Nursing Article Research Abstract

The nursing journal which I have selected is by Showalter Et al (2000), titled â€Å"Patients' and their spouses' needs after total joint arthroplasty: a pilot study†, from the journal Orthopedic Nursing.   The aim of the paper was to determine the experiences and the requirements of the patients and their spouses following hospitalization for two specific forms of orthopedic surgeries namely total hip and total knee arthroplasty. The study was performed on a small-scale basis and only 5 subjects (patients) and their spouses were included.   The study was performed by a personal interview that was videotaped for future research.   The design included in the study was descriptive. The study was conducted in one health center In Richmond USA. The findings revealed that the patients and their spouses required greatest help in making transitions. The patients felt the greatest distress when they were unable to get back to their activities within the stipulated period of time.   The spouses of the patient felt insecure when the patient was unable to perform the daily activities within the stipulated period of time. The transition period was marked by disturbances felt when the patient was unable to recover within the stipulated period of time as planned before the surgery.   Some of the issues that were a concern included post-operative pain, problems with rehabilitation, and application of skills at home, which are learned in the hospital. During the transition period, the spouses and the patients have to change their roles, relationships, abilities and behaviors, so that a faster recover process is enabled.   The healthcare professionals have to also ensure that the patients are educated about the various problems that can be encountered and means of solving these problems.   The patients and the spouses have to also be taught that the entire recovery process should be given realistic considerations. Further, certain groups (known as ‘focus groups’) have to be trained to ensure that the healthcare professionals are sufficiently educated about the transition changes that are needed.   However, the author has suggested for the need for further research studies when it comes to determining and fulfilling the needs of patients and their spouses following total joint replacement surgeries.   Focus groups seems to be one effective way of educating the healthcare processionals, who in turn that can meet the needs of the patients and their spouses. References: Showalter, A., Burger, S, & Salyer, J. (2000). â€Å"Patients' and their spouses' needs after total joint arthroplasty: a pilot study.† Orthop Nurs, 19(1), 62. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11062624?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlusDrugs1 http://www.orthopaedicnursing.com/pt/re/orthonurs/selectreference.htm;jsessionid=HYTTQ6SxLSksKl8cQjpvksfZ0g1SVBqTfJnZTwwKZXnmQB6QGlJX!1759956393!181195629!8091!-1!1205390899957?an=00006416-200311000-00012&id=P136&data=00006416_2000_19_49_showalter_arthroplasty_%7C00006416-200311000-00012%23xpointer(id(R15-12))%7C1160700%7C%7Covftdb%7C&lu=ovid:/bib/medline/11062624/ui Medline Link Record Unique Identifier 11062624. Authors Showalter A; Burger S; Salyer J. Authors Full Name Showalter, A; Burger, S; Salyer, J. Institution Total Joint Arthroplasty Program, Medical College of Virginia Hospitals at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA. Title Patients' and their spouses' needs after total joint arthroplasty: a pilot study. Source Orthopaedic Nursing. 19(1):49-57, 62, 2000 Jan-Feb. Abbreviated Source Orthop Nurs. 19(1):49-57, 62, 2000 Jan-Feb. NLM Journal Name Orthopaedic nursing / National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses Publishing Model Journal available in: Print Citation processed from: Print Country of Publication UNITED STATES. MeSH Subject Headings Adaptation, Psychological Aged Aged, 80 and over *Arthroplasty, Replacement/ae [Adverse Effects] Arthroplasty, Replacement/nu [Nursing] *Arthroplasty, Replacement/px [Psychology] *Attitude to Health Focus Groups Humans Middle Aged *Needs Assessment/og [Organization & Administration] Nursing Methodology Researc h Orthopedic Nursing Patient Education as Topic Pilot Projects *Postoperative Care/mt [Methods] Postoperative Care/nu [Nursing] *Postoperative Care/px [Psychology] Social Support *Spouses/px [Psychology] Abstract PURPOSE: To describe the experiences and needs of patients and their spouses during hospitalization and recovery from either total hip or total knee arthroplasty. DESIGN: Descriptive. SAMPLE: A purposive sample of 5 patients and their spouses in one health sciences center. METHODS: Qualitative study using a videotaped focus group interview. FINDINGS: Content analysis revealed two perspectives of one theme: patients and their spouses need â€Å"help making transitions.† Situational and role transitions that were problematic for patients reflected distress over not being able to resume activities they enjoyed within an expected time frame. Incongruence between expectations and reality was the source of distress. As a consequence of role reversal, spouses experienced feelings of insecurity and being overwhelmed. Health and illness transitions that patients experienced were also related to incongruence between expectations of the recovery period and the reality that recovery is a slow process. Pain experienced during post discharge recovery and rehabilitation, and problems encountered when applying information and skills learned in the hospital to the home setting were sources of concern. CONCLUSION: The needs and experiences of patients and spouses after total joint arthroplasty reflect transitional change–changes in roles, relationships, abilities, and behaviors. Health care professionals can facilitate transitions by providing education that reflects â€Å"best case-worst case scenarios† so that expectations of the recovery process are realistic. By being the link between hospital and home, health care professionals can lend support to patients as they continue the recovery process. As a program evaluation strategy, focus groups provide useful information to health care professionals who are interested in the needs and expectations of health care consumers. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING RESEARCH: Further exploration of the needs of patients and their spouses following joint replacement surgery is warranted. Use of focus group methodology might provide additional insight into the needs of this population and suggest ways in which health care professionals can modify existing programs to help these patients and their spouses make the transitions. ISSN Print 0744-6020. Publication Type Journal Article. Date of Publication 2000 Jan-Feb Year of Publication 2000 Entry Date 20001109 Revision Date 20071115 Update Date 20071203   

