Social Reasons for Class Differences in Health

Social Reasons for Class Differences in Health
Social Reasons for Class Differences in Health

What Are the Social Reasons for Class Differences in Health?

Order Instructions:

In this regard, it would be useful to discuss several different (social) explanations of health inequality that sociologists have put forward to explain health differences on the basis of social class.
Then use some examples to explore class differences in health – you will find empirical examples in the John Germov chapter from ‘John Germov (ed.) 2014, Second opinion, 5th edn, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne’. which you can follow-up the original references, Social Science & Medicine is especially useful for articles on class differences in health and illness.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Social Reasons for Class Differences in Health

What Are the Social Reasons for Class Differences in Health?

Introduction

Health disparity based on class difference is a phenomenon that remains prevalent, despite improvement in health provision over the years. Studies have indicated differences in health aspects among different classes, including life expectancy, maternal and infant mortality as well as the general aspects of health. This result  from characteristics within different classes based on wealth, status, employment, background and culture. It can therefore be concluded that an individual’s social class plays an important role in impacting their physical health and access to medical care, which in effect determines their life expectancy. This paper is a discussion of the social reasons surrounding differences in health based on class.

Discussion

Socioeconomic factors

A majority of explanations on health disparities lean towards the socioeconomic or ‘material’ explanation and this has been identified as the major determining factor in health care access among individuals. Researchers argue that poverty, low health resources, poor living standards and housing and high risk occupations among other material factors are responsible for the poor state of health in lower classes. This could explain why life expectancy is significantly different between the rich and poor. Ullits, et al (2015, p. 2) note that people in lower socioeconomic quartiles often experience greater levels of health problems. They are not in a position to access regular health care and when they do, it is often of lower quality. Pais (2014, p. 1732-33)  also notes that children from low income households are more likely to accumulate adverse health conditions as they grow older; thus leading to lower life expectancy. This is unlike children from richer backgrounds who have access to quality health, including regular check-ups, access to medication and preventive measures. In a study of social factors influencing TB infection, poverty is rated among the main causes. Infection rate is higher among the poor because they are more likely to live in overcrowded and poorly ventilated areas. In addition, they more disadvantaged as far as accessing health care and treatment are concerned (Hargreaves, et al, 2011, p. 655). Socioeconomic factors therefore influence differences in health based on access to health and quality of health.

Health literacy

Education and health literacy play an important role in health seeking behavior and are therefore considered social health determinants. The higher the level of education, the more an individual is capable of making decisions about their health and this consequently influence their well-being. Educated people are more likely to have knowledge on various issues as well as diseases and thus able to determine when they need to seek medical intervention (Prins, E, & Mooney, 2014, p. 25). They are also more aware of health risks that could affect them and are therefore more likely to take preventive measures, compared to their uneducated counterparts. The level of education also determines an individual’s socioeconomic level, mostly because employment and wages are based on the level of education. This means that individuals with lower levels of education are less likely to have well-paying jobs, adequate to cater for their health needs, unlike educated individuals who are likely to have white collar jobs. Burgard and Lin (2013, p. 1108)makes the same observation, noting that the lower class citizens often have less education and thus undertake jobs that have little or no health benefits. Such jobs are also likely to be more risky, hence exposing them to injuries. This differs from middle and higher class individuals who are more likely to enjoy medical insurance for themselves and their families; hence creating a significant difference in health status.

Health literacy differs across social classes and demographics as identified by Prins and Mooney (2014, p. 27). Based on income, groups earning lower income have low health literacy (LHL) compared to higher income earners. Adults with high school education and above have better health literacy than those with education below high school. In terms of race and ethnicity, minority groups are known to have significantly lower health literacy skills compared to whites. Age also determines literacy level and research indicates that adults aged 65 and above have lower health literacy than younger individuals. These demographic characteristics signify that health differences are largely influenced by social factors. This in turn influences health seeking behavior, in that, the higher the health literacy, the more likely an individual is likely to identify disease signs, seek treatment or take preventive measures. In essence, the quality of life and health status would depend on an individual’s health literacy level and the various demographic factors play a major role in determining health literacy (Prins and Mooney, 2014, p. 25-27).

Cultural factors

Cultural differences are also associated with health variation. Khanna, Kaushik and Kaur (2012, p. 50-51) individuals in lower classes may have preference for less healthy lifestyles and are likely to eat more unhealthy foods and exercise less as opposed to those in high and middle class. This may be attributed to lack of enough money to buy healthy food or due to lack of knowledge on healthy living. Khanna, Kaushik and Kaur (2012, p. 50) in another view explain that people who work in offices are more likely to suffer from lifestyle diseases because of their inactive lifestyles. Their schedule revolves around reporting to work early in the morning, working while seated most of the day and going home in the evening to rest. Despite eating during the day and at night, they rarely have enough time to exercise. In addition, they are more likely to eat unhealthy because they barely have time to cook, such that they turn to fast food for quick meals.

Nature of employment

A closer look at forms of employment indicates that working conditions contribute to disparities in health. Burgard and Lin (2013, p. 1107) notes that social factors within the work environment may influence exposure to various health risks and thus disparities in health. These may include both physical and psychosocial factors. Physical risks including exposure to harmful radiation, heights, dangerous machines and poisonous chemicals for example, means that, an individual is more likely to face a health risk. On the other hand, individuals working in offices have less exposure to occupational risks, giving them an upper hand in terms of health. Depending on the working conditions, employees may benefit from various types of benefits at work, such as medical cover. This means that individuals with high status job benefits are more likely to access quality medical care than those working in poor employment backgrounds (Burgard and Lin, 2013, p. 1112). Lastly, psychosocial factors including stress at work and perceived job insecurity among others may affect an individual’s health status. People in more secure jobs are known to have lower stress levels as opposed to individuals with low job security, hence better mental stability.

Social status

Status and power are a major cause of health inequity. Ullits, et al (2015, p. 4) argue that depending on one’s position in the society, the availability of health services is likely to differ. Individuals who are highly placed in the society are likely to access better health services than those in lower ranks or ordinary citizens because they are more likely to command respect in any setting in the society and are more likely to be endowed financially. This however goes beyond availability of money because a highly placed individual can easily access health services during an emergency, with the promise of paying later; yet an individual with no status in the society may find it difficult to access health care without finances. The possibility of a highly placed individual finding sponsors, to supplement hospital bills is also higher than for a person who is barely known. This explains why people with higher social status can afford to seek the highest level of medical care, even travelling abroad to treat chronic diseases which would otherwise kill a common citizen due to lack of finances and quality health care.

Minority status

It is generally observable that race and ethnicity can influence the access to quality health. Shepherd and Zubrick (2012, p. 108) note that minority groups tend to access lower quality health than native citizens, mostly because of lower income levels and low levels of education. Collins and Rocco (2014, p. 5-8) note that health disparities based on race are mostly influenced by labor force participation differences influenced by racial differences. These health differences are further exhibited by the association between employment and health. While low income restricts an individual’s access to quality health, low levels of education mean that an individual has low health literacy level and thus less likely to maintain health seeking behavior.

The disabled as a minority group, are considered to have higher health risks than normal individuals; a factor that creates a health difference between these groups. They are more prone to accidents and falls and this is particularly risky if they do not have an assistant. The fact that a disabled individual may not be able to go to a hospital unassisted also means that they are more disadvantaged, especially in emergency situations. Delays in accessing health care while waiting for a caregiver or assistant puts disabled persons at a higher health risk. In addition, most disabled individuals are not in a position to work or find employment in high level jobs, thus limiting their ability to obtain quality health services.

Gender differences

Gender is a health determinant and research has shown that males and females are exposed to different health risks. Men are known to take up more risky professions than women and this exposes them to a greater variety of health problems. Women on the other hand are more prone to psychological health factors than men, despite having a longer life expectancy (Malmusi, et al (2014, p. 1). The life expectancy among men may be influenced by biological differences, risk-taking behavior and health seeking behavior. In their research, Malmusi, et al (2014, p. 4) establish that women are disadvantaged in terms of access to the labor market and often end up with lower income than their male counterparts. This to a large extent explains inequality among genders in terms of health. It is also notable that different ailments are likely to affect one gender compared to the other, thus creating health differences. While women may be more prone to breast cancer for example, men have a lower risk and hence this is a major difference in health.

Environmental factors

The environment in which an individual lives, including their neighborhood can influence their health significantly. This explains why individuals living in deprived neighborhoods such as slums are likely to encounter more health risks than those living in up market residential areas. Hargreaves, et al (2011, p. 656) for example note that population density in congested urban residents to a significant extent exposes residents to higher risk of contracting tuberculosis. Bac, Andersen and Dokkedal (2015, p. 317) introduce the concept of self-rated health and study the role played by individuals’ neighborhoods in determining their self-rated health. The study which focuses on deprived neighborhoods concludes that individuals living in rural settings reported higher self-rated health position than those living in deprived neighborhoods in urban settings.

Conclusion

This discussion establishes that social class is directly correlated with health differences in the society. Socioeconomic class differences appear to take a central role in determining access to health, information and preventive measures. This is is because access to health, including quality health is determined by a prrson’s ability to pay. The rich are therefore likely to access better health services than the poor. Other parameters influence access to health including social class differences brought about by culture, race and ethnicity, age, gender, social status, education and health literacy and employment background among other factors. Each social factor is associated with a certain level of health disparity in terms of access, knowledge in health matters and quality of health individuals in a certain class can acquire. Despite government attempts to equate health care access, there will always be differences pegged on social class. It can therefore be concluded that social class plays an imperative role in explaining health disparities.

