The Presentation of Self Essay Example for Free

The Presentation of Self Essay Erving Goffman’s idea about the â€Å"presentation of self† reflects the observational character of humans that tend to try to please other people. In this way, human’s everyday interaction is said to being â€Å"dramatized† that is, humans are more likely to express themselves in a manner that is personally designed to capture an impression from other people. This impression can vary from person to person, one person might try to act demure, another old, another wise, depending on the personal preference of the individual. All in all, Goffman’s idea tries to open the possibility that people creates the image of themselves that they want other people to recognize. This is done through meticulously picking up clothes, cutting and trimming the hair, putting make up and other accessories in able to enhance the physical feature of the person. This also implies that physical presentation of a person greatly affects how the person is perceived or judge by others. In the case of a professor teaching in class, he portrays himself as much authoritative as he could possible get. This is one way in order for him to get some respect. He needs to portray an individual who could answer most of the questions in a class; this would make him look knowledgeable and more authoritative. The way he carries his clothes, wears his shoe and styles his hair would also reflect his personality and his position in class. If a professor is not neatly dressed, students would lose respect and would treat him with less importance. Thus, it is important that his appearance along with the way he carries himself and speak his ideas, all reflect decency and proper authority. Human emotions are rooted in biology in cases wherein people felt pain and express themselves. For instance, people when hungry are mostly irritated, sad and sometimes anxious. On the other hand, emotions can be guided by culture in cases of disgust, shame, appreciation of objects and other things that are dependent mainly on the person’s culture. With respect to Goffman, those that are culturally determined emotions are those which are generated through other people’s perspective or those that are culturally determined, while biological emotions are those which is experience by the person himself.

Concepts of Bio-Electricity

Concepts of Bio-Electricity Introduction What is Bio-electricity? Bio-electricity is an interdisciplinary theme which refers to the production of electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields in biological tissue (Cameron, 1996). This essay focus on the production of electric fields for use in organisms rather than in electrical circuits. An electric field is an area around a charged particle created by an electric force; the magnitude and direction of this force is determined by the charge of the particles surrounding it (Dictionary, no date). An example of this in Biology is the electrical system of the heart and the maintaining of membrane potentials in cells in the body. Bio-electricity in Nature American Paddlefish An example of an organism which uses Bio-electricity in an enhanced form is the American Paddlefish (or Spoonbill Catfish). These are large, freshwater fish from North America which have an extensive, paddle-like flat nose. The extended nose of the fish is embedded with pores with cells called electroreceptors (Thomas, 2016). These pores spread over the fishs body, from the nose to gill covers, covering around half of its skin (Wilkens, 2001). This allows the detection of weak electric currents in the water they travel in, thus allowing them to hunt their main source of food; plankton. These sensors are extremely sensitive, and are able to respond to electrical fields of less than 1/100th of one 1-millionth volt per centimetre (Wilkens, 2001). All organisms emit weak electric signals (e.g. electrical impulses due to the beating of the heart), and thus can be detected by these cells. The electrical signal is sent to the brain via the neurons. Paddlefish being able to detect these fields aid their survival, as their environment is generally very dark (Thomas, 2016). Electric Eel Another example of Bio-electricity in nature being used in a different way is with the Electric Eel. It can do this due to the electrogenic cells in its body called electrocytes, each with a negative charge of around 100 millivolts (Scientific American, 2005). These are all modified muscle cells in the eels tail. When a signal from a command nucleus arrives to each of the cells, a neurotransmitter is released. These are chemical signals which allow information to be transmitted between nerve cells (Cherry, 2016). As a result of this, a path of low resistance is created, connecting the interior and exterior of each cell. This allows the cells to behave like batteries, with opposing sides of the cell acting as positive and negative terminals (Scientific American, 2005). This is used to both hunt and kill prey. If in sight, prey can be hunted by the eels the release of high voltage pulses of a frequency of 400/s. If these pulses reach another organism, it will interfere with its neurons, causing them to involuntarily contract. This contraction is extremely strong due to the sequence of the pulses released; each lengthy torrent is succeeded by a pair of rapid pulses, making the process as efficient as possible. As a result of this, the prey can experience complete short term paralysis, allowing the eel to attack. The effect is similar of that of a taser on a human (Yong, 2014). Similar to that of the Paddlefish, potential prey can also be detected through the use of Bio-electricity. The Electric Eel can send out pulses, again causing the prey to contract involuntarily. The resulting ripples in the water would reveal the location of any organism affected, as the eel is extremely sensitive to movement (it can strike within 20 thousandths of a second from when movement is detected). This provides a further opportunity for the eel to kill (Yong, 2014). Moreover, the eel can kill prey (or deter predators) by directly shocking them. Though each individual electrocyte can create only a small electric field, the cells are connected as parallel batteries are in a circuit, creating a larger electric field. The combined electrocytes create 3 large electric organs which can take up 80% of the eels body (Giardina, 2016). This means an average Electric Eel can produce electricity of around 600 volts at 2 milliseconds at a time. Bio-electricity in Medicine The use of Bio-electricity to treat human conditions is being increasingly explored. A link between the immune system, the series of processes which works to primarily fight off disease, and the nervous system, processes which involve electrical signals within the body, is being researched. One of the main method of using our knowledge of Bio-electricity in Medicine is through the stimulation of the Vagus nerve, also known as Cranial Nerve (X). This is one of 12 cranial nerves, which are nerves which begin from the brain stem rather than the spinal cord. These nerves are responsible for the motor and sensory functions of our body (InnovateUs Inc, 2013). Of all the cranial nerves, the Vagus nerve is the longest, extending through the thorax, heart, stomach, abdominal muscles and others. This links the brainstem to the body and major organs (particularly the heart), allowing information to be easily transferred in an electrical circuit-like system (InnovateUs Inc, 2013). One of the uses of the Vagus nerve stimulation is the controlling of seizures in epilepsy patients. This is by connecting a