The Psychosocial Effects Of Breast Cancer - 1506 Words

Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in American women and around 12 percent of women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime.1 Patients have the choice of 5 different types of mastectomy: total mastectomy with removal of breast tissue without lymph node removal, modified radical mastectomy where the entire breast and axillary lymph nodes are removed, radical mastectomy where entire breast and chest muscles are removed, partial mastectomy frequently referred to as breast conservative surgery where only cancerous tissue is removed, or subcutaneous mastectomy where breast tissue is removed with conservation of the nipple and areola.2 The standard of care in the United States for women who have had mastectomy secondary to breast cancer is to receive a breast reconstruction.2 On top of a common but devastating diagnosis of breast cancer with fears of facing months of chemotherapy and radiation, most women also make the decision to beat the cancer with a mastectomy and reconstruction. The topic I am choosing for my literature review is the psychosocial effects after breast reconstruction in women who have chosen mastectomy as an intervention for breast cancer. I have always been very interested in going into the plastic surgery field when I become a provider and I believe researching this topic can help plastic surgeons and their staff provide appropriate patient education or advise that can result in the most favorable post surgicalShow MoreRelatedThe Ethical Phenomenon Of Breast Cancer Screening And Treatments867 Words   |  4 PagesThe ethical phenomenon, the â€Å"Jolie Effect†, receives much publicity about the BRCA 1 gene mutation that raised the actress’ risk and subsequent preventative double mastectomy. As a result, more women have been tested for both the BRCA1 and BRCA 2 gene mutations and choosing bilateral mastectomies for early-stage breast cancers (Weintraub, 2015). Oncologists saw a 50% increase for risk-reduction mastectomy surgery related to the â€Å"Jolie Effect†. The impact of an actress, known for her beauty, to willingRead MoreThe Psychosocial Intervention And Length Of Survival865 Words   |  4 Pagessignificant relationship between the psychosocial intervention and length of survival (1989). Women in the treatment condition attending support groups lived an average of 36 months compared to women in the control group who lived on average 18 months. Participants who attended weekly support groups lived twice as long as those in the control group. This finding demonstrated the incredible positive impact social support could have on patients with breast cancer. Social support increased immune functioningRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Cancer888 Words   |  4 Pageslife-threatening diagnosis, such as cancer, has the potential to be an extremely stressful event and may have long-term effects. Depending on the diagnosis, many cancer patients may experience long-lasting, or chronic stress due to a variety of factors including receiving treatment, experiencing symptoms and side effects of treatment, waiting for test results, and learning that the cancer has recurred. Patients with cancer often report cancer-related posttraumatic stress (National Cancer Institute, 2012). AccordingRead MoreQualitative Research Critique II 2843 Words   |  4 Pagesdetermined that their focus group involved participants that were open for discussion and topics that were of importance to them. Information from another article by CR Rouleau, SN Garland, and LE Carlson, focused on the MBSR training for women with breast cancer. They did six meta-analyses that examined people’s psychological distress (Rouleau, Garland, Carlson, 2015, pg. 121). During this study, there were questions asked to the participants. The authors ensured that the questions were open endedRead MoreResearch On Cancer And Psychology1610 Words   |  7 PagesQinyue Ban Prof. Scala WRI 102 14 Nov. 2014 Cancer and Psychology The common argue which in medical area is the scientist’s keen to research about the relationship between the cancer and psychology. Cancer is comment disease, also as known as malignant tumors, has become a threat to human health and life of common disease, even become a major case of human death. Cancer occurred for any age, race, and gender. The reason and the result of the cancer are different because of the diverse of populationRead MoreApplying Standardized Terminologies : Caring For The Breast Cancer Patient1552 Words   |  7 PagesCaring for the Breast Cancer Patient Throughout this paper the identification and application of standardized terminologies such as: The North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) to identify the applicable diagnosis; Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) to construct a care-plan with diagnosis specific interventions; and the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) to evaluate the outcomes. This will be applied to a clinical patient scenario of newly diagnosed breast cancer; and presentRead MoreThe Relationship Between The Spouse And Cancer Survivor Essay1719 Words   |  7 Pagesdistress in the relationship between the spouse and cancer survivor needs assistance to maintain an equilibrium of support for both individuals to transition to a â€Å"new normal†. The female spouse of a cancer patient is more expressive than the male spouse caregiver, allowing more research themes of loneliness and self-care to emerge in the literature (Bruun et al., 2011; Pillai-Freidman Ashline, 2014). Partners play a n important role in cancer survivorship and the spouse themselves, must reduceRead MoreResearch on American Cancer Society1648 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican Cancer Society, established in 1913, is a national community-based organization that is dedicated to fighting and eliminating cancer through prevention, research, education, advocacy, and service. The organization was established by 15 physicians and businessmen, in New York City, under the name American Society for the Control of Cancer. The name was changed to American Cancer Society in 1945, when the society was reorganized to recognize the new era. The symbol is composed of two serpentsRead MoreAnita Moorjani s Traditional Hindu Heritage1638 Words   |  7 Pages she was able to find her soulmate Danny and married him. Cancer has taken over the lives of those who are close to her. Her best friend Soni was diagnosed with breast cancer and her brother in law with an aggressive form of cancer. This was hard on Anita as they were close in her age. Because of this, she did as much research as possible about cancer and what caused it (43). She visited Soni nearly every day and watched the ugly cancer taker over her body for nearly a year before it took her lifeRead MoreThe Causes And Effect Of Breast Cancer1525 Words   |  7 Pagesworld—some that we have control of and others that are out of our hands. Some of these factors happen instantly, like a car-crash, and others develop over time, like cancer. Cancer is one leading cause of deaths in the United States. One population that is greatly affected by this illness is women suffering from breast cancer. Breast cancer can take a huge toll on a woman’s physical health, as well as emotional and mental health. Many women have trouble adjusting to chemotherapy, hospitals, the impact

ENRON and Faudulent Record Keeping Practices - 1369 Words

