To What Extend Is Operations Management a Strategic...

TO WHAT EXTEND IS OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT A STRATEGIC ACTIVITY? Be sure to give examples and views of literature. Paton, Clegg, Hsuan and Pilkington, (2011), defined Operation management as the activity of managing the resources of the organization that deliver goods and services. The activity is mainly to implement system and processes that are repeatable, consistent and reliable. Process design was first introduce by Frederick Taylor, who believe in rationalism and who wrote rules and procedures for unskilled workers to follow so as to replace uncertainty with predictability. All operations have similarities; they all transform input resources into output products, and however they differ in their characteristics which are; the volume of†¦show more content†¦ISO 9000 certification is one of the most widespread recognize and awarded quality certification in the world. To be certified ISO 9000 a company must show that they have a quality system and procedures that are being followed. Having such a quality certification give the company advertising benefits and their purchaser save money and time as there is no need to quality tests them. For example Hotel chain Ritz- Carlton it was more meaningful for them to have a perfect individual service, proving such by obtaining the Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award than the quality of food they offer. However quality is not achieved for a life time, it has to be maintain and is not only the responsibility of the managers but of the whole company. Therefore Empowerment is crucial. Empowerment is the giving of more power, leading to more autonomy. Everybody in the company need to be empowered to know, describe, measure, improve the process and make it reliable. Salegna and Fazel (2000) identified the lack of real employee empowerment as being an obstacle to TQM systems. Processes are own by the worker, who is working by following these processes, not knowing them and understand them it would be difficult for them to deliver quality. The Japanese companies, from which the TQM system was made, has turn out to be successful as th eir companies are build with a culture of quality. Approximately 40 years back products fromShow MoreRelatedThe Role of Management Accounting in Organizational Control Systems: Preliminary Evidence of an Organic Approach15263 Words   |  62 PagesTHE ROLE OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING IN ORGANIZATIONAL CONTROL SYSTEMS: PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE OF AN ORGANIC APPROACH Associate Professor Chris Durden School of Business James Cook University PO Box 6811 Cairns, Qld 4870 Australia Phone: +7 4042 1015 Fax: +7 4042 1474 chris.durden@jcu.edu.au Professor Hector Perera Department of Accounting and Finance Division of Economic and Financial Studies Macquarie University, Sydney Australia hperera@efs.mq.edu.au THE ROLE OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING IN ORGANIZATIONALRead MoreExamine and Define the Concept of Supply Chain Integration Using Previous Literature.3410 Words   |  14 Pagescontinuous flow of information (Lambert Cooper 2000). In many companies, a conclusion is reached by management that optimization of flows of products cannot be done with implementation of process approach to business. According to council of supply chain management professionals (CSCMP) the definition of supply chain integration is â€Å"In essence, supply chain management integrates supply and demand management with in and across companies.† No clear definition exists of integration (Pagell 2004). ResearchRead MoreBusiness Process Reengineering:6310 Words   |  26 PagesMURPHY Executive Systems Research Centre, University College, Cork, Ireland. ABSTRACT Business Process Reengineering (BPR) advocates the fundamental examination and redesign of business processes, recognising tb-at the legacy of scientific management has been the excessive fragmentation of work practices in organisations today. This is reflected in the hierarchical structuring of organisations around functional departments, with individual aind departmental goals displacing overall organisationalRead MoreSupply Chain Sustainability at Gsk4373 Words   |  18 PagesINTRODUCTION In our report, we will be discussing on one of the major driving force for the long-term profitability and competitiveness of a firm, i.e. Sustainable Supply Chain Management. This has become one of the most recognized strategic goals by the leading global organizations in the world. Sustainability in Supply Chain Management refers to the fact that organization should not only fulfill the wants and expectations of their stakeholders, but also avoid actions that reduce the ability of the interestedRead MoreStrategic Human Resource Management7446 Words   |  30 PagesStrategic Human Resource Management 1. Introduction In the late decade of 1980, the organisations realized the significance of their employees as a capital asset or human resources; and by adopting and implementing a set of HRM practices (such as recruiting, training and developing people etc.) aimed to succeed a sustainable competitive advantage based on a business strategic view by making the employees’ involvement the main key point of the new human resource management into the businessRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 PagesContemporary Issues in Management Accounting This page intentionally left blank Contemporary Issues in Management Accounting Edited by ALNOOR BHIMANI 1 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford ox2 6dp Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne MexicoRead MoreRole of Human Resource Management in Corporate Social Responsibility11278 Words   |  46 PagesROLE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY RESEARCH TOPIC ROLE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY INSTITUTE LIAQUAT COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT AND SCIENCES SUBMITTED TO KARACHI UNIVERSITY SUBMITTED BY SYED ARSALAN IMAM SUPERVISED BY SIR ZEESHAN BABER CLASS BS VIII COURSE TITLE PROJECT REPORT COURSE NUMBER BA (H)-622 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I offer my humblest thanks to  ALMIGHTY ALLAH, The most Beneficent and the MostRead MoreManagement Report Esprit10259 Words   |  42 PagesIntroduction to Management and Research Methods EFO249 Fall 2009 Group Project : Final Management Report Company: International Marketing Group 6 International Marketing: Friederike Busch : fbh09002 Wiwatchai Jirawattananukool : wjl09001 Saruta Cholviroj: scj09001 Himmet Baran : hbn09004 Tutor : Tobias Eltebrandt 1 Table of Content 1. Introduction ...........................................................................................................................Read MoreCorporate