Ethical Lens

In reviewing my ethical lens inventory I have many faults and many advantages when it comes to the way I learn. My personal preferred lens is rights and responsibility, which means I use rationality to determine my duties as well as the rules that each person should follow. There were many results of my ethical lens inventory. The results of my classical values are temperance. I value individual balance and restraint in the want for pleasure that I seek to fulfill my duties. My key phrase is â€Å"I am responsible†, because of this I assume that what I think is responsible should apply to everyone.My definition of ethical behavior is â€Å"fulfilling duties†, I feel an ethical person would be one who fulfills their duties and does the right thing. The tools I use to analyze problems are reason. I tend to think about problems carefully and research them so I am receiving the fullest and accurate data. My blind spot would be that â€Å"Belief that motive justifies method †. This means that I could unknowingly cause people upset and pain because I am focused on good motives. It also means I believe that there is a set of individual rules that everyone should follow, it also means that I follow the rules.My seeing clearly is listening to my heart, I always follow my heart about everything before my head and that could also be a downfall. Sometimes I put my belief above others because it is what I think is right, but what I think is right is not always right. My personal lens could affect my academic behavior by my crisis which is becoming exhausted. Being exhausted and not pacing myself could definitely direct my academic behavior. It could direct it by being tired and exhausted therefore not being able to perform academically to the best of my abilities.My ethical lens influences my critical thinking because it means that I am responsible. By being responsible and wanting to fulfill my duties to the best of my ability it means I ask questions a nd research everything, therefore increasing my critical thinking skills. The results of my career building activity aptitude showed that I am focused. Being focused means that I would be better suited for a career that involved me using and applying practical skills. It says that I am likely to be attracted to very practical jobs and careers. I personally think this is false because my career choice is to be a social worker.Being a social worker seems to be a really exciting and it involves you to always have to be thinking outside the box, the complete opposite of a practical job. There are many ways I can use my career aptitude results and competencies and my personal ethical lens to help me in the classroom and the workplace. One way it these results can help is it shows me my strengths and weaknesses. Another way is the give me advice about the way my thinking works and how to apply it. These surveys have been very helpful to my academics and workplace decisions.

Gucci’s Closest Competitor

CRITICALLY CONTRAST THE KEY ELEMENT OF GUCCI’S MARKETING STRATEGY TO ITS CLOSEST COMPETITOR. JUSTIFY WHY YOU HAVE CHOSEN THIS COMPANY AS GUCCI’S CLOSEST COMPETITORS Gucci is one of the most powerful leaders in luxury fashion market. Gucci is founded by Guccio Gucci in 1921 in Florence, Italy. Now, Gucci is the part of Gucci Group and Pinault Printemps Recloute (PPR). The globalization of the fashion environment and boost in the western economies transform Gucci from a small Italian company in to large luxury fashion brand in global level. In 1980s, Gucci had lost its appeal and became a tacky brand and was also in deep financial crisis. But Tom Ford raised Gucci from dead and found out the company’s leading status and maintains their customer loyalty. He created Gucci’s image as: sleek, sexy, and daring. And, Frida Giannini the new creative director of Gucci after Tom Ford changed the image of Gucci from sexy to sensuality. There are two sides to a brand like Gucci: the glamorous, very fashionable side but also with its roots and heritage of 90yrs history and artisans working for Gucci. (Frida Giannini , The Times, sept 5, 2009) For the Gucci’s rebirth marketing mix plays a vital role. The concept of 4Ps or the marketing mix is to explain the relationship of product, price, promotion and place with in the brand/business. The marketing mix is set of marketing tools that the firm uses to pursue its marketing objectives in the target market. So, this theory proposes that all brands/business need the right product, sell that product at right price, in the right place, using the most suitable promotion. Basically brands use this concept to attract their target consumer to match their needs and demands. Out of these 4Ps product is main focused area of marketing mix because the product is combination of tangible and intangible offer that a brand sells to customer to make money. Product addresses the need of consumer. The product has to have the right features like: it must look good and work well. â€Å"When well designed, good-quality product is at the root of the marketing campaign it often adds a degree of authenticity and sincerity to the marketing strategy. † (Gary Aspden – Adidas) For example: consumer needs to fit in with the peer group and the problem of how best to do this is solved by wearing particular brand’s trendy product. Mastering Fashion Marketing, Tim Jackson, 2008). As mentioned earlier that product is the main element of the marketing mix and in that product category footwear is the main focused area. â€Å"Shoes are always the most important thing because they are who you are. They change the way you walk, the way you move. † – Tom Ford The market for the footwear category is United Kingdom. The reason behind choosing this market is that the United Kingdom footwear market, the value of this market is reached a record high of over ? bn in 2008. The UK is one of Europe’s leading footwear markets, accounting for nearly 19% of the European footwear sales. PRODUCTSGUCCIPRADACHANELLouis Vuitton Women’s wear Men’s wear Shoes Hand Bags Jewellery Fragrance Watches Eye wear Beauty products X Hats Tie Scarves Based on the above mentioned table Gucci's competitors are Prada, Chanel and Louis Vuitton. The reasons behind taking only these brands are these four brands are very popular in luxury market all over the world. So, through this table get the basic idea of the product wise comparison in these four brands. All the four brands have almost similar products but the personality is different. Gucci is much more similar to Prada in terms of brand image and product comparison. The brand image of Gucci and Prada is very seductive, powerful, accomplished, sexy and chic. Where as Chanel and Louis Vuitton have very smart, classic, sophisticated and mature personality. In terms of prices Gucci and Prada go hand in hand while Louis Vuitton and Chanel are quite expensive as compare to Gucci and Prada. While comparing the brand value of these brands and the ranking of Top 100 Brands Louis Vuitton stands on 17th rank with the brand value of $21,120millions, Gucci stands on 45th rank with the brand value of $3530 millions, Chanel stands on 60th rank with the brand value of $6040 millions and Prada stands on 91th rank with the brand value of $3530 millions. So, as comparing the brand value and rank of top 100 brands Chanel will be the closest competitor of Gucci. But, here the comparison is based on the product so, Prada will the Gucci’s closest competitor because as per the product line and brand image Prada is Gucci’s closest competitor. GucciPrada As, mentioned earlier in the product line Prada is the closest competitor of Gucci. Here, the images from Prada and Gucci men’s footwear collection of Spring Summer 2010. The design of the product is similar, shape of the shoes is also similar, and material they used is also same. The cut detail of the outside counter of the shoes is also similar. From the top view both the shoes look very similar The stitching detail is similar but Gucci gave dark color piping on the toe cap and gave same color stitching where as Prada gave contrast color stitching detailing which is quite noticeable. The colors of these shoes are different Gucci used Bordeaux color in suede material which gives very dull look while Prada used same material in Red color which gives very bright and smart look. Prada also gave a logo on side of the shoe whereas Gucci gave green, red and green color web stripe. The detailing on the tongue of the shoes is also different Gucci gave zig zag look on the edge which gave a rough look though its finished where Prada gave very finished look stitching which give very sophisticated look. The lining of the both the shoes are also similar in terms of color and leather in sole logo. The color of the sole is also similar but detailing is different Gucci gave their own brand logo detailing on the rubber sole where as Prada used nice detailing on drive sole. The price of Gucci’s shoes is $530 where as Prada shoes cost around $557. Good design and color and with affordable price Prada is better than Gucci in this comparison. Gucci Prada This advertising campaign is for Autumn Winter 2009/10 for Prada and Gucci for the footwear collection. In both the advertising campaign both the brand focused only on the product. Gucci’s products are very shiny and glamorous which represents very urban, beautiful, young and chic look. Where as Prada shoes are inspired by Trojan helmet/headgear which gives very stylish and cool look and more focus on product detailing. Gucci ( Gucci’s store display window is very basic with perfume bottle shape with yellow light and hand bag shape with pink light and back drop is decorated with Gucci logo. In the display Gucci display bags and shoes together. The ambience and the light effect give very rich look to Gucci’s display window. In the display window Gucci only displayed their basic and classic bag and shoes. Whereas Gucci’s image is very sensuous, sleek and sexy, but through this window display Gucci can not convey its brand image. But, the light effect, ambience and product complement each other. But this display does not Whereas Prada’s window display is totally opposite to Gucci’s window display. Prada give more focus on their product in the display window. Prada used six silver mannequins to display their footwear and which gave very trendy look. Even the color of footwear is very nice and eye catchy when it put on those silver mannequins. The placement of the mannequins is also very nice, they displayed 3 mannequins in the right direction and rest of 3 mannequins they just flip it so that the product can highlight more. And they used white lights for the display. So, through this window display Prada convey their brand image which very trendy, smart, sexy and sensuous. Thus, to conclude we can say that Prada is Gucci’s closest competitors. The reason behind this is Prada offer almost all the product which Gucci offers and the brand image of Gucci and Prada is same which is very sexy, sleek, sensuous and smart. In product line in the same season Gucci and Prada offers almost similar shoes but Prada’s shoes are very smart and trendy where as Gucci’s shoes give very dull look. So, from that comparison Gucci is not able to maintain their brand image where as Prada’s shoes are simple but Prada maintain their brand image which is very smart. While comparing the advertising campaign and the store display window, Prada and Gucci go hand in hand in terms of convey the message through advertising campaign and also highlight their image through store ambience. But Gucci has 278 stores all around the world where as Prada have 128 stores around the world. So, globally Gucci is more famous than Prada. The brand value of Gucci is more than Prada. Reference: Websites: http://bwnt. businessweek. com/interactive_reports/best_global_brands_2009/index. asp? sortCol=rankid=1=2=50 http://www. stanforddaily. com/2009/03/06/milan-fashion-week-sexes-out/ http://www. researchandmarkets. com/research/34a553/footwear_market_re Books: Journals: Images: Prada Display: http://williamyan. com/blog/2009/7/24/retail-prada-window-display-in-soho. html) Gucci display: http://www. bobbintalk. com/2009/11/window-shopping-gucci. html

Soc crtq 2 Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Soc crtq 2 - Lab Report Example The last category is describes power to be controlled by a collection of interest groups that care for the economic and social welfare of the people. The author argues that the people running the corporate community and the growth coalition are the actual power dominators and describes them as the social elite. They account for only 1% of the total population yet their hold 15.7% of the total income. The focus of this article dangles around the identification of the people who control the 'superficial democracy' in United States. The author cites several studies done to investigate whether the power elites hold influential governmental offices. The results clearly show that these 'top level' people not only hold such offices, they also influence the policies to be made in the corporate world's welfare. People have the right to go against these practices and interest groups have tried to protect their rights, however, the top class maintains such terms that the lower class has to operate under them. The author further argues that the general public in the past has been able to extort the corporate world into giving them their rights by forming trade unions, observing strikes, staging sit-ins etc., nonetheless the corporations caved-in not because of the public pressure but m

