Company Overview Nike, INC - 1106 Words

Nike, Inc. is the world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. NIKE, Inc. sells, distributes and licenses its products in approximately 200 countries around the world. NIKE focuses its products in seven key categories: Running, Basketball, Soccer, Men’s Training, Women’s Training, NIKE Sportswear and Action sports. NIKE sells products through its NIKE Brand and Affiliate Brands (Converse Inc., Hurley International LLC, Jordan Brand and Nike Golf). Operating segments for the NIKE Brand are North America, Western Europe, Central Eastern Europe, Greater China, Japan, and emerging markets. NIKE is a consumer products company who specializes in the fast paced industry of athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment. This industry is keenly competitive which exposes NIKE to the risk of falling behind or not meeting the innovation standards of customers. To stay on top of customer demand, NIKE must continue to innovate and anticipate consumer preferences. Companies in the industry rely on a strong reputation and brand image for worldwide recognition. If the NIKE Brand were to attract any negative press, it could substantially effect their revenues and growth. NIKE’s strategy is to achieve long-term growth by creating innovative â€Å"must have† products, building deep personal consumer connections with their brands, and delivering compelling consumer experiences at retailShow MoreRelatedNike, Mission, Vision, Values, Principles Essay704 Words   |  3 PagesRunning head: NIKE, Inc. Mission, Vision, Principles 1 NIKE, Inc. Mission, Vision, Principles Ameirah Aldahmani MSM631 – Strategic Management and Financial Reports Analysis Regis University Saturday, September 04, 2010 Abstract This paper is a qualitative and quantitative analysis of NIKE, Inc., done as six separate sections. 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In 1964, it started its empire as a company that distributed Japanese running shoes, Tiger, in the United States with the name Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964. Nike founders—Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight—had a great coach-student relationship when both were still at University of Oregon; Bowerman wasRead MoreEssay on Analysis of Nike Corporation1746 Words   |  7 PagesAnalysis of Nike Corporation Financial Analysis Description of Company History Nike Corporation has become one of the most competitive sports and fitness companies worldwide. Two runners, Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, from a small town in Oregon embarked upon the business with a handshake agreement. The enterprise began in January of 1964 with the introduction of Blue Ribbon Sports. In 1966 the handshake between Bowerman and Knight was made official with a formal written partnershipRead MoreWhy Investing Of Nike Stocks Essay1275 Words   |  6 PagesWhy invest in Nike stocks? Over the last 10 years’ gym memberships within the United States have increased from 41.3 million to 54.1 million. The biggest trend over the last few years is becoming fit, more and more each day people are finding ways to live fit and healthier lifestyles. From eating the right nutritional foods, working out and people just wanting to follow the latest and greatest trends. The increase in gym memberships and the amount of people working out leads to the increase in athletic

