The Concept of Strategic Planning and Its Relevance

Abstract The purpose of this essay is to analyse the concept of strategic planning and its relevance to the activities of an organization. Strategic planning has been viewed as an important cornerstone in the decision making activities of an organization. It enables an organization to achieve its goals and objectives through the development of plans. These plans can either be long term, medium or short term depending on the type of business and the context that strategic planning will be used in.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Concept of Strategic Planning and Its Relevance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Introduction Strategic practitioners recognised the importance of strategies in the processes and operations of an organization which saw a lot of emphasis being placed on strategy which later saw the development of strategic planning as an organizational concept. Strategic planning slowly replaced corpora te planning which mostly involved developing formal plans that lacked any strategic focus. This change was largely due to the emphasis placed on the planning activities of an organization. The relationships that were meant to result from this change sometimes could not be achieved. Researchers found that only few organizations were able to succeed in achieving their goals and objectives through the use of strategies. Practitioners of strategic planning have founded their research efforts on the assumption that the creative task of formulating and implementing strategies can be designed into a series of actions referred to as planning that will lead to results that can be repeated in the future. Definition of Strategic Planning Strategic planning is a technique that is used to organize the present activities of an organization to reflect the desired future projections of what the organization wants to achieve over a certain period of time. A strategic plan is a map or guide that will be used to lead the organization from where it is now to where it would like to be. Strategic planning mostly focuses on the external environment of an organization. Since every organization has different activities and operations that set it apart from other companies, the strategic plans of every organization will therefore be different from that of the other organization; therefore Strategic planning systems will be designed to deal with the unique characteristics of organizations (Samson and Daft 2009). Strategic planning is derived from strategy which is the layout of a plan or set of actions that will be used by the organization to achieve their objectives. Strategic planning is the systematic and formalised effort made by an organization to develop detailed plans that would be used to implement the objectives, goals, strategies, and policies of an organization (Wittman and Reuter, 2008). Planning deals with looking at the future results of current decisions that are made by decision makers. This means that strategic planning provides managers and people in positions of decision making with the cause and effect of consequences that would occur over time if that particular decision was made. If the decision maker does not like the results of the decision, he can easily change it to one that would yield positive results. Strategic planning looks at the alternative courses of action that are available in the future and what options are chosen from these alternatives, they are used as a basis for making present day decisionsAdvertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Grunic and Kuhn (2008) viewed strategic planning as a process that began with the identification of objectives and goals which later led to the development of organizational strategies, plans and policies that would be used to achieve these goals. Strategic planning was seen to be a process of mak ing decisions in advance that would determine what kind of planning activities would be undertaken and how these activities would be done. The process was also systematic as the various activities were organized in a sequence. Strategic planning process was geared towards companies that had their operations and activities in one particular industry within the market. The basic format of a strategic planning process that is used by most organizations is to first develop the company’s mission, objectives and goals as a first step. Once this is done the organization’s internal and external environment is assessed to determine the strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and threats. The next step will involve selecting strategies that will be used to deal with the identified strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and threats. The organization should ensure that the identified strategies are in line with its mission ad goals. After the appropria te strategies are identified and developed, they are finally implemented. Hills and Jones (2009) note that organizations go through a new process of strategic planning every year as a result of changing business environments and the global economy. This however does not mean that new strategies have to be identified and implemented every year. What usually happens in most organizations is that the strategies are modified or reaffirmed since the strategic plan is usually designed for a period of more than five years. Strategic Planning for Small businesses and Improved Performance Given all the evidence on the benefits of strategic planning, most small businesses still do not practice planning. Most of the concepts and research on strategic planning have been geared towards helping larger organizations. Managers of small businesses mostly focus on the short term rather than on the long term strategies. Their decision making technique is characterised to be reactive instead of proacti ve and deliberate. For those managers who do practice strategic planning, the process is mostly characterised by ad hoc instead of formal activities (Wang et al. 2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Concept of Strategic Planning and Its Relevance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to May (2010), small business owners today are realising more than ever that they need strategic planning to make decisions. This has emerged out of their uneasiness about what the future holds for their businesses or the fact that they have attained the present level of small business success without any strategic planning and they don’t feel like proceeding with ventures that they are unsure will yield any profits. Such uncertainties lead them to secure stable and predictable styles of management that mostly involve strategic planning. The main difference of strategic planning for both the large and small busines ses is that the larger organization can financially afford to conduct extensive strategic planning activities which at times might be very expensive while the small business has a limited amount of financial resources. The strategic activities of the smaller organization might be limited or constrained due to finances; the smaller business will also mostly rely on its internal resources do the planning (May, 2010). Wang et al (2006) conducted investigations on why some small businesses failed in their activities and operations. They noted that the major reason was attributed to the lack of strategic planning and poor business motivation. Previous studies by scholars such as Mintzberg, Crawford and Lefebvre also suggested that formal strategic planning systems in small organizations were absent. The authors noted that small business strategic planning was mostly characterized by informal planning systems that were unstructured and sporadic. Other characteristics were that the process was viewed to be incomprehensive, incremental and reactive. Wang et al (2006) note that the motivation for a small business owner to be in business was mostly interwoven with their personal lives. Most small businesses are family owned which shows that the personal motivation in starting the business lies in trying to provide a better life for the business owners and their families. Some of these owner usually lack a business background or the technical known how of running the business. This means that they lack basic strategic planning information. Such a situation enables the businesses owners and entrepreneurs to get away with developing short term strategic plans for their businesses .Because of the size of the firm and constant uncertainty in the global business environment, small business have a limited ability to control events. That is why their focus is on short term and medium planning instead of long term. The strategic model should be designed in a simple and inexpensi ve way Pitfalls of Strategic Planning The main problems experienced by small businesses when trying to initiate the planning process have been identified as the lack of time and lack of proper strategic planning knowledge. But when managers discover ways to overcome these constraints, strategic planning can lead to the improved performance of the business.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Small business managers need to gain an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of small businesses which will set a strong foundation for strategic planning activities. The size and simple structure of small firms allows them to increase their responsiveness to external changes. In discussing the failure of the concept, various studies have been referred to further explain why strategic planning sometimes fails in organizations. One pitfall is that no one study has been found that has assessed the outcomes of deviating from the long range plans. All studies that have been conducted on the subject do not show whether there has been any negative consequences of not following the long range strategic plan. Another pitfall came from an earlier study that highlighted that while particular companies engaged in systematically planned activities, other organizations that did not engage in strategic planning were able to surpass these companies performance wise; this showed that t he best planners did not always perform the best (Dimitrou and Thompson, 2007). Studies done in the 1970s by scholars such as Malik and Karger found favourable results when strategic planning was used while other studies such as those done by Sheehan, Grinyer and Norburn did not see any benefits of practicing strategic planning. Henry Mintzberg after a review of these studies came up with a conclusion that planning was not the only best way. He noted that in some circumstances it did not pay and that when planning was at its best, it might have had some suitability to particular and not all organizational contexts. Another pitfall of strategic planning is that most companies find the solutions derived from the formal process of strategic planning to not be what they had actually expected. They usually had a basic idea of the kind of results to expect once the process was done. Strategic planning makes a majority of the firms today to engage in less risky forms of long range planning in their decision making activities which often at times do not yield the best results. Major criticisms have been drawn to the fact that strategic planning does not in any way contribute to the strategic thinking of major decision makers in organizations. Many of the benefits that accrue from strategic planning cannot be measured and it is difficult to prove the planning process in absolute terms. This is due to the fact when the planning process is initiated; it becomes hard to compare what has happened with what could have happened. This leads to a lot of speculations and formation of assumptions that are in most cases usually wrong. There is also another pitfall in the form of identifying the amount of costs that have been used in the planning process (Hill and Jones, 2009). These costs can only be seen if additional profit made by the organization exceeds the additional costs used in planning. Logical expectations of most organizations are that strategic planning will lead the company to be successful in the future; this is a big misconception. Most managers view strategic plans to be the key that will lead the organization to market success which explains why they become devastated when the strategic plans fail (Hill and Jones, 2009). Conclusion Planning activities are important to an organization to ensure that everything moves in a systematic and orderly manner. Without planning the members of an organization would lack a guide or plan that would direct them to achieve the organizational mission, vision, goals and objectives. Planning is therefore to be the most important activity that an organization should undertake to ensure that it runs smoothly and effectively. Strategic planning should also be given the same level of importance as general organizational planning. While strategic planning for organizations has been going on for a very long time, the smaller businesses are yet to catch on, yet planning is very important for an organization to achi eve optimum success through the proper utilization of resources. Strategic planning might have some pitfalls but when used in the proper way and in the right organizational context, it can improve the performance of both large and small businesses. Managers should therefore exercise this concept to ensure the decisions they make now will reflect what the organization wants to achieve in the future. References Dimitrou, H.T., and Thompson, R. (2007) Strategic planning for regional development in  the UK. Oxford, UK: Routledge Grunic, R. and Kuhn, R. (2008) Process based strategic planning. 5th Edition. Berlin: Springer- Verlag Hill, C., and Jones, G. (2009) Strategic management theory: an integrated approach.  Ohio, US: South Western Cengage Learning May, M.G. (2010) Strategic planning. New York: Business Expert Press Samson, D., and Daft, R.L. (2009) Management Third Asia Pacific Edition. Australia: Cengage Learning Wang, C., Walker, E.A., and Redmond, J. (2006) Ownership motiva tion and strategic planning in small businesses. Journal of Asia Entrepreneurship and  Sustainability. Vol II, No.4 Wittman, R. and Reuter, M.P. (2008) Strategic planning: how to deliver maximum value  through effective business. London: Kogan Page This essay on The Concept of Strategic Planning and Its Relevance was written and submitted by user Natal1a to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Meaning and History of the Surname Clement

