Information Systems Increases Revenue Essay Example for Free

Information Systems Increases Revenue Essay According to a research project completed by CFO Research Services, a Senior Vice President of a large U. S-based global services firm stated, â€Å"The CFO should always allow IT organization to innovate, to experiment, and [should] understand that there is financial risk associated with innovation. Not every IT investment will have an ROI, but allowing IT to be thought leaders is imperative in today’s evolving technology landscape. † Therefore, technology and IT is central to building relationships with customers’ thereby increasing revenue for the company. The research project also noted that business intelligence, mobility, and cloud computing will be the most important technologies for business over the next three years. Using technology is difficult in today because it is constantly evolving. According to the research conducted by CFO Research Services, it states that â€Å"old models based on enterprise silos are giving way to a new hybrid – business technology – as IT organizations, finance functions, and business operations alike acknowledge you can’t have one without the other. By increasing the integration of advance technology to its fullest potential a company can accurately and effectively meet the customer’s needs and operate efficiently, thereby increase revenue. In order for companies to build relationships with their customers they must be able to gain the customers trust. According to Jean-Pierre Lauzier of Jean-Pierre Lauzier Communications, â€Å"trust is based on a feeling, in impression or a perception – meaning something intangible – and is not based on anything rational or logical. Studies have shown that 15% of a customer’s trust in [a company] comes from the [company’s] technical competency, and 85% from the [company’s] human qualities†¦ To build trust it must be natural and authentic. † In order for a company to effectively build trust with a customer they have to make the customer feel that they know them and are sincerely interested in helping them. One great way for a company to do this is through the use of Customer Relationship Management software (CRM). According to Dr. Ruth N Bolton, â€Å"CRM is a strategic approach concerned with creating improved shareholder value through the development of appropriate relationships with key customers and customer segments. CRM unites the potential of relationship marketing strategies and IT [information technology] to create profitable, long-term relationships with customers and other key stakeholders. CRM provides enhanced opportunities to use data and information to both understand customers and co-create value with them. This requires a cross-functional integration of processes, people, operations and marketing capabilities that is enabled through information, technology and applications. † Therefore it is the CRM system that makes it possible for a company to effectively and efficiently communicate with any number of customers so that each customer feels unique. At a high level companies interact with their customer in four ways: Strategic Marketing, Pricing and Revenue Optimization, Tactical Marketing, and Customer Experience Management. Successful companies are efficient and effective in all four categories. Customer Relationship Management software make this possible. CRM provide detailed information about a customer’s interactions with the company as well as analytical information geared to enable the company to successfully provide tactical marketing and enhance the customer experience. They do this by allowing a company to track and record all of the customer’s interaction with the company so that the company can customize their interaction with the customer based on the customer’s previous behavior. According to a Computerworld survey in 1996, companies implement CRM systems in order to 1) increase customer retention, 2) respond to competitive pressures and 3) improve customer service. CRM systems are able to also reduce company costs by reducing employees time spent with customers by eliminating repetitive tasks that might be required if the company did not have a CRM system. For example, when a customer is transferred from one customer service representative to another the CRM system would transfer all customer information and conversation notes so that the employee does not have to waste time asking all the same questions that the first representative asked before being able to attempt to help the customer. However, CRM’s primary focus is to create higher revenue by helping companies build a larger percentage of loyal customers through the use of building trust and relationships with their current and future customers. Acquiring new customers is extremely costly for a company. Surveys have shown that it could cost a company six times more to acquire a new customer than to keep a current customer. Not only that, but if a company is able to build a loyal customer base those loyal customers are worth much more than their own personal purchase volume. A loyal customer is likely to share their experience with others about companies that they are very loyal to and have a close relationship with. Therefore, the company is able to acquire repeat sales to the current customer and able to obtain new customers without any additional cost required to try to attract a new sales and customers. In addition, it has also been shown that it is 16 times easier to sell to an existing customer than it is to sell to a new prospective customer. Therefore, CRM systems recognize the long-run value in potential and current customers. Building customer relationships also require companies to communicate effectively with customers in a multitude of different methods. In today’s environment people are constantly connected and on the go. Companies need to be able to meet the customer’s needs when and how the customer want their needs met. Therefore, it is imperative for companies to offer multiple avenues for customers to communicate with them. Some of those methods include the ways for the older generation such as via the telephone and letters know now days as â€Å"snail mail†. However new technology methods are now being required such as through the company’s website, e-mail, and Social Customer Relationship Management system (SCRM). According to Chris Bucholtz of CRM Outsiders, Social Customer Relationship Management is â€Å"the response of businesses to the advent of social media and the eager adoption of the new communications channels by B2B [Business to Business] and B2C [Business to Customer] buyers alike. It creates a new environment for customer conversations, a new opportunity to learn about customers, and a new opportunity to engage, build peer-to-peer relationships and strengthen brand perception. † He goes on to state that SCRM is more of a strategy than a process or product. It can include many different technology platforms and tools. CRM is the foundation of SCRM and not a replacement for CRM. A company must have a good CRM in place in order to effectively utilize SCRM. According to Bucholtz, the definition of Social CRM â€Å"is a philosophy and a business strategy, supported by a technology platform, business rules, workflow, processes and social characteristics, designed to engage the customer in a collaborative conversation in order to provide mutually beneficial value in a trusted and transparent business environment. It’s the company’s response to the customer’s ownership of the conversation. This definition simply states that it is about people (customers) interacting with people (businesses) and not people (customers) interacting with machines. Due to new technology and people having unique styles of communication, SCRM is about businesses using social media in order to best meet the needs of the customers in the best style of communication for each unique customer. Social media comprises of various online technology tools and can include: text, audio, video, podcasts, and various social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Google+. Social Media can increase revenue and growth of a company by 60% versus only 8% for companies that do not use social media, according to Daya Baran on PRWeb. com. The article goes on to state that â€Å"consumers are spending more time and conducting more business online and businesses that have incorporated social media are reaping the benefits as they are gaining visibility with the consumer across the entire online purchase cycle. Social media technologies are fundamentally changing the sales, marketing and operations process. It is redefining the way businesses acquire customers, generate leads, creates competitive differentiation, customer response, branding and manage crisis. † Therefore, Social CRM’s aim is to enhance the customer’s experience and relationship thereby building loyalty with the company. And as we have already discussed, a customer’s loyalty is worth much more than their customers’ individual value thus increasing revenue for the company. Another customer relationship building mechanism is Customer Experience Management. The e-zine, Customer Experience Exchange, states that companies sometime have a hard time seeing what they look like in the customer’s eyes therefore companies have to invest in technology tools to inject that accurate outside-in view from customers. In the past, companies spent much effort on ensuring the share holders were happy rather than customers. Now with new social media outlets customers are able to make themselves heard to companies much easier than ever before. Take for example the recent backlash that millions of Bank of America customers showed when Bank of America announced they were going to implement a new $5. 