Analysis of General Environment Essay

HSBC Bank (China) is one of the first foreign banks to incorporate locally in mainland. As a foreign-owned bank, HSBC has the largest services network among foreign banks, targeting the middle-class individuals and business-oriented individuals in China. With the globalization, China is seen as the biggest market in the world. The general environment will bring great effect to the future development of the HSBC (China). The specific analysis is as follow. 1. Demographic Environment China has the largest population in the globe that the number has already reached 1.4 billion. Most of the people are living in the east and middle areas. In other words, the middle and above-middle-class people assemble in these two areas with the demand of bank service. (National Bureau of Statistic of China, 2011) As the societal pressure growing heavier, less people are willing to give birth to baby so that the problem of population aging arises. According to the reform and opening policies, the east and south areas are better developed than the central and the west. People in the coastal region have higher average income than others. As a result, HSBC (China) mostly build its banking network in the east and south areas, which are so called first-tier cities. Meanwhile, it has also expanded branches in some second-tier cities in the central area of China. 2. Economic Environment As an emerging market, China is developing at a very fast speed with continually growing Gross Domestic Product as well as high export surplus. However, in terms of global environment, the world still not recovers from the economic recession. The financial market in mainland has been impacted that the exchange rate of RMB has gone higher and higher, which has been result in the inflation. To better control the financial market, the interest rate has been increased to limit the cash flow in the market and personal saving rate goes up that people are encouraged to save money in banks rather than investing. Another economic factor putting effect on HBCS in China is the unemployment rate. China government devotes into keeping the unemployment rate low and stable, because once the rate rises sharply, this will destroy the harmony of the society. Consequently, HSBC (China) should take this factor into account to obtain trust and support from the local government. 3. Political Environment In China, banks are supervised by the China Banking Regulatory Commission. There are many barriers setting in front of those foreign banks in China, such as foreign banks are not permitted to establish a business of any scale in the mainland, since the Chinese legislations limit on how many local banking operations can lean on foreign banks. On the other hand, the new parties have held the power, which means new policies and new reform may come into being. Different policies and reform will significantly affect the existence of HSBC in China. With the improvement of the capital market, the financial environment will be deregulated and gain a more loosening environment. Moreover, foreign banks in China have to be charged tax, which will increase the cost and lower the profits of HSBC in mainland. As the compulsory education popularizing, more and more people think highly of the banking service. They become to have good knowledge to the banking items and are tied closely to those services. 4. Socio-cultural Environment Banks serve for people’s demand and need. People’s attitude towards banks is influenced by the social-cultural environment. In China, customers are more conservative that they prefer saving money. Therefore, more emphasis should be put on the retail banking services in mainland. Recent years, with the impact of financial crisis, people are less trusting banks. Banks are seen as greedy organizations by the public, which was result from arbitrary banking charges. 5. Technological Environment Technological change can bring new style of business to organizations. It can change both the product and business way. Since the constant improvement of the Internet, HSBC has launched its online banking services in China. People can have an electronic account to check user’s balances and transactions, make transfer as well as pay bills. Simultaneously, doing business through the Internet not only save the time for customers, but also simplify the business process for HSBC so that they can cut large amount of cost. Furthermore, the development of the mobile phone also benefits the banking services. People can easily access to their account through the mobile Internet. Secondly, particular applications have been invented for mobile users to manipulate their banking service. For example, HSBC has its own applications which can be used for IOS (iphone) and Android operating systems. These applications are convenient to use and also help HSBC to saving labor as well as time cost. 6. Global Environment The global environment is somewhat cannot be controlled by the organizations itself. The global economy stays in a recession for a period of time and seems to be difficult to recover from it. The subsequent influences of the financial crisis affect the economy in China. HSBC (China) has earned less profit these years. Although the macro environment is not so optimistic, China is still the hugest potential market around the world. Besides China, there are still many emerging countries appear in the world, like India. In the future, HSBC (China) should pay attention to create more advantage competitiveness than those HSBC banks in other international regions. Reference Eternity in an hour. (2009). Environmental Analysis-HSBC(A Marketing Perspective). Available from: http://cloudchronicler.net/2009/10/14/environmental-analysis-hsbc-draft-copy/ HSBC Bank (China) Company Limited Fact Sheet. (2013). Available from: http://www.hsbc.com.cn/1/PA_1_083Q9FFKG80E20RA9Q00000000/content/china/about/docs/factsheeten.pdf HSBC Bank (China). (2013). About HSBC (China). Available from: http://www.hsbc.com.cn/1/2/hsbc-china-cn Sina News. (2012). The War of the Interest Rate. Available from: http://news.dichan.sina.com.cn/2012/08/02/539030.html Studymode. (2012). A PEST Analysis Report of HSBC. Available from: http://www.studymode.com/essays/Pest-Analysis-Hsbc-Holding-Plc-1206636.html The Wall Street Journal. (2011). In China, Foreign Banks Still Lag Behind. Available from:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904491704576574281790473152.html

A Difficult Child

A difficult child It is true that some children are easier to raise than others. They are happy, affectionate, sociable and self-disciplined. Others, however, can be irritable, stubborn, aggressive, and restless. Despite their parents’ great efforts, these children are difficult to deal with and to bring up. During the years, people’s opinion about children who face challenges in controlling their feelings and behavior has shifted from one point of view to another. On the one hand, the blame was placed on parents – somehow it was their fault that their children misbehave.If parents were more understanding, patient and caring, then their children would be good. This view didn’t make any sense to many parents and even put them to a cul-de-sac, because their parenting worked for one of their children, but not for other. On the other hand, the experts came to believe that difficult children are like this because of their innate makeup, they are simply born wit h certain traits, and it is not their fault. Irritability, indifference, fussiness or aggressiveness in children is seen as part of their nature, and parents have no choice but to learn to live with such traits in their child. Similar essay: Having Children While YoungIt goes without saying that, dealing with difficult children isn’t an easy task and changes to positive side require a long time. In fact, the older they grow, the more rebellious they are likely to become, that’s why it’s very important to discern the difficulties in the upbringing of the child at his early age. Moreover, parents relate to their children can make a huge difference in how youngsters feel about themselves and respond to their environment. Therefore, parents should become child’s support and encouragement.Children learn by example, they absorb all the information like sponges and the best way to promote good habits and behavior is by practicing parents by themselves. One more vital point for parents is to be more involved in child’s life, it means that family members should always keep a healthy relationship with the kid and create a comfort level that will enable him find relatives helpful an d reassuring. The last, but not less significant aspect is making child responsible for his decisions and choices, there should always be a consequence of every action, good or bad.This will make him responsible for everything he does and will require a good amount of thinking before any action is taken. I’d like to conclude by saying that â€Å"a difficult child† is not an illness or medical diagnosis, difficult children are normal, they can become positive, enthusiastic, perhaps even especially creative individuals if they are well managed when young, as well as treated with most care and love, from parents, family members, relatives, teachers or any other people around them.

Learning Team Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Learning Team Paper - Essay Example I, in this paper, review application of week one’s objectives of understanding flowcharts and metrics, and factors that affect process development. One of the week’s objectives is understanding the designing of flow charts and measures for determining and improving processes. The objective involves an understanding of elements of flowcharts and approaches to modeling elements to achieve a desired performance level, and process analysis plays an important role. Application of the knowledge of process analysis by a manager or designer in a manufacturing process is an example. This would include determination of the process’s objectives and aims of the specific analysis and determination, through exploring questions, of factors around a process. Such questions may relate to current output capacity of the process, expectations, possible modifications, and involved costs. The manager would then consider available materials and equipments, and process cycles to develop a flow chart, a process that would allow for easy understanding of the process towards improvements. Once a process is understood from its analysis, its performance can be measured from productivity, efficiency, time, and rate, and decisions made to improve the performance (Chase and Jacobs, 2006). Identification of factors that affect process development, and a further understanding of how the factors influence the development are another set of objectives and are applicable in improving processes towards optimum levels of efficiency. Understanding factors such as expected output, customers’ waiting time, and alternative approaches to process generates ideas for establishing a process, refining a draft process, or improving an existing process (Chase and Jacobs, 2006; Inan, Buyukkupcu and Akinci, 2010). The week’s objective of developing flow charts and metrics for determining and improving process performance together with identifying and

Strategic Planning versus Strategic Incrementalism Essay

Strategic Planning versus Strategic Incrementalism - Essay Example 10 To what extent is it possible and desirable for the planning and incremental approaches to be integrated within individual organisations? 13 Reference 15 Bibliography 17 Part 1 Article 1 In the article â€Å"Of Strategies, Deliberate and Emergent† by Henry Mintzberg and James A. Waters has helped to distinguish between the two form of strategies which are said to be two ends of continuum in the real world strategies. The article points out the importance of strategy and how organisation forms strategies; the origin of the strategies has been investigated by exploring the relationship between intentions and plan and finally what actually organisation did. The article has distinguished deliberate strategies from the emergent strategies and plays a central them in the article. The paper helps to understand the complexity involved in the process of strategy formation by elaborating and refining the concepts of both the strategies. The article has helped to answer the part 2 of the assignment as it has explained the planned strategy through which effectives of the planned strategy approach can be assumed and further use to answer the relevant queries. Apart from the planned strategy and pure deliberate and emergent strategies, the article has also explained the other types of strategy which organisation might use and they are entrepreneurial strategy, ideological strategy, the umbrella strategy, the process strategy, the unconnected strategist, consensus strategy and imposed strategies. Article 2 The second article talks about the â€Å"Pitfall of Strategic Planning† which was stated by Henry Mintzberg and addressed the planning strategy to be obsessed with control both decision and strategies for the present and future, for the managers and workers and for the customers and marketers. The article has contributed in analysing the major pitfalls of planned strategic approach in a way supporting the Incrementalism strategic approach. In the article ot her forms of way in creating strategy have also been discussed, one visionary and the other form being learning. But all the three processes should work for organisation to be effective. The article stated that the planed strategic approach is highly implementable especially when the conditions or the external environment are stable. The statement supports the query as to the type of environment in which the strategic planned approach works at its best so that organisation can evaluate all the external conditions before formulating strategies in a planner and systematic manner. Thus it can be said that pitfall in planning takes place when manger do not support planning and environmental factors are not conducive in the formation of effective strategy and vice versa. Therefore pitfall of strategic planning is an article stating that not always planned strategic leads to success. Article 3 The article, â€Å"Strategic Change: logical Incrementalism† talks about the incrementali sm approach in strategic formulation and believes that strategies should be incorporated after evaluating the current environment. The article has contributed to support the incremental approach and to compare and also contrast the incremental approach from the planned strategy formulation. It has been learnt that most of the effective strategies emerge from so called â€Å"strategic subsystem† each of which tends to attacks specific issue in much disciplined way. Various organisations have adopted the incremental strategic approach such as IBM, Xerox, General Motors and others. Thus this has also contributed in the third question of second part in proving example of real companies adopting

