The Importance of Communication Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Communication Essay Foundations Workers at all levels of an organization, be they CEOs, middle managers, or entry-level staff, recognize that change is inevitable. However, the successful implementation of organizational change in response to changes in an organization’s external environment can be one of the greatest challenges top-level leaders face. Regardless of how far-seeing and meticulously planned organizational change may be, it will not be effectively implemented unless it is communicated to an organization’s staff in such a way that resistance is overcome, fears are assuaged, confusion is minimized, and buy-in by all affected individuals is secured. Kurt Lewin (as cited in Evans, Ward, Rugaas, 2000) was one of the first to develop a model of behavioral change in his 1951 book, Field Theory in Social Sciences. Lewin described three stages as being necessary in the implementation of a change in a person’s behavior. The first of these is unfreezing, the stage during which a person becomes ready to learn or acquire a new behavior, perhaps by recognizing the ineffectiveness of a current behavior or by learning about the benefits that would accrue if the new behavior were implemented. The second stage is the change itself, which will involve a trial period during which the person familiarizes him or herself with the new behavior. Finally, the refreezing stage occurs as the new behavior becomes habitual or ingrained with the individual. Thinkers in the management field have applied this model to the process of change within organizations. In order for change to be effectively and lastingly implemented, all staff affected by the change must go through this unfreezing-changing-refreezing process. Kotter (1995) lists eight steps that leaders of organizations should take in order to successfully implement change. One of the most crucial steps in the process, and the step during which many attempts at organizational  change fail, is communicating the vision of change to the staff via every possible means. He notes that a classic error made by leaders trying to implement change is under-communication of the change to the staff that will be implementing it. The most effective communicators discuss the change at every opportunity and incorporate the discussion into day-to-day activities such as performance reviews, employee training courses, and quarterly production meetings, thus making clear to employees not only the overarching vision of change for the organization, but also exactly where the employee fits into the process. Organizational leaders must also behave in ways that are consistent with the vision they are promoting: communication regarding the change should occur not only via words, but also via deeds (Kotter, 1995). Communication about change aids in the unfreezing of old behaviors, the transition during which new behaviors are adopted, and the refreezing of the new behavior into habit. In fact, Ford and Ford (1995) claim that change does not occur except in that it is mediated by communication; in other words, communication is the context within which change occurs. They describe four types of conversations that move the change process through its successive phases: initiative conversations, that begin the change process by focusing the participants’ attention on what needs to be done; conversations of understanding, during which the participants seek to make sense of the problem and start generating methods of addressing it; conversations of performance, which concentrate on producing the intended result; and conversations for closure, during which the change process is determined to be complete. This model of change as mediated by the conversations that instigate and guide it differs from previous thought in which communication about the change is presented as a single stage in the change process, although it expands upon Kotter’s (1995) call for communication regarding change to occur in as many contexts as possible within an organization. The model also helps to conceptualize the role of communication during the stages of unfre ezing (instigation), change (understanding and performance), and refreezing (closure). Current thinking in organizational change and communication The work by Lewin (Evans, Ward, Rugaas, 2000), Kotter (1995), Ford and Ford (1995), and other earlier researchers in the field lays an important  foundation for current work in the use of communication to effectively promote change within an organization. Deborah Barrett (2002) developed the Strategic Employee Communication model as a tool for organizations to use in assessing the effectiveness of their own communication channels when confronted with the necessity of organizational change. The model breaks down effective employee communication into four components which interact in well-functioning companies to reinforce strategic objectives. One important component is a top and middle level management that is committed to fostering communications â€Å"up, down, and across the organization† (Barrett, 2002). The second component is the communications themselves: messages that are both tailored to the audience they are intended for to maximize relevance, and that are consist ent with each other and with the overall strategic objectives of the organization. The third component is the mode of communication; it should rely on a variety of media but should take place primarily in person. The final component is a communications team or staff that is positioned in such a way as to be privy to the thinking behind the company’s strategic objectives so that the messages they produce reflect an understanding of the change. In companies that have effective communication networks, these four components are continually assessed against the background of progress towards the company’s strategic objectives. Barrett (2002) makes specific recommendations regarding how the effectiveness of employee communications during times of organizational change may be evaluated, giving an example of a survey instrument to assess perceptions of the current state of communication, suggestions for the development of ‘cascading workshops’ to spread the message of change throughout the organization, and methods of monitoring how well the mess age of change has spread and been internalized throughout the organization. The influence of Lewin’s (Evans, Ward, Rugaas, 2000) unfreezing – changing – refreezing model of change can be seen in Van der Waldt’s (2004) depiction of change communication as occurring in three phases. During the first phase of change, individuals within organizations face the loss of old ways of doing things, and should be supported in the initial phases of the change by communication that acknowledges this loss and that recognizes the difficulty that some individuals may have in letting go of the past. During the second phase of change, staff may face confusion and uncertainty as they  try to adopt the new way of doing things. Van der Waldt characterizes this as a ‘neutral zone’: a way-station between the old and the new, and notes that communication during this phase should recognize and attempt to assuage the isolation that may ensue from this confusion. The setting of short term, easily measurable and attainable goals will aid empl oyee morale during this time. The