The Role Of Effective Communication And Interpersonal...

Explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context. Communication is the way of exchanging information, receiving and giving a message to someone or more than one person, this is also known as passing information on by visuals, speech,writing,behaviour and signals. In a health and social care setting, Communication is incredibly important because service users needs need to have been met and the messages need to be clear for a person to understand. In Health and Social care settings having effective communication is very vital, as it enables the career to perform their job successfully along their colleague’s whist developing supportive ties with provider user who got here from a distinct historical past, religion and lifestyle. people with communication disabilities are vulnerable to no longer being able to talk effectively with their profession. The specific context which conversation may be defined is one to 1, organization, formal, informal verbal exchange. One to 1 conversation is way of one man or woman communicating with any other, this can be provided to be interpersonal interplay and it could also be finished face to face, e mail, letters, and sign language. One to at least one interplay is always powerful as each of them could be working together successfully and interacts properly. as an instance, one to one verbal exchange can take vicinity in a network care domestic where the carrier user is talkingShow MoreRelatedThe Role Of Effective Communication And Interpersonal Interaction Within A Health And Social Care Context?1702 Words   |  7 PagesP1) Explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context? Communication is the process of exchanging information, thoughts and feelings between people, through speaking, writing or body language. Effective communication is about more than just exchanging information. This concept makes sure that the transmitted message is received and understood by the other person in the exact way it was intended. However the other person has to demonstrateRead MoreThe role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context. (P1)1723 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿The role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context. (P1) This booklet aims to explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context. Effective communication in a health and social care context is important because things need to be heard and said clearly. An example of when effective communication is important is if a nurse is having a conversation with a doctor and discussing a patientsRead MoreP1 – Explain the Role of Effective Communication and Interpersonal Interaction in a Health and Social Care Context1589 Words   |  7 PagesP1 – Explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context Communication is highly important, especially in an elderly care setting. It is useful in many different ways and situations, for example; if the service user had vision impairments, it is important that the professional speaks loud and clearly pronunciating properly however is not patronising in any way making the service user feel uncomfortable. This gets important information, suchRead Morehealth science937 Words   |  4 Pages Health professionals require good communication skills in order to carry out their roles effectively. It is therefore important for those embarking on a career in health and social care that they gain knowledge and understanding of skills involved in communication. This unit will develop and enhance communication and interpersonal skills, and will consider communication theories. On completion of this unit a learner should: Understand effective communicationRead MoreUnit 1 Communication1302 Words   |  6 PagesBTEC NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE LEVEL 3. Unit 1. Developing effective communication in health and social care. Explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context. CRITERIA P1. In this piece of writing, I am to explain the role of effective communication in different context, the methods, the interpersonal interactions and how it support service users with theirRead MoreUnit 1 Developing Effective Communication Essay795 Words   |  4 PagesDeveloping Effective Communication P1 Explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context. M1 Asses the role of effective communication and interpersonal in health and social care with reference to theories of communication. Context Formal Formal communication is important in a health and social care context. Formal communication shows respect for others and is an effective way of communicating when used. Formal communication wouldRead MoreThe Role of Communication and Interpersonal Interaction in Health and Social-Care1186 Words   |  5 PagesThe role of communication and interpersonal interaction in health and social-care Introduction This assignment is centred on effective interpersonal interaction and good communication in health and social care which is achieved through the use of multiple communication methods and techniques and the analysis of how certain types of people think and communicate. P1 Explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in health and social care Key Terms Formal- The useRead MoreUnit: 1 P1,P2 M11498 Words   |  6 PagesP1- Explaining the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context. Effective communication is way in which people communicate towards each other. There are wide ranges of ways that communication can take place for example one to one conversations, group conversations. This can either be informal or formal depending on the individual’s outcome. An example of effective communication that can take place in a health and social care setting is a hospitalRead MoreUnit 1 Health and Social Care16199 Words   |  65 PagesDeveloping effective communication in health and social care LO1 Understand effective communication and interpersonal interaction in health and social care contexts of communication forms of communication interpersonal interaction communication and language needs and preferences LO2 Understand factors that inï ¬â€šuence communication and interpersonal interaction in health and social care environments theories of communication environmental factors affecting communication barriers to communication 2 DevelopingRead MoreHealth and Social Care Level 31993 Words   |  8 PagesModel Assignment (Learner Extract) Issued September 2012 OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technicals in Health and Social Care Unit 1: developing effective communication in health social care Please note: This OCR Cambridge model assignment may be used to provide evidence for the unit identified above. Alternatively, centres may ‘tailor’ or modify the assignment within permitted parameters (see Information for Teachers). It is the centre’s responsibility to ensure that any modifications The Role Of Effective Communication And Interpersonal... P1) Explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context? Communication is the process of exchanging information, thoughts and feelings between people, through speaking, writing or body language. Effective communication is about more than just exchanging information. This concept makes sure that the transmitted message is received and understood by the other person in the exact way it was intended. However the other person has to demonstrate that they have listened and gained full understanding of the message. There are different types of communication, one-to-one, groups, e.g. formal, informal, between colleagues, between professional and people using services, communication with professionals, multi-agency working, multi-professional working. Communication: forms, eg text messaging, written, oral, signing, symbols, touch, music and drama, objects of reference, arts and crafts, technology One-to-one communication plays a very important part in almost everyone s life. This type of communication occurs most often in face-to-face conversations and in telephone speech skills. Therefore it’s important to create a positive emotional atmosphere in order to make the other person comfortable. Although group communication is similar to one-to-one communication, groups need more concentration and patience because there are more than one person concerned which could result misunderstandings and conflicts. Groups can be mostShow MoreRelatedUnit 1 Communication1302 Words   |  6 PagesDIPLOMA IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE LEVEL 3. Unit 1. Developing effective communication in health and social care. Explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context. CRITERIA P1. In this piece of writing, I am to explain the role of effective communication in different context, the methods, the interpersonal interactions and how it support service users with their needs within healthRead MoreUnit 1 Developing Effective Communication Essay795 Words   |  4 PagesDeveloping Effective Communication P1 Explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context. M1 Asses the role of effective communication and interpersonal in health and social care with reference to theories of communication. Context Formal Formal communication is important in a health and social care context. Formal communication shows respect for others and is an effective way of communicating when used. Formal communication wouldRead MoreThe Role of Communication and Interpersonal Interaction in Health and Social-Care1186 Words   |  5 PagesThe role of communication and interpersonal interaction in health and social-care Introduction This assignment is centred on effective interpersonal interaction and good communication in health and social care which is achieved through the use of multiple communication methods and techniques and the analysis of how certain types of people think and communicate. P1 Explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in health and social care Key Terms Formal- The useRead MoreUnit: 1 P1,P2 M11498 Words   |  6 PagesP1- Explaining the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context. Effective communication is way in which people communicate towards each other. There are wide ranges of ways that communication can take place for example one to one conversations, group conversations. This can either be informal or formal depending on the individual’s outcome. An example of effective communication that can take place in a health and social care setting is a hospitalRead MoreUnit 1 Health and Social Care16199 Words   |  65 PagesDeveloping effective communication in health and social care LO1 Understand effective communication and interpersonal interaction in health and social care contexts of communication forms of communication interpersonal interaction communication and language needs and preferences LO2 Understand factors that inï ¬â€šuence communication and interpersonal interaction in health and social care environments theories of communication environmental factors affecting communication barriers to communication 2 DevelopingRead MoreHealth and Social Care Level 31993 Words   |  8 PagesModel Assignment (Learner Extract) Issued September 2012 OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technicals in Health and Social Care Unit 1: developing effective communication in health social care Please note: This OCR Cambridge model assignment may be used to provide evidence for the unit identified above. Alternatively, centres may ‘tailor’ or modify the assignment within permitted parameters (see Information for Teachers). It is the centre’s responsibility to ensure that any modificationsRead MoreHealth and Social Care Level 3 Unit 1 P11376 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Effective Communications in Health and Social Care Within this essay, the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context will be explained. It will also be linked to experiences in work placements for example, may be at a care home for adults with learning disabilities, and physical disabilities. The five contexts which will be researched are; one to one communication, group communication, multi agency working, multi professional working also communicationRead MoreCollaboration, Communication, And Teambuilding1099 Words   |  5 PagesCollaboration, Communication, and Teambuilding in Health Care Collaboration and collective competence are essential to meeting the health care needs of society today. There are six interrelated characteristics of collaboration necessary for successful teamwork. Barriers involving historical and sociocultural norms, ineffective communication, regulatory and organizational policies act to impede collaboration. Personal experiences from nursing practice provide samples of collaboration efforts. Read MoreCommunity As A Social Environment1624 Words   |  7 Pages Community as an Actor in Public Health In recent times, the nature of the community has been distorted and this caused a variety of social problems emerge in the society. Industrialization, urbanization, migration and individualistic thinking have played a major role in disorganizing community sense in people. In urban society, the basic features of the community have been displaced by the values of individualism, egocentrism, materialism and capitalism, which gave rise of an anomaly, anonymityRead MoreExplain How Important the Nurse Patient Relationship Is1652 Words   |  7 PagesGenerally, it is considered the more training and work experience a nurse has, the more therapeutically effective they are likely to be but this is not always the case. Stuart and Sudeen (1997). There are many influences on the relationship that can both obstruct or benefit the nurse-patient relationship. Having a supportive, open, non-judgmental nature aids effective patient-nurse interactions which are important to reduce patient’s vu lnerability and distress. Being there for patients reflects not

