Qantas Airlines Contemporary Issues

Introduction As suggested by Teeple, 2000 globalization is thought of as various mechanisms or processes that aim at creating and consolidating a unified world in terms of economy and culture characterized by a complex link of information sharing that is world wide.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Qantas Airlines Contemporary Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With this concept, the world has experienced free movement of people, goods and services and capital between and among countries made possible by the advent in technology information. As a result the world has no doubt turned into a global village fashioned by interconnectedness and interdependence. It is evident that through globalization cultures are being exported throughout the world as various societies are compelled to evolve and co-exist with the changes brought about by globalization. It is worth remembering that globalization has impact not o nly in terms of economy but culture, politics as well as environmentally. All these have brought about contemporary issues when doing business in the international arena. Having in mind that businesses need to stay competitive, there is thus need to adequately and timely address the emerging contemporary issues (Swanson, 1993). For the sake of this assignment, Qantas airlines will be used in providing insights on issues facing airline industries when doing business beyond borders. The airline was founded back in 1920 and is the flag carrier of Australia. The airline is Sydney where it has its main hub. The airline has been deemed to be a four star airline according to Skytrax. Globally, it has been voted to be the 7th best airline although this is a drop from previous years. It also trades in the Australian stock exchange markets. Being the second oldest airline in the world, it started going international back in 1935. Currently, the airline operates both domestic as well as intern ational flights. Among the international destination include; Africa (South Africa), East Asia (China and Japan), south Asia (India), southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand), Europe (Germany and UK), North America (U.S), South America (Argentina). Domestic destinations include Queensland, northern territory, and New South Wales among others.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This thus shows clearly that the airline operates internally since its flights are destined to all continents. The essay will thus elucidate on the major contemporary issues facing the airlines, the available alternatives and finally one best alternative is selected for recommendation (Chesterton Markson, 2008). Key contemporary issues facing Qantas airlines One major issue facing the airline is with regards to safety and security. Considering the happenings of September 2001 in U nited States of Americas and in the recent past where individuals have been intercepted carrying detonators and bombs, there customers have raised concern and are scared on who to trust when travelling to other countries. With such a case customers have already shifted to other airlines that have been deemed to be more secure inn terms of screening. It is worth noting that all these issues concerning terrorism have been heightened by technological advancement. Terrorists need not to travel to be given instructions on how to execute the evil act; this can be comfortably accomplished through various means such as e-mails despite the geographical distance. Additionally, it is worth to note that the recent happenings especially in Middle East countries and some countries in Africa particularly Egypt, Libya and Tunisia have threatened the airline business expansion strategy. The political instability which has seen to it that the various infrastructures and security issues have been nega tively affected jeopardizes the airlines plans of expanding its business. According to Joshi, 2009 stiff competition in the airline industry is another contemporary issue facing Qantas airlines. It is worth noting that while carrying out international business; it finds itself fighting with other giant companies such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic which is new in business among others. It has been shown that when a firm does not have a sound plan on how to tackle competition, it can easily find it self in trouble and even close its business operations.  Just like any other organization whether for profit or non profit ethical issues when failed to be adequately addressed or prevented from happening can negatively impact on an organization. Although the airline has not yet been reported to have violated the rules of business to gain enormous profits at the expense of the relevant stakeholders, there is need to have plans in place to ensure this does not happen. Similarly, the world has come to realize that to save the environment; individuals to corporate have been called upon to cut down on their carbon footprints.