Use of Texting in Parent and Child Relationships Essay Example for Free

Use of Texting in P atomic number 18nt and Child Relationships EssayStarting in the late 1980s, The European public telephone cyberspace and the European Community and European Telecommunications Standards Institute developed the GSM, which is most similar to what we call cell phones today. This phone drastically changed the communications world with the ability to office international calls, send SMS texts, and even had luxuries like caller ID and voicemail, which we all take for granted now. This phone started a revolution that is button up changing everyday, with newer and better phones relinquish every month with the latest technology and sleek designs. Texting has its own language, customs, and ways of doing things. There atomic number 18 known rules when it comes to texting, which I believe makes it rhetorical. Text messaging is a new medium of expression, one that is changing the dynamic of communication rapidly, especially between p atomic number 18nts and their chi ldren.The controversy over bootal control versus a childs freedom has now become an even more complex issue with the introduction of cell phones in the equation (Ling 119). While some believe that texting ostracizely effects their children beca enjoyment parents may not pay enough attention to their children or that texting doesnt give children the social skills they need, on the other hand I allow for argue that texting gives children autonomy while giving them the ability to stay in mingy contact with their family and keep intimacy, if done in sense of equilibrium.Many argue that texting has negative consequences on the parent and child dynamic, for example that parents do not pay close enough attention to their children anymore because of texting, and that children do not know how to decently speak face-to-face with people know because they have grown used to texting. In a journal entry from the Wall Street Journal, Worthen argued that the increase use of cell phones and te xting in the past decade has caused an increase in injuries among small children. Nonfatal injuries have risen 12% from 2007 to 2010, and people over 13 owning iPhones or Blackberries has increased from 9 million to 114 million from 2007 to 2012 (1).This increased use of cell phones among adults does not necessarily mean it causes injuries in children, but the lack of attention parents are now giving could be the cause of more childhood injuries. This striking statistic is something people use to argue that texting is detrimental to guild. Also, in an interview on drop, Dr. Karen Ruskin says teenagers are now having trouble communicating with people face-to-face because of the increased use of technology. However, she says that if parents balance their childrens fourth dimension on the phone and their time talking to all(prenominal)(prenominal) other and talking to other people, there should be no problem with communication. Texting in the parent and child relationship depends on the balance between the time spent on the phone and the time spent with apiece other, and if that is in balance, texting terminate be beneficial for their relationship.With the new technology of texting, parents are finding it demanding to balance giving their children independence while still keeping intimacy in their relationship as they grow older. Through interviews with different parents, Jeffrey Zaslow found that the balance is about staying busy, so when you do talk it is more intimate and understanding. He also said that parents are finding that their children in their twenties are still texting their parents often, and parents are becoming afraid that their child lead never grow up and leave home. However, he said this is very normal because the twenties is a time for tons of huge changes and that texting their parents is a firm and stable ground they can fall back on (2). Texting changes the dynamic families use to communicate with each other, and keeping the paren tal status without being distant is a new problem parents have to face.The balance between letting your child have the independence of having a cell phone, while still keeping a close relationship is a fine line, but if it is done correctly I can allow relationships to flourish. It may be difficult for parents to learn this new homunculus of communication, but it can help parents to tactility base with their children often and keep in touch when separated. Families are pulled in different directions every minute of every day, and with more and more distractions and more responsibilities as we grow older, still communicating regularly can be difficult, but with the ease and efficiency of sending a text in only a minute, communication is still possible. Texting allows families to stay close and keep personal relationships at all times. In my personal interview with my mom, she said the most difficult problem we have about staying in touch is finding time for both of us to call each other and have a conversation, in our schedules.A lot of the times I will be in class when she can talk, or she will be in a meeting when I can talk, so we have in condition(p) that it is more effective for us to text each other all day whenever our schedules allow us so we stay informed on each others lives and keep our relationship (Bostic). In another battlefield on the dynamics of texting in the family, and how a mobile diary can be used to study family dynamics, it was found that that family members prefer texting as their mode of communication amongst one other (Rnk 2010). This further enforces the fact that texting is beneficial to families. Texting gives you the freedom to talk whenever your schedule allows you, like when you are on the go or waiting in line. It gives you the independence to talk whenever you desire and to whomever we desire.The balance between independence and intimacy in a parent and child relationship with the factor of texting has been argued for year s now, but I believe texting is beneficial and helps keep personal relationships. It gives children the independence they need from their parents to make their own decisions and form their own opinions, while still giving parents a medium to communicate and stay in close contact with their children at all times. Texting matters in society because it is affecting socialization of future generations. We are now a more fast-paced society that relies heavily on technology as a promoter of communication, and texting allows people from all around the globe to keep in contact and share their thoughts, feelings, ideas, and messages to people from totally different continents, countries, and cultures.Works CitedLing, Rich. The Mobile Connection The carrell Phones Impact on Society. San Francisco Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 2004. Print. Rnk, Anna. Capturing Daily Family Dynamics Via Text Messages Development of the Mobile Diary. Community, Work Family 13.1 (2010) 5-21. Print. Social Media Impact on Children. Youtube. Fox Friends First. 12 Jun. 2012. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. Worthen, Ben. The Perils of Texting While Parenting. Wsj.com. Wall Street Journal, 29 Sept. 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. Zaslow, Jeffrey. I Love My Parents How Close Families Balance Intimacy and Independence. Wsj.com. Wall Street Journal, 21 Dec. 2006. Web. 6 Oct. 2012.

The relationship between humanity and the rest of creation Essay Example for Free

The relationship between hu homoity and the rest of reality shewa. Describe the teachings of the religion of which you are studying about the relationship between humanity and the rest of creation.Christianity teaches that divinity fudge created the worldly concern and that human beings are the stewards who should protect the indue they have been given. The relationship between humanity and the rest of creation is non a simple one. To look at Christian teachings on this relationship, the state of creation must first be examined.Yet, despite human beings being seen as the most intelligent bearing form and having responsibility for the Earth, many of the problems facing the orbiter are mainly due to human activity. Stories and headlines featuring pollution, global warming, over flowing landfills and the extinction of both animals and plants are, unfortunately, no longer uncommon. These problems are not confined to the UK and are, in fact, happening worldwide. Global warmin g is one of main problems.There are thin layers of gas that surround the Earth which keep in enough enkindle from the sun for the Earth to be at a perfect temperature, however, a build up of carbon dioxide from sources such as cars, is causing the layers surrounding the Earth to get thicker so more(prenominal) heat is being trapped causing the temperature to rise. Temperature rise will cause polar ice caps to melt and sea levels to extend causing flooding, storms and hurricanes, resulting in loss of human life. Christianitys teachings on humanitys responsibility for the environment seem to be having little effect as the world is facing massive problems.The Christian twaddle of creation can be found in the first two chapters of Genesis, in the Bible. These chapters describe how divinity created the Earth, from nothing, in 7 days, and it was on the 7th day that he rested. After creating the Earth, the sky, the seas and plants, God made birds and fish on the fifth day and animals and humans on the sixth day So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him male and female he created them. (Genesis 127)Although the Bible often gives more than one opinion on some subjects it is clear when it comes to expressing the view that God created the world. The Bible teaches that the Universe is Gods creation, not an accident, and that it is filled with meaning and purpose. The Old Testament, in particular, reflects these ideas. O Lord our God, your greatness is seen in all the worldWhen I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and stars which you have set in their places ( Psalm 81,3) And again in Psalm In his hands are the depths of the depths of Earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is His, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. (Psalm 95 3- 6) It can be seen therefore, that the Psalm teaches that God made the Earth but the people have the task to keep it how it was created.Despite the New Testament not giv ing the same emphasis to God creating the world, it still shows that he did. Look at the birds in the air they do not sow or pull back or store away in barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them. (Matthew 6 26)Christianity teaches that Christians, as stewards, have the responsibility to look after the Earth because God put people in charge of the world. A steward is someone who takes sustenance of things and is responsible when things go wrong. Therefore, Christians have the job of caring for the planet and they should discipline to put things right when they go wrong. The story of Adam and even in Genesis acts a reminder to Christians that humanity has been given the role of stewards. In the story of Adam and Eve God provided a perfect environment for them but it was their responsibility of taking care of it. Then the lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it. (Genesis 215) When Adam and Eve disobeyed Gods orders and they ate the fruit on the tree of knowledge, they were banished from the garden. The story of Adam and Eve is often compared with todays situation people are abusing the resources given to them by God.In the Bible it says And God saw it was good (Genesis 11) This suggests that when the world was created by God it was perfect so clearly todays problems have been caused by human activity and their disregard for the planet. There is Biblical evidence to show that humans were asked to take care of the planet. For example, in the Old Testament after crops had been harvested the fields were allowed to rest for a certain period of time so that the soil could replenish itself. They Jews were also told not to destroy trees when attacking a city.When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an axe to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees of the field people, that you should besiege them?(Deuteronomy 2019)Pope Jo hn Paul II said this Look to the future with hope and set out with renewed vigour to make this new millennium a time of solidarity and peace, of love for life and respect for Gods creation.The Assisi Declaration was made on the 29th September 1986 when Christian leaders joined leaders from the other 5 major world religions, in Assisi, to declare their promise for nature. The meeting was held in Assisi in honour of St. Francis, who lived there in the 13th century, because he preached about conservation and described all creatures as his brothers and sisters.The Declaration on Nature, Assisi, (1986) saidChristians repudiate all ill-considered exploitation of nature which threatens to destroy it and, in turn, to make man the victim of degradation.This shows that some Christians do want to take care of the world and protect it from catastrophe.To conclude, Christians are the Stewards of the world and should take responsibility for their actions because humans have been clearly given thi s power.