Argentinas Foreign Debt Restructuring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Argentinas Foreign Debt Restructuring - Essay Example This paper envisages analyzing the causes and effects of the actions of the political leaders that left to this situation and the circumstances under which the various classes of creditors of the country were forced to accept the proposals put forth by the Argentine president for the settlement of the outstanding debts of the country. It is important to understand the extent, scope, and coverage of the definitions of the foreign debt and domestic debt before a meaningful financial analysis of the restructuring of the foreign debt by the country Argentina may be undertaken. According to an economic definition, â€Å"foreign debt is only the debt by non-residents, regardless of whether the debt is in local or foreign currency, whether it is issued at home or abroad. Conversely, domestic debt is debt by residents regardless of whether the debt is in local or foreign currency, whether it is issued at home or abroad. So a Brady held by an Argentine resident is domestic debt while a Let's held by a foreign investor is foreign debt.† It is to be understood that the economic definitions of foreign debt and domestic debt are different from the legal definition as had been adopted by the Argentine government for the purposes of undertaking the restructuring of both the domestic and foreign debts. The domestic debt is defined as debt issued according to Argentine law, regardless of whether it is in local or foreign currency and regardless of who, foreign or domestic resident, is holding these claims. Conversely, the â€Å"legal† definition of foreign debt is debt issued according to foreign (New York, UK, et cetera) law, regardless of whether it is in local or foreign currency and regardless of who, foreign or domestic resident, is holding these claims.†The point to consider was that was there a possibility that the host of factors that facilitate the litigation would disrupt the orderly process of debt restructuring undertaken by Argentina. Without committing a technical default Argentina would be going ahead with the process of structuring and even if some creditors hold out and start litigating, the litigation would take several years for coming to a close. Even if the litigation is started it is not going to hamper the process of the debt restructuring by Argentina.   

Crohn's Disease Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Crohn's Disease - Research Paper Example Conversely, Crohn's disease may appear at any part of the digestive tract—from the mouth down to the anus, but most commonly at the lower part of the small intestine (ileum), involving perhaps all layers of the intestine, with normal healthy bowel between sections of diseased bowel. (National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse 1) Although the exact root of Crohn's disease is still a mystery, the condition is associated with a problem in the reaction of the body's immune system called an autoimmune disorder, where the immune system is unable to distinguish between normal and foreign bodies. (Longstreth) According to Dr. Schoenfeld and Dr. Wu, the cells and proteins composing the immune system, normally defend the body against foreign invaders, such as harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc. by being launched, causing inflammation—an important defense mechanism of the system, within the tissues where activation occurs, and triggered only in the presence of harmfu l invaders; furthermore, continued and abnormal activation of the immune system in the absence of the said foreign bodies results to chronic inflammation and ulceration. Whether this abnormality in the immune system response is a cause or a consequence of Crohn's disease is yet to be determined by scientists, but research shows that a number of factors—genetic inheritance, the immune system itself, and the environment, have to with the aforementioned inflammation in the digestive tract. (NDDIC 2) NDDIC (2) has affirmed that it was found out that people with Crohn's disease have high levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a protein produced by the immune system. Additionally, a gene called NOD2 has been recently identified as an important determining factor of the body’s response to some bacteria, and mutations of which increases a person’s susceptibility to the disease; other genes essential in the understanding of the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease—such as autophagy related 16-like 1 gene (ATG 16L1) and IRGM, both having a role to play in macrophage defects, are continually being studied. (Schoenfeld & Wu) Incidentally, there have been studies showing higher levels of E. coli bacteria in the intestines of those suffering from Crohn’s disease—probably resulting from a genetically determined defect with intestinal mucosal macrophages in eliminating E. coli, as well as speculations that infection by certain bacteria—such as strains of mycobacterium, causes the disease, but still no substantial evidence supporting it, added Dr. Schoenfeld and Dr. Wu. Crohn’s disease may occur at any age, but more often at ages between 15 and 35; other risk factors include: (1) family history of the disease, (2) Jewish ancestry, and (3) smoking. (Longstreth) Nevertheless, the exact relationship between the factors, possible causes and the disease, have not been proven and remains unknown, to date. According to Dr. Paul Klene rman, the symptoms of Crohn’s disease vary depending on its severity and location—many only have mild symptoms like periods of mild fever, at times, accompanied with blood in the stool and abdominal pain; loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss, general malaise, and boils, may also appear.

Popular Music - No Suprises by Radio Head Essay

Popular Music - No Suprises by Radio Head - Essay Example Popular music is everything about the new power the digital technology has given. It is about the synthesis of creative ideas over sophisticated technology. The concept of tracks, multi track recording, mixing, mastering and audio effects was unknown in the beginning of the last century. With the transition of the globe from the industrial era into the silicon era marked with the steady rise in popularity of computer systems and its various innovative digital systems work was simplified, automated and refined by leaps and bound. Similarly in the area of music, makers of music have extensively benefitted from the ready availability of technology at hand to simply work and increase productivity. The effect – more number of albums released, bigger and more complex musical projects executed with ease, a stark change in the ‘sound’ of the music from the early 20th century to late 20th century. Similarly, application, perception and the entire perspective of music has undergone a change. From being used as a tool to organise movements, address social and humanitarian issues, identify a community to usage for pure entertainment address global issues and most importantly for making a living out of music. In the next sections of the paper we will be discussing about Popular Music in far greater detail with literature review, detailed analysis of popular music track ‘No Surprises’ by contemporary pop band Radio Head. When we discuss about Popular Music we discuss about culture. We are trying to observe musical details of a musical genre that has overtaken the world in the last century and has now become mainstream or in other words popular. No Surprises – Analysis of Video On listening to the music video No Surprises by Radio head one can instantly relate to the sadness in which the narrator/singer is drowned into. The music, the visual elements, the background images, the lyrics, light effects, sound effects, vocal tone and modulation all convey just one message – a suppressed agony that needs to be vented out. On listening to the songs and watching the associated visual this feeling of gloom becomes even more clear and distinct. The rising water level in the water tight glass capsule holding the head of the vocalist Thom Yorke is symbolic of the larger issues and the common saying, â€Å"keeping the head over water†. Here in this video he dawns a lifeless expression while he sings the songs with the water level rising in his glass helmet until he gets totally submerged inside it. He barely manages to keep his head over the water. The water here symbolises various issues: social, political, econom ic, humanitarian, relationships, emotional etc. All of these things are depicted to be going out of control and taking the unexpected path, creating strife and rifts among people. Lyric setting The song talks about a man’s burden of life. It talks about the heaviness in the heart due to various reasons and circumstance prevailing in his life and his surrounding including a government that has betrayed its loyal citizens, a job that leaves nothing in life and a growing distance between people and their emotions. Everyone is in their own frenzied pursuitof goals and aspirations without caring for the larger good and the simpler things in life. The narrator of the song has a lot of things to say and he does it through this simple lyrical poetry with minimum usage of words and

A Model of English for International Learners Research Paper

A Model of English for International Learners - Research Paper Example Aside from using the language to facilitate the learning process, it could be used to carry out other activities successfully. Such activities include businesses, social interactions, and official meetings. According to the statistics about the relationship between language and businesses that were carried out in 2005, it was found that the use of the English language led to successful businesses. Hence, the use of the language brings about a common understanding among individuals. There are several languages that could be used internationally: French, Portuguese, German, and English. However, English has been established as the most preferable international language. According to Mauranen (2003), in the learning of English as an international language there is a variety of models that could be used to study it. The models include native-speaker model, nativised model, globish model, and lingua Franca model. All these models assist in the learning of English as an international language. They have several strengths and weaknesses and are only suitable for a learner/teacher depending on the purpose one wants to achieve. Basing on individuals’ goals, the purposes for learning the English language are different. Nevertheless, many individuals purposely learn the English language to facilitate communication at an international level. Hence, the use of English assists in understanding the academic interests for the learners: it eases group discussions among the individuals who do not share a mother tongue and provide a common understanding among the learners. ... on for using English is that most of the people worldwide have developed an interest in learning it and this has led to giving it a status of lingua franca. Lingua Franca refers to a language that is spoken as a second or third language after a people’s mother tongue. It is also referred to as vehicular. The people speaking this language use it specifically for communication with the non-natives or the natives of that particular language. There are different advantages associated with using English as a lingua Franca. Many people around the world have embraced the use of English making it easier to communicate with people from different dialects. Hence, lingua franca is viewed as the most appropriate model for use in the learning of the English Language (Ellis, 2002). This is because it facilitates communication among individuals who are from different cultures and speak different mother tongues. Using English as a lingua franca assists in the understanding of other peopleâ₠¬â„¢s culture and the appreciation of it at the same time. People from different cultural backgrounds are able to learn about each other’s culture through communication which is facilitated by the use of a common language. Thus, the lingua franca model supports the use of English language for a common understanding among individuals. The learners/users of English around the world could use the lingua franca model to facilitate communication amongst themselves and other people who are not of the same dialect as theirs. This is applicable in all countries that use English as either a second or a third language. For instance, in a country like Vietnam, which is located southeast of Asia, English has been adopted as a language that is basically used to promote understanding amongst individuals. In

