Managment Diversity

?WORKPLACE DIVERSITY Introduction In modern times, diversity management has been brought to the forefront of organisational issues due to factors such as globalisation and the emerging cultural and individual differences that emerge as a result of this diverse world. The purpose of this paper will be to explore the topic of diversity as it relates to the workplace by discussing perspectives from union groups and HRM practitioners and to investigate the barriers to workplace diversity. Through the discussion, the advantages of diversity will be discussed with an emphasis on the implications for the HR function of the organisation. Overview Workplace diversity relates to the presence of differences among members of the workforce (D’Netto & Sohal, 1999). By creating a diverse workforce organisations are able to tap the ideas, creativity, and potential contributions inherent in a diverse workforce (Aghazadeh, 2004). Diversity in the workplace includes culture, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, physical abilities, social class, age, socio-economic status, and religion (Sadri & Tran, 2002). These individual characteristics shape an individual’s perception about their environment and how they communicate (Kramar, 1998). Organisations can approach diversity is three differing ways: affirmative action, valuing diversity and managing diversity. Affirmative action attempts to monitor and control diversity in an organisation and in doing so senior management can affect the hiring and promotion of individuals (Sadri & Tran, 2002. ) An organisation assumes new individuals or groups will adapt to the norms of the organisation, and will not resist due to fears of reverse discrimination (Sadri and Tran, 2002). Valuing diversity can allow an organisation can focus of the benefits of the differences, therefore developing an environment where all individuals are valued and accepted (Sadri & Tran, 2002). Those members who feel valued to their organisation tend to be harder working, more involved and innovative (Agahazadeh, 2004). Valuing Diversity can affect employees’ attitudes positively, however resistance can be experienced due to a fear of change and individuals discomfort with differences (Sadri & Tran, 2002. ) Finally, managing diversity is when organisations build pecific skills and create policies which obtain the best values of each employee, which will create new ways of working together (Sadri & Tran, 2002). It will provide an opportunity for organisations to manage a workforce which emphasises both organisational and individual performance, whilst still acknowledging individual needs (Kramar, 1998). Although diversity has always existed in organisations, individuals tend to repress their diversity in order to conform to the norms of the organisation and fit into the stereotype of the typical employee (Kramar, 1998). Mismanagement of diversity as a result of unfavourable treatment can inhibit employees working abilities and motivation, which can lead to a lowered job performance (Aghazadeh, 2004). If an environment works well for employees, diversity will work against the organisation, hence the lack of an enabling environment (Kramar, 1998). These fundamental components of workplace diversity can be further viewed through the varying perspectives of union groups, HRM professionals and organisations. PERSPECTIVES AND RATIONALES ON WORKPLACE DIVERSITY From a union perspective Historically the role of unions concentrated mainly on the fight for higher wages, shorter hours and better working conditions. However in recent years a shift has occurred to fighting rights for a diverse workforce (Barrile & Cameron, 2004). Management aims to maximise the contribution of all staff to work towards organisational objectives through forming guiding teams for diversity, training to improve languages and celebrating success. Unions however, implement diversity differently (Barrile & Cameron, 2004). A feminine approach to leadership has been undertaken to broaden a diverse representation. For instance, under the management of CEO Brian Schwartz, Ernst & Young Australia has doubled the number of female partners to ten per cent, made changes to a ‘blokey’ culture and introduced a women’s leadership forum, among other initiatives (Robbins, Bergmann, Coulter & Stagg, 2006). Women union leaders tie diversity in leadership to long-term union survival, articularly in light of the impact that diversity has on organising successes and increased visibility of unions to potential female members. Most of these leaders expressed a â€Å"sense of urgency† about the need to advance women and saw continuing barriers that prevented women from entering and remaining in top positions (Mellor et al. , 2003). To overcome such barriers implementations such as commitment to advancing women in the work force and supporting internal structures to activate women have been undertaken by union’s worldwide (Melcher, Eichstedt, Eriksen, Clawson, 1992). Unions have officially recognised caucuses or other groups that permit people of different colour, including women, to discuss issues of concern within their union as well as in the larger workplace and community (Mellor et al. , 2003). Unions have provided mentoring and leadership training programs. Efforts undertaken by unions to foster diversity have resulted visible changes at all levels of leadership. The remaining task is to make those changes bigger and more permanent. The fact that there is more to do does not mean there is failure; it simply means reinforcing longstanding labour movement commitments to dignity, justice and equal opportunity for all working people (Melcher, Eichstedt, Eriksen, Clawson, 1992). Building on the rationale provided by different union groups, HR practitioners also recognise the importance of promoting a diverse workplace and recognise the impact on business goals. From an HRM perspective There are many HRM perspectives that relate to diversity management in organisations. Most of these HRM perspectives lead towards the contention that a successful diversity management policy can lead to a more competitive, functional organisation. In light of the perspectives and rationales discussed in the HRM literature, there a range of implications for HR managers concerning diversity in the workplace. Management of diversity relates to equal employment opportunity, but effective diversity management goes beyond the basic requirements of an equal opportunity workplace (Barrile & Cameron, 2004). It is important for HR to determine an effective diversity management policy to be able to encourage a more iverse workplace. The most important job for senior HR managers is to consider how diversity will benefit the organisation and how to define its role in the context of the organisation (Kreitz, 2008). An organisation’s diversity policy should aim to establish an heterogeneous workforce that is able to work to its full capacity in an environment where no member, or for that matter group of members, have an advantage or disadvantage based on their individual differences (Torres & Bruxelles, 1992, as cited in D’Netto & Sohal, 1999). In exercising their role, HR managers must constantly apply the principles of diversity in order to maximise and sustain the benefits of a diverse workforce. This means HR managers need to be able to link recruitment, selection, development and retention policies to the overall diversity policy of the organisation (Yakura, 1996). Furthermore, the aforementioned should be carried out with a direct link to the overall business goals, the various shifts in the labour market as well as the more contemporary effects of globalisation (Cunningham & Green, 2007). There are three initiatives that an organisation should utilise to increase the efficiency of its diversity policy. Firstly, there is a need for HR, when recruiting, to increase the representation in the workplace of historically excluded groups (Conrad & Linnehan, 1995). Secondly, the diverse workforce needs to have the necessary empowerment to influence, or at least have input to organisational decision making (Cunningham & Green, 2007). More strategic implications for diversity management exist that recognise the emergence of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM). Such implications include building diversity strategies into an overall future success plan, integrating diversity practices with senior management practices and encouraging career development opportunities for all employees (Cunningham & Green, 2007). Ultimately, managing diversity should promote competitive edge in the organisation by recruiting the most appropriate people for the job regardless of their perceived differences (D’Netto & Sohal, 1999). From an organisational perspective: ANZ and Westpac ANZ Bank has responded to the common trends of the Australian workforce with programs to attract and retain a diverse environment that reflects their customer base (ANZ, 2008). An organisation is focused on creating an inclusive culture where all employees are able to contribute, as they believe that diversity and inclusion are essential for high business performance (ANZ, 2008). By managing diversity within the organisation, ANZ is provided with the best talent and a wide variety of experience to achieve success within a global workforce. Similarly, Westpac is determined to enable a diverse workforce that reflects their customers (Westpac, 2008). Westpac has created a culture that understands values and utilises the differences within people, where people can achieve success without encountering bias or being harassed because of gender, race or disability (Westpac, 2008). Both organisations have made efforts to create a diverse working environment through varying HRM practices. For example, HRM within ANZ created the â€Å"My Difference† survey which surveyed more than 13, 500 employees (ANZ, 2008). Within this survey, HR is able to develop a demographic snapshot of the workforce and gather feedback on how their employees perceive diversity and inclusion within the organisation. ANZ also founded the Diversity Council, which introduces policies and sponsors events to create a more inclusive culture (ANZ, 2008). The council attempts to increase awareness by supporting events like International Women’s’ Day and Disability Awareness Week (ANZ, 2008). HR in both organisations has implemented a range of human resource strategies. Disability awareness, plans in both companies outline strategies to increase support and inclusion for customers and staff of the organisation, which include premises being wheelchair accessible (Westpac, 2008; ANZ, 2008). Westpac is also partnered with Disability Works Australia to recruit people with disability to remain a balanced environment (Westpac, 2008). Secondly, to promote age balance, mature age employees are offered flexible working conditions to suit their changing lifestyle (ANZ, 2008). Culturally both banks have planned to help indigenous Australians improve their wellbeing and money management skills. ANZ celebrates cultural diversity by holding â€Å"Annual Cultural Week† (ANZ, 2008). Westpac reflects different cultures by employing members who are able to speak different languages to better understand the customers (Westpac, 2008). To promote flexibility, Westpac has different job designs for individuals’ circumstances, including versatile working hours, job sharing abilities, the ability to work from home, to have career breaks and paid parental leave and affordable childcare at work (Westpac, 2008). On a wider rganisational level, ANZ and Westpac both face a number of popular trends that continue to change the Australian workforce. These include the Australian population becoming increasingly more ethically diverse with 23% of the population born overseas (ANZ, 2008). The population is also ageing and is predicted that in 43 years around 25% of Australia’s population will be aged 65 year or older and the number of women in the workforce has increased from 40% in 1979 to 53% in 2004 (ANZ, 2008). Based upon the actions taken by ANZ and Westpac in this regard, organisations are recognising the benefits of a diverse workplace. The strategies by both companies to increase the representation of women in the workforce, as well as increasing the representation of diverse others, corresponds with the views of both union and non-governmental organisations as well as the perspectives provided through the HRM literature. BARRIERS TO WORKPLACE DIVERSITY Diversity within an organisation can be difficult and expensive to accomplish. Substantial barriers exist in both overcoming laws related to workplace diversity, the actual process of implementing it within an organisation and also the internal characteristics of the individual. The current legislation related to workplace diversity essentially creates an environment in which employers cannot recruit purely on the basis of a desired attribute. The main acts concerned are the Racial Discrimination Act (1975), the Sex Discrimination Act (1984), the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act (1984), the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act (1991), the Disability Discrimination Act (1991) and the Workplace Relations Act (1996) (Williams, 2001. These laws essentially shape a scenario for employees where if a desired attribute is sought after, the job must be made appealing to that particular group of people without impairing the opportunity for any other group to obtain the position under the requirements of the legislation. An example of this is Westpac’s initiative to entice more women into their workforce by implementing training programs relating to gender differences in communication and career progression (Westpac, 2008 . ) However, once a company like Westpac overcomes these hurdles, there are still many practical ssues that need to be addressed on an organisational level. If a diversity program is unlikely to be profitable it will not be implemented (Bilimoria, Joy, & Liang, 2008). The monetary benefits (such as new customers, better culture and strategic advantage) involved in implementing such diversity need to outweigh the costs (gaining diversity at the expense of skill) involved in pursuing it. The HR department within the organisation has a difficult task in convincing senior management that a diversity program can be beneficial to the organisation (D’Netto & Sohal, 1999). The argument often provided by senior management against workplace diversity is that it is disruptive to productivity and causes imbalance in the workplace (D’Netto & Sohal, 1999). As a result, the HR function need to be able to present the many advantages of diversity, and provide strong strategic reasoning to ensure that an effective diversity management is implemented. An organisation may also have barriers imbedded in their practices, culture and policies (Bilimoria, Joy, & Liang, 2008). Resolving these issues has benefits for both the legality of the operating of the organisation and the multiplicity of their workforce. If senior management participated in only male orientated social events, such as attending the football, it may alienate women who generally may not participate in such events. Policy can also break both legality and potential for diversity by enforcing requirements such as 10 years continual service to an organisation in order to receive promotion into senior management. This continual service factor discriminates against women who are likely to have children, as it will exclude many from the opportunity to obtain the job. However, it is the individual differences within each person that provide the biggest challenge to achieving diversity. Individual differences amongst people are a major hurdle to workplace diversity, as most people feel comfortable when working in homogeneous groups (Kreitz, 2008). The presence of diverse others places employees outside of their comfort zone and makes people resist embracing the presence of others. Furthermore, research by Kreitz (2008) shows that humans, and organisations as well, are in nature highly resistant to change, further complicating the successful implementation of diversity. Another individual, and highly problematic, barrier to diversity is the language barrier that exists to culturally diverse others. This prevents, and in some cases discourages, the full integration of cultural differences within organisations (Kreitz, 2008). Diversity is clearly beneficial to the organisation. Managing diversity should involve utilising the cultural differences in people’s skills and embracing the diverse range of ideas and skills that exist in a diverse workplace in order to ultimately give the organisation a competitive edge. Benefits to diversity clearly outweigh the costs and evident advantages to workplace diversity are supported by various union groups and HRM practitioners. In order to be successful, diversity must be implemented within a strict legal framework and overcome hurdles relating to the practices and policies of organisations, as well as internal, individual barriers. REFERENCES Aghazadeh, SM 2004, ‘Managing workforce diversity as an essential resource for improving organizational performance’, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 1-6 ANZ 2008, viewed 10 September , 2008, http://www. anz. com Australian Bureau of Statistics 2008, viewed 10 September, 2008, http://www. abs. gov. au Barrile, S & Cameron, T 2004, Business Management: Corporate management, people and change. Macmillan Education, Melbourne, VIC. Bilimoria, D, Joy, S, & Liang, X 2008, ‘Breaking barriers and creating inclusiveness: Lessons of organizational transf ormation to advance women faculty in academic science and engineering’, Human Resource Management, vol. 47, no. 3, pp. 423-441 Cox Jr. T & Blake, S 1991, ‘Managing cultural diversity: implications for organizational competitiveness’. Academy of Management Executive , vol. 5, no. 3,pp. 45-56. Cunningham, DD & Green, D 2007, ‘Diversity as a Competitive Strategy in the Workplace’ Journal of Practical Consulting, vol. 1, no. 2, pp 51-55. D’Netto, B & Sohal, A 1999, ‘Human resources practices and workforce diversity: an empirical assessment’, International Journal of Manpower, vol. 20, no. 8, pp. 530-547. Konrad, A & Linnehan, F 1995, ‘Formalized human resource management tructures: Coordinating equal opportunity or concealing organizational practices’, Academy of Management Journal, No. 38, pp 787 – 820. Kramar, R 1998, ‘Managing diversity: beyond affirmative action in Australia’, Women in Management R eview, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 1-11 Kreitz, PA 2008, ‘Best Practices for Managing Organisational Diversity’ The Journal of Academic Librarianship, vol. 34, no. 2, pp 101-120. Mellor, Steven, Kath, Lisa, Bulger, Carrie, 2003: Bilingualism: Relationships with Willingness to Participate in Union Activities, Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 25 (1): 95-109 Melcher, D. Eichstedt, J. , Eriksen, S. , Clawson, D. , (1992): Women’s Participation in Local Union Leadership: The Massachusetts Experience, Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 45, 267-280 Lepadatu, D &Thompson, T, 2008, viewed 15 September, 2008, http://www. allacademic. com//meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/0/2/2/8/6/pages22860/p22860-1. php Robbins, S, Bergman, R, Stagg, I and Coutler, M 2006, Management, 4th edn, Pearsons Education Australia, NSW. Sadri, G & Tran, H 2002, ‘Managing your diverse workforce through improved communication’, Journal of Management Development, vol. 21, no. , pp. 227-237 Westpac, 2008, viewed 10 September, 2008, http://www. westpac. com. au Westpac. (2008). Diversity and women in management. Viewed 21 September, 2008, http://www. westpac. com. au/Internet/Publish. nsf/content/WICREMCS+Diversity+and+women+in+management Williams, H. (2001). Guidelines on Workplace Diversity. Viewed September 20, 2008,http://www. apsc. gov. au/publications01/diversityguidelines. pdf   Yakura, E 1996, ‘EEO law and managing diversity’, in E Kossek & S Lobel (ed. ), Managing Diversity: Human Resource Strategies for Transforming the Workplace, pp 25 – 30

