Monday, December 30, 2019

Biography of Anne Lamott

Anne Lamott was born in 1954 in San Francisco, CA. Anne Lamott, the daughter of the writer Kenneth Lamott, grew up in Marin County, north of San Francisco. She attended Goycher College in Maryland on a tennis scholarship. There, she wrote for the school newspaper, but dropped out after two years and returned to San Francisco. After a brief stint writing for WomenSports magazine, she began working on short pieces. The diagnosis of her fathers brain cancer prompted her to write her first novel,​ Hard Laughter, published by Viking in 1980. She has since written several more novels and works of nonfiction. As Lamott told The Dallas Morning News: I try to write the books I would love to come upon, that are honest, concerned with real lives, human hearts, spiritual transformation, families, secrets, wonder, craziness—and that can make me laugh. When I am reading a book like this, I feel rich and profoundly relieved to be in the presence of someone who will share the truth with me, and throw the lights on a little, and I try to write these kinds of books. Books, for me, are medicine. Lamotts Books While Ann Lamott is well known and loved for her novels, she also wrote  Hard Laughter, Rosie, Joe Jones, Blue Shoe, All New People, and Crooked Little Heart, a popular nonfiction piece. Operating Instructions  was  her raw and honest account of becoming a single mother and chronicle of her sons first year of life. In 2010, Lamott published Imperfect Birds. In it, Lamott explores teenage drug abuse and its consequences with her trademark humor. This novel is about how incredibly hard it is to know and communicate the truth, Lamott told an interviewer. Then in 2012s Some Assembly Required, Lamott revisits the topic of child-rearing that she mined so well in Operating Instructions, except this time from a grandmothers point of view. In this memoir, Lamott takes her readers through the birth and first year of the life of her grandson, Jax, the son of her then nineteen-year-old son Sam. Taken from the notes of her journal during that year, Some Assembly Required also includes other happenings including a trip she takes to India in which she carries readers away with her visceral descriptions: We were on the Ganges at five in the morning, in a riverboat in the fog... All four mornings we were in Varanasi, our boat was socked in with fog. This mornings riverboat man said, Too much the foggy! which I think captures all of human life. It was a thick, white pea-soup fog and apparently, we were not going to see any of the sights Id assumed we would see, and had come here to see. But we saw something else: We saw how much better mystery shows up in the fog, how much wilder and truer each holy moment is than any fantasy.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Importance Of Success The Key To Success - 882 Words

â€Å"I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone† (Cosby). Giving up is like going from walking to now using a wheelchair. When I was a child, I wanted to find my purpose as being an adult. Now that I am older the missing pieces to my puzzle are starting to come together. I once gave up on life. I was a high school dropout with no education. What inspired me to go back to school to receive my GED/Diploma was when I realized that I could not be successful in life without an education. The reason I dropped out of high school was due to me hanging around the wrong crowd of friends. The type of friends I hung around did not want anything out of life. None of them wanted to be successful. We did†¦show more content†¦David Wallace continues to state that life after college and different things you thought were successful are now becoming a nightmare. â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson is based off a group of people from a village that use to set laws that came from a tradition. In this community a person would get stoned to death if they received a piece of paper with a black dot. How can anyone be successful in a community if individuals are killing someone as a sacrifice each year? It just makes a person feel hopeless. You cannot be successful if you are always surrounded by the wrong people. Under those circumstances, as an adult your life will come with many needs and wants. As an adult you will feel the need to get a good paying job to support your family. Putting the things you need in life first will help you focus on how to better your family life. Trying to help people who always cry for help will only stop you from succeeding. It is best to make sure your household is taken care of before you decide to help other people. In order to reach your goals in life, you need to avoid all things that could prevent it from happening. In effect goals and success in life have a big impact on the community. Maybe you could be someone’s inspiration. Someone may be in need of help with school work. If they ask for advice, it would be best to help that student out. An example of giving back toShow MoreRelatedA Key Challenge for International Marketers Is to Develop a Good Understanding of the International Business Environment. Identify the Key Environmental Actors That Are of Importance to the Success of International1387 Words   |  6 PagesThere are numerous environmental factors that a company must consider when operating outside its domestic market which have a significant impact on international marketing decisions and are imperative for success. The key environmental factors are outlined below: Doole and Lowe (2004) stated the key problem faced by international marketers is dealing successfully with the multi-dimensionality and complexities of the international environment. By understanding the environment, companies can implementRead MoreWhich Wooden s Pyramid Of Success Fits Today s Business Environment1400 Words   |  6 Pages John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success BUS 518: Project Management Leadership Gregory C. Hyde, Jr. Professor Paul Richardson July 31, 2016 The extent to which Wooden’s pyramid of success fits today’s business environment Touching on some key tenets of his pyramid of success, he provides what is ideal, what if followed would lead to great success. The pyramid ideals don’t really aptly fit in today’s business environment. Most of the timesRead MoreProject Proposal Essay1152 Words   |  5 Pagesbusiness problems solutions. 3. State the vision and the goal of the project. Note: Be sure that the goals are specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely (SMART). 4. Determine five (5) major deliverables of the project, and explain the importance of each one. 5. Provide the timeframe for delivering the solution to the project. 6. Create a table which contains the generic resources, including people, equipment , and materials needed to undertake the project. 7. Estimate the total budgetRead MoreStrategic Management: Crafting and Executing Strategy1252 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction The purpose of this report is to present the importance of strategic planning for a business organization. The industry chosen for this report is airline industry and the company name is Asian Airlines. The report starts with a strong argument supporting why and how a strategic plan is important for an airline business and proceeds by discussing the mission and vision statement for Asian Airlines. The next section establishes five key objectives for the company encompassing operational, financialRead MoreWhich Wooden s Pyramid Of Success Fits Today s Business Environment1400 Words   |  6 Pages John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success BUS 518: Project Management Leadership Gregory C. Hyde, Jr. Professor Paul Richardson July 31, 2016 The extent to which Wooden’s pyramid of success fits today’s business environment Touching on some key tenets of his pyramid of success, he provides what is ideal, what if followed would lead to great success. The pyramid ideals don’t really aptly fit in today’s business environment. Most of theRead MorePurpose Of The Risk Management Plan Essay1253 Words   |  6 Pages1. Introduction XYZ recognizes that the organization is exposed to certain risks due to the nature of its activities and the environment in which it operates. The key to XYZ’s success is the effective management of risk to ensure its organizational objectives are achieved. 1.1 Purpose of the Risk Management Plan This Risk Management Plan defines how risks associated with the XYZ project will be analyzed and mitigated. The Project Manager working with the Project Team and Project Sponsors will ensureRead More Decision Making at the Executive Level Essay1036 Words   |  5 Pagesstakeholders. Due to the high importance of their decisions, the process they use to reach them merits a close examination. A study published in the winter 1997 volume of Business Strategy Review suggests the major factor in a decisions success is the decision process itself. The study, by Paul Nutt, suggests that poor decision making processes cost North American businesses billions of dollars each year. The study also proposes that most managers dont realize the importance of the process, and itsRead MorePersonal Responsibility Essay740 Words   |  3 PagesResponsibility Practicing personal responsibility in every aspect of our lives is the safest way to guarantee personal success. Personal responsibility is as simple as managing our life and making our own decisions without giving others the opportunity to dictate the outcome of our future. As the architects of our academic future, we must understand that only we can lay the foundation for our success. It is also important to recognize that having a strong preliminary plan to practice personal responsibilityRead MoreKey Success Factors for a Commercial Bank in Dar Es Salaam.1143 Words   |  5 Pages2.0 Key Success factors for a Commercial Bank in Dar es Salaam. 2.1 Branch network One of the most important factors that commercial bank must possess to be successful in Dar es Salaam is branch network. Branches are the distribution channels for the bank services and a well spread network of branches provide the bank with ability to reach the mass population of the Dar es Salaam city. As important as the number of branches is the location of these branches. Those banks that have managed toRead MoreThe Success Or Failure Of Any Firm Or Organization Depends Upon The Competency And Proficiency Of Its Workforce1584 Words   |  7 PagesAssignment Prof Terrell Aicha Diakite GB 540 The success or failure of any firm or organization depends upon the competency and proficiency of its workforce. To improve the performance of a particular organization and its employees, motivation is required from the workforce. Employee maintenance can be practiced by thoroughly motivating the employees in many ways. In the big organizational environment, it is hard for the supervisor to motivate employees as compared to the small organizational

