Heaneys Childhood Memories in Poems Mid-Term Break and...

Heaneys Childhood Memories in Poems Mid-Term Break and Follower Seamus Heaney is an established Irish poet who was born on April 13th 1939. He was the oldest of nine children and was brought up on a remote farm in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. He has a lot of typically Irish memories which he includes in his poems. The three main memories that he brings up in the two poems Mid-Term Break and Follower are the death of his brother Christopher, farm life and breaking the family tradition. At 18, Heaney left his small village to pursue his English career, unaware of just how talented a poet he was. It wasnt until he attended Queens College to study a degree in English and got involved with†¦show more content†¦Heaney is able to do this by not showing any emotion at all from himself, but from other peoples reactions to the circumstances. Heaney actually wrote this poem 13 years after the incident, so it is clear this has deeply affected him emotionally. There are many people in Mid-Term Break. Each of these people is significant. Heaney is the most important, because the poem is describing his memory. However, because Heaney is writing as an observational poet, without the other characters emotions, the poem would be bland and without feeling. In the first stanza, you find out that it is written in the first person narrative and the persona is most likely to be Heaney himself. It begins in the college sick bay, where Heaney has been waiting all morning, not knowing why. At this point, Heaney could be feeling bored, isolated and lonely. It would give him time to analyse the situation, and think why he had been sent there. The poem suggests he was there for a long time by using phrases like: I sat all morning.... and Counting bells knelling classes to a close. The first phrase used obviously referred to how long he had been there, but the second was a little harder to fathom. If he was counting bells knelling classes, this would mean several classes have already started. Due to the large time gap between eachShow MoreRelated Comparing Seamus Heaney Poems Follower, Mid-term Break, and Digging3940 Words   |  16 Pagesthis essay I will be comparing three Seamus Heaney poems we looked at in class these are called, â€Å"Follower†, â€Å"Mid-term Break† and, â€Å"Digging†. There are differences as well as similarities, the similarities include: they are all poems about and set in Seamus’ childhood memories In addition, all the poems more or less use some of the same poetic devices and techniques like: onomatopoeia and some of the same characters appear in all three poems such as like: Seamus (himself obviously) and his fatherRead More Common Themes in Poetry Essay4006 Words   |  17 Pagesanalysing numerous poems, I have chosen two examples of the famous Irish Poet, Seamus Heaneys work: Follower and Mid-Term Break. Both poems relate to the poets past, and are certainly associated with a specific loss of a loved one - one a literal loss, and the other a subconscious loss. Mid-Term Break, which I found to be a very touching and poignant poem, describes the loss of the poets younger brother, Christopher when Heaney was a child, hence the poem is of a childhood tragedy as Read MoreEssay about The poetry of Seamus Heaney is deceptively simple1774 Words   |  8 PagesThe poetry of Seamus Heaney is deceptively simple. Examine this comment in the light of his choices of subject, diction, and structure. You should refer to at least two poems in your responses. The deceptive simplicity of the poet can be helped to be understood through P A M Dirac, who suggests that poetry tries to tell people in a way that is understood by no one, something everybody already knew. If you can comprehend this, it is easier to see how the poetry of Heaney can be called deceptivelyRead MoreSeamus Heaney – ‘at a Potato Digging’3379 Words   |  14 PagesSeamus Heaney – ‘At a Potato Digging’ †¢ Context †¢ †¢ The poem deals with two different potato harvests. One is the harvest from the present day that goes successfully and which delivers a rich crop. The second potato harvest looks back to the famine of 1845 when the crop failed and many people starved. Whilst the famine is no longer a threat, its ongoing fear remains and this can be seen in the use of religious language throughout the poem. For example, the bowed heads of the potato pickers suggestRead MoreThe Way Wordsworth and Heaney Present Nature and Rural Life in Their Poetry4285 Words   |  18 Pagesand revel in their love of nature. Years later, after moving twice more, and getting married, Wordsworth moved to Rydal Mount, where he spent the remainder of his life, until 1850 when he died, aged 80. Almost all of Wordsworths poems share a common factor, which is nature. However, in his work, Wordsworth does not simply just describe nature or the natural environment; instead, he relates it to himself and explores his emotions towards it. Within his poetry, Wordsworth Read MoreEssay on Seamus Heaneys Background and Poetry3041 Words   |  13 PagesSeamus Heaneys Background and Poetry Seamus Heaney had a Roman Catholic upbringing in a rural area of Northern Ireland. How does his poetry reflect his background? Heaneys poetry is able to reflect his background by his use of language and the technique he expresses his experiences. I will cover his background into three sections: his childhood, the community and his reflections. I will start by looking at his feelings and experiences in the poem Death of a Naturalist. The poet

Organizational change at Shlar of Newton Free Essays