The effects of shortstaff on quality of care Research Proposal - 1

The effects of shortstaff on quality of care - Research Proposal Example A motivating environment facilitates output and can be identified by high patients’ utility levels while poor environment leads to poor services and hence poor quality of care to patients. A research to determine association between the level of staffing and quality of services by a care facility identified dependence. Based on the research’s results, insufficient staffing of a care facility increases the number of reported deaths, hinders rescue processes, and increases cases of cardiovascular complications, pneumonia that is acquired within the care facilities and other negative occurrences that could be anticipated from a facility (Agency, 2007). Other factors also exist that affect the quality of care to a patient, measured in terms of achieved results and patients’ level of satisfaction. A patient’s age, type of illness and physiological conditions are other identified factors to overall quality of care (Clarke and Donaldson, n.d). This however induces uncertainty in the proposed association between staffing and quality of care and it is necessary to ascertain the link for nurse staffing policies, and public knowledge towards informed decisions when seeking nursing care. The proposed research therefore seeks to ascertain existence of a significant relationship between staffing and presumed effects of understaffing on quality of care. The proposed research will consider two variables, ratio of number of patients to personnel in a care facility, and patients perceived quality of care. The patients to personnel ration will define the derived quotient from dividing the number of patient by the number of personnel in a facility and will be the independent variable. The ratio will be measured on a categorical scale to be determined. Patients’ perceived and observed factors that are associated with staff ratios at respective facilities will be the independent variable and will be measured

Mars Global Explorer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mars Global Explorer - Essay Example This research paper attempts to find out valid reasons and facts supporting the existing of life on Mars. There have been a host of significant discoveries in the past that have reflected on the idea of existence of life on Mars. Mariner IX (1971) orbited Mars and pointed out at the planet having an active weather system. He observed clouds, odd swirls of cloud that make a cyclone, and even frontal systems. It was assumed that the clouds were thin. But in 2004, Mars Global Surveyor took some high resolution images of the clouds thus enabling it to measure their thickness. To much surprise of the scientists, the thickness revealed that cloud’s inside some of the deep canyons was far more opaque and dense than could be imagined. They also contained triple the amount of water than was initially expected. There also exist evidences about the existence of a vast ocean surrounding the Northern Hemisphere of Mars. In 1999, Mars Global Explorer showed positive evidences of palcomagnetic Islands on Mars, with the bands being about 10 times wider than those found on earth (Garrison 94). A recent surprising announcement is made by Mars Global Explorer that there are chances that water still flows on this planet. Images of Martian cliff were sent back by it that showed streaks similar to the ones found on mountains on earth. It is expected that these rocks have melted ice under the surface that bursts out time and then (Kidger 124). This topic is of interest as one of the major missions of European Mars Express is to use specialized decameter radar – MARSIS – for searching for such underground water bodies. Hydrated minerals have already been discovered on the surface of Mars. The above facts clearly throw light on the better possibilities of existence of life on Mars in the nearby past. There are strong evidences supporting the fact that life still exists on Mars owing to its mild climatic conditions and presence of water on its

Effective communication among nurses Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effective communication among nurses - Assignment Example It is evident from the study that effective communication among nurses ensures proper understanding, avoidance of medical mishaps, as well as excellent performance of their duties. Based on the fact that nursing is collaborative, efficient communication among the various parties including patients, doctors and nurses cannot be unnoticed. In addition to prevention of health misapprehension, valuable nursing communication ensures customer satisfaction and trust. During their communication nurses should be specific. This implies that a nurse should converse essential information to other nurses, patients and doctors. In the same way, nurses should accurately respond to the questions from patients and other personnel. The primary benefit of effective communication among nurses is satisfaction of patients and perfection of health care system. Due to the wide range of duties that nurses undertake, it is paramount to emulate delegation of duties in order to improve nurse’s performanc e, as well as maximize the available human resources. During the delegation of duties, senior nurses should consider the abilities and the skills possessed by the assistant nurses. To ensure that the assistant nurses have the ability to deal with patients vital signs, nursing ethics depicts that senior nurses must provide that the results of the delegated duties are compliant with the nursing standards. In the same way, it is vital for nurses to make sure that individuals whom duties are delegated to follows the instructions as outlined. Supervision and support of the assistant nurses are other key requirements of the nursing ethics during delegation of duties. One of the major benefits of delegating duties to assistant nurses is that it enables registered nurses to undertake appropriately tasks that cannot be devolved. Even though, at the initial stages the time saved through delegation may not be reasonable, the gradual improvement of skills by the assistant nurses makes the saved time to be significant in the long-term. It is vital to note that rather than undertaking many nursing duties in an ineffective manner, nurses should focus on doing few tasks in an excellent way. In cases where the number of patients requiring closer attention is high, delegation of nursing duties ensures that every patient is effectively addressed. Through delegation, consultation among the nurses is attained, thus, leading to an effective communication system. Strategic planning To meet the needs of a nursing facility, it is imperative for managers to have an attainable vision. Additionally, managers should emulate strategic plans that are focused on attaining organizational goals within 2-5 years. Through development of a mission statement, an organisation gives the public and government authorities the actual picture of why it exists. In this regard, it is vital for managers to seek the input of other nurses in the review of vision and mission statement in case they are outdate d. Environmental assessment is a major step in strategic planning. This entails assessing the demographic profile of other workers, as well as members of the public served by the nursing facility. To make the services provided by the care centre relevant and attainable, hospital management team should take into

Apple's Balance Sheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Apple's Balance Sheet - Essay Example Assets From the provided financial information for Apple for the two six months operating periods taken in 2008 and 2009, it is clear that the company experienced an upward movement in different items regarding assets. Initial cash and its equivalents for the two specified periods represent a significant level of reduction from USD 11.875b in 2008 to USD 4.466b in 2009 (Apple, 2009). Whereas cash and similar cash items growth could not necessarily represent growth in view of liquidity practicality issues, it is appropriate to make the assumption that the materiality of the difference did not affect the overall reflection of business operations as cash flow values indicate. This argument is also supported by the observation of increased short-term marketable securities over the same period by double from USD 10.236b to USD 20.547b which could explain the reflected liquidity difference. Despite the fact that the accounts receivable after relevant reconciliation adjustments give a reduc tion in 2009, the difference does indicate a huge difference in terms of operations. Held inventories also indicate a reduction that would be explained by operations at a time when demand projections would be scaled downwards amidst financial crisis. However, overall liquid assets reflected a growth of USD 1.542b (from USD 32.311b to USD 33.853b), which gives a better reflection that the company grew its liquid assets. Investment in form of long-term securities gives detail of fixed assets and the increase from USD 2.379b to USD 3.865b (37 per cent) confirms the current assets trend as a growth trajectory (Apple, 2009). Other fixed assets elements such as buildings and properties owned increased from USD 2.546b to USD 2.455b, a reflection also reflected in the category of other assets that rose from USD 2.498b to USD 1.935b. To confirm this trend, the overall asset figure was a growth of 9.3 percent (USD 43.237b from USD 39.572b). In support of this information, perhaps the company can consult certain incidental information of cash flow nature to highlight the apparent growth in assets and operation level. The value of income and other operating activities indicate upward movements in net income (USD 2.81b from USD 2.626b) as was the reconciliation movements for income generating activities. Certain operating concepts such as depreciation and amortization illustrate a rise in the charged values, which translates in growth of the associated assets. An increase in the value of these operation costs for instance for depreciation from USD 222m in 2008 to USD 330m a year later reflects a huge hike of related asset base to support operations of the corporation. In other movements, increased stock-based compensations cost by 45 per cent (USD 242m to USD 351m) is an indication of growth in operations that occasion stock-based compensations, translated as growth by the company. It is evident that this information reflects a powerful suitability of Apple as an investmen t destination. Despite the fact that such increase in compensation could also indicate inefficiency in operations at the same operating capacity, the reduction of disposition losses from USD 10m in 2008 to USD 8m in 2009 as well

Team mission statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Team mission statement - Essay Example The author concludes by saying that â€Å"the mission statement affirms the company’s commitment to responsible action.† Site Relevance. This site provides the knowledge essential in making a good mission statement. In order to formulate one, each of the members of the group what exactly is a mission statement and why it needs to be established. Understanding what comprises a good mission statement is a prerequisite in having one. This site has given me an adequate knowledge on how companies come up with their mission statements which can also be applied in our virtual team. Site Summary. In her article entitled Virtual Teams Need Human Touch, Jane Hawkrigg identifies the challenges commonly faced by virtual teams together with the specific strategies which should be employed in order to maximize the productivity of virtual teams. The author stresses that virtual teams harnesses the diverse talents and potentials of each member which are geographically separated. The following are the identified best practices for virtual teaming as identified by a global research group: virtual teams need special leadership; trust is essential; team building pays off; don’t abandon face to face meetings; performance in consistency; and the use of technology to maximize performance. Site Relevance. This site has been primarily important in giving me an understanding of how to maximize the potentials of our team-members. In order to create a mission statement, these guidelines are important because they are the factors which should be considered for the virtual team to succeed. It should be noted that as a virtual team is different from a typical one, special considerations should be prioritized. Since the mission statement defines the team and its goals, these identified best practices should be emphasized on the

