Category: Writing

Employment, Contract, and Reward Assignment

Employment, Contract, and Reward
Employment, Contract, and Reward

Employment, Contract, and Reward

Order Instructions:

2,500 word Written Report – 100 marks weighted to 70% of marks for the module

Your friend has accepted a new job and has the opportunity to choose between becoming an employee or an independent contractor. Advise your friend on how employee/contractor status is determined, the advantages and disadvantages of each status and the source of the terms contained within employment a contract.
70%

(ii) Marcia placed an advertisement in a shop window which read: ‘£50 Reward for the return of my black wallet which I lost yesterday, Sunday. Call 020 000 1111”.
Meanwhile, Frank found a wallet in the street and when he examined it, he saw an address inside which he understood to be that of the owner. He was busy for a couple of days so he waited until Tuesday morning before calling at the address with the wallet.
Marcia answered the door and was very pleased to see her wallet, complete with all of the contents. She thanked Frank and he went on to work.
That evening, on his way home, Frank saw Marcia’s advertisement in the shop window and he wondered if it was referring to the wallet he had returned. He called at Marcia’s house and she confirmed that the advertisement was hers. Frank asked for the reward and Marcia told him he was not entitled to it.
Frank is upset and puzzled and has asked you to explain why Marcia has refused to give him the reward.
30%

Parts and (ii) have different weighting therefore the word count for each part should reflect this. Approximately 1,750 words for part and 750 words for part (ii).
Please remember that you must provide properly referenced evidence for all of the claims/assertions you make.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Employment, Contract, and Reward

Part I

How Employment/ Contract Status is Determined

By definition, independent contractors are self-employed individuals and since these individuals are not considered employees, they are not covered by labor, employment, and related tax laws. As such, employers may be tempted to reclassify workers as independent contractors so that they can evade the payment of benefits and taxes alongside other liabilities (Cappelli & Keller, 2013). Whether or not an employee is covered by a certain tax, labor, or employment law hinges in relation to the definition of a worker. In many occasions, statuses often fail to provide a clear definition of the term employee. Therefore, there is no single standard, which can be employed in distinguishing between an independent contractor and employee. For instance, in UK, employers can determine the employment status of individuals by focusing the tax and employment laws. By focusing on the tax law, employers can manage to determine whether individuals are exempted from PAYE (Pay As You Earn) or not. On the other hand, employment law helps employers to determine whether their employees have employee’s rights or not (Bidwell & Briscoe, 2009). One can be considered an employee when he or she works under a contract of employment. An individual can be an employee under employment policy, but have a status that is different for purposes of tax. As such, employers need to work out the status of every worker in both tax law and employment law. All employees are considered workers, but an employee possesses additional employment responsibilities and rights, which are not applicable to workers who are regarded as employees.

In working out the employment status of an employee, several conditions are often taken into consideration. An individual is considered an employee when this person is needed to work regularly, unless he or she is on leave such as sick leave, holiday and maternity leave. A person is also considered an employee when he or she is needed to perform limited number of hours of which payments are made. Furthermore, an individual is taken as an employee when a supervisor or manager is accountable for his or her workload, dictating when a piece of task should be completed, and when this person cannot send a different person to perform his or her work (Cappelli & Keller, 2013). Any person is considered an employee when this individual is paid during holidays, when national insurance and tax is deducted from his or her wage; when he/she can join the pension scheme of his or her employer; when the employer’s grievance and disciplinary applies to him or her; when the person’s contract outlines redundancy procedures, when then this person’s employer provides tools, materials, and equipment needed for his or her work; when this person has a different job from that of his or her employer, when he/she works for his or her employer only; and when his/her stamen of conditions and terms of contract uses terms such as employee or employer. In case the employers are unable to determine the employment or contract status of an individual, the employer can use the ESI (Employment Status Indicator) to achieve this goal. On the contrary, this tool cannot be employed in determining the status of employment of some workers such as agency workers, company directors, individuals holding on office and persons offering services via intermediaries. The ESI tool operates by asking a series of questions concerning the working relationship between the engager and worker. Moreover, the presence of a contract that outlines the terms of the relationship between the worker and employer is significant in this process. Once the details needed by the tool have been provided, the ESI then displays worker’s employment status. The ESI tool can be relied on when the answers it has provided offer a clear reflection of the conditions and terms under which the worker being investigated provides his or her services (Cappelli & Keller, 2013). The outcomes of the tools can be relied on when the ESI has been completed by either an authorized representative or engager.

Advantages of Employment Status

As an employee, one can be entitles to several advantages. First, an employee is entitled to a steady or constant income. Employees are often paid fixed salaries, which helps in ensuring that they receive regular amount of income at the end of every month. Furthermore, this benefit is significant in ensuring that deductions are not made on the wages of employees even in situations where they may not attend work due to issues such as sicknesses or other commitments. As such, employees can be considered to enjoy the element of income security in that they are certain of the amount that they will receive at the end of the month based on the agreement they made with their employers (Bidwell & Briscoe, 2009). Moreover, employees are entitled to work within specified time frames. As such, any extra hour besides the normal working hours is considered overtime and the employer is often accountable to paying employees for such hours. The status of being employed also subjects the employees to benefits like health insurance among other insurance covers. As such, employees can obtain medical treatment in case of situations involving occupational injuries and other illnesses. Employees are also entitled to other benefits such as training, which can help in improving the worker’s levels of skills and knowledge in the field of practice.

Disadvantages of Employment Status

Despite having many advantages, employees the status of being employed has been noted to have many disadvantages. In relation to this, the incomes of employees are low despite being steady. Many workers are always not aware of the value of the input that they give to their employers. Moreover, while many workers lack the knowledge of the value of their inputs, they can also be fired at any moment. Thus, the status of being employed has no employment security. When employees are fired, their income often ceases to be steady for a prolonged period. Employees have also been noted to have limited levels of control over their work as they are often monitored by their employers who have total authority over them (Cappelli & Keller, 2013). Working as an employee means that workers do not own much of their time, which limits the personal activities in which individuals can be engaged. Moreover, being employed limits workers’ capabilities to decline performing tasks that are assigned to them despite these tasks being difficult or complex (Cappelli & Keller, 2013). Working with employers can also be stressful, especially in situations where tasks are needed to be performed urgently. Consequently, an employee may also experience problems working other employees who may prove stubborn. Lastly, the aspect of earning a fixed salary limits the amount of income that employees can earn at every payment period.

Advantages of Contract Status

Working as an independent contractor can subject an individual to several benefits. Independent contractors often know the value of their work and are at an advantage of charging substantial amounts for the services they are offering their clients. Moreover, the fact that these individuals have almost total control over the work enables them to perform these tasks in a relaxed environment (James & Harvey, 2003). Thus, independent contractors are not vulnerable to stress from other employees or employers as in the case of employees. Besides, independent contractors have the ability to decline performing task that they consider difficult or complex. Independent contractors have the ability to increase their level of income as the can look for jobs from many clients. Moreover, this benefit is enhanced by the fact that independent contractors have the knowledge of the quality of their input, which enables them to charge prices that are commensurate to the quality of service or tasks that they perform to their clients. Being that these individual are their own bosses, the level of job security that they enjoy is higher than that of employees. As such, they do not suffer from the fear of being sacked by employers as in the case of employees.

Disadvantages of Contract Status

Being an independent contractor can subject an individual to certain disadvantages. First, independent contractors are not entitled to steady incomes as there are seasons when they often experience shortage of clients. As such, these individuals are always forced to ensure that they generate more income during boom seasons to that they can compensate for leans seasons. Therefore, the level of income security that these individuals enjoy is lower than that enjoyed by employees. In addition, independent contractors are not entitled to benefits such as health insurances and other insurance covers (James & Harvey, 2003). As such, these individuals cannot obtain financial aid from their clients in cases involving illnesses or occupational accidents. As a result, they may be forced to cover for expenses arising from such events. Furthermore, independent contractors cannot benefit from incentives such as trainings that employers often offer to their employees. As such, independent contractors are always forced to cover for the costs of such incentives.

Source of Terms Contained within an Employment and Contract

Prior to entering into any contract, several statements are often made by one party with the aim of inducing or encouraging the other party or group to enter into a contract (Gunasekara, 2013). In relation to this, disputes may arise from such contracts concerning whether the statements made should be the term or part of the contract. Besides, these disputes may concern the statements that should be considered as mere pre-contract talk thereby excluding them from being the term or part of the contract. It is crucial to note that parties or groups that have entered into a contract are only bound the terms of the contract, and not by peripheral statements, which have been developed. In relation this, courts may be forced to focus on the proof of intention by either one or other groups that the statement should form part of the contract. For example, when the interval between the establishment of the statement and attainment of the ultimate contract and agreement is long, the statement can be considered as part of the contract. It is also significant to note that signing of an agreement qualifies that agreement to be the term of the contract. Furthermore, many employees are often issued with written statements that contain the key conditions and terms of the employment contracts. However, even independent contractors are often entitled to such documents (Gunasekara, 2013). Some of the information that should be provided in such documents are names of employee or contractor and employer or client, date of employment or contract, and continuous employment or contract started, working hours or duration of contract, and job location. As such, employees and independent contractors should be cautious prior to signing agreements or contracts with clients or employers or clients as breaching them may lead to adverse legal consequences.

