Quality Assurance Systems in the Hotel Industry

Quality Assurance Systems in the Hotel Industry Quality assurance systems in the upscale hotel sector 1.  Introduction Quality assurance systems are an important element of any business strategy. As Porter (1985 and 2004) suggests, quality is now seen as a major force for gaining competitive advantage, particularly with the consumer. There is no commercial activity where this is more important than in the hotel sector. As Yavas et al (1995) state, â€Å"the question is no longer whether to have quality assurance programmes, but rather how to make these programmes work,† within this sector of hospitality. It can be argued that in terms of quality assurance systems delivery the hotel sector is in a distinctive position, particularly when it is related to service satisfaction (Parasuraman 1997, Schiffman and Kanuk 2000). Unlike most other industries, where customer contact and engagement during a visit might be fleeting, as happens in retail shop environment, a hotel’s interaction with customers can last from a few hours to several days. Furthermore, as Kandampully et al (2001, p.28) the quality of the hotel product also has to take into account the â€Å"customer-to-customer interactions.† Following a brief literature review, the intention of this essay is to examine quality assurance systems and evaluate the effect that these systems have upon service quality and customer satisfaction within the upscale Hotel market. 2.  Literature Review Quality assurance and management within the hotel environment is focused upon satisfying the customer. Therefore, this review concentrates on the existing literature relating to customer satisfaction and the various methods and frameworks of service quality related to this focus. 2.1  Customer satisfaction Academic literature relating to customer satisfaction falls within two main categories, these being the psychological perceptions of the customer and the practical ways in which customer satisfaction can be implemented to help a business achieve its objectives. In the hotel sector, this objective is â€Å"to try and engender a high level of customer satisfaction in order to positively influence our customers repurchasing and communicative behaviour† (Hennig-Thurau and Hassen (2000, p.62). However, to achieve this aim the business has to understand what drives customer satisfaction. Christopher (1984), Holbrook (1999), Schiffmand and Kanuk 2000 and Brennen (2003) all agree that satisfaction is related to the consumer’s perception or judgement of a product experience and value when set against their expectations and the payment made. Zeithaml’s (1998, p.14) describes it as follows, being that â€Å"Perceived value is the consumer’s overall assessment of the utility of a product based on perceptions of what is received and what is given †¦ value represents a trade-off of the salient give and get components,† in other words the cost paid is measured against the value expected . Therefore, it can be suggested that the greater the service quality the higher the satisfaction (Kandampully et al. 2001, p.8) and, conversely, the higher the price the greater the perception of value. Bostepe (2007) further identifies that, within a service environment such as a hotel, consumer satisfaction does not simply rely upon the quality of service satisfaction received from business employees, although this is an essential element. The physical environment, for example the dà ©cor, bedrooms and other facilities offered, are also elements of the consumer’s perceived value and service satisfaction. If any of these are deemed as sub-standard, particularly when related to the price paid, this will reduce the customer’s enjoyment and levels of satisfaction. It follows therefore that only by concentration upon providing quality within all of these areas of the product will the business be able to assure satisfaction and encourage customer loyalty (Holbrook 1999, p.121), which Porter (1998), Parasuraman (1997) Agrawal (2000) and Harrison (2003) all agree is essential to competitive advantage. 2.2  Methods used to measure customer satisfaction and service quality There are numerous â€Å"quality assurance† measurement systems and standards available for use within the business environment. Customer feedback is one such measurement. Client feedback can be achieved by two methods. The first way is to provide questionnaires that hotel guests are asked to complete before the end of their stay. The second is to rely upon externally conducted questionnaires, interviews and polls, which can be conducted on a continuous basis. However, whilst comments and responses provided by customers may act as a good testimonial for the business (Porter 1998, p.1478), these systems have their drawbacks. In addition to the fact that not all customers might respond, the design of the process itself is often flawed (Kandampully et al 2001) and can therefore be misinterpreted. For example, a simple complaints procedure would not necessarily identify areas of quality success. Secondly, these feedback processes tend to lack definition. Their use may therefore be inhibited by the fact that they do not provide management with sufficient detail to be able to locate and resolve the specific areas of the business where deficiency of service quality is occurring. Furthermore, a system of continuous surveys adds to the business administration costs and, in addition, raises the inherent issue of sampling (Visit Britain 2008 b). Evidence of these limitations can be seen in a recent survey conducted by Visit Britain (2008 a) (see figu re 1). Whilst it is clearly apparent from these results that customer satisfaction in related to encouraging loyalty and retention, as well as being inherently useful in turning existing customers into promotional tools for the hotel, this does not provide management with a detailed analysis of the areas where satisfaction has been achieved or denote what areas were not satisfying. To provide detailed quality service observations therefore, a more robust quality assurance system is required and most of these are based upon variations of the â€Å"Total Quality Management† (TQM) system (Dotchin and Oakland 1994 and Ziethaml et al 2000). These methods are designed to assess and monitor the level of quality being maintained throughout all areas of the business process and its supply chain, from an internal as well as external viewpoint. One such variation, particularly applicable to the hotel industry, is the SERVQUAL method, which originated from the works of Parasuraman et al (1991). 