Marketing Reflection Paper Essay

Marketing is a major component for most business in the United States but is only just beginning to take hold in the healthcare field. Within the healthcare arena the concepts of marketing has taken a long time to develop. In the late 1970s Evanston Hospital in Illinois was the first hospital to hire a marketing person for healthcare. We are now in the early 21st Century and healthcare marketing is going full steam ahead. The purpose of this essay is to examine some of the healthcare marketing techniques and its possible impact on healthcare workers. General OpinionI have only been working in the healthcare industry for about seven years. Of the seven years, I worked five of them in one large medical center in a local town. Marketing was never a part of my vocabulary until recently. I honestly didn’t pay too much attention to advertising campaigns until I started working for Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Mass communication was and still is a major marketing technique that Saint Francis uses. A day doesn’t goes by that you will not see the â€Å"Medical Minute† spot on the local television stations. Shortly after Saint Francis started using this technique, three other local hospitals developed their own television campaigns. Even though some people may get tired of the constant bombardment of these TV commercials, I believe that they may save lives as well as promote more business for the hospitals. As quoted by Wagner, Fleming, Mangold, and Laforge (1994), a 46-year old male wrote to a local hospital thanking them for saving his life through their TV campaign on the signs of heart attacks. From this campaign, this individual was able to identify that he was having a heart attack at which time he went straight to the emergency room. Another technique that Saint Francis used was the â€Å"We Care† campaigns. According to Beckham (2001) the â€Å"We Care† campaign was listed under the section â€Å"What Hasn’t Worked† of his article. Beckham claimed that consumers are more concerned with competence and results than whether the hospital cares or not. In my opinion, I would have to agree with this concept. Yes, Saint Francis did care, but is the service good? I believe that the TV campaigns are more successful as a marketing tool than wearing buttons reading â€Å"We Care.†Are Current Marketing Techniques Affecting Consumer  Trends?The answer to this question is hard to pin down at this point in my current opinion. According to Beckham (2001), some marketing strategies worked better than others. Positioning is one technique where an organization/hospital creates an image of clinical competence. Becham claimed that â€Å"positioning required more than advertising and facilities: there had to be underlying capabilities, and evidence, to back up the claims.† Another technique that Becham outlined in his article was â€Å"Missionary Work,† which is used when a physician cannot compete with his local hospital physicians and goes out into the countryside and builds relationships with the primary care physicians for referrals. This proved to be a successful technique being used. I do believe that the new techniques such as the ones mentioned above have or will affect consumer trends. The technique that I believe affects the most is the missionary work technique. There was a time when consumers believed that the only healthcare available to them was the primary care physician within their small countryside communities. Now with the relationships that are being built between the local physicians and the small countryside physicians, more specialized healthcare can be offered/provided to the citizens of these small communities. Thus, the trend of only using the local hometown physician has changed. Negative Impact on Healthcare WorkersI am sure some healthcares workers can be found that do not believe there is a negative impact from the techniques being used within healthcare. However, I believe there are some. Take for instance the technique outlined by (Wagner, Fleming, Mangold, & Laforge, 1994) of the marketing technique of building image and not on increasing demand for services. The negative impact that could be realized here is losing consumer business because consumers want to know more about the services provided to meet their needs than the hospital image. One hospital was quoted as having to shut its doors because of this type of marketing technique. The impact here is loss of jobs for the staff members of the hospital. A positive impact would be due to the technique that was listed as under the  sub-title â€Å"What Worked† in the article written by Beckham (2001). When the techniques work, everyone benefits because the consumer is satisfied and will continue to use the services, as well as, refer their friends to the hospital/clinic. ConclusionUnlike prior to the late 1970s marketing is now considered one the most important aspects of healthcare. There are many marketing techniques used today in which some have proven to work and others not so well. The main point to remember is there has to be a complete understanding of the background and foundation that identifies the importance of marketing. The right people need to be hired as marketing staff. If the wrong person is selected, not only will business fail, but healthcare workers would be affected as well. Marketing is good, it just has be worked properly for all to benefit from it. References Beckham, C. (2001, Jul/Aug). 20 years of healthcare marketing. Health Forum Journal, 44(4), 37-40. Retrieved June 29, 2008, from ProQuest database. Wagner, H. C., Fleming, D., Mangold, W. G., & Laforge, R. W. (1994). Relationship marketing in healthcare. Journal of Healthcare Marketing, 14(4), 42-47. Retrieved , from EBSCOhost database.

Of Mice and Men and the American Dream Essay

John Stienbeck’s novel â€Å"Of Mice and Men† is about the death of the American dream. George, Lennie and Candy’s dream is to own their own piece of land to work and live independently on. This dream is destroyed by Lennie’s ignorance and Lennie’s strength, which he cannot control. Curley’s wife’s dream is to be a famous Hollywood actress. Her dream is destroyed by her marriage to Curley and the Hollywood director who promised to contact her about her acting career but never has. Crook’s dream is for equality. Racism and the attitudes of others destroy this dream. Lennie and George’s dream is to own a piece of land to work and live where they can have cows, pigs, chicken a vegetable patch with alfalfa and rabbits. â€Å"O. K Someday – we’re going to get the jack together and we’re going to have a little house and a couple of acres and a cow and some pigs and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ‘An’ live off the fatal the land’ â€Å"We’ll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit-hunch and chickens. And when it rains in the winter we’ll just say the hell with going’ to work, and we’ll build up the fire in the stove and set around it an’ listen to the rain coming’ down on the roof. (Steinbeck 1937:18) This quote illustrates the dream have about owning their own land and living independently on it, growing and harvesting their own crops in the vegetable patch, farming cows and goats for milk, pigs for ham and bacon and chickens for eggs. When Candy hears about this dream, he wants to become part of it by offering his saved money to fund the purchase of the piece of land and be able to work and live on the land with George and Lennie. George, Lennie and candy’s dream is destroyed by Lennie’s ignorance and Lennie’s ignorance of his own strength. When Lennie is in a stressful situation, like when he wanted to pat the girl’s dress and she screamed, Lennie panics and doesn’t know what to do. Lennie’s strength and ignorance ruins their dream when Lennie and Curley’s wife are talking in the barn. Curley’s wife invites Lennie to feel how soft her hair is. Lennie patted her hair very hard. Curley’s wife, not wanting her hair to be messed up, jerks her head away. Because Lennie is confused he grabs her hair and tries to make her stop yelling. But because Lennie does not know how to control his own strength, he squeezes Curley’s wife’s neck too hard and crushes her spine. Lennie then flees the ranch because Curley wants to kill him for what he did to his wife. So Lennie is not brutally murdered by Curley, George finds Lennie and, because he cannot get him out of trouble, shoots Lennie. Lennie’s uncontrollable strength and ignorance destroyed his, George and Candy’s dream Curley’s wife’s dream is to become a famous Hollywood actress. She dreams of fame, fortune, fancy clothes and large, expensive hotels. Curley’s wife is waiting for a Hollywood director to mail her about becoming an actress. This dream is destroyed by her marriage to Curley because once she is married she is not allowed to pursue an acting career because she has to look after the house, because Curley will not allow her to leave the ranch to become an actress. Her dream is also destroyed by a Hollywood director who believed she had the potential to become a film actress. Curley’s wife meets this director at a dance and he promises he would send her a letter about acting in one of his films, but she never gets the letter so she does not become an actress which is her dream. Her marriage to Curley and the Hollywood director who has not mailed her about her acting career destroys her dream. Crooks dream is to be equal. Because he is black, he is treated differently than others because of their racist attitudes. Crooks must not go in the bunkhouse so he has to sleep in the harness room. He is also abused by the boss of the ranch whenever the boss gets angry. Crooks dreams that he can be treated the same as everyone else, so he does not have to sleep in the harness room instead of the bunkhouse or by abused by another man. â€Å"And he gave the stable buck hell, too† â€Å"Give the stable buck hell? ’ he asked ‘Sure. Yak see the stable buck’s a nigger. † (Steinbeck 1937:22)This quote shows how Crooks is mistreated by the farm boss because he is a black man. The ranch boss thinks he can ill-treat and discriminate against Crooks because he is black. Crooks dream of becoming equal is destroyed by the racist attitudes of others The novel â€Å"Of Mice and Men† by John Steinbeck is about the death of the American dream. The dream of George, Lennie and Candy is to own their own piece of land to work and live on. Lennie’s ignorance and Lennie’s uncontrollable strength destroy this dream. Curley’s wife’s dream is to be a famous Hollywood actress. Her dream is destroyed by her marriage to Curley and the Hollywood director who promised to write to her about her acting career but never has. Crook’s dream is for equality. This dream is destroyed by racism and the attitudes of others.

