Questions In E-Commerce Essay Example for Free

Questions In E-Commerce Essay Question 6 Resources are the financial, physical, human, technological, and organizational assets of a company. A distinctive competency is unique to a company and allows it to earn a profit rate that is above the industry average.   Distinctive competencies are the products and services that directly fulfill the organizations goals, and is what the company does uniquely well.   Therefore, resources used to create distinctive competencies are the fundamental building blocks of the company’s success.   A resource must be in demand, or scarce, or difficult and costly to imitate, or have no substitute to add to a company’s competitive advantage.    In addition, it is only those resources which directly contribute to the core competencies of a company that add to its competitive advantage. Question 7 The internet can both increase the difficulty of imitation for a company, and it can also make it easier for other companies to copy.   Some companies use the internet as a core resource.   An example is EBay, which would not exist if it were not for the internet. However, the fact that EBay functions via the internet remains one of its core resources.   It has proven incredibly difficult for competitors to imitate to provide the level of service and marketplace which EBay enjoys.   Of course, EBay is continuously improving upon this core resource.   On the other hand, the internet creates a basic platform for selling.   One of the impacts of the Internet on companies using barriers of imitation as a competitive advantage is that they must be constantly improving and developing their products and services.   The internet allows consumers to browse many companies offering the same services.   If a company is able to do something better, or offer a superior product, they must be able to show this over the internet.     A small fashion designer selling their products over the internet runs a great risk of being copied quickly.   This may provide greater incentive for the designer to be continuously creating new designs and styles. Question 8 The resource based view and market views of competitive advantage are complementary.   They can both be used by the same company to determine what its key competitive advantages are, and also help a company explore what new competitive advantages they may want to develop.   The resource based view looks at what the company has.   Its physical assets as well as it process assets.  Ã‚   What the company does uniquely well.  Ã‚   The market view of competitive advantage looks at the marketplace first.   It identifies the way the company markets itself or the consumer need it fulfills. When looking at a company from the market view, the question asked is â€Å"How is this company unique in the marketplace.†Ã‚   A company can benefit from taking both a resource-based view and a market view of competitive advantage.   A company can analyze its internal resources and identify the resources that are key to its success and fulfillment of the organizational goals.   When it performs this analysis, it knows which attributes it must keep in order to stay competitive.   It is able to identify its internal core competencies.   On the other hand, the company can analyze the marketplace.   It can identify its role ion the market.   Is it satisfying its customers?   In what ways?   What are the core strengths of the company in the market?    These are the core competencies of the organization on the marketplace.   The company may choose to develop these further, if greater competitive advantage would be gained, or perhaps focus on developing a new market capability if the external environment is shifting.  Ã‚   When the company then takes its external and internal analysis and put them together, a better picture of the company’s true core competencies is displayed.   The company can then see where it may need to make adjustments or where resources or markets should be developed to take advantage of strengths. Question 9 There are basically two ways the Internet can add to a company’s cost advantage.   One, it can reduce the operating costs for a company.   Two, if a company has a cost advantage, they can increase the volume of their sales.   First, selling goods via the internet allows a company to keep a virtual location.   In this scenario, the company may not need to keep its own inventory or staff.   The company could order products from its vendors as ordered by customers and not keep any inventory at all.   There are no physical displays that need maintenance, nor are there any salespeople on the floor who need to be paid.   This is a strategy pursued by Amazon.   They do not have any brick-and-mortar stores to maintain, so they have no displays to maintain, and no salespeople to pay.    The overhead for maintaining the website is less than the overhead for maintaining the shop.   This gives Amazon a competitive cost advantage over Borders.   Also, when consumers are shopping via the Internet they are able to compare prices over multiple suppliers very easily.   Search tools like MySimon and others search the internet for the product the user enters and returns the prices from various online stores.   In this way, the internet can increase the volume of shoppers buying from a particular company.   If the shopper is only concerned with price, they will often choose the company that has the lowest cost.   Therefore, if the company is able to provide the lowest price, they can gain a competitive advantage via the internet by increasing their customer base. Question 10 Effective differentiation is achieved by a company when they really stand out in the consumer’s mind as something different.   They have developed a unique attribute to a point where customers buy from them based on their unique image.   Two ways the internet can help a company achieve effective differentiation is through exploitation of niche markets and providing services and products in a real-time environment.   On the internet, the market for any one website is much larger than what a store can typically reach. In this way, the company has access to many more markets by using the internet than they would otherwise.   This allows for the flourishing of niche market products and services – or highly effective and differentiated services. An example of a niche product on the internet market is a flea collar for dogs that is safe for the whole family! It has a small chamber into which it draws fleas via scent. The fleas cannot escape from this chamber and die.   The price is high, but the market is environmentally sensitive dog owners. Via the internet, sufficient promotion can be done to make production of this item profitable.   It could be much more difficult to market this product via stores.   Another way the internet can be used to differentiate a company in the marketplace is in the speed and responsiveness of the company to the real world.   The best example that comes to mind is the news.   News companies on-line can present stories to consumers much more quickly than in print. Customers are able to choose their source for news based on how real-time the news source is able to present the information.   Businesses must actually focus on differentiating itself from its customers to effectively compete in the internet marketplace.   There are so many providers of the same service or product, that a company must create and emphasize its difference to gain customers.   Some focus on ease of use, some on reliability, some on image, and others on customer service.   There are many ways to create differentiation, but the company must be aware that simply being on the internet does not automatically create a competitive advantage.