small device to the left Vagus nerve in the neck. The device can then send out small electrical impulses via the nerve to the brain. This reduces activity in the brain which can lead to seizures; seizures themselves are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. (Epilepsy Society, 2016). A second use of Bio-electricity in Medicine is the use of cardiac pacemakers in the treatment of Parkinsons disease, a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a loss of dopamine producing nerve cells in the brain (NHS Choices, 2016). To help reduce the symptoms of Parkinsons, which include rigidity, tremors and bradykinesia, doctors are implanting a small electronic device called a neurostimulator in patients (Lazarus, 2014). The device sends out regular electrical impulses to areas of the brain responsible for movement. This allows impulse to block the irregular signals which cause the shaking in patients, giving them more control. The entire process is called Deep Brain Stimulation and is a widely used technique to help improve quality of life in people with Parkinsons. Conclusion In conclusion, Bio-electricity is a naturally occurring phenomenon occurring in humans and animals alike, and is essential to everyday living. Its natural uses explored include communication between the brain and body via neurotransmittors and nerve cells, the detection of prey and predator in animals and its use in hunting. With modern technological advances, its use is being extended to the treatment of disorders in humans including depression, Parkinsons, arthritis and epilepsy, many of which through the installation of electrical devices which send out impulses. With further research and understanding, it is hoped to that it can be used to treat many more diseases, improving quality of life for many more people. Bibliography Cameron, J. (1996) Bioelectromagnetism-Principles and applications of Bioelectric and Biomagnetic fields, by J. Malmivuo and R. Plonsey, Medical Physics, 23(8), pp. 1471-1471. doi: 10.1118/1.597895. Cherry, K. (2016) Basics of biological psychology the brain and behavior. Available at: https://www.verywell.com/lesson-three-brain-and-behavior-2795291 (Accessed: 22 December 2016). Dictionary (no date) The definition of electric field, in Available at: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/electric-field (Accessed: 27 December 2016). Epilepsy Society (2016) Vagus nerve stimulation. Available at: https://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/vagus-nerve-stimulation#.WGHxfFxHa0w (Accessed: 27 December 2016). Giardina, T. (2016) ELECTRIC FEEL: Scientist explains how eels make electricity. Available at: http://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/local/2015/05/30/electric-eels-create-shock/28208993/ (Accessed: 26 December 2016). InnovateUs Inc (2013) What is the function of the Vagus nerve? Available at: http://www.innovateus.net/innopedia/what-function-vagus-nerve (Accessed: 27 December 2016). Lazarus, J. (2014) Surgical Treatment Options. Available at: http://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/treatment/surgery-treatment-options/Deep-Brain-Stimulation (Accessed: 27 December 2016). NHS Choices (2016) Parkinsons disease causes. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/parkinsons-disease/pages/causes.aspx (Accessed: 27 December 2016). Scientific American (2005) How do electric eels generate a voltage and why do they not get shocked in the process? Available at: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-electric-eels-gene/ (Accessed: 22 December 2016). Thomas, B. (2016) Paddlefish are tuned to eat only Plankton. Available at: http://www.icr.org/article/paddlefish-are-tuned-eat-only-plankton/ (Accessed: 17 December 2016). Wilkens, L. (2001) Tuning in to Paddlefish. Available at: https://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2001/01/tuning-paddlefish (Accessed: 17 December 2016). Yong, E. (2014) Electric Eels can remotely control their preys muscles. Available at: http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2014/12/04/electric-eels-can-remotely-control-their-preys-muscles/ (Accessed: 22 December 2016).

Stakeholder Analysis of Wal-Mart

Stakeholder Analysis of Wal-Mart A long-range strategic planning is so important to an organization because if you fail to plan, change in your business can be tough to handle and ultimately you are planning to fail. Strategic planning is one of the only ways a top management team can plan for economic, demographic, competitive, technological, and regulatory changes that affect the way your organization operates. The firm must engage in strategic planning that clearly defines objectives and assesses both the internal and external situation to formulate strategy, implement the strategy, evaluate the progress, and make adjustments as necessary to stay on track. TASK 1.A: IDENTIFY AN ORGANIZATION OF YOUR CHOICE WHICH YOU WILL DISCUSS AS AN EXAMPLE IN THIS ASSIGNMENT AND GIVE YOUR REASONS FOR CHOOSING THIS ORGANIZATION. Wal-Mart will be taken as the organization of my choice to discuss through the various aspects of this assignment. Wal-Mart is the leader in retailing industry with fiscal revenue of $244.52 billion in 2003 making it the worlds largest corporation. Mike reports that Wal-Mart as of 2002 had 1,283,000 employees growing at 11.2%. The above data explains that strategy of Wal-Mart is extraordinary which manages and operates over 4150 retail facilities globally. The key components of Wal-Mart (The Value Chain), which offers cheap prices than its competitors includes firm infrastructure like frugal culture, no regional offices and pleasant environment to work. Managements take lots of visits and it is learnt there are no rehearsals before any meeting which is usually scheduled on every Saturday. In any organization, human resource is the key to development and Wal-Mart efficiently manages its sources. Wal-Mart terms its employees as associates. Manager compensation is linked to the profit of store operated by him, within promotions, compensation offered to associates depending on companys profits and al so offered some incentives on their performances. The workforce at Wal-Mart is not unionized as the company takes all the measures of their benefits and provides them training on related issues. Technology plays a vital role in development of the organization and Wal-Mart is well equipped with technological innovations like POS, store performance tracking, real time market research, satellite system and UPC. Wal-Mart procurement measures like hard-nosed negotiations, partnerships with some vendors, centralized buying, planning packets, etc. helps at large the cause of providing the goods and services on cheap prices. The other factors that increase the margin of profit for Wal-Mart are inbound logistics with frequent replenishment, automated DCs cross docking, pick to flight, EDI, hub and spoke system. Wal-Mart strategy of operation is innovative with big stores in small towns with monopoly in the market at low rental costs, local prices, concentric expansion, merchandising in brand name, private labels, little space for inventory, store within store, etc. In relation to marketing and sales, merchandising is tailored from locals, spent less on advertising and the prices are fixed low and it depends on the store manager to fix the latitude of pricing. All the above factors combined together form the key components of Wal-Mart which not only increase the margin of profits through bulk sales but also boost the confidence of the customers with services like point of sale information system and everyday low prices. TASK 