Information Strategy Plan for catering services Essay

Develop a solid, corporate identity in its specified targeted market areas. Become the top brokerage firm by its fifth year (2015) of operation, or before. The company believes that the above-mentioned objectives are obtainable because of the high degree of professionalism and expertise in real estate marketing upheld by the corporation’s core values. Compliance to the RESA Law compels all marketing executives with the knowledge of the real estate laws and procedures which will give them the corresponding license from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) as Licensed Real Estate  Sales Agents to engage in the marketing and sales of real estate properties. DRIVEN will provide them the needed training upon entering the profession. Free and paid trainings will be available at a high return to the agent. When starting out, most agents are not able proper training and support. The office environment will be productively and professionally presentable making it inviting to the agent as well as to its client developers and potential buyers / investors. A team of assistants and coordinators will man the office to provide virtual support and track daily marketing routine/schedule. Marketing executives will have the opportunity to be guided each day through a marketing plan. They may choose to follow the guidelines and training provided or they may follow their own daily routines. The company will be supplying a well-studied program allowing the new marketing executives to earn more than the average real estate agent by providing constant guidance and stability. If an agent for example sets a goal to obtain one buyer for the month, on an average of Php3,000,000.00 he would earn an income of Php81,000 per month (inclusive of withholding tax) X 12 months = Php972,000 per year. The accredited brokers will guide and assist every marketing executive in conquering this goal. The same sales as noted above would profit the corporation Php27,000 per month X 12 months = Php324,000 for the year X 460 agents = Php149,0400,000.  Under the RESA Law the real estate brokers on the other hand, are entitled to manage 20 marketing executives hence the corresponding profit for the accredited brokers given the same sales goal will be Php27,000 per month X 12 months = Php324,000 for the year X 20 agents = Php3,888,000 on top of his personal sales. At every stage of a persons’ search for property the listing will experience attrition or in other words a point where the searcher does will not proceed to view details or make an enquiry about the property being sold. This happens when the property cannot be found hence agents are encouraged to utilize all major portals in the market to minimize attrition and maximize results. No attention grabbers can also happen when the website is compromised by poorly optimized and presented Images and even the mere. Titles and Text may increase attrition rate significantly reason why all listings presented on portals should theme professional real estate photography as well as optimized titles and text. People online get bored quickly as well, if a person’s interest is lost while reviewing the property, chances are a potential sale might be lost as well. Apart from getting bored quickly, people using the internet react impulsively. They are quick to judge and if their perception is negative of what they are reading or seeing they will leave and move on, potentially never to look at the listing again.

Interview Qaisra Shahraz

Aquaria Sahara visited many places in India and gave talks on her two books. Her trip was made possible by her Indian publishers Penguin. I chanced to read her work and I found It Interesting. Later my colleague and the co -editor of this book Professor A. R. Sidewalk suggested that we could Interest many people to contribute essays on the art and craft of Aquaria Sahara. The response simply overwhelmed us. In almost no time we received the consent of a great many colleagues in India and elsewhere in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Europe and the United States to write for this volume. Most of them have kept their word.We are indeed grateful to them for their interest. Out of so many post-colonial Indian and Pakistani writers writing In English, what, In your pollen. Is special about Salsa Sahara as a remarkable fiction writer? Of the postcolonial writers it is only Indian writers who hog all limelight. The Resides, the Gosh, the Despise. The fact is a lot of new and interesting writing is e merging from unlikely places. From Pakistan, from Bangladesh. And whatever be the mage of Pakistan in the media, Western and Indian, an interesting thing is that a lot of new writers are emerging from Pakistan.Most of this writing Is very political which Is not surprising since Pakistan faces problems which are essentially of political nature. However, there are some writers who focus attention on issues of a different nature. Aquaria Sahara is one such writer. She has charted a different territory. Issues of identity-rural, regional, gender -are her basic concerns. How has she contributed to the discourse on the gender Issue with specific reference o Pakistani society, especially in view of her being based in the UK/West?Most writers maintain their link with their country of origin. Pakistan never disappeared from Aquaria Ashram's imaginative space. As a woman who has lived her life In two countries her writing is only enriched by her experience. The diasporas Identity has Its own advantages. In her case It Is not lack of something but rather the an open eye. In her work she shows the limitations of both Western and non-western feminism. Does Aquaria Sahara typify the Feminist perspective? She goes farther than that. She redefines feminism for Pakistani society.Call it Islamic feminism, Muslim feminism or by whatever name she does not mindlessly indulge in Islam and Muslim bashing which is the motif in lots of ,what has been called, oppressed women's novels. Her target is rather the agrarian system, some oppressive customs in Kinds and the subversion of Islam to serve one's own interest. What is Aquaria Ashram's attitude to patriarchy which is rife in Pakistani Culture? She has a very critical view of some patriarchal institutions. Some of her characters are self-consciously feminist. Professor Night Sultana, for instance.Even Karri Banjo's supposedly meek capitulation to a patriarchal institution can be read as a criticism of patriarchy. In this instance she shows both the power and the evil nature of patriarchy. What are your comments on Aquaria Ashram's understanding and depiction of Pakistani village life and Islamic culture? For a person who has mostly lived in cities Aquaria Sahara shows remarkable understanding of rural life. The character of Kanji, Skull's and Amanita bib' and others are products of rural set-up. While reading her novels I was myself transported back in time and place.I was thinking of a woman in Titular,( my native place in Attar Pradesh) who passed invitations by word of mouth, fixed matches and spread gossip in her own inimitable ways. I was reminded of the institution of village match maker, a task which is now done on the net. The close- knit community, oppressive customs, force of gossip, the distrust of the corrupting ways of the city-?these are all beautifully captured by Sierra's narrative, especially in Typhoon. Sierra's language is very different from other Indo-Anglican writers like Rushed, Koran Ide as Iranian Ideas for instance.Could you elucidate? Of course it is different room what Rushed calls citified English. Others have Jokingly referred to the fortification of English. Aquaria has her own share of non English words because she is translating an entire culture. Words like Zeta and Kismet add a richness to English vocabulary. I especially liked the papacy style of Sahara in Typhoon. It is her choice of words and English structures which is responsible for the leisurely pace of the Holy Woman and the fast and furious pace of Typhoon – the contrast in the pace of the two books is so remarkable.How do you think this volume of Critical Essays on Aquaria Ashram's craft will intricate to literature and cultural studies? I must confess that the multiplicity of perspectives offered by the contributors has far exceeded my initial understanding of her work. The contributors have analyses her work from all critical angles possible-? pedagogical. The varied backgrounds of the contributors-?British, American, Arab, African, German, Indian and Pakistani-?add some more dimensions to the critical discourse on Sahara.What are some of the main conclusions of the critical scholarship on Aquaria Ashram's work. This is certainly not the final word on Aquaria Ashram's work. It is Just the beginning. Other critics, most certainly students of literature, can take this work forward and explore ideas treated by the contributors to this volume. Some critical opinion quotes on Aquaria Ashram's work. China Aquaria Sahara, a Pakistani-born English writer and scriptwriter, is such a wonderful story teller that readers can hardly put her stories down once they begin them.Reading her works is like starting a Journey with her unforgettable characters to Pakistan and gaining a deep insight into their lives, in particular the poignant lives of Pakistani women. Living in the I-J since she was 9 years old, but deeply rooted in her own Pakistani culture, she bridges the understand ing between the East and the West. More importantly, through her excellent novels The Holy Woman and Typhoon, she clarifies many Westerns' stereotypical misconceptions about the Islamic cultures. I hope that Ms.Ashram's fascinating works will soon be introduced into China so that they will reach an even wider readership and arouse the academic interest among Chinese academia, also in view of the fact that China also has a large population of Muslims. Tinting Going, Associate Professor of English, Southwest University of Science and Technology( Managing) and translator of Holy Woman and Typhoon, China Germany My reading of Aquaria Ashram's The Holy Woman and Typhoon offered me my first real insight into the lives of women in Pakistani villages and into the types of story which symbolism rural and urban society in that country.It was a revelation and I read both books back to back. The Holy Woman in particular has rightly attracted global attention through its non-partisan portrayal o f the ambivalent relationship teen Islamic culture and Western consciousness as seen through the eyes of a woman. It is a very significant book indeed and Aquaria Ashram's is a voice of mediation which should be more widely heard. Robert Scrimshaw, KulturwissenschaftlichesKolleg, University of Constant, Germany. India transmutable.The migrant imagination produces texts that cross geographic, national, ethnic, and even linguistic boundaries and make connections with the past and the present. Aquaria Sahara who describes herself as a British Muslim of Pakistani origin retains her sensitive understanding of Pakistani society and culture, ND in living away from it, benefits from the distancing perspective which enables her in her fiction to nuance characters, situations and events; negotiate with history and memory; Juxtapose and examine old traditions and new sensibilities.She weaves flavors of life and the sense of living into the texture of her writing. Each of her stories becomes a metaphor for complex exploration of identity formations and self- definitions. In her remarkable novels The Holy Woman and Typhoon and in her short stories, fictive imagination and historical inscription blend significantly to produce reared texts that invite deep engagement and innovative strategies of reading. Tune Musketeer, Professor of Comparative Literature, University of Hydrated, India.Indonesia As a citizen of a country with the biggest Muslim population in the world, I found Aquaria Ashram's works as an eye opener about the diversity of the world Muslims. And I think I am not alone in this opinion, since we witnessed how her two novels, The Holy Woman and Typhoon got a very good response from the Indonesian readers–that's why we plan to republish the two in a product line that we call Gold Edition (novels).I do think that the Indonesian readers got the same enlightenment, that even when we are united as Muslims, we might grow on a different soil of culture that very much influences our interpretation about Islam. And because of that, we need more and more constructive dialogue, not only between the Muslim world and the West (non Muslim world), but also between world-Muslims itself – to bridge differences to gain understanding between cultures. Mrs..Payments Innings, Chief Executive Officer, Mizzen Publishing House – Indonesia Morocco Aquaria Sahara is a voice of light whose piercing scream faces the dark continent of ultra blindness and patriarchal and ideological manipulation. Her feminist writings vehemently uncover the weight of the patriarchal order in an ideologically- biased Pakistani Islamic context, unveil the misuse of Islam in depriving women of their human and sexual rights and, consequently, invite a complex post-colonial and post-harem critical perspective on women's predicaments in the Arab-Islamic sphere as a whole.Ashram's feminist commitment calls for an urgent re-consideration of sexual politics and women's invo lvement in dismantling various areas of masculine animation and building up a modern and gender-democratic Muslim society. Hosannas Cirri, Professor, School of Humanities, Pakistan Aquaria Sahara is one of the most important category English fiction writer of Pakistani origin. Her fiction writing has created its own distinctive place by virtue of its quality and relevance to the contemporary issues.She has an extraordinary skill of raising some delicate and fundamental questions related to women issues in general and in particular about those women who are struggling to discover their individual identity in a polarize world. She presents some important aspects of the infiltration of values between different civilizations through her powerfully conceived characters. Though her characters and setting may represent a certain class or section but her themes overwhelmingly remain universal and humanism formulates the basic fiber of her fiction.Karma Charisma Squid, Editor (English), Paki stan Academy of Letters, Islamabad, Pakistan Turkey The works of Aquaria Sahara, Actual Caddy (The Holy Woman) and Tiffany (Typhoon), have attracted attention with their striking themes and contemporary topics in Turkey. When Ms. Sahara visited our country in 2005 for *Istanbul Book Fair, I got the hence to know her better. I saw that although writers, scientists or intellectuals from the East live in the West, they don't lose touch with their own culture.Aquaria Sahara is one of those intellectuals, who has the ability and experience to interpret the East truly. She is a writer who can deftly read the East while she lives in the West. In this respect, I can say that her novels are important examples to be analyzed academically. Since they were published in our country at a time when discussions were ongoing on the theme of the clash of civilizations, they have also been reliable ND useful sources of information for those who interpret the West differently from the East.We hope that Ms. Sahara, who deserves to be praised in terms of her literary insight, will go on writing books which will take their place among Eastern Classics books with their insightful themes. Burk Fuzzy kabuki, Chief Editor Para Publishing House, Istanbul, Turkey Aquaria Ashram's writing, which has delighted and inspired readers all over the world for the past two decades, is finally receiving the scholarly attention it deserves.This exciting new collection of articles surveys the diverse range of themes and issues treated in Ashram's work – feudalism and modernity; female sexuality, romance and divorce; religious faith and the wearing of the veil; the Pakistani homeland and its Diaspora – and pays tribute to the emotional depth and moral complexity of her gathered from across the globe -? will be of especial interest to non-Muslim readers wishing to understand more about the historical and political context of Ashram's work.Just as Aquaria Ashram's writing has touched the l ives of many thousands of general readers around the world, so will this collection most surely win her new fans within the academic community. Lynn Pearce, Professor of Literary Theory and Women's Writing, Lancaster University, I-J United States of America I was caught by the drama, the romance, the traditions, the shibboleths and the descriptions of town, village, house and home in her novels The Holy Woman and Typhoon.I could see so well the settings and characters Aquaria Sahara described so vividly. She let me into and behind the scenes so far from those in western homes but still of common human interest. I hope to read the further adventures of her protagonists! Ann Nicholson, Radio Host/Producer, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

