Genzyme Summary Essay

Genzyme was founded in 1981, Sanofi purchased the company in 2011. They went public in 1986, raising 27 million dollars. Genzyme startet as a start up Company by scientists studying genetically inherited enzyme diseases. Their strategy didn’t focus on the â€Å"blockbuster drugs† like other biotechnology companies but drugs for rare diseases. To developing a drug, it takes 10-14 years at the cost of around 800 million. But the blockbuster drugs had 1 billion dollars revenue. Genzyme has received several honor awards like â€Å"national medal of technology†. The food and drug administration established in 1983 the â€Å"Orphane drug act† giving seven years market exclusivity to developers of drugs for rare diseases. This gave Genzyme big advantage when it comes to clinical trials, advertising and sales, it does not requires a lot. Their first success was the â€Å"Ceredase† drug- to treat the Gaucher`s disease. It was sold to over 4000 patients, with annual revenue of 800 million dollars. They had different way of manufacturing and sales compare to other companies. They did not do licensing to large pharmaceutical company. Genzyme was the worlds third largest biotech company in 2006 only profiting of rare diseases. Reflection of the case * Avoided â€Å"blockbuster† market and good management Good strategic to focus on a niche market instead of the †blockbuster† market. The degree of existing rivalry and entry barriers was low. Henri Termeer took a risk in moving to a start up company but with his experience and expertise, the company went stronger and independent. * First ones to market and the exclusivity Genzyme entered a small, untapped market. Being the first biotech company that focus on rare diseases and having the market exclusivity made them leading biotech company. They had the ability to identify almost all customers. They had big advantage when is comes to clinical trials, restrictions, FDA and small numbers of test patients required.

Gap Model of Service Marketing

Introduction In a competitive market, a business’s main purpose is to create value for customers, because it is basically the consumer who essentially determines what a business is, even the future success of a business (Karl, 2009). For service marketing, which is the form of marketing focuses on processes deeds and performances, service quality is only way for customers to evaluate their experiences (Susamoo, 2012). Hence, the service quality is one of the most important factors that any service organisation should face.Service quality can be defined as ‘a customers' perception of how well a service meets or exceeds their expectations’ (Seth, Deshmukh ; Vrat, 2005). However, many consumers are short of the knowledge to evaluate the service they receive, meanwhile, the providers also lack skills to meet customer’s needs. When the experience does not match the expectation, a gap arises. The gap model of service quality identifies five major gaps that organi zations seeking to meet customer's expectations in service delivery process (Turner, Bienstock & Reed, 2010).The purpose of this paper is discussing the gaps can occur in delivery of service quality. Besides, this essay will describe the feasible approaches for closing these service quality gaps, and put forward the examples to support. Customer Gap Customer gap is the difference between customer expectations and perceptions (Zeithaml, Bitner & Gremler, 2006). This gap arises when the customers misinterpret the service quality.The customer expectation is the standards or reference points that customer bring into the service experience, sometimes influenced by their cultural background, lifestyle, personality and so forth. Customer perception is based on the customers’ interaction with service. In ideal world, customer’s expectation world be almost identical to customer’s perception (Talebzade, 2009). However, actually, even some great companies like Apple seem t o be increasing significantly their customer gap. Customers complained that they were squeezed by Apple’s service platform, iTunes, because of the high cost of Apps.The App customers expect was high quality and cost-saving service, but the spending was far outstripped their expectation. It caused customers dissatisfied with iTunes services (Sullivan, 2011). Therefore, the results of customer gap are quite predictable, the higher the customer gap, the higher the risk of generating customer dissatisfaction and losing loyalty. In order to close the customer gaps, managers should educate customer to see reality of service delivery and clearly understand the customer expectation.IKEA, the world’s largest furniture retailer used to collect the information about customers’ ideal shopping experience so as to meet customers’ needs before opened its Chicago store. In basis of those feedbacks, IKEA redesigned the store, and made it more appropriate for shopping. Loc al customers were so satisfied with this store, and rated 85 per cents ‘excellent’ for this store (Zeithaml, Bitner & Gremler, 2006). Hence, clearly understanding customers’ expectation and perception in advance can help managers to narrow the gap. Knowledge GapKnowledge gap is the difference between customer expectation of service and company understanding of those expectation (Webb, 2000). Service providers who result in knowledge gap sometimes apply inadequate marketing research orientation and lack of communication with employees and customers. Moreover, the factors of lacking company strategies to strengthen customer relationships and inadequate service recoveries are also the critical reasons to cause knowledge gap. Boeing has been the leader of airplane manufacturing and service providing.However, in 2006, Boeing declared that their cabin broadband access service was suspended, because this service was badly received by passengers. In actual, for passenger s, what they want was flights to be on time. Boeing assessed customer expectation in wrong way, and made failure of the service innovation (BBC, 2006). In a customer-orientated business, it is important to have a clear understanding of the customer’s need for service. To close the gap between the customer’s expectation and business’s perception of service delivery, anagers require a set of comprehensive marketing research and adequate upward communication with their customers and employees. For solving this problem, Ritz-Carlton Hotel establishes its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) for improving service quality. The information of registered customers in CRM can help Ritz-Carlton Hotel to customize client’s accommodation experience based on customer’s lifestyle and preference (Delio, 2000). Therefore, for closing knowledge gap and improving service quality, manager should know what customer really want.Design and Standard Gap Design and Stan dard Gap is the gap between provider’s perception and customer-driven service designs and standards. It may arise when companies are difficultly translating customer expectation into service quality specification. The reasons of this gap occurs can include poor service design, lack of quality specification and failure of maintaining and updating servicescape (Zeithaml, Bitner & Gremler, 2006). Presently in Taiwan, the tourism sector encourages local farmers to develop their rural tourism in order to attract mainland visitors.Therefore, the number of agents were founded in the last two years. Nevertheless, many agents are not registered with Taiwanese tourism sector, and do not get the appropriate insurances for taking care of tourists (Siow, 2012). The tourist’s expectation is the safe and pleasant journey experience, but the tourism sector cannot supervise this market well. It causes negative impact among visitors. In order to close design and standard gap, managers n eed make sure that they are defining the level of service quality they believe.For example, Amazon has set standards for specifying the shipping time when a products is unavailable, out of product in local warehouse and other different conditions (Zeithaml, Bitner & Gremler, 2006). These sets of specifications can improve the efficiency of daily operation, and enhance service quality for customers. Therefore, managers should specify service quality standards that reflect expectation so as to narrow the design and standard gap. Performance Gap Performance Gap is the gap between the service quality specification and service delivery.This gap exposes when service providers fail to deliver service quality according to their goals and standards. Sometimes, service providers who leading this gap have poor human resource policies, or staffs lack of knowledge and skills to delivery service to customers (Chenet, Tynan & Money, 2000). Motorola is famous for its performance management. Motorol a’s managers believe that the human resource strategy is identical to their performance management. Motorola focuses on the skills of individual employee to improve the process of delivering value to customers.Motorola‘s service performance objectives consist of two parts, business goals and behaviour standards. These two parts work together to improve employee performance and service quality (Ahire, Waller & Golhar, 1996). Therefore, for narrowing the performance gap, managers need to audit the customer experience that providers currently deliver, in order to make sure the level of service delivery can live up to the specification (Rajagopal, n. d. ). Besides, managers also should consider the role of employee and customer in delivery process.For Motorola, except for improve staff training and education, managing and analysing the customers’ different requirements are also important. Hence, so as to close the performance gap, managers should coordinate the inter action between employees and customers in delivery process, and make service experiences meet the specification. Communication Gap Communication gap is the gap between the delivery of customer experience and what is communicated with customers (Hudson, 2011). Sometimes, customer expectations are highly influenced by the promises made by service providers.Therefore, this gap arises when service providers are over-promised, and do not match the actual service quality to customers. In 2009, Google launched its music service in mainland China, and cooperated with local music website, Top100 to provide free and legal music. Google promised that customers can create their own online songs list, and easily access to that in any time. However, with the failure of the cooperation with partner, and shut down the mainland division, Google's music service became unstable. Customers often cannot accesse to their online music list as Google promised.Google over-promised their service and finally cannot perform that (Tejada, 2012). Clearly, Google’s failure is the result of communication gap between customers’ perceptions and Google’s promises. Therefore, so as to narrow the communication gap, managers should ensure service performance quality matches to their promises. Besides, they also need avoid ineffective management of customer expectation and inadequate horizontal communication among different service providers (Zeithaml, Bitner ; Gremler, 2006).As an electronics retail giant, BestBuy have 1150 stores around the world. In each BestBuy store, staffs will clearly and directly promise the returns commitments of goods to customers, and faithfully perform their promises (BestBuy, 2013). Hence, managers need avoid exaggerating what will provide to customer so that finally harming customer’s perceptions. Conclusion This paper has described the five gaps that occur in the process of service delivery. Moreover, a set of approaches so as to close the se service quality gaps is explained following each gap model.Today’s consumer has become increasingly demanding. Customers often look at the service quality of both the process and outcomes of service delivery. The delivery of high quality service is one of the most complicated and important tasks for each service provider. The gap model of service quality is a measure of how service supplied by providers meet or surpass customer’s expectation (Ahmed et al, n. d. ). In order to close these gaps, managers should clearly understand customer expectation, set quality specification, manage employee performance and communication channel.To narrow the service quality gap is not only for improving the service quality, but also for delivering value well to customers. References Ahire, SL, Waller, MA ; Golhar, DY 1996, ‘Quality management in TQM versus non-TQM firms: an empirical investigation’, The International Journal of Quality ; Reliability Management, vol. 13 , no. 8, pp. 8-27, viewed 23 March 2013, ;http://search. proquest. com. ezproxy. utas. edu. au/business/docview/197606505/13D0B260F7C754E46B9/3? accountid=14245;. Ahmed, I, Gul, S, Hayat, U ; Qasim, M n. d. Service quality; Service features; and Customer complaint handling as the major determinants of customer satisfaction in Banking sector, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, viewed 24 March 2013, ; http://www. wbiconpro. com/5[1]. ISHFA. pdf;. BestBuy, 2013, Return ; Exchange Policy, BestBuy Official Website, viewed 24 March 2013, ;http://www. bestbuy. com/site/Returns-Refunds/Return-%26-Exchange-Policy/pcmcat260800050014. c? id=pcmcat260800050014;. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), 2006, Boeing exits in-flight broadband, BBC, London, viewed 23 March 2013, ; http://news. bc. co. uk/2/hi/business/5261562. stm;. Chenet, P, Tynan, C ; Money, A 2000, ‘The service performance gap: testing the redeveloped causal model’, European Journal of Marketin g, vol. 34, no. 3/4, pp. 472-497, viewed 23 March 2013, ;http://search. proquest. com. ezproxy. utas. edu. au/business/docview/237021271/13D0B1BB3BD6EE81139/1? accountid=14245;. Delio, M 2000, For Ritz-Carlton, It All Begins with Customer Knowledge, destinationcrm. com, viewed 23 March 2013, ; http://www. destinationcrm. com/Articles/CRM-News/Daily-News/For-Ritz-Carlton-It-All-Begins-with-Customer-Knowledge-47424. spx;. Hudson, P 2011, An examination of how gaps between customer expectations of service quality and actual service quality can arise, Marketing Student Blog, viewed 24 March, ;http://www. phil-hudson. com/an-examination-of-how-gaps-between-customer-expectations-of-service-quality-and-actual-service-quality-can-arise/;. Karl, JA 2009, Customer Service – The Importance of Quality Service, SparkNET, viewed 22 March 2013, ;http://ezinearticles. com/? Customer-Service—The-Importance-of-Quality-Service&id=2220862>. Rajagopal, V n. d. Closing the Gap Between Guest Expectation and Management Perception, Pacific International Hotel Management School, New Plymouth, viewed 24 March 2013, . Seth, N, Deshmukh, SG & Vrat, P 2005, ‘Service quality models: a review’, The International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 22, no. 8/9, pp. 913-949, viewed 23 March 2013, .Siow, CW 2012, Identify Possible Critical Provider Gap(s) in the Package Tours Sold by Travel Agencies in Singapore, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, viewed 23 March 2013, ;http://digitalscholarship. unlv. edu/cgi/viewcontent. cgi? article=2335;context=thesesdissertations;. Sullivan, D, 2011, Why Do Amazon ; Apple Hate Families? , Daggle. com, viewed 22 March 2013, ; http://daggle. com/amazon-apple-hate-families-2867;. Susamoo, J 2012, Services Marketing Basics, StudyMode. com, viewed 22 March 2013, ;http://www. studymode. com/essays/Services-Marketing-Basics-1051800. html;.Talebzade, S, 2009, The Customer Service Gap Model, University of Technology, Sydney, v iewed 22 March 2013, ; http://www. brainmates. com. au/brainrants/the-customer-service-gap-model;. Tejada, C 2012, Google to Shut Down China Music Service, The Wall Street Journal (Asia Edition), viewed 24 March 2013, ;http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10000872396390444620104578009941960495424. html;. Turner, KF, Bienstock, CC ; Reed, RO, 2010, ‘An Application Of The Conceptual Model Of Service Quality To Independent Auditing Services’, Journal of Applied Business Research, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. -7, viewed March 23 2013, ;http://search. proquest. com. ezproxy. utas. edu. au/business/docview/733023826/13D0AC1065736D08DC5/1? accountid=14245;. Webb, D 2000, ‘Understanding customer role and its importance in the formation of service quality expectations’, The Service Industries Journal, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 1-21, viewed 23 March 2013, ;http://search. proquest. com. ezproxy. utas. edu. au/business/docview/203346350/13D0AD569442014A8BC/1? accountid=14245. ; Zeithaml , VA, Bitner, MJ ; Gremler, DD 2006, Service Marketing – Integrating Customer Focus Across The Firm, 4th edn, McGraw-Hill, Irwin, Chapter 2, pp. 32-46 ,

