than workers at private companies. (Boris, 2010) As a result, the public sector in the United States is noticeably more racially diverse and gender balanced than the private sector. The more protective climate and diverse workforce in the public sector may result in LGBT individuals feeling more comfortable in openly expressing their sexual orientation at work. If this is the case, the public sector may employ more openly LGBT employees. (Boris, 2010) Attitude of employers and employees towards LGBT in the workforce Generally, American workplaces have undergone a partial revolution over the last quarter century when it comes to LGBT equality. Public attitudes toward homosexuality became more liberal during the 1970s, then increasingly conservative through the 1980s, and then more liberal since 1990. (Roberson, 2009) Today, sexual orientation diversity is a key part of workplaces in the U.S. An estimated 8.8 million gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals live in the United States. (Bell et al., 2011) While it is difficult to ascertain how many of these individuals are in the labor force, U.S. Census data reveal that more than 86% of men and women in same-sex couples are employed, and that employment probabilities for gay men and lesbians lie below those of married heterosexual men, but above those of heterosexual women (Leppel, 2009). The issue on employment discrimination based on sexual orientation has become more important for many employers, workplace diversity programs have been major initiatives in US corporations over the last several years. (Day Schoenrade, 2000) An increase in share of LGBT in the workforce since was already reported by HR managers in the eighties. (Day Schoenrade, 2000) In response, in May of 1993, the Board of the Society for Human Resource Management, the premiere national association of American human resource practitioners, passed a resolution to include sexual orientation in its statement acclaiming the value of a diverse workforce (HR News, 1993). (Day Schoenrade, 2000) However, several surveys demonstrate that LGBT on the work floor is far from an accepted concept, discriminating practices are laid out by several surveys. A first example appears from a 1990 U.S. census in where Allegretto and Arthur (2001) found that after controlling for differences associated with being married, gay men earned 2.4% less than their unmarried heterosexual counterparts. (Ragin, 2004) Another range of surveys that study behavior and acceptance concerning LGBT on the work floor is cited by Day Schoenrade (2000) A first example is a survey reported by the National Defense Research Institute in 1993, which found through several national public opinion polls that a majority of heterosexual American workers report being uncomfortable with the idea of working with homosexuals. (Day Schoenrade, 2000) When respondents were confronted with the issue of working with homosexuals, one study found that 27 percent said that they would prefer not to and 25 percent said that they would strongly object. A second example involves a survey from Wall street Journal in 1993, which found that 66 percent of surveyed CEOs reported being reluctant to include a homosexual on a management committee. Leppel (2009) proved that discrimination on the basis of sexual rientation appears to drive up the unemployment of same-sex partners relative to that of married partners. Similarly, probabilities of being out of the labor force for same-sex partners are greater than those of heterosexual men and less than those of heterosexual women. (Leppel, 2009) Several reasons were sought for these discriminating behavior against LGBT. One persisting cause in the U.S. is the existence of strong religious believes. A survey of Kansas Citians found that 47 percent felt that their religious beliefs and morality strongly conflicted with homosexuality (Day, 2011). Other issues involving a negative attitude towards LGBT in the workforce are related to heterosexism and homophobia in organizational America today. (Gedro, 2010) Human resource management and LGBT An appropriate approach of human resource management to LGBT in the workforce is urgent because the trend in American society for more and more gay men and lesbians to make their sexual orientation known since this openness may create conflicts in the workplace (Day Schoenrade, 2000) There is some evidence that human resource departments are not fully supporting this growing need. For example, a sample of human resource professionals found that even though most believe that sexual orientation must be formally addressed in the workplace, and that they would individually speak out against anti-gay acts, only 20 percent of their companies have diversity programs that specifically address gay and lesbian work issues. (Day Schoenrade, 2000) This increased openness in sexual orientation may also be a reason for an increasing experiencing of LGB employees as a symbolic threat. Although a law has been approved, many Americans still oppose gay marriage. One consequence of this is that some heterosexual employees may experience symbolic threat when faced with LGB co-workers who are out at work and wish to bring their partners to company social events. Ragin (2004) already presumed that this symbolic threat of homosexuality