HUMAN DISEASE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

HUMAN DISEASE - Essay Example However, recent studies suggest that enteroviruses, specifically Coxsackie B enteroviruses (CVB) and an enteroviral capsid protein, vp1, may be contributing to the onset of Type 1 diabetes. Following up on the said studies, Richardson et al. (2) collected 72 pancreatic autopsy tissues from patients with recent-onset Type 1 diabetes mellitus along with 161 controls. These samples were immunostained for insulin, glucagon, vp1, double-stranded RNA activated protein kinase R (PKR) and MHC class 1. VP1staining was restricted to insulin-containing beta cells (Ibid 1). The results of the experiment showed the presence of vp1-immunopositive cells in multiple islets, 44 out of 72, from young, recent-onset, Type 1 diabetic patients, compared with just three islets out of 50 specimens from neonatal and paediatric normal controls. Dako antiserum in vp1 immunostaining was used because of its specificity in labeling vp1 immunopositive cells, especially when it comes to Islet of Langerhans cells. A nother consideration was that polyclonal antisera raised against enteroviruses often cross-react with tyrosine phosphatase (IA-2) and heat shock protein (hsp-60). However, the study results show that cross-reaction does not occur with Dako antiserum as IA-2 is present in both alpha cells and beta cells. As well, the results showed no minimal alpha cells were stained. PKR immunostaining was also done since PKR is a protein upregulated in response to enteroviral infections like CVB4. A strong correlation was found between PKR and vp1 immunopositivity which supports the findings that Dako antiserum is indicative of a persistent enteroviral infection. Two other antisera were used but the results using these were not conclusive. Results of the experiment have also linked vp1 infection to type 2 diabetes even if there is no autoimmunity. Since PKR production is a response of the infected endocrine cells to the disease, the outcome may be decreased insulin secretion. Reckoning with obesity as a predisposing factor, one may then expect adult-onset, Type 2 diabetes as a result. The paper presented a major diagnostic breakthrough that contrasted sharply with the longstanding notion about genetic predisposition being virtually the only explanation for the onset of Type 1 diabetes. The study revolutionizes the way diabetes will henceforth treated and preventive measures can now be taken. A development of a vaccine for enteroviral infections can lead to a reduction of juvenile diabetes cases worldwide. A breakthrough like this may well be worthy of a Nobel prize. Works Cited International Diabetes Foundation. â€Å"What is Diabetes† 13 June 2010. International Diabetes Foundation. 2 May 2011 Richardson, S. J. et al. â€Å"The Prevalence of Enteroviral Capsid Protein vp1 Immunostaining in Pancreatic Islets in Human Type 1 Diabetes.†

Mcdonald Case Study Essay Example for Free

Mcdonald Case Study Essay Mission Statement McDonald’s mission statement is: McDonalds vision is to be the worlds best quick service restaurant experience. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile. Strategy McDonald’s competitive strategy competes on several bases, including cost, respond, speed, and health issue. Their strongest priority is â€Å"making customers happy†. Product Maturity McDonald’s in is the mature stage of their product life cycle. All the competitors are known and established. This means that they go for more of a cost structure to have a cheap product while still maintaining the MacDonald’s quality. Because the franchise maintains the same product line they can focus on cutting costs. Product Development Process MacDonald’s uses product development teams to gather many minds as a resource for ideas. This allows for the cooks, marketers, service representatives, and others to sit together and think from many different angles to come up with a product. When coming up with a product together, they try to identify potential target markets to penetrate or needs that are not being fulfilled. This is all done in a food studio in Oak Brook, Illinois. They then test the product in a small test market for 6 weeks. And then if successful there they expand the test markets to 800 to 1,000 restaurants. Ethical Performance McDonald considers priorities for food safety, product quality and costs. The facts are together with ethical, environmental and economic responsibilities. Moreover, McDonald had been pushing effort on animal welfare. McDonalds Recognized on worlds most ethical Companies List on 2009. Quality System At McDonald’s, quality is the #1 priority when serving customers. McDonalds delivers quality both through products and services by actively training each employee so that a high standard is set for the food they create. They also purchase their products from high class companies such as their fries from McCain and their drinks from Minute Maid. Process Strategy McDonald’s uses a process focus strategy by developing a system that can be used in every McDonalds you go in to. For example, when entering McDonald’s for a Big Mac meal, one employee takes the order at the counter and gets the drink, another is at the fry machine always making sure fries are made fresh, and a third employee is making the burger. Technology Strategy Along with McDonalds new approach to revamp its physical exterior image much is changing inside the restaurant itself from a technology aspect. Recently McDonalds has introduced WI-FI into many of their outlets providing customers with free access to internet to surf the web or check emails while they enjoy a meal or just a coffee. What McDonalds hopes to achieve with this is to create a more welcoming atmosphere where the food is still fast but the stay is longer and more enjoyable. The internet is one such feature where people can keep in touch while outside of the office without a need for rushing back but also McDonalds has introduced new flat screen televisions which play the local news. These technologic features with cozy leather couches and a new sleek interior look is intended to keep up with the technology changes that go on outside of the restaurant. The building itself is changing as well. McDonalds has introduced a new ventilation system in the building that quickly whisks the kitchen smells such as the burgers and fries outside of the dining room. No longer does the kitchen smell linger into the dining room providing a cleaner and more appealing way to dine within the restaurant. The kitchen is being constantly upgraded for faster and better service and McDonalds is currently looking at installing new grills that will enable them to provide their number one success all day; the breakfast menu.