The Power of Words Essay Example for Free

The Power of Words Essay The Power of Words. Patrie Rothfuss once said â€Å"Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As the names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the mind of men. Words can bring tears from the hardest hearts. † Life of Pi directed by Ang Lee, highly inspired and affectionate movie. Life of Pi is a three part story of Piscine Patel, a sixteen- year- old South Indian boy who survives out at sea with a Bengal tiger for 227 days and then tells this story of a young writer who came to Pisine for inspiration. The movie conveys many interesting themes, but one that is very influential is the power of words. The theme power of words as well is the main focus of the story â€Å"Two words† written by Isabel Allende in 1989. â€Å"Two Words† follows the story of a female character that grows up as an orphan with no one to support her. She eventually learns the impact that words and reading can have, particularly among a society that is largely illiterate. She ends up making money by writing letters for other people. Words have high and influential power that can affect people’s identity, fate, and meaning or purpose of their lives. Two media pieces the movie Life of Pi and story â€Å"Two words† conveys a lot about the power of words and how they are influencing people. Identity is the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity; it is a set of personal morals, beliefs, and characteristics which depict overall person identity. In Life of Pi words play a crucial role in shaping main characters identity. At the beginning of the movie, Pi initially named as Pisine Molitor Patel, but everyone at school makes fun of him and called him â€Å"pissing†. This causes Pi to take a stand and change his identity, change his name to Pi. During the course of Pis life the influence of words contours his individuality as well. His father states how can he find a way, if he cannot find a path (Life of Pi 2012). This conveys strict expectations that father have of his son. So Pi will try to change his identity and personal morals to meet the expectations that his father have of him. The power of words in shaping identity is a huge theme in the short story â€Å"Two Words† as well. Due to a fact that the main character Belisa Crepusculario has been born into a poor family â€Å"so poor that they did not even have names to call their children† (Allende 2). Without a name, a persons identity can remain unknown. Then, as her character develops she decides to give herself a name Belisa Crepusculario and when this event happened, she started shaping her identity from the state of poor and tentative to a strong and confident individual. Words act as helping hand in transforming Belisa’s character from weak little girl to a strong liberal woman, consistently shaping her identity. Identity is a huge theme that has been conveyed in the movie Life of Pi and the story Two Words. Joseph Campbell once stated â€Å"Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life†. Meaning of life has been discussed in the movie Life of Pi and short story â€Å"Two Words†. During the course main character’s life, the meaning of Pi’s life is changing throughout. At one point it is to live a happy and quiet life in India and at the other point, it is to get through all of the obstacles that happened so rapidly in his life. The influence of words contours Pi’s life. At some point Pi stated â€Å"It is true that those we meet can change us, by the actions they take or the words they say sometimes so profoundly that we are not the same afterwards, even into our names† (Life of Pi 2012). The fact that Pi said that shows how the influence of other individuals and the actions they perform are the words they say changed his life and as the result changed the meaning of his life. In the short story â€Å"Two Words† similar situation is happening, person’s meaning of life is changing throughout the story. One of the main characters Colonel wanted to become a president and he needed Belisa’s help in writing the speech for him. Belisa did very well in her job and wrote a speech for him and as well gave him two secret words that only Colonel and she knew. At some point in the story the meaning of Colonel life was to become a president, but then it slowly start changing. He was repeating his secret words, as he did more and more obsessed. He told them when he was mellow with nostalgia; he murmured them in his sleep; he carried them with him on horseback; he thought them before delivering his famous speech; and he caught himself savoring them in his leisure time. And every time he thought of those two words, he thought of Belisa Crepusculario, and his senses were inflamed with the memory of her feral scent, her fiery heat, the whisper of her hair, and her sweet mint breath in his ear, until he began to  go around like a sleepwalker, and his men realized that he might die before he ever sat in the presidential chair (Allende 4). These two words changed Colonel meaning of life from the point in which he wanted to become a president to the point where he become obsessed with two words the Belisa told to him, and he just wanted to see her. Meaning of life is a huge theme that is being conveyed through both movie Life of Pi and short story â€Å"Two words†, this two media piece brings a new perspective to the meaning of life. â€Å" Fate and self-help share equally in shaping our destiny† – Winston Churchill. Words play a crucial role in changing the persons fate or destiny in the story â€Å"Two Words† and the movie Life of Pi. â€Å"Other than becoming a prostitute or a servant in a rich man’s kitchen, there were few jobs that she can do†(Allende 2). The main character in â€Å"Two Words† Belisa Crepusculario had very few opportunities in life, and all of them were not attractive, but she stands and take action to change her destiny. She becomes very liberal, strong and confident person, â€Å"she had no need to call out her wares, because with so much walking here and there everybody knew her† (Allende 1). Therefore Belisa changed her fate and what she was meant to be, all of this is because of her occupation which consisted of selling words, and as she believed words have high and influential power on everything in life. This shows how power of words can change persons fate and what an individual is meant to be. The power of words in changing the destiny conveyed a lot in the movie Life of Pi. Similar to Belisa’s character, Pi experimenting trauma in his life, almost bringing him to solitude. At the point in life where Pis life was at one of its worst points, he states â€Å"Words are all I left to hold on to† (Life of Pi 2012). During the darkest times Pi has been writing a diary, which bring him hope and motive back to life. In addition Pi’s fathers words â€Å"how he can find a way if he cannot find a path† (Life of Pi 2012), reside in his mind as a constant reminder of the expectations that his father have of him. Therefore these words change Pi’s life and fate. Pi at one point stated â€Å"you must take life the way it comes at you and make the best of it† (Life of Pi 2012). This shows the Pi’s view and thoughts about the life and destiny, and how his own ideas and his fathers words affected his life. Fate is very complicated and unpredictable, but an individual can stand and take an action to change his destiny, change his life. Inspirational movie, Life of Pi directed by Ang Lee. Life of Pi is a story of Piscine Patel, a sixteen-year-old Indian boy who survives out at sea with a Bengal tiger for 227 days and afterwards tells his story of a writer who came to Pisine for muse. The movie conveys many exceptional themes, but one that have high impact is the power of words. The theme power of words is conveyed in the story â€Å"Two Words†. â€Å"Two Words† written by Isabel Allende in 1989, the story of a female character that grown up as a poor person with no one to support her in life. She eventually learns the impact that words and reading can have on people, particularly among a society that is largely not educated and illeterate. She ends up making money by writing letters for other people. Words have high and influential power that can affect people’s identity, fate, and meaning or purpose of their lives. Two media pieces the movie Life of Pi and story â€Å"Two words† conveys a lot about the power of words and how they are influencing people throughout their lives.