0 debit card fee. Never before have we seen customers be able to so quickly pull together and force big corporations to think twice before acting. Bank of America was in jeopardy of losing over 300,000 customers if they did not listen closely. Another company that needed to listen to their customers was Netflix. Netflix issued a price increase of 60% to subscribers that wanted both online streaming of movies and home DVD’s. This cause Netflix to lose more than 200,000 subscribers which in turn made Netflix CEO offer a public apology to customers and eliminate their original plan of separating the two companies. With all this being said, it can be seen how imperative it is to a company to be able to attentively listen to their customers. Without an attentive ear and without a company being focused on Customer Experience Management, a company will have difficulty growing and increasing revenue. Anna Fiorentino, of Customer Experience Exchange stated that in order to develop the best customer experience through CEM systems companies not only need to listen as shown in the Bank of America and Netflix examples, but they must also measure and monitor customer conversations and feedback. Through the use of CRM systems a company is able to analyze customer satisfaction. She stated that Coca Cola, Inc. established a customer reward system called My Coke Rewards. This system enables Coca Cola, Inc. the ability to not only listen to their customers but to also measure customer satisfaction and â€Å"deliver real time results creating value for its members as well as internal and external partners. † Kaitlyn Dennihy a strategist at Engauge, the social media agency of record for My Coke Rewards states, â€Å"Measurement is key. Translating business goals into measurable actions within social has allowed us to track the impact of our communities as well as manage and exceed expectations for the social space. Every content piece in social must include a call to action for the user that can be measured. My Coke Rewards provides insight into areas such as customer service, product merchandising and exclusivity. † ING Direct, an online-centric bank that is part of Netherlands-based ING, also believes that meeting customer needs is the basis for creating a thriving social media campaign. ING Direct was able to increase their evenue by listening to online consumer conversations with the help of a program called Radian6. Radian6 is a social media monitoring platform that allows companies the ability to know what’s being said about their brands, industries and competitors online, but to also help them measure, analyze and report on their social CRM efforts. There are many tools on the market now that provide business the ability to obtain statistical information on company website visitors, Google analytics for summarizing search trends, as well as the ability to summarize searches for tweets known as text mining. Radian6 tells companies such as ING Direct who is saying what and whether customers are communicating through a news site or blog and what percentage of influence the customer will have on the company based on web traffic. Gloria Chik, social media lead at ING Direct stated, â€Å"If we get a client complaint, it’s been fantastic to get a full profile of that person. † Companies should be prudent in privacy issues when handling confidential client financial information, making sure to look at each client complaint or compliment individually. No matter what method companies use to track return on investment on Customer Relationship Management, one thing is certain, business must focus on providing excellent customer satisfaction and when faced with unsatisfied customers they must listen. Without satisfied customers a company will have a much more difficult and sometimes impossible climb toward growth and increased revenue. In todays technologically advance world business must constantly be evolving in order to meet the customers’ needs. No longer are businesses able to simply dictate what customers will pay for a product or service. With the today’s generation companies must be diligent in building strong lasting relationships with their customers. Business should look at their customers’ relationships like a marriage. Just as in a marriage a couple must communicate and listen to each other so should a business communicate and listen to their customers. When a company does this they will be able to reap the rewards by having increased revenue and growth. In order to reap these rewards companies must effectively utilize a CRM system and also incorporate SCRM as well as a myriad of other platforms such as mobile apps, mobile websites, QR Codes and much more. By utilizing technology business are able to develop stronger customer relationships by knowing the customer better. Research Comments When I started this research project I struggled at first trying to find enough information on the subject I had chosen. However, once I got started and finally developed an outline and thought process as to what I was going to talk about, I was able to find all kinds of information. Some of the websites listed below were uncovered during the research phase but not necessarily used. Some of the websites were not used because I found the information redundant and others had to be eliminated due to the need for limiting material so that it did not go over the stated maximum for the paper.

Logistics for the UK Brewing Industry

Logistics for the UK Brewing Industry The area of logistics management is today seen as a powerful tool in reducing cost, improving customer satisfaction and thereby increasing sales of a business. Therefore, as a critical business function, logistics has been subjected to extensive research that has led to the development of several theories, processes and strategies for efficient logistics systems. The purpose of this paper is to study strategy in the context of logistics for the brewing industry in the UK. The paper begins with discussing logistics and supply chain as well as the brewery industry in the UK. The brewer chosen for this paper is Greene Kings that produces different brands of beer besides owning and running more than 750 pubs across the UK and exporting its products as well. The discussion then moves to the understanding of Greene Kings strategy through generic models like Ansoff and Porters 5 forces model. This is followed by commentary on the plausible tools and strategic logistical models that Greene Kings may implement for more efficient systems. The problems that are faced in implementing a new strategy are discussed next along with suggestions as to overcoming the same. Finally, the trends and developments in logistics have been included with a discussion on which tools may be useful for Greene Kings. INTRODUCTION The importance of having a strong logistics strategy is being recognized by organizations in the light of the changing dynamics of the business environment. The growth of e-commerce, online transactions and globalization have led to an increase in the intensity of competition, which makes it imperative for every business to have a clear and comprehensive strategy for every operation and functional unit so as to be able to compete in the present dynamic business environment. A sound and comprehensive strategy around logistics management and supply chain is also crucial for pre-determining the demands of the customers (Towers John, 2003). In the intensely-competitive market, breweries have to keep abreast of the demands of the consumers. Towers and John (2003) term these varying demands as the fickle requirements (pp. 592) of consumers, through the importance of these requirements is paramount to retain and increase the customer-base. Moreover, as the same authors have further expounded, the inefficient management of customer demand would have effect on the residual stock, cash flow and other business functions. Logistics are a core process of business operations and plays a crucial role in cost management of the business products, and also for helping the business achieve the demands of a demanding beer-consumption market. Logistics includes storage, warehousing, materials handling, packaging, inventory, transport and information and control. A sound logistics strategy is long-term and is aligned to the larger strategy of the business unit and further, those formed at the corporate level. Any changes in the logistics systems are substantial and impact the entire business in a big way. In the globalized era, where business operate in several continents, the role of logistics and supply chain assumes a more complex and proportionately important place in determining the success of the business. Profit-making is no longer the sole motive of businesses today (lecture slides, M32SOR, Lecture 2; slide 4)., at least in a majority of cases and with the increasing dynamism of the market, it is important to keep the logistics strategy flexible to each of the different goals of the business and also to accommodate the needs of the market. Thus, strategy and logistics are inter-connected and aligned with one-another. For strategies to work, operating plans have to be well-drafted and efficiently executed. For this, there has to be a w ell-defined strategy to which the operations can turn. RESEARCH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Aims This paper aims to study the strategy of a UK-based brewery from the point of view of logistics. This would be used as a point of reference in developing a comprehensive logistics strategy. Objectives To research and analyze the logistics strategy of the Greene Kings Group and comment on the avenues for improvement. To understand the issues that the management of a brewery may face in implementing a new logistics strategy. Trace and comment on the new developments in technology that would affect a beer manufacturer in the logistics scenario. BACKGROUND Company Background: Greene Kings Greene King Group is a 200 year-old brewery group based in Bury St. Edmunds and produces beer brands Abbot Ale, IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Ruddles County, along with other smaller brands. It is the largest British-owned brewery in the UK. Besides, the company also runs more than 750 public houses all over the country, including chains such as Hungry Horse and Belhaven Pubs. Furthermore, Greene King exports its products to over thirty countries in Europe, Americas, Asia, Middle East, Africa and the Oceana countries. UKs Brewery Industry The Brewery Industry primarily comprises beer producers and this market generates  £ 19 billion in revenues (British Beer and Pub Association, 2009). An interesting characteristic of the brewery industry