Wednesday, July 31, 2019

The Question of Female Citizenship

The Question of Female Citizenship Catherine Tupper In the early 1800’s a young man by the name of James Martin was denied by the lower court when he claimed that his deceased mother’s property in the United States was confiscated from his family. After being denied for an appeal in the lower court, James appealed his decision to the Supreme Judicial Court. The problem at conflict in this case was whether or not James mother, Anna, was defined as a feme-covert or as a citizen of The United States. This court case was called Martin v. Massachusetts.According to the Source, in eighteenth-century Anglo-America a married women, by law, was known as a feme-covert. A woman considered a feme-covert was completely covered by her husband and had no recognized legal identity. She had no right to buy, sell or own property independently of her husband. In the case of Martin v. Massachusetts, the plaintiff James Martin presented the fact that his late mother left the United States b ecause his father did. In other words, Anna had no choice due to the feme-covert law which states that the man speaks and acts for the wife.The argument made by the ter-tenants was that Anna had the right to stay and claim citizenship due to the fact that all of the land owned by her husband was indeed hers because it was passed down by her father. In the end, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled that Anna Martin was bound by her marriage vows and had to follow her husband to England. The court reversed the confiscation and the land was returned to the Martin family. Due to the fact that the confiscation of Anna Martin’s property was reversed, the justices stated that women could not act independently of her husband in political or economic matters.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

The International Company Logistics

Logistics is the designing and managing of a system in order to control the flow of material throughout a corporation. This is a very important part of an international company because of geographical barriers. Logistics of an international company includes movement of raw materials, coordinating flows into and out of different countries, choices of transportation, cost of the transportation, packaging the product for shipment, storing the product, and managing the entire process. The concept of logistics is fairly new in the business world. The theoretical development was not used until 1966. Since then, many business practices have evolved and logistics currently costs between 10 and 25 percent of the total cost of an international purchase. There are two main phases that are important in the movement of materials: material management and physical distribution. Materials management is the timely movement of raw materials, parts, and supplies. The physical distribution is the movement of the firm†s finished products to the customers. Both phases involve every stage of the process including storage. The ultimate goal of logistics is to coordinate all efforts of the company to maintain a cost effective flow of goods. There are four logistics concepts: the systems concept, the total cost concept, the after-tax concept, and the trade-off concept. The systems concept is based on all functions of a organization working together in order to maximize benefits. This concept sometimes requires certain components of the organization to operate suboptimally in order to achieve maximum goals of the system. The total cost concept is based on the systems concept, however goal achievement is measured in terms of cost. A variation of the total cost concept is the after-tax concept. This goal of this concept is after-tax profit. This concept is becoming very popular because of the many different national tax policies. The trade-off concept links the system together in a way that is very efficient, but can have trade-offs that might be inefficient. The advantages of such high efficiency must be weighed against the risk involved. One of the largest obstacles of international logistics is geography. The distance and manner materials must be shipped is the most important step in international logistics. Transportation infrastructures vary greatly throughout the world. International companies must consider all options before starting any operation in another country. Perhaps a country could have easy access by ship, but no way to transport the goods once on the ground. All available routes into and out of the country must be determined in order to judge the feasibility of the operation. Ground shipments are excellent for neighboring countries such as the U.S. and Mexico. Normally, shipping across ground borders is fairly uneventful and is usually the best method if time and distance allow it. Ocean shipments are divided by three types of service: liner, bulk, and tramp. Liner service is regularly scheduled passages on assigned and established routes. This ship routes are similar to taking a plane somewhere. This service is used more for one-time or irregular shipments. Bulk service is contractual for a prolonged period of time. This service is for those needing to ship large quantities on a fairly regular basis. Tramp service is for irregular routes and scheduled as needed. This service would be to destinations liner service normally does not operate, and for large quantities. The type of ocean service you use also depends on where the material must go. Certain types of ships can only go to certain places, and certain ships can only carry a certain type of freight. All alternatives must be fully researched before ocean service can be considered as a valid option. The biggest advantage of ocean shipping is cost. Typically, ocean service is the least costly option, however is also has the slowest travel time. Accidents are infrequent, however if one would happen, large quantities of material are lost all at once. Certain operations could not sustain long periods of down-time caused by lost goods, which could prove devastating. Additionally, not all countries have adequate docking facilities and material may have to be delivered in another manner. Sometimes, the material can be ocean shipped to a neighboring country, and then trucked across land. Air freight is the quickest method for shipping goods. It also is the most costly. While the airfreight industry has had tremendous growth over the years, it still makes up less than 1 percent of all international freight. Typically, airfreight is used for high value items, and those required to have a short transit time. Perishable goods for instance, practically requires air shipment. Another advantage to air freight is the abundance of facilities throughout the world that are accessible by air. Transit time is another important aspect of international logistics, and is closely related to the manner in which the material is shipped. Because the ocean freight takes longer, large quantities are shipped. This requires storage of inventory in both countries. By using air freight, the smaller quantities and more periodic shipments can reduce storage costs. Air freight is also more predictable than ocean shipments. Where a ship may be a few days late, the air freight is usually only a few hours late. Predictability is important for many types of shipments, and when it is required, air freight is the mode of choice. Packaging for international shipments must also be researched. Many times, a single shipment may be trucked, air freighted, and shipped. Packaging for three different types of shipping can be tricky. The most common type of international shipping is in containers. These containers can ride on a truck and then be placed on a ship. Beyond general packaging, climate changes must also be taken into consideration. Care must be taken that the freight is not susceptible to extreme temperatures or humidity. When air freight is being used, the weight of the packaging must be considered for maximum benefit. Extremely heavy packaging can add thousands of dollars to an air freight bill. Logistics of a storage facility is also very important. How many locations and where they are located must be closely researched in order to yield the most benefit. Sometimes, a location can be chosen based on monetary benefit in addition to logistical benefit. Certain enterprise zones can greatly increase after-tax profits. These types of areas must be researched and compared for cost/benefit. The final part of logistics is how to tie this system together. All of these different options and concepts must flow together and operate as efficiently as possible. There are three basic forms of logistics management. Centralized logistics management provides that the logistics operations are headed by managers that also head other divisions of the company. This type of management helps avoid internal problems by having a central manager that ultimately decides how logistics and operations are coordinated. Decentralized logistics management is based on the fact that a company needs to have a division that helps control the local-adaptation needs. Dealing with different cultures requires input from the local branch. The managers that deal with the cultural differences on a daily basis normally know what works and what doesn†t. Outsourcing is the final option for logistics management. When this happens, transportation firms concentrate on logistics, and the company can concentrate on it†s production. There are many cost savings using this type of program, however that lack of control can negatively effect many companies. International logistics requires many different options and requirements to be met in order for a company to operate internationally. It†s like a big puzzle that must be put together, in order for all the goals to be met. As described above, there are many options to consider, and sometimes what appears to be an option really isn†t. It is not difficult to hit a road block, and you must start over with a new plan. Once the logistics plan is in place, you must constantly look for improvements in order to maximize profits and goals.

Monday, July 29, 2019

What Does it Cost to Attend Haverford College?

Figuring out how much college costs is trickier than one might think. While running a simple search on a college’s list price is a good jumping off point, it doesn’t actually paint an accurate picture of the price most families will end up paying for at any given college. In fact, few attendees end up paying the majority of a college’s list price, let alone the full amount. So, what you want to look at instead is net cost: what do most families pay out of pocket, loans included? Net cost also takes into account federal/state/local government aid, institutional financial aid, and merit scholarships, subtracting these from the total amount. But how do these numbers look for Haverford, a small liberal arts college in Haverford, Pennsylvania? If you’re looking for a better sense of how the list price and net cost compare to the actual price tag on Haverford, read on! Because Haverford is a private college, it offers the same list price—or cost of tuition, housing, and accommodations combined—regardless of whether a student is in-state or out-of-state. While that means hailing from Pennsylvania won’t cut you a break on the bottom line, it is one less factor to have to consider. So, what is Haverford’s list price and who pays it? From 2016 to 2017, Haverford published a steep $69,387 as its full price. However, this price generally only applies to families with an income exceeding $175,000 per year. If your family is not in the category described above, it is highly unlikely that you’ll end up paying the list price. In this case, the most important factor in your child’s price tag is going to be financial aid. This is reflected in a college’s average net price, or the list price minus the average financial aid award. In the case of Haverford, the average net price of students receiving financial aid is $57,979. While this is already a narrower estimate of price, the average net price is still not entirely accurate. To give you a better idea of what price to expect, we’ve broken the average net price down by income bracket. *Haverford actually offers more aid on average to students in the $48-75k range than in the $30-48K range. Unfortunately, Haverford does not offer merit aid to students without demonstrated financial need. Haverford is a very small, selective school, so attendees should not expect to receive merit awards when granted admission. Given the rarity of merit awards, Haverford ranks 939th in a pool of over 1,000 schools we ranked for merit aid generosity. Paying for college can be a confusing and challenging road to navigate. We help families understand how to maximize financial aid and calculate the return on their college investment. If you feel that scholarships and financial aid will not be enough to meet your student’s price tag, another popular option for college students is to take out loans. In fact, 64% of Haverford students decide to take out loans for an average federal credit of $2,557 per undergraduate. Haverford, Pennsylvania, ranking as one of Pennsylvania’s top 10 small cities, is by all accounts a wonderful suburb in which to go to college. That being said, this location comes at a price. Haverford’s cost of living index almost double that of Pennsylvania or the U.S. as a whole at 192.6. The bulk of this can be credited to the area’s housing prices, which get an individual index of 386.7, 4.5 times higher than Pennsylvania’s average. As an example, a one-bedroom rental off-campus can run about $1,300 or more, although most students opt to stay on campus for all four years. While students should not bank on making more than minimum wage, Haverford’s average wage may help to offset some of the cost of living. With a mean hourly wage of $23.44, Haverford exceeds Pennsylvania’s $7.25 minimum wage by a long shot. Ultimately, going to college is an investment in your child’s future. In the case of Haverford College, this investment tends to pay off, a prospect that mitigates the relatively higher rates. 90% of Haverford undergraduate will graduate the college within six years, as compared to a national average of 60%. Ten years down the line, salary prospects are a projected $60,700, $10,000 higher than the national average. If you’re still looking for ways to save on your child’s education, you may want to look into scholarships. Scholarships come in a range of sizes, from covering the price of a few textbooks to handling the full cost of tuition. They are also offered for a variety of topics and with applications that vary widely in difficulty. Some tend to be very competitive, so we recommend having your student apply to as many as possible to bolster their chances. It is also important to familiarize yourself with Haverford’s policy on outside aid. For example, it may be used to offset the external funding component of financial aid. To read more about Haverford’s unique policies, read their page on outside aid . Are you looking for more personal financial aid advice? The Applications Program specializes in helping families through the process of college admissions, including what they can expect to pay for college and how to meet this price tag. Call today or read more about our program here .

