INTERPROFESSIONAL WORKING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

INTERPROFESSIONAL WORKING - Essay Example Any illness or medical condition always worsens with the advancement of age, and thus it is very necessary that the patients should be given proper treatment as and when the time is abundant. But while looking at the case study of Mrs. Ivy, it is hard not to notice the negligence of various authorities and the mention of lexis such as â€Å"waiting list† and â€Å"Social services would not get involved without proper†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Selfishness is really a very amazing temperament of a human being – My point being, since Mrs. Ivy needed tremendous care and a supervisory body while she developed her Dementia, her daughter should have let Mrs. Ivy stay at her home rather than looking for a flat or government’s care centers. And there is not a mention of what her son did for her after the part that â€Å"he lives far away†. A person can not always expect the government to stand by their ‘parent’s’ side at their time of need. After all, it is logical to say, that the government can not possibly cater all the dying people. We as humans should also realize our responsibility and thus her children should have favored her to stay with either one of them. The government of Britain has set up various trusts and policies to help the elderly (particularly with mental problems such as Alzheimer, Dementia, etc. Some of the current active policies are as follows: As Mr. Tisdall notes in his book â€Å"Children, Young people and social inclusion: Participation for What?† (2006), the chief motive behind this policy states that it is really hard for children of mentally disabled parents to cope up with their parents, economic conditions and personal lives. Therefore, the government has set up this program to help the mentally disabled parents of such children to pass along the troubled times. This program by the government is basically focused on health related issues of asylums, refugees, minorities, and

Individual report 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Individual report 2 - Essay Example This site has vast information about the company. The challenges that were experienced in the process of collecting information about the company was separating relevant information from irrelevant information. This is mainly because of the amount of information which is accessible in this site. Because of the amount of information, I experienced challenges in time management. This is because I found myself taking most of the time looking at the amount of information instead of starting the project. In the future projects, I would improve on the time management issue by developing and following strictly a personal timetable. I would also try to read severally the requirements of the project in order to ease my ability locate key points for the project. Time management would also help save time that can be useful in case of any unexpected delays. The general information about the decision making process that mainly looked at the decision making process was retrieved from published books. Although the information on this section is straight forward from the published books, it was crucial to read a huge amount of information and write the section in my own opinion while avoiding using direct quotes (Lunenburg, 2010). This was crucial so as to relate the theoretical part of the paper and the topic being discussed. In future research that I will work on, I will gather all the information in time in order to have enough time to look at all the document. In normal cases, just like any other student, I assumed that there is plenty of time to complete the project. Even though there is enough amount of time provided by the lecturers, there is always the tendency of postponing the assignment until the last minute because of other engagements in the university. In order to make improvements, it is crucial to develop a personal time ta ble indicating the timeliness of

Business and administration Essay Example for Free

Business and administration Essay You should use this file to complete your Assessment. The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference Then, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment number. Please note that this Assessment document has 5 pages and is made up of 4 Sections. Name: Section 1 – Understand the purpose of information technology in a business environment 1. In relation to your current business environment (or one that you are familiar with), identify at least two different types of information technology that may be used when completing work tasks. Bookings/Appointments Clients details, address, phone number, name 1. Presentation software 2. Databases 2. What are the benefits to businesses (and others) of using information technology for doing work tasks? Two main important aspects to information exchange using IT are; Sending and receiving, emails are useful as the sender can attach documents to the email they sent. These can be word documents, spreadsheets, sound files or images. Bearing in mind when sending an email its important to know the competence of the recipient for that email there is no point in sending email if the person receiving it can’t understand or doesnt know how to open it! Using the Internet to find information, its important to use a search engine to find the information that you need on the Internet. Search engines look for websites based on the criteria a person enters into the search box. The best-known search engine is Google, other popular search engines include Yahoo! search, Bing and Ask Jeeves. Always be specific when you do Internet research as this will help you to get the correct information more quickly, if you are not specific you might end up with the results that are meaningless or lead up to the wrong path. Whenever using your search engine be precise in your search criteria. Section 2 – Understand how to manage electronic and paper-based information 1. Explain the purpose of agreeing objectives and deadlines when researching information. If possible, refer to specific examples from research tasks you have worked on to support your answer. Research is very important in a business, and to provide information that will inform business decisions. If any information is not collected or is only partially collected, and this can lead to poor-quality decisions being made. Getting research right can be tough but it helps to have objectives and deadlines for what you want the research to achieve. Getting research rights can be tough it helps to have objectives and deadlines for what you want the research to achieve. When I was working at the salon I was asked to research a few different companies that sold products that we used, I had to write down the information for my boss so that he could decide who to go with and who was the best prices. Meeting deadlines is very important, as you could potentially lose clients. 