Comparison of the Man He Killed, the Send-Off and Dulce Et Decorum Est Essay

The Send-Off, by Wilfred Owen, is an ironic and dark humoured description of how the soldiers we’re sent off to the battlefront, during World War I. In this poem, Owen conveys to us that the soldiers are being sent to their doom. From the very start we sense the soldiers’ lost fate. The soldiers go to the train, they are singing joyfully, as if they are being sent to a country picnic, but of course the narration is omniscient, we know what lies ahead of them, and so simultaneously the lanes are darkening around them. This poem actually conveys a message that war is not as glorious and honourable as it is always portrayed as. Even the title, The ‘send-off’ could mean two things. Firstly, it could mean that the soldiers were being sent off to war. However, it could also mean that the soldiers were being â€Å"sent off† to their deaths. This emphasizes the fact that war actually is not what it is portrayed to be. It is not glorious and honourable to fight in war but the people and soldiers going through it suffer greatly and most do not survive. Similarly, â€Å"The Man He Killed† also portrays war negatively which is reflected through the poets choice of words describing war such as, â€Å"quaint and curious war is!†. However, ‘The Man He Killed’ focuses on the senselessness and futility of war, where a man has killed another quite simply because they were fighting on opposing sides in a war. Likewise â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† illustrates the harsh reality and brutality of war but in this poem the poet writes about an actual event in war that he has witnessed. ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ describes a mustard gas attack on a group of war-weary soldiers. Owen’s painfully direct language combines gritty realism with an aching sense of compassion.

Business Ethical Problem

From September 2010 to May 2011 I interned with the Health Care Administration under the direction of the Executive Nursing Administrator at a hospital facility with nationally integrated service networks. I was told at the time of my hire that I would be privy to all conferences which took place with administrative officers; and that information discussed would be strictly confidential. During the course of my internship there were conferences held with administration and other â€Å"agents† at least once a week. I attended 2 meetings during my internship— neither of them eventful—and was conveniently given my supervisor’s work to complete while she attended the aforementioned conferences. Unknown to me at the time, the facility was under investigation due to complaints filed with the Attorney General from clients, client’s families and medical staff; including nurses and medical doctors. I learned quite recently that special federal investigators had been carrying out an official examination of the hospital since August 2010; concerning quality control issues, adherence to hospital policy and procedures; and other legal matters, including but not limited to: †¢Embezzlement of grants/misappropriation of funds †¢Understaffing Personnel employed in management positions where they were neither qualified, certified nor did they have prior experience in regard to the units they managed †¢Clients being admitted to psychiatric units without a 2 PC order †¢No PRN Protocol in place and agitated clients were admitted to units causing injury to self, other workers and clients. †¢Patient neglect and injuries due to accidents One day I was instructed by the Executive Nursing Administrator (ENA) to prepare 2 spreadsheets: One was a patient satisfaction survey and the second was a unit complaint survey which was to include in the questionnaire specific areas of complaint. I prepared the surveys and since I was given no direction, I researched what questions to ask; and (with SUNY’s documented approval); I utilized my university’s survey program. I prepared the surveys and they were approved by administration (hospital director, medical director and the ENA. I was then instructed to conduct the two survey interviews, which took place from September 2010 to March 2011. Ethical Problems I Faced: At the time of my internship the Unit Complaint Survey I constructed contained the name of the complainant, person’s title and 7areas of complaint; each complaint involved a different area of concern and was to count as a total number of complaints in that particular area; (i. e. : understaffing, p atient injuries/accidents, lack of prompt medical attention; admission documents incomplete, missing or not signed by the admitting physician, medication errors, etc. When Administration (who had previously approved the survey) reviewed the results of the questionnaire and observed that almost all of the units had more than 20 complaints a week, the ENA requested me to adjust the number of complaints to one per person if he/she had filed complaints in several areas of concern. In addition, I was to modify the number of complaints per Unit in regard to specific areas of concern to and combine the figures to reflect 1 complaint in that area. In other words, if 10 units had the same complaint regarding patient injury, the10 complaints would be combined on the survey and count as 1 instance of patient injury. After I completed my internship, the administrative nursing assistant called on behalf of the ENA (who took credit for creating the survey) to request that I come in and train health administrative personnel on how to use the programs I created; and to instruct them on recreating new spreadsheets with the template I had designed for the surveys utilizing SUNY’s survey/software program.

Introduction to Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Introduction to Financial Management - Essay Example Do 16 (1 + g) ^2 where Do is the opening amount of dividend, g is the growth rate and â€Å"2† is the period. For this type of growth, to determine the growth level at time t, the value can be determined once by introducing a power, which is t as follows Dt = 16 (1 + g) ^t (Titman, Keown & Martin, n.d., pp. 3-13). The time t for the dividend growth is one year, therefore, the t = 1. Market capitalization rate indicates the rate of return on investment. Therefore, the price of the stock = 24 (1 +0.09) ^1/(1 + 0.15) ^1 = 22.75 pence (Titman, Keown & Martin, n.d., pp. 3-13). The return on equity = Net income/equity. Mannington’s ROE = 20%. Let net income be x. Therefore, 20% = x/(200,000,000 * 50) = x/10,000,000,000. X = (20% * 10,000,000,000) = 2,000,000,000. Mannington company declared 60% of the profits (net profit) as dividends. On that note, the total dividend to be paid = (60% * 2,000,000,000) = 1,200,000,000. The company’s dividend per share = (1,200,000,000/200,000,000) = 6pence per share. Given the company’s expected rate of return, at this point it is possible to obtain the value of the shares using the formula Vs = D/rs where Vs is share value, D is the dividend and rs is the expected return. Therefore, Vs = (6/0.13) = 46.15pence (Titman, Keown & Martin, n.d., pp. 3-13). Using the formula for constant dividend growth, RCs = D/Vcs + g where rcs is the return, D is the dividend, Vcs is the share price and g is the growth. Therefore, return = (20/2.35) + 0.06 = 8.571% (Titman, Keown & Martin, n.d., pp. 3-13). The director’s view that the retained earnings would be cheaper than the preference share is valid. To justify the validity, the only cost that accompanies the use of retained earnings is the failure to pay dividends to the shareholders. Thus retained earnings have no flotation cost, they are tax free and does not lead to loss of control of a company. Preference shares on the

National Public Health Performance Standards Assignment

National Public Health Performance Standards - Assignment Example While answering these questions, responses given to the National Public Health Performance Standards helps in identifying the strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities available for investment by the public health. One of the national performance standards is to Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues. According to the crafters of this standard, its main service include providing health information, offering the public with health education and promotion of health activities which are designed to reduce the risk of health among the people, consequently promoting better health to the public (â€Å"Centre For Disease Control And Prevention†, 2013). Focusing on partnering health education and health promotion programs with schools, faith communities, and work sites, personal care providers, among others so as to implement and reinforce health promotion programs strengthens the standard. Through such programs, the public is aware of the most important health messages they wish to send across to the people. More particularly, the exploitation of a number of channels to communicate these messages such as the social media and media advocacy has successfully communicated these m essages to the people. Thus, the biggest strength of this standard is the effective communication of important health information and education to the public through different channels. School programs and religious organizations used as platforms for the spread of the information successfully make sure that all people receive the information on time. Outbreaks of diseases and immunization as well as education of the public on the various ways of maintaining their health is strength of the standard (â€Å"Centre for Disease Control and Prevention† 2013). Because of the application of these standards, I would expect the public to be more vigilant on the need to maintain their health. According to the feeding activities of the

Business models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Business models - Essay Example In this essay an attempt has been made to explain this aspect of the business model with the help of different examples. For this purpose, different research articles and publications have been used. While designing or redesigning the business model it is important to keep in consideration several points like the needs of the customers, what activities will fulfil or satisfy those needs, how the activities will be linked, who will perform those activities, how the value be created for different stakeholders, and what revenue models will be integrated. Hence, it can be said that ultimately the business activities and model should be designed in such a way that there is high value creation for all stakeholders along with delivering high financial performance. Stakeholders’ credibility and financial viability tend to bring in or combine both; financial and social constraints while formulating and designing the overall business model. The business model has two broad factors: on the one hand it keeps in consideration the financial factors and characteristics of the organisation including the methods of revenues, the overall structure of cost, the balance sheet, income statement etc, in order to make sure that all these financial factors are associated with the opportunities and limitations associated with the overall activities and actions of management in order to cut down the costs, increase the revenues, improve the balance sheet and income statement etc. However it is important to understand here that the business model is not only formulated for fulfilling the financial objectives and achieving certain financial returns like specific profit level, return on capital, or other financial goals which reflect overall financial viabi lity. So, on the other hand, business model should also keep in consideration the role of different stakeholders in the overall process of opportunity definition,

Introduction to the Framers of the Constitution Research Paper

Introduction to the Framers of the Constitution - Research Paper Example Limited government is the key approach of doing away with the abuse of power. It is impossible for the government to work and serve citizens with unlimited power. Thomas Jefferson states â€Å"That government is best which governs the least because its people discipline themselves†. This is why there is the creation of a limited government with guidelines on how ought to act (Hanson, 22). A government that is limited has a positive effect on society. One is that it is less expensive compared to unlimited government. The less the citizens look at the government to solve their issues, the less tax they have to pay. It is the citizens who pay for programs like salaries and benefits of employees (Kelman, 49). A limited government lowers the waste, inefficiency, and fraud. It is hard to keep track of what goes on when there are so many agencies. Bureaucracy makes the thing run slow, accountability lacks and having many agencies, commissions and departments lead to duplication of services, which sometimes are not necessary (Samples, 192). A limited government sees the value of economic and individual freedom. Having a less government power means there is less intrusion into the lives of citizens. The more the freedom from government regulations, the more choices people can be able to make at a personal and economic level. People are able to live their life the way they see fit and not what the government thinks is fit (Samples, 195). Another positive effect is that a limited government offers freedom in the marketplaces. The less there is government participation in the market, the more businesses thrive and make an innovative and competitive atmosphere. Innovation and competition are the key drivers of consumer freedom, offering goods at all prices.  Ã‚  