Project Three - Information Security White Paper Research

Project Three - Information Security White - Research Paper Example It is essential to define a solid network defense for handling cyber-attacks. We have divided security into two aspects i.e. technical and formal security. Technical System Security After identifying the purpose, there is a requirement of identify weaknesses or vulnerabilities along with impact and types. Organizations have to consider the backdoors and the week points that may allow or trigger any threats to disrupt business operations by compromising an asset or information system. Moreover, a holistic approach is required to address all risks and vulnerabilities, as every minor vulnerability can expand by cascading other risks in the system. At a technical standpoint, what needs to be protected hardware, applications or data? That is a question that must be addressed by organization itself (Royal Canadian, 1992). The summary of this question can only be encountered by identifying and categorizing threats. As per (Dhillon, 2007) threats are categorized as Modification, Destruction, Disclosure, Interception, Interruption and fabrication and implies on hardware security, data security and software security. Effective change management and configuration management procedures along with documentation are the most effective controls for minimize security vulnerabilities that may arise from incompatible modules or hardware modification from the system (Prin of computer security 2E2010). Destruction is associated with physical damage to a hardware device, network device or software. Whereas, software destruction can be from a malicious code, Trojan or unintentional deletion of a kernel of any application etc. Similarly, data can also be deleted intentionally or unintentionally and can also be cause by malfunctioning device. Disclosure of data is proportional to confidentiality i.e. need to know basis. Data is easy to be stolen because the original copy still seems intact, in spite of the data theft. Data types can be classified in to many types, again depending on o rganizational requirements. For instance, trade secrets, upcoming financial results or long term strategic plans of the organization can be classified as top secret, whereas, customer information can be classified as confidential. Organizations conducting business online collect customer information via websites. Data can also be intercepted by unauthorized access to computing and electronic resources. Moreover, unauthorized remote can also result in accessing information from a remote location. Interruption can also cause system availability that may result from malfunctioned hardware or power outage. Moreover, interruption of services can also be caused from broadcast storm or network congestion that may cause denial of service. Lastly, fabrication refers to a penetration of transactions to a database. Fabrication is often conducted by unauthorized parties in a way that is difficult to identify the authentic and forged transaction. One of the examples of fabrication is called as à ¢â‚¬ËœPhishing’. Moreover, asymmetric and symmetric encryption techniques are considered as per requirements. Moreover, non-repudiation can be prevented by third party certificate authorities. Formal System Security Management of information system security requires a development of organizational structure and processes for ensuring adequate protection and integrity. Likewise, for maintaining adequate security, an appropriate relationship organization is required for maintaining integrity of

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Gods and Goddesses Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gods and Goddesses - Research Paper Example As the discussion stresses  some of the most important spiritual beings worshipped by Romans include Jupiter and Juno. Jupiter was their main god, while Juno was his wife, and she was regarded as a goddess of fertility. The Romans used the peacock and the pomegranate to symbolize her presence.From the report it is clear that  though early Romans placed did not regard and care for the personality of their gods, they were concerned on their functions. These early Romans integrated worship of the gods into all aspects of their lives. In politics and geographic influence, Rome integrated religious beliefs and customs. Assimilation was visible in all corners of life. For example, the Romans began worshipping the goddess Cybele because of the threat that Hannibal was posing towards the people of Rome.  In the lives of Romans household were seen to have personal spirits which protected every household. They were called the lares and in essence were family ancestral spirits. The penate s were kind of spirits that guarded the larder. It is stated that little shrines, the lararium, were placed in houses to and these spirits could be worshipped on daily basis. Sacrifices in the form of bits of wine and food were offered to these spirits. Later on Emperor Constantine brought in Christianity which changed the whole of Rome and Europe. The Roman gods had a direct influence on the family lives of the Romans. Take for instance Juno, who was the goddess of fertility. The Romans believed that she had the power and capability of providing children to them.  

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Are Writing Deficiencies Creating a Lost Generation of Business Essay - 1

Are Writing Deficiencies Creating a Lost Generation of Business Writers - Essay Example Quible and Griffin (2007) explore most prevalent reasons for writing deficiencies. Based on their research, Quible and Griffin (2007) recommend solutions to the challenge of writing deficiencies. They propose three major approaches to addressing the challenge. First, they propose the modified context-based approach. Second, they recommend the glossing approach. The third proposal to addressing the challenge is the rules-based approach. Because of the necessity to have employers who are competent in oral and written communication, businesses meet various costs in upgrading such employees. American firms spend as much as 3.1billion dollars annually in making remedies for the writing deficiencies among their employees (Quible & Griffin, 2007). The move is justified by the need for businesses to keep a pool of employees with good writing skills to boost their competitiveness. Success among employees, among other factors, relies on effective communication skills. Consequently, communication deficiency among employees may cause losses to businesses. Businesses organizations that have employees with writing deficiency experience communication breakdown. In situations where there is writing deficiency, business clients find dissatisfaction in service delivery. Quible and Griffin (2007) cite a report by the NCW in their research. According to the report, students in schools lack essential communication skills due to writing deficiency. The research shows the students are today less effective than fifteen to twenty years ago (Quible & Griffin, 2007). The ineffectiveness resulted from teachers’ failure to teach standard grammar as evidenced in the report. English teachers focused on promoting context-based approach as they showed Traditional School Grammar as they termed it ineffective. Consequently, businesses fail to get a generation of good writers. According to Braddock as cited in Quible

Friday, July 26, 2019

Miderm worksheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Miderm worksheet - Essay Example n to the visual craft in this feature, the sum of the ensembles and surroundings were vibrant and delightful, and there wasnt anything that I would not like to take a gander at in light of the fact that it was all so exquisite and rich. I needed to recollect everything about the feature on account of the extent to which it invigorated my psyche. After sketching this out I learned that the content that stuck in my head was the part of her dancing for the man while he smokes his cigar. I learned that much of this video is about sexuality, the female nude, the male gaze and how woman can use their sexiness to gain the attention of a man. I also learned that I am a terrible drawer. 7. List descriptive details in the work that you find significant (angles, colors, focal points, characters, motion, sound, attire, shapes, mood, lighting, etc.) that help you understand the work. You need to understand and describe specific details of the work in order to derive meaning from it and interpret it. Otherwise, an interpretation likely has little grounding. The garments was unquestionably extremely noteworthy to help me comprehend this work, this music feature was honestly alluring and much of it is simply Beyoncà © moving in constrained dress for her spouse Jay-Z. I think having him in the music feature was additionally a tremendous a piece of this and seeing as this was her first collection discharged since conceiving an offspring I think having her spouse in the feature spoke to how she could in any case be an attractive lady considerably in the wake of having a child. The lighting in one of the parts is made to show simply her shape as she moves exposed on a seat, the bends in her body and point from her heel make her extremely engaging the eye. I could see why Jay-Z might need to gaze at her throughout the night Sexy, seductive, womanly, stimulating, empowering, risky, revealing, showy, burlesque, at the same time this video was also very degrading to women, needy for

