Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Profile prepared by Management Analysis Corporation

Do you believe that the diagnosis and resulting profile prepared by Management Analysis Corporation was a necessary step in the process of finding potentially successful general managers? ExplainThe profile prepared by Management Analysis Corporation is the first step in the process of finding a potentially successful of general managers, but it is not the only step. Actually, after MAC has understood very clearly the needs of Dancey Electronics, they could picture the perfect leader. Once this was done, they could see what skills must be innate and what skills can be learned to become a leader. Then, MAC could propose one more interview to the candidates. For example, the candidates are faced to a concrete leadership problem, and they need to solve it very quickly.MAC should analyze reactions of the candidates and pick the best one. This means picking the person who has the best ability to change and to adapt to a new situation. So, I do not know yet if Joe Morris could be the good candidate for leading Dancey Electronics.Moreover, I think that the analysis done by MAC is a good way to find a potentially successful group of general managers because it accually describes the ideal qualities of being an effective general manager and at the same time gives us ideas about the relationship and task orientation of each candidate along with analysis of some important environmental factors that might have some effect on their leadership style, such as the company’s expectation and the subordinated expectation for the behavior of general managers.However, I think Management Analysis Corporation should analyze the behavior of the followers more. This way, MAC will know what leadership style would be the best for the group.What alternatives are available to modify Joe Morris’s potential effectiveness in the new general manager position?Joe Morris has a high task orientation it means he can apply an initiating structure focused on goals and results. But it i s not enough to lead a team. Joe Morris has to be more relationship oriented. We know that Joe Morris has low skills in relationship orientation. But a leader needs to communicate with his team to have an influence on the behavior of the individuals. If Joe Morris does not change, he could only be a manager, but not a leader. As we learnt in class, â€Å"leaders do the right things, managers do things right†.According to the Fielder theory, Joe Morris can make changes to be more relationship-oriented. He can spend more informal time (lunch, leisure activities) with his subordinates. He can also request particular people for work in his group. He can be a volunteer to direct difficult or troublesome subordinates. He can suggest or affects transfers of particular subordinates into his unit. Finally, Joe Morris can raise morale by obtaining positive outcomes (special bonuses, time off, attractive jobs) for subordinates.Moreover, Joe Morris should follow a training session to dis cuss and analyze his leadership situation. This way, he can understand his performance and improve it. If Joe Morris increases his position of power, he could be a better leader because he would repair his lack in relationship orientation.Why will it be difficult for Joe Morris to modify his style of leadership?Joe Morris knows how to organize and define the relationships in the group and he establishes well-defined patterns and channels of communication, and spells out ways of getting the job done. So it is a good start. But it would be difficult for him to modify his style of leadership because it is very hard to change him. Moreover, he does not have an overall insight of the company. He needs to fit in the group to eventually change. Considering that Joe Morris is far away from a good relationship orientation, it might be very difficult for him to understand what changes he has to do to modify his style of leadership.It also may be hard for Joe Morris to change his style of lead ership due to the argument against the path-goal theory whereby subordinates play a rule  in the leadership style of the manager. In that, Joe Morris has a low score in relationship orientation which means that his relationship with the employees may not be as effective and efficient. As a result, although Morris my want to change his leadership style type, employees may not be as willing to change given his low relationship orientation which therefore makes it hard for him to change his leadership style.But on the other hand, according to the Leader-Member Exchange Approach, there is no consistent leader behavior across subordinates and Joe Morris can behave in different ways with his future followers than he used to. So he may not have to change his style of leadership and still be appreciated by his followers. Therefore he will become a good leader.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Has the Prime Minister got too much power?

The power of the Prime Minister largely comes from the royal prerogative, where what the monarch said was law. The prime minster is said to be first among equals, which means to describe the Prime Ministers position is largely greater to other ministers of state. However over the last hundred years, this has been less accurate description of the role and influence of the Prime Minister. First among equals implies an equal status among the minsters and that he is simply the ‘first' and represents the ministers and therefore the government and the country. However, the Prime Minister in reality is far more powerful than what he looks to be. The Prime Minister can hire anyone that is a UK citizen to become part of the cabinet through appointing someone as a peer in the House of Lords. Although he picks solely from the House of Lords and Commons, he can appoint anyone who is a peer to then join the cabinet. There is one case, where a former MP, Peter Mandleson, recently joined the cabinet as Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for a third time in 2008 despite not being an MP or a peer. This power certainly erodes the idea of ‘first among equals'. However, it must be noted that cabinet could have taken this decision as a whole, though it is unlikely. Further the Prime Minister decides the policy of the cabinet and thus the government, the party and the country. Such power, is argues, is too much for one person to comprehend and bear. The Prime Minister as the leader of his political party is subject to the parties support and his ability to whip his majority in the House of Commons to pass his policies and legislation into law. However, the Prime Minister's reliance on the strong party whip system can sometimes be more of a weakness than strength. If his largely loyal party and Members of Parliament vote with his 95% of the time, then they may vote differently on the most important issues that matter to them. If the Prime Minister is always creating a party political vote on legislation going through Parliament, then the occasions when he may need to whip on most may not necessarily be as secure as it would be otherwise, he may be forced to rely on opposition support, an embarrassing political situation that he would be in. One example is the rebellion of over 120 Labour MP's on the plan to partially privatise Royal Mail. However, the Prime Minister can in some cases overcome rebellions by giving concessions to the aggrieved parties i.e. those who rebelled. One example of this was the row over the ‘ten pence' tax rule, a commitment brought in after Labour's success in the 1997 General Election to help poorer wage earners pay taxes, which came to the fore after Prime Minister, Gordon Browns reversed this policy commitment despite it being outlined in Labour's manifesto. The ‘Strong Party Whip System' however, doesn't necessarily exist in the key decisive polices and legislatives proposals presented to Parliament. Indeed, many comments have been made of Tony Blair's proposals of 90-day detention without trial defeat, his first in the House of Commons as Prime Minister; saw a huge blow to his power and ability to rule as Prime Minister. Especially considering when Labour passed every policy and legislation it proposed into law. After the defeat of the 90 day detention without trial legislation in 2005, not only did policies start to become harder to pass into the law system, the actual position of Tony Blair as an actual Prime Minister was called into question. Thus, the Prime Minister is not as powerful as he first appeared – as it can be said that once a Prime Minister has overstepped his power, his ability to lead as Prime Minister becomes substantially limited. This would imply that the Prime Minister is restrained in what he can actu ally do, and therefore is not ‘too powerful' at all. On the other hand, many would argue that the point of ‘overstepping the line' of being powerful is a lot further than other political leaders, especially across the continent, such as the United States where the people are strongly opposed to any sort of detention without trial and the President is restrained by the Constitution. The fact that the point at which the Prime Minister oversteps the moral boundaries is harder to cross than other world leaders is why many want to fragment the power of the PM to institutions like the Cabinet, Parliament and the European Union. However, I would argue that this devolution of power should go to lower institutions such as Borough Councils and Parliament in every aspect except income tax, legislation national law and national security. A greater likelihood of having your views heard has been demonstrated to show an increase in participation, not just in politics, but decision making as a general. Thus, the Prime Minister is too powerful and he must have a fragmentation of his power. Arguably, however, this would be a threat to the leadership of a country. This implied in a modern day world, where the businesses in the UK are global, and interconnected, needed national coordination, and ruling. This on the other hand shows that the Prime Minister should not garment his power, as it is essential to the country to retain is competitive feature. However, like the President in US, there are examples which highlight the fact that a leader doesn't necessarily have to be overly powerful to ensure the prosperity of a nation. Therefore, the Prime Minister is indeed, too powerful.

