Marketing Opportunities

Company Profile BBQfun is one of Queensland's specialty retailers. The BBQfun brand is synonymous with barbeque retailing and is built on the strong foundation of selling barbeques and outdoor lifestyle itmes to Queensland consumers since 2009. BBQfun’s product range is primarily focussed on barbeques and outdoor lifestyle products, incorporating both local and important goods. BBQfun operates two store in Queensland, one in Brisbane and one at the Gold Coast. BBQfun provides to customer great value products, excellent customer service, continuously improvement and innovation and is trusted by more than 10,000 customers in Queensland.Situation analysis The retail market changed over the last few years, it became more competitive than ever before. Therefore consumer buying patters changed as well. BBQfun increased they market share until 2010 steadily to $10m. Since 2010, sales dropped dramatically because of changes in the retail market, technology and changed consumer behavio r. BBQfun has moderate pricing, extensive and high-quality product range, excellent customer service and offer three year product guarantees as only one in the market.BBQfun has identify the basic market need is for quality, fashionable and unique outdoor lifestyle items. Market characteristics Queensland has a population growth of 5% (2. 5% in 2012 ABS) annual. New homes buyer and renovated houses growing steadily from a base of 50,000 per year. Unfortunately the low unemployment rate of 4,7% grow to 5. 4% in 2012 in Queensland. Therefore Queensland has now the second highest rate in Australia. BBQfun is targeting the geographic area of Brisbane with a total population of 2m people and also the direct area with a radius of 30km around the store.The aimed total targeted population is estimated at 450,000 people. Typical customer are males and females, age between 20 and 50 years. Amongst them is a high number of young professionals who working in the CBD of Brisbane and having compl eted under-graduated or post-graduated studies. The average disposable income is over $70k. Market needs BBQfun has identify the basic market need is for quality, fashionable and unique outdoor lifestlye items. Customer requirements Consumers like to have a wide range of different products and options.The store should be easily access-able with a minimal inconvenience for the customer. BBQfun has a great reputation for customer service which is always valued by consumers within this market. Consumer asking for price transparency to compare with competitors and payment plans. Products with warranty increasing consumer popularity. Market trends The trends in the market leads to quality, uniqueness and wider selection. Consumers who are in search for high quality items learn to appreciate value over price. Consumers like to have a vast selection or high diversity of products with varying price ranges.They are also looking for specialistic products which stand-out from the mass-producti ve crowd. Market Growth In 2009 the national outdoor lifestyle market reached 3 million dollars with an estimated growth of at least 6% over the next few years. Research demonstrates that consumers will be having a greater disposable income within the mere future with the assumption that on average two persons will be living under the same household. The economic forecast also states that interest rates will stay steady and will have no effect on disposable income. There is also an increasing popularity of T.V lifestyle programs which provides free-marketing to BBQfun. The market trend also shows that consumers are interested in high quality imports that remain affordable. Market Competition There are three major existing national competitors: The Yard, BBQ’s R Us and Outdoorz. The Yard is only become a threat to BBQfun if the business decision to enter the e-commerce market. Advantageously, The Yard does not trade in Queensland and currently has no marketing promotional acti ons. All of their products are good quality, Australian-made but highly priced.BBQ’s R Us is definitely a threat competitor who has a broad range of outdoor lifestyle products. Their main focus is on cheap imports and on already established markets. They have a strong replacement segment which is highly valued by consumers. However, their trading is mainly based in Adelaide and Melbourne which assist our market-share in Brisbane. BBQ’s R US are considering on entering the e-commerce market. Outdoorz has Australian-made outdoor lifestyle product with good value prices making them highly competitive to BBQfun.They have a few stores situated in every major city and the quality of their products range from low to medium. Alike BBQ’s R Us, Outdoorz has a strong focus on their replacement segment. They are gaining market strength in Brisbane and have a large advertising budget. If Outdoorz considers e-commerce marketing strategies, they will become a major threat out of the three. BBQfun’s local competition are mainly independent retailers. Our local competitors have products ranges that varied according to the owner’s preferences. They mostly sell Australian manufactured goods with an average item sale of $250/piece.All these independent retailers have a market share of 48% and a growing rate of 8% per year. Situation analysis summary BBQfun trades on a highly competitive growing market. Competitors fighting hard for every single market share. BBQfun is in a fortune situation to enter a niche market with only a few competitors and has also great potential to expand national wide. BBQfun has created an outdoor lifestyle range which is differentiated and superior to competitors. They offering a high quality range of products which costumer can see and test in stores.BBQfun offered to customer some great deals such as flexible payment plans, three year guarantee which is unique in the market, broadest range of products in the market, expert and friendly customer service and the most remarkable services that are better than anybody else. The marketing strategy will show how BBQfun can take advantage of this situation and increase significant they market share. Marketing strategy The advertising budget is $180k for the year 2012. The marketing campaign will mainly focus on print advertising such as magazines, direct mails and local newspaper.It is also consider a radio advertisement. Previous years showing a high increase of sales after publishing articles in the BrisNews magazine. That will be consider as the most successful strategy. The aim of the marketing strategy is to increase the loyalty customer from 10,000 to 16,000 and to establish a brand recognising in Queensland so that two out three people recognise BBQfun. BBQfun like to increase they growth rate at at least 10% within the next year and continuously growing the gross profit margin. Target marketThe target market is divided in three segments: new b uilds, renovations and replacements. A customer survey shows that BBQfun most loyal costumers are new builds. These group present 30% out of all costumers. All three segments groups are willing to buy online and pay for delivery. New builds are service, quality and price focus as well as loving to buy Australian made. They are loyal reader of the BrisNews magazine. Renovator usually living in other parts of the country and for them is service and quality the more important than price.Those consumer are loyal to print and online version of the Aspire Outdoor magazine. Replacement costumer are different. they love to support australian jobs and looking for good quality as well. Costumer service is not so important than price. These group are reader from BrisNews magazine as well. Marketing mix BBQfun pricing strategy is comparable prices for comparable quality. The value and quality are more important than the price but this will be backed up with a three year guarantee. BBQfun has tw o stores in Queensland which can be easily access and has large car parking arrangements.The most successful campaign will be ads and insert in the BrisNews, this along will reach 40% of loyal costumer, as well as informal articles and reviews. In-store promotion will take place and competitions with prizes to exotic destinations. BBQfun philosophy is ‘customer is king’ whatever needs to be done to make the customer happy must occur. This creates a loyal costumer base and those costumer are happy to recommend BBQfun to friends. Marketing strategy summary The aim is to build such a good reputation and brand awareness that BBQfun will be position as the premier outdoor lifestyle store in Queensland within five years.The marketing strategy to reach that aim is to first create customer awareness regarding their services offered, develop that customer base and building costumer loyalty and referrals. The message BBQfun will communicate is that BBQfun offers the widest, most exotic, easy access outdoor lifestyle products in Brisbane. Marketing methods: direct mail, ads and inserts in BrisNew magazine and flyers in the letterbox. The marketing mix will send messages to consumers about the excellent high quality products with a three year guaranty which is unique.It’s necessary to let consumer know the stores are easily accessible and there are lots of car parking available. This will happen through ads, inserts and article in BrisNews magazine, following the BBQfun philosophy ‘customer is king’. Potential new markets Export markets One of the first questions is to ask which country or countries do BBQfun export to first? Should BBQfun start with the USA, being the largest of the English speaking, common law based countries? Or perhaps the UK, because BBQfun is familiar with the culture and the customer?Or maybe BBQfun should capitalise on the Chinese opportunity, because it’s the highest growth market? The selection of BBQfunâ €™s first export market needs to be based on a well crafted pre-export plan and a carefully developed set of criteria. It needs to include a delicate balance surveying multiple initial market opportunities against BBQfun current level of resources, experience, and desired short and long-term business goals. Only then can BBQfun commence the culling process that enhance the business into the handful of optimal markets BBQfun can consider initially exporting to.No company can expected to ace their first attempt in exporting to a new market. Consequences of  failing in a market can be damaging both short-term and long-term. Short-term consequences are better known, such as the waste of resources and time, opportunity cost, and cash-flow. In particular, is the flow-on damage these consequences can cause to your domestic business in the form of distraction and cash drain, and the general apathy that can then develop towards establishing new export markets going forward.But it is th e long-term consequences that are lesser known and under appreciated, in particular for companies who are trying to build a sustainable and valuable brand or reputation, with the view to selling their brand or company down the line. One is the penalty in valuation BBQfun may incur when the time comes to  sell your brand or services. Large acquirers, in particular multinationals who have a presence in several of your target export markets, may not pay BBQfun the same value for an unsuccessful export market that they may pay you for your booming domestic one.The following are just some of the benefits of exporting: depending upon BBQfun export strategy BBQfun may have access to overseas capital to fund your business growth in addition to the benefits of greater volume exporting to the ‘other’ hemisphere can greatly assist to smooth out the normal peaks and troughs of supplying the domestic market there maybe ‘residual markets’ overseas for products and serv ices that are in decline in the domestic market The mere process of overcoming the numerous hurdles of exporting can sharpen BBQfun’s commercial acumen and improve your business sustainability.Maximise exporting benefits BBQfun domestic business operations can also derive significant benefit from developing overseas markets as follow: Exposing BBQfun products/services to overseas competition forces BBQfun to compare they product offering and in so doing BBQfun may enhance they product or service to be more competitive. This can assist BBQfun competitive edge in their domestic market by either increasing market-share or improving margin—or in preventing overseas competitors competing in their market.As BBQfun’s product may need to be enhanced to market overseas—so may they marketing message and materials. Different markets require information presented in different ways (in addition to using new languages). The information gained this way can provide a rea ch stream of innovative introductions into BBQfun’s domestic market. To successfully access export markets may require changes to internal systems and processes—all of which can/should be used to enhance service delivery in the domestic market.Typically expanding into export markets requires bringing additional skills into the business and this can be achieved through training, hiring qualifies staff or outsourcing support. Is BBQfun export ready? Notwithstanding the above developing overseas markets is not for the fainthearted—penetrating new markets with different languages, cultures and currencies requires time, skills, concerted effort and cash (working capital). If done incorrectly chasing export markets can potentially negatively impact the domestic business.The first step is to evaluate your readiness for export. To address this question you must answer the questions: Does BBQfun has or can get access to appropriate skills? Does BBQfun has the capacity no w (product or service delivery) to service export markets? Is that capacity scalable, what are the limitations? Will developing export markets draw resources, skills, money and capacity? Typically export markets involve a longer payment cycle and a reduced margin plus volumes can be significant.Can BBQfun fund this additional working capital or can it source the appropriate funds? Has BBQfun researched target markets in depth and been able to identify how the value proposition of they product or service differs from local and other international competition? BBQfun has great potential to expand to foreign markets. Marketing opportunities Business development strategies seek to match marketing opportunities to the organisation's resources (what it can do) and its objectives (what management wants to do).It is useful to have a framework for thinking about the broad kinds of marketing opportunities we seek to find. The Ansoff’s model is one of the best tools for organisations to develop market and product expansion strategies. [pic] All organisations must find new attractive marketing opportunities to grow. But the challenge lies in determining which marketing opportunity offers the most long-term success. Marketing mix Product New products have been introduced and some discontinued. BBQfun offered australian made and imported products with the focus of australian made.This is a positive balances on current demands of customer. This means customers getting a wider range of different products and they can decide on quality and price. Price Price is an important part of a retail marketing mix. If BBQfun’s customers cannot afford the products, they are unlikely to frequent your store. Most of the products in BBQfun’s store should be in a comfortable range for their target audience base. To