A strategic analysis of Estee Lauder

A strategic analysis of Estee Lauder In the world of business today, where competition is one of the major challenges that every organisation is facing, the need for strategic planning and analysis arises. These are essential for the survival of an organisation as well as determining the direction in which an enterprise is going in relation to its environment in order to achieve a competitive advantage by formulating a competitive strategy. It is important that an organisation grabs every opportunity that is coming along its way, and responds to any risks and limitations presented by the external environment. In order for an organisation to make and take correct decisions, it requires an understanding and knowledge about the impact the environment can have on the organisation. This is strategic management. It is therefore important not only to look at what is best for the organisation, but also to take the needs of shareholders into consideration. For effective strategic management, it is important to have a strategic analysis. The reason for an analysis is because; the issues that are being analysed are often quite complex even if there may be enough information available Fleisher. C Bensoussan .B (2002). This study is organised as follows; Chapter two defines important terms which will help in the further understanding of this study. Chapter three introduces the company Estee Lauder. Chapter four evaluates the strategic analysis of Estee Lauder by looking at techniques, models and processes, and chapter five concludes. Chapter 2 Strategic Analysis This is where a strategy is formulated by carrying out a research on the organisation and the business environment in which the organisation operates (BNET Business Dictionary.) However, Professor Les Worrall defined it as,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a theoretically informed understanding of the environment in which an organisation is operating, together with an understanding of the organisations interaction with its environment in order to improve organisational efficiency and effectiveness by increasing the organisations capacity to deploy and redeploy its resources intelligently. 2.1 Strategic model Managers must take in to account three major factors when strategic decisions are made; The shareholders expectations and objectives it is important that organisations are clear about their long-term objectives. However, due to factors that an organisation does not have any control over may influence the organisation to change its objectives, thus conflicting with the shareholders. Therefore, management must know how to reconcile the shareholders expectations while setting the objectives of the organisation. Available resources for an organisation to achieve its objective Depending on the strengths and weaknesses of organisations resources, the firm can pursue its strategies. However, these may change with the prevailing environment. Total environment within which the organisation operates Forecasting what the future may bring is a difficulty that managers face, because the environment is uncertain. This factor also has an influence on what strategy can be pursued. Taking each of the above three factors into consideration is known as strategic analysis. 2.2 Aim of strategic analysis It understands an organisations strategic position. Strategic analysis forms a view of the key influences on the present and future well-being of the organisation and what opportunities are afforded by the environment and the competencies of the organisation Baily. P, Farmer. D, Jessop. D, Jones. D (2005). 2.3 Importance of strategic analysis. Strategic analysis is important in providing an organisation with meaningful insights and with a clear framework so as to prepare itself for change. Its importance lies in evaluating patterns and trends for the organisation. It is also important in the identification and assessment of the opportunities available to the organisation Fleisher. C Bensoussan .B (2002). It also helps the organisation understand its strategic position by providing information such as; what is happening in the business environment and industry, and what competencies should be developed so as to stay competitive. It gives the description of strategic goals and the firms business strategy. Strategic analysis also leads to goals that are clear and relevant, helps in the taking of decisions with better quality, and provides a secure future by preparing the organisation with what may happen in the future. Strategic management This is a process of making and implementing strategic decisions. The organisation must also analyse the competencies already present in the organisation. These competencies help in formulating strategies. The process should consist of the following elements; The analysis of a strategy- Understanding the changes going on in the environment in which the organisation exits, and how these affect the organisation, its activities, its strength of resources and the expectation of stake holders, also analysing competitor strategies through assumptions, focusing on weaknesses and threats. The choice of strategy- This is concerned with all the possible causes of action which may be taken. Eliminating out many other strategies chosen, and putting in order of importance. An evaluation of each of the causes identified- The selection of those which the organisation must attempt to follow, and therefore discuss at length the strategies short-listed. Implementation of selected planned strategy- This is turned into an effective caused action. Discuss on implementing, but not actual implementation. 2.4 Importance of strategic management It is a planned process that needs to be followed Its considers the future and anticipates what it could bring It increases organisational growth as it brings in opportunities It also looks at the threats the external environment may poses and works on how to get rid or manage these Helps companies remain stable by foreseeing what the future may bring. Chapter 3 3.1 An Organization is a consciously coordinated social entity, with a relatively identifiable boundary, that functions on a relatively conscious basis to achieve a common goal or set of goals. Richard, (2002) Estee Lauder was founded in 1946. It is a globally recognised company, whose headquarter is in New York, but is in over 140 countries. It manufactures and markets hair care products, fragrances, skin care and makeup. The company has 29 brands, some of which are; Estee Lauder, Clinique, M.A.C, Aramis, Bobbi Brown, Darphin and many more. Estee Lauder is technologically advanced and has a reputation for innovation, superior quality and sophistication. 