Diversity in Sports Essay

Diversity in sports simply means equal opportunities for every athlete irregardless of gender, color, race, or origin. This is what the true spirit of competition should be all about. Sports should not only involve the white race, Americans, or men but also other races and sex(Jackson 2007). Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. , in his report to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, said that in recent years, diversity in sports has become very evident. In the world of American football, the Indianapolis Colts, coached by an African-American, won a Super Bowl. In baseball, the Chicago White Sox, a multi-racial team managed by Ozzie Guillen, a Latino, and Ken Williams, an African-American, won the World Series in 2005. A year later, the New York Mets, who is managed by a Latino manager and an African-American general manager, almost duplicated the White Sox’ feat, losing only in Game 7 of the National League Championship. This goes to show that moves to diversify sports are moving forward(Jackson 2007). The National Basketball Association (NBA) has led the way in terms of sports diversity by opening its doors to other races. Long ago, the NBA was dominated by Americans or Canadians. Recently, however, one can see the teams drafting players from Europe and recently Asia. The Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Football League (NFL) are likewise starting to provide opportunities for other races which is why spectators would get to see the likes of Alfonso Soriano and Sammy Sossa hitting homeruns here and there(Jackson 2007). Diversity in Sports 4 The NBA: Taking the Lead In Diversity Leading the way as far as diversity in professional sports is the National Basketball Association (NBA). For more than twenty years, the NBA has become the leader in promoting equal opportunities to all races. Here are some NBA diversity facts and figures as reported by The Institute for Diversity in Ethics and Sports(Spears, 2007): 15% of team vice presidents in the NBA are held by colored people, which is the highest in all of professional sports. 79% of NBA players have colors. In 2007, the number of African-American players increased to 75% which is higher than the 73% recorded in 2006. Employment opportunities for colored people at the League offices were at 34 percent, which is 2% higher than the previous year. 39% of professional positions in the League Office are occupied by women. 12 teams in the NBA are handled by African-American coaches. The NBA’s total of 40% still tops all of professional sports. With 53 African-American head coaches, the NBA has more than doubled the number of colored head coaches in any other professional sports. Next in line is the MLB with 25 colored managers. 41% of assistant coaches in the NBA are colored which is the highest so far in the history of the league. Diversity in Sports 5 There are four African-American CEO/Presidents in the league and two other presidents of basketball operations. To date, they are the only people who have held such position in all of professional sports. In 2006, there were eight African-American general managers in the NBA, which tops other professional sports league. By the end of 2006-07, the NBA had 64 percent white referees, 32 percent African-American, 3 percent Latin Americans, and a single black referee in Violet Palmer. Diversity in College Sports While professional sports is heading towards diversity, such is not the case in college sports. According to a report by the University of Central Florida, diversity has not been progressing in collegiate leagues. Here are the facts(Belew, 2006): In Division I schools, only 25. 2% of head coaches are African-American which is higher by 2% than the previous year. In Division IA, out of a total of 119 football head coaches, only six are African-American and zero percent are women. In college basketball, only 4. 1% of head coaches come from the minority group with 2. 6% being Latin Americans. The enforcement of Title IX did not help the cause of women in college sports as not a single one of them is represented. Diversity in Sports 6 In sports involving women, most Division I, II, and III coaching jobs are occupied by 89. 6%, 90. 9%, and 92. 9%, respectively. In the men’s division, the breakdown was 90. 6%, 89. 5%, and 93. 4%, respectively, served as head coaches. Diversity in the Olympics The Olympic Games is one of the many sporting competitions that practices diversity in sports. Once every four years, athletes from various nations converge in one venue in order to have a shot at sports excellence(Guttmann, nd). There are two varieties of this international sporting event namely Winter and Summer Olympics. Contemporary Olympics started in Athens, Greece in 1896, a couple of years after Pierre de Coubertin proposed the holding of an Olympic Games to push for peace in the world. The inaugural Games only had about 300 athletes from less than 15 countries taking part in 43 events in nine disciplines. When the Olympics returned to Athens in 2004, the number of participants had ballooned to 10,000 athletes representing 202 nations vying in 28 various sports(Guttmann, nd). Women In The Olympics During the inaugural Olympics, there were no female athletes who took part in the Games. Four years later, however, golf and tennis allowed the participation of women. In 1912, swimming and diving became available for women athletes as well. Sixteen years later during the 1928 Games, gymnastics and track and field had female athletes likewise. Since then, the number of women competing in the Olympics have considerably increased. At present, fifty percent of all teams are comprised by women, with the exception of the Muslim countries, where female participation is minimal(Guttmann, nd). Diversity in Sports 7 The Paralympics Games In the true spirit of diversity in sports, disabled people can have an opportunity to experience competitive spirit and sports excellence with their own version of the Olympic Games. Introduced in 1960, in conjunction with the Olympic Games in Rome, the Paralympics, as it is called, highlights male and female athletes representing six various disability groups. The emphasis of the Paralympics Games is not on the disability but on individual achievements. Since then, the growth of the event has become steady. From the initial 400 athletes that took part in 1960, a total of 3806 athletes representing 136 nations took part during the 2004 Athens Paralympics Games. Beijing, China will be the cite of the next Paralympics Games(International Paralympics Committee, nd). Conclusion When it comes to sports, not a single nation can dominate all the events. While host nations of the Olympics choose the events where they have the advantage, chances are other nations will beat them in other fronts. This is what diversity in sports is all about. Fairness and equality in the light of competition. References Belew, B(2006 December 17). Diversity in College Sports – Coaching. The Biz of Knowledge. Retrieved July 14 2008 from http://www. thebizofknowledge. com/2006/12/diversity_in_college_sports_co_1. html Guttman, A(nd). Olympic Games. Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 14 2008 from http://www. encarta. msn. com