is that it includes products with varying shelf-lives and therefore, the logistics decisions have to be made so that they fit the different products and offerings (Towers John, 2003). The four biggest breweries in the UK are Scottish and Newcastle (who produce Fosters and Kronenbourg); Coors from USA; Inbev (who produce Stella Artois, from Belgium) and Carlsberg from Denmark . Thus, it is clear to see that international players are the dominant market-share holders in the UK beer industry. Lager is the predominant beer produced and sold here that holds 68 per cent of the total market. Beer is the most important product offering by breweries, especially in the UK. The consumption of beer is divided into on-trade and off-trade consumption, the former being in pars and pubs and the latter through retail outlets (Carlsberg Group Communication, 2008). These differences also reflect in the system of logistics of the businesses. The beer market in UK and the larger Northern and Western Europe is mature and therefore the growth of the beer market would either be stagnant or declining. This makes the task of the management complex here because the focus of the business is shifting to new and emerging markets where growth potential is large. The focus in the UK market would be on retaining existing customers and fighting off competition from international brewers. According to Carlsberg Groups annual report (2008), the share of beer as a percentage figure of the total alcohol consumption is 44.2 per cent. This is divided between on-trade selling (i.e. through pubs and bars) and off-trade selling, with the former claiming 54 per cent of the market. The pricing of beer is done to target four different segments, namely discount, mainstream, premium and super-premium. The logistics strategy for a mature market like the UK has to be aligned to the logistics strategy of the overall business. Here, it is important to streamline the processes to achieve benefits of cost reductions. Globalisation has led to newer avenues for reducing cost. Central procurement is one such tool, wherein raw materials and processes may be obtained at a central level for the different products of the brewery, which would lead to lower costs. ANALYSIS OF GREENE KING THROUGH GENERIC STREATEGIES Porters Five Forces Model As has been discussed in the industry and company overview, the brewery industry in the UK is intensely competitive in the light of changing trends and growing acquisitions and mergers that are increasing the market share of international brewing giants. The Five Forces Model that was developed and presented by Michael E. Porter illustrates the major factors that influence the strategy-making process of a business. The factors include suppliers, buyers, competitors in the form of existing rivals and new entrants, and potential or existing competition from substitute products. These have been analyzed in the specific context of Greene King Breweries (see Appendix 1). In terms of its market share, Greene King is in the expansion stage as it is procuring more and more public houses and bars in all parts of UK, which are also increasing the sale of its beers. Threat of Competitors Greene King faces competition from other beer brands and breweries, especially international players. The main business of Greene King is through the company-owned pubs and bars, with over 750 pubs all over the UK. Off-trade sales accounting for a little below half of the beer sales, this is one part of the business of Greene Kings that faces threat from other large beer brands and breweries, especially international businesses like Carlsberg Group, Scottish and Newcastle and others. The advantage for international brewery groups is that they have the option for centralized procurement of processes and raw materials that result in cost-cutting. Threat of Suppliers The bargaining power of the company is reduced in certain areas of procurement, where there are limited or even a single supplier of raw materials. This is especially true in the case of bottles and cans suppliers who are few and scattered, leading to an almost monopolistic situation that greatly undermines the companys bargaining powers. Threat from buyers The beer market is characterized by different categories of beer, in different price-ranges. There are many variants on the basis of quantity, price, packaging and so forth that requires businesses to offer a diverse range of goods to accommodate the minor variations that customers seek. Furthermore, the consumption of beer is price-sensitive (Carlsberg Group Communication, 2008) and therefore the breweries face the risk of and threat from tax legislations that may lead to increased beer price. Threat from substitutes The increase in health concerns further highlighted by the ban on smoking in public places (Greene King, 2008) that was made legal in UK and Scotland has also put on the forefront, the threat from substitute beverages, especially non-alcoholic varieties. There is also the threat from other drinks with higher content of alcohol. Threat from Potential Entrants The beer and breweries industry is an important one in the UK and globalization has changed the face of competition of this industry that was traditionally a local one. As discussed earlier, globalisation has led to mergers and acquisitions that have increased both the scope as well as the threat of business from big, international players in the market. The main area of concern is that these players have substantially more funds, wider experience of systems and strategies and the added support of the local brewery or product they acquire so as to become formidable competitors for businesses such as Greene King that are involved in export but the primary focus of business is geographically concentrated to the UK. PORTERS VALUE CHAN ANALYSIS Porter further identified a set of interrelated activities that helped the firm in creating competitive advantage for itself in the market. The primary activities in the value chain include inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales and service, while the support activities include procurement, technology development, human resource management and firm infrastructure (Porter, 1985). Within the analysis of the value chain, a firm can look at cost advantage and/or differentiation. In case of the former, Greene King is saving costs on its interrelationships among the various business units. The two breweries, public houses, diners and restaurants, and finally the off-trade selling all have been created around its specific products to minimize chaos among requirements of and supply to these units. For example, Greene Kings Loch Fyne restaurants cater to high-end clients and supply a luxury meal to its clients, for which its two breweries produce Old Speckled H en and other high-end ales while the breweries also produce economy ales for retailing in supermarkets and selling through its pubs. Thus, Greene King has effectively maintained its breweries at two locations only, even when its business continues to expand. ANSOFF GROWTH MATRIX When analyzed from the point of view of Ansoff Growth Matrix, Greene Kings has existing products that the company is offering in both new and existing markets. The existing products are its beer brands that are being offered in the existing markets in the UK through on-trade channels, i.e. more than 750 public houses all over the country and off-trade channels, i.e. retail through supermarkets and other counters. In case of off-trade sales, Greene Kings is number one in terms of market share (Greene King, 2008) and is therefore focussing on consolidation of its share. On the other hand, it is expanding the on-trade sales by way of acquiring pubs. Therefore, in this case it is focussing on penetration. In case of new markets, Greene King is focussing on exporting to more than 30 countries (Greene King, 2008). The focus is on existing competencies and existing products of the company. Development of Existing Logistics Capabilities The above analysis of generic strategies of Greene Kings shows that there is scope in improvement of logistics management for Greene Kings. The large number of pubs and dining places that the group owns and runs makes it imperative for Greene Kings to have an impeccable distribution and logistics system. The group has two breweries based in Bury St. Edmonds and Dunbar. Both supply the different beer brands produced by Greene Kings to their nearly-900 outlets. There is scope for improvement on the following fronts: There is the risk of transport and logistics hazards in terms of transportation of the beer from the brewery to the pubs and other retail outlets. The company is in the process of setting up a disaster-recovery system (Greene King, 2008) but it needs to work on this in detail. Greene Kings outsources certain parts of its supply chain to vendors and there is scope for improvement in the supply-chain, especially when seen as a value-chain system. The relations with suppliers is complex since the public houses that Greene Kings owns and runs also offer products by competitors and rivals, in which case the distribution system has considerable loopholes. There is inadequate risk management mechanism towards internal production and distribution activities and this is one area that needs to be worked on. There has to be provision and management support to provide for a new logistics system. The reports and top management inputs show that the focus of the executive managerial committee is on end sales, specifically the effect of smoking ban on pubs in UK. There has to be better integration between the company and its logistics service providers. STRATEGIC APPROACHES TO LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT The strategic approach of management to logistics is of paramount importance since it adds value to the whole operational process if accomplish efficiently. Logistics has increased in importance from a function of business that was scarcely necessary to a key business function that can lead to significant cost savings and also as a factor that influences customer satisfaction, thereby increasing sales (Grant, Lambert, Stock, Ellram, 2006). Even when business is good for an organization like Greene Kings, organizations have to understand that innovation and constant improvements are a necessity to sustain and grow in the fiercely competitive business world (Black, 2009). Introducing effective strategies and new methods and processes effectively to the work process would further improve quality, reduce time and improve the over-all customer-service, thereby giving the business additional boost. There are several factors that influence the formulation of a business logistics strategy. These are the influence of e-commerce and information technology, competition in the segment and dynamism within the business environment among others. Strategies can only be useful if they are fully understood in the light of the business requirements and shortfalls in existing systems. There are several strategies that may be adopted by Greene Kings either individually or in combination with others to overcome the loopholes and shortfalls in its existing logistics system, as also to introduce newer methods. Just-In-Time and/or Lean Over the years, manufacturing has been introduced with several efficiency-increasing strategies, of which one of the more researched and implemented ones is Lean Manufacturing.   