Theoretical Framework for Numl

Theoretical framework The study regarding organizational change shows that to be successful an organization must not only sustain itself on the inside, but it should also adjust itself to the environmental needs. For an organization to be effective it is important that it is stable and is able to change suitably. Organizational health is a theory which is used to explain the extent to which an organization is proficient of dealing with these two, slightly opposing forces.It is observed by Owens that as time passes organizations try to maintain themselves, increase the bureaucratic rigidity and try to adopt the traditional practices. He called this an organizational climate which is unhealthy and lays emphasis on maintaining the organization at the cost of its requirement for continuous flexibility to meet with the varying demands and expectations of the external environment (Owens, 1981). In his observation about the Pakistani Universities, S.Mehmood says that there are various reaso ns like; lack of funding, lack of political will, acute centralization, low–quality teachers, and the absence of a conductive teaching and research environment which unable the universities in Pakistan to grow (Mehmood, 2010). Institutions responding to environmental needs and these reasons can be viewed as healthy institutions. This description closely resembles to the cause of low intake of the students in NUML Peshawar. Organizational change can be produced by organizational self-renewal. Such an organization which is able to self-renewal is described by: 1.An environment that beliefs in flexibility and openness to change, increasing communications, and problem-solving. 2. A clear and common techniques through which participants can participate in orderly, methodical, cooperative problem-solving 3. A capacity to reach out suitably for ideas and resources that help to solve problems (Owens, 1981). Smith has reported that institutions which have been able to adopt organizati onal changes possessed three necessary characteristics: effective leadership, enlistment of prevalent support, and the fusion of purpose and people (Smith, n. d. ).These findings show that differences in organizational change and leader behavior should be related to low intake of the students. The independent variable in this case will be organizational change with respect to time. Changes are needed in annual funding (increase in budget), quality of teachers, teaching and research environment, awareness about the campus and courses (advertisement) and campus premises. The dependent variable is the intake of students in NUML. If these differences are met, the intake of students can increase by bringing changes in the organization that meet the day-to-day demands.

Intellectual Heritage Essay

Intellectual Heritage is one aspect in my life that I really value most. For one, this helped me in understanding things I wasn’t aware before. It also helped me in dealing with things I haven’t been conscious of like how diverse the philosophy of different people known world-wide are. I can say that this particular program, Intellectual Heritage, somehow made me think of something that I haven’t thought of before. The texts that we have dealt with are more of the Western texts which honestly have made me think of things that I wasn’t able to think before. In the book The Republic, Plato said, â€Å"They will never intentionally receive into their minds false-hood, which is their detestation, and they will love the truth†. This main particular text of Plato have made me think in a different way, in a sense that I had realization when that particular was discussed. Being truthful in different things is quite important because it is a fact universally acknowledged that no one wants deception. Before, I haven’t dealt with much importance on telling the whole truth, and that speaks for most of us, I guess. But after discussing the text in the book The Republic, I have become more sensitive of what lying or dishonesty will bring me. And I can proudly say that it will not and will never bring a positive impact or effect in us. Lying just made us capable of hurting other people. It just makes things complicated and help us not to build a healthy community, rather a decaying one. I began to realize that a lie wouldn’t help anyone in one way or the other. It breaks the bond that people have made without us being conscious of that fact. Moreover, even some of us are aware of the consequences it may bring but opted not to give any attention to that matter. Selfish people lie for their own benefits but what they don’t know is that it causes them to be destructed little by little. As Plato have said, it is a detestation to tell a lie not only for a certain person, but to the whole mankind for that matter. Truth undeniably is what people need. As for my learning, I have learned a lot but the topic about falsehood and truth has a biggest influence to me and definitely changed various perspectives in my life. And in that case, Intellectual heritage as a whole apparently gave me a big opportunity in thinking in a different way, in a way of realizing important matter that life brings yet usually disregarded. In line with the course Intellectual Heritage, I can say that I have experienced a variety of connections between Intellectual Heritage and another course, which is the Philosophy course. Although, Intellectual Heritage is a one of a kind course, I can say that it somehow has a connection in Philosophy because it also deal with different thoughts of different known persons in the world. In Philosophy, we are all aware that it tackles mainly on the philosophical thoughts certain people have. In fact, there are many known philosophical figures even at this point in time. Among others were Socrates and Plato. Socrates, as we all know is the teacher of Plato. Plato, on the other hand is the one who had great influence on Augustine, who was a major shaper of Christian theology. â€Å"A philosophy is a comprehensive system of ideas about human nature and the nature of the reality we live in. It is a guide for living, because the issues it addresses are basic and pervasive, determining the course we take in life and how we treat other people, (William Thomas)†. Basically, Intellectual Heritage and Philosophy deals with similar issues. In Philosophy, it primarily talks about the fundamental nature of existence, of man, and of man’s relationship to existence as a whole. In Intellectual Heritage on the other hand, it is somehow the same. Only, it deals with the main texts of the people who have dealt with the issues in the nature of existence, of man, and of man’s relationship to existence. Although the two courses differ in some way, I can say that it is both helpful in just the same way. It enhances and help me improve my line of thinking, in a sense that I am being critical with the things in my life. I can relate being critical in Philosophy in a way that whenever a certain philosopher has an idea, I first think deeply and asses his beliefs. In that way, I have the opportunity whether to agree with his ore her ideas or not. Intellectual Heritage on the other hand, somehow helped me in focusing intently with the texts presented to me. So as to speak, both of the courses, Intellectual Heritage and Philosophy have a connection in someway that it both benefited me in various ways, especially in the aspect of my critical thinking skills. In this semester, it is evident that we have dealt with many different texts in a rhetorical manner. As for me, I must admit that at first, I had a hard time dealing with this course because I’m not used to deal with rhetoric aspects of things, especially in the texts we have used in this course. But later on, I learned how to cope with the topics being discussed and came to know numerous lessons about the texts we have dealt with. As a whole, the things I learned from the experience of dealing with the rhetorical aspect of the texts discussed were all exceptional. I said that it is exceptional because honestly, the course made me think in ways I have never thought I would be able to. My line of thinking now differs in someway from the line of thinking I have now. I am more critical with the things being laid to me and felt happy about it. In this particular course, I have learned to read with more attention focused in the text I’m reading because deep focus is an evident requirement for this particular course. My reading skills were trained and was improved because of the approach of this course. Another is that I also came to know the essentials in demonstrating verbal argumentation. I realized that in order to survive an argument verbally, one must have a strong conviction in what you stand for. Being able to stand for what you believe in is a powerful evidence that you have a really strong will to win the argument. Also, demonstrating listening skills is one of the main learning I have acquired in this actual course. I learned to listen intently, carefully, keenly, and attentively. Listening skills is very important especially when dealing with the rhetorical aspect of the text because it will help you to understand better what the text is all about. The most essential thing that I have learned in this course is the demonstrating the skills in written communication. We are taught of the necessary things to consider to be able to expound our ideas in the written form and helped us build up our ability to communicate in written form. In general, the lessons I have learned in the experience of dealing in rhetorical aspects of the texts are that one must be able to the essential things in life such us being truthful, courageous, being fair, and the likes. I also learned to be keen in every detail of the texts I am reading so that I will not grasp the wrong idea from the text.

