Liver Diseases Resulting from Alcohol Essay - 1429 Words

Liver disease resulting from alcohol affects more than two million Americans and is one of the primary causes of illness and death. The liver frees the body of harmful substances, such as alcohol. While the liver breaks down alcohol, it produces toxins that can be even more dangerous than the alcohol consumed (â€Å"Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohols Impact Your Health† 13). â€Å"These by-products damage liver cells, promote inflammation, and weaken the body’s natural defenses. Eventually, these problems can disrupt the body’s metabolism and impair the function of other organs† (â€Å"Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohols Impact Your Health† 13). A condition called steatosis is the result of fat build up in the liver and is the†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Each year, acute pancreatitis sends more than 200,000 Americans to the hospital. Many of those who suffer from pancreatic problems are also heavy drinkers† (â€Å"Be yond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohols Impact Your Health† 15). The pancreas is an important organ which aids in digestions and energy conversion. The pancreas directs enzymes to the small intestine to digest nutrients and it also secretes insulin and glucagon. The body’s main source of energy is glucose and insulin allows additional glucose to be stored away in the body properly. Too much alcohol damages cells in the pancreas, causing complications with insulin, leaving the organ open to inflammation. Alcohol causes the pancreas to discharge the enzymes intended for the small intestine back into the pancreas which can lead to inflammation and the swelling of tissues and blood vessels. Pancreatitis is the inflammation which causes the organ to malfunction and if one continues to drink, it can magnify into chronic pancreatitis when the inflammation is constant (â€Å"Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohols Impact Your Health† 15-16). Pancreatitis causing s evere abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, and is not curable. Sixty-percent of circumstances result from alcohol; although, some have been linked to gallstones (Freeman). The immune system protects the body from harmful germs and bacteria thatShow MoreRelatedAlcoholism Is Not Only A Disease862 Words   |  4 Pages Alcoholism is not only a disease to the alcoholic himself, It also disease to many people including family members. In numerous ways, for instance it appears to cause by the devastating assault of the physiology of the body by repeated episodes of heavy drinking as a result in the competence to feel the alcohol on average. Alcohol normally composition and social pressures may aggravate the disease. It is characterized by a typical progression of drinking behavior that requires an average ofRead MoreAlcohol as an Ergogenic Aid1082 Words   |  5 PagesAndrew Aluko March 28, 2011 Sports and Nutrition Professor Saullo Alcohol and Athletics Alcohol, more specifically ethyl alcohol or ethanol, is a depressant that provides 7 kCal of energy per gram, and is the most abused drug for athletes and non-athletes in the United States. Prior to my research on alcohol, I assumed that alcohol abuse was not prevalent among college athletes, outside of the occasional partying that normal college students partake in as well. But according to LifestylesRead MoreQuestion One. Alcohol Use Disorders (Aud) Is A Health Condition1671 Words   |  7 PagesQuestion One Alcohol use disorders (AUD) is a health condition that is diagnosed when alcohol abusers use alcohol to an enormous extent. AUD entails alcohol addiction, and many people who have AUD struggle with alcohol consumption. This disorder is related to alcoholism, or alcohol abuse. The symptoms of AUD include cravings, a strong need to have a drink during the week or weekends, loss of control involving not being able to stop drinking, feeling out of control, shaking, anxiety, withdrawals,Read MoreAlcohol Consumption Of Ethanol Effects On Human Beings1608 Words   |  7 Pages Alcohol is one of the most consumed substances in the entire world. â€Å"In 2013, 86.8 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their life time† (NIAAA, n.d.). Alcohol is the result of fermented ethanol. Ethanol is a, â€Å"chemically and aromatic compound containing a hydroxyl group† (Foster Marriott, 2006). The raw consumption of ethanol can have devastati ng effects on human beings, which is why it has to go through the process of fermentation. The fermentationRead MoreWhat Effect Does Alcohol Have on a Persons Health and Life Expectancy?1406 Words   |  6 PagesNicola Cooper Student No; cs329513 What effect does alcohol have on a persons health and life expectancy? The consumption of alcoholic beverages dates back to approximately 10,000 years ago when ‘viticulture (the selective cultivation of grape vines for making wine) is said to have originated in the mountains between the Black and Caspian Seas. (1) It is one of the most commonly used psychoactive drugs in the world. Alcohol interacts with gamma amino bultyric acid (GABA) receptors in theRead MoreAlcoholism Is The Addiction Of Alcoholic Liquor Or The Mental Illness1012 Words   |  5 Pagesalcoholic liquor or the mental illness, as well as mental behavior, resulting from alcohol dependency. As you take your first sip, alcohol enters your bloodstream. According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 15.1 million adults ages eighteen and older had alcohol use disorder. Also according to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 623,000 adolescents ages between twelve and seventeen had alcohol use disorder. A recent study published in the Archives of GeneralRead MoreDescribe And Explain Ethanol Catabolism Pathways In Humans,1597 Words   |  7 Pages the metabolic effects of excessive alcohol consumption and describe the long-term treatment and prognosis of this disease. Ethanol is a small two-carbon molecule, referred to as alcohol (1, 4); it comes from the fermentation of grains such as cane sugar molasses etc. Fermentation is the process by which a substance such as carbohydrates for example, sugars are turned into alcohol by the action of microorganisms such as yeast, that eventually dies as alcohol levels rise during fermentation (1).Read MoreEssay about Cirrhosis811 Words   |  4 PagesCirrhosis Cirrhosis is a serious disease of the liver where scar tissue replaces normal healthy tissue, and affects the function and structure of the liver. Liver, which is the largest organ in the body, has a vital roles which are important to keep the body functioning well. Liver makes proteins and enzymes that regulate blood clotting. It also regulates cholesterol and stores the energy. In addition, the liver removes poisons from the blood. 30% of cirrhosiss victims are diagnosed will remainRead MoreDrinking Alcohol Is Socially Acceptable?963 Words   |  4 PagesDrinking alcohol is socially acceptable almost everywhere you go, although many people fail to see the substantial effects or choose to ignore them completely. Alcohol is commonly known to create feelings of euphoria or is often used as a substance to cure feelings of depression, stress, and anxiety. For whatever reasons one might have to consume alcohol, the side effects need to become of realization to consumers. An understandin g of feasible outcomes need to be informed to those who might not realizeRead MoreMarijuana vs. Alcohol People are often quick to judge those that use marijuana, but do not judge900 Words   |  4 PagesMarijuana vs. Alcohol People are often quick to judge those that use marijuana, but do not judge those who use alcohol. With medical marijuana on the rise, people are using marijuana almost as much as people using alcohol. People argue the health risk of both marijuana and alcohol, but do people really know what the health risks and benefits are? Excessive use of alcohol is accountable for 88,000 U.S. fatalities each year from 2006 to 2010. The fatalities cost the budget $224 billion according to

Corporate Social Responsibility ( Csr ) - 1167 Words

Corporate Social Responsibility Introduction Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a concept which is also known as corporate citizenship, corporate conscience or in a simple way a responsible business. It is an integrated concept of self-regulatory business model for any organisation. Corporate Social Responsibility has been in practice for more than fifty years now, which has been adopted not only by domestic companies but also by transnational company with voluntary CSR initiatives (Chernev and Blair, 2015). It includes Corporate Social Responsibility for code of conduct, organisational health and environment, companies reporting on social, financial and environmental aspects, partnership with agencies, NGO’s and UN agencies etc. and increase its focus on community development program (Sun, Stewart and Pollard, 2010). Corporate Social Responsibility is necessary for every organization and they have a uniquely distinctive approach to it. Let’s say for a business Corporate Social Responsibility is to manage business processes to produce a positive outcome for the society in general. For this the company needs to keep two aspects in mind while operating: 1. People and processes- quality of their management 2. Impact on society on diverse areas The organization’s stakeholders keep an eye on the working environment of the business and their interest keep on increasing with the increase in the multiple numbers of activities company undergoes. StakeholdersShow MoreRelatedCorporate Social Responsibility And Csr1566 Words   |  7 PagesSocial responsibility or also called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)- is the firm’s engagement (voluntarily initiated) in and its compliance (legally mandated) to environmental, social, and governance issues (The Foundation, 2014). Also, is based on stakeholder’s needs being financially sustainable, and CSR can come from both corporate or not-to-profit organizations. CSR has seven categories; Leadership, vision and values; Marketplace activities; Workforce activities; Supply chain activities;Read MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : Csr1232 Words   |  5 PagesCorporate social responsibility has become a buzzword within the industry in the last few years. Following the financial market crash investors and stakeholders began looking at corporations to act more socially responsible. The meaning of social responsibility differs across regions. Western countries are the ones who are pushing for corporate social responsibility -thesis-- A broad overview at corporate social responsibility (CSR) looks to corporations to make a change in the society or the environmentRead MoreCsr : Corporate Social Responsibility1598 Words   |  7 Pages CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is defined by many groups like, Tata steel, Coca Cola, Reliance, Videocon etc. Although they all stand for similar meanings connecting to taking responsibilities of the society as a business individual, its definition has been getting broader from a established point of view, corporate social responsibility is a type of business instruction included in a business demonstration. CSR policy functions as a self-regulatoryRead MoreCsr : Corporate Social Responsibility Essay1285 Words   |  6 PagesCSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility and it is a concept with many definitions and practices and also a buzzword in the media. In general, corporate social responsibility is the policies and progra ms of business corporations which tend to benefit society while improving a corporation’s public image and profitability at the same time. The meaning of it is implemented in different countries and companies differently. Warren Buffet said that it takes 20 years to build a reputation and onlyRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )863 Words   |  4 Pagestechnology in the last century. The term of Corporate Social Responsibility appears more often into public’s concerned and it has become a hot issue in recent years. This essay is going to discuss and provide an overview of corporate social responsibility (CSR) by debate some key issue in this area. 1.2 What is Corporate Social Responsibility? In 1953, Bowen’s Social Responsibility of the Businessman firstly discusses the idea of corporate social responsibility. He states the relationship between societyRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1314 Words   |  6 PagesSocial responsibility has become a primal interest to the humankind for the past two decades. In the earlier days, the firms and organizations concentrated only on the financial part of the business and ignored the ethical, social and moral sectors. But in the recent times, the businesses are getting a grip of the significance of the social, ecological and environmental effects on their success. This has resulted in the emerging interactions between organizations and social segments thus giving riseRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1173 Words   |  5 Pages Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is highly important to Millennials. If a company is lacking a CSR plan, now it a good time to start one. Millennials are looking for ways in making a positive impact on the world and are expecting the same from companies. They are looking for companies that contribute to the betterment of communities and the environment. Millennials put great value in supporting such brands, companies and organizations that share these values. Companies without a CSR in placeRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : Csr979 Words   |  4 PagesThe notion of Corporate Social Responsibility is a phenomenon globally known for many years. In spite of the fact that CSR has been neglected for quite a long time, nowadays several authors deal with this issue, as revealed by the development of theories in recent years concerning the topic. In spite of the fact that there has been a huge growth of literature it is still impossible to simply define CSR. Many definitions trying to capture the concept of CSR exist, but their content varies (MattenRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1370 Words   |  6 Pagesmore attention on the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The core issue is the appropriate responsibility of business. In as much as firms ought to obey the law, but beyond complete compliance with environmental laws, the question is whether firms have extra social responsibilities to commit part of their resources to environmental preservation voluntarily. This memo provides an exploratory investigation of the link between corporate social responsibility and the benefits accruing to aRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1549 Words   |  7 Pagesgovernments to take responsibility for the problems but also the corporations. One outcome of this is corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR refers to voluntary actions of companies or corporations to contribute to the welfare of society and the health of the environment. Some ways it can be accomplished are through philanthropy, working with NGOs in local communities on humanitarian and/or environmental projects, supporting workers’ unions, and investing in green technologies. CSR is not a new concept