3  SERVQUAL Measurement Kandampully et al (2001, p.68) observe that many academics and practical studies have used SERVQUAL as a â€Å"true measure of customer service† and that it has been â€Å"extensively applied† (Shahin 2005, p.4) in service based organisations. Amongst these service industries will be included the hospitality and hotel sector of the tourism industry. Despite the fact that recent researches have sought to extend the elements of quality measurement with the SERVQUAL model, fundamentally it is still based upon the level of quality assurance to be measured and gained within five key sectors of the business processes, which are: Tangibles Physical facilities, equipment and appearance of personnel. Reliability Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. Responsiveness Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. Assurance (including competence, courtesy, credibility and security). Knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to inspire trust and confidence. Empathy (including access, communication, understanding the customer). Caring and individualized attention that the firm provides to its customers. Source: Sahney et al 2004 The SERVQUAL measurement can be used internally, through measurement against preset quality assurance standards such as the ISO 9001 Quality certification process (BSI 2008) and the â€Å"Star Rating system† operated by Visit Britain (2008) in conjunction with the Automobile Association. In this case the hotel services and processes are measured against pre-determined sets of quality criterion and monitored at least annually by those who regulate these standards. The internal quality assurance programme is also complemented by external consumer questionnaires and interview surveys. The SERVQUAL quality assurance method has been in existence for some years and is â€Å"tried and tested† (Shahin 2005, p.5), making it a firm favourite within the hotel service industry, where managers are comfortable and confident with the outcomes of these measurements. An element of SERVQUAL that is considered particularly important in this respect is the fact that the system and its measurements are monitored and updated on a regular basis (Holbrook (1999), Sahney et al (2004) and Boztepe (2007)), for example annually (Shahin 2005, p.6). Both ISO 9001 and the â€Å"Star Rating† systems conform to these determinants. 4  Quality assurance in Upscale Hotels As will be seen from the following analysis, the â€Å"quality assurance† systems applied to the hotel in terms of both the internal industry â€Å"Star Rating† and external SERVQUAL systems are virtually synonymous in terms of the standards and factors they rely upon for measurement. To maintain their perception as upscale or â€Å"5 star† hotels, in each of these cases the hotel will have to achieve much higher levels of standards. 4.1  Star Rating system Although the Star Rating system is formatted in a slightly different way to SERVQUAL, the quality elements of this process are still graded in a similar manner. The main difference is the fact that there are minimum quality requirements before the hotel will even be considered for a rating. However, even these equate to the tangible element of the SERVQUAL system (figure 2). Once the minimum entry requirements have been met, to assess which star level is applicable to the establishment independent inspectors will monitor five quality bands and award a quality percentage to each. These percentages determine what rating the establishment has achieved (figure 3). Figure 3 Quality bands for star rating Source: Visit Britain (2005, p.6) Furthermore, this standard of quality has to be achieved across a range of five product elements, which include cleanliness, service, food quality, bedrooms and bathrooms. Simply complying in one of the areas is not sufficient to earn the highest star. Therefore, if the hotel fails to achieve the required 85-100% standards during an annual monitoring it risks its rating being downgraded to four stars or a lower standard. For instance, in the example shown below (figure 4), despite the fact that the hotel being monitored has achieved the five star requirements in three of the five bands, its failures in the other two would demote it to a four star hotel. Figure 4 Quality bank achievement Source: adapted from Visit Britain (2005, p.7) 4.2  SERVQUAL system When using the SERVQUAL system, which is largely based largely upon the results of customer satisfaction surveys, although all hotels would be looking to achieve the maximum â€Å"service quality† satisfaction level of 100% in terms of the overall scoring, there is a significant difference in the way this would be achieved when related to the different standard of establishments. To provide an example of how this equates in practice, the following is a comparison between the SERVQUAL requirements of a 5 star hotel against lower rated hotel, such as the budget Travelodge hotel chain (figure 5). Figure 5 SERVQUAL comparisons It is apparent from the above comparison that the 5-star establishment requires their quality of service to be more balanced, in other words no one area of their product should be delivering a lower quality of service than any other. However, with the budget chain, which operates on a low cost strategy that eliminates much of the human resources and food elements, these specific areas are shown to have less importance to the business, but need to be compensated by increased levels of satisfaction in other areas of quality if the business is to remain successful. 4.3 Findings What is immediately apparent from the analysis of the two quality assurance systems identified above as being used within the hotel sector is their compatibility. This not only applies to the systems per se, but also to the measurement of the results. In both cases an upscale hotel would need to achieve a balanced score with high ratings in all of the quality determinants if it is to maintain its market position and be perceived by the potential customer as a quality (5 star) hotel. Conversely, the lower quality hotels pay less attention to those areas of the standards that are more directly related to the quality of service provided by their human resources, relying instead upon other elements to satisfy customer quality perception, such as low cost (Porter 2004). Whilst it could therefore be stated in simple terms that quality assurance is related to the price being paid for the product, what research such as that conducted by Shahin (2006), Ziethaml et al (1990) and Holbrook (1999), and the fact that all hotels, irrespective of their standards, operate quality assurance systems, shows is that price is simply one element required to fulfill customer satisfaction needs. Whatever price is being charged