The Vietnam War On The Movie, Platoon, As A Portal

Platoon The Vietnam War was one the most controversial wars in America. This paper is meant to examine the Vietnam War using the movie, Platoon, as a portal. Analyzing scenes in the movie and how they pertain to the films ideology. The paper will look at the struggles presented in war from the outlook of the â€Å"grunt.† It will look at the pro-war and anti-war view of propaganda. It will look at the good and evil, right and wrong, conflicts in the film. How do these messages reflect the reality of the war? Is the agenda to create a vision of reality or is the film simply a form of entertainment? The film, â€Å"Platoon,† is the perspective of the Vietnam War in 1967 through the eyes of Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen). Chris leaves school to enlist in combat and once he starts he quickly questions his decision. He has two officers, Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe). The two officers have different views; Barnes, who wants revenge because he believes that the VC (Viet Cong) ground troops are being safeguarded by a local village, and Elias, who has a more peaceful, less violent demeanor. Tension builds between Barnes and Alias until Barnes shoots a villager in the head, Elias intervenes preventing annihilation of the village inhabitants. This event causes the platoon to split into two camps which pit against each other, causing conflict with the enemy and the men in the platoon. The film will be examined using the ideological film theory. The filmShow MoreRelated65 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays 2nd Edition 147256 Words   |  190 Pagesher conclusions about what traits contribute to manage... ment success, Stacie demonstrates her potential for leadership in business. Future applicants should strive to do the same. 6 AnonymoUs R. J. OLeary, a retired Marine and three...war veteran who mentored my father, presented the offer: Son, how bout I find you a real job next summer. Fifteen years old, I had just completed two mind... numbing months of employment at a burger shack. I didnt wait for an explanation; I accepted

Chinese Musicking free essay sample

?3. Research on an aspect of Chinese musicking based on one or two Chinese musical activities or events that take place anywhere in the world except for countries where â€Å"Chinese† is spoken as one of the main languages (which means that you are not to write about musical events or activities in China, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau etc. ). Check with the lecturer before writing, if unsure Musicking basically refers to taking part, in any capacity, in a musical performance; whether by performing, listening, rehearsing, practicing, or providing material for the performance. Anybody who contributes to the nature of the event is involved in the musicking event; and this involves the cleaners, roadies, ticket collectors, ushers and many more. In this paper, we will be focusing in depth, Beijing Opera as a Chinese musicking event in Vienna Golden Hall. Beijing opera plays are currently experiencing a rise in popularity in the West as evident by Beijing Opera troupes making their performance tours in Europe. Some of these troupes include †Peking Opera†,. In this paper, I will only be focusing on the performance of the (li hua song) by (shi yi hong) in the Golden Hall of Vienna. Vienna, also known as the City of Music, is where grand scale musical concerts are held. Musicians who are performing or had performed there are deemed as â€Å"extraordinary† and are mostly well-renowned. The performance of Beijing Operas in Vienna has shown how far Beijing Opera has progressed throughout the years; from being only well-known in the East all the way to staging a performance in the prestigious concert halls of Vienna. Beijing Opera is a traditional Chinese theatre which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics1. It started becoming popular in the 19th century, especially in the Qing dynasty, and since then, many opera troupes began budding in all parts of China. In Beijing Opera, costumes distinguish the rank of the role played2. And the colors painted onto the performers’ faces symbolizes the different qualities of the characters3. The skills of the performers is based on how beautiful their moves are, and the layers of meaning within each movement must be expressed in time with music. For e. g. The smoothing of ones beard, raising ones foot, walking around in circles, are all movements that are meant to express a particular feeling or emotion. The performers require music to indicate the duration and speed of a certain movement, and the transition to another. In Beijing Opera, there will normally be 2 orchestras, playing the percussions and strings respectively. They will accompany the singing, which follows a fixed pattern, but has a variety of melodies and rhythms4. Beijing Opera represents an important part of Chinese culture and has become a refined form of art as a result of the hard work of hundreds of artists over the past two centuries. Its repertoire includes historical plays, comedies, tragedies and farces. Many historical events are adapted into Beijing Opera plays, which in the past were an important primer on history and ethical principles for poorly educated folk5. For e. g. The Peking Opera Red Cliff is based on true events in the Three Kingdoms where Liu Bei and Sun Quan form an alliance to defeat Cao Cao. Beijing Opera thus serves as a platform to educate people on the history and culture of ancient China in an entertaining and interactive way. It is also a method to preserve and facilitate the passing down of Chinese culture from generation to generation. As seen in the YouTube video, the Beijing Opera is actually a fusion between the East and the West. Normally in Beijing Opera, the music used would be purely produced from Chinese instruments such as Luo, Bo, Jinghu, Pipa, Dizi and Yue Qin. However, in this particular Beijing Opera performed in Golden Hall, the music used is produced mainly from Western instruments like Violin, Double bass, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon, with a few complementary Chinese instrument like erhu. There is also a conductor leading the orchestra in playing the music required for the performer. This is a scene seldom seen in Beijing Opera as the main focus would be on the performers and the musicians would be at the side and is considered â€Å"negligible†. However, in this Chinese musicking event in Vienna, both the musicians and the performer are equally important. Since the music used in this context is no longer purely â€Å"Chinese†, then should Beijing Opera in this case still be considered a Chinese musicking event? Well, some might argue not because Chinese musicking obviously refers to a performance involving the use of Chinese instruments only. Personally I think that it should still be considered. Firstly, because Beijing Opera budded from China and it has been prospering there ever since 19th century. Secondly, it is a troupe consisting mainly of Chinese artistes, and the songs are sang in Chinese lyrics; mainly based on characters and plots in the ancient Chinese dynasties. For e. g. (Gui fei zui jiu) and (Tai zhen wai chuan) are based on the story of Yang Gui Fei in Tang Dynasty. Since Beijing Opera is currently trying to venture into the West, it needs to more or less modify and fuse with some of the Western elements so that the Westerners are more receptive towards this â€Å"new† type of performance, and in this case, it is the â€Å"East-West fusion† of Beijing Opera music. The modified Beijing Opera in this context, is still considered Chinese musicking in the sense that Chinese culture and message is conveyed through this â€Å"musicking† event. In conclusion, Beijing opera is a chinese musicking event where chinese music is used as a pace and rhythm for the performers to convey the underlying message, which is the chinese heritage and culture, to the audiences. Even as it goes on to influence people in the West, the main essence of this chinese musicking event has not changed, though there might be some modifications or â€Å"East-West† fusion observed in the opera.