What is Medical Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology?

Radiology diagnostic imaging is an important tool for appropriate therapy planning and for clinical diagnosis of diseases. However, in recent years, there has been an increase of requests require diagnosis by radiation (Siciliano, 2017). So, as the use of radiation increase and become very important in evaluate and diagnose pathology, it become essentially importance to focus on its risks, especially in pediatric. In young person's, exposure to ionizing radiation must kept low as can as possible, because their tissues are highly radiosensitive. In this age radiation induce risks is relatively high as tissues mitosis rates are high. As a result, it is fundamentally more vulnerable to damage than inactive tissues, it cause DNA metabolism damaged by radiation. The radiation risk is therefore highest in infancy and early childhood. Children, who have many years left to live (life expectancy), are more likely than adults to develop radiation-induced cancer; also, as future parents, they are at risk for passing on radiation-induced genetic defects to the next generation. (AlzenandBenz-Bohm,2011). For these reasons, whenever possible, radiological studies on children should replace by other imaging modality that does not involve radiation such as, magnetic resonance or ultrasound imaging. Pediatric conventional X-rays and computerized tomography (CT) require special examining protocols and techniques sets by the radiology department that are suitable to the patient's age and to the indication for the study in order to prevent the patient from unnecessary dose (Siciliano, 2017). This article is to discuss the principles of radiation protection for pediatric in general radiography, components of equipment using in the plain radiograph and it's function in lowering radiation dose in pediatric patient, the role of radiographer, technical and radiation exposure consideration in this issue with clinical example to evaluate the radiation dose for some common pediatric x-ray examination performed by digital radiography system. Body The attention of the medical communities and scientific has greatly focused on the biological effects of ionizing radiations and, in general, on the radiation protection. The purpose of these studies is to provide protection and health for persons who are subjected to radiation exposure especially for pediatric patient (Siciliano, 2017. â€Å"searches estimated that exposure to radiation in the first ten years of life induces a risk two to three times higher than exposures incurred between thirty and forty years of age†( Siciliano, 2017 pp.134) . In particular, the pediatric patient in this age they are still growing so ,they are more radiosensitive than an adult (and having a longer life expectancy), therefore, â€Å"the probability of health effects by IR in a child is three times greater than that of an adult†(Siciliano,2017) . A child's body differ in some respects from adult's body. Actually, pediatric body is short and wide in contrary, to the adult body which is long and less broad. If the trunk of small child's body is X-rayed, the shape of the body make it difficult to avoid non-require part from irradiate that's because the larger areas of the body lie within the radiation field and are consequently, more affected by scattered radiation. (Alzen and Benz-Bohm ,2011) . That is mean for example if trunk is x-rayed, other parts like extremities will be affected by scatter radiation. Tissue, which is at high risk of damage by radiation such as hematopoietic bone marrow, differ in location between adults and infants. â€Å"In adults, 74% (spine, ribs, and pelvis) is located in the trunk, and only 9% in the extremities. In infants, 29% is located in the trunk and 35% in the extremities†(Alzen and Benz-Bohm ,2011.pp.408). This indicates that child hematopoietic bone marrow distributes widely in all parts of the body. That is why we must to reduce the dose to the pediatric patient. The use of radiation in pediatric radiology must be minimize as can as possible in order to protect child patient form radiation induce risk or try to lower the radiation dose by following certain criteria in pediatric imaging particularly in examinations that require more radiation and more than one projection such as skeletal survey. Equipment use in general radiography: Equipment that carry general examinations have an essential role in reducing the dose to the young patients. Most digital radiography (DR) now are sufficient in lowering patient radiation dose compared to screen-film radiography and previous used equipment but reverse is also possible (uffmann, 2009). Because the modern DR system have detectors with higher detective quantum efficiency (CsI:TI/a-Si DR detectors )it become able to improve image quality with less radiation dose(Knight,2014). This system use technique of raising the KVP and lowering the mAs which responsible to the radiation dose (Knight,2014) . This fact make it perfect to use in pediatric radiography. However, in digital system blackening of film at higher dose not exist in the radiograph as this will lead to unnoticed increase in dose over time when using digital system with manual tube sitting(uffmann, 2009). To overcome this problem, the radiographer can manipulate exposure factor and select it carefully without affecting the image quality (Knight,2014). The radiographer have an important role in lowering radiation dose and provide radiation safety to the pediatric patients using several methods and techniques for maximum protection while obtaining optimum diagnostic image.Wearing colorful uniforms to gain child trust and make them cooperative (Sulieman,2015) .Obtain good position by positioning the patient correctly in close contact with the cassata to prevent scatter radiation and repetition (AlzenandBenz-Bohm,2011).Use the infant holder rather than let someone to hold and give unnecessary radiation to that person (AlzenandBenz-Bohm,2011).Adjust optimum exposure factor.Using of immobilization device will avoid movement and repetition of image.Apply gonad protection will lead to reduce the dose absorbed by testicular by up to 95%. Protecting ovaries will lower the dose up to 50% (Sulieman,2015)Preparing the patient perfectly to avoid any appearance of artifact in the image which will cause to repeat the image and consequently increa sing the dose.There is a lot of consideration and techniques must be follow to lower the radiation dose to young patient. ALARA principle (as low as reasonably achievable) is an important techniques to achieve the optimum dose for an X-ray examination in pediatric radiography while obtaining good image quality. Firstly, should to consider in tube voltage use for each examination. As the result of smaller and thinner body of children than adult then the dose deliver to the child must be lower (Alzen and Benz-Bohm,2011). The American Society of Radiologic Technologists(ASRT)white paper says â€Å"using the highest kVp with the lowest amount of mAs is needed to provide an adequate exposure to the image receptor and therefore decrease amount of attenuation and dose to the patient is the best technique for pediatric in digital imaging† (Stephen,2014) . In addition, the authors' research has shown that using an additional tube filter of 1mm aluminum (Al) and 0.1 to 0.2 mm copper (Cu) for pediatric radiography will result in decreasing the surface dose by half. Also using proper collimation help to minimize primary and scatter radiation. Karami.et.al,(2016) focused on the essential role of increasing the X-ray focus to film distance (FFD) in lowering the radiation dose to the chest in general pediatric radiography. Study shown that is increasing FFD from 100 cm to 130 cm its effective to reduce patient radiation dose. Specifically, following special technique when imaging chest x-ray in pediatric is very important. The breast tissue in this age is very sensitive to the ionizing radiation. Therefore, a PA chest technique is favorable if the patient is cooperate and can perform it (Sulieman,2015). This to prevent this sensitive tissue from primary beam. . Table 1. Briefly, demonstrate the techniques of pediatric patient protection in plain film radiography. This case study was done in SQU Hospital for 7 months old male patient come to the department for skeletal survey. He has skeletal abnormality from birth. Doctor requested to do AP and lateral skull, AP chest, AP spine, AP pelvic, AP full lower limb, AP feet, AP both upper extremities, PA both hands. There was absence of right hand and forearm and meromelia â€Å"which is a partial absence of part of the limbs†(Nayak S et al.2016,pp pp106-108) of right upper limb with normal appearance of right humerus, right humerus is slightly smaller compared to left humerus. As many projection was done I compared the radiation dose (DAP) given for some part with the standard dose should give to the pediatric patient in plain radiograph a according to diagram below. In AP skull the patient get 1.41 dGycm2 (14.1 µGy.m2) and for lateral skull 0.400 dGycm2 (4  µGy.m2).Dose considered high in AP skull compared to the standard, this due improper selection of exposure factor. In contrary, lateral skull dose its optimum. Also an image for humerus was repeated and expose patient again due to poor immobilization and movement of the patient that cause increased dose to the patient. In conclusion, protecting child from radiation is necessary for many reasons; the most important one is because of their tissue sensitivity as they still in growth stage and does not mature yet. As result they will be more vulnerable to radiation induce risk and the radiation effect noticeble more in them. Pediatric group are more likely than other age group of society to be irradiated for several reasons, one of them is that, child in this age become sick or get disease easily therefore, they need sometimes for x-ray for accurate diagnosis. Researchers and those who are interested in radiology done many studies in this topic and they found that, there is many methods and ways to reduce dose to the pediatric patient some of this ways come with the machine and some based on radiographers. For example reducing exposure factors, use gonad protection, immobilization device in addition to perform spatial techniques in imaging pediatric patient.