Expansion of Spanish clothing retailer Zaras

Expansion of Spanish clothing retailer Zaras This article examines the case of the Spanish clothing retailer Zaras experience of and plans for further expansion into Southern and Northern American markets. It argues that given the unique distribution and production functions of the retailer that possible problems exist for continued expansion in the US market. The problems associated with this given the characteristics of local markets and pressures from rival operators means that a recommendation is made for an adjusted international strategy for the company despite its broad successes elsewhere globally. Introduction Globalisation has become an essential element of international marketing principles and it has been argued that one of the keys to success in global markets is the effective development and marketing of standardised products and brands (Douglas Wind, 1987). Jay (2000) suggests that the development of international enterprises is as a consequence of reduced barriers for trading due to developments in information technology. Jones (2002) argues that successful international operations are those which integrate and cooperate in business activities across national boundaries. It is clear that the clothing industry is a significant part of the internationalisation process in terms of the critical growth of the clothing retailing sector in global markets and attendant activities such as global sourcing. The international expansion of Zara is led by its parent company Grupo Inditex which is based in Spain and Zara has achieved an impressive annual growth of 26% over the last five years (DAndrea Arnold, 2002). Based in Spain Zara has grown from 180 stores to 1.080 stores in 33 countries and in 2002 150 stores were added in 9 countries and further expansion has been planned and expected. As the biggest economy in the world the American market is an attractive one for Zara and stores located in New York were announced as being successful indicators towards future market penetration. The huge American market and especially the North American marketplace was highlighted as the next move for the companys expansion plan yet the diversity in this market and high level of competition creates challenges for continued Zaras success. Environmental Analysis A clear understanding of the business environment is essential for companies in competing in the global economy. This is particularly important in relation to international strategy. Environmental analysis can be made from both a macro and micro perspective and both the PESTEL and Porters industrial analysis are useful instruments of analyses (Johnson Scholes, 2002). PESTEL analyses the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal events that have impacts on a business. Of interest in this case is the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which helped regional economic growth among member countries through eliminating tariffs and government encouragement of foreign direct investment. This creates threats to Zara in terms of an entry model as well as marketing strategy. The American market is highly attractive for multinational companies such as Zara. The US is the number one economy in the world although since the terrorist attacks in 2001 the American economy slowed down accompanied with a reduction in consumer confidence. According to Jobber (2001) where national economic performance and customer confidence is poor consumers will reduce consumption of non essential products. This poses problems for Zara in competing in a highly competitive marketplace where demanding for clothing has decreased. Zara however provides luxury clothing products at a reasonable price which provides the company with competitive advantages in terms of price, quality and brand name. The success of Zara depends on an effective logistics system and it is one of the few companies with in-house design and production enabling them to provide new clothing lines within 15 days instead of the 9 months average lead-in time of the textile and clothing industry. It is fair to say that this logistics system based on information technology and computerized design and production programs enables Zara to maintain competitive advantages over other international competitors. However previous experiences in operating in South America where a complex and large distribution centre was established in order to supply the southern region saw challenges in the integrated supply chain being created. Language as one of the most important elements of culture plays a vital role in shaping international marketing strategy simply because people under different social and cultural environments share different value systems and display varied consumer behaviour (Bradley, 2005). Additionally it is useful to be aware of the new form of political economy which suggests that economic phenomena are highly linked with political issues in that governments seek to use political power to achieve economic benefits (Rugman Hodgetts, 2003). Examples of this can be seen in the increasing role of developing countries in the world economy. In the case of the textile and clothing industry more and more retailers and manufacturers source from lower labour cost developing countries res ulting in significant competitive pressures on Zara which insists on sourcing mainly from Europe and relying on its in-house design and production. Porter (1980) provides a useful framework in understanding the industrial environment in which companies are involved in. The competitive level in an industry shapes a firms strategy in competing in its marketplace and in turn this is shaped by the performance of operators within the industry. It is obvious that competition levels are high in both the North and South American marketplace. Zara entered the South American market where American brands such as GAP and the Swedish brand HM were major competitors within the middle clothing market. Similarly buyer power has increased in the modern business environment and Zara needs to effectively satisfy customers globally from different nations and cultural backgrounds. Improvement in US consumer confidence demonstrated in the research creates opportunities for Zara in expanding its market from south to the north (BBC News, 2005). Nevertheless the issue of different supply systems needs to be resolved utilising Zaras integrated global sup ply and logistics chain. The strategic plan to establish a specific supply and distribution centre for the North America market aims to control cost and maintain competitive capabilities in competing with companies from member countries of NAFTA such as Canada and Mexico as well as local players who source from cheaper overseas suppliers. Due to the nature of the clothing retailing industry the diversity of retailing forms in the US is complex including both large numbers as well as different formats for retailers including large retailers, department stores, merchandise shops, small specialty operators and discount stores. There are potential new entrants into this marketplace and hence it is critical for Zara to be aware of the high competition level in the US clothing retailing industry at all levels of the market. Market Segmentation Market segmentation aims to provide relevant information for a basis for the selection of target markets (Bradley, 2005). Zaras targeted customers are people who seek for higher quality clothing products at reasonable prices. In this case targeted American customers were those who expressed interest in European branded clothes. First of all Zaras women collection is divided into three categories: Zara Women, Zara Basic and the sporty Trafaluc representing market segments for women who look for a more formal style, younger women for a more informal style and younger women and teenagers while menswear included Mens Line at