Stem Cell Therapy free essay sample

In December 1988 Sarah Smith was in a serious car accident. Sarah became paralyzed from the waist down. She seldom felt nerves in her legs and feet when touched or tested and she could not walk or stand. The muscles in her hands had atrophied, making it impossible for her to open them. Sarah’s’s health gradually got worse due to lack of exercise and movement. In essence she lived in a motorized wheel chair. After reading an article Sarah contacted the Rehabilitation Institute of Detroit, Michigan. Following grueling tests and therapy Sarah flew to Beijing, China and received Olfactory Ensheathing cell surgery. They implanted stem cells above and below the injured portion of her spine. Immediately she could feel a reaction. Her legs were tingling with sensation. Her right hand opened and closed. Today she is in a manual wheel chair and can kick both legs. With adequate knowledge of stem cell research, learning the benefits acquired through stem cell therapy, and recognizing that support for stem cells is on the rise; it is apparent that even though people believe it is against the laws of God, the positive medical benefits resulting from stem cell research out weigh the negative social penalties. Due to confusion and general lack of knowledge stem cell research is sometimes wrongly thought of as unethical. Stem cells are model cells found all through the body that have the ability to possess concentrated roles. These cells are grown to imitate blood, bone, brain, or skin cells among others (Heled, 2008). There are different kinds of stem cells deriving from different areas that produce different results. Embryonic or fetal stem cells are believed to be the most influential and controversial in stem cell research. According to the American Journal of Health Education, â€Å"(embryonic stem cells) can differentiate into almost any type of cell that makes up the body† (2008). They originate from four different places: existing stem cell lines, aborted or miscarried fetuses, discarded embryos from fertilization, or cloned embryos. Adult stem cells are harder to manipulate; however, they do offer great insight into stem cell research. Adult stem cells can be found in different parts of the brain and bone marrow (Eve, Marty, McDermott, Klasko, Sanberg, 2008). Because of federal funding there is more adaptability with adult stem cells making them more available. Placental or umbilical cord blood stem cells contain a smaller level of stem cells, but have resulted to be beneficial in the treatment of different disorders. Current research of these cells has brought about encouraging possibilities, but as with all new ideas it does need to be explored more. Stem cell research and the cloning of humans and animals is not the same thing. The cloning of humans to full term is banned more or less across the globe. In some cases short term cloning was performed to allow for the creation and mining of stem cells; however, following the tests the cloned embryos were terminated (Eve, Marty, McDermott, Klasko, Sanberg, 2008). World wide a handful of animals have been cloned, but were inundated with problems resulting in tighter restrictions on human stem cell research. Recent research on cloned animals implies that the duplicated cells do not restart their lifespan, insuring an earlier death. Stem cells are thought to be the foremost uncultivated source for deterrence and healing of many diseases (see Chart 1). The process has shown new hope for many horrible degenerative diseases. Mice reproduced to show signs of Sandhoff disease, an adolescent disorder, implanted with stem cells revealed progress. Depleted levels of the Hexosaminidase trigger the disease. It was found that by implanting the stem cells it replenished the low levels rebuilding the dwindling amount. Additionally, with the help of stem cells scientists are initiating modern methods to regenerate brain cells used to treat Parkinson’s disease. By replacing defective cells with vigorous stem cells proposes optimism and a lasting remedy (Devitt, 2007). In another study scientists injected stem cells in primates with Parkinson’s disease who were said to have made an improvement after the surgery (Haugen Musser, 2007). In 2006 researchers at the University of Vermont injected diabetic mice with stem cells in attempt to cure them. The procedure paid off. Within a month insulin in the immune deficient mice had increased 34%. When evaluated along side the mice that were untouched there was 34% less blood glucose. The scientists plan to start testing human patients in an effort to gain more knowledge and save lives (Walker, 2006). Stem cell research might be the answer for curing heart related issues and diseases. Roughly 58 million people suffering from cardiovascular disease may benefit from stem cell research. Author, Ian Wilmut states â€Å"cells cloned from embryos would be most valuable in conditions such as cardiovascular disease† (2007). Moreover, scientists successfully created a heart valve derived from bone marrow stem cells (Eve, Marty, McDermott, Klasko, Sanberg, 2008). Further testing should qualify the procedure and establish if the valve will perform normally in a heart. Additionally, scientists discovered they could regenerate fetal stem cells to form working myocytes, heart tissue. This process alone could revive the lives of numerous people. There have been promising results when tests were performed on humans, as well as rats, with hepatic malignancies. There was proof of liver regeneration from bone marrow stems cells. Studies executed on rats showed sufficient levels of liver renewal due to stem cell implantation (Eve, Marty, McDermott, Klasko, Sanberg, 2008). Stem cell research may also be the answer for fetuses in utero with liver related problems. A study at the University of California at San Francisco stated â€Å"with the right culture conditions, transduced cells remain a viable method for delivering gene therapies targeting birth defects† (Treating Congenital Problems With Gene Therapy In Utero Believed Possible, 2001) Many people affected by spinal cord injury can also be helped by innovations learned through stem cell implantation. People with incomplete spinal injuries, injuries were the spinal cord is not completely severed, are benefiting from stem cell research. An experiment conducted at the John Hopkins University conducted on paralyzed rats showed â€Å"restored motor function† in the tested rats (Lindsay, 2008). Overseas large progress is being made in stem cell research. For instance, The China Post (2007) reports that researcher’s boasted successful results when animal test patients with spinal injuries were injected with embryonic stem cells. Also, in Portugal studies were conducted on people with severe spinal cord injuries. Every test subject showed some sort of improvement. Dr.

Influence of Music on Children free essay sample

I was only thirteen years old when I moved from my country, Afghanistan. America was so new to me and I quickly found myself caught up in the fresh and modern culture. My first experience with American music was memorable. Being in a new environment I felt lost, confused and just needed to find some comfort. For me, Its music. Turning on the local radio station I was immediately drawn to the fast past beat and it pulled me in. I begin repeating the lyrics from the song in as best English as I could and dancing around. In the other room my mother met with our new social worker, Beth.As I was taking In the new culture, the music, Beth rushes In and her face lit up with shock. I looked to her blink, blink, I couldnt understand what she was saying. Grabbing for the radio, Beth rushed to turn off the fast paced beat. We will write a custom essay sample on Influence of Music on Children or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Not knowing, I was confused and scared that I had not followed the American culture. The language barrier made it hard to understand what was going to come next but I could tell from Beets facial expression that I was In big trouble. The Interpreter explained what I had been repeating Birthday sex, explode my mind was extremely inappropriate song coming from a thirteen year old.Fabric was my native language and I TLD know a single word of English. However, ever since then Vive been more cautious as to what Im listening to and what lyrics Im repeating. Looking back, Beth was trying to protect me from her bad-mouthed music culture. Understanding that America is so multicultural, I can relate to the immigrant children who are drawn to beat of Hip Hop. Unless their parents or social worker, as In my case, protect them from this negative language, they will grow up living by this music and It disapproving lessons.As Ive grown up and have become more aware of the English engage Ive experienced a great deal of negative and positive. In my observation, Vive noticed people who listen to negative music act out in negative ways; positive music brings a positive outcome. Music Inspires and Influences people In different ways. For me, music touches my soul and brings out feelings in me that I cant express without it. My favorite genre of music is hip-hop. Whenever Im feeling down and need my spirits lifted, I turn on the radio and relax. Music can also help my mind think more clearly when It comes to decision making or clearing my thoughts.I use sic with my most helpful form of one of my most loved hobbies dancing. Although, music can be very beneficial for people, but unfortunately its very sad how the music language is bad and almost like every other word is a swear word. Children who are exposed to the hip-hop music come to believe that people talk like that and I dont blame them because If adults sing Like that, what should children learn from them? Almost every American kid owns an pod listening to one when they are three years old. Throughout the periods of time, music has changed significantly.Music back in he old days didnt have much reference to sex, drugs, or violence and the crime rate wasnt nearly as high as It Is today. In recent years, these topics became socially acceptable things for artists to sing about. One type of music that has these topics, most predominantly, is hip-hop music. Hip hop has become a vastly growing negative similar manner as the hip-hop artists themselves. The lyrics give off messages to kids telling them that things like: cursing, drinking/drugs, sex and violence are all morally tolerable and acceptable in our communities; which its not.People should realize that hip-hop music isnt Just found in one certain ethnic group, it is widespread. However, hip hops most potent form is music made by African Americans and suburban whites alike. Many artists know that they have more freedom and room to express themselves. Sometimes artists feature profane lyrics, misogyny and violence. I think it is mistaken that the artists be labeled as awful, disrespectful, shocking people as well as being detrimental to young listener. Just because the music and lyrics are bad, it doesnt mean that the artists themselves are bad people.They could have their music written for them, or influenced by other rappers as to what to write about. Of course, the society wants to blame someone for the reactions that hip hop music has on children today. Then on the other hand, we have no one to blame but ourselves. Parents and adults look at the music producer more than they should blame themselves because the parents are the one who expose their children to the negative music in the first place. A parent or adults role is to protect the children from a very early age. In todays world, parents are too busy to worry about what type f music their children are listening to.Many artists dont understand how much music and the media affects children because music in the media can sometimes lead children in the wrong direction. Kids listen to profanity in songs and dont understand the underlying problem. The attitude of much hip-hop music is one of disturbance and disparagement for adults, society and the community as a whole. This leads to a gap between the generations and also adds a culture of violence and anger. Unfortunately, this affects both generations because adults who are exposed to this can come to believe that this is the voice of the young.