get this information, BBQfun will need to perform an audience analysis to get an idea of median income and spending power.To create a sense of desire and to g ive an option for a splurge, BBQfun can also sell some itmes that are priced just out of your target customer’s normal price range. Place In retail, the design of the store and the way BBQfun present their products is an important part of the marketing mix. The display should fit BBQfun image so that customers encounter a cohesive experience. In a high-end retailer, products are often placed father apart to create a sense of scarcity and exclusivity; in a computer store, display models are set at waist height to allow testing.Placement can help bring certain products to attention and promote itmes BBQfun want to sell more of. Promotion Promotion is the most recognisable part of the marketing mix. It involves all of the marketing activities BBQfun does to let their customers know about the products they offer. For a retail outlet, BBQfun might advertise in newspapers and on the radio, start a social marketing campaign, use marketing emails, hand out flyers or plan grand-openin g events. BBQfun promotional campaigns should be targeted to they customer base.Choose publications that they read, stations they listen to or watch, and copy or graphic design that will resonate with them. ecommerce Australia’s bricks and mortar retailers have been doing it tough of late. But then, it is getting hard to remember a time when they weren't. But while news reports are filled with stories of companies such as Borders, Blockbuster and Premier Retail closing stores, many of Australia's online retailers are going from strength to strength. But with competitors just a click away, they also know that staying ahead of the game in online retail is a never-ending race.Different research showed that three quarters of Australia's online retailers planned to increase their investment in technology in the following year, spending more on core systems, mobile solutions, back office integration, and multi-channel retail strategies. Which ultimately should benefit consumers in terms of range and service. Business-to-Business marketing B2B marketing is about meeting the needs of other businesses, though ultimately the demand for the products made by these businesses is likely to be driven by consumers in their homes.Put very simply, business-to-business marketing is the marketing of goods and services to businesses in order to keep those companies operating. The biggest differences between business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing are the types of goods and services being marketed and the types of entities the goods and services are being to marketed to. B2B marketers promote goods and services that will help other companies run. Some of the things businesses produce for other businesses include equipment, components, raw material, processing services and supplies.In addition, because B2B marketers target only other companies, they have a significantly more targeted market than business-to-consumer marketers. Even when marketing very specific products for a fairly small subset of individuals, the latter type of marketer has a far larger audience than the former. Many B2B marketing is driven by costumer demand. If there are no consumer to purchase a product, there is no reason for a business to exist in order to make it. If that business does not exist, it will obviously not need the products and services offered by another business.Also, the goals of businesses and consumers are often the same. When choosing a company for goods and services, most consumers and businesses will make a decision based upon price, quality, delivery time and their history with the business. Other considerations might be the availability of the product or service and the quality of customer service if something goes wrong. B2B marketing is currently one of the fastest-growing areas of marketing. As technology brings more businesses together, companies are beginning to court each other far more aggressively.And as technology makes the world a s maller place, it becomes more important for marketing and sales professionals to understand and implement the principles of B2B marketing. Direct marketing Direct marketing is a channel-agnostic form of advertising that allows businesses to communicate straight to the customer, with advertising techniques that can include text messaging, email, interactive consumer websites, online display ads, fliers, catalog distribution, promotional letters, and outdoor advertising. Direct marketing messages emphasize a focus on the customer, data, and accountability.Characteristics that distinguish direct marketing are: Marketing messages are addressed directly to the customer. Direct marketing relies on being able to address the members of a target market. Addressability comes in a variety of forms including email addresses, mobile phone numbers, Web browser cookies, fax numbers and postal addresses. Direct marketing seeks to drive a specific â€Å"call to action. † For example, an adver tisement may ask the prospect to call a free phone number or click on a link to a website. Direct marketing emphasizes trackable, measurable responses from customers — regardless of medium.Direct marketing is practiced by businesses of all sizes. A well-executed direct advertising campaign can prove a positive return on investment by showing how many potential customers responded to a clear call-to-action. General advertising eschews calls-for-action in favor of messages that try to build prospects’ emotional awareness or engagement with a brand. Even well-designed general advertisements rarely can prove their impact on the organisation’s bottom line. Direct marketing is attractive to many marketers because its positive results can be measured directly.For example, if a marketer sends out 1,000 solicitations by mail and 100 respond to the promotion, the marketer can say with confidence that campaign led directly to 10% direct responses. This metric is known as t he ‘response rate’ and it is one of many clearly quantifiable success metrics employed by direct marketers. In contrast, general advertising uses indirect measurements, such as awareness or engagement, since there is no direct response from a customer. Marketing opportunities summary and recommendations Direct marketing campaignBecause of a limited marketing budget it is recommended to continue the already successful direct marketing campaign. BBQfun can prove a dramatic increase of sales immediately after articles in BrisNews were published. BBQfun might think about to do the same for the Gold Coast store surrounding area. It is also important to continue with targeting the locals living around the stores with direct mail, flyers and local advertising. The advantages for BBQfun using direct marketing are clear: Direct measurement of success: sending 1000 mails, response is 200 = 20% direct response, sending emails, BBQfun can monitor open rates and click rates.BBQfun c an use this through offering specials to consumer. Measuring results by product line, use historical data. If BBQfun usually sell 1,000 units of a particular product a month, and during the campaign response period they sell 1,050, BBQfun has an indication of effectiveness. (When using historical data, be sure to take seasonal variations in sales activity into consideration. ) Specific targeting: directly sending information to individuals, BBQfun can specifically target the demographic they wish to reach. This can enhance response rates as the information is relevant to BBQfun.This also gives BBQfun the opportunity to personalise each interaction, such as addressing emails with the name of the customer or individual. Cheap and quick production: depending on which form of direct marketing you select to use, it is generally cheap and quick to produce. Email campaigns, for example, have little cost, do not take much time to create and are delivered to people’s inboxes instantan eously. Potential to build list of potential or existing customers: if BBQfun regularly engage with potential or existing customers, they can build a database of contacts for future use.This makes targeting even easier for future marketing campaigns, giving BBQfun a pool of prospects to market to. The Internet has made it easier for marketing managers to measure the results of a campaign. This is often achieved by using a specific website landing page directly relating to the promotional material. A call to action will ask the customer to visit the landing page, and the effectiveness of the campaign can be measured by taking the number of promotional messages distributed (e. g. , 1,000) and dividing it by the number of responses (people visiting the unique website page).Another way to measure the results is to compare the projected sales or generated leads for a given term with the actual sales or leads after a direct advertising campaign. e-commerce campaign We are living in the In formation age. Internet has changed our lives and these changes are irreversible. The more people get on to internet and search for information, the more opportunities begin to develop for e commerce. There is no choice for BBQfun but to get on to the e-commerce way. Advantages of e-commerce: Internet being a world wide web, opens up the world as a market to the businesses.Businesses can reach out to millions of customers in an instant which is not possible in any conventional mode of marketing. One of the most significant advantages that e- commerce offers is the cost. The cost of marketing online across the globe is minuscule when compared to the actual cost of marketing in the conventional ways. The cost per transaction works out to be very cheap. E-commerce promotes paperless offices and processes thus contributing to savings in terms of resources too. And also looking at e-commerce from a marketing perspective brings the product or the service closer to the customer.It enables the customer to view, read, download and experience the product. The other significant difference from conventional marketing is that the online marketing enables the marketing company to customise its sales pitch or product offering to the customer. As against the conventional modes which target consumers and markets at large, with internet marketing and E Commerce it is possible to target every single individual making it more personalised and customised offer. Ways BBQfun can measure the success of they e-commerce site:Number of orders processed through the site: this is an simple metric to measure on a weekly or monthly basis. Plot the results on a graph and it is easy to see how orders flow through the site and how quickly they e-commerce presence is growing. Number of customers using the site: measuring how many people have registered to use or are using an e-commerce site demonstrates adoption of the channel and the credibility and usability of a site. This metric is a critic al e-commerce measure for a brand new site or for a company expanding into the world of e-commerce for the first time.Average cart total: analyzing the average cart totals and whether the totals are trending up or down will help BBQfun qualify the success of their site merchandising and promotional efforts. When average cart totals spike, BBQfun can figure out why so that you can repeat a successful promotion in the future. Cart abandonment rate: the number of carts that are abandoned on the site is a clear indicator of how the site is performing. Taking a closer look at exactly when customers bail out will tell BBQfun where the problem is and keeping tabs on abandonment rate will help BBQfun fix issues before they become major problems.Percentage of total revenue: when looking at the total revenue, what percentage is attributed to e-commerce? Measuring this percentage periodically will give BBQfun a sense of they overall adoption rate and the success of the site. These and many mor e advantages make obvious BBQfun sense for to market their products and services online. Both marketing strategies will increase the sales figures and the market share, grow the business, strength the reputation of BBQfun and give BBQfun the opportunity to expand to national and international markets as well and everything with a low budget.Sales prediction Least squares method Year |Sales (y) |Coded time (x) |XY |X2 | |2012 |11,000,000 |1 |11,000,000 |1 | |2013 |12,000,000 |2 |24,000,000 |4 | |2014 |15,000,000 |3 |45,000,000 |9 | |2015 | | | | | |Total ? |38,000,000 |6 |80,000,000 |14 | |Mean xy |12,666,667 |3 | |4. 67 | | b = 80,000,000 – ( 3 x 3 x 12,666,667 ) = ( 80,000,000 – 114,000,003 ) 14 – ( 3 x 4. 67 ) = (14 – 14. 01 ) b = – 34,000,003 – 0. 01 b = 3,400,000,300 a = 12,666,667 – ( 3,400,000,300 x 3 ) = 12,666,667 – 10,200,000,900 = – 10,187,334,233 y = a + bx Sales prediction for 2015 is $ Apply marketing opport unities to BBQfun E-commerce marketing Entering the e-commerce market is essential because of the change with technological advancements where most organisations and businesses are deciding to follow the trend. E-commerce marketing will help expand BBQfun to sell products internationally and nationally and make new markets and target audiences discoverable. This will result in financial growth with new sales and consumers.BBQfun already has existing storage places therefore are logistically prepared to enter the e-commerce market. BBQfun stock regulations could be managed in the future in respect to sales and marketing research. E-commerce strategies will help with discovering new markets and new target audiences. There are no real costs involved where delivery can be paid for and managed by the company. However, website design, management and IT solutions will have some cost. The website design will need to incorporate yellow colours or bright summer-time themes.Yellow itself is a neutral colour that will appeal to both our male and female consumers. The website needs to be written concisely and in easy terms. After successfully applying e-commerce marketing strategies the next step is to cover B2B marketing in order to achieve brand recognition and increase sales. B2B and e-commerce marketing strategies both align with BBQfun’s business strategies and therefore assist the company in reaching aims. Direct marketing BBQfun already has implemented a direct market strategies through direct mail and local adversing in the BrisNews magazine.Most successful campaign was getting articles written in the BrisNews magazine where BBQfun experienced immediate sales after the articles were published. BBQfun should build on this strategy further by trying to get more publications with popular outdoor lifestyle related magazines in printed and online formats. Where these publications need to be highly tailored to the target audience. Expansion in the direct mailing p rogram to a national level will expand the business further and increase customer loyalty and reputation.There is low cost involvement in expanding the direct marketing segment where distribution, flyer/advertisement design and article placements will increase subtly. All flyers, mail and online material will need to aligned with the corporate design. The corporate design apparent in direct mailing will present a young, refreshing, exotic lifestyle to appeals to our target audience. All suggested strategies applied to BBQfun will lead the company to be a strong/healthy growing business and national and international recognized.