Market Solution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Market Solution - Essay Example Recently, the organization experienced a drop in the share prices by 10%. The organization is said to be suffering from low employee satisfaction as reported by popular media such as the Wall Street. The organization has even started experiencing a decrease in customer loyalty as the organization has seen a decline in the enrollment of the customers in the Reward program of the organization. The airlines witnessed a 20% decline in the customers enrolling in the reward program and they have started shifting towards the competitors of the airlines. The airline is even suffering from the issue of an increase in the operating costs due to increased labor and fuel cost. The organization can alter its problematic situation and can earn higher profits. Its problems can help it grow and attain success; they need to carefully handle the entire problematic situation. While dealing with the issue of decline in customers, the airline needs to distinguish between its essential customers and every day customers. They need to provide more personalized services to certain customers which will help the airlines to gain attention in the market. The customers will further help the airline in increasing their customer base. Satisfied customers will pass on satisfactory messages to other consumers which will result in an increase in the customers for the airline and will further help in decreasing the overall marketing costs. One of the major changes that the airline needs to make is to change its current reward program. They can enhance their reward program by creating a program or changing their current program after analyzing the programs that are created by their competitors. Altering the current reward program of the airlines will enhance customer satisfaction and consumers will start giving preference to the airline’s reward program. The airline even needs to focus on how to decrease their operational costs. One such method is the introduction of winglet which will resu lt in decreased consumption of fuels by the aircrafts. Several problems related to the airline have been identified by the different stakeholders of the company. Stakeholder issues need to be considered while solving the issues of the company because these stakeholders lead to the success and failure of the organization. The stockholders of the organization are of the opinion that the share prices of the organization have declined very sharply and this is hampering their investments. They believe that the share prices of the organization can be increased if the organization starts satisfying customers and customer loyalty is one of the essential things that need to be created in the market for the success of the company. The management is of the idea that the organization is not completely fulfilling the needs of the consumers and once these needs are fulfilled, consumers will start becoming loyal to the organization. Employees of the organization are mainly concerned about the nega tive reviews of the organization in the popular media. The employee union of the organization is concerned about job losses, decrease in salaries of the workers, dissatisfied workforce and they want to ensure that workers are compensated equally according to their hard work and performance. Similarly, the government and the officials

Management Research and Consultancy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management Research and Consultancy - Essay Example It is obvious, that the patterns of HRM in family and non-family business are different, thus it should have been better to find the differences in HRM patterns between different family businesses, to outline the major factors that influence these behaviour and the ways of making these behaviours work for businesses of small and medium companies. The work notes, that the terms HRM is at times used in the wrong way, to replace the famous term of Public Management. But it should be remembered that HRM is somewhat different sphere of research, than the PM is. So, as the work is concentrated at comparing the HRM patterns of different kinds of small and medium enterprises, less attention is paid to family business itself, as a bright example of unusual and unique human relations inside each enterprise. At the same time, the present research is an attempt to satisfy the urgent need for studying the HRM processes in the small and medium firms; as such research has always been made for large corporations. The importance of HRM in each firm, either large, or small, is not argued. It is one of the principal ways for the development and progress of any organization. 2. Evaluate the literature review and the way that the researchers have used it to set research questions and design of the project. The research is based on a big number of literary works, relating to human resource practices and family business as the economic phenomenon. There is no argument about the fact, that it is easier to manage in the smaller environment, and the research relates to the works of Storey and Guest (1987), which suggest, that the key concepts of any human resource management are high flexibility, high quality, high integration and high commitment, but Guest's book was written for the big companies, and thus it is rather ambiguous, whether his ideas are applicable to the smaller business; this issue needs further research. On the contrary, the Storey's ideas as for the important role of communication and logic are very relevant for small family business, as the communication in any human relations plays one of the first, if not the first, role. The literature, chosen for the research, is seldom devoted to HRM in small firms, as this discussion has always lacked attention and interest, though it is understood, that the prosperity of small firms, and successful HRM, as a considerable part of this prosperity, is the main stimulation for the overall economic growth. (Dundon, 2001) The authors, who have devoted their time and books to the HRM, never really concentrated on the smaller and medium business, simply outlining the necessity for such research, without going deeper into the subject. (Legge, 1995; Bach and Sisson, 2000; bacon, 1996; Creagh et al.,

Psychology discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Psychology discussion - Assignment Example Keeping in mind my family, I would prefer going to some other city to look out for an employment. While making this decision, I would think of my children’s education and my family’s welfare. Considering all these factors I would decide on taking up an employment rather than getting a college degree. If I decide to go back to college for getting a degree, it will certainly affect my children’s future as I will not have sufficient funds to take care of my family. This may cause adverse effects. The criteria like trend of the industry which I have decided to work and my career prospects have to be considered.(McKay 2008). Switching the career or the industry may help in my future. Since relocating would be of great help in finding me a job immediately, I would decide on moving to a different city. This decision would definitely help in improving my career and my family’s

