Short Term vs Long Term Goals Essay Example for Free

Short Term vs Long Term Goals Essay Former US vice-president Al Gore has hit out at company bosses and fund managers for damaging the environment by focusing on short-term goals. Speaking at the National Association of Pensions Funds annual investment conference in Edinburgh, Gore warned that companies obsession with meeting short-term profit targets rather than taking a longer term view, was hampering work to combat climate change. Goals Goal-setting ideally involves establishing specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-targeted objectives. Work on the goal-setting theorysuggests that it can serve as an effective tool for making progress by ensuring that participants have a clear awareness of what they must do to achieve or help achieve an objective. On a personal level, the process of setting goals allows people to specify and then work towards their own objectives — most commonly financial or career-based goals. Goal-setting comprises a major component of Personal development. Short Term Goals Short-term goals expect accomplishment in a short period of time, such as trying to get a bill paid in the next few days. The definition of a short-term goal need not relate to any specific length of time. In other words, one may achieve (or fail to achieve) a short-term goal in a day, week, month, year, etc Long-term goals are ones that you will achieve over a longer period of time Long-term goals often are our most meaningful and important goals. One problem, however, is that the achievement of these goals is usually far in the future. As a result, we often have trouble staying focused and maintaining a positive attitude toward reaching these goals. â€Å"If one of your long-term goals is to get an electrical engineering degree in five years, you can set up enabling goals for each semester or quarter of college that supports this long-term goal. These goals could include attending classes, participating in professional development and internship opportunities at your school, maintaining a certain grade point average, and staying up-to-date in your readings and assignments.† the end toward which effort is directed. You must be able to measure the outcome of your goals. When you set a goal you must include a time frame for achieving it. You can also specify amounts Dont be negative. Make sure your goal is something you want rather than something you want to avoid. Keep your goals realistic. Make sure you have the ability and skills necessary to reach your goal Many long term goals will have short term goals that lead to them. Your short term goals will relate to your long term goal. 6 Steps to Creating Achievable Goals: With every goal you must follow the 6 P’s:  Prioritize: You may have several goals. Prioritize them on your list. Positive: Use positive language. I will †¦, I’ll be†¦, I’ll have†¦ Precise: Be precise. I will have supper with my family three nights a week rather than I will be home earlier Performance: Measure your performance. Set time for starting and completing your goal. May 1 – I will be home at 5:30 three nights this week Practical: Make your goals practical. Do you have the control to make this work or do you rely on other people to meet your goal? Personal: Is this goal a personal goal or someone else’s desire for you?

Importance of Ethical Behavior in Social Work

Importance of Ethical Behavior in Social Work Veronica Anderson Shalondria Wade Hill I. Ethics and Social Work For professions rooted in health and human services,  ethics are a vital part and have the most importance. The social work profession is the epitome of both integrity and ethics. Although the majority of social workers display ideal ethics and the nature of the career tends to attract the most compassionate and principled individuals, there is a small minority that engage in behavior that is considered to be unethical. The NASW (National Association of Social Workers) Code of Ethics emphasizes that the core of any type of social work revolves around professional ethics. The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of six core values. It is somewhat of a map that guides each social worker’s journey and is important to all social workers regardless of working conditions. These core values serve as the root for all social workers and if followed properly will ensure that each and every social worker remain highly ethical in any situation that they may face. The se core values are: (1) Service, (2) Social Justice, (3) Dignity and worth of the person, (4) Importance of Human relationships, (5) Integrity, and (6) Competence (National Association of Social Workers, 2013). Unethical behavior for a social worker is any deviation or violation from the six core values and the several principles and standards set forth by the NASW. The reason social workers misconduct is so important is because misconduct and neglect of duty by a social worker could have harmful consequences. Misconduct by a social worker can result in serious injury, lost financial support, child endangerment, and in some cases death (Hyslop, 2015). With such fatal consequences, it is urgent that the social work profession understand why some of their workers engage in such ethical misbehavior. According to Dr. Frederic G. Reamer, there are several prominent themes when it comes to social work misconduct: (1) Desperation, (2) Greed, (3) Impairment, (4) mental illness, (5) addiction (including addiction to substances, sex, and gambling), and professional burnout (Reamer, 2012). II. Competence One of the critical core values set forth by the NASW is competence. Competence is the ability to perform one’s duties both successfully and efficiently. This is critical for social workers. Social workers tend to work long hours and have a number of cases, so it is important that they can work efficiently but also keep the same standards to ensure that the job is done successfully as well. The ethical principle states how â€Å"Social workers must practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise† (National Association of Social Workers, 2013). For social workers it is proper to utilize their education, personal values, experience, training, and any other professional related experiences in order to properly address any situation. Although it may be overlooked at times, being competent is a crucial factor in many cases of unethical behavior. With many of these situations, competence is the first core values that many unethical social workers neglect. Having a competent social worker is the necessary first key to resolving any situation and when it is lacking, terrible consequences could be the result. The NASW believes that social workers should continually strive to increase their professional knowledge and skills in order to apply them successfully in practice. In order to remain competent social workers must work every day to not only maintain their level of competence but to also build upon it as well. III. Case An example of unethical behavior in social work can be seen in the case of Candice Lassiter and Craig Smith in North Carolina. These two social workers were each charged with three counts obstruction of justice in relation to the death of a 15 month year old little girl. According to Mitch Weiss of the Huffington Post, the social workers were aware of the child