1.B: WHO ARE THE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS OF YOUR ORGANIZATION AND WHAT CONSIDERATIONS SHOULD BE MADE TO ENSURE THEIR (STAKEHOLDER) PARTICIPATION IN DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Stakeholder Analysis of Wal-Mart In determining the public affairs strategy of Wal-Mart, there are many groups and individuals who have a stake in what Wal-Mart does. These stakeholders can be divided into two groups: the market and non-market stakeholders. The market stakeholders are those groups and individuals who have an economic stake in what the company does. The non-market stakeholders are those groups and individuals who have a non-economic stake or political stake in what course the company takes. Market Stakeholders 1. The Stockholders The first group that has an economic stake in what Wal-Mart does is its shareholders. These are the people who actually own shares of Wal-Mart and therefore are interesting in seeing a return on their investment. They hope the value of their stock will rise and they will see dividends. According to the 2001 Annual Report, last year, Wal-Mart paid out $.24 per share in dividends (Annual Report 2001, 45). 2. The Wal-Mart Executives The top executives of Wal-Mart also have an economic stake in the company just as the regular stockholders do. Many of the top executives received stock options are part of their salary. Obviously, they want their stock value to rise because a large part of their compensation comes from how well the Wal-Mart stock is doing. 3. The Employees While some of the employees may have stock in the company, many of them have an economic stake in the company just because their job is their primary source of income. They want Wal-Mart to do well because then they will keep their job and their source of income. Their financial compensation from Wal-Mart sustains them. Wal-Mart employs more than 885,000 people nationwide (Reid, 1) 4. The Communities where Wal-Mart is located Each of the communities that have a Wal-Mart located in it has a stake in how well the company is doing. Many of these communities rely on Wal-Mart not only for jobs but also for a place to purchase many of their day to day necessities are a low price. Without Wal-Mart in these communities, there would be people without jobs and families paying higher prices for the goods that they need. 5. Consumers Consumers have a stake in how well Wal-Mart is doing. According to the 2001 Annual Report, Wal-Mart is the countrys largest grocery retailer (Annual Report 2001, 7) and therefore many people rely on Wal-Mart for their groceries. 6. Non-profit Organizations Many non-profit organizations have an economic or market stake in how well Wal-Mart is doing. The Wal-Mart foundation provides many non-profit organizations with funding and if the company is not doing well, the Foundation is not going to do as well either. According the Wal-Mart Good Works Foundation, 97 percent of their funding goes to non-profit organizations in the communities where their stores are located. The Wal-Mart Good Works Foundation provides funding to programs that deal with community, education, environment and children. Therefore, if a Wal-Mart is located in a certain community, the non-profit organizations can look to the Wal-Mart foundation as a possible source of funding. (www.walmartfoundation.org) 7. Other Retailers Other retailers have a stake in how well Wal-Mart is doing and how much they are expanding. If a Wal-Mart moves into a community, changes are the other retailers in that community, especially if they are privately owned are going to lose money and may even be forced to close down. Because Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the United States and number 1 on the Fortune 500 list, they have the ability to lower their prices and therefore can force other retailers out of business because they cannot match Wal-Marts low prices. 8. Online Retailers Like other retailers in communities where there is a Wal-Mart, online retailers also have a stake in how well Wal-Mart is doing. Wal-Mart totally revamped their website in 2000 in order to make it a more profitable part of their retail empire. Wal-Mart, unlike many other e-tailers closed down their website in September 2000 in order to revamp their site. While Wal-Marts online sales only represent a small portion of their overall sales, the website is a low cost way for Wal-Mart to deliver goods to consumer who lives in communities without Wal-Mart stores. (Business Week 11/6/00,2). 9. Gasoline Retailers In 1996, Wal-Mart made its first partnership with the gasoline industry. Today, Wal-Mart has contracts with companies such as Murphy Oil USA, Sunoco, and Tesoro Petroleum. Wal-Mart contracts with these companies and leases real estate on their lots in order for the company to offer gasoline at Wal-Mart stores. Both the oil companies who have contracts with Wal-Mart and local gas stations have a stake in this. The local gas stations often cannot compete with Wal-Mart in either price or convenience. Over the next year, the oil companies that contract with Wal-Mart plan to expand to offer cheap gasoline at more Wal-Mart locations. For example, Murphy plans to expand to 600 Wal-Mart sites by 2003 and the other gas retailers have similar plans. (Reid, 5) Non-Market Stakeholders 1. Labor Unions Labor unions have a political stake in Wal-Mart has a strict policy about not having their workers unionized. Wal-Mart takes the position that they are better able to take care of their employees and provide them with the best benefits and compensation plans. Wal-Mart does not want interference from unions. Recently, Wal-Mart was charged by the National Labor Relations Board with violating federal law by keeping employees from holding elections and joining the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. (NY Times, C2) 2. International Retail Stores One of Wal-Marts key policy issues has been to move into the international retail market and open stores in other countries. Last year, Wal-Marts International Divisions sales increased by 41 percent (Troy, 47). Currently, Wal-Mart has stores in Chine, Korea, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Canada and Mexico (Thau, 9). Wal-Mart must work closely with Public Relations firms in those countries in order to make sure there is no backlash against them moving into other countries. They must also be careful to follow the laws of each of those countries when they open new stores. Wal-Mart has been careful in moving into the international markets. They have acquired companies already well established in those countries and have made sure that 90 percent of their international products are locally sourced (Thau, 9). 3. Politicians Politicians have a non-market stake in Wal-Mart for several reasons. First of all, politicians may or may not want Wal-Mart opening in their district. On one hand, it may be good for the community. However, if it is a district with a large union presence, the politician may not want Wal-Mart is that area. Also, politicians may rely on Wal-Mart for campaign funding. Last cycle, Wal-Marts political action committee, Wal-Mart Stores Inc PAC for Responsible Government contributed $752,500 to various committees and candidates during the 2001 cycle. TASK 1.C: WHAT ARE THE KEY CRITERIA THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN REVIEWING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY OPTIONS? Key Points to make Planning Effective 1. The Success of planning depends upon the effectiveness with which the forecast has been made. If the forecast is accurate, there is every possibility that the plan will be success. 