Why Principals Must Build Relationships with Parents

Why Principals Must Build Relationships with Parents Much has been made about the need for teachers to foster healthy relationships with the parents of their students. Likewise, a principal must seek out opportunities to build cooperative relationships with parents.   Though the relationship between principal and parents are much more distant than the relationship between teacher and parents, there is still considerable value there.   Principals who embrace the opportunity to build the relationships with parents will find it to be a worthwhile investment.   Relationships Build Respect Parents may not always agree with your decisions, but when they respect you, it makes those disagreements easier.   Garnering parental respect helps to make those tough decisions a little easier. Principals are not perfect, and all their decisions will not turn to gold. Being respected gives principals a little latitude when they do fail. Furthermore, if the parents respect you, the students will respect you.   This alone makes any time invested in building relationships with parents worthwhile. Relationships BuildTrust Trust is sometimes the most difficult thing to earn. Parents are often skeptical. They want to know that you have the best interests of their children at heart.   Trust happens when parents bring issues or concerns to you and know when they leave your office that it is going to be addressed. The benefits of earning a parent’s trust are fantastic. Trust gives you the leeway to make decisions without looking over your shoulder, worrying about being questioned, or having to defend it.   Relationships Allow for Honest Feedback Perhaps the biggest benefit of having a relationship with parents is that you can solicit feedback from them on a wide variety of school-related issues.   A good principal seeks out honest feedback. They want to know what works well, but they also want to know what needs to be fixed.   Taking this feedback and examining it further can spark great changes in a school. Parents have great ideas. Many will never express those ideas because they do not have a relationship with a principal.   Principals must be okay with asking the tough questions, but also receiving the tough answers.   We may not like everything we hear, but having feedback can challenge the way we think and ultimately make our school better. Relationships Make Your Job Easier A principal’s job is difficult.   Nothing is predictable. Each day brings about new and unexpected challenges.   When you have healthy relationships with parents, it simply makes your job easier.   Calling a parent about a student discipline issue becomes much easier when there is a healthy relationship there.   Making decisions, in general, become easier when you know that parents respect you and trust you enough to do your job that they are not going to be beating down your door and questioning your every move. Strategies for Principals to Build Relationships with Parents Principals spend a large amount of time after school at extra-curricular activities. This is a great opportunity to reach out and build informal relationships with parents.   Great principals are adept at finding common ground or mutual interests with almost any parent.   They can talk about anything from the weather to politics to sports.   Having these conversations helps parents see you as a real person and not just as a figurehead for the school.   They see you in part as the person who really likes the Dallas Cowboys as opposed to the guy that’s out to get my kid. Knowing something personal about you will make it easier to trust and respect you. One simple strategy for building relationships with parents is to randomly call 5-10 parents each week and ask them a short series of questions about the school, their children’s teachers, etc.   Parents will love that you took the time to ask them their opinion. Another strategy is a parent’s luncheon.   A principal can invite a small group of parents to join them for lunch to talk about key issues the school is dealing with.   These luncheons can be scheduled on a monthly basis or as needed.   Utilizing strategies like these can really solidify relationships with parents. Finally, schools are almost always forming committees on a variety of school-related topics. These committees should not be limited to school personnel. Inviting parents and students to serve on a committee brings a different perspective that can be beneficial for everyone.   Parents get to be a part of the inner workings of the school and provide their stamp on their child’s education. Principals are able to utilize this time to continue to build relationships and solicit a perspective they may not have otherwise been given.

How to Write a Short Story in 2019 7 Steps to an Unforgettable Story

How to Write a Short Story in 2019 7 Steps to an Unforgettable Story How to Write a Short Story in 2019: 7 Steps to an Unforgettable Story From Rudyard Kipling’s â€Å"The Jungle Book† to the bone-chilling works of Shirley Jackson and Edgar Allan Poe, short stories have always had the power to captivate and profoundly move us. But how to write a short story that makes such an impact - especially when you’ve never done it before?Luckily, this form is an ideal medium for beginners, as well as those hoping to get back in the writing saddle. It allows you to dip a toe into the vast ocean of literary creation without drowning, while also challenging you to be effectively concise. This post will show you how to write a story by taking you through the full process: starting with your basic understanding of the form and ending with the big, beautiful bow you’ll put on your finished piece before sending it out to the world.If you'd like to download our free checklist on submitting your writing, skip ahead to the appropriate section below! Otherwise, read on.  What is a short story?For those unfamiliar with the form, here are some stats to help you out:A short story is a piece of fiction typically no longer than 8,000 words.Most short stories are only 2,000 to 5,000, butMicrofiction might be less than 500, andA longer â€Å"short† story might be as many as 20,000 (novellas start around 30,000 words).â€Å"You become a different writer when you approach or write a story,† says Zadie Smith. â€Å"When things are not always having to represent other things , you find real human beings begin to cautiously appear on your pages.†Writing a w ell-done story means that you've achieved a microcosm for humanity. Regardless of what you write about or how you choose to portray it, your story will be a success if you do so with genuine heart. It could be about aliens or elephants or inanimate objects - as long as it contains that key emotion, other people will find themselves moved by it. You may even end up turning it into a novel or novella someday.But remember: writing short stories is not merely a path to greatness. A truly heart-wrenching short story is greatness in and of itself.Are you a writer of short fiction? What are your tips for writing a story? Leave any thoughts or questions in the comments below!

Fire service administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Fire service administration - Essay Example The case also comprised of varied civil cases, for instance, relatives of the dead and survivors who accused the then chief fire inspector for fraud and negligence. They state that he inspected the club at least twice and never indicated any faults made by the club owners in the club thus facilitating to the spreading of fire. Another civil case in the incidence is that of two brothers who owned the club accusing the white band floor using pyrotechnics without their permission. The latter equipments sparked up the fire before spread by the highly flammable flame. In the station nightclub fire, several functions of the US federal law to incidence like that are evident. For instance, the law ought to ensure safety of all its citizens everywhere at all times. For instance, the law required that station nightclub ought to have fitted certain safety equipments in the premises to combat occurrence of any such fatal incidences. The law also ought to be just and fair to all citizens. Certain accused parties like Michael and Jeffrey Derderian did not receive just sentences from their faults that spearheaded the ordeal. Public law generally encompasses of regulations set up by the federal regime and applies to all citizens in the government’s jurisdiction. These laws are set up by the government to oversee interactions between citizens and the state. However, in accordance to the United States criminal justice system private laws, it entails guidelines, standard operation procedures as well as regulations agreed upon by certain private entities to oversee their interoperations. Besides, the US government according to US federal constitution requires that certain social settings to attain a specific standard of safety requirements. According to station nightclub fire case, fitting of sprinklers in the club ought to be there as part of the

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Case Study Example LVMH constitutes of 60 subsidiaries each controlling several prestigious market brands. The company is interested in five-service and product area that include leather and fashion products, jewelry and watches, cosmetics and perfumes, alcohol (spirits and wines), and selective retailing. The subsidiaries have independent management though the overall management influences operations. LVMH’s corporate strategy is defined as strategic merge of independent companies that produce different or slightly different products. The companies may be thriving in the same market region or different market region (Wendlandt & Denis 3). LVMH creation of value LVMH seeks to create value in different ways especially by providing new value, adding value to the existing brands and providing quality value. Since the company emerged, it has continually sought to create new value by searching for companies with high performance potential and signing them into the merger business. The company dynamic ally gains recognition and market ground that allow it to create new value by seeking and purchasing new brands (Hannaford 95). The cost of producing each commodity reduces by merging different production and marketing entities. Negotiating for reduced advertisement charges, raw material costs, distribution cost and other similar operation becomes easier. As a result, the quantity of specific items can increase to lure the customers. Another measure that LVMH strives to attain is setting standards that improve their brand items. This ensures improved commodity quality. Apart from the above strategies, LVMH organizes exhibitions to show case their products. Additionally, it participates in community activities to improve its image. The â€Å"LVMH Young Artistic Award† is an annual price for creativity competition for students sponsored by LVMH (Wendlandt & Denis 3). LVMH partakes in direct activities to ensure increased value by improving quality of products. These activities include formulation of vision, training, boosting technical skills to improve service, consolidating resources and interviewing new recruits. The newly employed recruits are initiated into their job environment immediately to evaluate their productivity. They later enroll in a training program to further their skill (Wendlandt & Denis 3) LVMH capacities that distinguish it from its competitors Several advantages place LVMH above its competitors. The synergies associated with its subsidiaries’ financial portfolios provide a strong financial backing. The organization can determine the benefits of each subsidiary and sponsor them accordingly (Hoskinsson, Hitt and Ireland 95). LVMH is strategically diverse especially in the market enabling the company to target and serve customers with different lifestyles. Each subsidiary provides a venture that targets different consumers. It caters for alcohol lovers as well as fashion-oriented people who do not drink. Diversification strength ens efficiency, parenting measures and increases market influence. Efficiency improves because each business benefits from links with the mother corporation. The corporation also gains from the relationship. Each separate business has numerous partnership options for coordination during distribution, research, logistics and purchasing (Thompson 145). In the event that a business encounters challenges that are difficult to address, the mother corpor

Two different business organisations Essay Example for Free

Two different business organisations Essay Introduction M1 Unit 1: Business Purposes Red Group 10A/Eb1 Asid Ashraf 10L Assignment 6 (M1) Scenario: The Editor has asked me to identify and research two different businesses in the area to help promote them to the local community. Requirements of M1: Contrast the ownership and purposes of two different business organisations. Task 6(a): Select two businesses to contrast (your choices must be checked and approved by your teacher). The two businesses are Tesco and Oxfam. Task 6(b): Use the same format for the table as shown below to contrast the two different businesses and add a summary at the end: Aspects of ownership Name of 1st organisation: Tesco Name of 2nd organisation: Oxfam Similarities Differences Ownership type Public Limited Company Charity The differences are that Tesco is a PLC and Oxfam is a charity. Middle Type of liability Limited liability for all shareholders They form the Council of Trustees, which is the governing body of the Association of Oxfam (a not-for-profit limited-liability company). The similarities of both organisations are that they are limited liability company. Control The directors appoint shareholders to control the day-to-day duties and responsibilities of the business. Oxfam have a number of trustees who control the organisation which are: Karen Brown, Chair Sandra Dawson, Vice Chair David Pitt-Watson, Hon. Treasurer Vanessa Godfrey James Darcy Maja Daruwala Andy Friend Rajiv Joshi Matthew Martin Marjorie Scardino Nkoyo Toyo Tricia Zipfel They have various duties and responsibilities for example some are executive directors, vice chairmen and CEOà ¢s. The similarities are that both organisations have control on the day-to-day duties and responsibilities. Each organisation have been appointed directors and CEOà ¢s. The differences are that both organisations have different types of control. Conclusion The differences are that Tesco are here to make a profit which is divided between their shareholders used for new shops and to save. Whereas Oxfam are  not due to being a non-profit-organisation. Number of owners 2 or more. Changing all the time as shares are bought and sold and the stock exchange. Oxfam do not have owners they have trustees who run the charity. They currently have 12 trustees. The similarities are that both organisation have people to run there Tesco and Oxfam. The differences are that Tesco have owners to run their business this is because they are making a profit. Whereas Oxfam have trustees to run their non-profit- organisation. and who do not get a share of the profit Summary: I have learnt that both organisations are very distinct this is due to having different organisation type, number of owners, control, capital and sources of finances. I also learnt that Tesco is a PLC and Oxfam is a charity organisation and that they have similarities and differences bet ween themselves. The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Business, Companies and Organisation, Activity section.