Historical and religious values and attachments to the Holy Lands of Essay

Historical and religious values and attachments to the Holy Lands of Jews, Christians and Arab Muslims - Essay Example The three major and most dominating religions of the world are in rivalry with each other since ages in order to capture and practice complete authority in the Holy Land. This is due to their religious beliefs and the Prophetic evidences existing in the Holy Land. Compare and analyze the historical and religious values and attachments to the â€Å"Holy Lands† of Jews, Christians and Arab Muslims. The Holy Land which was once recognized as ‘Palestine’ has a deep and distinctive association with three major religions of the world including Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Since ages the followers of these religions have maintained rivalry to occupy and practice authority over the Holy sites of Palestine. These religions have numerous similarities such as the concept of Monotheism and dissimilarities or conflicts on the basis of Prophets and their teachings which always have been a reason of dispute among them. Holy Land as the name indicates is the sacred place wher e Muslims, Christians and Jews go for performing religious duties and obligations. The place is blessed to witness the Prophetic events concerning Prophet Solomon, Prophet Jesus and lastly Prophet Muhammad. Presently Holy lands are under the authority of Jews however, historical records reflect that it was once in the influence of Muslims and Christians as well.... Christians Christians are the followers of Prophet Jesus. Since the time of Prophet Jesus till now they are claiming authority over the Holy Land as most of the life of Prophet Jesus was spent there. Christians recognize Palestine as their Prophet’s Land and therefore they have been struggling hard to get the hold of the Holy Land so that they can implement their religious teachings there. Most of the events in the life of Prophet Jesus which took place in the Holy land are mentioned in New Testament which reflects the close association of Christians with Palestine1. Christians believe that Prophet Jesus was crucified in the Holy land therefore they have built an extraordinary monument at the place where it all happened. The special monument is known as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Since ages Christians have been traveling to the Holy land for performing several religious practices and rituals2. Christians want to establish their rule over the Holy Land in order to smooth the pathway for pilgrimages and also to take over the place which initially belonged to their Prophet. An exchange of powers is seen among the followers of the three religions when it comes to practice authority over the Holy Land. Presently it is under the control of Jews and previously it was under the influence of British who separated the area into two divisions; one was for Muslims and other was to be built as a Zionist State3. It has been a great time that Christians did not get its possession although they regard it as the most prestigious place for themselves. This has induced a much intense desire among them to get complete control over the matters of the Holy Land. This could

Marketing Strategy and Planning (Two Product Portfolio Analysis Essay

Marketing Strategy and Planning (Two Product Portfolio Analysis models) - Essay Example Increased competition fuelled by the process of globalisation, vast developments in the information and telecommunication technology as well as rapid changes in the world social and political structures have created intensely competitive markets in which today’s organisations are struggling to find a competitive foothold. Nature of today’s business is such that, organisations can no longer succeed in achieving a competitive advantage through product quality, speed of supply or production cost management. These factors have become prerequisites to stay in business and no longer offer a platform for competitive advantage. Organisations need to streamline their business strategies and explore and identify areas, which can be best exploited with the organisation’s resource base. Maximizing the effective deployment of organisational resources involve, crafting of market and product strategies that best achieve the organisational objectives. Thus, management of the pro duct portfolio becomes a key management consideration for those companies that aim to achieve sustainable competitiveness in the market place.

Triangle Order Fulfillment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Triangle Order Fulfillment - Case Study Example Triangle Order Fulfillment Analysis In June the total number of orders that was received was 280900. The total number of defected orders was 2227. Defects per opportunity can be calculated here by using the formulae DPU= number of defect/number of opportunities = 2227/280900 = 0.0004081 This value is small indicating that the defects level is average. However the next month see the company having a DPU of 0.0089. This is a very large increase showing us that the level of error per total number of orders has increased. In august, the DPU reduced with a small range from that of July to get 0.0085. After this the DPU has been increasing steadily to reach 0.009 in November six months after the first DPU is measured. The increase in the DPU over the years shows that there is an increase in the number of low quality work that is done by the staff. The DPMO of all the months can be calculated as DPMO= 1000000*DPU. The DPMO of the month of June is 1000000*0.000408 this gives us 408. The DPMO of the next month increase s to 8800 showing a significant increase over the two months. The DPMO of the following months has been on the increase increasing steadily to reach the 9000 mark. This value shows that if one million orders are taken then 9000 of they will have defects. Though this might seem a small number, the problem comes by the way that it has arisen from 480 to 9000. . This shows that there are some changes that have been seen over the past 6 months. The graph below shows the way that the DPU as well as the DPMO have been increasing over the past 6 months.... This shows us that there might been a change or a significant event occurred between June and July to cause the changes that occur in the change in the DPU. K sigma can also be calculated from the above data but the standard deviation has to be calculated first. From the data the SD= 567. K= tolerance/ (2*SD) this we get the K sigma to be 1000000/ (2*567) ewe get value 881. Therefore the value is high and shows that the quality rate is reducing every time. If these defects are to be reduced then six sigma should be adopted by the company. There are lots of benefits that come with the use of six sigma, one is the improvement in quality of the work that is done, six sigma also provides an opportunity for the removing of the causes of defects in the organization and to also make sure that variability is reduced. The quality management tools that are used by six sigma also provide a special infrastructure of the general work force and this in turn helps the management to know the experts in each specific fields. For Ms. Jackson to convince Mr. Nguyen of the importance of six sigma, she needs to get all the benefits of six sigma and list them to the manager. She also needs to do research on companies that have successfully used six sigma and how they have benefited from the six sigma method. She also needs to inform the manager, that even if the implementation of six sigma would cost the company, it will help in saving for the expenses that come due to low quality. For six sigma to be in fully implemented, the following roles have to be taken The executive leadership has to be taken. The CEO and the top members of the management are to be in this category Champions who have the responsibility of implementing the six sigma Master black these are identified