Literature Search

Grap, Mary. ,Munro, Cindy. , Hummel, Russel. , Jessica. , Elswick, and Sessler Curtis. 2005. Effect of Backrest Elevation on the Development of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia. AACN. Retrieved from ajcc. aacnjournals. org on March 3, 2012. Abstract †¢ Background Ventilator-associated pneumonia is a common complication of mechanical ventilation. Backrest position and time spent supine are critical risk factors for aspiration, increasing the risk for pneumonia. Empirical evidence of the effect of backrest positions on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia, especially during mechanical ventilation over time, is limited. Objective To describe the relationship between backrest elevation and development of ventilator-associated pneumonia. †¢ Methods : It is a nonexperimental, longitudinal, descriptive design was used. The Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score was used to determine ventilator-associated pneumonia. Backrest elevation was measured continuously with a transdu cer system. Data were obtained from laboratory results and medical records from the start of mechanical ventilation up to 7 days. †¢ Results Sixty-six subjects were monitored (276 patient days).Mean backrest elevation for the entire study period was 21. 7 °. Backrest elevations were less than 30 ° 72% of the time and less than 10 ° 39% of the time. The mean Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score increased but not significantly, and backrest elevation had no direct effect on mean scores. A model for predicting the Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score at day 4 included baseline score, percentage of time spent at less than 30 ° on study day 1, and score on the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, explaining 81% of the variability (F=7. 1, P=. 003). Literature Search 3 †¢ Conclusions Subjects spent the majority of the time at backrest elevations less than 30 °. Only the combination of early, low backrest elevation and severity of illness affected the incidenc e of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Amelia Ross. (2006). The impact of an evidence-based practice education program on the role of oral care in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Retrieved from, www. elsevierhealth. com/journals/iccn. on March 2, 2012.Abstract BACKGROUND: Despite strong evidence in the literature on the role of oral care in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), nurses continue to view oral care as a comfort measure with low priority and utilize foam swabs rather than toothbrushes. Although an evidence-based oral care protocol existed and best-practice oral care tools were available, the VAP rates had not significantly decreased even though nurses reported providing oral care. OBJECTIVES:The aim of the study was to determine if an evidence-based practice (EBP) educational program would improve the quality of oral care delivered to mechanically ventilated patients; thereby, reducing the VAP rate. RESULTS: Improvement in oral health was demonstrated by a decrease in median scores on the Oral Assessment Guide (pre (11. 0), post (9. 0)). A t-test analysis revealed a statistically significant difference (p=0. 0002). The frequency of oral care documentation also improved as demonstrated by a positive shift to the more frequent timeframes. The VAP rates have decreased by 50% following the EBP education Literature Search 4 ntervention. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of an EBP educational program focused on patient outcome rather than a task to be performed improved the quality of oral care delivered by the nursing staff. Carolyn L. , Cason, Tracy, Tyner. , Sue, Saunders, Lisa, Broom. , 2007. Nurses Implementation of Guidelines for Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. AACN. Retrieved from ajcc. aacnjournals. org on March 1, 2012. Abstract †¢ Background Ventilator-associated pneumonia accounts for 47% of infections in patients in intensive care units.Adherence to t he best nursing practices recommended in the 2003 guidelines for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should reduce the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia. †¢ Objective To evaluate the extent to which nurses working in intensive care units implement best practices when managing adult patients receiving mechanical ventilation. †¢ Methods Nurses attending education seminars in the United States completed a 29-item questionnaire about the type and frequency of care provided. †¢ Results Twelve hundred nurses completed the questionnaire.Most (82%) reported compliance with hand-washing guidelines, 75% reported wearing gloves, half reported elevating the head of the bed, a third reported performing subglottic suctioning, and half reported having an oral care protocol in their hospital. Nurses in hospitals with an oral care protocol reported better compliance with hand washing and maintaining head-of-bed el evation, were more likely to regularly provide oral care, and were more familiar with rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia and the organisms involved than were nurses working in hospitals without such protocols.Literature Search5 †¢ Conclusions The guidelines for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are not consistently or uniformly implemented. Practices of nurses employed in hospitals with oral care protocols are more often congruent with the guidelines than are practices of nurses employed in hospitals without such protocols. Significant reductions in rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia may be achieved by broader implementation of oral care protocols. Grap, Mary. ,Munro, Cindy. , Hummel, Russel. , Jessica. Elswick, and Sessler Curtis. 2005. Effect of Backrest Elevation on the Development of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia. AACN. Retrieved from ajcc. aacnjournals. org on March 3, 2012. Abstract †¢ Background Ventilator-associated pneumonia is a common complication of mechanical ventilation. Backrest position and time spent supine are critical risk factors for aspiration, increasing the risk for pneumonia. Empirical evidence of the effect of backrest positions on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia, especially during mechanical ventilation over time, is limited. Objective To describe the relationship between backrest elevation and development of ventilator-associated pneumonia. †¢ Methods : It is a nonexperimental, longitudinal, descriptive design was used. The Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score was used to determine ventilator-associated pneumonia. Backrest elevation was measured continuously with a transducer system. Data were obtained from laboratory results and medical records from the start of mechanical ventilation up to 7 days. †¢ Results Sixty-six subjects were monitored (276 patient days).Mean backrest elevation for the entire study period was 2 1. 7 °. Backrest elevations were less than 30 ° 72% of the time and less than 10 ° 39% of the time. The mean Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score increased but not significantly, and backrest elevation had no direct effect on mean scores. A model for predicting the Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score at day 4 included baseline score, percentage of time spent at less than 30 ° on study day 1, and score on the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, explaining 81% of the variability (F=7. 1, P=. 003). Literature Search 3 †¢ Conclusions Subjects spent the majority of the time at backrest elevations less than 30 °. Only the combination of early, low backrest elevation and severity of illness affected the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Amelia Ross. (2006). The impact of an evidence-based practice education program on the role of oral care in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Retrieved from, www. elsevierhealth. com/journals/iccn. on March 2, 2012.Abstract BACKGROUND: Despite strong evidence in the literature on the role of oral care in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), nurses continue to view oral care as a comfort measure with low priority and utilize foam swabs rather than toothbrushes. Although an evidence-based oral care protocol existed and best-practice oral care tools were available, the VAP rates had not significantly decreased even though nurses reported providing oral care. OBJECTIVES:The aim of the study was to determine if an evidence-based practice (EBP) educational program would improve the quality of oral care delivered to mechanically ventilated patients; thereby, reducing the VAP rate. RESULTS: Improvement in oral health was demonstrated by a decrease in median scores on the Oral Assessment Guide (pre (11. 0), post (9. 0)). A t-test analysis revealed a statistically significant difference (p=0. 0002). The frequency of oral care documentation also improved as demonstrated by a positive shift to the more frequent timeframes. The VAP rates have decreased by 50% following the EBP education Literature Search 4 ntervention. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of an EBP educational program focused on patient outcome rather than a task to be performed improved the quality of oral care delivered by the nursing staff. Carolyn L. , Cason, Tracy, Tyner. , Sue, Saunders, Lisa, Broom. , 2007. Nurses Implementation of Guidelines for Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. AACN. Retrieved from ajcc. aacnjournals. org on March 1, 2012. Abstract †¢ Background Ventilator-associated pneumonia accounts for 47% of infections in patients in intensive care units.Adherence to the best nursing practices recommended in the 2003 guidelines for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should reduce the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia. †¢ Objective To evaluate the extent to which nurses working in intensive care units implement best practices when managing adult patients receiving mechanical ventilation. †¢ Methods Nurses attending education seminars in the United States completed a 29-item questionnaire about the type and frequency of care provided. †¢ Results Twelve hundred nurses completed the questionnaire.Most (82%) reported compliance with hand-washing guidelines, 75% reported wearing gloves, half reported elevating the head of the bed, a third reported performing subglottic suctioning, and half reported having an oral care protocol in their hospital. Nurses in hospitals with an oral care protocol reported better compliance with hand washing and maintaining head-of-bed elevation, were more likely to regularly provide oral care, and were more familiar with rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia and the organisms involved than were nurses working in hospitals without such protocols.Literature Search5 †¢ Conclusions Th e guidelines for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are not consistently or uniformly implemented. Practices of nurses employed in hospitals with oral care protocols are more often congruent with the guidelines than are practices of nurses employed in hospitals without such protocols. Significant reductions in rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia may be achieved by broader implementation of oral care protocols.

