Category: Uncategorized

Introduction

The performance of an organization reflects the kind of leadership applied. Studies have shown that there is no specific leadership style that is perfect; similarly, none is without fault. However, leaders should realize they are the model that the members of the team look up to, therefore, they should exercise professionalism and skills when giving guidance. The management style exercised by leaders has also been known to greatly affect the performance of tasks. This is attributed to the regulation and division of duties in a manner that will favor the team. Description of the goals and firm’s aims should be clear for a good management system where the workers will work towards the accomplishment of certain objectives. These attributes are only achievable for a leader who leads by example rather than one having expectations which he/she cannot lead people to.

Michael Eisner assumed position of Walt Disney boss for many years before his actual retirement. During his time served as the Chief executive of Disney World Company, Eisner exercised authoritarian leadership. Most of the decisions were made by himself with minimal involvement of the Board of Directors. According to Farrell, (2004) “I saw nothing on the record that the decision was preceded by a meeting of the corporation’s director… the board had to approve Ovitz’s employment agreement a month after his appointment was announced.” Michael clearly did not appreciate the spirit of consultation before making appointments and preferred to take full control. This led to a court case that continued for several years. He was less likely to delegate duties and involve relevant authorities in development of the company.

Conversely, Bill Gates exhibited proper management skills that allowed and incorporated ideas from other people. Being the entrepreneur behind the successful Microsoft Company, he was known to be relatively harsh to his group which drove them to learn the art of strongly defending their ideas. Davidson, (2006) stated that, “Burns said Bill Gates is one of a handful of those who had the capability to take his own company through the long ascension from small startup to big company.” This demonstrates his ability to delegate duties fairly to the qualified staff in order to achieve the set goals. His belief in his staff showed the kind of managerial style he practiced which contributed to the successes.

Clearly, the two leaders deal with different industries since Eisner deals in entertainment while Gates’ deals with computer technology. They have show different management styles and capabilities to delegate duties. This is evident in the ways which they quit service in their respective organizations. Bill Gates left the organization to join the foundation he and his wife had established (Storm, 2008). He entrusted the management of his firm to the people ha had adequately trained. Eisner on the other hand was forced out of his position by a decision to replace his presidency in the organization. His unwillingness to let the responsibilities be handled by other people showed his oneness in management and little trust in the board. He was less open to the idea of delegation. He was also criticized for the over twenty years he had spent in the position (Holson, and Waxman, 2003) where there were other people with similar qualifications.

Conclusion

It is clear that success of any organization is reliant to the management style used. Besides competence of the workers, a leader should be able to adequately lead his/her employees to better performance. Involvement of the workers in matters of decision making also encourages them to be part of the company. The willingness to give people with equal abilities the chance to develop them is also advisable since it expands the productivity by the new ideas. They may be better and enhance the marketing and expansion strategies of the organization.

References:

Davidson, K. (2006, September 15). Both Entrepreneurial, Managerial Styles Bring success. Phoenix Business Journal. Retrieved from http://www.bizjournals.com

Farrell, R. (2004, October 21). Disney Directors on Trial for a Payout. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com

Holson, L., & Waxman, S. (2003, December 8). Criticism of Disney Chief Grows Bolder. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com

Storm, S. (2008, May 13). Retiring Microsoft Official to Run Gates Foundation. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com

Floating Exchange Rates’ applications, significance and impact on economic growth

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Introduction

Financial stability and currency values are very important issues that need to be given special attention and recognition by every country in the process of developing, coordinating and implementing macroeconomic policies. By coming up with sound and accountability oriented policies with respect to fiscal and monetary management, the governments become a very important institution as far as issues relating to international finance and international trade are concerned. It is with this respect that the floating interest rate regime has been applied to help in the management, control and regulation of international finance and national currencies. Floating /flexible exchange rate regime entails a macroeconomic money regulation system where the market forces dictate the rates or currency prices. Thus, the rate at which one currency may be sold or traded against another is not rigidly / subjectively determined by the regulators but the interaction between the demand and supply in the foreign exchange market. As such there is neither a static nor predetermined currency exchange rates. This paper discusses the concept of flexible exchange regime as applied by different countries to ensure non discretionary and subjectively determined exchange rates. There is also critical review of the impact that the flexible exchange has in an economy more so with respect to economic growth and enhancement of development and net exports. The paper also outlines the challenges that are faced in the process of application of flexible exchange rates regime in a bid to implement macro economic policies.

Floating Exchange Rates: Description

Descriptively, the flexible exchange rate regime allows for free fluctuation of the exchange rate without interference by the authorities such that the government does neither have an exchange rate control policy nor impose a predetermined exchange rate.

Wide application of the floating exchange rate in the economy can be traced to the 1970s. By 1980s, most countries had adopted this system as the best way to deal with macro-economic challenges that require a more proactive and indirect intervention by the regulators and a way of managing / controlling the speculative exposures that an economy may experience under the fixed exchange rate regime. A major shift in the exchange rate system that led to wide application of the flexible exchange rate came in 1990s when it became apparent that a country had to choose one of the regimes (Kenen, 2000).

Debate among the proponents and opponents of the system of currency rate management have always revolved around the dangers and benefits of the free fluctuations of the exchange rates in the economy. Though the flexible exchange rate regime allows for free movements of the currency prices, the opponents of the system have cited this as a weakness that is akin to economic instability as well as exposures to dangers of economic fluctuations. However, the principle behind the adoption of the flexible exchange has it that the economic fluctuations or changes in the rates of exchange will not be erratic. The significant benefit of this regime is that it enhances national autonomy with respect to monetary issues. As such every country can effectively design the policy instruments that are consistent with their macro economic objectives.