3.2 Estee Lauders Strategy Koontz and ODonnell describes strategy as a decision about how to use available resources to secure a major objective in the face of possible obstructionsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.such as competitors, public opinion, legal status, taboos and similar forces. Their strategy is to build a diversified business base, which they believe will strongly boost up their growth globally. Their focus is to remain a distinguished leader in the global prestige cosmetics. Their three essential growth strategies are: Their geographic presence should be expanded and strengthened Their product categories should also be strengthened Their channels of distribution should also be strengthened and diversifiable. 3.3 Vision Mission A companys mission and vision is for its employees and customers. The Mission defines and reflects the company, its core purposes, its values and principles. The vision however, provides an image of the future. The Vision Statement of Estee Lauder: Bringing the best to everyone we touch. By The best, we mean the best products, the best people and the best ideas. These three pillars have been the hallmarks of our Company since it was founded by Mrs. Estee Lauder in 1946. They remain the foundation upon which we continue to build our success today. 3.4 Objectives They are energetic, innovative and first for customers Power endeavour to do our very best and enhance the companys leadership throughout the world Building strong global brands through innovative delivery of products and increase revenues Look after our people so they can look after our customers Understand customers better than anyone and Use our strengths to deliver unbeatable value to our customers Business relationships Through distribution channels, reaching the customers globally Trust and respect each other 3.5 Scope According to Mintzberg and Quinn there are five definitions of strategy: Strategy as a plan Strategy as a pattern Strategy as a position Strategy as a perspective Strategy as a ploy Estee Lauder adopted: Plan Estee Lauder has good planning and they strongly believe all their success is all because of its planning. Perspective Estee Lauders perspective was to increase its company growth globally by 2008. This was achieved mainly because of the international business, mainly from emerging markets such as China and India. Chapter 4 4 Estee Lauders External environment analysis 4.1 PESTEL Analysis for Estee Lauder: PESTEL analysis  is the external analysis of the different macro-environmental factors that a business must consider. Kotler (1998)The PEST analysis is a useful tool for understanding the position, potential and direction for a business as well as the market growth or decline. The radical and ongoing changes occurring in society create an uncertain environment and have an impact on the function of the whole organization Tsiakkiros, (2002). Hence the analysis of the macro-environment is very important to identify factors which could affect various variables and arrangements within the organisation. Macro-environmental analysis assist Estee Lauder management to increase its attentiveness of appropriate environmental changes thus improve strategic planning by enriching its industrial and market analysis. The PESTEL analysis in addition to Porters Five Force model and SWOT can be applied by an organization to review its strategic direction. These have been discussed below. Political factors The political environment within which an organisation exists has far reaching consequences. The political environment most obviously operates at National level, but may also be significant at local and international levels. Estee Lauder gives direction to countries through the way they exert control over the economy. Estee Lauder should not only be cognisant with the politics of a country, but also with the media, industry and labour leaders. The following political factors can affect the business environment: Level of government involvement in business Stability Liberalisation Taxation Co-operation and integration, e.g. EU Economical factors This is concerned with the nature and direction of the economy in which a firm operates. Estee Lauder looks at the interplay of market forces that dictate the state of the economy and implications on both commercial and non-commercial organisations. Prices vary from brand to brand and product to product, but these are usually in the higher ranges of an industry. The factors include: Exchange rates Interest rates Spending power Inflation and employment Socio, Cultural Factors The socio cultural influences on businesses vary internationally. These affect a societys basic values, perceptions, preferences and behaviours. It is vital that such factors are considered if an organization wants to achieve its proposed objectives. Factors include: The dominance of the religion Education and belief The impact of language upon the diffusion of products onto markets When do customers have time for shopping The roles of men and women within society and depending upon that the products should be launched Estee Lauder has received customer complaints regarding the fact that new products are being tested on animals first. They have to look into this matter as it can pose serious issues with the customers. Technological factors More and more businesses are affected by technology. Technological factors affect the operations of the firm since technological changes serve to avoid obsolesce and to promote innovation of relevant techniques in the industry. Estee Lauder has rapid technological changes in its products, and these products can be accessed online via the internet. Some technological factors are: IT rapid growth Innovation Government spending on research New