Factors Affecting the Loan Repayment of Rice Farmers in Ragay

As being observed in the Philippine situation the common problem and also not a new issue in agriculture sector is the low productivity and low income of farmers which can be attributed to their lack of capital. Many farmers have no enough savings or cash on hand to purchase new inputs including machineries, chemicals, pesticides and high yielding varieties of seeds which will help them to improve their earnings because these inputs are usually expensive. As an answer to this dilemma they rely on credit and the proliferation of different credit institutions is a great help to them. The credit need of the farmers were being experienced especially those who are engage in rice production because it needs a large amount of money for investment. These credit needs of the rice farmers were being provided by the two types of institutions namely the formal and informal lending institutions. The formal sources of credit include the banking and non-banking institutions. The mere examples of it are the rural bank, commercial bank, and cooperatives (Duran 2001) while the informal sources are the private moneylenders, relatives, friends, traders and millers. With the availability of the credit institutions in rural areas, it allows the farmers to maintain and sustain their productivity since income in this country is generally low (Cacho, 1995). Credit can be defined as a means of entrusting and believing from and since trust is an important ingredient in providing it, the lenders rely on a promise of the borrower to pay in the future (Guevarra, 1995). But it is a problem encountered by these formal and informal lending institutions that the farmer-borrowers were not able to pay their obligation at the expected time. Statement of the Problem With a total farm area of more or less 23,036 hectares almost 2,182 hectares in Ragay, Camarines Sur is being planted with rice and the need for credit can be observed in its production. It is therefore important that the credit institutions proliferate in this area to help and assist the rice farmers. The government intervenes through the promotion and development of the organization that will provide agricultural loan so as to improve the income of rice farmers, which include the development of the rural bank and cooperatives in the area. Together with the expansion of the formal institutions the informal lenders also expand and gave a significant role in alleviating the lack of capital by the rice farmers. With this expansion of credit sources the problem, which cannot be avoided by these institutions is the high percentage of loan delinquency by the borrowers. Though the high collection performance or high repayment rate would not necessarily mean the ultimate measure of successful operation of the institutions, a low repayment rate adversely affects the operation and stability of the different lending agencies. Also through loan default, credit institutions in Ragay were not able to improve and expand their services and sometimes lead to failure in providing efficient services. Significance of the Study Lack of capital or inadequate fund of the rice farmers in Ragay, Camarines Sur hinders their increase in production and income. They are not able to purchase production inputs and adopt new technologies to produce more output for sale and a credit as a source of capital is a big help to them but repayment of their loan is a pressing problem to the lending institutions in this area. This study will focus in increasing the repayment rate or increasing the non-repayment if not totally eliminating it to help the lending institutions in improving their services for the rice farmers. This study will also provide data that will help them to improve their loan collection and supervision for their sustainability though improving strict rules and regulation regarding borrowing. For the farmer borrowers, this study will help them to realize the factor which affect their repayment so as they will able to look for ways that will minimize their low or no-repayment of loans. It will also help them to understand that certain factor/factors of repayment decrease their capability of repaying the loan and therefore there is a need for them to do something to minimize those factors, which can be controlled. Objectives of the Study The general objective of the study is to analyze the factors affecting the loan repayment of rice farmers in Ragay, Camarines Sur. The specific objectives are the following: 1. o identify the common credit sources of rice farmers in Ragay, Camarines Sur; 2. to identify the factors affecting the rice farmers’ choice of credit source; 3. to determine the loan purpose of the rice farmer-borrowers; 4. to determine the relationship of the factors affecting the repayment performance of the rice farmer borrowers; 5. to determine the problems encountered by rice farmers in loan repayment; and 6. to compare the repayment performance of rice farmers by source of credit.

How Robert Browning Portray’s Mood in ‘the Laboratory’.

‘The Laboratory’ Essay The subtitle to Robert Browning's poem â€Å"The Laboratory†, â€Å"Ancien Regime†, tells us that it is set in France before the revolution, when the act of women poisoning love rivals was very common. The poem is a dramatic monologue. The narrator appears to be a woman, a fact which is not apparent in the opening stanza, but becomes so as the poem develops. In the first stanza, the narrator is putting on a mask and watching the person in the laboratory through a haze of smoke: ‘thro' these faint smokes curling whitely'.She shows her naivety whilst putting on the mask, as she thinks she is protecting herself, and doesn’t think it can harm her. This shows us that she doesn’t think of the consequences of her actions. The narrator refers to the laboratory as ‘this devil's-smithy', which is the first sign that something sinister is going on. The final line of this stanza leaves us in no doubt of this, as the woma n asks, ‘Which is the poison to poison her, prithee? ‘ The repetition of ‘poison' emphasises its importance.The opening phrase of the second stanza, ‘He is with her,' suggests that the narrator has asked for poison to be concocted because she is jealous. It would seem that her lover has deserted her for another woman. She says that they think she is crying and has gone to pray in ‘the drear / Empty church'. The couple, meanwhile, are making fun of her, stressed by the repetition of ‘laugh' in line 7. The stanza closes with the brief phrase ‘I am here', emphasising the setting of the laboratory which is in such sharp contrast to the church.The phrase ‘Grind away' at the start of the third stanza shows the woman's eagerness for the chemist to make the poison. Browning brings the description alive by using alliteration in the phrases ‘moisten and mash' and ‘Pound at thy powder'. The narrator is not in a hurry and says she woul d rather watch the concocting of the poison than be dancing at the King's court. In the fourth stanza the narrator comments on the ingredients of the poison.The chemist is mixing it with a pestle and mortar, and the woman describes the gum from a tree as ‘gold oozings', giving the impression that it is both beautiful and valuable. She then looks at a blue liquid in a ‘soft phial', finding the colour ‘exquisite'. She imagines that it will taste sweet because of its beautiful appearance and is surprised that it is a poison. Stanza five begins with the narrator wishing she possessed all the ingredients, which she refers to as ‘treasures'. Browning uses ersonification to describe them as ‘a wild crowd', and the woman considers them as ‘pleasures', a sinister attitude to poisonous substances. The use of the adjective ‘invisible' means that just a tiny amount would be required. The narrator delights in the thought of being able to carry ‘pur e death' in any one of a list of small accessories, such as an earring or a fan-mount. In the sixth stanza the narrator turns her thoughts to how easy it will be at court to give ‘a mere lozenge', like a sweet, that will kill a woman in just half an hour.She names two women in this stanza, Pauline and Elise, and it is not clear if one of them is the current target of her jealousy and desire to murder. She delights at the thought of Elise dying, and Browning uses enjambment to create the list ‘her head / And her breast and her arms and her hands', perhaps because she is jealous of Elise's beauty. The seventh stanza opens with the sudden exclamation ‘Quick! ‘ and the narrator is now excited as the poison is ready. She then reveals her disappointment, however, as its colour is ‘grim', unlike the blue liquid in the phial.She hoped that it would make her intended victim's drink look so appetising that she would be encouraged to drink it. In the eighth stanza she is concerned about how tiny the amount of poison is: ‘What a drop! ‘ She says that the other woman is considerably bigger than her, and thinks that she ‘ensnared' or caught the man in her trap because of her size. The narrator is not convinced that the drop of poison will be fatal: ‘this never will free / The soul from those masculine eyes'. It will not be enough to stop the victim's pulse, which the narrator describes as ‘magnificent'.In the ninth stanza the narrator recounts, in lines using enjambment, how she had gazed at the other woman the previous evening when her ex-lover was with whispering to her. She had hoped that by staring at her she ‘would fall shrivelled'. This obviously did not happen, but the narrator knows that the poison will do its work. Stanza ten has slightly shorter lines than the others, and the narrator addresses the chemist directly. She knows that the poison will act quickly, but she does not want her victim to have an easy death: ‘Not that I bid you spare her the pain'.Browning uses alliteration in a cluster of three to describe how the narrator wants the other woman to suffer the effects of the poison, in the phrase ‘Brand, burn up, bite'. The stanza ends with the narrator commenting that her ex-lover will always have the memory of the pain on the dying woman's face, and she appears to relish this thought. The narrator asks the chemist if the poison is ready at the start of the eleventh stanza. She asks him to remove her mask and not to be ‘morose', or gloomy.The poison will be lethal for her victim, and she does not want the mask to stop her having a good look at it. She describes it with the alliterative phrase ‘a delicate droplet', and alliteration appears again as she comments ‘my whole fortune's fee! ‘ meaning that it has cost her everything she owns. In the closing line of the stanza, she wonders if she herself can be harmed by the poison, considerin g the effect it will have on her victim. The twelfth and final stanza begins with the narrator once again showing how much the poison is costing her.She tells the chemist ‘Now take all my jewels, gorge gold to your fill', and the alliteration in the phrase ‘gorge gold' adds emphasis. She shows her gratitude by telling the chemist, whom she addresses as ‘old man', that he may kiss her on her lips if he would like to. She asks him, however, to ‘brush this dust off' her, referring to traces of poison, as she is afraid it will harm her too: ‘lest horror it brings'. The poem ends as she proclaims that she will ‘dance at the King's! ‘ a triumphant announcement.Whether or not her victim dies from ingesting the poison, we do not know, but she shows no remorse and is obviously determined to go through with her murderous plan. Browning has given the lines of poetry an upbeat, fast-paced rhythm that convey the woman's excitement at the idea of poisonin g her victim. Browning has created a character who is totally ruthless and eaten up by jealousy, determined to carry out an act of revenge that will prove fatal to another woman, like Lady Macbeth’s ruthless ambition to become queen, despite the fact that she has to kill people to get to it.