Rape in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Rape in America - Essay Example This figure translates to an incidence rate of 64.8 victims of forcible rate for every 100,000 women and girls (FBI, 2003). The report also states that around 91 percent of these victims suffered rapes by force while 9 percent reported experiencing forcible rape attempts by another person. Although definitions of rape in every society, culture and nationality varies and considered very complex, the law provides basic situations or conditions for the commission of this crime. The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), established in the 1960s, defines rape as "forced sexual intercourse including both psychological coercion as well as physical force. Forced sexual intercourse means vaginal, anal, or oral penetration by the offender" (Kilpatrick, 2004). "The Federal Criminal Code of 1986 has a different definition of rape. It does not use the term rape per se but uses aggravated sexual abuse instead. According to this law, there are two types of aggravated sexual abuse. These are (1) aggravated sexual abuse by force or threat of force and (2) aggravated sexual abuse by other means". (Title 18, Chapter 109A, Sections 2241-2233). The first type involves the use of force or threat such as death, injury or detention to coerce a person into sexual activity. The second type includes rendering the victim unconscious through force or other means such as alcohol or drugs in order to engage into a sexual act (Title 18, Chapter 109A, Sections 2241-2233). The National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS) on the other hand clearly defined the nature and limits of rape in their assessment of U.S. adult women from 1995-1996. There were five instances or conditions in their questionnaire which can be considered as an act of rape. The first is the use of force or threat to victim or persons close to the victim in order to have sex which involves putting a penis in the victim's vagina. The second is the use of force or threat to victim or persons close to the victim to have oral sex. The third is the use of force or threat to victim or persons close to the victim to have anal sex. The third is the use of force or threat to victim or persons close to the victim to put the offender's finger inside the victim's vagina or anus. The last condition includes the above four acts but without actual penetration (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). In the social or psychological science, rape is defined as forcing sexual activity on a person who objects or withholds consent or, in other words, sexual activity devoid of consent and against the person's will. This paper aims to assess the applicability of the narcissistic theory in the commission of rape and the psychology of rapists. Narcissistic Theory The narcissistic theory was presented by several psychologists including S. Freud, C. Lasch, O. Kernberg and H. Kohut to name a few. Narcissism was based from the name of a Greek mythology character called Narcissus who fell in love with his own reflection on the water's surface. Narcissism, simply put, is used to refer to self-love or self-admiration (John & Robins, 1994; Rhodewalt et al., 1998; Morf & Rhodewalt, 1993). Freud's adaptation of the term found healthy and pathologic applications of narcissism in his psychodynamic theories while Kohut defines it as a mental illness caused by a defective upbringing resulting to excessive love of oneself and disregard for other persons. Lasch

Fast Food, are we taking it too far by blaming fast food restaurants Research Paper

Fast Food, are we taking it too far by blaming fast food restaurants for obesity - Research Paper Example Opponents of the fast food industry tend to compare fast food to cigarettes, saying that smoking one cigarette pack a day is not more harmful for health than eating three big macs a day. â€Å"The concept of â€Å"Big Food† litigation [was] crafted along the line of â€Å"Big Tobacco† litigation†. Cigarettes and fast food deteriorate health in their own respective ways, and there is nothing untrue about it. However, cigarettes are a means of consumption of smoke whereas food is fundamentally a source of nutrition, no matter how fatty that may be. Overeating can always cause obesity, whether or not fast food is consumed. If three big macs are to be equalized to one pack of cigarettes, this is no reason to sue the fast food companies because they never ask their customers to consume three big macs in a single day. It is up to the customers what they eat and how much they eat. Cigarettes are totally the pollutants for lungs whereas fast food is also rich in proteins and carbohydrates in addition to fats. If any food that contains fat and carbohydrate is to be blamed for obesity, health conscious people should resort to taking protein tablets and eat nothing, because anything they would eat would have some proportion of fat and carbohydrates in their contents. After all, it is the nature’s decision, and is so because fats and carbohydrates are necessary for health, though if consumers can not keep themselves from overeating, it is they who should be sued instead of the fast food companies.... any food that contains fat and carbohydrate is to be blamed for obesity, health conscious people should resort to taking protein tablets and eat nothing, because anything they would eat would have some proportion of fat and carbohydrates in their contents. After all, it is the nature’s decision, and is so because fats and carbohydrates are necessary for health, though if consumers can not keep themselves from overeating, it is they who should be sued instead of the fast food companies. Robert Sweet, the US District Judge rightly said, â€Å"If consumers know (or reasonably should know) the potential ill health effects of eating at McDonald's, they cannot blame McDonald's if they, nonetheless, choose to satiate their appetite with a surfeit of supersized McDonald's products† (Sweet cited in Collins). In order to get to the root cause of the problem, it is useful to find out what has stimulated fast food companies to sell food rich in fat. Fat happens to be the most typic al source of taste in any kind of food. Take a piece of bread and eat it, it won’t taste good enough. Application of a spoonful of butter or cheese on it would enhance its taste manifolds. Even in homes, people frequently make use of dairy products rich in fat content like cottage cheese, butter, cream and milk. In fact, there are many obese people who do not at all go to the fast food restaurants. Many people are genetically obese. Two children, who are brought up in similar circumstances, are of same age and consume same food can not be expected to have the same body mass index. One might be very skinny and the other might be obese. It is the way an individual’s body reacts to the food consumed that makes a difference. Many people remain on diet 24/7 and are yet obese. Yet there are others who

Rabelais and Montaigne Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rabelais and Montaigne - Essay Example This is especially so as they give credence to art in its natural state where a lot of description and opinion, but which seek to indulge into inquiry. Even so, to argue that renaissance writers were only interested in theory may be a misconception. This paper shall assess the above claims under the thesis statement: early renaissance writers and characters appreciated theoretical generalizations and pragmatic action in equal measure. To do so, this paper shall focus on selected readings of the above scholars in an attempt to prove this position. The paper will also offer a counter argument through the lens of an alternative interpretation especially where ambiguity leaves room for multiple understandings of the texts. An Analysis of Depictions of Pragmatic Action versus Theoretical Generalizations To begin with, Book 1, the introduction offers a bit of the author’s background. One may notice that the fact that he threw himself at the movement of the Renaissance (Rabelais and Raffel 5). He is depicted as having acquired both the Latin antiquity knowledge as well as the Greek forms of knowledge. Raffel writes, â€Å"Almost all the elements which are united in Rabelais’ style are known from the later Middle Ages (Preface page X). It is observable that since the author lived at the intersection of two historical periods, it was inevitable that he was affected by the mannerisms and beliefs of those times. It is also observable that Rabelais did not always write in the same fashion (Rabelais and Raffel 12). Analyses of chapters 52-58 reveal some perceptions of the renaissance writers and characters about religion and logic. There was a lot of attention given to theory. For example, Rabelais says, â€Å"If one of the gallants of ladies should say, let us drink, they would all drink.† This depicts a situation in which the society did not assess keenly how practically their actions could affect other things around them. For instance, Rabelais†™s work reveals in this chapter that the society perceived women as incapable of religious service. When the monk asks Gargantua what a good â€Å"a woman that is neither fair not good† serves, Gargantua replies that she should make a nun (Rabelais and Raffel 127). The monk agrees to this. One may observe that these renaissance characters depict religious principles were still important to the society. These show to theoretical approach to life. Besides, there is a lot of description of the abbey of the Thelemites, particularly in regard to how it was built. The author takes his time to describe the abbey, as was the common practice in romanticism. Rabelais’s says this of the abbey in chapter 52, â€Å"In the midst there was a wonderful scalier or winding stair, the entry whereof was without a house, in a vault or arch six fathom abroad.† He also engages in detailed description, a characteristic of theoretical life. he says in chapter 54, â€Å"Stay here, you lively, jovial, handsome, brisk, gay, witty, frolic, cheerful, merry, frisk, spruce, jocund, courteous, furtherer of trades, and in a word, all worthy gentle blades. This approach to life combines what one would call emerging pragmatism against a fading romanticism. Rabelais observes in what he termed a prophetical riddle, that â€Å"they will say that everyman should have his turn† (Rabelais and Raffel 137) to imply the births of human rights in the post renaissance period. He also continues with theoretical appro