Meaning and History of the Surname Clement From the Late Latin given name Clemens, the Clement surname means merciful and gentle. CLEMENT is the English version and CLÉMENT is French. CLEMENTE is a common  Italian and Spanish version of the surname, also originating from the given name Clemens. Surname Origin: French,  English, Dutch Alternate Surname Spellings: CLEMENS, CLEMENTS, CLEMENTE, CLEMMONS, CLEMONS, CLEMMENT Fun Fact  about the Surname Clement Clement was the name of fourteen different popes, including Saint Clement I, the fourth  pope and first of the Apostolic Fathers. Famous People with the Surname CLEMENT Gustave Adolphe Clà ©ment-Bayard -  19th-century French entrepreneur and industrialistJean-Pierre Clà ©ment - French economist and historianMartin W. Clement - 11th president of the Pennsylvania railroadNicolas Clà ©ment - French chemist- MLB baseball player and humanitarian Where is the CLEMENT Surname Most Common? According to surname distribution from  Forebears, the Clement surname is found most prevalently in Nigeria, but in the greatest numbers in France, where it ranks as the 75th most common surname in the country. Clement is also a fairly common last name in Luxembourg (195th most common surname), Wales (339th), Canada (428th) and Switzerland (485th). Genealogy Resources for the Surname CLEMENT French Surname Meanings and OriginsDoes your last name have origins in France? Learn about the various origins of French surnames and explore the meanings of some of the most common French last names. How to Research-French AncestryLearn about the various types of genealogical records available for researching ancestors in France and how to access them. Clement Clements Clemmons Y DNA ProjectJoin with other genealogists interested in combining Y-DNA testing with traditional genealogy research in order to identify common Clement ancestors worldwide. Surnames included in the project include Clement, Clements, Clemmons, Clemons and Clemens. Clement Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Clement  family crest or coat of arms for the Clement surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. CLEMENT Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Clement  surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Clement query. DistantCousin.com - CLEMENT  Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Clement. GeneaNet - Clement  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Clement  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Clement  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Clement  surname from the website of Genealogy Today. Sources Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick, and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Postal Abbreviations for Provinces in Canada