Monday, July 29, 2019

40 Connection between Writing and Sleeping

40 Connection between Writing and Sleeping Various people were told it is best to express your feelings and thoughts on paper. Bottling up your emotions and keeping them inside, could cause major stress on your body. That’s where the subject of diaries and journals come in to position. They are made to help others who can’t express their feelings verbally, express their feelings by writing them down. Writing however, does have a significant connection to sleep. Writing can affect how we sleep in multiple ways. â€Å"Forty percent of American adults say they have difficulty falling asleep at least a few times each month. The most common reason is an inability to stop thinking aboutwhatever it is you can’t stop thinking about.† (Denworth, 2018). Almost everyone has had trouble falling asleep either because they were worried about something or someone, or they constantly can’t stop thinking about a situation. Studies shows that if we write down our thoughts before we go to bed, then you’ll be able to fall asleep faster at night. â€Å"There’s something about the act of writing, physically writing something on paper, that tends to offload it a little bit, or help us hit the pause button on it. The outcome seems to be [that] you decrease cognitive arousal, and you decrease rumination and worry† (Denworth, 2018). Cognitive arousal comes from a theory that was created by Stanley Schachter and Jerome E. Singer. This theory is known to the cause of misinterpret thoughts because it is based off two factors: cognitive label and physiological arousal. To sum this up, writing your feelings down before bed, will help you fall asleep faster but it will also decrease the chance of misinterpreting your thoughts. Not only does writing before bed helps you fall asleep quicker but writing a to-do list versus a completed list, will also affect how you sleep. â€Å"If you test people’s memory for things that were unfinished versus things that were completed, people remember the things that were unfinished a lot better. It seems that unfinished tasks rest at what we call a heightened level of cognitive activation† (Denworth, 2018). Cognitive activation is the idea of stress. It is about learning new ways to solve problems and focusing on the steps that was taken to solve the problem. Not so much of focusing on the answer itself but the action. When something is not done, our mind tends to drift off towards that because we consistently think about ways we can complete that project. We think of events that will happen the next day that will affect how the project gets done. From personal experience, I can recall a time where I had a major mid term project due. Of course, I was a procrastinator, so I waited till the day before it was due to fully complete it. It was late in the night and I told myself that I was going to finish it in the morning. Moral of the story, I was up all night and I didn’t get any sleep because I was thinking about this unfinished project that I still had to complete. The next day I was drowsy, and I didn’t feel very well. I did finish my project but because of my lack of sleep, my presentation did not reflect my best work. Thinking back, some ways I could’ve took to avoid this situation would include; not waiting until the last minute to finish or taking a few minutes before bed to write down exactly what I needed to do in order to complete it. Based on the reason of not having that completed or written down, I lost a very much effective sleep and major points on an important assignment. Don’t be like me. Write your thoughts down. Researchers and readers still have unanswered questions pertaining to writing and the affects of sleep. The two main questions Denworth is being asked are, did to-do lists improve sleep in other ways? If so, do you think the effect can be sustained? Her response was â€Å"We haven’t tested that. It could be, yes, because each night you’ve got this big to-do list. But [it’s also true that] the to-do list fluctuates, and how much you accomplish during the day also feeds into that. So maybe it’s going to be most effective on the nights when you have a whole lot of stuff to do, and it’s more likely to be eating at you if you don’t write things down† (Denworth, 2018). During this study, I believed she used an experiment for only one night. The goal of this study is more so understanding because we are having the ability to understand the connection between writing and sleep. You write down your day’s thoughts, you get a longer sleep. Structuralism is an idea founded by Wilhelm Wundt and his ideas was focused more on the structure of mental life into the building blocks of life (personal experiences). This study corresponds more with structuralism because the connection between writing and sleep is reflecting off your pass experiences and analyzing them into your mental life, to determine the amount of sleep your will get. In this experiment, the dependent variable is the amount of time it takes for that individual to fall asleep. The independent variable is taking five minutes before bed to write down your thoughts, feelings, or your to-do list. In conclusion, taking a little time before bed to reflect on your day is very effective. It will determine how your body act towards sleep. Remember our body need as much energy as it can get, so we should treat it with care. Even the littlest thing, can affect how much sleep we can receive. Our brains are always working, so it is highly recommended that we clear our mind while we are sleeping to get that full stock of energy for the next day. One way to achieve that is to write.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Summary Module 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary Module 4 - Essay Example In particular, the council rejected the idea that the newborn children should not be baptized because they have no sin. The Council defended the idea that the fall of Adam and Eve led to the fact that even newborn children are sinful because they belong to the human race. For this reason, the baptism of children is considered as a mandatory procedure, which allows the child to cleanse the soul from sin. Overall, the emphasis was placed on the idea that man is a sinful creature and the one who denies this idea cannot be considered a Christian. Even the righteous person living in compliance with Gods commandments must realize that only God has no sin. In turn, in the chapter entitled Of Predestination (the book Summa Theologiae), Thomas Aquinas considers predestination. By analyzing the various arguments on this issue, the theologian comes to several conclusions that are extremely important in the framework of the Christian

Odwalla Juice Case Study Analysis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Odwalla Juice Analysis - Case Study Example Even though the company was faced with several financial constraints as its proceeds dropped by almost 90% (Harvard Business School, 1997, p. 1), one might have expected that the company would collapse altogether or that even if there exists enough backup budget to run the company, management would loose the zeal to continue operating with the same set of customers who might have developed negative attitude towards the company. However, management decided to rise above the challenge and give the company a new image. Clearly, this is a challenge that comes with several subsequent problems especially when it comes to the regaining of customer trust (Ducharme, 2002). Important players within the organization No organization works in a vacuum. Clearly, the success and victories of any company to becoming either a local, national or international entity depends on the efforts of a number of coordinated strings often referred to as stakeholders (Esposito, 2001). On the whole, there could b e two major groups of stakeholders identified for a typical producer based company like Odwalla and these are profit oriented stakeholders and non-profit oriented stakeholders. ... For instance at the break of the news of contamination of the apple juice, the community showed that it indeed had a stake in the company when immediately, the FDA was made to investigate the cause of the problem (Harvard Business School, 1997, p. 1). Customers also showed their stake when their refusal to continue patronizing products from the company led to as much as 90% fall in the profits of the company. Target groups of the organization In the present circumstance, one of the chief and key target groups that the organization can have as part of its stakeholders; of whom there would be periodic attention and concentration are suppliers. These are forever going to be an integral part of the company’s success especially as the company continues to depend on external sourcing for the supply of its raw materials. In fact until such a time comes when the company will be in a position to have a production farm to supply it with fresh apples as raw materials, suppliers should be considered as important target groups. It should even be noted suppliers have important roles to play in preventing such major calamities as the contamination of products. This is because if supplies of raw materials are identified to be contaminated or sub-standard in any way, this can greatly affect the eventual outcome of the company’s production. Finally, suppliers hold a lot of stake in deciding the profit that the company makes because if the company has a very good bargaining power with suppliers, it can be spending less on expenditure and thus gaining more as profit. The role of management and the role of production Going through the case study, it can be said that management has rightly identified its role in bringing the company

Saturday, July 27, 2019

SWOT Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

SWOT Analysis - Assignment Example Locked into lower voltages due to interchangeable battery systems Opportunities: Can diversify into other product lines Can leverage position in Japanese and US markets to expand into various other markets across the world New technology manufacturing plants ensures low costs at manufacturing end thus allowing cost of end product to be low but without compromising on quality Can introduce higher voltages and consolidate position as innovator in the market Threats: Position in US market may be reversed due to dependence on currency exchange rates which may turn unfavourable Risks losing the opportunity to be proactive about higher voltages, by waiting for the rest of the players in the market Becomes reactive and may lose the current edge in the market if competitors come out with higher voltages first Imports from Far East may diversify into professional tools at a much lower cost for the same quality S&W - Minimising weaknesses and threats: The first step is to phase out the older technology at manufacturing plants and replace it with newer, more efficient technology. This will lead to reduction in costs - both manufacturing and labour. A solution to the high pricing issues will result from this move. The newer technology will be leaner, thus streamlining the company and making it quick to react to changes in he market. Innovation and diversification into other technologies will be required to maintain market leader status. Change in attitude towards distributors is needed to convince them that the company is not abusing its market leader position. S&W - Maximising strengths and opportunities: The multi national presence of the company can be leveraged to expand into new products in various markets. Cooperative advertising and cross... The multi national presence of the company can be leveraged to expand into new products in various markets. Cooperative advertising and cross promotion implies less spent on advertising. These savings can be sunk in R&D for innovation and developing new products. A step-by-step replacement of the old interchangeable battery systems is required so that Makatume is in a position to bring in newer higher voltages. A change in strategy is needed so as to avoid depending on the currency rate for a favourable market position. The company needs to be proactive and take a decision about higher voltage so as to avoid losing the edge they have in the market. Makatume must innovate and diversify into other products as soon as possible to avoid losing the share they have captured in the professional tools segment. An expansion in markets in other countries is also advisable to consolidate the market leader position. By introducing higher voltages, Makatume stands to become an innovative market leader. Assuming Makatume's point of view, having captured large shares in the Japanese and US markets, I would be proactive and launch the higher voltages. But I would do this in a phased manner so as not to lose the customers that Makatume already has. By doing so, Makatume would be perceived as an innovator which would add to the value of the brand.

Friday, July 26, 2019

The Implication of Theories of Activity for Management of Operation Essay

The Implication of Theories of Activity for Management of Operation - Essay Example Traditionally synthetic morphinomemetics have severe toxic side effects which rarely can become fatal. Hypotension is a characteristic of these drugs in addition to liver cirrhosis(because of high levels of toxicity) and urinary retention.Pain-free was regarded as promising because it had some advantages over other brands of morphinomimetics, namely;liver problem was considerably managed, no sign of tetramoraide syndrome was found and it’s effectiveness in obliterating pain was instant and exceptional, though hypotension could not be dealt with(and this was not conveyed to the consumers aka patients). In1993, 17% of the patients showed signs of orthostatic hypotension.1 Evidence suggested that Normoramide was the cause. A team led by Roland Peterson had worked tirelessly at eradicating the fatal liver problem but during the course of improving the drug, it was established that hypotension could not be dealt with. Pain-free indisputably was a significant breakthrough especially considering the miraculous pain relief it provided, and appeared to be potential ‘commercial blockbuster’. However, orthostatic hypertension could not be obliterated (as it was conveyed to the prospect consumers) and to this extent, it can be alleged that the company misled the consumers. In addition, the ‘innovation’ in the drug becomes questionable. The management omitted some very pertinent facts about the drug, which if they were known would have affected consumption decision of the patients. The instances of non-disclosure can be enumerated as follows. a) In 93, out of the patients tested with the drug 17% exhibited hypotension.2 The management sought an alteration of guidelines and after it was affected, these cases were written off as ‘occurrences prior to alteration† thus were disregarded.  