discoveries and developments R D expenditure Product life cycle Environmental Factors These factors are also known as the Natural factors. These factors help Estee Lauder in showing strategic doubts and their worth in the predicting and planning processes using environmental aspects. There have been emissions of harmful gases and fluorocarbons, which Estee Lauder must take care of as it is and environmental threat. Its increases the significance of the following factors: Shortage of raw material Increased pollution Increased governmental intervention Legal Factors Estee Lauder functions within a structure of Government regulations and legislations. These laws and regulations should be considered when running businesses: Labour laws and industrial relations Municipal licenses Formation Taxation Competition Copyright and patent laws Minimum wages laws and Employment law Demographic Factors These factors may also exist under the macro-environmental factors. Following factors must are considered with regard to the key Demographic trends by Estee Lauder: World population growth Changing household Geographic population shifts Better-educated, more white-collar workforce Increasing Diversity Changing age structure Population consists of generational groups. Distinct segments typically exist within these generational groups. 4.2 Porters Five Force Model This model evaluates a companys competitive position. Any business works to develop an edge over its rival firms. This model helps in the understanding of the industry context in which Estee Lauder operates. Below is a diagrammatical representation of the model. http://www.maxi-pedia.com/Five+Forces+model+by+Michael+Porter Barriers to entry This is low in the case of Estee Lauder as it has made its position pretty strong and hence new entrants will not pose a threat to it as it will be difficult for these to enter into the market as the barriers are pretty high. They also have good access to their distribution channels and the correct knowledge of the segments they are operating in. Substitutes This is also low in the case of Estee Lauder. Customers have built a customer loyalty. Estee Lauder also provides the best quality products whose performance is to the mark as is the name, therefore threat of substitutes will be low. Bargaining power of suppliers The suppliers would have a low bargaining power as Estee Lauder is a huge brand and the volume of goods required from the suppliers around the world is also huge. There would be very many suppliers willing to supply such a company, hence it is important for the suppliers to provide the company with what they require and something that is unique from its competitors. Bargaining power of buyers This is high as buyers can easily switch to other big brands as the number of these brands present in the market segment is high. However, due to customer loyalty to the brand, it does not face much of this as it provides its buyers with what they want and how they want it. Competitive Rivalry This is high in the case of Estee Lauder. Its major competitors are; Avon, LOreal, PG, Max Factor, Revlon, etc. Estee Lauder therefore needs to have constant innovation of its products so as to stay ahead of competition. There are various brands under the company, therefore, it is important that the range of price is good and they can differentiate their products well without customers facing high switching costs. Estee Lauder created the line designed for men in 1976. It was called skin supplies for men (Estee Lauder 2003a). Avon, Max Factor and Revlon did not have men lines. 4.3 SWOT analysis for Estee Lauder A SWOT analysis is important as a clear basis is provided to examine the performance of a business. It is also very important for the products a company offer, as it is essential in the branding and marketing of the company products. This model helps in the understanding of the firm and its surroundings. Internal Strengths Weaknesses Strong brand name Research and development focus Strong distribution network Robust revenue and profit growth sales Weak liquidity position Customer concentration Weak performance in a few markets External Opportunities Threats Demographic trends in the United States Cosmetics markets in emerging nations Growing riches- Rich getting wealthier Counterfeit products Intense competition Increasing regulations Strengths The brand name, Estee Lauder itself is a strength. The name is linked to quality and luxury. The company is also a global licensee for other big brands like; Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karen, etc. Estee Lauder leads in each market segment in the industry as it develops new products, redesigns existing ones and identifies and considers consumer preferences. It has a large network of retail. This therefore increases the market penetration opportunities and creates closeness to target customers. It has a strong management strategic perspective, and is also having a great growth. It also has various innovations such as; offering shopping via the internet (it was the first major cosmetic firm to have offered shopping via the internet.) Weaknesses The company bargaining power could be lowered by it concentrating on a single biggest client. They also have a poor cost structure in some areas, hence a decline in the performance of sales in certain regions. The company could be exposed to the debt market due to low liquidity levels, and this could thus affect the company growth. It is the Family members that have most of the power over the company. The companys organisational structure is not easily distinguished. In America, there are particularly lower sales in the fragrance category. Opportunities Estee Lauder targets aged people and therefore makes products to suit these people. Its revenues could be boosted by having a strong and great presence in its segments, thus also increasing growth. The cosmetics markets are doing good in emerging markets like India and China, as there are many beauty contests that take place. This cosmetics market is growing due to younger and middle aged women that are being more style conscious. Estee Lauder is also well positioned in these emerging markets. There is also a demand in the luxury goods. More money is spent