Effective Communication Essay

Effective communication is an important process in everyday life. Communication is a continuous process of exchanging verbal and non-verbal messages. Listening and hearing are two very different concepts. Hearing is the act of perceiving sound by the ear. While listening is something you consciously choose to do. Formal and informal channels of communication flow upward, downward and horizontal. Barriers to effective communication alter or distort the message being sent. Emotions and physical limitations greatly impact the messages being delivered or how the recipient receives the message. Effective communication is an important aspect within the criminal justice field. Effective Communication Effective communication is an important process in everyday life. While communicating an individual gives nonverbal cues as well as verbal cues. Both are very important to the communicating process. Listening and hearing are two very different concepts. Listening constitutes and understanding of the information received. Information flows upward, downward and horizontally. Within the flow of communication there are formal and informal channels, especially in the criminal justice field. Within the communication process there can be many barriers to inhibit the use of effective communication. The four main barriers to communication are emotional barriers, physical barriers, semantic barriers and ineffective listening. Overcoming these barriers is important to the criminal justice field. Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Communication is a continuous process of exchanging verbal and non-verbal messages. While communicating we must be aware of our verbal, nonverbal and para-verbal messages (Wallace, 2009). Verbal messages are words. Nonverbal messages are the body language presented when the words are spoken. Para-verbal messages are the tone, pitch and pacing of the voice. It is important that all three correspond with one another. If you are saying yes and shaking your head no, that gives a confusing and inconsistent message to the recipient. In all of our communications we want to strive to send consistent verbal, para-verbal and nonverbal messages. When our messages are inconsistent, the recipient may become confused. Thus, the recipient may not understand the message completely and provide poor feedback to the sender. Becoming an effective sender and recipient is important. Understanding the messages received and providing proper feedback is essential. Listening and Hearing Hearing is the act of perceiving sound by the ear. If you are not hearing-impaired, hearing simply happens. Listening, however, is something you consciously choose to do. Listening requires concentration so that your brain processes meaning from words and sentences. â€Å"The difference between the sense of hearing and the skill of listening is attention† (Horowitz, 2012) Listening is an essential part of the communication process. If the receiver is not listening to the message being sent and only hearing it, the information is not being processed and proper feedback cannot be returned. Therefore, the sender does not know if the receiver understands the message being delivered. Formal and Informal Channels Communication flows downward, upward or horizontal (Wallace, 2009). The most common flow of communication is downward, from supervisors to subordinates. In the criminal justice system downward communication is classified into three categories; orders, procedures and personnel information. Upward communication is information provided to supervisors from subordinates. It is also classified into three categories; performance communication, information and clarification. Horizontal communication is the flow of information between personnel at the same levels. It is also classified into three categories; coordination, social issues and problem solving. Formal and informal channels of communication flow upward, downward and horizontal. â€Å"The formal channels are the strict procedures defined by the policies of the organization. The informal channels consist of the undocumented sharing of information† (Sinclair, n. . ). Formal channels of communication are strict rules of communication within the department, such as reports, evidence custody, policies and procedures. Informal channels of communication are the sharing of information between officers. â€Å"The most common informal channel of communication is the ‘grapevine’ (Sinclair, n. d. ). A good example of the downward flow of communication, using formal and informal channels, is a police department’s shift meeting. During the meeting the oncoming shift is briefed by the supervisor on developments and procedures. This is a mix of formal and informal communication. The department’s SOPs and procedures are discussed and conversations between officers on issues are discussed. This flow of communication is very important to the department. Oncoming officers need to know what has happened prior to their shift in order to continue with the ongoing duties, for example BOLO’s on suspects, and other crimes happening in the area. Information on goings-on in the department’s area of operation is essential for each officer to do their job effectively. Information must flow freely throughout the criminal justice system; from the highest ranking person to the lowest. Barriers to Effective Communication â€Å"Barriers are influencing factors which impede or breakdown the continuous communications loop. They block, distort or alter the information† (Wallace, 2009). The four main barriers to communication are emotional barriers, physical barriers, semantic barriers and ineffective listening (Wallace, 2009). Emotional barriers reside in either the sender or receiver of information. People base their receiving or transmitting of information off of their personal experiences or knowledge. Emotional barriers can stem from low self-esteem, depression and psychological problems. Physical barriers are things in the environment that make the transfer of communication difficult. Physical barriers include malfunctioning equipment, outside noise and distance between the sender and receiver. Any obstacle that slows or impedes the free flow of information is a physical barrier (Wallace, 2009). Semantic barriers refer to the inability to agree on the meaning of certain terms, thus resulting in poor communication (Wallace, 2009). People understand messages differently. A simple vague statement can mean a plethora of things to different people. Ineffective listening is the failure to hear or understand what the sender is transmitting (Wallace, 2009). Numerous reasons exist for ineffective listening. The receiver may be disinterested or bored with the topic. The topic may be too complex or too simple for the recipient. The recipient may also be consumed by personal problems, therefore unattached to the discussion. One of the main barriers those in the criminal justice field face is language. The US is a melting pot of cultures. Not everyone effectively speaks and understands the English language. It is important for those working within the criminal justice field to understand this and work towards mending the barrier. Whether mending it means learning a second language or making sure there are interpreters on hand, it is important to understand and be understood. It is also very important to be an effective listener. Criminal justice employees should not let emotion become a barrier when communicating with each other or citizens of the public. Conclusion Effective communication is an important process in everyday life. While communicating an individual gives nonverbal cues as well as verbal cues. Both are very important to the communicating process. Listening and hearing are two very different concepts. Listening constitutes and understanding of the information received. Information flows upward, downward and horizontally. Within the flow of communication there are formal and informal channels, especially in the criminal justice field. Within the communication process there can be many barriers to inhibit the use of effective communication. The four main barriers to communication are emotional barriers, physical barriers, semantic barriers and ineffective listening. Overcoming these barriers is important to the criminal justice field.

Communication to mitigate disasters Research Paper

Communication to mitigate disasters - Research Paper Example gger than 1.5 x 2 kilometres because we are unable to adequately control the focus of the map from http://webmap.city.burnaby.bc.ca/publicmap/viewer.htm. On the other hand, the vertical distance from 4788 Brentwood Drive is smaller than 1.5 kilometres whether northward or southward. The relatively short vertical distance attempts to offset the relatively bigger horizontal coverage of the map. On checking, however, the area covered by Figure 1 is about 6.9 square kilometres versus the 7.07 square kilometres implied by a 1.5-kilometres radius from 4788 Brentwood Drive. Based on the formula pi x radius-squared for area, a 1.5 kilometres radius implies 7.07 square kilometres. The website http://webmap.city.burnaby.bc.ca/publicmap/viewer.htm, which is controlled and managed by the Burnaby City government, is developing a menu for estimating the population of a sector of Burnaby. However, the author conducted several hours and days of attempts to estimate the population of the area covered by Figure 1 using the menu and failed. Possibly, the website is not yet ready to execute the population estimation function at the time of author’s attempt to access the website although the website was updated last 17 September 2010. However, if we use the latest edition of the Burnaby Quick Facts that was produced in 2008, the material documented that one square kilometre of Burnaby has a population density of 2,275.6 individuals as of 2006. Thus, it appears reasonable to estimate that the area covered by Figure 1 has a population of roughly 15,702 persons as of 2006. Of course, we can project the population up to 2010 based on the population growth figures but there is no need for us to do that. In a 2004 report, the United Nations Development Programme defined risk as â€Å"the probability of harmful consequences or expected loss of lives, people injured, property, livelihoods, economic activity disrupted (or environment damaged) resulting from interactions between natural or

East Asia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

East Asia - Essay Example One of the underlying reasons for why this particular text, known as â€Å"Art of War† has survived so many centuries is due to the fact that it seeks to apply tactics and strategies that specifically undermine and highlight weaknesses of one’s adversary. Within such a context, military strategists, cyber warriors, consultants, and even individuals utilize this text as a means of defining the problem in seeking to attack in a situation from the most effective angle possible. Essentially, Sun Tzu denoted that superiority in numbers, wealth, and many other aspects of superiority were not in and of themselves sufficient to guarantee that victory can be obtained. Whereas it is true that Sun Tzu specifically applied his knowledge and writings to the act of warfare, these very same writings are applicable to the way in which an individual orders their life and seeks to accomplish key goals. Whereas prior methods of war and engagement, at least those used within Europe, has the military fate of entire nations or empires arrest upon pitched battles between two opposing sides in a given field of conflict, Sun Tzu promoted the understanding that such a form of conflict was essentially wasteful and did not guarantee a positive outcome for an individual that may have a superiority or inferiority of forces, money, or more owl. Instead, Sun Tzu promoted the understanding that alternative approaches towards weakening the enemies row, attacking the when least expected, utilizing guerrilla tactics and a litany of other nonlinear approaches were the most effective means by which victory can ultimately be achieved. In many ways, the old English expression that there is more than one way to skin a cat or any other statement that denotes alternative mechanisms of achieving a goal was the main focus upon Sun Tzu’s â€Å"Art of War†; illustrating the fact that approaching a situation directly

Drug Testing and Employee Drug Use Research Paper

Drug Testing and Employee Drug Use - Research Paper Example It is true that the use of drug is private and that only in some unusual situation can the employers inquire such use from their employees. However, the employers have the right to know of, use of drugs if their employees are involved in illegal drugs. Unlawful use of drugs is data that are not legally private and organizations have the right to identify about such use. This is true because use of illegal drugs can result to incompetence amongst employees. Also, such use of drugs can result to unnecessary accidents amongst employees, the staff, and customers. Further, the employee can compromise beneficial trade secrets of the company or gather individual data about staffs and customers to sell illegally (Frone, 2013). It is the duty/role of employers to provide safe working conditions by postulating drug free environment policies. On the other hand, use of drug is data that are legally private and employers have no right to inquire where about such use from their employees. This is factual in the situation of legal or prescribed drugs employees might be taking (Frone, 2013). For instance, employers are not allowed to inquire employee’s use of such drugs as, cigarettes/tobacco, caffeine, and prescribed medication, unless such use of these substances hinders with the employee’s safety or incompetence. A good example is when an employee is using prescribed drugs to stay competence at a level that allows him/her to perform his/her duty. This is what all employers are allowed to focus on. Employers are not entailed to obtain a list of employee’s prescribed drugs for pre-employment drug test. Healthcare providers responsible for collecting drug samples do not need to inquire for the list either. As a manager of a certain company, one should make sure that he/she has implemented drug policies and rules that should be adhered to by all staffs. Some of the policies should include, the company having a neutral third party medical depiction to analyze