Paris Peace Settlements Essay Example for Free

Paris Peace Settlements Essay An international order means how the world exist, work and co-related to each other, which could explain in different aspects included political, military, economic and diplomatic. In the following paragraphs, how Paris Peace Settlements during 1919-23 established a new international order would be explained. In the political aspect, the new international order characterized by the declination of Europe and marked by the rise of US. Before 1914, the world was dominated by Europe. European countries were strong in terms of economic and military power. The European countries are industrialized; they have high competiveness between each others in foreign goods. They have the power to establish overseas colonies. Thus, European countries have very strong military strength which was showed in the arms race between different countries. However, during the Paris Peace Settlements US became one of the big three, and have large authority over the drafting of treaties. After WWI, European countries were exhausted. Britain, for example, she became one of the world’s largest debtors with interest payments that formed around 40% of the government spending. In the new international order, the design of map had changed—new states were created and the Paris Peace Settlements leaded the declination of European empires. Before 1914, it was an age of empires, there are: German Empire, Austria-Hungarian Empire, Ottoman Empire, and Russian Empire etc. After 1923, the fall of empires occurred, Russia fell after the October Revolution, became the first communist country and German Empire became republic (Weimar Republic) after the German revolution. In the Paris Peace Settlement, Austria-Hungarian Empire had splitted into Austria and Hungary due to Treaty of St.Germain and Ottoman Empire declined largely; it had lost territory due to the Treaty of Lausanne. Germany lost Poland, reduced it size and lost all overseas colonies in the Treaty of Versailles. After 1923, there were establishments of new nations such as Czechoslovakia, Estonia,  Poland, Latvia, Finland etc. due to the principal of self determination that the Paris Peace Settlem ent put into practice. In the new international order, an organization— League of Nations was set up for peace keeping. Before 1914, there were only two attempts for peace making—the Hague conference. There are no agreements were reached in both Hague Conferences which leaded to the failure of peace keeping and WWI was broken out. After 1919, The Paris Peace settlements were called to decide what to do to achieve peace and settle matters in peaceful means. In the new international order, the rise of totalitarianism in Italy and Germany occurred. Before 1914, extreme nationalism only caused European powers to scramble about for colonies to bring about national glory; however, they did not expand by taking territories nearby. Thus, there were no changes or rise of any new political ideology, only nationalism caused territorial change and colonial rivalries. On the Paris Peace Settlements, the big three tend to weaken Germany and Austria, to prevent them from growing into a strong power again by abolishing union between the two of them and ceding land from them. After 1919, rise of totalitarianism caused countries like Italy and Germany to adopt expansionist foreign policies in order to regain ‘territorial loss’ e.g. Italy occupied Greek island in 1923. In military aspect, the domination of Germans’ military was lost in the new international order. Before 1914, Germany was one of the strongest countries in terms of military. From treaty of Versailles, Germany was only allowed a regular army that was limited to 100,000 military personnel, an air force and only a very small fleet. The compulsory enlistment into the armed forces had put to an end. Thus, Rhineland had to be occupied for 15 years by the allied military forces. All commissions in Germany controlled by the allies until 1927 from 1919. After 1919, due to the military restrictions imposed on Germany, there was a lost of the military advantage and the status of domination. In the new international order, the League of Nations adopted a principal—Collective security which means when a country is being attacked;  other country should give aid come to support the attacked country. Before 1914, there is no any ideology to give military aid to countries, but only secret agreements or treaties or to use military power in solving problem and conflict. Thus, arms race between countries occurred very often, countries could compete for land on their own without passing through any trials or any peace keeping bodies. On the Paris Peace Settlement, there was the establishment of League of Nations which symbolizes the existence of collective security. Also, there were disarmaments of the defeated powers to maintain peace e.g. abolition of conscription in Germany. After 1919, there were restrictions in military over the defeated powers. European powers tried to negotiate, instead of using military power to solve problems. In the economic aspect, Germany lost its economic income, at the same time; France got the power to recover from the war in the new international order. Before 1914, there were many natural resources in Germany, many coal mines in the northern part of Germany. By 1900, the average mine output had risen to 280,000 tons. By 1913, there was a production of 18 million tons of steel. However, in the treaty of Versailles, the Saar was to be governed by the League of Nations for 15 years started from 1919, and its coalfields were to be ceded to France. After 1919, Germany had lost an income to recover from war. In the new international order, there was a huge unbalancing concerning about the economy—Germany was almost being bankrupt however allied powers received a source of recovery. Before 1914, Germany was rich and had competitiveness among the European powers. Germany had textile industries, coal production, banks, railways, and steel production. In the treaty of Versailles, Germany had to pay reparations up to 6.6 billion pounds. After 1923, Germany could not afford the huge indemnity, workers had discontent because they did not have payment for their job, as their money were all used to pay the reparations. At the same time, the government had to print more money to satisfy the need of workers, however, it soon faced serious economic problems such as hyperinflation and unemployment. On the other hand, Britain and France received reparations from Germany; it had been a source of recovery from the destruction brought by war and distant of recovery from  the war for Germany was far. In the new international order, Austria went bankrupt and Hungary’s industry suffered greatly. Before 1914, Austria-Hungary had agriculture and food industry, and was the most important foreign food supplier to Germany, Italy and Britain. It also had heavy industry such as car manufacturing and electric power industry. However, in the Treaty of St. Germain, Austria had to pay reparations. In the Treaty of Trianon, Hungary lost population which meant the loss of productivity. After 1919, Austria and Hungary suffered and had to rely on League of Nations to recover from the war. In diplomatic aspect, the idea of collective security was being raised in League of Nations. Before 1914, there was extreme nationalism, which encouraged European powers to expand the overseas colonies; military also meant the status and the power of a country and have a suspicious attitude towards other European powers. In the Paris Peace Settlements, there was the formation of League of Nations to ensure world peace. Moreover, it was situated in Switzerland to ensure its neutrality. After 1919, there were more measures on peace keeping. To conclude, a new international order was established via Paris Peace Settlements.