Zara, Zara Basics, its club-wear brand 100Zara and Zara Sport (DAndrea Arnold, 2002). In this sense the general public from all age groups can be seen as potential customers targeted by specific sub-brands of Zara. A second important variable in defining segmentation is based on psychographic characteristics such as lifestyle which will be discussed in detail in the next section (Jobber, 2001). As one of the most famous and successful European brands Zara in its existing south American market targeted people who were especially interested in European styles at affordable price levels. This targeting strategy remained the same for Zara in expanding in the North American marketplace. One definition of consumers suggests that it can be seen as individuals as well as groups of people purchase products or services for personal use, household or gifts. In other words they can be classified as end users of particular products (Solomon et al, 2002). Retailers are situated in the final steps of the distribution chain and are closely linked with end users or customers. Therefore it is useful to look at the concept of consumer behaviour in relation to clothing buying in light of target segmentation strategies pursued by Zara. Blackwell, Miniard and Engel (2000) define the initial step of consumption processes as the recognition of needs which can be influenced by various factors such as reference group values, self esteem and external cultural and social value systems. Particularly modern customers have become more sophisticated and learn more from their purchasing experiences with price often deployed as a key indicator as to the quality of goods (Jobber, 2001). This is arguably the case for buying activity in the clothing sector with brand name, price, style as well as quality tending to have important effects on the decision making processes leading to purchasing. According to Entwistle (2000) clothing is not simply about physical garments but takes on a multi-faceted significance where people use fashion to define and negotiate their identity in wider social contexts. Increasing power for consumers enables them to bargain for lower priced clothing yet it remains the case that pure discount on price is not necessarily important for them in make purchasing decisions. This aspect of consumer behaviour offers a useful insight for Zara in establishing its competitive advantages based on an effective logistics and supply chain through ensuring quality with reduced costs matched to a strong brand name. Foxall, Goldsmith and Brown (1998) argue that there are several stages after need recognition leading to final buying activity and as such the co mmunication strategy used to build up effective customer relationships and brand image by clothing retailers is most useful at the early stage in order to have a lasting impact on purchasing decisions. In this retail context women are suggested to constitute a major proportion of consumers (Domosh, 1996). Particularly women are more involved in both social and economic life functions which results in increasing demands on fashion in terms of style and self identity. Additionally a determinant of the degree to which customers evaluate a brand is the level of involvement with high involvement meaning extensive evaluation of the product and/or alternatives (Hawkins, Best and Coney, 1989). For clothing products the degree of involvement is suggested as being typically medium to high (Breward, 2000). Bearing in mind the concept of involvement and the role of women in purchasing Zara used a suite of effective marketing tools in maintaining customer loyalty through providing value added clothing relevant to identified market preferences. This is because in terms of fashion a stylish and sophisticated brand image in terms of trends, styles and tastes is a key success factor in building a b rand name for a retailer such as Zara. Similarly effectively maintaining customer loyalty in terms of repeat buying is a major contributor to successfully expanding its market share in the US market. Marketing Strategy Analysis and Evaluation Based on its successful experience in operating in New York Zara pursued a strategic market expansion strategy in order to maintain organisational growth in terms of market share and the accruement of financial benefits. The establishment of a distribution centre in the outskirts of Buenos Aires enabled Zara supply the southern region as well as played a strategic role in supplying the new northern market (DAndrea Arnold, 2002). With Zara being one of the few companies utilising in-house design and production meant sourcing locally was its main strategy rather than switching to overseas suppliers. This strategic choice did enhance the competitive capabilities of Zara in terms of short lead time and effective logistics control but added to pressure from competitors who sourced abroad resulting in competitive pricing in the middle market by rivals such as HM and GAP. In addition in considering an integrated supply chain the distribution centre to some extent caused inefficiencies in the overall system in that decisions on the choice of local manufacturers had been made difficult due to the closure of American textile and clothing manufacturers who moved production lines to Asia. As such the market expansions strategy remains unclear in terms of it achieving growth based on effective franchises rather than through adding new stores and entering new markets. This can be said to be especially the case for the North American market. Although the market size is large and entry barriers are low due to the cultural differences between south and north US regions means significant attention must be paid to the marketing mix in order to achieve synergy from integration. Life styles are different in North and South America hence the branding strategy used by Zara is essential in differentiating itself with both from existing rivals and attracting new custom ers within each of the respective markets. Evaluation of marketing mix In the context of international market and keeping in mind different macro and micro environmental conditions an international marketing mix needs to be varied from one context to another (Keegan Green, 2003). Based on the branding marketing mix strategies it is of importance to look at international marketing models in the North American market considering different operational environments and different consumer behaviour in southern and northern markets. Product and brand The term product not only refers to tangible goods but also entails intangible attributes such as customer service and brand name (Keegan Green, 2003). As a retailer Zara provides a similar range of products in both the southern and northern markets in the US as those provided in its domestic market. However the intangible resource which Zara as a strong brand in New York occupying the middle fashion market appears to be less visible more broadly in the North American markets in comparison with the national brand image of GAP. Traditionally the brand image of Zara as a retailer is one targeted on middle income consumers seeking high fashion styles at reasonable prices. As a result of successful operation in the EU market as well as Asian and South American markets Zara was able to create a strong brand image in the middle fashion market in order to compete with GAP and HM who are also two major operators in the wider global market. Price Price is argued as being an important indicator for customers in evaluating the quality of products and within the clothing sector this also holds true (Easey, 2002). The price mix deployed in the US market is double that found in its domestic region in Spain due to higher operational cost and higher labour costs. It has been suggested that the clothing industry is labour intensive and that effective human resource management strategy contributes in a key manner