Intrusion Prevention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Intrusion Prevention - Essay Example The software uses innovative and sophisticated detection methods that include; â€Å"stateful pattern recognition, protocol parsing, heuristic detection and anomaly detection† to ensure efficient protection from both known and unknown cyber threats (Cisco Systems, 2011). Through its efficient protection program, Cisco decreases the cost of advanced intrusion protection. Cisco IDS provides diverse programs that can be used for protection purposes. Therefore, the diverse programs available motivated me to check out the software. In addition, the software also provides clear guidelines on how to install the program. Other soft wares need expert knowledge to use, but with Cisco IDS, one only requires the guidelines to install the program in computer. Another reason why I checked the software out was because of its attractive package that offers protection from both minor and complicated cyber threats and attacks (Cisco Systems, 2011). Overall, the software is remarkable, because it provides protection in diverse margins. Moreover, its detection techniques are well designed to ensure the software is up to date with the new technological advancement. Therefore, by using the software protection is guaranteed even in the future. Cisco IDS, is a software I would recommend organizations and people to use. The software offers protection from all forms of internet attacks and cyber threats. Therefore, with the software maximum protection is guaranteed. The program keeps on advancing with the advancement of the technological world therefore; it is effective in any organizational or individual setting. The speed of the software is also very impressive. So far, I have been able to use the demo of the software, and all I can say is that the software is impressive. The programs in the software provide recommendable speed and protection and detect all forms of attacks and

How Indian affairs led to tadays foreign affairs Essay

How Indian affairs led to tadays foreign affairs - Essay Example It is evident that the evolution of the United States has led to it becoming a superpower. In most cases, the ideology is that it grew from the declaration of independence; however, the nature of the United States cannot be merely noted or considered to be based on its independence. The lands that the country has grown from must be attributed to the Native American Indians, who roamed the land prior to the American establishment. The development of the United States cannot be solely attributed to the land; various ideologies and factors were copied or integrated into the nature of the existence of the United States. It is considered that there are number of founding truths that serve to explain or illustrate the existence and development of the United States. The truths cannot be overlooked as they are an underlying factor in American history. As the first individuals to reside on the land now known as the United States, they were an isolated tribe and it meant that they were quite p eaceful in their nature. Their wipeout came after Columbus set foot onto the land, where 90 percent died due to exposure to diseases. Since they were unable to counter the diseases, they were fell sick and died. This provided the aspect of the element of development of cures for diseases such as syphilis to avoid a case of the elimination of the Native Americans. The American Indians may have been far inferior to the Americans based historical events. However, the element of the American Indians served to provide a model as to how the Americans can establish their foreign policy. With regard to developing a foreign policy, the hospitality that was given to Columbus upon his arrival in North America is something that is used and shown in the American nature both inside and outside the country. The United States is eager to help other countries and they do this through the use of funding and use of labor to support a cause or ideology. This may not have been the aspects that the Nativ e Americans used during their time. However, the ideology that was used at the time is similar in the manner in which it was applied. The Bill of Rights can be attributed to the Influence of the Native Americans. Thomas Jefferson noticed the manner I which the Indians who were used as slaves felt the effects of their oppression, and it influenced the development of the bill of rights, which is an illustration of the elements that can be considered to be the tools that define an individual’s freedom. The Bill of rights can be considered to be influenced by the Indians as their nature or lack of freedom limitation was an ideology that was applied in the development of the bill of rights. The United States of America can also be considered to be an establishment that was also influenced by the American Indians. The latter lived in different communities that were based on tribes but still part of a collective unit based on whom they were (American Indians). The use of different c ommunities that were still in the same region influenced the development of the states of America but still collectively considered to be a country. The respect for boundaries is a policy that is implemented even today. Regarding Canada and Mexico, the development of the boundaries are well respected and that can be attributed to the Native Americans who had a general respect for their territories and their rules that were part

Sustainability of shellfish stocks in the Irish Sea Essay

Sustainability of shellfish stocks in the Irish Sea - Essay Example The seminar presentation seeks to find ways that could help sustain the population of fish stocks in the Irish Sea. In order to achieve this, the organisms must be organized into different breeding groups, migration patterns; productivity, genetics and habitats must be first explored and understood. The shellfish were organized into a population structure whereby a population is a group of organisms of one species which can freely interbreed and live in the same place at a time (Atkinson, 2000)2. Populations can be further divided into sub-populations where interbreeding is restricted and the organisms accumulate genetic differences and may locally adapt to the environment. Another way of organizing the shellfish is by the use of the stock concept. This involves division into stocks for easier management. However, this may not accurately reflect genetic sub-division because in subdivision and productivity concept, each sub-population contributes absolute productivity to the total population which may vary depending on environmental conditions. While extirpation of subpopulations decreases, total productivity may increase vulnerability to environmental change and decrease genetic diversity. In considering subdivision and gene flow, the reduction in size or density of subpopulations may reduce migration between subpopulations and increases genetic drift or may increase migration into some subpopulations. Migration of locally harvested stock contribute to breeding populations over a much wider geographical area, for example, salmon and trout harvested in the ocean contain migrants from many different freshwater streams which are genetically isolated subpopulations and locally adapted to breeding streams (Nielsen, 1994)3. The methodologies used include the migration of larvae or adults between subpopulations, DNA extraction of haemolymph or muscle, DNA analysis through gene sequencing and screen for microsatellite markers used to measure genetic diversity. Another

Companies entering into contract Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Companies entering into contract - Case Study Example Right before signing the contract, there was no proper consultation by the client for proper requirements of the project; this was the first cause of the failure. Also contributing to the failure were the poor mechanisms to track the progress of the project by both parties. Furthermore, there was no clause to cater for arising issues and amendment of the contract. This resulted in lack of proper measures to solve many issues that were arising, leading to eventual failure of the project. Before signing contracts, there should be thorough consultations between concerned parties to avoid making errors that may result in losses to the companies involved. All employees should know the laws guiding professional ethical and ensure that they honor them for their own benefit, as well as that of the company as a whole. Keywords: Contract, Guilt, Agreement, Sign, Project, Measures, Consultation, Client, Developer Legal Directions that the Involved Parties should have Adopted The failures that h ave been associated with this contract provide enough evidence that the agreement between the software developer and the client company was incomplete. The various evidences of inappropriate conduct by either party symbolize the lapse in honoring the contract. There were also a lot of gaps left during the initial formulation of the contract, which encouraged the misconduct. It is important to define users’ requirements during the signing of contract. Right from the onset, the client should have involved the IT department in the process of issuing out the contract, since the product that was to be developed falls under their area of specialization; therefore they understand the requirements better. For example, the IT department could have challenged the vendors on various issues relating to the software that was to be developed, and were best suited to probe the developers on all matters relating to the operation of the software. Another failure caused by the client is the fa ilure to involve operational performance in the contract; this should have been the main aim of the software. This is because the contract was too open. Each party failed to know the real role of the software. In particular, any payment should be based on the performance of the item, and the various stages of payment should go hand in hand with functionality of the project. To handle this well, the contract should involve a clause to demand the vendor to provide the software design, so it could act as a guideline during each phase of the software development. Action taken towards the Two External Contractors Following the unlawful conduct of the employees whose employment was contract based, the company should have taken stern disciplinary action, because their conduct led to loss of confidence on the company by the client. This happened soon after the two contracted employees met with the client. Though it may not be clear what they discussed, actions speak louder than words. The c lient company pulled out of the contract and as a result, Dag Brucken (DB) incurred a lot of losses, including the loss of time and finances invested in the project. The greatest offence that these two employees are held liable for is revealing a company’s secret, whose result was loses to the company. Legal action that could be taken against them includes being taken to a court of law, so that they would face prosecution in reference to employee’s code of conduct and mode of conduct; their conduct was in contrast to the company’s policies. Ethical actions comprise the termination of their employment, and subsequent charges made upon them to repay the losses incurred by the company, due to their gross misconduct. DB Company