could increase if gay marriages would be legalized in some states, and LGB workers could bring their spouses to workplace events. (Ragin, 2004) Attitude of labor unions towards LGBT in the workforce One interesting aspect is how labor unions U.S. are reacting to the recent discussions on sexual orientation in the workforce since unions, as democratic organizations , have a social obligation to represent the interests of all of their members. (Boris, 2010) However this can cause problems when the majority interest conflict with issues of inclusion and social justice for the minority such as LGBT employees. This might lead to the exclusion of minority interests or groups within unions. It should be noted that there is a strong differentiation between the several unions in their response to this minority group. As many research has pointed out, especially structural and demographic factors help to determine an American unions level of responsiveness to sexual diversity with American unions. (Boris, 2010) Gender mattered as unions with a female majority were more likely to address the concerns of LGBT members. Other examples of factors playing a role in determining a unions response to LGBT issues are the role of individual agency on the part of union leaders, activists, and rank-and-file union members. (Boris, 2010) DADT policy in the U.S. military An example frequently cited when discussing LGBT policies in the U.S. is the issue of gay policy in the U.S. military. In 1993, new laws and regulations pertaining to homosexuals and U.S. military service came into effect reflecting a compromise in policy. This compromise, colloquially referred to as dont ask, dont tell, holds that the presence in the armed forces of persons who demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion which are the essence of military capability. (Burelli Feder, 2009) Service members are not to be asked about nor allowed to discuss their homosexuality. This compromise notwithstanding, the issue has remained politically contentious. (Burelli Feder, 2009) While the decision to remain in the closet may be a functional and adaptive reaction to a hostile work environment, it also increases the risk and stress associated with losing cont rol over the disclosure process. (Ragin, 2004) Recent progress in enabling discrimination laws In recent years, several members of Congress have expressed interest in amending dont ask, dont tell. At least one bill that would repeal the law and replace it with a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual orientation-H.R. 1283-has been introduced in the 111th Congress. (Burelli Feder, 2009) An Act of Congress providing a mechanism to repeal Dont ask, dont tell was signed into law by President  Obama on 22 December 2010. As of February 2011, the Pentagon has started starting to dismantle DADT. Regarding the ENDA, we have to remain patient. In 2011, the U.S. Senate will reintroduce the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in the 112th congress. In the meanwhile, hundreds of companies in U.S. have enacted policies protecting their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.   As of March 2011, 433 (87 percent) of the Fortune 500 companies had implemented non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation, and 229 (46 percent) had policies that include gender identity.  [4]   Africa The issue of workforce diversity has not been a key problem in Africa before as much as it is today. Together with globalization and the need for an increasing number of organizations to spread globally to reach customers worldwide, the concept of diversity management gained attention. Managers must recognize the need for understanding more about the diverse workforce, which is deeper than what we see at the surface level (Henry and Evans, 2007). During the 1990s, the liberalization of economies and structural adjustment policies, brought about by the Brentwood institutions, opened the doors to free market economies, especially in Africa. These free market economies have stimulated the free movement of labor as a commodity, which in turn has resulted in an increasingly diversified workforce across the continent. Further, the privatization of most of the state-owned enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa also created an open door for migration of labor from all over the world (Henry and Evans, 2007). South Africa To meet the challenges of the twenty-first century, as in many other countries, South African businesses must address the best and brightest employees. Moreover, managers should understand that they can only compete successfully if they recognize the emergence of the diversified workforce and find the means to harness its energies, talents and differences for tomorrows challenges (Grobler, Wà ¤rnich et al., 2006). The major groups providing diversity in the South African workforce are ethnic groups, women, younger workers, South Africans with disabilities and minority groups in the context of sexual orientation. With respect to the latter, it seems that at least 10% of the South African population is homosexual. This means that 10% of the men and women in the workforce, representing around one million people, are gay. However, while the workforce is increasingly diversifying, discrimination