for the hotel product the customer will still weigh the experience received against the value they expect from the product enjoyed at that price (Zeithaml 1988 and Parasuraman et at 1994). A customer who decides to spend a greater amount of his or her disposable income on arranging to stay in a 5-star hotel will have a much greater value expectation than one who chooses a budget hotel stay. The former will expect the service quality to exist in all aspects of the hotel product. This includes the dà ©cor and the ambiance of the environment, the facilities that are being offered, including meals and room service, and the performance of the hotel’s human resources. If these quality expectations are not met that customer will perceive that they have not received value for money and therefore will view the experience as less than satisfactory. Therefore, they will be unlikely to promote the hotel in a positive manner to others or re-use it. 5  Conclusion It is apparent that in the case of an upscale or5-star hotel the combination of the industry â€Å"Star Rating† and â€Å"SERVQUAL† quality assurance systems will have a significant impact upon their service quality and the level of customer satisfaction achieved from using the product. In terms of the â€Å"Star Rating† system, the higher the star rating the greater the expectation of the customer in terms of their perception of the quality that will be found in this establishment. Therefore, the five star establishments are likely to attract customers who wish to avail themselves of the higher quality experience. With regard to the external â€Å"SERVQUAL† system of measurement, because these are results from customer experiences, the greater the levels of quality achieved in the areas measured, the more likely it is that customers will be retained and act as recommenders to other potential customers. In both cases therefore, it can be concluded that the quality assurance system is designed to achieve competitive advantage by attracting additional market share, thus improving the hotel’s revenue and profitability levels. References Agrawal (2000). Managing service industries in the new millennium: Evidence is everything. Paper presented at the AIMS Convention on Service Management Berry L L and Parasuraman, A (1991). Marketing Services: Competing Through Quality, Free Press. New York, US Boztepe, Suzan (2007). User Value: Competing theories and models. International Journal of Design, Vol. 1, Issue. 2, pp.55-63. Brennan, Ross (2003). Value in Marketing: Confusion or Illumination? Available from: http://mubs.mdx.ac.uk/Research/Discussion_Papers/Marketing/dpap%20marketing%20no25.pdf (Accessed 22 December 2008) BSI (2008). ISO 9001Quality. Available from: http://www.bsi-global.com/en/Assessment-and-certification-services/management-systems/Standards-and-Schemes/ISO-9001/ (Accessed 22 December 2008) Chetwynd, Catherine and Knight, Jenny (2007). Time to capitalise on falling hotel occupancy. The Times. London, UK. Christopher, M. (1996). From brand values to customer value. Journal of Marketing Practice: Applied Marketing Science, Vol. 2, Issue.2, pp.55-66. Dotchin, J.A and Oakland, J.S (1994). Total Quality Management in Services: Part 3: Distinguishing perceptions of Service Quality. International Journal of Quality reliability Management, Vol. 11, Issue. 4, pp.6-28 Gale, B. T. (1994). Managing customer value. Free Press. New York, US. Harrison, Jeffrey S (2003). Strategic Management: Of Resources and Relationship. John Wiley Sons Inc. New York, US. Hennig-Thurau, Thorsten and Hansen, Ursula (eds) (2000). Relationship Marketing: Gaining Competitive Advantage Through Customer Satisfaction and Customer Retention. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidleberg. New York, US. Holbrook, M. B. (Ed.). (1999). Consumer value: A framework for analysis and research. Routledge. New York, US. Kandampully, Jay., Mox, Connie and Sparks, Beverley (2001). Service Quality Management in Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure. Haworth Press. New York, US. Kotler P (1999). Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation, and Control (Millennium ed.) Englewood Cliffs, N J; Prentice-Hall, 279-317. Parasuraman, A. (1997). Reflections on gaining competitive advantage through customer value. Academy of Marketing Science, 25(2), 154-161. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1991), Refinement and reassessment of the SERVQUAL scale. Journal of Retailing, Vol. 67, pp. 420-450. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1993), Research note: more on improving service quality measurement, Journal of Retailing, Vol. 69, No. 1, pp. 140-147. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1994), Reassessment of expectations as a comparison standard in measuring service quality: implications for future research, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 58, pp. 111-124. Porter, M. E. (1998). Competitive advantage: Creating and sustaining superior performance. Free Press. New York, US Porter, M.E (2004). Competitive Advantage. Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors. Free Press. New York, US Sahney, S., Banwet, D.K., and Karunes, S. (2004), A SERVQUAL and QFD approach to total quality education: A student perspective, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol.53, No.2, pp. 143-166. Schiffman, L g and L L Kanuk (2000). Consumer Behaviour. FT Prentice Hall, New Jersey, US. Shahin, Dr. Arash (2005). SERVQUAL and Models of Service Quality Gaps: A Framework for Determining and Prioritizing Critical Factors in Delivering Quality Systems. Available: Visit Britain (2008 a). UK Market Profile 2007. Available from: http://www.tourismtrade.org.uk/Images/UK_DMarketing_tcm12-22850.pdf (Accessed 21 December 2008) Visit Britain (2008 b). Britain Inbound: Overall Market Profile. Available from: http://www.tourismtrade.org.uk/Images/InboundFINAL_2008_%20BritInbound3F_tcm12-40935.pdf (Accessed 21 December 2008) Visit London (2005). Hotel Accommodation; Quality Standards. Available from: http://www.qualityintourism.com/content/pdfs/Standards/Hotel%20Standard%20INT.pdf (Accessed 21 December 2008) Yavas, U., Yasin, M and Wafa, m (1995). Front and back-stage strategies in service delivery in the hospitality industry: a conceptual framework. Market Intelligence Planning. Vol. 13, Issue, 11, pp.22-26 Zeithaml, V. A. (1988). Consumer perceptions of price, quality, and value: A means-end model and synthesis of evidence. Journal of Marketin,, Vol. 52, Issue. 3, pp.2-22 Zeithaml, V.A., Parasuraman, A. and Berry, L.L. (1990), Delivering quality service; Balancing customer perceptions and expectations. The Free Press, New York, NY.

