Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Change Management - Essay Example The changing socio-economic environment made it necessary that more consideration be paid to socio-cultural and political environment so that the requirements of the people became the focal point in the development of strategy. McGregor has been emphatic that proactive participation of the workforce in the decision making is imperative for sustainable growth of any organization. He said, ‘The effectiveness of organizations could be at least doubled if managers could discover how to tap into the unrealized potential present in their workforces’ (McGregor, 1960). Thus shared learning needs to become intrinsic part of HR Strategy that involves the employees in decision making processes and promotes collective goals. The advancing technology and the advent of computers have greatly influenced the changing paradigms of the business strategies. Knowledge management has become crucial part of managerial leadership (Garvin, 2003). While the technology has considerably improved the overall performance of the organization, the managers have also realized the vast potential of the emerging new technologies in opening a huge vista of business opportunities that are global in nature but made easily accessible through the new technology like internet and tech gizmos. ‘The Internet with its low-cost entry and ease of use quickly changed how information was exchanged and removed the distance barriers for business partners’ (Gottardi et al. 2004). The globalization has ushered in an era of pluralistic society that comprises people from different culture, race, color and nationality, giving a new perspective to the business compulsions. Levitt, an eminent social scientist, in an article says that ‘A powerful force drives the world toward a converging commonality, and that force is technology’ (Levitt, 1983). Managing diversity has therefore, become a crucial

Sentencing Within the Criminal Justice System Essay

Sentencing Within the Criminal Justice System - Essay Example Aggravating factors pointing to a larger sentence include relevant previous convictions, whether the offence was committed while on bail, whether excessive violence was used, whether the victim was engaged in public service or was old and vulnerable. Mitigating factors pointing to a shorter sentence include, young age at the time of the offence, the past character of the offender, the degree of provocation, and whether the defendant pleaded guilty. Clearly the sentence in any particular case will depend on the individual circumstances and it is therefore difficult to compare cases without being aware of the background of facts. In Northern Ireland and England, sentences are assisted by guideline cases which help to ensure consistency in decision making. 3Sentencing The criminal Justice Act 2003 made a number of changes to the sentencing framework for England and Wales. These stemmed from recommendations of the Halliday report, Making Punishments Work" in July 2001. Northern Ireland Ministers recognized that there were equivalent issues to be addressed in Northern Ireland. The sentencing framework in Northern Ireland differs somewhat from that in England and Wales, but not substantially. The notable difference is in relation to imprisonment and its aftermath; In England and Wales, with the exception of short term sentences, time spent in prison is linked to a period spent in the community under supervision and with conditions... These stemmed from recommendations of the Halliday report, Making Punishments Work† in July 2001. Northern Ireland Ministers recognized that there were equivalent issues to be addressed in Northern Ireland. The sentencing framework in Northern Ireland differs somewhat from that in England and Wales, but not substantially. The notable difference is in relation to imprisonment and its aftermath; In England and Wales, with the exception of short term sentences, time spent in prison is linked to a period spent in the community under supervision and with conditions attached. In addition, sentences of four or more years are subject to discretionary release on the decision of the Parole Board. However, the Criminal Justice Act 2003 in England and Wales changes that position. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 in section 2.1 addresses the issue of custodial sentences of 12 months or more, whereas an adult offender receives a custodial sentence of at least 12 months, but less than 4 years wi ll automatically be released at the half way point and will then be supervised under license until the three-quarter point of the sentence. The problem here is, the last quarter of the sentence has no effect on the offender unless he or she commits another offense. Additionally, there is good news for the authorities and perceived bad news for the public; When the offender leaves custodial confinement, the government will immediately begin to accrue savings on the 86,000 pounds which it cost to house him in the previous year.