Operational Systems in Early Years Essay

Structure of the day is one operational system that needs to be in place within an early years setting. This is because, it allows the setting to run smoothly as everyone knows what they need to do and when. Operational systems and financial systems are important elements of a business plan which enable a service to run efficiently. There are many operational systems and financial systems involved in a service. Task 2: Structure of the day: There are many ways in which this operational system impact on early years or play works services. It allows everyone to know their roles and what they need to do throughout the day. This will allow the service to run smoothly as people will not be wondering what needs to be done and things will then get done correctly instead of being left. Due to this, things like forms for the amount children eat and their behaviour will also be carried out correctly as there will be a designated member of staff who has to fill in the paper work for the room they are working in by the end of the day. If the setting has structured the day well enough then the member of staff will have time to write up the information as it comes instead of doing it all at the end of the day. This is because, if the practitioner leaves it until the end of the day, they may forget important bits of information and therefore will not be able to report back to parents correctly. This operational system also helps to keep the organised. However, there are a few problems with this operational system. If a member of staff rings in sick then it may be hard to find cover and therefore, the structure of the day will be jeopardised. Due to this, the day will not run smoothly as there will not be enough members of staff in the setting, meaning that everyone will be panicking and jobs and paperwork will not get done correctly. Especially if the member of staff who has rang in sick is designated with important jobs for that day. It may also be the case that other people are unaware of how to carry out the member of staff jobs and therefore, they will not get done until that member of staff comes into work. If some job roles are linked together, i.e. paperwork then this could also mean that other jobs cannot get done. As a result, the structure of the day will be ruined and the setting will not run smoothly. For this operational system to work effectively there needs to be correct effective communication in place. However, if this does not happen then this operational system wills no work. Health and safety: This operational system has a huge impact on early years or play works services, and it is very important to keep a service running smoothly and effectively. However, there are many positive and negatives points to this operational system. It keeps staff, children, visitors and anyone who may enter or work in the service safe. This happens as the operational system will include task like carrying out a risk assessment daily to reduce the risk of hazards and anyone getting injured. Due to this, the system can be made suitable to the specific setting as each setting may have different hazards. Also, each setting has different health and safety requirements; this is why it is important to have an operation system to each individual service so it fits in correctly and will work appropriately. This system will outline the procedures the staffs need to know and follow to abide to the healthy and safety rules. Due to the setting making them themselves, they will be able to make them simple enough for everybody to understand and follow. This will ensure that the healthy and safety within the setting will be followed correctly and there will be a reduced risk of people getting hurt. Members of staff will also be aware of what to do if a child falls poorly whilst attending the setting. Another positive is that it will give the staff, parents and children a sense of security as they will know they are safe and are able to relax. Therefore, there will not be any one getting stressed, worried or frustrated at the thought that someone might get hurt, as all hazards should have been removed to reduce the chance of this happening. On the other hand, there are also negative points about health and safety as an operational system. This is because, it can be quite time consuming for the setting to create, therefore this may be taking up members of staff valuable time that needs to be spent else where. Due to this, another part of the setting may not run as it should, for example, lunch time. There may not be enough members of staff helping out at that time if some are busy creating and readjusting the operational system. Also, to add to the time of creating it, someone needs to take the time to review the system and add or take away things when it needs updating. This could be very costly to the service because they will have to pay for things like the system to be printed, staff training on the different systems, and health and safety is a big system for staff to become knowledgeable about. Security of the building: The main impact that security of the building has on early years or play work services, is that it keeps everyone safe. Settings will have equipment installed to ensure that only the correct people are entering the building, for example, they may have a bell or a password on the main entrance door, and other doors are only able to be opened from the inside. This also means that they are able to adapt the building however they need. Some nurseries may have to have walls, gates or fences built around their outdoor play area. However, some building may not have to do this as there is already a wall there. Due to this, the setting will also be able to install equipment that will be suitable to the children’s needs. Some settings may have high door handles that the children cannot reach so they can’t let themselves out or open the door and get their fingers trapped in it. A sense of security will also be built up in the setting as everyone will be aware that it is secure and safe. This may also make parents feel better leaving their child at the setting. However, like any operational system, this one also has negatives aspects. Finding a good quality company to get the equipment off and for them to install it may become difficult. A setting will need a reliable company who is willing to come out at late notice when possible to install equipment. The setting also needs to be able to find a company that has their equipment at a reasonable price or else it may become very expensive for the setting. If a good quality company cannot be found, then equipment could be faulty putting the staff, children and visitors safety at risks. It could also then take a long time for the setting to be able to get the equipment fixed, causing problems and unneeded stress. As some equipment might be seen as good, there are also some impractical equipment, for example, if the setting has a bell for people to get in, it may be too loud and then wake up the children who are trying to sleep. Task 3: Within an early years or play work setting there is an operation system for the management and ordering of supplies. One current operational system that I have witnessed was at my primary school. Each classroom teacher recorded the supplies that they might need throughout the term, including books, pencils, paint, games, and work sheets and so on. Once they had done this, they then had to send their list to the lady in the office who would record what supplies the teachers requested onto an ordering form. She would also keep a record of what each teacher asked for so everyone could have the correct stuff. When it came to ordering things like food for school dinners, this was the chef’s responsibility. Each morning, the classroom teacher would ask each child who was having hot dinners what they would like, and there would be a meat and a vegetarian option. From this the chef would then be able to cook the correct amount of food each day. To order fresh food, the chef would do this once a week handing the order list to the office. However, with things like tin food, this would be brought in bulk at the beginning of each half term. For cleaning equipment, the head cleaner would create the ordering form to give to the office and this would include providing cleaning wipes for tables outside each classroom and soap for the toilets and so on. When it comes to the management of the operational system, this is down to the lady in the office as she is the one who rings through to the companies and places the orders and makes a time and date in which everything can be delivered. She keeps a record of past orders to make sure they are roughly ordering the same things each time an order is put in. This will help financial budgets as well. I do believe that the schools ordering of supplies operational system works effectively. The operational system is working well because there is someone to monitor what is being ordered and manage the system. This helps so staffs are aware who to send their order form to, if there are any problems then there is also someone that they can approach to try and solve the issue. All staff is able to put in an ordering form so nothing gets missed and the person in charge is then able to check the orders to ensure that staff are not spending too much money and are being realistic so the school can afford it. The school order supplies at realistic times to ensure that they do not run out of things they need especially things like hot dinners for the children. As a school, they have built up a good relationship with their suppliers and in time of need they can get a next delivery if something drastic happens. Another good point about this operational system is that the person, who manages it, also manages the financial records meaning that they will have a good understanding of what is coming in and going out. They will also be knowledgeable of how to make orders and will know appropriate times in which it can be delivered. however, the only problem is, if the member of staff who always puts the orders through is off work due to sickness, holiday or anything then it could mean that the school do not get there order through on time as know one else will know how to do. Therefore it would be a good idea for them to allow another member of staff knows how to do it so they can make an order if needs be. Schools need financial resources to function. School finances should be carefully managed according to regulations. Financial summaries provide information about the flow of a school’s financial resources, both into the school (income or revenue) and out of the school (expenditure). Financial records within the school are kept within the management office together with all supporting documents, e.g. receipts, invoices, bills and payment records. Access to financial records is restricted to the head teacher and member of staff in charge of the finance. The school has to keep their financial records for a minimum of 5 years. Financial records are kept both on the computer and in filing cabinets. The school has a spreadsheet on the computer in which everything they have to pay for is listed and all the incoming money is also listed. The financial records that are kept in the filing cabinet include things like receipts for orders, and things that they cannot put on the computer. Receipts allow the school to look back to ensure that the money going out is the same as the receipts for things that they have brought. The school has to record their financial income and expenditure. Income that the school records include: school fees, renting out facilities, donations, local community, government and expenditure that the school record includes: construction/repairs, equipment, and rental of premises, teacher salaries, school meals, electricity, telephone, water and maintenance. The school uses the financial summaries to monitor, verify and control the financial position of the school. Bibliography: Gill Squire. (2007): BTEC National Diploma Children’s Care Learning & Development: Essex

Slavery vs. Indentured Servitude

Settler of the British America had a rough and slow start when compared to the settlers of Spain and France. However, the British had a much better success rate because they first focus was on one thing and one thing only: survival. Once survival was ensured, the settlers then began thinking about getting rich. Most of which did so by having huge farms and plantations that required extreme amounts of manual labor. As a colonial employer, there were two options for labor: indentured servants and slaves. Although both had their pros and cons, one would eventually sweep the nation and be used almost universally. The first type of labor that was used in the British Americas was indentured servitude. An indentured servant became one by agreeing with an employer to take them to New World in exchange for 5-7 years of labor. The benefit for a colonial employer were that they were cheap, especially compared to its future counterpart; that was pretty much the only real big benefit of having an indentured slave. However, the disadvantages were quite numerous. For example, they were European, so they had to be treated with respect and decency. Moreover, he had to feed them, clothe them, and give them shelter. Also, after they served out their contract, they were let to go free with 50 acres of land that the employer had to provide, which cause for further financial losses. Furthermore, the employer also had to keep in mind that anywhere from 25-40% of the indentured servants didn’t finish off their contract because they died. Form their arrival to Virginia in 1619, the slaves labor was used to a better extent. The colonial employer saw that the benefits of having a slave included the fact that he owned them for life. Furthermore, a colonial employer was allowed to sleep with the women, if he wanted to, so he got a â€Å"big benefit† from having slaves. Moreover, any of the slave women that got pregnant produced more slaves, which was a very big financial benefit to the colonial employer. Another benefit was also that they worked much harder than the indentured servants because the employer was able to scare them into submission. Although the benefits are numerous, there were also some disadvantages for having slaves. For example, they cost more to begin with than the indentured servant, and also required to be fed, clothes, and sheltered. Also, they would, every once in a while, try to revolt against the colonial employer by starting a fire and burning down the crops. From a colonial employer’s stand point, it is quite obvious that the African slave was a much better deal than the indentured servant. Slaves, although cost more, came with a lot more perks that the indentured servants could not provide. As a result, slavery swept the nation and became the leading method for labor up until 1865, which was the end of the Civil War.

State of Israel and the future threats. I argue that the biggest Essay

State of Israel and the future threats. I argue that the biggest threat could be marks of the Israeli state in the future will be an internal threat more than any external enemy - Essay Example Finally conclusions were arrived at based on the findings of the work. This work is based on secondary sources for retrieving relevant information pertaining to the topic. In this regard, reliable sources such as academic books, authentic websites, journals, and government documents were scrutinised. This work proves that Israel has been threatened to a major extent by the internal problems discussed, rather than any external threats. This region comprised of Israel was under British rule from 1917 to 1948, and during this period the Arab religious groups underwent several crucial socio – economic changes. Such change was not uniform across the various religious groups and displayed considerable diversity. The Christian Arabs experienced this change, much more swiftly than the Druze and the Muslims. The fertility rate declined among these groups, with the exception of the Muslim Arabs. 1 From the economic perspective, Israel had been envisaging a number of difficulties. This nation had not achieved a transformation into a competitive market system from a socialist state, as at the end of the 20th century. The military was obliged to address new dangers from inimical Islamic nations, such as Iraq and Iran, which boasted of long range missiles in their arsenal. Furthermore, the military had to address the challenge of becoming a more technical and less manpower intensive force. 2 However, significant change was in the offing for Israel, during the commencement of the 21st century. Internally, the denizens of this nation had been struggling with traditional and contemporary issues. Some of these issues were those of religion and state and their relationship to Jewish identity. Another issue pertained to the endeavours to mitigate religious influence upon personal matters, such as marriage and divorce. 3 The Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel was made at Tel Aviv, on 14

Health and Safety Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Health and Safety Report - Essay Example The paper includes aspects of case laws with respect to the initiation and spread of fire. It goes on to point out some aspects related to emergency evacuation and strategies. All these aspects are collaborated with relevant legislations, fire preventive measures, the protective measures, as well as relevant fire fighting devices. The paper argues that resulting effects and the situations leading to fire outbreak call for the need to develop a good plan of action for handling cases of fire outbreaks. People could as well come up with elaborate plans that would prevent fire outbreaks within their environs. Organisations holding the responsibilities to contain fire outbreaks need to introduce fire fighting gadgets and chemicals that can fasten process of extinguishing fire. The fire fighting departments need to ensure that there are good indicators of places likely to be a threat to the people. Besides, these indicators should be in a way that can warn the people about the issues that they are likely to face as the paper depicts. In most of the buildings, fire fighting strategies need to be established to ensure that the people residing or working in such buildings are in a position of containing situations that may face them as a result of fire outbreaks. This situation could be even more difficult to the people living in high rising buildings. In this case, the fire department needs to establish an elaborate design to ensure that cases of fire fighting are settled as much as possible. This means that fire-fighting departments need to develop and advocate for good fire fighting plans that ensure that people achieves their goals in solving fire accidents within a short period (Communities and Local Government 2007). On another hand, there is the need to establish some good plans of building in ways that enhance the safety of people, especially during a fire incident. Apparently, within the plans of designing these buildings, there need to be emergency escape