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

MANAGEMENT - Research Paper Example The strategic organizations are able to exploit the benefits and opportunities with clear targets as well as required resources and dynamism (Burkhart & Reuss, 1993). A number of businesses are analyzing and applying strategic planning concepts and methodologies that have major contributions to successes in the business fields. The fundamental notion of strategic planning is to create plans, which help businesses to undertake in an uncertain future and are founded on clear visions. The future plans may have several years of strategic planning. Sometimes, it may be as long as of two decades (Anthony & Young, 1999). Strategy planning can be described as â€Å"the plans and activities developed by an organization in pursuit of its goals and objectives, particularly in regard to positioning itself to meet external environmental demands relative to its competition† (Kovner & Neuhauser, 1990). Strategic planning for example Wal-Mart offers a clear outline and that helps in coordinat ion endeavors and harmonization of the company. Moreover, it helps companies to have better decision-making, good internal and external communication in addition to improved motivations amongst participating members (Begun & Heatwole, 1999). Strategic planning covers future decisions by human resources of organizations. Strategic Planning helps the management of company the needed direction and goals for internal as well as external environments. Strategic Levels The contemporary organizations generally implement many levels for successful running of the organizations (Beamish, 2000). Each strategic level aims at distinct planning tasks and objectives. The strategic levels are meant to apply the decisions made by businesses and their impacts on the organizations. Following are levels of planning strategies: 1. Corporate strategy 2. Business strategy, and 3. Functional strategy. Corporate level strategy covers the decisions the company made regarding allocation of resources to achiev e the desired goals. It also makes the decisions regarding new services and diversifications provided by the company. Business level strategy concerns with the decisions regarding how the companies would be competitive in the business environment for a particular service or product. Functional level strategy focuses on how a particular business would undertake and operate various business strategies. The successful application of the planning strategies might include modern systems, employment, and training of staff in addition to and the creation of new business partnerships. However there are certain limitations for many organizations to execute some specific plans. The best method for the execution of strategic planning involves both a strategy formulation process and an implementation procedure. Formulation of the planning strategy decides about the modus operandi and its execution. Both these procedures are strongly interrelated and could be assessed individually. Strategy form ulation Strategy formulation is a quite flexible process and is employed to evaluate or re-examine a company’s core values and philosophy. Moreover it helps in development of company’s plans to realize its targets and goals (Beamish, 2000). Following are the key determinants in the strategy formulation procedures: 1. Consensus of mission and vision 2. Environmental assessment, and 3. Setting goals and objectives. Mission/Vision A good strategic plan ensures that a

Cigarettes and their effect of one’s lowered BMI over non-smokers Essay Example for Free

Cigarettes and their effect of one’s lowered BMI over non-smokers Essay Cigarette smoking has established effects on body weight. The effect of weight concerns on smoking initiation, as well as smoking cessation will be examined in the following review. The following review further examines how age, time spent smoking and concern with an individual’s outward appearance, can also lead to a continuation of smoking. The following review also demonstrates that when one ceases to smoke cigarettes, there is a high likely hood that their BMI will raise as well as a demonstration that cigarettes increase the basal metabolic rate. Habitual smokers have been found to weigh 3-6 kg less than non-smokers. In the text the explanation of this relationship is examined. Findings include, the need to do something with one’s hands, food preferences, choosing sweets over other foods. Findings further explained that during the cessation stage an ex-smoker will gain 4. 5 kg and that roughly 13% will gain at least 11 kg. Efforts to address weight concerns in smoking cessation programs may need to target these subjects as it leads to these individuals not ceases to stop smoking cigarettes. Cigarette smoking is a well-documented public health problem. Furthermore, cigarette smoking has established effects on body weight. What is the cause and effect as to why smokers may have a lower BMI than non-smokers, and how do cigarettes affect weight gain during and after cessation? Also, does the possibility of weight gain after cessation, stop the smoking from quitting for fear of gaining weight? Tobacco deaths alone account for 4. 9 million deaths annually. Aside from the addictive properties, one explanation could be the belief that cigarettes contribute to a lower BMI. Also what happens to your BMI once you cease smoking cigarettes? The following review will examine scientific data on weight concerns and smoking behaviors. The dimensions of appearance concerns in smokers An individual’s outward appearance appears to play a large role in the onset and continuation of smoking. One way to tackle the problem of weight gain in smokers vs. nonsmokers is to simply ask them what their fears are, with regards to gaining weight and their appearance in general. Grogan, Hartley, Conner, Fry and Gough (2010) conducted an experimental research, involving a questionnaire of a total of 244 British, 17-34 yr. lds. The questionnaire given to the subjects was the Multidimensional Body- Self Relations Appearance Sub- Scales. The subjects were then asked to rate their feelings towards their appearance. The method involved mailing the questionnaire to 547 non-student participants in Leeds who had taken part of a previous smoking study; as well as an additional 80 university students that attended Staffordshire. The questionnaires were returned, some counting as undeliverable, which resulted in a final number of 244 complete data sets, Grogan et. al. (2010). The participants include Staffordshire University 7 male smokers, 36 male non-smokers, 5 female smokers and 32 female non-smokers. The sample from Leeds included 8 male smokers, 49 male non-smokers, 43 female smokers and 103 female non-smokers, Grogan et. al. (2010) . The questionnaire included closed and two open- ended questions, one such question was, why do you smoke? The scale also measured things such as Appearance Scale and Appearance Evaluation, also along with self-classified weight. The results that the researchers used , were compared by two factors Manova  Ã‚  followed by Univariate Anova. Results revealed the following data (F-4. 237=7. 90;p0. 001 eta squared=0. 10) In the end the only variable that differed significantly between smokers and non-smokers was appearance evaluation; smokers were not as positive about their appearance than non-smokers, Grogan, (2010). It should also be noted that this was based on asking subjects about their feelings toward their general physical appearance, not merely centered on feeling overweight, the results do not go along with the previous studies that smokers are more preoccupied with their weight than non-smokers, Grogan et. l. (2010). The results suggest that to in the future targeting smoking cessation programs need to target the smokers concern for the his/her overall appearance, as well as weight gain. Smoking as a Means to loose Weight There are many negative effects that continued smoking contributes to. Among many of these effects there is an altercation of lipid metabolism, through the increase of lipolysis, insulin resistance and the tissue lipotoxity, Gastaldelli, Folli, Maffei (2010). The researchers noted that smokers have in general a lower BMI than non -smokers. It is noted however, that heavy smoking is associated with less physical activity which often can lead to obesity, Gastaldelli et. al. (2010). It well established that smoking or nicotine ingestion increases the basal metabolic rate, which could explain an increased energy expenditure in smokers, Gastaldelli et. al. (2010). Smokers tend to be thinner than non-smokers and former smokers, and several studies have shown that a smoker’s BMI is lower, Gastaldelli et. al. (2010). In further support of this finding, it has also been found that heavy smokers tend to have higher BMI’s than lighter smokers and even some non smokers Gastaldelli et. l. (2010). Also in general the abdomen is where the fat in smokers seems to accumulate the most; as well as showing an increased waist to hip ratio. However, there has also been noted a decrease in the resting metabolism when a smoker reaches cessation. It has also been suggested that there is an It has also been suggested that there is an enhancement in metabolism when it combined with nicotine and exercise, Gastaldelli et. al. (2010). Cigarette smoking among high school students has increased as well. There are on average one-quarter of high school students currently smoking cigarettes, Johnson, Eaton, Pederson, Lowry (2009). The question remained whether high school students were using cigarettes as a method to control their weight, Johnson (2009). The method that was used for this research involved the youth Behavior Risk data (2005), where behaviors such as current cigarette use, trying to loose weight and (2009). Separate logistic regression models calculated adjusted odd ratios for cigarette use and trying to loose weight. In Spring of 2005 a three stage cluster model was used and the survey was administered to students in grades 9-12. There were a total of 98 items on the survey. The questions centered on how many cigarettes smoked, as well as whether or not weight was a factor that the students considered. The student’s method that was used for this research involved the youth Behavior Risk data (2005), where behaviors such as current cigarette use, trying to loose weight and also keep from gaining weight , Johnson (2009). Separate logistic regression models calculated adjusted odd ratios for cigarette use and trying to loose weight. The student’s BMI was also calculated from the metric conversions of self reported height and weight, Johnson(2009). Using the CDC growth charts the BMI was created as well. All of the statistical analysis including prevalence, and odd ratios were performed on weighted data, using SAS-Callable, Johnson (2009). The study indicated that trying to loose weight was associated with cigarette smoking before but not after, which in turn accounted for healthy and unhealthy weight control behaviors, Johnson (2009). Similarly, Park (2009) found that there is a rather consistent association between being concerned with one’s weight and current smoking. Data was then collected from the Minnesota Survey on Adult Substance, which used a telephone survey (N= 16289). Current smoking and mental health were considered, in relation to one’s body weight. The BMI was self reported and each subject was assigned a 1-4 on the body weight category. Those who reported smoking have smoked 100 cigarettes or more in their life and had 30 days Park (2009). The K6 scale was used to screen the subjects for any mental illness that was diagnosable, Park (2009). With further research Park, found that underweight woman were more likely to smoke. Smoking and BMI How does smoking effect BMI, is the question that Neil E. Grunberg examined, in 1985. Studies were conducted to compare the body weight of smokers vs. non-smokers. Habitual smokers have been found to weigh less 3-6kg less than non-smokers, Grunberg (1985). Interestingly, according to Grunberg studies have found that there appears to very little difference between smoking and BMI with regards to younger participants, specifically those aged 15-19. Considering these two studies it appears clear that smokers weigh less than non-smokers. Explanation of this relationship  One such explanation that can help shed some light onto the correlation between smoking and BMI, is simply food consumption of smokers is less than non-smokers and that smoking cessation lends to increased food consumption, Cigarettes and their affect of one’s lowered BMI over non-smokers Grunberg (1985), offers another explanation is that cigarette smoking increases energy utilization. Therefore, smokers will gain less vs. non-smokers. A third explanation that, Grunberg (1985) mentions is that smoking affects certain food consumption, such as foods that fall into the sweet category. In essence, when a person who smokes cigarettes ceases to, they consume a higher amount of sweets. As well as when a smoker ceases to smoke they may feel a need to do something with their hands or a need for oral satisfaction. Some animal studies report that once nicotine was administered to the animals; their food consumption decreases, Grunberg (1985). Grunberg also points out that it is important to mention that only bland food was provided to the animals, as this may have had something to do with it as well. Another study produced similar results as well according to Grunberg. Subjects were studies during an eight hour period in a laboratory, in which they were not allowed to smoke. What they found was that the subjects ate twice as much sweet and salty food, but the same amount of other foods that they did when smoking was allowed, Grunberg (1985). Munafo, Tilling , Ben- Shlomo (2009) lend even further food for thought into this world. They conducted an longitudinal study in which they compared in different phases. The study consisted of contacting men aged 45-59, who were first seen in an evening lab. At all of the phases, the subjects had their measurements taken as well as their smoking history. The dietary behavior was also included in all phases except Phase IV, Munafo (2009). Non-smokers were also included in the study. Linear regression models were used to relate the BMI, to smoking status. The researchers found in the final results that never smokers and ex-smokers differ in their BMI when compared with current smokers with an average of 1. 6 kg. Also, even more surprisingly, the researchers found that the longer one ceases to smoke the higher their BMI. Munafo finds that the longer a smoker ceases to smoke, in time their BMI will return to the equivalent of that to never smokers.