Energy Conservation in Transport

1.3 Transportation system Transportation is another sector that has increased its comparative portion of primary energy. This sector has serious concerns as it is a important beginning of CO2 emanations and other airborne pollutants, and it is about wholly based on oil as its energy beginning ( Figure 1.5 ; Kreith, West, and Isler 2002 ) . In 2002, the transit sector accounted for 21 % of all CO2 emanations worldwide. An of import facet of future alterations in transit depends on what happens to the available oil resources, production and monetary values. At present, 95 % of all energy for transit comes from oil. As explained subsequently in this chapter, irrespective of the existent sum of oil staying in the land, oil production will top out shortly. Therefore, the demand for careful planning for an orderly passage off from oil as the primary transit fuel is pressing. An obvious replacing for oil would be biofuels such as ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, biodiesel, and biogases. Some believe that H is another option, because if it could be produced economically from RE beginnings or atomic energy, it could supply a clean transit option for the hereafter. Some have claimed H to be a â€Å"wonder fuel† and hold proposed a â€Å"hydrogen-based economy† to replace the present carbon-based economic system ( Veziroglu and Barbir 1992 ) . However, others ( Shinnar 2003 ; Kreith and West 2004 ; Mazza and Hammerschlag 2005 ) difference this claim based on the deficiency of substructure, jobs with storage and safety, and the lower efficiency of H vehicles as compared to plug-in intercrossed or to the full electric vehicles ( West and Kreith 2006 ) . Already hybrid-electric cars are going popular around the universe as crude oil becomes more expensive. The environmental benefits of renewable biofuels could be increased by utilizing plug-in intercrossed electric vehicles ( PHEVs ) . These autos and trucks combine internal burning engines with electric motors to 0 20 40 60 80 100 1971 1980 1990 2002 Percentage Share of conveyance in planetary oil demand Share of oil in conveyance energy demand FIGURE 1.5 Share of conveyance in planetary oil demand and portion of oil in conveyance energy demand. ( Data and prognosis from IEA, World Energy Outlook, IEA, Paris, 2004. With permission. ) Global Energy System 1-5 maximise fuel efficiency. PHEVs have more battery capacity that can be recharged by stop uping it into a regular electric mercantile establishment. Then these vehicles can run on electricity entirely for comparatively short trips. The electric-only trip length is denoted by a figure, for example, PHEV 20 can run on battery charge for 20 stat mis. When the battery charge is used up, the engine begins to power the vehicle. The intercrossed combination reduces gasolene ingestion appreciably. Whereas the conventional vehicle fleet has a fuel economic system of about 22 mpg, loanblends such as the Toyota Prius can achieve about 50 mpg. PHEV 20s have been shown to attain every bit much as 100 mpg. Gasoline usage can be decreased even further if the burning engine runs on biofuel blends, such as E85, a mixture of 15 % gasolene and 85 % ethyl alcohol ( Kreith 2006 ; West and Kreith 2006 ) . Plug-in intercrossed electric engineering is already available and could be realized instantly without farther R & A ; D. Furthermore, a big part of the electric coevals substructure, peculiarly in developed states, is needed merely at the clip of peak demand ( 60 % in the United States ) , and the remainder is available at other times. Hence, if batteries of PHEVs were charged during off-peak hours, no new coevals capacity would be required. Furthermore, this attack would levelize the electric burden and cut down the mean cost of electricity, harmonizing to a survey by the Electric Power Research Institute ( EPRI ) ( Sanna 2005 ) . Given the potency of PHEVs, EPRI ( EPRI 2004 ) conducted a large-scale analysis of the cost, battery demands, economic fight of plug-in vehicles today and in the hereafter. As shown by West and Kreith, the net present value of lifecycle costs over 10 old ages for PHEVs with a 20-mile electric-only scope ( PHEV20 ) is less than that of a similar conventional vehicle ( West and Kreith 2006 ) . Furthermore, presently available Ni metal hydride ( NiMH ) batteries are already able to run into needed cost and public presentation specifications. More advanced batteries, such as lithium-ion ( Li-ion ) batteries, may better the economic sciences of PHEVs even further in the hereafter. 7.5.4 Transportation Energy Consumption Energy ingestion in the transit sector is projected to turn at an mean one-year rate of 1.7 % between 2003 and 2025 in the projection, making 39.4 quadrillion Btu in 2025. The growing in transit energy demand is mostly driven by the increasing personal disposable income, projected to turn yearly at approximately 3 % , consumer penchants for driving larger autos with more HP, and an addition in the portion of visible radiation trucks and athleticss public-service corporation vehicles that make up lightduty vehicles. Entire vehicle stat mis traveled by light-duty vehicles is projected to increase at an one-year rate of 2 % between 2003 and 2025 because of the addition in personal disposable income and other demographic factors. 8.1 Introduction This chapter presents tendencies in land usage, cargo, ground-transportation manners for people and cargo, transit fuel supply, and the chances for preservation that exist within each country. The chapter starts with a treatment of the transportation–land usage relationship for a better apprehension of the model within which the transit system maps and the design theories that purpose to influence manner pick and trip coevals. Next is a description of mass theodolite, with peculiar accent on how its energy usage compares to the energy usage of the car. The motion of cargo, its manners, and energy ingestion relation to the remainder of the transit system follows. Then, emerging hereafter engineerings are described ; the focal point of this subdivision is on vehicle efficiencies to conserve energy resources. Finally, the well-to-wheel energy analysis uniting fuel production and vehicle public presentation is presented, concentrating on what feedstocks are available and how they can be refined expeditiously into a fuel. 8.2 Land Use 8.2.1 Land Use and Its Relationship to Transportation There is a cardinal relationship between transit and land usage, because the distance between one’s beginning and finish will find the feasibleness, path, manner, cost, and clip necessary to go from one topographic point to another. Likewise, transit influences land usage as it impacts people’s determinations approximately where to populate and work, sing factors such as commute clip and cost, the distance to a quality school for a family’s kids, the safety and convenience of the paths to school, work, activities, and entree to goods and services. The best chance for preservation in transit Begins with the transportation–land usage relationship. An energy-efficient transit system feats and integrates all manners instead than merely the main road. However, current land usage ordinances, codifications, and development tendencies are designed entirely for the single-occupant vehicle ( SOV ) and do non expeditiously back up other travel options. A more balanced system that incorporates mass theodolite, walking, bicycling, and other options would be more energy-efficient. These manners are less energy intensive and would cut down traffic congestion, vehicle idleness, and inefficient stop-and-go traffic. However, land usage must be designed for multimodal motion for such a balanced system to be realized. Land usage and the population in the U.S. have become more decentralised over clip ( see Figure 8.1 ) . The distribution of land utilizations into residential, commercial, and concern countries increases the distances between the many day-to-day necessities of life so that walking and bicycling are either impracticable or insecure ; it besides makes mass theodolite inefficient because Michigans would be required to function each individual’s needs. Therefore, personal vehicles are the most convenient and most widely chosen manner of transit for day-to-day travel demands given the type of development most normally used in the U.S. A more systemsoriented attack, incorporating prosaic, bike, car, and mass-transit webs within a higher-density developmental construction would be more energy-efficient, but this state of affairs is non the norm in the U.S. today. 8.3 Alternate Transportation system: Mass Transit The efficiency of mass-transit service typically decreases with the denseness of land utilizations. However, denseness is non the individual factor finding the success or failure of a theodolite system. Vuchic ( 1999 ) notes the success of the theodolite webs in fanned countries of San Francisco, Washington, Montreal, Calgary, and peculiarly the suburbs of Philadelphia ( with a lower population denseness than that of Los Angeles: 3500 people per square stat mi ) . Many contrivers and designers suggest a â€Å"hierarchy† of manners instead than the individual manner system that dominates most countries: at the base is a web of bicycle- and pedestrianfriendly streets that support the local coach system, which in bend feeds a regional theodolite web. As each constituent relies on the others, their integrating is indispensable for transit’s success ( Calthorpe and Fulton 2001 ) . Furthermore, â€Å"the balance between auto and theodolite usage in cardinal metropoliss is strongly influenced by the character of the country ( its physical design, organisation of infinite, and types of development ) and by the comparative convenience and attraction of the two systems† ( Vuchic 1999 ) . 10. Narrow streets 9. Traffic volumes 8. Sidewalks 7. Street trees 6. Interconnected streets 5. On-street parking 4. Lower traffic velocities 3. Mixed land usage 2. Buildings looking the street 1. Small block size FIGURE 8.3 Top 10 walkability factors. ( From Hall, R. , Walkable thoroughfares through balanced design. Presentation at The Nuts & A ; Bolts of Traditional Neighborhood Development Conference, Richmond, VA, 2005. ) Several different types of theodolite exist to function the demands of the populace. â€Å"Demand response† describes the paratransit manner, by which a rider calls a starter who sends the theodolite vehicle ( a bird coach or cab ) to the passenger’s door and delivers her to her finish. Commuter rail denotes regional rail operating between a metropolis and its suburban countries ; light rail implies one or two autos utilizing overhead electricity as a power beginning and operating within a metropolis, frequently sharing the streets with cars ; heavy rail operates at high velocities within a separate right-of-way. Bus rapid theodolite ( BRT ) is deriving popularity as a system that grants buses their ain right-of-way so that they do non acquire caught in traffic congestion. BRT operates parallel to the street, such as in the median between travel lanes or in an sole bus-only lane ( see Figure 8.4 ) , and depending on the system, may besides acquire prioritization at traffic signals so that upon attack, the light bends green and the coach will non hold to wait at a ruddy visible radiation. Table 8.3 summarizes the features of each manner. Table 8.4 illustrates what percentages of the theodolite fleets use alternate fuels ( i.e. , fuels other than the conventionally used gasolene ) . The factors that determine what manner and what engineering are best for a given theodolite system include: †  The handiness of a separate right-of-way †  The distance between/frequency of Michigans ( i.e. , will it be regional, express or local service? ) †  The denseness of the environing country ( to find at what speeds the vehicle can safely go ) †  Expected rider volumes †  Size of the metropolis being served A separate right-of-way is non dependent on the bing conditions of the street web and provides great dependability ( since there are no traffice congestion holds ) , high velocity, short trip times, and overall convenience for riders. The potency of mass theodolite to conserve energy is a big, untapped resource. Table 8.5 illustrates how much fuel could be saved by one individual exchanging to mass theodolite for their day-to-day commute to work. The ground for mass transit’s high efficiency is its energy strength, which is a consequence of the burden factor of each vehicle. Table 8.6 provides passenger travel and energy usage informations for 2002, while Figure 8.5 provides the theodolite manner split on a passenger-mile footing ( i.e. , the distribution of travel on each manner per rider per stat mi ) . Mass transit’s efficiency could surely be much higher compared to cars if more riders used it and increased its burden factor ( Greene and Schafer 2003 ) . FIGURE 8.4 BRT exposure. ( From U.S. General Accounting Office ( GAO ) , Mass Transit: Bus Rapid Transit Shows Promise, GAO-01-984, Washington, DC, 2001. )