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Senior Phase Teaching Diverse Learners Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Senior Phase Teaching Diverse Learners - Essay Example The school preparation for this activity involves providing families with psychological support literature and extending the family into the transitioning process. This type of family-oriented workshop likely understands the difficulties of finding quality work as a disabled person and will rely on patient and tolerant family members to assist in this difficult process. This would appeal to the self-determination theory, by providing family members with information to give the disabled student the guidance necessary to remain self-motivated and focused on the tasks at hand. To assist in this transition, the Australian government also ensures that schools have Interagency Collaboration workshops, which focus on developing a sense of teamwork with community individuals and professionals (learningplace.com.au, 2009). In addition, this module exposes disabled students to various literatures which highlights career options (and other services) after completing the senior phase of schooling. This type of transition module would appeal to the disabled students’ least dangerous assumptions, in terms of choosing a post-phase option which is best suited for their strengths and their limitations. In lieu of evidence which is earned through job experience, the disabled individual must be responsible for making decisions which will provide the least harm in the long-term to their unique, disabled positions. Internally, human resources training is part of the steps taken to ensure disabled students are prepared for post-school options. Adequate teacher training is an â€Å"essential factor in helping students achieve greater self-determination† (Zhang and Stecker, 2001, p.293). Teachers are equipped with modern psychological and sociological theories to develop a program which is most effective for the emotional well-being of the disabled student during this period. Part of the preparation process is to ensure that teachers are equipped with

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Video review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Video review - Assignment Example Being already in his fifties da Vinci painted Mona Lisa, a portrait of a Florentine merchant Francesco del Giocondos wife, which explains why the painting is often called La Giaconda in Italy. Mona, in turn, is a contraction from Italian "ma donna", which means "my lady". Leonardo never handed over the portrait to del Giocondo because he probably never considered it finished. Years later Napoleon took Mona Lisa to his bedroom; it was also stolen from Louvre Museum once, which finally brought it a worldwide fame. But eventually the portrait got back to Louvre, where it stays to date. 2. King Tuthankhamuns tomb is full of ancient artworks devoted to this legendary Egyptian ruler. The Golden mask is one of them. Preserved in the Museum of Cairo it shows its visitors the luxury and sophisticated taste of King Tut. It is a masterpiece that is almost impossible to copy. Seven coffins of the King Tuts tomb bear the embossment of Tuthankhamuns face, each being an artwork of exquisite beauty. The Golden Throne is another masterpiece containing relief images of King and Queen, which tells us the story of their love. On top of these wonders, there are over one hundred pieces of the finest jewelry found inside the tomb. Art in ancient Egypt was made for religious purposes and, apart from its beauty, reveals a lot about the ancient times that have been long

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Management Information Systems Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management Information Systems - Case Study Example In this context, the metrics and standards must not be confused with feeling and religion. Ethical dilemma is a situation when a good step (or approach) from the viewpoint of one set of metrics and standards becomes wrong from another set of metrics and standards or vice versa. Wal-Mart has become a top retailer in the U.S.A. by inventing how to reduce the operational cost, implementing low prices for products and placing the inventory in the shop just in time. When Wal-Mart notices that associates scheduling using manual mode is expensive and ineffective, no doubt it will try to find a way to reduce the particular expense. Implementation of digital technology for associate work scheduling by Wal-Mart cannot be considered as a wrong moral action. Wal-Mart’s moral action will be classified right, or wrong based on decisions that management implements in stores using the information that they receive from the Kronos system. Management uses information to reduce staff early in the day and increase staff during the midday rush. Management reduces staff again toward the end of the afternoon and increases again for an evening crowd (â€Å"Flexible Scheduling at Walmart†, n.d). This scheduling method implies that the Wal-Mart is holding an X number of workforce under its control and distributing all or a portion of it during the day based on the optimization rule on how to maximize the profit. It should be noted that Wal-Mart is only paying the associates when they are at work. An additional benefit that Wal-Mart is bringing to its shareholders from this operation is money that the Company is not paying to the workforce while keeping them under its control. On one hand, Wal-Mart is fulfilling its responsibility to increase shareholders’ value; on the other hand, it is not fulfilling its responsibility to ensure workers welfare. Thus, the action is resulting conflicting moral obligations;

Theories of Motivation, Emotion, and Arousal Essay Example for Free

Theories of Motivation, Emotion, and Arousal Essay Motivation speaks of the launching, direction, strength, and persistence of human behavior. (Geen, 1994) This means motivation maintains an important role in the normal functioning of all individuals.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because of this, numerous theories have been developed to achieve a clearer understanding of the mechanisms of the human motivational system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the more traditional theories of motivation is the arousal theory. This theory sates that an individual is compelled to seek a certain level of arousal in order to continue to feel comfortable. In this theory, an individual’s specific goals and behavior is not as relevant as his or her drive to maintain a pre-set level of arousal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another theory of motivation is the attribution theory of motivation and emotion. This theory stresses the fact that individual’s are highly motivated by desirable outcomes which make them feel good about themselves. The theory is grounded on the assumption that a person interprets his or her environment in such a way that a positive self-image is maintained. Thus the amount of effort he or she exerts, the motivation, for a behavior is dependent on his or her attribution for the success or failure of that specific task.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fact that the arousal theory views humans as organisms living simply on a homeostatic drive without thought to the cognitive and emotional capacities of man puts it in lesser standing. Also, it is only able to account for internal factors that contribute to behavior. The attribution theory, on the other hand, is an applicable theory even in the field of education where it is able to predict instances wherein a student will most likely persist at a certain academic task. Attribution theory allows for a more holistic view of the individual and his environment. It is a stronger theory as it holds much potential for expansion and furthering of its concepts and because it relates to many other established concepts of psychology. Stress : Impact and Management   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stress in lay terms can be used to refer to emotions of anxiety, agitation, unease, tension, pressure, and a generally depressive state created by an individual’s interaction with the environment. In psychological terms, stress indicates a disagreeable emotional and physiological state of arousal as experienced in instances wherein an individual senses a danger or a threat to their well-being. The responses, which can be physiological, emotional, or behavioral in nature, to such situations can also be considered as stress.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because of the fact that stress is a natural part of a human’s daily experience, much research has been conducted to study its effects and its management. The most common physiological response to stress is one triggered by the body’s Sympathetic Nervous System, the fight or flight response. This involves an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. The individual’s perspiration also increases. Also, hearing and vision become more attuned to the environment. Blood is directed away from the extremities and towards the body’s large muscles thus resulting in the sensation of coldness in the hands and feet. Chronic stress can result in experience of headaches and an increased susceptibility to colds. It can result in an increase in cortisol levels which weakens the immune system and leaves the individual more prone to health problems like diabetes, hyperthyroidism, heart disease, obesity and ulcers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The negative effects of stress on the body can be lessened with proper stress management. These often involve using relaxation techniques when experiencing stress such as Progressive Muscle Relaxation, meditation, and learning command of breathing and muscle tension. Being able to anticipate stressful events is also a means of management. Knowing one’s optimal stress levels and the stressors that cause intense reactions are adaptive prevention techniques that may serve more efficiently than established intervention techniques. Reference Geen, R. (1994). Human motivation: A psychological approach. New York:Wadsworth Publishing.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Emotional relationship Essay Example for Free