Royal Mails Human Resource Strategy

Royal Mails Human Resource Strategy 1.The Royal Mail do have three levels of strategies:- Corporate level -which deals with the overall organization. Ex: Geographical regions, Market selection. Business level strategy is mentioned for each type of business carried out by the Royal mail. Functional level- The Finance, Human Resource Management, Production, Marketing, Research and Development comes under this section. The Corporate strategy of Royal mail is designed in such a way that it shows their ability to cope with the market changes in a positive and negative manner. It is the hardships of the employees and their standard customer services makes the Royal mail to get a competitive advantage over its competitors like TNT, DHL etc. Royal Mail which was once said to be the Monopolist in the field of Postal services lost the title of Monopoly in the beginning of 2006. It had 99% of the market share in its hands. Royal mail do have a view to make their corporate Strategic responsibility to become a part of their strategic management process. They are:- 2. Corporate Strategic responsibility includes:- The support of the workers from the workplace which forms the backbone of the Royal mail. The management also deals with the workers in a more friendly manner without any kind of discrimination. Being workers said to be the assets of the firm, Royal Mail takes good care of their workers and regarding the working conditions too. To make its actions designed to have a strong positive effect on its workers, customers and to its suppliers. Achieve a net zero carbon footprint by 2015 and to support their clients to do their activities to have a positive advantage towards the environment and to attain a competitive advantage. With their Corporate responsibility in mind Royal Mail wishes to be different from its competitors Royal mail had created their corporate strategy by taking into consideration of their Organizational objectives and their achievement. It is in the Functional level the Human Resource Strategies arrives. The definition of the Human Resource strategy and the Human Resource Strategies of the Royal Mail from 2005-2010 are mentioned below. 3.Human Resource strategy (Definition):- Before moving to Human Resource Strategy we should know what is meant by the term strategy?.Strategy usually means selecting the best decision from a stream of decisions. According to Lundy and cowling (1998,p16), strategy is: The art of war, generalship, especially the art of directing military movements so as to secure the most advantageous positions and combination of forces. The Human Resource Management team in the Royal Mail directs the workers by motivating them and providing them proper training in order to achieve the Organizational goals and to get a competitive advantage over its rivals. The term Human Resource Strategy is well defined as Human Resource management (HRM) is a strategic approach to managing employment relations which emphasises that leverage peoples capabilities is critical to achieving sustainable competitive advantage, this being achieved through a distinctive set of integrated employment policies, programmes and practices. [Bratton and Gold,4e,p3] 4.The Human Resource Strategies from 2005 2010:- Human Resource Management forms the most important function in an Organization as the workers are considered to be the valuable assets of the firm. The right kind of people in right position at the right time is the objective of the HR Manager. It is said that normally in a day HR Manager usually spends 20% of their working hours in dealing with the grievances of the employees without affecting the Organizations routine activities. HR Executives should have an ability to deal with their staffs in a fair and friendly manner rather than imposing more control on them. The Royal Mail take the efforts made by their workers into good consideration and rely on the fact about their career development rather than simply a job. The Royal Mails Human Resource strategies in the period from 2005 to 2010 is mentioned below which includes several threats they faced and the steps undertaken to face those threats. Human Resource strategies of the Royal Mail in 2005:- One of the most important actions of the Royal Mail can be seen in the beginning of 2005 which employed candidates from the socially excluded groups. The candidates who were recruited performed very well in the selection process as well as in the Organization too. New recruits by this process were placed in position as post man, delivery van drivers, letter sorting who were ex-service men or those who are homeless. This Pilot program helped the Royal Mail in lowering the cost and labour turnovers and proved as the firm with best employee satisfaction. The employees thus had a long term commitment and had a self motivated approach to work hard for the firm to achieve its goals. The employer expectation of high commitment and the employee expectation of taking care of their social needs made the workers of the Royal Mail to be loyal to the firm and improved the ratio of trust towards the firm. The voluntary organizations like the Royal Association of Disabled and Rehabilitation, Busine ss action on Homelessness etc helped the Royal Mail to get candidates of socially excluded groups. The Human Resource team played a very important function in sorting out the list of disabled candidates and selecting the best candidates through a standard selection process. The Human Resource Manager who have the Management as an art aspect means having inborn talents will have those skills to recruit those people who can contribute to the maximum of their extend towards their Organization. The Royal mail team supervised by Mr. Adam Crozier made record annual profits in 2005 which helped to give 1074 pounds of bonuses to its workers. These were achieved by the employee performance,better customer service by properly trained staff and their performance related pay strategy of the Human Resource team. Human Resource strategies of the Royal Mail in 2006:- The Human Resource team in the Royal Mail were able to provide instant solutions to the grievances of the employees. The starting of the year 2006 was not as good for the Royal Mail as it faced a postal strike in Belfast. Nearly 200 postal workers stopped their work for 2 weeks which made a very negative impact on the Royal Mails services to the customers. The customers were said to contact the office directly for any important matters and most of the letters and documents were blocked in some places remained undelivered. The Communication Workers Union says that the strike was due to the bad and unfair practices of the managers towards the workers in Belfast and the core issue is not accepted by the Royal Mail. Important delivery including specialized services were stopped temporarily and the management took immediate action to solve the problem. The Workers in strike were assured that they will not be treated badly when they return to their work and necessary actions will be taken against those who were found guilty. The Human Resource team in the Royal Mail took the issue seriously and they guaranteed that the workers will be treated fairly and without any discrimination. The psychological contract which says high motivation and high commitment should be taken into consideration which made the Human Resource Manger to deal with the situation in a friendly and wise manner. It was this year the Royal Mail lost its position as a Monopoly in the postal Industry and started facing wide spread competition. The management agreed that their will be no reduction in the work force, high job security will be provided with raise in pay scales to the staffs. The Christmas season of 2006 also made the customers of the Royal Mail to suffer due to the strike of 800 workers which caused huge volume of undelivered documents in the office. The managements decision to change some full time post to part time when an job opening arise was objected by the trade union by saying tha t it is against the National agreement. The matter was raised very seriously and the Royal Mail responded to it by saying that the decision will be with the consent of the worker agreement. The strike was stopped by reaching to the point that the new job openings in the Royal Mail will be carried out by the management with the combined hands of the trade union to make decision regarding whether to treat the vacancy full time or part time and the management assured that no staff will be forced to change his full time job status to part time. The closing of the sorting office in Paddington, London in the same year was explained by the Royal Mail as a step taken in order to improve their customer satisfaction and productivity against the wide spread rumours about some illegal actions of the postal workers. The 950 workers who worked their were temporarily kept away from their duties and some of them were given transfer offers. The workers commitment in a firm not only depend on their s alary but also on other factors like work atmosphere, employee- employer relationship, colleague character etc. The sacking of 5 workers who treated their women colleague very badly in one of the Royal Mail branch shows the immediate response taken by the Human Resource team in those matters which affects an employee to perform well in an Organization and to reduce those activities which affects the reputation of the firm. The Human Resource team has made recently certain improvements in the health and safety measures for the workers due to the huge fine the firm had to pay regarding the death of an employee, which was made as a health and safety issue by the court. Human Resource strategies of the Royal Mail in 2007:- The Privatization of the Royal Mail was the main problem discussed by the Human Resource team in the Royal Mail and the workers point of trust towards the firm tends to decrease day by day affecting their performance in the work. The Communication Workers Union was opposing the issue but some managers say the Privatization will help the future of the Royal Mail. A deal was agreed between the management and the labour union in 2007 followed by stopping the workers strike. The new policies changed the working time and new technologies were introduced which was implemented in each and every branch of the Royal Mail improved the productivity and performance of the workers. The new modern way of thinking and acting was successful in the Royal Mail. Also Mr. Mark Higson the managing director of the Royal Mail added that the future of the Royal Mail Pension scheme will not form any part of the agreement. The Human Resource Strategy of making the employees feel they are a part of the firm made the management to come to a point of distributing around 20% of its shares to the employees was opposed by the Government and the plan was turned down. The Human Resource team and the other managing partners have plan to explore the unused markets and to identify new opportunities to make the Royal Mail to offer quick and friendly based customer services. The Human Resource Department also do have plans to provide Occupational pension schemes for their employees in future. The Human Resource Manager also responded to the worst situation of poor quality service by the Royal Mail in Scotland and he promised to provide better customer service the coming year. The contract lose with the online service provider Amazon hits very badly towards the Royal Mail and its bad position to face more rigorous competition. Human Resource strategies of the Royal Mail in 2008:- In order to face the competition and the consideration of the future of the Royal Mail, the Human Resource Department made plans to reduce the number of workers and providing better benefits for those who remains. The Workers and the union feared about the reduction of the full time jobs and including more part time workers. The Privatization of the Royal Mail which the British public doesnt like was also considered as the main issue by the trade unions and the management. The Privatization will cause more job losses says the union members but the Royal Mail needs finance to support its future plans says the Management. The Management also planned to change the offices from old buildings to new ones in which the trade unions responded and they said that the change of offices will cause problems in sorting of letters, loosing some customers and they feared about loosing jobs too. Also plans were prepared by the Human Resource team to raise the salary scale of the executive Directors o f the Royal Mail who are the main key players in obtaining maximum profit. The Devanna model which shows performance appraisal, Human resource development and reward systems should be given due consideration. Many office branches of the Royal Mail were shut down and the remaining workers should be motivated by their performance and the management should create trust from the side of the workers which in turn gives high commitment. The Soft HRM feature of high commitment and high motivation as well as the Hard HRM feature of managing the workforce in a more rational way should be undertaken by the Royal Mail. Human Resource strategies of the Royal Mail in 2009:- To Prevent the customers complaint about the closing of the post offices the Human Resources team implemented a plan to provide mobile post office services to the customers by Van. The Royal Mails plan to make 30% privatization was opposed by the public and the Government continuously, if privatized it will cause raise in prices, job losses and the customers as well as the workers trust in the Royal Mail will reduce. The Human Resources team introduced new uniforms to the workers which is suitable for the climate and having big pockets to place the hand held computers which the customers prefers to sign and trace items was considered as a part of the improvement in the delivery system of the Royal Mail. The year also faced a strike on the pay cuts, salary freeze of the workers. The Communication Workers Union said that even cutting the wages or freezing the salary will not help the Royal Mail instead it should implement new ideas in technology and new advanced machinery to support th e workers. All over the strike is making the customers to move away from receiving the services from the Royal Mail. In the matter of improving their services, the Royal Mail and the Microsoft had joined hands to hands by introducing the new e-mailing service without having computers. The HR strategy of how to compete with their rivals has made the above decision to implement in the Royal Mail. Human Resource strategies of the Royal Mail in 2010:- The Privatization of the Royal Mail is the main consideration of the Royal Mail as the firm is running out of Finance, huge pension deficits and inefficiency in operations. The private fund is needed for the smooth function of the Organization, says the Managing director of the Royal Mail. The Human Resource Manager is taking keen steps in promoting the existing workers with good training but most of the workers had lost the trust with the Royal Mail. The privatization will cause more job losses, price for the products will be raised and the top level managers will get more benefits; a trade union leader says in a meeting. The workers says that if the new management can help them in providing benefits and good promotional appraisal packages to them, it is better to get privatized. The natural constraints like volcano ashes also affected he Royal Mails service in some part of the United Kingdom. The Psychological contract between the employee and the employer is broken. The employees social and other needs are not fully met and the huge sacking of employees made them to loose commitment towards the firm which leads to inefficiency, reduced services, low productivity and down turn of profits. The Royal Mail is still considered as the provider of the best service among the European nations with lowest service charges. The Human Resource team have plans to increase the state pension age for men. The Royal Mail is trying in many ways to improve its services by providing different varieties of stamps, weekend services, superior customer service but the competition and its bad financial position is weakening its movements to go forward. Even though it is known that the entry of new firms into the Postal Industry is very difficult due to entry restrictions, the Royal Mail is facing very tough competition. The firms like TNT, DHL and many of the online services are serious treats to the Royal Mail. The day when the Royal Mail lost its Monopoly in 2006 marked the beginning of competition as a headache to the Royal Mail. Another problem which the Royal Mail faces is the reduction in the volume of the letters but the postal workers tells that the number is increasing day by day. The Royal Mail like all other firms had undergone a SWOT ANALYSIS to understand its positives and Negatives internally and Externally. TheSWOT analysis is done to identify their threats and opportunities, strengths and weaknesses. 5.SWOT ANALYSIS:- The Swot Analysis is usually conducted by the management which gives the Royal Mail a good indication of its Strength and Weakness internally and its Opportunities and Treats in the outside market. The highly skilled hard working staffs having high commitment motivated by the efficient management and the firms large and other financial resources forms the Strength of the Royal Mail. Some complaints have been raised regarding the letters not reaching the destination and stealing of the letters/parcels by its staffs affects the Royal Mails prestige and the strikes which are made by the trade unions in Royal Mail forms its major weaknesses which hardly hits its reputation and directly states that employees are not satisfied with the management actions. The Royal Mail do have new opportunities to identify more customers and Business clients and providing support to them which will have a competitive advantage over its rivals. The Competitors like TNT, DHL, UKMAIL and the possibility of more rivals to enter the Industry forms the main threats for the Royal Mail. The wide usage of internet, online banking, online delivery and e-mailing has reduced its number of customers to a large extend has made huge reduction in the volume of mails in the Royal Mail is also considered as big threats. The Royal Mail still stands as the Standard postal service in the United Kingdom with its valuable staffs and its improved services like First class service, weekend service etc. Royal Mail also provides online supports and International postal services. The Administration of the Royal Mail includes series of committees like The Audit and Risk committee, The Management board, Pensions committee, Remuneration committee, Nomination committee and Social and Responsibility Committee. The new Human Resource Strategy and policies are being Introduced by the Royal Mail in order to face these threats and for the motivation of the workers. 6. The new Human Resource strategy to support the Royal Mail in the present bad condition:- Steps have been taken in the all the levels of the Organization to support the firm from the credit crunch and competition. To the workers:- Workers are provided with improved new range of training and guaranteed performance related pays. The employees who are considered as a valuable assets in the Royal Mail were provided with revised employee policies and procedures and long term job security and motivation. In order to improve its reputation and to obtain a good employee- employer relationship some additional steps were also taken. They are:- The new plan for temporary redundancy and early retirement are going to be enforced as soon as possible. Existing contracts will be renewed and new standardized contracts will be provided to the employees. The introduction of new machinery and techniques helps the workers to achieve world class standard in performance. The new revised Pension scheme plans are going to implement for those employees in the Royal Mail pension scheme. The working hours, the minimum wages are also revised. The safety of the staffs are taken in great consideration. Improved working conditions, first aid facilities, stress relief exercises, changing their job tasks over a period of time, self appraisal process, promotional and increments are also introduced to the new plan. To the firm:- The modernization of the firm with improved customer service support is the main objective of the firm. The co-operation of the Management with the workers and the trade union added with signing an agreement in new policies and procedures of the firm supported by the trade union is going to happen. The improved efficiency and productivity with unmatched competition by providing lower price and better quality services to its clients. To the Trade Union:- The firm will give suitable position for the trade union in its management activities. Support from the trade union in motivating the workers to cope with the Organizational rules and regulations and to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. To develop new communication levels between the trade union and the management. 7.The Royal Mails respond to the Competition and to the recent Credit Crunch:- The Royal mail which was once called as a Monopoly firm now faces serious competition and holds a bad reputation due to its continuous strikes , shutting down of the offices and complaints regarding its employees. Even though any firm can compete with its rivals in two ways, one way by reducing its prices and the other is by improving its quality of service/product. The Royal Mail provides high quality service to its customers and also the lower service/product price compared with its competitors helps the Royal Mail to attain a sustainable competitive advantage. The Human Resource team is making its level best efforts to prevent such issues but the employees relationship with the management is unclear. One of the main issues is the privatization of the Royal Mail which make the staffs to loose trust towards the firm making them de-motivated. The corporate strategy is well defined and the Human resource planning and its strategical process is some what following the corporate strateg y. Making a friendly relation with the CWU and a strong psychological contract between the workers and the Management is very much needed for the smooth functioning of the Royal Mail. The recent credit crunch has made the Royal Mail to close most of its offices and to sack many of its employees. The economic downturn in the UK is being faced by the Royal Mail in some extend due to its highly skilled, flexible core employees. The peripheral workers who were highly skilled were also taken into good consideration by the Royal Mail. The customers still rely on the Royal Mail due to its better quality services and lowest prices compared to its competitors the TNT, DHL, UKMail etc. The name of the above model is The Five Forces Framework which is developed by [Porter 1980] shows the fact from where does the competition come from?. We can combine this model with the Royal Mails competitive nature. It has elements like 1.Potential entrants mentioned as new competitors of the Royal Mail. 2.Rivalry from existing firms like TNT, DHL etc which are faced by the Royal Mail with its high quality products/services and of its highly skilled workforce who are trained and developed by their talented Human Resource team. The substitutes can be shown as the e-mail, online transfers and online mail ordering groups. Threat from the customers in the form of bargaining power, their change of demand, their potential for forward integration (which is implemented by the firm with the availability of suitable Human Resources). Threat from the Suppliers includes their bargaining power, switching costs, market dominance of the suppliers, the potential for backward integration (which is implemented by the firm with the availability of suitable Human Resources). The suppliers include the printing and stationery, technology, clothes, transport and travel agents. The Royal Mail uses the Generic Strategies frame work of Mr. Porter(1985) to define how they faced these competitions. The basic idea which is derived from the framework is:- Any firm can compete with other by lowering their prices Competing in the matter of quality makes each firm different Focusing on the main market and its customers can gain competitive advantage over its rivals. The Human Resource strategy of identifying the competitive areas and setting plans for how to compete helped the Royal Mail to face all types of competition and to gain a competitive advantage over its rivals. The Human Resource Management team of the Royal Mail have a good background from the Top Ranked Business Schools added with their inborn talents and experience helps the Royal Mail to compete with their rivals in a more technical way which is difficult for the competitors to identify and which makes the Royal Mail to have a strong base in the UK postal industry. The top quality products/services with the top quality employees makes the Royal Mail to move forward with confidence. The Human Resource strategy of implementing new techniques and training services with the performance related pay aspect for the workers can be seen in the Royal Mail. Last year the Royal Mail received three bronze awards from the World Class Manufacturing Association for its performance, health and saf ety care of its workers. The Royal Mail consider each and every worker in the matter of safety and performance and they say that if they can make one worker to perform well, it will make another to perform well and it goes on and the whole workers will perform well gives high productivity and profits to the firm. 8.Conclusion:- The essay can be concluded by stating that the Royal Mail have to face the credit crunch and the present difficulties in order to hold a strong position in the UK postal Industry. The Royal Mail do have a strong corporate responsibility strategy and Human Resource strategy which is properly planned and helpful to the employees as well as the to the firm for further development. The Human Resource Strategy from 2005 2010 shows the problems faced by the Royal Mail and the Strategies used by them to solve these problems. The privatization and the pension deficits are the main problems faced currently by the Royal Mail in which the management have certain plans to overcome the situation. The new entrants and the present rivals are competing very roughly with the Royal Mail and they are faced by the Royal Mail by its good quality services and its lowest service/product prices.