on these goods. Therefore, the needs of these wealthy people are also taken into consideration, and products made to meet their needs and wants. Threats Many fake products are being sold, thus affecting Estee Lauders sales. This can lead to the company losing its exclusivity of the brand. This could thus harm the image of the company. Customers may also be dissatisfied with these products as the fake product may harm them, thus the company would lose out on customers. Many big brands such as; Revlon, LOreal, would increase competition in the market. The government may also impose certain rules and regulations on the products saying that the product has high levels of chemicals which are harmful to people. This may thus lead to an increase in the cost of developing the products and also in the launching of the products. Chapter 5 Conclusion Businesses are different in many ways; therefore every organisation needs to have a business plan, which needs to be reviewed in order to keep it up to date. The plan at Estee Lauder is articulated by corporate leaders, who give the organisation direction, so as to avoid a strategic drift. They create a vision of a possible future that allows both the managers and others to see clearly the direction to take, building upon the companys current capacity and strength. To gain competitive edge and analyze the external environment, Estee Lauder could further use the Value chain, BCG growth model and scenario analysis for its strategic analysis. Recommended strategies that Estee Lauder could use are; Forward, backward, horizontal integration, product and market development, market penetration and more diversification. Estee Lauder took the approach of providing great customer service, great quality and staff ownership, hence making it different from the rest. References Advanced Diploma in Business Administration Corporate strategy Syllabus. Baily. P, Farmer. D, Jessop. D, Jones. D (2005). Purchasing Principles and Management. Pearson Education. FT Prentice Hall. Fleisher. C Bensoussan .B (2002). Strategic and competitive analysis: Methods and techniques for analysing business competition (Prentice Hall, 2002) Johnson and Scholes . Exploring Corporate Strategy (Prentice Hall, 1999) Richard H.(2002) Organizations. 8th Edition. India: Prentice Hall India. p.189 GLL Brochure and Guide book Web references http://www.auburn.edu/~boultwr/html/strategic_analysis_model.htm (accessed on 21th November 2010). http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/Strategic+Analysis.html (accessed on 21th November 2010). http://www.maxi-pedia.com/Five+Forces+model+by+Michael+Porter(accessed on 21th November 2010). http://www.fragrancewholesale.com/somhisbacofe.html (accessed on 23th November 2010). http://hubpages.com/hub/Importance-of-Strategic-Management (accessed on 23th Novenber 2010) http://www.toponereport.com/why-you-need-a-swot-analysis/ (accessed on 23th November 2010). http://www.is4profit.com/business-advice/business-/swot-analysis.html?gclid=CNWztveJvaUCFUUe4QodhWttXw (accessed on 24th November 2010). http://www.freeonlineresearchpapers.com/estee-lauder-executive-summary (accessed on 24th November 2010). http://www.fragrancewholesale.com/somhisbacofe.html (accessed on 24th November 2010). http://www.elcompanies.com/the_company/executive_messages.php(accessed on 25th November 2010). http://www.netmba.com/strategy/pest/(accessed on 25th November 2010). http://www.slideshare.net/guest78d8ca/sm-case-jisha-remya2 (accessed on 25th November 2010).

Cause and Effect Essay - Christianity Causes Divorce -- Expository Cau

Cause and Effect Essay - Christianity Causes Divorce â€Å"Bible Belt Couples ‘Put Asunder’ More,† the New York Times proclaimed on May 21 of this year: â€Å"The divorce rate in many parts of the Bible Belt is roughly 50% above the national average.† So much for the notion that secularism is to blame for the decline of traditional families, among other frequently lamented social ills. Apparently, in a least a few states, the divorce rate correlates to an excess of piety, not the absence of it. What do we make of this amusing correlation? I doubt that religiosity directly causes divorce, but in some cases it may cause marriage, by condemning premarital sex and cohabitation as sinful; and marriage, of course, is the one indisputable cause of divorce. Marry in haste; divorce when you come to your senses. â€Å"I had this vision that this is just what people do; Get married, have kids and Christ comes back,† one Oklahoma divorcee told the New York Times. She remarried, but a great many Oklahomans apparently prefer living in sin. (Religion may not cause marriage after all.) According to the Times, the number of unmarried cohabitating couples in Oklahoma increased 97 percent in the past ten years. It increased 125 percent in Arkansas and 123 percent in Tennessee. The average national increase in unmarried couples for the same period was 72 percent. Statistics like these are deeply troubling to God-fearing social conservatives like Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who declared a â€Å"marital emergency† in his state; and Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating, who has initiated a multimillion dollar campaign to strengthen marriage by sending publicly funded â€Å"marriage ambassadors† to talk shows and public schools and providing premarital education. ... ...tates, when the Supreme Court held that Mormons could be prosecuted for entering into polygamous marriages. Thus, Judeo-Christian notions of marriage are incorporated into law while historic Mormon beliefs about marriage are criminalized. As Utah polygamist Tom Green recently learned, laws against multiple spouses are still liable to be enforced. Green, who boasted five wives and an estimated twenty-five to thirty children, was convicted of four counts of bigamy (and one count of nonsupport). He was not a particularly sympathetic defendant: one of his wives was only fourteen when he married her, and he could not support all the children he promiscuously fathered. So, it’s probably not fair to say he was prosecuted because of his religious beliefs, but he was prosecuted in spite of them. He is not a particularly virtuous man, but he is, after all, a religious one.