still presents an enormous problem in South Africa. In fact, research demonstrates that discrimination still exists in organizations, and that many South African workers still suffer from employment discrimination. Within the organization, its up to the HR professionals to develop and enforce policies and measures that protect the diversified workforce against illicit discrimination. To rectify the injustices of the past, the South African government has come to some actions. Amongst others, the following legislation has been introduced: the Labour Relations Act, No. 66 of 1995 (as amended); the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act, No. 108 of 1996; the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, No. 75 of 1997 (BCEA) (as amended); the Employment Equity Act, No. 55 of 1998 (EEA); the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, No. 4 of 2000; and a Code of Good Practice on the handling of sexual harassment included in the Labour Relations Act (Section 203(1)). For example, Section 9 (2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (No. 108 of 1996) states that: The State may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds, including age, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth (Grobler, Wà ¤rnich et al., 2006). ANDERE INTERESSANTE ZAKEN DIE NOG KUNNEN GEBRUIKT WORDEN LGBT military laws   Ã‚  Homosexuals allowed to serve in the military      Homosexuals banned from serving; repeal of policy underway   Ã‚  Homosexuals banned from serving (or homosexuality illegal)   Ã‚  Data not available References Bell, M. P., ÃÆ'-zbiligin, M. F., Beauregard, T. A., Sà ¼rgevil, O. (2011). Voice, silence, and diversity in 21st century organizations: strategies for inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender employees. HUman Resource Management, 50(1), 131 146. doi: 10.1002/hrm. Boris, M. B. (2010). Identity at work : U.S. labor union efforts to address sexual diversity through policy and practice. Advances in Industrial and Labor Relations, 17, 185-205. Elsevier. doi: 10.1108/S0742-6186(2010)0000017009. Burrelli, D. F., Feder, J. (2009). Homosexuals and the U . S . Military : Current Issues. Chung, Y. B. (2001). Work discrimination and coping strategies: Conceptual frameworks for counseling lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients. The Career Development Quarterly,50, 33-44. Croteau, J. M. (1996). Research on the work experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people: An integrative review of methodology and findings. Journal of Vocational Behavior,48, 195-209. Day, N. E. (2011). US small company leadersÊ ¼ religious motivation and other-directed organizational values. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour Research, 17(4). Day, N. E., Schoenrade, P. (2000). The relationship among reported disclosure of sexual orientation, anti-discrimination policies, top management support and work attitudes of gay and lesbian employees. Personnel Review, 29(3), 346-363. doi: 10.1108/00483480010324706. Gedro, J. (2010). Lesbian presentations and representations of leadership, and the implications for HRD. Journal of European Industrial Training, 34(6), 552-564. doi: 10.1108/03090591011061220. Grobler, P., Wà ¤rnich, S., Carrell, M.R., Elbert, N.F. and Hatfield, R.D. (2006). Human Resource Management In South Africa. 3rd edition. Thomson Learning. 571p. Henry, O. and Evans, A.J. (2007). Critical review of literature on workforce diversity. African Journal of Business Management,72-76. Herek, G. M. (1990). The context of anti-gay violence: Notes on cultural and psychological heterosexism. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 5, 316-333. Hopper, J. E., Salvaggio, N. (2008). Report from SIOP diversifying diversity: moving beyond race and gender: Professional Insights. Equal Opportunities International, 27(5), 465-470. doi: 10.1108/02610150810882314. Huffman, A. H., Watrous-Rodriguez, K. M., King, E. B. (2008). Supporting a diverse workforce: what type of support is most meaningful for lesbian and gay employees? Human Resource Management, 47(2), 237-253. doi: 10.1002/hrm. Leppel, K. (2009). Labour Force Status and Sexual Orientation. Economica, 76(301), 197-207. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-0335.2007.00676.x. Ragins, B. R. (2004). Sexual orientation in the workplace : the unique work and career experiences of gay , lesbian and bisexual workers. Personnel and Human Resources Management, 23, 35-120. doi: 10.1016/S0742-7301(04)23002-X. Roberson, B. E. J. (2009). Equality for Lesbian , Gay , Bisexual , and Transgendered Employees in the Modern American Workplace Equality for Lesbian , Gay , Bisexual , and Transgendered Employees in the Modern American Workplace. Schoenrade, P., College, W. J. (2000). The relationship among reported disclosure of sexual orientation , anti-discrimination policies , top management support and work attitudes of gay and lesbian employees. Personnel Review, 29(3), 346-363. Swan, E. (2010). A testing time, full of potential?: Gender in management, histories and futures. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 25(8), 661-675. doi: 10.1108/17542411011092327. Thomas. (1996). op. cit., pp. 101-103. Van Hoye, G. and Lievens, F. (2003). The Effects of Sexual Orientation on Hirability Ratings: An Experimental Study. Journal of Business and Psycho

