Sony Television Company Analysis

Introduction The Sony Corporation deals in financial services, entertainment, game, and electronics. Sony is a world-leading manufacturer of audio, video, information and communication technology products with its capital in Tokyo, Japan (Sony Global – About Sony Group, n.d.). The Company has many subsidiaries in different countries worldwide, and it has unique products that contain exciting multimedia content.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Sony Television: Company Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, Sony Europe is a subsidiary of the Sony Corporation that deals in managing, developing, and supplying electronic products across Europe. The Company believes in exploring new areas to create new ideas in order to enhance human lives through technology. Moreover, it strives to develop a wide range of products and multimedia services that provide customers with a wide range of produ ct choice. It has tailored its products like televisions, portable audio and digital imaging equipment towards the customers’ viewpoints or perspectives. In this manner, Sony Europe has been endeavoring to maintain market leadership in the electronic field. Historically, Sony is known for its quality and innovative products such as the first transistor radio of 1955, Trinitron color television in 1968 and play station 3 of 2006 (Sony Global – About Sony Group, n.d.). These products went on to hit the consumer and professional market thus winning the company international recognition as a global company. In Middle East and Africa, Sony selected Jebel Ali Freeport Zone as its regional head quarters. This station serves over 40 countries within the expansive region. Since its launch in 1992, the company has commanded a huge share of the market in all sectors of its different businesses. For example, during the 2007 financial year, Sony Gulf announced a turnover of $1 bill ion. The Company executes large sales, advertising, and marketing across its many partners in Kenya, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. In line with the financial target that was announced in 2012, Sony plans to attain a sales volume of over 8.0 trillion yen at an income margin of over 5% and return on equity of 10% for the entire Sony Corporation by FY14. Explicitly, the electronic business targets a sales volume of 6 trillion yen at an operating margin of over 4.5% during the same financial year.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sony Television In 2012, Sony bounced back onto the TV scene with a new design of the HX853 series that worn multiple awards on the television business (Archer, 2013). The liquid crystal display (LCD) television has grabbed a controlling share in the present global and dynamic world market. Initially, the company had been facing competition rivalr y from the South Korean Samsung Electronics Company and LG Electronics International. The Company has initiated a strategy of producing unique and quality products in the market. Coupled with high innovative ideas, the Sony Corporation has been able to gain competitive advantage over its competitors that produce and supply television sets. In the 2012 financial year, the company was able to build a strong foundation and strategic investment plan for the TV business. Some of the exceptional features that Sony televisions have include the ability to playback wide collection of photos and music from USB products; these distinct features have given Sony a competitive edge over the perennial competitors in the market. These are the common features of Smart TV. Smart TV also has social media sites like Twitter, You Tube, Picasa, and Facebook. This television model is also able to stream several video platforms through its online platforms. Some of the video highlights include Netflix and Lovefilm, BBC iPlayer, BBC sport, and Sky News. Sony 55W905A is another model that has a remote that functions with a special android application. The remote uses the Near-Field Communications (NFC) technology; therefore, one can strike the remote on an NFC-portable device like the Xperia smartphones to mirror the screen of the device on the TV. Moreover, the current Sony televisions take close to 10ms for the signals to arrive at the inputs; it is a unique feature that the company has added in their televisions. In addition, it recorded momentous advancement on the line of high profit margins in the TV business. This path to profitability on TV business has remained among the core strategies in this 2013 financial year. Some of the features that the company has added in their new TV models are the â€Å"X-Reality PRO† which is an engine that process images and â€Å"Triluminos Display† which makes the screens to display wide color. In addition to enhancing the quality of the display and image, the company is targeting to expand its 4K LCD TV lineup (Sony Corporate Strategy Meeting FY2013, 2013). Sony plans to capture and control the emerging markets by producing and supplying TVs that meet the customers’ needs. Further, it plans to reduce the operational and fixed costs in order to register more sales than before hence returning to profitability in FY13.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Sony Television: Company Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Logistics strategy Sony Corporation produces television models, which are durable; therefore, it has modified a cost-effective distribution strategy that ensures that the products are available in local markets at the right quantity. In the Indian market, Sony uses one level conduit of distributing products where customers purchase the TV sets from recognized Sony dealers who obtain the products directly from th e company. On the other aspect, the current development in technology has forced the Company to use the internet as a way that customers can acquire information on Sony retailers and their locations. Sony has joined the international television divisions in producing programs that command a worldwide appeal since globalization has reshaped the cultural, social, political, and economic parameters of all societies. The globalization process has altered people’s experiences on entertainment hence changing the market demand. These changes have also made Sony collaborate with local companies in developing a subscription business model. This model enables consumers to acquire information on the products before purchasing them. The Company intends to expand the TV business in all its regional markets worldwide as a means of realigning its business portfolio with the supply chain strategy (Ford, 2011). For example, Sony targets India in developing its television production and televi sion network due to its rapid market growth. Sony in a bid to sell its TV aligns its supply chain strategy, marketing strategy, finance strategy and human resource strategy in a specified direction in order to form the overall business strategy. The Company believes that effective management and strong creative decisions are the essential cornerstones it requires in strengthening its foundation and place as a chief actor in the electronic field. In line with realigning its business portfolio and optimizing resources on the television business, Sony has finished transferring the small and medium-sized LCD business to an external agent. A clear supply chain strategy improves customer service, increases profits, and continues to minimize the reduced costs of production and operation. Evidently, a right logistics strategy facilitates achievements of business goals by engaging the management team in meeting the strategic objectives of a firm.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Sony Corporation has also set clear its logistics strategy; for instance, it decided to reduce the number of materials and parts that suppliers gave the company in 2010 (Ford, 2011). This approach assisted Sony in cutting the production costs of the electronic products in order to regain control of the market that had been so competitive in the previous year. The dynamic and evolving logistics strategy of the Sony Corporation lowered the cost of products’ distribution in the long-term perspective. The Company delegates sales to selected dealers through its selective distribution method. In expansive markets, it employs grey scale marketing strategy, but does not offer benefits for purchasing television sets such as a guarantee and warranty. Corporate Strategy Customers The Company has employed cost-cutting mechanisms in manufacturing the LCD panel. It is still exploring other avenues that can require further production efficiencies to reduce the cost of the television mod els by over 35%. In addition, it targets to reduce its fixed business costs of the television business by 30% in the 2013 fiscal year. The Company intends to attract and retain customers using this cost reduction strategy in the market. Sony also intends to increase customers’ receptions on their television sets by advancing the image and quality of audio on these products. Sony studies the needs of different geographic markets in order to produce products that actually meet the needs of the markets. Notably, the company has made massive steps in developing and commercializing the next generation display units such as OLED. The television business is even integrating with Sony network services and the company’s mobile products in order to provide distinct user services and experiences, and even attract customers on the television lineup. The Company has also employed strong innovative practices in the television business such that customers can continue to identify its products in the highly competitive and populated market. Sony highly relies on its motto of â€Å"make.believe† since it continues to carry out extensive research on what is possible in the television business. Afterwards, the technocrats and engineers try to put the findings into practice and then take it to the market after believing in its operations. The innovative idea has proved essential since the current market is undergoing fast technological changes. The President and CEO of Sony Corporation also attested to the harshness of the market and environment in which their television business operates (Sony Corporate Strategy Meeting FY2013, 2013). Therefore, it remains the role of the CEO to reposition the growth and rebuild the entire electronic business in order to contain the stiff competition from its competitors. Suppliers In their corporate strategy meeting on April 12, 2012, the company decided to restructure its headquarters and sales groups in order to increase its efficiencies on the management and operational front. In mid-2009, Sony faced stiffer competition than before thus forcing it to take a new approach to address the shift in the competitive landscape. This problem became a critical supply chain issue in the global market for the Company until the Executive Deputy President Yutaka Nakagawa had to lower the quantity of materials and parts suppliers by over 50% and even had to purchase cost reductions of 20% in FY10. Nakagawa did this by improving and rationalizing the process of payment terms. The Company employs effective management in dealing with its suppliers in the current unpredicted market through cutting the product suppliers in situations of stiff competition from competitors. Competitors In dealing with competitors, Sony has produced a variety of television sets thus enabling customers to have a wide range of product choice to consider during purchases. Some of the television products include BRAVIA TV, Sony KDL-55W905A, and PS3 Sony style (Archer, 2013). In addition, the Company adopted cost-cutting strategies in 2009 in order to out do the competitors in the television business. The Company had avoided this strategy for along time until in 2009 when the global recession hit the entire market in the previous financial year. For example, the gap in pricing between the 32-inch and 42-inch LCD television is quite narrow, symbolizing a price reduction strategy. Inventory planning Inventory planning assists firms to study the demand of their products in the market and decide when to order inventories and the quantity of the new inventories to order. The process enables firms to align their sales and production capacities with their strategic objectives. Sony has been maintaining close relations with prospective retailers in order to provide them with sales feedback thereby assisting them in analyzing the actual market demand of their products. The Company utilizes the concept of JDA solutions and servic es in creating scorecards, data that rely on forecasting and exceptional analyses that it shares with its retailers. These service levels enable Sony to track stored data on a daily basis. As a result, Sony can work with the key retailers in correcting any mismatch that may arise between supply and demand of the television sets. Inventory planning has made Sony experience numerous benefits, some of which include 40% enhancement in the accuracy of forecasting and 18% increment in in-stock levels (Marcus, 2010). Evidently, inventory planning has enabled Sony to match the supply and demand of its products. On the design process, Sony has gone through evolution since 1960. The design on Sony Walkman attests the real satisfaction of customers’ needs of demanding a lifestyle of music on the go. Other electronic products like BRAVIA LCD TV models are portable as they are made of LCD Panel. Notably, the Bravia models have large display resolutions of 1,920 dots by 1,080 lines and low power consumption rates. The KDL-40XBR9 model, for instance, uses 205W, accepts MPEG2, MP3, and JPEG in its USB ports, and consumes less than 0.3W on standby mode (Marcus, 2010). Sony encourages designs that are user friendly in the present evolving world. Conclusion The Sony Corporation has diversified its services in many sectors. The television business has revolutionized the entertainment industry. For instance, the X Series-4K TV is a unique model since it is the first TV with the highest and largest picture resolution to be in the market. The model produces premium picture qualities and has extensive features that take entertainment to a new dimension (Archer, 2013). The Sony Internet TV has also revolutionized the Sony Entertainment Network as people can stream videos on You Tube and chat with friends on the common social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Picasa. References Archer, J. (2013). Sony KDL-55W905A review | Plasma and lcd tvs Reviews | TechRadar. TechRada r | Technology News and Reviews. Web. Ford, H. (2011). Sony Television Marketing Management. EzineMark.com: Free Content Online Directory. Web. Marcus, W. G. (2010). Strategic Analysis on Sony. Scribd. Web. Sony Corporate Strategy Meeting FY2013. (2013). Sony Global – Sony Global Headquarters. Web. Sony Global – About Sony Group. (n.d.). Sony Global – Sony Global Headquarters. Web. This research paper on Sony Television: Company Analysis was written and submitted by user Jason Day to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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Hobsons Choice Summary Essays