Social And Behavioral Determinants Of Health - 948 Words

SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. EXAM No. 1 For the past two decades a shifting pattern of diseases and health care service has been observed globally as population increase. Epidemiological transition also known as demographic transition, is a model that is used to explain how population growth rates increase and decrease with respect to time and different factors that account into it such as infectious disease, chronic disease and industrialization. â€Å"Conceptually, the theory of epidemiologic transition focuses on the complex change in patterns of health and disease and on the interactions between these patterns and their demographic, economic and sociologic determinants and consequences† (Omran, 2005). This model describes the changing patterns of population distributions in four stages: Age of pestile and famine, age of declining pandemic, age of degenerative and man-made diseases, and postindustrial age. The first stage; age of pestilence and famine is characterized by high fluctuation of mortality rate and birth rate. McLeroy and Crump (1994) stated â€Å"†¦..is characterized by high deaths rates, endemic diseases, chronic under nutrition or malnutrition, and periodic epidemic of infectious diseases and famine†. Due to this, population growth was really slow and this stage is considered as a stationary phase. High birth rate was due to all the factors associated with high fertility such as lack of family planning education, child bearing age, andShow MoreRelatedThe Social Determinants Of Infant Mortality And Birth Outcomes725 Words   |  3 Pagespeople work, play, grow, live that affect wide range of health and quality of life. 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Transformational and Servant Leadership †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Disscuss about the Transformational and Servant Leadership. Answer: Introduction: Proper leadership is extremely important component in achieving organization effectiveness. Proper leadership skills help in positioning executives to make thoughtful decisions about the mission and vision of the organization and accordingly allocate resources to achieve those directives. Different important leadership qualities have been provided by researchers over the years which are important in bringing success in the business domains. These are emotional stability, dominance, enthusiasm, social oldness, self assurance and compulsiveness. Different leadership styles have been proposed by authors over the years and have been followed by business stalwarts (Ansah Chinomona et al., 2015). While some are being criticized, some are highly appreciated. Transformational servant leadership are found to be the most beneficial forms of leadership as researches have shown high correlation of them with the organizational effectiveness and also job satisfaction of the employees who are foll owers of such leadership. The following assignment will mainly portray a literature review of the different interconnections of the traits of the leadership style with that of job satisfaction, business development, organization effectivity and many others. Impact of transformational leadership on employees: Transformational leadership helps in emphasizing intrinsic motivation and the development of all the employees working as teams under him. This mainly helps employees in getting an opportunity to explore new world of possibilities in their career and help them in elevating performance (Chanhoo et al., 2015). Such leadership helps the employees to fulfill their individual, organizational and also community potential to a highest extent. These become possible as they mainly encourage the team members to properly understand and align themselves with the goal of the group and also with theta of the organization as a whole. They mainly help in stimulating the followers efforts towards a path of innovation and creativity and also help them by inspiring them to commit themselves to a shared vision and shared goals of an organization. Servant leadership is one of the most appreciated forms of leadership style which is gaining appreciation in most of the organizations over the world (Barbutto Wheeler, 2006). This form of leaders usually follows a visionary role where leaders define the direction of the followers. These leaders mainly take it as a responsibility of themselves to communicate with the employees about what the organization stands for and the mission and vision of the organization. Servant leaders mainly feel that their role is mainly helping followers to achieve their goals along with the search of the factor which would help the employees to get success in their work (Harter, schimdt Hayes et al., 2002). Importance of the leadership styles: Transformational leaders are extremely important for organizational success and helps in establishing job satisfaction among the employees. A large number of attributes of this form of leadership ensures that the employees feel satisfied with their work and does not feel work stress and burdened with work. Researchers have described such leaders as heroic, decisive, vigorous as well as charismatic (Khattak et al., 2017). The foremost reason behind the use of the positive terms is the skillful motivation of the people working under him. Such leaders are found to use their belief in the vision of the company for providing inspiration to the staff to be more productive and work with the goal of meeting the companys objectives. They make it sure that all the employees are working on the same page with proper ideas to align with the corporate strategy and planning. When all the team members are on the same page with a proper corporate vision, it helps in achieving the vision easily and at a faster pace (Antonakis et al., 2012). Proper motivation makes the employees enthusiastic and help in development of zeal among them that makes the working environment very active and employees coordinate with each other successfully to reach a common goal. Lowering of turnover rates: Moreover, researchers are of the opinion that servant leadership is very much helpful in lowering employee as well as customer turnover rates. Leaders who follow both the servant and transformation leadership styles are able to develop an ability which helps in retaining employees and customers. This is because they are found to get fully engaged with people and help them to satisfy their needs and practice their rights along with the organizations needs. This helps the employees feel the sense of corporate fit and get assured about their stay with the company (Greenleaf et al., 1977). Less turnover rates are very much beneficial for the company as they help the company form wasting a huge amount of resources and funds from hiring again and training of the newly hired staffs. When such an efficient leader is found to interact with customers in the same, effective manner, he can retain many customers by potentially limiting the costs of constant marketing and capturing new consumers ( Hickman, 1998). Corporate learning: Another very important aspect of the transformational leadership and servant leadership is that it develops an environment of corporate learning. Each and every organization needs their employees to be well trained for effective outcomes. In this scenario, such leadership styles are of huge benefits as they take the charge of corporate learning. They do so by improving the outcomes of the existing employees and help their new employees in getting equipped to the working culture of the organization for effective work output. Researchers are of the opinion that a transformational leadership style brings increased effectiveness to the staffs by engaging them in corporate learning (Newman et al., 2017). This is an important advantage for any business. Not only that, such leaders are exceptionally good in culture building, providing intellectual stimulation as well as individual support that reduces job stress and increases dedication of the employee resulting in higher job performance an d greater productivity for the organization. Moreover these leaders also help the employees by helping them to know about how to model positive barriers and build positive visions. These in turn help the employees to meet the expectations of the employers without hampering their self confidence. Therefore corporate learning boosts the confidence of employees and increases job satisfaction, gives them scope for their planning for promotions and also help in releasing their job stress and job burden (Gyanchandani et al., 2017). Preferences of transformational leadership over transactional leadership: Transformational and servant leadership has been highly appreciated over many other types of leadership like that of the transactional leadership in many ways. While transactional leadership mainly helps in working within the systems, transformational leadership helps in working to change the system. While the former helps in solving challenges by mainly fitting the experiences to a known pattern, the later mainly solve challenges by finding experiences which exhibit the incapability of the old patterns which do not fit the work anymore (Melchar Bosco et al., 2010). While the former has a negative aspect of minimizing the variation of the organization, the later mainly maximizes the teams capability as well as capacity. Hence, researchers are of the opinion that organizations who have these leaders can reach the zenith of success much systematically. Requirements to be transformational leaders: Researchers have also helped the modern leaders to be accustomed with the important requirement that need to be harbored by them to be effective leaders for the future. They are of the opinion that such leaders should be very well organized and should expect their followers to be creative. They are team oriented and they should help their followers with strategies that would help them to work together for creating best possible results. They should be respected and in turn they should respect followers (Mgxaji et al., 2016). He mainly acts as the coach of the team and provides training and motivation helping the employees to reach their goals. They should be responsible for their teams and also instill the responsibility into team members. He should also engender respect by development of proper rapport and a proper personal influence. They should be possessing excellent communication ideas and should be well practiced in balancing short term visions and long term goals. One of the m ost important aspect that is also noticed among the servant leaders are that they help in building strong coalition and also help in establishing mutual trust among each other. They also possess high integrity and also have high emotional intelligence which helps them to develop empathy and mutual trust (Bourdage et al., 2017). Individualized consideration attribute of transformational leadership: One of the main aspects of transformational leadership is the individualized consideration. It mainly states the importance of the leaders for individual analysis of the followers. Researchers are of the opinion that when such leaders are trying to include their followers into the transformation process in an organization, they need to consider the wish , values, needs and abilities of the followers in the right and ethical ways. They need to be invested in the development of their followers by rightly serving the role of mentors and coaches taking into account the respective needs and desires within the group (Park, Heeuen Hyun jung et al., 2017). Two way communications is found to be extremely important in this type of relationship as mentioned by researchers. Often different types of followers have different types of wants and expectations form the company. While some pay importance to the certainty, some to money, some to free time, some to excitement and change and many others. It is mainly the leaders who would be aware of the differences of needs and wishes of the people and utilize this information in the right way to provide strategies and bring the best outcomes (Politis, 2015). Creativity as a trait: Creativity is one of the most important attribute of transformational leadership as it involves taking of the creative actions and ensures openness to creative enterprises by their followers. By appreciating the creative efforts of the employees, they mainly provide a strong motivational basis for their active involvement in meeting the organizational goals and ensuring the process o change (Yob et al., 2016). Team orientations as a trait: Another important attribute which is also noticed by researchers for their work is team orientation. Transformational leaders have the capability to be aware of the importance of teamwork and also be always ready to learn and the help of the others. They participate in creating new teams within along with other employees within which they make prope decisions. Thereby they solve problems successfully. They ensure functioning of teams to a level which insures complete equality (Yob et al., 2016). Appreciation of others as a trait: Appreciation of others is an important feature of transformational leaders. This helps them to demonstrate the fact which they like and appreciate. Thereby they evaluate the behaviors and opinions of their followers. These skills show the requirement for two way communication. In such a scenario, communicational plans should include the communicational channels for backward information from the followers to their leaders (Yob et al., 2016). This helps to achieve the optimal effectiveness of the organizational transformational process. Teaching ability- as a trait: A teaching ability is also important for transformational leaders. It is an attribute that helps to reflect the ability of the leader to influence people in the process of change. With effective teaching techniques, fulfillment of the transformation aims do not rest upon occasional chances and in turn remains focused on the design established in advance (shin et al., 2012). Recognition as a trait: Recognition is also identified by many researchers as an important attribute of transformational and servant leadership as this allows them to identify situations in which the employees will be praised and given recognition. Many researchers have noted employees stating that although the leaders exclaiming a job, well done to them does not cost the leaders much but makes them feel excited and encouraged which helps in dedicating more for the company (Yob et al., 2016). Idealized influence: Many researchers are of the opinion that idealized influence is an important aspect of this form of leadership which represents the ability of the leaders to build confidence of the workers in these leaders and appreciate them. When the workers have confidence in the leaders, in his motives and aims, attempt to redirect the organization towards a modified path for success do not face any resistance. It becomes easier to lead people if the leader can make them prepared to follow him. It is important for the leaders to complete their task successfully so that followers can appreciate the task and believe in their leaders (Spreitzer et al., 1995). The main reason for calling this type of leadership as the charismatic leadership as they possess characteristics which describe the extent to which leaders are capable of being the role models to their employees and at the same time display the solid moral as well as ethical principles. Servant leadership: Servant leadership is a similar form of leadership with overlapping attributes with that of the transformational leadership. Four important principles are followed by leaders of the servant leadership style that helps in developing a transparent working environment. The first principle is the goal of providing assistance to the employees. Assistance of a guide in every of the important work helps the works to develop a feeling of security where they believe that they have someone to ask for support when they are in distress. This helps in making the workers environment less stressful and reduces burden form the workers (Greenleaf, 1970). They work at a much composed and peaceful environment where the leaders shared the stress of the workers at an equal level. Secondly, it becomes also important for this kind of leaders to motivate the followers to be their usual self and be who they are on the work floor. They should be able to be the same personality about who they are on the floor and even when they are outside the work. This would help in attaining the purpose of the organization not only in the short form but also on the long form and thereby help in the improvement of the performance of the organization. The third important principle which is indeed very necessary to achieve ethical workmanship is to develop societys awareness amid the followers which is very important for achievement of the goals of the organization. The last one is the principle of developing the role and power of the followers so that they can understand the course of actions of their organizations. This helps in making the subordinate more productive as they feel respected and owned by the organization. All these result in the establishment of a successful organization (Zaccaro et al., 2012). Many of the researchers are of the opinion that cultural contexts have major effects on the application of the servant leadership styles. Servant leadership styles are more applicable in different types of societies which have low power distance as well as strong humane orientation. Impact of servant leadership in organizational success: An important aspect had been noted in research articles where researchers have concluded certain minute differences between the two leadership styles. The transformational leadership theory is very much useful in present situations where there is a necessity of the leader to promote creativity as well as innovation in his or her subordinates. This is extremely important for determining the success in the modern organization. Again, servant leaderships usually help the leaders to develop leadership traits to handle the future well not only in complex but also in uncertain business environment (Politis, 2015). Servant leaderships help in providing correct solution to the problems of improper use of power. This takes place by helping others to aim for their objectives and derive satisfaction. Researchers believe that in the future, this type of leadership can provide more stability and security in work environment. Researchers are of the opinion that adopting servant leadership would he lp the future leaders to emphasize the giving of more powers to the followers and would thereby provide more flexible workplace hierarchy. Conclusion: Transformational and servant leadership is believed by the researchers to be a path changing leadership style for the present day organizations. Transforming leadership helps in establishing a work environment among the team members where a clear vision is provided to all members of the team so that they can align with the organizations objective goals. They also help in providing courage and self motivation to the employees and these make them feel encouraged and they tend to dedicate themselves more for the team work and to increase productivity. They inspire the workers not only to develop their skills and knowledge but also to discuss their innovative ideas and creativity so that it can lead to development of high quality plan bringing success to the organizations. Knowing the people individually and the traits they posses along with the interest they have while working in the organizations, their demands and wishes all lead to job satisfaction of the employees and developed per formance of the workers. This is mainly because they feel accepted in the organization. Helping the workers to adhere to the goals and following a standard is also essential. Servant leadership mainly believes in setting visionary goals where leaders not only help employees to develop common goals and objectives but also help them by empowering them. The employees take part in decision making processes and this gives the scope to the entire team to excel. This is ideal in the future generation as these would help in handling the more competitive business world in the coming generation. References: Ansah, M. O., Chinomona, R. (2015). Enhancing Organizational Perspicacity in the Ghanaian Insurance Industry: Viewpoint of Customers on Sales and Marketing Officers. Journal of Global Business and Technology, Vol: 11(2), pp:14. Antonakis, J., Day, D. V., Schyns, B. (2012). Leadership and individual differences: At the cusp of a renaissance. Leadership Quarterly, Vol: 23(4), pp: 643650. Barbuto, J., Wheeler, D. (2006). Scale development and construct clarification of servant leadership. Group Organization Management, Vol: 31, 300326. https://doi.org/fb3g7n Bourdage, J. S., Goupal, A., Neilson, T., Lukacik, E., Lee, N. (2018). Personality, equity sensitivity, and discretionary workplace behavior.Personality Individual Differences,Vol: 120 pp:: 144-150. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.08.018 Chanhoo, S., Kwangseo Ryan, P., Seung-Wan, K. (2015). Servant leadership and team performance: the mediating role of knowledge-sharing climate.Social Behavior Personality: An International Journal, Vol:43(10), pp: 1749-1760. doi:10.2224/sbp.2015.43.10.1749 Greenleaf, R. K. (1970). The servant as leader. Westfield, IN: Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. New York: Paulist Press. Gyanchandani, R. (2017). The Effect of Transformational Leadership Style on Team Performance in IT Sector.IUP Journal of Soft Skills,Vol: 11(3), pp: 29-44. Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., Hayes, T. L. (2002). Business-unit-level relationship between employee satisfaction, employee engagement, and business outcomes: A meta-analysis.Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol: 87(2), pp: 268-279. Hickman, G. R. (1998).Leading organizations: Perspectives for a new era. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Khattak, S. R., Batool, S., Haider, M. (2017). Relationship of Leadership Styles and Employee Creativity: A Mediating Role of Creative Self-efficacy and Moderating Role of Organizational Climate.Pakistan Journal of Commerce Social Sciences,Vol: 11(2), pp: 698-719. Melchar, D. E., Bosco, S. M. (2010). Achieving high organization performance through servant leadership. Journal of Business Inquiry: Research, Education Application, Vol: 9(1), pp: 74-88. Mgxaji, B., Chinomona, R., Chuchu, T. (2016). The Predictors of Business Performance in The Investment Management Industry.Journal of Global Business Technology,Vol: 12(2), pp: 56-69. Newman, A., Schwarz, G., Cooper, B., Sendjaya, S. (2017). How Servant Leadership Influences Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Roles of LMX, Empowerment, and Proactive Personality.Journal of Business Ethics,Vol: 145(1), pp: 49-62. doi:10.1007/s10551-015-2827-6 Park, J., Heesun, C., Hyun Jung, K. (2017). When and why high performers feel job dissatisfaction: a resource flow approach.Social Behavior Personality: an international journal,Vol: 45(4), pp: 617-627. doi:10.2224/sbp.5877 Politis, J. (2015). The relationship between servant leadership and agency problems: a conceptual model. Proceedings of The European Conference on Management, Leadership Governance, pp: 345-350. Shin, S. J., Kim, T.-Y., Lee, J.-Y., Bian, L. (2012). Cognitive team diversity and individual team member creativity: A cross-level interaction. Academy of Management Journal, Vol: 55, pp:197212. https://doi.org/2f6 Spreitzer, G. M. (1995). Psychological empowerment in the workplace: Dimensions, measurement, and validation. Academy of Management Journal, Vol: 38(5), pp: 14421465. Yob, I., Danver, S., Kristensen, S., Schulz, W., Simmons, K., Brashen, H., ... Penland, D. (2016). Curriculum Alignment with a Mission of Social Change in Higher Education.Innovative Higher Education,Vol:41(3), pp: 203-219. doi:10.1007/s10755-015-9344-5 Zaccaro, S. J. (2012). Individual differences and leadership: Contributions to a new tipping point. Leadership Quarterly, Vol: 23(4), pp: 718728.

