Chinas Air Pollution Free Essay Example, 1750 words

The primary position that the intended audience for this paper will most likely take is one of either indifference or dismissal: that s all well and good, but that s not an issue that concerns me here, and it s not even in a country that is close to me, so let them deal with their issues, and let me deal with mine. Society today has become concerned with only what affects the individual themselves and not concerned with what the global and far-reaching implications of a particular aspect or issue are. It is evidently clear from the discussion that they are less concerned with the plight of another person in another country or nation than they were less than twenty years ago, and as such, treat matters of foreign interest as unique little trivia at best, and dismiss it entirely at their worst. If this is not the position that the audience takes, that will restore just a tiny bit of faith in humanity, but, barring that type of position on the subject of air pollution in Beijing, the other possible position that the intended audience may take on this particular matter will be one of polite disinterest. We will write a custom essay sample on Chinas Air Pollution or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now The audience will pay attention, listen to what is being said, store it away for future knowledge, and that would be the end of it. They will not take this information and look for other ways that it can be applied, nor will they look at the issue as one of pressing concern, but will instead treat it like any other piece that they may read that does not have any bearing on their current lifestyles or way of life. While any author may hope that their words have a timeless quality, making a lasting impression on those that read them, and bringing about change in each individual who reads those printed words, sadly, this is not often the case. The impression that the author of this paper on air pollution in Beijing hopes to convey to the readers is comprised of many different affectations.

Women s Role As A Patriarchal Institution Essay - 1453 Words

Religion is a cultural system of behaviors and practices that have been around from society itself has existed. It also plays a pivotal part in sociology especially with regards to social control and socialisation. The role women occupy within religion has changed drastically in the last few decades. There are competing sociological arguments as to whether or not the subordination of women is due to religion as many feminists would suggest. For the purposes of this essay I will evaluate and discuss key points about the role women play in religion. Sociology is interested in religion and continues to have a big influence in it. Feminists see religion as a patriarchal institution, this refers to the maintaining of male dominance over women by making them believe that it is their divine right to be dominated. Along with this, they believe that religion functions as a patriarchal ideology that acts as an agent that legitimates inequity and such beliefs approve female oppression. However, functionalists believe otherwise and argue that its function is not to oppress women but necessary to keep society stable whilst Marxists believe that religion is used to keep the powerful in control over the powerless, not females and patriarchy. These sociological approaches act as a force in religion to maintain and reproduce research that focuses on how religion oppresses women. A critical feminist argument by Anderson and Gordon in 1978 that identifies a strong relationship betweenShow MoreRelatedOppression Of Women In The Handmaids Tale1732 Words   |  7 PagesThe Oppression of Women that is shown in The Handmaid’s Tale When describing the newly established society in The Handmaid’s Tale, the Commander states that â€Å"better never means better for everyone [...] it always means worse, for some† (Atwood, 244). This accurately describes the nature of patriarchal societies, such as the society that is described by Margaret Atwood in The Handmaid’s Tale. 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The Bell Jar Free Essays

Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest The bell jar and one flew over the cuckoo’s nest can be linked considerably. Both novels are set in 1950†² America post the ‘cold war’ an era where conformity and obedience is a norm and anything that impairs it isn’t seen as a benefit to society. Both novels explore themes such as paranoia, suspicion and mental health. We will write a custom essay sample on The Bell Jar or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Bell Jar has a significant opening with the first sentence that mentions the execution of the Rosenbergs â€Å"It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs† The opening immediately foreshadows the expectations that arrive in the novel in addition how society at the time behaved and based assumptions on. The fact that the sentence first opens with the description of electrocution has a major impact as the electrocution is a chilling topic that Esther has to encounter throughout the novel, as the subject of electrocution has been deliberately made important in the first chapter it reflects Esther’s severe perception of the subject its self. Furthermore in chapter 1 It is assumed that paranoia and suspicion also have an mportant role in the chapter â€Å"Goggle-eyed headlines staring up at me on every street corner† the suggestion that society segregated members for having a view point and opinion on controversial topics, and the fact members had to conform if not there will be raised issues and suspicion. In comparison the opening chapter of One flew over the cuckoos nest also starts with paranoia and suspicion â€Å"They are out there† this condemns the audience to question who and what Is out there, a ideology that 1950’s America was secluding Individuals on opinions and mental health. Both of the novels are written in first person narratives which directly parks us Into the state of mind of the characters allowing us to ponder and take upon their Imagination to perceive the world as they do such as the striking Imagery we receive. â€Å"l felt as though I were carrying that cadavers head around with me on a string, Ilke some black, noseless balloon stinking of vinegar† this Imagery puts the reader In the position that we start to realise that death Is forever following Esther and It Is a reoccurring threat to her and the Idea of her not conforming. Through her first person narrative we are able to place our self’s In her position and see the world from her eyes. In comparison to one flew over the cuckoos nest It Is also written In the first person narrative through the eyes of a mental health patient, similarly to the Bell Jar we are placed Into a mind of a patient that Isn’t condemned as ‘sane’ so therefore has a significant Impact on the questioning In what Is normal or not. The Bell Jar By rzerroukil self. Furthermore in chapter 1 it is assumed that paranoia and suspicion also have an One flew over the cuckoo’s nest also starts with paranoia and suspicion â€Å"They are out there† this condemns the audience to question who and what is out there, a ideology that 1950’s America was secluding individuals on opinions and mental health. Both of the novels are written in first person narratives which directly parks us into the state of mind of the characters allowing us to ponder and take upon their imagination to perceive the world as they do such as the striking imagery we receive. â€Å"l felt as though I were carrying that cadavers head around with me on a string, like some lack, noseless balloon stinking of vinegar† this imagery puts the reader in the position that we start to realise that death is forever following Esther and it is a reoccurring threat to her and the idea of her not conforming. Through her first person narrative we are able to place our self’s in her position and see the world from her eyes. In comparison to one flew over the cuckoo’s nest it is also written in Bell Jar we are placed into a mind of a patient that isn’t condemned as ‘sane’ so therefore has a significant impact on the questioning in what is normal or not. How to cite The Bell Jar, Papers The Bell Jar Free Essays In Sylvia Plath’s autobiographical novel The Bell Jar, the reader learns of the adventures of a young woman in a male-dominated society that will not let her achieve her true potential. Plath’s alter ego, Esther, is thus driven to a nervous breakdown and attempts suicide numerous times. In many ways, this novel is a feminist text, centered around the struggles of a young woman who cannot reach her goals in our male-dominated society. We will write a custom essay sample on The Bell Jar or any similar topic only for you Order Now People close to Esther, do not accept her talents as a poet and writer, but rather try to push her into traditionally more feminine roles. For example, Esther’s mother repeatedly tries to convince her to learn shorthand, but Esther rebels, saying â€Å"†¦ when I tried to picture myself in some job, briskly jotting down line after line of shorthand, my mind went blank. † (100) Esther, unlike many women of her time, refuses to be controlled by society’s gender-based constraints: â€Å"The last thing I wanted was infinite security and to be the place an arrow shoots off from. I wanted change and excitement and to shoot off in all directions myself, like the colored arrows from a Fourth of July rocket. † (68) The phrases â€Å"infinite security† and â€Å"the place an arrow shoots off from† come from Mrs. Willard’s description of the woman’s role in society (58). This passage directly addresses Plath’s central purpose in the novel, which is to look at the mental problems that can befall a woman with ambitions that the surrounding culture will not allow her to fulfill. This book was published in 1963, towards the beginning of the â€Å"feminist movement†; the events chronicled in this book, however, take place in 1953 (208), in a period during which women’s rights were not yet widely recognized in our society. The passage quoted above, and the emotions which it conveys, are typical of a feminist like Esther, but Esther is ahead of her time and is thus unable to express herself to society in the way she wants. In this novel, Plath shows us the ways in which women were discriminated against, through the eyes of a sensitive young artist. Through this, she conveys the important message that actions such as this are morally incorrect and can lead the victims to experience unfortunate fates such as Esther’s mental breakdown. It is important to keep such things as this in mind when reading the novel, and this feminist point of view is the central purpose of The Bell Jar. How to cite The Bell Jar, Papers

