Regency Grand Hotel Essays

Regency Grand Hotel Essays Regency Grand Hotel Essay Regency Grand Hotel Essay The following case study illuminates the dilemma of the employees undergoing the management changeover following its acquisition by an international group. In the earlier set-up, the employees were expected to follow the orders of their managers without questioning them. Initiatives to solve problems at personal level were discouraged and it led to lack of innovation and risk-averse behavior. Eventually, the hotel staff got accustomed to the style of management over the past fifteen years, and it made the work go smoothly with minimal number of conflicts. However, the recent sale of the hotel to a new American group introduced an altogether new style of administration to the employees. The management style of the new GM was entirely opposite to what the staff was familiar to, and it caused problems bringing the hotels performance and reputation down the drain. Problems The problem of the Regency Grand Hotel entails a number of factors in its failure to meet expectations of its new management, though the challenges did not exist previously. As it is observed that there are some significant challenges in managing the workplace In changing business environment. Following this, Becker did not employ a communication strategy that supported the dissimilarity between management and employees and their different cultures. The unclear decision making process and power hierarchy. Lack of proper analysis of the chances of success of the strategy of empowerment. Lack of proper coordination within the management team, when trying to implement the empowerment strategy. The Hotel also faced the challenge of social emotional conflicts among employees. Contingencies of power such as source of power were not clearly outlined. These issues resulted in high levels of stress, absenteeism and turnover. Communication and Culture: Communication and Culture Prior to the take over, The Regency Grand was Thai owned and operated. While weighed down by the internal processes the census was one of understanding and fitted in within the cultural bounds. The American conglomerate conducted little research into the culture as reflected by Becker’s appointment and utilization of predetermined strategies ill-suited to an already successful business. English is becoming the common business language in Thailand (Chakorn, 2006). Verbal and written communication differs greatly between the two cultures, amplifying the need for Active listening. Implementation of organizational change: Implementation of organizational change in times of change within an organization, it is essential for the management team to ensure that employees are actively involved in the process of change. Becker introduced his new policy to the directors of the organization. He however, found himself all alone trying to implement the empowerment practice. Involving employees in the decision making initiatives is crucial. The purpose of this is to make them feel part of the organization (Lynn, 2008). The empowerment criteria employed by Becker enabled assimilation of employees in the decision making process. Their contributions were however, not profitable to the organization. Involve staff in change Involve staff in decision making Ensure staff feel included in organization More successful organizational change Organizational Culture and Change : Organizational Culture and Change Organizational culture exists where a set of cognitions is widely shared by members of a social unit and comprised of fundamental assumptions, values, behavioral norms and expectations, and larger patterns of behavior (O’Reilly, Chatman Caldwell, 1991). Employees at the Regent had an organizational affiliation to the Hotel, adding to the organizational culture. O’Reilly, Chatman and Caldwell (1991) indicate that individuals will choose roles, occupations and organizations based on congruency with their own values. Organizations tend to recruit individuals who are likely to share their values. When Becker implemented changes in job roles and organizational structure, without maintaining a congruency in values, this may have lead to changes in the organizational culture. Person-culture fit will increase commitment, satisfaction and performance. To ensure this is implemented, it may be necessary to adjust aspects such as hire new staff with similar values, or help existing staff to see congruency between their values and those of the organization. Personality : Personality â€Å"Cultures shape the expression of traits but not their levels† (Hofstede McCrae, 2004, 74). Personality traits have been found to have a significant role in influencing job choices and work values (Berings, Dufruyt Bouwen, 2004) Therefore, these traits should be taken into account, both when hiring employees and when designing and redesigning job roles. Big Five Personality Traits: Big Five Personality Traits Through research, five primary personality traits have been found to account for personality variations in society (Robbins, Bergman, Stagg Coulter, 2006). These traits are: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience. Teng (2008) indicates that Schneider and Bowen (1985) found that personality traits of service employees can predict service quality. By hiring employees with personality traits in mind during the selection process, organizations are better able to create a suitable job-personality fit, and therefore improve profitability. Personality Trait requirement comparison (Adapted from Robbins et al, 2006) : Personality Trait requirement comparison (Adapted from Robbins et al, 2006) Personality Trait requirement comparison – cont. : Personality Trait requirement comparison – cont. Working effectively with personality traits: : Working effectively with personality traits: Although personality traits are intrinsic, it is possible to assist employees to display desirable behaviour in a range of circumstances through effective training techniques and skill building. Individual variations in preferences for different organizational cultures are associated with interpretable differences in personality characteristics (O’Reilly et al, 1991). The redesign of roles, responsibilities and reward systems to encourage desirable outcomes will increase congruency between individuals’ self-perception and person-organizational-fit, thereby improving the high staff-turnover situation as well as job satisfaction. Unclear power hierarchy : Unclear power hierarchy Another major issue encountered at the Regency Grand Hotel which affected the organizational culture was the problem of unclear power hierarchies which lead to staff not understanding their role clearly in the decision making process. Employees were given empowerment but this proved to be problematic as staffs were unable to discern between what constituted a major or minor problem. Staff found that in many cases when they did make a decision it was later overturned by supervisors. One part of the process of empowerment is impact. â€Å"Empowered employees view themselves as active participants in the organization; that is, their decisions and actions have an influence on the company’s success† (Mc Shane, 2008, p. 185). Becker introduced empowerment but this part of the process was distorted as the employees felt that their decisions were not valued and often overturned. Additionally, Becker stated he would not tolerate the same mistake twice. Staff now found it easier to revert back to their old ways of passing all problems over to their supervisors. This was directly counteractive to the plan of â€Å"allocating more decision-making authority to front line employees† (McShane, 2008, p. 192). This further reduced the effect of empowerment. Job Design and Role Ambiguity: Job Design and Role Ambiguity Employees were uncertain of the types of issues that were to be considered â€Å"Minor† and â€Å"Major†. Without clarification, they continued to refer problems to management. Jobs that have ambiguous demands, jobs that have too many demands, and jobs that do not allow the employee to participate in work related decisions are likely to hinder attempts at successful performance, thereby frustrating higher order needs† (Beehr, Walsh Taber, 1976, 42). This frustration results in reduced effort and motivation. They go further to state that â€Å"Effort toward quality is related to role ambiguity in that concern with the quality of one’s work is not maintained if it is unclear what constitutes task success†(Beehr et al, 1974, 46). Supervisors were unsure and reversed employee decisions to refer them on to higher levels of management. Role Conflict: The front-line staff were expected to experiment and be creative in dealing with situations at work, but were only allowed to make a mistake once. This resulted in reduced learning capacity as employees began behaving defensively in order to avoid reprimands for errors. Reduced Job Satisfaction: Increase in customer complaints, increase in absenteeism and employee turnover. Intra-organisational relationships suffered as trust was lost and fear reigned. Poor reviews due to declining levels of customer service. Role ambiguity: Role ambiguity Role ambiguity was another issue for the Hotel. â€Å"Role ambiguity can be defined as a lack of information needed to perform the role (Pearce, 1981; Cooper et al. , 2001). This issue can lead to many problems. â€Å"Employees who experience role ambiguity tend to perform at lower levels than employees who have a clear understanding of job requirements and what is expected of them. Likewise, role ambiguity is reflected in employees uncertainty concerning appropriate actions in commonly occurring job situations. It explicitly results when employees are not clear concerning the amount of authority they have and when they do not know others job performance expectations† (Boles Babin, 1996, as cited in Ussahawanitchakit, 2008). What is my role? What are my responsibilities? What are my functions? Who is my supervisor? What are the delineations of my role? Where is the information I need? Where is the information I need? Do I have the power/control to do this? Role ambiguity: Role ambiguity According to role theory, role ambiguity will result in coping behaviors by the uncomfortable employees in organizations that may attempt to solve the problems by avoiding stress, or to use defense mechanisms for changing the real situation. Therefore, ambiguity will allow an employee to be dissatisfied with his role in the organization, change reality and reduce his performance (Rizzo et al. , 1970). It can be seen in the case of the Regency Grand Hotel that due to the lack of clarification of the role each employee played within the organization stress resulted. This stress lead to an increase in staff moving toward the defensive tactic of pointing the finger at other employees therefore disowning any problems they may have encountered themselves. Recommendations for defining roles and reducing ambiguity: Recommendations for defining roles and reducing ambiguity The remedy for the situations that have evolved within the hotel is to clearly define each person’s role and make them aware of the importance their part plays in the overall operation of the hotel. Ensure employees are aware of their responsibilities. Additionally to define what is a major and minor problem and make it clear to members of staff who has the power to make decisions at each level, would also be of great assistance. For example if a problem arises at the front counter with a customer which would incur a minimal cost to the organization this could be handled by reception staff with little impact on the supervisor and within a much faster time frame causing less inconvenience to already disgruntled customers. This could be achieved by removal of the ‘same mistake twice rule’ that Becker introduced. In this way employees would truly feel empowered to make decisions that would have an