Hobsons Choice Summary Essays Hobsons Choice Summary Essay Hobsons Choice Summary Essay Hobson makes the girls leave the shop and go into the rooms at the back. He wants to talk to Jim Heeler privately about his girls and his problems with them. He firstly complains that his daughters dont respect him, that they regard him as a windbag. Jim advises Hobson to get his girls married and that he shouldnt be too fussy as he has 3 to get married. Hobson is quick to point out that he doesnt want Maggie to get married and when Jim points out Hobson will need to make money settlements for the girls to get married, Hobson drops the idea. Hobson reveals his attitudes to women in this scene. He comments that he was grateful when his wife died because his life was quieter without her. Hobson also shows he has a high opinion of himself. He agrees with Jim when Jim tells him is the best debater in the Moonrakers Inn. The mean streak in Hobson is also developed in this scene. He doesnt want to let Maggie leave because she is too important to the business and he wont provide money for marriage settlements. He acknowledges that his daughters are not expensive to keep and he reveals that he doesnt pay them any wages. As soon as her father and Jim have left, Maggie raises the trap-door and tells Willie Mossop to come up into the shop. Maggie tries to make Willie understand how valuable he is to the business. She makes the point that Hobsons stays in profit because of her selling skills and partly because Willie is such a fine bootmaker. As Maggie talks, Willie starts to realise that she is asking him to marry her. Willie is amazed and shaken because there is a difference in class between them. Note the way that Maggie generally speaks in a forceful but educated manner whilst Willies speech often betrays his lack of education. Willie uses dialect terms e. g. I thought you were axing me to wed you. Maggie has obviously been planning this for some time, six months Ive counted on you. He is concerned about what Hobson would say and points out that he is already tokened to Ada Figgins. When Ada arrives with Willies dinner, Maggie tells her that she intends to marry Willie. Ada is no match for Maggie and says shell set her mother on Willie when he gets home. Willie is obviously scared of Adas mother. Maggie has everything arranged. She tells him that he can lodge with Tubby Wadlow and to put the banns up in church right away. Willie goes along with everything but is not quite ready to kiss Maggie when she tells him to. At this stage, Maggie is in charge. Willie still speaks his mind though and tells Maggie that he doesnt love her. Ada is not really treated very well. Willie may be scared of Adas mother but Maggie isnt. This may, to some extent, be the result of Maggies superior social position. As a middle-class daughter of a successful business man, she is able, instinctively, to bully those of a lower social class and to get her own way.