Hypothetical Company and Industry Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hypothetical Company and Industry - Term Paper Example The rent on the building for this business stands at $18,000 per month. While that figure might seem quite high, it is actually quite low given that rent is 3-4 times that in the downtown area. Because the manufacturing center needs no showroom, there is no reason to have it located in a high traffic area. Other fixed costs include the monthly payment on machinery at $8,000 total per month and labor at $12,000 per month Depending on the volume of demand for the product, there are certain costs that are variable and fluctuate from the month. As such, it is certainly quite difficult to put a dollar figure on such variable costs. These expenses include supply costs, utilities (based upon how many units are being produced determines electricity usage, for example), and transportation and delivery costs. This product is best marketed to household consumers. The business itself is catered to families with children or working professionals. By focusing on the domestic market, the business can tailor its marketing plan to reach the very people that the product is designed for. The automated robotic chef is for people who desire to eat a healthy nutritious meal at home, but the demands of their lifestyle preclude this from easily happening. By focusing on these specific individuals, the business can better capitalize on market potential. By its definition, this business will not form a monopoly. While the product design will certainly be proprietary in nature and will be patented, there is nothing to preclude competitors from developing their own version of the product. The possibility does exist, however, to reach distributorship agreements with various household department stores to make this product the only automated chef that they offer.

MERCOSUR and FTAA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MERCOSUR and FTAA - Essay Example DP, climbed from $650 billion to $990 billion, and direct foreign investment soared from $2.6 billion to $20.24 billion.†(Merco Press 2006)It is the fourth largest integrated market after the European Union (EU), North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and ASEAN. Despite the setbacks like devaluation in Brazil and Argentine crisis hindering the sustained growth of the sector, the bloc continued to move forward. However the trading block has to face crucial tests with in connection with the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). This paper envisages bringing out the features and issues that makes the relationship between the block countries and the developed nations a difficult one especially in the political and economic sphere. MERCOSUR the â€Å"Common Market of the Southern Cone’ was formed by the Treaty of Asuncion and consists of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay with Chile and Bolivia becoming associate members. â€Å"Its purpose is to establish a common market which would include the free movement of goods, services and factors of production, the elimination of customs duties and non-tariff restrictions, the establishment of a common external tariff and the adoption of a common trade policy, the coordination of positions in regional and international economic and commercial for a and the coordination of macro economic and sectoral policies amongst the member states in the areas of foreign trade, agriculture, industry, fiscal and monetary matters, foreign exchange and capital, services, customs, transport and communications and any other means that may have been agreed upon† (Malcolm Rowat, et al. 1997) There were several factors connected with the member countries which have stood in the way of the growth of MERCOSUR. While there was a possibility for building up regional integration for the clustering less developed smaller countries around a more developed and larger neighbouring country, this advantage could not be taken by MERCOSUR. This

Book Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Book Report - Assignment Example McCarthy observed how some of the state’s top and influential people and their children had shamelessly betrayed America. He contends how â€Å"young men who are born with silver spoons in their mouths are the ones who have been worst†¦.† Therefore, according to McCarthy, the state government â€Å"is thoroughly infested with communists† (238). This was like allowing the adversary to invade the state via â€Å"dealing with a far more sinister type of activity because it permitted the enemy to guide and shape our policy† (p. 238). This has led to inequality, especially among those participating in legal processes, which is evident in the McCarthy’s argument where initially he claims to have a list of 205 traitors in the government; during his speech, however, the number turns to be 57 people. Besides, power concentration has acted as a freedom barrier where few people, despite their sobriety, manipulate it, which limits the liberty of the population. For instance, this is evident in the President Kennedy’s statement: â€Å"ask not what the country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country† (256). This implies that â€Å"Neither half of the statement expresses a relation between the citizen and his government that is worthy of the ideals of the free men in a free society† (256). This affirms how the people are the state’s servants while the beneficiaries constitute few persons who are influential and capable of manipulating power to suit their interests. Free people normally utilize the government as a tool where individuals, despite their status, normally unite as compatriots for the benefit of all, which is safeguarding their freedom. Therefore, a free man usually inquires â€Å"what can I and my compatriots do through gov ernment to help us discharge our individual responsibilities, to achieve our several goals and purposes, and above all, to protect our freedom?†

New technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

New technology - Essay Example It is also a transition from the static HTML pages to dynamic web pages that are organized and it is based on serving the web application to users. It is no longer a ‘medium’ that people visit. Information can easily flow in and out of the web services. There are various forms in which the people use this technology. Some of the frequently used applications of web2.0 technology include Blogs and Wikis, IM Chat, tagging, RSS Feeds, Google Maps and Google Docs. Photos and video sharing and social networking are the web 2.0 tools, social office suites and podcasts. Through this technology people can create websites that look like and act as desktop programs. Thus people use this technology mostly for creating their own blogs, for social networking and video and photo sharing. Blogs is the short form of weblogs and is more like a personal diary which people maintain on the internet (Gill 2004). The act of adding an entry or updating the blog is called ‘blogging’ and the one who writes blogs is known as a ‘blogger’. Sometimes blogs are characterized by their technology like Blogger, Greymatter, LiveJournal, Manila, Movable Type, or UserLand. Bolggers write about topics that matter to them and they invite comments on their postings. The contact details of the blogger is also provide so anyone interested can exchange personal emails instead of posting messages that can be read by all visitors to the blog. The posts on the blog are permanent and only the author who owns it can edit it. The Primary characteristics of a blog include: Blogging started as a pastime in America but has now evolved and is used as a platform for various purposes. Most bloggers are young and have one author whose purpose is to express personal content. Not all bloggers give their true identification on the blogs and hence it serves to maintain anonymity

Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper Essay Example for Free

Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper Essay Obese people have an overall morality rate almost twice that of non obese people. They are more than three times as likely to develop diabetes. Obesity is associated with unhealthy cholesterol levels and impaired heart function. It is estimated that if all Americans had a healthy body composition, the incidence of coronary heart disease would drop by 25%. Other health risks associated with obesity include hypertension, many kinds of cancer, impaired immune function, gallbladder and kidney diseases, and bone and joint disorders. These risk from obesity increase with its severity, and they are much more likely to occur in people who are more than twice their desirable body weight. Body Fat The distribution of body fat is also an important indicator of future health. People who tend to gain weight in the abdominal area have risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke twice as high as those who tend to gain weight hip area. The reason for this increase risk is not entirely clear, but it appears that fat in the abdomen is more easily mobilized and sent into the bloodstream, increasing disease related blood fat levels. In addition to risking physical health, obesity can impair psychological health. Being perceived as fat can be the source of ridicule, ostracism, and sometimes discrimination from others; it can contribute to psychological problems such as depression and low self esteem. For some, the stigma associated with obesity can give rise to a negative body image, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. What Influence Behavior Obesity is an result of intricate interactions of biology, behavior, and environment. Recent hypothesis in the scientific community suggest the current obesity epidemic is being driven largely by environmental factors (high energy/ high fat foods, fast foods consumption, television watching, â€Å"super sized† portions) rather than biological ones. Individuals are bombarded with images and offers of high fat, high calorie, high palatable, convenient, and inexpensive foods. Today’s stressful lifestyles compound the effects of environmental factors by impairing weight loss efforts and by promoting fat storage. Health Problems Associated with Anorexia Nervosa, and Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge eating disorder. When it comes to Anorexia Nervosa, and the cycle of self starvation. The body is denied the essential nutrients it needs to function normally. It can cause an abnormally slow heart rate, and low blood pressure. When it comes to Bulimia Nervosa, and the recurrent binge and purge cycles of bulimia can affect the entire digestive system ad can lead to electrolyte and chemical imbalances in the body that affect the heart and other major organ functions. Electrolytes imbalances that can lead to irregular heartbeats and possibly heart failure and death. When it comes to Binge eating disorder often result in the same health risk associated with clinical obesity. High blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, secondary diabetes, gallbladder disease, and heart disease as a result of elevated triglyceride levels. Conclusion When it comes to eating disorders sometimes your regular medical doctor is not the best one for treating these disorders. You may need to seek the help of a psychologist, because there are usually some mental issues involved in eating disorders. References: Eating Disorders Health Consequences, By John M. Grohol, Psy.D, Jun.1, (2010), Retrieved from, www.psychcentral.com Health Risk of Excess Body Fat, n.a., n.d., Retrieved from, www.teach.valosta.edu Environmental and Life Influences on Obesity, By P.J. Brantley, V.H. Myers, H.J. Roy, Jan., (2005), Retrieved from, www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov

Analysis of Our Day Out

Analysis of Our Day Out Willie Russells Our Day Out is a play which uses humour which covers some serious issues including some serious messages. The play is set in Liverpool; where the author was originally from. The story is about a school trip for a progress class visiting an old castle wreck in Wales however, the progress visits more than the old ruins. The central plot is that Mrs. Kay; the class teacher to give the progress class an opportunity to have fun but this opportunity for the kids tells us of the dissimilarities between the teaching styles of Mrs. Kay and Mr. Briggs. Russell uses this chance to tell us that staff sometimes hides their real feelings but show them when they are enjoying themselves show a completely different side of themselves. This play has several different themes, one of the main themes of the play is: what does the government do for underprivileged children who do not really have a chance to reach the levels. This theme is shows what Willie Russell really thought of the way education was dealt with during 1977. I think Mrs. Kay is the kind of person which is quite calm and collected, Mrs Kay stares at him. She could blow up but she doesnt. This undoubtedly tells you that she can contain herself when angry. She is also very much like an activist as given away by this quote, Ah well well just have to deal with him the best way we can. This precisely portrays her sense of cheerfulness in an attitude which gives of the sense that shes telling you to make the best of what you got. A clear attribute of Mrs Kay is her mother-like care for the pupils as shown by, She always reminds me of a mother hen rather than a teacher. This plainly displays that she wouldnt care if her pupils didnt have education as long as they were happy and safe. Kevin Bryant come here, this quote effectively presents the fact that she knows how to be discipline her pupils. She also gets involved in their games and activities showing that she does more than care for her pupils, that is strongly illustrated by, A game of foot ball is in progress. Mrs Kay is in goal. The quote do you could educate these kids my remedial kids, correctly expresses her belief that there isnt any hope for her pupils to do well in their future life. I believe the reason why Mrs Kay is concerned a lot for her pupils for the reason that she feels that they have no possibility of achievement in their life and other than giving them an education she wants to give them a better chance at being happy by making sure they enjoy themselves before what she believes is the inevitably despondent years that lie ahead. I believe Mr Briggs is someone who provides different attitude to Mrs Kay during the play. Mr Briggs is also intimidating because of, (leaning in close, threatening) Now listen here young lady I dont like your attitude one bit! This powerfully portrays his threatening position and selection of words. He can also get pretty grouchy, (begrudgingly) Morning, He can be very insulting to other people behind their backs which is visibly shown in, Weve got a right head case of a driver. The quote, Youve got some real bright sparks here, suggests a sarcastic way of speech which is to be expected a frequent part of his personality. Dont you mean try and find her, this quote cunningly displays the idea that he has an unenthusiastic view on the world but a logical one, so he always anticipates the worst but not without any proper reasons. I felt Mr Briggs finds it effortful to show care or affection for his pupils for a long-lasting stage of time and considers that education and presenting th e children little affection that will give them the best chance of success in later life, which is the opposite to Mrs. Kays view. Mrs Kay is a open-minded teacher who wishes her pupils to have fun, at the expense of learning, I get the impression she sees education as one long game. She also gives the pupils full control in other word full freedom, In another part of the castle the kids are rushing about playing medieval cowboys and Indians. Mrs Kay sits in a bench overlooking the scene. She may be a pleasant teacher to have for the reason that she puts the happiness of the pupils before their education. She lectures that primarily a pupil must have fun and be shown love and affection before education is even declared. The inconvenience in being taught by Mrs Kay is that the pupils childhood life will be much happier and endurable; by the time they depart from school they will not really have any education and it inevitable that their futures will be unwelcoming and wretched. Mr Briggs teaches in a usual style which engages in not presenting the pupils love and sympathy by enforcing discipline and educating th em properly, It might look like love and kindness but if you ask me I dont think it does the kids a scrap of good,. These two statements, Sit down! We dont wander up and down the aisle. We talk quietly to our neighbour, not shout at our mates, and, Briggs with a group of ordered school children, the customary teaching concept of rules, militaristic discipline and control. Mr Briggs may not be pleasurable as a teacher because of his belief of not allowing the pupils to take pleasure in themselves which will lead to leaving school as educated, regimented and as sensible people. He might be more advantageous as a teacher because you would get taught properly which could immensely enhance the likelihood that you would get an excellent career and a clear future because of that.