Impact on the Economy

A fundamental question with regards to the role and choice of the type of the regime to adopt would normally be based on the understanding of how the choice made would affect the domestic economy’s growth and development. The flexible exchange rate regime is preferred because of the impact that it has to the economy and influence on the economic growth. Generally, the flexible exchange rate regime has both direct and indirect impacts on an economy. First, under the direct effect, it is held that the flexible exchange rate regime helps an en economy to recover from shocks. Generally, this type of regime has better economic shock insulation as compared to the fixed regime. This argument is supported by Broad (2002) who observed that under the fixed exchange rate regime, due to unfavorable trade balance, a country would experience a huge fall in real GDP figures due to small magnitude currency depreciation as well as fall in price levels . On the other hand, adoption of floating exchange rate regime, experience a relatively smaller magnitude of real GDP fall and high level of currency depreciation, under similar circumstances. However, this argument holds in the short run as in the long run, both regimes show similar behaviors.

By making implementing macroeconomic polices that are well fused with the macro economic objectives and the flexible exchange rate; it is possible to have direct impact on the economy through growth. This system offers the best adjustment to the economic shocks as it is more responsive and fast reflected in the foreign exchange market. This argument is based on the fact that the other sectors that may help in stabilizations such as the labor market do not respond fast to market changes as the foreign exchange currency rates. Similarly, the Treasury (2010) argues that the flexible exchange rate system has been preferred by several countries as it has been viewed to offer “better able to absorb shocks from open capital markets than economies with a pegged rate”. Through the possibility of independence in designing and application of monetary policies, it is likely that the nominal market rigidities can be dealt with effectively.

Based on economic theory, the floating exchange rate regime has some indirect influence on the rate and pace at which an economy grows. The ways in which the flexible exchange rate regime may influence the rate of economic growth is through impacts of investment levels, the composition and nature of the international trade and the pace and well as efficacy of the financial market. Generally, the flexible exchange rate regime has an indirect impact on economic growth. This is mainly in terms of the investment by the foreigners. Though the fixed exchange regime is desired as it encourages stability and certainty, there are certain arguments which favor flexible exchange rates in relations to international investments. The fixed exchange regime has been cited as a god foreign investment attraction model as it keep both the rates of interest and inflationary pressures low. This would encourage borrowing and consumption as well as exports. However, flexible exchange regime has been described as favorable to foreign investors who are risk takers and ready to invest in a foreign market based on possibility of non erratic exchange rates. The flexible exchange rate regime is favored in this respect as the fixed exchange may be abused, or used selectively to perpetuate protectionist policies. This way, the flexible exchange rate regime is depicted as a macro economic policy that encourages globalization and foreign investments on the account that the system is not open to political abuse or arbitrary determination of exchange rates, but it is the market forces that reflect the prices of currencies.

The flexible exchange rate regime also promotes economic growth and development in an indirect manner through enhancement of development of the capital money markets. With a poorly developed financial market, it is not possible for an economy to recover fast from economic shock. However, adoption of flexible exchange rate regime will promote need for competitiveness in the financial markets so as to attract foreign investors in a country’s bourse. This is because, for a floating exchange rate to work effectively, there s need for high level of transparency and objectively strong regulation of the financial market. The transparency in the management of the exchange rate would have a trickle down effect on other sectors, notably the financial market. As such, a country’s competitiveness will improve as indicated by the level of capital inflows and foreigner’s investment in financial securities due to high level of investor confidence.

Influence to Economy

The significance of the type of exchange rate regime chosen by a country may have to an economy has been a point of debate among many researchers. According to Pedreski (2009), taken nominally, an exchange rate has no major influence on economic growth, particularly in the long run. At the same time the author argues that this question has been ambiguously handled with little clear theoretical evidence offered. However, the type of an exchange rate regime chosen, that is flexible or fixed, will affect the economic growth. Impliedly, a floating exchange rate regime may affect the economy and the rate of economic growth through the impacts it has on “trade, investment and productivity” (Pedreski, 2009).

Because of the reduced level of foreign exchange reserves that the central banks need to keep and allowing of market forces to operate freely in the foreign exchange markets, the flexible exchange regime allows for development of monetary polices that can enhancement of certain macro economic objectives. Generally, adoption of the flexible exchange regime boosts international trade, globalization of the financial system and removes risk exposures that come about from currency speculations. This is what Kenen (2000) refers to as “vulnerability to speculative attacks”. This system also promotes independence of the monetary regulatory authorities in different countries so that the process of monetary control is done objectively and professionally. By adopting the flexible exchange regime, a country stands to benefit from sound monetary management, applications of customized macro economic polices that suit a given domestic economic setting.

Several macro economic objectives can be achieved through the flexible exchange regime without much intervention of the central banks. These objectives are normally aimed at promoting productivity and economic growth. One of the main macro-economic objectives is management of export and import net flows so that a country’s development and competitiveness is not hampered by the exchange rate fluctuations and imbalance in the balance of payment account. Trade deficit is normally a non favorable economic indicator. Under the fixed exchange rate regime, to deal with such deficits, the central banks normally use the foreign reserves. This process is expensive and may not immediately spur economic growth. However, under the flexible exchange regime, it is partially possible to allow the market forces to bridge a trade deficit. This occurs where the monetary policy adopted is to enhance money velocity locally so that demand and productivity increases while at the same time export promotion strategies are in place.

The flexible exchange regime would help to achievement these objectives and ensure stabilization in a disequilibrium state. Because of the trade deficit, the foreign currency price (exchange rate) will be forced down. This will help to make the exports relatively cheap while the imports will be more costly. As the exports become more expensive, the demand will fall while the foreign markets will demand more of the exports to enable a country earn more foreign income. In the process, the fundamental disequilibrium situation will be solved and the surging deficit abridged.

Broadly, the changes in the labor market in terms of demand and supply are affected by the kind of exchange rate regime in place. In turn, the situation in the labor market influences the pace and magnitude of the economic growth. Any sector that operates in the international market will feel the effect of currency fluctuations. Thus, it is critical that the monetary policies adopted seek to ensure high output and stability in the labor market. To understand how the currency exchange rate changes affect the labor market, it is important that the relationship between exchange rate changes and labor market be outlined. With a rise in the exchange rate that makes one currency stronger than the other, it is likely that growth Gross Domestic Product, in real terms, will stagnate. This is because; the appreciation in a local currency will greatly affect exports in a negative way. Consequently, the local producers may react to the fall in demand for the products for export markets by scaling down their operations and carrying out retrenchments.