impact on the organization thereby feeling that they were an important part in the hierarchy that exists in the hotel. Address Managerial / Supervisory level employees’ concerns at losing power. Reward them for encouragement and development of front-line team results. Job Satisfaction Aspect: Job Satisfaction Aspect Job satisfaction is essential for the work. Steven Travaglione (2007) note that happy workers are generally more productive. The initial management run by the Thai investors provided attractive employment packages e. . high salaries and bonuses. The performance was however, not impressive. The empowerment practice introduced by Becker reduced the bureaucratic governance. Employees were now able to interact freely with the top management. Becker interacted with employee and solved their problems. Nevertheless, there was an increase in the number of complaints and mistakes made by employees. Job Satisfaction Recommendations: Job Satisfaction Recommendations An audit process should be implemented to ensure change in strategy is adopted effectively. Open communication and feedback is required to ensure management is aware of the situations and any recurring issues that may require further investigation. Employees will respond well to feedback on their actions, this will assist with the learning process. Employ a risk manager, they do one on one coaching/counseling with employees to help with their concerns and be a impartial person to talk to when frustration arise and learn coping skills for the working at the hotel, this would have been great for when they did the changing of owners for a easy transition. Recommendations: Recommendations As front-line employees have not had power to make decisions in challenging situations in the past, it may be necessary to implement training sessions to improve skills when dealing with these situations, for example, conflict resolution courses, customer service training. An audit process should be implemented to ensure change in strategy is adopted effectively. Reward employees for correct/suitable actions – note rewards may be as simple as verbal encouragement or â€Å"Employee of the Month† titles. Open communication and feedback is required to ensure management is aware of the situations and any recurring issues that may require further investigation. Employees will respond well to feedback on their actions, this will assist with the learning process. Motivation: Motivation is a fundamental aspect of improving the quality of performance of the work force. The Regency Hotel management aimed at developing motivation among employees. However the employees were not motivated. Increased frustration, stress, job dissatisfaction and high turnover were some of the factors that demoralized employees. Encouraging innovativeness and reativity among employees is an essential component of a successful organisation. The free environment provided by the organisation was not effectively utilized by the employees. The performance of the organisation depreciated as a result. Motivated staff Improved performance of organisation Motivation Recommendations : Motivation Recommendations As mentioned earlier, reward employees for correct/ suitable actions – note rewards may be as simple as verbal encouragement or â€Å"Employee of the Month† titles. Team Building events, going on vacations with other employees to train up with other employees from the other hotels in the chain. Whenever the emphasis is on positive feedback it is a good idea to provide feedback in both public and private settings. When employees are recognised and encouraged in public, it acts as a natural stimulant for others who are close enough to see or hear whats taking place. Monthly training to empower and motivate the employees and sub management to have more skills and coping strategies in stressful/pressure situations. There is never an end to training, employees can also better themselves and that betters the organisation as a whole. Stress management seminar’s, motivation seminar’s, new skills seminar’s as they say knowledge is power and the more knowledge their employees have will create more motivation and improvement in their work and the hotel efficiently. Team building : Team building Team building enhances the capacity for an organisation to perform tasks faster and effectively (Steven Travaglione, 2007). Through empowerment employees were supposed to be more united. Employees were instead more divided and constantly in conflict. The empowerment policy was basically enacted for the purpose of improving the organisations performance. Complaints from customers were frequent The deterioration in service provision captured media attention. Team Building Recommendations : Team Building Recommendations Communication Exercise: This type of team building exercise is exactly what it sounds like. Communications exercises are problem solving activities that are geared towards improving communication skills. The issues teams encounter in these exercises are solved by communicating effectively with each other. Goal: Create an activity which highlights the importance of good communication in team performance and/or potential problems with communication. Problem Solving/Decision making exercises focus specifically on groups working together to solve difficult problems or make complex decisions. These exercises are some of the most common as they appear to have the most direct link to what employers want their teams to be able to do. Goal: Give team a problem in which the solution is not easily apparent or requires the team to come up with a creative solution Planning/Adaptability Exercise: These exercises focus on aspects of planning and being adaptable to change. These are important things for teams to be able to do when they are assigned complex tasks or decisions. Goal: Show the importance of planning before implementing a solution Trust Exercise: A trust exercise involves engaging team members in a way that will induce trust between them. They are sometimes difficult exercises to implement as there are varying degrees of trust between individuals and varying degrees of individual comfort trusting others in general. Goal: Create trust between team members Stress and case relationship : Stress and case relationship All of the factors identified in the Regency Grand Hotel case contribute to the high levels of stress, and resulting symptoms of stress: absenteeism and high turnover. Research supports the findings above by citing that open upward and downward communication; supporting creative organisational cultures by encouraging new ideas and mistakes that naturally ensue; clear and constant feedback (Baptiste, 2009); structured job design and work organisation; and well managed organisational change (Redfern, Rees Rowlands, 2008) are all elements that help reduce the levels of stress felt by employees within an organisation. According to Redfern et al. , (2008, p. 288) negative stress occurs ‘when the pressure placed upon an individual exceeds the perceived capacity of that individual to cope’. They offer a definition of stress by describing it in the following way: ‘stress releases powerful neurochemicals and hormones that prepare us for action to flight or flee† (Redfern et al, 2008, p. 288). Results from recent studies highlight some of the possible reactions of negative stress within organisational settings: ‘stress related problems among workers contribute to dysfunctional organisational consequences such as decreased organisational commitment, increased absenteeism, and high turnover’ (Chiu, Chien, Lin and Hsaio, 2005, p. 839). These reactions have been strongly experienced as symptomatic of issues at the Hotel. Visual depiction of case stressors and results in staff : Visual depiction of case stressors and results in staff New management Organisational change Unclear decision making hierarchy Communication problems Espoused versus enacted values – issues with creative organisational culture Lack of feedback Cultural clash between management and employees Issues with job design Stressors Release of powerful neurochemicals and hormones Possible outcomes Reaction Fight Flight Recommendations for introduction into the Regency Grand Hotel : Recommendations for introduction into the Regency Grand Hotel Physical activities such as exercises like jogging, aerobics, walking, and circuit classes can be implemented as lunchtime sessions which not only benefit employees by reducing stress levels and stress related illnesses but also work towards strengthening the social and team aspects of work. Research shows that the regular undertaking of such activities in an organisational setting has many positive effects on resilience to stress. For example physical well being is improved, as is mental alertness, decision making abilities and job performance. Relaxation technique classes also introduced to the Hotel staff would, assist with coping with mental and physical manifestations of stress. Classes that teach employees deep breathing skills, meditation, and yoga echoes the benefits of exercise with additional advantages such as restoring energy and vitality (Treven and Protocan, 2005). Recommendations for introduction into the Regency Grand Hotel : Recommendations for introduction into the Regency Grand Hotel Much research has been undertaken on how learning and development programs within the workplace can add to employees resilience to stress (Redfern et al. , 2008). Programs such as: Lifestyle programs which educate employees on the advantages of balanced diets and a regular exercise regime Time management kills within a job role to ensure that goals are met with minimal stress (Shuttleworth, 2004) Specific training for managers to ensure they have the skills to control their own stress levels as well as track those of their employees – this particular training will have the added advantage of buy in from the management perspective to develop an appropriate culture at the Regency Grand Hotel as well ensuring that the managers act as role models for their employees (Shuttleworth, 2004) In addition to the exercise, relaxation techniques and learning and dev elopment solutions, it is recommended that Employee Assistance Programs be introduced to the Hotel, this program offers employees a service whereby challenging situations can be discussed with counsellors and psychologists who can provide tools that will embed coping mechanisms (Trevern and Protocan, 2005). Recommendations for introduction into the Regency Grand Hotel : Recommendations for introduction into the Regency Grand Hotel In addition to the exercise, relaxation techniques and learning and development solutions, it is recommended that Employee Assistance Programs be introduced to the Hotel, this program offers employees a service whereby challenging situations can be discussed with counsellors and psychologists who can provide tools that will embed coping mechanisms (Trevern and Protocan, 2005). Recommended stress reducing strategies Physical activities Relaxation techniques Learning and development solutions Employee assistance program Conclusion : Conclusion The majority of problems experienced during the acquisition of the Regency Hotel may have been avoided or at least reduced dramatically through effective communication strategies, incorporating a comprehensive feedback loop to ensure understanding of changes and new requirements on an organisational level as well as individual level for all employees. Cultural, personal and organisational aspects should be taken into account; and changes to job design and job roles should be made clear to ensure successful adoption of the new system. At this stage, the Regency hotel is in a state of flux, with reduction in staff retention, profit and reputation. Effective change management strategies as outlined in this presentation should now be introduced to assist the employees to build a new Organisational Culture and incorporate the Empowerment strategy.