Strategic Analysis Of Whole Foods Market - Free Sample

Questions: 1) A critical review of the organisations environment. This should encompass both the external/macro and market environments. You should use appropriate strategic models and provide a conclusion as to the nature of the environment faced by the subject organisation. 2) A critical review of the culture and leadership of the organisation. You should review these factors and consider their impact on the strategic decisions made. Your review may include consideration of the history of the organisation, its mission and its leadership development.3) A critical review of the strategic options available to the organisation in the future. Your answer will of course be partly imaginary but should reflect the resources or the organisation and the environment faced. Answers: Introduction Strategic management refers to the process of formulating and implementing objectives and initiatives by an organisations management system, by considering all available resources along with assessing both the internal and external environments that the organisation competes in. Strategic management is all about identifying and describing strategies that managers make use of so as to achieve improved performance and any form of competitive advantage; competitive advantage refers to the state in which an organisations profitability is much higher than the average profitability of other organisations or companies of the same industry. Another definition of strategic management would be the act of managers undertaking decisions that affect the firms performance. For this reason, it is highly essential for managers to possess thorough knowledge and be able to produce an analysis of the organisational competitive environment (Shriberg, 2005. For instance, the system must be able to conduct SWOT analysis i.e. effective use of strengths and opportunities and minimization of threats and weaknesses should be ensured. This form of management simply plans for both the predictable and impractical contingencies along with being applicable to both large and small organisations. In other words, strategic management can be said to be the way in which objectives are simply set and attained so as to identify what direction the organisation is heading in (Shriberg, 2005). It simply deals with the process of creation and implementation of decisions affecting the organisations future. One is required to understand that strategic management is a process that is continous in nature, which controls evaluates the business that the organisation is involved in; it simply evaluates the organisations competitors by creating strategies and goals that meet all potential and existing competitors. This is followed by re-evaluating all strategies for their implementation and success, on a regular basis and then deciding whether if any form of replacement is required or not. Strategic management provides employees within an organisation with a broader perspective for them to understand the importance of their own jobs and how it fits into the organisational plan along with its relation to other members of the organisation. It can be regarded as the art of management of employees that results in maximization of achievement of any form of business goals and objectives (Shriberg, 2005). Employees are required to identify the affect of environmental changes on the organisation and formulate a probable response using strategic management. In the following report, a strategic analysis of Whole Foods Market is conducted; it focuses on the strategic management system implemented by the organisation and its outcomes. 1. Critical Review of Organisations Environment Whole Foods Market is a multinational organisation that functions as a retailer of natural and organic foods and has established a dominant position in the natural and organic food industry. Whole Foods Market is considered the largest chain of organic and natural foods in the United States that has competitors with several strategic plans and groups including natural/organic retailers of food, mass merchandisers, traditional grocers etc. However, due to its expansion and scale, Whole Foods Market holds a firm competitive position in this industry along with brand superiority that provides its customers with a premium experience of shopping. It has successfully managed to differentiate itself from other competitors by primarily focusing on organic good products (Bliss, 2011). Due to this reason, this organisation has an approximate share of 33.6% in the U.S, with no other competitive organisation anywhere close to this achievement. Whole Foods Market experiences competition from orga nisations such as Wal-Mart, Kroger, The Fresh Market and other local farmer markets. However, Whole Foods Market has a competitive advantage over other organisations since it happens to be the first largest mover within the organic retail industry. Organisational environment refers to the environment that is directly responsible for achievements of the organisations goals and objectives. It is essential to recognize the external forces that constantly affect an organisations performance along with its effectiveness, thus, making it imperative for an organisation to thoroughly examine the components of its internal and external environment. Detailed examination of such components will provide the organisation with an understanding of the extensive dynamics changes that may and are occurring. The external environment or also referred to as the macro environment simply consists of all those factors that have an indirect affect on the organisation; these include of external forces such as economic, political or legal, technological and socio-cultural forces. On the other hand, the internal environment or also referred to as the task environment consists of factors that directly affect the organisational working; it includes of vari ables such as suppliers, customers, competition and labour (Business Legal Reports, 2007). The organisational environment holds utmost importance since its unpredictability will render an organisation to be ineffective; for this reason, the management should ensure affective environmental scanning. In context of Whole Foods Market, the environmental factors with utmost importance and relevance to the organisations business are regulatory factors, market size, supplier channels, demographic trends, technological developments, social considerations along with consumer habits. These factors specifically impact and are more favourable to the natural and organic food retail industry rather than overall industry of grocery due to the possibility of great market growth along with increased or heightened numbers of consumer adoption; the perceived wellness and health benefits allow customers to willingly pay a premium price (Hinkin, 2010). The following is a detailed environmental analysis of Whole Foods Market when compared to regular food retail businesses: Environmental Factors General Food Retail Natural and Organic Retail Market Growth $907 Billion $76 Billion Annual Growth -0.9% 5% Demographic Trends The food choices of consumers suggest that wellness and health have become an increasing priority. Additionally, all consumers have now become more eco-conscious. Due to economic improvement, consumers are now considering organic baskets. The is a segment that specifically caters to only rich shoppers Regulatory Factors Many regulations exist; for instance, FDA approval is required when introducing new food products into the market. For organic food markets, the regulations become more intensive and heavier in nature; approval from EDA, CPSC, EPA, USDA ETC is required. Technological Development Online shopping is turning into a new trend; for instance may organisations such as Fresh Direct, Amazon Fresh or Relay Foods, operate online. Several innovations within the organic food industry are being introduced. One example would the introduction of almond milk or hydroponic vegetables. Suppliers Wide range of suppliers available. Only fair-trade, organic local sourcing and fair-shade are made a priority. Consumer Preferences or Social Factors Consumers remain fairly sensitive when it comes to price of food items. The social factors incorporate the movement of social culture towards increasing environmental awareness and increased support towards sustainability. Additionally, the society seems to be migrating towards attaining an experiencing economy. The perceived wellness and health benefits allow customers to willingly trade up and pay a premium price for certain items of food. When it comes to food retail of products that are valued for their quality, health and other involved factors, customers are less likely to be sensitive towards the food items price. Additionally, we can always count on high brand loyalty. Political-Legal Pressures Regulations regarding the good standards exist and are expected to be met by the organisation. Increased awareness regarding food safety along with increased regulations that specify food standards. Furthermore, consumer awareness of the organic food introduced by Whole Foods Market is a significant factor affecting the organisation. As previously mentioned, due to the perceived wellness and health benefits allow customers to willingly pay a premium price; in the recent years, an approximate purchase of 82% of organic food products has been recorded. Though, it is important to understand that the supply of organic food products may not always meet customer demands especially in areas with low density of organic farms. For this reason, it is highly essential for the organisation to conduct a strategic assessment that takes into consideration all the environmental factors that may affect the organisations performance and growth. Strategic environmental assessment or SEA, is a process outline by the organisation that allows the company to take up and integrate environmental considerations when planning and preparing programs or strategies (Kunreuther, 2009). The main purpose of the strategic environmental assessment is to provide the environment with high levels of protection and promote sustainable development; this is achieved by integrating several environmental considerations when preparing and adopting all essential plans, programmes and strategies. By incorporating the strategic environmental assessment, Whole Foods Market can strategically assess all the factors affecting the environment within its organisation and accordingly take up measures that will reduce the effect of these factors on its performance and growth, ensuring further progress and success. 2. Critical Review of Culture and Leadership at Whole Foods Market Organisational cultural can be defined as the behaviours and values contributing to the psychological and social environment within an organisation. It may include experiences, expectations, values and philosophies that hold the organisation together; these may be expressed in the organisations inner workings, self-image, future expectations and the interactions it makes with the outside world. In other words, organisational culture is observable and consistent behavioural pattern within an organisation i.e. something that we repeatedly do. It can be said to be based on shared customs, beliefs, written unwritten rules, attitudes etc. that may have been developed over a particular period of time and consequently are considered valid by the organisation. Organisational culture or also known as corporate culture becomes evident and is revealed in the ways the organisation treats its customers, employees the community and when it conducts business. Similarly, the culture of an organisational becomes apparent when discussing the extent of freedom that is given to employees when developing new ideas, in decision making or personal expression. Additionally, the commitment employees show towards the organisations objectives and the hierarchy of information flow power within the organisation, speak a lot about the organisations culture (Kunreuther, 2009). In other words, culture can be regarded as the sum total of rituals and values within an organisation that serves the purpose of integrating its members; it is simply a shared view of what is why is. When discussing Whole Foods Market, there are two key components of the organisation that stand out; the first component is that this organisation has carefully designed systems of practices and programs that allow the organisation to sustain their unique culture across all its stores. For instance, the hiring process is participative in nature i.e. all team members are provided with an opportunity to participate at all levels in the selection process of all immediate members along with senior executives. Furthermore, the organisation arranges for events like vision days, future search, and tribal gatherings, that allow stakeholders and team members to bond, realign with each others values culture and simply co-create an integrated vision (Our core values, 2011). Also, for new and current team members, a two day orientation session is arranged where they are given an opportunity to bond and build relationships, are provided with intensive sessions regarding the core values of Whole Foods Market along with informational sessions on the organisations culture. Team building sessions are also an essential component of their orientation program. The second key component of the organisation that standards out is that the organisation is driven by philosophies i.e. all the activities and practices taking place within the organisation are driven by several organisational philosophies, where two of them are based on the concept of shared fate and higher purpose. Their concept of shared fate simply is based on the idea of succeeding together and failing together. For this reason, the organisation ensures participation of members at all levels in the goal-planning and decision making process. All members of the organisation are give and equal participation when deciding on major actions such as strategic initiatives or staffing (Our core values, 2011). Furthermore, the concept of higher purpose is based on the idea that their business must serve a higher purpose that that of making profit. At Whole Foods Market, they encourage improvement of health and well-being by providing their customers with better nutrition and supreme quali ty food products. From what is known, all the members of the organisation are connected to the higher purpose and this purpose remains their priority throughout. Hence, the well-crafted and