Monday, September 30, 2019

Howard Schultz Essay

I. Introduction Starbucks today is widely recognized as the megabrand for coffee, and there clearly are no close competitors that have its international recognition and scope. Starbucks has grown to employ over â€Å"160,000 people and generates about 13.6 billion dollars annually† (Forbes). Much of Starbuck’s success is attributed to a man with a clear vision and drive: Howard Schultz. Howard Schultz’s passion for delivering quality coffee along with a positive cafà © experience has given him the motivational determination to demonstrate exceptional leadership traits. This paper will give a brief overview of the history of Starbucks, and will then investigate the changes that were made after Schultz stepped in. Furthermore, problems that Schultz encountered throughout his time as CEO will also be discussed, along with the key steps he took to bring Starbucks back on to a road of recovery. As a concluding remark, Schultz’s leadership style and abilities w ill be analyzed in terms of effectiveness. II. A Brief History of Starbucks  Looking at the Starbucks company today, it is difficult to imagine that a company that has over twenty thousand locations in sixty-one countries (Starbucks) was once a single small retailer that had only three employees. In 1971, three academics, Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegel, and Gordon Bowker, opened a small store at Pikes Place Market based on their collective love for fine coffee-making. Baldwin, Siegel, and Bowker’s initial goals were to expose Seattle to bring a refined coffee culture that existed in the San Francisco Bay Area. The three looked to Alfred Peet, an expert coffee roaster from Berkeley, CA, who taught them the art of dark-coffee roasting. Baldwin, Seagel, and Bowker took on that knowledge to produce their own roasts and blends that were then distributed in their stores. Ten years later, Howard Schultz, then the vice president and general manager for a Swedish kitchen and housewares, visited Starbucks to see why they were placing such large orders for a particular coffee maker. Schultz was immediately captivated by the aromas and quality of coffee that was offered by the store. He, gained as much insight as possible from Baldwin and Bowker about the entire coffee production process, and later convinced them to join their team. It was not until Schultz took a trip to Italy, when he began to envision a new Starbucks. Schultz visited many espresso bars and was exposed to a new culture of coffee drinking that we wanted to bring to the United States. Upon his return, Schultz did all he could to convince the managers at Starbucks to get a full espresso bar and begin serving lattes and drinks at Starbucks. Due to many disagreements with the managers on the values and culture that Starbucks should have, Schultz mad a decision to leave and start his own cafà ©: Il Giornale. With this venture, Schultz had the executive freedom to create a culture that he passionately envisioned. Schultz’s business plan was widely successful, and within two years, he opened up â€Å"three cafes that generated 1.5 million dollars annually† (McGrawhill). With his success, Schultz acquired Starbucks to gain wider reach and growth. III. New Era for Starbucks and Problems Arising Now as the new CEO of Starbucks, Schultz faced many difficulties and challenges. The biggest problem that Schultz faced was making sure that Starbucks retained its â€Å"soul† in spite of growing into a large corporation. The biggest issues that played into Starbucks maintaining its soul was hiring the right managers and executives on his team, having consistent quality products and in-store experience for all Starbucks stores, and lastly- establishing a positive company culture for both the employees and customers. At the start of his career as the CEO for Starbucks, Schultz was faced with many obstacles to overcome. The first issue he tackled was getting the right people on his team. Lack of a Strong Core Executive Team With nine stores open, Schultz saw that Starbucks lacked professional management skills to control all the processes to grow to his plan of adding â€Å"125 stores in the next five years† [McGrawHill]. He made sure to add â€Å"A players† to his team: roasters and cafà © owners with decades of experience, a president of a profitable beverage company, and a CFO with eighteen years of management consulting experience at Deloitte and Touche. Schultz was able to see the need to recruit strong players with a lot of experience in the coffee and management industry. Early on, Schultz addressed the lack of organization management that was crucial for Starbucks to accelerate forward. Employee Enthusiasm and Commitment Another problem that Schultz faced was the issue of building a strong core of employees throughout the company. Schultz found that as the company grew, it lacked strong dedication from its employees. Starbucks had a high turnover rate, just like many other entry-level service jobs at McDonalds or retail stores. Schultz saw this as a huge problem for not only the money Starbucks lost through losing an employee and having to pay more to hire and train new ones, but also losing team members. Schultz wanted to create an environment for Starbucks employees in which they would want to stay in. Schultz had difficulties convincing Starbuck’s Board of Directors to invest in constant training, higher salaries, and rewards based on merit. He even went far enough for wanting baristas to become invested in building Starbucks into a great company, and thus offered them stock options. The biggest action step he took to really show that he wanted to show that Starbucks had a heart for their employees was fighting for providing health care coverage to all its employees. Schultz’s father recently battled cancer, and he knew that it would not only add tremendous value to the lives of Starbucks’ employees, but also allow them to have an incentive to stay. Through a particular story about the impact that Starbucks was having on its employees lives, I learned that Schultz had high emotional intelligence and the ability to put himself in others’ shoes. Schultz recalled, â€Å"I had known Jim was gay but had no idea he was sick. His disease had entered a new phase, he explained that he wouldn’t be able to work any longer. We sat together and cried, for I could not find meaningful words to console him I could not compose myself. I hugged him†. [McGrawhill] Schultz built his career from the bottom up from nothing, and his ability to demonstrate sympathy to others clearly showed great leadership skills. Having adept emotional skills is incredibly valuable for a leader because it gains the trust and approval of many people. Maintaining Consistent Product Quality and Customer Experience The last problem that will be discussed in this paper is how Schultz ensured product quality and positive store experience throughout all the Starbucks locations. Schultz could not emphasize enough how important it was to maintain the integrity of the coffee bean and the quality of the coffee throughout the stores. In order to do so, he made strict guidelines on preserving the heart of Starbucks’ history: getting good coffee to all customers. Starbucks had the option of chemically flavoring the beans, but Schultz made the executive decision to never add any chemicals to their core products. If customers wanted flavoring in their coffee, the source of additional flavoring could not come from the bean, but rather from a syrup mixed into the coffee. Another example is that he stressed the exact temperature that the milk for lattes needed to be heated to, the amount of time coffee can sit in a pot, and always compensating dissatisfied customers with a free drink. Schultz’s stringent standards on delivering consistent experiences also let him to scrapping a popular breakfast sandwich because it interfered with the coffee aroma in the Starbucks stores. III. Schultz’s Leadership Style Without Schultz trailblazing leadership styles, Starbucks would not have nearly achieved the success that it has today. The passion that Schultz exudes in terms of implementing the true Italian coffee house experience on an international scale has definitely shown through in his time as CEO. Schultz’s leadership style shows a commitment to keeping soul despite the large size of the company. Schultz’s standards for quality have never been compromised, and he continually makes the effort to ensure that his entire company is on board with delivering his goals. Aside from delivering quality to customers, Schultz’s leadership style also emphasizes treating all of his employees with respect and individuality. He guarantees that when working at Starbucks, an employee will be treated with fairness and dignity. Schultz more than anything emphasizes improving quality in terms of any experiences for whoever comes in contact with the St arbucks name. IV. Opinion on Leadership Style and Takeaway Schultz’s strong vision and keen awareness for what the Starbucks brand was very telling when he came back to Starbucks after stepping down. Schultz saw many problems, such as too many stores and below-par customer service. Schultz made a very bold move to close down Starbucks stores for three hours for mandatory training that cost the company millions of dollars. Schultz also closed down many locations. Schultz is very serious when it comes to giving a positive customer experience, and drives his motivation and actions off of that. I believe that Schultz’s ability to isolate and deliver the needs of Starbucks’ customers is his strong point. He has always been convincing Starbucks partners and board of directors to also see his standards for quality and having Starbucks retain its â€Å"soul†. His leadership style has definitely proved to be effective in building Starbucks into the behemoth of a company that it is today. Personally, I hope to be as passionate about delivering something to consumers when I take on a leadership position. To be cognizant of what exactly needs to get done to deliver a quality experience without losing focus is an important trait that can be learned through Howard Schultz’s leadership style.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Tom Coronado

Case Study: Tom Coronado True to form, Tom Coronado – manager of employee relations for Huse Manufacturing Company – pulled into his reserved company parking space early. It was 7:30 Monday morning – usually the most hectic day of week, with more than its share of problems. But the first good news: Friday had been payday. Now the bad news: Monday of every week turned up Friday's payroll errors. With new hires, overtime work, and different wage-rate categories, there always seemed to be mistakes in figuring wages and paychecks. To make matters worse, in recent weeks, these errors had been on the increase.Reason: a new computerized payroll system. Long live progress, Tom thought. He was also thinking, with concern, about a 10 o'clock meeting scheduled with the executive vice-president on this very subject. Tom would have to report on how the new system was working out. Right now, though, he needed to find at least an hour of quiet to get his report together. Fortun ately, his office was quiet, and Tom was able to review a couple of computer printouts. But shortly after 8 o'clock the phone began to ring. His secretary wasn't in yet, so Tom had to take six calls personally in 20 minutes.The first five were about errors in the payroll checks; two calls were from shop supervisors, one was from a worker on the night shift, one from the production superintendent, and one from the local union president. This last one was the most sweat; the union leader's parting shot was, â€Å"When in blazes are you going to straighten out this payroll mess? † The sixth call was from Tom's secretary. She wouldn't be in today. Over the next hour, Tom was able to correct most of the payroll errors – with a little help from his friends.These included payroll clerks, the production superintendent, a junior systems analyst, and one hourly paid worker. By 9:30, Tom thought he was ready to stick his phone in a filing cabinet and sit down with his materials f or a last review before the 10 o'clock meeting. Five minutes later the phone started ringing. It was Ted Brokenshire, president of the Metropolitan Personnel Association. Would Tom be willing to give a talk at the association's next meeting? By the time he hung up the phone, Tom realized he had talked away the rest of his prep time before the meeting.It was 9:57. Quickly, he pulled together his notes and materials and walked into the two corridors to the vice-president's office. The secretary waved him right in to a meeting that lasted two hours. But they were two hours well spent, Tom thought. The problems and the progress of putting in the new payroll system were taken apart, gone over, and put together again. And despite the recent increase in mix-ups, implementation was actually two weeks ahead of schedule. Tom came out of the meeting feeling good and ready to go ahead on the assignment.As he entered his office, it also occurred to him that he had a new more ingredients for that talk he had agreed to give Metro Personnel. Then his eye caught the clock: 12:20. Now for some lunch, he thought. He remembered that he hadn't had breakfast, and how he felt like having a big plate of shrimp lo mein. Then the phone rang. Tom finally left for lunch at 2:30. As he pulled into the parking lot of the Shanghai Dynasty, he recalled that they were closed on Mondays. Source:Lawrence J Gitman and Carl McDaniel, Jr. , Business World, New York: Wiley, 1983, p. 98. Filename:tomcoro. doc