The Mother by Gwendolyn Brooks Essay -- My Children Heaven Essays Poet

The Mother by Gwendolyn Brooks "The Mother," by Gwendolyn Brooks, is a sorrowful, distressing poem about a mother who has experienced numerous abortions. While reading the poem, you can feel the pain, heartache, distress and grief she is feeling. She is both remorseful and regretful; nevertheless, she explains that she had no other alternative. It is a sentimental and heart wrenching poem where she talks about not being able to experience or do things with the children that she aborted -- things that people who have children often take for granted. Perhaps this poem is a reflection of what many women in society are feeling. The first stanza begins with a strong statement: "Abortions will not let you forget." It shows the sorrow and distress she is going through, grieving about future experiences (wondering, what might have been?) She says things like: "You will never wind up the sucking-thumb Or scuttle off ghosts that come. You will never leave them, controlling your luscious sigh, Return for a snack of them, with gobbling mother-eye." (7-10) These are a few o... The Mother by Gwendolyn Brooks Essay -- My Children Heaven Essays Poet The Mother by Gwendolyn Brooks "The Mother," by Gwendolyn Brooks, is a sorrowful, distressing poem about a mother who has experienced numerous abortions. While reading the poem, you can feel the pain, heartache, distress and grief she is feeling. She is both remorseful and regretful; nevertheless, she explains that she had no other alternative. It is a sentimental and heart wrenching poem where she talks about not being able to experience or do things with the children that she aborted -- things that people who have children often take for granted. Perhaps this poem is a reflection of what many women in society are feeling. The first stanza begins with a strong statement: "Abortions will not let you forget." It shows the sorrow and distress she is going through, grieving about future experiences (wondering, what might have been?) She says things like: "You will never wind up the sucking-thumb Or scuttle off ghosts that come. You will never leave them, controlling your luscious sigh, Return for a snack of them, with gobbling mother-eye." (7-10) These are a few o...

Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - The Fate

The Fate of Oedipus in Oedipus the King    In "Oedipus the King" there comes a point in the play where Oedipus learns something that plays an important role throughout the play.  Ã‚   He learns from a   oracle that he will eventually kill his own Father and sleep with his own mother.   As one could imagine this is a shock to Oedipus, and he does not believe the oracle.   However, he cannot prevent any of this from happening because it is his fate.   Oedipus is a victim of circumstances beyond his control, his life had already been planned by the Greek Gods.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the whole play there are references made to many of the ancient Greek Gods, for example, Apollo, Zeus, Dionysis, and Artemis are discussed quite often.   In ancient Greece the people believed that if anything happened one of the god's had a reason for it.   Each god was related to one specific thing like Poseidon being the god of the sea.   They thought that if there was a tidal wave or a hurricane it was because Poseidon was angry at them.   This is the basis for my assumption that Oedipus had no control over his fate.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First of all, when Oedipus is just a baby his father, King Laius of Thebes, is told in an oracle that his own son will kill him.   So, with the agreement of his wife, Jocasta, the baby's feet are pinioned, and it's given to a slave who is supposed to leave it to die on Mt. Cithaeron. However, the slave feels sorry for the baby, and gives it to a fellow shepherd from Corinth. The shepherd from Corinth presented the baby to the childless King of Corinth, who is Polybus, and he brings him up as his own. He gives him the name Oedipus, whi... ...d emotions of all the characters in the play.   While doing so Oedipus could in no way control his own fate.   The god's mislead him, and did not allow him to keep from his destiny.   Oedipus was indeed a victim.   A victim of circumstances beyond his control, and it just goes to show that it is impossible for someone to escape their own fate.    Works cited and Consulted: Murray, Robert D. Jr. "Sophocles' Moral Themes." In Readings on Sophocles, edited by Don Nardo. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1997. "Sophocles" In Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. NewYork: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984. Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Transl. by F. Storr. no pag. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/browse-mixed new?tag=public&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&part=0&id=SopOedi   

Oedipus: Fate Is Unavoidable :: Oedipus Rex, Sophocles

Oedipus: Fate is Unavoidable No matter what anyone tries, no matter what anyone does, no matter what anyone believes they have accomplished, they have not controlled fate. Fate is uncontrollable. Much like betting on a  ³sure thing ² and knowing in the back of your mind that there are infinite factors in the outcome--anything could happen. It ¹s unfortunate that the people of Ancient Greece sanctioned the concept of fate. In the Era of Enlightenment the idea of God-controlled fate was finally challenged with the notion of self-fulfilled destiny; until then, men turned to prophets and oracles. In the play Oedipus, by Sophocles, there was a ongoing synergy between fate and knowledge that was constantly rejected. Oedipus, the main character, struggled to dominate his own destiny, but ironically fell back into his bizarre misfortune that was in the end, inevitable. Misfortune, false realities, deception: all a result of Oedipus knowing too much and at the same time too little of his true lot in life. Knowledge was what nurtured him into false pretenses. Knowledge was a false pretense. By knowing that his parents were out of harms way, namely his, he knew that his prophecy would not come true. He knew that as long as his father was still alive and he was married to a woman not even related to his mother, he would not bear the offspring that  ³men would shudder to look upon. ² It was the epitome of irony for Oedipus to know his fate, and try to avoid it with the  ³knowledge ² that he had obtained: "My father was Polybus of Corinth, my mother the Dorian Merope, and I was held the foremost man in all that town until a thing happened- -a thing to startle a man, though not to make him angry as it made me. We were sitting at the table, and a man who had drunk too much cried out that I was not my father ¹s son--and I, though angry, restrained my anger for that day; but the next day went to my father and my mother and questioned them. They were indignant at the taunt and that comforted me--and yet the man ¹s words rankled...I sought where I might escape those infamous things--the doom that was laid upon me." When Oedipus fled from his parents, he started the chain reaction of ironic happenstance that would eventually direct him in a complete circle back

How Diversity of Faith is Effectively Used in Nursing Care Essay

Even though medical healing is mainly based upon scientific beliefs, one cannot discount the effect of religious beliefs in the healing of a patient. For many people with a strong religious conviction, the simple belief in the power of prayer is enough to create signs of healing even in the most critical of patients. Even though the effects of prayer are undocumented, there is a growing belief among many that faith plays a significant role in healing a patient when science has given him up for dead. In the medical field, nurses are slowly realizing that a diversity of faith among their patients has them in a bind. Not all nurses are religious, nor do they share the same religious traditions as the patient. In such instances, it is up to the nurse to find a middle ground where they can honor the religious beliefs of individual patients without losing sight of their own religion. Nursing is a highly technical occupation. This is why even though nurses realize that each patient has a spiritual need, the nurse may not always be trained to respond to it. So this job is usually relegated to the hospital’s pastoral care workers even though nurses would be better placed to deliver such patient needs. It is not for a nurse to question the religious beliefs of her patients, but it is her job to insure that these beliefs are fully utilized in the process of helping a patient to heal both physically, mentally, and spiritually. Unfortunately, the nursing shortage in the country does not leave the nurses with much to connect on a personal basis with their patients. Patient care and comfort are forgone in lieu of time management and getting the job done. Though nurses have traditionally been viewed as both medical and spiritual healers because of the personal connection they have with their wards, the lack of time and instruction as to how to combine patient care and religion are sending our nurses off the original objectives of why they became nurses. Roberta Bube, RN, PHN currently works part time as nurse at the Marion Medical Center in Santa Maria, Calif. According to her interview in Nurseweek for the article â€Å"You Gotta Have Fait†, she realized that â€Å"You have to address mind, body and spirit, I always found time to do it [in a hospital]. I did have to be cautious. I’d have to do it quietly. Everybody’s beliefs are different.† So, how can a nurse integrate the religious aspect and its various differences in their daily dealings with their individual patients? Firstly, a nurse can typically start by incorporating the patient’s religious belief into her basic daily care routine for the patient. At the Saint Francis Medical Center in Santa Barbara, California, clinical coordinator Jan Ingram, RN, explains in the same article that â€Å"Whether you’re giving them a sponge bath or putting them on the commode, if you’re really there with them-mindfully present-that is a spiritual action.† Nurses have to realize that listening and communicating with their patient is of vital importance in helping a patient heal. This includes developing ways and means for the patient to be able to effectively practice their beliefs and be able to assist in the patient’s personal spiritual care. Once a nurse learns to approach a person holistically, the nurse will now be in a very good position to accept the various faiths of their patients and convert the same or varied belief amongst the patients she is in charge of. Secondly, the nurse must be willing to set aside her own personal spiritual beliefs and instead be open minded and willing to accept the faith of the patient while she is caring for him or her. A patient may request for a bible reading, a short prayer, or simply letting the patient talk with the nurse listening and prepared to reassure her at the end that God has not abandoned him or her. If need be, a nurse must not hesitate to accommodate a patients request to join him in a religious activity. Such activities tend to reassure a patient and keep him calm throughout the healing process. Lastly, it is highly imperative that nurses know and understand the religious beliefs of their patients as these beliefs can affect their medical decisions pertaining to procedures such as operations or end of life decisions. So, a nurse is encouraged to discuss and explore their patients religious beliefs if a patient is comfortable doing so with the nurse. This will allow a nurse to develop and gain the trust of the patient because the patient will be comfortable in the knowledge that the nurse in charge of her care understands her religious belief and will always respect its role in their lives. Such support systems between patient and nurse usually prove vital in the therapeutic alliance of the two parties.   It is also highly important that a nurse, even though not a devout practitioner of her religion, believes in God and knows how to pray. Even though a nurse is taught how to compartmentalize her feelings and not be affected by the events of the day at the hospital, one cannot help but be affected. There will be times in the course of performing her duty that she will call science into question and why it failed certain patients, or why it cannot seem to heal a patient who has no reason to be ill. During those situations, when science seems to fail her, the only thing she will find herself clinging to is her belief in god or her religion. It is this faith that she will take with her as she tries to heal her patient and help him cope with his medical situation. This will be the common denominator binding them. Faith in religion regardless of what the religion is commonly called. At the end of the day, nurses will have to learn to accept and integrate the diversified cultures and religious beliefs of their patients. The nurse will have to turn to her own personal faith for support as well. All of this because healing a patient is not all a matter of science. It is also a matter of spiritual belief in a Supreme Being who can heal us all of our aches and pains in any form or guise. Work Cited Hebert Randy S. ; Jenckes., Mollie W. ; Ford, Daniel E.; O’Connor, Debra R. $ Cooper, Lisa A. (2001). Patient Perspectives on Spirituality and the Patient-Physician Relationship. Journal of Internal General Medicine. Retrieved May 25, 2007 from http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1495274 Hemilla, Donna. (2002). You Gotta Have Faith. Nurseweek. Retrieved May 20, 2007 from http://www.nurseweek.com/news/features/02-09/faith.asp Mitchell, Joyce & Haroun, Lee. (2005). Healthcare. Singapore. Thomson Delmar. Wensley, Michelle. Spirituality in Nursing. Retrieved May 21, 2007 from http://www.ciap.health.nsw.gov.au/hospolic/stvincents/1995/a04.html   