Social Responsibility3253 Words   |  14 Pagesresponsibility, corporate citizenship, and responsible business) is a concept whereby organizations consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities and other stakeholders, as well as the environment. This obligation is seen to extend beyond the statutory obligation to comply with legislation and sees organizations voluntarily taking further steps to improve the quality of life for employees and their familiesRead MoreInformation Technology Implementation Issues: an Analysis45771 Words   |  184 Pagesgovernment administrators--in particular--perceive them. More specifically, this study provides the following: a discussion of management and organizational issues that have a direct relationship to IT and local government implementation needs; a discussion of the problems which are specific to local government executives with regard to IT implementation; a comprehensive view of the overriding problems associated with the IT development and deployment process in local government; descriptive data revealing

Cultural Assessment †Nursing Free Essays

string(178) " Even though her father’s parents were born in Germany, there is no indication that they were passing down many values, traditions, or food preferences to the new generations\." Cultural Assessment The population of the United States is continually rising. The birth rate continues to rise, but more importantly, the number of foreign-born immigrants that relocated to the United States in 2003 was a staggering 33. 5 million, and that number rises every year (Jarvis, 2008). We will write a custom essay sample on Cultural Assessment – Nursing or any similar topic only for you Order Now With such a large immigrant population comes the need for medical professionals that are culturally competent. Being culturally competent means that the caregivers, â€Å"understand and attend to the total context of the individual’s situation, including awareness of immigration status, stress factors, other social factors, and cultural similarities and differences† (Jarvis, 2008, p. 38). Because the United States is so diverse, it is a federal law that all caregivers must be culturally competent. It should be noted, however, that is not something that can be accomplished so easily. It is a process that can take a lifetime. To become culturally competent one must have knowledge in several areas. These include, but are not limited to, knowing one’s own personal heritage, the heritage of the nursing profession, the heritage of the health care system, and the heritage of the patient (Jarvis, 2008). When performing a cultural assessment of an individual one must take into account five important aspects of the individual’s heritage. These aspects will give the nurse an idea of the patient’s heritage consistency. First, is the individual’s culture. Everyone has a culture. There are four basic characteristics of culture. First, it is learned; from birth one is learning the language and socialization of that culture. Second, it is shared. All the members of the same group share that culture. Third, it is adapted. Culture adapts to environmental and technical factors, as well as the groups availability to natural resources. Finally, it is dynamic. Meaning, it is always changing (Jarvis, 2008). The second aspect of one’s heritage is ethnicity. This is a group within the social system that have a common geographical origin, race, religion, values, traditions and food preferences. The term ethnic is tricky in the United States (US) because of how large the US is, and the large diversity of ethnic differences it has. Religion is the third aspect of one’s heritage. Religion is extremely important because an individual’s religious beliefs play a huge part in one’s health-related behaviors and how someone perceives illness and death. There are roughly 1500 different religions in the United States which is why this aspect is so important when performing an individual’s cultural assessment (Jarvis, 2008). The fourth aspect of one’s heritage is socialization. When someone is raised in a specific culture, the person naturally acquires the characteristics of that group. Many people in the United States are bicultural, acquiring certain customs and traditions of the United States while staying loyal to their traditional culture as best they can. Time orientation is the fifth and final aspect of one’s heritage. Every culture has a different understanding of each other’s perception of time. Depending on the individual’s heritage, that person may focus on the past, the present, the future, or a combination of the three. It is important for the nurse to recognize the individual’s perception of time to gain a better understanding of how to individualize a plan of care. To gain a better understanding of cultural assessment and how it relates to health care and being culturally competent, a sit down interview was performed with an 84 year old female of German-American heritage, who believes that any belief or view differing greatly from hers are strange, and usually wrong (Riley, 2008). In order to preserve her right to privacy, she will be referred to as G. E. Heritage Assessment Cultural Group G. E. is 84 years old and was born and raised in the United States. She considers herself an American who is extremely proud of her German heritage. She is 100% of German decent. She had one older sister who is deceased. Her immediate family was all born in rural Illinois. Her father built a house in Coal Valley, IL when she was very young, where she lived until she was married at the age of 18. Her paternal grandparents were both born in Germany. It is unknown what city or village in Germany they came from, other than the northern part of Germany. They immigrated to the United States shortly before her father was born. She remembers her grandparents speaking little to no English, then, eventually broken English. Her father spoke English as a first language and some German. Her mother, her sister and she ever learned the German language. English was the only language spoken in the home. Her father was a coal miner and her mother took care of the home. In her culture, each generation lived in separate homes, whereas in some cultures, multiple generations live in the same household. However, her grandparents and extended family members did live nearby, so she s pent a lot of time playing with her cousins, and saw her grandparents, aunts and uncles on a regular basis. They would all get together on Sundays after church, and have lunch together. She lived at home until she married at the age of 18. G. E. ent to public schools, then to secretary school after graduation. Her husband was also 100% of German decent. They had two sons and a daughter. Both of her sons live close by, but her daughter lives in Nebraska. Her daughter