Monday, September 30, 2019

Franklin D. Roosevelt: Creative Leadership in a Lifetime of Public Service

Franklin D. Roosevelt: Creative Leadership in a Lifetime of Public Service Leading the United States of America through an economic crisis and a world war, Franklin Delano Roosevelt demonstrated the traits of a creative leader not only in his policy-making, but also in the way he carried his image. From State Senator of New York to 32nd President of the United States, Roosevelt epitomised resourcefulness in his steady ascent of the political ladder, culminating with taking charge of the country during one of the toughest times it had ever experienced.Over the course of his leadership, Roosevelt certainly gained – if not already possessed – the domain knowledge required to generate creativity in his field of politics. In fact, he was primed for a career in public service even since his early education Roosevelt first entered the face of American politics in the State Election of 1910, running for the New York State Senate. In his second term, he served as chairman of the Agriculture Committee, passing effective farm and labour bills.This success was to some extent a precursor of his New Deal policies (to be discussed in greater detail later), which despite imperfections were reflective of creative leadership in the aspect of Dr Ronald Heifetz’s â€Å"adaptive work†. Following this, in 1913, Roosevelt was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy – a role from which he gained experience that would prove relevant in his later years as Commander-in-Chief during World War II. Although traditionally the prerogative of the Secretary rather than the Assistant Secretary, he worked on the general development of U.S. naval policy, and his advocacy for a â€Å"big navy† earned him support from Navy personnel. As State Senator, Roosevelt openly opposed the Tammany Hall political machine; as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, he opposed Frederick Taylor’s â€Å"stopwatch† system towards industrial efficiency. In both posi tions, his stand inevitably favoured certain stakeholders and incensed others. Although this meant losing support from some people, it represented creating the â€Å"disequilibrium† that Heifetz describes as necessary for mobilising adaptive work.Roosevelt was hence able to effectively â€Å"orchestrate conflict and create disorder† in order to achieve greater overall progress. Roosevelt was a leader who avoided letting his personal life affect his political career. In the summer of 1921, he contracted poliomyelitis, which resulted in permanent paralysis from the waist down. However, Roosevelt was adamant about preserving his image of health to the people, which he believed was necessary to run for public office again.He made sure that the press presented him in a manner which did not highlight his disability, and refrained from being seen in his wheelchair in public. In doing this, he protected his status as a leader in the eyes of the people, rather than allowing his illness to undermine his ability to serve in public office. Roosevelt went further to establish the March of Dimes, a non-profit organisation seeking to combat polio. He was hence able to turn an adversity on its head and generate even greater public support from it instead.In the 1920s, Roosevelt mended fences with the Democratic Party, and moderated his stance against the Tammany Hall machine. He went on to be elected as Governor of New York in 1928, and re-elected for a second term in 1930. While in that position, he instated several social programmes such as the New York State Emergency Relief Commission. In line with the importance of working with partners that Heifetz emphasises in his book, Leadership Without Easy Answers, Roosevelt worked closely with Frances Perkins and Harry Hopkins, particularly in the aspect of solving America’s economic problems during the period.Roosevelt also made the key statement that â€Å"progressive government by its very terms, must be a living and growing thing†, presenting governance as a conceptual space that could be explored and transformed, and once again relating to Heifetz’s â€Å"adaptive challenge†. When Roosevelt was elected President in 1932, the United States was struggling under the Great Depression, which began even while he was Governor and involved a stock market crash and soaring unemployment. It was on this backdrop that Roosevelt introduced the New Deal, a series of economic programmes to tackle the problems during this difficult period.Within his â€Å"First 100 Days†, he passed various programmes through Congress, setting up the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Emergency Banking Act among many others. Roosevelt made his mark on the history of American politics in this record number of bills passed during the initial months of his Presidency; since then, U. S. Presidents have been judged by what they achieve in their first hundred days. Roosevelt entered the Presidency with immense political capital due to the urgency of the economy’s state, and effectively capitalised on this to implement creative policies.In the â€Å"Second New Deal† (1935-1936), he went on to propose bolder and even more initiatives, such as the Works Progress Administration and the Social Security Act. The latter, in fact, set the foundation for the framework of the U. S. welfare system which exists till today. Roosevelt was willing to take risks; he implemented policies which involved significant government intervention at the expense of a budget deficit, even though he knew this would be unpopular. He was aware that leadership was not merely about appeasing the people, but required tough measures in response to the situation at times.Although his New Deal policies met criticism as being a haphazard collection of schemes, Roosevelt himself insisted that they were â€Å"the orderly component parts of a connected and logica l whole†. Either way, we must recognise that the economic climate at that time was extremely volatile, and in reacting spontaneously to unfolding events rather than strictly adhering to a set plan, Roosevelt was doing exactly what Heifetz describes of creative leaders – bringing adaptive work to the people, and mobilising it towards solutions. Roosevelt also found a novel way of addressing the people through a series of radio talks called â€Å"fireside chats†.Through these, he introduced and explained the policies to the people as they were being implemented. He knew that transparency was important, and even as he passed acts which allowed greater state intervention in the country’s social and economic affairs, he made clear to the people what he was intending to achieve with these initiatives. His policies were met with mixed reviews, but ultimately, most agree that this era was an important milestone in the progress of the U. S. political and economic s ystems. In 1940, Roosevelt became the first President to run for a third term, going against the unwritten rule of a two-term tradition.By this time, World War II had broken out. Roosevelt, as President, gave covert support to Britain and France in the form of arms provision despite officially stating neutrality. Eventually, while still remaining detached from actual military participation, he passed the Lend-Lease Act, essentially providing supplies to the other Allied nations at war. This was an innovative measure on Roosevelt’s part to support the Allied Powers against the Axis Powers without putting his own country in direct harm. Unfortunately, such a position can only remain temporarily, as the U. S. was clearly demonstrating its alliance.Unsurprisingly, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941, drawing the U. S. inescapably into the war. Not having fully recovered from its economic woes, being forced into combat was a heavy blow to the U. S.. Even in the throes of war, however, Roosevelt was successful in â€Å"externalising the conflict†, focusing on the Axis Powers as the enemy and keeping himself out of a position of blame. The situation also drove Roosevelt to establish the United Nations – originally the 26 countries opposing the Tripartite Pact represented by the â€Å"Declaration by United Nations†.Although not entirely a case of historical creativity, the coalition of governments across this large a number of nations was certainly a visionary initiative by Roosevelt. The UN has since grown into one of the most prominent international organisations. Roosevelt was definitely a man who saw purpose in his public service. Just before his death in 1945, he entered an unprecedented fourth term as President. His commitment was reflected in his continuous political presence and effort to evoke positive change in systems, even in times when support for him was low.Roosevelt incorporated wit when he was addressing the people, and maintained his dignity till the very end. Although it is impossible for all of his policies to have succeeded, especially considering the sheer multitude of new programmes and magnitude of fundamental change instigated during his time, Roosevelt did display fluency and flexibility – in that he generated a large number policies in a wide range of categories – as well as originality and the capacity for elaboration in his intricate plans. As one of the most influential figures in American history, Franklin D.Roosevelt definitely embodied the essence of a creative leader. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. â€Å"Groton School. † Theodore Roosevelt Center. Web. 27 Sept 2012. . [ 2 ]. Burns, James MacGregor. Roosevelt. Vol 1. New York: Easton Press, 1956. Print. [ 3 ]. â€Å"American President: Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Life Before the Presidency. † M iller Center. Web. 27 Sept 2012. . [ 4 ]. LaCerra, Charles. Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Tammany Hall of New York. Lanham, MD: University of America, 1997. Print. [ 5 ]. Heifetz, Ronald. Leadership Without Easy Answers.Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1994. [ 6 ]. Chen, Deborah. â€Å"The Embodiment of an Illness: Franklin Roosevelt's Public Representation of Polio. † Deliberations. (2001) Web. 26 Sep 2012. . [ 7 ]. Rose, David. â€Å"A History of the March of Dimes. † March of Dimes. 26 Aug. 2010. Web. 27 Sept 2012. . [ 8 ]. Pederson , William. A Companion to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. Web. [ 9 ]. Theinl, Kevin. America’s Great Depression and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s attempt to reorganize the market with his New Deal. GRIN Verlag, 2011.Web. [ 10 ]. Boden, Margaret A. â€Å"What Is Creativity. † Dimensions of Creativity. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 1996. Print. [ 11 ]. â€Å"The First Hundred Days. † US Government Info. Web. 27 Sept 2012. . [ 12 ]. â€Å"The New Deal. † 123HelpMe. com. 27 Sep 2012. . [ 13 ]. Burns, James MacGregor. Roosevelt. Vol 1. New York: Easton Press, 1956. Print. [ 14 ]. Heifetz, Ronald. Leadership Without Easy Answers. Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1994. [ 15 ]. Boden, Margaret A. â€Å"What Is Creativity. † Dimensions of Creativity. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 1996. Print.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Why the Book Was Written