The Marine Industry

The Marine Industry Introduction Purpose This report aims to educate readers about the safety of seafarers going to sea and the possible dangers that they face. The report will also elaborate about the ongoing issues and measures taken to ensure the safety of the seafarers. Background Marine Industry has been a major platform for investment and income since the ancient times. Seafarers face possible dangers from collision of ships, fire and weather conditions. Therefore, the casualties onboard a ship have been increasing due to lack of awareness towards safety on board the ship. The International Maritime Organisation( IMO) took steps to prevent such disasters from happening. Rules have been set up to make sure the equipments onboard the ship are up to date, certified and are regularly inspected. Workers onboard must be well trained in the safety aspects. According to the International Maritime Organisation(2009),ship safety is a subject that is currently receiving high attention by most countries. The International Maritime Organisation(2009) said that this was due to a number of serious vessel casualties that have occurred in recent years. Methodology The information for this report was obtained from the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974 edition, reference books, research about shipping companies and the internet. Case studies were taken from online news articles. Scope As there are many possibilities that could happen onboard a ship, this report will investigate solely about the possible cause of fire at sea, preventive measures, consequences of fire, actual events that took place due to fire, types of fire and much more. Fire Hazards onboard the Ship Causes of Fire According to John G. Antherson (2000),the causes of fire on a ship arent a lot different than the causes of fires in any urban setting. As there are electrical circuits onboard the ship, there is a chance for an electrical fire is to occur. Machinery onboard a ship can get hot when its operating. An overheating bearing could cause a fire.(John G. Antherson 2000) Ships uses combustion systems to generating steam, and internal combustion engines are used generate electricity. These combustion system will get very hot and can cause a fire.(John G. Antherson 2000) Closed machinery spaces and the volatility of fuel, lubricants and hydraulic fluids around the hot machinery can lead to a fire or an explosion. A collision at sea could initiate a fire. The galley where food is prepared is another fire hazard on board a ship.(John G. Antherson 2000) During ship repairing, metal cutting and welding equipment is carried and used to faulty equipment. Sparks from this equipments could also start a fire. There are some more possible ways fires could be started. Fire hazards in the cabin could also cause fire to occur. An article (Anon: Fires In Ships 2002) states that careless smoking is the main cause of fires in ships. In one case scenario, sixteen Chinese nationals have been taken to the hospital after a fire broke out in their ship(APL Columbia) at port Botany on 5 January 2010.A crew member onboard the 45,000 tonne APL Columbia(IMO:9252242) noticed a fire in his cabin about 1.30am.The man tried to put out the fire but was unsuccessful.The crew members had suffered from smoke inhalation and the fire was put out about 5.30 am using the ships own firefighting equipment. In another case scenario, a fire broke out in the engine room. A Maersk container ship (Maersk Duffield) crossed Brisbanes Moreton Bay with its engine room on fire and the Emergency Management Queensland helicopter is en route to assist. One crew member required treatment. Shipping Database,2009-2010[Online] Available from: http://www.shippingdatabase.com/ [Accessed 31 January 2010] According to the chart ( figure 1) made by the Maritime Institute in Gdansk(2007), most fire accidents occur during ship repairs. Fire caused from ship repairs take up 79.3% of most fire accidents in their case study. Meanwhile, figure 2 showed that 24.11% of fire occurring on board a ship is located at the Cargo holds and tanks. Classes of Fire There are 4 types of fire that might occur onboard a ship. There are Class A , Class B , Class C and Class D fires. The U.S Department of Agriculture, Forest Service(2007) said that Ordinary combustible fires are the most common type of fire, and are designated under Class A fire . These occur when a solid, organic material such as wood, cloth, rubber, or plastic become heated to their flash point and ignite. This class of fire is fairly simple to combat and contain .According to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 2008),the most common way to do this is by spraying the burning material with water, oxygen can also be removed by smothering the fire with foam from a fire extinguisher. Meanwhile, flammable liquid are categorized under Class B fire. The National Fire Protection Association(2008) reports that this fire follow the same basic fire tetrahedron (heat, fuel, oxygen, chemical reaction) as ordinary combustible fires, except that the fuel in question is a flammable liquid such as gasoline, or gas such as natural gas. An efficient way to extinguish a liquid or gas fueled fire is to disrupt the chemical chain reaction of the fire, which is done by dry chemical and Halon extinguishing agents. According to an extract from Industrial Hygiene and Information Management (2008): ESH Manual Chapter 40, Hazardous Materials, class D fire are fires that are caused by flammable or combustible metals. Examples given by the ESH manual Chapter 40, Hazardous Materials, of such metals are titanium , sodium ,magnesium, potassium, uranium and calcium. Generally, metal fire risks occur when sawdust, machine shavings and other metal are present. These fires can be ignited by the same types of ignition sources that would start other common fires. Wikipedia, Fire Classes [Online] Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_classes [Accessed 1 February 2010] A crew onboard a fishing vessel said that If a fire was to start onboard a ship, crew members onboard must know what type of fire it is. If a wrong extinguisher or method is being used, the fire might spread even more. ( Florida Sport Fishing Crew 2002) Consequences of fire Loss of Revenue and Marine Environment The International Maritime Organisation (2009) said that most accidents onboard a ship will result in a loss of revenue. Cargos onboard a ship might be damaged and millions of dollars worth of cargos and resources will be affected. Fire onboard a tanker ship will have a high chance of causing an explosion and fuel leaked into the sea will cause water pollution and that will affect the marine environment. Thousands of dollar will be used to clean up the oil spill. A case study given by the Port State Information exchange (2006) was that of Hyundai Fortune where an accidental fire broke out on 21st March 2006. The combined cost of the ship and damaged cargo is estimated at over 300 million US dollars. According to an online article by Brisbane Times, oil spill clean-up can be rather costly. In a case study by the article, an insurer of a Hong Kong-based cargo ship had to foot the bill for a 20 tonnes of diesel fuel into waters off Stradbroke Island. Authorities announced that the estimated cost of the clean-up will reach about $100,000 a day and take seven days to complete. Daniel Hurst 2009 , Oil spill clean-up to cost $100,000 a day[Online] Brisbane times Available from: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/oil-spill-cleanup-to-cost-100000-a-day/2009/03/12/1236447368184.html [Accessed on 7th February 2010] Political Fallout Political fallout might also occur if swift action is not taken. Political fallout will cause the reputation of the government or authority to be at stake.(M.Masellis and S.W.A.Gunn 1992) The disasters that occur within the Maritime Industries can be used as an example for opposition parties to blame the government and this might change the mindset of the society towards the government. According to an online article by BBC news, an oil well in the Timor Sea off the north-west coast of Australia caught fire. The oil rig had been leaking oil and marine fire fighters were struggling for ten weeks to stop the leak. The National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority had been called out to help combat the fire and other teams such as the Geoscience Australia and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority were on standby. However, an opposition spokesman accused the Environment Minister of Australia of doing nothing to stop the oil leak. BBC News 2009 , Australia well catches fire [Online] Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8336564.stm Human Casualties Accidents onboard a ship will also cause human casualties to occur. Fire especially will be life threatening onboard a passenger ship and it will cause chaos and panic among passengers. ( L.M. Collins 1999) A good way to ensure that human life is not lost is for the crew and passengers to follow instructions given by the Captain. If the passengers follow the instructions swiftly, they will be able to escape from the ship safely.( L.M. Collins 1999) One of the major events that had many human casualties was that of RMS Titanic. According to David G , Titanic was struck by an iceberg and sank in two hours and forty minutes on 15 April 1912. The sinking of the Titanic resulted in 1517 deaths out of the 2223 people on board. The high casualty rate was due to the fact that the ship was not carrying enough lifeboats for everyone onboard. Brown, David G. (2000). The Last Log of the Titanic. McGraw-Hill Professional. ISBN 0071364471. Most fire cases are quickly dealt with and the only losses that the crew face are the cargos or raw materials onboard. Up to this day, passenger ship have not faced any fire incidents that resulted in major human casualties. Fire Safety Measures Safety of Life at Sea(SOLAS) M.Masellis and S.W.A.Gunn(1992) said that fire casualties on ships lead almost certainly to disastrous results because of the limited and isolated areas of the vessels and the lack of immediate and easy access for the rescue team. Preventive measures are therefore much more effective in the effort to avoid such casualties than rescue and fire-extinguishing procedures or devices. [Marine fire casualties in merchant ships: the Greek statistics 1992 Available from: http://www.springerlink.com/content/h8362077847j9127/] In 1914, The International Maritime Organisation had a convention among international leaders and maritime leaders to talk about maritime safety. Of all the international conventions dealing with maritime safety, the most important is the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea(SOLAS). There have been many versions of SOLAS adopted by the International Maritime Organisation but the present version was adopted in 1974 and entered into force in 1980.The SOLAS conventions have all covered many aspects of safety at sea. The convention in 1914 included chapters on safety of navigation, construction, fire protection and life-saving appliances.(International Maritime Organisation 2009) This shows that the International Maritime Organisation is constantly trying to find ways to improve the aspects of safety at sea to ensure the safety of seafarers life by introducing the Safety Of Life at Sea(SOLAS) and updating it. Fire Safety Test and Safety Equipment One of the fire safety measures is to conduct fire safety test for the ship. Fire safety of ships is an extremely important area. Before any material can be used onboard a ship, it must have successfully passed strict tests and have been certified for use. This is to ensure that the material or equipment does not pose a fire hazard onboard the ship. (SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden 2008) Another safety measure is to install safety equipments on the ship. Equipments such as fire extinguisher, sprinkler system , gas monitor and other safety equipments are being implemented. The International Maritime Organisation(IMO) is taking steps to introduce new and more sophisticated equipments onboard the ships. IMO hope to reduce the amount of accidents from occurring onboard the ship and will rely on this new equipments to combat the problem more efficiently. Service of ships and Equipments According to The Safety of Life At Sea 1974 edition, the ship and its safety equipments have to undergo service once every few years. Safety equipments include components that can deteriorate over time. Therefore, this can decrease the effectiveness of the equipment. Examples of such equipments stated in the Safety Of Life At Sea 1974 edition (SOLAS) are fire extinguishers, EPIRBs, flares, life jackets, life rafts and smoke signals. Servicing of the equipment must be done by the manufacturer or an authorised agent by the expiry date. The expiry date must be clearly marked on the equipment. Most life raft needs to be serviced every two or three years. Equipment that cannot be serviced or no longer works must be replaced if it is to be carried as part of the safety equipment onboard the ship.(The International Maritime Organisation 2009) In the event that an emergency were to occur and the safety equipments were to be faulty as they were not sent for servicing, the manufacturer should not be blamed as the expiry date have been stated clearly on the equipment. It is the duty of the crew onboard and its owner to send the equipments for servicing once the expiry date is over. According to the IMO 2009, maintenance and inspections of equipments must be recorded to provide objective evidence that these work have been carried out according to the manufacturers instructions. Proper training for the crew According to the Maritime Port Authority Singapore(MPA) 2010, Seafarers working on board a ship must have the valid certification or endorsements. In Singapore, these are issued by the Training Standards Department of MPA. Seafarers working on board a ship are required to have a valid Certificate of Competency (CoC) or endorsement, which comply with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). The crew must also be well trained in fire fighting and First Aid. Those who wish to work onboard a ship must have an Advance Fire Fighting Course certificate and Elementary First Aid certificate as well before they are qualified to work onboard (Maritime Port Authority Singapore 2010). The crew will also conduct regular safety drills after each departure from port. The crew are to follow their duty that had been assigned on the Muster List. By having proper trained crews onboard a ship, this will minimise the chance of human error and accidents from occurring. Furthermore, the crew are well trained to handle any emergencies such as fire . The International Maritime Organisation(IMO) 2009 once said that the quality and familiarisation are directly affected by the frequency and quality of the drills carried out. IMO added that a crew debrief after each drill is essential to emphasise lessons learned and to give additional training where necessary. Conclusion Further Improvements Every year, the International Maritime Organisation and other Maritime Body are working hand in hand to improve a seafarers life in terms of their living condition and to ensure that they are working in a safe environment. The organisation are trying to find constant improvement to reduce marine casualties, loss in revenue due to unwanted accidents. One improvement that can be introduce to the ship is the All-in-One fire extinguisher. This extinguisher would be able to combat any types of fire such as Class A , Class B, Class C or Class D fires. By having this fire extinguisher onboard the ship, the crew will not need to waste time to find different methods to combat different types of fire. Another improvement that could be introduced is the fire isolating system. This system will isolate the fire from spreading to other rooms and this will reduce the damage caused towards the ship. The Maritime Port Authority said that this new inventions will further improve the safety aspects but it still needs to undergo more tests before it can be implemented towards the ships. Human Error is still the Main Cause The International Maritime Organisation have taken steps to ensure that the technology and safety equipments being implemented are up to date. Even thought this is so, nothing can be done if the accident caused is by human error. Even if the crew had gone for proper training, human error will still occur. An article by B.S Dhillon(2007), human error costs the Maritime Industry $541 million per year and a study of 6091 major accident claims revealed that 62% of the claims were attributed to human error. B.S Dhillion(2007) added that human error contributes to 84% to 88% of tanker accidents. [B.S Dhillon 2007. Human Reliability and Error in Transportation Systems, Springer Series in Reliability Engineering . Page 1.] These incidents will result in crew injuries or death and the ship will be delayed or damaged. Even if there is mechanical failure, human error can play a role in terms of lack of maintenance , monitoring or a breakdown in communication. The Bahamas Maritime Authority added that crew fatigue and complacency can be a major factor in this incident. The Bahamas Maritime Authority said that Good equipment can cost more, but safety should be accorded a higher priority because a ship cannot be operated safely without the seafarer. References http://www.cruisebruise.com/princess_cruise_star_princess_fire_march_23_2006.html http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Marine-Fire-Fighting-EquipmentSecuring-Ship-Safety-And-Damage-Control-Against-Fire/1252660 http://www.unols.org/publications/manuals/safe_man.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8336564.stm http://www.mpa.gov.sg/sites/port_and_shipping/for_seafarers/seafarer_certification/seafarer_certification.page http://www.springerlink.com/content/h8362077847j9127 http://www.mapreport.com/subtopics/d/n.html http://www.bahamasmaritime.com/Documents/Bulletins/72bulltn.pdf Summary In brief, the report describes about the various reasons why fire safety is an important factor for the maritime Industry. It also goes into the detail on the causes of fire onboard the ship. The consequences of fire is also gone into detail in this report to show the importance of safety at sea.