and she talk on the phone every day. Her husband was in the US Navy during WWII and her husband and she were very patriotic. Like she has stated earlier, she is an American. Other than that, she did not know much about the war or Hitler or just did not remember. What she did remember when asked about this subject was the fact that a few of her husbands’ ancestors were drivers for Hitler during his reign. Ethnic Group G. E. ’s ethnicity focuses around her family and church. Even though her father’s parents were born in Germany, there is no indication that they were passing down many values, traditions, or food preferences to the new generations. You read "Cultural Assessment – Nursing" in category "Essay examples" By all accounts, they wanted to completely immerse themselves into the American way of life. The only German recipes that were passed down to her were for sauerkraut, German pigs-in-a-blanket, which included sauerkraut, and German potato salad. Her family also eats a lot of beef, pork, and chicken. Potatoes are also a staple of her diet. For many years, G. E. and her husband would grow a big garden and produced enough vegetables for the entire winter months. Traditions are very important to G. E. For many years her family would come to her house after church for Sunday lunch and also for Thanksgiving. The day after Thanksgiving the grandchildren would come over to decorate the Christmas tree. She still has her family over every Christmas Eve. She says she does not cook a meal anymore, she orders a meat and cheese tray, and makes some side dishes. The other family members bring over the desserts. She also used to have a birthday party for her children and grandchildren. She baked a cake and the family would come over and eat dinner. The birthday person got to pick the dinner, and would then open presents. Her grandchildren bring her great-grandchildren to see her at least once a month. She says she enjoys it when they come to visit. She really enjoys seeing the great-grandchildren. She says that it makes her feel proud. Religious Group Religion is the most important aspect of G. E. ’s life besides her family, and always has been. G. E. and her family are Protestants. Knowing that most of her ancestors came from the northern part of Germany, this is interesting because in Germany, Protestantism is practiced predominantly in northern Germany (Fuller Vossmeyer, 2004), which is where her ancestors lived. This is proof that their religion has been passed down through the generations and still continues to be practiced. Her husband and his family, who are all deceased now, shared the same ethnic and religious background as her family. She regularly attends a Presbyterian church at least once a week and is a very active member of the church. Her husband would fill in as pastor when the regular pastor could not. She practices her religion in her home every day by praying and reading the Bible. G. E. celebrates all of the holidays of her religion which are Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas with her family. She states that her religion has no influence on her diet or health practices. G. E. believes in heaven and hell, which is common to many German religions (Fuller Vossmeyer, 2004). She insists that younger family members who do not go to church attend church with her at least once a year. She does not like the fact that her other family members do not attend church. She feels in order to get into heaven one has to attend church occasionally. Social Group Most, but not all, of her friends share the same ethnic and religious background. She also has a few Hispanic friends whom she enjoys spending time. She still lives in her home in the same neighborhood in which she has lived for over 50 years. The neighborhood is located close to the church and most of her neighbors are close in age. Most of them attend the same church and are of the same ethnic background. She has always had a very active social life which can contribute to her excellent health. She goes to a senior activities hall twice a week to play bingo and has a swimming class twice a week to exercise and socialize with friends. She goes to have her hair done every Saturday which she has done for many years. She regularly goes out to lunch and to watch a movie with friends once or twice a month and is on the phone a lot with family and friends. She made sure to mention is that she absolutely does not like to travel and has never been outside of the United States. When her children were young they would take camping trips to Wisconsin and Minnesota. That was pretty much the extent of her travels. As a result, her sons do not like to travel much either but her daughter enjoys traveling. Her daughter has been to many countries and G. E. does not understand why she enjoys it so much. Time Orientation G. E. ’s time orientation focuses on the present and the future with little to no focus on the past. She feels at her age, focusing on the past is a waste of time. She says, â€Å"I just move on† (G. E. 2011). She does not like to dwell on the past. She says, â€Å"what’s done is done†. Although she misses her husband very much she believes she will meet up with him in heaven one day. She enjoys the thought of that. She does not think of health care in terms of the past either. She follows her doctor’s advice and is open to new treatments and medications. This is another reason she is in excellent health for an 84 year old woman. She does not like the thought of a doctor not knowing the latest in medical technology and treatments. She also is not bothered if health care personnel are not culturally sensitive to her heritage since she sees herself as an American who is proud of her German heritage. G. E. is uncomfortable with doctors who are not Caucasian. She also does not like to be cared for by male nurses or other male caregivers who are not doctors. Health Related Beliefs and Practices G. E. has health insurance and Medicare, so she is able to see the doctor on a regular basis. Lack of insurance coverage is not a factor for her. She never goes without her medication because of lack of prescription coverage. Also, with the money she and her husband saved over the years, plus both of their retirement packages and social security benefits, she lives comfortably and does not have to worry about not having enough money to live out the rest of her life in the lifestyle she leads. Developmental Situation G. E. remembers things her mother did when G. E. was a child to maintain and protect her health. She had to wash her hands regularly, especially before and after meals and after using the bathroom. She always had three meals a day which consisted of foods from all of the food groups. In the winter she could not go outside until she was bundled up. When she did get sick, she had to stay home in bed until