Introduction Enron went from modestly outperforming the Standard Poor’s 500 in the early 1990’s to drastically outperforming it in 1999 and 2000. In 1999 and 2000, Enron stock increased 56 percent and 87 percent, respectively; compared with to only a 20 percent increase and 10 percent decline for the index during the same years (Healy and Palepu, 3 2003). While these increases were originally attributed to innovation (being rated the most innovative company in America by Fortune), it was later found that the stock increases were due to severe financial statement manipulation. Ultimately, Enron stock fell to under $1.00 by the end of 2001 and entered into bankruptcy on December 2, 2001 (Healy and Palepu, 3 2003) and Enron’s former chairman and CEO Kenneth Lay and former CEO and COO Jeffrey Skilling were sentenced to prison for lying to Wall Street and investors about their crumbling finances (Johnson, 2006). Cooked Books Enron conducted several fraudulent record keeping practices to keep mounting debt off their financial statements. Initially, Enron kept complex financial statements that were confusing to both its shareholders and analysts. This was the first step to cover-up and misinterpret its debt and earnings. However, as Enron’s practice grew and became more involved, Jeffrey Skilling pressured other Enron executives to â€Å"†¦create off-balance-sheet vehicles, complex financing structures, and deals so bewildering that few people could understand them.† (Elkind and

Proud of Living and Working in Jozi - 1284 Words

Proud of living and working in Jozi We all want to live in cities of which we can be proud. We all want smooth operating public services, less traffic, new roads, attractive and functional buildings, secure public spaces and wealth opportunities that can change lives for the better. So why then do we expect local government and municipalities to do it alone? Isn’t it true that in the 128 year history of Johannesburg, the City reached more milestones than any other city in the country, even more so than some of the bigger cities globally? Isn’t it true that most of the City’s achievements were actioned by government and citizens alike, working together towards a common goal? And yet, we still demand and expect service delivery perfection every single day, notwithstanding how difficult it must be to handle the logistics and mechanics of delivering services to a population of over 8 million people. Granted, we all pay taxes so the City can perform these functions, and sometimes it feels as if our money is being wasted. But surely there is far more to it, like personal reputation, character and pride? It’s human nature to want to live in a well-governed, happy, safe place, our own ‘Peach Blossom Spring’ so to speak. The poem of the Peach Blossom Spring by ancient Chinese poet Tao Yuanming, describes a discovery of an ethereal utopia where its dwellers led an ideal existence in harmony. It was written during a time of political instability and national

Boston Police Strike Of 1919 - 1307 Words

Boston Police Strike of 1919. By Richard Bennet The Boston Police Strike of 1919 was the result of the intolerable conditions under which the police officer’s worked and the refusal of key city and state officials to act to improve those conditions. On the day of September the 9th 1919, almost three quarters of Boston s police force failed to show up to work. The police strike was a political windfall for the governor of Massachusetts and was fodder for the anti- union stance of government and business of the day. The backlash resulted in police departments across the country not to be afforded the right to organize for the next twenty years. The Boston Police Department in 1919 was under the control of Police Commissioner Edwin Upton Curtis. The Massachusetts Legislative had vested this single commissioner appointed by the governor, to have absolute control over the operations, hiring, training and discipline and control over police officers in Boston. The mayor of Boston and the city was responsibl e to pay the police officers and was responsible for maintaining the physical working conditions for the police. Having no control over the police force, the city and mayor did not devote the resources necessary to maintain the quality of the conditions under which the police operated. Commissioner Curtis was anti union and would not let the police unionize. Curtis issued a general order banning all officers from joining any groups or organizations except forShow MoreRelatedComparing The 1919 Boston Police Strike937 Words   |  4 Pages The 1919 Boston Police Strike took place against the backdrop of general distrust of unions. The AFL, the union that the police were part of, were in their own struggle for acceptance as a legitimate organization by the public. Unions were relatively new and they were associated with the violence that striking workers perpetrated, creating suspicion about unions in general. The Boston Police Strike, unfortunately, brought so many issues of the da y to head: Communism which was an issue to AmericansRead More The Boston Police...in 1912 Essay897 Words   |  4 PagesThe Boston Police Were Justified in Going Out on Strike in 1919 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The period after the Civil War was a time when many businesses and corporations grew to a size where power was the key to success. Different companies would have to compete with each other to stay on top of the fast enlargement of industry. Many businesses and corporation grew so large that the factory owners did not care about the laborers themselves or there concerns, but how much time and work theyRead MoreEssay on Social Changes and Unrest in American During World War I906 Words   |  4 Pagesprovincial families started living in the same cities as immigrants new to the United States. After the war the fear of these foreigners and their transoceanic ways started to increase rapidly. This fear amplified in the late spring and early summer of 1919, after several bombs went off in two separate bombings. One involved 36 bombs mailed to members of the politically elite and the rich. These mail bombings were sent to people like J.D.Rockefeller and Rayme Weston Finch, who was a member of the FBIRead MoreRacism and Intolerance in America During the 1920s Essay1413 Words   |  6 Pagestitle Reds.3600 strikes involving 400,000 workers took place in 1919 which began the Red Scare that carried on until 1921, in which members of the American public were led to believe that Reds were trying to ruin their way of life. A Seattle strike in 1919 led by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), nicknamed the Wobblies seemed to be evidence of a communist plot. Coal miners, steel-workers and even the police force all went on strike in Boston, leading to manyRead MoreThe Red Scare Of Nicola Sacco And Bartolomeo Vanzetti1138 Words   |  5 Pagesseverity throughout the war inducing the Red Scare of 1920. The fear of communism increased when a series of strikes occurred in 1919. The police of Boston went on strike and 100,000 of steel and coal workers did as well. The communist usually always got the blame. As America entered the 1920s, the hostility towards immigrants was mounting to incomparable levels. The Bolshevik Revolution of 1919 brought about the fear and panic of communism which led to the institutionalization of Red Scare policiesRead MoreRole Of The Thief Takers During Early Civilizations913 Words   |  4 Pages1. Fifth-century- Organized police departments were rare in early civilizations. Rome created the first specialized investigate unit. These units were known as Questors, or trackers of murder. Also around this time Roman emperor Augustus picked special, highly qualified members of t he military to form the Praetorian Guard which could be considered the first police officers. Their job was to protect the palace and the emperor. Vigiles were known as early roman firefighters and were eventuallyRead MoreImportance Of Unions : History And Significance946 Words   |  4 PagesRoosevelt intervened in the Anthracite strike which led to arbitration, and Maryland passes an accidental compensation law. 3) In 1903 the Women’s Trade Union League was formed at AFL convention. 