2. Identify the different ways of researching, organising and reporting information. Organising When conducting research it is important that the information being collected is kept well organised, I do need the information should be kept in clearly marked files. Information can be organised in a few different ways, this can be done by sorting alphabetically or numerically, the most important thing is that the research is able to find the information that they need quickly, it helps to have an idea of the information that will be reported. Reporting There are several types of documents listed that may be used to report information such as, business letter, email, fax, formal report, informal reports, memo, notes, text. If a member of staff has a clear brief on what is to be researched and how it is to be presented, then it is possible to organise the research appropriately. Researching When researching information, there are a few things that needs to be done if the research is to be successfully completed. These are as follows: Ensure the researcher knows what they are looking for Discover how the information should be presented Source the correct document Confirm the document is up to date Use documents efficiently Read relevant information carefully. 3a) for your own organisation (or one you know well), describe the procedures that need to be followed when archiving, retrieving and deleting information. Your answer should cover procedures for both electronic and paper-based information. When something is our achieved is put into storage, this is associated with paper based files. Finding these documents often has problems. To avoid storage problems, a business can periodically review its information systems and take appropriate actions such as, removing and deleting duplicate documents and leave in a single copy, removing and deleting unimportant documents that will never be used again or are achieving files that have to be retained. Most businesses will specify in their procedure is when I achieving and deleting can take place and who is able to do this. When i worked in the salon we never used to our achieve we mainly stored addresses, names, appointment dates and phone numbers, we would only delete information if asked by a client is not the clients information would be stored correctly this helps with marketing services so if your client havent come back for a while youre able to collect the information i. e. telephone number so you can contact your client to maybe offer them a discount to bring them back to your salon. if a client wanted their information to be deleted this is easy enough all we have to do with On the delete button and then their information would be erased and if we had any paper information on them i. e. colour codes for their hair or information on manicures etc. then this will all get shredded. 3b) When following the procedures outlined in Question 3a above, are there any legal requirements to consider? When storing information there are some important legal requirements to consider such as, the data protection act 1998, retention periods or industry-specific legal requirements. All businesses must carefully consider the way information is managed. The requirement to keep important records and respect the privacy of people places considerable responsibility on businesses and organisations. Failure to get it right may result in the business breaking the law. The only legal requirements really to consider when I was working in the salon was to never ever give out the clients information to anybody ringing up or asking for this in person. 4. Why is confidentiality critical when managing information? Most businesses keep a lot of information, some of this information is sensitive or confidential, and so it can be viewed or accessed by everyone in the business. Access to confidential information should be strictly limited and secure. You can differentiate between levels of confidentiality such as, confidential contracts, confidential negotiations, business secrets or internally sensitive documents. Information concerning individuals can also be confidential. This includes things like medical records, personnel files and employment contract details. There is certain information that is kept confidential for several reasons. These include: Legal requirements, including complying with legislation such as the data protection act or the content of legally enforceable contracts. Commercial requirements, such as keeping confidential information secret. A lack of confidentiality can show a lack of competence and/or trust. Moral requirements, there is a strong moral obligation to respect people’s privacy and confidentiality. If this is broken and then people will withhold information and lack of trust. People need to know what they can and cannot access and the repercussions that may follow if confidence and trust are broken. Section 3 – Understand the purpose of producing documents that are fit for purpose 1. Identify at least two reasons for producing documents that are fit for purpose. The information that goes into a document can make all the difference in the effectiveness and efficiency of a business. You should agree in advance with all who is involved what the document should contain within it. 2. Use the table below to describe some of the different types and styles of documents that are produced in a business environment, and then explain when these different options may be used. Documents When they are used Email Less formal, Documents easily attached, Can be sent instantly worldwide Fax Faster than letters, Once good for sending graphics and images, Being superseded by emails, Cumbersome if large quantities of information are being delivered Formal Report Can give clear account of things, Can present more complex and linked information Text Immediate, Best suited for small chunks of information Section 4 – Know the procedures to be followed when producing documents 1. In most organisations, time is taken to agree the purpose, content, layout, quality standards and deadlines for the production of documents. What are the reasons for doing this level of planning? It’s very important that you know exactly what your clients want – both internal and external. If this information is unknown or guessed, its likely that customers will not get what they want. Time should be taken to agree on the specification of a document. This way, many potential problems can be avoided. A failure in one or more areas may significantly undermine all the work that has been done in other areas. For example, an ‘outstanding’ report that delivers on purpose, content, layout and quality standards but is three weeks late (poor on deadlines) may be worthless. Likewise a document that is fine on purpose, layout, and quality standards and deadline but misses some key content would also be of very little or no use. 2. Businesses will spend time checking finished documents for accuracy and correctness. a) How is this done? A finished document will always have to be checked in some way or another for accuracy and correctness before it can be given to the customer. If the document doesn’t get done or completed then mistakes may happen. b)Why is this done? This is done to ensure the document is fit-for-purpose. If the checking phase is not completed, then there is a good chance that mistakes and incorrect or insufficient information may make their way in to the final document. This could result in inefficiencies and dissatisfied customers. 1. Have a copy of the final draft document awaiting approval. 2. Have the document specification available. This may be the business specified way for producing documents such as letters or minutes. Or it may be the specification agreed between a supplier and a customer. 3. Compare the document with the specification agreed between a supplier and customer. 