Imagery and symbols Essay

Quotations from the text are in italics. ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ is a play enriched with imagery and full of expressionism: it shows the world through the characters’ emotions rather than how they literally perceive it. Throughout this play, Tennessee Williams uses various forms of imagery and symbolism to explain and highlight themes and moods. The play often uses symbols to accentuate the thoughts and emotions of the characters, and it is these expressionist elements that I will go on to discuss in this essay. In this piece of writing, I will not only look at the imagery used and the meaning behind it, I will also try to evaluate its role in the functioning of the play. The main motifs of symbolism used in this play are: o Light o Heat o Music o Colour o Titles & Names o Clothes o Reference to animals The most significant imagery in the play is the use of light and shade in the play. Light is, in many ways, a playwright’s biggest asset: light (or the lack thereof) can denote tension, fear, and suspense and can be used to draw the audience, to rivet their attention on a certain point. In ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, Tennessee Williams, while using it for all of the above reasons, manipulates light in a unique way: light is a physical manifestation of the truth. For this reason, Blanche hates light, she is afraid it will destroy her illusions: ‘I don’t’ want realism.’ By looking at light as synonymous with truth we can see her aversion to light stems from her desire for magic (‘I’ll tell you what I want. Magic!’). Blanche’s disgust at naked light bulb (‘I can’t stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or vulgar action.’) expresses her inability to face reality, and so she puts ‘a paper lantern over the light’: the paper lantern which represents her illusions, and the faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade she presents to the rest of the world. Stanley has no patience with her fantasies, and so ‘he tears the paper lantern off the light bulb.’ This action of his is a symbol for his revealing her true self. There is also a more apparent and less subtle reason for Blanche’s terror of light: she wants is very subconscious about her age, and she has fears of being scrutinised under the ‘merciless glare’ of the light. Light also has other connotations in the play. For Blanche, it represents first love. When she was very young ‘the searchlight’ was switched on, and after Allan’s death it suddenly went off again, after which ‘never for one moment has there been a light stronger’ than the soft glow of a candle. Through this we can clearly see that the tragic events of her past, and the loss of her first love, have led to Blanche’s fear and intense loathing of light: she was dazzled by love early in life, and after Allan’s death, she avoided all light. For Blanche there is a difference between the soft shimmer of the candle, which she takes comfort in, and the harsh glare of the light bulb. This leads to another, more obscure, connotation of light in the play. If the light bulb represents reality, then the candle represents hope. Blanche acknowledges that ‘candles aren’t safe’, and she associates the burning out of the candle with the loss of innocence, ‘and after that happens, electric light bulbs go on and you see too plainly’. Therefore, she associates light (reality) with the loos of innocence, specifically hers which was cruelly snatched away from her at Allan’s death. This fear of light/ reality portrays her inability to grasp anything real or solid, which is demonstrated when she gasps at her reflection in the mirror. As can be seen, the symbol of light has a major role in the play, and it is impossible to conceive how the play would even function without it. Therefore, we can see that, in the case of the motif of light, the imagery and symbolism related thereof is very important in the play. Another form of symbolism in the play, and closely linked to light, is the theme of heat. This time, however, the imagery is just not related to Blanche, it relates to many of the main characters in the play. In ‘A Streetcar named desire’, heat represents different individuals response to their body image. Stanley is confident, assured about his image, full of ‘power and pride’, and his level of comfort with his physical image is the reason why he easily says, ‘my clothes’re sticking to me’. He sums up his outlook on his self-image when he says ‘Be comfortable is my motto’. In this play, heat is also used to accentuate the differences between the characters, and the differences between Mitch and Stanley are emphasised in this way. Stanley simply says ‘Do you mind if I make myself comfortable’, whereas Mitch says he is ‘ashamed of the way he perspires’. This reference to heat by both characters shows us the difference between them. It also shows that, if Stanley’s body image is bold, brash and confident, Mitch’s is shy, clumsy and insecure. Blanche’s issue with her appearance has already been glimpsed in the previous section, through her trying to conceal her age and wilting beauty. This can be discussed in greater detail from the perspective of the motif of heat. Stella says that Blanche takes baths to ‘cool down’, which seems to directly relate to the motif heat. However, is that really why Blanche bathes so often? Some critics feel that Blanche’s frequent bathing is a vent for her feelings of guilt over her stained past. Perhaps her frequent bathing is a result of her preoccupation with washing away sins and making a ‘fresh start’. She likes bathing because it makes her feel like ‘a brand new human being’. However, I disagree with this interpretation, as Blanche herself does not feel she has done anything wrong: ‘I don’t tell the truth, I tell what ought to be the truth. And if that is sinful, let me be damned for it!’ Therefore, it is unlikely that her bathing is a result of her guilt. In my opinion, her frequent bathing is a result of her insecurity about her age and appearance. She herself states that the baths are a form of ‘hydrotherapy’: it assuages her fears of her tarnishing beauty. Overall, although the symbol of heat is not as major or well-developed a theme as light, it enriches the play and adds many nuances to the personalities of the characters. Names and titles are also used symbolically in this play. One critic has said that ‘Essentially this is a play about Desire and Death and the effect these have on the human soul.’ From this, and indeed simply from the title, we can see that Desire is an important theme. This theme is portrayed through the imagery of ‘A streetcar named Desire’. In his own life in New Orleans, Williams observed two streetcars (trams), one named desire, the other called cemetery. As he observed their movement, he was impressed by the symbolism of this and their relevance to life in general. In ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, ‘Desire’ and ‘Cemetery’ are two journeys we make in life: one towards our desires, our hopes, dreams and ambitions, and another toward the cemetery, through death (‘they told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemetery. These streetcar titles are especially relevant to Blanche and her past life. She has travelled on ‘Desire’ to get here: it is because of her lustful desires that she is in a position wherein she has to come to Elysian Fields to live with her sister. Other names and titles also hold significance in this play. ‘Elysian Fields’ is a name that brings an image of peace and tranquillity, which is a definite contrast to the violent actions of the habitants of ‘Elysian Fields’. ‘Elysian Fields’ also indicates a resting place for the dead, and this once again reflects symbolically on the themes of Desire and Death. The last significant name in this play is the title of the plantation, ‘Belle Reve’. Earlier on I looked at hope from the point of view of Blanche, and we can see that ‘Belle Reve’ is a personification of that hope, as ‘Belle Reve’ means beautiful dream. For Blanche, when she looses ‘Belle Reve’, she has fully lost all her hopes and dreams, and her journey of ‘Desire’ begins to come to a halt, and her journey towards the ‘Cemetery’ begins. In general, the symbolism of titles and names is essential to the theme of the play, and therefore holds a great deal of importance in this play.

To what extent does inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) alleviate Dissertation

To what extent does inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) alleviate poverty in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) - Findings and Analysis - Dissertation Example The countries with maximum GDP growth have been identified from the literature review. I have picked out six countries that have the highest GDP growth from among the fifty-two countries in the Sub-Saharan region. Existing literature shows that these six countries have made consistent level of economic activities since the 1960s. This has been validated later on in this research with the help of quantitative analysis made on the data collected. GDP growth rates for Angola, Ethiopia and Uganda cannot be evaluated for the years before 1980s due to lack of availability of data. A significant similarity between Angola, Algeria and Cameroon is that GDP growth for these countries has been very low (Algeria) or negative (Angola and Cameroon) in 1992. HDI for Cameroon has been studied only for the years 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 since data for other years are not available. However, for Egypt, Ethiopia and Uganda the GDP growth in 1992 has been positive. Among these countries, Cameroon shows the lowest level of GDP growth. Figure: GDP growth of Cameroon and its level of Human Development Index Yet, to one’s surprise, it is found that the HDI for the country shot up after 2000 and has remained high since then. In fact the HDI has improved for all these countries in the beginning of the twenty first century. ... These factors also help in correlating the drivers of human development, and thus poverty alleviation in these countries. The data shows that the GDP of Egypt shows declining trend after 1998 and that of Uganda falls consistently after 2006. Although, in Egypt, GDP growth reached a local high in 2007, it has been decreasing consistently since then. Figure: GDP growth of Egypt and Uganda This shows that there are certain factors that have affected the overall productivity in these countries. However, surprisingly level of HDI growth has improved in both countries after 2003. Sufficient information for HDI for both Egypt and Uganda has not been available for the years before 1999. Therefore, HDI in the countries during these years could not be compared. Figure: HDI growth of Egypt and Uganda This is a sharp increase and HDI has remained high since then without fluctuating. This reveals that although GDP is commonly considered the measure of growth, for many developing countries it does not reflect the true level of development of the economy. Hence, human development index should be considered while studying the level of economic development for these countries. In the analysis section, I have studied the level of openness to trade of the countries that display the most contrasting features. The contrasting characteristics of the two countries, Uganda and Cameroon, make it important to make an in depth study of the factors affecting the economic activities of these countries. According to the data, level of economic growth in Algeria, as depicted by the GDP growth of the country, has been high since the beginning of the 1960s. Data for HDI is not available for all consecutive years; information regarding HDI