Working Effectively Within the Community Sector

-*-++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ What you have to do Choose a Community Services organisation and research the current issues influencing service delivery by answering the questions below based on your research. The organisation should belong to one of the following sectors: ? Home and community care ? Disability services, or ? Aged care Tip: Refer to the Assessment Tips document on the OLS under Assessment Information (you will locate this next to where you downloaded this assignment) Please reference your work.Referencing guides are available on the OLS under Assessment Guidelines. Task A –The Community Services Industry (CSI) Questions Name a Community Service organisation that you wish to research. Brightwater is the organisation chosen for this assignment. Brightwater belong to the private sector providing a diverse range of services, including; community care for older people, both at- home and residential, respite care, rehabilitation services, mobility equipment, transitional care and care for people with disabilities from 18 to 65yrs.Additionally, Brightwater are a part of Brightwater group who also provides services to larger corporations including mining companies, with whom they offer cleaning, linen and catering services. The Target Group: a. Describe the characteristics of this sector’s target group (50 words). The target group will be the frail elderly who are living in residential care. Residential care is a service provided to people in need of supervision and care in a variety of areas including meals, mobility assistance, transport, support with everyday living, medication assistance and management, rehabilitation and social activities.Their ages range from 70 to over a hundred years old. Identify the current needs of this sector’s target group (50 words). Current needs include ongoing need to access and equity, correct staffing numbers with appropriate training inclusive of ongoing work improvement train ing and assessing. Keeping informed on current legislation and policy so as to apply for possible funding as well as take action aligned with policies thus enabling long term benifits. . Outline any changing needs of this target group (50 words). You are required to research changing needs of your target group with examples eg funding, staffing, meals, transport. d. Identify examples of how your selected organisation meets the current needs of the target group. What are the Roles and Functions of your Organisation? The roles and functions of Brightwater cover a complex array of tasks involved in caring for elderly residents.Caring for the elderly involves coordinating staff management, medication and nursing management, volunteer management, traineeships and education, food and meal preparation, continuous monitoring of residents nutritional needs and ability to feed themselves or help required, correct documentation procedures, assistance with mobility, promoting services in which improve quality of life, independence, health and wellbeing (Aged Care in Australia 2012). 5. Access and Equity: a. Describe what principles access and equity cover. 1.Tafe NWS, Aged Care In Australia states that access and equity are â€Å"important parts of a social justice strategy that attempts to help disadvantaged groups gain equal opportunities by devising special services to improve accessibility†. Subsequently, people have easier access to previously hard to obtain items, or, situations are made easier for them. Examples include, ramps into buildings or places and posters in languages other than English (Aged Care In Australia 2012) or a job advertisement will welcome disabled people, aboriginals or women to apply.Furthermore, access and equity principles rest on the foundation of all people being equal, no matter their nationality, religion, appearance, sex, sexual preference etc are equally entitled to accessing education, services, housing etc. b. Identify example s of how your selected organisation demonstrates access and equity. Brightwater has posters in languages other than English, promoting services such as the mobile library times and emergency fire procedures.Additionally, access ramps are available at all convenient locations. Furthermore, Brightwater adheres to standards set by legislation and their organisations procedures in relation to cultural awareness, sharing information, occupational health and safety 6. Improving Work Practices: A) Describe ways that an organisation can improve work practices. Improving work practices is often a requirement as a part of government funding processes (Aged Care in Australia 2012) and quality improvement is another term for this process.Quality improvement is an evaluative process undertaken with particular focus on accreditation or other general guidelines, to improve work performance along a range of criteria with the goal being to provide services of high standards, assess workers and proce dures against industry standards, and maintain principles of continuous improvement (Aged Care in Australia 2012). An organisation can improve work practices through evaluation; observation, statistical analysis, interviews, focus groups, surveys, report writing and questionaries can help with this process (CHCCS411a; Reader LO 10138).Examples include, organisations complying with legislation, regular staff meetings focussing on goals, outcomes and progress, continuous hazard checks, equipment checks, reporting and acting on ideas for improvement, complying with safety procedures etc. B) Identify examples of how your selected organisation strives to improve work practices. An example of Brightwaters improved practice strategies include, weekly case studies on residents.Staff are rostered each week to write and read their case study during the handover meeting at the end of shift and a discussion is then held focussing on progress and reassessment. Another opportunity for a. Name at least four legislative Acts that this service must adhere to for this particular service. 1. Aged care act (1997) 2. Anti-discrimination Act 1997 (NSW) 3. Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 (NSW) 4. Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW) Task B -Self-reflection Questions 7. Why is it important to reflect on your own work practices?It is important for workers to reflect on their own work practices in order to achieve their full potential. Reader LO 10139 (2009) states † all workers need to evaluate themselves and think about possible changes in their work performance if they want to be effective workers and stay enthusiastic about their work. Furthermore, to be an effective worker consists of cultivating a learning culture which includes; reflection, ongoing evaluation, openness to change, openness to diversity and continuous improvement. . Under the following headings, provide examples of ways that you could get feedback and monitor your own work performance. Formal methods: request formal feedback/ assessment/ performance appraisal from your supervisor or work colleagues (reader LO10139 2009). For example if there is a particularly challenging area the worker has been dealing with, then this might be a good area to request feedback on. Informal methods: request feedback on your work performance from work colleagues and/or supervisor. 9.Under the following headings, provide examples of various work practices from the Community Services Industry that you could reflect on. : all organisations have a range of skills an knowledge essential for staff to develop and maintain ( cert IV in disabilities: reader LO 10139 ). Knowledge: Through intellectually aquiring knowledge or through experience, knowing your organisations work policies and procedures is an important job requirement. For example, being able to recall the procedure for a fire drill.Skills: applying in the work place the work policies and procedures. For example, knowing that two people are requ ired when lifting an aged care resident or having first aid knowledge in case of an emergency are important skills to have. Attitudes: understanding how your personal attitude and values effects can impact on work will give you the opportunity to review and change outdated ideas. For example a person may believe Chinese are evil due to wartime stories and treat all Asians with a negative attitude.Then they may work with an Asian girl and realize this isn't true. Consequently a review on our attitudes can alert us to old ideas which may lead to a poor work performance. 10. From your responses to question 9: Identify and discuss an area where you would like professional development. First Aid is a skill I would like personally to have as its valued in the caring industry. Find a professional development opportunity which addresses this area that you would like professional 11. From your responses to question 10: development in. . Name the professional organisation that offers the prof essional development opportunity. â€Å"Training Course Experts† b. Title of the workshop/course or development that is offered. Senior First Aid Course c. Costs of the training. $130 d. Details of the workshop including the dates, location, hours, delivery method. Thursday 21st March 2013 Suite 5, 3 Aberdeen street, Northbridge WA 6003 8. 30am – 4. 30pm Delivery method includes external delivery of the theory and 1 day classroom practical.

Human Relations - Conflict Resolution - Heitler Essay

Human Relations - Conflict Resolution - Heitler - Essay Example This book is primarily for therapists, who deal with different types of conflicts in human relations. The main idea of this book focuses on comprehensive and integrative perspective about human psychology. Heitler points out that emotional stress leads to conflict. So, the best possible way to resolve conflict is to identify the reason behind emotional stress and to take remedial measures to avoid it in future. The idea to analyze conflict between couples and strategies to assist them aims to resolve conflicts in family settings. Author makes an intangible distinction between concerns and solutions on conflict resolution. It deals with diverse theories on personality, psychotherapy, relationships and provides clear cut guidelines to tackle problems faced in therapeutic practice. It is important to note that this work deals with the integration of system perspectives, cognitive and behavioral methodologies and traditional views of personality and therapy. The author pays particular at tention to problem solving methods and strategies, which are really valuable in family settings and therapeutically effective. Another important topic is the five basic conflict strategies: fight, submit, freeze, flee, and problem solving which evaluates canine behavior, its human equivalent and its emotional results. It pays particular attention to conflict resolution and is really valuable for a therapist to diagnose the problem and to an individual to realize his/her self. The author observes the importance of conflict resolution between couples. It insists couples to focus on the reason behind conflict. For instance, if one focuses on conflict resolution, the reason behind it may be ignored. Most of the therapists and theorists concentrate on conflict resolution, not on its cause. Author points out this fault and concentrates on the emotional stress behind each conflict. The most useful strategy discussed is the

Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Buddhism - Essay Example And finally, of the existence of suffering Buddha refers to the fact that we will always experience some sort of sorrow or dissatisfaction in our lives part of obtaining personal peace or inner peace is accepting that.The idea that suffering exists from day one being born causes pain and suffering, getting disease causes pain and suffering, the decay of time causes pain and suffering, and ultimately death causes pain and suffering. The point is that there are so many things going on in life that cause suffering and many of them cannot be avoided. The second truth is â€Å"suffering comes from desire†. There are many forms of suffering that comes from wanting something or thinking that something is necessary, suffering can also come from stress,...Theravada (Ancient Doctrine) is a relatively conservative Buddhist tradition, which exclusively bases its doctrines and traditions on the commentaries of PÄ li Canon (Scriptures). Initially, the monk transmitted its scriptures orall y until the fourth council decided to write them down. It was during this time that Theravada flourished. Of the three Buddhist traditions, Theravada is the oldest. Its practice on the Indian subcontinent declined; however, its practice persists in South East Asia and Srilanka. Followers of the Theravada tradition believed that the realization of rebirth occurred through personal effort. They emulated practices of their monks who followed Vinaya, which encompassed meditation, teaching and offering services to the communities.

Explain the causes and results of the punic wars Research Paper - 1

Explain the causes and results of the punic wars - Research Paper Example The Punic Wars are recorded to be one of the greatest clashes recorded in History. In those times, it took place between the two most powerful empires: The Rome and The Carthage. The Punic wars are said to have extended for almost a century, most likely 264-146BC.1 These wars till date are the most profound evidence of struggle for power and one of the most ancient example of security dilemma. With Romans at the peak of expanding their Empire at this time, and the Carthage with their strongest naval force were bound to come across someday cause growth of one of them was a direct threat for another one. The Punic wars were extremely deadly and there was a reason as to why they were kept such an account of. These wars seem to have started the trend of mighty rivalries and wars that go on for years and years. An event that surely put a stamp on the pages of history, the following paper presents an analysis on the Punic wars and the causes of what brought on this event in History and its repercussions. As far as the Punic wars are concerned, nobody expected them to happen, these wars weren’t anticipated. Surprising as it sounds, the scale on which these wars took place are less likely to take place out of the blue. The Romans and Carthaginians were bounded in peace treaties for almost two centuries2. No problems were witnessed by the commoners; hence it was even the more unsettling as to what caused these wars. (First Punic War, 264-241 BC 2013) That lasted until they realized the security dilemma: to strike first or to wait for sudden strike. However, what happened was witnessed by everyone and its suddenness soon disappeared with the enmity that took over. The Punic wars comprised of three conflict periods, the first and second one being the longer ones lasting for seventeen and twenty-three years. 3 The Punic Wars were instigated with the dispute on the island of Sicily