Part II

Reward can be defined as a compensation or sum of money that is issued to a class of individuals or the general public for the performance of service that is considered special (Jansen & Zimmerman, 2011). In relation to this, the money that Marcia wants to give to anyone that finds her black wallets is considered a reward as it is a payment to a special service, which involves finding the lost wallet and taking it to Marcia. In many situations, police often offer rewards for information that can helps in arresting and convicting offenders. In legal terms, the individual promising a reward is offering himself or herself to enter into an agreement or contract with the individual who conducts the required action. As such, the legal principles of rewards are obtained from the contracts’ law. Taking this aspect into consideration, it can be argued that Marcia had offered herself into a contract with Frank.

A contract of reward is often created when an actual offer that is valid is made. In such a situation, the offer is considered a mere proposal or conditional promise by the individual issuing the reward (Jansen & Zimmerman, 2011). The person issuing the reward is referred to as the offerer in legal terms as in the case of Marcia. It is also vital to note that a consummated contract may be attained when the requested action has been conducted. Therefore, the case involved between Marcia and Frank is considered a contract as the required action, which involves finding the black wallet and taking it to Marcia, has been performed. The individual issuing the reward can do it on any condition that he or she wishes and the terms must be accomplished prior to the recovery of the reward. In relation to this, terms that Marcia stated were met by Frank as he found the lost black wallet and returned it to Marcia.

In legal terms, it is required the information provided must be timely and adequate for an individual to collect a reward from the offerer. In a situation in which the information was already known when it was provided by the informant, a reward cannot be given (Weber & Mayer, 2011). In relation to this, it can be argued that Frank presented the lost wallet when Marcia had already addressed the urgency that she needed from it. The advertisement made my Marcia indicated that she was to be contacted on Monday, while Frank contacted her on Tuesday. As such, it can be argued that Frank’s submission was untimely and inadequate. Moreover, in the legal terms it is required that the individual performing the required action be aware of the offer and purpose of performing such a service (Kraft, 2013). As such, any person that performs the required action without the knowledge of the offer or the purpose of his or her action is not entitled to the collection of the reward. In relation to this, Frank is not entitled to the collection of the reward, as he was unaware of the offer made by Marcia and purpose of his action. When Frank returned the lost wallet to Marcia, he did not ask for the compensation for his service as promised by Marcia. This action made Marcia realize that frank was unaware of the offer she had made. Moreover, Frank made his ignorance clear to Marcia when he returned to collect the reward after reading about the offer in the advertisement that had been posted by Marcia. As a result, Marcia acted in line with the law and declined to issue the promised offer to Frank. In this case, Marcia can be considered innocent.

The rule, which denies the person who lacks the knowledge of the offer or the purpose of his or her action from collecting rewards, is founded on the concept that in the absence of such knowledge the meeting of minds cannot exist (Goldenberg, 2014). Meeting of minds is significant in facilitating or advancing the realization of the terms provided by the contract. In relation to this, it can be argued that there was not meeting in minds between frank and Marcia as frank was unaware of the conditions provided by the contract prior to making his submission or presenting the lost wallet. Furthermore, it is vital to note that having the knowledge of the statutory remedy does not qualify the claimant to recovering a reward. Therefore, Frank could have managed to collect the rewards from Marcia in a situation in which he was aware of the offer and purpose of his action prior to delivering the wallet to Marcia.

References

Cappelli, P; Keller, R. (2013). Classifying Work in the New Economy. Academy of Management Review, 38(4), 575-596.

Cappelli, H; Keller, JR. (2013). A Study of the Extent and Potential Causes of Alternative Employment Arrangements. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 66(4), 874-901.

Bidwell, J; Briscoe, F. (2009). Who Contracts? Determinants of the Decision to Work as an Independent Contractor among Information Technology Workers. Academy of Management Journal, 52(6), 1148-1168.

Goldenberg, P. (2014). Protecting the Reliance. Columbia Law Review, 114(4), 1033-181.

Gunasekara, C. (2011). Independent Contracting in Low Skilled, Low Paid Work in Australia. International Journal of Employment Studies, 19(1), 50-69.

James, Jr; Harvey S. (2003). Employment Contracts, US Common Law and the Theory of the Firm. International Journal of the Economics of Business, 10(1), 1-49.

Jansen, N; Zimmerman, R. (2011). Contract Formation and Mistake in European Contract Law: A Genetic Comparison of Transnational Model Rule. Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, 3194), 625-662.

Kraft, J. (2013). The Road To Fulfillment: The Importance of Trust in Contract Types. Journal of Organizational Culture, Communications & Conflict, 1792), 137-150.

Rosenberg, A. (2013). Contract’s Meaning and The Histories of Classical Contract Law. McGill Law Journal, 59(1), 165-207.

Weber, L; Mayer, J. (2011). Designing Effective Contracts: Exploring the Influence of Framing and Expectations. Academy of Management Reviews, 36(1), 53-75.

We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!

What ethical consumerism means for businesses

What ethical consumerism means for businesses
What ethical consumerism means for businesses

An analytical business report on what ethical consumerism means for businesses

Order Instructions:

Write an analytical business report on what ethical consumerism means for businesses. Choose one company evidencing how they operate ethically. This must take into account the ethics and values of the company you choose to focus on.
In your report (which must be written in business report format), you need to cover the following topics:
• An executive summary which gives a brief overview of the argument in your report including key findings and conclusions
• A brief overview analysis of ethical consumerism, identifying the examples of some of the products which fall into the ethical category,
• A detailed review of one company claiming to operate ethically. Discuss the approach(es) they have used to become a more socially conscious business, linking this with the ethics and values of the company that you have identified.
• A short opinion survey on what influences consumer buying behaviour, carried out by you from a sample of students at GSM London
• A conclusion which includes critical evaluation of ethical consumerism based on the evidence that you have gathered both from your primary and secondary research, focusing on one company you have chosen for detailed review
Supporting material will be posted on Blackboard, but you will be expected to undertake research using newspaper/magazine/web articles, journals and text books.
Word Limit – Not more than 2000 +/- 10%

I want you to remember that this job is analytical business report. it is not just essay writing please speak to your writer very well. Previously you and i agreed to continue using Marks and Spencer since i use M&S for presentation therefore the writer would write should be on M&S

NB
Remind writer what she /he wrote initially on Marks & Spencer regarding Ethical Consumerism
The task is 8 pages.

SAMPLE ANSWER

What ethical consumerism means for businesses

Executive Summary

Ethical consumerism can be described as the intentional purchase of products or services that are considered to be made ethically. Consumers have become more ethically conscious with more people striving to know more concerning the way products they purchase are produced. Notably, several studies have also revealed a positive correlation of ethical production and company performance. This has in turn motivated more companies to develop ethical policies that their production ethics, practices, structures, and relations. This report focuses on critically analyzing the current market trends concerning ethical consumerism and what it means for business. In this regard, special emphasis has been directed towards the ethical processes of M&S as a case study comparing it with that of the Co-op bank and the findings of my personal survey. The analysis of these three cases in this report have demonstrated a need for companies to reconsider their policies in regard to the emerging trend or risk losing on consumer confidence.

Introduction

Over the recent past, the concept of ethical consumerism has increasingly attained prominence among the wealthy capitalist nations across the globe and has more recently gained mainstream appeal. Terms such as conscience consumption and responsible are no longer purely associated with hippie lifestyles or fringe politics, but rather are now increasingly entering into everyday practice and language of the ordinary consumers (Singh et al., 2012). Consumers now more than never before are basing their choices on the issue of care and collective concern. For this reason, the big question that this report seeks to answer is on what ethical consumerism means for business.

The rise of ethical consumerism connects to a broader range of concerns around environmentalism, unsustainable lifestyles, and anti-materialism. For instance, a study by Global Market Insite across 17 countries including U.S.A., Australia, India, Japan, China, and various European countries recently showed that 54 percent of consumers would be prepared to pay more for the organic, Fair Trade or environmentally friendly products (Potter & Lewis, 2011). In the light of this and several other similar findings concerning ethical consumerism, it is clearly visible that the way to go for business in the current market is ethical production and operations. For this purpose, this report proceeds to further analyse the issue of ethical consumerism and what it means for business with special interest on Mark and Spencer.