The performance management concept

Introduction The performance management is the prescribed course of actions that contains the expectations of the organization and the manner in which employees will be evaluated on how they have performed against the expectations of the organization. Managing workers’ performances are meant to enhance the attainment of the organization objectives. Organizations have various techniques through which the performance of the workers can be managed.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on The performance management concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the plans, systems or criteria must meet certain conditions to make the management of the employees’ performances be more effective. Managers utilize performances assessment plans to manage the way employees carry out their obligations and how they align those achievements with the organization goals. The management of employees’ performan ces also includes the elucidation of the responsibilities as well as roles of employees within the organization (Martocchio, 2011). In addition, performance management also set priorities and goals to be achieved by the employees. The goal setting enables employees to increase efforts in their undertakings particularly on the assigned tasks in order to attain the set objectives. Employees’ growth and skills development is also one of the areas that performance management emphasizes. The employees’ growth in terms of enhanced skills is attained through training and long-term experience. The relationship between increased performance among employees and their improved skills as well as development is direct. The other important area in which performance management centers its attention is the improved communication between the employees and the top management. Through efficient communication, all issues that might hold back effective operations can be resolved. The most prominent performance management plans The major aim of performance management plan is to align the employees’ activities with the operations of the company, channel them towards attaining the company objectives, and make the company be more competitive (Gruman Saks, 2011). The most commonly used performance management plans include the strategic performance management planning and the administrative performance management plan. The strategic performance management planning takes into consideration long-term performance objectives. All the activities of the employees are aligned with the long-term strategic objectives of the company.Advertising Looking for coursework on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In other words, the strategic performance management plans includes those long-term objectives the employees are expected to achieve (Gruman Saks, 2011). The strategic plans on employes perfoirmances take into consideration the external or environmental factors that may influence the performances of the employees. On the other hand, the administrative performance management planning is immediate and takes into consideration the short- term objectives of the company employees are expected to achieve (Gruman Saks, 2011). The performance management plan looks into the internal influences on the workforce and utilizes the immediate resources to attain the objectives of the company. The consequences of performance management in an organization The major aim of the performance appraisals is to motivate and enhance the workers’ performances towards the attainment of the organization goals. In essence, performance management motivates employees to focus their efforts on accomplishing the given tasks. The motivating factor results from the development of incentives or compensations for greater performances (Martocchio, 2011). Compensation plans for greater performances enables e mployees to increase their efforts towards accomplishing the established goals. Such increased efforts lead to improved productivity. Increased productivity within the workforce translates into augmented organization’s performance. Moreover, the organization is capable of meeting its long-term objectives because of improved productivity and returns on investments (Martocchio, 2011). The relationship between compensation and performance management Most of the organizations use compensation plans to motivate workers. As a result, the performance of workers increases. In fact, employees are rewarded through appropriate compensation schemes for their performances. The organization compensation schemes are organized in a way that optimizes the employees’ performances (Martocchio, 2011). For instance, compensation is pegged on the attainment of specific tasks. Therefore, organizations that want to achieve higher target objectives must attach such accomplishments with increas ed compensations. Compensation plans should be included within the performances strategies in order to motivate employees. Through such motivations, employees’ productivity increases which in turn leads to enhanced performance of the organization. Moreover, compensation and improved job satisfaction are directly related (Gruman Saks, 2011). Therefore, managers should remain focused on compensation while developing their performance plans.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on The performance management concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Factors to consider while implementing the performance management plans Managers should understand that performance management should be an incessant course of actions and as such communication becomes critical in the implementation process. Communication ensures that roles and responsibilities of employees are translated efficiently and effectively (Gruman Saks, 20 11). Moreover, trainings are needed for the implementing managers as well as the employees. In addition, standards and measurement procedures should be established before the implementation process. In other words, managers should come up with appropriate appraisal plan derived from the current business processes. Conclusion Performance management ensures that all the business processes are geared towards attaining the set goals s and objectives. Performance management ensures that the organizations attain its short-term and long-term objectives through motivation of workers as well as strategic and administrative plans. The most important factor managers should consider is that performance should be implemented continuously. References Gruman, J. Saks, A. (2011). Performance management and employee engagement. Human resource management review. 21(1), 123-136. Martocchio, J. J. (2011). Strategic compensation: A human resource management approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Ha ll. This coursework on The performance management concept was written and submitted by user Charle1gh to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Gram Positive vs. Gram Negative Bacteria

Gram Positive vs. Gram Negative Bacteria Most bacteria are classified into two broad categories: Gram positive and Gram negative. These categories are based on their cell wall composition and reaction to the Gram stain test. The Gram staining method, developed by Hans Christian Gram, identifies bacteria based upon the reaction of their cell walls to certain dyes and chemicals. The differences between Gram positive vs Gram negative bacteria are primarily related to their cell wall composition. Gram positive bacteria have cell walls composed mostly of a substance unique to bacteria known as peptidoglycan, or murein. These bacteria stain purple after Gram staining. Gram negative bacteria have cell walls with only a thin layer of peptidoglycan and an outer membrane with a lipopolysaccharide component not found in Gram positive bacteria. Gram negative bacteria stain red or pink after Gram staining. Gram Positive Bacteria The cell walls of Gram positive bacteria differ structurally from the cell walls of Gram negative bacteria. The primary component of bacterial cell walls is peptidoglycan. Peptidoglycan is a macromolecule composed of sugars and amino acids that are assembled structurally like woven material. The amino sugar component consists of alternating molecules of N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM). These molecules are crosslinked together by short peptides which help give peptidoglycan strength and structure. Peptidoglycan provides protection for bacteria and defines their shape. This image shows the cell wall composition of Gram positive bacteria. CNX OpenStax/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0 The Gram positive cell wall has several layers of peptidoglycan. The thick layers of peptidoglycan help to support the cell membrane and provide a place of attachment for other molecules. The thick layers also enable Gram positive bacteria to retain most of the crystal violet dye during Gram staining causing them to appear purple. Gram positive cell walls also contain chains of teichoic acid that extend from the plasma membrane through the peptidoglycan cell wall. These sugar-containing polymers assist in maintaining cell shape and play a role in proper cell division. Teichoic acid helps some Gram positive bacteria to infect cells and cause disease. Some Gram positive bacteria have an additional component, mycolic acid, in their cell walls. Mycolic acids produce a waxy outer layer that provides additional protection for mycobacteria, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Gram positive bacteria with mycolic acid are also called acid-fast bacteria because they require a special staining method, known as acid-fast staining, for microscope observation. Pathogenic Gram positive bacteria cause disease by the secretion of toxic proteins known as exotoxins. Exotoxins are synthesized within the prokaryotic cell and released into the exterior of the cell. They are specific to certain bacterial stains and can cause serious damage to body organs and tissues. Some Gram negative bacteria also produce exotoxins. Gram Positive Cocci Gram positive cocci refer to Gram positive bacteria that are spherically shaped. Two genera of Gram positive cocci noted for their role as human pathogens are Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. Staphylococcus are spherical in shape and their cells appear in clusters after they divide. Streptococcus cells appear as long chains of cells after division. Examples of Gram positive cocci that colonize the skin include Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes. Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus (round) bacteria that is found on the skin and mucous membranes of humans and many animals. The bacteria are usually harmless, but infections can occur on broken skin or within a blocked sweat or sebaceous gland, resulting in boils, pustules and abscesses. Paul Gunning/Science Photo Library/Getty Images While all three are part of the normal human microbiota, they can cause disease under certain conditions. Staphylococcus epidermidis form thick biofilms and can cause infections associated with implanted medical devices. Some Staphylococcus aureus strains, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), have become resistant to antibiotics and can lead to the development of serious illness. Streptococcus pyogenes can cause strep throat, scarlet fever, blood poisoning, and flesh-eating disease. Gram Negative Bacteria Like Gram positive bacteria, the Gram negative bacterial cell wall is composed of peptidoglycan. However, the peptidoglycan is a single thin layer compared to the thick layers in Gram positive cells. This thin layer does not retain the initial crystal violet dye but picks up the pink color of the counterstain during Gram staining. The cell wall structure of Gram negative bacteria is more complex than that of Gram positive bacteria. Located between the plasma membrane and the thin peptidoglycan layer is a gel-like matrix called periplasmic space. Unlike in Gram positive bacteria, Gram negative bacteria have an outer membrane layer that is external to the peptidoglycan cell wall. Membrane proteins, murein lipoproteins, attach the outer membrane to the cell wall. This image shows the cell wall composition of Gram negative bacteria. CNX OpenStax/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0 Another unique characteristic of Gram negative bacteria is the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecules on the outer membrane. LPS is a large glycolipid complex that protects bacteria from harmful substances in their environment. It is also a bacterial toxin (endotoxin) that can cause inflammation and septic shock in humans if it enters the blood. There are three components of the LPS: Lipid A, a core polysaccharide, and an O antigen. The lipid A component attaches the LPS to the outer membrane. Attached to the lipid A is the core polyssaccharide. It is located between the lipid A component and the O antigen. The O antigen component is attached to the core polyssaccharide and differs between bacterial species. It can be used to identify specific strains of harmful bacteria. Gram Negative Cocci Gram negative cocci refer to Gram negative bacteria that are spherically shaped. Bacteria of the genus Neisseria are examples of Gram negative cocci that cause disease in humans. Neisseria meningitidis is diplococcus, meaning that its spherical cells remain in pairs after cell division. Neisseria meningitidis causes bacterial meningitis and can also cause septicemia and shock. Neisseria meningitidis are spherical, Gram negative bacteria which cause meningitis in humans. The bacteria are typically seen in pairs, each one concave on the side facing its partner. Health Protection Agency/Science Photo Library/Getty Images Another diplococcus bacterium, N. gonorrhoeae, is the pathogen responsible for the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea. Moraxella catarrhalis is a Gram negative diplococcus that causes ear infections in children, upper respiratory system infections, endocarditis, and meningitis. Gram negative coccobacillus bacteria have bacterial shapes that are in between spherical and rod shaped. Bacteria of the genus Haemophilus and Acinetobacter are coccobacilli that cause serious infections. Haemophilus influenzae can cause meningitis, sinus infections, and pneumonia. Acinetobacter species cause pneumonia and wound infections. Key Points: Gram Positive vs. Gram Negative Bacteria Most bacteria can be broadly classified as Gram positive or Gram negative.Gram positive bacteria have cell walls composed of thick layers of peptidoglycan.Gram positive cells stain purple when subjected to a Gram stain procedure.Gram negative bacteria have cell walls with a thin layer of peptidoglycan. The cell wall also includes an outer membrane with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecules attached.Gram negative bacteria stain pink when subjected to a Gram stain procedure.While both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria produce exotoxins, only Gram negative bacteria produce endotoxins. Sources Silhavy, T. J., et al. The Bacterial Cell Envelope. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, vol. 2, no. 5, 2010, doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a000414.Swoboda, Jonathan G., et al. Wall Teichoic Acid Function, Biosynthesis, and Inhibition. ChemBioChem, vol. 11, no. 1, June 2009, pp. 35–45., doi:10.1002/cbic.200900557.

