Coca-Cola Fizz Factor Essay Example for Free

Coca-Cola Fizz Factor Essay 1) The Coca-Cola Company in my opinion has all the resources listed in the chapter. They have been such a successful organization over the years that they posses; financial, physical, human, intangible, and structural-cultural resources. It is because of their Global nature that I believe that they have these resources, and these are needed to for organizations to have capabilities and core competencies. Understanding that because Coca-Cola is such a global brand it means that their capabilities must stretch through culture so I do believe it is very hard to develop unique resources and distinctive capabilities. However, because of the resources behind them in some ways it is easier to develop strategies and gain that competitive advantage. 2) Coca-Cola has a number of distinctive capabilities. Its brand is one by itself, they have created a competitive advantage just by their name, Coca-Cola is known globally and it is a testament to the organization that it is so powerful. Another distinctive capability would be the shape and design of their bottles and cans, it may not seem like much but it can create nostalgia for and again turn in to a competitive advantage. Also with the patent for their designs it makes it impossible for competitors to imitate and take away that competitive advantage. 3) 127 Years of Happiness – This is a major strength; Coca-Cola’s history and tradition automatically give it credibility and make customers trust the brand. Other newer competitors just cannot compete with this, however it is extremely important that they continue to change and innovate. 200+ countries – This may mean a global organization, but this brings about some weaknesses. You have to deal with so many different cultures, languages, climates, and beliefs that it can be very difficult to keep everyone happy and keep providing a quality product. 3500 products worldwide – Again this is like the example above, it can be very challenging due to the diversity and target audience of all the products. However, it can be an advantage because of the variety of products you provide sets Coca-Cola apart from it competitors, giving them yet another competitive advantage. 1,322,000 Tweets per quarter – Twitter is becoming huge, and we saw during the Superbowl blackout how powerful a marketing tool it can be. Oreo cookies tweeted â€Å"Power out? No problem. You can still dunk in the dark† so in my eyes I see this growing number to be a huge positive on a marketing front. Although on the other hand, social media can be very damaging, and if Coca-Cola does something bad, a negative reputation could spread around the world in a matter of moments. Protest Group of 100,000 people wanting the original Coke back – this shows that if you get it wrong you can face a major backlash from your customers. But this also showed how loyal people were to the original Coke, yes it was a negative result but it really highlights to the Coca-Cola Company what a great product they have. 4) It has to be the capabilities assessment profile, by following the five steps of this option Muhtar Kent can truly analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the organization on a global scale. The key competencies and capabilities are what set Coca-Cola apart and they need to continue to focus on these aspects, it creates the competitive advantage and this must be maintained in the future. This is vital if Coca-Cola want to remain up there as on of the most popular brands in the world.

Virtual Reality Internship Reflection

Virtual Reality Internship Reflection Executive summary about Internship/abstract: Spoketech is Chicago based company founded in 2005 focused on helping businesses realize their vision. Our team has a solid experience in IT strategy and technology solutions. Its a small consulting firm and fortunately they started working on VR(Virtual Reality) environment. I got interviewed by showing them my portfolio of my previous work I done in Unity Engine. So I had the opportunity to work with them on this quarter for past 9 weeks. The company had all the resources for working on virtual reality stating from the software to hardware everything are cutting edge technology. I was allowed to work on high end software such a Unity, Maya, and Photoshop. I got introduced to agile development methodologies. I proved a valuable resource throughout this quarter by expressing my effectiveness and providing there necessary requirements developing the product. Detailed Description Responsibilities Goals/Objectives: At SpokeTech Inc, I was assigned to work in Virtual Reality one of their own products in collaboration with Amazon cloud services. I worked in the Maya and Unity part. The team wants me to build the 3D model and import to Unity and already there is a test model was built to test in the VR environment. So this a cloud based service, before I joined they already started working on cloud services. I was assigned to the task to build 3D models with low poly count so that they can upload to the cloud and download into Unity engine to make their product. I taught myself to design Maya and went through different websites and watched educational YouTube videos and designed a lot of prototype model and communicated with the team to build a perfect 3D model. To complete the task efficiently I used the already test build model blue print to design the 3D model. In the end the model came what was we expected. Also, I was involved in VR scripting related work. The project was done using C# language because the unity engine supports JavaScript and C#. I found that C# is easy for me as I learnt it before when I took a class in DePaul last winter quarter. I created simple interactive UI scripts as front end work for the project which everything was done in Unity engine. Apart from that I was introduced into Agile Methodology; I have learnt the principles for software development under which the requirements and solutions evolve through the collaborative effort of self-organized cross-functional teams. I had to join a website called Trello and to work with the team and get a exposure of Agile Methodology. Also I voluntarily involved myself in photoshop,I can create texture for the models I made. So I had download HD quality images from the Google then I used Photoshop to edit and applied to the modes in Maya as UV mapping. Internship was with the SpokeTech Inc was from January 11th to March 16th. 9 weeks