However, through flexible exchange regime, the regulators may act by promoting availability of credit to the business so that the collapse of strategic industries does not take place. This will make the economy have higher money supply. At the same time, when the exchange rate is strong, it is possible that with the increased money supply, the economic stability and recovery may be possible. According to Markin (2003)., when the central banks increase the real money supply in the economy, the prevailing rate of interest will fall in the domestic market, thus enhancing economic growth The rate of economic growth that comes with such sound macro economic polices under the flexible exchange rate regime emanates from the fact that lower interest rates in the domestic markets lead to increase in the consumptions well as investments locally. Based on this argument, the flexible exchange rate regime allows for economic growth given that with the fall in the price levels in the local market, the wealth created act as inducement for expenditure and investments by the households and the private sector.

Benefits to the Economy

Several factors and economic explanations have been put forward to underscore the b benefits that can accrue in an economy that has adopted and fully implemented the principles of floating exchange rate regime. Through the flexible exchange rate system, it is easier for the regulators to influence money velocity, demand and supply in an easier and freer manner. With a free and less rigid money regulation, the central bank will be able to engineer and stimulate economic growth due to possibility to apply target monetary control principles on specific variables to achieve a given objective that suits a particular economy. Put differently, this macro-economic system enables the central bank to pursue a country specific monetary policy. This however requires a high level of fiscal and monetary discipline and non political interference in the momentary policy development and applications. As such the central bank will be able to check the rates of interest rate changes as well as the inflation levels.

The concept of currency competition supports the benefit of non fixed exchange financial regime. This is because there is no control of the prices in the market. This differs from the rigid system where the central banks act as the only suppliers in the market. As only suppliers, they are able to dictate the prices thus promoting unfair competition.

Application of the floating exchange rate has gained wider application because of the fundamental benefits that comes with the system, based on the economic indicators. The fixed regime had certain issues with regards to economic lags. This is because; it is the economy that responds to the pegged currency prices. On the other hand, the non discretionary monetary system, the currency prices adjust with the volumes and nature of market trade thus giving a picture/ reflection of the status of the economy.

Through the pursuit of independent monetary policies, it is easier for the regulators to influence resources distribution fast and efficiently. The regime is less susceptible to economic shocks thus helping in a more objective distribution of the spill-over of market shocks between local and foreign economies. According to Pedreski (2009), flexible exchange rate regime has an effect open the economic shock adjustments as sound management of the process may help design effective strategies to absorb the shocks.

The application of the flexible exchange rate also limits need to have more reserves which can be used in market stabilization. This is because, the principles of flexible exchange rate regimes do not advocate for keeping of foreign reserves that can be used for market intervention. This makes it easier to fully apply the monetary policies to meet such objectives management of employment and inflation rates. Through the self adjustment mechanism, the central bank will have to concentrate in other macroeconomic objectives as the exchange rate will be ‘self adjusting’.

Additionally, the application of the flexible regime offers the best way to ensure faster adjustments to the prevailing economic situations. The economic adjustments however depend on the currency exchange rate movements. During currency depreciation against a stronger one, for instance, the demand for export improve thus promoting export trade, production and economic growth. However, this can only happen if the net export gains are not eroded by the other cash outflows such as increase in wage rate and rise in export prices. Nevertheless, the research findings by show that if bilateral trade figures are analyzed objectively, then it would be would be realized that net flows drawn from the nations that has adopted the flexible exchange regimes would be relatively high, as compared those which do not have such policies (Brada & Mendez, 1988 ).

Challenges

Though the flexible exchange rate regime has been overly described as the best way to enhance a country’s competitiveness in the global market, certain fundamental challenges have been experienced with its applications. The policy challenges of this regime became more serous during the recent credit crunch. As such there have been calls for more innovative international trade management as well as development of intervention strategies that would help in handling the target variables. The general argument has been that the market is efficient and has self adjusting mechanisms. However, the financial crisis exposed weaknesses of the flexible exchange rate regime more in relations to international trade that is fast becoming very interlinked and responsive globally. The major challenges posed by the flexible exchange rate regime is how a country can deal with the spill over of credit crunch that is taking place in another market with which it trades. Another challenge comes about from the fact that most international trade instruments and transactions are voiced in major currencies like the USD, Euro and Yen. This way, the market failures in US, Europe or Japan will automatically be felt globally. Further, the flexible exchange regime results into such challenges as market uncertainties as well as irregularities in flows of capital into and out of an economy. Further,

Selcuk (2005) argues that with the flexible exchange regime it is very challenging for the authorities do contain market volatility. Countries like Turkey had to resort to auctioning of currencies periodically to manage their market precariousness (Selcuk, 2005).

Conclusion

From the discussion, it is evident that the flexible exchange rate enhances transparency, promotes trade and investments as well as the level of production. However, the focus should be how a country can effectively apply the regime without undue interference by the authorities. To ensure economic stability, it is desirable that the authorities manage the short run effects of the exchange rate movements so as to allow the economy to absorb the shock before their effects escalate. This requires what Selcuk (2005) describes in the case of Turkish economy as “structural reform process and pursues sound fiscal policies that would held bring down public debt as well as debt ratio, without which adverse shock may erode the gains made The governments should also have in place effective macro economic objectives and policies as well as target variable that guide international trade.

References

Brada, J. & Mendez, J (1988). Exchange Rate Risk, Exchange Rate Regime and the Volume of

International TradeWWZ and Helbing & Lichtenhahn Verlag AG.

Broad, C. (2002). Terms of Trade and Exchange Rate Regimes in Developing Countries. Federal

Reserve Bank of New York Staff Report Number 148.