third phase of change occurs as staff begin to internalize the change and move forward, and communication at this time should be characterized by an acknowledgement of what individuals in the company have accomplished thus far and an understanding of the role the individual plays within the new system. A current topic in this area of research is the use of narrative techniques in communication about change. Organizational change is disruptive by nature, and involves the uprooting of old norms that have enabled a company to succeed (or at least survive) thus far, and the adoption of as-yet-untried practices (Denning, 2005). In order for the change to succeed, management and staff must voluntarily and enthusiastically severely disrupt their own established work habits and consent to move into the unknown. Stephen Denning, one of the champions of the use of narrative in change communication, argues that in these situations, the organization’s leaders must employ extraordinary communication techniques to achieve the level of buy-in necessary to make change work. The use of storytelling to bring reality and substance to a leader’s vision is one way in which change can be made real to management and staff. Denning (2006) describes eight different narrative techniques that can be employed in different stages of organizational change. An example of one of these techniques is the u se of ‘springboard stories’, which may be used to spark action and help muster enthusiasm for the change. Stories used in these situations should be simple and straightforward in content, the goal being to spark the listeners’ imaginations and to get them imagining stories of their own in reference to the change being introduced. Stories may also be used as devices to deflect or defuse rumors, and as preparation for the future after the change is implemented. The overall purpose of the narratives is to change the listener’s behavior in such a way that it is aligned with the leader’s objectives. Denning (2006) warns of the danger of becoming so involved with the crafting and telling of stories that the goal of the narrative is lost. Storytelling can also be a way to  get employees talking and thinking about what organizational change means to them and how change can be enacted. A small regional hospital in New Mexico employed an interactive narrative technique in which employees were presented with a role-playing scenario that likened the transformation of the hospital’s mission to an Indiana Jones-style journey that was titled ‘Raiders of the Lost Art’ (Adamson, Pine, Van Steenhoven, Kroupa, 2006). Within the structure of the game’s narrative, staff were presented with data regarding themselves, the community within which they worked, and their patients, and in this context were given scenarios about which they were encouraged to present ideas and feedback. By using this approach, hospital administrators were able to solicit employee feedback, involve staff in the development of strategic goals and objectives in support of the new mission, and gain buy-in by making employees a part of the change process. Change, communication, and information organizations Libraries and other information organizations are faced every day with the challenges that come from adapting to a rapidly changing external environment. Information organizations that are able to proactively incorporate change into their strategic planning will be in a better position to keep pace with the evolving demands of customers than organizations that merely struggle to catch up as change overwhelms them. Farley, Broady-Preston, Hayward (1998) identify four primary areas of change that affect academic libraries in particular: economics, technology, higher education, and organization. The rising costs of materials, combined with widespread reductions in funding, compounded by the additional financial burden imposed by the need to introduce new technologies, create an environment in which libraries must change in order to survive. The increasing sophistication of technological tools used by librarians has, in some larger institutions especially, created a need for staff reorganization to incorporate greater collaboration with technical support staff (Farley, et al., 1998). Given this environment, effective communication with staff regarding change is essential to the success of libraries and other information organizations. Horenstein found that communication with library staff about the implementation of change is also important in fostering high levels of job satisfaction amongst library staff (as cited in Farley, et  al., 1998). Yet, although there is a substantial body of literature dealing with change management in information organizations (Farley et al.), little has been written about the specific application of communication research to the needs of information organizations facing change. For instance, a literature review conducted in conjunction with a study described below (Chalmers, Liedtka, Bednar, 2006) uncovered no literature published specifically on library communications assessment since the 1980s. In a review for librarians of change management literature from the business world, Smith (2006) addresses communicating in times of change by developing a series of rules of effective communication drawn from the literature. One of these rules states that managers should recognize that not all organizations, and not all individuals within organizations, will react to change the same way, and that communications should be geared accordingly, echoing the above-described communication model that incorporates targeted messages (Barrett, 2002). Another of Smith’s rules emphasizes the importance of making communication about change a two-way process incorporating a variety of communication methods including written, verbal, large and small group meetings and one-on-one encounters, and formal and informal venues, applying Kotter’s (1995) message about incorporating change communication whenever there is opportunity to do so. Though Smith’s article is directed towards library professionals and, since it is published in the journal Library Management, is a useful vehicle for introducing concepts change communication research that librarians may not otherwise be exposed to, Smith does little more than review current literature and does not attempt to draw lessons from the literature to apply specifically to information organizations. On the other hand, Chalmers, et al. (2006) apply lessons from the literature of business communications to develop a survey that identifies the primary communication channels within the staff of a large academic library and assesses staff satisfaction with communication processes. They then provide recommendations based upon their experiences regarding how such an audit may be conducted in other similar organizations. The communications audit was conducted at California State University, Fullerton’s Pollak Library, in response to a perception of diminished morale and increased staff isolation in response to rapid changes in management  philosophy, staffing, and the introduction of new technologies. Library staff reported a relatively high rate (76%) of satisfaction with their level of informedness about changes within their own department, but indicated that they were less satisfied (46% satisfaction rate) with the degree to which they received information