abuse going on in the home, yet after the death of the child Lassiter, who was in charge, ordered Smith, a subordinate, to falsify records to make it appear like they did an fair and competent job in investigating the case (Weiss, 2013). There were several violations of social work ethics in this case which include: (1) lying, (2) incompetence, (3) service, (4) social justice, and (5) the unethical conduct of colleagues. Gregory Achen notes how child abuse can be hard to substantiate and requires comprehensive, time-consuming assessments from social workers (Achen, 2013). If the two social workers in the previous case used the code of ethics this child’s life could have been spared. According to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), child abuse and neglect is defined as: Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or failure to act, which presents an imminent risk of serious harm (U.S. Dept. Health and Human Services, 2012). In the United States 9.3% of children were victims of abuse and/or neglect in 2009. With approximately 9% of children in this country neglected and/or abused, there needs to be a voice for the children, and that voice needs to be in skilled, ethical social workers. To explain this problem in a social work setting, I propose this hypothetical situation. A social worker coming straight out of a Master’s program has just been hired by the Mississippi Department of Health and Human Services (MDHS) as a child protection services specialist. This social worker’s superior has been an excellent mentor so far and has provided necessary skills and knowledge on the subject matter and how to deal with a variety of situations. Over the past year, the young social worker has been to various functions with the supervisor and now considers them to be not only colleagues but close friends. At MDHS, social workers are informed of suspected cases through the hotline and once the case gets assigned they have 3 levels. Level 1 is called the screen out; it is centered on neglect more than actual abuse. Level 2 is still neglect and abuse but more severe than level 1 and the social worker has up to 72 hours to make a home visit. Level 3 is the most severe level. Here are the cases of extreme physical abuse and sexual abuse and the social worker has up to 24 hours to make a home visit. (MDHS). Now unfamiliar to the young social worker, her supervisor has already had a level 2 call about child abuse in a pretty bad neighborhood. The supervisor has neglected numerous home visits and eventually the hotline receives a level 3 call about this same child. The supervisor still remains to follow through, and two weeks later, the same child is found dead at the home. Upon hearing of the death, the supervisor is trying to cover their tracks and so they reach out to the young social worker. The supervisor should have handed the case to a CPS worker and oversee all of the home care visits, but did none of it. So they come to the young social worker to falsify official documents. He wants the young social worker to fill out reports showing that home visits were made and that everything seemed to be in order when they visited on the number of calls previously received. The supervisor would then sign off on all of the paperwork and even states how he himself went out to the home with the young social worker on one of the visits to ensure that everything was ok. In this hypothetical situation the police never find out about the unethical misconduct of the social workers and they continue their friendship, however due to this incident more and more cases could possibly turn out the same way and one child’s life was lost. In this scenario, there has been a variety of social work unethical behavior demonstrated. Obviously lying to cover up another colleague’s neglect is the most obvious. The core values not used were reasonable for all six. The core value of service was not administered at all here. A social worker’s primary goal is to help people in need, and in this case a child needed them and nothing was done. There was no social justice performed by these social workers because social workers are supposed to help get justice for weak and vulnerable individuals, and in this case this was not accomplished. They did not acknowledge the dignity and worth of this child, possibly because of the unsafe environment with which they were being raised. The importance of human relationships extends beyond clients at times. Although it is the target to obtain a good relationship with colleagues, it is not worth it if the clients, social workers are supposed to help, suffer as a result of it. Lastly there was no integrity or competence shown here with the falsifying of documents to cover the tracks of a superior. IV. Personal Reflection Social workers practicing in the child welfare field often face the need to make critical decisions while working in stressful work environments that can include high caseloads and limited supervision, training, and support (National Association of Social Workers, 2013). As an undergraduate social work student here at Jackson State University, the NASW Code of Ethics has played a crucial role in not only how I view social work issues but also how I look at issues in my everyday life. The role of social workers when it comes to abuse varies, but it centers on the safety and well-being of potential victims. This is one major reason why I feel that it is important to have a code of ethics and set of guiding principles that anyone can fall back on when confronted with morally unclear issues such as the prior hypothetical situation. In my opinion, both the supervisor and the young social worker were more than wrong in the above scenario. First off the supervisor was neglectful in his duties initially. Any level two calls about child abuse are extremely upsetting and his duty was to call attention to it and respond appropriately. To compound his neglect, upon the death of the child he immediately began lying to his superiors, to the young social worker, and to himself. Lying about visiting the home and lying about the entire situation was not the way to go. To top it all off, due to his negligence he brought in the young social worker to lie on his behalf. He used the friendship he achieved with a coworker to justify and cover up his mistakes. The young social worker is also at fault because she should have had more integrity to not get involved in the cover up and report the negligence of her supervisor to the proper authorities. All she did, by covering up his mistake, was leave the door open for it to happen a gain and that could cost more children harm and possibly cause another life to end as well. One of the best things about the NASW code of ethics, in my mind, is the fact that they all work with each other. Without having one core value it lessen any of the other five. That is why I feel that competence is one of the most important ones. If a social worker is not competent it makes it almost impossible to display and of the other five core values. That is why in this case I feel that the core value most in need was competence. I feel that this falls hand in hand with my personal values. My aim is to become an exceptional social worker and the way to ensure this I must remain competent with everything I do. The supervisor lacked competence by not only neglecting his duties