her mother thought she was feeling better. This was solely the job of her mother since her father worked long hours in the coal mines. She states that her mother was the stereotypical strict, but loving, German mother. When she started her own family, she ran her home in the same manner. She was raised during the Great Depression and was raised to be hard working and to appreciate what one has, which G. E. has instilled in her children. G. E. is accomplishing all the developmental tasks of her age group and has successfully resolved Erickson’s last ego stage, which is the psychological conflict of ego integrity versus despair. In this stage, â€Å"resolution to this final conflict occurs when the adult accepts one’s one and only life cycle as something that had to be and that, by necessity, permitted of no substitutions† (Jarvis, 2008, p. 8). Causes of Illness G. E. describes illness as not being able to do the things she normally does and she defines health as having no aches or pains. She rates her health as good to excellent for a woman of her age. She has never smoked, however, her husband smoked a pipe for years. She does not use any devices to help her get around and she still goes up and down the stairs to do laundry. She states she has fallen a few times but has never broken a bone as a result, and was able to get back up on her own. She has never been hospitalized as a result of an illness, only for an occasional elective surgery. What she believe causes illness are environmental change, God’s punishment, grief and loss, stress and anxiety, incorrect food combinations, poor eating habits, smoking, inactivity, and viruses and bacteria. Cultural Practices in Healing and Health She maintains and protects her health by washing her hands regularly, taking her prescribed medications, staying active, eating a well-balanced diet based on the food pyramid, taking vitamin supplements, seeing her doctors regularly, staying inside when it is too hot or too cold, avoids people who are sick, and does not take on more than she thinks she can handle. When she does get sick she does not make a big deal out of it and does not feel the need to worry family members. She stays at home because she fears getting others sick as well, especially her great-grandchildren. She takes care of herself by getting enough rest, keeping herself hydrated, not eating certain foods she knows will make her feel worse, taking needed medications, and calling her doctor when she feels she needs to be seen. When G. E. feels she needs some lab work done, other tests, or has any concerns, she immediately calls her doctor. She trusts in her doctor’s advice and always follows his or her orders. It is because of all of this, she believes she is still living an active and healthy life. G. E. is also extremely concerned with the health and well-being of her family. When her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are sick, she worries about them and calls them regularly to check on them. She also prays for them to get well. Cultural Expressions of Illness G. E. does whatever her doctor suggests and does not believe he would do anything to jeopardize her health. However, as far as family and friends go, she will not outwardly express indications of pain. She states that it is because she does not want people to worry about her. G. E. believes this is due to her strict German up-bringing and growing up during the Great Depression. She believes one can never work too hard, so pain is seen as a weakness to her. The more she expresses pain or illness, the weaker she is seen, and possibly unable to effectively take good care of herself. Alternative assisted living is not an option G. E. needs at this point. G. E. feels she does not need it, and she absolutely will not burden her children with having to care for her. Cultural use of Alternative Therapies G. E. sometimes uses home remedies when she is ill. When she was a child her mother would use some vapor rub then put a sock around G. E. ’s neck. G. E. ’s mother would feed her chicken soup and give her juice or hot tea to drink, and keep her in bed. G. E. believes that healing and curing are the same and believes that praying, following the doctors orders, getting recommended treatments and taking prescribed medications brings healing. In the past few years G. E. has used alternative therapies to help with pain and arthritis. She gets acupuncture once a week, and sees a massage therapist occasionally. She admits, ten years ago she would have never done these types of alternative therapies, but her daughter is a nurse, and recommended it as an alternative to pain medication. She also admits that it does help, or she would not pay to go, but she feels it does not cure anything. She still has to supplement the pain with medications from time to time. Summary G. E. ’s interview was conducted at her home, and it took about an hour and a half. She would often change the subject, so having to restate questions happened often. She felt comfortable being in her home answering these questions, but often asked why an assessment of this type was so important. She has no issues with cultural sensitivity, or nurses being culturally competent, and has had little experience with other cultures. G. E. does not understand the need for such learning. Her views are ethnocentric, and at 84 years old, that will probably not change. During the interview, both open-ended and close-ended questions were used to gain the most information. She was very open to doing the interview, but stated she did not think she had much to contribute. She states she has lived a wonderful, privileged life with a loving husband, and a great family. She has never been disappointed by her family and is extremely proud of them. The only regret she has, has to do with her sister. They lived about five properties apart from each other, and some land next to her sister that G. E. owned, her sister planted a garden there for years. Well, G. E. gave the property to her daughter and son in-law to build a home. Her sister got extremely upset, which ended up with their families not talking for years. Then she received word that her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, and G. E. called her up, and they reconciled. Unfortunately, she died shortly after that. G. E. has never gotten over that. Because of that, she is continually telling her family not to bicker over the small stuff, and that one’s family is all one has, and the people who love them the most in this world. Even though G. E. will not openly express pain to anyone except her doctor, the rest of her family will openly talk about any illness they have or pain they are experiencing. This is something she practically requires of them. She says it is like â€Å"do as I say, not as I do†. This goes back to her not wanting to be a burden on