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Japanese Internment During World War 2 Essay

Over the span of nine months 22,000 Japanese Canadians were forced from their homes, stripped of their belongs and denied basic human rights (1). During World War 2, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Canadian government felt people of Japanese origin could be a threat to the Canadian war effort. Because of this, thousands of Japanese Canadian citizen’s were moved to internment camps in British Columbia. The internment of the Japanese Canadians was wrong because it was completely unjustified, most of the people put in the internment camps had a Canadian citizenship, were treated very poorly and there wasn’t any proof that they would do anything negatively effect Canada during the war. No human being should have ever been treated this way. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor Canadian racism towards Japanese citizens intensified. Although the Canadian military didn’t feel that the Japanese were a threat to them, the public believed that the Japanese citizens showed too much sympathy for Japan and were a threat to the country’s security as they could be spies (2). This common belief led to the decision of the Japanese being moved to a â€Å"safety zone† in interior British Columbia. I feel that this was extremely wrong because the Japanese hadn’t done anything to deserve this. Many of the people who were interned had lived in Canada their whole lives and considered themselves to be loyal Canadian citizen. They felt just as afraid and threatened by the war as every other Canadian was. Shortly after the internment began, an RCMP officer wrote a secret letter to a government agent stating, â€Å"We have had no evidence of espionage or sabotage among the Japanese in British Columbia† (1). This helps to prove the Japanese were innocent and should not have been put in internment camps; they clearly hadn’t done anything wrong. After the Japanese were brutally ripped from their homes, humiliated, and had their belongings taken from them they were forced to live in internment camps. They were forced to do hard labor and their knew houses lacked the basic standards of living. This is another reason why what the Canadian government did was so terrible. People were crammed into small houses that may have had a stove (3). There was an enormous amount of people being shipped to the internment camps but there weren’t nearly enough houses, because of this people were forced to live in tents. When families did get to move from a house to a tent I wasn’t an upgrade; the houses were very poorly insulated and unsanitary. At times there were houses with ten families living in them. When the Japanese people left their homes their land was considered the government’s property and the original owners wouldn’t acquire anything when it was sold. The war had caused a large labor shortage for farmers so the Japanese were used to help fix this problem. Men were given the option to work on a farm and be with their families or work on the road as slaves. The Japanese had to live terrible lives because of a poor decisions made by the Canadian government. The Japanese had done nothing wrong, they were being punished for a crime that they did not commit (1). The only defense that Canada had for doing what they did was the Japanese weren’t white and they could potentially be spies. A main reason that the Canadians put the Japanese into internment camps was because of racism. The Japanese were discriminated against for the reason that they were new to the country and took jobs away from other Canadians. The Japanese were willing to work longer hours for less pay then the average Canadian worker, because of this Canadians feared they would lose their jobs to the knew immigrants (2). Canadians also began to blame things on the Japanese that couldn’t possibly be their fault. Things like a poor harvest or a flat tire would be blamed on the Japanese when they couldn’t possibly be at fault. The Canadian Government did what they did based on fear and racism, but not any facts and this I what made it so terrible. The choice the Canadian government made in interning the Japanese was without a doubt a terrible decision. It was so wrong because there weren’t any real reasons to intern the Japanese, they treated the Japanese terribly and Canadians didn’t have any evidence that the Japanese had done anything wrong. The fact that Canadians could do something so terrible to the Japanese or fellow humans in general based on fear is horrifying. Interning the Japanese was completely unnecessary and shouldn’t ever have happened.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Exam model answer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Exam model answer - Essay Example Thus, the current business environment necessitates development of new products that meet the changing requirements of the customers. The market strategy of the business must respond to the system as a whole rather than to one single variable, the product. The emerging new definition of market promotes relationship building with customers and other business partners. British Airways is prime example of relationship marketing. To maintain a competitive advantage, BA has consistently been coming up with different packages for its different customers and has forged alliances with various other business units to improve and improvise its services. It has been evolving new customized services for its different segments and attracting new customers with varying packages that may suit their status, needs and pricing. Thus, while it has special super-class cabins for its rich clients, the common man can also avail the services in economy class. (words: 260) Answer 2 Publics are major constit uents that significantly impact BA’s business strategies.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Marco Polo's Journey to China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marco Polo's Journey to China - Essay Example They were accompanied not only by one hundred wise men but by two Dominican friars, and the two good friars turned back at the first sign of adversity, another local war in the Levant. Aside from the pope’s messages, the only spiritual gift Europe was able to furnish the great Kublai Khan was oil from the lamp burning at Jesus Christ’s supposed tomb in Jerusalem. Yet, in a sense, young Marco, the only new person in the Polos’ party, was himself a fitting representative of the spirit of European civilization on the eve of the Renaissance, and the lack of one hundred learned Europeans guaranteed that he would catch the eye of the Cowan, who was curious about Latins. On the way to the Khan’s court, Marco had the opportunity to complete his education. The journey took three and a half years by horseback through some of the world’s most rugged terrain, including snowy mountain ranges, such as the Pamirs, and parching deserts, such as the Gobi. Marco and his party encountered such hazards as wild beasts and brigands; they also met with beautiful women, in whom young Marco took a special interest. The group traveled numerous countries and cultures, noting food, dress, and religion unique to each. In particular, under the khans’s protection the Polos were able to observe a large portion of the Islamic world at close range, as few if any European Christians had. By the time they reached the khan’s court in Khanbalik, Marco had become a hardened traveler. He had also received a unique education and had been initiated into manhood.

Google's company acquisition and partnership Essay

Google's company acquisition and partnership - Essay Example Google Company has also licensed the platform that has helped limit control over activities that hardware makers do with android. Due to this control, the company has been able to produce androids with unique functions and features that satisfy customer needs (Lee, 2012). Partnership is a legal relationship by which companies formed through signing of an agreement carry on business as co-owners. Samsung and Google signed a ten-year partnership to license each other’s current patients and those filed in the future. As a result, Samsung will now be able to access the patents Google garnered as part of its $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola in the year 2011 (Glasby & Dickinson, 2014). There are various reasons as to why Google is in android takeover. Firstly, it is their growth strategy. Android demand has been increasing and due to this, Google Company will be in a position to develop their business by meeting needs of customers. Therefore, making profits that will enable them expand the business (MCmorris, 2005). Secondly, their acquisition will help them diversify their risks. The addition also helps in meeting customer needs by producing androids with unique features and functions. Android phones have also been on demand to replace iPhones. The replacement of this product would mean increasing sales of androids hence increasing profits. The result will help in the development of the firm and expansion of the company, as well as assist in familiarizing the company products with the consumers. The other primary reason for the acquisition is helping Google advertises their company. Since androids are globally used, adding Google apps may assist the organization to make product promotion feasible. Another crucial reason is the talented engineers in Android Company and their great technology. Google wanted the engineers to help in

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Exxon Mobil Financial Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Exxon Mobil Financial Report - Research Paper Example The scale in which the company operates provides it with the advantage of leveraging its size into projects considered to be too capital intensive by smaller companies. This serves to reduce the amount of competition that the company faces, in a time when more companies have joined the global gas and oil industry and are making in-roads into perennial and emerging markets (ExxonMobil, n.d.). The company is fully integrated, making it able to leverage its activities in gas and oil explorations in periods when the prices of oil are advantageous. Exxon Mobil can also focus on its downstream activities when the prices of oil are low. The ability of this organization to diversify has helped it in many ways, considering the fact that the gas and oil industry is cyclical (Elliot & Elliot. J, 2008).The organization has maintained a constant average rate of growth in revenue of 7.73% from 2003 to 2012. In the year 2012, Exxon Mobil had its revenue at more than $482 billion, with earnings comi ng to $44.9 billion in the same year. The gas and oil company operates at high levels, maintaining the highest standards of safety in the industry. Evidence of this is the low number of accident incidents at the organization. In terms of returns on employed capital, Exxon Mobil is way ahead of its competitors. The company continues to reinvest in its business. Exxon Mobil has a plan to start up 31 major projects between 2012 and 2017, increasing its chances of maintaining its highly profitable status for the future. Â  