Ethical Consumerism

Ethical consumerism can be described as the intentional purchase of products or services that are considered to be made ethically (Healey, 2013).  Products considered ethical in this case would imply that the process of producing these products has minimal or no harm or exploitation of any form to persons, animals, or the surroundings. In practice ethical consumerism is achieved when buyers engage in positive buying in favour of ethical goods or by moral boycott that entails company based buying or negative buying. The rise in ethical consumerism has led to a rise in ethical based decisions in the market. This has been facilitated by increased understanding and information concerning businesses practices.

More business and companies want to be recognized as producing ethically and improving their ethical standards. In this context, as Healey (2013) notes ethical production has become the new form of competitive advantage of businesses in the contemporary market. More people are basing their buying choices on ethical aspects of the products such as whether they are sourced, made, and distributed ethically. Businesses, therefore, need to recognize that consumers now want more than just good value for their money. Indeed, customers are increasingly looking for other aspects of the product in the company, product, or brand such as ethical sourcing, manufacturing and dissemination, as well as clear information concerning nutrition. In addition, consumers now consider transparency, fair labour, protection of human rights and health, respecting the environment, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. As such, businesses need to consider how effectively they meet these changing ethical trends of consumers if they are focused on remaining profitable yet sustainable.

The current trend in the mass market identifies a need for companies to devise new strategies or reinvent their business strategy in respond to today’s ethical consumer.  Studies show that consumers prefer ethical products such as fair labour-certified garments, products made through sustainable technologies, cosmetics produced without animal testing, and fair trade-certified chocolate and coffee (Harvey, 2012). A recent survey on Melbourne households showed that 40 percent of the participants had gleaned items (Chatzidakis et al., 2012). Another study undertaken by YouGov found out that consumers have become more ethically conscious with 78 percent saying they would wish to know more about the way good they purchase are made including the factory conditions. Some 58 percent said they already purchase FairTrade products while 19 percent said they would buy the FairTrade items if they were made more widely available across the high street (Carrington et al., 2010).

Certain trust criteria by consumers such as creditworthiness are considered to form the basis of sourcing or purchasing behavior. Natural capitalism proponents hold that comprehensive outcomes of production form the basis of using products as opposed to cumulative outcomes (Harvey, 2012). As such, moral criteria form a broader shift away from commodity markets to a deeper product economy. However, there is little validation of consumer reporting in these surveys because of the gap between what people report and what they actually practice. These are buyers whose decisions are based on the social and ethical positions of a product such as labour practices and environmental impact with regard to their own values (Brunk, 2012). Consumers are increasingly becoming aware of the ethical aspects of production with studies showing increased consciousness. In this regard, some of the core factors that were found to be influencing consumer behavior are companies sources their products, how they treat their workers, and the impact they have on the environment.

Mark & Spencer

Corporate social responsibility within M&S has traditionally been construed as basically the offering of quality and good products for a good value for their customers and the patristic regime of shop assistants. In 1999, the company became a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative, which is an alliance of companies and organizations to good practice and promotes improvements in working conditions globally. The principle goal is to oversee that the working conditions for employees is up to appropriate standards. In addition, M&S subscribed to the Environmental Code of Practice to make sure that the existing processes in the company no chemicals, inputs, or dyes used in the garment production causes unwanted health or environment risk during their manufacture (Harvey, 2012).

M&S has been recognized on several occasions as a result of this recent initiative to become a greener retailer. More recently in 2007 the company unveiled what they call “Plan A”, a 100 point program of action aimed at giving the company a head-to-foot environmental makeover in ethical production within the next five years (Johnson, 2008). This can be compared with the Co-op bank’s ethical values of honesty and social responsibility.The two values entail being honest on what the company does and how they do it as well as  taking responsibility of the community and environment.

Suppliers

Concerning their operations with suppliers, M&S has strived to develop a stronger rapport with their suppliers by initiating open dialogue. In 1999, they created a set of principles within their collaboration with their suppliers. The document offered a set of guidelines for suppliers in complying with the required laws and regulation in terms of working hours and conditions, terms of pay and employment, and health and safety. M&S has also been organizing supplier exchange forums where peer-to-peer learning is encouraged among suppliers. M&S developed a balanced scorecard for foods where equal weight is given to technical, ethical, environmental, and commercial issues. Through supplier conferences, M&S is able to bring together suppliers across seven of their main sourcing countries where they share experiences and conduct debates to reach a common understanding. The aim of these conferences, exchange forums, and debates is to highlight and develop strategies for higher standards in ethical environmental and trade performance.

Environment Policy

M&S in 2011 updated their standards to include new sections on environmental management as well as minimizing energy and water use. Their approach to chemical management requires that every of their dyehouse to complete a rigorous audit and also emphasizes on regular performance reviewed. The supplies must also first comply with the M&S Environmental and Chemical Policy. Through their partnership with Greenpeace NGO, M&S focuses on achieve zero discharge from their dyehouses by the year 2020 (Bucic et al., 2012).

Product Attributes

M&S focus was on converting all its tea and coffee to FairTrade to match the growing significance of ethical consumerism. A total of 38 product lines were switched, increasing the value of all the FairTrade ground and instant coffee sold in supermarkets across UK by 18 percent and that of tea by about 30 percent (Johnson, 2008). As a result of the initiative, the 2012 M&S report confirms that 138 commitments have been realized, and the company now recycles 100 percent of its waste (Johnson, 2008). M&S labels their entire general merchandise product in their stores with its country of origin.

The company has realized many other achievements in terms of ethical consciousness including a five million customer participation in Plan A activities and a significant decrease in carrier bags usage by up to 1.7 billion bags within a five-year period. The company has since achieved a 31 percent attribute on its products. About 257 of their products are now made using the certified sustainable palm oil. Over 50000 people facing workplace barriers have completed M&S placement. The company’s sales of FairTrade food has henceforth increased by 88 percent since the year 2007 (Carrington et al., 2010).

A comparison of M&S’s Plan A with the Co-op bank’s ethical policy reveals some similarities. One of the latest considerations that are comparable to M&S is the genetically modified food. Co-op bank’s ethical policy currently cover environmental and animal welfare, economic development, international development, and human rights much more like that of M&S (Harvey, 2012).

Personal Survey

In an attempt to further evaluate the issue of ethical consumerism, I conducted an opinion survey on 50 students from GSM London. The survey was done through face-to-face interviews where respondents were requested to answer some structured questions concerning their buying behavior especially one that had to do with ethical consumerism. The findings of this study yielded results that concur with several other past studies on what influences consumer behavior. One of my findings was that economic status was a major factor. Consumers also consider how the company treats their customers. Other factors reported to directly impacting on how consumers spend their money include how companies source their products, how they treat their workers, and the impact they have on the environment. A cross section of the students said they would be more willing to buy ethically produced products than others if they were able to identify them. However, they noted a lack of information that could help them identify the ethical products despite the high consciousness concerning ethical consumerism. Some of the stores as the report has indicated concerning M&S have a way of helping buyers identify their ethical products through the use of labels.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is quite clear from the discussion that ethical consumerism has become a common trend and a major determinant of consumer behavior. Consumers are increasingly becoming aware of the ethical aspects of production with studies showing increased consciousness. Some of the core factors that were found to be influencing consumer behavior on the basis of my personal survey are companies sources their products, how they treat their workers, and the impact they have on the environment. More companies in their quest to match and meet the changing demands of consumers have embarked on more ethical practices in their production. M&S through their ethical programs such as engagement with suppliers, environment policies, and Plan A has achieved substantial levels of success in becoming greener. Ethical production is largely linked to increased sales and better company reputation as seen in the Co-op bank and M&S examples. Customers are more willing to buy from companies they deem more ethical as compared to others.

References

Brunk, K. (2012). Un/ethical Company and Brand Perceptions: Conceptualising and Operationalising Consumer Meanings.Journal Of Business Ethics, 111(4), 551-565.

Bucic, T., Harris, J., & Arli, D. (2012). Ethical Consumers Among the Millennials: A Cross-National Study. Journal Of Business Ethics, 110(1), 113-131.

Carrington, M., Neville, B., & Whitwell, G. (2010). Why Ethical Consumers Don’t Walk Their Talk: Towards a Framework for Understanding the Gap Between the Ethical Purchase Intentions and Actual Buying Behaviour of Ethically Minded Consumers.Journal Of Business Ethics, 97(1), 139-158.

Chatzidakis, A., Maclaran, P., & Bradshaw, A. (2012). Heterotopian Space and the Utopics of Ethical and Green Consumption.Journal Of Marketing Management, 28(3/4), 494-515.

Harvey, B. (2012). Ethical Banking: The Case of the Co-operative Bank. Journal Of Business Ethics, 14(12), 1005-1013.

Healey, J. (2013). Ethical Consumerism. Thirroul, N.S.W.: Spinney Press.

Johnson, M. (2008). Marks & Spencer Implements an Ethical Sourcing Program for its Global Supply Chain. Journal of Organizational Excellence, 23(2), 3-16.