Menu planning and product development (Unit 25) Essay

Menu planning and product development (Unit 25) - Essay Example The product development aspect is denoted to be one of the reasons for promoting the existing and new products, which mainly falls into the procedure of recipe testing. This could be the other basic principle of recipe development. Apart from the above discussed principles, evaluation is also regarded as the other prime principle of recipe development. Justifiably, recipes are mainly evaluated to observe the responses and the ways these can be improved for obtaining better results (Butler, 2014; Cole, 2011). The below depicted pictorial illustration provides a better idea about the varied principles of recipe development. The aspects influencing the decisions related to menu planning are often viewed to play imperative role for hotel and restaurant industry. In recent years, it can be ascertained that the taste of the customers/individuals has greatly changed and is incessantly transforming. Thus, it is to be ensured that nutrients and balanced diets are incorporated within a menu to serve customers efficiently. Nowadays, the customers are much concerned towards calorie food contents that require to be taken into concern while making decisions relating to menu planning (Hodder Education, 2014). There lay broad assortment of factors that may influence the menu planning decisions. In recent years, children, elderly people and teenagers have different dietary needs and thus it is necessary to make effective menu planning decisions. In this regard, the diverse kinds of meals, their respective texture and taste are noted to be influencing the decisions of menu planning at large. Apart from these, food gar nishing, kitchen type and capability of staff members are also considered to be the imperative factors influencing menu planning decisions by a considerable degree. Price must also be kept on top most priority as it mainly affects the menu

Reflecting on ‘Reflective practice’ Essay Example for Free

Reflecting on ‘Reflective practice’ Essay â€Å"Maybe reflective practices offer us a way of trying to make sense of the uncertainty in our workplaces and the courage to work competently and ethically at the edge of order and chaos†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ghaye, 2000, p.7) Reflective practice has burgeoned over the last few decades throughout various fields of professional practice and education. In some professions it has become one of the defining features of competence, even if on occasion it has been adopted mistakenly and unreflectively to rationalise existing practice. The allure of the ‘reflection bandwagon’ lies in the fact that it ‘rings true’ (Loughran, 2000). Within different disciplines and intellectual traditions, however, what is understood by ‘reflective practice’ varies considerably (Fook et al, 2006). Multiple and contradictory understandings of reflective practice can even be found within the same discipline. Despite this, some consensus has been achieved amid the profusion of definitions. In general, reflective practice is understood as the process of learning through and from experience towards gaining new insights of self and/or practice (Boud et al 1985; Boyd and Fales, 1983; Mezirow, 1981, Jarvis, 1992). This often involves examining assumptions of everyday practice. It also tends to involve the individual practitioner in being self-aware and critically evaluating their own responses to practice situations. The point is to recapture practice experiences and mull them over critically in order to gain new understandings and so improve future practice. This is understood as part of the process of life-long learning. Beyond these broad areas of agreement, however, contention and difficulty reign. There is debate about the extent to which practitioners should focus on themselves as individuals rather than the larger social context. There are questions about how, when, where and why reflection should take place. For busy professionals short on time, reflective practice is all too easily applied in bland, mechanical, unthinking ways, Would-be practitioners may also find it testing to stand back from painful experiences and seek to be analytical about them. In this tangle of understandings, misunderstandings and difficulties, exactly how to apply and teach reflective practice effectively has become something of a conundrum. This paper explores current ideas and debates relating to reflective practice. In the first two sections, I review key definitions and models of reflection commonly used in professional practice. Then, in the reflective spirit myself, I critically examine the actual practice of the concept, highlighting ethical, professional, pedagogic and conceptual concerns. I put forward the case that reflective practice is both complex and situated and that it cannot work if applied mechanically or simplistically. On this basis, I conclude with some tentative suggestions for how educators might nurture an effective reflective practice involving critical reflection. Defining reflective practice †¦reflection can mean all things to all people†¦it is used as a kind of umbrella or canopy term to signify something that is good or desirable†¦everybody has his or her own (usually undisclosed) interpretation of what reflection means, and this interpretation is used as the basis for trumpeting the virtues of reflection in a way that makes it sound as virtuous as motherhood. Smyth (1992, p.285) The term ‘reflective practice’ carries multiple meanings that range from the idea of professionals engaging in solitary introspection to that of engaging in critical dialogue with others. Practitioners may embrace it occasionally in formal, explicit ways or use it more fluidly in ongoing, tacit ways. For some, reflective practice simply refers to adopting a thinking approach to practice. Others see it as self-indulgent navel gazing. For others still, it  involves carefully structured and crafted approaches towards being reflective about one’s experiences in practice. For example, with reference to teacher education, Larrivee argues that: â€Å"Unless teachers develop the practice of critical reflection, they stay trapped in unexamined judgments, interpretations, assumptions, and expectations. Approaching teaching as a reflective practitioner involves fusing personal beliefs and values into a professional identity† (Larrivee, 2000, p.293). In practice, reflective practice is often seen as the bedrock of professional identity. â€Å"Reflecting on performance and acting on refection†, as McKay (2008, Forthcoming) notes, â€Å"is a professional imperative.† Indeed, it has been included in official benchmark standards laid down for professional registration and practice (see table 1 in Appendix 1). One example is in the way it has been included, explicitly and implicitly, in all Project 2000 curricula for Nursing Diplomas, while reflection is highlighted as a pivotal skill to achieve required Standards of Proficiencies in nursing and other health professional education (NMC, 2004; HPC, 2004). It has also become a key strand of approaches to the broader field of continuing professional development, work-based learning and lifelong learning (Eby, 2000; HPC, 2006). Given its growing emphasis in professional practice and education, it would seem important to explore the concept of reflective practice in some detail. To this end, this section distinguishes between different types of reflective practice and looks at the sister concepts of reflection, critical reflection and reflexivity. Reflection ‘in’ and ‘on’ practice Dewey (1933) was among the first to identify reflection as a specialised form of thinking. He considered reflection to stem from doubt, hesitation or perplexity related to a directly experienced situation. For him, this prompted purposeful inquiry and problem resolution (Sinclair, 1998). Dewey also argued that reflective thinking moved people away from routine thinking/action (guided by tradition or external authority) towards  reflective action (involving careful, critical consideration of taken-for-granted knowledge). This way of conceptualising reflection crucially starts with experience and stresses how we learn from ‘doing’, i.e. practice. Specifically Dewey argued that we ‘think the problem out’ towards formulating hypotheses in trial and error reflective situations and then use these to plan action, testing out our ideas. Dewey’s ideas provided a basis for the concept of ‘reflective practice’ which gained influence with the arrival of Schon’s (1983) ‘The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action’. In this seminal work, Schon identified ways in which professionals could become aware of their implicit knowledge and learn from their experience. His main concern was to facilitate the development of reflective practitioners rather than describe the process of reflection per se. However, one of his most important and enduring contributions was to identify two types of reflection: reflection-on-action (after-the-event thinking) and reflection-in-action (thinking while doing). In the case of reflection-on-action, professionals are understood consciously to review, describe, analyse and evaluate their past practice with a view to gaining insight to improve future practice. With reflection-in-action, professionals are seen as examining their experiences and responses as they occur. In both types of reflection, professionals aim to connect with their feelings and attend to relevant theory. They seek to build new understandings to shape their action in the unfolding situation. In Schon’s words: The practitioner allows himself to experience surprise, puzzlement, or confusion in a situation which he finds uncertain or unique. He reflects on the phenomenon before him, and on the prior understandings which have been implicit in his behaviour. He carries out an experiment which serves to generate both a new understanding of the phenomenon and a change in the situation. (Schon, 1983, p. 68) For Schon, reflection-in-action was the core of ‘professional artistry’ – a concept he contrasted with the ‘technical-rationality’ demanded by the (still dominant) positivist paradigm whereby problems are solvable through the rigorous application of science. A contemporary example of this paradigm is the evidence-based practice movement, which favours quantitative studies  over qualitative ones, and established protocols over intuitive practice. In Schon’s view, technical-rationality failed to resolve the dilemma of ‘rigour versus relevance’ confronting professionals. Schon’s argument, since taken up by others (e.g. Fish and Coles,1998), was as follows: Professional practice is complex, unpredictable and messy. In order to cope, professionals have to be able to do more  than follow set procedures. They draw on both practical experience and theory as they think on their feet and improvise. They act both intuitively and cr eatively. Both reflection-in and on -action allows them to revise, modify and refine their expertise. Schon believed that as professionals become more expert in their practice, they developed the skill of being able to monitor and adapt their practice simultaneously, perhaps even intuitively. In contrast, novice