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Literary analysis of Moby Dick Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Literary analysis of Moby Dick - Essay Example The rise of Ishmael at the novel's close points to an alternative world, one controlled more by the forces of nature than by humans, one in which the civilized is not fundamentally different from the savage and the animal, one guided not by a linear plan but, to use Darwin's famous phrase, by an "inextricable web of affinities" (Buchholz 50). Indeed, Moby-Dick itself exhibits the principle of natural selection, for it suggests that species like Ahab are not adapted for survival and therefore face extinction while variations like Ishmael are well suited to thrive and flourish. This essay treats Moby-Dick as an allegory signifying the rise of Darwin and the consequent dethroning of man, the victory of evolution over essentialism. The novel constitutes a prophetic parable of what Freud called the second great blow to man's sense of domination (after the astronomy of Copernicus and before Freud's own psychoanalysis): the emergence of the evolutionary theory that "put an end to this presumption on the part of man" by showing that "man is not a being different from the animals or superior to them; he is himself of animal descent, being more closely related to some species and more distantly to others" (cited in Ancona 17). Certainly Ahab instances a tension between both versions of the pre-Darwinian chain: the spatial and the temporal. On the one hand, he yearns for a static scale of nature, in which hierarchically grouped animals and men are utterly fated to be what they are, moving with the regularity of machines. On the other, he wishes for himself to progr ess, to evolve, to the very top of the chain, from which place he will hold the other species below him. From either position, he maintains, violently, the shared assumptions of both pre-Darwinian chains of being: anthropocentrism, hierarchy, design (Ancona 16). Ahab's ship is a pre-Darwinian world in miniature; it is ordered by a chain of being, seemingly static and spatial. Ahab maintains firm control of his ship's hierarchy, reaching from the bottom, the lowly crew, to the savage harpooners, to the third, second, and first mates, to Ahab himself at the top. In the "Knights and Squires" chapters, Melville details a hierarchy of men ordered by degrees of consciousness, the ability for reflection (Ancona 15). Closest to the hyper-reflective Ahab is the first mate Starbuck, pious, speculative, prudent; next is Stubb, the second mate, utterly carefree, with no interest in abstract thought; under him is Flask, the third mate, ignorant, virtually unconscious, utterly indifferent to the mysteries of whaling. Beneath these mates are the harpooners, likewise divided into hierarchy (Buchholz 51). Ahab is well aware of this hierarchy and sees his job as keeping it in place. Indeed, his first words in the novel work to reinforce the hierarchy he heads. After Stubb has hinted to Ahab that he would like him to tread more softly around the deck while others are trying to sleep, Ahab responds by forcefully reminding Stubb of his place: "Down, dog, and kennel" (127). The Captain knows that he is "above the common," having been in colleges and among cannibals (79), that his command ranges from the institutions of civilization to the habitats of the uncivilized. At the same time, he intimates a more temporal chain of

Monday, September 23, 2019

Liesel's overcoming abandonment and loss in Markus Zusak's The Book Essay

Liesel's overcoming abandonment and loss in Markus Zusak's The Book Thief - Essay Example In the beginning of the story Liesel, her mother, and brother are travelling to Molching, Germany on a train. Liesel’s brother dies on route causing the family to stop and bury her younger sibling. Liesel must have felt abandoned by her younger brother. Despite his leaving in death, her brother left her. In order to cope with his death Liesel takes a book dropped by the gravedigger. The Gravedigger’s Handbook was picked up at her brother’s grave. It was a memento of the event. She could not read at the time, but Liesel had something tangible to touch that reminded her of the brother’s death. Liesel’s father had left the family unit before the narrative in the graveyard. She must have felt abandoned by him as well. After her mother left Liesel with foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, Liesel was left without any biological family. She had emotional issues that were displayed through stealing books. At a book burning, Liesel stole a book. After th e mayor’s wife, Ilsa Hermann, gave Liesel permission to take any book in her library, Liesel preferred to steal the books. While in the mayor’s house Liesel and Rudy, her friend, would also steal food as well. The compulsion to steal what is given shows that Liesel has serious emotional problems. The act of taking is more enthralling than the actual possession of something necessary or new. The act of taking books is also symbolic. Words created the world Liesel lived in. Hitler’s speeches and the Nazi rhetoric allowed the violence and abandonment that was Liesel’s world. The theft of words would be impossible, but the closest thing would be stealing books. Liesel’s theft of books from one of the richest people in town, the mayor and his wife, was also symbolic. If Liesel could steal the words from influential people, maybe she could change the world. Words changed the world, thus the theft of words might change the world. While this might not make logical sense; to Liesel it made perfect emotional sense. Liesel also used words to soothe others. She would read stories in the bomb shelters. Her voice calmed the panicked bomb shelter residents. After hearing her read in the bomb shelter Frau Holtzapfel, a neighbor, asks Liesel to read to her. Frau Holtzapfel would not go to the shelter due to her depression over her son’s death. Liesel persuades her to come to the shelter by threatening never to read to her again. The words written by others soothed Liesel and the others. Max Vandenburg, a Jew hidden by Liesel’s foster family, teaches Liesel how to express herself though writing. He writes Liesel two books. Max felt a fondness for Liesel due to the fact she stayed by his bedside when he was sick. She brought him gifts and laid them next to him. Liesel was like his guardian angel. The first story Max wrote was The Standover Man. This story was about people that stand over others watching out for them. Liesel had be en Max’s ‘stand over man’ during his sickness. Liesel slowly realizes that stand over men can be as important as family. Even if her family, foster family, or friends leave, Liesel will always have someone that cares. She learned how everyone has a person to look out for them. It did not necessarily have to be family. This helps alleviate a little of the pain. The book had a positive impact on Liesel. The second story was The Word Shaker. This book showed how the power of words could cause a situation like Nazi

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Mary Shelley Essay Example for Free

Mary Shelley Essay They make him stand out from the crowd and you instantly see a monster. Not a human. A monster that is evil. There is a contrast here between beauty and horror. Mary Shelley describes his teeth of pearly whiteness and his hair of lustrous black and flowing. This makes him seem beautiful. She then goes on to explain his more horrid features with his watery eyes set in dun-white sockets and his shrivelled complexion. This makes him seem like a monster. The monster is partly born evil because his creator abandons him and leaves him to figure life out by himself. The first thing the monster learns when he escapes the flat is evil and therefore he sees it as a way of life. Frankenstein leaves the flat in a hurry to escape his creation. He abandons the monster. This upsets the monster and thus shows us that even the monster can have a soul and feelings. Upset by this he decides to leave the flat and that is when he discovers all about real life, it is not his fault that he is evil. Frankensteins state of mind influences this because he is very stressed, as he has had no sleep and therefore gets angry, scared and emotional quite quickly and easily. If this is what the monster first sees then clearly he will act in the same way. Mary Shelley makes a lot of literary references in chapter 5. She bases the whole novel on Prometheus. It is known as a modern Prometheus. It was a huge part of Mary Shelleys inspiration. This myth underpins the whole novel. In the myth, Prometheus steals fire and is therefore punished for all eternity. This also goes for Coleridges Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The fact that if you go against something so strongly believed in then there will be an eternal punishment. That fact the if you do something against the law in this case, the law of nature there will always be consequences. Coleridges Rime of the Ancient Mariner is in the text because it illustrates exactly what Mary Shelley is talking about in the paragraph. It emphasises the fact that Frankenstein has gone against the laws of nature. Frightful Fiend not only shows us that Frankenstein has built an ugly monster but it is the concept that is frightening not the monster. That fact that once one person does something no matter how evil there will always be consequences and no turning back. Once one person has done something, the door is always open to other people doing the same. In this case, as soon as Frankenstein had created the monster there were more opportunities for, not only making humans out of body parts but for science and experiments and discoveries. She also refers to Dante. It became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived. Dante was famous for his depictions of hell. What she is saying is here is that the monster that Victor had created looked pure evil and it was something that no other man on this earth could have created. This chapter prepares us for what happens later because abandoning the monster has led it to be evil. Frankenstein is constantly avoiding it trying not to think about it or find it. This makes the monster angry and upset. It will want revenge and because it is evil we expect to see bad things happen such as deaths. The result of Frankensteins irresponsible running away is that he has left the monster to work out what life is all about by himself. He was not born evil, he just realised that the first thing he saw in the world was fighting and killing and shouting. Frankenstein dreamt that his monster would be a success. The beauty of the dream vanished. After he had created the monster he endures the horror of it. He suddenly realised that he had committed nearly two days creating something so horrible that he almost knows that no good will come of it. Unable to take in the aspect of the monster he rushed to his room and tries to sleep. He does and he dreams that he kills Elizabeth by kissing her. As I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death. His dream foresees what will happen in the future. It tells Frankenstein that Elizabeth will die. Could it be his fault for Elizabeths death? In the dream, he kills Elizabeth but further on in the story the monster does. However, Frankenstein created the monster so is it his fault that Elizabeth dies? Frankenstein is based on new scientific discovery of the time, such as electricity. It relates to the many experiments being conducted at the time. Even in the 21st century there is still controversy over discoveries in science. There are debates in the news over abortions, genetically modified babies/food, the effects of global warming. Frankenstein relates to developments in science today because no matter when or where discoveries are being made, there will always be debates and arguments over the use of science and how it can effect us when used in such ways that the results are worse. Sarah Williams Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section. r

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The Introduction And Background Of Sime Darby Finance Essay