4. Check the spelling and grammar in the document. The first person to check the document is likely to be the author. But best it’s to have someone else to have a look over the document as they wouldn’t have been working with it as closely as the author has been. On word processing systems they have a spell checking and grammar checking facilities, which can be used to check over the accuracy of what has been written. However, these spell checkers dont pick up everything and its best to use them as well as with reading a printed version of the document 3. Explain the purpose of following confidentiality and data protection procedures when preparing documents. In all businesses should have clear procedures on data protection and confidentiality when producing document. They are required by law to do so and it is also good, ethical business practice. If people thought that a business could not respect their confidentiality, they would withhold information or look for an alternative business. The business should make it very clear to their clients who has access to which items of data and for which purposes. The issues of access may apply to people other than staff – it can apply to people outside the organisation. 4. In business environments, there is often a requirement to use notes as the basis for text and documents. a) Compare the different types of documents that can be produced from notes and include a description of the format of each document. Notes that have been taken down tend to be, key points of information, key dates/times and also key names. MEMO -The format will include, To, From, Reference, Date and then the relevant information being communicated. LETTER Printed on company headed paper, listing ref, date, name, address, subject, letter content, yours faithfully/yours sincerely, signature, name ; job title. Also if the letter is confidential this must be stated. REPORT Title, introduction, body of report, a conclusion, consistency of format is essential i. e. using the same paragraph spacing and font style/size throughout content of report. b) Explain the procedures to be followed when preparing text from notes. 1. Establish the purpose for why you are note-taking. 2. Establish the format for the document needed. 3. Check that all the notes for clarity and make amendments if you feel its necessary. 4. Check that the detail in the notes is sufficient for producing the document. 5. Check over all the facts. 6. Produce the document. 7. Check the final document. 1. Don’t write down everything that you read or hear. Be alert and attentive to the main points. Concentrate on the meat of the subject and forget the trimmings. 2. Notes should consist of key words, or very short sentences. As a speaker gets side-tracked you can go back and add further information. 3. Take accurate notes. You should usually use your own words, but try not to change the meaning. If you quote directly from the author, quote correctly. 4. Think a minute about your material before you start making notes. Don’t take notes just to be taking notes! Take notes that will be of real value to you when you look over them later. 5. Have a uniform system of punctuation and abbreviation that will make sense to you. Use a skeleton outline, and show importance by indenting. Leave lots of white space for later additions. 6. Omit descriptions and full explanations. Keep your notes short and to the point. Condense your material so you can grasp it rapidly. 7. Don’t worry about missing a point. Leave space and try to pick up the material you miss at a later date, either through reading, questioning, or common sense. 8. Don’t keep notes on oddly shaped pieces of paper. Keep notes in order and in one place. 9. Shortly after making your notes, go back and rework (not recopy! ) your notes by adding extra points, spelling out unclear items, etc.. Remember, we forget quickly. Budget time for this vital step just as you do for the class itself. 10. Review your notes periodically. This is the only way to achieve lasting memory. Once you have completed all 4 Sections of this Assessment, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your work to your tutor for marking.

Descriptive Research Vs Analytical Research Economics Essay

Descriptive Research Vs Analytical Research Economics Essay Malaysia began develop its construction industry since independence. More than half of capital formation consists of work in construction (Lewis, 1955). Hence, the expansion of capital is a function the rate at which the construction industry can be expanded. This can be seen in the initial economic plan (1956-1960) where it was basically a development expenditure plan. The primary concern was developing infrastructure during independence because of its inadequacy. In order for the nations economy to prosper, the construction industry has to be developed first for the economy to take a one step further (Abdul Razak Bin Ibrahim, 1999). The Malaysian construction industry is generally separated into two areas: General construction It comprises residential construction, non-residential construction and civil engineering construction. Special trade works It comprises activities of metal works, electrical works, plumbing, sewerage and sanitary works, refrigeration and air-conditioning works, painting works, carpentry, tiling and flooring works, glass works and etc. The construction industry makes up an important part of the Malaysian economy due to the amount of industry linked to it such as those for basic metal products and electrical machinery. Hence, the construction industry could be described as a substantial economic driver for Malaysia (Abdul Razak Bin Ibrahim, 1999). According to Productivity Report 2011/2012, analysis of productivity growth over three year intervals (2007-2009 and 2009-2011) showed that Malaysia achieved higher productivity growth during the later period (2.8%) as compared to the earlier period (1.9%). However, over a five year period, the growth was 3.2% as showed in Table 1.1. Figure 1. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Employment and Productivity Growth, 2007-2011 Table 1. Productivity and GDP Growth, 2007-2011 Productivity growth of the construction sector grew by 3.1% to RM 24,635 in 2011 from RM 23,898 in 2010 (Figure 1.2). The implementation of Industrialised Building System (IBS) in major projects, residential and non-residential sub-sectors contributed to the productivity of the construction sector (Malaysia Productivity Corporation, 2012). Figure 1. Productivity Level and Growth of the Construction Sector, 2007-2011 Through the Productivity Report 2011/2012, it reflects that the construction sector is in a rapid growth phase, having expanded by nearly 19% on an annual basis in the first half of 2012. According to the governments figures, the sector will manage growth of 15.5% in 2012 as a whole, up from 4.6% in 2011. In 2013 it is forecast to grow by a further 11.2%, a projection that is in line with Timetrics forecasts (Richards, 2012). Construction industry plays an important role in generating wealth and improving the quality of life for Malaysian through the translation of governments socio-economic policies into social and economic infrastructure and buildings. The demand for property or housing is increasingly from times to times either due to increase in population, immigration or investment purpose. In order to fulfil the demand, supply of housing or other property has to be increased. Besides, after the announcement regarding My First Home Scheme by the Government in Budget 2011, the desires of the youngsters to own a house are stronger. As the demand is higher, the construction industry has to embark more projects such as