2. Flexibility must be introduced in the plan whenever necessary so that the employees can work with sustained interest and effort. The management shall not use pressure tactics and force employees to work for the sake of attaining the daily or weekly targets. 3. All the members concerned with the organization must be involved in the task of preparing the plan. The viewpoints of the employees, who are actually going to perform the tasks, must be secured and their ideas may be incorporated in the plans, if found suitable. 4. The plan should not be prepared to focus on the financial goals of the business alone. It must have something for the employees. There must be some provision in the plan to reward efficient workers. Some inducement is necessary in the plan to motivate the employees to work harder. 5. The plan must be realistic. It should take into account the capabilities of both the managers and the employees. Both shall not be required to work beyond their capacity. In other words, the plan must not expect too much out of every person. 6. The plan must be communicated effectively to all the subordinate staff. Their consent may also be obtained. The successful implementation of the plan depends on the extent to which subordinates participate willingly in the performance of the tasks. 7. A co-ordinated effort on the effort on the part of every department is required for the success of the plan. To achieve this, the departments concerned shall work with proper understanding. Additional steps that can be followed to avoid obstacles in planning. (There should be no ambiguity in the objectives that are laid out. They must be clear and achievable. Use of information should be put in place. Management Information System can be used. Managers should sport a dynamic outlook and they should have that mindset of moving towards achieving the objectives All plans designed can have some amount of flexibility built into it. All resourcing required for the plan should be done upfront leaving on surprises at the end. The importance of having a Cost-Benefit analysis cannot be ruled out. This must be done. TASK 1.D: DESCRIBE A SITUATION WITH YOUR CHOSEN ORGANIZATION WHERE A POTENTIAL STRATEGY MIGHT BE DEVELOPED TO RESOLVE AN ISSUE. PRODUCE AN APPROPRIATE STRATEGY AND INDICATE ITS RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS. A strategic goal of Wal-Mart is to expand. It has done so successfully. Looking at the facts and figures clearly shows the corporations dominance and power. Currently the corporation employs over 1.3 million employees, one million in the US alone. The company owns over 4000 stores worldwide. Over 1,200 units (stores) are in operation internationally. Domestically, Wal-Mart is the largest US retailer, employing around 1 million people. It has over 3,000 stores and outlets, and 77 distribution centers. The company serves more than 100 million customers weekly in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and several nations around the world. (www.walmart.com, Fact Sheet Wal-Mart at a Glance, 2002). Internationally, the retailer operates in Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, China, Korea, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Its expansion strategy internationally has been aggressive and powerful. The latest expansion strategy is for the company to gain entry into a nation by corporate takeover of a national retailer. Once the company is bought, Wal-Mart converts the stores into Wal-Mart stores. Three countries, all with no previous Wal-Mart stores, became part of the corporations international presence when domestic retail chains were overtaken. In 1994, Wal-Mart bought 122 Woolco stores in Canada; today there are 196 units in Canada. In 1998 Wal-Mart bought the Wertkauf store with 21 units, now there are 94 Wal-Marts in Germany. In 1999, Wal-Mart acquired the ASDA chain with 229 units in the UK. Today, the UK has 252 Wal-Mart stores. (www.walmart.com, Fact Sheet on International Operations, 2002) This particular strategy, of corporate takeover, puts the company at an advantage when it enters into a new market. In one stroke, a large competitor is eliminated, and at once, Wal-Mart has real estate and employees, and a massive presence in its targeted location. This is an effective use of the companys size and wealth, as few if any competitors are able to do this effectively. The company builds up brand familiarity, while retaining the old familiar outlets. Gradually, as the local Wal-Mart stores begin to make money, and local management assess their competition environment, the company begins to redesign the acquired stores to look like Wal-Marts, it then begins to build new and larger stores in that new market. Wal-Mart is now the largest retailer in Canada and the UK. TASK 2: DEVELOP VISION, MISSION, OBJECTIVES AND MEASURES TASK 2.A: FOR YOUR CHOSEN ORGANIZATION, LIST THE DOWN ITS ETHICAL, CULTURAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND BUSINESS OBJECTIVES. HOW ARE THESE INFLUENCED BY THE CURRENT BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC CLIMATE Visioning Creating shared understanding of future possibilities A strategic vision is usually thought to be solely future oriented. A vision provides an organization a forward looking, idealized image of itself. Moves outside the usual assumptions. Concentrates on the end goal, not the means to reach the goal. Followers gain ownership by developing the means (action plan). An alternate view from the field of organizational learning expands this to shared vision, which also includes a present component. Vision is not a destination, but an intangible structure that surrounds us and guides our daily activities. From this perspective, a shared vision is a form of self-identity. This definition of vision is a collective belief in what the organization can become. In this way it is similar to a truly desired wish for the future. The difference, however, is in how we mold ourselves to adapt to the environment without expecting to be able to change the environment itself. Yes, there is an implicit assumption about the future. However, if the vision is sufficiently broad it will suffice for providing a framework for current decisions. Granted, all decisions are made in the present. Yet, to work toward something grander than the present employs some probability of future outcomes upon which to make decisions, all other things being equal. Regarding feedback loops for control, such feedback can be employed for both corrective action and vision revision (interesting combination of words). If the feedback indicates a problem in the implementation and nothing amiss in the expected vision then the strategy and/or tactics can be altered to get back on track toward the vision. And if there is an indication that the vision is no longer realistic there is no problem with a shift in vision to a more workable vision. Normal planning cycles allow for such a step on an annual basis, which is probably too long for planning within a dynamic environment. But this gets back to the dynamics of the planning process itself. This approach to using feedback is similar to the use of a tracking ratio to serve as a warning system for a forecast that is no longer adequate to the current reality. Implications What is unique about the organizations self-concept of itself? Something that would be missed if the organization were not to fulfill this vision. What issues might arise among different stakeholders as this vision is realized? Are organizational practices aligned with the vision? Are desired actions reinforced by performance metrics? Putting