Emotional relationship Essay In this essay I will be looking at two theories of attachment, an intense emotional relationship enduring over time and in which prolonged separation is accompanied by stress and sorrow (Kagan et al 1982). I will also attempt to evaluate the statement from Bowlby 58, where he says that Mother love in infancy is as important for mental health as are vitamins and protein for physical health. The two attachment theories I will be looking at are Bowlbys 1953 Monotrophy Theory and Freuds Psychoanalytical Theory. Bowlby initially argued that attachment is an adaptive behaviour due to the human instinct to survive. Infants are born with a predisposition to survive and therefore have to form an attachment in order to gain food, warmth and protection etc. In order for this interaction to take place, the infant is born with Innate Social Releasers that prompt care-giving from the parent through releasers such as crying and cooing etc. Infants also need to form attachments in order to have a secure base from which to explore the world around them. This can be seen in securely attached infants, who are happy to explore an unfamiliar room, as long as the person with whom they have their primary bond is present (Strange Situation- Ainsworth and Bell 1970). Bowlby described this primary bond as Monotrophy, meaning turning towards one person. He recognised that this bond doesnt always form with the biological mother, just the primary care giver. Adults also have a predisposition to care and be responsive to their offspring, as the survival of the infant into adulthood ensures the continuation of their genetic line. Therefore the have an innate response to the infants social releasers. Bowlby suggested that infants have a Critical Period, up to 2 1/2 years, for attachments to form. If attachments were not made by this age, it would not be possible for the child to form any attachment and the child would suffer long-term, permanent emotional damage, particularly in the formation of lasting adult relationships. This is due to the Internal Working Model according to Bowlby and later by Bretherton and Waters (1985) who said that secure children have developed a positive working model of themselves, based on their feelings of security derived from having a sensitive, emotionally responsive and supportive primary care-giver. It is therefore said that avoidant children have a rejecting, unresponsive caregiver, resulting in a negative working model of themselves. He also developed the Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis, where he claimed that infants who were unable to develop attachments would grow up having problems with relationships and have a higher chance of behavioural disorders. This hypothesis was supported by other psychologists such as Spitz and Wolf (1946) and Robertson and Robertson (1971). An alternative theory of attachment is the Psychosexual theory put forward by Freud. He said there are five stages of development a child goes through: Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency and Genital. The stage that deals with attachment is the oral stage, which occurs from birth to about 18 months. Freud thought that during this time the infant is driven by the Pleasure Principle. This is caused by the development of the Id, the first component of the personality to develop. The Id demands instant gratification and in the oral stage, gratification comes through the mouth. The drive for oral satisfaction is vital at this age as the attention is focused on food and thus, survival. There are three parts to this stage of development: the drive for oral gratification that results in an uncomfortable feeling, so the infant cries. He is then fed, and the drive is reduced and the uncomfortable feeling, hunger, is gone. This is experienced as pleasure. Therefore the attachment is made with the person who offers the gratification and pleasure. Although at first glance, the two theories are very different, when analysed, similarities can be drawn. They both suggest stages the infant must go through in order to develop into a stable adult. Bowlby says that no infantile attachment leads to problems in adult relationships and Freud says that an unsuccessful transition through any of the five stages will result in regression in later life, for example a child with an oral fixation will suck his thumb, chew pen tops and in later life smoke. Both of these points are true to a certain degree, as there as been countless studies about children who have had maternal deprivation in early infancy and grown up into maladjusted adults. However it is difficult to be able to pinpoint exactly what is the cause of an adults maladjusted behaviour as there may be numerous reasons, which cannot be reduced to maternal deprivation alone. One major difference between these theories is that while Bowlby recognises that the primary bond doesnt have to be with the mother, Freuds theory is dependant on the mother or wet nurse. This could lead to implications when trying to apply Freuds theory today, as many infants are not breast-fed at all. Bowlbys theory was very well received in the UK when it was published, as it came just after the second world war, when women were being encouraged to go back to the home and their children, so the men could return to the jobs in the factories etc. His theory gave the government something by which to almost force the women home, as the threat of a maladjusted child, due to your absence, was more than most women wanted to deal with. It was also one of the most important and influential pieces of psychological work of that century.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Management Changes Within British Airways

