The Walt Disney Corporation the Entertainment King

The Original Disney Company (pre-1984) Walt Disney set a vision for the company – to provide wholesome family entertainment. Everything that the company did was aligned to this vision and corporate philosophy. The key ingredient that fueled the success of Walt Disney Company was its ability to create new, unique cartoon characters that had universal appeal. Over the years, Disney did a great job in bringing these characters to life, and kept introducing new characters that further solidified Disney as a company that valued creativity. At that time, there was no other company that had as many successful cartoon characters as them. The company applied its creative strategy beyond characters and ventured into new business areas, such as†¦show more content†¦Divisions were motivated to form synergies by offering increased bonus incentives. Disney also implemented internal transfer prices between divisions. In addition, the company vertically integrated many functions to limit costs and afford flexibility. These synergies fostered a culture of support and minimized costs from external suppliers. They further integrated the synergies by introducing the corporate marketing function to be tter align the entire company’s marketing activities. Disney has been successful in capturing value from synergies. In Eisner’s estimation, the company had re-discovered the synergistic culture that had helped build the company. The Later Eisner Years (Post 1993) The Disney and ABC merger was an extremely important development in the strategic timeline of the company. It gave the company a completely new direction. Sentiment at the time of the merger had not been positive towards such a merger. The track record of previous such mergers, some of them involving Disney’s competitors, had not been great. In the early years of the merger, they faced conflicts around corporate fit, conflicting management styles, and lack of a sound strategy. It was an extension of the growth strategy put in place by Eisner, yet it exposed the company to risks related to synergy and brand effectiveness. While thus far they had been successful at vertical integration within their existing lines ofShow MoreRelatedCeo Robert A. Disney Corporation1561 Words   |  7 Pagesspecifically refer to Disney Theatrical Productions (DTP) in his letter, the company’s strategic priorities most certainly extend to DTP. The Walt Disney Corporation (WDC) is divided into four segments: Media Networks (ABC, ESPN, Disney Channel), Parks and Resorts, Studio Entertainment, and Consumer Products. DTP is a part of the Studio Entertainment Division. According the Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Financial Report, Disney Theatrical Group develops, produces and licenses live entertainment events. The CompanyRead MoreThe Disney Departure : Differences Before And After The Death Of Walt Disney1459 Words   |  6 PagesThe Disney Departure: Differences Before and After the Death of Walt Disney According to the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Walt Disney Corporation historically stood for â€Å"basic American virtues and values† but now represents a â€Å"significant departure from Disney’s family-values image, and a gratuitous insult to Christians and others who have long supported Disney.† Their belief is that Disney entertainment products produced while Walt Disney was alive differ substantially fromRead MoreDisney Essay1411 Words   |  6 Pages Colin Wells Sherry Minkowski Government 12 26 March 2000 Disney’s Influence on American Culture How does one begin to describe a king? As generations change, society calls for new leaders and kings, that will continue to push the boundaries. Steven Watts describes it as: Hollywood’s leading fantasy factory†¦ (187) Disney is much more prominent in society, its impact now lives in every household, as well as a place in everyone’s soul. Behind it all is a thriving b usiness that will out live most humansRead MoreWalt Disney1491 Words   |  6 PagesThe Walt Disney Company: The Entertainment King Case Analysis The Walt Disney Company is one of the largest media and entertainment corporations in the world. Disney is able to create sustainable profits due to its heterogeneity, inimitability, co-specialization and immense foresight. It also successfully uses synergy to create value across its many business units. After its founder Walter Disney s death, the company started to lose its ground and performance declined. Michael Eisner became CEORead MoreThe Walt Disney Co. A Diversified International Family Entertainment And Media Enterprise1285 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The Walt Disney Co. together with its subsidiaries and affiliates is a diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise. It operates through five business segments: Media Networks, Parks Resorts, Studio Entertainment, Consumer Products and Interactive Mediaâ₠¬  (Forbes, 2014). Globalization and technology changes have impacted Walt Disney Co. by being able to entertain and attract tourism around the world. Starting with the film of â€Å"Fantasia† in 1940, breaking language barriersRead MoreMouse Morality : An Analysis Of Christian, Family, And Homosexual Values1420 Words   |  6 PagesHomosexual Values in Disney According to Richard Land, one of the originators of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Boycott of Disney, Disney is pushing a â€Å"Christian-bashing, family-bashing, pro-homosexual agenda† in its film, television, and theme park empire. However, this accusation is not accurate in regards to the majority of entertainment that Disney produces. Since the beginning of Walt Disney’s creations, the brand has focused on promoting family-friendly entertainment. As one of the largestRead MoreStrategic Planning : Walt Disney1592 Words   |  7 PagesPlanning Walt Disney Company Strategic Analysis Patten University Disney, Yesterday and Today The Walt Disney Company was formed in 1923 as the Disney Brother Cartoon Studio with Walt and Roy Disney. With the start of Alice Wonderland series, Walt Disney would start a company that would go on to become legend. A staple for all things animation and the standard in which the industry models itself the Disney Company went on to create ground breaking milestones in animation and all of entertainment industryRead MoreDisney Case Analysis896 Words   |  4 PagesCase Title: Disney Case Analysis 1. Who are the main players (name and positions)? (5 pts.) Walt Disney-Founder of Disney Michael Eisner- became Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 1984, known for transforming Disney into industry leader. He stepped down as CEO in 2005. 2. What business(es) and industry or industries is the company in? (5 pts.) Disney is in the entertainment , media, computer software, consumer products manufacturing, and leisure industries. It is one of the largestRead MoreDisney Company : The World s Multi National Conglomerate1706 Words   |  7 PagesThe Walt Disney company is considered to be one of the world s multi-national conglomerate in terms of revenue. It was founded in 1923 by Walt and Roy Disney initially named the Disney Brothers Studio. The initial foundation of the company was based on cartoons and animation. The biggest status of success was the establishment of the most recognizable characters in the world Mickey Mouse. Fast forward nearly a century later The Walt Disney company is an empire and leading name in family entertainmentRead MoreStrategy Formation at Disney Under Michael Eisner1284 Words   |  6 PagesExtra Credit Strategy formation at Disney under Michael Eisner Walt Disney was a real visionary in term of animations. He developed his capability to select new ways to invent special cartoons, with a Disneys prestige that was going to be the most famous brand in terms of family entertainment. Since  Walt Disneys death in 1966, The Walt Disney Company had barely survived appropriation attempts by other corporations. Its shareholders  Sid Bass  and  Roy E. Disney  brought on Michael Eisner and Frank

Using Buddhism Essay Topics

Using Buddhism Essay Topics The Argument About Buddhism Essay Topics Buddhism, like a lot of the significant religions on the planet, broken up into different traditions. It has been practiced for more than 2,500 years. It has a significant influence on Myanmar. Classified among the largest religions on the planet, it is heavily concentrated in the Indian subcontinent. The Key to Successful Buddhism Essay Topics Burmese individuals often take part in charity activities. It's an art to comprehend the importance of the One! Buddhism acknowledges the part of financial activity in the invention of happiness. Contemplative Technologies The last trend that is related to the convergence of Buddhism with the online Age is in the evolution of an entire plethora of new contemplative technologies what could also be called technodelics. What the In-Crowd Won't Tell You About Buddhism Essay Topics Anyone, even just a non-Buddhist can undertake the precepts since they're kind of refle ctions to create nice and higher quality human beings. The effect of the terrible karma isn't merely the punishment from the nation but in addition determines your condition within the next life or afterlife. Meditating on this, you own a method of letting the states of the mind cease without suppressing them with another condition. The sound will include a rolling reverberation. Left foot is put on the right with the ball and heel foot exposed and the correct foot is put on the left leg in the exact same posture. A good sitting posture along with good hand position permits the body to provide uninhibited deep breaths. The shoes of believers stay outside. The Nuiances of Buddhism Essay Topics Eating meat is regarded as an impure action at that moment. Everything, if you consider it. Nothing, however well it's working, will last. The whole hour-long lecture is well worth watching if you're interested in the matter. Controlling the mind is the secret to achieve Nibbana. Yeah, it's funny but it is logical. Killing a human deserves a huge effect of lousy karma. Killing a human is a huge crime and big fault in your life. Buddhism characteristically describes reality concerning process and relation instead of entity or substance. Buddhist practices differ widely in numerous elements of the planet and have come to be very popular nowadays. There are various religions on the planet today. Hence, it's a religion for everyone not just for monks. The greatest purpose is to achieve Nirvana. There are representations of just about any religion on the planet. The idea in life that you ought not act violently towards others is common to both religions, even though they have some little differences. The idea of suffering and reincarnation is normal in both religions. Any given decision which is made in the current moment has a substantial web of all the programming or karma that went in to said decision. Alan Sponberg (1992) explains how there's been a selection of negative in addition to some positive attitudes towards women at this moment, and several of them were contrasting one another within the exact same text. It's not quite as easy as you may think, it has literally hundreds of definitions. The precepts are also called Pancasila. You should get these amazing essays here by leaving your on-line message. These essays are completely fact based and due to that need a lot of research. Expository essays are unique in they don't have any opinions or thoughts inside them. A comparative essay, as it is possible to suppose from the name, is the essay that enables you comparing at least two things.