Potter, E., & Lewis, T. (2011). Ethical Consumption : A Critical Introduction. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

Singh, J., Iglesias, O., & Batista-Foguet, J. (2012). Does Having an Ethical Brand Matter? The Influence of Consumer Perceived Ethicality on Trust, Affect and Loyalty. Journal Of Business Ethics, 111(4), 541-549..

We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!

Monitoring and Evaluation in Public Health

Monitoring and Evaluation in Public Health
Monitoring and Evaluation in Public Health

Monitoring and Evaluation in Public Health

Order Instructions:

The topic for this essay is to write about “What do you understand about Monitoring and Evaluation in Public Health”
It should be written in two full pages and proper grammar must be employ for this paper and its due tomorrow Saturday . The writer must use proper grammar as this is a very important paper that will be use for competition to see the best writer.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Monitoring and Evaluation in Public Health

In the sector of public health, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) aims at knowing if the anticipated results will be achieved as designed in the health action plan. Moreover, M&E helps to determine if the public health strategies are bringing about positive contributions for health in the community.

After evaluation, program managers are able to decide what services need to be improved as well as disseminate to stakeholders regarding the success of the program (Sturmberg & Martin, 2013). During the evaluation, information is gathered systematically and this helps the stakeholders in understanding the program, making decisions on future program planning, and improving its effectiveness. Some of the questions that are relevant during evaluation include; if the program is meeting the anticipated needs, the people being served by the program, the program’s cost-effectiveness, if the expected outcomes have been achieved, the actions being done differently by the community after the public health program implementation, the weaknesses and strengths of the program, if there were unintended program impacts, and the activities that contribute most.

Evaluation can be done at various points of a program life. A needs assessment is done before the program commences. It aims at determining the program’s needs and how they can be addressed. Process evaluation is done during the beginning stages of the implementation. It purposes at seeing if the program is progressing as planned. Outcome evaluation takes place during program maturity to assess if the objectives are being fulfilled. Impact evaluation is done during the program’s full maturity to determine the unforeseen or expected impacts brought about by the program (Sturmberg & Martin, 2013).

On the other hand, monitoring involves observing and recording a program or project’s activities regularly and as they are taking place. Information on all the project’s aspects is gathered routinely. After assessing how the activities are progressing, feedback is given on the progress, and decisions made for improving the performance. Basically, monitoring public health programs aims at achieving different intention (Sturmberg & Martin, 2013). First, it promotes accountability. Second, it verifies if funds are being used for the intended purposes. Monitoring can also guarantee continued funding.

Similar to evaluation, monitoring should be conducted before the public health project or program begins. This aims at assessing risks and a sit visit. There should also be monitoring after the program has taken off and before it is completed. This should be based on compliance supplements, funding source requirements, and risk.

Monitoring and evaluating programs are based on the fact that resources, environments, and needs change. Hence, being always ready to meet the change challenge via continuing feedback is a chance that evaluation offers. Both processes are for the best interests of all who are part of the program (Publishing, 2013). They support program sustainability, which ensures long-term resource planning. Both processes are systematic and tailored to programs or projects’ unique elements. Data is collected and conclusions drawn based on program practicality, relevance, and utility.

For all public health professionals, evaluation and monitoring skills are cardinal to the effective design as well as implementation of programs (Publishing, 2013). They are also necessary for using and analyzing data for advocacy of public health programs and projects. They are extremely useful and valuable tools for people aiming at strengthening the existing programs’ quality. The population being served also benefit in that improved outcomes are promoted.

References

Publishing, O. E. C. D. (2013). OECD Health Policy Studies: Monitoring and Improving Quality in Long-term Care. Paris: OECD Publishing.

Sturmberg, J. P., & Martin, C. M. (2013). Handbook of systems and complexity in health. New York: Springer.

We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!

The Use and Abuse of Technology and Media

The Use and Abuse of Technology and Media
The Use and Abuse of Technology and Media

The Use and Abuse of Technology and Media

Order Instructions:

Paper : Presenting Proposals: The Problem/Solution Argument The uses and abuses of technology and media—from smart phones to social networks—seem to be on everyone’s mind. Write a proposal argument about some pressing dilemma caused by the digital age that is changing (ruining?) our lives. The majority of the paper should focus on the specific solutions you propose to solve the problem.You might want to explain how to bring traditional instructors into the digital age or establish etiquette for people who walk in traffic using handheld electronic devices. Or maybe you want to keep parents off of social networks. Or maybe you have a great idea for separating professional and private lives online.

 

SAMPLE ANSWER

“The Use and Abuse of Technology and Media”

One powerful dynamic that is shaping our social, intellectual, and moral spheres is the Internet. The internet technology resulted to social media, whereby millions of people interact, gather, and share information or experiences on various subjects. Social media has managed to attract many users within just a very short period. Although the use of social media has some benefits, it has also created room for abuse of technology. For example, with the availability of technology and social media, under age individuals have been exposed to disruptive contents that affect their psychology and eventually their whole lives. This paper champions the thesis that technology and media use also results to abuses that can ruin the lives of many people.

Most social media websites do not take precautions to make sure young individuals are protected (Macafee and J.J 579). Therefore, without these precautions, any visitor is able to connect and take part on the interactions. Young people are not well developed, and their judgments may still be crowded. Therefore, they form the best prey for criminals who are look to exploit people on the internet. This is where you find that individuals over share their personal information, share nude photos, and even get to view nude photos of other without expecting to(Macafee and J.J 581).

To ensure that social media and technology are not abused, the websites should take steps to ensure only people of the right age can view its content. This can be done by ensuring that the process of verification of age is strict. It should mimic the steps taken by online banking websites, whereby an individual is expected to provide a scanned valid identification, which is first approved before being able to view the content. Parents should also make it their responsibility to ensure children do not have access to such sites by always monitoring their web activity.

Work Cited

Macafee, Timothy, and J.J. De Simone. “Killing The Bill Online? Pathways To Young People’s Protest Engagement Via Social Media.” Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking 15.11 (2012): 579-584. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Aug. 2014.

We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!

Obesity in Washington DC Essay Assignment

Obesity in Washington DC
Obesity in Washington DC

Obesity in Washington DC

Order Instructions:

Description
This is a continuation of the health promotion program proposal, part one, which you submitted in Unit 6. Please approach this assignment as an opportunity to integrate instructor feedback from part I and expand on ideas adhering to the components of the MAP-IT strategy. Include necessary levels of detail you feel appropriate to assure stakeholder buy-in.

This paper below is a continuation of a previous paper you guys completed for me , and all what is require this week is to make corrections on the graded paper base on the comments of the prof and then respond to the following questions in 4 pages adding it as another section B to the revise paper. This section alone should contain a minimum of 4 pages. Follow the instructions below to complete this paper.

For this assignment add criteria 5-8 as detailed below: and label that section on your paper PART TWO

5. Propose a health promotion program using an evidence-based intervention found in your literature search to address the problem in the selected population/setting. Include a thorough discussion of the specifics of this intervention which include resources necessary, those involved, and feasibility for a nurse in an advanced role. Be certain to include a timeline

6. Thoroughly describe the intended outcomes. Describe the outcomes in detail concurrent with the SMART goal approach

7. Provide a detailed plan for evaluation for each outcome

8. Thoroughly describe possible barriers/challenges to implementing the proposed project as well as strategies to address these barriers/challenges.

Paper Requirements
• Your assignment should be 7-8 pages (excluding title page, references, and appendices)
• Remember, your Proposal must be a scholarly paper demonstrating graduate school level writing and critical analysis of existing nursing knowledge about health promotion.

References

Urban Institute (2010). Health police center. Vulnerable population. Retrieve from http://www.urban.org/health_policy/vulnerable_populations/

NOAA Coaster Services Center (2009). Linking people, information and technology. Introduction to conducting focus groups. Retrieve from http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/_/pdf/focus_groups.pdf

Eliot & Associates (2005). Guidelines for conducting a focus group. Retrieve from http://assessment.aas.duke.edu/documents/How_to_Conduct_a_Focus_Group.pdf

Dunn, L. (2014) Becker’s Hospital Review. 6 questions to evaluate population health initiatives. Retrieve from http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-blog/6-questions-to-evaluate-population-health-initiatives.html

 

SAMPLE ANSWER

Obesity in Washington DC

Introduction

The health problem is obesity in Washington, District of Columbia. In the United States, obesity and overweight are today so prevalent considering that 66 percent of Americans are either obese or overweight. In Washington DC, the number of those who are obese exceeds those who are overweight. Obesity remains one of the main public health problems, and is even regarded as a long-standing epidemic by health officials. In 2012, the prevalence of obesity in District of Columbia was 21.9 percent(Trust for America’s Health & Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2014). In essence, Washington, D. C. is presently the 2nd least obese state countrywide. The purpose of this proposal is to address existing nursing knowledge related to health promotion of childhood obesity in Washington, D.C. A health promotion program is developed in this proposal to meet the need of obese children in Washington, D.C.