Regional and Economic International Organizations Essay

Regional and Economic International Organizations - Essay Example Many people lived lives of total despair. However, there were a number of brave men and women who decided to look at this crisis as an opportunity and to fashion something new out of the mess. The most important change to make involved the world economic system. And so the Bretton Woods regime was founded on July 1944, in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, United States, by the delegations of the 44 Allied nations with the intent of creating a new financial and economic order, due to the shift of power occurred as a result of the Second World War. The Bretton Woods regime was a result of the events which affected the world economy and political system, starting from the great Depression to the rise of Nationalist dictatorships and finally the Second World War; its declared objective was to ensure prosperity to all nations, so conflict would never occur again, and can best be understood by this quotation: "The nations should consult and agree on international monetary changes which affect each other. They should outlaw practices which are agreed to be harmful to world prosperity, and they should assist each other to overcome short-term exchange difficulties." The lesson learned by the horrors of the war were that increased economic integration would stand a good chance of reducing the opportunities and incentives to go to war. If war cost the same amount to everyone there would be few advantages for any one country to start one. Economic integration and some standardization would be key to this. The policy of open markets first seriously pushed at this conference would have a major influence on the world economy to this day. This policy however did not come out of the blue. There were a number of significant individuals who came up with the theories and principles that underlay and who worked hard to guide the process forward. Without a doubt one of the most important of these figures was the economist John Maynard Keynes, one

Total Quality Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 2

Total Quality Management - Essay Example TQM was wielded into a coherent operating philosophy in Japan in the 1950s in its search for better methods to stimulate product quality. Its wisdom and usefulness caught the interest of W. Edward Deming and Joseph Juran who in the 1960s weaved into the Japanese concept their own ideas of quality generation. The TQM strategy was thus enriched by Deming’s statistical process control and Juran’s teamwork and plan-do-check-action concepts. In 1962, all three quality circles combined as TQM was registered with the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers as a workable concept of organizational process. By the 1980s, when Japan was rising as a global economic power, TQM was picked up by US and European companies.It was institutionalized in 1988 with the establishment of the European Foundation of Quality Management and has since become the basis for the granting of such quality achievement awards as the International Standards Organization. To implement TQM successfully, a n organization must bring its eight key elements into play.These are ethics, integrity and trust, which serve as the TQM basic foundation; training, teamwork and leadership which act as the building blocks; recognition as the roof; and communication as the binding mortar. Based on the strong foundation of ethics, integrity and trust, the building blocks of training, teamwork and leadership are set in place to reach the roof of recognition. Communication then binds all the elements together to work for the accomplishment of the TQM objectives. In so doing, there are three things to consider: the cost of quality, the counsel of quality gurus, and customer satisfaction. I. Cost of Quality The cost of quality is the extra time, effort and money spent by a company for preventing poor-quality products or services from reaching the consumers. In the words of Crosby, P. (1979), it is the price to pay for non-conformance. The cost of poor quality (Juran, J.,1988). As such, the cost of quality is distinguished from the company's expense on raw material, production and labor in that it involves, for the most part, activities on reworks, returns and customer complaints. There are four known types of quality cost: 1. External failure cost - this is associated with defects found after the customer receives the product, the cost incurred in processing customer complaints, returns, recalls and warranty claims. 2. Internal failure cost - the cost of quality associated with defects found before the customer receives the product, which is spent mostly on scrap, rework, re-inspection, re-testing, material review and material downgrade

How Single parenting has negative effect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

How Single parenting has negative effect - Essay Example In this regard, the current discourse aims to contend that single parenting has negative effects that are detrimental to the children, and to the single parent, in the long run. Single parenting poses risks to the parent tasks to raise the children alone due to exposure to more stressors in responding to the needs of the family. As a single parent, the mother or father has to find ways and means to support the children holistically; meaning, financially, physically, emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually. As asserted by Hertz, â€Å"women who came from working class backgrounds were at one and the same time proud of their mothers’ employment achievements and sad that it was their mothers who were doubly burdened with keeping family life together† (6). As such, the need to fit all tasks and endeavors in a limited time frame poses health risks to single parents, including risks for developing anxieties, depression, cardiovascular diseases, and even burnout. Concurren tly, single parenting also exposes the children to be recipients of bursts of emotions and negativity. This fact was revealed by Aldort and Aldort who contended that â€Å"sometimes, in spite of all our intentions to love and be kind, what we might feel toward a child is anger and even resentment† (15). ... These are often feelings that we may not be aware of because of fear and discomfort rooted in our past experiences† (Aldort and Aldort 15). The negative impact of these outbursts to children include loss of confidence in themselves, depression, low morale, and even fear to socialize, trust others, and open up, as required. After having presented the negative effects of single parenting to the parent and the children, it could also be asserted its damaging repercussion to social structures, particularly in terms of maintaining a solid and unified family as the basic unit of society. Single parents need to exert double efforts to make up for the loss of the physical presence of spouse and of a father or mother to the children. As such, there seems to be something lacking that is felt by the parent and the children alike. This void could not be replaced by material things or by other people. Therefore, the negativity associated with trying to fill the void remains persistent. As a verred, â€Å"warmth, discipline, materialism - dealing with all these issues effectively demands that we address not only the challenges that parents face, but also the needs that they have as they try to be the best parent they can† (Levine 169). As such, inasmuch as the single parent focusing all his or her efforts to provide a holistic support to the children, the needs of the parent could most likely be neglected and wanting. Thus, the core values of maintaining a cohesive and supporting family, as the basic unit, are definitely eroded as society begins to accept single parenting as the socio-cultural norm in contemporary societies. There are those who argue that