Population Geography Essay

Population Geography Essay Understanding Population Geography Crystal Mullen What did you learn this week that you did not know before or that you found interesting? What outside resources did you use this week? I remember growing up in the 70s and 80s the term â€Å"Zero Population†. At the time, I didn’t really know what it meant except a term to encourage teenagers to use birth control and thereby avoid having children while they’re still a child as well. As it turns out I wasn’t that far off from my view of the concept. It actually originated by the prime minister of Singapore in 1972. He was concerned that his island country was facing overpopulation with its current count of 1 million people. So he legalized abortion and sterilization and banned maternity care and benefits for women who have more than two children. However by the mid-1980s, the Singapore’s birthrates plummeted to below the levels that are necessary to replenish the population. The prime minister’s plan to reduce his country’s population backfired because the abortions performed in the country were terminated more than one-third of all the country’s pregnancies. Th is lead the prime minister to reverse his policy in 1990 to encourage multiple births for mothers under 28 by offering long term tax rebates and thereby restore population loss suffered in Singapore (Getis, Bjelland, Getis, 2014, p. 111). This reversal of policy is an example of an unbending population reality: how a country’s infrastructure is controlled today will determine how it is controlled in the future. This means the size, characteristics, migrations and even growth trends are what determines the overall health of those yet to be born. This information is necessary when considering the locations and numbers of people as it relates to the necessary background to all of the aspects of population geography (Getis, Bjelland, Getis, 2014, p. 111). Population geography is an aspect of human geography. This branch of geography focuses scientifically studies people in their spatial distributions and the density (Briney, 2014). Population geography provides geographers and scientists with the theories and concepts need to better comprehend and thereby forecast the composition, size, and the distribution of human population (Getis, Bjelland, Getis, 2014, p. 111). In order for population geographers to study this factors, they review the data that documents the increase and decrease in an area of population, general settlement patterns, peoples movements over time, and even topics like occupation. This is what develops the geographic character of a particular region (Briney, 2014). Population geography is closely related and yet differs from demography. Demography statistically studies human population as well, however, demography is more concerned with spatial analysis – pattern, location, and density. Instead, population g eography studies a region’s resources such as standard of living, economic development, and food supply as they affect a population’s health and well-being. These characteristics are the essential ingredients for human population geography (Getis, Bjelland, Getis, 2014, p. 111). Population geography is a large branch in the geography tree. It contains quite a few different topics that relate to the worlds population issues. The first of these topics is called population distribution. Population distribution is described as the study of where people are choosing (or not choosing) to live. Our world’s population tends to be quite uneven. Some regions are considered to be rural and are thereby sparsely populated. Meanwhile, other locations that are more urban are consequently more densely populated. In order to learn more about population distribution population geographers often study past population distributions of that region’s people so that they can understand how and why certain spatial locations areas have blossomed into major urban centers we have today. Sparsely populated areas are usually harsh places to live such as areas in Alaska, Siberia, and Canadas northern territories. On the other hand, densely populated areas like Hong Kong, or cities such as New York City or Los Angeles, California are far more hospitable. A second topic in population geography is population density. While closely related to population distribution, population density however studies a region to determine the average number of people that live in an area. This is done by dividing the number of people that currently live that area by total area available. These numbers usually are noted as persons per square mile or persons per square kilometer. Population density are often affected by several factors which, coincidentally, are often subjects of population geographers study. These factors tend to relate to the population’s physical environment such as topography and climate. For example, regions with harsh climates such as Californias Death Valley are thereby sparsely populated. Other factors that affect population density can also be related to the region’s political environments as well as the social, economic culture of an area. For example, Singapore and Tokyo have mild climates with healthy political, social, and economic and are thereby densely populated. Another area of study for population geographers consists of overall population growth as well as changes in population. This topic is of great interest to population geographers because the population of the world has grown so dramatically since the 1800s. In order to properly study overall population growth, population geographers study the population’s areas natural increase birth rates as well as death rates. The number of infants born per 1000 people in the area’s population every year is considered the birth rate. Likewise the number of deaths per 1000 individuals every year is considered the death rate. Historically speaking, the increase rate of population used to naturally be near zero. This didn’t mean that no one being born nor that no one was dying. Actually, this meant that the area’s births roughly equaled the area’s deaths. However, many regions now host populations with that are living much longer because of access to better health care as well as higher standards of living. These factors have reduced the overall death rate. Birth rates are now known to either increase or decrease based on the wealth of the nation. For example, birth rates are actually lower in developed nations. However, in developing nations, the birth rate is still high. Therefore, the population of the world has grown tremendously. Along the same lines of natural increase, population geographers study population changes as it relates to a population’s net migration for an area (Briney, 2014). They compare and contrast data found in a population’s in-migration and out-migration patterns. Therefore, a region’s overall rate of growth or population change is the result of a population’s natural increase as well as their net migration. Finally, though certainly not exhaustively, an essential tool in population geography that is essential to the study of growth rates around the world as well as changes in population is called the demographic transition model. This model looks at the four stages of a country’s development and considers how population changes are thereby affected. The first stage of a country’s development takes place when the new country’s birth rates and death rates are both high, resulting in a small amount of natural increase and an equally small population. The second stage of a country’s development reveals an increase in birth rates and a decrease in death rates resulting in a high growth period in the population (surprisingly, this is normally the stage where least developed countries actually fail). The third stage of a country’s development show a change in trends with a decrease in birth rate as well as a decreasing death rate, thereby once again slowing d own the growth of that country’s population growth. The fourth and final stage of a country’s development shows a balance in birth and death rates both being low, resulting in a low natural increase (Briney, 2014). I can see how using a demographic transition model enables population geographers forecast the future health and wellbeing of a nation by studying the four stages of development that nation experienced. Conclusion: After reviewing the concepts of population geography, I have a better understanding of the actions of the Singapore’s prime minister in 1972. While I don’t agree with his extreme measures of limiting care for more than two children per family and legalizing abortions and sterilizations, I can see how charting a country’s birth and death rates and considering how those numbers affect his nation’s resources could lead him to believe his nation would be picked clean by an over-abundance of his own people and for the good of his nation, At the same time, I can see how population geography was at the heart of prime minister’s reversal of policy because he can now see how his policies were leaving his country vulnerable to constant poverty because there simply were not enough citizens avail to care for and protect their land. Therefore, I have a better appreciation of how population geography is used to study health and well-being of a population anywhere in the world. References Briney, A. (2014). Population Geography An Overview of Population Geography. Retrieved February 1, 2014, from Geography.About.com: http://geography.about.com/od/populationgeography/a/populationgeography.htm Getis, A., Bjelland, M., Getis, V. (2014). Chapter 5, Population Geography. In A. Getis, M. Bjelland, V. Getis, Introduction to Geography 14th Edition (p. 111). New York: McGraw Hil.