defined policies and practices at Whole Foods Market not only allow their team members to efficiently work towards their co-created visions along with their goals objectives but also has resulted in team members in interested in wanting to achieve them; thus, resulting in a rich organisational culture that is consistent across all their stores in the country. However, it is essential to understand that in order to maintain such a culture within the organisation, the organisation requires to be guided under effective and supreme leadership. Affective leadership development within an organisation is of utmost importance since it indirectly affects various other components within the organisation such as the organisational culture (Daft, 2008). Leadership development refers to any activity that is carried out within the organisation that allows for enhancement of leadership quality. In the organisational world, organisational success and leadership are intertwined with each other, to a great extent. Considering the traditional point of view regarding leadership, leadership comprises of superiors exercising its authority over subordinates who in turn exercise their own authority over those working for them. However, with the evolving technological, organisational and cultural changes, the definition and requirements of leadership has changed (Our core values, 2011). Due to the workforces changing nature, increased dependency on technology and development of distributed work systems, there is demand of change in how leaders are required to interact with their organisations members; this has given rise to a distributed view of leadership in general. The co-founder of Whole Foods Market, John Mackey, is known for his liberal leadership qualities that allow him to strengthen and challenge his organisation by providing them with a modern vision (Mackey, 2011). Often, Mackey is criticized for his approach to carrying out business; his approach of leadership comprises of both values and servant leadership. He believes that over control is the central and major cause of detriment and stress and restricts productivity, thus, encouraging his to take up a route that is completely different to that of the traditional route. Hence, at Whole Foods Market, servant leadership direction is encourage and managed among the employees. This leadership simply identifies a servant leaders responsibility to first consider the needs of others and then create conditions for them that allow them to become leaders themselves. Under such leadership, team members are authorized to themselves in the values of the organisation. Furthermore, as mentioned abov e, value leadership is also a type that is greatly emphasized at Whole Foods Market; this leadership is similar to servant leadership since it also uses a normative approach (Our core values, 2011). The key elements of this leadership are identified to be inspiration, service, trust, vision, intuition, empowerment and continous learning. Whether it is servant or values leadership, Whole Food Markets believe in forming relationship patterns that do not rely on values influenced by external control but on those that provide the organisation with personal and social meaning to collectively get the work done, collaboratively make decisions, facilitate planning sharing and promote mutual responsibility. 3. Critical Review of Strategic Options In order to think strategically, the committee of management that is involved requires them to analyse the organisations external and internal environment along with becoming responsive to a change. Sometimes, the challenges that the management will be presented with will be rather difficult to deal with, causing them to making sever decisions regarding the activities being conducted or taking place (Kunreuther, 2009). In such circumstances, it becomes essential for the management committee to have a look at the strategic options available to them that would want to take up so as to successfully overcome the situation. The following are some of the strategic options that Whole Foods Market may be open to: Strategic Option Detail Maintaining Simply refers to the act of continuing with the services that they are providing their customers and employees with along with the activities that they are conducting. Retrench Refers to the reduction or closing of any current services or activities. They may deny working in particular geographical areas. Quantitative Expansion Refers to the possibility of increasing the number of employees or clients. They may also consider increasing the extent of provision. Switch Strategy Simply refers to the switch their services from one client to a completely unrelated group of clients. They may consider changing their client service conditions or their type of service or their geographical location. Collaborate The organisation may want to develop closer of more partnerships with either existing or new clients or agencies. The increase in such collaborative measures will allow the organisation to affectively improve the success rate of their business. New related strategy Refers to the created of new strategies by the committee that may be related to the client, or the service being provided or the geographical location of their organisation etc. Reduce costs They may want to consider reduction in the costs of a service being provided or an activity being conducted or the costs for a particular geographical location. By reducing their costs, they will allow the organisation to consider spending in additional activities or services, which in turn will allow the organisation to improve the success rate of its business. Experiment They organisation may consider experimenting with a new group of clients or a new kind of service or relocating themselves to a new geographical location. Expand Boundary Again, the organisation may want to expand their boundaries regarding a service being provided, activities being conducted, new client group and their geographical location. Piggyback Simply refers to the act of developing services that are free-earning in nature so as to subsidise other activities; these may include cross subsidy of activities being conducted. Improve quality One strategic option would be to improve the quality of the services and activities they provide their clients or customers with. This may also be in the form of changing their geographical location so as to reach out to a wider range of communities. Unrelated expansion The organisation may want to consider expanding their services and activities to unrelated organisations, clients, customers etc. They may even provide them with unrelated services in an unrelated area. It is important to understand that when in need of a change, the pros and cons of the each option being considered, should be given utmost attention while keeping in mind the mission and vision of the organisation during consideration. The management of Whole Foods Market will be required to carefully think through the process they will take up in order to mange this change process. One should understand that any strategic business option should be designed for the purpose of achieving and bringing success to the organisation rather than failure (Shriberg, 2005). For this reason, it is highly crucial for the Whole Foods Markets management committee to capitalize the stronger capabilities of the organisation and exploit the greatest opportunities that are available to them along with reducing any forms of ricks that may be associated with environmental threats towards the organisation or may become a weakness for them. As mentioned previously, the primary requirement of a strategic business option should be to develop strategy that covers two major dimensions that are achieving success and avoiding any type of failure especially in situations when things may go wrong. Thus, the strategy taken up by the organisation may provide the organisation with a good chance of achieving along with exceeding it. However, at the same time, it should not expose the Whole Foods Markets organisation to any risks that may bring down its performance. For this reason, the strategy adapted by the organisation must fully utilize the organisations most impressive strengths along with correcting or neutralizing all its major weaknesses. Additionally, the Whole Foods Market must work on either reducing or completely eliminating the impact of all the threats on the organisation. This can be achieved by exploiting any extremely rated opportunity coming their way (Wegmans Food Market, 2007). Also, the adopted strategy must be strictly relevant and practical to the situation of the organisation along with being imaginative; imaginative in the sense of engaging the team members of staff while implementing the strategy. Their organisation may want to focus on standing out in the food industry, avoiding becoming an imitation of what other organisations may already be doing or plan to do. Consequently, this will strengthen the organisations competitive position within the industry or enterprise. In fact, they have already achieved this since it has successfully managed to differentiate itself from other competitors by primarily focusing on organic good products. Conclusion Strategic management refers to the process of formulating and implementing objectives and initiatives by an organisations management system, by considering all available resources along with assessing both the internal and external environments that the organisation competes in. Strategic management can be said to be the way in which objectives are simply set and attained so as to identify what direction the organisation is heading in. It simply deals with the process of creation and implementation of decisions affecting the organisations future. Strategic management is all about identifying and describing strategies that managers make use of so as to achieve improved performance and any form of competitive advantage. Strategic management provides employees within an organisation with a broader perspective for them to understand the importance of their own jobs and how it fits into the organisational plan along with its relation to other members of the organisation. It can be regarde d as the art of management of employees that results in maximization of achievement of any form of business goals and objectives. Whole Foods Market is considered the largest chain of organic and natural foods in the United States that has competitors with several strategic plans and groups including natural/organic retailers of food, mass merchandisers, traditional grocers etc. Whole Foods Market holds a firm competitive position in this industry along with brand superiority that provides its customers with a premium experience of shopping. It has successfully managed to differentiate itself from other competitors by primarily focusing on organic good products. Whole Foods Market has a competitive advantage over other organisations since it happens to be the first largest mover within the organic retail industry. Organisational environment refers to the environment that is directly responsible for achievements of the organisations goals and objectives. It is imperative for an organisation to thoroughly examine the components of its internal and external environment. In context of Whole Foods Market, the environmental factors with utmost importance and relevance to the organisations business are regulatory factors, market size, supplier channels, demographic trends, technological developments, social considerations along with consumer habits. In other words, culture can be regarded as the sum total of rituals and values within an organisation that serves the purpose of integrating its members; it is simply a shared view of what is why is. Furthermore, organisational culture or also known as corporate culture becomes evident and is revealed in the ways the organisation treats its customers, employees the community and when it conducts business (Kunreuther, 2009).. The well-crafted and defined policies and practices at Whole Foods Market not only allow their team members to efficiently work towards their co-created visions along with their goals objectives but also has resulted in team members in interested in wanting to achieve them; thus, resulting in a rich organisational culture that is consistent across all their stores in the country. Additionally, at Whole Foods Market, servant and value leadership direction is encourage and managed among the employees. Whole Food Markets believe in forming relationship patterns that do not rely on values influenced by external control but on those that provide the organisation with personal and social meaning to collectively get the work done, collaboratively make decisions, facilitate planning sharing and promote mutual responsibility (Fairholm, 2011). Similarly, in order to think strategically, the committee of management that is involved requires them to analyse the organisations external and internal environment along with becoming responsive to a change. Often, it becomes essential for the management committee to have a look at the strategic options available to them that would want to take up so as to successfully overcome the situation. References 1. Bliss, W. G. (2011, 06). The Advisor: Cost of Employee Turnover, BLR publications2. Business and Legal Reports, Inc. (2007). Best Practices in Recruitment and Retention. 'Employee's first, Customers second': Wegmans' Work, ICMR IBS center for Managment Research. 3. Daft, L., Richard Lane G., Patricia., (2008). The personal side of leadership/ Wendy Steinberg Whole Foods Market. The leadership experience. Mason, Ohio: Thompson Higher Education. 4. Fairholm, G. W. (2011). Real Leadership, How Spiritual Values Give Leadership Meaning, Praeger.5. Hinkin, T. R., B. J. (2010). What makes it so Great? An analysis of Human Resources Practices among Fortunes Best Compnies to work for, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly6. Kunreuther, F., Kim, H. . (2009). Working Across Generations, San Francisco, CA. 7. Mackey, J. (2011, January-February). Co-founder and CEO, (H. B. Review, Interviewer).8. Our core values. Whole foods Market Retrieved March 28 2011, from https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/comp any/corevalues.php9. Shriberg, A., Shriberg, D., Kumari, R. (2005). Practicing leadership, Principles and Applications, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. 10.Wegmans Food Markets Inc. (2007). Employee's first, Customers second, Wegmans' Work. Rochester: ICMR IBS center for Managment Research.