Student Preferences Regarding Fast Food free essay sample

Executive Summary We were interested to find out student preferences regarding fast food. We have conducted a survey at a well-known college in the Klang Valley to find out students preferences regarding fast food. The survey was conducted for about 1 week. 50 respondents were randomly selected and interviewed with 24 female and 26 male A related literature review showed that most of the younger respondents prefer Domino’s for home orders followed by others fast food outlet in India 2007. Their preference to visit a particular fast food outlet is influenced by friends in 93 percent followed by other factors. The survey revealed that consumers predominantly were between below 20 and more than 26 years of age. It’s about 26 people 20 to 22 years of age, 20 people below 20 years of age, 3 people 23 to 25 years of age and 1 people only more than 26 years of age. In the research, 100 percent who the student involves in the fast food it mean 50 respondents have eaten fast food. We will write a custom essay sample on Student Preferences Regarding Fast Food or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page We have 5 choices fast food and the result is 64 percent choose McDonalds over others fast food outlet, 28 percent KFC, 4 percent Wendy’s, 2 percent Burger King, and 2 percent Carl’s Jr. It show different people have different preferences regarding fast food. The analysis of the findings revealed that Majority respondents have chosen McDonald’s and KFC as their preferences fast food outlet. Most of the respondents have rate good for the quality of foods of their preferences fast food outlets. Some of the respondents’ rate a poor for the service and the price of the food of their preferences fast food outlet. They normally go fast food outlet with their friends to build their relationship. McDonald’s and KFC should give more promotions such as discounts or free vouchers to students who are in the Klang Valley since the majority of respondents like to visit the fast food outlets. The fast food outlets should produce more products that have higher nutritional value. The fast food outlets should also launch or produce set value meals that are worthy and attractive. The staff at the fast food outlets should give the best service to the customers, for example, they should provide prompt service and always be polite. Introduction This introductory section includes the background of the problem, statement of the problem, purposes of the study, and scope of the study. Background We were interested to find out student preferences regarding fast food. We have conducted a survey at a well-known college in the Klang Valley to find out the above. Statement of the Problem The focus of this study was to determine (1) student preferences regarding fast food, and (2) the recommendations on ways to improve the services. Purposes of the Study The purposes of this study were as follows: ? To determine the students preferences regarding fast food. To determine how often does the students visit to their favourite fast food outlet. ? To help the fast food outlet improve their services by relevant recommendation providing. Scope The scope of this study included analyses of student preferences regarding fast food. The study was limited to a college in the Klang Valley. Related Literature The literature on studies of studentsâ⠂¬â„¢ preference regarding fast food is extensive. While this broad expanse of research was generally helpful, one recent studies of consumer were found to be especially valuable for this study. A study entitles consumer perception about fast food in India: an exploratory study which was conducted by Anita Goyal and N. P. Singh in 2007. The study consisted of 200 Indian youth from New Delhi in the age group of 20 to 27. It was found that the consumer preferences regarding fast food mostly are McDonalds. Most of the younger respondents prefer Domino’s for home orders followed by others fast food outlet. Their preference to visit a particular fast food outlet is influenced by friends in 93 percent followed by other factors. In their study, most of the respondents visit to McDonald’s it is because the service and hygiene is the best compare with other fast food outlet. However, some of the respondents visit to Nirula’s it is because there have variety of foods. The respondents of the study were majority in 21-25 years age category. Procedures A survey was conducted by giving out questionnaires to a convenience sample. The procedures followed included: 1. A questionnaire was developed to find out students preference regarding fast food. 2. The researchers handed out questionnaire to students at the college. 3. The survey was conducted for a week. 4. The data were tabulated using Microsoft Office. 5. The results were analyzed and this report prepared. Findings These findings are presented using the study objectives as a framework. Gender As shown in Figure 1, 54 percent of the respondents are male and 46 percent of the respondents are female. [pic] Age Based on the analysis of data, it was found that the most of the students were in 20 to 22 years age category which is 25 respondents in this category. 0 respondents were in below 20 years age category, with 3 respondents 23 to 25 and 1 respondents 26 and above. (See figure 2). [pic] Consumption of Fast Food Base on the feedback from students of the collage, we found that and as indicated in Figure 3, 100 percent which mean 50 respondents have eaten fast food. [pic] Fast Food Outlet Preference As indicated in Figure 4, 64 percent of the respondents usually choose McDonald s over others fast food outlet, 28 percent of the respondents choose KFC, 4 percent Wendy’s, 2 percent Burger King, and 2 percent Carl’s Jr. It shown different people have different preference for choosing their fast food. [pic] The number of visits/week Figure 5 shows that the number of visits in a week to a fast food outlet of respondents. Majority the respondents visit to their preferences fast food outlet 1 to 2 times in a week which have 41 respondents. Thus 7 respondents visit 3 to 4 times in a week to a fast food outlet. 2 respondents visit 5 to 6 times in a week to their preference fast food outlet. [pic] Companion of fast food restaurant As shown in Figure 6, 86 percent of the respondents usually go to a fast food outlet with their friend. percent of the respondents have chosen others, and 6 percent of the respondents go with their siblings. Which means most of the respondent will go to the fast food outlet with their friend for chatting build their relationship. [pic] Rating of the Fast Food outlet As indicated in Figure 7, the respondents have rate the fast food outlet of their preferences regarding quality of food, decoration, seating space, service, variety of food, and price of the food. 29 respondents rate good of the quality of food regarding their preference fast food outlet. However in the category of decoration and seating space majority of the respondents have rate for average, which 22 voted average for decoration and 25 voted for seating space. Thus the service and the variety of foods at their preference fast food outlet, majority of the respondents were vote for good, 25 respondents were voted for the service and 27 respondents were voted for variety of foods. The prices of the food of the fast food outlet, 22 respondents were rate the average category. Figure 7. Rating of the fast food outlet [pic] Analysis In the Klang Valley area, the respondents of this study majority are below 20 and 20 – 22. They almost have chosen McDonald’s or KFC as their preferences fast food outlet; mostly they think the quality of food, decoration, seating space, and variety of food of the fast food outlet that they have chosen is important and the rating is in good category. The analysis of Goyal and Singh’s 92. 8 percent respondents were in 21-25 years age category, and their study found that McDonald’s is the most favoured fast food outlet followed by Pizza Hut, Nirula’s and Domino’s. According to their study, most of the younger consumers prefer Domino’s for home orders followed by Pizza Hut, Nirula’s and McDonald’s. In our study found that most respondents visit to fast food outlet with their friends. However in Goyal and Singh’s study, it said that the consumers’ preference to visit a particular fast food outlet is influenced by friends in 93 percent followed by relatives and other factors. In Goyal and Singh’s study, the young Indian consumer has passion for visiting fast food outlets for fun and change but home food is their first choice, because homemade foods have highest nutritional value than fast food outlets’ food. In our study, majority customers visit to their preferences ast food outlet 1 to 2 times a week. Conclusions and Recommendations Conclusions 1. Majority respondents have chosen McDonald’s and KFC as their preferences fast food outlet. 2. Most of the respondents have rate good for the quality of foods of their preferences fast food outlets. 3. Some of the respondents’ rate poor for the service and the price of the food of their prefere nces fast food outlet. 4. They normally go fast food outlet with their friends to build their relationship. 5. The respondents will normally visit the fast food outlet 1 to 2 times per week. Recommendations 1. McDonald’s and KFC should give more promotions such as discounts or free vouchers to students who are in the Klang Valley since the majority of respondents like to visit the fast food outlets. 2. The fast food outlets should produce more products that have higher nutritional value. 3. The fast food outlets should also launch or produce set value meals that are worthy and attractive. 4. The staff at the fast food outlets should give the best service to the customers, for example, they should provide prompt service and always be polite.

Convergence Of Twain Essays - United States, Canada, United Kingdom

Convergence Of Twain Thomas Hardy experienced great difficulty believing in a forgiving, Christian God because of the pain and suffering he witnessed around him. He also endured some pain, with the loss of his wife and suffering during the five years he spent in London that made him ill. As a young man, Hardy wanted to become a clergyman. This vocation was quite a turn around of what he pursued--a career as a famous agnostic writer. He lost faith in his religious, Victorian upbringing. As such, he shared a belief with many modern poets in the futility and waste of human existence. Hardy did believe in a "supreme being" or as he liked to call him "The Immanent Will," but he did not think of Him as a forgiving God like other Christians. Instead, Hardy believed Him to be portrayed as a vengeful God, which we learn from his poem, "The Convergence of the Twain: (Lines on the loss of the 'Titanic')". Thomas Hardy wrote this poem with a very noticeable chronological disruption midway through the poem. Unlike most poets who keep their poems in chronological order to maintain suspense throughout the poem, Hardy believed that the subject of the Titanic was so well known that there was not any reason to keep the readers in suspense of what impending doom awaited the Titanic. Instead, he commenced his poem with a description of the Titanic at present: "grotesque, slimed, dumb, indifferent"(st III). Then he proceeds to the "fashioning"(st VI) of the famous ship and continues to that famous April evening where the "consummation"(st XI) of the two "titanic" masses occurred--the grand ship made from human hands and the silent iceberg made by the "Immanent Will"(st VI). Hardy does not confine himself inside the walls of set syllables per verse; every stanza has a different number of syllables in each verse. In the first part of his poem the rhythm is very alluring. With proper uses of caesuras, stresses and slacks, Hardy seems to capture the solitude of the sea that he is describing with his steady, gentle sway of words, a "rhythmic tidal lyre"(st II). While reading this poem, the words seem to move persistently slowly up and down like the tide: I In a solitude of the sea Deep from human vanity, And the Pride of life that planned her, stilly couches she. (lines 1-3) Hardy also numbers all of the eleven stanzas of his poem. The numbering indicates the separation of each one of the stanzas as if to imply that we have to look at this poem as eleven different poems in one. This method gives us a chance to understand the poem more efficiently by studying one stanza at a time. A first reading of the poem would reveal five stanzas describing the "gilded gear"(st V) at the bottom of the sea and six stanzas that refer to the ship and to the iceberg converging at a point so "far and dissociate"(st VII). However, an enjambment occurs between stanza VI and stanza VII, as if these two stanzas were meant to be one: "The Immanent Will that stirs and urges everything / Prepared a sinister mate"(lines 18/19). Ironically, these two stanzas describe both the creation of the ship and the creation of the iceberg that are destined to come together later in time. Hardy takes more of an antithetical approach toward the story of the Titanic than most people think of or 'chose' to think of when they hear of the tragedy. Most people want the story to be told through a tragic, yet romantic, point of view that relates the tragedy of the men, women, and children who were lost on that gruesome night. People relate emotionally to the story of the Titanic by watching the movie that was released in the past year because it is from the point of view of the people on the ship. We see a romantic mood portrayed be the people on the ship and the tragedy suffered in the loss of their loved ones. Consequently, Hardy does not want us to share in this travesty that they have experienced. Instead of a tragic poem of the people involved in this tragic event, Hardy distances himself from the picture, far enough just to see the two grand and noble objects, a Godlike view solely focused on the two gigantic entities. Through his poem, Hardy explains to us that it is a vengeful God that planned the collision. In the section of the poem that contrasts both