Management Changes Within British Airways Introduction Air travel industry is considered an outsized industry throughout the world. This industry has experienced major growth in the last 50 years due to general improvement in technology. The outcome has been a firm decline in fares and costs, which has encouraged traffic growth. This demanding traffic has made the industry grow at a speedy pace. However the speedy growth had its swindles in terms of the changes that airline industry had to go through. Organizations in the industry went through drastic and somewhat dramatic changes in the past one decade. This decade saw the businesses going through change management programs to gain and keep competitive advantage in the industry. This particular dissertation is focused on the case study of British airways and the change management program that it went through in order to gain competitive advantage. British Airways is one of the highest earning airlines in the world. It is famous for its culture f leadership, virtues and employees welfare. Chief Executive of British Airways plc, Bob Ayling started extensive change management programs in the organization in the late 90s. These programs were started despite the fact that BA was earning record profits back then. Some of these changes brought positive changes in the organization, however most of the changes were perceived negatively among the employees. The negativity eventually led to strikes and low morals. (Balmer et al., 2009) These problems were majorly blamed on the poor leadership of Ayling, as well as the change management programs that the company went through. Ayling, on the other hand argued that these change management programs, including cost cutting and outsourcing of major departments, were indeed necessary for long term benefit of British airways. (Harvey and Turnbull, 2006) The introduction part will now focus on de fining history of British airways as well as focusing on Aylings change management programs and its effects on the organization as a whole. Post Merger Following the merger of British European Airways and British Overseas Airways Corporation which bent British Airways, the company had many problems and issues.   One of the issues met by the company is in terms of cultural perspective. The outcomes of culture become mainly apparent in mergers, acquisitions and cross national operations, where not only dissimilar organizational cultures but also organizational cultures entrenched in different national cultures meet.(Carleton and Lineberry, 2004)   Research indicate that when workers from dissimilar cultures interrelate and, especially, when one culture is required to adopt the procedures and policies of the other culture, upsetting tensions come out.   And this occurred between the staff of the two merging industries (BEA and BOAC).   This issue can be explained as (Betancourt and LÃÆ' ³pez, 1993). Another issue or problem faced by British Airways was its forced management system.  The company put into practice a very inf lexible management system which made the system of conversant with rules.   Likewise, another issue was incapability of the management of the new organization to satisfy and see the requirements of their consumers.   The organization gave importance on its limited management concentrates and approach on preserving its various routes which resulted in unsatisfied consumers.   These conflicts and issues had a very negative outcome on the new organization.   British Airways earned the reputation of being the most disreputable company after the post merger.  (Carleton and Lineberry, 2004) In addition, the company could not handle the increased burden of flights and customers. In the late 80s the company was rated as most unpunctual airline and customers were advised to avoid travelling on it. (Eckel et al., 1997) Management changes within British Airways: In order to modify its reputation, British Airways decided to go for CHANGE MANAGEMENT. Businesses, companies, and working organizations have incorporated change into their work system in order to be aggressive and be more competent to satisfy customer or clients needs.   (Hayes, 2002) The Conservative party Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher selected John King in early 1981 to be the Chairperson of British Airways plc. During the management of John King, he forced changes resulting in several routes bring axed as well as selling off the cargo planes and service. The company also cut 20,000 workers as part of the change process.   In 1982, Colin Marshall became the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of British Airways plc. In this period, British Airways produced its first additional profit which was the outcome of the cost-cutting actions implemented by John King. Colin Marshall decided to pay attention to its customer service in order to ensure that company carries on making profit. M arshall hired Consultants to collect data about workers and customer attitudes. The outcome of this evaluation showed that there is a significant gap between what was delivered by BA staff what the consumer actually required. Another management plan was the transformation of the system from staff- oriented to customer oriented through the formation of customer is king environment within the company. (Heifetz and Laurie, 2002) Marshall also investigated that the workers had an internal problem in terms of having a harmonious and good working relationship; therefore, he decided to generate more unity among the British Airways workers by putting into practice the Staff Development Initiative which anticipated the long-term and inherent cultural development and change in British Airways. The program was intended on having more efficient staff members who could offer excellent and quality service to its consumer. (Pine and Gilmore, 1998) This cultural education training lasted until the late 1990s; it created the awareness for the workers to do their job according to customers requirements. Marshall also started Awards for Excellence in 1987.   The goal of this initiative was to award high performers and inspire the workers to always do their best in offering services.   For the duration of that year, Brainwaves, a proposal system was also launched. The change process imposed by Marshall was in co-operation with Lancaster University to provide MBA course for its workers. This was the part of the cultural education training by British airways to make its workers more efficient. (Prokesch, 1995) Furthermore, the organizational structure of British Airways was also modified to a much slimmer and flatter structure. Five sections of the organization started direct reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and eleven profit centers were formed. This structural replacement aimed at improving staff communication and integ ration. The performance-related pay was also brought in by the management. The change process also comprised major investments in ground facilities, planes, and Information Technology. (Grugulis and Wilkinson, 2002) Putting people first program The management also started a program for its staff called Putting people first. The program was focused on training the staff become more customer oriented. It was a one day seminar delivered by consultants hired by British airways. In the start the program only included staffs that were directly in contact with the customers. However with the passage of time the program was extended for all employees. The program covered the topics of being a winner or loser, owning the problem, being attentive and empowerment. (Street, 1994) With this help of this program staff was given a chance to become involved in decision making. They were encouraged to make any suggestions that could improve the customer service. This was followed by training the staff to own the problem rather than putting blame on each other. The whole trainings program helped the company dramatically, staff turnover reduced to a great level and customer satisfaction increased. (Tushman and OReilly III, 2006) This successful implementation of this program led to several other training programs being launched by BA management and staff. These programs included A day in the life and to be the best. These two programs also met success and British airways started seeing itself getting ahead of the industry. Winning for customer program This program was launched in 92/93 by the company. It was completely focused on listening to customers views and making changes in the company accordingly. This program was basically a loyalty program for customers as well as gaining feedback from them. (Dowling and Uncles, 1997) This program was also somewhat successful as it gave the company insight into companys service from customers eyes. Managing people first program Another program launched in the same era was managing people first. This program was focused on increasing trust among employees, emphasizing the importance of leadership and feedback. (Bruce, 1987)The program brought in positive changes among the employees. They started trusting each other and delivering the job with more efforts. The leadership aspect of the program helped the managers understand their employees better and leading the organization into better changes. The history of British airways clearly stated that a culture of change existed in the organization. These changes were perceived positively by the employees. These changes also helped the organization get on the top back then. In the case study section of the dissertation, change management programs and its consequences by Ayling will be discussed to understand and analyze that scenario. Research question The primary research question of this research study is, To explore the extent to which change management is necessary for a firm to achieve sustainable competitive advantage Additionally, the secondary research question is to examine the change management initiatives previously taken by British Airways to attain competitive advantage and profitability. Research aim and objective of this study The main objective and strategic aim of this piece of study is to explore the role and significance of Change Management in this era of globalization and changing market needs by taking the case study of British Airways in specific. To understand what went wrong and why it went wrong in the leadership of Ayling Analyze the data and come up with findings regarding change management programs Conclude if change management is necessary for a firm to gain competitive advantage Literature Review The process and practice of globalization and developments with the new technologies are merely few stimuli which continually compel business organizations to transform. Business organizations must be considerate and prepared of the vibrant inner and exterior environment in which they manage their operations. The great challenge facing organizations today is change: employing, retaining and most prominently developing managers, and effectively managing organizational change. (Brandenburg and Binder, 1999) There exist three different verities of change which an organization can experience. These three according to him are smooth incremental change, bumpy incremental change and discontinuous change. In the first variety the organization go through a smooth transition and such a change process is perceived by its managers as inherent to the organization. In the second variety there may be oppositions to it, however according to him it is more like the movement of the continents, where faults are generated and bumps are created. In such a case the created faults readjusts the process and a balance is created with time. (Grundy, 1998) The third and the last variety is a discontinuous one, in which the change process is abrupt. This abrupt change could be in the strategy, culture or the structure of the organization. During the process of change there can be people who may resist it. This resistance in general comes from the individuals, who may oppose individually or as a group. The rationale behind this is that the individuals do not want to come out of their current state. As an example someone might already have convinced himself that he has already got what he wanted, so why to accept the new things? Or there might be some heavy investments involved which may be stop to proceed. What does managing change means? Change management is a planned activity intended at getting the best results from the transformation process. It is about managing the changes that are outcomes of the selected approaches. This is done in such a way so that the results and effects go along with the organizational framework. Devising a strategy is also the part of change management. Such a process and procedure is unique and specific to a certain organization. It is rare that a process devised for an organization do fit to the other. Although this can happen, however the probability is quite low. The procedure for change management and the measures that are element of a specific approach are exclusive and exact to a particular organization. Every organization has its own needs; their resources and circumstances differ, culture changes, relationships and clients requirements become specific, and their ambitions, objectives and aims may differ(Mullins, 2007). It is about discovering options and selecting pathways. (Horton, 2000) According to George Bernard Shaw Development is unattainable without change and transformation, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. Managing change means a systematic procedure of taking into consideration the global circumstances disturbing an organization; in addition to specific state of affairs within the organization. The change management technique scrutinizes the existing environment and procedures with high attitude to firm culture, organization design, communication, job design, personnel, infrastructure, knowledge and skills. The most important and significant meaning of change management is the term referred to as the task of managing change. The term itself is used in two contexts. Firstly, it means to make changes in an intended and systematic manner. Secondly, this refers to as managing the reactions for the implemented processes. The acknowledgment of the requirements for timely adjustment to external stimulus has evolved the concept of the learning organization; an organization which is capable of continuous adaptation to the environment. At last, change management refers to an area of constituency of professional performance and the connected body of knowledge that has grown up inside and around the issues. There are several ways for change management, as an example, consulting firms offer a range of services to smooth out the process whereas the business schools recommend training in its theory and practice. (Kouzes et al., 1987) (Kanter, 1989) Approaches to change Management The planned approach to change management is tightly linked to managing and recognizing the procedures intended to make organizations more progressive. All these procedures attempt to offer smooth transition and attempt the productivity with the least confrontation. Change plans formulate the tangible outcomes, guide decision making, help to control the procedures and provide protection around uncertainties. There are six change management approaches to deal with this resistance and reaction. (Hayes, 2002)These six approaches are as following Communication and Education: The most significant ways to prevail over conflicts and resistance is through prior education and awareness. This helps in beforehand observing and perceiving the intensity of the change by the work force. The result of this will lead to suppression of