about the long range planning and goals of the library as a whole. Staff received their information both through formal library communications (newsletters, website, etc.; 80-98%) and informal channels (91%). Chalmers et al. describe how the survey instrument developed could be used to establish baseline data about intra-organization communication channels and identify areas of staff dissatisfaction with communication within the library . Future directions Although there is a significant body of work in the business management field that deals with effective intra-organizational communication in times of change, little of this work has been applied in a way that is specific to the needs of information organizations. Given that information organizations have been and are facing a period of rapid and intensive change, work that applies the change management lessons learned in the business world to the needs of libraries would be especially timely. In particular, case studies of information organizations that have implemented communication strategies and are monitoring the effectiveness of these strategies in facilitating change would be useful starting points for other information organizations facing change. In addition, the adaptation of existing theoretical models of intra-organizational communication to information organizations may provide a useful starting point for the development of communication strategies, goals, and objectives . In the greater body of business management literature regarding change communication, the primary focus of most research has been on top-down communication: methods by which leaders may effectively promote their vision amongst employees (Jones, Watson, Gardner, Gallois, 2004). Although several workers (Adamson, 2006; Chalmers et al. 2006; LeTourneau, 2004; Smith, 2006) emphasize the importance of feedback from employees to management, and communication between employees, there is little material that deals with methods to assess the importance of or to actively cultivate  these types of communications within an organization (Jones, et al., 2004). Additionally, communication and coordination between departments may become increasingly important during times of change; for instance, in libraries the introduction of new technology may necessitate greater collaboration between IT departments and reference, circulation, or other services. Further investigation into means of facilitating collaboration between formerly non-interacting departments during times of change would be a helpful addition to the current literature on this topic. References Adamson, G., Pine, J., Van Steenhoven, T., Kroupa, J. (2006). How storytelling can drive strategic change. Strategy and Leadership, 34(1), 36-41. Barrett, D. J. (2002). Change communication: Using strategic employee communication to facilitate major change. Corporate Communication: An International Journal, 7(4), 219-231. Chalmers, M., Liedtka, T., Bednar, C. (2006). A library communication audit for the twenty-first century. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 6(2), 185-195. Denning, S. (2005). Transformational innovation: A journey by narrative. Strategy and Leadership, 33(3), 11-16. Denning, S. (2006). Effective storytelling: Strategic business narrative techniques. Strategy and Leadership, 34(1), 42-48. Evans, G. E., Ward, P. L., Rugaas, B. (2000). Management basics for information professionals. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc. Farley, T., Broady-Preston, J., Hayward, T. (1998). Academic libraries, people, and change. Library Management, 19(4), 238-251. Ford, J., Ford , L. (1995). The role of conversations in producing intentional change in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 541-570. Jones, E., Watson, B., Gardner, J., Gallois, C. (2004). Organization communication: Challenges for the new century. Journal of Communication, 54(4), 722-750. Kotter, J. P. (1995). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 73(2), 59 – 67. LeTourneau, B. (2004). Communicate for change. Journal of Healthcare Management, 49(6), 354-357. Smith, I. (2006). Communicating in times of change. Library Management, 27(1/2), 108-112. Van der Waldt, D. (2004). Towards corporate communication excellence in a changing environment. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 3, 134-143.

Organisational Audit And Environmental Audit Marketing Essay

Organisational Audit And Environmental Audit Marketing Essay Basically, organizational and environmental auditing techniques are divided into two parts, which are the internal factor evaluation and external factor evaluation. Organisational audit is commonly referred to as internal factors evaluation while environmental audit is referred to as the external factor evaluation. Referring to the case study, Toyota USA can enhance the financial performance and effectiveness of the company through the implementation of organisational audit and environmental audit. Besides that, organisational audit and environmental audit is an important element in the strategic planning process in order for Toyota USA to react better to the changes in the external environment and apply changes to response to the changes. 3.1 ORGANISATIONAL AUDIT According to audit.gov.my, organisational audit is defined as an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organizations operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approached to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes. In other words, organisational audit is referred to as an activity which is created to assist an organisation in improving its operations by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation to achieve its objectives. 3.1.1 CUSTOMERS In another term, customers of Toyota can be described as the buyers or consumers who purchased nearly all of the organisations output. Toyota seeks to create loyal customers relationship through understanding who are their buyers and also the buyers needs and demand. They listen to their customers and their product development is driven by customers feedback. Toyota stresses on improving quality, enhancing its efficiency, minimising cost, and increasing its productivity in order to fulfill their customers requirements and be the market leader in the automobile industry as they are today. In addition to that, Toyota implemented quality control in its manufacturing process to produce quality cars. Toyota also produces different lines of cars for the different customers. For example, cars, truck, SUVs, and sports cars. The bargaining power of buyers nowadays is moderately high. This is because the buyers nowadays are more educated and they have access to informations. Toyota USA depends on its customers to survive in the business as these customers represent a large portion of the organisations revenue. Toyota will face the risk of losing its customers to competitors if they are unable to satisfy the customers demands. If the customers are unhappy, they can easily purchase a new car by selling the car that they own. Therefore, the customers have low switching cost. This is due to the reason that the number of buyers is few and not large. Besides that, Toyota also has no complete control over external factors like the prices of oil, steel, rubber, plastic and glass production, etc in which the company is highly dependent on in its manufacturing process. 