but by involving a subordinate in the affairs as well to cover his tracks. The young social worker lacked competence, by not knowing the situation that the supervisor put her in by asking for her to falsify documents. If I was ever in any situation that could possibly contradict with my personal values or the social work six core values, it would be hard to say one hundred percent what I would do, but I am more than confident that with the importance of my values and the NASW code of ethics that a solution will be reached that does not jeopardize my integrity, the integrity of my career, and my past, current, or potential clients. As a social worker we must rely on our values and the NASW core values to help us in any situation. If any situation contradicts with either of the two then we must take appropriate action. Not only would I have denied the request the supervisor gave to falsify documents, I would also reported it to either his superior or to the authorities. Social workers are similar to a variety of professions, especially when it comes to the fact that lives could potentially be in our hands. There is no way that someone could die because of my negligence, and instead of owning up to a mistake and serving the potential punishment, I would just cover it up. I would not be able to sleep at night as a result. Social workers are the first line of defense when it comes to abuse victims and with this comes the great responsibility of protecting the innocence of the nation’s children, ensuring that they at least have a chance to rise above the situation and go on to live productive lives. Bibliography Achen, Gregory. (2013). The Importance of Ethic in Social Work. San Diego State University  School of Social Work. Retrieved From: http://socialwork.sdsu.edu/insitu/social-workethics/the-importance-of-ethics-in-social-work-by-gregory-achen/ Hyslop, J. (2015). Mastering Social Work Values and Ethics by Farrukh Akhtar, Foreword by  Professor Hilary Tompsett, Part of the Mastering Social Work Skills series, Jessica  Kingsley Publishers, London and Philadelphia, 2012. 168 pp. ISBN 978à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 84905à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 274à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 0 (Pbk), £ 17.99. Child Abuse Review. National Association of Social Workers. (2013). NASW Standards for Social Work Practice in  Child Welfare. Retrieved from:  http://www.naswdc.org/practice/standards/childwelfarestandards2012.pdf Reamer, Frederic G. (2012). Eye on Ethics: The Dark Side of Social Work: Ethical Misconduct.  Social Work Today. Retrieved From:  http://www.socialworktoday.com/news/eoe_051712.shtml United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2012). 2012 Child Maltreatment  Annual report. Retrieved from: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/cm2012.pdf   Weiss, M. (2013). Candice Lassiter and Craig Smith, social workers, charged in Aubrey  KinaMarie Littlejohn’s death. Huffington Post. Retrieved from  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/14/candice-lassiter-craig-smith-social-workersbabys-death_n_3079938.html?utm_hp_ref=crime Mississippi Department of Human Services:  http://www.mdhs.ms.gov/media/9579/titleandtoc.pdf

Change Management at British Airways (BA)

Change Management at British Airways (BA) This report identifies the Leadership Theory and The Change Management with its impact on British Airways. It clearly outlines the external and internal factors which the new Chief Executive, Willie Walsh, has to consider in order to successfully drive the company forward. In this report different change models are explained as well as the reasons for the change. Leadership Theory: Leadership is actually a process of social influence for the accomplishment of a common task in which one person enlist the aid and support of others. Alan Keith of Genentech states that, Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen. According to Ken SKC Ogbonnia, effective leadership is the ability to successfully integrate and maximize available resources within the internal and external environment for the attainment of organizational or societal goals. All above leadership definition and scholars views about leadership interpret that leadership is a unique quality which works in uniting different people on the same point and plate form to win the certain goals and objects. Different theories including power, vision and values, behaviour traits, charisma and situational interaction, intelligence were evolved by the students of leadership. For centuries the search for the characteristics of leaders has been in progress. The early detection of significance of the leadership was the basis of this search and the theory that leadership is embedded in the characteristics that few individual seize. This thought that leadership is based on individual characteristics is called Trait Theory of Leadership This view subjugated experimental and theoretical work in leadership for centuries. Between 1940-1950 reviews of these studies provoked researchers to consider different view for the definition of leadership. There are various models for the theories of leadership. MODEL 1: This model comprises of three effective styles of leadership: Authoritarian leadership style: This style gives the criteria of leadership style in which the working environment is managed by the leader using the strong directives, instructions and controlling actions by enforcing the rules. Democratic leadership style: It is very important style through which leaders take such actions which are collective, interactive and responsive. Laissez-faire leadership style: Let the things and tasks be done by the followers as they want is the essence of this style. The leaders give liberties but no guidance and framework to the followers to perform actions and accomplish the task themselves. MODEL 2: This model bears the great characteristics, the task versus interpersonal. INTEPERSONAL -ORIENTED STYLE OF LEADERSHIP: According to Clark, Donald, 2005, there are certain characteristics of this style of leadership. It offers the style of leadership that gives the opportunity to the leaders to ask the followers for opinions and suggestions and motivate the followers. The leaders give much priority to the thoughts, ideas, and the feelings of the followers. In this style the leaders give liberties of free communications. They have good listening skills and not much oral communication TASK- ORIENTED STYLE OF LEADERSHIP: According to YUKL.G, 2002, the task oriented style of leadership has certain characteristics: In this style, the leaders distribute information. The leaders do not pay attention to the ideas, thoughts and the feelings of others. The rigid sort of communication is exercised. Related to performance, the demands are made by the leaders. In this style written communication works. Model 3: There are four important theories of leadership in this model that are acted upon by any organization to update the business and for extensive management decisions. Michigan leadership studies. Ohio state leadership. McGregors theory X Y Blake and Macaneses leadership study. Importance of leadership skills in 21st Century The leaders of the 21st century are finding it hard to manage the progressively more multi faceted and constantly fast paced nature of the businesses. Engrossed in the unpredictable markets, leadership failures continue to rise even among highly eminent CEOs. Leaders have always developed their skills through, training courses, seminars and coaching-and attaining 21st century leadership skills are no different. In business management, leadership plays a successful role in identifying strengths and weaknesses of an organization and utilize them efficiently to accomplish the goals and objectives set by the organization. Other than decision making, leader has to encourage and lead his team on the road to success. 