Shlar of Newton is an organization catering to patients’ dietary needs. The company’s mission is to seek new ways everyday to improve the lives of patients. The decision to implement steam table serving system just started out as a simple initiative to improve the quality of life of patients. We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational change at Shlar of Newton or any similar topic only for you Order Now Initially, the top management did not realize the magnitude of change required to implement this system. However, when they gradually began to understand the various interconnected variables involved, a decision to make a significant organizational change to facilitate the new system was finalized. It was agreed that organizational change would be effected in accordance with the company’s mission and values (Free Management Library 2008). The company also decided in advance that organizational change would not come at the cost of weakening or compromising established and successful operational methods that have been its cornerstone for years, unless a significant reason is put forth. This included current practices in the kitchen floor, dining room or managerial functions. The cost factor involved in organizational change was analyzed and sufficient funds were allocated in the yearly budget to pursue the necessary actions. However, no expansion in manpower was initially foreseen by management as the new equipment did not need expert assistance. Introduction of Steam Table To begin with, new steam table equipment, utensils and other allied accessories had to be purchased. There were a lot of choices in brands as well as features to consider when it came to choosing the right hardware. The senior staff members in the kitchen were consulted in this regard to understand their requirements. Steam tables could be powered by gas, hot water bath, as well as electricity. Each one had its fair share of advantages and disadvantages. Steam tables functioning on water bath were comparatively inexpensive, but not very efficient for our requirements. The gas-powered steam table was quite efficient, but it lacked in features. The electric steam table was finally chosen for its efficiency as well as features; certain models of electric steam tables also had a cold-storage compartment, which could be useful to store fruits and refreshments (Steam Table world 2008). After conducting an exhaustive research on the numerous brands available in the market, â€Å"Eagle Group† brand was selected based on its reasonable pricing, durable hardware, favorable customer service reputation and free installation offer. The steam table is an expensive piece of machinery which needs professional maintenance from time to time. Hence, an annual maintenance contract was signed with the same company to facilitate periodic maintenance, repair and refurbishing. The new equipments installed in the facility also were insured to cover for accidents and unforeseen events. The steam table system required a more robust power supply to meet the added power requirements. Hence, this required hiring electricians to upgrade the power supply in the premises. A training program was also designed to make kitchen staff comfortable using and cleaning the new steam table equipment; its features as well as emergency measures to handle a hardware malfunction were also clearly demonstrated. As steam tables as well as steam table pans needed regular cleaning, a staff member was needed to accomplish this task. The same staff member who was responsible for cleaning the trays in the previous tray passing system received appropriate training and took over the new responsibility. Soon after installing the steam tables, there was a noticeable raise in temperature due to the heat generated by the new equipment. So, the management decided to rectify the situation immediately before it started making patients uncomfortable. Hence, additional air-conditioning equipment was installed to lower the temperature to comfortable levels. These problems were solved smoothly because the management understood that organizational change was a long process that needed to be approached with extreme caution and sensitivity. It anticipated unforeseen expenses and was well-prepared, as it viewed the expenses an investment towards its stable future. Merits of Steam Tables The primary advantage of implementation of the steam table system is the availability of fresher food, which is tastier and more nutritious to the patients. The steam table also acts as a quality-check mechanism, wherein food items that are not preferred are not requested by patients and they stay on the counter. Hence, food items that are not favored by patients can be avoided or improved in future, thereby eliminating food wastage. In the conventional passing tray system, the food items that are not preferred by patients would have been served anyway and eventually wasted. This system also helps understand patients overall food preferences better and more effectively cater to their needs. Moreover, reducing food wastage would eventually benefit the patients as cutting down on our expenses would translate to cheaper food bills on the long run. The steam table system affords patients the freedom of choice to consume the food they want. This has been shown to psychologically as well as physiologically improve the patients’ condition (Hay 1932). Shlar of Newton also firmly believes that right food, in combination with medical treatment, plays a critical food in treating a person’s illness. Although talking a small stroll to the steam table counter to take food may sound insignificant to the average person, it can serve as a mild form of exercise that is critical for most patients. In the field of health care, it is important to understand that even the minutest of factors can add up and lend a patient a better lifestyle. Hence, the most marginal benefits could be treated as significant when it comes to health care, since the quality of life of a human being is at stake (Sullivan Atlas 1998). Organizational Resources Our management team is spearheaded by the Nutrition Care Manager and Director of Dining, working in coordination with a dining service agency named Morrion Service Dining. The Nutrition