Reference List

Bak, C, Andersen, P, & Dokkedal, U 2015, ‘The association between social position and self-rated health in 10 deprived neighbourhoods’, BMC Public Health, 15, 1, pp. 512-527, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 September 2015. http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=866206dd-5a91-4e8b-83e1-985a5694b33a%40sessionmgr4005&vid=0&hid=4202

Burgard, S, & Lin, K 2013, ‘Bad Jobs, Bad Health? How Work and Working Conditions Contribute to Health Disparities’, American Behavioral Scientist, 57, 8, pp. 1105-1127, Professional Development Collection, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 September 2015. http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=d89bc410-425d-4eae-93ba-

Collins, J, & Rocco, T 2014, ‘Disparities in Healthcare for Racial, Ethnic, and Sexual Minorities’, New Directions For Adult & Continuing Education, 2014, 142, pp. 5-14, Professional Development Collection, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 September 2015. http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=1541d2f5-4ce2-47e4-bb90-df366b6ef5d3%40sessionmgr4004&vid=0&hid=4202db71ff3dea91%40sessionmgr4001&vid=0&hid=4202&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=89022875&db=tfh

Hargreaves, J, Boccia, D, Evans, C, Adato, M, Petticrew, M, & Porter, J 2011, ‘The Social Determinants of Tuberculosis: From Evidence to Action’, American Journal Of Public Health, 101, 4, pp. 654-662, Professional Development Collection, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 September 2015.

http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=60e9e555-42d1-4104-91a1-b111b8b57b43%40sessionmgr4004&vid=0&hid=4202

Khanna, P, Kaushik, R, & Kaur, G, 2012, ‘Changing Dietary Pattern and Lifestyle on Diseases’, Asian Journal of Multidimensional Research, 1, 6, pp. 49-54, November 2012. http://www.tarj.in/images/download/ajmr/AJMR%20NOVEMBER%202012%20COMPLETE%20-%20PDF/11.6%20Poonam%20Khanna.pdf

Malmusi, D, Vives, A, Benach, J, & Borrell, C 2014, ‘Gender inequalities in health: exploring the contribution of living conditions in the intersection of social class’, Global Health Action, 7, pp. 1-9, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 September 2015. http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=44782511-132d-418c-933a-6f4696e21a68%40sessionmgr4004&vid=0&hid=4202

Pais, J 2014, ‘Cumulative Structural Disadvantage and Racial Health Disparities: The Pathways of Childhood Socioeconomic Influence’, Demography, 51, 5, pp. 1729-1753, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 September 2015. http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=1dbaad58-c6d9-4171-82e7-1aed824ab8d0%40sessionmgr4003&vid=0&hid=4202

Prins, E, & Mooney, A 2014, ‘Literacy and Health Disparities’, New Directions For Adult & Continuing Education, 2014, 142, pp. 25-35, Professional Development Collection, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 September 2015. http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=94427437-8341-4618-8514-e25408a4b4d9%40sessionmgr4004&vid=0&hid=4202

Shepherd, C, Li, J, & Zubrick, S 2012, ‘Social Gradients in the Health of Indigenous Australians’, American Journal Of Public Health, 102, 1, pp. 107-117, Professional Development Collection, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 September 2015.  http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=2caa4afc-e08a-4ee4-a9a0-ae90500e78eb%40sessionmgr4005&vid=0&hid=4202

Ullits, L, Ejlskov, L, Mortensen, R, Hansen, S, Kræmer, S, Vardinghus-Nielsen, H, Fonager, K, Bøggild, H, Torp-Pedersen, C, & Overgaard, C 2015, ‘Socioeconomic inequality and mortality – a regional Danish cohort study’, BMC Public Health, 15, 1, pp. 1-9, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 September 2015.  http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=c640013f-8c94-4be4-a8fb-1689a2fc793b%40sessionmgr4004&vid=0&hid=4202

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Risk Society Research Paper Assignment

Risk Society
Risk Society

Risk Society

Order Instructions:

by using the concepts and arguments to analyse news casts or journalistic works that related to the theme.How would you apply the concepts to what is presented in the news. Do the concepts complement or contradict what news casters or reporters have to say.Can you justify an author’s argument through?practical examples

SAMPLE ANSWER

Risk Society

This paper explores the concept of risk society and abuses of science and technology in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The arguments posed in this paper are considerably informed by the works of theorists Ulrich Beck and Anthony Giddens. The paper argues that the reflexive modernization has resulted into technological risks being much more than natural risks, and these technological risks, with their global nature, do cause harm to everyone including those who create them. The paper further analyzes the role of the mass media in this risk society.

Giddens (1998), a British sociologist defines a risk society as one with an increasing preoccupation with the future, generating the aspect of risk. According to Beck (1992), a German sociologist, a risk society refers to a systematic manner in which modernization induces and introduces hazards and insecurities. Both sociologists define risk society in line with the aspect of modernity. Modernity is considered as a culture which focuses on the future instead of the past. Accordingly, through self-examination, a society transforms itself in the process. Beck (2006) further observes that the contemporary society is a risk society due to the fact that it is overwhelmingly occupied with debates, prevention and management of risks that it has produced itself.

According to Giddens and Beck, despite the fact that humans have always been exposed to natural disasters, modern societies have resulted into such risks as crime, new illnesses, and pollution. Giddens refers to the risks induced and introduced by modernization as manufactured risks and external risks. They are manufactured risks in the sense that their production and mitigation are dependent on human agency, unlike recurring natural risks such as earthquakes, cyclones, floods, and epidemics which have been threatening the survival of all societies even before the advent of modernity (Ekberg, 2007). Manufactured risks are created in biomedical, chemical, and nuclear laboratories of the modern scientific societies. Thus, they are special to this scientific era. This implies that manufactured risks are capable of being assessed in terms of the magnitude or likelihood of their production. According to Giddens (1998), modernity has shifted emphasis from natural risks to technological risks. Giddens further points out that nature came to an end at the point when human beings stopped to worry about what nature could do to them and began worrying more about what they have done to nature. Thus, it is not surprising that risks today emanate more from human activity than from nature, as it was the case in the past.

Today, there is immense circulation of knowledge between the government, scientific communities, professional bodies, and the public. Furthermore, the spread of knowledge is happening on a global scale. It is possible for anyone to access information concerning health, medicine and well-being, as well as epidemics, both real and potential. Most importantly, the concept of risk society is closely related to threats posed by human agency. As a result of social concerns, the nuclear power is increasingly being regulated, with some expansion plans being abandoned, thus causing the alteration of modernity itself. In this regard, a state of reflexive modernization has come into existence due to the increasing critique of modern industrial practices. Reflexive modernization is reflected through concepts such as the precautionary principle and sustainability, focusing on measures that can help in decreasing levels of risk (Beck, 2000).

Society risk theorists have differing perspectives on how the concept of a risk society tends to interact with class distinctions and social hierarchies. Most theorists are of the view that social interactions have led to the alteration of the introduction of reflexive modernization and manufactured risks. Similar to wealth, the distribution of risks occurs unevenly within a population and this considerably influences the quality of life.

Beck and colleagues (2000) point out that modern ‘risks’ are unprecedented from a historical perspective in line with their invisibility, catastrophic impacts, and spatial, temporal reach. The visibility of these risks can be achieved only if socially defined in line with knowledge or knowledge processing fora such as the mass media, the legal system, and science. Contemporary risks are highly dependent on this constructionist social formulation. In addition, everybody is under the threat of risks produced by technologically advanced capitalism. Nevertheless, the irony presented with these risks is that new social conflicts and antagonisms emerge as a result of the contrast between the so-called inegaliatarian ‘goods’ and democratic ‘bads’. Within the core of these conflicts is where the public are surrounded and informed about these risks and their effects. Furthermore, the media are regarded as the main arena through which such social conflicts over knowledge, definitions, and effects of risks are displayed.

Beck argues that pre-modern class structures which were basically based on wealth accumulation have weakened in the modern risk society, in which a social risk status is achieved in terms of the extent of risk aversion. However, Giddens is of the view that pre-modern class structures still play a significant role in the risk society, in which they are now partly defined according to the different opportunities presented for self-actualization and empowerment. Giddens also takes a rather positive approach towards the concept of a risk society than Beck. All in all, the risk society presents struggles by the rich to distribute risks to the poor, and this has been a chief source of conflict. For instance, in the recent hurricane Katrina in Atlanta, the poorest and least powerful groups of the society bore the social and environmental risks resulting from the catastrophe (Kennedy & Kennedy, 2010).

According to the theory of world risk society, modern societies are considerably influenced by new forms of risks, to the extent that their bases are upset by the society’s anticipation of global catastrophes. These perceptions of global risk are characterized through: de-localization, incalculableness, and non-compensability (Beck, 1992). With regards to de-localization, the causes and effects of global risk are omnipresent in the sense that it cannot be restricted to a specific geographical space or location. Secondly, a global risk is incalculable in respect of its hypothetical consequences. Thirdly, a global risk is not compensable since the aspect of compensation has been replaced by the doctrine of precaution through prevention. In addition to the aspect of prevention taking precedence over compensation, the modern society is also aiming at anticipating and preventing risks whose existence has not yet been established.

Thus, today’s global society presents a wide range of challenges in the sense that risks are now not capable of being calculated, controlled and measured, and they are beyond the prospects of compensation and socialization. The security pact of industrial society is being broken down by the numerous forms of chemical and bio-technological production, nuclear power and the continuing ecological destructions. Thus, this has led to the subversion or suspension of the foundations of the established risk logic.

The growing complexities in the global risk society have made it difficult for anyone to gauge with certainty the extent of risks presented today through the collective innovations and technologies (Beck, 1995). Science is now failing us through the contradictory assessments, conflicting reports and varying risk calculations. Accordingly, the evaporating faith in risk technocrats and the dissolving of hegemony experts leaves the issue of risk assessments to political games that are played in pursuit of sectional interests. For instance, consumers in Western Europe have rejected the introduction of genetically modified products not as a result of adverse results by scientists as to the potential risks to human consumption, but as a result of the sanctity given by risk experts who have been considered as manipulated by big agro-business. In the contemporary society, consumers do not have faith in the restrained horizon of understanding that experts cannot gauge the unintended impacts of complex technologies and their external risks. Thus, reflexive modernization results into the breaking down of the social compact of risk society (Jarvis, 2007).

In line with Beck’s argument, it is evident that the growing influence of science and technology consequently increases the difficulty and impossibility of managing all-embracing risks resulting from new innovations or discoveries aimed at advancing our mastery over nature or improving the quality of life (Kennedy & Kennedy, 2010).

Beck (1992) posits that the minimization of hazards is only possible through technological means. Accordingly, the risk society has emerged as a result of the increased ability of people to communicate with each other because of the development of information technology. In an era where technological systems are growing on a world-wide large scale, it is evident that, in the long-run, the least likely event will take place. Thus, media, despite the commercial pursuit of revenue, readers, and ratings, as well as eventual parading of entertainment, drama, and spectacle, can play an important role of illuminating on the latest disasters and catastrophes in the society that have been induced by technology. In the contemporary risk society, risks are avoided and compensated in line with earlier industrial risks that have a higher potential of being known, calculated, controlled, and predicted. This implies that the institutional reactions to ‘social explosiveness of hazard’ are characterized with inadequacy. Ultimately, the media will be attracted to each disaster’s ‘organized irresponsibility’ (Kennedy & Kennedy, 2010).

The mass media has instigated and aggravated politics of fear and hysteria (Beck, 2006). Despite the importance attached to the media in the growing theory of risk society, research indicates that there is inadequate detailed analysis concerning their role. Theories focusing on fragmentation of power, cultural consciousness, and spiraling of real risks have failed to inquire into the factors raising conflicts between definition and validity. Research indicates that the media is not properly equipped to give detailed attention to any form of threat, whether potential or real. Despite the interest or concerns of particular journalists, news structures have failed to ensure that sustainable risk coverage is encouraged.  Individual stories tend to attract attention only in situations where there are major disasters, decisive scientific statements, official responses, and/or when governments, bureaucracies, and organizations dispute over the extent of the hazard. Nevertheless, most debates over risks rarely fall within these classifications.

In line with Beck’s theory of risk society, research also indicates that risk is characterized by uncertainty (Kitzinger & Reilly, 1997). Accordingly, the lack of conclusive scientific evidence always results into the “we need more research” approach, which tends to frustrate journalists.  Journalists abhor scientific uncertainty because their attention is basically drawn to controversy. In addition, unless the government or other relevant authorities pursue the precautionary principle, risks tend to be ignored or seem to have been officially solved, which ultimately weakens the news value of the story. Ironically, the failure to pursue precautionary measures usually increases risk.