Strategic Analysis Of Whole Foods Market - Free Sample

Questions: 1) A critical review of the organisations environment. This should encompass both the external/macro and market environments. You should use appropriate strategic models and provide a conclusion as to the nature of the environment faced by the subject organisation. 2) A critical review of the culture and leadership of the organisation. You should review these factors and consider their impact on the strategic decisions made. Your review may include consideration of the history of the organisation, its mission and its leadership development.3) A critical review of the strategic options available to the organisation in the future. Your answer will of course be partly imaginary but should reflect the resources or the organisation and the environment faced. Answers: Introduction Strategic management refers to the process of formulating and implementing objectives and initiatives by an organisations management system, by considering all available resources along with assessing both the internal and external environments that the organisation competes in. Strategic management is all about identifying and describing strategies that managers make use of so as to achieve improved performance and any form of competitive advantage; competitive advantage refers to the state in which an organisations profitability is much higher than the average profitability of other organisations or companies of the same industry. Another definition of strategic management would be the act of managers undertaking decisions that affect the firms performance. For this reason, it is highly essential for managers to possess thorough knowledge and be able to produce an analysis of the organisational competitive environment (Shriberg, 2005. For instance, the system must be able to conduct SWOT analysis i.e. effective use of strengths and opportunities and minimization of threats and weaknesses should be ensured. This form of management simply plans for both the predictable and impractical contingencies along with being applicable to both large and small organisations. In other words, strategic management can be said to be the way in which objectives are simply set and attained so as to identify what direction the organisation is heading in (Shriberg, 2005). It simply deals with the process of creation and implementation of decisions affecting the organisations future. One is required to understand that strategic management is a process that is continous in nature, which controls evaluates the business that the organisation is involved in; it simply evaluates the organisations competitors by creating strategies and goals that meet all potential and existing competitors. This is followed by re-evaluating all strategies for their implementation and success, on a regular basis and then deciding whether if any form of replacement is required or not. Strategic management provides employees within an organisation with a broader perspective for them to understand the importance of their own jobs and how it fits into the organisational plan along with its relation to other members of the organisation. It can be regarded as the art of management of employees that results in maximization of achievement of any form of business goals and objectives (Shriberg, 2005). Employees are required to identify the affect of environmental changes on the organisation and formulate a probable response using strategic management. In the following report, a strategic analysis of Whole Foods Market is conducted; it focuses on the strategic management system implemented by the organisation and its outcomes. 1. Critical Review of Organisations Environment Whole Foods Market is a multinational organisation that functions as a retailer of natural and organic foods and has established a dominant position in the natural and organic food industry. Whole Foods Market is considered the largest chain of organic and natural foods in the United States that has competitors with several strategic plans and groups including natural/organic retailers of food, mass merchandisers, traditional grocers etc. However, due to its expansion and scale, Whole Foods Market holds a firm competitive position in this industry along with brand superiority that provides its customers with a premium experience of shopping. It has successfully managed to differentiate itself from other competitors by primarily focusing on organic good products (Bliss, 2011). Due to this reason, this organisation has an approximate share of 33.6% in the U.S, with no other competitive organisation anywhere close to this achievement. Whole Foods Market experiences competition from orga nisations such as Wal-Mart, Kroger, The Fresh Market and other local farmer markets. However, Whole Foods Market has a competitive advantage over other organisations since it happens to be the first largest mover within the organic retail industry. Organisational environment refers to the environment that is directly responsible for achievements of the organisations goals and objectives. It is essential to recognize the external forces that constantly affect an organisations performance along with its effectiveness, thus, making it imperative for an organisation to thoroughly examine the components of its internal and external environment. Detailed examination of such components will provide the organisation with an understanding of the extensive dynamics changes that may and are occurring. The external environment or also referred to as the macro environment simply consists of all those factors that have an indirect affect on the organisation; these include of external forces such as economic, political or legal, technological and socio-cultural forces. On the other hand, the internal environment or also referred to as the task environment consists of factors that directly affect the organisational working; it includes of vari ables such as suppliers, customers, competition and labour (Business Legal Reports, 2007). The organisational environment holds utmost importance since its unpredictability will render an organisation to be ineffective; for this reason, the management should ensure affective environmental scanning. In context of Whole Foods Market, the environmental factors with utmost importance and relevance to the organisations business are regulatory factors, market size, supplier channels, demographic trends, technological developments, social considerations along with consumer habits. These factors specifically impact and are more favourable to the natural and organic food retail industry rather than overall industry of grocery due to the possibility of great market growth along with increased or heightened numbers of consumer adoption; the perceived wellness and health benefits allow customers to willingly pay a premium price (Hinkin, 2010). The following is a detailed environmental analysis of Whole Foods Market when compared to regular food retail businesses: Environmental Factors General Food Retail Natural and Organic Retail Market Growth $907 Billion $76 Billion Annual Growth -0.9% 5% Demographic Trends The food choices of consumers suggest that wellness and health have become an increasing priority. Additionally, all consumers have now become more eco-conscious. Due to economic improvement, consumers are now considering organic baskets. The is a segment that specifically caters to only rich shoppers Regulatory Factors Many regulations exist; for instance, FDA approval is required when introducing new food products into the market. For organic food markets, the regulations become more intensive and heavier in nature; approval from EDA, CPSC, EPA, USDA ETC is required. Technological Development Online shopping is turning into a new trend; for instance may organisations such as Fresh Direct, Amazon Fresh or Relay Foods, operate online. Several innovations within the organic food industry are being introduced. One example would the introduction of almond milk or hydroponic vegetables. Suppliers Wide range of suppliers available. Only fair-trade, organic local sourcing and fair-shade are made a priority. Consumer Preferences or Social Factors Consumers remain fairly sensitive when it comes to price of food items. The social factors incorporate the movement of social culture towards increasing environmental awareness and increased support towards sustainability. Additionally, the society seems to be migrating towards attaining an experiencing economy. The perceived wellness and health benefits allow customers to willingly trade up and pay a premium price for certain items of food. When it comes to food retail of products that are valued for their quality, health and other involved factors, customers are less likely to be sensitive towards the food items price. Additionally, we can always count on high brand loyalty. Political-Legal Pressures Regulations regarding the good standards exist and are expected to be met by the organisation. Increased awareness regarding food safety along with increased regulations that specify food standards. Furthermore, consumer awareness of the organic food introduced by Whole Foods Market is a significant factor affecting the organisation. As previously mentioned, due to the perceived wellness and health benefits allow customers to willingly pay a premium price; in the recent years, an approximate purchase of 82% of organic food products has been recorded. Though, it is important to understand that the supply of organic food products may not always meet customer demands especially in areas with low density of organic farms. For this reason, it is highly essential for the organisation to conduct a strategic assessment that takes into consideration all the environmental factors that may affect the organisations performance and growth. Strategic environmental assessment or SEA, is a process outline by the organisation that allows the company to take up and integrate environmental considerations when planning and preparing programs or strategies (Kunreuther, 2009). The main purpose of the strategic environmental assessment is to provide the environment with high levels of protection and promote sustainable development; this is achieved by integrating several environmental considerations when preparing and adopting all essential plans, programmes and strategies. By incorporating the strategic environmental assessment, Whole Foods Market can strategically assess all the factors affecting the environment within its organisation and accordingly take up measures that will reduce the effect of these factors on its performance and growth, ensuring further progress and success. 2. Critical Review of Culture and Leadership at Whole Foods Market Organisational cultural can be defined as the behaviours and values contributing to the psychological and social environment within an organisation. It may include experiences, expectations, values and philosophies that hold the organisation together; these may be expressed in the organisations inner workings, self-image, future expectations and the interactions it makes with the outside world. In other words, organisational culture is observable and consistent behavioural pattern within an organisation i.e. something that we repeatedly do. It can be said to be based on shared customs, beliefs, written unwritten rules, attitudes etc. that may have been developed over a particular period of time and consequently are considered valid by the organisation. Organisational culture or also known as corporate culture becomes evident and is revealed in the ways the organisation treats its customers, employees the community and when it conducts business. Similarly, the culture of an organisational becomes apparent when discussing the extent of freedom that is given to employees when developing new ideas, in decision making or personal expression. Additionally, the commitment employees show towards the organisations objectives and the hierarchy of information flow power within the organisation, speak a lot about the organisations culture (Kunreuther, 2009). In other words, culture can be regarded as the sum total of rituals and values within an organisation that serves the purpose of integrating its members; it is simply a shared view of what is why is. When discussing Whole Foods Market, there are two key components of the organisation that stand out; the first component is that this organisation has carefully designed systems of practices and programs that allow the organisation to sustain their unique culture across all its stores. For instance, the hiring process is participative in nature i.e. all team members are provided with an opportunity to participate at all levels in the selection process of all immediate members along with senior executives. Furthermore, the organisation arranges for events like vision days, future search, and tribal gatherings, that allow stakeholders and team members to bond, realign with each others values culture and simply co-create an integrated vision (Our core values, 2011). Also, for new and current team members, a two day orientation session is arranged where they are given an opportunity to bond and build relationships, are provided with intensive sessions regarding the core values of Whole Foods Market along with informational sessions on the organisations culture. Team building sessions are also an essential component of their orientation program. The second key component of the organisation that standards out is that the organisation is driven by philosophies i.e. all the activities and practices taking place within the organisation are driven by several organisational philosophies, where two of them are based on the concept of shared fate and higher purpose. Their concept of shared fate simply is based on the idea of succeeding together and failing together. For this reason, the organisation ensures participation of members at all levels in the goal-planning and decision making process. All members of the organisation are give and equal participation when deciding on major actions such as strategic initiatives or staffing (Our core values, 2011). Furthermore, the concept of higher purpose is based on the idea that their business must serve a higher purpose that that of making profit. At Whole Foods Market, they encourage improvement of health and well-being by providing their customers with better nutrition and supreme quali ty food products. From what is known, all the members of the organisation are connected to the higher purpose and this purpose remains their priority throughout. Hence, the well-crafted and