The Mental Health Act Social Work Essay

The Mental Health Act Social Work Essay Introduction: We are living in an ageing society where majority of population live longer and the age of the people over 60 is more than the children under the age of 16 years in United Kingdom. Most of the older people need care. As Bracht (1978) noted, Social works uniqueness come from its persistent focus on the physical, social-psychological and environmental health needs of clients (p 13) 1.1 Explain how principles of support are applied to ensure that the individuals are cared in health care settings. All staff have a responsibility to ensure good standards of care are maintained and organisations need to have internal systems to monitor social care governance arrangements.   Communicate in an honest, open, positive and friendly manner that is appropriate to the Patients/clients need. Ensure you have consent for everything you do with the patient/client. Provide person-centred care and respect the persons individuality and dignity. Protect patients/clients from infection, accidents, injuries and breaches of confidentiality.   Carry out basic observations safely and effectively.   Record and report your findings accurately in the appropriate place. Use your interactions with patients/clients as an opportunity to promote health. Know and respect your role and the roles of others in the health care team.   Accept accountability for your actions and behaviour. Be open to learning new knowledge and skills and to developing your role safely.   All patients should expect the same standard of care, whoever delivers it. The level of supervision provided must be appropriate to the situation and take into account the complexity of the task, the competence of the support worker, the needs of the patient and the setting in which the care is being given. 1.2 What are the procedures for protecting clients, patients and colleagues from harm? Many health care settings are now part of national and international initiatives to promote workplace health. The Health promoting Hospitals Network of the World Health Organization, for instance, recognizes the importance of workplaces as settings for promoting the health of service users and service providers. A big part of looking after others clients you care for, the people who live with, visit and accompany them and the colleagues you work with and looking after your workplace. People cannot remain healthy in unhealthy and unsafe environment. As individuals, all health professionals have a duty to protect patients. All health care professionals are personally accountable for their actions and must be able to explain and justify their decisions. While the scope of their practice varies they all have a duty to safeguard and promote the interests of their patients and clients. Health care professionals must act quickly to protect patients, clients and colleagues from risk of harm especially if either their own or another health care workers conduct, health or performance may place patients or clients at risk. There are many things we can do that will help to make workplace safer and healthier we for instance: Make sure keep working environment clean and tidy, using organizations cleaning guidelines. Keep equipment and furnishings safely stored when not in use and remove trailing electric cables from floors. Report damaged equipment, floor coverings and lights immediately. Look for signs that clients, staff and others, including yourself, may be in danger of harm or abuse or have been harmed or abused. This would include recognizing and dealing with early signs of violent or aggressive behavior. Always follow organizations waste disposal stream policies, particularly with sharps. Clean away spillages immediately, using approved procedures and personal protective equipment if necessary guidelines.   Work with patients/clients in a way that respects their dignity, privacy, confidentiality and rights. Keep equipment and furnishings safely stored when not in use and remove trailing electric cables from floors. 1.3 What are the benefits of following person centered approach with users of health social care services. There is only one way and that is the person centered way it is a journey worth taking. Sally, member of the Transforming Adult Social (Care service user reference group) Recent survey shows that around  £2.7 billion could be saved each year by providing person-centered support for people with long-term conditions. Our society is based on the belief that everyone has a contribution to make and has the right to control their own lives. This value drives our society and will also drive the way in which we provide social care. Services should be person-centered, seamless and proactive. They should support independence, not dependence and allow everyone to enjoy a good quality of life, including the ability to contribute fully to our communities. They should treat people with respect and dignity and support them in overcoming barriers to inclusion. They should be tailored to the religious, cultural and ethnic needs of individuals. They should focus on positive outcomes and well-being, and work proactively to include the most disadvantaged groups. We want to ensure that everyone, particularly people in the most excluded groups in our society, benefits fr om improvements in services. The trend towards a person-centred approach can be found in the work of Carl Rogers (1958) and his approaches to client-centred psychotherapy (Brooker, 2004) initially developed to support people with learning difficulties. Person-centred planning has since influenced work across the range of social care services. Person-centered planning is for learning how people want to live, to learn what is important to them in everyday life and to discover how they might want to live in the future. However, a plan is not an outcome. The only reason to do the planning is to help people move toward the life that they want and person-centered planning is only the first part of the process. In order for people to have real choice and control over their life and services, the people who support them will want to consider the following questions: à ¢-  What is important to the person, so that services and supports are built around what matters to them as anindividual instead of people being labelled according to a condition, an impairment or a stereotype. à ¢-  How, when and where the person wants support or services delivered -rather than a standard one size fits all approach. 1.4 What are the ethical dilemmas and conflict that a care worker may face when providing care, support and protection. Ethics play a central role in the clinical decision making of all healthcare practitioners; however dilemmas can arise with practitioner morality and ultimately professional judgment being central to the correct management. As healthcare professionals there is a duty of care to increase the quality of life of those who present for treatment and above all else to cause no harm.The social worker can also provide emotional support and clarification to the patient and family as things unfold. Many times, the social worker acts as the voice of the patient and family, explaining to the consultants what their wishes are and advocating for them to be respected (Rothman, 1998). Healthcare practitioners must always place the welfare of the patient before all other considerations (College of Optometrists MembersHandbook, 2007) Example of possible dilemmas includes being asked to prescribe the contraceptive pill to under 16s without parental consent. (Health and social care Book 2 Level -2) 2.1 Explain the implementation of policies, legislation, regulations and codes of practice that are relevant to own work in health social care. UK government had made numerous policies, legislation and regulation in order to protect everyone in health and social care setting including employers, employees, service users and their families as well. Care Standards Act (2000): Ensures all care provision meets with the National Minimum Standards. Sets standards for the level of care given to individuals requiring social care. Requires that all staff have a thorough police check before they begin working with children and adults and that a list is kept of individuals who are unsuitable to work with children or vulnerable adults. Children Act (1989) Made major changes to childcare practice; Introduced concept of significant harm. Introduced concept of parental responsibilities rather than rights. Made wishes and interests of the child paramount. Children Act (2004) Introduces Childrens Commissioner, Local Safeguarding Children Boards and provides legal basis for Every Child Matters. Disability Discrimination Act (2005) First came into force in 1995 and was amended in 2005. Requires the providers of public transport to reduce the amount of discrimination towards People with disabilities on their buses and trains. Requires public facilities and buildings to be made accessible to those who have disabilities. Requires employers to make reasonable adjustments to allow an individual with a disability to gain employment. Data Protection Act (1998) Data Protection Amendment Act (2003)Access to Medical Records (1988): Provide for the protection of individuals personal data with regard to processing and safe storage. The Acts cover: Storage of confidential information Protection of paper-based information Protection of information stored on computer Accurate and appropriate record keeping. Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) Aims to ensure the working environment is safe and free from hazards. Employers and employees should share responsibilities for: Assessing risks before carrying out tasks Checking equipment for faults before use Using appropriate personal protective clothing Handling hazardous/contaminated waste correctly Disposing of sharp implements appropriately. Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999) Explain to managers and employers what measures they must take to keep staff safe. The main focus of the regulations is risk assessment. The regulations explain how to conduct a risk assessment and what the assessment should contain. Mental Health Act (2007) Updates the Mental Health Act 1983. The main changes are: 16 and 17 year olds can accept or refuse admission to hospital and this decision cannot be overridden by a parent. Patients who are detained in hospital under a section of the Act are entitled to an independent advocate who will speak for them at a review to decide on their future. Under Supervised Community Treatment Orders, patients who are discharged will be visited at home by a mental health professional to ensure that they take their medication. There are many more policies and legislations which are relevant and need to be understand in health and care such as; Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations (1995), Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (1998), Manual Handling Regulations (1992), Mental Capacity Act (2005), Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (1995) (RIDDOR). 2.2 Explain how local policies and procedures can be developed in accordance with national and policy requirements. Several stages are involved in shaping care policies, and nurses can play an important role in all of these. When trying to disentangle policies, it makes sense to look at the roles of the different organisations that develop them. Things that seem to be a matter of local decision-making, for example, what type of incontinence aids to use, can be determined by policies at a regional or national level. These might cover how suppliers or equipment should be chosen (for example, through tendering processes), or set budget or resource levels. In turn, national policies might be shaped by international policies: for example, a trade embargo might preclude the purchase of equipment from suppliers a certain country. One type of continence pad may be more comfortable for patients, more absorbent or more secure, but if it is too expensive, or made in a country that does not trade with the UK, it will not be used at local level. National policies have a major impact on the resourcing of health-care services but, increasingly, they also set performance indicators and evaluation criteria. For example, if one criterion for evaluation is that every patient should have a named nurse, then this will affect how you organise work, or at least the way you welcome a patient into your unit. Similarly, if a set of performance indicators set by national government focuses on measuring throughput of patients, you may find yourself under pressure to discharge people from your care more quickly than otherwise. The first type of policy-making process has the advantage of transparency everyone knows what the process and outcomes are. It can, however, be very slow to respond to changing circumstances. If every change has to be discussed and debated by the full committee, and then formally communicated across the organisation (perhaps with opportunities for people to give their responses before the policy is finally adopted), it can take a long time for things to change. The second type of policy-making process is more flexible, and arguably more responsive to change, but its informality can mean people in the organisation are not clear about what policies are, or how they were developed. It can sometimes be difficult to have an open debate if there is no process for doing this, and it is difficult for people to be updated on policy change with no clear dissemination mechanisms. 2.3 Evaluate the impact of policy, legislation, regulation and codes of practice on organizational policy and practice. Every organization has some policies and producers that promotes equal opportunities and reinforce the codes of practice of specific professional bodies. Organizational policies are the mechanism by which legislation is delivered and implemented. Policies in organizations are includes: Health and safety Harm Minimization Risk Assessment Equal Opportunities Confidentiality Bullying and Harassment Conflict of Interests Since 2000, health and social care services have become strictly regulated and then it became essential for all settings to have a professional code of practice.Organizations have to follow government policies strictly. The code of practice for everyone working within the social care sector includes information on protecting the rights, and promoting the interests, of individuals who are receiving the care and their careers. Policies, legislation and regulation enable the organizations to perform their role efficiently and professionally. 