By its definition, risk relates to projected assessments. It is a concept focusing on prediction of the future. This conflicts with the key news principle which puts emphasis on present events. Television and press news, way from putting focus on risk, has the tendency of ignoring hypothetical and distant threats. In most cases, unless the risks are realized in some way, hypothetical risks are not reported as ‘risk stories.’ For instance, a journalist’s comments concerning potential risks arising from human genetic research will be considered as mere speculation and not news (Kitzinger & Reilly, 1997).

Even in cases where the media reports risks in the risk society, they have high chances of misrepresenting risk statistics and distorting the ‘facts’. Journalists tend to be ‘risk junkies’ in the sense that they exaggerate risk scenarios in order to attract attention from the public. As they say, ‘good news is no news.’ Thus, the media has been accused of playing down instead of playing up the potential dangers of respective disasters. Reporting of an event is usually shaped by the mental maps drawn by the journalist, and the manner in which he/she frames the story. The actions of a journalist are also considerably influenced and limited by the organizations in which they work. Consequently, the statistics presented in a news cast may fail to reflect the reality on the ground (Cottle, 1998).

In conclusion, it is evident that the scientific and technological innovations in the modern society have resulted into more manufactured risks than natural risks. These risks are complex in the sense that they are global, incalculable, and not compensable. These risks tend to be distributed by the rich to the poor people in the society, in scenarios where the concept of precautionary principle is not adopted. Accordingly, the media also plays an important role in the risk society by reporting the magnitude of risks taking place. However, the media tends to exaggerate risks and operate on speculation, thus misleading the people.

References

Beck, U. (1992). Risk Society, Towards a New Modernity. SAGE.

Beck, U. (2006). Living in the world risk society. Economy and Society, 35(3): 329-345. Retrieved from: http://www.skidmore.edu/~rscarce/Soc-Th-Env/Env%20Theory%20PDFs/Beck–WorldRisk.pdf

Beck, U. (1995). Ecological Politics in the Age of Risk. Polity Press.

Beck, U., Adam, B., & Van Loon, J. (2000). The Risk Society and Beyond: Critical Issues for Social Theory. SAGE.

Cottle, S. (1998). Ulrich Beck, ‘Risk Society’ and the Media: A Catastrophic View? European Journal of Communication, 13(1): 5-32.

Ekberg, M. (2007). The Parameters of the Risk Society: A Review and Exploration. Current Sociology, 55: 343.

Giddens, A. (1998). The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy. Polity.

Jarvis, D. S. (2007). Risk, Globalisation and the State: A Critical Appraisal of Ulrich Beck and the World Risk Society Thesis. Global Society, 21(1).

Kennedy, P. & Kennedy C. (2010). Using Theory to Explore Health, Medicine and Society. Policy Press.

Kitzinger, J. & Reilly, J. (1997). The Rise and Fall of Risk Reporting: Media Coverage of Human Genetics Research, ‘False Memory Syndrome’ and ‘Mad Cow Disease.’ The European Journal of Communication, 12(3): 319-350.

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Post-operative care; Nursing Essay Paper

Post-operative care
Post-operative care

Post-operative care;Nursing

Order Instructions:

THIS A MASTER LEVEL PAPER

correct my wrong english in the essay

http://webconf.acu.edu.au/assess3

this is above video link

Post-operative Care of one client(Karen)

After watching the video, reflect on the nursing care given to the patient in the video. When writing the guided reflection, consider the following questions:

1. Identify the assessments performed. Were these assessments adequately prioritised?

2. How effective was the communication between the two nurses? Did it promote teamwork?

3. How effective was the communication between the nurses and the patient?

4. Identify the post -op orders. Were all of these discussed?

  1. Based on literature, are there any recommendations to improve for future practice,

SAMPLE ANSWER

Introduction

Post-operative care is aimed at preventing or recognizing post-operative complications in order to help the patient get back to their normal physiological activity, a prioritized and complete assessment should also be applied (Tollefson, 2012). I am going to carry out an in-depth reflection about a video that of a Ward nurse that receives a clinical handover of a patient who has undergone an appendectomy. I am going to provide an insight on some nursing interventions as well as nursing assessments that were carried out by the nurses. Moreover, I am going to comment on the interaction and communication between the nurses and Karen, the patient. My paper will also identify the post op orders that were performed.

Five Assessments Required for Postoperative Care.

The assessments conducted on the patients were prioritized to ensure that the patient recover well.
In the video, I observed how the PAR nurse provided a verbal report to the surgical nurse about the patient in the beginning after which they performed thorough nursing assessments. I noted that the nurses performed a head to toe assessment by starting with the neurological assessment. The neurological and neurovascular assessments that they did aimed at identifying vital diagnostic signs that would then be used to assess any post-operative complication such as hypovalaemia, pain; respiratory complications, infection, or electrolyte imbalance that can cause disorientation, restlessness, and delirium. I learned from the literature that long surgical procedure that takes quite a long time with prolonged anesthetic administration may result to redistribution of heat in the body from the centre to the periphery this exposes the patient to hypothermia risk (Brown & Edward, 2012). The nurses appropriately performed neurological assessments and a GCS score of 15 with reactive and equal eyes were their results.

When neurovascular assessment was conducted, the nurses determined that the patient had normal pulse as well as blood pressure. They then sought to examine if they could identify any signs of swelling, warmth on the legs. They further checked the peripheral pulse, which was normal too. According to Tollefson (2012), a patient cannot walk effectively after surgery and therefore, he/she has higher chances of developing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) therefore clinicians should apply Ted stockings to promote circulation of blood in the legs. The nurse, however, did not explain adequately the rationale of using the Ted stocking. Respiratory assessment was also conducted. Chest infection and pneumonia are some of the complications of the respiratory system that are likely to be determined by this assessment. (Brown & Edward, 2012). Moreover, analgesic opioids can induce respiratory distress (Bryant & Knights, 2010). In addition, the nurses assessed the wound at the surgical site to identify if there was any sign of bleeding and redness. During the assessment they noted that the wound was oozing and this prompted the need of a cotton pad application as surgical dressing. However, I observed that hand hygiene technique was not properly observed before touching the surgical wound. This is against clinical practice which recommends that aseptic techniques should be put into consideration especially when handling wounds (Koutoukidis, Lawrence and Tabbner, 2008).

The fourth assessment done was on Karen’s circulation, which includes color and appearance of skin (Brown & Edwards, 2012). The nurses learned that Karen had no swelling and good peripheral pulses. This was an indication that Karen was less likely to have potential circulation problems. Nurses also assessed Karen’s urinary function through asking her urgency to go to the toilet. Brown and Edwards (2012) stated that both quality and quantity of urine should be examined for postoperative patients, because potential complication may happen such as impaired urinary elimination or urinary retention. The assessment approach of the nurses was good but then they should have gotten an informed consent from Karen and carry out an assessment on her level of pain before commenting the respiratory exercises of the patient. I also observed that they checked for redness, inflammation and blockage at the IV site and also ensured that the Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) used for pain control was functioning well. The two nurses generally did a good assessment and in a systematical order. However, it is better to assess breath sounds at first before neurological assessment, and assess limb movement when carrying out neurological assessment.

Communication between Nurses and the Patient

Communication is one of the most important aspects when providing care to patients and should therefore be taken into account. Literature defines clinical handover refers as the transfer of professional obligations, duties, and accountability of patient care from one healthcare official to another (Government of South Australia, 2014).In the video, communication between healthcare officials, that is, between nurses and also between the patient and nurses was not effective. For instance, the two nurses began the handover without introducing themselves, especially the receiving nurse since she was the new person to Karen this could be a source of confusion to the patient. However, the PACU nurse explained the handover clearly about Karen’s situation and showed good teamwork when performing the assessment. Team work was exercised when they were examining vital signs and when the receiving nurse asked the PACU nurse to put the side rail up together.

In a few cases, the communication between the patient and the nurses was not therapeutic. They performed some procedures without getting Karen’s consent.  An example is when they took the blanket off Karen’s legs and lifted the rails of the bed without letting her know about it. It seemed that she felt nervous prompting her to ask why they were doing it. Then, the PAR nurse explained the rationale to the patient. They should have informed her prior to the procedure. However, in some occasions the nurses interacted with Karen appropriately. For instance, the nurse aided patient in performing the respiratory exercise such as taking deep breaths and coughs. She also supported the incision with pillow and explained the reason for doing it. The nurses already had established a conducive environment that made the patient feel at home. The tone of voice, facial persons, and eye contact and body gestures of the nurses helped in creating siren environment for negotiation. The patient responded appropriately to the queries the nurses asked which helped to gain in depth understanding about how she was feeling and she provided her another blanket when she reported that she was feeling cold. At last, the nurse showed Karen her PCA buzz and told her that she would come back to check her shortly, this might decrease her anxiety and showed good therapeutic interaction.

Post-operative Orders

According to the Department of Health and Human Services (2014), post-operative orders should include surgical care, DVT prophylaxis, medication, IV fluids and nutrition order. In the video, the receiving nurse asked orders related to Karen’s care while doing the assessment, which included the antibiotics and antiemetics as well as oral paracetamol for pain which belongs to medication order; TED stockings which refer to DVT prophylaxis; when can Karen eat and drink which is the nutrition order. The wound dressing order was done through surgical care in the video and also the IV fluids order was also taken into account. I therefore, think that the post-op orders were all well discussed in this video.

Based on the available literature, one recommendation that requires improvement for future practice is ensuring that the patient is under continuous surveillance and care. Nurses should provide psychological care to enhance recovery of the patient. The focus should not concentrate solely on the physical care as sometimes patients are mentally affected and are therefore affected when they are discharged. When practiced accordingly, this will achieve greater heights by ensuring the quick recovery of the patient. It is also important to uphold ethical standards at all times when rendering health care to patients. Furthermore, I think they should have documented the vital signs as they were been taken, because if it’s not documented it’s not done.

Conclusion

After watching the video and reflecting, I must admit that proper communication between the nurses when rendering various services such as, clinical handover, are crucial for the patient’s safety. Another factor that should be observed monitored closely is therapeutic communication between the patient and the nurse since it promotes the patient’s health.

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Human resource management of an Organization

Human resource management of an Organization
         Human resource management of an                                              Organization

Human resource management of an Organization

Order Instructions:

For this paper, the writer will have to reference back to 113422 and use that as a starting point for this paper, and will also have to stay strictly on the templates provided as that is critical for this paper. This is a high level written and the writer must pay attention to all details. And closely follow all instructions indicated in the template. The prof has provided detail information in the template and the writer will have to write directly in the template as instructed. They are 6 parts to address this week and including the 10 pear review references and also not that THE CANNOT BE MORE THAN 5 YEARS OLD.
This assignment will prepare you for presenting your doctoral study proposal in week 8.
Be sure to use the mandatory Application Assignment Template Rubric” file for this assignment send to you by your prof. The template/rubric contains helpful notes which you will remove and insert your content. The scoring rubric is directly below the application content area. You will submit the entire document; application assignment and rubric.
Remember the topic we are working on is The Effects of Human Resource Management (HRM) Practices on Employee Performance
This final draft must include the following main elements (use template to ensure you are in compliance):
1. Background
2. Problem Statement
3. Purpose Statement
4. Central Research Question
5. Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
6. Significance of the Study
7. Minimum of 10 peer-reviewed references
Using the Application Assignment Template/Rubric giving to you by your Prof, write a draft of your own proposal.
It is strongly recommended you review your Application Rubric send to you prior to starting the assignment. Reviewing the rubric requirements will aid you in understanding the content and grading requirements for this assignment.
Note: You must have at least 10 peer-reviewed references listed in proper APA format.
Your paper and reference pages should be in accordance with APA 6th Edition guidelines.