Web Blog - Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Web Blog - - Essay Example We must also consider that there is a legislation which does not allow abortion in advanced stages of pregnancy. So we can start an endless debate on when is the fetus considered as a living being, or support a law that is made to protect whether women and babies (it is advisable to abort under 21 weeks, but it is protected by the law until week 24). We must also consider the fact that, having an abortion is an operation and, by no means, women are making this decision lightly. Maybe, if talking clearly to teenagers about sex and methods of contraception was not such a big taboo, they will have enough information to make a better decision. If they are concerned about the importance of prevention and taking care of their health, they will be able to avoid unwanted pregnancies and will be much more responsible persons. But in the case they got pregnant, it is always better to have the opportunity and the adequate means to decide if they want to terminate their pregnancy or not. Sexual education is extremely important, as it is the best way to avoid abortion and to bring up responsible and careful persons. It is simply just not logical to get stuck into a position which gives priority to the fetus and not to the women’s life, and which does not allow women to decide by their selves if they want or not to have a

History of the Stanford-Binet intelligence scales Essay

History of the Stanford-Binet intelligence scales - Essay Example The Fifth Edition of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales (SB5) is a relatively new revised method, but has a unique history (figure 1). In 1905, Binet and Simon developed the first formal intelligence test, and Louis Terman created the Stanford-Binet Scale in 1916; this final scale was revised in 1937, 1960, 1986, and 2003. The first versions used items to address functional abilities, and were arranged by levels. The Fifth Edition is a standardized intelligence battery that can be administered to people from ages 2 to 85 years. According to Strauss (2006) the main purpose of the revision was â€Å"to expand the range of the test, to allow assessment of very low and very high levels of cognitive ability†, and to increase its clinical applications (see table 1).The SB5 is based on the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of cognitive functioning, which is considered â€Å"one of the well-validated, comprehensive models of cognitive functioning† (Fiorello and Primerano, 2 005). Johnson (2007) describes the Stanford-Binet as â€Å"a comprehensive, norm-referenced individually administered test of intelligence and cognitive abilities†. The test is consists of five factors, which include Fluid Reasoning, Knowledge, Quantitative Reasoning, Visual-Spatial Processing, and Working Memory; each factor is further divided in verbal and non-verbal subtests (table 2). The Abbreviated Battery IQ scale consists of two routing subtests: one nonverbal (Object Series/Matrices) and one verbal (Vocabulary) (Coolican, J. et al, 2008).

Rooms Division Operations Management Assignment - 2

Rooms Division Operations Management - Assignment Example The Five Seasons Hotel is a five-star hotel which is located in Hampshire, England near Winchester. This strategic location has made it possible for the hotel to enjoy a favorable base for sporting and concert events, especially during holidays and weekends. The hotel offers a combination of contemporary and traditional style to a diverse market. The hotel has air-conditioned lavish rooms which are designed and decorated with state of the art technology. The guests in the hotel as treated to a wireless internet connectivity, gym in a fitness center, sauna, and spa treatment. The hotel has a very nice impression because it has comfortable beds which are large enough for comfort. The staff is very hospitable and welcoming whose charm motivates their guests to visit them again and again. The regular refurbishment is done in order to keep the facilities up to date with the changing trends in the industry (Kasavana, & Richard. 2005). Rules and regulations are set by the government in this industry in order to govern the operations of the business and also regulate the treatment of the guests, employees, food, beverages and the environment. With regards to room division, the following legislation and regulatory requirements apply. The Disability Discrimination Act was established in 1995 as a civil right of disabled people to enjoy the hotel services without discrimination on the basis of their disability. This act was replaced in 2010 by The Equality Act. This allows for the hotels to install facilities and services which cater for disabled persons in terms of hearing, mental, learning or dyslexia illness. The Five Seasons Hotel complies with this regulation by treating disabled persons as other able persons.