Postal Abbreviations for Provinces in Canada Accurate addresses do not just help lower costs by eliminating redelivery and extra handling;  being accurate also reduces the carbon footprint of mail delivery and gets mail where it needs to go faster. It helps to know the correct two-letter province and territory abbreviations if sending mail in Canada. Accepted Postal Abbreviations The two-letter abbreviations for Canadian provinces and territories that are recognized by Canada Post for mail in Canada are based on the English spellings of the names, though the two letters also appear in the French spellings. Northwest Territories, for instance, uses the initials NT, which is the first letters of each word in English, but the first and last letters of the French Nord-Ouest. The country is divided into administrative divisions known as provinces  and territories. The 10 provinces are Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. The three territories are Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon. Province/Territory Abbreviation Alberta AB British Columbia BC Manitoba MB New Brunswick NB Newfoundland and Labrador NL Northwest Territories NT Nova Scotia NS Nunavut NU Ontario ON Prince Edward Island PE Quebec QC Saskatchewan SK Yukon YT Canada Post has specific postal code rules. Postal codes are an alphanumeric number, similar to a ZIP code in the United States. They are used for mailing, sorting and delivering the mail in Canada and are handy for other information about your area. Similar to Canada, the U.S. Postal Service uses two-letter postal abbreviations for each state and territory in the United States. The Canadian and the United States postal services have an agreement to avoid overlapping of postal abbreviations to avoid confusion when mail is sent between the neighboring countries. Mail Format and Stamps Any letter sent within Canada has the destination address of the center of its envelope with a stamp or meter label on the top right corner of the envelope. A return address, although not required, can be put on the top left corner or the back of the envelope. The address should be printed clearly or in an easy-to-read typeface. First Line: Name of recipientSecond Line: Civic address (street address)Last Line: Municipality name, a single space, the two-letter province abbreviation, two full spaces, and then the postal code. Any additional information should appear between the second and last lines. Some rural mail does not include a civic or street address and requires such additional information. If you are sending mail within Canada, a country designation is not necessary. If you are sending mail to Canada from another country, follow all of the same instructions as listed above, but add the word Canada on a separate line at the very bottom.   First-class mail to Canada from the United States is set at international rates, and thus costs more than a letter mailed within the United States. Check with your local post office to be sure you have the correct postage (which varies based on weight.) More About the Canada Post Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post (or Postes Canada), is the crown corporation that functions as the countrys primary postal operator. Originally known as Royal Mail Canada, founded in 1867, it was rebranded as Canada Post in the 1960s. On October 16, 1981, the Canada Post Corporation Act officially came into effect. This abolished the Post Office Department and created the present-day crown corporation. The act aimed to set a new direction for the postal service by  ensuring the postal services financial security and independence.

Ageing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ageing - Essay Example The impact of physiotherapy on healthy ageing is both short and long-term, and, as a result, requires both short and long-term solutions. Contrary to common perspectives, successful ageing is more than just about the absence of disease. There are many disease-free people who do not age successfully, and research shows that the absence of disease is just of a myriad of aspects that need the utmost attention to enable successful ageing. As a matter of fact, successful ageing involves personal, social and economic issues that have a significant impact on one’s lifespan and manner of ageing (Timonen, 2008:31). Physical health, financial security, independence, productivity and employment, good adjustment and a positive outlook, and maintaining participation in activities and with individuals who cultivate support and meaning are all important components of life that contribute towards successful ageing. Physiotherapy has a huge role to play in successful ageing because it involves most of these issues. Physiotherapy promotes physical and mental health and is influential in cultivating a positive outlook of life in individuals. Since health professionals and policymakers have a vital and active role to play in the formulation of health policies (that also affect physiotherapy), they impact successful ageing in many ways (Newman, 1995:46). Just like all aspects of health care, creation of good physiotherapy policies has a positive influence on individuals’ mental and physical health. Government agencies and private organisations have a clear and defined role to play in the promotion of successful ageing. Health professionals (e.g., physiotherapists) can collaborate with government agencies and private healthcare entities in numerous ways to enable the development and promotion of effective, successful ageing policies (Timonen, 2008:33). Collaboration can take many forms depending on the goals and objectives of a specific initiative. For

Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 5

Operations Management - Essay Example Market segmentation process involves the identification and grouping of similar needs of the market. Segmentation than helps the marketing team in devising better marketing plan for different groups and better satisfying their needs. Derby Castle is a historical monument of UK. The marketing team has the task of inviting attention of more and more people towards the interesting features of this castle so that they feel like visiting this monument again and again. This will help in good revenue generation and will help in the maintenance of this castle. It is highly likely that different set of people come here with different purposes. For example a team of school children would love to play in the sprawling green lawns the whole day while a research scholar will spend his day in studying the architecture and other historical features. Visitors to Derby Castle can be categorized as;†¢Ã‚  Researchers: This segment prefers to learn about the historical facts, architectural features etc. †¢Ã‚  Students: This segment too could be here on a learning mission or may just be here on a picnic tour. But the ‘learning’ needs of students are vastly different from ‘research’ needs of researchers.†¢Ã‚  Art Lovers: This segment is more interested in the artistic features of Derby castle.†¢Ã‚  Young Couple: Youth desirous of spending some solitary moments in the company of their chosen ones can make use good use of the gardens of the Castle.General tourists happen to be on a sightseeing spree. For them attractive features i.e.