Formal Analysis of theVase, Bottle, and Fruit by Henri Matisse Essay

Formal Analysis of theVase, Bottle, and Fruit by Henri Matisse - Essay Example In 1906, Henri Matisse presented yet another still life masterpiece called ‘Vase, Bottle, and Fruit’. This painting made with oils on canvas reflects post-impressionist style of Fauvism, of which Matisse was crowned the King. As an innovation, Matisse did not place the various 2-D still life objects on top of the table. The still life objects seem to be floating within the painting, and absolutely merged in the atmosphere. Although, the subject matter is reality-based, that is various objects on a table yet we see that Matisse has not produced a slavish copy of reality. Instead of painting the still life objects and background to correspond with reality, he presents distorted images to work out pictorial harmony. In fact, the patterns and shapes in this painting successfully depict his surreal interpretation of the subject matter. He employs a dark palette for the background, combined with vibrant colors for the still life objects. This contrast focuses the audience†™s attention more on the objects than the gloomy, dark background. The interior is absolutely ambiguous, capturing greater attention as a viewer tries to identify the objects and make out the background. The contrasted flat areas do not only add harmony, but also an effect of space to the painting. The clear boundaries of the table combined with the darker colors around it establish the spatial coordinates of the interior. The interior is devoid of shadows and unlike the background is entirely filled with light. The fabric presented here, depicts both, the tablecloth and background, Matisse accentuated the two-dimensional picture surface, which is highlighted even more due to the lack of shadows. He has subjugated the ordinary subject matter to his own artistic desires by constantly evolving the colors and patterns in it. Undeniably this painting is a classic illustration of the rich interplay between forms and colors Paragraph 3: Pure colors and dynamic brushstrokes give life to the painting. He ignores details, and has used vibrant and bright colors and strong lines to produce a feeling of movement. Pattern is the basic philosophy behind the painting. His use of pattern is akin to his use of colors, aimed at in-depth representation of the subject matter, regardless of the elements being still life, figure, and interior. This painting is an evidence of Matisse’s dexterity in the use of bold colors, and organic kinds that is evocatively apparent in it. Essentially, these patterns of the toile de juoy bear resemblance to flora, fauna, and vegetables and are organic. Matisse has used textiles as symbolic depictions and later termed them as ‘signs’. The blue tablecloth presented in this painting is in fact based on a textile fabric, an early nineteenth century printed French fabric made of cotton and linen. Matisse admired this fabric and termed it as his ‘toile de Jouy’. In actual, the fabric comprised of a delft blue design ma de on a white backdrop; however, in the painting, Matisse transformed the white into an aqua and grey shades to enrich the overall harmony. The blue and cyan hues add a powerful and bold edge to the overall painting, yet not an overpowering element. His imaginative makeover of the real life theme prime has enabled him to create oriental fantasies based on patterns. This painting incorporates the decorative element of eastern art and also uses a vast array of colors like the French Impressionists. In addition, Matisse has employed fauvism in this painting, as is evident from the wild brush strokes, strident colours, simplified theme, and abstract interpretation of

Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Anthropology - Essay Example Anthropology is made up of four subfields: Physical anthropology - It deals with the learning about humans' biological aspects by examining their skeletal and other physical remains of earlier humans. It also includes research on human evolution as well as forensic studies" (unt.edu). The social sciences are a group of academic disciplines that also include anthropology as a sub discipline and study various human aspects of the world. In general, it can be said that social sciences is involved in studying subjective, inter-subjective and objective or structural aspects of society and is traditionally referred to as soft sciences. On the other hand hard sciences, such as the natural sciences focus mainly on objective aspects of nature. However, today due to the flow of various aspects it is become much difficult to distinguish between hard science and soft science. Other social science disciplines other than anthropology include economics, education, geography, history, law, linguistics, political science, social work, psychology, sociology etc. Anthropology is a unique and holistic discipline that deals with the integration of different aspects of the Social Sciences, Humanities, and Human Biology. There are several fields such as Archaeology, Prehistory and Paleontology, Physical or Biological Anthropology, Anthropological Linguistics, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Ethnology and Ethnography that are linked with anthropology. In other words, anthropology is the only social science subject that interlinks most of these branches. For instance, economics is a social science that seeks to analyze and describe the production, distribution, and consumption of wealth (economics). Education is a sub-division of social science which deals with teaching, learning specific skills, etc. These are all independent subjects where as anthropology is the only subject that interlinks all other social science subjects. Numerous subfields or modes of anthropology cut across these divisions. For instance, medical anthropology is over and over again considered a subfield of socio-cultural anthropology; but, today there are several anthropologists are involved in studying medical topics especially to look at biological variation in human populations or the interaction of culture and biology. It is seen that they may use linguistic analysis to understand communication around health and illness, or archaeological techniques to understand health and illness in historical or pre-historical human populations. Forensic anthropologists in general may use both techniques from physical anthropology as well as archaeology and may also at times practice as medical anthropologists. Environmental or ecological anthropology is currently a growing subfield concerned with the interactions between humans and their environment. This is in fact another interlinked subject where the cultural and biological and some times archaeological approaches combine together, to deal with a broad range of topics

Personal development through reflective practice Essay

Personal development through reflective practice - Essay Example ts on a monthly basis with all of the heads of service within the council Senior Management Group to make sure that all of the senior managers within the council have a regular opportunity to keep up to date with the latest changes and/or issues which are taking shape. Their stipulated task and the agenda is to Provide strategic advice to the council, ensuring that the policy objectives of the council are incorporated within the work programmers of services; Lead and/or manage the development of major strategies; Provide information and support to councilors, managers and staff; Manage the performance of the directors and heads of service to enable services to implement the councils policies efficiently and effectively; Oversee the development of working relationships between councilors and staff; Ensure the health of the organization (values, culture, expectations and structures);Provide the lead on corporate and inter-agency initiatives to achieve an integrated approach for issues which fall outside of traditional service delivery mechanisms; Co-ordinate the councils work with partner organizations and to establish working relationships with their representatives; Represent the council in local, regional and national debates and Deal with the re solution of conflict. The primary agenda of the counsel is to ensue that the children are developed to their full potential and are brought in a stable, safe and a secure environment. The real deal lies in improving upon their educational attainment and to help even the most vulnerable children and young people to groom them and become better individuals in the long run. Would be to Enabling all children and young people to fulfil their potential, Promoting their safety, care and stability, improving their educational attainment and to enable the most vulnerable children and young people in the Council to develop to their full potential The real strength of the department lies in the wide pool of staff knowledge

Diverse Backgrounds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Diverse Backgrounds - Essay Example y which happens to be the same fascination of the other then there would be an ample chance for both parties to meet and play often and further get to know one another. It would also aid to consider funding an event which raises social awareness where every participant, regardless of background, is granted the opportunity to express views in exchange of the opinions made by the counterparts. This may spark not only a sense of high curiosity but also a profound desire to share personal stories which are relevant to the theme of the occasion. At workplace, diversity of backgrounds among employees may be in terms of socio-economic status so colleagues are likely to necessitate seeking to discern each other by joining an activity that is commonly engaged to by the majority. Recreational facilities, in this case, would then largely matter since a fixed spot within a company is conducive for conferences on a regular basis. Teambuilding events can be designed in such a way as to unravel the values of each member and determine how each person’s response with attitude and creativity is able to impart relevant learning for the team. Acquiring knowledge about the strengths and weaknesses of a teammate in the process leads to better understanding and forming of trust and companionship so that indifferences brought by the issue of diversity are gradually

Conformity and Obedience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Conformity and Obedience - Essay Example After a time he told them all to drink a mixture of Cool-aid (a grape flavored soft drink) and cyanide, as well as various other drugs. Most obeyed him, and those who didn't told of parents first giving the drink to their children, before themselves. (Melton, J. Gordon, The Peoples Temple and Jim Jones: Broadening Our Perspectives) 1. The conformity to norms is often quite unconscious. It has been internalized (learned well), probably in early childhood. Our societal norms are seldom doubted; rather, we take them as givens, as "the way things are." The learning is supported throughout life by the "validity" of the norm -- i.e. it works because it is the norm. 2. But sometimes we choose, consciously, to conform, as when we join a group voluntarily. We adopt certain norms because the group is attractive to us and we identify with the group and its values or goal. In its more dramatic forms, this is called conversion. 3. In other cases, we conform because we are forced to, i.e. we are conscious of our conformity but it seems a lot less voluntary. This is often called compliance, and it can be brought on by anything from a gun to the head or the promise of candy. In other words, it is conformity due to the sanctions the society or group has in effect. 4. But most of what we call conformity in the research literature concerns something "somewhat conscious" and "not quite voluntary." It is usually brought on by social anxiety -- fear of embarrassment, discomfort at confusion, a sense of inferiority, a desire to be liked, and so on. I think it should be called defensive conformity. Solomon Asch and his students have conducted the basic research on this kind of conformity: Imagine that a person, "A" has volunteered for a psychology experiment, and he shows up at the lab at the promised time. There is a table with four chairs around it, three already occupied by other students. So "A" takes the last chair and prepares himself for some kind of psychological bizarreness. Finally, the experimenter comes in carrying two stacks of rather large cardboard cards. He introduces himself and thanks you for volunteering and begins to explain: One set of cards, as evidenced by the top card, shows three lines at a time, each line of a different length. The other set shows one line at a time. The task is called "line-length judgment" and looks to be very easy: Even from a distance, the line among the three that matches the single line is very clear. The experiment begins. The experimenter points at the first student. He looks at the lines, hems and haws a bit... and chooses the wrong match! Oh well, there's one in every crowd. The experimenter just nods sagely to himself. He points at the second volunteer, and he too hems and haws... and chooses the wrong line! Now "A" begins to feel a bit uncomfortable. The experimenter points at the third person -- your last chance -- and he, too, chooses the obviously wrong answer. Now it's "A's" turn. Being a person of integrity, you clearly announce the correct answer -- at which point, all three volunteers and the experimenter give you a look like you're from outer space. The experimenter reveals the second card of