Personal Theory Paper Essay

Abstract As the main goal of Christian counseling is to facilitate change in order to help clients achieve emotional wholeness and prosper in the direction of spiritual maturity, the intent of this author is to outline the development of a personal counseling theory which will assist clients in meeting that goal. This theory utilizes aspects from the disciplines of psychology and spirituality, as well as integrates biblical concepts and theology without discounting the relevance of each. The work includes an examination of what is important for understanding human personality, such as motivation, human development, and individual differences. An investigation into where problems tend to develop is presented with conceptualizations of health and wellness, and psychological and spiritual illness. Additionally, the role of integration is discussed. Key elements of the author’s theory, along with techniques which guide the therapeutic process and a demonstration of their effectiveness are considered. Finally, the way in which the worldview of the author impacts her theory, along with her approach to integration of ideas and techniques from various authors and theories is presented. Personal Theory Paper Introduction As believers in Christ, individuals are promised an abundant life (John 10:10), peace beyond comprehension (Philippians 4:7), never-ending unconditional love (Jeremiah 31:3), and victory over the enemy (1 Corinthians 15:57). The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2014), defines victory as â€Å"the overcoming of an enemy or antagonist; and achievement of mastery or success in a struggle or endeavor against odds or difficulties.† There are people who continually fight the battle, yet remain defeated. Believed to be  appointed of the Lord to counsel (II Timothy 1:9), this author hopes to come alongside individuals and reveal the undiscovered aspects of God’s love; help them realize who they are in Christ, provide the tools for living and the weapons for the battle, point them to victory, and finally, be their greatest cheerleader throughout the process. To that end, the purpose of this writing is to provide a framework of Christian counseling which will assist clients in facil itating change in order to defeat the enemy and succeed in achieving emotional wholeness. Understanding Human Personality Personality Development and Structure Personality is a conglomeration of all beliefs, actions, temperament, and attitudes of the heart which make up the whole person. Ways in which a person uniquely reacts or responds to events in his/her life constitute the personality traits. Crabb (1977) describes the structure of the personality as consisting of the conscious and unconscious mind, the basic direction or heart of a person, the will, and the emotions; all of which work together as a unit – an indivisible whole. Hawkins (2101a) delineates the personality as a series of concentric circles which shape the total person; beginning with the core self, followed by the soul, the body, temporal systems (or outside influences), and finally supernatural systems. As one works to understand each concentric circle and how each impacts the personality, the counselor will better understand the sourcing of clients’ problems; inevitably helping them to take ownership of the problem and motivate them to change (Hawkins, 201 0a). An individual’s past is important in uncovering misbeliefs originating during childhood which may manifest as dysfunctional behaviors in adulthood (Backus & Chapian, 2000). Additionally, in order to better understand the inner workings of personality, one must seek to comprehend the ways clients are motivated to make core changes. Motivation to Change Avoiding the humanistic approach which would describe the personality as something which cannot be altered, this author remains convinced the basic personality is capable of change through the power of the Holy Spirit. Today’s modern Christians have all too often embraced the secular explanation for the ills of society, going so far as to affirm sin by agreeing with an excuse such as â€Å"I was born this way.† By embracing  personality traits which dishonor God, sin becomes easily sugar-coated and socially acceptable. On one hand, God is praised for His ability to transform lives and encourage conformity to His character, yet on the other hand the personality traits which do not measure up to the biblical standard are accepted as simply unique characteristics in today’s post-modern society where uniqueness is celebrated and all are encouraged to just â€Å"be themselves† and live life in any way they choose. Many Christians refuse to accept a problem ex ists. The Psalmist writes, â€Å"Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting† (Psalms 139:23-24, NKJV). Dr. Larry Crabb (1977) is one of a number of Christian scholars who stands firm on God’s Word and shares a common belief that freedom from emotional pain and distress may be found within the pages of scripture as he states, â€Å"Do what God expects because He already has given you everything you need to live responsibly† (p. 140). Adams (1986) agrees with Crabb’s position as he explains if everyone chose to live responsibly according to the truths found in God’s Word, there would be no need for counseling, as all problems would be solvable on the basis of His Word. All legitimate forms of counseling should be based on scripture for in its pure form therein lies no need for improvement (Adams, 1986). This author would agree the assessment of counseling theories and practices should be held to a high biblical standard. Counselees should be encouraged to please God and not adopt the aforementioned post-modern mentality which permits one to behave in whichever way feels good at the time. Such behavior can only lead to emotional turmoil. Backus and Chapian (2000) admonish if individuals are serious about pleasing God, their behavior will be the exact opposite of what is expected. There is no need to go along with the deception brought about by the enemy which causes upheaval in the lives of those who choose to follow his lead. Freedom from the bondage which enslaves the minds of individuals can only be brought about by encountering the truth of the Word of God (Anderson, 2000). Those who do not embrace God’s Word as truth will spend their time seeking gratification of their needs rather than seeking a deeper relationship with God. Life is evaluated in terms of the rules of society and behavior is motivated to gratify self-centered needs (Cloud & Townsend, 1999). While the Christian may encounter deception and misbeliefs  (Anderson, 2000; Backus & Chapian, 2000), the desired choice would be to evaluate the situation within a framework based on biblical truths and exhibit behavior which is Christ-like in nature (Crabb, 1977). Theory of Human Development and Individual Differences â€Å"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made† (Psalms 139:13-14, NIV). Every individual possesses an understanding of the world and it is by this understanding a basis for autonomy within the world is sought after and developed. The process of development involves maturing along the journey and cultivating good spiritual habits. Frequently, the boundaries which guide behavior are for self-preservation (Cloud & Townsend, 1999). When behavior includes positive choices and patterns of relating which embrace biblical principles, such as treating others with the love and respect with which God intended, a â€Å"healthy, balanced interdependence† (Wilson, 2001, p. 246) is achieved. Recognition of the importance of first becoming a complete individual is critical in order for the healthy interdependence to occur. Completion and maturity cannot occur simply by an act of will, for individuals are unable to change in and of themselves (Cloud & Townsend, 1999). Therefore, by allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to direct the life-shaping choices throughout the process of development, a better sense of emotional and spiritual health may be achieved: â€Å"But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil† (Hebrews 5:14, NKJV). The job of a counselor is to assist the client in progressing toward a healthy, mature balance of emotional and spiritual health. Where are Problems Developed? Health and Wellness Two scriptures which come to mind when considering health and wellness include: â€Å"My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you† (Proverbs 3:1-2, ESV); and, â€Å"The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short† (Proverbs 10:27, NIV). Problems begin when clients neglect to heed the teachings in the Word of God. Hart (1999) states â€Å"many are falling into stress disease† (p. 4) and  proposes the possibility exists to create tranquility in the midst of the chaos and anxiety which presents in today’s world. Changing thought processes and taking time to care for the physical body through rest, not only will benefit the mind and body, but also impacts relationships and spirituality (Hart, 1999). Likewise, Backus and Chapian (2000) posit changing thoughts will change the biochemistry of the brain; the actual chemical comp osition of the cells within the brain and central nervous system. The goal of counseling would be to insure clients achieve good health; not just physically, but emotionally. And not just for themselves, but for others with whom they are involved relationally. Wilson (2001) stressed the importance of recognizing the way in which unhealed hurts affect how one responds to others; hurt people will hurt people. Illness Illness may be characterized by disorder, weakness, unsoundness, lacking strength, fragile infrastructure, abnormal functioning, harmful development, and finally, bondage or oppression of the body or mind. Illness does not just involve the body. The state of the mind lends itself to influence the physical body. Anderson (2000) writes, â€Å"But even modern medicine proclaims that the majority of people are sick for psychosomatic reasons† (p. 33). Counselors are primarily concerned with how illness may relate to and influence the state of the mind. Hart (1999) discusses several practical approaches to promote a state of well-being and reduce stress and anxiety: obtaining the proper amount of rest, consuming a healthy diet, getting plenty of exercise, and in some cases, taking medication. In fact, the least of which is medication. Hart (1999) cites an Australian study listing the percentage of people successfully treated for anxiety disorders. Some treatment options included sel f-awareness, meditation, cognitive-behavioral therapy, relaxation, psychotherapy, and medication. The relative effectiveness of the listed treatments indicated prescribed medication as having the lowest percentage at only 16%, compared to self-awareness reported as 95% effective (Hart, 1999). The information contained in the study supports this author’s belief that â€Å"as a man thinks within himself, so he is† (Proverbs, 23:7). In other words, often our physical and mental state is a product of our thoughts. Psychological and spiritual illness. Wilson (2001) states, â€Å"According to Jesus, no one is in perfect spiritual health†Ã‚  (p. 183). In fact, Backus and Chapian (2000) give an example of a client who spent considerable time exhibiting signs of physical illness, yet the reason for her illness was not caused by anything physiological. Her problem involved the psychological and spiritual. Backus and Chapian (2000) go on to emphasize, â€Å"The term anxiety covers a large number of behaviors, including cognitive activity†¦as well as physiological events† (p.72). An entire chapter of The Anxiety Cure is devoted to the connection between anxiety and depression (Hart, 2001). Anderson (2000) describes those who suffer not just with physical sickness but with psychological conditions as a result of satanic bondage; stating when one lives in a constant state of anxiety, a person is unable to concentrate on anything other than all-consuming fear. There remains no provision in the physical, mental, or emotional realm to focus on anything else. Similarly, Hawkins (2010a) is thorough in his explanation of concentric circles to include the supernatural realm. When counseling clients living in spiritual bondage, the words of Isaiah may be of tremendous comfort: â€Å"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you† (Isaiah 26:3, NKJV). Counselees may be encouraged to cease sinful practices which cause the enemy to obtain a foothold in their lives. Correspondingly, the spiritual health which may be proclaimed by some is partial and relative when measured by the absolute standard of what is seen in the Word of God (Wilson, 2001). Therefore, encouraging clients to trust in God and conform to the principles found in the Bible will produce a life less plagued by psychological and spiritual illness. Role of Integration and Multitasking As a Christian counselor, learning to integrate psychological, spiritual, and theological methods in the counseling arena is imperative. God’s Word specifically states, â€Å"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ† (Colossians 2:8, NKJV). General revelation must be placed under the evaluative scrutiny of God’s Word (Hawkins, 2010b). As Christian counselors ultimately are held accountable to the truth of God’s Word, great care must be taken to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide in the process of integration in order to rightly discern the truth. Hawkins (2010b) discusses the probability of uncovering  God’s truth within the work of scientists and scholars when he describes â€Å"unveiled truth† as â€Å"God’s truth.