Leadership and Management in Changing Context of Healthcare

Leadership and Management in Changing Context of Healthcare INTRODUCTION The National Health Service (NHS) Trusts face a range of challenges arising from a national approach to the modernisation of services as laid out in the NHS Plan. (DOH, 2000) The NHS Plan recognises that the NHS is capable of providing more effective and accessible care by the rationalisation of service delivery through merged organisations. Mergers illustrate the focus on organisational restructuring as the key lever for change as indicated by the ninety nine health care provider mergers in England between 1996 and 2001. (Fulop, Protsopsaltis, King, Allen, Hutchings, and Normand, 2004) However, in many cases, mergers have unexpected consequences and drawbacks including problems in integrating staff, services, systems and working practices, clashing organisational cultures and poor leadership capacity. This essay considers leadership and management in the context of a problematic merger of services from two hospitals onto one site. The essay focuses on the change management process within one department to highlight key leadership, team, and cultural issues that negatively affected the newly merged department. The microcosm of the department mirrors similar occurrences across the two merged hospitals. The essay concludes with a comment on the organisational consequences if a macro intervention is not implemented. Confidentiality has been preserved by anonymising the identity of the hospitals and departments concerned. BACKGROUND This essay explores a recent change process involving the creation of a psychiatric liaison team based in a NHS hospital Accident and Emergency Department. (A E) in January 2004. The change occurred because of the merger of two hospitals that resulted in a number of structural changes, including the amalgamation of a traditionally split emergency service into a one site A E department. The liaison team replaced the existing deliberate self-harm service which had operated in the one hospital for two decades. The new liaison team consisted of eight newly appointed G-grade mental health nurses, a team leader, and a consultant psychiatrist who had both previously worked in the deliberate self-harm service. The hours of operation initially were 08:00 to 22:00 and there were two nurses on duty on early and late shifts. During a four week induction period, the team participated in team building and training exercises and developed into a cohesive, effective group. The team created clear key performance indicators specific to the psychiatric liaison team, established an action plan to achieve the set objectives, and planned to carry out six-monthly reviews. The team developed a shared vision to provide high quality, person centred care to the A E department without breaching government’s four hour targets (DOH, 2001). The team leader’s leadership style was democratic, and she fostered collaboration and involvement within the team (Walton, 1999). The team members considered her an expert in the field, and respected her for it. In July 2004, the service manager attended a monthly team meeting. At the meeting she was informed that a major change was expected to the hours of operation. The service would be extended to a 24-hour service starting in September 2004. In order for the liaison team to cover a 24-hour roster there was initially be a reduction in the number of nurses on duty, however, more staff would be recruited if necessary after a six month service review. An exact date for the review was not given. The change had not been communicated as part of the strategy for the greater merger. The Department of Health (DOH) modernisation agenda for the NHS, (DOH, 2002) sets out to modernise services in the NHS, and introduced a three star rating scale against which each NHS Trust’s performance is compared against benchmark standards. Funding in turn is dependant on the star rating achieved. One such standard relates to delays in A E departments, and stipulates that mental health patients should have 24 hour access to services, and that patients should be assessed and treated within four hours of arrival. (DOH, 2001) The underlying rationale for the change was therefore that the psychiatric liaison service had to provide a 24-hour service in order for the hospital to comply with the benchmark. Management of the merged hospitals did not consider staff shortages or how the four hour target might affect the quality of service provision, particularly when staff are under constant pressure to discharge patients before they exceed the benchmark standard. (RCP, 2004) In th e service described above, reaching the necessary 98 % four hour target proved impossible, because the staff numbers did not match the requirements of the service. The service was therefore to be expanded without additional staff, implying not only changes in hours and shifts, but also changes in work patterns. The team members reacted negatively to how the change process was introduced. Concerns were expressed about the reduction in staff numbers and questions were raised as to how the staff would be able to cope. The sense of security and continuity were put at risk. (Walton, 1999) The service manager was not available to address the concerns due to an increased scope of responsibility because of the merger that was beyond her normal remit. Lack of two way communication between the manager and the employees meant that the manager lost a valuable opportunity to resolve the negative reactions, and laid the foundation for resistance to change (Johnson, Scholes, and Whittington, 2005). Within a month of the announcement, the team leader had resigned. A new team leader was appointed and was tasked to lead the team through the change. The team started gradually becoming fragmented, staff sickness rates soared, and morale plummeted. The situation reached a crisis point by December 2005, by which time two more staff members had resigned. The majority of staff had taken sick leave, and the psychiatric liaison service was left uncovered for several days. A number of mental health patients in A E waited for hours, sometimes all night, to be seen by a mental health professional. The A E department laid a formal complaint about the liaison team’s performance. In March 2005, following discussion with a union representative, the team took out a grievance against the team leader. The key issues of concern were the way the change process had been introduced, lack of two-way communication and the team leader’s unsuitable task-oriented, directive leadership style. The team leader was suspended and the Trust commenced a lengthy investigation into the change process. The investigation continues to date. ANALYSIS Cameron and Green (2004) suggest McKinsey’s 7S model as a diagnostic tool to identify interconnected and related aspects of organisational change. The model is problem rather than solution focussed, and hence useful for pointing out retrospectively why change did not work. The weakness of the model is that it does not explicit identify drivers from the external environment and accordingly key forces have been described by way of explanation. According to Burke and Litwin (1992), the external environment is any outside condition or situation that influences the performance of the organisation. Systems, Staff and Strategy Systems refer to standardised policies and mechanisms that facilitate work, primarily manifested in the organisations reward systems, management information systems, and in such control systems as performance appraisal, goal and budget development, and human resource allocation. (Burke and Litwin, 1992) Systems are the mechanisms through which strategy is achieved. Strategy is how the organisation intends to achieve a purpose over an extended time scale. Johnson, Scholes, and Whittington (2005) link it directly to environment (industry structure), organisational structure, and corporate culture. Leaders are the executives and managers providing overall organisational direction and serving as behavioural role models for all employees. (Burke and Litwin, 1992) The systems that the service had in place to support the staff prior to the merger had functioned efficiently. The psychiatric liaison team had monthly team meetings, weekly ward rounds and supervision, and twice daily handovers to ensure high quality service. Teams in this context mean â€Å"a group who share a common health goal and common objectives, determined by community needs, to the achievement of which each member of the team contributes, in accordance with his or her competencies and skill and in co-ordination with the functions of others.† (WHO, 1984) Under the previous team leader’s management, the team had achieved a mature and productive level of performance that fell within Tuckman’s model of team development of a performing team. (Mullins, 2002) The leader demonstrated characteristics of an effective team leader (e.g. good communication) and ensured that the team members’ views were passed on to the management. (Marquis and Huston, 2003) The team also developed team specific performance indicators to fit the Trust’s strategy, such as the goal to provide high quality care within four hours of service users presenting to the A E department. However, the new management of the merged hospitals did not take into account that the reduction in staff numbers would make it difficult for staff to find time to attend ward rounds and to supervise care. Lack of supervision had a negative impact on the quality of care provided, and staff shortages meant that the team did not reach the four-hour targets in A E department. The change process indicated a lack of sincere stakeholder consultation which would have alleviated the crisis in the department. (Iles and Sutherland, 2001) Structure and Style Structure is the arrangement of functions and people into specific areas and levels of responsibility, decision-making authority, communication, and relationships to assure effective implementation of the organisations mission and strategy. (Burke and Litwin, 1992) The NHS Leadership Qualities Framework (DOH, 2002, p34) suggests â€Å"leading change through people† with â€Å"effective and strategic influencing† is essential in a merger environment. This is supported by Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2005) who suggest that strategic, transformational leadership is a key element within an organisation staffed by professionals and that a collaborative style is required to achieve transformational, lasting change. However, the new team leader’s leadership style was autocratic and the team members were no longer consulted about matters concerning it, which was inappropriate in team nursing approach associated with collaborative patient centric care. Marquis and Huston (2003) suggest that a democratic leadership style works best with a mature experienced team with shared responsibility and accountability. The change in leadership style meant that the team felt disempowered and uninvolved in decision making which did not allow ownership of the change process to emerge. Furthermore, the flow of information to the team slowed down and the team’s concerns about the change did not reach top management implying that communication channels in the new organisational structure were not functioning efficiently. Management style equally affects culture. Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2005) state that culture is the â€Å"taken for granted† assumptions that are accepted by an organisation or team. These work routines are not explicit, but are essential for effective performance. Ignoring these as the new team leader did, reduces motivation and performance, and stiffens resistance to change. Skills Skills are the distinctive capabilities of key people. (Cameron and Green, 2003) The nature of the team membership implied a range of key skills interdependent on the other for effective performance. A problem area in the skills portfolio was information technology skills. The Trust managing the merged hospitals had introduced a Trust wide electronic patient record system in accordance with NHS requirements. (DOH, 2003) This was implemented simultaneously with the decision to extend the working hours. The change aimed to improve the service user experience by allowing staff a 24-hour access to service user’s care and crisis plans. (DOH, 2003) The staff shortage meant that team members did not receive appropriate training on the system and the use of the electronic patient record system became a source of frustration and confusion. Lack of computer skills contributed to staff’s frustration and negative attitudes with the change process. Superordinate goals Superordinate goals are the longer term vision of the organisation and the shared values and guiding principles that that shape the future of the organisation and motivation achievement of strategy. (Cameron and Green, 2003) The team’s superordinate goals were initially created during the four-week team building period and aligned with those of the larger organisation. The team’s vision was to provide high quality, service user centred care. The team also considered change as a natural part of organisational development. However, the team became increasingly resistant to change when it felt that the organisation did not really care about its employees, their concerns, and the ultimate reason for the organisation’s purpose, being the patient. DISCUSSION OF CHANGE PROCESS Change management is art of influencing people and organisations in a desired direction to achieve an agreed future state to the benefit of that organisation and its stakeholders. (Cameron and Green, 2003) A number of models can be used to model a change management process. A popular model is Kurt Lewin’s forcefield analysis. A forcefield analysis is a useful tool to understand the driving and resisting forces in a change situation as a basis for change management. This technique identifies forces that might work for the change process, and forces that are against the change. Lewin’s model suggests that once these conflicting forces are identified, it becomes easier to build on forces that work for the change and reduce forces that are against the change (Cameron and Green, 2003). The difficulty is the assessment of strength or duration of a force, partlicularly when the human dimension is considered. The key resisting force in the change process was a lack of staff and poor leadership. The change process under discussion was largely motivated by external factors. However, due to poor project planning, Trust management failed to consider the internal factors that had a major impact on the change. In particular, the management failed to involve the necessary stakeholders at a local level to increase ownership of the change thus failed to consider the human dimension (Walton, 1999 and DOH, 2004). The new team leader’s autocratic leadership style did not fit the requirements of the task, or the culture of the team and thus sowed the seeds of resistance to change. (Hogg and Vaughan, 2002). The poorly managed change process became costly to the Trust due to the loss of human resources, reduced staff morale and lowered the credibility of the management. The change left the psychiatric liaison team feeling betrayed, and individual team members traumatised. As the change process progressed, it became evident that a thorough analysis of current resources and various dimensions of organisational change had not been carried out (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2005). The management had not prepared a clear plan for launching and executing the change at a local level. The NHS Modernisation Agency Improvement Leaders’ Guide (DOH, 2004) stresses the importance of taking into consideration the human aspect when planning a change project. Similarly, Walton (1999) argues that change initiatives should be thought through and planned as far as possible taking into account the psychological bonds that staff form with their work groups and their organisation as a whole. It follows then that no precautions had been taken to address resistance to change. Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, (2005) state that there should be a clear communication plan to state how information about the change project will be communicated inside and outside the organisation. The team members were not given an opportunity to challenge and test the change proposal, or clarify what aspects of the change they could or could not influence. (Walton, 1995) Fulop, Protsopsaltis et al, (2004) suggest that change project should be presented as an opportunity to improve the quality of performance and that clinicians should should be involved on a consultative basis. Team members were aware of the consequences of extending the hours of operation without increasing the resources, however, there were no systems in place to communicate these views to the Trust management, a key aspect of the change process. The lack of key stakeholder involvement in the change meant that the management did not have access to the psychiatric liaison team’s valuable experience on the immediate and wider implications of cutting down resources. (Henderson, 2002) The team members felt that their concerns about the lack of resources had not been taken seriously, and this inevitably led to a feeling that the Trust did not care about it’s employees or their views. Strong emotions such as anger and frustration were expressed by the team members. The lack of formal communication channels, meant that the team members took them out on each other. Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, (2005) confirm that at times of change, rumours, gossip and storytelling increases in importance and that team members engage in countercommunication, thus unconsiously spreading distrust, suspicion and negativity which leads to lowered staff morale and job satisfaction. Although the rationale for change was clear to everyone, the change was executed at such short notice that the team members did not have time to develop strategies to deal with it. The NHS Improvement Leaders Guide to Managing the Human Dimension of Change (DOH, 2004) suggests that clinicians go through phases of shock, denial, anger, betrayal, conformance and understanding before they finally develop comitment to the change. The team members were left in a state of shock after the service manager’s initial announcement of the impending change in July 2004 and then moved into a state of denial. The general opinion was that the management would sooner or later realise that the change could not be executed without increasing the resources and accordingly delayed the change process until more staff would be employed. When there was no indication of this in the weeks that followed, the team members became demotivated. The team failed to move on to the next stages in their reaction s to change, and commitment to the change process did not develop. The team leader’s task-oriented leadership style did not suit the context of the change process, and partly contributed to it’s failing. Cameron and Green (2003) suggest that leadership will be most effective when the leader’s leadership style, the subordinates’ preferred leadership style and the requirements of the task fit together. A directive leadership style therefore is ineffective if the subordinates’ preferred leadership style is democratic, even though the task is well defined within tight parameters. In addition, Hogg and Vaughan (2002) argued that the most effective leaders are those who are able to combine task and socio-emotional leadership styles, and organise team members to work towards achieving goals at the same time promoting harmonious relationships. The new team leader paid no attention to the team culture and failed to communicate to management about the impending issue. Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2005) suggest that power is a key element in a change process. Power is the ability of individuals to persuade or coerce others into following a course of action. The new team leader’s source of power was based on his hierarchal position in the Trust rather than on expertise or knowledge as shown by the previous team leader. The team members did not consider that the new team leader possessed appropriate expertise or personal characteristics. The team leader exercised coercion which was met with resistance by the team and for this reason the team members lacked respect for him. He was seen as an executor of decisions made by the management. The new team leader appeared to be more concerned about a successful completion of the change, was target driven and lacked sensitivity to employees feelings and concerns. The team leader used his positional power in a negative way, filtered information and gave the management a distorted view of how the staff were coping with the change process. The relationship between the team leader and the staff members eventually deteriorated to a point where communication broke down. Two staff members went on a long term sick leave, and two other staff members resigned. Following a meeting with a union representative in March 2005 the team members, including those who had resigned, made a decision to take grievance out against the teamleader. The key issues brought up in the meeting were the way the change had been introduced, poor project management and the team leader’s autocratic management style (Walton, 1999). CONCLUSION In conclusion, lack of stakeholder involvement, poor project planning and the teamleader’s unsuitable leadership style lead to the psychiatric liaison team becomimg fragmented, and resistant to change. No systems were put in place to ensure two-way communication with the employees. Lack of communication reduced the staff’s commitment to, and ownership of the change, and lead to a lower quality service provision and increased long waits in A E. The poorly managed change process became costly to the Trust due to loss of trained human resources, staff morale and credibility of the management. Similar incidents occurred in other areas of the hospital indicating that the change processes associated with the merger had created organisational wide problems that were indicative of failure at a top management and strategic level. Strategic leadership is a key element of the change process. A successful merger will only be achieved with consistent communication and the establishment of a vision that percolates throughout an organisation as a basis for effective change to realise the stated benefits of all stakeholders. References Brooks, I. (2002) The Role of Ritualistic Ceremonial in Removing Barriers between Subcultures in the NHS. Journal of Advanced Nursing. Volume 38, 4. Burke, W. W. and Litwin, G H. (1992) A Causal Model of Organisational Performance and Change. Journal of Management. Volume 18, 3. Cameron, E. and Green, M. (2004) Making Sense of Change Management. Kogan Page. Carr, D. K., Hard, K. J. and Trahant, W. J. 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Stalingrad :: essays research papers