The Introduction And Background Of Sime Darby Finance Essay The Sime Darby in 1910 got the name from two European business partners by name; William Sime and Henry Darby. William Sime, a traveler and adventurer from Scotland, ventured to Malaysia when he was in his late 30s. Sime Darby Berhad is the largest conglomerate in Malaysia and one of the largest in Southeast Asia . Within its territory are more than 270 operating companies in 23 countries, while foreign operations in Hong Kong of which account for 25% of revenues, Singapore (14 %), and Australia (11%). The company generates 38 percent of its revenues domestically. Its broadly diversified activities include a wide range of industries, with the core businesses being plantations including oil palm and the companys original business, rubber, tire manufacturing, heavy equipment and motor vehicle distribution, property development, power generation, and engineering services. Natural rubber synthetic rubber was still being developed and had just been introduced to the country from Brazil. Sime and other entrepreneurs at the time recognized that the climate of Malaysias jungle region was similar to that of Brazils. Therefore, rubber could just as easily be grown in that country and sold not only in Malaysia but throughout Southeast Asia and the world. However, Sime Darby encountered opposition to its venture from locals, who were wary of outsiders coming in to operate a plantation in Malacca, in order to overcome this, Sime and Darby forged friendships with several members of the Chinese business community. The company expanded, becoming a manager for owners of other plantations and then moving into the trading end of the industry. Sime set up a branch office in Singapore in 1915 and shortly thereafter established a marketing office in London. Demand for rubber eventually outstripped Sime Darbys production capacity, and by the late 1920s the company found it necessary to clear more jungle. To do so, Sime Darby purchased Sarawak Trading Company in 1929. Sarawak (later renamed Tractors Malaysia) held the franchise for Caterpillar heavy earthmoving equipment. That important purchase signaled Sime Darbys expansion into the heavy equipment business, which would eventually become a major component of its expansive network. In 1936 the companys head office was relocated from Malacca to Singapore. Sime Darby made a fortune in the global rubber industry during the 1920s and 1930s. Growth in the industry began to fade, however, as natural rubber was gradually supplanted by synthetic rubber. Sales of natural rubber boomed during World War II as warring nations purchased all available supplies. The war, however, also led to significant advancements in synthetic rubber technology. A good deal of it was used to acquire other companies, thereby expanding Sime Darbys reach into several other industries. Much of Sime Darbys success during that period was attributable to its acquisition of the giant Seafield Estate in 1971 and the establishment of Consolidated Plantations Berhad that same year. Through Consolidated Plantations, which became the companys main plantation subsidiary, Sime Darby became a leading force in the regions thriving agricultural sector. In addition to growing the oil palms and cocoa, the company began processing the crops into finished products for sale throughout the world. As its sales and profits spiraled upward during the early and mid-1970s, Sime Darby became a shiny feather in Britains cap. To the surprise and chagrin of the British stockholders, however, the company was wrested from their control by the Malaysian government late in 1976. The intriguing events leading up to the takeover began in the early 1970s. During that time, Sime Darbys chief executive, Denis Pinder, began investing the companys cash in new subsidiaries throughout the world. The companys stock price soared as Sime Darbys sales spiraled upward. At the same time, some observers charged that Sime Darby was engaged in corrupt business practices (with critics coining the phrase Slime Darby). Allegations of corruption were confirmed in the eyes of some detractors when, in 1973, Darbys outside auditor was found stabbed to death in his bathtub. The Singapore police ruled the death a suicide, but Pinder still ended up in prison on misdemeanor charges. Pinders successor took up where he left off, investing in numerous ventures, most of which were located in Europe. Unfortunately, many of those investments quickly soured. Some Malaysians felt that Sime Darby was taking profits from its successful domestic operations and investing them unwisely overseas. So, in 1976 the Malaysian government trading office bought up Sime Darby shares on the London stock exchange. It effectively gained control of the company and installed a board made up mostly of Asians. Also in 1976, Asian and British board members were able to agree that Tun Tan Chen Locks son, Tun Tan Siew Sin, would be an acceptable replacement as chairman of Sime Darbys board. In 1978 Sime Darby was reincorporated in Malaysia as Sime Darby Berhad. Its headquarters was moved to Kuala Lumpur the following year. Staggering in the Early 1980s; Rebounding in the Late 1980s and Early 1990s Sime Darby jettisoned some of its poorly performing assets during the late 1970s and early 1980s under Locks leadership. But it also continued investing in new ventures. It purchased the tire-making operations of B.F. Goodrich Philippines in 1981, for example, and secured the franchise rights to sell Apple Computers in southeast Asia in 1982. The addition of B.F. Goodrich Philippines marked the companys entrance into the tire manufacturing sector; also in 1981 came the establishment of Sime Darby International Tire Company, which in 1988 was renamed Sime Darby Pilipinas, Inc. In 1984 the company purchased a large stake in a Malaysian real estate development company, United Estates Berhad, and used it to begin developing plantation lands. This company later was renamed Sime UEP Properties Berhad. In Malaysia, Sime Darby acquired the franchises for BMW, Ford, and Land Rover vehicles. By the early 1980s Sime Darbys push to diversify had given it a place in almost every industry, from agricultural and manufacturing to finance and real estate. Although it did diversify into heavy equipment, real estate, and insurance businesses, new management also plowed significant amounts of cash into the companys traditional commodity and plantation operations. Sime Darby became a favorite of investors looking for a safe bet. Indeed, the mammoth enterprise tended to minimize risks after the investment mistakes of the early 1970s and seemed content to operate as a slow-growth multinational behemoth that could withstand any market downturns. Even if something did go wrong, the company had a war chest of nearly a half billion U.S. dollars from which it could draw. Unfortunately, Sime Darbys staid strategy negatively impacted its bottom line. Sales dipped to M $2.78 billion in 1992 before plunging to M$2.17 billion in 1983. Sime Darby lumbered through the mid-1980s with annual sales of less than M$2.5 billion, and net income skidded from about M$100 million in the early 1980s to a low M$59 million in 1987. To turn things around, Sime Darbys board promoted Tunku Ahmad Yahaya to chief executive. Ahmad was a veteran of the companys executive ranks and was a favorite nephew of Malaysias first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. Under Ahmads direction, the giant corporation began a slow turnaround. Significantly, Ahmad was instrumental in luring Tun Ismail to Sime Darbys board. Ismail was a highly influential central bank governor and the chairman of Sime Darbys biggest shareholder. Ismail became nonexecutive chairman of the company following the death of Tun Tan Siew Sin in 1988. During the late 1980s and early 1990s Ahmad invested much of Sime Darbys cash hoard into a bevy of new companies and ventures. Sime became a relatively big player in the global reinsurance business, for example, and tried to boost its activities related to heavy equipment and vehicle manufacturing. Most notably, Sime began pouring millions of dollars into property and tourism in key growth areas of Malaysia in an effort to get in on the development and tourism boom that began in that nation in the late 1980s. The success of that division prompted the company to invest as well in tourism overseas. Through its UEP subsidiary, for instance, Sime Darby bought a full-service resort with condominiums in Florida (Sandestin Resorts) and a hotel in Australia, among other enterprises. As the company dumped its cash into expansion and diversification, sales and profits bolted. Revenues climbed from M$2.53 billion in 1987 to M$4.98 billion in 1990 to M$6.20 billion in 1992. During the same perio d, net income soared from M$85 million to M$353 million. Sime Darby realized a stunning 65 percent average annual growth in earnings during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Despite its gains, though, critics charged that the company had concentrated too heavily on traditional commodity industries and had failed to move into the 1990s with the rest of Malaysia. In fact, Sime Darby continued to garner about 43 percent of its sales from commodity trading activities in 1993 and only 18 percent from manufacturing. The rest came from heavy equipment distribution, insurance, and its property/tourism holdings. Although building strength in those businesses had added to the companys sales and profits during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the strategy had caused Sime Darby to fall behind more progressive holding companies in the region that were participating in booming high-tech, gaming, brokering, and manufacturing sectors. Many company insiders believed that Sime Darby would have to eliminate its heavy reliance on commodity industries if it wante d to sustain long-term growth. The Crisis The companys stock price began to fall in 1993 and its rapid revenue and profit growth began to subside in comparison with late 1980s levels. In 1993 Ahmad stepped back from control of the company when he named Nik Mohamed Nik Yaacob to serve under him as chief executive. Among Mohameds first moves was to initiate the merger of the companys plantation assets, organized as Consolidated Plantations, and the parent company, The company also bolstered its regional insurance business in 1993 by joining forces with AXA of France for its insurance operations in Malaysia and Singapore. These efforts signaled an end to the companys historical emphasis on commodities and reflected Mohameds desires to increase activity in manufacturing, high-tech, financial services, and other fast-growth businesses and reduce Sime Darbys bureaucracy. The turn around after the crisis The company began increasing investments in businesses such as power generation, oil and gas, and heavy equipment exporting. In heavy equipment, Sime Darby bought the Australian distributor of Caterpillar equipment, Hastings Deering (Australia) Ltd., in 1993. In power generation, a key move came in 1994 when Sime Darby took a 40 percent interest in Port Dickson Power Sdn. Bhd., an independent power producer in Malaysia. That same year, the company acquired U.K.