ASDA Employee Motivation Research

ASDA Employee Motivation Research Research Project To determine some vital roles of leadership in  improving the sense of motivation in employees in  the retail organisations of UK- A study on ASDA. Task 1 Understand how to formulate a research specification Part 1: You have to create a research proposal in a subject of your interest. In doing this, you have to formulate and record possible research project outline specifications (AC1.1); Identify the factors that contribute to the process of research project selection ( AC1.2); Undertake a critical review of key references (AC 1.3) ;Produce a research project specification (AC1.4). Introduction Business organisations are an integral part of nations economy in todays globalised set of environment where all industrial sectors are largely concerned about a timely achievement of their stipulated goals and objectives. In context to which, they are hereby required to operate with a strategic arrangement of their action plans to duly accomplish their stipulated targets on time. It is with reference to yet another prime concept of realism in todays set of business where an establishment is comprised of two vital set of bodies entitled as employees and employers (Alfalfa-Luque, Marin-Garcia and Medina-Lopez, 2015). Wherein, the employees are direct in charge of their respective set of employers where they are with a through accountability of guiding them. This in turn has breakdown the preceding role of employers where they are mainly positioned at two vital profiles of leaders and managers in the organisation. Both these parties are required to perform a similar set of responsibility by thoroughly guiding their respective set of employees and generate a prior sense of encouragement in them. It is mainly with respect to carry out there assigned tasks on time for an eventual achievement of their organisational goals and objectives. In order to achieve this research, I will start by: To analyse the factual concept of leadership in retail organisations of UK To discover the adopted tools of motivation in ASDA To identify the relationship between the tact of leadership and motivation in ASDA To recommend some principle strategies to enhance the motivation level of employees with some profound tactics of leadership Background of the study The present survey is based upon a configured purpose of exploring the function of leadership to enhance the sense of motivation in the deputed employees of retail organisations in UK. For which, a renowned retail enterprise named ASDA has been taken into consideration for it where it is a subsidiary supermarket of Wal-Mart as its parent company (Cadden, Marshall and Cao, 2013). With a foundation year of near about 68 years, it is currently headquartered at Leeds that is in the West Yorkshire of England. It is evident to deal into grocery products along with general merchandise commodities and fiscal services as well. As per a recent transcription of the year 2016, ASDA is depicted to be extended in around 630 distinct locations at a global level. Herein, it is also ascertained to employ total 180, 000 number of workers to operate at its widespread locations. The current study has hereby focussed to interpret the adopted procedures of ASDA to motivate their deputed set of employees by aligning it to their applied tact of leadership at the workplace. Leaders in ASDA are evident to play a crucial role in handling the work of their respective set of teams (Kim and Brymer, 2011). However, it is together essential for them to continually stipulate such standardised practices of directing their staff members that in turn results in improving the sense of motivation in them. This investigation will thereby focus upon defining such effective practices of leadership that will consequently lead to upgrade the motivation level of the employees by referring to varied tools of motivation and certain abstractive theories of leadership as well. Literature review Concept of leadership in the retail organisations of UK It is as per the stated clause of Taylor, Bogdan, and DeVault (2015), where todays organizations are with a strong requisition of leadership at their workplace to make an optimum utilization of their accessible resources. In accordance to which, leadership is hereby referred as such vital trait that is both inbuilt and out built for the leaders. This means that there exist two types of leaders where some of them are called as born leaders and other can refer to acquire its attributes to become an effective leader. The concept of organizational leadership tends to deal with both expertise tactics as well as human psychology by emphasizing more upon the development of leadership skills and abilities. It should, however, relate to the undertaken goals and objectives of the organization where a potent leader will refer to deal with the hard times of industry and still develop by that time. Tools adopted by the retail organisations of UK to motivate their employees There exist varied motivational tools that are being adopted by the organisations in order to raise the motivational sense of their employees. Bayne and Woolcock (2016) had hereby enlightened two vital types of motivational tools in the organisation known as internal and external tools of motivation. Wherein, an intrinsic tool is in context to meet out the mental needs of the employees by rewarding them with non-monetary means like higher-grade responsibilities as a mean of providing empowerment. Another source of extrinsic motivation involve the tools of monetary benefits for the employees such as bonuses and additive remuneration on carrying out a considerable work. Relationship among the tact of leadership and motivational context of employees in the retail organisations of UK There exists an implicit relationship among an applied tact of leadership and motivation as per the reflected outlook of Menges, Walter, Vogel and Bruch (2011). It is where the leaders are hereby referred to be a prime source of motivation to produce an encouraging sense of work in them. This is also in correspondence to employ varied available theories of motivation with a prime accountability of the leaders to practice them at the workplace. The two-factor model of Herzberg is a factual instance of such conceptual theory that is often being referred by the leaders to inculcate in their day to day practice for fulfilling the need base consideration of their respective employees. Other than this, there together exist varied styles and models of leadership that should be referred by the leaders for aptly managing the carried assignations of their employees. Research aims and objectives A prior intent of this study is To determine some vital roles of leadership in improving the sense of motivation in employees in the retail organisations of UK- A study on ASDA. This configured aim has further depicted some leading objectives that are as stated below: To analyse the factual concept of leadership in retail organisations of UK. To discover the adopted tools of motivation in ASDA. To identify the relationship between the tact of leadership and motivation in ASDA. To recommend some principle strategies to enhance the motivation level of employees with some profound tactics of leadership. Research questions It is mainly on the basis of above formulated aims and objectives to carry out this survey, which is hereby, directed by some below mentioned research questions: What is the factual concept of leadership in the retail organisations of UK? What are the tools adopted by ASDA to motivate their employees? What is the relationship among the tact of leadership and motivational context of employees in ASDA? Rational of the research: This section is specially to determine such contributory factors that have largely assisted the investigator to carry out the investigation in a directional manner. It is mainly in context to depict a prime reason behind selecting this particular topic for the investigation that has hereby represented a leading reason of personal interest of the researcher. Due to which, this particular topic of leadership has been chosen as a mean of exploring its vital role in enhancing the motivation level of the employees (Neuman and Robson, 2012). A prevalent state of competition among the organisations is together referred to be yet another significant reason behind electing this subject matter where it is a present-day concern in most of the retail organisations in UK. As a result to which, a demotivated set of workforce in turn impacts upon the overall productivity of the enterprise that resultantly impacts upon the profitability index of the enterprises. This research work will thus aid them to strengthen the prospective element of leadership in the organisation in order to raise the sense of encouragement in their employees. Producing a research project specification This is another foremost section of the investigation where the researcher will hereby define the adopted technique to carry out the study in an effective manner. Research design- It is a foremost tact needed to be referred by the investigator in order to carry out the study in a directional manner (Research design, 2009). This will in turn depict the nature and type of study that will be referred by the surveyor for conducting the research work. Wherein, the present investigation has showcased a descriptive study to make an in depth analysis of its elected subject matter. Research approach- It is yet another prime consideration of the researcher to carry out the investigation where here the surveyor has opted to carry an inductive format of the study. This will in turn widen the scope of investigation where its concentrated set of data is evident to transact from specific to general context (Deductive Reasoning Versus Inductive Reasoning, 2014). Data collection- The data collection measures together exists with its two imperative methods by referring to both primary and secondary aggregation of information. Into which, the primary accumulation of data will necessitate the surveyor to directly approach the respondents and interrogate them on the basis of a framed questionnaire (Gast and Ledford, 2014). Wherein, another alternative of secondary data assemblage will require to study pre established statistics in verified publications like books, journals and online articles, etc., from attested internet sites. Sampling- It is yet another practice of distributing the targeted respondents of the study in a proportionate way to give an equalised chance to each of them. However, there exists two leading tactics of sampling known as random and purposive distribution methods (Gast and Ledford, 2014). The present study has thus opted for a purposive or non probability tact for sampling the data where the surveyor will hereby refer to interrogate 4 top administrative bodies of ASDA. Data analysis- This is basically to analyse the above acquired set of data by electing one of the two alternative measures to make either qualitative or quantitative investigation. The present research work has therefore depicted a qualitative analysis of data to conduct a thematic study of the subject matter (Quantitative Methods in Education Research, 2014). Scope: the researcher has the skills required to carry out an inductive format of the study. Research limitations- This is especially to define certain limited elements that often leads to obstruct into the conducted study of the researcher. An inadequate source of time with deficit amount funds are those two constricted factors that largely impedes the survey. However, these two elements are referred to be the two most appropriate elements of the study for succeeding towards its undertaken aims and objectives. It is therefore important for the surveyor to conduct a planned study with present time and funds for achieving the targeted goals on a stipulated duration that is 11 weeks for this particular investigation. However, a limited number of secondary resources is referred to be yet another limited aspect for carrying out a defined study. Wherein, there together exists certain ethical dilemma as a way of obstructing the study where the researcher is required to use an authentic set of data while referring to the secondary resources. However, the primary sources were duly accessible where the researcher in the present study has referred to directly approach the responders as a way of interrogating them. Ethical issues- There together exists certain ethical responsibilities that are required to be considered by the researcher to carry out the study (Neuman and Robson, 2012). With respect to which, the investigator in the present study is required to carry a confidential interrogation in which, its obtained data should not get accessed by any unaccredited set of users. This is for instance to conduct a confidential study where the researcher is not liable to reveal the given answers of the respondents to an unauthorised user. Along with which, the investigator is together required to take a prior consent of the respondents to participate in the study with no forcible context on them. M1: This is basically to justify the specification of the present research work with some affluent measures of data collection and analysis. In whose context, both primary and secondary tactics of data collection have represented to be a justified selection of techni9ques by the researcher where both these methods have greatly collaborated with the findings of one other. Along with which, the qualitative method of analysis has also sustained the study by carrying out a thematic assessment to define the subjective nature of the facts by accurately corresponding to the nature of this particular research topic. TASK 1 part 2: Provide an appropriate plan and procedures for the agreed research specification (AC1.5);Match resources efficiently to the research question or hypothesis (AC2.1) This is basically to correspond the present carried investigation with that to the applied resources where the researcher has hereby opted for varied pertinent resources like time, cost and manpower resources to carry out the survey in a efficient manner (Paarlberg and Lavigna, 2010). These resources have together depicted a projected way of carrying out the study where the time to carry out the entire survey was duly scheduled by the researcher with the help of Gantt chart. With reference to which, the researcher has hereby referred to undertake 11 weeks of study to acquire its stipulated goals and objectives. Research objective By when Resources to be used (2.1) Milestones (when do you know this objective is achieved) How will you monitor this objective is being achieved? method of monitoring Statistic analysis 10/03/2017 Internet and blogs On that day Recorder Numbers (using chart) In March Internet On that month Recorder This research has been scheduled with a projected timeline to promptly carry out the investigation. It is with a prime consideration of achieving its configured goals and objectives by avoiding the possibility of any sort of hindrance in the research work. It is mainly in regard to specify the available period of time to carry out the study where such planned work will largely support the surveyor to timely attain the targeted intent of the research. Non-availability of time will not reflected to be a matter of concern for the researchers any more in case they refer to follow this pivotal tool of Gantt chart. Key Activities Week 1 Week 2 3 Week4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 9 Week 10 Week 11 Preparation of Introduction Literature Review Collection of Secondary Information Examination of the Collected Data Research Design Research Methodology Acquiring Primary Data Analysing Primary and Secondary Data Conclusion and Recommendations Completion of Leftover Work Revision and Draft Final Submission TASK 2:BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE RESEARCH PROJECT WITHIN AGREED PROCEDURES AND TO SPECIFICATION 2.2 Undertake the proposed research investigation in accordance with the agreed specification and procedures. This section has referred to depict the framed set of questionnaire along with the conferred answers of the respondents. Undertaking the proposed research investigation in accordance with the agreed specification and procedures by recording This is to discuss upon the undertaken design of the questionnaire where the researcher in the present study has referred to plan an open-ended questionnaire with relevant set of questions. It was with a single close-ended query in which the respondents were hereby asked to provide their own suggestions as a way of advising some effective measures of leadership to enhance the sense of motivation in employees. This in turn depicted a primary method of data collection with a structured interview along with a secondary method in which the governmental records published for the retail based organisations of UK were referred over here. Along with which, the official website of ASDA was also referred to gather some pertinent facts from their pre-established findings. However, there existed certain advantages and disadvantages of both these data collection methods that are as mentioned below- Advantages of primary data collection method: A close interrogation by directly approaching the respondents. This in turn relates to the study and research of the person. Great control over a specific subject. Disadvantages of primary data collection method: A costly method. Time consuming process. A lower rate of response. Advantages of secondary data collection method: A cost effective method. Requires less time and efforts. Provides a base to the primary research method. Disadvantages of secondary data collection method: Unspecific in nature. May produce inaccurate data. Issues of time log. Apart from which, a qualitative method of analysis has been used to evaluate the collected set of data where it is usually done to conduct a thematic assessment based upon distinct formation of themes. Where it is also associated with a leading issue of partiality where the evaluation often tends to bias from one other. Collating relevant data where appropriate This section has referred to depict the framed set of questionnaire along with the conferred answers of the respondents. Since how long your are employer with ASDA? Frequency Percentage 1 year 0 0 3 years 2 50 5 years 1 25 More than 5 years 1 25 Are you agreed by the fact which states that employees need a close supervision at the workplace. Frequency Percentage Strongly agreed 1 25 Agreed 1 25 Neutral 2 50 Disagreed 0 0 Strongly disagreed 0 0 Most of the employees are self motivated in your organisation. Frequency Percentage Yes 1 25 No 3 75 What leadership style is being adopted by you to acquire timely submission of assignations by your respective subordinates? Frequency Percentage Democratic 2 50 Laissez free 0 0 Autocratic 1 25 Bureaucratic 1 25 What principle traits of leadership must be adopted to enhance the productivity status of your establishment? Frequency Percentage Generating a sense of encouragement in employees. 2 50 Provisioning an effective reward system at the workplace. 1 25 Carrying out a strict approach toward the employees by penalising them for not meeting the stipulated standards of work. 1 25 In your view, does leaders play a substantial role in supporting their subordinates to accept their key responsibilities of work. Frequency Percentage Most of the time 2 50 Sometime 2 50 Rarely 0 0 Never 0 0 However, on discoursing upon the facts and findings acquired from the secondary sources of data collection, it has been found that leadership does plays an intact role in motivating the employees at the workplace. It is however with some great efforts of the leaders where they are hereby provisioned with distinct tools of motivation to utilize on them. Although, their together exists certain advantages and disadvantages of data analysis method where the data in the present investigation has been analysed using a qualitative method. In whose context, below are the identified advantages and disadvantages of this measure: Advantages: No rigorous plan or design is required. An affluent and detailed set of information. Disadvantages: A subjective view of the study that needs a massive involvement of the surveyor in the study. A very time consuming procedure with biased context of research as per the own set of views of the investigator. D3: This is basically to justify the selection of data collection method where both primary and secondary measures of data collection has been implicated by the investigator over here. Both these measures have greatly contributed in conducting a directional study where the findings incurred from primary method have supported the facts of secondary resources. 3.1 Appropriate techniques of research evaluation It is basically to discourse upon the way in which the researcher has hereby referred to acquire the aims and objectives of this investigation where it was carried to assess the roles of leadership as a way of generating a motivational sense in the employees. It was with a prime objective to evaluate the realistic concept of leadership in the retail based organisations of UK. The researcher duly achieved this where leadership is identified to be a trait in which the leaders are responsible to handle their respective subordinates and their work with some expertise skills with some specialised abilities. Another objective of this study was to discover the adopted tools of motivation in ASDA where it has been found that they are more likely to use the internal measures to encourage the workers by promoting them to a higher level position, etc. The last objective of this investigation was to identify the relationship between the tact of leadership and motivation in ASDA where both these elements are depicted to have a close interrelation with one other. It is where the leaders are apparent to play a principle role in inspiring their employees by implicating various tactics of motivation. All these objectives have been attained by using some effective techniques of research with valid and reliable set of findings that are proven to be successful for this survey. Wherein, the benefits of the incurred outcomes of this research is evident to support the organisation named ASDA in determining such vital roles of their leaders that are effective in creating a sense of motivation in their workers. However, there existed certain difficulties in carrying out this investigation where the respondents were not willing to interact with each another in a smooth manner. Apart from which, this has also reflected to be a slight time consuming study with less number of secondary resources. Along with which, the surveyor was also not well versed to work on excel with less experience in conducting such studies. 3.2 Using appropriate research evaluation techniques and interpreting and analysing the results in terms of the original research specification Theme 1- A major number of responders are evident to work from a longer time period in ASDA. Interpretation: This is on interpreting the outcome of above carried analysis in order to determine the existent time period of the employers working in ASDA who has hereby represented as the respondents of the study. In context to which, it has been found that almost all responders are working from a considerable time period and are well experienced in their field. Wherein, 2 of them are employed with ASDA from last 3 years and 1 of them is occupied since 5 years and another 1 is working here for more than 5 years. Theme 2- Almost all respondents are agreed with the concept of close supervision for their subordinates. Interpretation: It is on referring to the above obtained data that has clearly depicted a united outlook of almost all the respondents that has been presented in context to a bestowed statement of close supervision of employers on their employees. With respect to which, 1 has represented a strong agreement towards it with another who is merely agreed to it. Whereas, there existed 2 such respondents who are at a neutral stage of acceptance for this statement. Theme 3- Majority of responders have not approved by the self motivation sense of their employees. Interpretation: On the basis of above conducted primary research, it has been found that only 1 out of 4 respondents are in favour of their self motivated employees. However, the other 3 have specified a clear no towards it