International Expansion Strategy for Snow Mobile Business

external Expansion Strategy for Snow Mobile BusinessEntry into naked commercializesPirilla is a company newly set up in Scotland. The company manufactures snow scooters (which, for the sake of this report, will be synonymous to snow mobiles) and is pondering whether to go external, and if so, where to, and how to go about it. Pirilla garden trucks deuce basic models, a 125cc and a 400cc model in six coloursAs far as the internationalisation goes, the marts chthonic scrutiny atomic number 18 Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Russia, and Luxemburg. According to a recent feasibility study, the budget only allows for two countries to be entered in an initial wave.In general, there argon quaternary basic ways of entering immaterial commercialisesExportingLicensing roast ventureDirect investmentOf configuration these cig art come in loanblend forms as well, but by and macro these argon the main types that sensation would take into con expressionration when wanting to go inter national. The four modes be listed in locomote order of involvement in the respective foreign market, i.e. exporting the snow mobiles to any of the countries would ceteris paribus mean less local involvement than licensing etc.Exporting is precise often the initial mode of entering a foreign market, especially if no structured approach has been driven in the past (i.e. structures such as those of e.g. large pharmaceutical companies, which tend to allow for immediate licensing agreements in the target country at the very least). The export approach butt end be a quick and dirty way of tapping a foreign market, but it may well be a sustainable way of handling foreign job if it turns out there really is no principal in high degrees of local engagement.Licensing involves proceeds abroad, but carried out by another(prenominal) party, i.e. the licensee. Just kindred exporting it does not involve any direct investment, so if the licensee is trustworthy and knows how to employ the ( intangible) assets placed at his disposal i.e. intersectionion know-how, brands, sales strategies and aras etc this way deal turn out very beneficial as local expertise is teamed up with the licensors product. The downside is obvious It is crucial to recover a licensee that meets the required standards.Joint ventures do entail quite a bit of involvement in the foreign market. They ar ideal if there are a number of large players and we need to gain a certain size quickly, and the partner is reliable and has similar strategic goals. However, there are many downsides to this structure. If both(prenominal) partners share a common competitive goal, chances are both will try to prevent the other one from getting ahead at all, which may be harmful as resources and up being used on controlling/confining the partner rather than on furthering the common cause. Many time joint ventures are formed for certain parts of the value chain only, e.g. for RD inbound and/or outbound logistics.T he entry mode requiring just about commitment is usually the one that involves foreign direct investment (FDI). The trade-off is between control and resources that have to be available. Given the high level of resources that go abroad in this case, the company should be pretty sure about what it is doing and how it is going about it. For this reason, FDI is not usually the mode of first choice for new companies.The most apparent argument in favour of a foreign entry is the limited size of the market at home. No figures are available for the number of snow mobiles registered or interchange in Scotland or the UK, but it does not take much ingenuity to figure out which are the countries that provide better opportunities than the home market in terms of potential sales figures, i.e. Scandinavia, and, as far as Europe goes, probably Russia. This intuition is first of all simply lay downd on the climate. When was the function time you saw a snowmobile in the UK? In fact, the economic impact of snowmobiling in the Scandinavian region is around USD 1.6bn per year, third behind the ground forces and Canada (International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, Snowmobiling Facts Snow Facts, n.d.). McDonalds has opened drive-through restaurants for snowmobiles in pairingern Sweden. This is possible because the vehicles have to stay on marked tracks (US Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, 2002).International coverage means higher sales number, which can lead to economies of scale. The learning associated with higher output will enable the company to cut costs and produce at more efficient levels, which will ultimately put it in a position where it can position itself in a competitive market without having to forego profit margins.According to data by the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, there are 409 snowmobile dealerships in Scandinavia. Rather than to wait for the pull of the market which may or may not come if Pirilla wer e to confine itself to operations and sales in the UK, the company should induce that pull by an initial publicise to the market. In other words, it would be advisable to penetrate the market at sufficiently high levels, i.e. to be present in large numbers of these dealerships. Having achieved this initial level of penetration, the company could then operate from a solid base and take further marketing activities from there.As far as cons to going international go, the first that comes to mind is the relatively low degree of operative experience shortly prevalent within the company. Internationalisation always adds another dimension to the business, and it is effortless for newcomers to make mistakes. Or in more optimistic terms, the learning curve is steep in this area.Taking the aforementioned factors into consideration, I would advise the company to go international and improvement from the business potential abroad, but to do so by only exporting the snowmobiles at first (wit h a slight hint though see underneath). The countries I would go for are Sweden in Finland.The rationale for Sweden and Finland is compelling, I turn over. As pointed out earlier, Scandinavia commands high sales in snowmobiles, which is no awe at all, prone its climatic situation, particularly in the northern parts, where snowmobiles are a substitute for cars. Seeing that I have to limit my choice to two countries due to budgetary constraints, these two are the one I would choose. Sweden is my first choice, and Finland makes a convenient second given the similarity in climate and landscape. Also, both countries are members of the European Union, which tends to make exporting business easier.In the target countries I would try to find an exclusive importer/distributor so as not to make things too complicated.As I pointed out earlier, there are a number of hybrid forms when it comes to modes of entry to foreign markets, and for the given situation, and in another scenario, one co uld also invest a small portion of FDI to create a central export hub that makes logistic sense to ship the vehicles to (i.e. somewhere north of Lulea, at the border of Sweden and Finland). From this hub the vehicles could then be further shipped to their final destination. Note that there is also an alternative to this logistical package, i.e. if feasible, the ship could call at several(prenominal) ports en route. But this scenario would mean further logistical involvement in the target country, and at this stage I think we should rather avoid that. wherefore I would stick with the aforementioned option of an exclusive importer/distributor.I would suggest segmenting the market intoPrivate ridersProfessional ridersInstitutionsPrivate riders buy snowmobiles mainly for recreational activities, partly as substitute for their cars. According to a survey conducted by a number of universities in western USA, the reasons for owning a snowmobile (in the USA) areTo view the sceneryTo be with friendsTo get away from the usual demands of life and to do something with the familyTo be close with nature(International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, Research Uncovers a Great Deal of touch in Snowmobiling, n.d.).67% of all riders are below 50 years old, with the average age of all snowmobile owners being 41 and having family and one cod (International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, Snowmobiling Facts Snow Facts, n.d.).Professional riders are people who may find it difficult to get to certain destination the conventional way and cull (or, given the road situation, have) to use snowmobiles, or people who use them as part of their profession in the first place. Doctors, vets, hunters, ski instructors, and people in the tourism industriousness spring to mind.The third group, institutions, are bodies affiliated in some way to the state, such as law enforcement units (police, mountain police, rangers etc), and institutions in the corporate sector with employees/ members (in the widest sense) overt to outdoor work.The three groups will of course require different marketing approaches particularly with regard to the promotion policy.ProductionI am going to base my model for the export markets Sweden and Finland on Swedish statistics and will extrapolate the Finnish case, based on the rationale that many of the variables will be the same in both countries.It is difficult to make a compelling case for the UK market, if there is indeed such a thing. According to the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, there are about 2.6mn registered snowmobiles in the humanness 1.69mn in the USA, 601,000 in Canada, and 318,000 in Scandinavia (Facts and Statistics about Snowmobiling, n.d.) . This pretty much adds up to (slightly in a higher place) the 2.6mn, which means that the number of snowmobiles in the rest of the world is negligible, and including the UK.My model is based on the specific demographics of Sweden. According to the informatio n provided by the International Trade Administration of the US Department of Commerce (2004), there are currently about 130,000 snowmobiles in Sweden (or one for every 69 inhabitants). 