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Qantas Airlines Contemporary Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is one area that the airline has found it rough (Daniels et al., 2007). Cutting down on carbon footprint will enhance a cleaner environment.  Having in mind that the only constant is change, the recent technological advancement is one issue that has proved to be a challenge to each and every organization Qantas airlines not being an exception. A number of organizations that have mastered how to manage technological adoption have used the same as a competitive advantage. The airline in the wake of early 2000 was lagging behind in adopting technology (Chesterton Markson, 2008). However, when it did, the strategy was not well crafted to be successfully utilized in ma rketing, training workers as well as attaining the demands of customers. Another serious contemporary issue that was and still proves to be a challenge to the airline is with regards to customers issues. It has been noted that the firm has lost control over the customers. This has been attributed to technological advancement and competition. Additionally, there is need to note the demographic changes in the customers that need the airlines services (Chesterton Markson, 2008). The younger generation needs latest entertainment equipment among other sophisticated things. On the same note due to technology and better education the expectations of customers have tremendously change as majority demand for high quality and sophisticated services. Operating cost creep and financial crisis not only have a domestic impact but also a global impact. Interestingly, when there is a financial crisis for instance the one that happened between 2008 and 2010, majority of the potential travelers opte d to tighten the zips of their wallet and only spend their money on necessary goods and services. At such times the currency tremendously loss value (Kaplan, 2005). For that matter the industry failed to enjoy enormous revenues and profits forcing it to lay off some employees. On the same note, uncontrollable costs such as government taxes and tariffs, insurance as well as utilities have tremendously risen. This coupled with the unpredictable jet fuel prices has negatively impacted on the airlines business.  Additionally, there are a number of global uncertainties apart from terrorism. For instance diseases outbreaks such as SARS have negatively impacted to the industry.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is worth mention also that bird flu also brought a considerable loss tot eh firm. Although no one has control over natural disasters, the volcanic eruption in Europe as well as bad whether in countries of destination brushes the industry the wrong way (Joshi, 2009). Alternative actions According to Daniel, et al, 2007 there are several options that the firm can take to address the raised issue before things go beyond hand. In business, one option is to do nothing and leave nature takes its course. Secondly adopting a culture of a learning organization has been brought forth by numerous scholars to be another alternative that can be adopted in solving a myriad of issues facing an organization. Thirdly, it will also be rational if the airline sought to form alliances with other similar organization. This can be done by forming partnerships, merging as well as acquiring other firms. Similarly reengineering and restructuring will call for the organization to fully change everything w ith regards to how it does business. To successfully tackle the issue of competition, the airline can resort to gain competitive advantage through offering customers high quality in-service, improved security and safety measures among others. The service can include comfortable seats that are well spaced, sophisticated entertainment services similarly the variety of food served need to be further expanded to include endless list of bites drinks and other foodstuffs (Kaplan, 2005). Alternatively, the airline can actively engage in adopting a promotional strategy that will help show case Australia. This will help enhance international tourism hence increasing customers or passengers’ numbers. To meet the demand of increased number of passengers, it might be rational for the firm to increase the number of flights. Lastly and more importantly, I propose that the firm need to come up with policies and code of conducts that will be inline with the host country to help curb ethical issues (Chesterton Markson, 2008). Evaluation of the alternatives All the proposed alternatives have their stronger and weaker sides. Not