Identify Four Possible Consequences Essay

1. Identify four possible consequences of inadequate training or training that does not meet an organisation’s needs or requirements. Answers might include but are not limited to: Leads to people feeling ill-equipped to do their jobs, leading to stress Reduced productivity Decreased flexibility/ adaptability to workplace demands Failure to enhance people’s skills Can lead to a failure to meet statutory requirements relating to providing a safe and healthy working environment Reduced motivation Reduced satisfaction Failure to offer career development Increased employee turnover 2. Carry out your own TNA identifying the learning and development needs you could use to be able to do your current job more successfully. If you are not currently employed, carry out a TNA that relates to the skills and knowledge you will need in a job that you hope to secure in the future. There is no definitive response to this activity; however, participants should demonstrate an understanding that a TNA is used to clearly identify the requirements of a job, the current capabilities of participants and whether there are any gaps between the two. 3. Training needs should be considered at five levels. State what these levels are and give an example for each. Identifying learning needs must be done at five levels: 1. Compliance and statutory-all employees must adhere to national privacy principles, therefore they need to be trained on what these principles are what they mean for the business. 2. Business strategies and goals-the vision of the organisation is to become the largest provider of personalised stationery, therefore training might be needed in sales and marketing. 3. Departmental and team-the accounts team might need training on a new finance IT package in order to efficiently handle the higher volume of invoices. 4.  Job roles-the specific learning needs of each job or group of jobs. All the employees responsible for creating new stationery designs are likely to need training on the market segments that are being actively targeted by the sales team. 5. Individual-the competencies that each person must hold in order to perform their job effectively. The person responsible for maintaining the organisation’s website might require training on the new look of the website propose d by the marketing team. Activity 2 1. Why is employee consultation a necessary process when determining learning needs and addressing change? Consultation enables you to: Identify employee needs and expectations Identify real skills gaps Gather a range of ideas and suggestions regarding training If employees are consulted they are more likely to be motivated and commit to training. 2. What are the likely repercussions if employees are not consulted and involved in the design, development and targeting of training or learning opportunities? Employees who are not consulted will possibly resist training-not be happy about involvement. So they might not attend, or might sabotage the training. The training will not necessarily be correctly targeted. Activity 3 1. Evaluating competencies and continually improving one’s skills is the responsibility of everyone in an organisation. Comment on this statement. If organisations are to be learning organisations they need everybody to take a proactive stance in learning, growing and improving. 2. What advantages are there when an individual self-evaluates their competence and identifies what is needed to learn, grow and improve knowledge and skills? When an individual is involved in the process of examining their current performance against set standards they are becoming actively involved and are therefore taking ownership for continual improvement. When a person is actively engaged in identifying the issues they are more likely to positively embrace  solutions to improve the performance. 3. Technical skills can be taught, but attitude implies habits and habits are hard to change. What do you think this means? When we start work, or learn new tasks we find it easier to learn new competencies. We do not have to unlearn anything in order to develop the new skills. However, if we have been doing a task a certain way for a period of time, our method of approaching the tasks becomes habitual. Thus, if we need to make changes we actually have to unlearn the current habits and develop new ones. We all know that habitual behaviours are difficult to change (think, for instance, about how hard it is for people to give up smoking.) Habitual behaviours are those behaviours with which we are comfortable. We do not want to move out of our comfort zones to change our habits. Some people, however, demonstrate the attitude that they are happy to make changes or improvements as needed. They will take advantage of opportunities to improve, because they realise that it is important to do so. It is much harder to teach someone to develop this kind of attitude than tit is to teach someone, for instance, how to operate a machine. 4. How do you think attitude assessment does or should impact on an organisation’s performance evaluations, its recruitment and selection processes and on any training programs that might be implemented? High-performing organisations focus heavily, in their recruitment and selection procedures, on attitude assessment. Attitude is the component of employee behaviour that indicates motivation-support for organisational goals, potential for active involvement I improvement processes, and cooperation when required, Employees who: Do not want to learn Whose attitude is that they are simply there to earn a wage Who are afraid and resistant to change Or who simply do not care Can have destructive effects on the organisation-it’s culture and it’s productivity. They can affect the motivation and input of other employees. Thus employee attitude-willingness to participate, to be involved and to  