Kenen, P., B. (2000). Fixed Versus Floating Exchange Rates Cato Journal, Vol. 20, No. 1.

Markin, A. (2001). Macroeconomic Policy in an Output-Expenditure Model. IAER Journal, Vol.

7, No. 3.

Pedreski, M. (2009). Exchange-Rate Regime and Economic Growth: A Review of the

Theoretical and Empirical Literature. Staffordshire University. Economics e-Journal, No. 31.

Selcuk, F. (2005). The Policy Challenge with Floating Exchange Rates: Turkey’s Recent

Experience. Open Economies Review.

Treasury (2010). Fixed vs. Flexible Exchange Rates. Retrieved June 18, 2010, from

HYPERLINK “http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/international-affairs/economic-exchange-” http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/international-affairs/economic-exchange-rates/pdf/Appendix_2.pdf.

Follow-Up Feedback Control Checks and Implications of Poor Control Processes

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Follow-up Feedback Control Checks

To ensure adherence to the strategies I have established for compliance within IndiasafeInvest, I would use three follow-up feedback control checks. The first is the individual performance, where I would use data generated from performance metrics to inform each individual in the workplace of their individual performance in meeting benchmarks, standards, and goals that govern performance expectations in executing fraud-free tasks. Such data can assist in isolating individual performance and better instructing and motivating each employee on areas of individual performance requiring improvement continuously. Slowiak and Lakowske (2017) suggest that good individual performance feedback reinforcing positive behaviors. These behaviors ensure ethical and value-based employee functioning, which is vital to avoiding malpractices such as fraud.

The second follow-up feedback control check involves interactive team performance. I would use agile approaches such as Scrum or Kanban to create an interactive team feedback loop, which would offer metrics for establishing whether or not in-progress work by teams of employees meets the set performance expectations. I would accumulate sufficient team performance data to compare team performance against set standards and guide decisions on how to improve team efficiency and performance towards meeting those expectations, hence adjusting team processes adequately.

The third follow-up feedback control check to use includes validation assessments. Both comparative and descriptive validation assessments are essential follow-up feedback control checks because they target specific employee attributes underpinning their behaviors in the workplace. Validation assessment will be important in ensuring compliance at IndiasafeInvest in that they will direct and refocus training initiatives aimed at improving employees’ abilities to meet the unique demands of their specific tasks (Tracey and Tews 2005). Validation assessments would allow for the use of data to carry out performance comparisons to establish progress, hence tailoring employee training to align with competencies of performing specific tasks ethically and without engaging in malpractices.

Implications of Poor Control Processes

Poor and ineffective controls and control processes have serious potential ramifications for IndiasafeInvest, its employees and customers, and other organizations. One of the implications for the staff is the augmentation of temptations for fraud. Weak controls characterized by the inability to monitor individual employees can cultivate new opportunities for staff members to commit fraud as it happened at IndiasafeInvest. This means that in the presence of weak, passive, and ineffective control processes, employees can leverage weaknesses in the firm’s financial systems, hence getting tempted to take chances to commit financial fraud as Nawawi and Salin (2018) suggest. Also, poor control processes have the potential implication of impairing employee’s system of ethics and values. The rationale for this implication is that poor control processes mean that employees can compromise passwords, accounts, and critical financial data to engage in unethical practices that taint their value systems.

For customers, poor control processes can cause a loss of customers’ trust for the company. The reason for this is that customers may develop perceptions that the company betrays their trust by failing to maintain proper and sound control processes aimed at detecting fraud incidents promptly, hence safeguarding customers’ financial assets entrusted to the company. Also, poor control processes can increase the possibility of compromising client data privacy (Cheng, Liu, and Yao 2017; FSA 2008). Although the fraudulent incident at IndiasafeInvest had no impact on customers’ data, poor control processes can increase the chances of breaching client data protection mechanisms culminating in their data privacy being compromised, especially if fraudulent activities remain undetected for overly extended periods.

One implication of poor control processes for IndiasafeInvest is the financial losses that occur when thefts and unauthorized transfers occur without being detected. Another implication is damage to its corporate image. Due to the presence of poor internal controls for monitoring individual employees, the fraudulent incident in this company remained unnoticed for a long period. Consequently, the slow detection of fraud affected the image of the company’s integrity, ethics, and values, indicating that poor control processes can damage a firm’s overall corporate image as Hermanson, Ivancevich, and Ivancevich (2008) submit. Lastly, poor control processes can have serious implications for the reputation of IndiasafeInvest. This is because customers’ perceptions of trust betrayal coupled with the loss of positive corporate image due to the absence of proper control processes can translate to a bad reputation for the enterprise.

The potential implications for other organizations are similar to those for IndiasafeInvest, which include financial losses and damage to organizational image and reputation. Examples of other organizations that have experienced similar fraud issues as a consequence of ineffective control systems are HSBC Bank, Citibank, and Commonwealth Bank. At the key investment center of HSBC Bank in Bangalore, ineffective control systems promoted thefts of data by an IT employee. Also, ineffective control systems facilitated the theft of client account information at Citibank. At the Commonwealth Bank, a manager exploited ineffective control systems to steal nearly $500,000 while failing to report a fraudulent transfer of $64,000 by an employee to a personal account to conceal his fraudulent incident.

Reference List

Cheng, L, Liu, F, and Yao, D. D, 2017. Enterprise data breach: causes, challenges, prevention, and future directions. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, 7(5).

FSA, 2008. Data security in financial services. Financial Services Authority Report. London: FSA.

Hermanson, D. R, Ivancevich, D. M, and Ivancevich, S. H, 2008. Building an effective internal audit function: Learning from SOX section 404 reports. Review of Business, 28(2), p. 13.

Nawawi, A, and Salin, A. S. A. P, 2018. Internal control and employees’ occupational fraud on expenditure claims. Journal of Financial Crime, 25(3), pp. 891-906.