Importance Of Wellness Programme In Organization

Importance Of Wellness Programme In Organization Unhealthy diet and lack of regular physical activity caused several bad health outcomes among employees, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and other chronic disease (Harris Fries, 2002). According to Conlin (2007) the insurance premium and absenteeism by sick workers cost businesses $15 billion a year in United States (as cited in Scarborough, Wilson Zimmerer, 2009). Besides that, about 70% of organizations health care costs were arising from preventable chronic diseases. According to Fries, Koop, Beadle, Cooper, England, Greaves, Sokolov, and Wright (1993) preventing employees chronicle illness is the best solution for reducing organizations health care cost. According to Quintiliani, Sattelmair, and Sorensen (2007) worksite has been recognizes globally as an appropriate setting to promote wellness programme. Stokols, Pelletier Fielding (1996) also suggested that worksites wellness programme could influence employees healthy behaviour. Through direct effort health education and increasing the availability of healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity; or indirectly through social support and social norms promoting health behaviours (Sorensen, 2002). Worksites wellness programmes were also a useful way of promoting a healthy diet and frequently physical activities to employees (Engbaers, 2005). Wellness programme has commonly focused on promoting worker health in reduction of individual risk-related behavior. For instance, tobacco use, poor nutrition and other avoidable health behaviours (LaMontagne, 2004).Employees performance increased more than 2.5 times once employees health and wellness managed well (Grimard, 2009). In 2004, The United States National Workplace Health Promotion found that many companies provide various type of worksites wellness programmes (Linnan, 2004). They found that 26% provided health education, and 30% provided supportive social and physical environments, and 23.5% provided worksite screening. However, the effectiveness of worksites wellness programme is effect by various issues, such as employees participation and the organizations implementation efforts (Kumar, McCalla Lybeck, 2009). According to Tsui (2008), the implementation efforts of wellness programme in Asian companies is far from desirable although the awareness of this issue is increased. 2.0 Definition of worksites wellness program According to Gold (2009) wellness programme was defined as a holistic approach that addresses the needs of individuals, whether its mental or physical needs or anything related to their family or work. Wellness programme focus on prevention, behavioral change and also offer tools for people to know their health risks and numbers, such as their cholesterol, sugar and body mass index. Offering them ways to learn the health information and solutions, focusing on three keys areas: healthy eating, helping people quit smoking, and let employees to be more active and really address their health needs. Wellness programme was being implemented by organization nowadays to create their worksites wellness programme (Craft, 1994). According to Wolfe and Parker (1994) Worksites wellness programme are long-term organizational activities designed to promote the adoption of organizational practices and personal behaviour conducive to maintaining or improving employee physiological, mental, and social well-being. (as cited in Ho, 1997). Sullivan (2000) mentioned that worksites wellness programme was a programme that intended to keep or develop employees health before the health disease occurs. From the perspective of a manager in an organization, wellness programme have the potential to reduce medical claims costs, decrease absenteeism, improve employee productivity, recruitment, and retention (Chang, Koh, Kang, 2005). For maximum impact on employee health, a comprehensive worksites wellness programme should focus on increasing awareness of wellness issues by providing employees health info rmation, supporting health management and promoting healthy work climates. Worksites wellness programmes included what consider being traditional efforts to maintain costs, including on-site fitness centers, healthy selections in company cafeterias, health assessments, employee assistance plans, and other programs that attempt to influence the organizational culture to ensure the workplace has a strong wellness culture (Kumar, et. al, 2009). 2.1 Importance of wellness programme in organization In recent years, there was a significant increasing trend for companies to introduce wellness programmes at the worksite (The Straits Times, 1994). According to Alsagoff (1993) in 1991, for example, the Singaporean employer had to pay S$252 in medical costs on every worker, which was a growth of some 6.8 per cent over the previous year. Worksites wellness programme is very important to a company as this can be proven by those companies which had made up their mind to adopt it, most of them mentioned that the primary reason in doing so was to increase employee productivity, to meliorate employees welfare advantages and morale, and to heighten the corporate reputation of the company (Wong, 1993). Worksites wellness programmes in the Western countries have a much older history and have been proven in many cases to be associated in a beneficial way to such essential opportunity costs as employee satisfaction, job performance, health care costs, absenteeism, and employee turnover (Shephard, 1992). Some companies have also savored nonphysical advantages such as enhanced employee spirit, health and generative, employee attraction and retention, and improved image for the corporations (Connors, 1992) after their employees reduced the rate of smoking and some of them even successfully quit smoking. Fielding (1994) studies conducted at Johnson Johnson showed affirmative opportunity costs, business-unit-wide, of health promotion programmes. These studies proved that effective wellness programme effects on uniform exercise participation, fitness levels, employee satisfaction, employees medical costs, smoker quit rates and on an indirect measure of productivity. Worksites wellness programme were also found to be very important in helping employees to having a better healthy lifestyle. A study of the Travellers Insurance Company health promotion programs reported a symptom of decreasing in health claims, absenteeism and employees insurance costs; an improvement in productivity; and a return on investment of roughly US$3.40 for every US$1.00 spent (Golaszewski Yen, 1992). Besides that, a cost-benefit study reported in the literature attributed minimized health care costs to Blue Shield and Blue Cross of Indianas health promotion programs, which resulted in a refund of US$2.51 for every US$1.00 of programs involves (Elias Murphy, 1986). According to Quick (1987), US organizations continue to lead almost European and Asian organizations in employee health promotion. This same goes to the issue in Singapore where the level of awareness or interest for corporate health promotion is low (Ministry of Health, Singapore, 1993). This is amazing in view of the high economic absenteeism rate arising from illness which is about seven days of medical leave per employee in 1991 and the huge amount of corporate medical expenses about $316 of medical cost per employee and annual corporate health care cost of around $416 million (Malik, 1993). 2.2 Effects of worksites wellness programme 2.2.1 Reduced employees absenteeism in organization The figure of sick hours and days an employee uses during a calendar year is referring to absenteeism (Leong, 1993). It is an important measure for monitoring the outcome of the effect of worksite wellness programme because it involved cost savings that may useable for company to development in other area. The economic effect of employee absenteeism are mainly from the costs of decreased productivity because of absenteeism cause from employees during working days, substitution of less experienced workers and the extra expense of hiring temporary workers. Every employee took an average of seven days of medical leave which causing in 10.4 million man days lost in 1991. Studies show that by implementing worksite wellness programme, absenteeism in the workplace can be deducted to at least 42 per cent (Gebhardt Crump, 1990). The latest research by using control grouping has found relations between reduction in absenteeism, health care costs and turnover rate and implementation of examina tion health promotion programmes (Klein, 1986). It has been forecasted that poor health and injury contribute for almost 60 per cent of all lost hours from work (Conrad, 1987). The main reason for absenteeism appears to be social psychological ones, which include work stress. As so, strategies oriented towards improving employee physical and emotional well-being have the possibility for impacting a main source of employee absence. There is much more pre-experimental type literature holds up the arguments that strengthen employee fitness level through wellness programs lead to reduction in absenteeism. At Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Ohio, USA, for instant, research indicated that as number of frequenly exercise increased, absenteeism in short term because of illness will be significantly decreased. This interpreted to about a day less of absenteeism a year for each frequent exerciser compared to non-exercisers (Lynch, 1990). An inversely proportional correlation between members involve d rates and the number of inattentive from work was also recorded at The Travellers Insurance (Shillingford Mackin, 1991). 