How has IT affected Society? Essay

The term information technology (IT) refers to anything related to computing technology, such as networking, hardware, software, the Internet, or the people that work with these technologies. IT evolved in the 1970’s and has become a part of our everyday lives. †¢Globalization: The creation of one interdependent system helps us to share information and end linguistic barriers across the continents. The technology has not only made communication cheaper, but also possible much quicker and round the clock. The wonders of text messages, email and auto-response, backed by computer security applications, has opened up scope for direct communication. †¢Creation of New Jobs: Things that were once done manually or by hand have now become easier and faster due to the advent of a computing technology. A whole new field of opportunities for skilled persons has opened up such as web designers, computer programmers, system analyst etc. †¢Cost effective: Information technology has helped to computerize the business process to make them extremely cost effective money making machines. This in turn increases productivity which ultimately gives rise to profits that means better pay and less strenuous working conditions. †¢Privacy: Though information technology may have made communication quicker, easier and more convenient, it has also bought along privacy issues. From cell phone signal interceptions to email hacking, people are now worried about their once private information becoming public knowledge. †¢Dominant culture: While information technology may have made the world a global village, it has also contributed to one culture dominating another weaker one †¢Loss of personal touch: emails and instant messaging have replaced the old tradition of handwriting letters. †¢Theft of personal information †¢Pornography †¢Unemployment †¢Lac of job security IT use in Mexico has changed since the implementation of NAFTA. Specifically, it appears that the indirect effects of NAFTA have increased investment and foreign firm activity in Mexico, which has ultimately increased IT use. However, the uniform proliferation of IT throughout Mexico, especially among domestic firms and within the more rural areas, appears to be weak. NAFTA, though helpful, could have been more effective in stimulating IT adoption if it were aided by further government interventions and if more focus was directed at building up a more conducive IT infrastructure. Cuba is the Caribbean’s largest and least commercialized island and one of the world’s last bastions of communism. The island’s relative political isolation has prevented it from being overrun by tourists, and locals are sincerely friendly to those who do visit. Cuba’s international telecommunication infrastructure is in better condition and better able to meet current and future demand than their internal infrastructure, although that is also improving. Demand for telecommunication is rising in spite of the economic effects of the loss of Eastern Europe and the embargo. Key industries which generate hard currency (tourism and biotechnology) require communication, and their requirements are being slowly funded. And article covering the effect of technology on the society of Nigeria While students may hunger and yearn for computers they do not have the earning power to buy PC â€Å"While students may hunger and yearn for computers they do not have the earning power – so while the demand will be catalyzed by students it will be actualized by willing parents, wards, guardians, mentors and other well meaning Nigerians who are willing to invest as little as N3, 500 a month in the future of the country†, Omobola Johnson, Minister of Communication Technology says summing up the launch of the Student PC Ownership Programme to equip Nigerian students with computers. Cost effectiveness on Businesses Quicker Communication Theft of personal information The Information Technology Society deals with all aspects of information technology in industry, administration, teaching, research and science. Its primary aim is to promote the scientific and technical development of information technology and its practical application. The ongoing computing and communications revolution has numerous economic and social impacts on modern society and requires serious social science investigation in order to manage its risks and dangers. Each technology has its users and developers. They determine the importance and influence of technology on the consumer. To determine and group the users and developers of the information technology, special properties have to be taken into account.

Interaction and Communication Essay

1.1: Explain how different forms of dementia may affect the way an individual communicates: Forms of dementia are all different therefore the individuals will be affected in different ways when it comes to communication, for example; one individual may find it difficult to express their words where as another individual may speak more fluently but their sentences not make any sense. The individual depending on what type of dementia and how far into the stage they are may find other ways communicating such as; using body language, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact and tone of voice. Read more:  Explain How Individuals With Dementia May Communicate Through Their Behaviour 1.2: Explain how physical and mental health factors may need to be considered when communicating with an individual who has dementia: Physical and mental health factors will also need to be considered when communicating with someone who has dementia, for example somebody who is deaf and has hearing aids will need to make sure that the carer has put the hearing aids in correctly, that they are switched on and turned right up. The carer will also need to speak in a loud and clear tone of voice to able the individual to communicate more easily. The carer will need to make sure the individual has their glasses on if they wear any so that the carer can keep direct eye contact with the individual so the communication is better. For physical health factors the carer will need to consider that the individuals may be in pain or have discomfort which will more than likely affect their communication. 1.3: Describe how to support different communication abilities and needs of an individual with dementia who has a sensory impairment: People with dementia may need extra support with different types of communication abilities when it comes to sensory impairment, for example; Vision: People with dementia may experience several changes in visual abilities, for example they may lose their ability to grasp visual images although there is nothing physically wrong with their eyes. People with dementia may no longer be able to understand what they see exactly due to changes in their brain. The carer could support the individual by; Marking the edges of steps with brightly coloured strips of tape. Place brightly coloured signs or simple pictures on important rooms such as the bathroom for easier identification. Smell: A loss or decrease in smell usually occurs with people with dementia. The carer could support the individual by; Having good quality smoke alarms and to check them frequently as the individual may not smell the smoke. Also keep the fridges clean and tidy. Touch: People with dementia may suffer from loss of touch and may not be able to tell someone when something is too hot or too cold or even when they are in pain or discomfort. The carer could support the individual by; Adjusting the water heaters to the correct temperature so it isn’t possible to scald anyone. Colour coding the water taps; blue for cold, red for hot. Placing signs on electricals and to have supervision with the individual when  they need to use them. Removing furniture that is hazardous or putting cushions on the corners to keep them padded. Taste: People with dementia may lose taste sensitivity which could lead them to putting anything and everything in their mouths, also it could stop them from wanting to eat. The carer could support the individual by; Remove/lock up medicine cabinet items such as tooth paste, hairspray, body washes/soaps. To have a child proof lock on the fridge if necessary. Keep items such as salt, sugar or spices away from reach in case of the resident eating too much of it. Hearing: People with dementia may have normal hearing but may struggle with understanding what someone is trying to say. This may result in confusion or over-stimulation. The carer could support the individual by; Avoiding loud noises in the home such as the radio or TV being too loud. Avoid large gatherings in the home if the person with dementia shows signs of agitation or distress in crowds. 1.4: Describe the impact the behaviours of carers and others may have on an individual with dementia: People with dementia can display certain behaviours which can be seen by others as inappropriate or unacceptable such as shouting, excessive screaming, insultive and inappropriate touching. What the carers and other should see this as is this is part of the individual’s dementia and handled in a polite manner, this isn’t the individual’s personal behaviour it is part of their condition. Shouting at a dementia resident because they are screaming will just make the  resident worse as it can cause further distress and confusion to them. By not paying attention to the resident when they make a request can leave the resident feeling like a burden to the system. Somebody with dementia could forget when they need the toilet or even where the toilet is and with a carer or others blaming the individual for continence issues this can make the individual feel sad and ashamed. Carers however should encourage and reassure the individuals. People with dementia should also be encouraged to take part in their daily routines if they are able to do so as this will help the individual to feel useful and helpful and involved. Carers who do everything and don’t allow the residents to get involved can leave the residents feeling useless and like a burden too. Be able to use positive interaction approaches with individuals’ with dementia: 4.1: Explain the difference between reality orientation approach to interactions and a validation approach: Reality orientation and validation approaches are quite different as reality orientation is all about here and now, meaning the time of day, where they are and what they are doing, where as the validation approach is when the carer would accept and take on board what the individual is saying but to not correct them when they are wrong as in the approach the carer is focusing more on the indivdual’s feelings rather that the content of speech. References: Websites: www.caringnews.com www.fightdementia.org.au

Business Ethics And Social Responsibility Commerce Essay

Business Ethics And Social Responsibility Commerce Essay Generation of maximum returns for its stakeholders is the ultimate purpose of any business establishment but over the last decade, there has been an ongoing dialogue about the role of business as responsible stewards. Though profit motive for any organization is well understood and accepted, people do not accept it as an excuse for ignoring the basic norms, values, and standards of being a good and responsible citizen. Standards, Norms Procedures and expectations to define values of responsible business conduct are emerging worldwide. In the past few years, ethical problems in business have been reported several times by leading newspaper and magazines. The term ‘ethics’ is mainly used to refer to the rules or principles that define the right and wrong conduct. According to Clarence D. Walton and La Rue Tone Hosmer, â€Å"business ethics is concerned with truth and justice and has a variety of aspects such as the expectations of society, fair competition, advertising, public relations, social responsibilities, consumer autonomy, and corporate behavior in the home country as well as abroad.† Practically speaking it can also be considered to be a value system which is â€Å"concerned primarily with the relationship of business goals & techniques to specifically human ends†, It also means viewing the needs & aspirations of individuals as a part of society. In the present day scenario it is one of the major task for the management to inculcate values & impart a sense of business ethics to the employees and organization, Managers, especially top-level managers, are responsible for creating an environment that fosters ethical decision-making in organization. Theodore Purcell and James Weber suggested three ways for applying and integrating ethical concepts: 1. Establishing of a policy regarding ethical behavior or developing a code of ethics in organization 2. An ethics committee in organization to resolve ethical issues 3. Teaching busine ss ethics and values in management development programs. These concepts should be applied taking into consideration the Social, Cultural, Political and Economic factors that affects the state of personal value and business ethic within different industries. Types of Managerial Ethics Archie B. Carroll, an eminent researcher, identified three types of management ethics, depending on the extent to which the decisions were ethical or moral: moral management amoral management immoral management Types of Managerial Ethics 1) Moral management Moral management strives to follow ethical principles and doctrines. Moral managers work to succeed without violating any ethical standards. They seek to succeed remaining within the bounds of laws. Such managers undertake such activities which ensure that though they may engage in legal and ethical behavior, they also continue to make a profit. The law should be followed not only in letter but also in spirit. Moral managers always seek to determine whether their actions, behavior or decisions are fair to themselves as well as to all other stakeholders involved. In the long run, this approach is likely to be in the best interests of the organizations. 2) Amoral management This approach is neither immoral nor moral. Amoral management simply ignores ethical considerations. It is broadly categorized into two types – intentional and unintentional. Intentional amoral managers do not take ethical issues into consideration while making decisions or while taking any action, because in their perception, general ethical standards should only be applicable to the non-business areas of life. Unintentional amoral managers, however, do not even consider the moral implications of their decisions or actions. Amoral managers pursue profitability as the only goal and pay very little attention to the impact on any of their social stakeholders. They do not like to interfere in their employees’ activities, unless their behavior can le ad to government interference. The guiding principle of amoral management is – â€Å"Within the law of the land, will this action, decision, or behavior help us make money?†

User experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

User experience - Essay Example In order to evaluate the website, a range of the users is selected from the targeted audience and assigned particular tasks to evaluate the scrupulous and diverse characteristics of the website. Moreover, in order to get information regarding the experiences of the users while using the website, the users are given a website usability form to be filled so that the website of the Phone4u can be evaluated. After looking at every element of the interaction and usability factors and based on the results of the evaluation, suggestions and recommendations are made (Cornell University Library, 2012). The recommendations would be presented to the company for improving several aspects of the website to reach the targeted audience, trust development on the visitors and customers, moreover, guidance to increase the web traffic (Dumas, 2008, p37). The usability test is one of the essential steps in the evaluation of the user’s likeness and dislike-ness while using the Phone4u’s website. This will require acquisition of user opinions and to present an analysis of the information to guide the decision on the areas of improvement. Since most of the features are observable qualitative attributes, this study will have to convert them into quantitative variables for ease of data analysis. Changes are good in order to improve the website, however, at the same time it is important to consider the fact that some users do not welcome changes so easily and may prefer to remain in the previous version of the website rather than the new one with improved features (Kendall & Kendall 2011, p58). The evaluation will lead to the decision making for the new version of the website based on the information from user response. The statistics will be gathered as comments from the selected users. The participants’ views reflect the present trend and

Appeasement and wars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Appeasement and wars - Essay Example It is through this party that Hitler controlled Germany with no mercy (Evans 2006, p. 14). This paper will discuss the universally popular consent of Hitler’s rule. In other words, this is the main view of Hitler’s dictatorship rule. Hitler attained full control of Germany the after the First World War crisis (Evans 2006, p. 23). He used charismatic oratory, as well as propaganda, appealing to financial needs, anti-Semitism and nationalism to set up an authoritarian regime in the country. With a rearmed military, as well as a restructured economy, he pursued an aggressive international policy with the aim of expanding or increasing Germans boarders (Bracher 1972, p. 15). This eventually led to the explosion of the Second World War. The fighting broke out after Germany invaded the territories of Poland and Poland chose to resist German’s attempt. Hitler’s name is never forgotten in Germany. During the First World War, Hitler joined the German armed forces. He even got rewards for his stern bravery. However, when he got news of German’s defeat in the First World War, Hitler was extremely depressed. He felt that it was extremely dishonorable for the whole Germany to lose in such a war (Bracher 1972, p. 15). Hitler used documentaries and movies as propaganda devices. He was concerned and appeared in a series of films via Universum Film AG (UFA) by the revolutionary filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. Such films were Victory of Faith (1933), Triumph of the Will (1934) and Day of Freedom: Our Armed Forces (1935) (Bracher 1972, p. 23). Victory of Faith (1933) or Der Sieg des Glaubens was the first documentary to be directed by Leni Riefenstahl. She was hired regardless of the being opposed by Nazi officials, who disliked employing a female or a non-member of the Nazi Regime. Riefenstahl’s film talks about the Fifth Party Rally of the Nazi Regime, which took place in Nuremberg from August 30th to September 3rd, 1933. Triumph of the Wil l (1934) was made also by Leni Riefenstahl. It recounts the 1934 Nazi Party Congress that took place in Nuremberg. The event was attended by over 700,000 Nazi followers. The film contains excerpts from talks given by different Nazi leaders at the Congress, incorporating portions of speeches by Adolf Hitler, combined with recordings of massed party members (Joll 1990, p. 4). This film portrayed to the Germans of how Hitler was an able leader that could bring success to their nation. It is through this film that a majority of Germans started to admire Hitler. Hitler also used his right hand man, Fritz Darges, to spread propaganda and rule the Germans effectively. Fritz Darges headed the SS movement after being appointed by Hitler. Germans liked how the SS carried out its duties, and how it made their country safe (Bracher 1972, p. 34). The SS, the selected guard of the Nazi regime, wielded increasing control through its power over the police force. Political antagonists, mainly those in the Social Democratic Party of Germany and the Communist Movement of Germany, along with Jews, were subject to persecution, intimidation, as well as discriminatory legislation. In the opening two years of Hitler’s chancellorship, he, through the help of the SS, followed a rigorous strategy of Gleichschaltung (coordination), by which state governments, political parties along with professional and cultural organizations were brought in proportion to Nazi goals. The economy, culture, law and education all

Communication, Conflict, Negotiation and Leadership in Germany Research Paper

Communication, Conflict, Negotiation and Leadership in Germany - Research Paper Example The Hofstede Model identifies cultures based on five dimensions: power distance, masculinity/femininity, uncertainty avoidance, individualism/collectivism, and long-term/short-term orientation (Hofstede, 2001). The models' scores countries on a scale of 0 to 100 and there are comparisons made between and among countries. Hofstede initially made the scores during the 1970s but succeeding grades provided in recent years have proved that the grades are still valid. Additional 200 studies were further made to validate the indexes done by Hofstede. The model could be used in dealing with communication, negotiation, management, business, and marketing in the global scene (Hofstede, 2001). 2.1. Power Distance Power distance dimension refers to the belief of individuals in the lower echelon of the society that power is unequally distributed. Hofstede suggests that inequality is endorsed by the members instead of the leaders. Countries that scored high in power distance maintain all individua ls’ role in the society. In cultures with low power distance, roles have to be defined. Germany has a score of 35 in Hofstede’s power distance which is 36% below the world average and 14% below the U.S. score. The score shows Germany’s decentralized societies and flat organization structures. Most important, Germans are loyal to their employers and would not disclose company-related data to unauthorized groups or people (Workman, 2008). 2.2. Masculinity/Femininity In masculine societies, the important aspects are achievements and success while feminine societies focus on caring for other individuals. Masculine societies do not promote sharing of households between males and females. Also, feminine cultures show men’s involvement in shopping activities (Eurostat, 2002). Germany scored 66 points on masculinity, which is 32% higher than the world average and 6% higher than the U.S. Based on Hofstede’s scores; Germans do value earnings, advancement, mo ney, and recognition. Most Germans value success and their current state as the global performer have been sustained. 2.3. Uncertainty Avoidance The concept of uncertainty avoidance pertains to the reaction of people when dealing with ambiguities. Countries with high scores of uncertainty avoidance require established rules and structures. People in this culture are not open to changes and have low flexibility. Meanwhile, cultures with low uncertainty avoidance operate with few rules and are more open to opinions. Germany’s score in this dimension is 65 points which are 2% higher than the world average and 41% higher than the U.S. This indicates that Germans are less open to risks and are more concerned with security. Most important, Germans are disciplined and insists on strict conduct codes. 2.4. Individualism/Collectivism Individualistic cultures show individuals who focus on their own welfare and their immediate family members.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Earnings Misstatements Research Paper

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Earnings Misstatements - Research Paper Example The Fraud This section describes the business activities of Fannie and Freddie before the fraud occurred. Since the 1990s, lenders have been increasingly using automated underwriting systems (AUSs), a technology that changed the mortgage industry (DiVenti, 2009, p.236). These systems executed underwriting criteria and statistical algorithms to foresee the default likelihood of loan applications (DiVenti, 2009, p.236). GSEs became industry leaders in the growth and adoption of these systems, which they used to appraise their loan purchases. Fannie Mae’s system, Desktop Underwriter, and Freddie Mac’s system, Loan Prospector, significantly decreased the expenses and time linked with loan approvals (DiVenti, 2009, p.236). In 2000, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac broadened their procurements to comprise â€Å"Alt-A,† A-minus, and subprime mortgages, aside from private-label mortgage securities (Blackburn & Vermilyea, 2010, p.5). In order to expand their mortgage purchases, Fannie Mae used the Expanded Approval system and Freddie Mac enlarged its Loan Prospector system to contain risk-based pricing (DiVenti, 2009, p.236). ... ly, Fannie and Freddie bought, packaged, securitized, and re-traded residential mortgages into mortgage-backed securities, with an assurance that the principal and interest payments would be paid to investors, thus, making a profit from the disparity between the sales price of the mortgage-backed securities and their first cost of funding (Bonander, 2013, p.843). Since 2004, Fannie and Freddie abandoned their stern underwriting standards and started to purchase and guarantee subprime mortgages, while also investing in subprime-mortgage-backed securities (Bonander, 2013, p.844). They bought more than $434 billion of subprime mortgages from 2004 to 2006 (Bonander, 2013, p.844). Their greatest purchase occurred from 2004 to 2005, when altogether they bought â€Å"$175 billion (44% of the market) and $169 billion (33% of the market) of subprime-mortgage-backed securities, respectively† (Bonander, 2013, p.844). In 2006, lax standards and actions affected Fannie and Freddie, when th e housing bubble burst, thereby pushing them to insolvency (Bonander, 2013, p.844). The problems of Fannie and Freddie are not over yet though. In 2003, Freddie revealed that it used unacceptable accounting practices to inflate its earnings. The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise (OFHEO), its regulator during this time, discovered that the company had â€Å"misstated earnings by $5 billion between 2000 and 2003† (DiVenti, 2009, p.237). Freddie underreported its earnings, however, which is the â€Å"interesting† part of the fraud (DiVenti, 2009, p.237). The OFHEO investigated Fannie Mae too, where it learned in 2004 that Fannie overstated earnings â€Å"between 2000 and 2003 by $6.3 billion† (DiVenti, 2009, p.237). OFHEO discovered significant accounting, disclosure, and management concerns that

Read the instruction Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Read the instruction - Coursework Example The territory that is not accepting immediate sunlight encounters winter. The phases of the moon correlate with the Earth and sun position. These stages incorporate new moon, where a large part of the moon confronting Earth is dull thus, one cannot see the moon from Earth because the sun is not lighting the side of the moon. The second stage is waxing sickle moon where light starts to enlighten the moon could be seen on the right, and the bright part is beginning to get greater. The third stage is the first quarter moon where 50% of the part of the moon confronting Earth is lighted on the right side. We have a full moon where a whole a large portion of the moon confronting Earth is lighted with completely lit loop. Disappearing gibbous is an alternate type of moon stages with three-quarters of the moon confronting the Earth is lighted on the left side. Last quarter moon is the large part of the piece of the moon confronting Earth is lighted on the left side. Finally, we have got fading sickle moon whereas the measure of light on the moon diminishes, we ag ain see a little piece, yet this time it is on the left (Spiller, 13-17). The Earth is among the nine planets that spin around the sun and make up the earths planetary group. It is around 150 million kilometers from the sun. The Earth that is characterized by dynamic surface that is always showing signs of change. The moon is a little rough satellite of Earth, having around one-quarter the distance across of the Earth and one-eighth its mass. The sun is a standard size yellow star of hydrogen gas that serves as the inside of our earths planetary society and as our wellspring of hotness and light. It is around 110 times the measurement of Earth and gives or takes 4.6 billion years of

Terror Threat Assessment in France Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Terror Threat Assessment in France - Essay Example Having colonized Algeria in the 19th century – the country later gained its independence in 1962 – there remained a significant Algerian and Muslim population residing within France’s suburban ghettos (Crumley). During the beginning of the 1990s Islamic Terrorist organizations tapped into this Arab population – roughly 5 million living in France – and established connections between them and Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan (Crumley). While the Islamic organizations are the predominant terrorist impulses within French society, there remains and a consistent threat from a multitude of groups that have been directly tied to France’s North African empire (Greenway 2009) . The most prominent of these terrorist organizations are the Armed Islamic Group (GIA). They are an Algerian terrorist group that has direct connections to Osama Bin Laden, having participated directly beside him in his anti-Jihad during the war against the Soviet Union. After the war ended they settled in France seeking to enact terror on the French government for their support of the Algerian government (Crumley). One of the major incidents regarding this terrorist organization occurred in 1995 when they planted a bomb in a prominent French location and were successful in killing 8 citizens and wounding an astonishing 150. Other incidents include a series of sporadic car bombings throughout the mid-1990s, and an attempted 1998 bombing at the soccer World Cup (Greenway 2009). When considering the extent to which these terrorist threats remain a common occurrence in France, one has to examine the extent to which the French government has enacted strict laws to prevent any such occurrence. After the mid-1990’s attacks the French developed a sophisticated intelligence network designed to monitor future terrorist activity. Perhaps the most significant occurrence, however, was the French enactment of all-encompassing laws regarding terrorism and those connected to it.