Verb Endings in -ed and -t

Verb Endings in -ed and -t Verb Endings in -ed and -t Verb Endings in -ed and -t By Maeve Maddox While irregular verbs are often a focus of grammatical errors, regular verbs are a frequent source of spelling errors. Most regular verbs form their past tense by adding -ed to the base: accept/accepted. A few verbs form the past tense with a -t ending: build/built. Some spelling errors result from the fact that the -ed ending may be pronounced in one of three ways: /ed/ complimented /d/ loved /t/ equipped A common spelling error occurs with words that end with the sound /t/, but are spelled with –ed. For example, wrecked, might be misspelled as â€Å"wreckt.† Some of verbs that end with the sound /t/ do spell the sound with -t. bend/bent feel/felt keep/kept leave/left lend/lent lose/lost mean/meant send/sent sleep/slept spend/spent weep/wept Some verbs that end with the /t/ sound may be spelled with either -ed or -t. The -t ending for these verbs is more common in British spelling. burned, burnt dreamed, dreamt kneeled, knelt leaped, leapt leaned, leant learned, learnt smelled, smelt spelled, spelt spilled, spilt spoiled, spoilt Most American speakers would probably consider leapt, leant, learnt, smelt, and spelt out-and-out misspellings. Burnt, dreamt, knelt, spilt, and spoilt, however, do occur in U.S. speech and writing. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Synonyms for â€Å"Angry†Disappointed + PrepositionUsing Writing Bursts to Generate Ideas and Enthusiasm

Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Research - Essay Example He could face additional discipline by the NFL, even if he is not convicted. The involvement of Michael Vick in the dog fighting scandal has caused irreparable damage not only to his career but also to the Atlanta Falcons; moreover, it has affected PETA as well. Animal rights groups are enraged, and so is the public. The Atlanta Falcons have issued a statement in which they have categorically apologized to their fans and the public for the actions of Michael Vick causing them to be seen in a negative way. The NFL has also issued a statement in which they have assured the public that the NFL considers dog fighting â€Å"cruel, degrading, and illegal†, and that any employee of theirs who is found to be involved in such activities would be punished appropriately. This scandal has caused Michael Vick considerable disrepute. He was one of the most entertaining players of the NFL, and had a bright future ahead of him. However, with this scandal, he has lost respect of the public, which has resulted in embarrassment to the Falcons as well; not only has it caused them embarrassment and consternation, but their fans are also disappointed in them. The Falcons have suspended Vick till the verdict comes in, and have also sued to reclaim the bonu s that was given to him on 10th October 2007. Given the circumstances, the Court also agreed to the Falcons claim and they were held to be entitled to recover almost 20 million dollars of the said money. Air Tran Airways, for which Vick was a spokesman, has decided not to renew his contract after this incident. Moreover, other companies have also either suspended or cancelled their contracts with Vick; for instance, Nike has decided not to go ahead with its product line named after Vick, though the company has not declared categorically whether it is merely a suspension or cancellation. The banks are also suing Vick for loans that he had taken out, as the future of the quarterback hangs in the balance and none of the companies, banks

Search Keyword Analysis of Zara Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Search Keyword Analysis of Zara - Assignment Example The pie chart above shows that the keyword ‘Ski Wear’ will have 27% of local search per months while it will attract a global search of 72% of the total search. The local searches is the people who are searching Zara.com from the same country as that where the business is physically located. In this paper, it is assumed that Zara.com has physical address and stores in New York America. The estimator also provides more details by providing words that can be used to enhance the search of the presence of a given production on the market. Below is a column graph which presents information about other keywords similar to ‘ski Wear’ It can be concluded that monthly the key word ‘Ski Wear’ in the category of cloths based in US will be paying for 90,500 local searches monthly and 246,000 global searches a months. The keyword ‘Ski Wear women’ got 18,100 global searches and 8,100 local searches as the highest search. The term ‘Jupa kids ski wear’ will attract searches less than ten both locally and globally. The total search for ‘Ski Wear’ is projected to be 336,500