Compare and Contrast the Classical and Positivist School

Compare and contrast the ideas of Classical criminologist (e. g. Beccaria and Bentham) with those of the early Positivist (e. g. Lombroso, Ferri Garofolo). IntroductionDuring the mid to late seventeenth century explanations of crime and punishment were embraced by many philosophers Thomas Hobbs (1588-1679), John Locke (1632-1704), and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) and such theorist as Beccaria (1738), an Italian who was highly recognised by his great success through his essay ’Dei delitti e delle pene’ (On Crimes and Punishment) publicised in translations of 22 languages, effectively leaving huge impressions on the legal thoughts on members of the European and US society (Hopkins Burke 2009), developing the theory of ‘Classical criminology’ and Lombroso (1835) an Italian psychiatrist and a physician who brought forth the theory of the ‘Positivist’s criminology’. This essay will present the two contrasting theories within criminology, these are ‘the Classical’ and ‘the Positivist’ theory of criminology, presenting a brief introduction to each school of thought with the theories and their theorist, comparisons will drawn presenting contrasts to each theory’s principle, with their methodological, scientific and philosophical approaches to crime, with the same aim to reduce and control crime. Hale,C. ,et al (2005 p. 62).The school of thought ‘Classical criminology’ developed during the times of enlightenment through the ideas of a theorist named Cesare Beccaria (1738-94), who studied crimes, criminal behaviour and punishments, with beliefs that those who commit crime hold responsibility for themselves and are uninfluenced by external factors building the foundations for other successful proponents and advocates such as Cesare Lombroso (1836-1909), an Italian psychiatrist aspirant who presented theoretical explanations to crime and criminality though scientific methodolo gy adapting the contrasting theory of the positivist Contrastingly, the positivist school believed that the decisions people make when committing a crime are principally affected by ‘means' out of their control. These ‘means' that affect an individual's condition to make rational decisions can be based on physical, that is for example their race, social, such as weak social bonds at school or the amily, biological, that is having genetic abnormalities and psychological factors such as mental health disorders (Pond p. 23).. Through Beccarias’ observational studies witnessed many discrepancies within the government and public affairs, and ostracized the inhumanity and inequality shown to individuals within society, where the punishment of crimes were judged on the social status of an individual (Hopkins Burke 2001). Beccaria believed the ‘Criminal as Calculator’ highlighting the importance that every criminal is an individual and is aware of what is goo d from bad, what is right from wrong, understanding definitions of criminal behaviour in society therefore each individual is competent n the calculations that he or she makes, presenting the notion of ‘Free will Choice’ and the ‘Hendonistic Calculas’ principle where the distinct actions of an individual are measured through a pleasure and pain scale, with this Beccaria made further contributions towards Bentham’s theory of Ulitiarianism (which is based on the assumption that the ultimate aim of all human activity is happiness), disputing that creating new legislations indicating that a clear law should set out which is easily deciphered by its societal members to understand and set by legislators, Beccaria views that the prevention of crime is better than the punishment, however, punishment must be dealt with swiftly not limiting or exceeding what is necessary for the prevention and deterrence of crime, therefore resulting in the greater happiness o f the majority (McLaughlin and Muncie, 2006), however there should be impartial judges fixing strict punishments in proportion to the seriousness of the crime, for example, petty crimes and theft should be dealt with fixed fines and penalties and more serious crimes administered with corporal punishment and labour (Hopkins Burke, 2009).With this Beccaria developed further studies within the ‘Social contract’ theory, the voluntary agreement of the members of an organised society and its government securing mutual protection and welfare regulating the relation among its members, explaining that the previous methods of torture through capital punishment was unnecessary, he deemed these barbaric and inhumane, through this Beccaria began developing ideas that the crime itself should be dealt with efficiently not the criminal, thus the individual should be penalised for the crime committed. Each and every individual member of society whether an abiding member or criminal has equal rights and this always remains.Beccaria’s classical school of thought brought about scholars Bentham (1748) an English juror and philosopher who defensively argued that punishment should be a deterrent for criminals, that penalties be fixed to inflict the sum of pain in surfeit of the pleasure that had derived from the criminal act (Hale, Hayward Wahidin and Wincup, 2005) and Howard (1726) who was influential upon Prison reform (1779), However crime and criminal behaviour continuing to present itself still necessitated explanations as to why crime was still on the uprise Lombroso provided foundations for many other proponents such Ferri (1856), a biologist who wrote a new penal code for Mussolini which was instantly revoked due to his positivist approach and Garofolo (1852). Conclusion References Hopkins Burke, R. (2009) An Introduction to Criminological Theory, (3rd ed. ) Cullompton, Devon: Willan Publishing Hale, C,. Hayward, K,. Wahidin, A and Wincup, E. (2005) Crimi nology, Great Britain: Oxford University Press

Why Can’t Kmart Be Successful While Target and Walmart Thrive?

What drives some companies to succeed while others languish? Successful companies develop a system of a few truly unique capabilities that help them create differentiated value for their chosen customers. Retailers provide many case studies in capabilities-driven success, one of the most compelling of which is the big discounter triad of Walmart, Target and Kmart. And in this fourth-quarter retail season, we thought it would be helpful to take a closer look at what really distinguishes these competitors because they provide valuable insight into the key components of a winning corporate strategy. We believe that all successful companies — Walmart and Target included — know precisely how they provide value for customers. They make a deliberate choice about their â€Å"way to play† in the market, guided primarily by what those companies do uniquely well: their distinctive capabilities. We define capabilities not as â€Å"people capabilities,† but as the interconnected people, knowledge, systems, tools and processes that create differentiated value. They then select a set of products and services that best leverage those unique capabilities and optimally suit their chosen way to play. Most important, they avoid markets, products or services that require new or disparate capabilities, and thus threaten the company's focus. Focus for us, therefore, is not about picking just one market, but rather about choosing one coherent way of competing. The true story about Walmart's and Target's success is that they have gone to great lengths to focus internally on building capabilities and product offerings that suit their way to play. Kmart, by contrast, has failed to develop a unique or differentiated way to play, and all that goes with it. Let's take a closer look. Walmart's success doesn't just stem from impressive logistics, aggressive vendor management and its position as a low-cost retailer. What really underlies Walmart's advantage is a coherent and differentiated approach to the market. †¢ Their well-defined way to play focuses on â€Å"always low prices† for a wide range of consumer items, from food to prescriptions to electronics. †¢ They support their low-cost way to play with an integrated system of capabilities, including: real estate acquisition; no frills store design; and superior supply chain management involving among others expert point-of-sale data analytics. Their product and service mix is kept tightly aligned with their way to play and capabilities system: avoiding big-ticket items (e. g. , furniture or large appliances) where it has no cost advantage, or where new service capabilities might be required. And it innovates constantly within its chosen constraints: e. g. , tailoring product assortments to loca l trends. Target caters to a similar â€Å"money-saving† market, but offers a very different value proposition, focuses on different capabilities and has a different product portfolio. Target's way to play emphasizes design-forward apparel and home decor for image-conscious consumers. Everything from store layout to advertising to inventory conveys an eye for style. †¢ Its capabilities system supports this way to play with image advertising, â€Å"mass prestige† sourcing (with the use of private brand and exclusive offerings), pricing, and the management of urban locations. †¢ In product and service mix, Target is similar to Walmart in many ways, but Target satisfies the needs of its younger, image-conscious shoppers by stocking more furniture, clothing and exclusive designer merchandise than Walmart. Kmart, the least successful of the group, is struggling to define its way to play, describing itself as a â€Å"mass merchandising company that offers customers quality products through a portfolio of exclusive brands and labels. † Yet, that definition could describe just about any retailer. As a Walmart customer, you know you'll save money and still feel welcome. At Target, you know you'll get fashionable products at prices that feel reasonable. What, then, is Kmart's niche? Walk through a Kmart store and you'll discover designers like Jaclyn Smith in the low-budget ambience of a warehouse. They carry Kenmore appliances, which may require high-touch sales assistance that many Sears customers expect and many Kmart stores lack. In short, Kmart has not established an identifiable way to play that reflects both customers' needs and its own capabilities. Harry Cunningham, the founder of Kmart, allegedly admitted that Sam Walton (the founder of Walmart) â€Å"not only copied our concepts, he strengthened them. † The lack of a clear concept about how to reach the market, in our view, is the single most important factor in explaining why Kmart's fortunes have fallen so far, compared to its two rivals. Without a clear way to play, and capabilities to support it, a company cannot achieve the coherence it needs to truly excel at what it does, and thus outpace competitors. http://blogs. hbr. org/cs/2010/12/why_cant_kmart_be_successful_w. html Kmart (sometimes stylized as K-Mart), is an American chain of discount stores headquartered in the United States. The chain purchased Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Walmart and Target, with stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands, and Guam (which houses the world's largest Kmart). [2] As of January 29, 2011, Kmart operated a total of 1,307 (6 closing by early 2011) Kmart stores across 49 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. This store count included 1,278 discount stores, averaging 93,000 sq ft (8,600 m2), and 29 Super Centers, averaging 169,000 sq ft (15,700 m2). [3] Kmart became known for its â€Å"Blue Light Specials. † They occurred at surprise moments when a store worker would light up a mobile police light and offer a discount in a specific department of the store. At the height of Kmart's popularity, the phrase â€Å"attention Kmart shoppers† also entered into the American pop psyche, appearing in films and other media such as Troop Beverly Hills, Six Days Seven Nights, Rain Man, Beetlejuice, and Dawn of the Dead. Kmart's world headquarters was located in Troy, Michigan, but since the purchase of Sears, has been relocated to Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Kmart also exists in Australia and New Zealand (see Kmart Australia), although it now has no relation to the American stores except in name, after U. S. equity in the Australian business was purchased in the late 1970s. https://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Kmart As outlined in â€Å"Private Equity May Be The Only Way To Save Sears,† as restructuring and turnaround advisers and investors, we here at ACM Partners are often asked about the big retail â€Å"stories of the day† (meaning companies on the brink of distress). GAP, Tiffany & Co. and now Sears and Kmart are the most recent â€Å"big cases† we’ve received the majority of inquiries about. Here, then, is our take on what’s in store for Kmart (which hedge fund manager Eddie Lampert officially took control of in 2003, post-bankruptcy): Do we need Kmart anymore? While â€Å"during the early years, Kmart was the fastest-growing of the â€Å"big three† discounters (Kmart, Wal-Mart and Target), easily outpacing their key competition,† Kmart, like its parent-company Sears (which acquired the discount retailer in 2005), has lost significant market share through a ombination of poor market strategy and by being â€Å"squeezed out† by â€Å"sexier† (ie Target) or more affordable (ie Wal-Mart) competitors. In short, â€Å"Kmart is trapped between Wal-Mart and Target, becoming the merchandiser in the middle — and ultimately, the discounter in the muddle. † On the consumer side, it's difficult to say Kmart would be particularly missed – since the retailer provides few unique product or experiential offerings – except in geographic areas particularly dependent on the retailer. On a personal note, while I worked at a Kmart as a teenager, I don't believe I've stepped foot in one in more than decade (nor would have any particular reason to). I do, however, visit Target almost monthly. If yes, can Kmart be turned around? What does the executive team need to do? Here, then, it's a question again of â€Å"Where did Kmart go wrong? † Let's take a look at some core areas in which Kmart could generate a turnaround. Strategy, Strategy, Strategy: Kmart failed to see the writing on the retail wall before initially filing bankruptcy in 2002 (and, some would argue, continues to ignores it). All retailers, even discount ones, must have a coherent pricing-and-product strategy in order to appeal to core consumers. As the brand stands now, Kmart offers very little in terms of â€Å"must-have† items for any particular consumer segment. †¢ Management â€Å"Expansion†: By all accounts, Kmart is an exceptionally insular company, meaning very few outsid ers have been brought in to â€Å"refresh† the store's brand. Consequently, errors in judgment and purchasing have been magnified by continued mismanagement, while fights and fiefdoms have prevented the company from moving forward into the 21st century. Instead of squeezing every last penny from the dying brand, Lampert must insist on reviving both methods and management if Kmart is to reassert its relevance. †¢ Logistics: As a discount player, Kmart has lost nearly every round of the logistics game, from management of its supply-chain to in-store sku measurements. For instance, because Kmart measured potential profitability by gross margin ercentages rather than by sales-per-square, the retailer has and continues to stock higher-margined goods in place of faster-moving products, leading to a decrease in inventory turn-over. Furthermore, inefficient ordering and supply-chain management means everything's cost more and arrives later than at Kmart's competitors. Combine these factors, and you get a dying retailer on the brink of disappearing from the American landscape. Like we outlined in â€Å"Private Equity May Be Only Way To Save Sears,† â€Å"With a market cap of only $3. 5 billion, it wouldn’t be tough to get the financing for a going-private transaction † for Sears Holdings Corporate. In short, the market is not going to allow a $40B+ asset-based retailer simply disappear. Ergo, once again, private equity may end up being the only answer for what ails these dying retailers. Margaret Bogenrief is a partner with ACM Partners , a boutique crisis management and distressed investing firm serving companies and municipalities in financial distress. She can be reached at [email  protected] com.