Macroeconomics Homework

One of the possible characteristics of the UK national daily newspaper would be the tight competition that exists in the said market due to the availability of the large number of newspaper companies. This characteristic of UK national newspaper causes tight market competition among its member firms. Another characteristic would be the difficulty of market entry in the said industry. This can be attributed to the large number of newspaper companies that already exist in the market. Price competition serves to be one of the major factors that attract more customers based on the given case. Moreover, innovation is also vital to the newspaper industry of UK since newspaper readers now prefer newspapers in a form of either tabloid or any other style that is much different from the conventional broadsheet from of UK’s newspaper. Using the theory of oligopoly, discuss why the Guardian chose to launch a new design of paper in 2005. Read also  Homework Solutions – Chapter 3 On the other hand, the reason why The Guardian launched a new design of newspaper mainly because they have to go with the flow on what other companies has been doing into their products. It was identified that almost all of the competitors of The Guardian has already been shifted from their conventional broadsheet newspapers to smaller design of newspapers like tabloid. One characteristics of Oligopoly would be the fact that any action of one firm in the market may it be price or marketing strategy, always affects other players on the said industry (Tutor2u.com 2007: 1). The fact that The Guardian was forced to make new designs for its newspaper would necessarily mean that they were affected by the strategies of their competitors of transforming the size of their newspapers. Moreover, based on the case, price only matters less or only among the many factors that affects the demand of newspaper readers which is also a part of the traits of Oligopoly. Works Cited Tutor2u.com (2007). Oligopoly [online]. Available: http://tutor2u.net/economics/content/topics/monopoly/oligopoly_notes.htm [Accessed

Sisters of the Screen film Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sisters of the Screen film - Movie Review Example Evidently, the film brought together personal reflections, legal issues as well as gender related challenges that defined the participation of women in film making in Africa. From the diverse range of stories in the film, it becomes easy to understand the challenges that African women face when practicing film making. A film is a useful tool for viewers who need to gain familiarity with such challenges. The film revealed both production/ distribution challenges, gender based obstacles as well as other issues that film makers face as they try to strike a balance between the feminine roles and their career. From the details provided in the film, it becomes evident that women are willing to explore the film making limits that African men in the industry have not explored. From the personal stories, the different filmmakers tell the audience becomes more aware of the salient frustrations that women in Africa face when they chose film-making as a career. Notably, the film exposes the entry of African women into film making and the progress they have registered in the past years. However, the film also reveals how the lack of resources has proved to be a challenge in the production and distribution of films in Africa. Moreover, the film served to reveal laws as well as the statutes that serve as barriers for successful film making in Africa. Without a doubt, the film that brought togethe r the voices of numerous film makers who are women from Africa is an effective tool in revealing the challenges they face in film making.

Analyze film-rligious Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analyze film-rligious - Essay Example Their collision would destroy the beauty of Pandora which reminds about the Garden of Eden of the Old Testament. The movie unfolds the various spiritual colors which are experienced in its pantheism, the early evolution and hyper-environmentalism. The movie highlights the social, moral and spiritual issues that have become the concerning issues for the American society. For example, in Avatar, the comments about as being the blue-monkeys refers to the idea of evolution despite, they had their own language and could speak other language and in addition, they knew how to make tools. In some places of the movie, extreme environmentalism has been promoted by the director. As we can see that pantheism is the concept that has been promoted in the movie which revolves around the concept of worship of the creation. However, the worship of creation was prohibited by the apostle Paul to the humans. Similarly, we can analyze that how Na’vi worshiped the Mother Nature; they believed their gods live inside the trees, plants and other animals. Different kinds of trees were depicted in the movie espec ially one tree which was known as Tree of Souls which they believed is connection between Na’vi and their mother. In the end of the movie, the hero of the movie prays to the imaginary Na’vi god by making the Tree of Soul as a connecting link and pronounces human are not kind and generous enough to serve the planet Earth. He stated that â€Å"There’s no green there (Jake Sully). The extreme environmentalism promoted through this movie was the message that stated, â€Å"They killed their mother and they are going to do the same here’ (Jake Sully). In Avatar, one of the characters that hold a special position is the hero of the movie who was selected by the god of Na’vi. Jake Sully is a protagonist who is incarnated just like how Jesus Christ was. Eventually, he becomes the hero of Na’vi and leads them to a different type

Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Research Methods - Essay Example n was asked why his party chose to increase the tuition fees, he replied that it would mainly do two things; firstly, it would ensure that UK’s English universities are well funded and; secondly it would mean that the UK government would not go on raising tuition for higher education students so fast (Vasagar2012). The increasing of tuition fees in the UK has led to a lot of controversy, which has caused many individuals lash out at the Conservative regime and a majority of perspective students traumatized at the thought of having to pay off  £27,000 worth of education fees, prior to adding up the fee of their maintenance loans, as well (Bachana 2013). In the wake of all this, university students in the UK are turning to employment to be able to pay this high school fees rate, as well as settle the loans they use while in school. This essay conducted surveys, observation, journals and books, with regards to how the new English fee system has affected student employment. The main survey method that was used was conducting interviews through questionnaires. In this regard, 250 were distributed to undergraduate students in order to come up with the findings. In addition, using this type of sources will help to conduct an understandable research strategy and accurate timetable of activities. A research question should be clear, concise, centered, complex and arguable. It should be a question that everybody in the team was genuinely interested in (Munn, 2004). These aspects were particularly important because they helped us center on our research by providing a way through the research, as well as writing process. My group’s specificity of a well-developed research topic helped us avoid the â€Å"all-about† types of papers and endeavor towards supporting a particularly arguable thesis, â€Å"the new  £9000 per year English fee tuition has affected student term time employment habits.† Due to the recent debate in UK universities with regards to raising the annual

Employment law 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Employment law 1 - Essay Example In the above case, Wal-Mart is not liable for any offense since US constitution protects employees with criminal background from any form of discriminatory practices in employment matters. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 1964 prohibits all forms of employment discrimination on the basis of national origin, religion, color, or race (Repa 15). In the above case, Wal-Mart had no hiring policy requiring the criminal background of the potential employees. In the case, Bobby has only previous being convicted of a misdemeanor and not rape. However, Wal-Mart can implement a policy to request the criminal background of employees, but it must put into consideration the nature of job, the gravity of past convicted offense and time lapse since the offense before making the hiring decision (Repa 67). Wal-Mart is not liable for not requesting the criminal background of Bobby since no employment law requires the company to do so. Equal employment opportunity guidelines require all employees to av oid or minimize requesting the criminal background of employees since this may lead to discrimination in employment practices (Walsh 163). Under Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, Wal-Mart is not supposed to deny Bobby the employment opportunity even if the company has a policy on employee criminal background screening except when the crime is job-related (Walsh 162). Wal-Mart is not liable for any offense in hiring Bobby considering no hiring policy that requires the background checks of employees and the nature of past convictions and the current allegations of

Life on Mars (Earth Science Course) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Life on Mars (Earth Science Course) - Essay Example Space explorations opened new avenues and enhanced expectations of discovery of extraterrestrial life. Scientists describe six basic environmental conditions suitable for expected life. If an environment contain all these six environmental conditions within prescribed limits then it can be expected that life may exist there. The data collected by space probes negates the presence of advanced life on other planets of our solar system. But the presence of primitive life in past on some of the planets including Mars can not be ruled out. As stated above it is almost certain that no advanced life exists in the planets of solar system. But the efforts for effort for detecting primitive life in our solar system are going on. It is also believed that life can come into view because of changes of organic matter from nonorganic. It is also assumed that same process resulted in emergence of life on earth. Many scientists like American chemists Stanley L. Miller and Harold C. Urey gave experimental support for this assumption presented by Oparin. The similar organic activity was detected on Mars by the Viking landers in 1976. ( "Exobiology." The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. 2004. ) It is generally accepted that that Mars once had water, on the basis of this acceptance it is supposed that once life would have existed on the red planet in its primitive stage. Some evidences are presented in the support of this supposition in the form of reported presence of fossil bacterial life on Martian meteorite. But his evidence is not widely accepted and many scientists are of the view that it is not enough to arrive at a correct conclusion. 1.4 Fossil bacterial life found on a Martian meteorite Scientists are of the view that enough evidence of microscopic bacteria fossils was found on some the meteorites fell on various countries. In France Orgeuil meteorite fell in 1864 and on some other meteorites traces of organic material were found that indicate presence of microscopic creatures like bacteria. But another group of scientists think that the organic material was the result of some other factors and the evidences were not correctly interpreted. It is also not certain that these mateorits came from Mars Keeping in view all the above discussed information and interpretions, it is the primary aim this to analyze and discuss the possibilities of life on Mars. 2. Chronological Order Famous American Scientist Sagan Edward is known for his popular investigation of Radio emissions from Planets of Solar system. He was one of the first scientists made some correct predictions about Mars that were later found correct. He was instrumental in changing perception about Mars in those days. 2.1 The early orbiter evidences The information acquired from the data provided by early orbiters suggests that early Mars had a warm and wet atmosphere. Life can exist in such type of claim. But this type of atmosphere must have existed in the remote past. A meteorite that was

Write a position paper for President Assad of Syria on the curent Essay

Write a position paper for President Assad of Syria on the curent foreign policy dilemmas facing his country, setting out at least three viable policy options for the future - Essay Example What are the major foreign policy issues facing Syria today? As with all of our neighbors, the American decision to invade Iraq and overthrow a fellow Ba’athist regime in Iraq has presented a variety of new challenges. Contending with a pro-American regime in Iraq is something which we have had to understand since 2004 and this represents an important foreign policy challenge. Lebanon, a neighbor and Arab brotherly state, has recently asserted its independence in regional and domestic affairs and the result has been a lessening of Syrian influence in the region. The invasion of Iraq and the establishment of a pro-US government in that country has had a variety of regional ramifications. Finally, the constant belligerent relationship with Israel remains one of the most protracted foreign policy issues facing Syria today (Bloom, 2005; Zubaida, 2002). As I see it, there are three major policy options for Syria in the short to long-term. The first relates to Lebanon and the dwindling influence of Syria in this country. While we continue to exert influence in Lebanon through a variety of proxy sources as well as through the Hezbollah Resistance Movement, Syria must maintain its regional supremacy through an active Lebanon policy which ensures that Lebanon remains pliant to the wishes of its Syrian neighbor and remains decidedly pro-Arab in its inclinations as opposed to pro-Western. This will be a challenge to maintain in a new 21st century in which national assertiveness is expressed in Beirut but we must continue to maintain a foothold in Lebanon in order to remain effective. Another important policy option encompasses our relationship with the United States and its aggressive foreign policy in the Middle East. American aggression in Israel is threatening to Syria but after years of isolation we may have little choice but to warm