I will send the templates Via Email to you guys, and as I said the writer must strictly follow the template for this paper.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Background

The performance of any organization primarily lies in its workforce. Many organizations that have turned out to be successful have realized that in as much as there are determinants that contribute to the success of an organization, the most important element remains the performance of the human resource (Akhtar, Azeem, & Mustafa, 2014).  It is vital that the nature, size, and the activities an organization undertakes would not spur its growth if the involvement of the employees in these functions is not available.

Considering the nature of the modern market, several organizations have embarked on an approach geared towards improving the productivity of their employees through the advancement of the Human Resource Management practices. According to sources, the Human Resource Management (HRM) practices have the capacity to spur an organization towards achieving a competitive advantage since they significantly have a relationship with the employee’s performances (Loo-See, & Leap-Han, 2013). Effective (HRM) practices, therefore, improves the performance of an organization, a factor that leaders to its productivity and attainment of profits.

However, despite the reforms that has been made towards enhancing the (HRM) Practices geared towards advancing the productivity of employees, the desired level of employee performance has not yet been achieved, a factor that has posed challenges to organizations. In this current dispensation, it is critical to determining the fact that only those organizations that strive towards improving the performances of their employees can achieve success since this remains the only key to productivity (Akhtar et.al2014). It is essential to heed that the management of an organization employs training, compensations and employee involvement and participation, and performance appraisal in their (HRM) Practices.

The primary focus of this paper is in determining the impact of (HRM) Practices and how this is related to the performance of employees in undeveloped countries. To provide an in-depth analysis into this paper, I will test the impact of (HRM) Practices and its impact on employee’s performance in Nestle Pakistan Limited. It is also crucial to mention that the primary objective of carrying out this study is in discovering the best Human Resource Management Practices that can enhance the productivity of employees within this company. Through this, the paper will embark on finding the challenges that the organization faces in improving the productivity levels of its employees with the aim of providing a conceptual framework that can be used by the managers in employing such practices.

Problem Statement

It is critical to note that there are many reasons as to why managers do not achieve productivity in their organizations. The managers have always embarked on how they would improve the performances of their employees including the factors that make other employees more productive within their job areas than others (Ansari, 2011). In line with this, this research study seeks to determine the extent at which HRM promotion practices impact the perceived performances of employees.

Purpose Statement

This study seeks to analyze the declining performances of HRM practices in Nestle Company based in Pakistan. This study has been conducted to determine the manner in which HR practices impact the performance of employees in this company.

In order to give a clear picture of this, both the positive and the negative connections will be reviewed between the variables in the (HRM) practices and their impact on the performances of the employees working in Nestle Pakistan Limited. This study will, therefore, attract the attention of not only Nestles management but other private sector organizations with the aim of improving the practices.

The findings of this study will also assist Nestle in improving its productivity and efficiency through the development of appropriate (HRM) practices through an approach aimed at optimizing the abilities of its employees and developing strategies that motivate their productivity. Through this, the organization will be in a position to achieve its core objectives (Ameeq-ul-Ameeq, & Hanif, 2013). It is, therefore, essential to determine the fact that this requires a research methodology that is described herein. To achieve the research objectives of this paper, a descriptive research approach will be incorporated to give a typical description of some of the phenomenon in this study. The descriptive research approach will ensure that the existing situations are described rather than interpreted.

It is, therefore, essential to determine the significant variables that will be noticeable in this study will be in the areas of performance, evaluation and promotion, compensation (Ameeq-ul-Ameeq, & Hanif, 2013). In line with this, the targeted population remains the employees and their evaluation of how HRM practices impacts on their performances within an organization with particular reference to Nestle Company in Pakistan. The primary reason for the consideration of the three variables is based on the consideration of the fact that Nestle Pakistan Limited carries its functions in a developing region where the physiological needs dominate and impact the productivity of employees. The quantitative approach to research will, therefore, prove effective since it will give more results as compared to the qualitative method.

Given the nature of the research study, the population at stake will be the employees of Nestle Pakistan Limited. In as much as the numbers of female staffs may be dismal, the primary objective of the study will be in determining the performance levels as impacted by (HRM) practices (Ameeq-ul-Ameeq, & Hanif, 2013). It is therefore anticipated that the findings of this study will help the managers at Nestle foster the appropriate (HRM) practices that would influence the performances and productivity of the company’s employees. Additionally, these practices will also create an effective relationship between the company’s management and its employees.

Research Question

It is, therefore, essential to determine that the success of this study depends on identifying the challenges that Nestle has faced over time in using appropriate HR practices in improving the productivity of its employees. The study will determine how Nestle Pakistan Limited can improve its productivity through the efficient use of HR practices. Additionally, the study will also evaluate the manner in which HRM practices impact the productivity of the company’s employees.

Theoretical or Conceptual Framework

Based on this study, the conceptual framework as determined would, therefore determine approaches of how to improve the performances of their employees including the factors that make other employees more productive within their job areas than others. Prior to reviewing the different kinds of literature in this study, it is critical to determining that the (HRM)  practices reflect the specific actions within an organization that is developed to achieve some specified outcomes (Ansari, 2011). It is therefore essential to establish the fact that this theoretical framework on the employee’s performance as perceived would be the dependent variable while on the other hand the HR practices such as performance evaluation, compensation, and promotion practices remain the independent variables as depicted below. Figure 1.

 

Having determined this, it is crucial to understanding that this research study is typically based on the resource-based view.  The foundations of the RBV within an organization dates back from the works of Penrose in 1959 who perceived that an organization’s collection of productive resources both in the physical and human forms, as well as material have the capacity to spur the productivity of a company (Ansari, 2011). In other words, the view holds that a firm can gain its competitive advantage through the use of its internal resources.

It is, therefore, imperative to mention that the resource-based view is grounded on four essential assumptions in any organization. To begin with, the resources within an organization need to add positive value especially in the HR context, a factor that Nestle has struggled with for a time (Ansari, 2011). In this event, the company may use its resources in ensuring that better HR practices such as training are incorporated into its functions to boost its productivity.

Secondly, the RBV also holds that a company’s resources should be unique especially in the concepts of the HR (Bhatt, 2012). In as much as every employee has unique skills and knowledge, within the setting of Pakistan where Nestle operates, the organizational structure assumes that the employees are not equally important in achieving success in a company. It may, therefore, be easy to hire a production manager in Pakistan than in any other region.

Thirdly, it is also significant to mention that the resources of an organization should be imperfectly imitable. For instance, a company may develop an HR module through a specialized technology. However, this innovative approach may not apply to other organizations dealing with the same line of products. This, therefore, determines the fact that different business environments have the capacity to dictate an organization’s performance.

Lastly, according to the RBV, resources need not be substituted for other resources for other competing organizations. This, therefore, provides a challenge for several organizations that compete within the same line of products (Bhatt, 2012). An instance of this can be depicted when an experienced manager from Nestle is hired by another company to enter into the local business. This will, therefore, be an opportunity for the HR department to develop new resources to be the market leaders from time to time at a lower cost. Linking this theory to the organizational practices at Nestle, it is imperative to determine that the company can apply variable HR practices through an approach that considers its unique resources and environment to impact the performances of its employees.

Significance of the Study

Contribution to Business Practice

In line with this, the study will help Nestle Pakistan Limited in aligning its HR practices with the performance of its employees and determining some of the areas they have failed to comply with efficiently. The result of this is therefore anticipated to improve the efficiency and performance of the company’s employees (Bhatt, 2012). This will, therefore, help the organization in optimizing its employee’s abilities through an approach that seeks to use the resources within the company to develop viable HR practices.

Implications for Social Change

This study is therefore significant since it seeks to determine the positive and negative relations created between the (HRM) practices and the productivity of employees within Nestlé Company with the aim of developing a framework that can provide direction to the company’s managers on approaches to achieving their aspirations (Channar, Talreja, & Bai, 2015). Through this approach, a positive relationship that will spur the change of behaviors in employees will be initiated, a factor that will boost their productivity.

The results of this research inquiry will therefore be useful especially in creating awareness to HR personnel on the factors and the keys to gaining a competitive edge in the market (Shahzad, Iqbal, & Gulzar, 2013). It is, therefore, imperative to determine that the results of this study will initiate change in Nestles employees through a process that will require the company’s managers to develop efficient HR practices.

Research Findings

It is, therefore, essential to determine the fact that the HR practices of an organization remain significantly vital in determining the behavior and insolence of a company’s employees. This, therefore, brings the point that (HRM) is an approach that practically makes use of people through an approach that seeks to maintain the relations within the organization (Channar, et.al). It is this wake that most of the developing countries such as Pakistan are considering the efficiency of HR as an essential element in the success of an organization.

According to Cohen et al, some of the problems that the (HRM) in developing countries encounter include the dwindling performance values, low leveled salaries, limited incentives to inspire excellent performances,  the lack of the ability of firing unproductive personnel, promotion guidelines that are merely based on particular genders and seniority rather than the performance levels of employees, the lack of motivational tasks as a result of deficient managements, the lack of compensations against hard work, and employment measure that do not please the skilled personnel (Channar, et.al). As a result of this, many industries and companies that carry out their business operations in the developing countries such as Nestle Limited face unintentional barriers as a result of unproductive and outdated human resource practices and systems.

As a result of these factors, many research studies have therefore embarked on studies aimed at determining numerous HR practices that can significantly impact the performances of employees within specified environments (Channar, et.al).  Most of the studies have therefore revealed the fact that a cluster of HR practices may significantly influence the performances of employees especially those functioning in segregation. In short, an efficient initiation of these particular practices may initiate high performances within an organization depending on its resources and context.

The research therefore determined the fact that performance is a comprehensive observable element within an organization, a factor that led to the determination of eight HR practices that may impact the performance of employees (Channar, et.al). These factors include; selection practices, rewards, promotions, staffing and assortment approaches, guidance, the performance of employees, complaint procedures, and social security or allowances as factors that would spur the productivity of workers within an organization. Considering the nature of development in Pakistan, it is therefore essential to determine the fact that the impact of HR practices has a direct impact on the performance of an organization through the outcomes of employees, in this case-Nestle Limited.

Employees are motivated to productivity in the event that they are financially rewarded, a factor that hastens their performances and productivity. According to Saleem, (2014), companies are more likely to get an increase in their returns when they embrace the element of equity that in ignoring the long-term incentive plans. Remuneration according to this author can influence the behaviors of employees within an organization. In this, it is essential to determine the fact that compensatory practices have a positive relation with the perceived performance of Nestle Pakistan Limited employees.