Comparison and Analysis Across Theories Essay Example for Free

Comparison and Analysis Across Theories Essay The purpose of the nursing theories is to provide an interrelating framework focusing on the nursing practice. The defined nursing theories promote better patient care, improve the status of nursing profession, and improve the communication between the nurses, and provide guidance to the researches and education (Keefe, 2011). Not all nursing theories have the same meanings; however, they play the important role of explaining the key concepts and principles of nursing practice in understanding way. Dorothy Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory and Sister Callista Roy’s Adaptation Model are considered as grand nursing theories. The grand nursing theories are a conceptual model, which identifies the focal point of nursing inquiry and guide the development of mid-range theories that will become useful to nurses and also to other health professionals. According to Walker and Avant (2011), these theories contributed in â€Å"conceptually sorting the nursing from the practice of medicine by demonstrating the presence of distinct nursing perspectives.† In this essay, Orem’s Health Care Deficit Theory and Sister Callista Roy’s Adaptation Model are compared and analyzed for their importance in nursing. Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory is one of three grand theories written by Dorothea E. Orem. According to Orem, nursing becomes necessary when an individual can no longer care for him or herself. Nursing provides care through acting, guiding, supporting, teaching, and environmental manipulation promoting personal development. Orem developed this theory from her experience and personal connection with the Vincentian-Louisiana nursing tradition of the Daughters of Charity (Libster, 2008.) Roy’s Adaptation Model Roy’s Adaptation Model provides the framework for nurses by viewing the adaptability of patients to internal and external stimuli in their environments (Alligood Tomey, 2006.) Reponses to these stimuli can be either adaptive, which promote the goals of â€Å"human survival, growth, reproduction and mastery,† or non-adaptive (Roys Adaptation, 2011.) Metaparadigm The metaparadigm for nursing is the concepts that define the nursing practice. Since 1970s, person, nursing, health, and environment are considered as the core concepts of nursing theories by many nursing theorists. Person According to Orem, a person is made of a physical, psychological, and social character with variable degrees of self-care ability (Dorothea Orems Self, 2011.) Roy views a person as â€Å"an adaptive system that responds to internal and external stimuli in their environments† (Alligood Tomey, 2006.) Nursing Orem and Roy have the different attitude toward the concept of nursing. Orem sees nursing as an intervention to meet the daily needs for self-care and medical-care patients need (Dorothea Orems Self, 2011.) Roy believes nursing as a key player to help patients to develop coping mechanism and positive outcome from the constant stimuli exposure. Roy’s goal is for the patient to achieve adaptation leading to optimum health, well-being, quality of life, death with dignity, and finding in life by participating in their own care (Roy Andrews, 1999.) Health Orem defines health as â€Å"physical, mental and social well being† (Dorothea Orems Self, 2011.) Roy views health as a method used by patients to obtain their utmost possible health regardless of the presence or absence of disease. Environment Orem and Roy both state the individual exists in an environment. Orem sees the environment in two dimensions, the physical, chemical, biologic features and socioeconomic features, which influence the self-care requirements of the individual (Dorothea Orems Self, 2011.) According to Roy, the environment consists of stimuli including conditions, circumstances, and influences surrounding an individual, whether focal, contextual, or residual. In Practice Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory and Roy’s Adaptation Model can be applied to groups or individuals, and used at any nursing settings. However, Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory is more recommended for the acute-care setting, where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness. Orem focuses on finding the self-care deficit of the patient and providing the necessary care to promote his or her well-being. Whereas, Roy is concerned with the different stimuli that forces adaptation in order to achieve optimal health. Roy’s Adaptation Model views the person as an adaptive system which includes the four adaptive modes. These adaptive modes are: physiological-physical mode, self-concept-group identity mode, role function mode, and interdependence mode. Although first two modes can be identified immediately, the assessment of role function mode and interdependence mode is time consuming. Therefore, Roy’s Adaptatio n Model is not suitable for acute-care setting. Conclusion Having defined nursing theories promotes better patient care, improve the status of nursing profession, and improve the communication between the nurses. In addition to guiding the nurses to provide the best care to the patients, nursing theories are used to promote and guide baccalaureate programs, administration and nursing research. Many organizations now exist to support the advancement of nursing profession. Sigma Theta Tau International, the Honor Society of Nursing, is created to â€Å"support the learning, knowledge and professional development of nurses committed to making a difference in health worldwide† (STTI Organizational, 2011.) International Orem Society â€Å"promote the advancement of nursing science and provide scholarship in the area of Orems Theory of Self-Care Deficit Nursing to lead to further advancement of knowledge for the discipline of nursing† (International Orem, 2011.) The Roy Adaptation Association (RAA) is a society of nursing scholars wh o want to â€Å"advance nursing practice by developing basic and clinical nursing knowledge based on the Roy Adaptation Model† (Roy Adaptation, 2011.) These organizations along with progression of the nursing theories will promote the advancement of nursing science and enhance the nursing profession. References Alligood, M., Tomey, A. (2006). Nursing Theory: Utilization Application (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby. Dorothea Orems Self-Care Theory. (2011, October 14). Retrieved November 6, 2011, from Nursing Theories Web site: http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/self_care_deficit_theory.html International Orem Society for Nursing Science and Scholarship. (2011). Retrieved November 6, 2011, from http://www.orem-society.com/ Keefe, S. (2011). About Nursing Theory. Retrieved October 22, 2011, from eHow.com Web site: http://www.ehow.com/about_5471364_nursing-theory.html Libster, M. (2008). Perspectives on the History of Self-Care. Self-Care and Dependent-care Nursing the Official Journal of the International Orem Society, 16(2), 8. Roy Adaptation Association. (2011, October 27). Retrieved November 6, 2011, from http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/schools/son/faculty/featured/theorist/Roy_Adaptation_Association.html Roy, C., Andrews, H. (1999). The Roy Adaptation Model (2nd ed.). Stanford, CT: Appleton and Lange. Roys Adaptation Model. (2011, April 22). Retrieved November 5, 2011, from Nursing Theories Web site: http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/Roy_adaptation_model.html STTI Organizational Fact Sheet: Mi ssion and Vision. (2011). Retrieved November 5, 2011, from http://www.nursingsociety.org/aboutus/mission/Pages/factsheet.aspx Walker, L. O., Avant, K. C. (2011). Strategies For Theory Construction in Nursing (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Health Science.