† The importance and role of multitasking is outlined in detail by Crabb (1977) when he describes four approaches of integration: Separate but Equal (a method of keeping psychology and theology completely separate), Tossed Salad (a method of blending them together), Nothing Buttery, (the complete disregard of psychology), and Spoiling the Egyptians (the method of profiting from psychology by carefully screening concepts to insure the compatibility with Christian presuppositions). Paul’s letter to Timothy reads, â€Å"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work† (II Timothy 3:16-17, NKJV). Additionally, Paul wrote to Titus, In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus, 2:7-8, NKJV) Therefore, when seeking to evaluate clients’ problems, the ability to multitask must focus on theological truth as the cornerstone, while integrating psychology and spirituality in order to obtain a healthy balance which may best be incorporated into the treatment plan. Sourcing Problems and Structuring Effective Intervention Key Elements of Theory This theory of counseling incorporates an integrative methodology which has as its base the primary purpose to restore to clients’ lives the truth of God’s Word and the influence of the Holy Spirit. Hawkins (2010a) stressed the spiritual strategy of placing emphasis on the restoration of Imago Dei. Likewise, this counselor recognizes the importance of structuring a counseling model around an application of disciplines which incorporate Christian values within the core of individuals; the place where the greatest influence of the Holy Spirit takes place, where the greatest impact on cognitive behavior is felt, and the place where the characteristics of the human personality are developed and subjected to purposeful change. The Word of God states, â€Å"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free† (John 8:32, NKJV). There exists a freedom in Christ unlike  anything secular truths may offer. Belief in something causes actions which reflect that belief, therefore, â€Å"beliefs and misbeliefs are the most important factors of your mental and emotional life† (Backus & Chapian, 2000, p. 16). The goal remains to teach clients how to exchange thoughts which are deeply rooted in misbelief with truths found in God’s Word by combining the strengths of cognitive-behavior therapy, as well as other empirically-supported psychological disciplines, without diminishing the strengths of those disciplines. Process and Techniques Motivating effective change can only be accomplished when the counselor is living by example; hiding the Word of God in her heart and mind. Therefore, it is paramount the counselor is free from anything which may plague the mind and cause bondage. To encourage a client to prosper in the direction of spiritual change, the counselor must first focus on the process in her own life as well. Additionally, the therapeutic relationship in counseling is critical. Therefore, creating an atmosphere in which clients encounter an empathetic, listening ear; where they know they are accepted with the unconditional love modeled by Christ and exempt from the threat of judgment; will go far in allowing mutual trust to be established. It is only in an environment of trust that a client will open up and disclose things affecting their lives while allowing the freedom to examine thoughts in their minds in hopes of motivating change (Crabb, 1977). This future counselor believes every battle is won or los t in the mind. Going back to the biblical example of Joshua and Caleb, in one of the most heartbreaking stories of the Old Testament, the Israelites sought to enter the Promised Land and were filled with fear upon eyeing the giants of the land; â€Å"†¦we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight† (Numbers 13:33b, NKJV). Because of their misbelief, they were unable to fulfill God’s call and were made to continue to wander in the wilderness until the next generation rose with boldness to take possession of the land. Joshua and Caleb had followed the instructions of God’s Word, had meditated on it day and night, and as a result became strong and courageous. There was no room in their minds for misbelief. Their actions were a sum total of their thoughts. The deepest, driving desire of their will, as it aligned with God’s truth, allowed them to complete the task and inherit God’s  promise. Adams (1986) argues teaching biblical principles is critical to immediate and lasting change. As a future counselor, this author plans to come alongside clients exhibiting the love of Christ bolstered by consistent prayer for the counselees. Joined together with hopes of being successful in encouraging them to identify incorrect assumptions, to support them as they exchange misbeliefs for truths, and to clarify biblical thinking – all of which will enable them to change and conform to the image of Christ (Adams, 1986; Crabb, 1977). As Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus: â€Å"†¦speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ† (Ephesians 4:15, NKJV). Expectations of Effectiveness If methods used in counseling are in line with God’s Word, change brought about as a result will be effective. Crabb (1977) states worshipping the Lord more fully and serving Him more effectively comes about as a result of solving problems in ways which cause one to be more like the Lord, or spiritually mature. A progression toward healthy relationships will be displayed as clients work toward the goal of spiritual and psychological maturity. The good news is that the Lord Himself promises to guide individuals along the way. Isaiah 48:17b reads: â€Å"I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go† (NIV). Crabb (1977) is adamant in his statement that the Lord will never allow a situation in life in which a believer is unable to respond biblically. Similarly, Adams (1986) explains as clients adopt pleasing God as their highest priority, changes made will have value before God and remain in effect. As counselors ente r into relationships with clients, trusting in clients’ ability to make themselves vulnerable before the Lord, desiring change and adopting a conforming nature toward the character of Christ, the Lord cannot help but bless (Jeremiah 29:11). The Influence of Worldview on Theory View of Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality The lens which is used to process and filter this author’s worldview is primarily a Christian lens. It exposes a theological biblical foundation, yet allows room for spirituality and psychology as well. There remains a strong belief to not incorporate any teachings or practices which would  prove to be out of accord with the teachings of the Word of God. Adams (1986) spoke well when he reminded the reader that long before the existence of psychology, Jesus Christ was named Wonderful Counselor. That is not to say psychology does not have a place in counseling, however, one must keep in the forefront of one’s mind the â€Å"depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God†¦of him, and through him, and to him, are all things† (Romans 11:33-35, KJV). Understanding comes from God, including the understanding He grants in the discipline of psychology. Therefore, one must take care not to simply induce superficial change in counselees. As psychology ma y supply wisdom to help clients modify behavior, the Christian counselor is responsible to help clients delve deeper; employing a substantial change of the heart – a change which is guided by the Holy Spirit (Adams, 1986). There is an inner life which is known only to God and oneself. In order to facilitate any outward change of any significance, one must seek to probe those deep places, allowing the Holy Spirit to work through the counselor to implement the changes which the Holy Spirit has promised to effect. Anything less would be inadequate and unbiblical (Adams, 1986). Approach to Integration As Christians, we are granted the capability through the Holy Spirit to know the truth in all things: psychology, theology, and spirituality. The anointing of the Holy Spirit which dwells in the believer, teaches concerning all things. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. (I John 2:27-28) Hawkins (2010b) described McMinn’s most effective pursuit toward psychological and spiritual health which involved three things: an accurate awareness of self, an accurate awareness of need, and healing relationships. In combining those three, and screening psychological concepts to determine compatibility with the presuppositions held by Christianity , Christian counselors can profit from secular psychology, provided unwanted elements which oppose truths found in God’s Word are discarded (Crabb, 1977). Conclusion The theory presented is careful to emphasize the importance of teaching the truth of the Word of God. By multitasking, or integrating psychological theories, as well as some aspects of spirituality, it is this author’s belief that the process of substantial, biblical, effective change is attainable for clients. The process of change must begin in the heart of the counselor and then reach out to encourage change in the hearts and lives of counselees. The emphasis must be on the word, â€Å"process.† As Paul writes, may each one â€Å"press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus† (Philippians 3:17, KJV). The hope of this future counselor is not only will counselees be moved to change to effect better mental health, but also will be moved to change to embrace the hope and healing which comes from a life which glorifies God. References Adams, J. E. (1986). How to help people change: The four-step biblical process. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Anderson, N. T. (2000). The bondage breaker. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers. Backus, W., & Chapian, M. (2000). Telling yourself the truth. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers. Cloud, H., & Townsend, J. (1999). Boundaries in marriage. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Crabb, L. (1977). Effective biblical counseling. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Hart, A. D. (1999). The anxiety cure: You can find emotional tranquility and wholeness. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. Hawkins, R. (2010a). Hawkins’ model for guiding the counseling process. Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University. Hawkins, R. (2010b). Introduction, McMinn, and multi-tasking. Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University. Victory. (2014). In The Merriam-Webster dictionary. Retrieved September 25, 2014 from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary Wilson, S. D. (2001). Hurt people hurt people: Hope and healing for yourself and your relationships. Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers.