Critical Reviews of Brave New World Essay -- essays papers

Critical Reviews of Brave New World Since the original publishing of Brave New World, the book has stirred up a brew of controversy. It has received many reviews both positive and negative. In this paper I will provide examples of both and look at the reasons behind them. My first review is a negative one. In the review the reviewer states as his main reasons for disliking the book are the obnoxious characters and plot holes. A few examples of this are that Bernard Marx is unhappy with his life and wants to expand his mind yet all he does is take random vacations to the Savage Reservation. The author of the review compares this to saying, â€Å"I’m having a bout with depression. I’m going to Iran,† then jumping on a plane and going. It just doesn’t seem to make sense. The author believes that there are many other more exciting plot possibilities if Bernard just stays home and actually does something. Also, the circumstances surrounding Linda annoyed the author of this review also. He feels Linda is obnoxious and feels that the savages would have either gotten her out of the reser...

Employee Engagement

Effectively Using an Integrated Employee Engagement Program Marilyn Field University of the Rockies October 3, 2010 Org/8530 Dr. Gary Shelton Abstract A company’s level of employee engagement is a reflection of its core values; while at the same time reflects a fulfilling and positive job-related state of mind that is characterized by the resilience and energy of its workers. The following report is an analysis of a case study conducted by Hallowell (1996) to determine whether Southwest Airline’s organizational capabilities and employee needs are linked to competitive advantage.An examination of the data presented in the Southwest Airlines study reveals a significant level of employee commitment through the engagement and hiring of workers who fit the Southwest standards. Effectively Using an Integrated Employee Engagement Program For the last several years Southwest Airlines has been awarded as one of the best companies in which to work by Fortune Magazine.There is an extensive list of awards and achievements attributed to Southwest Airlines including Forbes 2008 most reliable airline, best in customer service, and the number one friendliest airline to fly in 2008 by Time Magazine (Triangle Business Journal, 2008; Time Magazine. com. , 2008). A review of the literature revealed that much of Southwest Airlines continued success is due to their effectiveness in engaging their employees. The Southwest Airline employees reflect the organization’s culture as one with committed workers who strive o maintain the company’s reputation as a leader in social responsibility. A case study was conducted by Hallowell (1996) to analyze the sources of Southwest Airline’s competitive advantage. Hallowell attributes the highly acclaimed airline’s success to the high value place on its employees. Hallowell’s 1996 case study of Southwest Airline was illustrated within a frame work of particular variables with the first being that th e airline value is a product of meeting the employee’s needs on a satisfactory level.Employee needs satisfaction is a very important variable when one considers that Southwest Airline is comprised of approximately 35,000 employees working together with the aim of flying their valued Customers to their destinations across the United States (69 cities in 39 states) (Kelly, 2010). Hallowell used value analysis to study Southwest’s competitive strategy. Value analysis breaks down which variables play a role in where value is created. It is based on Porter’ (1985) Game Theory, which focuses on how individuals interact (Levine, 2004. ).The results of Hallowell’s study revealed that employees are motivation from the employer’s encouragement of behavioral norms and organizational values. The second comprehensive variable Hallowell (1996) studied was Southwest’s strategy for having one of the most successful airline stocks. This raises the question a s to how employee engagement plays a part in stimulating shareholder’s commitment of investing in Southwest stock. The Southwest Airline’s organizational culture has encouraged its workers to have fun on the job. This is a wellness approach which has led to the company’s high degree of productivity and low turnover.By suggesting and encouraging a positive experience for the Southwest employees, the management displays significant value for employees, which is converted into customer value and shareholder value. This value earning process forms a circle of capturing value, creating value, and converting value beginning with the employees (Hallowell). With the present economic turmoil, Southwest Airline’s Chief Executive Officer Kelly has had to make recent cuts; affecting the company’s historic low-cost initiatives (i. e. making short trips between cities and ownership of jets) (Schlangenstein & Hughes, 2010).Southwest answered though economics with the addition of 138 airplanes (AirTran); â€Å"The addition of AirTran will allow them to satisfy their briefly dormant, but always present, inclination for growth† (Schlangenstein & Hughes, web article). Thus, Southwest increases employee motivation, which in-turn creates value, and converts that value by employing operating processes and encouraging behavioral norms which reduces costs and increases productivity essentially capturing the value leading to Southwest’s competitive advantage (Hallowell).According to Patterson, Brenny and Maxfield et al. (2008), preparing for setbacks builds resilience