2.2.2 Increased employees job satisfaction in organization Job satisfaction has become a critical issue in the workplace. Job satisfaction impacts the wellfare of employees and exercises a significant effect on the organization. Because of its outcome for the organization, involvement in job satisfaction is particularly high, for instant absenteeism and turnover (Cherrington, 1989) and for the worker, such as physical and mental health (ODonnell Ainsworth, 1984). As so, it is very important to have a satisfied workforce to become a competitive advantage for organizations. Research has shown that satisfied employees with improved spirit are more likely to contribute and hardworking as a consequence of an increased signify of duty, responsibility and an obligation to the superior or employer (Shinew Crossley, 1988). The question mark then started to come into the scenario whether introduce to worksite wellness programme would be applicable to increase employees spirit sufficiently to result in better job satisfaction. Affirmation to this question mark can be provided and shown by companies such as Johnson Johnson General Electric. For instant, in 1987, General Electric Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA served and functioned as host for a research to examine and note the similarities or differences of employees recreation participation with those of employees fitness participation. Comparison of overall job satisfaction among different employees and absenteeism were chosen randomly from a total of 900 employees through computerized personnel file. Results showed that employees who involves at any stage showed high job satisfaction and lesser absenteeism rate than employees who never take part from the beginning until the end (Baun, 1986). 2.2.3 Reduced employees stress in organization Stress in organizations is a serious issue among management practitioners because of its nonadaptive phenomenon on organizational effectiveness. According to the 1993 World Labour Report from the International Labour Organization, in twentieth century stress has become one of the most concern health issues. In the USA, job stress has been approximated to cost industries around US$200 billion every year, and stress is estimated to price up to 10 per cent of the gross national product in the United Kingdom (Tang Harumontree, 1992). There is research prove that frequently links occupational stress with certain physical health symptoms and diseases. Different kind of cancer, heart disease, migraine, allergies, ulcers, depression and an increased tendency of minor ailments for instant flu and colds which have been associated with stress (Sethi Schuler, 1990). Nowadays, there is a growing body of experimental and clinical research confirming the notion that physical fitness can direct to significant reductions in job stress. Uniform and exact physical activity has been shown to lessen the percentage of heart attacks, heart rate, mental disorders, muscle tension , blood pressure all and stress-interrelated indications. Research showed that frequently doing exercise can assist individuals by improving the level of resistance to any stimulus, so that a person is less expose to the effects of stress (Tarkan, 1991). Experts also stated that the best way that stress can be reduced were through joining fitness centre, yoga classes and educational seminars (Mobley, 1982). 2.3 The challenges of wellness programme in organization The United States 2004 National Worksite Health Promotion Survey reports that a successful worksite wellness programmes have facing five challenges (Linnan, Bowling, Childress, Lindsay, Blakey, Pronk, Wieker Royall, 2008). The survey found the following challenges; incompetence to prompt the support from upper management , 38% ; inadequate funds, 48.2%; failure to engage high-risk employees, 48%; insufficient staff resources, 50.1% , and lack of employee interest, 63.5% . According to Birken and Linnan (2006) these challenges should be identifying and addressing them by employers during the planning process as following. 2.3.1 Incompetence to prompt the support from upper management- The different level of management in the organization has different perception for the challenges to implement the worksites wellness programme (Orlandi, 1996). For example, the line supervisor or middle managers believe that the cost, space and production conflict were barriers while the senior manager had less focused and putting fewer efforts to overcome this challenge. 2.3.2 Inadequate funds- The lack of funds are the challenges often occurs when insufficient staff resources exists. When the worksites wellness programme is lack of designated staff to monitor, some potential funding or sources of support will be passed over. In United States, The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention provided organizations opportunities to funding for worksite wellness program (www.cdc.gov, 2010). 2.3.3 Failure to engage high-risk employees- High risk employees are those that have more health risk factors or those that have already tight with a chronic disease or illness (Haynes Dunnagan, 2002). High-risk employees might face challenges to participating in worksite wellness program than low-risk employees such as they will feel ill when participate in physical exercise programs (Emmons, Linnan, Abrams Lovell, 1996). According to Loeppke (2009) employers should integrating more personalized approach to encourage high risk employees to participate in the programs. For example, the employers should conducting a health coaching by using motivational interviewing to help the high risk employees changing their lifestyle behaviour to obtain healthier lifestyle. 2.3.4 Lack of Staff Resources- Staff resources are barriers for any program or activity that are not linked directly with companys business operation. Organization should provide staffs that interested and willing to organize the wellness programmes externally-sponsored training programs and wellness education workshop. For example, North Carolina State Division of Public Health has cooperated with the North Caronila State Health Plan to provide training workshop for state employees and teachers who interested in organizing employee wellness programme (www.statehealthplan.state.nc.us, 2006). 2.3.5 Lack of Employee Interest-. Employees interest in changing their behaviour and commitment to worksite wellness programme is the biggest challenges to a quality wellness program (Bonvissuto, 2010). According to Young (2006) some employees does not recognize the impact of worksite wellness programme which can enhance their personal health. Employees will lack of interest to participate for the worksite wellness programme due to this factor. A survey shows some reasons the employees not interesting in wellness program (Bates, 2009). The reasons shows as following: Inconvenient times of the program offered Lack of child care support The company benefits through this program and how it will affect the employees not being explained The program purpose is not clearly explained by organizer The advantages of the program to the employees cannot convey by lower level management under their authority Employees are annoyed and mistrustful with employer The program cost money to participants Hawks and Richins (1994) found that women were more probable to withdraw wellness programme than men (as cited in Erickson Gillespie, 1999 ). Hochschild (1989) explained this is caused by the family responsibility of married women as they need caring their children and keeping house. This will affects working women interest in participate the worksite wellness programme as they need to spend more time to caring their children after working hours. 2.4 The implementation process in worksites wellness programme The Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) was a United States not-for-profit organization which helped enhance the worksites wellness in the U.S (Hunnicutt Leffelman, 2008). WELCOA has become one of the important resources for worksite wellness in America and it have more than 3,200 organizations joined for its membership. Throughout the study of worksite wellness program for over 20 years, WELCOA Well Workplace model had defined seven critical steps for worksites wellness programme as following. 2.4.1 Capturing CEO Support- Gaining support from CEO is important to the process of developing worksite wellness programme. They found that some wellness programme that involved cost and tend to improve employees health failed to get a strong level management support. 2.4.2 Creating Cohesive Wellness Teams- After captured the CEO support the next process is create a cohesive wellness team. Teams are important to building successful wellness programmes. They help to distribute the responsibility for wellness throughout the organization. 2.4.3 Collecting Data to Drive Health Efforts- For the wellness team, their primary responsibility is to gather important data before start offering appropriate programmes. The data will be collected by using health risk appraisals, knowledge and interest surveys, and corporate culture audit. Data will clarify the specific area of health needs and interests within the organization so it is very important. 2.4.4 Carefully Crafting an Operating Plan- When the essential data have being collected, the organization has to develop health and wellness operating plan for employees. This operating plan will function as a roadmap and guidance to the company in order to having essential efforts and investment in workplace wellness. 2.4.5 Choosing Appropriate Interventions- After completed the first four processes, organization should begin selecting and implementing suitable wellness programme. These programmes include weight management, smoking cessation, physical management, stress management, and others. The selection of wellness programme is depends on what the companys data exposes. 2.4.6 Creating a Supportive Environment- Once choosing the appropriate interventions, organization should create a supportive environment for the programme. The employees will be supported and participated actively in the programme by having a supportive environment. The environmental interventions can be in the form of policies, physical modifications, incentives, and rewards. 2.4.7 Carefully Evaluating Outcomes- The final process for this model is carefully evaluating outcomes. The organizations should make the programme evaluation consistently. The evaluation targets include cost control, participant satisfaction, the participation rate, and behaviour modification. 2.5 The implementation methods of worksites wellness programme A survey shows that more than 81% of American businesses with 50 or more employees have offering worksites wellness programme (Homan, Nickelson, Zhu, 2007). The most popular wellness programme offered by businesses are smoking cessation, financial incentives, and physical activities or exercises. The selected program should be aligned with the organization factors which including: individual employee demographics, the company occupation, the employees health characteristic and companys objectives and goals. 