A Long Long Sleep Review Essay Example for Free

A Long Long Sleep Review Essay 1. A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan 2. The book was first published in 2011 in the United States 3. Discussion of the plot a. The story takes place in the ComUnity 62 years after the main character is â€Å"stassed†. b. The protagonist of the story is Rose Fitzroy, who was awakened after 62 years in stass. c. Rose was the heir of the wealthiest family in the world. However, she was put in stass by her parents for 62 years until she was discovered. Desperate of losing her parents, her first love, her friends and everything once belonged to her, Rose tries to put her past behind her and adapt to her new world. d. Rose is the target of reporters and her surroundings when she first starts her new life. The students at school try to avoid her and treat her as if she was a ghost. She is rejected by Bren, the one who found her and woke her up by a kiss. Every night, she suffers the nightmare of her past life and the fear of losing her new life again. Most importantly, she is the target of a robot assassin, which was programed by her own parents in order to â€Å"keep her safe†. e. As the robot trying to kill Rose, she also finds out that Bren’s grandfather, who arranged everything for Rose since the day she was found, is Xavier, her long lost love. She is shock and sinks into a sea of thoughts. When she is talking to Otto about what has happened, the robot finds her and she just gives up. On the way to the robot station, she is technically dying because of all the pain, but still manages to think about her past, what her parents had done to her and her family, her present, who she really is and the people around her including Xavier, and her future, who she is meant to be. At the station, where all the stass tube is hidden, she decided to fight back the robot. With her little strength, she manages to throw the battery at the robot, which later exploded, and she was saved by hiding in the tube. As for her relationship with Xavier, they still love each other as much as they ever had. Rose was able to forgive the people who hurt her, in order to hold on to her dream. 4. I think the book is about 8. I was drawn into this book and its story since the first few pages. This is the first book that I really took home to read. The story is very excited and can pick up the speed at some parts. However, the fact that Rose fell in love with Bren too fast rather looking for her parents or Xavier made the story become just another fairytale with a modern twist. Besides that, I really like this book! 5. A. How old was Rose supposed to be if she wasn’t stassed? * Rose was technically a hundred years old. Before the last 62 years in stasis, she was stassed many times. It actually took her 38 years to reach the age of 16. (page 152 – 153) B. How many brother and sister does Rose have? Rose had two other siblings, a brother named Stephano and a sister named Seraphina. Rose doesn’t know (or remember) of their existence until she saw the files in the robot. Her siblings were also programed to be killed by the robot. If not, they were still stassed until then. (Page 312-313) C. What does Rose do in order to talk to Otto? Since Otto couldn’t talk and afraid to touch Rose, she decided to â€Å"chat† with Otto on a screen (I assume it’s like a tablet). (Page 102) 6. â€Å"I try to keep myself active, keep my heart open, refuse to sink into despair when I find myself crying for no reason in the middle of the night†. This is my favorite line of the book because Rose has been suffering so much, all because of her parents. She did not have the love that every human being deserve to have, yet she is still trying really hard to move on, forget the past and holding on to her future. I can also find myself in this line since I have been always trying to be happy and not being desperate over the â€Å"bad† things that happen in my life. 7. One thing I’ve learned from this book is to not give up easily and hold on to my dream.