The essential focus of the lean manufacturing process is to maximize the value of the product that is offered by an organization to its customer. This value, in case of the manufacturing industry is obtained through a series of steps and processes that are collectively called the value stream (Womack, 2007). The lean system focuses on this value stream to continuously make the process of manufacturing more efficient that in turn enables the organization to compete on stronger grounds against competitors. The lean manufacturing strategy, often simply called lean was pioneered by Toyota but has been seen to benefit organizations all across the manufacturing industry. A very popular method of implementing an effective lean strategy is the 5S method. The 5 Ss stand for Sort, Set-In-Order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain (Hemmant, August 2007). The 5S method is a continuous process that focuses on waste-reduction and discipline in the workplace. The method encourages order and cleanliness and its sustenance in the workplace, which does not include the manufacturing facility only but the entire organization, including workers and management. The implication of the 5S method is to develop and imbibe a culture where waste and negligence is frowned upon. Sorting implies distinguishing between useful and redundant components and processes and removing the latter. Setting-in-order would mean putting the right thing at the right place. The right place would be one that is easily accessible and prevents waste of time in reaching it when required. This component would also ensure that any components missing or falling short would be identified easily. Shine related to cleanliness and order, while Standardization is taken in the context of the quality levels that must be made routine in the production process. The sustenance of this method is the only way it will bear fruits and thus, this facet has also been included within the steps. JIT too, is based on the essential objective of minimizing waste. However, a little different from lean, JIT requires extensive and efficient communications between the manufacturing processes as well as the entire value-chain set. For example, in order to run a tightly time-bound production and supply system, it is important to have similar and efficient systems established with the suppliers and transporters. Greene Kings has two breweries that cater to the vast production needs of the business that owns and runs more than 750 pubs all over UK, besides exporting its beer to more than 30 countries in the world. Therefore, production at the two breweries has to be a flawless with minimum waste of resources and time. Lean can be used as an effective tool of breaking down the various processes in production and logistics and identifying any redundant processes that may be removed or processes that have scope for improvement. Benchmarking Benchmarking can be a very important tool for Greene Kings since it relies heavily on its distribution network. As has been discussed earlier, with its public houses, the importance of a flawless, daily distribution system becomes of paramount importance to the business. A very unique feature of Greene Kings is that it sells not only its own brands of beer at its public houses but also other brands that create a more complex distribution set-up for the organization. Here, Greene Kings can learn immensely from the logistics systems and strategies in place in other brewers, especially the market leaders. International brewers like Carlsberg focus on logistics strategy heavily and have more effective systems and strategies in place. Gourdin (2001) defines benchmarking as a process for identifying best practices by comparing key performance indicators for a specific activity across organizations and using those performance levels as inputs to corporate goal setting. There are a number of steps that are part of the benchmarking processes and include defining the present performance level for the activity to be benchmarked; determining the level of performance that is desired in the given activity; determining how and what type of improvement is implemented to achieve stated targets, and establishing a process time frame (Gourdin, 2001). Partnerships and Alliances Partnerships and alliances with vendors and suppliers is an emerging concept that is replacing the traditional notion of a professional relationship between suppliers and businesses. Relationship marketing is a term used to define this concept. Relationship marketing means that the time scale involved forming alliances and partnerships is lengthy. Another important ingredient that differentiates relationship marketing from others is the fact that it is based on cooperation. Therefore, the negotiations that form part of other organizational systems of functioning would be replaced by continuous communications that are interactive and aimed at establishing long-term contacts. Greene Kings is a well-established and local business in the UK and has key business functions being performed by vendors and suppliers. Therefore, the benefits of having an established set of suppliers and vendors who understand the unique features and business of Greene Kings in detail would really help in impro ving the efficiency of the business. ISSUES IN IMPLEMETING A NEW LOGISTICS STRATEGY People are at the core of any new strategy and introducing a change in the existing systems has potential for severe people issues. However, these have been and can be tackled effectively by the inclusion of all of the organizations people, from the top management to the ground staff. On one side, top management of the business may be sceptic about overhauling an established system and introducing an entirely new process. In case of Greene Kings, the issue among top management is the absence of attention towards the importance of logistics and other operational systems. On the other hand, a more serious concern could be resistance of subordinate workers and ground staff to a new logistics strategy. However, by keeping the new strategy and its expected benefits open before the whole organization, more support and better acceptance may be achieved. Furthermore, HR issues such as recruitment, selection, strategic training and appraisal, autonomy, flexibility, harmonization and reward system are consideration factors to ensure smooth implementation and transitional change. TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS Technological developments will influence the changes that are implemented in the logistics strategy of Greene Kings and as such, these have to be taken into consideration while formulating one. ERP systems are a technological development that provides feasible avenues for the business to improve efficiency upon. ERP systems are based in Internet technology and as such, enable the business to share informational flow among different departments, business processes and stakeholders efficiently. ERP is a set of business applications on modules, which links various business units of an organisation such as financial, accounting, manufacturing, and human resources into a tightly integrated single system with a common platform for flow of information across the entire business (Baheshti, 2006). For a business like Greene Kings that works across a large geographic area and has several different business units and alliances with stakeholders, a centralized ERP system would improve efficiency and cut cost and time for the business substantially. SUMMARY The above report discussed the position of Greene Kings brewers from the point of view of logistics. It also talked about the brewing industry in the UK, theoretical understanding of logistics and trends in development of strategies that would all be beneficial for Greene Kings. Avenues and strategies that may be used by Greene Kings were discussed, along with problems that are faced in implementing new strategies. Finally, the new trends in the area of logistics was documented. REFERNCES Baheshti, H. M. (2006) what managers should know about ERP/ERPII: Management Research News. Vol. 29(4) [online] available from Accessed on [20/12/2009] Black, John R. (2008): Lean Production: Implementing a World Class System; Industrial Press. British Beer and Pub Association. (2009, 12 08). Government makes five times more money from beer than pub and brewing companies. Retrieved 12 20, 2009, from British Beer and Pub Association: http://www.beerandpub.com/newsList_detail.aspx?newsId=310 Grant, D., Lambert, D., Stock, J., Ellram, L. (2006). Fundamentals of logistics management. Berkshire: McGraw Hill Education. Greene King. (2008). Annual Report. Suffolk: 85Four. Towers, N. S., John, P. (2003). Stock control and supplier relationships at the local pub in a market town: A case study investigation into effective demand management. British Food Journal , 591-691. Womack, James P. (March, 2007): Moving Beyond the Tool Age; IET Manufacturing Engineering (4-5), Institute of Engineering and Technology.