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Security Policy Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Security Policy Analysis - Essay Example These company’s make earnings from these projects (Luetge & Jauernig, n.d.). As a result, they need to mitigate risks facing the projects as one of the factors that will influence the project. In regard to that, there is a need to identify, examine and regulate the threats that may affect the completion of any project. The company also faces other threats not related to the projects in any manner. These form the institution risks. Most of them will attempt to obstruct the system from achieving its objectives. It involves the organization settling on priorities concerning the efforts made in the institution and the use of resources for optimum achievement. It should span all the mission areas of the company. Assume you are a technical advisor for the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of your organization. The CIO sends you an email communicating that she wants to be briefed on "OMB M-11-11" because the administrator has just added it to the list of priorities for the organization. She has limited knowledge of the policy and needs to know how it will effect the organization, and what we have already accomplished towards meeting the requirements within the system. First, I would report on what OMB-11-11 is (Xceedium.com, 2015). In relation to that, it is a policy that advocates for the implementation of identity verification among persons to facilitate authorization to have access to information systems, networks and facilities in an organization. Next, I will report on the implementation of OMB-11-11. The application will entail a detailed procedure and use of software applications that will make the process simpler such as a Xsuite. The access control mechanism will offer privileges such as keeping track of passwords, access methods that rely on keys both for network and information systems. Through such application software, it is possible to separate authorization and authentication to beef up security especially in highly sensitive areas of

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Applied Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Applied Economics - Essay Example An independent Monetary Policy Committee was launched in 2012 as a subsidiary of the bank to take relevant action in order to eliminate or reduce operational risks with a mission of leveraging and increasing the resilience of the UK financial system (Buckley & Desai, 2011). The committee is also charged with supporting the economic policy of the government. Managing inflation Types of inflation Demand-Pull Inflation In demand-pull inflation, inflation is solely caused by increases in aggregate demand. This inflation develops when the household, government, business and foreign sectors together try to purchase more output than the economy is able to produce. Demand pull inflation results when aggregate demand increases beyond aggregate supply causing shortages in the economy. This type of inflation is can be sustained with an increase in the monetary base (Buckley & Desai, 2011). Cost-Push Inflation In, cost-push inflation, inflation results from decreases in aggregate supply due to i ncreases in cost of production. This type of inflation arises when the cost of using labor, capital, land, or entrepreneurship rises. This means that the production possibilities edge is reducing in size closer to the origin, causing it to bump down against the aggregate demand. The eventual result is inflation. ... Expansion of fiscal and monetary base cause excess demand and as a result, inflation increases. One of the key responsibilities of the bank of England is maintaining monetary stability. This means low inflation, stable prices and confidence in the UK currency. Price stability is defined by the inflation target set by the government, which the bank aims to meet by the decisions taken by the Monetary Policy Committee. The Monetary Policy Committee is a committee that consists of nine experts who meet every month at the bank to discuss and review the performance of the economy and decides on the most effective way to set the monetary policy to achieve the rate of inflation of 2% set by the government (2012). This committee votes on the bank rate at its meetings and decides whether it is wise to employ quantitative easing or not, and if so, how much money should be injected into the economy. The monetary policy committee makes its decision independently without the intervention of the go vernment (Toporowski, 2012). The principal aim of the bank is to protect the value of the currency based on what it is able to buy-an increase in prices implies inflation, which lowers the value of the currency. The monetary policy is created to achieve this aim and developing a structure for non-inflationary economic growth. The monetary policy of the bank of England controls inflation by influencing the interest rate at which money is lent and through quantitative easing (QE)-injecting money directly into the economy by buying assets. This implies that the banks mechanisms of managing inflation through monetary policy budges towards the quantity of money availed in the economy rather than the interest rate at which the bank borrows or lends money to

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Laws and regulation relating to the kentucky board of embalmers and Essay

Laws and regulation relating to the kentucky board of embalmers and funeral directors - Essay Example A funeral establishment cannot operate unless under direct supervision by a Board licensed embalmer or funeral director and each of these Board licensed individuals cannot operate more than one establishment at any given time. Each year, a license must be issued and processed by the Board along with the applicable renewal license fee of $100. Along with this yearly renewal fee, every Board licensed embalmer and funeral director must attend a minimum of four hours in a continuing education program or programs approved by the Board. If a license has expired and failure to renew within three years of the license expiration date, the applicant pays a late fee and provides proof of attendance at the continuing education course along with passing an examination outlining the ability to pass a competency examination. It is possible for a person holding an embalmer's or funeral director's license from another state or federal district to obtain a Kentucky license provided this individual has met the same or similar requirements for a license set out in provision KRS 316.030 and pays the required fees and license renewal fees to the Board. The Board can revoke or suspend a license should there be a violation of provisions of the Board g

Business continuity Essay Example for Free

Business continuity Essay Just in time concept is a lean operation concept applied in supply chain management where an enterprise strives to produce only what is needed, whenever it is needed and in the amount that is needed. It allows for efficient production of quality products through complete waste elimination, avoidance of inconsistencies and also elimination of non-value addition activities within the production line. (Lieb Miller 1988) According to (Stank Crum 1997) the wastes that are eliminated are related to labour, where over staffing is a waste, time, in this case idle time or use of extra time to accomplish a goal is considered waste. Just in time concept emphasizes on customer requests and avoids making decisions based on forecast. In this concept, inventory is considered as an additional cost to the process. Traditionally, it would be considered to be value adding in the system. In this case, businesses and organisations are advised to eliminate any form of inventory that does not impact any additional value to the product. The just in time concept has various benefits to a business firm or enterprise. The benefits include an improvement in the flow of goods into, within and from the warehouse. There is also better planning and consistency in the organisation. Manpower can be reduced when production process has stopped mainly due to planned shut downs for maintenance, stocktaking activities, or any other reason (Stank Crum 1997). This helps the enterprise to save on cost related to labour and other production overheads. When an organisation adopts the JIT concept and implements it, it helps in the production of better quality products and also increases the efficiency of production. All the aforementioned benefits are customer oriented. We therefore realise from the benefits customer satisfaction is enhanced. This in turn has an impact on customer loyalty and improved sales by the organisation. The net effect of this is improved profits by the organisation (Swamidass 2000). Despite having all the above benefits, the outcome of the terror attacks on September 11 has cast a lot of doubt on the just in time (JIT) concept deliveries in the supply chain. In a supply chain, each organisation along the chain depends upon a supplier and therefore in case of a hitch along the chain, the repercussions are felt along the whole chain. Before the September 11 attack the â€Å"JIT† was comfortably applicable and implemented to various businesses. Until this time, overstocking was avoided and components were delivered to the right place at the right time and in the right form with no hitch. Piling of inventory was avoided and production processes proceeded smoothly. However, the events of September 11 reversed all these, there were delays caused by grounding of aircrafts and also a longer time was required for border inspections. Transport on land was also highly affected. As an example, due to these interruptions, commodities destined for the Gap, Banana republic and the old navy stores ended up to a warehouse next to an airport. The business environment, both external and internal will always be fluctuating. External environment like the impact from natural calamities e. g. hurricanes, snow, storms, floods, earthquakes and internal environments like strikes, affect business operations. Therefore, for an organisation with a JIT system, in case of any fluctuation in the business environment, the supply chain will be disrupted and therefore flow of products downstream will not be realized (McClenahen Jusko 2001). For a sudden change in the business environment, the shocks will be felt throughout the supply chain. There will be a gap that will be created along the chain at the point where the fluctuation is highly felt. It is a noble idea for businesses to consider having some safety stock on hand at each link of supply chain, which will take care of the emergencies in case of any eventuality. Since a supply chain consists of a network/series of suppliers and consumers, a hitch on one supplier side will affect the consumer who is also a supplier to the next consumer. Therefore in a business that has adopted the JIT system, it might end up being grounded because of lack of inventory to process or sell to the next stage of the chains. It is therefore highly recommended for such businesses to develop a Just in case system, a system that allows for a safety supplies that will take care of any eventualities. Even though the JIT system has a number of shortcomings in case of shocks within the supply chain, it is important to note that organisations can still implement JIT and maintain an attractive supply chain with lean inventories even during emergencies. To achieve this, one of the moves that a firm can make is locate where there is stock piling of inventories (Lu Kyokai 1989). Firms can have most of its inventories stocked next to or near their locations. This will help overcome the problems due to shipment or air transport in case these modes of transport are affected. A firm can also consider having more than one supplier for a given commodity, this will be a second option during emergency situations. For an organisation to succeed in its implementation of the JIT system, major changes within the organisation need to be undertaken. The top management need to show commitment and offer full support. They are also required to lead from the front if the benefits of the JIT system are to be realised. The adoption and implementation of the JIT system will substantially affect the mode and criteria through which carriers and other logistics services providers will be recruited by the organisation. Organisations should be able to come up with service providers who are very efficient so as to pass on the efficiency downstream the supply chain. The just in time concept is highly dependent on the speed and efficiency with which products are moving at along the chain. It is therefore worthy to mention that the JIT system will highly affect the style of operations in the logistics industry. The number of logistics service providers to be recruited will also be determined by the success of the JIT system. According to (Ian 1988), constant and effective communication between business firms and their suppliers is another important factor that will affect the future of JIT in the global business environment. The quality of information that will be conveyed should also be put into consideration. The right information should be conveyed to the right place, at the right time and to the right person. A successful implementation of the JIT system in the future will highly depend on additional training of the implementing personnel (Abuhilal, Rabadi, Sousa-Poza 2006). A lot of emphasise should be on the training of the personnel that are directly involved in the implementation of the JIT concept. This should not be taken to mean that other employees in the organisation should not be trained. An elaborate training plan on this system should be unveiled and the concerned departments or functions for example, production, logistics, marketing should be given intense training. The major areas to be considered should include: policies on JIT system, communication skills and training on commitment to the principles of JIT. The future of the just in time (JIT) system in the global environment will highly depend on the level of technology that will be embraced by an organisation. This includes both in machinery and other office operations. Adoption of improved technology for material handling is a key area that firms need to look at. They should consider embracing cross docking or flowing inventory through a distribution centre. With an improved material handling facility, the businesses can absorb shocks easily in the event that there is disruption in the supply chain (Kreng Wang 2005) The use of information technology is in inventory management is particularly crucial if the growth and success of the JIT system is to be guaranteed. Business organisations should utilise information technology resources both in hardware and software so as to enhance the success of the JIT system. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) modules should be adopted for inventory management and controls within the organisation. Internet resources should be highly utilised for an effective JIT system. The most applicable resources include e-procurement, e- marketing. e-banking and e-mailing. When an organisation conducts procurement via internet, a variety of goods both in terms of quality and quantity may be obtained. The business deal is also conducted in an accelerated speed. Marketing via the internet allows for the organisation to reach many customers within a very short time and hence improve on the organisation’s sales. Internet banking allows for faster business transactions hence delays associated with payments are reduced and therefore the supply chain is protected from such delays (Hale 1997). To ensure that the intended results of the JIT concept are achieved, it is important for firms doing business together along a given supply chain be proactive in their operations. By being proactive, it means that a consumer should be involved directly in what their supplier is producing. The consumers should be involved in product design so as to have a product of their own making. On the hand it is very important for the suppliers to follow up and find out how their products are serving the customers. This will help in the elimination of ripples along the chain and hence easy implementation of the JIT system. The players in the supply chain should develop a culture of sharing problems when they occur at a particular point of the supply chain, this in a nutshell will reduce the overall effect that the problem would have on the entire supply chain (Titone 1996). The just in case system is another approach that will have an impact on the future of JIT system in the global environment. It is very important for firms to have a buffer stock that can bail it out when events in the supply chain don’t seem to be favourable. The idea of having safety stocks for emergency times should not be confused by firms holding inventories. It is a different concept from overstocking.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Pfizer Essay Example for Free