The Political Writings of Charles Brockden Brown Essay examples -- Cha

The Political Writings of Charles Brockden Brown Charles Brockden Brown, famous as the first professional American writer, was an inventive creator of novels, stories, pamphlets and journal articles. His life extended from 1771-1810, over some of the most significant periods of American history. He came from a Quaker community of Philadelphia, a very intellectually and politically active city. Not surprisingly, Brown was â€Å"swept up in a strong current of challenges to traditional authority† (Watts: 51). He was heavily influenced by the thought of his time, notably Godwin, Wollstonecraft, French Revolutionary thinkers and the American â€Å"disciples† of Locke (Clark:110). Much of his political writing addressed specific situations, though Brown also held very strong beliefs on government and power generally: â€Å"[Law] is the shortest and safest road to the possession of power, and power must be desirable by bad men for its own sake, and by good men for the sake of the beneficial employment of it† (Th e Rhapsodist: 108). Due to this focus on legislative power, Brown’s political writings are intensely critical of the Jefferson government and its actions. â€Å"He is a moralist, and extractor of lessons from specific incidents, not a pointer of people in action† (Warfel: X). Brown was generally concerned with the theory of government and its relation to happiness. Throughout the 1790s he developed many Utopian visions in an attempt to create the perfect political world (Watts : 65). He adamantly demanded â€Å"artistic, intellectual, commercial, and†¦ political independence from Europe† (Axelrod: 4): â€Å"In every work proceeding from my pen, my chief demand†¦ [is] the liberty of judging for myself† (The Rhapsodist: 22). Brown... ...nd the Cession of the Mississippi to France, drawn up by a Counsellor of State. Ed. David Lee Clark. North Carolina: Duke University Press, 1952. pp. 261-268. ----. Monroe’s Embassy, of the Conduct of the Government in Relation to our Claims to the Navigation of the Mississippi. Ed. David Lee Clark. North Carolina: Duke University Press, 1952. pp. 268-270. ---. The Rhapsodist. Ed. Harry R. Warfel. New York: Scholar’s Facsimiles and Reprints, 1977. Clark, David Lee. Charles Brockden Brown: Pioneer Voice of America. North Carolina: Duke University Press, 1952. Warfel, Harry R. Introduction. The Rhapsodist. Ed. Harry R. Warfel. New York: Scholar’s Facsimiles and Reprints, 1977. pp. v-xii. Watts, Steven. â€Å"The Young Artist as Social Visionary† The Romance of Real Life. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994. pp. 49-70.

Morris :: essays research papers

Of French and English descent, Morris was born at Morrisania estate, in Westchester (present Bronx) County, NY, in 1752. His family was wealthy and enjoyed a long record of public service. His elder half-brother, Lewis, signed the Declaration of Independence. Gouverneur was educated by private tutors and at a Huguenot school in New Rochelle. In early life, he lost a leg in a carriage accident. He attended King's College (later Columbia College and University) in New York City, graduating in 1768 at the age of 16. Three years later, after reading law in the city, he gained admission to the bar. When the Revolution loomed on the horizon, Morris became interested in political affairs. Because of his conservatism, however, he at first feared the movement, which he believed would bring mob rule. Furthermore, some of his family and many of his friends were Loyalists. But, beginning in 1775, for some reason he sided with the Whigs. That same year, representing Westchester County, he took a seat in New York's Revolutionary provincial congress (1775-77). In 1776, when he also served in the militia, along with John Jay and Robert R. Livingston he drafted the first constitution of the state. Subsequently he joined its council of safety (1777). In 1777-78 Morris sat in the legislature and in 1778-79 in the Continental Congress, where he numbered among the youngest and most brilliant members. During this period, he signed the Articles of Confederation and drafted instructions for Benjamin Franklin, in Paris, as well as those that provided a partial basis for the treaty ending the War for Independence. Morris was also a close friend of Washington and one of his strongest congressional supporters. Defeated in his bid for reelection to Congress in 1779 because of the opposition of Gov. George Clinton's faction, Morris relocated to Philadelphia and resumed the practice of law. This temporarily removed him from the political scene, but in 1781 he resumed his public career when he became the principal assistant to Robert Morris, Superintendent of Finance for the United States, to whom he was unrelated. Gouverneur held this position for 4 years. Morris emerged as one of the leading figures at the Constitutional Convention. His speeches, more frequent than those by anyone else, numbered 173. Although sometimes presented in a light vein, they were usually substantive. A strong advocate of nationalism and aristocratic rule, he served on many committees, including those on postponed matters and style, and stood in the thick of the decisionmaking process.