anyone, yet she has to know that her family is alright. It is perfectly fine for her family to be a burden on her, because to her it is not a burden. She sees it as her responsibility. She states that her family always tells her she will never be a burden, but she is too stubborn to listen to them. She is the mother and she knows best. She says her family jokes to her that they are 50 something year old adults, yet they still feel like children when they are around her and have to do what their mother says or there will be trouble. She finds this very amusing. She does not believe in cremation and plans to be buried alongside her husband. She has all of her final arrangements already planned and paid for, again, as not to burden her family. Many members of her family plan to be cremated and she cannot understand why. She believes one’s soul will not go to heaven if the body is cremated. There were no communication barriers while interviewing G. E. It was a very easy and pleasant interview. G. E. enjoyed talking about her heritage and family. G. E. is a very active and healthy woman for her 84 years, and she cannot wait until she can reunite with her husband in Heaven. She prays to her husband every night. Personal Reflection Writing a cultural assessment about someone from a different generation was very interesting for me. While some of the information I received during the interview was similar to my own personal beliefs, most were not. Being two generations younger than G. E. makes a huge difference in certain beliefs. My mother is 100% Swedish and my father was a Vietnam veteran who is 50% German, with some English, French and more German. Growing up, my family did not follow any ethnic traditions and had no heritage related beliefs other than being American. We were a middle class family and as a child I thoroughly enjoyed life. I have one younger sister, and we, for the most part, were spoiled. I think that has to do with having baby boomers for parents. We took dance classes and I was a gymnast through junior high school. We had a whole neighborhood of other children our age. We were outside from morning until evening, especially in the summer. Both of my parents worked and provided us with whatever we needed. My parents made me attend Sunday school every week until I was about 12. After that, I attended church only a few times a year. Religion does not play a big role in my culture. Even at Sunday school, it did not make much sense to me, but I was too young really understand. My parents and grandparents always had a strong work ethic and I also do as a result. My parents wanted me to be my own person and choose my own path as long as it was an honest path. I live within a mile from my parents and from my sister so we see each other frequently. My parents help out my husband and me with our children. I have two sons and a daughter who are ages three, four, and six. One thing that differs from G. E. and me is that I like to know about the past as well as the present and future. One thing that we agree on is that we see our doctor regularly and rely on the latest in medical technology and medications. When we are both ill, we tend to use the same methods to take care of ourselves. However, I am not one to hide any pain or illness I have from my family; when I am sick or in pain, everyone knows about it. Also, the way we in which we raise our children is different. G. E. raised her children in a loving, but more strict, manner. I do not raise my children in such a strict manner. I raise them like my parents raised me. They are very different styles, but I do not know that one is better than the other. They both have positive and negative parts to them. In G. E. ’s generation the woman usually stayed home to take care of the family. In my generation I feel many women enjoy getting an education and usually find it a necessity to work outside of the home. I know I would enjoy the best of both worlds, to contribute to the family income, yet limiting my work outside the home to part time until the children are older. One thing about religion I also learned was how important it was to G. E. Other than her family, her religion was most important to her life, which is very different from me. As I stated earlier, religion has virtually no importance in my life. Also, I do not consider myself to be ethnocentric. I have yet to meet a person whose religion, culture, ethnicity, or heritage shocked or bothered me. As long as I do not feel that I am being pushed into one belief or another, I am fine. Everyone needs to find the path that makes one happy, healthy, and whole. I want to be a nurse because I like people. I feel I can make a difference in this career by letting my patients know that I genuinely care for their well-being and want them to lead the best possible life they can. I have been a Certified Nursing Assistant for the last 6 years and I enjoy it. I think by becoming a nurse I can do even more to help them. It is an awful experience to go to see the doctor, and feel like cattle being shipped in and out of the office at record speed. I like the thought of, as nurses, we take a holistic approach to healing that I feel doctor’s lack. Patients need to feel they can openly discuss their problems and that someone is actually listening to them and taking time to talk about it with them without judgment or prejudice; to come up with a plan of care that suits everyone involved, as much as possible. I realize since I do work in a hospital that there will not always be a happy ending. Some patients can be difficult to care for, but as a nurse, I need to understand that they are there because they are ill, which has an effect on their personality and mental status. I must have empathy for them, as difficult as that may be sometimes. I know that when I am not feeling well, my personality changes, as does everyone’s. I feel the issues I need to work on most is the language barriers when they arise, and patient’s family dynamics. The diverse and often complex dynamics of a patient’s family is extremely difficult to understand. It will take time to develop a way to handle these often difficult situations. No family has the same relationship, so as a nurse I must go in prepared for anything, and keep an open, non-judgmental frame of mind while performing a cultural assessment on the patient. Writing this paper has made me even more sensitive to people’s cultural differences. No matter what background one comes from, most people essentially want similar things when it comes to healthcare. One wants to be seen as an individual, rather than a number. We want compassionate care. We want to be listened to. We want to get well. We do not want to be judged or belittled. We want to be understood and we do not want to be dismissed as just another â€Å"crazy patient†. Nobody reacts well to