Langston Hughes Salvation Essay example -- Langston Hughes Religion E

Langston Hughes' Salvation In most people's lives, there comes a point in time where their perception changes abruptly; a single moment in their life when they come to a sudden realization. In Langston Hughes' 'Salvation', contrary to all expectations, a young Hughes is not saved by Jesus, but is saved from his own innocence. 'Salvation' is the story of a young boy who has an experience of revelation. While attending a church revival, he comes to the sudden realization that Jesus will not physically come save him. In the first three sentences of the essay, the speaker adopts a very childlike style. He makes use of simple words and keeps the sentences short, similar in style to that of an early aged teenager. But since the text is written in the past tense and the narrator mentions that he was 'going on thirteen' (181), we know the speaker is now older. After reading a little further, we find that the style becomes more complex, with a more select choice of words and longer sentences. The contrast between simple and complex styles is present all through the rest of the essay, and creates a more personal atmosphere. Another particularity of 'Salvation' is the fact that the story recounts Langston Hughes' own personal experiences as a young boy. This high degree of intimacy allows Hughes to supply the reader with some very concrete details and vivid descriptions. The beauty in Hughes? personal insights lies in their power to reach our senses. We can clearly picture th...

Chinese Business Essay

Introduction It is often argued that when business persons of different cultures negotiate commercial deals, there is bound to be a culture clash. I disagree with this view. It is true that cultural differences influence business negotiations but with the appropriate approach to deal with the differences, culture clash is to be least expected in any business negotiations, especially with the Chinese. As Sun Tzu would advised in his book The Art of War â€Å"Know your enemy and know yourself and you will win all battles† (Sun Tzu 1913). According to Newstrom and Davis (2002) there are many striking differences across countries, just as there are some surprising similarities. Clearly, residents of each country have their own preferences for clothes, food, recreation, and housing. In his research about national cultures of sixty countries, Hofstede (1993) revealed that cultures differ in five key factors namely, individualism/collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity/femininity, and time orientation. Among these factors, the Chinese have the culture that value clarity and have the kind of orientation that accent values such as necessity of preparing for the future, the value of thrift and savings, and the merits of persistence. Literatures on different cultures also classify China as high-context culture which tends to emphasize personal relations, place value on trust, focus on non-verbal cues, and accent the need to attend to social needs before business matters (Newstrom and Davis 2002). Culture is very important in certain country such as China. Huntinghon (2000) as cited by Fellner (2008) defined culture as the values, attitudes, beliefs, and underlying assumptions prevalent among people in a society. He stressed that culture is dynamic, interactive, and synergistic, and intermixes with all the elements of the society such as business and economic development (Huntinghon 2000; Fellner 2008). Huiping (2009) stated in her article entitled Understanding Chinese culture leads to business success with China’s growing significance as an economic superpower  understanding the Chinese psyche becomes very helpful and useful in business negotiations management of supplier relations and many other business situations. As emphasized by Uthaisangchai (n. d. ), Chinese history and culture has impact on the way they do business and each of the many elements of the Chinese culture has a role to play in today Chinese business world. In Hofstede’s (1980) theory of individualism-collectivism as cited by Jones (2009), the individualism and collectivism dimensions differs on the degree a culture is committed to an in-group such as extended family, company or village. In the individualistic society, people are less attached to an in-group (that is, people are more self-centered and in pursuit of their own self-interests). Meanwhile in the collectivist society, people are more attached to an in-group, that is the interests of the in-group come first. Jones (2009) also noted from Hofstede and Bond (1988) that such value of collectivism likely stems from a deep rooted, ingrained culture based on the traditional philosophy of Confucianism. Uthaisangchai (n.d,) gave emphasis of the teachings of Confucius in the development of the culture of Chinese. In the article entitled Connecting Confucianism, Communism and the Chinese Culture of Commerce, Keller and Kronstedt (2005) explained that Confucianism is a very important component of the Chinese culture. â€Å"In a Confucian society, everyone has a role to play, and the key relationship is built around the family†¦ Chinese cultures value family connections and protecting relationships (saving face). Developing ‘family-like’ relationships takes time and patience, not merely a contractual deal based solely on money. If one has to do business in a Chinese culture, it is critical to understand and respect Confucian values† (Keller and Kronstedt 2005). Keller and Kronstedt (2005) further emphasized the significance of connections-Guanxi. In Confusian-based society like China, guanxi or proper connections are more crucial than price, product, place, etc. According to Jones (2009), China is known for being loyal to their in-group’ and favoring them in business related decision. As given emphasis by Li (2008) as cited by Jones (2009), understanding the guanxi is critical for conducting business in China and it involves cultivating trust, credibility and reciprocity. One way to understand cultural differences is through the concepts of high-context culture and low-context culture. The notion of ‘context’ can be understood as the social environment in which a business transaction takes place. Edward T. Hall’s theory of high- and low-context culture explains the powerful effect culture has on communication. The countries classified as high-context cultures include China, Korea, Japan, Middle East, Africa, Italy and South America in which people are characterized as collectivists, relational, contemplative and intuitive. This implies that the people in these societies put emphasis on good relationship between members of the society. In relation to business transactions, the development of trust is a very important step. Hall (1976) argued that the people in high-context cultures prefer harmony in group and agreement for the achievement of individual members; also individuals make decisions based on their feelings or intuition. The theory further emphasized that individuals focus on non-verbal cues, that is, words are not so significant in communication as compared to context; rather, more is given emphasis on context which include facial expression, tone of voice of the speaker, posture, gestures, and family history and status of the individual. The communication in the high-context culture is depicted as formal and indirect, which suggests that flowery humility, flowery language, and apologies that are often too elaborated are common. Also, communicators in this type of culture do not depend on language precision and legal documents. Meanwhile, the countries classified as having low-context culture include Germany, North