Vulnerable population and setting: the vulnerable population is children and the setting is schools and at homes. Currently, as regards childhood obesity in Washington, DC, and the current obesity rate is 21.4% and it ranks 3rd out of 51 states in the U.S. This rate is for 10 to 17 year old children (Trust for America’s Health & Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2014). In my proposed health promotion program, what I will specifically address is diet and lifestyle. I will seek to alter the diet of the 10-17 year olds and promote lifestyle changes by recommending healthier lifestyles such as exercising and doing physical activity.The proposed outcome is to reduce the rate of childhood obesity in Washington, D.C. to 12.5% or less within the next 12 months from the current 21.4%.

Risk factors for childhood obesity

The risk factors for childhood obesity include the following: (i) diet: consuming foods with high-calories like vending machine snacks and baked foods, is a key risk factor in addition to desserts, candy and soft drinks that have sugar (Pratt et al., 2013). (ii) Lack of physical exercise: in essence, a child who does not exercise has a higher chance of gaining weight since he/she does not burn calories by doing physical exercise. Playing video games and watching TV are some of the inactive leisure activities which contribute to this health problem (Voigt, Nicholls& Williams, 2014). (iii) Family history: a child is at a great risk of being obese if she/he comes from a family of overweight children. The child might also have a higher likelihood of becoming overweight particularly within an environment in which foods of high calorie are available all the time and doing physical activity is not encouraged. (iv) Psychological factors: it is notable that some children eat too much in order to deal with problems or cope with emotions for instance stress, or just to deal with boredom (Schaub, 2014). (v) Socio-economic factors:Pratt et al. (2013) stated that foodstuffs that will not spoil very fast, for instance cookies, crackers and frozen meals usually have a lot of fats and salts. These types of foods are typically less costly relative to healthier foods. They are also an easier option compared to healthier foods.

Literature Review – evidence-based interventions

Interventions for childhood obesity include the following: (i) weight-loss surgery: this procedure could be an effective and safe option for very obese children who have not been able to reduce their weight with the use of conventional methods of weight-loss. Nonetheless, just as with any sort of surgery, there are possible long-lasting complications as well as risks associated with weight-loss surgery (Schaub, 2014). This procedure is essential especially if the weight of the child poses a greater threat to his/her health compared to the possible risks of surgery. (ii) Healthy eating:parents are the people who purchase food, cook it and decide the place wherein the food would be eaten. Even small changes in diet could make a significant difference in the health of the child. Pratt et al. (2013) pointed out that vegetables and fruits should be chosen when purchasing groceries, sweetened beverages should be reduced, the number of times a child eats should be limited, the number of times the family eats out particularly at fast-food eateries should be limited, and appropriate portions of food should be served.

(iii) Doing physical activity: physical activity is an essential part of weight for children. This is primarily because it burns calories, builds strong muscles and bones, and assists the child to sleep well during the night. In essence, these kinds of habits established when the child is still young will help them to maintain healthy weight regardless of the social influences, hormonal alters, as well as rapid growth that usually result in overeating (Davison et al., 2013). (iv) Medications: the prescription medicine for weight loss available in the United States presently is orlistat/xenical. This drug is approved for children who are older than twelve years, and it serves to prevent fat absorption in the intestines. In case the child has a high level of cholesterol, it is recommended to provide him/her with a statin medication (Sung-chanet al., 2013).

Review of the strengths and weaknesses of the sources used

See Appendix 1

Implementation Plan                       

The proposed project would be carried out over a period of three months starting August 15, 2014 and ending October 25, 2014. The implementation will entail the following: (i) communicating with partners in my state to support the provision of much healthier and high-quality foods in schools; (ii) initiate promotional and marketing programs to encourage parents to get their children physically active. (iii) Recommending to policy makers to reduce advertising and marketing to children; and (iv) Providing resource opportunities and education for primary care providers and other healthcare practitioners to promote prevention of childhood obesity. The specific implementation plan table is included in Appendix 2.

Health promotion/disease prevention conceptual or theoretical model

The health promotion/disease prevention theoretical model applied is the Relapse Prevention theoretical model. As per this theoretical model, people who are starting regular physical activity as well as exercise programs may be helped by interventions which assist them to expect factors or barriers that could contribute to relapse. The key concepts of this theoretical model include lifestyle rebalancing, cognitive reframing, and skills training (Davison et al., 2013). Relapse Prevention theoretical model is applied in the implementation and evaluation of this proposal in that through training programs that would be offered to parents in Washington, D. C, parents would obtain the skills necessary to promote health and prevent obesity in their children and change their lifestyle. For instance, they will know which physical activities their children can do or which foods and beverages to avoid in order to stay healthy.

PART 2

In this second part of the proposal, a health promotion program is proposed using an evidence-based intervention found in the literature search to address the problem in the selected population/setting – childhood obesity in schools and at homes. An in-depth discussion of the specifics of the this intervention is provided which comprise resources necessary, those involved, as well as the feasibility for a nurse in an advanced role. The intended outcomes are described comprehensively concurrent with the SMART goal approach along with a detailed plan for evaluation of each outcome. Lastly, the potential challenges/barriers to implementing the proposed project in addition to strategies to address these barriers/challenges are thoroughly described.

  • Health promotion program: lifestyle changes

The health promotion program for addressing the obesity in children is lifestyle changes, which basically includes encouraging (i) health eating; and (ii) doing physical activity and exercises in children.

  • Resources necessary

The key resources include: (i) personnel, 6 people would be hired to help me implement this project; (ii) materials such as computers to prepare PowerPoint presentations to be used during training programs; (iii) time, this project will take 12 months to complete; and (v) money. This project proposal is estimated to cost $120,627 over the course of its implementation. This figure is broken down as shown in Appendix 3.

  • People involved

To effectively address the problem of childhood obesity requires a multi-sectoral, sustained response that involves the general public, non-governmental and health professional sectors. It also includes visible leadership from ministers in Washington D.C. working together (Gollust, Niederdeppe& Barry, 2013). Nonetheless, the key people who would be involved include parents and caregivers in Washington, DC especially those with obese children. They will be involved by taking part in symposiums that my 6 colleagues and I will hold to educate them on appropriate diet and physical activity to prevent childhood obesity. In essence, caregivers and parents would be provided with nutrition education which will help develop and awareness of health eating habits and nutrition.

It is of note that caregivers and parents could help in preventing obesity in children simply by providing healthy snacks and meals, as well as daily physical activity (Rudolf, 2013). They will be encouraged to reduce sedentary activities of children by limiting amount of time that children play video games and watch TV. School heads in Washington D.C would be encouraged to increase the amount of time children engage in active play and to provide healthier foods.This strategy is essential considering that children spend a significant amount of their time in schools.

  • Feasibility for a nurse in an advanced role

An advanced practice nurse would be required in order to provide preventative care, treatment, as well as management of obesity in children with the use of advanced diagnostic reasoning, clinical skills, and advanced therapeutic interventions. It is of note that an Advanced Practice Nurse assesses and documents progress of the patient towards achievement of anticipated outcomes and offers consultation to other healthcare providers in order to optimize the plan of care and effect system of change (Pearson, 2011). The Advanced Practice Nurse will be a Nurse Practitioner who will address the weight of the patient and encourage them to lose weight.

  • Timeline

This program would be implemented over a period of 12 months. See the table showing timeline in Appendix 4.

  • Intended Outcomes

The following are the intended outcomes of the health promotion program:

Intended Outcome 1: To reduce the overall rate of childhood obesity in Washington, D.C. to 12.5% or less within the next 12 months from the current 21.4%.

Intended Outcome 2: to increase the accessibility of nutritious foods and reduce the marketing, accessibility and availability of beverages and foods which are high in sugar, fat and/or sodium to children by February 2015.

Intended Outcome 3: To make physical and social environments in Washington, D.C. wherein children learn, play and live more supportive of healthy eating and physical activity by April 2015.

  • Plan for evaluation of each outcome

Evaluating Intended Outcome 1: the first intended outcome would be evaluated by analyzing it to determine whether or not the overall rate of childhood obesity in Washington D.C has actually reduced to at least 12.5% by August 2015.

Evaluating Intended Outcome 2: analyzing to determine the extent with which beverages and foods high in sugar, fat and/or sodium are accessed, available to, and marketed to children in Washington, D.C by February 2015.

Evaluating Intended Outcome 3: ensuring that there are more physical and social environments in Washington, D.C in which children live, play and learn that are more supportive of healthy eating as well as physical activity by April 2015.

  • Barriers to implementing the proposed project and strategies to address them

Resistance and lack of cooperation from some parents and schools: this project will entail suggesting to schools, as well as parents and caregivers to provide healthier, nutritious meals and physical activity to children. School heads and parents may resist this project citing high costs of foods which are more nutritious. Generally, more nutritious and healthier foods are more costly compared to less healthy foods such as cookies, crackers and frozen meals which usually have a lot of fats and salts. As such, some parents and schools may find healthier foods to be cost-prohibitive (Phillips, 2012). To address this barrier, I will inform them of the benefits of providing healthier foods and physical activity to children by informing that it is imperative in fighting the epidemic of childhood obesity.