Fisher & Paykel Market Audit and Competitive Analysis Essay

Fisher & Paykel Market Audit and Competitive Analysis - Essay Example It is evident from the study that Australia has experienced a high demand for white goods product and it would be feasible for Fisher & Paykel to commence business where the demand for its product is high. Fisher & Paykel a well known manufacturing company of white goods would supply two main products in Australia the washing machine and dishwasher which was lately introduced by the company. Since the demand is high the competition is stiff and thus Fisher & Paykel decided to promote is product through television pint media and by giving offers with the purchase of its products. As concerned with the pricing strategy the company would follow competitive based pricing. The company has planned a corporate and strategic plan to reinforce actions and implement it for which it has set up a long term vision 2020. Fisher & Paykel would use the Data quality Objective to measure its environmental performance and track a record of the actions that needs to be done. Along with it the company wo uld develop team membership to perform effectively. The company core interest is towards environment sustainability and thus focuses primarily on the behavioural audit of the management and tries to find out the practise that Fisher & Paykel has been performing with regards to the safety of the environment. The company would develop proactive as well as reactive strategy in terms of environment sustainability which would report to the management on quarterly basis and finally the report aims to provide recommendation to the company in terms of environment sustainability. ... ns communicated to various stakeholders 17 Identify the various stakeholders’ sentiments about the environment 18 Product 18 Packaging 19 CEO’s (or the key senior decision maker’s) attitude toward the environment 20 CEO’s (or the key senior decision maker’s) education and background 20 CEO’s (or the key senior decision maker’s) participation 21 Office (admin) efficiency 21 Analysis of the nature and types of environmental safety actions being undertaken 22 Reporting 23 Recommendations 24 Reference 26 Introduction Introduction of the company Fisher & Paykel Appliances manufactures designs and markets innovative household appliances which are developed to provide technology, user friendly, design and environmental awareness. Fisher & Paykel is one of the biggest manufacturing company producing household appliances. Its wholly owned subsidiary includes production machinery limited which builds on production equipment; Dynamic cooking syst ems Inc which is based in US which manufactures both indoor and outdoor cooking products; Fishers and Paykel Italy which manufactures European cooking products. The company manufacturing sites is located in New Zealand, Italy, Thailand and Mexico (Fisher & Paykel, n.d). History Fisher & Paykel was founded in Auckland, New Zealand in 1934 by Wool Fisher and his friend Maurice Paykel to import refrigerators, washing machines and mantle radios. In the year 1938, import and restriction on foreign exchange lead the company to consider manufacturing. A year later the company started to manufacture refrigerators and washing machines. The company expanded its business and moved to larger premises and by 1949 the company started to produce 600 washing machines, 700 vacuum cleaners and 500 refrigerators. In 1956, Fisher & Paykel

The Influencing Factors To The Current UK Housing Market Assignment

The Influencing Factors To The Current UK Housing Market - Assignment Example The national population size and its composition, urbanization, the level of economic prosperity, investor speculative activities, interventionist policies by the government, monetary policy systems, just to mention but a few, are among a host of dynamic influences that play significant roles in shaping housing markets both in developing and developed economies (Leamer, 2007). Given the fact that these factors affect housing markets in every country differently in terms of intensity and persistence, it is rather difficult to capture all of them in a macro modeling system applicable to all states (Meen, 2001). In fact, what holds in an industrialized nation’s context may or may not hold true for an emerging economy. As witnessed in the recent financial crisis whose causal determinant stemmed from speculations in the housing market, the intensity of speculative activities in this particular market differ across economies (Levin and Wright, 1997). The factors that influence the U K housing market are broadly categorized into two prospects; micro and macro-economic influences. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as well as Gross National Product (GNP), the level of unemployment, rates of inflation, and rates of securing mortgages among other factors operating at the local level are classified as micro-economic influences. ... However, the period after 2008 has been of tough decision making for investors in the housing market. The era of good times ended with a bust following the global credit crunch and has been worsened by the recent occurrences of the euro debt crisis and the double deep recession that has persisted to date with devastating losses for investors across markets, both locally and internationally. Initiated by the U.S. subprime mortgage credit crush late in 2007, the intensity of crisis spread fast and wide to the extent that by early 2008, almost very sector in the UK had felt the pinch. Indeed, the drifts that started at the beginning of the first half of 2008 had reached both the residential and other business investment markets by the end of the second quarter (Shiller, 2008). The initial government stimulus package was being whitewashed under the watch of every investor. As the fallout from the crisis gathered drive, the strengths of the labor market weakened almost dramatically, leadi ng to significant increases in unemployment levels in every sector. Businesses had to survive whatever the costs and so sacrifices had to be made and the UK housing market was no exception. By 2009, news from the Office of National Statistics was not a surprise given the global economic performance; United Kingdom was officially in recession, having shed off 1.5 percent of its robustness in the fourth quarter of the previous year. A further drop of 2.5 percent at the close of the year further weakened the economy, causing a string of nightmares to investors (Office of National Statistics, 2009). At this point in time, unemployment levels had hit a new level high; 1.92 million,