Whiteness studies Essay Example for Free

Whiteness studies Essay ?In essence, it’s a simple concept: white privilege refers to the both minor and significant advantages that white people have in today’s American society. To be honest reading this article was a huge eye opener for me. I still struggle with both believing that white privilege exists and figuring out how to get rid of it. I have never felt that I was privileged to be white, however, I suppose that could be because as McIntosh states â€Å"whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege† After reading McIntosh’s list of the daily effects of white privilege I now understand these privileges and can put myself into the shoes of other non-white individuals to see how they would perceive me as a privileged white woman. I have never thought of myself as being privileged, or better in any way that those that I come in contact with. The concept of white privilege does not deny my individual hardships that I’ve dealt with throughout life. Hardships can be circumstantial, they can be something we are born with, or even something that we cause on our own. These circumstances are for the most part out of our control. Some hardships are related to race, and those who haven’t experienced those particular race-related hardships, I now suppose are white. In most ways conferred dominance and the fact that whites have been labeled as superior in any way is the exact opposite of the way I feel about myself, and the way I view others in my daily life. After reading McIntosh’s article, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, I suppose that I do see some advantages that I may have just always taken for granted. The one that may seem silly, but I’ve always wondered about is: why do they only make white â€Å"flesh† colored band aids? I t seems like a no brainer to me to make them in all flesh tones. In my school community which consists of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students I struggle to pick out white privileges. I do not feel that any of our teaching staff or administrators see themselves as dominant over any other race or culture within our school community. I suppose that the fact that our school principal, secretary, and most teachers are white would portray dominance within our race. The majority of our staff speak English, however we do have several bilingual teachers and staff members. In the classroom environment, other than our bilingual classrooms the population of white students is greater than that of any other race. As a teacher I am committed to equality and treating all of my students fairly and as equals in our classroom community. I do not think that 7 and 8 year old white students see themselves as dominant of more important than any other classmate. I can, however see how a Black, Hispanic, or students of other cultural background would feel at times to be the minority. I think that this feeling, however is taught to them at home, or somewhat of a learned feeling of identity. In my school community we do our best to incorporate other cultural history into our curriculum by designing lessons that educate our students about important people in our history from a variety of cultures. The majority of our schools population is comprised of white and Hispanic students. I think that as a whole we could do a better job at integrating more of the Hispanic culture into our school’s curriculum. After reading this article I now find myself more aware of the white privilege that I do hold, and am definitely going to work toward building my daily classroom routines and lessons to include a wider variety of cultures and discuss current events around the globe that my students can relate to.

Descriptive Essay - The Old Root Cellar -- Descriptive Essay, Descripti

The Old Root Cellar Our summer trips to Colorado seemed to take forever. I was an eager four year old child who couldn't wait to get to my secret place. Every child has a special place: it might be a fort made out of sheets and couple of chairs, or maybe it's an easy chair that serves as a stage coach or a fighter plane. Maybe its a bed that becomes a ship protecting you from sharks. My special place was at my grandparents farm. My childhood was spent on military bases or in suburban neighborhoods. There were great places to play, but no place could match the old root cellar on my grandparents' farm, known as the "secret place". I really don't know who named it the "secret place" because it the place, it was what I did there that was secret. The place wasn't secret; what I did there was secret. I am the thirteenth grandchild and I am sure that many of my cousins spent hours playing there. In fact my mom spent a few hours there as a child. To me in my four year old's mind, it was all mine and no one else knew about the wonders it held. The root cellar is about 100 feet away from my grandparents house with a tomb like entrance. It was built on November 24,1937. I know this interesting fact because it is written in cement above two heavy wooden doors that open from the center out. I would open the doors and find a short stair case that led me to another set of doors. I opened up the second set of doors and I was inside the root cellar. The root cellar is made all of cement and has an oval shaped ceiling. Along the walls of the root cellar are wooden shelves that have sections for everything from cans of dried up paint to canned cherries with four inches of dust on them. There are old vases, broken tools and pictur... ...nts' house. She spent many hours with me making cookies and teaming up on my brother. I told her all my secrets and dreams. When I had to go back home, she would always write me letters. They were actually written by my grandpa. My mom tried to read them to me, but I wouldn't let her. However, I didn't know how to read, so I finally had to give in and let her read them to me. I spent many memorable summers at my "secret place." I will cherish those times and memories forever. Even though the root cellar was only a huge mound of dirt with a wood pile and a tree, to me, it was whatever I wanted it to be for that moment in time. It could be a bakery, a battle field or a castle. Having an imagination then, has helped me now to have an open mind to see things from other people's point of view and to be able to imagine the possibilities in any real life situation. .