Chocolate business plan Essay

Introduction The market leader of the chocolate industry in India, Cadbury, is a British subsidiary of the American multinational confectionary, food and beverages conglomerate â€Å"Mondelez International†. Cadbury, is the second largest confectionary company in the world, close on the heels of Mars, Inc. In India, Cadbury owns a market share of 66 %, significantly ahead of the other multinational company operating the same space for many years, Nestle India, as well as other national, international and regional brands like Amul and Ferrero. Cadbury India began its operations in India in 1948, and has been a trusted and favored brand for decades in India. The market share has decreased from 70-80% in view of entry of other international chocolate companies in the Indian market, however it is still significantly large. Cadbury figures in the Brand Trust Report, 2011 in the Top 100 Most Trusted Brands in India. While Cadbury sells products in several categories such as candy, gum, beverages and chocolate confectionary, this report is aimed at studying the marketing strategy employed by Cadbury India in view of its chocolate confectionary business. Some of the products in this category include the highly popular Dairy Milk, Dairy Milk Silk, Bournville, Temptations, 5 Star, Dairy Milk Shots, Celebrations, Perk and Toblerone. In order to analyze the marketing strategy for Cadbury, this report begins with a SWOT analysis of the company. Environmental Analysis Political Food Safety Act 2006: Detailed and exacting regulations, for standards of production as well as imported chocolates, exist in India. Opportunity. Cadbury is better equipped to follow standards in production than smaller regional or local brands. Strength. Expand into the rural areas before local or regional companies focus on the rural market. Import Tax Rates on Chocolates: A tariff rate of 30% is levied on chocolates. Opportunity. Strength. Demand for premium chocolates at affordable prices can be encashed before foreign entrants can grow their roots within the Indian industry by introducing and aggressively marketing domestically manufactured premium chocolates. Economic Per Capita Spending Patterns: The biggest consumption category in India is Food. Spending in this amounts to almost 21% of the Gross Domestic Production. People, on average, spend 31% of their budget monthly, on food. 70% of the food spending is on agri-products, which incorporates candies and confectionary including chocolates. Two-thirds of this spending is on processed products. Domestic spending on food is expected to grow at a compounded 3 annual growth rate of 4% and billed to reach approximately 320 billion US dollars in value within the next 7 years. USD 841 million is spent on chocolates and confectionary in India. Opportunity. In households across income groups, a large share of money spent goes towards processed agricultural products including chocolates and other confectionary items. This can be encashed by developing effective channels to reach out and sell to lower and lower middle income groups. Strength. Socio-Cultural Social and cultural acceptability of products: There is an increasing acceptance of chocolates as an equivalent of traditional sweets in urban areas. Chocolates are, however, still seen as a luxury food item in rural areas. Opportunity. Chocolates are increasingly being seen as an equivalent or substitute for traditional sweets in terms of the convenience it offers when used for gifting on occasions. Strength. Cadbury is already working on this approach to sell to urban consumers. Rural consumers can also be reached out to and offered chocolates as a new gift item replacing sweets leading to increased sales. Technological Constantly improving technology in chocolate making leads to better tasting products as well as more convenient storage. Opportunity. Strength. Cadbury has the financial capability to invest in R&D and has already produced products that are better suited to Indian tastes and storage conditions that other foreign entrants into the industry are not yet as well adapted to. Natural factors. Climate for Cocoa Production: Cocoa, used to produce chocolates can only be grown in regions 15 degrees to the north or south of the equator. Cocoa, originally a crop native to the Amazon basin, can only be grown in the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. It is not a commonly grown crop. Threat. Lack or scarcity of domestic cocoa producers can affect production costs of chocolates within the country. Strength. Cadbury has encouraged farmers in Kerala to produce cocoa since the 1970s and is now in the process of promoting Cocoa as an inter-crop plant for coconut growing farmers. Successful pursuance of this connect with the farmers would help Cadbury procure raw material at lower prices within the country. Consumer behavior Age composition: 66% of the population is below the age of 35. Opportunity. It implies that a huge part of the population can be encouraged to take up consumption of chocolates more frequently and will be met with less resistance than that put up by older consumers with already set eating habits. Strength. 4 Competition Traditional Sweets: Very widely available and traditional choice, but inconsistent in hygiene levels and taste. Threat. Build on image of chocolates being a better and more hygienic choice, which adheres to food safety standards set out by the Govt. Build on image that chocolates are a more sophisticated choice for gifting carrying greater meaning than ‘mithai’ from neighbourhood sweet shops. Strength. Confectionary items like candies, cakes and icecream: Candies are easily available and appeal to children who have traditionally been the target consumers for chocolates. Threat. Cadbury can emphasize more strongly that chocolates are not meant only for children but for adults as well who may not prefer to eat candies. Cadbury chocolate can be offered as an experience, that is not replicated by eating candies and conectionary items. Strength. Entry of several foreign players: As India is seen to have a rapidly growing chocolate consuming country, with people willing to spend not only on inexpensive smaller packs of chocolates, but also premium chocolates as well, foreign players have started foraying into the market with the hope of establishing a presence in the premium sector at least. Threat. Cadbury can increase its foothold in the premium sector of chocolate industry by launching and promoting premium chocolate brands with higher cocoa content which could be priced a bit lower than the foreign brands. In fact, Cadbury is already in the process of implementing such a strategy through the introduction of Bournville and Toblerone. Strength. Suppliers Global network: Half of the cocoa sourced for chocolate making by Cadbury is from sources around the globe, including countries like Ghana, for its famous brand Bournville. Opportunity. Cadbury can source the majority of its cocoa from farmers in India through contract farming, while importing from foreign countries specifically for certain brands only. This will help reduce loss due to global fluctuations in cocoa bean prices and also reduce transport or shipment costs. It will also help create an even more positive image in the eyes of the Indian population. Strength. Dealer network: Cadbury has CSR activities directed at the farmers who are producing cocoa on contract for Cadbury in the state of Kerala. Opportunity. Cadbury is now in the process of extending these activities to farmers in 3 more southern Indian states. This will help cement positive relations between the cocoa growers and the brand, which may put it at an advantage when compared to new foreign entrants in the country like Ferrero or Mars, Inc. Strength. 5 Advertising environment Use of role models: Trustworthy role models in the media, when used as Brand Ambassadors, give a much needed push to the further acceptance of a product. Opportunity. Cadbury has been able to utilize this by roping in celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, thus emphasizing the idea that even adults can have chocolates, since even a person of Amitabh Bachchan’s stature has not shied away from having them. Cadbury also has the financial power to rope in more high profile celebrities for the same. Strength. Availability of media and ad agencies: Several media channels like TV, Radio, newspapers are available for Cadbury to advertise on. Opportunity. Cadbury has been advertising its chocolates heavily throughout, to keep the brand on top of the mind recall. There have been innumerable ads by Cadbury that have long stayed on people’s minds and even evoked nostalgia, indicating a deep connect of the brand with the audience. Strength. Segmentation Cadbury segmented the consumer based on age. Till the 1980s, chocolates were seen as a luxury item which were eaten only on special occasions or used to reward children with. Despite being the market leader already at this time, Cadbury decided to reshuffle their marketing strategy and position chocolates as a snack and an everyday item of consumption rather than a special treat. In order to do this, the first step was to segment the consumers. Geographic or occupation based segmentation would have proven less relevant in helping raise revenues generated from chocolate sales. The segmentation was done on the basis of age. The existing segment of choice for Cadbury had been children up to the age of 14 who had been driving the consumption of chocolates until the 90s. The other segment that the consumers could be grouped into was the adult population. Targeting The decision made to target a segment is based on gauging the segment attractiveness of the segment. During the 90s, with a rise in the population of the 15-35 year olds, combined with a surge in income and spending power due to the simultaneous opening up of the economy, made the adult segment an attractive one and since then, it has been targeted by Cadbury. Being the market leader already, switching to this target consumer group was not a difficult move for them, in terms of channel attractiveness of the segment. The existing channels which served the consumers until the 90s, such as kirana stores, need no resource intensive special adaptations to serve the youth consumer group as well. Alongside this, competitive attractiveness of the youth segment was also high since no other chocolate company had targeted this consumer group so far. Although this meant 6 Cadbury needed to put in extra marketing effort to change the social acceptance of chocolates in this group, it also translated into a first mover advantage for them. Positioning Positioning is the decision of how the brand wants to be perceived as by the target consumer group vis-a-vis competitors. Cadbury has positioned itself to cater to specific needs and attributes that the target consumer group looks for. Cadbury’s objective was to engage the customers of the adult age group. In the early 90s, Cadbury had the leading share in the market but the volume of sales in terms of per capita consumption was very low compared to western countries. This was also because consumption of chocolate by children was strictly governed by adults and hence increasing per capita consumption within the children consumer group was not a feasible option. In order to widen the net of consumers, Cadbury had to increase the social acceptance of chocolates in the adults age group. This was done through the means of extensive and successively huge ad campaigns which eventually lowered the attitudinal barrier that existed. Cadbury had wanted to and has successfully moved from the perception of chocolate being a children’s product to a celebratory/gifting product, and more recently an indulgence product (For instance Cadbury Silk). In 1992, Cadbury launched a series of aggressive ad campaigns starting with ‘Real Taste of Life† which showcased adults eating the chocolates on their own and not in a parent role or buying it as a reward or a way to say sorry to loved ones. This included the famous ad â€Å"Kuch khaas hai zindagi mein† which showed adults enjoying the taste of chocolates on their own. Later on, Cadbury launched a campaign for Perk which said â€Å"Thodi si pet pooja† which emphasized the use of the chocolate as an any time snack to satisfy hunger, which was a marked shift from the earlier perception of chocolates. Later, to promote Cadbury chocolates as an alternative to traditional desserts, the â€Å"kuch meetha ho jaaye† campaign sought to change perceptions once again, this time including the entire family consisting of elderly grandparents also in the ad to show acceptance of the Cadbury chocolates as dessert. By tying chocolates to Indian customs, and festivals, like Celebrations especially for Raksha Bandhan and Diwali, Cadbury has come a long way from the â€Å"Real Taste of Life† campaign, and â€Å"Indianized† itself in order to entrench itself within the minds of the adult population in India. Marketing Mix – 4 Ps Product/Service Product There are four types of products by Cadbury India, and this report is focused on the Chocolates category. These aim to satisfy the hunger need as well as relaxation and convenience need (easily available snacking option). In order to satisfy these needs, the 7 product is available very easily, at least in the urban markets and in various sizes. Cadbury chocolates are branded so as to represent some emotional core values like family values, and togetherness, but at the same time, they are also branded as a fresh, satisfying, convenient product. Place Cadbury has 6 company-owned manufacturing facilities: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Thane Induri (Pune) Malanpur (Gwalior) Bangalore Baddi (Himachal Pradesh) Hyderabad There are 4 sales offices, one each in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. The corporate office is in Mumbai. In terms of distribution, Cadbury chocolate products are sold directly to wholesalers and retailers. The network comprises roughly 2100 distributors and 4,50,000 retailers. The chocolates are sold through Kirana stores, gift stores, medical stores, canteens, paan shops, bakeries and so on. Price The generally established price point for chocolates in India is Rs 5 and Cadbury has 4 products at this point including Dairy milk, 5 star, gems and perk. This price point accounts for half of chocolate sales in India. At the same time, Cadbury sells multiple differently sized packs on a range of prices, going up to higher, premium priced products as well such as Bournville. In this way, Cadbury has a hold on various price points available to various groups of consumers based on their appetite for spending. Promotion Cadbury promotes its products through various media channels. It uses mainly television ads with strongly featured taglines that get associated with the products easily. There is some amount of seasonality in the market in the way that demand ideally goes up during festive season due to gifting needs and Cadbury launches special ad campaigns around those times to encash on this increased demand. National level competitors like Amul have been unable to match up to the scale of promotions undertaken by Cadbury. Regional players hardly advertise on a big scale through campaigns. However, its MNC competitor Nestle has its own promotional ads and campaigns that seek to rival Cadbury’s and sometimes directly challenge the Cadbury ads. 8 Recommendations 1. In view of the recent entry of foreign players in the market, though Cadbury does not face the threat of losing a significant amount of its existing customers, for instance, those who buy Dairy Milk or Perk, there is a possibility of losing out on potential customers who are interested in premium chocolates. Since this is a rapidly growing industry, and being the established market leader, Cadbury should focus on its premium chocolate brands in a big way through more visible ad campaigns and promote their products based on the brand equity they have built through the years. 