Additionally, it is critical to establish the fact that the manner in which the performances of a company’s employees are evaluated is an important element in determining the need for training, an approach that would spur the productivity of organizations employees. Performance assessment and compensation, therefore, plays a significant role in enhancing the efficiency of a company’s employees (Khattak, Rehman, & Rehman, 2014). Research has therefore determined the fact that performance evaluation is a process that should be mandatory since it gives an organization the opportunity to identify, evaluate, rate and depict the work attitudes and quality of its employees. Performance evaluation, therefore, has positive relations with the performance of Nestle Pakistan employees.

Lastly, it is essential to establish that promotion is also a significant element that impacts the performance of organizations employees. Promotion goes with remuneration that elevates the earnings and grade of an excellent employee (Khattak, et.al). This, therefore, gives the illusion that there is a positive association that is tied to the promotional practices and employee performance. Nestle, therefore, needs to advance its promotional practices since these element has a positive impact on the performance of its employees.

Conclusion

The findings in this inquiry have therefore proved the fact that some of the challenges that Nestle Pakistan faced were about the development of viable HR practices that would impact the performance and productivity of its employees (Tiwari, 2011). Considering this fact, it is, therefore, essential organizations to realize that the performance of any organization primarily lies in its workforce.

References

Akhtar, N., Azeem, S. M., & Mustafa Mir, G. (2014). Impact of Human Resource Management (HRM) Practices on Perceived Organizational Performance. International Journal of Academic Research, 6(5), 23-30. https://www.doi:10.7813/2075-4124.2014/6-5/B.3

Ameeq-ul-Ameeq, & Hanif, F. (2013). Impact of Training on Employee’s Development and Performance in Hotel Industry of Lahore, Pakistan. Journal Of Business Studies Quarterly, 4, 68-82.

Ansari, N. G. (2011). Employee Perception of Human Resource Management (HRM) Practices: Impact on Commitment to the Organization. South Asian Journal of Management, 18, 122-149.

Bhatt, P. (2012). Understanding HR and Development Paradigms: Changes and Effectiveness, an Employees’ Standpoint. Organization Development Journal, 30, 75-89.

Channar, Z. A., Talreja, S., & Bai, M. (2015). Impact of Human Capital Variables on the Effectiveness of the Organizations. Pakistan Journal of Commerce & Social Sciences, 9, 228-240.

Khattak, A. N., Rehman, S., & Rehman, C. A. (2014). Organizational Success through Corporate Trainings: A Case Study of Hotel Industry of Pakistan. Journal Of Business Studies Quarterly, 6, 167-183.

Loo-See, B., & Leap-Han, L. (2013). Human Resource Management Best Practices and Firm Performance: A Universalistic Perspective Approach. Serbian Journal of Management, 8, 155-167.

Saleem, I. (2014). Strategic Management Research: The Missing Linchpin In Developing Economy’s Context. IBA Business Review, 9, 97-105.

Shahzad, F., Iqbal, Z., & Gulzar, M. (2013). Impact of Organizational Culture on Employees Job Performance: An Empirical Study of Software Houses in Pakistan. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 5, 56-64.

Tiwari, P. (2011). Impact of Selected Human Resource Management (HRM) Practices on Perceived Employee Performance: An Empirical Study. Global Management Journal, 3, 37-43.

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Designing a learning programme Assignment

Designing a learning programme
        Designing a learning programme

Designing a learning programme;The International Call Service Centre (ICS Centre)

Order Instructions:

Design a learning programme

For this assignment, imagine you have been appointed to lead a group of external consultants to devise and deliver a new learning programme for a new service centre (call centre) employing a staff of 250. You may choose to locate this fictional call centre in any place of your choosing, but you must justify your choice based on sound human resource planning grounds. For example, think about the availability of potential employees with the appropriate skills.
For this Individual Assignment, complete Stage 2.

To prepare for this Assignment:

•Review the description of the Individual Assignment from Week 4. I sent it by email.

•Read the Instructor feedback on your Stage 1 Assignment from Week 4. I sent it by email.

To complete this Assignment:

In approximately 1,100 words, critically complete the following:

•Stage 2 (Submission in Week 7)
o A matrix setting out the learning programme for the first month of employment. This will include an indication of content and a description of the methods used.

o A justification of the design of the programme and the methods used.

o A detailed set of instructions for facilitators for one element of the programme (e.g. a half-day face-to-face session or a series of role-play exercises).

o A statement regarding how you would evaluate the programme and, in particular, how you would measure its impact on business performance.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Introduction

The International Call Service Centre (ICS Centre) is one of the call centers located in Alexandria, Egypt, that provides employment to 300 employees. Considering the fact that the Center is mainly situated in Egypt, the center is in a position to operate every day of the week for 24 hours with the aim of ensuring that the clients get the best of their needs addressed.  The call centers location is known for its abundant resources that enable the facility to flourish. These resources include the availability of skilled personnel including the business opportunities from the organizations that are within the geographical region (Chomal, & Baruah, pp. 53-60.2014).

International Call Service Centre (ICS Centre) is anticipated to be one of the professional service centers in Alexandria that is incorporated to provide high-quality services at the best value for its clients. To be competitive in the market, the organization needs to develop a learning programme that will ensure their newly appointed supervisors are skilled in promoting efficiency within the organization. This has therefore seen the development of a training program scheduled for a month that will be conducted within the work environment.

The company’s supervisors will, therefore, be trained six days a week in which they will be allowed a break on Sundays. In order to enhance the impact of this programme, the training will be interactive, a factor that will involve the participation of the supervisors. This aimed at improving the level of involvement in the program, an approach that is opposed to carrying out a trainer-led session. This paper, therefore, aims at providing a framework for a learning programme that the supervisors will undergo during the first month after their recruitment.

A Matrix Setting Out the Learning Programme for the First Month of Employment

In this level, the supervisors during the first month of employment will undertake the soft skills training to give clearly them the understanding of the call center. The matrix will involve end-to-end information that is needed to enter into vertical-specific BPOs (Chomal, & Baruah, pp. 53-60.2014). The matrix will therefore involve;

Orientation to the Call Center:

The supervisors are taken through this process in order to have a clear understanding of the call center industry and the functions within the industry.

  1. The supervisors will be given an orientation of their future job roles and functions, a factor that is aimed at giving the supervisors more focus and motivation in their various functions (Eisenbeiss, Knippenberg, & Fahrbach, p. 635-651. 2015). These factors would involve an understanding of the procedures and the functions of the call center including the legal processes among other factors.
  2. General Industrial Knowledge: During the first month, the supervisors will be provided with the ideologies on current market condition to improve their performances in the call center. A clear understanding of the economics of the market in Egypt and its future growth approaches including the pros and cons of the industry are provided.
  3. The roles of the supervisors within the call center are also defined to give them the understanding of its importance in providing quality services to the customers (Eisenbeiss, et, al). An understanding of the influence of bad services and the relationship dynamics of customers is also discussed in the matrix.

Verbal Communication and Language Skills;

During the first month, the supervisors are also trained on using the verbal and language skills aimed at improving communication within the call center. The supervisors are trained on how to speak and communicate cogently to enrich their skills in communication. Considering that the call center is in Egypt, the supervisors are required to master how the local community uses communication within the market (Khalifa, Mohamed, Quang 135–150. 2010). The new supervisors at International Call Service Centre (ICSC) center are also engaged on how to enhance the telephone and communication skills effectively within the organization. This ensures that the supervisors are vast with the gadgets used in the call center and the significance of voice clarity. This matrix also provides that the supervisors are trained on;

  1. The basic computer skills
  2. The barriers to effective communication
  3. Telephone etiquette
  4. The importance of playing roles and phone simulations
  5. Sales training approaches
  6. Active listening
  7. An understanding of the sales techniques
  8. Effective call handling
  9. The importance of team work

Cultural Familiarity with Egypt

In this matrix, the supervisors are taken through an understanding of the culture of the organizations target market. Through this, they are taken through the likes and dislikes of the Egyptian people in order to determine their customer’s preferences (Khalifa, et.al). This knowledge is aimed at enhancing their communication skills, a factor that will enhance their effectiveness in their conversations with employees and the customers. They are also expected to determine the popular events, leisure time and lifestyles, spots, festivities and holidays of the Egyptians.

The Value Add Training Approach

This matrix ensures that the supervisors are taught during their first month on the dynamics of actualizing group activities including the benefits of working with a team in order to appropriately handle matters related to teamwork (Lawler & Boudreau pp 122-134.2013). The training offered, therefore, ensured that:

  1. The supervisors are vast with team building and organization of their individual goals with the team goals.
  2. Positive attitude and personal development
  3. Building emotional intelligence among the trainees
  4. The management of work-related stress and ergonomics
  5. Group and individual discussions and assessments and the planning of different activities

Management Principles

This matrix will also focus on enhancing the managerial skills of the trainees through;

  1. Enhancement of leadership approaches
  2. Assessment and improvement of leadership skills
  3. Strategic setting of goals
  4. The development of a call centers strategy
  5. Conflict management
  6. Human resource management
  7. Performance management
  8. Employee motivation technics and programs
  9. Scheduling of workforce

Justification of the Design of the Programme

The program design was developed to capture and display the full abilities of the newly recruited supervisors through an approach aimed at improving their capacities. The program was also aimed at recognizing the fair abilities of the trainees and providing a directive towards the advancement of the call center’s growth (PR, N 2015 pp 55.2015). Through the training, the supervisors were able to determine the fact that wok is not only a series of tasks but the advancement of their roles within the organization including their responsibilities. This factor, therefore, wrought an improvement in the functions of the call center through an enhanced approach that supports the accomplishment of duties through teamwork.

During the program, the facilitators offered instructions through approaches that were directed towards driving the point’s home (Schultz, Duane, Sydney pp. 38–39.2010). This involved the assignment of duties within a workstation to determine the effectiveness of the training program. The supervisors were also allowed to work in teams and deliver on group projects to incorporate the element of teamwork.

Evaluating the Programme

The program was evaluated based on the best values in relation to the delivery of training and the results achieved after the training sessions including the cost-effectiveness of the approach (Smither, & London, pp 23.2009). The organization would, therefore, evaluate this program through an assessment aimed at establishing the capabilities of the supervisors in carrying out their functions and responsibilities.

Conclusion

After the program, International Call Service Centre a call center based in Alexandria, Egypt, anticipates an increase in its productivity levels in the industry. The training is expected to improve the skills of the new supervisors to enhance their productivity within the organization, a factor that will ensure the organization is competitive in the Egyptian market.