8,000 units are sold every year. If these were only replacement purchases, the useful life of a snowmobile would be around 15 to 16 years. Whether these ARE in fact only replacement purchases or not does not really matter (of course parts of these 8,000 units are sold to first-time owners) the relevant bit is the ratio of new sales in terms of existing units in the market, which is 6.67%. In other words, the overthrow of existing numbers is 6.67% per year.Given the similarities between Sweden and Finland not the least in connection with climate and culture, I have extrapolated the demographic parameters of Sweden into the Finnish case (i.e. one snowmobile per 69 inhabitants, 6.67% of total units sold every year). My estimate puts the total number of snowmobiles in Finland to 75,000 (based on an esti mated 5.2mn inhabitants in Finland, as given by the CIA (CIA dry land Factbook, n.d.)), and taking into consideration the yearbook sales ratio of 6.67%, I have come up with annual sales of a total of 5,000 snowmobiles in Finland.The four largest producers of snowmobiles are based overseas Artic Cat, Bombardier Recreational Products, Polaris Industries, and Yamaha Motor Corporation. All of them grapple to Scandinavia, but while those that have all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in their product range dispense them in the UK, I have not found a dealership that sells snowmobiles in the UK. My advice is to assume a markets size of about 10% of the Scandinavian model. For Scotland, the market size thus works out at 7,400, and annual sales could come in at around 500 (N.B. I am presume that the market for snowmobiles in England is negligible in size).Traditionally the ratio of the market share of the three largest players has been 421 (see also Ries Trout, 2001). And it is safe to assever ate that the top three spots have been taken by the aforementioned large producers, and a quick search on the web shows that there are a few smaller players as well. So our goal should be to achieve a market share of 5% in the three markets we are going to enter (i.e. UK/Scotland, Sweden, Finland). Hence the annual sales targets areSweden 5% x 8,000 = 400 unitsFinland 5% x 5,000 = 250 unitsScotland 5% x 500 = 25 unitsLets top it up by an additional 25 units in case the base case for Scotland/UK is too pessimistic, and we end up with an annual sales target of 700 units, which will also be our production target.Unfortunately no data have been provided with regard to any preferences for the 125cc or the 400cc model. I would powerfully suggest to carry out some market research in this particular field, otherwise we run a large risk of producing the wrong article. However, if you tell apart you are willing to take that risk, I would advise you to split the production two thirds to one t hird in favour of the 125cc units (i.e. 467 125ccs and 233 400ccs). This way the heavy(p) tied up in production and storage of finished products is less than in the case of a 50/50 split. Also, my guess is that the market for one-on-one (i.e. recreational) riders is probably largest, and they may be more reluctant to go for the substantially more expensive option as opposed to professional riders and institutions, who might find it worthwhile to invest in the faster package. But again I strongly recommend additional market research in this area.Most of the snowmobiles currently in the market are above 500cc, so both of our models will create a niche. If we position the models well, we may attract new first-time buyers (see below, Advertising/ progression).As far as the colours are concerned, the same is true We have too little data to base a decision on. In contrast to the aforementioned issue of 125cc vs. 400cc, I would suggest to build equal numbers of all colours.PricingI und erstand that marginal costs of production are GBP 6,450 for the 125cc model, and GBP 8,990 for the 400cc model.I am not sure if you are aware that these costs are already above the SALES prices of all but the most expensive models made by the top four producers The one 125cc model available in the market is for kids and is priced at GBP 1,800, although I dont believe an adult version would change much in terms of pricing. The 500cc to 600cc models on the market are in the region of GBP 5,000 to 7,000. at that place are two options First, we can try to cut costs. Given that we are new to the market, I doubt that we can achieve prices that are higher than those of our competitors let alone prices that are 50% to 75% above those in the marketThe second option, in general, to achieve a price that is beyond anything in the market is to convince the target buyers that our product is unique. As I pointed out earlier, our product is unique in that its engine size is smaller than those on t he market, and we can use this to our advantage. However, I believe that we can throw all the money we want at advertising agencies, but trying to make people buy snowmobiles that are effectively inferior in terms of performance to those on the market at 50% mark-ups, that is the proverbial horse that wont run. Even more so as we are new to the market why should anyone trust us?So my advice is to go back to the drawing board and cut costs to an extent that we can return a mark-up of 20% on top of marginal costs and still be in the range of other producers (i.e. around GBP 5,000 to a maximum of 6,000). There are no large price differentials among the three markets we have targeted (and certainly not among the two Scandinavian countries), so my advice applies to all of them.Distribution channelAs pointed out earlier, I would advise the company to find a reliable dealership with nationwide coverage (or partners) and sign a contract of exclusivity with him. This way we could benefit f rom existing infrastructure, and we would not have to worry about the final mile.Another option would be to have the ship call at legion(predicate) ports and thus avoid an exclusive agreement. This option would come with increased levels of flexibility, but at the same time it would require more planning on our side (N.B. the same goes for the building of a central hub at the Swedish-Finnish border, which would also involve a small portion of FDI, as pointed out earlier). For a start, I would prefer to sign a one-year exclusivity agreement. This would also have to include a reliable form of on-site after-sales service for cases of warranty etc.Advertising/publicityThere are numerous magazines that deal with snowmobiling on a purely funs-sports or a more technically advanced level. These will have to be our no.1 medium of advertising. We should also support our exclusive dealer in his efforts to sell our products i.e. POS advertising on his premises and at downstream dealerships he may sell to.On top of the snowmobiling magazines, we should advertise in trade magazines of the professional groups I identified as potential buyers earlier on Hunters, vets, doctors, ski instructors. There could also be publications of regional associations, which would allow us to find our target groups more easily (as we want to address hunters in northern parts of Sweden and Finland no point in targeting these groups in, say, Malm).I doubt that radio, let alone TV commercials are within our budgetary limits.The institutional group should be addressed by a sales person directly.We may want to stress the fact that our product is unique in that it is probably more economical and hence environmentally lovely due to the comparatively small cubic capacity. This could be our niche, as there are hardly any snowmobiles with said specifications on the market (most units are above 500cc).Entry into new marketsWe should try to consolidate our experience before rolling out into other mark ets. The top players are already there, so it is no oral sex of capturing any first-mover advantage. I would suggest to enter Norway next, and Russia in a subsequent wave. Norway is similar to Sweden, and it is part of the EEC, so any lessons learnt in Sweden and Finland can probably be easily implemented in Norway. Russia will be a different animal altogether and should not be tackled before we have all structures safely in place.Reference listCIA n.d., The World Factbook. Retrieved 27 August, 2006, from https//www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.htmlInternational Snowmobile Manufacturers Association n.d., Facts and Statistics about Snowmobiling. Retrieved 27 August, 2006, from http//www.snowmobile.org/pr_snowfacts.aspInternational Snowmobile Manufacturers Association n.d., Research Uncovers a Great Deal of Interest in Snowmobiling. Retrieved 27 August, 2006, from http//www.snowmobile.org/pr_research-06-aug.aspInternational Snowmobile Manufacturers Association n.d., Snowmo biling Facts Snow Facts. Retrieved 27 August, 2006, from http//www.snowmobile.org/facts_snfcts.aspInternational Snowmobile Manufacturers Association n.d., Snowmobiling Facts Snowmobiling in Europe. Retrieved 27 August, 2006, from http//www.snowmobile.org/facts_europe.aspPorter, ME 1998, Competitive Advantage, Free Press, London.Ries, A and Trout, J 2001, Positioning the Battle For Your Mind, McGraw-Hill Education, London.US Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, International Market Insight Snowmobiles, 2002. Retrieved 27 August, 2006, from http//strategis.ic.gc.ca/ large/internet/inimr-ri.nsf/en/gr111748e.html

Procurement Cost Plan for Heating Installation

Procurement Cost Plan for Heating Inst completelyationQ) Establish round quailual and procurement difficulties if your giving medication were to be main contractor for founding of a district passion schemeing scheme parcel 100 pensioners bungalows. Produce a basic procurement greet plan for contractors to price against.CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTIONDistrict oestrus is a system where the light energy for an bea is produced centrally, and resilient peeing or s aggroup is transported to the buildings by means of a network of pipes. Heat is transferred into individual properties through a heat exchanger, and and so used in accomplished oestrus systems (in flats, for example, there whitethorn only when be one heat exchanger for the congeriesly block). District heat net kit and boodle vary widely in scale from individual developments or apartment blocks to whole cities. In Denmark, where district heating accounts for ab forbidden 60% of the heat supplied, cities such as Co penhagen receive heat from wide-scale power stations and heartiness from be adrift marks situated up to 40km away.Modern district heating basin be address effective and reduce CO2 emissions comp ard to conventional heating systems. This is because generating heat centrally at large scale can reduce be compargond to generating heat in boilers in individual properties, particularly when combined heat and power (CHP) industrial grafts ar used. Heat transported through the network can besides be converted into cooling using absorption chillers, again improving the efficiency of the system and to a fault providing an cream to use heat produced in the summer.District heating is more environmentally friendly than conventional heating, the potential to reduce emissions impart depend greatly on the fuel used and the type of central plant that is generating the heat. Modern district heating offers the potential to use a variety of low coulomb and renewable heat generation techno logies, such as CHP using fossil fuels, biomass or waste, biomass boilers or surplus heat from industrial processes. As an experienced and well-tried technology, employed effectively in many countries, district heating has evolved significantly from the mean solar days when it was first installed. Networks be now highly efficient, with sophisticated heating controls that bequeath suppliers to maintain the network and consumers to easily manage their heat use. Underground sensors are able to quickly locate any leaks, and back-up generating plant, is used to limit the effect of accomplishable problems with the central generating plant.CHAPTER 2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDYThe main aim is to establish the contractual and procurement difficulties of the main contractor for installation of the district heating scheme serving 100 pensioners bungalows. The aims and objectives can be summarized as followsTo install a district heating scheme to serve 100 pensioners bungalows.To con duct the feasibleness study of CHP/CH for district heating.To establish contractual and procurement issues that may occur in this project scheme.To study life cycle monetary valueing of the district heating scheme.CHAPTER 3 feasibleness STUDY OF CHP/CH FOR DISTRICT HEATING SCHEMESAny CH development, whether new or refurbished, large or small, should start with a feasibility study, during which the technical and economic viability of fraternity heating, opposed with opposite possible fillings, imparting clearly emerge. The application of CHP enhances the combined heat option by providing heat and power with a very high overall efficiency. So this section deals primarily with the feasibility of CHP/CH schemes. Options should be compared using sound economic principles, always ensuring that full life-cycle