Saturday, December 14, 2019

How Workers Attitude and Job Satisfaction Affect Their Work. Free Essays

string(43) " form of motivation but is not sufficient\." Thesis Statements: Attitude and Job Satisfaction: A worker attitude towards work is directly linked to the job satisfaction; a worker who is satisfied with his job performs better and excels at what he does. It is therefore imperative for a company to understand the attitude of its workers and measure the job satisfaction of its employees, as job satisfaction is essential for productivity. Introduction Worker attitude and job satisfaction deals with how an organization behaves. We will write a custom essay sample on How Workers Attitude and Job Satisfaction Affect Their Work. or any similar topic only for you Order Now It involves the management directing employees into improving organizational and personal effectiveness. It plays an enormous role in determining the attitudes of employees and their job satisfaction. When an employee is happy, it is usually because they are satisfied with their work. This also improves the quality of their work. Attitude and job satisfaction may not fall completely on the management but also on the employees. If employees enjoy their work, they will not need external motivation from management, but instead the satisfaction they attain from completing their work will motivate them (Robbins, 2004). Job satisfaction is an individual’s contentment with their work. Its effect on productivity is either positive or negative. The relationship between job satisfaction and job productivity is however not consistent. An individual may still obtain high job productivity without having the satisfaction in the work. This happens mostly when money is their motivation. Another motivator is improving in his or her work in order to receive a promotion. Other employees may increase their productivity due to the satisfaction they get from their work. A reason for job satisfaction may also come from an employee getting a good salary. It improves job satisfaction as long as an employee has knowledge of the fact that they get fair payment for their efforts at the end of the day. Job satisfaction has an effect on an individual’s satisfaction with life. If an employee does not get satisfaction in their work, they may seek for satisfaction in other work unrelated areas. This provides fulfillment and balance in their life. He or she may also be content with work as it relates with those work unrelated areas. Job dissatisfaction may also cause an employee to quit (Robbins, 2004). How Workers Attitude and Job Satisfaction Affect Their Work. An employee’s attitude towards authority may affect his or her relationship with management. Negative attitude towards authority will cause clashes in the work place. Psychology is another reason that affects an individual’s attitude. Another reason for a negative attitude towards authority is jealous for their position. This attitude affects job productivity in a negative way. If the workers attitude is a negative one so is their ability to produce positive results. Worker attitude and job satisfaction are two factors that affect a company’s productivity. There are different issues that affect worker attitude and job satisfaction either in a negative or positive way. These issues include the management, employee, sociology, communication, culture, and work environment. Management Role The management’s style of leading plays a huge role in worker attitude and job production. Empowerment is one factor that can motivate better productivity. If the management gives an employee opportunity to work according to their own standards, preferred that these standards measure up to those of the company, job productivity will increase. Human empowerment is satisfactory to every individual. Self-satisfaction leads to job satisfaction. We also have strategic planning by management. This is crucial when dealing with influencing job productivity. An example of a way to motivate employees is the management offering them opportunities for promotions and pay rise negotiations. This will encourage job productivity since employees will want to receive these rewards (Jackson, 2002). Organizational objectives also affect how the management relates with the employees. If the organizational goal is to achieve a certain percentage of profit in a business year, then it will exert pressure on the employees to increase productivity. Positive influence is not the only way to ensure an increase in productivity. Some organizations offer contracts that clear states the amount of productivity needed from employees. This is in the case of sales and marketing where a sales representative needs to achieve a target on a certain deadline. This may mount pressure on the employees and in turn affect their job satisfaction. In some cases, the management is not as strict with the employees. The problem with this is that the employees might eventually relax on the job. An organization may also decide to add more working days depending on their goals. Complying with such a decision is hard and it may leave the employees bitter and resentful towards management. This attitude will affect job productivity, as the employees will arrive to work with no motivation. Another factor in work attitude is time away from work. Apart from free time on the weekend, which is compulsory according to work ethics, employees need to take time off from work. This normally is the leave period (Jackson, 2002). Employee Role Some individuals choose professions that they like while others end up in their profession due to pressure. Pressure may come from the need to make money or a parent or guardian deciding on what their kids will do. When one chooses something they love doing or has an interest in, then they are content and happy about what they do. Love for a profession encourages a positive attitude. This is all the motivation employees need when it comes to productivity. A happy employee is a productive employee. When an employee loves what they are doing, they attain job satisfaction. This automatically affects productivity in a positive way. Productivity however suffers with negative employees who only work to make money. Their aim is to increase their productivity in order to get more money but this eventually makes them stressful and bitter. Since they have no interest in the work, satisfaction is hard for them to achieve. This is another form of motivation but is not sufficient. You read "How Workers Attitude and Job Satisfaction Affect Their Work." in category "Essay examples" The two major ways for employees to improve, productivity in their professional areas is the choice of profession. Employees need ways to relieve their stress if they want to improve their work attitude and productivity. Work related stress is common among most employees. This is especially by employees that do not experience any job satisfaction from their work. Stress is something that may lead to more serious illnesses. This lowers productivity from the absence of employees in the work place. Stress is relieved by taking breaks from work, exercising, socializing with friends, and having fun. Psychological development is also another factor that affects attitude. Since psychology is what determines human behavior, it affects how we react and relate with others. Every one of us reacts differently to different situations. An example is when management is brutally honest about an employees work, some may take it is a warning to do better others may take it as criticism and give up. This depends on how an individual makes decisions. External factors such as the family, relationships, financial status are a few of other things that also affect the employees’ attitude. A healthy employee is a productive employee and a happy one. Social Role Our social behavior affects our work. This is in regard to introverts and extroverts. An introvert will not easily socialize with people. This affects their performance in a situation that needs teamwork. Teamwork requires all individuals to communicate with each other. If employees cannot work well together, it affects productivity. A company that encourages teamwork experiences higher productivity. Extroverts are aggressive people and some people may try to avoid them. Relationships in the work place affects attitudes and in turn productivity. If employees have a close relationship with each other, employees work well together and their attitudes improve as well. An improvement in attitude improves job productivity and satisfaction. In order to improve this relationship, some organizations encourage team building by dedicating a few days for members to socialize. This is through encouraging games in this sessions or providing projects for them to do. Interaction between employees helps them know each other better and beyond the work place. It improves their relationship and attitude towards each other (Edwards, 2004). Social role also involves the relationship between employees and management. In most organizations, this relationship is usually strictly professional. The only time the two interact is while it involves work. This is a way for the management to ensure that they have an upper hand towards the employees. This may lead to employees withdrawing from the management due to fear. Fear affects productivity, as the employee cannot approach the management if he/she is having trouble. They may imagine that the management will see this as a weakness. A good relationship is one where the management associates with its employees openly. Respect is the only thing that needs establishment between the two. This way, it is easy for employees to approach the management. A good relationship will improve employee productivity by improving their attitude and encouraging job satisfaction. Another social factor is competition. This is due to human nature to prove themselves. Employees may compete amongst each other for appraisal or a chance to grab an available higher position. This is a way for productivity to improve. Their attitude will depend on whether the competition is a healthy or an unhealthy one. An unhealthy one will lead to stress (Edwards, 2004). Communication Communication is how information transmits between the management and employees or between the employees themselves. Employees need to be free with the management in order to approach them when they are having trouble. Good communication has a positive effect on the employee’s job satisfaction. When all their needs a met, they can easily perform their duties efficiently. This increases job productivity and in turn improves the workers attitude. Communication is also important between employees. Employees need to maintain a good relationship with each other in order to communicate efficiently. Respect is an important factor in communication. In every organization, respect needs to drive how they communicate. A good way to implement communication between management and employees is by planning meetings. These meetings should allow employees to ask questions and express their opinion. Management should ask employees for their input and suggestions in matters concerning them. This will make the employees feel even more part of the organization. It will improve the relationship of everyone in the organization. Good communication leads to a good relationship that in turn improves employee attitude and job productivity (Mitchell). Culture The differences in culture affects people’s attitude. Different cultures have different practice. Some cultures do not allow their employees to work for certain amounts of hours. This may affect an individual if a transfer occurs and they get to a work situation that encourages more working hours. He/she will develop a negative attitude towards work. In some cultures, individuals are risk takers. They enjoy doing things beyond their capabilities. They attain satisfaction both in life and in work. There is no better motivation to improve their job productivity than this. In others, employees are hardworking. Their attitude towards work is usually a positive one (Jackson, 2002). Work environment A positive work environment improves on employee attitude. This depends on other employees, the management and the available resources. If an organization takes care of their employees by providing all needed resources, then their productivity will improve. Job productivity increases a business performance and profits, which in turn ensures that employees receive their salary frequently. When the business performs well then the employees are happy. A good performance in the organization gives the employees a positive attitude that improves their individual performance. As long as the employees are happy and performing, job productivity will increase. Job satisfaction improves employee’s relationships with customers. A good working relationship such as that one will increase on the sales of goods and services. Some company’s offer their employees bonuses especially during the holidays. This acts as an encouragement to the workers and improves their relationship with management. In departments such as sales and marketing, employee’s performance can improve if given bonuses or commission when they bring in more sales clients. With this knowledge, the employee’s performance is sure to improve drastically (Edwards, 2004). Conclusion The duty of management and the employee in improving workers attitude is debatable. Some may argue that it is up to the employee to ensure that they attain job satisfaction from their work, as they are the only ones in control of their attitude and performance. It is also possible to say that all the responsibility is entirely the managements. They decide on the nature of the environment in which the employee works. The management holds the power to control employee salary, off time and promotion. External factors such as the environment, social situations, and culture also affect worker attitude and job satisfaction. In my opinion, it is up to both the parties to decide on worker attitude and job satisfaction. If you need professional research paper help you can buy custom papers online at CustomWritings. com – online research paper writing service. Tags: Job Satisfaction research paperresearch paper on Worker AttitudeWorker attitude and job satisfaction essayWorker attitude and job satisfaction term paper How to cite How Workers Attitude and Job Satisfaction Affect Their Work., Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Assignment Is A Health Information System â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discussion Of About Health Information System? Answer: Introduction Good and dependable data is the establishment of basic leadership overall health care system and is fundamental for the advancement, control of the administration, research for the good health of the people, improvement of human resource, information of health, and preparation of care (Eden et at. 2016). This system provides the foundation for the leadership which contains four key aspects: information, correspondence, investigation and utilize. This system generally collects the information from the wellbeing segment and different important divisions, analyses the information that were collected and provide assurance about the quality of care (Boulware et al. 2016). The health information system is sometimes equated with observation and assessing the information at an extreme perfection. Despite of being fundamental for the analysing and assessment of the information serves as the most important feature, providing a quick and early safety measure by supporting the health of the patient, by providing facility from the administration, by supporting and fortifying exploration, allowing wellbeing investigation, and solving he health issues occurring to different clients (Brett et al. 2014). The data that are collected are of no use if it cannot be accessed by the way the problems are discussed. These designs are used to address the issues of organizers, supervisors, medicine suppliers, groups, and people. Hence, scattering and correspondence are fundamental qualities of the health information system (Charles, Gabriel, and Furukawa 2013). Flow of health information Australia as a continent is the smallest but is the 6th among the largest country of the world. The population density is very low at 2.5 people for every km2, with maximum part in the continent are less populated, and the concentration of population is along the eastern, south-western and south-eastern coasts. The national capital is Canberra and the two biggest urban communities are Sydney and Melbourne (Jing 2016). Australia additionally is in charge of the administration of 7 peripheral Territories, including the Australian Antarctic Territory and various islands in the Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans. Australias present health condition depends on the geographic and the demographic conditions of the people. Key demographic indicators are outlined in Fig 1. Advantages and disadvantages of HIS One of the greatest issues confronting our nation today is that of social insurance change. If this is executed, then the HIT framework could definitely reduce the service charge of the medicines, while on the other hand expanding human services labourer efficiency, two main considerations in transforming American social insurance (Cullen, Ranji, and Salganicoff 2011). The expansion of PCs in healing facilities, private practices, and centres have enabled these foundations to work all the more productively, enabling more opportunity to concentrate on understanding consideration. Advantages of Using Health Information Technology: Increase the work efficiency Reducing the wastage of paper Easy access to medical records of a patient More accurate and completed medical history of patient Disadvantages of Using Health Information Technology: Too expensive to use It is not compatible