3.1 Explain the theories that underpin health social care practice Social Care Theory for Practice is a major component in Social Care. Professionals role can often be a powerful one. As a care worker you are potentially able to exercise a relatively high degree of control in a situation. French and Raven (1959) identified five types of power: Reward Power based upon the perceived ability to guarantee positive consequences Coercive Power based upon the perceived ability to ensure negative consequences Legitimate Power based upon the perception that someone has the right to expect certainbehaviors (sometimes called position power) Referent Power based upon the desire of subordinates to be like leaders they believe have desirable characteristics Expert Power based upon the perception that a leader has expert knowledge the Subordinates dont have (sometimes called information power). Motivation Theory: According to Stefanle Haffmann(2006), Motivation is a psychological process and it can be explained as willingness of individuals to do something for satisfies a need. When a worker motivated about his job/work employer can get more efficiency. (Robbin and Coulter, 2002) said that, in everyday life, people ask themselves the question why they do something or why not. A need is a psychological or physiological deficiency, which makes the attainment of specific outcomes attractive. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs: Abraham Maslow (1908 1970) along with Frederick Herzberg (1923) introduced the Neo-Human Relations School in the 1950s, which focused on the psychological needs of employees. Physiological; hunger, thirst, etc. Safety and Security Belongingness and Love Esteem Cognitive; understanding, knowledge Aesthetic; order, beauty Self-Actualization; fulfillment and realization of potential Self-transcendence; connection with something beyond the ego or to help others fulfill their potential Maslow put forward a theory that there are five levels of human needs which employees need to have fulfilled at work. Maslow Hierarchy of Needs Taylor Theory: Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856 1917) put forward the idea that workers are motivated mainly by pay. His Theory of Scientific Management argued the following: Workers do not naturally enjoy work and so need close supervision and control. Therefore managers should break down production into a series of small tasks. Workers should then be given appropriate training and tools so they can work as efficiently as possible on one set task. Workers are then paid according to the number of items they produce in a set period of time- piece-rate pay. As a result workers are encouraged to work hard and maximise their productivity. 3.2 Scrutinize how social processes impact on users of health social care services. Marginalization and social exclusion describe the process whereby individuals or groups are pushed to fringes and edges of mainstream activity, where minority groups are excluded from the available to the majority of people. The effect of marginalization is to disadvantage many people and sideline any social, economic and moral concerns for their wellbeing. It is likely that if a group of people experience discrimination and social exclusion, they are also experience health inequalities. Since the Black Report of 1980, it has been acknowledged that those from the lowest social grouping experience the poorest heath in society. Iike in UK inequalities in heath is still persisting. The statistics are stark: For example: Young Black men are six times more likely to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act for compulsory treatment than their white counterparts. Gay and bisexual men are seven times more likely to attempt suicide compared with the general population. GPs often do not accept Gypsies or Travellers on their lists or refuse treatment after first visits. 24% of deaf or hearing impaired people miss appointments, and 19% miss more than five appointments because of poor communication (such as not being able to hear their name being called). Take-up of breast screening is just 26% in women with a learning disability compared with over 70% for other women. Children in the lowest social class are five times more likely to die from an accident than those in the top class. Someone in social class five is four times more likely to experience a stroke than someone in class one. Infant mortality rates are highest among the lowest social groups. Under the age of 65, men are 3.5 times more likely to die of coronary heart disease than women. Women experience more accidents in the home or garden, while men experience more accident in the workplace or while doing sports. Suicide is twice as common in men as in women. The poorest people in England are over ten times more likely to die in their fifties than richer people. Obesity and smoking, two of the leading causes of preventable death, are more common in lower socio-economic groups. Over recent years, we have become increasingly aware of our responsibilities in regard to issues such as equality, diversity and human rights. Like other public sector services, the NHS is under a legal and moral obligation to provide services to all people, regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, religious or cultural belief. From a public health perspective, the key concern is the extent to which people who are socially excluded or disadvantaged as a result of their ethnicity, sexual orientation or religious belief etc. all too often experience the poorest health and poorest experience of healthcare services. 3.3 Evaluate the effectiveness of inter-professional working. According to Barrettet et al, (2005) Quality of service depends on how effectively different professionals work together. Schein (1972) believes that education of health professionals should be mixed in order for professionals to obtain new blends of knowledge and skills. Recently Government stressed the need of inter-professional working which making a difference that our health system must move from one in which a multitude of participants, work alone focusing primarily on managing illness, to one in which they work collaboratively to deliver  quality effective care to clients. Professionals working in collaboration provide care which is designed to meet the needs of clients .When a person seeks hospital care; they will interact with more than one healthcare  professional. The number of professionals involved and the importance of their ability to work collaboratively increases with the complexity of the clients needs. New initiatives to improve management of diseases such as asthma and diabetes invariably points to the need for a more  collaborative approach (Iah and Richards, 1998) 4.1 Explain own role, responsibilities, accountabilities and duties in the context of working with those within and outside the health social care workplace Health service providers are accountable to both the criminal and civil courts to ensure that their activities conform to legal requirements. In addition, employees are accountable to their employer to follow their contract of duty. Registered practitioners are also accountable to regulatory bodies in terms of standards of practice and patient care (RCN et al., 2006). The law imposes a duty of care on practitioners, whether they are HCAs, APs, students, registered nurses, doctors or others, when it is reasonably foreseeable that they might cause harm to patients through their actions or their failure to act (Cox, 2010). HCAs, APs and students all have a duty of care and therefore a legal liability with regard to the patient. They must ensure that they perform competently. They must also inform another when they are unable to perform competently. This applies whether they are performing straightforward tasks such as bathing patients or undertaking complex surgery. In each instance there is an opportunity for harm to occur. Once a duty of care applies, the key question to ask is: what standard of care is expected of practitioners performing particular tasks or roles? In order for anyone to be accountable they must: Have the ability to perform the task. Accept the responsibility for doing the task. Have the authority to perform the task within their job description, and the policies and protocols of the organisation. Registered nurses have a duty of care and a legal liability with regard to the patient. If they have delegated a task they must ensure that the task has been appropriately delegated. This means that: The task is necessary and delegation is in the patients best interest. The support worker understands the task and how it is to be performed. The support worker has the skills and abilities to perform the task competently. The support worker accepts the responsibility to perform the task Competently. Employers have responsibilities too, and as HCAs and APs develop and extend their roles the employer must ensure that their staff are trained and supervised properly until they can demonstrate competence in their new roles (Cox, 2010). Employers accept vicarious liability for their employees. This means that provided that the employee is working within their sphere of competence and in connection with their employment, the employer is also accountable for their actions. Delegation of duties is summarised in this statement from NHS Wales (NLIAH, 2010) Delegation is the process by which you (the delegator) allocate clinical or non-clinical treatment or care to a competent person (the delegatee). You will remain responsible for the overall management of the service user, and accountable for your decision to delegate. You will not be accountable for the decisions and actions of the delegatee. Delegation must always be in the best interest of the patient and not performed simply in an effort to save time or money. The support worker must have been suitably trained to perform the task. The support worker should always keep full records of training given, including dates. There should be written evidence of competence assessment, preferably against recognised standards such as National Occupational Standards. There should be clear guidelines and protocols in place so that the support worker is not required to make a clinical judgement that they are not competent to make. The role should be within the support workers job description. The team and any support staff need to be informed that the task has been delegated (e.g. a receptionist in a GP surgery or ward clerk in a hospital setting). The person who delegates the task must ensure that an appropriate level of supervision is available and that the support worker has the opportunity for mentorship. The level of supervision and feedback provided must be appropriate to the task being delegated. This will be based on the recorded knowledge and competence of the support worker, the needs of the patient/client, the service setting and the tasks assigned (RCN et al., 2006). Ongoing development to ensure that competency is maintained is essential. The whole process must be assessed for the degree of risk. 4.2 Evaluate own contributions to the development and implementation of health and social care organizational policy. You will need to know and understand: Codes of practice and conduct, and standards and guidance relevant to your setting and own and the roles, responsibilities, accountability and duties of others when developing, implementing and reviewing care plans Current local, national and European legislation and organisational requirements, procedures and practices for: data protection health and safety risk assessment and management employment practices protecting individuals from danger, harm and abuse your responsibility for keeping yourself, individuals and others safe making and dealing with complaints and whistle blowing multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working working in integrated ways to promote the individuals well-being the planning and provision of services developing, implementing and reviewing care plans How to access, evaluate and influence organisational and workplace policies, procedures and systems for developing, implementing and reviewing care plans How to access and record information, decisions and judgements for care plans How different philosophies, principles, priorities and codes of practice can affect inter-agency and partnership working when developing, implementing and reviewing care plans Knowledge of the physical, emotional and health conditions of the individuals for whom you are developing, implementing and reviewing care plans and how to use this information to make informed decisions for the content of the care plans The factors to take account of when evaluating whether your organisation has the resources (human, physical and financial) to provide the services and facilities Methods of supporting staff to work with individuals, key people and others to deliver, implement and evaluate care plans The stages, procedures, paperwork and people involved in developing, implementing and reviewing care plans The use of evidence, fact and knowledge based opinions in records and reports and why it is important to differentiate between these and make clear the source of evidence Legal and organisational requirements on equality, diversity, discrimination, rights, confidentiality and sharing of information when developing, implementing and reviewing care plans Knowledge and practice that underpin the holistic person-centred approach which enable you to work in ways that: place the individuals preferences and best interests at the centre of everything you do provide active support for the individuals recognise the uniqueness of individuals and their circumstances empower individuals to take responsibility (as far as they are able and within any restrictions placed upon them), and make and communicate their own decisions about their lives, actions and risks (when developing, implementing and reviewing care plans) How to manage ethical dilemmas and conflicts for individuals, those who use services and staff/colleagues when developing, implementing and reviewing care plans Contribute to, participate in and run meetings and discussions to agree revisions to care plans, taking account of any benefits and risks Ensure that review meetings are arranged and run in ways which promote the full participation of individuals and key people Collate review information and revise care plans within agreed timescales Ensure that individuals and key people understand the revisions that have been made to the care plans and the implications of these for the health and care services that individuals receive Complete, and support individuals to complete, any necessary paperwork when the final plan has been agreed Ensure that the plan is stored and able to be accessed within confidentiality agreements and according to legal, organisational and any service requirements 4.3 Make recommendations to develop own contributions to meeting good practice requirements. Protect the rights and promote the interests of service users. Strive to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of service users. Promote the independence of service users while  protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm. Respect the rights of service users whilst seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves or other people. Uphold public trust and