Free Essays - All Quiet on the Western Front :: All Quiet on the Western Front Essays

  All Quiet on the Western Front   The setting of this novel takes place in Germany during World War I. the war is being fought at the fronts- which is almost every side of Germany where other countries lie. For the most part, Paul Baumer stays on the western front, (north west of Belgium), during the three years when the novel takes place. The setting is very important because it shows the darkest part of the war, when most of Germanys fighting takes place.   Paul Baumer, a young soldier who enjoys writing poems and plays, becomes a man during his three years of service. He wants the war to be over so he can go back home to his family and read and write again with out being disrupted by his thoughts of the front. By the end of the novel, he does not achieve this because he was killed on the western front. When they found his body, it had an appearance of calm gladness because the war was finally over for him. In this novel, Paul faced drastic changes. He went from a child who knew nothing about death, despair or fear to a grown man who only knew those three things. At the end of the novel Paul had nothing, for every thing he had loved or cared about was taken from him by the war. I liked this character because he was well written. He was head strong about life or what he knew of it.   Stanislaus Katczinsky also know, as Kat is a forty-year-old veteran of war who teaches Paul and others about life on the battlefield. He is head strong and very smart and is depended on by Paul and others for food, and helping them cope with war. I believe Kat wants what every soldier wants, for the war to be over. I liked this character he was fun to read and a great teacher to me about the war.   The minor character that was most interesting to me was Corporal Himmelstoss because he was unfair to other soldiers, in a mean bullying manner. However, when it finally came down for the Corporal to fight, he became a coward. In the end, he gained the respect of Paul and others for rescuing Haie.   I believe the most important conflict in the story was when Paul volunteered to be part of a patrol to spy on the allied position.

Proving King Lear Is a Tragedy Essay

A drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances. A flaw in the character of the protagonist of a tragedy that brings the protagonist to ruin or sorrow. a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat: King Lear is a perfect example of a tragedy. In a typical tragedy, the main character, or tragic hero, is brought to suffer some extreme sorrow, because of a tragic flaw he possesses. King Lear, the tragic hero, carries the tragic flaw of vanity, which causes his downfall. His demise begins with him believing his two insincere older daughters, Goneril and Regan, tell him that they love him more than anything, and casts out his youngest daughter, Cordelia, who truthfully tells him, â€Å"I love your majesty according to my bond; nor more nor less† (Shakespeare 4). Lear is too arrogant to see that Cordelia is the daughter that truly loves him and throws out anyone close enough to tell him his mistake. As the plot progresses, Lear realizes Goneril and Regan have betrayed him and Cordelia did truly love him, but still refuses to return to Cordelia begging for forgiveness. At this point, Lear is mad, but Cordelia wants to nurse him back to health. Cordelia dies and later Lear dies of grief all because of his vanity.

Qweasss

We can put too much weight on anecdotal information and data picked up by chance, which is easily retrieved from memory. B. We may disregard information that does not fit our preconceptions. We may attribute a result to a cause when in fact it may be a random effect. Question 2 For a manager who finds their decision making process, which has already consumed considerable time and energy, going wrong, the best advice is: Selected Answer: Stop, discard the current method, and begin again using a new method. Question 3Which of the following are TRUE statements about quasi-rationality? The perception of cues may be more or less analytical or intuitive depending on the nature of the task for Judgment and its complexity. According to Brother's study (1986), the quasi-rationality of perception means that the same Judge often finds it difficult to explain the process to others and to reproduce the same Judgment consistently. Influences on quasi-rational Judgment are, framing effects, overcon fidence, irrelevant learning, cognitive dissonance, sunk costs, stress, influence from others and personality.Question 4 Which of the following factors are most likely to bias an individual's selection of cues? Data availability. Personal preferences. Personal values. Question 5 Which of the following statements are False? The utility of money is independent of differing farming effects or continuum contexts. D. Managers tend to operate in analytical thinking mode at the extreme of the defined under quasi-rationality. Perception of cues is singular in nature, and each cue is processed independently. Question 6 Experienced managers are not necessarily likely to make better Judgments in an unfamiliar than new managers.True Question 7 Which of the following statements is least true? As a person's experience as a manager increases, their Judgment in both familiar and unfamiliar situations significantly improves. Question 8 Rationality is only a question of whether a choice is in line wi th a person's beliefs and preferences and not a question of what sort of preferences and beliefs that person holds. False Question 9 Which two of the following personality characteristics are NOT likely to contribute to making good decisions? External locus of control.

Bigotry in America essays

Bigotry in America essays In order to stop racism you must first star at the home. Bigotry and racism are the types of beliefs that are brought up through families. If a child is raised in a racist home than that child is likely to carry those beliefs with him or her and eventually on to their children. In order to stop this cycle you must start with the children. It is easier to implement your ideals on a child than to change the opinions of an adult. Then you must give it time. It is only over time that any results will take place. Martin Luther King Jr. was a pacifist that would not stand for physical confrontation. Instead he repelled bigotry with soul force. This meant that he would use his spirit to overcome anyone that stood in his way towards equality. It was through his belief in God and his self-determination that allowed Dr. King to carry on with the movement. Dr. King felt that a violent retaliation would only harm the civil rights movement. To give in to the hatred would mean you are sinking to the same level of the people who are repressing you. Through Dr. Kings language from the bible he is able to reach a common ground that many people can identify with. This is especially evident in the 1960s because there was a deep-rooted sense of religion. Also, with this approach Dr. King adds a wholesome appeal to his speech. By using religion he isnt ranting, but rather preaching. His words and his passion seem as though God guides them. The religious factor also appears to add importance to his speech. Both of these men base their religious backgrounds for each of their social beliefs and the paths they have chosen in life. They portray these aspirations through the quotes they use. Mr. Feuerstein says, In a situation where there is no righteous person, try to be a righteous person. He means when there is a situation like his where hope seems lost you should never lose faith. That you should ...

Francis Cabot Lowell Invented the Power Loom

Francis Cabot Lowell Invented the Power Loom Thanks to the invention of the power loom, Great Britain dominated the global textile industry at the turn of the 19th century. Hampered by inferior looming machinery, mills in the United States struggled to compete until a Boston merchant with a penchant for industrial espionage named Francis Cabot Lowell came along.   Origins of the Power Loom Looms, which are used to weave fabric, have been around for thousands of years. But until the 18th century, they were manually operated, which made the production of cloth a slow process. That changed in 1784 when the English inventor Edmund Cartwright designed the first mechanical loom. His first version was impractical to operate on a commercial basis, but within five years Cartwright had improved his design and was weaving fabric in Doncaster, England. Cartwrights mill was a commercial failure, and he was forced to relinquish his equipment as part of filing for bankruptcy in 1793. Britains textile industry, however, was booming, and other inventors continued to refine Cartwrights invention. In 1842,  James Bullough and William Kenworthy  had introduced a fully automated loom, a design that would become the industry standard for the next century. America vs. Britain As the Industrial Revolution boomed in Great Britain, that nations leaders passed a number of laws designed to protect their dominance. It was illegal to sell power looms or the plans for building them to foreigners, and mill workers were forbidden to emigrate. This prohibition didnt just protect the British textile industry, it also made it nearly impossible for American textile manufacturers, who were still using manual looms, to compete. Enter Francis Cabot Lowell  (1775 to 1817), a Boston-based merchant who specialized in the international trade of textiles and other goods. Lowell had seen firsthand how international conflict jeopardized the American economy with its dependence on foreign goods. The only way to neutralize this threat, Lowell reasoned, was for America to develop a domestic textile industry of its own that was capable of mass production. During a visit to Great Britain in 1811, Francis Cabot Lowell spied on the new British textile industry. Using his contacts, he visited a number of mills in England, sometimes in disguise. Unable to buy drawings or a model of a power loom, he committed the power loom design to memory. Upon his return to Boston, he recruited master mechanic Paul Moody to help him recreate what he had seen. Backed by a group of investors called Boston Associates, Lowell and Moody opened their first functional power mill in  Waltham, Mass., in 1814. Congress imposed a series of  duty tariffs  on imported cotton in 1816, 1824, and 1828, making American textiles more competitive still. The Lowell Mill Girls Lowells power mill wasnt his only contribution to American industry. He also set a new standard for working conditions by hiring young women to run the machinery, something nearly unheard of in that era. In exchange for signing a one-year contract, Lowell paid the women relatively well by contemporary standards, provided housing, and offered educational and training opportunities. When the mill cut wages and increased hours in 1834, the  Lowell Mill Girls, as his employees were known, formed the  Factory Girls Association  to agitate for better compensation. Although their efforts at organizing met with mixed success, they earned the attention of author  Charles Dickens, who visited the mill in 1842.   Dickens praised what he saw, noting that: The rooms in which they worked were as well ordered as themselves. In the windows of some, there were green plants, which were trained to shade the glass; in all, there was as much fresh air, cleanliness, and comfort as the nature of the occupation would possibly admit of.   Lowells Legacy Francis Cabot Lowell died in 1817 at the age of 42, but his work did not die with him. Capitalized at $400,000, the Waltham mill dwarfed its competition. So great were the profits at Waltham that the Boston Associates soon established additional mills in Massachusetts, first at East Chelmsford (later renamed in Lowells honor), and then Chicopee, Manchester, and Lawrence. By 1850, Boston Associates controlled one-fifth of Americas textile production and had expanded into other industries, including railroads, finance, and insurance. As their fortunes grew, the Boston Associates turned to philanthropy, establishing hospitals and schools, and to politics, playing a prominent role in the Whig Party in Massachusetts. The company would continue to operate until 1930 when it collapsed during the Great Depression. Sources Green, Amy. Francis Cabot Lowell and the Boston Manufacturing Company. CharlesRiverMuseum.org. Accessed 8 March 2018.Yaeger, Robert. Francis Cabot Lowell: Brief Life of an American Entrepreneur: 1775-1817. Harvard Magazine. September-October 2010.Lowell Mill Girls and the Factory System, 1840. GilderLehman.org. Accessed 8 March 2018.