practitioners, lacking knowing-in-action (tacit knowledge), tended to cling to rules and procedures, which they are inclined to apply mechanically. Schon argued that novices needed to step back and, from a distance, take time to think through situations. Whether expert or novice, all professionals should reflect on practice – both in general and with regard to specific situations. Schon’s work has been hugely influential some would say ‘canonical’ – in the way it has been applied to practice and professional training and education. For example, in the health care field, Atkins and Murphy (1993) identify three stages of the reflective process. The first stage, triggered by the professional becoming aware of uncomfortable feelings and thoughts, is akin to Schon’s ‘experience of surprise’ (what Boyd and Fales, 1983, identify as ‘a sense of inner discomfort’ or ‘unfinished business’). The second stage involves a critical analysis of feelings and knowledge. The final stage of reflection involves the development of a new perspective. Atkins and Murphy argue that both cognitive and affective skills are prerequisites for reflection and that these combine in the processes of self-awareness, critical analysis, synthesis and evaluation (see Appendix 2). In the education field, Grushka, Hinde-McLeod and Reynolds (2005) distinguish between ‘reflection for action’, ‘reflection in action’ and ‘reflection on action’ (see Appendix 3). They offer a series of technical, practical and critical questions for teachers to engage with. For example, under reflection for action teachers are advised to consider their resources and how long the lesson will take (technical); how to make the resources relevant to different learning styles (practical); and to question why they are teaching this particular topic (critical). Zeichner and Liston (1996) differentiate between five different levels at which reflection can take place during teaching: 1. Rapid reflection immediate, ongoing and automatic action by the teacher. 2. Repair – in which a thoughtful teacher makes decisions to alter their behaviour in response to students’ cues. 3. Review – when a teacher thinks about, discusses or writes about some element of their teaching. 4. Research – when a teacher engages in more systematic and sustained thinking over time, perhaps by collecting data or reading research. 5. Retheorizing and reformulating – the process by which a teacher critically examines their own practice and theories in the light of academic theories. While Schon’s work has inspired many such models of reflection and categories of reflective practice, it has also drawn criticism. Eraut (2004) faults the work for its lack of precision and clarity. Boud and Walker (1998) argue that Schon’s analysis ignores critical features of the context of reflection. Usher et al (1997) find Schon’s account and methodology unreflexive, while Smyth (1989) deplores the atheoretical and apolitical quality of his conceptions. Greenwood (1993), meanwhile, targets Schon for downplaying the importance of reflection-before-action. Moon (1999) regards Schon’s pivotal concept of reflection-in-action as unachievable, while Ekebergh (2006) draws on  phenomenological philosophy to argue that it is not possible to distance oneself from the lived situation to reflect in the moment. To achieve real self-reflection, she asserts, one needs to step out of the situation and reflect retrospectively (van Manen, 1990). Given this level of criticism, questions have to raised about the wide adoption of Schon’s work and the way  it has been applied in professional practice and education (Usher et al, 1997). There have been calls for a m ore critical, reflexive exploration of the nature of reflective practice. Reflection, critical reflection and reflexivity Contemporary writing on reflective practice invites professionals to engage in both personal reflection and broader social critique. For example, work within the Open University’s Health and Social Care faculty has put forward a model whereby reflective practice is seen as a synthesis of reflection, self-awareness and critical thinking (Eby, 2000) (see figure 1). In this model, the philosophical roots of reflective practice are identified in phenomenology (with its focus on lived experience and personal consciousness) and also in critical theory (which fosters the development of a critical consciousness towards emancipation and resisting oppression ). Self-awareness Roots: phenomenology The cognitive ability to think, feel, sense and know through intuition To evaluate the knowledge derived through self-awareness to develop understanding Reflection Roots: existential phenomenology and critical theory -interpretive and critical theory tool for promoting self- and social awareness and social action improving self-expression, learning and co-operation links theory and practice Reflective Practice Critical thinking Roots: scepticism and critical theory identifying and challenging assumptions challenging the importance of context to imagine and explore alternatives which leads to reflective scepticism Figure 1 Skills underpinning the concept of reflective practice. Other authors argue for the concept of critical reflection, which is seen as offering a more thorough-going form of reflection through the use of critical theory (Brookfield, 1995). For adherents of critical reflection, reflection on its own tends to â€Å"remain at the level of relatively undisruptive changes in techniques or superficial thinking† (Fook, White and Gardner, 2006, p.9). In contrast, critical reflection involves attending to discourse and social and political analysis; it seeks to enable transformative social action and change. For Fook (2006), critical reflection  Ã¢â‚¬Å"enables an understanding of the way (socially dominant) assumptions may be socially restrictive, and thus enables new, more empowering ideas and practices. Critical reflection thus enables social change beginning at individual levels. Once individuals become aware of the hidden power of ideas they have absorbed unwittingly from their social contexts, they are then freed to make choices on their own terms.† Fook and Askeland argue that the focus of critical reflection should be on connecting individual identity and social context:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Part of the power of critical reflection in opening up new perspectives and  choices about practice may only be realized if the connections between individual thinking and identity, and dominant social beliefs are articulated and realized.† (Fook and Askeland, 2006, p.53). For Reynolds (1998), four characteristics distinguish critical reflection from other versions of reflection : (1) its concern to question assumptions; (2) its social rather than individual focus; (3) the particular attention it pays to the analysis of power relations; and (4) its pursuit of emancipation (Reynolds, 1998). By way of example, Reynolds argues that when managers critically reflect (rather than just reflect) they become aware of the wider environment in which they operate. They begin to grasp the social power exercised by their organisation through its networks and relationships. : In the field of teaching, Brookfield (1995) characterises critical reflection as ‘stance and dance’. The critically reflective teacher’s stance toward teaching is one of inquiry and being open to further investigation. The dance involves experimentation and risk towards modifying practice while moving to fluctuating, and possibly contradictory, rhythms (Larrivee, 2000). A key concept giving momentum to the idea of reflective practice involving both personal reflection and social critique is reflexivity. Reflexive practitioners engage in critical self-reflection: reflecting critically on the impact of their own background, assumptions, positioning, feelings, behaviour while also attending to the impact of the wider organisational, discursive, ideological and political context. The terms reflection, critical reflection and reflexivity are often confused and wrongly assumed to be interchangeable. Finlay and Gough (2003, p. ix) find it helpful to think of these concepts forming a continuum. At one end stands reflection, defined simply as ‘thinking about’ something after the event. At the other end stands reflexivity: a more immediate and dynamic process which involves continuing self-awareness. Critical reflection lies somewhere in between. Previously, I’ve proposed five overlapping variants of reflexivity with critical selfreflection at the core: introspection; intersubjective reflection; mutual collaboration; social critique and ironic deconstruction (Finlay, 2002, 2003). These variants can similarly be applied to  distinguishing between the types of reflection practitioners could engage in when reflecting on practice. Reflective practice as introspection involves the practitioner in solitary self-dialogue in which they probe personal meanings and  emotions. Intersubjective reflection makes the practitioner focus on the relational context, on the emergent, negotiated nature of practice encounters. With mutual collaboration, a participatory, dialogical approach to reflective practice is sought what Ghaye (2000) calls a ‘reflective conversation’. Here, for example, a mentor and student, or members of a team, seek to solve problems collaboratively. Reflective practice as social critique focuses attention on the wider discursive, social and political context. For instance, the practitioner may think about coercive institutional practices or seek to manage the power imbalances inherent in education/practice contexts. Finally, reflective practice as ironic deconstruction would cue into postmodern and poststructural imperatives to deconstruct discursive practices and represent something of the ambiguity and multiplicity of meanings in particular organisational and social contexts. At the very least, a critical and possibly satirical gaze could be turned to challenging the ubiquitously unreflexive rhetoric of reflective practice. In practice, introspection is the dominant mode of reflective practice. Sometimes presented as merely a promising personal attribute (Loughran , 2006), it is a predominantly individualistic and personal exercise (Reynolds and Vince, 2004) in which practitioners tend to focus on their own thoughts, feelings, behaviours and evaluations. This passes as legitimate ‘reflective practice’ which professionals then can use to advance their cause to fit formal requirements for continuing professional development. While such reflective practice may take place in dialogical contexts such as supervision sessions, the onus stays on the individual practitioner to reflect upon and evaluate their own practice. What is lacking is any mutual, reciprocal, shared process. Institutional structures and quality assurance  systems encourage, perhaps even require, this individual focus. It starts early on during professional education and training where learners engage professional socialisation and are taught how to reflect, using structured models of reflection. One of the consequences of the lack of consensus and clarity about the concept of reflective practice is the proliferation of different versions and models to operationalise reflective practice.