all the time. Extra training is required Ethical and security concern is raised. Methodology The principle goal of the HIS is to enhance information quality, which relates both to the information themselves yet in addition to the factual framework by and large. The methodology includes giving here and now specialized help to nations to participate in an orderly audit of existing insights when contrasted with global benchmarks, basically a remotely encouraged self evaluation (Jones et al. 2014). The procedure draws in the two information makers and information clients and looks to achieve more compelling correspondence both among national statistical services and with the client group. In view of the result of the appraisal, nations build up a thorough change get ready for the statistical framework (Kellermann and Jones 2013). The health information system appraisal unites nation clients and makers of wellbeing information to survey the qualities and shortcomings of the national wellbeing data framework. The HIS includes an encouraged evaluation that is expected to manage nations' endeavours to reinforce their wellbeing data frameworks by empowering a benchmark examination and the distinguishing proof of regions for development in which contributor support may be looked (Kuperman et al. 2013). The HMN appraisal device system takes after a falling structure that streams from five fundamental measurements of information quality; respectability, methodological soundness, precision and dependability, serviceability, and availability (Ledikwe 2014). For each of these interrelated measurements, the structure distinguishes pointers, or perceptible elements, that can be utilized as a part of evaluating quality. Notwithstanding these five measurements of value, the device depicts an arrangement of requirements for the appraisal of information quality (Moorhead et al. 2013). The scope of these measurements perceives that information quality includes attributes identified with the foundation or framework behind the creation of the information and also attributes of the individual information item. By drawing in all partners it builds up a mutual vision of a more intelligible, coordinated, proficient and helpful framework (Nelson et al. 2016). Health information is needed to understand the health status of the population. Health information statistics are basic and important for developing health policies, developing effective health policies, coordinating the treatments and empowering the customers. There is a use of statistical indicators for monitoring the levels and make changes in the status of health and performance. This results in better understanding of current data quality and the need for improvements to them to support the indicators (Nguyen et al. 2014). The Northern Hospital (TNH) Clinical Indicators Australian Council on Healthcare Standards collects the data and reports to TNH by comparing the data with the other hospitals. Once the data is received, they are then distributed to the Director, to the Executive team and the Patient Information Management Committee (Stewart and Wild 2017). To redesign the information system, projects are being organized which are to be managed by the Northern Health executive. The NH executive has the authority to maintain the outlines of Redesign Project Management Council. The key functions of this group are screening and prioritising the projects and providing support to the methods used in the execution of the project (Tiwari, Kumar and Kulkarni 2016). There are some measures used for redesigning organization as a part of the NH model. These are: Removal of waste from the processes. To maintain the time of delivery service and care. To meet the satisfaction level of both the staff and patient. To train the staffs for the improvement of methodology. To keep the records of staff leave, retention and turnover of the organization. While transferring the information to the patients the Health Information Manager must be careful about the confidentiality of the patients. When transferring the documents it is important to make sure that it is not being stolen or lost. The staffs must take all responsibility for the security of the documents and is properly maintained. The digital portable devices are used to store large amount of information in the form of CDs, USB, I-pads and so on (Tiwari, Kumar and Kulkarni 2016). This transferring of data may also causes privacy breaches, which may result in access by unauthorised people, changing or destroying the information those are confidential. These privacy breaches are may be caused by different factors, it effects different types of information that is personal and also give rise to a variety of actual or potential harms to the individuals and organizations (Vainikainen et al. 2015). As there is not any fixed way for the privacy breach, each of the breach needs to be deal specifically by case basis, by understanding an assessment and the risks involved in it. By using this risk assessment, the privacy officer decides the type of action to be taken at different circumstances (Weaver et al. 2016). There are mainly four key steps to respond to a breach: Step 1: study the breach and do some basic research Step 2: evaluation of the risks associated with the breach Step 3: after the regular interval notification is done Step 4: secure the system to prevent further breaches Database Search The database search was done by the help of the tools such as Medline, Cinahl, and Ovid from the libraries such as UTS Library, CDU, Science Hub and Griffith. The following words and MeSH headings were used individually or in combination: data quality, information quality, public health, population health, information system, evaluation. The articles were confined to those published in English and Chinese language (Willis et al. 2016). The literature search was done by the author from June 2012 to October 2013. The selection criteria for the evaluation were all peer-reviewed articles or reports of the institutions providing information of the general wellbeing in the period 2010 2013. The prohibition criteria were account surveys, master conclusion, correspondence and analyses in the subject region. To enhance scope, a manual hunt of the writing was directed to recognize papers referenced by different distributions, papers and surely understood writers, and papers from individual databases. In the methodology part, the reflection of quality of data is restricted, which means the nature of the measurement of information is in the hands of the organization. A sum of 202 productions was recognized and physically screened. In any case if it was found that, there was vulnerability about whether to incorporate a distribution, its importance was checked by the fourth author. At last 39 distributions that met the incorporation criteria were chosen. The greater part of the institutional distributions, 28 inquire about papers, an aggregate of 35 articles and led appraisal of the nature of information. Matheson et al. (2013) presented the traits of information quality however did not give appraisal strategies. Out of the 39 publications that were reviewed, 32 were found that these research papers were peer-reviewed and rest seven papers were published by public health institutions. The papers published by the institutional publications are listed in fig 2. Fig. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ISSN 1660-460. Available at: www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph Out of the 39 reviewed publications, 27 were published in the year from 2008 to 2013. It is a trend to increase the number of research papers every year, by suggesting the research papers in an increased number mainly focuses on the data quality by adopting the computerised PHIS in the current years (Nguyen et al. 2014). There are contrasts between the 7 institutional and the 32 singular research productions in their way to deal with information quality appraisal, as far as points, setting and degree. To begin with, the viability of the PHIS was a greater amount of an institutional as opposed to a specialist's advantage (Willis et al. 2016). It was canvassed in the greater part of the institutional productions however just in 33% of the examination papers. Second, the malady particular general wellbeing settings secured by United Nations' MDGs, maternal wellbeing, kids' wellbeing, and HIV/AIDS, were the region frequently examined by specialists. Third, the establishments had a tendency to assess all levels of information administration while most research ponders were centred on a solitary level of examination, either record accumulation or administration (Vainikainen et al. 2015). Discussion Information is a most basic knowledge for public healthcare. They speak to and reflect general wellbeing practice. The expansive use of information in PHIS for the assessment of general wellbeing responsibility and execution has raised the familiarity with general wellbeing organizations of information quality, and of strategies and methodologies for its appraisal. We efficiently looked into the present status of value appraisal for each of the three measurements of information quality: information, information accumulation process and information utilize. The outcomes recommend that the hypothesis of estimation has been connected either expressly or verifiably in the advancement of information quality appraisal techniques for PHIS (Nguyen et al. 2014). The lion's share of past investigations surveyed information quality by an arrangement of traits utilizing certain measures. Our discoveries, in view of the proposed theoretical system of information quality appraisal for general wellbeing, additionally distinguished the crevices existed in the techniques incorporated into this survey (Stewart and Wild 2017). Health of public is a data-intensive field which needs excellent information to help general wellbeing appraisal, basic leadership and to guarantee the strength of groups. Information quality evaluation is imperative for general wellbeing. In this survey of the writing we have inspected the information quality evaluation techniques in light of our proposed reasonable system (Abdelhak, Grostick and Hanken 2014). This structure consolidates the three measurements of information quality in the appraisal strategies for general information quality: information, information utilize and information gathering process. We found that the measurement of the information themselves was most as often as possible surveyed in past investigations. Most strategies for information quality appraisal assessed an arrangement of characteristics utilizing significant measures (Kuperman et al. 2013). Culmination, exactness, and convenience were the three most-evaluated characteristics. Quantitative informati on quality appraisal essentially utilized elucidating studies and information reviews, while subjective information quality evaluation strategies incorporate principally talk with, documentation audit and field perception. We found that information utilizes and information process has not been given sufficient consideration, despite the fact that they were similarly vital components which decide the nature of information. Different impediments of the past examinations were not regular in the terms of the features of the quality of the information, unable to address the information of clients problems and an absence of triangulation of blended techniques for information quality evaluation. The dependability and legitimacy of the information quality evaluation were once in a while detailed (Stewart and Wild 2017). These holes propose that later on, information quality evaluation for general wellbeing requires similar consideration for the three measurements of information quality, information, information utilize and information process. More work is expected to grow clear and reliable meanings of information quality and deliberate strategies and methodologies for information quality assessment (Agha 201 4). Conclusion General wellbeing is an information concentrated field which needs amazing information to help general wellbeing appraisal, basic leadership and to guarantee the soundness of groups. Information quality evaluation is critical for general wellbeing. In this audit of the writing we have inspected the information quality evaluation strategies in light of our proposed applied structure. This structure consolidates the three measurements of information quality in the evaluation strategies for general information quality: information, information utilize and information gathering process. We found that the measurement of the information themselves was most habitually evaluated in past examinations. Most strategies for information quality appraisal assessed an arrangement of traits utilizing significant measures. Culmination, exactness, and convenience were the three most-surveyed traits. Quantitative information quality evaluation principally utilized unmistakable overviews and information reviews, while subjective information quality appraisal strategies incorporate essentially talk with, documentation audit and field perception. We found that data usage and information process have not been given satisfactory consideration, in spite of the fact that they were similarly essential elements which decide the nature of information. Different constraints of the past examinations were different in the characteristics of quality of the information, unable to deal with the patients problems and an absence of triangulation of blended strategies for information quality evaluation. The dependability and legitimacy of the information quality evaluation were once in a while announced. These information quality evaluation for general health care needs consideration similar to the three measurements of information; that are, quality, utilization and information process. More work is expected to grow clear and reliable meanings of information quality and methodical strategies and methodologies for quality of information. References Abdelhak, M., Grostick, S. and Hanken, M.A., 2014.Health Information-E-Book: Management of a Strategic Resource. Elsevier Health Sciences. Agha, L., 2014. The effects of health information technology on the costs and quality of medical care.Journal of health economics,34, pp.19-30. Boulware, L.E., Cooper, L.A., Ratner, L.E., LaVeist, T.A. and Powe, N.R., 2016. Race and trust in the health care system.Public health reports. Brett, J., Staniszewska, S., Mockford, C., Herron?Marx, S., Hughes, J., Tysall, C. and Suleman, R., 2014. Mapping the impact of patient and public involvement on health and social care research: a systematic review.Health Expectations,17(5), pp.637-650. Charles, D., Gabriel, M. and Furukawa, M.F., 2013. Adoption of electronic health record systems among US non-federal acute care hospitals: 20082013.ONC data brief,9, pp.1-9. Eden, K.B., Totten, A.M., Kassakian, S.Z., Gorman, P.N., McDonagh, M.S., Devine, B., Pappas, M., Daeges, M., Woods, S. and Hersh, W.R., 2016. Barriers and facilitators to exchanging health information: a systematic review.International journal of medical informatics,88, pp.44-51. Jing, F., 2016, June. An empirical study on the features influencing users' adoption towards personal health records system. InService Systems and Service Management (ICSSSM), 2016 13th International Conference on(pp. 1-6). IEEE. Jones, S.S., Rudin, R.S., Perry, T. and Shekelle, P.G., 2014. Health information technology: an updated systematic review with a focus on meaningful use.Annals of internal medicine,160(1), pp.48-54. Kellermann, A.L. and Jones, S.S., 2013. What it will take to achieve the as-yet-unfulfilled promises of health information technology.Health affairs,32(1), pp.63-68. Kuperman, G.J., Gardner, R.M. and Pryor, T.A., 2013.HELP: a dynamic hospital information system. Springer Science Business Media. Ledikwe, J.H., Grignon, J., Lebelonyane, R., Ludick, S., Matshediso, E., Sento, B.W., Sharma, A. and Semo, B.W., 2014. Improving the quality of health information: a qualitative assessment of data management and reporting systems in Botswana.Health research policy and systems,12(1), p.7. Moorhead, S.A., Hazlett, D.E., Harrison, L., Carroll, J.K., Irwin, A. and Hoving, C., 2013. A new dimension of health care: systematic review of the uses, benefits, and limitations of social media for health communication.Journal of medical Internet research,15(4). Nelson, R. and Staggers, N., 2016.Health Informatics-E-Book: An Interprofessional Approach. Elsevier Health Sciences. Nguyen, L., Bellucci, E. and Nguyen, L.T., 2014. Electronic health records implementation: an evaluation of information system impact and contingency factors.International journal of medical informatics,83(11), pp.779-796. Stewart, B.W.K.P. and Wild, C.P., 2017. World cancer report 2014.Health. Tiwari, V.K., Kumar, K. and Kulkarni, P.D., 2016. Standards, Frameworks and Practices in Health Management Information and Evaluation Systems (HMIES) in Australia and India: Lessons for Future Transition in India?.Journal of Health Management,18(1), pp.70-83. Tiwari, V.K., Kumar, K. and Kulkarni, P.D., 2016. Standards, Frameworks and Practices in Health Management Information and Evaluation Systems (HMIES) in Australia and India: Lessons for Future Transition in India?.Journal of Health Management,18(1), pp.70-83. Vainikainen, V., Soriyan, H.A., Korpela, M. and Saranto, K., 2015. Good practices to enhance the perceived usefulness of computerized hospital information systemscase study in Nigeria.Journal of Health Informatics in Africa,2(2). Weaver, C.A., Ball, M.J., Kim, G.R. and Kiel, J.M., 2016. Healthcare information management systems.Cham: Springer International Publishing. Willis, E., Reynolds, L. and Keleher, H. eds., 2016.Understanding the Australian health care system. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Albert Einstein Essays (1715 words) - Albert Einstein,