4) In 1905 Industrial Workers of the World was founded. In 1908 the AFL endorsed Democrat William Jennings Bryan for President. 5) In 1909 20,000 female shirtwaist makers strike in New York strike against sweatshop conditions and unorganized immigrant steel workers strike in McKees Rocks, Pa. and won all demandsRead MoreThe Red Scare Essay examples1067 Words   |  5 PagesDepression beginning to kick off. With food and living expenses drastically increasing certain propaganda began to appear. Perhaps one of the most notable of these was Lenin’s â€Å"Letter to the American Workers† which appeared in the United States in 1919. Loosely tied but heavily attributing to the problem was Ludwig Martens’ appearance later that year claiming to be a representative of the Foreign Commissariat of Foreign Affairs. (Murray, p. 46-47) With these figures imposing upon the American peopleRead MoreA Brief Lool at John Quincy Adams1051 Words   |  4 Pagesof educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. Eventually his hard work earned him the title of The Governor of Massachusetts, but he was never really recognized until the Boston Police Strike of 1919, where he reinstated Officer Curtis after the Mayor of Boston had fired him illegally. This put him on the spotlight and made many respect him as a man of choice. He is known much more for his character than his achievements. President Coolidge was an old school manRead MoreTaking a Look at Calvin Coolidge1083 Words   |  4 PagesHis reputation grew and he was elected Lieutenant governor and governor in the 1918 election. During the governor term of Calvin Coolidge, an issue broke out that cause him to get national publicity and attention. In 1919, Boston police officers went on strike because the police commissioner had tried to block their unionization with the American Federation of Labor. Calvin handled this situation by calling the national guard and speaking directly with Samuel Gompers, the head of the American Federation

How to ‘save’ Ghana from Petrodollars Free Essays

Introduction Resources haven’t always been linked to wealth, as the management of resources in a country is always subjected to politicking. Ghana’s resources have been recently discovered, thus space for maneuver regarding how to make the best out of the natural supplies is given to the government. What is known so far is that â€Å"oil discoveries in many countries have led to the erosion of democratic processes and insitutional structures† (Van Gyampo, 2011: 49). We will write a custom essay sample on How to ‘save’ Ghana from Petrodollars? or any similar topic only for you Order Now In other words, wealth generation does not equal resource abundance, and, by any means, an increase in the standard of living of the entire population. Moreover, the Ghanian exampe is illustrative on account of the government increasing its opacity. This can result in higher level of corruption and social unrest, as an inequality in the wealth distribution can generate social pressure. Countries with abundant resources and weak political systems are prone to having an authoritarian government or to face social disruption. The pre-oil Ghana was â€Å"praised for its steady progress toward democratic consolidation† (Gyimah-Boadi Prempeh, 2012: 94), with five elections being held under democratic principles, and autonomy being guaranteed to key institutions such as universities, mass-media, etc. Economically speaking, Ghana has an estimated influx of Petrodollars of about USD 1 billion (Kapela, 2009) per year, which constitues a great potential for development. This should be the focus of further research on the impact of oil discovery on Ghana, as development plans have the potential of generating economic wealth in a sustainable manner. The main question is ‘how to generate wealth from resource abundance, and how to invest Petrodollars in something sustainable for Ghana?’ Research proposal The paper should focus on oil industry as a generator of wealth in Ghana, and try to tackle ways in which this could be made possible. Classically, transforming oil money in wealth is done through infrastructure development. What is more, the type of infrastructure that has to be developed differs from country to country. Nonetheless, even if infrastructure of any type is built, this doesn’t automatically create sustainability (Wood, 2007). This is caused by the contextuality determined by political and social factors. Of particular importance is to note that Ghana’s democracy is fundamentally different than other African counterparts dependent on oil exportation, with a political system that has developed into a relatively stable one. This creates a fertile ground for sustainability projects. First, the disseration should focus on researching and outlining the modes in which the Ghanian government can use the influx of Petrodollars to enhance development, despite other bad examples in the region. Here are some areas of development that can attract funding from oil industry. a) start-ups: Economic growth is striclty related to entrepreneurship. Can Ghanian government find a way to foster a capitalistic climate that can potentially generate wealth b) infrastructure development: When we talk about infrastructure, we think about motorways construction, airport connectivity, etc. In fact, developing countries struggle to finalize those projects and often find that the expected positive externalities are overwhelmed by the negative ones. Roads can prove to be good connectors between two cities, but don’t generate wealth per se. A type of infrastructure with positive outcomes is IT infrastructure. c) education: Sustainability is about creating a long-lasting positive effect over the next generations. Education is an important node of the wealth-creation network. The main concern is whether Ghana has the political will to use oil money for projects that can create wealth organically. Therefore, the thesis should approach the topic of Petrodollars and how Ghana can be the first positive example of good resource management in Africa. This would relate oil industry to the broader picture of wealth creation and development. How to tackle the research topic? The methodological apparatus that should be employed here is diverse, however discretion is advisable. First of all, an extensive literature review on Ghana’s oil industry should be done in order to understand the underpinnings of the ‘newly created economy’. Second, the literature review should seek to understand the political system and how this was altered by the resource profusion. A comparative approach should be used here, especially a comparison between Ghana and Nigeria regarding institutional redesign in the light of resource abundance. Second, there are more ways in which the study can be developed. a) an empirical analysis of economic indicators that measure wealth and economic growth post and ante the oil discovery. This can take the form of an econometrical