2.5.1 Smoking Cessation Smoking is one of the most addictive habits, influencing behaviour of human beings and it is the biggest threats to world health (Yanbaeva, Dentener, Creutzberg, Wesseling Wouters, 2007). Peoples which smoke for life long will have a higher occurrence of common diseases such as atherosclerosis and lung cancer. Smoking cessation to employees is one of the methods which use by organizations in its wellness programme (Willemsem, Meijer Jannik, 1999). Smoking cessation in worksites is important as it will reduce non-smoker employee exposure of smoking and reducing workers tobacco consumption during working hour. 2.5.2 Financial Incentives Spaeder (2008) mentioned that worksites wellness programme also includes financial incentives and it applies in many companies (as cited in Kumar, et al., 2009). More than 70% of employees agreed that incentives programme motivate them to achieving healthy lifestyle. According to Cohn (2008), these incentives include cash prize, gift cards, or health insurance premiums. However, worksite wellness programmes financial incentives are bound by law (Mello Rosenthal, 2008). Under the provision of The United States Federal Law, The HIPAA Nondiscrimination Rules had determined the rules and regulations for employer which implementing incentives wellness programme in its organization (www.dol.gov, 2010). 2.5.3 Stress management The United States industry has been paid for employees stress-related absenteeism in high cost which affects more organization to develop stress management programme (Donovan Kleiner, 1994). Employees stress derived from these sources; physical, mental, and situational. Over work and poor diet are some causes that employees having physical stress. Mental stress can be found from employees mental state in mind such as fears. Situational stress is derived from employees interaction with outside world which including interaction with customers. The organization will determine the sources of stress facing by employees and implement appropriate methods to overcome their stress. Johnson Johnsons Live for Live programs which consist of stress management had significantly reduced employees absenteeism and health care expenditure( Ozminkowski, Goetzel, Bruno, Rutter, Isaac Wang, 2002). 2.5.4 Fitness programme Worksites fitness programmes are important for organization as it can lower employees absenteeism and job turnover (Wattles Harris, 2003). In United States, the fitness program offered by organizations such as on-site fitness centers has increased from 22% in 1985 to 42% in 1992. Besides reduce absenteeism and job turnover, participation in fitness activities can reduce employees risk of coronary heart disease (Cox Griffths, 1996). The majority of the regular exercisers reported they have less depression, stress and better sleep pattern. 2.5.5 Online Wellness Coach Some companies had also used online wellness coach to as their worksites wellness programme (Kumar, et al., 2009). The worlds biggest security company, American District Telegraph (ADT) had tackled employees health condition through their parent companys website, www.mytycohr.com. The major function of this website is enable the employees to check the companys wellness policies and apply health benefits that the company offers. The employees use this website as a guidance to manage stress, evade smoking, improving diet and other activities that will improve employees health. 2.5.6 Wellness Mentors Organization can also implementing wellness programme which conducting by the experts as worksites wellness mentors (Pollitt, 2007). Cadbury UK had implemented Nuffield Proactive Health (NPH) which conducted by NPH physiologist as their wellness programme. The employees who participated in this program were be given presentation from experts which covering various health and have an opportunity to reform positive team spirit during workout activities such as short-distance walk. The employees assessment for this wellness program was positive as 82 per cent employees increased awareness of their health and 52 per cent felt less stressed for works. 2.6 Case Summary This case study is about high absenteeism and healthcare cost by sick workers had effects some organizations to implement wellness policies. Wellness programme being designed as they found that about 70% sick workers healthcare cost was arise from preventable chronic diseases. As a result, one-third of small companies offer wellness programme such as onsite or offsite fitness centre, smoking cessation programmes, onsite health checks and others. Despite improving employees health, they will obtain impressive return on investment: which more than three dollars for every dollar they invested. Crown Laboratories had implemented wellness programmes as the employees absenteeism rate and healthcare cost was high. Its wellness programmes included onsite health assessments and smoking cessation even off hours to employees. Another company Weyco also implemented smoking cessation policy which the employees will be dismissing for failing stop smoking. Organizations smoking cessation policy may face employees dissatisfaction. Scotts Miracle-Gro Inc. had sued by its employees for alleging discrimination by law but the case is pending. 3.0 Question 1 What are the advantages and disadvantages of wellness policies such as the one that Crown Lab has implemented? 3.0.1 The Advantages of Wellness Programme The advantages of wellness programme is for organizations which offer wellness programmes to their employees are perceived more confidently by their employees in terms of their attitudes towards the organizations, job fulfillment stages and satisfaction with fringe benefits. One viewpoint is that employers who offer wellness programmes are deemed to be indicating care and concern for the welfare of their employees (Shinew Crossley, 1988) and the consequence is, improving employees attitudes and behaviour towards the organization. In terms of job satisfaction, employees in organizations with wellness programmes showing higher levels of job satisfaction than those with no wellness programmes, thus implying that wellness programmes may well have a positive impact on employees job satisfaction. This can be proven by the study by General Motor Company which shows that employees who involved in the fitness activities showed higher levels of job satisfaction than employees who did not take part (Baun, 1986). The reason is that frequently exercise improves employees state of feeling, self-image and self-esteem which in other land may direct to a larger amount of satisfaction with the work he or she does (Pritchard, 1990). Employees also uttered that they value wellness programmes as a vital and valuable fringe benefit, and the absence of such a gain may lead to better employee satisfaction. This can be viewed in the outcome whereby workforce in organizations with wellness programmes were notably more fulfilled with their fringe benefits than their counterparts in organizations with no wellness programmes (Schauffler Rodriguez, 1994). On the one hand, the Government has been promoting healthy living for example The great Singapore workout as a result causing people to be further health-conscious, and on the other hand, sarcastically, only a small number of organizations provide corporate wellness programmes for their workers and take it critically sufficient to allow it to be advantageous for their workers. 3.0.2 The Disadvantages of wellness programme. The first disadvantage of wellness programme is about privacy issues. Employees have true concerns regarding how their personal information will be handled. Many wellness programs have need of some sort of early assessment, and this evaluation can expose many wellbeing issues that the employee may hope to keep private (Lindsey, 1992). If an employee has an embarrassing illness or one that possibly will make him up to discrimination, he may not take part for fear of revelation. The second disadvantage is about the start-up cost incur in wellness programme. Many wide-ranging programs cost a good bit of capital to begin, which gets recouped after a while (Jackie, 1998). Although it may be an excellent proposal for an organization, starting an employee wellness program could not be a wise suggestion given your companys financial position at the time. The third disadvantage is the time constraint. According to American Heart Association (AHA) many single parents, employees with huge families and small children or those with an intense workload might not have the time to vigorously involvement in employee wellness programmes. If employee wellness is a true company main concern, then changes may possibly have to be made in work flow and procedures sequentially to let for involvement by employees. Lastly, the disadvantage of the wellness programme is the employee habits. Those employees who are health aware are by now exercising and watching what they consume. Companies arent going to alter their way of life with a wellness program. Those who need to adjust their lifestyle may keep away from joining as they are not actually motivated to make the changes crucially to be fit (Laura, 1999). In this situation, unless companies are doing a good job with promoting and recruiting for the program then companies will have an ideal wellness program that it should be. 3.1 Question 2 What are the ethical implications of policies such as this? How much control should companies have over employees lifestyles away from the workplace? Crown lab and Scotts Miracle-Gro companies throws up several ethical concerns linked with the position of organizations in the lives of their employees. One of the concerns is that commercial motives may break ethical norms in the use of information resulting since the monitoring of employee programmes. Fielding (1990) notes the significance of employee reliance that confidentiality will be maintained and relates this to concerns over employee observation and broader arguments over the right of privacy. This relates back to Conrad and Walshs (1992) concern over the ethics of screening for health and fitness. Ethical issues take place when employers have to make decisions among economic and humanistic alternatives for instance, possible sick time, lower output, or whether the human caring position is prioritized. Employees might be positioned in a difficult condition, whereby implicit pressure is applied to fulfill with an exacting healthy lifestyle communication. Next, Grant and Bris bin (1992) also stated that consideration have to be given to the expected objections which will be raised by the non-health a