Analyze The Avon Product Inc

Analyze The Avon Product Inc The report has been designed to analyse the Avon Product Inc that has been undergone by major strategic change. Furthermore this report has been divided into two parts, first part of the report will explain the organisation back ground and the strategic change that has been adopted, further second part of the report will discuss the influence of external environmental forces, how they affect on the organisation performance. Avon Vision Statement : To be the company that best understands and satisfies the product service and self-fulfillment needs of women globally Organisation Background Avon is the largest seller, marketer and manufacturer of beauty related products around the world. Avon generates 98% of its revenue from cosmetics products. The company markets to women in more than 110 countries through more than Five millions independent sale representatives. Products categories are for instance skincare, fragrances, cosmetics, toiletries and also jewellery, watches, home products candles and toys. Moreover, 98% of the company sales are generated via direct sales. This sales approach had also been successful in the Asian and Latin America market. However, could not be for the American market. Strategic change According to Lynch (2006), define Strategic change is the pro-active management of change in organisations to achieve clearly identified strategic objectives. It may be undertaken using either prescriptive or emergent strategic approaches. Avons strategic change According to Johnson (2008) define in orders to diagnose the strategic change within organisation, it is important to consider the type of change that is required and also identify the type of change that has been adopted For over the last 124 years, being a global manufacturer and marketer of beauty related products, Avon has been adopted several changes and devoted to empower women by helping them to look beautiful. Avon major strategic changes are: Avon has invested the millions on research development to bring the innovative products and also focused on the increases advertisement for the sustainability of brand competitiveness. Avon eliminated the layers of Hierarchal management and redesigned the organisational structure to take the full advantage of Global sale Avon helped million of women across the world to build a better future for instance, provide the opportunities to become, entrepreneurs, representative or their own business owner. www.avon.com Organisational structure According to Carnall, (2007) ideal organisational structure is based on the right balance of information, resources and power to support the organisation objective. On geographically Avon operates business in six regions and has sales operation in 63 countries also products are distributed more than 52 countries in the world. Primarily Avon conducts business through direct selling and marketing by millions of Avon independent representative. Generally distributor purchased products directly from Avon on discounted price also Avon provide an opportunity to their representative to manage their business online including two way communication with Avon. Moreover in some countries for instance in USA, representatives can build their own web page for the sales of Avon Products. ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE According to Cameron, (2004), if current organisational culture does not support to achieve the organisation objectives or goals then organisation should involves themselves to change organisational cultural in order to achieve the organisational goals. However, since 1866 Avon organisational cultural is the most recognisable and considered the pioneered to sell the cosmetics products via using direct selling model and continue to maintain the same sales model since its foundation. Furthermore, 98% of revenue of the cosmetics product which is 6 billion dollar is come from direct selling model which impressed the other cosmetic companies to follow the direct sale model. Appendix 3 illustrates Avons organizational culture by using the cultural web model from Johnson and Scholes (2005). Stakeholder analysis According to Spicker (2008) state the stakeholder analysis will explain, how external and internal stakeholder influence on the organisation, and whats there needs and expectations, also what organisation need from each of them. Stakeholder analysis for Avon Stakeholder Interest Power Attitude Expectations/Needs Government Worldwide High High Mixed The acceptation to meet the all local, national and environmental laws of the country where they operate. Shareholders High High Positive Always take interest on maximization of shares value and dividend. Customers High Low Positive Take active interest in products and appearance. Communities Low Low Mixed Take interest in the respect of using natural resources, environmental issues and minimization of recycling and reuse practices. Suppliers Low Low Neutral Surety of contracts and payment. Take interest to add value to produce the products. Media Medium Medium Negative Always take interest to publish negative factors regarding harmful ingredients of cosmetics products. Executive team High High Positive Need to appreciate the whole organisation effort and give reward and reorganize the effort of representatives and employees worldwide. Employees High Low Positive Expect to achieve financial need and economical independence and support their happiness. The key environmental influences The PEST framework categories environmental influences into four main types: political, economic, social, technological. Political factors Avons products Inc business ranges cover many countries and it offers approaches to women who work in those countries to attained financial independence and good performance. In some countries, this move is regard as a way to advance the economic growth and create personal wealth. However, owing to the political differences among countries, it causes different influences on Avons corporate strategy. For instance, there is a Data Protection Act within the European Union which is aimed at protecting the privacy and safety of personal information. Different implementation dynamics of this policy in Europe countries will have different effects on Avons representatives calling door to door. Economic factors The key dominant factors that influence on customers for buying Avon products are their economical condition, inflation and interest rates. Simultaneously, Avon is also affected by currency fluctuations rates. Avon has employed about 5.3 million representatives and this leads to the free and actively cosmetics market to sell and buy Avons products. Social factors Consumers preferences and buying powers has changed by time to time and they are related to the local culture and personal working conditions. Countries in different climates and environmental circumstances would commend different cosmetic products for their citizens and this is a big concern for Avon to reach the goal that not only value and contain the similarities among different customers but also respect and create the differences of their needs. The top objective of Avon is to serve women all over the world with its products to reach their identical aspiration look their best at all places at all time. Technological factors The revolution and innovation of technology can influence the behavior of peoples. In the process of researching and product developing, cosmetic industry always put new products into a position of consequence. Avons strategy is to enhance the brand competitiveness through investing millions on the research and development of its products and increasing the advertisement of its products on media. . Managing change According to Mullins (2010) External environment can affect the organisational performance and organisation effective performance will depends on the interaction of its external environment. SWOT analysis Strength Avon products are sold in 110 countries around the world by five millions representatives. The products are sold in comparatively moderate prices. Additionally, features of personalization in customer service, creation in products design and satisfaction guarantee are the key factors which provide Avon a competitive advantage among the cosmetic industry. Furthermore Avon uses variety of electronic order systems to help representatives to increase the accuracy of business process and efficient business operations. The cost-effective sales strategies and the diversity of business model give Avon the ability to be the superior in cosmetic market. -Revenue growth stable From the companys record, it shows there was a stable and forceful growth in recent years which successful outstripped its key competitors. Avons revenue grew at a compounded annual growth rate (GAGR) of 10% during FY2006-2008 and this result a stable operation of the company. Dominant position provides more opportunities to attract new consumers Avon is one of four top brand leaders in cosmetic industry with brand value about $5,264 million in the top 100 global customer companies. The pioneered anti-aging skincare and perfume category induced Avon with wide business presence and leading position to attract new Opportunities Weakness Declining North American operation The declining trend of Avons North America business has slowed down in FY2008, but compared with FY2007, the total revenue of North America has still decreased 4.9 %, and Avons North America operation has contributed 23.3% to the total revenue of the company at last. Obviously, the top line was affected by the weak performance of this geographic segment. Opportunity Emerging markets The importance of emerging market such as Brazil with an annual growth of 20%, china which has valued approx $10,200 million with the enormous increase of population in future and the sudden growth of economy will offer a huge potential market for cosmetic industry .Furthermore The increasingly fierce competitions among cosmetic market, in order to capture the Brazilian market Avon has announced its plan to build the new distribution centre in brazil. Threats, In order to achieve the global recommendation in cosmetics business and gain the market share from emerging market, Avon has