residential development to meet the demand. The construction industry creates a multiplier effect to other industries, including manufacturing, financial services, and professional services. In order to run a project, human resources such as labours and the professionals like Quantity Surveyor, Architect, and Engineer are required. Although there is increase in number of human resources, construction productivity is one of the issues to be concerned. Construction labour productivity is often influenced by variations in work conditions and management effectiveness. It is substantially important to understand the nature and extent to which individual parameters affect productivity. Rationale for the Research The construction industry plays a significant role in all developed and developing countries. Due to its critical importance to the profitability of most construction projects, productivity is regarded as one of the most frequently discussed topics in the construction industry (Hancher DE, 1998). Construction productivity is always related to how well, how quickly, and at what cost buildings and infrastructure can be constructed. It will directly affect prices for homes and consumer goods and the robustness of the national economy. Construction productivity will also affect the outcomes of national efforts resources; to develop high-performance green buildings; and to remain competitive in the global market. Construction productivity has been steadily on the decline over the last decade and construction labour efficiency has often been cited as poor (Stokes, 1980). The level of productivity in construction showed a decreasing rate compared to other sectors (Bernstein, 2007). Many studies have attempted to improve construction labour productivity via different ways for examples, studying the factors affecting construction labour productivity, measuring and evaluating labour productivity; modelling construction labour productivity; and comparing labour productivity based on economic considerations or costs. Construction workers are not machines, always behaving the same way under the same conditions. Even under apparently identical work conditions, different productivity values might be obtained. The productivity for the same work item is not constant throughout the construction period, and varies at different stages of the production (Lam, 2001). Variability is shown to be a key factor in the behaviour of construction labour productivity (Thomas Hr, 1999). In addition, the effect of the factors on productivity may vary from task to task. Although some factors could have similar influences on the productivity of a number of tasks, their rate of impact on productivity may be different (Sonmez R, 1998). Labour productivity is said as the factor affecting the construction productivity. In order to further improve construction productivity, continuous efforts have to be put in from times to times to identify the factors affect labour productivity, the effects of poor labour productivity and the ways to improve labour productivity. Are labourers the main cause in affecting construction productivity? Are the factors caused by labourers themselves or their superiors or surrounding environments or other reasons? Have anyone do really put in their efforts to improve the construction labour productivity? How labour productivity affect the entire construction productivity? Queries on construction labour productivity are appearing continuously. Throughout this research, readers should have a depth understanding on construction labour productivity. Aim and Objectives In order to find out the answer of queries on construction labour productivity, the aim for this report is to study the issues on construction labour productivity in Malaysia. This can be achieved by study the objectives below: To investigate the factors affect the construction labour productivity. To identify the consequences caused by construction labour productivity. To recommend ways for improvement on construction labour productivity. Scope and Limitation This research is delimited to construction labour productivity and will focus on Malaysian construction industry. The data for this research will made up of general construction workers, site supervisors, contractors, quantity surveyors and developers mainly in Kuala Lumpur area. Respondents are expected to have varying levels of construction experience, training and knowledge so that a data that closely mirrored the current make-up of the construction workforce can be collected. 100 sets of survey forms will be distributed and 50 sets of survey forms expected to be completed. Chapter Outline This report consists of 5 chapters. There are: Chapter 1: Introduction In this chapter, roles of construction industry towards economics and construction productivity will be described. Besides, in this chapter, aim and objectives will be discussed as well as overview of current construction labour productivity. Chapter 2: Literature Review The literature on the performance approach will be reviewed in this chapter. It will illustrate existing literature and research work related to construction labour productivity. Definition of labour productivity, factors affect labour productivity, its effects and solutions will be described. Chapter 3: Research Methodology In this chapter, introduction and definition of research, type of research, data collection methods, research design and data analysis method will be discussed in order to achieve the aim and objectives of this study. Chapter 4: Findings and Discussions Results from survey questionnaires will be analyzed and discussed in this chapter. The survey questionnaire is aimed to obtain labour, consultants, contractors and developers or clients view of opinion on construction labour productivity in Malaysian construction industry. In addition, personal interview will be conducted to obtain more information on construction labour productivity. Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations This chapter will outline the research findings, summary of this study, and recommendations for future study. Literature Review Research Methodology Introduction Based on Oxford Dictionaries, research is defined as a systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions (Oxford Dictionaries). The Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English defines the meaning of research as a careful investigation or inquiry specially through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge (The Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English, 1952). Redman and Mory had defined research as a systematized effort to gain new knowledge (Mory, 1923). In this chapter, types of research, data collection methods, research design and data analysis will be discussed. The research method for this study to achieve the aim and objectives will be described in this chapter. Types of Research Generally, the basic types of research are as follow: Applied/ Action Research vs Fundamental Research Descriptive Research vs Analytical Research Quantitative Research vs Qualitative Research Conceptual Research vs Empirical Research Applied/ Action Research vs Fundamental Research Applied or action research is carried out to find solution to solve problems facing by a society or a business or industrial organisation. However, fundamental research which is also known as basic or pure research is mainly concern on gathering of knowledge for knowledges sake without any intention to apply it in practice. Descriptive