2. While leveraging the lower cost of Cadbury premium chocolates vis-a-vis foreign chocolates, Cadbury must take care to ensure it does not go the Tata Nano way, as lower prices in the premium segment may be perceived as lower quality in the product delivered as well. 3. As it has already managed to successfully position chocolates as a snack for children’s as well as adults’ consumption, it can now focus on activating the elderly consumer segment which is typically more resistant to chocolates compared to traditional sweets and feel guilty on indulging in chocolates even if not restricted by health reasons. 4. Cadbury can now change the positioning of certain specific products or introduce new products to cater to â€Å"instant energy† giving needs similar to Mars bars abroad. 5. Recently, a 20-calorie chocolate has been developed in the UK which is now being sold at Michelin starred restaurants. Cadbury can also direct some of its R&D endeavors towards developing a similar product which would give the company a distinct edge over competitors and help tap into a new markets and increase their consumer width. 9 NATIONAL BRAND 10 Introduction Amul is an Indian dairy Co-operative based out of Anand in Gujarat. The co-operative started off as the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers Union in December 1946. The Co-operative was set up by the milk producers of the Kaira district of Gujarat who felt cheated by the unfair trade practices. The co-operative collected processed and marketed milk and was co-owned by the milk producing farmers of the district. The brand Amul was used by the Kaira District Co-operative to market its brand of milk products. By the 1970s the Co-operative model had become highly successful and spawned similar Co-operative in other district s of Gujarat. In order to combine together and expand their market while not competing with each other, the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF), an apex marketing body of these district co-operatives was set-up in 1973. The brand name of Amul which was held by the Kaira Union was transferred to GCCF. Today, the GCCF is the largest food product marketing organisation of India. The co-operatives collect around 10 million litres of milk per day from around 3 million milk producer members of the Co-operative. Its current turnover is around Rs. 140. 0 billion. Amul started producing and marketing chocolates in 1970. It currently markets 6 different chocolate brands namely Congtas, Fundoo, Chocozo, Bindaaz, Rejoice, Almond Bar, Fruits and Nut and Amul Cooking Chocolate. Current market share of Amul chocolates is just 4% as compared to market leader that is 66%. The main reason behind such low market share is lack of promotion and more focus on dairy products. Environmental Analysis Strengths ? ? ? Raw material (milk) security: Major raw materials for the production of chocolates are Cocoa, milk and sugar. Milk supply is secured for the company which protects it from any volatility in prices. High brand awareness: Amul through its concerted marketing over the last 5 decades has created a brand that is synonymous with good quality. The brand has also become a symbol of successful Indian entrepreneurship that has positively impacted the lives of millions of small farmers, hence there is a sense of patriotism and pride associated with the brand as well. Strong distribution network: Amul has been marketing and supplying milk through a pan India distribution network which supplies milk and milk products to independent retailers but also to its own milk parlours. 11 Weakness: ? ? ? Low market share: Amul chocolates have a low market share in the Indian chocolate industry. The brand, though having a strong recall value, is not primarily associated with chocolates. The market leader in the chocolate industry in India is Cadbury with 70% market share followed by Nestle at 20% market share. Co-operative structure of Amul: Due to the Co-operative nature of GCMMF, there is limited capital infusion in the company. As a result there is a limited scope for aggressive product launches or diversification. Volatility in Cocoa prices: Unlike the major chocolate producing companies in the world, Amul does not own a cocoa plantation. The prices of cocoa are volatile in nature as they are dependent on the international demand supply dynamics. Not having a cocoa plantation of its own exposed the company to volatility in prices of this raw material. Opportunities: ? Huge untapped market: The per capita consumption of chocolate in India has increase from 40 gm per person in 2005 to around 110 gm per person currently. Though this is impressive growth in itself it is still much lower than the per capita chocolate consumption, in countries like Ireland or Belgium which have a chocolate consumption per person of more than 11 kilograms or even USA or Australia which have chocolate consumption per person of around 5 kilograms. There is thus a huge untapped market for growth in the chocolate industry in India. Corresponding Strength: Since Amul has a strong â€Å"Brand awareness†, people would be willing to buy new products launched under its brand name. Amul can launcha variety of new chocolate products for youth and kids. ? Gifting: Gift hampers consisting of chocolates has been a successful marketing strategy by companies like Cadbury. Amul too has the ‘Rejoice’ brand especially for this purpose however there is scope to launch or aggressively advertise this. Corresponding Strength: Since, Amul is a strong brand name and has a strong distribution network, It can very well advertise the gift packs like rejoice and can introduce new brands catering to the same need. ? Advertising: Amul need to advertise and carry out lot of promotional activities to inform the consumers that still exist and can provide them with what they want. It’s been years that Amul’s chocolate advertisement has been telecasted on India’s major television channels. Sales promotions like discounts and free samples can also help them to increase the Brand awareness and attract customers to switch brand from competitors. Big brands use a celebrity as a Brand Ambassador for its product. 12 For example Amitabh Bachchan for Cadbury & Rani Mukherjee for Nestle, Amul can also use a brand ambassador for the promotion of its chocolates. Corresponding Strength: Amul has a huge turnover of around Rs 140 billion and is a financially strong company and has enough funds to carry out the needed advertising campaign and promotions. By spending a small percentage of revenue on advertising campaigns Amul can increase its market share to a large extent. ? Low rural penetration of chocolates: There is significant awareness of the Amul brand even in rural India. The company can leverage these launch cheaper brands targeted at the rural segment which has till now stayed away from chocolate consumption. Corresponding Strength: Amul has been marketing and supplying milk through a pan India distribution network. It has a strong distribution network in rural areas. Amul can leverage this strength and can launch cheaper products in rural market. Threats: ? Strong competition from foreign multi nationals: There is significant potential in the Indian chocolate industry which has been attracting international competition. Companies like Cadbury have been launching premium swiss chocolate brands. Also other premium chocolate brands like Ferrero Rocher are making their presence felt in India. Corresponding Weakness: Since â€Å"Amul† is mostly related to its milk products and has not made its presence felt strongly in the chocolate industry, its still far behind its competitors like Cadburys which is a very aggressive player in the chocolate industry. Amul faces tough competition and to handle the same it needs enormous marketing and advertising campaign and introduction of new chocolate products under its brand name. ? Low brand loyalty in chocolate industry: Chocolates are impulse purchases and compete with categories of soft drinks, snacks and other beverages. Although people may like a particular type of chocolate (dark, milk, white, etc. ) there is not a significant brand loyalty. Hence this presents a threat to established players in the market. Corresponding Weakness: Since Amul has significantly low popularity in chocolate industry and also people are picky while selecting a chocolate, there is not a single chocolate brand product under its brand which enjoys strong loyalty from consumer side. Also, people like to try different kinds of chocolates and are not necessarily inclined towards a single chocolate product. Since, Amul does not offer a large variety of chocolates; therefore it is at a weaker position in the chocolate industry. 13 Segmentation Geographic segmentation: Chocolate consumption is concentrated in urban areas of the country. Chocolate consumption in rural areas of the country may be considered negligible. Chocolates are still considered as a luxury product by the population and are hence consumed by the middle and the upper classes of society which reside in the towns, cities and metropolitan centres of the country. Amul chocolates are thus marketed in these areas of the country. Demographic segmentation: Amul chocolates are mostly segmented its consumers into various age groups like the children, adolescent and youth segments of the society. Since, chocolates are particularly liked by children and middle aged and older generations refrain from eating it citing health concerns due to high sugar content of chocolates. Targeting The brands of Amul chocolates like Fundooz, Bindaaz, Congrats etc. have been named to be attractive to the younger generation who use these words in their daily lexicon. There has been a strategy by the company to provide a young, dynamic and fun loving character to its chocolate through such branding. Amul chocolates also markets two brand namely Amul Cooking Chocolate which is targeted towards the homemakers and professional cooks and chefs. Positioning Positioning is the decision of how the brand wants to be perceived as by the target consumer group vis-a-vis competitors. Amul has positioned itself as an affordable, â€Å"value for money† chocolate. Since, it has mostly targeted kids and youth, it is still considered as a snack unlike cadbury’s product like Celebrations which is considered as gifting option. Amul has not positioned itself as an alternative to sweets or has not developed its product to actually cater to an emotional need. It is simply a chocolate available at a lower price. Marketing Mix. Product Amul has a very low range of products in its chocolate business. There are only 8 chocolate brands that Amul offers as of now in the market and these are Congrats, Fundoo, Chocozo, 14 Bindaaz, Rejoice, Almond Bar, Fruits and Nut and Amul Cooking Chocolate. The problem is that there is no clear differentiation between the products that it offers. For example Cadburys is catering to a different need corresponding to its individual Chocolate product. ? ? ? ? ? Product Dairy Milk Dairy Milk Shots Bournville 5 Star Perk Need Milk Chocolate (Basic taste and style). Small balls of chocolate (Circular unlike chocolate bars) Dark Chocolate Sweeter in taste with honey as an ingredient Crispier with wafer inside However, Amul completely ignores such kind of differentiation between its products and hence their product can be easily substituted by their own products apart from the competitor’s product. Another important factor is packaging because majority of the consumers is kids and youngsters who like attractive packaging. Most kids buy chocolates not just because they like chocolates but also because of the attractive wrappers. Packaging used by Amul stands low on appearance parameter. Also, it lacks a common theme or â€Å"top of the mind† recall point. For example, Cadburys is strongly associated with blue wrapper and more than brown it’s the colour blue that we associate with a chocolate. As compared to this, Amul’s packaging is weak and lacks lustre. Amul needs to make changes to its product (chocolates) like introduction of more flavours and attractive packaging because the wrappers Amul uses is not at all attractive compared to those used by Cadbury and Nestle. This would keep them in competition with competitors like Cadbury and Nestle. 15 Pricing Second P of marketing that is Price is often confused with blindly lowering the prices of different products and completely relying on this strategy to increase sales. However it is of extreme importance to divide the target group on the basis of their price sensitivity and purchase power. Every customer segment has different price expectation from the product. To maximize the returns, it is important to identify the right price level for each segment and then progressively moving through them. Amul has launched various chocolate products to cater to different segments of population. Pricing must take into account the competitive and legal environment of the industry. Majority of people in India live in villages and have low disposable income. With such a heavy competition in the chocolate market, Price plays a very important role. Amul pricing strategy has been â€Å"Value for Money†. Amul’s believes in giving value for money to its customers and it has always followed that principle. Its products are of high quality and available at affordable prices. For example, Cadbury’s â€Å"Fruit n Nut† is priced at Rs 35 per 42 gm pouch whereas Amul’s Fruit and Nut is sold at just Rs 25 per 40 gm. Amul offers same quality at a price 30% lower than its competitor. Amul has not launched any premium (high price) product in its chocolate business. Place Place in marketing is considered as the channels of distribution through which products move from the manufacturer to the consumers. The channels of distribution mean intermediaries or middlemen who act as a link between the manufacturer and the consumers. Factors that need to be considered when choosing the place are the characteristics of the product, characteristics of the buyers, control and competitors channels. Since chocolate is an edible product, Amul should adopt an intensive distribution strategy wherein they will manufacture products and make it available at various shopping malls, food joints, local stores, Chocolate parlours etc. Corresponding to its strong distribution channels, Amul currently has very low visibility. It needs to increase the visibility through offering discount to retailers along with buybacks to convince them to store the Amul Chocolates. Since Amul is a â€Å"value for money† brand it can be placed anywhere from small kirana shops to big malls. Amul has a big brand name because of its dairy products. They can easily use it to increase the awareness of its chocolates using various distribution channels. 16 Promotion Promotion refers to exchange of information between an organization and the consumer of its products. Consumers here include Customers, shareholders, employees, government and other parties related to the products like trade union and media. The aim of promotion is to inform the consumers, differentiate from other products and to persuade them to buy. There are many techniques of promotion like Advertising, Sales promotions, Direct Marketing & Personal selling. Amul has been criticised for lack of promotion. Amul has a strong brand name because of its dairy product leadership. Amul must advertise its chocolates using media like newspaper, television and internet to inform the public about the quality & the price of its product. Amul has totally shifted its focus from chocolates towards milk and other milk products and have totally ignored chocolates. Using the mediums like Television and newspaper the company needs to remind the public that they are back with improved products at an affordable price. 17 Recommendations 1. Amul needs to introduce new varieties of chocolates and improve its existing ones. 2. They should introduce milk chocolates like Nestle’s Milky Bar, Chocolates with fruits and nuts like Cadbury has its Fruit and Nuts, Mint chocolates like Nestle’s After Eight etc.