Computer technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Computer technology - Essay Example Computer systems consist of both software and hardware. The hardware components are tangible components of the system: main memory, CPU, peripherals such as monitor, video display etc (Gookin 2006). Software part is the set of instructions that define what the actions of the computer hardware (Alagar and Peryasammy 2011). Typically a computer requires both the system software Minimum user requirements Fred, Barry and Jane need a Single PC for their gaming needs. Frankly, there are no many options for a PC with the minimum requirements they desire that can go for the price in their budget estimate of 350. For a gaming PC no existing integrated graphics acceleration cards can handle the processing requirements of the game. In this case a graphics processor that is dedicated will still be required. OS: Windows Vista or Windows 7 Processor: Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz or Althon X2 2.7 GHz RAM: 2GB Graphic card: DirectX 10 or 11 compatible Nvidia or AMD ATI card, ATI Radeon 3870 or higher, Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT or higher. Graphics card memory: 512 MB Sound card: DirectX compatible sound card Hard drive: 15 GB for disc version or 10 GB for digital version Fig. 1 Complete desktop computer The retailer has the option of making a choice between several brands, manufacturers of computers; Dell, Hewlett Packard and IBM. In my assessment I would recommend a machine that is high performing with the functionality that can well fit the gaming requirements. Since the budget constraints the selections, the best option is to go for the components that are most important in supporting gaming requirements. The computer features most essential for a gaming machine are; processor, graphics card, internal memory and hard disk capacity. Compromising on other desired features such as sound will not harm the game and the advantage will be the cost cuts. Justification Quad-Core Processor Though lesser processors such as dual-core are cheaper and within the budget, the ability of a quad core to s upport a larger number of tasks at the same time is a must for serious gaming. This is a good processor will help the computers to run effectively. The processor is the brain of the computer and controls most of the work done by the PC. For gaming requirements, multimedia multitasking, for example video recording while browsing will give a more pleasant experience. Processors are generally defined by their speed - in megahertz (MHz) or in gigahertz (GHz) - and it relates to the number of operations they can perform per second. The higher the value, the faster the PC will perform and the more expensive it generally is. I will recommend the Quad-Core AMD Opteronâ„ ¢ Processor with Direct Connect Architecture are designed to deliver industry leading power efficiency, optimal virtualization, outstanding performance, and low TCO - all within a consistent footprint and thermal envelopes. Fig. 2 Central processing unit AMD Phenomâ„ ¢ X4 Quad-Core Processors is a true quad-core perfor mance for the way gaming multi-task today, and for the next-generation applications that will be needed in the near future. Stable commercial AMD Phenomâ„ ¢ X4 quad-core processors offer industry-leading platform stability and longevity, investment protection, and the exceptional performance you expect from AMD. In addition, the processor comes with unique features for energy efficiency ‘AMD’ (2011). Random Access Memory (RAM) The computers will need about 4 gigabytes of memory so that they can run

Types of organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Types of organizations - Essay Example Although the world and its intelligent inhabitants have progressed greatly in these years, the importance and magnitude of innovation has been a constant factor. Even in this highly compact, globalized, industrialized culture, we need a constant burst of innovation to keep the society from going back into ultimate regression. A society that does not move forward goes backward. The reason is the constant competition, which is peculiar to the capitalist world economy. Societies, which cease to innovate, lag behind than those who keep changing for the better. Thus, in totality, they regress (Knights, 2003). Familiar with the importance of innovation in modern times, it is important to emphasize the central role it plays in the organizational settings. All sorts of organizations across the world need to keep their pace with the ever-expanding world economy. With more and more people joining the competition and striving for an upward financial mobility, the instinct to bring out something new and unique than others is of paramount importance. Companies that cannot stand out from their competitors do not survive. It is not difficult to comprehend then, that recruiters look out for candidates who stand out and have an ability to offer something new, something unique than their counterparts (Argyris, 1965). Anyhow, this paper attempts to expand on impact of innovation on organizations by evaluating three different types of organizations, namely armed forces, universities and non-governmental organizations and the role, innovation or innovative individuals play in their working. Armed forces are the most crucial part of a state. Although, popular notions about army makes one think that they are the most rigid structures available with the least amount of spaces for innovation. However, opposite is true. Army operates in times of war where all forces thrive on their estimation of the enemy’s strategies and it is at this front that innovation saves the day. By stra tegizing innovatively, the armed force can escape the estimations made by the enemy and save them a defeat. An innovative captain will save his army and land by placing his army men at spots where they are least expected. University is a place where ideas are born and tested. It is, in fact, the home of all innovations. It is also a place, which keeps changing. With an influx of new sets of students every year, a university has to keep revising its policies, criteria, and strategies to cater to the changing needs of the student body. A rigid system of education will only produce students who will not be able to survive the new world that they have been blinded from. For example, imagine what will happen if a medical, school teaches an outdated method to its students which is recently deemed dangerous. Those who were apt enough to stay updated with the new technology and learn the new methods will leave behind the doctors who did not. Finally, an NGO is one place where one cannot do without innovation. The reason being, innovation resides at the very core of the ideology at which the whole NGO industry is built up. This underlying ideology is to provide innovative solutions to the problems faced by the deprived people of developing nations. The need for innovation is crucial because the people approached by the NGOs

Chase Management and Leadership Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Chase Management and Leadership - Term Paper Example me time, JPMorgan must determine the best method to satisfy foreign customers with vastly different needs and lifestyle values in an ever-changing and adaptable work environment. This requires dedication to setting up a healthier organizational culture built on teamwork and trust as primary principles for the business. This paper describes the role of manager versus leader at JPMorgan Chase, the process of maintaining a healthy organizational culture, and offers strategies on how to support a vigorous and dedicated team of professionals. The roles of traditional manager and that of an internal leader are significantly different in today’s fast-paced, international business environments. The role of manager is that of planning new operational activities and delegation of employee responsibilities, including assessment of financial data through management accounting. In the role of manager at JPMorgan Chase, this would include reviewing strategic plans, developing risk management policies, and considering the scope of major capital investments (Epstein & Roy, 2010). This role is primarily operational and strategic in nature, assessing long-term strategies and then aligning internal staff to meet these mandated goals. The role of manager in this financial institution is also setting a series of control practices, such as new employee policies, to ensure that all members of the organizational staff are performing their job roles effectively and considering proper allocation of organizational resources both budget ary and human resources-related. Management is a process-minded and procedural role with considerable employee oversight. In an organization like JPMorgan Chase, it involves a transactional focus, which is offering contingent reward to high performers based on their individual or group performance for meeting corporate goals (Judge & Piccolo, 2004). In this role, at a company like JPMorgan, these activities include monitoring changes in financial

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE - Essay Example A deep yearning for perfection constantly stirs my motivation, and coupled with my commitment, it keeps pushing me through new thresholds of research and study. Therefore, to embark upon a path of continued education and development I became an active member of the Taiwan Marketing Society. This offered me a platform for further studies and enabled me to carry out research. I have thus, together with other members, been able to submit several research papers in a variety of topics. I have chosen to apply for a PhD in Marketing because of my continued interest and involvement with this area of study, and I believe I have much to contribute to this area of research and its impact. Should my application be accepted, I am keen to join this programme as early as possible, latest by Autumn of 2007. I wished to make a substantial contribution in my field through writing and research and this is motivated me for the PhD programme. This is what encouraged and motivated me to study harder, and more importantly, to study smarter. I earned many awards and distinctions during my studies at Switzerland. My areas of studies were in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry and in a broader context, in the service sector and consumer behaviours. I did a Diploma in Hotel Operation from Hospitality College, Lausanne, Switzerland and a Bachelor of Science Degree in International Hotel & Tourism from International Hotel and Tourism College, Lucerne, Switzerland. Since my return to my country of origin, I have completed my Masters in Business Administration (MBA) specializing in Global Marketing Groups from National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. I have chosen to study Marketing for the Ph.D. program, because of my continued interest in, and involvement with this area of study, I have chosen to apply for entrance to the Ph.D. Marketing Program,

Wk6 case brief con law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Wk6 case brief con law - Essay Example This was the police from Kentucky Lexington-Fayette Urban County. Upon arrival at the door, their suspicion were confirmed to be true when they smelt marijuana. They also announced their presence at the door while notifying the occupant of their intent to get into the house. According to the fourth amendment, a search must be reasonable to allow exploration without a warrant if a probable cause remains established with particularity. After hearing a sound from inside the house, which suggested destruction of evidence, the police struck the door as loud as possible to inform the occupants of their entry. It is also a fact that, upon entry, the police found illegal Paraphernalia. They also found the defendant, King enjoying his marijuana in a sofa set. In addition, they also found cocaine in plenty in the house. This led to the arrest of defendant King giving reference to the United States laws which prohibit possession of such drugs. However, king filed a case to suppress all the evid ence due to the non-formal entry of the police. The main issue of controversy in the court proceedings is the means of evidence acquisition. This is after the defendant king filed a hearing to suppress the evidence. This is because the police entered the premises without a search warrant. Consequently, the nature of announcing their presence in the premises although reasonable, violated the fourth amendment. In addition, the seizure and search caused exigency of circumstance. This prompted reaction from the defendant hence producing the sound heard by the police. Another issue, which brings controversy between the defendant and respondent, is the fact that the police did through investigation. In as much as they had sufficient information to acquire a warrant of arrest, they went ahead to search the house. In the fourth amendment, the means of arresting and conducting searches play an imperative role in shaping a courts verdict. The Fayette County