References

Chomal, N, & Baruah, P 2014, ‘Performance Linked Reward and Job Satisfaction: Banking Sector’, SCMS Journal Of Indian Management, 11, 4, pp. 53-60, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 25 September 2015. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=25f9c689-2769-4895-a43a-6e7e53c93d92%40sessionmgr113&vid=1&hid=117

Eisenbeiss, S, Knippenberg, D, & Fahrbach, C 2015, ‘Doing Well by Doing Good? Analyzing the Relationship Between CEO Ethical Leadership and Firm Performance’, Journal Of Business Ethics, 3, p. 635-651, Academic OneFile, EBSCOhost, viewed25 September 2015. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=f7ed0ba7-c131-4c19-8bd3-4bd8e6e9c7f6%40sessionmgr4003&vid=0&hid=4113

Khalifa, Mohamed Hossam El-Din; Truong, Quang (2010). “The Relationship between Employee Perceptions of Equity and Job Satisfaction in the Egyptian Private Universities” (PDF). Eurasian Journal of Business and Economics 3 (5): 135–150.

Lawler & Boudreau. (2013). Achieving strategic excellence: Assessment of Human resource organizations. Stanford, CA.122-134

PR, N 2015, ‘Best Practices in Building World-Class Consumer & Over-the-Counter Call Centers’, PR Newswire US, 31 July, Regional Business News, EBSCOhost, viewed 25 September 2015.pp 55

Schultz, Duane P.; Schultz, Sydney Ellen (2010). Psychology and Work Today: An Introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology (10th ed.). New York City: Prentice Hall. pp. 38–39.

Smither, J.W. & London, M. (2009). Performance Management: Putting Research into Action. John Wiley &Sons, New York. pp 23

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Evaluating learning and development

Evaluating learning and development
Evaluating learning and development

Evaluating learning and development

Order Instructions:

Evaluating learning and development
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This week’s Key Concept Exercise asks you to consider how evaluation theory can be used practically to help organisations measure the value of learning interventions. This goes beyond the application of techniques and encourages you to drill down into the key questions underpinning evaluation methods and approaches, especially in considering political and stakeholder concerns in the evaluation process. You should feel confident enough about interpreting the theory to come up with new ideas for and approaches to evaluation. This is also a good opportunity for you to showcase any good practice in your own organisation in order to make connections with theory and to aid others’ learning.

In this week’s Key Concept Exercise, you define evaluation and explain why organisations evaluate learning activity. In addition, you critique a range of models of evaluation.

To prepare for this Key Concept Exercise:

•Review the Required Learning Resources from the email that I sent.

•Consider why organisations evaluate learning activities.

To complete this Key Concept Exercise:

In an approximately 550-word response, address the following issues/questions:

•Use specific examples of theories, definitions and practices of evaluation and how they can be applied in an organisational context.

•In formulating your Key Concept Exercise, consider the following issues/questions:

o How do organisations evaluate learning activities?

o What modules of evaluation are used within organisations?

o Can organisations ever really know that they get a return on investment made in learning and development activities?

o Having considered the literature on the subject, how would you suggest ways that your organisation could improve its evaluation processes?

SAMPLE ANSWER

Evaluating Learning and Development

Evaluation can be defined as an estimation of the entire value of a learning agenda. During the examination of the value of a learning programme, Human Resource Developers (HDRs) estimate how much the agenda has met the objectives and compare the benefit achieved to the resources used for the learning process. There are several models and theories involved in formulating Human Resource Development programmes evaluations. In this paper, the focus will be towards analysing the theories, definitions and application of the practices of evaluation in organizational set ups using examples. Learning, on the other hand, can be defined as the permanent change in behaviour as a result of an educative process. Learning programmes in organizations are usually conducted majorly with an intention of improving the output of the stakeholders who benefit from the process (University of Liverpool Management School, 2015).

Evaluation is usually done in organizations for several purposes. Easterby-Smith (1994) supposes that there are four reasons for performing assessments. One of the reasons is to prove the relevance and value of interventions by use of cost-benefit analysis. Another reason is to facilitate learning by involving the process of the programme and its results in estimating that learning has happened. Evaluation may also be done to a learning procedure to better it by analysing the strengths and weaknesses. This ensures maximum gain from a learning programme to the involved organization. In some cases, agencies may also evaluate a learning plan to acquire control of its workers and concerned stakeholders. For example, a government may design a learning protocol with the aim of controlling the stakeholders’ resultant behaviour.

There are several models of evaluation proposed for learning in organizations. One of these is the chain reaction model proposed by Kirkpatrick in 1967. The model supposes that there are four steps of evaluation to a learning process. This model theoretically assumes that training causes a reaction which causes learning. The resultant learning influences changes in individuals’ traits that, therefore, beget organizational change. This type of evaluation has a problem when it comes to measuring the learning achieved. For instance, measuring the knowledge from training without an apparent objective. It would be hard to test the level of change on aspects such as the attitude of employees. Therefore, the model is considered rather superficial and inapplicable on its own in an actual organization.  More applicable and helpful evaluation models have been proposed.

One of the more appropriate models for organizational learning programmes is the six stages model. To apply the six stage model, the evaluator incorporates the evaluation in the entire HDR process.  The assessment begins with the goals making, it continues all through the subsequent stages of learning like designing of the program, implementation of the program, immediate results, intermediate results and finally the long-term outcomes of the learning process. This model ensures that the process only continues if it is beneficial in terms of cost-benefit analysis. In this process, analysis of the learning process depends on the process itself rather than the results. An example is a case where training is done to improve the attitudes of workers towards the implementation of a policy. The training can be evaluated from the goal setting process to establish whether it is worthwhile before implementing the training. This is because training may be done with the assumption that all training are fruitful, and yet the cost of conducting the training outweighs the benefits (Anderson 2010).

Organizations can know whether training has been successful be observing the changes that come from the learning or by evaluating each stage of the learning process. The hardness of establishing nonquantifiable effect can be solved by observing changes in discursive practices such as the language used by attendees as part of the six stage evaluation module (Brinkerhoff 1988). It would be more beneficial for organizations to include the analysis of this change in discursive behaviour to improve evaluation strategies in place and, therefore, know whether there is benefit from training programmes in HRD.

Reference list

CIPD (2014) Evaluating learning and development [Online]

http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/evaluating-learning-talent-development.aspx

Lisa Anderson (2010). Human Resource Development International: ‘Talking the talk’ – a discursive approach to evaluating management development. Taylor and Francis Group. 285–298

Robert O. Brinkerhoff (1988). Training and Development Journal: An Integrated Evaluation Model for HRD.

University of Liverpool Management School (2015).  Key Concept  Overview: Evaluating Learning and Development. Laureate Education, Inc

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Information Security Consulting Research Paper

Information Security Consulting
  Information Security Consulting

Information Security Consulting

Order Instructions:

I need a Pricing Strategy completed .I need a Pricing Strategy for a BUSINESS SEMINAR COURSE AT KELLER WHICH IS A MGMT 600 COURSE

PLEASE VIEW THE ATTACHED FILE

SAMPLE ANSWER

Information Security Consulting

Introduction

The main responsibility of an information security consultancy firm is to monitor, analyze, translate, and decode data for both foreign and counter foreign objectives. The firm has the mandate to protect systems that deal with both communication and information and belong to the US government. These systems are protected against hacking and unauthorized entries. It does all these activities while maintaining high levels of confidentiality. Some of these secret activities involve placing bugs to collect data. It also destroys and intercepts data using complex software and algorithms. The firm, however, does not have any authority in conducting human intelligence. This function is run by government agencies like the FBI and the CIA (McAvoy, 2010). In the US, the information security consulting industry is stable and growing fast. The occurrences of security breaches in the US gives investors confidence in investing in the country’s information security industry. The industry has faced a tremendous upward growth with estimates close to fifteen percent over the last decade. Within the next half decade, the securities companies expect a growth rate of over ten percent. To enjoy this enabling business environment in information security, firms have to come up with efficient pricing strategies. This move coupled with good product marketing will assist the company to enjoy maximum profits in the already lucrative industry (Winkler, 2011).

KOPSS’ pricing strategy

Pricing is one of the major elements in marketing that KOPSS, an information security consulting company,must be conscious. The price of a product proves an important factor because it relates to where the product will be positioned in the market. The price also has effects on promotion, product features, and channel divisions that are also key elements of the market mix. A pricing strategy can, therefore, be described as an action plan to come up with pricing objectives. Such strategies are essential when marketers such as KOPSS are setting prices for their goods and services. There are numerous ways for the marketers to set prices for various products. The products may be new in the market or may have been existent in the market (Wasserman et al., 2009).

KOPSS can adopt couple of strategies for setting prices for new products to ensure that they remain competitive in the market. These are penetration pricing or skimming prices. They can be used simultaneously or each used alone and calculation done for a set duration of time. Price skimming is where they charge the highest price for the product. This price is usually for a short duration when the new product that is either innovative or improved is launched into the market. The key objective is to get the most out of client that are willing to pay extra for the product within the shortest time possible. However, the price is lowered once the product has settled into the market, or its demand has fallen. Penetration pricing, on the other hand, is setting a lower price for the product during the initial market introduction period. The key aim of this move is to establish and maintain a market share for the product fast. The seller’s aim is to discourage their competitors from market entry by establishing a large market share within the shortest time possible (Cohen, 2011).

New Information Security Consultancy firms often make an initial mistake of setting very low prices for their products. They often fall for this move because most of their competitors do not divulge their trading prices. Another reason could be that new consultants have a relatively low number of clients. This reason could be due to the minimal barriers to entry into the industry. They also have to compete with industry giants like McKinsey and Co. The small companies like KOPSS, therefore, compete for clients by offering lower product prices than their established competitors. Many of these new consultants are usually oblivious of the production and operating costs in their businesses. These consultants are in most cases unable to pay bills. The companies may also be unable to raise their prices in the future due to their initial product pricing. This scenario happens when they fail to convince their clients fully on the quality of their services. Product prices are varied by the location and the industry they are targeting. However, a methodology commonly used to come up with a pricing structure exists. This methodology creates an attractive price to both KOPSS and its potential customers (Lassiter, 2010).

KOPSS has its own pricing strategy that has contributed to its success. One of the strategies is penetration, especially when the company is focusing on winning over new customers. The charges are low when the company enters a new market. It has also maintained low prices on its services as a strategy to retain its customers and win over new customers. The prices areaffordable coupled with flexible payment options offered through its state of art services. The company focuses on the most important aspects or services and this has enabled it to manage its costs effectively compared to other players in the industry. It also negotiates for competitive prices for its innovative hardware and software technological products something that keeps its administrative and operating costs low. This therefore, ensures continuous provision of quality services and products to its customers at affordable prices at the same time.

The pricing of the company also puts into consideration the location of the agency. Agencies in the urban or coastal areas charge relatively higher prices than their counterparts in other geographic and demographic locations. It does not come as a surprise to realize that the name and expertise of the company determine the pricing of their products. More experienced companies charge higher than the newbies in the industry (Weiss, 2011).

It is common for most consultants in the information technology to charge hourly. Some high-level consultants, on the other hand, charge according to the entire project. Accountancy, Law and wealth managers also charge on an hourly basis (Weiss, 2011). New arrangements are typically more viable and agreeable to charge on an hourly basis. This arrangement is also easier to manage. On deciding the amount to charge, high-end consultants ask for the steepest fees. Due to the level of secrecy in consultancy prices in the market, deciding the actual amount to charge is very tricky. Most consultants, therefore, set a price for their products by doubling or tripling the average hourly rate charged by similar consultants (Wasserman et al., 2009). As mentioned earlier, KOPSS charges will vary and the charges will only be negotiated in case other products or services are innovative.