Care Manager, Tina Miller works out the menu by rigorously analyzing our patients’ nutritional needs. She constantly experiments with different combination of food items to ensure that the menus do not stay stale, while also meeting nutritional needs of patients. Hence, the responsibility of managing the fine balance between taste and nutrition is handled by her. Tina Miller gives a lot importance to ensure that the quality of food served meets the higher standards of hygiene and health, since we understand the importance of food in healing patients and improving their quality of life. Nutrition Care Manager also briefs the serving staff about specific food allergies of various patients, thereby eliminating any food-allergy related incidents. The Director of Dining, Timothy Smith takes care of maintaining the dining hall that serves the patients food. He keeps operations in dinning hall running smoothly by handling infrastructural demands of the facility by making sure that the water, electricity and staff charges are paid on time. He also coordinates with staff to ensure that the dining environment comprising of basic amenities and furniture is well kempt. He also interacts with patients to get their perspective on things, and duly works on their complaints and suggestions. The Director of Dining also conveys the patient’s grievances to the dining service agency and constantly works with them to bring about changes. Timothy Smith also functions as a company representative while dealing with public relation initiatives and external agents such as Health Inspectors. Teamwork at Shlar of Newton Morrion Service Dining is very customer-friendly and takes frequent inputs from our managerial team. The company has been working seamlessly well with them for quite sometime and are satisfied with the quality of their food as well service. The Director of Dinning and Nutrition Care Manager often pay surprise visits to asses their kitchen conditions, and until now they have fared quite well on our satisfaction scale. The company also frequently interacts with the nursing staff to get their inputs on patients’ specific requirements. It employs only legitimate chefs and other kitchen staff, while paying a lot of attention to kitchen hygiene. The kitchen staffs also have been well-trained to cater to patients’ unique demands and also exhibit the highest standards of professionalism expected in this sector (Kongstved 2007). Besides all these resources, we have also accumulated a powerful knowledge base over time, by learning from patient feedback and behavior. Post-implementation Phase Although a lot of positive changes were envisioned out of the stream table system, a monitoring mechanism had to be designed to measure the impact of the new system and justify its implementation. The company already had a system for regularly measuring its performance, so as to constantly improve service and ensure business sustainability. It was designed in-house as quality measuring system based on several aspects such as patients’ satisfaction, nutritional value, and nurses’ feedback. Patients, nurses and doctors were also encouraged to fill out questionnaires to measure improvement in quality of service to improve on the current system Quality-check Mechanism Patients as well as the nursing staff reported that they were more satisfied with quality of food, after the enforcing organizational change. Some doctors also reported subtle improvements in few patients’ psyche, although there is no empirical evidence to support this claim. It was also observed the overall quality of food factor went up from 3. 77 in 2007 to 4. 1 in 2008. This improvement was quite steep compared to last year’s marginal improvement from 3. 58 to 3. 77. Although a multitude of elements had contributed to our success, this year’s surge in performance can most certainly be attributed to the steam table system. These figures explicitly convey that the organizational change has impacted the company positively. Hence, the efforts and expenses incurred have been worthwhile in improving the company’s brand image as well as quality of service. How to cite Organizational change at Shlar of Newton, Papers

The Life and Times of Holden Caufield Essay Example For Students

The Life and Times of Holden Caufield Essay Holden Caulfield is the controversial character in The Catcher in theRye. He goes through many changes throughout the novel as he matures froma child to an adult. In this book, he is portrayed as a confused teenager tryingto find his place in the crazy world, while criticizing his foes andcontradicting himself. The way he presents himself throughout the novelallows readers to relate to him better. His experiences and his thoughts vary,but still revolve around one main center of gravity which the author, J.D. Holden has many distinct characteristics that set him apart from hispeers. There is one problem that he cannot escape, and that is lying. Holdenlies to everyone including two nuns that he meets in a diner. Another thing ishis language. This is representative of the typical adolescence of his timeand place and indicative of his personal fears and frustrations. (Magill,Magills1803). He is sixteen years old and a junior at Pencey Prep Schoolin Agerstown, Pennsylvania. His age ties in to his openness. Holden oftenexpresses his feelings because he is at the age where he does not really careabout others. He is not afraid to tell people what he thinks or how he feelsabout them. Holden criticizes people for the little things that they do. Hestereotypes them just by the things that he notices about them. We will write a custom essay on The Life and Times of Holden Caufield specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Throughout the story, Holden seems to have a goal set for himself. This quest involves the preserving of innocence. He believes that if a childcan be saved from the cruel world and things in it, they will be