Operation manegement (term paper) Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Operation manegement ( ) - Term Paper Example Though, services are not as fruitful for businesses and as fulfilling for customers as they could be. In addition, the business services encompass a design issue. Business professionals in the service region require recognizing that they are concerned in design as well as utilize service design to enhance it. Services have exclusive characteristics. They are not substantial, are not able to be owned or stored, utilization takes place instantly as productions as well as they are a difficult understandings that occur with the passage of time. As a result, designing services necessitates special concerns. Additionally, the service design is able to tackle the unique contests that the service financial system is experiencing. However, design is not simply crafting features of products any further. On the other hand, it is an area that designs difficult and interactive procedures, experiences as well as systems. Thus, it engages skills and professionals from the related areas and clients in the design procedures. It utilizes unique procedures, techniques and tools for service design (Mortiz, 2010). This paper presents a detailed analysis of some of the prime aspects of the service design. This paper presents a historical development in this area, after that it will analyze the companies that are applying the service design for its better assessment. ... le, a hotel can choose to encompass a service design agency transforms the means and its list of options is defined, or modify the outline of the hotel to develop customer's experience. Additionally, the customers are able to involve paying clients, however as well are able to be inside a business, on stipulation that they are the direct beneficiaries of a service. For instance a business establishes a novel payroll interface intended for its employees - so the workers are able to efficiently handle and manage 'customers' as well as payroll interface. However, to carry out this activity, service design methodologies are employed to prepare and systematize arrangement, people, and communication and material mechanism employed in a service. On the other hand, the rising significance and size of the service sector, together in terms of people engaged and financial significance necessitates services to be precisely planned sequentially for service suppliers to hang about competitive as w ell as to persist to attract diverse clients (Saco & Goncalves, 2008), (Tatum, 2010), (Shostack, 1982), (Shostack G. L., 1984) and (Mortiz, 2010). Historical Development In our daily activities we are surrounded by services. There are services those have been for us for centuries and the ancient Romans and Greek had servants and even before them those services were offered and as well paid for. Yet, we are responsive that a number of things have altered radically in the previous 25 years. In the 19th century the large industrial units, new discoveries and techniques pushed a collection of less costly commodities in the marketplace. The business revolution shaped an ocean of less costly as well as enhanced products in developed nations. Nowadays, the industrial revolution has changed society

Christopher Billop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Christopher Billop - Essay Example Although Christopher was unwavering in his dedication to staying within the British Empire, it was a difficult choice to make and to abide by it during the Revolution. Before the start of the war, some Quakers were seized and jailed in Virginia because they were deemed to support the colonialists (Sabine 26). The Patriots, a group fighting the British, were not a lenient people since they regularly harassed the loyalists, took their property, and even harmed them. Christopher’s vehemence against patriots in the revolution made him a target of patriots’ anger; he was abducted and held for ransom two times. On June 1779, some patriots rowed from Perth Amboy and arrested Christopher; he was detained for two months. The next kidnap happened in November 1779 and held in a jail in New Jersey. Christopher was chained to the floor and given light food to survive with (Sabine 27). He was informed that his arrest was revenge for people arrested by the British. In the second arrest, he was again detained for two months and set free after Christmas. The arrests were supposed to send a message to the loyalists that their efforts to support the British Empire were unpopular amongst the patriots. Every American was supposed to support the revolution and kick out the British.

How Free Trade Causes Development Research Paper

How Free Trade Causes Development - Research Paper Example drug barons, arms merchants, rackets bosses, Mafiosi, and other profiteers are emerging as the economic and political leaders of the social transformations underway in their respective societies.† (Buchanan, 2000, p.1) One of the criticisms leveled against free trade as it exists today is its affect on workers and consumers. Some believe that under this system, workers become helpless pawns of their capitalist masters, compelled to sell their labor power at sub-optimal costs. The only theoretical alternative they have to evading this exploitation is to become destitute, which is a far greater misery. Multi-national corporations (MNCs), which are the facade of free trade, are perceived as coercing citizens to unwillingly participate in the capitalist market system, while also leaving consumers with no choice but to buy their products. In the book titled Telling the Truth about History, author Joyce Appleby traces how MNCs came to be the dominant institutions of our age. Here, th e author makes some scathing observations about the nature of capitalist enterprise that is the back bone of prevailing free trade systems: â€Å"One of the distinguishing features of a free-enterprise economy is that its coercion is veiled. . . . The fact that people must earn before they can eat is a commonly recognized connection between need and work, but it presents itself as a natural link embedded in the necessity of eating rather than as arising from a particular arrangement for distributing food through market exchanges....† (Joyce as quoted in Levite, 2002, p.32) The free-trade system is also criticized for promoting 'wage-slavery', whereby human beings are reduced to mechanical automatons as they go through the drudgery of work each day. Here too, the slavery is not so much express... This paper stresses that while free trade has led to development in some countries, they have led to economic instability in others. What is most worrisome about free trade in the modern world is the vacuous nature of the term, as it is stripped of its substantive meaning. In other words, where there is conflict between the execution of this system in its ideal form and the consequences for major business corporations, it is always the interests of the latter that is looked after. This is nowhere more clearly visible than in the history of NAFTA. The terminology can be a little deceptive here, for despite claims of being a 'free-trade' agreement, it has many protectionist provisions in it. A brief survey of the effects of NAFTA on the general population reveals that American, Mexican and Canadian elites have seen most of its benefits. This report makes a conclusion that global free trade arrangements have failed to lead to uniform development. While there are obvious success stories like India, China and South East Asian bloc, much of the rest of the world has not benefitted. It is in response to these failures that the global solidarity movement has arisen. Centered on universal human challenges like poverty-reduction, access to basic healthcare, free education for all children, social welfare for the disadvantaged, etc, the global solidarity movement presents an alternative operative framework to the United States led global capitalist project. In a few decades time, it is plausible that this more pragmatic form of social organization might have quelled American hegemony in economic, cultural and political domains and might have eliminated the need for economic globalization.

European Employment Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

European Employment Policy - Essay Example Therefore minimum wage laws have been introduced which foresee crisis of unemployment, if fewer employers are interested to hire labor, where as more people are willing to offer their services. Therefore, the law intends to maintain the equilibrium, to avoid social and economic turmoil. The amount of labor supplied by the workers is directly proportional to the nominal wage, a certain increase in the wage, forecast increase in the labor supply. The observation is based on the assumption that an employee hired at a low wage will prefer to consume 'leisure and forego wages', a slight increase in the nominal range, it becomes difficult to practice leisure and avoid labor, therefore there is an increase in the number of workers wiling to offer labor. The relationship between the labor supplied and nominal wage is function of different variables including price. A substantial increase in the price level will reduce the number of workers, at all wages (Wascher, 1995). The charter of European Union has observed that there exists an inverse relationship between the nominal wage, and the 'amount of labor demanded by the organizations'. A substantial increase in the wages is likely to compel the organizations to reduce recruitment schemes. The relationship has been derived on the basis of an assumption that the organization prefers saving for increased proportion of profitability i.e. such level of production is aimed by the organization which increases the profit i.e. the difference between expenses and revenue. The revenue is based on the price of an item, and quantity of the items sold (Christopher, 2005). The expenses include the amount of wages, which is based on the labor and services. Therefore, the company will prefer to maintain a minimum threshold level to secure profit, on the basis of reduction in the wages, as more workers are employed, the labor wage increases which turn the organization less profitable. The price factor may compel the organizations to recruit the employees for all wage levels (Gold, 1993). As per the regulation, the commission has defined a minimum age for the employment; the minimum age is greater than the minimum school leaving age. The charter has focused upon the fact that parent employees shall be provided parental leave, and parent employees have been urged to spend their time with their families particularly children. The charter has listed provisions for the access to childcare during working hours. The charter has defined a maximum limit for the weekly working hours; the maximum weekly working hours shall not be greater than forty eight, which is inclusive of the working hours. As per the charter, the employees are eligible for at least four week's paid annual leave, on unconditional basis. The charter has described minimum rest period which shall be eleven hours on daily basis, and minimum one day on weekly basis. The charter has limited the duration of work during might hours, and has limited the working hours during night time to maximum of eight hours (Gol d, 1993). Minimum Wages and Labor Market: Equilibrium It has been predicted that minimum wage laws are expected to increase unemployment, if minimum wage is established above equilibrium wage. It is because, a large number of employees will be interested in offering their services in exchange for higher wages, on contrary on small and limited number of such

Analysis of a Job Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Analysis of a Job - Research Paper Example The Marketing Manager is responsible to develop and maintain marketing strategies in order to achieve the agreed company objectives. The responsibility includes evaluation of customer research, market condition, competitor data and take decision of altering the marketing plans as required. The Marketing Manager role involves overseeing all marketing, advertising and promotional staffs and activities. Should have the ability to build trust, communicate effectively, drive execution, foster the culture of innovation, focus on timely delivery of products to customers, collaborative in nature, creatively solving problems and demonstrate high integrity. It necessary for the on boarded Marketing Manager to undergo certain company specific on boarding activities and training in order to know more about the company. There would be a 4 week on boarding program for the Marketing Manager where the candidate would be undergoing training from the supervisor, peers and if possible from the subordinates in the job function. First one week of the on boarding training would include the company culture and nature of the business of the company. The second week would comprise of the getting to know about the team and the team members with whom the Marketing Manager would work. The third week will be focused on learning the business strategies and the methods by which the company generally operates the business along with the current customers and clientele. Finally fourth week would be the on the job training where the Marketing Manager is expected to as per the learning of past three weeks. This is a compulsory training that the new Marketing m anager needs to undergo in order to start the work in the company. The Annual compensation package for the position is $85,528 with $5578 as the annual performance bonus. The Marketing Manager position is entitled to receive many other benefits, which include Social Security, 401K/403B value benefits, disability