Pfizer Essay Pfizer has new technology that helps to access the system easily. They have a smart card consisting of proximity device so that as a person walks near a computer, there is a signal emitted by smart card which verifies you. There is use of pin number so that no one can use another persons card and pin number is used in other parts of the company such as making charges at cafeteria and accessing the building physically. When Pfizer is deploying information system, they take their time to cooperate with people who do business in order to know the risks involved in storing and transferring information. They do not under protect information or overprotect it. Business can be impeded by overprotecting information which can make security be thrown out. They partner with information technology and business in order to protect business, offer quality products and services and make profit. (Betancourt, 2002 pp19-21). Describing policies and measures used by Pfizer to ensure confidentiality, availability and reliability of data and information Confidentiality of data is ensured through a system that employs cryptography such as public key and symmetric key in order to encrypt and decrypt information and data. There is an entity that reads sensitive information and data and the key represents a secret property. To ensure availability of data and information Pfizer has prescription coverage to ensure access to its medicines that are new and widely prescribed. Through number 866 706 2400, there are live operators to guide patients according to their needs and the programs for public assistance according to medical needs and income. The reported outcome of patient’s measures determines how treatment of a disease affects patients. To ensure there are results that are useful clinically data gathered must use reliable cognitive psychology, clinician and patient input. This is done by determining the purpose of patient reported outcome in order to demonstrate its reliability. (Nurss, 1998 pp11-12). How Pfizer organization protect loss of data In order to avoid loss of data, Pfizer protects privacy of information collected from external organizations through online opportunity process of submission which supplements privacy policy of Pfizer which can also apply to personal data and identifiable information. For Pfizer to ensure personal data is secure, it uses data customary that protects electronic and manual processing. Security technology in online opportunity ensures securities that avoid loss of data, misuse of data, unauthorized disclosure, destruction and alteration of data. Steps taken to ensure data remain accessible in event of catastrophic event such as fire and other natural disaster Actions are taken to lower exposure to risk arising from hazard to safeguard development efforts. Developing systems for early warning helps in reducing risks and having capabilities to respond to catastrophic events. Disaster recovery is used in recovering information in event of catastrophe. Disaster recovery planning is devoted to prepare for action to respond to catastrophic event. Assessment in disaster recovery is simulating catastrophic event and planning for disaster recovery in order to have recovery need that are specified. Plan for disaster recovery state duration the recovery should take and the state of data expected by the users and management need to be informed all the time of these specifications which are substantiate by recovery assessment. Things I think Pfizer could do to further enhance information security  There should be enough circulating space inside the organization so that staff can move around freely without use of lifts. Employees should avoid calling their colleagues using phones but instead use face to face communication about information concerning the organization and cellular office space should help to make communication easy. Government should take action to develop mechanisms for sharing information with private sector by engaging private sector actively in determining requirement of information and having a partnership that is based on trust. ( Parker, 1996 pp21-23).

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Differences in classical and modern rhetoric