Some firms use a daily rate to come up with the price of their products. The daily rate can be randomly selected after looking at the cost of operations and the profit margin expected. The hourly rate can also be decided by multiplying the hourly rate determined above and then multiplying with the number of working hours. Daily rates may seem expensive to clients if they are randomly selected. However, a factor of the hourly rate is an acceptable way to charge for consulting services in the information security industry (Weiss, 2011).  KOPSS, however, does not use this pricing strategy.

Information security consultants can set their product prices according to a set project. They first have to estimate the number of hours they think they will spend on the project. The number of hours is then factored into the hourly rates the company has uses. Some consultancy firms can set the prices depending on how much money their clients will make from the services they offer. This method takes a certain percentage of the benefits accrued by the company resulting in the consultant’s advice (Lassiter, 2010). KOPSS should consider using this strategy as it would give it a wider dimension when consulting for other companies.

KOPSS may decide to receive payment for their services by accepting a share of the client’s future profits or commissions. Here, the consultancy will be pushed to receive payment according to their level of performance. Some clients may offer the firm a commission on the service performance benefits based on the results of the work done by the consultant. This pricing strategy is, however, risky. The client’s performance may directly affect the manner in which KOPSS works resulting to underperformances. The client may also not be fully cooperative to adhere to the consultants recommendations. The company, however, has not adopted this strategy when deciding the amount to charge for its services.

KOPSS may make the decision to use real-time data when determining the amount to charge a client. The data may involve checking the client’s bad debt rate where a client with a higher rate of accruing debts is given stricter payment terms. A payment structure can also be set by using the number of actual working hours. A working and competitive structure cut costs to some amount on the hours the consultant may be paid for just being present and doing nothing. The consultant may also charge for the actual days that they have to work and leave out days they are not actively working for the client (Lassiter, 2010). However, KOPSS may find this strategy expensive and time consuming. Data collection may prove expensive and strain the company’s small operational costs even further.

The consultancy may also decide to charge what all other consultancy firms are charging for their services. This way the firms compete on the quality of services they offer to get clients rather than charging discretely. KOPSS has adopted this strategy in part, as it focuses on quality services but charged at an affordable price. This strategy can only be possible where the rates are open to all. However, this is not often the case, as most consultants to client rates are kept confidential (Winkler, 2011).

A more viable long-term strategy would be to settle for a price that represents the kind of service the firm offers. Such a strategy allows the firm to move from the limitations of hourly charges to a more open scope in business (Cohen, 2011). KOPSS pricing strategy is actually essential in enabling it achieve its goals. Even though the prices are low, the quality of services is high. It is also able to negotiate for higher prices on products and services that it deems innovative, something that helps it mange its costs.

Conclusion

Coming up with an initial pricing strategy may seem difficult at first for an Information Security Consulting Services such as KOPSS. However, once a working strategy that is attractive to both the company and the clients has been designed, then the business is ready to grow. KOPSS can occasionally revise its pricing strategies by considering experience, feedback from clients, and the activities of its competitors. Regardless of how it chooses to set its consultancy fees, the pricing structure, and contract agreement have to be followed to the latter. KOPSS indeed has adopted a low price strategy as well as negotiated strategy that has enabled it to remain competitive in the market. It offers quality products and services that meet the threshold of its customers too.

References

McAvoy, N. (2010). Coded messages: How the CIA and NSA hoodwink Congress and the people. New York: Algora Pub.

Winkler, V. J. R. (2011).Securing the Cloud: Cloud Computer Security Techniques and Tactics.Burlington: Elsevier Science.

Lassiter, P. (2010). The new job security: The 5 best strategies for taking control of your career. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.

Cohen, W. A. (2011). How to make it big as a consultant.New York: AMACOM.

Wasserman, P., McLean, J. W., & Gale Research Company.(2009). Consultants and consulting organizations directory. Detroit, Mich: Gale Research Co.

Weiss, A. (2011). The consulting Bible: Everything you need to know to create and expand a seven-figure consulting practice. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

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Developing a reward and compensation system for Qatar Airways

Developing a reward and compensation system for Qatar Airways
Developing a reward and compensation system for Qatar Airways

Human resource management; developing a reward and compensation system for Qatar Airways

Order Instructions:

Note to the writer:
Please revise my paper that I sent by email and comply with the following instructions and modify my paper as needed. The paper is around 850 words and you can add another 300 words.Thank you.

This week you will be continuing work on your Final Project for this module. The purpose of the Final Project is to apply the concepts and techniques of the module to the analysis of real-world situations or problems. Students are expected to use diverse sources of information and to carry out an original analysis rather than summarise or rehash existing work. Students are encouraged to use situations and data from their own experience where possible.

For this project, you will research a well-known multinational company or a multinational organisation that you know well and propose an appropriate reward and pay strategy that you believe would best motivate employees to meet the overall organisational strategy and objectives.

Your task for Week 7 is to hand in the outline of your Project Report and begin revisions as soon as you receive feedback from your Instructor. The completed report is due to be handed in next week. It should include:
1. An assessment of the organisation in terms of its organisational strategy, objectives, mission and values.
2. An analysis of the environment in which the organisation operates with regards to industry, business life cycle, etc.
3. An evaluation of the organisation’s current reward and pay strategies: for meeting its overall organisational strategy and for maintaining competitive advantage in the face of new challenges and changing conditions.
4. A reasoned and evidence-based conclusion about the level of success achieved by the organisation in motivating employees to reach organisational objectives and propose a reward and pay strategy that may better serve this purpose.
Naturally, a reference list of sources will be appended to the final analysis.

Your analysis and discussion should have a theoretical foundation based in library research and should demonstrate an awareness of the effect of cultural values upon successfully managing a diverse workforce.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Abstract

To develop a reward and compensation system for Qatar Airways that has a work force of about 31,000 employees and where more than slightly a half of the employees work directly for the airline requires a HRM policy that has a great contradiction between the different category of workers. The theory part of the design must be matched against the reality of achievement as most reward and compensation systems are mostly developed and are quickly followed by employee disillusionment as the systems fail to deliver the expected results.

Introduction

Qatar Airways has been in existence since the year 1993 and it has offices in one hundred forty countries where its destinations are located all over the world. It means that Qatar Airways has a multi-cultural work force whose diversity can be exploited for the benefit of the company. To motivate employees effectively then different categories should have strategic pay system that rewards hard work and motivates workers to continue working for the company by capturing the specific needs of each class or category of employees. For example, the compensation systems for pilots should be different with other employees whose contributions to the company are much higher and more critical than other categories. However, a research on the best reward and compensation system that the company needs to apply should be conducted and the views analyzed in order to develop a comprehensive reward system that is acceptable to all employees.

The company can utilize the use of a questionnaire that would suggest several motivational reward and compensation systems that are also provided with other rival airlines like Air Emirates and Etihad Airlines.

Qualitative data collection method should be applied in order to get the full information from the employees (Tashakkori and Teddlie, 2003). I have opted to use the naturalistic enquiry paradigm that mostly utilizes qualitative data collection methods (Beiske, 2007). The deductive theories also emphasize on wealth and richness of the source of information in deducing the hypothesis from the theories involved.

Rewards and Employee Satisfaction

Employee satisfaction is critical to the general employee retention strategies. Employees derive satisfaction from what is expected and what is actually received. Employees compare personal input, education, job skills, output, efforts, performance and other mix of general intrinsic and also extrinsic reward or compensation that they receive. The questionnaire should categorize different aspect of reward systems that would make it possible for all the employees to select or recommend their preferred reward system (Guest, 2011).

Employees also compare the rewards systems that are available in other companies in similar industries. Most employees also compare their input in terms of working hours and the compensation offered in rival companies. The proposed reward systems should be standard and realistic in order to avoid damaging the employees’ self-esteem.

Data Evaluation Methods

The information gathered should be evaluated using the data processing soft-wares available in the market like the SSPS or QRS data processing software (Onwuegbuzie & Teddlie, 2003).  Several popular selections should be selected but also the unique employee reward system preferred by certain employees should be considered and where it is possible to provide such rewards then the company should not hesitate to make them available to the employees. Qatar Airlines has a workforce that is culturally diverse and the employees’ beliefs are also different. Qualitative data collection techniques provide finer details on employee needs that the researcher should also pay attention to. All the employees should be eligible to participate in the research exercise (Hair, Wolfinbarger, Money, Samouel & Page, 2015). This approach offers enabling grounds for every employee to participate in growth of the organization from an informed perspective. It is understood that such perspectives usually make huge differences in organizations.

Rewards are actually intended to motivate specific behaviors in employees. Rewards and compensation strategies must be seen and perceived to be timely and tied strictly to effective employee performance. Several conditions are necessary for overall employee motivation.

All employees must certainly believe that effective individual or team performance would lead to specific rewards. For instance, achieving particular results would lead to a given bonus. When such beliefs are cultivated from past experiences, it becomes highly possible for employees to improve their performance.

It is crucial to note that; it would be fatal, in business terms, to give false promises when it comes to performance rewards. For instance, if management promised to offer rewards for a certain performance, and then fail to do so even after the targeted performance has been achieved, it subjects employees to mistrust. Such sentiments affect performance great deals.

The employees must also feel and believe that the rewards that the company is offering is attractive and competitive compared to the rest of the companies in the market. It should be noted that different employees have divergent views on reward system and motivation. Some employees would prefer promotion as they seek power while others would prefer other fringe benefits as qualification for pension, assured job security, opportunities for career growth or paid holidays (Guest, 2011). Based on this view then, it would be viable not to generalize dispensation of rewards to employees. It would be more reasonable to consider individual preferences before offering a given reward.

However, this does not mean leaving employees to dictate what reward is to be given to them. Rather, it is about weighing the available chances and opportunities and giving the best to an employee in consideration of their wishes and different personalities.

The employees must also be made to believe that individual effort would lead to achievement of the company’s standard performance. When this happens, it gives employees more motivation to achieve the targeted performance. Cultivation of such beliefs in employee is crucial because it shifts attention to the organization rather than individual.

Equity and Participation

The effectiveness of a reward system largely depends on its perception of fairness to all the employees. The system and design of the reward system must reflect equality to all the employees without any bias of favoritism to any group of employees (Choudhury & Friedman, 2015). As such, there ought to be no discrimination in terms of gender, age or marital status. As long as one has achieved targeted performance, reward should be constant.

Acknowledging Accomplishment

The reward and compensation systems concentrate largely on rewarding employees financially. However, non-financial awards can also be effective in motivating employees especially if it supplements the financial rewards. Awards generally satisfy the needs for employee recognition in a company. It would therefore be important to consider offering a combination of the two rewards. Such moves work well where there have been efforts of ascertaining what the specific employee would wish to get and therefore; go by the best.