doing anything is a reactive strategy that will make the firm loss the trust of all its stakeholders starting from passengers. The only advantage with this alternative is that it requires no financial budget, however if the worse happens then the whole organization will be brought to its knees. Adopting culture of an organizational learning has numerous advantages but one major one is that it will make the organization be an environment where its workforce are open minded and willing to adopt change (Travis, 2007). The major problem with the strategy is that it will take time and resources for it to be realized. Reengineering and restructuring will mean that the company changes almost everything ranging from its vision and mission statement. The new picture created may be appealing to some of the existing customers as well as new ones. However, t he alternative calls for allocation of huge resources and might results to losing loyal customers. Merging, alliances as well as acquisition helps organization pull together resources hence have a sound when it comes to negotiating for a number of issues in business. It also helps cut down running costs there by increasing profit margin (Laurie, 2001). However there are higher chances of conflict of interest when organizations merge or form a partnership. Offering of high quality in-service will definitely attract customers but only for a short term. On the other hand, the venture is too expensive and it can be easily copied by the competitors eventually making the whole initiative obsolete. Developing policies and code of conducts that are in line with the laws and regulations of host country will help in upholding higher standards of ethics. Nonetheless, this limits individuals not to think outside the box hens inhibiting innovation and creativity (Travis, 2007). Conclusion and Re commendations From the analysis of the proposed alternative, I suggest the airlines adopt the one with regards to a learning organization. It is worth mentioning that a learning organization has a number of benefits. For instance it will help the airline maintain higher levels of innovation and creativity hence being competitive. Similarly, a learning organization will better place Qantas airlines in responding to external factors hence maintaining competitive advantage (Senge et. al. 1994). Similarly, learning organization when it comes to the issue pertaining to changes, the firm will be at an advantage as it can adopt change quickly and successfully. In situations where the relationship between the organization and their relevant stakeholders are analyzed, a learning organization through the five characteristics of a learning organization (team learning, system thinking, mental models, and personal mastery and shared vision) makes it to be people-centered firm. This brings with i t a number of advantages such as improved corporate image. References Backman, M. Charlotte B. 2003. Big in Asia: 25 strategies for business success. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Chesterton, A. Markson, S. (2008). â€Å"Qantas QF30 drama potentially threatens jumbos’ future†. The Sunday Telegraph. July 27 2008. Daniels, J., Radebaugh, L., Sullivan, D. 2007. International business: Environment and operations. New York: Prentice Hall. Joshi, R. 2009. International business. Oxford University: Oxford University Press. Kaplan, S. 2005. Bag the elephant: How to win keep big customers. New York: Wiley Sons. Laurie, D. 2001. From battlefield to boardroom: winning management strategies for today’s global Business. New York: Palgrave. Senge, P. et. Al.1994. The fifth discipline fieldbook: Strategies and tools for building a learning organization. London: Sage. Swanson, C. 1993. The dilemma of globalization: emerging strategic concerns in international business. Gr eenwich, Conn.: JAI Press. Teeple, A. 2000. â€Å"What is globalization?† In McBride, S. Globalization and its discontent. London: Macmillan. Travis, T. 2007. Doing business anywhere: The essential guide to going global. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons. This report on Qantas Airlines Contemporary Issues was written and submitted by user Abr1l to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Timeline and History of Chocolate and the Cocoa Bean