The Jellyfish Dystopia Essay examples -- Animal Research Conservation

Earth’s environment is a complex construction with multiple parts that are all important to its success. Even creatures like jellyfish cannot be ignored when considering this delicate construction. Through both ecosystem modification and additions, human environmental manipulation humans are creating favorable conditions for jellyfish and their subsequent population explosions. The effects of these large populations have a myriad of negative physical and economic effects on humans. If we wish to avoid our eventual jellyfish dystopia, we must take preventative actions. The modification of the environment by humans is the first factor that has begun to promote the jellyfish dystopia. As humans change the environment, conditions are beginning to favor jellyfish. In an environment that largely favors them, a population explosion and accompanying jellyfish dystopia is inevitable. These population explosions are a great leap toward the jellyfish dystopia. Throughout the marine environment, humans have begun overfishing in multiple marine environments. This opens niches in the oceanic food webs. These niches, or spaces in the food webs, result from the removal of predators that would previously control the jellyfish population (Stone). In the absence of their predators, the jellyfish population is free to expand and forms blooms, or large jellyfish populations. The jellyfish themselves then prevent the native fish population from rebounding by feeding on the fish eggs (Stone). Humans proceed to fish in these areas again, and the jellyfish predation dec reases to a greater degree. Humans also improve conditions for jellyfish as we allow pollution levels to rise. Devices like cars are contributors to the carbon dioxide levels. As the CO2... ...s for them and degrading our own situation. If we do not strive to control these various lashing tentacles of the jellyfish dystopia, we will be killed in its powerful grasp. Works Cited Blomberg, Lindsey. "The Great Jellyfish Invasion." E: The Environmental Magazine 23.1 (2012): 16-17. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 May 2012. Pauly, Daniel. "Aquacalypse Now." The New Republic. Mike Rancilio, 9 Sept. 2009. Web. 01 May 2012. Tucker, Abigail. "The New King Of The Sea." Smithsonian 41.4 (2010): 26-37. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 May 2012. Stone, Richard. "Massive Outbreak of Jellyfish Could Spell Trouble for Fisheries." Yale Environment 360. Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, 13 Jan. 2011. Web. 01 May 2012. Vince, Gaia. "Jellyfish Blooms Creating Oceans of Slime." BBC.com. British Broadcasting Company, 5 Apr. 2012. Web. 1 May 2012.

Song Of Solomon :: essays research papers

From Beginning to End Toni Morrison begins her novel Song of Solomon in a very unconventional way. Instead of introducing a setting or characters, she retells an incident that without further reading is for the most part incomprehensible. As readers we notice later on in the story the references made throughout the book that relate back to the introductory pages. Some of the main themes such as oral traditions, naming, and especially flight are introduced in the first six pages and are further developed in a very similar format throughout the book. One of the outstanding themes, oral tradition, is used to retell events throughout the book in a manner consistent with the beginning. On the first page we are introduced to an insurance agent by the name of Robert Smith. We shortly thereafter learn that he will "fly" form the top of Mercy Hospital. On the Wednesday of his flight a group of fifty people gather around the building to witness this event. While waiting for his "flight" or jump a woman in a contralto voice begins to sing the words "O Sugarman done fly away/ Sugarman done gone/ Sugarman cut across the sky/ Sugarman gone home…"(6) This lady simply describes Robert Smith's flight "home" which we later learn is really him committing suicide. Much later on in the book Milkman is listening to a group of children singing "O Solomon done fly away/ Solomon done gone/ Solomon cut across the sky/ Solomon gone home."(3) In this song Sugarman, or Robert Smith, is replac ed by Solomon, or the Great Grandfather of Milkman. The song describes his "flight" from Shalimar, his home town, and the events that happened after his "flight." In general, oral traditions are used in this book to retell past events for both our understanding and for the characters. They take the form of song, story, and fairy tale and are very important to the meaning of the story because they are a major medium of narration. Naming is utilized throughout the book for the purpose of creating identification and symbolism for the characters and places. On page four a brief description is given about the history of Mains Ave., or Not Doctor Street., as called by the Southside community. It is called Not Doctor Street. because a prominent black doctor had once lived there, and the people living there always referred to it as Doctor Street.

Free Narrative Essays - I Was Poor, Not Low Class :: Example Personal Narratives

I Was Poor, Not Low Class Remember as a child people would tell you, "You are what you eat." When you are fed fat, you will become fat. When fed violence, you become violent. A diet of anger will make you hate. Hunger will make you hungrier, or so it would seem. I think it is ironic that we teach children at a young age to judge people by means other than the content of their character. Then, we expect children to be honest and loving after being labeled by how others view them. After all, how many people, besides your closest friends and family, can walk into your room and point to items that give a reflection of who you really are? The thought of being that shallow and simple is unthinkable for most of the human species. Instead of being labeled by the world as it sees me, I plan to introduce myself to the world for who I really am. I have eaten from the plate of materialism, only to find that it tasted foul in my mouth. I bought the high-end stereo and the large television. I soon realized these possessions made me feel guilty because I was ignoring my upbringing. I was betraying all of the feelings that I felt as a child in a poor family. Now, my walls are bare because I do not like to surround myself with propaganda. The same propaganda advertisers flaunted in front of me while I was growing up in a lower income family, not lower class. The notion that the country's population is separated into classes by wealth, with the least wealthy deemed the lower class, is repulsive to me. I refuse to conform to the typical American consumer stereotype who needs material possessions to feel validated, ever again. My dorm room is highlighted by a loft I built myself. The loft was not purchased from a hardware store or from a designer catalog. I used my carpentry knowledge and my own two hands to carefully construct the perfect loft. The loft does not symbolize convenience or organization as most may think. It is a symbol of my incredible independence, even to a fault.