The attack came as a complete surprise to the leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin. Despite repeated intelligence warnings, which included the precise day and hour of Germany's incipient assault, Stalin remained convinced that Hitler would not risk an eastern war as long as the British Empire remained undefeated. It has been argued that Stalin in fact planned a pre-emptive attack on Germany for the early summer of 1941, and was then thrown off-balance by the German invasion. 'For two years Soviet forces pushed the German army back into Germany ...' The evidence makes clear the defensive posture of the Soviet Union in 1941. Stalin did not want to risk war, though he hoped to profit from the German-British struggle if he could. In the event, the shock of attack almost unhinged the Soviet state, and by the autumn German forces had destroyed most of the Red Army and the Russian air force, surrounded and besieged Leningrad - where over one million people died of starvation and cold - and were approaching the outskirts of Moscow. The Red Army had sufficient reserves to stop the German army from completing the rout in December 1941, but the following summer German offensives launched far to the south of Moscow, to seize the rich oilfields of the Caucasus and to cut the Volga shipping route, created further chaos. Hitler hoped that German forces would capture the oil and sweep on through the Middle East to meet up with Axis forces in Egypt. The Volga was to be blocked at Stalingrad, after which German forces could wheel northwards to outflank Moscow and the Soviet line. The southern attack failed at Stalingrad. After weeks of chaotic retreats and easy German victories, the Red Army solidified its defence and against all the odds clung on to the battered city. In November 1942 Operation Uranus was launched by the Soviets, and the German Sixth Army at Stalingrad was encircled. Some historians have seen this as the turning point of the war.