Types And Characteristics Of WANs Information Technology Essay

Types And Characteristics Of WANs Information Technology Essay A Wan is a large area network that expands in a geographical area, such as a country or a continent. It is known also as a communication system that connects computer networks such as LANs (local area network) and MANs (metro area network). The connections go through local, national or international areas public or privately, using generally phones lines, referred to as POST, or employing PSTN (public switched telephone network) or fibre optics, creating the link between networks located in different facilities. A WAN differs from a LAN in several important ways. Most WANs (like the Internet) are not owned by any one organization but rather exist under collective or distributed ownership and management. WANs tend to use technology like ATM, Frame Relay and X.25 for connectivity over the longer distances. These networks contain a collection of machines to execute some programs which are called hosts. These are connected to networks that have communication through routers with each LAN and a WAN interface. Remote access is something vital for the companies and users because it allows you to have mobility and work through different areas. Also it gives the benefit to get better business out of your area. Basically a WAN generates new applications viable, and some of them can cause important effects in whole society. In order to give some idea of important uses, some of them they are already commented before, we can see emphasize: The access to remote programs. The access to remote data bases. Facilities of added value communication. The principal components are routers, switches and modems. Devices on the subscriber premises are called customer premises equipment (CPE). The subscriber owns the CPE or leases the CPE from the service provider. A copper or fibre cable connects the CPE to the service providers nearest exchange or central office. This cabling is often called the local loop, or last-mile. Then Devices that put data on the local loop are called data circuit-terminating equipment, or data communications equipment (DCE). The customer devices that pass the data to the DCE are called data terminal equipment (DTE). The DCE primarily provides an interface for the DTE into the communication link on the WAN cloud. Types and characteristics of WANs: The local area networks (LAN) are significantly different from the wide area network (WAN). The LANà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ sector is one of the fastest growths in the industry of the communications. The local area networks own the following characteristics. Generally, the channels are property of the user or company. The connections are lines (from 1 Mbps to 200 Mbps). The DTEs is connected to the network via channels of low speed (from 600 bits to 56 Kbits). The DTEs are near to each other, generally in a same building. A DCE can be used to exchange between different configurations, but they are not as frequently as in the WAN. The lines in LANs are better quality than the channels in the WAN, because to the differences between the local area networks and the wide network area, their topologies can take very different forms. The structure of the WAN tends to be more irregular, due to the necessity to connect many terminals, computers and switching centres. Circuit Switching: The circuit switching is a WAN switching method which establishes, maintains and ends dedicated physical circuit through a carrying network for each session of communication. The switching circuit, which is used widely in the networks of the telephone companies, operates of form similar to one circuit, which is widely used in telephone company networks, operates similar to a normal telephone call. ISDN is an example of a circuit-switched WAN technology. Connections circuit switched one site to another are triggered when necessary and generally require low bandwidth band. The circuit switched connections are used primarily to connect remote users and mobile users to the corporate LAN. Also it is used as backup lines to circuit higher speeds, such as Frame Relay and other dedicated lines. One advantage is it is highly reliable for its function. A disadvantage is all the time spends to set up the channel and also there is the single point failure which can cause a dis ruption in communications. Message Switching: a computer is in charge to accept connected traffic of networks to him. The computer examines the direction that appears in the head of the message towards the DTE that must receive it. This technology allows recording the information to take care of it later. The user can erase, store, route or answer the message of automatic form. Picture taken from technet.microsoft.com Packet Switching: In this type of network the data of the users are disturbed in smaller pieces. These fragments or packages, you are inserted within information of the protocol and cross the network like independent organizations. Connectionless and Connection-Oriented Services: they happen directly of the free situation to the way to transfer data. These networks do not offer confirmations, flow control and neither recovery of errors applicable to the entire network, although these functions if they exist for each particular connection. An example of this type of network is Internet. In connection-Oriented packets switched, the multiplexing concept exists in channels and ports are known as virtual circuit or channel. The user pretends to have a dedicated resource, when he shares with another one then what it happens is that they take care of bursts of traffic of different users. General routing issues Congestion is about too much presence of packages in a part of one subnet. In cases of extreme congestion, routers start to reject packages, decreasing the system performance. The reasons of congestion are many, some of them are: If in 4 lines, the information arrives to him at router and all needs the same line of exit, it exists competition. Insufficient amount of memory in routers. But if you add more memory, this just helps until certain point because the time to arrive at first from the queue can be so long. Slow processors in routers. The analyse process of the packages are expensive, so slow processors can cause congestion. In that way the congestion propagates to the others routersà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦ The flow control and the control of congestion are not the same: Flow control: is in charge of a fast emitter does not saturate to a slow receiver. Control of Congestion: its function is to try to avoid that the network is overloaded. The solutions for the problem of congestion can be divided in two classes: Open Loop: They try to solve the problem with a good design. They use algorithms to decide when to accept more packages, when to discard them, etc. But they do not use the actual situation of the network. Closed Loop: The solution in this case is based on the feedback of the line. Generally they have three parts: 1. The system is monitored to detect when and where it happens the congestion. 2. This information goes towards where actions can be taken. 3. The operation parameters of the system adjust to correct the problems. Several measures of the performance can be used to measure the congestion. The main measures used are: % of discarded packages, Queue length, Number of packages that makes timed out and/or relayed, the average delay of the packages. 3. Addressing and routing It is necessary that any machine or host have one address, in order to get the information to the network. In the case of Internet, this are called IP address, and to each machine of the Network is assigned one. An IP address is a 32 bit number represented as four octets. Each of these four octets is in the range between 0 to 255. Class A: 10.0.0.0 a 10.255.255.255 (8 bits red, 24 bits hosts) Class B: 172.16.0.0 a 172.31.255.255 (16 bits red, 16 bits hosts) Class C: 192.168.0.0 a 192.168.255.255 (24 bits red, 8 bits hosts) Class D addresses are used for multicasting Class E is for experimental purposes. PTO Switched Services