by the company internally; using setbacks as guides, instead of putting on the brakes help to refine their strategies. One of the most unique characteristics of Southwest Airlines is that it motivates the employees with stimulating and enjoyable recognition programs (Southwest. com, 2010). Rewards and recognition of the day-to-day work achievements play a vital role in ret aining and attracting employees at Southwest Airlines.This strategy provides recognition for worker’s unique qualities and individualized appreciation. Southwest’s employee recognition programs contributes to the high moral maintained in the organization’s culture (World at Work, 2001). According to Hallowell (1996), an employee is recognized almost every hour for large and small achievements on a daily basis at Southwest Airlines. The Southwest case study demonstrates how a focused human resource department portrays organizational culture and values, and how their use of employee engagement tools is aligned with the company’s competitive position.Employees who are actively engaged offer commitment and loyalty to the organization within which they are employed, and is indicative of Southwest Airlines. With this commitment Hallowell (1996) makes the analogy of a person feeling better about purchasing a piece of pie for six dollars, when they feel the pie i s worth eight dollars. The same concept applies to someone who can fly Southwest at the same price as its competitors but have better service. Once again evidence of converting employee value to customer value.Hallowell’s (1996) study makes another important point regarding employee engagement’s correlation with Southwest’s competitive advantage. Passengers moving between gates (destination and departure) are accompanied by Southwest employees, as such; these workers affect each customers experience with the airline (Hallowell). In the airline industry employee engagement has a ripple effect starting with top-level management and pilots to the baggage handlers, ramp agents, and flight attendants.Each customer’s experience with these employees will directly affect their willingness to pay (Hallowell). For instance, Kelly (2010) in an interview with Spirit Magazine, gave an account where a passenger forgot her glasses at her residence, the passenger could n ot retrieve the glasses without missing her flight; the flight attendant offered the passenger her own reading glasses, and in-turn the flight attendant was recognized by her peers, and management for friendly customer service. She was publicized as Southwest’s Star of the Month (Kelly).This strategy demonstrated the importance of employee engagement and Southwest’s ability to maintain its competitive advantage. In the case study of Southwest Airlines by Hallowell (1996); the author recognized the airline’s interviewing techniques as a strong point in the company’s overall success. Hallowell stated that the screening process by Southwest human resources eliminates uncaring potential employees by noting self-centered responses, and quickly separating the majority for those less likely to fit the standards of the organization.Miles and Mangold (2005) stated that Southwest Airlines uses employee branding as a method of engaging employees. Employee branding i s the process by which workers internalize the Southwest Airline brand and project its healthy aspects to the public (Miles & Mangold). The authors provide further support of Hallowell’s (1996) study in that they found employee branding helps Southwest achieve a competitive advantage over other organizations in the industry. Southwest. om (2010) gives the example that â€Å"LUV† and â€Å"FUN† ideology is embedded into their employees by permitting them to dress up on Halloween; have a casual dress code in the summer months, and by providing a teaching video on the Southwest Airline’s Shuffle Dance. According to Hallowell, CEO Gary Kelly dressed up as a bunny for Halloween and served Easter eggs to the employees. He went on to say that great comradery was stimulated just by stirring up â€Å"it is not Easter† controversy (Hallowell).The third variable researched in the Southwest Airline case study, is the organization’s capabilities to creat e value. Hallowell’s (1996) study indicated Southwest has established processes and internal structures that influence the employees to accomplish specific organizational competencies allowing them to adapt to changing strategic needs and changing customer needs assessments. These competencies help Southwest Airline produce â€Å"superior quantity and quality of effort† from employees (Hallowell, p. 10).One of the competencies Southwest defines as important is the extension of LUV and FUN from the employees to the customers by providing hassle-free flying, which is a direct result of employees being actively engaged with the organization’s culture (Hallowell). An important aspect to consider is that there must be harmony at the level of operations. Southwest has achieved harmony thought its employee engagement (i. e. human resource procedures) leading to operating procedure success reflecting Southwest’s organizational culture of helping one another (Hall owell).The appreciation for human capital is evident in reviewing Hallowell’s Northwest Airline case study, along with a comprehensive literature review via the internet and scholarly journal articles. Southwest Airlines meets the cognitive and emotional needs of its employees, shareholders, and customers by making them feel connected to the company. Their LUV and FUN approach to employee engagement has enabled them to create employee value and covert that value into customer value resulting in the company capturing value. With the three variables studied in Hallowell’s research, Northwest Airline is understood as a leader in competitive advantage.ReferencesFlowers, V. , & Hughes, C. (1973). Why employees stay. Harvard Business Review, 51(4), 49-60. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Hallowell, R. (1996). Southwest Airlines: A case study linking employee needs satisfaction and organizational capabilities to competitive advantage.Human Resource Management , 35(4), 513-534. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Kelly, G. (2010). On cloud nine. Sprint Magazine. Retrieved September 29, 2010 from http://www. spiritmag. com/gary_kelly/ Levine, D. (2004).Economic and game theory: What is game theory? UCLA Department of Economics. Retrieved September 29, 2010 from http://levine. sscnet. ucla. edu/general /whatis. htm Miles, S. & Mangold, G. (2005).Positioning Southwest Airlines through employee branding. Business Horizons, 48, 535-545. Retrieved September 30, 2010 from http://www. auburn. edu/~johnsrd/4160/Readings/Southwest%20Employee%20Branding. pdf Patterson, K. , Brenny, J, Maxfield, D. , Mcmillan, R. , & Switzler, A. , (2008).Influencer: The power to change anything. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Schlangenstein, M. & Hughes, J. (2010). Southwest CEO risks Employee Engagement Effectively Using an Integrated Employee Engagement Program Marilyn Field University of the Rockies October 3, 2010 Org/8530 Dr. Gary Shelton Abstract A company’s level of employee engagement is a reflection of its core values; while at the same time reflects a fulfilling and positive job-related state of mind that is characterized by the resilience and energy of its workers. The following report is an analysis of a case study conducted by Hallowell (1996) to determine whether Southwest Airline’s organizational capabilities and employee needs are linked to competitive advantage.An examination of the data presented in the Southwest Airlines study reveals a significant level of employee commitment through the engagement and hiring of workers who fit the Southwest standards. Effectively Using an Integrated Employee Engagement Program For the last several years Southwest Airlines has been awarded as one of the best companies in which to work by Fortune Magazine.There is an extensive list of awards and achievements attributed to Southwest Airlines including Forbes 2008 most reliable airline, best in customer service, and the number one friendliest airline to fly in 2008 by Time Magazine (Triangle Business Journal, 2008; Time Magazine. com. , 2008). A review of the literature revealed that much of Southwest Airlines continued success is due to their effectiveness in engaging their employees. The Southwest Airline employees reflect the organization’s culture as one with committed workers who strive o maintain the company’s reputation as a leader in social responsibility. A case study was conducted by Hallowell (1996) to analyze the sources of Southwest Airline’s competitive advantage. Hallowell attributes the highly acclaimed airline’s success to the high value place on its employees. Hallowell’s 1996 case study of Southwest Airline was illustrated within a frame work of particular variables with the first being that th e airline value is a product of meeting the employee’s needs on a satisfactory level.Employee needs satisfaction is a very important variable when one considers that Southwest Airline is comprised of approximately 35,000 employees working together with the aim of flying their valued Customers to their destinations across the United States (69 cities in 39 states) (Kelly, 2010). Hallowell used value analysis to study Southwest’s competitive strategy. Value analysis breaks down which variables play a role in where value is created. It is based on Porter’ (1985) Game Theory, which focuses on how individuals interact (Levine, 2004. ).The results of Hallowell’s study revealed that employees are motivation from the employer’s encouragement of behavioral norms and organizational values. The second comprehensive variable Hallowell (1996) studied was Southwest’s strategy for having one of the most successful airline stocks. This raises the question a s to how employee engagement plays a part in stimulating shareholder’s commitment of investing in Southwest stock. The Southwest Airline’s organizational culture has encouraged its workers to have fun on the job. This is a wellness approach which has led to the company’s high degree of productivity and low turnover.By suggesting and encouraging a positive experience for the Southwest employees, the management displays significant value for employees, which is converted into customer value and shareholder value. This value earning process forms a circle of capturing value, creating value, and converting value beginning with the employees (Hallowell). With the present economic turmoil, Southwest Airline’s Chief Executive Officer Kelly has had to make recent cuts; affecting the company’s historic low-cost initiatives (i. e. making short trips between cities and ownership of jets) (Schlangenstein & Hughes, 2010).Southwest answered though economics with the addition of 138 airplanes (AirTran); â€Å"The addition of AirTran will allow them to satisfy their briefly dormant, but always present, inclination for growth† (Schlangenstein & Hughes, web article). Thus, Southwest increases employee motivation, which in-turn creates value, and converts that value by employing operating processes and encouraging behavioral norms which