Albert Einstein Of all the scientists to emerge from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries there is one whose name is known by almost all living people. While most of these do not understand this mans work, everyone knows that its impact on the world of science is astonishing. Yes, many have heard of Albert Einsteins General Theory of relativity, but few know about the intriguing life that led this scientist to discover what some have called, "The greatest single achievement of human thought." Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany on March 14, 1874. Before his first birthday, his family had moved to Munich where young Alberts father, Hermann Einstein, and uncle set up a small electro-chemical business. He was fortunate to have an excellent family with which he held a strong relationship. Alberts mother, Pauline Einstein, had an intense passion for music and literature, and it was she that first introduced her son to the violin in which he found much joy and relaxation. Also, he was very close with his younger sister, Maja, and hey could often be found in the lakes that were scattered about the countryside near Munich. As a child, Einsteins sense of curiosity had already begun to stir. A favorite toy of his was his fathers compass, and he often marvelled at his uncles explanations of algebra. Although young Albert was intrigued by certain mysteries of science, he was considered a slow learner. His failure to become fluent in German until the age of nine even led some teachersto believe he was disabled. Einsteins post-basic education began at the Luitpold Gymnasium when he was ten. It was here that he first encountered the German spirit through the schools strict disciplinary policy. His disapproval of this method of teaching led to his reputation as a rebel. It was probably these differences that caused Einstein to search for knowledge at home. He began not with science, but with religion. He avidly studied the Bible seeking truth, but this religious fervor soon died down when he discovered the intrigue of science and math. To him, these seemed much more realistic than ancient stories. With this new knowledge he disliked class even more, and was eventually expelled from Luitpold Gymnasium being considered a disruptive influence. Feeling that he could no longer deal with the German mentality, Einstein moved to Switzerland where he continued his education. At sixteen he attempted to enroll at the Federal Institute of Technology but failed the entrance exam. This forced him to study locally for one year until he finally passed the schools evaluation. The Institute allowed Einstein to meet many other students that shared his curiosity, and It was here that his studies turned mainly to Physics. He quickly learned that while physicists had generally agreed on major principals in the past, there were modern scientists who were attempting to disprove outdated theories. Since most of Einsteins teachers ignored these new ideas, he was again forced to explore on his own. In 1900 he graduated from the Institute and then achieved citizenship to Switzerland. Einstein became a clerk at the Swiss Patent Office in 1902. This job had little to do with physics, but he was able to satiate his curiosity by figuring out how new inventions worked. The most important part of Einsteins occupation was that it allowed him enough time to pursue his own line of research. As his ideas began to develop, he published them in specialist journals. Though he was still unknown to the scientific world, he began to attract a large circle of friends and admirers. A group of students that he tutored quickly transformed into a social club that shared a love of nature, music, and of course, science. In 1903 he married Mileva Meric, a mathematician friend. In 1905, Einstein published five separate papers in a journal, the Annals of Physics. The first was immediately acknowledged, and the University of Zurich awarded Einstein an additional degree. The other papers helped to develop modern physics and earned him the reputation of an artist. Many scientists have said that Einsteins work contained an imaginative spirit that was seen in most poetry. His work at this time dealt with molecules, and how their motion affected temperature, but he