Timeline and History of Chocolate and the Cocoa Bean Chocolate has a long and fascinating past, as delicious as its taste. Heres a timeline of notable dates in its history! 1500 BC-400 BC: The Olmec Indians are believed to be the first to grow cocoa beans as a domestic crop.250 to 900 CE: The consumption of cocoa beans was restricted to the Mayan societys elite, in the form of an unsweetened cocoa drink made from the ground beans.AD 600: Mayans migrate into northern regions of South America establishing earliest known cocoa plantations in the Yucatan.14th Century: The drink became popular among the Aztec upper classes who usurped the cocoa beverage from the Mayans and were the first to tax the beans. The Aztecs called it xocalatl meaning warm or bitter liquid.1502: Columbus encountered a great Mayan trading canoe in Guanaja carrying cocoa beans as cargo.1519: Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez recorded the cocoa usage in the court of Emperor Montezuma.1544: Dominican friars took a delegation of Kekchi Mayan nobles to visit Prince Philip of Spain. The Mayans brought gift jars of beaten cocoa, mixed and ready to drink. Spain and Portugal did not export the beloved drink to the rest of Europe for nearly a century. 16th Century Europe: The Spanish began to add cane sugar and flavorings such as vanilla to their sweet cocoa beverages.1570: Cocoa gained popularity as a medicine and aphrodisiac.1585: First official shipments of cocoa beans began arriving in Seville from Vera Cruz, Mexico.1657: The first chocolate house was opened in London by a Frenchman. The shop was called The Coffee Mill and Tobacco Roll. Costing 10 to 15 shillings per pound, chocolate was considered a beverage for the elite class.1674: Eating solid chocolate was introduced in the form of chocolate rolls and cakes served in chocolate emporiums.1730: Cocoa beans had dropped in price from $3 per pound to a price within the financial reach of those other than the very wealthy.1732: French inventor, Monsieur Dubuisson invented a table mill for grinding cocoa beans.1753: Swedish naturalist, Carolus Linnaeus was dissatisfied with the word cocoa, so renamed it theobroma, Greek for food of the gods.1765: Chocolate was introduced to the United States when Irish chocolate-maker John Hanan imported cocoa beans from the West Indies into Dorchester, Massachusetts, to refine them with the help of American Dr. James Baker. The pair soon after built Americas first chocolate mill and by 1780, the mill was making the famous BAKERS  ® chocolate. 1795: Dr. Joseph Fry of Bristol, England, employed a steam engine for grinding cocoa beans, an invention that led to the manufacture of chocolate on a large factory scale.1800: Antoine Brutus Menier built the first industrial manufacturing facility for chocolate.1819: The pioneer of Swiss chocolate-making, Franà §ois Louis Callier, opened the first Swiss chocolate factory.1828: The invention of the cocoa press, by Conrad Van Houten, helped cut prices and improve the quality of chocolate by squeezing out some of the cocoa butter and giving the beverage a smoother consistency. Conrad Van Houten patented his invention in Amsterdam and his alkalizing process became known as Dutching. Several years earlier, Van Houten was the first to add alkaline salts to powdered cocoa to make it mix better with water.1830: A form of solid eating chocolate was developed by Joseph Fry Sons, a British chocolate maker.1847: Joseph Fry Son discovered a way to mix some of the cocoa butter back into the Du tched chocolate, and added sugar, creating a paste that could be molded. The result was the first modern chocolate bar. 1849: Joseph Fry Son and Cadbury Brothers displayed chocolates for eating at an exhibition in Bingley Hall, Birmingham, England.1851: Prince Alberts Exposition in London was the first time that Americans were introduced to bonbons, chocolate creams, hand candies (called boiled sweets), and caramels.1861: Richard Cadbury created the first known heart-shaped candy box for Valentines Day.1868: John Cadbury mass-marketed the first boxes of chocolate candies.1876: Daniel Peter of Vevey, Switzerland, experimented for eight years before finally inventing a means of making milk chocolate for eating.1879: Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlà © joined together to form the Nestlà © Company.1879: Rodolphe Lindt of Berne, Switzerland, produced smoother and creamier chocolate that melted on the tongue. He invented the conching machine. To conch meant to heat and roll chocolate in order to refine it. After chocolate had been conched for seventy-two hours and had more cocoa butter added to it, it was po ssible to create chocolate fondant and other creamy forms of chocolate. 1897: The first known published recipe for chocolate brownies appeared in the Sears and Roebuck Catalogue.1910: Canadian, Arthur Ganong marketed the first nickel chocolate bar. William Cadbury urged several English and American companies to join him in refusing to buy cacao beans from plantations with poor labor conditions.1913: Swiss confectioner  Jules Sechaud of Montreux introduced a machine process for manufacturing filled chocolates.1926: Belgian chocolatier, Joseph Draps starts the Godiva Company to compete with Hersheys and Nestles American market. Special thanks go to John Bozaan for the additional research.