KAISER Surname Meaning and Family History

KAISER Surname Meaning and Family History The Kaiser surname means king or ruler, from the Middle High German keiser, meaning emperor. Originating from the Latin name Caesar, this name was often given to individuals who played the part of King in local plays and pageants year after year - a popular pastime during the middle ages. The name may also have been given to one with a kingly appearance or manner. The phrase The Kaiser is considered synonymous with the Kaiser emperors of the Austrian Empire (1804–1835)- Franz I, Ferdinand I, Franz Joseph I, and Karl I- and emperors of the German empire (1871–1918)- Wilhelm I, Friedrich III and Wilhelm II. Surname Origin:  German Alternate Surname Spellings:  KEISER, KEYSER, KISER, KYSER, KIZER, KYZER Famous People with the KAISER Surname Henry J. Kaiser  - American industrialistFrederik Kaiser  - Dutch astronomerReinhard Keiser -  Ã‚  German composer Where is the KAISER Surname Most Common? According to surname distribution from Forebears, the  Kaiser surname is most common in Liechtenstein ranking as the countrys 25th most common surname. It is also popular in Germany (ranked 30th), Austria (50th) and Switzerland (89th).  WorldNames PublicProfiler  indicates the surname is especially common in the Ostschweiz region of Switzerland, particularly in Sankt Gallen. It is also prevalent throughout southern Germany, especially in the regions of Baden-Wà ¼rttemberg, Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz. Surname maps from Verwandt.de  indicate the  Kaiser last name is most common in southwestern Germany and western Germany, especially in the counties or cities of Waldshut, Esslingen, Cologne, Offenbach, Stuttgard and Hochsauerlandkreis.   Genealogy Resources for the Surname KAISER Meanings of Common German SurnamesUncover the meaning of your German last name with this free guide to the meanings and origins of common German surnames. Kaiser Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Kaiser  family crest or coat of arms for the Kaiser surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. The Kaiser DNA ProjectIndividuals with the  Kaiser surname, or variants such as Kizer, Kiser, Kyser, Kyzer, Keyser, or Keiser, are invited to join this DNA Project to work together to find their common heritage through DNA testing and sharing of information.  The website includes information on the project, the research done to date, and instructions on how to participate. KAISER  Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Kaiser  ancestors around the world. FamilySearch - KAISER  GenealogyExplore over 1.3  million results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Kaiser surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. KAISER Surname Mailing ListFree mailing list for researchers of the Kaiser surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages. DistantCousin.com - KAISER Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Kaiser. GeneaNet - Kaiser  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Kaiser surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Kaiser Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Kaiser surname from the website of Genealogy Today.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back to  Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS case assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS case - Assignment Example To achieve, the social organization aims at helping parents, educators, other residents, as well as additional stakeholders with emphasis on developing a safe learning environment for children. The first goal of HCZ was to set up a seamless system with necessary support to the child before birth through to adulthood in college. The goal was to have a best-practice conveyor belt. The biggest problem faced by the social organization was evaluating and measuring the success of the same. Secondly, the top management at HCZ aimed at helping children from humble and troubled backgrounds to grow actively and become healthy adults within their respective communities. HCZ aims at building a society with healthy children and the community simultaneously. In the process, the focus of the institution went on important groups and frequency. To help children grow into responsible adults, HCZ attached two strategies to this goal. Children remained under the watch of responsible parents. It was expected that the caring parents would be ideal models for children to learn from as they grow. The second strategy was exposing children to the right healthcare, social stimulation, intellectual ascendancy, as well as continued guidance. To run the project effectively, the management integrated the two strategies into the overall model upon which the institution ran. In his opinion, the president and Chief Executive of the social organization felt that pursuing a zone approach stood out as the best framework for the development of the entire project. In its design, the methodology meant the project will have cumulative and a scalable influence on the sampled population. Furthermore, the management at HCZ put in place strict geographical boundaries that guided delivery of services. The success of zone approach relied on obtaining sustainable funding. Sourcing for additional money was important to achieve meaningful growth. In the process, HCZ

All forms of government welfare should be abolished Essay - 4

All forms of government welfare should be abolished - Essay Example money that is given to people who will not work even though they are physically able to will only encourage laziness and cause the economy of a nation to suffer. In most cases, unpleasant circumstances usually perfect a person’s character in the long term. The type of dependent behavior that is invariably encouraged by welfare just destroys a person’s capacity to grow. The American welfare program provides enough proof of the inadequacies of welfare. This program, while created to encourage jobless citizens to get inspired to look for work and sustain themselves, has only inspired a sense of entitlement in unemployed grown adults. The United States has become a foster parent of capable people who refuse to help themselves. Even though the American government began to provide welfare options for its needy citizens in the 60s, the poverty level has stayed the same, even though government welfare funds have continued to increase on a constant basis. At present, the American government sponsors 70 welfare programs at nearly $1 trillion annually (Voegelli, 2012). This figure is almost 13 times what it was when the welfare program was started in the 1960s (Voegelli, 2012). Put your claim/position and â€Å"evidence† through the â€Å"Scientific Method† and â€Å"Proving a theory† steps. Are there any steps on which your claim/position and evidence do not measure up to the examination? If so, what can you do to make them more acceptable? According to the American Census Bureau statistics in 2010, there are 114.8 million family units in America. If 34.2% of American families  seek assistance from welfare programs, this implies that roughly 39.3 million American homes get welfare benefits on a monthly basis. The American government spent more than $451.9 Billion on welfare expenditures in 2012. To expand one’s knowledge as regards welfare, this means that every family that was accepted as a welfare case received $11,500 that year. According to Voegelli (2012), the

Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior Essay Example for Free

Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior Essay In the article, â€Å"Why Chinese mothers are Superior, Chua describes her efforts to give her children what she describes as a traditional, strict â€Å"Chinese† upbringing. ] This piece was controversial. Many readers missed the supposed irony and self-deprecating humor in the title and the piece itself and instead believed that Chua was advocating the â€Å"superiority† of a particular, very strict, ethnically defined approach to parenting. In fact Chua has stated that the book was not a how-to manual but a self-mocking memoir. In any case, Chua defines â€Å"Chinese mother† loosely to include parents of other ethnicities who practice traditional, strict child-rearing, while also acknowledging that â€Å"Western parents come in all varieties,† and not all ethnically Chinese parents practice strict child-rearing. Chua also reported that in one study of 48 Chinese immigrant mothers, the vast majority said that they believe their children can be the best students, that academic achievement reflects successful parenting, and that if children did not excel at school then there was a problem and parents were not doing their job. Chua contrasts them with the view she labels â€Å"Western† – that a child’s self-esteem is paramount Amy makes it clear that the Asian kids are not born smart (For the most part, at least) It is hard work and training from the parents that shapes the children into these wonder kids. To prove her point she lists up a number of things that her daughter were never allowed to do, such as: * Have a play date * Watch television or play computer games * Attend a school play * Complain about not in a school play And so on.. Prohibitions that seems totally unreasonable for us â€Å"westerns†, as she loosely has named us. Throughout the text she covers several perspectives on parenting, which of a few I surprisingly agree on. Most of her viewpoints I deeply disagree with though and is far from my idea about proper parenting. Each time she lists up one of her perspectives, she compares the Chinese perspective with the Western perspective. She does this in a very subjective manner I think. She is very clever rhetorically. At some parts of the text, I actually caught my self being very close to getting dragged towards her side. I found it quite amusing to feel the power of pathos, but at the same time a bit daunting. According to Amy, the main difference between Chinese parents and Western parents is the way they see their children. Western parents believe that respecting their children’s choices, their individuality and always encouraging them to pursue their true passions is the way. In contrast, Chinese parents believe that preparing their children for the future, and..

Hospice Care: Death With Dignity Essay -- Dying with Dignity

The beginning of life is celebrated. Books and resources are shared among friends and family in preparation for becoming a new parent. So, what happens as one approaches the end of life? Unfortunately, the same care and sharing rarely occurs in those circumstances and many face the prospect of dying unprepared. Though most people state they would prefer to die at home, this is often not where death occurs. Many Americans spend their last days attached to medical apparatus that keeps the body alive, but it does not allow for communication with family and often requires heavy sedation. Additionally, this level of treatment comes at a high price. As a society, we must become as comfortable in addressing the end of life process as we are with the beginning of life. One way that this can be done more effectively is through increased knowledge and use of hospice care. Hospice care is a viable option that provides health care cost savings, comfort to the patient, and support to the caregivers, however as hospice systems become more commercialized, care must be taken to avoid the pitfalls that are inherent in larger organizations. Hospice care is a relatively young option in the United States, with the first hospice organization founded in 1971 after gaining acceptance in England in the 1950s (Jensen, 2012). Hospice care is provided to those who are diagnosed with a terminal condition that is expected to culminate in death within six months. Unlike regular health care which focuses on curative procedures, hospice services focus on the comfort of the patient in order to ease the process of dying. These services provide benefits to the patient and the caregivers, as well as showing cost savings. It is no secret that healt... ...NHPCO facts and figures: Hopice care in America. Alexandria, VA. Perry, J. E., & Stone, R. C. (2011). In the business of dying: Questioning the commercialization of hospice. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 39(2), 224-234. doi:1111/j.1748-720X.2011.0059.x Robinson, L., & Segal, J. (2012). Quality of life at the end of life: A guide to hospice and palliative care at home or in a hospice facility. Retrieved from Helpguide.org: www.helpguide.org/elder/hospice_care.htm Seeger, P. (2012). Turn, turn, turn lyrics. Retrieved from metrolyrics.com: http://www.metrolyrics.com/turn-turn-turn-to-everything-there-is-a-season-lyrics-the-byrds.html Taylor, D., Ostermann, J., Houtven, C. V., Tulsky, J., & Steinhauser, K. (2007). What length of hospice use maximizes reduction in medical expenditures near death in the US Medicare program? Social Science & Medicine, 1466-1478.