Slowiak, J. M, and Lakowske, A. M, 2017. The influence of feedback statement sequence and goals on task performance. Behaviour Analysis: Research and Practice, 17(4), p. 357.

Tracey, J. B, and Tews, M. J, 2005. Construct validity of a general training climate scale. Organizational Research Methods, 8(4), pp. 353-374.

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Florence Nightingale and her contribution to modern medicine

Despite her death over a century ago, Florence Nightingale’s influence still reverberates in the world of medicine. However, not many are aware that it is because of her that hospice care is wholesome. From proper care of injuries to the sterile conditions of carrying out medical activities in both outpatient and inpatient setting, all nursing aspects can be attributed to her. She argued that separate training should be performed by aspiring nurses (Christopher and Gill, 2005). It was during Florence’s voluntary mission work at the military fields that she got shocked at the number of soldiers dying from infection related deaths. She took it upon herself to ensure the sanitary conditions of health care facilities were up to par, she extended these conditions to housing and cooking segments. She even became immortalized in the poem “Charge of the Light Brigade” due to her hard work (Christopher and Gill, 2005). Florence used her fame to spread her sanitary reforms.

Initially, nursing schools were premised on religion or military orders, nurses were never trained on the arty of caring, they just handled medical emergency situations as they appeared. Florence remedied the situation by initiating the first sectarian school of nursing (Richards, 2006). The institution was supported with funds from British soldiers she assisted during the war. In her nursing classes, Nightingale encouraged her students to focus on the duties and tasks undertaken by nurses, as well as, the entire well-being of their patients. The books she wrote are used today as relevant nursing textbooks. Florence has been called a visionary for her contributions to the field of nursing (Richards, 2006). She shifted the paradigm from the patient to the nursing environment; her points of concern were pure light, pure water, efficient drainage, light and cleanliness.

The nursing profession was looked down upon by many people. However, when Florence realized that many of the British soldiers were not dying from the extent of their injuries but from the pitiable sanitary conditions in which they were being treated. It was from this front that Florence agitated for change in the military health care system, and the nursing profession began gaining respect (Christopher and Gill, 2005). The unsanitary conditions led Florence to formulate statistical analysis on preventable deaths in the military. She came up with the ‘polar-area diagram’ that illustrated the extent of needless deaths occasioned by unsanitary conditions (Julia, 2008). She used this as a basis for the need of reform. She formulated that it was possible to determine social phenomena and subject the results to mathematical analysis. She relied on this formula to develop descriptive statistics that buttressed her claim for the need of reform.

The fact that nursing and health care was reformed by a woman who came from a crop of Victorian women who did not attend universities, neither did they purse profession careers. However, her parents were of a different school of thought, they believed that their children should get an education and make a better life for themselves. She and her sister learned Latin, Italian, mathematics and history (Gillian, 2004). This background enabled Florence to easily gather and formulate data on statistical analysis.

During the Crimean war, in Scutari, an era that had witnessed the shunning of female nurses owing to their poor reputation, the medical situation was appalling and there was public uproar on the neglect of the injured soldiers because of insufficient medical attention and treatment in unsanitary and inhumane conditions. Soldiers lay on their own excrement on feeble stretchers strewn on corridors (Julia, 2008). The health facilities were infested with bugs and rodents; there were no bandages and soap. Florence and her nurses tidied up the place, cared for patients by day, and through the night using a lamp. Through her actions of caring for her patients throughout the night, she was referred to as ‘lady of the lamp.’

Florence gathered data and revolutionaries recordkeeping practices. She applied the data in improving the military and city hospitals. Florence and a team of nurses worked hard to overturn the conditions at Scutari to the point of reducing the overall deaths by twothirds. She conducted analyses on mortality rate, which she used to support her notion that improving sanitary conditions would result in a decrease, in deaths (Gillian, 2004). After her suggestions were implemented, the mortality rate reduced drastically.

From those results, she graphically represented the data, created polar-area charts that indicated the statistic being highlighted is proportional to the region of the wedge in a circular representation. Throughout her life, Florence received awards and prize money from various channels, including the British government (Richards, 2006). She used the monies acquired to further her cause of reform in health care. She funded the founding of St. Thomas hospital in which she advanced training and education of nurses.

Florence has been credited for improving conditions in the stay of hospitals. She implemented numerous patient services which aided in the improving of quality treatment in hospitals. It was Florence who came up with a patients’ kitchen where appealing food, in line with medical dietary requirements, was prepared (Mark, 2008). She initiated laundry segments in hospitals so that patients’ apparel would be cleaned and sterilized. In furtherance of making hospital stay more appealing, Florence integrated classrooms, as well as a library, for patients to stimulate their intellect. All the above attributes can be seen in virtually all health care facilities across the world. Florence Nightingale changed the hospital setting and treatment quality; as a result, unnecessary deaths were eradicated.

Nightingale’s statistics and ability to formulate diagrams on the situation on the ground paved the way for organized learning and led to improvement in medical, as well as surgical practices. Florence formulated a Model Hospital Statistical Form for health care facilities to generate and gather regular data and statistics (Linda, 2006). Nursing is not the same as medicine as its goal is to place the patient in conditions that will make them heal and feel better quickly. Nursing exercises promote health regardless in care giving situations.

Today, the nursing and medical fields are still applying practices pioneered by Florence. She emphasized on improved sanitation, gathering and compiling data on the situation on the ground. Hospitals across the world rely on collection of data to inform their decisions, surgeries cannot be conducted without analyzing success rates on similar surgeries, and nurses not only care about the treatment, but the overall well-being of the patient, as well (Mark, 2008). So many exercises revolve around Florence’s contributions and suggestions. Training of nurses has been intensified, and the scope of its study has similarly been increased (Gillian, 2004). From humble beginnings, Florence school of nursing has grown to the level it is today. Health care, as we know it, has developed at an amazing rate, many of the changed being witnessed stem from the ideologies postulated by Florence Nightingale.