Monday, November 25, 2019

Quotes from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Quotes from 'Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Brave New World deals with issues of technological advancements, sexuality, and individualityin a dehumanizing society. Huxley explores how his characters react to living in a dystopian future society, in which everyone’s place in society is strictly defined. Here are a few quotes from the novel.   Our world is not the same as  Othellos  world. You cant make flivvers without steel- and you cant make tragedies without social instability. The worlds stable now. People are happy; they get what they want, and they never want what they cant get.† (ch. 16) With these words which Mustapha Mond speaks to John, in a philosophical-debate-like fashion, he details why Shakespeare is obsolete in the World State. Being a highly educated man, he admits to them being beautiful, but his words are old, and, thus, unfit for a society that is primarily oriented to consumerism. What’s more, he belittles John for using Shakespeare as  a paradigm of values and ethics, because Shakespeare’s world is very different from the World State. His was a world subjected to turmoil and instability, while the World State is essentially stable, which, in turn, is not a fertile ground for tragedies.   Quotes about Love and Sex â€Å"Whore! he shouted Whore! Impudent strumpet!† (Ch. 13) John yells these words at Lenina as she gets naked in front of him. Citing his beloved Shakespeare, he addresses her as a â€Å"disrespectful whore.† It’s a line coming from Othello, where the titular character is about to kill his wife Desdemona as he became convinced she had been cheating on him. Both instances of the use â€Å"impudent strumpet,† are misdirected, though: Desdemona was faithful all along, while Lenina had been sleeping around because the society she was raised in conditioned her to do so. Both Othello and John see their love interest as both sleazy and beautiful, which disturbs John, since he is not able to compute feelings of repulsion and attraction at the same time. In fact, such contrasting feelings eventually lead him to madness and death. Mother, monogamy, romance. High spurts the fountain; fierce and foamy the wild jet. The urge has but a single outlet. My love, my baby. No wonder those poor pre-moderns were mad and wicked and miserable. Their world didn’t allow them to take things easily, didn’t allow them to be sane, virtuous, happy. What with mothers and lovers, what with the prohibitions they were not conditioned to obey, what with the temptations and the lonely remorses, what with all the diseases and the endless isolating pain, what with the uncertainties and the poverty- they were forced to feel strongly. And feeling strongly (and strongly, what was more, in solitude, in hopelessly individual isolation), how could they be stable? (Chapter 3) In Chapter 3, Mustapha Mond explains the history of the World State to a group of boys touring the Hatchery. â€Å"Mother, monogamy, and romance† are concepts that are reviled in the World State, as is the whole idea of â€Å"feeling strongly,† and they are the core values of John, who is devoted to his mother, strives for monogamy and romance while still experiencing feelings unfiltered by soma. However, eventually, abiding by those feelings causes him to try to purify himself with self-flagellation, which, in an unfortunate turn of events, leads to his madness and to his suicide. His demise does, indirectly, prove Mustapha Mond’s point, as, by eliminating â€Å"mother, monogamy, and romance† alongside â€Å"feeling strongly,† the World State succeeded in creating a stabile society where everybody was, indeed, superficially happy. Sure, human beings are indoctrinated to behave in one way and one way only according to their caste, and the whole Stat e is a system founded on production and consumptions, fueled by the consumeristic tendencies of its inhabitants. However, they are happy. They just need to drink soma and choose merriment over truth. A good trade-off. Politics â€Å"When the individual feels, the community reels† (various locations) This is a Society’s teaching of the World State, which goes hand in hand with â€Å"never put of till tomorrow the fun you can have today.† Lenina pronounces it to Bernard after they had spent a night together in his rooms, which he regretted, saying he wished it had ended differently, especially considering it was their first day together. She claims it’s pointless to put off having any fun, while he wants to â€Å"feel something strongly,† which is largely discouraged in the world state, as feelings can overthrow any form of stability. Yet, Bernard yearns for some reeling too. This conversation makes Lenina feel rejected. Yes, and civilization is sterilization.† (Ch. 7) Civilization is sterilization is one of the main Society’s teachings in Brave New World, and different characters utter it throughout the novel. Sterilization can mean different things: one is sanitation and cleanliness, as opposed to the filth people in the Reservation live in. â€Å" I had an awful cut on my head when they first brought me here. You cant imagine what they used to put on it. Filth, just filth† Linda recalls before uttering the statement. Similarly, Lenina equates sterilization with cleanliness, which, she insists â€Å"is next to fordliness.† However, sterilization can also be interpreted with regards to making women unable to bear children. In the World State, 70% of the female population are made into freemartins, meaning sterile women. They achieve that by injecting the female embryos with a low dose of sex hormones. This makes them sterile and fairly normal, except for the slight tendency to grow a beard.   Happiness And if ever, by some unlucky chance, anything unpleasant should somehow happen, why, there’s always soma to give you a holiday from the facts. And there’s always soma to calm your anger, to reconcile you to your enemies, to make you patient and long-suffering. In the past you could only accomplish these things by making a great effort and after years of hard moral training. Now, you swallow two or three half-gramme tablets, and there you are. Anybody can be virtuous now. You can carry at least half your morality about in a bottle. Christianity without tears- that’s what soma is. (Chapter 17) This quote is excerpted from a conversation between John and Mustapha, which takes place in Chapter 17. Mustapha is trying to convince John how soma is a cure-all remedy for any unpleasant emotion, which, in turn, lead to inefficiency and conflict. Unlike the hard moral training of the past, soma can solve any ailment of the soul almost instantly. Curiously, the parallel between moral training, which is usually a core aspect of religion, and soma, hints at the origin of the word soma itself. It used to be an entheogenic draught that was consumed during rituals in the Vedic religion. Several myths also see two opposing factions of deities fighting over the ownership of soma. But while, originally, soma was consumed by gods and humans alike in order to attain â€Å"the light† and immortality, the soma, which, in the world state, comes in convenient tablets, and it’s mainly used to deal with any â€Å"unpleasantness†: Lenina knocks herself out with it after being un able to endure the horrors she witnessed in the Reservation, while Linda who, in her isolation in the Reservation had been looking for a substitute for the soma in mescaline and peyotl, eventually is prescribed a lethal dose of soma once she gets back to the World State.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Sentencing, incarceration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sentencing, incarceration - Essay Example No matter what ever the purpose of a particular sentencing policy is, the main aim of all policies is to deter future criminal activity. For example: rehabilitative polices are created to educate and change the mental setup of criminals so in future they do not commit crimes. Similarly, in the case of incapacitation, policy makers keep criminals for prolonged period of time because they believe that they can deter crime by keeping criminals of the streets (Ritchie, 2011, p.7). Even in the case of revenge, policy makers make criminals pay heavy amount of fines and even assign corporal punishment with the intent of ensuring that due to the fear of heavy monetary fines, criminals will not commit crimes and punishments such as corporal punishment will deter those who have an intention of committing future crimes. If I would have been in the shoes of a policy maker and had the authority to make sentencing policies, my policies would have been driven by the purpose of deterring crime. My policies would be backed with both forms of deterrence including general as well as specific deterrence. Policies that are made with the aim of specific deterrence are those due to which a criminal is banned or stopped from committing future crimes. To serve the purpose of specific deterrence I would create sentencing policies that would keep criminals for a longer period of time depending on the severity of the crime. Plus I would implement rehabilitation techniques such as providing psychological assistance and education to criminals so their criminal mind set can be altered and they have enough education to pursue careers that would deter them from the path of crime. Similar policies can be applied to serve the purpose of general deterrence; the prolonged period of jail time would be a lesson for upcoming criminals that if they commit a crime they will be banned from the society for a

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

To what degree have organisations resolved the cultural and Essay

To what degree have organisations resolved the cultural and organisational problems associated with the expansion of Internet technology - Essay Example There are many search engines from where specific and precise information can be found easily and without any major complexities. It’s all free on the Internet to this level but there are certain sites which ask for money in return of their services to the users. (Madden, 2002) Organizations are the biggest users of the Internet and they mostly employ it for the promotion of their products and services, which are introduced in the local as well as global market every now and then. The Internet for them is providing benefits aplenty. These advantages can be in the form of providing information to the users as well as advertising on the net and thus setting sights and their target market on the whole world. (Fonseca, 2002) The domestic use of Internet is spreading at a fast pace. E-mail is the most famous of the net services that is being used by people all over the world. Other than this, chat programs and voice is also being used all over the world and is quite famous. The Internet is very helpful from the technical as well as specification information viewpoint; about the different machines and their tools that are a part of the business industry throughout the world. The use of Internet is a two-way communication platform between the buyer and the seller and it is up to either one of them to harness its potentials as much as he/she possibly can. It can also be used on the buyer’s part to â€Å"offset† a salesman’s characteristics and benefits with prior knowledge of the product. This very valuable knowledge attained can be used to undervalue other’s products and services. The training of staff over a certain period of time becomes immensely important since they stagnate in their current positions and they need to look out of their spaces to explore more and more. The communication aspect for these staff members comes in handy that have to be considered all said

Monday, November 18, 2019

To what extent is musical taste governed by society Essay

To what extent is musical taste governed by society - Essay Example Through historical study of music, it is clear that music was thought as endanger to societal moral standards of Europe. However later it was realised that music also upholds a religious dimension and quality music has the ability to provoke suppressed religious feelings (McLeod, 1996, p. 17).In this paper, we would analyse music as a magnum opus in the context of historical, cultural and educational significance. How its evolution as an art, closely connected with various trends of our Western civilization Music in different stages has not only permitted but has enforced the application of the so-called 'historical method' which aims at describing the single work of art as a product of the creative mind of a composer or the creative tendencies of a school of composers who remain anonymous.History has reshaped internationally the outlook of music in this era and to many musicians it has harmonised the study and performance of music, therefore distinctive styles are disappearing. The past has also given us a unique concept of national identity that concerns not only the ways in which composers wrote their music, influenced by considerations such as tradition, function, social context and even language, but also its performance. Music has not limited itself to extending aspects of instrument construction and sound ideal. While considering an example of seventeenth century music in Italy, it is obvious that representation and excitation of the emotions fostered were quite contrary to earlier practice, involving emotional expression on the model of speech. Although the Italian language's free expression resulted in the music taking second place to the drama in opera, the unimaginative Italian style of presentation encouraged a trend towards virtuosity in instrumental music. With the passage of time, as Italian music adopted more formal manner of expression, its manner of presentation remained capricious and rich in fantasy (Lawson & Stowell, 1999, p. 43). This way one can see Italian music maintained its national identity, while modernising the social values of music. Music rhetoric Relationships that exist between different musical works enjoy composition among those parts. For example a theme is composed of tones and phrases; a work entails certain themes and is a discourse, of phrases (Frances & Dowling, 1988, p. 134). Since themes and work present as an approximate character of such relationships that has often been noted and attributed to a variety of reasons. First the reason that thought is external to language and that verbal thought can only designate objects and their relations while musical thought embodies its objects in tones on which it strictly depends. Second is the reason that verbal relationships, the ordering of propositions and the succession of phrases are of a logical order, whereas musical 'discourse' is of a perceptual order. What our contemporary society perceives music is the encompassing of activities implied in the comprehension of musical rhetoric to be connected with those of sensory intelligence. It is music that has enabled twentieth century psychology to contribute to the expansion of the domain of thought in the direction of perceptual organisation. For instance, thinking of 'events' and relate them to the source of elaborate activities is what music is perceived in this society however in those activities one can found biological factors of motivation, psychological activities, pathological aspects etc. Music, art and society Society has always attached great symbolic meanings and sentiments to music.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Quality Management In Hospitality Organisation Mcdonalds Management Essay