McDonalds Operation Management

McDonalds Operation Management In todays business environment, operations management is used by companies not only to be competitive, but also to ensure that their objectives are met at a cheapest cost. This will consist of a set of planned activities that would convert various inputs into goods and services. This report provides an analysis of McDonalds and organisations Operations Management, Operational Strategy, process and product design, Supply Chain Management, inventory control, JIT and Total Quality Management which include all the different processes and techniques to enhance the value of products and services that McDonalds provide to its customers at the acceptable cost. McDonalds is the global fast-food service retailer. The company have more than 32,000 restaurants and serve more than 60 million people in more than 100 countries every day. More than 80% of McDonalds restaurants worldwide are franchised and operated by local people. When Richard and Maurice McDonald opened their first restaurant they developed the idea of an assembly line where a reduced menu could be cooked cheaper and quicker, which would lead to a higher turnover of customers. The history of McDonalds began with founder, Ray Kroc. He managed the franchising of the McDonalds restaurant concept. By 1961 Ray Kroc was running the whole plan. The only thing the McDonald brothers did was run their one restaurant, and receive 0.5% from the larger company. The expansion of the McDonalds brand was not something they were really interested in. Ray Kroc, on the other hand, was. He wanted to put a McDonalds restaurant in every state in America which he eventually did. Kroc took over McDonalds company, at a cost of 2.7 million dollars. Anyone who wanted to open a McDonalds restaurant had to pay Kroc around a thousand dollars and then 1.9% from the annual takings of the restaurant. He then passed 0.5% of the takings onto the McDonald brothers and kept the other 1.4%. It is estimated that if the McDonalds had continued to receive their 0.5% it would have been worth around two hundred million dollars by the year 2000. The McDonalds chain has not been without its problems. There was the famous McLibel case the longest running libel case in British legal history. Also the discovery that some beef products were used in the preparation of their french fries, which resulted in the company paying compensation of 10 million dollars to Hindus, Sikhs, and vegetarians. There have been various criticisms of the McDonalds Corporation, ranging from the source of their meat, to the treatment of workers in the restaurants (BBC, 2005). McDonalds Restaurants UK Limited is owned subsidiary of the U.S. parent company and opened its first UK restaurant in Woolwich in 1974. There are now 1,200 restaurants operating in the UK which, despite representing only 4% of the total number of McDonalds restaurants worldwide, contribute 7% of global profits, making the UK a very important financial market for McDonalds shareholders. (McDonalds Corporation, 2008) This report will present the operational strategy of McDonalds and also how the processes and products are designed in the company. Furthermore the report explains the flow of materials and information between the operations within the McDonalds supply chain and also what type of inventory management is used in the Company, moreover report underlines importance of lean management, just-in-time and other systems that are incorporated in the Company. In addition report introduces Total Quality Management and its importance within McDonalds operational process. 3. Operational Strategy Operations strategy concerns the pattern of strategic decisions and actions which set the role, objectives and activities of the operation. (Slack et al, 2004. p.67) The main objective of company in the operational area is that the production process was as effective as possible. In other words, when using the same assets the company produce the maximum amount of high quality product which satisfies customers. Companies can achieve these results through the use of tools such as: reducing costs, improving product quality, punctual delivery, speed of response, product flexibility in adapting to individual customer requirements, resistance to fluctuations in demand, advanced technology and excellent customer service. The listed tools relate to the operational strategies, which by focusing on the production process on certain key elements can give a measurable competitive advantage. To achieve these objectives McDonalds create a balance between customers needs and minimising waste. Demand is forecasted and stock is controlled so that products do not have to be thrown repeatedly. McDonalds is a global company, but they operate locally. Currently, McDonalds wants to be perceived as a modern company that cares about customers and ecology. They offer fast-serve meals, such as: breakfast, salads, vegetables and dairy products. In their restaurants people can buy regional products, including Rice burgers served in Taiwan, Japan shrimp, coconut milk in Brazil. 3a.Three dimensions of operational strategy process Value: McDonalds sells nearly millions of burgers every day. Jobs are systematic and repetitive in everyday processes. In order to produce so many burgers every employee have assigned particular job in which they have to ensure that the quality and taste of the products is the same all the time. Varieties: McDonalds offer a wide choice of menu items such as: breakfasts, salads, fruits and vegetables and also kids meals to satisfy customers demands. McDonalds menu concentrates on five main ingredients: beef, chicken, bread, potatoes and milk. The main menu items are: the Big Mac and French fries which is one of the main sellers along with local offers and new products that consumers want. Whether its McWraps in Europe, Angus Burgers in Australia, or McCafà © specialty coffees and smoothies in the U.S., company is strategically enhancing menu to attract new customers. Variations McDonalds process is so well organized that it can meet the changing capacity, anticipation for what the customer might demand, ensuring flexibility. Demand for products are calculated using store-specific historic product mix data from the last two years, store-specific and national causal factors for example dates of events such as national promotions and school holidays, information from store managers about factors that might affect demand, e.g. road closures or local events and promotions. 3b. Performance objectives Performance objectives are related to operational processes and their basic function of fulfilling customers needs. There are five performance objectives: Quality Most customers are looking for high quality. Every organisation wants to provide error free products for their customers and gain competitive advantage. Quality objective leads to certain actions and policies in operations to provide a service that the customer wants. McDonalds serves a variety of nutritious, high-quality food products including salads, fruits, and vegetables. At McDonalds the employees are trained to prepare and present meals according to very specific procedures that are strictly enforced, especially in the preparation and handling of raw and cooked products. For example, the ten-minute holding time for sandwiches ensures maximum quality and freshness to each customer. This means that if the products are not sold within ten minutes from the time of their preparation, they are discarded. McDonalds meets all the hygiene specifications, including hand-washing procedures. McDonalds succeed on the feedback from the customers to continuously improve the quality service. Speed: Speed is all about how long customers wait before receiving their service organisation increasing the availability of their products or services if the waiting time is minimised. The Operations process is so well designed at McDonalds that every customer who comes is served quickly. The company have preparation time set for burger and other menu items so that the order is delivered within 3-4 minutes. Even during the busy hours the staff members ensure that the order is delivered on time to the customer. Dependability: An organisations processes have to consistently meet a promised delivery time for a product or service. McDonalds has a more dependable process for the customers by offering the meals on time. They have qualified workers to deliver products on time every one of them have assigned particular job. McDonalds has predictable opening hours during the weekdays and weekends, the products on the menu are available constantly during any time of the day. Flexibility: Refers to elasticity of the processes and change in the variety of products or services making operations more flexible to changes in customer requirements. As customer tastes change, McDonalds needs to increase the range of new products it offers. McDonalds offers a lot of flexibility to meet customer preferences. It offers a balanced collection of culturally relevant menu items in the markets, for both adults and kids and is maximizing the choices. McDonalds has a multiple trained staff in order to be flexible. It maintains shift based system of work among the crew members allowing them to be flexible enough in the work they do. Cost: Refers to minimizing the cost of the process, leading to a cheaper service. The best way of lowering cost is to focus on the customer requirements i.e. fulfilling the quality objective in both product design and operation, as a way of eliminating rework and waste. Operations should focus on getting the supplied service right. It should be also co-ordinated with processes like information systems which help reduce errors. McDonalds have a well planned cost control strategy. The restaurant has a well established low cost supply chain. They adopted Just-In-time strategy that reduces the cost of unnecessary storage and waste. Food can be sold at a lower price because the price does not absorb the costs of unsold food. Ultimately this means lower costs for McDonalds. They ensure efficiency and speed in distribution and very good food processing technology system. McDonalds has employed the value meal strategy which allows customers to buy a sandwich, French fries, and drink at a discount when purchased together. Thus, it is observed that all operations objectives are connected. If quality is improved, cost is also reduced, thus time is also improved and which in turn leads to more flexibility. Thus by starting with quality, along with time reduction the other objectives are directly attacked by taking unique actions for that objective, as needed. Hence, a series of such actions will then result in continuous improvement of all four operations objectives at the same time. (Schroder, 2007 p. 24-25) 3c. PEST Analysis: The success of any organisation depends upon the various external and internal factors which are beyond the control of an organisation. These factors are called Environmental factors. These environmental factors basically include four areas namely Political, Economical, Social and Technological and the analysis of these factors is called PEST analysis. To overcome the problems created by these factors the businesses come up with various strategies. Political Factors: Politics play very important roles in the functioning of the business. It is very important for a firm to know the existing political factor within it is operating. What sort of laws and legislation exist in the country and what are the future prospects. This is quite important to know because these factors will determine the strategy required to sustain and work without problems. Government policy can have a major impact on the operation of a business. The political and public debate on obesity and other health issues negatively affected fast food sales. In recent years, McDonalds has been facing legal trials of possibility in breaking the health legislation by providing unhealthy foods to customers. This had made some damage to McDonalds image. However, McDonalds has already been trying to introduce healthier foods on its menu such as salads, fruits and milk for the kids. Economic Factors: Similarly it is important for a firm to know the economy of the country it is operating within. The factors like unemployment, minimum wages, exchange rate, interest rate, economic growth inflation rate etc are quite important for a firm to know. Economic factors might affect it. If the economy of the country is not good then the number of McDonalds customers can decrease. Economic factor can influence the potential profit of a business. One of the economical forces which may influence McDonalds is the change in interest rate. Most of McDonalds restaurants are franchises, therefore, franchisees would suffer on their borrowing if interest rate increases. Social Factors: Social factors include the demographic and cultural aspects of the environment. Social factors play important role in a business. The business has got to respect the culture it is operating in. For example it cannot sell beef products in a hindu community and pork products in a Muslim community. Apart from that the business has got to know the taste and preference of its customers. The fast food industry has been hit by negative publicity in recent years due to the increasing amount of diabetes, unhealthy food and childhood obesity. In order to overcome the problems, McDonalds has been introducing healthier foods and educational programmes to bring a healthier environment. McDonalds also has been heavily contributed in the charity events in order to make contribution to the society. Technological Every organisation must monitor developments in technology. These can affect the production methods employed by the organisation. Due to the increasing importance of internet, regional planners work with restaurants and by communicating with them on a regular basis via email and telephone. McDonalds also have a friendly use website with more details and information available 4. Process design Process design is the process by which some functional requirements of people are satisfied through the shaping or configuration of the resources and/or activities that comprise a product, or a service, or the transformation process that produces them (Slack et al 2004, p.94). The process should be designed to deliver the products in the best possible way. Before design the process every manager should ask some questions, e.g. what process should give to customers? How much flexibility do customers want? How much will they pay for the products? (Waters 1999, p. 65). Each restaurant is headed by a Restaurant manager who is responsible for the