Osama Bin Laden Al Qaeda Leader Profile

Osama Bin Laden Al Qaeda Leader Profile While known as  Osama bin Laden, also spelled Usama bin Ladin, his full name was Osama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Laden. (bin means son in Arabic, so his name also tells his genealogy. Osama was the son of Muhammad, who was the son of Awad, and so forth). Family Background Bin Laden was born in 1957 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabias capitol. He was the 17th of over 50 children born to his Yemeni father, Muhammad, a self-created billionaire whose fortune came from building contracting. He died in a helicopter accident when Osama was 11 years old. Osamas Syrian born mother, born Alia Ghanem, married Muhammad when she was twenty-two. She remarried following divorce from Muhammad, and Osama grew up with his mother and stepfather, and their three other children. Childhood Bin Laden was schooled in the Saudi port city, Jedda. His familys wealth gave him access to the elite Al Thagher Model School, which he attended from 1968-1976. The school combined British style secular education with daily Islamic worship. Bin Ladens introduction to Islam as the basis for political, and potentially violent- activism, was through informal sessions run by the Al Thaghers teachers, as New Yorker writer Steve Coll has reported. Early Adulthood In the mid-1970s, bin Laden was married to his first cousin (a normal convention among traditional Muslims), a Syrian woman from his mothers family. He later married three other women, as permitted by Islamic law. It has been reported that he has from 12-24 children. He attended King Abd Al Aziz University, where he studied civil engineering, business administration, economics and public administration. He is remembered as enthusiastic about religious debates and activities while there. Key Influences Bin Ladens first influences were the Al Thagher teachers who offered extra-curricular Islam lessons. They were members of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political group begun in Egypt which, at that time, promoted violent means to achieve Islamic governance. Another key influence was Abdullah Azzam, a Palestinian-born professor at King Abd Al Aziz University, and a founder of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group. After the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Azzam solicited bin Laden to raise money and recruit Arabs to help the Muslims repel the Soviets, and he played an instrumental role in the early establishment of al-Qaeda. Later, Ayman Al Zawahiri, the leader of Islamic Jihad in the 1980s, would play a significant part in the development of bin Ladens organization, Al Qaeda. Organizational Affiliations In the early 1980s, bin Laden worked with the mujahideen, guerrillas fighting a self-proclaimed holy war to oust the Soviets from Afghanistan. From 1986-1988, he himself fought. In 1988, bin Laden formed Al Qaeda (the Base), a militant transnational network whose original backbone was Arab Mujahideen who fought the Soviets in Afghanistan. Ten years later, bin Laden forged the Islamic Front for Jihad against the Jews and Crusaders, a coalition of terrorist groups intending to wage war against Americans and battle their Middle Eastern military presence. Objectives Bin Laden expressed his ideological goals in both action and words, with his periodically videotaped public statements. After founding Al Qaeda, his objectives were the related goals of eliminating the Western presence in the Islamic/Arab Middle East, which includes battling American ally, Israel, and overthrowing local allies of the Americans (such as the Saudis), and establishing Islamic regimes. In-Depth Sources Osama bin Laden in Historical Context,an article by your guide.An article about the bin Laden family from PBS/FrontlineTranscript of a 1998 interview by then ABC reporter John MillerReporter Robert Fisks account of his interview with bin Laden in Sudan, in 1996.

Role of ECOWAS union in the socio-economic development of West Africa Essay

Role of ECOWAS union in the socio-economic development of West Africa - Essay Example f the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has helped or hindered the economic progress of the countries in West Africa, with particular focus on the socio-economic conditions of the populations in those countries. In West Africa, ECOWAS has the following member countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. This structure was set up to promote â€Å"cooperation and integration† leading to an economic union in West Africa â€Å"in order to raise the living standards of its peoples† (ECOWAS website, 2011). A Pan-African slant is also evident in that the intention to promote progress and development on the whole continent is explicitly stated. For a common market to occur; regional economic reform would have to take place; integration particularly in food, agriculture and natural resources was seen as vital. Furthermore the establishment of a common market through liberalization of trade among West African States was envisioned. An important aspect of the ECOWAS initiative is also to ensure a common external tariff and trade policy with regard to third countries, outside this initiative. Additionally, a stated intention in the ECOWAS revised treaty is to promote â€Å"balanced development† and a focus on the â€Å"special problems of each Member State particularly those of land-locked and small island Member States† (ECOWAS website, 2011).Thus the intention is to improve standards of living, improve Gross Domestic Product (GDP), improve Per-Capita Income (PCI) and generally improve West Africa’s trading position in a global economy for the citizens of this entire region (ECOWAS website, 2011). This has not happened. The elites – both within... This essay presents a modern thorough analysis of the state of economies of West Africa countries, that participate in the ECOWAS union, their political stances, and their trade policies. The world economy and West Africa’s part in it will be examined in this paper. In West Africa, ECOWAS has the following member countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cà ´te d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. This structure was set up to promote cooperation and integration leading to an economic union in West Africa . A Pan-African slant is also evident in that the intention to promote progress and development on the whole continent is stated. The establishment of a common market through liberalization of trade among West African States was envisioned. An important aspect of the ECOWAS initiative is also to ensure a common external tariff and trade policy with regard to third countries, outside this initiative Economic and political power on a global stage continues to be centered in Europe and North America. There has been no real change in the international economic power relations after the Colonial Era, despite the growth of Asian economies. The relationship between West Africa and the central economic powers is highly influenced by history, and also by current political conditions in the countries of the region. Despite free trade agreements between the countries of West Africa, prosperity is not immediately, or perhaps even in the long term achievable.