negativity especially when there is no need to be. These are the things I must keep in mind while doing cultural assessments in the future. References Alexopoulos Y. (2007). Illness, Culture, and Caring: Impact on Patients, Families, and Nurses. In Chitty, K. K. Black, B. P. (Ed. ), Professional nursing concepts challenges (5th ed. , pp. 237-269). St. Louis, Missouri: Saunders. Baxter, A. (2001). In search of your German roots, A complete guide to tracing your ancestors in the Germanic areas of Europe (4th ed. . A. Baxter (Ed. ), Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing. Carter R. (2008). Cultural competence: Cultural care. In Jarvis, C. (Ed. ), Physical examination health assessment (5th ed. , pp. 35-53). St. Louis, Missouri: Saunders. Downing J. (2008). Understanding each other: Communication and culture. In Riley, J. B. (Ed. ), Communication in nurs ing (6th ed. , pp. 46-62). St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby. Santos S. (2004). In Fuller, B. Vossmeyer G. (Ed. ) Cultures of the world, Germany (2nd ed. ). Tarrytown, New York: Marshall Cavendish. How to cite Cultural Assessment – Nursing, Essay examples

The investment industry is composed of a wide vari Essay Example For Students

The investment industry is composed of a wide vari Essay ety of firms. The main players include independent full line brokerage firms, investment bank subsidiaries of chartered banks, and discount brokers. Independent full line brokerage firms offer a wide range of services, including underwriting, trading of stocks, advice and research. In essence, the full service brokerage subsidiaries of chartered banks offer the same services, however, banks brokerage firms may have a larger pre-established clientele. Finally, the discount brokers are basic stock brokers that perform trades for clients who do not want investment advice. Usually, this service is targeted toward the sophisticated investor who does his/her own research to incur minimal commission fees. Banks entered the investment industry in 1987, whereby they took over full-service brokerages, introduced mutual funds to the banking industry and became part of discount brokering. From this time on, chartered banks have expanded their dominance in the industry by acquiring key players in the industry or branching off into full brokerage services. For example, the brokerage firms for CIBC, Royal Bank, Toronto Dominion Bank, Bank of Nova Scotia and Bank of Montreal are Wood Gundy, RBC Dominion, Evergreen, Scotia McLeod and Nesbitt Burns respectively. In addition, the aforementioned chartered banks have also branched into the discount brokerage sector.As of December 1994, the Securities Industry as a whole included 158 firms, directly employs over 24,000 people, has operating revenue of $5.1 Billion and operating profit of $1.2 Billion (Appendix A). Within this industry the largest firms ranked by revenue are: RBC Dominion Securities ($1 Billion), Midland Walwyn ($480 million), Burns Fry ($416 million) and Nesbitt Thomson ($335 million) (Appendix B). It is evident that the industry is highly concentrated in a small number of companies. The top 4 leaders in the industry accounted for 44% of revenue, while the top 8 was 51%. We will write a custom essay on The investment industry is composed of a wide vari specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Industry information from 1993 displays further segregation, between retail, institutional and integrated firms. Integrated retail-institutionalized firms (RBC Dominion Securities, Scotia McLeod, Nesbitt Thomson, Wood Gundy) made up 66% of the industrys revenue, while strictly institutional firms (First Marathon Securities, Gordon Capital Corp. and Loewer Ondaatje McCutcheon Ltd.) made up 21% and Retail firms (Green Line Investor Services Inc.), 15% (Appendix C). The following analysis will outline the investment dealers industry, specifically the life cycle, critical success factor, strengths, weaknesses, target markets and profitability. Life CycleThe demand for investment financial services is expanding. This becomes evident by examining the average increase in revenue which has occurred over the 1990-1994, 5 year span. This amounts to a 114% increase in revenue, ($2.4 Billion and $5.13 Billion), (Appendix A). An additional indication of growth in the investment industry is the fa ct that the number of firms in the industry has increased from 119 in 1990 to 158 in 1995, and 163 by the second quarter of 1995 (Appendix A). Furthermore, firms are entering the market because they realize the increasing need for investment services as well as the potential for profits. It is obvious that the industry is growing, however the cause for this growth must also be addressed. Firstly, demographics of the Canadian society point towards an aging population. This aging society is comprised of active retired and semi-retired individuals who have knowledge, time and disposable income for investing purposes. Moreover, younger generations who fear the elimination of the existing CPP because of the aging population, are interested in building a retirement nest egg. (Fine, p. B21) Secondly, the fact that people want to be more educated about the investments industry, ties into an additional cause for growth in the industry. The market is offering more information to those who want to be part of it. This additional information reduces investors fear of not knowing enough, and if they choose to take advantage of the available information they can capitalize on it. Also, more information gives people the perception that they are able to make an increased number of hi gher quality investment decisions. Finally, the entrance of banks into the industry has increased public interest. First of all, banks carry a great deal of trust which is extremely important to the average investor. Second, banks are higher profile marketers so they reach a larger number of people. In addition, the large number of branches makes the product readily available and easily accessible. Banks also have a large existing customer base to which they can market products, and influence investing. Overall, banks have increased the demand for investment services by creating interest and awareness to people who would otherwise not give extensive consideration to investments. Critical Success FactorsThe investment industry is very volatile in that the upward trend in todays market does not guarantee the same trend tomorrow. Investment dealers cannot fully command the direction of their profits. The market they work with, i.e. capital markets, is greatly affected by external facto rs. Falling stock and bond prices can negatively affect industry profits, because they reduce capital market activity. In addition, volatility is affected by consumer confidence. If unsophisticated investors believe the market is unstable and fail to realize the problem may only be a rumor, then they may all pull out at the same time causing upheaval and drastic downturns in profit. In such a situation, investment dealers have no control over the situation or their profits. .