Can the Problem of Monarchy Be Considered Old-Fashioned free essay sample

Can the problem of monarchy be considered old-fashioned? A monarchy is a governmental system that has one person as the permanent head of state until he or she dies or gives up his or her position. Typically, the position of monarch is hereditary, as is the case with famous monarchies like that of the United Kingdom. The term is often used to refer to a system of government in which the monarch — such as a king or queen — has absolute authority, but many monarchies are limited or constitutional monarchies in which the monarch has restricted power and might even be mostly a figurehead rather than a ruler. So ,the question is whether the problem of monarchy can be considered old-fashioned or not? One aspect of a monarchy that is considered to be an advantage is that it can reduce or eliminate the struggle for ultimate power within the government. When the head of state must be elected, members of different political parties or factions will compete for the position. We will write a custom essay sample on Can the Problem of Monarchy Be Considered Old-Fashioned? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This often creates division and conflict within the government. If the head of state serves for life and his or her successor is already known, it might increase the unity within the government. Still, the monarchy system represents a cultural tradition for a country. In many places, even after the actual operation of the government has changed to a different system, a monarchy will be retained because it is an important aspect of the cultural and political history of the nation. The monarchs in these cases are living representatives of generations of rulers. They often are treated as figures of reverence. Moreover, the system of monarchy means stability even prosperity . As an example, our country was doing well during monarchy system until the Russian communist took it and stole the land from the legal owners (peasants, rich people or business men). Everyone needs a place where his or her family would be safe and a stable working place. This stability in society is definitely attracting more and more people on the monarchy’s side. Another argument, which may sound odd, is that people are more reluctant to trust a king or a queen as the ‘boss’ of the country rather than a president. Believe it or not people still have the idea of a king as a person who is standing on a big throne with a golden crown on his head, having a luxurious life and with an outstanding intelligence as well (image that was took from fairy tales I guess) while a president is just a simple tailored-suited person. In conclusion I think that most people do not regard monarchy as an old-fashioned system. Moreover I think that this system is gaining more and more popularity as we have been experiencing many other systems which did not bring us prosperity at all.

American Literature Unit 4 The Modern Age 1915-1946 Flashcard

American Literature Unit 4: The Modern Age 1915-1946

Islam Means Submission To Allah Religion Essay Essay Example

Islam Means Submission To Allah Religion Essay Essay Example Islam Means Submission To Allah Religion Essay Paper Islam Means Submission To Allah Religion Essay Paper Islam means entry to Allah ( God ) . Islam was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad who lived from 570 CE to 632 CE in Mecca in contemporary Saudi Arabia. Muhammad was called to prophethood when God dictated the Quran to him through the archangel Gabriel. Although he gained a little followers in his folk, Muhammad was ab initio persecuted for his beliefs. In 622 CE he fled to Yathrib, now called Medina, where the first Muslim political community was formed. Enlisting the aid of mobile Arab kins, Muhammad returned to Mecca, depriving the metropolis of all marks of heathen belief. He was generous to those he defeated, nevertheless, and many converted to Islam. Two old ages subsequently, in forepart of the Kaba in Mecca, he declared Islam the faith of the people, stating he had fulfilled his mission and that he left behind him the Book of Allah and a set of clear commandments. History and Spread By the clip of Muhammad s decease, many people of the Arabian Peninsula had begun to follow Islam. A series of calif and dynasties led the Muslim community after Muhammad s decease, making an Islamic imperium that expanded every bit far as contemporary Pakistan in the E, Spain in the North, and North Africa to the South. This was a period of great rational, cultural and religious verve. In Spain, Islamic civilization lasted until 1492 when the Christian sovereign regained power. After the prostration of the Empire, Islam remained the dominant faith in most In-between Eastern states and important pockets throughout North Africa and Asia. In Australia The history of Islam in Australia pre-dates European colony. From 1650, Muslim fisherman from South East Asia communicated and traded with Natives from Australia s North. Some inter-marriage occurred. In the 1860s, some 3000 camel drivers with camels came from Afghanistan and the Indian sub-continent. This group contributed to the geographic expedition of the Australian outback, working on both the railroad line between Port Augusta and Alice Springs, and the Overland Telegraph Line from Adelaide to Darwin, which connected Australia to London via India. Since the late sixtiess at that place have been a figure of important Muslim migrations into Australia, most notably from Turkey and Lebanon. In the 1990s, refugees and migrators from the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Indonesia and Malaysia have all made their place in Australia. Some Islamic societies in Australia are affiliated with AFIC ( The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils ) , which does non command the single societies but gives a public voice and face to Islam, both in province and federal political relations and affairs of community representation. Between 1991 and 1996, the Muslim community grew by 36 per cent ( approx. 53 000 ) . In 1996, there were over 280,000 Moslems in Australia, belonging to over 70 cultural groups ( ABS ) . Cardinal Motions Islam is divided into two chief religious orders, the Sunni and the Shia. This division arose over the order of calif sequence in the first century of the Islamic calendar. Shiites believe that the true authorization and leading of Muslims after Muhammad s son-in-law, Ali, continued through a line of imaums ( spiritual instructors ) . Sunnis uphold the domination of the calif, the line of swayers elected by the people and mandated to guard the prophetic bequest in the disposal of community personal businesss. This gave rise to the development of Sharia jurisprudence. Shiites constitute less than 10 per cent of universe s Muslims, and possess many internal divisions. The largest modern-day Shia group are the Ithnaasharis, or Twelvers. Shiites are a bulk in Iran. Sunni Muslims constitute 90 % of the universe s Muslims and are considered the Orthodox face of Islam. There are assorted mysterious strands of Islam, such as Sufism and the Ibadites of Oman, East Africa and Algeria. These are non, purely talking, sectarian divisions. Organizational Structure Moslems do non necessitate an intermediary between themselves and God. Imams spiritual instructors and leaders of supplication in the mosques do, nevertheless, play a important function. They are frequently officially educated in affairs of faith and law, and systems exist for settling inquiries of jurisprudence and spiritual observation. The al-Azahr, a Islamic university in Cairo, is conventionally regarded as the highest authorization in Sunni Islam. The Shia developed a hierarchy in line with their beliefs in the sequence of regulation ; in Iran, this finds look in the system of ayatollahs ( senior translators and supreme authorities of spiritual jurisprudence ) . Mosques are non denominational and are run on a figure of theoretical accounts depending on the mosque s regulating fundamental law. Some are ethnically-based. Key Beliefs Moslems hold six articles of belief There is merely one God without bound, called Allah. Muhammad received the Quran as a transcript of the ageless Quran which is inscribed in Eden. God created celestial existences called angels to function God and they are opposed by evil liquors. God sent his Prophetss to the Earth at their appointed times, and the Prophet Muhammad was the last and greatest courier of God. There will be a last twenty-four hours of universe history called the Day of Judgement. Good and evil will be weighed in the balance. The wicked will be punished and the merely will bask ageless life in Paradise. Everything in the existence has a preset class. Nothing happens without the will or knowledge of God. The Sunnah is a aggregation of traditions, moral expressions and anecdotes ( Hadiths ) of Muhammad. It embodies all the amplifications of Quranic instruction. The pattern of spiritual religion is besides built on the five pillars of Islam: Shahadah ( declaration of religion ) : I bear witness that there is no God, but God ; I bear witness that Muhammad is the prophesier of God. By declaiming this, one enters Islamic religion. Salaah ( supplication ) : Moslems are required to pray five times a twenty-four hours, rinsing themselves before supplication and facing in the way of Mecca while praying. Zakat ( charity ) : Moslems are required to give away a per centum of their net incomes to those less fortunate, irrespective of their faith. Saum ( fasting ) : Moslems fast for one lunar month each twelvemonth, a period called Ramadan. During this clip, Muslims reflect on their behavior and strive to sublimate their ideas. Hajj ( pilgrims journey ) : If it is financially possible, Muslims are required to go to Mecca one time in their life-time. Ijma means the understanding of Islam. It is an of import mechanism for deciding theological struggles because it is embodies a sense of past community in present action. Sharia is the sacred jurisprudence of Islam, based on the Godhead disclosures contained in the Quran and Sunnah. Dietary demands. Animals have psyches and so necessitate to be slaughtered in a particular manner. This is the significance of halal ( permitted ) . Cardinal Festivals Ramadan: Celebrates the gift of the Quran. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims must fast between dawn and sundown. Eid-al-Fitr: The festival for the first twenty-four hours after Ramadan. Dhu Al-Hijja: The month of pilgrims journey during which all Muslims, at least one time in their life, should seek to do the pilgrims journey to Mecca. Eid-al-adha: The Festival of Sacrifice which occurs 70 yearss after Eid-al-Fitr. It commemorates Abraham s willingness to give his boy for God. Every household who can afford it must butcher an animate being and administer the meat among relations, neighbors and the hapless. The first twenty-four hours of Muharram: The Islamic New Year begins on the twenty-four hours Muhammad left Mecca to go to Medina. The 12th twenty-four hours of Rabi I: Celebrates the birth of the prophesier. Mirajun Nabi: Commemorates the prophesier s journey from Mecca to the celestial spheres.