21st century leaders have many roles to perform due to changing trends in markets, cajole organizations, numerous stakeholders and splited job where they persistently face tradeoffs in focus, energy and time. With a new set of leadership qualities a blended 21st century leadership style is rising: Their leadership style matching to a complex, fast-moving technology based business Skilled in oral communication is a key element of good customer service Articulating a convincing future vision Guiding different groups of people to deliver business goals Cutting unnecessary overheads today while building for tomorrow. Bringing new perspectives and confronts threats without being overloaded Searching for new solutions outside conventional areas Open-minded and inquisitive about their environment To take advantage of new market opportunities organizes the company Works across boundaries and view business as a networks for communities To maximise sustainable growth uses partnerships and collaboration Have the ability to identify and define problems, invent and implement solutions, and trail and assess results. Another key to success is good personal management, self motivation, and career development skills are critical. Irrespective of whether a company is running with ten people or with ten departments the importance of leadership is obligatory. These leadership skills play a vital role in increasing the competence of the available resources and achieving the set goals of an organization. Organizational Change Management: Change management is defined as, to prepare, commence, recognize, organize, and stabilize change processes on both, corporate and personal level There are two types of changes: 1. Organizational Change: It is more steady and evolutionary approach and is based on the hypothesis that it is possible to ally company objectives with the individual employees objectives. This is rarely possible in actual practice 2. Reengineering Change: Known as business transformation or corporate transformation. It is the more fundamental form of change management, since it challenges all elements of processes or structures that have evolved over time. CHANGE MODEL: Bechard and Lewin introduced the most famous and important change model in 1951 and 1969. In 1980 Quinn and Lewian further explained this task. LEWIN: According to Lewin 1951, the introductory methods to manage the change are as follows: Unfreezing, existing attitudes are supported by the change in the present equilibrium. New responses can be developed according to new information. Refreezing, by introducing new responses in the personality concerns, can stabilize the change. THE FIELD FORCE ANALYSIS is the only methodology observes change suggested by Lewin that involves: The transition to the future state is affected analysing the driving forces. The differentiation between driving and restraining forces is necessary. Measures should be taken to give rise to critical driving forces and diminish critical restraining force (Martin, 2006). In order to conclude the need and capability of Organizational change management should begin with the identification of the current circumstances, deep understanding about leadership skills, group dynamics, and creative marketing. RESISTANCE TO CHANGE: May be external or internal. EXTERNAL: External resistance defiantly affects the process of change. The cultural, social and political environment all resist to change. Effective Communications with various stakeholders explaining them the reasons for the change (why?), the benefits of successful implementation (what is in it for us, and you) as well as the details of the change (when? where? who is involved? how much will it cost? etc). INTERNAL: At the time of implementation of change, organization can face some resistances to change internally from the workers like: Lack of knowledge Deficiencies in training Fears to lose something. Absence of trust. Communication problems. Normally, people perceive change processes in seven typical stages. Introduction: This report reviews the understanding of the concept of Organizational Change and its long term effect on the organization with regard to changes brought in British Airways British Airways is the fourth largest and one of the fastest growing airlines in the world. Leadership qualities and its unique culture helped in the growth of the company. Chief executive Bob Ayling, brought changes in the company without its employees support. At the time when BA was making record profit he thought change was necessary as some long term decision were to be made. He brought the change by outsourcing departments like engineering, information technology and maintenance to developing countries and by raising the morale of the staff by introducing training programmes and establishing hotel for the staff at Heathrow airport. Our aim is to be benefiting the customers, employees and shareholders, and to fulfil our commitments to the society. (http://www.guardian.co.uk). Background of British Airways British Airways aims in bringing people together by taking them wherever they want to go. This apply not only to the 36 million passengers that travel with them but also to their employees.Inspite of having challenges over the past few years the company is very competitive travel industry. They believe that they have firm strategy which keeps them moving forward. Based in London at Heathrow Airport British Airways PLC is the leading intercontinental airline in the world. Being UKs sole network carrier globally it serves 95 million people a year approximately to 550 destinations in 97 countries using about 1000 planes and 441 airports. British Airways feels proud in providing full range of services to their customers whether they are in air or on ground. British Airways A Snap shot 1916: Establishment of Predecessor Aircraft Transport Travel Ltd. 1919: Worlds first scheduled international air service was inaugurated 1933: Establishment of service to India and Singapore. 1935: The merger of three smaller airline companies forms the basis of British Airways. 1939: British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was formed by the union of British Airways and Imperial Airways and also nationalized. 1949: BOAC imbibe British South American Airways (BSAA) 1958: Successful completion of first jet trans-Atlantic service. 1962: Supersonic transport (SST) is build by BOAC and Air France agreement to commit funds. 1967: Second around-the-world route is established by BOAC. 1974:Company is restructured under the British Airways name 1976: The first SST Concordes service was inaugurated simultaneously by British Airways and Air France. 1987: Privatization of British Airways. 1987: British Airways buys British Caledonian (BCal). 