faced strong competition from its competitors for instance, LOreal, Unilever and Estee Lauder, Revlon and Procter Gamble. Conclusion This report offers an attempt to understand the major strategic change undergone by Avon Cosmetics Limited. Furthermore, report evaluated the effectiveness of the change in relation to Avons structure, culture. Being a global manufacturer and marketer of beauty and related products and a direct selling organisation, Avon was faced with several challenges in the external environment. The factors were: fierce competitions from multinational companies, consumer behaviour worldwide, government rules and regulations, technological and social background. It was found that the major strategic change does relate to the objectives of the organization and matches the organisations capability, including its structure, culture and politics. . References Cameron, Esther (2004) Making Sense of Change Management, London (UK), Kogan Page Limited Carnall, C A. (2007) Managing Change in Organisations. Harlow (UK), Financial Times Prentice Hall Johnson, G., Scholes, K., and Whittington, R. (2005) Exploring Corporate Strategy. ion. Harlow (UK): Financial Times Prentice Hall Johnson, Gerry (2008) Exploring Corporate Strategy, Harlow (UK), Financial Times Prentice Hall Lynch, Richard L (2006), corporate strategy, Harlow, England, FT/Prentice Hall Mullins, Laurie J (2010), Management and Organisational Behaviour, Harlow (UK), Financial Times Prentice Hall Spicker, Paul (2008) Social policy: themes and approaches, Bristol (UK), Financial Times Prentice Hall (2009).Avon Products, Inc. SWOT Analysis, Avon Products, Inc. SWOT Analysis,1. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database Title: Change Management: A Critical Perspective Author(s): Simon Shurville Journal: International Journal of Managing Projects in Business Year: 2008 Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Start Page: 447

The September 11 Generation :: September 11 Terrorism Essays

There has been much talk about how the events of September 11 changed everything. I don't think they changed the central urgency and relevance of what each one of us does with our life.. I think we're all being pressured by history. How many people have lost their jobs or are re-evaluating their work and lives? Those of us who are concerned about the issues of diversity, coexistence, reconciliation, conflict prevention, understanding and tolerance, peace and justice, will find our life gives us a firm ground to stand on. This is where the action is for the foreseeable and unforeseeable future. Clash of civilizations? War of the worlds? Global discord, intergroup ignorance, suspicion and fear. Many thoughful people and insitutions   were studying and addressing those questions long before September 11. Now the efficacy of tens of thousands of diversity awareness training sessions is put to the test. This is our performance review. What beneficial effect have we had in all these years? We have seen so many people rise to the challenge of the occasion. We have seen the cumulative effect of humanity shining through fire and smoke, we have heard so many people speaking about the importance of peace and understanding. Two hours on that Tuesday morning are having enormous ripple effects. What if we called this the next level of diversity awareness training? How are we debriefing it? We need to continue. It is a case study for sensitivity training, for strategic planning, for risk assessment, knowledge management, religious understanding. I can't think of an activity that is not affected. Groups may need us to convene and moderate the discussion, to provide guidelines for interaction, to be facilitators. We have numerous opportunities. We can speak about the interconnectedness of people and cultures. We can help to define patriotism in a new way. We can offer ourselves as resources in forums, classes, religious services, panels, talkshows, to provide alternative ways of thinking and acting. We can assist people to learn and teach about different cultures, religions, nationalities. What have you been doing?    In one fell swoop the importance of our work has been put into stark relief against the horizon. I hear about people who have just realized the truth of being a citizen of the world. Thinking people have been practicing this craft for many years. I think groups and institutions need us.

Epic of Beowulf Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essays

Chivalry is Yet, Not Dead In some select stories of old/middle english, we can see that people have been fascinated by ideals of heroism, chivalry, and what we now refer to as romance for a very long time. I will argue in this document, that our fascination with such imaginary laws has never ceased, and in some ways is even more fantastic. Every further mention of romance will refer to all of these ideas, the way it did when the term was introduced into english. If all things are to be considered this short essay would turn into a book. I would like to compare and contrast Beowulf, Lanval, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with some of the modern day creations especially in looking at the values, and belief systems in all of the three â€Å"classic† stories. I will apologize in advance to those who will read this and are not familiar to the texts that are mentioned, due to restrictions in size I must mention all of my topics without specific description of how the stories are told, please at least re ad â€Å"Beowulf† before considering this essay. Beowulf has and will live in the hearts of many people today, whether they have actually read and studied the text itself or they have merely been exposed to modern movies, books, and music that idealize a classical heroic ideal.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We might consider in this topic the modern police officer, soldier, paramedic, FBI/CIA agent, and any who take on with their livelihood the motto â€Å"to protect and to serve.† I believe we will most likely see and inherent desire for honor, and for glory. These in certain individuals seem to overpower the desire and will to help other people. A scholar by the name of George P. Fletcher states when looking at romanticism and its opposites, â€Å"On the one hand, we have stability, order, universality, and the boredom of the predictable and domestic. On the other hand, we have revolt, disorder, partiality, and the intense flames of lust and creativity. This is, of course, the way Romantics might describe the sentiments that move them† (p. 17). He even goes on to hint that the reason we have waged war on Iraq was because of romantic ideas. We'll stay away from that debate in this essay and just say that the idea of glory and honor is summed up completely in â€Å"Beowulf† by the line †Heaven swallowed the smoke† (L. 3155), in Lanval when he will not lie, despite the costs, despa... ...ork:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Norton. 2000. Alexander, Michael, trans. Beowulf. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1973. Bradley, S. A. J., trans. â€Å"Beowulf.† Anglo-Saxon Poetry: An Anthology of Old English   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Poems in Prose Translation with Introduction and Headnotes by S. A. J. Bradley.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Everyman's Library. London and Melbourne: Dent, 1982. Chaucer, Geoffrey. â€Å"The Canterbury Tales.† The Norton Anthology of English Literature:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6th edition New York: Norton. 1996 Donaldson, E. Talbot. â€Å"Beowulf: A New Prose Translation.† The Norton Anthology of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  English Literature: 6th edition. New York: Norton. 1996. Fletcher, George P. Romantics at War. Princeton: Princeton UP. 2002 Laven, David, and Lucy Riall. Napoleon's Legacy: Problems of Government in Restoration   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Europe. Berg. 2000

The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn :: essays research papers

E.M. Forster makes a bold statement when he declares that he would rather betray his country than betray his friend. Forster takes a very moral stand on the issue and states that a friendship is often more important than a government's actions or society's beliefs. His opinion regarding the value of friendship is a common theme shared by many authors throughout history, including Mark Twain, and Alexandre Dumas.Mark Twain's classic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, describes a young boy torn between what he feels his country and society expect of him and what his heart tells him is right. Society believes that slaves should be treated as property; Huck, who had befriended a runaway slave, sees Jim as a person, not property. In the end, Huck Finn decides that he would rather disobey society's teachings about slavery, than betray his friend by returning him to his previous condition of servitude.Further reiterating Forster's conception of the proper order of one's loyalty is a product of English folklore, Robin Hood. According to legend, Robin Hood robbed from the rich and gave to the poor in an effort to bring happiness to the peasants of Nottingham in an otherwise dreary time under the tyrannical rule of Prince John. A childhood friend of Robin, Maid Marion places her friendship with Robin Hood above loyalty to the crown. She has numerous opportunities to betray Robin Hood, but she does not. She sees the good he is doing for the land and the lone resistance he and his band of Merry Men provide against the evil Sheriff. Had she been loyal to her country, Robin Hood would have never been successful against the Sheriff of Nottingham and the citizens of her kingdom would have had to endure even greater injustices. Sharing many of the same principles Robin Hood embodies is Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers. The famous trio of noblemen battle against the villainy of the Court of King Louis XIII. D'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis fight to preserve the honor of their Queen, Anne of Austria, against the Cardinal Richelieu. Their famous motto " All for one and one for all!" illustrates the value they place on their friendship.