BRJ SUMMARY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

BRJ SUMMARY - Essay Example ALJCI today have various programs under the below mentioned categories- Art and Cultural Initiatives Education and Training Health & Social Programs Job Creation Poverty Allevation ALJCI functions majorly in Middle East countries apart from London, Turkey, Bangladesh and USA. Some of the major programs currently in operation are: Abdul Latif Jameel Toyota Endowed Scholarship – USA Al Nada Center for Social Care – Hail – Saudi Arabia ALJ Hospital – Saudi Arabia BRJ - Saudi Arabia BRJ Turkiye – Turkey Family Day Initiative for Prisoners – Middle East Grameen Jameel for poverty allevation – Middle East Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art – London Prince Salman Disability Research Center – Middle East Tanweer - Orphans Supporting Initiative – Middle East BRJ Program – Introduction ALJCI’s one of the major intiative is Bab Rizq Jameel (BRJ). This program directly focuses on job creation in Saudia Arabia. This pr ogram helps in transforming females from aid receivers to producers in Saudi society (BRJ, 2009 p 17). BRJ BRJ is considered to be one of 3 programs subsumed under the ALJCSI. The number of BRJ branches increased to 18 throughout the Kingdom (BRJ, 2010 p 3). There is an increase of 27% in job creation in 2009 which is more than 41,284 jobs when compared to 30,115 jobs created in 2008. The total jobs created reached by ALJCSP reached 113,855 in the year 2009 (Appendix 1). Given the rising and already high unemployment rates amongst women in Saudi which touched 19% in 2009 up from 13% in 2008 (ILO), BRJ was created to tackle the pressing issue of poverty caused by these high unemployment. BRJ mainly aims at creating job opportunities for young females and males through the following diversified programs: 1. Direct employment program: It mainly matches job seekers directly to vacancies in the private sector companies. In 2009 the program created 7,493 jobs of which 4,074 for males and 3,419 for females which is 11:9 ratio (BRJ, 2010 p 7). 2. Training ending with employment program: It focuses on vocational and craft training in areas required by the job market, and ends with employment of females and males, in the age group of 18-25 years, in companies within the private sector companies. In 2009, the program created 2,825 new jobs throughout the Kingdom and several training programs were conducted for both females and males (BRJ, 2010 p 7). Examples of training ending with employment courses include: For males: hotel services, cable-laying technician, restaurant services For females only: nursing assistant, make-up technician For both males and females: cashier, on-phone customer services, photography technician, nursing assistant, medical secretary However, BRJ job creation efforts are not limited to employment or training ending with employment, but they expand to include the following programs: A. Small Projects Program: This program finances owners of small projects through interest-free loans up to SR 200,000 which is equivalent to ?35,000 (Qard Hassan, zero-return loan for both males and females). In 2009 5,110 small projects have been financed which includes medical clinics, bakeries, female student transportation vehicles, sheep sales, sales of electronic appliances, vegetable and fruits, design and decor, etc. Repayment percentages in the above projects reached 97%

Physics assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Physics assignment - Essay Example This research will focus on using wave models to describe and give various properties concerning waves. During the research, there will be some demonstrations to prove that traveling waves propagate. Though, the particles of the medium are stagnant. Various properties of waves will be studied. Among the main properties of waves is the speed at which waves travel through a given medium. Wavelength is also another property of the waves that will be considered in depth and lastly the wave frequency. Another area of research will be determining the different types of waves. The distinct properties of waves will be considered in order to identify and classify various types of waves in existence. Waves make particles of the medium in which they are travelling to be displaced. This displacement of particles affects their equilibrium positions in the medium. For a string, the particles to be displaced are either small segments of the string or its sections. Wave displacement forms a crucial while discussing about formation of harmonic oscillations commonly referred to as sinusoidal waves. Wave speed: Taking a look at travelling waves, it becomes clear that waves have a source. A laboratory practical to analyses the source and behavior of waves will be carried out. During the laboratory experiment, a metal wire, sensor, pulley and a hanging mass will be connected as shown in the set up below. The hanging mass is attached at the end of the string to provide tension. When a horizontal pick is used to pluck the string just at the pulley, a pulse is created in the string and travels along it in form of a disturbance. A timer is started by the pulse created in the wire by the plucking effect. The timer continues recording the time until the traveling pulse reaches the sensor, which stops it. When the mass attached to the other end of the string is changed, the

Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analysis - Case Study Example With industry analysis we have estimated few companies ROE who are performing significantly for long time. For example: In scale of ROE (Return on Equity) GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) presents .46, .45, NOVARTIS presents .151, .140 and Abbott presents .203, .198 for the consecutive year 2010 and 2011. In this comparative positioning among the competitor’s Abbott can sustain with ROE, which will eventually protect asset and efficiency improvement in the long run. With the global recession this ROE ratio appears a slowdown in recent years, which is accurate in compare to other ratio like ROA, which came across the result as the recent years are higher than previous, this present’s short term affect of business operation than long term picture of existing activities. For a manufacturing company the model we can get most viable to implement is â€Å"Reduce operating expenses and staff salaries†. In recent competition, price of the products are increasing due to different raw materials and fuel price increases, besides these when operating and staff salaries become good amount product price gets uncontrollable and business may lose its market for high price. Under these conditions implementing commission based model would be a bigger save for the manufacturing companies for the long term sustenance, in terms of price control. Commission based activities and fulltime urgent functionalities have to be separated to identify the weight of the assignment or the internal task. There are some sorts of activities which can be best performed upon task performance commission basis, instead of continuous salary whether there are sufficient need of particular skill or not. For example machine operator of the core item needs to be employed in salary bas is, but the market seller as well as product design and development research activities has to be commission based on specific amount to complete the task

Survey and question design Essay Example for Free

Survey and question design Essay Initial design considerations Before you design your survey Clearly articulate the goals of your survey. Why are you running a survey? What, specifically, will you do with the survey results? How will the information help you improve your customers experience with your agency? Make sure that each question will give you the right kind of feedback to achieve your survey goals. When in doubt, contact a statistician or survey expert for help with survey and question design. Survey design The opening should introduce the survey, explain who is collecting the feedback and why. You should also include some reasons for participation, and share details about the confidentiality of the information you are collecting. The introduction should set expectations about survey length and estimate the time it will take someone to complete. Opening questions should be easy to answer, to increase participant trust and encourage them to continue answering questions. Ensure questions are relevant to participants, to reduce abandonment. To minimize confusion, questions should follow a logical flow, with similar questions grouped together. Keep your survey short and to the point fewer questions will deliver a higher response rate. If you have sensitive questions, or questions requesting personal information, include them towards the end of the survey, after trust has been built. Thank your participants after theyve completed the survey. Test your survey with a small group before launch. Have participants share what they are thinking as they fill out each question, and make improvements where necessary. Question design  Keep questions short and easy to read. The longer and more complex the questions, the less accurate feedback youll get. This is particularly true of phone surveys. Keep questions easy to answer, otherwise participants may abandon the survey, or provide incorrect information (e.g., giving the same  answer/value for all questions, simply to get through the survey). Keep required questions to a minimum. If a participant can’t or doesn’t want to answer a required question, they may abandon the survey. Use a consistent rating scale (e.g., if 5=high and 1=low, keep this consistent throughout all survey questions). For rating scales, make sure your scale is balanced (e.g., provide an equal number of positive and negative response options). Label each point in a response scale to ensure clarity and equal weight to each response option. For closed-ended questions, include all possible answers, and make sure there is no overlap between answer options. Use consistent word choices and definitions throughout the survey. Avoid technical jargon and use language familiar to participants. Be as precise as possible to avoid word choice confusion. Avoid words like â€Å"often† or â€Å"rarely†, which may mean different things to different people. Instead, use a precise phrase like â€Å"fewer than three times per week.† Try to construct the questions as objectively as possible. Common survey question types and examples Multiple choice questions Questions with two or more answer options. Useful for all types of feedback, including collecting demographic information. Answers can be yes/no or a choice of multiple answers. Beware of leaving out an answer option, or using answer options that are not mutually exclusive. Example 1: Are you a U.S. Citizen? Yes / No Example 2: How many times have you called our agency about this issue in the past month? Once Twice Three times More than three times Dont know/not sure Rank order scale questions Questions that require the ranking of potential answer choices by a specific characteristic. These questions can provide insight into how important something is to a customer. Best in online or paper surveys, but doesnt work too well in phone surveys. Rating scale questions Questions that use a rating scale for responses. This type of question is useful for determining the prevalence of an attitude, opinion, knowledge or behavior. There are two common types of scales: Likert scale Participants are typically asked whether they agree or disagree with a statement. Responses often range from â€Å"strongly disagree† to â€Å"strongly agree,† with five total answer options. (For additional answer options, see table below.) Each option is ascribed a score or weight (1 = strong disagree to 5 = strongly agree), and these scores can be used in survey response analysis. For scaled questions, it is important to include a â€Å"neutral† category (â€Å"Neither Agree nor Disagree† below). Guidelines for using a 5-point scale Semantic differential scale In a question using a semantic differential scale, the ends of the scale are labeled with contrasting statements. The scales can vary, typically using either five or seven points. Open-ended questions Questions where there are no specified answer choices. These are particularly helpful for collecting feedback from your participants about their attitudes or opinions. However, these questions may require extra time or can be challenging to answer, so participants may skip the questions or abandon the survey. In addition, the analysis of open-ended questions can be difficult to automate, and may require extra time or resources to review. Consider providing extra motivation to elicit a response (e.g., â€Å"Your comments will help us improve our website†) and ensure there is enough space for a complete response. Example: What are two ways we could have improved your experience with our agency today? We take your feedback very seriously and review comments daily. Avoid these common question design pitfalls Asking two questions at once (double-barreled questions) Example: How satisfied are you with the hours and location of our offices? [ 1=very dissatisfied, 5=very satisfied] You wont be able to tell whether the participant is responding about the time, or the location, so you should ask this as two separate questions. Leaving out a response choice Example: How many times in the past month have you visited our website? [ 0 1-2 3-4 5 or more] Always include an option for not applicable or don’t know, since some people will not know or remember, and if they guess, their answer will skew the results. Leading questions Based on their structure, certain questions can â€Å"lead† participants to a specific response: Example: This agency was recently ranked as number one in customer satisfaction in the federal government. How satisfied are you with your experience today? [ 1=very dissatisfied, 5=very satisfied] The first statement influences the response to the question by providing additional information that leads respondents to a positive response, so you should leave that text out. Built-in assumptions Questions that assume familiarity with a given topic: Example: This website is an improvement over our last website. [ 1=strongly disagree, 5=strongly agree] This question assumes that the survey participant has experience with the earlier version of the website. Tips for technology-based surveys Skip logic or conditional branching When creating technology-based surveys, skip logic can be helpful. Skip logic enables you to guide participants to a specific follow-up question, based on a response to an earlier question. This technique can be used to minimize non-relevant questions for each participant, and for filtering out survey participants. For example, if you are looking for U.S. citizens only to fill out certain parts of your survey, anyone who answers â€Å"no† to the question â€Å"Are you a U. S. citizen?† can be skipped to the next relevant section.