The Construction Of Harmandir Sahib Theology Religion Essay

The Construction Of Harmandir Sahib Theology Religion Essay Ancient architecture is always very appealing in the variety of temples and pilgrimages throughout India. Each structure displays its own features and aspects in reflecting the Indian style of architecture. This particular architecture is based on the Sikh principals who have designed vast temples and pilgrimages from early to the late Sikh structures. A golden temple sitting in the middle of a pool of water commonly known as the Pool of Nectar, A temple for those who believed their elders have created a living symbol of the spiritual and historical traditions for the Sikh community. A place which glisters with gold covered exterior stands in the middle of a square tank filled with the water for the pure which brings forth a source of inspiration and primary place of pilgrimage for all Sikhs. This divines is known as the Harmandir Sahib (a word derived from the world of Punjab by their Punjabi language) meaning Temple of God which is commonly known as the Golden Temple or Darbar Sahib. The formation of such a divine place brings out the architecture of how the buildings were designed and the technology applied in its construction. History Construction of Harmandir Sahib: (Sri) Hamandir Sahib the Golden Temple, known for its beautiful scenery and layers of gold coating, named afeeter the Hari the temple of God. Sikhs all across the globe daily pray to visit Amritsar and pay homage to their Holy Harmandir Sahib in their Ardas. As early as from start of the late 14th century, Guru Arjan Dev 1st of the eleven Sikh gurus, founder of the Sikhism religion. Guru Nanak travelled to places far and wide preaching the message of the One God who lives in every one of His creations and constitutes the everlasting truth. Its part of the Sikh religion belief that the spirit of Guru Nanaks purity, spirituality and holy authority descended upon each of the 9 succeeding Gurus when the Guruship was transferred on to them. (Sharma) As the years passed by, guruship was devolved to the next in line eleven Sikh Gurus entrusted from the early times. Guru Arjan Sahib, the 5th Nanak, conceived the idea of creating a creating a central place of worship for the Sikhs and he himself designed the architecture of Sri Harmandir Sahib. Former planning to dig the holy tank (Amritsar or Amrit Sarovar ) was marked out by Guru Amardas Sahib, the 3rd Nanak, but was implemented by Guru Ramdas Sahib under the administration of Baba Budha ji. The site was initially procured by the ancestor Guru Sahibs without any payment or cost from the landlords of resident communities. The construction work on the Sarovar (the water tank) and the town started at the same time in around the year 1570. The work completed on both projects in the year of 1577 A.D.   (Jathedar Avtar Singh) The foundations were laid by a Muslim saint known as Hazrat Mian Mir ji origin of Lahore on 1st March 1645. The construction was directly administered by Guru Arjan Sahib himself and was assisted by the protruding Sikh personalities. Commencing the assembly on a higher level (a traditional in Hindu Temple architecture), Guru Arjan Sahib had it built on the lower level got it open from four sides. Therefore he created a representation of new faith and devotion for people believing on Sikhism. Guru Sahib also made it easily accessible and reachable to every person without any difference of Status, faith, sex and religion.  The construction work completed in start of the 16th century in 1601 A.D. around August or September -1604. The Guru Arjan Sahib then inaugurated the newly constructed statue of the Guru Granth Sahib in Sri Harmandir Sahib and appointed the first Baba Budha ji Granthi (the reader of Guru Granth Sahib). Afeeter this initiation the temple attained the status of Ath S ath Tirath. Now the entire Sikh nation had their specific pilgrimage centre (Tirath). (Jathedar Avtar Singh) The Golden temple Sri Harmandir Sahib, is built on a 67sqfeet. podium the sits in the centre of the Sarovar (water tank). The temple itself is only 40.5sqfeet, which opens a door on all fours sides. The arch (Darshani Deori) erects at the shoreline of the causeway. The frame door of the arch is 10feet high and 8feet 6inches in width. The panels on the door are decorated with artistic style which opens the door on to the bridge leading towards the main building of Sri Harmandir Sahib; measuring to 202 feet in length and 21 feet wide. The bridge connects with a 13 feet wide circumambulatory route (Pardakshna). Thus running it round the main temple and it leads to the Har ki Paure (steps of God). The temples main assembly is based on providing functionally. The front side is faced by the bridge and is decorated with repetitive cusped curves and the roof of the first floor is at the height of the 26 feet and 9 inches. On the top of the first floor, a four feet high bulwark rises from al l the sides which has also 4 Mamtees from the four corners of the central hall from where the main reservation rises; lies a small square room bearing three gates. A low fluted dome is situated on top of this room, having lots of lotus petal motives starting at the base where an inverted lotus supports the Kalash and Chhatri at the end. Sikhism architecture represents a distinctive synchronization between the Muslims and the Hindus method of construction work and thus reflects the best architectural examples in the world. It is quite ofeeten quoted that these kinds of designs have created an autonomous Sikh school of architecture in the antiquity of art in India. (Jathedar Avtar Singh)   The Structure of the Golden Temple: The Golden temple is bordered by a large Amrit Sarovar (pure water). The visitor has to pass through a causeway to reach Gurdwara (main temple). This temple has four entrances, which shows the acceptance and sincerity to all religions and statuses. It also consists of three floors; lowest floor is absorbed by the Amrit Sarovar (pure water) and is normally not visible, and can only be seen when the sarovar is getting cleaned by Kar Sewaks (religious volunteers). The first floor is made of pure white marble, ornamented with flowers of various kinds and animal pictures, which represents an excellent example of Pietra-Dura Art. Lastly, the second floor is embossed with pure gold. The interior of the temple consists of beautifully carved wooden panels, with prints of gold and silver work. The domed building called Sheesh Mahal also known as the Mirrored Hall, is composed of pieces of mirror of various shapes, sizes and colours. The temples architecture signifies the blend of Hindu and Mus lim elegances. The gold and marble work, were conducted under direct guidance of the Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the Commander-cum-Civil Administrator Hukam Singh Chimni. (Nidhi) The magnificence of Sikh architecture Inspired by Guru Nanaks artistic spirituality, the Sikh architecture is a silent herald of complete humanism based on realistic spirituality (S.S.Bhatti) Many Sikh temples have a  deorhi,  an entrance doorway, through which when one has to pass before reaching the sanctuary. A  deorhi  is often a remarkable construction with a magnificent gateway, and sometimes runs lodging for office and other uses. The visitors get the first sight of the temple sanctorum from the  deorhi.  