analysis that should test the correlation between Petrodollars cahsflows and development. The most accessible option is to run a multiple regression having as the dependent variables the economic growth, standard of living, and income inequality, and independent variables, revenues from oil indsutry, tax revenues, etc. Two patterns can arise. First, a positive correlation between the formers and the latters, thus the Ghanian government can be rendered as a good example of ‘oil revenues manager’. Second, a negative correlation can be found, confiriming the theory of fragiles democracy falling apart because of resource abundance. In any case, the assumptions made should be supported by a rigorous theoretical framework. b) a fieldwork approach using structured interviews with local entrepreneurs that have benefited from or were disadvatanged by the emergence of the oil industry. If this approach is taken, a good guide can be provided by Hart (2007). This method can provide rich data about the micro implications of oil industry in Ghana and can allow for ground-up theoretical development. Conclusions and recommendations The discovery of the oil field in Ghana is still recent, thus not a lot of academic writing has focused on it. There are still many areas left unexplored, some of them presented above. The recommendation is to focus on oil industry as an agent of change that has the power, in the right hands, to drive economic growth and wealth creation. Also, Ghana is a particular example in Africa, therefore careful attention should be given to details such as political stability and institutional systems. The author should rely, if possible, on local access to information, and use the local language to bring to light some new information that otherwise would be impossible to discover. The recommended design of the research is a grounded theory approach, where the author will attempt to use a mix of secondary data analysis (e.g. Official documents, public discourses of government regarding oil industry, etc.) and structured interviews with local entrepreneurs. References Van Gyampo, R.E. (2011), Saving Ghana from Its Oil: A critical Assessment of Preparations so Far Made, Africa Today, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 48-69; Gyimah-Boadi, E., Kwasi Prempeh, H. (2012), Oil, Politics, and Ghana’s Democracy, Journal of Democracy, bol. 23, no. 3, pp. 94-108; Hart, K. (2007), Small-scale entrepreneurs in Ghana and development planning, The Journal of Development Studies, vol. 6, no. 4 Kapela, J.M. (2009), Ghana’s new oil: cause for jubilation of prelude to the resource curse, Master’s project, Duke University Wood, T. (2007), The Natural Wealth of Nations: Transformation of Oil- and Gas-Producing Economies, Cisco White Paper, 2007 How to cite How to ‘save’ Ghana from Petrodollars?, Essay examples

Employee Engagement Practices and Organization Performance In Google

Question: Discuss about the Employee Engagement Practices in Google. Answer: Introduction Human resource is an integral part of companies of all sizes and nature around the world. Over years, the value of human resources to accomplish business goals has been realized to influence the end outcomes. As much as recruiting skilled manpower is important for companies, there are efforts made to engage them with the organizational goals. In fact, company leadership has accepted the value added by employees in growth and success. Employee engagement has become important to keep the employees committed in their respective job roles and in the strategic goals of the companies. There have been many studies conducted in order to establish the relevance of human resources practices for organizations to achieve their intended goals. In this research, the prime focus is to investigate the role of employee engagement practices adopted by search engine giant Google in order to improve job performance and eventually to achieve strategic goals. Employee engagement must be integrated in the HRM policies, practices and procedures to drive the company to stimulate dedication towards the attainment of the business objectives. Given the growing awareness about employee engagement practices in the industry, it is essential that innovative ways are identified to encourage the active participation of employees. The research will use quantitative methodology in order to draw the requisite opinion from the selected employees to suffice the formulated objectives. It is expected that this research would highlight the importance of employee engagement in the success of the company. The paper has been divided into different chapters. The first chapter discusses the literature review of the core subject by comprehensive assessment of the vast volume of the academic researches, books, articles etc. This would provide the much desired fundamental information about employee engagement as a HR concept and an integral practice in the selected company. The second chapter discusses the research methodology including the formulation of research objectives. The third chapter discusses the findings of the research methodology adopted during the study. The fourth and the last chapter provides proper conclusion along with suitable recommendations to give a proper closure to the research. Literature Review Background Employee engagement has drawn the attention of academicians for years in order to place its existence in the industry. There have been many studies conducted to study the different aspects of human resource practices performed in companies to identify their contribution in the overall success of the companies. Though there is decent amount of confusion among practitioners and researchers to clearly define and quantify engagement in work setting (Bakker et al., 2011), engagement has been explained as a positive feeling towards work-based space which is reflected in the personality of the employees such as dedication and passion (Schaufeli et al., 2002). In the academic arena, engagement was first heard in the social psychological work of Kahn (1990), who argued that personal engagement happens when individuals bring in or keep their personal selves out while working. It is the inane feeling among employees towards their job as designated by the company. Engaged employees demonstrate t heir real self through physical involvement, cognitive awareness and emotional bond. Gallup organization stated that employee engagement demonstrates the impassioned involvement of the employees with their work. In essence, work engagement ensures that employees are driven towards accomplishing the organizational goals (Macey Schneider, 2008). Robinson et al. (2004) stated employee engagement as a positive attitude embraced by employees towards adding value activities for an organization. An engaged employee is more involved in performing his or her job to benefit the organization as compared to a disgruntled employee. Google strives to create and develop environment that helps employees to nurture their relation with their respective jobs and hence with their employer. Google boasts of a unique culture and well-structured human resource policies and hence is regarded as an innovator and best employer (Nightingale, 2008). Such is the impact of its HR policies that it managed to get listed among the best 100 companies in the world to work for in Fortune magazine (2013). Though there are bleak chances about a global definition and measure of engagement, motivation to contribute and involvement towards organizational success is essential (Bakker et al., 