Free Essays on Town and Country Lovers

Social and Racial Boundaries Between â€Å"Lovers† The social and racial boundaries in South Africa are clearly portrayed in Nadine Gordimer’s short story â€Å"Town and Country Lovers†. There are two characters in the story that come from completely different backgrounds. They become lovers and are found out by the police. Gordimer illustrates the differenced between the two lovers and how their society reacts to them. Dr. Franz-Josef von Leinsdorf is a well-educated man from Austria. Gordimer describes him as being a â€Å"geologist absorbed in his work† (1854). He is a well-cultured man who enjoys â€Å"an occasional skiing trip, listening to music, [and] reading poetry† (1855). Leinsdorf’s work has taken him to many different places, including Peru, New Zealand, the United States, and South Africa. â€Å"He has no interest in the politics of the countries he works in† (1855), or of becoming a permanent resident in South Africa. Dr. Franz-Josef von Leinsdorf â€Å"[accepts the] social distinctions between people but [doesn’t] think they should be legally imposed† (1861). The girl in the story is young and black. She comes from a poor family and is of low class, so low that she does not even have a name in the story. The girl works in a supermarket where she assisted Dr. Leinsdorf in purchasing razor blades, and later did all his shopping for him. â€Å"She was one of nine children of a female laundry worker. She had left school in Standard Three (Eighth Grade) because there was no money at home for gym clothes or a school blazer. She had worked as a machinist in a factory and a cashier in a supermarket† (1861). The young girl followed Dr. Leinsdorf’s habits, learning how to make real coffee, not â€Å"synthetic flavoring† (1857); how to cook; and she learned how to type Dr. Leinsdorf’s notes. These two manage to come together as lovers and friends, but still the differences between them a prevalent. When they are caught, n... Free Essays on Town and Country Lovers Free Essays on Town and Country Lovers Social and Racial Boundaries Between â€Å"Lovers† The social and racial boundaries in South Africa are clearly portrayed in Nadine Gordimer’s short story â€Å"Town and Country Lovers†. There are two characters in the story that come from completely different backgrounds. They become lovers and are found out by the police. Gordimer illustrates the differenced between the two lovers and how their society reacts to them. Dr. Franz-Josef von Leinsdorf is a well-educated man from Austria. Gordimer describes him as being a â€Å"geologist absorbed in his work† (1854). He is a well-cultured man who enjoys â€Å"an occasional skiing trip, listening to music, [and] reading poetry† (1855). Leinsdorf’s work has taken him to many different places, including Peru, New Zealand, the United States, and South Africa. â€Å"He has no interest in the politics of the countries he works in† (1855), or of becoming a permanent resident in South Africa. Dr. Franz-Josef von Leinsdorf â€Å"[accepts the] social distinctions between people but [doesn’t] think they should be legally imposed† (1861). The girl in the story is young and black. She comes from a poor family and is of low class, so low that she does not even have a name in the story. The girl works in a supermarket where she assisted Dr. Leinsdorf in purchasing razor blades, and later did all his shopping for him. â€Å"She was one of nine children of a female laundry worker. She had left school in Standard Three (Eighth Grade) because there was no money at home for gym clothes or a school blazer. She had worked as a machinist in a factory and a cashier in a supermarket† (1861). The young girl followed Dr. Leinsdorf’s habits, learning how to make real coffee, not â€Å"synthetic flavoring† (1857); how to cook; and she learned how to type Dr. Leinsdorf’s notes. These two manage to come together as lovers and friends, but still the differences between them a prevalent. When they are caught, n...

Sonoco Products Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Sonoco Products Company - Essay Example It is evident from the study that to become globally competitive in its industry and ensuring the reduction of functions’ cost by 20% or significantly $2.8 million were the primary reasons of Sonoco’s new CEO Harris DeLoach in mandating Cindy Hartley, senior vice president of human resources (HR), to go for alternative restructuring of HR. This significantly is in line with the new CEO’s goal to control companywide cost to support a new business model that is expected to compete in the global setting and would ensure the top-line growth of the said company. It is in line with this that Hartley is faced with two alternative organisational structures for HR, the centralization and hybrid. In either of them, Sonoco’s CEO is concerned with the corresponding cost to be incurred. On the other hand, in either of them, Hartley would be more concerned on meeting three essential objectives in the HR such as the following (quoted from the case): 1. To increase GM’s accountability for talent management. 2. To distribute HR talent and support more evenly across the company’s divisions and make HR systems and process consistent. 3. To optimise HR’s ability to provide customized, strategic support to the GM’s businesses. It is important to implement strategies to meet these objectives considering the fact that the packaging industry was facing major transformation due to evident tough competition. Key players were looking forward to look for their competitive advantage. For instance, heavy manufacturing moved from the United States to countries like China and India where a substantially low labor cost could be possible. Moreover, many firms from the US started to invest outside the country. In addition, packaging companies essentially were able to draw on the full potential of emerging technologies and application of innovative tools. Most importantly, companies learned to appreciate the importance of reducing the initial-packaging-concept-to-market-delivery cycle just like in the case of Hershey which originally relied on hundreds of packaging suppliers but decided to reduce them into 20 by the end of 1990s. These were substantial reasons that Sonoco should consider to formulate effective strategies in order to stay in its business. As a result, Sonoco decided to consider being more attentive to the needs of the end consumer by the late 1990s and not only to the needs of Gillette, Kraft, Nestle and Procter and Gamble. These companies were actually also looking forward to the needs of their customers and what necessarily attracted them. Between 1998 and 2008, customers significantly viewed packaging as more influential than advertising. Thus, it was for this reason that Sonoco should potentially create a move to consider not only the needs of its primary customers but the end customer as a whole just to be able to create the right response in the ongoing trend in its entire market industry. In this paper, the proponent tries to create an important link between the prevailing events in Sonoco’s industry and its eventual moves in the midst of them most specifically from the point of view of its human resources. Diagnosis Unfortunately for Sonoco, talent was not viewed as a corporate resource. Furthermore, compensations were not viewed as costs in need of control or tools that can drive behavior. These are some of the problems faced by Sonoco as impacts of its contemporary organisational structures for HR.

Education In the US Prison System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Education In the US Prison System - Essay Example This subject matter is what will be discussed in the following. Since 1980, America's prison population has "more than tripled" (Patel and McMurray, n.d.). Out of this abundant figure, 19% of adult inmates are illiterate; while the United States' national adult illiteracy stands at a comparatively mere 4%. Stemming from this figure are the rates of recidivism in the United States, which are also at a particular high - 41% to 71% of prisoners who are released into the community end up back in prison only a short time after their acquittal. This can quickly be assessed as the obvious impact of expecting unskilled, undereducated, and often improperly socialized persons to be released into the community and make it on their own. In a world where high education is required for practically anything and everything, the thought of having high expectations for a person being thrown back into the world from a life of solitaire and no education in prison seems highly impractical. Although at one time rehabilitation was a critical goal of the prison system, funding for most educational and rehabilitative programs "has been severed, prioritizing punishment and profit over people." ("PARC", n.d.). The real mission of the prison system now seems to be that of total containment, rather than assistance. Recent studies have shown an increasing need for special skills for America's workforce for the future. "Inmates, who traditionally do not have good workplace skills, can benefit from education provided during incarceration." (Yeonopolus, n.d.). There are numerous innovative programs for inmates available in prisons across America, some of which are even enforced with penalties if persons decide to resist. In certain prisons, prisoners are being compelled to attend school for specified periods, and those who refuse to comply may be denied parole hearings or "be prevented from participating in alternative forms of 'treatment' until they comply." (Davidson, 1995). The educators who teach in the prison system understand they the persons they are educating require more than just educational skills, they also lack the knowledge of proper personal skills, such as making decisions, working with others, using resources appropriately, and so on. It is this understanding that has, and seemingl y will continue to, keep prisoners from reentering the prison system after their release. There are two basic types of correctional education programs - vocational training, which focuses on the learning of skills that are related to the workplace, and literacy development, which is used to heighten a persons reading and mathematical skills. Each state has a separate list of educational programs offered to inmate; Colorado for example, employs the Correctional Education Program, which strives to provide inmates with skills which will be transferable and useful to them once they leave the penal system by: ensuring their reach the highest academic achievement level possible, preferably obtaining the General Educational Development (GED) Diploma, and