America, Finland, Canada, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden are linear, logical, action-oriented, and individualistic. Individuals in the low-context countries value facts, logic and they prefer directness. Finding solutions to problems involves identifying and enumerating all the facts and evaluating each of the options. Also, each decision is based on facts; more often each discussion ends with an action. Communicators in this type of culture are anticipated to be concise, straightforward, and efficient in conveying the action that is expected. According to Hall (1976), communicators have to be precise in the words used in communicating to be absolutely understood. All negotiations are always concluded with definite contracts. Summing up the differences, on the one hand, high-context cultures tend to emphasize personal relations, place high value on trust, focus on nonverbal cues, and accent the need to attend to social needs before business matters. On the other hand, low-context cultures tend to interpret cues more literally. Individuals tend to rely on written rules and legal documents, conduct business first, and value expertise and performance. With these classifications of cultures, it is apparent that when Americans negotiate with Chinese, a failure in negotiation if not a culture is more likely if the former group is not familiar with the latter. As noted by Minor and Lamberton (2010) from an interview with intercultural communication expert ray Ruiz: â€Å"Countries in Latin American and Asia value the building of relationships, but each in their own unique way. Before traveling to another country, I would recommend reading appropriate materials and speaking with foreign nationals residing in the U. S. in regards to the customs and business practices in their country of origin. I would also suggest that, once in a foreign country, it is important to observe your host’s mannerisms and responses and respectfully respond in a like manner. Be well versed on acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. For example, when in Asia, do compliment and share your impressions of their country. Do not decline any food or drink because this is viewed as an insult. In Latin America, do begin all meetings with friendly conversation regarding family or other social topics. Do not begin a meeting delving directly into the business objective. The lesson many American business people fail to learn is that â€Å"it is all in the relationships† (Minor & Lamberton 2010). In his article Doing Business In and With China: The risks are great, but so are the rewards, Atkinson (2004) noted from Stephen Nelson, the partner and co-head of the China practice group for the Hong Kong-based law firm Baker & McKenzie, that when acquiring businesses in China, it is important to realize that there are perceived cultural differences. One of the important lessons in making business in China is that foreigners simply cannot enter a venture in China with only a cursory understanding of its terms and conditions. Atkinson (2004) cited an example of a US company that recently decided to make an investment in China by setting up a joint company through its Hong Kong manufacturing agent. The US company sent over $3 million worth of equipment, then came to us with documentation written in Chinese and asked ‘Can you look at this and tell us whether we really own 50 percent of this company? ’ Akgunes et al (2012) identified several points to consider for successful negotiations. According to Zhao (2000) as cited by Akgunes et al (2012), negotiations become successful when the participating parties are cooperative with one another; this can be done by applying the cooperative Confucian tactics. Also, for a western company like a US company, such company has to show that they have government support which is an indication that they are reliable, stable and credible to do business with. According to Fang (2006) as noted by Akgunes (2012), trust will lead to much better performance and being patient will be more beneficial to you than any other attribute you might possess. Bredin (1998) as cited by Akgunes (2012) also suggested that a foreign business negotiator should not give in to pressure from superiors to hurry up and complete the deal because can cause problems because the Chinese are not greatly concerned with the time dimension. There are companies that also failed to successfully negotiate business deals with the Chinese. According to Fang (2006) as cited by Akgunes (2012), the most common reason for failure is that the Chinese firm lacks the funds to go through with a deal. Also, sending a low-ranking employee to make the negotiation will be viewed as very impolite and the Chinese may find it insulting and insincere, in this case failure is also almost certain. Moreover, it is important to note from Sebenius (2002) as cited by Akgunes (2012) that Chinese law says that one cannot leave a contract unless both sides approve dissolution. Fang (2006) as cited by Akgunes et al (2012) also emphasized that Failure to say no to a Chinese negotiator who is using a Sun Tzu-like strategy could be detrimental to the deal, but on the other hand, saying â€Å"no† to a Confucian gentleman could cause a loss of face. This also will be very harmful, if not fatal, to a successful deal. The Chinese have regional areas just like the United States and there are very different cultures, traditions and sometimes languages in these regions. Not acknowledging these regions can cause you to have limited success in one area and a complete failure in another (Fang 2006; Akgunes 2012). Conclusion In conclusion, like what Sun Tzu have said in his book The Art of War â€Å"Know your enemy and know yourself and you will win all battles† (Sun Tzu 1913). This means that for companies to be successful in making business deals, having the capital is not enough to close a business deal. Knowledge and understanding of the culture of the prospect business partner is very important. Other than this, Sebenius (2002) emphasized that culturl allegiances are often not as simple as they appear. Designing the right strategy and tactics in reaching the right people, with the right arguments, will result to a sustainable deal. References Fellner, Amira 2008, ‘Role of Culture in Economic Development: Case Study of China and Latin America’, Graduate School Theses, University of South Florisa Schoalr Commons, viewed from http://scholarcommons. usf. edu/cgi/viewcontent. cgi? article=1235&context=etd Hall, Edward 1976, Beyond Culture. Hofstede, Geert 1993, ‘Cultural Constraints in Management Theories’, Academy of Management Executive, pp. 81-94. Jones, Gwen 2009, ‘Differences in the Perceptions of Unethical Workplace Behaviors among Chinese and American Business Professionals, Competition Forum, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 473-480. Keller, G. & Kronstedt C. 2005, ‘Connecting Confucianism, Communicsm, and the Chinese Culture of Commerce’. Journal of Language for International Business, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 60-75. Minor, Leslie & Lamberton, Lowell 2010, ‘High-Context & Low-Context Cultures’, viewed from http://www.cascadebusnews. com/business-tips/networking/154-high-context-a-low-context-cultures. Newstrom, JW. & Davis, K. 2002, Organizational Behavior: Human Behavior at Work, McGraw-Hill Sun Tzu 1913, The Art of War. Uthaisangchai, Prasong (n. d. ), ‘The Importance of Understanding Chinese Culture’, viewed form http://www. bangkokbank. com/download/Week%2012%20Culture%20intro. pdf Huiping, Iler 2009, ‘Understanding Chinese Culture Leads to Business Success, Canadian HR Report, vol. 22, no. 12, pp. 18.