2011). Google offers attractive packages to suck in the best talent in the market for gaining competitive advantage. However, it has plenty of people-friendly programs to retain the employees as well including flexible working hours, health benefits, on-site fitness centres, free meals, vacations, sports, and much more ( Thomas Karodia, 2014). There are many theories and models explaining the strong association between job- related resources and personal characteristics as elaborated by job demands-resources (JD-R) model (Bakker Demerouti, 2014). As per JD-R theory, its the combined influence of favourable job resources and personal resources to improve work engagement, and eventually improving other job related outcomes including, creativity, job performance, financial gain and extra-role performance. The JD-R research has managed to elaborate on the possible outcomes including job satisfaction, exhaustion, organizational commitment, absenteeism and many more. This highlights the different aspects related with employee engagement and related concepts. Internal motivation is central to understand employee engagement and its long term influence on employees and organization (Bakker Demerouti, 2014). Google innovative work culture model works on 80/20 rule which means to focus on 20% of the allotted work time to innovate, and so far, this model has managed to garner the appreciation of new as well as existing employees in the company (Thomas Karodia, 2014). The company has introduced many programs over the years including employee referral program, to absorb the best of the all. Employee Engagement and Organization Performance Organizations have come to realize the importance of human capital in gaining competitive advantage and hence boost their profit. However, managing people with distinct set of knowledge, skills and attitude is a daunting task for managers. Researchers working across different domains in the mainstream human resource management (HRM) field have been perplexed about determining the relation between people management and enhanced organisational performance (Huselid, 1995). In fact, it has come to the stage wherein the association between the HRM and performance has become a dominant purpose of strategic human resource management (SHRM) (Delbridge Keenoy 2010). An engaged employee is likely to make extra efforts in order to contribute in the job performance. Engaged employees invest more time, effort and initiative to achieve success for the business (Baumruk Gorman, 2006). On the contrary, a disconnected or disengaged employee tends to waste efforts, and time to deliver a mediocre per formance (BlessingWhite, 2006). Sullivan (2007) argued that the unique employee engagement approach at Google has boosted the productivity of the employees and hence the company revenues. This is primarily the reason why companies are giving due attention to employee engagement to draw good results from them for the benefit of the organization. As per a survey conducted under the leadership of ISR on 360000 working individuals from 41 different companies from 10 of the worlds economically strong countries, operating margin and net profit margins nosedived over a period of three years in companies having low engagement while others with high engagement reported soaring profits over the same period (Meere, 2005). Google, for instance implements an agile goal-setting process titled OKR (objectives and key results) wherein every individual below the CEO fixes his or her quantifiable objectives (Bersin, 2015). Since OKRs are public, employees are aware of each others responsibility and h ence are accountable for their work. Such challenging practices keep the employees charged with enthusiasm to accomplish their self-determined targets. There are many factors which drive organizations to develop a conducive environment for employees to feel more connected or an important part of the companys success. Most of the employees look for meaning in their work that helps the organization achieve their strategic goals. As per Penna research report (2007), meaningful work has the capacity to bridge the gap between employers and employees for this will benefit the organization and employees will find the suitable environment to make some valuable contribution towards the organization. Another study report from Blessing White (2008) elaborated that out of all the surveyed employees, nearly 60% look for more growth opportunities in their company to achieve job satisfaction. Google provides ample opportunities to the employees to grow and excel in the company. As competition from other companies has increased, employees are under equal pressure to surpass their own previous performance. The company invests rationally to get its b est talent in the company and hence uses many retention tools. Aside from their innovative benefits, the company indulges in activities linked with the health, and family of the employees so they feel comfortable, and corporate environment is improved to make them at ease (Nightingale, 2008). Stock option is another major tool to attract and retain employees (Thomas Karodia, 2014). However, excessive employee engagement can be overly expensive. So a clear insight is required to get the desired benefits. Although there is a growing interest in engagement amongst HRM researchers, it is yet to be subjected to the critical scrutiny like HRM (Purcell, 2013) This research would focus on the employee engagement scenario in Google. Google is one such company which values its employees like any other crucial resource. Employees are known as Googlers. Google intends to create an informal environment with inherent value (Murari, 2004). There are many benefit programs and amenities targeted to provide timely assistance to the employees. Some of the generous programs include the employee friendly leave policies, death benefits, retirement savings plans and much more (Thomas Karodia, 2014). The office environment is such that employees families do not feel ignored. There are many offices wherein healthcare services are provided in the form of gym, massage services, physicians etc. Apart from big fat salary, there are plenty of benefits and perks attached to help them grow professionally and to create a balance between work and personal life. Employees are allowed to work with fun to keep the stress at bay and boost their productivity through en gagement practices (Thomas Karodia, 2014). Being the worlds search giant, the company values its human capital to drive success and growth. Nevertheless, it is facing the same set of employee issues like many other organizations including employee retention, poor job performance, absenteeism and many more. In order to investigate the case further, this research would dig a bit deeper into the employee engagement practices run to manage the human resources. Proposed Conceptual Model for Google: Given the importance of employee programs and keeping in mind the consideration given to innovative culture, the employee engagement model must consist of training and development, work policies and procedures, compensation and benefits, career growth opportunities. All these factors will collaborate to engage employees towards the benefit of the stakeholders. It will potentially improve job satisfaction and hence add on to the revenue generation for the company. Research Aims and Objectives The research aims to investigate the role of employee engagement practices in improving job performance and organizational effectiveness. The objectives are as follows: 1. To determine the factors and their impact in shaping employee engagement in Google. 