daily operation and customer interaction. The crew members carry out the basic operation at the restaurant and ensure the customer satisfaction. The Process at McDonalds starts with the customer order and then after receiving the order, the design must be completed and delivered. With this operations process, McDonalds aims to be able to deliver a reasonable product within reasonable time. The nature of the work is to provide customers ordered products within few minutes. The order placed by the customer is taken by one of the crew members operating at the tills, as the order is entered into till, a message is passed on to the appropriate crew member in the kitchen for the preparation of the order. In food preparation McDonalds have their own strategy and standards; the Crew members cook burgers on a grill that heat both sides of the burger in a little less than four minute where the Patties are batch cooked in advance. The hamburger buns toaster time is slightly less than one minute to give it a brown texture and slightly crusty, the assembling of hamburger is done by laying out the toasted bottom, spread mayonnaise, add grilled beef, on top lettuce and onions close it with the toasted top and is wrapped and placed into the Universal cabinet ready to be sold to customers. Finally the customer is asked for the mode of payment to complete the transaction. The process flow in McDonalds: Customer order Toast bread product Cook frozen products Place product in packaging Add ingredients Holding Cabinet (Wrapped burgers are kept max 10min) Delivery to the Customer Having a well planned process design, McDonalds is able to produce and service including customers specification maintaining their quality, reduce the customer waiting time at the counters. They have dependable crew members and resource for on-time delivery of products and service. The flexibility is achieved by processing a wide variety of products and changing the cost of the items and lowers their processing costs by eliminating waste in terms of preparing the burgers in bulk. 5. Product design The objective of designing products and services is to satisfy customers by meeting their needs and expectations. This enhances the competitive advantage of company (Slack et al, 2004 p.129) McDonalds product design concentrates on maintaining consistency in how products are prepared as well as what raw-food components are used. They serve a variety of products, sandwiches with beef, fish, and chicken products, menu also include salads, fruits and dairy products. The quality is ensured through standardized and careful employee training efforts. The Company frequently introduce new products and a reason for this is that customers are demanding more choice. McDonalds menu concentrates on five main ingredients: beef, chicken, bread, potatoes and milk. The companys main menu lists is offering: the Big Mac and French fries, which still exists as a major seller. A Big Mac consists of a bun, two beef patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, sauce and a small amount of seasoning. The restaurant will only combine these items just before the customer orders. Other standard product names come from the McDonalds convention of adding a Mc to a particular item. Although McDonalds is a global company, they operate locally. In restaurants people may buy regional products, including Rice burgers served in Taiwan, Japan shrimp and coconut milk in Brazil. Ethical considerations about product design could be that in order to minimise the negative comments about unhealthy food, increased amount of diabetes and obesity among children the Company introduced healthier foods in their menu. They purchase from suppliers that ensure the health and safety of their employees and the humane treatment of animals. The company is also trying to minimise the impact on environment. 6. Supply chain management Supply chain management is the management of the interconnection of organisations that relate to each other through upstream and downstream linkages between the different processes that produce value in the form of products and services to the final consumer (Slack et al, 2004, p. 445). SUPPLY CHAIN PLANNING AND CONTROL Coordinated delivery of products and services from the supply chain Demand The market Customer requirements Supply The operation Operations resources Required time, quantity and quality of products an services Figure 1. Supply Chain planning and control Supply chain management is concerned with managing the flow of materials and information between the operations, which form the strands chains of a supply network. (Slack et al,2004, p. 444). McDonalds ensures its suppliers follow the exact standards of quality, value and cleanliness set by them. When it comes to tracing the products ingredients, great emphasis is placed, so McDonalds are able to control every link in the supply chain. Wherever possible, McDonalds tries to use suppliers who are based in the UK, as they prefer them, but saying this, they still have to meet McDonalds exact product and hygiene standards. All of their European sold beef is supplied from Europe and the great majority of their British sold beef is sourced from Britain. McDonalds has developed a supplier quality index (SQI) by which all suppliers are measured. It allows the company to monitor performance of suppliers across the many agricultural and non-agricultural products and services purchased (Food Chain Centre, 2003). In 2004, McDonalds introduced a specialist central stock management function known as the Restaurant Supply Planning Department. This team communicates with restaurant managers on a regular basis to find out about local events. The team builds these factors into the new planning and forecasting system called Manugistics to forecast likely demand of finished menu items, for example Big Macs. Raw materials include the buns, beef patties, paper cups, salad ingredients and packaging are delivered to the restaurants between 3 and 5 times a week. At any time, a restaurant will have a range of products ready for sale, for example Big Macs, fish and side salads. At McDonalds, all raw materials, work-in-progress and finished products are handled on a First In, First Out (FIFO) basis. This means raw materials are used in the order they are received. Therefore stock is always fresh because products are sold in the order they are made. Ongoing communication between the central Restaurant Supply Planning team and individual restaurants helps to manage the stock more effectively. This team of regional planners works with around 80 restaurants each and communicates with them on a regular basis via email and telephone. Any factors that could affect the number of customers visiting an individual restaurant need to be logged with the team. These are taken into account in calculating the forecasts. Supply Planners work with the stock control system, to ensure enough raw materials leave the McDonalds distribution centres. This ensures that restaurants can produce the meals required for the level of demand forecasted. Supply Planners working for McDonalds include range of causal factors in the calculation of their forecasts, so that based on past performance they can predict future demand for each restaurant. McDonalds Restaurant Managers need to ensure that the data they enter into the system is as accurate as possible. For example, each day Restaurant Managers record opening and closing stocks of key food items. They record all other items weekly (McDonalds Corporation, 2008). Vertical integration the degree to which an operation chooses to own the network of processes that produce a product or service. The strategy of expanding on the supply side of the network is called backward (upstream) vertical integration, and expanding on the demand side is called forward (downstream) vertical integration (Slack et al, 2004 p. 169, 779). McDonalds has practiced a backward (upstream) vertical integration, by replacing most of its suppliers. It has done so for two reasons, 1) To reduce costs, and 2) To ensure that they make top quality products. One of the coffee suppliers of the Company is Distant Lands which have its own coffee farm. In this example vertical integration reduces the risk of delayed delivery (dependability). 7. Inventory management Controls Inventory planning and control compensates for the differences in timing between the supply of an operations products and services and the demand for them (Slack et al 2004, p. 405). There are 5 types of inventory: BUFFER INVENTORY compensates rapid variations in supply and demand. ANTICIPATION INVENTORY is used when changes in demand are big but relatively predictable. It is also used when supply changes are large. DE-COUPLING INVENTORY creates the chance for independent scheduling and processing speeds between process stages. PIPE LINE INVENTORY exists because material cannot be transported right away between the point of supply and the point of demand. CYCLE INVENTORY occurs when one or more stages in the process cannot supply all the items it produces at the same time (Slack et al 2004 p.411-412). McDonalds method of keeping burger lanes full during peak periods is a recognizable example of a pull system in a service application. McDonalds has made billions of hamburgers using elements of just-in-time, from the time of order from the customers to the payment from them; the burgers or the meals are ready to be consumed. If they are later than the time ordered, customers will be dissatisfied. So it is important for McDonalds to use the JIT process in order to keep quality and satisfied customers. Just-in-time means producing goods and services exactly when they are needed. Lean production system is the western term for Toyota Production System. Lean operations and just-in-time planning and control aim to meet demand right away, with perfect quality and no waste. Lean operation means waste elimination in order to create operation that is faster, more dependable and that produces high quality products and also operates at low costs (Slack et al 2004 p. 518, 519). There are two major pillars of lean production system. One is Just-in-Time system and other is Kaizen. Kaizen is a Japanese term for continuous improvement involving everyone managers and workers alike. Kanban is a Japanese term for card or signal, it controls the transfer of materials between the stages of operation. (Slack et al, 2004 p. 533, 653) McDonalds use lean production system and minimise waste by accurate stock management and by developing correct demand forecasts so that products do not have to be discarded. McDonalds is an example of a JIT system, they doesnt begin to cook its orders until a customer has placed an order. McDonalds is able to make their products fast enough thanks to technology they use, eg. bun toaster. The Company provide fast service and at the same time the finished products are not placed in inventory for long time. The major benefit of using just-in-time system for McDonalds are good quality food at a lower cost and also better quality customer service. This higher quality customer service is the ability to actually produce faster. Without this ability, McDonalds ordering costs would be higher because the costs associated with ordering would be the loss of customers tired of ordering fast food that really isnt fast (Atkinson 2005). 8. Total Quality Management (TQM): Total Quality Management is a philosophy of how to approach the organization of quality improvement. This approach puts quality at the heart of everything that is done by an operation and including all the activities within the operation (Slack et al, 2004, p. 722). Feigenbaum defined TQM as; An effective system for integrating the quality development, quality maintenance and quality improvement efforts of the various groups in an organisation, so as to enable production and service at the most economical levels which allow for full customer satisfaction(Cited in Slack et al, 2004, p.720). McDonalds goal is simple: to give customers high quality products anywhere in the world and maintain high standards of service. Every member of the organisation must be involved from the highest executive to the crewmembers of McDonalds. The commitment to quality must be instilled into everyone from the moment they join McDonalds in every dimension of the organisation, e.g. Operation, Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Health and Safety and Food Safety The basic principles of McDonalds are: 1. Putting the customer first by making sure all customers are fully satisfied with McDonalds, predicting and fulfilling their needs, exceeding their expectations, by using market research to find out what they want, they aim to surprise you with their quality, choice and service and making sure that all service standards are met. 2. Making continuous improvements by reducing costs, maintain good ordering procedures in all restaurants. 3. Aim for zero defects do it right first time, it can be very expensive putting it right afterwards. Prevention is better than cure. This requires rigorous quality testing and control so that defective products are spotted immediately. The advantages of using TQM: Every individual in McDonalds is responsible for quality Quality becomes the focus for all activities Everything McDonalds does is designed to satisfy their customers. This can lead to a greater market share and also increased profit The disadvantages for using this system are: Requires well-trained, responsible staff, this could cost more money for training each employee. Some of the employees can be resistant to change Gives visible effects in the long run 9. Conclusion. Operation management function exists in every organisation. It is concentrating on achieving the processes of transformation of raw materials into a finished product. Moreover effective operation management enhances performance in the process. McDonalds Corporation is one of the most known companies in the world. In their operational strategy company decided to reduce costs, improve product quality, punctual delivery of their product to customers and continuous performance of all operational aspects of company. All departments of organisation and every employee have to work together to ensure that the strategy reaches its objectives. All the processes in McDonalds reflect the needs of the customers and products are designed taking into account high quality, speed of service and cost. McDonalds working together with suppliers that fulfil all the standards of quality set by the company. To satisfy customers needs of fast served quality products their strategy incorporated just-in-time system. As a result the restaurant is serving fresh food in a short time.