Effect Of Work Stress In Maruti Suzuki Commerce Essay

Effect Of Work Stress In Maruti Suzuki Commerce Essay Introduction to Maruti Suzuki Ltd. Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. is a leading manufacturer automobile company in India. It was established in December 1983 with the mission to motorise India. Maruti was Collaboration Company between Suzuki Motors Corporation, Japan and Government of India. Maruti is one of the largest compact car manufacturing companies in the world so till 2012. In terms of production, Maruti is the largest subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation and the company has produced over 15 million vehicles since the roll out of its first vehicle on 14th December, 1983. In the employment sector, Maruti has more than 75000 employees and its manufacturing facilities are located at two locations in India in Gurgaon and Manesae, both south of New Delhi. Maruti Suzuki is the only Indian company to cross the 10 million sales mark since its origin. In 2011-12, the company sold over 1.13 million vehicles including 1, 27,379 units of exports.(Marutisuzuki 2012) Marutis Philosophy   Marutis uses its Green Philosophy in the stems of Three Rs: Reduce, Recycle and Reuse policy in its plants, so that there is a minimal stress on natural resources. The company has launched a number of initiatives under its Three Rs umbrella to make the plants more efficient in terms of resource usage. It is also certified with ISO 14001:1996 for its Environment Management System programme and uses the principle of Smaller, fewer lighter, shorter and neater for its operations. Problems in Maruti Company: According to workers who are employed at Maruti Suzuki, highly stressful working hours have been a major concern for the stress of the employees who are working in the Maruti Suzuki. According to the workers, the stressful working hours leads the works to prolonged impasse. Excessive of work load and stringent time management is the major cause of the stress for the workers. There are several reasons for the cause of the work stress for the employees. In the several reasons the major seven reasons for the work stress are,(Cherry 2012, Sengupta 2012) 7 Reason for Work Stress Differences in salary pay No allowance Job insecurity Lack of promotion prospects Under-promotion or over-promotion Unclear or unfair performance evaluation systems Being over-skilled or under-skilled for the job Differences in Salary Pay The first reason for the work stress for the employees is mainly due to the difference in the salary pay. Mostly about 70% of the employees are contract based employees and they paid very less salary when compared to the other workers who are working in the same grade as conformed workers. No allowance Since most of the employees are contract based employees the company has not provide them with any allowance. Hence they didnt get any allowance from the government as well from the company. Job insecurity As contract based employment there is no security for the employees for their job. They can be fired at any moment. This is also a reason for the employees for their stress. Lack of promotion prospects As a contract based employee, there is no promotion prospects for them. Employees need to do the work what the work is assigned for them. This is also a reason for the employees for their stress. Under-promotion or over-promotion Since there is no proper evaluation system or performance appraisal system for the promotion, Employees are promoted in a basis of their influence to the managers. This leads to other workers for the stress in their working. Unclear or unfair performance evaluation systems As said before there is no proper evaluation system for the performance. And this leads to unclear promotion to the employees. So it leads to stress for the workers. Being over-skilled or under-skilled for the job As most of the employees are contract based employees, and hence the position what they are working being an irrelevant position. For example an employee who Mechanical Engineering and working in the finance department. So most of the employees are being like under skilled or over skilled for the jobs, so this also leads to stress for the employees in their working.(Sengupta 2012) Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Maslows hierarchy of needs is a theory proposed by Abraham Maslow in his paper A Theory of Human Motivation in the year 1943. Maslow mainly used the terms like Physiological needs, Safety, Belongingness and Love, Esteem and Self Actualization needs to describe his human motivation theory. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Maslow%27s_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg/450px-Maslow%27s_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg.png Hierarchy Maslows hierarchy of needs can be explained with the help of a pyramid. The most fundamental level of needs is specified at the bottom and at the top needs for self-actualization. Maslow explains the pyramid with four layers and he called them as Deficiency needs or D-Needs. The four layers are Esteem, Friendship and love, Security and Physical needs. He also explains that the most fundamental needs may not be the physical needs. Maslow also use the term Meta motivation in order to motivate the people. He also explains that human mind have the ability for parallel processing and thus by motivating the people also they can achieve their hierarchal needs. Thus Maslow acknowledged the likelihood that the different levels of motivation could occur at any time in the human mind, but he focused on identifying the basic types of motivation and the order in which they should be met.(Cherry 2012) Physiological needs Physiological needs are the physical requirements for human survival. If any of these requirements ate not obtained then the human mind wont function properly and this leads to ultimate failure. Therefore food, shelter, love and respect are some of the basic physiological needs that a human normally expects to be with him.(Cherry 2012) Safety needs The safety needs in the sense job security, secure environment, procedures for protecting the individual from unilateral authority, savings accounts, insurance policies, reasonable disability accommodations, etc..(Cherry 2012) Safety and Security needs include: Personal security Financial security Health and well-being Safety net against accidents/illness and their adverse impacts Love and belonging After physiological and safety needs the next basic need for a human is the love and belongings. This need is especially strong in childhood and this can be obtained by friendship, family and others love towards him. Maslow explains that humans need to feel a sense of belonging that they are accepted in their social group. For example small social group like family in which they are being accepted and they are recognised in the group.(Cherry 2012) Esteem All humans have a need have a feel that they need to be recognised in the society and they need to have their own respect. The fame or glory will not help anyone to get their respect they need to have their own self-esteem in order to be respected. Maslow states that while he originally thought the needs of humans had strict guidelines, the hierarchies are interrelated rather than sharply separated. This means that esteem and the subsequent levels are not strictly separated; instead, the levels are closely related.(Cherry 2012) Self-actualization What a man can be, he must be. This quotation explains the need for self-actualization. Maslow explains that everyone should have their own self-actualization in order to become the most that one can be. For example women may think that she needs to be the best mother for her children than any other mother. In understand this level of need, the person must needs to achieve the previous needs and also should be master in them.(Cherry 2012) Self-transcendence Self-transcendence refers to when a person seeks to further the boundaries of their ideal self, to experience an intimacy beyond ones self. Cloninger later incorporated self-transcendence as a spiritual dimension of personality in the Temperament and Character Inventory.(Cherry 2012) F. W. Taylors Scientific Management Theory F. W. Taylor was an American mechanical engineer completed his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1883. He is well known as the father of scientific management. Taylors Contribution to Scientific Management F.W. Taylor has written the famous book called Principles of Scientific Management in which he mainly imposes three principles, they are First: To explain through simple illustration. Second: To convince the reader through systematic management, rather than explaining some unusual contents. Third: To prove that the management skills are true science. And also he explains that the fundamental principles of scientific management which can be applied for all human activities. For example a simple co-operation between the individuals in the company can raise the production value of the business. And also he convince the readers be simple illustration by correctly applying all his principles.(Taylor 1911) Taylor has defined scientific management as follows: Scientific management is concerned with knowing exactly what you want men to do and then see in that they do it in the best and cheapest way.(Taylor 1911) Principles of Scientific Management The principles of Scientific Management are: 1. Replacing rule of thumb with science. 2. Obtaining harmony in group action rather than discord. 3. Co-operation rather than chaotic individualism. 4. Increase in production and productivity instead of restricted production. 5. Development of workers by providing training. Result of Work Stress As a result of the work stress two major problems occurred in the Maruti. Low Production No Co-operation between the employer and employee Low Production Due to work stress for the employees, their hundred percent inputs for the work were not able to obtain and as a result it leads to less production. Most of the assembly line workers had much stressful work continuously and they are not paid for their work they intently produced less production. As these are the reasons for the less production. No Co-operation between the employer and employee Due to the improper management there was no proper co-operation between the employers and the employees. As the company has not followed any hierarchy structure and most of the employees are contract based employees there was no proper relationship between the employer and the employees. This is also a reason for less production. There two are the major cause as a result of the work stress for the employees in the Maruti Suzuki. Basic Need of the Workers By studying the two major theories, Maslows hierarchy of needs and F. W. Taylors Scientific Management we can suggest some solutions for the problems of the employees in the Maruti Suzuki. According to the two theories basic needs for the employees are (Taylor 1911, Cherry 2012) Permanent Job Proper Work Timing Promotion Transport Facilities Permanent job As about 70% of the employees in the Maruti Suzuki are contract based employees and they dont have the job security is also one of the reasons for the work stress for the employees. And the work stress leads to less production for the company. According to Maslows hierarchy of needs when we provide the employees with the basic needs of what they need they fell secure for working for the company. They get motivated automatically and they fell much secure and automatically reduce the work stress. As a result of less work stress, the employees may give their much effort for the production and hence the production can be increased considerably. Proper Work time Since most of the employees are contract based employees and hence they dont have the proper work timing schedule. And so it leads them to work for more hours. This is also a reason for the work stress for the employees. According to the Maslows hierarchy of needs and F. W. Taylors Scientific Management providing the employees with their basic needs and make them esteem will increase the confidence level for the employees. As a result of the providing proper work time their stress for the working hours will reduce and hence the production can be increased considerably. Promotion As most of the employees in the company are contract based employees and they dont have the promotion prospective. Since working continuously, without any promotion, or incentive makes many employees to feel stress about their work. According to Maslows hierarchy of needs and F. W. Taylors Scientific Management if we make the employees to feel much secure about the work what they do and provide the employees with the hierarchy for the promotion will make them to feel much secure and their work stress will be reduced considerably. And hence the production will be increased automatically. Transport Facilities Since most of the large scale sector industries are located at remote locations, transport facilities to the company being a very complex issues for many employees in the company. According to Maslows theory, proving the employees with their need many reduce the stress for the employee and as a result the production can be increased considerably. So providing transport facilities from the employees from the company to the city center during the shift end and the beginning may reduce the complexity for the transportation to the employees. Implementation By studying the theories of Maslows hierarchy of needs and F. W. Taylors Scientific Management and the problems of the Maruti Suzuki, we can implement some solutions for the problems of the Maruti Suzuki based on the two theories.(Taylor. 2007, Taylor 1911, Cherry 2012) Implement Hierarchy structure for promotion and work allocation. As there was no proper management structure for the company for the promotion and other perspectives if we implement the Maslows hierarchy structure for the employment as the low level workers being in the bottom followed by the supervisors and managers and in the top level there being the management. By implementing Maslows hierarchy structure, the work load can be allocated and hence each worker will equal amount of works. Implement Proper Work Timing with three different shifts. According to Maslows hierarchy of needs providing the employees with their basic physiological needs the workers will fell much secure to work in the company. According to the theory implementing proper work timing with three different shifts which may reduce the workers to work for ling hours and hence their basic physiological needs get satisfied and the employees feel much secure in working for the company. Provide bus services in line with shift timings According to Maslows theory, providing the employees with their physiological needs may reduce the stress of the employees, According to which providing bus services to the employees in line with shift timing may reduce the stress in transportation to the employees. As most of the large scale industries are located in remote locations, so transportation being one of the major stressful tasks for the employees to make in time for the companies. By providing bus services may reduce their stress in transportation. Create a labor welfare committee to promote good relations between the management and the workers According to F. W. Taylors Scientific Management providing proper training to the employer and employees can create a three sixty degree relationship between them. According to Taylors theory creating a labour welfare committee provide a good relationship between the management and workers. Conclusion After studying the problems of the Maruti Suzuki and the theories of Maslows hierarchy of needs and F. W. Taylors Scientific Management the problems of the Maruti Suzuki have been solved by implementing the solutions to the problem from the theories of Maslows hierarchy of needs and F. W. Taylors Scientific Management. The major problem of the employees being the work stress have been solved by the Maslows hierarchal theory and the major problem for the management being the less production which have been solved by implementing F. W. Taylors Scientific Management theory.