Thesis: Elizabeth Johnson wrote the book â€Å"Consider Jesus Waves of Renewal in Christology† because she wanted to present the changes happening in Christology. Elizabeth Johnson's book, Consider Jesus: Waves of Renewal in Christology book is ordered according to various â€Å"waves† in 20th century Catholic Christology, using these movements as starting points to discuss various areas of historical theology as well. This is based on an historical overview that interprets the history of Catholic Christology as that of a living tradition, always developing in new directions.Chapter six, on liberation Christology, Johnson uses this opportunity to portray the â€Å"either-or† aspect of the person of Jesus, making it clear that the historical Jesus was neither merely a wise sage nor merely a god in heaven . When it comes to the situation of the poor, she says, â€Å"neutrality is not possible† (94), particularly since Jesus is the liberator of the poor, as h e said when he began his ministry.Johnson goes into the area of theology on which she has had the most influence, feminist theology In addition, she points out that during Jesus’ ministry, especially during the crucifixion and resurrection, women acted as faithful apostles in ways that men often did not. In her preface she states â€Å"the purpose was to present the fundamental rethinking taking place in Christology to persons who are actively involved in ministries in the church or who are seeking greater understanding of their faith. † based on this statement I think her purpose for writing this book is to help give believers an open mind in the different areas of Christology.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Problem Solving Approach to Patient Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Problem Solving Approach to Patient Care - Essay Example Jones since it is holistic and is concerned with how disease progress alters the activities of daily living of the patient. Upon applying the RLT model on Mr. Jones, three problems have been identified: eating/ drinking, mobilization, and death and dying. The nursing model will be implemented for the preparation of the nursing care plan since it is not only a holistic mode, it is also flexible, accessible, and hence can be modeled to suit the specific needs of the client. Respect of Mr. Jones and his preference in care and partnership with other health practitioners will be inculcated in this assignment. At the end of the assignment, care accorded to Mr. Jones with the help of the RTP model will be evaluated and a reflection of my nursing management delineated (Agleton & Chalmers, 2000, p. 10). Nursing models overview Nursing models serve as the foundation of nursing activities since they outline the professional interaction that takes place between a nurse and the patient. Prior to the use of nursing models, nursing was anchored on the medical model. According to this model, the patient gets ill as a result of pathology, once the pathology is detected; treatment modalities are channeled towards eliminating the pathology. It was a mechanized form of managing the patient since it did not take into consideration the other aspects of a patient that may be causing the illness; it did not provide holistic care to the patient. Nursing models are not delicate opinions of nurses, but they are the values, knowledge and ideas that nurses inculcate while taking care of the patients. They are developed following years of practice hence enhancing the validity and reliability of nursing models. They act as a guide in the management of patient, and above all, nursing models are patient centered. This is since they inculcate the nature of the individual, the causes of his problems; the diagnosis arrived at as a result of assessment, the interventions, and assessment of interve ntions. It is important to determine the nursing model that will be used in the management of a patient so as to have a guideline that aids in optimal care of the patient (Aggleton & Chalmers, 2000, p. 10). The Roper-Logan-Tierney (RLT) model The nursing model chosen to manage Mr. Jones is the Roper- Logan- Tierney model. This is a nursing model that has also been described as the human needs model or the activities of daily living model. This model was chosen in the management of Mr. Jones since it is a holistic model. This is since it focuses on the 12 activities of living and assessment how the illness has affected these activities hence identifying the cause. Priorities are then arrived out aimed at eliminating the cause and hence restoring the health of the patient. The activities are outlined as maintaining a safe environment, communication, eating/drinking, elimination, controlling temperature of the body, play and work, mobilization, personal hygiene, sexuality, sleeping, an d death and dying of the patient (Roper, Logan, & Tierney, 2000, p. 20). The model is effective in the management of Mr. Jones since it stipulates the factors that may alter the activities of daily living. It inculcates the environmental, psychological, biological, politico economical, sociological, and educational influences on health of an individual. This cuts across Mr. Jones and how various aspect of his life influences his wellness and illness continuum. Consequently, the Roper- Logan-

Friday, September 27, 2019

Management research project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Management research project - Essay Example These strategies should take into consideration factors like outsourcing activities and the development of leadership skills. These steps can be incorporated in an organization in order to develop the training processes of the employees. The purpose of the research is to investigate the experiences and perceptions of the training department staffs in a multi service healthcare firm based in New York. The main objective of the research is to identify the leadership practices that are involved in the development of a positive work culture in a setting where the internal and outsourced employees work concurrently. The selected qualitative research work is done with the aim of identifying the different leadership factors that if cultivated would lead to the development of a positive work culture in a company with outsourcing arrangement. The paper identifies the leadership skills and culture existing in the training department of the chosen healthcare services company which has an established outsourcing arrangement. The name of the company is kept confidential by the researchers because of the sensitivity of the information related to children’s services provided by this healthcare organization. The rationale of the report is that there are many complex challenges associated with leadership within an organization in which outsourcing management is done. Since, there remains a factor of continuous introduction of innovative technologies in the outsourcing systems and solutions, the complexity of leadership challenges become more in these types of organizations. The increase in the multi-generational and multi-cultural composition of the employee base makes the training and leadership challenges more evident in a workplace. But if a company can navigate through these challenges in an efficient way and bring out the best of the outsourcing, it would ensure that a skilful and well trained workforce is established. The chosen company which is an

Thursday, September 26, 2019

In Doctor Strangelove, there was a great deal of emphasis placed upon Essay

In Doctor Strangelove, there was a great deal of emphasis placed upon the - Essay Example In 1964, Herbert Marcuse introduced to the word his radical masterpiece entitled One-Dimensional Man. He unbolted an impressive question at the opening of his book in which he inquired about the irony of the very function of the atomic catastrophe; he stipulated that while the annihilation of humankind is imminent due to the escalating inventions of weapons of mass destruction, these warfare technologies are the primary protectors of the power that created the danger. Recently, Marcuse budged his attention from thermonuclear destruction into pop culture or the production of cultural representations which are largely shown in consumer products. Marcuse dedicated much of his thinking time in calculating the upshots of technological advancement today. He stalwartly judged that empires generated technological stratagems to finally liberate an individual from excruciating labor and lack of knowledge while at the same time making use of these technologies to outwit and even outlast them. T he dilemma of this new development is the very existence of agencies of cultural diffusion such as the media and the information machineries which supposed to be a guiding light towards functional responsiveness and yet serve to preserve the balance or status quo. The postmodern world which is characterized by the buying and selling of not only goods and services, but also in massive extent information, lay claim to people’s mind fabricating a nostalgia of self-sufficing exploitation. A one-dimensional man dwells in the contemporary world who is actually a pleased, innovative being but then devoid of the immaterial understanding of his universe which is in reality governed by discourse and action. He will become a mainstay in the comfort zone he weaved with the help of modern artifacts and will never take the possibility of dallying outside the mirage provided to

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The Growth of Jim Crow and Racial Segregation as a result of the Research Paper

The Growth of Jim Crow and Racial Segregation as a result of the American Civil War - Research Paper Example Numerous social disadvantages were evident during the period when the Jim Crow laws were followed in the Southern America, and this contributed to fewer developments from both state and local levels. The Blacks were not offered significant opportunities in political sectors, educational sectors, and also they were not allowed to make investments in the regions. The greatest major reasons for the American Civil War were to eradicate racial segregation in the United States, and this was to be achieved through removal of the Jim Crow laws of racial segregation. The laws mandated the discrimination of public schools, public transport, and surprisingly the public places. They allowed for segregation of restrooms and the restaurants for the whites and the blacks. Jim Crow laws created various feeling from Americans and other parts of the globe, because being the most superior nation in the world America was expected to be showing solidarity and unity between the blacks and the whites. However, the laws were overruled in 1964after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was established. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 remained significant in the discarding of Jim Crow laws. Thus, the main focus of this paper is to investigate the consequences the American Civil War on the issue of Jim Crow laws and racial segregation in southern states of America. Racism is a term that has been in use for millions of years, where people tend to discriminate other due to the color of their skin and ethnicity. In the United States, racism was famous in the 17th and 18th Century colonial era, during the time when assumption was made on the North American as associates of the global British Empire. One of the powerful consequences of the racism as retrieved from Southern America when Jim Crow laws were being exercised was an uneven quality of education in the

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Decision Making Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Decision Making - Term Paper Example Although different concepts on the theoretical framework for decision making have emerged, the standard decision-making model used in organizations focus on the rational model involving â€Å"a cognitive process where each step follows in a logical order from the one before†¦ (and) it is based on thinking through and weighing up the alternatives to come up with the best potential result† (decision-making-confidence.com 1). On the other hand, authors Ticha, Hron and Fiedler wrote an article entitled â€Å"Managerial decision making – importance of intuition in the rational process† published in the Agricultural Economics Journal which aimed to determine the role of intuition in the decision making process (Ticha, Hron and Fiedler). In this regard, the purpose of the paper is to choose a real life problem that have either been noted or where one has been a part of and analyze it using one of the theories or ideas discussed in the text or in class. The discours e would analyze the decision making process by linking it to theories and concepts discussed to derive a deeper understanding of both the problem and potential solutions through increased knowledge of administrative behavior in organizations. Organizational Problem One has learned from a friend previously employed in a health care organization of a decision making process that involved both the rational model and intuition. By intuition, Ticha, et al. ... involves the manifested difficulties of nurses managers to comply with their responsibilities that involve not only patient care but complying with documentation and reportorial obligations. According to nurse managers, the need to do some administrative and clerical tasks divide their focus on patient care, causing lower productivity and performance. Other symptoms of confounding problems are exemplified through back-logs in complying with monthly reports on status of medical equipment and supplies under their jurisdiction, performance evaluations of nurses, and scheduling vacation leaves and trainings for nurses. Alternative Courses of Action and Analysis of Options Using the rational model of decision making, since the problem has already been identified, the alternative courses of action were enumerated by department managers for presentation to the Vice President of Nursing and to be forwarded to the President and CEO for approval. The different options presented were as follows : (1) Status quo or do nothing, by forcing the nurse managers to comply with both adminstrative obligations and patient care. The advantage of this option is that there would not be any displacement or changes that could possible be met by resistance and difficulties in implementation. The disadvantage of this alternative is contined backlog in reports that could be significantly detrimental in the long run since the accuracy in information for performance of personnel, inventories of equipment and supplies and scheduling of vacation leaves are lacking, there are strong possibilities for insufficient supplies, demotivated staff and delayed promotions. In addition, patient care, which is of utmost importance would likely suffer as well. (2) Review the responsibilities of the nurse managers