-based Lec Refrigeration plc, which was involved in the manufacturing, marketing, and servicing of refrigeration equipment and related products. At the same time, Mohamed worked to absorb the flurry of acquisitions conducted during the previous several years and streamline the company into some sort of cohesive whole. Despite restructuring activities, Sime Darby managed to boost sales to US$3.15 billion in 1994, about US$186 million of which was netted as income. In 1995 Sime Darby stepped up its acquisition drive through the purchase of a controlling 60.4 percent interest in United Malayan Banking Corporation from Datuk Keramat Holdings Berhad. The US$520 million purchase deepened the companys involvement in the countrys fast-growing financial services sector. United Malayan, which was the fourth largest bank in Malaysia in terms of assets, soon was reorganized as Sime Bank Berhad, with the companys brokerage arm becoming a subsidiary of Sime Bank under the name Sime Securities Sdn. Bhd. For the fiscal year ending in June 1997 Sime Darby posted record net income of M$835.8 million (US$322.9 million) on record revenues of M$13.24 billion (US$4.35 billion). Sime Bank and SimeSecurities played a key role in these stellar results (accounting for 30 percent of pretax earnings), but the eruption of the Asian financial crisis in July 1997 quickly proved that the acquisition of United Malayan had been ill-timed, if not also ill-advised. The severity of the crisis in Malaysia, which included a steep decline in the Malaysian stock market and a sharp depreciation of the ringgit (the nations currency), led Sime Bank to post the largest loss in Malaysian banking historyM$1.6 billion (US$431 million) for the six months to December 1997. In turn, Sime Darby posted its first loss in decades for the same six-month period, a loss of M$676.2 million ($172.7 million). With other Sime Darby units being hit hard by the crisis as well, the company posted the first full-year loss in its clo se to 90-year history in the 1998 fiscal year, a net loss of M$540.9 million (US$131 million). Subsequently ,it beat a hasty retreat from its aggressive expansion, determining that the prudent course would be a return to the companys core areas: plantations, property development, tire manufacturing, heavy equipment and motor vehicle distribution, and power generation. In June 1999 Sime Darby sold Sime Bank and its SimeSecurities subsidiary to Rashid Hussain, who merged it with RHB Bank to form the second largest commercial bank in Malaysia. During the 1999 fiscal year, the company also sold Sandestin Resorts for US$131 million. In 1999,it returned to the black with net earnings of M$821.8 million (US$216.3 million) on revenues of M$9.91 billion (US$2.61 billion). A further pull-back from the financial services sector came in March 2000 when Sime Darby sold its interest in Sime AXA, its insurance joint venture with AXA of France. Meantime, an area of growing interest was emerging at the turn of the millennium as Sime Darby increased its interest in Port Dickson Power to 60 percent, giving it majority control and turning Port Dickson into a company subsidiary. Flush with cash from the sale of its financial services units, Sime Darby appeared poised to make additional forays into the power generation sector. Given the near disaster of its aggressive moves into financial services, however, the company was likely to proceed with much caution in all of its future expansionary endeavors in a return to its traditional style of conservative management. Business activities: Plantation: Plantation is Sime Darby largest revenue generator with about 70% of the conglomerate profits come from this segment. The company operates palm oil and rubber plantations in Malaysia and Indonesian islands of Sumatera, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. With a land bank of over 633,000 hectares, including 300,000 hectares in Indonesia, it is one of the largest plantation company in the world. Property: The company is involved in the property development business in eight countries, namely Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, PeopleHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_Republic_of_ChinaHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_Republic_of_Chinas Republic of China, Australia and United Kingdom. Industrial and Monitoring :The company is involved in the purchasing, leasing and selling of industrial equipment such as Caterpillar Inc. heavy duty trucks and tractors.. it has partnership with Ford, it sells Fords cars and trucks together with the Land Rover brand. It is also a major BMW dealer in Singapore, Australia and Thailand. In Southern China, the company sells BMW and Rolls-Royce. In addition, Sime Darby co-owns Inokom Corp Bhd, a joint-venture with Hyundai Motor Company which assembles and sells Hyundai vehicles in Malaysia. Energy Utilities: The company is an Oil and Gas services company which provides equipment for exploring oil and gas assets in the South East Asia region. The company is also an independent power provider in Malaysia and Thailand. The company also provides engineering services in the system integration and sales sectors, security and oil gas sectors. Healthcare: The company owns hospital named Sime Darby Medical Centre Subang Jaya Sdn. Bhd ,SDMC Formerly known as Subang Jaya Medical Centre, and college formerly known as SJMC Academy of Nursing and Health Sciences which was established in 1995 and now is known as Sime Darby Nursing and Health Sciences College. Other businesses: The company has a port utility company named Weifang Sime Darby Port Co Ltd. Other businesses that the company is involved in include healthcare, aerospace (divested from Asian Composites Manufacturing (ACM) in 2009), bedding, consumer and industrial products, logistics and packing.The company also owns the 30% of the Malaysian arm of Tesco stores. Sustainable Practices: Sime Darby plantations implemented Zero Burning Planting Techniques Techniques (ZBPT), a practical and environmentally sound technique of replanting, in 1989. The Board of director and audit committee profile: Company Profile Bhg Dato Mohd Bakke, was chosen on13th May 2010 as the new president and group chief executive (PGCE) and formerly group president/CEO of Felda Global ventures Holdings SDN Bhd, he has necessary experience in corporate restructuring exercises as well as in management expertise in the plantation. Dato Azhar Abdul Hamid, Chairman,board of Directors and Managing Director of Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd. He is head of the Sime Darby Groups Plantation and Agri-business Division Internal and External Audit Duties and comments To say that the group had processes in place its just that they had not been implemented properly certainly laughable because it is all too  familiar. If one was to seriously respond to this excuse, it would be that is why you have internal and external auditors. And when the internal auditors raised the red flag in August 2008, it was conveniently swept under the carpet! If the excuse was that, the non-executive independent directors were obliged to give the benefit of the doubt to management, the external auditors, Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) certainly had no such obligation or professional reason to do so! This was their red flag to delve into the issue of cost over-runs including its recovery of such costs. This is no more an ordinary run of the mill statutory audit. PWC had been put on enquiry and were obliged to look into the concern meticulously. The question to be answered is that, what did PWC do? They signed off the accounts of Sime Darby for 2008 and 2009 with a clean audit report! Not even an emphasis of matter especially on the possible cost over-runs and its recoverability! The fact that official media had highlighted these matters, besides the media report prior to the finalization of the 2008 and 2009 accounts speak volumes about the role (or lack of it) of PWC The official media currently has been quite polite about this latest incident .yes, they have been polite relatively speaking, but if you read in between the lines, the insinuation is the total collapse in the check and balance roles of the other parties involved with Sime Darby notably the auditors and members of the Audit Committee headed by the ex-chairman of PWC. Andrew Sheng, a proponent of strong corporate governance is unfortunately embroiled in this mess as director and he cannot easily extricate himself out of this especially when he was appointed in 2007.He has to regain credibility by insisting massive and fundamental changes to the way things are done in the Malaysian corporate world in general and Sime Darby in particular. The audit committee In April 2008, for example, there were news reports that Sime Darby Engineering Sdn Bhd had incurred cost overruns of between RM120mil and RM150mil in its offshore engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning project for Maersk Oil Qatar (MOQ). In February 2009, a report also alleged that there had been costs overruns in the same project, but this time, the figure mentioned was far bigger. At a media briefing on Feb 4, Zubir dismissed this: Theres no such thing as the RM800mil losses. The Minority Watchdog Group (MSWG) wrote to Sime Darby chairman Tun Musa Hitam in March 2009 on issues in the energy and utilities division. At the companys AGM last November, the MSWG also raised questions about the divisions shrinking bottom-line. Moreover, it has been reported that Sime Darbys internal auditor has come up with reports highlighting the divisions losses and that longtime independent auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) had delayed signing off Sime Engineerings 2008 accounts. Boardroom strength: The former executive director of a Big Four firm says When PwC does not sign off the accounts of a significant subsidiary of listed company and yet signs off the parent companys accounts. It is understood that the auditors could issue an unqualified audit opinion on the Sime Darby accounts despite not doing so for Sime Engineering because the issue in dispute at the Sime Engineering level was not material on a group basis. The current public discussions about accountability and the suggestions that more heads must roll at Sime Darby are making the headlines, but the core underlying issue is quite different: How could this mess have happened in spite of the conglomerates governance structure and controls? Going by the information in the annual report 2009, Sime Darbys system of checks and balances at the boardroom and top management level is sturdy and robust, befitting its status as a sprawling multinational corporation. Beside Ahmad Zubir, Sime Darby has 12 directors. Half of these are independent directors and all 12 are non-executive directors. Together, they form a team with deep and varied experience and knowledge. Among the independent board members are stalwarts such as Musa, Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda, Datuk Seri Panglima Andrew Sheng and Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali.You cant accuse the board of being sleepy. There are some heavyweights there, says the research head of a foreign investment house. Yet, the directors have missed the extent of Sime Darbys project woes until, reportedly, PwC went to Musa last year to express its concerns over the energy and utilities division. In the financial year 2009, there were 12 board meetings. Not many listed companies in Malaysia hold these meetings this frequently. In addition, there are seven board committees and they each meet several times a year. Above all, Sime Darby has supervisory committees that were set up to assist the board in the oversight of the respective divisions (of the company). The board has identified certain non-executive directors to sit on these committees. Definitely, this is not a case of the directors having limited exposure to the companys management and affairs. So how is it that the many warning signs had not prompted the board to initiate a probe until October last year, when it established a board work group to review the energy and utilities divisions operations? The boards defenders say the management convinced the directors that in spite of the auditors concerns and the rumors, the situation was under control. The argument here is that the board has to constantly maintain a balance between objectivity and the ability to work well with the management. In other words, in the absence of strong evidence to the contrary, the board saw no reason to doubt the information provided by the management. That is why, it took a bit of time for the Sime Darby board to get into full swing once it became clear that it must investigate the corporate governance and performance of the division. The directors have to shift from a position of trus t to skepticism to disbelief and finally, to outrage, says a corporate insider Rajawas executive chairman and senior partner for 18 years, retired from PwC in June 30, 2005. Raja Arshad was appointed to the board of the pre-merger Sime Darby on July 1, 2007 exactly two years later, thus fulfilling the criterion for boardroom independence at Sime Darby. Raja Arshad was not necessarily the best choice to head Sime Darbys audit committee, PwC insisted that his position in the audit committee does not change how the firm conducts its audit of Sime Darby. Therefore, what is PwCs part in the Sime Darby fiasco? The four key findings disclosed by Sime Darby on May 13 was that , only one decision to reverse revenue of RM200mil for the Qatar Petroleum project relates to a matter taken up in accounts already audited. The other three relate to items that have only surfaced in the current financial year. This means PwC could not have known about these figures until it begins auditing Sime Darbys 2010 accounts. Nevertheless, some in the accounting fraternity say this may be a test case for the newly constituted Audit Oversight Board.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Reflection On Communication In Experiencing Mental Illness Nursing Essay