2. To determine the relation between employee engagement practices and employees morale in Google. 3. To determine the influence of leadership in improving employees engagement in Google. Research Methodology Research methodology includes the generic approach adopted to conduct the research. For the research, quantitative research method will be used. Quantitative research can be defined as the process of collecting quantifiable data and subjecting it to statistical treatment in order to agree or disagree with predetermined claims (Creswell, 2003). Research tool: A survey questionnaire will be designed to collect requisite data from the selected respondents. This questionnaire will be prepared keep the research objectives in consideration. Sample Population: The research considers all the employees of the company as the sample population. Sample Size: For the research, a sample of 50 employees will be taken to draw the required responses from the selected respondents. Research findings The research has elaborated on some of the relevant aspects related with employee engagement. The responses gathered from the survey reflected upon the opinion of the selected employees about their perception about engagement in the company. It was found that most of the employees were satisfied with their current job role, though many of them want to perform in other job roles to examine their potential. Most of the employees (93%) believe in team work and innovation to achieve cohesive goals in the company. The work environment is such that instead of rivalry, employees compete with themselves to continue improving their job role Though jobs can be physically and mentally exhausting, most of the employees (95%) highly rated the work environment, job role, employee benefits and team work. Of all the benefits provided by the company, job growth opportunities were found to be the most preferred along with the engagement activities by all the respondents. It goes on to show the fact th at employees recognize the value added through their enhanced performance in the growth and success of the company. It was closely followed by the salary and perks, engagement activities and fitness programs. The results showed that most of the employees appreciate the interest the leadership shows toward such employee benefit program as part of their initiative to engage employees. Conclusion Recommendation Google is one such company which takes utmost care of its employees through various programs. Unlike many other organizations where work stress can create negative environment, Google is one such company which believes in creating a positive outlook towards life despite of the work-related challenges. It allows employees to work with complete freedom to examine their real potential against the bigger challenges and of course the expectations laid on them by the leadership. They feel more responsible towards the job assigned and hence towards the company. The results elaborated that employees were impressed with the corporate environment of the company which involves work with fun. The companys employee benefit programs are targeted to provide a comfortable working environment to the employees. There is ample care taken of employees in terms of their physical wellbeing through sports activities and fitness programs, and emotional wellbeing with family get-together etc. There are speci al programs formulated to provide opportunities for employees personal and professional growth. Google has created a common feel among its employees that there is something more beyond just the money and that is their skilled contribution towards innovative service. Google has emerged as a company which believes in working towards introducing changes in the world through creative activities and teamwork. Employees feel overwhelmed associated with an international brand which has garnered recognition across the length and breadth of the industry. The companys leadership has time and again recognized the value added through the perseverance and dedication of the innovative employees. The research includes a very small sample size. Thus the results cant be equated as the general perception of all the employees of the company. Also, there was less time to expand the research to study many other relevant concepts of the employee engagement. There is dire need to extend this research furt her for consolidated results. References Bakker, A.B. Demerouti, E. (2014), Job demands-resources theory, in Chen, P.Y. and Cooper, C.L. (Eds), Wellbeing: A Complete Reference Guide, Volume III, Work and Wellbeing, Wiley Blackwell, New York, NY, 37-64 Bakker, A.B., Albrecht, S.L. Leiter, M.P. (2011), Key questions regarding work engagement, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 20(1), 4-28. Baumruk R. Gorman B. (2006). Why managers are crucial to increasing engagement. Melcrum Publishing. Bersin, J. (2015). Daily transactional and transformational leadership and daily employee engagement. J Occup Organ Psychol, 87(1), 138-157. Retrieved from https://dupress.com/articles/employee-engagement-strategies/ Blessing White. (2006). Employee Engagement Report 2006 BlessingWhite, Inc. Princeton, New Jersey. [Online] Available: www.blessingwhite.com. Blessing White. (2008). The Employee Engagement Equation in India. Presented by BlessingWhite and HR Anexi. [Online] Available: www.blessingwhite.com Creswell, J. (2003). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Delbridge, R. Keenoy, T. (2010), Beyond Managerialism? The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 21, 799817 George, J.M. (2011), The Wider Context, Costs, and Benefits of Work Engagement, European Journal of Work Organizational Psychology, 20, 5359. Huselid, M.A. (1995), The Impact of Human Resource Management Practices on Turnover, Productivity, and Corporate Financial Performance, Academy of Management Journal, 38, 635672. Kahn, W.A. (1990), Psychological Conditions of Personal Engagement and Disengagement at Work, Academy of Management Journal, 33, 692724. Macey, W.H. Schneider, B. (2008), The meaning of employee engagement, Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 1, 3-30 Meere M. (2005). High cost of disengaged employees . Victoria: Swinburne University of Technology. [Online] Available:https://www.swinburne.edu.au/corporate/industrysolutions/ee/reports/Employee%20Engagement%20in dustry%20Breifing%20Paper%20Dec%202005%20.pdf Murari, L. (2004). Googles employee satisfaction. blogspot: https://blackmoney.blogspot.com/2008/02/googles-employee-satisfaction_03.html Nightingale, F. (2008) Googles HR Practices: A Strategic Edge [online]. Available from: https://www.ecch.com/google/HRpractices.html Penna. (2007). Meaning at Work Research Report. [Online] Available: https:// www. e-penna.com/ newsopinion /research.aspx Purcell, J. (2013), Employee Voice and Engagement, in Employee Engagement in Theory and Practice, eds. C. Truss, K. Alfes, R. Delbridge, A. Shantz, and E.C. Soane, London: Routledge. Robinson D., Perryman S. Hayday S. (2004). The Drivers of Employee Engagement Report 408, Institute for Employment Studies, UK Sullivan, J. (2007) A look inside the Google talent machine [online]. Available from: https://www.ere.net/2013/08/11/a/look/inside/the/Google/talent machine.html Thomas, S. Karodia, A.M. (2014). Human Resources Practices At Google In Terms Of Some Management Perspectives: Exploring The Entrepreneurial Spirit. Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 2 (3).