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a , .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a .postImageUrl , .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a , .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a:hover , .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a:visited , .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a:active { border:0!important; } .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a:active , .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4798779a7d320a88edee21967252709a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Sir Gawain Chivalry EssayEvery investor suffers the consequences of volatility. However, even though this volatility exists there are means to attract investors to the capital market, thereby outperforming competitors and increasing revenue derived from service fees. First, the investment dealer must build trust with the investor. This is of extreme importance to the potential client because of the amount and importance of the funds that they are investing. More importantly, trust is needed in order to attract new clients, through word of mouth, and maintain existing ones. Second, the client is greatly concerned with the performance or returns of their portfolio. Even thou gh the market is volatile, the investment dealer is trusted to properly assess their clients financial situation, level of risk aversion and investment decisions in order to establish the best portfolio. Their ability to carry out these functions will influence, to a certain degree, the performance of the investment dealer, i.e. through returns. Third, customers want continuous high quality service. This means that in addition to the service provided at the time of the portfolio selection, they also want a relationship with the dealer. Specifically, the customer may want to be kept informed on their portfolio as well as changes which may be occurring in the market. Being able to continue this high quality service will prove to attract many unsophisticated investors and establish a long-term clientele. At this point, it is important to know that the investment dealers must have the expertise to identify which investors want this service and which dont. Their failure to do this may ac tually cause the loss of sophisticated investors who do not want to be bothered. In short, clients said the most important factor in choosing an investment firm was trustworthiness, followed by performance and service (Roseman, p.B18). Aside from these three factors, the speed of processing transactions has equal importance to a customer. Since prices change very rapidly in this volatile industry, timing is everything,. For this reason, customers would prefer to have immediate accessibility to the trading floor without going through the middleman. Present changes indicate that the industry is headed in this direction. Presently, Instinet Corp. has introduced a new technology, Instinet, which allows foreign securities to be traded through electronic trading terminals thereby bypassing the brokers responsibility to contact a trader on the costly exchange floor (TSE). The trade would no longer require attendance to the exchange floor, since the transaction could be done electronically at designated institutions. Eventually, investment brokers will have to excel in areas which cannot be replaced by electronic technology, i.e. research, knowledge about the industry and building a trusting rapport with customers. Strengths and WeaknessesThe securities industry (and the financial services industry in general) is highly automated and technically advanced. This allows the industry to operate efficiently and cost effectively. The marginal costs of processing a $10 transaction and a $10-billion one are negligible (Campbell, in Dermer: p. 237). Technology gives investors (the clientele) the ability to make transactions easily and quickly. Therefore, investing becomes more attractive because of the relative ease and convenience of trade execution. The cost effectiveness of the industry also allows it to compete abroad with larger brokers thus increasing its customer base. The entrance of banks also boosted competition and led to further reductions in costs. Chartered banks have also given the industry a boost because of their large client base, credibility, high-degree of technology, marketing expertise, and retail store environment. Banks can offer an entire array of financial services and instruments which provides a great deal of convenience. Customers can easily open direct trading accounts with their branch and make transfers to and from their savings accounts. This one-stop shopping approach has made the securities industry more attractive and strengthened it. Although law prohibits the transfer of financial information about bank clients between banks and their investment dealing subsidiaries (to maintain confidentiality and credibility), the banks can still act as channels of information to potential customers. Toronto Dominion Bank, for instance, offers S.S.Q. points (Sales, Service, and Quality) to their customer service representatives whenever referrals are given for a TD-Green Line (discount broker) or TD-Evergreen (full se rvice) account. In essence, the industry has a large number of indirect employees acting as agents for their services. This creates awareness, and helps boost demand. .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3 , .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3 .postImageUrl , .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3 , .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3:hover , .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3:visited , .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3:active { border:0!important; } .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3:active , .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3 .