References

Gill, Christopher J., and Gill, G.C. Nightingale in Scutari: Her Legacy Reexamined. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2005. Print.

Gill, Gillian. Nightingales: The Extraordinary Upbringing and Curious Life of Miss Florence Nightingale. Ballantine Books. 2004. Print.

Julia, Rehmeyer. HYPERLINK “http://www.sciencenews.org/index/generic/activity/view/id/38937/title/Florence_Nightingale_The_passionate_statistician” Florence Nightingale: The Passionate Statistician. HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_News” o “Science News”Science News. 2008. Print.

HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Richards” o “Linda Richards”Richards, Linda. America’s First Trained Nurse: My Life as a Nurse in America, Great Britain and Japan 1872-1911. Diggory Press. 2006. Print.

Bostridge, Mark. Florence Nightingale, the Woman and her Legend. Viking. 2008. Print.

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Food Additives and Human Health

As the human populations increased and lifestyles begun to change, it was deemed necessary to preserve food in order to ensure steady supply. Fundamentally, the techniques employed in food preparation and preservation were developed to address various problems related to food storage, wastage and food-borne illnesses. The advances in technology have increased the reliance of humans to food processing. In addition, changes in lifestyles have greatly limited the amount of time that was initially employed in food preparation. This implies that additives are increasingly being employed in necessitating the process of food production and preservation. Although they aid in preservation of food and in some instances enhance their nutritional value, food additives have adverse impacts on human health.

Basically, food additives constitute different substances that are either intentionally or unintentionally added to animal feed or human food during processing or storage (Sarjeant & Evans, 1998). They are wide and varied and include preservatives, antioxidants, flavoring agents, anti-infective agents and coloring agents. Usually, they contain very little or no nutrients. Currently, they are available in natural as well as artificial forms and are used at different stages of food preparation, processing or preservation. Food additives are used for various functions during food production.

Adikinson (2003) indicates that additives are useful for preserving or improving the nutrient value of the respective food. In this respect, statistical evidence ascertains that a significant number of drinks and foods are fortified and enriched in a bid to improve their nutritional value. At the same time, additives preserve the foods and give them a longer shelf life. This regulates consumption and helps in preventing food wastage and conserving the natural resources employed in food production. Usually, the law requires that all foods that contain the additives are labeled accordingly. Besides preserving food, additives enhance food flavor and provide color to the food; thus improving its appearance. Most importantly, additives maintain food wholesomeness by preventing entry of bacteria, fungi, air or yeast that can cause diseases (Adkinson, 2003).

Conversely, food additives have adverse health effects that compromise the quality of life of the consumers. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (2009), food additives contain toxins that are harmful to human health. Seemingly, a significant percentage of these are manufactured from chemicals that are harmful to human health. The negative health impacts usually occur immediately or after a long period of time. Immediate effects according to Sarjeant and Evans (1998) range from behavioral changes and changes in energy levels to changes in mental concentration and reduction of immunity. In most cases, these occur when an individual is exposed to the additives for a lengthy period of time. Long-term effects on the other hand include degenerative conditions, risks of cardiovascular diseases and risk of cancer (FAO, 2009).

Although food additives are helpful for preserving food and improving its nutrient value, they have far reaching implications on human healthy after a lengthy exposure. Food additives comprise of food color, flavorings, antioxidants and anti-infective agents. As aforementioned, they are added to food during production and storage. They are useful for enhancing the flavor, nutrient value and appearance of the food. However, they have negative impacts on human health as they lead to behavioral changes, affect mental concentration and reduce immunity on the short term. If exposed for a lengthy period of time, individual also risk getting cancer, heart diseases and other degenerative conditions.

References

Adkinson, N. (2003). Middleton’s allergy: Principles and practice. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier.

Food and Agriculture Organization. (2009). General standard for food additives. USA: FAO.

Sarjeant, D. & Evans, K. (1998). Hard to swallow: The truth about food additives. USA: Alive Books.

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Five Forces That Shape Strategy; I.B.M

The International Business Machines (I.B.M) Company is a multinational corporation in America that has been in operation since 1911. It is known to market and manufacture computer software and hardware. The management has in the recent past adopted a strategy that has seen the company’s profit margin swell and stock prices surge.

After Samuel J. Palmisano took over from Louis V. Gerstner Jr, in 2002, he focused on taking the company to a unique strategic position. The move to sell the company’s personal computer business was driven by the need to venture into unique business that yielded high profits. The personal computer business was viewed to be a fading low-margin business. The business also has a lot of substitutes and the power of buyers and suppliers is also quite high (Porter, 82). IBM shifted its innovation focus to software and other related services which aimed to curb these strategic issues.

Despite being approached by Dell and other private equity firms, the company decided to sell the personal computer business to China’s Lenovo. The strategy behind this move was to take advantage of the Chinese government support when it came to investment in businesses. The company also targeted the large Chinese market which was also controlled by the Chinese government. This was a barrier in itself and it is meant to keep in check the number of new entrants into the industry (Porter, 85). The rivalry that existed amongst the company’s competitors operating in the United States of America was also eliminated because the company now focused majorly on the Chinese and the general global market. The approach to sell the personal computer business turned out to be a very good idea in the long run. This is because by the time of his retirement, Mr. Palmisano’s strategy had helped raise the I.B.M’s stock value to $217 billion, which was almost four times that of its rival, Hp.

Works Cited

Porter Michael E. The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review (2008): 78-93. Print

Five Guys is a fast food restaurant chain selling burgers, hot dogs and French fries located in Unites States. Five Guys have very different philosophy compared to its peers. Company philosophy is to be simple and quality focused and believes that if the product is good customers will automatically be generated. The company is more quality focused and believes in word of mouth publicity. The philosophy of Five Guys is very apt for other start-up companies as the key focus should be product and customer satisfaction. If quality product is offered then only company will be able to establish its brand and survive competition. Thus for nay start-up company the first criteria should be quality product. Cost is the important criteria and most startup company who have good idea or product sometimes fail because of cost aspect. Like Five Guys, Start-up Company should start in a simple store format in order to avoid unnecessary cost and thus will be able to break even much faster. Employees or staffs are its main asset and adequate focus should be put upon for their development and learning so that they become an asset for the company. Thus for start-up company, Five Guys core values in terms of quality conscious, customer satisfaction, staff retention and avoid unnecessary expenses is very apt business values in order to become successful and survive in the industry.