College Admissions Essay: Remembering Mom :: College Admissions Essays

Remembering Mom    The memory of that Christmas Eve years ago still lingers in my mind. Who would have known that a simple candle made of wax and wick would change my way of thinking forever...    Christmas Eve was a special time for Momma and Poppa. Even though there never was enough money to go down to the neighborhood stores to buy presents, Momma and Poppa always made sure I had one present on Christmas morning. In years past I had received a doll made from worn out clothing, with a painted face and hair of yarn. A box made of wood carved by Poppa with my name encircled with a heart. One gift to a young child may not be much, but Momma and Poppa always made sure there was something under our tiny Christmas tree.    But this year Momma was not home for Christmas. The Angels had come for her earlier the summer before. Poppa had grown weary working jobs that paid very little and kept him away for days on end. Leaving me to tend to the house and to keep up with my schooling. Momma always knew what the perfect gift would be that would make my Christmas complete. She was the one who made the doll and suggested the box that I still hold dear today. But now Momma was gone and Poppa was away, leaving me alone on Christmas Eve.    I sat alone reading by the dim light of the last candle that I found in Mommas nightstand. Momma made such beautiful candles, dipping each wick lovingly into the hot wax over and over until the candles took form. Before gently hanging them up to dry she would take a knife and carve a word on each one. Through the years, I had seen the words hope, love, giving, along with a multitude of others. I took the candle down from stand and this one had one word cut delicately in its side...remember.    How odd a word to put on one of her lovely candles. It seemed strange not to see a word of hope, love, charity or even family. Remember. Why would Momma put such a simple word on this last candle? Taking the candle down from the shelf, memories of Momma flooded into my mind. Her soft golden hair, the smell of her favorite perfume, even the memory of her voice seemed to echo in my ear.

Ryanair Pestel

Complete a PEST(EL) analysis as preparation for a scenario planning exercise next week. POLITICAL: †¢Due to severe security measures, they had to cancel 279 flights and refunded 2. 7mâ‚ ¬. A loss of 1. 9mâ‚ ¬ in reduced bookings †¢Aer Lingus was fundamentally opposed to a merger with Ryanair, even if it raises its price †¢12. 6 % of the shareholding controlled by Aer Lingus, whose members rejected the offer by a 97% majority vote †¢Opposed to the BAA airport monopoly plans to build a 4bn gold plated Taj Mahal at Stansted SOCIAL: †¢Europe’s leading budget airline August 2006, Air Transport World magazine- most profitable airline in the world †¢72% negative response from a poll of readers of the Financial Times for one of its initiatives †¢In 2006, its employees count by more than 700, to 3. 500 people, comprising over 25 different nationalities †¢In 2006, it was voted the world’s least favourite airline because of the unfrien dly staff, delays and poor legroom †¢The airline formerly refused to provide accommodation or meal vouchers when flights were cancelled or delayed, until it became illegal to do so in 2005ENVIRONMENTAL: †¢Deploying more efficient aircraft that use less fuel and produce less pollution †¢Concerns about greenhouse gases from carbon emissions †¢Replace its fleet of old aircraft with new, more environmentally-friendly aircraft, reducing the average age of its fleet to 2. 4 years †¢New aircraft produced 50% less emissions, 45% less fuel burn and 45% lower noise emissions per sea ECONOMIC: Its average paid was 49612â‚ ¬, a higher figure than any other major European airline †¢August 2006, Air Transport World magazine- most profitable airline in the world †¢Cost-cutting/yield-enhancing measures for passenger check-in and luggage handling could save more than 1â‚ ¬ per passenger †¢Web based check-in and priority boarding, save costs on check-in s taff and airport facilities, as well as time †¢By tailoring rosters, they maximised productivity and time off for crew membersTECHNOLOGICAL: †¢Web based check-in and priority boarding †¢Fleet of over 100 new Boeing 737-800 aircraft and firm orders for a further 138 new aircraft to be delivered over the next six years †¢Stronger passenger safety: body searched, banned from carrying liquids and gels in their carry-on luggage LEGAL: †¢Complying with EU regulations which impose a ceiling on pilot flying hours to prevent dangerous fatigue †¢In litigation with various airport over landing charges Accused it of misleading passengers on its website by exaggerating the prices of its competitors in making comparisons †¢Following flight cancellations due to increase in security measures, they decided to file two legal cases against UK government †¢In 2005, new legislation that offered compensation cost to passengers affected by delays, cancellations or d enied boarding

Natural Disasters Essay