Inadequate financial resources: this proposed project is estimated to cost a total of $120,627, which is a substantial amount and I cannot raise the whole of this amount by myself. Personally, I can only raise $2,043 leaving a huge deficit. I will overcome this challenge by seeking financial assistance from friends, family members, government and non-governmental agencies, as well as corporate and individual sponsors.

References

Davison, K. K., Jurkowski, J. M., Li, K., Kranz, S., & Lawson, H. A. (2013). A Childhood Obesity Intervention Developed by Families: Results from a Pilot Study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity; 10: 3.

Gollust, S. E., Niederdeppe, J., & Barry, C. L. (2013).Framing the Consequences of Childhood Obesity to Increase Public Support for Obesity Prevention Policy.American Journal Of Public Health, 103(11), e96-e102. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2013.301271

Pearson, K. (2011). Starter Knowledge for Childhood Obesity: Tackling Childhood Obesity as a New Clinician. Advanced Healthcare Network.Available at http://nurse-practitioners-and-physician-assistants.advanceweb.com/Features/Articles/Starter-Knowledge-for-Childhood-Obesity.aspx (Accessed August 1, 2014).

Phillips, F. (2012).Facing up to childhood obesity.Practice Nurse, 42(11), 14-17.

Pratt, C. A., Boyington, J., Esposito, L., Pemberton, V. L., Bonds, D., Kelley, M., & … Stevens, J. (2013). Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research (COPTR): Interventions addressing multiple influences in childhood and adolescent obesity. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 36(2), 406-413. doi:10.1016/j.cct.2013.08.010

Rudolf, M. (2013). Tackling Obesity Through the Healthy Child Programme: A Framework for Action. Leeds Community Healthcare.

Schaub, J. P. (2014). Childhood Obesity: Solutions to a Growing Problem. Integrative Weight Management, 123.doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-0548-5_9

Sung-Chan, P. P., Sung, Y. W., Zhao, X. X., &Brownson, R. C. (2013). Family-based models for childhood-obesity intervention: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Obesity Reviews, 14(4), 265-278. doi:10.1111/obr.12000

Trust for America’s Health & Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2014). The State of Obesity: Washington, DC.Available at http://www.fasinfat.org/states/dc/ (Accessed July 20, 2014).

Voigt, K., Nicholls, S. G., & Williams, G. (2014).Childhood Obesity Interventions, Equity, and Social Justice.Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199964482.003.0005

Appendix 1: Review of the strengths and weaknesses of the sources used

  Source Strength Weakness
1 Davison, K. K., Jurkowski, J. M., Li, K., Kranz, S., & Lawson, H. A. (2013). A Childhood Obesity Intervention Developed by Families: Results from a Pilot Study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity; 10: 3. Source is up-to-date and relevant Does not describe the causes or risk factors
2 Pratt, C. A., Boyington, J., Esposito, L., Pemberton, V. L., Bonds, D., Kelley, M., & Stevens, J. (2013). Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research (COPTR): Interventions addressing multiple influences in childhood and adolescent obesity. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 36(2), 406-413. doi:10.1016/j.cct.2013.08.010

 

 Source is up-to-date.

Properly describes the interventions for childhood obesity

It is research-based

 Does not describe pharmacological interventions
3 Schaub, J. P. (2014). Childhood Obesity: Solutions to a Growing Problem. Integrative Weight Management, 123. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-0548-5_9 Source is up-to-date and provides a clear description of the health problem along with apt interventions Does not specify what policy makers can do to prevent the health problem
4 Sung-Chan, P. P., Sung, Y. W., Zhao, X. X., &Brownson, R. C. (2013). Family-based models for childhood-obesity intervention: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Obesity Reviews, 14(4), 265-278. doi:10.1111/obr.12000 Source is up-to-date

Is research-based

 Does not describe what schools can do to provide healthier meals for children
5 Voigt, K., Nicholls, S. G., & Williams, G. (2014). Childhood Obesity Interventions, Equity, and Social Justice. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acprofoso/9780199964482.003.0005 Source is up-to-date

Clearly describes the interventions for childhood obesity

 

 Does not clearly describe the causes or risk factors

 

Appendix 2: The implementation plan is as follows:

  Communication idea Timeline
1 Communicate with partners in Washington, DC about increasing meal reimbursement in order to support the provision of high-quality and much healthier foods in Washington DC schools August 15, 2014 to August 22, 2014
2 Begin and expand promotional and marketing programs to encourage parents in Washington DC to get their children physically active. August 23, 2014 – August 30, 2014
3 Encourage the increase of healthy and fresh foods in Washington, DC by supporting farmers markets in Washington DC through advising relevant authorities to create a farmer’s management network. September 3, 2014 – September 10, 2014
4 Create a statewide childhood obesity prevention social marketing campaign that will provide families in Washington DC tools and information for preventing childhood obesity. September 11, 2014 – September 16, 2014
5 Launch a healthy living challenge to the children of Washington DC that would incorporate obesity prevention social marketing campaign. September 18, 2014 – September 28, 2014
6 Recommend to policy makers in Washington DC to improve physical activity as well as nutrition policies within child care settings in Washington, DC. October 2, 2014 – October 7, 2014
7 Provide resource opportunities and education for primary care providers and other healthcare practitioners to promote prevention of childhood obesity. October 10, 2014 – October 17, 2014
8 Promote healthier environments in pre-school and school settings October 18, 2014 – October 23, 2014
9 Recommend policy makers to reduce advertising and marketing to children October 24, 2014 – October 25, 2014

Appendix 3: budget for this project showing the financial resources required

  Budget Item Cost ($)
1 Recruiting 6 personnel who will help in the implementation each costing $ 2,105 per month for 12 months $75,780.00
2 Hiring conference room to train parents on ways to prevent obesity in their children costing $877 per month for 12 months $10,524.00
3 Materials such as flyers, brochures, magazines and handouts which contain text that encourage parents in Washington DC to ensure physical activity and healthy eating for their children $905.00
4 Running campaigns and promotional activities on radio and television in Washington, DC that encourage parents to ensure physical activity and healthy eating for their children $33,418.00
5 Total cost of project $120,627.00

 

Appendix 4: Timeline

  Communication idea Timeline
1 Communicate with partners in Washington, DC about increasing meal reimbursement in order to support the provision of high-quality and much healthier foods in Washington DC schools August 15, 2014 to October 22, 2014
2 Begin and expand promotional and marketing programs to encourage parents in Washington DC to get their children physically active. October 23, 2014 – December 30, 2014
3 Encourage the increase of healthy and fresh foods in Washington, DC by supporting farmers markets in Washington DC through advising relevant authorities to create a farmer’s management network. December 3, 2014 – February 10, 2015
4 Create a statewide childhood obesity prevention social marketing campaign that will provide families in Washington DC tools and information for preventing childhood obesity. February 11, 2015 – April 16, 2015
5 Launch a healthy living challenge to the children of Washington DC that would incorporate obesity prevention social marketing campaign. April 18, 2015 – May 28, 2015
6 Recommend to policy makers in Washington DC to improve physical activity as well as nutrition policies within child care settings in Washington, DC. May 6, 2015 – June 20, 2015
7 Promote healthier environments in pre-school and school settings June 18, 2015 – July 23, 2015
8 Recommend policy makers to reduce advertising and marketing to children July 24, 2015 – August 25, 2015

We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!

Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi 2010

Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi 2010
Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi 2010

Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi 2010

Order Instructions:

1. HR Analysis
a) As Coke and Pepsi move forward from this point, are there any important human resource issues that should be considered as part of their corporate and business strategies?

SAMPLE ANSWERS

Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi 2010

Introduction

Pepsi and Coke have dominated the carbonated soft drinks (CSD) market since the founding of the companies in 1889 (Coke) and 1898 (Pepsi-Cola) with stiff competition between them as they tried to become market leaders in the beverages market. However, the competition between the two companies is taking a new direction as they realize that the future lies not only in selling more products, but more so in having the right people on their team. The two companies are looking for new ways to boost their HR so that they can secure their present and future prospects.

Future HR practices

Crucial HR issues

The future of HR will be greatly impacted by some current issues such as finding the right talent for the complex tasks related to international beverage marketing and production given the stiff competition within the industry. Once the companies have found and selected the people with the right skills and capabilities, the next step is to ensure that they stay committed to their roles within the global corporations, which can be best achieved through giving meaning to their contribution within the organization. Companies are also struggling to reshape their identities through their people and not just their products as it was in the past, which means that they are investing more resources in their people now than ever before (Accenture, 2014). It is also crucial that companies have the right leaders who understand and believe in the values of the company and are focused on doing the right things that move the company closer to achieving its mission. HR professionals are crucial in this process as they work with line managers in efforts to ensure that they deliver on their mandate through nurturing talent, promoting the right culture and through delivery of transformational leadership.