Earth and space sciences Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Earth and space sciences - Term Paper Example Though volcanoes are now known to be works of the Earth and its movements, and not of long-ago worshipped deities, their awesome power of destruction and even fiery beauty is still regarded with reverence by some, as much today as it was thousands of years ago. What is different, however, is that scientists now have the means and research to predict whether or not eruptions may occur. In the documentary Deadliest Volcanoes, several new research methods are explored, from the simplicity of a new generation of Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) and their accompanying earth-bound sensors, to the testing of gases and water, to the harnessing of cosmic rays and drilling that goes deep below the surfaces of the planet. Alongside learning about these methods, viewers are invited on a fascinating trip to inspect some of the best and lesser-known volcanoes of the Earth. In Iceland, new generations of sensors are being explored by scientist Sigrun Hreinsdottir on the volcano Eyjafjallajokull. Though volcanoes throughout the world are routinely tracked by means of GPS as well as seismometers, the aim of the new sensors is to track the flow of magma deep underground via movements of the surface of the Earth. The theory that was tested was that magma, in flowing into a volcano, will force the surface above it to move outward, thus allowing for predictions as to the size and the force of the eruption. The new GPS sensors that have been installed to help with these predictions are so sensitive that they can measure the movement of the earth to an eighth of an inch, according to Deadliest Volcanoes. This theory was put into action when, in March 2010, though the sensors moved only centimeters a day, all sensors began to move outward from the known central crater in the volcano Eyjafjallajokull. By March 4, all sensors were showing uniform outward-motion movements, and on March 20, 2010, the volcano erupted. Contrary to movie-going belief, however, the eruption was not over qu ickly. The previous time that Eyjafjallajokull had erupted, prior to 2010, it lasted from 1821 to 1823, a full two years (Hendry). The main difference is that for this eruption, with the work of Ms. Hreinsdottir, it was able to be predicted, and a scientific theory was proved in regards to volcanoes along with the behavior of the underground magma within them, without any loss of life. Another new method of predicting eruptions involves harnessing the result of cosmic rays, or muons. In employing this method, detectors are used that will collect muons entering the atmosphere of the Earth and passing through the solid-rock formations of the volcanoes. Developed by Hiroyuki Tanaka of the University of Tokyo, the basics of his theory state that in using the muons, the density of the volcano, as well as subterranean imaging of what lies underneath the part above the surface, can provide a viable means of mapping and measuring what lies underneath, unseen to the naked eye. This method wa s hoped to be especially useful when dealing with soft-crust or thin-crust areas of a volcano that cannot be reached easily by other means such as climbing or rappelling, or when conditions made it

Negative Classroom Behaviors Essay Example for Free

Negative Classroom Behaviors Essay In the classroom there are many opportunities for disruptions to the flow of learning. When the process of education is disrupted it affects learning outcomes and student progress. Educators and students both play a vital role is how smoothly the class is run. In this paper we will examine common disruptions in the classroom and look at carious ways that these disruptions can be resolved productively and efficiently. Through incorporating different discipline and classroom management styles most interruptions to learning can be avoided and the process of education can continue. Disruptions come in many forms and we will look at a few. We will first look at common disruptions in the classroom caused by students and then take a look at those caused by teachers. Yes teachers can be a disruption to the learning process and as we will see sometimes they cause more disruption than their students. It seems that often in today’s society when we think of the typical public school classroom, images of chaotic behavior, chattering students and paper being thrown quickly come to mind. This behavior, while not uncommon should not be the norm, there is a solution. The first three behaviors that we will address is the seemingly ever-present excessive talking, laughter and general outburst. It seems that no matter how many times the lights are turned off, names of students are written on the board, recess or free time taken away students continue to use their voices out of turn in excess ways, making instruction and learning difficult. Often times when students have an outburst in the class or the talking becomes excessive, teachers sometimes give a general knee-jerk reaction.  They may yell at the student who has been consistently talking to â€Å"be quiet or†¦ then some threat of a punishment is given and the student is quiet for a moment and the behavior is likely to happen again and the process continues. Educator Barbara Coloroso believed that students should be taught how to govern themselves accordingly and that whatever actions took place in the classroom they were not only responsible for them but that they were held accountable for them. Barbara guided educators to understand that an important part of education students was to also teach them inner discipline and self control. (Building Classroom Discipline, 11th edition, 2014) In her book Kids Are Worth It: Giving Your Child the Gift of Inner Discipline, Coloroso outlines key ways in which not only parents but also educators can teach children how to have inner discipline. Coloroso suggest that inner discipline be developed as follows; First students must be shown what they have done wrong, then given ownership of the problem hence making them responsible, following this students are guided on ways to solve the problem when appropriate. Finally Coloroso encourages to educators to ensure that during this entire process the dignity of the student is kept in tact. I imagine that by incorporating this strategy into my classroom management and discipline style my students will gain more self-control and become more aware of the consequences behind their actions. In this way, they will be far more likely to think before they act. Likewise I as a teacher will feel better about the way in which I handle disruptions. With the ability to handle each disruption as a possible teaching moment that encourages students to do better, rather than simply pointing out what they did wrong, students will develop a better sense of trust. Likewise by ensuring that in each situation the student is treated with dignity, students are aware of the respect I have for them and this respect become reciprocal. Two other common disruptions in the classroom are that of students who get out of their seats at inappropriate times and who take a long time to get organized, settle down and get started on their work . This not only disrupts learning for the student who gets up but it causes a distraction for those around. Often there are tedious reasons for why students are not in their seats. When asked why have they gotten up, a student may respond  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I was going to sharpen my pencil.† Likewise when asked why have they not sat down and began the warm up they may reply â€Å"I cannot find my pencil.† Educators Harry and Rosemary Wong created a classroom management and discipline theory that creates a way to eliminate many classroom disruptions. The Wong’s theory suggest, that beginning with the first day of class, students be taught that not only the classroom but that the entire school was a place for successful learning. This theory had to be accepted school wide in order to work effectively. In order to achieve that success teachers, students and administrators and support staff, must do their part. The Wong’s suggest that the biggest hindrance to learning is not the behavior of the students but the ineffective manner in which teachers disseminate information regarding the roles, rules, procedures and expectations in the classroom. (Building Classroom Discipline, 11th edition, 2014) Upon introduction to the class, teachers are encouraged to two things. First teachers must go over the roles, expectations and responsibilities of both teacher and student (Building Classroom Discipline, 11th edition, 2014). This is done over a period of several days and may continue through reinforcement throughout the first portion of the school year. In this way students not only understand where they fit in the classroom but they also know how everyone else fits as well. In my own classroom I can visualize my students on their first day. Part of my classroom management style will be to ensure that there is a procedure set in place for most of the foreseeable situations in the classroom. One thing that I will make certain to do, is to make the procedures detailed yet simple to understand and follow. In this way my students will be clear on what to do and when. For example, the student who has wasted ten five minutes of the 15 minute warm up time, will know in the beginning of the school year that sitting down and getting started on the warm-up up within the first three minutes of class is mandatory. If you are not prepared and do not have all of your materials, there are always extras that can be checked out from me and then returned at the end of class. Simple procedures like this will eliminate small disruptions and keep the learning process flowing. The next two disruptions are those students who lack respect for teachers and fellow  classmates along with horseplay in the classroom. Teachers must establish and demand respect in the beginning of the class. Students must know not only what is expected of them, but also what happens when they fall short of those expectations. Educator Craig Seganti teaches teachers how to take charge in the classroom. Taking the Seganti approach in my class will dictate that my students know that I am the authority in the classroom. Establishing this authority by setting the rules along with the consequences of breaking them, and enforcing them from day one will put me in control from the outset. When students see that there is no wavering in the rules, they will take what you are saying seriously. Establishing that the classroom is a place of learning and that anything that disrupts that will have consequences will if not completely eliminate, will certainly minimize disruptions. When teachers and students are disrespected in the classroom it would be good to incorporate civility in the classroom. P.M. Forni was best known for teaching students how to behave civil and with respect n the classroom. By encouraging students to conduct themselves in a way that reflects the â€Å"Golden Rule† students will be far less likely to tease and disrespect their teacher and classmates. (Building Classroom Discipline, 11th edition, 2014). Using these two strategies in the classroom will be of great value in the way the classroom is managed. Finally I want to take a look at three behaviors that are exhibited by teachers that cause disruptions in the classroom and halt the learning process. Disorganization, nagging and the inability to leave whatever you have going on at home, at home can cause the classroom environment to feel unsafe and chaotic (Building Classroom Discipline, 11th edition, 2014). Using a combination of strategies from authorities on classroom management can help with these hindrances to education. First knowing what you want your classroom to look and feel like I a huge help in getting and staying organized. Often times teachers become disorganized because they have lost control of the classroom. By establishing your authority in the classroom as suggested by Seganti, you are less likely to lose control and if this does happen it should be easier to regain. Constant nagging of students over trivial matters of work habits or behavior are not helpful. In the long run you are not taken seriously. Students must know how to behave in the classroom. Ensuring as suggested by Wong that students are crystal  clear on expectations and procedures, teachers will spend much less time nagging and more time teaching. Lastly when teachers are unable to leave their home life separate from their classroom the results can disrupt and devastate a classroom. Teachers must before anything else, know their role. As a teacher you are there to provide a safe learning environment for your students. When your personal life interferes with that, learning outcomes and student-teacher relationships are compromised. In my classroom I imagine that by establishing an initial foundation of authority based on my acknowledgement of my role as teacher and educator, I will be able to create safe, fun and effective learning environment. By creating my classroom management style, revisiting it when necessary and setting up rules and procedures from day one, I will have the freedom to teach without disruptions and my students will be able to achieve all of the learning outcomes that have been set for them. Reference Page 1. C. M. Charles Building Classroom Discipline, Eleventh Edition, 2014