Monday, September 23, 2019

Auditing-Accsys Technologies Plc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Auditing-Accsys Technologies Plc - Case Study Example It is exposed to overestimation of financial figures as in the current fiscal it has adopted IFRS for the group has a whole and follows UK, GAAP for its parent company. Unlike in GAAP, under IFRS it requires companies to value financial items at fair market value. If the market value of the asset is more than its written down value, it will lead to overestimation that increases the inherent risk (Carcello & Nagy, 2004). Accsys Technologies Plc has revised its accounting reporting standards from GAAP to IFRS for its group as a whole and not for the parent or subsidiary companies. It adopted IFRS 13 and IAS 1 for the current period. IFRS 13 fair value measurement implies that the value of the financial and non financial items will be recorded in the books at market price which includes inventory, assets, investments, etc. The change in reporting standard might exhibit highly geared assets i.e. assets might have a relative low price in the domestic market compared to the value of its final product. Accsys Plc reported a 78% increase in its revenue and the EBITDA margin for its Arnhem plant was â‚ ¬2.4 million compared to a loss of â‚ ¬.9 million in the last fiscal. The resulting difference in the operating income and loss is a key indicator of its reporting mechanism than its increased demand in the global market (Accesys Technologies, 2015). In the current fiscal Accsys discontinued its licensing partnership with Diamond Wood China Ltd and as per the order of the tribunal was supposed to pay  £1.6 million. It also incurred legal costs of  £.6 million. Such transactions did not feature in its annual report of 2014 and thus clearly indicates the risk of misstatement i.e. arising out of error or intentional actions (Khurana & Raman, 2008). Accsys Plc is in the practice of recognising all cost of revenue to the Arnhem manufacturing plant if it cannot be recognised with the licensee.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Political Science Critique Essay Example for Free

Political Science Critique Essay Why is it to be changed? For as a citizen of the Philippines experiencing simple life can see this problem in our country. It is said in the sections that â€Å"official language is the prescribed medium of communication in the government, courts and schools. It may not be the national language†. Including with this, the official language of the Philippines are Filipino and English. And that is the error of this part of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. We should not include ENGLISH as an official language of our country. First, is it implication that Americans are still in our culture especially in our Constitution. Second, we must have only one official language for us Filipinos will not be confused. It is acceptable that if we will use ENGLISH language in the school because it is a place of learning. But in the government and courts we should not use ENGLISH language. By this act we insult other FILIPINOS. Why? Let us accept the fact that some of the FILIPINOS are trying hard understanding or speaking in ENGLISH and some of the FILIPINOS are what we call â€Å"mangmang†. How can the â€Å"maralitang mga-tiga lungsod† understand these things? We should consider their or should I say our capabilities. For some instance, In having a hearing in the congress by speaking in ENGLISH we think that the whole Philippines got it? NO!, considering that some of the topics are not understandable because we can’t relate because they use such highfaluting words. It is said that Filipinos are the master of the country but how can that be if they can’t understand what we’re trying to implement in their land also how can we get their opinions if they can’t understand it. Second instance, In having trials, mostly fair and poor persons are always convicted due to poverty. If I am in their situation having a trial that I can’t understand, It is a big insult. To sum this up, In Philippines we should consider first our own before anything else. And solving problems should start in little problems like these because we can fixed thing starting in little not in big ones. And some little things like these is the mode and kind of communication in our country. NEW PROVISION: The national and official language of the Philippines is Filipino. As it evolves, it shall be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing  Philippine and other languages. Filipino and English languages as a medium of official communication of instruction in educational system but In Government and Courts the medium of communication shall be our national language.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

What Is the Role of Social Media in Crisis Communication Essay Example for Free

What Is the Role of Social Media in Crisis Communication Essay Abstract This paper discusses the role of social media on crisis communication. Social media is the shared interaction between human communications. Social media has had a profound effect over the past several years, and has greatly changed crisis communication. It has made crisis communication more efficient and made it on a wider scale. This paper discusses the role of social media on crisis communication. To understand the role social media plays in crisis communication, we must first understand what crisis communication, and social media are. Social media is the shared interaction and communication between organizations, communities, and individuals. There are three things that make social media useful: immediacy, ubiquity, and availability. Immediacy meaning social media results in instantaneous transformation of information. Social media is Ubiquitous: meaning that hundreds of millions of individuals use social media. It encourages globalization, interaction, and participation. Availability meaning social media is available to anyone with an internet connection. Social media has definitely changed communication and crisis response. It has been a pivotal role in people’s lives. With rise of social media communication has been democratized. Social media determines how news is communicated. Social media allows us to communicate our thoughts, connect with people across the globe by reaching millions around the world. Increase in technology social media has become an important way of reaching audience. Half of the general population participates in online communication like Face Book, Twitter, and emails. It provides opportunity to participate, contribute ideas, and share knowledge. Social media is an efficient way for crisis communication for companies to defend its reputation. If a company has a blog and negative remarks have been made, crisis communicator can respond by counter remarks. One big role that a social media has to make sure their team, are the ones who are actually the voice of the organization. With the right tools in place any social media can play an important role in crisis communication. The rapid growth of mobile `applications increase the potential for reaching a large audience in a very short period of time. Through mobile application quicker accurate information is delivered to a broad audience around the globe. While social media is changing the efficiency of crisis communication, it’s also changing the practices of crisis communication, and the rate at which it’s advancing. The three strengths of social media (immediacy, ubiquity, and availability) allow crisis managers and instigators to communicate and manage crisis with great speed. However at the same time crises can be created on social media itself, mainly those affecting businesses. Another way that social media affects crisis communication, is the fact that it has changed what used to be regional crises into global crises. As you can see social media is an important way of reaching audiences. In this case the audience must be informed of crises. In the end if it weren’t for social media, it would be difficult to handle crisis. Reference: http://www.boozallen.com/insights/insight-detail/4242069 http://www.danlandau.net/writing/sources/research/danlandau_thesis.pdf http://www.katebrodock.com/2011/11/the-role-of-a-social-media-communicator-during-a-crisis-a-conversation-with-chrisbrogan/