Geography writing assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Geography writing assignment - Research Paper Example Series of Quakes Rattles South West China, Killing at least 64† (McDonald) examined multiple occurrences of quakes and aftershocks within a 5.6 magnitude strength causing more damage to property, displacing 100,000 people and killing at least 64 civilians. In the month before that, the Reuters news agency reported â€Å"Two Earthquakes in Iran Kill 300 and injure 5,000† near the towns of Ahar, Varzaghan and Harees. (Torbati) Earthquakes are naturally occurring phenomena that are beyond human control. People can however initiate early warning systems to help them escape the rather deadly effects of the earthquakes. Faulting and earthquake effects that must be taken into consideration during planning and in design for the restitution of the coastal lands around the world are always overlooked. This should always include the construction as well as the maintenance of the coastal infrastructure. The continued shifting and adjustment of the plates has a dramatic effect on the landscape. These range from the development of large depressions on the surface caused by the subsidence and tilting of the land surfaces due to down throwing of adjacent fault blocks. The effects of all these are experienced both in the human-economic spheres as well as on the physical landscape. The huge geographical components of the Asian-Pacific region has worst cases of natural hazards occasioned by frequent earthquakes, eruptions, and yearly monsoons due to its relative position on the ‘Pacific ring of fire.’ Moreover, the region harbors the highest number of mega-cities with more than over 8million populace exposed to the effects of natural hazards. Foregoing research further suggests that developing countries are highly exposed to risks of natural disasters as opposed to developed nations. At the same time, the high number of natural disasters experienced along the Asian-Pacific region is largely attributed to urbanization, increased population pressure on natural resources and the

Market Failures and the White River National Forest :: Economics Environment Research

Market Failures and the White River National Forest The two and one quarter acre White River National Forest is located in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, approximately two to four hours west of Denver on I-70. The scenic beauty of the area, along with ample developed and undeveloped recreation opportunities in the forest, accounts for the fact that the White River consistently ranks as one of the top Forests nation wide for total recreation use. The Forest provides for an excellent variety of recreation opportunities in all seasons with eleven ski areas, eight designated wildernesses, several national trails, approximately 70 forest service administered developed sites (campgrounds, picnic grounds), and over one and one half million acres for general motorized and non-motorized backcountry enjoyment. Popular recreation activities in the Forest include downhill and cross-country skiing, developed and dispersed camping, four-wheel driving, sightseeing, photography, hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, snowmobiling, picnicking, bicycling, horseback riding and backpacking. The elevation of the Forest ranges from 5,000 to 14,000 feet. Warm days and cool to freezing nights can be expected in the mountains during the summer. July and August are usually the warmest months, and afternoon thunderstorms are common. Fall in the Forest is brief but spectacular, as changing aspens cloak the mountains in gold. Peak color time is normally the last part of September. Crisp, sunny days mingle with early snowstorms in what many consider the premier season of the year. Winter brings the abundant powder snowfall that Colorado is famous for. Most winter recreation, including skiing and snowmobiling, occurs between Thanksgiving and Easter, but high elevation sites offer good snow much later into the spring. The park itself is obviously a source of great enjoyment to all and offers a plethora of opportunities for recreation. Unfortunately though, the park, as well as the surrounding environment, has become the victim of an increased population in the area, a growth in the number of annual tourists to the region, and an economic expansion which has utilized natural resources found within the park boundaries for the purpose of producing goods and services. Because White River National Forest is a national treasure, measures have been introduced to protect the environment in accordance with pollution limits, resource consumption, and economic efficiency. In the past few decades, forestry officials have implemented strategic plans for the preservation of the wilderness and resources with White River and update those plans every fifteen years or so.