The Advantages of Bilingual Education in School Essay Example for Free

The Advantages of Bilingual Education in School Essay Languages are ot only a method of expressing opinions but also a source of information about otherwise unknown societies and cultures. Bilingual languages provide individuals with diversified communication skills thereby enhancing their abilities to communicate and understand words than our family language. As example, in Malaysias schools, students are study English language as their bilingual language. This show that bilingual education is very important for our future. Therefore, what are the benefits of bilingual education in school? The advantages of bilingual ducation in school are we have high opportunities to new Job markets, more choices in resources of studying and easier to learn additional languages. A person who speaks two languages is worth two person, said my bilingual language teacher. This is because that person is have an ability to speak to non-native person and be able to read some information on the newspapers in other language than their family language. Therefore, the advantages of having these kind of abilities, we have high opportunities to new Job markets due to the need to a person who is knowledgeable n bilingual language. People with bilingual language skills are considered an asset to an organization. It helps better understanding because it gives individuals a broader view. According to Argumentative Essay Examples, 28 September 2011 by Jmssilverstone, Since Spanish widely spoken and understood in various part of the United States especially here in New Mexico, learning Spanish would support the students to widen their social circles and lead to more social interaction. This show that learning in bilingual education gives us a lot of benefits and easy to involve in ny works in our industries. Therefore, bilingual education in school give us high opportunities to new Job markets. In conclusion, the implementation of bilingual education in school should be take continuously in each countries because it has various golden advantages such as have high opportunities to new Job markets, more choices in resources of studying and easier to learn additional languages. I hope that everyone will enjoy to study in the bilingual education system in their schools so that they can have these benefits.

Role of Requirements of a Nursing Entrepreneur

Role of Requirements of a Nursing Entrepreneur Nursing Entrepreneur There are numerous careers and opportunities available in the nursing and health care field. The health care industry is expected to have one of the fastest growth rates through the next 10 years. What better time than now to proclaim a self made product or idea, especially when registered nurses have definite advantages over the general public when it comes to starting a business. This growth rate of healthcare jobs is expected to add a projected 4 million new wage and salary jobs, indicating the optimal time for nurse entrepreneurs to seek the opportunity to create and start their own business. Nursing entrepreneurship can vary widely by the type of career one would want to uphold. This can include starting a company or clinic, independent contractor, developing medical devices, computerized systems, a home health business, developing home health products, infection control, case management, telehealth nursing and can even include known careers such as a Legal Nurse Consultant or f amily/nurse practitioner. Nursing entrepreneurship is a complex career choice but can yield beneficial results concerning compensation, settings, demand, and legal implications. Requirements and Compensation The educational requirements for a nursing entrepreneur are similar to the requirements of a registered nurse. This begins with starting education for an ASN, Associate of Science in Nursing, or a BSN, Bachelor of Science in Nursing. To be an entrepreneur, it would be wise to consider taking Business classes, or better yet to consider a double major or even a minor in Business. According to Colorado State University Pueblos requirements for a minor in Business Administration, a total of 21 credit hours are needed to understand the fundamentals of accounting, economics, finance, and to understand the basics of managing a business by marketing a product or service. (CSU-P, 2013). With this, to become any type of registered nurse, one would then need to successfully pass the NCLEX-RN exam to obtain a nursing license. To start off a nursing career, one can work as an RN and begin their profession as a nurse entrepreneur from there. Starting a business requires a few more steps after becoming a nurse. To start a business, one must establish a business entity with the Secretary of States office. This requires filing a document and creating a new record with the Secretary of States office and after, the entrepreneur can register a Trade name or reserve a name. Then, one must obtain a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), with the Internal Revenue Service in the occurrence of a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, limited liability partnership or even sole proprietor with employees. Then, filing your business with the State of Colorado online or a CR 0100 form is the next step. This involves applying for sales tax account, wage withholding account, and/or unemployment insurance account at the Department of Revenue, Colorado Business Registration. The final step is business licensing and registration, which is not necessary for every business, but obtaining a Nurse Licensure compact may be wise. License verification can be done through NURSYS verification to verify license and to receive detailed report. The National Nurses in Business Association offers their members a free business plan template that is customized for nurses and offers unlimited help to complete the plan. The typical salary for a nursing entrepreneur can vary greatly based on the type of entrepreneurship one plans on acquiring. Typically this can be in an average range of $129,000 for a registered nurse entrepreneur job in the state of Colorado. (Simply Hired, 2014). It can vary based on the industry, company, location, and experience. Independent nurse contractors set the terms of their services and negotiate their salary for themselves. Job Description and Setting The career path of a Nursing Entrepreneur has countless possibilities. This involves the capability of promoting oneself, being able to start a business while also creating and selling a product and/or providing a service. Nurses can venture off in many different directions concerning what type of business they want to establish. To illustrate how vast the career field is for nursing entrepreneurship, lets begin with a few different career choices and their descriptions. Physicians can establish their own medical office and collaborate with other specialty physicians to provide a wider base of care providing to patient needs. Nurses can open and operate a consultancy company providing a service offering clients information, instruction, advice and even opinions based on their needs and what they seek. A healthcare risk management (HCRM) reduces the risk for financial loss and property loss by identifying a clients risk and reducing and eliminating them. A legal nurse consultant, LNC, can be hired by law firms as an independent consultant as well as an in-house staff, they combine entrepreneurship work with attorney-clients and define applicable standards of care. A legal nurse consultant reviews and interprets medical records as related to a case, research medical issues, medical diagnosis along with terms and procedures of treatments, medical examinations, prepare discovery and disclosure of documents, reviewing a case for merit, and obtaining autho ritative witnesses. These are prime examples of career paths an entrepreneur can follow, although being an entrepreneur is not limited to just these options. The work setting of any entrepreneur can take place at home or where ever the entrepreneur decides to take practice as a self-employed, independent practice including; hospitals, clinics, healthcare facilities, law firms, agencies, insurance companies and establishing business made by the entrepreneur. History and Demand The role of a nurse entrepreneur dates back to 1854 in England by Florence Nightingale who established a worldwide change in health care. She introduced the first secular nursing training. The history continues with Mary Grant Seacole and Clara Barton, who were both considered entrepreneurs of their time. Mary Grant Seacole was rejected by the Nightingale School of Nursing and governing military forces. Without help in the 1850s, she fearlessly began a hotel to house wounded soldiers on both sides of the Crimean war to recover. Clara Barton founded the American National Red Cross in 1881 and also established the Bureau of Records of Missing Army Men at her own expense. The opportunities of an entrepreneur was quickly changing and expanding through time and during the 1970s nurses began to develop businesses and consulting services. (NNBA, 2013). The demand for nurse entrepreneurs is growing, like most health care careers, as more nurses step out and begin their own businesses. Entrep reneurs are self-employed and may employ others to work with and for them, creating more jobs for more individuals. Legal Implications As a nurse entrepreneur, a standard of care needs to be followed along with identifying safety measures and pursuing a standard of policies and procedures. If the career path is in pursuit of developing a product, registering a trade name for the product is well advised. The product also needs to be safe or the entrepreneur can be held liable for use of the product by consumers if the product is deemed unsafe or defective. Warnings about the product also need to be provided. Product liability insurance protects the business from claims of damage caused by a product from the client. A nurse entrepreneur should obtain an errors-and-omission professionally liability insurance. This insurance protects a company and individuals from claims made by clients for inadequate work or negligent actions. Nursing Theory Alberta Benduras self-efficacy theory (SET) best reflects entrepreneurism. Self-efficacy is defined by the belief that one has the power to produce an proficient outcome by completing a given task or an activity related to that competency. An entrepreneur is a person who is set to accomplish a goal to own their own business and self-efficacy relates a persons perception of their own ability to reach a goal. The three factors that influence self-efficacy are environment, behaviors, and personal/cognitive factors. The environment reflects where and what type of business the entrepreneur created and what they present to the client. Behaviors from both the client and entrepreneur affect each other in the terms of effective service. A mastery of this theory is by achievement through perseverance and overcoming of obstacles by observing others succeed through a sustained effort. An entrepreneur succeeds when the business has successful growth while obtaining a clients satisfaction of servi ce. Motivation, performance, and feelings of frustration associated with repeated failures determine affect and behaviour relations (Bandura, 1986). Conclusion Nursing entrepreneurship is a special career designed for those who want to take charge of the service they provide to the public. Entrepreneurship provides the opportunity to be ones own boss while maintaining the freedom of hours and work setting. Bendura provides an excellent theory for entrepreneurs to base their business on and provides the perspective of success by maintaining self-efficacy through environment, behaviors and personal/cognitive factors. Nursing entrepreneurship is the ideal career for those who are business savvy and have a passion for providing a product or service to their expanding customer/client base. A successful nurse entrepreneur demonstrates great leadership and remarkable creativity skills while also remaining fearless enough to take risks and venture their own path. References Banduras Self-efficacy Theory. Nursing Theories. AIPPG, 12 Feb. 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. Brief History of Nurse Entrepreneurs. Nurse Entrepreneurship New Rules. National Nurses in Business Association, 23 Oct. 2012. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. . Business Administration. (n.d.). > Malik Seeme Hasan School of Business > Colorado State University-Pueblo. Retrieved March 26, 2014, from http://hsb.colostate-pueblo.edu/UndergraduatePrograms/Minors Dickinson, J. (2011). The origins and evolution of legal nurse consulting. Journal Of Legal Nurse Consulting, 22(2), 3-7. Robson, B. (2009). From emergency nurse to legal nurse consultant and independent practitioner: legal nurse consulting? What is that?. NENA Outlook, 32(2), 24-26. Simply Salary. Registered Nurse Entrepreneur Salaries in CO. Simply Hired, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. . Tag Archives: Nurse entrepreneur. Nurse Entrepreneurship New Rules. National Nurses in Business Association, Inc., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. . What is an LNC? American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC). (n.d.). What is an LNC? American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC). Retrieved February 9, 2014, from http://www.aalnc.org/?page=whatisanlnc

Although it is clearly a product of its time, The Speckled Band holds :: Free Essay Writer

Although it is clearly a product of its time, The Speckled Band holds the interest of a modern audience and s a fine example. â€Å"Although it is clearly a product of its time, The Speckled Band holds the interest of a modern audience and s a fine example of the detective story genre.† Do you agree with this comment on Conan Doyle’s story? The Speckled Band has a Victorian context and in the Victorian times stories had different aspects, which they found appealing, but as a modern audience we are attracted to other aspects of stories. Because of these different appeals we know that The Speckled Band is a product of its time. The Speckled Band keeps the modern reader guessing the solution to the crime. This is very entertaining for the reader as they must try to find the answer before Sherlock Holmes does. Sherlock Holmes is characterised as an almost super human person with amazing powers of deduction this makes us admire him. Watson (Holmes’s accomplice) is a key character as he is someone who we relate to as he goes on the same journey as us. The speech in the speckled band is in a formal tone, â€Å"my name is Sherlock Holmes. This is my intimate friend and associate Dr Watson† this is different to our modern stories as we like to show less restrained emotions, so some readers may find the tone boring. The sentences spoken are long and complicated in structure they have an exaggerated style, â€Å"I observe that you are shivering†. We see again that The Speckled Band is a product of its time as there is a lot of old fashioned language, like â€Å"sorry to knock you up† and â€Å"haggard†. One of the popular appeals in Victorian times was melodrama and there is lots of this in the story. The helplessness of Helen Stoner and the fact that she needs Holmes to â€Å"advise [her] how to walk amid the dangers which encompass [her]†would appeal to the Victorians a lot as in those times women were considered the more vulnerable sex, but a modern audience may find this over the top because it is over exaggerated to us. The modern audience may find it even more overdramatic that Helen Stoner needs Sherlock to â€Å"throw a little light through the dense darkness which surrounds [her]† the modern audience sees this melodrama as too forced and false. But Victorians loved it as in their times men were considered as strong, brave and the ones who would stand up for women. This also shows that The Speckled Band was a product of its time.