Provided for Me and My Family Essay

Unions have proven to be quite an essential addition to the labor force as it helps fight for the members’ rights. It simply creates a better working chemistry between the employees and the employers; both of which equally important to each other. A better mutual relationship between the employees and the employers would provide a better work output for the company. Hence, the existence of the Union is quite vital in maintaining this relationship. There have already been some rights breaches in the past. However, there has not been any major conflict between the two so far. The Local 743 is a union wherein my dad is a member of. As far as I can recall, they have continued to provide security for me and my family which has been always good for us. The benefits that we have garnered from my dad’s membership to Local 743 have been always great. The Local 743 has existed for the sole purpose of providing and supporting for the rights of its members in the working force, as well as their families. Its main objective as a union, as any union would have, is to uphold the rights of its members. If the union finds something that breaches the labor rights of the workforce, then it formulates strategies to improve the treatment of employers towards their employees. This would create the most desirable atmosphere for the two classes to coexist minus the conflict. My family has received a lot of benefits from Local 743 as it assured my father a sense of security; financially and in other forms that could help benefit us, especially my father. My father’s membership to Local 743 has been quite a blessing for us as a family since it supported us for what we truly needed. Of course, it is not just us that the union gazes upon but for the other members and their families as well; it does not provide special attention to selfish needs. Only the most essential needs of the members and their families are attended by the union; like education for children, financial security for troubled households, and upholding the rights of the labor force. Last year, I was awarded the Local 743 Presidents Scholarship which helped pay for my schooling. My family and I were very grateful for such an honor that was provided by Local 743 because it took off the financial woes of my parents with regard to my education. It definitely cut the some of the education costs that my parents have provided for my siblings. Cutting such costs can help my parents provide me and my siblings a better life and hopefully, a better future. I am very grateful for being given the scholarship. In showing my gratefulness to what was given to me, I strived to work harder and promised my parents that I will do my best in my school. I know that it was not my own money that provided for my education. So it is just most courteous to show the Local 743 that I truly appreciated what they have given me to help my parents with my education, by showing them a great result in my schooling. Again, I am very delighted and grateful. As a member, my father was ensured better job security by the union Local 743. It helped him and his co-workers uphold their rights, making sure that there is no maltreatment done to them while in the workplace or outside of work. It is the Local 743’s objective, after all which my family and I are grateful for. The benefits that we have garnered throughout my father’s membership have been great so far, which we truly appreciate and feel truly blessed with. With the presence of Local 743, my father felt secured in his job and in providing me and my family what he feels which we need the most. My father is grateful for being accepted as a member of Local 743 and for the benefits we have garnered from them. I believe that every member and their families would also say the same thing about Local 743. The rights of the employees are most important for labor unions like Local 743. They would help employees fight for their rights and correct the wrong that has been done to them by employers, or at least what they felt was wrong. They advocate for the workers’ rights which they think are being breached by their employers. The great thing about having labor unions is the fact that they can help equalize the imbalance that is occurring inside the company. Most victims of oppression in the workplace are the ones belonging to the blue-collar group. The presence of the unions makes certain that balance is kept and that employee oppression is minimized. My father’s membership to Local 743 has been nothing less than beneficial for me and my family. Being able to experience the benefits that were given to me (the scholarship) and my family (financial security), I could say that Local 743 has provided so much for upholding the rights of its members and for aiding their families with what they truly needed most. I would like to thank Local 743 for their continuous support for their numerous members in the workforce, as well as their families.

Audience Analysis Essay Essay

Audience Analysis The target audience for this rhetorical analysis is my classmates. The audience can not be grouped by age, as there are those who just finished high school as well as people in their forties. The gender of the audience is composed of both men and women of all ages according to the information I found in our introduction to the class. To prepare this rhetoric analysis we will have to read the story and do some research about the author. This information will be presented in our analysis and it will be interesting to see what others have found and how they presented in their analysis. What the audience has in common is that we are all studying the same class, and therefore, we have all read, â€Å"I’m O.K., but You’re Not† by Robert Zoellner. Although the audience is diverse in age, gender, and background, we can all have an opinion of the reading material. Some of my classmates will be able to agree with my analysis/opinions and others will disagree. But that is the beauty of having an audience so different. Not only I will be able to express freely what I think, but I can also hear the point of view and opinions of my classmates. Two Sets of Rules Robert Zoellner is an American writer born in 1926 in Denver, Colorado. Among Zoellner’s interests we found that he likes hiking, backpacking, skiing, ecology, and preservation of environment. He was also a member of the Modern Language Association in America. He is the author of â€Å"I’m O.K., but You’re Not† where he talks about â€Å"The Floating Opera† by John Barth. In this novel Barth tells us how ordinary things that happen to people on a daily basis. Which was Zoellner’s inspiration to write â€Å"I’m O.K., and You’re Not.† This is short and personal story about Zoellner’s experience with an elderly snobbish couple in the restaurant. This story begins with the author is trying to have a happy and normal breakfast in a restaurant. He is a heavy-smoker so he requests the hostess to be seated in the smoker’s section of the restaurant, in order to be polite with other customers. The hostess gave him a t able â€Å"on the dividing line between the smoking and nonsmoking sections† (28). The author uses a very descriptive way to refer to an elderly couple, well dressed and kind of snobbish, who sat down five feet away from the author’s table, in the non-smoking area. The author was smoking and the gentleman with his magisterial white hair, as Zoellner described the old men, asked him to please stop smoking. The problem here was the way and the tone of how this old man asked Zoellner to stop smoking, it was â€Å"self-righteous and peremptory† (28). The old man requested him to stop smoking in a very imperative way that is why Zoellner’s response was that he was not going to stop smoking because he was in the non-smoking area of the restaurant. The author is aware that cigarette smoke is annoying for people who do not smoke, and even more if they are in a restaurant. In other circumstances he would have stop smoking out of simple courtesy. Robert Zoellner has a very exquisite selection of words that makes easy to the reader to see a perfect picture of what is happening in the story. The author uses just a few words to describe in details a scene like: â€Å"having breakfast in a lawn-bordered restaurant on College avenue† (Zoellner 28) or â€Å"at a little two-person table on the dividing line between the smoking and non-smoking section†(28). The author gives a specific geographic idea of where he is at. So far, the author has described how he started his day at the restaurant in time for breakfast. Briefly described where he was sitting, and also described the old couple sitting next to him.. After Zoellner’s negative response, the old couple â€Å"ate their eggs-over easy in hurried and sullen silence†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ they got up, paid their bill, and stalked out in an ambiance of affronted righteousness and affluent propriety† (29). At the time that the old couple came out of the restaurant, they went to their automobile, a white Mercedes Benz, where two â€Å"splendid matched pair of pedigreed poodles† (29) were waiting for them. When they opened the door of the car, the dogs went directly to the restaurant’s lawn to make their needs. After this scene, â€Å"the four of them marshalled their collective dignity and drove off in a dense cloud of blue smoke- that lovely white Mercedes was urgently in need of a valve-and-ring job† (29). The author, once again, described in detail what is happening at the moment. The authors’ intention is to take the reader to the scene of the incident to be part of the story and be able to make an opinion about what have just happened. So far, everything the author has narrated, makes the reader feel sympathy for him. The author achieves this reaction in the readers by using a sarcastic tone to avoid showing frustration or anger. The old man requested the author, in a very authoritarian way, to put out his cigarette, which was reason enough for Zoellner to deny his request. And after the old couple finished their breakfast in a rush, they went to their car, took the dogs out and allowed them to do their business right in lawn of the restaurant. So, for the old couple it is terrible to smoke in the restaurant’s smoking section, but it is not terrible at all not to clean after your dogs poop. Which is a clear example of double standards. Robert Zoellner, also goes further and lets his imagination fly. Wondering if the old man polluting the atmosphere by setting his fireplace with moss rock and also fertilizing his impeccable garden, but as the author stated this â€Å"is pure and unkindly speculation† (29). And not only that, Zoellner also described the way their old white Mercedes Benz polluted the air. The author also stated â€Å"as a chronic smokestack. I normally comply, out of simple courtesy, with such a request† (29), but in this case the old man manners made his request be rejected. The way the author give a lot of simple details, helps the reader to make a visual idea, giving the reader the sensation of watching a movie instead of reading a book. The author’s intention was not to judge the old couple he just gave us the facts of what happened that day at the restaurant. He uses a sarcastic tone and humor to gain the readers understanding and empathy. And in this ordinary day, with this not out of the ordinary story, he makes the reader think about double standards that everybody face in a daily basis. Works Cited â€Å"Robert Zoellner.† Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 12 Feb. 2012. Robert Zoellner. â€Å"I’m O.K., You’re Not.† The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers. Ed. Stephen Reid. 9th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson, 2011: 28-29. Print.