an organization mission vision in place requires working at all levels of the organization. Oftentimes, the effort is only made at the top of the organization with the expectation that employee commitment will follow. Instead, limited compliance is accomplished, at best. It is recommended that a specific change program be put in place to develop a shared vision and common understanding of the groups mission. Mission The mission is the ultimate purpose for why the organization exists. Essential components of a good mission statement include: Brief and easily understood by everyone. What goods and services (beyond the basics) For Whom market segmentation (geographic, sociological, financial, ethnically) How market strategy, distribution strategy. Present and future possibilities. Why basic reason the organization exists. Distinctive competency. Driving Forces. Driving Forces Products and/or services offered Market served Technology Low-cost capability Operations capability Method of distribution sale Use of resources Profit (return on resources) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ TASK 2.B: DESCRIBE THE ROLES OF VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT OF YOUR CHOSEN ORGANIZATION The corporate mission can be stated as follows: As Wal-Mart continues to grow into new areas and new mediums, our success will always be attributed to our culture. Whether you walk into a Wal-Mart store in your hometown or one across the country while youre on vacation, you can always be assured youre getting low prices and that genuine customer service youve come to expect from us. Youll feel at home in any department of any storethats our culture. The company has three Basic Beliefs or core philosophies Sam Walton built the company on. Those beliefs are: (1) Respect for the Individual, (2) Service to Our Customers, and (3) to Strive for Excellence. Respecting the individual is a call for treating their employees well and pushing them to excel in what they do. The commitment to their customers is a goal whereby the stores respect a pricing philosophy to always sell items as low as they can while providing excellent customer service. The third belief is to strive for excellence, that is to expand the store, innovate, reach further in to new markets and to grow. (H. Lee Scott, 2002, www.walmart.com) Other beliefs include, exceeding customer expectations with aggressive hospitality such as using door greeters. The store also features patriotic display and themes in its US stores. Another goal for the company is to support efforts in the local community via charitable contributions. Wal-Mart identifies several affiliations with charities such as the United Way and the Childrens Miracle Network (www.walmartfoundation.org). The Sundown Rule is a corporate directive whereby all Wal-Mart employees, be they store associates, management, or corporate staff, must reasonably answer a customers or supplier request or question within 24 hours. The Ten Foot Rule states that store employees must greet, smile, and attend to a customer in a store when within 10 feet of them. Its a type of aggressive hospitality policy. Wal-Mart also compels its staff to engage in morning cheers where they recite company sayings. A final, yet important rule, which is a strong part of the corporate culture is Sam Waltons Pricing Philosophy which underlines the company strategy of selling items for less then their competitors, always. (www.wal-mart.com, corporate culture). TASK 2.C: INDICATE HOW IT IS POSSIBLE FOR AN ORGANIZATION TO EVALUATE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF ITS OBJECTIVES Implementing: Every company will have its own strategy but it is the operation which puts in to practice. You cannot, after all, touch a strategy; you cannot even see it ; all you can see is how the operation behaves in practice. The implication of this role for the operations function is very significant. Support: It must develop its resources to provide the capabilities which are needed to allow the organization to achieve its goals. Example: If a manufacturer of personal computers has decided to compete by being the first in the market with every available new product innovation, then its operations function needs to be capable of copying with the changes which constant innovation will bring. It must develop or purchase processes which are flexible, enough to manufacture novel parts and products. Driving: The third role of the operations part of the business is to drive strategy by giving it a long-term competitive edge. The both short term and long term success can come directly from the operations functions. An operations function which is providing both long and short term advantage is driving business strategy by being the ultimate custodian of competiveness. Effective operations management: Operation plays these roles within the organization can be judged by considering the organizational aims or aspirations function. The model traces the progression of the operations function from which it is largely negative role of stage 1 operations to it becoming the central element of competitive strategy in excellent stage 4 operations. Stage 1: internal neutrality: This is the poorest level of contribution by the operations function. The other functions regard it as holding them back from competing effectively. Even good organizations can be let down by their operations function and the resulting publicity can be damaging. Stage 2: External neutrality: The first of breaking out of stage 1 is for the operations function to begin comparing itself with similar companies or organizations in the outside market. By taking the best ideas and norms of performance from the rest of its industry, it is trying to be externally neutral. Stage 3: Inernally supportive: These operations have probably reached the first division in their market. They may not be better than their competitors on every aspect of operations performance but they are broadly up with the best. Stage 4:externally supportive: The third stage is taken to be as the limit of the operations functions contribution. TASK 3: PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY TASK 3.A: DISCUSS HOW A TIMETABLE FOR STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION CAN BE DETERMINED. INCLUDE A SAMPLE TIMETABLE, TO INCLUDE KEY MILESTONES AND THEIR TIMINGS As an example, let us take the strategic planning and implementation of a university learning programs. Following is a sample table that gives detailed timeline in achieving a specific strategic goal that have been set. [pic] TASK 3.B: HOW MIGHT THE DISSEMINATION PROCESS BE USED TO HELP AN ORGANIZATION GAIN COMMITMENT TO ITS STRATEGY AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS Ten Elements of an Effective Dissemination Plan After you have developed your dissemination policy statements, you are ready to turn your attention to more specific dissemination planning. Remember that your dissemination planning should start at the beginning of your research activities, not at the end. While some details of the dissemination effort will be suggested in your original proposal and refined as you progress through your research, your dissemination plan goals and objectives should be clarified at the beginning of your research project in consultation with your NIDRR project officer. This approach will allow you to meet your dissemination challenge in a timely manner. 1. Goals: Determine and document the goals of your dissemination effort for your proposed project. 2. Objectives: Associate each goal with one or more objectives that clarifies what you are trying to accomplish through your dissemination activities. 