David Foster Wallace Essay

In this essay I am going to do my best to give the reader the most informative explanation (within my constraints) of one of the most brilliant authors of the age, David Foster Wallace. He was the author of many great and insightful (at times, dark) works. Some of the more popular/well-known pieces being _The Broom of the System, Girl with Curious Hair, Infinite Jest, A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Oblivion_, and finally his incomplete novel, _The Pale King_. In all honesty, to even scratch the surface of an individual with this amount of depth would require a work similar in size and time to his â€Å"tree-killer† of a novel, _Infinite Jest_. That being said, I hold the belief that every free-thinking individual should at least know-this man’s name in hopes that it may show them the way to his works on what it means to be â€Å"a fucking human being†. Read more: Good people summary essay David Foster Wallace was born on 21 February 1962 and finally met his end 12 September 2008 at the age of 46. Wallace was born in Ithaca, New York, to his parents, James Wallace and Sally Foster. His father, a previous graduate student in philosophy at Cornell, was from a family of professionals. His mother, on the other hand, was an English major at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, with a more rural background with family residing in Maine and New Brunswick. She was also the first in her family to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. At the age of 4, David moved with his family to Champaign-Urbana, Illinois for a better job opportunity. His home life was very structured (dinner at 5:45 p.m. and lights out at precisely 8:30 p.m.) and was very conducive for intellectual growth. It was a happy home. As he gets older, Wallace starts to realize many things. First, he had a love for tennis. With his logical and calculating mind, he could easily see the geometrical angles the ball could make as it bounced off the racket, leading him to become one of the top players in his region at that time. Other things start to surface as well; sadly, these were not among some of the happier things. He started to analyze his physical and mental self, picking at each and every flaw (compared it to sort of â€Å"counting sheep†), which did nothing to alleviate his problem at being socially awkward. He eventually  found his first love, Susan Perkins, who, at the time, already had a boyfriend. It’s also important to note that this was the point when Wallace discovered the joys of smoking pot. After high school, Wallace planned to attend Amherst. He chose Amherst mostly because it meant he wouldn’t have to go to another interview. His father was an alumni, so he was pretty much a shoo-in. By his sophomore year, he was developing a reputation for his intelligence. He was earning straight A’s and was actually opening up and making friends, until he returned from Christmas break at home. He was an entirely different person when the depression took him, as his college roommates described. After a few weeks of trying to tough it out, Wallace realized he was going to have to withdraw and go home. Something was clearly wrong. He returned in Fall 1984 for his senior year. Eventually, Wallace graduated and was awarded double summas for his two honors theses. _The Broom of the System_ would eventually be published and become his first serious fiction novel. This was the point when Wallace discovered his love of writing fiction. As an immature â€Å"adult† in an adult world, Wallace made the decision to start teaching to supplement his writing career and gain health insurance for his special needs. His first teaching job was at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. He hated teaching. For him, he was just wasting time with kids who didn’t even want to do their homework; when he could be spending valuable time on his career as a fiction author. Up to this point, Wallace has steadily been falling deeper and deeper in to his addictions. He had been smoking pot, cigarettes, and drinking almost every night as a way to cope with the depression that can so cripple who he is as a person. As his frustration with his inability to write worsens, so does his addiction. With his frustration and addiction worsening, Wallace again breaks down and must be hospitalized. The medical professionals said he must find a different path, or he would be dead by thirty. Wallace begins rehab, and for months, will live in nothing but rehabilitation centers and halfway homes. As part of these programs, he must attend 12-step AA meetings for recovery. These really hit home for Wallace; they work for him in ways he would never have thought possible. The meetings he would attend ended up becoming major plot  points in the greatest novel he ever wrote. Shortly after getting out of rehab, Wallace started working on his novel again, this time with renewed vigor. In a letter to his editor, he said he was going to â€Å"finish it or die.† Upon finishing the monster novel and the following editing, summarizing, and shortening pains, the greatest achievement in his literary career thus far was finished; 1079 pages, water-tight and ready for publishing. What followed were multiple interviews and readings, which Wallace had been signed up for in order to gain publicity and sell more books. All of which, Wallace summed up as â€Å"whorish.† He wasn’t even sure most of the people coming had even read his book. With fame comes pleasure†¦ of a sort. The more famous he became, the more women seemed to flock to him. Considering how badly his relationships had been going, one night stands were just what he thought he needed. To put it another way, he was really bad about taking the â€Å"13th step† (getting involved with a fellow recovery partner). These relationships would start out normal, maybe a little obsessive, but as time went on they would turn into violent and controlling relationships. Many of them ended terribly, which turned out to one good thing. He had found new companions. Dogs. He adopted a lab and called him Jeeves, and later adopted a stray whom he would later name The Drone. Once his fame started to settle, he no longer had book tours or things of that nature anymore. Now magazines and newspapers were going after him with nonfictions they wanted him to review, and he ended up making short stories out of them. For the most part though, these were just distractions from his real objective, â€Å"The long thing.† While he continued his progress on this novel, he was switching jobs and found a new and seemingly real relationship with a lovely woman named Karen. They would grow close over time, completing one another until they were finally married on 27 December 2004. Wallace would continue his work on â⠂¬Å"the long thing† until the day he died, never really bringing it to the point where he was satisfied with it. David Foster Wallace’s major works include _The Broom of the System, Girl with Curious Hair, Infinite Jest, A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Oblivion_, and finally his incomplete novel, _The Pale King_. During these later years of his life, he was a writing professor at the Pomona College in Claremont, California. The  publications he worked on in his spare time numbered all of one. â€Å"The long thing† (The Pale King) had been his project for many years, and he could not see how to turn the idea of boredom in the story in to something intriguing. David Foster Wallace died 12 September 2008 in Claremont, California. His wife arrived home at 9:30pm, after a stint at her art show, to find that her husband had hanged himself with a garden hose on the patio. After a 20 year battle with severe depression, Wallace could no longer endure. To him, the unbearable and unending pain of his depression could only be cured by death’s sweet release. Upon announcement of this tragedy, various colleges held gatherings in remembrance of one of the most influential figures in literary history, giving the friends and family who attended, a chance to grieve and say goodbye. Karen keeps his ashes in a foil-wrapped box next to a picture of both of their mothers. _Infinite Jest_ was published 1 February 1996 by Little, Brown. It was well-received with minimal, negative reviews. It depicts our culture in the truest sense, and the fact that, beyond all the noise and false happiness, something real exists. Even though this book was released more than a decade ago, the steady continuing sales is a tribute to its realism and mesmerizing intrigue. When most of his major works were published, they weren’t really understood, and, to some degree, they still aren’t. Most of the understanding of his works was left to people of a similar caliber, and everyone else left by the wayside. I believe the works of David Foster Wallace should be standard for college education. As far as high school, to really grasp the man and his work, a student must delve into the realities of his life that, at times, can be surreal, even inappropriately grotesque. Hence, I believe his work is better suited for a mature audience. In conclusion, David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest is one of the most profound books in recent history, one that every man and woman should read in their lifetime. (should probably read it twice) David Foster Wallace, was a broken, yet brilliant man who left this life with profound hope in his  works that we could learn to be human beings, with actual feelings and actual thoughts beyond the abyss that is our oppressive culture. Works Cited â€Å"Brief Interview with a Five Draft Man†. _Amherst Magazine_. Amherst College, 1999. Web. 13 April 2014. Max, D.T.. _Every Love Story is a Ghost Story_. New York. Penguin Group, 2012. Print. Max, D.T.. â€Å"The Unfinished†. _The New Yorker_. Conde Nast, 9 March 2009. Web.14 April 2014. McInerney, Jay. â€Å"Infinite Jest†._The New York Times_. The New York Times Company,3 March 1996.Wen.13 April 2014. Silverman, Jacob. â€Å"The artful mediation of Karen Green, David Foster Wallace’s widow†. _Los Angeles Times_. Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2013. Web. 14 April 2014. Weber, Bruce. â€Å"David Foster Wallace, Influential Writer Dies 46†. _The New York Times_. The New York Times Company, 14 September 2008. Web. 13 April 2014.