Communication Shc Essay

Parents and other adults who come into the school are more likely to give beneficial support if communication is strong and effective – this, in turn, benefit pupils. Communication takes many different forms, from talking to letters and memos; for a child care workers is very important to develop good communication skills so they can communicate effectively. WHY PEOPLE COMMUNICATE? There are many reasons why people communicate such as: * To give and receive information * To give and receive instructions Discuss a situation * Make a point or outline a concern * Express a need * Negotiate * Develop learning 1. 2 EXPLAIN HOW EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AFFECTS ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR WORK Effective communication is the key area for developing relationships with others and also covers many different forms of communication. It is a two-way process. The person communicating has to send the right message, but also needs to make sure that it is being correctly received and understood by the o ther person or people. Communication involves talking or verbal communication, and non-talking or non-verbal communication. To communicate effectively you will need to: * Be very clear about what you are trying to say * Ensure that the person you are talking to understands what you are saying to them * Showing respect and considering the other child’s or adult’s point of view * Have a rapport with the child or adult you are communicating with * Taking time to listen to others * Being clear on key points Maintaining a sense of humour (laughter can be a good icebreaker and is also a great way of relaxing and relieving stress) * Find opportunities to speak (some children lack confidence and need to be given a chance to warm-up first so that they feel able to do so) * Give eye contact and actively listen (if you look away or are busy doing something else, this gives the recipient the message that you are not really interested in what they are saying) * Use body language and facial expressions, an d be approachable(for example, with very young children, get down to their level) * React and comment on what they are saying (you may need to repeat back to pupils to check on your understanding * Be interested, responding and questioning to maintain conversation so that they can build up an understanding about how it works * The age of the child or young person ( children of different ages will require varying levels of attention) The benefits of good communication are: * Your relationship with the children * Your relationship with colleagues * Your relationship with parents 1. 3 EXPLAIN WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO OBSERVE AN INDIVIDUAL REACTIONS WHEN YOU ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THEM? When communicating with children or adults it is important to take account individuals feelings and what they want to say. You can do this by carefully observing a variety of reactions such as: * Facial expressions and eye contact * Body language: posture and actions or gestures which help to convey meaning * Tone of voice: this can alter the meaning of what has been said * Pauses * Turn taking * Take account of culture and context, such as where English is an additional language * Build a rapport by showing understanding, respect and honesty It is thought that more than 70% of messages are conveyed through non-verbal ways. NON-VERBAL REACTIONS Facial expressions They can be a way to find out how someone feels. Some facial expressions have the same meaning all over the world, but some cultures inhibit the expression of certain emotions, such as anger or disgust. EYE CONTACT People’s eyes can express a wide range of emotions. People may have intense eye contact because they are trying to understand you. However, some cultures or people may avoid eye contact when they do not understand or agree with you, want to avoid showing their feelings or fear negative feedback. Eye contact has five important functions in communications: 1. It regulates the flow of conversation 2. It controls intimacy in a relationship 3. It gives feedback 4. It express emotion 5. It informs both speaker and listener BODY LANGUAGE Your body language can often indicate your attitudes and emotions. If the person you are communicating with has arms crossed over their chest, this may indicate anger or tension (closed position = communication barrier) * If they lean forward with separated arms and legs, this communicat es warmth and friendliness (open communication) * Indifference to your communication may be expressed through shoulders shugs, raised arms, and outstretched hands * Clenched fists and hunching may convey anger * Slouched shoulders may convey a lack of confidence * A posture with the shoulders back in a relaxed position makes it more likely that others will view you as self-confident GESTURES It is important to learn to observe and understand as much as you can about gestures of the adults and children you are communicating with. * People often use gestures such as head and hand movements to reveal or conceal feelings. They can use them to add emphasis, to illustrate points, and to manage turn-taking * A nod may encourage others to continue talking. Some of these gestures may be used as part of a signed language – such as Makaton – or as an aid to verbal communication in a noisy environment, such a the floor of a busy factory. TOUCH It is one of our most basic forms of communication and it is associated with comfort. It is also a non-verbal communication. The amount of everyday touch which we will allow people to have with us is also culturally determined. VOICE TONE Paralanguage is the way in which language is spoken. By altering our tone of voice or changing its pitch, we can convey different emotions. An example of paralanguage is whispered speech. Paralanguage features include the tone of voice (such as flat or bright), the tempo (fast or slow), and the way in which we emphasise certain words. 2. 2 DEMONSTRATE COMMUNICATION METHODS Effective communication happens when the right method is used to send a message so it can be received and understood. Early years practitioners need to know about a range of communication methods. They should also be skilled at identifying the communication and language needs, wishes and preferences of children and adults in the setting. Children and young people’s care settings are used by people from a diverse range of backgrounds who will want to communicate in different ways. Finding out about each individual’s language needs, wishes and preferences is an important part of your role. You can do this by: * asking parents whether their children have particular language or communication needs * reading reports and notes that provide information on a child’s * speech and language development, learning difficulties, disabilities (such as hearing or visual impairment) or physical conditions that affect communication abilities (for example, cleft palate) * being aware that an adult or child’s culture, ethnicity and nationality may affect their language preferences and needs * observing the children and adults who use your setting to see how they use their communication and language skills * asking your supervisor or mentor, senior staff and specialist professionals (such as speech and language therapists and SENCOs) for information, advice and support when communicating with children or adults who have special communication needs. You may need to communicate with adults (parents, work colleagues, visitors or other professionals) who have special communication needs as a result of a hearing or visual impairment, or because English is not their first language. Meeting an individual’s needs, wishes and preferences Talking is not the only way of communication with adults and children in a setting. There are different ways of communication that may be used during the day, such as: * telephone * email * video conferencing * letters * memos * sing language * interpreting 2. 