Equal Rights for Androids and Humans

Equal Rights for Androids and Humans The concept of equality among all people was, unfortunately, not â€Å"self-evident† until the passengers on the Mayflower proclaimed it in 1620. A section of the Mayflower Compact reads, â€Å"†¦and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . (Commanger, 23) Written in 1776, the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence states, â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (US Declaration Ind. This phrase echoes the same beliefs as those expressed in the Mayflower Compact. Efforts to achieve equality among all Americans have continued to this day. The concept of equality has not been ignored by Hollywood, either. The concept of equality has been a central theme in various popular films over the years. One such film is Bicentennial Man. The theme of Bicentennial Man challenges the viewer to question where they think the line of equality ought to be drawn. Throughout history, humans have struggled with this concept.Naturally, individuals desire to be the best, and they try to distance themselves from those who are not the same; the homeless, the handicapped, people from different cultures, or those that look different. The film approaches this idea in a different manner because Andrew, the android â€Å"star† of the film, is not a person. It takes Andrew a period of two hundred years (hence the name of the movie, Bicentennial Man) to convince the World Government that he did, in fact, have a soul and should be considered an equal. Columbus, Bicentennial Man) The film’s idea of android equality is not (yet) an issue needing to be addressed in American society. The film’s concept of equality does, however, resemble the real challenges of human equality faced by many Americans throughout history. At the start of the movie, it was established that Andre w only existed to serve and obey his owners, the Martin family. His only purpose was to obey the commands of and attend to the needs of this family. Jeremy Bentham, a political theorist, believes this is an example of the concept of utilitarianism.In simple terms, utilization is using an object (or people) â€Å"as a tool† to achieve a goal. (Nelson, 205). A word that could be used interchangeably with utilitarianism is, of course, slavery. Bicentennial Man evaluation of android equality is a clear reflection of the challenges of equal rights faced by many Americans throughout the history of the nation. In the film, Andrew Martin, the android, fought for 200 years in order to be declared equal to the humans he once served.In the real history of America, however, African-Americans fought for more than 300 years for equal rights as Americans. If only reality was a swift as Hollywood! Works Cited: Bicentennial Man. Dir. Chris Columbus. Perf. Robin Williams and Embeth Davidtz. Ra diant Productions, 1999. DVD. Mayflower Compact. November 11, 1620. Documents of American History. Ed. Henry S. Commanger. New York: Appleton-Century Crofts, 1968. Nelson, Brian. Western Political Thought From Socrates to the Age of Ideology. 2nd. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1996. Print.

How to Use Definite Articles in German

How to Use Definite Articles in German A definite article (der Definitartikel) is that tiny word in English we refer to as the. In German, we have three: der, die, das. As in English, they are also placed before the noun (or their modifying adjectives). In German, however, each of the definite articles has a gender. When to Use Der, Die or Das Der :  der Hut (the hat)Die :  die Klasse (the class)Das :  das Kind (the child) Please note that the above forms are for nouns in the nominative case only, as you would find them listed in the dictionary. To see how definite articles change in the different cases, read about the four German noun cases. How Do I Know Which Definite Article to Place Before a Noun? There are some guidelines for specific groups of nouns. However, for the most part, you need to memorize which noun goes with which definite article. As you do so, keep in mind these two basic rules: Most nouns denoting male and female beings will be der and die respectively.For example: der Mann (the man)die Frau (the woman) but there are exceptions: das Mdchen (the girl) In compound nouns, the correct definite article is the one that belongs to the last noun.  For  example:   das Hochzeitsfest/the wedding celebration ( das Fest )