I have spent. Most of the conversations done through Skype meeting. I had to visit them on occasions. I mentioned what I did for every week below: 1st week Modeling 2nd week Modeling 3rd week Importing everything to unity 3D(Fixing up the meshes) and models 4th week-Programming in C# 5th week -Photoshop 6th Week- Programming in C# 7th Week- Modeling 8th Week- Programming in Unity3D 9th Week Programming in Unity 3D Major Tasks accomplished: Tasks accomplished are creating 3d models, Created simple scripts based on the supervisor requirements. Uploaded the 3D models into the Amazon cloud and downloaded successfully using unity engine where every code was written using C#. Skills That I learned on the job: I was introduced to agile methodology and C# scripting, I learn a lot about penetration testing with my peer during my Internship. Also, I learn about unity and UV Mapping in Maya. Apart from that I was introduced to Amazon Cloud services to upload the Asset bundle from the unity to cloud and retrieve back from the cloud. Everything was coded in C#. I improved a lot in my communication and other soft skills. How your education at DePaul helped you at your internship: The courses that I took at DePaul really helped me prepare for the Internship. The course SE456 (Architecture of games) helped me scripting C# and I have learned about design patterns. That helped me to write code efficiently. I was working on the Unity 3D which is a game engine tool which supports C# scripting so this course helped me in a lot of different aspects. Apart from that I already learnt Maya in the free time that also provided me great help for designing the Models requested in the company. Apart from this knowledge I gained in DePaul University really helped me throughout the Internship. Also took Optimized C++(CSC461) on last year fall quarter. The subject is helpful for me to work on creating a own simple shader code like phong shading. Conclusion: This internship is the stepping-stone for my career. I have met a lot of intelligent people in the firm throughout my internship. I have gained in-depth knowledge Unity VR platform, development from scratch. I have learned to test the code using agile software development process. I also gained a better understanding of how to establish communication with the employer within SpokeTech organization effectively. The dedication and passion I got from the company have made me a lasting impression, and I Feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to work in such an environment.

The Concept Of Integrated Marketing Communication Marketing Essay

The Concept Of Integrated Marketing Communication Marketing Essay As defined by the American Association of Advertising Agencies, integrated marketing communications is a concept of marketing communications planning that recognizes the added value of a comprehensive plan (Elliott, 2012, P:491). Integrated Marketing Communications, on the one hand, covering advertising, promotion, public relations, direct marketing, CI, packaging, media and all other dissemination activities put into the scope of marketing activities. On the other hand, to enables enterprises are unified dissemination of information communicated to the customer. Its central idea is based on business communication with customers satisfied the value of customer needs as oriented to determine the enterprise unified promotional strategy and coordinate use of various means of communication. Performing the advantage of the different communication tools in order to enabling enterprises achieve promotional low cost and impact of high-strength form promotional climax. Most national brands us e all parts of the mix, each in proportion to the needs of the product. Cereal makers, for example, concentrate most efforts and money on advertising and sales promotions, such as coupons. Other products call for different mix ratios, with some mix components completely eschewed. In addition to these key promotional tools, the marketer can also use other techniques, such as exhibitions and product placement in movies, songs or video games, which have been growing in popularity in recent years. Before proceeding any further, however, it is important to stress that promotional mix decisions should not be made in isolation. As we saw with pricing, all aspects of the marketing mix need to be blended together carefully. The promotional mix used must be aligned with the decisions made with regard to product, pricing and distribution, in order to communicate benefits to a target market. From the facts of the case study, Pepsi used a new approach in its marketing communication. Pepsi holds the number one, third and fourth position among music, overall position among all companies, and entertainment channels. It gives a significant contribution on the music channels with 12.81% share of coverage and holds the first position in that category. It has the third position on the whole TV media with overall 4.29% share of coverage, the effectiveness of which is reported in reduction by researchers (Kotler Keller 2006, p.576). Similarly, it comes at number fourth on entertainment channels. Overall, these new media win the trust of consumers by connecting with them at a deeper level. Meanwhile it increases sales and bringing a better brand and corporate image for Pepsi. Marketers are taking note of many different social media opportunities and beginning to implement new social initiatives at a higher rate than ever before. Social media marketing and the businesses that utilize it have become more sophisticated. In order to maintain the vitality of enterprises, marketers should be flexible and effectively change the media habits of customers so as to maintain the brand fresh and attractive Q2. How effectively has Pepsi integrated digital and traditional media for the promotion of their products? Provide examples of digital media used. Nowadays millions of consumers converse on a daily basis in online communities, discussion forums, blogs and social networks. They turn to the Internet to share opinions, advice, grievances and recommendations. It has been said that traditional media is losing its face value and that the Internet is a fad and digital only applies to the millennium generation. While that may seem true, if you want to stay on the innovative cusp for your business, use both traditional and internet media marketing and here are some reasons why: 1. Online conversations can power or deflate a companys brand. 