Analysis of Wal

Analysis of Wal-Marts Expansionary Efforts Into China Essay Analysis of Wall-Marts Strategy and Business Model for Expansion into China. Introduction Business organizations in the modern world face an ever-increasing challenge to compete for a share of the global market. Advances in transportation, communications, and technology make it possible for a company to build a device in one country out of components made in a dozen other countries and sell it anywhere in the world. To survive in this business environment, businesses must devise strategies that minimize the risks associated with global expansion and maximize the return. A successful global strategy brings growth and a argue share of the market. A failed strategy can seriously affect growth and, in some cases, force the business to close. The key to a successful strategy is to understand the differences within each market. It is also important for the business to adapt its domestic model so as to best utilize the business strengths in response to those differences. The market within the United States is relatively homogeneous and stable. The global market and markets Within other nations are just the opposite. Distance matters in the global market. With distance comes a wide variety of cultural, administrative, political, geographic, ND economic differences. [lithe strategy that embraces these differences will succeed. The purpose of this paper is to review Wall-Marts domestic business model and identify the factors contributing to the success of that model, identify the unique characteristics of the market in China and how these characteristics compliment or work against the strengths of the domestic model, evaluate the success total-Marts strategy and the application tot its domestic business model in China relative to the models used by its primary competitors, and recommend changes to Wall-Marts strategy and business model to improve Wall-Marts nominative edge in China and other Asian nations. Wall-Marts Domestic Model and Strategy Wall-Marts domestic business model and strategy, as applied to the market in the United States and Canada, is based on the following principles: Exceptional pricing and customer service, combined with equally exceptional cost savings and operational efficiencies. Locating stores in small towns deemed too small for their competitors to serve but that had a homogeneous client base with the means to support the stores. An unrivaled distribution and logistics management system coupled with an excellent transportation and communications network. A stable and cohesive government structure in which all competitors were able to operate according to the same rules and regulations. The ability to leverage all Of these factors to reduce prices for consumers and generate profits for the company. Pricing Sam Walton, the founder of Wall-Mart, built the company on the belief that superior pricing was a cornerstone of a successful business. Wall. Mart built its entire marketing strategy on the idea of offering Every Day Low Prices (IDLE) rather than periodic sales. This was a successful move to undercut the competition and secure a larger share of the retail market. The strategy worked and drew millions tot customers into Wall-Mart each day. Walton was passionate about matching or beating his competitors, so much so that it was widely held that he would shop at his competitors to check their prices then call his managers and reduce his own if he found them to be lower. Wall- Mart also instituted the Roll-Back program designed to reduce prices on bundled merchandise, items that would normally be purchased together, These marketing campaigns and strategies, when combined with quality products, built Wall-Marts reputation as the place to shop for the best prices, regardless of a customers income level. Customer Service Sam Walton understood that in the United States, pricing alone was insufficient to maintain a loyal customer base. Pricing might bring customers into the store, but only a combination of exceptional pricing and customer service would keep them coming back. This approach is particularly important when one considers the small cities and towns in which Walton positioned stores. There is a tendency in smaller cities and towns for all members of the community to intermingle, regardless of the economic and social differences, Walton understood this and set forth three cardinal beliefs that formed the backbone of Wall-Marts corporate philosophy and ensured that the company would reflect the same values as its customer base. These beliefs are Provide great customer service Show respect for the individual/family Strive for excellence These beliefs, coupled with the idea that the customer is always number one and exceptional pricing enabled Wall-Mart to become the retail juggernaut it is today. Cost Savings and Operational Efficiencies Pricing and customer service are two cornerstones of Wall-Marts domestic business model and strategy. Cost savings and operational efficiencies are the other two. It was only possible for Walton to reduce prices if he reduced overhead and operational expenses as well. TO that end, he dictated that every dollar spent should tie into providing customers with greater value or savings. Corporate officers share rooms at inexpensive motels and fly coach when they travel. Corporate officials meet vendors in the company lobby rather than in conference rooms. Every action by every person in the company is oriented to saving money and passing those savings on to customers, Vendors are not immune to the constant drive toward lower prices. The companys buying power gives it incredible bargaining power and it uses that power to minimize the cost tot goods sold through negotiations with vendors and by working with vendors to improve their operational efficiency and cost structure. In exchange for helping vendors improve their processes, Wall-Mart negotiates special pricing. Suppliers are motivated to accommodate these pressures from Wall-Mart due to the significant sales that Wall-Mart contracts offer. Distribution, Communications, Transportation, and Logistics A sophisticated satellite-based communications system coupled with an equally sophisticated inventory tracking System enables Wall-Mart to coordinate the flow of products flow from vendors to the distribution centers and then on to the stores. In essence, Wall-Mart, runs a perpetual, real-time inventory management system. The highly efficient inventory tracking system is based on highly-evolved electronic data interchange (EDI) software that coordinates the flow of inventory and other business data been stores, warehouses, and suppliers. This results in enhanced supply chain efficiency by enabling rapid and even anticipatory responses to changes at all levels of the chain. Wall- Mart utilizes a hub and spoke supply chain design, which places all stores geographically within a days drive from the distribution centers, This hub and spoke supply chain design helps Wall-Mart take advantage of economies of scale by serving up to one hundred twenty stores from a single distribution center. Each distribution center is highly automated and operates twenty-tour hours a day, Wall-Mart owns its own diesel truck fleet, which boasts an impressive 99. % on-time delivery. This system enables Wall-Mart to effectively manage its product flow and inventory throughout its distribution network This highly efficient system makes it possible for Wall-Mart to minimize the space it requires for storing inventory. The inventory supply system reaches all the way to the vendors and suppliers that provide the products. This makes it possible fo r Wall- Mart to require that