Control Mechanisms in Management Essay Example for Free

Control Mechanisms in Management Essay The four control standards the team chose to explore in regard to McDonald’s are performance, performance vs. standards, corrective action, and reinforce successes. The team will compare and contrast these control mechanisms, and determine the effectiveness of each. The team will also examine the positive and negative reactions to the use of these controls. Performance Standards â€Å"A standard is an expected performance for a given goal or target that establishes a desired performance level, motivates performance, and serves as a benchmark against which actual performance is assessed† (Bateman, 2009, p. 576). Performance standards relate directly to the success of the company. McDonald’s has set standards for customer service, and customer satisfaction. The standards are communicated to the employees by the store manager and training manager. Management sets attainable goals to motivate employee performance; he or she communicates these goals clearly, and revaluates these goals. Evaluating Performance Companies should evaluate the performance of employees and management to ensure the goals of the company are achieved. In the past McDonald’s evaluated their own-operators on a regular basis until the mid-1990s. McDonald’s discontinued evaluation that resulted in lower customer satisfaction. McDonald’s reinstated performance evaluations in 2001 to improve customer satisfaction. Today regional managers inspect and evaluate franchises on a regular basis. Forms with standard operation procedures enhance the evaluation process, and this information is input in McDonald’s database for further review. Today’s managers can input the evaluation from his or her company PDA. Performance vs. Standards â€Å"The managerial principle of exception states, which control is enhanced by concentrating on the exceptions to, or significant deviation from, the expected result or standard (Bateman, 2009, p. 578). Companies compare the performance of employees by evaluating how well the employee followed the standards or guidelines set by the company. Corrective Action and Reinforce Successes During the work process errors happen and managers should address these problems with his or her employees. Errors happen but managers also see the success of employees meeting or exceeding company goals. Companies should reward employees who meet or exceed the goals of the company. Compare and Contrast McDonald’s main goal is to develop sustainability. The leaders of McDonald’s have set standards of financial growth, customer service, product quality and safety, and corporate responsibility and conduct to achieve this main goal. Considering McDonald’s dominance in the fast-food industry, it is safe to say they have been successful at achieving their performance standards. McDonald’s has been a success because management takes immense care in measuring their performance, comparing their performance to their standards, and taking corrective action to get their performance on the right track. Management analyzes many reports to measure the company’s performance, such as customer satisfaction surveys, the annual report and corporate responsibility report, and performance audits. Management also observes their operation to measure performance. From analyzing these performance reports and audits, management can compare performance to their standards, past performance, and goals. For instance, the six-year summary in the 2011 Annual Report shows McDonald’s earned nearly three billion dollars in total revenue growth between 2010 and 2011 (McDonald’s, 2011). By comparing performance, management can identify deviations from their standards and goals and make corrections. Initiatives such as Employee Value Proposition, Leadership Development Framework and healthier menu items are examples of corrective action taken to improve performance (McDonald’s, 2009, pgs. 6 -7). McDonald’s management can execute these four performance controls successfully by having the drive to improve, building a culture of values, and constantly working toward sustainability (McDonald’s, 2009, pg. 5). McDonald’s worldwide success for many decades adds credence to management’s effectiveness in executing all four performance controls. Determine Effectiveness The four control standards the team chose to explore in regard to McDonald’s work well together, as is evident by the success of the company. The fast-food industry is hard to be successful in unless the company has the right combination of plans and controls. McDonald’s is a leader in this field because the company uses just the right amount of each. The McDonald’s control standards do not act well together unless there are people who make the standards work together. There have been times when some of the control standards have been in need of further guidance. During such times corporate management has had to change some of the ways the controls work. This is to ensure McDonald’s operates to the best of its abilities for effectiveness. Examine Positive and Negative Reactions From examining McDonald’s awards and recognition, it appears McDonald’s has received a very positive reaction to how they use these controls. Such awards include Fortune Magazine’s 2012 number 11 â€Å"Most Admired Company in the World,† Forbes Magazine 2010 â€Å"Most Admired Companies,† 2010 â€Å"Corporate Award† from the Executive Leadership Council (McDonald’s, 2012). Internally, McDonald’s has received positive reaction or at least buy-in, considering their performance and employer awards, to their performance controls, more than likely from their efforts in taking care of their people. McDonald’s has implemented leadership development and employee value proposition programs, and diversity and inclusion and social responsibility initiatives that have promoted employee satisfaction and trust in the company (McDonald’s, 2012). Also their business relationship model between their employees, suppliers, and owner/operators has developed strong communication throughout its operation. Although McDonald’s has been widely successful, they have also failed from time to time. In 2001, University of Michigan rated McDonald’s as one of the poorest-performing retailers from a year-long customer satisfaction study (Zuber, 2001, P. 1). More recently, ConsumerAffairs.com holds hundreds of consumer complaints of McDonald’s service, showing that even a successful giant like McDonald’s still has room for improvement. Controls Affect on Functions The four control standards the team chose to explore are performance, performance vs. standards, and corrective action, and reinforce successes. These controls affect the four functions of management in numerous ways. Pakhare (2011), Effective and efficient management leads to success, which is the attainment of objectives and goals, that an organization sets for itself. Of course, for achieving the ultimate goal, management needs to work creatively in problem solving and execute all the four functions† (Para. 1-12). Since we have a basic understanding of these functions we can see clearly how they are in direct relationship to the control standards we have chosen. With each control standard we see how they closely work with each function. This particular formula is commonplace in many organizations on a global level. The analysis shows that McDonald’s has a good plan of control mechanisms in place, and good functions of management to support the corporation. This has been a key factor of the corporation’s long success in a business where many do not last long. The company has many beneficial areas to back up why they are one of the world’s favorite places to eat and probably will continue to be as successful for many years to come. References McDonalds. (2011). 2011 Annual Report. Retrieved from http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/content/dam/AboutMcDonalds/Investors/Investors%202012/2011%20Annual%20Report%20Final.pdf McDonalds. (2012). Awards and Recognition. Retrieved from http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/awards_and_recognition.html McDonalds. (2012). Our Company. Retrieved from http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/mcdonalds_system.html McDonalds. (2009). Worldwide Corporate Responsibility Online Report: The values we bring to the table. Retrieved from http://www.mcdonalds.at/presse/maps/McDCSR.pdf Pakhare, J. (2011). Management Concepts The Four Functions of Management. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/management-concepts-the-four-functions-of-management.html Zuber, A. (2001). McD restructures to beef up performance. Retrieved from