ESL Beginner Reading Comprehension Cooking Dialogue

ESL Beginner Reading Comprehension Cooking Dialogue In this dialogue, you will practice speaking about daily routines by focusing on cooking. Notice that the present simple is used to speak about daily routines. Adverbs of frequency tell us how often we do something and include usually, sometimes, never, etc.. Practice the dialogue with your partner and then interview each other about how you do certain tasks you enjoy. Cooking (At a friends house) Carol: This is a lovely house!Martha: Thank you. Carol, we call it home. Carol: Its very close to work, isnt it?Martha: Yes, it is. I always walk to work - even when it rains! Carol: I usually take the bus. It takes so long!Martha: How long does it take? Carol: Oh, it takes about 20 minutes.Martha: That is a long time. Well, have some cake. Carol: (taking a bite of some cake) this is delicious! Do you bake all of your own cakes?Martha: Yes, I usually bake something at the weekend. I like having sweets in the house. Carol: Youre a wonderful cook!Martha: Thank you, its nothing really. Carol: I never cook. Im just hopeless. My husband, David, usually does all the cooking.Martha: Do you often go out to eat? Carol: Yes, when he doesnt have time to cook, we go out to eat somewhere.Martha: There are some wonderful restaurants in the city. Carol: Too many! You can eat at a different restaurant every day. Monday - Chinese, Tuesday - Italian, Wednesday - Mexican, on and on ... Check your understanding with this multiple choice comprehension quiz. More Dialogue Practice - Includes level and target structures/language functions for each dialogue.

Detecting Plagiarism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Detecting Plagiarism - Essay Example In my view the student cannot provide an explanation for such an act and he would have to be reported to the university officials for this act. In that particular course he would be given a zero with a warning that if such a case occurs again he would never be able to give the course again. In an attempt to inform the student about plagiarism I would provide him with all the information revolving around the aspects of plagiarism. I would tell him that plagiarism is a dishonest act because it does not let an individual think but rather takes away his abilities to think. The person who copies does not even know what he is doing because of this act. It does not show the instructor the capabilities that one student possesses. The student can be told as to how is he being dishonest to his fellow students who are giving their full when it comes to completing assignments. The student would be informed about all the aspects which revolve around academic dishonesty so that such an act is not repeated. The student would be told about copyright infringement, falsehood and assistance without the permission of the instructor. All these are acts of dishonesty which are an attempt to change the course of assignments. If these acts of dishonesty are not recognized the student following them can gain higher marks than his peers who have worked hard with the truth. Hence it can be said that these acts of dishonesty are unjust to

International Law - Refer to Order Instructions Essay

International Law - Refer to Order Instructions - Essay Example International Law in simple term refers to the law binding upon between Sovereign Nations. It is a set of rules and guidelines to be followed by nations of the world to maintain law , order , equality and justice among themselves. In other words , International Law comprises a system of rules and principles that govern the interactions between Sovereign States and other institutional subjects , such as International Inter  ¬Governmental Organizations . International law consists of rules and principles which govern the relations and dealings of nations with each other. International Law, which is in most other countries referred to as Public International Law, concerns itself only with questions of rights between several nations or nations and the citizens or subjects of other nations. In contrast, Private International Law deals with controversies between private persons, natural or juridical, arising out of situations having significant relationship to more than one nation. In recent years the line between public and private international law have became increasingly uncertain. Issues of private international law may also implicate issues of public international law, and many matters of private international law nave substantial significance for the international community of nations.