Low Voter Turnout is NOT a Significant Problem in the United States Ess

Low Voter Turnout is NOT a Significant Problem in the United States The different strategies in political campaigning have led to lower voter turnout and less political participation by the general public according to Steven Schier in his book, "Payment Due: A Nation In Debt, A Generation In Trouble." Different public and private interest groups can link these downturns to the changing political strategies and the lobbying of the government. Political participation and lower voter turnout is something that we should not be concerned about and doesn’t pose a significant problem in the United States. The low level of political engagement that Schier says is going to be approximately 50% of the citizenry can be explained in many ways. One of the reasons for the low level is what Martin Wattenberg points as being the citizenry lacking party identification. People are tending to not identify with a party and therefore not vote solely for that party. Wattenberg claims that some saw the lack of party identification to have implication that seemed quite threatening for democracy (Wattenberg, 23-25). Keefe points out that â€Å"strong partisans are less numerous than in the past. Split-ticket voting is common everywhere. Most voters do not view parties in a favorable light (Keefe, 74).† With the lack of party identification has come the rise of parties of accommodation. Parties of accommodation have made it impossible for the number of citizens engaged in politics to remain as high as it once was. If the party does not stand for something than people aren’t a s interested in making a stand with the party. In the 2000 election there where 2 parties of accommodation running candidates of accommodation against each ot... ...y. The two major parties ensure that people with the same basic ideas and the same basic goal for the country, such the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, will remain in power. Schier’s concerns have basis to them, but in the end the United States political structure will continue to run. The presidents may become indistinguishable from each other but they will still have the same general goals and the same outlook. The average American citizen may not be interested in and may not participate in politics, but politics in general will remain the same. The elite will run the country and the average citizen will either voice their opinion by voting or ride the shirt tales of other voters. Politics may be exclusive, but the exclusive elite is chosen by the masses. Timothy J Penny, Steve Schier. Payment Due: A Nation In Debt, A Generation In Trouble

Population Structure and Economic Implications of Kenya and China :: Papers

Population Structure and Economic Implications of Kenya and China In this piece of text I will be analysing and comparing the population structure and economic implications of two countries. The two countries that I have chosen are Kenya and China. China is a mixture of an LEDC and an MEDC whilst Kenya is a LEDC. You will be able to notice the difference when I give the facts and details of both countries. Population structure is such things as death rate and also birth rate and population spreads. It also shows the amount of people that are a certain age. The pyramid can also show the different trends and patterns of the age groups. Economic implications are the work force of the country and the industries in the countries. Country Status ============== China is a mixed between and LEDC and MEDC as said earlier, this is because the countries has a mixture of areas where some people are not as fortunate as others. The population of this country is around 1.3 billion. By looking at the map below you can see that it takes up a large space of Asia so there is no surprise that there is a lot of people living in the country. Here is a map to show where China is. [IMAGE] [IMAGE] Kenya on the other hand is an LEDC suffering from hunger, disease and dehydration. Kenya’s population is around 32 million which is much lower than China because of different death rates birth rates, infant mortality which will be explained later. Here is a map to show where Kenya is situated. A complete opposite to China in population size and status of the country. Death Rate ========== In China there is a small death rate of 7 per 1000 which is very low. The death rate is low because of reasons such as there is good health facilities which obviously means that people can be treated better

How Life has been Good to me Essay

I am a happy person. I have everything that I could ever want in my life. I am single, and yet I have the company and friendship of many. I have a good job, adequate money in the bank, and a nice house. Nevertheless, I am of the firm belief that whether or not I possess these material things, I will remain a happy person. A person’s happiness can be based on a variety of things, which could be of tangible or incorporeal nature. Happiness is a feeling that is based on an individual’s manner of thinking, philosophy in life, or religious belief. Happiness could consist in having nothing to worry about, or being in the company of loved ones. The source of happiness is as unique as every individual person. (Philosophy – Life – Happiness – Creativity). My happiness is based on my appreciation of every little thing that God has put in my way. I realize that I have been lucky because I do not live in poverty. I am fortunate enough to possess material things that make my life comfortable. I am also being prepared to be self-sufficient, as I am going through college. For all of these blessings, I have no other option but to be happy. I am optimistic about how the rest of my life will turn out. I am hoping it would still be as pleasant as the present, although I would not be sad if I encounter some rough road ahead. I believe trials make people strong. Finally, I believe I owe my happiness to God, who is the reason why I am enjoying everything that I have in the present, or will have in the future. I also believe that God is the reason why there is no second in my life that I feel empty. I know that I shall feel happy, for as long as I have God watching over me. Reference Philosophy – Life – Happiness – Creativity. Retrieved February 18, 2007, from http://huizen. daxis. nl/~henkt/happiness. htm

Mathematics and Time

Calculation of Labour Utilization: No. of total employees = 22 No. of assistant supervisors = 4 Time used by assistant supervisors for production process = 100% -10% = 90% Therefore, the total available labour = 18 + 0. 9*4 = 21. 6 Maximum labour hours/ month = No. of days*labour hrs available/day*total available labour = 20*8*21. 6 = 3456 hrs Actual labour hours used = 1531. 7 hrs Capacity Utilization = Actual labour hours used/ Maximum labour hours available = (1531. 7/3456) * 100 = 44. 32% This figure does not include the time taken by labour to rework on the parts rejected or returned by the customer.Hence, the actual labour utilization would be more than the above calculated figure. However, we believe that the above time signifies the actual time spent by labour in producing or working on new parts. 2) Profile operation (Fabrication) – Break even analysis: Let the optimal order size be N boards a) Using Punch Press: Total Operating Time = Setup time + Cycle Time*N = 50 + 1*N = 50 + N b) Using CNC router: Operating Time = Setup time + Cycle time*N = 150 + 0. 5*N= 150 + 0. 5N We would use the CNC router when its operating time is less than that of the punch press. i. e. 150 + 0. *N ? 50 + N => 0. 5*N ? 100 => N ? 200 => N ? 200 boards Thus, for orders above 200 boards, the CNC router should be used as it will take less time and hence, would produce more number of boards.3) Drilling Operation (Image Tranfer) – Break Even Analysis Let the optimal order size be N boards a) Using Manual drill: Total Operation Time = Setup time + Run time = 15 + 0. 08*500*N = 15 + 40N b) Using CNC drill: Total Operation Time = Setup time + Run time = 240 + 0. 004*500*N = 240 + 2*N We would use the CNC drill when its operating time is less than that of the punch press. . e. 240 + 2*N ? 15 + 40*N => 38*N ? 225 => N ? 5. 92 => N ? 6 boards Therefore, for orders with size above 6 boards or more, CNC drill should be used as it will take less processing time and hence would increase the capacity. In addition to this we can also calculate capacity utilization using the available run time. As shown in Table 1, the bottle neck is the drilling operation. Thus the maximum number of boards that can be produced is limited by the capacity of drilling( which is 6359) inclusive of CNC as well as manual drilling.

Popular culture can be seenas a tool for maintaining status quo, discuss this point of view

Marxist school of thought argues that society is structured by and is divided into classes with the ruling one being at the top of the hierarchy. No matter which class takes that social power (hegemony) and becomes the bourgeoisie of its time, there is always a need to maintain it, thus controlling the proletariat by any means at hand. In this essay I will discuss how popular culture is used to achieve this goal according to the Marxist point of view. In the modern times culture and classes are mostly confined within individual states, although interchangeable cultural values and process of globalisation might be developing in our society, they are not yet matured enough to challenge the key capitalist ideology. The state in opinion of such Marxist as Louis Althusser is the kind of governmental formation that arises with capitalism; a state (term ‘nation' can also be applicable in this case) is determined by the capitalist mode of production and formed to protect its interests. It is historically true (whether you are a Marxist or not) that the idea of nations as discrete units is coterminous with capitalism. He sees such political ideologies as democracy for example, as providers of an illusion that all people are equal, and have equal power (and hence masks relations of economic exploitation). ‘Culture is a constant succession of social practices: it is therefore inherently political' (John Fiske) Althusser stated in his works that there are two main ways in which the elite can manipulate lower classes; Ideological State Apparatuses is one of such mechanisms. These are institutions, which generate ideologies, which we as individuals (and groups) then internalize, and act in accordance with. Examples include schools, religions, the family, legal systems, politics, arts, sports and media. As we will see later, popular culture can be used in conjunction with these ISAs. Since the end of 19th century television started to play a major role in our lives. It generates values, ideas and messages that we often do not question thoroughly enough to understand their indented meanings. Thus, arguably it is the tool social elite uses to controls us. Due to the fact that television is often blended into the term popular culture or is defined as significant element of popular culture; I shall base my discussion around its example. According to such theorists as John Fiske and Wiesengrund Adorno mass media promote low cultural concepts (to which all this of popularity are assigned according to elitist point of view) that are meant to keep the members of the lower society classes passive or even narcotized to fuel the capitalist machine. A good example would be a BBC news report that is considered to be trustworthy source of information. Every day before report goes on air its content is carefully edited to fit in with the current government agendas and social norms. Even though issues raised may concern a variety of professional debates within the society, they are simplified and implemented in the standardized language to be easily understood, hence dummed down to the level of the lowest common denominator that is proletariat. Amongst such concepts is commodity culture which links well with the culture industry. First endorses the view that people in modern society are nothing more than a set of branded goods and are easily manipulated. This theory connotes that anything could be purchased in the capitalist society for a certain amount of money that serve as ultimate lever of the classes. John Fiske goes on to expand this idea to suggest that even loyalty, love and friendship values can be corrupted by this type of popular culture. Supporting these statements is a difficult task; however, let us look at some common to all of us things. Non-compulsory military service could suggest purchasable loyalty; it offers good wages and high quality training in exchange for your life (extreme and blunt example yet makes a point). Commodity culture in its turn, as stated by Adorno, keeps us passively satisfied and politically disinterested. It provides us with false needs to take care of and a set of fetishistic desires, which invade our lives. All of this is said to exhaust our economic potential to the point we loose our upward mobility and become an inactive part of the society that poses no threat to the ruling elite's hegemony. Take reality TV shows and property market. Do we really need to know that some of our fellow humans can't sing? Or do we need to keep buying and selling properties until we have large mortgages, high levels of stress and no real power? Yet most of the people master the art of making do that is popular culture values. Finally French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu divided capital into cultural and financial parts. He reasoned that similar to variable access to money and thus power by different classes and social groups, there is a variable possession of cultural and symbolic power. Hence by embracing popular culture we lower our cultural capital that affects our status and meaning within the modern society. Marxist view of the society is quite dated now, yet it still provides alarmingly appropriate to modern day life ideas. Nonetheless, it is important to understand that in its extreme and pure form Marxist view can only lead to wild conspiracy theories and delusional arguments. In my opinion Marxism should be used in conjunction and contrast with its rival theories in order to reach realistic conclusions.