Affirmative Action :: essays research papers

Affirmative Action has been frivolously debated throughout the past 135 years. Citizens of the United States question whether the government should grant certain advantages to races that have endured bigotry in the past. This plan goes by the name of Affirmative Action. Affirmative Action is a federally subsidized program that encourages universities and other educational institutions, to accept a greater number of minority students. Throughout the years, Affirmative Action and the different advocates have changed, but racial inequality remains stagnant. Affirmative action has various proponents and opponents, both of whom seek the eventual goal of an integrated, educated middle class society. The opponents of Affirmative Action argue that it is not the responsibility of the current majority to make up for prior actions; and imposing these types of programs would be a form of so-called, reverse discrimination. The proponents argue that it is everybody’s responsibility to create a society, which gives everybody an equal opportunity regardless of race, and the only way to ascertain this goal is through Affirmative-Action programs. How can this nation come together and disregard the color of a persons skin? Will we reach this goal by subsidizing programs that assist minorities, or shall we sit and wait for time to establish equal opportunity for all? The history of Affirmative Action dates back to the days when the nation attempted to rebuild its society after the civil war. Reconstruction attempted to establish virtuous relations between the white Europeans and black Africans that made up a large part of the American society. The nation was torn on how to establish these relations. Many call Reconstruction the low point of race relations in the United States. This era included the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, defining national citizenship so as to include blacks. This Amendment passed Congress in June 1866 and was ratified, despite rejection by most Southern states (July 28, 1868). In response to the newfound freedom of African Americans, whites incited numerous accounts of violence. White hatred of the black race created an era that experienced the most lynchings in the history of the United States. Whites also began using contemporary forms of labor exploitation to maintain control of their socio-economic advantage. Something needed to be done so that the nation would not split at its seams. One side argued that time was the only solution to racial problems. Creating government programs would make African’s dependent and give them an unfair advantage. â€Å"They were said to be fat state subsidies that unfairly penalized innocent whites and taught blacks self-destructive habits of indolence and independence.† This argument was sustained by the Democratic Party who

How to Keep Your Body Healthy

Jennifer Ellin April 13, 2013 English 0950 How to keep your body healthy Picture yourself overweight and just absolutely miserable and a person wants a brand new makeover. There are several different ways to keep your body happy, healthy and to prevent all illnesses. One thing a person should plan is maintaining a healthy goal. In order to do that, a person should consume all the nutrition one can handle. A human body needs carbohydrates, plenty of protein and fats. A human should be burning more calories than consumed. Eliminate a lot of sweets and don’t ever avoid skipping meals.Doctors and nutritionists recommend eating up to 6 small meals instead of 3 large ones but have to watch out on portion sizes. Low energy foods are good like fruits and vegetables and also water and lots of fiber. Fiber will help digest and keep your body full longer. Drink a lot of water. Celery and chewing gum will help burn calories also just by chewing; Yogurt helps also. A person should be getti ng a lot of rest at night. Adults should get a maximum of 9 hours of sleep a night and kids should get about 10-11 hours of sleep. One of the most important ways of improving sleep is to do it in complete darkness.Small amounts of light can interfere with body rest. Another of the best ways to improve a nights rest is to exercise. Sleeping is also a great way to prevent overeating. There are more ways to exercise besides hitting the gym. A person can exercise where ever felt most comfortable like in the privacy at home. There’s one effective way to improve cardiovascular health and it’s to do interval training. Interval training is switching back and forth between high and low intensity activities. If someone decides to do the interval trainings, it will help improve heart health and endurance.There are lots of ways to improve a human’s psychological health. Developing meaningful relationships by being social with other people is a great way. Another way is lear ning to have a healthy relationship. Learn to understand your own emotions so you can know yourself better and also learn to cope better with emotional pain. Improving your sex life is a good one. There are benefits to a healthy sex life such as reducing depression. Keep your mind flexible. Reading more is the best way. You should also keep yourself mentally active. It’s very rewarding.It’s also known to decrease chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease. Make a few lifestyle changes. Doing many types of different outdoor activities. Limit computer time to a few hours a day. Walking more is great for the body. A stressful environment is a no go. So try to keep calm no matter what the circumstance is. If someone is in a situation that can’t be handled, step outside and get some fresh air. Outdoor air is great for the body. It is important that we pay attention to the body. Our body tells us what we need and don’t need. Take into consideration that when a body is ill, there is something wrong.