Quality Management In Hospitality Organisation Mcdonalds Management Essay The aim of writing this report is to critically evaluate what is McDonalds approach to quality management from Customer, Franchise and Employees perspectives. Furthermore to explain how they manage service recovery, measure delivery and standards through CSO index and Crew development programme . Also to identify 3 gaps in service quality with recommendations on how they bridge it. The other aim of writing this report is to apply the Jurans theory of service quality to McDonalds. TASK1. Definition of Quality: Feigenbaum has defined Quality as: The total composite product and service characteristics of marketing, engineering, manufacture and maintenance through which the product and service in use will meet the expectation by the customer. (Oakland .J.S, 2005) According to Philip B Crosby: Quality is defined as conformance to requirements, not as goodness or elegance. (Oakland, J. S.) Three stake holders of McDonalds Franchise Employees Customer Franchise Franchise system is the back bone of McDonalds success. In other words many reasons that McDonalds has been able to expand so quickly and achieve its reputation brand recognition has been its effective franchising business model allow the company to expand quickly both domestically and internationally. Franchise systems having uniform operation has made the McDonalds restaurant one most standardized in the world. Not only do all McDonalds sick to offer the same products offering, they intend to offer same food experience for all of its customers. No matter what part of the world you are in. McDonalds franchise network is the worlds heading fast food chain with more than 30,000 restaurants serving 52 million people in 119 countries with 1020 restaurants in the U.K of those stores, More than 70% percent of restaurants are franchise. Franchise have live up the companies expectation and brand standards by providing good quality service, quality food, clean restaurants and happy customers are all very important to McDonalds. How franchise has to live up with brand standard in the following qualityareas: Hygiene Food safety policy Health and safety Policy. Hygiene-: McDonalds been king in fast industry it has take special care of food and hygiene. Management has to be very strict on hygiene because it has to serve millions of customers. McDonalds have highest obligation to our customers to ensure that they are not expose to any risk of infection or illness. It is must to very employees to wash their hands before you commence work, on return from a meal break, after using the toilet, after carrying out cleaning work, after touching face or hair, trash walk, taking delivery or other activities where they may become dirty ( remember you cannot always see dirt).As well as this, hand should be wash should be washed every hour or every half if working in the grill area. glove are available in restaurant for use whilst performing cleaning tasks. Sickness reporting policy:- All food handlers have a responsibility to our employees and customer not to work if they are suffering from food poisoning, or suffering from the symptom of food poising i.e. vomiting or diarrhoea. If you are suffering from these symptom employees will not be allow to work again until no symptom for 48hr period. Failure to report such conditional is an offence under the food safety regulations and may lead to prosecution as well as being classes as an example of gross misconduct. Hygiene and safety department is available in restaurant. Food safety policy:- McDonalds operating procedures are specifically to ensure high quality safe food. These procedures must be adhered to at all time, in particular: Food must not used if it is past its use by or best before date. Food must not be serving if the holding time has expired. The correct equipment and utensil must always be used for each task. Food equipment, utensils and preparation area must be kept clean using Clean As You go (CAYG) procedures. and finally, if something is not right e.g freezer is too warm or piece of equipment is faulty , it should be report the manger immediately. Food should be always look carefully while preparing to serve, if it is not right it should not be serve and should be reported to managers. Health Safety Policy The Franchisee is committed to minimising the risk of damage, ill-health and injury to employees, customer and visitor. This will be achieve by examining our operation and ensuring all necessary system are in place, and resource available , to provide a safe and health work system are in place, we must all work together to identify risky and take action to eliminate them .As with other aspect of our business we shall be seeking to continually improve our performance. This will involve measuring against standard and reviewing progress on regular basis. Customer expectations and perceptions McDonalds Im loving it. McDonalds Promises- Whenever you think of fast food, First thing in mind comes is McDonalds. People expect high standards from McDonalds. Every single product use to make a burger to full meal comes best quality standard. Whenever person order a meal in McDonalds he expect good and quick service with hot food. Food will be hygienic nicely dress and safe to eat. From burger, fries, salad, cold drinks to hot drink every product will be fresh. Employee taking order will always greet u and will be always friendly. Customers enjoy every bit meals in our restaurant. I m loving it will be on very customer mind when ever their think about McDonalds. Importantly, employees need to know exactly what customers, both internal and external, expect of them. Communication should be as detailed and specific as possible, since employees in each work group want feedback they can act upon to improve performance in each job. General feedback from customers (e.g. they want no faults or no errors) is less useful. McDonalds has recognised that complaints, enquiries or positive feedback from customers are important pieces of information. When used properly complaints can help us fine-tune our business and meet our customers requirement. It is these insights that help the Company to keep moving forward. Employees Barriers to quality for employees:- High labour turnover. Work pressure. Training and development. Labour turn over in McDonalds McDonalds is considered as very high labour turn over company. Main reason behind it is that it has about 70% of staff as part timers employees. Staffs are schedule according to busy time especially on Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Employer takes full advantage of students who are working part time. Student does have any other chose rather work part time according to schedule. Most of students are not satisfied with job so their move on to another job if there gets one. Visa and end of student course is also big issue behind high labour turn over, because when ever international students finish with his course has to move on to their country. Work pressure:- Working in McDonalds is high pressure job especially peak time during breakfast and lunch time. It is busiest place to work in fast food industry. we receive all age customers, not only in restaurant but drive thur as well. Employees have focus on delivering great level of QSCV is the best way to achieve 100% customer satisfaction:- Quality, Service, Cleanness, Value. High labour turns over leads to work pressure because employers have deal with lots of new staff and on job training. This leads confusion between front and kitchen staff. Front staff doesnt receive food at right time from the kitchen which can leads to bad service. Management has to deal with less staff on floor which increases work pressure per staff. Staff also have work long shifts to fill up gap between staff. Training and development Once Crew Members have been recruited, they have to attend a welcome meeting at their chosen restaurant or recruitment centre. This meeting will last an hour and is designed to engage and inform new starters. It involves viewing a DVD which gives important information about the company, and also allows for manager/new starter interaction. The second part of the orientation is a compulsory online Health Safety and Food Safety test that the new starter completes in their own time. The first shift begins with a tour of the store highlighting key Health Safety and Food Safety procedures. It is recommended that this should last for the first two hours of the shift. Staffs recruited have to exam of station where there be working at for example Front, kitchen or back room person. There is also on job training to guide the new staff with floor manager. TASK 1 (II): Customer Satisfaction Opportunity Index (CSO) in McDonalds. What is customer satisfaction opportunity index (CSO) ? Whenever customers choose McDonalds they expect hot fresh food served accurately and quickly in clean restaurant by crew/ managers that are friendly and attentive to their needs. Our customers are telling us in loud and clear words that when they visit McDonalds they expect us to deliver on all of the element of Quality, Service and Cleanliness (QSC). Through analysis from both internal and external data it has been identified that there are five critical QSC drivers of customer satisfaction. There are things customers want to see us deliver on every visit. Quality- hot, fresh and safe to eat products Fast/quick- total experience time under 5minutes Accurate- receive everything ordered including condiments Friendly- friendly and attentive service with effective communication Clean- dining area well maintained, clean toilets and employees. To evaluate how McDonalds restaurant are meeting these critical drivers company had created the CSO index. The CSO is the percentage of visits that miss one or more of the critical drivers of customers satisfaction. This act as a barometer on how well restaurant is meeting the customers expectations when they visit restaurant. Understanding this gives balance into how rate our own performance on measures that are important to us as a company and how are rated directly from the customer. CSO is calculated based on the number of mystery shop visits that miss a critical driver question. If one or more critical drivers are missed , the mystery shop visit is only counted once. for example If 100 mystery shop visited are conducted and 40 of them have one or more crictical drivers missed the CSO will be 40%. The goal is to decrease the number the number of visit that are missing a critical driver. Lower CSO % better performance. Ref-: www.mcdoanld.ac.uk Mystery shopper Mystery guest visits mcdoanlds restaurant twice a month to check CSO point. Mystery guest results is not only is good for franchisee to gain advantage over other restaurant to achieve or to expand company by adding other restaurant. Good result can also result in into bonuses for managers. Key points Mystery guest looks into when visits the restaurant. Greeting/farewell He checks if employees or mangers he talk to were polite and friendly or not? Attentiveness he checks if employees/ mangers came in contact were attentive to customer or not. Effective communication- he checks communication with crew member was clear and easily understood. Service timing- food should be serving in within 5min of the order. Accurate food and drink- Correct order should be taken. Food and drink should be serve with correct sauces. Correct condiments- Have employees provide the customers the proper napkins and straws/ stirrers? Hot fresh sandwiches- Was mel serve hot and fresh and did it taste good. hot and salted fries- were the French fries serve hot ,salted and crisp or your potato product hot and crisp and did they taste good? Clean restaurant interior- was the inside of the restaurant clean? Crew Development Programme Initial Training- When crew is recruited he trained on following standards to achieve the first star. Crew has to clear the written test to order to achieve the first star. Cleanliness foundation. hygiene Food safety Health safety Cleanliness security hospitality 2nd stage . Quality training In quality training crew is trained on following food standards, which can be on job training as well training in class during the quality class. Crew have to clear this stage to clear to achieve 2nd star. Buns dressings grilled product fried product prepping products toasted Deli sandwiches stage 3rd Service classes Employees have to attend service class ones a month to improve standard of service quality regarding beverage serving, food serving and hospitality in order achieve the 3rd star. On passing the test crew is award with star which is display the badge, which show performance the crew. TASK1(III): Service quality gap Gap 1. When promises do not match actual delivery Day starts very early in McDonalds Denham. Been drive thur restaurant we start serving breakfast at 7 a.m, We receive lots of car in drive thur early morning as everyone is rushing to offices or work. Customer expect quick service with hot and hygiene food because McDonalds is famous for its good service. Problem starts when morning shift staff dont turn up on time. Management have to manage with less staff. Ones order is taken in front kitchen staff have to deliver food within 3min which is according to McDonalds service standard. If front staff are not able to serve order with in 3min, customer are advise to seated and have to the car the park if in drive thur and have wait for there food, It can happen at times that order can be missed out and customer will be waiting for more time which can lead to bad service. Change over problems-: Denham McDonald serves breakfast from 7am to 10:30 am but change over from breakfast to main menu start at 10:15 just 15min before main menu. Staff have 15min to organise the restaurant for main menu. kitchen staff have to work really quick to arrange the grills, 3 of out 4 grills are close for cleaning process. During the busy time restaurant have management from one grill. So some time it is not possible to provide food which is required. Customers have to suffer due to change over. Customer expects best service from McDonalds but some time it doesnt happen. McDonald cannot compromise with food safe and hygiene standard. Gap 2. The difference between customer perception and expectation McDonalds is well know not only for excellent service in restaurant but also for drive thur. Customer travelling in car dont have to get down park the car have their meal. McDonald have made it possible by drive thur. Now without taken long break one can have meal in car within 3min of order. And McDonalds have live up to customer expectation by quick service. People do take away food for home. McDonalds do serve fresh and hot food every time but by the time that food reach its destination it become cold. McDonald should provide containers in which food can be stay warm. We do receive complains of food not been warm after some time, we cannot spoil mood of customers so we have to provide fresh food when complained. Gap 3. Communication gap One can expect friendly and quick service from McDonalds. Its is important that employees have good communication within to provide quality service and requirement of customers. Customer are attracted to different kind McDonalds menu. To be different from its competitor McDonald try different food and make changes every 1.5 month for the promotions, but customers have their choices what there want we have made it within service time. For example:- Customer orders Big Mc without sauce or cheese we have to make the special order to make our customer happy. McDonalds understands problems of customer as some customer may problem with some of the ingredients so we have make specially them to make them happy. Communication between front staff and kitchen is necessary to full fill the requirement. Before it was difficult provide especial order at right time in drive thur we had to park the car for especial order. Providing order within service is only if there is good communication between drive thur staff and kitchen in busy times. McDonalds have come up with latest technology by providing micro fone or heads sit. Now kitchen staff have especial device in there ear so there can hear every orders and be ready before time. McDonalds is bridging gap between communications. Task 2. Quality Gurus Joseph M. Juran Joseph M. Juran made many contributions to the field of quality management in his 70+ active working years. His book, the  Quality Control Handbook, is a classic reference for quality engineers. He revolutionized the Japanese philosophy on quality management and in no small way worked to help shape their economy into the industrial leader it is today. Dr. Juran was the first to incorporate the human aspect of quality management which is referred to as Total Quality Management. The process of developing ideas was a gradual one for Dr. Juran. Top management involvement, the Pareto principle, the need for widespread training in quality, the definition of quality as fitness for use, the project-by-project approach to quality improvementthese are the ideas for which Juran is best known, and all emerged gradually. Ref:- http://www.skymark.com/resources/leaders/juran.asp Similar Dr W Edwards Deming, Joseph Juran is an international applauded quality guru, strongly influencing Japanese manufacturing practises. His belief that Quality does not happen by accident gave rise to the quality trilogy: Quality planning Quality Control Quality Improvement And the Key steps in implementing company-wide strategic goals are: Identify customers and their needs both internal and external and work to meet those needs Create measures of quality, establish optimal quality goals and organise to meet them Create processes capable of meeting quality goals in real operating conditions. In the 1980s Joseph Juran acknowledged that the common approach to total quality management quality awareness campaigns and slogans was not efficient as they did not have substance, and there is no short cut to quality. He believes quality must at the top, grating senior managers who believe training is for junior workers. Ref-: http://www.mftrou.com/joseph-juran.html Quality in McDonalds Our customers are our business. Without them we would have no reason to open our door. Therefore our goal every minute of every hour is to make our customers feel happy who visited McDonalds. We do this by focusing on: QUALITY- McDonalds is famous for quality and keep standard high by using the finest ingredients with the help of the biggest asset of the company the employees in preparing and serving the tastiest food by following the procedures which they are taught. SERVICE Service is best you think like a customer. A caring and respectful attitude and a sincere smile do as much to bring the customers back as the best food in the food. CLEANLINESS Our customers expect and deserve a spotless restaurant. But its not only to make a good impression. A clean restaurant is a safe restaurant. Its very employees job to keep the restaurant clean and hygienic. VALUE- What is a value? Its the total experience our customer have it our restaurants, from the food service, to the dinning area environment, to the price they pay. Its what weve always been know. Delivering great level of QSCV is the best way to achieve 100% customer satisfaction. ref- (McDonalds Franchisees Employee Handbook) McDonalds Identify customers and their needs. McDonalds big amount of regular customers in the market. To build long term business it is important to retain people once they have become customers. McDonalds receives different types of customers. Parents with kids Visit McDonalds to give the children a treat. Children Want to visit McDonalds as it a fun place eats. Business customers Visit McDonalds during the day as service is quick, the food tastes great and can be eaten in the without affecting a busy work schedule. Teenagers Are attracted by the saver menu which is affordable and the internet access available in restaurant. (www.mcdonals.co.uk) CONCLUSION Overall, I would say that a company needs a quality model in order eliminate the defects totally from the organisation. And to find out if the company has any defect either in staff performance, staff productivity, revenue of the organisation, the management needs to carry out different business performance check so that the areas where the improvements are needed can be work it out. In order to improve those areas the organisation has to build up some new plans and policies so that the target can be achieved.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Music And Stress Essay -- essays research papers