Resident Attitudes towards Gambling tourism in Marcao Essay

Resident Attitudes towards Gambling tourism in Marcao - Essay Example With a very limited resources in the form of garments manufacturing, which is also now being lost to much cheaper labor cost in mainland China, gambling in the guise of tourism industry and in the form of lottery, casinos, games of fortune and horse and dog races, as well as the trendy online gaming, have become Macao’s last resort for economic survival. With a long history of monopolized gambling embedded in its economy, this study will present a balance between the advantages and disadvantages of gambling to the people and residents of Macao in the context of tourism. Issues which are not always sensationalized, and most probably, rarely reported shall be dissected as objectively as possible. The researcher has chosen this topic as a tourism student, because the tourism industry in Macao based on gambling, have impacted so much on the international identity and association of Macao. There had been so much written and talked about the gambling/tourism industry, outside of Macao regarding Macao, and yet, a little is said about the impact of gambling on the residents of Macao. The researcher does not imply that the residents have been voiceless, or that they have been totally ignored and uncounted, but only to present an objective point of view not based on the opinion of foreign observers because this abounds in the international media. The researcher would like to focus on its research subjects: local Macanese that is residents of Macao, as well as locals that are employed in the gambling casinos. Likewise, this research focus will also aid the researcher on the impact of tourism as a whole, if there would be diversification possibilities when it comes to Macao tourism, or that locals have much more to offer besides the entertainment.