Unit 6 Essay Exam Ap Us History P3

Elsa Castro period3 11-19-2012 Unit 6 Essay Exam Before the start of the industrial revolution women was a gender that was considered insignificant, and powerless. It has always been that way till the years of 1790 and 1860 that things where begining to change drastically. Since that drastic changed we all know as the industrial revolution economically women were finally given the opportunity to work,earn their own money,and help their families; while domestically there was reat amount of admiration from women in the comfort of their own home now instead of just expecting their place to just be there. The Industrial Revoltuion as we all know was a period of drastic change in technology, manufacturing,and transportation from the start of the nineteenth century onward. Those things had a huge effect on the economic, social, and the cultural conditions. Due to the drastic change women were finally allowed to work.Before the industrial revoltuion if women wanted to work they would have d omestic jobs like sewing,or making household materials out of soap. When the period of change was at its end women were now working in factories. This radical change was only the begining of women being able to work. earn their own money, and being able to gain economic independence. Although women were now able to work they would work to a certain extent. Women would have to work 13 hours a day, and get paid very little.Inaddition if your a women that has been single would have to leave their job if the women is getting married; once your married your husband will be the supporter of the house. Even before, during, and after the industrial revolution the women still had to be at home taking care of her husband and her children. Normally in domestic families women normally would have to agree with the husband, and both of them were only limited to doing certain task

Operations management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Operations management - Essay Example Some brands offer luxury other offers sturdiness. The presence of company in different countries also creates many problems. The operations of Toyota are susceptible to political and economic fluctuations. Because of the dispersed manufacturing the company faces different problems in different countries. The problem of competitors and safety issues rise regularly. The recent safety issues with Toyota cars caused significant financial issues to the company. There are issues regarding location of retail showrooms and supply chain management issues. The company follows Just in Time inventory system (JIT) in which management of supplies is extremely important. Also with different safety rules, manufacturing regulations, tax legislations and environment concerns in different countries Toyota faces many operational challenges and this paper will discuss these challenges with great detail. The strategies to address these issues will also be discussed in the paper. These possible solutions m ight help Toyota Motor Company solve its operational problems. Key Operational Challenges faced by Toyota The automobile industry all over the world is facing problems due to economic recession and environmental concerns. Toyota faces multifaceted problems due to its presence all over the world. Design issues, pricing and product development issues are the main operational challenges Toyota is facing today. ... 2005). Usually there are teams that work on new products as a whole but in Toyota teams work on subsystems like hardware, software and suppliers. Then all these subsystems are combined to form a new product. In this way the development process is speeded. The problem in this system arises with regards to the suppliers. Product development cannot be completed if suppliers are not equipped to supply different parts that are needed to develop the new product. For this reason supplier development is also necessary. This is an operational challenge for Toyota as it is very difficult for development teams and suppliers to be on the same page. Suppliers are to be trained and they should be equipped with proper technology in order to ensure that they are able to meet the demands of the newly developed product. This is a serious challenge for Toyota. Because of supplier issues inventories of Toyota are increasing and storage cost is also hiking even though Toyota is famous for its Just in Tim e inventory system (JIT). Toyota will have to rely on suppliers because it is not feasible to develop everything on their own but supply chain management issues are also a major challenge even for a big company like Toyota. Complexity Problems in Toyota The complex products of Toyota are a problem. The manufacturing units are dispersed all over the world and because of this sophisticated technology have to be made available everywhere. Alongside making complex products for its diverse clientele Toyota also has to manage its worldwide sale. The complexity problem becomes an operational issue when a car is developed and the technology used in the car is not available in some of the manufacturing countries. Now in order to make similar cars in those countries the technology is required

Creative Ventures and Enterprise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Creative Ventures and Enterprise - Essay Example This report is about my aims and aspiration as a product designer to understand all the areas of this industry including creativity, business and administration. My basic areas of interests are in product designing along with branding and merchandising. This will make me a part of the creative industry. The focus of this paper will be on product designing with particular reference consumer cultures in Taiwan, Russia, US and the UK. All other areas related to the creative industry will also be covered. It is my intention to work in Taiwan in a government department and initial steps in the form of a scholarship has already been applied for. Scope: The main scope of this paper is to study all aspects of the creative industry with specific focus on product design in Taiwan. After completion of this work it is hoped that I will get sufficient information to get me started on my intended career as a product designer. Creative Industry: Creative industry can be defined as "those industries that are based on individual creativity, skill and talent. They are also those that have the potential to create wealth and jobs through developing intellectual property." (Creative Industries: The Definition of the Creative Industries. 2007). From this it is clear that creativity, skill and talent that can create wealth and jobs is what differentiates it from other areas of business. Since creativity is involved, the question of intellectual property rights is also raised here. Creativity is a very broad term and hence what constitute a creative industry also varies. For example, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport of the UK Government groups creative industries under predetermined areas of business. In other words, advertising, designing, film making, performing arts, publishing, software etc are considered to be a part of creative industries. The UK was the first country in the world to recognise the e xistence of such industries and classify them as such. "The UK was the first, in 1997, to systematically promote the creative industries. Australia and New Zealand followed shortly afterwards." (Creative Industries in Hong Kong: Introduction. 2002). Growth of Creative Industries: This industry is one of the fastest growing in the world. All areas that are considered to be creative had existed long before the concept of creative industries came into existence. But the potential of each of these sectors taken separately gave rise to classify them as creative and efforts for growth as a collective entity has now begun. The United Nations is also looking at this industry seriously as a means of economic development of under developed and developing countries. Being such a vast area, exact current figures are difficult to estimate. But according to UNCTAD, total value of creative industries world wide stood at 225 billion USD in 2005 fro 234 billion USD in 1996. This is an average growth of 8.7% making it one of the fastest growing industries in the world today. "Creative industries have emerged as one of the world's most dynamic economic sectors, offering vast opportunities for cultural, social and economic development. Internationa l trade in creative goods and services surged to US$445.2 billion in 2005 from US$234.8 billion in 1996, according to preliminary UNCTAD figures." (Creative Industries Emerge as Key Driver of Economic Growth with Trade Nearly

Discussion board reply Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Discussion board reply - Assignment Example Another informative aspect that has been highlighted includes job evaluation that can determine the position that an employee is worth of after a period of protracted service. Same to Roer and Wills (2014) ideas, I have learned that job evaluation is essential in determining the value of an employee to an organization. In organization that are based on service delivery are an exceptional case when it comes to job evaluation. It is hard to estimate the economical values of such employees. In such case the, topic of interest can be borrowed for a redress in this scenario. In future, a person focused pay system would be the best solution for me in cases that involve service industry employees. Nadasen (2012) indicated that a person focused pay system is key in giving a justified wage to employees. This an aspect that is very informative and educative at the same time. Roer, R. E., & Wills, L. P. (2014). Department of Labor to Revise Federal Regulations Interpreting the Right to Receive Overtime Pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Employee Relations Law Journal, 40(3),

Criminal Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 13

Criminal Law - Essay Example Such a duty of care arises as a result of the law. The question whether the facts of a case establish the existence of the duty of care is to be determined by the jury. If the duty’s existence is disputed, the jury ought to be directed that if certain facts are established, then in law a duty would arise. Existence of other facts would negative the duty ( Husak,1987). The Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by Gemma Evans against her conviction at Swansea Crown Court. The Lord Chief Justice, giving the judgment of the court, upheld the conviction of the appellant. The court found that the appellant, together with her mother, was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of her half-sister, Carly, who was aged 16, who had injected herself with heroin which was supplied by the appellant. Carly developed symptoms similar to those of heroin overdose but the appellant and the mother failed to seek medical assistance as they feared that they themselves would all get into trouble. They thus decided to put Carly to bed, hoping that she would somehow recover which she never did and was found dead the following morning due to heroin poisoning. The appellant had remained at the house from the time when her half sister injected herself, throughout the evening and night. She had also witnessed the signs of the effect of the drug injected by Carly and that she realized that her half sister’s condition was dire. The appellant and her mother also thought that they were responsible for the care of Carly after her taking heroin. The question was whether the appellant was under a duty to take reasonable steps for the safety of Carly once she realized that the drug she had procured for her was having a potentially deadly impact on her health. This was despite the fact that their relationship lacked the features of familial duty or responsibility which marked her mother’s relationship with Carly, when omission

Workplace Romance in the Hospitality Industry Research Paper

Workplace Romance in the Hospitality Industry - Research Paper Example As a result of this constant sharing of working space there remains a high chance of the workers in the hospitality industry getting romantically involved with each other. Every worker spends a considerable amount of the day in his or her office. Above that the workers in the hospitality industry work under stressful conditions like round the day duties and living up to the demands of people of different kinds. As a result seeking supports from co-workers and consequent blooming of romance between them is prevalent trend in this industry. In any office environment the co-workers share a lot of feeling like experiences, interests, fears, setbacks and achievements with each other. Therefore it can be seen that the factors responsible for giving birth to romance are always present in the working environment. The constant sharing of emotions may lead to the development of emotional and romantic leanings on each other. The usual office romance varies from casual flings and affairs to the more serious relationships. In the hospitality industry there are also many instances of sexual harassment between co-workers and the scholars have distinguished the workplace romance from sexual advances. Workplaces romances in have been defined as relationship based on mutual desire and physical attraction between the workers of the same organization. It is also necessary that the people have found each other through the course of their work and the relationship is consensual. For romance between workers separated by hierarchy it is important that the romance spreads beyond the traditional employer employee relationship. Workers from all age group have been found to be associated with workplace romance. However the highest probability of romance between colleagues lies in the age group from 35 to 44. In a survey almost 44% of the interviewee in this age group has admitted to date their co-workers (Pearce, 2010). Some very important points of discussion about workplace romance have been the causes for the development of the romance, the effect of office romance on the peers and environment of the office as well as on the people involved directly and the managerial decision or attitude towards accepting the romance (Odgers, 2004, pp 221-222; Burke, Mattis, 2005 p 153; Sias, 2009, p 140). It will be relevant to mention that many of the organizations have a defined policy on workplace romance though no such references could be found directly for the hospitality industry. It has often been debated whether workplace romance leads to better performance of the employees and also the effect of romance on the other co-workers Reasons and the Consequences of Office Romance According to Fiona M. Wilson (2007) the study of romance in office as a sociological subject started 30 years ago. Such studies were of immense interest for the management who wanted to know the consequence on the organization as a result of romances between the workers. According to Peter Corser (20 11), a person spends a third of their day in their office. Under such a situation the author finds it natural for romance to brew between the co-workers. Moreover it can also be mentioned here that for people working in a team the skills, experiences and the knowledge are very similar. Therefore there is a high chance of people sharing common interests and therefore finding each other attractive. However he has also noted that many organizations have discouraging policies for such romances. The organization has