Music and Stress   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the first week of my self change project I monitored my stress levels and the way music effected the mental and physical aspects of stress. From monitoring this properly, I found that listening to music pleasing to me at the specifically different times I experienced stress did help reduce my internal feelings and physical changes. In carefully studying the various types of stress experienced I concluded that certain types of music more effectively reduced my stress and anxiety levels. The following paragraphs explain further the types of stress felt and the music that assisted in subsiding the symptoms of stress. Stress can be felt in several different forms, included here are the following ways I experienced stress. This step was found to be particularly important in past studies to learn specific Å’stress styles' and most importantly, what music reduced what symptoms of stress. There are six separate forms of stress that can be experienced. These are symptomatic in physical, behavioral, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, and relational aspects.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Physical symptoms I personally experienced were: headaches (specifically tension headaches), nausea, dizziness, sleep difficulties, tight neck and shoulders, racing heart, trembling hands, and restlessness. Behavioral symptoms I felt were: a definite excess in smoking, bossiness towards others, compulsive gum chewing, I became critical of others, grinding of my teeth so hard that I am forced to wear a mouthpiece at night, and an inability to finish what I start. Some of the emotional symptoms included: crying, anxiety,nervousness, boredom, edginess, overwhelming sense of pressure, overwhelming anger, being unhappy for no reason, and very testy. Cognitive symptoms that I felt were: trouble thinking clearly, forgetfulness, writers block, long-term memory loss, inability to make decisions, and constant excessive worry. Spiritual aspects of stress that I felt: doubt, unforgiving, apathy, and a strong feeling for the need to prove myself. Examples of relational symptoms included: isolation, intolerance, resentment, clamming up, nagging/whining, distrust,and less contact with friends.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The importance of identifying interpersonal feelings helps with deciding what music would be most effective in reducing stres... ...nderstand that if she/he decided to change, she/he could. Future use of behavior change will most definitely come in handy. I already have a list of things I would like to change on my own time and knowing how and what to do will be more than enough motivation to get me going.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My major goals in this specific self-change project would be the reduction of anxiety and stress through music therapy. Hopefully this will follow me into the rest of my life, including stress in family life and in my chosen career. Secondary goals that I have acquired through study on the topic are actually using music therapy in my future career. To be specific, I would like to turn and use music along with psychodynamic therapy to help heal pediatric oncology patients. At this time in my college career, I feel that I am fulfilling my goals, but certainly not to their best. Hopefully, through this and other self-change projects, I can prepare myself for today and the future. Self-change is, I found, something that can only continue in your life if you use it . If you do follow through, eventually, the change will become a part of you and not a simple Å’behavior you don't like'.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Accounts receivable management