Research Methods For Hospitality And Holiday Business Managers Tourism Essay

Research Methods For Hospitality And Holiday Business Managers Tourism Essay I am writing essay on Research methods for hospitality and tourism managers. The aim of this research is to enhance and refine a capability for critical thinking about hospitality and tourism related managerial problems. Research is depending on size of the organization. Research is the very important for any organization at is offers a measure of control and autonomy over any company. It gives opportunity to confirm clarity, pursue, or even discover new aspects of company. It is the combination of reasoning and experience and must be regarded as the most successful approach to the discovery of truth. Definition of research, It is active, diligent and systematic process of inquiry in order to discover, interpret or revise facts, events, behaviours or theories, or to make practical applications with the help of such facts, laws or theories. The term research is also used to describe the collection of information about the subject. (wordiq.com). according to Oxford Concise Dictionary Research is the case study of particular topic. It is the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources, in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions or in other words research is an endeavour to discover new or collate old facts etc by the scientific study of a subject or by a course of critical investigation (Oxford Concise Dictionary). Business research helpful to finding out who are your customer and what are the basic needs. Research is the review or synthesizes existing knowledge. Research helps to investigate existing situation and problems and provide solutions for problems. Its explore and analyse more general issues. Research methods used to collect customer satisfaction may be questionnaires, interviews or seminars. Nowadays business research is the keypad of any development plan for and any organisation. It is a increasingly popular way for companies to train and educate their managers and other employees in a vast array of different fields. Research is the imperative for the company to know what type of products and services would be profitable to introduce in the market. Also with respects to its existing products in the market, good market research enables a company to know if it has been able to satisfy customer needs and whether any changes need to be made in packaging delivery or product itself. This enables a company to formulate a viable marketing plan or measure the success of its existing plan. (morebusiness.com) Types of research:- The word research is used to describe a number of similar and often overlapping activities involving a search for information in other word research is process of collecting data, information and fact for the advancement of knowledge. (Webs.uidaho.edu). There are mainly two types of research and secondary research Primary research: It is the process of the collection of data that does not already exist. This is done with the various forms like questionnaires, direct observation and telephone interviews etc. There are two basic approaches to data collections using primary methods. Qualitative research : Qualitative research is seeks out the why, not the how of its topic through the analysis of unstructured information things like interview, transcripts, emails, notes, feedback, photos ,Forms and videos. Qualitative research is used to gain inside into peoples attitudes, behaviours, value system, caserns, motivations aspirations, culture or lifestyle. Its used to inform business decisions, policy information, communication and research. Focus groups in depth interviews, contained analysis ethnography, evaluation and semiotics are among the many formal approaches that are used but qualitative research involves the analysis of any unstructured material including customer feedback forms, reports and media clips. (qsrinternational.com) The methods of collecting qualitative data are Individual interview Focus group Observation Advantages of qualitative research Qualitative research produces more in depth, comprehensive information Uses subjective information and participant observation to describe the context or natural settings of the variables under consideration as well as the interaction of the different variables in the context. Its seeks the wide understanding of the entire situation. Disadvantages of Qualitative research The very subjective of the enquiry leads to difficulties in establishing the reliability and validity of the approaches and information. It is very difficult to prevent a detect researcher induced bias. Its scope is limited due to the in depth, comprehensive data gathering approaches required. (okstate.edu) Quantitative research: According to the Aliaga and Gunderson (2002), quantities research is explain phenomena by collecting numerical data that are analysed using mathematically based methods (in particular statistics). This methods investigates why and how of decision making not only where, what, when. Quantities research has an ability to provide complex textual descriptions of how people experience given a research issue Advantages of Quantitative research: In Quantitative research its seeks to explore phenomena, it is design in an excellent way of finalising results and poring and disproving hypothesis, a structure has not change for centuries. After statistical analysis of the results comprehensive answer is reach and result can be legitimately discussed and published. It is a useful for tasting gain by the series of a Quantitative experiment, leading to a final answer and narrowing down of possible directions for follow up research to take. Disadvantages Quantitative experiments can be difficult and expensive and require a lot of tie to perform. Quantitative studies usually require extensive statistical analysis, which can be difficult. Limited outcomes to only those outlined in the original research proposal due to closed type question and the structured format (experiment-resources.com). Hospitality industry is evergreen industry in the world and its growing rapidly. In recent years because of globalization in this industry there are lots of challenges and competition. To survive in this competition this industry adopts