Differences in classical and modern rhetoric Differences in classical and modern rhetoric Historically rhetoric has been studied and argued by philosophers, educators and mankind in general, all in an effort to offer proof of the true meaning of the word. It has been accepted by all that rhetoric is a form of communication. Whether it is considered an art of using language in a persuasive manner or it is the clever misuse of words to gain trust and to persuade, can only be determined by an individual’s perception and interpretation of the words they hear (Elliot Aronson, 1992). The definition of rhetoric is as simple as the art of persuasion, but what makes rhetoric effective is the way it is applied. In order to use rhetoric in writing and in speech, the meaning of rhetoric and its purpose must be clearly understood. Rhetoric involves more than just what is written, but how it is arranged. Other writing tactics also are used to make rhetoric what it is. Rhetoric can be described as the art of effective, eloquent, and persuasive writing and or deliverance of a spee ch. The use of rhetoric ages back to the times of the ancient Greek. Plato, a famous Greek philosopher, saw rhetoric only useful and admirable if it was an expression of truth. Aristotle, another Greek philosopher, disagreed. He felt that rhetoric was focused on the invention of the argument. In Aristotle s point of view, the argument was meant to seek the truth and also appeal to reason, ethics, and emotion. Although both of the great philosophers saw rhetoric in two slightly different aspects, it was still used to persuade an audience (Anthony Pratkanis, 1992). For many people, the word rhetoric conjures up images of doubletalk political or advertising language used to befuddle and confuse its audience. This common usage of the word causes problems for the serious modern student of rhetoric, because the term can legitimately be defined, as it is in my Random House dictionary, as the undue use of exaggeration or display concerned with mere style or effect. However, this is not the only, or even the primary, definition of the word. Its simply the one with which most people are familiar, and its currency can cause difficulty for someone interested in the discipline of rhetoric (Elliot Aronson, 1992). Such a problem didnt always exist. As one of the classical liberal arts, rhetoric, along with its sister arts grammar (not what we call grammar, but more akin to the modern discipline of semantics) and dialectic (a system of learned disputation similar to what we now call informal logic), was one of parts of the trivium, the foundation of education in classical and medieval times. Thus it is that my Random House dictionary defines rhetoric also as the art of influencing the thought and conduct of an audience through the use of effective language. In this, its primary use, the term rhetoric has been around for over 2500 years. In fact, rhetoric was an important part of a European education right into this century (Anthony Pratkanis, 1992). Classical rhetoric is important because it established the basic theories of persuasion that were taught until this century. These theories still hold true today, and we can become better, more persuasive communicators if we adhere to the best of them. If you stop and think about it for a minute, you will note that the most influential and powerful people in our society are good communicators. Politicians who make our laws are generally excellent speakers. People whom you admire (outside of sports) are often good communicators (George A. Kennedy, 1999). Rhetoric is not limited to any particular discipline; as a method of analysis, it can be applied, for example, to political discourse, though it is not political science; to literary works, though it is not literary criticism; and to scientific discourse, though it is not science (Anthony Pratkanis, 1992). In fact, whenever we use discourse to influence someone elses actions or thoughts, in whatever field, we are using, often without realizing it, ancient principles of rhetoric. Thus the discourse of any field may be fruitfully studied, not for the quality of its politics, literature, or science, but for its rhetorical significance and effectiveness (George A. Kennedy, 1999). Quintilian was a Latin scholar who used five different elements to perfect the art of rhetoric. These five steps helped the speaker or writer use rhetoric to its fullest. Inventio is the first of the five elements, and is the Latin word for invention. The idea is to first recognize what kind of audience the essay or speech is directed at, and then invent arguments that appeal to the audience ethically, logically, and or emotionally. Dispositio is the second element, which means arrangement in Latin (Anthony Pratkanis, 1992). In order for an argument to be effective it must be arranged properly. The third element in Quintilian s arrangement is Elocutio. In Latin, Elocutio, means style. This is the way the author or speaker uses diction and syntax. Memoria, which is the fourth element, is Latin for memory. This element is necessary for effective speeches, but it not a vital element in essays and other writings (George A. Kennedy, 1999). When a speech is memorized it flows more smoothly , and doesn t allow unintended breaks to distract the audience. The last of the five elements is pronuntiatio. In Latin this is the word for delivery. In writing this is the tone in which the author uses in his writing, where as, in speech it is the speaker s voice and his gestures that matter (Mark Robson, 2007). Although Quintilian s five elements help a person compose a rhetorical essay or speech, they do not include certain schemes that construct rhetoric. A few of the basic schemes of rhetoric are parallelism, anaphora, and climax. These schemes help enhance persuasive arguments. Parallelism is the arrangement of a series of related words. An example of this is found in Abraham Lincoln s second inaugural address. It states, with malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right Anaphora is the repeated use of the same group of words used to begin successive sentences or clauses. An example of this can be found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-2. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted Climax is the way words and sentences are arranged to imply the order of rising events that led to the magnitude of the story. An example of this is in Melville s novel, Mob y Dick (Mark Robson, 2007). Despite Augustine, the so-called Rhetorica ad Herennium, ‘or â€Å"Rhetoric written for [friend] Herennius† and called in later medieval and Renaissance times the â€Å"new† rhetoric, to distinguish it from the â€Å"old† rhetoric represented by Cicero’s earliest work, the De inventione (â€Å"On invention†Ã¢â‚¬â€the first part of the rhetorical curriculum), became an all-time record hit textbook for the Greek and Roman art of persuasion in the period c.400 – 1600 A.D (Elliot Aronson, 1992). Written at around the same time as Cicero’s De inventione, that is, in the first two decades of the last century B.C., the â€Å"Rhetoric written for [friend] Herennius† was soon lost and then rediscovered around 400 A.D. It achieved its premier status because it dealt with the whole rhetorical curriculum (the finding of the most appropriate arguments, the arrangement of them, the memorization of them, the delivery of them and the orn amentation of them with graceful figures of speech and thought), and it was written in simple, didactic Latin—the universal learned language of the time. It was also illustrated with easy and relevant examples, many of them composed by the writer himself, who believed that you should illustrate your rhetorical precepts with your own compositions rather than purple passages taken from prior writings (Mark Robson, 2007). The â€Å"Rhetoric written for [friend] Herennius,† together with certain advanced Greek and Roman textbooks, gathered momentum over the thousand and more years following the Herennius text’s â€Å"rediscovery† and even the highly opinionated view of certain late-fifteenth-century rhetorical teachers that it was not by Cicero, did not dent its popularity. By the time the long road from Aristotle’s textbook on rhetoric and its near-contemporary, anonymous, â€Å"Rhetoric for Alexander† (fourth century B.C.10) had been traversed; the â€Å"old† and the â€Å"new† rhetoric amounted to a pretty formidable arsenal of techniques and practices for constructing â€Å"truth† and persuading others of it (Laura R. Micciche, 2007). Aristotle recognized the value of rhetoric and the manner it could be directed to a specific audience. He perceived it as a form of speaking to an audience comprised of ordinary citizens and the idea that it makes use of a common idea or belief shared by the speaker and the audience (enthymeme). He believed that rhetoric was a techno and identified the need to understand characteristics of human emotions and the elements of an argument in order to speak with authority on any given subject. He identified the integrity and believability of a speaker as the key ingredient (Laura R. Micciche, 2007). But what are we today to make of this huge and effective corpus and in what senses can there be today a further â€Å"new rhetoric†? As George Pullman says below, â€Å"The old rhetoric, it seems, is something difficult to outrun.† In this Pullman echoes the statement of Edward P.J.Corbett, who, in his Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student, wrote: (Edward P.J Corbett, 1998). â€Å"The author believes that the elaborate system of the ancients, which taught the student how to find something to say, how to select and organize his material, and how to phrase it in the best possible way, is still useful and effective, perhaps more useful and effective than the various courses of study that replaced it.† We may well argue that today all the ancient techniques of persuasion are utilized knowingly or unknowingly in our modern systems of marketing and advertising—though we do not build into these systems the ethical and moral imperatives that great rhetorical writers of the past, such as Aristotle, Cicero and Quintilian, did. Nor do we make sure that our young are fully familiar with all the techniques of oral and written persuasion that may be available to them, as was common in former times. Here the warning of Pratkanis and Aronson is very pertinent: â€Å"We believe that, in an age of propaganda, the most important thing for the survival of democracy is the existence of communicators who know how to present their message clearly and fairly, coupled with an informed electorate that knows the difference between a fair presentation and a con job. It is toward achieving these ends that we wrote this book.† Rhetoric, indeed, is too important to be left to today’s marketing experts. Use of the term has expanded enormously in recent times, to include all cultures, genders, classes and even animals. We must ourselves nowadays understand the history and meaning of the word and how it might empower us today to meet and deal effectively with the explosion of new technologies of persuasion and communication, particularly in regard to the new electronic age and the infinite changes and possibilities associated with it. The authors of the present volume are fully aware of the inherited rhetorical tradition and of the â€Å"changes† that must be incorporated into the â€Å"new† rhetoric for our own times (Mark Robson, 2007). A rhetor can use a variety of strategies to communicate the message, or to create the kinds of appeal that will best move the audience. The rhetor must engage the audience, gaining their attention and maintaining it in order to reveal the exigence as a problem in the world that the audience can change. The speaker must then, using only discourse, motivate them to change the situation the discourse has identified (Mark Robson, 2007). Finally, if the rhetor is to be truly effective, he or she must in some way enable or empower the audience to take the action requested. The rhetor must do all this in a subtle way, so that the method of influence the use of the modes of appeal does not call attention to it, but instead allows its effect to be felt directly. Thus the intended audience for a discourse, who are moved to action by its appeals, would be unlikely to analyze how they are being persuaded; they will feel convinced, but often are in no position to perceive, much less articulate, how that persuasion has occurred. That role belongs to the rhetorical critic (Laura R. Micciche, 2007). By contrast with the audience, the rhetoricians role is not to be persuaded by the discourse, but to understand how the discourse works to influence its intended hearers. A rhetoricians job is to mine an existing discourse to reveal the underlying strategies and common-sense assumptions upon which the argument has been constructed. Among other questions a rhetorician asks is What view of the world would the audience need in order for this discourse to make sense to them? What assumptions of theirs are being taken for granted? Both the rhetor who constructs the discourse and the rhetorician who analyzes its appeals are assisted by a thorough understanding of rhetorical principles, which are built, like most such theories, from a study of effective practice. A rhetorician who studies, for example, political autobiography, will be able to comment on three distinct levels. First, the rhetorical critic will be able to reveal how the specific discourse under consideration achieves its purpose how it has been adapted to its intended audience, and the nature of the ethos, logos, and pathos appeals it uses. The critic will consider its engagement, motivating, and enabling strategies. Second, the rhetorici an will be able to comment on the nature of political autobiography as a genre; he or she will show how, by comparison with other works in the same genre, the author has adhered to, or departed from, the generic conventions, which have acted as constraints upon the rhetor. The rhetorical critic will point out no teworthy effects of the discourse as a representative of its type, how it conforms to or challenges its generic constraints (Laura R. Micciche, 2007). Finally, this rhetorician can contribute something to the understanding of how in general discursive appeals work to persuade an audience. He or she may even be able to infer broad theoretical principles from the situated instance of discourse that is being studied, considering how it fits into the theoretical framework of the discipline as a whole (George A. Kennedy, 1999). The study of rhetoric, both as a situated art and as a body of theoretical material, is important. It is a critical tool that helps us to understand how discourse shapes the way people act or think, not only in the case of situated instances of rhetorical discourse but also in much broader terms. Such study leads to a fuller understanding of how discourse, and particularly persuasive discourse, is able to move an audience. As human beings, as citizens, as teachers and scholars, we use language all the time to modify and influence events in the world around us. Equally, other people use language to influence our thoughts and behavior. It is important for us, as educated people, to know as much as we can about how this influence is affected. Such knowledge is useful not only for its practical benefits, but because it forms a critical and analytical foundation for approaching many of the tasks that face us daily as we construct and respond to the discourse that shapes our experience of the world (George A. Kennedy, 1999). From the time of the ancient Greeks until present, rhetoric has been used effectively in works of writing and in speeches. Plato, Aristotle, and Quintilian have illustrated the use and tactics of rhetoric wonderfully. Though in the ancient Greeks time rhetoric was meant to be used only to persuade something truthful or seek something truthful, it now it is used heavily by politicians. Although its purpose has somewhat changed over the years, its function has stayed the same. References Anthony Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson In Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion New York: Freeman, 1992. George A. Kennedy Classical Rhetoric and Its Christian and Secular Tradition from Ancient to Modern Times The University of North Carolina Press, February 1999. Mark Robson The Sense of Early Modern Writing: Rhetoric, Poetics, Aesthetics, Manchester University Press, July 2007. Laura R. Micciche Doing Emotion: Rhetoric, Writing, Teaching, Boynton/Cook publisher, August 2007. Edward P.J Corbett Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student, New York: Oxford University Press, August 1998.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Body Art :: Social Issues, Tattooing

The number of people getting tattoos seems to be on the rise. According to the most recent Harris Poll, conducted in the summer of 2007, approximately 40% of Americans ages 25-40 have at least one tattoo, as compared to 3% 20 years ago (Hawkes, Senn, & Thorn, 2004). The increased popularity of the tattoo is apparent if you compare those findings to the 1936 Life magazine estimate that 10 million Americans, or approximately 6% of the population, had a tattoo (Swan, 2011). According to Kang and Jones (2007), tattooing is especially popular among teenagers and college students. At a stage when young people are seeking to assert their independence, tattoos may provide a way to ground a sense of self in a seemingly changing and insecure world. Tattooing has a long history; it was thought that tattooing was primary an ancient Egyptian practice dating from circa 2000 B.C. (Nadler, 1983). It was brought to the New World in 1769 by sailors returning from voyagers to the South Pacific (Post, 1968; Sanders, 1991). The practice of tattooing became more widespread and socially acceptable in the Western world after that time (Sanders, 1991). In ancient times tattooing was a projection of Jungian psychological elements, which was used be projected onto holy symbols, onto the self as a manifestations of self-expression coinciding with a decline in traditional religious adherence (Mercury, 2000). Piercing has almost as long of a history as tattooing. It was practiced by Egyptian pharaohs, Mayans, and Romans (Armstrong, 1996). Body piercing is sometimes studied along with tattooing, partly because people with tattoos often have piercings (Buhrich, 1983; Frederick & Bradley, 2000). For women, ear piercing has come to be viewed as a mainstream practice but piercing eyebrows, nose, cheeks, or other areas appears to symbolize one’s disaffection from society, much like tattooing (Sanders, 1988). Regarding piercings, 69.7% of women compared to 28.2% of men reported having piercings (Huxley & Grogan, 2005). The gender difference was significant. A way of being mischievous for a woman or going over the edge or developing a sexual identity is to have a piercing: navel, nipple, and nose (Saunders & Armstrong, 2005). The piercing can also draw attention to areas that the woman wants attention drawn to. Risquà ©-piercing may enhance the desire to use piercing for sexual attention . It may be that women may become pierced more for reasons of rebellion and men may become pierced more for reasons of self-identity (Caliendo, Armstrong, & Roberts, 2005).