spared. Another thing in this journey is that he is looking for an ideal, but un-humanlove that will meet all demands. This means that he will have a love foreveryone that is unconditional and that he will recieve love from everyoneelse. Finally, the most important task, is the search for an identity. He isconstantly trying to find his true self amongst all the evils of the world. Lateron, Holden realizes he can achieve none of this (Unger 555). The family is really not emphasized much in the context of this book. Holden does not ever look to his family for help with his struggles or forguidance along the way. Although he does mention his two brothers D.B. and Allie, the only member he connects with is his younger sister, Phoebe. They seem to share a common bond that links them to each other. Hisparents never really offer him the shelter that he is looking for. He isconstantly searching for someone or something to turn to when he needs help,but considers none of his family members (Magill, Critical2935). Holdensparents are considered wealthy and provide him with expensive, top of theline luggage. Their only flaw mentioned is that they are too busy and do notThere is much irony scattered throughout Holdens story. Oneexample is how, from the very beginning of the novel, he tells of key thingsthat he detests, like when people repeat things constantly over and over. Hedoes not realize that right after he says this, he contradicts himself and doesthe things he says he hates. It is also ironic how Holden despises hisroommate, Stradlater. He is always complaining about what a phony that heis and how he is a secret slob. Yet, at some points, H olden comments that hewould not mind being like him. His cruelty toward others and his frustrationover his own mistakes just mix together (Lieder 2). .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd , .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd .postImageUrl , .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd , .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd:hover , .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd:visited , .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd:active { border:0!important; } .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd:active , .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf32cace56c17d4585f629185dcd96cdd:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Art vs Government EssaySymbolism is another theme that runs throughout the novel. Holdenhas a dream that one day he can be the ultimate protector of all children. Hewants to save these children from being exposed to the evil world we live in. His dream is counterbalanced by a feeling of falling that he always gets. These two things seem to meet in his idea of a perfect world and everythingalways stays the same (Unger 557). Time is also used as a type ofsymbolism. The setting of the novel is in the cold, and in the middle ofwinter. Time to celebrate Christmas, the ending of one year and awaiting ofanother in a time of expiration. Holdens story is one of death to hisadolesce nt self and a rebirth to a new refreshed and mature Holden (Unger 556). This book can also be seen as a growing process. At the beginning, heis immature and then as he approaches adulthood, he starts to get nervous andworried of what lies ahead (Magill, Critical2935). The world is also usedin expressing symbolism. It is often used to represent the madness andcruelty that ruins people. Holden refers to it when he is talking of theimminent fall from innocence (Magill, Magills1803-1804). Holden experiences many changes as the maturing process goes on. He realizes that he can not be the catcher in the rye. The children are goingto be transformed and effected by the world in some way, no matter how hardhe tries to prevent it. He is also reborn to a knowledge of the world aroundhim. This refocuses the way he thinks. He, himself is transformed. Herealizes his own phoniness and deception toward others. This is a major step. The main thing that happens is that he obtains a love for everything. Throughthis he finds his true identity and learns the concept of compassion. Throughthese changes he becomes peaceful. A survivor who finally achieves peaceof mind. (Hipple 106). Holden also realizes that even though he misseseveryone, he only really respected all children and the two nuns. Holden Caulfield was confused, he criticized a lot of people, but healso made some people think better of themselves through lying. In thisbook, The Catcher in the Rye, he penetrates his own phoniness, in a sort ofretrospect, and realizes his faults. This represents a mature knowledge thatlies at the novels center of gravity. (Unger 555). After coming to theseconclusions, it puts an end to all the struggles that Holden went through to getBibliography:BibliographyCharacters of The Catcher in the Rye. http://www.classicnote.com/classicnotes/titles/catcherrye/charlist.html. September 12, 2000. Harte, Barbara and Riley, Carolyn, ed. J.D. Salinger. Contemporary Authors:A Bibliographical Guide to Current Authors and their Works. Volumes5-8. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1969. Hipple, Ted, ed. J.D. Salinger. Writers for Young Adults. Volume 3. New York:Charles Scribners Sons, 1997. Holden Caulfield. http://catcherintherye.terrashore.com/cast.html. September 12, 2000. Lieder, Tim. So where do the ducks go in winter? http://www.geocites.com /SoHo/gallery/7466/catcher-rye.html. September 12, 2000. Magill, Frank N.,ed. J.D. Salinger. Critical Survey of Long Fiction: English Language Series, Revised Edition. Volume 6. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1991. .J.D. Salinger. Magills Survey of American Literature. Volume 5. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 1991. Unger, Leonard, ed. J.D. Salinger American Writers: A Collection of Literary Biographies. Volume 3. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1974.