Neighbourly Relations Essay Example for Free

Neighbourly Relations Essay Examine the argument that neighbourly relations are characterised by friendly distance. Neighbourly relations are an aspect of life which affects every single one of us at some point in our lives. When we look to live somewhere we not only consider the property and general area, but are also curious about our neighbours. A common question when viewing a property is ‘what are the neighbours like? ’ and the answer is usually ‘they are really nice’ whether they are or not! But what makes a good neighbour? Some people get on with their neighbours but just as many don’t and usually it’s due to what can appear as trivial disputes. This essay will look at the term ‘friendly distance’ which plays a huge part in how neighbours interact with each other. Many studies have asked the question ‘what makes a good neighbour? ’ and social scientists have found that despite different back grounds or settings the majority of people want the same set of standards from the people living near or around them. People need to be friendly and be there for each other but at the same time respect each others’ ‘need for privacy and reserve’ (Willmott. , cited in Byford, 2009, p. 253). So you have to be friendly but keep your distance at the same time. So how do we do this? Neighbouring relations comes with it’s own set of unwritten rules. These rules are constantly being portrayed and carried out in our day to day lives subconsciously. A 2004 study carried out in Manchester neighbourhoods further shows that this is a widespread practice. Neighbours of various areas demonstrated similar actions and practices of what is expected from neighbours, a common one being that they will chat with their neighbour when they are outside of the house if they see them but wouldn’t they wouldn’t go in each other’s house (Harris and Gale, cited in Byford, 2009, p. 55). This type of understanding of what is expected of a neighbour is also echoed in another study where neighbouring is seen as an ‘occasioned activity’ (Laurier et al. , cited in Byford, 2009, p. 256). This study showed that whilst neighbours can exchange pleasantries quite happily with one another if they meet in a public place, they would only directly go to the neighbours house and ring their door bell if there was something specific they wanted of if something was wrong. Although similar studies were carried out in the USA and findings were very much the same as the UK, other countries and cultures can be quite different. In 1970, the anthropologist Stanley Brandes visited Spain to study how modernisation and urbanisation affected small rural communities there. He resided in the village of Becedas and observed the daily life of it’s residents. What he found there was quite different to the UK, in that neighbours would enter each other’s houses without knocking or a second thought. They introduced themselves immediately by name and offered their help and went out of their way to make Brandes feel welcome. (Brandes, 1975, cited in Byford, p. 260). But as Brandes resided there longer he came to understand that what appeared at first as welcoming and friendly practices, it actually belied a community that in reality was quite mistrusting and critical of each other. Privacy was not seen as necessary and someone who required it would be considered rude and impolite. The poor status of the village meant that the villagers relied on each other for daily help with manual labour and other traditional activites. Without each other they felt they couldn’t surive even, but this high dependence on each other masked the underlying feeling of distrust they had for each other. But what about when neighbouring goes wrong? As human beings we can’t get it right all the time and relations can break down leading to disputes and disagreements. Noisy neighbours is a common complaint and one that is suffered more commonly in overcrowded housing estates where insulation is poor. This in turn leads to a lack of privacy and leads to a neighbours making adjustments within their daily life to prevent embarrassment of being overheard. These adjustments can referred to as ‘distancing mechanisms’ (Bourke, 1994, cited in Byford, p. 266). Such adjustments could include turning the bed away from the adjoining wall, and other ways of preventing noise from being heard. So although people can do what they like in their own homes, they are expected to take necessary steps to minimise what other’s can hear. Another much more serious example of neighbourly relations going wrong is exhibited within the cases of the murders of Catherine Genovese and James Bulger. Although neighbours assume they offer security to one another and ‘look out for each other’ (Attwood et all. , cited in Byford, p. 271) the public exposure of both the above cases uncovered a massive breakdown in neighbourly relations. In both cases a large number of residents heard screams, or observed unusual behaviour which left them concerned but they failed to do anything. A number of studies were carried out to study ‘bystander intervention’ to determine why these people didn’t help. One study carried out showed that if one person helps out then nother may do as well, but people are led by each other’s actions (Latane and Darley, cited in Byford, p. 279) and this was referred to as the ‘bystander effect’. In another study by Levine (1999) he found that the percieved relationship between the three boys in the Bulger case led to the reason why no-one intervened. People failed to get involved because they assumed the boys were all brothers and it was nothing to do with them. As neighbours we commonly share a social identity, or even a collective identity through our relationship with each other. This shared identity should profer a loyalty to each other as people within a shared group usually ‘stick together’. However, it would seem neighbourly relations are alot more complex than merely a shared identity. Neighbouring practices are carried out without thinking within our normal day, and these practices allow us to manage the fine line of private and public space. Neighbourhood life is ordered and defines how people should live together, and go about their daily lives without interfering but also by being there for each other too.

Change Management Within Cadbury Schweppes

Change Management Within Cadbury Schweppes In todays changing and vague environment, challenges and ambiguities are growing in the market (Boatright, 2007). Globalization and rapid technological advancement placed organizations under immense pressure and necessity to coop with changes in the market. If organizations seek to avoid risks, then they must be prepared to make the required management changes that preserve their position in the market (Stanleigh, 2008). If planned effectively, change will turn a key success factor. Organizations cant implement the change without planning. In fact, change must be realistic, achievable and measurable.ÂÂ  Therefore, organizations must allocate and align all needed resources and capabilities for the project. In late 2003, Cadbury Schweppes, an international confectionery and beverage company, began working with Future Considerations, a management consultancy, to develop a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) learning tool. This tool was designed to make a change in corporate values and move them from booklets and posters into processes, actions plans and culture change inside and outside the company. Thus, this was considered a priority on the desk of the board room of Cadbury and all managers and stakeholders were prepared and engaged in order to adapt the change challenge. This study will examine thoroughly how Cadbury successfully managed this change and prepared the appropriate and suitable capabilities and resources and educate the company, especially their senior managers and employees, about CSR. However, we will start by literature review section about change management and its drivers, key success factors and approaches to make the change a successful project. Then, a brief summary about the case that we are studying-Cadbury Schweppes- will be presented. Finally, a conclusion summarizing the key points in the case and lessons learnt will be offered. Literature Review To start, defining any concept in the area of research and academic work is indeed the first step before moving and discussing the framework and applications and the concept of change management is no exception. Thus, it is important to define what is meant by change management and how can we tell that a certain managerial project is a change or not. Making this differentiation unambiguous from the beginning is pivotal in order allocate the needed capabilities, communication plans and managerial tools and avoid wasting time and resources. For the purposes of Cadbury Schweppes case study, change management is defined as a set of organizational methods and procedures used for effective and prompt handling of change (ITIL, 2000) in the way the business operates and its management approaches (Worren, Ruddle and Moore, 1999). In fact, change management is a discipline that prepares and endures that organizations meet new or existing management objective in a rapid and effective way. To do so, the most appropriate management tools and communication facilities are chosen in order to help the organization, including managers and employees, create the right management disciplines and processes, organization structures, culture, competencies and capability for superior human performance so that change goals are achieved and sustained (Worren et al., 1999, p.277). Drawing on this conception and understand of change management, two important concepts are identified. The first concept is the importance of human performance in change management; thus the organization must prepare the necessary tool, resources and capabilities to increase the contribution and readiness of its managers and employees to adapt the change and build the human performance in their organizations (Michael and James, 1993). The second concept relates to the importance of stakeholders awareness; therefore it is important to help stakeholders who are engaged and affected by the change to determine ways to manage the change process effectively to ensure this occurs. In order to understand more change management, we need to shed light on the drives the make a company decide to employ the change. According to Stanleigh (2008), the following are some drivers: Decisions of mergers and acquisitions with other companies Innovation Adapting new business concept Advent in technology and the need to deploy a new technology Restructuring the organization (downsizing) Globalization Expansion and growth Any of these drivers leads to a change in the way companies management approaches and they way they perform and do their business activities. These drivers are then translated into business objective. So, for example, if a certain company decided to adapt a new technology then adapting this new technology is the objective under which it should prepare the appropriate management tool and project in order to meet the objectives of the change (Storey, 2001). After defining change management as a concept and examining the drivers of the change, it is important know to answer very important question: What make a change project successful? The literature is full of information, best practices and implementation guidelines (Beardwell and Claydon, 2007, Schuler and Jackson, 2006, Storey, 1989) that should be followed in order to manage the change and obtain the foundations for success. However, for the purposes of Cadbury Schweppes case study we will highlight the relevant success factors of a change tool. According to Salaman, Storey and Billsberry (2005) and Kotter and Change (1995), the following factors, which can be used as an approach for successful change, are keys for successful implementing change management: Setting a clear vision and objectives for the change Planning and programming Senior