3. Users: Describe the scope and characteristics of the potential users that your dissemination activities are designed to reach for each of your objectives. 4. Content: Identify, at least, the basic elements of the projected content you have to disseminate to each of the potential user groups identified. 5. Source(s): Identify the primary source or sources that each potential user group is already tied into or most respects as an information source. Consider ways to partner with these sources in your dissemination efforts. 6. Medium: Describe the medium or media through which the content of your message can best be best delivered to your potential users and describe the capabilities and resources that will be required of potential users to access the content for each medium to be used. 7. Success: Describe how you will know if your dissemination activities have been successful. If data is to be gathered, describe how, when, and who will gather it. 8. Access: Describe how you will promote access to your information and how you will archive information that may be requested at a later date. Consider that most people will use your project-related information when they perceive a need for it not necessarily when you have completed your research project. 9. Availability: Identify strategies for promoting awareness of the availability of your research-based information and the availability of alternate available formats. 10. Barriers: Identify potential barriers that may interfere with the targeted users access or utilization of your information and develop actions to reduce these barriers. The dissemination and implementation of the strategic plan is a great time to actualize organizational values and improve internal processes. Once a strategic plan is established, the organization must keep a close watch on its progress or the plan and the goals will collect dust. It is usually not enough to meet a few times a year unless there are very few goals or the goals are basically to maintain the status quo. In general, it is best that those responsible plan a regular meeting schedule in order to maintain momentum and discuss issues as they arise. The processes around monitoring the implementation of the plan, disseminating the plan, developing the Action Plan, and so forth should be designed with the organizations values as guiding principles. If possible, they should also incorporate solutions to any other organizational culture issues that were discussed during the strategic planning process. If solutions were not generated, the implementation processes should at least be designed with these issues in mind, with the intention of finding solutions at a point in the near future. A good strategic plan must involve an examination of your organizations values and internal process challenges (every organization has them). Often a strategic plan will expose problems that were hidden. This is a good thing. But only if you take control of them. The Action Plan must include steps to address mismatched organizational values and culture, starting with the implementation process. TASK 3.C: DESCRIBE THE IMPORTANCE OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF A NEW STRATEGY. OUTLINE HOW THIS MIGHT BE ACHIEVED Many strategic plans end up collecting dust on a shelf. Monitoring and evaluating the planning activities and status of implementation of the plan is for many organizations as important as identifying strategic issues and goals. One advantage of monitoring and evaluation is to ensure that the organization is following the direction established during strategic planning phase. Note that plans are guidelines. They arent rules. Its alright to deviate from a plan. But planners should be aware of the reason for the deviations and update the plan to reflect the new direction. Responsibilities for Monitoring and Evaluation The strategic plan document should specify who is responsible for the overall implementation of the plan, and also who is responsible for achieving each goal and objective. The document should also specify who is responsible to monitor the implementation of the plan and made decisions based on the results. For example, the board might expect the chief executive to regularly report to the full board about the status of implementation, including progress toward each of the overall strategic goals. In turn, the chief executive might expect regular status reports from middle managers regarding the status toward their achieving the goals and objectives assigned to them. Key Questions While Monitoring and Evaluating Status of Implementation of the Plan 1. Are goals and objectives being achieved or not? If they are, then acknowledge, reward and communicate the progress. If not, then consider the following questions. 2. Will the goals be achieved according to the timelines specified in the plan? If not, then why? 3. Should the deadlines for completion be changed (be careful about making these changes know why efforts are behind schedule before times are changed)? 4. Do personnel have adequate res

Physiological Effects of MDMA Use :: Health Drugs Essays

Physiological Effects of MDMA Use MDMA has significant cardiovascular effects. This is consistent with its norepinephrine releasing (Johnson et al. 1991; Rothman et al. 2001) and  £\_2 adrenergic agonist (Lavelle et al. 1999) properties. MDMA dose dependently produces robust increases in heart rate and blood pressure (de la Torre et al. 2000a; de la Torre et al. 2000b; Grob et al.). Peak cardiovascular effects occur between 1 and 2 hours after MDMA administration and largely subside within 6 hours of drug administration. A study suggested that the relationship between MDMA dose and cardiovascular effects was supralinear by de la Torre et al. (2000a) who reported unexpectedly high drug exposures (measured as AUCplasma for MDMA) and diastolic blood pressure increases in two volunteers given 150 mg MDMA. While pharmacokinetic data suggest MDMA has nonlinear kinetics, there is no clear evidence of supralinear relationships between dose and blood pressure or heart rate. In fact, there may be less increase in heart rate after higher doses. The tendency toward less heart rate increase with higher dose is consistent with a study using both conscious and anesthetized rats (O'Cain et al. 2000). In this rat study, 3 mg/kg IV MDMA decreased heart rate, while lower doses tended to increase it or leave it unchanged. Studies monitoring blood pressure found significant relationships between MDMA use and blood pressure. In one study, (Vollenweider et al. 1998) involving subjects without a history of MDMA use, one subject experienced hypertensive crisis from a dose typical of recreational use. The correlation of blood pressure is described, "A two way ANOVA for systolic blood pressure revealed a significant main effect of drug [F(1,2) = 41.09; p < 02] and a significant drug x time interaction [F(3,6) = 11.31; p < 007]. Significant changes occurred in the 0 to 75 minutes and 75 to 150 minutes interval (one way ANOVAs). Two way ANOVA for diastolic blood pressure was not significant, but one way ANOVAs showed significant changes in the 75 to 150 minutes and the 150 to 300 minutes interval. Increases were in the range of 10 to 30 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure and 5 to 10 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure." (Vollenweider et al. 1998 pp.245_246) This study shows a similarity in changes in systolic blood pressure, and a lesser similarity in changes in diastolic blood pressure. The occurrence of hypertensive crisis suggests caution in potential use and study.