Capitalism and Individualism in Robinson Crusoe Essay

In popular imagination Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe has become an adventure story for children, for which the original novel is not responsible, but the abridged and bowdlerized versions must be blamed. A close reading of the original text reveals a novel of enormous significance. In many ways the novel can be said to be defining the modern citizen of capitalistic society. It is also widely regarded as being the first modern novel. In fact this latter claim is not unrelated to the previous proposition. The modern novel is not only a mirror to the modern psyche, but also bears an organic relationship to it. A general proposition is that literature was the means by which the modern psyche came into being, and the modern novel is particularly instrumental in this sense. In this regard Robinson Crusoe not only sets the agenda of modern capitalism and individualism, but was also a key phenomenon that helped bring about its realization. The German sociologist Weber made the observation that the character of Robinson Crusoe was the ideal example of the Protestant work ethic in action (118). In his desert island isolation Crusoe makes the discovery of God, and establishes personal communion with Him through his newly found faith and the aid of the Bible. Therefore he is the quintessential Protestant. Weber’s general thesis was that the Protestant nurtures an ascetic relationship to work. In the absence of supporting church and societal structures, the Protestant falls upon his worldly activity to express his devotion. According to the doctrines set out by Luther and Calvin, the Protestant establishes a personal communion with God, justified by his faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior, and in the Bible as the word of God. This was the doctrine of â€Å"justification by faith†. It necessitated that the Protestant maintain an intense relationship to work, this being the only means by which to establish piety and purposefulness. This is what Weber calls the Protestant work ethic. There is no doubt that Robinson Crusoe exemplifies this principle. The overriding characteristic of the Protestant is his isolation and individualism. In normal circumstances we would think of a Protestant as spiritually isolated. But in Crusoe’s tale this isolation is magnified and made tangible. He is physically isolated from society, marooned on a desert island, and his spiritual isolation comes in tandem. He discovers God in the worst depths of his despair, and it is a discovery born purely of his own life circumstances, and the signs that God has transmitted to him therein. He comes to God in complete isolation, with his own experience and the words of the Bible alone pointing the way. The rest of the novel can be seen as his continuing conversation with God. On Crusoe’s part the conversation is carried out through a constant strengthening of faith, along with diligence in his work to maintain himself on the island. The responses of God are to be read in the improving circumstances of Crusoe, as he gradually becomes more and more master of his own dominion. This is exactly what the Protestant expects. Salvation is through work, which is a form of piety. Weber’s further contention is that modern capitalism is result of the Protestant work ethic. In the following passage he explains the process whereby religious enthusiasm brings about economic activity: Those mighty religious movements whose significance for economic development lay primarily in their ascetic and educative impact, commonly only exhibited their full economic effect after the high point of purely religious enthusiasm had already been passed; when the convulsive search for the kingdom of God was gradually beginning to dissolve into sober, vocational virtue, the religious root was slowly dying out and giving way to utilitarian worldliness. (Ibid) Diligence was the prime virtue of the Puritan from the very beginning, even though it did not appear to be capitalistic at first. In the early days, after the Protestant Reformation, much of the Puritan zeal was transmitted into revolutionary activity. The English Civil War, the overcoming of monarchy, the uprooting of the old aristocratic order, the annulment of organized religion, all this stemmed from Puritan zeal. Eventually the Whigs, the moderate Protestants, took over the reins of power and began to persecute the Puritans in turn for their zeal. In time the religious enthusiasm mellowed and was channeled, as Weber describes, into â€Å"sober, vocational virtue†. Utilitarian worldliness was only the end product of this evolution, and in which form we recognize it as modern capitalism. Weber goes on to cite the Shakespearean scholar Edward Dowden, who places Defoe’s novel at exactly this point of sociological transition. It was where â€Å"Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’, hurrying past ‘Vanity Fair’, filled with his lonely inward striving after the kingdom of heaven, was replaced in the popular imagination by ‘Robinson Crusoe’, the isolated economic man who pursues missionary work on the side† (Ibid). Dowden tends to belittle the religious element as false, and wants to define the character of Crusoe as unflinchingly and ruthlessly capitalistic. Weber, however, does not make this mistake. Religion and worldly diligence go hand and hand, and is an attitude without which capitalism is impossible. Material greed does not deliver capitalism. Only if the profit-making endeavor is undertaken as an act of asceticism is it possible for all the gains to be ploughed back into industry and thereby keep the machine of capitalism in motion. Weber made a thorough analysis of all the major civilizations in order to show that they were not capable of producing capitalism because the ascetic relationship to work was absent. Any tendency in this direction would be defeated by the ills bred by covetousness and greed. Karl Marx was also tempted to jettison the religion of Crusoe and analyze him in terms of being an â€Å"economic man† alone. â€Å"Of his prayers and the like we take no account,† he says, â€Å"since they are a source of pleasure to him, and he looks upon them as so much recreation† (Marx 47). It is a lead followed by many modern economists. For example Peter Mathias describes it as â€Å"a sophisticated myth of the ascent of man, of economic growth by dint of the work ethic, of the imperative of ‘improvement’ and the determination to master nature† (17). It is plain to see why economists are tempted to invade the island of Crusoe. It is because the analysis of economics is restricted to personal needs and their fulfillment. The only cognizance made towards the existence of society is in the introduction of the exchange mechanism, so that the surplus product of one’s labors can be exchanged with that of another’s to mutual benefit. In this process society is minimized and personal needs are maximized. The obsession of the economist is with personal desires, and so he is happy to push society to the distance. In Robinson Crusoe’s plight Defoe has created a situation which attracts the gaze of the economist compulsively. Defoe does not disappoint; along with the religious awakening of Crusoe we are also given a meticulous account of his economic situation. Once set on his task of survival he surveys his situation dispassionately, seeing himself as a creature of needs, placed on an island of limited resources, and his own capacity of labor to transform the resources into products of use, i.e. commodities that are able to meet his needs. He cultivates some land to plant barley and rice. He makes a fishing rod to catch fish from the sea. After a few years of such effort he gets the measure of things and realizes that he should avoid being wasteful. He calculates that he cannot consume more than forty bushels of barley and rice in one year, and settles thus the amount that should be planted for harvest each year. â€Å"I had no competitor, none to dispute sovereignty or command with me: I might have raised ship-loadings of corn, but I had no use for it; so I let as little grow as I thought enough for my occasion† (Defoe 118). But a bad crop one year makes him reproach himself for his laziness, and he duly plans for insurance against future disasters. â€Å"I resolved for the future to have two or three years’ corn beforehand; so that, whatever might come, I might not perish for want of bread† (Ibid 144). But apart from this there is little of economic analysis to be pursued in his situation. This is because, beyond future insurance, he has no need for surplus production, and more importantly, because there is no exchange. After he recovers gold coins from the wreck of the ship he realizes the intrinsic futility of money when it has no exchange value. This has led Rich Whately to comment that â€Å"Robinson Crusoe is in a position of which Political Economy takes no cognizance† (5). While this is true, the fascination for the economist still holds. This is probably because Crusoe exemplifies the inner heart of capitalism, that which political economy tries to overlook or deny. For example, social cost is a concept that has only recently forced its way into the discourse of political economy, and only after degradation of the global environment on a massive scale. But to Crusoe it appears immediately. After he has cut down some wild vines he muses: I thought those beautiful vines and those slender young trees were free goods; they belonged to nobody. I thought the costs were all external. But I didn’t realize that when I cut them down, I would be depriving myself of this intangible source of pleasure. Since I am the only one on the island and will be here for some time then it is clear that I did not correctly evaluate my true costs of production. (Ibid 91). Crusoe also exemplifies the ascetic impulse involved in capitalism, that which totally escapes the scrutiny of political economics. While he has become seemingly immersed into the world, he makes contrary claims, saying that he now sees the world as something remote. â€Å"I had nothing indeed to do with it, nor was ever likely to have, so I thought it looked, as we may perhaps look upon it hereafter – viz. as a place I had lived in, but was come out of it† (Ibid 117). Through his isolation, and his discovery of God, he has found a purpose that lies beyond the confines of the world. If he was yet physically in it, his diligence was but an expression of his piety. Without this otherworldly presence he would be consumed by greed and covetousness. Crusoe is always conscious of the fact that he has escaped these evils by being distanced from society. He sees the hands of Providence in this design, that he should be marooned on a desert island, â€Å"removed from all the wickedness of the world here,† in order that his soul be saved (Ibid). He comes to see the island as a veritable Eden, capable of cleansing sin from anyone who finds himself in his own situation: â€Å"The most covetous, griping miser in the world would have been cured of the vice of covetousness if he had been in my case; for I possessed infinitely more than I knew what to do with† (Ibid 118). Another aspect of modern capitalism is the inalienable rights of the human, which we also find delineated in the novel. Locke has established the concept of human rights on a philosophical basis through his Two Treatises on Government. The premise to his analysis was the individual as an isolated element in society, and therefore he works on the basis of Protestantism. That which Locke derives through philosophy, Defoe presents to us in vivid narrative form through