Essay --

â€Å"And I, of ladies most deject and wretched, that sucked the honey of his music vows, now see that noble and most sovereign reason [†¦] out of tune and harsh (3.1.13). Ophelia is a very interesting character in the book â€Å"Hamlet† written by William Shakespeare. She displays several qualities that make her interesting. Ophelia is ordered around and never speak up for herself until she finally cracks. The evidence is when her father orders Ophelia to talk to Hamlet for the first time in weeks after he told her to stop seeing Hamlet. Ophelia is also a sweet and innocent young girl. We witness this when the narrator tells the readers she follows all her father’s request without asking any questions. This shows she is innocent for not having a reason to not trust her father. Lastly, she seems depressed in some scenes. The author shows this when the narrator mentions she was feeling pressured for sex with Hamlet. It was oblivious too much for her to handle at th e time. This essay will show that Ophelia possesses the three qualities just mentioned. This essay will show how the events and examples just mentioned show Ophelia unique qualities. Things are becoming unbalanced in the kingdom of Elsinore. The old King’s brother Claudius married the King’s widowed wife Gertrude. The King’s son Hamlet thinks his mother is moving on too fast. She didn’t even grieve for over enough time; she only grieved for two months and for her son Hamlet that wasn’t enough time. Meanwhile two guards outside the castle notice a ghost that looks oddly familiar. They later discover its old King Hamlet hunting the castle. One of the two guards goes seek to find Hamlet and tell him about his father being a ghost. When Hamlet meets the ghost he realizes it’s actually... ...ent on men and sweet and innocent. When Ophelia follows her father demands for her to stop seeing Hamlet, she agrees immediately. Although she is in love with Hamlet and it breaks her heart to not be with him anymore she still obeys her father. When Polonius wants use her as bait to spy on Hamlet for King Claudius, she does exactly what she's told and still doesn’t question her family motives. We witness Ophelia dependent on men quality since she is not married she has to live by her father's rules. Even if she were married she would have to follow her husband’s rules. Lastly, when Hamlet is verbally insulting her in the theater, she doesn’t reply back. Given the fact she is sweet and chooses to ignore him. Ophelia is a dynamic and interesting character who hasn’t learned to stand up for her. Later on she falls into depression for not stopping this from happening.

Friday, July 19, 2019

The History and Theory of Magical Realism Essay -- Literature Magical

The History and Theory of Magical Realism Magical Realism is one of today's most popular subjects in literature to discuss regarding its history and theory of Magical Realism. It began in the Latin culture and now is known word wide for its attributes. Magical Realism is even rivaling some of the great masterpieces of modern and past literature. Someday Magical Realism will be recognized and respected just as the classics are today. Magical Realism supposedly began in 1935 with its golden age occurring between 1940 and 1950.The Magical Realism of Spanish and Latin America can be somewhat attributed to the social, political, and European influence. During the golden age of Magical Realism, Spanish and Latin American writers produced works that would, by some, be considered to be at the same level as the great Italian, French, and English works. Two people have been credited for coining the term Magical Realism, Dudley Fitts and Franz Roh. Which one gets the actual credit would be very difficult to state. However, it is not important who did the deed; it is important the deed was done. Professor Angel Flores remarked that "A Universal History of Infamy," written by Jorges Luis Borges marks the birth Magical Realism (Flores 109-117). Jorges Luis Borge's works are similar the works of Kafka. Both Kafka's and Borge's works reflect a collaboration of realism and fantasy. Before all the greatness of Magical Realism was realized, it was thought that the Spanish and Latin American fiction couldn't produce anything beyond simple works. However, times have changed, an abundance of great works and attributes are derived from the Latin American culture and its writings. Magical realism is the writing of Spanish and Latin American au... ...er's mind. Perhaps in music, Magical Realism has the most effect on the masses. Although most people might not realize they are being affected by Magical Realism, in actuality they are dealing with it everyday. As a conclusion to the statements above, one must remember that Magical Realism is neither Science Fiction nor Magical Literature. Rather, it is in everyday life and is all around. Magical Realism is also not to be underestimated; it includes works, which are legendary. Works Cited Flores, Angel." Magical Realism in Spanish American Fiction." Magical Realism:Theory, History, Community.Ed.Louis Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B.Faris.Durham,N.C.: Duke UP, 1995:109-117. Leal, Luis." Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed.Louis Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris.Durham, N.C: Duke UP, 1995:119-124. The History and Theory of Magical Realism Essay -- Literature Magical The History and Theory of Magical Realism Magical Realism is one of today's most popular subjects in literature to discuss regarding its history and theory of Magical Realism. It began in the Latin culture and now is known word wide for its attributes. Magical Realism is even rivaling some of the great masterpieces of modern and past literature. Someday Magical Realism will be recognized and respected just as the classics are today. Magical Realism supposedly began in 1935 with its golden age occurring between 1940 and 1950.The Magical Realism of Spanish and Latin America can be somewhat attributed to the social, political, and European influence. During the golden age of Magical Realism, Spanish and Latin American writers produced works that would, by some, be considered to be at the same level as the great Italian, French, and English works. Two people have been credited for coining the term Magical Realism, Dudley Fitts and Franz Roh. Which one gets the actual credit would be very difficult to state. However, it is not important who did the deed; it is important the deed was done. Professor Angel Flores remarked that "A Universal History of Infamy," written by Jorges Luis Borges marks the birth Magical Realism (Flores 109-117). Jorges Luis Borge's works are similar the works of Kafka. Both Kafka's and Borge's works reflect a collaboration of realism and fantasy. Before all the greatness of Magical Realism was realized, it was thought that the Spanish and Latin American fiction couldn't produce anything beyond simple works. However, times have changed, an abundance of great works and attributes are derived from the Latin American culture and its writings. Magical realism is the writing of Spanish and Latin American au... ...er's mind. Perhaps in music, Magical Realism has the most effect on the masses. Although most people might not realize they are being affected by Magical Realism, in actuality they are dealing with it everyday. As a conclusion to the statements above, one must remember that Magical Realism is neither Science Fiction nor Magical Literature. Rather, it is in everyday life and is all around. Magical Realism is also not to be underestimated; it includes works, which are legendary. Works Cited Flores, Angel." Magical Realism in Spanish American Fiction." Magical Realism:Theory, History, Community.Ed.Louis Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B.Faris.Durham,N.C.: Duke UP, 1995:109-117. Leal, Luis." Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed.Louis Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris.Durham, N.C: Duke UP, 1995:119-124.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Change Management Essay