Research vs Analytical Research Descriptive research is a surveys and fact-finding investigation. It is aims to describe the characteristics of individual, situation or a group or the state of affairs as it exists at present. Researcher has no control over the variables and researcher has to report the actual conditions. On the other hand, analytical research is a critical evaluation based on information that is available and primarily concerned with testing hypothesis; specifying and interpreting relationships by analyze the facts or existing information. Quantitative Research vs Qualitative Research Quantitative research is objective in nature. It is defined as an inquiry into a social or human problem, based on testing a hypothesis or a theory composed of variables, measured with numbers, and analysed with statistical procedures, in order to determine whether the hypothesis or the theory hold true (Creswell, 1994). Quantitative data are hard and reliable; they are measurements of tangible, countable, sensate features of the world (Bouma and Atkinson, 1995). In short, quantitative research is measuring the quantity or amount of particular phenomena by the use of statistical analysis. On the other hand, qualitative research is subjective in nature. It is a non-quantitative type of analysis which is aimed at finding out the quality of a particular phenomenon. It emphasises meanings, experiences, description and etc (Naoum, 1998). Conceptual Research vs Empirical Research Conceptual research is related to some abstract ideas or theories. It is generally used by philosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones, whereas, empirical research relies on experience or observation alone. Empirical research is aimed at coming up with conclusions without due regard for system and theory. Empirical research is appropriate when proof is sought that certain variables affect other variables in some way. Data Collection Statistical tools are used to transform data into useful information. However, data must be available before the decision maker can use the statistical tools. Data are available from many sources, both within the company or site. There are several ways of collecting appropriate data which differ considerably in context of money costs, time and other resources at the disposal of the researcher. The sources of data collection can be categorized into primary data and secondary data. Primary data refers to the raw data that collected through experiments or questionnaire surveys, where secondary data refers to the data obtained from site daily, progress report, progress payment, national productivity statistics. The major advantage of primary data is accuracy of data because it is collected by the researcher but it is costly and time consuming. Secondary data is quicker and cheaper as compared to primary data but the data may not meet the specific needs. If the researcher conducts an experiment, he can observes some quantitative measurements or data with the help of the truth in hypothesis that has made earlier. However in the case of survey, data can be collected through observation, personal interview, telephone interview, survey questionnaire or case studies. Observation is the simple way to gather data without interviewing respondents. The information obtained relates to current condition and is not complicated by either past behaviour or future intentions or attitudes of respondents. Undeniable, this method can obtain accurate information but it is time consuming, costly, and sometimes, people reluctant to cooperate. During personal interview, interviewer follows a rigid procedure and seeks answers to a set of pre-conceived questions through personal interviews. The data obtained through personal interview is usually carried out in a structured way where output depends upon the ability of the interviewer to a large extent. Telephone interview can obtain data rapidly with relatively low cost compared to others and do not require travelling for face-to-face contact. It can reach wide range of respondents. However, as this method is carried out through telephone, the respondents might not will to share opinions with strangers or they may tell lie. Thus, this is not suitable for long survey as respondents might feel annoying and difficult to prove the validity of survey. Survey questionnaire can be posted to the respondents together with self-stamped answer sheets or via on-line survey. This method is widely used. This the cheapest way to obtain data and can reach respondents working outstation. The survey question can be set up to 5 pages. However, the cons are that the rate of response is low, answers may be biased and respondents take longer time to respond. For case studies, cross comparison of cases have to be done in order to have fully understanding on clients experiences in a program. It fully depicts clients experience in program input, process and results. It is powerful means to portray program to outsiders. However, it is time consuming either to collect, organize or describe. It represents depth of information rather than breadth. In short, there are different types of method to collect data with their own pros and cons. Time, cost and accuracy are the main constrains to choose an appropriate data collection method. Few data collection methods can be chosen at the same time to obtain maximum accuracy. Research Design Data Analysis Conclusion

Coal :: Energy Resources Fossil Fuels Essays

Coal In the world today, Coal is one of the most used Fossil Fuels in America. The black gold, which I like to call it, affects America in so many different ways. Have no worries coal is no where from becoming extinct or replaced. "Coal will be popular big time, in 2005," says Jim Thompson, who edits the weekly report U.S. Coal Review out of Knoxville, Tenn. "There will be more test bums than ever." In Wyoming alone they shipped out over four hundred million tons. I can’t even imagine how large that quantity is. Coal is so useful and America depends on coal greatly (Gransbery). Coal is utilized for combustion, which benefits the Residential areas and Power Plants. The coal used for that is known as Bituminous coal. That can be found in the Appalachian Mountains and even some central states. This type of coal is used due to its high heating value and high sulfur content Coal is also capable of being converted into gaseous or liquid fuel. Before any of thi s can happen, we need to find the mother load of the coal. Another word for that is the reserves. The major reserves in America for coal are found in the Northern Great Planes, Texas and Gulf of Mexico. Fossil Fuels are known for making a mess and causing a lot of environmental problems. They can create some serious pollution to the environment. One of the worse air pollution episodes occurred in 1948. In Donora, Pa twenty were found dead and over six thousand became quite ill quickly. The main cause of this disaster was the due to the high concentrations of SO2. That is why it is important to do whatever you can to eliminate as much as the pollution factor as you can. Cleaning the coal before combustion pretreatment will reduce pollution and even when your done cleaning you can clean the stack gases after combustion. This is an often-missed step in the pollution elimination process. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham has a new idea why to clean the coal. This isn’t just for environment safety but he believes that it will be a major source of hydrogen in the years to come.