Global Umbrella Branding and Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global Umbrella Branding and Marketing - Essay Example Centrica Plc. effectively disputes the above stated theoretical propositions on consumer resistance to umbrella brands as an outcome of corporate practices or the poor performance of other products sharing the same brand name. While it publicly engages in philanthropic activities, the corporation has a poor labour relations record, has consistently proven itself a socially irresponsible company, and has fuelled claims that it is, in essence, a monopolistic, exploitative entity. Yet, this has not resulted in the above theorised consumer resistance and, indeed, has not halted Centrica Plc's expansion or stemmed its ever-spiralling success. While it can be argued that this is partially because there are no substitutes to Centrica's products and services, it is the position of this study that the aforementioned evidences the fact that the marketing and brand management of umbrella brands have the potential to overcome the challenges posed by corporate practices. The study proposes to examine umbrella brand management within the context of a global company. In so doing, the dissertation will argue that effective marketing strategies have the potential to negate the forces which incite consumer resistance. ... The study proposes to examine umbrella brand management within the context of a global company. In so doing, the dissertation will argue that effective marketing strategies have the potential to negate the forces which incite consumer resistance. The aforementioned shall be argued and established through reference to Centrica Plc. As presented in the preceding paragraph, the importance of the topic stems from its theoretical and practical implications. While not arguing against the validity of consumer resistance theories, the research will dispute the proposition that it cannot be offset by marketing strategies. Indeed, brand management, such as which Centrica Plc has proven itself proficient at, can negate the forces which incite consumer resistance to umbrella brands. Insofar as it will focus upon the validation of the aforementioned, the study's theoretical value derives from the fact that it will highlight the potential of the marketing of umbrella brands to offset consumer resistance. Furthermore, to the extent that it will highlight how Centrica managed to do so, the study has practical value. 3 Company Background Centrica Plc was formed in 1997 in the wake of the demerger of British Gas. Over the past decade, the corporation has experienced significant growth levels, largely due to its expansion both beyond Britain and beyond the energy market. With operations in all of North America, Germany, Norway, Spain and Belgium, Centrica is a testament to effective and successful strategic global brand management. Controlling 76% of the UK's domestic energy market and sourcing and supplying energy across the world, Centrica also owns the Automobile Association (AA), Goldfish (a credit card company), and has interests in the residential phone market, to