How print press stimulated social and political change in Europe Essay

How print press stimulated social and political change in Europe - Essay Example People such as Martin Luther openly opposed the rule of the Roman Catholic Church. He argued that its acts went against the values of Christianity. In the political arena, people had the platform to voice out their political opinions. Wars and revolutions emerged because people realized that their leaders were either dictatorial or had propaganda agendas. The paper will discuss how the printing press stimulated social and political change in Europe. The Printing Press The printing press (movable type) was the indicator innovation in the early contemporary information technology. Between the years 1446 and 1450, Johannes Gutenberg introduced the first printing press in Mainz, Germany. In the following five decades, the technology was widely adopted across Europe. In the same period, the prices of book decreased by two thirds and this transformed the conditions of intellectual work and the ways in which ideas were distributed. Historians indicate that the printing press was one of the greatest inventions in the history of humanity.12 How Print Press Stimulated Social and Political Change in Europe The rise of modernism is attributed to the invention of the printing press and the spread of literacy throughout Europe. ... crucial in the success of modernism in the West.3 It is important to note that before the printing press invention, owning a Bible or any other book was a rare feat. As the printing presses proliferated, so did the Bibles and other books. These books became increasingly available to the population, thus the information accessible and available to individuals increased rapidly. Consequently, it encouraged the development of literacy. In the 17th century, political pamphlets and technical literature, storybooks and novels, as well as commentaries on religious matters and the Bible became very common. Magazines and newspapers began appearing in the 18th century. In the 19th century, the levels of literacy were well spread enough to develop a market for cheap press. It is during this time that advertising found its place in the market.4 The printing press created significant changes in the economic, political, and social spheres. It increased the speed and reduced the costs of reproducti on. Printing press made the dissemination of ideas much easier. Manuscripts and books ceased to be isolated to a particular group (monarchs) in the society, and became accessible and available to most people in the society. Thus, they started serving as important forums for public discussion. Happening at a period of political and religious turmoil, the printing press presented the European monarchs with both an economic opportunity and political threat. The development of the law of copyright was to deal with this threat and take advantage of the opportunity presented.5 Direct censorship was the viable means for confronting the political threat coming from the printing press. It also muffled the printing industry and consequently limited the economic benefits of the government from the

Businees Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Businees - Essay Example By selecting an individual from this way we will be able to understand this particular topic more clearly. If you cannot think of an firm, individual or industry according to the need, the we can go to Auraria Library and review the Denver Business Journal: Book of Lists, which is annual publication that provides contact information for top ranking companies in Denver, across a range of discipline. But it must be keep in mind that while selecting the data regarding this that the individual who will be choose for the interview must be the founder , co-founder or member of the original management team that started the company. The company must also still be in existence today. The choice of company or sector is completely upon the interviewer. It may be a high wealth company, a small company, a small lifestyle business, or a company that started small but is now experiencing significant growth. 1. First step regarding this is to one has to contact with the desired company or interviewee as soon as possible. Entrepreneurs are busy person. So to get an appointment from a busy person can be a bit difficult job. If positive results are not coming in the first approach then have to try again and again. 3. Now a convenient meeting time and place have to be fixed for both the interviewer and the interviewee. The time must be set in such a way so that the interviewer can get time to prepare the question what is going to be asked in the interview. 2) A recording can be done of the interview with the permission of the entrepreneur. This is so because lots of information can come within half an hour. So if any point is missed by the interviewer he/ she can get it through the recording. The outcome of the interview is iTriage is a consumer health care company founded in 2008 by two emergency medicine physicians. Over 9 million health care consumers

Implementation and Analysis Proposition 30 ( increase tax for Essay

Implementation and Analysis Proposition 30 ( increase tax for education ) - Essay Example The policy affects the upper income tax payers because they are the one to pay additional tax for the funding of the state’s budgeted programs. However, the beneficiaries of the policy range from community colleges and schools, universities, department of development services, department of parks and recreation, department of fish and game, city police departments among other funded educational programs (Williams, 2011). The Proposition 30 will increase the rate of Sales Tax from 2013 all the way to 2016 by 9.3%. This policy measure will increase statewide rate of sales tax by almost one quarter for each dollar of purchased goods. The policy will be effective for four years. The Proposition 30 will also increase the rates of Personal Income Tax from 2012 to 2018. The policy measure will increase the already existing 9.3 percent rates on the higher incomes. The supplementary marginal rate of tax will increase with the increase in taxable income. The policy will add state revenue from 2018 through to 2019. Through the fiscal years in which both the personal income tax and sales tax increases as stated above due to phasing in and phasing out of the higher rates of taxes, the smaller increases in revenue are likely to be seen in 2011/2012, 2017/2018, and 2018/2019 (Jeffrey And Aaron, 1984). The revenue could also be seen changing from year to year significantly. This would be so through multibillion dollar swing either below or above the projected revenues. This could be because the majority of extra revenue would result from the increase on rates of personal income tax on the upper income taxpayers. Additionally, the bigger part of the reported income by the upper income taxpayers is associated with their businesses and investments, rather than their salaries and wages. The policy as mentioned before will also benefit schools, because the new tax revenues

Drama Play- A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen Essay

Drama Play- A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen - Essay Example According to Nora, even though men refuse to sacrifice their integrity, â€Å"hundreds of thousands of women have.† (Ibsen, 1879) Nora had to leave the penniless Krogstad and marry Torvald in order to support her mother and two brothers. Torvald is condescending towards Nora and the dominant partner in their marriage. Nora hides a loan from him because she is aware that Torvald could never accept the fact that his wife had helped save his life. She also has to work secretly to pay off the loan. Nora’s deception and the attitudes of Torvald and society make Nora fall a victim to Krogstad’s blackmail. Nora finally decides to walk out of the marriage leaving her children. Nora fears that she may be corrupting the children and feels that leaving the children with the nanny is in their best interest. The main theme of the play is that when a society fails to function in a right way and when men dominate and oppress women, women are reduced to mere objects. The title of the play itself suggests this. Nora is nothing but a doll in her house. Another theme is that there can be no pretences in a marriage. Ibsen in order to make the play realistic wrote the dialogue in a simple, middle-class, everyday language instead of the elegant, haughty language of romantic plays. The dialogue is simple yet powerful and succeeds in revealing the human psyche. And the most important element of the play is that practically every object in the play be it the Christmas tree or Noras clothing are symbols that emphasize Ibsens theme. One symbol that keeps recurring throughout the play is the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree, which is used for decorative purpose during Christmas, symbolizes here the position of Nora in her house. The Christmas tree is present in the background of every scene and Ibsen succeeds in creating an undeniable association between the tree and Nora. Nora like the tree is only decorative, as was the case with

Macro2B Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Macro2B - Essay Example Workers who spend time looking for employment are engaged in job search. This type of unemployment is the case of frictional employment, which is due to the time workers spend in job search. This exists even when the number of people seeking jobs is equal to the number of jobs being offered, that is it does not mean that there is a surplus of labor. However, unemployment when there are more people seeking jobs in a labor market than there are jobs available at the current wage is called as structural unemployment. Both frictional and structural unemployment is inevitable in any economy. Thus, a certain amount of unemployment is normal, which is called as the natural rate of unemployment. The natural rate of unemployment is the unemployment rate that arises from the effects of frictional plus structural unemployment. Actual unemployment rate fluctuates around the natural rate of unemployment. The natural rate of unemployment is calculated as: 4. Perhaps tongue-in-cheek, some economists occasionally distinguish between â€Å"good† inflation and â€Å"bad† inflation. Speculate as to why these economists might see some inflations as superior to others. Inflation is the sign that an economy is growing or expanding. The lack of inflation is an indicator that the economy is weakening. A small inflation is just as bad as high inflation. Thus, it is not easy to label inflation as good or bad, and it depend on overall economy and individual personal thinking. When an economy grows or expands (boom) the price level of goods and services rises. This effectively increases the inflation. Since, economy is growing people have more money to purchase and therefore, the purchasing power of individual increases comparatively. This type of inflation is generally referred as â€Å"good† inflation. If an economy continue to grows, there comes to a point (peak), when the inflation is too high and government needs to do something to lower

Health and Safety Gap Analysis Essay Example for Free

Health and Safety Gap Analysis Essay 1. GAP Analysis and GANT chart. This was a good start and gave us something to aim for. We have made some progress but not enough. It didn’t really tackle the serious issues and had a poor starting point in the GAP analysis (should have been a risk assessment). Many initiatives have failed due to poor information flow and management commitment. 2. Management buy-in Not enough support from all Managers at all levels. â€Å"We are too busy† was a common phrase heard, IOSH guidance on Safety management systems states that â€Å"Managers need to manage health and safety issues effectively, no matter how busy they are and whatever their workload†. E.g., Kev too busy for training Alex all sorts of issues David very good No action on recommendations. Heath and safety is seen as a secondary business activity, not as a primary consideration. Everyone has suggestions to improve health and Safety at Barfoots but most are not willing to take action when required. Low attendance at the committee meetings, I feel as though they are a waste of time 3. Health and safety committee Nothing is ever sorted out as there is low attendance I would suggest forming a new committee formed by safety representatives from each area of the business. Safety reps would need training in health and safety and allowed time to discharge their duties. 4. My role Heath and safety management is not just about one person, but about the whole organisation working towards a common goal, ‘the reduction of accidents and incidents’. At the moment all of this has been put on me. I sometimes feel confused as to what action to take next. Because people disregard actions I find it hard to keep track of what needs to be done. I am sometimes used as a backup because no one else is there at the time. IE water jug, signs, etc. What authority do I have? I need to spend more time on policy, organization and auditing than I do and less time on the daily management of the process. i. Fire procedures ii. Boom iii. Delivering and maintaining procedures iv. First aid v. Chasing up managers Not suitably qualified, NEBOSH 1-2 years  £2300-  £5000 We are now a multi site business growing rapidly. My skills need to grow with it. MHSWR 99 requires that every employer shall appoint one or more competent persons to assist and advise on health and safety. I nave taken advice which suggested that I should be qualified to NEBOSH level. Syllabus is based around the development and implementation of a OSHMS in a company. Potentially reduced costs in terms of outsourced services, Fire survey, noise survey etc. It will mean that I have accountability as written in my job description. Who do I report to and is that the right person? 5. OSHMS We set out with a list of goals and have achieved some but not others. The first goal should have been the establishment of a an OSHMS in order to create a structure to hang everything else off. There are a number of options for OSHMS all of them based on the Plan Do Check Act principle PDCA HSG65 BS 8800 OHSAS 18001 ILO HSG65 Is the HSE’s OSHMS and states â€Å"†¦ if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law† We can audit against an OSHMS and set performance targets.