Dealing with generational diversity

The current marketplace is composed of about three to four generations of workers with baby-boomers being the oldest group and generation Y being the youngest of the working generations, which poses a difficult challenge for HR professionals as all these groups of workers have different needs (Boudreau, Gibson & Ziskin, 2014). This challenge will still be present even in the future as the millennials start joining the workforce and as such, HR should come up with proper strategies to accommodate both the younger workers and the older workers as well. What is becoming clearer is that the younger generations are more adventurous than the older generations and as such, they do not want to be restricted by the old workplace rules. This trend has forced HR professionals to rethink how best they can accommodate them, yet at the same time increase the efficiency of operation and not lose out on productivity. Technology is also an important aspect of the lives of the younger generation as they are constantly on social media where they network and chat with friends, which might be quite detrimental to their productivity at work. HR professionals in coordination with line managers should work hand in hand to ensure that workers do not spend time on social media while on company time.

The workforce of one

This trend is gaining popularity among HR practitioners as they grapple with the diverse needs of their employees having realized that each employee has unique needs and it is no longer viable to treat the workforce as a single homogenous unit, but focus should be on individuals and their needs.  This means that each employee is treated as a workforce in himself and his needs are addressed individually, but in accordance with the organizations culture. This trend has emerged out of the need to retain their talent for as long as possible given the prohibitive costs incurred in training such talent, especially those in top positions or those highly skilled professionals. Companies are finding it harder to keep replacing their talented employees who are being poached by other companies whether they are competitors or even companies from different industries. In the global marketplace where both Pepsi and Coke operate, there is stiff competition between international corporations and the number of professionals who understand  the global marketplace and how to achieve the best results for companies is limited, which is driving the move towards talent retention and training.

The extended workforce

As both Pepsi and Coke operate globally, the need to use an extended workforce is increasing and will keep rising as more franchises are created where it is more efficient to use contractors instead of full-time employees of the company. The use of contractors is usually a good move for the company as it narrows down on employee administration tasks as the company only has to deal with the contractor and not his entire workforce, which saves time for the company, but may be detrimental in the long run. Most of the contracted workers are usually manual laborers who are employed in the bottling plants and manufacturing facilities of the company, without close supervision of the contractors activities most contractors have been known to underpay their workers. Therefore, it is vital that both companies set HR standards for their outside contractors and have an oversight team, which monitors the activities of contractors and ensures that the working conditions of manual laborers and their wages are commensurate with those stipulated by the companies. The companies should not forget to monitor the skilled professional who they contract in order to ensure that their work meets the set standards.

Integrating talent management activities

For global corporations  such as Coke and Pepsi there is nothing more important than managing the careers of talented professionals who contribute greatly to the key strategies that move the company forward in the highly competitive global food and beverage industry.  One of the key talent management strategies is through training of employees on the key skills required to work in the corporation and also providing guidance on how these individuals could move up the ladder within the organization. This need for talent retention has seen both companies launch management trainee program that prepare young graduates for top management positions within the company through training them on all aspects of the companies’ operations so that they understand exactly how the company operates. This means that the trainees get to  spend significant amounts of time within the various departments in the organization and  they are in daily  contact with line managers to get a deeper understanding of not only how  the department operates, but also to understand the key managerial challenges in each department. These programs are working extremely well, but more needs to be done in refining the programs for future challenges.

Conclusion

The above HR issues and trends are crucial to both Pepsi and Coke as they strive to continue being market leaders in the food and beverages industry against a backdrop of stiff competition from new entrants and the rapidly changing technological environment. HR practitioners within these two companies have to implement all the strategies analyzed above in order to stay competitive and ensure that they retain the right talent within their organization, as this is the key to a profitable future for both companies. Finally, as the HR function transforms in the global environment, HR practitioners will also need to invest time in learning new skill that will increase their effectiveness in future.

References

Accenture. (2013). The future of HR. Retrieved from http://www.accenture.com/us-en/Pages/insight-future-of-hr.aspx

Boudreau, J., Gibson, C. & Ziskin, I. (2014, January 5). What is the future of HR? Retrieved from http://www.workforce.com/articles/20179-what-is-the-future-of-hr

We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!

Policemen of the World Thesis and Outline

Policemen of the World
Policemen of the World

Policemen of the World

Order Instructions:

Policemen of the World Thesis and Outline
Due Week 7 and worth 70 points

After the Civil War and by the mid-20th century, the United States had become the dominant force in international relations. Some have argued that the United States’ military functions as the world’s “police.” This assignment covers the manner in which this shift occurred and the consequences the United States faces as a result of its status as “policemen of the world.” Using the Internet, research two (2) real-life international incidents from the past five (5) years in which:

  • The U.S. used military action abroad.
  • Controversy existed within the American public regarding U.S. involvement.
  • Controversy existed within the country or countries affected by U.S. involvement.

For the first part of this assignment you will create a thesis statement. A thesis statement is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your main idea to the reader. The body of the essay organizes the material you gather and present in support of your main idea. Keep in mind that a thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. (Note: Students please consult Stanford University’s Website with tips on how to construct a proper thesis, the webpage can be found at: http://www.stanford.edu/~steener/handouts/thesis.htm

For the next part of this assignment you will create an outline of the main points you want to address in this paper. This will serve as the basis for your Assignment 2.2 Final Draft. (Note: Please use the Purdue Owl Website to assist you with this assignment; this website can be accessed at: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/2/55/

Part 1
1. Write a thesis statement that is one to two (1-2) sentences long in which you:

State your opinion on the significance of the two (2) real-life international incidents that you have researched. Justify your response.

Part 2
2. Write a one to two (1-2) page outline in which you:

  • Determine two to three (2-3) international events from the past five years that can be traced back to a foreign policy created after the Civil War.
  • List three(3) aspects of US history since 1865 that has led to the US’s rise as a world super power policeman.
  • List three to five (3-5) international incidents since World War II where America has taken on a policing role.
  • List three to five (3-5) driving forces that fueled international policy decisions involving the international incidents you outlined previously. (Consider treaties, exit strategies, elections, wars, etc.)

Use at least three (3) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not quality as academic resources.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

  • Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
  • Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

  • Identify and discuss the different ways that the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Industrialization after the Civil War have shaped America’s history.
  • Summarize and discuss the ways that formal policies of government have influenced the direction of historical and social development in the United States.
  • Recognize the major turning points in American history since the Civil War.
  • Use technology and information resources to research issues in contemporary U.S. history.
  • Write clearly and concisely about contemporary U.S. history using proper writing mechanics.

 

SAMPLE ANSWER

Policemen of the World Thesis and Outline

Two international events from the past five years that can be traced back to a foreign policy created after the Civil War include the 2011 U.S. military intervention in the Libyan crisis and the invasion of the Jordan-Syria border during the 2011 Syrian civil war (Ziadeh, 2011). In these two incidents, the United States operated in line with the premise that it is entitled with the duty to restore order and ensuring that democracy prevails.

Since 1865, various developments have taken place in the United States that have caused the country to rise to a world super power policeman. The country amassed a lot of power during the early 20th century which made it to influence other countries (Paul, 2011). The growth of the economy was one of the top aspects that facilitated the rise of the United States to a world super power policeman. The economic strength of the country made it to grow in superiority both regionally and in international politics. The economic power set the pillar and compelled leaders into pursuing major policies to boost it. The second aspect that led to the rise of the U.S. to a world super power policeman was the Spanish-American war of 1898. The U.S. explored and implemented various strategies in defense and driving the Spaniards out of Cuba. The U.S. demonstrated its superiority in defense and military by crushing the Spanish fleets at the Santiago Harbor. This triumph over Spain made the U.S. to be confident that no other country could afford to stop it from achieving anything. The third aspect that facilitated the rise of the U.S. to rise to a world power was the strategies adopted by the country’s leaders (Paul, 2011). For instance, President Theodore Roosevelt adopted deterrence and diplomacy strategies while advocating for war. He always chose preventive strategies rather than aggressive strategies in times of war. This made the United States to emerge as a country with the ability to solve disputes, and hence earned trust across the world.

There are various international incidents since World War II where America has taken on a policing role. One remarkable incidence was the military intervention in Korea between 1950 and 1953. The U.S. assisted South Korea when it was invaded by North Korea. This intervention was facilitated by the United Nations Security Council Resolutions. Approximately 300 U.S. forces were deployed to Korea to bring the conflict to an end. The second incident was the 1967 military intervention in the Congolese revolution where three military aircrafts were sent to help the Congolese central government in tackling logistics (Allan & Maslowski, 1994). The third incidence was the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 after a terrorist event in an operation referred to as Operation-Enduring Freedom. The U.S. took an active role in fighting the Al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists and supporters respectively. The U.S. has also take an active policing role in other countries such as Syria and Libya.