There are over 500 gurdwaras (temples), big and small, each having an historical past. The structures of Sikh tombs, when classified rendering to their plan, are of 4 rudimentary types: the four-sided, the quadrilateral, the eight-sided, and the cruciform. On the foundation of the number of levels, these gurdwaras have heights which may be from one to nine stories in height. A devotee would come across numerous interesting disparities of gurdwara-design worked out on the transformations and mixtures of the above-mentioned basic plan and elevation-types. (Madra) Sikh architecture has material building-types such as forts, palaces,  bungas (residential places), colleges, etc. The religious construction is the gurdwara, a place where the Guru lodges. A gurdwara is an important building of their faith, just as the masjids of Islam and mandir/temple for the Hindus, it is also, like its Islamic and Hindu counterparts, the key-note of Sikh architecture. (SikhiWiki) The main prerequisite for a gurdwara is that it should consist of a room in which the  Adi Granth, the Sikh Holy Book, can be placed and a small  sangat  (worshipers) can be seated to attend to the  path  or read from the Holy Book and to sing and perform the blessed verses. Gurdwaras have entrances on all (four) sides, representing that they are open to one and all without any discrimination of any kind. This unique feature also symbolizes the vital principle of the faith that God is universal. There are five historical sanctuaries which have been given the status of  takhts (thrones), where the  gurmattas  (spiritual-temporal verdicts) of a obligatory personality are taken through a agreement of the  sangat  (worshipers). Such harmony acts had great importance, heart-rending, as they did, the social and political life of the Sikh community. The 5  takhts  are: Akal Takht, Amritsar; Harmandir Sahib, Patna (Bihar state); Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur (Ropar district ); Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo (Gurdaspur district); and Hazoor Sahib, Nanded (Maharashtra state). Among these 5  takhts,  Akal Takht (the unchallengeable throne) is the most important by quality of its location in Amritsar, the Vatican City of the Sikhs. (S.S.Bhatti) As a rule, a  gumbad  (dome) is the crowning feature of any temple. Rarely, a sanctuary may be flat-roofed. Sometimes, a small one-room temple is crowned by a  palaki, a palanquin-like roof, derivative from Bengal county style of architecture, and can be seen in Gurdwara Tahli Sahib in village district. (Madra) More often, a dome is grooved or ridged but a basic dome has also been used in some cases. Numerous dome-shapes are to be originated in Sikh temples: torus, hemi-spherical, three-quarters of a sphere. The silhouette of the dome of Gurdwara Pataal Puri at Kiratpur in Ropar region has an extraordinary resemblance to the domes to be seen in Bijapur district style of architecture design. (Madra) The dome is generally white, though sometimes gold-plated, as in the Harmandir Sahib at Amritsar, Darbar Sahib at Tarn Taran, and Sis Ganj in Delhi. On the other hand, in some cases, domes are being covered with brass. (S.S.Bhatti) An exciting point to note is the way in which the dome is connected to the cuboid structure of the temple. As a statute, the lower part leads the domical erection, and looks somewhat serious in comparison with it. (S.S.Bhatti) A repeated component of gurdwara-design is the preferred use of two stories to gain adequate elevation for the temple. On the other hand restrained design may be usually preserved by dividing the frontage in agreement with the physical lines of columns, piers, and pillars, with erect partitions creating areas of well-modelled surfaces. The most important division is the entrance which obtains more decorative treatment of other areas. The action often generates bas-reliefs of geometrical designs. Where brilliance is the aim, repose-work in brass or copper-gilt sheeting is introduced often with a note of luxury. (Madra) Beautiful designs are made on the walls which are successively covered with gold. Exceptional examples of this effort can be seen in the Golden Temple at Amritsar. Sometimes, such work is purified highly decorative by means of colored and mirrored cut-glass as well as semi-precious nuggets. This is known as tukri  (small piece) work. Paintings, portraying widely held episodes from the lives of the 10 Gurus, are to be found in some temples. Projects in a job are based on vine, plant, flower, bird, and animal themes. The largest numbers of such frescoes have been painted on the principal floor of Baba Atal at Amritsar. Pinjras, gentle stone gratings, are used for shades, inclusions, and ramparts. (Madra) Brick, lime cement as well as sea green or gypsum covering, and lime concrete have been the most favored construction materials, even though stone, such as red granite and white marble, has also been used in a number of temples. The former found more use as covering or ornamental material than for meeting physical needs for well over 200 years. Nanak Shahi (of the times of Nanak), brick was most generally used for its fundamental benefits. The brick-tile made decorations, cornices, pillars, etc. easy to work into a diversity of shapes. More often than not, the arrangement was a mixture of the two structures, viz., treated and actuated, based on domes and arches. The exteriors were treated with lime or gypsum covering which was molded into cornices, pillars, and other structural landscapes as well as non-structural accompaniments. (Madra) Sikh architecture symbolizes the last sparkle of religious design in India. The Golden Temple at Amritsar is its most renowned example as it is the only shrine in which all the features of style are completely represented. The Golden Temple, being the sheet-anchor of the technical catalogue of Sikh architecture, may be detailed. (S.S.Bhatti) Almost soaring in the air, and in the mid of, an extensive water-body, the Pool of Nectar,  mixtures extremely with sparkles of its golden dome, cubicles, walls, and reposes-work, and the fascinating evanescence of its shining reflections in the pool. With the temple and reservoir as the main concentration, a compound of buildings, most of which repeat in their architectural fine points and the features of the central building, have come up in the district of the temple in the development of time. (Madra) Even though Sikh architecture certainly initiated with the idea of dedication, it had to experience rigors of impulsively renovating itself into buildings meant for defense purposes. It anticipated the personality of military strengthening which was revealed in a number of buildings throughout Punjab. Gurdwara Baba Gurditta, Kiratpur, is a demonstrative example of this type of Sikh architecture design. (S.S.Bhatti) As flair of building-design, Sikh construction might strike the lay spectator as an extensive pot-pourri of the best structures picked up from here and there. But it symbolizes much more than what meets the unpremeditated eye. It shares its rigorous instruction with the awesome severity of Islams rigid monotheism, and celebrates its luxurious energy with the playful dualism of Hinduism. Extensiveness might have been its starting-point, but Sikh design has thrived to a state of artistic sovereignty so as to work out its own formal peculiarities. It is now an appropriate appearance of impulsive eruptions of psycho-spiritual dynamism that rejoices the perfect magnificence of being within the blending mà ©lange of opposites come across during existence the ground for constant flattering. (S.S.Bhatti) Sikh architecture imitates an energetic blend of Mughal and Rajput styles. Onion shaped auditoriums, multi foil arches, paired columns, in-lay work walls, etc. are without a doubt of Mughal extraction, more precisely of Emperor-Architect Shah Jehans era, while orial windows, strut supported attics at the sequence progression, chatters, richly decorated panels, etc. are evocative of rudiments of Rajput architecture design. (S.S.Bhatti) Sometimes, the alteration in design is so great that it would be hard to recognize a gurdwara if the typical Sikh pole-mark were not there to help its proof of identity. Some of the gurdwaras look more like entrances, as is the situation with Fatehgarh (town of victory) Sahib, Sirhind, or like an instructive foundation, as is the situation with Ber (berry) Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi, or like a Rajput citadel, when one first come across the temples encircling structures. But all this abnormality, if somewhat mysterious, does not diminish one from the fundamentals of Sikh architecture. On the contradictory verifies the very groundwork of imaginative liberty on which it is constructed.