Rational Choice Theory and Irrational Decisions Essay

Rational Choice Theory and Irrational Decisions - Essay Example The last decades have been characterized by the widely spread opinion, that any political behavior, especially in the area of international relations can be explained on the basis of the rational choice. On the contrary, certain political scientists have also argued as for the relevance and universality of the present theory in terms of international political decisions. The core of the rational choice approach is that 'people always try to maximize their interests', (Ferejohn & Satz, 1996); in regional politics this maximization may be connected with the desire of people to vote for this or that candidate, while at the international level the rational choice depends on what profits each state will gain as a result of this or that political decision. Having its roots in the economic sciences, rational choice theory is usually based on the cost-benefit calculations. Politics as a whole appears to be the area of the irrational choices, which can hardly be explained by the rational choice theories; this is why to prove this assumption we have to look closer at the examples of such cases with their relation to the theory. Ian Shapiro has called the rational choice theory 'a model that pretends to explain everything'. ... f the belief, that rational choice theory was the basis for the explanation of international political processes, has probably taken place during the falling of communist regime across Europe. The prominent political scientists have failed to explain the reasons and the grounds of such collapse. (Snidal, 2002) This was one of the most prominent irrational actions, which took place during the world political history and science. This was also the time, through which the post-behaviorists understood there were other means of explaining international political relations. In relation to the rational choice theory, the question appears as for the assumption, that this theory looks at the participants of the political processes as actors, who have their purpose and goal, and thus act on the rational basis; (Bates, 1997) but what about the Muslim Shahids, who commit suicides in the Middle East looking for some unknown and unreasonable idea If the rational choice is the analysis of costs and benefits of certain political actions, how can this theory explain these actions, which certainly influence the general international situation In this behavior only the one part of this theory is seen - the costs; the benefits are absolutely absent at the first glance, or they are vague and invisible for the analyst. While the subject of the suicide supposes such act to be the means of displaying his (her) political beliefs, such behavior is usually taken as absolutely irrational, leading to no profits and causing international conflicts. The rational choice theory here is proved to be unable of explaining these behaviors and choices through its statements. On the other hand, the actions of Shahids may be taken as rational on the basis of the assumption, that their behavior is not

Dream of red chambers (chinese culyures and history ) Coursework

Dream of red chambers (chinese culyures and history ) - Coursework Example Chia Lan’s success was evident but Pao-Yu’s changed attitude towards studies was very curious in nature. This was displayed in his result when he stood seventh and Chia Lan ranked one hundred and thirteenth. After the exam, Pao-Yu disappeared from the gate of the examination hall and his feeling of non-attachment from the worldly duties and affairs and from all materialist attractions diminished. This became more obvious before his departure, he said to Precious Virtue: â€Å"Chieh-chieh, I am going now. You can wait with Tai-tai for the good tidings†.  And to his mother, Madame Wang he said, â€Å"I shall never be able to repay Tai-tais kindness to me but I shall try my best at the Examinations and earn the degree. Perhaps this will make Tai-tai happy and in a way atone for my past unworthiness."   Chia Cheng adhered to the teachings of Confucian canon and governed his life following those teachings. For him the sincerity lies in the mourning and true emotion and not in pompous and expensive ceremonies. Despite all the objections and criticisms, Chia Cheng abandoned the place of mourning and left the arrangement for the rituals on the hand of other people. And the impact the rituals had on the lives and minds of the subject and people around Chia Cheng can be well demonstrated from the sayings of Phoenix, â€Å"Lao Tai-tai was never extravagant in her life†. And also commented, â€Å"I do not understand what Lao-yeh meant about the sincerity of mourning and the teachings of the sages but I know that Lao Tai-tai used to love Nai-nai and myself and was kinder to us than the rest, and that I for one will be ashamed to face her in after ¬ life if her funeral is skimped. So I implore Nai-nai to spare no expense. Lao Tai-tai provided for this herself†. The success of Pao-yu and Chia Lan were also for their relation with Imperial Concubine. Emperor granted pardon to Chia Sheh and Chia Gen by restoring their title and property. The emperor also

Samsung Hunts for 'Wow' Moment Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Samsung Hunts for 'Wow' Moment - Article Example What probably has them more worried is the failure of Apple to enthrall the consumers with their iPhone 5. Samsung has marketed their products in such a way that has largely been a reason for the hype. Their clever advertising strategies satirized Apple Inc. taking the balls to Samsung’s court and making it a mainstream maker of trendy mobile phones. The new Samsung phone which was to be unveiled on 14th March at the ‘Samsung Unpacked’ event at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. This time is critical to launch a new phone because the smartphone industry is growing at a very fast pace transitioning from the ecstasy of new technology to a more clever and mature stage. The hardware developments are now more evolutionary than revolutionary; people are expecting enormous improvements in hardware and software. The area where Samsung lags behind Apple is software; where Apple has the ability to link its hardware to its own OS, Samsung uses the Android technology like other smartphone manufacturers. So to compensate their weakness in the software department, Samsung has to depend on on new software aspects such as the screen that will scroll up and down with the motion of the users eyes. Samsung introduced new features and are planning to ‘double down on software’ as their executive informed at a technology conference. Other features include one touch sharing between their devices. The question however is whether Samsung will be able to uphold its progress with the market growing so much more competitive and products becoming more and more commoditized. What worries Samsung more is the increase in the chip prices and the fall in sales which will decrease by 35% in 2013 as forecasted by research firm Strategy Analytics. Samsung had been a leading smartphone seller; in 2012 they were on the top sweeping away 30.3% of the world over smartphone

Explain How Web Design Guidelines are used for developing systems for Essay

Explain How Web Design Guidelines are used for developing systems for the Older Users - Essay Example Second is the use of computers especially internet is growing at an increasing speed. Percentage of posted websites increased in a time period of 3 years, between 93-96 by 6500 fold while US population using internet increased 6 fold in 5 years time (1995-1999) A study by Nielson, J showed Seniors (65+) used internet for e-mail use, for research, news, tracking investments, research medicine and medical conditions, to shop and bank online, and read about hobbies. They can also benefit from online study courses. But the problem here is, this generation of elderly people spent most of their time when computers did not exist. So they face accessibility problems either due to lack of education or poor income. Another factor is aging factor which brings physical, mental and cognitive impairment. Study in 1999, by US department of Commerce showed the digital divide between information rich group (Whites, Asians/Pacific Islanders, those with higher incomes, more educated and dual parental h ouse holds) and information poor group (younger, those with lower income and education levels, certain minorities, those in rural areas and central cities) is also increasing.2AARP study income and education are more important in determining universal accessibility than age. Any step taken to tackle this will help elderly people also.Shneiderman advocates three steps for attaining universal usability-'providing for technology variety, user diversity, and gaps in knowledge' which also accommodates the elderly problems. Elderly are fixed income groups requiring support for older hardware and software. Their predisposition to physical and cognitive impairment bringsforth another innovative issue in interface designs to meet their diverse needs. Finally having not been exposed to computers in schools or on the job, the elderly are likely to be novice users who need more guidance and training. So the computer designers should be sensitive to the need for backward compatibility with older versions. Online services should design for lower bandwidth connections. Software designers should use adaptive interface with training wheels and extensive online help for novice users. 'Thus user interface designers face one of the challenging tasks because of the need to support a broad range of user diversity'. Browne,H 2000.As a result a number of guidelines are sprouting and often same guideline apply to many different demographics .For elderly, guidelines relating to visually impaired , motor skills and working memory should be taken care of. WWW Consortium's web access initiative provides a set of guidelines for web pages designers to accommodate the elderly. Provide equivalent alternatives to auditory and visual content Don't rely on colour alone [give redundant cues] Provide context and orientation information Provide clear navigation mechanisms Ensure the documents are clear and simple. Microsoft addresses in the' Seniors and Technology" web page issues related to adults with visual and motor impairment, and low bandwidth connect

Case study #1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case study #1 - Essay Example Thus, for the better understanding of the competencies and shortcomings of Forest International, aimed at suggesting rational strategies to overcome the identified issue, a SWOTT analysis has been assessed in the below mentioned section. Strengths. Forest International has annual revenue of $11 billion along with employee strength of 45,000, which makes it quite competent to invest in safety measures. Although employee turnover is negligible, it does not embark on the employee loyalty but rather on the economic construction of the region where workers are somewhat forced to work in hazardous conditions. Opportunities. In the course of improvement of safety records of the company, it can seek for the assistance of standards developed by Federal OSHA, to ensure the safety of paper mills industry. Correspondingly, the company must abide with the 1910.145 standard under the OSHO Code, which emphasizes the prevention of accidents during the duty work of the employees (US Department of Labor, â€Å"Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills†). Threats. The major threat that Forest International have been facing is the downfall of its market share as compared to that of its competitors. Due to its lack of sustainability concerns and frequent workplace accidents, the company also faces threats in terms of lowering stakeholders’ loyalty. Trend. In accordance to the past records, it was observed that the accidents occurred in Forest International was the consequence of the management’s negligence. Jack Taylor, crew leader had once reported an accident caused due to the loosened up jack in the machinery and suggested the management on ways of improving safety lines. However, it was ignored by the management. Thus, emphasizing this particular issue in the report, few of the measures for improvement of safety lines in the company is being suggested gauged with rational