The Virgin Group Essay Example for Free

The Virgin Group Essay Introduction The Virgin Company   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Founded by Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin group began as a travel company that hosts travel operations from the European regions towards other areas of the world. Aside form the travel operations; the company also caters to package transfer duties that are shipped from UK towards the American and Australian continents. The company has also established a fine relationship towards its sister companies the Virgin Express and the Virgin Blue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Later on, the market of the Virgin Group of Companies began to expand. The traditional service that the company offers its clients have greatly taken a leap forward as the management of the company took a chance in venturing in other areas of business industry, which they though would further cater to other essential needs of their company’s clients.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     As a result, the establishment of two major rail franchises that sells more than just the usual travel tour packages offered by the Virgin Company. Aside from the focus of the company on travel operations, the franchise establishments also sell entertainment materials such as magazines and music videos and DVD gadgets. There also came the establishment of the Virgin Mega stores that serve as the major mall-like establishments of the company that mostly offer materials in connection with entertainment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aside from the many operations that the Virgin Group of Companies caters to, there are also other services that they still offer the public. The said services include balloon flights, beverages, bridal stores, cosmetics, financial services, health clubs, Internet services, mobile phone services, publishing, and a record label. (2007)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As closely observed, the entire concern of the company is to provide recreation, entertainment and leisure to its clients. Hence, it could be noticed that most of its market comes from the upper level of the global economy. This directly refers to the fact that most of the clients that are able to appreciate and consume their products and accept their services are those who have the capability to pay for the amount of their business transactions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being in the industry that holds much the competition as it is directly connected to entertainment and travel systems which is now the most in demand services in the society, how are the Virgin group of Companies able to cope up with the competition that is present in the business society? How are they able to refine their strategies of market approach considering that they are considered as a multinational company that has to deal with multicultural society of workers? Aside from this, as the company grows even larger and ventures to different areas of business, how are they able to keep a strong stand in the competitive pace of the global business culture? These questions and more shall be answered on the chapter discussions that follow. CHAPTER 2 The Competitive Strategies of the Virgin Group   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In business, there is always competition. According to Milton Snoeyenbos, â€Å"Competition is the essence of putting up a business and making things happen for a certain company† (1992). This is indeed true. As obviously seen today, different types of competition that naturally determines their status in the global business arena govern the global industry of business. Furthermore, Snoeyenbos adds that:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"the ability of a business entity to keep up with the competition that it is supposed to have engagement with measures its capability of keeping up   with the fast paced development of global trade and industries† (1992)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Certainly, multinational companies, such as the Virgin Group, directly experience such competitive environment of operating in the global market. There are many companies that naturally would want to have the same ‘fair share’ of market especially when it comes to travel operations and entertainment.   It is indeed true that to be able to survive in such a competitive world of business, a company, or a business organization should have a stiff and strong strategy in operating its branches and allies in creating an amiably ample market that would naturally accept the services and the products that they would offer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a typical business operation setting, competition is often referred t as a challenge on the capability of the company to be noticed by the market. This capability is often measured by the profit that the company is able to incur annually. Through recent reports of the world trade organizations, it could be seen that the Virgin Group of companies has fared well in terms of the profit share that they get from the global economy. This means that they are able to attract an ample population of people who appreciates and takes advantage of the services and the products that they offer in the market.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To be able to understand the entire strategy system that that Virgin Group of Companies uses to be able to survive in the business industry, the said strategies are subdivided into four major parts. Each discussed in their own focus of concern for the companies’ success.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Strategies: Human Resources Control and Motivation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This the branch of the strategy that creates a fine working environment that the employees of the Virgin Group could be able to find satisfaction in their job, hence, they are highly capable of performing well for their company.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The other branches of the company, which this specific strategy affects, are the research and development department. As mentioned earlier, the Virgin Group continues in aiming to expand their areas of concern in the business industry. Therefore, through human resources control and motivation strategies, the company is able to empower its employees to work hard and perform well regardless of what culture or nationality they may have come from. Marketing Strategies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the Virgin Group themselves, they have an aim whereas they are able to provide the identity of their clients in the best possible way every time they take advantage of the services and the products offered by the company. Hence, to be able to do so, they say that there are three major purposes of the marketing approach of the company. As it could be quoted, they say:   Ã‚  Ã‚   * We genuinely believe in making a difference for consumers.   Ã‚  Ã‚   * We deliver quality service by empowering our people.   Ã‚  Ã‚   * We love getting feedback – it helps us to continually improve each   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   customers experience through innovation. (Source: http://www.virginmobile.ca/site/en/aboutUs/html/about_us_06.htm. 2007)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Having these guidelines of purpose, they also have questions that help them decide on how to create the best possible marketing strategy that could support the product that they are supposed to launch to the public. The said questions too are quoted as follows:   Ã‚  Ã‚   *   Is this an opportunity for restructuring a market and creating   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   competitive advantage?   Ã‚  Ã‚   * What is the competition doing?   Ã‚  Ã‚   * Is the customer confused or badly served?   Ã‚  Ã‚   * Is this an opportunity for building the Virgin brand?   Ã‚  Ã‚   * Can we add value?   Ã‚  Ã‚   * Will it interact with our other businesses?   Ã‚  Ã‚   * Is there an appropriate trade-off between risk and reward? (Source: http://www.virginmobile.ca/site/en/aboutUs/html/about_us_06.htm. 2007) Furthermore, when the marketing strategy is already strongly proposed and decided upon by the marketing agents of the company, the final decisions are then based upon some outlined reasons of pursuing the products and the brands that have been decided upon and finally releasing them for public consumption. The said considerations are as follows:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   * The power of the Virgin name   Ã‚  Ã‚   * Richard Bransons personal reputation   Ã‚  Ã‚   * Our unrivalled network of friends, contacts and partners   Ã‚  Ã‚   * The Virgin management style, and   Ã‚  Ã‚   * The way talent is empowered to flourish within the group (Source: http://www.virginmobile.ca/site/en/aboutUs/html/about_us_06.htm. 2007) As obviously seen, the main concern of the company, even in marketing purposes is to create for their clients an assurance of being well serviced and well cared for. This factor of concern on the part of the Virgin Groups’ management team gives them an edge from their competitors in the business industry. Management Strategies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This involves the ability of the company to balance its focus on the operational activities of the business organization from its personal identity as a provider for both its employees and its clients as the stakeholders of the organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Through the systematic approach that is used by the Virgin Groups towards its activities, the company is then able to come along with the changes and developments of the business world while directly attending to the needs of their stakeholders. Social Connection Strategies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The acceptance of the society towards the identity that the company puts up for itself is an essential factor that contributes to the attempt of the company to remain strongly appreciated by the people that it aims to serve. This means that the ability of the company to continuously perform its social duties avails it of the capability to remain strongly competitive within the business arena.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These four major strategies have long been the assurance that the Virgin Group of Companies have used in their operations in their field of business concern. In this regard, it would be also helpful to know the strategic capabilities of the company. Naturally, it could be noticed that the Virgin Group has been constantly utilizing the Forward integration system of development. As a result, the resources of the company are then assured and the competence as well as the dynamic capabilities of the company is strengthened through the alliance-system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What does the forward integration system mean? It could be noticed that through the study that has been presented in this paper so far, the Virgin Group of companies intended to expand through the creation of alliances with other investors n other companies. The establishment of a fine relationship with the owners and the investors as well as the board members of the companies that they have allied with, they are able to expand their operation. As clearly state earlier, the company grew from a travel service provider towards a multinational company that offers a variety of products that include both leisure and entertainment to the public.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yes, the success system of the company depended so much on its capability to create alliances with other companies that trusted its reputation and its owner’s name in the business industry. Now, as a company, the Virgin Group directly plans to dominate the entire entertainment and leisure industry in the global business scene. Certainly, if the competitive systems as well as the strategic capability of the company continue to improve and develop through time, it would not be impossible for this group of companies to completely dominate the world’s most competitive business arena. CHAPTER 3 The Company and Its Stakeholders   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As discussed in earlier chapters, there are mainly three stakeholders of the Virgin group of Companies, which in many areas affect the major activities that the company performs in their daily global operations. The stakeholders include the company management and its employees, the clients that are being served by the company, and the society that it serves its responsibility to.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In accordance with the stakeholder mapping system, the said subdivision of stakeholders could still be narrowed down to five major types depending on whether they oppose or support the company involved in the society. With the existence of the stakeholders, the control of the company operations is a factor that remains to be an essential matter of concern for the company management themselves. As obviously seen, each stakeholder have his or her own demand from the company activities. The management and the employees as for example, demands profit and income entities, while the consumers demand service and quality products from the company. The society in turn requires that the company give them what they are due; this could include the tax responsibilities of the company towards the local government of the communities, which they are a part of. Hence, if they are able to attend to the said social responsibility then they are able to help the community, which they are operating in, and in return, they gain full support from the society, which could in the future generate amiable profits for their company as they are transformed to becoming supporters of the business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Virgin Group of Companies sees to it that they are able to meet the needs of all the stakeholders involve in their business operations as they are mentioned above. The constancy of the concern of the Virgin Group of companies towards their employees, their clients and the society, which they serve, [which may also include the culturally diverse nature of their organization] is certainly the reason why they have been operating as long as they have been and is currently continuously growing through the developments of global business trends. Alternative Strategies for Growth and Expansion (examined through SWOT analysis)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although the outlined evidences of the sturdiness of the Virgin Group of Companies’ status in the business industry, it could not be denied that there could be some instances that some of their traditional strategies may not be that capable of meeting the challenges of the new area of endeavor of the company. As for example, the company’s management team is sure to have their own plans of opening establishments in several other parts of the globe to be able to directly expand the market that is influenced by the said multinational group of companies. In Asia as for example, there are several points of consideration that the company organizers should attend to before they could actually perform business operations in Asian countries. Hence, the following list of alternative strategies could be integrated in the existing business approach of the Virgin Group of Companies: Cultural Knowledge of the Country being targeted   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This involves the capability of the company to have a research on what products and services that the company already offers cold suit the needs of the people in a certain country without offending their traditional culture. It could not be denied that there are still countries [especially in Asia] that are directly influenced by their cultural heritage. As a result, the companies, which are planning to establish branches in such areas, are advised to take full concern of the cultural background of the country to be able to fit in the society. This would naturally address the social responsibility of the company. Legalities and Registration in the Local Governments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Most of the suggested alternatives concern the social responsibilities of the company. This is simply because of the fact that the ability of the company to expand depends on the acceptance of the society that it aims to serve.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The legalities and registration to local governments involves the tax-responsibilities of the company. Their knowledge of the business legalities and policies that their target countries imply should help them create a fine working environment with their new society and would might as well create for them a credible reputation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The author of this paper using the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis has directly analyzed these two major suggestions as alternatives. Through the said analysis, it has been noticed that the competitiveness of the Virgin Group amidst the wide expansion plans that it might have in the future would be well guarded. As mentioned earlier, the suggestions are more focused on the social responsibility of the company. This is highly suggested by the author, as this is believed by the author as the key towards a multinational, multicultural company’s success in the business industry. The SWOT Analysis Discussion Strengths- the suggested alternative, as clearly observed is a focus on the cultural knowledge of the company with regards the communities that they ought to influence, or in some other terms, target as a market source. Being culturally and legally knowledgeable of the social systems of the new community gives them an edge from other companies who have lesser care on the way they are able to meet their responsibilities to the society and put much priority on the profit goals of the company. Weaknesses- since the suggestions involve research and development strategies on the part of the company management, the issue on the funding systems may become a reason for the weakness of the suggested approach. However, through systematic arrangement, the said alternative could be proven efficient. Opportunities- The alternatives open the expansion opportunities for the Virgin Group. The said expansion operations being mainly targeted upon the Asian countries which are known to have high cultural attachment to their origins. Being able to apply the alternatives would naturally help the entire company to win the heart of Asians. Threats- the threats to the approach that has been suggested in here could be regarding the fact that other researches of the company regarding the cultural shift of the market that they intend to target may become available to others and may in some ways be used against their plans. Hence, there is a need for a certain measure of security that should be applied upon the researches of the company. CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It has been most certainly clear that through this study, the strengths of the Virgin Group of Companies have been outlined for better understanding. The well known reputation of the said group of companies in their ability to survive competition amidst the expansion operations that they have incurred through company alliances have been determined as the key factor of success for the Virgin group.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The systematic strategy that the whole organization applies in its daily operations has directly implied the strong foundation of the companies’ existence in the society. Their constant attendance on the responsibilities that they have towards their stakeholders has naturally created for them a fine environment of work and operations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Certainly, the expertise that the management team of the Virgin group has on global expansion has ensured them of continuous success in providing the best service and the quality products to their clients. In return, the said managerial strategies also create for them an assurance of growing profit in the years yet to come. BIBLIOGRAPHY    Internet Sources: Changing Minds Organization. (2007). Stakeholder mapping . http://changingminds.org/disciplines/change_management/stakeholder_change/stakeholder_mapping.htm. (January 29, 2007). Harvard Business School. (2007). Creating Corporate Advantage: Strategy in the Multibusiness Firm. http://www.exed.hbs.edu/programs/cca/. (January 29, 2007). Marketing Teacher. (2006). SWOT Analysis: Lesson: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT). http://marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_swot.htm. (January 29, 2007). Environmental Leader. (2007). Virgin Group, NTR Form Virgin Bioverda. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2007/01/17/virgin-group-ntr-form-virgin-bioverda/. (January 29, 2007). Virgin Group. (2007). The Virgin Group. http://www.virginmobile.ca/site/en/aboutUs/html/about_us_06.htm. (January 29, 2007). Market Watch. (2007). Virgin America, Echostar sign entertainment deal. http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/virgin-america-echostar-sign-entertainment/story.aspx?guid=%7BEB53ED7F-B9AA-4E82-8AE0-704BC8691582%7D. (January 29, 2007). Virgin America gets more time to appeal. (2007). http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=FTDate=20070111ID=6333605. (January 29, 2007). Clare Cheung and Linus Chua. (2007). Branson Bets His Virgin Brand, Entertainment Will Win in Macau. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085sid=aWFnDVIC4lwcrefer=europe. (January 29, 2007). Book Sources: Snoeyenbos, Milton. (1992). Business Ethics. Prometheus Books. Revised Edition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (20-26) Riddle, John. (2001). Business Management: How to organize market and finance your way to business success. Adams Media Corporation Publications.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (45-52)