Unequal But Not Separate :: Essays Papers

Unequal But Not Separate Enemy fire whizzes by, hitting the walls around behind me. The spent shells are scattered at my feet. The smell of death and gunpowder tantalizes my nose. In the distance I can hear the chopper hovering. All I can do is pray that it reaches us in time. Enemy fire begins again. I am lost in the smoke and confusion. Then Private Jackson falls to the ground behind me. He has been hit. Now his life is entrusted to me. The chopper is now hovering across the field about 100 yards away. I tuck my gun away and reach down to grab him. I try to put him over my shoulder, but I can’t lift him. I start to drag him toward the chopper. I struggle for about 25 yards. The pilot is waving me on, motioning me to hurry. I don’t have the strength. I can’t go any farther. The chopper has to go, it can’t wait any longer. I am alone with Private Jackson looking up at me in disbelief, knowing it is my fault we will both be dead in a matter of minutes. The military, the nation an d Private Jackson all had trusted me to make it and I had failed. Trust. It is the bond that holds our great military together. When this trust is broken our nation, as a whole will suffer the consequences. A soldier must have complete faith that his fellow soldiers, both male and female, will do their job so that he can focus on his. But what happens when double standards are employed for female soldiers? Can one expect a male soldier to completely trust her ability to complete her tasks as a soldier? The soldier knows full well that his female comrade didn’t have to perform the necessary physical tasks to the same standards that he did. How can one have confidence in her abilities if her performance would have been unacceptable had she been a male? The thread of trust begins to unwind once a soldier question another’s abilities. That is why one uniform standard had been in place throughout history. A soldier knew that the every other soldier could perform tasks to the same standard that he had. They had a common trust that held the m together. Now, with gender norming, the double standards used to ensure women pass the physical tests, we put the trust that held our military together in jeopardy.

Primary ethical considerations Essay

Ethical norms are the moral standards that help us judge good from bad or right from wrong and living morally. This involves articulating the good habits or character that we should have, the consequences of our behavior on us and others and the duties that we are supposed to follow. Ethical issues touch on the basis of an individual belief and they are bound to differ with individuals depending on cultural and social factors of the individual. McKinney (2004) explains that the primary ethical considerations for teachers in a K-8 education setting   is a form of applied ethics that evaluates ethical guidelines and moral issues that can come up in a classroom environment. The following section will highlight McKinney (2004) ten main principles which teachers in K-8 classes are supposed to follow and adhere to: Establish the significance of academic integrity Schools are committed to pursing integrity and truth; teachers in K-8 should confirm and reestablish the need for integrity and truth based on particular main values such as honest civility and diligence. Teachers need to show and encourage students to practice this. Promote love of learning Teachers in K-8 have an ethical duty to reinforce and foster better class environment for learning. Many children will succeed and thrive in an environment where learning and schooling is viewed as challenging, useful, pertinent and fair. Treat children as ends in teaching Teachers in K-8 should treat their students as being an end and not means children require personal attention and thoughtfulness. The students will in general respond through respecting what the teacher’s values and norms and be committed to academics Foster an atmosphere of trust within the classroom Many students are young and require and value an atmosphere where trust is freely earned as it is given. Enhance student accountability for integrity in academics Young students want to learn in schools where integrity justice and respect is adhered to, while dishonest is punished. With correct direction and leadership, students can cultivate strong accountability to assist in promoting and protecting high levels of integrity in academic work. Formulate just and appropriate assessment forms Students expect to be assessed with fairness using appropriate methods. Teachers in K-8 classes should use, and regularly modify forms of evaluation   and tests which need active thought and enhance learning activities for the students. Challenge any dishonest in learning when it happens Children see how teachers act and what values they hold. Teachers who overlook trivialized dishonest in academics, convey a message that, the teacher do not value core values of academic and that these core values are not worth following. In addition to this the teachers should: †¢ Assist in defining and supporting entire school academic integrity and honesty †¢ Limit chances for students to participate in dishonesty in class and school as a whole †¢ Clarify your expectations for class and students in particular Conclusion The classroom and teaching environment in general during the 21st century have become more complex and demanding. Consequently, the need for more ethical teaching behavior, actions and processes is increasing. As McKinney (2004) notes pressure has been mounted on the teachers in a K-8 to observe and improve their ethics through laws and refined public initiatives. The variety and extent of ethical issues in teaching shows the extent to which ethical values differ and need to be upheld.   Ã‚  This paper has outline several main ethical issues that teachers in K-8 will should follow to establish better values in their class room

Psychology for Social Care Practice Essay

In this assessment I am going to be writing a case study on Rose. Rose is the youngest of five children, she has one sister and three brothers. Rose has been diagnosed with a rare chromosome deletion on her 22nd chromosome, it is called 22q13 deletion syndrome also known as Phelan Mcdermid syndrome after the doctors Katy Phelan and Heather Mcdermid who first discovered this syndrome whilst studying chromosome 22 and the effect that deletions and mutations has on individuals in the early 1990’s the first person diagnosed was in 1996, currently there are only approximately one thousand people around the world diagnosed, and only one hundred approximately in the uk. It is thought to be massively under diagnosed at present. Phelan Mcdermid syndrome affects individuals by causing disabilities in different ways depending on the size of the deletion, where the deletion is on the 22nd chromosome and other genes in that region that are are affected. Phelan Mcdermid syndrome affects the people diagnosed in differing ways mainly it affects the individual’s speech, a majority of those diagnosed with Phelan Mcdermid syndrome are completely non verbal, it affects mobility ranging from a person never being able to walk or learning at a later stage than would be the usual, it also can cause feeding problems and some people affected suffer from seizures. Rose has a smaller deletion and so her disability is on the milder end of the spectrum. Phelan Mcdermid syndrome affects Rose’s speech ability, also her muscles are weaker and she has coordination problems, she is diagnosed with dyspraxia, and has also recently been diagnosed with autism. Phelan Mcdermid syndrome is a genetic cause of autism. In my opinion although it is a genetic disability that Rose has I feel that there are also nature and nurture issues also involved. I think that as Rose has been encouraged to