Internship Sample Essay Example for Free

Internship Sample Essay I decided to do the internship for the BAS Supervision and Management program in my own employment site. Florida International University (FIU) is an American public research university in Greater Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park in Miami-Dade County. It is classified as a research university with high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation and a first-tier research university by the Florida Legislature. Founded in 1965, FIU is the youngest university to be awarded a Phi Beta Kappa chapter by the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the countrys oldest academic honor society. FIU belongs to the 12-campus State University System of Florida and is one of Floridas primary graduate research universities, awarding over 3,400 graduate and professional degrees annually. The university offers 191 programs of study with more than 280 majors in 23 colleges and schools. FIU offers many graduate programs, including architecture, business administration, engineering, law, and medicine, offering 81 masters degrees, 34 doctoral degrees, and 3 professional degrees. FIU is the largest university in South Florida, the 2nd-largest in Florida, and the 7th-largest in the United States. Total enrollment in 2012 was 50,394 students, including 14,177 graduate students, and 2,974 full-time faculty with over 180,000 alumni around the world. In 2012, FIUs research expenditure was $104.6 million, with an endowment of $140 million. The university has an annual budget of $1.07 billion. 1.Managing Schedules a.Establishing consistency can be a challenge b.Challenges with staff that have same schedule c.Rotating schedules d.Accrued Time i.Making sure there is coverage ii.Vacation and Sick Time 2.HR Issues a.When to escalate a situation b.HR Department c.Department Head 3.Morale a.How to improve/maintain 4.Managing Projects a.Different than regular duties. They are usually a one-time or more strategic in nature. 5.Regular Duties a.Job description in daily tasks 6.Staff Meetings a.Consistent b.Solutions oriented 7.Staff Activities a.Lunches/Birthdays 8.Interviews a.Knowing how to ask the right question b.Reading resume c.Testing 9.Culture and how it affects management styles and employees 10.Follow Up a.Importance of following up with the staff 11.Top down management a.Impact from the top 12.Professional development for staff a.Giving them the opportunity 13.Policies a.Reading, learning, knowing where to find them 14.Managing your Supervisor a.Characters b.Patience c.Support 15.You are a reflection of your staff As per a discussion with my supervisor, I will be following instructions and helping her in the performance of all those tasks.

The Sony Strategy Failure Management Essay

The Sony Strategy Failure Management Essay Sony is the combination of two word sonus and sonny. The both words sonus and sonny is a latin word. The literal meaning of sonus is sound and, sonic and sonny is little son. Easy to pronounce and read in any language, the name Sony, which has a lively ring to it, fits comfortably with the spirit of freedom and open-mindedness. Since, Sony is the combination of two word sonus and sonny, represents a very small group of young people who have the energy and passion towards unlimited creations and innovative ideas. Sony foundation was started in 1946 when Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita worked together with a small team of obsessive and committed group of employees build Tokyo Tsushin Kenkyujo (Totsuko), or Tokyo Telecommunications Research Institute (billion dollar global conglomerate). In 1958 the company was formally adopted Sony Corporation as its corporate name. The main objective of the company is to design and create innovative products which would benefit the people. Sony a marketplace creator and leader After the World War II, Sony became popular after applying applied transistor technology, which was invented by  Texas Instruments  (TI). The co-founder of the Sony, Akio Morita was always kept looking for technological advancement and for that the company leadership spent countless hours in innovatively thinking about how to apply these advances to improve lives.   With such a passion for creating new markets, Sony was an early creator, and dominator, of what we now call consumer electronics because of the following reasons as given below: Sony improved solid state transistor radios by making good quality sound and also inexpensive to. Sony developed the solid state television by replacing tubes to make TVs more reliable, better working and use less energy. Sony developed the Triniton television tube, which dramatically improved the quality of color (yes Virginia, once TV was all in black white) and enticed an entire generation to switch.   Sony also expanded the size of Trinitron to make larger sets that better fit larger homes. Sony was an early developer of videotape technology, pioneering the market with Betamax before losing a battle with JVC to be the standard (yes Virginia, we once watched movies on tape). Sony pioneered the development of camcorders, for the first time turning parents and everyone into home movie creators. Sony pioneered the development of independent mobile entertainment by creating the walkman, which allowed for the first time people to take their own recorded music with them, via cassette tapes. Sony pioneered the development of compact discs for music, and developed the walkman CD for portable use. Sony gave us the play station, which went far beyond  Nintendo  in creating the products that excited users and made home gaming a market. Very few companies could ever boast a string of such successful products.   A report said that in Sony executives spent 85% of their time on technology, products and new applications/markets, 10% on human resource issues and 5% on finance.   Mr. Morita said that financial results were just those results of doing a good job developing new products and markets.   The origin and impact of Japan Inc on Sony By the middle 1980s, America was panicked over the absolute domination of companies like Sony in product manufacturing.   Not only consumer electronics, but also in automobiles, motorcycles, kitchen electronics, steel and a growing number of markets.   Politicians referred to Japanese competitors, like the wildly successful Sony, as Japan Inc. and discussed how the powerful Japanese Ministry of Trade and Industry (MITI) effectively shuttled resources around to beat American manufacturers.   Even as rising petroleum costs seemed to cripple U.S. companies, Japanese manufacturers were able to turn innovations (often American) into very successful low-cost products growing sales and profits. What went wrong for Sony? In 1950 W. Edward Deming had convinced Japanese leaders to focus, focus on making things better as well as faster and cheaper.   Taking advantage of Japanese post war dependence on foreign capital, and foreign markets, this U.S. citizen directed Japanese industry into an obsession with industrialization as practiced in the 1940s and was credited for creating the rapid massive military equipment build-up that allowed the U.S. to defeat Japan. Unfortunately, this narrow obsession was left Japanese business leaders, by and large, with little skill set for developing and implementing RD, or innovation, in any other area.   As time passed,  Sony felt victim to developing products for manufacturing, rather than pioneering new markets. Sony had ended up in a cost/price/manufacturing war with  Dell, HP, Lenovo and others to make cheaper PCs rather than the exciting products.   Sonys evolved a distinctly industrial strategy, focused on manufacturing and volume, rather than trying to develop uniquely new products that were head-and-shoulders better than competitors. In mobile phones Sony hooked up with, and eventually acquired,  Ericsson.   Again,  no new technology or effort to make a wildly superior mobile device  (like Apple did.)   Instead Sony sought to build volume in order to manufacture more phones and compete on price/features/functions against Nokia, Motorola and Samsung.   Lacking any product or technology advantage, Samsung clobbered Sonys Industrial strategy with lower cost via non-Japanese manufacturing. When Sony updated its competition in home movies by introducing Blu-Ray, the strategy was again an industrial one about how to sell Blu-Ray recorders and players.   Sony didnt sell the Blu-Ray software technology in hopes people would use it.   Instead it kept Blu-Ray proprietary so only Sony could make and sell Blu-Ray products (hardware).   Just as it did in MP3, creating a proprietary version usable only on Sony devices.   In an information economy, this approach didnt fly with consumers, and Blue Ray was a money loser largely irrelevant to the market as was the now-gone Sony MP3 product line. In the case of televisions, Sony was lost the technological advantage it had with Trinitron cathode ray tubes.   In flat screens Sony has applied a predictable, but money losing industrial strategy trying to compete on volume and cost.   Up against competitors sourcing from lower cost labor, and capital, Sony was lost over $10 billion over the last 8 years in televisions.  Sony  hasnt made a profit in 4 consecutive  years, just recently announced it will double its expected  loss  for this year(2012) to$6.4 billion, has only 15% of its capital left as and was  only worth 1/4 of its value 10 years ago. Sonys Leadership was a keen conspirator to the failed strategy Akio Morita was an innovator and new market creator of Sony.   But, Mr. Morita lived through WWII, and developed his business approach before Deming.   Under Mr. Morita, Sony was used the industrial knowledge Deming and his American peers offered to make Sonys products highly competitive against older technologies.   The products led, with industrial-era  tactics  used to lower cost. But after Mr. Morita Sonys other leaders were trained, like American-minted MBAs, to implement industrial strategies.   Their minds put products and new markets, second.   First was a commitment to volume and production regardless of the products or the technology.   The fundamental belief was that if Sony had enough volume, and cut costs low enough, Sony would eventually succeed without any innovation. By 2005 Sony reached the pinnacle of this strategic approach by installing a non-Japanese to run the company.   Sir Howard Stringer made his fame running Sonys American business, where he exemplified industrial strategy by cutting 9,000 of 30,000 U.S. jobs (almost one third.).Mr. Stringer, strategy was not about innovation, technology, products or new markets. Sonys industrial strategy was cost-cut first, products are less meaningful Mr. Stringers industrial strategy was to be obsessive about costs. Where, Mr. Moritas meetings were 85% about innovation and market application. Mr. Stringer brought a modern MBA approach to the Sony business, where numbers especially financial projections came first.   The leadership, and management, at Sony became a model of MBA training post-1960.   Focus on a narrow product set to increase volume, avoid costly development of new technologies in favor of seeking high-volume manufacturing of someone elses technology, reduce product introductions in order to extend product life, tooling amortization and run lengths, and constantly look for new ways to cut costs.   Be zealous about cost cutting, and reward it in meetings and with bonuses. Thus, during his brief tenure in Sony Mr. Stringer will not be known for new products.   Rather, he will be remembered for initiating two waves of layoffs in what was historically a lifetime employment company (and country.)   And now, in a nod to Chairman Stringer the new CEO at Sony has indicated he will  react to ongoing losses by another round of layoffs.   This time estimated to be another 10,000 workers, or 6% of employees.   The new CEO, Mr. Hirai, trained at the hand of Mr. Stringer, demonstrates as he announces ever greater losses that Sony hopes to somehow save its way to prosperity with an Industrial strategy. Since Japanese equity laws are very different that the USA.   Companies often have much higher debt levels.   And companies can even operate with negative equity values which would be technical bankruptcy almost everywhere else.   So it is not likely Sony will fill bankruptcy any time soon, if ever. After 4 years of losses, and entrenched Industrial strategy with MBA-style leadership focused on numbers rather than markets, there was no reason to think the trajectory of sales or profits will change any time soon. As an employee, facing ongoing layoffs why would you wish to work at Sony?   A me too product strategy with little technical innovation that puts all attention on cost reduction would not be a fun place and offers little promotional growth. And for suppliers, it was assured that each and every meeting will be about how to lower price over, and over, and over. Sony was once a company to watch. It was an innovative leader, which pioneered new markets.   Not unlike Apple today.   But with its Industrial strategy and MBA numbers- focused leadership it is now time to say, sayonara.   Sell Sony, there are more interesting companies to watch and more profitable places to invest. Questions: Highlights Sonys industrial strategy? What was the reason for the failure of Blu Ray strategy? What was the threat for employee as well as the supplier? Examine the opinion of both Morita and Stringer?