Fire Hazards And Precautions

Fire Hazards And Precautions A first line support technician must be aware of the potential risks in an environment that uses computers and their peripherals. The technician should also be aware of safe working practices. This includes not only taking care of the human element within a workplace but also the proper care and handling of equipment. Health and safety issues range from the straightforward, e.g. common sense placement of a single computer, to the complex, e.g. hundreds of computers and other devices that have to be networked together. Generally, computers are regarded as being safe devices that do not suddenly blow up or burst into flames. However, because all devices that use electricity have a potential to become dangerous coupled with the rapid strides in technology that has made computers faster and more powerful there are components within a computer system that can get very hot. In most instances, the safety devices built within the computer system should prove adequate, e.g. fuses and circuit breakers but there may be cases when, due to unforeseen circumstances, a fire happens. In the case of a fire there are steps that can be taken that will minimise human injury and computer damage. Fire Awareness Tips Due to the serious nature of fire and its consequence it is vital that you are aware of what is best to do if you discover a fire. Every workplace is legally bound to provide its staff with details of fire exits, meeting points, and other guidelines about what to do in the event of a fire. It is the employees responsibility to familiarise themselves with this information. The following are a general list of advice that you should follow if you discover a fire: You should try to put a fire out only if you discover it in its early stages and you are completely confident that you can put it out. Be aware, however, that even a small fire can spread quickly and soon become out of control. You safety and your fellow workers safety comes first. If you do decide to tackle the fire, make sure that if you cant control it that you can still escape and that your exit is not blocked. Also be aware that fire extinguishers are only designed to fight fires in their very early stages and that the extinguisher may not be adequate if the fire spreads and the room becomes filled with smoke or fumes. If you believe that the fire cannot be easily dealt with you should immediately set off the nearest fire alarm by breaking the glass and then leave through the appropriate fire exit. The fire brigade should be contacted immediately. Fire Prevention Tips There are many common sense approaches with regards to cutting down the risk of fire with relation to computer equipment, including: Regular cleaning and maintenance of equipment, e.g. to cut down the build up of dust in a system. Taking care not to expose computer equipment to water or other possibly damaging liquids, e.g. refraining from placing potted plants that have to be watered on top of computing equipment. Making sure that ventilation ducts are clear and free from obstruction. Making sure that cables are not frayed or damaged in any way. Fire Extinguishers It is vital that first line support technicians have an awareness of the different types of fire extinguishers that are available, the purpose of each and how to use them. The first thing to note regarding fire extinguishers is that they are only designed to fight fire in its early stages. There are many types of fire extinguisher that are designed to suit different situations in which a fire may occur and it is important that the correct extinguisher is used for the type of fire being fought. Classes of Fire Depending on the country you are in there are slightly different categorisations of fire, .e.g. USA and Europe. We will examine the European classifications. In Europe, fires can be divided into six classes: Class A: These are fires involving flammable solids, e.g. wood, cloth, rubber, paper, and some types of plastics. An example of this type of fire would be a campsite fire. Class B: These are fires involving flammable liquids or liquefiable solids, e.g. petrol, oil, paint and also some waxes plastics, but not cooking fats or oils. Class C: These are fires involving flammable gases, e.g. natural gas, hydrogen, propane, butane. Class D: These are fires involving combustible metals, e.g. sodium, magnesium, and potassium. Class E: These are fires involving any of the materials found in Class A and B fires, but including electrical appliances, wiring, or other electrically energized objects in the vicinity of the fire, with a resultant electrical shock risk if a conductive agent is used to control the fire. Class F: These are fires involving cooking fats and oils. The high temperature of these types of fats and oil when on fire far exceeds that of other flammable liquids which means that normal fire extinguishers should not be used. Extinguisher Maintenance Al fire extinguishers should be regularly checked to make sure that they are fully functional and ready to use if required. In the UK, there are three types of maintenance required: Basic Service All extinguishers require this service annually and it includes checking pressure, weight and any other indication of damage. Extended Service Water, wet chemical, foam and powder extinguishers have to be serviced every five years and the examination is more detailed than the basic service and includes a test discharge. Overhaul CO2 extinguishers require a thorough service every ten years. Each of the services includes the examiner signing and date stamping that the service has taken place. There are other items that can be used to fight fire such as fire blankets and hose reels but these are outside the remit of the course. Types of Extinguisher We will look at the following types of fire extinguisher: Water and Foam Carbon Dioxide Dry and Wet Chemical Powder Water and Foam Water extinguishers work by quickly removing the heat from the fire. Water extinguishers are only suitable for fighting Class A fires that involve materials such as wood, paper and textiles. Water should not be used to fight Class B fires because flammable liquids could be spread by the steam from the water, neither should they be used for Class E electrical fires because water conducts electricity there is a risk of electrocution. Foam extinguishers work by quickly removing heat and oxygen from the fire. Foam extinguishers are suitable for Class A and Class B fires. They are especially suited for controlling Class B flammable liquid fires because the foam has a blanketing effect that smothers the flames without spreading the fire. Carbon Dioxide Carbon Dioxide (CO2) extinguishers work by removing the oxygen element from the fire. Carbon Dioxide extinguishers are suitable for Class B and Class E fires, i.e. involving flammable liquids and electricity respectively Carbon dioxide extinguishers should not be used in confined spaces because they reduce the oxygen in the air. Also, do not hold the nozzle while using because this may lead to injuries such as cold burns because the CO2 is released at extremely low temperatures. Wet and Dry Chemical Wet chemical extinguishers work by removing the heat from the fire and by creating a barrier between the fuel and oxygen. Wet chemical extinguishers are suitable for Class F fires, i.e. cooking oil and fats, which can reach extremely high temperatures. Dry chemical extinguishers work by removing the chemical reaction of the fire. Dry chemical extinguishers are suitable for Class A, Class B and Class C fires, i.e. involving flammable liquids and electricity respectively Powder Powder extinguishers work by removing the heat from the fire or by separating the fuel and oxygen. Powder extinguishers are suitable for Class A, Class B and Class E fires. Fire Extinguishers Task Go to this website and have a look through this resource on Fire Extinguishers. Have a go at the quiz at the end of it to see how much you have learned. Good Luck. Click on this link for a useful flash tutorial on fire extinguishers. Electrical Hazards Anything that uses electricity to work contains a risk that if it is faulty then it could lead to an electric shock. There are certain devices that are considered more dangerous than others and users should be warned that trying to fix these would be best left to professional electronic engineers, e.g. a computer monitor should not be opened even after mains power has been switched off because a dangerous electrical charge remains. Computers and their associated peripheral, such as printers, scanners are powered from the mains and as such are a potential hazard. Therefore, the risk of electric shocks applies to all users and not just technicians who have the systems opened while they are working with them. Greater care must be exercised when a technician is working with an open system. It is advised that all of the equipment under repair or modification is disconnected from the mains supply during the entire process. Hazard Protection There are different hardware devices that can be used to guard against human injury and damage to expensive equipment. These include: Fuses Circuit Breakers Residual Current Devices These devices are designed to carry out one or more of the following: Reduce the risk of fire Reduce the risk of electrical shock Reduce the risk of equipment damage Fuses Fuses and circuit breakers are devices that protect an electrical system from overload and short circuits. These devices are designed to protect equipment rather than users. These devices are current sensitive which are designed to cut power if the current rises above a preset limit. Fuses are a very common way of protecting equipment from power overloads and can be found in many places including the home. Any device, e.g. TV and Video, which connects to the mains, will have a fuse in the plug. If you open a fuse you would see a thin wire or foil which will vaporise quickly if an overload of current goes through it. The fuse must then be replaced in order for the device to work again. Circuit Breakers A circuit breaker is an electromechanical device that carries out a very similar job as a fuse. They are designed to make circuits under normal conditions and to break circuits in the event of an overload, .e.g. a short circuit. The key difference between a fuse and a circuit breaker is that once a fuse has performed it duty it needs to be replaced, whereas a circuit breaker can be reset. Modern electricity supplies use circuit breakers rather than fuses and these will be located at different locations in a building. In the event of a circuit breaker tripping and cutting power, then this will allow an engineer to check the equipment for any faults before the circuit breaker can be safely reset. Another advantage of circuit breakers is that they can be switched off manually to allow safe repair and maintenance. Residual Current Devices (RCD) This is a device for human safety rather than solely protecting computer equipment and its function is to minimise the possibly of injury through electric shock. An RCD works by detecting if electricity is leaking from a circuit and if so it breaks the circuit. Most RDCs are combined with a circuit breaker and so will protect equipment in the case of an overload. Typically, RCDs can be tested by pressing a testing button with should cause the device to operate as if a dangerous leakage had occurred. If the device operates properly, it can be used in a live environment and will perform its function. RCDs should be checked on a regular basis to make sure that they are still functioning properly. PAT Regulations Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is part of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 legislation. This legislation places legal implications on employers to ensure the safety of electrical devices in the workplace and the person most likely to carry out this kind of testing the first line support technician. The portable refers to any electrical item that can be moved from one location to another and therefore includes PCs, printers, scanners and many other electrical objects that can be found in the workplace. There are three parts to PAT: Visual inspection Earth continuity test Insulation test PAT testing should be carried out a regular intervals, however, a common time frame is every 12 months. Electro Static Discharge (ESD) Electro Static Discharge (ESD) can cause a lot of damage to electronic components, such as those found in computer systems, e.g. the processor and RAM. The amount of ESD required to destroy or damage a computer component would not register with a human and at most a person would feel a little shock. Many of the semiconductor chips (integrated circuits) and other components in a computer system operate at a low voltage and can be irreparably damaged by ESD2-5 volts and can be damaged by as little as 40 volts ESD. The causes of ESD include: People moving about normally Equipment being moved Low humidity Poor connections Unshielded cables Improper grounding Minimising ESD Steps should be taken to minimise ESD, particularly by technicians working with components that are most susceptible to damage by it. Example solutions could include: Installation of humidifiers to cut down on low humidity conditions Changing the work environment, e.g. removing carpets Training of staff to make them aware of the problem The use of devices or equipment to minimise ESD Anti-Static Precautions and Safety Hazards Probably the most common guard against ESD when working with computer components is an anti static wrist strap. This is a conductive strap that has a wire attached. The wire is typically attached to the computers casing or could be connected to a special plug inserted into an ordinary mains socket or to an anti static work mat. An alternative to a wrist strap is an anti static heel strap which performs the same function but will be connected to a anti static floor mat. Warning: an important safety issue when using an antistatic device is not to work on any equipment where there is a possibility of touching a live or high voltage component. The anti static device will form an excellent path for the electricity to flow to ground through your body, and that would be extremely dangerous. It is also important that when touching components, such as processors and LSZH Sheathing Cable Protection Low Smoke Zero Halogen is a special type of cable sheath used by manufactures for a variety of types of cable, including network cables. Unlike the normal PVC cable covering used that can produce toxic and corrosive gases when it burns, this type of cable covering does not release dangerous gases when it burns. Many organisations structured cabling schemes require that several cables be run together. This can be extremely dangerous in the event of a fire because of the greater amount of PVC burning result in an increase in life threatening fumes. Generally, when this is the case, organisations will choose to install LSZH cabling.