some research, like market research. Market research is the systematic, objective collection and analysis of data about target market, competition and environment with the goal being increased understanding of them. Through the market research process manager can take data a variety of related and non- related facts. And create useful information to guide the managers decision. Marketing research is not an activity conducted only once, it is a ongoing study. The information gain through marketing research is information that can guide managers in most important strategic business decision. Some benefits of market research are. Market research guide to communication with current and potential customer. Its helps to identify opportunities in the market place. Market research minimizes the risk of doing business. If uncovers and identifies potential problems. It creates benchmarks and helps to track progress and its also helps to evacuate success. (sallbusinessnotes.com) Business research:- business research programme are an increasingly popular way for companies to train and educate their managers and staff. Business research education can pertain to economics, business strategy and ethics in facts, anything related to modern business and trade. In short business research provides the needed information that guides managers to make informed decisions to successfully deal with problems. Benefits of business research are, Business research provides well educated and informed staff means that operations will run very smoothly. With this research senior managers will be able to drive a workforce on using effective motivational techniques With the help of business research it is possible to find the edge over the global competition. (content4reprint.com) Research helps to stay in competitive and build customer loyalty. Research also boost the sales and increase business profitability. It enhances the brand and gain a reputation as an innovative business. Business research help to find out the opportunities and threats. History:- Marriott has founded by J.Willard Marriott 1927, when he and his wife opened a root beer stand in Washington D.C. the Marriott quickly noticed that soft drinks sold in large amount during Washingtons long hot summer but that business needed a boost during the cooler months. They added the first Mexican food in that area, were added to their counter menu. The Marriott called their restaurant the hot Shoppe. In 1928 the Marriott opened their third restaurant, which offered curb side service. Hot Shoppe remains popular in the Washington area through the great depression. In 1937 Marriott branched out from the restaurant business for the first time, pioneering in-flight catering with boxed launch for eastern, American and capital airlines flights from Washingtons old Hoover airport. In 1940 Marriott opened five new restaurants. In 1964 Marriott handed the presidency to his son, Mr. Bill Marriott. Hot Shoppe Inc. over the next few years, the company continued to open hotels and restaurant s. Today Marriott international is leading company with more than 3000 lodging properties in the United States and 67 other countries and territories. (fundinguniverse.com) Marriott International continuously increasing their business and opening new hotels, inns, restaurants and resorts to attract customers by using new ideas and new strategies. Like recently Marriott International opened their new Ihilani resort spa on the island of Oahu, which offering service and treatments that are uniquely part of the Hawaiian tradition and lifestyle. Ihilani spa is very famous and received numerous awards. (Marriott.co.uk). Marriott according to the place, religion and wishes they making their business for building their brand it is essential to consideration of operating environment. Alternative pricing method, introducing new strategies, environmental analysis is the most essential factor to build up company brand. Marriott International is mainly focused on employees because they said, with employment rates holding at records high levels, recruiting and retaining employee is the greatest challenge facing hospitality industry today. Mr Marriott said the companys human capital strategy focused on five principles to generate even greater value for employees and the company (hotelonline.com). The mission of this strategy is to keep employee on the job, employees satisfaction is main purpose of this strategy. Because of employees satisfaction customer gets good experience and customers feel like home. This strategy has ability to convert the economy from raw materials and machines to minds and attitude. Like when the employee is satisfied on his job and making family environment which helps to give good service and customer satisfaction. Research for marketing and sales plan in Marriott international Marriott international is the one of the top lodging industry in world. The company have some 3400 operated and franchised properties in more than 65 countries. Vision of the Marriott Company is to be the worlds lodging leader. It is grounded in his intense focus. On taking care of the guests, extensive operational knowledge, and development of the highly skilled and diverse workforce. I am going to do research on marketing and sales plan in Marriott International based on following questions. Describes the products or services of Marriott will provide? What are the core products or services? What are specialities of Marriott? Marriott international has more than 3000 operated or franchised lodging properties in more than 3400 lodging properties in 60 countries and territories. Marriott international operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, The Autograph Collection, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyards, Tower Place suites, Fairfield suits, Fairfields Inn, Spring Hill suites and Bulgari Brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott vacation club, The Ritz-Carlton destination club and grand residences by Marriotts brands, licenses and manages whole ownership residential brands, including the Ritz Carlton Residences, JW Marriott residences and Marriott residences, operates Marriott Executive apartments, provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott Execute division and operates conference centre. (news.marriott.com)