The origins of the Strategy

The origins of the Strategy This domain has quickly evolved for the company in the same way: to reach the objectives. The corporate strategy today involved the specification over long term goals and objectives that will create add value. Every aspects of the organization have his own function (people, finances, productions, and environment). A corporate strategy is driven by the companys goal which can be several purposes: for example provide works to his employees, distribute a dividend to the stakeholders or give a wider range of products to the customers. The goal of any strategy, according to Porter, is to create a competitive advantage. In other words, a strategy would create an advantage regards as his competitors (low cost, differentiationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.) and to create value for the customers. Corporate Strategy is the pattern of mayor objectives, purposes or goals and essential policies or plans for achieving those goals, stated in such a way as to define what business the company is in or to be in and the kind of company it is or is to be Lynch, 1997. Another role given to the corporate strategy is to make the link between the internal management of the organizations resources and the external relation between the different actors (suppliers, customers, competitors, economic environment) Today, two of the mains routes of corporate strategy are the Emergent and Prescriptive strategies. In the past, only the prescriptive strategy was used; but several environmental modifications (like oil price growing) have created and developed more incertitude for companies with this planned approach. Thus, the emergence strategy appears. These two strategies are going to be discussed and developed through this report. After that, I will explain with a relevant example, Maersk Line. PARLER COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE The Prescriptive Strategy PRESCRIPTIVE According to Lynch, a prescriptive is one where the objective has been defined in advance and the main elements have been developed before the strategy commences. (Corporate Strategy, Lynch, 2000, p.52). The prescriptive strategy involves a tight supervision of all the planning process by the top of the management. For example, the top management expresses its initial requirements and issues broad guidelines to the lower levels of the organisations, which are then, translate into concrete action plans. The head quarter, through careful analysis would think about how the resources are going to be coordinated and redistributed among the business. (Corporate Strategy, Roger Bennett, 1999, p.356). So, the strategy would be developed into a linear system where everything is known. From the start to go, (where are we now), to the final objective. The prescriptive approach process is divided in 3 steps: Strategic Analysis Strategic Development Strategic Implementation Æ’Â  These 3 steps are clearly separated: The strategy would be developed according the environment and the resources of the company (macroeconomic, politicalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.) on an agreed objective. Porter and Ansoff argue that the maximisation of the return on the capital is one of the main aims in a company. All the strategy will start from this point. The company will reconsider his missions/objectives if something would change and then works on all the options than the company will develop. But, before that the strategy commences. The company will select option(s) against the likelihood of achieving objective. To find the strategic route to reach the objectives will come out of the rational selection. His development would be done according: Consistency of the objectives Financial Æ’Â   do we have the resources? Suitability Æ’Â   how the options match with environment? (SWOT Analysis cf. Andrews) Validity Æ’Â   is the strategy logical and reasonable? Feasibility Æ’Â   do we have the environment to implement the options? Risks Æ’Â   are they important? Does it follow the stakeholders expectations? These essentials 7 points show that the evaluation is very important in the development process. The implementation of the strategy will be the final step according the chosen strategy option. Everything is going to be defined before than the company integer the market (Corporate Strategy, 2006, Lynch, p.54-55) Here an example of prescriptive strategy Sources: http://www.global-strategy.net/categories/Strategicmanagement Advantages Complete overview of the organisation There is a possibility to compare all the objectives. Clear picture of different choices that the company can use regards as the resources. The organisation has the possibility to observe the agreed plan as it is implemented. As well, the progression can be evaluated. Source: (Corporate Strategy, 2006, Lynch) Disadvantages Difficulties According to Mintzberg and Porter, there is no possibility to predict the future enough accurately to make rational and realistic choices. If the desire to organise the strategy is too developed, the creativity potential of the company and his members can be choked. ( Strategy Safari, p58) Define the long term strategy would not be possible. The strategies proposed present a logical and a capability to be managed in the way proposed. As well, to control all the variables can be a really difficult work. It tends to favour a centralization and concentration of decision making at senior management. Only the chief executive has the power of the decision between all the options. Nobody needs to persuade him on his decision. This can lead to a bad decision. It presents some very simplistic actions as the implementation phase that is separate and distinctive and only comes after than a strategy has been approved. Planning can be a source of strength and become a major obstacle for the flexibility and adaptability of the enterprise and thereby harm the development of innovative ideas. Haut du formulaire Source: (Corporate Strategy, 2006, Lynch) The emergent strategy EMERGENT Lynch says that an emergent strategy is a strategy whose final objective is unclear and whose elements are developed during the course of its life, as a strategy proceeds. A strategy emerges and adapts her-self to the environment and the humans needs. This idea is one of the fundamental lines of the emergent strategy. Nevertheless, it has to be noted that there are an important number of variations possible. (Corporate Strategy, 2006, Lynch) The emergent strategy process is not lock on Top Down schema (which is formed earlier, like the prescriptive strategy). This strategy build in bottom-top structure, can be developed from the ideas and constructions coming directly from the market reality. The participative management integers tools like the management system control which promote the emergence of new strategy. (Simons, 1995) (Strategy Safari, Minztberg Ahlstrand Lampel) One of the recommendations, according Scott D. Anthony, Mark Johnson is to keep the door open for all the new ideas coming from the field and not to be too rigorous with the definitions of the objectives and be able to change the lines of the strategy at any time. Thank to the person working directly on the field whose brings essential information regard as the market expectations. Henry Mintzberg As we say, an emergent strategy is open for any changes. During this revision of the strategy, it allows to alter the course of the strategy judiciously or more radically, to redesign the strategy in order to take advantage of an opportunity. The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Winston Churchill There is not final objective with an emergent approach. This is more like a series of experimental approach and discussion developed than the strategy goes ahead. The development and the implementation of the emergent approach are not distinct. These 2 stages work together. Firstly, we are going to identify what are the objectives. The strategy emerges from the background and knowledge of the company. It has to be very clear. After the objectives are defined, we discuss about the different options/choices possible and argue with members within the company to develop and implement to strategy. If the strategy works, it will stay on the same way trying to optimize. However, if the strategy does not meet the objectives, all the members will discuss about another compromise.And so on. We could say than this process has a circular structure. (Corporate Strategy, 2006, Lynch) Sources: http://www.global-strategy.net/categories/Strategicmanagement Emergent STRATEGY Advantages The strategy evolves continuously. It is a very flexible approach that can be developed over time according the new resources, policy and market expectations. Very efficient into fast moving market. It allows a constant development as more as the company learns about the strategy and market situation. The implementation is redefined, so it is an integral part of the strategy development process. The fact to work in a day by day approach allows the optimal culture to emerge instead of an artificial planning process Source: (Corporate Strategy, 2006, Lynch) Disadvantages Difficulties All the members of the company would have a very relevant knowledge about what the company does. The vision must be unified to avoid any muddle which can cost a lot to the company. The experience would be a really important point to counter this concern. According to Mintzberg, it is more complex to develop than a prescriptive strategy because it is constantly changing and ask more implication in the long term. Although the process of the strategy selection has to be softening according to the managers acceptation, this does not make it wrong; rational decision making based on evidence has a greater chance than a premonition or a personal whim. After the presentation about the emergent and prescriptive approach, I think interesting to take in consideration the debate between these two kinds of strategies. This is what I am going to speak about in the next part: DISCUSSION Today, according to March, a lot of companies are confronted to combine two conflicting ideas to survive: firstly, the capability and maintain of their aptitudes into a changing market, and secondly, the control and the stabilization on certain strategic activity than reach their maturity. (March, 1991). We are actually between the emergent and prescriptive approach. The idea of Jansen, in 2005, gives a good illustration of the combination: the adaptation into a changing environment, explore new ideas or new processes and to develop new products and service for emerging market. At the same time, they need to be stable to maintain and exploit their actual competences and operate into existing market. Thus, the management is between two sides: the exploration and the exploitation. EXPLOITATION EXPLORATION Improvement Choice Production Efficiency Selection Implementation Execution Research Variation Ventured Strategy Game Acting Flexibility Discovery Innovation MARCH 1991, p71 These two philosophies appear closely related. In 1934, Schumpeter developed a thesis saying that if the company creator stops innovating, he would lose, in opposition, his creator position. (). Therefore, we can see that the prescriptive notion appears integral part of the emergent approach. Mintzberg says that the planning and the strategy are different. He argues that a bureaucratic or analytical planning process mislead the managers into thinking that they are planning strategically and hence developing and improving organizational for the future. He has received a lot of critics. Indeed, a lot of people say that his approach his very simplistic. D. Powell says: Planning must involve both analysis and thinking. Changing labels wont improve poor processes or teach planning skills to those who lack them. Mintzberg raises a valid issue, but he fails to offer any real solutions. http://planningskills.com/askdan/11.php Parler que avoir les capacities peut faire la difference dans une organisation The different management school are The company would be confronted to a dilemma between Le concept de stratà ©gie à ©mergente  « ouvre la voie à   lapprentissage, parce quil reconnaà ®t le droit de lentreprise à   faire des expà ©riences. Une action isolà ©e sera menà ©e, des retombà ©es seront observà ©es, et le processus continuera jusquà   ce que lentreprise se rassemble sur un modà ¨le, qui deviendra sa stratà ©gie  » (Mintzberg et al., 1999, p. 198). En dautres termes :  « Lentreprise a pris des mesures, lune aprà ¨s lautre, qui ont fini par converger pour donner une certaine cohà ©rence, ou schà ©ma  » (Mintzberg et al., 1999, p. 21). Or, pour Mintzberg et ses co-auteurs, toute stratà ©gie en prise avec le monde rà ©el, se doit de conjuguer stratà ©gies dà ©libà ©rà ©es et stratà ©gies à ©mergentes :  « exercer un contrà ´le tout en favorisant lapprentissage  » (Mintzberg et al., 1999, p. 22). Là   encore, lentreprise est confrontà ©e au dilemme entre exploitation et exploration : mettre en oeuvre et contrà ´ler des stratà ©gies intentionnelles et dà ©libà ©rà ©es et, dans le mà ªme temps, dà ©tecter et formuler de nouvelles stratà ©gies dont il convient de favoriser là ©mergence  « ladaptation aux environnements compà ©titifs  » et surtout, vers les stratà ©gies à ©mergentes :  « les systà ¨mes de contrà ´le interactif sont utilisà ©s pour guider les processus bottom-up dà ©mergence de la stratà ©gie  » (Simons, 1995, p. 98). Cette distinction entre contrà ´le diagnostic et contrà ´le interactif traduit lopposition dà ©sormais classique entre deux modà ¨les de reprà ©sentation du contrà ´le de gestion http://www.wikiberal.org/wiki/Henry_Mintzberg Application with Maersk Line Strategy From the start to go, Maersk has been a very innovative company Nils Smedegaard Andersen (Maersk CEO) In a former time (1920), Maersk Line was a shipping specialist within the chemical industry. They operated in United States and East Asia thank to 6 tankers. The company understood very quickly than the business could be more developed. So, they made up their fleet with news engines in order to have more productivity. They adapted them-self to the new environment asking for more efficiency and created a competitive advantage (cf. Porter). The competitors stayed with old engines. 30 years later, they started to build larger units vessels to follow the market expectations. The new constructed port would provide more space in which bigger boats can operate. They adapted their strategy which was to transport more units at the same place because the market was growing. The strategies emerged from the market. http://www.maersk.com/AboutMaersk/WhoWeAre/Pages/History.aspx?SSItemId=8 Another plan used in the 60s was the diversification of his strategy thank to the containers revolution. Indeed, the standardization of the exchange would provide a very interesting future in this sector; where the company dedicated very important amount in the investment. The amount was around $2 billion (the biggest investment of the company at this time) to follow an emerging market. They opened a new area in the company through this opportunity and implementing a emergent strategy. In 2008, Maersk Line drove his new strategy. The objectives were to drive the turnaround of the business and return to sustainable profitability based on the long term. More than everything, Maersk Line wanted to reinforce his leadership position in the shipping market. Maersk is today is 10 times largest than it was 10 years ago and as the CEO said The have lost focusà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the way we operate today does not conform to our present size. With the growth we have had, the complexity has grown and so has the bureaucracy (Jaunary14, 2008, The Journal of Commerce) http://web.ebscohost.com.librouter.hud.ac.uk/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1hid=105sid=833f65f7-a644-40dc-b0dd-3c5c53fabf3d%40sessionmgr111 This strategy is endorsed on the improved financial results and customer satisfaction seen in the closed past. Thank to that, we can see that the company has developed his strategy according to his good results experience of the market in the recent months. Indeed, during the 6 previous months of this period the company had feedbacks from customers. The strategy had four core elements: Filling the ship with profitable cargo Provide the most reliable product demanded by our customers Provide a faster, more responsive service closer to customers Reduce complexity and cost First of all, to reduce the complexity and the cost, the global organization has reduced by 2,000 to 3,000 positions out of 25,000, principally cut into the middle management. The main point is reducing the regional organizations into smaller teams. To reduce the impact and consider the human aspect of the firing, the organization informed long time ago to the concern people in order to them to find alternative solution and sometime come along them to find new positions. As well, pushing decision-making out to the countries: as close as possible to the customers. With this new process, the company had reduced the bureaucracy and streamline processes. As expected, the complexity is reduced for a double benefice: for the customers because they will have a better proximity service and for the internal efficiency, less complex. Through this point, we can say than the company redesign his decision making process in order to be more reactive and close with the customers. In another word, the Maersk will be more empowered with his customers. It will be for example faster to take a decision into a part of the world; do not waiting for the head quarter to give his feedbacksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦For the future; the decentralized management will develop the emergence of local strategy and give, again, more signification to the launched of this proximity service strategy. As well, the fact to work more closely with the customers and build long term relationship provide as well, a better visibility and allow a better anticipation. It is a brilliant solution for the future of the company. The strategy has been implemented in few months. Journal Traffic World, January 21, 2008 http://web.ebscohost.com.librouter.hud.ac.uk/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1hid=105sid=cb510fcd-112a-4c32-b25b-cb5f62f1c019%40sessionmgr113 Through this strategy, we have seen the importance of the market learning. The experience provides the better knowledge than a company can have. According to Eivind Kolding (CEO), the new management team, which will drive the strategy, has the experience and proven ability to deliver results. As we have seen previously in the report, the experience of the market is a key factor for the competitiveness of the organization. Having the experience of the market and the customers expectations, they applied the better strategy as possibleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ http://www.maerskline.com/link/?page=lhp_newspath=/asia/taiwan/20100222 The benefits of this emergent strategy are today already visible. The activity of the Maersk Line is from now on good position. The result are better than expected and to reach a $168 million net profit (1st trimester 2010) against a loss $581 million (1st trimester 2009). The turnover as well gives a good idea of the progression: $5.743 billion (1st trimester 2010) against $4.661 billion (1st trimester 2009). Eivind Kolding The market has been better and our efforts are gainful. Maersk has been able to develop all his strategy through the time and thus, take advantages of certain situation The company wants still to improve his competitiveness and they are ready to catch new opportunities bolting from the actual economic situation. http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=113177 http://www.maerskline.com/link/?page=lhppath=/africa/guinea/general/news http://www.maersk.com/AboutMaersk/WhoWeAre/Pages/History.aspx?SSItemId=8 CONLUSION Through this project, we have studied the difference between the emergent and prescriptive approach in Strategic and Corporation Management through an academic discussion, his different point of view and a company example. We have seen that the prescriptive approach is a strategy The experience is a key factor. JONK LOCKE Sentences