How to Write Narrative Paragraphs in English

How to Write Narrative Paragraphs in English Narrative paragraphs are often used to describe what a person does over a period of time. Read this example narrative paragraph, notice how words like later are used to connect what happens. Yesterday evening I got home from work at 6 oclock. My wife had painstakingly prepared a delicious  dinner which we ate immediately. After I had cleaned up the kitchen, we watched TV show which had been recommended by my friend. Then, we got dolled up for a night on the town. Our friends arrived at about 9 oclock and we chatted for a while. Later, we decided to visit a local jazz club and listen to some bebop for a while. The mad musicians really blew their horns. We really enjoyed ourselves and stayed late only leaving after the band had played their final audacious set.   Tips on Tenses Use the  simple past for succession of events: Narrate with the simple past tense when events follow each other. here are some examples. Notice that each event occurs in succession. I got up and went to the kitchen. I opened the door and looked into the fridge.She arrived in Dallas, took a cab, and checked in to her hotel. Next, she had some dinner in a restaurant. Finally, she visited a colleague before she went to bed. Use the  past continuous for interrupted actions: To express that an action is interrupted, use the past continuous to describe what was happening when there was an interruption. Use the past simple with the action that interrupts what was happening. Finally, as we were discussing the issue, the teacher walked into the classroom. Obviously, we stopped talking immediately.Sharon was working in the garden when the telephone rang. Use the  past perfect for previous actions: To express something that was finished before another event in the past, use the past perfect. This is especially useful when providing an explanation for what happened. We decided to go out and celebrate because we had just finished remodeling our home.Janet didnt join us for dinner as she had already eaten. Use the  past perfect continuous for the length of actions: The past perfect continuous is used to express how long something had been happening up to a point in time in the past. We had been hiking for more than ten hours and it was time to call it a day.She had been nagging him for months to get a better job when he finally was hired. Linking Language Starting sentences with a time expression: Start sentences with linking phrases such as Then, Next, Finally, Before that, etc. to connect sentences and show time relationships in your narrative writing.   First, we flew to New York on our great adventure. After New York, we moved on to Philadelphia. Then, it was on to Florida for some scuba diving.After breakfast, I spent a few hours reading the newspaper. Next, I played softball with my son.   Use time clauses to show relationships in time: Use before, after, as soon as, etc. to introduce a time clause. Pay special attention to the use of tenses with time clauses. Begin a sentence with a time clause, but use a comma before the main clause. OR Begin with the main clause and end with the time clause using no comma. After we had finished our homework, we watched a funny movie.They attended a meeting as soon as they arrived in Chicago.   Descriptive Language   When writing a narration, its a good idea to include descriptive language to help readers get a feeling for what happened. Here are some suggestions on how to make your writing more descriptive. Use adjectives to modify nouns. Nothing is more boring than a sentence such as  We went to the store.  Its easy to modify  store  to be more precise as well as descriptive.  We went to a big box electronics store  is much more interesting.   They bought a car. - They bought a used red Italian car.She planted a tree. - She planted a young oak tree. Use prepositional phrases such as in the corner  and  across from the bank  to give an idea of where something happens, as well as the relationships between objects. After we arrived, we were shown to our table at the back of the restaurant.The car was parked around the corner on the other side of the street.   Use relative clauses to further describe and provide information about important details in your narration. After that, we enjoyed a tasty glass of wine which was grown locally.Next, we took the car which we had rented in Los Angeles and drove to San Francisco.   Written Exercise - Using Past Verbs and Prepositions Write out the following sentences on to a piece of paper to form a paragraph based on the narrative paragraph above. Conjugate each verb in the past and provide the correct prepositions. Yesterday evening Jack _____ (get) home _____ (preposition) half past five.He immediately _____ (make) himself a cup _____ (preposition) coffee and _____ (sit down) to read a book.He _____ (read) the book _____ (preposition) half past seven.Then, he _____ (make) dinner and _____ (get ready) to go out with his friends.When his friends _____ (arrive), they _____ (decide) to go out to see a film.He _____ (stay out) until midnight with his friends.Finally, he _____ (fall) asleep _____ (preposition) about one oclock. Written Exercise - Making Your Writing More Interesting Rewrite the following sentences using descriptive language to spice up your writing.   After that, the man went home.  Later, we drove to a restaurant.  He had finished the report before I gave the presentation.  The children attended the class.My friends asked for help.   Adding Linking Language Exercise Now that you have a good feeling for the form of a narrative paragraph. Fill in the gaps in this paragraph providing appropriate linking language to complete the paragraph. _________ I drove my rusty old car to visit my best friend. _______ I arrived, he had done his best to prepare a tasty meal. ________, we took a long walk through the park next to his home. __________ we had been out for more than an hour, my friend asked me if I could keep a secret. _________, I swore not to tell anyone anything. _________ he recounted a wild tale of a crazy night out on the town __________. ________, he told me he had met the woman of his dreams and that they were to get married ___________. Imagine my surprise!

Understanding Convenience Samples

Understanding Convenience Samples The process of statistical sampling involves selecting a collection of individuals from a population. The way that we do this selection is very important. The manner in which we select our sample determines the type of sample that we have. Among the wide variety of  types of statistical samples, the easiest type of sample to form is called a convenience sample. Definition of Convenience Samples A convenience sample is formed when we select elements from a population on the basis of what elements are easy to obtain. Sometimes a convenience sample is called a grab sample as we essentially grab members from the population for our sample. This is a type of sampling technique that does not rely upon a random process, such as we see in a simple random sample, to generate a sample. Examples of Convenience Samples To illustrate the idea of a convenience sample, we will think of several examples. It is really not very hard to do this. Just think of the easiest way to find representatives for a particular population. There is a high likelihood that we have formed a convenience sample. To determine the proportion of green MMs produced by a factory, we count the number of green MMs in our hands that we took out of the package.To find the mean height of all third-grade students in a school district, we measure the first five students who are dropped off in the morning by their parents.In order to know the mean value of homes in our town, we average the value of our home with our neighbors homes.Someone wants to determine which candidate is likely to win an upcoming election, and so she asks everyone in her circle of friends who they intend to vote for.  A student is working on a survey of students attitudes toward college administrators, and so he talks to his roommate and other people on the floor of his residence hall. Problems with Convenience Samples As indicated by their name, convenience samples are definitely easy to obtain. There is virtually no difficulty in selecting members of the population for a convenience sample. However, there is a price to pay for this lack of effort: convenience samples are virtually worthless in statistics. The reason that a convenience sample cannot be used for applications in statistics is that we are not assured that it is representative of the population that it was selected from. If all of our friends share the same political leanings, then asking them who they intend to vote for in an election tells us nothing about how people across the country would vote. Furthermore, if we think about the reason for random sampling, we should see another reason why convenience samples are not as good as other sampling designs. Since we do not have a random procedure to select the individuals in our sample, although our sample is likely to be biased. A randomly selected sample will do a better job of limiting bias.

Assignment 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Assignment 4 - Essay Example Turkle used the Rorschach metaphor to show the relationship between people and machines, he asserted that computers are just projective screen for other actions such as a mirror of mind as well as self (Tapscott, Don, Alex and David, 167-175). Over the recent times Rorschach metaphor has turn out to be less popular due to its limited applications (Tapscott, Don, Alex and David, 167-175).Recently a lot of creativity and innovations have been ongoing making the digital technology more dynamic. Just like human beings, some objects such as computer robots have been put in place, those objects tend to work just like human being with minimum human supervision (Tapscott, Don, Alex, and David, 167-175). Researchers predict that, the future technological innovation will encompass computation technology that will not only have a feelings love but also humor (Tapscott, Don, Alex and David, 167-175). Therefore, the most important thing is to understand the relationship between people and Artifac ts during this digital period. This is because the emergence of new objects will have a significant impact to human life. Therefore, it is important to understand how people are going to relate with new computational technology objects (Tapscott, Don, Alex, and David, 167-175). The study has further explored Staves Jobs contribution in the digital world. In above connection, the study has provided a sharp insight of how life was before and after face book. Sherry Turkle describes an encounter with Chatroulette.What do you think? Is this typical today’s digitech culture and how do you see the development in the near future? The dynamism in digital culture has been

Joy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Joy - Essay Example The translation also took some improvement as other authors also tackled the complicity of its meaning. As one author puts it, â€Å"joy is a trickier thing to talk about . . . because it is a responsive state or disposition often defined by category of stimulus - there is for example, spiritual joy, erotic joy, leaving for London joy (Potkay, 2010). â€Å"Joys are modifiable in a way that "happiness," a noun without plural, is not (Potkay, 2010). But regardless of how others define joy, their description can only account so much of that state or feeling of delightful bliss. The description of that agreeable emotion or that delight of the mind can only say so much of that state when I want to open up to the world out of joy; when everything feels so good that the heavens seem to be bluer and the grass seems to be greener. Joy is a feeling that is very personal to me. Such that it would be very difficult for me to rationalize it for it defeats the very purpose and intent of the word. Because joy appeals to my emotion; of how I feel, not to what I think. I experience joy, not think about it. Joy is not only the opposite of grief or dejection. Nor a transient state of mind that ratifies and approve something amiable. Joy is what life is; of how should I live my life. Joy is an expression of that appreciation of the chance that I exist and â€Å"enjoy† my existence. Above all, it is joy that makes me a complete human being. It is that experience of joy in my everyday life that affirms my humanity. Perhaps, there are no other creatures that can experience that same bliss and rapture than I do. The beast may satisfy its hunger and be moved by its instinct to procreate, but there is no joy in that. It was moved by the instinct to survive. It is just nature taking its natural course. But I am moved by motives that go far beyond the instinct. I do things because I â€Å"enjoy† doing it. I, as a human being, experience joy whether

Leaqdership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leaqdership - Essay Example Inequity is posited to create tension, which motivates an individual to restore equity. This restoration of equity can be accomplished in a number of ways. Outcomes can be altered, objectively or psychologically; inputs can be altered, objectively or psychologically; comparative referents can be changed; or an individual can leave or psychologically withdraw from the situation. As Greenberg (1989) pointed out, however, equity research offers little guidance as to when psychological adjustments rather than objective adjustments will occur. Complicating the matter further, psychological adjustments are difficult to measure and validate. Equity theory predictions about reactions to inequity have been tested primarily in laboratory experiments. The typical experiment involves (a) subjects performing a task, (b) distribution of a monetary reward and performance feedback, and (c) measurement of performance on a subsequent iteration of the task. Situations of inequity are set up through the manipulation of rewards and performance feedback, and individual responses to these inequitable situations are measured. As reviews of equity research have pointed out (Goodman & Friedman, 1971; Greenberg, 1982, 1987; Walster et al., 1978), these laboratory studies have shown that equity perceptions can significantly alter individuals performances. However, these studies have been largely â€Å"one-shot affairs† (Homans, 1982, p. xv) and have typically not allowed time for performance–outcome expectancies to develop among subjects. Subjects who decrease their performance when faced with perceived underreward probably do not view this decrease in performance as leading to decreased future rewards. By the 1950s, several new models of work motivation emerged, which collectively have been referred to as content theories, since their principal aim was to identify factors associated with motivation. Included here is Maslows (1954) need hierarchy theory, which