Oscar Mayer Essay -- essays research papers

Problem: One of the key issues faced by McGraw is that there is a large gap between his projections for next year, and what the manager’s are promising him . His goal is to obtain a 15% increase in the operating income from his division (OM, LR and NP). The managers are projecting a decrease of 5.2% from the current year. In absolute terms there is a gap of $27 MM in the projected divisions operating income. If McGraw were to keep his A&P budget the same as last years, he would save $32MM over the managers’ projections. Therefore, one solution could be to effectively use the strengths of the product lines and the A&P dollars by consolidating his sub-divisions. Analysis: Comparing the contributions and costs of the three product lines OM, LR and NP as a percentage of the total division’s numbers for the three years can give a detailed picture on the successes and failures of each sub-division, their strengths and weaknesses. This exercise lets us determine what percent of the divisions’ A&P budget is dedicated to Oscar Mayer vs. what percent of the divisions operating income comes from OM vs. LR. Louis Rich Brand Strengths are growing market segment, â€Å"health conscious† segment contributing to the rise in the operating income exponentially. However, a 33% of division’s advertising and promotional budget is being consumed for a 24% of total revenue or 14% of division’s operating income. While contribution to operating income is exponential, it is still less than 1/4th of the total divisions operating income. Oscar Mayer Brand Oscar Mayer brand has been developed over 100 years. It has a strong brand name, brand equity associated with it. It has established marketing and distribution channels. The numbers show a decline in the operating income of 18% over 3 years in part this may be due to a decrease in percentage of division’s A&P expenses directed towards OM brand. There is a question as to whether LR brand is cannibalizing OM brand. New Product Stuff’ n Burger numbers shows that a proportionately large spending on A&P is still generating no operating income. It is in the red. This points out the difficulty and expense involved in developing new brand or products. One of the key questions to ask is if the Louis Rich Brand is eating away into the Oscar Mayer’s market share? The two tables below show a decrease in the Oscar ... ...eat Oscar Mayer products. The tag line can say Oscar Mayer: offering choice and variety, fun and relaxation. Extend Product line This would require the company to reposition Louis Rich brand under Oscar Mayer Brand, without loosing its target audience, the health conscious group. (Both division can leverage off of the well reputed brand name Oscar Mayer.) Introduce repackaging, ready to eat lunches – including red and white meat variation. The focus here would be convenience for working people and enjoyable for kids. Pricing Strategy Running a sales promotion offering two for one package deals. Can sell white meat products via vending machines at health clubs and give free Samples to women. Cutting price of Oscar Mayer products in order to gain more market share and become more in line with the market competition. Products from Oscar Mayer and Louis Rich under the Oscar Mayer umbrella would need to be priced competitively with products from Smithfield, Ball Park, Hillshire Farms, Butchers, Tyson, Carl Budding and Kellogg’s etc. Russell Winer. Marketing Management 2nd ed. Prentice Hall, 2004. ISBN 0131405470. Custom Business Resources. Prentice Hall, 2005. ISBN 0536921288.

United States Army’s Organizational Structure and Culture Essay

The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief analysis of the United States Army’s organizational structure and its culture and how these two elements impact its workers, associates and affiliates. This paper will first examine the Army’s history, development and structure to highlight the origins of the Army’s culture. Secondly, a brief history of the Army’s organizational development will be followed by a close examination of its philosophy and supporting beliefs. Lastly, this paper will discuss the role of the Army’s leadership, their response to critical issues and the organizational structure of the Army. An analysis of the army’s top leaders will help the reader to understand the Army culture more thoroughly in the context of the Army’s organizational structure. More specifically this section of the paper will examine the Army leadership’s response to the current geo-political environment and other related issues. In con clusion, this paper hopes to highlight the Army’s overall functioning from an organizational standpoint and emphasize that idea that the Army is like a functional corporation. This will be accomplished by addressing various key questions throughout this text. The U.S. Army Organizational Development Army History and development The Army’s history includes many unique global events such as World War I and II, the Vietnam War, the Korean conflict and most recently operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. An in depth study of these historical events is beyond the scope of this paper however, the origin of the Army is relevant in discussing the Army’s overall culture. According to David W. Hogan’s historical text Centuries of Service cited on the United States Army’s website the United States Army was born on 14 June 1775 (Hogan, 2004). Members of the early Army forces were largely volunteers drawn from local militias. In light of conflict with the British Army the Second Continental Congress recognized that a regular military force was necessary if the colonials were to have any hope of standing up to the British Army. On 14 June, Congress adopted the New England army besieging Boston as an American army and authorized the recruitment of soldiers from various colonial states to form the Continental Army. This emerging Continental Army provided the permanent nucleus of a force that would be supplemented by local militia units. ... ...er 11, 2009, from the Center of Military History website http://www.army.mil/cmh/reference/CSAList/list2.htm Hogan, D. (2004). Centuries of Service. Retrieved September 11, 2009, from the Center of Military History website http://www.army.mil/cmh/reference/CSAList/list1.htm http://www.train.army.mil). http://www.goarmy.com/about/ranks_insignia_officer.jsp http://www.goarmy.com/about/enlisted_soldiers_officers.jsp Kazin, M.. (2004, June 28).. U.S. News & World Report, 136 (23), p72. Retrieved September 11, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database. Lodi, S. (1998, November 26). Reflections on Army Culture. Retrieved September 11, 2009, Â  from http://defencejournal.com/jan99/reflection.htm Rumsfeld, D. (2004, September 10). Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld speaks about Iraq at the National Press Club in Washington. Retrieved September 11, 2009, from http://usinfo.state.gov/is/ Schrader. E. (2003, June 28). US push for global police force. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 11, 2009, from http://www.wsu.edu:8001/vcwsu/commons/topics/culture/culture-definitions/geertz-text.html http://www.prisonplanet.com/us_push_for_global_peace_force.html

Essay --

Zac Fertig English Period 5 Odysseus, the protagonist of the Odyssey by Homer fits the outline of an epic hero because he is courageous, quick-witted, and a natural leader. Odysseus isn’t only known for his muscles, also his clever mind. He is one of the great heroes that possesses both brains and brawn. He is also a hero with outstanding skill and bravery. It is no wonder why many teachers refer to Odysseus as a powerful hero. I believe Odysseus is a hero because he is clever, can overcome obstacles, is very brave, a leader but like all great heroes, he has his weaknesses. Some of Odysseus’ most recognizable traits are his bravery and leadership. One thing that shows his bravery was his escape from Polyphemus. He was courageous to stab out Polyphemus’s eyes using a burning pole. Odysseus states: "I took my twelve best fighters and went ahead." This example involving the Cyclops shows that one of Odysseus’ great traits is his leadership. He is not the type of leader that sits on safe land while he sends his men in to fight, but a leader who engages in battle with his men. There are also times when many men are afraid, but Odysseus shows he's in not letting anything get in his way and speaks up when nobody will: "We all felt pressure in our hearts, but I spoke up in reply." He was fearless enough to take risks. Odysseus said: "Friends, have we never been in danger before this? More fearsome, is it now, then when we faced Cyclops?" This quote shows that in time of danger, Odysseus is willing to put his life in jeopardy and not g ive up. Odysseus had the heart of a fighter, he would battle whenever necessary, no matter who his opponent was, in this case the Cyclops. Most epic heroes are aided and guarded by gods wh... ...ugh Calypso wouldn’t let him leave the island so it wasn't his fault. Calypso finally agreed to allow Odysseus to leave the island: â€Å"So then, royal son of Laertes, Odysseus, man of exploits, still eager to leave at once and hurry back to your own home, your beloved native land? Good luck to you, even so. Farewell! But if you only knew, down deep, what pains are fated to fill your cup before you reach that shore, you’d stay right here, preside in our house with me and be immortal. Much as you long to see your wife, the one you pine for all your days†. Those are some of the traits Odysseus possesses that make me think of him as a hero. Odysseus isn’t just strong physically, but strong emotionally as well. Not all heroes are both of those, so Odysseus stands out from other heroes. After reading The Odyssey, I will always remember Odysseus as a great, epic hero.