self-monitor and self-manage should comprise integral parts of all evaluations-for recruitment, performance evaluation and as regards selection for training opportunities. Training truly will be wasted if employees who do not wish to learn, are not interested or for whatever reason do not want to be there, are coerced into attending training. Training will only be effective if the people who participate in it want to learn and to develop new skills and can see a purpose for learning-ie they have the right attitude. Activity 4 1. Comment on this statement: Effective managers do not wait for a defined time to gather feedback on their team members’ performance; they do it continually using formal and informal methods and relevant sources to build-up a complete picture of competence of the team as a whole and for each member of that team. Generally, this statement is true. Feedback that is gathered continuously provides a more complete picture of competence than feedback gathered in snapshots, as it provides a holistic picture encompassing differing situations and contingencies. A good manager is able to combine formal feedback mechanisms, such as production results together with informal methods such as comments made by team members. 2. You are the senior coach of the Windemere Wombats A Grade basketball team. You have been concerned lately that the team, although still winning matches, are not performing as well as they could be. You feel that they have the capability to win convincingly, but instead some players are making silly mistakes that are costing the team important points. You are unsure what is causing the performance issue and decide to pay closer attention in order to get to the bottom of it. What feedback processes could you use to uncover the problem? The coach could use feedback techniques such as: Examine play statistics Video the games and play them back to analyse them Have a team discussion where everybody is encouraged to provide feedback Hold one-on-one meetings with each player, assistant coaches and other administration employees Activity 5 1 Standards are set by industries, organisations and accrediting bodies. 2 Having clearly defined standards enables organisations and trainees to understand what is required and to structure training programs to ensure that workers gain the required competencies. 3. There are no definitive responses for this activity; howerver, participants should demonstrate an undersanding that: A goal is the expression of what is to be achieved as aresult of completing learning and development activities associated with the skill. Goals help specify the detail of what is to be achieved. Examples include: – provide better feedback to my employees – effectively chair monthly committee meetings – format complex reports better Each skill can have one or more learning objectives. Objectives contain a hight level of detail and shouuld be specific, measurable, and attainable. Examples include : – Provide better feedback to my employees: – provide feedback within 24 hours – provide feedback that results in improved employee performance – Effectively chair monthly committee meeting: – keep meetings to allocated timeframe – prevent domination of discussion by one or two people – Format complex reports: – use tables with 100% accuracy – use columns with 100% accuracy – use numbering with 100% accuracy 4. Competency list should be a comprehensive list of the steps required and the level to which they must be performed. For example, place one level scoop of washing powder into the middle compartment of the washing machine dispenser. Activities selected for inclusion in the learning plan should reflect the prior knowledge of the learner, the nature of the task and the most appropriate method. For examle, doing the laundry could be taught  through demonstration and verbal instruction. 5. Consultation with the employees and conducting training needs assessments. 6 Formal training can include : external courses, internal workshops, e-learning programs. Informal training can include reading, mentoring, coaching. Activity 7 1 Coaching is usually more task specific than mentoring. Coaches focus on helping and guiding development in a particular competency or area of growth. They are usually chosen for their technical expertise. Mentors, on the other hand, play a guiding or advisory role that is often less defined by competency boundaries. Mentoring often encompasses changes in thinking, attitudinal shifts and behavioural changes. 2 Learning opportunities can include, but are not limited to : – team building actibities – counselling of the players with the tension between them – strategy meeting to explain why working the ball in closer is desirable followed by a practice session to reinforce the theory – drill training on bounce passes 3 a. Is a critical response. b. Offers a positibe method of improving. Therefore b is the most helpful form of feedback. 4 There are no definitive responses for this activity; howerver, participants should demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the feedback hamburger. The feedback should start with something positive (howerver minor) and end with something positive/ constructive; acknowledging the things the learner has done correctly. Corrections that need to be made should be sandwiched in the middle. Activity 9 1 There is no definitive response for this activity; however, participants should demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the learning material. Activity10 2 There is no definitive answer for this activity; however, the participant’s response will need to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the learning material. Answers will be specific to the participant. Activity 11 1 The example will be specific to the participant but must retain the integrity of the model. 2 The example will be specific to the participant but must retain the integrity of the model. 3 Additional support could include but is not limited to: – senior executives in head office: – poster reinforcing the customer centric culture in board room – customer centric statistics linked to business profitability placed on board meeting as a standard agenda – store management: – reinforcement training sessions at monthly staff meetings – additional training in the importance of role modelling – frontline sales staff: – reminder cards with phrases to use pinned up near the tills – poster reinforcing the customer centric culture in the stock room – role modelling by store and head office management