Journal Writing Essay Example for Free

Journal Writing Essay Week 1 – Reflective Journal This was my first day in class for the unit Co Ordinate the Work Environment. Amongst the class mates each one introduced the self to others, and Adrian as a teacher for the unit introduced himself to all of us. Today’s lecture was based on housekeeping and overview of unit outline. I learned about different ways to contribute and practise effective workplace practises. I also learned about different leadership styles. I felt good throughout the class as I was an active participant in all topics. I felt good about taking on the knowledge about learning and sustaining workplace ethics and self morale. I believe that this knowledge will help during my job times. Week 2 – Reflective Journal In today’s session I learned about developing and implementing work plans. The idea behind is to integrate into and build a healthy, trustworthy and reliable relationship with colleagues. I listened the whole session carefully, gave my opinion at right time and respected to the opinion shared by other students. I also learned about how at a workplace we can maximise the performance and outcomes and yes how can i forget the amazing organisational theories, boring but important. I took proper notes throughout the session and kept myself attentive till the end. Week 3 – Reflective journal In this week’s class I learned about implementing various strategies to ensure that the communication in a workplace is effective. I think the information was very necessary to develop my own level of understanding of initiating and sustaining a healthy communication amongst colleagues. I also learned about different ways of resolving the conflicts at the workplace if and when they arise. I personally would always be proactive about it however at any times if i do face any such conflicts then the knowledge that I received today will help a lot. Week 4 – Reflective Journal This week Adrian told us about workplace environment in regards of the resistance, different ways to deal with it and how we can bring a change in an organisation. I think this week’s session was very important from the academic perspective but also will help me in future in my carrier. I was active throughout the session. We also talked about the decision making process that takes place in everywhere and i felt good about that how important all this info was. Week 5 – Reflective Journal This week’s class was the interesting one because i learned about how important it is to always add on to our existing skills and knowledge by undertaking various training workshops related to same work. It was good to learn that taking such training lessons keeps us synchronised with the latest in the world and that these should not be neglected. Then we were also taught about different ways how we can monitor our own progress and appraisals. I felt this week’s session was very important and the knowledge delivered will help me in future. Week 6 – Reflective Journal This week was an important time in class as i had my first assignment for this unit due. The assignment was to make a report on the overview of any organisation related with the same sector. While making the assignment and reflecting on various areas of the organisation i realised that it included mostly a lot of things that we covered in class and i was glad because i already had them in my mind and my notes.