to effective cost control and in turn allow for competitive pricing in the market (Jones, 2002). As a result the operational strategy employed by Zara has been consistently challenged by competitive pricing from competitors who source from cheaper developing countries. As a result the efficacy of an integrated logistics and supply chain can be questioned along with the ability of maintaining this over the long term given the diversity and complexity of the clothing manufacturing industry in the US. In sum Zaras operation in i nternational markets appears to be experiencing rapid growth in terms of new branches and improving sales and profit but longer term challenges need to be addressed as a priority. Easey (2002) argues that pricing regimes for clothing products may need to change depending on different characteristics in each national market but that communication and management of these changes need to be directed from a strategic level. Communication An integrated communication strategy is an important part of the marketing mix within a branding strategy framework. This seems to be even more essential in the clothing retailing industrial context involving the use of celebrities as a critical communication tool in communicating with customers. For Blythe (2000) marketing communications objectives are created in order to develop a customer base and improve sales through increasing both new and existing customers expenditure on a brands products. However Zara has rarely exploited advertising campaigns except in the case of its launch of two main product ranges occurring seasonally each year. This can help explain its low brand awareness in the North American market which is a threat to successful entry into this marketplace. Additionally visual merchandising such as store design and layout has become widely regarded as important communication tools with consumers (Lea-Greenwood, 2002). In the case of Zara store design such as clear lighting, white walls and ceiling and style-related decorations such as photographs were deployed in order to create an elegant atmosphere emphasising a brand image reflecting European trends. Likewise employee uniforms helped Zara maintain a visual and physical presence of the brand image and helped in communicating with customers and needed only minor adjustments between southern and northern stores. It is believed that the format and experience of a trading environment particularly in clothing retailing interacts closely with merchandise, customer service and the success of communications strategies (Walters Hanrahan, 2000). It can be argued that the communication strategy used by Zara is effective in terms of communicative effects and of a lower cost than its competitors. On the other hand establishing a significant nationwide presence in North America may require either a large expenditure on a celebrity endorsed campaign or the ef fective use of novel techniques such as viral marketing. Distribution The distribution channel is the network which links producers with users yet international distribution strategies are difficult to manage since distribution structures differ from one country to the next (Keegan Green, 2003). For Zara the US market presents unique challenges. As mentioned earlier the closure of US local manufacturers and moves to Asian manufacturing operations poses major threats to Zara which traditionally exploits local sources in supporting its in house design and production. Due to the highly fragmented nature of fashion retailing it is vital for Zara to differentiate itself from other competitors during its entry stage into the North American market. In considering these difficulties in enter this market and the different cultural backgrounds involved Zara pursued an organic growth in terms of opening stores in its expansion. This is because a strong financial background based on its successful operation both in New York and support from its parent company Grupo Inditex allowed for a longer term fiscal view to be taken. However the use of English in the US market is likely to present challenges for the Spanish company but successful international human resource management should counter this and lead to successful implementation of its strategic expansion plans. Conclusion In order to maintain organizational growth Zara employed an aggressive expansion strategy in responding to internationalisation and globalisation. Research demonstrates that a strong global brand name is one of the most vital elements contributing to the success of international operations (Wigley et al, 2005). However a key consideration is cultural influences which have shaped international marketing strategies for Zara in the US market. An international marketing strategy to some degree remains the same as strategies used in other markets satisfy targeted customer groups effectively. However because of local differences and consumer complexity in the American market adjustments were used such as the establishment of a dedicated distribution centre for the American market. Recommendations The marketing mix used by Zara in the US market has been more effective in New York than in other locations. Brand name is a significant part of product concept hence it is useful for Zara to cooperate with local fashion magazines in conducting magazine campaigns in order to improve brand awareness at the market entry stage. Lea-Greenwoods (2002) suggestion that the communication process involves three key participants namely sender, message and receiver must be added to in the sense that practical contexts of business operations in the clothing retailing sector makes this model more complex due to changing forces in the external environment such as developments in media technology and changing characteristics/preferences of consumers. This is also of particular importance in international markets as different cultural and social backgrounds have substantial impacts on consumer behaviour as well as effective communication models. Secondly higher costs resulted in higher prices for Zara in these locations. This phenomenon is able to generate potential risks to its brand image of quality clothing products at reasonable prices. It is undoubted that in house design and local sourcing provides Zara with competitive advantages such as short lead times and high response rates to clothing trends but an awareness of local characteristics in the marketplace is essential. In the case of international expansion currency rates have a major impact on operational and labour costs. In turn competitiveness on price might be eliminated because of pressures from competitors who are able to provide even cheaper but goods which are of high quality. As Jones (2002) highlights global sourcing is a key trend and will continue to be so due to globalisation. Although sourcing abroad raises concerns on supply chain related risks which are often called the Iceberg theory it is imperative that Zara be aware of the significant advantages of sourcing from countries with lower labour costs especially given that quality levels have improved (Jackson Shaw, 2001). With the North American market there were difficulties for Zara in maintaining its famous on an in house production model simply because of a lack of local suppliers and manufacturers. Additionally labour costs in America are considerably higher compared to its operation in Europe. It is hard for Zara then to enjoy cost advantages offered by Eastern European countries as well as cheap domestic cost in Spain (Jones, 2002). The suggestion here is to consider expanding operations to Mexico which is comparably cheaper than the US yet offers a distribution channel to the North American market. The establishment of a distribution centre in Mexico is more likely to be cost effective rather th an building specific manufacturing factories in order to supply the North American market.