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Five Keys to Enhancing Your Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence in its strict terms is the ability of an individual to identify, make use of, comprehend and manage emotions positively so as to reduce stress, communicate in an effective manner and empathize with others to overcome their challenges. Emotional intelligence (EQ) has a profound impact in our lives and greatly influences our other human characteristics such as our behavior, our interaction with others and the way in, which we react to different situations. Different people have different EQ levels. Those with a higher EQ generally posses the ability to comprehend their own emotional state, that of others and engage in a manner that draw people to them. Therefore, EQ can be a good tool in influencing and improving the behavior of other people, form healthier relationships, achieve greater heights of success at the work place and engage in a more rewarding life. According to the five listed attributes of emotional intelligence, I am good at the following;

One aspect of EQ that I am good at is my ability to stay composed and stable when under pressure. The article puts forth a good way of managing pressure by keeping it cool so as to avoid being either too assertive or reactive to a situation. This is an art of EQ that I have a good mastery in, especially when under stressful environment. Being composed gives me time to analyze the situation before coming up with a conclusion on the way forward this attribute guards me against stereotyping others, being more open to their perspectives as well as obtaining sufficient facts before reaching any meaningful judgment. Maintaining calmness while under pressure assist me in preventing a snap up as a result of pressure. When calm, the objectives and goals are approached in a sober manner without any prejudice from the emotional effect of pressure.

Being able to deal with my own negative emotions is an attribute that I have learned and used frequently to avert failure. The article propagates that to be able to change our feelings and emotions; we first have to change our thinking. It further denotes a therapy developed by Dr. Amen which emphasizes that, in order to manage our negative thoughts we have to kill our automatic negative thoughts. I have embraced technique by being positive and having a positive perspective at the world. This helps to a great part in significantly reducing the chances of harboring negative thoughts, feelings and emotions. For example, I tend to view the enormous potential in an individual and what one can become in life as opposed to how they are now.

Another aspect of EQ that I have developed mastery over is the art of reading social cues that are communicated by people around me either by word or through body language. The article propagates that it is prudent to seek more information from parties with ideological differences in an attempt to reduce any misinterpretation. This is an aspect of EQ that I am good at and use to amicably find a common ground in a dispute. It entails obtaining clear information from each party through means such as open ended questions so as to remain objective in settling the issue. A good example is when I solved two parties that differed ideologically. I made inquiries from each party separately as to the reason behind their behaviors which, I let them know, I was not comfortable with. Finally, I was able to understand the feelings and emotions of each one of them and reached an agreeable conclusion for both. It is as a result of disseminating the cues from their behavior that I managed to establish a problem.

On the other hand, there are some facets to emotional intelligence that I need to improve on. These are;

Having the knack to be assertive and articulate intricate emotion where necessary. The article spells out that it is prudent to have stands or rather boundaries on certain matters, which includes ‘’no’’ as an answer. Although I have some degree of assertiveness on matters that I am sure and have facts about, there are instances that I am left on the balance as to which stand to assume. I fail to establish a clear boundary on matters that are rather theoretical. It is an area of EQ that I seek to improve as it goes a great length to determine how I relate with others under different social set ups. From the article, I have gathered that I need to use subtle language that does not put the recipient on the defensive but rather receptive side. This makes the recipient to open up and freely give whatever that is being sought from them.

Developing an ability to convey cherished emotions in close personal relations. This article suggests developing a ‘bidding’ personality which is a way of sparking a positive connection between people who desire close relationship ties. This is an aspect of EQ that I have to work on to improve and develop my social ties. This is an art that can be done severally to bring forth a positive connection of intimacy for close relationships. For example, getting to know how a person is doing is a way of verbal bidding and this a positive means of expressing intimacy to close relations. Therefore in a bid to develop on this front, I undertake to do more practice on my relations and internalize it.

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The five people you meet in heaven

Authored in 2003 by Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven stands out as one of the preeminently presented novels. The book centers on a protagonist called Eddie who dies at the age of eighty-three while rescuing a little girl from a falling cart. The beginning of the book is makes much presentation about the end of Eddie’s life. It begins at a place called Ruby Pier which is presented as the center of Eddie’s life. Eddie is very close and attached to this place. This is because his father worked here and he also established his career as a maintenance man at the same place. Above all, Ruby Pier is the place where Eddie meets the love of his life, Marguerite. Needless to mention, Eddie dies in the same place on his birthday. The bulk of this novel is mostly based on Eddie’s time in heaven and what he learns there as he meets certain people on whose lives he had an impact while still on earth.

Thematically, Albom seeks to express the fact that life works in a web of connections. All occurrences are interdependent and interconnected, and there are no random incidences. In sum, all lives and actions alike are connected. For instance, despite the fact that Eddie did not know the Blue Man, he indirectly caused his death. Similarly, the loss of a key by a young man at an amusement park causes Eddie’s own death as it causes machinery problems. In the words of Albom, no story is lonely, many at times, they relate and interconnect.

The author connects the themes of sacrifice and love in a unique way to achieve interconnection in the story. On the overall, he presents the idea that any form of sacrifice attracts rewards. As such many individuals go out of their way to sacrifice for others. These include Eddie’s captain at war, whom Eddie met in heaven. He saved his life and that of other soldiers by preventing them from driving over a bomb. Eddie also made a sacrifice and ended up dying to save a young girl. As in the case of love, regardless of Marguerite’s death, she could still feel Eddie’s love for her. The author encourages us to exercise forgiveness and love in the pursuit of real peace. In essence, we sacrifice for those we love, and sacrifice attracts rewards. Additionally, Albom seeks to express the thematic concept that nothing is what it appears to be. Eddie goes through life mad at his father as he believes he died due to drinking. He discovers that his father died heroically, while calling out his name.