the situation of Robinson Crusoe. The first step is his removal from society, and the second step is his removal from the world, through his discovery of God, and the realization that his diligence is but a means of worshipping God, and beyond this he had no truck with material existence. But the more and more diligent he becomes, therefore, the more and more he strengthens his communion with God, the more and more conscious does he become of his mastery over his own dominion. As Philip Zaleski puts it, â€Å"This conversion does not go unrequited; as Robinson surrenders to God, the island surrenders to him† (40). His purposefulness is otherworldly, but the worldly mark of it is the right of possession that he establishes over his territory. It is part of the conversation that the Protestant establishes with God. If he is justified by his faith, and that alone, God will convey this message to him through his worldly circumstances. In many points of the novel we find Crusoe becoming conscious of his inalienable rights, and marveling at what he possesses by the grace of God. In one guarded moment, while ambling through a scenic valley, he rejoices in his sense of possession: â€Å"I was king and lord of all this country indefensibly, and had a right of possession; and if I could convey it, I might have it in inheritance as completely as any lord of a manor in England† (Defoe 92) This is indeed a novel conception of right, and one that was overtaking the feudal and aristocratic rights of old, rooted in primogeniture. Only through his pious diligence has Crusoe come to possess this piece of land. The example of Crusoe is a microcosm of capitalism staking its right over the commodity products of capitalistic diligence. This sense of mastery and possession eventually extends to people too. He saves a prisoner of the cannibals, who occasionally visit the island to ritually consume their captives. He enslaves him in turn, calls him Friday, converts him to Christianity, and more importantly, teaches him awe towards European civilization, and thereby establishes between them the colonial master-slave relationship. Most modern commentators find this aspect of the novel hard to stomach. James Joyce said of Robinson Crusoe, â€Å"He is the true prototype of the British colonist†¦ The whole Anglo-Saxon spirit is in Crusoe: the manly independence, the unconscious cruelty, the persistence, the slow yet efficient intelligence, the sexual apathy, the calculating taciturnity† (qtd. in Phillips 33). The feminist critic Ulla Grapard comments that the self-sufficiency of Crusoe is misleading, for it fails to take into account the slavery he imposes on Friday. There is also the suggestion that civilization is the product of European man and his communion with god, with the exclusion of women and others, and therefore â€Å"imposes boundaries separating those who belong in economic discourse from those who do not† (Grapard 33). These are all valid complaints, but fail to take into account that colonialism and male-centeredness are inextricably part of capitalism. Not only the contents of Robinson Crusoe, but the medium itself was a revolutionary phenomenon. The novel form was an innovation that proved ideal to capture the spirit of individualism, as well as portray the plight of the individual in context of capitalistic modernity. According to Chesterton, the novel concerns itself with relationships. He also calls it a feminine medium, because understanding social relationship is the forte of women (39). Many consider Aphra Behn to be the first novelist, who published a generation before Defoe. But Oroonoko does not dissect social relationships to any extent, and is more intent on plain narrative, even though long. When the novel came of age in the Victorian era the female practitioners of the form advanced the medium greatly, among them Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte. But there is good reason to call Robinson Crusoe the first novel, even though it is set far from human society, and therefore cannot deal with human relationships greatly. Defoe’s effort is the first novel because it considers the relationship that precedes all others, which is the relationship between man and God. Because of his physical isolation and instinct for survival, Coleridge saw in the character of Robinson Crusoe â€Å"the universal representative, the person for whom every reader could substitute himself† (qtd. in Keane 51). For a novel to succeed the reader must be able to identify with the protagonist in some way. In the case of Crusoe the reader’s identification is not only universal, but also works at a very fundamental level. Walter Allen call it a dramatization of â€Å"the inescapable solitariness of each man in his relation to God and the universe† (28). It is something that the individual must come to terms with before he can relate to others. Weber contends that Protestantism gave birth to the individual of modern capitalism, and identifies the Protestant work ethic as the means by which this became the social norm. But he fails to recognize the extent to which literature was also the instrument. Even before the advent of the novel literature was thoroughly engaged in the process of creating a â€Å"secular† instrument of creative expression. In the Christian era literature was overwhelmingly devotional, and even then limited by the parameters of Church doctrine. Like Bruno, Savonarola and Galileo, many were the martyrs and victims to the cause of self-expression. With the Protestant Reformation the authority of the Church was overcome, resulting in the emancipation of literature. It did not just express individualism, but was the means by which the individual discovered a new voice. For example, instead of composing paeans to the saints, Ben Jonson wrote flattering poetry aimed at his aristocratic patrons, and meant only for circulation in aristocratic circles. Even when the content was religious there was bound to be a personal or metaphysical element associated, as we find in the poetry of John Donne and George Herbert. The specific genesis of the novel can be traced to the search for scientific clarity and objectivity in literature. The Royal Society of London, apart from fostering scientific experimentation, also encouraged a style of writing that reflected scientific precision. The trend emerged of keeping diaries and journals; such a process was thought to mimic the procedure of scientific and empirical observation. The early members of the Royal Society were avid keepers of diaries, notable among them Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn. Diaries of prominent people were published posthumously. These served as the blueprints for the first novels. We notice that in Robinson Crusoe, Defoe is straining to follow the diary format in order to infuse credibility to his tale. There is even a section which is strictly in the diary format, which Defoe abandons after a point, with the excuse that Crusoe had run out of paper and ink. In truth it is a desperate attempt at realism, and Defoe only discards it when he sees that it is impeding the flow of the narrative, and that the last is more important. It must be kept in mind that Robinson Crusoe is not yet a novel, but is striving to become one. The greatest effort is made to camouflage the fictional aspect. The frontispiece of the original edition emblazons the word â€Å"LIFE† from the full title, which reads â€Å"The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner†. To Defoe it was vital that the work be read as autobiography. The desired effect was realism, and to achieve this Defoe employs the style of the diarist. David Marshall comments: â€Å"From the outset, the narrative is preoccupied with autobiography itself as Robinson Crusoe engages in repeated and at times almost compulsive acts of autobiography† (899). Believability and the willingness of the reader to identify with the protagonist is crucial. To the modern novelist this comes naturally, for he creates his characters and immediately engages in their mutual relationships, which makes them both identifiable and believable. But for Defoe such a technique was not to hand. Nor did the circumstances of his protagonist allow for such. He has no option but to strive for realism through the context of autobiography. However, even the most vivid realism would not have made Robinson Crusoe a novel, if it was not for the continuing conversation that Crusoe establishes with God. This is the accidental feature that qualifies this work of literature as a novel. Not only this, but because the relationship that it considers is the most fundamental one, it becomes the protean novel, i.e. that starting point from which all other novels stem. It accomplishes the most difficult task, which is to establish the individual though his relationship with God and the universe. After this all subsequent novels can engage in the simpler task of exploring the relationships between individuals. This is why the mood of the novel is extremely somber throughout. It has led Charles Dickens to comment â€Å"Robinson Crusoe should be the only instance of a universally popular book that could make no one laugh and could make no one cry† (599). It is too serious for the ordinary emotions. Dickens himself wrote novels that made the nation laugh and cry with abandon, and such is what we normally expect from the medium. In conclusion, in Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe has created a character that establishes the individual of modern capitalism. In his circumstance of isolation on a deserted island, and also in his discovery of God therein, Defoe finds the opportunity to demonstrate the Protestant work ethic in action. Through the portrayal of the work ethic we discover the emergence of capitalism and individualism, both advancing in tandem. As Crusoe strengthens his communion with God he discovers his individual self, and at the same time senses more and more his mastery and possession over the island. At the same time we notice the emergence of a new literary form, the novel. It is not only the ideal medium for the expression of capitalistic individualism, but was also historically the means by which it came to be established. Works Cited Allen, Walter Ernest. The English Novel: A Short Critical History. Boston: Dutton, 1955. Chesterton, Gilbert Keith. The Victorian Age in Literature. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1966. Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. ICON Group International, 2006. Dickens, Charles. Selected Journalism, 1850-1870. Ed. David Pascoe. New York: Penguin Classics, 1997. Grapard, Ulla. â€Å"Robinson Crusoe: The quintessential economic man?† Feminist Economics.1.1 (March 1995): 33-52. Keane, Patrick J. Coleridge’s Submerged Politics: The Ancient Mariner and Robinson Crusoe. Ann Arbor: University of Missouri Press, 1994. Marx, Karl. Capital: An Abridged Edition. Contributor David McLellan. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1999. Marshall, David. â€Å"Autobiographical Acts in Robinson Crusoe.† ELH. 71.4 (Winter 2004): 899-920. Mathias, Peter. â€Å"Economic Growth and Robinson Crusoe.† European Review. 15 (2007): 17-31. Phillips, Richard. Mapping Men and Empire: A Geography of Adventure. London: Routledge, 1997. Weber, Max. The Protestant Ethic and the â€Å"Spirit† of Capitalism. Translated by Gordon C Wells, Peter R Baehr. New York: Penguin Classics, 2002. Whately, Rich. Introductory Lectures on Political Economy. 4th ed.; London, 1855. Zaleski, Philip. â€Å"The Strange Shipwreck of Robinson Crusoe.† First Things: A Journal of Religion, Culture, and Public Life. 53 (May 1995): 38-44.