The Biome of Hawaii Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Biome of Hawaii - Essay Example In addition, the website provided the average temperature: 75 degrees to 88 degrees Fahrenheit from April to November, and 68 degrees to 80 degrees Fahrenheit from December to March, with an average water temperature of 74 degrees Fahrenheit. According to Encarta Online Encyclopedia (2007), eight main islands, namely Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Niihau and Kauai take almost the state's entire area of 28,311 square kilometer, with 98 sq. m. of inland water. The other part is composed of islets, coral reefs, and shoals. Thus, it is considered to be one of the smallest state in America. Hawaii did not escape the bad effects of deforestation, pollution, global warming, and human selfishness. The Nature Conservancy (2008) cries, "Climate change is already affecting our lives and the places we live, and has the potential to dramatically impact the lives of future generations." The plant life in the islands are mostly sets of coconut palm trees which are usually seen near the beaches, uncommon plants such as mesquite, koa haole, cactus, drought resistant grasses, wiliwili, naio, bastard sandalwood, niihau, kahoolawe, kukui, lantana, and alien weeds.

Film Analysis of Dead Man Walking Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Film Analysis of Dead Man Walking - Term Paper Example In order to discuss these critically important principles and relate them to the film under analysis, first the particular scene to which each of them relates the most will be identified. Then, that principle will be scrutinized to appreciate what literature has to say about it and finally, the extent to which each principle relates to the scene described will be critically analyzed. A- Deindividuation Scene: After going through many sessions with Poncelet, Sister Helen develops a special relationship with him and also becomes his confidant. She strongly believes in the value of forgiveness and repeatedly attempts to inculcate the same belief in him in many earlier scenes. It is because of that emphasis that near the end of the film just sometime before Poncelet is about to be executed for his crime, he confides in Sister Helen that he did in fact kill the boy and rape the girl despite having denied these deeds before. In this scene, he takes full responsibility for the cruel demise of both teenagers. What is deindividuation? Deindividuation is popularly described as marked loss of self-awareness to the point that a person becomes uncaring about social code of conduct or norms of the society. The loss of self-awareness is so potent that a person refuses to take responsibility for any action taken by him/her. ... Such people have no regard for others’ lives and do not seem to mind the idea of them bringing suffering or acute distress in other people’s lives. Deindividuation also compels people to violate their personal norms because external norms become more powerful (Pastorino and Doyle-Portillo 473) and engage in activities they would not care about otherwise. It is associated with unbridled and offensive behavior because it lowers the sense of self-awareness leaving a person unable to conscientiously evaluate his/her actions. How the scene conforms to the principle of deindividuation? This scene illustrates how deindividuation played a destructive role in motivating Poncelet to murder two innocent people. Because of wrong influence in the form of Carl Vitello and his own weaknesses, he violated his person code of conduct and lived by the external norms which stimulated him to commit the crime. He had no self-awareness in that moment and even after that, he is not seen willin g to take responsibility for his heinous actions. Before this scene, he always admitted being high on drugs but blamed Vitello for killing the teenagers leaving himself out of the main action. His personal norm was to lie about the real situation and he tried to live by that norm. However, when the moment of execution finally dawns on him, he loses self-awareness and the will to protect himself. Here, the external norms of Sister Helen related to honesty and taking responsibility for one’s actions become more powerful. B- Schemas Scene: Near the end of the movie, Sister Helen tells Pocelet that he is a son of God and should expect forgiveness because while he is being executed, Christ would be here.

Judicial Decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Judicial Decisions - Essay Example In addition to this there seems to be differing schemes protecting both the landlord and the tenants found in the distinction of the equitable and legal leases. The distinction becomes extremely important as if an interest in land is found to be a lease then one is protected by the Rent Acts, while the licence seems to encompass only limited rights as according to the terms of the arrangement between the parties with minimal state intervention. It is one of the fundamental themes in accepting what a lease is that the period identified in the arrangement between the landlord and the occupier is for a fixed term. In Lace V. Chantler [1944], it was held that a lease for the duration of a war was not a certain period as one could not surely envisage when the war would be over, thus this would be a licence revocable when the war would be over. However, even a short term, for instance a month to month agreement would seem to be satisfying the requirements of the LPA 1925 as each party holds power by notice to determine the continuity of the lease at the end of each month and this saves the arrangement from being uncertain. (Prudential Assurance Co. Ltd v London Residuary Board [1992]) Even time sharing agreements have been held to be tenancies recently (Cottage Holiday Associates Ltd v. Customs and Excise Commissioners [1983], Smallwood V. Sheppards [1895]). Perhaps even here, the underlying fact remains the intention of the par ty which could be evidenced by virtue of the mode of payment and the time period even though this is not an essential element (Ashburn Anstall v. Arnold [1989]). The concept of exclusive possession is also a very important one in the determination of a lease. Essentially, where the occupier could exclude anyone at all and is free to use the land as he wants subject to certain restrictions, this arrangement could easily be termed as a lease. Where a landlord had rights reserved to enter the premises, empty meters and change linen, it was held to be a licence (Appah v. Parncliffe Investments [1964]. A similar analogy could be drawn with the occupation of rooms in hotels and motels. It is normally quite clear to the occupier that he does not have the rights of a tenant with regards to the room he is occupying and his rights only stem from and are limited to the service contract concluded between him and the hotel, etc. Hence, the traditional distinction between a lease and a licenc

Programme Schedule Essay Example for Free

Programme Schedule Essay It should be noted that although I have used Sky One as an example of a typical evenings viewing on Sky, this ignores the other channels available through the satellite broadcaster. But in doing so I am illustrating the channels provision in terms of target audience, rejection of a public service ethos (to educate, inform and entertain), and its ability to house hour after hour of populist programming on one channel (complimenting Sky One is a mass of channels providing a wide range of programming (see Sky World and Family Pack, appendix 2)). What is obvious from this comparison is that the public service broadcasters are providing a schedule which caters for the widest possible audience, within the structure of two channels (BBC1/BBC2/RTE1/N2). There is the argument that, instead of attempting to provide an output representative of the whole of its audience, which on the face of it seems impossible, it should specialise into more defined areas. Some complain that money being spent on paying comedians for programmes such as `Have I Got News For You` (Friday 21:00, BBC), could be better spent on this specialisation, however those arguments often come down to ones particular taste, rather than any informed argument. What is it that public service broadcasters provide, which are deemed in the `public interest`, that those without such a remit fail to provide? It can surely not, as outlined previously be choice. Diversity, a term often associated with public service broadcasters, is no longer solely applicable to the latter as diverseness is arguably a product of greater choice. It could be argued however that the choice and diversity available from terrestrial public service broadcasters is of a higher quality and is therefore of greater value to an interested audience. The pluralistic nature of public service broadcasting requires that they take into account the sociocultural segmentation of society, but this is often difficult because of the limited terrestrial channel space available. However, what it does do is provide a common domain, arguably important in the context of social interaction. The ability of the audience to discuss for example, the previous nights episode of Eastenders (BBC1) in the playground or at work should not be underestimated. It could be argued that a wider range of viewing could bring a greater level of social ideas and concepts, yet this ignores the `information rich/information poor` argument, and the resulting divide which has yet to be addressed. The digression by both RTE and the BBC into digital media does not, in the current climate, resolve the problem of catering for such a large audience on a limited broadcasting frequency, simply because digital television is not widespread enough at this time. The conundrum for both organisations therefore, is that in order that they become both more diverse and competitive, their energies must go into the creation and promotion of their digital services so as to have a foothold in the future of digital broadcasting. And here lies the rub, At the moment there does not exist a platform solely intended for the broadcast of the BBCs digital programmes. It is available through NTL, Sky and ITV Digital, and therefore, the BBC is indirectly promoting the formats that have reduced their audience share and contributed to calls for its privatisation. The argument hinges on how the PSBs intend to supply their digital services in the future. They may provide a set-top box through which their channels can be received, or fund their place on the current EPG (Electronic Programme Guide), available through SkyDigital. RTE will begin broadcasting on the SkyDigital platform from April 2002, which has emphasised its intention to fulfil its public service remit by extending its audience reach to as many parts of Ireland as possible. However both NTL and Chorus, (cable companies operating in Ireland) have complained that RTE paid a reported i 6 million for its inclusion on the SkyGuide EPG (Electronic Programme Guide), whereas RTE is hosted for free, and importantly, compulsorily by the two cable operators. If Chorus Digital were to pull the plug on RTE, the low subscription rate would not cause significant damage to the public service broadcaster. However, NTL, who have a much higher subscription, and therefore attract more advertising, offers a greater problem. If NTL removed RTE from its output, advertising revenues would fall dramatically, indeed, it has already fallen in 2001 by i 12 million; 15. 5 million less than projected for 2002 and RTE would inevitably become bankrupt. But in doing so, NTL would almost certainly have its licence revoked, which it would appear, provides the greatest chance of survival for RTE. As I have discussed earlier, the introduction of satellite broadcasting into the UK and Ireland has had a detrimental impact upon the public service broadcasters viewing figures. The information below illustrates the year-on-year increase and uptake of cable and satellite subscription, paralleled with a year-on-year decrease in the BBCs viewing figures. RTE has been grouped in the same category as cable and satellite, however RTE would represent only a fraction of the increase. (NB. Shares before 1996 have been rounded to nearest whole number)