Public Administration and Management Essay Example for Free

Public Administration and Management Essay Introduction Public administration in Britain takes place through a variety of state agencies with varying histories, functions, as well as patterns of political control and accountability. These comprise the civil service; a large number of local bureaucracies serving an elective system of local government; another massive organization administering the National Health Service (NHS) and, under the acronym quango, a diverse range of organizations responsible for a assortment of administrative, consultative, advisory in addition to regulatory roles. In addition there is a compound of tribunals, inquiries, an ombudsman system and the judiciary, which together dispense administrative justice. The architecture of the modern state was drawn mainly in the nineteenth century, when the rising industrial bourgeoisie required a means of supporting the emerging capitalist economy. A number of major reports and Acts of Parliament offered blueprints for a competent and meritocratic modern civil service and the system of carefully managed municipalities. Reconstruction following the Second World War added a new layer to the modern state with the making of a inclusive welfare state, including the NHS, and the nationalization of a number of chief industries in the form of public corporations. From the 1980s an additional chapter was opened, as the post-war Keynesian beliefs were challenged in the rise of neo-liberalism under the government of Margaret Thatcher. The bureaucratic terrain was re-landscaped, part of a procedure distinguished as a hollowing out of the state (Rhodes 1994; 1997). Even though talk of reform had long featured on the political program, the public bureaucracies had established a renowned capacity to resist change. However, this time the thoughts were backed by resolute political will. A significant intellectual dynamic came from interpretation based on rational individuality under the name of public choice theory (Niskanen 1973). This was usually suspicious of public bureaucracies, which were seen as principally self serving. Much of the practical reform in structure and management was stirred by the model of the private sector, where it was reasoned that the restraint of the profit motive secured greater efficiency, effectiveness as well as economy. The oratory spoke of reinventing government (Osborne and Gaebler 1992); though to critics it emerged as abandoning government in an anti-statist crusade. A program of privatization cut sheathe through the state industrial sector while giving rise to a new generation of regulatory agencies. Much of the civil service was recast into a compound of agencies with a greater level of autonomy from the centre, and the collection of quangos began to grow as responsibilities for a variety of functions were transferred from the realm of elected local government. Indeed, processes of market testing as well as compulsory competitive tendering saw the stipulation of certain services passing from the state altogether and into the hands of the private sector. The arrival of a Labour Government in 1997 did little to stem the tide of change. Furthermore, this new government occasioned further seismic shifts through devolution to Scotland and Wales. Great Britain includes the nations of England, Wales and Scotland, while the United Kingdom extends the embrace to Northern Ireland. These cultural forms were recognized in an outline of administrative regionalism. For long this motivated little political feeling; only in Northern Ireland were separatist tensions felt. Nonetheless, during the 1980s, nationalist movements gathered speed in both Wales and Scotland; this sequentially generated some pressure towards English regionalism. Thus the state has been forced to concern itself with issues of territorial management and make some chief allowances to diversity (Thompson, 1997). Rooted in a history dating from the take-over of Ireland by the Tudors and re-conquest first by Cromwell and later by the Protestant William of Orange, Northern Ireland dwarfs all other territorial problems of UK Government. Coming to office in the year 1997, Tony Blairs first official journey was to Ulster and Sinn Fein was invited into new peace talks. After indirect negotiations, which included some mediation from US President Bill Clinton, an agreement was reached which included: A Northern Ireland assembly of 108 elected by PR with legislative powers under an all-party executive A North-South Ministerial Council to reflect on issues for instance cross-border co-operation The Irish Government to give up constitutional claims to Northern Ireland and Westminster to reinstate the Government of Ireland Act A Council of the Isles comprising members from the north and south of Ireland and the Scottish and Welsh assemblies There were also to be releases of prisoners in addition to a decommissioning of arms. The agreement was effectively put to referendums in Northern Ireland and the Republic in May 1998. Elections were held, but advancement began to slow down. Scotland and Wales In the UK mainland, Wales and Scotland had been governed as provinces from London, with Secretaries of State in the Cabinet and Grand Committees in Parliament. Public administration in the provinces came under Whitehall outposts, the Welsh and Scottish Offices. Nonetheless, from 1979 an extremely centralizing government heightened a mood of separatism, placing strains on the veracity of the state which were to go off in tectonic constitutional shifts in 1998. The configuration of the two new assemblies was intended to release a safety valve on the separatist pressure. On the other hand, opinion polls began to show rising support for the SNP and its objective of complete Scottish independence in the background of the EU. Comparable murmurings were heard in Wales, a country that had done very fine from its European involvement (Jones 1997). Labor’s central machine showed an enthusiastic concern to have its chosen men as the leaders of the provincial parties (and hence first ministers in the assemblies) representing a keen aspiration to keep the provinces under the Westminster wing. Nonetheless, when the elections by the additional member system (dHondt version) to the new assemblies were held on 6 May 1999, the Labour Party, with 28 of the 60 seats in the Welsh Senedd, and 59 of Scotlands 129-seat assembly, failed to win unconditional majorities in either province. A future of alliance government loomed. furthermore, with 17 seats in Wales and 35 in Scotland, the nationalists were second placed in both cases, possibly presaging further separatist pressure (Drewry, Butcher, 1991). England Devolution debate reverberated into England with requirements for regional independence. A political split was opening as from the early 1980s voting patterns gradually more revealed the Conservatives as a party of the southeast. past the ballot box an economic split yawned as huge deindustrialization and the collapse of mining confounded communities in the north. The economic forecasting organization, the Henley Centre, found per capita income in the south-east to be 20 per cent higher than in the rest of Britain (Wagstyl 1996). A European Commission report of November 1996 established that, while post-war economic revival had closed the poverty gaps between Western Europes states, wide dissimilarities remained between regions, the greatest being within the UK.   The British public sector, with numerous of its customs cast in the nineteenth century, has for long been criticized as managerially incompetent. The post-war era saw repeated efforts at reform all through the public sector, though few made any lasting notion before the 1980s. Ever since this time there has been something of a revolution as what was phrased a new public management movement became a familiar international influence (Hood 1991; Lowndes 1997). It was to send shivers to the very foundations of the state, reforming structures as well as practices. The nineteenth-century reforms recognized a custom of elitist generalism and social superiority in which Oxbridge graduates schooled in the classics were to lead the upper reaches of the state bureaucracy. This was to stimulate substantial post-war debate. The onset in office of a Labour Government in 1964 pledged revolution and the 1968 Fulton Committee set up by Harold Wilson criticized the cult of the amateur. It resulted in the formation of a Civil Service Department (CSD) in Whitehall to supervise managerial reforms all through the service, and the establishment of a Civil Service College to offer continuing operating training. One proposal which failed to stimulate was that entrants should hold relevant degrees: the place of the generalist administrator remained unassailed. In the 1990s, Richards (1996) initiated the generalists promotion prospects still significantly brighter than those of the specialist. In the interim, the Civil Service College had fallen well short of the determined position envisaged for it and the CSD had been ignominiously wipe out from the bureaucratic map. Not until Thatcher took the bit between her teeth did a grave breakthrough come. In her first year of office an Efficiency Unit was set up headed by Sir Derek Rayner of the retail giant Marks Spencer. He initiated a system of scrutinies in which competence teams studied recognized practices and suggested reforms, an initiative which achieved more than anything before (Hennessy 1990:619). Even so, the reforms did not go far enough for those of a fundamental bent. An even greater culture shock was to come when Robin Ibbs took over the Efficiency Unit and produced the 1988 report, Improving Management in Government: The Next Steps. This was the report which led to the recasting of the Civil Service as executive agencies. Despite its structural impact the intent in this initiative was essentially managerial (Elcock 1991:236-42). Once established, the new chief executives were given a free rein to introduce a wide range of management practices such as performance-related pay and short-term contracts in the quest for efficiency. A special unit was created in the Cabinet Office to maintain the reforming impetus. The government also assisted developments by abolishing the Northcote-Trevelyan model of centralized recruitment through the independent Civil Service Commission for some 95 per cent of appointments. Responsibility was to lie with the various departments and agencies themselves. A Recruitment and Assessment Service was created to offer central assistance if required although, amidst heated controversy, this itself was privatized in 1991. The result was a variety of terms and conditions of employment throughout the service. There were limits to the revolution. Government radicals had wanted the reforms to reach the senior mandarins, subjecting them to short-term contracts, market-testing and large-scale appointments from the private sector on the revolving-door principle. For most civil servants, anticipating a life insulated from the chill winds of the market economy, much of the managerial reform process was demoralizing. While academics in the right-wing think tanks applauded the changes, many other academic critics saw in the quest for efficiency serious threats to the fundamental public service ethos (Elcock 1991:188; Chapman and OToole 1995). There was some feeling that the reforms reflected governmental antagonism towards civil servants as much as a quest for improved management; the term deprivileging was sometimes heard. The Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee noted that in 1992/3,  £768 million worth of activities out of the  £1.119 billion subjected to market testing were contracted out without civil servants even being allowed to make in-house bids. The traditional management structure in local government entailed separate departments responsible for the provision of various services, each headed by a chief officer and responsible to a particular council committee. A legion of post-war critics saw this as slow, cumbersome and diffuse. A major debate in the 1960s concerned a corporate management model in which a powerful chief executive would displace the traditional town clerk to give strong leadership at the centre. Councilors, faced with a palpable loss of power, proved resistant and traditional practices persisted, although often under the camouflage of some changed nomenclature. New impetus came with the Thatcher regime and was elaborated under John Major (Kingdom 1999). Looking as always to the private sector, much was made of the concept of the enabling authority; the emphasis was not on the direct provision services but on contracting them out to the private and voluntary sectors. Such a practice was by no means new but, from the late 1980s, it became central to government policy, with compulsory competitive tendering (CCT) introduced for an ever-widening range of functions, from refuse collection to professional, legal and accounting responsibilities. A policy of care in the community, coming into force in April 1993, added impetus by requiring local authorities to make use of private and voluntary-sector residential homes for their widening community care responsibilities. In opposition Labour had poured scorn on the policy; in government it maintained the contracting out principle under the term Best Value. The managerial implications in CCT were profound. Although local responses varied with political complexion, few authorities could remain untouched by the culture shift. Even where there was no stomach for contracting out, teams of officials had to endure considerable stress in producing competitive in-house bids in order to keep their jobs. Colleagues found themselves in competitive relationships with each other, some becoming contractors and others providers (Audit Commission 1993). Moreover, the drawing up and monitoring of contracts required the skills of lawyers and accountants rather than elected councilors. Majors Environment Secretary Michael Heseltine produced a consultation document, The Internal Management of Local Authorities, stressing that the control and co-ordination of large workforces would no longer be the central management task. The paper looked for speedy decision-making and strong leadership, advocating local cabinets, appointed council managers or, most radically, directly elected US-style mayors with high public profiles. The latter had held little appeal to Heseltines party but, in a February 1998 consultation paper, Modernizing Local Government: Local Democracy and Community Leadership, the new Labour Government declared itself very attracted to the model of a strong directly elected mayor (para 5.14). The promised Greater London Authority was seen as a suitable flagship for innovation. Here the mayor, served by three or four deputies and a small bureaucracy of around 250, would set policy objectives and an annual budget (of some  £3.3 billion). The role of the councilors in the assembly would be approving rather than determining the budget. Responsibilities of the new mayor would include public transport, the fire brigade, strategic planning, trunk roads, traffic management, the ambulance service and possibly the arts. In addition, responsibility for the Metropolitan Police Force would be taken over from the Home Secretary. The potential power of the new office would be considerable, and both main parties showed alarm as the names of some of their more maverick members were canvassed. For Labour leader Tony Blair, the nightmare candidate appeared to be the left-wing Ken Livingstone, ex-leader of the old GLC and extremely popular with Londoners. The nightmare became reality in May 2000. There was an expectation that this model would be extended to other major cities. All 494 councils were asked to submit plans to central government showing how they would separate the decision-making role from that of representing constituents. Three options were offered: †¢ a leader elected by the council who would appoint a cabinet from the council A directly elected executive mayor who would appoint a cabinet from the council A directly elected mayor working with a full-time manager appointed by the council Conclusion The general election of May 1997 saw the end of an 18-year period of Conservative rule during which the administrative landscape of the state had been radically recast. Few corners of the public sector could be said to have escaped some aspect of the winds of change which included privatization, agencification, CCT, market-testing, public-private partnership ventures, the emergence by stealth of the new magistracy and the general spread of a private-sector managerial ethos. In opposition, the Labour Party had maintained a prolonged crusade against most of the reforms, and many supporters had looked forward to the advance of the political bulldozers to level the ground. In power the party kicked off with a number of significant constitutional moves over devolution, the electoral system, the ECHR, the House of Lords, the Bank of England and the reform of local government. However, the party in power termed itself New Labour and preservation orders appeared over the recently privatized sector; indeed further privatizations were soon mooted in the cases of the Royal Mint and Air Traffic Control, and the remodeled Civil Service and NHS. In local government grant-maintained schools remained under the term foundation schools, and the replacement of CCT with Best Value was, in the eyes of critics, little more than cosmetic (Theakston, Fry, 1998). Moreover, there remained something very much like a capping regime over local government expenditure. In managerial terms, the three Es of effectiveness, economy and efficiency continued as the holy trinity. As the millennium closed it was safe to say that, while the British public sector would remain in the state of flux allowed by its vague and unwritten constitution, the substructure had seen some tectonic shifts from which there would be little reversal.   Reference: Audit Commission (1993) Realising the Benefits of Competition: The Client Role forContracted Services, London: HMSO. Birkinshaw, P. (1997) Freedom of information, Parliamentary Affairs, 50, 1:164-81. Chapman, R.A. and Toole, B.J. (1995) The role of the civil service: a traditional view in a period of change, Public Policy and Administration, 10, 2:3-20. Elcock, H. (1991) Change and Decay: Public Administration in the 1990s, Harlow: Longman. Hennessy, P. (1990) Whitehall, London: Fontana.   Hood, C. (1991) A public management for all seasons, Public Administration, 69, 1: 3-19. Jones, B. (1997) Wales: a developing political economy, in M. Keating and J. Loughlin (eds), The Political Economy of Regionalism, London: Frank Cass. Kingdom, J. (1999) Centralisation and fragmentation: John Major and the reform of Local Government, in P. Dorey (ed.), The Major Premiership, Basingstoke: Macmillan, pp 45-7. Klug, F., Starmer, K. and Weir, S. (1996) Civil liberties and the parliamentary watchdog: the passage of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Parliamentary Affairs, 49, 4:536-49.   Lowndes, V. (1997) Change in public service management: new institutions and new managerial regimes, Local Government Studies, 23, 2:42-66.   Mandelson, P. and Liddle, R. (1996) The Blair Phenomenon: Can New Labour Deliver? London: Faber.    Nicholson, E. (1996) Secret Society, London: Indigo. Osborne, D. and Gaebler, T. (1992) Reinventing Government, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Rhodes, R.A.W. (1994) The hollowing out of the state: the changing nature of the public service in Britain, Political Quarterly, 65:138-51. Rhodes, R.A.W. (1997) Understanding Governance: Policy Networks, Governance,Reflexivity and Accountability, Buckingham: Open University Press.   Richards, D. (1996) Recruitment to the highest grades in the civil service-drawing the curtains Open, Public Administration, 74, 4:657-77. Wagstyl, S. (1996) Nice work if you can get it, The. Financial Times, 18 December, 23. Theakston, K. and Fry, G.K. (1998) Britains administrative elite: permanent secretaries 1900-1986, Public Administration, 67, 2:129-48.   Ã‚   Thompson, B. (1997) Conclusion: judges as trouble-shooters, Parliamentary Affairs, 50, 1:182-9.   Drewry, G. and Butcher, T. (1991) The Civil Service Today (2nd edn), Oxford: Blackwell.