Gender Stereotypes Essay

What are gender stereotypes? They are â€Å"simplistic generalizations about the gender attributes, differences, and roles of individuals and/or groups. Stereotypes can be positive or negative, but they rarely communicate accurate information about others. When people automatically apply gender assumptions to others regardless of evidence to the contrary, they are perpetuating gender stereotyping. Many people recognize the dangers of gender stereotyping, yet continue to make these types of generalizations. † You probably hear a gender stereotype on a daily basis but probably don’t realize it because it’s so common and casual now for people to just through everyone into a category and just assume they all are the same. Which is quite sad to me. You shouldn’t be judged and characterized based on your gender. Just because one female or male does something everyone in their gender should be assumed does it to? NO. Some examples of gender stereotypes are â€Å"cooking and cleaning are a women’s job† â€Å"woman can’t drive or park for anything† â€Å"all men are pigs†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ you get the point it’s a group of people (usually either women or men) that are grouped into a title that’s so bias! Ugh I get so mad even talking about it I hate stereotypes! THE IGNORANCE†¦ I’m going to be watching ‘The suite life of Zack and Cody’ on Disney Channel to get a good grasp of how often gender stereotyping is incorporated into our everyday television shows but goes unnoticed. I watch this show often, but never with the intention of it being stereotypical in any way. So today as I think about it if the characters were stereotyped, they would all be bias to one another’s gender. Girls would be the breadwinner’s, caregivers, nurturers, smarter, stay at home mothers. Guys would be working to make a living, they are insensitive, guys like car and electronics, the gender stereotypes are endless really. They can be basically anything and everything depending on how they are perceived and by WHO they are perceived. Sometimes they depend on what someone has gone through in life and based off that they gender stereotype. As I watch I notice that the mother of Phineas and Ferb is a stay at home mother, she does everything there is needed to be done at home. Takes care of the kids and their problems, grocery shops, cleans, cooks, etc. The father is the breadwinner and is the only one who is bringing in the income to support the family. It’s almost a typical old school American family. They have 3 children, 2 boys, 1 girl. Obviously Phineas and Ferb are the two young boys and Candice is their older sister. The whole show is about their sister always trying to get them (Phineas and Ferb) in trouble with their parents. I guess that’s the typical stereotypical sibling relationship always fighting for attention over the parents and to make one bad over the other and make one another more favorable than the other. I didn’t really realize it at first but then when I thought about my own relationship with my siblings it was quite comparable we always try and nag on each other and get one another in trouble. Phineas and Ferb are always coming up with new inventions, playing with electronics computers and inventing unique things. Just doing things most boys do in the stereotypical way. While, their sister Candice is always going to the mall, hanging out gossiping with her girlfriends, always on the phone, constantly nagging on them, obsessed with boys. The show is very stereotypical now that I think about it. It’s the classical guy/girl gender stereotypes. Candice is the girly girl who likes to gossip and shop and get her brothers in trouble while Phineas and Ferb are busy playing with gadgets of all sorts, not ever worried about Candice or what she’s doing, really involved with electronics and coming up with new inventions and having fun in their own little gadget-world you could say. A lot of commercials that come on and play in the mornings when all the kids programs are on are SUPER stereotypical. For girls they advertise Barbie dolls of all sorts, toys for girls such as cool, unique hair designing tools, kitchen accessories that include fake ovens and what not to play in. Which is stereotypical cause they say mothers should cook and clean and then here they are starting kids off at a young age throwing them under such a stereotype. They have commercials advertising water guns, monster trucks, building tools and what not for the boys. After watching this show that I always watch but with the objective of stereotyping as I watched in my head I noticed so much more than I ever did. It’s really sad that so many shows have gender stereotyping in them that goes unnoticed. It really actually (and excuse my language) pisses me off. That people interpret these things in television shows, their guiding the younger generation already in the wrong direction making them think that girls â€Å"do this† and guys â€Å"do this† and having them think basically in a box. I noticed that the show has the very typical stereotypes. Like I mentioned above. I can honestly say my thoughts have changed about this show and are different from what I thought before I had this objective in mind.