Friday, September 20, 2019

How Coca Cola Selects and Compensates Expatriates

How Coca Cola Selects and Compensates Expatriates Abstract International human resource management has become one of the most controversial issues in the world today, and as a result of the complexity of international management it is essential to have the right person at the right position. The aim of this paper is to identify how Coca Cola Select Compensate its expatriates. Start from brief idea about the Coca Cola background, Selection process, Factors influencing the Expatriates selection, Role of expatriates, Training and development, and compensation.when looking at selection process it was found that Coca Cola considers the technical ability and previous performance are selection central. This paper also discusses the previous and recent approaches Coca Cola for international compensation. Introduction Country boundaries no longer exist when it comes to international trade (Ashamalla 1993).In such a active Global competition, international experience has become a requirement rather than an option and forced many business to recognize that they must consider management from a different perspective. IHRM is an important component of firms global strategy and is often recognized as an influencing factor of success or failure of international business (Deresky, 2003). Phatak, Bhagat and Kashlak (2005) state that IHRM involves developing human resource capabilities to meet the diverse needs of multinational and global corporations. Ensuring high-quality management is critical due to the complexity of managing international operations (Deresky, 2003). Furthermore, in the competitive global economy, human resources are not as easy to duplicate as factors of production, and can therefore provide the source of competitive advantage (Phatak et al., 2005). When looking at global assignments Black et al. (1999) have presented five basic dimensions of people management: recruit/select; train; appraise; reward and; develop. These dimensions build upon one another and develop into a management process (ibid). First, when it comes to recruiting and selecting, managers need to identify, recruit and appropriately position individuals within the organization. Phatak et al. (2005) suggest that it is a key process when corporations wish to bring new employees into their networks. Deresky (2003) indicates the importance of having the right people at the right place and at the right time by describing it as a key factor of success in international operations. Company background The Coca Cola Company is the worlds largest beverage company. It is no.1 brand according to fortune 2009 survey. The company operates a franchised distribution system dating from 1889. The Coca Cola Company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Its major markets consist of USA, Brittan, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Russia and North America. It has activities in 200 countries, about 3000 branches, and 55,000 employees across the world. Over 200 expatriates are assigned for international positions every year, as region managers. Most of the expatriates are sent from USA and Britain, and most often sent to Middle East, Asia and Russia. Expatriates Selection process Expatriate selection process starts when they need to fill abroad position due to lack of local talent and/or management experience working in a multinational.Selection process is not defined with rules at Coca Cola. Every international assignment requires different criteria. Usually, familiarity within the exact area of international assignments is recommended but not for all times a prerequisite. Moreover, Coca Cola has lately changed their way when selecting expatriates. It used to concern of sending executives as expatriates, while at the present it has the concern of sending high potentials younger employee. Coca Cola usually considered the recommendation and suggestions of candidates expatriates. Significant sides of the candidate improve his chance to be selected, and can also raise the issues for instance, losing some employee within the department or whether it can give advantage in the future. Coca Cola does not focus on developing repatriation training programs for the expatriates. However, the expatriates informed that at the end of assignment they will return home and they will have their job back, which gives expatriates secure feeling once they leave the international assignment Factors influencing the Expatriates selection (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004) shows some of the issues HR managers will take into consideration when selecting expatriates for international assignments. Source: Dowling Welch 2004 Coca Cola look at several vital criteria when selecting candidates for international assignments. Expatriates should aware of Coca Colas values, additionally the ability to deliver their knowledge and expertise, and gather further knowledge as they are overseas. Expatriates are employee where Coca Cola have faiths in them, and believed to be exceptional performer within the company. In general, selected expatriates are employees who hit the expectations when dealing with everyday difficulties and critical jobs. Besides they are motivated employee with a capability to figure things from a strategic standpoint. Expatriates required some abilities such as, technical and managerial skills, in order to complete the requested task when selected for international assignments The technical ability consider a significant factor when selecting expatriate candidates according to (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004). (Harris and Brewster 1999) confirm that technical skill of expatriates is a vital criterion to be taken into consideration and in real assignment consider significant. The evaluation of expatriates candidates technical ability is based on previous job performance, On the other hand, past performance in some cases does not play major role when work out with particular difficulties in a new host country new culture and environment (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004). At Coca Cola the technical ability has significant weight when decide who to select for international assignment. However, expatriates with extensive international knowledge are sent to achieve more specific knowledge and expertise, whereas expatriates with general expertise are sent to achieve more international knowledge. According to (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004) cross-cultural suitability is important attribute and has to be considered when assessing expatriates candidates as they will work in different or unfamiliar environments. The cross cultural suitability of expatriate candidates is evaluated at Coca Cola but not measured as a significant selection factor. (Ashamalla 1993) highlights the cultural understanding, and the importance for expatriates to value and respect diverse characteristic and features of other cultures. Moreover, (Hutchings 2002) emphasize the importance to tolerate the differences in race, beliefs and cultures, including the norms and values.(Dowling, Welch et al. 2004) state that it is hard to assess the cultural suitability because it is difficult to determine exactly what the aspects that should be comprised. Listen Read phonetically (Avril and Magnini 2007) agrees that family has strong influence on the expatriates success in international assignment. However a few global organization focus on the family aspect and not to consider family as disadvantage aspect when selecting expatriates candidates (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004). As a result of incapability to integrate into a new culture, families can experience feeling of loneliness. Furthermore, Coca Cola does not consider the as disadvantage part when assessing expatriate candidates. Once the decision made then they consider the family for any further training or advice. The partners job, kids disruption in education and the looking after old parents are issues of family pressure (Johnsson and Lennbro 2008). Country and cultural requirements is considered when selecting expatriates for international assignments at Coca Cola. First of all, the host government may stop expatriate for many reasons, such as visa issues, no available candidates can fill the position from the host country, and legislations (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004).Moreover, some international assignments at rural area or war-zone mean hard living conditions (Johnsson and Lennbro 2008). (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004) highlight the language skills of expatriates and assert to be measured as an additional factor when selecting expatriate. According to (Avril and Magnini 2007) expatriates who have language skills will be more effective, gain the respect and trust of their colleagues, and more easily establish partnerships and solid working relationships with local nationals that will, in turn, generate good will for the organization and positively impact the bottom line. (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004) find out that the consequences of language skills changes according to the type of assignment. Characters and skills of the expatriate are important aspect to consider. Coca Cola states that some of the preferred attributes are personal liability, enthusiasm to build up his experience and develop the organization, ability to be criticized, and be self-confident. The interpersonal talents of expatriate are not a spoken criterion, but if the expatriate do not have the ability to work with people, then they will not be chosen. Finally, Coca Cola highlighted the individuals motivation. The people who select expatriates review their explanations to select them for international assignment, and as staffs apply for international assignment, take into consideration that they are to some extent motivated. Expatriates Roles According to (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004) , there are many reason for transferring employees for international assignments as expatriates linked to the intended purpose of the expatriate. Roles of expatriates are listed as the following Source: Dowling Welch 2004 The Figure provides a general idea of the expatriates roles, and how these roles shape by home and host country. First of all, Coca Cola using expatriates as agents of direct control, where expatriates roles are to make sure subsidiary commitment through direct administration and management (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004). Moreover, expatriates also used to manage personal and cultural matters in the host country as stated by (Harzing 2001). Knowledge can be shared cross international assignments. as a result, Coca Cola use overseas agents of socialization, which is likely helps the integration of corporate values and beliefs (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004). It is a means of informal and non-direct control.(Harzing 2001) label the expatriates as bumblebees since expatriates help in the transfer of a common culture of companies. This formulates and creates more decentralized organization. In addition, Coca Cola can use expatriates as agents to build and enhance the network between the host and home branches (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004). Internationally, strengthen the links between individuals is significance way of implementation of informal control. It is also a way to transfer ideas and efficiency. According to (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004), one of the expatriates role is to increase the organization borders . Expatriates would have an exceptional ability to gather information on the market, and enhance the representation of the company in the host country. (Collings, Scullion et al. 2007) state that there is more than one reason of using expatriates for international assignments. First, if there are no appropriate managers available at the host country for a specific project or function, then the employment of expatriates could be used to guarantee the desired value of work. In addition, using of expatriates gives the chance for managerial development. (Collings, Scullion et al. 2007) indicates expatriates will build and developed their competences throughout the international assignment and motivate the organization for using expatriates and help achieving the organizational development. International Training Development Source: Dowling Welch 2004 International training and development is another aspect of IHRM. Training intends to develop employee skills and behavior, whereas development objective is to increase abilities in relation to some potential position, generally a managerial skills (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004). According to (Shen 2005) expatriates need a set of context-specific abilities, for instance industry-specific knowledge, and a central part of certain skills, such as cultural sensitivity, ability to handle responsibility, ability to develop subordinates and ability to exhibit and demonstrate. These skills are measured as vital international competencies at Coca Cola and all can be developed through effective international training and management development. Moreover, pre-departure training will help expatriate success more than failure (Katz and Seifer 1996). Coca Cola focus on human resources development by concentrated on the education and training of its employees as an important part of their development. Coca Cola allegedly spent millions every year for training its employees. On the other hand, Coca Cola undertook a cost cutting drive, and started looking for methods to train its staff effectively at lower Costs. After significant investigation and researches, Coca Cola In 2007, launched Coca Cola University (CCU) a virtual, global university for all learning and capability-building activities across the Company. E-Learning was used to train Coca Cola newly recruited managers and expatriates. Four types of training for international assignments (Baumgarten 1995). pre-departure training for expatriates: Once expatriates selected for international assignment, they will receive language training and an orientation to the host country culture. Family will be included in orientation training sessions. These training sessions will provide expatriates and their family with information related housing, schools, shopping, and health care facilities in the host country. During the training expatriates will have full discussion with the organisation about how the international assignment would fit into their profession strategy and what future position they would have when return to home country. Listen Read phonetically On-site training for expatriates: At the host country the expatriate will receive additional onsite training to familiarize the expatriate with the local working procedures and work environment. These formal programs will deliver orientation about the host country customs and cultures. Repatriation: Expatriates and their family will adapt the host country norms and culture especially in long-term assignment. Usually they will experience high level of stress and cultural shock when return to the home country as a result of changes that have taken place since their leaving. Expatriates have to assume what ability they want to build up and the sort of jobs that might be offered in the home country with those new skills. As the expatriate a broad, many changes at the home country company could happen such as colleagues or managers may leave. Therefore expatriates should maintain contact with company. Otherwise expatriates will have re-entry shock because of new employees, a new passion, and a new culture that may have changes. Training for (HCNs) and (TCNs): To ensure the understanding of corporate strategy and culture, training will be provided to HCNs and TCNs. All employees from team leaders upwards are given an annual skills assessment and development plan. The Company also inÂÂ ­vests in formal training. During 2008, emÂÂ ­ployees received on average more than 16 hours of formal training each. An additional valuable means in expatriate pre-departure training is an initial visit to the host country. These visits often give the expatriates and their family a clearer idea about the new environment in which they will be living. Sometimes expatriate will refuse the international assignment based on the initial visit. According to (Coopers 1997) study shows that 53% of organizations which offer initial visits to their employees and spouses to the host country, of those 13% refused the international assignment. On the other hand, since the expenses and costs for an expatriate failure are so high it is valuable to know of the refusal earlier to the actual assignment Performance Management Source: Dowling Welch 2004 Coca Cola manages its performance management system through 4 Stages during an Annual Business Cycle and has multiple Objectives. Some of these include Objectives leading to Significant Accomplishments, Breakthrough Objectives, and Business Plan Achievement objectives. Furthermore, Coca Cola has an extensive training and development programs for the employees to focus on the day-to-day needs of the employees and to adapt new culture difficulties and differences. Competency framework encompasses thought leadership, people leadership and results leadership that Coca Cola uses to manage and assess its workforce. A point ranking scale is used to define a system in an organized systematic form to avoid ambiguity and bias when conducting performance appraisal and rating to compensate employees based on performance and competencies as identified in the appraisal process. According to (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004) when expatriate agree to have the job for international assignment, they will look forward to having financial benefits from doing that assignment. Therefore organisation should take compensation packages into its consideration because it has major affects at the expatriates when making decision. Expatriates successes will have big advantage for the organisation especially in this competitive market. (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004) points out two approaches to develop international compensation: Firstly, the Going Rate Approach Going Rate approach is straightforward and easy to understand which make the compensation package parallel to the host country nationals. In this approach the base salary is linked to the salary structure of the home country. It is based on local market rates. This compensation approach has some disadvantage especially when expatriates return to home country. When going rate is different in the host country, there might be some pay cut. Secondly, the Balance Sheet Approach Balance sheet approach delivers a compensation package to balance an expatriate managers purchasing power between host country and home country. In other words, since expatriate assigned to an international position by using balance sheet approach expatriates will not be affected by spending power. The negative side of the balance sheet can be its cost and unfairness between expatriate managers and local national managers, and even among expatriates who come from different countries. Components Coca Cola takes into consideration when it comes to an International Compensation: Base Salary Extra pay the expatriate receives for working outside his or her country of origin which encourage to accept foreign postings Allowances (Housing allowances, Cost-of-living allowances, Education allowances, Relocation allowances, Parent country wages everywhere ,Wean expatriates from allowances ,Pay based on local or regional markets ,Global pay systems) Tax differentials Coca Cola pays the expatriates income tax in the host country when a host country has a reciprocal tax treaty with the expatriates home country. Benefits Coca Cola ensure that their expatriates receive the same level of medical and pension benefits abroad that they received at home The new host country environment and difficult to function efficiently are core problems for the majority of expatriates (Harris and Brewster 1999) Pre-departure training is essential for improving expatriates culture knowledge and cross-culture adjustment (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004).On the other hand, many cross-culture training is not sufficient or incomplete. Since its hard to assess the efficiency of such training (Waxin, Katsioloudes et al. 2007). According to (Sims and Schraeder 2005) Healthcare is another significant aspect when it comes to compensation package. Many international organizations would have different health care insurance company between home and host country. Coca Cola rewarding system for employee is excellent to retain, motivate and influence employees towards organizational goals with their best potential utilization. Coca Cola uses Self Assessment tools for staff to assess themselves on top accomplishments in the previous year. Analysis Operating as agents of direct control is usually not the role of expatriates at Coca Cola , which is not consistent with (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004) believed as they remark that expatriates are often used to control and monitor local operations. Another role of expatriates according to (Dowling, Welch et al. 2004) is agents of socialization, where expatriates are likely to share business values and beliefs so as to build some informal control.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Alias Grace :: Alias Grace