2. Discover specific issues that are being discussed around your company, brand or organization and create feedback to these issues. 3. There may be events, trends and issues that may be influencing industry and brand buzz. 4. Measure how your online and offline marketing campaigns resonate with consumers. 5. Leverage word-of-mouth to drive brand credibility, and ultimately sales if you use face-to-face marketing, Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization Strategy, and Social Media Strategy correctly. People are more tend to communicate through both word-of-mouth and social media when they are engaged with the product, service, or idea. This engagement may come naturally for supporters of causes, political candidates, and trendy new technological products. However, it can also be creatively stimulated for products and services which generate less psychological involvement of customers. For example, Pepsi (2008) uses its Pepsi Stuff online customer loyalty program to engage consumers by enabling them to redeem points for MP3 downloads, television show downloads, CDs, DVDs, electronics, and apparel. Campaign participants are also allowed to participate in sweepstakes drawings for larger prizes, such as home theater systems and trip giveaways. Coca Cola (2008) has a similar campaign entitled My Coke Rewards. According to Nielson research, TV users watch more than ever before (an average of 127 hrs, 15 min per month) and these users are spending 9% more time using the Internet (26 hrs, 26 min per month) from last year. Approximately 220 million Americans have Internet access at home and/or work with a growing number using the Internet for research and social media. Knowing this research, traditional media entertains and communicates to a mass audience whereas digital media entertains, communicates with, and engages the individual. The benefits of digital media can be highly measurable and marketers can often see a direct effect in the form of improved sales in addition to establishing a direct link with the consumer. This can also be cost effective. However, the pitfalls of digital marketing can be that the medium is new, constantly changing and evolving with results that vary. Digital media is known as digitized content (text, graphics, audio and video) that can be transmitted over the Internet. Recently, Pepsi immensely interest in digital and social media. PepsiCo has put more energy and financial resources for digital media, and nearly one-third of the companys budget has been used in the digital realm. But Pepsi still can not ignore the power of traditional media. Traditional media has a higher degree of trust than the electronic media. On the content, traditional media will be further description of the relevance directed on big news events and enhance the audience to participate in the interactive feel of the news events. This is the new electronic media can not match. Q3. How might Pepsi measure the effectiveness of its new campaign? Provide examples. Basically, relatively simple measurements are used by marketers to gauge the effectiveness of its promotional or advertising campaigns. These are mainly reflected in the aspects of product, price, promotion, consumer feedback. Meeting its objectives is the best measurement of a campaigns effectiveness of its ability. From the case study, Pepsis objectives could be: To enable a company to control its marketing plan. To help to motivate individual and terms to reach a common goal. To provide an agreed, consistent focus for all functions of an organization. All objectives should be SMART i.e. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed Specific- Be precise about what are going to achieve Measurable- Quality your objectives Achievable- Are you attempting too much? Realistic- Do you have the resource to make the objective happen Time- state when you will achieve the objective? Marketing Share Objectives To gain more market for soft drinks industry 2. Profitability Objectives To achieve more return on capital employed 3. Promotional Objectives To increase awareness of the product on the market. 4. Objectives for survival To survive the current market war between competitors. 5. Objectives for Growth To increase the size of the worldwide Coca Cola enterprise. Generally, Pepsi could use the following to measure the campaigns effectiveness: Stimulate an increase in sales Remind customers of the existence of a product Inform customers Build a brand image Build customer loyalty and relationship Change customer attitudes Marketing efforts that are ineffective are a drain of time and money for the company; by evaluating each strategy, companies can pare down a marketing plan to the most powerful parts. For the most efficient marketing plan, conduct a review of the marketing strategy periodically throughout the year. Begin each new effort by building in monitoring mechanisms that will make the evaluation process a natural part of each marketing campaign or activity.

Reflections on Counseling Sessions Essay -- Person-Centered Counseling

Introduction The counseling session began with the introductions where I introduced myself as the counselor and later introduced my client. This stage is important in any counseling session since it is the time of exploration and focusing according to Gerard Egan as quoted by Wright (1998) in his essay on couselling skills. It is in this session that I was able to establish rapport and trust with my client in order to come up with a working and fruitful relationship with him. During this stage I made use of skills like questioning, where I would pose a question directly to my client, sometimes I would choose to just listen to what the client wanted to speak out while in some instances I would be forced to paraphrase the question if I felt the client did not understand the question I had asked previously. There were also other times when I would reflect through silence. During such a period, I got time to study the client and the information he had given. This being a difficult area, since some cl ients may not be able to volunteer information to you as the counselor, I decided to assure the client of confidentiality of any information he was willing to share with me with a few exceptions which I also told him about. Being open to him about the only times the information may not be confidential was part of my building rapport and establishing trust with him. I therefore, decided to ask the client what information he wanted to share with me and lucky enough he was ready to speak to me about different issues that he was going through. During this time, I gave the client enough time to talk about the problem without interrupting. This time gave me an opportunity to undertake reflective listening through active listening which ac... ...ons Make Better Conversations Retrieved From: http://learnthis.ca/2008/12/open-ended-questions-make-better-conversations/ Rogers C., (1975). Empathic: an unappreciated way of being. The Counseling Psychologist. 