Conclusion

Qatar Airways should set up a reward and compensation system that is unique to the demands of its own employees while also comparing the existing compensation systems that are available in the market as compared to its rival companies. The best rewards systems are developed as per the recommendation of the employees and as approved by the employers. It would also be important to consider offering diverse forms of rewards, both financial and non-financial awards due to the diversity Qatar Airways employees.

References

Beiske, B, (2007) Research Methods: Uses and Limitations of questionnaires, interviews and case studies, GRIN Verlag

Choudhury, S. & Friedman, M. (2015). A study of employee satisfaction with HMO services at a historically black university. In Proceedings of the 1996 Multicultural Marketing Conference (pp. 81-84). Springer International Publishing.

Hair Jr, J. F., Wolfinbarger, M., Money, A. H., Samouel, P., & Page, M. J. (2015). Essentials of business research methods. Routledge.

Guest, D.E. (2011) Human Resource Management and Performance: Still Searching for Some Answers, Human Resource Management journal, Vol 21, No 1, 2011, pgs 3-13.

Mills, G. E. (2011). Action research – A guide for the teacher researcher. Boston, MA:
>>>>Pearson Education, Inc.

Onwuegbuzie, A.J. & Teddlie, C. (2003). A framework for analyzing data in mixed methods research. In A. Tashakkori & C. Teddlie (Eds.), Handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioral research (pp. 351-383). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Retrieved August 11, 2015 from http://www.southalabama.edu/coe/bset/johnson/lectures/lec14.htm

Tashakkori and Teddlie (2003) Handbook of Mixed Research Methods in Social and behavior Research Retrieved August 11, 2015 from http://www.southalabama.edu/coe/bset/johnson/lectures/lec2.pdf

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Role of trade union in contemporary employment relations

Role of trade union in contemporary employment relations
Role of trade union in contemporary employment relations

Role of trade union in contemporary employment relations

Do trade unions still have a role in contemporary employment relations?

Order Instructions:

Recognising that trade unions are the representative of employees, identify the benefits and drawbacks of such unions to employers. Do trade unions still have a role in contemporary employment relations?

SAMPLE ANSWER

  1. Benefits of trade unions
  • Trade union is well recognized for counter balancing the monopsony power.

W3

W1

W2

Q2 Q1

When trade unions do bargain for w3, it does not lead to unemployment and in return, the employment stays at Q2. It means that trade union has the possibility and power to increase wages and employment at the same time.

  • Representing workers

The main aim for the formation or coming up with trade unions is to protect workers in all discipline or fields in a given economy. It is done from the exploitation and also trade unions do uphold safety legislation and health for the employees. In addition, trade unions can offer representations for workers who are facing legal actions.

  • Trade unions are recognized as of great significance in the service sector

In the modern business economy or industry, service sector economy is increasing at an increasing rate. This kind of service jobs, many of them if not all are done full time and other on part time. Trade unions are shifting their attention on this sector since it is more so unrecognized for the benefit of protecting workers, (Sue Fernie, ‎David Metcalf. 2013).

  • Productivity deals

In recent times, trade unions have merged into the business economy where it is mostly used to negotiate or bargain for any productive deal. The purpose of these inputs by the trade unions is to help an organization to be in a position to increase its output. In the return for this, the organization or the company are fixed in a flexible position where they have the chance to increase the employee’s wages and in doing so, the trade union are mostly recognized by enterprises for improving the productivity.

  1. Trade unions drawbacks
  • It does create unemployment

In modern economy, labor markets are becoming very competitive. In order for them to survive in this completion, they have to increase the wages for the employees. Increase in employees wages, it means that the wages will be excess or will be over the equilibrium. When the wages are above equilibrium it definitely results to the fall of employment hence creating unemployment for many.

  • Wage inflation

If a lot of power is manifested to the trade unions, they become very powerful.  The power helps them to negotiate for an increase of wages which is above the rate of inflation. If the possibility of increasing the wages is granted, it will definitely cause or lead to general inflation, (Nirmal Kumar Betchoo, 2014).

  • Trade unions does ignore non members

Trade unions are only responsible for the members who participate or contribute to their terms and conditions. It does not recognize the unemployed who they recognize as non members.

  • Lost productivity

A lot of strikes from the workers may lead to the organizations losing a lot of sales and also it may lead to working to rule (work unproductively). It does eventually lead to lost sales and output. In the long run, the enterprise may mushroom or be in a position which its not able to employ workers at all effort, (Oshisanya, ‘lai Oshitokunbo. 2015).

Trade unions roles in the contemporary employment relations are changing day in day out. It is due to the fact that, there is an increase in international competition, service outsourcing, legal challenges and more so the employees participation have played a great chance for the fall of the unions due to its collective bargaining, (Steve Williams, 2014).

References

Nirmal Kumar Betchoo.(2014). An Analysis of Trade Union Strategies in the new Employee Relations Climate.Track2Publications.Copyright.

Steve Williams. (2014). Introducing Employment Relations. A Critical Path Approach. Oxford ; Oxford University Press.

Sue Fernie, ‎David Metcalf. (2013). Trade Unions: Resurgence or Demise?. RoutledgeCopyright.

Oshisanya, ‘lai Oshitokunbo. (2015). An Almanac of Contemporary and Convergent Jurisprudential Restatements. Almanac FoundationCopyright.

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Chemical Kinetics Chemistry Lab Report

Chemical Kinetics Chemistry Lab Report
Chemical Kinetics Chemistry Lab Report

Chemical Kinetics Chemistry Lab Report

Order Instructions:

Please edit the chemistry lab report.
Actually, the 2 papers are someone else papers which contain similar contents.
Please change the papers’ words and structure as reorganized the reports and then it should look like new lab report.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Chemistry Lab Report: Chemical Kinetics

Procedure

The first part involved determining the relationship between reactants’ concentration and the speed of reaction. A mixture of KI and Na2S2O3, H2O was placed in a reaction flask labeled “Reaction Flask 1”. Another mixture of KBrO3 and HC1 was placed in a second flask labeled “Reaction Flask 2”. After a thorough mixing of the contents of each flask, the mixtures were combined by pouring the contents of the second reaction flask into the first reaction flask. The contents were agitated by stirring until the solution turned blue. A stop watch was used to determine the time it took for a blue coloration to appear. The temperature of the mixture at the point of turning blue was recorded using a thermometer. Five mixtures with different concentrations of the reagents were used for the experiment.

The second part involved investigating the influence of temperature on the rate of reaction. 10ml of 0.010M KI was mixed with 0.0010M Na2S2O3 in reaction flask one and 10ml of distilled water was added. 10ml of 0.040M KBrO3 was mixed with 10ml 0.100M HCL and 3 ml of starch suspension in Reaction Flask 2. The solutions were cooled to 100 c and then mixed. Time taken for a blue coloration to appear was recorded and the procedures repeated at temperatures of 0 and 400 c.

The third part involved investigating the influence of a catalyst on the rate of reaction. Mixing of the reagents was done as in the second part, and a drop of 0.5 M (NH4)2MoO4 (a catalyst) was added to Reaction Flask 2. Time taken for the appearance of a blue coloration in both flasks was recorded.

Results and Discussion

The recorded temperatures for the first part of the experiment were 20.80 c, which were rounded-off to 210 c. The rate of reaction was noted to increase as the concentration of the reactants was increased. It was observed that the concentration of different ions affected the overall results to varying extents. Doubling the concentration of iodide ions increased the rate of reaction by a factor of two. Also, doubling the concentration of bromate ions halved the overall time taken for the reaction. On the other hand, doubling the concentration of hydrogen ions resulted in a three-fold increase in the rate of reaction. The pattern of variation in the speed of reaction at different concentrations was observed in all trials performed. The order of reaction for [I-] and [BrO3-] was 1 while that of [H+] was 2 as obtained from the trials. Hence, the overall value for the order of reaction was 4. The observation concurred with the kinetic theory of reaction which states that the rate of a reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of the reagents involved. The theory explains the phenomenon by indicating that increasing the concentration of reactants results in a high number of molecules. Chances of interactions between the reacting molecules increase as the number of the particles increases. Reactions that have higher number of collisions at a given time are faster than the ones with a low number.

The recorded times for the reactions at temperatures of 40, 20.8, 10, and 1.80 c were 60, 160, 406, and 660 sec respectively. The rate of reaction was also found to increase with an increase in temperature. The reaction took a shorter time at higher temperatures than it did at lower temperatures. The observation was in accordance with the kinetic theory of reactions. The theory suggests that when particles get heated, they acquire kinetic energy and they make more movements resulting in more collisions that account for increased chances of reacting. At cold temperatures, particles have low energy and they tend to remain immobile. As a result, there are reduced chances of collisions between particles. Product formation only occurs after the interaction of reagents’ particles. At low temperatures, only a few particles collide in a given time. Therefore, the rate of reaction and product generation is slow compared to a time when there are more collisions. It is important to note that all particles may eventually react even at low temperature, but the process would take a considerably longer time. The rate of reaction is the inverse of time taken, and therefore, reactions that take a long time occur at a slow rate. As observed in the experiment, a slight change in temperature may translate into a significantly large variation in the rate of reaction. It is possible to determine the energy of activation for a particular reaction by plotting the rate constant against the inverse of time (rate of reaction) taken for the reaction to occur. It is expected that the rate constant would increase with temperature. The occurrence is in accordance with Arrhenius behavior which suggests that a high value of activation energy would mean a high correlation between temperature and the rate constant. The conventional energy of activation for a clock reaction for iodine is 54 KJMol-1. The value obtained from the experiment was 45.3 KJMol-1. Closeness to the value in the obtained results depends on the level of accuracy involved in the experiment. As obtained from calculations, the equation for a graph of the natural log of the rate constant against the rate of reaction would have the equation y= -5526x + 26.71.

15 seconds were recorded for the catalyzed reaction compared to 174 seconds recorded in the absence of the catalyst. The use of a catalyst was found to have a great impact on the speed of reaction. The rate of reaction in the presence of a catalyst was eleven times faster than it was in the absence of the catalyst. Catalysts affect the speed of reaction by decreasing the activation energy required to initiate reactions. They also offer a surface on which reactions can take place. Catalysts are never used up in reactions, and they only create new transition states through which reactions would proceed. Even small amounts of catalysts would have a significant impact on the speed of reactions.

Conclusion

The three parts of the experiment investigated factors that influence the rate of chemical reactions. Among them are temperature, reagents’ concentration, and the presence of a catalyst. One can manipulate the speed of reactions by varying either of the factors. When studying the influence of a particular factor on the rate of reaction, it is important to hold other variables constant. The procedure would ensure that variations observed are specifically as a result of the factor of interest. A combination of factors such as high temperature, high concentration of the reagents, and the presence of a catalyst would result in fast reactions. The experiment revealed the expected results as findings correlated with the theory of kinetics. The obtained value for activation energy was 45.3 KJmol-1 and that of the rate constant was 2929 1/M3s. the order of reaction was 4. The results were credible and reliable. However, there could have been improvements in the experiment to enhance accuracy and precision. Among them include ensuring that the reagents used were free from contamination, and they were appropriate for use. For instance, ensuring that the starch used in the experiment was fresh would have been a recommendable practice.

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