Literature Review On Flexible Work Practices

Literature Review On Flexible Work Practices This literature review will attempt to appraise and analyse previous works conducted in the field of flexible work practices and work-life balance and its impact on employees. Theories such as Atkinsons flexible firm model (1984), Handys Shamrock organisation concept (1985), psychological contract and Border theory will be used to support this writing. Flexible Work Practices The origin of flexible work practices can be traced back to the 1970s when organizations in Europe experienced challenges as a result of globalization, growth of the product market, advanced technology, and a demand for reduction in the cost of labor (Sarantinos 2007). In response to this, the policy makers recommended two different ways (the low road and the high road) of managing the situation (EPOC, 1999). The`low-road` involves price competition, reduction in earnings and other benefits that were designed for the employees. In contrast, the `high road` includes technical innovation, quality endorsement and the development of the work force. Due to the social orientation of the regulatory authorities and the large number of organizations, the high road was considered to be more appropriate. Employees were however expected to cope with these developments, and this can be regarded as the starting point or the foundation of flexibility for both the employer and the employees (EPOC, 1 999). According to Rose (2008) flexibility is mostly analyzed from the perspective of revolution within the structure of employment relationship and it aids in conforming rapidly to changes in the world of technology and market opportunity. Piore (1998 cited in Rose 2008) argues that flexibility enables the workforce to be multi-skilled and it also promotes a cordial relationship between workers and management towards achieving the organizational goals and objectives. In addition, Dyer (1998) states that the ability to increase workers competencies and involvement will lead to a reduction in the level of absenteeism and increase employee satisfaction as well as the organizational productivity. Furthermore, Armstrong (2006) maintains that flexibility helps in preserving a sense of balance between work and other activities outside work. In a research conducted on Human Resource specialists from 585 organisations in United Kingdom, CIPD (2005) found a rise in the number of employees making us e of flexible contract of employment. However, Pollert (1991 cited in Creagh and Brewster 1998) suggest that drawbacks such as reduced training and development, high job insecurity and low wage should be considered while adopting these practices. It can be argued that there is no widely acceptable definition of the term flexibility in spite of its possible benefits. According to Blyton and Morris (1992: 2), flexibility is defined as the adaptability or responsiveness to pressure and it is generally represented as the opposite of rigidity. Similarly, Bucki and Pesqueux (2000) describe flexibility as the ability to vary according to needs thereby reflecting the ability to stay operational in changing conditions. Furthermore, Benner (2002: 14) states that flexibility refers to the ability to change or react to changes with little penalty in time effort, cost or performance. In addition, (Smith 1989: 203 cited in Legge 2005: 178) defined flexibility as labour market and labour process restructuring to increased versatility in design and greater adaptability of new technology in production. Again, Pilbeam and Corbridge (2006: 104) posit that flexibility is the ability of an organisation to adapt the size, composition, responsivene ss and cost of the people inputs required to achieve organizational objectives. From the above definitions, it is important to note that flexibility is influenced by changes in the economic situation, increased competition, labour market volatility and changes in the world of technology. Wilson et al (2008) explains that different meaning could be ascribed to the term flexibility. According to the author, flexibility can be identified with high commitment work practices and it includes career development, team work, and multi skilling. Presumably, these practices should increase employee satisfaction and motivation and ultimately an increase in the firms competitive advantage. On the contrary, some organizations adopt flexible practices which involve the use of low-priced casual workers for the purpose of meeting changes in customers demand and generating performance benefit. EEF (2009) also maintains that the word flexibility can be analysed from two perspectives. For the employees, flexibility is often used to depict the right to demand for work practices such as home-working, term-time working, part-time working, flexitime and job sharing, annual or compressed hours. Thus, flexibility helps in creating a wide range of motivating jobs and a better working condition for the employees (Dyer 1998). From the employers point of view, flexibility is often used as an abbreviation of the flexible labour markets. It enables the employer to regulate the way work is done in order to meet up with changes in demand (EEF 2009). Thus, flexibility ensures that the organisation remains globally competitive. According to (Bouchikhi and Kimberly cited in Mullins 2007), one of the major challenges that organisations encounter within the flexible labour market is an understanding of individuals wants; and the need to support employee-driven flexibility. Furthermore, Pilbeam and Corbridge (2006) analyzed the term flexibility from two contexts. The first is from the employers viewpoint and it is concerned with the managements pursuit of workers flexibility in order to increase profitability and maximize efficiency. The second aspect is seen from an employees perspective and it is generally addressed by means of rearranging or restructuring of the patterns of work. The study of flexibility from the employees perspective remains the focus of this write-up as it involves the endorsement of flexible working practices to improve work-life balance. Several writers such as (Blyton and Morris 1992; Atkinson 1984; Bramham 1994; Sparrow and Marchington 1998 cited Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006, Lewis et al 2003; Torrington et al 2008; Armstrong 2006; Legge 2005; Dyer 1998) have attempted to identify the different types of flexibility which exists in the workplace. They include functional, numerical, financial geographical, temporal, skills and structural flexibility. Functional flexibility affords management the ability to quickly re-assign workers between different tasks based on jobs requirements (Sisson and Storey 2003). Furthermore, Dyer (1998) maintains that such movement enhances on-the-job training and it also increases employees satisfaction and productivity. Functional flexibility is associated with the core workforce within the Atkinson model (Lewis et al 2003). Atkinson argues that the core workforce is expected to apply their skills across a wide range of tasks in order to contribute significantly to the achievement of organisational success (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). According to Torrington et al (2008), the rationale behind functional flexibility is to enable employees acquire the skills needed to embark on different assignments, thus ensuring versatility within the work place. However, Legge (2005) argues that functional flexibility is about work amplification and managements ability to exert control over the work force. Nev ertheless, functional flexibility increases employees competencies and ensures a quick response to demand (Mabey et al 1998). Numerical flexibility is the firms ability to increase and reduce the number of work force in response to fluctuations in the demand for product or services (Armstrong 2006). Price (2006) maintains that there is difficulty in achieving this form of flexibility with the core workforce; and Blyton and Morris (1991) conclude that numerical flexibility can be achieved through the use of the peripheral employees within the Atkinsons model. Working practices which incorporates elements of numerical flexibility includes part-time employment, self employment, short-term contracts, job sharing, homework, and agency temps. (Dyer 1998). According to Sparrow and Marchington (1998), numerical flexibility increases employees empowerment because if gives an opportunity for individuals to define their own job. Legge (2005: 178) however argues that one of the reasons why organizations adopt numerical flexibility is to suppress the permanency of employment relationship; thereby making employee redunda ncy an acceptable practice within the employment relationship. (Conclude with statistics) Financial flexibility is the ability of an organization to regulate employment overheads by allocating labour costs to substantiate the supply of and demand for labour so as to increase profitability. It includes payment in relation to performance and the use of local market rates in establishing the cost of labour. To be applied, it requires the utilisation of temporal flexibility as well as the application of non- consolidated bonus pay and non- pensionable payment to steer clear of any expense that encourages a rise in cost (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). In addition, financial flexibility supports the implementation of functional and numerical flexibility (Dyer 1998). Temporal flexibility has to do with the arrangement of working hours so as to meet up with production demands. Its aim is to maximise productive time and minimise unproductive time. However, Muller-Camen (2008) argues that the aim of temporal flexibility is to reduce the payment of overtime premium, even though it helps in coping with high customer demand. Geographical flexibility involves the ability of organisation to engage the employee in distant working and it is achieved through better use of technology. To be applied, the employee requires access to organisations facilities from home usually for specific occasion or as situation demands. Arguably, geographical flexibility ensures job security and it enhances efficiency in the execution of work (Stredwick 2000). Forms of flexibility are flexible time, part-time working, overtime, job rotation, shifting, compressed hour, annualised hour, term time Two influential frameworks that address flexibility at the organisational level include Atkinsons (1984) flexible firm model and Handy (1985) shamrock organisation. The flexible firm model was developed by Atkinson in 1984 and it is useful in evaluating the general concept of flexibility (Stredwick 2000). The model contains all the various forms of flexibility discussed above and it also recognises some of the consequences of the flexible work force. Atkinsons (1984) flexible firm Atkinson reinforces an optimist view to flexibility, he argues that economic recession and technological changes have encouraged employers to make their firm more flexible thereby increasing productivity (Rose 2008). Atkinson believes that flexibility addresses the rigidities associated with the rules of employment established under scientific organisation designs where management control over workers was used to increase productivity (Dyer 1998). Atkinsons flexible firm model provides a framework based on breaking internal hierarchical labour markets by creating a core and a periphery workforce; and the author further argues that the flexible firm has a variety of ways of meeting the need of human resources (Torrington et al 2008). The core work force is made up of highly skilled workers (such as management, technical staff and other professionals) who are considered critical to organisational success by their ability to sustain the organisations competitive advantage (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). They are highly regarded by the employer, well paid and they are involved in the firms decision making (Torrington et al 2008). In addition, they tend to have development and career opportunities in order to secure their long-term commitment to the organisations. In return, these employees are expected to be functionally flexible by applying their skills across a wide range of tasks in order to contribute significantly to the achievement of organisational success (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). Whittington (1991 cited in Dyer 1998) however challenge the benefits associated with the core workforce and argues that improved working conditions and better pay is achieved through work intensification. In addition, Ursell (1991 cited in Dyer 1998) maintain that the scope of decision making associated with the core workforce is likely to be very limited and found that budgets, performance appraisals and selection techniques are being used to both monitor and control the extent of autonomy given to the core work force. The peripheral workforce is characterised by low wages, low job security with little or no autonomy in their work Dyer (1998) and are subdivided into several segments. The first group is known as the first peripheral. Employees in this group are drawn from the secondary labour market and they have skills and knowledge profile which is general rather than specific to the core business of the organisation (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). They are employed on contracts with some degree of permanence. They are important but not critical to organisation success as their skills and knowledge will normally be readily available in external labour market. Consequently, they cannot expect similar degrees of security as their colleagues from the core even if they display some functional flexibility (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). Instead of having a career, these group of employees only have job (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). They can be regarded as labour on call providing a buffer stock of reso urces enabling the organisation to expand and contract organically Rose (2008); hence they are seen as numerically flexible. Marchington and Wilkinson (2008) however argue against categorising all workers in this group as peripherals because some part time workers are critical to the success of the business given their close contact with customers and their contribution to business goals. Examples include administrative, secretarial, sales, production and supervisory staff. The second peripheral group comprises individuals who find it hard to break into internal labour market and whose employment experiences tend to be precarious, with little realistic prospect of employment security (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). They consist of beck and call workers (such as caterers, cleaners or assembly workers) characterized by casual, zero hours or core hours contract of employment (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). They have a limited contract of employment (either short term or part time) and they enjoy even less security (Torrington et al 2008). In addition, they have relatively restricted reward package and they can easily be replaced. They provide dynamic forms of numerical and financial flexibility and they can be said to have work rather than jobs or career. Examples include cleaners, drivers, caterers etc. Beyond the peripheral group are those individuals who are clearly external to the host organisation but employed by another employer or in self employment (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). This group also includes labour provided through contracts for services and the sub-contracting of work to other organisations. Workers supplied through agencies also fit into this category (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). In contrast to the first and second peripheral, this group also include elite portfolio workers who possess skills for which there is high demand. They provide work on a paid for result or consultancy basis, and where the correspondingly high rewards compensate for any lack of employment security or regularity (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). Examples include information technology providers, teachers and lecturers, interim managers or even chief executives. Critiques of the flexible firm model The flexible firm model has been criticised as not been backed up by facts Muller-Camen (2008); and (Legge 2005; Torrington 2008) highlights the vagueness in the model as to whether the model is a description of trends or a prescription of the future. Sarantinos (2007) however claims that the model maintains clarity in classifying the different kind of flexibility and it highlights the methods which organisation are adopting in order to achieve a flexible model. Nonetheless, Dyer (1998) maintains that the notion that organizations have pursued flexibility by introducing core and periphery labor management strategies has been disputed. According to the author, rather than flexibility representing a fundamental shift in the way work is organized, it is more about intensifying the control of capital over labor by using new management techniques. In a research conducted on a group of scientists, Whittington (1991) found that market pressure had forced the research staff (who theoreticall y fall into the core category) to work harder and to respond rapidly to shifting client needs. Subsequently, (Ursell 1991; Smith 1991) argues that although the flexible firm model may use different tactics, the goal of flexible firms is the same as that of management under the Fordist model that of achieving management control over committed workers and utilizing the knowledge of the employee in the pursuit of profit. In addition, the status of the periphery workforce as opposed to the core is also challenged. According to Lewis et al (2003), the flexible firm analyses have a tendency to trigger different feelings among the employees especially the classification of employees into core and peripherals. Furthermore, (Geary 1992 cited in Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006) argues that the division of employee into peripherals perpetuates inequality and contradicts the main maxim of human resource management which is to value and develop employees as the organisations major asset. Similarly, Torrington et al (2008) maintains that this division is incompatible with the best practice approaches to HRM which seek to increase peoples management and development in order to achieve the goals of the organisation. Besides, Torrington et al (2008) also argues that this could lead to a negative effect on employees psychological contract, which according to Lewis et al (2003) is a tool used in analysing the employment relationship that exists between the employer and the employee. HANDY SHAMROCK PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT There have been major changes in the economy (as discussed above) over the last few decades leaving employees with different requirements from work. In addition, employees level of education has greatly improved with an increased knowledge of their preferences, and the ideas they develop exceeds that of the former generation (Stredwick and Ellis 2002). This changes have resulted into a transition from traditional contracts (where the employee perceives that the employer guarantees a job for life in response to their allegiance), to contracts where employees loyalty is dependent on a rise in earnings and increased training (Smithson and Lewis 2003). Such changes have been summarised as a move from relational contracts, depending upon reciprocal trust and commitment, to the one that is transactional, based upon negotiation and short term economic exchange (Herriot and Pemberton 1995 cited in Lewis et al 2003). Arguably, these changes affect employees attitudes and behaviour; and the psychological contract is considered to be a relevant tool in understanding and managing these changes (Conway and Briner 2005). This is because the psychological contract evaluates the individual aspect of employment relationship and this appears to be associated with flexibility advancement (Guest 2004). In addition, psychological contract presents a peculiar insight into the effect of flexible work practices (Guest 2004). It is a concept which has the capacity to explain the transformation that people goes through in the employment relationship (Arnold 1996). The term psychological contract was first used by Argyris in 1960 to explain the relationship which exists between a group of employees and their foreman (Coyle-Sharpiro 2000); though Conway and Briner (2005) argue that Argyris work was not subjected to theoretical analysis. According to Guest (2006), the psychological contract is the perception of both parties to the employment relationship, organization and individual of the reciprocal promises and obligations implied in that relationship. Another definition that focuses more on the employee is by Rousseau (1995). The author defined psychological contract as an individuals beliefs shaped by the organisation, regarding the terms of an exchange agreement between individuals and their organisation. Guest (1998) however argues that Rousseaus definition of the psychological contract is defective because it focuses on employee alone and he stresses the fact that the contract is the perception of both parties to employment relationship. C IPD (2003) further explains that the psychological contract is unlike the formal contract of employment and it is largely unwritten. It focuses on each partys perception of the employment relationship, it involves sincerity, reciprocated trust, and a duty of care; and it is more effective compared to the written contract in affecting employees behaviour (Stredwick and Ellis 2003). Coyle-Shapiro (2000) argues that the content of the psychological contract is influenced by employees view of the employment relationship. A positive psychological contract is directly related to job fulfilment and commitment which ultimately will result in an increase on performance. Similarly, a reduction on performance is likely to occur when the psychological contract is negative. With the introduction of flexible work practices, some employees (especially the peripherals) might assume that the organization has failed in developing their potentials thus reneging on its obligations. In an investigation conducted on some workers in a Swedish hospital, and result shows that individuals on flexible employment demonstrated higher levels of jobs insecurity and reduced organisational commitment (Sverke et al 2000). Arguably workers on flexible contracts are mostly associated with low benefits and they enjoy less opportunity towards training and development (Atkinson 1984). Consequently, they experience job dissatisfaction, mental discomfort and a negative life outside of work Guest (2004); leading to a reduction in loyalty and poor performance regarding organizations objectives. This is known as the violation or breach of the psychological contract (Rousseau 1995). (Morrinson and Robinson 1997 cited in Conway and Briner 2005) however argue that there is a distinction between breach and violation of the psychological contract. Subsequently, Kramer (2006) refers to a breach of the psychological contract as the perception held by someone in a relationship that another person in the relationship has failed to perform the promised obligations; and violation is referred to as the intense emotional reactions that comes with breaches (Morrinson and Robinson 1997 cited in Conway and Briner 2005). According to Conway and Briner (2005), the main way of understanding how the psychological contract affects employees reaction is when breach occurs. Employees who perceive breaches in the psychological contract think about their relationship with the organisation from a negative point of view, and demonstrate increase intention to quit the organisation (Robinson and Rousseau 1994). Similarly, Cortvriend (2004) found that violation is positively related to employee de-motivation, negative attitudes towards the job and withdrawal from the organisation. Furthermore, (Robinson and Morrison 1995 cited in Arnold 1996) found that employees who perceive a violation in their psychological contract usually report negative organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB). OCB is defined as a readiness to contribute beyond literal contractual obligations (Organ 1988: 22 cited in Coyle-Shapiro). Based on the above discussion, flexibility is directly related to perception of job insecurity and a breach of employees psychological contract; as a result, flexibility is portrayed as an unconstructive theory. Guest (2004) however stresses that this should not be used as a global conclusion. Consequently, Marler et al (2002) emphasis the fact that different employees consent to flexible employment for different reasons; hence they should not be treated the same way. Furthermore, Guest (2004) attempted to differentiate between workers on the margin of employment and knowledge worker whose contract of employment is by choice. Workers on the margin of employment are those whose competencies are low and those with poor bargaining power thus they experience unfavourable treatment from employers. As a result, they suffer increase job insecurity and reduced opportunity for training and development. On the other hand, knowledge workers are those who incline towards flexibility and whose em ployment contract is by choice (Capelli 1991). They consist of temporary workers, part-time or even self employed. These workers embrace flexible work practices and they have the capacity to move between employments as they desire. In contrast to general assumptions, workers who choose flexible contract enjoy higher job satisfaction and they suffer no insecurity in their employment. In a general research conducted by the IPD into the present disposition of the psychological contract, findings revealed that the psychological contract was in an improved condition than expected (Stredwick and Ellis 2003). 81% of participants affirmed that their employers were fair in dealing with them, and 72% believed that their organisation will honour its undertakings and obligations (Stredwick and Ellis 2003). Guest and Conway (1999) however attempted to assess the state of psychological contracts of core employees with the peripherals and found that a better state of psychological contract was reported by the peripherals. However, Dyer (1998) argues that the reason for this is because the peripheral workers exhibit more of transactional relationship and they tend to respond more quickly to changes in the composition of the psychological contract with changes in their pay. This argument can be supported by a survey conducted in the American aerospace industry with a sample of 1 99 employees on permanent contract and 24 employees on flexible contract (Pearce and Randel 1998). Pay differentials exists within the work place with employees on flexible contract earning more than those on permanent contract. Results show little or no difference in perceived job security, performance and job satisfaction between temporary and permanent workers. In a survey carried out for the UK Department of Education and Employment on 607 workers who enjoy flexible work practices (Tremlett and Collins 1999), 68% mentioned choice of work, reduction in workload and an improved work-life balance as some advantages of flexibility. Conversely, 79% mentioned the negative aspects of flexibility as job insecurity, difficulty in working as a team, reduced benefits and treatment lower than that of permanent workers. However, (Pearce and Randell 1998) argues that the perceived effect of flexible work practice can best be determined by employees career preference; that is, whether the choice of flexible contract was intentional or not. In the UK survey reported by Tremlett and Collins (1999), 147 out of 607 did not want a permanent job. As the main reason for this, they cited not wanting the commitment that goes with permanent employment (21%), the loss of freedom to choose the work they wanted to do (19%), being too old (18%) and general lack of int erest in permanent employment (18%). WORK-LIFE BALANCE Work-life balance initiative was developed as a result of changes within the work force involving an increase in the number of women, ageing population (author); and increased understanding of the importance of employees management to organisational success (Maxwell 2005). The rapid growth of this practice was supported by government legislation which introduced the right to request flexible working also known as family friendly policy (CIPD 2010). This right was initially available for parents with children below six years of age or with disabled children below the age of eighteen years. However, there is an ongoing consideration to extend the right to parents with children under the age of sixteen years (Pitt 2009). The aim of this policy is to ensure that skills and experience needed to sustain the economy is readily available by allowing parents (especially mothers) balance work with other family responsibilities. However (Lea 2001 cited in Torrington et al 2008) argues that this policy could prevent women with family responsibilities from being hired thereby hindering womens employment prospect. Nevertheless, Manfredi and Holliday (2004) maintain that the practice impacts positively on womens career path. Another reason for the growth of family friendly policy is an increase in the number of aged people. According to Manfredi and Holliday (2004), the population is ageing thereby leading to a rise in caring responsibilities for elderly parents in addition to child care responsibilities. This however, led to carers of some specified group of adults becoming eligible for this right from April 2007. As a result of growing recognition of employees in sustaining competitive advantage, this right was further developed into work-life balance policies to include employees without family responsibilities and who desire to benefit from flexible work practices for personal reasons (Fleetwood 2007). This arguably will reduce the risk of alienation and ensure that all employees are seen as business investments and valuable assets (Maxwell 2005). According to Work foundation (2003b) work-life balance is defined as the ability of employees to achieve a satisfactory equilibrium between work and non work activities such as caring responsibilities and some other interests. Similarly, employers for work-life balance also defined WLB as about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work leading them to enjoy an optimal quality of life. Furthermore, DTI (2005) defined work-life balance as being about adjusting working patterns regardless of age, race or gender, so everyone can find a rhythm to help them combine work with other responsibilities or aspiration. In addition, Heckerson and Laser (2006: 27) define work-life balance as a state whereby the needs and requirements of work are weighed together to create an equitable share of time that allows for work to be completed and a professionals private life to get attention. The concept of work-life balance is based on employees capability to synchronize respon sibilities at work and other interests outside work without causing conflict. According to IDS (2008a), work-life balance involves the availability of flexible work practices developed to enable employees participate in activities outside work in addition to fulfilling their job responsibilities; thus it is designed to promote flexibility (Maxwell 2005). Fleetwood (2007) argue that there is an inextricable link between the practices associated with work-life balance and that of flexible working. The author however stresses the differences between employee flexibility (employer unfriendly) and employer flexibility (employee unfriendly); and further states that employer and employees flexibility should not be used interchangeably because the former constrains work-life balance, while the latter enhances work-life balance. Work-life balance practices that make up employee flexibility are working time arrangements (such as home working, part tim