and top management determination Engaging managers and employees Managing change at all departments Telling the organization the benefits of the change Working with staffs in teams on the change program and expecting change to occur Giving time for staff to vent first and then change As it appears clear, a clear vision and objectives at early stages of the change are essential since they are predetermined for change tools and processes. In order to emphasize more the centrality of the vision and objective in any change, we will use here the works of Kotter and Change (1995), leader authors in the area of change management. According to them, a vision always goes beyond the numbers that are typically found in five-year plans. A vision says something that helps clarify the direction in which an organization needs to move. Themes of engagement and effective communication are also important for change management as explained in factors of successful change. It is impossible for the change to achieve its objectives unless managers and employees are motivated to contribute and help. Managers and employees will not make the needed sacrifices unless they believe in the benefits of the change. Here comes the role o the organization, especially the team responsible for implementing the tool for change management, to launch a credible communication that gain the hearts and mind of managers and employees (Ulrich, 1997). To recapture, clear vision, well articulated plans and effective communication are all what a change is about (Ulrich and Beatty, 2001). The aims and objectives of the change project have to be clear and transparent. In addition, need resources, teams and capabilities should be allocated. The company managing the change must be learning company. It must accumulate its experiences and benefit from other companies who failed or successes in their change project in order to avoid sources of failure and adopt factors of success. In the following section, a good example of successful change management tool, namely Working Better Together CSR tool, created and implemented by Cadbury Schweppes will be offered. The Case: Cadbury Schweppes Cadbury is a leading global confectionery company with an outstanding portfolio of chocolate, gum and candy brands. We create brands people love brands like Cadbury, Trident and Halls. The companys heritage starts back in 1824 when John Cadbury opened a shop in Birmingham selling cocoa and chocolate. Since then the company have expanded its business throughout the world by a programme of organic and acquisition led growth (Cadbury Schweppes, 2009). On 7 May 2008, the separation of the companys confectionery and Americas Beverages businesses was completed creating Cadbury plc with a vision to be the worlds biggest and best confectionery company. The strategy at Cadbury Schweppes is clear. The company believes that the business still has significant untapped potential both in terms of top line growth and returns. By exploiting the strength of its leadership positions to continue to grow its market share and significantly increase its margins and returns, the company aims to achieve its vision of becoming the biggest and best confectionery company in the world (Cadbury Schweppes, 2009). In addition to the strategy, Cadbury Schweppes is keen to maintain its special and unique culture in order to achieve its objectives. The company is led by its performance driven values. The key success factors are: a clear vision, performance scorecard, priorities and sustainable commitment. As a culture the company value performance, quality, respect, integrity and responsibility (Young, 2006). The company works as one team across geographic and functional boundaries to be the best.ÂÂ  The company works hard and have fun along the way. This requires form the company to listen to its consumers, customers, suppliers, shareowners, colleagues and communities. Understanding and responding to their need is the driver of the sustained success of the company. The company believes that doing good is good for business (Cadbury Schweppes, 2009). This belief is at the heart of the way the company works today and will remain as key to its future success. Origin of the Change, Setting objective and Planning the CSR New Tool As mentioned in the introduction, Cadbury Schweppess new project included the development and introduction of a new learning tool which required a change in the way the company operates and does its business (see figure 1). The title of this project was Working Better Together a kit of 50 organizational development tools. Figure 1 Working Better Together Template Adapted from (Young, 2006) In fact, the aim of the company from this transformational project was to build collaborative behaviour among different departments inside the company and across all its stores and offices in different countries especially US and UK (Vogel, 2005). In addition, this collaboration includes communication and engagement of the companys stakeholders in order to teach them that CSR is integral and cornerstone for the companys business and the way it deals with its stakeholders. In brief the main objective of the change project at Cadbury Schweppes is to make the company socially responsible in everything it does. At the heart of this project is the commitment of the company to foster the notion of CSR which is a key to Working Better Together. This is the vision of the company and the general objective under which the whole changing process and application phase will work. Thus, we need know to examine how Cadbury Schweppes translated this vision into action and achieved its objective. The first name given to the tool was Ethical Risk in order to respond to the challenges facing CSR. At early stages, a team of 50 most senior HR and CSR managers was formulated to manage the change project (Young, 2006). The first thing this team did was to change the name of the tool which was rebranded the CSR Living Our Values Learning Tool to reflect the interrelation and synergies between CSR and Cadbury Schweppess values (Sharma et al., 2009). Then, CSR at the company was defined by five main pillars: Human rights and employment standards Ethical responsibilities Marketing, food and consumer issues Environmental, health and safety responsibilities Community relationship This HR-CSR joint team recognized that the tool needed development in order to engage the whole organization especially line managers and employees. In the following section we will explain how Cadbury Schweppes prepared the organization for the change and what tools did the company use to successfully implement the project. Implementation Phase Employee Engagement Employee engagement and contribution to CSR (Davis, 1973, Frederick, 1994, Lantos, 2001, Orlitzky, 2000, Porter and Kramer, 2006), which is intrinsic to the values by which any company does business, was priority Cadbury Schweppes. In fact, employees engagement and raising their readiness for the change is essential part of any change project (Buyens and De Vos, 2001). In light of this understanding, the company formulated a team activity around values-based decisions. The main task for this team is to consult employees in relation to what are the best CSR programs, ides and initiatives that provide the framework to integrate the companys values into its practices, culture, values and daily activities (Young, 2006, Sharma et al., 2009). Also, the team discussed real and relevant business issues including making decisions about products and marketing. The company felt that in order for the change to be implemented successfully, its employees must be aware of the projects and what are CSRs objectives and why the company is adopting this concept. Engaging senior managers The HR-CSR joint team lunched a series of meetings with senior managers at Cadbury Schweppes. The aim was to educate them and raise their awareness toward the five CSR pillars and study the role and contribution of senior managers at the company in embedding CSR into their departments in collaboration with all other departments (Young, 2006). All departments are working under the umbrella of CSR. The HR-CSR team worked in practice with all senior mangers on the tool and showed them how it should be applied. This practical insight provided engaged managers more effectively than any other theoretical description through a seminar or booklet. In addition, the team was keen to get a feedback from senior managers on the practicability of the tool and areas of improvement (Vogel, 2005). In fact, the HR-CSR team succeeded to choose the appropriate and mostly effective means of communication. It is important to note here that the mean of communicate that a company encompass is decisive in any change project (Hemingway and Maclagan, 2004). It is highly recommended to couple practical exercise with theoretical aspects of any learning tool. Learning design Following the feedback obtained from employee teams and series of meeting with senior manager, many refinements were made to the learning tool. The competitive nature of the tool was toned. So, instead of assigning CSR pillars, the tool ranked the possible answers to CSR issues from most to least preferred. This refinement and change deepened the dialogues and prompt the possibility to weight one option against another (Said, Zainuddin and Haron, 2009). Flexible application The key of having this tool was flexibility. At Cadbury Schweppes, the CSR tool was not just used by mangers and within all departments but also with local, functional, leadership teams and new hires in induction programs. In addition, the tool was used with a procurement team and served the original CSR objectives. Thus, the flexibility of the tool makes the change flexible not rigid. This dimension is very important in change management because if the change was static this could restrain its applicability to very specific context and limit the effect of the change and the success of the project. In Cadbury Schweppess case, the CSR tool was applied and adapted in different contexts (Said et al., 2009). For example, HR discloses CSR report to employees and they are asked to sign the statement of business principle and track its adherence. Also, HR used the CSR tool to embeds CSR in the culture of the organization (Young, 2006). This is how the change is translated into different org anizational process, policies and practices. Partnership in change management: HR and CSR The training and communication facilities used to instil the CSR culture among employees, line mangers and the entire Cadbury Schweppess company is indeed a neat example of how the partnership between the CSR and HR department is key a success factor in managing change. Make employees learn and practice CSR activities was the role of HR, while the CRS department helped to define what CSR priorities and pillars. The training of employees through CSR Living Our Values Learning Tool at Cadbury Schweppes is a good example of partnership between HR and CSR (Sharma, Sharma and Devi 2009). Later the HR department included social responsibility in the latest management development initiatives like the global Passion for People management skills programme. Conclusion To conclude, Cadbury Schweppess new learning succeeded to achieve its objective. However, behind this success is well articulated and synthesized change management. Themes of communication, plans, feedback, collaboration, engagement, refinement, flexibility and partnership are indeed the secret behind this success. All these themes are needed and necessary in any project aiming to change behaviours, values and traditional management approaches. The whole organization must be informed about the change (Hemingway and Maclagan, 2004) because, by way of example, the contribution of employees and potential ideas and skills they offer should not be undermined. Any change without employee engagement and contribution runs the risk of sustainability and long-term survival (Amabile and Conti, 1999, Grant, 2002, Kotter and Change, 1995, Stanleigh, 2008).