5(2):2 10. Rogers, (1975). â€Å"client-centered† therapy Retrieved From:http://www.analytictech.com/mb119/reflecti.htm, Schenk K., Williamson J. (2005). Ethical Approaches to Gathering Information from Children and Adolescents in International Settings. Retrieved From: http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/horizons/childrenethics.pdf Steven, (2010). "Getting to Know You" - A Familiar Pattern of Sessions. Retrieved From: http://www.basic-counseling-skills.com/pattern-of-sessions.html Wright, (1998). Counseling skills: part I - can you do without them? Retrieved From: http://search.proquest.com/docview/214108384/1315FF976504A312F4B/1?accountid= 5049

Understanding the the Romantic Imagination with Ramond, Wordsworth and

Understanding the the Romantic Imagination with Ramond, Wordsworth and Shelley Works Cited Not Included "The way to find the 'real' world is not merely to measure and observe what is outside us, but to discover our own inner ground†¦. This 'ground', this 'world' where I am mysteriously present at once to myself and to the freedoms of other men, is not a visible, objective and determined structure†¦It is a living and self creating mystery of which I am myself a part, to which I am myself my own unique door." (Thomas Merton in Finley 45) We have spent a good deal of this semester concentrating on the sublime. We have asked what (in nature) is sublime, how is the sublime described and how do different writers interpret the sublime. A sublime experience is recognizable by key words such as 'awe', 'astonishment' and 'terror', feelings of insignificance, fractured syntax and the general inability to describe what is being experienced. Perception and interpretation of the sublime are directly linked to personal circumstance and suffering, to spiritual beliefs and even expectation (consider Wordsworth's disappointment at Mont Blanc). It has become evident that there is a transition space between what a traveler experiences and what he writes; a place wherein words often fail but the experience is intensified, even understood by the traveler. This space, as I have understood it, is the imagination. In his quest for spiritual identity Thomas Merton offers the above quotation to illustrate what he calls 'interpenetration' bet ween the self and the world. As travel writers engage nature through their imagination, Merton's description of the 'inner ground' is an appropriate one for the Romantic conception of the imagination. ... ...here are similar aspects to each writer's experience. Engaging the imagination, Ramond, Wordsworth and Shelley have experienced a kind of unity; conscious of the self as the soul they are simultaneously aware of 'freedoms of other men'. I suggested in the introduction that the imagination is a transition place wherein words often fail but the experience is intensified, even understood by the traveler. For all three writers the nature of the imagination has, amazingly, been communicable. Ramond and Wordsworth are able to come to an articulate conclusion about the effects imagination has on their perceptions of nature. Shelley, however, remains skeptical about the power of the imaginative process. Nonetheless, Shelley's experience is as real, as intense as that of Ramond and Wordsworth. Notes 1. Duncan Wu's foot note, page 403. 2 "Tintern Abbey". Line 97. Understanding the the Romantic Imagination with Ramond, Wordsworth and Understanding the the Romantic Imagination with Ramond, Wordsworth and Shelley Works Cited Not Included "The way to find the 'real' world is not merely to measure and observe what is outside us, but to discover our own inner ground†¦. This 'ground', this 'world' where I am mysteriously present at once to myself and to the freedoms of other men, is not a visible, objective and determined structure†¦It is a living and self creating mystery of which I am myself a part, to which I am myself my own unique door." (Thomas Merton in Finley 45) We have spent a good deal of this semester concentrating on the sublime. We have asked what (in nature) is sublime, how is the sublime described and how do different writers interpret the sublime. A sublime experience is recognizable by key words such as 'awe', 'astonishment' and 'terror', feelings of insignificance, fractured syntax and the general inability to describe what is being experienced. Perception and interpretation of the sublime are directly linked to personal circumstance and suffering, to spiritual beliefs and even expectation (consider Wordsworth's disappointment at Mont Blanc). It has become evident that there is a transition space between what a traveler experiences and what he writes; a place wherein words often fail but the experience is intensified, even understood by the traveler. This space, as I have understood it, is the imagination. In his quest for spiritual identity Thomas Merton offers the above quotation to illustrate what he calls 'interpenetration' bet ween the self and the world. As travel writers engage nature through their imagination, Merton's description of the 'inner ground' is an appropriate one for the Romantic conception of the imagination. ... ...here are similar aspects to each writer's experience. Engaging the imagination, Ramond, Wordsworth and Shelley have experienced a kind of unity; conscious of the self as the soul they are simultaneously aware of 'freedoms of other men'. I suggested in the introduction that the imagination is a transition place wherein words often fail but the experience is intensified, even understood by the traveler. For all three writers the nature of the imagination has, amazingly, been communicable. Ramond and Wordsworth are able to come to an articulate conclusion about the effects imagination has on their perceptions of nature. Shelley, however, remains skeptical about the power of the imaginative process. Nonetheless, Shelley's experience is as real, as intense as that of Ramond and Wordsworth. Notes 1. Duncan Wu's foot note, page 403. 2 "Tintern Abbey". Line 97.