How Wwii Effected the Indian Independence Movement

Rebecca Martinez 18 November 2012 Professor Sutherland ANTH 4002 World War II’s Impact on the Indian Independence Movement The success of the Indian Independence movement is, by some scholars, largely attributed to efforts of Mahatma Gandhi. As stated by BBC, â€Å"Gandhi was the leader of the Indian nationalist movement against British rule, and is widely considered the father of his country† (India. wikia. com). However, this revolutionary movement, a dream that had been growing since the mid nineteenth century, was the infusion of a wide spectrum of Indian political organizations, philosophies, and rebellions.For example, the events and aftermath of the Second World War posed an economic crisis and political confrontation that transformed nationalism and colonialism for many colonies, including India. Even less credit is given to the various international events that shaped the movement, as well as those involved. Regardless of the divisions in Indian nationalist eff orts, both in support and against violence, they all contained one common goal: independence from Britain.Were historians correct in their proposition that India’s independence was largely attributed to Gandhi’s peaceful anti-war efforts, or were Gandhi’s strategies ultimately ineffective? If proven effective, should India’s rapid progress in independence during World War II be seen as affected most by Gandhi, or were bigger actors involved? I believe that the source of India’s successes in their 100-year struggle for independence should not be correlated with one man.Rather, by paying close attention to key events, powerful political players, critical economic changes, and motivating political factors from around the globe during this period, historians will gain a better understanding of how India’s independence movement was rapidly accelerated, and ultimately successful, during the period surrounding World War II. When war initially broke out in September of 1939, Britain’s grip on India was as fierce and stubborn as ever (Bose and Jalal, 130).Although Congress leadership in India implored Great Britain to define their war aim before declaring India’s support, viceroy Linlithgow avowed the British Indian Empire a belligerent against the axis powers without consulting prominent Indian leaders (Bose and Jalal, 130). Once it became clear that the British were unconcerned with Indian nationalist aspirations, the entire Congress leadership resigned from the local government councils in protest. However, this protest was not simply an opposition to Britain’s decision.Many Indian nationalists believed that Britain’s fight for democracy and freedom in the Second World War contradicted their rule over a multitude of colonies (wiki. com). Mahatma Gandhi, for example, termed Britain's â€Å"war to save democracy† as hypocrisy since it was denying democratic rights and individual liberties to Indians (wiki. com). Despite the atrocities faced by Indians under British rule, many Indians supported the British war effort and fought with the Allied Forces.In hopes that the British would leave India after the Second World War, the Indian National Congress cooperated with the British war efforts, making the British Indian Army was one of the largest volunteer forces during the war (India. wikia. com). However, when it became clear the Britain had no intention of relenting their hold India after the war, Gandhi called for a determined but passive resistance to foster a peaceful negotiation with the British government.Ultimately, Gandhi and the Congress Party proposed a â€Å"Quit India Movement,† which declared that if the British did not accede to the demands for Indian independence, a massive Civil Disobedience would be launched (Bose and Jalal, 133). However, once Britain arrested the top Congress Party leaders, the Quit India Movement fizzed out entirely before it eve n had a chance to gather steam.That being said, although Mahatma Gandhi’s initial civil disobedience movements were driving forces that ultimately shaped the cultural, religious, and political unity of a Indian diverse nation, they did not have a significant impact on Indian independence following the Second World War. Although history’s spotlight for Indian nationalist ideas during this time is set on Gandhi, the fight for freedom during World War II saw the rise of two independence movements. Some leaders of the revolutionary Indian independence movement collaborated with the Axis powers to overthrow the British Raj.Although largely ignored by historians, the Azad Hind movement, in collaboration with Japanese forces, successfully created the Indian National Army in 1942. Indian military alliances with Axis nations also included the Legion Freies Indien in Nazi Germany and the Battaglione Azad Hindoustan in Fascist Italy (wiki. com). Although Adolf Hitler saw Indians as racially inferior and had no interest in India’s future, he believed that if India gained its independence it could become a valuable ally of the Axis powers and help it gain dominance in the Indian Ocean area (Kumar).As a result, Germany and Japan actively provided support to Indian independence movement leaders. The Indian Nation Army, led by Subhash Chandra Bose, was based on the principle that â€Å"An enemy's enemy is a friend† (India. wikia. com). Bose also formed what came to be known as the Azad Hind Government, with Indian prisoners of war and Indian expatriates in South-East Asia, with the help of the Japanese (Bose and Jalal, 134). Its aim was to reach India as a fighting force that would build on public resentment to inspire revolts among Indian soldiers to defeat the Raj (Bose and Jalal, 134).However, due to poor arms and supplies from the Japanese and lack of support and training, the Indian National Army and entire Azad Hind ultimately failed. Althoug h defeated, Bose’s initiative gave hope to the Indian public and turned the support and loyalty of the native soldiers of the British Indian Forces from the crown to the Indian National Army soldiers. In doing so, the British Army, whose ultimate goal was to replace the loyalty of Indian soldiers to the crown, was replaced by the Indian National Army (Bose and Jalal, 134).Bose also succeeded in developing a larger participation and unity in the Indian community, one that crossed religious and gender boundaries, than Mahatma Gandhi’s Quit India movement. In his book The Indian Struggle, Bose described his first meeting with Gandhi in 1921, â€Å"there was a deplorable lack of clarity in the plan which the Mahatma had formulated and that he himself had no clear idea of the successive stages of the campaign which would bring India to her cherished goal of freedom† (Kumar).However, although Bose’s efforts did aid India’s independence movement, it did n ot create an impact large enough for historians to declare its actions as the main source of India’s accelerated independence. The most effective factor in Indian independence during World War II, therefore, could not have been the result of Indian nationalist efforts. It was British prime minister Clement Atlee who, when granting independence to India, said that Gandhi’s non-violence movement had next to zero effect on the British.In corroboration, Chief Justice P. B. Chakrabarty of the Kolkata High Court, disclosed the following in a letter addressed to the publisher of Ramesh Chandra Majumdar’s book A History of Bengal, â€Å"You have fulfilled a noble task by persuading Dr. Majumdar to write this history of Bengal and publishing it †¦ In the preface of the book Dr. Majumdar has written that he could not accept the thesis that Indian independence was brought about solely, or predominantly by the non-violent civil disobedience movement of Gandhi.When I w as the acting Governor, Lord Atlee, who had given us independence by withdrawing the British rule from India, spent two days in the Governor’s palace at Calcutta during his tour of India. At that time I had a prolonged discussion with him regarding the real factors that had led the British to quit India. My direct question to him was that since Gandhi’s â€Å"Quit India† movement had tapered off quite some time ago and in 1947 no such new compelling situation had arisen that would necessitate a hasty British departure, why did they have to leave?In his reply Atlee cited several reasons, the principal among them being the erosion of loyalty to the British Crown among the Indian army and navy personnel as a result of the military activities of Netaji [Subhash Chandra Bose]. Toward the end of our discussion I asked Atlee what was the extent of Gandhi’s influence upon the British decision to quit India. Hearing this question, Atlee's lips became twisted in a sarcastic smile as he slowly chewed out the word, â€Å"m-i-n-i-m-a-l! †(Kumar).In reality, the political confrontations and negotiations between Indian nationalists and the British were immensely influenced by an atmosphere of deepening economic crisis. In the aftermath of World War II, Britain’s economy was destroyed to such an extent that they were no longer able to financially maintain their military forces, making Great Britain incapable of containing the incessant freedom movements in their colonies. Therefore, due to its collapsed economy, Great Britain would have left India much later than they did after World War II, regardless of Gandhi, Bose, or any nationalist leader.The most influential character in India’s independence, therefore, would evidently be Adolf Hitler. Despite his selfish reasons for war, Hitler inadvertently created the perfect economic atmosphere needed for the Indian Independence Movement to take flight. Had Hitler not begun World War II, India’s independence, with only nationalist determination as a driving force, would most probably have taken much longer than it did. In the aftermath of World War II, India had increased its political, economic and military influence, which paved the way for its independence from Great Britain in 1947.Although the main factor in Britain’s retreat in India was its economic turmoil, India would not have been able to create or sustain a healthy economy, government, or military without the help of key nationalist leaders. For example, previous tensions between Indian castes were eased by Gandhi, who launched the Haijan movement, a campaign to improve the lives of the untouchables, whom he named Harijans, the children of God. Gandhi also influenced India’s blossoming political ideology. According to Jim Yardley, â€Å"Gandhi is given full credit for India’s political identity as a tolerant, secular democracy. Likewise, Indian military precedent was also set by Bose in his creation of the Indian National Army. Bose also succeeded in uniting various religious entities in India. For example, when he first three of Bose’s officers to be tried were a Hindu, a Muslim, and a Sikh, Indians of all three religions became united against the British in a national movement against the Indian National Army officers’ trial (india. wikia. com). Nationalist efforts, specifically Mahatma Gandhi, may have not been the leading force in India’s independence in 1947, but it did make independence easier. British historians P.J. Cain and A. G. Hopkins described the hopeless situation of the British in India as follows, â€Å"By the end of war, there was a loss of purpose at the very center of the imperial system. The gentlemanly administrators who managed the Raj no longer had the heart to devise new moves against increasing odds, not least because after 1939 the majority of the Indian Civil Service were themselves Indian. In 1945 t he new Viceroy, Wavell, commented on the â€Å"weakness and weariness of the importance of the instrument still our disposal in the shape of the British element in the Indian Civil Service.The town had been lost to opponents of the Raj; the countryside had slipped beyond control. Widespread discontent in the army was followed in 1946 by a mutiny in the navy. It was then Wavell, the unfortunate messenger, reported to London that India had become ungovernable [which finally led to the independence of India† (Kumar). Furthermore, although the Indian Independence Movement was greatly hastened by Britain’s economic crisis posed during the aftermath of World War II, India’s identity would not be the same without the influential works of Indian nationalists. Works Cited:Bose, Sugata & Jalal, Ayesha. 2011, Modern South Asia: History, Culture Political Economy, Third Edition. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, London and New York. http://india. wikia. com/wiki/Indian_In dependence_Movement http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/India_in_World_War_II Kumar, Susmit. 2012. ‘Hitler, NOT Gandhi, Should Be Given Credit for the Independence of India in 1947’, [Online] Available at: http://www. susmitkumar. net/index. php? option=com_content&view=article&id=100&Itemid=86 Yardley, Jim. 2010, ‘Obama Invokes Gandhi, Whose Ideal Eludes India. ’ New York Times. 6, Nov.