3 HOW AND WHEN TO SEEK ADVICE ABOUT COMMUNICATION There may be situations in which you feel unsure about how you should communicate with a child or adult. Perhaps you will be aware that you are struggling to communicate effectively with somebody. In situations like these, you should seek advice and obtain support. You can do this by: * talking to your supervisor, mentor or line manager about the difficulty – ask for their advice about how to deal withthe problem * talking to communication or language support specialists (teachers, psychologists or speech and language therapists) who work at or spend time in your work setting. When to look for support * When you are anxious about approaching an individual * When you are not sure how to deal with a situation * When child uses another language * When you want to improve your relationship with an individual * When communication is not effective * When you feel communication is not effective If you want to learn how to communicate in a way such as signing or an individual’s home language * If you find out an adult or child has communication needs Where to look for support * Always talk first to the line manager, who may be able to advise you or work with you to seek support * Then she/he will advise you where to find support, and will probably be the person to find appropriate support if it is external * If you work in a children’s centre you are likely to have support services to help both children and adults develop their communication skills BE ABLE TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION Knowing about different barriers to effective communication will enable you to avoid potential difficulties and adapt your communication approach when this is necessary. Barriers to communicate are things that interfere with a person’s ability to send, receive or understand a message. These may be physical, organisational, personal, to do with language and culture or to do with the presentation of information. Attitudinal example Language and culture WAYS TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Barriers to communication can often be overcome, or at least reduced by making changes to the environment, adapting your approach or by using support services such as SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator). Adapting the environment Environmental changes might include: * replacing poor lighting with brighter lighting * reducing background noise or creating some quiet areas putting up multilingual posters and displaying signs clearly * fitting electronic devices such as induction loop systems for hearing-impaired people. Adapting your approach to communication In order to improve communication, early years practitioners can adapt their approa ch by: * making sure they can be seen clearly, facing both the light and the person they are talking to * making sure their mouth is visible when speaking * minimising background noise * using eyes, facial expressions and gestures to communicate as necessary and appropriate. Timing Speaking clearly and slowly, and repeating or rephrasing what you say can make communication more effective for some children and adults. The speed or pace of communication may need to be slower if a person has a hearing or visual impairment, a learning disability or is anxious and confused. It is also important to allow time for the person to digest your communication and to respond. This can mean making silences comfortable while the person works out how to reply. Using support services and specialist devices Early years practitioners should understand the language needs and communication preferences of the children and adults with whom they work. If a child or adult has difficulty communicating in English or has sensory impairments or disabilities that affect their communication skills, specialist communication support may be needed. Learning a few words of another person’s language or developing some basic sign language skills can really help an early years practitioner to establish a positive, supportive relationship with a child and their parents. HOW TO ENSURE THAT COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN UNDERSTOOD There are various ways that you can find out if your communication has been successful. If you can do this, it can help to solve any issues that arise and stop barriers from developing. Active listening Active listening involves paying close attention to what the other person is saying, while also noticing their non-verbal communication. People who are good at active listening also tend to be skilled at using minimal prompts. These are things like nods of the head, ‘Mm’ sounds and encouraging words like ‘Yes, I see’ or ‘Go on’. Skilful use of minimal prompts encourages the person you are communicating with to keep speaking or to say a little more. Clarifying or repeating You can ensure that your communication has been understood by clarifying (repeating back, summarising or rephrasing) aspects of what the person has said during the conversation. You could say something like, ‘Can I just check that you meant †¦? ’ or, ‘Do you mean †¦? ’ You should try not to clarify too often in a conversation as this will interrupt the speaker’s flow; it might also make them think you are ‘parroting’, which may appear insincere. 3. 4 SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND SUPPORT OR SERVICES FOR MORE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID): They give support to people with hearing and sight loss with agencies in different areas. Association of Sign Language Interpreters Qualified in sign language professionals help people who are hard of hearing to communicate. Royal National Institute for the Blind Agencies in different areas give visually impaired people support in communicating. Teaching Development Agency Have courses to support teaching assistants working with children in schools. Common Assessment Framework (CAF) Give practitioners a right to seek support in communicating with parents and children who have specific needs. Department of education The government website or your local authority website gives information about local agencies that will help to communicate with families from a variety of cultures and religions. BIBLIOGRAPHY Children & Young People’s workforce by Heinemann Pages 2-20 www. collinseducation. com/resources/hsclevel2chapter1. pdf Pages 1-15 PRESENTED BY MONICA BELALCAZAR INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION UNIT SHC 1. 2 CYPW L2 KNOWLEDGE TASK PART TWO 4. 1 WHAT IS CONFIDENTIALITY Confidentiality is not about keeping secrets; it is about protecting an individual’s right to privacy. You may obtain private, personal information from children or parents as part of your work role. As an early years practitioner you have a duty to: * keep personal information about children and families private * only share information about children and families with those who have a right to know or when a parent has given permission. Your workplace will have a confidentiality policy that sets out the rules and procedures on sharing confidential information. You should read this and make sure that you follow it in your practice. You may be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement as part of your employment contract. Again, you should have a clear understanding of what this means in practice. Cross reference with TDA 2. 