Manage finance within own area of responsibility in health and social care Essay

When I was happy that the strategy was ready to roll out I explained the strategy to the staff within a staff meeting. I asked their thoughts on it as they were the ones that would be implementing it and using it on a day to day basis with the children and young people. I explained to the staff why we needed to use the strategy as it had been mentioned by Ofsted and that it was now a requirement that we work in this way. The staff were all enthusiastic and keen to work with the new strategy. To further gain the support of the staff each member of the Participation Team would have an instrumental role in the strategy being successful and it would also mean that they would spend more time individually with the children and young people so that they got a better understanding of the child/young person and their different levels of communication and how they learnt. The team would also learn a new skill of setting and working towards target setting and measuring outcomes. This would be a learning process not only for the children/young people but myself and all of the team. Explain the features of effective team performance Following on from managing and Leadership should you get the mix right this then will lead to an effective staff team. A staff team is made up of a group of people working together to achieve a common goal. An effective team has certain characteristics that allow the team members to function more efficiently and productively. An effective staff team develops ways to share leadership roles and ways to share accountability for their work products, shifting the emphasis from the individual to several individuals within the team. A team also develops a specific team purpose and concrete work products that the members produce together. Effective staff teams will have open-ended meetings and develop active problem-solving strategies that go beyond discussing, deciding, and delegating what to do; they do real work together. When necessary, individuals in a staff team will set aside their own work to assist other members of the team. In a well-functioning staff team, performance is based not on an individual member’s ability to influence other staff members, but rather is assessed directly by measuring the work products of the whole team. Rewards based on the whole team’s effort help underscore the importance of team responsibility. Characteristics of an Effective Team †¢Staff members share leadership roles †¢Staff team schedules work to be done and commits to taking time allotted to do work †¢Team develops tangible results †¢Team members are mutually accountable for evidencing results †¢Performance is based on achieving team results Problems are discussed and resolved by the team Leadership and management must go hand in hand. They are not the same thing. But they are necessarily linked, and complementary. Any effort to separate the two is likely to cause more problems than it solves. Leadership styles should be adapted to the demands of the situation, the requirements of the people involved and the challenges facing the organisation. As manager’s we must identify appropriate forums which will provide opportunities to our team members which will help to make their own recommendations on how they should allocate work fairly within the team. These forums could include:- Informal supervisionteam meetings Formal supervisionweekly case allocation meetings At Granville Lodge I have informal supervision this encompasses sitting down over lunch some days or a coffee another and having an informal chat about work, their home lives, the children and young people at Granville Lodge. During these informal chats, the staff will generally open up more as they don’t acknowledge that this is an informal supervision but just a chat so they don’t tend to hold back were as in formal supervision they tend to not say as much as perhaps they want to because it is formal and notes are taken. So for me those informal chats are where I get most of my knowledge and information about the team members and more important to me to gain a greater understanding of that individual. During our team meetings we discuss events that have happened over the previous month, we also discuss any changes that are being made to the business not just at Granville Lodge but the organisation as a whole. I feel it is important to let the team know what is happening in the organisation so that they understand my role also, in that some of the strategic decisions I make, but they don’t necessarily agree with are not optional for me but is a decision I am making for the good of the organisation if not  particularly right for Granville Lodge at that specific time. We also discuss internal matters such as annual leave, health and safety matters the children and young people, and any other matters that the team want to raise. We discuss the matters and generally try to come to a mutual agreement so that all or at least a majority of the team are happy with. If not all staff are happy with a particular suggestion made at these meetings we do try to reach a compromise, if a compromise cannot be met then the decision in the end is mine I will take the decision that I believe is correct for the children/young people, the unit and the team. 1.2 Identify the challenges experienced by developing teams 1.3 Identify the challenges experienced by established teams It is hard coming into a team which is already established and have worked together over a long time period. This was the case in Granville Lodge. The team were well established and had for a lengthy period had to manage with no permanent manager. They worked extremely well but at the same time were lack lustre about their jobs. When you first come into a team like this it is hard to break down barriers, they have a pre disposed idea of who you are and what you want to do to ‘their’ home, they automatically think you are coming in and immediately want to change things or even worse get rid of them. For me the way to deal with this was to get to the know the team on an individual basis, get to know them on a work level, find out what they think of the organisation, how they see the business in its current form and find out if they are open to change. Once I got to know each member of the team individually, I sat back for a few weeks and watched the team work together, I needed to understand the team dynamics, learn who was who and where they sat in the hierarchy of the team. Although you may have Team Leaders this does not necessarily indicate the true dynamics of who ‘is’ actually leading the team. Once I learned who was who, and were they stood in the ‘pecking order’ I could start to work with them to let them know that I was part of their team and wanted what was best for the children and young people who resided and stayed at Granville Lodge. I had to gain their trust, as a Manager I believe that you should understand the business from the ground up. I needed to have a true understanding of the roles of each  member of the team and if the need arose would fulfil that role if required. I wouldn’t expect any member of my team to undertake a role or task that I wouldn’t be prepared to do myself. 