Management and Leadership (ML) Reflection in Nursing

Management and Leadership (ML) Reflection in Nursing Description of the incident /near miss The incident occurred in a care centre that provides nursing care and support for 20 young people with a physical disability (YPD) and 65 older people. The settlement consists of four individual units; two â€Å"dementia†, one â€Å"residential† and one â€Å"YPD† providing care for people with many different conditions. Staff work allocated to individual units but is expected to help out in other than allocated units when necessary. One member of staff had a terrible attitude towards working/helping out in one of the dementia units and refused to do so when delegated to work there. This led to a challenging situation that could cause risks related to short staffing issues. The analysis relates to the key elements of competence: Management and Leadership (ML) The situation was critical to me because it undermined safeguarding practice, affected teamwork concept and disorganised work causing workload difficulties. It was linked with factors that could affect safety and pose risks to clients ( ML 1.13) and therefore as a leading member of staff I had to take action by organising work and co-ordinating duties by prioritising needs (ML 1.1). According to the company regulations both dementia units should have daily minimum 5 care and 1 trained staff and 4 +1 in the other two on duty. When all staff present at work on the incident’s day had been checked; the â€Å"residential unit† turned out to be overstaffed (5+1staff). I have decided to take advantage of this opportunity and utilise available human resources in order to provide care for the clients in my unit (ML 1.5; 1.6) and delegated a member from the â€Å"over staffed† unit to help us. It was obvious to me that I had to act non-judgementally to ensure equality and fairness towards all clients (ML 1.6) by allocating adequate number of staff for each unit. The refusal to help in dementia unit was motivated by â€Å"fear to work in an unknown environment†. However the members of staff on duty working in the unit that was short were experienced and well organised workers. The delegated member of staff who denied to help was explained that she could benefit from joining the experienced team and encouraged to learn more about dementia affected clients’ needs and how influence the clients outcomes (ML 1.3; 1.15). Feelings Knowing the group of clients in dementia units from my own experience; their needs and limited abilities to act for themselves, I felt obligated to act for them. As a leading, trained staff I had the duty to ensure the patient’s right to be cared appropriately was met and the power to organise and co-ordinate work. It was a good opportunity to point out questionable behaviours that had potential advantages for the improvement of quality of care in the Home. Also the incident gave me the chance to show recognition to the experienced members of the team by asking to guide the new (in the unit) colleague. Evaluation The ability to re-organise work in one unit, so that we could attempt to manage to work in the short staffed unit without calling agency or bank staff was a positive aspect. Awareness of the workload and the â€Å"routine† of work in the dementia units allowed me to think about what to do and how to do it. My main aim was to ensure â€Å"our† clients were safe and looked after appropriately. As soon as I have noticed that one unit was â€Å"overstaffed† I have decided to delegate one of their members to work with us. This might have been good in relation to co-ordinating work and the use of available resources but on the other hand it could have as well caused the incident. I planned the delegation effectively but the implications of the delegation of duties could have been explained first. Before co-ordinating and delegating I could have taken 5-10 minutes to explain to the delegated member of staff that she will work with an experienced team where support will be provided and that she could gain new experience and knowledge that she may well benefit from in the future. Nevertheless, I simply presumed that the perception of the situation was the same for everyone. I did not consider the feelings or experiences of the member of staff that was meant to be transferred to our unit for her shift. Once the situation was explained and an informal verbal warning was given to the â€Å"non-cooperative carer† she changed her mind and came to work with us. Analysis Key system policies for Scottish Social Care (Quality Compliance Systems, 2014) include amongst others ‘Safeguarding Arrangements’ and their reports, for example State of care 2013/14 (Care Quality Commission, 2013/14), demonstrate that ‘lack of staff’ is one of the most common reasons for safety issues. Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) state what types of incidents/accidents have to be reported for further investigations (Health and Safety Executive, 2013). Although the described incident was classed as non RIDDOR reportable it had to be managed immediately in relation to Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2008) Cartey and Clark (2010) claim that bearing in mind the patient’s right to be cared appropriately in a safe environment by adequate number of qualified and or purposely trained staff is enshrined within the constitution needs to go along with an understanding that care workers face many challenging situations that can affect their performance and at the same time the patient’s safety. Care staff deliver the majority of hands-on nursing care but all too often they are perceived by superiors as †numbers† and therefore it can be difficult for them to feel motivated, maintain high morale and values and play a good role in a team. It is expected that they are responsible (the service user needs to feel secure in the knowledge that they will be responsibly looked after), supportive, compassionate, respectful towards each other and the service users, sensitive, understanding and having good people- skills. However for this to be achieved they need to be led by good examples (Bertucci, 2006). The ideal example should according to Storey and Holti (2013) use a concept that is no exclusive to or within leadership. Therefore, mixing management styles e.g. autocratic command and control based to delegate duties effectively, organise and co-ordinate work with the ability to motivate and bring out the best in staff by communicating and sharing the mission and building partnerships within organisation ( democratic) is critical (Schein, 2010). Sims (2002) underlines the need for change in commitment to teams and teamwork where client centred and willing to focus on the customer needs attitude is seen as the key element. Teams are perceived as combined and unceasing efforts of everyone participating in care including not only healthcare givers and receivers but also planners (Walburg and Bevan, 2005). Alas, teams that are cohesive, productive do not happen by accident. The Care Quality Commission (2013/14) reports show that appropriate use of available human resources is a longstanding concern that affects the quality of care in nursing causing many issues. Therefore staff should be encouraged to work together even if they disagree or have different opinions in order to work out ways to resolve conflicts (Mickan, 2005). Explaining the idea of working in â€Å"the unknown† unit changed the attitude of the â€Å"uncooperative carer†. The mixed approach might have been more time consuming compared to a straight commanding but proved to work well. The approach used on that day helped to identify the cause of the problem, avoid risks related to it and motivate the team which had a positive effect on personal development. Should there be a just one style e.g. traditional management used, where the management is known to exercise power, fear and follow without question attitudes (Colins, 2001), the incident could have turned out from a near miss to a serious safety issue. Conclusion If the Manager would have paid more attention to developing and leading teams that work well together for the home as a whole prior to the incident, there would be no issue with working in other units and work could be co-ordinated and prioritised on the day of the incident in a different way. However, the incident made me realise that without my initiative to seek help from other units â€Å"our† clients would be put at risk and treated unfairly. This gave me the strength to use all my powers to mitigate the risks related to staffing challenges and manage the problem as effectively as possible. I knew I had to be strict but at the same time I wanted to act in a sensitive manner to avoid over emotional response that could have caused unwanted effects. What I have learned was to use mixed styles approach in practice. Action plan If a similar situation arose in the future I would start the day with a flash meeting; explaining the risks and consequences of leaving a unit short of staff to the whole team (all units). I would allow some extra time to make sure we all understand our role as caregivers to be flexible and accommodating that enables us to deal with different types of patients with greater ease. Then I would re-organise staff in units depending on the teams and needs of each unit; choose one inexperienced or new member of staff to work in the unit that would be short and explain that this is â€Å"learning by doing† day and offer my personal support to that member of staff.