Using Balanced Scorecard in ENOC

Using Balanced Scorecard in ENOC Introduction First developed by Robert Kaplan and David Norton at Harvard University, the Balanced Scorecard BSC approach has become a major method for corporations to improve their performance, with studies indicating that more than 66% of the companies that implemented the approach realized a significant increase in profitability (Kaplan Norton, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Using Balanced Scorecard in ENOC specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, a number of local governments, military and national civil organizations have been using a BSC approach to improve their performances. In the UAE, Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) is one of the best examples of corporations that are applying the BSC to set its goals and achieve the desired objectives. The company has rolled out several programs to apply BSC in line with its goals and objectives with an aim of promoting human capital development by focu sing on the young UAE nationals with their careers for the better future. The company started adopting the concept of BSC in 2009 on a number of levels, with about 35 scorecards implemented in all business units. According to analysts, the company has attained some impressive milestones with BSC. For instance, customer satisfaction, enhancing efficiency in operations and promoting Emiratization is some of the significant outcomes of the approach. Nevertheless, a comprehensive understanding of the outcomes of using BSC need be studied every year to determine the progress. There is a need for additional studies show how the company has achieved the desired goals using the BSC. The results of the study are applicable not only in academics, but also in management and policy making in order to provide analysts, policy makers and corporate leaders utilize the information to enhance the quality of their professional decisions. Aims and objectives The purpose of this study is to develop a c omprehensive analysis of BSC application and use at ENOC. The research uses a qualitative approach to describe the level of outcomes of BSC at the company since the approach was adopted in 2009. The research aims to interview some professionals and executive individuals at the company in order to determine the level of BSC as well as the outcomes of the approach.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Key Research questions What strategies has ENOC employed in applying and using BSC? What are the corporate expectations of using the BSC At what levels are BSC approach applied at ENOC? What are the outcomes of using ENOC in terms of corporate performance? Review of literature Although it is a recent approach, balanced scorecard has become popular with most organizational leaders in the modern context. By definition, the BSC is a methodological tool composed of a set of b oth financial and non-financial measures regarding to the success factors of a given company or organization (Kaplan Norton, 2011). It reflects that need for strong and effective organizational activities used to create value. Since its development, BSC has widely been studied from a practical perspective where case studies are used to examine its effectiveness as well as differences in corporate performance between the organizations that adopt and those that fail to adopt the concepts of BSC (Akkermans von Oorschot, 2002). In addition, it has been studied by examining the differences in performance or outcomes between the departments that adopt and those that fail to adopt the concepts. From these studies, a number of observations have been made, most of which provide a clear indication that BSC is an important tool in measuring and enhancing performance in organizations. According to Ashurst and Doherty (2013), it has been shown that BSC ensures that strategic initiatives that f ollow best practices are cascaded throughout the entire organization, which helps in increasing creativity and other ideas that are not expected prior to the adoption of the concept. The author further indicates that BSC helps organizational leaders to overcome three foundational problems that cause challenges in the work of management- performance measurement, strategic implementation and rise of intangible assets. According to Kaplan and Norton (2010), the traditional methods of measuring financial performance fail to reflect critical aspects of the modern business environment and fails to encourage thinking on a long-term basis. Thus, BSC is set to deal with this problem. Secondly, it has been shown that intangible assets have the capacity to create more than 75% of the value that organizations achieve per given time (Kaplan Norton, 2010). With the traditional methods, it was not possible to measure and use these assets.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Using Balanced Scorecard in ENOC specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, the concept of BSC is effective in providing the metrics required to measure and use these assets effectively (Abushaia Zainuddin, 2012). Moreover, BSC deals with the problem of successfully implementing strategies by working with vision, people and management of resources and barriers to development. In this context, BSC helps in measuring the strategy and the process of executing the strategy. It describes the strategy in s consistent manner throughout the company (Kaplan, Norton HorvÐ ±th, 2006). According to Inamdar, Kaplan and Bower (2012), BSC articulates how an organization creates value for its owners or shareholders by displaying the key priorities as well as relationships between the outcomes and the factors that