1988: Marketing alliance of British Airways with United Airlines that two years later collapses. 1992: 44 % of USAir Inc is purchases by British Airways. 1998: Between British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Canadian Airlines, Qantas and American Airlines One world global alliance is launched -a group that grows to eight members. 2000: Opening of British Airways London Eye observation wheel; in its first year of operation 3 million people ride the wheel. 2006 and 2007 award of the year for SKYTRAX and OAG airline. 2007 award of best airline based in Western Europe. 2007 best trans-Atlantic airline award. 14-03-2008 at a cost of 403 billion pound Heathrow terminal 5 was opened to be used exclusively by BA. Additional Details Public Company Frequent Flyer Programme: Executive Club Premier (Invitation) Key People: Willie Walsh (CEO) Tense Relationships :Virgin Atlantic, Formed 1984 Employees: 65,157 Sales: Â £9.278 billion (US $13.151 billion) (2001) Stock Exchanges: London New York Frankfurt Munich Ticker Symbol: BAY (London); BAB (New York) NAIC: 481111 Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation; 481112 Scheduled Freight Air Transportation; 56152 Tour Operators Changes in British Airways: To improve the future of the organization and reputation against the competitors British Airways chairman and board of directors decided to downsize the organization. The changes were totally revolutionary and dominantly strategic. Vast resistance was faced by British airways from department of labour and development, local and environmental NGO and unions both internally and externally against these changes. As BA marketing value changed at 15% due to fierce competition with other international airlines they had huge pressure to bring this change. The change started in 2005 by changing its top management and appointing Willie Wash as CEO. The main focus to change is followed: Reduction in cabin crew Internal and external change. Financial losses. Drop in profit. Increased Competition. Loss of Market Share. Technological Development. Cultural change. Vision of change The vision of British Airways is One Destination seeks to ensure our customers fly confident that, together, we are acting responsibly to take care of the world we live in. Mission to change In its words: British Airways is aiming to set new industry standards in customer service and innovation, deliver the best financial performance and evolve from being an airline to a world travel business with the flexibility to stretch its brand in new business areas. (http://www.britishairways.com) Objectives of change To face the global economic and market environment give new ideas and innovation to the individuals so that they are competitive. Changing internal and external culture of the organization Offer good services to the passengers Introduction of the continental food. According to market conditions introduction of new technology and packaging. To have profound effect on the character and personality of the BA individuals give them comprehensive knowledge of managerial and technological skills. To increase the productivity of the units fabricate leadership qualities in individuals. Creating a positive and dynamic learning environment to bring a paradigm shift. The hub for the introduction of MBA programme by BA was that the knowledge and training should be thoroughly applied within the organization and future growth and development of the employees should be related to this training. Strengths of Change in British Airways: Before change a clear and set objectives are there. Specific issues and problems were focused in planning and involvement. Before introduction of new technology collection of data and marketing survey was done. Every employee got incentive in the shape of Golden handshake and transfer in other units by downsizing strategy. According to market demand introduction of new technology. Weaknesses of Change in British Airways Identification of the problems that were surfacing in the organization. In some areas lack of policy direction. Need of cross functional communication Long distance between communication chain like the decision-making unit and the primary sources of information. Senior executives were over worked Power structure was weak. Top management was difficult to reach. Decentralized structure Lack of sufficient training. SWOT Analysis of BA: (S)trengths: Well-established brand name British Airways gained loyalty and trust from the customers. With strong international alliances BA has a global geographic exposure with excellent communication. BA took full advantage of technological development through innovative culture e.g. online sales, drive thru check in. Purchase of the new fleet and the appropriate aircrafts to make travelling comfortable for the passengers gave BA advantage over their competitors. (W)eaknesses: Soaring debts are still BA main concern. Events like 2001 Iraq war and 2005 terrorist attacks had negative effect on BA due to its reliance on the international air travel and this threat still persists. Job cuts may have negative effect on the BA as previous experience with the cost -cutting exercise resulted in understaffing and 2004-2005 industrial actions. Exposure of the rule that adult male passenger cannot sit next to the child led to sex discrimination allegation against BA. Unions threatening to go on strike against downsizing. BA was declared by AEA as the worst airline for lost and delayed baggage due to clogging of belt carrying bags and malfunction of baggage handling system. Worst airline for the arrival and departures of the short and medium haul flights. In 2007 Heathrow as voted worlds least favourable airport as it being overcrowded and subject to delay. Shortage of the staff car park space due to non availability of space Delays in getting to work due to long queues for security check up. (O)pportunities BAs online customer base expanded further by the growth of internet worldwide. As customers expectations are raising value added and innovative flight services will attract more customers. Opening in 2020 of a third short runway and sixth terminal will benefit BA and make Heathrow a global gateway. (T)hreats BA market share is under threat from the low cost airlines which continuously enjoy strong growth and power in the market. Fluctuations and continuing growth of the fuel prices pose another threat to BA. Customers are still vigilant of the threat of repeated terrorist attacks. More companies are focusing on high quality in their strategy plan which increases competition in low cost airline market. Conclusion: Organizations decision making both informing and enabling strategic direction should be fully incorporated in the Change management approach. Organizations history, readiness, and capacity to change forms the realistic review for the management change. British Airways is one of the leading international airlines in the world. The organizational Change brought by the British Airways were effective not only in introducing modern technology but also improved the performance of the airline. To defeat the competitors BA introduced different options for its customers and tried to stabilize its position in the airline market. By encouraging its employees through different incentives tried to improve their skills and knowledge which is beneficial not only for them but also for the organization.