Managing technological change

Managing technological change effectively in organizations, and even across entire industries, has always been a challenge for management, IT practitioners, and business development specialists. Technological change within companies and enterprises is not primarily a technology issue nor is it an area of interested limited to IT managers and specialists alone. Technological change should be a primary concern for business managers. The new generations of IT advancements can be applied to support advanced information management which in turns can enable business transformation within an organization.Managing automation-focused projects has become an outdated approach. Without a system on managing technological change effectively, the end results for organizations in applying new technologies usually result in unexpectedly high failure rates (BusinessWeek Online, 2006). A solution for business and IT managers is to make use of the Benefits Realization method. All organizations actually have a Benefits Realization process whether they are aware of it or not.For most companies, it is most likely not a formal process, and as such, the organization does not only know about it, but it also does not understand it. When an organization is not aware of the Benefits Realization in place, then it tends to be a passive process, not a managed one. What happens of course is that the process does not work very well. However, when the Benefits Realization process is designed and engineered systematically, it can actually lead to a tremendous improvement in the organization’s performance (BusinessWeek Online, 2006).In general, the Benefits Realization method provides for a new basis for using IT to deliver business results more consistently, predictably, and effectively. The approach makes use of two interconnected elements: mindsets on IT and on management methods. Taken these two fields together, Benefits Realization seeks to focus on integrating technology into an organ ization’s business system. It posits that the application of IT alone, regardless of how technically powerful, cannot deliver effective and successful business results without considering and combining IT with business methods (BusinessWeek Online, 2006).In other words, for an effective Benefits Realization process, the organization must seek to combine IT and management capabilities, and provide for a system that monitors the entire process from start to finish. F. Research Issue The ideal Benefits Realization design should start from the launch of the project, go beyond deliver, and actually measure the success and process improvement of the new design, process, software, or whatever technology was introduced to the organization.The problem is that not all companies have systems in place to really measure process improvement for Benefits Realization after completion of the project. This may happen when the organization is not aware that it has a Benefits Realization process in place to begin with, or when the organization’s Benefits Realization design simply does not have the tools to measure the end results of the process. G. Objectives of the Study The research study has the following objectives: ? To identify the reasons why the introduction of technology in benefits realization has often failed to bring about real change and benefits to the company.? To discuss how failure of most benefits realization programs are due to the lack of measurement tools in determining the benefits from its investments. ? To provide recommendations and solutions on how to establish effective benefits realization within an organization. H. Definition of Terms The following key terms, which will be used recurrently throughout the study, are defined as follows: ? Benefits realization – the discipline of ensuring that business initiatives deliver expected benefits (Aron, Tucker & Hunter, 2005).It is â€Å"an integrated set of processes, techniques, tools, d ocumentation standards and governance framework that cane be used to get the most value from technology investments† (Federal Aviation Administration, 1999, p. 1-2). ? Business benefit – a real source of value to the business, such as increased revenues, improved customer retention, lower costs, or quicker time-to-market (Aron, Tucker & Hunter, 2005). ? IT-intensive project/initiative – a business project with a significant IT component. It is increasingly common to consider all projects business projects.Projects involving significant IT activities and/or costs represent an opportunity for the Chief Operating Officer (CIO) and Information System (IS) organization to contribute strongly to benefits realization (Aron, Tucker & Hunter, 2005). I. Significance of the Study The study is significant since it will analyse the reasons why benefits realization programs fail in companies. It will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of benefits realization approaches used by companies. The recommendations that the study will provide can serve as useful tools for organization in setting up effective benefits realization programs.

Employment Law Compliance Plan Essay

Per your request, I was delegated the duty of developing the Employment Law Compliance Plan for Bradley Stonefield and his limousine company. Based on the meeting notes, Mr. Stonefield wants to operate a limousine company in Austin, Texas and to have at least 25 employees working for him within the first year. To ensure the success of Mr. Stonefield’s business, I have developed an employment law compliance plan that he should follow. This communication serves as confirmation of the employment laws that are relevant to Mr. Stonefield’s business. It will also provide how the employment laws should be executed and the consequences of noncompliance. This memo will give information regarding federal employment laws and regulations specific to Texas. The laws that will be discussed are The Texas Minimum Wage Law, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, The American with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. The Texas Minimum Wage Law Texas implemented the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour in July 24, 2009. Another provision of the law allows automatic increases in the minimum wage amount when the rate of the federal rate increases. The law also  mandates employers provide its employees a paycheck statement, which shows the number of hours an employee has worked (including overtime), the amount of pay they received, and any deductions. The Texas Minimum Wage Law aims to ensure that all employees are treated fairly and equally, regardless of where he or she may fall on the pay scale. Mr. Stonefield’s limousine company can comply with the Texas Minimum Wage Law by ensuring payroll is processed correctly. Additionally, the company should save records of all payroll, for the mandated period, for future references and ensure that the pay rates comply with the minimum wage law. Mr. Stonefield can purchase payroll specific software and individuals skilled in payroll processing to ensure compliance. The Texas Department of Labor enforces the Texas Minimum Wage Law. Individuals of the department of labor audit businesses to confirm the business is operating according to this law. If a business is found to be noncompliant, they could be fined up to $10,000.00 and criminally prosecuted. If the business is in violation for a second time, the business owner may be imprisoned. Penalties of up to $1,100.00 per violation can be executed to employers and businesses who repeatedly violate the minimum age requirement. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 prohibits discrimination in benefits, salary, and employment for employees who are age 40 and over. However, if the employer can validate that age is an occupational qualification, this law would not apply. The law is administered and executed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and â€Å"[a] key objective of the law is to prevent financially troubled companies from singling out older employees when there are cutbacks† (Cascio, 2013, p. 109). To comply with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Mr. Stonefield’s limousine company cannot deny employment or terminate an employee over age if the employee is of the age of 40 and over. However, if an individual lacks necessary skill functions or has poor performance, who happens to be the age of 40 or over, the company is within its limits to terminate the employee. Because age is not a determining factor, the company is justified  in terminating the employee. Noncompliance of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act can cause extensive financial damage to a company. A victim of age discrimination can obtain compensation, including attorney’s fees, court cost, and monetary compensation and punitive damages from the business. There are certain guidelines associated with the amount of compensation a victim can be awarded if age discrimination is proven. Mr. Stonefield is anticipating on employing up to 25 individuals to operate his limousine company. According to the EEOC, employers with 15-100 employees, the limit for compensation and punitive damages is $50,000.00 per claim. Additionally, if an employer: â€Å"resist, oppose, impede, intimidate or interfere with a duly authorized representative of the [EEOC] while it is engaged in the performance of duties under [this law] shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500.00 or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both† (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2013, SEC. 629). The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was approved in 1990, which prohibits employers from discriminating against potential employees with disabilities. A qualified individual should be able to perform the essential duties of the job with or without accommodation. In Mr. Stonefield’s case, he would not be held responsible for not hiring a blind driver. However, if a blind individual has the qualifications to complete data entry job functions, Mr. Stonefield would need to make reasonable accommodations for the essential job functions. According to Cascio (2013, p. 111), â€Å"almost 13 percent of people ages 21 to 64 in the United States have at least one disability, a percentage that more than doubles to 30.2 percent for people ages 65 to 74†. It is also essential for Mr. Stonefield’s limousine location to be accessible for individual with disabilities (e.g. ramps, bathroom stalls, etc.). Additionally, Mr. Stonefield is not allowed to ask or discuss a potential employees past claims or medical history, as it would be in violation of ADA. The EEOC enforces the ADA; however, there are other avenues victims can make claims of discrimination (e.g. Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Department of Justice, etc.). Violation of the ADA, in  connection with the Texas Labor Code, can be subject to damages payable to victims. These damages can include back pay, punitive damages, mental anguish, and pain and suffering (State of Texas: Office of the Governor, n.d., para. 7). Caps are provided for the amount awarded to victims of such discrimination and is based on the number of employees working for the business. In Mr. Stonefield’s case, if he is found in violation of the ADA and because he has fewer than 101 employees, his cap would be $50,000.00. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1985 sets conditions around employer’s inability to hire illegal aliens. Companies can be sanctioned, and fined and the law relates to every employee. This law essential for Mr. Stonefield to adhere to, as in 2012 there were an estimated 1.7 million illegal immigrants residing in the state of Texas (SOLà S, 2013, para. 3). In order for Mr. Stonefield to comply with this law, it is essential he verifies the identity and the work status of all of the potential employees. Typically, most companies require new hires to fill out paperwork, such as an I-9, and obtain copies of identifiable documents (e.g. license, state issued identification, Social Security card, etc.). Companies that do not comply with this law can receive severe and harsh punishments and fines. According to Cascio, (2013, p. 110), â€Å"failure to comply with the verification rules, fines range from $100 to $1,100 for each employee whose identity and work authorization have not been verified†. Fines and penalties can range from $250.00 to $10,000.00 for each undocumented worker. Frequent or repeat offenders can be charged criminally. Texas law enforcement works with the federal agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enforce the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act. Conclusion The employment compliance plan a general overview of the anticipated laws Mr. Stonefield’s limousine company can use to ensure the success of his business. Additionally, complying with the proposed employee compliance plan can save the company unnecessary expenses. Some of the most complicated  factors in establishing compliance with these laws are understanding the laws, knowledge of how these laws can affect the business, and the consequences if they are violated. As Mr. Stonefield will be operating a new company, it may be beneficial for him to hire a compliance officer to ensure he meets the necessary guidelines. References Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2013. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/history/35th/1990s/ada.html Cascio, W. F. (2013). Managing Human Resources; Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits. McGraw-Hill. Solà ­s, Dianne. (23 September 2013). Illegal immigration into Texas increasing slowly, says Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20130923-illegal-immigration-into-texas-increasing-slowly-says-pew-research-center.ece State of Texas: Office of the Governor. (n.d.). Employment Protections. Retrieved from http://gov.texas.gov/disabilities/resources/employment_protections