McDonalds Change Management Case Study

McDonalds Change Management Case Study In this report I will analyze the handling of a significant change that occurred in McDonalds few years back, how the management and other employees reacted to this change, how the resistance was handled, what were the major factors that led this change happen and to what extent the change was successful in achieving companys objectives. It is very important for organizations to prepare themselves for the changes that they may have to face in order to compete with the latest development that is happening within and outside their environment. However these changes can bring many improvements and progress to that organization in certain aspects. For example it may be helpful for making the work easier; it can open ways for future innovations and can also help to generally improve peoples life. Colin Carnall (2002) The primary purpose of my report is to provide insights about the change management process in McDonalds that occurred recently and evaluate the outcome of implementing it. Moreover to highlight any resistance associated with it and how it was overcome by the management. SECTION 1 1.1 A Little about McDonalds McDonalds started its operations in 1954. As everybody is now familiar with the clown character which is Ronald McDonald, that has been designed as the trademark for the company. McDonalds restaurants offer a uniform menu to a large extent, including hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, French fries, salads, milk shakes, desserts and ice cream sundaes. The companys top sellers are the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder with cheese, the Fillet-o-Fish and Chicken McNuggets. The customer target of McDonalds is usually children and young people. 1.2 Brief description of the recent change occurred in McDonalds Though McDonalds has a reputable brand image and a memorable history of previous achievements, yet management at McDonalds started feeling that the growing population has developed different nutritional attitude and behaviours as they are extremely different from the population of the previous decades. They felt a severe need to redefine the image of McDonalds and repositioning the brand in the minds of customers as people today are more concerned with their health and figures than ever before. Since last few years peoples perception about McDonalds food has changed considerably, as they feel that it provides greasy food which is very high in fats and more expensive than its competitors, whereas the competitors have already made measures to reduce fats in their products and also provide less expensive meals. Moreover McDonalds had to face a considerable loss few years back as the consumers began to switch to its competitors, such as Burger King, Subway and KFC for the reason that the y offer fresher and high quality food at comparatively lower price with faster service. In order to keep gaining the market share and retaining its customers McDonalds had to respond to the changing behaviour of consumers. Furthermore, noticing that the obesity issue in the UK is getting serious and complex, McDonalds received a big challenge to implement certain changes the soonest possible time. Understanding the changing behaviour of its consumers and the health-conscious factor prevailing in the market, Management finally decided to implement a new integrated marketing communication plan as part of their marketing strategy that mainly involved innovations in their advertising and promotional campaigns focussing on changing the customers perception for McDonalds food quality. 1.3 Main Objectives in making this change The main objectives of McDonalds for adapting to the changing demand of its customers were: Implementation of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) plan as part of their marketing strategy. Providing a balanced diet and an active lifestyle Operating with freedom to adapt practices to local markets, and to share best practices internationally between restaurants, markets and countries, while holding on to a common brand identity Innovation in advertising and promotional campaigns To be the customers favourite place and way to eat Effectively tackling the obesity Adopting a new health-conscious brand image Meeting the latest trend of health awareness and the growing concern in obesity among the children and target market Introducing a new, separate low-fat menu for children Changing the public image of McDonalds Maintaining the traditional efficiency of fast food restaurant and provide comfortable environment to customers. 2.1 Main Drivers of the change Like most big companies, McDonalds engages with a variety of different stakeholders in the countries where it operates, as well as monitoring all pending political initiatives. McDonalds is a large multinational business with many stores on high streets and in shopping centres across the country. As such, the company is affected by the external factors that impact all retail business in UK. The main drivers of this change are described as under: Environmental Shifts Changing social needs and market demands of customers Increased awareness in people about health and food consumption and safety Emerging diet programs that encourages public to be figure conscious Growing concern in obesity among target market Latest trends of health awareness Technological Changes Innovation by the competitors Developments in technology Economic trends and developments Market Competition consumer confidence local environment competitive pressure 2.2 Explaining the need for change using appropriate framework Above are the main derivers that created a need for changing the brand image of McDonalds over the last few years. Below I will explain in detail using models and frameworks as to how these drivers created the need for this change which took place. 2.2.1 PESTEL ANALYSIS In this section, I will explain the all the factors (drivers) of this change with the use of the Pestel Analysis that comprises of political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors that combine to be the main reason for bringing a change in an organisation. (P)olitical factors McDonalds just like other organizations follow certain rules and regulations imposed by the government. For that reason they need to obey all the policies in order to achieve their organizational goals. The UK government is very particular about health and safety of its people and have set some standards to be met by every food chain in order to keep the business running so McDonalds had to bring this change of repositioning itself in its consumers minds so as to give them a positive image of their food quality and price. (E)conomic factors Due to the heavy slump in the economy, people have become much more price sensitive than ever before. Every single penny counts a lot now. Therefore they want to spend for the quality food that matches their demand, in other words they want return of every single penny they pay and that return includes the quality and satisfaction. These changing economic trends actually affected the profitability in terms of value for money and highly created a need for McDonalds to adapt itself to the changing market demand and standards. (S)ocial factors Social factors include the changing lifestyle of people which has made them more health conscious and safety sensitive. In case of food chain, demographics play an important role to affect the market conditions. Therefore, the age group which is the main target market for McDonalds is between 10-50yrs that includes children and young people who are truly becoming more aware of diet planning day by day due to the increased information available to them through various research planners and diet programs that encourage them to be figure conscious. This changing style of target market was a big challenge for McDonalds to keep itself running successfully that could only be achieved by adapting itself to the environmental change and delivering what customer actually demands from them. (T)echnological factors Advancement in technology has too much affected the mindset of people. As the technology evolves so does the human behaviour. With the use of internet and information technology, people have become more aware and active. They have got a quick access to all types of information, be it diet planning or education or environment or safety or any other issue. Developments in technology highly demands from businesses to evolve themselves as and when required by their consumers and same was the case with McDonalds. (E)nvironmental Environment is a very vital part of every business. McDonalds faces a tough competition by its competitors including Subway, KFC and Burger King. Realizing that its competitors are evolving their business according to the changing lifestyle of customers, McDonalds was forced to take prompt decision in order to beat the competition and staying ahead of it. (L)egal Legal factors involved the safety regulations as set by the government for all food chains. These regulations are actually set keeping in mind the customers needs and are also monitored and improved on regular basis as per the changing lifestyle of consumers. Consumer protection is another factor that McDonalds is expected to consider while doing business as part of the legal bindings. SECTION 3 3.1 Evaluating the process of change management by McDonalds In this section I am going to evaluate the effectiveness of the process of change management by McDonalds. Their main aim was to change the mindset of the consumers and creating positive perception and image of McDonalds in their minds. Here I will use ADKAR model of change management to analyze the effectiveness of the process adopted by the management of McDonalds to bring this change in place. This model comprises of five key goals including awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement. Below is the in depth analysis of the change management process of McDonalds. 3.1.1 ADKAR MODEL OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT Awareness Awareness helps the company to realise and feel the need for bringing certain change that is why it is considered as a basic tool for innovation. In this case, when management felt that their sales started going down they tried to look for the reasons and found that the living style and needs of their target market has evolved. They realised that people have become too much health conscious, which is why they started to consider the fast food as unhealthy and greasy food. This gave them the awareness about the lifestyle of their target market and their changing demands. Desire Desire relates to the strength of McDonalds to participate and support the change. It is quite understood that every organization wants to excel in the market by making huge profits and customer satisfaction so does McDonalds. With the economic development there has been a great change in peoples living standard as they have become more concerned about their health issues. Realizing this, the management at McDonalds responded to the changing demands of its customers in a very supportive way, and was successful to handle the resistance by other staff members. Knowledge It was important for McDonalds to have knowledge of how to change itself in order to match with the changing market demand. Once it was aware of the changing behaviour of the target market and was ready to adopt a change, management focused on what they needed to do in order to retain and satisfy the customers in the long run. The external factors including the competitors strengths and the changing consumers behaviour gave McDonalds, knowledge of what exactly to be done to make it stable and running. Ability McDonalds ability to implement the change can be analyzed by evaluating its goal and objectives. McDonalds goal was to implement Integrated marketing Campaign to adopt a new health-conscious image in the minds of customers. It focussed heavily on the advertising and promotional campaign of the company. The company decided to introduce a new low fat menu for children that would help them to overcome the growing bad publicity about McDonalds food for being rich in fat and to manage the obesity issue among children. Realizing the importance of consumers health, McDonalds introduced McKids Meals having both nutritional value and no fat thus making it different from the traditional McDonalds meals. Moreover the innovation in their Integrated Marketing Communication provided an effective advertising and public relations campaign to successfully introduce the new McDonalds to the public. Moreover they introduced McChicken Premiere and a zesty chicken to satisfy customers desire for good quality products at affordable prices. To keep the children, it also started to give more choices with Happy Meal including no-sugar-add fruit drink that is a low fat drink and also McDonalds coffee which appeals to adult. Furthermore McDonalds have responded in time to the changing healthy trend by adding salads and other lighter options in their menu. As children are one of the biggest consumers groups to McDonalds, therefore they paid considerable attention to them. They tried to provide a huge variety for children including the happy land with happy meals with toys. They believe that if they make themselves best suited for children, they can attract the whole family too. Finally the foundation for all above innovations was the Integrated Marketing Communication through the use of attractive advertising and promotional activities which could promote these new products in the market and made people aware of these innovations. These promotions were the basic tool for creating a positive perception in consumers minds for McDonalds and gaining their trust back. Therefore McDonalds created its new image in the market by the use of new advertisements and new theme I love it even more!. Reinforcement It was not enough to bring the change or adapt to the changing environment but it highly demanded from McDonalds to retain the change in the long run. That is why reinforcement of practicing and retaining that change played a vital role as post implementation of that change. McDonalds is quite successful to reinforce its employees to continuously practice retain their changed positive image in consumers minds. This was successfully done through positive encouragement and other rewards for the employees. 