Baseball’s Freedom Fighter :: Essays Papers

Baseball’s Freedom Fighter The 1960’s were a decade of upheaval. Outcry spilled out into the streets as angry demonstrators protested against the Vietnam War; Civil Rights marches occupied a segregated South; and the Black Power movement swept through the Negro community with persuasive authority. In the midst of all of this social change stood one man, St. Louis Cardinal’s centerfielder Curt Flood. Fueled by the turmoil of his times, Flood started his own social movement, a one-man struggle for freedom on the baseball diamond. Flood an accomplished baseball player had endured twelve years in the Major Leagues, a victim of unwarranted discrimination in a still racist nation. In 1969, Flood became a pioneer, making an historic decision that ended his baseball career at the age of 31. Against the advice of the Major League Baseball’s Players Union, Flood refused to accept his trade to the Philadelphia Phillies after the end of the 1969 season. When Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn r efused to let him out of baseball’s reserve clause, which allowed for a player to be traded without his consent and made it impossible for a player to choose to play for another team, Flood took his case all the way to the Supreme Court (Ashe 61). When the case finally made its way through the courts system, Flood’s playing career was lost but a whole new era of baseball had begun. Flood stands as the pivotal figure that changed the balance of power in the game. The story of Curt Flood is one of tragic sacrifice and poignant courage. It is the story of a ball player giving up the game he loved for nothing more than a principle. Flood’s famous â€Å"I am a Man,† statement illustrated his belief that baseball was treating him unfairly (Burns, The Eighth Inning). Flood also penned these thoughts in a letter he sent to Kuhn on Christmas Eve of 1969, writing, â€Å"I do not feel that I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes† (Burns, The Eighth Inning). Craving the freedom to choose what team he played for, Flood would not accept the notion that he had no control over his own destiny as a baseball player. Flood however, stood alone in his fight. At his court hearing no active baseball player would testify on his behalf. Baseball’s Freedom Fighter :: Essays Papers Baseball’s Freedom Fighter The 1960’s were a decade of upheaval. Outcry spilled out into the streets as angry demonstrators protested against the Vietnam War; Civil Rights marches occupied a segregated South; and the Black Power movement swept through the Negro community with persuasive authority. In the midst of all of this social change stood one man, St. Louis Cardinal’s centerfielder Curt Flood. Fueled by the turmoil of his times, Flood started his own social movement, a one-man struggle for freedom on the baseball diamond. Flood an accomplished baseball player had endured twelve years in the Major Leagues, a victim of unwarranted discrimination in a still racist nation. In 1969, Flood became a pioneer, making an historic decision that ended his baseball career at the age of 31. Against the advice of the Major League Baseball’s Players Union, Flood refused to accept his trade to the Philadelphia Phillies after the end of the 1969 season. When Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn r efused to let him out of baseball’s reserve clause, which allowed for a player to be traded without his consent and made it impossible for a player to choose to play for another team, Flood took his case all the way to the Supreme Court (Ashe 61). When the case finally made its way through the courts system, Flood’s playing career was lost but a whole new era of baseball had begun. Flood stands as the pivotal figure that changed the balance of power in the game. The story of Curt Flood is one of tragic sacrifice and poignant courage. It is the story of a ball player giving up the game he loved for nothing more than a principle. Flood’s famous â€Å"I am a Man,† statement illustrated his belief that baseball was treating him unfairly (Burns, The Eighth Inning). Flood also penned these thoughts in a letter he sent to Kuhn on Christmas Eve of 1969, writing, â€Å"I do not feel that I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes† (Burns, The Eighth Inning). Craving the freedom to choose what team he played for, Flood would not accept the notion that he had no control over his own destiny as a baseball player. Flood however, stood alone in his fight. At his court hearing no active baseball player would testify on his behalf.

Formalistic Reading of Sens New York Times :: Sudeep Sen

Sudeep Sen’s â€Å"New York Times† basically deals with a strong sense of life in New York. This poem consists of thirty lines altogether in six stanzas, depicting a clear description of one’s every day life at a fast pace in the first four stanzas and gradually mellows down to a slower motion, where reflection manages to take place. From the first sentence itself, â€Å"Every morning in relentless hurry, I scurry/† there is the sense of hurriedness and swiftness as if â€Å"I† is in a rat race. â€Å"Scurry† is normally associated with rats, always scamper and in a rush all the time. Readers have a dramatic image of the fast events that are happening to the persona. This can be witnessed through the â€Å"spilled coffee† indicating the lack of time to even stop for a sip of drink or breakfast. In New York, time does not stand still. Since every moment passes in a fast manner, the persona doesn’t even realise â€Å"it’s lunch time, and then,/ evening, late,/ being herded home †¦Ã¢â‚¬  mechanically as if he has lost control of his own life. Besides the dictions chosen, Sen uses less punctuation in each line of the first four stanzas to represent the quickness and the rapidity of the persona in the midst of New York City. Sen also utilises the idea of illusion in his dictions to indicate the speed of the people in this city. This can be seen in line 17, â€Å"where walking means/ running, driving means speeding,/† and since time passes in a wink of an eye, persona couldn’t even remember the days in the weekend as Sen states in line 14 – 17, â€Å"In this city, I/ count the passage of time only by weekends/ linked by five-day flashes I don’t/ even remember.† Everybody seems to be â€Å"speeding in the subway of mute faces/†. Being busy in the city, has transformed people to be so automated, mechanical person with their â€Å"mute faces†, no one cares to say hi to each other or even to smile to the person sitting next to you. However, in the last line of the fourth stanza, â€Å"But somewhere, somehow, times takes its toll,/† is seen as the turning point in this poem. This sentence is depicting the reflection as if the persona stops to think for a moment. Formalistic Reading of Sen's New York Times :: Sudeep Sen Sudeep Sen’s â€Å"New York Times† basically deals with a strong sense of life in New York. This poem consists of thirty lines altogether in six stanzas, depicting a clear description of one’s every day life at a fast pace in the first four stanzas and gradually mellows down to a slower motion, where reflection manages to take place. From the first sentence itself, â€Å"Every morning in relentless hurry, I scurry/† there is the sense of hurriedness and swiftness as if â€Å"I† is in a rat race. â€Å"Scurry† is normally associated with rats, always scamper and in a rush all the time. Readers have a dramatic image of the fast events that are happening to the persona. This can be witnessed through the â€Å"spilled coffee† indicating the lack of time to even stop for a sip of drink or breakfast. In New York, time does not stand still. Since every moment passes in a fast manner, the persona doesn’t even realise â€Å"it’s lunch time, and then,/ evening, late,/ being herded home †¦Ã¢â‚¬  mechanically as if he has lost control of his own life. Besides the dictions chosen, Sen uses less punctuation in each line of the first four stanzas to represent the quickness and the rapidity of the persona in the midst of New York City. Sen also utilises the idea of illusion in his dictions to indicate the speed of the people in this city. This can be seen in line 17, â€Å"where walking means/ running, driving means speeding,/† and since time passes in a wink of an eye, persona couldn’t even remember the days in the weekend as Sen states in line 14 – 17, â€Å"In this city, I/ count the passage of time only by weekends/ linked by five-day flashes I don’t/ even remember.† Everybody seems to be â€Å"speeding in the subway of mute faces/†. Being busy in the city, has transformed people to be so automated, mechanical person with their â€Å"mute faces†, no one cares to say hi to each other or even to smile to the person sitting next to you. However, in the last line of the fourth stanza, â€Å"But somewhere, somehow, times takes its toll,/† is seen as the turning point in this poem. This sentence is depicting the reflection as if the persona stops to think for a moment.