Essay on Educational goals and objectivesEssay Writing Service

Essay on Educational goals and objectivesEssay Writing Service Essay on Educational goals and objectives Essay on Educational goals and objectivesIn order to properly direct the process of learning, teachers need to set educational goals and objectives. Goals are more generic objectives of teaching and outline the competencies that should be mastered by students, while teaching objectives list specific abilities that the student should demonstrate after the teaching session. In other words, learning objectives refer to precise behavioral changes taking place after learning activities.Setting an educational objective involves three stages. At the first stage, it is necessary to determine the specific subject or theme to be taught. At the second stage, it is necessary to determine the characteristics of the students such as their level, number, language abilities, etc. At the third stage, it is reasonable to formulate a teaching aim and several objectives relevant for the target topic and the target students.The target topic is elementary algebra, the section devoted to linear equations a nd solving linear equations. The selected sub-topic is the introduction into linear equations and solving simple linear equations. Anticipated student audience includes English-speaking students of middle-school level. The number of students in a class is expected to be average (15-25 persons), and the level of their knowledge is sufficient. In particular, it is assumed that the students know division, subtraction, addition, multiplication, and can denote variables with letters.The general objective is the following: to understand the concept of a linear equation and to master the approach to solving simple linear equations. Specific objectives of the learning session are the following.The student should be able to identify linear equations and understand the meaning of the solution of a linear equation.The student should be able to solve equations written in the form x + a = b and x a = b.The student should be able to solve equations written in the form ax=b and x/a = b.

Poverty and Racism essays

Poverty and Racism essays McCullers addresses poverty and racism of the 1930s South and also of the social and economic crisis that encompassed it during that time. The setting took place in a Southern town whose main economy came from cotton and saw mills and the time was during the Great Depression. Coming out in the 1940s, this novel reflected on the intolerance, poverty and isolation of the South. The characters all addressed at least one aspect of the societys cultural system. During this time blacks, Jews, women and poverty stricken people were looked down upon and often times were thought of as inferior by the society they belonged to. These people also put roles upon themselves as seen with Harry Minowitz, a Jewish boy. He had sex with Mick and soon after felt bad and decided to leave town because of the role that he put on himself as a Jewish person. He though what they did was wrong and he couldnt live with the shame of it, so he left the town and pretty much adopted an out of sight out of mind perception (thats what I think happened anyway). The novel addresses gender roles as seen relating to Mick Kelly. As the story starts, she refuses to be pampered like her sisters do to themselves and she refuses to be lady-like. She dressed like a boy and wore shorts and shirts most of the time. At the end of the novel though she conforms to society and goes along with it and wears a dress. The novel also addresses race and economic injustices. Dr. Copeland feels that all African Americans should unite and reform the way things are in the society and how it acts toward them. Jake Blount, an idealistic workingman and social reformer, brings in aspects of Marxism and wanted to change things for the betterment of the working class. Jake Blount, Dr. Copeland and Mick Kelly all propagate toward Mr. Singer. For Jake, he serves as an audience who would listen to his tirades on socialism and economics. Dr. Copeland tries to help his people...

An Aberration or a Logical Outcome of the American Ideology Assignment

An Aberration or a Logical Outcome of the American Ideology - Assignment Example   Kramer insists that the increasing numbers of American couples opting to separate rather than stay together are the direct fallout of the value system and lifestyle that America collectively espouses. Kramer’s basic contention is that the contemporary emphasis on the autonomy of the individual as the foundation of a good relationship is what causes more frequent breakups. This emphasis may be in the form of the psychiatrist’s advice to the couple to stand their own ground in an argument; or may be reflected in classic American literature like Thoreau’s ‘self-help book’ Walden, which celebrates the individual spirit; or in the economic ideal of Capitalism that America proudly ‘exports’; and other such ideas fundamental to the American way of life. Despite the changed contexts and newer developments since the publication of Kramer’s article, it remains a text that is still valid and instructive in analyzing a pervasive social ph enomenon visible in the United States even today. Even though fifteen years have passed since it was first published, Kramer’s arguments still stand up to scrutiny. A recent article on CNBC reveals how because of the growing acceptance and maturing of the ‘two-income family model’, divorce rates have actually been falling over the last decade in America. It reveals how in the 1970s initially, there was a sudden surge in divorce rates with more and more women joining the workforce and divorce laws.

Construction Management & Organisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Construction Management & Organisation - Essay Example The project manager has to establish a team of functional specialists to complete the individual tasks of the project. The project manager usually has such qualities as team building, be able to motivate, communicate and be a good listener. In addition, the manager has to be a facilitator and not a supervisor, one who synthesizes instead of being an analyst and finally be problem oriented rather than being discipline oriented. An effective project management has got four main functions; Project planning, team building, directing and control measures. The planning process entails a sequence of activities planned to ensure that the project meets the deadline given, within budget and the expected outcome. Results from planning have to make sure that the overall objectives of the project can be realized. The planning process entails considering schedules and budgets. The budget identifies the resources needed and the means of financing the project. Scheduling establishes timeliness and milestones for the completion of tasks and activities that makeup the project. Project scheduling involves a sequence of activities in a logical and systematic way. Once established, appropriate resource allocation for each activity becomes the next challenge. Budgeting applies to the costs associated with each activity. There are the budget figures with time. The costing has to be done on material and labor, direct and indirect. Team building can be defined as finding the appropriate person to do a specified task in a competent manner. The project has to determine the staff level requirements for each task, the period of engagement for each member, and where each team member lives. The members may come from either within the organization or from an external consulting firm. Directing involves guiding project activities to their timely completion within the assigned budget. Through directing, staff members get to familiarize themselves with the project and their individual