3.2 Resistance occurred in implementing this change Different people react differently to a change in the organisation. However it is important to accept this reality that resistance is always there in any form which may be there before, during or after the implementation of the change. McDonalds had to face certain conflicts and resistances in the process of bringing this change. This resistance came both from customers and McDonalds employees. Some of the employees were in favour of implementing Integrated Marketing Communication whereas some were against it and same was the case of customers as some of them opposed the change whereas others liked it. Overall the company faced following main conflicts/resistance: Different assessments of the situation Some managers and employees opposed it because they had a fear of the company being going into a loss if this implementation would not help to produce a positive result. They were confused that this change may make the problem more complicated and could make bad impression of McDonalds in customers minds instead of improving it. Moreover they were quite uncertain about the capability of the team that was dedicated by McDonalds to bring the required IMC (Integrated Marketing Communication) in place. They were thinking that the team may not be able to produce an effective quality due to lack of knowledge. Lack of communication and inadequate information The other resistance was related to the technological facilities being used by the McDonalds team. As employees thought that the systems that were used by the McDonalds team to implement IMC campaign might be downgraded due to the rapid advancement in the field of IT these days. Therefore they were very unsure whether the customers would have a positive reaction to their new campaign or not, which could result in not achieving the core objective of the change for McDonald as a whole. Low tolerance of change Another conflict among the managers was related to the experience of the team that was organized to help sustain the implementation of the changes. Some of the managers had a view that McDonalds may face a shortage of qualified workforce to keep up the capability of the marketing communication approach. Cultural differences among employees Another issue was the cultural differences among the staff that created some inner conflicts. Due to this the team may not function with proper co-ordination thus making the implementation of change be more complicated. Unwillingness to take risk Another resistance came from the staff was due to unwillingness to take risk. They were quite doubtful about the reaction of customers after the implementation of this change. Psychological resistance involved with new working challenge Management and employees were also resistant due to pressure of working with a new challenge and new environment. 3.3 How McDonalds managed the Resistance to change It was really a crucial phase for McDonalds to implement these changes and overcoming the resistance by employees and customers. Management knew that their plan would only be successful if they would be able to handle this resistance successfully as they knew that achieving their organisational goals entirely depends upon the way any resistance to it is managed. They had to obtain the strong support in sustaining the success as bringing the change is something that has to be a continuous process that needs equally important post implementation attention as well. However comprehending the whole scenario, McDonalds tried its best to overcome the resistance by adopting following techniques: Involving everyone in the process of change For McDonalds, the most important point to start with solving the resistance was to involve everyone in the change process so that everybody should undergo some learning experiences in order to understand and appreciate the objectives of that change. Management provided them complete information to let them understand the objectives in making this change so that they must realize and appreciate the importance of doing this and also let the employees feel that they are important in making this change successful. This helped McDonalds in gaining the support from the staff and overcoming their resistance. Face-to-face interaction to gain trust of employees The management created an environment where they can have face-to-face interaction with all employees to develop strong interpersonal relationships and trust. Providing enough time to employees It was important for the management to let employees understand the changing environment and required changes to be made accordingly. For that employees need to have tacit knowledge which comes from observation and experience so management tried to provide space to employees to learn from their experience and observe the surroundings. Providing updated technology to facilitate knowledge management As the management was responsible to implement this change so they decided to deteriorate all the negative responses related to the technology, by providing the customers, employees and staff their respective demands. For that they provided the staff with the technology that could last much longer. Moreover they facilitated them with systems that guaranteed long lasting functions in order to assure them that the technology they will be using is quite compatible with the latest development in the world of IT. Education and Communication Managers tried to educate and inform people about the change effort so as to why it was needed and the expected outcome of that change which would be for the betterment of the company and employees as well. This helped the employees to realize the logic in the change effort. It also reduced any doubts in their minds about the negative effects of the change. Training and follow-up programs for the team involved As far as the conflict was raised regarding the deficiency of the talented team that was designed to work for the marketing communication, McDonalds decided to conduct special follow-up programs for the staff that was involved in the said changes, which would enable them to receive proper training and development required to implement the required changes. Developing a thriving organizational culture To overcome the inner conflict that was raised due to differences in culture, the management of McDonald developed a thriving organizational culture and a stronger organization by proper management of the staff, providing them what they actually deserved in order to motivate them. They highly focussed on the proper handling of elements such as organizational design, compensation programs for employees, performance management and career path in order to motivate employees and create interest in them to word dedicatedly for the company and support them bringing this change. Furthermore, the human capital management of the McDonalds also incorporated a process to ensure equality among employees to make them feel an important part of the organization irrespective of their cultural differences. This helped them gaining employees loyalty and hard that not only helped the employees but also the organization. Overall McDonalds management was quite successful in handling the resistance and conflicts raised by employees and customers and they all participated and supported the implementation and helped McDonalds gain its positive image back. SECTION 4 4.1 Assessing the effectiveness of the Change in meeting its Objectives It was very important for McDonalds to handle the conflicts and resistance carefully because it is something which leads to the success or failure of the change for being properly handled or by being neglected otherwise. Therefore management of McDonalds understood the importance of handling the resistance properly in order to make the change occur successfully. However McDonalds was quite successful in implementing the change effectively and was able to meet its following objectives: Shifting the attitude of children Shifting the attitude of children about healthy fast food meals was not easy but through proper marketing communications and campaigns strong encouraging characteristics, management was quite successful in doing it. As parents are the one who are responsible for eating patterns of their children so McDonalds aim was to encourage parents about their new healthier food plans for children and let them enjoy McDonalds more than ever before. Positive Image Building McDonalds new image successfully created a place in minds of people as they could see the new advertisements of McDonalds at all types of media which let them associate with the brand in a more positive way than ever before. Through the new advertisements and new theme of I love it even more! McDonalds was successful in encouraging parents to let their children eat healthy meals. This helped them to achieve its main objective of positive image building. Creating a safe environment Moreover the management was able to implement the change effectively by creating a safe environment for change that encouraged all employees to support and stay committed to the organizational efforts in bringing the change to meet its overall objectives. This helped them to overcome all the conflicts raised by employees and customers, before and during the implementation of these changes. Gaining organizational strength and competitiveness This change also helped McDonalds to enhance its overall organizational strength and competitiveness by gaining customer loyalty back and positive image building of the brand. People started associating themselves again with McDonalds and started encouraging their children to eat McDonalds which was the core element for bringing this change. Expand the business portfolio Moreover it also encouraged the management to strengthen and expand its business portfolio and survive to the tough competition in the market. By gaining its customers back, McDonalds started to earn more market share as compared to its competitors which led them to enter new market with same brand and expand the business to be childrens most favourite place to eat and entertain themselves. 4.2 Assessing the need for any further changes As people are getting very particular about their health so it is necessary for McDonalds to retain its good image in minds of customers and to maintain its food quality and standard along with the prices. They may need to focus on producing low fat products and should think of entertaining children in a lot more other ways as well just like the play section they already have. They need to keep a proper check on the services of its competitors so as to manage it accordingly. McDonalds must try to maintain its services in order to cope up with the changing social needs and market requirements. Furthermore management at McDonalds should be able to carefully plan such innovation and they must use effective strategic tools to implement such change in future as well, this would help them to achieve its vision of a food industry that provides a health-conscious sub-image which is consistent with the latest trend in health awareness today and for the future. Moreover the management leaders at McDonalds should always try to monitor what is working and not working in the process of the organization change in order to implement the change effectively. Such changes will help McDonalds to enhance its competitiveness and strength. Whenever the management observes the need of any further change, then that is the only time, they must impose required changes to be done in order to save the company to undergo any downturn again. It is recommended that McDonalds must see to it that any further changes are well planned and implemented carefully, because these will be the basis for the success or failure of the organization. McDonalds must continuously review, update and improve its products according to the changing environment in order to ensure and enhance its competitiveness.