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc97af356f0c45791cb600321087ddaa3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Greek Drama EssayA growing interest in the industry in terms of education can only help strengthen the industry. In the past year, 21500 students took Canadian Securities Institute programs, this number being 53% higher than the previous year (Fine: p. B21). This translates to a high number of knowledgeable people being employed within the industry. This helps the industry in that customers are better served, and thus they are inclined to invest more due to the fact that they trust the investment dealer. As such, more cash flow into the market means more profits for the investment dealers due to increased commissions. The industrys dependence on the performance of the securities markets can be considered a weakness. This is because the industrys main purpose revolves around the stock market itself. Thus if the stock market is lagging, profits will fall due to a lower number and value of transactions. In addition, firms are much less willing to enter a bearish market for new financing. This is also the case when firms are doing well since they may not require increased financing and may not need the services of an investment dealer (for underwriting) (IDA bulletin p2). Unlike banks who have CDIC protecting the accounts of their customers, investors portfolios are in no way secured in terms of value. This creates a negative sentiment towards investing because highly risk averse individuals would rather lock up their money in the bank. ProfitabilityThe Brokerage Industry derives the majority of its income from commissions (43% of 1994 revenues), underwriting (21%) and fixed income trading (16%) (Appendices A D). Since most of the revenue comes from commissions, it is apparent that revenue is largely dependent on volume and value of transactions. Transactions volume and values are dependent on the performance of the stock market. For example between 1992 and 1993, the TSE 300 gained approximately 29% in value. Reported operating profits for 1993 were $1.7 billion ($726 million net), which was up from 1992s operating profit of $676 million ($253 million) (Appendix A). Between 1993 and 1994 the TSE 300 lost 3% of value and this resulted in a decline in profits during the same period of $500 million ($300 million net). Thus, shifts in the stock market affect the stability of the industrys profits. Financial RatiosAnalysis of important financial ratios can help provide a better picture of the industry as a whole. Examining the quick and current ratios for some of the larger firms in the industry shows that investment dealers have an equal proportion of highly liquid assets to short term liabilities (approx. 1.0). This shows that the firms have little in terms of a maturity mismatch. In addition, accounts receivable as a percent of total assets is quite large (approx. 91% for Fahnestock Viner, and 65% for Midland Walwyn). This shows that the industry relies on its ability to give its clients lines of credit and the ability to finance them. In addition, the high level receivables increases the level of default risk for the industry. Thus, one must look at the quality of these receivables (that is who are these debtors) to evaluate the level of risk to the industry. Furthermore, these receivables can be a source of revenue for the dealers, for example, interest received from margi n accounts. ConclusionsBased on the above discussion, it is fair to say that the industry has a positive outlook for the future. This can be said despite the industrys dependence on stock market activity. A growing interest in the industry is proof of this, as the number of firms involved is increasing as well as the number of professionals entering the fields within the investment industry. An additional indication of the industrys growth is the increased participation of Canadian Banks, combining one of Canadas most vital industries with the investment industry. As the public becomes more aware of the potential gains from investing, the future of the industry will be reinforced. Long gone are the days when people held large sums of money in static bank accounts. Rather, a changed population (in terms of education, demographics etc.) is seeking a dynamic investment which can earn greater returns than a bank account. Considering this new demand for securities, investment dealers have a greater incentive to devise additional attractive financial instruments in order to attract the undecided. In short, a need for greater returns leads to increased asset demand thereby increasing market activity which in turn will strengthen the investment dealer industry as a whole.

Soul Of Descartes Essays - Philosophy Of Mind, Cognition

Soul Of Descartes Out of all the philosophers we have examined in this unit, Rene Descartes (On Thinking and the Soul) presents the best argument about what a soul and body are. In contrast, I believe that Locke`s interpretation of the body, mind, soul and self was my least favorite interpretation. Rene Descartes believed the soul is a pure, unitary thinking thing that has no weight and occupies no space. The soul, according to Descartes, has clear and distinct ideas of matters that can be conceived of in mathematical terms. The body, according to Descartes, is a material thing that operates mechanically, in accordance of cause and effect. The body moves mechanically through muscles and nerves and generates its own heat. Identity, Descartes believed, comes from the soul. The body acts as a container for the soul and is completely separate from a person`s identity. Descartes also believed that thoughts in the soul depend only on the soul and not on the body. Therefore, since the only thing that the soul can do is think than he must be a soul. Locke believed that Descartes equation of the soul is completely false. Locke noted that if the soul left the body during sleep (Descartes) than it could body hop into other individual. This outcome of Descartes theory is completely absurd to Locke. Locke believed that the identity of a person comes from his/her body. According to Locke, the same soul criterion used by Descartes won`t do as an explanation. He believed that same matter could not be used as a criterion for human identity because matter in ones body turns over through the death of old cells and the birth of new ones. I agree with Descartes notion of self-identity because the soul is separate from the body. I believe that ones body is plagued with several particulars such as hair, arms, legs etc. The soul is a universal entity, meaning everyone has one. I disagree with Locke`s account of the body as a person`s identity because he believed that people could lose consciousness or memory over parts of their lives. This lost part of someone`s life would cause that person to change his/her identity. I believe that if the soul is the thinking agent and if it is universal, than it could not and would not lose consciousness or memory, causing a person to keep his/her original identity. Rather, when consciousness or memory is lost, it is lost due to the imperfections found in a person`s material shell, the body I believe, thanks to Descartes, that a person has two separate entities. The first is the body. The body is made up of particulars and other matter that allows it to function like a container. The second entity is the soul. Here, all thinking processes are done, the function of the brain is to separate the sensations throughout the body.