Managing Improvement Essay

AC 2.1: Assess an opportunity for innovation and improvement in own organisation As already discussed in Section 1, business productivity and change cannot occur without effecting people’s psychology to effect change. I initially felt that supervision would be fundamental to addressing and identify issues to allow reflection to plan a way forward to address issues, such as, performance management, productivity, effectiveness and understanding the views of the individuals to effect and improve individuals and team goals, and linking this to the business plan. This approach I felt would assist in establishing the individual’s goals to reaching and exceeding key performance indicators, such as completing assessments within timescales, as communication would be flowing in respect of planning and execution, as change can only be effectively implemented through proper planning and communication (Peter, 2006) â€Å"For supervision to be effective it needs to combine a performance management approach with a dynamic, empowering and enabling supervisory relationship. Supervision should improve the quality of practice, support the development of integrated working and ensuring continuing professional development† (pg 141, Tilmouth &Quallington, 2012). An example of this is ensuring workers understand why performance targets are in place. For example if a worker is told they have to have a assessment completed within a specific time but are given no reason for this then their motivation to complete the requested assessment does not occur. However, if you explain that delay in assessments create delays in services that are provided for children, and this could have a detrimental impact. This therefore gives reason and creditability to a worker which gives meaning and this can result in the work being completed as required and therefore  ensuring targets are met in respect of time management in line with the identified business plan, and guidance and audits in respect of Ofsted are met. Crawford 2013, would agreed with me as he believes that failure in executing change is not due to the strategy but in the way the change is delivered and executed in respect of staff psychology (2013, Building and Effective Change Management Organisation Second Edition) I realised by giving reason and understanding as to why such deadlines and expectations were in place and allowing staff members to reflect on this, putting ideas in place, such as how work load management could be addressed. This not only motivated staff but this effected a change in their views regarding their own practice, this conspired to have a positive ripple effect with regard to service delivery as a whole unit. This approach also assisted in addressing areas that Ofsted had risen especially with regard to listening and communicating with staff to effect positive change and also how we could improve the current work load management system. This saw an increase in productivity and we as a team were going over and above the expected targets in all areas in respect of services; service delivery and identifying services that would be efficient with regard to addressing concerns and putting appropriate interventions in place instead of reverting to crisis management like we had been criticised for previously. Nevertheless, issues continued to be identified with regard to achieving in all areas of the business plan for example issues around cost, consistent supervision and identifying training needs. This was due to implications in respect of policies and procedures, as there was no system in place that could â€Å"assess† workload management and also consider what was needed to monitor the success and efficiently in respect of meeting the services users needs, Ofsted and also issues such as cost, especially as overtime had significantly increased to ensure timely responses and reduce delay. This therefore was not addressing the issue with regard to productivity and effectiveness. I also sensed that delays in some respects were being created to enable staff to claim money with regard to overtime. Therefore, I was still identifying issues in respect of staff member’s psychology in respect of meeting targets as their views still appeared disjointed and addressing  this and progressing staff through change with regard to addressing work load management in respect of meeting all key performance indictor would initially be a difficult task to achieve especially in respect of meeting the business plan and Ofsted’s expectations in relation to areas such as cost, consistent supervision and guidance in respect of work load management and training need. Therefore this created an opportunity for me to develop a system to improve work load management and create systems to enable work load management to be audited to ensure it was meeting all the requirements with regard to the business plan and Ofsted. AC 2.2: Justify the improvement identified, in the context of organisation objectives As already discussed it became apparent that the workload management system needed to be developed and changed to enable staff to meet the required targets, especially as current policy and political agenda was highlighting this as a significant issue in respect of work load and work load management (Munro 2011). As this was known to be impacting on production, cost and linked to serious case reviews throughout the UK. I found within all political agenda, the local authority business plan and Ofsted, their reference to work load, considered and discussed the number of cases people had, but no consideration was given to the complexities of the cases and therefore impacting on the time and resources that would be required. I believed this was having a significant impact on moving forward and assessing issues such as productivity, staff member’s development/training and cost. Therefore, a system needed to be in place to evaluate and identify staff member’s workloads which could address and assist with the issues raised above. Furthermore within team meetings this issue was being raised by staff members. Therefore, I considered that a system was needed that looked at not only the number of cases people held but the level of complexity and this in my opinion could be a fair system than people being given a set number of cases. In order to address, assess and justify the improvements required I needed to look at a framework to assist me in how to effect the change to improve work  load management in respect of this. This was how the â€Å"point† system was born. I will discuss further within the next sections how this system was developed and the justification for the system. Within the current environment I work in today Solution Focused Approach is applied to all parts of the business, this includes problem solving, reviewing and acknowledging what is to be achieve, by analyse and identify – including what works well and what may have to be done differently to achieve and then of course making adjustments and taking a step forward to make the changes. Although this theory I felt would be useful in respect of assisting with the psychology of change and the transition through change with staff I felt I needed a theory which would assist me in pinpoint the issues and identifying quickly innovation and changes required in order to put actions in to place and put timescales around those actions. In order to monitor success and of course address areas for development Therefore, I believed that the SWOT analysis would enable me to understand the issues, review innovation and of course implement the change. This method would also assist in the justification of change or identify if change was necessary. Swot Analysis is a structured planning method used to evaluate strengths weakness opportunities and threats involved in undertaking a task or project. This enables the internal and external factor to be considered with regard to achieving an objective. Helpful Harmful Internal Origin Strengths Complexities of work would be identified and levels in respect of right members of staff completing the work would be identified. Clearer planning and time scales with regard to staff meeting targets as the  level of complexity had been identified. Identifying training needs Creating a clear guide for supervision with regard to performance management that promotes consistent supervisions as the format used would be in place throughout the local authority. Targets being incorporated into one document would be able to monitor key performance indictors Cost as this could reduce overtime as this could assist with staff not being overloaded. Weakness Staff not buying in. The points system being business and performance lead and not addressing the personal aspect in respect of the individual. This would result in limited buy in from staff and the transition of change being hindered and placing barriers with regard to change. Time in respect of managers having to review and implement the points system Assessment not being completed to an appropriate standard as focus being on time and work load. External Origin Opportunities Productivity and efficiently with regard to services users having their needs met. A more effective service Reduction in public spending Threats Cost regarding change of systems Not meeting Ofsted’s standards resulting in failure This Swot Analysis enabled me to consider and plan a framework in respect of how a pointing system could work. I developed a pointing system in respect of weekly expectations and identified points for a number of tasks that had to be undertaken throughout the week. I also consider other issues that would also need to be taken into account including staff member’s personal issues such as holidays and training as I knew they would also have to be considered and reflected within the points systems. I also realised that this tool would assist in the justification of paying overtime as if staff members were over pointed then overtime could be paid. The points I developed were reflected as the number of hours a week a member of staff works and the more complex the case the higher the points were increased. I also consider guidance that was provided from the government and Ofsted in respect of caseloads and the management of case loads to ensure the point system met all their requirements. The points plan was then put before senior management and was approved to be used under a pilot scheme to see if this had a positive change in respect of work load management, for example, productivity (consistent supervisions as a guide would be in place regarding performance management), identifying training needs and cost. AC 2.3: Use a range of techniques to generate innovative options to deliver the improvement identified Although I had used Swot Analysis in respect of planning and developing change as I knew a change needed to happen. I was still in a position in which I did not know how to go about delivering it. Where did I start? Whom did I involve? And how did you see it through? I therefore recognised that I needed a methodology to assist me in taking leadership in effecting and assess the change that I was trying to achieve.  I found there was numerous methods, tools and models, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. However, as previously discussed and identified by Hiatt and Creasey (2012), I needed a methodology that would not only engineer an approach to improving business performance but would also address the psychology to managing the human side of change. I considered Prosci Change Management Methodology Maturity Model as this focuses on the â€Å"the people side of change†. â€Å"The model reinforces the need for individuals to change and understand change by instilling: Awareness: This is recognizing the need for change. Desire: Who needs to participate in the change? Knowledge: Who has the knowledge to guide the change? Ability: Who will implement skill sets and change behaviours? Reinforcement: Who will lay the foundation for change initially and for the future?