Affirmative Action :: essays research papers

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION A NECESSARY POLICY TO PREVENT DISCRIMINATION AND INEQUITIES OR A DISCRIMINATIVE AND INEQUITABLE POLCY INTRODUCTION Historically, there have been arguments about what Affirmative Action (AA) really is. The basis of the argument for the most part, debates the goal(s) of AA. Is the goal of AA to erase past inequities for the disabled, minorities and/or women without protest? Or is Affirmative Action a culture or spirit that rewards diversity and differences? Basically there are two definitions or schools of thought for AA. The first school of thought is that AA is an umbrella term for laws and policies that the United States Executive, Judicial, and legislative bodies have mandated. Specifically, AA is a series of social policies and statutes that regulate activities and laws with the primary intent to achieve equity and increase opportunity for all. The second school of though is that AA is an umbrella term defining a broader set of activities whereby public and private institutions voluntarily incorporate practices and polices to increase diversity, opportunity and equity. Under this school of thought, AA is in spirit and an institutional policy. The intent of this paper is to address the serious and profound arguments of both schools of thought. In addition, this paper will address issues relative to determining whether or not AA is necessary instrument for the demise of discrimination and the formation of justice and whether or not AA needs to be maintained, modified or terminated. I. Affirmative Action Background A. A Brief History of AA in the United States of American Contrary to popular belief, the concept of AA actually began prior to the executive order signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. The concept of AA began upon the signing of Amendment XIII of the Constitution. 1. The Late 19the and Early 20th Century America began to deal with the inequities and lack of justice for mean of African decent in the 1800s. In my opinion, the initial and most significant policy or law relative to AA was Amendment XIII to the Constitution. The 13th Amendment states, â€Å"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction† (US Constitution, Amendment 13, Section 1). Further cited, â€Å"Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation†, (US Constitution, Amendment 13, Section 2). While the intent of the 13th amendment was to abolish slavery and begin the long process of just and equal rights for all American citizens.

Symbolism In The Veil Essay -- Nathaniel Hawthorne

Symbolism In The Veil The veil that the minister wears in "The Ministers Black Veil", by Nathanial Hawthorne represents the emphasis on man's inner reality, and those thoughts and feelings which are not immediately obvious. As Hawthorne explored this inner nature, he found the source of dignity and virtue, and certain elements of darkness. When the minister first walks out of his home wearing the veil, everyone is astonished. This one man in this village decides to be a nonconformist and wear this veil without explanation. No one understands why the minister would wear such a veil for no reason at all. This is where all the assumptions begin to linger. All of the villagers have a story for why the veil is there. These people are not trying to understand it. These villagers are just trying convince themselves that the veil is hiding something, like a deformation of the ministers face. Others think that Mr. Hooper is hiding something else, like a secret no one is supposed to know about. This black veil conflicts with everyone in the village in some way. Is this veil a problem only because everyone is afraid of what they might be hiding? Perhaps this veil is a symbol of the mistrust Mr. Hooper has to those people closest to him or maybe he is trying to show this society that there is a greater lesson to be learned from this black veil than just an apparent one: That mysterious emblem was never once withdrawn. It shook with his measured breath as he gave out the psalm; it through its obscurity between him and the holy page, as he read the scripturesÂ… Did he seek to hide it from the dread Being whom he was addressing? (1281) After seeing the black veil upon the face of Mr. Hooper, every person in the villag... ... tremble at me alone? Â…Tremble also at each other! Have men avoided me, and women shown no pityÂ…only for my black veil? What, but the mystery which it obscurely typifies, has made this piece of crape so awful? When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friendÂ…when man does not vainly shrink form the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and lo! On every visage a black veil! (1288-89) The black veil is a symbol, something that Hawthorne uses to stand for the blocked wall between all human souls. Hawthorne is simply suggesting that every person wears his own "black veil". On the other hand, if people are willing to acknowledge the darkness in themselves, there will come a time when everyone shall set aside their veils.

The Greening of the Computer Industry :: Computers Technology Cyberspace

The Greening of the Computer Industry Through the 1990s, I, like many young women interested in technologies and new media theory, read a lot of cyberfeminist manifestas. I digested their optimistic visions describing a world in which computer technology served as the bridge across the gender divide: the ride into cyberspace would be the ticket out of our gender-defined boxes. Our feminist foremothers certainly made the boxes roomier for us, but those old patriarchal forces still too often held the keys to them. Computers, and particularly the internet, were going to blast the tops off. I could see the dream being usurped as those same old power structures began to crowd cyberspace in the same ways that they dominate physical space. As long as the internet remained a free frontier, however, I figured that at least it provided more options for women. Therefore, no matter how many angry girlfriends I saw fighting with their boys over their addictions to reductive images of women trapped compliantly behind glass, no matter how many on-line corporate ads I saw trying to socialize us into neat and tidy target market groups with one set of superficial male-defined desires and needs†¦I still believed that computers had potential, overall, to serve as a further liberating force for women. My eyes were opened to a wider reality, however, at the Whitney Museum of Contemporary Art. Over the summer of 2003, the Whitney hosted a show called American Effect. In this exhibition, artists from around the world expressed their opinions about the United States. I was particularly unsettled by the work of Chinese artist Danwen Xing. To this show she contributed a series of large photographs documenting electronic waste exported from the United States to Southern China. The towns were, in fact, nothing but landfills of e-waste. I was appalled at what I saw: the result of 225 tons of e-waste being exported from the U.S. each week. As a digital artist who is concerned about the environment, I started looking into the issue more deeply. I found that both the production of silicon chips for computers AND the casual and irresponsible e-waste disposal methods of America are serious international public health issues. These hazards primarily affect women and children because they comprise the majority of chip producers and waste pickers. The problem is growing rapidly in the Third World because of the "liberalization" of international trade treaties that benefit transnational capitalism.

Qualitative Versus Quantitative Methods in Education Research

All educational (and other) research falls into two broad methodological categories: qualitative and quantitative (Lincoln & Denzin, 1994; Charles, 1998; Merriam, 1998; Holliday, 2001). â€Å"Research that relies on verbal data is called qualitative research, while research that relies on numerical data is called quantitative research [emphasis original]† (Charles, p. 30). Various opinions exist, depending on one†s viewpoint, experience, or preference, about which of the two major approaches to education research, qualitative or quantitative, is better. In my own opinion, neither quantitative research in education nor qualitative research in education is inherently â€Å"better† or â€Å"worse†; one†s research method must spring from the design and content of the project itself. To decide on one research method or another, based on other reasons, seems to me both artificial and possibly harmful to the project. I believe that both of these methods are inherently, equally useful depending on how and why they are used, and on what is expected from the project by the researcher and others. According to Charles (1998), the original impetus for any educational research project, either qualitative or quantitative, springs from an initial recognition of a particular problem or concern, perhaps previously unidentified or insufficiently researched: A concern is identified for which there is no ready answer. The concern may have arisen because of a need, an interest, or a requirement, or a commissioned work, and may have been present for a long time or may have arisen unexpectedly. For example . . . ducators have identified a disturbing pattern of academic achievement in . . . schools-students from certain ethnic groups seem to progress more rapidly than others, despite the educators† efforts to provide equal educational opportunities for all. (p. 10). We would use qualitative research . . . to investigate and describe the after-school activities of . . . high school students newly arrived from El Salvador. We would try to document carefully who did what, and the data thus obtained would be mostly verbal, acquired through observation, otation, and recording. On the other hand, if we wished to assess the language and mathematics abilities of those same students, we would use quantitative research. . . . administer tests that yield numerical scores we could analyze statistically. (Charles) Qualitative research in education involves using research methods that might include observation; interviewing, or shadowing of research subjects, and/or interpretation of data, from an individual, non-empirical perspective. Quantitative research, on the other hand, uses methods like statistical surveys; questionnaires with results are broken down by percentages, and interpreted on that basis, and other empirical (rather than interpretative) methods. It is also possible, within some education research projects, to combine qualitative and quantitative research into one project, for example, by doing both statistical surveys of minority high school students on their feelings about access to college-preparatory and advanced placement courses, and personal observations of minority students within their high schools. I see considerable merit within both educational research methods, and have read a number of both qualitative and quantitative studies that I have found worthwhile and helpful. Therefore, I believe that it depends on one†s project design, and one†s goals for the project, whether one should select either a quantitative or a qualitative research method, or perhaps a combination of both methods, to best achieve one†s goals for an educational research project.