Dickens’ skill Essay

Dickens’ skill is especially shown in his creation of Magwitch. Discuss the convict’s importance both as a key figure in Pip’s life and as a means of criticising society. Dickens uses his skill to make the reader believe that Magwitch is an evil person at the beginning of the novel. Dickens describes Magwitch as seen through a child’s eye, which is Pip. The first image of Magwitch is exaggerated because of a child’s imagination and terror. Dickens uses sounds and smells to remember people. For example Jaggers always smells of scented soap after court and when Magwitch is emotional there is a click in his throat. Although these are minor details we recognise people quicker. At the beginning of the novel we associate Magwitch with animal and beast like manners. This is because the first impression of Magwitch through the young Pip and then the hunt for Magwitch by the soldiers. In chapter 28 while Pip is travelling to Satis House he hears a conversation between two convicts who are being transported by coach under guard. Here the convicts are described as â€Å"a most disagreeable and degraded spectacle. † Dickens uses words like â€Å"growling † to covey the impression that these convicts are animal like. Dickens describes the convicts as, â€Å"Then they both laughed, and began cracking nuts, and spitting the shells about. † Dickens is making the point that if you treat some one like animals then they will act like animals. This shows how convicts were treated in society and Magwitch was also a convict. The ship that Magwitch boarded was ironically called Noah’s Ark. This is where animals boarded in biblical time. Magwitch’s true personality slowly shows through the novel. For example in chapter 5 Magwitch tells Joe that he stole his pie and file. Magwitch even apologises to Joe when he says, â€Å"Then I’m sorry to say, I’ve eat your pie. † Joe replies with a compassion answer saying,† we wouldn’t have let you starved to death for it†¦ would us Pip? † Then Magwitch throat clicks. Here I think that this shows the two real gentlemen of the story. Although their grammar is not the best one shows remorse and guilt and the other shows compassion. I am very surprised when Magwitch says he stole the file and pie. This is because firstly he did not do it he only said this to divert suspicion from Pip, a boy he never really knew. Secondly in Victoria time people could be hanged for stealing and this shows that Magwitch is a very selfless person. In the most influencing chapter of the novel, chapter 39 where Magwitch returns Pip life changes. Magwitch’s arrival has mixed feelings and mixed blessings. Here we find out that Magwitch is Pip benefactor and Pip feels revulsion and disgust, which is also shared by us the readers, that his â€Å"expectations have been paid for by a convict. This is when Pip realises that he never had any â€Å"Great Expectations†, that Estella and Satis House were never intended for him and Miss Havisham was never his benefactress. In the chapter we now see Magwitch through an adult’s eye where he does not seem violence or evil. Pip uses words like â€Å"I shuddered†, â€Å"abhorrence†, â€Å"dread† and â€Å"repugnance† in this chapter but soon later change. Dickens skill is shown through this book very well because although Magwitch is one of the most important characters he disappears for a long time in the book. Magwitch is a key character in the novel to unveiling all of the mysterious in it. There is a gradual uncovering a denouement by him in chapter 42 called â€Å"Compeyson. † We find out a lot about Magwitch’s heritage that he was born poor and that he had no family. Magwitch talks of his first memories as a young child he says, â€Å"I first become aware of myself†¦ A thieving turnips for my living. Someone had run away from me†¦ and he’d took the fire with him and left me very cold. † This shows how society has neglected orphans his first memories is of stealing and being betrayal. Magwitch talks about his trial where Compeyson got 7 years and Magwitch got 14 years. Compeyson got half the sentence because, â€Å"First of all what a gentleman Compeyson looked with his curly hair and black clothes and his white pocket handkerchief and what a common sort of wretch I (Magwitch) looked. † Magwitch said that he had given up all hope when he said, â€Å"I was hiding among the graves there envying them as was in them. † This definitely shows how poor people and convicts were treated that society did not look after them and that these people felt no sense of place or belonging n the world. Dickens uses this chapter to show the inadequacy in the legal system and also that there is a lot wrong with society. Magwitch was not legally married to Molly but only married â€Å"over the broomstick† this shows that there is no legal marriage or protection for the poor. I think that society is using Magwitch, as a scapegoat so that they can charge him for crimes he did not commit so they can feel better about their society thinking it is safer. Whereas the real criminals in the novel are free, for example Compeyson a forger, Orlick a murderer and Drummle a wife beater. Magwitch clearly has an impact in Pip life for good and bad reasons. If Pip had never met Magwitch he would still live at the forge with Joe and probably in the future married Biddy. So basically Magwitch seems to have ruined Pip’s life. Although Magwitch does more harm then good he does not do it intentionally whereas Miss Havisham did. I think Miss Havisham is, in a way, a victim because she was left at the altar on her wedding day and cuts herself off from society. Miss Havisham got her revenge on men, which was Pip through Estella but later regrets what she has done. Although Miss Havisham has ruined his life he can still forgive her. I think Pip forgives her because although Miss Havisham is eccentric he has learnt that there can be another side to a person. I think that Pip found this out when looking after Magwitch first he is repulsed and now he loves and pity him. Magwitch brings out the good qualities in Pip he is his moral educator. For example Pip looks after Magwitch but does not take any more money off him. Here Dickens is idealising Pip through Magwitch. At the beginning of the novel Pip was child but now Magwitch has become the child because he needs looking after. From the part of the novel when Pip is with Magwitch he grows morally. He learns that a gentleman is not just a good education, wealth and stature it is about self-sacrifice, loyalty and compassion. Pip even risks his life for Magwitch when there is a note saying someone has news on Magwitch. Pip goes straight away even with an injured arm and there he finds it to be a trap that it is Orlick who tries to kill him. He learns the great value of friendship and he buys Herbert branch of Clarrikers’ business. I think Pip does this because he feels guilty for getting Herbert into debt in the first place. Not only did Pip feels pity for Magwitch when he is dying so did Jaggers. For example Jaggers tries to push back Magwitch’s trial date back so he can die in peace but it fails. This is shown when it says, â€Å"Mr Jaggers caused an application to be made for the postponement of his trial. † Again Dickens makes a point about the legal system when he says, â€Å"The trial was very short and very clear. † Basically Dickens is criticising how he poor were judged in court; it was guilty until proven innocent for them. At Magwitch’s trial he is condemned to death and he says, â€Å"My Lord, I have received my sentence of Death from the Almighty, but I bow to yours. † Magwitch says this in the most elegance way and shows his courage in accepting his death sentence. By the time of his trial and death he has acquired a dignity which did not seem to be evident when he was the animal which â€Å"glared and growled† and frightened Pip half to death at the beginning of the novel.