Should public funding be used to provide early childhood education to Essay

Should public funding be used to provide early childhood education to all children - Essay Example However, this fact notwithstanding, the following analysis will consider the extent to which governmental funding of early childhood education would be a net good or an overall net bad from educational, economic, and societal standpoints. As a function of answering such a broad question, it is the hope of this particular author that the reader will be able to draw a more well rounded answer to a question that would otherwise evoke a rather emotional response from the perspective shareholders within the process as well as the taxpayers that will ultimately be left holding the bill regardless of what particular approach is engaged. By analyzing these determinants, it is the further intention of the author that the pros and cons of such a broad and overarching funding will be made manifest and allow the reader to come away with a rather clear understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of such a system might be. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, one must integrate an understanding and appreciation for the economic constraints that universal government sponsorship of early childhood education would portend. ... As a function of understanding the means by which the United States government ultimately operates, one comes away with the understanding that the elected representatives are responsible to the shareholder citizens with regards to the legislation and proposed budget. In this way, it is easy to see how, regardless of current budgetary shortfalls, a large enough response from the electorate would force the hand of the federal government to act in a way to provide such services to the electorate. Naturally, in doing so, this would have a strong negative impact upon other vital functions of the government, to include many other forms of needed social programs; perhaps Medicaid, Medicare, and/or Social Security funding (Hart 64). As such, it is necessary for the reader/researcher to consider the fact that without exponentially raising tax rates, it will be impossible to seek to add a broad new level of government services without directly robbing from one program to help to pay for anothe r one. From the educational standpoint, the application of universal childhood education can have a massive benefit to the further development of educational standards within the lifetime of the student and can serve to provide a sound basis upon which the educators involved can seek to build. Within the current system, only some shareholders within the student body have the opportunity and/or the means to engage within childhood education. Although this should not be seen as a definitive disadvantage, the fact of the matter is that it provides an unequal footing upon which the first few grades must integrate with the students. A level of basic assumption cannot be provided with relation to what has been covered and what has not. In

Romulus My Father Essay Essay Example for Free

Romulus My Father Essay Essay Through the exposition of Raymond Gaita’s non-fiction biographical memoir ‘Romulus my Father’ it is evident that one’s strong culture and heritage can often heighten a sense of belonging within an individual group however in some cases can act as a barrier to belonging to society as a whole. We are shown Romulus’s strong connection to his culture and religion, which ultimately enhances his positive sense of belonging to his original heritage. â€Å"Many were Bible stories and their memory nourished his deeply religious spirit throughout his life. † The use of descriptive language â€Å"nourished† enhances to the reader Romulus’s strong sense of religion which is inscribed into him as a major part of his moral and ethics. However this strong connection to this heritage acts as a barrier for Romulus and ultimately ostracises him, leading to his alienation within the Australian context. â€Å"Even after more than forty years my father could not become reconciled to it. He longed for the generous and soft European foliage, but the eucalyptus of Baringhup, scraggy except for the noble red gums on the river bank, seemed symbols of deprivation and barrenness.† This quote explores the contrasting environments, showing Romulus clinging to old ties with his native country and then experiencing isolation within the Australian context. The description of the European landscape as â€Å"generous† and â€Å"soft† highlights Romulus’s obvious preference for his home country, this experience juxtaposes with the contrast of the â€Å"scraggy† harshness of the Australian landscape, ultimately showing Romulus’s separation from the notion of belonging within the Australian context. It is evident through the comparison of these quotes that Romulus’s strong sense of belonging within his heritage results in barriers for him in belonging within Australian society. Another example of Romulus’s isolation within Australia is obvious with his disparity with the Australian people. This quote highlights that Romulus is not familiar with the Australian land which ultimately ostracises him.

Employment Laws and HRM Strategy Essay Example for Free

Employment Laws and HRM Strategy Essay Describe the scenario that you have selected and its corresponding employment laws. The human resource scenario the writer selected is the need for seasonal employees who may be from another country. Employment laws for the state of Mississippi will be a base used to solve this issue. Mississippi Wage and Hour Laws from the Employment Law Handbook insures that seasonal workers are provided with a minimum wage, meals and breaks, vacation, sick leave, severance and holidays. Mississippi currently does not have any state laws requiring or regulating these requests. Mississippi uses federal guidelines as a base for establishing employment laws. The federal law as of today requires a minimum wage of 7.25 dollars. The federal law for overtime is also followed by Mississippi. Meals and breaks according to federal law are not defined. Breaks taken by an employee that are less than twenty minutes must be paid and lunch breaks thirty minutes or more do not need to be paid as long as an employee can do whatever he or she likes during this period according to the Department of Labor. Vacation leave is determined to the employer since Mississippi legislature does not have any established guidelines on this matter. Sick leave, Severance pay and holidays are all determined by an employer in the state of Mississippi due to established laws in this state (Mississippi Wage and Hour Laws, 2012). In August of 2012 Mississippi held a committee meeting on immigration reform. Governor Phil Bryant wanted to reaffirm a law preventing undocumented immigrants from recovering public benefits. The Mississippi Senate will have to take into consideration the United States Supreme Court rulings and federal appeals when drafting Mississippi legislature for immigration laws. The Mississippi state immigration law would have to comply with E-Verify laws and constitutional laws are not violated. President Barack Obama passed a deportation deferral to immigrants earlier this year but states can pass their own immigration reform laws such as Arizona and Alabama (Cherry, 2012). The United States Department of Labor established an act called The Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act or (MSPA) in order to protect these types of workers. The act protects employment related migrant and seasonal workers. The MSPA ensures that each nonexempt farm contractor and agricultural seasonal association disclose their terms and conditions of employment to each migrant worker. The terms and conditions of employment must be explained to the migrant and seasonal worker at the time of recruitment (Department of Labor, 2012). The job must description must also explain worker protection, amount of wages due to a migrant worker and provide an itemized statement of earnings and deductions (Department of Labor, 2012). The Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act also guide housing and transportation. The federal guide line ensures that housing and transportation provided meets federal and state guidelines with proper licensure and insurance which is enforced by the wage and hour division. The federal guidelines require records must be kept for at least three years which includes name, permanent addresses and social security numbers (Department of Labor, 2012). The Fair Labor Standards Act or (FLSA) requires that workers on large farms are paid minimum wage but they are excluded from overtime premium pay. The FLSA prevents children under the age of sixteen from working during school hours and working certain jobs deemed too dangerous. Children that are employed on their families’ farm are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (Department of Labor, 2012). The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) require employers that want to use foreign temporary workers with H-2A visas get a labor certificate from the Employment and Training Administration. The certificate ensures that there are not enough able, willing and qualified United State workers available to do the work. The Immigration and Nationality Act standard of the H-2A program is enforced by the wage and hour division (Department of Labor, 2012). Recommend a plan to manage the HRM situation within the confines of the law. Justify your approach to your scenario to HR management. The human resource management plan the writer recommends would be based on performance. Job performance and task performance represents what an employee contributes to an organization that employs them. Migrant workers would benefit from this type of grading system if the work performance is factory based. Task performance is the product of employees performing actions leading to the production of raw materials into goods and services. Studies have been performed to show job performance management provides feedback and measurement improves employee performance leading to better organizational performance (Stewart, Brown, 2011). The writer believes migrant workers may show citizenship behavior. Employees often show citizenship behavior by going the extra mile for the company, volunteering for special projects, following organizational procedures even if they are not convenient for the employee and defending the business where the employee works (Stewart, Brown, 2012). The writer would focus on counterproductive behavior before it starts. Counterproductive behavior is behavior from an employee that is harmful to a business. An employee can exhibit two types of counterproductive behavior: 1) production deviance 2) property deviance occurs when employee sabotage equipment, destroys materials and products and misuse expense accounts. The counterproductive behavior can also be extended to gossiping about coworkers and showing favoritism. The writer would create a manual of policies and procedures explaining how this behavior is prohibited and have disciplinary consequences set in place if this behavior is exhibited. The writer would not use performance appraisals as much. The main goal would be to give feedback to an employee and listen to any problems they may be having. State how a competitive advantage may be gained by ensuring HRM practices meet the necessary employment laws. A competitive advantage can be gained by ensuring human resource strategies are followed. A company must have an employee handbook, benefits package, job descriptions and a payroll system in place to ensure human resource strategies are at an advantage to the company. The steps above can be followed also to keep in compliance with legal employment issues. Laws and regulations are important to ensure equal rights to disabled worker, employment eligibility for migrant workers with the use of an I-9 form, drug screening and work place harassment. A competitive strategy can lead to effective human resource department and a successful business (Managing Employees, 2012). Speculate what might happen if the situation was not handled in accordance with the appropriate employment laws. A business that does not follow employment laws can face state and federal criminal charges. A business can avoid costly law suits by following laws to ensure employees are treated fairly. A company’s compliance can save money that would be used to repair a damaged reputation. Specific laws protect employees from immutable characteristics such as sex, race, age and religion. Characteristics such as tattoos, nose piercings and long hair are not covered by federal and state laws. State laws can set a basis by not discriminating against marital status or sexual orientation and may not conflict with federal laws. The writer speculates that if state and federal discrimination laws are broken a company can face many damaging hardships (Stewart, Brown, 2012). References Cherry, Daniel (2012). Lawmakers Gearing Up for Immigrant Reform Battle Retrieved from http:www.mpbonline.org on November 18, 2012 Stewart, G., Brown, K. (2011). Human resource management (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons Managing Employees (2012). Retrieved from http:www.mississippi.org on November 18, 2012 Mississippi Wage and Hour Laws (2012). Employment Law Handbook, Retrieved from http:www.employmenthandbook.com on November 18, 2012 The Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection, (2012) Department of Labor Retrieved from http:www.dol.gov on November 18, 2012