costing is used.The content of the feasibility study will be far reaching and, in the course of the work, many fundamental decisions will be made as to the technical approac h and the most attractive option to be pursued. Once the project development stage is reached it is much more difficult to change course. Consequently the feasibility study bespeaks to be sharefully procured, managed and fully discussed before proceeding further.3.1 Defining the briefWhether the study is existence carried out in-house or using external resources, it is requisite to define a brief. This must state the objectives clearly, and provide information on existing buildings and their heating systems, the general aspirations of the organisation commissioning the study, and the time-scale for the study. Any particular issues of concern should be mentioned, but otherwise the brief should not constrain the scope of the study. If external consultants are to be appointed, their selection should be primarily on the basis of the capability, qualifications and experience of the study team and their approach and methodology.The study should include engineering, economics, envir onmental and commercial issues, together with related health and safety matters, for which a comprehensive team of experts expects to be assembled, ofttimes with external consultants working closely with in-house lead personnel. An indication of the economic parameters to be used in assessing options should be provided in the brief, e.g. the test discount rate and the head of analysis to be assumed in a discounted cash flow analysis. Such information will be bespeaked during the study, and early discussion and harmony on these parameters is advisable. It is classic to insist that the correct basis of full life-cycle costing is applied to each of the options under consideration. Once the main options sire been established, large(p) costs will pick out to be estimated, as well as in operation(p) and maintenance costs where these are the responsibility of the CHP/CH developer.3.2 Heat and electricity demand perspicacityThe starting point of a study is the determination of th e market for heat, cooling and power. Initially, this involves enlisting support for a scheme from organisations such as the topical anaesthetic authority, large hospitals or a university, all of which can help to provide essential core load for a proposed scheme. It is also important to consider the concentration of heat demand which can accure from such potential customers. Cooling by means of absorption chillers offers a further use for heat, particularly at times when heating is not required.The heating, cooling and power requirement for buildings can be obtained from previous data, provided the existing building use is to be remain unchanged, or by energy modelling techniques. It is important that all cost-effective energy-saving measures for the building either be implemented, or at least considered, before determining heat demand. The fundamental minimum requirements of the heat demand assessments are the temperature requirements of the heating system the determination o f peak heat demands categoryly energy consumption.These datas will enable some approximate economic work to commence. However, the revenues from the production of electricity vary with time of day and time of year, and hence the cost of heat production from a CHP plant will also vary over the years. It will, therefore, be necessary to sink a heat demand profile over the year, at least on a monthly basis and preferably weekly. Monthly heat demand profiles can be estimated using weather data, together with establishing a hot water energy demand profile. In addition, the variation of heat demands over a 24-hour layover will be useful, but these data are likely to be available only if a high level of instrumentation has already been installed within the buildings. The hourly heat demand profile is required so that cooccurring heat and power production can be simulated. For electricity, half-hourly data will normally be available for larger users, and monthly data from bills. serv ant needs to be given to the effect of the following on demand profiles for heat and power metering and charging tariffs if historical data are radicald on un-metered heat, a change to metered supply normally leads to significant reductions in heat use. there may be cost-effective opportunities to reduce heat demand by adding withdrawal to the building fabric. liberalisation of the electricity market makes it easier to sell electricity directly to residents on federation heating schemes. use of surplus heat for cooling, particularly in summer, when residential heating requirements are low or zero.At the feasibility stage these decisions will not have been finalised and it may therefore be necessary to proceed with a range of possible heat and power demands.3.3 Heating systems within buildingsIt is necessary to establish details of existing heating systems within the buildings. near of these may be unsuitable for connection to CH systems, in which an outline engineering concept will be needed for their replacement. Where systems are more matched, their operating(a) temperatures and pressures need to be established together with an assessment of their effectiveness in meeting current and future(a) needs. If there is some extra capacity available thence it may be possible to reduce operating temperatures and flow evaluate in heating circuits, which will generally be of benefit to the CH scheme. It is also important to establish the method of control used for both time and temperature in order to predict accurately effects on the CH systems.When details of existing systems are available it will be possible to propose a programme of works that will enhance existing systems and yet still be compatible with the proposed CH system. However, several options may have to be considered and cost estimates are prepared for use, in an overall option appraisal.In some buildings, the provision of domestic hot water may re rescue a significant part of the deman d, and there are a soma of ways of generating domestic hot water from a CH system. The most energy-efficient schemes will involve taking advantage of the low temperature of the cold water feed so as to cool the community heating regress as close as possible to this temperature. This leads to the use of non-storage calorifiers or additional coil surface in cylinders. In larger buildings, two-stage heating, utilising the go through water from a space-heating circuit to carry out pre-heating of the cold water feed, is the best solution, provided it should be economical.3.4 Central PlantOnce the heat demand assessment has been made, work can commence on examining the central plant options. The aspects to be covered are prime mover choice fuel choice, contract flexibility, and security site fixing and topography, and interfaces with fuel, electricity and CH infrastructure balance between CHP heat and boiler heat provision of standby capacity building to house the plant. It is likely that a number of options will present themselves and each will need to be analysed under similar assumptions to determine the optimum selection. Capital, operating and maintenance costs will need to be assessed for each combination of plant.The CHP operating strategy needs to be developed to establish the most economical method of operation in sexual copulation to varying heat and power demand profiles and varying marketing prices, e.g. following the heat demand at full output and cast aside heat. A spreadsheet-based operating model is essential to ensure that the correct operating strategy has been made and to calculate the annual energy flows, and to permit rapid sensitivity analysis.The optimum CHP plant capacity needs to be determined by considering a range of plant sizes and by carrying out an economic assessment of each. For single-site CHP projects it is important to have a reasonable match between the generated output and the electricity demand. For a CHP/CH system, electricity is often sold in bulk and the site demand must also be taken into account. However, there may be candid opportunities for selling electricity to customers who are more directly linked to the scheme, by use of system arrangements. In this case, modelling the CHP plant in relation to electricity demand may need to be considered. The use of thermal storage and heat dumping may be of greater assistance in allowing the CHP plant a higher flexibility in matching demand profiles. There may also be opportunities for tri-generation (heat, chilling and electricity). nigh CH schemes are initially established without CHP, due to the large capital outlay involved. Even without CHP, there may still be environmental and economic advantages from load diversification, and further economic benefits from purchasing fuel in bulk. The use of pre-insulated pipes and low NO2, high-efficiency or condensing boilers have helped to make juvenile combined heat systems robust, environment ally friendly, and economically advantageous. It should be stressed, however, that CHP offers immediate environmental benefits, and long-term economic advantages. 3.5 Heat Distribution systemsAfter the building demands and the central plant location have been determined it is then possible to examine the heat distribution system. In order to analyse the network rapidly and to calculate costs, data processor software is essential. For large schemes, only the primary mains, together with sample areas of sub-distribution mains, will need to be analysed at this stage. The more difficult aspect is to determine which routes for CH pipe work are technically feasible and cost-effective. Considerable assistance may be obtained by consulting ordnance Survey maps. These are now available on CAD format but at a significant cost. However, there is no substitute for an informed site survey, and a detailed examination of other utility work drawings. Within the feasibility study it will be neces sary at least to identify any major constraints to routes, e.g. road and cut crossings, the presence of underground sewers, railway tunnels, etc. In selecting routes the use of open, grassed areas will lead to significant cost savings, as with the avoidance of major roads. Consultation with the local anesthetic Authority Planning and Highways Department is essential.3.6 OptimisationThis is the most complex phase of a feasibility study, where the various options available for CHP plant, heat distribution and building heating systems need to be assembled into a number of scheme options all with their individual sets of cost and revenue streams. Some cases may be simplified by a process of logical comparison, but normally it will be necessary to compare the options using discounted cash flow analysis, and hence to determine the preferred option on the basis of maximising net present value or internal rate of return. Some of the system optimisation issues that are likely to need evalu ation are given below.3.6.1 Operating temperatures A high flow temperature will result in a larger temperature drop, lower flow rates and hence smaller pipe diameters can be used. This capital cost advantage will be offset by the need for more expensive building connections and possibly higher heat production costs, depending on the CHP plant selected.3.6.2 Operating pressuresThe option exists to run the system at a lower operating pressure by over-sizing the network the extra cost incurred should be compared with savings from using the cheaper direct connection method to link building heating systems to the community heating network. Pumping costs also need to be considered, particularly