The brand opened up a new facet of beauty care services that was associated more with market and state-of-the-art hospitals, where customers opted for these services under the supervision of doctors who had specialized in cosmetic surgeries/interventions. Would the differentiation between the first-time users of a beauty parlor and the loyal customers of a parlor offer insights that Kayak would find useful? Issues related to services management as well as customer value and customer loyalty were relevant to Kayak's competitive strategies.Although the customers of a beauty parlor could be demographically efferent from Kayak's customers, the commonality of the benefits related to the beauty services offered were the same. The challenge for Kayak was to use the insights from the customers in a related category of beauty parlor services in developing its category that did not face direct competition. etc Traditionally, beauty care products in India had been limited to herbs and homemade products. Only soaps, hair oil, shampoos, and talcum powder from the organized industry had been able to penetrate the Indian market.However, with a teddy increase in the awareness of hygiene and personal grooming across urban and rural India, several beauty and personal care categories gained momentum. In India, marketing activities generally involved popular celebrities, and traditionally highlighted aspects such as elimination of body odor and dandruff, improved oral health, and the prevention of infection. This further boosted the demand for beauty and personal care products. No The Indian beauty care industry grew rapidly in a few years with the penetration of premium beauty care products and services.The rising disposable income and the hanging lifestyles of Indians led to a boom in the beauty and personal care industries. The India skin care industry, for instance, was forecast to grow at 9% compounded annual growth rate (CARR) during 2009-2014. 1 Major fast-moving consumer g oods brands such as Hindustan Milliner Limited (HULL) and Procter and Gamble (P&G) aggressively expanded their product portfolios, distribution networks, and marketing activities in this segment. With the proliferation of beauty and personal care categories and brands, customer awareness of the different types of products and brands increased.The consumption of beauty products and services mimed to have experienced significant growth. 2 The emergence of brands such as Marco's Kayak Skin Clinic, Lake Beauty Salon, BLOC, Shania Hussein Herbals, Covariance's Limited, Green Trends, Keen, and Jawed Habit Hair & Beauty POOH) could be attributed to this trend. The boom was evident: HULL was opening up a new Lake salon almost every week, and GHB had grown from 37 parlors in Staying ahead of the game: How companies are adapting to the changing face of beauty, Euro monitor, November 2010, http://www. Remuneration. Mom/staying-ahead- of-the-game-how-companies-are-adapting-to-the-changing-face- of-beauty/report, accessed October 3, 2011. 2 Beauty business set to boom, http://economists. Initiatives. Com/news/news-by- industry/cons-products/fashion-/-cosmetics-/]leery/beauty-business-set-to-boom/ artilleries/8921457. SMS, accessed on July 1 2, 2011. S. Rammers Kumar, Anode Deja and Seed Hussein prepared this case for class discussion. This case is not intended to serve as an endorsement, source of primary data, or to show effective or inefficient handling of decision or business processes.Copyright 2012 by the Indian Institute of Management Bangor. No part of the publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise (including internet) – without the permission of Indian Institute of Management Bangor. This document is authorized for use only by SANDY SANDWICH at MDI Management Development until November 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protect ed] Harvard. Deed or 617. 783. 7860. Exploring Category Benefits for Brand Building: Kayak and the Beauty Care Market Page 2 of 9 2006 to 225 by the end of 2010.The boom in the Indian beauty market was also able to attract large multinationals, such as Jean-Claude Beguine with annual revenues of ever 150 million Euros, to set up parlors in India. 3 The predominantly unrecognized, locally run beauty parlor market was being replaced by branded chains such as Lake, which was changing the face of this industry in the country. These branded beauty parlors were the leaders in a new era of trained parlor personnel. They offered services based on global insights and professional products that incorporated the latest international technologies.KAYAK SKIN CLINIC The approximately INNER 7,000-core (1 core = 10 million) organized and unrecognized hair and beauty industry was growing at a CARR of 35%. The industry was estimated to reach a potential business of INNER 30,000 core by 2015. Personal hygiene products (soaps and shower products), hair care and skin care products, color cosmetics, and fragrances were the key segments in the Indian beauty care industry (Exhibit 1). The skin care segment was relatively smaller than the personal care segment. The anti- aging cream segment alone, which was only 2% of the skin care market, had been growing at a rate of 90%.The increasing number of educated and working women in the corporate world was a major driver for this rapid growth. What made this industry even more fascinating was that even with the high growth rate, the Indian market was largely untapped, compared to other developing markets. In comparison, a developing country such as China spent ten times more on skin care, six times more on cosmetics, and twice more on hair care on a per capita basis (Exhibit 1). It is also worth noting that India had the highest percentage of women in the age group of 25-44 years, which was the key segment for the beauty industry. These fig ures and facts indicate the huge unrealized potential of the Indian market. Given the vast attention of beauty care services in the country, customer perception about the value related to the delivery of services, customer loyalty, and brand perception were important from the perspective of any branded or unbranded offering in this category. In December 2002, after conducting extensive research, Marino identified an emerging need in the market that translated to an aspiration to look and feel good.On furthering this understanding with the customers, a more focused need that was still untapped was identified: that of having flawless skin that looked good naturally. Thus, the first Kayak Skin Clinic was launched with the single-minded objective of delivering flawless skin solutions customized to Indian skin using the latest technology. In 2011, Kayak had opened 81 clinics spread across 26 cities in India, 18 highly successful clinics in the Middle East, and 2 clinics at Dacha in Bangl adesh. In May 2010, Kayak acquired the aesthetics business of the Singapore-based Dermal Ark Asia Pacific Pete.Ltd. (Dermal Ark). The company expanded its portfolio with the launch of more services such as lip enhancement as well as fairness and hair removal services. Kayak Skin Clinic had a number of services and solutions such as skin beauty, skin concerns, laser hair reduction, and anti-aging. Their product range included over 40 skin, hair, and body products for women and men. Kayak offered 360 degree skin care solutions that included advice on proper diet and exercise regimens. All the services offered at Kayak Skin Clinic were designed and supervised by a team of over 250 dermatologists.The services were carried out by certified skin practitioners who had undergone more than 300 hours of training. The services were US FDA-approved and tested in-house, and conformed to the highest international quality standards. All the services were competitively priced, starting from INNER 1 ,250. Kayak had over 600,000 satisfied customers. Kayak conducted frequent in-house training programs for its skin practitioners and dermatologists. Once in six months, Kayak held training-UCM-refresher courses for its staff to keep them up-to-date with the latest skin care techniques that were available internationally.Its team of dermatologists also participated in the in-house Continuing Medical Education (CAME) program, where international doctors met to discuss various trends in the field of skin care. Beauty bet: JOB plans to set up shop in India, http://economists. Initiatives. Com/ beauty-bet-]CB-plans-to-set-up-shop-India/artilleries/1773980. SMS, accessed on July 122011. 4 Outlook personal care industry: An Indian perspective, Data Strategic Management Group, http://www. Test. Com/download/article/Personal_Care_Chemicals. UDF, accessed on September 12, 2011. Page 3 of 9 PHILOSOPHY OF KAYAK 5 Kayak was divided into six service verticals, namely, Skin beauty, Skin concerns, Hair- free, Anti-aging, Bridal, and Kayak Men. Unlike other retailers, Kayak had not adopted the franchisee model. The company owned each of its clinics, because Kayak Skin Clinic believed in providing consistent services across the country. The philosophy at Kayak was governed by the single value of placing the customer first at all times. The word â€Å"Kayak† in Sanskrit meant â€Å"body. Kayak was all about personal confidence through expert skin care that seamlessly blended looking good with feeling good about one's inner and outer selves at all times. The emphasis, therefore, was on highly customized and personalized services that were best suited for the Indian skin. The services were provided in a state-of-the-art clinic with a Zen-like ambiance. The core values of Kayak Skin Clinic were: Customer First: Spirit of Partnership: Keeping the customer in focus and partnering to deliver skin care solutions.Doing what was in the best interests of the customer; business in terests would follow. Openness: Allowing diversity of opinion by listening to members without bias. Sharing information both good and bad, and having a sense of trust and respect for each other. Ownership: Having a â€Å"my Kayak† mind-set. What would I do if I were the owner of the business? Displaying seamless behavior across the organization when necessary, rather than drawing boundaries of unction's/grades in the interest of the organization. Exhibit 3 presents some of Kayak's print advertisements.They give an idea of how Kayak tried to differentiate itself from regular beauty parlors by consistently emphasizing its technology, the expertise of its dermatologists and skin experts, and so on. Kayak Skin Clinic could be called a chain of cosmetic dermatology clinics. It was a pioneer and thought leader in the skin care services space in the country. It offered its clients tailor-made, result-oriented, safe, non-surgical skin solutions, with the latest and most suitable tech nology available in the world. These services were impolitely administered by dermatologists.Any beauty or skin care brand/service could be considered as competition for Kayak. One of their biggest competitors would be individual doctors and dermatologists who offered one or two specialized services. It was in this context that Kayak needed to use the commonality of the category benefits to develop its brand, especially among loyal customers. KAYAK'S APPROACH TO OBTAIN INSIGHTS ABOUT THE CATEGORY BENEFITS In an emerging market such as India, personal and beauty care has attracted the attention of consumers in several ways. There have been several products and services in this sphere.One recent addition to this category is the services of Kayak that is medically anchored. It is interesting to find that in several markets and product/service categories, consumers prefer a range of offerings or delivery mechanisms to obtain the benefits of the category. For example, for urban transport , there are two-wheelers and four-wheelers; for hair care, there are hair oils and creams; for knowing the time, there are both watches and mobile phones; and for skin care there are creams, lotions, soaps and gels, and cosmetic surgeries.Beauty care has evolved in India from making use of homemade products to obtaining the revives of well-known brands. Although socioeconomic status and chirography's of consumer groups may influence the type of offering/delivery mechanism, the case is written from the viewpoint of the marketer who would like to learn about consumer loyalty through a substitute in the category. Kayak's services and beauty parlor services are meant for different types of consumer segments.Kayak, being at a stage in the market where it does not face much of direct competition owing to the emerging nature of the category, the brand would like to know if there can be lessons earn from a service that is related to its services. For example, the hospitality aspects, ambian ce, response of the service providers to the needs of the consumer (in this instance, consumers in the beauty care segment) and what differentiates a loyal consumer from a new consumer are dimensions that are common to both Kayak's services and beauty parlors: they may vary in their styles and approaches. Kayak Culture, Kayak Philosophy, www. Clinician. Com, accessed on September 13, 2011. Note: Additional information about Kayak Skin Clinic was provided by Grammar Sahara and. Audit Chad of Kayak Skin Clinic. Page 4 of 9 What should a â€Å"self-concept†-centered service category in a market do to obtain inputs in a category that has evolved little? The case's survey was triggered by such a question and beauty parlor services were selected for the purpose. This point can be illustrated as follows.Benefits of beauty care Self-concept of the customer Self-concept of the consumer Beauty-based services Dimensions of customer loyalty Beauty parlors Kayak's services (new offerings forming a subcategory) Differentiation between new and loyal consumers Dimensions of loyalty Insights Differentiation between new for Kayak ND loyal customers METHODOLOGY OF STUDY The objective of the study was to compare the value perception of first-time customers and loyal customers of beauty parlors in order to obtain category insights that Kayak could use.We were interested in finding out how an emerging category (technology-based beauty care in the consumer market and not in the conventional medical market) in an emerging market without direct competition can obtain insights from a related category (beauty parlors) that offers the same core benefit of beauty care. This context (emerging category, related category with the same core infinite as the emerging category and the emerging market in the Indian context) was a unique one and the case focused on a learning that would be useful to Kayak in terms of understanding the behavior of â€Å"first-time† consumers and loyal consumers.The value perception needs to be built around the customers' experiences of the service at the service provider's premises. The questionnaire had a scale related to several components of the service experience as shown in the three sections of Exhibit 2. Responses were collected from the residents of three Indian cities, namely, Bangor, Hydrated, and Delhi. The data collection was done in June and July 2011. Data from 50 first-time customers and 50 loyal customers of beauty services were collected.