1.1 Introduction Barack Obama started his election campaign with a plan to renew America’s promise with the words â€Å"Change we can believe in†. His Presidential campaign was marked by changes. He wanted to change a nation and its way of acting. Throughout the campaign, Obama’s changes were aimed towards bringing a rapid end to the war in Iraq, decreasing energy dependence, and providing universal health care. In his victory speech Obama said â€Å"change has come to America†. Up to now, not all his plans and ideas have proven successful and only the future will reveal their full potential. The U.S. election was a change of the governmental position which was decided by the nation. In an admittedly smaller world, every person in his or her life as well as every manager of an organisation is faced with changes or the requirement to make changes every day. Let’s concentrate on the business world and have a look at what changes mean? Change is an alteration of a company’s strategy, organization or culture as a result of changes in its environment, structure, technology or people. A manager’s job would be very straightforward and simple (not to say boring) if changes were not occurring in these areas. Good managers have a competence to manage change in the company’s environment. These changes can be alterations in structure (design of jobs, span of control, authority relationships or coordinating mechanisms), in technology (equipment, work processes or work methods) as well as in people (behaviours, perceptions, expectations or attitudes). 1.2 Reasons for Change A complex structure like an organization is driven by external and internal factors in regard to the need for change. There are a number of external forces that create the explicit need for change: Market situation or market place Technology Government laws and regulations Economics The global marketplace has created a huge need for change because of internationalization and the more dynamic situation. Some of this could not have occurred without the various and dramatic changes in technology. An example of the changing marketplace is the deregulation of the telecommunications industry in the domestic market. By deregulation, the competitive pressure was put on telephone companies such as the German Telecom which has minimised monopolistic emplacement. Regarding this point, advances in technology have had a big impact on the market. Also, the affordability of equipment and software allows greater competition in the IT-sector. Government laws and regulations can have a large impact on an organization such as with deregulation. Organizations have to change because it is now prescribed. The new tobacco taxes and the legislation requiring tobacco manufacturers to disclose the harmful effects of tobacco smoking have created huge pressures on some large organizations. These organisations now have to change to ensure their economic viability. Finally, these economic ups and downs have a dramatic effect on organizations as well on domestic markets as the worldwide economic influence continues on organizations. This phenomenon could be seen during the last financial crisis. The effects were recognized in the USA first; then they hit Europe, Japan and finally the rest of the world. As a consequence, several automobile manufacturers have announced production cutbacks and reduced employment. Parallel to the external reasons there are different internal forces for change: Corporate strategy Workforce Technology and equipment Employee attitudes It is not unusual for an organization to change its strategy. It can lead e.g. to a large number of changes if the organization decides to adopt a new distribution methodology or a new logistic strategy. Also a merger will change an organisation’s way of acting. (For example, a company decides to  enter the e-commerce business). The introduction of new equipment or new technology is another internal force for change which affects an organization. The implementation of new technology needs new processes or structures. Through this, employees will have to be trained for new work processes or new jobs. The composition of an organization’s workforce never stays static because it changes in terms of gender, age or education. New employees join the organization and other people leave. With these changes, managers may need to redesign work and work groups in order to ensure the job requirements match the skills of the people. Lastly, employee attitudes such as the level of job satisfaction can lead to either negative or positive forces for change. If employees are dissatisfied, then there can be an increased level of employee absenteeism which can lead to changing practices or management of staff. 1.3 Origins of Change Management Again, a distinction between change management as a result of changing technologies and change management based on different management styles has to be made (in practice however, one factor is certainly influencing the other). Change management has his origins in the 1950’s. In those days modern forms of management were introduced (e.g. teamwork, autonomous groups) and the â€Å"war† between followers of top-down (change) approaches and bottom-up (change) approaches began. Top-down organizations are characterizes by the relatively low influence of subsystems. With the exception of the top management, employees are placed in a given process pattern. The organisation’s units are co-ordinated within a system of regulations and the organisation’s development is steered from top down. Bottom-up organizations are characterized by the relatively high influence of subsystems. The organisation’s development is carried by involved employees. A structural partial autonomy is conceded to the single subsystems. The organisation units are relatively independent in their execution of problems and could be basically capable of surviving on their own. Regulations are found primarily in the form of general behavioural instructions and the basis of â€Å"Common Senseâ€Å". The organisation’s development is therefore developing itself bottom-up. The best known concepts of  top-down management are business process re-engineering and business reengineering. The concept of business process re-engineering is aimed at changes concerning quality, service, cost and processing time. The core idea is process orientation. The concept of business process re-engineering takes into consideration strategy creation as well as process creation without describing, however, methods and instruments in detail. The documentation of the actual and the planned processes remain at a relatively coarse level and the main weight lies with few identified core processes. Business re-engineering is aimed at the radical redesign of enterprise strategies or essential enterprise processes. Its purpose is the improvement around scales in significant and measurable achievement dimensions in the areas of costs, quality, service and time. The implementation of this concept requires a â€Å"strong manager† who not only initiates the changes but also encourages the employees to make the necessary changes. Business re-engineering, therefore, is based on order and control, while the comprehensive knowledge of the organisation’s development and the participative system’s creation is maintained. The best known concepts of bottom-up management are kaizen and lean management. Kaizen (Japanese for â€Å"improvement† or â€Å"change for the better†) focuses upon continuous improvement of processes in manufacturing, engineering, development, marketing etc. (main business processes), supporting business processes and management. Kaizen as a management approach is based on the idea that no actual status (of a process or an organisation) is good enough to be kept. Kaizen refers to a continuous improvement of all functions and involves all employees from the executive board to the assembly line workers. It also applies to processes, such as purchasing and logistics and always involves the entire organization. Kaizen was first implemented in several Japanese businesses after the Second World War, influenced in part by American business and quality management teachers who visited the country. It has since spread throughout the world Lean Management explains how to link the advantages of batch-producing organizations (speed, low unit cost) with the benefits of a customer-oriented organisation (high flexibility, customizing, quality). â€Å"Lean† must be understood as â€Å"Lean Enterpriseâ€Å", an enterprise with  customer-oriented organisation which values customers, suppliers and employees. Principles of lean management are a gradual approach, group orientation, own responsibility, constant feedback in lower management levels and a long-term orientation. Other ideas of lean management are an enterprise-wide improvement of the quality, acceleration of the development, harmonious integration of the enterprise into the society as well as outsourcing and concentration on specific strengths of the organisation. The focus lies on the soft factors. Also in relation to a process-oriented thinking and strategy creation, lean management uses the Kaizen approach. Nevertheless, the concentration on a few, significant core processes is strongly stressed here. Comparing the bottom-up and top-down approaches, the advantage of a bottom-up orientation lies with the possibility of adapting the rhythm of the development and the capacity of the organisation for development. Small changes can be achieved at short notice or immediately, while lasting changes run smoothly and could guarantee a constant improvement of the problem solution capacity of the enterprise. On the other hand, permanent change processes and the constant restlessness linked with such change processes can also affect negatively the organisation, as possibly no clear direction is recognizable any longer. Few enterprises are ready for a radical change in their orientation as demanded in a top-down approach. No organisation is able to reorganize itself and the whole value-added chain ad hoc. Frequently the longevity of the soft factor â€Å"enterprise culture† is underestimated. Changes in the enterprise culture need time and, hence, are an object of evolutionary and participative approach and not a revolutionary and authoritarian process. The advantages of the top-down approach are the straight-forward attempt of comprehensive, department-covering thinking and action and the focus on the central processes. Nowadays, within modern change management approaches, top-down and bottom-up approaches are mixed. As shown in fig. 1, analysis and the strategy development is mainly done top-down whereas continuous process improvement is driven from the bottom-up. Constant dialogue between the involved parties guarantees a constant improvement and focusing on the core requirements. Figure 1: Modern Change Management – Bottom-Up meets Top-Down So change management is the: correct understanding of the organizations that want or need to be changed correct understanding of the people who are willing or forced to change the effectively realization of change understanding the dynamics of change Changes should be facilitated by the organizational structure because this enhances adaptation and flexibility. A simple organizational structure will reach a simple dynamic environment or, on the other hand, a simple dynamic environment needs a simple structure only. For a complex dynamic environment an adhocracy will be needed. Adhocracy means more democracy and less bureaucracy. One of the most important points is the people, because they form the organization. The culture of organization includes their way of working, attitudes and norms. These facts are at the core of every change and they are difficult to handle. Personal modifications regarding attitudes or skills in leadership or communication are hard to identify but ineffectiveness can be indicated by problems and conflicts in the management of human resources. 2. Concepts of Change Management A number of models are available to facilitate one’s understanding of transitioning of individuals through the phases of change management and strengthening organizational development initiatives in both government and corporate sectors. 2.1 Lewin ´s Change Theory Kurt Lewin theorized a three-stage model of change that has come to be known as the unfreezing-changerefreeze model which requires prior learning to be rejected and replaced. Edgar Schein provided further detail for a more comprehensive model of change, calling this approach â€Å"cognitive redefinition.† Lewin ´s model will be discussed later in this book in more detail.. 2.2 Chin & Benne ´s â€Å"Effecting Changes in Human System† Chin and Benne (1969) and Havelock (1971) each articulated different approaches but shared some  overlapping concepts. Some of the models had a primary focus on innovation and organization, while others focus on the individual: Empirical-rational approach The basic assumption underlying the empirical-rational model is that individuals are rational and will follow their rational self-interest. Thus, if a â€Å"good† change is suggested, people of good intention will adopt the change. This approach â€Å"posits that change is created by the dissemination of innovative techniques†. A primary strategy of this model is the dissemination of knowledge gained from research. One example of agencies and systems used for the development and diffusion of such research results are agricultural extension systems and the county agents who disseminate the results of agricultural research. In education, these activities are the domain of educational research and development centers,,regional educational laboratories, state departments of education, colleges and universities, national diffusion networks, intermediate service agencies, and staff development personnel within school districts. The rational view generally ignores the fact that school systems are already crowded with existing passive recipients, who may not have the necessary time or expertise to adopt or apply the new knowledge or program. Power-coercive approach The power-coercive approach relies on influencing individuals and systems to change through legislation and external leverage where the power of various types is the dominant factor. Power-coercive strategies emphasize political, economic, and moral sanctions, with the focus on using power of some kind to â€Å"force† individuals to adopt the change. One strategy is non-violent protest and demonstrations. A second strategy is the use of political institutions to achieve change – for example, changing educational policies through state-level legislation. Judicial decisions also impact educational policy. A third power-coercive strategy is recomposing or manipulating the power elite – electing people to public office, for instance, to support an intended change. History is replete with mandates, and other power- coercive strategies, which resulted in little change. Normative-re-educative approach In the normative-re-educative approach, the individual is seen as being actively in search of satisfying needs and interests. The individual does not passively accept what comes, but takes action to advance his/her goals. Further, changes are not just rational responses to new information but occur at the more personal level of values and habits. Additionally, the  individual is guided by social and institutional norms. The overarching principle of this model is that the individual must take part in his/her own change if it is to occur. This model includes direct intervention by change agents, who focus on the client system and who work collaboratively with the clients to identify and solve their problems. The normative-re-educative approach employs the help of change agents to assist clients in the change process by identifying needs; suggesting solutions, examining alternatives, and planning actions; transforming intention into adoption; stabilizing the change. The use of an agent to support clients and facilitate change was present in the early models. The concept of the change agent evolved further and has been reported in studies of educational and other organizational change. 