defined policies and practices at Whole Foods Market not only allow their team members to efficiently work towards their co-created visions along with their goals objectives but also has resulted in team members in interested in wanting to achieve them; thus, resulting in a rich organisational culture that is consistent across all their stores in the country. However, it is essential to understand that in order to maintain such a culture within the organisation, the organisation requires to be guided under effective and supreme leadership. Affective leadership development within an organisation is of utmost importance since it indirectly affects various other components within the organisation such as the organisational culture (Daft, 2008). Leadership development refers to any activity that is carried out within the organisation that allows for enhancement of leadership quality. In the organisational world, organisational success and leadership are intertwined with each other, to a great extent. Considering the traditional point of view regarding leadership, leadership comprises of superiors exercising its authority over subordinates who in turn exercise their own authority over those working for them. However, with the evolving technological, organisational and cultural changes, the definition and requirements of leadership has changed (Our core values, 2011). Due to the workforces changing nature, increased dependency on technology and development of distributed work systems, there is demand of change in how leaders are required to interact with their organisations members; this has given rise to a distributed view of leadership in general. The co-founder of Whole Foods Market, John Mackey, is known for his liberal leadership qualities that allow him to strengthen and challenge his organisation by providing them with a modern vision (Mackey, 2011). Often, Mackey is criticized for his approach to carrying out business; his approach of leadership comprises of both values and servant leadership. He believes that over control is the central and major cause of detriment and stress and restricts productivity, thus, encouraging his to take up a route that is completely different to that of the traditional route. Hence, at Whole Foods Market, servant leadership direction is encourage and managed among the employees. This leadership simply identifies a servant leaders responsibility to first consider the needs of others and then create conditions for them that allow them to become leaders themselves. Under such leadership, team members are authorized to themselves in the values of the organisation. Furthermore, as mentioned abov e, value leadership is also a type that is greatly emphasized at Whole Foods Market; this leadership is similar to servant leadership since it also uses a normative approach (Our core values, 2011). The key elements of this leadership are identified to be inspiration, service, trust, vision, intuition, empowerment and continous learning. Whether it is servant or values leadership, Whole Food Markets believe in forming relationship patterns that do not rely on values influenced by external control but on those that provide the organisation with personal and social meaning to collectively get the work done, collaboratively make decisions, facilitate planning sharing and promote mutual responsibility. 3. Critical Review of Strategic Options In order to think strategically, the committee of management that is involved requires them to analyse the organisations external and internal environment along with becoming responsive to a change. Sometimes, the challenges that the management will be presented with will be rather difficult to deal with, causing them to making sever decisions regarding the activities being conducted or taking place (Kunreuther, 2009). In such circumstances, it becomes essential for the management committee to have a look at the strategic options available to them that would want to take up so as to successfully overcome the situation. The following are some of the strategic options that Whole Foods Market may be open to: Strategic Option Detail Maintaining Simply refers to the act of continuing with the services that they are providing their customers and employees with along with the activities that they are conducting. Retrench Refers to the reduction or closing of any current services or activities. They may deny working in particular geographical areas. Quantitative Expansion Refers to the possibility of increasing the number of employees or clients. They may also consider increasing the extent of provision. Switch Strategy Simply refers to the switch their services from one client to a completely unrelated group of clients. They may consider changing their client service conditions or their type of service or their geographical location. Collaborate The organisation may want to develop closer of more partnerships with either existing or new clients or agencies. The increase in such collaborative measures will allow the organisation to affectively improve the success rate of their business. New related strategy Refers to the created of new strategies by the committee that may be related to the client, or the service being provided or the geographical location of their organisation etc. Reduce costs They may want to consider reduction in the costs of a service being provided or an activity being conducted or the costs for a particular geographical location. By reducing their costs, they will allow the organisation to consider spending in additional activities or services, which in turn will allow the organisation to improve the success rate of its business. Experiment They organisation may consider experimenting with a new group of clients or a new kind of service or relocating themselves to a new geographical location. Expand Boundary Again, the organisation may want to expand their boundaries regarding a service being provided, activities being conducted, new client group and their geographical location. Piggyback Simply refers to the act of developing services that are free-earning in nature so as to subsidise other activities; these may include cross subsidy of activities being conducted. Improve quality One strategic option would be to improve the quality of the services and activities they provide their clients or customers with. This may also be in the form of changing their geographical location so as to reach out to a wider range of communities. Unrelated expansion The organisation may want to consider expanding their services and activities to unrelated organisations, clients, customers etc. They may even provide them with unrelated services in an unrelated area. It is important to understand that when in need of a change, the pros and cons of the each option being considered, should be given utmost attention while keeping in mind the mission and vision of the organisation during consideration. The management of Whole Foods Market will be required to carefully think through the process they will take up in order to mange this change process. One should understand that any strategic business option should be designed for the purpose of achieving and bringing success to the organisation rather than failure (Shriberg, 2005). For this reason, it is highly crucial for the Whole Foods Markets management committee to capitalize the stronger capabilities of the organisation and exploit the greatest opportunities that are available to them along with reducing any forms of ricks that may be associated with environmental threats towards the organisation or may become a weakness for them. As mentioned previously, the primary requirement of a strategic business option should be to develop strategy that covers two major dimensions that are achieving success and avoiding any type of failure especially in situations when things may go wrong. Thus, the strategy taken up by the organisation may provide the organisation with a good chance of achieving along with exceeding it. However, at the same time, it should not expose the Whole Foods Markets organisation to any risks that may bring down its performance. For this reason, the strategy adapted by the organisation must fully utilize the organisations most impressive strengths along with correcting or neutralizing all its major weaknesses. Additionally, the Whole Foods Market must work on either reducing or completely eliminating the impact of all the threats on the organisation. This can be achieved by exploiting any extremely rated opportunity coming their way (Wegmans Food Market, 2007). Also, the adopted strategy must be strictly relevant and practical to the situation of the organisation along with being imaginative; imaginative in the sense of engaging the team members of staff while implementing the strategy. Their organisation may want to focus on standing out in the food industry, avoiding becoming an imitation of what other organisations may already be doing or plan to do. Consequently, this will strengthen the organisations competitive position within the industry or enterprise. In fact, they have already achieved this since it has successfully managed to differentiate itself from other competitors by primarily focusing on organic good products. Conclusion Strategic management refers to the process of formulating and implementing objectives and initiatives by an organisations management system, by considering all available resources along with assessing both the internal and external environments that the organisation competes in. Strategic management can be said to be the way in which objectives are simply set and attained so as to identify what direction the organisation is heading in. It simply deals with the process of creation and implementation of decisions affecting the organisations future. Strategic management is all about identifying and describing strategies that managers make use of so as to achieve improved performance and any form of competitive advantage. Strategic management provides employees within an organisation with a broader perspective for them to understand the importance of their own jobs and how it fits into the organisational plan along with its relation to other members of the organisation. It can be regarde d as the art of management of employees that results in maximization of achievement of any form of business goals and objectives. Whole Foods Market is considered the largest chain of organic and natural foods in the United States that has competitors with several strategic plans and groups including natural/organic retailers of food, mass merchandisers, traditional grocers etc. Whole Foods Market holds a firm competitive position in this industry along with brand superiority that provides its customers with a premium experience of shopping. It has successfully managed to differentiate itself from other competitors by primarily focusing on organic good products. Whole Foods Market has a competitive advantage over other organisations since it happens to be the first largest mover within the organic retail industry. Organisational environment refers to the environment that is directly responsible for achievements of the organisations goals and objectives. It is imperative for an organisation to thoroughly examine the components of its internal and external environment. In context of Whole Foods Market, the environmental factors with utmost importance and relevance to the organisations business are regulatory factors, market size, supplier channels, demographic trends, technological developments, social considerations along with consumer habits. In other words, culture can be regarded as the sum total of rituals and values within an organisation that serves the purpose of integrating its members; it is simply a shared view of what is why is. Furthermore, organisational culture or also known as corporate culture becomes evident and is revealed in the ways the organisation treats its customers, employees the community and when it conducts business (Kunreuther, 2009).. The well-crafted and defined policies and practices at Whole Foods Market not only allow their team members to efficiently work towards their co-created visions along with their goals objectives but also has resulted in team members in interested in wanting to achieve them; thus, resulting in a rich organisational culture that is consistent across all their stores in the country. Additionally, at Whole Foods Market, servant and value leadership direction is encourage and managed among the employees. Whole Food Markets believe in forming relationship patterns that do not rely on values influenced by external control but on those that provide the organisation with personal and social meaning to collectively get the work done, collaboratively make decisions, facilitate planning sharing and promote mutual responsibility (Fairholm, 2011). Similarly, in order to think strategically, the committee of management that is involved requires them to analyse the organisations external and internal environment along with becoming responsive to a change. Often, it becomes essential for the management committee to have a look at the strategic options available to them that would want to take up so as to successfully overcome the situation. References 1. Bliss, W. G. (2011, 06). The Advisor: Cost of Employee Turnover, BLR publications2. Business and Legal Reports, Inc. (2007). Best Practices in Recruitment and Retention. 'Employee's first, Customers second': Wegmans' Work, ICMR IBS center for Managment Research. 3. Daft, L., Richard Lane G., Patricia., (2008). The personal side of leadership/ Wendy Steinberg Whole Foods Market. The leadership experience. Mason, Ohio: Thompson Higher Education. 4. Fairholm, G. W. (2011). Real Leadership, How Spiritual Values Give Leadership Meaning, Praeger.5. Hinkin, T. R., B. J. (2010). What makes it so Great? An analysis of Human Resources Practices among Fortunes Best Compnies to work for, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly6. Kunreuther, F., Kim, H. . (2009). Working Across Generations, San Francisco, CA. 7. Mackey, J. (2011, January-February). Co-founder and CEO, (H. B. Review, Interviewer).8. Our core values. Whole foods Market Retrieved March 28 2011, from https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/comp any/corevalues.php9. Shriberg, A., Shriberg, D., Kumari, R. (2005). Practicing leadership, Principles and Applications, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. 10.Wegmans Food Markets Inc. (2007). Employee's first, Customers second, Wegmans' Work. Rochester: ICMR IBS center for Managment Research.