Rommel’s quote about making a †sound business decision† reveals overconfidence decision-making biases. His decision also discloses an anchoring bias as it looks like that Nationwide did not take into consideration some information that others did. Insurance was not the only affected industry with natural disasters; also Airlines were very affected with this whole hurricane and weather situations. Jet Blue was one of these affected airlines due to the weather. They held the passengers on its planes for about 10 hours with closed bathrooms. They refunded to the passengers their money but in a very rude way. Unfortunately JetBlue’s Founder ;amp; CEO, David Neeleman couldn’t handle the situation, and responded to the media in an improper way. Justification for Problem Definition The most relevant error and bias for companies like Nationwide Insurance, American Airlines, and JetBlue company is the overconfidence bias, they thought they are always making the right decisions and they believed too much in their own ability to make good decisions, just as Rommel’s quote about making a â€Å"Sound business decision. ‘ Alternatives 1. Rommel, Burgin, and Neeleman should have thought of the welfare of policy owners and passengers before taking their decisions. In these situations we have to look for cause and effect relationships. 2. They should have listened to different options instead of taking the first option they had. In the three cases, the managers shaped their own decisions to reflect the orga nization’s performance evaluation and other systems to comply with the organization’s formal regulations and to meet organizationally imposed time constraints. They should have also thought about their clients 3. The improper response to the media had very bad influences and was very unprofessional. They should have treated the situation with more winsomely and more professionally. Evaluate Alternatives All the alternatives said above depend on personalities and their abilities of problem solving and decision-making. These elements are important skills for business, management and leadership. Some people have these skills by nature and others have to go through processes and techniques to improve their level and quality of their decisions. Recommendation Anything can affect the clients’ safety, the decisions and the choices have to be taken very carefully in favor of both clients and companies. Managers have to understand that there are events in life, like natural disasters that are outside human control, and these events require a convenient plan for both owners and clients. Also, sometimes previous organizational decisions act as precedents to constrain current decision so organizations have to try to avoid this to happen.

Organizational Characteristics Essay

This paper will describe the culture and the organizational characteristics of a chosen organization, Publix Supermarkets. Detailed throughout will be the common characteristics of the organization as it operates on a day to day basis. Specifically the system based on individual units, rules and norms expected of the associates and supervisors as well as the hierarchy will be established for the reader to garner a better understanding. Furthermore, the communication networks, organizational orientation, approaches to and by leadership members, as well as the decision making and communication procedures put forth by members of management will be analyzed. This paper will describe which 4 of these listed characteristics are most influenced by communication between members and levels of Publix Supermarkets. The author has been employed with this supermarket chain for more than 7 years and has ample knowledge and understanding on the organization as a whole. Common Characteristics of an Organization Publix Supermarkets is a grocery chain unlike many others for a variety of reasons. Founded in 1930 in Winter haven, Florida by George W. Jenkins, Publix is known for its customer first atmosphere and pleasurable shopping experience. The grocery chain whose motto states they will never knowingly disappoint their customers operates in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee and currently has more than 1000 stores in operation (Publix.com). Jenkins’ supermarket chain has continued to grow on their customer friendly business sense. Publix has since become a Fortune 500 company and is privately held and owned by its employees. For as well as they treat their customers, the chain treats its associates and management staff just as well if not better. Publix workers who have been with the company a base number of years receive shares of stock for every 1000 hours worked, and can purchase more shares of stock at almost any time during a given year. The grocery chain is also well known for its high ranking employee benefits and treatment in the employment world. Rules/Norms (Written and Unwritten) Outside of the big green P logo, the Publix atmosphere is what customers relate to with the chain more than anything else. Communication with customers is a major asset in following proper Publix protocol. The smiling helpful associates, clean stores, and consumer friendly set up of product is where Publix truly prides itself as an organization. Each experience ends with a friendly cashier and bagger, and the bagger will always bring the customer to their vehicle and help load product into the car for them. Believe it or not this all relates to performance evaluations that are done quarterly, where associates are evaluated on their behavior amongst the customers. Customer intimacy is something Publix takes very seriously. The Publix image extends onto its associates as well. All employees are expected to show up to work on time and be clean shaven in full clean uniform attire. Each department and job class has their own specific uniform; however all include proper hygiene, reasonable hairstyling, and proper equipment to perform their tasks to better serve the shoppers. Publix is an organization that understands how to promote their brand by utilizing all available options to do so. Clean stores and clean happy associates promote the â€Å"Publix Way.