Womens Identity in the Early 1900s Essay examples -- Women Studies,

Ibsen wrote this play in 1879. It is a three-act play with prose dialogue. The play takes place in the 19th century in Europe. It is a play about a woman, who struggles to find her own identity. The main point is women need treated as humans and not dolls. Women need to know their place and that they have rights. They also have duties as a wife and mother. As a wife, they need to be trustworthy and as a mother, they need to be role models. As do husbands need to respect their wife and know that, they have their own opinions and titled to them. Women cannot be good wives and role models to their children, if they do not know who they are and what their roles are in life. Ibsen uses the symbolism in his setting to show various aspects of Nora's character and reveal the theme of women's identity in the early 1900's. Symbolism, is used before the play even begins. The title A Doll's House is a symbol of tendencies for characters to play roles. The setting is in Helmers' apartment; the set is set up to furnish the thought it is his home and not hers (obj. 3). Nora returns with a Christmas tree setting the mood for the play (obj. 3). She also brings presents for the children. The presents signify pushing roles onto the children (obj. 3). Helmer proceeds to call Nora his "little lark" and "little squirrel" (pg. 1559). She answers "yes" (pg. 1559) right away leaving the impression that she is inferior compared to Helmer. He treats her in a demeaning way that she tolerates because she really knows no different. This also sets the tone that Helmer is superior over Nora throughout the play (obj. 3). He shows us his superiority over her with the macaroons that he forbids her to have. Yet she has them anyway and hide... ...he image of man; therefore, women have the same capabilities as do men (obj. 1). Every human being in life is equal and needs treated with respect and dignity (obj. 1). Ibsen is aware that women need to know who they are in order to be productive in society. He does a good job of bringing out the overall theme in A Doll's House of women's identity (obj. 2). In the theme, we are able to see his view of women and their need to be independent. Ibsen used symbolism to define the characters and the role of women's identity in society. This is not a typical structure of a home in 19th century, which left the ending causing immense controversies. Ibsen was taking a stand when he wrote this play (obj. 1). In the way, he wrote the play using Nora as the protagonist and Torvald as the antagonist, made this one of the best-constructed plays of the 19th century. Women's Identity in the Early 1900's Essay examples -- Women Studies, Ibsen wrote this play in 1879. It is a three-act play with prose dialogue. The play takes place in the 19th century in Europe. It is a play about a woman, who struggles to find her own identity. The main point is women need treated as humans and not dolls. Women need to know their place and that they have rights. They also have duties as a wife and mother. As a wife, they need to be trustworthy and as a mother, they need to be role models. As do husbands need to respect their wife and know that, they have their own opinions and titled to them. Women cannot be good wives and role models to their children, if they do not know who they are and what their roles are in life. Ibsen uses the symbolism in his setting to show various aspects of Nora's character and reveal the theme of women's identity in the early 1900's. Symbolism, is used before the play even begins. The title A Doll's House is a symbol of tendencies for characters to play roles. The setting is in Helmers' apartment; the set is set up to furnish the thought it is his home and not hers (obj. 3). Nora returns with a Christmas tree setting the mood for the play (obj. 3). She also brings presents for the children. The presents signify pushing roles onto the children (obj. 3). Helmer proceeds to call Nora his "little lark" and "little squirrel" (pg. 1559). She answers "yes" (pg. 1559) right away leaving the impression that she is inferior compared to Helmer. He treats her in a demeaning way that she tolerates because she really knows no different. This also sets the tone that Helmer is superior over Nora throughout the play (obj. 3). He shows us his superiority over her with the macaroons that he forbids her to have. Yet she has them anyway and hide... ...he image of man; therefore, women have the same capabilities as do men (obj. 1). Every human being in life is equal and needs treated with respect and dignity (obj. 1). Ibsen is aware that women need to know who they are in order to be productive in society. He does a good job of bringing out the overall theme in A Doll's House of women's identity (obj. 2). In the theme, we are able to see his view of women and their need to be independent. Ibsen used symbolism to define the characters and the role of women's identity in society. This is not a typical structure of a home in 19th century, which left the ending causing immense controversies. Ibsen was taking a stand when he wrote this play (obj. 1). In the way, he wrote the play using Nora as the protagonist and Torvald as the antagonist, made this one of the best-constructed plays of the 19th century.