rumors and uncertainties involved during the phase. Involvement and Participation: Wherever the initiators do not have the entire data and information they require designing the change and transformation and others have substantial power to oppose. When workers are mixed up in the change attempt they are more likely to involve in the transformation rather to oppose it. Support and Facilitation: Where people refuse to give in to change due to regulation problems, managers can set off possible resistance by encouraging workers during complex times. Managerial support facilitates employees compact with anxiety and fear during an evolution period. The source of resistance is likely to be the unawareness. Thus support and facilitation approach is connected with condition of counseling, special training and time off work. Agreement and Negotiation: Within an organization somebody or some group may drop out during the transformation process. Managers can fight resistance by giving incentives to workers who are not in opposition to the change and the transformation process. This agreement and negotiation approach will be suitable where those resisting change are strong enough. Co-option and Manipulation Approach: Somewhere there are other procedures which are too exclusive. Schlesinger and Kotter proposed that an effective management technique is to co-opt with counters of change effort and transformation process. This frequently involves choosing leaders of the resisters so that instead of opposition they lead to a contribution in the process. Implicit and Explicit Coercion: Implementation speed is a necessity but should be used as a final option. The process should be made as smooth as possible however the managers can clearly or perfectly compel workers into tolerating change effort by making clear that resisting change can lead to firing, losing jobs, demotions or transferring employees. Framework of change This idea is about the procedure for change management and transformation process, presenting proposals and getting feedback for change. This is further than a beginning step to the real action of accomplishment. There is requirement to comprehend how considered choices are completed and proposals are evaluated within the. The framework of change management used throughout this thesis is presented in Error: Reference source not found. This model investigates further how organizations make the movement from the current to the future state. In particular, we will look at the Three Step Model developed by Lewin based on unfreezing the organization, moving and sustaining the change. (Lewin, 1980) CULTURE The first section culture of the change management framework include authenticating the case for change and transformation process and how the shared service/BPO initiative will add to comprehending the organizations premeditated goals, and readiness of both employees and organization and assessing the capacity to incorporate change. Impending blockers must be recognized and articulated with agreed-upon approaches and strategies thus the initiative is not disrupted. ORGANIZATION The second section wraps the design of the new world, comprising the operating model, role definitions, organizational structures, governance and competency frameworks, and decision-making frameworks. Realistic steps should be used to design effective and realistic interfaces between the retained organization and shared service/BPO capacity. LEADERSHIP The third step in the wheel aims to simplify how the firm will be led, and to furnish the leaders to carry out their leadership roles. Specific and detailed activities comprise how the leader ship team will work together both during implementation of shared services/ BPO, defining the role of the leadership team, and consequently, and the roles and responsibilities of individual leaders. Achievement like this may identify the requirement for coaching and/or training of leaders and potential leaders. PEOPLE CAPABILITY The fourth step of the cycle of change management framework intends to ascertain the competencies and skills necessary and how to gather those requirements, comprising gap analysis, skills audits, career planning and job and role definitions. Participation of talent who will lead the new firm is key to the success of this movement. EXECUTION The fifth step of the cycle of change management framework ensures freedom of the new form. It comprises hard deliverables in the form of milestones, project plans, budget analysis and progress reports, and soft deliverables in the shape of stakeholders management and communications. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT The sixth and last step of the wheel of change management cover up life post-change and comprises processes and frameworks (e.g., balanced scorecards, performance management, and reward alignment) to determine the success of the changes, and means to make sure that opportunities for advance improvement are acted upon in a timely manner and identified.   Significance and benefits of Change management in the Organizations: Benefits of Change Management: ACCEPTING ENVIROMENT It is significant for the organization to assess, understand, and measure the dynamics in its exterior environment such as government, society and customers in order to predict and set up an appropriate relationship with these assorted performers like society, customers and government. Hence, managers by deliberating the subject of change management can better be ready to understand anything is going on in this environment. This is a major significance of change management in business organization. STRATEGY FORMULATION IMPLEMENTATION TO DEVELOP COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE It is very important to knowing the collision of change an inappropriate level on its own interior dynamics, where the main objective is to seek competitive advantage. This is the significance of change management in business organization. EMPLOYEES The employees are the beneficiaries of change process. One such continuous apprehension of senior managers is to make organization highly consistent; therefore workers ought to be high performing and trained one in todays twitchy competitive new world. There is need of trained, reliable organization and high performing work practices. This is significance of change management in organizations. TECHNOLOGY ISSUES Technology is realized as the engine of development in todays new world. May be the greatest challenge for modern organizations is the integration and acquisition of technology in its approach, structure and procedure. As such the apprehension of top managers is how to avoid and mitigate organization being outdated and how to absorb and cope the collision of communication technologies and changing information which have determinedly influencing consumption behavior and production process. This is another major benefit of change management in the organization. Significance of Change Management Implementation The peak five well recognized approaches of change management and significance of change management in the organization, which, when implemented properly, permit organizations to decrease risk and increase IT effectiveness and efficiency. The practices comprise of: Producing the top bottom approach to endorse the requirement for a culture of Information technology change management process that implements a zero tolerance approach to illicit changes across the whole enterprise. It will create significance of change management inside and outside the organization. Examining and monitoring the number of unintentional outages frequently to avert illegitimate changes and maintain maximum control on information technology variations. It will also create significance of change management in the modern organization. Put into practice risk mitigation changes executed and authorized by identifying well-defined change preservation windows and implemented them. The significance of change management will explore through it. Determine change success rates and using them as standard for key information technology management performance gauge. This is one of the major significance of change management. SWOT ANALYSIS OF BRITISH AIRWAYS British Airways is engaged in air services operations both in international and domestic airfreight. It provides various services ranging in commercial flights service for passengers around the globe, cargo freight and mail services and other auxiliary services. British Airways primarily runs its business in Europe and in United States. Located in Harmondsworth, Middlesex, it employs 42, 755 people in all its departments. British Airways facilitates flight reservation and booking using the online net services in which customers can easily access. Trying to appear competitive and maintain its integrity as one of the best airlines which emphasizes quality customer services, BA strives to create high-end terminal facilities and other services involving comfortable of customers while onboard. BA reaches out to 570 in about 134 countries. Such magnitude of operations offers customers with variety of destinations with world-class services that cater customers ranging from explorers to exec utives. Strengths British Airways strengths include the first-rate new fleet of aircrafts purchased to accolade comfortable traveling of passengers. This move was made to counter the wretched state of travel and complaint received by the previous fleet used by British Airways. The magnitude of Airways operations allows them on pro over their competitors by servicing to a wider variety of customers. Moreover, on the level of knowledge and skills, BA operational research claimed that analytical skills performed by the members of the company and employees become its strengths. The strong customer focus develops expertise in customer areas while in purchasing high-end software for air services and wide selection of it strengthens the companys business orientation. Weaknesses One of the many weaknesses on organizations business and services is the lack of marketing strategy that will help reinforce its competitive standards, more so, to win customers loyalty. Despite the great infrastructure hosted the company, BA needs to carry out better market schemes to attract more customers. Hence, competitive package for customer service must be afforded in order to make the airline more attractive to its clients, prompting an opportunity of earning large revenues. Furthermore, on knowledge and skills management, limited knowledge of simulation software and simulation development, knowledge lost through high level of internal staff moves, teams adopt solution approaches aligned only to their skills, and lack of involvement in choice of software and difficulty to enhance specialist airline software are weaknesses which the company must be aware of. Threats The threats are not necessarily be found outside of companys environment but can be an internal. Internal threats as seen in management centralized and bureaucratic system and all poor decision-making. Moreover, the companys focus on national and local problems pose a threat since much more problems which it neglect found in the global scheme. It neglects the global problems instead focusing deeply on the national and local level. The global problems greatly offer tremendous threats if and when companies will ignore such. Moreover, globalization can be an opportunity and strength but can also be a threat if not to be keen and vigilant of its tricks and treachery. Further, rapid changes on technology and customers behavior can also be a threat if mistakenly interpreted and remedied. Opportunities The availability of immense services and products pose an opportunity to utilize them properly. The global changes can be an opportunity to work with while ignoring certain opportunities can be a weakness. In BA, virtual reality could provide a new use for simulation, obtaining network software and share expertise through special interest groups are opportunities which can be utilized and used to further enhance the companys business. Technological trends provide ample opportunities to various business domains, however, if it will be taken for granted, opportunities can be a threat or weakness. Maximizing the global trends is a great opportunity to hold on to. Methodology The proposed methodology for this dissertation is case study research. Case study research is a common and popular method of conducting research in the field of social sciences. In this methodology, an event, individuals, or group are investigated and explained. This in depth investigation focuses on defining the particular instance in either descriptive or explanatory manner. (Hartley, 2004) The methodology is not merely storytelling; rather it describes and explains the event in much detail so the reader could understand the reasons for that event/instance. The case studies are building with multiple sources of data and evidence. They are usually focused on one aspect of the organization rather than the whole organization itself. (Merriam, 1998) Case study method is quite useful if one wants to understand and estimate the impact of a certain event. It is important to understand that case study methodology can only be used when rich amount of data is available so the case can actual ly be built using it. (Eisenhardt, 1989) Although it is quite popular method of conducting the research, it has its weaknesses as well. Researchers have criticized it because they feel that this method lacks reliability. The reliability is questioned when case study is build using the secondary data. This criticism states that the research cannot be relied on as it lacks researchers own research efforts, and the case is built on the research that was already available. (Stake, 1995)However there are more strengths to this methodology than weaknesses. The method is particularly praised due to its usefulness in providing a holistic view of an event or phenomena. It is also admired due to multiple sources of data and evidence that are used to build case study, as it provides multiple insight into the phenomena. (Gillham, 2000) Types of case study Researchers have devised and explained several categories of case studies. One of the popular models used to explained categories of case studies is by Yin. He defines these categories in terms of the number of event and single or multiple methods of analysis. Type 1: Single case design and single unit of analysis Type 2: Single unit of analysis and multiple case designs Type 3: Single case design and multiple units of analysis Type 4: Multiple case designs and multiple units of analysis Yin has also devised three types of case study, Exploratory: Used for new topics and reveals the facts about a certain event. This type of research is normally the first one and sets direction for future research. Researchers agree that this research is more related to What question rather than the Why question. Descriptive: This type of case study research focuses on a clearly define problem or research question. Its focus is on How and Who question Explanatory: the last type of case study research is explanatory, which focuses on Why question. It is usually build in exploratory and descriptive research and tries to find out preseason for an events occurrence. (Yin, 2008) This particular research will be built on using explanatory case study method. As we already know what happened in British airways due to change management programs, however we need to search the question of Why it happened? Sources of Data for case study In order to build up a case study, data needs to be collected. This data gathering can either be primary or secondary. The primar Management Changes Within British Airways Management Changes Within British Airways Introduction Air travel industry is considered an outsized industry throughout the world. This industry has experienced major growth in the last 50 years due to general improvement in technology. The outcome has been a firm decline in fares and costs, which has encouraged traffic growth. This demanding traffic has made the industry grow at a speedy pace. However the speedy growth had its swindles in terms of the changes that airline industry had to go through. Organizations in the industry went through drastic and somewhat dramatic changes in the past one decade. This decade saw the businesses going through change management programs to gain and keep competitive advantage in the industry. This particular dissertation is focused on the case study of British airways and the change management program that it went through in order to gain competitive advantage. British Airways is one of the highest earning airlines in the world. It is famous for its culture f leadership, virtues and employees welfare. Chief Executive of British Airways plc, Bob Ayling started extensive change management programs in the organization in the late 90s. These programs were started despite the fact that BA was earning record profits back then. Some of these changes brought positive changes in the organization, however most of the changes were perceived negatively among the employees. The negativity eventually led to strikes and low morals. (Balmer et al., 2009) These problems were majorly blamed on the poor leadership of Ayling, as well as the change management programs that the company went through. Ayling, on the other hand argued that these change management programs, including cost cutting and outsourcing of major departments, were indeed necessary for long term benefit of British airways. (Harvey and Turnbull, 2006) The introduction part will now focus on de fining history of British airways as well as focusing on Aylings change management programs and its effects on the organization as a whole. Post Merger Following the merger of British European Airways and British Overseas Airways Corporation which bent British Airways, the company had many problems and issues.   