Styles of Leadership in Different Cultures

Styles of Leadership in Different Cultures Executive Summary There are various motivational theories and styles of leadership which are being practiced by organizations worldwide. Certain motivational theories and styles of leadership would only be applicable based on factors such as the culture within which the organization operates. Sri Lanka being a country where power culture has been dominant has to follow less flexible, more extreme motivational theories and styles of leadership such as McGregors XY Theory and Autocratic or Authoritarian Leadership style respectively. It has been identified that there are various advantages and disadvantages of pursuing certain leadership styles. However, it is clear that independent of the style of leadership used, if the leader is an effective leader, this would be a great strength for an organization. Standard Chartered Bank having reported seven successive years of record income and continuous expansion of market share, despite the existing global economic condition, has been recognized as one of the worlds leading banks. The success is entirely a result of the effort of employee groups and leaders of the bank who have been exposed to a unique culture which has been brought up at the bank. Table of Contents Table of Figures Introduction An organization can be defined as a group of individuals working together to achieve a common goal or objective. To achieve these common goals and objectives an organization would require leadership as well as motivation. There are various styles of leadership and motivational theories which are practiced by organizations in order to achieve the desired result. Above all, effective leadership could be identified as one of the best motivational factors. An extensive analysis regarding Standard Chartered Bank has been done with the purpose of analyzing functions of groups, teams and leadership within organizations. Standard Chartered PLC is a British financial services company headquartered in London, England with operations in more than seventy countries. It operates a network of over 1,700 branches and outlets (including subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures) and employs 80,000 people. Despite its British base, it has few customers in the United Kingdom and around 90% of its profits come from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Motivational Theories and Leadership Motivation could be defined as a psychological process where internal and external factors influence a person to be continuously interested in pursuing and achieving goals. It could be said that motivation influences a persons behaviour at work and ultimately how he performs during the job. There are various motivational theories followed by organizations to motivate their employees and some of these theories are discussed below. Motivational Theories Douglas McGregors Theory X and Theory Y Douglas McGregor has developed two models which are known as Theory X and Theory Y. These two theories were formulated through examination of theories on individual behaviour at work. Douglas McGregors Theory X states that an average human being dislikes work, prefers to be directed, avoids responsibility, has little or no ambition, works for money and mainly security. Theory X has given rise to two management approaches, which are the soft and hard approach. Under the soft management approach, managers seek harmony with the employees under the impression that employees would cooperate with them when necessary. Where, under the hard management approach an employee has to be coerced, controlled, directed and threatened till the expected result it achieved. However, it should be noted that none of the extremes are suitable as employees require more than monetary rewards, they require fulfilling their higher order needs. It is understood the main reason for organizations to use this approach is to ensure that employees behave in the expected manner. Theory Y, unlike Theory X looks at an average human being from a more optimistic angle. Theory Y states that an average human being likes work, directs himself, accepts and seeks responsibility. Theory Y would be more valid and is used by organizations as this would result in higher levels of motivation for employees through matching organizational goals with personal goals. Further, this would lead to employee empowerment as creativity and opportunity to exercise initiative is allowed. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory speaks of five groups of basic needs which usually motivate behaviour in many cultures. These basic needs are Physiological, Safety, Social, Esteem Needs and Self Actualization. Figure (Maslows Hierarchy of Needs) In Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory, once a need has been satisfied, the desire to satisfy a higher need rises. Hence, a person would be motivated to perform better. Organizations would use this theory to decide on what type of motivation needs to be given to its employees. Organizations use this theory by identifying, Behaviour of an individual at a given moment depends on his strongest need Physiological needs have the highest strength and a majority of employees would work to satisfy this level only An unsatisfied need acts as a motivation factor Once a need is satisfied the desire to achieve a higher order need rises A satisfied need would no longer act as a motivation factor ERG Theory ERG Theory resembles Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory. ERG Theory has three groups of needs. Where the first group would be Existence Needs (i.e. physical and material wants), second group would be Relatedness Needs (i.e. desire for interpersonal relationships) and third group would be Growth Needs (i.e. desire to be creative and productive). However, unlike Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory, the ERG Theory states, if frustrated in trying to satisfy Growth Needs, Relatedness Needs will re-emerge (frustration regression process). Organizations would use ERG theory to help them identify their employees dynamic needs and help the organizations to understand why employees have such dynamic needs (i.e. once satisfaction progression occurs the needs change and once frustration regression occurs needs change once again). Herzberg Two Factor Theory or Motivation Hygiene Theory Herzberg after carrying out many surveys concluded that to understand employee satisfaction or dissatisfaction work had to be divided into two categories. Motivation Factors: Factors which are strong contributors to job satisfaction. Hygiene Factors: Factors which are not strong contributors to job satisfaction but which must be present to meet an employees expectations and prevent job dissatisfaction. Hygiene Factors: Job security Relations with others Physical working conditions Company policies Pay Quality of supervision Motivation Factors: Achievement Responsibility Recognition Opportunities for personal growth Promotion opportunities Organizations use Herzbergs Two Factor Theory firstly to identify if their employees hygiene factors are met through which an assessment could be made regarding whether the employee is satisfied with the job or not. If not, the organization can identify which factors need to be adjusted so that this may alleviate job dissatisfaction. However, to motivate someone to perform better or to increase satisfaction motivation factors must be addressed by the organization. Using this theory, an organization would be able to identify which form of motivation would be necessary to motivate an employee as motivation factors relate to the nature of the work itself and the way the employee performs it. It should be further noted that this theory has a twofold approach of eliminating dissatisfiers and enhancing satisfiers. Victor Vrooms Expectancy Theory According to Victor Vrooms Expectancy Theory employees will work hard to achieve rewards that they values and that they consider obtainable. Further, Victor Vroom states that an employee will be motivated to exert a high level of effort to obtain reward under three conditions. The employee believes that his or her efforts will result in acceptable performance. The employee believes that acceptable performance will lead to the desired outcome or reward. The employee values the reward. (Karen Collins, 2007 cited in Flatworld Knowledge, n.d) Figure (Expectancy Theory Model) (Karen Collins, 2007 cited in Flatworld Knowledge, n.d) Organizations would use this theory as it would help the organization to understand and interpret, How employees decide to work The effect of planned rewards programs The effect of such planned rewards on the productivity of employees Sri Lanka is a country within which power culture is dominantly seen not only within society but also within organizations. As a result of this culture which has not changed much throughout the years, work force of an organization would naturally await orders from the top and are not interested to take initiative in most situations even when given the chance. Hence, when considering motivational theories which are now widely practiced through the world where a technique of motivating employees in a natural manner is used, it could be understood that such motivational theories if applied within organizations of the country may not result in the expected outcome. Based on this information it is possible to arrive at the conclusion that the most suitable motivational theory to be used by organizations operating within Sri Lanka is McGregors XY Theory where Theory X assumptions have to be used. Leadership Leadership Styles Leadership could be defined as a relationship through which one person influences the behaviour or actions of other people. There are various factors which should be considered when selecting a style of leadership. For example, nature of task (i.e. Urgency, Complexity), type of people being led (i.e. Maturity, Technical Experience, Competence), etc. There are mainly three types of leadership. The Authoritarian or Autocratic Style: A leader exercising this style would make decisions alone without advice from their followers and would state what has to be done and how. Such a style would be suitable in an occasion when all the required information to solve a problem is available, there is a lack of time and the employees are well motivated. The Participative or Democratic Style: A leader exercising this style would involve employees in the decision making process. The leadership functions are shared with members of the group resulting in greater interactions within the group. The group members have a greater say in decision making, determination of policy, implementation of systems and procedures. (Laurie J. Mullins 2007, p. 371) However, it should be noted that the leader maintains the final decision making authority. A Laissez Faire (Genuine) Style or Delegative Style: A leader exercising this style would allow the employees to make decisions after observing how employees work on their own. This is done when employees are able to analyze a situation and decide what has to be done and how. However, the leader would still be responsible for the decisions made. Beyond these leadership styles, it should be understood that leadership behaviour could either be directive or supportive. Advantages and Disadvantages of Leadership Styles Leadership Style Advantages Disadvantages The Authoritarian or Autocratic Style More group productivity while leader watches Decision making process is quicker as the leader makes the decision individually The organization may respond to danger quickly The level of dependence on the leader increases The level of hostility among employees may increase Work force may dislike being ordered around resulting in employee de-motivation The Participative or Democratic Style A positive work environment could develop Motivates creative thinking Reduces employee turnover as a result of less friction between the work force and the leaders Slower decision making Arguments may arise A Laissez Faire (Genuine) Style or Delegative Style Results in employee empowerment Promotes independent thinking Motivates creativity Employees can misuse the freedom given to them and perform poorly Figure (Advantages and Disadvantages of Leadership Styles) Leadership and Motivation Distinguished An authoritarian or autocratic leadership style is followed when employees are dependant and resist change. The efficiency of such employees would be low. Through high levels of supervision, command and control which is exercised by such leaders would motivate employees mainly in three forms. They are, Peer Motivated: As employees would like to be like others Authority Motivated: As employees would follow policies Threat and Fear Motivated: As employees would react to force When a participative or a democratic leadership style is followed there would be greater interaction within the group and hence the personality and efficiency of employees depends on the leaders skills and the work environment which he has created. When following such a leadership style, employees would be motivated in three forms. They are, Goal Motivated: As employees may recognize some opportunity Reward Motivated: As employees would recognize some opportunity for some material reward Recognition Motivated: As employees would recognize an opportunity for change in social status A Laissez Faire or delegative style is followed when employees take up leadership, thrive on change or opportunity, are independent and are achievers. Such employees would be very efficient compared to employees under other leadership styles. Leaders following this style would have limited supervision and would delegate decision making responsibility to employees. When following such a leadership style, employees would be motivated in two forms. They are, Self Motivated and Team Motivated: As employees are allowed to practice creativity When the above three types of leadership and motivation associated with them are analyzed, naturally a participative or a democratic leadership style is best to follow because in a team-motivated environment, dependant employees will be inspired and will strive to be acceptable with independent thinking co-workers. However, as it was mentioned before, due to the culture element of the country work force of an organization would naturally await orders from the top and are not interested to take