Internship at malaysiaairlines Essay

As a part of requirement of Bachelor in Accountancy Programme, an internship training programme for six months is mandatory for every student in 7th semester. Therefore, it is necessary for me to complete my internship session in any company which offers relevant job scope and experience to my area and specialization. Previously, I had experienced working in an audit firm and now, I chose to be working in industrial and commercial sector in order for me to experience a new working environment. Hence, that is the reason why I decided to undergo my internship programme with Malaysia Airlines. I began my internship programme on 1st February 2013 with MAS and it ends on 31st July 2013. During that time, I was attached to Accounts Payable Department, 4th Floor, Admin 2 Building, MAS Complex A, SAAS Airport, 47200 Subang, Selangor. The department is headed by Cheah Paik Un and the Manager of the department is Pn. Nik Azlina Bt Nik Yusoff. I was put under the supervision of Nurul Izzati Bt Noordin and my immediate supervisor was Azizah Bt Azmi. 2.0 MALAYSIA AIRLINES (MAS). 2.1 Company Overview Malaysia Airlines (MAS), formerly known as Malaysian Airline System Berhad was found in the year of 1947. It is a Malaysian-based company engaged in the business of air transportation and the provision of related services. Basically, it operates in two segments. The first segment is airline operations, which engaged in the operation of aircraft for passenger and the second segment is cargo services which related to the operation of aircraft for cargo and mail services. In addition, MAS’s other business segment also includes catering, engineering, computerized reservation services, trucking and warehousing services, retailing of goods, terminal charges and tour and travel related activities. Up to now, MAS has over 20 subsidiaries with 13 of them are fully owned by MAS. Some of the subsidiaries are Abacus Distribution Systems (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd, FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd, MAS Golden  Holidays Sdn Bhd, and many more. Malaysia Airlines has its headquarters and registered office on the third floor of Administration Building A at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, Selangor. 3.0 WORK EXPERIENCES. 3.1 Duties and Responsibilities. Since I was attached to the Accounts Payable department, basically my tasks involve the handling of incoming invoices from arrival to post. Usually, I would first classify and sorts the invoices into various categories. Then, after performing invoice verification, I would enter the park invoices and update it using SAP system. After that, the superior may have to check and approve the invoice and if there are no variances, the invoice is posted into the accounting system. Apart from that, I also need to update the manpowers’ time sheet and summary as well as the fuel uplift quantity and buffered flights using the Integrated Fuel Management System (IFMS). Therefore, I can state that I already had a clear picture on how exactly MAS handle their accounts payable. In addition,I am well aware that accounting departments are constantly challenged when it comes to validating the accuracy of invoices, obtaining agreement and sign off for expenditure and taking measures to eliminate double payment occurrences. 3.2 Exposure to the Airline Industry. As a part of exposure to the airline industry, Finance Business Support Department has provided all the practical trainees the Internal Finance Module (Basic Airline Economics) on 26th February 2013. I found it very beneficial to me as I am able to apply my knowledge on costing specifically for airlines industry. I was exposed to different cost classification which MAS applied on its expenditure incurred, for example variable costs can be divided into flight related,traffic related and revenue related. After that, on 4th April and 12th April, I went for a half-day visit to Engineering Hangar and Malaysia Airlines Academy where I had the opportunity to observe how the aircrafts are being maintained, CCTS mock up, flight safety demonstration and so on. 3.3 Achievements. During my training period, I have acquired many new skills and knowledge on accounting mainly for airline industry. First, to me it was a success when I was given the opportunity to learn in depth on what type of expenditure incurred by MAS, and other related issues in the way of settling it. Next, this internship programme has certainly enriched my curriculumvitae (CV) and my interpersonal skills as I was given the chance to interact with most staffs from every different level. This has largely broadened my perspectives on career opportunities available in the accounting profession as they always provide me with good advice on it based on their experiences. Thus, I am able to shape my career goals more clearly and it will surely benefit me in the near future. Lastly, I am more familiar with accounting systems such as SAP and ESKER solutions as well as IFMS which is a system mainly developed for managing fuel. I can confidently use it with ease and I found that these systems really make accounting as one of the most enjoyable fields to deal with. This is because, from what I have observed, since ESKER is being used by Accounts Payable Department on 3rd of June 2013, it helps on reducing the problem related to traditional invoice processing method. Some of the problems linked to traditional method are increase in the chance of error due to multiple sources and paper invoices are also hard to monitor as well as labour intensive. Therefore, ESKER solutions really make paper-free AP a reality and helps in cutting operational and administrative AP costs as the invoice approval workflow is simplified and consolidated. 4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS. I must recommend MAS to create a more structured training programme where supervisors are directed to plan a more comprehensive and organized training schedule for every trainees in order to optimize the training period with significant tasks in developing the trainees’ knowledge and skills rather than focusing on the same task for the whole period. Next, I suggest that Accounts Payable Department should once in a while organize a team building exercise for its staffs in order to bring them closer and I am sure that  this would encourage them to appreciate the importance of team work and able to share personal experiences and ideas. 5.0 CONCLUSION. In conclusion, I can state that my internship at Malaysia Airlines was a rewarding experience. This is because, it provided me with some new perspectives that I did not come across during my studies back at the college and the work experience I gained here was very different compared to the private practice sector due to the specific job scope. Next, I would like to attest both of my supervisors (Nurul Izzati Bt Noordin who was my senior supervisor and Azizah Bt Azmi who was my immediate supervisor) at Accounts Payable Department, MAS for the good job. Above all, working together with them was a true pleasure and theirs faith in my abilities was a real source of motivation. I really appreciate the way I have been guided through this internship programme with MAS, beginning from the opportunity to take the time I needed to refresh and expand my knowledge in several issues concerning every single expenses incurred by MAS and ways to make payment, over a somehow protected period where I could discover and learn to value my new working environment, and finally earned the confidence to deal with assignments myself. Last but not least, I need to stress that all the staffs in this department contributed greatly to making my stay at MAS a very enjoyable one. It is through them that I did enjoy my work every day and I am very grateful for the internship opportunity given by MAS.