Analysis of the Organisation and Leadership of Unilever

Analysis of the Organisation and Leadership of Unilever 1- Introduction This report offers an analysis of the current organisational structure and management approach of the senior management team at Unilever, a multi-national organisation that produces and distributes many well-known consumer products. Recent years have seen the organisation undergo massive transformation, and they have reduced their workforce by some 41% over the last ten years (Unilever, 2010). They are dual-listed in the Netherlands and the UK, but operate as a single-entity with the same board and senior team. This structure offers them flexibility and adaptability across the globe, and also efficiency in production and distribution. It will draw on the theories of eminent scholars such as Taylor (1999) who proposed the theories of increased organisational efficiency by utilising an appropriate management structure, and also highlight how the internal structure of the organisation is influenced by external environment and organisational structure. This report will consider some of t he recent changes and challenges, which have faced Unilever, and provide and analysis of the likely future challenges facing the organisation. 2- Organisational History Unilever is one of the largest businesses in the world, with an annual turnover of nearly  £40 billion and in excess of 179,000 employees globally (Unilever, 2010). It was formed in 1930 as the amalgamation of the UK soap company Lever Brothers, and the Dutch margarine company Margarine Unie. The main driver for the merger was collaboration, as both companies relied heavily on palm oil as a major ingredient for their products and by sharing resources they were able to import and distribute to their factories far more cost effectively (Unilever, 2010). Indeed, palm oil remains a major ingredient for many products toady, and their continued commitment to sustainability and efficient distribution is one of Unilevers core corporate strategies (Dhillion, 2007). The growth of Unilever has been characterised by mergers and strategic acquisitions, not all of which have been friendly (Polsson, 2008), and their brand portfolio exceeds 400 and includes a wide range of consumer goods, ranging from foods and beverages to personal care products and cleaning products. They are listed on both the UK FTSE 100 and the Dutch equivalent the AXE, and they have 13 brands which generate revenue of over à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1 billion per year. The portfolio includes such well-known brand names as Walls, Ben and Jerrys, Dove, Lipton and Flora, and as can be seen from the few names mentioned, they are both diverse and equally powerful brands and market niches. They are also the largest ice-cream manufacturer in the world, controlling some 73% of the worlds ice cream production and generating revenue of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬5 billion per year alone from ice cream sales in Europe. Unilever have been able to make sales particularly profitable and efficient through centralisat ion of their brand under the heart logo, meaning that they were able to manufacture and distribute under the same brand across Europe with minimum customisation for local regions (Unilever, 2010). Unilever has also built strong links with its subsidiary businesses around the world for its teas and coffees, as much of the raw material required for food stuffs is sourced from African and Latin American countries, such as cocoa, vanilla, palm oil and coffee beans. To reach the size and level of diversity that they now control, Unilever have sought to acquire a further brand or manufacturing interest at the rate of approximately one per year for the last ten years. Such significant activity in terms of corporate diversity and consolidation makes for an interesting topic of study. (Full timeline of activities available in appendix 1). 3- Organisational Structure Considering the size and scope of the organisation it is understandable that they must operate within a defined framework, and as noted by Cummings and Worley (2005:136-138) the sheer size of the company can expose them to the risk of paralysis and stagnation as they are too large to respond flexibly to external challenges. Therefore Unilever have explicitly set out to create a management structure, which is capable of making faster decisions and responding more flexibly to external stimulus. Accordingly Unilever has created a four-tier hierarchical structure, which helps to funnel information into the business, and allows the senior team to make appropriate decisions based on available data (Unilever, 2010b). The structure of the executive team is set out in the diagram below:- Figure 1:- Corporate Structure of Unilever, adapted from Unilever (2010b) According to Unilever, they believe that this structure gives them suitable balance between corporate governance and organisational flexibility. Each level within the hierarchy serves a different function allowing the other levels of the organisation to concentrate on their core roles. Therefore the two executive directors; Paul Polman (Chief Executive Officer) and Jean-Marc Huà «t (Chief Financial Officer) serve as figureheads for the company. Their leadership styles and approaches will be discussed in more depth below. The ten non-executive directors serve as the independent element in Unilevers governance (Unilever, 2010a) and are drawn from a wide range of backgrounds all having huge experience and expertise in their respective areas. They are both internal and external to the organisation to help provide check and balance in their operational views and it is interesting to note that the board is very rare in having such a relatively high proportion of female NEDs at 30% (Black, 2003:236-238). The Unilever Executive (UEx) is responsible for managing profit and loss, and delivering growth across our regions, categories and functions (Unilever, 2010a). It comprises ten operational and executive directors all of whom have exceptional qualifications and experience in the fields of science, technology and business. Unilever has also taken care to ensure that the full cross-section of their multi-disciplinary functions and multi-national breadth are represented on the board, with several nationalities being represented. Finally, the three senior corporate officers are responsible for ensuring that the board of Unilever (both executive and non-executive) have all the necessary information to make prudent and timely corporate decisions on both an operational and strategic basis. The senior corporate officers are tasked with ensuring that the structure and framework of Unilever is returning suitable management information on which to base critical decisions (Unilever, 2010a). 4- Organisational Culture Organisational Culture has been defined as the specific collection of values and norms that are shared by people and groups in an organization and that control the way they interact with each other and with stakeholders outside the organization, (Hill and Jones, 2001:27). This definition also helps us to understand the values of the organisation and how they seek to lead and develop their business. Organisational culture is complex, and can be influenced by a huge variety of factors as noted by Hofstede (1980) who identified the influenced and effects of multi-cultural workforces within multi-national environments. He proposed a theory of cultural dimensions which he used to help explain how multi-cultural influences act upon an organisation with regard to strategic application as discussed by De Wit and Meyer; Hofstedes (1993) theory of cultural dimensions implies that although not all the individuals within a countrys population will have exactly the same characteristics, the cultural dimensions will colour the institutional and administrative arrangements that are made within the country, and will set the norms for behaviour. Hofstede, G. (1993) Cultural constraints in management theories, in De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2004) Strategy Process, Content, Context, 3rd Edition, Thomson, London pp206. This is strongly evidenced at Unilever where the culture of the organisation is derived from its own multi-national background. This has influenced the process of strategic decision making at Unilever under the systemic approach advocated by Whittington in his work What is strategy and does it matter? (2000). Whittington proposed that organisations in the same circumstances as Unilever would do well to adopt what he described as a systemic approach. In this model the organisation should seek to create a hybrid of processual or delineated strategy on the basis of organisational objective, but that the approach should be tailored or tempered by a respect for cultural differences. Whittington observed that organisational culture is governed by the social structures created by management level, social class and interest groups, and that trying to cut across these groups in certain localised areas was likely to create excessive tension and achieve very little (Whittington, 2000:185-189). It is therefore interesting to observe the influence and effect of Paul Polman as the first external candidate to take the role the Chief Executive Officer. Paul is a Dutch national and has held the role since October 2008. His background and experience in the commercial goods and manufacturing sectors make him an ideal candidate for the role, as he is both financially astute and commercially aware. From the analysis of the company and its operating ethos and mission it can also be implied that his management style is European-influenced and therefore likely to be reflective of an inclusive culture and style in that it is both democratic and laissez-faire (Morgeson, 2005:497-508). Alternatively under the Tannenbaum and Schmidt continuum (1957) it can be suggested that Paul Polman allows freedom of his subordinates to pursue suitable corporate strategies on the basis of their capability and the application of democratic decision-making. Paul Polman succeeded Patrick Cescau as the Chief Executive Officer of Unilever. Patrick Cescau was the former CEO of Unilever and the first group CEO for the company. He is a French national with numerous accreditations to his name and an extremely successful history at Unilever. As reported in the Telegraph (2008), Unilever searched long and hard for a suitable successor to the position and eventually felt that Paul Polman would be a suitable candidate given his own background, capabilities and skills. This was a departure for the Anglo-Dutch company as they had never previously taken an external candidate for the position, preferring to recruit internally. Although Patrick Cescau formally stepped down from his role following his 60th birthday (the main reason for him to leave the post), he has continued to play an active role in corporate life and now serves as a non-executive director to another large multi-national firm. Patrick Cescau was known across the world for his work in regard to sustainability and business growth, and he has proved a hard act to follow (Insead, 2010). 5- Specific Issues It is useful to compare and contrast specific issues at Unilever and the various approaches which the board of directors have taken when addressing these situations, particularly with regard to the work of Patrick Cescau and his approach to corporate sustainability and social responsibility. Indeed he is quoted as having said that There is no dichotomy between doing business well and doing good; and, in fact, the two go hand in hand. (Insead, 2010). Thus, this element will consider some of the current issues facing Unilever and how they will seek to address them. 5.1- Approaches to Corporate Social Responsibility As noted on the corporate website (Unilever, 2010c), Unilever have a strong commitment corporate social responsibility and sustainability and they have adopted a specific and targeted set of measures and key performance indicators to benchmark their own sustainability performance. It is recognised by scholars such as Atkinson et al (2007:66-68) that there is currently no uniform approach to sustainability or any codified measures of best operational practice. This is despite increasingly stringent legislation which seeks to set out minimum performance standards and has been applied on very few occasions save for flagrant breaches which have resulted in catastrophic consequences (Constanza et al, 2007:203-210). Unilever state that their approaches to Corporate Social Responsibility incorporate business benefits as well as ethical principles (Unilever, 2010c). By this they mean that they have continued the work started by Patrick Cescau seeking to align business activity and ethical ac tivity. They have chosen to apply sustainable principles to as many areas of possible in their business on the simple premise that sustainability makes good business sense. Therefore they have engaged some of the most innovative principles in research and development, agriculture, packaging and manufacturing as they believe that sustainability helps [them] win (Unilever, 2010c). The Unilever website offers several examples of successful case studies where sustainability has proved to be of great business benefit amongst both internal and external stakeholders, and the board of Unilever also recognise that this can only be achieve by impeccable business performance and adherence to best principles in their own right. 