Reflection On Communication In Experiencing Mental Illness Nursing Essay The purpose of this assignment is to critically reflect upon on aspect of my professional practice and development that arose whilst out in clinical practice. The paper will show emphasise based on communication. This reflection has been chosen to highlight the need for nurses to have therapeutic communication skills in order to provide holistic care and encourage a good nurse-patient relationship. Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle has been chosen as a framework for this paper. To satisfy the requirements of the Data protection Act (1998) as well as the NMC (2007) code of professional conduct, all names have been changed to protect identity in concordance with confidentiality purposes. Reflection is a way of analysing a past incident in order to promote learning and development. Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle can be seen as cyclical in nature which incorporates six stages to enable me to continuously improve my learning from the event for better practice in the future. The six stages are: 1. Description 2. Feelings 3. Evaluation 4. Ananlysis 5. Conclusion 6. Action plan. Description Whilst out in placement I witnessed both positive and negative communication. During handover I was informed Maisey has dementia, deafness, aggression and short term memory loss. During handover Maisey approached the nurses int he office who appeared to look very anxious and upset. The staff nurse raised her voice and in a fixed tone told Maisey to return to her bedroom, shouting we are to busy now, go back to your room. The nurses and health care assistants present in handover giggled amongst themselves, exchanged knowing glances and mimicked Maiseys voice saying she can be such a nuisance. Having not previously met Maisey I offered to assist her with her personal hygiene needs and to make her bed. I knocked on her bedroom door to which I then entered. Maisey stood up defensively and appeared to be very agitated and irate. She shouted that she wanted answers. I explained that I came to help her and would do my best to help her. Maisey then explained that no one had explained to her why she was in hospital nor did she know the where abouts of her daughter (main care giver). Reviewing Maiseys care plan I found out she had a fall at her daughters (Barbara) house and her son informed me that Barbara was away on holiday for a week. After the discussion with Maisey I documented it in her notes so that other members of the Multi-disciplinary team would acknowledge that Maisey was uncertain about the situation she was in. After speaking to my mentor and being more knowledgeable on Maiseys situation, I returned to her with my mentor close by. I pulled up a chair next to her and in a calm, reassuring, comforting manner explained the reason why she was in hospital. However Maisey appeared to look confused and asked me to speak to her in her left ear as she was deaf. I patiently repeated what I had said, she looked brighter after I mentioned her daughters name. Maisey asked a few more questions and I tried to answer them accurately and confidently. Maisey smiled and confided she is aware that she can be forgetful but feels that she is being ignored and that no one cared to what she had to say. She also said she could not sleep as other patients were disturbing her. After the discussion I gave Maisey assistance with her personal hygiene needs to which she thanked me for taking the time and just talking. Maisey had said she felt a lot better that someone took the time to listen to her concers and explain wh at was going on instead of being ignored and left in the dark. Feelings I felt very angry and disappointed that the staff easily agreed as a team that Maisey was just confused and describing her a as nuisance, without investigating as to why she seemed upset. I was in complete shock that as nurses they could be so quick to dismiss Maisey the way the did. I was highly annoyed that they all felt it was alrite to mimic and laugh at a patient. I felt a bit disheartened how no one took the time to explain what was going on to Maisey. Once I helped Maisey I felt happy that I took the time to get to know her and in turn see a different side to things. I felt proud I was able to reassure and relax Maisey so she could rest properly. Evaluation I feel I have learnt a lot from this experience with Maisey and how the nurses responded to her when she was at a very vulnerable time. It was not a nice encounter as I feel things like this should not happen in practice, however in terms of a learning prospective it was good as it taught me that it is paramount to be sensitive towards a patient who is feeling distressed. It went well as I have learnt how important it is to be patient, to take the time to listen to a patient as this can have cumulative effects on that persons well being and the outcome as to how they are feeling. The way the staff nurses reacted was not in the best interests of the patient. I did not like their approach, as they did not make an effort to show support or any understanding as she was known as a difficult patient. Stockwell (1972) wrote the infamous book The Unpopular Patient where she explains that studies of communication in nursing demonstrate inadequacies in nursing practice.   Stockwell (1972) de scribes the nurse-patient interaction, insisting that such interaction is not always satisfactory, especially when dealing with a difficult or unpopular patient. I feel the nursing team were ignorant to the fact that Maisey had difficulty in hearing which must have made it irritating for staff to keep repeating themselves. This could have been part of the reason as to why Maisey was considered an unpopular patient as she was seen as demanding. Analysis There was no interaction between nurse and patient as Maisey approached the nurses station, and to be mocked then dismissed must have been a terrible experience for her.   Davis (2008) explains how hectic times of the day such as handover, mealtimes and ward rounds leave insufficient time to help patients who need it.   However, if the nursing team had engaged in a little conversation with Maisey, she might have felt valued and understood, instead of upset and belittled.   The NMC Code (2008) clearly states many standards of conduct which a registered nurse should be trusted to do, these including You must treat people kindly and considerately and You must listen to the people in your care and respond to their concerns and preferences.   If as nurses we should comply with The Code (2008), a lot of work is required to raise the awareness of the importance of communication in the delivery of care.   In 2007 the NMC introduced Essential Skills Clusters.   These Essential Ski lls are to be delivered by all registered nurses, one of these clusters containing Care, Compassion and Communication.   The NMC introducing these clusters show the importance of interpersonal skills in nursing care, and significance of communication in the nursing profession.   On this occasion, the nursing team did not show care or compassion for Maisey, and certainly did not engage in therapeutic conversation.   As a student nurse I felt I had the knowledge and skills to approach the patient to appropriately calm and reassure her.   Heyward and Ramsdale (2008) explain that a patient who thinks his nurse is not listening to them will lose faith in the service a nurse provides, and in the nurses willingness and ability to do as they have promised.   They explain that sympathising with a patient shows willingness to understand their anxieties and make the patient feel more comfortable.   As I entered the room the patient stood up with a defensive posture, which I assumed was using non-verbal communication to inform me that she was suspicious and distrustful of me.   This was caused by the nursing teams disability to make the patient their first priority and to listen and respond to her concerns.   Santamaria (1993) tells us that nurses must deal with the full range of human behaviour, and at the same time deliver the highest quality of care.   I acknowledged that Maisey was upse t and gave her the opportunity to ask questions and voice her concerns, and in turn made her feel special by giving her my time.   As Maisey asked me to speak loudly into her right ear I wondered if her history of deafness had been accurately assessed, as she was definitely not deaf but having communication difficulties.   Eradicating this problem with help of a speech and language therapist or a hearing aid would have helped Maisey and the impatient staff enormously in this situation.   Although I had been informed that the patient could be aggressive, I managed the situation by relating to her position and understanding her point of view.   Leadbetter and Patterson (1995) explain the prevention and management of aggression should be dealt with by showing empathy and respect for the patients individuality and being genuine, utilising an open and honest manner.   Finally, integrity, and being aware of ones own competence to handle the situation.   Egan (1990) considers non-verbal communication to prevent violent situations such as considering body posture, nodding to show interest and making eye contact, but not as though to threaten the patient in any way. Fortunately, empathy and respect for Maisey helped her to trust and confide in me.   The reason for analyzing this particular section of the scenario was to answer the question, Why did the nurse not feel efficiently equipped to approach the patient herself, instead leaving the potentially aggressive situation with an unsupervised student?   In the NMC Code (2008), advice for a registered nurse is to recognise and work within the limits of your competence, but also to have the skills and knowledge for safe and effective practice.   I believe communication skills within the nursing team must be rigorously developed and maintained as one professional alone cannot meet a patients requirements.   We need to work collaboratively to provide maximum care delivery.   Maisey felt more relaxed, valued and safe, after we identified and resolved her concerns.   Older people generally have more barriers to communicating effectively.   These barriers are worth investigating, as the acquisition of a little understanding and basic skills is a simple and rewarding exercise. (Myerscough, 1992)   The barriers Maisey faced, was the time the nurses had to spend with her, and the fact that she was deaf.   Myerscough (1992) explains that this is overcome by speaking loudly and clearly, using clear lip movements to assist lip reading.   Through actively listening to the patient and encouraging conversation we managed to focus on the problem that was causing unease.   I do believe that Maisey was discriminated against because of her conditions and illness, as she was not given the time and energy that was given to other patients.   The Human Rights Act (1998) Article 14 explains that every person should be treated equally without any discriminat ion on any ground.   This section of the act was broken when the staff failed to treat Maisey as they would the other patients.   Maisey was confused and upset that she had not been given time to adapt to her surroundings, and was in fear due to the separation from her main caregiver.   Most patients do suffer a degree of anxiety and apprehension and admission to hospital is in particular a disturbing experience for anyone. (Lloyd and Bor, 1996)   They offer explanations for these anxieties, such as being in an unfamiliar environment and separation from family and friends.   Loss of personal space is a factor mentioned, as is loss of independence and privacy.   One that closely relates to the scenario is uncertainty of diagnosis and management.   Maisey was uncertain of what was going on.   By providing her with the information she required, she could understand a purpose for her admission and the decisions being made.   Conclusion The reason for Maisey being upset, and the nursing teams reluctance to help her, all stem from the same thing.   As we have discovered communication and ones ability to reflect on practice have enormous effect on the capability to provide the highest possible quality of care.   Additionally time and commitment to our patients is priceless as it can never be taken away from them.   We also need to realise that ones own values have effects on interaction with our patients, so appreciating that our client has different values and beliefs to ourselves help us gain insight into the reasons they think and behave as they do.   Some consider interacting with others as hard work, but we as nurses need to understand that communication is the gateway to successfully helping our patients and improving our skills.   Action Plan On reflection I saw first-hand how easily communication can break down, if not between nurse and patient, then within the multi-disciplinary team.   I will take the experience with me throughout my nursing education, remembering the importance of effective communication, and also the ability to look back at an experience and break it down to discover what really happened.   Taylor (2000) defines how reflection on action occurs perfectly.   He explains that only when details of events are recalled and analysed, unpicked and reconstructed considering all aspects of a situation, can one gain fresh insights and amend actions.   He quotes Critical thinking is essential for safe practice.   (Taylor, 2000)   This should be an ongoing and extensive process for all nurses in practice.   I will be more aware of my interaction with others and will constantly reflect on my experiences to see the whole package of care delivery.   REFERENCES Becker, E.L. (1991) Churchills Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 3rd Edition. USA: Churchill Livingstone Data Protection Act 1998 London: HMSO Davis, C. (2008) Tea and Empathy: discussing a project focusing on patient centred care. Nursing Standard. Vol 22, no. 32,   p.18 Elliss, R.., Gates, B., Kenworthy, N. (2003)   Interpersonal communication in Nursing.   2nd Edition. London: Churchill Livingstone Egan, G. (1990) The Skilled Helper: A systematic approach to effective helping.   4th Edition.   USA: Wadsworth Gibbs, G. (1988)   Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. London: Further Education Unit Human Rights Act 1998 London: HMSO Heyward, T. Ramsdale, S. (2008) Interpersonal Skills. Chapter 1 IN Richardson, R. (Editor) (2008) Clinical Skills for Student Nurses.   UK:   Reflect Press Lloyd, M. Bor, R. (1996)   Communication Skills for Medicine.   New York: Churchill Livingstone Myerscough, P.R. (1992) Talking with Patients: A Basic Clinical Skill.   2nd Edition.   Oxford: Oxford University Press Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2007) The Code: Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics for Nurses and Midwives.   London: NMC Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2008) Essential Skills Clusters for pre-registration nursing programmes.   London: NMC Santamaria, N. (1993) The Difficult Patient: An Important Educational Need of Registered Nurses. Unknown Stockwell, F. (1972) The Unpopular Patient.   London: Royal College of Nursing Taylor, B.J (2000) Reflective Practice: A guide for nurses and midwives. Buckingham: Open University Press p.64 Timby, B.K   (2009)   Fundamental Nursing Skills and Concepts.   9th Edition.   London: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins Weller, B.F (2002)   Baillieres Nurses Dictionary.   24th Edition. London: Elsevier