† (Hiatt & Creasy, 2012) However this focused too heavily on the individual and I needed a model that not only looked at the individual psychology to change but also engineered an approach to improving business performance, in which a leadership role could be filter though and assist in an opportunity to reflect to ensure the changes being made when beneficial for staff, meeting the business plan and also meeting the guidance set out by Ofsted. If this was incorrect then the consequences would be detrimental resulting in the local authority failing. Therefore a process was require in which the change could be constantly reviewed and adapted to ensure it was meeting all the needs initially identified. I found most methodologies that I reviewed derived from Kotter’s 8 steps to change. Kotter 1995 identified an 8-Step process for leading change. The key principle covered by each of these steps relates to establishing strong leadership, people’s response, ability and approach to change. Step 1: Establishing a Sense of Urgency Step 2: Creating the Guiding Coalition Step 3: Developing a Change Vision Step 4: Communicating the Vision for Buy-in Step 5: Empowering Broad-based Action Step 6: Generating Short-term Wins Step 7: Never Letting Up Step 8: Incorporating Changes into the Culture. Therefore this model would allow me to see where the business was at the present time and identify areas of improvement and the strengths already in place. It would assist in steering it in the right direction and put actions and goals in place to meet the short and long term objectives, not only identified in the business plan but also in respect of Ofsted, services user’s needs and staffs needs. AC 2.4: Evaluate options for generating the proposed improvement to determine feasibility and viability As previously discussed and highlighted in Section 1, a work load management scheme was in place and it had been deemed appropriate although it was raised that there was still areas that needed improvement which had been raised in the Ofsted inspection in 2013. This needed to be addressed and reviewed in order for improvements to be seen in respect of Stockton’s rating in relation to Ofsted. The areas as already discussed were in respect of supervision, timeliness of social workers responses and assessment in respect of service delivery and cost. And as discussed although there was a system in place which was deemed to be appropriate, it was evident from staff, senior management and Ofsted that this had to be developed to meet the needs of the service as it was still creating inconsistencies in the areas raised above. Therefore the system I reviewed and planned would, and was evaluated to create the outcomes we were trying to improve in the areas identified. It would be keeping in line with the business plan and the expectations of Ofsted but also with what staff members were requesting to develop a system that assisted them in the day to  day management of their workload. It appeared feasible to put this plan into place as it appeared achievable as it was in line with all the recommendations and there was already a foundation for this to be built upon with the current work load management system in place. Also the cost to the development and structure of this plan would be minimal and could hopefully see a reduction in government spending. However, I recognised there could be disruptions to the delivery and putting the plan in place with regard to the new workload system, in relation to how this was rolled out and managed with the organisation. Especially, if it was not conveyed appropriately as resistance would occur and internal and external factors already previously discussed would be impacted upon and not appropriately addressed. This would therefore create a barrier and could potentially prevent the change from occurring , therefore not addressing the issues raised by Ofsted and Ofsted potentially failing the local authority as the issues identified in the previous audit had not been addressed. Learning outcome/ Section 3: Be able to lead and manage change within a organisation, planning and implementing a project to meet, and if possible exceed, customer expectation AC 3.1: Create a change in management and improvement plan that is designed to meet and possible exceed customers and other stakeholders expectations Therefore to address the issues raised in section 2 of this assignment I used Kotter’s 8 step process, 1995, to assist me and lead the change in respect to putting the work load management â€Å"points† system in place to change how work load management was evaluated and reviewed. This is how I approached it: – In respect of Step 1: Establish a sense of urgency: As already identified for a change to happen it helps if all involved wants  the change to happen. It was already identified that this change was wanted by all, including Ofsted, senior management and ground staff. Therefore this created a sense of urgency and as already discussed these issues had been raised from supervisions, team meetings management meeting and Ofsted audit. This therefore sparked the motivation required, and although ideas had been formed people were also contributing and providing ideas to establish a way forward. As already discussed this was not about focusing and criticising individuals on what was not working but providing an honest and transparent dialogue about expectations and the impact it has on as whole in respect of Ofsted, services users and staff themselves. This created a positive vibe in respect of doing things differently in relation to work load management. Kotter 1995 suggests that for change to be successful over 75% of the work force involved has to buy into the change. This was why I worked hard within individual supervision, team meetings and management meetings to create and build a sense of urgency as I recognised appropriate preparation was required so everyone involved could move to the next step and be confident that they felt a change was required and that they would buy into this change. Step 2: Creating the Guiding Coalition I recognised that I had to stand strong as a leader and have clear conviction as to how the change would not only impact staff but would be beneficially in respect of meeting Ofsted targets and the business plan, for example, to using this as a tool to develop supervision so supervision became for consistent. I realised if I had key significant people support this vision that they could assist on the development of the change. For example the policy and procedure business manager found the ideas regarding the change regarding work load management would be beneficial and he believed it could be incorporated in to the current policies and procedures and recognised that this could have a positive effect in respect of meeting targets for Ofsted in a very innovative way. As a result of this a steering group was developed and incorporated in this group was myself, senior management, management and ground staff. Step 3: Developing a Change Vision As already discussed I provided my vision and plan which I had developed using SWOT Analysis. We used this tool as the bases to develop the idea I had initially formed. This enabled ideas to be tweaked slightly but it provided an overall vision which people could grasp and easily remember. This allowed people to see what was trying to be achieved and gave a sense of direction. From this a format, a tool regarding the points system and a points system was developed which was not only going to be used as a weekly guide for the Assessment Team but was going to be developed for all teams within the local authority but would be adapted for the needs of the individual teams. Once again bring consistency within the whole of the organisation. Step 4: Communicating the Vision for Buy-in I found that communication was key to any form of change and in the initial stages of the development, discussion were held constantly with everyone regarding how systems could be put in place to effect positive change with regard to workload management (in respect of delivery, reviewing and monitoring), and throughout the process I discussed progress and issues we were finding with everyone to prepare people for the change but also to make people part of the change. So many times i have found especially within local authorities â€Å"special meetings† are held to communicate a vision, however, in my view this does not assist with regard to preparing people and assisting people to go through that transition of change. I found talking about it at every chance assisted in people taking ownership of the change and being part of the decision making and also problem solving if issues did arise. It also helps for people to have a clear understanding and promotes a consistent structure. AC 3.2: implement the plan, monitoring progress against agreed targets Step 5: Empowering Broad-based Action When I reached this point I found the majority of the staff members were excited about the changes and were ready for it to commencement in respect of the overhaul in relation to work load management. However, I did find  there were a few people who were resisting with regard to the changes and were reluctant to see how the changes would be of benefit to them. They focused heavily on that their overtime would be reduced and they questioned how the points system would be monitor in relation to ensuring the point for the different levels of complexities were monitor and pointed correctly. I found there was justification in their concerns and realised quickly if these barriers were not addressed the feasibility and execution of the points system would fail, therefore, there had to be some consideration as to how this could be reviewed not only by management but by all including staff and Ofsted who would of course question why different levels of complexities had been pointed. I found the answer was already in place which had been highly commended by Ofsted and this was our Performance Indicator clinics. This system already reviewed on an individual/team basis the throughput of work. By adjusting this slightly we could still review the throughput of work but develop it to ensure the points and time given to different complexities of work married with the time given for work to be completed. This also would assist in the following step to see within a short period of time if the system was achieving goals which would boast motivation as people’s achievement would be highlighted immediately. The proposal of the slight changes in the performance clinic staff became empowered and became ready for the pilot scheme to commence. Staff members were feeling confident and were discussing the benefits to the system and this was already being structured into case and personal supervisions. This resulted in the pilot scheme starting. Step 6: Generating Short-term Wins As planned the system very quickly identified short term wins in respect of the distribution of work for example instead of people have 14 cases each, where one person may have 14 cases of high complexity and another may have a case load of 14 of low complexity people were feeling that cases were being evenly distributed and this was evidence by the points sheets being distributed to staff and senior management. Performance clinics were also identifying that the throughput of work was increasing as people cases were more manageable as they were being evenly distributed. It was also evidencing training needs for individuals to support them with the different  complexities of cases and in respect of cost we found that overtime reduced as people were managing to complete work in the required time. However, staff members were able to justify immediately if they required overtime, if they were over pointed and this had a positive motivating feel for all involved. As a result we developed as a team that instead of allowing assessments to go 45 days, assessment that could be completed at an early stage would be done so, and this was managed and reviewed within fortnightly case supervision, creating a consistent supervision guide. This developed a very positive attitude to work load management in which individuals were becoming accountable for monitoring and reviewing their own case load and giving them self time scales, which they were taking ownership of, with oversight from management. This had a significant change with regard to figures in respect of the turnover of assessment and when this was reviewed by the government statistics against other local authorities we were being commended for the assessment being completed in a timely manner and we did not have one assessment that went out of timescales which in this day and age is a huge achievement. To ensure assessment were still to a high level, assessment were still being quality assured by management and also being audit regularly by senior management and due to positive feedback this created a very motivated work force. Step 7: Never Letting Up Kotter 1995 argues that many change projects fail because victory is declared too early although we realised that this change was very positive and it was having a positive effects, we knew the long term goal would have to ensure that this system then assisted and filtered into all core business, for example rolling through the all the teams, ensuring a reduction in government spending and ensuring standards remained high in respect of Ofsted audit. We knew this was a bases that could be used and developed to meet the needs of all of the services but it needed to be continued to be built upon and opportunities would continue to be identified to improve the service. Therefore key to this was developing it and linking it to all core business which was initially discussed in section 2 by the business and policy and procedure management. Quick wins are therefore only the beginning of what is needed to be done to achieve long-term change, as each success provides an opportunity to build on what went right and identify what you can improve. Step 8: Incorporating Changes into the Culture. Therefore to ensure the changes stood we looked at rolling it out to all of the core business within the whole organisation. The feedback within the entire organisation from refuge collection to maintenance in respect of the points system was very positive as it was a system that was adaptable to meet every section of the local authority. In respect of senior management they had a system that clearly showed performance and identified areas of strength and weakness and what needed to be done to build on these areas, and in respect of staff they had a tool that assisted them on a day to day basis in respect of work load management. This assisted in the change becoming solid in the organisational culture and this has lead to positive support by everyone involved. This was reinforced further by the audit which I discussed in Section 1 in which Northumberland found the system that we developed was so exceptional that they believed that this would assist in the their organisation. This therefore is not only being seen in our organisation now but it is now being rolled out to other local authorities and positive feedback is being given and this continues to promote the support and the continuation of the change. Therefore when we are audited by Ofsted we hope the changes made will increase our rating as an effectively run local authority. Reference 2013, John Crawford. (Building and Effective Change Management Organisation Second Edition) [pdf] London: Crawford Consultant. Available at http://http://crawford consulting.org [Accessed 01/12/2014]. Hiatt, J.M.., & Creasey, T. J. (2012) Change Management the People Side of Change. Colorado, USA: Prosci Learning Center. Kotter, J.P. (1995): Leading Change, United States: Harvard Business School Press. Munro, E (2011) The Munro Review of Child Protection: A Child Centred System. London: The Stationary Office Limited 2006, Peters A.H. (Understanding and Managing Change) [pdf] Sydney, Australia: The Project Perfect White Paper Collection. Available at http://www.projectperfect.com.au [Accessed 7 November 2014]. Tilmouth, T., & Quallington, J. (2012) Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services. Oxon: Bookpoint Ltd.