The Red Badge of Courage :: essays research papers

The Red Badge of Courage, by it’s very title, is infested with color imagery and color symbols. While Crane uses color to describe, he also allows it to stand for whole concepts. Gray, for example, describes both the literal image of a dead soldier and Henry Fleming’s vision of the sleeping soldiers as corpses and comes to stand for the idea of death. In the same way, red describes both the soldiers’ physical wounds and Henry’s mental vision of battle. In the process, it gains a symbolic meaning which Crane will put an icon like the ‘red badge of courage’. Stephen Crane uses color in his descriptions of the physical and the non-physical and allows color to take on meanings ranging from the literal to the figurative. Stephen Crane begins the novel with a description of the fields in the morning: â€Å" As the landscape changed from brown to green, the army awakened, and began to tremble with eagerness at the noise of rumors† (1). The fog clears to reveal the literal green world of grass. It also reveals another green world, the world of the youth. Like school children, the young soldier tells rumors within the regiment. This natural setting provides an ironic place for killing, just as these men seem to be the wrong ones fighting in the Civil War. Stephen Crane says something on this in the narrative: â€Å" He was aware that these battalions with their commotions were woven red and startling into the gentle fabric of the softened greens and browns. It looked to be a wrong place for the battlefield† (26).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Green is an image of the natural world and of the army’s youth, while red in the previous quote is clearly and image of battle. In the beginning, however, Crane uses red to describe distant campfires: â€Å"†¦one could see across the red, eye-like gleam of the hostile campfires set in the low brows of the distant hills† (1). Obviously, the fires are red, but Henry characterizes the blazes as the enemy’s glowing eyes. He continues this metaphor in the second chapter: â€Å" From across the river, the deep red eyes were still peering† (15). Crane then transforms this metaphor into arrogance used throughout the text: â€Å"Staring once at the red eyes across the river, he conceived then to be growing larger, as the orbs of a row of dragons advancing† (16). The red campfires come to represent eyes of the enemy, of dragons.

Micro Economics Essay

When external costs are present, the market equilibrium use of natural resources is inefficient because the social benefit is less than the social cost. Positive externalities or external benefits impose a positive effect on the third party. Eg: Vaccinations provide a direct benefit to the patient and a spillover effect to the other people. MMR vaccination is given to patients to prevent them from contracting the disease Source: Business Economics Slides The demand curve (D1) depicts the price patients are willing to spend on the MMR vaccination to receive the benefit of a reduced probability of infection. Supply curve S reflects the quantities of shots suppliers offer for sale at different price levels. An equilibrium point E1 the market fails to achieve an efficient allocation of resources. MMR vaccination has a spillover effect which will benefit society by reducing the likelihood of spreading the diseases. D2 reflects the new demand curve which includes the external benefit to non-consumers with efficient equilibrium E2. At this point suppliers devote greater resources to the immunization avoiding under allocation of resources. Negative externalities or external cost impose a negative effect on the third party. Eg: Offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in severe negative externalities such pollution. Source: Business Economics slides The demand curve D1and supply curve S1 reflect the market equilibrium which is inefficient since it fails to acknowledge the negative externalities produced. The absence of the cost of oil spills in the price of offshore oil means that firms produce more output than socially desirable. Includes the cost of oil spills the equilibrium price rises to P2 and the quantity becomes Q2. E2 reflects the full cost including the environmental cost associated with the activity. (b) Why does a good or service become a public good or service? (2. 5 marks) A product or service that an individual can consume without reducing its availability to another individual which can be collectively consumed from which no one is excluded. National security, sewer systems and public parks are all examples of public goods. Explain why each of the following examples are either public goods or services, or private goods or services? (? mark each correct classification and ? marks for each reason). Item Public/ Private Explanation A privately owned enginerring and material research laboratory undertaking contractual research on weapons development; Private The nature of the organisation being a private entitty which charges a fee for its services and the fact that two critierias of non excludability and non-rivalrous are not satisfied. The quaranteen service; Public Pure public service since it can be collectively consumed and its non excludability making it avaible to every citizen. A toll road originally financed through government debt Semi Public Fee is charged for usage therfore does not satidfy the non excludability criteria, however was financed through the government. Courses offerred by a fee charging privately owned teaching institution that receives some government funding Semi Public Price charged indicates its not acessable to everyone however recives government funding offering a reduced rate to the students.