1.1Analyse how different management styles may influence outcomes of team performance There are a number of factors which can influence the staff performance in the home, the staff may feel negatively influenced because of micromanaging by their senior or shift patterns. Conversely, the staff will most likely feel inspired and otherwise positively influenced by having a larger input into the running of the home and a supervisor’s approachable management style. Regardless of the field or industry in which you work, the factors influencing staff performance and morale are very much the same. There are several different types of management styles when it comes to managing in the workplace and choosing the right type of style to lead with will have a big impact in terms of how the staff performs. But knowing the different leadership styles in management does not mean that I can simply pick one and then that is going to work because I would then in essence be trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. In most cases, the traits of the staff I am managing help me t o define the management styles I will use, blending a combination of the different categories. Different types of management styles and the situations when each of them may need to be used. A manager’s leadership style may seem to be set in concrete, hard and unchanging. Or it may be fluid, changing to adapt to the given situation. No matter what a manager’s individual leadership style, it is important to remember that not every style is suited to every occasion. Managers who are able to adapt their personal style to obtain desired results are generally more successful leaders than those who try to impose the same style of management on every employee. http://www.ehow.com/info_7772758_management-leadership-styles.html#ixzz2jCXbk8h3 Directive Democrat †¢A democratic leader welcomes and encourages input from employees throughout the decision making process. A directive leader micromanages workers, telling them exactly how to complete their day-to-day work processes. When combined, these two styles create a directive democratic style of leadership in which the leader obtains input from workers when making decisions but then closely oversees the work to ensure it is completed appropriately. Directive Autocrat †¢An autocratic leader is one who makes all important decisions within the organization with little or no input from employees. This is often combined with the directive style to create a manager who accepts no input from employees in the decision making process and also micromanages every aspect of work. This is perhaps one of the least effective management leadership styles, especially if it is the only style a manager knows how to utilise. However, it is essential in a working environment where workers are either unable or unwilling to do the work without absolute supervision. Permissive Democrat †¢A permissive leader is one who gives workers a great deal of flexibility in the workplace, allowing them the opportunity to determine how best to approach their day-to-day work processes. Combined with the democratic style, this is perhaps best suited when managing highly motivated employees who are capable of monitoring their own work processes. The permissive democrat elicits input from highly skilled workers, usually obtaining the most innovative ideas and solutions. This type of manager is often able to confidently delegate many high level duties to capable employees. Permissive Autocrat †¢A permissive autocrat is a manager who makes all important decisions within the organization but then allows workers flexibility in determining how to complete their day-to-day work processes. This is a useful leadership style for a highly motivated yet unskilled workforce who are willing to do the work but do not have the training or education to make important decisions for the organisation. I believe that my management style depends on what is required at that particular moment. I am a mix of many management styles, but mainly a Permissive Democrat. I believe that allowing staff to be flexible in their approach to work and encouraging them to bring forward their ideas gives them a sense of purpose and ownership of our business. As I mentioned earlier it was difficult coming into a team that was already established and had worked together for a long time. They already had formed a working relationship with each other they knew how they all worked individually and already had gone through the five stages of development as a team. These are traditionally known as:- †¢Forming: a group of people come together to accomplish a shared purpose. †¢Storming: Disagreement about mission, vision, and approaches combined with the fact that team members are getting to know each other can cause strained relationships and conflict. †¢Norming: The team has consciously or unconsciously formed working relationships that are enabling progress on the team’s objectives. †¢Performing: Relationships, team processes, and the team’s effectiveness in working on its objectives are synching to bring about a successfully functioning team. †¢Transforming: The team is performing so well that members be lieve it is the most successful team they have experienced; or Ending: The team has completed its mission or purpose and it is time for team members to pursue other goals or projects. The model used was first developed by Dr. Bruce Tuckman who published his four stages of team development: the Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing model, in 1965. Dr. Tuckman seems to have added a fifth stage, Adjourning, during the 1970s. Each stage of team development presents its own special challenges to a group of people striving to work together successfully by forming a cohesive team. The team and the organisation can take specific actions at each stage of  team development to support the team’s success in accomplishing the team mission. At each stage, the behavior of the leader must be adapted to the changing and developing needs of the group. As I was a new team member but also the leader we had to go through these stages again as I had a new vision and goals for the unit, so where the team had already reached the transforming stage we had to go back to the forming stage. I feel that at the present time we are between the norming and performing stages we are all now forming working relationships and working well together but not yet at the stage of transforming, but this will come with hard work on both sides. To achieve this we have to work in a team-oriented environment, where we all contribute to t he overall success of the organisation. We work with fellow members of the organisation to produce great results. Even though we all have a specific job function and belong to a specific departments, we are unified with other organisation members to accomplish the overall objectives. The bigger picture drives your actions; your function exists to serve the bigger picture. The process that results in employees who clearly understand and execute their performance expectations contains these components: †¢A company strategic planning process that defines overall direction and objectives. †¢A communication strategy that tells every employee where their job and needed outcomes fit within the bigger company strategy. †¢A process for goal setting, evaluation, feedback, and accountability that lets employees know how they are doing. This process must provide opportunities for continuing employee professional and personal development. †¢Overall organisational support for the importance of clear performance expectations communicated