3.1.2 COMPETITORS Toyota is in a strong position compared to other car manufacturers. It has one of the largest market share in the automobile industry in the US market. Toyotas close competitors include General Motors and Ford. Toyotas strongest competitor, General Motors has a high percentage of sales growth. According to media.gm.com, the General Motors February 2010 reported sales are 32% sales growth if compared to February 2009. Toyotas sales dropped 9% in February 2010 as it was forced to recall its cars from the US market due to faulty brakes. In the automotive industry, the rivalry among competitors is very strong. The rivalry increases as the competitors are very closely balanced. Toyota has to gain market share in the industry by taking it from its competitors. The high rivalry exists between these companies as these companies produce cars, trucks or SUVs. Therefore, the differentiation opportunities are low. Most often, these competitors are compared with one another. The price and quality are among the aspects which are taken into account by buyers when they are making decision in what type of car thay want to purchase. The manufacturers even compare their products with their competitors when they advertise their products. Therefore, to be more advanced, Toyota has to come out with new technologies and differentiation such as an environmentally cars which is the Hybrid cars in order to compete with its competitors. 3.2 ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT According to David, 2007, environmental audit is to develop a finite list of opportunities that could benefit a firm and threats that should be avoided. The environmental audit is not aimed at developing an exhaustive list of every possible factor that could influence a business; rather, it is aimed at identifying key variables that offer actionable responses. In other words, it means that environmental audit is the process of identifying the key opportunities and threats faced by an organisation to develop strategies which could benefit from the opportunities and avoid the impact of threats. 3.2.1 ECONOMICS FORCES In developing countries, the automotive industry is one of the main industry that contributes to the economic progress. Automotive industry helps to develop an efficient steel business, plastic industry, rubber industry, glass sector, and many more which is a vital base of economic progress. The automotive industry used to be an important industry in the twentieth century, however it has deteriorated due to the economic downturn that results in decline in sales and profits. Yet, there is a future for the automobile industry as it provides job opportunities to the residents in US. This is due to the fact that automotive industry is the main user computer chips, aluminium, steel, plastics, rubber, glass, etc. Therefore, there is a need for workers in these industries. This situation creates job opportunities for the US citizens in the various industries mentioned above which would then lead to the growth in US economic. 3.2.2 TECHNOLOGICAL FORCES Nowadays, information technology has a huge impact on businesses all around the world. Many major industries have been affected by the usage of internet, including the automobile industry. Most of the buyers will refer or browse through the internet first before making a purchase. Similarly, before purchasing a car, the buyers will go to the auto websites before going for a test drive. Therefore, the use of internet is efficient and lower in cost that offer more market opportunities to Toyota. Besides that, due to the concern for environmental and global warming issues, Toyota has conducted research to invent alternate fuel vehicles. The company decided to come up with the technology to produce electric cars to fulfil the legislation demand from the government. The production of electric car is becoming more practical these days. To compete in the market, Toyota has invented the Toyota Prius, a hybrid car that functions with an internal combustion engine. 3.3 INDUSTRY ANALYSIS 3.3.1 IFE MATRIX ANALYSIS FOR TOYOTA TOYOTA-KEY INTERNAL FACTORS WEIGHT RATING WEIGHTED SCORE STRENGTHS Financial stability 0.25 4 1.00 Strong brand name 0.25 4 1.00 Environmental friendly cars 0.20 4 0.80 WEAKNESSES Economic downturns 0.15 2 0.30 Seen as foreign importers 0.15 3 0.45 TOTAL 1.00 3.55 According to the IFE matrix analysis which I have constructed above, the strengths for Toyota which I have identified are financial stability, strong brand name, and also environmental friendly cars. Toyota has a high financial advantage, where in the year 1997, the sales turnover was  £131,511 million whereas the sales growth recorded was 29.3%. Therefore, I have given financial stability a weight of 0.25, a rating of 4, which result in the weighted score of 1.00 as financial stability is one of the important component for the success of a business organisation and Toyota has managed to maintain its financial stability. Next, I have given strong brand name a weight of 0.25, a rating of 4, that lead to a weighted score of 1.00. This is because a strong brand name will be able to gain customers trust of a product thus creating loyal customers relationship. Toyota is well known for producing cars that are of high quality as the company implemented total quality management (TQM) and j ust in time (JIT) quality measurements in the its production process. The organisation stresses on delivering quality products and value to its customers. Besides that, Toyota also manufactures environmentally friendly cars to meet the current legislation demand. Due to the concern for environmental issues such as the green house effect and global warming, Toyota has produced hybrid gas electric vehicles as an alternate fuel vehicle. For instance, the Prius model. The hybrid cars are more practical and fuel efficient. Therefore, I have given environmental friendly cars a weight of 0.20, a rating of 4, and a weighted score of 0.80 as the company responds well to the demand for more environmental friendly cars. Meanwhile, the weaknesses which I have identified for Toyota include economic downturn and where Toyota is seen as foreign importers. I have given economic downturn a weight of 0.15, a rating of 2, and a weighted score of 0.30. Toyota is a large organisation. Sometimes, being big has its own problems. The world market for cars is in a condition of oversupply. As most of Toyotas products are marketed in US, it is exposed to the fluctuating economic condition in the market. As the exchange rate for US is high, there are chances and risks for the company to experience losses during the economic recession. Next, I have given Toyota a weight of 0.15, a rating of 3, and a weighted score of 0.45 where it is seen as foreign importers. As Toyota is a Japanese car manufacturer, it is seen as foreign importers when it operates in the US market. More benefits will be given to a US car manufacturers, for instance in the aspect of incentives and benefits of tax. The US government will also priorit ise its local car manufacturers first compared to foreign companies. Besides that, the consumers in the US market will prefer to purchase cars from a US based manufacturer, for instance General Motor. Toyota would be the alternative choice for buyers in this market. 