Case Study †Operations Management Essay

1.0 INTRODUCTION Operations management is defined as â€Å"the activity of managing the resources which produce and deliver products and services† (Slack et al. 2010 p4). This encompasses the entire activity carried out within the organization. With increasing pressure on organizations to deliver optimally at reduced cost, the role of operations has been transformed from that of strategy implementer to one of strategy driver. Operations strategy looks at the patterns of strategic decisions and actions in a bid to set the roles, objectives and activities of the operations (Slack et al. 2010). An understanding of these strategies is important in ensuring that organizations are well aware of the requirements needed to meet the corporate objectives set about by management. The report looks at a case study of Concept design services (CDS); a product based manufacturing company looking to break into service operations. It seeks to identify current strategy types evidenced in the organization and the role operations play in the implementation of this strategies. Also considered is the relationship between the core functions highlighting possible conflicts, current practices and perceived strengths and weaknesses. Issues such as servitization and growth strategies are considered in relation to the companies push for development in line with its desire to become a service provider. An analysis of the impact it will have on the company’s manufacturing and service departments is also considered. Finally, recommendations that will ensure operations develop with the new growth plan is presented to management. 2.0 STRATEGIES IN CONCEPT DESIGN Within CDS, there is evidence of an amalgamation of strategies. With a diversification of the company’s portfolio, the corporate strategy of the organization had to be reflecting the changing scenario of the business environment. To identify the different strategy types within CDS, there is first a need to understand what strategy is. Strategy can be defined has â€Å"the total pattern of decisions and actions that  position the organization in its environment and that are intended to achieve its long-term goals† (Slack et al. 2010 P79). Strategy has also been described as the long term direction an organization intends to go (Johnson et al. 2011). In achieving an over arching strategy, three levels of strategies have to be considered; corporate level, business level and operational level. The formulation of these strategies will determine how the different organizational strategies will interact with one another (Zanon et al. 2013) While corporate level strategy deals with the overall purpose and scope of an organization such as where to locate the business, what type of business to engage in; business level strategy is more concerned with the various ways the business can compete successfully against other competitors in its segment. Functional strategy looks at ways in which individual functions can contribute to the overall objective of the organization. Operations strategy is concerned with the strategic decision and actions that set roles, objectives and activities of the operations (Slack et al. 2010). It focuses more on how the different parts of the organization can deliver on set strategies through the management of resources, processes and people. Operations strategy’s primary role is to implement strategy, but with continuous business growth, operations is expected to support and drive the organizations strategy. This will see it contributing to the competitive advantage of the firm (Slack et al. 2010). This is aptly captured in Hayes and wheelwrights four stage model of operations contribution. Figure 1. Hayes and Wheelwrights four-stage model of operations contribution. Adapted from Slack et al. 2010 Slack et al. (2010), identified four different perspective to operations strategy; Top-down, bottom up, market requirement perspective and resource based perspective. He noted though that all four perspectives are required for proper understanding of operations strategy. Although the strategies employed by organizations may differ, it remains important to reconcile the needs of the market with operational resources  (Slack and Lewis 2008). Hence, it is important to analyse the process through which market needs are aligned with operational realities, thereby ensuring that operation can deliver what it is being asked of them and that this alignment will endure over time (Zanon et al. 2013). Evidenced in CDS operations is the implementation of two of the identified perspectives; Market requirement and Operations resource perspective. 2.1MARKET REQUIREMENT PERSPECTIVE ANALYSIS A market requirement perspective focuses on what market position requires of operations (Slack et al. 2010). Its focus is not just on the industry, but it considers where the organization intends to compete as well as the nature of competition ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­ (Lowson 2002). Hill (1985), suggested that to win orders in the market place, organizations operations strategy and the marketing strategy need to be in sync. CDS Marketing function identified a trend that seems to have worked for retailers in the decorative product industry. They realised the importance of fashion trends and its appeal to people. This market requirement led to the creation of a whole new industry. The need for premium, high quality household product characterised by the many different colour range became a market qualifying criteria that drove marketing’s strategy. This strategy was in line with the overall organizations strategy that saw a shift in the focus of its production of industrial injection-mould plastics to popular household items. In a bid to meet markets demand, supply services had to upscale its machineries by procuring additional large injection moulding machines to cater for the rapidly growing volume of products. Also, the design team had to be one step ahead of the competition by ensuring that they had a range of products that will keep customers engaged. Hence, the case study has shown that CDS have been able to develop its operations strategy by allowing operations meet the performance criteria required by the market (Slack et al. 2004). 2.2OPERATIONS RESOURCE PERSPECTIVE ANALYSIS In the case of operation resource perspective or resource based view (RBV),  focus is on the organizations operation resources, competencies and capabilities (Lowson 2002). It focuses on the key strengths of the organization, looking at internal resources that cannot be purchased externally, thus providing the firm with competitive advantage through superior performance (Clulow et al. 2007; Fahey and Smithee 1999; Barney 1991). With operations-led, strategy is developed through sound understanding of current operational capabilities and an analysis of how it can be developed in the future (Slack et al. 2004). An understanding of the organizations strength will then influence the decision as to which markets should be considered for the deployment of current or future capabilities, and which competitors can pose a threat or can be taken advantage of (Hayes et al. 2005). CDS have clearly shown the strength of their operations over the years. Early experience gained from the manufacturing of industrial products have set them miles ahead of competition. This is evidenced in the quality of their product which drove sales to record highs and resulted in retail outlets signing up for the organizations product. The company prides itself on its technical abilities which has been achieved not just from years of experience but by investing in machineries. CDS have acquired latest precision equipment’s with the best quality moulds available. The technical knowledge of the employees also provides the company a unique advantage. Another area of operations that provides competitive advantage for the organization is its design expertise. CDS have in its employ professionally respected designers with the know-how of translating difficult technical designs into manufacturable saleable products. This has provided the organization leverage when dealing with design houses. The company is clearly leveraging on its operations resources, competencies and capabilities to obtain competitive advantage. 3.0AN ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CORE FUNCTIONS Within the context of any organization, there are 3 functions that must exist for the organization to realize its goals of meeting customers need. They are; 1) The marketing function 2) The product/service development function 3) The operations function The marketing function which also comprises of the sales unit is primarily responsible for communicating what product/services the organization has to offer to consumers in a bid to generate customers’ requests for the service. The product development functions’ responsibility is to create new and modified products and services in order to generate future customer request for services. And lastly, the operations function is responsible for fulfilling customers request for service through the production and delivery of products and services (Slack et al. 2010). The ability to effectively work with other functions in the organization is a key responsibility for the operation function (Slack et al. 2010; Zanon et al. 2013). Research as shown that in most organizations, different functions within the organization usually employ their own strategies to assist them in realizing their functional objectives. This unfortunately is a basis for corporate misunderstanding, inter-functional differences and rivalry (Hill 2005).While the objective of the operations function remains the production of goods and services whilst managing resources, it has to also manage its relationship with other functions of the organization. Due to the nature of its strategic importance, the operations function usually has conflicts with other functions. MARKETING In determining an organizations strategic objective, operations and marketing usually adopt different approaches. While marketing tends to emphasise improved service features that appeal to customers, operations focus more on efficiency and cost control (Nie and Young 1997). Erickson (2010), stated that the main reason operations and marketing functions in an organization have conflict is due to their perceived differing objectives. Largely, trade-offs are responsible for the conflicts between these functions as they attempt to balance competing priorities (Tang 2010). It is therefore important that organizations manage trade-offs in a manner that will ensure that they don’t compromise the over-arching organizational strategy for gaining competitive advantage. Zanon et al. (2013) in their research identified certain paradigm that organizations needed to implement for the  successful collaboration of the two functions. They argued that there is a need for alignment between market needs and operational realities. The objective here is to satisfy market needs while using appropriate operational resources and jointly developing those resources so that the operations department can acquire new capabilities and provide the firm with sustainable competitive advantage. The marketing function at CDS have been able to effectively market/communicate the value of their products to the market, this is evidenced in the phenomenal growth of the company. Through innovation, extensive advertisement – both on TV and in illustrated magazines, they have been able to drive sales of CDS products. The function have successfully carved a niche market for the organization through the portrayal of its products has been â€Å"classy† and for the upwardly mobile individual. Product differentiation, design partnership and extensive research, combined with a marketing manager with lots of experience and autonomy working with an experienced, technically astute manufacturing department has resulted in the success of the CDS products. The function has also been able to market itself and the value it can give to design houses in Europe. Through its marketing activities, CDS is moving from being just a manufacturer of commodities to a provider of services. Despite the progress that have been recorded by CDS, there still seems to be a misalignment between the marketing and operation functions. With the success of CDS products and the continuous innovation drive of the organization, it would seem that the marketing function is failing to acknowledge the limitations of the company’s capacity. CDS have a problem with the storage of finished goods and this has impacted on the delivery of product availability from supply services. They are currently struggling to ensure that they meet SKU stocking levels. Another problem has been the issue of proper planning and effective forecasting by the marketing team. The seasonal nature of CDS products requires that the marketing function carries out comprehensive forecasting to try and anticipate demand. Currently, poor forecasting by the function is costing the organization. Supply services have to deal constantly with issues of utilization,  efficiency and growing scarp rates; this is as a result of ad-hoc requests for urgent production to meet with un-planned demand. To minimize wastage and ensure proper alignment, marketing and operations will have to network and collaborate better (Johansen and Riis 2005) to ensure that the over corporate objectives are met. NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT (NPD) â€Å"NPD is defined as the transformation of a market opportunity into a product available for sale, through a set of activities executed in a logical way, sequentially and concurrently† (Almeida and Miguel 2007). It allows organizations to gain competitive advantage, attract new customers, retain existing customers, and strengthen their ties with the distribution networks (Kotler and Keller 2006). Organizations that successfully introduce new products do so through a well-developed process that leads from creative designs to a successful launch of the product by focusing on satisfying specific customer needs (Chandra and Neelankavil 2008). The attainment of this task will require NPD to collaborate closely with both operations and marketing. NPD, in comparison to other functions is usually characterised by a high degree of uncertainty, risk and high cost to make changes to initial decisions made (Slack et al. 2010). For CDS, NPD is responsible for transforming designs from marketing into workable design moulds. Operations then ensure that the products from the mould are standardized and tested appropriately and efficiently. The moulds then have to be tested on the production machines. A great deal of inter-functional collaboration is required to ensure that proper scheduling is in place to enable NDP carry out testing without disrupting production. Getting this right is easier said. The reality is that there is usually a delay in getting the moulds from the suppliers in South Korea. This will then result in a need for an urgent test of the moulds. That said, CDSs’ NPD function are technically sound. They have managed to build for themselves a reputation of being able to overcome problems with designs regardless of its nature. The NPD function contributes to the organizations unique operations resource. 4.0 AN EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT ON THE OPERATION OF THE  MANUFACTURING AND SERVICE DEPARTMENTS CDS like most manufacturing organizations are starting to appreciate the intrinsic value of adopting servitization as a practice. Servitization have been described as the process of transforming manufacturers to compete through product-service systems rather than products alone (Baines et al. 2007). The rationale for this transition from ‘purely product’ to ‘product- service’ or ‘purely service’ can be viewed from three perspectives (Oliva and Kallenberg 2003). They identified the reasons as; First, economic. Research has shown that substantial revenue can be generated from products with a long life cycle; also services in general have higher margins than products and services also provides a more stable source of revenue as they are resistant to the economic cycles that drive investment and equipment purchases. Secondly, there is pressure on organizations from customers demanding more services. This has led to firms adopting a narrow definition of core competencies while increasing their dependence on technology to help in their bid to specialize. Lastly, it is viewed as providing competitive advantage. The less visible a service is, and the more labour dependent it gets, the more the probability of imitation reduces (Oliva and Kallenberg 2003). Manufacturing has long moved beyond production alone and a combination of both products and service business model are now generally accepted as playing a key role in the success of any modern business (Baines et al. 2014). Companies that have adopted the concept of servitization will probably not follow the product-service classification, but will instead seek to distinguish on the basis of the value proposition with their customers (Baines and Lightfoot 2013). This is the case in CDS, where the company have had to adopt differing service model while dealing with the design houses and retailer service market. While the design houses have adopted a proposition that sees both companies working together – that is the customer wants the company to work with them (Baines et al. 2014), the retailers on the other hand, are happy to leave the management of the entire operation to CDS. Baines et al. (2014) have identified this differing forms of proposition has been ‘base’, ‘intermediate’ and ‘advanced services’. The relationship between the retailer services market and CDS can be classified as advanced. This categorization of product-service offering is centred on  the idea that due to the competencies of the company, maintenance and workability of the operations should be managed by the provider of the service. A feature of this type of offering includes customer support agreements, risk and reward sharing contract, and revenue through use contact (Baines and Lightfoot 2013). To meet with demand, and ensure that customer’s needs are met in terms of product availability, CDS will have to increase its production lines and increase holding capacity. Storage facilities will have to be located closer to the location of their customers. Localised facilities will ensure that store replenishment lead times are reduced. CDS will also have to invest in ICT. Setting up an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system will help connect the stores database with that of CDS. That way, they can easily track inventory levels and are able to respond in a proactive manner. Also, Oliva and Kallenberg (2003) argued that a good practice will be to set up a new service department whose focus will be to drive and improve performance objectives. The consolidation of the service offered is usually accompanied by a strong initiative to improve the efficiency, quality and delivery time of the services provided, and the creation of additional services to supplement the service offering. The consolidation of services also comes with the development of a monitoring system to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the service delivery. This monitoring system allows managers realize the size of the service market and account for services’ contribution to the firm’s operations (Oliva and Kallenberg 2003). Internally, these changes create the transparency of numbers needed to get a clear sense of direction and to monitor the success or failure of executed changes (Oliva and Kallenberg 2003). Externally, the improvement of quality will establish CDS as a reputable service provider among its clients. CDS has seen steady and continuous growth over the years, albeit its focus had been centred on a single product type. With the recent direction of the organization, there are real concerns surrounding it rapid growth and its diversification into services. Southard and Swenseth (2003) identified certain issues that evolving organizations encounter due to rapid growth, they include bottle-necks, back-orders, and decreased profits despite increased sales. Some of these issues are evidenced in CDS. The rapid growth  of the organization has resulted in capacity related issues. There is one in every twelve chances of a product not being available, continuous scheduling disruption due to demand surpassing supply and the popularity of its product and wide acceptance usually leads to stock outs. The manufacturing function seems to be stretched to the limit with support services equally struggling. It would seem that the organization is currently unprepared for the changes. 5.0RECOMMENDATION TO MANAGEMENT In line with the company’s objective for growth, it has become imperative to address the operational issues that can hinder the organizations growth strategy. Using the product/service lifecycle to analyse the organizations current operations, it is obvious that the transition from being a purely product based manufacturing company to a product-service based organization is still in the infancy state. This is characterised by uncertainty as customer’s needs are not well understood. Hence, operations management will be required to develop flexibility to cope with any changes and be able to give the product/service performance that will ensure quality is maintained (Slack et al. 2010). Other issues to be considered by management includes; the issue of capacity management. To meet with the demand of the market and its growth strategy, CDS will be required to get more warehouses and hold more inventories. The plastic business is clearly one of volume; hence CDS has to ensure that it maintains its status of been a reliable supplier. It also has to effectively operationalize it marketing strategy. The company is currently plagued by poor forecasting and planning. There is a need to upscale the competencies of the sales representatives. This will enable them gather appropriate data that can then be fed into the organizations planning to help reduce scheduling related issues, stock outs and disruptions. Also required is an alignment between the strategies of the core functions. Regular business meetings, where issues relating to each function get tabled will help build better understanding among the different functions. REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY ALMEIDA, L.F. and MIGUEL, P., 2007. 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