Alias Grace  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on a notorious double murder in Canada in the1840's, the novel Alias Grace tells the story of a pretty 16 year-old servant girl who conspired with a ranch hand to kill their employer and his mistress and escape with their belongings. They were captured in several days, and later, in a much-publicized trial, found guilty of premeditated murder. The young man, James McDermott, was sentenced to death, and the girl, Grace Marks, narrowly escaped it. Alias Grace begins after the murderess has served 8 years in prison.   The death of Nancy Montgomery, Kinnear's housekeeper and mistress, has been disregarded as both villains had already been sentenced to death. Grace is around thirty years old, being accused of the crimes when she was only sixteen. Grace is in prison where she has been mentally tortured during her rotation from prison to asylum over time. Doctors who wish to "examine" her frequently visit. She now has a subconscious aversion to these doctors and the world which she knows. She has become accustomed to being silent and unseen. A young doctor, Dr. Simon Jordan, has taken an interest in Grace. Dr. Jordan is from a wealthy family and of good name, but he is more interested in studying abroad about sanity and those enclosed in asylums rather than interest at home. He has little experience in dealing on a personal basis with the question of sanity of patients, but is intrigued by this fabulously sensationalized murderess. A group that has continuously tried for the pardon of Grace Marks has recruited the doctor with hopes that he will find Grace sane and innocent on all counts of murder.   Dr. Jordan's main purpose is to help recover the lost memory of the time during the murders. This memory which some to believe was conveniently forgotten helped convict her during the trial; almost as if she had admitted to the killings. During the course of his visits with Grace, Dr. Jordan encourages her to tell of her life before the murders. Grace begins her story with her family in Scotland. Grace had been left with her abusive father and the smaller children after her mother died on the passage to America. A trip taken for necessity rather that need: for her father was in a bit of financial trouble in Scotland. Grace is sent out in Canada as a servant.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Fallen Angels Essay -- essays research papers

Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers, begins with the introduction of an African American 19-year-old boy who lives in Chicago. Recently he's joined the army and been assigned domestic work as he hoped for due to his bad leg and unreliable strength on it. Then, by accident of paperwork, he was eventually sent to Nam and put directly onto the field. He agreed to wait for his injury profile to catch up with him and that then he could return home. His mother at home is quite worried for him and also for the future of her other younger son Kenny. Life is hard and money is scarce with the absence of the family's father. In Nam, the elder son Perry undergoes many experiences that are permanently damaging to his mental physique and deal with the balance of life and death. As any Vietnam Story, me... Fallen Angels Essay -- essays research papers Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers, begins with the introduction of an African American 19-year-old boy who lives in Chicago. Recently he's joined the army and been assigned domestic work as he hoped for due to his bad leg and unreliable strength on it. Then, by accident of paperwork, he was eventually sent to Nam and put directly onto the field. He agreed to wait for his injury profile to catch up with him and that then he could return home. His mother at home is quite worried for him and also for the future of her other younger son Kenny. Life is hard and money is scarce with the absence of the family's father. In Nam, the elder son Perry undergoes many experiences that are permanently damaging to his mental physique and deal with the balance of life and death. As any Vietnam Story, me...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