Leadership And Change Management At General Motors Commerce Essay

Leadership And Change Management At General Motors Commerce Essay General Motors (GM), one of the worlds largest automakers, was initially founded by William Durant in 1902 and held a remarkable presence in the automobile industry for almost a century. It is predominantly engaged in the designing, manufacturing and marketing of cars, trucks, and other automobile parts in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific regions. Additionally, GM also provides vehicle safety, security and information services through GM OnStar. This company sells not only cars but also trucks under several brands such as Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall in 31 different countries (Datamonitor). The main headquarters is located in Detroit, Michigan where over 200,000 people are currently employed globally. Its largest market is in the U.S, followed by China, Brazil, the UK, Canada, Russia and finally Germany. Globally, the automobiles and components industry was severely affected by the global ec onomic downturn in 2008. Unfortunately, the recession in the global economy harmed GMs business by adversely affecting its revenues, results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition. According to Isidore (2009) in CNN Money, General Motors filed for bankruptcy on June 1, 2009. . This move was once viewed as unimaginable, since it was one of the worlds leading automakers. However, after years of losses and market share declines topped by a major plunge in sales, bankruptcy was inevitable. A new company financed by the US Treasury stepped in and purchased most of GMs assets and trademarks. By July 10, 2009, the companys name changed from General Motors Corporation to General Motors Company. Consequently, the company experienced major changes such as massive job cuts, closure of a dozen facilities, emergence of new leaders, etc. In order to evaluate the radical change undergone by General Motors, both internal and external factors leading up to the change must be identified. Several pressures such as economic conditions, competition, government intervention, technology, resource availability, and people can cause change (Porter, Smith Fagg, 2006). In order to be successful, organizations increasingly need to be scanning the environment to anticipate the appropriate change action. More importantly, they need to be proactive in their attitude to change. In the case of General Motors, the causes of change were economic conditions on a global scale and unavailability of financial resources. Even though there was a resistance to change, GM had to swiftly evaluate the situation and devise new strategies on how to move forward. The success of the transition of an organizational change is mainly dependent upon the leadership of senior management (Porter, Smith Fagg, 2006). The Chief Executive Officer at GM, Mr. Fritz Henderson, was replaced by Mr. Edward Whitacre in 2009. He was the former Chairman and CEO at ATT from 1990-2007. Mr. Whitacre serves on the Boa rd of the Institute for International Economics and the Boards of Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Exxon Mobil and the PGA Tour (Datamonitor-GM). Furthermore, he is also involved in The Business Council. Even though leaders of General Motors are still trying to implement stability, the transition leading up to the radical change could have been more efficient and effective. LEADERSHIP THEORIES AND APPLICATION TO GM 1.1 Leadership Theories: Amongst the many definitions of a leader, Bryman (1992, p. 3) describes The leader is characterized by a strong drive for responsibility and task completion, vigor and persistence in the pursuit of goals, venturesomeness and originality in problem solving, drive to exercise initiative in social situations, self confidence and sense of personal identity, willingness to accept the consequences of his or her decisions and actions, readiness to absorb interpersonal stress, willingness to tolerate frustration and delay, ability to influence other peoples behavior and the capacity to structure social interaction systems to the purpose at hand. A true leader has the ability to motivate his or her followers. While the early leadership theories focused on the leaders individual characteristics and behavior, later theories explored the duties of the followers and the environment contributing to the success of a leader. Up to the late 1940s, it was believed that leadership qualities were innate primarily by men or passed along from generation to generation. Whether a leader is born or made was the controversial question that arose in the past. Historical evidence can justify that many effective leaders seem to be born with innate aptitudes. This is known as the Traits theory, which has three broad types of traits. The first is primarily based on the physical factors such as appearance, physique, height, etc. Secondly, the traits reflected on the persons abilities including intelligence, fluency of speech, and knowledge. The third type covers a wide range of personality characteristics such as conservatism, self-confidence, dominance, and emotional control (Bryman, 1992). On the contrary, the Style theory describes that employees will perform better depending on the adopted style of their leader (Porter, Smith Fagg, 2006). In other words, the same group of people will behave differently according to the leaders style. A type of leadership that follows the style theory is transactional leadership, based upon contingency where reward or punishment is given depending on the subordinates performance. The leader designates a specific task, and the subordinate is fully responsible to carry it out despite the circumstances. The emphasis is based on goal clarification, the setting of tasks and objectives, and organizational rewards and punishments. While this approach still remains popular, certain limitations exist such as the assumption that the subordinate is strictly motivated by money and reward (Dave Paper). On the other hand, transformational leadership theory is centralized on the development of commitment and motivation among followers. A transforma tional leader creates a vision and eventually persuades his or her followers to buy in in order to transform the performance of the organization (Porter, Smith Fagg, 2006). Even though people wont readily accept a radical vision, the transformational leader will do whatever it takes to get every person on board. This concept is based on a relational contract, where subordinates willingly contribute beyond the requirements. Both transactional and transformational are equally important to help increase organizational competitiveness in an era of global competition (Mohamed Rafiuddin, 2010). Yet, another leadership theory is that of Vroom and Yettons decision-making model. According to Porter, Smith and Fagg (2006, p.76), All leaders are considered as decision-makers, and their effectiveness can be determined by examining the quality of decisions taken over time. The most appropriate style of leadership is flexible which depends upon the subordinates preferred style, the situation and the task facing the leader. Vroom and Yetton defined five key types of leadership where two are autocratic, two are consultative and one is group-based. The way how the leader obtains information or the way how the leader makes a decision is different for each type. Situational factors influence which method is considered the most pertinent. While the path-goal theory of leadership is similar to the Vroom and Yettons model, many differences exist. A characteristic of the path-goal theory also involves a participative leadership, where the leaders consult with the followers and take their id eas into account for decision-making. However, the leaders are expected to guide, encourage, and support their subordinates in achieving the goals. For example, they are required to clear the path by removing roadblocks so that the subordinates know which way to go (Daves Paper). Moreover, the leaders are to be supportive by showing concern for the followers welfare and creating a friendly working environment. Another similarity to the Vroom and Yettons model is that the path-goal oriented leader will also vary in his or her approach depending on the situation. Finally, a term used to characterize brilliant forms of influence, exceptional, gifted, and even heroic is known as charismatic leadership. According to Galvin, Balkundi and Walkman (2010, p.477), Subordinates who view a leader as charismatic will tend to see the leader and his or her vision as core their own identity and will be willing to sacrifice so as to benefit the collective and achieve the goals and vision of the leader. Some distinguishing attributes possessed by the charismatic leader are confidence, power, success, and influence. A transformational leader can also be qualified to be charismatic and vice versa. Since a transformational leader instills the vision onto the subordinates, he or she can do so in a charismatic manner. 1.2 Leadership in General Motors Leadership models and theories should be used as frameworks for developing personal styles, and self-reflecting. While various theories exist, a successful leader should know their industries, have astute insights, and are willing to induce the changes necessary to their organization (Van Wart, 2010). Furthermore, they are an inspirational figure, where they can influence their followers in the course of events. In the case of GM, the former chief executive, Mr. Fritz Henderson was asked to step down from the position. Mr. Henderson had worked along the former GM president, Mr. Rick Wagoner, throughout his career. According to Madslien (2009), This could pose serious problems for GM, which may now find it hard to find not only a replacement for the charismatic car guy. However, concerns such as the fact that Mr. Henderson was clinging on to power in the name of stability were expressed. Additionally, he was eagerly trying to rebuild the company based on the traditional model that GM used prior the crisis. Based on this analysis, it shows that the former CEO was not apt for changeability. He can be categorized as being a transactional leader, where a clear structure must be set in place and subordinates are required to just follow. Fritz Henderson could also have been path-goal oriented, where he would direct the subordinates, tell them what to do, and provide appropriate guidelines. The new CEO stated, Mr. Henderson had done a remarkable job in leading the company through an unprecedented period of challenge and change (General Motors BBC article, 2009). On the contrary, Mr. Ed Whitacre, who replaced Fritz Henderson, is more of a transformational and charismatic leader. The newly-appointed CEO, who previously ran the ATT telecoms company, was brought in as chairman by the Obama administration. General Motors needed an outsider, who had no attachments, as the leader. When he accepted the post, he announced that sweeping management changes needed to be made at GM (Luft, 2009). The fact that Mr. Whitacre reorganized and restructured departments three days after taking over demonstrates that he is both transformational and path-goal oriented. He managed to guide his followers in how to achieve the goals and objectives set in place for the future GM. Moreover, he had a vision to recreate General Motors and put passion and energy into everything. This type of leader constantly sells the vision to his followers. With all the changes that GM was experiencing, Whitacre realized the workforce was rattled and immediately addressed it by sending a companywide email. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the email reassured the employees that the major leadership changes are all behind them (2009). Even though Whitacre might be somewhat naÃÆ'Â ¯ve in the time frame of product development amongst other areas, he strategically designates other people to overlook the areas he lacks in knowledge. Furthermore, he wants to give people more responsibility and authority deeper in the organization and hold them accountable for their doings (Luft, 2009). In decision-making, this leader follows Group procedure, where he shares the problems with followers and seeks consensus agreement. Essentially, as a transformational, charismatic, path-goal oriented leader, Mr. Whitacre will try to ensure a smooth and successful transition for GM as a company and for the employees. General Motors new management team will focus more on leadership duties and responsibilities to meet their objectives to design, build and sell the worlds best vehicle. 2.0 EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FACTORS Organizations are expected to experience changes due to the instability and inconsistency of the environment. Organizational change is usually provoked by some driving force such as decrease in productivity and services, substantial cuts in funding, major new markets and clients, etc (Barbara and Fleming, 2006). The reasons why and how changes occur can only be understood if an internal and external analysis of the company is performed. The Porters five forces, PESTLE and SWOT analysis, and internal resources can be used to conduct an environmental scanning; hence, objectives and strategies can be formulated and used to implement the changes. 2.1 PESTLE Analysis PESTLE analysis is a framework comprised of political, economical, social, technological, legal, and environmental components. From the beginning, General Motors has always been affected by the law and government regulations. Most of the regulations are associated with the environment and concerns for safe automobiles. For example, the EU recently restricted the usage of heavy metals due to environmental issues. Additionally, the vehicle emissions regulations have also become stricter (Datamonitor: Automobile). Economically, since 2008, the global automotive industry has been severely affected by the major global credit crisis where both North America and Europe encountered recession. This in turn caused unstable oil prices, decreases in employment rate and decrease in consumer spending. Other essential components are the sociological and environment factors. With the increasing interest of the environment worldwide specifically in the US and Europe, General Motors has taken a firm s tance in Corporate Social Responsibility in all its business practices. This includes the operation of the factories and business offices, usage of renewable and recyclable materials, production of fuel-efficient cars and trucks, and less emission of greenhouse gases (GM website). Additionally, society has become relatively materialistic and driven by status quo. General Motors is aware of this; therefore, it would target each market depending on status and income. The last component in the PESTLE analysis is the technological component. The rise of the internet worldwide has affected not only the automobile industry, but many others as well. GM can benefit from the increasing usage of the internet, because more and more consumers can access its website and view products more easily. 