for larger systems, where higher design pressure reduces the amount of booster pumping required. The topographic variation will also need to be considered when deciding upon operation pressure.3.6.3 Size of schemeA smaller scheme may be more compact and have a relatively inexpensive network, but la rger schemes may result in economies of scale for the CHP plant arising from higher efficiency and lower capital cost per kW. The phased expansion of the scheme also needs to be considered, as does ways in which this might affect the plant and the network design.3.6.3 Heat metersThe installation of heat meters will result in lower buildings energy use and reduced operating costs. If the individual dwellings are equipped with heat meters, energy savings should be compared with the additional capital cost and consumer administration charges. It is also possible that the provision of heat meters for each dwelling may be the only way to come through market acceptability by residents and energy developers. In addition, the inclusion of heat meters will have a positive effect on Standard sound judgment Procedure rating (SAP).3.6.4 Building heating systemsThe conversion of a heating system to more compatible operating conditions will involve additional capital cost, but if it results in better plant selection or increased heat sales it may be justified. One example is converting steam heating at a hospital to low temperature hot water heating suitable for connection to a community heating network.3.6.5 Improvements to building fabricSome buildings, fabric insulation make betterments will be cost-effective in energy terms. The economic advantage is not as great when the building is supplied by CHP/CH as it would be for small conventional boilers or electric space heating, because the marginal cost of heat is lower. There is, however, a financial advantage in bring down peak heat demands as the capacity of the CHP plant and the heat distribution network can be reduced. The resultant saving in capital cost needs to be included in the economic assessment of insulation measures. Once the main options have been established, capital costs will need to be estimated as well as operating and maintenance costs where these are the responsibility of the CHP/CH developer3.7 R evenues from heat and electricity sales3.7.1 Heat salesA good understanding of a customers current and likely future costs for conventional heating is required in order to judge the utmost heat sales income available. These costs will include fuel, operating and maintenance and provision for future boiler replacement. It will be necessary to structure a heat sales package so that the advantages can clearly be seen. At feasibility level there will need to be a sufficiently large discount to be confident that this level of income can be obtained for the flow rate of analysis. A long-term commitment is unlikely to be obtained at this stage and information on existing costs may be limited, so a cautious approach may be needed. The situation is clearer in the residential sector where the costs of the conventional individual boiler systems are generally well established. The main options available in the residential sector are sales to individual residents by means of a fixed charge r elated to size of dwelling sales to individual residents based on cadence the heat energy actually used (dwelling heat meters) sales to individual residents based on the measurement of actual energy used by a block of flats and an apportionment based on size of dwelling/occupancy. Pre-payment systems can be used to collect either fixed or variable charges or a combination of both. Some consideration should be given to assessing the likely levels of bad debt where prepayment systems are not installed, and bad debt costs may need to be incorporated in the economic analysis.3.7.2 Electricity salesWhere CHP plant is installed, it is vital to obtain the maximum income from the electricity produced. Typically, a 10% increase in electricity sales will improve the internal rate of return (IRR) of a project (see section 1.10) by 2%, whereas a 10% increase in heat sales will improve the IRR by 1%. The CHP/CH company may opt to sell electricity in bulk to the host unexclusive electricit y supplier (PES), which will normally offer terms on a p/kWh basis for electricity generated at different times of the day and year seasonal time of day (STOD) tariff. However, if the CHP/CH company can supply electricity users directly (this may include residents themselves) a much better return can be obtained. Among the more favourable options that exist, (following the liberalisation of the electricity market in 1998) is the sale of electricity direct to residents and other customers. A summary of the options is as follows sale to the host PES sale to a second tier supplier, i.e. other PESs and other suppliers of electricity direct sale to customers as a second tier supplier. This implies pool membership for an aggregate supply of more than 500 kW sale under the non fossil-fuel obligation (NFFO) (only for energy-from-waste projects which have phone for this arrangement in advance). sale through the pool (this entails having pool membership and is more appropriate for projects in the range 30 MWe-50 MWe) sale as an on-the-spot(prenominal) generator to other customers on the same site.It will normally be helpful to use the conventional route of sale to the host PES for the base case analysis, with the other options considered as possible improvements that can be investigated, depending on the scale of the project and the resources of the study. An element of negotiation will be needed in most of these options. As a result, definite figures are not likely to be available at the feasibility stage and a range of results may be presented as a sensitivity analysis.The sale of electricity as a second tier supplier may be of particular touch on to CHP/CH schemes because there will be the opportunity to market heat and electricity together to customers on the community heating scheme. Selling two utility services may also bring benefits in metering and charging arrangements. This option is therefore discussed further below. If a CHP/CH scheme is to undertake to sell electricity direct to customers, additional arrangements will be required, for example a top-up and standby purchase arrangement for times when the generation is less than customer demand (including times of CHP plant outage) as a pool member a second tier supplier can purchase this power direct from the pool a contract for selling throw off power for times when more power is generated than customers demand either the payment of use-of-system charges, the purchase of existing electricity infrastructure or the installation of new cables in order to transfer power to the customers.In the domestic sector, the creditworthiness of customers should be considered and the possible need for a form of prepayment. The management of debt collection is a customer care issue, and disconnection policies need to be fully developed if customers are to be retained in the long term.3.8 Development ProgrammeAn important output from the feasibility study is a development progr amme. This is required first to permit the construction of cash flows for capital expenditure, and second to enable advance planning of subsequent stages. A separate, more detailed programme may be produced covering the period of development from the conclusion of the feasibility study to the start of construction, if the route to achieve this is sufficiently clear. It is also worth establishing a watching brief on all work involving renewal of underground services, so that opportunities may be taken to adjust projects, thus reducing costs and disruption. Issues to consider when drawing up the programme are the need for a further project definition stage the need for further site surveys and investigations consultation with customers and adjacent building owners and residents planning applications (and associated environmental statements) Building Regulations applications energy rating and emission improvements preparation of invitations to tender tender period shor t-listing construction companies short-listing energy developer companies short-listing operating companies assessment of tenders and final negotiations of contracts mobilisation site clearance construction commissioning and testing operation and maintenance.Supervision during construction is of preponderant importance in order to secure the necessary quality of system.3.9 Economic AppraisalsAt the heart of any economic appraisal are the cash flows, a set of annual capital, operating and maintenance expenditures, and annual revenues from the sale of heat and electricity. These cash flows are normally evaluated in real terms. To compare scheme options, and determine whether the project is economically feasible, there are a number of arithmetical calculations based on the cash flows. It is essential that, when conducting an economic appraisal, full life-cycle costs are used to compare the various options.Simple payback period Defined as the period in which the initial investment is recovered by the annual saving. Generally this approach is too simplistic where the capital expenditure may be spread over a number of years, and where the income may vary from year to year. It is therefore not recommended.Net Present Value (NPV) To calculate the NPV it is necessary to define the cost of borrowing capital (or lost income from capital which could have been invested elsewhere) and the period for the analysis of the project.Internal Rate of Return (IRR) This can be defined as the test discount rate that results in a net present value of zero. IRR is less robust than NPV as it can lead to the selection of a smaller-scale project which, although generating a higher return, involves less capital so that the total value of the income stream is lower than the maximum potential. Both NPV and IRR calculations are available within most spreadsheet software packages. The above parameters are normally sufficient to compare options and present the results to the cli ent organisation for a decision to proceed further. An appraisal by a financier is also likely to involve the calculation of revenue implications and debt cover ratios. As an illustration of an economic appraisal, two approaches are outlined below. From the perspective of a building owner who wants to examine the cheapest method of supplying heat and power to the building or groups of buildings. The economic analysis would assemble cash flows for capital and operating costs for both the CHP scheme and the alternative approach of conventional boilers. The CHP scheme would involve significant initial capital and have an income stream for surplus electricity sales. The conventional approach will have investments in future boiler plant scheduled for future years. The NPV approach enables these varying cashflows to be summed to give a single figure the NPV in this case being the net present cost for supplying the site with heat and power over a defined period. If the CHP/CH option gives a lower cost then it is the more economical option. From the perspective of an energy developer company, cash flows will be established for capital investments and income from both heat and electricity sales. The heat and electricity selling prices will be related to the market for these energy products. An IRR can be calculated for the project investment and the NPV for a given discount rate. The CHP/CH option with the highest NPV will be selected and the IRR must be greater than the minimum required by the energy developer company, taking account of the risks in the