Challenges Facing Health Care Providers and Health Insurance

Challenges Facing Health Care Providers and Health Insurance Topic: challenges facing Health care providers while dealing with Health insurances: a case study of a private hospital in Nairobi Kenya Introduction Define health financing (who,2000)world health report ‘ A health system is the sum total of all the organizations, ititutions and resources whoseprimary intent is to promote, restore or maintain health (WHO, 2000).Effectiveness, efficiency andequity of health financing system is determined by interaction of the three health financing functions namely collection of revenues, the pooling of pre-paid revenues and purchasing.Purchasig means the process by which interventions are selected and services are paid for or providers are paid. Healthcare providers are part of health system and re key component of health system strengthening and they play a significant role in determining whether the goals of a health system can be achieved.It is important that the buyers of services align provider payment methods with organizationalarrangements for service providers and other incentives for efficient service provision In Kenya most of the private health insurances operate on a purchaser provider split model with the insurances being directly responsible for entering into purchase agreements with providers and reimbursing them. Most of the provider payment is fee for service with a few health management organizations trying out the capitation mode of payment on outpatient services.Before the claims are approved for payments they have to undergo through the schemes claims process for eligibility purposes. According to S. Sodzi-Tetteyet al (2012) the purchasing function of health financing has been beset with problems of delay in provider payments. A study by Ministry of Health, Ghana, (2009) showed that in 2008 health facilities nationwide were owed a total of USD 32.6M most of it in unpaid claims while health providers themselves reported a 2-6 month delaying having their bills settled. Health insurance schemes are being used as an alternatives funding for health sector (Baltussen et al 2000).Insurance authorities are established to secure improvements in the health of the population by assessing health needs of the population ,determining the most cost effective mean of meeting these needs and contracting with providers to supply the required services. They are different types of health insurance models and one of them is the purchaser /provider splint models .they are many advantages to this arrangement according to ZurnAdams (2004) among them compiling of services providers to offer quality care however this model can also lead to major problems which according to Sakyi et al (2012)could be enormous among them being late reimbursement thus increasing the financial volatility of health providers which may in turn affect service delivery due to lack of finances to buy drugs ,to improve health facilities, to pay health workers to buy commodities among other things .witterGarshong ,(2009) says that providers who depend heavily on subsidies from the insurances could offer poor quality care when they are under billed or a large portion of their claims are rejected. The study will explore the challenges experienced by health care providers dealing with private health insurances especially the claim processing. Problem statements Health providers are offering health services to health insurances clients yet the insurances are not honoring their pledges to pay. There so many rejected bills after clients are discharged; many providers have unsettled bills by the patients because after services were offered the insurances give decline letters or covered bills up to a certain limit. A lot of time and money ,human resource is used in reconciliation of the accounts and in most cases the claims are not paid and as sakyi et al (2012) says this increases financial volatility of the health care providers which may in turn affect service delivery due to lack of finances to buy commodities and pay workers.witter Garshong (2009)continue to say that providers wo depend heavily on subsidies form the insurances could offer poor quality care when they are under billed or a large portion of their claims are rejected. . Research Objectives The study seeks to explore the challenges facing healthcare providers while dealing health insurance companies. The specific objectives of the study will be: To establish the administrative challenges facing health providers in executing operational guidance of health insurances. To establish the challenges healthproviders face from the health insurance during service delivery to their clients. To establish the challenges health providers face from the health insurance after the delivery of service to their client To come up with recommendation’s that would be used by the health providers and health insurance to ensure a workable purchaser –provider splint system Research Questions The study will answer the following research questions: What are the administrative challenges facing health providers in executing operational guidance of health insurances(admission process, scheduled cases ,emergency cases ) What are challenges health providers face during service delivery to health insurance clients(declines,exclusion ,limited covers ,clients not knowing their limits ) What are the challenges health providers face from the health insurance after the delivery of service to their clients.(rejections of claims ,late reimbursements What are the political challenges facing healthcare financing towards universal coverage by NHIF? What are the recommendation’s to health providers and health insurance to ensure a workable purchaser –provider splint system Theoretical framework Health insurance theory Utility theory Behavioral model of utilization Event model of studying health services utilization med care 1998. Conceptual framework Dependent variable- Challenges faced by health providers Independent variable- Operational guidelines (preauthorization process-preadmission process). service provision(admission post service provision (claim and reimbursement process) Significance of the Study Health providers are key in health system strengthening and key stakeholders in attainment of universal health coverage (delloitte ,2012)hence the importance to find out ways of ensuring both the private and public insurance work harmoniously with providers. Help policy makers in making decision like proper ttraining their enrolessabout their benefits ,providers to hve mechanism to carry out operational guidelines, Policy makers need access to knowledge on purchaser –provider splint system dynamics and the appropriate responses. Therefore, the study provides guidance and recommendations instrumental in designing appropriate policies that regulate the healthcare sector and what need to be done to ensure workable /effective and efficient system. The study will also be a reference material to the healthcare insurance firms, healthcare providers/institutions and other stakeholders. Relevant data that could allow for recommendations that could be implemented to strengthen the role of private health insurance players or providers or to strengthen provider and purchaser reltionship Methodology of the Study It will be an exploratory study .Qualitative andquantitative approaches will be used for primary datacollection using interview guides and checklists. References WHO,the world Health report 2000:Health systemsimproving performance ,Geneva ,World Health Organisation,2000

Boethius :: essays research papers

â€Å"Evil is Nothing† Her argument of Evil is Nothing is very simple. She begins by speaking with Boethius and getting at the definition of what is good and how that is related to God. She starts out by stating that they agree on the fact of God. Then they come to the agreement that God is the good itself. They then state that there is nothing that can go against God and still have power because God is all-powerful and all good. Lady Philosophy then says, â€Å"No one could doubt that God is omnipotent,† and Boethius responds by saying no one in their right mind could deny it. And she says that God can also do evil, which Boethius immediately states â€Å"No.† After that remark she goes on to make her argument by stating that evil must be nothing because God can do anything but God can not do evil so therefore there is no such thing as evil. In this discussion, Lady Philosophy states that because God can do anything and that God cannot do evil then evil is noth ing. Her statement is sound if you believe the statements that they both agreed on. First they said yes there is a God and yes God is good. They then agree on their good God being omnipotent, meaning that their God can do anything. Lady Philosophy then brings up her big argument. She says that God can do anything in the world that he wants to, anything at all, and that he is good. But she also says that God can do evil. This is usually a perspective that humans in general do not look at. We see God as being the good of the world and something to look up to. Her idea of God doing evil is rejected by Boetheius. This meaning that if he believes in evil then he cannot believe in a God that is all-powerful and cannot do good. Therefore Boethius contradicts himself, and Lady Philosophy is found to be correct. However, I agree with this idea and that her statement is sound. However, unlike Boethius I don’t believe that God cannot do evil. If God is all powerful then of course he can do evil, rather he chooses not to, and because of this God is represented as only allowed to do good. But how can anything that is as powerful as that not be able to do something horrible.

Cubas Nuclear Program :: essays research papers

Cuba does not possess nuclear weapons, and there are no credible reports of Cuban efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. Cuba is not reported to possess chemical weapons, nor are there credible reports of Cuban posession of long range ballistic missiles. Cuba is generally regarded as having a program of research on biological warfare agents, though the scope and focus of this effort remains obscure and controversial. In 1990, Cuba's air force, with about 150 Soviet-supplied fighters, including advanced MiG-23 Floggers and MiG-29 Fulcrums, was probably the best equipped in Latin America. In 1994, Cuba's armed forces were estimated to have 235,000 active duty personnel. Cuban military power has been sharply reduced by the loss of Soviet subsidies. By 1999 the Revolutionary Armed Forces numbered about 60,000 regular troops. Nuclear Weapons Tensions between the United States and Cuba peaked during the abortive "Bay of Pigs" invasion by anti-Castro Cubans supported by the United States on 07 April 1961. Taking advantage of Cuba's fear of further U.S. armed aggression against the Island, the Soviets persuaded the Cuba into closer economic and political links including military and defence arrangements. In the fall of 1962, there were unconfirmed reports that the Soviets were installing intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Cuba. When evidence confirmed these reports, the resulting confrontation between Soviet Premier Khrushchev and US President John F. Kennedy in October 1962 brought the world to the brink of war. Cuba is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It signed the Treaty of Tlatelolco, a Latin American regional non-proliferation regime, but has not ratified the treaty and brought it into force. Cuba has entered into an agreement with the IAEA to apply safeguards to individual nuclear facilities, including the partially completed Juragua nuclear power plant. The reactors that would be installed are of the VVER-400 type, an advanced model of the Soviet pressurized water reactor. There are serious concerns about the safety of the plant. However, since the plant does not appear to be economically viable, no international investors have been willing to provide funds for completion of the facility. Cuba has taken no action on the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and as of early 2000 was one of only four states that was not a signatory [the others being Israel, India and Pakistan]. Cuba's position towards the NPT proceeds from a view that the technical assistance aspect of the IAEA’s activities had not produced so many benefits as the nuclear safeguards aspect, which implies a notable imbalance in the Agency’s different sectors.

Analysis of Cancer - The Enemy Within Essay examples -- Exploratory Es

Cancer - The Enemy Within      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Abstract: Cancer has been known and feared since antiquity, but its imperative danger could only be realized until fairly recently. Indeed as knowledge of the disease grew in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, fear increased when people became more aware that most cancers had no available cure. Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells reproduce without control, destroy healthy tissue, and eventually cause deterioration to the body. This paper is a discussion on how cancer develops and spreads, some of the various types of cancer, and the causes of the disease.    Cancer is a disease in which cells multiply without control, destroy healthy tissue, and endanger life. About 100 kinds of cancer attack human beings. This disease is a leading cause of death in many countries. In the United States and Canada, only diseases of the heart and the blood vessels kill more people. Cancer occurs in most species of animals and in many kinds of plants, as well as in human beings.    Cancer strikes people of all ages but especially middle-aged persons and the elderly. It occurs about equally among people of both sexes. The disease can attack any part of the body and may spread to virtually any other part. However the parts of the body which are most often affected are the skin, the female breasts, organs of the digestive, respiratory, reproductive, blood-forming, lymphatic, and urinary systems.    The various cancers are classified in two ways. The primary body site, as and by the type of body tissue in which the cancer originates. They can thus be divided further in to two main groups; carcinomas and sarcomas. Carcinomas are cancers that start in epitheli... ...r are fatal. In the past, the methods of treatment gave patients little hope for recovery, but the methods of diagnosing and treating the disease have improved greatly since the 1930's. Today, about half of all cancer patients survive at least five years after treatment. People who remain free of cancer that long after treatment have a good chance of remaining permanently free of the disease. But much research remains to be done to find methods of preventing and curing cancer.    Bibliography Allison, Trent. Background into Medicine. New York: Lincoln Press, 1982. Drummond, Phillip. Cancer. 1st ed. New York: Prentice Hall Publishers, 1984 Harris, Jules E.. "Cancer." Encyclopedia Britannica. 1993 ed. Sipp, Warren. Encyclopedia to Cancer. New York: National Academy Press,1989. Veels, Thomas. Science of Cancer. Washington DC, 1984.