William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream :: William Shakespeare Midsummer Dream Essays

William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream The stage production of William Arden Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by a British director Tim Supple was one in a million-that everyone talked about it and questions rode questions, on how the performance went. ‘It is the best production I have ever seen. What grapples me most, is the cast, ravaging with a rich choreography’, this was said by the British Ambassador to India in a chat with Times of India. The almighty dramatist play was sponsored for production by the British Council, India. Staged at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, on Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi, on the 3 of March, the old, but became-new play was performed by what Mr. Supple described as ‘an all Indian and Sri Lankan cast’, spoken in many languages, from English to Hindi and Bengali. It was free. But one has to get a pass to be admitted in. All and sundry came for this mesmerizing production-and all came and went, but only one person never went from my memory. The one and only Arundhati Roy-the world acclaimed author of The God of Small Things. She was there. She was there for good and praises poured on her. Her presence sweetened the sweet production, as well as heightened emotions. A Midsummer Night's Dream is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, written sometime in the mid-1590s. It depicts the adventures of four young lovers and a group of amateur actors in a moonlit forest, and their interactions with the fairies who inhabit it. Today, the play is one of Shakespeare's most popular and is performed across the world. When the production came to an end with a big coctail and wide applauds, I realised that I have never read this acclaimed bestseller. And so, I wobbled into a bookshop around and got a copy. It is cheap here in India. Everything is cheap. And I read this book in three days. Unbelievable? That is the truth. Because the story line is straight and sweet. But before then, the writer-activist who lives in New Delhi spoke about life as a writer. ‘You have to be yourself. No pretence. And if any pretence, that should be embedded in your characters. Think like your characters and see what this life is all about’, Ms Roy said, intoned. There is something surreal about her. Her benevolence and non-descriminative wit and candour. India has bestselling authors like Salman Rushdie (Satanic Verses), Amitav Ghosh, Jhumpa Lahiri (Interpreter of Maladies), Chetan Bhagat (One Night @ the Call Centre), the Nobel Laureates and more.

Organ Donation Essay -- Ethical Issues, Presumed Consent

At least 10 people die every day, while waiting for a major organ for example, heart, lungs or kidneys’, the reason being they is a massive shortage of organs across Europe, with the transplant waiting list growing, they is need for radical measures to be taken. The author of this easy will define what organ donation is, however the aims of the essay is to compare and contrast the two systems of organ donation, the opt- in and opt- out systems. The focus of the essay is on cadaveric donors,( heart beating donors and non- heart beating donors). The author will also go on to explore their personal views on organ donations, from before and after researching the topic and then reflect on how those views may have changed. Organ donation is defined as the donation of a biological tissue or organ of the human body, from a living or deceased person to a living recipient in need of a transplant. The removal of the organs is carried out in accordance with The Human Tissue Act (2004) who â€Å"regulate the removal, storage, use and disposal of the human bodies, tissues and organs†, (DOH ,2004).Organ donation is a complex issue, one which involves factors such as ethics, legal, organisational and societal factors. Much of the debate surrounding organ donation is the issue of consent /autonomy and trying to find ways to increase the number of potential organ donors. Do we choose to preserve the rights of the dead or those of people who are in pain? Across Europe they are two systems in practice, namely presumed consent (opt-out system) and informed consent (opt- in system).Although the two systems are different in practice, there main objective is the same, to increase the number of potential donors, which in turn would red... ...and discuss the issues. This might lead to organ donors to be viewed as the norm rather than the exception. With opt- in system an organ is an altruistic act, gift that I agree with Professor John Saunders royal college of physicians’ ethical issues in medicine who is advocating for a â€Å"mandated choice â€Å"that is a legally-mandated decision, where all adults are required by law to indicate their wishes about their organs after death. I believe that if a person wants to be an organ donor they should make the effort to make their wishes known by taking the necessary steps in registering. With regards to both systems I see no point for their existence if your family can override your decision. In conclusion this essay looked at the organ donation systems practiced across Europe the opt- in and opt -out systems, and how they affect the rates of organ donation.