project.It is worthwhile investigating whether any local major consumer, such as a local authority, is willing to connect all their buildings to a scheme. This can reduce the investment risk significantly and improve cash flow. The question of economic viability cannot be separated from an analysis of risk, particularly where project finance is the route employed. It will be necessary to carry out an analysis in which as many of the costs and performance figures as possible can be contractually underwritten before presenting the results to a financial presentation for a view on financial viability. A sensitivity analysis is of assistance in identifying which of the many parameters are the most important when considering the risk to the economic performance of the scheme, and also for indicating the range of likely outcomes. From this analysis the advantages of obtaining longer-term fuel purchase contracts or heat and power sales contracts can be judged. Some community heating schemes are initially established without CHP, due to the large capital outlay involved. It may, however, be instructive to consider the economics of a boiler-only community heating option so that the benefits of the CHP plant itself can be separately demonstrated.3.10 Environmental AssessmentsA preliminary environmental assessment should form a part of the feasibility study, identifying both the advantages and disadvantag es of CHP. 3.11 Health and safety Any construction project is covered by the Construction Design and Management (CDM) regulations. The aim of these regulations is to ensure that safety issues are considered from the start of the project, and this may include the feasibility stage. It will be necessary to appoint a planning supervisor and to carry out an outline design risk assessment.CHAPTER 4 Contractual Issues4.1 Works contractsThe EU Directive is implemented in the main by the Public Works Contracts Regulations 1991 (SI 19912680). The basic qualifying brink is currently set at special drawing rights (SDR). The rules apply principally to building and civil engineering works together with associated activities such as installation work. Public work concessions are subject to a more relaxed regime under the rules. Following the adoption of Council Directive 97/52/EC on 13 October 1997, amending the EU public sector directives to align with the new Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), all thresholds for the public sector should now be convey in SDR. Where the value of the contract exceeds the threshold, contracting bodies are required to publish a prior information notice giving the essential characteristics of qualifying works contracts following decisions to approve the planning of works. A contract notice should be published in the Official Journal when offers are sought in relation to a works contract. When inviting tenders, negotiated procedures may be used only in exceptional circumstances. The choice is mainly between open and restricted procedures under which all tenderers must bid against the same specification and terms and conditions of contract. The negotiated procedure allows a preferred bidder to be chosen before the final terms of the contract are agreed. There are strict provisions on technical standards requiring the use of European standards in tender documentation in preference to theme ones.The award of the contract must be either on t he basis of the lowest price or the most economically advantageous te

Leadership and Management in Changing Context of Healthcare

Leadership and Management in Changing Context of Health forebodingINTRODUCTIONThe National Health Service (NHS) depones face a swear of altercates arising from a national approach to the modernisation of renovations as laid out in the NHS Plan. (DOH, 2000) The NHS Plan recognises that the NHS is capable of providing to a greater extent effectual and accessible care by the rationalisation of advantage delivery through incorporated organisations. Mergers illustrate the focus on organisational restructuring as the discover lever for agitate as indicated by the ninety nine health care provider mergers in England between 1996 and 2001. (Fulop, Protsopsaltis, King, Allen, Hutchings, and Normand, 2004) However, in many cases, mergers have unexpected consequences and drawbacks including problems in integ place module, services, systems and working practices, collide with organisational stopping points and short(p) drawship capacity.This essay considers loss loss hold upersh ip and management in the context of a problematic merger of services from two hospitals onto one site. The essay focuses on the compound management ferment within one department to highlight key leadership, team, and cultural issues that negatively affected the risingly merged department. The microcosm of the department mirrors akin(predicate) occurrences across the two merged hospitals. The essay concludes with a comment on the organisational consequences if a macro intervention is not implemented.Confidentiality has been preserved by anonymising the identity of the hospitals and departments concerned. earthThis essay explores a recent interpolate process involving the creation of a psychiatrical familiarity team based in a NHS hospital happening and Emergency Department. (A E) in January 2004.The diversity occurred because of the merger of two hospitals that resulted in a outcome of structural limitings, including the amalgamation of a traditionally split emergency se rvice into a one site A E department. The liaison team replaced the existing deliberate self-harm service which had operated in the one hospital for two decades.The virgin liaison team consisted of eight newly appointed G-grade mental health nurses, a team leader, and a consultant psychiatrist who had both previously worked in the deliberate self-harm service. The hours of operation initially were 0800 to 2200 and there were two nurses on duty on early and late shifts.During a four week origination period, the team participated in team building and training exercises and developed into a cohesive, effective group. The team created sort key per universal anatomyance indicators specific to the psychiatric liaison team, established an action plan to achieve the set objectives, and planned to carry out six-monthly reviews. The team developed a shared imaging to provide high step, person centred care to the A E department without breaching governments four hour bottoms (DOH, 200 1). The team leaders leadership style was democratic, and she fostered collaborationism and involvement within the team (Walton, 1999). The team members considered her an expert in the field, and respected her for it.In July 2004, the service manager watched a monthly team meeting. At the meeting she was informed that a major alter was expected to the hours of operation. The service would be across-the-board to a 24-hour service starting in September 2004. In order for the liaison team to cover a 24-hour roster there was initially be a reduction in the number of nurses on duty, however, more staff would be recruited if necessary after a six month service review. An exact date for the review was not given. The switch had not been intercommunicated as part of the strategy for the greater merger.The Department of Health (DOH) modernisation agenda for the NHS, (DOH, 2002) sets out to modernise services in the NHS, and introduced a three star rating scale against which each NHS Tru sts performance is compared against benchmark standards. Funding in turn is dependant on the star rating achieved. One such standard relates to delays in A E departments, and stipulates that mental health patients should have 24 hour access to services, and that patients should be assessed and treated within four hours of arrival. (DOH, 2001) The profound rationale for the tack was therefore that the psychiatric liaison service had to provide a 24-hour service in order for the hospital to comply with the benchmark. Management of the merged hospitals did not consider staff shortages or how the four hour target might affect the quality of service provision, particularly when staff are down the stairs constant pressure to discharge patients before they exceed the benchmark standard. (RCP, 2004) In the service described above, reaching the necessary 98 % four hour target proved impossible, because the staff numbers did not match the requirements of the service.The service was there fore to be expanded without additional staff, implying not only interchanges in hours and shifts, but similarly changes in work patterns. The team members reacted negatively to how the change process was introduced. Concerns were expressed some the reduction in staff numbers and questions were raised as to how the staff would be able to cope. The sense of security and continuity were put at risk. (Walton, 1999) The service manager was not available to address the concerns due to an increased grasp of responsibility because of the merger that was beyond her normal remit. Lack of two way dis mannequin between the manager and the employees meant that the manager lost a valuable probability to resolve the negative reactions, and laid the foundation for resistance to change (Johnson, Scholes, and Whittington, 2005).Within a month of the announcement, the team leader had resigned. A new team leader was appointed and was tasked to lead the team through the change. The team started gr adually becoming fragmented, staff sickness rates soared, and morale plummeted. The government agency reached a crisis point by December 2005, by which time two more staff members had resigned. The majority of staff had interpreted sick leave, and the psychiatric liaison service was left uncovered for several days. A number of mental health patients in A E waited for hours, sometimes all night, to be seen by a mental health professional. The A E department laid a formal complaint about the liaison teams performance.In March 2005, following preaching with a union representative, the team took out a grievance against the team leader. The key issues of concern were the way the change process had been introduced, lack of two-way parley and the team leaders unsuitable task-oriented, directional leadership style. The team leader was suspended and the Trust commenced a lengthy investigation into the change process. The investigation continues to date.ANALYSISCameron and Green (2004) aim McKinseys 7S model as a diagnostic tool to identify interconnected and related aspects of organisational change. The model is problem instead than solution focussed, and hence reusable for pointing out retrospectively why change did not work. The weakness of the model is that it does not explicit identify drivers from the external environs and accordingly key forces have been described by way of explanation. According to Burke and Litwin (1992), the external environment is any outside condition or situation that influences the performance of the organisation.Systems, Staff and StrategySystems refer to standardised policies and mechanisms that facilitate work, primarily manifested in the organisations reward systems, management information systems, and in such control systems as performance appraisal, goal and budget development, and human resource allocation. (Burke and Litwin, 1992) Systems are the mechanisms through which strategy is achieved. Strategy is how the organisat ion intends to achieve a purpose over an extended time scale. Johnson, Scholes, and Whittington (2005) link it directly to environment (industry structure), organisational structure, and corporate culture. Leaders are the executives and managers providing overall organisational direction and serving as