One of the issues met by the company is in terms of cultural perspective. The outcomes of culture become mainly apparent in mergers, acquisitions and cross national operations, where not only dissimilar organizational cultures but also organizational cultures entrenched in different national cultures meet.(Carleton and Lineberry, 2004)   Research indicate that when workers from dissimilar cultures interrelate and, especially, when one culture is required to adopt the procedures and policies of the other culture, upsetting tensions come out.   And this occurred between the staff of the two merging industries (BEA and BOAC).   This issue can be explained as (Betancourt and LÃÆ' ³pez, 1993). Another issue or problem faced by British Airways was its forced management system.  The company put into practice a very inf lexible management system which made the system of conversant with rules.   Likewise, another issue was incapability of the management of the new organization to satisfy and see the requirements of their consumers.   The organization gave importance on its limited management concentrates and approach on preserving its various routes which resulted in unsatisfied consumers.   These conflicts and issues had a very negative outcome on the new organization.   British Airways earned the reputation of being the most disreputable company after the post merger.  (Carleton and Lineberry, 2004) In addition, the company could not handle the increased burden of flights and customers. In the late 80s the company was rated as most unpunctual airline and customers were advised to avoid travelling on it. (Eckel et al., 1997) Management changes within British Airways: In order to modify its reputation, British Airways decided to go for CHANGE MANAGEMENT. Businesses, companies, and working organizations have incorporated change into their work system in order to be aggressive and be more competent to satisfy customer or clients needs.   (Hayes, 2002) The Conservative party Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher selected John King in early 1981 to be the Chairperson of British Airways plc. During the management of John King, he forced changes resulting in several routes bring axed as well as selling off the cargo planes and service. The company also cut 20,000 workers as part of the change process.   In 1982, Colin Marshall became the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of British Airways plc. In this period, British Airways produced its first additional profit which was the outcome of the cost-cutting actions implemented by John King. Colin Marshall decided to pay attention to its customer service in order to ensure that company carries on making profit. M arshall hired Consultants to collect data about workers and customer attitudes. The outcome of this evaluation showed that there is a significant gap between what was delivered by BA staff what the consumer actually required. Another management plan was the transformation of the system from staff- oriented to customer oriented through the formation of customer is king environment within the company. (Heifetz and Laurie, 2002) Marshall also investigated that the workers had an internal problem in terms of having a harmonious and good working relationship; therefore, he decided to generate more unity among the British Airways workers by putting into practice the Staff Development Initiative which anticipated the long-term and inherent cultural development and change in British Airways. The program was intended on having more efficient staff members who could offer excellent and quality service to its consumer. (Pine and Gilmore, 1998) This cultural education training lasted until the late 1990s; it created the awareness for the workers to do their job according to customers requirements. Marshall also started Awards for Excellence in 1987.   The goal of this initiative was to award high performers and inspire the workers to always do their best in offering services.   For the duration of that year, Brainwaves, a proposal system was also launched. The change process imposed by Marshall was in co-operation with Lancaster University to provide MBA course for its workers. This was the part of the cultural education training by British airways to make its workers more efficient. (Prokesch, 1995) Furthermore, the organizational structure of British Airways was also modified to a much slimmer and flatter structure. Five sections of the organization started direct reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and eleven profit centers were formed. This structural replacement aimed at improving staff communication and integ ration. The performance-related pay was also brought in by the management. The change process also comprised major investments in ground facilities, planes, and Information Technology. (Grugulis and Wilkinson, 2002) Putting people first program The management also started a program for its staff called Putting people first. The program was focused on training the staff become more customer oriented. It was a one day seminar delivered by consultants hired by British airways. In the start the program only included staffs that were directly in contact with the customers. However with the passage of time the program was extended for all employees. The program covered the topics of being a winner or loser, owning the problem, being attentive and empowerment. (Street, 1994) With this help of this program staff was given a chance to become involved in decision making. They were encouraged to make any suggestions that could improve the customer service. This was followed by training the staff to own the problem rather than putting blame on each other. The whole trainings program helped the company dramatically, staff turnover reduced to a great level and customer satisfaction increased. (Tushman and OReilly III, 2006) This successful implementation of this program led to several other training programs being launched by BA management and staff. These programs included A day in the life and to be the best. These two programs also met success and British airways started seeing itself getting ahead of the industry. Winning for customer program This program was launched in 92/93 by the company. It was completely focused on listening to customers views and making changes in the company accordingly. This program was basically a loyalty program for customers as well as gaining feedback from them. (Dowling and Uncles, 1997) This program was also somewhat successful as it gave the company insight into companys service from customers eyes. Managing people first program Another program launched in the same era was managing people first. This program was focused on increasing trust among employees, emphasizing the importance of leadership and feedback. (Bruce, 1987)The program brought in positive changes among the employees. They started trusting each other and delivering the job with more efforts. The leadership aspect of the program helped the managers understand their employees better and leading the organization into better changes. The history of British airways clearly stated that a culture of change existed in the organization. These changes were perceived positively by the employees. These changes also helped the organization get on the top back then. In the case study section of the dissertation, change management programs and its consequences by Ayling will be discussed to understand and analyze that scenario. Research question The primary research question of this research study is, To explore the extent to which change management is necessary for a firm to achieve sustainable competitive advantage Additionally, the secondary research question is to examine the change management initiatives previously taken by British Airways to attain competitive advantage and profitability. Research aim and objective of this study The main objective and strategic aim of this piece of study is to explore the role and significance of Change Management in this era of globalization and changing market needs by taking the case study of British Airways in specific. To understand what went wrong and why it went wrong in the leadership of Ayling Analyze the data and come up with findings regarding change management programs Conclude if change management is necessary for a firm to gain competitive advantage Literature Review The process and practice of globalization and developments with the new technologies are merely few stimuli which continually compel business organizations to transform. Business organizations must be considerate and prepared of the vibrant inner and exterior environment in which they manage their operations. The great challenge facing organizations today is change: employing, retaining and most prominently developing managers, and effectively managing organizational change. (Brandenburg and Binder, 1999) There exist three different verities of change which an organization can experience. These three according to him are smooth incremental change, bumpy incremental change and discontinuous change. In the first variety the organization go through a smooth transition and such a change process is perceived by its managers as inherent to the organization. In the second variety there may be oppositions to it, however according to him it is more like the movement of the continents, where faults are generated and bumps are created. In such a case the created faults readjusts the process and a balance is created with time. (Grundy, 1998) The third and the last variety is a discontinuous one, in which the change process is abrupt. This abrupt change could be in the strategy, culture or the structure of the organization. During the process of change there can be people who may resist it. This resistance in general comes from the individuals, who may oppose individually or as a group. The rationale behind this is that the individuals do not want to come out of their current state. As an example someone might already have convinced himself that he has already got what he wanted, so why to accept the new things? Or there might be some heavy investments involved which may be stop to proceed. What does managing change means? Change management is a planned activity intended at getting the best results from the transformation process. It is about managing the changes that are outcomes of the selected approaches. This is done in such a way so that the results and effects go along with the organizational framework. Devising a strategy is also the part of change management. Such a process and procedure is unique and specific to a certain organization. It is rare that a process devised for an organization do fit to the other. Although this can happen, however the probability is quite low. The procedure for change management and the measures that are element of a specific approach are exclusive and exact to a particular organization. Every organization has its own needs; their resources and circumstances differ, culture changes, relationships and clients requirements become specific, and their ambitions, objectives and aims may differ(Mullins, 2007). It is about discovering options and selecting pathways. (Horton, 2000) According to George Bernard Shaw Development is unattainable without change and transformation, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. Managing change means a systematic procedure of taking into consideration the global circumstances disturbing an organization; in addition to specific state of affairs within the organization. The change management technique scrutinizes the existing environment and procedures with high attitude to firm culture, organization design, communication, job design, personnel, infrastructure, knowledge and skills. The most important and significant meaning of change management is the term referred to as the task of managing change. The term itself is used in two contexts. Firstly, it means to make changes in an intended and systematic manner. Secondly, this refers to as managing the reactions for the implemented processes. The acknowledgment of the requirements for timely adjustment to external stimulus has evolved the concept of the learning organization; an organization which is capable of continuous adaptation to the environment. At last, change management refers to an area of constituency of professional performance and the connected body of knowledge that has grown up inside and around the issues. There are several ways for change management, as an example, consulting firms offer a range of services to smooth out the process whereas the business schools recommend training in its theory and practice. (Kouzes et al., 1987) (Kanter, 1989) Approaches to change Management The planned approach to change management is tightly linked to managing and recognizing the procedures intended to make organizations more progressive. All these procedures attempt to offer smooth transition and attempt the productivity with the least confrontation. Change plans formulate the tangible outcomes, guide decision making, help to control the procedures and provide protection around uncertainties. There are six change management approaches to deal with this resistance and reaction. (Hayes, 2002)These six approaches are as following Communication and Education: The most significant ways to prevail over conflicts and resistance is through prior education and awareness. This helps in beforehand observing and perceiving the intensity of the change by the work force. The result of this will