Risk management in project development

Risk management in project development Risk Management In Software development Abstract: Risks are always associated with any kind of project development. It is important to identify and control the risks associated with any project as important it is to develop a project. Especially with software projects there are many unexpected problems which may hinder the software development process. It is crucial to control these risks from the technical development of components for a project to be successful. Hence the software industry is seeing software development risk management as an important practice to minimize the occurrence of risks associated with the project. This research papers gives an insight into various risks associated with software development and the methods to reduce these risks. Introduction: Risk management is a very interesting topic in todays world. Now as days we see that software is an essential part of any application and is used in every company for various purposes. Software has become an important part of life and is practically used in everyday life for various purposes. Now days, due to increase in software companies and usage of internet, a lot of complex and large software projects are developed. These projects have constraints of resources, cost and schedule. So it becomes necessary to build these projects risk free as there are many factors and constraints associated with it. In the present competitive world, there are a lot of companies making various softwares which are large scale and small scale. With this huge scope developing software, comes the risks of managing and developing successful software. Technology is advanced tremendously but still the problems and risks related to software development exist. Research has shown that 85% of all projects being developed fail due to various risks associated with project development. Out of these 40% completely fail due to incomplete requirements and 46% due to cost and schedule over runs and improper functionality. So, effective risk management is important for successful project development. Risk: A Risk is the occurrence of an event which can adversely affect or hinder the development process. A risk is any event which is likely to happen or not but if it does happen will have a negative effect on the project. Risk cannot be classified into various categories but it is the types of risks that need to be identified which are associated with a project. The risks may vary from managing team members, resources and changing environment or technology. Technical risks lie at the heart of most of the causes of software project failures. Technical risks can be defined as the possibility that the application of software engineering theory, principles, and techniques will fail to yield the right software product. Technical risk is comprised of the underlying technological factors that may cause the final product to be: overly expensive, delivered late, or unacceptable to the customer. (Dhlamini, J. 2009) Risk Management and Factors Responsible for Risks: Risk Management can be defined as An application of appropriate tools and procedures to contain risk within acceptable limits by identifying, addressing, and eliminating potential problems before they damage a project.(Dhlamini, J. 2009). It contains processes, methods and tools for managing risks associated with a software project. The basic aim of risk management is to early analyze and identify the risks associated with the project development and take the necessary steps change the course of action to minimize the risks. Risk Management is basically a continuous and formalized process of assessment which requires a team-oriented and needs open communication between all the members. The various factors responsible for risks in development of software projects are scope, resources, cost, communication, integration, time scale, quality and contracts. Every factor has its own risk and affects the project development in a way if not managed properly. Like if the project is outsourced there are times when the communication is not clear between the offshore and onshore team. Most of the times to cut the costs the management, might not use the right sources required for the project resulting in a failure. Sometimes the requirements are not defined properly with may result into a product which is not per the expectations thus affecting the quality of the product. At times, while the project is half way through and there is a change in the technology and company policy which may affect the project. Many times, stakeholder conflicts may also affect the project cost and deadline. Integration is also an issue if many teams are participating in project development. Risk Management Models: There have been various approaches and models proposed for software risk management based on the research on the risks associated with projects and the experiences of the project managers and professionals. There are a few basic approaches for risk management. They are traditional and risk-oriented method. The traditional approach is very generic to all the projects deals with the risks associated with all the projects in general and specific to a particular project. The second approach is risk-oriented which deals with identifying the risks associated with a specific project and aims to deal with those risks before they harm the project. Goal Driven Software Development Risk Management model is a risk-oriented approach to deal with the risks associated with the software project development. There are many such models that were proposed like the first one proposed by Barry Boehm in 1988. His proposed a framework by collecting all the requirements and measures together. SEI (Software Engineering Institute-1997) also proposed a risk management framework. The goal of this framework was to help the manager, developers and other decision makers to identify the risks at an early stage of development, so that appropriate measures can be taken at the right time to minimize the risk. Karolak in 1996 also proposed a model for risk management to handle high level risks. This model proposed a model to handle the risks which affect the cost and time of project development. The various methodologies for risk management are given below: a) Goal Driven Software Development Risk Management Model (GSRM): The GSRM is risk management approach which consists of a model of four layers to manage risks in software development. The advantage of using a layered approach is that any technique can be applied to any layer at any time without affecting the other layers. The diagram for the GSRM is shown below, Goal Layer: This is the first layer in GSRM where identifying, elaborating and modeling of goals are done based on the components to be developed for project to be successful. Success of a project can be defined as anything like meeting the deadlines, within estimated cost, fully functional project, meeting the user requirements, etc. So, success means identifying all the technical component development to be done as early as possible. In GSRM, the goals can be identified as project scope, business needs, user requirement, cost estimation, schedule, etc. So these goals in the development process must be ensured to be within project scope, maintained under decided budget and to realistic time scale, achieve all the business needs and reduce risks based on the nature of project, for a successful project development. Many times these goals may be too high so they are divided into small goals which can be achieved at different levels of abstraction. So it is important to attain these small goals to attain the final goal. Due to this, it is easy to model the development components where satisfying the goal makes it easy to final project fulfillment. (Islam, S. 2009) Risk-Obstacle Layer: This is the second layer in the GSRM model, which identifies the risks associated with the project development. These risks can be considered as potential obstacles which are identified from the early developed components and can affect the project goal. Many times there are processes that depend on each other and if there is an obstacle in one of the process it may cause obstruction in other processes also. Obstacles can be due to human error, wrong information, vague/incomplete requirements, miscommunication, wrong technology implementation, etc which may obstruct the achievement of goals resulting in affecting the time scale and cost of development. So risk obstacle identification is done through questionnaire, cross checking the requirements and brainstorming with the stakeholders. A set of brainstorming session and questionnaire is followed after the initial set of components developed to identify the risks before they worsen. These risks are then assessed by the assessment laye r. (Islam, S. 2009) Assessment Layer: This is the third layer in GSRM, where the risk is properly analyzed and explained the event that caused the risk to occur. The risk event that has caused the risk has two properties: likelihood and severity. Severity increases the negative impact of the risk event and likelihood is the possibility of a risk occurring due to the event. There are some risk factors that can give rise to one risk event which may cause many obstacles leading to disturbing the final goal. So this allows in analyzing the various risk factors and the impact that these risks will have on the set of goals to be achieved. So this layer considers risks metrics to identify the likelihood of occurrence of the risk event due to the risk factors. These risk metrics considers the risk factors, risk occurrence likelihood and risk severity for analyzing and measuring the risks which makes the process very easy and simple to identify the risks at early stage of development. For the assessment this model uses Bayesians subjective probability for analyzing the risks events that occurred due to risk factors. In this model, on those risk events that have a negative effect on the goals to achieve are considered. So, this layer basically gives the risks in the order of likelihood and severity that may affect the satisfaction of the final goal to be achieved through obstruction link. (Islam, S. 2009) Treatment Layer: This is the last layer in the model and this layer is to identify the set of actions that can be taken to reduce the risks and also selects the most appropriate action required for the particular risk so as to minimize the effect of the risk in achieving the final goal. Basically, this layer comes into action when the goals, risk factors and risk events have been identified and analyzed by the previous layers and a cost effective measure is required to be implemented to achieve the goal. For this, there can be various agents within the development environment like humans or some tools are used to satisfy the goals. So it is very important to consider the cost benefit of using a particular agent. Hence it becomes very much necessary to model, reason and trace a situation in the software development atmosphere to control and minimize the risks to attain the final goal. (Islam, S. 2009) Boehms Model: Boehm proposed a model in 1988 for risk management in software development. This model was based on spiral model and proposed a framework for minimizing the impact on risk by integrating risk management methods into software development model. The main idea behind this approach is to remove the anticipated risks at an early stage to avoid their occurrence and effect on the later stages of development. (Dhlamini, J. 2009) Boehms model stated that risk management can be divided into two subcategories i.e. Risk control and Risk Assessment. Risk Assessment can again be sub-divided into risk identification, risk analysis and risk prioritization. Risk Control can be sub-divided into risk management planning, risk resolution and risk monitoring. In risk assessment, the risks are basically identified, their impacts are analyzed and a priority is set based on the impact of analyzed risks. Then in Risk Identification all the possible risks that can arise during the project development phase. So this consists on maintaining checklists, suggestions, documentation, assumption analysis and decomposition. The risk analysis stage where the potential of the risk is identified and the probability of its occurrence. It includes the analysis of performance and network. Now once the risk is identified and analyzed comes the risk prioritization stage. In this stage the risk is prioritized based on the value of the impact of that risk. This basically helps in exposing the risk so that it can be taken care of before it aggravates. (Dhlamini, J. 2009) An example for the above can be given as below where the risk factors affecting Satellite Experiments software are given in the table below. The table below shows various factors affecting the project development. The column of Unsatisfactory Outcome shows the various reasons affecting the project. The second column shows the probability of that occurrence on the scale of 1-10. The third column shows the loss occurrence and the last column shows risk exposure. Software Engineering Institute (SEI): The framework provided by the SEI for software risk management is to enable three groups, namely the Software Risk Evolution (SRE), Continuous Risk Management (CRM) and Team Risk Management (TRM). The main motive behind developing this framework is to enable the decision makers like the stakeholders, customers, managers and engineers to identify the risks associated with the software development cycle like analysis, requirement gathering, developing, integrating and testing, so that appropriate minimizing strategies can be applied at the right time. These methodologies have relatively three fundamentally different objects i.e. risk prevention, risk mitigation and correction and ensuring safe system failure. To achieve these three objectives there are seven principles for risk management. (Dhlamini, J. 2009) They are, Shared Product Vision: It focuses on results. It is based on sharing product vision related to a common purpose and shared ownership. Teamwork: It defines working together as a team for achieving a common goal by pooling skills, talents and knowledge. Global Perspective: The system design and development is viewed from a global perspective of building a larger system. Identifying the potential of the final product from a global perspective and also the impact of adverse effects like cost and time overrun or not meeting the requirements. Open Communication: Making sure that communication is open between all the members involved in the project at all levels. By supporting formal and informal communication where required. Supports a consensus-based process where individual is allowed to give an opinion regarding the risk associated with the project. Forward-Looking View: It thinks about tomorrow, identifies the associated uncertainties and possible outcomes along with managing project resources and activities. Integrated Management: Making risk management