Auto Reck Essays - Emergency Medical Services, Guggenheim Fellows

Auto Reck Auto Wreck By Karl Shapiro In today's congested society, automobile accidents are an often sight that most people don't even blink an eye at. During the time of World War II, I am almost positive that even the slightest accident would turn heads considering the level of technological advancement in the automotive and medical fields were nowhere near where they are today. In his poem Auto Wreck, Shapiro has taken a personal experience from some point in his own life, and has described it for us. This poem is very highly organized into sections by what is going on in the accident scene. The first stanza of this poem is very descriptive of an ambulance coming to the rescue of crash victims, just as an angel is said to come for the recently deceased. The soft silver bell beating could be related to either the ambulance or the angel, however we do not usually think of an ambulance as being soft. The silver bells remind me of the Christmas carol, Silver Bells, which speaks of angels in its text. Shapiro however only mentions the bells, as in the angels, once. Shapiro is extremely good at creating images in are heads with lines like, The ambulance at top speed floating down past beacons and illuminated clocks, which I see as the ambulance speeding through a lit up commercial area with glowing signs and billboards, and other such things found on the side of a busy road. Once the ambulance reaches the scene of the accident, the doors leap open releasing a light of hope upon the mangled. These victims, like in the movies are quickly placed on the stretchers and put in the b ack of the ambulance. Shapiro calls the ambulance a little hospital trying to show their importance in aiding the wounded. Lifting the silence, tolls the bell as the ambulance with its terrible cargo rocking, moves away, as the doors, an afterthought, are closed. This line is not only showing how quick the medics are working, but also their level of concentration and order of priorities. Because of their movement in the back of the ambulance they do not even think to close the doors until the little hospital is already moving. As the Ambulance moves away from the scene with the severely injured, the uninjured or minimally injured people walk among the cops, Shapiro states, describing every action that the police are taking. One police officer is making notes, one is cleaning blood, and one is hanging lights on the wrecked sheet metal that was once a recognizable automobile. Shapiro refers to the mangled cars as empty husks of locust, to iron poles, which as you know, locust leave a perfect shell of their body whey they die, which can crumble into many pieces. As there are at many accident sites, bystanders are looking onto this gruesome scene. They cannot believe what they are seeing and yet, cannot seem to leave. In this third stanza, as the traffic slowly moves around this accident, I can picture every head turning to gawk at the scene in awe of its sick beauty, just as people do today. As every one looks on, their greatest fear is if it ever happened to me? We all think that, no matter what the case may be. Shapiro has recognized certain reaction patterns of society with this poem and jumbled them all together and put them on paper, along with the most common societal horror, an auto wreck. Shapiro questions death, as to who dies next and for what reason. He looks for a type of meaning for death; stating War is done by the hands, which I think, involves a level of intent. Suicide he says has cause, and still birth is logical because a stillborn baby would have had a terrible life of disease or disfiguration. Jumping back to the car accident, Shapiro implies fate or just a freak accident. He spends the last stanza looking for some sort of resolution to his curiosity about death, but does not succeed. He creates a magnificent type of imagery, which played in my mind like a famous movie. He also used a level of symbolism uncommon to myself,

How revolutionary was the American war Essay Essay Example

How revolutionary was the American war Essay Essay Example How revolutionary was the American war Essay Essay How revolutionary was the American war Essay Essay Essay Topic: Revolutionary Road The American war of independency was besides known as the American revolutionary war. This war was fought between the American settlements and England. The war itself started with the conflict of Lexington and Concord. It started when some soldiers of the British ground forces arrived in Lexington. Massachusetts. Over at that place. they fired at the colonial reserves which it was a group of husbandmans. male childs every bit good as old work forces. Then on the undermentioned twenty-four hours they headed to Concord and over at that place they killed some Americans. Therefore. this was the first battle of conflict of the radical war. The broader sense of the revolution began when parliament started to enforce Torahs and ordinances to the settlements. For case. After the Gallic and Indian war was over. Britain turned its attending to the settlements. They restricted the settlements to merchandise with other states. Therefore trough the pilotage act the settlements were allowed to merchandise merely with England. So goods such as sugar. baccy. and cotton that were produced in the settlements could merely be exported to British ports. Indeed. these regulations and ordinances ended up curtailing the colonist’s life and freedom Other Torahs that they impose on the settlements included revenue enhancements. Since the Gallic and Indian war had put England in a batch of debt. they decided to raise the revenue enhancements. Then In 1764. England passed the Sugar Act. which was used to raise money from the settlements. Furthermore. â€Å"The Stamp Act passed by England in 1765. located revenue enhancements on mundane points such as newspapers. legal paperss. and even playing cards† ( Divine 135 ) . Furthermore. England did non even see the ideas of the Americans when they tried to hold soldiers enforce British revenue enhancements and Acts of the Apostless. The settlers felt that they were treated below the belt so they called for a meeting to protest the revenue enhancement. So. representatives from nine out of the 13 settlements came to this meeting. â€Å"The settlers drafted requests to parliament that declared no revenue enhancements should be imposed on them. but with their ain consent. given perso nally. or by their representatives† ( Divine 136 ) . Besides. they felt that the cast act was improper because Americans were non represented in parliament. But still. the British went behind their ain jurisprudence which is â€Å"no revenue enhancement without representation† ( Divine 132 ) and still taxed the settlements anyhow. In return. the settlers imposed a voluntary boycott of British goods until parliament repealed the cast act. So. it was obvious so. that the British were non handling the Americans every bit like their ain citizens in England. So I think that it was these inequalities that besides lead to the determination to declare independency from the British regulation. In add-on. the â€Å"Townshend Acts came and it besides taxed glass. paper. tea and lead. † ( Divine 140 ) Therefore. the settlements refused to pay. In fact. it didn’t seem logical so that the settlements were regulated and revenue enhancement by a authorities from so far off. Finally. the Americans realized that the lone manner for them to retain their rights was to hold political freedom from England. So they wanted independency from England. But unluckily. the British strongly opposed allowing the Americans be free. Therefore. it created many struggles between the Americans and the British particularly the soldi ers. Indeed. all of these struggles led to the radical war. Finally. when America decided to declare its independency and travel to war. it was a mark of extremist action. Britain’s ground forces was bigger and consisted of good trained and experient soldiers. Americans. on the other manus. had soldiers who were ill trained and equipped. But that didn’t halt them. They were determined to travel to war anyhow in order to alter the regulation of the state. As a consequence they were able to interrupt away from British regulation. Therefore the radical war had a greater impact on the settlements and involved more than their independency. A new position of authorities was created that the universe had non seen earlier. Democracy for the first clip was implemented in a authorities and its authorization was based on single rights instead than from a male monarch or church. Furthermore. the revolution changed the American society in some ways. For case. after the war the American people denounced such English rubrics like esquire from the names of affluent people. They besides lower the sum of land that they needed in order to vote. Even though the American Revolution brought some alteration. other things were still the same. For case. the distribution of wealth in America was still uneven Thus. â€Å"the sudden accretion of big lucks by new households made other Americans sensitive to blue display† ( Divine 163 ) Furthermore. adult females were non let to vote and it took a long clip for some slaves to be free or to be treated as peers. Thus the revolution did non convey about a large alteration of American society. at least non in the short term. But. â€Å"republicans such as Samuel Adams and Thomas Jefferson raised issues of huge significance for the ulterior history of the United States. They felt that equality was indispensable. â€Å"Even though they failed to get rid of bondage. institute cosmopolitan manhood right to vote. or use equality to adult females. they articulated a set of premises about people’s rights and autonomies that challenge future coevalss of Americans. † ( Divine 168 ) Mention: America yesteryear and present. volume I. Divine Breen and Fredrickson Williams. right of first publication 2002 hypertext transfer protocol: //encyclopedia. thefreedictionary. com/American % 20Revolution hypertext transfer protocol: //www. kusd. edu/schools/lance/platinum/banaszynski/revolution/patriot_links_2003/taxes_taxes_taxes. hypertext markup language