Build-a-Bear

1. Give examples of needs, wants, and demand that Build-A-Bear customers demonstrate, differentiating each of these three concepts. What are the implications of each on Build-A-Bear’s actions? Needs are defined as a basic part of the human makeup. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the need for toys belong to the third level or the social needs for love and belonging level. The primary target market of Build-A-Bear are children. A toy can provide the friend or social belonging a child needs. Build-A-Bear provides for the natural need of a child of a toy. Wants is defined as the form taken by human needs as they are shaped by culture and individual personality. As a child grows, his or her need for toys develops into wants or desires. A child needs a toy but may want a doll, a toy car, or a stuffed animal. This certain want may be influenced by the environment or the people in their surroundings. Build-A-Bear offers stuffed animals that are usually desired by younger children, most especially girls. Furthermore, Build-A-Bear have created a â€Å"want† for toys that are personalized. Demand is defined as a want backed up by buying power of the customers. In the case of Build-A-Bear, the buying power or money is provided by the parents of the children. And since they will be paying for the satisfaction of the â€Å"wants† of their children, customers or parents would want to get the toys, particularly the stuffed animals, with the best benefits. Build-A-Bear increases their toys’ benefits by promising that they would provide more than just a toy but the joyful experience of creating the toy. By offering more than just a toy, they have created a remarkable edge over other toys that would make their products more appealing to buying customers. 2. Detail all facets of Build-A-Bear’s product. What is being exchanged in a Build-A-Bear transaction? A Build-A-Bear Workshop’s primary products are personalized stuffed animals. But they promise to offer more than just a toy since these stuffed animals are created by the customers through different stations positioned in the store. To make the actual stuffed animal, the customers are provided the raw materials and they must then go through the child-friendly stations (Choose Me, Stuff Me, Hear Me, Stitch Me, Fluff Me, Dress Me, and Name Me) in the Build-A-Bear Workshop and do the necessary processes in the stations. Thus, what is actually exchanged is the toy plus the playful experience of creating the toy. From the perspective of a child or even adults, this will be a very unique experience since most of toys currently available in the market are all factory-produced. This unique experience shall become a creative memory and is also an added feature of the said exchange. 3. Which of the five marketing management concepts best describes Build-A-Bear Workshop? The marketing management concept that is best apt for the Build-A-Bear Workshop is the Marketing Concept. The marketing concept is defined as the concept that conducts various researches first regarding the needs, wants and demands of the customers before producing the actual product. The marketing concept also introduces the concept of customer-driving market or offering a new product that the customer may want based on their research and market studies. In the case of Build-A-Bear, the company is a pioneer in their kind of business. Maxine Clark, the owner, has determined that customers need products that are customized or personalized and will give them a sense of creativity and uniqueness. They have created a toy that is more than just a toy. They have integrated a product and service and they are continuously improving their services to offer more to loyal customers. 4. Discuss the value that Build-A-Bear creates for its customers. Customer value is defined as the difference between the values the customer gains from owning and using a product and the costs of obtaining the product. Build-A-Bear not only offers a toy but rather the â€Å"experience of participating in the creation of personalized entertainment†. This experience satisfies the growing demand for products that are inclined towards customization. This is what separates Build-A-Bear Workshop from a regular toy store. This gives them the edge and competitive advantage from all other stuffed animals in the market. 5. Is Build-A-Bear likely to be successful in continuing to build customer relationships? Why or why not? Yes, because as what has been described in the text, the owner of the company is very much customer oriented. As demonstrated by the marketing concept, they look first at what is outside before going in. In her goal of going to 2 to 3 stores per month, the owner can get a personal first-hand experience of getting to know what the customer wants. She keeps their products updated by continuously asking the customers what they want. If the customers knew that the owner is very much concerned with what they want, this can develop their loyalty to the company. Furthermore, products that continuously answer to customer’s desires can also develop customer loyalty and leads to customers buying more from the company. Moreover, they can also share their experience with the company and encourage potential customers to try their products as well. Build-a-Bear 1. Give examples of needs, wants, and demand that Build-A-Bear customers demonstrate, differentiating each of these three concepts. What are the implications of each on Build-A-Bear’s actions? Needs are defined as a basic part of the human makeup. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the need for toys belong to the third level or the social needs for love and belonging level. The primary target market of Build-A-Bear are children. A toy can provide the friend or social belonging a child needs. Build-A-Bear provides for the natural need of a child of a toy. Wants is defined as the form taken by human needs as they are shaped by culture and individual personality. As a child grows, his or her need for toys develops into wants or desires. A child needs a toy but may want a doll, a toy car, or a stuffed animal. This certain want may be influenced by the environment or the people in their surroundings. Build-A-Bear offers stuffed animals that are usually desired by younger children, most especially girls. Furthermore, Build-A-Bear have created a â€Å"want† for toys that are personalized. Demand is defined as a want backed up by buying power of the customers. In the case of Build-A-Bear, the buying power or money is provided by the parents of the children. And since they will be paying for the satisfaction of the â€Å"wants† of their children, customers or parents would want to get the toys, particularly the stuffed animals, with the best benefits. Build-A-Bear increases their toys’ benefits by promising that they would provide more than just a toy but the joyful experience of creating the toy. By offering more than just a toy, they have created a remarkable edge over other toys that would make their products more appealing to buying customers. 2. Detail all facets of Build-A-Bear’s product. What is being exchanged in a Build-A-Bear transaction? A Build-A-Bear Workshop’s primary products are personalized stuffed animals. But they promise to offer more than just a toy since these stuffed animals are created by the customers through different stations positioned in the store. To make the actual stuffed animal, the customers are provided the raw materials and they must then go through the child-friendly stations (Choose Me, Stuff Me, Hear Me, Stitch Me, Fluff Me, Dress Me, and Name Me) in the Build-A-Bear Workshop and do the necessary processes in the stations. Thus, what is actually exchanged is the toy plus the playful experience of creating the toy. From the perspective of a child or even adults, this will be a very unique experience since most of toys currently available in the market are all factory-produced. This unique experience shall become a creative memory and is also an added feature of the said exchange. 3. Which of the five marketing management concepts best describes Build-A-Bear Workshop? The marketing management concept that is best apt for the Build-A-Bear Workshop is the Marketing Concept. The marketing concept is defined as the concept that conducts various researches first regarding the needs, wants and demands of the customers before producing the actual product. The marketing concept also introduces the concept of customer-driving market or offering a new product that the customer may want based on their research and market studies. In the case of Build-A-Bear, the company is a pioneer in their kind of business. Maxine Clark, the owner, has determined that customers need products that are customized or personalized and will give them a sense of creativity and uniqueness. They have created a toy that is more than just a toy. They have integrated a product and service and they are continuously improving their services to offer more to loyal customers. 4. Discuss the value that Build-A-Bear creates for its customers. Customer value is defined as the difference between the values the customer gains from owning and using a product and the costs of obtaining the product. Build-A-Bear not only offers a toy but rather the â€Å"experience of participating in the creation of personalized entertainment†. This experience satisfies the growing demand for products that are inclined towards customization. This is what separates Build-A-Bear Workshop from a regular toy store. This gives them the edge and competitive advantage from all other stuffed animals in the market. 5. Is Build-A-Bear likely to be successful in continuing to build customer relationships? Why or why not? Yes, because as what has been described in the text, the owner of the company is very much customer oriented. As demonstrated by the marketing concept, they look first at what is outside before going in. In her goal of going to 2 to 3 stores per month, the owner can get a personal first-hand experience of getting to know what the customer wants. She keeps their products updated by continuously asking the customers what they want. If the customers knew that the owner is very much concerned with what they want, this can develop their loyalty to the company. Furthermore, products that continuously answer to customer’s desires can also develop customer loyalty and leads to customers buying more from the company. Moreover, they can also share their experience with the company and encourage potential customers to try their products as well. Build-a-Bear 1. Give examples of needs, wants, and demand that Build-A-Bear customers demonstrate, differentiating each of these three concepts. What are the implications of each on Build-A-Bear’s actions? Needs are defined as a basic part of the human makeup. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the need for toys belong to the third level or the social needs for love and belonging level. The primary target market of Build-A-Bear are children. A toy can provide the friend or social belonging a child needs. Build-A-Bear provides for the natural need of a child of a toy. Wants is defined as the form taken by human needs as they are shaped by culture and individual personality. As a child grows, his or her need for toys develops into wants or desires. A child needs a toy but may want a doll, a toy car, or a stuffed animal. This certain want may be influenced by the environment or the people in their surroundings. Build-A-Bear offers stuffed animals that are usually desired by younger children, most especially girls. Furthermore, Build-A-Bear have created a â€Å"want† for toys that are personalized. Demand is defined as a want backed up by buying power of the customers. In the case of Build-A-Bear, the buying power or money is provided by the parents of the children. And since they will be paying for the satisfaction of the â€Å"wants† of their children, customers or parents would want to get the toys, particularly the stuffed animals, with the best benefits. Build-A-Bear increases their toys’ benefits by promising that they would provide more than just a toy but the joyful experience of creating the toy. By offering more than just a toy, they have created a remarkable edge over other toys that would make their products more appealing to buying customers. 2. Detail all facets of Build-A-Bear’s product. What is being exchanged in a Build-A-Bear transaction? A Build-A-Bear Workshop’s primary products are personalized stuffed animals. But they promise to offer more than just a toy since these stuffed animals are created by the customers through different stations positioned in the store. To make the actual stuffed animal, the customers are provided the raw materials and they must then go through the child-friendly stations (Choose Me, Stuff Me, Hear Me, Stitch Me, Fluff Me, Dress Me, and Name Me) in the Build-A-Bear Workshop and do the necessary processes in the stations. Thus, what is actually exchanged is the toy plus the playful experience of creating the toy. From the perspective of a child or even adults, this will be a very unique experience since most of toys currently available in the market are all factory-produced. This unique experience shall become a creative memory and is also an added feature of the said exchange. 3. Which of the five marketing management concepts best describes Build-A-Bear Workshop? The marketing management concept that is best apt for the Build-A-Bear Workshop is the Marketing Concept. The marketing concept is defined as the concept that conducts various researches first regarding the needs, wants and demands of the customers before producing the actual product. The marketing concept also introduces the concept of customer-driving market or offering a new product that the customer may want based on their research and market studies. In the case of Build-A-Bear, the company is a pioneer in their kind of business. Maxine Clark, the owner, has determined that customers need products that are customized or personalized and will give them a sense of creativity and uniqueness. They have created a toy that is more than just a toy. They have integrated a product and service and they are continuously improving their services to offer more to loyal customers. 4. Discuss the value that Build-A-Bear creates for its customers. Customer value is defined as the difference between the values the customer gains from owning and using a product and the costs of obtaining the product. Build-A-Bear not only offers a toy but rather the â€Å"experience of participating in the creation of personalized entertainment†. This experience satisfies the growing demand for products that are inclined towards customization. This is what separates Build-A-Bear Workshop from a regular toy store. This gives them the edge and competitive advantage from all other stuffed animals in the market. 5. Is Build-A-Bear likely to be successful in continuing to build customer relationships? Why or why not? Yes, because as what has been described in the text, the owner of the company is very much customer oriented. As demonstrated by the marketing concept, they look first at what is outside before going in. In her goal of going to 2 to 3 stores per month, the owner can get a personal first-hand experience of getting to know what the customer wants. She keeps their products updated by continuously asking the customers what they want. If the customers knew that the owner is very much concerned with what they want, this can develop their loyalty to the company. Furthermore, products that continuously answer to customer’s desires can also develop customer loyalty and leads to customers buying more from the company. Moreover, they can also share their experience with the company and encourage potential customers to try their products as well.