enable performance. In other words, it displays the relationships between cause and effects in an organization in order to measure pe rformance and create value for the shareholders (Frost, 2012). Methodology Study design A qualitative study was developed to examine the effects of balanced scorecard BSC at ENOC. In this case, ENOC was used as a case study in order to examine how organizations adopt the concept of BSC and the benefits that come along with the idea. The idea was to interview leading corporate managers and leaders at the company in order to draw information from their experiences with the company and the concept of BSC used therein. Study sample The study focused on interviewing two managers at ENOC. The managers were chosen because they have been involved in the implementation and maintenance of the BSC concept since it was adopted in 2009. Secondly, six employees were interviewed to determine their perceptions and experience with the idea of BSC at their workplace. The idea is to determine the outcomes of the BSC concept at the workplaces. The inclusion criterion was to interview individuals who ha d been at the company for at least 5 years since 2009.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Data collection Interviews were used to collect information from the target corporate leaders and employees. Each interview took a maximum period of 15 minutes. Structured interview questions were used, with the interviewers playing the role of directing the mood of the discussion. Results Saeed Khoory, the CEO of ENOC, said that the company used the BSC to help it uphold the highest values across all the aspects of the organization. In addition, the CEO said that using BSC was aimed at promoting excellence across all the entities by focusing on continuous improvement and adopting BSC as one of the best international tools for management. He further notes that the tool is a gold standard against which benchmarking of the company’s growth goals id done. Salah Galadari, the director of business planning and performance management at the company, reported that adopting the BSC concept was aimed at streamlining the company’s strategic growth. The six employees reported tha t they were satisfied with the new methodology because it encouraged them to work for the good of the organization as well as personal development as an employee. It provides them with an opportunity to be part of the organization process. Conclusion From the interview, it was found that ENOC uses several initiatives to implement BSC. The idea of Emiratisation program is developed and implemented through five levels that are supported by BSC- Mahaweb, Tadreeb, Ajyaa, Imtiaz and Tatweer. They focus on developing behavioral, managerial, professional and leadership skills for the national workforce. The results indicate that BSC has huge benefits for the organization because it aids in aligning people, processes and resources towards enhancing production and performance. BSC has helped the company integrate employees, processes and customers in the vital focus on development and growth. Therefore, the company has attained some impressive milestones with BSC. For instance, customer sati sfaction, enhancing efficiency in operations and promoting Emiratization is some of the significant outcomes of the approach. The company uses balanced scorecard to articulate how it creates value for the government and the public by displaying some key priorities as well as relationships between the outcomes and the factors that enable performance. References Abushaia, J. A., Zainuddin, I. (2012). Performance measurement system design, competitive capability, and performance consequences – A conceptual like. International Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 3(11), 184-193. Akkermans, H., von Oorschot, K. (2002). Developing a Balanced Scorecard with System Dynamics. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 12(2), 349-352. Ashurst, C., Doherty, N. F. (2013). Towards the formulation of â€Å"a best practice† framework for benefits realization in IT projects. Electronic Journal of Information Systems Evaluation, 6(3), 1-10 Frost, B. (2012). Measuring performan ce: Seven good reasons to use a scorecard. Performance perspective series, 3(2), 214-251. Inamdar, N., Kaplan, R. S., Bower, M. (2012). Applying the balanced scorecard in healthcare provider organizations. Journal of healthcare management/American College of Healthcare Executives, 47(3), 179-95. Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P. (2010). The balanced scorecard: translating strategy into action. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press. Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P. (2011). Transforming the balanced scorecard from performance measurement to strategic management. Accounting horizons, 15(1), 87-104. Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P., HorvÐ ±th, P. (2006). The balanced scorecard. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Why Brainstorming Doesnt Work