A Long Walk to Freedom- Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela in his book, Long Walk to Freedom argues through the first five parts that a black individual must deal, coop, and grow through a society that is hindering their lives† with apartheid and suppression of their rightful land. Rolihlanla Mphakanyiswa or clan name, Madiba was born on July 18, 1918 in a simple village of Mvezo, which was not accustomed to the happenings of South Africa as a whole. His father was an respected man who led a good life, but lost it because of a dispute with the magistrate. While, his mother was a hard-working woman full of daily choirs. His childhood was full of playing games with fellow children and having fun. In school, Mandela was given his English name of Nelson. After his father†s death, he moved to love with a regent, who was a well-off individual and owed Nelson†s father for a previous favor. The next several years were full of schooling for Nelson. These schools opened Nelson†s eyes to many things, which we will discuss later. He and the regent†s son, Justice decided to travel to Johannesburg and see what work they could find. They left on their journey without the regent†s permission, but eventually escaped his power and settled down in the town. In Johannesburg, Nelson settled down in a law firm as an assistant and went to University of South Africa and Witwatersrand University to further his law education. Witswatersrand University brought many new ideas to Nelson and awakened a spirit inside of him. The next several years, Nelson met many new political friends and began his involvement in the ANC. Also during this time, he met Evelyn and they became married. Gradually Nelson†s political involvement grew and his family life declined. Nelson and his good friend, Oliver Tambo opened a law firm, which took up most of Nelson†s time. Evelyn mothered two of Nelson†s children, but the gradually grew apart. Now, Nelson was an influential political individual and bans and jailing began to follow him around. One day, a young woman came into his life by the name of Winnie and they got married. Winnie gave birth to two more of Nelson†s children. As time passed, Nelson†s spirit for freedom grew more and more each day. Though his life was full of bannings and jailings, he never gave up his fight, but he knew that the south African government was becoming agitated with him and the ANC. The South African government became ruthless and strict and this forced Nelson to leave his family. After he left his family, he went underground. Nelson†s life has been full of hardships and decisions, but his heart for the struggle has never faltered. Now let us examine Nelson in closer detail. Nelson is an individual who fought through many hardships, but was also faced with decisions that affected his future, his family, and his livelihood. As we look at Nelson deeper, we can see many interesting points. He was opened to new ideas and beliefs through his experiences in the schools of Heraldtown and Fort Hare, but knew there was something better. He decided to travel to Johannesburg to find new and greater opportunities. While, in Johannesburg, he believed education would be a key asset. While working for a small firm, he took classes at University of South Africa and eventually Wits University. Here is where his mind and social life flourished. He interacted with great minds and influential political individuals. He talked to many Africans without proper education, who contained more knowledge and better social skills than many Africans with education. But, he still persisted in acquiring his B. A. Wits University brought his life to new extents. He was also talking to Indians, Coloureds, and whites for the first time in his life and Becoming friends with many more prominent African individuals. Nelson soon joined the ANC and became very prominent in the fight for freedom. Nelson was always open to listening to new ideas, but when his was just starting his fight. He believed that just Africans should fight the struggle and that the Indians, Coloureds, and communists would hinder their fight. As the ANC grew, Nelson also became well known. He was part of the Youth League, another beneficial part of the ANC. Nelson was not president yet, but was powerful enough to voice is opinions, which many people listened to and believed in. As Nelson†s political involvement grew, the police became more aware of him. Nelson received ban after ban, which ranged from months to years. He also experienced jail time constantly. Eventually, the police†s pursuit of him forced him to go underground. Nelson was also becoming more open-minded. He now believed that the fight should involve the Indians and the Coloureds. He also believed that Communism did have some good points, but he would never accept the whole communism aspect. There were many freedom fighters in South Africa. One that stood out was Dr. Xuma. Dr. Xuma was friend of Nelson and the president of the ANC, but the struggle forces many hardships on one†s life. Nelson gave everything up to pursue his fight for freedom. He left his family, his prospering law firm, and his past for the struggle. Dr. Xuma believed in the same ideas as Nelson, but would not give up his prominence with the whites and his wealthy occupation for the struggle. This decision had to be made by many freedom fighters. Nelson gave his life for the fight. While, Dr. Xuma thought his career was more important. Now let us look closer at some issues seen through Mandela†s book. Through this paragraph, I will compare foreign influence seen in Long Walk to Freedom to foreign influence seen in Mexico through Professor Hornibrook†s lectures and notes. As I have seen through your lectures, South Africa was affected by foreign influence from the British and the Dutch. Mandela†s autobiography helps give more detailed accounts of the European influence seen in South Africa. Ever since Mandela was born, the European†s power affected his people. European influence could be seen through every aspect of life. In Mandela†s school, he was given an English name and this was because â€Å"this was the custom among Africans in those days and was undoubtedly due to the British bias of our education. â€Å"(14) Also, â€Å"the education I received was a British education, in which British ideas, British culture, British institutions were automatically assumed to be superior. There was no such thing as African culture. â€Å"(14) This shows that it was difficult to get away from the British influence even for children in school. The British and the Dutch governments passed several acts that were instituted to fight against the Africans freedom struggle. The Africans struggle for independence was slowly growing and this scared the government. A new term was being seen and it was called â€Å"apartheid. † The government enacted laws and acts that prohibited Africans from doing Many things that were vital to their fight and survival. The Group Areas Act was one example. This act called for each racial group to be separated into separate areas. Another act was the Population Registration Act, which showed that race had become the most important and influential aspect of South African law and society. Another act was the Suppression of Communism Act. This act called for all communists to be brought to trial. The police could arrest anyone they believed were trying to overthrow the government by violence and communist ways. Lastly, the government put bans on individuals who were becoming to involved in the struggle and finally the government banned the ANC and all other liberation groups. This ban now made freedom fighting was illegal in South Africa. The effect of foreign influence was drastic. Africans lost sense of African culture in schools. While, the foreign government tried everything to break down the Africans chance for liberty. The foreign influence seen in South Africa crushed the African†s hope and survival. While this was occurring in South Africa, Mexico was also seeing the effect of foreign influence. Americans and Europeans came into Mexico and gained much power. Haciendas helped their rise and foreign investment in many minerals and oil. But, Mexico did not approve of this and changed it. In 1917, Mexico created a new constitution, which limited foreign investment and promised land reform. This showed that Mexico did not want an overpopulation of foreigners and would not allow it. While, in oil, the foreigners controlled much of the oil, which Mexico had an abundance of. In 1938, oil workers went on strike and the companies would not give in, but instead of allowing foreign influence to become too powerful. The Mexican leader, Cardenas sent in arbitrators. The arbitrators called for the one/third pay increase, but the companies refused. Therefore, Cardenas nationalized oil and limited the power of foreign influence in Mexico. Now, Mexican oil was controlled by PEMEX, which is controlled only by Mexico. Mexico become a large influence in the oil market during the oil crisis, but also went though hyperinflation and eventually needed some foreign help. But, the Mexicans would not allow foreign influences to dominate the Mexican state as foreigners have affected South Africa. Now I will examine another issue seen in the book. In this paragraph, I will examine the movement seen in Long Walk to Freedom to the movement seen in China during the 1900†³s. In South Africa, the movement I saw was the Africans fighting for freedom. In their time of struggle, they had little help from those with power. The liberation movement involved peasants, educated, and well-off Africans. But, the government did what ever they could to put down this struggle. They set up organizations, such as the ANC, Youth League, and others, but as seen in other places the wealthy and powerful would not help the struggle. Many people were blind to the struggle. â€Å"Most of these wardresses had no idea why we were in prison, and gradually began to discover what we were fighting for and why we were willing to risk jail in the first place. (249) Many individuals did not realize what the Africans were really fighting for and why the government was harassing them, but slowly they were learning. â€Å"Seeing prominent and educated white women discussing serious matters with a black man on the basis of perfect equality could only lead to the weakening of the wardresses† apartheid assumptions. â€Å"(249) The government tried to separate whites from blacks so whites would not turn sympathetic towards the Africans fight. This scared feeling made the government acts and laws stricter and harsher towards the African struggle. Therefore, in South Africa, the movement received little help from the people who had influence in the country and the help they truly needed. While, in China, their movement involved their peasants and they had help, which truly helped their struggle. Mao stated that â€Å"In a very short time,†¦ several hundred million peasants will rise like a mighty storm†¦ They will sweep all the imperialists, warlords, corrupt officials, local tyrants and evil gentry into their graves†¦ â€Å"(Mao, 24) Here Mao stated that the peasants would destroy the landlords and corrupt individuals. He helped the peasants by making some reforms. He gave peasants land and made marriages a free choice. He also instituted the 100 Flowers Campaign. This campaign allowed peasants to speak out and have freedom of speech. We see here that the peasants had help in their struggle, while the Africans had very little. This assistance helped the peasants to get the things they were fighting for. Mandela†s Long Walk to Freedom, helped show the rise of an incredible individual, who fought with many of his countrymen against the oppression and apartheid of white supremacy in South Africa. Throughout the book, I have seen Nelson†s open-mindedness. Nelson always listened to communist ideas and Indian goals, eventhough he did not agree with them. Nelson faced many hardships through his struggle and this had to cause some resentment against his oppressors. But if anyone would not be bias in his writing, I would say it would be Nelson Mandela. He has showed in his book that he is great individual and that he will not let his past feeling cloud his writing. You can see his feelings in his book and that is what makes it so good, but I believe he does not hide anything from us on both sides of the stories. In conclusion, Mandela†s autobiography is a brilliant book written by an incredible individual. I wish I could of read the whole book for this essay, but that was not possible. It is hard to write an essay on the first 5 parts when I know some things that happened further in the book. I did not know if I should include that information in the essay, but I did not involve it. This book helped to show the other side of the story. We always hear the victor†s story and in this class we got to hear the other side of the story.