A Sociological view of Divorce Essay -- essays research papers

They were the family you always wish you had†¦ The Cleavers. Wise and wonderful Ward. A pal as well as a Dad. June. The perfect wife and mother. Big brother Wally. Popular, smart and athletic – one tough act to follow. And last but definitely not least, hapless, irrepressible Theodore, a.k.a. â€Å"the Beaver,† just a regular kid trying his best to stay out of trouble while finding a thousand ways to place himself at trouble’s doorstep. Leave it to Beaver. It was the television hit in the ‘60s that hallmarked the phrase, â€Å" The American Family† and made it its own. Introduction: Here we are, 40 years later, in the midst of social turmoil, where the values and principles such as the family unit that were once our nation’s bedframe, are now the very same values and principles we are starting to question. Needless to say, the family structure is riding the wave of a rapidly changing society and changing right along with it. More adolescents are growing up in a wider margin of family structures than ever before in history. Divorce is not only personal trouble dividing households, but it has become a developing Social issue sweeping the nation. The number of adolescents growing up specifically in broken families is mounting everyday. Divorce has become an epidemic among our nation invading one in every two marriages in this country (Patz 59). In fact the United States has the highest percentile of single – parent families, compared to all other countries (Santrock 167). And by age 18, approximately one fourth of all American children will have lived part of their lives in a step-family unit (Santrock 167). I knew that adolescents of divorced families were put at a greater individual risk and vulnerability to adjustment problems later in life, however I was not aware of the particular areas that such a division in the family structure could have an affect on. Evidence shows however that not only does divorce permanently weaken the child/parents relationship, but has also been found to be behind lowered academic performance, destructive ways of handling conflict, a poorer self-image, greater engagement in delinquent activities and the root of pessimism towards future relationships and goals in life. These things only perpetuate the rapid downward spiral of family breakdown (â€Å"How Might Divorce Affect My Child’s Behavior?† 2000). Theoretical Fr... ...ot just on TV? As long as families follow the trend that divorce is setting, more and more children will be the victimized and left to fend for themselves whether it be physically with unstable custodial parents or mentally without any role models and structure in their lives to keep them on the straight and narrow. I think divorce acts as its own indicator that it disrupts peoples lives, especially adolescents as they are more impressionable in this stage. Divorce has been shown to adversely affect academic performance, and personal characteristics as far as social skills and self presentation, it erodes the parent-child relationship and takes away structure and replaces it with a consequence free environment. And when you take a child, an adolescent none-the-less at the height of confusion and insecurity and remove boundaries such as parents, rules, and regulations, that’s trouble. If children are our future, maybe we should be equipping them with more than freedom. To a ppropriately prepare for the future, I think we should take a step back into the past and watch a few Leave It to Beaver episodes and maybe we can come up with a better game plan.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Romeo And Juliet Why They Died :: essays research papers

Romeo & Juliet Essay Romeo and Juliet is about two young lovers born of different rivaling families. The two lovers fall in love only too find that their families are enemies. Romeo wants to stop at nothing to have Juliet his love. The feud soon causes their deaths and many others hurt.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning the feud is reignited by these simple lines: “If you start a quarrel I’m ready. My master is as good as your master. (I, i, 44) This brought Benvolio in to the fight. Benvolio tries to stop the fight but Tybalt the hot headed Capulet attacks him. Montague and Capulet charge at each other swords defining each other. The Prince arrives and orders them to stop. He threatens the Families with their lives. With this the Feud is rekindled.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Act II Benovlio, Mercutio, Romeo crash the Capulets party. Romeo spots Juilet for the first time and is awe struck by her beauty: That I never saw real beauty until tonight (II, V, 53) Tybalt over hears this and is enraged: That man has the voice of Montague. And he tries to attack Romeo but Capulet hold him back. Romeo and Juilet finally meet and fall in love. Later the Famous Scene between Romeo and Juliet happens. Being irrational they ran to get married. This will cause a lot of problems to come.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Act III is the feud climax. Mercutio dies by the wound inflicted by Tybalt after they meet and fight over Romeo. Romeo tried to stop them but he couldn’t and the sword of Tybalt went under his arm and sliced Mercutios breast. Tybalt ran away after the death of Mercutio. Romeo is sadden and realizes his love for Juliet has blinded him. Furious over his friend’s death he slays Tybalt when he returns. The Prince arrives after Benvolio told Romeo to run. Benvolio tells the Prince what happened and the Prince orders Romeo’s banishment: Romeo killed him but Tybalt killed Mercutio. Who to pa the price of Mercutio’s death. All are grieve stricken for now they relize how deadly there conflict has become.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Act V is the end heart broken from her sons banishment Lady Montague dies. Capulet is forcing her to marry Paris Nobleman and relative of the Prince. Juliet not wanting to marry him goes to the friar Lawrence and asks for advice. The Friar gives poorly given advice and tells her to drink a potion that will feign her death for 42 hours.