an integral part of project development process. Adopting risk management tools and methodologies to project development process. Identification is the first step in SEI model. In this step the issues which will affect the project goal are identified. In the next step of analysis, these risks are analyzed by the decision makers to work on these risks. In the planning stage these risks are prioritized in the order of value which might affect the final goal. Then each risk in the order of priority is taken into consideration and a study is done on that risk is done during planning so that an appropriate action can be taken against them to avoid the risk and minimizing their impact. Then proper measures are taken so as to make sure that are risks are handled as they are planned. Thus tracking of all the measures taken is done to see if things are going as planned and all the necessary control measures are executed. Communication present at the center of the model facilitates connection between all the steps in the model. (Dhlamini, J. 2009) While implementing the SEI model all the activities follow a sequence of steps. The risk and mitigation database lies at the center of the model and is responsible for all the communication between various activities. It is responsible for identifying all the risks and making an entry for all the new risks that have been identified. Risks like cost overrun, increase in time scale, resources problem, vague requirements, improper functionality, improper testing, inefficient testing tools and no time for testing. Many times the risks are identified before they arise actually. Like increase in the cost of development, lack of proper resources or incomplete requirements. At times when huge projects are to be handled, they are generally broken into smaller sub-parts. (Dhlamini, J. 2009) In each sub-part different methods and criteria of handling risks. In this case, there is less time and cost required to handle these risks and is efficiently handled. These risks are prioritized based on their impact value, dependency, cost and resources required to minimize them. Risk mitigation plan is then made based on the priority of the risk, so as to give preference to high probability risk. This plan is documented so as to keep a track all the risks in the order of priority and a record of all the risks that are handled and ones remaining. This plan is then updated on regular basis as and when a risk is taken care of and they no longer exist. (Dhlamini, J. 2009) Riskit Method: Riskit Method was proposed by Jyrki Kontio in 1996 which mainly focused on goals and stakeholders. This model is very much based on theoretical concepts based on the experience. This model was proposed based on the previous developers experience. The main characteristics of this model are fully operational definition of process, risk management, scope, focus, authority, processes and steps for identifying and defining goals of the project. Riskit method has five elements of risk. Risk Elements in Riskit Method: Risk Factor: It is an attribute which may affect the likelihood of occurrence of a risk. Risk Event: It is an event of occurrence of a negative incident. Risk Outcome: It is a situation that occurs between the risk occurrence and before corrective measures implemented. Risk reaction: It is an action taken in response to the occurrence of the risk and the effect of the risk occurrence. Risk Effect Set: It is the effect of the risk event occurrence and the set of characteristics which are affected by the risk event. The seven steps in Riskit process are: Risk Management Mandate Definition: In this step the scope and frequency of risk management are defined with all the stakeholders being recognized. The output of this step is to mandate risk management like how, why, when, where, what, whom, etc. Goal Review: In this step all the predefined goals of the project are reviewed and refined and the new refined goals are clearly defined. Then the stakeholders associations analyze the redefined goal. Risk Identification: In this step, various potential risks associated with the project are identified and listed down. Risk Analysis: In the analysis phase, all the identified risks are classified in the order of priority. These risks effects are then estimated for all the possible scenarios. Then the probability of utility losses due to these risks is estimated. Finally, a graph is prepared based on the estimated risks and their scenarios. Risk Control Planning: Now, once the risks have been graphed based on their value of impact, the most important risk is taken for risk control planning. Then all the members decide and propose control actions to be taken for a particular risk. Then a controlling action is decided and finalized. Finally, the decided action is taken to control the risk. Risk Control: In this phase, the action for risk control decided in the previous stage is executed, resulting in reduced risks. Risk Monitoring: After the risk control stage, the risks are monitored to check their situation resulting risk status. (Dhlamini, J. 2009) FMEA Technique: FMEA technique is a risk management technique which stands for Failure Mode Effect Analysis. These days due to heavy competition companies realize the need for innovation but fear failure or sometimes ignore the risks associated with it, resulting in failure. Due to bad design, implementation and testing it may result in heavy loss, incomplete functionality or even decline in market share. To overcome this fear of failure and we need a process that will identify the failure modes that will damage customer satisfaction, recognize the reason for failure and see the causes of failure. This will help to identify the critical failure areas and take the necessary action to avoid the situation. So FMEA technique is used which provides a tool for recognizing the risk areas from design to production which may lead to failure. (Stunell, P. 2003) The FMEA process consists of a certain steps. The first step is identification of the risks that can occur during the project development process from design to development. In this step, first raw information is gathered from the stakeholders, managers and team members and previous projects in a structured format so that a knowledge base is create to identify all the potential risks that can arise leading to project failure. The next step is to assign a value to that risk based on its probability of occurrence, the impact of risk and detection based on the analysis of team members, stakeholders and other professionals. Then a Risk Priority Number (RPN) which is used to identify the probability of occurrence of a risk and the effect of its occurrence. This will help in taking a corrective measure at the right time so that the product goes as decided and has customer satisfaction.RPN uses rating scales based on the severity of the consequence for a particular risk, probability of the failure due to its occurrence and probability of a risk occurrence. (Stunell, P. 2003) The rating is done on the scale of 1 to 5 or 1 to 10 based on this rating the severity of the risk is calculated. For example, in the rating of 1 to 5, generally a risk whose value is 5 is very likely to occur than the one having a value 1. The figure below shows a scale of 1 to 5. Then once this is done a graph or scatter plot is created based on the RPN and risk value. Then based on these calculated values a priority list is created for all the risks. A risk response plan is created after the priority is created and the risks are re-evaluated based on the RPN and risk value. Once the risk is identified then accordingly the corrective steps are taken to reduce the risk. After the action is taken again, the calculations are done to see the effectiveness of the action. This helps in knowing the percentage reduction in RPN. (Stunell, P. 2003) Advantages Disadvantages of Risk Management: Advantages: Risk Management helps in early detection of problems associated with the project. It helps in preparing the development team to face the future problems. It reduces overall cost of the development which might increase due to risks associated with the project. Helps in taking the right steps like proper developers, technologies, time scale, etc. Disadvantages: It takes time during the initial stages as it requires analysis and information gathering on the possible risks associated with the project. It may also increase the overall cost of development. My View-Point: This paper is based on my research on the various risks associated with the project development and the methods to minimize these risks. Since the advancement of technology and scope for software development a lot of complex projects are developed. But there are always some risks associated with the development of these large scale projects. Risks can be like cost increase, resources problem, time schedule and many more. Many methods are proposed based on the experience of the managers and other professionals to avoid and minimize the risks associated with software project development. Based on my experience with projects and understanding of these methods I feel that risk management is as important as project development. Risk Management should be a part of software development cycle because it important to manage and identify the risks associated with the development as important it is to develop a full functional product under the given time and cost to satisfy the customer. Many times unexpected problems may arise during the development phase or testing phase which may result in backtrack to the design phase resulting in increasing cost and time scale. At times, developers may leave a project half-way which may result in resource problem. So risk management implementation in project development may give the stakeholders, developers and managers to time to analyze the risks associated with the development and prepare themselves risks to come in advance. From my research on the above methods of risk management, I feel that goal driven approach and FMEA technology are better to be used for various types of project. Goal Driven Software Development Risk Management Model is a goal based approach. In this model the goals of the project are defined at the very start of the project like the error free requirements, end user involvement, scope, business needs, realistic time scale, cost estimation and managing resources. This will reduce the occurrence of unexpected problems during the development process. Even if a risk arises unexpectedly, it has a series of steps to follow like the obstacle- link layer for the obstacles that arise for a decided goal to achieve. Then the analysis layer which is used to analyze the obstacle and the treatment layer where a proper action is taken based on the analysis layer. This approach is really good for small and medium sized projects as they are with one team and the user can be in direct communication with them and the team knows the whole development cycle. FMEA technology is mainly used in managing risks in large complex projects. In this technology first the risks which are likely to occur are decided based on the experience of senior professionals and stakeholders. Then, this raw information is made as a knowledge base and all the other risks are also identified. Then these risks are prioritized based on their value of impact on the project development. After that these risks are analyzed and a document is made. Then based on this analysis a corrective method is decided and implemented to reduce the risk. This really helps in large projects because the basic risks are associated with all the teams working on the project but few risks are face by the teams working on different modules. So these teams have their own set of risks to handle and the basic ones of they occur. This will reduce the time and cost in risk management as teams will face their own small risks to handle rather than a single team on large project handling all the r isks alone. So FMEA technology can be used for managing risks in large scale projects. Other projects are equally useful but they cannot be implemented alone. They are combined with other models to control risks associated with software development. 7) Conclusion: Risk Management is an integral part of any project development cycle. It is something that the software industry needs to pay equal attention to as software development. This is because the statistics show that more than 70% of the projects fail due to various reasons and risks associated with them. There have been studies done in this area and professionals have proposed and implemented various methods for risk management. But still this problem does exist in the industry. Project development should plan a risk management plan along with the development plan to make sure that the project is completed on time, within the estimated cost and to the full satisfaction of the customer. Thus Risk management is very beneficial and extremely important for any project to be successful and satisfy the customer needs. 8) References: Boehm, B. (1989). Software acquisition gold practiceà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ formal risk management. Retrieved from http://www.goldpractices.com/practices/frm/ Boehm, B. (1991). Software risk management: principles and practices. IEEE Software, 8(1), Retrieved from http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=625015 doi: 10.1109/52.62930 Boehm, B. (1998, 12 5). Software risk management. Retrieved from http://sunset.usc.edu/classes/cs510_2003/notes/ec-files/Software_Risk_Management.ppt Boban, M. (2003, 11 02). Strategies for successful software development risk management . Retrieved from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:HeDQ2Ow8nUYJ:www.efst.hr/management/Vol8No2-2003/4-boban-pozgaj-sertic.doc+risk+management+in+software+developmentcd=16hl=enct=clnkgl=us Dhlamini, J. (2009). Intelligent risk management tools for software development. Proceedings of the 2009 Annual Conference of the Southern African Computer Lecturers Association, 33-40. Examining risk priority numbers in fmea. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.reliasoft.com/newsletter/2q2003/rpns.htm Islam , S. (2009). Software development risk management model: a goal driven approach. Proceedings of the doctoral symposium for ESEC/FSE on Doctoral symposium, 5-8. Prikladnicki, R. (n.d.). Risk management in software development: a position paper. Retrieved from http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=vq=cache:EkxHkf-j8d4J:gsd2004.cs.uvic.ca/camera/prikladnicki.pdf+risk+management+in+software+developmenthl=engl=uspid=blsrcid=ADGEESi3waZpt2SvUyFxBL_yCBTqZw3dRNjeK-Q9UorompBDJtxpg4tyvOhcf-25jgS1-2GymhNqyjtfKrUdMVgqa8wPaUo35ZJ_GCCzvA7V7Abvtz6hkEWK2N0BkcCAn5F36b1jpaGzsig=AHIEtbRhFabMWP1F7cCeNUCDQUVFhhh3Hw Stunell, P. (2003). How to Improve productivity in design and development. Retrieved from http://www.stunell.com/PDFs/Engineering%20FMEA-Version-2-2.pdf William, L. (2008, 08 14). Risk management. Retrieved from http://openseminar.org/se/modules/21/index/screen.do