Identity, image, and reputation: an interdisciplinary framework and suggested terminology Essay

Building a vibrant and positive corporate reputation is the endeavor of every company, whether it is large-scale or small-scale. Indeed, the growth and development of the company is edged in its ability to enact feasible mechanisms of enhancing corporate reputation. Both internal and external stakeholders depend on corporate reputation to measure a company’s performance. It is from the corporate reputation that a company can define its fundamental place in the market. Ryanair, an Irish airline company with an expansive European market displays the impact of corporate reputation on the performance of the company. Despite the company’s growth over the years, reputational challenges have rocked its performance in a highly competitive business environment. Customer satisfaction, corporate image and corporate identity have suffered heavily because of its negative corporate reputation. In an effort to bolster its affairs with major stakeholders, Michael O’ Leary, the c ompany’s CEO has sought to find ways of effectively managing the company’s corporate reputation. This report identifies the reputational challenges affecting Ryanair, and recommending corporate communication frameworks of improving customer service, enhancing corporate image and identity, developing positive publicity and building a strong corporate reputation for the company. Managing Corporate Reputation             Today’s business environment is extremely dynamic and competitive in nature; a company’s corporate success depends on a myriad of factors. Among these factors is corporate reputation. A company’s reputation fundamentally defines its performance and jurisdiction in the market place. A company’s internal and external environments play instrumental roles in influencing its corporate reputation’s index. In essence, corporate reputation influences the trends that the company’s stakeholders develop towards it, for instance, it affects customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and employee retention (Chun 2005, p 91). In an age whereby businesses are facing numerous challenges, managing corporate reputation is an imperative business strategy, as it will certainly develop internal and external corporate portfolios to initiate success. Managing corporate reputation entails the deliberate articulation of feasible leadership structures and developing coherent internal and external business environments, which consequently result into quality products and services. Moreover, a robust corporate reputation is significant in establishing a vibrant relationship between a company and its stakeholders. According to corporate reputation theory, managing a company’s corporate reputation requires an integration of the fundamental elements that influence its corporate image and identity. Hence, according to Institute of Directors (1999), a positive corporate reputation is a valuable intangible asset that attracts a large customer base and invites investments from potential shareholders. Ryanair is an Irish airline company that since its inception has continued to influence the European airline industry. Despite its far-reaching influence in the market, Ryanair has corporate reputation issues that affect its corporate ima ge and identity, which has strained its stakeholder relations. Addressing the corporate reputation issues require a revamp of its systems in order to build a strong corporate reputation. 2.0 Application 2.1 Reputational challenges             Since its inception in 1984, Ryanair has experienced commendable growth from being a small airline to one of Europe’s largest airline companies. A pertinent aspect that has enabled Ryanair to have an exponential growth in the industry in its low-cost business model; it currently cuts across 28 European countries. With over 8,500 staff members, Ryanair has certainly been establishing itself as a potential destination for airline customers. Despite its massive expansion, reputational challenges continue to rock the company. Customer satisfaction is on the decline, with customers expressing concerns about its awful services. Inconsiderate treatment of customers has damaged the reputation of the company and jeopardizes its ability to grow. For example, customers on business travels continuously express their concerns because of delays and unprofessional ways of handling customers. Moreover, a communication lapse between Ryanair and its major stakeholders has threatened its corporate reputation. Poor communication services with its customers have resulted into degraded services and negative feedback, thus further damaging the company’s corporate image. Decreased profits precipitated by the prevailing corporate trends in the company have also raised eyebrows among its key stakeholders. The decline in the company’s profit index poses a negative corporate reputation since financial stability is an imperative aspect of defining a business’ success. Thus, the reputational challenges call for necessary interventions in resurfacing the company. 2.2 Current situation             Currently, Ryanair’s major stakeholders are not satisfied with the diminishing corporate reputation of the company. Stakeholders are the parties that contribute in the running of a business; they are the people who influence or are influenced by the decisions of the company. The stakeholder theory gives a framework for identifying the interested parties in the business, as well as how the management should accord value to the parties that influence the running of the business (Phillips 2011 p 25). The stakeholders’ concerns stem from the current stunted growth in the company, and its inability to make further breakthroughs in the market. The company’s diminishing corporate image jeopardizes its potential for growth in a competitive market. In view of the stakeholder theory, Ryanair’s management has failed in its mandate to satisfy customers, who are the major stakeholder. Customer satisfaction is on a decreasing streak. Surveys are constantly showing that Ryanair is trailing behind its major competitors in the industry. This is attributed to the high dissatisfaction levels expressed by its customers, in respect to customer services. Provision of quality services is an impetus to market expansion and a large customer base. The absence of this factor has resulted into poor feedback from the customers. Also, Michael O’ Leary, the CEO of the company has noted that there is a need to break from the historical business models and introduce viable and strategic models that fit in today’s corporate world. The concerns of the external stakeholders including shareholders and customers have contributed to the current position of the airline company’s management. Based on a strategic management model, the management of the company is mandated to readjust its internal and external business environments to meet its objectives. 