through cultural expectations, executive planning and communication, managerial responsibility and accountability, rewards and recognition, and company stories (folklore) about heroic accomplishments that define the workplac e. †¢To lead them I had to get them to understand why they are participating on the team? Do they understand how the strategy of using teams will help the organsation attain its communicated business goals? Can team members define their team’s importance to the accomplishment of corporate goals? Does the team understand where its work fits in the total context of the organization’s goals, principles, vision and values? Employee recognition is one of the keys to successful employee motivation. Employee recognition follows trust as a factor in employee satisfaction with their supervisor and their work place. I do feel that saying thank you to staff members is very important, it makes them feel valued and that you appreciate the effort they have made is ensuring that their business is running well and efficiently. I say thank you on a daily basis if I feel that the staff have performed their job well or have done that little bit extra. Informal recognition, as simple sometimes as saying thank you and please, should be on every employee’s mind every day. Supervisors and coworkers, especially, have the opportunity to praise and encourage best efforts daily. These tips will help you successfully provide more formal recognition that is valued, valuable, and motivational. Effective, fair, employee recognition is motivational for both the employees receiving recognition and their coworkers – d one correctly. Conflict is pretty much inevitable when you work with others. People have different viewpoints and under the right set of circumstances, those differences escalate to conflict. How you handle that conflict determines whether it works to the team’s advantage, or contributes to its demise.   Conflict isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. Healthy and constructive conflict is a component of high functioning teams. Conflict arises from differences between people; the same differences that often make diverse teams more effective than those made up of people with similar experience. When people with varying viewpoints, experiences, skills, and opinions are tasked with a project or challenge, the combined effort can far surpass what any group of similar individual could achieve. Team members must be open to these differences and not let them rise into full-blown disputes.   Allen C. Amason, of Mississippi State University, has studied conflict and its role in decision-making. He suggests there are two types of conflict: Cognitive – conflict aimed at issues, ideas, principles, or process Affective – conflict aimed at people, emotions, or values His studies showed the presence of both types in any group setting; but he’s clear to explain that cognitive conflict is constructive, while affective is  destructive (Brockmann, 1996). Another researcher, Thomas K. Capozzoli (1995), reinforces this by describing the outcomes of constructive and destructive conflict: Constructive conflicts exists when†¦ 1.People change and grow personally from the conflict 2.The conflict results in a solution to a problem 3.It increase involvement of everyone affected by the conflict 4.It builds cohesiveness among the members of the team Destructive conflicts exists when†¦ 1.No decision is reached and problem still exists 2.It diverts energy away from more value-add activities 3.It destroys the morale of the team members 4.It polarizes or divides the team Trust is one of the most important elements of an efficient work environment. Organisations that have trust among employees are usually successful, those that don’t frequently are not. How can I build trust in the staff team, and how can I avoid losing it?† Well, it all starts with me as the manager, since trustfulness – and trustworthiness – can exist only if the management sets the example, and then builds that example into every member of staff. From doing research and through personal experience I’ve found four excellent ways to build trust into staff teams. †¢Establish and maintain integrity. It is the foundation of trust in any organisation. Integrity must begin at the top and then move down. This means, among other things, keeping promises and always telling the truth, no matter how difficult it might be. If its people have integrity, an organisation can be believed. †¢Communicate vision and values. Communication is important, since it provides the artery for information and truth. By communicating the organization’s vision, management defines where it’s going. By communicating its values, the methods for getting there are established. †¢Consider all employees as equal partners. Trust is established when even the newest staff member, a part-timer, or the lowest paid employee feels important and part of the team. This begins with management not being aloof, as well as getting out and meeting the staff. This should be followed by the manager seeking opinions and ideas (and giving credit for them), knowing the names of staff and their families and treating one and all with genuine respect. †¢Focus  on shared, rather than personal goals. When staff feel everyone is pulling together to accomplish a shared vision, rather than a series of personal agendas, trust results. This is the essence of teamwork. When a team really works, they trust one another. Accountability As the home manager I need to hold staff accountable for meeting commitments. This sounds simple, but in the messy world it can be a conundrum. Reason: People have a tendency to justify their actions based on their personal rationalisation. It may seem a lame excuse, but to the staff member, there was no way the commitment could have been made. The technology for holding people accountable begins with the notion that it is expected behaviour. There is a fine art to holding people accountable and still maintaining trust with not only the staff in question but also their colleagues. What techniques do I use to manage accountability without losing trust? Holding people accountable is a fundamental premise of good management. Establishing solid goals and providing feedback along the way helps staff recognise the importance of performing up to expectations. Unfortunately, some staff do not meet their goals for a variety of reasons. When this happens, I need to hold them accountable, but t here are often problems in executing this closure step. If goals were not met due to employee laziness, lack of initiative, poor attitudes, or any other negative personal trait, then the accountability step is appropriate and will be done along with the appropriate documentation. When staff fail to meet expectations due to things that are truly out of their control, then holding them accountable seems punitive beyond reason. I believe there is a direct link between holding people accountable in an appropriate way and the level of trust in the home. Unfortunately, many situations are in a gray area in between extremes. A staff member will usually have some sort of excuse that justifies not being able to perform up to expectations. That is, he or she has rationalised the lapse based on some mental process that exonerates the employee from toeing the line. When I attempt to hold the individual accountable for the failure, it seems unfairly harsh to the individual employee and trust