Is It Possible to Prove the Existance of God Essay

Is it possible to prove the existence of God? Throughout time many philosophers have been searching for an answer to creation and whether it is actually possible to prove (or not prove) if God exists. Some of the philosophers include Thomas Aquinas, William Paley and Blaise Pascal they came up with various different theories and arguments to prove the existence of God and why they believed he did exist. Another philosopher Karl Marx thought that his theory could convince people not to believe in God. One philosopher, Thomas Aquinas believed that God did exist and that he could prove this simply by arguing that the Universe could not have been made by nothing at all, saying that it was impossible for something to come from nothing. He believed that the universe was caused to exist by something which itself is uncaused, or else there would be an infinite regress. He thought that the only way to explain the start of the universe in a rational way was to say that it was created by God. I think that Aquinas may be right, but I doubt that he is right as he is saying that God was created by nothing but I feel that something must have created God and therefore there must have been an infinite regress. There is also no solid evidence or proof that God does exist and since there isn’t I think that not even Aquinas is 100% sure that God exists. Also, Aquinas’ theory seems rather contradictory as he says that the Universe must be caused by something and cannot just simply be made by nothing but that God is an uncaused causer. Another Philosopher, William Paley, like Aquinas was convinced that God does exist and that he could prove it. Paley ‘invented’ the thought experiment to encourage people to agree with him that God exists. He called his argument that Teleological argument (coming from the Greek word ‘telas’ meaning purpose). Story Imagine you are walking across open countryside with some friends. Then you suddenly come across something lying on the grass. You are so impressed with the workmanship that you are your friend. Who do you think made this watch? † The friend says†Nobody made this watch it was always there† Paley said that the universe, like a watch is too complicated and intelligently designed to have no creator. Paley used the Analogy of the watch to argue the existence of God. Paley argues that if a simple watch has a creator then the universe, which is so much more complicated and in some ways more beautiful than a watch must have a creator and that creator must be God. I think that Paley’s theory does seem reasonable but I do not fully agree with it completely. I think that the world must have a creator but not necessarily God anything could have been the creator and that the creator might not be Omnipotent, Omnibonevelant and Omniscient the creator could have simply just created the universe and then just left it or done nothing else to it. Another philosopher who also likes Aquinas and Paley ‘believed’ in God and thought that he could use his theory to encourage others to do so was Blaise Pascal. However, Pascal’s theory was very different to Aquinas and Paley’s. Pascal believed that God’s existence can neither be approved nor disapproved and whatever you decide about this problem will be uncertain and that your answer can be nothing more than a gamble. Pascal said that you cannot avoid making a gamble on God’s existence and you have to place your bet whether you like it or not. Pascal soon came to the conclusion that it would be better to believe that God existed than not to as you will not lose anything by doing so. He thought that if you believed that God existed and then after your death he actually did you would have a big gain by going to heaven. If, however God didn’t exist and you believed that you did you would not lose anything apart from some of your time praying and going to religious places etc. Pascal also thought that if you did not believe in God and came to know after your death that he did you would be most likely to go to hell therefore have a big loss. He called his theory Pascal’s wager. I strongly disagree with Pascal’s theory mainly because he only believed in God for selfish reasons and wanted people to believe in God only because of the happiness they would get in heaven which is not the actual idea. Also I think that God does not decide to put people in heaven and hell based on whether they believe or not but by the good deeds they have done in their life, so people who believe in God just for reasons like Pascal’s probably would not go to heaven anyway. I think that Pascal seems rather greedy to believe in God just to go to heaven after his death. The last philosopher I’m going to talk about is Karl Marx. Marx thought that that â€Å"Religion is a tool of oppression† meaning that Religion is something that you do not actually need but use to distract yourself from other things and something that someone just gets pleasure and happiness from. So he thought that everyone should just reject religion and this would make people aware of their own true situation and this may give them a chance to improve the conditions in which they live. Marx used quotes from the bible to back up quotes from the bible to back up his theory. â€Å"Blessed are the poor in spirit†¦ inherit the earth† Marx would argue that this quote is trying to say that it is not the rich and powerful who are most fortunate but actually the poor, as they will go to heaven because of all the suffering they have endured. He would say that the poor are often given quotes like this to make them content with their own miserable lives and that religion makes a virtue of poverty and meekness and unacceptable lives have been glamorised. Therefore I do not agree with Marx argument mainly because his theory may have been applicable at that time but it is not now, as people do not use religion just to have a distraction or something to comfort them when everything else is a mess. To conclude I think that although there are many different theories for whether God exists or not it is not actually possible to prove that God exists and that if you believe in God you should not just believe that he exists because of some theory but because you actually believe he exists and want to believe in him. Although it is probably not possible to prove whether God exists or not (unless he came down to earth and told everyone) the most convincing way would be to experience a miracle. Miracles can prove that God exists to a certain amount because most miracles would be far too big to be just a coincidence. Even though there are many stories about miracles in the news and in religious books such as the bible you cannot actually be sure until you experience one yourself. Miracles may not prove that God as people know him exists (Omnipotent, Omnibonevelant and Omniscient etc) but they do prove that there is an all powering/ supernatural being.

Pride that Leads to Tragedy

Pride can be a very pernicious quality in a person. This theme is displayed very well by Creon, a character in the book Antigone and also the tragic hero, whose pride led him to a tragic downfall. Sophocles, the author of this Greek drama, encompasses tragedy in most of his plays. As I mentioned before, a bad quality of Creon is his obstinacy. This got in the way of a lot of things, including his family. Creon, the king of Thebes, believed at one point that State comes before family. The reason he said that statement is because he wanted to prevent anarchy and if he were to let only his family break the law, then all the townspeople would get very angry. Letting his condescension blind him, Creon ignored the warning of Tiresias, a blind prophet, and his son Haemon. Following this rebuff, Creon gets a wake-up call from the gods and loses most of his family. Although he went through this cataclysm, he did it with the seemliness he had not previously displayed. He acted so noble because the hardships he went through changed his principles. Creon realizes that family should come before state and that he did not need to let his pride get in the way of his duties as a part of his family. The audience, everyone who read the book in Mrs. Pink s class, at one point probably felt sorry for Creon. He had to deal with so many different adversities that he went from a bad guy persona to a person that deserved sympathy. Even though we may have felt sorry for Creon at one time, he did not deserve too much pity because he could have changed his mind at one point. He had many opportunities to change his mind, including when he talked to Tiresisas, as I stated before. If Creon had rethought his arrogance, his fate wouldn t have been half as bad as it turned out to be. In closing, Creon was an arrogant, conceited person until he experienced the loss of his family. After he lost them, he was changed in every way that he could be, emotionally. Creon was the tragic hero because of the fact that his pride led him to a tragic downfall.

Magaret Thatcher

Margaret Thatcher: Optimism, self-confidence, honesty, integrity and drive are just a few traits that portray Margaret Thatcher. Her leadership style may be defined as a combination of an autocratic, transformational and charismatic leader. Nevertheless, her leadership style was mainly task oriented. What are her values? Margaret Thatcher considered herself to be a conviction politician. Her leadership was based on clear firmly held principles. Margaret Thatcher’s family and early education in Grantham played a major part in shaping her political beliefs. She was taught strong traditions of self-help, charitable work, and ethics. What make her a great leader? Margaret Thatcher was very influential in her leadership role. She had been tough, forthright, consistent and inspiring. She had empowered and motivated the citizens of Britain to purchase their homes in which they lived at a discounted price. Additionally, companies that the state initially owned were now owned by the community. Her intent was to change Britain from a dependent to a self-reliant society. Margaret Thatcher success of implementing the privatization policy of government assets had improved influential internationally. Moreover, Margaret Thatcher had a firm approached to policy making and exuded self confidence, which gained her the nickname â€Å"Iron Lady†. She was willing to act on her intuition and trusted her judgments. She accomplished her goals and was never afraid to stand up for her beliefs even if it made her unpopular. Despite her colleagues and experts objections, Margaret Thatcher was very confident in her decision making. In Britain, she was an autocratic leader who governed decision making. For instance, while the recession of the early 1980s intensified, she increased taxes, despite concerns expressed in a statement signed by 364 leading economists issued towards the end of March 1981. Margaret Thatcher prided herself of being in charge and winning the majority of her debates. She was very combative; fighting for what she believed was the right way to direct her country. Margaret Thatcher was committed to lessening the power of the trade unions, whose leadership she blamed for weakening parliamentary democracy and economic performance during industrial action. BBC news reported that, Margaret Thatcher â€Å"managed to destroy the power of the trade unions for almost a generation†. She demonstrated courage and positive attitude during the face of adversity. In 1984, Margaret Thatcher barely escaped injury in a PIRA assassination attempt at a Brighton hotel. However, she was adamant about delivering her speech the next day as scheduled, at the Conservative Party Conference. Margaret Thatcher was a transformational leader who inspired others and brought about significant change. Her intention was to lead Britain to greatness by overcoming the country’s economic and financial challenges. She privatized some nationalized industries and social programs, including education, housing, and health care. Britain’s economic upturn in the 1980s was due to Margaret Thatcher’s leadership. She also regained the Falkland Island from Argentina. She took a strong stand against the trade unions during the miner’s strike (1984-85), and moved Britain toward privatization, selling minor interest s in public utilities to the business interests. She also introduced â€Å"rate capping† which effectively took control of expenditures out of the hands of city councils, part of her policies aimed at reducing the influence of local governments. In 1989 she introduced the community poll tax. Where possible, sale of state assets took place through offering shares to the public, with generous terms for small investors. The Thatcher Governments presided over a great increase in the number of people saving through the stock market. They also encourage people to buy their own homes and to make private pension provision, policies which over time have greatly increased the personal wealth of the British population. Conclusion Margaret Thatcher was the first British Prime Minister in the twentieth century to win three consecutive terms. Serving as a transformational change agent, Ms. Thatcher tackle distorted public opinion and braved daunting unpopularity to implement reform. Showing an adept touch at choosing her issues carefully, and fighting battles that could be won, Ms. Thatcher established urgency, formed a strong vision backed by a guiding coalition and planned for short-term wins. Her greatest legacy is the degree to which she institutionalized her reform policies. Ms. Thatcher represented such a unique, decisive, unflinching character, with the ability to capitalize on circumstances and energy. _____________________________________ Bibliography Margaret Thatcher Foundation –margaretthatcher. org Wikipedia