3.0 The challenge 3.1 Scope of the challenge             The biggest challenge affecting Ryanair is a negative corporate reputation in the airline industry. The negative reputation has virtually affected its corporate image and identity. A company’s corporate image refers to what its external stakeholders see (Chun 2005 p 95). For example, the relationship between a company and its customers defines the way they view it. Conversely, corporate identity, describes the strategic values of a company edged in its vision, mission and philosophy (Chun 2005, p 97). Moreover, due to the company’s poor service delivery to customers, negative publicity has certainly taken shape; hence, affecting its relationship with stakeholders. A critical analysis of the current situations facing Ryanair shows that both the internal and external environments of the company face negative effects from the reputational issues. From a strategic perspective, the reputational challenges that Ryanair faces threaten to put it on the losing end of competitive advantage. Competitive advantage is the ability to win out competition in a highly competitive market (Castellion 2010 p 935). Though it is a low-cost airline, the services it offers are not satisfactory to many of its customers; hence, it stands to lose potential customers to other high quality competitors like British Airways. In addition, from a strategic management perspective, the corporate reputational challenges affecting the company pose threats and increases operational weaknesses, which limit its potential growth in the market. From an organizational perspective, the inability of a company to have viable platforms of controlling its resources exposes it to negative consequences including shrinking its corporate identity portfolio (Fombrun & Riel 2004 p 17). The objectives of a company cannot be realized without adequate organizational management. Ryanair’s short-sightedness in its corporate image is attributed to its inability to manage its resources well. Additionally, the failure of instituting a coherent way of integrating the organizational functions of the company negatively affects its overall performance. 3.2 Impact of reputational issues on the organization and its stakeholders             The reputational issues have far-reaching effects on the organization as well as its stakeholders. The enterprise risks losing its customers to other airline companies because of its inability to provide quality services. Customer satisfaction is an important aspect in meeting the clients’ needs, the major stakeholders in a company (Jacobson & Mizik 2009 p 815-817). Based on the case, the company’s casual way of handling customers has the potential of damaging its corporate image. Moreover, the company’s vision and objectives cannot be met with precision because of its blurred potential to make a breakthrough in the market. Reduced profits reported by the company implies that its financial stability faces a major blow; hence, affecting its operations greatly. Shareholders, who are important stakeholders in the company, will certainly be affected by the reduction of the shares value. The reputational challenges affecting Ryanair pose a huge risk on its market share. Additionally, customers fail to get value for their money, and shift their focus on alternative service providers. Suppliers of pertinent resources to the airline company also face the risk of losing the business relationship because of the heightened loss of corporate image and identity. 4.0 Proposal             Based on the case study, Ryanair, through the leadership of its CEO, Michael O’ Leary should enact feasible communication platforms of intervening in the corporate reputation challenges affecting the company. Enacting viable communication channels with its stakeholders will certainly play an instrumental role in restoring a positive corporate reputation. Thus, improving the company’s customer service, identity and image, restoring positive publicity and developing a strong corporate reputation for the company will require a sound communication portfolio with its major stakeholders. Improving the company’s customer service, identity and image             This will require deliberate efforts from the company’s management. Empowering the staff is vital in improving customer services. Zeithaml, V. (2000) asserts that investing in adequate human resource frameworks that increase the capacity of the staff is considerable in improving customer service relations. Training employees on the most proficient ways of serving customers are instrumental in developing viable communication links. This will consequently improve the company’s relationship with its customers, who are imperative external stakeholders. Of importance still, investing in a highly empowered human resource will enhance the company’s corporate identity by meeting its goals and objectives. Meeting the clients’ needs by availing quality services will greatly help  in establishing a cohesive business relationship. Brown et al. (2005), highlight that a customer’s delight is in receiving value for his money. Through providing quality airline services, the company is certainly communicating its desire to meet the needs of its customers. Indeed, the customers’ satisfaction is a way of expressing a continuous and successful business relationship. Consequently, this will undoubtedly improve the company’s corporate image by meeting the customers’ expectations. Instituting a communication platform among the key stakeholders will be pertinent in addressing the reputational issues of the airline company. Based on the expansive nature of Ryanair, it is significant to have an online and accessible feedback platform whereby the company’s management can communicate with its customers. This will enhance the company’s sensitivity to its customers’ needs and make them their primary concern. This is a practical way of enhancing customer service and building a strong corporate image and identity. Gaining positive publicity             Gaining a positive public image is an important step towards the change that Ryanair needs to implement. Having a positive public image is a major boost in the success of any business (Caruana and Chircop 2000, pp 45-50). Given the large European market that Ryanair operates in, embracing a positive public image will enhance its chances of success. Firstly, the management of the company needs to develop organizational management frameworks that control the resources of the company with utmost proficiency. The management of the company is vital in disseminating a company’s functions to the relevant parties. The management, being a major stakeholder in the company has the obligation of ensuring that the internal environment of the company is articulating management issues vehemently. This calls for the employees to work collaboratively with the management in affecting the external stakeholders positively. The effective business communication grounding between the management and employees will produce results that will precipitate positive publicity for Ryanair. As a result, the considerable organizational management will influence positive publicity by increasing customer confidence. An increase in customer confidence is sufficient in arousing the airline’s public image; hence, gaining positive publicity. Customer confidence in the management portfolio of the company will be crucial in diversifying its market jurisdiction. On the same note, advertising agencies and suppliers who form a key component of the company’s external stakeholders will play a crucial role in improving Ryanair’s positive publicity. With credible communication platforms between the external stakeholders and the company, it is without a doubt that the company will