2 assessment criteria 3. 5 4. 3 SITUATIONS WHERE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION MIGHT NEED TO BE PASSED ON There may be times when you have to reveal what you have been told, or have seen, to a more senior person at work or to an external organisation. A parent, child or colleague’s request that you maintain confidentiality can be overridden if: * what they say suggests that a child may be at risk of harm * they reveal information that can be used to protect another person from harm * a court or a statutory organisation, such as OFSTED, asks for specific information about a child. * If a child needs additional support from other professionals * If a child is suspected to be in a situation that risks their safety * If an adult has disclosed information that may raise concerns over their ability to carry out daily duties in your setting * If an outside body such as Ofsted requests to see an adult’s or child’s records When should you seek advice about confidentiality It is best to treat everything you learn about children and their families in your workplace as confidential information; it is advisable to check with your supervisor before you pass on confidential information. Similarly, it is always best to tell your supervisor if you receive any information that concerns you. If someone wants to tell you something ‘in confidence’, you should say that you may not be able to keep the information to yourself because part of your job involves safeguarding children’s welfare. It is then up to the person to decide whether to tell you or not. Always do this in an area where nobody else can overhear what you are saying. It is better to seek advice verbally rather than using communication such as email, which other adults could access. BIBLIOGRAPHY Children & Young People’s workforce by Heinemann Pages 2-20 www. collinseducation. com/resources/hsclevel2chapter1. pdf Pages 28-29

Pleasures of Reading Essay

Some people get pleasure from picnics and tours. Others like to discuss various topics and find pleasure in it. But the reading of books provides us with such pleasure as we do not get from any other activity. Great is the blessing of books. Books are written by learned persons. They contain the best experiences and thoughts of their writers. Literature is said to mirror society. Writers put in their books not only their own ideas and feelings, but also what they observe and find in society. The books of the past reflect the condition of the times in which they were written. By reading books written by great thinkers, we come in contact with their minds. Books enable us to know the best of different countries. So, if we want to keep abreast of the great minds of all ages, we must read books. When we are alone, books are our best friends. They entertain us in our spare moments. Good novels, books on poetry and short stories, give great enjoyment. At times we become so absorbed in our books that we forget even our important engagements. Loneliness is no trouble for a reader. If we are in a cheerful mood, our joy is increased by reading. When we are in a depressed and dejected mood, books console and soothe our troubled minds. They provide us with the best advice and guidance in our difficulties. Indeed, books are out best friends as they help us in our need. Books contain grains of wisdom. They give us sound moral advice. That is why all great men of our country have liked to read the Gita and the Ramayan. The example of Rama and Sita is cited, whenever we want to emphasize noble deeds and their results. We call a bad man by the name of Ravan. It is through the reading of books that we learn to love virtue and hate sin. The reading of good books develops and elevates our character. Now-a-days the world is changing fast. A man cannot remain in roach with the changes in his own country, or in the world, without reading the latest literature. One who wants to be respected in cultured society must keep himself well-informed. Good magazines, newspapers and other books provide us with valuable upto-date information. It gives us great pleasure to feel that our knowledge is upto-date. We get great satisfaction when we feel ourselves to be well-informed and capable of moving in any educated society. Reading of good books is the key to the store-house of pleasure. It was the English author Bacon who said that reading makes a full man. No one can question the truth of this saying. But we cannot derive full advantage from reading, if our choice is not good. Some books are such that instead of doing any good, they do positive harm to the readers. Such books must be avoided. Cheap books, not in cost but in contents, should not be read, even if they provide some amusement and entertainment. It is the reading of good books alone which bestows upon us the maximum benefit. The advantages of reading – the pleasures of reading novels; they carry us into a different world and enlarge our experience; suspense and our tendency to identify ourselves with the hero – other kinds of books are also delightful. The advantages of reading are well known. Reading enables us to pass examinations and get jobs, and enhances our general ability and competence in any field of life. But the pleasures of reading are as important as its uses. In fact, books cannot be really useful unless they are first enjoyed. There can be few more delightful ways of spending a holiday than reading a good novel. One source of pleasure afforded by novels is that they make us escape for a time from the drab, humdrum circumstances of our lives. Romantic novels, of course, transport us into an exciting world poles apart from our own. But even realistic novels bring us into contact with experiences different from our own. Our personal experience in real life is limited and much of it is commonplace. Reading fiction is delightful, partly because it indirectly provides us with several experiences for which we have no opportunities in actual life. Another source of the pleasure of reading novels is suspense. A novel with a good plot makes us eager to know, from beginning to end, what is to happen next. It is because of this quality of suspense in some novels that we are unwilling to lay them aside till we have read them to the end. Again, as everybody knows, another reason why reading novels is pleasant is that we tend to identify ourselves with the hero or the central character, and experience his joys and sorrows for the time being. This mainly accounts for our pleasure in reading biographies. While fiction is usually considered to be a delightful form of reading, other kinds of writing too impart pleasure. Apart from plays which resemble fiction, books of travel and light essays are enjoyable. Poetry appeals to our feelings and sense of beauty. Reading even serious or heavy books – books on science or philosophy – is not without its joy for those who are interested in the subjects concerned. All knowledge is pleasure, and reading a book on the dullest or the most unpleasant subjects can be pleasurable, provided one is intensely interested in it.