reduces costs and increases productivity essentially capturing the value leading to Southwest’s competitive advantage (Hallowell).According to Patterson, Brenny and Maxfield et al. (2008), preparing for setbacks builds resilience by the company internally; using setbacks as guides, instead of putting on the brakes help to refine their strategies. One of the most unique characteristics of Southwest Airlines is that it motivates the employees with stimulating and enjoyable recognition programs (Southwest. com, 2010). Rewards and recognition of the day-to-day work achievements play a vital role in ret aining and attracting employees at Southwest Airlines.This strategy provides recognition for worker’s unique qualities and individualized appreciation. Southwest’s employee recognition programs contributes to the high moral maintained in the organization’s culture (World at Work, 2001). According to Hallowell (1996), an employee is recognized almost every hour for large and small achievements on a daily basis at Southwest Airlines. The Southwest case study demonstrates how a focused human resource department portrays organizational culture and values, and how their use of employee engagement tools is aligned with the company’s competitive position.Employees who are actively engaged offer commitment and loyalty to the organization within which they are employed, and is indicative of Southwest Airlines. With this commitment Hallowell (1996) makes the analogy of a person feeling better about purchasing a piece of pie for six dollars, when they feel the pie i s worth eight dollars. The same concept applies to someone who can fly Southwest at the same price as its competitors but have better service. Once again evidence of converting employee value to customer value.Hallowell’s (1996) study makes another important point regarding employee engagement’s correlation with Southwest’s competitive advantage. Passengers moving between gates (destination and departure) are accompanied by Southwest employees, as such; these workers affect each customers experience with the airline (Hallowell). In the airline industry employee engagement has a ripple effect starting with top-level management and pilots to the baggage handlers, ramp agents, and flight attendants.Each customer’s experience with these employees will directly affect their willingness to pay (Hallowell). For instance, Kelly (2010) in an interview with Spirit Magazine, gave an account where a passenger forgot her glasses at her residence, the passenger could n ot retrieve the glasses without missing her flight; the flight attendant offered the passenger her own reading glasses, and in-turn the flight attendant was recognized by her peers, and management for friendly customer service. She was publicized as Southwest’s Star of the Month (Kelly).This strategy demonstrated the importance of employee engagement and Southwest’s ability to maintain its competitive advantage. In the case study of Southwest Airlines by Hallowell (1996); the author recognized the airline’s interviewing techniques as a strong point in the company’s overall success. Hallowell stated that the screening process by Southwest human resources eliminates uncaring potential employees by noting self-centered responses, and quickly separating the majority for those less likely to fit the standards of the organization.Miles and Mangold (2005) stated that Southwest Airlines uses employee branding as a method of engaging employees. Employee branding i s the process by which workers internalize the Southwest Airline brand and project its healthy aspects to the public (Miles & Mangold). The authors provide further support of Hallowell’s (1996) study in that they found employee branding helps Southwest achieve a competitive advantage over other organizations in the industry. Southwest. om (2010) gives the example that â€Å"LUV† and â€Å"FUN† ideology is embedded into their employees by permitting them to dress up on Halloween; have a casual dress code in the summer months, and by providing a teaching video on the Southwest Airline’s Shuffle Dance. According to Hallowell, CEO Gary Kelly dressed up as a bunny for Halloween and served Easter eggs to the employees. He went on to say that great comradery was stimulated just by stirring up â€Å"it is not Easter† controversy (Hallowell).The third variable researched in the Southwest Airline case study, is the organization’s capabilities to creat e value. Hallowell’s (1996) study indicated Southwest has established processes and internal structures that influence the employees to accomplish specific organizational competencies allowing them to adapt to changing strategic needs and changing customer needs assessments. These competencies help Southwest Airline produce â€Å"superior quantity and quality of effort† from employees (Hallowell, p. 10).One of the competencies Southwest defines as important is the extension of LUV and FUN from the employees to the customers by providing hassle-free flying, which is a direct result of employees being actively engaged with the organization’s culture (Hallowell). An important aspect to consider is that there must be harmony at the level of operations. Southwest has achieved harmony thought its employee engagement (i. e. human resource procedures) leading to operating procedure success reflecting Southwest’s organizational culture of helping one another (Hall owell).The appreciation for human capital is evident in reviewing Hallowell’s Northwest Airline case study, along with a comprehensive literature review via the internet and scholarly journal articles. Southwest Airlines meets the cognitive and emotional needs of its employees, shareholders, and customers by making them feel connected to the company. Their LUV and FUN approach to employee engagement has enabled them to create employee value and covert that value into customer value resulting in the company capturing value. With the three variables studied in Hallowell’s research, Northwest Airline is understood as a leader in competitive advantage.ReferencesFlowers, V. , & Hughes, C. (1973). Why employees stay. Harvard Business Review, 51(4), 49-60. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Hallowell, R. (1996). Southwest Airlines: A case study linking employee needs satisfaction and organizational capabilities to competitive advantage.Human Resource Management , 35(4), 513-534. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Kelly, G. (2010). On cloud nine. Sprint Magazine. Retrieved September 29, 2010 from http://www. spiritmag. com/gary_kelly/ Levine, D. (2004).Economic and game theory: What is game theory? UCLA Department of Economics. Retrieved September 29, 2010 from http://levine. sscnet. ucla. edu/general /whatis. htm Miles, S. & Mangold, G. (2005).Positioning Southwest Airlines through employee branding. Business Horizons, 48, 535-545. Retrieved September 30, 2010 from http://www. auburn. edu/~johnsrd/4160/Readings/Southwest%20Employee%20Branding. pdf Patterson, K. , Brenny, J, Maxfield, D. , Mcmillan, R. , & Switzler, A. , (2008).Influencer: The power to change anything. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Schlangenstein, M. & Hughes, J. (2010). Southwest CEO risks

Health Care Associated Infections Essay

Did you know that healthcare associated infections are in the top ten leading causes of death in the United States? According to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2010), â€Å"Healthcare-associated infections, also known as HAI’s are the most common complication of hospital care, resulting in 1.7 million infections and ninety-nine thousand deaths each year.† It is unfortunate that so many people suffer each year from infections that could be easily prevented. Slide2 Today my goal is to share some information with you about Healthcare associated infections and hopefully together we can all make a difference by reducing these alarming statistics. To start off I’m going to explain what Healthcare Associated Infections are and then I will go over the different types. Next I am going to go over a couple of the more common pathogens in healthcare associated infections. Following that I would like to talk about the preventive measure that all health care workers should be following to prevent future Healthcare associated infections. (Slide 3) According to Wilkinson and Treas (2011), A Healthcare Associated Infection is an infection related to healthcare given in any setting such as a hospital, during home-care, long-term care, and ambulatory settings. Infections may be spread from one patient to another simply because the healthcare provider failed to wash their hands or wear the proper personal protective equipment. Infections are also commonly spread by devises used during a medical procedure and anything else the patient may come in contact with that has not been properly cleaned such as a call bell or side rail. For instance say you have a patient with MRSA and one of their family members leave the room failing to wash their hands, goes to the front desk to ask for a glass of water for the patient in the mean time she placed her contaminated hands on the desk. Following that a nurse stops by the front desk also placing her hands on the desk then goes in to see a patient and fails to wash her hands prior to patient contact. Now we have just spread the infection and sadly another patient has acquired a healthcare associated infections. Patients whom acquire healthcare associated infections typically have longer duration of recovery time and medical cost are increased drastically. There are many different types of Healthcare Associated Infections, there is Surgical Site Infection (SSI), Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI), catheter associated infection (UTI), and ventilator associated phenomena (VAP). (Slide 4) Surgical Site Infection A surgical site infection, also known as SSI, is an infection that occurs after surgery in whatever part of a person’s body that the surgery took place. There are three main types of SSI’s. There is superficial incision SSI, which transpires between the integument and subcutaneous tissue. Next is deep incision SSI, taking place at deep tissues such as muscles. The third type is called organ/space SSI, which occurs inside the body at an organ or the open space inside the body around the surgical site. All Surgical infections typically occur within thirty days of the surgical procedure expect in cases of implants, which then surgical site infections can take place with in one year. According to the Center of Disease Control (2012), infections develop in about 1 to 3 out of every 100 patients who have surgery. These infections are not only lengthening hospital stays, but adding unnecessary medical expenses, and are also responsible for unnecessary deaths and long-term disa bilities. (Slide 5) CLABSI Another type of Healthcare associated infection occurs at a central line also known as a catheter line, which is a tube used to draw blood, give medication or fluids through a large vein such as the jugular vein or subcalavian vein. A central line associated blood stream infection is caused when bacteria, or any type of germ enters the blood from the central line, which then causes an infection in the blood stream. –Slide 6- According to The American Surgeon (2011) Nosocomial blood stream infections are one of the leading causes of death in United States hospitals. As stated in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2012), In 2011 there were thirty-seven central line associated blood stream infections reported at Halifax Health Medical Center. (Slide 7) CA-UTI A different type of Healthcare related infection is a catheter associated urinary track infection. This type of infection occurs when the patient has a urinary catheter in place and bacteria or fungus travel up the tubing. The infection can take place any where in the urinary system from the urethra to the kidneys. The longer the patient has the catheter in place the more they are at risk for getting a UTI. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that one in ever two thousand patients who were cared for at Bert Fish Memorial in New Smyrna Beach acquired a catheter associated infection. (Slide 8) VAP Then there are the ventilator-associated phenomena’s, which is an infection that occurs in the lungs due to contaminated ventilation equipment. Patients who are on ventilators are already weakened due to another form of illness and their immune systems are typically compromised making it difficult for their bodies to cope with trying to fight yet another issue. According to Wilkinson and Treas (2011), ventilator associated infection are associated with high mortality rate. Last year alone there were approximately thirty-six thousand reported cases of ventilator-associated infections. (Slide 9) Pathogens Two of the more common types of pathogens in nosocomial infections are Coagulase-negative staphylococci also known as CoNS and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus also known at MRSA. CoNS typically causes catheter related ifections since catheters are not easly removed and cleaned it often makes it complicated to treat. CoNS are also known to be resistant to most forms of antibiotics. According to the European Journal Of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (2011), CoNS infection prolongs treatment with antibiotics and hospital stay by approximately twelve days or up to two and a half weeks. MRSA is a staph germ that is difficult to cure. If MRSA enters the blood stream it can spread any where through out the body, including bones, and organs. According to Clinical Infectious Disease (2012) MRSA infections kill nineteen thousand hospitalized American patients annually. Out of all the MRSA cases, 86% of them are healthcare aquired. (Slide 10) Preventive measures All of these infections could be prevented if we take initiative to follow the proper protocol. One the simplest and most important preventive measures is washing your hands before and after entering a client’s room. Sadly many health providers fail to do this. These infections could be prevented as long as the healthcare team uses proper aseptic techniques. In 2010 Florida’s Department of Health started up a program called the HAI prevention program. One of their main goals is to prevent and decrease the healthcare related infection rates in Florida’s hospitals and long-term care facilities. With in a five-year period the US Department of Health and Human Services plans on reducing Blood stream infections in Florida by 50-70%. That’s a good start, but I believe we should all strive to eliminate all healthcare related infections. A few preventive measures are, if a medical supply accidentally becomes contaminated through it out and start fresh, as soon as our patients are well enough to have catheters removed notify the doctor so that they can be removed promptly, and always wash your hands before and after patient contact and remind others to wash their hands as well. (Slide 11) Conclusion In closing I am sad to say it, but many healthcare providers are in violation of the first rule of health care, Do No Harm. Our patients are coming to us to be relieved of their illnesses not to acquire new ones. So if we could all just follow the simple preventive measures such as washing our hands before and after assisting our patients we all can make a difference. Just think that fifteen seconds it took you to wash your hands may have just saved a life. References Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2010) Ending healthcare-associated infections. Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/haicusp.htm Boucher, H. & Corey, R. (2008). Epidemiology of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Oxford Journals. 46(5), 344-349. Retrieved from http://cid.oxfordjournals.org Florida state plan to address healthcare-associated infections. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/pdfs/stateplans/fl.pdf Kordek, A. (2011). Concentrations of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, and the immature-to-total neutrophil ratio in the blood of neonates with nosocomial infections: Gram-negative bacilli vs coagulase-negative staphylococci. European Journal Of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases: Official Publication Of The European Society Of Clinical Microbiology, 30(3), 455-457. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/ Smith, J., Egger, M., Franklin, G., Harbrecht, B., & Richardson, J. (2011). Central line- associated blood stream infection in the critically ill trauma patient. The American Surgeon, 77(8), 1038-1042. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost Wilkinson. & Treas. (2011). Fundamentals Of Nursing. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.