Why Brainstorming Doesnt Work Brainstorming doesnt work. It leads to ideas that conform to each other, and not to novel new ways of thinking.  The idea of brainstorming in a group seems to make sense, but the end result, the final product, is less than it could have been if group brainstorming could have been avoided. Sounds sacrilegious to say that, doesnt it? Why Do We Brainstorm? You have a blank screen in front of you. Youre pretty  desperate for an idea. Youre not sure about where to  find something to write about. Your project or product is in need of something and youre not sure where to go. It seems that you cant come up with the idea on your own, so you turn to the group and brainstorm. Brainstorming originates from Alex F. Osborn who, in the 1940s, wrote a book sharing the creative secrets he used at his advertising agency, Batten, Barton, Durstine Osborn. He called his book Your Creative Power and it became a runaway success. His idea of   getting a group together and storming the problem with your brain caught on and pretty soon the idea of brainstorming was the standard way for business, education, government, and the military to solve problems. The concept behind Osborns idea is that brainstorming was a method that would free participants from inhibition, self-criticism, and criticism by others so that a specific problem might receive the maximum ideas possible. For years, no one questioned the validity of the concept.  Brainstorming seems like the best way to apply the idea that we are stronger as a group than we are if we are alone. It seems logical to bring in your whole team, start throwing around ideas, and building on them. The best will rise to the top and youll get ideas that one person alone could not have come up with. We assumed that the group, and not the individual, can achieve more success with each persons creativity springboarding off of anothers. We were wrong. Brainstorming is where the ideas are born before reality sets in.In A Brainstorming Group, We Think Alike Strong personalities rule the show. Leadership unconsciously steers ideas towards preferred conclusions, or asks questions that beg a specific kind of answer. Team members fear negative evaluation from those higher up and their input is limited and the ideas they share are only the ones they deem reasonable. Why does group brainstorming so consistently fail despite the protestations of those who swear by it? How could they miss seeing whats happening? 1. We see what we expect to see. The end of a brainstorming session will leave us with exactly what we intended it to: lots of ideas to choose from.  From all appearances, it looks like a success. Clearly, the group can come up with more ideas in total than an individual person can. (Taylor, Berry, Block; Administrative Science Quarterly 1958, PDF) But mere quantity doesnt answer the question: does group participation help or hurt creative thinking? You dont know about all the ideas that were stifled in the process. In fact, if youve ever heard a team member say, weeks or months down the road of a project when something needs changing, I thought of that but didnt want to say anything you can bet your brainstorming session didnt work. A full whiteboard doesnt mean your brainstorming session gave you the best possible results. It might have only given you lots of output. 2. Personalities that dont mix. Any time you get a group of people together, you quickly see who is dominant, who is vocal, who is quiet, who is meek, who is extroverted, who is introverted, who is passive, and who is aggressive. To expect this group to provide creative ideas unfettered and freely is a foolish assumption. Personalities are always at work (and sometimes at war) in a group. Our ideas are a personal thing. We all naturally have a tendency to both want to get along with others, and to not appear foolish in front of others. Asking certain personality types to be willing to temporarily throw these driving forces to the wind is asking too much. Consider the introvert, whose creative energy is derived by not being around other people. Putting him or her in a group with extroverts and expecting a great performance is asking too much. The introverts best ideas often come when people are not around to distract and wear on them. A passive person might prefer to not have conflict, while an aggressive person requires it as fuel for their engine. Who do you think will speak up and who will quietly acquiesce to the popular idea? 3. The rise of the lowest common denominator. Brainstorming curtails creativity unconsciously. We all want to get along. Few people actually like conflict (though some do). A kind of equilibrium is reached, to the detriment of the group. Brainstorming also makes us lazy. When in a group focused on being creative, the idea is that you will feed off of each other, and springboard even further with the help of ideas that you would not have come up with.  The reality is that brainstorming allows for social loafing, a term used in a 2010 Applied Cognitive Psychology study by Nicholas W. Kohn and Steven M. Smith. According to Kohn and Smith, group brainstorming means that the participants compare themselves to the others, leading to social loafing and social matching. Social loafing occurs when individuals give less effort in a group because responsibility is diffused. Social matching is a tendency to conform to peers. According to Latanà ©s (1981) social impact theory, larger groups lead to greater conformity and greater downward performance matching. The larger the group, the more they conform to each other and actually match their input and performance to the lowest common denominator. In other words, group brainstorming participants are less productive than they would be on their own. 4. Idea plagiarism and fixation is rampant. Kohn and Smith continued their exploration of groups and the creation of ideas, explaining that we are unconsciously influenced by the ideas around us. Using Dunckers candle problem as an example, they showed how the ideas of others infect our own ideas in such a way that we cannot even discern when flaws that were present in the original idea are carried over into our own ideas. We create a solution built on the flaws of another. If we are left to come up with ideas without the input of others, our ideas tend to truly be unique and not merely derivative. The