Various forces are attributed for fueling international policy decisions involving the international incidents such as the ones discussed in this paper. The intervention in Syria was facilitated by the desire to promote democracy. Another aspect that fueled the United States’ involvement in military intervention was the United Nations Security Council resolutions. The NATO treaties also played a significant role in propelling the U.S. to intervene in international issues. For instance, the intervention in Korea was driven by the desire to prevent war between Southern Korea and Northern Korea.

References

Allan, R., & Maslowski, P. (1994).  For the Common Defense: A Military History of the United     States. Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group.

Paul, A. (2011). Power and Connection: Imperial Histories of the United States in the World.       American Historical Review, 116(5): 1348-1392.

Ziadeh, R. (2011). Power and Policy in Syria: Intelligence Services, Foreign Relations and            Democracy in the Modern Middle East. London: I. B. Tauris.

We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!

Banning the use of primates in advertisements

Banning the use of primates in advertisements
Banning the use of primates in advertisements

Banning the use of primates in advertisements

Order Instructions:

Imagine that you want to argue that advertisements should not include demeaning representations of chimpanzees and that the use of primates in advertisements should be banned. You’re encouraged to find out that a number of companies such as Honda and Puma have already agreed to such a ban, so you decide to present your argument to other companies’ CEOs and advertising officials.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Banning the use of primates in advertisements

Television commercials and ads should stop including demeaning representations of nonhuman primates such as chimpanzees. In essence, the use of primates in advertisements should be banned and companies should stop using nonhuman pirates in their future advertisements. These primates are usually mistreated off-screen. They are also treated badly after their useful life is ended. Animal actors should not be filmed in a studio setting, but instead only primates undisturbed within their natural habitats at credited sanctuaries and zoos. Better still, advertisers can utilize computer-generated imagery (CGI) instead of live animals in adverts or movies. It is of note that this technique was effectively utilized in the remake of King Kong as well as Jurassic Park.

Primates usually suffer much abuses before they are used in advertisements. They are often wrestled from their mothers when they are babies, beaten and hit horribly for the duration of training, and then stored at warehouses when they are roughly 8 years old when they become too physically powerful for human handlers. Smith (2008) stated that there is no way in which orangutans and chimpanzees could be trained without fear and domination. Most of the chimpanzees seen in advertisements wind up living in dirty and cramped cages. Renowned companies including Honda, Puma and Subaru have already agreed to the ban of such adverts. For instance, Subaru of America Inc. promised to never feature orangutans and chimpanzees in its TV commercials (Smith, 2008). Subaru received the Compassionate Business Award presented by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The automaker’s spokesman reported that the company held a meeting of executives and chose to stop using primates in promotional campaigns owing to concerns regarding abuses in the industry. It is noteworthy that this automaker had earlier cast a chimpanzee outfitted in trunks and carrying a clipboard in a limited-edition spot for is Big Event, Small Tent Sale (Smith, 2008)

References

Smith, E. (2008). Subaru to Stop its Use of Apes in Commercials. Available at http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1484397 (Accessed July 31, 2014).

We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!

Survey: Impacts on the Outcome Assignment

Survey: Impacts on the Outcome
Survey: Impacts on the Outcome

Survey: Impacts on the Outcome

Order Instructions:

Can you please tell how the types of data collection or instruments used could have influenced the outcomes of the data for Cooperative Agreement for AIDS Community-Based Outreach/Intervention Research Program,? such as self report or survey Also, what were the greatest threats to the validity of this study

SAMPLE ANSWER

Survey: Impacts on the Outcome

Survey is a data gathering instrument that is used in collecting information from a population through the use of same procedures for each and every individual in the entire population. This method may take the form of electronic media, face-to-face or even telephone communication (Creswel & Plano, 2009).

The size of the population is very critical in determining the accuracy of the outcome. This is so because, in case the population is large, there will be need to use a sample to represent the entire group after which the outcome will be generalized; and in case the population is small, all the items in the group may be used, hence, higher accuracy level. However, at the same time, a smaller sample to represent an entire population is more effective since it gives the chance of further follow ups through the use of contacts (Gilbert, 2005). The key factors affecting the survey outcomes include the timing – a proper survey should be in such a way that it may be conducted at all the times; and mode – this implies the approach that is given to the survey, which influences the general outcome and time taken to come up with the outcome.

The designing of the questions used for the survey is a second most important factor in the coming up with satisfactory outcomes. This is so because, the use of simple and uncomplicated questions is very advantageous as the respondents will give very accurate responses. At the same time, the choice of whether to use open ended or closed questionnaires is also a very crucial decision to make (Denscombe, 2010). For the open ended questions, there is a chance of getting more information, though this may also be misleading due to respondents being out of line. On the other hand, the closed ended questionnaires are good for getting accurate data, though, the responses will be limited to the questions asked.

References

Creswel, JW & Plano Clark,V,L (2009). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. London: Sage.

Denscombe, M. (2010). The Good Research Guide for small-scale research projects.3rd ed. Berkshire, Open University Press

Gilbert, N (2005). Researching Social Life. 2nd ed. London: Sage

We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!

Organizational Stress: Positive or Negative?

Organizational Stress
Organizational Stress

Organizational Stress: Positive or Negative?

Order Instructions:

Consider the following two scenarios:

Scenario 1:
The atmosphere at a small technology firm in California is always confusing and chaotic. Employees are under constant pressure to meet deadlines, and expectations frequently and suddenly change. Despite the lack of clarity, supervisors frequently reprimand employees for failure to perform. Supervisors often give these reprimands publicly. Employees constantly compete for supervisor attention.

Scenario 2:
Workers at a business-consulting firm in Massachusetts do the same job they have done in the same way they have done it for the past ten years. Employees receive almost no supervision or feedback. Leadership does little to promote change or foster creativity. Employees rarely communicate with those outside of their departments. Employees work quietly in an orderly manner but receive little stimulation.

It is likely easy to identify which of the scenarios is less stressful. But is either environment desirable or indicative of a healthy organization?

Normally, the term organizational stress is a negative concept. The majority of stress researchers have focused on personal distress rather than on examining the positive aspect of stress called eustress (Gibbons, Dempster, & Moutray, 2008). Scholars and practitioners need to give more attention to the question of if and when organizational stress can be beneficial.

To prepare:

•Consider your experiences with stress in organizations and how you as a leader would address organizational stress.
By Day 3 of Week 5, post an evaluation of the impact of organizational stress. Explain whether you think organizational stress can be positive, negative, or both.

Then, given your proposed nature of stress, explain how you as a leader of an organization would assess and manage organizational stress. Identify tools you would use to assess organizational stress. Explain how you would promote or minimize stress within an organization.

To support your position, be sure to include references to personal experience and two scholarly resources.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Organizational Stress: Positive or Negative?

The Impact of Organizational Stress

Given that the employees in scenario 1 were always under stress because of the confusing and chaotic environment that exists at the firm, it is evident that organizational stress had a negative effect on the company. However, just as scenario 1 indicates that organizational stress is negative, scenario 2 indicates that a lack of organizational stress is not entirely positive and that it can also have a negative impact on organizations given the lack of employee motivation. According to my work experience in several high pressure environments with highly skilled employees, I noticed that there was a lot of pressure and stress at these organizations, yet this did not affect employees negatively as they were performing way above the expectations of their employers (O’Sullivan, 2010). Although, these employees were under significant stress when doing their jobs, they did not mind the stress and it actually motivated them to work harder and achieve more success (eustress). Therefore, I conclude that organizational stress cam be both positive and negative depending on the existing conditions at the workplace.

Eustress

As the leader of my organization, I would strive to increase positive organizational stress (eustress), while at the same time limiting negative stress mainly by setting challenging goals for employees and encouraging them to work collaboratively to accomplish the work goals (Fullagar, Knight & Sovern, 2013). However, I will also keep in mind that chronic stress whether negative or positive is not good for the organization or its and its people, therefore, I  will also  include periods of relaxation and fun in the activities of employees at the organization (Hargrove, Nelson & Cooper, 2013). By implementing breaks and  fun time  within the workers’ daily routines where  they suspend their projects and engage in fun activities  such as playing indoor games,  playing video games, or listening to music, the employees relieve stress and are  able  to work effectively.

References

Fullagar, C. J., Knight, P. A. & Sovern, H. S. (2013). Challenge/Skill Balance, Flow, and Performance Anxiety. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 62(2), 236–259.

Hargrove, M. B., Nelson, D. L. & Cooper, C. L. (2013). Generating eustress by challenging employees. Organizational Dynamics, 42(1), 61-69.

O’Sullivan, G. (2010). The Relationship Between Hope, Eustress, Self-Efficacy, and Life Satisfaction Among Undergraduates. Social Indicators Research, 101(1), 155–172.

We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!