Managing for the future Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

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SERVQUAL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

SERVQUAL - Essay Example ortance of customer satisfaction due to the globalize competition which has increased the strategic necessity of customer satisfaction along with quality and loyalty eventually. This helps greatly in achieving better customers and people who would further promote the business. By adopting quantitative method to research study, the researcher aims to identify the gap between customers’ expectations and customers’ perceptions towards Al-Khalij Bank’s services. The selected sample consists of 15 respondents. The results reflects that the customers are somewhat satisfied with the services they receive at Al-Khalij Bank. The basic aim of management of any business is to ensure that their customers are satisfied from the products and services they purchase. Businesses formulate strategies that can achieve customers’ loyalty to the brand and its products upon attaining customers’ satisfaction. Businesses focus on influencing consumer behavior through effective marketing and quality products and services, which help them to meet customers’ expectations. It was not long time ago that customers’ satisfaction was not considered as an important factor to have an impact on the organization’s performance. Strategists and business managers failed to understand the fact that greater customer satisfaction would eventually lead to greater profitability (Olorunniwo, Hsu and Udo). Moreover, the absence of quality competition within industries also deprived businesses to achieve customer satisfaction. This was mainly because customers had few alternatives to fulfill their demand f or a product or service. However, in present times, the scenario has quite changed as there is a defined importance of customer satisfaction due to the globalize competition, which has increased the strategic necessity of customer satisfaction along with quality and loyalty eventually. This helps greatly in achieving better customers and people who would promote the business further

Work life Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Work life - Research Paper Example On the other hand, an organization is capable of attracting and retaining new employees due to this attractive policy. According to Harris (2007, p.33), many organizations are interested in retaining productive employees; therefore, they offer various programs that allow them balance between their work life and their families. In addition, such organizations feel that work life initiatives foster employees’ commitment thus enhancing productivity. However, the challenge with the work life programs such as flextime is ensuring that employees use their freedom responsibly. Therefore, supervision and training programs are necessary in ensuring flextime is well managed. Harris (2007, p.34) insists on the importance of work-life initiatives both on the employees and on company, however, he opposes on strict supervision that companies apply on the employees under such programs. He emphasizes on applying listening skills while dealing with employees, and giving them control over their flextime; this strategy improves the employees’ accountability. Nevertheless, for work-life initiatives to be effective, they should work for both the employers and the employees. Harris adds that flexibility amounts to accountability, especially in modern organizations, while flextime programs enhance loyalty in employees, as well as job satisfaction. IBM is one such company that has introduced the flextime program; the company attests to the effectiveness of flextime as one of the reasons why it manages to retain its employees (Harris, 2007, p.36). Flextime is most valued by working women, since they are the homemakers and engage in numerous domestic responsibilities; therefore, retaining such women can be difficult unless favorable programs such as flextime are available. Some types of flextime programs may include telecommuting, which allows employees to work from some hours at home using a