My Experiences as a Medical Social Worker Essay -- career, medical soc

Within the past week, I was able to meet a patient that had been through a very difficult life. He was admitted into the hospital almost one month ago because he had a stroke. He was a carnival worker and was only planning to be in Lexington for a temporary amount of time until the carnival left. When he was admitted into Saint Joseph Hospital, there were no indications that he had family and/or friends that should be contacted. At first, he was unable to talk, and his mobility was extremely limited. Last week, I was shadowing a social worker that had been asked to help fill out an application for this patient to qualify for Social Security because he now had a disability and would be unable to work. This patient didn’t have insurance, and we were determined to help him in any way possible. We went into his room to ask him very simple questions that were on the application, and he was helpful about remembering his past work history over the past 15 years. Unfortunately, he did not have a bank account, had no assets, and had been working as either a company driver and carn...

Employee Engagement

Effectively Using an Integrated Employee Engagement Program Marilyn Field University of the Rockies October 3, 2010 Org/8530 Dr. Gary Shelton Abstract A company’s level of employee engagement is a reflection of its core values; while at the same time reflects a fulfilling and positive job-related state of mind that is characterized by the resilience and energy of its workers. The following report is an analysis of a case study conducted by Hallowell (1996) to determine whether Southwest Airline’s organizational capabilities and employee needs are linked to competitive advantage.An examination of the data presented in the Southwest Airlines study reveals a significant level of employee commitment through the engagement and hiring of workers who fit the Southwest standards. Effectively Using an Integrated Employee Engagement Program For the last several years Southwest Airlines has been awarded as one of the best companies in which to work by Fortune Magazine.There is an extensive list of awards and achievements attributed to Southwest Airlines including Forbes 2008 most reliable airline, best in customer service, and the number one friendliest airline to fly in 2008 by Time Magazine (Triangle Business Journal, 2008; Time Magazine. com. , 2008). A review of the literature revealed that much of Southwest Airlines continued success is due to their effectiveness in engaging their employees. The Southwest Airline employees reflect the organization’s culture as one with committed workers who strive o maintain the company’s reputation as a leader in social responsibility. A case study was conducted by Hallowell (1996) to analyze the sources of Southwest Airline’s competitive advantage. Hallowell attributes the highly acclaimed airline’s success to the high value place on its employees. Hallowell’s 1996 case study of Southwest Airline was illustrated within a frame work of particular variables with the first being that th e airline value is a product of meeting the employee’s needs on a satisfactory level.Employee needs satisfaction is a very important variable when one considers that Southwest Airline is comprised of approximately 35,000 employees working together with the aim of flying their valued Customers to their destinations across the United States (69 cities in 39 states) (Kelly, 2010). Hallowell used value analysis to study Southwest’s competitive strategy. Value analysis breaks down which variables play a role in where value is created. It is based on Porter’ (1985) Game Theory, which focuses on how individuals interact (Levine, 2004. ).The results of Hallowell’s study revealed that employees are motivation from the employer’s encouragement of behavioral norms and organizational values. The second comprehensive variable Hallowell (1996) studied was Southwest’s strategy for having one of the most successful airline stocks. This raises the question a s to how employee engagement plays a part in stimulating shareholder’s commitment of investing in Southwest stock. The Southwest Airline’s organizational culture has encouraged its workers to have fun on the job. This is a wellness approach which has led to the company’s high degree of productivity and low turnover.By suggesting and encouraging a positive experience for the Southwest employees, the management displays significant value for employees, which is converted into customer value and shareholder value. This value earning process forms a circle of capturing value, creating value, and converting value beginning with the employees (Hallowell). With the present economic turmoil, Southwest Airline’s Chief Executive Officer Kelly has had to make recent cuts; affecting the company’s historic low-cost initiatives (i. e. making short trips between cities and ownership of jets) (Schlangenstein & Hughes, 2010).Southwest answered though economics with the addition of 138 airplanes (AirTran); â€Å"The addition of AirTran will allow them to satisfy their briefly dormant, but always present, inclination for growth† (Schlangenstein & Hughes, web article). Thus, Southwest increases employee motivation, which in-turn creates value, and converts that value by employing operating processes and encouraging behavioral norms which reduces costs and increases productivity essentially capturing the value leading to Southwest’s competitive advantage (Hallowell).According to Patterson, Brenny and Maxfield et al. (2008), preparing for setbacks builds resilience by the company internally; using setbacks as guides, instead of putting on the brakes help to refine their strategies. One of the most unique characteristics of Southwest Airlines is that it motivates the employees with stimulating and enjoyable recognition programs (Southwest. com, 2010). Rewards and recognition of the day-to-day work achievements play a vital role in ret aining and attracting employees at Southwest Airlines.This strategy provides recognition for worker’s unique qualities and individualized appreciation. Southwest’s employee recognition programs contributes to the high moral maintained in the organization’s culture (World at Work, 2001). According to Hallowell (1996), an employee is recognized almost every hour for large and small achievements on a daily basis at Southwest Airlines. The Southwest case study demonstrates how a focused human resource department portrays organizational culture and values, and how their use of employee engagement tools is aligned with the company’s competitive position.Employees who are actively engaged offer commitment and loyalty to the organization within which they are employed, and is indicative of Southwest Airlines. With this commitment Hallowell (1996) makes the analogy of a person feeling better about purchasing a piece of pie for six dollars, when they feel the pie i s worth eight dollars. The same concept applies to someone who can fly Southwest at the same price as its competitors but have better service. Once again evidence of converting employee value to customer value.Hallowell’s (1996) study makes another important point regarding employee engagement’s correlation with Southwest’s competitive advantage. Passengers moving between gates (destination and departure) are accompanied by Southwest employees, as such; these workers affect each customers experience with the airline (Hallowell). In the airline industry employee engagement has a ripple effect starting with top-level management and pilots to the baggage handlers, ramp agents, and flight attendants.Each customer’s experience with these employees will directly affect their willingness to pay (Hallowell). For instance, Kelly (2010) in an interview with Spirit Magazine, gave an account where a passenger forgot her glasses at her residence, the passenger could n ot retrieve the glasses without missing her flight; the flight attendant offered the passenger her own reading glasses, and in-turn the flight attendant was recognized by her peers, and management for friendly customer service. She was publicized as Southwest’s Star of the Month (Kelly).This strategy demonstrated the importance of employee engagement and Southwest’s ability to maintain its competitive advantage. In the case study of Southwest Airlines by Hallowell (1996); the author recognized the airline’s interviewing techniques as a strong point in the company’s overall success. Hallowell stated that the screening process by Southwest human resources eliminates uncaring potential employees by noting self-centered responses, and quickly separating the majority for those less likely to fit the standards of the organization.Miles and Mangold (2005) stated that Southwest Airlines uses employee branding as a method of engaging employees. Employee branding i s the process by which workers internalize the Southwest Airline brand and project its healthy aspects to the public (Miles & Mangold). The authors provide further support of Hallowell’s (1996) study in that they found employee branding helps Southwest achieve a competitive advantage over other organizations in the industry. Southwest. om (2010) gives the example that â€Å"LUV† and â€Å"FUN† ideology is embedded into their employees by permitting them to dress up on Halloween; have a casual dress code in the summer months, and by providing a teaching video on the Southwest Airline’s Shuffle Dance. According to Hallowell, CEO Gary Kelly dressed up as a bunny for Halloween and served Easter eggs to the employees. He went on to say that great comradery was stimulated just by stirring up â€Å"it is not Easter† controversy (Hallowell).The third variable researched in the Southwest Airline case study, is the organization’s capabilities to creat e value. Hallowell’s (1996) study indicated Southwest has established processes and internal structures that influence the employees to accomplish specific organizational competencies allowing them to adapt to changing strategic needs and changing customer needs assessments. These competencies help Southwest Airline produce â€Å"superior quantity and quality of effort† from employees (Hallowell, p. 10).One of the competencies Southwest defines as important is the extension of LUV and FUN from the employees to the customers by providing hassle-free flying, which is a direct result of employees being actively engaged with the organization’s culture (Hallowell). An important aspect to consider is that there must be harmony at the level of operations. Southwest has achieved harmony thought its employee engagement (i. e. human resource procedures) leading to operating procedure success reflecting Southwest’s organizational culture of helping one another (Hall owell).The appreciation for human capital is evident in reviewing Hallowell’s Northwest Airline case study, along with a comprehensive literature review via the internet and scholarly journal articles. Southwest Airlines meets the cognitive and emotional needs of its employees, shareholders, and customers by making them feel connected to the company. Their LUV and FUN approach to employee engagement has enabled them to create employee value and covert that value into customer value resulting in the company capturing value. With the three variables studied in Hallowell’s research, Northwest Airline is understood as a leader in competitive advantage.ReferencesFlowers, V. , & Hughes, C. (1973). Why employees stay. Harvard Business Review, 51(4), 49-60. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Hallowell, R. (1996). Southwest Airlines: A case study linking employee needs satisfaction and organizational capabilities to competitive advantage.Human Resource Management , 35(4), 513-534. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Kelly, G. (2010). On cloud nine. Sprint Magazine. Retrieved September 29, 2010 from http://www. spiritmag. com/gary_kelly/ Levine, D. (2004).Economic and game theory: What is game theory? UCLA Department of Economics. Retrieved September 29, 2010 from http://levine. sscnet. ucla. edu/general /whatis. htm Miles, S. & Mangold, G. (2005).Positioning Southwest Airlines through employee branding. Business Horizons, 48, 535-545. Retrieved September 30, 2010 from http://www. auburn. edu/~johnsrd/4160/Readings/Southwest%20Employee%20Branding. pdf Patterson, K. , Brenny, J, Maxfield, D. , Mcmillan, R. , & Switzler, A. , (2008).Influencer: The power to change anything. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Schlangenstein, M. & Hughes, J. (2010). Southwest CEO risks Employee Engagement Effectively Using an Integrated Employee Engagement Program Marilyn Field University of the Rockies October 3, 2010 Org/8530 Dr. Gary Shelton Abstract A company’s level of employee engagement is a reflection of its core values; while at the same time reflects a fulfilling and positive job-related state of mind that is characterized by the resilience and energy of its workers. The following report is an analysis of a case study conducted by Hallowell (1996) to determine whether Southwest Airline’s organizational capabilities and employee needs are linked to competitive advantage.An examination of the data presented in the Southwest Airlines study reveals a significant level of employee commitment through the engagement and hiring of workers who fit the Southwest standards. Effectively Using an Integrated Employee Engagement Program For the last several years Southwest Airlines has been awarded as one of the best companies in which to work by Fortune Magazine.There is an extensive list of awards and achievements attributed to Southwest Airlines including Forbes 2008 most reliable airline, best in customer service, and the number one friendliest airline to fly in 2008 by Time Magazine (Triangle Business Journal, 2008; Time Magazine. com. , 2008). A review of the literature revealed that much of Southwest Airlines continued success is due to their effectiveness in engaging their employees. The Southwest Airline employees reflect the organization’s culture as one with committed workers who strive o maintain the company’s reputation as a leader in social responsibility. A case study was conducted by Hallowell (1996) to analyze the sources of Southwest Airline’s competitive advantage. Hallowell attributes the highly acclaimed airline’s success to the high value place on its employees. Hallowell’s 1996 case study of Southwest Airline was illustrated within a frame work of particular variables with the first being that th e airline value is a product of meeting the employee’s needs on a satisfactory level.Employee needs satisfaction is a very important variable when one considers that Southwest Airline is comprised of approximately 35,000 employees working together with the aim of flying their valued Customers to their destinations across the United States (69 cities in 39 states) (Kelly, 2010). Hallowell used value analysis to study Southwest’s competitive strategy. Value analysis breaks down which variables play a role in where value is created. It is based on Porter’ (1985) Game Theory, which focuses on how individuals interact (Levine, 2004. ).The results of Hallowell’s study revealed that employees are motivation from the employer’s encouragement of behavioral norms and organizational values. The second comprehensive variable Hallowell (1996) studied was Southwest’s strategy for having one of the most successful airline stocks. This raises the question a s to how employee engagement plays a part in stimulating shareholder’s commitment of investing in Southwest stock. The Southwest Airline’s organizational culture has encouraged its workers to have fun on the job. This is a wellness approach which has led to the company’s high degree of productivity and low turnover.By suggesting and encouraging a positive experience for the Southwest employees, the management displays significant value for employees, which is converted into customer value and shareholder value. This value earning process forms a circle of capturing value, creating value, and converting value beginning with the employees (Hallowell). With the present economic turmoil, Southwest Airline’s Chief Executive Officer Kelly has had to make recent cuts; affecting the company’s historic low-cost initiatives (i. e. making short trips between cities and ownership of jets) (Schlangenstein & Hughes, 2010).Southwest answered though economics with the addition of 138 airplanes (AirTran); â€Å"The addition of AirTran will allow them to satisfy their briefly dormant, but always present, inclination for growth† (Schlangenstein & Hughes, web article). Thus, Southwest increases employee motivation, which in-turn creates value, and converts that value by employing operating processes and encouraging behavioral norms which reduces costs and increases productivity essentially capturing the value leading to Southwest’s competitive advantage (Hallowell).According to Patterson, Brenny and Maxfield et al. (2008), preparing for setbacks builds resilience by the company internally; using setbacks as guides, instead of putting on the brakes help to refine their strategies. One of the most unique characteristics of Southwest Airlines is that it motivates the employees with stimulating and enjoyable recognition programs (Southwest. com, 2010). Rewards and recognition of the day-to-day work achievements play a vital role in ret aining and attracting employees at Southwest Airlines.This strategy provides recognition for worker’s unique qualities and individualized appreciation. Southwest’s employee recognition programs contributes to the high moral maintained in the organization’s culture (World at Work, 2001). According to Hallowell (1996), an employee is recognized almost every hour for large and small achievements on a daily basis at Southwest Airlines. The Southwest case study demonstrates how a focused human resource department portrays organizational culture and values, and how their use of employee engagement tools is aligned with the company’s competitive position.Employees who are actively engaged offer commitment and loyalty to the organization within which they are employed, and is indicative of Southwest Airlines. With this commitment Hallowell (1996) makes the analogy of a person feeling better about purchasing a piece of pie for six dollars, when they feel the pie i s worth eight dollars. The same concept applies to someone who can fly Southwest at the same price as its competitors but have better service. Once again evidence of converting employee value to customer value.Hallowell’s (1996) study makes another important point regarding employee engagement’s correlation with Southwest’s competitive advantage. Passengers moving between gates (destination and departure) are accompanied by Southwest employees, as such; these workers affect each customers experience with the airline (Hallowell). In the airline industry employee engagement has a ripple effect starting with top-level management and pilots to the baggage handlers, ramp agents, and flight attendants.Each customer’s experience with these employees will directly affect their willingness to pay (Hallowell). For instance, Kelly (2010) in an interview with Spirit Magazine, gave an account where a passenger forgot her glasses at her residence, the passenger could n ot retrieve the glasses without missing her flight; the flight attendant offered the passenger her own reading glasses, and in-turn the flight attendant was recognized by her peers, and management for friendly customer service. She was publicized as Southwest’s Star of the Month (Kelly).This strategy demonstrated the importance of employee engagement and Southwest’s ability to maintain its competitive advantage. In the case study of Southwest Airlines by Hallowell (1996); the author recognized the airline’s interviewing techniques as a strong point in the company’s overall success. Hallowell stated that the screening process by Southwest human resources eliminates uncaring potential employees by noting self-centered responses, and quickly separating the majority for those less likely to fit the standards of the organization.Miles and Mangold (2005) stated that Southwest Airlines uses employee branding as a method of engaging employees. Employee branding i s the process by which workers internalize the Southwest Airline brand and project its healthy aspects to the public (Miles & Mangold). The authors provide further support of Hallowell’s (1996) study in that they found employee branding helps Southwest achieve a competitive advantage over other organizations in the industry. Southwest. om (2010) gives the example that â€Å"LUV† and â€Å"FUN† ideology is embedded into their employees by permitting them to dress up on Halloween; have a casual dress code in the summer months, and by providing a teaching video on the Southwest Airline’s Shuffle Dance. According to Hallowell, CEO Gary Kelly dressed up as a bunny for Halloween and served Easter eggs to the employees. He went on to say that great comradery was stimulated just by stirring up â€Å"it is not Easter† controversy (Hallowell).The third variable researched in the Southwest Airline case study, is the organization’s capabilities to creat e value. Hallowell’s (1996) study indicated Southwest has established processes and internal structures that influence the employees to accomplish specific organizational competencies allowing them to adapt to changing strategic needs and changing customer needs assessments. These competencies help Southwest Airline produce â€Å"superior quantity and quality of effort† from employees (Hallowell, p. 10).One of the competencies Southwest defines as important is the extension of LUV and FUN from the employees to the customers by providing hassle-free flying, which is a direct result of employees being actively engaged with the organization’s culture (Hallowell). An important aspect to consider is that there must be harmony at the level of operations. Southwest has achieved harmony thought its employee engagement (i. e. human resource procedures) leading to operating procedure success reflecting Southwest’s organizational culture of helping one another (Hall owell).The appreciation for human capital is evident in reviewing Hallowell’s Northwest Airline case study, along with a comprehensive literature review via the internet and scholarly journal articles. Southwest Airlines meets the cognitive and emotional needs of its employees, shareholders, and customers by making them feel connected to the company. Their LUV and FUN approach to employee engagement has enabled them to create employee value and covert that value into customer value resulting in the company capturing value. With the three variables studied in Hallowell’s research, Northwest Airline is understood as a leader in competitive advantage.ReferencesFlowers, V. , & Hughes, C. (1973). Why employees stay. Harvard Business Review, 51(4), 49-60. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Hallowell, R. (1996). Southwest Airlines: A case study linking employee needs satisfaction and organizational capabilities to competitive advantage.Human Resource Management , 35(4), 513-534. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Kelly, G. (2010). On cloud nine. Sprint Magazine. Retrieved September 29, 2010 from http://www. spiritmag. com/gary_kelly/ Levine, D. (2004).Economic and game theory: What is game theory? UCLA Department of Economics. Retrieved September 29, 2010 from http://levine. sscnet. ucla. edu/general /whatis. htm Miles, S. & Mangold, G. (2005).Positioning Southwest Airlines through employee branding. Business Horizons, 48, 535-545. Retrieved September 30, 2010 from http://www. auburn. edu/~johnsrd/4160/Readings/Southwest%20Employee%20Branding. pdf Patterson, K. , Brenny, J, Maxfield, D. , Mcmillan, R. , & Switzler, A. , (2008).Influencer: The power to change anything. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Schlangenstein, M. & Hughes, J. (2010). Southwest CEO risks