Hard to Be Fair

BEST PRACTICE Everyone knows that being fair costs little and pays off handsomely. Then why do so few executives manage to behave fairly, even though most want to? Why It’s So Hard to Be Fair by Joel Brockner W hen Company A had to downsize,it spent considerable amounts of money providing a safety net for its laid-off workers. The severance package consisted of many weeks of pay, extensive outplacement counseling, and the continuation of health insurance for up to one year. But senior managers never explained to their staff why these layoffs were necessary or how they chose which jobs to eliminate.What’s more, the midlevel line managers who delivered the news to terminated employees did so awkwardly, mumbling a few perfunctory words about â€Å"not wanting to do this† and then handing them off to the human resources department. Even the people who kept their jobs were less than thrilled about the way things were handled. Many of them heard the news while driving home on Friday and had to wait until Monday to learn that their jobs were secure. Nine months later, the company continued to sputter.Not only did it have to absorb enormous legal costs defending against wrongful termination suits, but it also had to make another round of layoffs, in large part because employee productivity and morale plummeted after the ? rst round was mishandled. When Company B downsized, by contrast, it didn’t offer nearly as generous a severance package. But senior managers there explained the strategic purpose of the layoffs multiple times before they were implemented, and executives and middle managers alike made themselves available to answer questions and express regret both to those who lost their jobs and to those who remained.Line managers worked with HR to tell people that their jobs were being eliminated, and they exharvard business review 122 pressed genuine concern while doing so. As a result, virtually none of the laid-off employees ? led a wr ongful termination lawsuit. Workers took some time to adjust to the loss of their former colleagues, but they understood why the layoffs had happened. And within nine months, Company B’s performance was better than it had been before the layoffs occurred.Although Company A spent much more money during its restructuring, Company B exhibited much greater process fairness. In other words, employees at Company B believed that they had been treated justly. From minimizing costs to strengthening performance, process fairness pays enormous dividends in a wide variety of organizational and people-related challenges. Studies show that when managers practice process fairness, their employees march 2006 respond in ways that bolster the organization’s bottom line both directly and indirectly.Process fairness is more likely to generate support for a new strategy, for instance, and to foster a culture that promotes innovation. What’s more, it costs little ? nancially to imple ment. In short, fair process makes great business sense. So why don’t more companies practice it consistently? This article examines that paradox and offers advice on how to promote greater process fairness in your organization. The Business Case for Fair Process Ultimately, each employee decides for him or herself whether a decision has been made fairly.But broadly speaking, there are three drivers of process fairness. One is how much input employees believe they have in the decision- making process: Are their opinions requested and given serious consideration? Another is how employees believe decisions are made and implemented: Are they consistent? Are they based on accurate information? Can mistakes be corrected? Are the personal biases of the decision maker minimized? Is ample advance notice given? Is the decision process transparent? The third factor is how managers behave: Do they explain why a decision was made?Do they treat employees respectfully, actively listening t o their concerns and empathizing with their points of view? It’s worth noting that process fairness is distinct from outcome fairness, which refers to employees’ judgments of the bottom-line results of their exchanges with their employers. Process fairness doesn’t ensure that employees will always get what they want; but it does 123 OLEG DERGACHOV B E S T P R A C T I C E †¢ W h y I t’s S o H a rd t o B e Fa i r mean that they will have a chance to be heard.Take the case of an individual who was passed over for a promotion. If he believes that the chosen candidate was quali? ed, and if his manager has had a candid discussion with him about how he can be better prepared for the next opportunity, chances are he’ll be a lot more productive and engaged than if he believes the person who got the job was the boss’s pet, or if he received no guidance on how to move forward. When people feel hurt by their companies, they tend to retaliate. And w hen they do, it can have grave consequences.A study of nearly 1,000 people in the mid-1990s, led by Duke’s Allan Lind and Ohio State’s Jerald Greenberg, found that a major determinant of whether employees sue for wrongful termination is their perception of how fairly the termination process was carried out. Only 1% of ex-employees who felt that they were treated with a high degree of process fairness ? led a wrongful termination lawsuit versus 17% of those who believed they were treated with a low degree of process fairness. To put that in monetary terms, the expected cost savings of practicing process fairness is $1. 8 million for every 100 employees dismissed. That ? gure–which was calculated using the 1988 rate of $80,000 as the cost of legal defense – is a conservative estimate, since in? ation alone has caused legal fees to swell to more than $120,000 today. So, although we can’t calculate the precise ? nancial cost of practicing fair process, it’s safe to say that expressing genuine concern and treating dismissed employees with dignity is a good deal more affordable than not doing so. Customers, too, are less likely to ? le suit against a service provider if they believe they’ve been treated with process fairness.In 1997, medical researcher Wendy Levinson and her colleagues found that patients typically do not sue their doctors for malpractice simply Joel Brockner ([email  protected] edu) is the Phillip Hettleman Professor of Business at Columbia Business School in New York. 124 because they believe that they received poor medical care. A more telling factor is whether the doctor took the time to explain the treatment plan and to answer the patient’s questions with consideration – in short, to treat patients with process fairness.Doctors who fail to do so are far more likely to be slapped with malpractice suits when problems arise. In addition to reducing legal costs, fair process cuts down on employee theft and turnover. A study by management and human resources professor Greenberg examined how pay cuts were Using process fairness, companies could spend a lot less money and still have more satis? ed employees. handled at two manufacturing plants. At one, a vice president called a meeting at the end of the workweek and announced that the company would implement a 15% pay cut, across the board, for ten weeks.He very brie? y explained why, thanked employees, and answered a few questions – the whole thing was over in 15 minutes. The other plant implemented an identical pay cut, but the company president made the announcement to the employees. He told them that other cost-saving options, like layoffs, had been considered but that the pay cuts seemed to be the least unpalatable choice. The president took an hour and a half to address employees’ questions and concerns, and he repeatedly expressed regret about having to take this step.Greenberg found that durin g the ten-week period, employee theft was nearly 80% lower at the second plant than at the ? rst, and employees were 15 times less likely to resign. Many executives turn to money ? rst to solve problems. But my research shows that companies can reduce ex- penses by routinely practicing process fairness. Think about it: Asking employees for their opinions on a new initiative or explaining to someone why you’re giving a choice assignment to her colleague doesn’t cost much money. Of course, companies should continue to offer tangible assistance to employees as well.Using process fairness, however, companies could spend a lot less money and still have more satis? ed employees. Consider the ? nancial fallout that occurs when expatriates leave their overseas assignments prematurely. Conventional wisdom says that expats are more likely to leave early when they or their family members don’t adjust well to their new living conditions. So companies often go to great expen se to facilitate their adjustment – picking up the tab for housing costs, children’s schooling, and the like.In a 2000 study of 128 expatriates, human resources consultant Ron Garonzik, Rutgers Business School professor Phyllis Siegel, and I found that the expats’ adjustment to various aspects of their lives outside work had no effect on their intentions to depart prematurely if they believed that their bosses generally treated them fairly. In other words, high process fairness induced expats to stick with an overseas assignment even when they were not particularly enthralled with living abroad. In a similar vein, some companies have devised expensive solutions to help employees cope with the stress of modern work.They’ve set up on-site day care centers and sponsored stress management workshops to help reduce absenteeism and burnout. Those efforts are laudable, but process fairness is also an effective strategy. When Phyllis Siegel and I surveyed nearly 3 00 employees from dozens of organizations, we found that work/life con? ict had no measurable effect on employees’ commitment– as long as they felt that senior executives provided good reasons for their decisions and treated them with dignity and respect. Of course, executives should not simply emphasize process fairness over tanharvard business reviewW h y I t’s S o H a rd t o B e Fa i r †¢ B E S T P R A C T I C E gible support. Determining exactly how much tangible support to provide is perhaps best captured by the law of diminishing returns. Beyond a moderate level of ? nancial assistance, practicing process fairness proves much more cost effective because, although money does talk, it doesn’t say it all. Fair Process as a Performance Booster Process fairness can not only minimize costs but can also help to increase value, inspiring operational managers to carry out a well-founded strategic plan eagerly or embrace, rather than sabotage, an organiz ational change.This form of value is less tangible than direct reduction of expenses, but it affects the bottom line nonetheless. The fact is, most strategic and organizational change initiatives fail in their implementation, not in their conception. Several years ago, I worked with the CEO of a ? nancial services institution that needed a major restructuring. The bank’s operational managers, however, were showing signs of resistance that threatened to stop the process dead in its tracks. I advised the CEO and his senior management team to conduct several town hall–type meetings and to hold informal focus groups with the operational managers.During those senior managers to respond to the root problem. Moreover, since the operational managers felt respected, they showed a similar level of process fairness with their direct reports during the actual restructuring, making the change go more smoothly. Michael Beer, of Harvard Business School, and Russell Eisenstat, preside nt of the Center for Organizational Fitness, recently provided evidence of how systematically practiced process fairness (embedded in an action-learning egy implementation as well as the shortcomings that could hinder it.Task force members distill the information they gain from these interviews into major themes and feed them back to senior management. Then they discuss how the strategy could be rolled out most effectively. SFP is a model for process fairness: More than 25 companies – including Becton, Dickinson; Honeywell; JPMorgan Chase; Hewlett-Packard; and Merck – have used it with great success to hone the substance of their strategic initiatives and, probably more important, to gain employees’ commitment to making those initiatives happen.Most companies say that they want to promote creativity and innovation, but few use process fairness to achieve those ends. They’re missing out on a great opportunity to create value. Harvard Business School profes sor Teresa Amabile has conducted extensive research on employees working in creative endeavors in order to understand how work environments foster or impede creativity and innovation. She has consistently found that work environments in which employees have a high degree of operational autonomy lead to the highest degree of creativity and innovation.Operational autonomy, of course, can be seen as the extreme version of process fairness. When employees feel that they are heard in the decision-making process, they are more likely to support–rather than merely comply with– those decisions, their bosses, and the organization as a whole. talks, it became clear that the managers felt that the CEO and senior executives failed to appreciate the magnitude of the change they were asking for. Interestingly, the managers didn’t request additional resources; they simply wanted those at the top to recognize their dif? ult plight. By expressing authentic interest, senior execu tives created a trusting environment in which managers felt they could safely voice their true objections to the change effort. That enabled march 2006 methodology known as the strategic ? tness process, or SFP) has helped numerous organizations capture value by getting employees to buy in to strategies. A critical element of SFP is the appointment of a task force consisting of eight well-respected managers from one or two levels below senior management.Their job is to interview roughly 100 employees from different parts of the company to learn about the organizational strengths that are apt to facilitate strat- The nature of organizations, though, means that few (if any) employees can have complete operational autonomy – just about everyone has a boss. Creativity and innovation tend to suffer in work environments characterized by low levels of process fairness, such as when employees believe that the organization is strictly controlled by upper management or when they believ e that their ideas will be summarily dismissed. When employees believe that 125B E S T P R A C T I C E †¢ W h y I t’s S o H a rd t o B e Fa i r their supervisor is open to new ideas and that he or she values their contributions to projects, however, creativity and innovation are more likely to ? ourish. Two examples illustrate how process fairness creates value by attracting innovative employees or additional customers. The CEO of a renowned electricalengineering ? rm, for instance, wanted to change the corporate culture to be more receptive to new ideas, so he separated a large group of workers into teams of ten, asking each team to come up with ten ideas for improving the business.Then the team leaders were brought into a room where the company’s executives were gathered and were asked to â€Å"sell† as many of their team’s ideas as possible. The executives, for their part, had been instructed to â€Å"buy†as many ideas as possible. The team leaders swarmed like bees to honey to the few executives who had reputations for being good listeners and open to new ideas. The other executives stood by idly because team leaders assumed from past experience that they wouldn’t listen. One company that used process fairness to create value is Progressive Casualty Insurance.In 1994, the ? rm began to give potential customers comparison rates from two competitors along with its own quotes for auto insurance. Even though Progressive’s rates weren’t always the lowest, the very act of delivering this information created goodwill. Potential customers felt that they were being treated honestly, and the practice drew many new sales. servant, Winston S. Churchill. † After being castigated by his countrymen for the letter’s deferential tone, Churchill is said to have retorted, â€Å"When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite. In a change management seminar I’ve taught to more than 40 0 managers, I ask participants to rate themselves on how well they plan and implement organizational change. I also ask the managers’ bosses, peers, direct reports, and customers to rate them. The measure ers were â€Å"lucky enough to still have their jobs. † But economically supporting those who lost their jobs doesn’t cancel out the need to show process fairness to those affected by the change–which, incidentally, includes everyone.Ironically, the fact that process fairness is relatively inexpensive ? nancially may be why this numbers-oriented executive undervalued it. Another reason process fairness may be overlooked is because some of its bene? ts aren’t obvious to executives. Instead of wrestling with uncomfortable