Monday, September 16, 2019

P&G Strategic Plan Essay

Executive Summary Our Procter & Gamble Strategic Plan makes available an investigation and assessment of the current and prospective opportunities for the company based on in-depth market and company research. Analyses are based on standard business strategy analysis tools, which are: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) analysis, External and Internal Factors Evaluation (EFE/IFE) Matrices, and standard financial analyses including competitive comparison with Procter & Gamble’s industry. Strategic alternatives were evaluated with the use of the Internal-External (IE) Matrix and the Grand Strategy Matrix which fed into the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM). The results of the QSPM validated the best strategy to pursue. The best strategy for Procter & Gamble is the production of less expensive, yet same quality consumer goods, which we plan to implement without compromising our belief in quality and effectiveness. Introduction In order to begin a strategic plan for a company it is important to understand what that business does. Since 1837, P&G has built a rich heritage of touching consumers’ lives with brands that make life a little better every day (â€Å"Company Heritage,† 2011). P&G believes that innovation will sustain them. They have a broad range of brands and are known as the world’s leading branded consumer company since their products are sold in 180 countries (â€Å"Global Structure & Governance,† 2011). Buhovac, Epstien, and Yuthas, in their book Implementing Sustainability: the role of leadership and organizational culture, wrote: â€Å"P&G managers have widened their organizational perspective to see the broader picture and capture benefits beyond a particular issue or cost. They strive to create products that enable consumers to be more environmentally sustainable. Improving efficiency of the entire product life cycle from cradle to grave is a major focus of P&G’s sustainability efforts† ( p. 44.). A brief look at the history of P&G and their mission/ vision statements will provide a better understanding of what type of company P&G is and wants to be. History According to Procter and Gamble’s website, P&G was created on October 31, 1837 by brother-n-laws, William Procter and James Gamble. Each one had their own skills; William made candles and James produced soap. They formed Procter and Gamble to make and sell candles and soap (â€Å"P&G: A Company History,† 2006). The two entrepreneurs were successful in making it through the financial difficulties of the time. The largest impact on the company at this time was the civil war in which the government contracted the company to supply soldiers with soap and candles (â€Å"P&G: A Company History,† 2006). Edison’s light bulb invention caused the demand for candles to weaken and the company began to focus on making soap by opening up their first research lab. The research lab came up with Ivory flakes which served as soap to wash clothes and dishes. Chipso was the first soap designed for washing machines. Dreft was the first synthetic house-hold cleaner and Crisco, which is still around today, was an all-vegetable shortening (â€Å"P&G: A Company History,† 2006). From that time on, P&G has continued to be innovative and create new products for consumers and in 2011 ranked number 26 on the Fortune 500 list (â€Å"Fortune 500,† 2011). Mission and Vision Statement Procter and Gamble has created a mission statement to tell what their business is. â€Å"Sometimes called a creed statement, a statement of purpose, a statement of philosophy, a statement of beliefs, a statement of principles, or a statement ‘defining our business,’ a mission statement reveals what an organization wants to be and whom it wants to serve† (David, 2011, p. 44). P&G’s mission statement says, â€Å"Procter & Gamble will provide branded products and services of superior quality and value that improve the lives of the world’s consumers. As a result consumers will reward us with industry leadership in sales, profit, and value creation, allowing our people, our shareholders, and the communities in which we live and work to prosper† (David, 2011, p.46). P&G has also created a vision statement that states, â€Å"Procter & Gamble’s vision is to be, and be recognized as, the best consumer products company in the world† (David, 2011, p. 44). Proctor & Gamble’s mission and vision statements explain their dedication and importance of selling high quality products in order to improve people’s lives around the world while providing jobs and stimulating the economy (â€Å"Purpose and People,† 2011). The objectives the company would like to uphold in living up to the mission statement are building existing businesses into stronger global leaders, expand to reach more markets, increase higher margins with global leadership potential, and produce more products in order to satisfy all consumers’ needs and wants. P & G believes they can improve everyone’s lives in ways that enable them to thrive, to increase the quality of living, and over time make them loyal buyers (â€Å"Purpose and People,† 2011). STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT One of the most important parts of the strategic formulation stage of the strategic management process is the assessment of a company, both externally and internally, and where that company stands in their industry. The results of these assessments will produce information that can be analyzed to determine the best strategic plans for evaluation based on the company’s present situation. The external assessment looks at forces beyond a company’s control; opportunities that can enhance and threats that can hurt their operations. The internal assessment looks at forces from within that are either strengths that can be capitalized on or weaknesses that must be offset, or both, for success. Financial and operational analysis, using the Dun and Bradstreet business ratios, looks at a company’s financial and operational success, or failure, as compared to competition within their industry. External Forces Evaluation (EFE) Matrix The following analysis is an external evaluation of the opportunities and threats that can affect Procter & Gamble. The External Factors Evaluation matrix, Figure A-1, and this supporting summary draw data from published reports, news articles, and blogs to ensure as complete a picture as possible is presented. The following opportunities and threats discussed refer back to Figure A-1. Opportunities. As Procter and Gamble is looking to find ways to bring in customers, they have used a method of observation to see what people are concerned about and what they want (Silverman, 2011). By spending $2 billion annually on R&D, Procter and Gamble have brought upon the company an opportunity, as they think about Future Growth plans with a focus on increasing concentration on its core attractive business and enhancing its customer base. Also, Procter & Gamble has been applying for and being assigned patents for â€Å"fabric care compositions and systems comprising organ silicone micro emulsions and methods employing same†¦ assigned Patent for Automatic Dishwashing Detergent Composition†¦and Process for Treating a Hard Surface using an EO/PO Trisiloxane† (â€Å"Targeted News Source†, 2011). As more women want the natural look, there is a movement towards the use of herbal cosmetics (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review,† 2011). As the manufacturer of cosmetics, Procter & Gamble have an opportunity to capitalize on this opportunity by shifting their production and purchase from synthetic cosmetics towards natural, herbal cosmetics. As the producer of Herbal Essences, the opportunity to increase a line of â€Å"herbal† cosmetics and healthcare products is wide open for the taking. Procter & Gamble have a great opportunity to take advantage of the emerging economies of countries like China, Kuwait, and India (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review†, 2011). With increased employment and the growing desire for affluence, there is an increase in disposable income available for the purchase of known brands into a market that has little penetration from other organized retailers (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review†, 2011). Another opportunity Procter & Gamble has developed is to branch out and invest in manufacturing in developing countries such as its chemical company, Procter & Gamble SA. â€Å"It is one of the newest P&G subsidiaries†¦in South Africa principally into production of cleaning products and beauty care products. P&G uses its South African base to export to neighboring SADC countries,† (â€Å"Procter & Gamble SA – Strategic SWOT Analysis Review,† 2011). This opportunity can help to offset a slowing economy in the United States where Procter & Gamble presently generate 41% of their 2011 sales (Hoovers, 2011). As the producer of Iams and Eukanuba pet foods, Procter & Gamble has a prime opportunity to capitalize on the growing trend of humanization of pets worldwide (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review†, 2011). Procter & Gamble’s market share of pet food and personal pet care products can be increased through an increase in their line of high-quality food and luxury products (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review†, 2011). With the decline in the market and rising government debt, Jonathan Chevreau published on his Financial Post Blog Wealthy boomer a letter written by Robert Smith, CFA, CFP where Robert wrote that investors should be moving towards purchasing stocks from â€Å"solid dividend-paying companies† ( 2011). Procter & Gamble were cited as one of the companies that are a sure bet because of the diversity and necessity of their products. Procter & Gamble can capitalize on this by continuing to provide a dividend on their stocks which should attract more investors. There is a new trend advancing in the baby diaper industry. Competitor Kimberly-Clark has jumped into the trend with Huggies jeans; a diaper that looks like it is jeans material. Now they are producing a camouflage design diaper for Wal-Mart that will support Military families. Procter and Gamble has recognized the new trend by introducing floral prints for girls. John Brase, head of North American baby care marketing at Procter and Gamble is stated in an article by Bruce Horovitz (2011) as saying, â€Å"You have a group of moms focused on fashion who think of the diaper as an extension of clothing.† Another opportunity for Procter and Gamble is the demand for environmentally friendly products. In recent years there has been an increased focus on saving the earth through green choices. This opportunity has prompted Procter and Gamble to become publicly committed to long-term goals of reducing energy consumption, converting to entirely renewable energy sources, using 100% renewable or recycled materials, and eliminating disposal of consumer and manufacturing waste in landfills (Pandis, 2011).

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Candy in Of Mice and Men Essay

Candy’s name has many connotations and many of which gives us an insight to the inequalities against old people in American society. Candy on the very simple and literal level means â€Å"sweet and pleasing† and shows that Candy is a very sweet, nice old man. Another connotation that springs to mind is that Candy, the old swamper, is a very friendly, honest and open man with whom you can talk about everything. This is underlined by his name: â€Å"candid† means â€Å"not hiding one†²s thoughts, frank and honest†. But Candy’s name has also an even deeper meaning or connotation which highlights an inequality in society in that his name- Candy- is a metaphor as much like his name, candy or sweets have a sell-by date. This portrays that in American society all workers are expendable or indispensable and after a given time they are rendered as useless. The killing of Candy’s dog is a key metaphor in the book as Candy the old handyman, aging and left with only one hand as the result of an accident, worries that the boss will soon declare him useless and demand that he leave the ranch. Even though we learn that Candy’s dog was once an impressive sheep herder, past accomplishments and current emotional ties matter little, as Carlson makes clear when he insists that Candy let him put the dog out of its misery, we see this in the line: â€Å"He ain’t no good to you†¦why’n’t you shoot him Candy?† Candy’s dog serves as a harsh reminder in American society of the fate that awaits anyone who outlives their usefulness. This situation also portrays an inequality in society in that society views on their age and incapabilities rather than their values and past achievements. Steinbeck throughout the novel uses Candy to portray to the reader the inequality of ageism in American in society in 1920. Through his descriptions of Candy’s working and living conditions, Steinbeck highlights the frequent use of discrimination and ageism. Candy is an â€Å"old swamper†, who lives in a â€Å"bunkhouse†. His possessions are a â€Å"bunk† and â€Å"an apple box†. Theoretically, one should treat aged people respectfully. In our society, pensioners have a better life than employees. However, Candy is a â€Å"swamper† and he is not treated fairly. The repetition of â€Å"old† in Candy’s description also emphasises that his appearance and inability to work because of his age was what many people judged Candy by. Candy because of his age and disability is an outcast on this ranch we see this when he does not go into town with the rest of the ranchworkers which highlights how excluded Candy is. The exclusion of Candy is another indication of the inequalities in American society in that it was very ageist and discriminative. In our society pensioners are treated with a lot more respect that the average middle-aged working class citizen but we learn from this novel that society in 1920 was juxtaposed to this. Candy did not get pension or benefits for the government; the only sum of money he received was the inadequate sum of $250 for the loss of his hand, which contributed massively to his uslessness. This is an indication in of an inequality in society as old people were not even valued by the government as there were no pensions. Old people were poor in the 1920’s because they were seen as useless by the average people and the government alike. This indicates that American society greatly believed in the term ‘survival of the fittest’ and believed people should ‘work until they dropped.’ After Lennie leaves the ranch Candy replaces his role and becomes dependent on George: â€Å"What we gonna do now George? What we gonna do now?† Also throughout the novel we notice Candy’s vulnerability in the ranch especially when it comes to the boss. For example we see in the line: â€Å"You won’t tell Curley nothing I said?† that Candy is in fact frightened of the boss and his son and knows that they have the power to get rid of Candy from the ranch and therefore would leave him with nothing. Candy is a passive man, unable to take any independent action. Indeed, his one major act in the book – when he offers Lennie and George money in order to buy a piece of land with them – is a means by which he can become dependent on them: â€Å"An’ I’ll make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off† This indicates an inequality in that it shows how vulnerable old people were in American society especially once they got past the stage of being able to work as no one seen them as any use. View as multi-pages

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Explore F.Scotts Fitzgeralds presentation of class and wealth in The Great Gatsby and The Diamond as Big as the Ritz