3.3.2 EFE MATRIX ANALYSIS FOR TOYOTA TOYOTA-KEY EXTERNAL FACTORS WEIGHT RATING WEIGHTED SCORE OPPORTUNITIES Global market untapped 0.25 4 1.00 Increased demand in Hybrid cars 0.25 4 1.00 THREATS Product recalls 0.25 4 1.00 Increased price of raw materials 0.25 2 0.50 TOTAL 1.00 3.50 Based on the EFE matrix analysis which I have constructed above, the opportunities for Toyota include global market untapped and increased demand in hybrid cars. I have given Toyota a weight of 0.25, a rating of 4, and a weighted score of 1.00 for the opportunity on global market untapped. Toyota has explored and expand more aggressively into new segments of the market. For example, The launch of Aygo model by Toyota is aimed to gain a market share in the youth market. Next, I have given Toyota a weight of 0.25, a rating of 4, and a weighted score of 1.00 for the increased of demand in hybrid cars. Toyota is innovative as it has conducted research and development activity, and with the assistance of advancement in technology, it is the first company that invented the commercial mass-produced hybrid gas-electric vehicles that uses gas and electric, for instance the Prius model. With the hike in oil price, the production of hybrid cars by Toyota fits the needs of consumers who are look ing for fuel saving vehicles. On the other hand, the threats which I have identified for Toyota are product recalls and increase price of raw materials. I have given Toyota a weight of 0.25, a rating of 4, and a weighted score of 1.00 for product recalls. In year 2010, Toyota was forced to recall its cars from the US market due to faulty brakes. The recall of cars has affected Toyotas image in the consumers minds where its brand name has dropped. This would then result in the decline in Toyotas sales which will lead to the companys loss. Besides that, I have also given Toyota a weight of 0.25, a rating of 2, and a weighted score of 0.50 for the increase price of raw materials. The price of raw materials cannot be controlled by Toyota and it fluctuates from time to time. During economic downturn or recession, the price of raw materials usually increase tremendously. The hike in price would then increase the cost of production for Toyota. However, Toyota has no choice but to contemplate with the price as it need th e raw materials to manufacture its cars. Toyota would have to save on its manufacturing and production costs while maintaining the quality of its products. This may result in the loss of profits for Toyota. 3.4 WHY TOYOTA NEED TO AUDIT ORGANISATIONAL FACTORS AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Toyota need to audit its organisational and environmental factors as it gives various benefits to the organisation. The communication between the line and staff personnel of the organisation can be increased. There is also greater employee involvement in the decision making process which would improve organisational synergy. In addition to that, Toyota will be able to come up with a few strategic options that is useful to cope and react to changes in the external environment. New opportunities and the forecast of demand can be detected through the audit of organisational and environmental factors. Through the audit of organisational and environmental factors, the information obtained will assist Toyota in the strategic planning process of the organisation. Environmental scanning has a positive impact on Toyota in terms of communication, shared vision, strategic planning and management, and future direction. It improves communication on future plans by key people in the organisation. Environmental scanning is also used to monitor the market trends and fashions. The success of an organisation depends on its ability to react to the market trends. Environmental scanning assist Toyota in detecting the changing needs to its customers so that the company can be practical in monitoring, predicting, and responding to market trends. This helps Toyota in planning ahead of its competitors by building competitive strategies. 3.5 CONCLUSION As conclusion, the organizational and environmental auditing techniques serve as tools to review and evaluate the major strengths and weaknesses in the functional areas of a business, and it also provides a basis for identifying and evaluating relationships among those areas and provides an understanding of the environment affecting the business operations. In order to understand and manage business risk well, business organisations have to monitor its business environment from time to time to track for changes and adapt to the changes in the environment. Therefore, Toyota USA should conduct the organizational and environmental auditing techniques to develop strategic formula in order to improve its business performance and also react to the changes in its business environment.

Friar Lawrence in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay

Friar Lawrence of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet In reading critical analysis of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" I found that many people call Friar Lawrence a moderate man who elicits to others his voice of wisdom and reason. An example of this sort of conclusion is George Ian Duthie's opinion that Lawrence is "A very worthy man", "prudent" and "worldly-wise"(xix.xx). G.B. Harrison views him as "sympathetically treated", "wise, grave, patient"(6). Due to this continuing interpretation, the view of Friar Lawrence has not really changed through the years. Mutschman and Wentersdorf followed the herd when they stated in their book that Shakespeare reveals no trace whatever of the widespread prejudices of non-Catholics in connection with this aspect of the life of the Roman Church. On the contrary: he does everything in his dramatic power to show his friars and nuns, their lives and customs, in an unequivocally favorable light. (267) I feel that these conclusions about the character of Friar Lawrence are not so completely true. His character needs deeper examination in spite of the conventional ideas that have been passed from one critic to another throughout the years. Lawrence's highly questionable actions in the drama need be looked at in regards to the position he holds as a man of the cloth. Are his actions wise and acceptable to the church? Is Lawrence a meddlesome man going against his vows to his religion? Or could he merely be yet another stock character that Shakespeare stole from his predecessors? A Historical Look Back In 1594 Shakespeare's audience would have been used to the convention of the friar or other religious persons as the brunt of jokes or humorous situation... ...ml. Byrne, Muriel St. Clare. Elizabethan life in Town and Country. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1954. Duthie, George Ian. Romeo and Juliet. Cambridge: J. Dover Wilson, 1955. Harrison, G.B. Shakespeare The Complete Works. New York: New York Press, 1952. Kennard, Joseph S. The Friar In Fiction. New York: Haskell House Publisher Ltd., 1923. Muir, Kenneth. "Shakespeare and Politics." Shakespeare in a Changing World. 1st. Arnold Kettle. London: Lawrence and Wishart, 1964. 124-5. Mutschmann, Henrick, Karl Wentersdorf. Shakespeare and Catholicism. New York: AMS Press, 1969. Reed, Robert Rentoul Jr. Crime and God’s Judgement in Shakespeare. Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky, 1984. Simmons, Joseph Larry. Shakespeare’s Pagan World. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1973.