emotions, many managers ? nd it easier to sidestep the issue– and the people affected by it–altogether. contains more than 30 items, and managers consistently give themselves the highest marks on the item that measure s process fairness: â€Å"When managing change, I ake extra efforts to treat people with dignity and respect. † Those rating them, however, are not nearly as positive. In fact, this is the only item in which managers’ self-assessments are signi? cantly higher than the ratings they receive from each of their groups. It’s not entirely clear why this perceptual gap exists. Perhaps managers are tuned in to their intentions to treat others respectfully, but they aren’t as good at reading how those intentions come across to others. Or maybe it’s just wishful – and self-serving – thinking.Some managers wrongly believe that tangible resources are always more meaningful to employees than being treated decently. At a cocktail party, the CEO of a major international bank proudly told me about the hefty severance pay his company gave to its laid-off employees. I expressed admiration for his organization’s show of concern toward the people who lost their jobs and then asked what had been done for those who remained. Somewhat defensively, he said that it was only necessary to do something for the employees who were â€Å"affected† by the layoffs.The othSocial psychologist Marko Elovainio of the University of Helsinki and his colleagues recently conducted a study of more than 31,000 Finnish employees, examining the relationship between employees’ negative life events (such as the onset of a severe illness or death of a spouse) and the frequency of sicknessrelated absences from work for the subsequent 30 months. The study showed that the tendency for negative life events to translate into sickness-related absences depended on how much process fairness employees experienced before the events occurred.That is, not being pretreated with process fairness led to absences waiting to happen. Sometimes corporate policies hinder fair process. The legal department may discourage managers from explaining their decisio ns, for instance, on the grounds that disclosure of information could make the company vulnerable to lawsuits. Better not to say anything at all, the thinking goes, than to risk having the information come back to haunt the organization in the courtroom. Clearly, legal considerations about what to communicate are important, but they should not be taken to unnecessary extremes.All too often organizations withhold information (such as the alternatives to downsizing that have harvard business review Why Isn’t Everybody Doing It? With all that process fairness has going for it, one might expect that executives would practice it regularly. Unfortunately, many (if not most) don’t. They’d do well to follow the example of Winston Churchill, who keenly understood the cost-effectiveness of process fairness. On the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Churchill wrote a declaration of war to the Japanese, ending it as follows: â€Å"I have the honour to be, with high con sideration, Sir, Your obedient 126W h y I t’s S o H a rd t o B e Fa i r †¢ B E S T P R A C T I C E been considered) when revealing it would have done far more good. Legal and medical advocates in Hawaii, for instance, are currently drafting a statute that would allow health care professionals to apologize for medical errors without increasing the risk of lawsuits. Doctors often refrain from apologizing for mistakes because they fear that admitting them will anger their patients, who will then be more likely to ? le malpractice suits. In fact, the opposite is true: Patients who feel they’ve been treated disrespectfully ? e more malpractice suits than those who feel they have been treated with dignity. By making apologies for medical mistakes inadmissible during a trial, the law would let doctors express regrets without worrying that doing so would hurt them in court. Managers who unwaveringly believe that knowledge is power may fear that engaging in process fairnes s will weaken their power. After all, if employees have a voice in deciding how things should be run, who needs a manager? Managers sometimes do run the risk of losing power when they involve others in decision making.But usually the practice of process fairness increases power and in? uence. When employees feel that they are heard in the decision-making process, they are more likely to support– rather than merely comply with – those decisions, their bosses, and the organization as a whole. The desire to avoid uncomfortable situations is another reason managers fail to practice process fairness. As Robert Folger of the University of Central Florida has suggested, managers who plan and implement tough decisions often experience con? icting emotions. They might want to approach the affected parties out of sympathy and to explain the hinking behind a decision, but the desire to avoid them is also strong. Andy Molinsky at Brandeis University and Harvard Business Schoolâ₠¬â„¢s Joshua Margolis analyzed why managers ? nd it so hard to perform necessary evils (such as laying off employees and delivering other bad news) with interpersonal sensitivity, which is an important element of process fairness. Leaders in this situation have to manage their own internal dramas, including feelings of guilt (for, say, making poor strategic decisions that led to the downsizing) and anxiety (about having suf? ient interpersonal sensitivity to accomplish the task gracefully). Instead of wrestling with those uncomfortable emotions, many managers ? nd it easier to sidestep the issue–and the people affected by it– altogether. â€Å"Emotional contagion† also comes into play in these situations. Just as we tend to laugh when we see others laugh, even when we don’t know why, we also involuntarily feel anxious or sad when those around us feel that way – and that’s uncomfortable. No wonder so many managers avoid people in emotional pa in. Unfortunately, such avoidance makes it very unlikely that they will practice process fairness.Breadth. Depth. Performance. Leadership. Tuck Executive Program July 22–August 11 Leading high-potential and senior executives to new levels of business performance Gateway to Business Management April 30–May 5 & November 12-17 Delivering skills and perspective functional managers need for advancement Finance Essentials for Senior Managers September 10–15 Offering greater accountability and transparency in your organization New Branding Imperatives May 7–9 Presenting strategies for maximizing brand equity and competitive positioning www. tuck. dartmouth. edu/exec 603-646-2839 tuck. xec. [email  protected] edu B E S T P R A C T I C E †¢ W h y I t’s S o H a rd t o B e Fa i r I can understand how managers feel. Several years ago, I was working with a telecommunications organization after the ? rst layoffs in the company’s history. The CEO an d his senior management team wanted me to talk to the midlevel managers about how the layoffs would affect the people who remained and what they could do to help their direct reports â€Å"get over it. † Feeling betrayed and fearful, however, the midlevel managers were in no mood to help others return to business as usual. They identi? d me with the problem and implied that I was partly responsible for the decision to downsize. That was a moment of real insight for me: Trying to counsel this unhappy and suspicious group, I completely understood the discomfort that managers experience when they’re called on to act compassionately toward people who feel aggrieved. It was much harder than I expected. The senior managers of the company admitted to me that they were tempted to avoid the rank and ? le – partly out of guilt and partly because they doubted whether they would be able to keep a cool enough head to practice process fairness.That’s a natural response , but ignoring negative emotions only keeps them swirling around longer. When senior managers made themselves more accessible to their workforce, employees reacted positively, and the organization developed a renewed sense of purpose. ter able to cope with (and hence not act on) their negative emotions. Furthermore, managers are more likely to endure a dif? cult process when they know that the effort will have a tangible payoff. But it’s not enough for managers to be vaguely aware that process fairness is cost effective. Corporate executives should educate them about all the ? nancial bene? ts, using charts and ? ures, just as they would when making a business case for other important organizational initiatives. Invest in training. Study after study has shown that fair-process training can make a big difference. Subordinates of the trained managers, for instance, are When I was working with an executive at a utility company several years ago, for example, I noticed that she m ade a common mistake: She didn’t tell others that she had seriously considered their opinions before making her decisions, even though she had. I advised her to preface her explanations by saying explicitly that she had â€Å"given their input some serious thought. Six months later, she told me my advice had been priceless. She learned that it’s not enough for executives just to be fair, they also have to be seen as fair. Training is most effective when it’s delivered in several installments rather than all at once. For example, one suc- It’s not enough for executives just to be fair; they also have to be seen as fair. Toward Process Fairness Companies can take several steps to make fair process the norm. Address the knowledge gaps. Managers need to be warned about the negative emotions they might experience when practicing fair process.Merely acknowledging that it is legitimate to feel like ? eeing the scene can help managers withstand the impulse to do so. Studies have shown that people can tolerate negative experiences more easily when they expect them. Just as forewarned surgical patients have been found to experience less postoperative pain, forewarned managers may be bet128 not only signi? cantly less likely to steal or to resign from the organization, but they are also more likely to go the extra mile – aiding coworkers who have been absent, helping orient new employees, assisting supervisors with their duties, and working overtime.Several studies by Jerald Greenberg have even found that employees whose managers underwent process fairness training suffered signi? cantly less insomnia when coping with stressful work conditions. Daniel Skarlicki, of the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, and Gary Latham, of the University of Toronto’s Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, have identi? ed some factors of an effective process fairness training program. Participants respond better to active guidance than to a lecture on the bene? ts of improved process fairness.That’s why it’s particularly effective to give trainees speci? c instructions on what they need to do and how they need to do it, such as how to detect resistance to a new strategic initiative. After the participants have practiced these behaviors, give them feedback and let them try again. cessful program consisted of a two-hour session each week for eight weeks, along with assigned role-playing homework. That way, participants could receive feedback from instructors during the formal training sessions and from their peers in between meetings.As with most constructive feedback, referring to behaviors (â€Å"You never explained why you made this decision†) rather than to traits (â€Å"You came across as condescending†) proved to be most compelling. Both the process and the outcome of the training need to be communicated to participants – but not at the same time. Before the sessions begin, focus on the outcome. Participants are likely to be far more engaged if they are told that the program will help them gain their employees’ commitment to strategy implementation than if they are told it will help them communicate that they’ve seriously considered other people’s points of view.During the course, however, focus on process. Thinking about expected outcomes (improved strategy implementation, for instance) can distract people from learning the speci? c practical skills they need (such harvard business review as how to involve people in decision making) to achieve the desired results. Finally, it is important for trainees to maintain expectations that are both optimistic and realistic. Once again, the distinction between outcome and process is useful to keep in mind.You can generate optimism by focusing on the outcomes: Touting the improvements that previous trainees have made should help people feel positive about their own chanc es for growth. And you can inject realism by focusing on the process: Behavioral change is dif? cult and rarely takes a linear course. Trainees shouldn’t expect to get better at process fairness day by day; but, if they keep working at it, they will improve. I suggest trainees ask themselves three months after the program if they are practicing process fairness more on average than they were three months prior to it.Conducting after-action reviews also helps managers continue to hone their skills long after the training sessions are over. Make process fairness a top priority. Like most managerial behaviors, the practice of process fairness must begin at the top. When senior managers explain why they have made certain strategic decisions, make themselves available for honest two-way communication with the rank and ? le, involve employees in decision making, provide ample advance notice of change, and treat people’s concerns with respect, the practice of process fairness is likely to spread like wild? e throughout the rest of the organization. By modeling process fairness, senior management does more than communicate organizational values; it also sends a message about â€Å"the art of the possible. † People are more likely to try to tackle dif? cult challenges when they see others whom they respect doing so. In one company that was trying to implement a much-needed restructuring, senior executives effectively served as role models not only by describing the mixed feelings they had about practicing process fairness but also by articulating the process they went through that ultimately convinced them to do march 2006 o. The message they sent was that it was legitimate for operational managers to have mixed emotions, but, at the end of the day, the reasons in favor of practicing process fairness prevailed. In addition to acting as role models, senior managers may communicate the value they place on process fairness by making its practice a leg itimate topic of conversation throughout the organization. I worked with one company, for example, that selected its employee of the month based on process fairness skills as well as bottom-line results.Other organizations have made managers’ annual pay raises partly dependent on 360-degree feedback about how they plan and implement decisions, in which perceptions of process fairness ? gure prominently. Recent corporate scandals show that giving workforces outcome-only directives (â€Å"I don’t care how you get there, just get there†) can be disastrous. Forwardthinking organizations care not only about the outcomes their managers produce but also about the fairness of the process they use to achieve them. This is not a call for micromanagement.Just as there is usually more than one way to produce ? nancial results, there is more than one way to involve people in decision making, to communicate why certain actions are being undertaken, and to express thoughtfulne ss and concern. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ There is a moral imperative for companies to practice process fairness. It is, simply put, the right thing to do. As such, process fairness is the responsibility of all executives, at all levels, and in all functions; it cannot be delegated to HR. But with that moral responsibility comes business opportunity.An executive must minimize the costs of decisions that might threaten employees and maximize the bene? ts of decisions that may be sources of opportunity for them. In both instances, practicing process fairness will help get you there. The sooner you realize it, the better off you and your company will be. Reprint R0603H To order, see page 151. â€Å"A new, surprising, and authoritative take on an important aspect of modern society that most people just don’t know about. † Toby Lester, Deputy Managing Editor, The Atlantic Monthly Fred Reichheld is the godfather of customer loyalty. His new book, The Ultimate Question, continues to push the envelope with innovative, practical ideas. † John Donahoe, President, eBay Marketplace â€Å"Perceptive analysis brought to life by references to real people and real situations. † Kieran C. Poynter, Chairman, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLp AVAILABLE WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD, INCLUDING: 5th Ave. & 46th St. , NYC Rockefeller Center 5th Ave. & 48th St. , NYC HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL PRESS www. HBSPress. org