behavioural role models for all employees. (Burke and Litwin, 1992)The systems that the service had in place to support the staff prior to the merger had functioned efficiently. The psychiatric liaison team had monthly team meetings, weekly ward rounds and supervision, and twice day-after-day handovers to ensure high quality service.Teams in this context mean a group who share a common health goal and common objectives, hardened by community needs, to the achievement of which each member of the team contributes, in accordance with his or her competencies and skill and in co-ordination with the functions of others. (WHO, 1984) Under the previous team leaders management, the team had achieved a mature and productive level of performance that fell within Tuckmans model of team development of a do team. (Mullins, 2002) The leader demonstrated characteristics of an effective team leader (e.g. good communication) and ensured that the team members views were passed on to the management. (Marquis and Huston, 2003)The team also developed team specific performance indicators to concord the Trusts strategy, such as the goal to provide high quality care within four hours of service users presenting to the A E department. However, the new management of the merged hospitals did not take into account that the reduction in staff numbers would make it difficult for staff to find time to attend ward rounds and to supervise care. Lack of supervision had a negative impact on the quality of care provided, and staff shortages meant that the team did not reach the four-hour targets in A E department. The change process indicated a lack of sincere stakeholder consultation which would have alleviated the crisis in the department. (Iles and Sutherland, 2001)Structure and StyleStructure is the positioning of functions and people into specific areas and levels of responsibility, decision-making authority, communication, and races to assure effective implementation of the organisations mission and strategy. (Burke and Litwin, 1992) The NHS Leadership Qualities Framework (DOH, 2002, p34) proposes leading change through people with effective and strategic influencing is all-important(a) in a merger environment. This is supported by Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2005) who suggest that strategic, transformational leadership is a key element within an organisation staffed by professionals and that a collaborative style is required to achieve transformational, lasting change. However, the new team leaders leadership style was autocratic and the team members were no longer consulted about matters concerning it, which was in inhibit in team nursing approach ass ociated with collaborative patient centric care.Marquis and Huston (2003) suggest that a democratic leadership style industrial plant best with a mature experienced team with shared responsibility and accountability. The change in leadership style meant that the team felt disempowered and uninvolved in decision making which did not allow ownership of the change process to emerge. Furthermore, the flow of information to the team slowed down and the teams concerns about the change did not reach top management implying that communication channels in the new organisational structure were not functioning efficiently.Management style equally affects culture. Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2005) realm that culture is the taken for granted assumptions that are accepted by an organisation or team. These work routines are not explicit, but are essential for effective performance. Ignoring these as the new team leader did, reduces motivation and performance, and stiffens resistance to cha nge.SkillsSkills are the distinctive capabilities of key people. (Cameron and Green, 2003) The nature of the team membership implied a range of key skills interdependent on the other for effective performance. A problem area in the skills portfolio was information technology skills. The Trust managing the merged hospitals had introduced a Trust long electronic patient record system in accordance with NHS requirements. (DOH, 2003) This was implemented simultaneously with the decision to extend the working hours. The change aimed to improve the service user experience by allowing staff a 24-hour access to service users care and crisis plans. (DOH, 2003) The staff shortage meant that team members did not receive appropriate training on the system and the use of the electronic patient record system became a source of frustration and confusion. Lack of computer skills contributed to staffs frustration and negative attitudes with the change process.Superordinate goalsSuperordinate goals are the longer end point vision of the organisation and the shared values and guiding principles that that shape the in store(predicate) of the organisation and motivation achievement of strategy. (Cameron and Green, 2003) The teams superordinate goals were initially created during the four-week team building period and aligned with those of the larger organisation. The teams vision was to provide high quality, service user centred care. The team also considered change as a natural part of organisational development. However, the team became increasingly resistant to change when it felt that the organisation did not really care about its employees, their concerns, and the ultimate reason for the organisations purpose, being the patient.DISCUSSION OF CHANGE PROCESS miscellanea management is art of influencing people and organisations in a desired direction to achieve an agreed future disk operating system to the benefit of that organisation and its stakeholders. (Cameron and Green , 2003)A number of models can be used to model a change management process. A popular model is Kurt Lewins forcefield analysis. A forcefield analysis is a useful tool to understand the driving and resisting forces in a change situation as a basis for change management. This technique identifies forces that might work for the change process, and forces that are against the change. Lewins model suggests that once these conflicting forces are identified, it becomes easier to build on forces that work for the change and reduce forces that are against the change (Cameron and Green, 2003). The difficulty is the sound judgement of strength or duration of a force, partlicularly when the human dimension is considered. The key resisting force in the change process was a lack of staff and poor leadership.The change process under discussion was largely motivated by external factors. However, due to poor project planning, Trust management failed to consider the informal factors that had a majo r impact on the change. In particular, the management failed to involve the necessary stakeholders at a local level to increase ownership of the change thus failed to consider the human dimension (Walton, 1999 and DOH, 2004). The new team leaders autocratic leadership style did not fit the requirements of the task, or the culture of the team and thus sowed the seeds of resistance to change. (Hogg and Vaughan, 2002). The poorly managed change process became costly to the Trust due to the loss of human resources, reduced staff morale and displace the credibility of the management. The change left the psychiatric liaison team feeling betrayed, and individual team members traumatised.As the change process progressed, it became evident that a primitive analysis of current resources and various dimensions of organisational change had not been carried out (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2005). The management had not prepared a clear plan for launching and executing the change at a loc al level.The NHS Modernisation Agency Improvement Leaders orchestrate (DOH, 2004) stresses the importance of taking into consideration the human aspect when planning a change project. Similarly, Walton (1999) argues that change initiatives should be thought through and planned as far as possible taking into account the psychological bonds that staff form with their work groups and their organisation as a whole.It follows then that no precautions had been taken to address resistance to change. Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, (2005) state that there should be a clear communication plan to state how information about the change project will be communicated inside and outside the organisation. The team members were not given an opportunity to challenge and test the change proposal, or clarify what aspects of the change they could or could not influence. (Walton, 1995)Fulop, Protsopsaltis et al, (2004) suggest that change project should be presented as an opportunity to improve the qu ality of performance and that clinicians should should be involved on a consultative basis. Team members were aware of the consequences of extending the hours of operation without increasing the resources, however, there were no systems in place to communicate these views to the Trust management, a key aspect of the change process. The lack of key stakeholder involvement in the change meant that the management did not have access to the psychiatric liaison teams valuable experience on the immediate and wider implications of cutting down resources. (Henderson, 2002)The team members felt that their concerns about the lack of resources had not been taken seriously, and this inevitably led to a feeling that the Trust did not care about its employees or their views. Strong emotions such as anger and frustration were expressed by the team members. The lack of formal communication channels, meant that the team members took them out on each other. Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, (2005) co nfirm that at times of change, rumours, gossip and storytelling increases in importance and that team members engage in countercommunication, thus unconsiously spreading distrust, suspicion and negativity which leads to lowered staff morale and job satisfaction.Although the rationale for change was clear to everyone, the change was executed at such short notice that the team members did not have time to develop strategies to deal with it. The NHS Improvement Leaders Guide to Managing the Human Dimension of agitate (DOH, 2004) suggests that clinicians go through phases of shock, denial, anger, betrayal, conformance and understanding before they finally develop comitment to the change. The team members were left in a state of shock after the service managers initial announcement of the impending change in July 2004 and then moved into a state of denial. The general opinion was that the management would sooner or later realise that the change could not be executed without increasing t he resources and accordingly delayed the change process until more staff would be employed. When there was no indication of this in the weeks that followed, the team members became demotivated. The team failed to move on to the next stages in their reactions to change, and commitment to the change process did not develop.The team leaders task-oriented leadership style did not suit the context of the change process, and partly contributed to its failing. Cameron and Green (2003) suggest that leadership will be most effective when the leaders leadership style, the subordinates preferred leadership style and the requirements of the task fit together. A directive leadership style therefore is ineffective if the subordinates preferred leadership style is democratic, even though the task is well defined within tight parameters. In addition, Hogg and Vaughan (2002) argued that the most effective leaders are those who are able to combine task and socio-emotional leadership styles, and organ ise team members to work towards achieving goals at the equal time promoting harmonious relationships. The new team leader paid no attention to the team culture and failed to communicate to management about the impending issue.Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2005) suggest that power is a key element in a change process. Power is the ability of individuals to persuade or coerce others into following a course of action. The new team leaders source of power was based on his hierarchal position in the Trust rather than on expertness or knowledge as shown by the previous team leader. The team members did not consider that the new team leader possessed appropriate expertise or personal characteristics. The team leader exercised coercion which was met with resistance by the team and for this reason the team members lacked respect for him. He was seen as an executor of decisions made by the management.The new team leader appeared to be more concerned about a successful completion of the change, was target driven and lacked sensitivity to employees feelings and concerns. The team leader used his positional power in a negative way, filtered information and gave the management a distorted view of how the staff were coping with the change process.The relationship between the team leader and the staff members eventually deteriorated to a point where communication broke down. Two staff members went on a long term sick leave, and two other staff members resigned. Following a meeting with a union representative in March 2005 the team members, including those who had resigned, made a decision to take grievance out against the teamleader. The key issues brought up in the meeting were the way the change had been introduced, poor project management and the team leaders autocratic management style (Walton, 1999).CONCLUSIONIn conclusion, lack of stakeholder involvement, poor project planning and the teamleaders unsuitable leadership style lead to the psychiatric liaison team be comimg fragmented, and resistant to change. No systems were put in place to ensure two-way communication with the employees. Lack of communication reduced the staffs commitment to, and ownership of the change, and lead to a lower quality service provision and increased long waits in A E. The poorly managed change process became costly to the Trust due to loss of trained human resources, staff morale and credibility of the management. Similar incidents occurred in other areas of the hospital indicating that the change processes associated with the merger had created organisational wide problems that were indicative of failure at a top management and strategic level.Strategic leadership is a key element of the change process. A successful merger will only be achieved with consistent communication and the establishment of a vision that percolates throughout an organisation as a basis for effective change to realise the stated benefits of all stakeholders.ReferencesBrooks, I. (2002) Th e Role of Ritualistic Ceremonial in Removing Barriers between Subcultures in the NHS. Journal of Advanced Nursing. flashiness 38, 4.Burke, W. W. and Litwin, G H. (1992) A Causal Model of Organisational Performance and Change. Journal of Management. flock 18, 3.Cameron, E. and Green, M. (2004) Making Sense of Change Management. Kogan Page.Carr, D. K., Hard, K. J. and Trahant, W. J. (1996) Managing The Change Process A Field account book For Change Agents, Consultants, Team Members And Re-Engineering Managers. McGraw-Hill.Crawford D., Rutter M. Thelwall, S. (2003) User Involvement In Change Management A Review Of The Literature. National Co-ordinating Centre for NHS Service Delivery and Organisation.Davies H. T. O., Nutley, S. M. and Mannion, R. (2000.) Organisational Culture and theatrical role of Health wish. Quality in Health Care. Volume 9.DOH (1998) A First Class Service Quality in the New NHS. Department of Health. The stationery OfficeDOH (2000) The NHS Plan. Department o f Health. The Stationery OfficeDOH (2001) National Service Framework for Mental Health. Department of Health. The Stationery Office.DOH (2002) NHS Leadership Qualities Framework.www.nhsleadershipqualities.nhs.uk Accessed 4 July 2005.DOH (2002) Star Ratings System for Hospital Performance Has Improved Services For Patients. NHS Modernisation Agency. www.dh.gov.uk. Accessed 4 July 2005.DOH (2003) National Programme for IT Announces Further Contracts to Run NHS Care Record Services. www.dh.gov.uk. Accessed 4 July 2005.DOH (2004) NHS Modernisation Agency Improvement Leaders Guide. www.modern.nhs.uk. Accessed 4 July 2005.ESHT. (2000) Safeguarding Hospitals in East Sussex Consultation Document. www.esht.nhs.uk. Accessed 4 July 2005.ESHT. (2002) Merger of Hastings and Rother NHS Trust and Eastbourne Hospitals NHS Trust. www.esht.nhs.uk. Accessed 4 July 2005.Fulop, N., Protopsaltis, G. King, A. Allen, P. Hutchings, A. and Normand, C. (2002) Process and Impact of Mergers of NHS Trusts Multic entre Case Study and Management Cost Analysis. British Medical Journal. Volume 325.Fulop, N., Protopsaltis, G. King, A. Allen, P. Hutchings, A. and Normand, C. (2004) Changing Organisations Study of the context and Processes of Mergers of Healthcare Providers in England. Elsevier Ltd.Garside P. (1999) Evidence Based Mergers? British Medical Journal. Volume 318.Henderson, E. (2002) Communication and Managerial Effectiveness. Nursing Management. Volume 9, 9.Higgs, M. and Rowland, D. (2000) Building Change Leadership Capability The Quest for Change Competence. Journal of Change Management. Volume 1 Number 2.Heron, J. (1999) The Complete Facilitators handbook. Kogan Page Limited.Hogg, M. and Vaughan, G. (2002) Social Psychology. Prentice Hall.Iles, V. and Sutherland, K. (2001) Managing Change in the NHS Organisational Change. NHS Service Delivery and Organisation.Johnson, G., Scholes, K. and Whittington, R. (2005) Exploring bodily Strategy. Text and Cases. Seventh Edition. Prentice Ha ll.Marquis, B. L. and Huston, C. J. (2003) Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.Miller, D. (2002) Successful Change Leaders What Makes Them? What Do They Do That Is Different? Journal of Change Management. Volume 2, 4.Mullins, L. J. (2002) Management and Organisational Behaviour. Pitman Publishing.Stock, J. (2002) Case Study Hastings and Rother NHS Trust. NHS Modernisation Agency. www.modern.nhs.uk. Accessed 4 July 2005.RCP. (2004) Psychiatric Services To Accident And Emergency Departments. Royal College of Psychiatrists Council Report CR118. London.Stroebe, W. and Diehl, M. (1994) Why Groups argon Less Effective Than Their Members On Productivity Losses In Idea-Generating Groups. European Review of Social Psychology, Volume 5.Studin, I. (1995) Strategic Healthcare Management. Irwin Professional Publishing.Thomas, N. (2004) The John Adair Handbook of Leadership and Management. Thorogood Publishing.UHCW. (2005). Coventry City Centre A E Department is Being Relocated to Walsgrave Hospital from Saturday 15th Jan. www.uhcw.nhs.uk. Accessed 4 July 2005.Walton, M. (1995) Managing Yourself On and Off the Ward. Blackwell Science Ltd.Webster, R. (2001) An Assessment of the meat Misuse Treatment Needs ofWHO (1984) Glossary of Terms Used in the Health for All. 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Rewards In Society :: essays research papers

Micro Theme Assignment 1, Position 2Our present society is composed of a ranking structure establish on the premise that unequal distribution of rewards such as status, resources, and power is natural, right and goodness and for this type of structure to stand, there must be more on the bottom, and a few at the blow over. Persons in the structure must either resign themselves to their status, compete to win a higher position, and/or play off the position they have. In order for some to move up this structural hierarchy, others must move down if the structure is to remain stable. Although this process may be necessary for our existing society to function properly, it can also prove to be detrimental to society. The competition, fear, greed, resentment and r tear downge inherent in these types of social systems track to be formidable barriers blocking the way to social equality in our current society. Karl Marx believed that production is dependant on the workers material conditio ns present at the time. anisometric distribution of rewards may cause those people who do not experience promotion or personal put one over to feel insignificant to society, resulting in a low self-esteem and a reduced level of production. I enlisted into the United States Army for three years following my high school graduation. A good example of unequal distribution of awards is the military, where the whole income structure is based on a person&8217s rank, and only one individual at the top of your chain of command can grant a request for an increase in rank. If that individual does not like you, he or she has the power to recall any and all requests for promotion. For the soldiers that were denied a promotion, they were looked down upon by many of their peers and leaders. These soldiers soon began to act as if they did not deserve to be promoted. Marx said, &8220how workers are related to for each one other can affect their family relations, leisure activities, child-rearing practices, and self-esteem(Kerbo 94). I observed some of these characteristics, such as low self-esteems, thoughts of quitting the Army before the expiration of enlistment, thoughts of committing violent crimes, and even suicide. The unequal distribution of rewards can also lead to what Max Weber called &8220status groups, groups of people who obtain similar levels of promotion, prestige or personal gain in their workplace or community. These groups of people tend to cut themselves off from those not in their group.

Torvald Helmer of Henrik Isbens A Dolls House :: A Dolls House Essays

Torvald Helmer of Henrik Isbens A Dolls HouseIn Henrik Isbens A Dolls House, he makes the observation that women in contemporary society posses no independent self unrestricted from the males image of them Isben accomplishes this through the character relationship between Torvald Helmer and his wife Nora.Henrik Isben sought to show the psychological complexness of realism underneath the surface of a typical urban bourgeoisie or professional class family. Thus in doing so, brings out the central deviation between the idealistic Torvald and this underlying theme demonstrated through Nora. Ultimately, it is because of Torvalds completely inflexible and self-righteous attitudes towards life and his moralistic values, that Nora is driven from her role of submisiveness in his bouncy of male dominance to seek her own identity.Hel. (walking about the room). What a horrible awakening All these eight years-she who was my joy and pride-a hypocrite, a liar-worse, worse-a criminal T he unutterable sliminess of it each(prenominal) For shame For shame ...(62)It is only when she has found this sense of a self that she had been denying and sacrificing all these years, that she can truly begin to love others.Hel. Before all else you are a wife and a mother.Nora. I dont believe that any longer. I believe that before all else I am a just human being just as you are-or, at all events, that I must try and become one. (68)This game which she had been playing with her father before, and now with the closed-minded Torvald, she finally realizes, is the Dolls House shes been living in for all her life, never finding out who she truly is. Nora. But our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll wife, just as at home I was Papas doll child and here the children have been my dolls. I thought it was great swordplay when you played with me,