Balanced Scorecard: Traditional Performance Measurement

equilibrate S hollowcard Traditional Performance note Historic tout ensembley, the eyeshadement remains for telephone line has been pecuniary. Activities of companies were measurable and monitored by the traditional fiscal write up model. However, the extensive, veritable(a) exclusive use of pecuniary measurings in barter has been criticized primarily be pee-pee an overemphasis on achieving and maintaining hornswoggle-term monetary results basis cause companies to over intrust in before long-run fixes and to underinvest in long measure out creation, particularly in the non personal and intellectual as even offs that generate in store(predicate) result.Indeed, the Harvard contrast School Council on Competitiveness roll in 1992 identified the following organized differences amidst coronations do by U. S. corporations and those do in Japan and Ger galore(postnominal) The U. S. system is little supportive of long-term corporate investment because of the ove remphasis on improving short-term returns to capture current sh atomic number 18 prices. The U. S. ystem favors those forms of investment for which returns atomic number 18 most readily measurable this leads to underinvestment in intangible assets carre cardinal and summons instauration, employee skills, guest satisf pull through whose short-term returns ar to a greater extent difficult to measure. Inevitably, as managers be pressured to bearconsistent and splendiferous short-term monetary contracting out, trade-offs are made that limit the search for investments in offshoot opport social social unit of metreies.Even worse, the pressure for short-term monetary mathematical operation can cause companies to deoxidise using up on red-hot product schooling, solve jamments, human resource cookment, entropy technology, data bases, and systems as tumesce as guest and grocery store development. In the short run, the fiscal accounting model reports these s pending cutbacks as subjoins in reported income, even when reductions cast cannibalized a companys stock of assetsand its capabilities for creating prospective economic value.Alternatively, a company could maximize short-term financial results by exploiting guests through high prices or lower religious table service. In the short run, these actions upgrade reported profitability, but the lack of node surety and satisfaction get out put crosswise the company highly vulnerable to rivalrous inroads. The concern with the overemphasis on financial slaying measures has in like manner permeated the U. S. rofessional association of public accountants as a high-level special com armorial bearinging on financial report of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants reenforce concerns with exclusive reliance on financial reporting for measuring business performance Users focus on the future piece of music nowadayss business reporting focuses on the former(prenomi nal). Although information about the past is a useful indicator of future performance, users also need forward-looking information. The committee acknowledged the importance of reporting on how rise companies are creating value for the future, and recommended colligateing business performance reporting to concerns strategic vision Many users indigence to see a company through the eyes of management to help them recognise managements panorama and promise where management go away lead the company. It went on to say that nonfinancial measurement essential play a key use of goods and run Management should disclose the financial and nonfinancial measurements it uses in managing the business that quantify the effectuate of key activities and events. The committee concluded by recommending that companies adopt a more match and forward-looking glide slope To trifle users ever-changing needs, business reporting moldiness depart more information about designs, opportunities , risks and uncertainties commission more on the factors that create longer-term value, including nonfinancial measures indicating how key business military operationes are execute Origins of the equilibrise S philiacard By the mid-1990s otherwise ar cultivatemental theorists had taken up Kaplan and Nortons work and modified the design regularity of match add-ins, ironing out early(a) flaws.Kaplan and Norton published their ideas in full in The equilibrise notice Translating Strategy into carry through in 1996 and it became a business bestseller. The equilibrize carte du jour Each thought of the equilibrise add-in includes headings, measures of those objectives, betoken values of those measures, and initiatives, be as follows Measures the observable parameters that get out be hire to measure progress toward ambit the objective. For example, the objective of profitable growth power be mensurable by growth in net margin.Targets the specific target values so ught for all(prenominal) of the measures, for example, +2% growth in net margin. Initiatives action programs to be initiated in locate to fulfill the objective and reach the target. The trunkwork for the fit placard is illustrated below physical body 1 fit batting order Framework start out hurl As can be seen from the take up, the objectives and measures of the scorecard are derived from an fundamental laws vision and dodging. The equilibrize scorecard should interpret a business units mission and strategy into tangible objectives and measures.The measures act a balancebetween external measures for shareholders and nodes, and congenital measures if life-sustaining business work ates, innovation, and cultivation and growth. The measures are also balancedbetween the answer measures the results from past efforts and the measures that drive future performance. Lastly, the scorecard is balancedbetween objectives, easily quantified outcome measures and subject ive, slenderly judgmental, performance drivers of the outcome measures.Every measure selected should be part of a link of cause-and-effect relationships that culminate in improving financial performance. The scorecard should tell the story of the strategy, startle with the long-run financial objectives, and then linking them to the rate of actions that moldiness be taken with financial processes, clients, internal processes, and finally employees and system to sustain the desired long-run economic performance. financial stead Table 1 Stages of a line of productss Life turn Table 2 Measuring strategical Financial ThemesRevenue growth and jumble refer to expanding product and service offerings, stretchability new customers and markets, changing the product and service mix toward higher-value-added offerings, and repricing products and function. The bell reduction and productiveness objective refers to efforts to lower the direct be of products and services, reduce indirec t costs, and share commonplace resources with other business units. For the asset workout theme, managers attempt to reduce the working hood levels required to support a condition al-Quran and mix of business.They also puree to obtain greater utilization of their primed(p) asset base, by directing new business to resources currently not utilise to capacity, using scarce resources more efficiently, and disposing of assets that deliver the goods inadequate returns on their market value. tout ensemble these actions enable the business unit to increase the returns earned on its financial and physical assets. client Perspective The customer side addresses the research of how the impregnable is viewed by its customers and how well the firm is serving its targeted customers in order to fill up the financial objectives.In the customer sight of the balanced scorecard, managers separate the customer and market segments in which the business unit will compete and the measures of the business units performance in these targeted segments. These segments playact the sources that will deliver the receipts fate of the companys financial objectives. The customer perspective enables companies to align their core or generic outcome measures to targeted customers and market segments.This core measurement group of outcomes is generic across all kinds of organizations, and is illustrated in the following diagram Figure 2 The Customer Perspective Core Measures fallframe These outcome measures represent the targets for companies marketing, in operation(p), logistics, and product and service development processes. However, these outcome measures have some of the defects of traditional financial measures in that they are follow measures employees will not know how well they are doing with customer satisfaction or customer computer storage until it is too fresh to affect the outcome.Also, the measures do not conduct what employees should be doing in their day-t o-day activities to obtain the desired outcomes. Because of these, managers mustiness also pose what customers in targeted segments value and choose the value proposition they will deliver to these customers. The segment-specific drivers of core customer outcomes represent those factors that are unfavorable for customers to switch to or remain loyal to their suppliers.These attributes are illustrated in the Figure 3 below Figure 3 The Customer honour Proposition drawg drawframe The customer perspective enables business unit managers to articulate the customer and market-based strategy that will deliver top-notch future financial returns. Thus, the customer perspective of the scorecard translates an organizations mission and strategy into specific objectives about targeted customers and market segments that can be communicated passim the organization. inner(a) Business Process Perspective home(a) business process objectives address the question of which processes are most cri tical for red-blooded customers and shareholders. These are the processes in which the firm must concentrate its efforts to excel. Objectives and measures for this perspective are typically genuine afterwards formulating objectives and measures for the financial and customer perspectives to enable companies to focus their internal business process poetic rhythm on those processes that will deliver the objectives established for customers and shareholders.The process of filiation objectives and measures for the internal business process perspective represents one of the sharpest distinctions between the balanced scorecard and traditional performance measurement systems. composition traditional approaches attempt to monitor and improve existing business processes, the scorecard approach usually identifies entirely new processes at which an organization must excel to meet customer and financial objectives.The balanced scorecard internal business process objectives spotlight the processes, several of which may not be currently performing at all, that are most critical for an organizations strategy to succeed. Additionally, while the traditional performance measurement systems focus on the processes of delivering todays products and services to todays customers (short wave of value creation), the balanced scorecard approach is to incorporate innovation processes into the internalbusiness process perspective as illustrated in Figure 3.Figure 3 The Internal Business Process Perspective The Generic Value Chain Model drawframe drawframe drawframe drawframe The innovation process highlights the importance of, first, discloseing the characteristics of market segments that the organization wishes to receive with its future products and services, and, then, designing and developing the products and services that will satisfy those targeted segments.This approach enables the organization to put considerable weight on research, design, and development processes tha t yield new products, services, and markets. Among the measures that can be used in the innovation process are luck of gross revenue from new products, portion of sale from proprietary products, new product introduction versus competitors or versus plan, manufacturing process capabilities, and time to develop attached generation of products.The operations process represents the short wave of value creation in organizations. It starts with receipt of customer order and finishes with auction pitch of the product or service to the customer. This process stresses efficient, consistent, and timely delivery of existing products and services to existing customers. It remains important and organizations should identify the cost, quality, time, and performance characteristics that will enable it to deliver superior products and services to its targeted current customers.The figure out of the total quality management and time-based argument practices of pencil lead Japanese manufactur ers has led many companies to supplement their traditional cost and financial measurements with measurements of operating processes quality, cycle time, and cost. Finally, the postsale service process enables companies to feature, when appropriate, important aspects of service that occur after the purchased product or service has been delivered to the customer such as warranty and repair activities, treatment of defects and returns, and the processing of payments.Measures of performance in the operating processes can also be applied to postsale service process (i. e. time, quality, and cost inflection). Thus, cycle times can measure the speed of response to failures and cost rhythmic pattern can evaluate the efficiency for postsale service processes while first-pass yields can measure what percentage of customer requests are handled with a iodine service call, rather than requiring multiple calls to conclude the problem.Companies that deal with hazardous or environmentally sensi tive chemicals and materials may also aver critical performance measures associated with the safe presidential term of waste and by-products from the production process. learn and ontogenesis Perspective The fourth perspective of the balanced scorecard, learning and growth, addresses the question of how the firm must learn, improve, and innovate in order to meet its objectives. It identifies the infrastructure that the organization must make believe to create long-term growth and improvement.The enablers for learning and growth come primarily from troika sources people or employees, systems, and organizational procedures. The financial, customer, and internal business process objectives on the balanced scorecard will typically show large gaps between the existing capabilities of people, systems, and procedures and what will be required to achieve breakthrough performance. To close these gaps, businesses will have to invest in reskilling employees, enhancing information techn ology and systems, and adjust organizational procedures and routines.Figure 4 The Learning and Growth Measurement Framework drawframe Within this core, the employee satisfaction objective is generally considered the driver of the other 2 measures, employee retention and employee productiveness. It recognizes that employee morale and overall mull satisfaction are preconditions for increasing productivity, responsiveness, quality, and customer service. Companies typically measure employee satisfaction with an yearbook play along, or a rolling survey in which a specified percentage of randomly chosen employees is surveyed each month.Employee retention captures an objective to retain those employees in whom the organization has a long-term interest. The theory implicit in(p) this measure is that the organization is making long-term investments in its employees so that any casteless departures represent a loss in the intellectual capital of the business. Long-term, loyal employees carry the values of the organization, knowledge of organizational processes, and esthesia to the needs of customers. Employee retention is generally measured by percentage of key supply turnover.Employee productivity is an outcome measure of the mass impact from enhancing employee skills and morale, innovation, improving internal processes, and welcome customers. The goal is to relate the payoff produced by employees to the number of employees used to produce that output. The simplest productivity measure is revenue per employee, which represents how much output can be generated per employee. As employees and the organization become more powerful in selling a higher volume and a higher value-added set of products and services, revenue per employee should increase.Linking the Balanced Scorecard Measures to Strategy Uses of the Balanced Scorecard The Balanced Scorecard in the beginning was conceived as an improved performance measurement system. However, it soon became evident that it could be used as a management system to implement strategy at all levels of the organization by facilitating the following functions clarify strategy the translation of strategic objectives into quantitative measures clarifies the management teams understanding of the strategy and helps to develop a coherent consensus.Communicating strategic objectives the Balanced Scorecard can officiate to translate high level objectives into operational objectives and communicate the strategy effectively throughout the organization. Planning, setting targets, and aligning strategic initiatives challenging but achievable targets are set for each perspective and initiatives are certain to align efforts to reach the targets. Strategic feedback and learning executives receive feedback on whether the strategy effectuation is proceeding according to plan and on whether the strategy itself is successful (double-loop learning).These functions have made the Balanced Scorecard an effective management system for the writ of execution of strategy. The Balanced Scorecard has been applied successfully to cliquish sector companies, non-profit organizations, and government agencies as discussed in the succeeding sections. Potential Pitfalls The following are potential pitfalls that should be neutralizeed when implementing the Balanced Scorecard Lack of a well-defined strategy The Balanced Scorecard relies on a well-defined strategy and an understanding of the linkages between strategic objectives and the metrics.Without this foundation, the implementation of the Balanced Scorecard is unlikely to be successful. Using just now lagging measures Many managers believe that they will reap the benefits of the Balanced Scorecard by using a wide range of non-financial measures. However, care should be taken to identify not only lagging measures that secern past performance, but also leading measures that can be used to plan for future performance. Use of generic metrics It usua lly is not sufficient scarce to adopt the metrics used by other successful firms.Each firm should put forth the effort to identify the measures that are appropriate for its own strategy and competitive position. Effectiveness of the Balanced Scorecard (Success Stories) Mobil North America Marketing and cultivation CIGNA Property and Casualty Insurance embrown & Root Energy Services Rockwater family Chemical (Chase) Retail Bank AT Canada, Inc. Zeneca Ag Products North America grey Gardens Citrus University of California, San Diego Duke Childrens Hospital linked Parcel Service Building and Implementing a Balance Scorecard Balanced Scorecard ComponentsFigure 5 The Logic of Balanced Scorecard Strategic Planning drawframe Process of Building a Balanced Scorecard Kaplan and Norton defined a four-step process that has been used across a wide range of organizations. Define the measurement architecture When a company ab initio introduces the Balanced Scorecard, it is more manageable to apply it on the strategic business unit level rather than the corporate level. However, interactions must be considered in order to avoid optimizing the results of one business unit at the expense of others.Build consensus around strategic objectives The top three or four objectives for each perspective are agree upon. Potential measures are identified for each objective. Select and design measures Measures that are close related to the actual performance drivers are selected for evaluating the progress made toward achieving the objectives. Develop the implementation plan Target values are assigned to the measures. An information system is developed to link the top level metrics to lower-level operational measures. The scorecard is integrated into the management system.