How to write a winning personal statement for graduate and professional school Essay

Perhaps the architecture is the most challenging and interesting course anyone interested in becoming an architect must undergo. I love architecture as it is influential in creativity, thus shaping our physical environment and promoting design solutions in terms of sustainable regeneration programmes linked to public building, housing and urban design. I am an ambitious, challenge oriented and hardworking person with desires to become a qualified architect. Indeed, my life in the city of Shiraz, Iran has led to my motivation of the architectural environment. My father was an engineer and since my childhood, I admired his engineering works and in most cases offered my help to him. As a result, this great experience led to my desires to learn design and structural things. During my time living in the city of Tehran, I witnessed the high degree of expansion of the city, and this made me appreciate the wonderful architectural knowledge and structure of buildings in the city. Numerous individuals have obtained their post-secondary architectural education in UK and became great professionals with new and innovative ideas widely accepted and appreciated in Iran. Likewise, the UK has promoted energy saving techniques globally, and this led to my decision to study in the country as energy saving and sustainability is important (Irving & Malik, 2005). Having studied sciences and mathematics in secondary school, I felt that I had a solid engineering foundation. Essentially, geometry that was my favorite topic followed a design course that shaped my drawing and design talent. In my free time, I have always taken close interest in architectural matters by practicing drawing and design. Therefore, my passion is based on turning architecture into a career, and I hope enrolling for an architecture undergraduate degree in UK is significant for achieving my dream. As I am about to conclude on my current course in architecture, I consider enrolling for MBA for my postgraduate degree education. Lastly, I believe that my existing skill and experience coupled with my hardworking nature and commitment would provide me the platform to excel in my MBA that I am about to enroll. Business Administration Personal Statement My commitment in enrolling in masters in MBA reflects an investment in my future that will help fill my knowledge gap, as well as offer a platform for the next step in my career. MBA is probably the widely recognized and the best course sought after management qualification. With the obligation of interacting with different cultures worldwide, this course would provide me with a practical hands-on experience that will prepare my career after the university. Management is a key tool in any field of study and challenges are also bound to occur. However, enrolling in this course will make me a better professional and develop my potential and finally realize my career dreams. Developing a career as Berman (2013) writes, requires cross-cultural interaction. I have the ability to express personal opinions and ideas. This is significant for succeeding in an environment where interpretation of opinions and ideas of other people is instrumental.In particular, good communication has assisted m e during my foundation year as a student in UK. I worked as part of a multicultural group and most recently conducted an anthropological research project that has also upgraded my cultural knowledge and interaction. The research project included designing a survey using a questionnaire to be completed by the local people we approached in the city center of Cambridge. The study findings were presented using PowerPoint presentation and indeed working with such a group was highly rewarding. Besides, I captained The Qods Tennis Club in Tehran and also practiced music and playing guitar.Currently, I consider enrolling for an MBA course with a realistic time frame to fully enjoy and appreciate my studies. Indeed, one of the most activities I enjoy in my professional life is empowering other through leadership. Leading groups provides me the opportunity to to develop my colleagues and enhance their skills. Having successfully captained a tennis team and spearheaded my research project, I c onsider the potential traits of leadership that has provided me with the ability to significantly lead in various capacities. As such I have developed a sincere interest in leadership, and in particular, running groups. Likewise, enrolling for MBA course is essential for fulfilling my business and financial career dreams. Besides, my personal quality incorporates high standards of respect, commitment, and attitude to work, good communication and proven ability to make good judgments, be innovative and work well under pressure. Therefore, having evaluated my career interest, I believe it would be an interesting idea to shift from architectural to MBA. I consider MBA a comprehensive career as even the traits of leadership, financial management, and the entire business world is intertwined with any career, architecture included. I have a good time in UK Cambridge University because of the teaching quality and the highest professionals standards f the courses offered. Besides, I believe the UK your MBA teaching in strengthened by world-class research that provides postgraduates authoritative and innovative approaches to theory and practice (Stelzer, 1997). References Berman, S. J. (2013). Pass the bar: A practical guide to achieving academic and professional goals. Irving, B. A., & Malik, B. (2005). Critical reflections on career education and guidance: Promoting social justice within a global economy. London: Routledge Falmer. Stelzer, R. J. (1997). How to write a winning personal statement for graduate and professional school. Princeton, N.J: Peterson’s. Source document