Donoghue V Stevenson Essay

Summary On August 26th 1928, Donoghue (plaintiff) and a friend were at a case in Glasgow, Scotland. Her friend ordered / purchased a bottle of ginger beer for Donoghue. The bottle was in an opaque bottle (dark glass material) as Donoghue was not aware of the contents. After, Donoghue drank some and her friend lifted the bottle to pour the remainder of the ginger beer into the glass. A remains of a snail in a state of decomposition dropped out of the bottle into the glass. Donoghue later complained of stomach pain and was diagnosed with gastroenteritis and being in a state of severe shock by a doctor. Donoghue subsequently took legal action seeking  £500 damages against the manufacturer of the ginger beer, Stevenson (Defendant). She was unsuccessful at trial and appealed the decision to the House of Lords. Issue 1. Is there liability in negligence for injury caused by another in the absence of a contract? 2. Does the manufacturer of a product owe duty of care to the consumer to take reasonable care that the product is free from defect? Judgement The issue was complex because her friend had purchased the drink, and that a contract had not been breached. So Donoghue’s lawyers had to claim that Stevenson had a duty of care to his consumers and that he had caused injury through negligence. The leading judgement, delivered by Lord Atkin in 1932, concluded that Stevenson should be responsible for the well-being of individuals who consumes their product. Among the reasons given by the judges that is related to the issues above: 1. Le Lievre v Gould established that â€Å"under certain circumstances, one man may owe a duty of care to another, even though there is no contract between them† 2. Negligence claims can be brought against people who owe you a duty of care. 3. A manufacturer has a duty of care to the ultimate consumer if either the consumer or the distributors he received the product from had a reasonable chance to inspect it. Firstly, that negligence is a different tort. A plaintiff can take civil action against a defendant, if the respondent’s negligence causes the plaintiff injury or loss of belongings. Previously the plaintiff had to demonstrate some contractual arrangement for negligence to be proven, such as the sale of an item or an agreement to provide a service. Since Donoghue had not purchased the drink, she could prove no contractual arrangement with Stevenson however Atkin’s judgement establis hed that Stevenson was still responsible for the integrity of his product. ‘The liability for negligence, whether you style it such or treat it as in other systems as a species of â€Å"culpa,† is no doubt based upon a general public sentiment of moral wrongdoing for which the offender must pay. But acts or omissions which any moral code would censure cannot, in a practical world, be treated so as to give a right to every person injured by them to demand relief’ Furthermore, manufacturers have a duty of care to consumers. According to Lord Atkin’s ratio decendi, â€Å"a manufacturer of products, which he sells to reach the ultimate consumer in the form in which they left him owes a duty to the consumer to take reasonable care†. This precedent has evolved and expanded to form the basis of laws that protect consumers from contaminated or faulty goods. These protections began as common law but many have since been codified in legislation, such as the Trade Practices Act. Thirdly, Lord Atkin’s controversial ‘neighbour principle’. Here Atkin raised the question of which people may be directly affected by our actions, our conduct or things we manufacture. â€Å"You must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure your neighbour. Who, then, in law, is my neighbour? The answer: persons who are so closely and directly affected by my act that I ought to have them in (mind) when I am I am [considering these] acts or omissions.† Lord Atkin: â€Å"The rule that you are to love your neighbour becomes in law you must not injure your neighbour. Reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure your neighbour. Who, then, in law is my neighbour? Persons who are closely and directly affected by my act that i ought reasonably to have them in contemplation as being so affected when i am directing my mind to the acts or omissions which are called in question. Analysis I agree with the judgement of the issue that, the manufacturer does owe a duty of care to future consumers. Manufacturers are aware that production has the overall goal of its product that is to be consumed, and not simply to be purchased by a distributors or retailers. Therefore, taking into account all liabilities and reasonable care of what the product can cause to civilians. The reason being, that there is a liability of negligence present by the injury of another because in layman’s term, action conducted or carried forward must be foreseen and taken into consideration that it can harm society involved indirectly. Firstly, goods which are primarily purchased, used or consumed for personal, domestic or household purposes  which in this case Donoghue consumed a ginger beer in the cafà © and suffered injuries. Stevenson is liable for its product manufactured and as the plaintiff had suffered injury due to the consumption of the product it is due to the failure on the compliance to safety of goods supply and it is believe to fail its compliance on the rule ‘love you neighbour’ / duty of care. Second the manufacturer and the retailer included a price which consist of consideration in any form whether direct or indirect in relation to acquisition, where in this case the defendant sold the ginger beer that was consumed by Donoghue. In my opinion, a rule of safety standards according to Consumer Protection Act 1999 Section 18-23 should be carried should be taken into consideration by the defendant as it bring a better quality to goods served. As Stevenson did not take account of its product quality, its goods (ginger beer) contained a decomposed snail piece resulting in plaintiff injury ‘gastroenteritis and being in a state of severe shock’. Hence, manufactures owe a duty of care to Donoghue because Stevenson did not comply on the quality of the goods sold. Moreover, as application on this case to real life reason are our work, relaxation and our life in general, we must think about the well-being of people around us (our neighbours). We cannot simply plan out activities with no regard to the safety of all participants, including civilians. For  example, one person cannot execute work duties without concern for our fellow colleagues or our clients. We cannot leave uncovered holes in the track, or fail to shut gates where animals are restrained, or leave hazardous chemicals lying around. In a nutshell, if we don’t do the right thing as level deemed to be appropriate to the people involved, then we will be accused of exhibiting irresponsibility. Overall, in this case where the manufacturers or suppliers in respect of selling goods for the eventual consumption to consumers, have a duty to take reasonable care to consumers / â€Å"neighbours† to ensure that their products are safe for consumption and to take full responsibil ity in respect of a guarantees in the supply of goods. References Donoghue v Stevenson (1932). Taylor, Martin R. (2008). â€Å"The Most Famous Litigant†. Donoghue v Stevenson Digital Resources. Scottish Council of Law Reporting. Retrieved 8 September 2012. SCLR – Resources – Donoghue v. Stevenson Case Report. 2015. SCLR – Resources – Donoghue v. Stevenson Case Report. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.scottishlawreports.org.uk/resources/dvs/donoghue-v-stevenson-report.html. [Accessed 06 January 2015]. Donoghue v Stevenson – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2015. Donoghue v Stevenson – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donoghue_v_Stevenson. [Accessed 06 January 2015]. Donoghue v Stevenson – Case Brief Wiki. 2015. Donoghue v Stevenson – Case Brief Wiki. [ONLINE] Available at: http://casebrief.wikia.com/wiki/Donoghue_v_Stevenson. [Accessed 06 January 2015].