The act of saving a child right before his death is symbolic of Eddie’s life. Eddie realizes in the end that his purpose in life was actually to save and protect children. His life ends in the process of doing this as well. Perhaps, the author approaches this perspective intentionally because the child ends up living. Analytically, Eddie presents the character of a selfless individual. He gives out his life to save a girl he doesn’t even know. He also goes into war to serve his country. In the evident interconnection, Tala and the Blue Man are also forgiving as they hold no grudge against Eddie for causing their deaths. Notably, Albom writes this book in the third person narrator perspective. Much as he does not participate in the story, he enlightens us on Eddie’s feelings. There are conflicts in the story to signify the rising action. We see the conflict between Eddie and himself where he feels that he had led a wasteful life. There is also another conflict between Edie and his father. The novel’s climax comes towards the end on the meeting between Eddie and Tala, the last person he meets in heaven. The falling action occurs after the climax when Eddie questions himself after Tala tells him that he burned her during the war as she was hiding from the soldiers. The story gets to its resolution when Eddie is at peace and finds his own heaven with his wife, Marguerite.

In conclusion, this book tries to capture what happens when one dies and how everyone’s life has meaning and purpose whether one sees it or not. In the end, each person’s actions are caused by something, cause something, and count for something. They are all interconnected.

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Five Pillars of Islam

Introduction

Religion is a sensitive cultural aspect that has profound importance on the way of life of an individual. Essentially, it comprises of various norms, values and practices that prescribe a certain way of life. Adherence to the prescribed code of behavior is a vital practice of the relative faith. Islam religion has distinctive practices that are adhered to by the religious community. These are fundamental and they form the basement upon which the entire religion is anchored. In other words, all religious practices revolve around this. One such aspect is the five pillars. These were founded during historical times and provide a strong framework within which the religion is inclined. It is against this background hat this paper provides an explicit analysis of the five pillars of Islam. In detail, it underscores its historical significance and illustrates why it is considered a classic in Islam.

According to Asad, the five pillars constitute the core beliefs that the Muslims hold in high regard (45). In particular, they give meaning to the different religious practices that are assumed by the adherents. Unlike the commandments that are prescribed in Christianity and Jewish religions, the pillars prescribe a practical way of life that puts in consideration that different aspects that impact on human life. This practical nature is an important facet that accords the pillars a classic status. In addition, the fact that the information contained therein is timeless and can be applied to everyday living, regardless of time and age qualifies the pillars as a real classic (Asad 52).

In his review, Grieve indicates that the pillars are prioritized in order of importance (76). The first one is Shahadah that lays emphasis on the need to practice monotheistic faith. It indicates that there is only one God who is also referred to as Allah. This is followed by salat that ascertains the importance of prayer. The relative ritual prayer is said in Arabic, usually five times a day. Adherents perform this while facing Mecca that has spiritual significance in Islam. Zakat is the third pillar and it prescribes the need to provide assistance to poor individuals. It is a religious obligation that can be likened to tithing in Christianity. The fourth pillar is referred to as Siyam and it emphasizes on the need to fast during Ramadan. This is the ninth month in the religious calendar in which all individuals who are able bodied are expected to fast during the day. Finally, Hajj is the last pillar and it encourages the adherents to make an effort to visit Mecca on an annual basis. In this respect, Lewis perceives this a Jihad because of the fact that the journey is challenging (88). The inherent suffering can be equated to the suffering that Prophet Muhammad experienced.

The pillars are fundamental aspects of Islam and are religiously adhered to by Muslims in order to experience a sense of spiritual satisfaction and fulfillment. According to religious studies, a Muslim’s faith is considered worthless and pointless without complete devotion to the five pillars. Notably, the five pillars provide guidance and offer direction with regards to religious faith. Notably, they can be intricately woven in the daily activities of a Muslim and are a sign of religious devotion. Further, they provide a rich source from which the adherents derive their value system. Therefore, failure to adhere to these can be equated to contravention of the value system which then amounts to immorality. The Muslim community holds these in high regard and irrespective of the fact that certain factions do not adhere to all the prescriptions, they still consider the pillars fundamental (Lewis 77).

From a religious point of view, fundamentalism refers to the practice of conserving one’s faith (Grieve 63). It is an importance aspect of faith as it encourages strict adherence to the religious teachings and therefore has a sense of satisfaction. Effective interpretation of the five pillars is important as it enables one to uphold religious faith. At this point, it is worth acknowledging that fundamentalism practice ensures that the pillars are defined appropriately and mainstreamed in one’s life accordingly. It cushions the religious practices against the intrusive and devastating effects of the secularized society. As such, it plays a leading role in ensuring that the intrinsic information is not distorted to suit emerging practices of the modern society. In general, it can be contended that it plays a critical role of preserving the Muslim faith and avoiding possible erosion that is likely to compromise its credibility. This is imperative especially considering the fact that the pillars provide a basement for Islamic faith.

Conclusion

At this juncture, it can be ascertained that the five pillars are an important aspect of Islam. As it has come out from the study, these not only provide guidance to behavior but align the same to Islam faith. Most importantly, the pillars offer credible prescription with regard to the beliefs, norms, practices and value system of this religion. Without them, it can be posited that Islam will lose meaning and its value system is likely to be eroded. It is a classic segment of the religion that should therefore be upheld. Fundamentalism should be encouraged as it cushions the religion against detrimental impacts.

Works Cited

Asad, Muhammad. The Road to Mecca. USA: Muslim Academic Trust, 1998.

Grieve, Paul. A Brief Guide to Islam: Faith, Religion, Politics. USA: Running Press, 2006.

Lewis, Bernard. The World of Islam: Faith, People, Culture. USA: Thomas & Hudson, 1991.