How Does a Family Work as a System in Promoting Health to Its Memebers

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Maslow’s theory is grounded on satisfying needs in order of: 1) physiological needs (lunch breaks, wages, etc), 2) safety needs (medical insurance, job security, etc), 3) social needs (sense of community, social events, etc), 4) esteem needs (recognize achievement, show appreciation, etc), and 5) self actualization (provide challenges, opportunity to reach potential, etc). According to Maslow, a person starts with meeting physiological needs and must work up to self-actualization. An important limitation to note is that â€Å"there is evidence that contradicts the order of needs specified by the model. Furthermore, â€Å"some cultures appear to place social needs before any others† (Netmba 3). The most important implication for management in Maslow’s theory is the manager’s ability to recognize the needs level at which the employee is operating in order to motivate. For example, if a group or individual is operating on t he basic needs of physiological and safety, a good levering tool for motivation would be to offer an office party once a goal is met. Theories 3 Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory is a â€Å"content theory† similar to Maslow’s Hierarchy Theory. Herzberg suggested a two-step approach to understanding employee motivation and satisfaction including hygiene factors and motivator factors. Hygiene factors ensure that an employee does not become dissatisfied. These include, but are not limited to, wages and salaries, policy and administration, quality of supervision and inter-personal relations, working conditions, and job security. â€Å"Meeting hygiene factors does not lead to high levels of motivation† (Value Based Management 1). Motivation factors lead to psychological growth and job satisfaction. These include, but are not limited to, status, advancement opportunity, gaining recognition, responsibility, stimulating work, and the sense of personal growth and achievement in a job. Motivation factors must be present to motivate an employee into higher performance. Management should â€Å"focus on rearranging work so that motivator factors can take effect† (Cuthers, 2). He said this could be done through job enlargement, job rotation, and/or job enrichment. For example, in a low hygiene-high motivation situation, workers are challenged but salaries and work conditions are not up to standards. By adding some hygiene factors, such as a slight increase in wages and a cleaner, safer working environment, management would be motivated and have fewer complaints. Theories 5 McClellan’s Need Theory David McClellan proposed that an individual’s needs are specific and acquired over time and life experience. Most of these needs can be classified as achievement, affiliation, or power. â€Å"A person’s motivation and effectiveness in certain job functions are influenced by these three needs† (Peace 2). People who measure a high need for achievement are less likely to take risks because they seek to excel. They prefer work with a fair probability of success and need regular feedback to monitor their progress. Affiliation seekers value pleasant relationships with others and have a high need for acceptance. They prefer jobs with a lot of personal interaction and tend to conform to their work group. Employees who have a high need for power fall into two categories – personal power seekers and institutional power seekers. Those who want personal power tend to direct others. Those who prefer institutional power â€Å"want to organize the efforts of others to further the goal of the organization† (Peace 3). McClelland’s theory allows for the shaping of a person’s needs and management should learn to recognize different profiles. For example, a person with a high need for personal power will probably fail in a position that is associated with a high need for affiliation. Theories 6 McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y Douglas McGregor proposed two theories founded on the premise that the â€Å"management’s role is to assemble the factors of production, including people, for the economic benefit of the firm† (Netmba 1). Both Theory X and Theory Y attempt to explain employee motivation. Theory X assumes that people work only for money and security. They dislike work, have no ambition, resist change, and do not care about organizational goals because they are self-centered. Management approaches under Theory X range from a hard approach (essentially an environment of command and control) to a soft approach (hoping that employees will cooperate). Both approaches, McGregor later reveals, are inappropriate because Theory X is incorrect because it relies on lower needs as levers of motivation. Theory Y is based on esteem and self-actualization. These higher-level needs are never fully met and are great tools for motivation. Under Theory Y, people are self-directed and committed to objectives, and they will seek responsibility through creativity and ingenuity. â€Å"Here lies the