Gender in The Storm, by Kate Chopin Essay

Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Storm,† is a story about adultery, focused on a housewife by the name of Calixta, who is expected to undertake household chores as the principal goal of her everyday life. The woman had had a flirtation with Alcee years before the story took place. Chopin informs the reader about the current situation between Calixta and Alcee: â€Å"She had not seen him very often since her marriage, and never alone† – certainly for the reason that the woman was not expected to see a man who was not her husband very often, and by herself. The woman has suppressed emotions and passions for Alcee, who too is married to another. The fact that she has suppressed emotions is revealed by her unspoken permission granted to Alcee to have a sexual encounter with her. She does not resist the encounter. However, being a man, Alcee is the one who begins to touch the woman as a way to start the sexual encounter. The woman responds with â€Å"generous abundance of her passion (Chopin). † At the same time, Calixta’s husband is at the general store where he probably went to fetch viands for the household and has been stopped by the storm. Thus, the story uses gender to inform the reader about perceived gender roles during the time it was written. As mandated by her gender role, it is perfectly normal for Calixta, a housewife, to be engrossed in housework while her husband is out. She is sewing a cotton sheet and involved in other household tasks when the storm arrives. She is airing out her husband, Bobinot’s Sunday clothing on the porch. Her husband is visiting the general store with their son, Bibi, because he is expected to purchase goods for the household, being the man of the family and the breadwinner who must keep account of the household purchases and buy only that which his family truly needs. If Calixta had gone to the general store instead, perhaps she would have spent indiscriminately and unwisely. Thus, men and women have different roles to play in â€Å"The Storm. † When Alcee arrives at Calixta’s doorstep to seek shelter from the storm, it appears as though the woman had been sleeping through her housework. Chopin writes: â€Å"His voice and her own startled her as if from a trance†¦. † What is more, the woman has been so focused on her housework that she begins talking excitedly about her work at first. She also talks about preparing her house for the storm. It is her responsibility, after all, to stay in charge of the entire household while the man of the house is away. Hence, she has to gather up the cotton sheet she had been sewing before the arrival of Alcee. With no housework left between the man and the woman, they are prepared to play their gender roles in a sexual encounter. When Alcee grabs the woman close to himself, Chopin describes Calixta’s first reaction thus: â€Å"Bonte! She cried, releasing herself from his arms encircling arms and retreating to the window†¦ If I only knew were Bibi was! † After remembering for a brief moment her marital role that demands her to stay faithful to her husband in her sex life, through which she gave birth to Bibi, Calixta easily submits to Alcee’s sexual move. As a man, Alcee was required to make the first sexual move. As a woman, Calixta had to submit because she desired the man. Furthermore, as a woman she was required by the perception of her gender to try modesty at first by resisting the sexual move. Once she has stopped resisting a sexual encounter with Alcee, Calixta gives in to the experience by thoroughly enjoying her sexual role just as Alcee takes great pleasure in his. After the sexual encounter and the storm, Alcee leaves Calixta’s house, and both appear happy as they smile through their respective gender roles, which apparently have been played rather well and would continue to do so. When Calixta’s husband returns home, she pretends as though nothing extraordinary has happened. Things get back to normal. Calixta never thinks about relating the experience to her husband. As a woman, she cannot dream of discussing the experience with her husband. Alcee, on the other hand, returns to his own house to write a letter to his wife stating that he is enjoying himself very much, and she too must enjoy her vacation. As a husband, Alcee is required to keep in touch with his wife, informing her about his state so as to touch base. Like Calixta, Alcee also does not mention to his spouse that he had had a sexual encounter with another. Rather, both the man and the woman are required to stay faithful to their spouses. Gender roles are fixed, and so both Calixta and Alcee are expected to continue playing their gender roles in their marriages as well as in society after their adulterous encounter. Neither is expected to share with society any information about the adulterous encounter, because society does not tolerate the breaking of marital norms. Moreover, Calixta is expected to continue being engrossed in her household chores, and sleeping through them when she must. Bobinot and Alcee, on the other hand, are expected to continuing fending for their families, and going to general stores to purchase household goods. When Bibi grows up, he too is expected to behave like Bobinot and Alcee – the breadwinners of their families. Thus, gender roles would not depart from society during the time of â€Å"The Storm. † Works Cited Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Storm. † 1898. 20 Oct. 2007. .