initiative. Therefore, a leadership style where high levels of supervision, command and control is practiced would be more applicable for such an environment meaning, the most suitable leadership style to motivate employees within organizations would be the authoritarian or autocratic leadership style. Effective Leaders; A paramount to an Organization It could be said that effective leaders are the key for success of any organization. There are many characteristics an effective leader should have. Based on the information given below it is possible to understand that an effective leader is strength to an organization in many aspects. Given below are five factors which make an effective leader a paramount to an organization, An effective leader would be able to influence and inspire people to accomplish a goal, or an objective of an organization. It should be understood that leadership is not about power and has no relationship with driving employees to accomplish their tasks and duties out of fear. It should further be understood that an effective leader would help to encourage or motivate other employees to take up leadership, forming a successful and a powerful workforce. An effective leader would be a visionary person meaning awareness of organizational goals, objectives and vision. Only if employees see that their leader is aware of the direction which he must head they will follow him. This could be an advantage to an organization as such a person would be able to lead the employees of the organization in such a manner that they would achieve organizational goals and objectives. An effective leader would be a trustworthy person. It should be understood that trust if a leader is trustworthy his employees would have confidence in him even at tough times. Hence, it should be understood that if an organization has such a leader who has good relationships, is trustworthy and follows ethical standards that this would be a massive strength for the organization as this could be considered the base for an effective organization. Further, this would help the organization to develop a good impression through the community in which it operates. An effective leader would be able to communicate the organizational goals, objective, vision, knowledge and technical expertise to the organizations employees. This would help the employees of the organization to become effective too as they would gain the required knowledge, skills and an idea about organizational goals, objectives and vision. An effective leader would be able to make successful decisions based on intuition. This could lead an organization to success as at times there may be a need to make decisions quickly which maybe of very high importance and value when time for gathering information may be very limited. Groups, Teams and Leadership It is no secret that behind the success of Standard Chartered Bank, the staff of the bank has played a very important role. Effective leadership and well motivated staff has been the key for this excellent performance. To support and improve leadership development within the bank, Standard Chartered Bank now has seven core leadership development programs along with feedback programs such as the 360 feedback tool. Standard Chartered Bank gives special consideration not only for leadership but also for aspects such as employee relations, team building, culture and values, etc. Nature of Groups and Team Roles Nature of Groups A group could be defined as a collection of people who interact with each other over time in order to reach goals. These groups can either be formal or informal, where both types of these groups are seen at Standard Chartered Bank. One note worthy feature of these groups at Standard Chartered Bank is that the groups consist of individuals who come from various backgrounds, cultures and have different skills. However, Standard Chartered Bank has made sure that no conflict among bank staff occurs but instead understanding and development in multiple fields occurs; great example for this will be the employee exchange program (first time in 2008, between India and China) which the bank launched recently. Through this approach, Standard Chartered Bank has been able to, Align teams with business vision and objectives Build staff engagement and commitment Create opportunities for open and courageous conversations Clarify dependencies Accelerate high performance by leveraging strengths Team Roles A team role is, a pattern of behaviour, characteristic of the way in which one team member interacts with another whose performance serves to facilitate the progress of the team as a whole. (Laurie J. Mullins 2007, p.332) As Belbin has stated, even though there are nine team roles, it is rare to find members who are strong in all nine team roles. Standard Chartered Bank too has recognized this and in order to build up teams who are skilled in multiple ways the bank follows job rotation programs and also as it was mentioned above employee exchange programs. Through the employee exchange program or rather the talent exchange program the bank expects to forge stronger working relationships and cultural understanding between the two strategically important markets All our development is based on the philosophy of being a strengths-based organisation. We encourage individuals, managers and teams to identify and focus on their distinctive talents, and constantly challenge them to achieve more with them. We recognise that individual strengths are unique, and that each employee will deliver in a role in a different way. (Standard Chartered Bank, 2009) As it is quoted above, the bank encourages recognition of individual strengths through which the bank expects to achieve greater strengths. Through the interaction of individuals of such nature the bank expects to develop a highly talented work force through team work. Even though an individual member may not be highly talented he will be motivated to achieve and develop new strengths when he would be allowed to interact with people talented in multiple fields. Therefore, it could be understood that team roles play a vital part in the development process of the bank. Stages of Team Building Given below are the stages of team building or team development, Forming formalities are preserved and members are treated as strangers (polite but untrusting). Storming members start to communicate their feelings but probably still view themselves as part of their parent department rather than part of the team. They attack others insular attitudes while guarding their own (testing others). Norming people feel part of the team and realise that they can achieve work if they accept other viewpoints (valuing other types). Performing the team works in an open and trusting atmosphere where flexibility is the key and hierarchy is of little importance (flexibility from trust). (Carter McNamara, 1999) The above four stages of team building or development are very evident at Standard Chartered Bank. The initial two stages would be very clearly seen at the beginning when an employee would be newly selected and/or when they switch branches (consider the employee talent exchange program for example). However, as time passes by (a period of three months for the employee talent exchange program) employees would learn about each other, would value each other especially their culture and would be able to perform with flexibility which would build up from trust. An example for the last stages of the team building process would be when top executives frequently fill in for one another, whether leading regional celebrations, representing Standard Chartered Bank at key external events, or initiating internal dialogues with employees. They make their collaborative behaviour visible through extensive travel and photos of leaders from varied sites working together. Beyond the above mentioned four team development stages, there is one additional step which is known as adjourning. This would mean disbanding of the group due to completion of a task, members leaving the organization or moving on to other tasks. Team Cohesiveness It is one of the main responsibilities of a leader to ensure that the members of his work group cooperate so that the work group would be able to achieve the expected results. It is clear that cooperation among members of work groups is likely to be greater in a cohesive group resulting in beneficial effects for the organization. There are many factors which affect group cohesiveness. These factors could be categorized under four major headings as shown in the diagram below. Figure (Factors Contributing to Group Cohesiveness Performance) (Laurie J. Mullins 2007, p.307) Even though it is stated that there are disadvantages of cohesive groups such disadvantages have been minimized at Standard Chartered Bank through the unique culture which has been bread. The disadvantages of cohesive groups have been overwritten by the advantages of cohesive groups at Standard Chartered Bank resulting in an overall positive outcome. These groups have helped the bank through increased interaction between members of diverse cultures and ethnicities, growth of skills and knowledge of members through mutual help, lower turnover as the member feels that the organization has become a part of him, etc. Motivational Tools and Techniques Standard Chartered Bank follows a range of methods to encourage or motivate their employees. Motivation at Standard Chartered Bank takes place through, Learning and Development: Learning and Development process at Standard Chartered Bank starts once an employee joins the bank and this will continue till the employee resigns the organization. Standard Chartered Bank uses advance new technology to make this process an interesting one and gives encouragement for members to participate. Examples for Learning and Development at Standard Chartered Bank: Right Start, Job rotation, Talent Exchange, Core Leadership Development, 360 feedbacks etc. Employee Relations: Standard Chartered Bank follows an approach where it would deal with employees on an individual basis rather than a collective basis. This approach focuses on direct communication, managing organisational change and involving and motivating employees. Reward and Recognition: There are two elements to remuneration within Standard Chartered Bank; an annual salary and a performance based element. At Standard Chartered Bank performance would not mean just achieving goals instead it means how employees demonstrate the banks unique culture and values in their working lives. Employees would receive individual ratings but those with lowest values of ratings will not receive any performance related bonus even if they have achieved their final targets. Great Working Environment Other Facilities: Standard Chartered Bank has an environment which could be stated as one of the best environments to work at. The structures have been constructed according to expected standards and latest technology has been used where possible. Further, the bank provides other facilities, such as the day care centre where various forms of education would be given for the children of the employees, freeing the employees from the burden of worrying about their children during working hours. Impact of Technology on Team Building It is clear that technological changes have enabled Standard Chartered Bank to achieve new heights in many fields. When considering team building, as it was mentioned above in the previous section, Standard Chartered Bank uses technology right from the beginning of an employees career. Right Start is the new induction process which the bank uses for new employees. It is clear, that even this simple step will help the organization to develop better teams within shorter time periods resulting in more effective outcome. Hence, it is understood that technology has a massive impact on team building process. Our induction process for new employees was enhanced during the year with the launch of a new online virtual world. The Right Start Learning Journey offers access to critical information about our history, core businesses and supporting functions, sustainability agenda and much more in a fun and interactive way. New employees can visit the site, which was created by our Learning and Development Team, as often as they like while a discussion forum allows them to communicate with other new recruits. (Standard Chartered Bank, 2009) It should further be understood, that this same process of new employees getting to know other employees and building up successful teams would have been a very slow process causing possible inefficiencies for the organization in indirect ways. Even though technology has had its positive impact on the team building process it could be said that there are drawbacks if excessive technology is used as it may decrease person to person interactions resulting in lower awareness or understanding regarding one another. However, this situation is not yet seen at Standard Chartered Bank as the bank arranges certain social events where employees can get to know each other better, independent of their position at the bank. Conclusion Due to the strong cultural effect persisting within Sri Lanka, employees would naturally require high levels of supervision, command and control resulting in the usage of leadership styles such as authoritarian or autocratic leadership and extreme motivational theories such as McGregors XY Theory (Theory X assumptions), neither of which could not be considered as the best choice. To overcome this situation, changes to the culture within the organization could be done through an eventual process and in such a manner that employees would not feel threatened. Further, it could be understood that an effective leader could bring about the desired change even in such a culture. Behind every successful organization there would always be a highly talented and committed work force as at Standard Chartered Bank. Based on the information which was stated in the body of the report, it was possible to arrive at the conclusion that due to the unique culture which has been brought up at Standard Chartered Bank where technology and many other elements have played an important role, every employee would have an opportunity to either be an excellent team player or to be an excellent leader. To further improve, the bank can integrate more team based discussions and such activities where technology could be used in a balanced manner.