Federalizing Aiports Essay -- Airport Security Government control Essa

Federalizing Aiports On September 11th, 2001, the United States was dealt a devastating blow when our own airplanes were used as weapons of a terrorist attack. Within just days of the attack our nations leaders began debating over how we could solve our airport security problems. As citizens of the United States were avoiding airports, because they did not seem safe, the House and the Senate of the United States Congress argued whether or not airport security staff should become federal employees. The United States House representatives, and President George W. Bush, disagree with the fact that airport security should be federalized. After evaluating the Senates proposal the House found many reasons as to why federalizing airport security is not logical. The proposal to federalize appeared to present many flaws. The fact that the proposition "concentrates on passengers and ignores the thousands of caterers, cleaners, refuelers and others with access to airports and jets who lack mandatory background checks or ID cards" (Why Federalizing Airport Security is a Bad Thing). With insufficient knowledge of the employees background or identification, another travesty, much like September 11th could occur whether security is federalized or not. The Senates solution to make one set of standards for the employees concerns the House. With the so-called "one size fits all" plan, there would be deficient security at many airports, because the sizes of our airports greatly vary. If standard s were set to secure all major airports, such as Chicago OHare and John F. Kennedy airport in New York, then many small airports would be overwhelmed by the amount of security they are required to have. As the House stated "a one size fits all soluti... ...h government intervention, the interests of the House will also be met by not forcing all airports to federalize their employees. Works Cited Book sources Hahn, Robert. Risks, costs, and lives saved: getting better results from regulation. New York: Oxford University Press; Washington, D.C.: AEI Press, 1996. Internet sources The Case Against Federalizing Airport Security. 20 October 2001. Richard W. Rahn. 13 November 2002. <http://www.cat.org/cgi-bin/scripts/printtech.cgi/dailys/10-20-01.html>. Senator Clinton Calls on Congress To Adopt Senate Bill Federalizing Airport Security. 6 November 2001. Last viewed: 13 November 2002. <http://clinton.senate.gov/news/2001/11/2001B07603.html>. Why Federalizing Airport Security Is A Bad Idea. 24 October 2001. Daily Policy Digest. 13 November 2002. <http://www.ncpa.org/iss/ter/2001/pd102401a.html>.

Euthanasia Essay - Laws Against Assisted Suicide in Canada :: Physician Assisted Suicide

Laws Against Assisted Suicide in Canada "This is a very special day for me. It's the day of my release, the release from suffering, the release from the torment of my body." Those were the words of the very first Canadian to die through the process of doctor assisted- suicide, with the doctor being Jack Kevorkian. His name was Austin Bastable, and in the last few years of his life he became a crusader for the right to die with dignity. It has been only in these last few years, with the introduction of people such as Dr. Jack Kevorkian and Austin Bastable, that the world has begun to see the benefits made possible by the act of assisted-suicide. The prevention of suffering and pain made possible through this medicide, regarded as immoral for years, affects not only the patient but their immediate and distant relatives as well. Kevorkian told a judicial court the same one day in late April, early May: "Suicide is not the aim. Eliminating suffering is the aim, but you pay a price with the loss of a life." Although Kevorkian's methods have succeeded with some difficulty, in the USA, their northern neighbour, our great dominion of Canada, disallows the administration of this relieving practice. In our grand country assisted suicide is illegal. Cases of other terminally ill persons have surfaced throughout the news, the most prominent being those related to Dr. "Death" Kevorkian. We don't often think on what a terminally ill person might be like. They might be suffering from Lou Gehrig's Disease. They might be suffering from multiple sclerosis. They might be suffering from any number of other types of injuries and diseases. What we don't think about are the cases that bring out our most empathetic feelings. Take the case of one Christine Busalacchi, who was so severely injured in an accident that she now lives in what her father calls a "persistent vegetative condition." Vegetative is precisely the word to describe her condition. She has lost enough weight to cause her to appear as someone else. She has her right leg bent with her knee always in the air and her left foot is frozen in a quite unnatural manner.