Wealth and social class permeate much of F. Scott Fitzgerald's ‘The Great Gatsby' and ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz'. Set during the roaring twenties when many people had newly accumulated wealth after the war, both texts seek to explore and satirise the complexities of wealth and social class. They particularly focus on how far people may go to fit into a social class or protect their fortune. Despite ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz' being set within the fantasy genre, elements of Fitzgerald's own life run as undercurrents throughout both texts. Fitzgerald's life features heavily in the texts, be it through the characterisation of Nick and Gatsby or the underlying references to his personal experiences. The experiences of the main protagonists' form parallels with Fitzgerald's interactions with the wealthy, both at Princeton and Great Neck and in his relationship with Zelda. ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz' satirises the exuberant wealth experienced by Fitzgerald when visiting a Princeton classmate. ‘The Great Gatsby' on the other hand, is more reliant on aspects of Fitzgerald's own life which forms the emotional foundation of the novel. Gatsby's relationship with Daisy mirrors Fitzgerald's turbulent relationship with Zelda who much like Daisy, was regarded as being incredibly materialistic. Gatsby can therefore be seen as a representing Fitzgerald's pursuit of sufficient wealth to support an aristocratic love interest. He does this to the detriment of his artistic integrity which he compromised by writing short stories to fund Zelda's opulent lifestyle. This is mirrored by Gatsby compromising his integrity and personal worth by bootlegging and lying about being the ‘son of some wealthy people in the Middle-West', in order to please Daisy and hopefully gain acceptance. He fails in both these areas. In integrating elements of his personal life, Fitzgerald may be implying that loving someone of a different social class comes with compromises and that one may lose sight of who they are in the process. ‘The Great Gatsby' by virtue of its representations of wealth and class can be seen as a running criticism of the American Dream and America's obsession with wealth amidst the hedonistic culture of the 1920's. The American Dream had originally been founded on the notion that anyone, irrespective of their background could achieve anything in the ‘land of opportunity' if they worked hard enough. Fitzgerald however, believed that the American Dream was just an ‘illusion' and that it had been corrupted by the of pursuit wealth. He consistently challenged the idea of the achievability of the American Dream in ‘The Great Gatsby'. The geographical motifs of East and West Egg embody just how unachievable the American Dream is. This geographical separation may symbolise the hypothetical and literal divides between the nouveau riche who reside in West Egg and aristocrats of East egg, consequently highlighting how they will forever lead separate existences. This gives the impression of the American Dream being highly flawed, as having acquired great wealth does not translate into acceptance for the people of West Egg, who are seen as the social subordinates of the aristocrats of East Egg. This is further established by the behaviour of the guests at Gatsby's party. The people of West Egg lack the refinement, grace and manners of their aristocratic counterparts for whom these traits form the rudiments of their social class. This consequently demonstrates how East and West Egg are separated by more than geographical distance but also by simple things such as social etiquette and fashion choices. Jordan's party (who consist of fellow East Eggers) are ‘spread around a table on the outside of the garden' ‘carefully on guard', emphasising that even within the intimate confines of the party the divide is still apparent and the people of East Egg are reluctant to mix. The corruption of the American Dream is further explored through the main protagonists' initial amazement and delight (early on in the text) at the great wealth they encounter. Fitzgerald employs a myriad of symbolisms, metaphors and similes to depict the sheer luxury and over exuberance of the aristocrats within both texts. Through these devices he is able to satirise the materialistic world the aristocrats inhabit, making it appear outlandish. In ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz' John Unger, a boy from Hades with ‘meager standards of living' is ‘amused and delighted', by the luxurious lifestyle Percy and his family lead. When he arrives with Percy they are driven in what Percy dismissively calls a ‘buggy'. However, the reader can extrapolate from John's reaction at the ‘thousand minute tapestries of silk, woven with jewels' that the vehicle is far from an old buggy. In this instance John's amazement may have been employed to paradox Percy's dismissive attitude towards wealth as he refers to the luxurious car as ‘old junk'. Fitzgerald may have used this paradox highlight the hollow nature of the wealthy, whose lives are fueled by consumerism to the extent that they place little value to the possessions everyone else would deem as extraordinary. In ‘The Great Gatsby', Nick is also amazed by the wealth he experiences at the Buchanan home. His first interaction with Daisy and Jordon has a dream like quality to it. When he meets the women they are dressed in white, ‘their dresses rippling and fluttering †¦ a short flight around the house' this gives the women an angelic quality which hints at how Nick is initially drawn in by their great wealth. This surreal and dream like quality of wealth is also reflected in ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz' with the depiction of the girl who is dressed like ‘Titania'. In the play, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Titania is the queen of the fairies which Fitzgerald may have used to allude to the magical and mystifying qualities of wealth present within both texts. Conversely, the amazement the main protagonists' initially showcased soon dissipates when they discover the corruptive nature of wealth and the wealthy. Despite the people of East Egg possessing an abundance of grace, elegance and taste (that comes with adhering to the norms of aristocratic society) they lack compassion. The East Eggers are presented as little more than bullies who use their money to alleviate any concerns they have, irrespective of who they hurt in the process. This morally corrupt nature of the rich is explored through the Buchanan's in ‘The Great Gatsby' and the Washingtons' in ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz'. The Buchanans' are presented as ‘careless people' who ‘smash[ed] things up' only to retreat back into ‘their vast carelessness'. Their lack of moral fiber is further emphasised when instead of attending Gatsby's funeral they move into a house far away. Fitzgerald may have used the Buchanans' as a moral didactic for the readers to illustrate how wealth can corrupt when one allows themself to become consumed by it. On the other hand, it could represent the unfair nature of capitalist societies whereby the wealthy upper-class can afford to pay for peace of mind. This conflicts with Gatsby whom despite accumulating his wealth through criminality is kind and loving, keeping watch outside Daisy's window to insure Tom does not hurt her, consequently illustrating that wealth alone does not corrupt but when coupled with high social status it can have disastrous effects. Moreover, in both texts religion (which is supposed to strengthen ones moral compass) has been replaced by consumerism. Atrocious things are carried out in the name of wealth in the texts, including murder and imprisonment. These things are written off as a natural pre-requisite of success and expansion. Here Fitzgerald argues that wealth can be its own prison blinding its pursuers, dehumanizing them to the extent that they devalue human life and assume that everyone can be bought. Fitzgerald satirizes the absurd nature of the rich when Mr. Washington tries ‘offering a bribe to God' with a voice immersed in ‘inextinguishable pride'. Ross Posnock, a Marxist writer, praised Fitzgerald in his essay ‘A New World, Material Without Being real' for his presentation of the capitalist society in ‘The Great Gatsby'1. Posnock believed that Fitzgerald had captured the capitalist society's obsession with material wealth and how it leads to people being regarded as little more than object that can be acquired along with capital in order to boost ones social status. Gatsby's vast wardrobe is a ‘heavy defensive wall' consisting of ‘thick silk' and ‘expensive dye' which support the Marxist view of material possessions providing a barrier against hardship which the rich can hide behind. For Gatsby, and many others, material possessions help to protect their status in the same way the ‘invisible cloak' of Gatsby's army uniform had hidden his lower class status when he first met Daisy. In general, the negative portrayal of consumerism in his work has made him very popular with Marxist writers. In conclusion, Fitzgerald uses ‘The Great Gatsby' and ‘The Diamond as Big as Ritz' to highlight the negative elements of wealth and class, whilst particularly emphasising that class roles will never be crossed. Both texts highlight the potential hazards of capitalist societies when one becomes consumed by materialism, placing greater importance on monetary fortune and status than the consequences of their actions. Although Fitzgerald presents both wealth and class in negative lights he reminds the reader that wealth alone does not give way to moral corruption hinting that it is wealth in conjunction with high social class that leads to the decaying of one's moral compass.

Assessing health care and needs of older person

Assessing health care and needs of older person Summary Caring for older people with dementia highlights many special and difficult issues for nurses and carers, such as separation, illness, loneliness, death and how to provide continued care (Morrissey et al, 1997, Livingston, 2010). Monitoring and questioning the way we care for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is an important part of delivering the very highest standards of specialist dementia care. Aims and Objectives This study is about the assessment of health needs and the strategies of care delivered for an older person with dementia within the community observed during my recent placement. There will be discussions focusing on normal ageing process, taking into account the relevant biological, sociological and physiological perspectives and the impact this had on this individual’s life experience. Dementia Care Mapping and community profile will be introduced. The relevant epidemiology and aetiology factors will be examined and the social and kinship support networks will be identified, how they work together to provide individual holistic patient care, the impact it had on him in the community and finally the impact of current legislation on the overall care provided will be analysed.. The rationale for this is to demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical and practical links in caring for individuals with this condition in the community. Confidentiality is maintained in conjunction with NMC 2010. Thus a pseudonym (Scot) is adopted where the client’s name is mentioned. Context Scot is a 70 year old man with a long term history of psychosis. Recently he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, a type of dementia, which affects the brain cells and brain nerve transmitters, which carry instructions around the brain. Scot is also a non-insulin dependent diabetic and has hypertension, both of which are controlled by oral medication. Aeotiology Dementia as a disorder, is manifested b y multiple cognitive defects, such as impaired memory, aphasia, apraxia and a disturbance in occupational or social functioning, Howcroft (2004).The brain shrinks as gasps develops in the temporal lobe and hippocampus. The ability to think, speak, remember and make decisions is interrupted (ADS, 2011). Disturbances in executive functioning are also seen in the loss of the ability to think abstractly, having difficulty performing tasks and the avoidance of situations, which involves processing information. Due to the decline of his mental state, he has been refusing access to his carer (his wife) and was at risk of self-neglect. Current medication He had been well managed on Quetiapine until he had stopped taking the medication and his psychosis had worsened. Quetiapine is an oral antipsychotic drug used for treating schizophrenia and similar disorders. Like other anti-psychotics, it inhibits communication between nerves of the brain. Frequent adverse effects include headache, agitat ion, dizziness, drowsiness, weight gain and stomach upset (Ballard et al 2005). Medical history Seven (7) years ago, he had a mild stroke. He has fractured both of his wrists and has no sensation of the heat or cold on his hands but can move and use his fingers perfectly fine. Referral Scot was referred to the CMHT on the 03 May 2011 by his General Practitioner (GP). He was seen by the CPN for his mental illness and was decided that Scot would be visited every day because of his past medical history.