Lenin and the Revolution essays

Lenin and the Revolution essays Lenin said that it's possible to talk about creation of a Soviet Union (i.e. import of socialism) only when we are absolutely sure of socialism in our own country. Those who talk about restoration of the Soviet Union without having yet Soviet power in Russia itself, are not only being stupid, but criminal, because such a notion justified the colonial politics of Russian imperialism. We are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. We must make good this distance in ten years. Either we do it, or we shall be crushed. "You are poor and abundant, mighty and impotent, Mother Russia." The Bolsheviks policy concentration more on the Russian people, whereas Stalin cared more about Russias economy and agriculture The Bolsheviks were also against autocracy and hierarchy, and Stalin was an autocratic leader Note that nationalization and collectivization was not only Stalins idea, but the party altogether ... Stalin's "revolution from above" sought to build socialism by means of forced collectivization and industrialization, programs that entailed tremendous human suffering and loss of life. Bolsheviks wanted world socialism whereas Stalin focus socialism in one country Trotsky communist international Russias agriculture was at the same level in 1939 as in 1928 with a 40 million increased population. Stalin had man himself god like a personality cult witch was against the Bolshevik system seeing as they were against autocracy The state and media controlled everything the Russian watch heard of or read! This practice was going against Marxist ideology, Marx had written that slavery was uneconomic, because slaves had to be fed whether they worked or not and had no incentive to work. In this case how ever the cost of acquiring slaves was low and the supply was limitless and little money was spent on keeping them alive. The use of slave labor was extensive, because no ...

The Popular Mathematical Symbol

The Popular Mathematical Symbol Hashtag: Happy Pi Day (Pi -Mathematical Constant) Commemorating Pi on 3/14/15 The Popular Mathematical Symbol The Greek letter Ï€ or Pi a mathematical symbol equivalent to 3.14159, the ratio of a circle’s circumference in relation to its diameter. Pi fascinated the greatest thinkers of our time and achieved an iconic status in the world of nerds, geeks, and math educators. According to Piday.org, Pi is an â€Å"irrational and transcendental number† but a unique and fascinating number with over a trillion non-repeated digits beyond its decimal point. It is extremely useful measuring trigonometric and geometric shapes such as the area of a circle and volume of a cylinder. Pi is a widely known mathematical constant due to its ubiquity and almost infinite but non-repetitive or patterned digits. The Ï€ symbol first appears in William Jones’ â€Å"Synopsis palmarium mathesis† in 1706 to represent the decimal 3.141592. The reason is that Pi in decimal form is infinite and therefore cannot represent the exact proportion between the diameter and circumference of a circle. The symbol was popularized by Leonhard Euler in 1737 and became a universally accepted symbol for Pi in 1934. Historically, Pi has been a challenged to many mathematicians around the world. For instance, Tsu Chung-Chih, Chinese mathematician computed the first seven digits of Pi in the 5th century. Al-Kashi in Samarkand, on the other hand, improved that further and calculated 2Ï€ in sexagesimal, which is accurate to seventeen decimal places. The variant series of PI was calculated by Indian mathematician Madhava using Gregory-Leibniz series for Ï€ (3,3). Wanna know more? Go here: The Misdemeanors of Well-Educated People in Public Office The Contribution of Academic Institutions in Childrens Well-Being Combining Academic Knowledge and Practicality The Limits of Academic Freedom Is High IQ a Guarantee of Academic Success What We Really Know About Pi Most students can easily recognize the Pi symbol because it reminds them of not only the formula for getting the diameter of a circle but the need to multiply together the series of terms such as Ï€ (4,6,9) = 16. The ability of students to recognize and work with mathematical symbols according to study is a sign of intellectual advancement in mathematics. The reason is that although Pi or Ï€ is often introduced in the upper elementary grades, many people are not aware of the numerical value and uses of Pi. The knowledge that Pi has over a trillion digits was given to us by computer’s superior computational ability. The fascination about Pi pushed scientist and mathematicians to harness the astonishing computational power of modern  computers. Newer techniques have been developed to further accelerate computations of Pi such as FFT or Fast Fourier Transform and computations using supercomputers from NASA’s Ames Research Center and Hitachi. However, these computations only disclosed significant hardware defect and computational errors rather than resolving the ubiquity of Ï€. The mysterious mathematical constant attracted professional scientist, mathematicians, and the lay public. There are hundreds of websites, internet-based clubs, and thousand of online research papers dealing with Pi. Contents of popular books, television shows, and movies are evidence of fascination with Pi. â€Å"Wolf in the Fold†, a Star Trek episode shown in 1967 was about foiling an evil computer by asking it to compute Pi’s last digit. In 1996, MSNBC Network aired a news segment about Pi while the decimal 3.1459 were used in movies such Matrix Reloaded where the Key Maker warns that a door will be accessible after 314 seconds. The mystery of Pi is still unresolved and the fascination that started thousands of years ago is expected to continue along with developments and latest findings of mathematicians and computer scientist in the field of Pi.

The Portrayal of Realism and Fantasy in Children's Fiction Essay

The Portrayal of Realism and Fantasy in Children's Fiction - Essay Example This document highlights the portrayal of liberalism and fantasy in children’s fiction novels â€Å"Christmas Carol† and â€Å"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz† (Adsit, 2011). Realism and Fantasy in Literature Realism refers to a truthful aspect of life which are put forward after observations of different facts and features of events taking place in the life. In literature, realism is an approach, which describes the understanding of life without a subjectivity of an ideal life, fantasies or romantic interests. These realistic approaches are the product of all the influential bodies pertaining in everyday life and they are placed specially among the lower and middle classes of the society. The social factors of the environment play a very significant role in realistic literature. The psychological elements of individuals are also examined in realistic approach in the literature (Villanueva, 1997). Realism in literature emphasizes on proper documentation of the events, which are taking place, with an insight of all sociological aspects and details of facts and figures of life. There are few elements, which are avoided like poetic diction and melodrama in this approach and the subjects’ issues of lower middle class families of societies are elaborated. (Stoodt, 1996) Fantasy, on the other hand depicts such characters which may not be real, they can vary from fairy tales as well as about demons that take us on a journey of imagination and metaphysical form of literature (Horne, 2011). Most of the Science fiction tales come under this category. The metaphysical literature deals with such subjects which can be supernatural and the characters will inhibit traits of super natural beings like dragons and wizards, fairies or vampires (Miller, 1997). Hence, the fantasy literature incorporates such super natural or unrealistic notions, which may provide an understanding of the structural elements and characteristic features taking place in such sett ing. (Schmitz, 2008) Most of people enjoy fantasy because of the concepts underlined in the structure of this kind of literature (Hudson, James, & Christopher, 2003). People are more inclined towards the theories in literature, which depict good against evil, magic and demons and explore concepts, which in reality may not be of any use but may have a profound impact on how a person perceives the situation. (James & Mendlesohn, 2012) Studies of Realism and Fantasy Literature in Schools In order to keep children focused on realities of life and the impact of realistic events in the lives of a common man, it is necessary to introduce realism in literature in studies by introducing novels which are depicting which can have a positive impact in their upbringing and development (Adams, 1990). However, practically speaking the idea of realism in fiction novels may differ in different people (Klemmer, Anoop, Chen, Landay, & Aboobaker, 2000). The depiction various scenarios by writers may be perceived differently because there are cases when a realistic event may seem illusory to one person and realistic to another (Wolf, Coats, & Enciso, 2010). Exploration is required in terms of confusion of such realism in literature so that there is understanding of literature as a basic course in children’s school to promote learning through fictional tales.