Online Inquiry Essay

Introduction Resorts are places used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. They contain swimming pools where people can relax and enjoy together with their families and friends. Most of the resort today includes rooms for overnight accommodation. Before, resorts consist of only cottage, a room with a bed has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning or climate control, function hall for events, spa and an in-house restaurant. The cost and quality of hotel & resorts are usually indicative of the range and type of services available. Due to the enormous increase in tourism worldwide during the last decades of the 20th century, standards especially those of smaller establishments have improve considerably. Today, many systems have used an automation process like using online computer system, due to the efficiency and accuracy. â€Å"Online Inquiry and Resort Reservation System† is a transaction processing system that has more advantages rather than a manual Resort Reservation. Prior to the Internet, travelers could write, call the resort’s telephone directly, or use a travel agent to make a reservation. Nowadays, resorts have their own website where anyone can view information on prices and deals. Today, most of the Resorts provide goods and services using online computer system. It helps to perform task in an easy way with less time consumed and enhance the operating efficiency, improve the service experience as well as provide a means to access markets on a global basis. Background of the Study Rhosean Garden Resort is owned by Mr. Jhun —— and started on ——. It is located at Baliti-Panipuan Road, City of San Fernando, Pampanga with a total lot area of ________. Currently, apart from the streamers that are posted on the roads, the resort uses the Facebook account for its advertisement and marketing purposes. The resort uses manual style of transacting business with its customers. It uses the manual process in reserving and logging in names of customers. People who plan to make a reservation should make a telephone call to its number posted in their streamers or in their Facebook account. With the rapid growth of guests’ inquiring for about __ to __ persons a day plus the walk – in customers, the management somehow is experiencing insufficiency and inadequate manpower sources. This situation, prompted the researcher to propose as â€Å"Online Inquiry & Reservation System so that the interested parties would be informed. Its establishment with an online system support is a great help to the customers especially nowadays we are living in a modern world with technology makes our world faster and easier. Most often, the management encountered several problems in reservation like phone calls misunderstanding; conflicts regarding the availability of rooms, the guest reserves a room personally without knowing that the rooms are fully booked. Waste of time for the customers and they have to find other resort when the rooms are fully booked. In relation to this, the researcher leaded decided to develop a system that will simplify the task of traditional booking. The proposed system will provide users an easy to use interface that improves the people in utilizing the web today. Online Inquiry and Reservation System aims to develop an official webpage system that will help the management to post and retrieve information easily and accurately. Increasingly potential customers are looking for relaxation and accommodations thus oftenly searching online. Gone are the days when customers had to rely on resort brochures when planning a holiday vacation. With the support of the online system, the customers can easily search out the availability of the resort. Statement of the Problem The proposed system deals with the problems by the management as well as the guests. The study is divided into general problem and specific problems. 1.2.1 General Problem The main problem that the researcher seek to find is how to develop an Online Inquiry and Reservation System of Rhoseane Garden Resort? 1.2.2 Specific Problems Listed below are the specific problems extracted by the researcher in the course of his study. 1.2.2.1 Conflicts regarding room availability. Instance when customer personally reserves a room without inquiry or knowing that the rooms or cottages are fully booked. 1.2.2.2 Phone call misunderstanding. The management finds it hard to have a clear conversation with the customer over the telephone with regards to the needed information for his/her reservation or inquiry. 1.2.2.3 Limited exposure of the resort marketability Since the resort only uses some brochures tarpaulins as for advertisement, its popularity is restricted to only to those who see and receive the advertisement – ads. 1.2.2.4 Difficulty in searching and retrieving of files. Manually searching and retrieving of files or records of reservation from logbooks. Rationale Technology changes everything today. From the way we live and from the way we do things. Website’s and Online Marketing and Advertisement are the key to attract more customers. Old way’s to make a reservation in a resort is to personally go to the resort and make a reservation which nowadays is not very efficient. A Online Reservation System with 3D mapping for Rhosean Garden Resort will be developed in order to improve and modernize their old manual reservation system. Like any other resort using online reservation to help the customer make reservation faster this will help to make faster and more accurate reservation for the customer. 1.3 Objectives of the Study Based on the aforementioned problems, the researcher formulated objectives so as to answer the said problems. The objectives are divided into the general objective and the specific objectives. 1.3.1 General Objectives This study intends to develop an Online Inquiry & Reservation System for Rhosean Garden Resort that will help the management and the customers. 1.3.2 Specific Objectives The specific problems will be given solution through the following specific objectives: 1.3.2.1 To develop a system that will avoid conflicts in room reservation. A system that shows the current room reservation in order to monitor the rooms that are already reserved and if the resort is fully booked. 1.3.2.2 To develop a system that will provide an alternative way of having reservation which is through online. This will lessen the number of reservation calls thus also preventing misunderstanding in conversation. 1.3.2.3 Increase the marketability of the resort by developing a website. The website will widen resort’s market and can be accessed by anyone surfing the net. 1.3.2.4 To develop a system the will provide a database of all the room reservations. Provides an easy way of searching reserved rooms and retrieving of previous records of reservation. Scope and Delimitation The scope covers everything that the proposed system will be able to do in contrary, the limitations set the shortcomings that the system is not capable of doing. 1.4.1 Scope Reservation by the customer is available online by signing up the membership form first before he/she can have a reservation. Customer can also make a reservation through phone or by walk-in. Customer can also reschedule his reservation 1.4.2 Delimitation Rhosean Reservation System is designed to manage all types of Room. Cottege, Villa, etc bookings, made directly by guests .Its powerful reservation, marketing & merchandising features give you the ability to control dynamic room, The reservation system will allow you to dynamically control all of your reservation without the need for an expensive web designer. 