develop a positive publicity. Developing a strong corporate reputation             Developing a strong corporate reputation is a fundamental tool in ensuring that Ryanair remains a reputable airline company in the industry. Indeed, this calls for compelling communication frameworks among the stakeholders of the company. True, the airline industry features as extremely diverse; hence, the need for investing in the best publicity platforms. Spreading information is an aspect of publicity that should be implemented with ease in order for the company to increase its chances of success. Information about structural changes in the airline industry should be communicated in the best way possible for the purpose of initiating viable communication structures between the internal and external stakeholders. Thus, initiating feasible publicity frameworks is a credible way of surfacing a strong corporate reputation by improving communication among the key stakeholders in Ryanair airlines. Crisis control in the company is a pertinent aspect in securing a strong corporate reputation in the company. The management of the company should set up platforms for ensuring that crisis management is articulated vehemently. Chun and Davies (2006) point out that the crisis management is imperative in any ambitious company because risks are inevitable in the global market. In this respect, reputational risk management for Ryanair is an integral base in the staging of a strong corporate reputation. Through amicable communication platforms, the internal stakeholders of the company have the capacity to address the reputational issues affecting it. It is necessary to bring together the functions of the management and employees with the expectations of the external stakeholders. This creates a cordial business relation that undoubtedly builds a strong corporate reputation. In essence, in order to enhance the company’s reputational competence, there is a need for the diverse stakeholders to work together in tandem. 5.0 Conclusion             In conclusion, it is evidently clear that managing corporate reputation is an important function of any ambitious company. In the case of Ryanair airlines, its expansive market calls for feasible communication strategies to secure a solid corporate reputation portfolio. The success of the company fundamentally depends on its ability to initiate practical corporate reputation strategies. Training employees, providing quality services and securing effective communication platforms will certainly enhance customer satisfaction and build the company’s identity and image. Thus, this calls for prioritizing the needs of the customers and making them principal stakeholders. Additionally, the need for a credible publicity is significant in the growth expansion of the company’s positive publicity. Lastly, building a strong corporate reputation requires the collaborative actions of all major stakeholders. References Brown, T.J., Dacin, P.A., Pratt, M.G. and Whetten, D.A. (2005). Identity, image, and reputation: an interdisciplinary framework and suggested terminology. Paper presented at the Academy of Marketing Science Conference, Tampa, FL. Chun, R. (2005). Corporate reputation: Meaning and measurement. International Journal of Management Reviews Volume 7 Issue 2 pp. 91–109. Caruana, A. and Chircop, S. (2000). Measuring corporate reputation: a case example. Corporate Reputation Review, 3(1), 43–57. Chun, R. and Davies, G. (2006). The influence of corporate character on customers and employees: exploring similarities and differences. Journal of Academy of Marketing Science (JAMS), 34(2) Castellion, G. (2010). The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking Is the Next Competitive Advantage by Roger Martin and Design-Driven Innovation: Changing the Rules of Competition by Radically Innovating What Things Mean by Roberto Verganti. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 27(6), 931-935.Fombrun, C. J., & Riel, C. B. (2004). Fame & fortune how successful companies build winning reputations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.Institute of Directors (IOD) (1999). Reputation Management: Strategies for Protecting Companies, their Brands and their Directors. London: Director Publications (Director’s Guide Series). Jacobson, R., & Mizik, N. (2009). The Financial Markets and Customer Satisfaction: Reexamining Possible Financial Market Mispricing of Customer Satisfaction. Marketing Science, 28(5), 810-819.Phillips, R. (2011). Stakeholder theory. Cheltenham, Elgar.Zeithaml, V. (2000). Service quality, profitability, and the economic worth of customers: what we know and what we need to learn. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 28(1), 67–85. Source document

Piracy Protections in Entertainment Venues

At issue in the twenty-first century is the trade-off between the necessity of writers, musicians, artists, and movie studios to profit from their work and the free flow of ideas for the public benefit. Movie (and music) industry participants claim that encryption programs are necessary to prevent piracy. Others, however, including the defendants in cases such as Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Corley, 273 F. 3d 429 (2d Cir. 2001), argue that the law should at least allow purchasers of movies, music, and books in digital form to make limited copies for fair use.Piracy is a long debated issue, expressly in the entertainment industry. It is argued that encryption programs are necessary to prevent piracy, protecting the rights of artists as well as production agents. Yet, an important query on this matter still remains; the question of public benefit and free flowing ideas for purchasers wanting limited copies in digital form. Yet the rights of the artists and producers still remains le aving the question of copyright violation, the idea behind encryption is valid but only to a certain aspect.Piracy will not be able to be brought to an end so hastily as long as the motivation to do so still remains, that is the real problem behind this debate. The purchasers should be allowed to make a limited number of copies as a fair use policy. If a purchaser fairly buys rights to a product they should be allowed to make copies for themselves via modes of laptop and other digital other issues relating to the consumer as well, which may result in this idea to be more counterproductive instead of beneficial.Instead of using encryption it may be more productive in the long run to educate purchasers of a product about piracy. The costs of products such as DVD’s and BLU-RAY copies has steadily increased causing a lot of consumers to make do with cheaper and pirated versions of products. As a user of these products this is something that resonates deeply. Many companies are be ginning to include Digital HD with the purchase of a product; meaning that a user receives a redemption code that in turn allows them to download digital copies for personal use.Therefore if someone were to purchase a copy of a product it would be beneficial to all parties involved to come to a certain agreement maintaining the balance of rights for both groups. Allowing rights of digital copies to paying users helps maintain balance and benefits all parties involved; solving the issue of copyright violation for producers and artists and fair use to the consumers who purchase the product.