Free Essays on Education Problems

During high school while taking math classes and reading classes, each student thinks to themselves, â€Å"when will I ever use this stuff in the real world.† But what they don’t understand is that the real world is based on what you learn in high school and college. Students don’t realized just how important these classes and tests are in life. Math and reading skills are a very important part of being an adult. We use math and reading for everything, reading signs while driving, reading an application for a job and even reading the drive thru menu at a McDonalds. I believe that we need to express in simpler terms just how important reading and math is to everyday life. The government’s intervention is very important. I believe by making it a requirement to pass the Aims math and reading tests is a benefit to high school students and will help them as adults, even if they don’t realize it yet. Educational achievement is measured by the performance on tests and how long the students will stay in school. Poor children are discriminated against in many ways, which affects the performances of their test scores, mainly because of the socioeconomic status of their parents. The parents in these lower social classes seem to be less educated and this tends to affect the education of their children, mainly by no books at home for the children to read or the fact that the parents can’t even help their children with their homework. The children from lower income families can’t afford as much education as those from more financially set families, which is why a lot of them don’t finish high school and don’t attend college. The dropout rates seem to increase more with the minorities and the lower socioeconomic status families. This is because a lot of the children in lower income families have to drop out of high school and find really low paying jobs t o help support their family. This then limits their job opportuni... Free Essays on Education Problems Free Essays on Education Problems During high school while taking math classes and reading classes, each student thinks to themselves, â€Å"when will I ever use this stuff in the real world.† But what they don’t understand is that the real world is based on what you learn in high school and college. Students don’t realized just how important these classes and tests are in life. Math and reading skills are a very important part of being an adult. We use math and reading for everything, reading signs while driving, reading an application for a job and even reading the drive thru menu at a McDonalds. I believe that we need to express in simpler terms just how important reading and math is to everyday life. The government’s intervention is very important. I believe by making it a requirement to pass the Aims math and reading tests is a benefit to high school students and will help them as adults, even if they don’t realize it yet. Educational achievement is measured by the performance on tests and how long the students will stay in school. Poor children are discriminated against in many ways, which affects the performances of their test scores, mainly because of the socioeconomic status of their parents. The parents in these lower social classes seem to be less educated and this tends to affect the education of their children, mainly by no books at home for the children to read or the fact that the parents can’t even help their children with their homework. The children from lower income families can’t afford as much education as those from more financially set families, which is why a lot of them don’t finish high school and don’t attend college. The dropout rates seem to increase more with the minorities and the lower socioeconomic status families. This is because a lot of the children in lower income families have to drop out of high school and find really low paying jobs t o help support their family. This then limits their job opportuni...

Content Creation Process How To Build Yours In 5 Steps

Content Creation Process How To Build Yours In 5 Steps Anyone can create mediocre content.  Creating content that has been published, republished, reworked, and repurposed a million times is easy. But creating valuable, relevant, quality content is hard. It takes time, effort, energy, resources, and knowledge. Most of this- in small businesses- is  wrapped up in the expert owners who are also tasked with running the business, serving the clients, and managing the marketing and outreach. Plus, lets face it. Just the thought of content creation can make many business owners cringe in horror, and theyd rather make that extra cocktail. Writing and  content creation, especially if youre out of practice, is not fun. Then when you add on the pressure of making it something your audience will drool over and share on social media- it can be incredibly intimidating.How To Build A #Content Creation Process That Will Boost Your #SmallBusiness via @jenniferbournIf You're Not Using Content Marketing As A Primary Strategy To Reach Your Audience,  You're Already Behind Take a look at these stats: Website conversion rate is nearly 6x higher for content marketing adopters than non-adopters (2.9% vs 0.5%). 73% of B2B content marketers are producing more content than they did one year ago. 95% of B2B enterprise marketers use content marketing. 86% of B2C marketers use content marketing. 60% of marketers create at least one piece of content each week. Your audience and prospects are using social media, they click links, read blogs, watch videos, listen to podcasts, subscribe to newsletters- and they share the high-quality, high-value content with their friends. Consumers buy when they're ready to buy, not when you're ready for them to buy. If you're not there, top of mind, when your prospects are ready to buy, know that your competitors will be. People  buy when they're ready to buy, not when you're ready for them to buy.The Problem Most Small Businesses Face Isn't Creating Amazing Content It's creating amazing content consistently and sustaining it over time. The most common complaints and excuses I hear from business owners avoiding content marketing are: I have no time left in my schedule for one more task. I have other internal items that I need to create and focus on before I create extra marketing content. I need to shore up my business systems and processes before I invest even more in my marketing. I don't know what to even write about or what people would care about. How do you overcome these beliefs? How do you create valuable content and do everything else you have to do, let alone sustain it over time? Here's the bad news: If you want a quick, easy solution- and you don't want to do any work- you aren't going to like anything I have to say. Here's the good news: Creating a sustainable content creation process will elevate your business and build your expert status- and it's easier than you think. There are systems and tactics you can employ to drastically increase the results gained from your investment in content creation. It just takes some planning... Step 1: Assess Where Content Creation Could Improve Experiences, Value, Profitability, And Systems Before you start creating content, you need to know why you are creating content. This is where we do a deep dive with clients into the inner-workings of their business, identifying all areas that could benefit from content creation. The most common areas needing content creation include: Customer education Client onboarding Client training List building offers Income stream diversification (information products and courses) Marketing and blogging efforts Speaking/presentations Creating systems and processes Employee training When looking at this list, most business owners realize they are severely lacking in the content department. They see that they don't have any client educational materials or they have no processes for their services, and they start to feel very overwhelmed. If this is you right now, it's okay. Hang in there with me and I promise I'm going to make this seem much easier and much more doable. Step 2: Brainstorm Types Of Content And Topics For Each Category Identified In Step 1 Once you have list of each category or area in your business that could benefit from content creation, brainstorm every bit of content that could be created to reach your goals. Let's use list building offers and client onboarding as examples. Here are several ideas for new list building opt-in offers: Checklist or tips sheet (for general interest and expert positioning) Whitepaper on what prospects should do before hiring you (to create more qualified prospects and expert positioning) Industry-targeted done-for-you tool or resource (for expert positioning) A special report teaching people about what you do (to create more qualified prospects and expert positioning) Other educational materials Here are several different pieces of content that could be created to improve your client onboarding process: Welcome email/message/video What to expect email/message Overview of your process Tips for getting the most out of their investment with you and having success Things you need from your client/things you need them to do New client questionnaire with instructions and an overview of why you're asking these questions Overview of what will happen next Glossary of industry terms or guidebook Educational materials like e-books, whitepapers, or simple checklists that will help them work with you and communicate more clearly Step 3: Identify Content Overlap Between Categories And Content That You Can Repurpose Now here's where the magic starts to happen. Now we examine the list building offers list, which contains mostly marketing-related content, and the client onboarding list, which contains mostly business building, internal content. It's easy to see that focusing on the client onboarding content will positively impact your business, improve client experience, and streamline your process (say hello to automation). It's doable. But when you add the content that needs to created for marketing and list-building purposes, things start to feel overwhelming and definitely not doable. Here's the thing. It only feels overwhelming because you're looking at them as two separate areas of content- when they really are the same. Yes! You can create the content needed to run your business and  the content you need to market your business at the same time! For example: You could turn your list of tips for getting the most out of their investment with you and having success that you create for your onboarding process into a list-building tips sheet or checklist. You could repurpose your list of things you need from your client/things you need them to do before you get started into a whitepaper on what people should do before investing in the service you provide. You could turn your new client questionnaire into a done-for-you industry resource that others in your industry would opt-in for (making you a leader). You could turn the overview of your process that you give to new clients into a special report teaching people about the service you provide, how it works, and what they should expect. The glossary of terms or any other educational resource that will help your clients will also help your audience, so publish that content on your blog, too. In each of these scenarios, you're moving your business forward, adding value for your clients, providing helpful resources to your audience, and positioning yourself as an expert in your industry. Create #content to add value, help your audience, and position yourself as an expert.I know you're thinking that clients won't see the value in paying you for content that already exists for free on your blog or in an opt-in offer. But you're wrong. The magic comes when you put your content in front of your audience or clients at the right time- exactly when they need it. A new client who needs to know more about topic XYZ will be frustrated if they have to search through your blog archives for each individual blog post on the topic. But if you combined the blog posts into one special report and provided it to them at the exact time they need that information, your content immediately becomes more valuable. Step 4: Map Out Your Content Creation Plan Many business owners have great intentions. They want to blog once a week or twice a week, they start out strong, then slowly fade away. Or they start tons of content pre-scheduled and when it runs out, they completely disappear. A content creation plan is the key to ensuring your efforts are sustainable and not a "blitz and disappear" act. Content marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Success requires focus, resources, and commitment for the long haul. The idea is to base it on the core content you need to improve your business and then repurpose the content so you get the biggest returns on your efforts. A #content creation plan will ensure sustainable creation and not a 'blitz and disappear' act.Here's what you need to do: Identify what content is your top priority (make it one that will help improve your business, like creating your onboarding process) Write down how much time you'll need to create, proof, and design each piece of content needed Decide how you will repurpose the content you're creating (like turning the overview of your process into a special report teaching people about the service you provide, how it works, and what they should expect) Write down how much time you'll need to create, proof, and design the new items Write down any other ways you can repurpose the same content (like turning it into a blog post) Get a blank month-at-a-glance calendar Review all of the content you want to create and how long each piece will take. Give yourself deadlines and write them in your calendar. Some tips to make this process easier: Don't bit off more than you can chew! Be realistic with your deadlines and timelines. Don't base your milestones on the requirement that you work nights and weekends to get it done, because chance are you won't. Trying to do everything at once will cause stress, frustration, and burnout. Make quality the priority! It's better to produce content less frequently and ensure it's awesome, than publish mediocre content often Consider the order in which you create content. For example, instead of creating all of the content for a new on boarding sequence first then repurposing it, create once piece of the process, repurpose it into a list building offer, then publish a portion of it as a blog post that promotes the list building offer. Consider tackling one "chunk" of content each month, so one piece of the onboarding process, one list building offer, and one blog post gets done each month. It's better to produce #content less frequently and ensure it's awesome. #contentmarketingStep 5:  Include Supplemental Marketing Content In Your Creation Process With your marketing calendar and content creation plan in hand, it's time to add some supplemental content. After all, publishing one blog post a month isn't going to get you very far if your competitors are posting two, three, four, or more times every month. The supplemental content could be articles, videos, or audios. It could be commentary of current events or another article you read, or a recap or review of a tool or resource you found. First, choose two pieces of supplemental content to add to your marketing calendar for each month. Consider choosing one quick easy post type and one more involved, like an article and a review, or an article and a commentary piece. Second, reach out to podcast hosts, radio shows, event hosts, and entrepreneurs who host teleclasses and webinars about being a guest. Set a goal to do one interview or speaking engagement per month, then write a blog post promoting it. Wrap Up: You've Got A Sustainable Content Creation Process Once you complete these exercises, you'll have a marketing calendar with a sustainable content creation plan in place- one that guarantees each month you'll have: One piece of content to move your business forward One free resource or list building free offer Three blog posts (one repurposed from the content above, one article, and one short-form post) One interview recap, positioning you as an expert Plus, numerous social media posts can be created from the content, too That's one blog post each week! Considering business-to-business companies that blog generate 67% more leads per month than those who don't blog, the argument for content marketing is pretty much a no-brainer. Stay Focused,  Stay Committed, And Stay Consistent It's true that the more content you publish, the more traffic you'll enjoy and the more leads you'll receive. But don't get swept up in the need to blog every day. Unless blogging is  your business, daily blogging isn't a must. And don't get sucked in by the claims that quantity is better than quality. Publishing something awesome once a week will trump publishing lots of mediocre crap.