Canada: A contemporary biligual country

Canada: A contemporary biligual country Canada is one of the few countries in the world that is bilingual and is trying to stay that way. The government and its people have tried to give both languages equal status, but hardships ensue. The countrys bilingualism has historical roots, but creates several problems in the society today. The first official government action to help support bilingualism was in 1867 with the British North America Act. This provided the use of English and French in the legislative and judicial branches of the government. It also made a provision for denominational schools, for the Protestant anglophones and Catholic francophones were harboring unrest between each other. The next step was the Manitoba Act in 1870, which made French the official language in Quebec and Manitoba, but left out the French-speaking populations of Ontario and New Brunswick. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries legislation restricted French language education in the country and virtually eliminated it in the provinces and outside of Quebec. This created major unrest between the anglophone and francophone communities and further bipolarized the issue. The unrest continued until 1963 when the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism was established, whose official duty was to settle the language dis putes. The main recommendations were to offer public services in both languages in places where the minority language communities were large. Also, the Commission advocated that French become a language of work in the federal administration and that government documents should be provided in both languages. In 1969 the Official Languages Act was passed that became the cornerstone of institutional bilingualism. It stated that in Parliament and public service both languages had to be equally used. This also included all federal departments. In 1982 the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was passed which included further constitutional rights for both official languages. It also provided for the provinces and territories to set up schools for official language minorities. The Official Languages Act was passed again in 1988 when it was revised to include encouragement and financial aid to provincial governments from Ottawa. The success of bilingualism in the country depended largely on the provinces and how willing they were to implement these rules. In 1969 New Brunswick enacted its own Official Languages Act and became the first truly bilingual province. Ontario has been expanding its use of French in the local government where the majority of Franco-Ontarians live. Manitoba is moving to translate its statutes into French for the benefit of its francophone population. Quebec has recognized French as its official language since 1974. It is bilingual at the constitutional and federal level, but gives greater status to French at the provincial level[1].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 20th and 21st centuries have brought many changes to the bilingual policies in Canada. Legislation was passed to ensure official-language minority communities the rights to set-up and run their own schools and education programs. Also, the government has provided funds for second language instruction in both official languages in all the provinces and territories, giving large minority groups the chance to learn their official mother-tongue in schools. Another education program to support bilingualism is the French immersion program. This is provided for anglophone students mostly. The majority of classes the students take are taught in French starting from kindergarten or the first grade (early immersion) or junior high school (late immersion).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bilingualism has been the nest of much unrest between the anglophone and francophone communities for a long time. These two groups of peoples have a long history of struggle for territories and human rights. The anglophone community had always been in the majority and tended to dominate over the francophone community. This caused the French-speaking people to rebel against all English government policies and political ideas. Unfortunately there wasnt a very strong resistance because they lacked strong leaders and the Catholic Church in that area was not strong enough to unite the people. In the 1860s the francophone community started to gain strength by gathering to form a strong political party, the Conservative Party. This helped them gain grounds for social and cultural gains. When the province of Quebec was created they gained even greater strength. There the francophone community took steps to ensure that the English-speaking community would not be able to cr eate a British Canadian national state. Quebec and the central government clashed on all major political issues in the 20th century. This led to the Quiet Revolution in the 1960s. A strong nationalist movement swept through Quebec and helped reshape the francophone communities place in Canadas government. It was then that the idea of secession first rose. Although the government took steps to settle with Quebec over this issue and to better integrate French into the whole countrys federal system, this remains a highly controversial topic[2].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today several issues have risen in connection with the governments bilingual policy. Although Canada has two official languages, English and French, there are still struggles to implement the equal use of them within the country. This is primarily because of unequal use of the languages among the population. According to the 2006 census, 67% of the population claims English as its mother-tongue while only 21% claims French as their mother-tongue. The remaining 12% claims a third language to be their mother-tongue, suggesting a large community of immigrants within the country (this includes the Aboriginal languages. Even so, this census has shown Chinese to be the third largest language in Canada, reported by 3% of the population claiming it as their mother-tongue.) Both anglophone and francophone populations have decreased over a 10 year period, 2% for the former and 1.4% for the latter. Within Quebec the francophone population still has a majority, 82%. The anglo phone community is at about 10.6% in the province with the remaining 7.4% being immigrants[3].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These statistics create hardships for the government to uphold bilingual policies. Although politicians would like to enforce the idea of a common bilingual community, the reality looks more like the creation of two separate linguistic communities one based in Quebec, the other in the rest of Canada. While the first vision considers Canada as one country, the second sees the center of the Canadian heartland in Quebec. This latter is the main political drive of the politics of Quebec. The politicians of Quebec would like to create a unique French community within the province to uphold the rights and culture of the French-speaking community. This belief has its extreme version, the Parti Quà ©bà ©cois, who believe that Quebec should seek political independence from Canada to be able to wholly focus on the French language and culture. This idea of secession today is in peril. One reason is that the young generation of Quebec does not feel the prejudice of the ang lophone population and has reached equal status within Quebec. This has quenched the sense of anger that fueled this idea up until now. The second reason is that Montreal had been the hotbed for the separatists, but it has become very multiethnic and bilingual. The separatist political parties, the Parti Quà ©bà ©cois and the Bloc Quà ©bà ©cois, were beaten in elections showing a decline in interest in the question of secession. In all cases, the debate of the secession of Quebec is not yet over and is still a much talked about issue today[4].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another major issue that concerns bilingualism in Canada is not the governments policies but the realization of them. Since the beginning of the 20th century there has been an increase in French Canadian participation in public services. In the 1970s all public service positions were redefined as English-speaking, French-speaking or bilingual. This helped French Canadians find employment in public services because most of them were already bilingual[5]. However there are still problems with the use of the French language in the government. Not all of the Supreme Court judges actually know French and this caused a problem recently in a case where the lawyer was francophone and made all his arguments in French. The judges were listening through interpreters, a practice that has since been banned. An extremely heated debate has recently emerged over the question of whether Supreme Court Justices should be bilingual and how much bilingualism adds to their competence[6 ].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although Canada is considered an officially bilingual country historically, there are several issues that cause heated debates within the society. Hopefully one day both official languages will have an equal status in the lives of all Canadians. Works Cited Bilingualism (n.d.) In The Canadian Encyclopedia online. Retrieved from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCEParams=A1ARTA0000740 Francophone-Anglophone Relations (n.d.) In The Canadian Encyclopedia online. Retrieved from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCEParams=A1ARTA0003025 The Evolving Linguistic Portrait, 2006 Census, Statistics Canada online http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/census06/analysis/language/pdf/97-555-XIE2006001.pdf Quebec Separatism (n.d.) Globalsecurity.org; Military. Retrieved from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/quebec.htm Makarenko, Jay (2007) Official Bilingualism in Canada: History and Debate. Retrieved fromv http://www.mapleleafweb.com/features/official-bilingualism-canada-history-and-debates Tibbetts, Janice (2010, May 2) Merits of making Supreme Court bilingual could be lost in translation. Camwest News Service. Retrieved from http://www.canada.com/life/Merits+making+Supreme+Court+bilingual+could+lost+translation/2977805/story.html