Marginalization of Women During the Cold War Essay -- gender roles, Co

At the height of the Cold War in 1959, Vice President Richard M. Nixon visited the Soviet Union to discuss political ideology with Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev. In what was labeled the â€Å"kitchen debate,† Nixon presented Khrushchev with an American â€Å"model home† that highlighted the merits of capitalism to a global audience. But as the politicians entered the Americanized kitchen, Nixon took a step further. Instead of keeping the focus on economic systems, the Vice President turned the discourse to the two nations’ construction of gender roles. While looking at an American dishwasher, Nixon said, â€Å"This is our newest model†¦In America, we like to make life easier for women†¦ I think that this attitude towards women is universal. What we want to do, is make life more easy for our housewives† (teachingamericanhistory.org). While the accessibility of consumer products that reduced labor for homemakers was an achievement of American capitalism, Nixon’s comments promoted a new American vision of the family. The traditional family in Cold War culture, which featured men as breadwinners and women as homemakers, was now an important component of the American Dream. By referring to women as â€Å"housewives,† Nixon effectively reinforced the pervasive sentiment that women could not only be homemakers in a financially prosperous capitalist society, but that it was also expected of them. As these expectations became fully engrained into the mainstream, gender roles became increasingly rigid, which discouraged many women from considering professional careers, let alone pursue them. As the Cold War era prompted Americans to find refuge in the traditional family, women were expected to operate within the framework of the home and in resul... ...represented an escape from the uncertainty of the future. But with the rise of a new traditional family in America, complete with strict and separate gender roles, women were denied opportunities in the workplace and forced to embrace the task of homemaker. While Nixon argued in the â€Å"kitchen debate† that American strength rested on each member’s ability to rise and fall, the marginalization of woman in Cold War culture masterfully highlights the distance between political idealism and reality. Works Cited Books May, Elaine Tyler. Homeward Bound. Friedan, Betty. The Feminine Mystique. Movies The Home Economics Story. Online Resources â€Å"The Kitchen Debate.† Articles Stevenson, Adlai E. â€Å"A Purpose for Modern Woman.† Chambers, Whittaker. â€Å"Witness.†

Why You Shouldn’t Use Credit Cards

The credit card companies and banks are getting richer, while most Americans are getting more in debt. The economy is in trouble, therefore, more and more people are relying on credit cards. In today’s society we are constantly trying to get out of debt, but in the process of trying to get ourselves out of debt, we create more debt. One of the major problems that most of us are dealing with is credit card debt. Most credit card companies are not looking out for your best interest. They are constantly raising interest rates. Minimum payments are just enough to cover the finance charges. Most Americans should not use credit cards for the following reasons: it will create bad spending habits; you will incur more debt affecting credit score rating; and possibly make you a victim of identity theft. In my opinion, a credit card should be used for purchases that you are able to pay off in full upon receiving your statement, but most of us don’t. Most people lack self control and tend to misuse the credit card. Credit cards should mainly be used for emergencies, but we tend to use them for everyday purchases such as: food, gas, clothing, etc. Some people are living in a borrowed lifestyle, because they purchase things they can’t afford. People will spend more on a purchasing using a credit card than they would with cash. â€Å"People that use credit cards tend to spend 12%-18% more on transactions than those who use cash (faithfitnessfinance. com). † For example, if you are going to pay with a credit card in a fast food establishment, it is easier to get the large drink instead of the medium drink. When the statement arrives, most people will make the minimum payment on his/her credit card. The minimum payment only covers the finance charges, which will increase the amount of time it will take to pay the debt off. â€Å"It will also increase the amount of interest you end up paying (about. com. )† Possessing these bad habits will lead to more debt. A credit card bill is an additional monthly expense. If you are already struggling with paying basic monthly bills, than creating a credit card bill will only add an additional financial burden. Unlike a checkbook ledger, credit card balances are harder to keep track of, because you mostly rely on the monthly statement. If not properly monitored, this will cause your credit card to reach its maximum limit or over the limit. If you are over the limit or at maximum limit, you will incur over the limit fees or higher monthly payments. When faced with additional charges or higher monthly payments, individuals sometimes put themselves in a bind. They are forced to make a decision whether to pay the bill or not. Most of us will opt not to pay, because we can’t afford it. Once you opt not to pay, you set the wheels in motion for your credit score to decline. If your card is at its maximum limit or close to the limit and you decide only to pay the minimum, you are still compromising your credit score. Credit rating is very important, because it is a deciding factor in majority of major purchases such as: car, house, utilities and etc. â€Å"A large part of your credit score considers the amount of debt you have (about. com). If your credit score is low, most likely you wouldn’t be approved for whatever you are trying to purchase or your interest rate will be ridiculously high. Credit card use can also lead to identity theft. We see on television almost on a regular basis that they have arrested someone for identity theft. Everyday people are falling victim to identity theft. Anytime you book a trip, pay a bill or make a purchase online or in person, you are risking someone stealing your identity. We live in a world that is filled with criminals and con artists. They are always larking to find their next victim. This is an easy way for them to obtain sensitive information, make money and purchases that will benefit them while making your life complicated. From a personal experience, someone stole my credit card information and personal information. This person rented a U-Haul truck and kept it for months and decided to make purchases at Home Depot. I was stuck with the task of contacting