Health promotion within the midwifery profession

Health promotion within the midwifery profession This essay will focus on smoking and diet in relation to health promotion within the midwifery profession. Smoking and diet are two main areas of health promotion, which are addressed within the role of the midwife. Smoking and types of diet are both choices which women choose to make, both of which can affect their own health and the health of their child. Smoking is known to have negative effects on pregnancy. There have been many recent public health campaigns which encourage smoking cessation; the reasons for this will be discussed in relation to maternal and fetal heatlh. Diet is an extensive topic and an unhealthy diet can affect pregnancy in various ways. The subtopics of vitamin deficiencies and obesity will be discussed as they are both relevant to todays population of women within the UK. It is a midwives role to promote a healthy diet and lifestyle; as set out by The Royal College of Midwives, and the Nursing and Midwifery council, whom provide rules, regulations and standards which midwives must adhere to when practicing. Evidence based guidelines are also set out by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to improve the way in which midwives practice. Both rules and guidelines aim to provide training which enable midwives to promote a healthy diet and lifestyle to optimise the health of the woman and her developing fetus prior to and during pregnancy. Being healthy means different things to different people. There are many different definitions of health. The medical model, now common in the 20th century, defines health as being the absence of illness and presence of a good bodily function. However, this definition does not take into account social or mental factors and focuses on treatment rather than prevention which may be considered as reductionist and negative (Scriven 2010). Whereas a holistic definition, by The World Health Organisation (1948), states that health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Even though the holistic model may be praised for acknowledging that mental and social factors effect health, WHOs definition has been heavily criticised for being too idealistic and would consider many people unhealthy (Scriven 2010). In relation to midwifery it is important to promote health, as a healthy diet and lifestyle prior to and during pregnan cy improves the chances of a successful pregnancy. It is a midwives role to promote health and wellbeing of women and their babies (NMC, 2008). Health promotion, as described by Scriven (2010), is said to be improving, advancing, supporting, encouraging and placing health higher on personal and public agendas. Midwives use health promotion models and approaches to enable a common value to be made clear; allowing all team members to work towards the same goal. As a result, effective communication between midwives is more likely, and therefore the quality of health promotion given to women is improved (Bowden 2006). Commonly, Tannahills model of health promotion, developed by Downie et al (1996), lends itself well to midwifery practice. The model mainly focuses on health education, health protection and preventing ill-health. These three main topics overlap; in which health promoting activities may fall. Child vaccination programmes implemented by the NHS is an example of health protection overlapping with ill-health prevention that oc curs in practice (Bowden 2006).This example emphasises the positive feature of the model; being able to carry out both objectives of improving health and preventing disease (Sykes 2007). The educational approach is often used within this model whereby the midwife gives facts and information to the women who may then choose to act on the information given, or not (Bowden 2006). Similarly, the behaviour change approach is commonly used in midwifery when encouraging women to change her attitudes or beliefs to adopt a healthier lifestyle (Bowden 2006). There are many health promotions approaches and models. However, no specific model is relevant to every woman. Each woman will have individual needs and therefore requires an individual assessment in relation to health promotion. Recently smoking has been the centre of health promotion. It is generally accepted that smoking in pregnancy has detrimental effects on fetal growth. Conter et al (1995) found that women who smoked cigarettes during pregnancy were more likely to have a baby with a lower birth weight than babies born to women who did not smoke during pregnancy. Carbon monoxide, inhaled in cigarette smoke, combines more readily with haemoglobin than oxygen (Sherwood, 2006). As a result, the maternal blood supplies less oxygen to the fetus for growth and development; often resulting in low-birth-weight babies. Lumley et al (2009) undertook a systematic review and concluded that methods which encourage women to quit smoking while pregnant reduce the amount of women who continue to smoke in late pregnancy, as well as reducing low birth weights and pre-term birth. However, some women may argue that it is desirable to have a smaller baby as they assume labour will be shorter and less painful, and therefore will not stop smoking. The midwife must explain that this is untrue and there are serious health implications to herself and her child. It is well-known that babies born with a low-birth weight are more likely to die in their first year of life, or require special educational needs during childhood (RCM 2003). Maternal smoking is thought to increase the risk of miscarriage. Abnormal placentation is a cause of spontaneous abortion of which is linked to increased blood pressure; an adverse effect of smoking (Stables and Rankin, 2010). However, research findings are inconclusive. Similarly, maternal smoking is known to increase the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Blair et al (1996) found that the risk of sudden infant death rose with maternal smoking. Postnatal infant exposure to tobacco smoke was also seen to increase the likelihood of SIDS. It can therefore be concluded that antenatal care that encourages smoking cessation during pregnancy and reduces exposure to tobacco smoke in the postnatal environment may help to reduce stillbirths and infant deaths. However, the link between smoking and SIDS is not directional as the causes of SIDS are not yet known. Considering the possible consequences of smoking in pregnancy, it is important that midwives offer help and support to women and their families to encourage smoking cessation. NICE (2010) has recommended that midwives should breath test pregnant women for carbon monoxide levels at booking and antenatal appointments. However, this method may be unreliable as carbon monoxide levels fall quickly in expired breath, and therefore is likely to fail to observe carbon monoxide levels associated with low-levels of smoking. Furthermore, such a test may be considered invasive as some women may not want to disclose their smoking status or. Many women may also feel discouraged to attend antenatal appointments in fear of being judged by the midwife if they have not, or do not want to quit smoking. This may prevent midwives from promoting health if they do not get to speak to, support and educate the women during their antenatal visits. Alternatively, all smoking pregnant women should be given guidance and referred to NHS Stop Smoking Services (NICE 2010). Such services are designed to provide evidence-based non-judgemental support to people who want to stop smoking. It is the responsibility of the midwife to refer women to another practitioner if their health or wellbeing would benefit from doing so (NMC 2008). This may include referral to an especially trained midwife to support pregnant women in stopping smoking. This may enable women to see the same midwife regularly, enabling a midwife-woman relationship to be formed. Therefore women may feel a greater level of support provided by the midwife; increasing the likelihood of smoking cessation. Yet a shortage of midwives may prevent this and instead become a barrier to the further improvement of effective health promotion and smoking cessation services. Successful smoking cessation not only involves educating pregnant women, but their families too. Ashford et al (2009) suggested that it is significantly important that a womans partner and family are well educated by health professionals about the effects of second hand smoke to maintain a smoke-free home to prevent postpartum relapse rates. It is the responsibility of the midwife to ensure that the pregnant woman and her family are aware of the psychological and physical effects of passive smoking. In response to this, a midwife may offer information to women and her family regarding nicotine replacement therapy to encourage cessation. Smoking cessation advice given with the provision of nicotine replacement therapy is a typical intervention in relation to the prevention health education domain of the Tannahill model (Sykes 2007). For most smokers motivation to stop smoking is key. Yet for many women and their partners the presence or planning of a pregnancy is sufficient motivation (Heggie 2006). However, in practice, the midwife may not only provide information about the health benefits of smoking cessation, but the social and financial too. Financial savings can be large and seen quickly, a possible appealing factor to stopping smoking. Socially, women may be able re-build relationships with non-smoking friends; a good source of support to prevent smoking relapse (Heggie 2006). Considering time constraints which often cause a barrier to effective health promotion by the midwife, discussions related to smoking may be brief or an information overload. The midwife may use visual aids such as leaflets, pictures and tables may improve the likelihood that the information is understood, hopefully improving the likelihood that the woman would choose to quit smoking. When encouraging women to quit smoking, the midwi fe commonly uses educational and behaviour-change models, to inform and encourage women to improve their lifestyle for the benefit of her own and the health of her baby. It is equally important that midwives provide pregnant women with information on diet and nutrition as well as smoking in relation to promoting health. It is essential that a pregnant woman has a good nutritional intake, prior to conception and during pregnancy as the developing fetus requires basic nutritional substances for the development of vital structures and systems (Stables and Rankin, 2010). It is generally advised that pregnant women should consume a balanced diet, rich in fruit, vegetables, dairy and starchy carbohydrates. A poor nutritional intake can lead to deficiencies which can cause fetal deformities. An example of this is folic acid; a vitamin essential for the development of DNA and the nervous system. A deficiency of folic acid in early pregnancy can lead to neural tube defects such as spina bifida. During the first 4 weeks of pregnancy, the neural tube is developing, which is often before a woman realises she is pregnant. It would then be recommended to take folic acid as soon as possible, up until 12 weeks of pregnancy, as well as eating a range of foods rich in folic acid such as leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and fortified cereals (Hunter et al, 2003). Similarly, vitamin D is also important during pregnancy. Women who are not regularly exposed to sunlight or do not eat fish nor dairy, may have a deficiency in vitamin D. Vitamin D assists with the absorption of calcium, essential for the formation of the developing bones and teeth of the fetus (Hunter et al, 2003). However, a randomised control trial conducted by Abdel-Aleem et al (2009) concluded that there are no noticeable effects on fetal or infant growth born to women who received calcium supplementation during pregnancy. Yet, it is difficult to generalise these findings to western cultures as participants were from eastern cultures such as India, South Africa and Vietnam. In contrast, women who over-eat are also at risk during pregnancy. Obesity is becoming an increasing problem for women within the UK. The NHS UK obesity statistics (2010) state that in 2008 25% of women aged 16 and aver were classed as obese. Pregnant women with a Body Mass Index of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤30 kg/m2 at the first antenatal consultation are considered obese (CMACE RCOG, 2010). In obesity, fatty deposits to build up within the arteries, causing blockages. This can cause hypertension, of which can increase the chances of preeclampsia; a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. OBrien et al (2003) found that the risk of preeclampsia doubled in women with a greater pre-pregnancy body mass index. In response to many findings suggesting that obesity has adverse effects on pregnancy, it may be concluded that pre-pregnancy healthy eating advice and weight loss programmes may be beneficial. Due to the extensive effects that diet can have on pregnancy, it is important that the midwife addresses the importance of a healthy diet to women in her care. It is essential that midwives consider a womans lifestyle in relation to her diet. Many women may have a busy lifestyle where they are unable to regularly exercise and prepare meals with fresh ingredients; possibly a contributing factor of obesity. The Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries and The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (2010) released guidelines in relation to the management of women with obesity in pregnancy. This allows specific guidelines for midwives to follow to provide extra support for women with obesity. Even though the guidelines focus on pregnant women with a body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2, the recommendations can be adapted for women whose body mass index is just below this obesity threshold if considered beneficial. The midwife should spend time during the booking interview to explaining the importance of specific nutrients in relation to her own and her babys health. NICE (2008) suggests that all pregnant women should be advised of the importance of folic acid supplementation prior to and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. All women should also be informed about where to get folic acid, which foods contain folic acid, and the recommended daily dose of 400 micrograms per day to prevent less-educated women from not accessing the supplement. Supplementation of pre-pregnancy folic acid is an example of the prevention of ill-health and disease domain of the Tannahils model that occurs in practice (Bowden 2006). Also, it is important a midwife explains which foods should be avoided and why. However, women may choose not to eat nutrient-rich foods because they do not like them. In response, a midwife should provide information on practice alternatives and changes to encourage a healthier diet. Again, this is an example of the behaviour-change and educational models in practice. However, some suggestions may be costly, for example, increasing fruit and vegetable intake or extra nutritional supplements. Hence the midwife should have an up-to-date knowledge of financial benefits that pregnant women can claim, to prevent less economically advantaged women in from being disadvantaged. Again, time restraints may be a barrier to providing health related information to enable women to make informed choices about their diet. Therefore the midwives communication must be effective to ensure that women understand the information. It is part of a midwives role to communicate effectively (NMC 2008). More than one form of communication is more effective in increasing understanding, than only using one (Kerr et al, 2005). In practice, the midwife may therefore discuss a nutritional need then provide leaflets and web addresses with references so women can access further information to enable their informed choice. In addition, during booking, the midwife provides a free copy of the pregnancy book to every woman. The book aims to provide extra information and support for expectant mums and partners, Different aspects of pregnancy are explained to optimise the health and wellbeing of the mother and baby. NICE (2008) states that all pregnant women should receive information regarding the importance of their own and their babys health during the booking interview and antenatal appointments. Often this includes discussing the womans smoking status, diet and the environment which effects this. This includes assessing a women and her baby, providing up to date and accurate information in relation to their health, and if necessary referral to other health related services. The midwife is responsible for updating her own knowledge and skills to ensure that women receive the most up to date care and information. When delivering effective care, the midwife must ensure that she treats each woman as an individual, with respect, dignity, and kindness to enable women to trust her midwife with her health and wellbeing (NMC 2008). In conclusion, the midwife has a vital role in promoting health in relation to smoking and diet. Smoking and a poor diet during pregnancy can have serious adverse effects on the mother and baby. Often the main point of contact during pregnancy, the midwife provides essential information and support to women and her family with the health of the mother and baby at heart. By adhering to rules, standards and guidelines the midwife can ensure that the care provided is of the highest standard. Midwives understand that each woman is an individual and her needs are assessed on an individual basis, with a non-judgemental, caring nature. It is essential that a midwife fulfils her role in promoting a balanced, healthy diet and lifestyle prior to and during pregnancy to improve the chances of a successful pregnancy outcome. Word count: 2839