opportunity to align personal and organizational goals by using the employee’s own quest for fulfillment as the motivator† (Netmba 2). McGregor acknowledges that not all employees are mature enough to function at the Theory Y level and might need more elements of Theory X management until further developed. Theories 7 Expectancy Theory The Expectancy Theory by Vroom is a perception-based theory about the associations people make toward expected outcomes. In addition to the internal needs of employees and their efforts to fulfill them, Vroom classifies effort into three categories of effort (arising from motivation), performance, and outcomes that must all be linked. Within these categories are three variables: Valence, Expectancy, and Instrumentality. According to Arrod, expectancy is the belief that increased effort will lead to increased performance. In order to excel here, the employee must have the right resources, skills, and support. Instrumentality is the belief that if you perform well, a valued outcome will be received. This requires clear understanding between performance and outcome, trust in those who decide the outcome, and transparency of the process that decides who gets what outcome. Valence is the importance an individual places on the expected outcome. Vroom stresses that all three variables are essential for positive motivation. â€Å"The idea is that the individual then changes their level of effort according to the value they place on the outcomes they receive from the process and on their perception of the strength of the links between effort and outcome† (Arrod 2). Basically, an individual needs to know – 1) if I work harder, this will be better, 2) if I do a good job, there is something in it for me, and 3) Is it worth it. For example, offering benefits of additional time off to an individual may not be worthwhile if he was expecting an outcome of a bonus for his performance. Theories 8 Skinner’s Reinforcement Theory Reinforcement theory is grounded on the shaping of behavior through controlling consequences. Any behavior that brings about a consequence is termed an operant behavior. An operant behavior is learned through associated consequences that can include positive and negative reinforcement and punishment. In order to be effective, reinforcement needs to be continuous or intermittent. Positive reinforcement results in the repeating of a desired behavior. For instance, Sally works in collections for an auto-finance company. She is expected to make a minimum of 300 phone calls daily. The company provides incentive (a 5% commission) on every additional 25 phone calls per day where money is collected. This motivates her to make more productive use of her time by rewarding her on a continuous basis (every paycheck may include commission). Negative reinforcement results when an undesirable consequence is withheld, with the effect of strengthening the probability of the behavior being repeated. For example, John is working hard to increase sales in his territory of Highland Park, which is followed by a decision not to reassign him to an undesirable sales route of Oak Cliff. He is likely to continue exerting the efforts necessary to stay in the area in which he is most productive. Punishment, often confused with negative reinforcement, attempts to decrease the probability that a particular behavior will be learned and repeated (Barnett 2). It is a common reinforcement tool, but experts agree that it should only be used if positive and negative reinforcement are not effective. Theories 9 References Arrod. Co. UK. (2006). Expectancy Theory of Motivation. Retrieved 9/15/08 from http://www. arrod. co. uk/archive/concept_vroom. php Barnett, Tim. (2004). Reinforcement Theory. Retrieved 9/15/08 from http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/management Cuthers, Joshua. (2006). Motivation in Theory – Herzberg Two Factor Theory. Retrieved 9/15/08 from https://tutor2u. net/business/people/motivation_theory_herzberg. asp NetMBA. (2007). Theory X and Theory Y. Retrieved from http://www. netmba. com/mgmt/ob/motivation/mcgregor Peace, A. (2008). McClellan’s Theory of Needs. Retrieved from http://motivationcentre. blogspot. com Value Based Management. (2008). Motivation Factors. Retrieved 9/15/08 from http://www. valuebasedmanagement. net/methods back. Plagiarism Warning The essay examples on Anti Essays are for research purposes ONLY. Do NOT submit an essay example as your own. If you use any information from a sample essay, please cite it. MLA and APA citations can be found at the bottom of this free essay. Citations MLA Citation â€Å"Theories Of Management†. Anti Essays. 30 Nov. 2011 APA Citation Theories Of Management. Anti Essays. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from the World Wide Web: http://www. antiessays. com/free-essays/20897. html Related Essays Role Of Manager Creating Value Corperate†¦ Hrm Vs Personnel Management Theory Of Management Rights Frederick Taylor: Hero Or†¦ Fayol's Management Theory Organizational Behavior†¦ The Role Of a Manager Classical And Neo†¦