the credit card companies and the authorities. You are forced to prove that you are not the person that authorized payments and purchases. You are subject to denial while trying to obtain credit from other companies. Sometimes it isn’t always a cut and dry situation to get through, but can be a very time consuming and expensive process. Credit cards aren’t bad when used properly, but could be if used improperly. We should make sure we know the difference between what we need and want. We sometimes justify a purchase by saying ‘I really need it†, but we should ask ourselves â€Å"what will happen if I don’t get it? † Once you ask yourself that question, then at that point is when you determine whether or not it is orth using. Improper use of a credit card will lead you quickly into debt. It is better to make a purchase with cash or debit card than with a credit card. If you are unable to afford something you really want, it is best to save and buy it at a later time. Most of us aren’t equipped to know how to use a credit card properly; therefore, it is in our best interest to keep it in our wallets. When thinking about getting that credit and using it, ask yourself, â€Å"Do I know the rules of the credit card game? †

Half-Past Two and Piano Essay

â€Å"Half past Two† is about a young child who has done something naughty. His teacher punishes him by making him stay behind until half past two. However, being cross, she forgets he has not yet learnt to tell the time. Thus, his concept of time doesn’t yet include numerals. He knows he is punished but cannot understand why. During his detention, he recalls the time modules he knows in an attempt to figure out when will he be free again. He escapes â€Å"out of reach of all the timefors† into a fantasy world. The teacher has almost forgotten about the boy owing to the triviality of the matter to her, but of great significance to the boy. At last, she scuttles in and lets him go home. In â€Å"Piano†, The persona in the poem is listening to a woman singing and playing the piano. This makes him recall when he was a child, sitting under the piano listening to his mother play and sing on Sunday evenings in winter. He is nostalgic about the warmth and happiness of his childhood days. However, he seems to berate himself on recalling his childhood and views himself as sad and less masculine for giving in to his nostalgic impulses. With his ‘manhood cast/Down in the flood of remembrance’, he weeps, an act considered inappropriate for a man. These two poems both use striking language. Firstly, they both use onomatopoeia to convey the setting of the poems. In â€Å"Half-past Two†, the onomatopoeia is used to convey the ticking sound of the clock, whereas in â€Å"Piano†, it is used to convey the musical sounds of the piano. Secondly, they also both use alliteration. In â€Å"Half-past Two†, the phrase ‘time hides tick-less’ is used to convey the sound of a clock ticking. However, in â€Å"Piano†, the repetition of the consonant /s/ is used to convey the calm and quiet singing of the woman. Thirdly, the two poets choose their words prudently. In â€Å"Half-past Two†, childish words such as â€Å"wicked† and â€Å"cross† helps us locate our imaginations within the setting of a primary school. In â€Å"Piano†, the positive word â€Å"cosy† evokes the warm and happy atmosphere when he was a child. On the other hand, negative words ‘betrays’ and ‘insidious’ convey that he is ashamed of his weakness. Fourthly, the use of senses can be found in both poems. In â€Å"Half-past Two†, in stanza 8, the senses such as â€Å"smell of old chrysanthemums† brings alive the scene in the classroom. In â€Å"Piano†, the persona hears the woman singing â€Å"Softly, in the dusk† and playing the piano, recalling his childhood memories. Lastly, the mood of both poems is nostalgic and they both have the theme of childhood. The persona in â€Å"Half-past Two† is nostalgic about the long-lost childhood which is free from time constraints. It can easily be seen in the last stanza – â€Å"He escaped †¦ to be born†. On the other hand, the persona in â€Å"Piano† is sad and crying for the time which will never come back after it is forever lost with his manhood â€Å"cast/Down in the flood of remembrance†. For â€Å"Half-past Two†, I think punishment is not a suitable way to discipline an innocent child who did ‘Something Very Wrong. He should be explained what the error is. The poet uses the teacher to criticize adults who are dismissive of children, emphasized by ‘she slotted him back’. Adults should care and attend to children more. Besides, this poem’s effect on me is so strong that it almost brings me back to my merry childhood. I crave for reliving my childhood, when I lived freely without troubles and worries and time constraints. A nostalgic mood is revealed in the last stanza. It shows that the poet is very nostalgic, reminiscing the childhood experiences when everything is not constrained by time. Moreover, the fantasy world which the child conceives in stanzas 7 & 8 is most people’s utopia, where they can temporarily forget all the stress and worries from work or studies and escape from reality. It is a dream world where all of us can dream about as a solace when we are stressed out. The poem, â€Å"Piano†, has a nostalgic and wistful tone. Hearing the powerful music and soft song, the persona recalls his pleasant childhood memories. He reminisces that he sat ‘under the piano†¦ pressing the small poised feet’ of his mother. However, in the last stanza, ‘my manhood is cast/Down in the flood of remembrance, I weep like a child for the past’. It appears that the persona is rather sentimental and melancholic. He is sad and crying for the time which will never come back after it is forever lost. Besides, the ‘Tingling strings’ and the ‘mastery of song’ strongly evoke the persona’s pleasant childhood memories. It also brings me back to the time when I was a child, learning how to play the piano. I regret not taking piano lessons seriously at that time and dropping it at last. We should treasure everything we possess before they slip away. In my opinion, the persona, being a man, should not cry hastily. I think it is very embarrassing for a grown man to weep. He attempted to restrain his emotions but failed. His heart ‘weeps to belong’ and eventually he bursts into tears. His weeping is uncharacteristic of his present maturity. Nevertheless, I prefer â€Å"Half-past Two†, because it can fully depict the helplessness of the innocent child being kept in until half past two – a time completely unfamiliar to him. I also like the tone of the last stanza. It can trigger my deeper thoughts. It makes me realize that the land where â€Å"time hides tick-less waiting to be born† is a utopia where many people can temporarily forget all the stress and worries and relax.