Reduction of urinary catheter days versus catheter irrigation Research Paper

Reduction of urinary catheter days versus catheter irrigation - Research Paper Example Inserted catheters form an entry point for microbes to colonize the patient’s rather sterile body.   â€Å"Following finite colonization, the risk rate of bacteriuria is estimated at (3-10) % per day. The invading microbes could be of low virulence but nonetheless they are no match for the body’s host defense system, which is compromised† (Nicolle 2012, p.13). The immune-comprised patients succumb to nosocomial infections and in this respect, catheter urinary tract infection (CAUTI). Underlying malignancies and therapeutic interventions e.g. corticosteroids, parenteral nutrition are recognized as risk factors.   The risk of suffering from nosocomial infections is mainly linked to duration of hospital stay. Multivariate analyses of evidence shows that catheters and implantable devices are risk factors for over 50% of patients with blood cultures that test positive for bacterial contamination.   Consequently the duration at which a patient has an inserted cat heter strongly predisposes him/her to contracting catheter-associated bacteriuria. However, even short-term use of catheters ranging from 3 to 11 days poses a risk of bacteriuria by up to 26%. Consequently, it is no wonder that bacteriuria develops in nearly all patients who have been catheterized for only 1 month. Of these patients who develop bacteriuria, the disease progresses to urinary tract infection (acteremia (Warren, 1997). This prompted the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to form stringent guidelines.... Consequently the duration at which a patient has an inserted catheter strongly predisposes him/her to contracting catheter-associated bacteriuria. However, even short-term use of catheters ranging from 3 to 11 days poses a risk of bacteriuria by up to 26%. Consequently, it is no wonder that bacteriuria develops in nearly all patients who have been catheterized for only 1 month. Of these patients who develop bacteriuria, the disease progresses to urinary tract infection (UTI) and the incidence of suffering bacteremia is about 5%. Hence, the prevalence of nosocomial CAUTI is 15% of the overall nosocomial bacteremia (Warren, 1997). Effective Catheter Management There is evidence on the overuse and misuse of catheters, and hence the prevalence of CAUTI. Evidence shows that catheters are used for unknown as well as unjustified medical conditions in about 20% of hospitalized patients. Moreover, this continued use of catheters is unnecessary for (0.3-0.5) % of catheterization days. This pro mpted the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to form stringent guidelines concerning the use of catheters. According to the CDC (2011), catheter use should be streamlined and removal of catheters should be done promptly after an appropriate duration of usage. Most important, health workers are required to be responsible and to avoid misuse of catheterization. Guidelines concerning approved techniques of catheter insertion and care were also issued. However, there has been poor adherence and implementation of these guidelines (Furfari & Wald, 2008). Catheter Use Several health conditions warrant the insertion of catheters. For instance, a case of acute urinary retention

Aviation Safety System Management Program Research Paper

Aviation Safety System Management Program - Research Paper Example In the modern dispensation of the aviation industry, SMS has become a legal requirement for any airline operator before they can fully be registered to fly passengers. These systems are used to proactively prevent occurrences of incidents and accidents, managing chances of the occurrences and to provide a baseline for investigation purposes in case of any occurrences. This paper partly engages renowned safety analysis cases in the aviation industry while consolidating information on the need for SMS, its basics and hoe to typically design such a system for an aviation operator within all the relevant considerations as mandated by the law. However, the information contained in this paper is just for purposes of creating a foundation for further research and investigation and the systems will be dependent on the organizational needs and structures. This research paper shall engage an in-depth analysis of the concept of Safety Management System (SMS) especially within the considerations of the aviation industry with a close reference to previous renowned safety analysis case works in an attempt to try and consolidate information on the actual need for and how to create an effective SMS for purposes of safety sensitization and education in the daily operations of most organizations, the airline industry specifically (Shappel & Wiegmann, 2000). In the same regard, the best approach to take in this case is to first establish the basics of SMS with a close niche of the real life experiences using the numerous information available on this topic and typically, before setting out to elucidate the approach on how to create them, there is need to inform the whole process based on previous evidence and analysis. For a start, a Safety Management Systems (SMS) is a framework, which is principally formal and systematically indicates how to proactively identify risks and