communicate and also speak that this has helped her immensely, where as other parents with children with Phelan Mcdermid syndrome can be to ready to accept that the child might never speak and might not be as encouraging for their child to become independent. There are other factors also involved, the location where Rose lives she has been lucky to have had a lot of time spent on speech therapy,  where as other children living in different locations in the uk and around the world haven’t been as fortunate and so have not been given the same nu rturing that Rose has received both from the local services available but also from her family. Although this is a genetic condition people with this syndrome will still inherit family traits aswell, the hair colour and eye colour for example will be genetically linked to the parents genes. In my opinion although Rose has autism I believe that her being the youngest of five children has been of benefit to her as this has helped with her social skills and for her to be able to share and to take turns, it has benefited her in her being able to be amongst noise and people. If she were perhaps an only child she would have had to have been taught some of these skills which she has been able to learn naturally. Rose is seven years old, she is a pretty little girl with a lovely nature.When Rose was born she appeared to be â€Å"normal† she met all her first milestones, sitting up and walking on time, it was only when she turned two and wasn’t developing her speech that her parents started to worry and took her to the GP who then referred Rose to a paediatrician. The paediatrician took a blood sample which was sent away for testing and the parents were called back to be informed of Rose’s diagnosis just before her third birthday. Due to some chromosome abnormalities being inherited the parents both had blood tests, in this case it was a de novo which means it was not genetically inherited from the the parents. From the age of three Rose started speech therapy, she has also had physiotherapy and occupational health input. Rose attends a mainstream school at the moment and has additional teaching support, she has learning difficulties but is making small steps of progress i n her learning. Rose is behind for her age in her learning by about 3 years in my opinion, she is still struggling with learning to read, write and count. Although Rose has autism she is a friendly and sociable little girl. In my opinion this has been nurtured within her home background as she has the older siblings from whom she has benefited being around, and having four siblings it has been a busy household in terms of Rose being exposed to meeting new people, although as her siblings are all older than her by a number of years Rose is more comfortable around older people than she is within her own peer age groups,  causing Rose to have some difficulties in forming friendships with other children her own age. One of the physiological theories that would apply to Rose would be Maslow’s hierarchy of needs for Rose to be able to develop to her full potential. This would include her basic physiological needs being met, for example Rose will need to have activities incorporated into her day to help build her muscle strength but equally she needs to have plenty of rest so as not to suffer with fatigue. She needs guidance in her safety needs as she is not able to to make safe choices yet for example when it would be safe to cross the road or when it is appropriate and to which adults to show affection, these would be taking care of her psychological and physical safety needs. Also due to Rose having autism she is very keen on having routine and familiarity. Rose needs to be able to be loved and have a sense of belongingness so she is able to learn to trust and to accept people, she needs to be a part of groups and she does this by attending a local dance school and has recently performed in her annual dance show presentation, and as Rose has a large family she has a sense of belonging. Esteem needs are another of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, these mean that Rose needs to feel respected, she also needs to have self-respect and self-esteem, these are issues that are currently being dealt with at school following a meeting about how to help Rose integrate more with her peers, one of the ideas is that the other children are included with things that Rose likes to do, this will then not make Rose feel like she has to conform to the â€Å"rules† and â€Å"structures† being imposed by the other children but will help the other children integrate with Rose. Rose is having her cognitive needs being met by her having one to one support to help her with her learning by helping her to stay focused and to concentrate on tasks she is given in her class. I feel that Rose just touches into Aesthetic needs as she is autistic she likes to have order and symmetry, she likes to keep her room tidy and also likes to line things like her toy animals into lines. Humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers is another theory which can be applied to Rose as he talks about the healthy person and the unhealthy person, I feel that for Rose to be able to be a healthy person and to be able to be as  fully functioning an individual as she is able to, it is important for Rose to feel accepted for who she is. This means that she is accepted for being who she is without any expectations or conditions placed on her, Rose is loved unconditionally within her family and the whole family accept her for who she is. It is also important for Rose not to become an unhealthy person by altering herself and her behaviour to conform to unrealistic expectations, Rose will over time need a lot of help to be able to cope with and identify her different feelings, she will need positive encouragement to build her self-esteem and her self-worth. When Rose was six she became an Aunty as her older sister had a baby boy, Rose has been very excited by this, she has adapted well to a new member of the family, she then welcomed another nephew into the family only ten months later. Rose has been very accepting of her new nephews and her families involvement in helping her older sister in looking after the two boys. Unfortunately sometimes it can be difficult for Rose to realise that the babies are not able to understand the difference between her toys and theirs and she can become frustrated at this. She is also having to learn how to play with the babies as she is not really used to people younger than herself. Rose is very loving towards the boys and wants to be involved in helping to look after them, she likes to be able to give the older baby his lunch and likes to hold his hand while he is still learning how to walk. Rose has also dealt with bereavement as the first baby her sister was expecting sadly passed away, this was explained to Rose that the baby had gone to heaven and that she is now an Angel. It is difficult to know exactly how Rose feels about this and how much she understands, but she was very upset and if she saw a baby for a while after would refer to the Angel baby that is in heaven and she would tell people about the baby girl. Rose has also dealt with her two older siblings moving out of the family home to set up their own homes, she has been a bit lost at times and has missed having the oldest two at home especially her older sister as she is very attached to her. Due to Rose’s communication difficulties her sister is very good at being able to understand what she is trying to say. Rose now enjoys  going and having a sleep over at her big sisters and it is also encouraging her independence by her being able to stay away from home. It will be be important for Rose’s future for her to be able to continue to have the opportunities available for her to continue to grow as a person.