moment we are surrounded by the ideas of others, we absorb them as our own. Sometimes the idea of another unconsciously becomes our idea. This ties into fixation, or how, in a group, we become fixated on a solution and though we might generate many ideas, they are all fixated on a relatively narrow set. In other words: you might end up with lots of quantity after a brainstorming session, but did you ever have that feeling that not a single idea even came close? That they were all off in the same way? You had a group of people who absorbed each others ideas, flaws and all, and the solution became a too-narrow one despite the number of ideas that surrounded it. Brainstorming works best on your own. A group weakens the results.Solving The Group Brainstorming Problem Re-injecting anonymity to the procedure will directly reduce several of the barriers that make group brainstorming fail. It removes the fear of being judged by fellow team members and by leaders for possible silly ideas or suggestions. It allows voices to be heard that would otherwise be drowned out by others in a verbal-dominant meeting. These methods dont, however, address the social loafing aspect and the problem that comes with wanting our ideas to fit together and conform to levels perceived as appropriate or acceptable. Brainstorming, One Person At A Time The idea of brainstorming, a no-holds creative attack at a problem, isnt wrong. We cant rely purely on passive luck and gestalt to solve all of our problems. There are times we have to run hard at a problem from any and all directions to find a chip in its armor. Its when we mix this brainstorming with a group that those group dynamics are put into play and the creative power of individuals is actually lessened. Thats where singular brainstorming comes into play.  You can brainstorm on your own, as one person, without a group. The same rules apply regarding the removal of inhibition and self-criticism.  When brainstorming on my own, I use a few basic techniques as I attack a problem: 1. Get The Obvious Out Of The Way There will always be one or two ideas that immediately pop into your head. Just write them down. Get the obvious solutions out of the way so you can move on from them. I find that I free up thinking space once I write down all of the obvious solutions and ideas. Its one way I get past the self-criticism and inhibition problem that brainstorming is meant to avoid.  I tell myself that, if all else fails, I can always come back and revisit those initial sensible solutions.

Human Resource Management in a Business Context Essay - 1

Human Resource Management in a Business Context - Essay Example This essay focuses on the discussion of the racial discrimination in police, that is one of the problems affected human relations and work productivity. The most insidious prejudices are negative attitudes directed toward groups of people. They take the form of assumptions or generalizations about all or most members of a particular group. This kind of in-group versus out-group hostility that disrupts work unit interactions and subverts organization effectiveness. The behaviors, customs, and values of out-group people are labeled strange or weird. Verbal misunderstandings are frequently the beginning of problems between culturally different police officers. Most police officers fear things and people who are different and they often verbally strike out or physically lash out in an aggressive manner to protect themselves. Aggressive discourse occurs as dominant-group members verbalize negative feelings toward minority-group members, and vice versa. The researcher states that effective communication and diversity training initiatives are the main methods, which help to eliminate racial envy and ethnic differences in police. The absence of positive conversations about particular minorities can usually be correlated to the absence or underrepresentation of these individuals in the workplaces in question. In conclusion, the researcher mentiones that racial discrimination is unlawful and illegal, so police administration should take corrective actions to avoid further dissemination and victimization of racial minorities.

Metabolism and Stress Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Metabolism and Stress - Assignment Example Adrenalin acts on fat cells thereby converting them to glucose for energy. Cortisol also increases amount of glucose in blood. Both these functions are at peak during stress conditions. Therefore, prolonged stressed conditions lead to excess release of energy and glucose. If the stress is not physical then this energy is not used, which eventually gets converted to fat and is deposited within the body. Excess fat also causes obesity and other metabolic dysfunctions, which in turn impact the mental status of the individual. These symptoms precede depression, anxiety disorder and eating disorders (Tafet, 2001). Metabolic dysfunction caused due to stress leads to higher glucose levels in the body, and the normal body may not be able to metabolize high levels of glucose through the available insulin in the body. This eventually leads to insulin resistance, causing diabetes. High levels of adrenalin and cortisol are also associated with thyroid dysfunction which is responsible for the metabolic functions of various other organs and glands. Combating these issues requires mobilization of the constantly produced glucose and energy in case of chronic stress. This requires physical activity in the form of exercise, meditation or other regulative physical activity which help in expending the excess glucose and fat produced as a result of increased adrenal activity in stressed conditions (Haskell et al,