† This plays a major role in nonverbal communication between Publix associates and their customers. Aside from dress code and customer relations, two major elements, there are many other standards Publix employees are held to. A good example of one unwritten Publix rule would be: communication between associates when out on the sales floor during business hours must be respectful, and if at all possible must include the customer. Also, outside from positive communication both verbal and nonverbal with customers and fellow associates employees are expected to communicate both effectively and respectfully with management teams as well. Hierarchy The Publix store level hierarchy is something that runs seemingly parallel in each department throughout the store. Each department and sub department have their chain of command as follows: part time associates, full time associates, assistant department manager, and department manager. The two major departments, grocery and customer service, have the most associates, in order to better supervise their employees there is a position called a team leader that fits into the hierarchy between the full time associates and the management team. Publix is a company that only promotes from within. This is a big selling point for associates and applicants alike. Knowing that the opportunity for advancement is always there is a major asset for the associates in the store. Communications between the different levels of the chain of command are fluid. The associates can go to their department managers, or team leaders, with any concern or idea. The department managers at store level then communicate with the store’s assistant manager and store manager about the associate’s ideas and concerns. Communication Networks The information Publix gathers through their retail channels is usually information based on product analysis and placement that they can pass down to the management teams at store levels to assess further. Ultimately the store will take the advice of corporate and try to taper the information in the way it works most effectively for each store. Each store can take the same information and depict it differently. Information about new products, events, or openings may not influence all stores, or influence them all at the same level. There are times, during major events like hurricanes, holidays, or back to school time, where Publix store level employees must take the information sent to them by corporate including sales figures and forecasts in order to build the proper displays and floor models for customers to browse. Having product out that customers take interest in can help drive sales. The communication between the different levels of Publix Supermarkets goes hand in hand with communication networks at the store level. Leadership Approaches A major tool in the line of communication at Publix is how they allow anyone who is willing to step up and be a leader, do so. When every associate feels that sense of empowerment in their employment it urges them to lead in a different way, work harder and do a better job to lead by example. Publix pushes their associates to be role models both in the stores, and in the community. The management teams are in place to ensure guidelines are followed, but showing quality leadership through positive communication means so much more. Communicating with leaders is always a situation associates take very seriously in any industry or business. This is no different in the retail world at Publix. Associates voice their concerns and feelings to their leaders, whether it be management, team leaders, or even fellow associates who take on the responsibility of leading a specific group. At Publix supermarkets the communication had with leadership is always something associates should come away from feeling they were heard out and understood, good virtue for any organization to sustain. Conclusion Publix through the years has become one of the most widely respected organizations in America. This is due to the quality product and customer service put out the grocery chain, but also playing a role in the respect factor is the culture of the organization. This of course starts at store level and works its way to the corporate ranks, and is in large part to do with positive, effective communication. Publix supermarkets are known throughout the world a company that is great to work for, just as much as they are to shop at. Through utilizing all of the common communication characteristics Publix has continued to promote a very associate friendly atmosphere through the years. The supermarket chain takes pride in the fact that each associate understands their value to their company and takes pride in hiring quality applicants. Publix utilizes its rules and norms, hierarchy, communication networks, and strong leadership approach in all day to day activities in order to remain a successful industry leader.