Thursday, September 19, 2019

2pac Shakur :: Tupac Amur Shakur

Tupac (Two-pahk) Amur Shakur, commonly known as 2pac, led a violent life. He died on September 13, 1996. He was a gangsta rapper/Aspiring actor. Tupac was a big figure in the rap community, always doing what he wanted and not caring what others thought of him. His life symbolized what a lot of people have gone through, through his music and movies he showed us how hard life can be. Tupac was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1971. His family and he moved to Baltimore, Maryland early in his life. He took Performing Arts classes at his school; his teachers said he looked promising. He never finished school. He dropped out and moved to a small town outside Oakland, CA (â€Å"Associated†), however he did go to college and finish his high school credits. All his life he was raised by his mom, with his sister. He always led a violent life; April 5, 1993, he assaulted a fellow rapper with a baseball bat. October 31, 1993, he was charged with shooting two off duty police officers. The charges were later dropped. November 19, 1993, he was convicted of sexual assault (â€Å"Death†). In November 1994, Tupac himself was shot during an attempted robbery outside a music studio in New York. Tupac did, however, mention this; â€Å"Thug life to me is dead. If it's real, let somebody else represent it because I'm tired of it.† Shakur told Vibe Magazine. â€Å"I represented it too much. I was Thug Life†(â€Å" Associated†). Tupac had a very promising career. His first album â€Å"2pacallyps Now† was very successful. Not too late after that his movie â€Å"Juice† was released in 1992. He released two more albums titled â€Å"Strictly for my Niggaz† and â€Å"Me against the world† and two more movies â€Å"Poetic Justice† (1993) and â€Å"Above the Rim†(1994). His last album, â€Å"All Eyes on Me† sold over 6 million copies and was the first double CD for rap music. (â€Å"Thuglife†)(â€Å"Associated†) 4:03 p.m. PDT, Friday, September 13, Tupac died of respiratory failure and cardio-pulmonary arrest at University Medical Center, Las Vegas(Payne). He died of bullet wounds to the abdomen and chest at the young age of 25 (â€Å"Unofficial†). â€Å"Shakur was shot four times in the chest and abdomen. Police believe he was the target.† He lingered in a coma before he died. So far police have no suspects. All they are saying is that the people were in a white cadillac, not from Las Vegas where he was shot (â€Å"Associated†).

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Imagery of the Sea in Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God and Seraph

Imagery of the Sea in Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God and Seraph on the Suwannee â€Å"She Called In Her Soul to Come and See† Both Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God and Seraph on the Suwannee act as accounts of female recognition. The two protagonists of the novels, Janie and Arvay, come realize the significance of personal enjoyment of life for one’s self, and how such an awareness causes you to be surrounded you with people who love you for your own happiness. In both novels Hurston uses literal and figurative imagery of the sea as a symbol for this self-affirmation. The connection is more pronounced with Arvay, as she and Jim finally return to one another while actually at sea, yet the connection runs with Janie throughout Their Eyes†¦ as well as both women struggle to reach their â€Å"horizons† of answers and satisfaction. The opening lines of Janie’s story consist of, â€Å"Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizons†¦Ã¢â‚¬  These words suggest the necessity in life to endeavo...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Was William Wilberforce the Most Important Reason for the Abolition of the Slave Trade in 1807 and Slavery in 1823

William Wilberforce is the name that most people in Britain immediately associate with the fight against slavery. Although he favoured a more cautious and gradual eradication of slavery, he was a key representative of the anti-slave trade forces. Gracious, witty, and devoutly religious. Wilberforce has become a convenient national hero, with 20,000 people attending a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of his death. His house has been turned into a museum and his larger-than-life statue has a prominent place in Westminster Abbey. This demonstrates that he had a big influence on the people around him at the time. Wilberforce certainly deserves some credit for the banning of the British slave trade in 1807 and the act that emancipated Britain's slaves that was finally passed in 1833. His charm, personal kindness, reputation for integrity and deep conservatism on most issues gave him influence with his fellow MPs that few others in parliament had. But was the abolition of the slave trade and slavery primarily the work of this likeable, saintly man and his circle of similarly religious friends? Today, most historians see the long struggle to end the slave trade as much more complex and unruly than simply being the work of Wilberforce alone. Many people played an important part of the abolition of slavery the white middle class campaigners. Granville Sharp was a great campaigner against slavery. He took in a badly beaten slave and nursed him until he was fit and well but then his old master saw him and captured him wear he was to be shipped away to Jamaica as a slave. Granville Sharp took the slaves master to court and the judge the Lord Mayor of London said that he had not stolen anything so shouldn’t be made to go away. Sharp fought for many black people in court and saved many of them. Sharp didn’t manage to get slavery abolished but he started the campaign against slavery. His court cases raised a lot of awareness in the public eyes and this could have made some people see how bad slavery really was so they could start to campaign against slavery with Granville Sharp. It was not only the white middle class campaigners who tried to abolish slavery the working class campaigned. In 1788 many petitions were sent to parliament demanding that the slave trade should be stopped. The petitions were sent from working class people from all over Britain. In the year 1788 10,000 working class people signed a petition; in 1792 support doubled to 20,000 people (there are 75,000 people in Manchester. The working class people thought that slavery was wrong as it was a trade of human blood and that when Negroes were put in slavery it took away there dignity and pride, also they thought it was cruel to take them from there home (many slave campaigners rich or poor felt the same way). Big meetings were held wear slave campaigners could exchange ideas on how to get slavery abolished. In 1807 when the slave trade was finally abolished the petitions did not stop there aim was to make slavery illegal and also they wanted the existing slaves still in slavery to be freed. I think the working class people did not raise as much awareness in the public than the middle-class they concentrated mostly on Parliament and the MP’s. Black people also rebelled against the slave trade. They wanted to be treated like normal servants and to earn a wage for there work. Many black people refused to be slaves and ran away. When slave owners went to court to get them back the legal position of slavery in Britain wasn’t clear. People knew that slaves could be kept in the West Indies and other parts of the British Empire, but if a slave was brought back to Britain (there was no law to say slavery was illegal or legal). When slaves tried to claim there freedom the judges made different decisions every time. Granville Sharp held many of these cases on behalf of the slaves and soon most slaves were being set free. Owners soon knew it wasn’t worth the bother of trying to get there slaves against there slaves back. Plantation owners in the island of St Dominque did not like the idea of slaves having equal rights and liberty so they planned an alliance with Britain. The slaves knew this would mean the slave trade would continue. The conditions in the St Dominque were worse than in the West Indies, the death rate was very high from the treatment and there living conditions. So in 1791 the slaves rebelled murdering there white owners and setting fire to the sugar crop. British troops tried to take over but the slaves soon overturned the British as well. Slavery was abolished in 1804 and the island soon declared that it was an independent state with a new name of Haiti. In the West Indian plantation owners lived in dread of the ideas from the slaves in Haiti spreading to there slaves. People in Britain who did not ant slavery to be banned used this example of what would happen if slaves in Britain were given equal rights. The slave trade eventually became too uneconomical to continue, this is because when the slaves were travelling on boat, the conditions were too horrific. As a result more of the slaves died than actually made it to the other side. This one the major factors of why the slave trade ended. Willi am Wilberforce helped was a key campaigner for the abolition of the slave trade, but he is amongst many other campaigners. They all did the same thing, so I believe that he was important but many others deserve the same credit that he got.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Assignment of Work Base Learning Essay