goods be shipped in specific quantities to ensure that no product sits on a shelf any longer than is necessary and minimizes storage requirements. Critism on so long a letter EssayPanky Somewhat provides keen insights as to why Wall-Marts experience in China failed to live up to its expectations in the article Distance Still Matters: The Hard Reality of Global Expansion. Somewhat shows that distance is more than a linear concept in business. Distance is a measurement Of differences. The more geographic. Cultural, administrative, and economic differences. The greater the distance between a compass home market and the one into which it is venturing. Somewhat specifically identifies China as a challenging market. He notes that language, a business culture based on personal injections, consumers who prefer home brands over foreign brands, market- access restrictions, high taxes, and custom duties are specific contributors to distance between the united States and Chinese In order for Wall- Mart to be successful in this market, the strategy it employs must contain points that address the differences, Wall-Marts domestic model fails to address the differences that increase the distance trot the United States market and the market in China Wall-Marts initial analysis of the market in China incomplete, not necessarily inaccurate. A complete analysis, using the CAGE Distance Framework detailed by Checkmate, would have provided Wall-Mart management with a clearer view of the market and brought forward the barriers to trade that exist within Chin Managers should have known how a ban on satellite communications, a critical piece of Wall-Marts distribution, management, and logistics operations, would affect the companys operations in China. Likewise, the management team should have known consumer buying habits in China and adjusted the model to better reflect the needs of the Chinese consumer. Without that information or a plan to address the market differences, here was simply no way for Wall-Mart to succeed in China. The distance was too great to overcome simply by transporting and implementing the domestic model in this situation. Moving Wall-Marts Business in China Forward Wall. Mart must reevaluate the market in China using a thorough and complete analysis such as the CAGE Distance Framework to clearly identify the differences that magnify the distance between the markets in the United States and China, This analysis must be unprejudiced and realistic, It must identify those differences that can be overcome as the company moves forward and it just identify alternative courses of action that differ from its domestic business model. Wall-Mart must be more aggressive in developing and establishing relationships with local governments and politicians. This is an area in which Wall-Marts primary competitor, Careful, excels. It is important to recognize that local protectionism will prevent the expansion of Wall-Mart stores in different regions of China as long as those in power have no incentive to change. The custom in Chinese business is to focus more on relationships than on transactions. Wall-Mart would benefit from establishing and improving legislations Within each community, and spend more time courting local politicians and business leaders. One method for gaining local support is to, as much as the business model Will allow, aggressively seek out and focus more on relationship building with local leaders and change the model it uses in China to enable the payment of taxes to the local entity as a sign of appreciation. This could potentially lead to Wall-Mart being exempt from paying these local governments. This will give local leaders the incentive they need to cooperate more fully with the compass plans, Communications, Distribution, and Logistics Wall-Marts domestic model depends of the use of satellites to coordinate its business Given that satellite technology is banned in China, an alternative system is necessary to ensure some form of real-time inventory control and a reasonable level of efficiency with regard to distribution and inventory control. One option is to maximize the use of existing telecommunications networks to enable an electronic data interchange (EDI) based inventory and business control system for its business locations and suppliers in China. Although considerably slower than a satellite-based system and less reliable, given the infrastructure in China, such a system is possible and can help the company move forward in the market. Wall-Mart should scale back the logistics and distribution system used in the domestic model to reflect the inefficiencies of the system it must use in China. By utilizing a periodic inventory maintenance system instead of a real- time system, the company will experience some improvement in efficiencies. The periodic system is not as cost effective and efficient as the system used in the United States, but it is much less expensive and would serve as a foundation for a system that can grow as the infrastructure in the country improves. Neighborhood Stores Vs.. Hypermarkets Wall-Mart should also adapt its current business model to emulate some of the local business in the communities. In effect, Wall-Mart should open smaller, neighborhood stores with limited inventories and products specifically oriented to the more limited needs of small communities. These neighborhood stores could even be mobile, traveling stores that move from town to town on a set schedule, but with consistent product tottering tailored to a specific clientele. Developing such a local presence will enable Wall-Mart to secure additional sales ND good will as well as grow its business. Hypermarkets as Distribution Centers The smaller stores should be set up using the hub and spoke pattern successfully applied to the domestic model In this case, however, the hypermarkets serve as the distribution centers for the surrounding neighborhood Stores. This does add an additional layer in the distribution chain, but it also better utilizes the space and supply chain for the hypermarkets. Using hypermarkets as mini-distribution centers for neighborhood stores would give Wall-Mart a mechanism for supplying all of its businesses in a cost- competitive manner. In addition, Wall-Mart may be able to use hypermarkets as distribution centers without seeking local approval, given that the stores already exist. In essences, the neighborhood stores become the bulk shoppers for the hypermarkets. Conclusion The market, the culture, the political systems, and the environment in China prevented Wall-Mart from replicating its domestic business model in China. Wall-Mart will improve its overall performance in the market by adapting its business model and leveraging available technologies. By using a combination of aggressively pursuing and establishing relationships with local politicians, implementing an EDI system across businesses and suppliers, developing and implementing periodic inventory system, adapting its business model to include a local business model, which would be neighborhood stores selling a limited amount of goods and limited amount of volume, and using the larger superstructures as smaller distribution centers, Wall-Mart could improve its competitive position in China. These business model changes will address the key factors working against the successful application of Wall-Marts domestic model in China, factors that include: A government structure that is inefficient, parochial, and bureaucratic. An inadequate and disconnected transportation and communications network that prevents the company for utilizing its distribution and logistics management system to attain cost savings and improved margins.