1.5 Significance of the Study We want to know the reasons of hotel & resort in using manual reservation and conduct a study towards the topic because we notice some of the hotel & resort still use manual reservation. The study will emphasize the effects of using manual reservation and how an online computerized†¦ 1.5.1 Economic The economy are the customer, the significance of our study is that customer can efficiently and easily make reservation thus helping the resort make more income and help the economy. 1.5.2 Educational Our Study will help us learn more about making database for any client. Widening our knowledge in programming language to help us in future projects. 1.5.3 Technological It will help the resort overcome its manual reservation system to a online system that will increase the efficiency and lessen the errors and misunderstanding of customers making reservation. 1.5.4 Social Significance if we will help Make the resort more widely known to the public. More exposure means more income more customers. 1.6 Definiton of Terms Marketing Exposure – is the process of communicating the value of a product or service to customers Marketability – is a form of marketing and used to encourage or persuade an audience (viewers, readers or listeners; sometimes a specific group) to continue or take some new action. Website – is a set of related web pages containing content such as text,images, video, audio, etc., accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet address known as a Uniform Resource Locator. Database – is a structured collection of data. The data is typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality (for example, the availability of rooms in hotels), in a way that supports processes requiring this information (for example, finding a hotel with vacancies). Reservation – an arrangement to secure accommodations at a restaurant or hotel, on a boat, or plane, etc. Chapter 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE & STUDIES 2.1 Local Literature 2.2 Local Studies 2.3 Foreign Literature 2.4 Foreign Studies An article posted on â€Å"www.rezdy.com† says that you’re one step ahead of the game, tipping the scales in your favor when prospects research and compare your capabilities against your competitors. Of course, the presence of an online reservation system itself is not enough to make or break the customer flow. You still need to make sure the other aspects of your site (like imagery, for example) are in the best shape to minimize the amount of visitors that bounce off it. According to an article review about Online Reservation by Peter S. Murray. The system helps speed up cash flow. The old barrier in the way of online payment systems was trust, but this is no longer an issue. The risk of credit card fraud or scam is extremely low for online payment gateways. The online reservation system you choose should have an â€Å"SSL certificate† on its payment page to ensure users that you are legitimate. Online reservation systems speed up your cash flow just by being there. There’s less capital outlay on your end because you don’t have to hire staff to manage customers or pay rent for a physical space. Also, once customers book through it, money goes straight into your account – no lag time here. They’re also more accurate than you probably are when it comes to mathematical calculations. You can set up coupon codes and discount offers without triple-checking whether you got the math’s right. A review article made by Dianne J. Harrison for online reservation. It says it’s convenient and fast for you and your customer. Location is not an issue, and neither is time. The virtual set-up means you won’t need to wake up at unholy hours to take resrvatation calls from potential clients halfway around the world. While you dream of being the best damn resort there is, people are going through the process of finding your site, browsing through its content, and making a reservation. Travellers veer towards tour and activity sites that support online reservation because not only is it easy, but they usually find some great discount deals, too. They can read up on your business, look at your options, and finally make a reservation without being hassled by a pushy sales representative. A study made by Carlton K. Sullivan says it can give the business a precise head count By using an online reservation system, owners can have a precise running head count of reservations. Precise head counts can circumvent the problem of underbooking to avoid disappointing customers, or overbooking to make sure a sufficient number of actual transactions go through. The system can also be set up to record unique visits to the website to help the owners collect information on how well the site is working to attract customers. An article called â€Å"Making Your Business A Hit† by Dale C. Coleman By introducing this online reservation system, you simply increase your efficiency in providing quick and accurate confirmation to your guests. There is no more waiting time! You can also eliminate the problems of time-difference and minimize the human errors by giving wrong information with email confirmation. this is an excellent way to manage your customer and to gain higher yield.

Why Did the Japanese Take over Manchuria?

There are a few reasons why the Japanese chose to take over Manchuria. One reason is that the Japanese had owed a rail line and had claimed that the Chinese had sabotaged the railway; this was called the Mukden incident. The Japanese then sent in their own troops to Manchuria and claimed that they had acted in self defence and were just resolving that issue.Another reason is that the Japanese had suffered from the great depression and was seeking a way to overcome the depression by expanding its empire, the Japanese was at the time being run by the military and therefore was building up its army and therefore the Japanese invaded Manchuria to show how powerful their military was.Finally, Japan felt they needed to take over Manchuria was because Manchuria had much raw materials and by making Manchuria part of Japan they would have an unlimited supply of resources that there country was in need of and they will be able to expand their economy and therefore Japan wouldn’t be in s uch an economical crisis. The League of Nations had responded by sending over some officers to asses which country was the aggressor although it was thought from beginning that Japan was the aggressive country.The league took a long time to respond and we see that the league wasn’t as powerful as before, as when they did impose economical sanctions Japan had not listened. Japan carried on with their invasion and the League was powerless to stop them as they had no army to stop them with. Another reason the League didn’t stop them was as they were a powerful country and we see that the league only sorted out successful disputes when dealing with countries that didn’t have much power.As well as that, Britain and France were also suffering from the great depression and focused on restoring their countries problems rather than sorting out disputes. Japan was also far away from Europe so the league didn’t feel as responsible to deal with the affairs that were not in Europe. One main reason the league was unsuccessful was because the Japanese had left the League of Nations when the League instructed them to leave and the League was then left powerless against them.The Leagues response indicated that they were weak in forcing a strong country to listen to them and as well the League was falling apart as all the major countries involved in the League were more interested to restore their country after the great depression than actually invest in the League and force its sanctions. The League was also powerless as when they had imposed economical sanctions it didn’t really destroy the country’s economy as Russia and the USA were not part of the league and as they were powerful countries their not being part of the League reflected on the Leagues ability to enforce these sanctions.