1. Introduction. This assignment is to evaluate my role in the job I’m currently doing and upto what extent its been helpful in my personal development. As I ‘m currently working in fright forwarding industry (Shipping), I have chosen this job to finish my assignment of work base learning. It would be easier for me to choose this job to finish my educational assignment instead of going volunteering job somewhere else. This will also affect my attendance in current work place. 1.1 Company Profile- Reisa Freight Ltd. is a U.K. based company engaged in import and export activities. As a company we supply our services to buyers, exporters and importers for their international transportation needs. Reisa freight Ltd. acts as a middle man / agent working globally with agents in several countries. We handles export from shippers or manufacturers warehouse to buyer’s warehouse not end users. 1.2 Job Profile- The main purpose of my role is to coordinate with customers, prepare relevant docs and coordination with back office or operations for smooth activity. This job role requires efficiency, accuracy and completion in given time frame. My job is also involved with coordination with airlines to ensure pre-booked space for upcoming cargo during the week. This avoids last minute problem. In short this work required a solid planning and in-time execution. Also it requires understanding People at Work, including understanding others’ interests, motivations and competence. In short, Developing and reviewing relationships with others (manager, colleagues, team members, customers and suppliers etc) including agreeing respective roles, responsibilities, rights and expectations booking cargo space on ship, airplane, train, or any other form of goods/cargo transportation, route planning, various documentation, export packing, insurance, warehouse, collection and delivery consignment. 2. Main Body- During my seven months of tenure I have learned how to gain necessary skills and what I needed most. There are certain skills which I need to improve and some others I have achieved while working with Reisa freight Ltd. I have discussed all these in following paragraphs. 2.1 Skills that need some developments. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Communication- Major hurdle with me here the language. Being English as my second language I find it as biggest hurdle to improve my communication skill. There is a lot more development since I started but there is still lot more to do to bring it upto a level where it is acceptable as high standard. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Decision-making- I find my self uncomfortable while making important decision which requires my independency. I have only spent 7 months in total as working person. I would need to have more experience of work to gain my confident in decision making. Some education in learning skill would definitely help me which I’m planning to intake after finishing my graduation. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Leadership- Being an un-experienced in past and total 7 months of work experience I see a lot more to do with leadership skill. Leadership skills require work experience and a standard of education which I will gain after my studies. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Analysing- Being a new employee in the field I see a lack of analysing skill to analyse the situation and plan things accordingly. This makes me to be depended on my seniors and old employees. I personally think that this would be developed while the time spent with work and putting my efforts to plan it from the beginning and executing it upto the end. In my job profile I have been given chance to analyse each shipment from the beginning and act as necessary and accordingly. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Problem Solving- Due to the lack of decision making, it directly affects my problem solving skills. As a new employee I haven’t been given chance to make decisions of my own which will be given to me after a specific time spent with in the company. Now because I cannot make decisions I will have to rely on my seniors to give me instructions in these types of situation which will lead to problem solving directly from decision makers at above post not me. 2.2 Skills scored highest with. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Planning- My job profile requires a pre-planned activity which is a base of service commitment to customers. First w learn in this business is to plan things and then execute. The planning doesn’t give a hundred percent surety of desired results but it leads to a way to execute right thing and a right time. I personally feel that my job responsibilities made me well enough to deal with planning skill. It’s adding something extra everyday to my skill. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Monitoring- Once the planning has been made and executed second step comes to monitor it on each and every step. A break any where in the planning chain may fail the whole assignment. The purpose of my monitoring is to take care of assignment and rectify problems as soon as and wherever they come up. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Reviewing- Reviewing the work everyday gives me efficiency and proficiency in my work. A skilled reviewing gives an idea what needs to be done. During the work I have learned that reviewing all our daily deeds gives us experience and probable outcomes of next day and future. This also shows the performance improvement. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Prioritising- As a worker I learned how to priorities my work. It’s a way of placing an order of priorities what needs doing and when. This can be achieved by Setting objectivise and goals. Its an important aspect of decision making. In my work priorities has importance as we will have to make decisions depend on the situations. For examples in a situation where buyer needs all his order with several suppliers in once, but due to problem with space allocation we may have to make own decision sometime to priorities to particular orders or shipments. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Reporting- My job profile is to work as an executive. I have responsibilities and direct reporting to my seniors. I need to report all my day to day activities that its understandable and most important is acceptable. An acceptable standard of work has been gained through the work experience. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Motivating- Motivation is necessity in every success. De-motivation will lead to failure in the job and work assignment. I have learned that how to challenge my negative thoughts. It helps me to realise possibilities of my future. 3. Monitoring my self- level achieved. Presentation Skills – Competent Speaker- able to talk to small groups of my peers albeit a little nervously. Written Skills- Good Creative- able to use comparison, example, similes, metaphors, vocabulary and other tools. Organisational/Planning Skills- Limited- can plan and organise my own time to achieve targets. Team-working Skills- Good- Able to work well in a team of people and to perform a number of â€Å"team roles†. 4. Conclusion – There is Overall performance satisfaction within the organisation and as recognised by senior level. Seven months of tenure within the firm was spent just as a trainee. This helped me to gain a lot. But still there is a long way to go and far more to achieve what I thought before. There is lot more confidence required while taking the necessary decisions. An uncomfortable situation always leads to lose either big or small. Currently I’m working with the help of other experienced staff which also de motivates me to take my own initiative. But in nearer future I hope for responsibilities with an independent role. That will surely help me to gain improved skills and goals. For sometime I have had a loose idea of the goals I would like to achieve in the short to medium term. Now that I have set my self a deadline I’m confident and assured to achieve that. However I would like to improve my self confidence increase my motivation to achieve the most out of my work. I would like to eliminate the attitude that holds me back and cause hassles to it and finally unhappiness. I would like to increase my pride and satisfaction in my achievements advantages of goal settings. I would like to increase my self confidence from the current level and perform better in all areas of my works.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

A New Work Ethic

Describe how typical the attitudes that Sheehy reports appear to be in work environments you have experienced. They seem to be very typical in some of the work environments I have been in. I recall some years ago when I took on the fast-food world for about 14 days, a lot of the employees there were young and immature. Many company’s like McDonalds and Burger King employee these high school and college students who have not matured enough to fully understand the true value of work. For that reason, many of these companies are subject to much revenue loss due to fraud and theft within the work place. I’m sure that they account for that when they draw out their business plans and write out their policies and procedures to ensure mangers look out for employees with those traits. Explain the implications of the work ethic Sheehy describes for the future of American business. If I read the case right it seems as if he is saying that tomorrow’s leaders of America are ones that feel that you must claw your way to the top. They show characteristics of someone who would step on anyone or do anything to get what they want. It shows implications of a lot of ill will being performed in the future and how the structure of business competition may be a bit more competitive in the future. Explain whether it is more reasonable to expect workers, especially in a capitalist society, to be more devoted to their jobs, more concerned with quality and customer service, than Sheehy’s coworkers were. Yes, it is reasonable to expect more from workers that have been out there longer in respectable work environments. They have educated themselves enough to know when to show certain parts of their personality and have conquered their childish endeavors. Such individuals have formed a discipline within and know that the true way to the top of their careers is by showing true talent and knowing the fundamentals of your job. These things are just not learned over not and usually high school and college freshmen students are just beginning their journey down the literary path and have not learned these fundamentals yet. Explain the reasoning behind employee theft. I don’t think there is a true reasoning behind employee theft. Yet, if I had to pull one from the case reading I would say that it is the fact that the employees are young and naive. They lack discipline and respect and take for granted their jobs and the value of the job they do. The case seems to demonstrate how many fast food establishments have low moral within their employee body and lack good strong ethnic value training. I think if the employees should be trained to know what good ethics is. Also, they should be shown how to perform good moral ethics in their everyday work environment. Then, if it was actually implicated and enforced it would change the way many of the fast food employee staff viewed their positions and their overall attitudes toward their jobs would change. Explain ways the culture of our capitalists society encourages attitudes like those Sheehy describes. The capitalists’ society encourages attitudes like those by making it seem like it is a doggie dog world in the land of business. Every time you open a newspaper or turn on the television you hear how some accountant stole billions and trillions of dollars from some company. Stories of investment fraud and millionaires stepping on someone to get their lead in the market flood the airwaves on different Medias all over the world. Of course, after all that I would assume that the message that would be received by young, inspiring entrepreneurs is get in and get yours no matter how. This is what we are being told to do to only look out for number one. It is not until you actually get into the game and start dealing with the real action that you truly understand that what the media display and always real or remotely accurate. You have Politian’s that get up in front of the people and promise all the things to them. Saying that the can change things and offering things that they know they may not be able to achieve just to get a vote. These types of actions send the message that it is ok to tell a lie to get what you want in the business world and that the rules are only there to be broken. In conclusion, the culture of our capitalists’ society encourages attitudes like those Sheehy describes in its everyday actions and advertisements’, through Government leaders actions right down to the State leaders actions. What these officials and many like them do is seen and heard around the world and many follow in their footsteps in hopes that they would be smart enough to do it better and acquire all those luxuries without doing the work, just like the last man did.