5.2- Reputation Management and Diversity Contrastingly it is also useful to consider some of the more controversial activities, which have been undertaken by Unilever in their recent history. Unilever have been accused of causing deforestation by campaigners such as Greenpeace because of the use of palm oil, a major ingredient in many products. In consequence Unilever have committed to sourcing all of their palm oil requirements sustainably by 2015 (Unilever, 2010d). This principle has also been applied with regard to their requirements for tea leaves for their Lipton and PG Tips brands (Unilever, 2010c). Unilever recognise that because of their level of consumption of these raw materials and their need to invest in sustainable practices they will need to work closely with bodies such as the Rainforest Alliance to form synergies, which are beneficial to all stakeholders. However Unilever have a strong commitment to positive diversity as evidenced by their localised products and marketing campaigns, which are specifically aimed to meet the needs of consumers at a localised level. This includes specific beauty products for various nations in response to consumer demand. Examples of such positive diversity can be found in Indian advertising for skin creams (Telegraph, 2007). Although there was some adverse reaction to the advertisement it is also recognised that the product met a considerable demand in India and there was also some evident confusion at a localised level as to why the product might not be required. When compared to the Dove brand real beauty campaign which Unilever have managed since 2007 (Dove, 2010) it can be seen that there is a strong demand for localised product management and positive diversity, which Unilever have responded to. This has helped their own reputational and brand management and has enabled them to react rapidly to con sumer demand, which has served to strengthen their corporate and market position. 6- Management and Leadership Approaches at Unilever Netherlands There are several theories, which can be used to help understand the relationship between managers and employees within an organisation. This element of the report will consider three of the main theories put forward by leading academics in the subject, via Taylor (1999) Maslow (1992) and Fayol (1999). Each of these theories addresses a different aspect of the employee management relationship as will be discussed. 6.1- Taylor and Scientific Management Taylor (1999 cited in Matteson and Ivancevich), identified that to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness within an organisation it is necessary to synthesize workflows (1999:12-15) to ensure that there is alignment between resource availability and organisational requirements. Taylor suggested that by measuring and monitoring these objectives and setting out clear processes and procedures for employees to follow, it is possible to significantly increase labour productivity and effectiveness. The cornerstone of Taylors theory was centred on adhering to best practice processes to minimise waste and maximise productivity. Taylors theories were developed whilst observing car production plants, and there are close analogies with regard to the production flows of manufacturing in the Unilever plants. As each of the manufacturing plants owned and operated by Unilever produces products and foodstuff, which their consumers will either ingest or use for personal care, the manufacturing must be of the highest standards and quality, with rigorous safety and quality checks at every stage of the process. Unilever have therefore developed and implemented a robust series of controls, which enables them to manage and monitor every part of the production process, and also standardise it across their estate. Such is the level of control exerted by Unilever, that in theory it should be possible to take an employee from a UK manufacturing site and exchange them for an employee from a Dutch manufacturing site, and they should each be capable of performing the necessary roles and functions (Unilever, 2010). Critics of Ta ylors approach such as Daft et al (2010:26), argue that the forced level of direction engendered by the Taylorist approach de-skills and de-motivates employees who effectively become machines who are dehumanised. This is a particularly so on production line, as there is a requirement for absolute conformity as opposed to creativity and individualism. It is a perpetual challenge for Unilever to maintain the interest and enthusiasm of employees who perform repetitive jobs such as those that will be required for a significant proportion of the Unilever workforce. This is something, which was acknowledged and addressed by Maslow (1999, cited in Strage), who noted that employees require more than simple fiscal reward to remain motivated. This has been noted and observed by the management team at Unilever, and when their management approach and corporate culture is applied to the Tannenbaum and Schmidt continuum, as cited in Matteson and Ivancevich, (1999), it can be seen that although so me level of authority must be applied to ensure consistency of process, many of the Unilever employees have a far greater level of freedom and creativity to offer innovative suggestions for product and process improvement. 6.2- Maslow and the Hierarchy of Needs In contrast to Taylor, the Maslow school of thought discusses tools and techniques to help managers to motivate and empower employees to perform to the best of their ability. Maslow (1999, cited in Strage) discusses the hierarchy of needs model, whereby he identified that it was not simply money that motivated employees to work, but many other factors contributed to the desire of employees to perform to the best of their ability. The diagram below outlines what Maslow has identified, in that as each level of need is satisfied, the individual moves up the pyramid to satisfy the next need in the ranking. Figure 1: Maslows Hierarchy of Needs (1999). As Maslows theory suggests, once the basic needs of financial reward for work have been satisfied sufficient to meet the demands of paying bills, then an employee looks for other motivations to come to work, such as feeling valued by their employer, and having their work and achievements recognised. It would seem given that there have been no recent publicised disputes between employees and leaders at Unilever that employees are satisfied with the both the pay and recognition which they receive from the management team. As Maslow noted, once the basic needs have been satisfied, the need to be accepted and to belong is a powerful human motivator. This is closely linked with reward and recognition for work that has been done well or is particularly innovative. Some theorists such as Hackman and Wageman (2005:269) refer to this as celebrating success. They suggest that if major achievements which have been made possible by the co-operative work of the team are celebrated and recognised, this will go on to motivate and encourage employees to continue to perform. Unilever have recently won awards for innovation and environmental achievement (Unilever, 2010), which they were keen to share with the rest of the business, as the entire firm will benefit from such a positive approach (Morden, 1996; McGovern et al, 2008). 6.3- Fayol A third perspective on matters of management and leadership approach is that put forward by Fayol (1999 cited in Matteson and Ivancevich), who similarly to Taylor subscribed to a scientific theory of management. He proposed a general theory of management, suggesting that managers had six primary functions and fourteen further principles of management. In contrast to Taylor, Fayol proposed a far more interactive approach to management techniques, which suggested that process controls were in fact best designed by those people who performed the work every day (ie, the workforce). Fayol argued that if management interacted closely with the workforce and understood their needs and concerns, they would be far better placed to gather feedback about systems and processes and make the necessary efficiency changes. It would seem from the success and growth of Unilever as a multi-national conglomerate that they have been particularly successful and following these principles and instilling a c ollaborative approach which harnesses the power and knowledge of the workforce and uses it to further the growth and development of the business (Fayol, ibid). Examples of this include working with employees to indentify and implement efficiency savings, and also generating a culture of continuous improvement, which builds a self-perpetuating cycle of success (Judge et al, 2002:770-775). When considering these findings in the light of the Blake and Moulton Leadership grid (1964), it can clearly be seen that the leaders at Unilever are at the inclusive and collaborative point on the scale as termed the sound style (previously known as tem style). At this point they have equal concern for both production and people as they recognise that to deliver consistently excellent products they must have committed and motivated employees. According to Blake and Moulton (ibid), this leadership style relies on managers recognising that employees must feel as if they are a highly valued part of the organisation, a theory that is closely aligned with that of Maslow who observed that those employees who produced the best work felt that they were suitably rewarded for their efforts. Moreover, as increasing numbers of organisations recognise the benefits of adopting a collaborative and co-operative approach to achieving organisational excellence, current management theory would indicat e that the days of dictatorial mangers are on the decline (Den Hartog and Koopman cited in Anderson et al, 2002:166-168). This also seems particularly likely given the increasing legislation to prevent employers from bullying their employees and behaving in an inappropriate manner (Miner, 2009). Application of the Hersey and Blanchards situational theory model (1999, cited in Gabriel et al, 1999) further underlines that the Unilever management style is one of participating and delegating as opposed to telling employees what to do. Unilever is characterised by open channels of communication, and there are points which against the Hersey and Blanchard model the leadership style could be regarded as selling, this is more to do with the differing levels of maturity in various parts of the business, and particularly in those parts which have been recently acquired. It is interesting to set the Hersey and Blanchard model against the backdrop of situational leadership, as it seems that the characteristics of Unilever are a mature and confident group of leaders who are happy to delegate tasks and responsibility, and thus leverage the best from their employees (Den Hartog and Koopman, ibid). Remembering that the board of Unilever has been secure and stable for some time, it is of lit tle surprise that they are able to adopt and react flexibly to change. Moreover, their considerable experience of acquisition allows them to rapidly assimilate and absorb new businesses into the estate, and embraces the culture changes, which must necessarily follow (Simons and Billing, 1995; Spillane, 2004). Despite the size of Unilever, it is remarkable that they are able to adapt so readily to change at both an internal and external level, and across global boundaries. In some ways their sheer size has enabled them to cushion themselves from some of the worst effects of the recession, coupled with the fact that their diverse portfolio requires them to be adaptive and flexible to consumer trends a style which is reflected in both their culture and leadership. 7- Recommendations to Enhance Management Practices As can be seen from the preceding discussions, the senior management team at Unilever have faced some serious internal and external challenges, both at a local level and a global level. Some of these challenges are outside of their control, however in order to ensure that they remain one of the leading conglomerates in the world they must adapt and respond flexibly to both internal and external challenges. This section of the report considers some recommendations to continue to improve employee motivation and engagement by enhancing and improving management practices, and also offer suggestions based on relevant theory as to how the necessary changes can be embedded. 7.1- Recommendations for Strategic Change and Effective Management Practices Although there are few current difficulties with employee relationships, it is apparent that some significant changes still need to be made in order to secure the future of Unilever in the current turbulent economic environment. Whilst they are far from bankruptcy, recent years have seen considerable expenditure and challenge for Unilever, which has centred on the considerable number if divestments and acquisitions in order to strengthen and consolidate their global brand portfolio (Morden, 1996:458-496). The theories of Taylor, Maslow and Fayol all offer suggestions as to how to engage with employees in times of significant change and challenge. Application of the Tannenbaum and Schmidt continuum (cited in Matteson and Ivancevich, 1999) indicates that the collaborative style of leadership has helped Unilever in managing and instilling change, and it is clear that under modern management practices that for them to continue to be successful they must continue to engage and motivate em ployees, especially those who are new to the culture of Unilever and have joined them through acquisition (Hassard and Parker, 1993:43-45). Furthermore, Gergen (1995) concurs with Hassard and Parker (ibid), in those organisations, which operate in a post-modernist world, should take care to adopt appropriate management styles and techniques, or get left behind their competitors in a rapidly changing world. Taking all of these factors into consideration, and with reference to all of the theories which have been discussed and applied, it is apparent that there is a self-perpetuating cycle and culture of success which is supporting the leaders at Unilever to behave in a manner which is highly likely to assist them in developing a robust business which is fit to operate in current times. The collaborative and communicative style of the leaders should be upheld and gently moulded in newer acquisitions to one which is collaborative and co-operative in approach, drawing on the theories of Maslow to help motivate and engage employees in such a way that they provide constructive criticism and feedback on how best to help Unilever develop in the current challenging environment. 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