2.2 Porters Five Forces Porters five forces of competition framework can be used to analyze the intensity of competition and the level of profitability (Grant, 2005). These five forces include competition from substitutes, entrants, power of suppliers, power of buyers, and established rivals. In replace of purchasing automobiles, consumers can use public transportation such as buses, trains, and bicycles. Moreover, consumers can also choose from other automobile products that are not GM-related making the threat of substitutes high-risk. High barriers to entry such as large capital allow the threat of new entrants very low-risk. In the automobile industry, the bargaining power of suppliers is considered low, since these suppliers rely on the automakers to purchase the raw materials such as steel, paint, glass, aluminum, etc. In regards to the bargaining power of the buyers, the risk is high. Customers can choose not only from other automobile manufacturers, but also from many automobile dealers that exist. Finally, there is a high rivalry existing among the competitors of General Motors. The major competitors include Toyota Motor Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ford Motor Company, Mazda Motor Corporation and several other automakers (Datamonitor- GM) 2.3 Internal Analysis According to Porter, Smith, and Fagg (2006, p.393), Environmental analysis also requires an examination of the organizations internal environment. Internal analysis is concerned with the resources and capabilities that an organization must seek to understand before it can pursue any form of strategy. An internal audit includes the organizations human, financial and other resources which contribute to supporting its strategies. General Motors employs more than 200,000 people worldwide. Moreover, it has created a business environment based upon mutual respect, responsibility, and understanding. One of GM goals is to give employees more responsibility and authority and hold them accountable (GM website). In other words, this company believes in empowering its employees. Additionally, GM understands the effectiveness of performance when personal life and work are linked. Given that General Motors is considered to be one of the largest employers in the world, the benefits offered are just as grand. Amongst some of these benefits are medical plan including dental, investment options, life insurance, paid holidays and discounts on GM products and services. Financially, GM leaders and employees are committed to building its market share, revenue, earnings and cash flow with the goal of paying back its loans by 2010. In the year ended 2009 the estimated worldwide market share was recorded as 11.6%. Furthermore, vehicle sales in the US fell drastically since the peak in 2007 (GM Annual report). 2.4 SWOT Analysis Once an audit of external and internal influences has been conducted, a framework such as SWOT analysis can be used to link an organizations resources and capabilities. Then, the implications of strategies can be identified (Porter, Smith and Fagg, 2006). SWOT represents strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It is the most widely used analytical management technique. 1. Strengths: General Motors not only has a strong brand portfolio, but also has a wide portfolio of regional brands like Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac, Saab, and Saturn. The strong brand portfolio spanning the global market allows GM to gain a competitive advantage. Also, since it has an extensive geographic presence in 207 locations, General Motors is able to spread its risks across the global markets. 2. Weaknesses: GM incurred significant losses from 2005 through 2008 due to operations and restructurings. The companys liquidity position along with its operating performance was negatively affected by the industry conditions. Additionally, there was a major decline in sales in major business segments. 3. Opportunities: The increase in the global truck market experienced a growth during 2004 and 2008 and will continuously have a steady growth for the future. This represents an opportunity for General Motors to capitalize on this market which can positively affect its revenues and profits. Moreover, there has been a worldwide demand for hybrid electric vehicles. Therefore, General Motors has been focusing on developing new high technology products for these eco-friendly automobiles. Consequently, this would boost the demand for GMs products. 4. Threats: Due to the ongoing global recession, GMs business would be significantly affected in its revenues, results of operations, cash flow and financial condition. More importantly, the global automotive industry is extremely competitive, where General Motors are facing strong competitors. As a result, there would be an adverse effect on vehicle pricing and market share. 3.0 CHANGE THEORIES AND APPLICATION TO GM According to Palmer (2006, p.50), Variety of pressures on managers: the environment, discovery of deviations from standards, new desires and visions of the future or the fundamental nature of organizations themselves. He also continues on stating that the result of change is, ironically, stability. While these pressures for change are constant, advantages of a changing organization are better integration, teamwork, common values, and mindsets. All these benefits contribute to achieving a better organization with more efficient and effective outcomes. John Kotter explains that some forces for change are greater economic integration, maturation and slowdown, technology, and fall of socialist countries and their reorientation toward capitalist economies (Palmer, 2006). 3.1 Change Theories Several change management theories describe the process of developing a planned approach to the changes taken place in an organization. The first model is John Kotters 8 steps, which was published in 1995 in the Harvard Business Review. Firstly, establishing the need for urgency refers to performing market analysis by determining the problems and opportunities. The second step, ensuring there is a powerful change group to guide the change can be performed by creating team structures to help drive the change and making sure the teams have sufficient power to guide the change. Thirdly, developing a vision can be carried out by providing focus for change. Then, the vision must be communicated by using multiple channels to constantly communicate this vision. The next step is empowering the staff by removing organizational policies and structures that inhibit the achievement of the vision. Once this is done, the organization must empower the staff which help support the need for change an d provide motivation. Consolidating gains is the seventh step. This refers to rewarding those who engage positively with the change. Last but not least, the change must be linked to organizational performance and leadership (Palmer, 2006). However, while the Kotters 8 steps outline the management of an organizational change, the Bridges Transition Model suggests that change will not be successful if transition doesnt occur. In this case, transition is defined as the ending of something, which is the first phase. The second phase is the neutral zone, which is a confusing state between the old reality and the new. During this phase, people are not ready or comfortable to welcome the new beginnings. Much importance must be given during this stage, because the change might be jeopardized if the organization decides to prematurely escape. However, if the neutral zone is completed successfully, many opportunities for creative transformation can be presented. The final phase is acceptance of the new beginnings and identification with the new situation (Bridges, 1995). Similarly, another model of change that was developed in the earlier days is that of Lewins. His model also consisted of three phases like Bridges Transition Model. The first phase is identified as unfreezing, where it involved dismantling the existing mindset of the people. For example, a change in the organizational culture would take place in this stage. According to Brown (1998, p.6), Organizational culture refers to norms, attitudes, values, and beliefs that conduct the behavior of members of an organization with each other and with external stakeholders. Changing is the second phase of Lewins model where actual changes are implemented so the organization progresses to the new position. Just like Bridges, this phase is also accounted as the hardest to overcome. In the last phase also known as refreezing, the changes are stabilized. They have been accepted and become the new norm. At this point, the need for recruiting new staff untainted by old habits might be fitting for the or ganization (Senior and Fleming, 2006). 3.2 Changes in General Motors In 2007, General Motors declared record sales of more than nine million vehicles for the third consecutive year. Despite that this company had such an achievement, environmental turbulences such as the global recession in 2009 forced GM to declare bankruptcy. This was considered as the biggest failure of an industrial company in US history (BBC website- GM ready to file). According to the news article GM ready to file for bankruptcy, GM, once the largest company in the world, has been losing market share since the early 1980s (2009). Some causes leading up to this disastrous event are high production costs and collapse in credit markets and consumer spending. Furthermore, the automaker was slow in moving away from the production of gas-guzzling SUVs when consumers were looking for more fuel-efficient vehicles (BBC-Website, 2009). Even though restructuring of the company was necessary, the transition and resistance to change were posed challenging. Using Bridges Transition Model, the radical change that occurred in General Motors can be evaluated. In the first phase, the organization realized there were major discrepancies between its goals and the current system of operation. Consequently, General Motors accepted the fact that it was the end of their glorious era and placed its fate in the hands of the US government. The new GM left the government holding 60% of the companys equity (Clark, 2009). Since this automaker was an iconic symbol of the American auto industry, it was necessary to preserve it. General Motors then entered the second phase, the neutral zone, of the Bridges Transition Model. Herein, the company faced many barriers and resistance to the changes that were taking place. According to Bridges, management and employees would feel anxious, disoriented, resentful, and self-protective (Bridges, 1995). At this stage, it is natural for people to feel confused between rushing forward and going back to the old ways. Th e GM official website states that the company has a new global operating structure, a leaner and more streamlined leadership team, and a restructured Board of Directors (GM Website). The designated leaders take a crucial role in the neutral zone. The newly-appointed CEO Ed Whitacre exercised his authority by drawing up a new management blueprint to improve accountability and responsibility for key market performance within General Motors (Luft, 2009). Inevitably, during the restructuring and reorganizing, employers were fearful for their jobs. Bridges (1995, p.41) advises, Communications help to keep people feeling included in and connected to the organization. On March 31, 2010 Whitacre decided to send out a companywide email to ease the anxiety and anticipation that had been developing during the change. In his email, he wrote, A smart company changes and adapts to the needs of the business. So, while there will always be individual moves within GM, I want to reassure you that the major leadership changes are behind us (Welch, 2010). Once General Motors was out of the neutral zone, the company was able to indulge in the new beginnings that have been much anticipated for. Even though the new GM decided to get rid of Hummer, Saturn, Pontiac, and Saab, it still held on to the most profitable brands such as Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC. Additionally, it will continue to press on for structural cost reduction and a healthier balance sheet with a significant lower debt. Most importantly, the automaker will strictly concentrate on investing in innovative products and new technology. 3.3 Resistance to Change While the new GM managed to leave the neutral zone of the change process, it was prolonged because of the resistance to change. Some reasons why individuals resist change are routine, security, economic factors, fear of the unknown and selective information processing (Porter, Smith and Fagg, 2006). In the case of General Motors, management and employees were confined to the traditional way of the companys operations. Even more so, they knew that restructuring and layoffs were going to take place; therefore, they lost their sense of security and allowed anxiety to take over. 4.0 LINKAGE OF LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE According to Porter, Smith and Fagg (2006, p.301), The change agent should be at the center of any change process, and one of the most important jobs for him or her to do is to develop a good relationship between all the parties involved in the change process. This is vital to ensure that commitment, trust and mutual respect develop. The change agent is also known as the leader of the organization. During the transition of the old GM to the new GM, Mr. Ed Whitacre was designated as the CEO. He immediately recognized the importance of organizational development by changing its structure and the people within it. A successful change is accompanied by the redistribution of power within the company so that the decision-making is moved towards shared power (Porter, Smith and Fagg, 2006). CEO Whitacre alongside other directors and managers had to work together as a team in order to carry out the changes successfully. They may even have had to find themselves adopting the role as a transfor mational leader. As leaders, they are responsible in having a clear sense of direction in order to keep the organization moving on track towards the agreed objectives and goals. However, leaders cannot accomplish a successful change on their own. They need to also depend on the subordinates, which can be achieved by encouraging teamwork, empowerment, and acceptance of certain failures (Porter, Smith and Fagg, 2006). 5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS / CONCLUSION While General Motors was able to fast-track the change process with the right leadership in place, certain actions could have been done differently to maximize efficiency and minimize resistance. Palmer suggests that resistance to change can be managed by communication to the followers, participation from everyone involved, negotiation between the leaders and the subordinates, and explicit or implicit coercion (Palmer, 2006). Although Mr. Whitacre automatically sent out a companywide email when the company was in turmoil, it was not necessarily effective. Alternatively, he could have done a video conferencing with all the employees worldwide. In this manner, not only would his body language be viewed, but also would he be able to display emotions. According to Bridges (1995, p.41), Communications help to keep people feeling included in and connected to the organization. Without communications in place, wrong information can be multiplied and people develop apathy. Moreover, since the new General Motors wanted to revive its innovativeness, it is recommended for the company to expose people to new aspects of their tasks and opportunities for collaboration (Vermeulen, Puranam and Gulati, 2010). Also, while an organization is in neutral zone, creativity should be encouraged. This can be fostered by providing training in the techniques of discovery and innovation, encouraging experiment, embracing losses or setbacks, and looking for opportunities to brainstorm new answers to old problems (Bridges, 1995). All these must be carried out by the changing agents or the leaders. In conclusion, General Motors was able to identify their disparities and firmly decided to change the organization in order to accomplish its goals and objectives. More importantly, it acted quickly and and realized that current leadership talent did not have the capabilities to deal with the radical change. As a result, General Motors was assigned a charismatic, transformational leader to guide it through change, solve complex problems, and build for the future.