lead to suppression of rumors and uncertainties involved during the phase. Involvement and Participation: Wherever the initiators do not have the entire data and information they require designing the change and transformation and others have substantial power to oppose. When workers are mixed up in the change attempt they are more likely to involve in the transformation rather to oppose it. Support and Facilitation: Where people refuse to give in to change due to regulation problems, managers can set off possible resistance by encouraging workers during complex times. Managerial support facilitates employees compact with anxiety and fear during an evolution period. The source of resistance is likely to be the unawareness. Thus support and facilitation approach is connected with condition of counseling, special training and time off work. Agreement and Negotiation: Within an organization somebody or some group may drop out during the transformation process. Managers can fight resistance by giving incentives to workers who are not in opposition to the change and the transformation process. This agreement and negotiation approach will be suitable where those resisting change are strong enough. Co-option and Manipulation Approach: Somewhere there are other procedures which are too exclusive. Schlesinger and Kotter proposed that an effective management technique is to co-opt with counters of change effort and transformation process. This frequently involves choosing leaders of the resisters so that instead of opposition they lead to a contribution in the process. Implicit and Explicit Coercion: Implementation speed is a necessity but should be used as a final option. The process should be made as smooth as possible however the managers can clearly or perfectly compel workers into tolerating change effort by making clear that resisting change can lead to firing, losing jobs, demotions or transferring employees. Framework of change This idea is about the procedure for change management and transformation process, presenting proposals and getting feedback for change. This is further than a beginning step to the real action of accomplishment. There is requirement to comprehend how considered choices are completed and proposals are evaluated within the. The framework of change management used throughout this thesis is presented in Error: Reference source not found. This model investigates further how organizations make the movement from the current to the future state. In particular, we will look at the Three Step Model developed by Lewin based on unfreezing the organization, moving and sustaining the change. (Lewin, 1980) CULTURE The first section culture of the change management framework include authenticating the case for change and transformation process and how the shared service/BPO initiative will add to comprehending the organizations premeditated goals, and readiness of both employees and organization and assessing the capacity to incorporate change. Impending blockers must be recognized and articulated with agreed-upon approaches and strategies thus the initiative is not disrupted. ORGANIZATION The second section wraps the design of the new world, comprising the operating model, role definitions, organizational structures, governance and competency frameworks, and decision-making frameworks. Realistic steps should be used to design effective and realistic interfaces between the retained organization and shared service/BPO capacity. LEADERSHIP The third step in the wheel aims to simplify how the firm will be led, and to furnish the leaders to carry out their leadership roles. Specific and detailed activities comprise how the leader ship team will work together both during implementation of shared services/ BPO, defining the role of the leadership team, and consequently, and the roles and responsibilities of individual leaders. Achievement like this may identify the requirement for coaching and/or training of leaders and potential leaders. PEOPLE CAPABILITY The fourth step of the cycle of change management framework intends to ascertain the competencies and skills necessary and how to gather those requirements, comprising gap analysis, skills audits, career planning and job and role definitions. Participation of talent who will lead the new firm is key to the success of this movement. EXECUTION The fifth step of the cycle of change management framework ensures freedom of the new form. It comprises hard deliverables in the form of milestones, project plans, budget analysis and progress reports, and soft deliverables in the shape of stakeholders management and communications. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT The sixth and last step of the wheel of change management cover up life post-change and comprises processes and frameworks (e.g., balanced scorecards, performance management, and reward alignment) to determine the success of the changes, and means to make sure that opportunities for advance improvement are acted upon in a timely manner and identified.   Significance and benefits of Change management in the Organizations: Benefits of Change Management: ACCEPTING ENVIROMENT It is significant for the organization to assess, understand, and measure the dynamics in its exterior environment such as government, society and customers in order to predict and set up an appropriate relationship with these assorted performers like society, customers and government. Hence, managers by deliberating the subject of change management can better be ready to understand anything is going on in this environment. This is a major significance of change management in business organization. STRATEGY FORMULATION IMPLEMENTATION TO DEVELOP COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE It is very important to knowing the collision of change an inappropriate level on its own interior dynamics, where the main objective is to seek competitive advantage. This is the significance of change management in business organization. EMPLOYEES The employees are the beneficiaries of change process. One such continuous apprehension of senior managers is to make organization highly consistent; therefore workers ought to be high performing and trained one in todays twitchy competitive new world. There is need of trained, reliable organization and high performing work practices. This is significance of change management in organizations. TECHNOLOGY ISSUES Technology is realized as the engine of development in todays new world. May be the greatest challenge for modern organizations is the integration and acquisition of technology in its approach, structure and procedure. As such the apprehension of top managers is how to avoid and mitigate organization being outdated and how to absorb and cope the collision of communication technologies and changing information which have determinedly influencing consumption behavior and production process. This is another major benefit of change management in the organization. Significance of Change Management Implementation The peak five well recognized approaches of change management and significance of change management in the organization, which, when implemented properly, permit organizations to decrease risk and increase IT effectiveness and efficiency. The practices comprise of: Producing the top bottom approach to endorse the requirement for a culture of Information technology change management process that implements a zero tolerance approach to illicit changes across the whole enterprise. It will create significance of change management inside and outside the organization. Examining and monitoring the number of unintentional outages frequently to avert illegitimate changes and maintain maximum control on information technology variations. It will also create significance of change management in the modern organization. Put into practice risk mitigation changes executed and authorized by identifying well-defined change preservation windows and implemented them. The significance of change management will explore through it. Determine change success rates and using them as standard for key information technology management performance gauge. This is one of the major significance of change management. SWOT ANALYSIS OF BRITISH AIRWAYS British Airways is engaged in air services operations both in international and domestic airfreight. It provides various services ranging in commercial flights service for passengers around the globe, cargo freight and mail services and other auxiliary services. British Airways primarily runs its business in Europe and in United States. Located in Harmondsworth, Middlesex, it employs 42, 755 people in all its departments. British Airways facilitates flight reservation and booking using the online net services in which customers can easily access. Trying to appear competitive and maintain its integrity as one of the best airlines which emphasizes quality customer services, BA strives to create high-end terminal facilities and other services involving comfortable of customers while onboard. BA reaches out to 570 in about 134 countries. Such magnitude of operations offers customers with variety of destinations with world-class services that cater customers ranging from explorers to exec utives. Strengths British Airways strengths include the first-rate new fleet of aircrafts purchased to accolade comfortable traveling of passengers. This move was made to counter the wretched state of travel and complaint received by the previous fleet used by British Airways. The magnitude of Airways operations allows them on pro over their competitors by servicing to a wider variety of customers. Moreover, on the level of knowledge and skills, BA operational research claimed that analytical skills performed by the members of the company and employees become its strengths. The strong customer focus develops expertise in customer areas while in purchasing high-end software for air services and wide selection of it strengthens the companys business orientation. Weaknesses One of the many weaknesses on organizations business and services is the lack of marketing strategy that will help reinforce its competitive standards, more so, to win customers loyalty. Despite the great infrastructure hosted the company, BA needs to carry out better market schemes to attract more customers. Hence, competitive package for customer service must be afforded in order to make the airline more attractive to its clients, prompting an opportunity of earning large revenues. Furthermore, on knowledge and skills management, limited knowledge of simulation software and simulation development, knowledge lost through high level of internal staff moves, teams adopt solution approaches aligned only to their skills, and lack of involvement in choice of software and difficulty to enhance specialist airline software are weaknesses which the company must be aware of. Threats The threats are not necessarily be found outside of companys environment but can be an internal. Internal threats as seen in management centralized and bureaucratic system and all poor decision-making. Moreover, the companys focus on national and local problems pose a threat since much more problems which it neglect found in the global scheme. It neglects the global problems instead focusing deeply on the national and local level. The global problems greatly offer tremendous threats if and when companies will ignore such. Moreover, globalization can be an opportunity and strength but can also be a threat if not to be keen and vigilant of its tricks and treachery. Further, rapid changes on technology and customers behavior can also be a threat if mistakenly interpreted and remedied. Opportunities The availability of immense services and products pose an opportunity to utilize them properly. The global changes can be an opportunity to work with while ignoring certain opportunities can be a weakness. In BA, virtual reality could provide a new use for simulation, obtaining network software and share expertise through special interest groups are opportunities which can be utilized and used to further enhance the companys business. Technological trends provide ample opportunities to various business domains, however, if it will be taken for granted, opportunities can be a threat or weakness. Maximizing the global trends is a great opportunity to hold on to. Methodology The proposed methodology for this dissertation is case study research. Case study research is a common and popular method of conducting research in the field of social sciences. In this methodology, an event, individuals, or group are investigated and explained. This in depth investigation focuses on defining the particular instance in either descriptive or explanatory manner. (Hartley, 2004) The methodology is not merely storytelling; rather it describes and explains the event in much detail so the reader could understand the reasons for that event/instance. The case studies are building with multiple sources of data and evidence. They are usually focused on one aspect of the organization rather than the whole organization itself. (Merriam, 1998) Case study method is quite useful if one wants to understand and estimate the impact of a certain event. It is important to understand that case study methodology can only be used when rich amount of data is available so the case can actual ly be built using it. (Eisenhardt, 1989) Although it is quite popular method of conducting the research, it has its weaknesses as well. Researchers have criticized it because they feel that this method lacks reliability. The reliability is questioned when case study is build using the secondary data. This criticism states that the research cannot be relied on as it lacks researchers own research efforts, and the case is built on the research that was already available. (Stake, 1995)However there are more strengths to this methodology than weaknesses. The method is particularly praised due to its usefulness in providing a holistic view of an event or phenomena. It is also admired due to multiple sources of data and evidence that are used to build case study, as it provides multiple insight into the phenomena. (Gillham, 2000) Types of case study Researchers have devised and explained several categories of case studies. One of the popular models used to explained categories of case studies is by Yin. He defines these categories in terms of the number of event and single or multiple methods of analysis. Type 1: Single case design and single unit of analysis Type 2: Single unit of analysis and multiple case designs Type 3: Single case design and multiple units of analysis Type 4: Multiple case designs and multiple units of analysis Yin has also devised three types of case study, Exploratory: Used for new topics and reveals the facts about a certain event. This type of research is normally the first one and sets direction for future research. Researchers agree that this research is more related to What question rather than the Why question. Descriptive: This type of case study research focuses on a clearly define problem or research question. Its focus is on How and Who question Explanatory: the last type of case study research is explanatory, which focuses on Why question. It is usually build in exploratory and descriptive research and tries to find out preseason for an events occurrence. (Yin, 2008) This particular research will be built on using explanatory case study method. As we already know what happened in British airways due to change management programs, however we need to search the question of Why it happened? Sources of Data for case study In order to build up a case study, data needs to be collected. This data gathering can either be primary or secondary. The primar