Developing Smoking Interventions in Nursing

Developing Smoking Interventions in Nursing Hannah Burrell-Davis Regulatory and legal documents are essential for appropriate nursing practice and influences the way nurses work on a daily basis. The Nursing council of New Zealand’s code of conduct and the smoke-free environments act 1990 are examples of these, having huge impacts on the way nurses practice today. It is important to reflect on how these may influence the nursing practice in New Zealand. The Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 was established to aid in the protection of those individuals who do not want to smoke or be around second hand smoke in order to prevent any detrimental effects to their health. The smoke-free environments act solidifies this by ensuring that those that do smoke do not inflict any health implications on those who do not smoke themselves, this is ensured by reducing the amount of tobacco substances exposed to non-smokers, and adequate regulation and control of the marketing and advertising and promotion of tobacco products. This can be successfully achieved through the sponsoring of other products, events or services and/or directly. Another purpose of the smoke-free environments act is to ensure that the presence of harmful constituents in tobacco products and tobacco smoke is monitored and regulated. Finally, a health sponsorship council needs to be established, which will aid in promoting health and encourage healthy lifestyles (Smoke-free Envi ronments Act, 1990). The smoke-free environments act is broken into 2 parts to aid the amount of tobacco use and its harmful effects, these parts include having smoke-free workplaces and public areas, and control of smoking products. These two parts are centred on the protection of individual’s health and reducing the amount of youth that is impacted by second hand smoke. The Nursing Council New Zealand (NCNZ) holds the responsibility for the registration of nurses; it acts by protecting the safety and health of the community and public by ensuring that nurses are competent and fit to practice. The NCNZ has many methods and rules set in place to maintain this and fulfil this function, one of these being the NCNZ Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct should be used by nurses to uphold appropriate behaviour, not only in the professional role, but must also continue to have a high standard of behaviour in their personal lives. This is primarily because nurses must gain the trust of the public. The Code of Conduct has a set of values and principles that are essential for nurses to understand, they also aid in the understanding of professional practice and can be applied in association with the Smoke-Free Environments act. The values in the NCNZ Code of Conduct include respect, trust, partnership and integrity. Respect is a major value that should be very a pparent in nursing practice, as the code of conduct suggests, treating others with respect means behaving towards individuals with worth and respect for their health and wellbeing (NCNZ, 2012), this is essential for a nurse to understand. Not only is it essential for the nurse to understand during nursing practice, it is important to understand in personal life situations, in regards to smoking a smoker must have respect for those who do not smoke or wish to be around second hand smoke, this includes the health professionals that do smoke. Encouraging the decreased use of tobacco is a skill that can be very effective in the nursing practice, with smoking cessation however support from the nurse is very important. Along with trust, respect, integrity and partnership, as the code of conduct implements, support is another very powerful intervention that must be applied in nursing practice, in particular when it comes to successful smoking cessation. Nicotine addiction will be a major contributor to most of the withdrawal symptoms, these can be hard to deal with and fear of the unknown is paramount, hence the importance for support. At this stage a referral to nicotine patches, lozenges and gum will help the withdrawal symptoms. Support can include providing reassurance to the patient, reinstating that there is help available and reminding them that this is the first step of treatment to benefit the health of them and their family/whanau surrounding them. It is also important that the nurse considers the age, gender, disab ilities/disorders and ethnic group of the individual attempting to quit smoking. Here the nurse would implement the values and principles in the code of conduct, doing so by ensuring that their practice is culturally safe. The code of conducts principle, partnership, can be utilised at this stage as nurses must also work alongside patients during the smoking cessation process, it is important that patients are given adequate information about quitting in a manner that they can understand in order to make an informed choice about their care and treatment(NCNZ, 2012). This can be applied to nursing situations, as the act outlines that smoking in workplaces is prohibited, this includes health care settings, such as hospitals, community health services, hospices, dental surgeries, aged care services etc. However although smoking in workplaces is prohibited, as stated in the smoke-free environments act (Smoke-free Environments Act, 1990), people, including health professionals continue to smoke in such areas. The Waikato Times author Maryanne Twentyman documented an article in which the Te Aroha District Community Hospital was scrutinised for such anti smoke-free behaviour. Te Aroha 69 year old man was a patient when he spent two days at Te Aroha District Community Hospital, and although he could not fault the nursing care he received, he was shocked and disgusted with the lack of smoke-free policies on the hospital grounds. He states â€Å"I was appalled to see the staff puffing up a storm close to the hospital entranceways† (Twentyman, 2012) . Smoking close to the entranceways can be harmful to the patients, people can walk through the smoke and the smoke can waft into the rooms, putting the patients at risk, which is an example of nurses not following through on the NCNZ Code of Conduct’s values and principles and the smoke-free environments act by not having the patients’ health at best interest. To prevent this from occurring the act states that there must be dedicated smoking rooms in hospital care institutions and these must be equipped with a mechanical ventilation system. Appropriate and acceptable nursing practice must always be aware of the impacts they or others have on a patient’s health. Another key requirement of the smoke-free environments act is to prevent young people from being influenced by seeing other people smoke, particularly in homes and schools. (Smoke-free Environments Act, 1990). This can strongly be impacted by nursing practice, in particular by community nurses. Rowa-Dewar and Ritchie (2014), suggest that children are particularly sensitive to second-hand smoke (SHS) and the risk associated with it, due to their faster breathing rate, they inhale more pollutants per their weight than adults. What some parents may not be aware of is that SHS lingers in the air long after the cigarette has been extinguished, and children will still be exposed to the risk it entails. Community nurses are uniquely placed to intervene in such health behaviours in the home setting. Community nurses can use such useful strategies as to educate and build upon the importance of parental desires to protect their children. It is hopeful that this desire will emphasize the interd ependence of their health behaviours and how this may impact their childs health. According to Rowa-Dewar and Ritchie (2014) most parents are shocked by the levels of SHS in their own homes and want to protect their children. Although the smoke-free environments act has no influence over the smoking environment of the home, it certainly stretches to the alternative young people’s environments, such as schools, early childhood education and care centres. According to the act no persons are to smoke in any parts of these premises at any time of any day, including the entrances. Smoking cessation is without a doubt a major factor that nurses can have a strong influence over, not only does it affect the health of themselves and their surrounding family/whanau, it can have a huge impact on disabilities, illnesses and even such injuries as bone fractures. When a fracture occurs, it is vital that the healing process begins as soon as possible; this is because delayed fracture healing can have a significant effect on a patient’s wellbeing. However such factors that could result in a potential delay includes smoking. All the elements that are in cigarette smoke are associated with the impairment of fracture healing, as a combination they inhibit the conditions required for a timely fracture healing, with nicotine being recognised as a risk factor for reduced bone density. (Miller, 2014). The smoke-free environments act has a purpose to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco use on people, nurses have the power to influence smoking habits and the continuance and encouragement of smoking cessation should be present. Smoking is implicated in numerous detrimental health impacts and many illnesses and disabilities. Nurses have a major role in aiding in the decreased use of tobacco smoking and therefor an increase in health worldwide. Such pieces of legislation as the Smoke-free Environments Act and the New Zealand Nursing councils code of conduct, continue to develop and impact on the nursing care that is received today, encouraging nurses to offer their best nursing practice to decrease serious health complications. References Miller, S. (2014). How Smoking can Hinder Fracture Healing. Journal of Emergency Nursing,22(4), 28-30. Rowa-Dewar, N., Ritchie, D. ( 2014). Protecting Children from Smoking in the Home: An Ethics of Care Perspective. British Journal of Community Nursing, 19(5), 214-218. Smoke-Free Environments Act, No. 108. (1990). Retrieved from http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1990/0108/latest/DLM223191.html The Nursing Council of New Zealand. (2012). Code of Conduct for Nurses. Wellington, New Zealand: Nursing Council of New Zealand. Twentyman, M. (2012, January 25). Smoking near hospital doors disgust patient. Waikato Times, p.24.