A Comparative Analysis Of Online News Articles Media Essay

A Comparative Analysis Of Online News Articles Media Essay In European Union citizens are expected to take responsibility and actions to limit the threat of climate change as well as authorities or corporations. However, while only 36 percent of citizens in Lithuanian take personal action, 75 percent of British do. In light of framing as media effects theory media coverage can be considered as an explanation for different levels of personal contribution. Based on the latter assumption the online news content in Lithuania and the United Kingdom was investigated in terms of attribution of responsibility to citizens, authorities and industry/corporations. The findings showed that the use of the same frames varies by country and political preferences of media. However, the findings were not explicit enough to prove the one directional relationship between media content and individual level behavior, where media is perceived as having power upon individuals. Contrary, the results showed that social problems guide thematic choices of editorials a nd therefore individuals have impact on media. As a result, findings raised concerns that the notion of framing as an interactive process would more relevant than the assumption of framing as linear process. Introduction Today climate change is on political, media and individual agendas all across Europe. Political and legislative efforts prove that climate change mitigation is a priority for the European Union. Furthermore, citizens are expected to take responsibility and actions to limit the threat as well. Supranational survey Eurobarometer shows, 63 percent of Europeans say they have taken personal actions to combat climate change (European Commission, 2009). However, the EU as a body of 27 Member States is more diverse than one seeing aggregate level figures could think. For instance, while only 36 percent of citizens in Lithuanian take personal action, 75 percent of British do (European Commission, 2009). The topic of climate change not only has its thematic relevance, but as well scientific. In light of framing theory media coverage can be considered as an explanation for different levels of personal contribution to climate change mitigation among Lithuanians and British. To assess the influence of media portrayals of climate change on individuals, two research questions are developed: RQ1. To what extent do media frame climate change in terms of attribution of responsibility to industry and corporations, international and national authorities, and citizens themselves? RQ2. Does the attribution of responsibility to particular actor vary by country: the United Kingdom and Lithuania? To be more specific, I expect to find that Lithuanian media attribute responsibility to citizens more seldom compare to British media. Moreover, in media coverage in Lithuania attribution of responsibility to citizens should be less visible than attribution of responsibility to authorities or industry. Contrary, in British media attribution of responsibility to citizens shoul d more or equally visible compare to authorities and industry. The next chapter will provide theoretical framework on which the paper rests. It will be followed by the sections of method, results and discussion. Literature review Within the realm of social sciences, such as sociology, psychology, political science and political communication, studies of framing are common. In a way it explains why framing as a concept is rather â€Å"scattered†, as Entman once referred to it (Entman, 1993, p. 51). However, scientists of different disciplines share the perception that â€Å"the function of a frame is to help people organise the complexity of the world into meaningful categories† (Nickels, 2005, p. 21).

Human Resources Project 1&2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Resources Project 1 - Assignment Example This information can be used to understand the career opportunities in the company. A deeper analysis reveals that the HR policies are guided by the main HR policy statement of Nestec Ltd (2002). This is the Nestle Human Resources Policy, implemental to all subsidiaries of the company including those in USA. 2. The company is Nestle Waters North America, and its HR policies appear to be based on the Nestle Human Resources Policy document. I think some updating is needed for this set of HR policies. 3. In order to update the set of HR policies of Nestle Waters North America to optimize its North American operations flexibly with respect to the main policy framework of Nestec Ltd, it is mandatory to embark on a qualitative research followed by a number of activities for drafting and proposing some viable HR policy updates. The activities are described below: I. Interview of the current employees II. Interview of and discussion with the HR managers III. Analysis of current policies with regard to existing academic and business literature IV. Preparation and presentation of the new and/or updated policies in a proposal format V. Briefing the top HR managers 4. In this section, a proposal that describes the types of policies that are to be prepared and/or changed will be discussed. A close examination of Nestle Waters NA’s (2006) HR policies reveals that they are highly dependent on the HR policy manual of Nestec Ltd. First of all, one of the biggest drawbacks of these policies is that they put certain restrictions on the role of the HR managers. According to Nestec Ltd (2002, p. 4), â€Å"HR managers and their staff are there to provide professional support in handling people matters but should not substitute themselves to the responsible manager.† This sort of approach is rather traditionalistic. The second point is that Nestle Waters NA (2006) maintains strict control over its all hiring and training operations. However, relatively recent experience of certain companies shows that outsourcing the HR responsibilities can bring about more concentration on the vertical specialties of the company (Tornbohm and Da Rold 2005). So these two HR approaches need to be changed. A tentative timeline of the proposed HR policy updating and implementation task is provided in Table – 1. Table – 1 A Tentative Timeline of HR Policy Update and Implementation Program Task Time Task – 1: Interview of current employees (at least 20 to 30 employees randomly selected) 7 days Task – 2: Interview of and discussion with the company’s current HR managers. This will involve one to one interaction 7 days Task – 3: Existing policies are to be analyzed. This will involve correlating the existing practices with external case studies as available in different business journals, magazines, etc. 4 days Task – 4: Preparation and presentation of new policies (final draft) 3 days Task – 5: Briefing the HR mana gers before the plan is rolled out. 2 days Total time taken +2 reserve days to compensate loss of time (if any) in the course of the project Total 3 weeks and 4 days (approx) Project Part 2 Updating the existing HR policies First, HR managers must not be constrained in their HR specific roles only with such a strict regulatory approach. At the first place this makes the hierarchic system of the corporation too strong. The HR managers must be given some of the company’s specialties based training. For example, HR managers can be given some basic training on mineral water processing and manufacturing at