plummets. The conundrum is that staff who witness their  colleagues not performing up to expectations, yet not being held fully accountable, leads to a lowering of trust in the home as well. For me, it is a kind of â€Å"darned if you do, darned if you don’t† situation . It is important for me to explain that I hold people accountable for their actions, and I do not condone a string of excuses or reasons why the goals were missed. Yet I will still need to all allow some latitude for truly uncontrolled situations where it was impossible for the staff to perform up to expectations. There is a direct relationship between how I handle the issue of accountability and the level of trust achieved at any point in time. I need to recognise this sensitive area and navigate the choppy waters with great care. Using the golden rule is a great way to apply the right amount of personal sensitivity to a situation, but still get the message across that people are expected to meet commitments. Properly reinforced, this attitude will maintain trust within the home even though some difficult or unhappy discussions need to happen with certain individuals. How the accountability is communicated to the employee has everything to do with how it is perceived and received. I need to be consistent with following through on commitments, and then staff cannot expect to be called out if goals are not met. Having a firm but kind conversatio n with the staff member, in private, about a performance lapse is far superior to catching the employee off guard and rubbing his or her nose in the problem. If I were to berate the staff member publicly and with a mean spirit, significant damage to the relationship would result. 3.1 Identify the factors that influence the vision and strategic direction of the team As a registered care home, Granville Lodge works with government legislation, National minimum standards and the Ofsted essential standards to help shape our policy and strategic thinking, this gives all employees a shared vision of better services. When there is a significant change in legislation, we have to assess the service support currently offered. This will have an impact on the team and the direction of our previous vision. At present any influence on the team direction is from our vision (statement of purpose) is a society where people with Profound and Multiple and Learning Disabilities  and Complex Health Needs are equal citizens and have access to the support and services they need. Our mission is to improve the quality of life of people with a disability. We work in partnership with people with a disability and family carers and all of our stakeholders to make sure that good practice in delivering high quality person centred support is developed, shared and evaluated. We believe that people with disabilities should be supported to live fulfilling lives as equal citizens who are involved and contribute to their communities. We will ensure that we are involved in making the disability policy agendas of equal citizenships, rights, choice, inclusion and independence happen throughout Great Britain. We will work in partnership with people with learning disabilities and family carers, recognising that they are the real experts and that their stories and life experiences should be central to developing and sharing good practice. We will listen and identify how to provide quality person centred support focusing on those groups that have often been excluded including. We are open to changing the way we work if this means that more people can have better lives through what we do. Bibliography Amason, Allen C (2011). Strategic Management. Taylor and Francis Brockmann, Erich. (1996, May). Removing the paradox of conflict from group decisions. Academy of Management Executive. v10n2, p. 61-62. Cappozzoli, Thomas K. (1995, Dec). Resolving conflict within teams. Journal for Quality and Participation. v18n7, p. 28-30 Covey, Stephen R, (1989), The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Restoring the Character. Ethic. Simon and Schuster, 11/09/2013 – http://humanresources.about.com/od/teambuilding/f/team_stages.htm 16/09/2013 http://www.rpi.edu/dept/advising/free_enterprise/business_structures/management_styles.htm 16/09/201 – 3 http://www.preservearticles.com/2012021323091/short-essay-on-leadership.html 30/10/13 – http://www.peelerassociates.com/blog/leading-versus-managing-eight-key-differences/ 30/10/13 – http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_79.htm#sthash.4LOPeQ9r.dpuf

Are we too dependent on computers Essay

Society is becoming increasingly dependent on computers and technology for functioning in every day life. Every aspect of our lives has been affected by the infiltration of computers and technology. Computers are used to conduct business from home, meet new friends and find old friends, maintain communications with distant family, and to met out some stress relief after a long day at the office. As more and more people rely on computers to succeed each day, it begs the question – are people becoming too dependant on computers. Starting at a young age now, children are learning how to use a computer for fun and for learning. One advantage is that it takes an increased manual dexterity to operate a computer mouse and keyboard, but at the same time, children are losing out on the increased fine motor skills that come with writing their name and assignments out in long hand. Handwriting is a necessary skill that is not likely to find a replacement in the world of technology. Computers can also lead to an educational environment where spelling skills are lost. This is even true for adults who consider themselves good spellers. Many word processing programs auto correct misspelled words and the writer never even knows that they have made a mistake. Everyone loves efficiency and while it certainly speeds up the writing process, it leads to the enforcement of common misspellings. Some people do become obsessed with computers. For example, a couple in South Korea was recently charged with murder after they neglected their newborn baby to spend up to 12 hours a day in an internet cafà © caring for a virtual baby. This type of obsession certainly can make the case that people are becoming too dependant on computers. But it is the exception to the rule, not the norm. The most important issue in the debate on whether or not people are becoming too dependant on computers is one of safety. Many people share intimate details with others online, leaving them vulnerable to cyber-stalking and real life issues. Also, many people have so much of their personal, financial information stored online that they are at risk of losing their fortunes, or even just the grocery money for next week. Cyber attacks are frequent occurrences and it is important for individuals to keep their online information private and secure. For example, bank passwords should all be different and include letters, numbers, and at least one special character. People will only know if they are too dependent on computers by examining their own lives, including the amount of time they spend online and the quantity and quality of information they share. When people begin forsaking flesh and blood relationships for thair computers the danger zone is fast approaching. However, if a person is able to find a safe, secure, and healthy balance, then they are probably not in danger of becoming too depemdent on their computers.