2.3 Bullock and Batten’s Phases of Planned Change R.J. Bullock and D. Batten derived their ideas from project management and they recommend using exploration, planning, action, and integration for planned change. Exploration occurs when managers confirm the need for change and secure resources required to achieve it. These resources may be physical or they may be mental, such as a managers’ expertise. The next step, planning, occurs when key decisionmakers and experts create a change plan that they then review and approve. Next, action occurs with enactment of the plan. There should be opportunities for feedback during the action phase. Finally, integration begins when all actions in the change plan have taken place. Integration occurs when the changes have been aligned with the organization and there is some degree of formalization, such as through policies and procedures in the organization. Bullock and Batten analyzed over 30 models of change management and arrived at their own 4-phase model of programmed change management which can be applied to almost any circumstance. The model is useful in that it distinguishes between the ‘phases’ of change which the organization passes through as it implements change, and the ‘processes’ of change, i.e. the methods applied to get the organization to the desired state. The model progresses as follows: Exploration phase – The organization has to make decision on the need for change: Explore and decide on the need for change Identify what  changes are required Identify resources required Planning phase – Understanding the problem: Diagnosis of the problem Clarify goals and objectives Identify specific activities required to undertake change Agree changes with stakeholders Identify supports required to enable change to occur Action phase – Changes identified are agreed and implemented: Support for change is explicit Changes are monitored and evaluated Results are communicated and acted upon Adjustments and refinements are made where necessary Integration phase – Stabilising and embedding change: Changes supported and reinforced Results and outcomes from change communicated throughout the organization Continuous development of employees through training, education Ongoing monitoring and evaluation 2.4 Beckhard and Harris change formula The change formula is a mathematical representation of the change process. The basic notion is that, for change to occur, the costs of change must be outweighed by dissatisfaction with the status quo, the desirability of the proposed change, and the practicality of the change. There will be resistance to change if people are not dissatisfied with the current state of the organization, or if the changes are not seen as an improvement, if the change cannot be done in a feasible way, or the cost is far too high. This formula can also be conceptualized as (D Ãâ€" V Ãâ€" F) > R. D = Dissatisfaction V = Vision F = First Steps R = Resistance to Change The multiplicative nature of this formula indicates that if any variable is zero or near zero, resistance to change will not be overcome. In other words, the variables of D, V, and F do not compensate for one another, and when one is very low, the cost of change is likely to be too high. 2.5 7-S Model Consultants at McKinsey & Company developed the 7S model in the late 1970s to help managers address the difficulties of organizational change. The model  shows that organizational immune systems and the many interconnected variables involved make change complex, and that an effective change effort must address many of these issues simultaneously. The 7-S Model is a framework for analyzing organizations and their effectiveness. It looks at the seven key elements that make the organizations successful, or not: strategy; structure; systems; style; skills; staff; and shared values. The 7-S model is a tool for managerial analysis and action that provides a structure with which to consider a company as a whole, so that the organization’s problems may be diagnosed and a strategy may be developed and implemented. The 7-S diagram illustrates the multiplicity interconnectedness of elements that define an organization’s ability to change. This theory helped to change managers’ thinking about how companies could be improved. It says that it is not just a matter of devising a new strategy and following it through. Nor is it a matter of setting up new systems and letting them generate improvements. To be effective, your organization must have a high degree of fit or internal alignment among all the seven Ss. Each S must be consistent with and reinforce the other Ss. All Ss are interrelated, so a change in one has a ripple effect on all the others. It is impossible to make progress on one without making progress on all. Thus, to improve your organization, you have to master systems thinking and pay attention to all of the seven elements at the same time. There is no starting point or implied hierarchy – different factors may drive the business in any one organization. The 7-S Model is a valuable tool to initiate change processes and to give them direction. A helpful application is to determine the current state of each element and to compare this with the ideal state. Based on this it is possible to develop action plans to achieve the intended state. 3. The Change Process 3.1 Initiating a Top-Down Change Accelerated by global competition, the pressure to change business strategy is a worldwide phenomenon. Industrial activities are shifting from manufacturing to service, globalization of markets, political realignments, technical advances in management information systems, corporate alliances  and downsizing of organizations are changing the structures of corporations and projects. In parallel, organizations are faced with global competition. This competition is becoming more and more obvious in automobile manufacturing, consumer electronics, computers and communications and household manufacturing. Increasingly, the global heavyweight players of the world economy are large corporations involved in international or multinational projects. There is a global market and competition for most products and services. In order to effectively compete in it, organizations must use creativity and transform their cultures, structures and operations. The emergence of these global organizations c reates pressure on domestic organizations and projects to restructure and internationalize their outlook and operations. Because of these powerful forces for globalization, organizations must explore project opportunities all over the world. Technology is changing at a rate greater than at any time in history. One of the most dramatic technological changes affecting the work environment is the rapid expansion of information system technology. This technological revolution is having a profound impact on project structures, power relationships and the management of complex project interfaces. Artificial intelligence, computerintegrated manufacturing and virtual reality are creating new project opportunities in terms of their development and applications. Technology eliminates the problems of physical distance. Audio/Video conferences create the personal and direct interaction that is needed to work as a team. Engineering and manufacturing industries are assisted by robotics and computer-based design and manufacturing techniques like CAD. Fast-changing consumer preferences caused by rapid and frequent technological changes and innovations have shortened the life cycle of several goods and services. The effects of rapid product obsolescence can be dramatic for organizations which cannot adapt and quickly handle this situation. In the pharmaceutical and electronics industries, some products become obsolete in as little six months. Projects aimed at developing products and services in such industries must adapt to this rate of change in a cost-effective manner to be successful. Fig. 1 about a modern change management process showed that change management starts with a (re-)definition of the current enterprise strategy. Deciding upon the right business strategy stands therefore at the beginning of every change process.  The process of finding the right strategy is illustrated in fig. 2. Figure 2: Finding the right Strategy Countless approaches for strategy definitions are available (e.g. Porter 5-Forces-Model, 7S) and are not topic of this book. Fig. 2 only shows a general approach for the strategic approach during the change process. One step in this approach might differ from a general strategy rehearsal. During a change project, it is necessary to involve an external expert for a strategy audit! A strategy-audit is an important cornerstone for a common image about the general and strategic position of the enterprise. Beside the management or departmental management in particular, the persons who are involved in marketing and sales and therefore have a direct customer contact and should be involved at this stage. The second step in the â€Å"top-down† part has been process analysis. The process analysis reflects the modelling of the existing processes. Participative reconstruction of the processes and the visualisation of the expectations, strengths and weaknesses for the initialization of a lasting change is required. A review process (iterative vote process with the employees questioned) is mandatory. The following stage of process (re-)design cannot be separated with regard to the method and the modelling tools from the process analysis. It is only to be distinguished as an â€Å"incremental† process optimisation and a â€Å"radical† reorganisation of the enterprise processes. The target of the top-down process analysis is firstly the elimination of all non value-increasing activities and secondly the optimisation of all remaining activities. 3.2 Initiating a Bottom-Up Change Managing organizational change from the bottom-up will be more successful if some simple principles are applied. Change management entails thoughtful planning and sensitive implementation and, above all, consultation and involvement of the people affected by those changes. If change is forced, problems will arise. Change must be realistic, achievable and measurable. These aspects are especially relevant to managing personal change. Before starting organizational change, the question of strategic change has to be answered: What do we want to achieve with this change, why, and how will we  know that the change has been achieved? Who is affected by this change, and how will they react to it? How much of this change can we achieve ourselves, and what parts of the change do we need help with? These aspects relate strongly to the management of personal as well as organizational change. Change needs to be understood and managed in a way that people can cope effectively with it. Change can be unsettling, so the manager logically needs to be a settling influence. Whenever an organization imposes new things on people there will be difficulties. Participation, involvement and open, early, full communication are the important factors. Workshops are very useful processes to develop collective understanding, approaches, policies, methods, systems, ideas, etc. Staff surveys are a helpful way to repair damage and mistrust among staff – provided you allow people to complete them anonymously, and provided you publish and act on the findings. Management training, empathy and facilitative capability are priority areas – managers are crucial to the change process – they must enable and facilitate, not merely convey and implement policy from above, which does not work – Change must involve the people change must not be imposed upon the people. One has to be wary of expressions like ‘mindset change’, and ‘changing people’s mindsets’ or ‘changing attitudes’, because this language often indicates a tendency towards imposed or enforced change and it implies strongly that the organization believes that its people currently have the ‘wrong’ mindset, which is never, ever, the case. If people are not approaching their tasks or the organization effectively, then the organization has the wrong mindset, not the people. Change such as new structures, policies, targets, acquisitions, disposals, re-locations, etc., all create new systems and environments, which need to be explained to people as early as possible, so that people’s involvement in validating and refining the changes themselves can be obtained. The following change management principles should be adopted]: At all times involve and agree support from people within the system (system = environment, processes, culture, relationships, behaviours, etc., whether personal or organizational). Understand where you/the organization is at the moment. Understand where you want to be, when, why, and what the measures will be for getting there. Plan development towards No.3 above in appropriate, achievable measurable stages. Communicate, involve, enable and facilitate  involvement from people, as early, openly and as fully as is possible.