Affect of Unemployment in Economy Essay

Unemployment (or joblessness) occurs when people are without work and actively seeking work. The unemployment rate is a measure of the prevalence of unemployment and it is calculated as a percentage by dividing the number of unemployed individuals by all individuals currently in the labor force. During periods of recession, an economy usually experiences a relatively high unemployment rate.[2] According to International Labour Organization report, more than 197 million people globally are out of work or 6% of the world’s workforce were without a job in 2012. There remains considerable theoretical debate regarding the causes, consequences and solutions for unemployment. Classical economics, New classical economics, and the Austrian School of economics argue that market mechanisms are reliable means of resolving unemployment. These theories argue against interventions imposed on the labor market from the outside, such as unionization, bureaucratic work rules, minimum wage laws, taxes, and other regulations that they claim discourage the hiring of workers. How does unemployment affect the economy? Some of the well-known effects of unemployment on the economy are: Unemployment financial costs The government and the nation suffer. In many countries the government has to pay the unemployed some benefits. The greater the number of the unemployed or the longer they are without work the more money the government has to shell out. Therefore, the nation not only has to deal with the lost income and decreased production but also with additional cost. Spending power The spending power of an unemployed person and his/her family decreases drastically and they would rather save than spend their money, which in turn affects the economy adversely. Reduced spending power of the employed Increased taxes and the insecurity about their own work may affect the spending power of the working people as well and they too may start to spend less than before thus affecting the economy and also the society in a negative manner. Recession With the increase rates of unemployment other economy factors are significantly affected, such as: the income per person, health costs, quality of health-care, standard of leaving and poverty. All these affect not just the economy but the entire systems and the society in general. Here are some aspects of the impact of unemployment on our society: The effect of unemployment on our society Unemployment affects not just the person himself but also his/her family and in the long run the society where he lives. Unemployment brings with it despair, unhappiness and anguish. It forces people to live their lives in a way they do not wish to – The life expectancy is negatively affected. Life expectancy is the ease by which people living in a time/place are able to satisfy their needs/wants. Here are the main aspects: 1. Mental health: Mental health problems like: Law self-confidence, feeling unworthy, depression and hopelessness. With the lost income and the frustration involved in it, the recently unemployed may develop negative attitudes toward common things in life and may feel that all sense of purpose is lost. Frequent emotions could be – low self-esteem, inadequateness and feeling dejected and hopeless. 2. Health diseases: The unemployment overall tension can increase dramatically general health issues of individuals. 3. Tension at home: Quarrels and arguments at home front which may lead to tension and increased numbers of divorces etc. 4. Political issues: Loss of trust in administration and the government which may lead to political instability 5. Tension over taxes rise: Unemployment also brings up discontent and frustration amongst the tax paying citizens. In order to meet the demands of the unemployment fund the government many a times may have to increase the taxes thus giving way to restlessness amongst the tax paying citizens. 6. Insecurity amongst employees: The prevailing unemployment and the plight of the unemployed people and their families may create fear and insecurity even in the currently employed people. 7. Crime and violence: Increase in the rate of crime. 8. Suicide cases: Increase in the rate of suicide attempts and actual suicides as well. 9. Social outing: Unemployment may bring a decrease in social outings and interactions with other people, including friends. 10. Stigma: Unemployment brings with more than just ‘no work’. It also brings with it the disgrace that the person has to bear. Nobody likes to be termed as unemployed. 11. Standard of leaving: In times of unemployment the competition for jobs and the negotiation power of the individual decreases and thus also the living standard of people with the salaries packages and income reduced. 12. Employment gaps: To further complicate the situation the longer the individual is out of job the more difficult it becomes to find one. Employers find employment gasps as a negative aspect. No one wants to hire a person who has been out of work for some time even when there’s no fault of the individual per say. 13. Lose of skills’ usage: The unemployed is not able to put his/her skills to use. And in a situation where it goes on for too long the person may have to lose some of his/her skills Benefits The primary benefit of unemployment is that people are available for hire, without being headhunted away from their existing employers. This permits new and old businesses to take on staff. Unemployment is argued[citation needed] to be â€Å"beneficial† to the people who are not unemployed in the sense that it averts inflation, which itself has damaging effects, by providing (in Marxian terms) a reserve army of labour, that keeps wages in check. However the direct connection between full local employment and local inflation has been disputed by some due to the recent increase in international trade that supplies low-priced goods even while local employment rates rise to full employment. Full employment cannot be achieved because workers would shirk if they were not threatened with the possibility of unemployment. The curve for the no-shirking condition (labeled NSC) goes to infinity at full employment as a result. The inflation-fighting benefits to the entire economy arising from a presumed optimum level of unemployment has been studied extensively. The Shapiro-Stiglitz model suggests that wages are not bid down sufficiently to ever reach 0% unemployment. This occurs because employers know that when wages decrease, workers will shirk and expend less effort. Employers avoid shirking by preventing wages from decreasing so low that workers give up and become unproductive. These higher wages perpetuate unemployment while the threat of unemployment reduces shirking. Before current levels of world trade were developed, unemployment was demonstrated to reduce inflation, following the Phillips curve, or to decelerate inflation, following the NAIRU/natural rate of unemployment theory, since it is relatively easy to seek a new job without losing one’s current one. And when more jobs are available for fewer workers (lower unemployment), it may allow workers to find the jobs that better fit their tastes, talents, and needs. As in the Marxian theory of unemployment, special interests may also benefit: some employers may expect that employees with no fear of losing their jobs will not work as hard, or will demand increased wages and benefit. According to this theory, unemployment may promote general labour productivity and profitability by increasing employers’ rationale for their monopsony-like power (and profits). Optimal unemployment has also been defended as an environmental tool to brake the constantly accelerated growth of the GDP to maintain levels sustainable in the context of resource constraints and environmental impacts. However the tool of denying jobs to willing workers seems a blunt instrument for conserving resources and the environment — it reduces the consumption of the unemployed across the board, and only in the short term. Full employment of the unemployed workforce, all focused toward the goal of developing more environmentally efficient methods for production and consumption might provide a more significant and lasting cumulative environmental benefit and reduced resource consumption . If so the future economy and workforce would benefit from the resultant structural increases in the sustainable level of GDP growth. Some critics of the â€Å"culture of work† such as anarchist Bob Black see employment as overemphasized culturally in modern countries. Such critics often propose quitting jobs when possible, working less, reassessing the cost of living to this end, creation of jobs which are â€Å"fun† as opposed to â€Å"work,† and creating cultural norms where work is seen as unhealthy.

Delivering Learning and Development Activities Essay

The aim of the lesson plan (above) was to provide employees the knowledge and skills to draft a quality CV. Typically, employees are not familiar with how the recruitment process works, and are even less versed in drafting a CV. Many have not felt the need to apply for new roles in the past due to the security and comfort of the roles at that time. This was also confirmed from the output of the CV Workshop Pre-Assessment that were sent out and returned. The organisation has recognised this and has created a learning programme to support the individuals. Lesson Plans 1 & 2 (above) are two  half day sessions that give employees an understanding of the importance of the CV and how to create a quality draft. This is followed by the individuals’ line managers. A further two day covers interview techniques to complete the programme. Designing and delivering the session was all about the preparation. It was important to understand the audience and make it meaningful for them â€⠀œ showing â€Å"what was in it for them†. Understanding the concept of andragogy was an important factor in determining whether the sessions would be successful – would the individuals behave like prisoners, passengers or participants? Would they have barriers to learning: negativity in motivation and application? Individuals actually behaved liked participants which actually made the session more enjoyable. None of them (as captured in the pre-assessment forms) had any recent experience of writing a CV, which made the session more relevant for them. The size of the room was sufficient to accommodate the number of delegates, and it made the breakout session more intimate. The facilities were sufficient to display the PowerPoint pack as well as accommodating use of flipchart paper for the breakout session. They were asked to ensure mobile phones were switched off to prevent interruptions which break flow & concentration. Creating a positive environment in preparation and anticipation of prisoners, passengers or participants was essential. I set the scene by acknowledging and showing empathy that I understood that this is a difficult time for all of the delegates but that I was there to give them the tools and techniques to help them build a quality CV, which would ultimately help in finding a new role. I outlined what the aims and objectives were and how this session fit in with the remaining programme, to give individuals assurances that they were in professional hands. I underlined my credibility in delivering the session, having worked in recruitment in the past, as well as having recruited heavily as a line manager, therefore being well versed in knowing what a good CV looks like, having read and reviewed many over the years. I explained that we’d cover off, as a group, what was currently known about writing CVs and by the end, the group would be able to differentiate between a good and poor CV, so they could visualise what the outcome would be. I introduced a breakout session – an activity to get them actively thinking and collaborating with each other, so they felt part of the solution and in control of their own destiny. This also worked well as an icebreaker. I’ve  gave them guidelines and techniques to use, and provided supporting material (CV Workshop hand-outs, Action Verbs hand-outs and a CV template) so they could use as references and tools after the session. Open questions were used to check understanding. Feedba ck was sought in two forms – formative (CV Workshop Pre-Assessment) and summative (evaluation forms, open questions and ‘homework’ to draft a CV). The pre-assessment was used to tailor the session, effectively being very explicit or â€Å"spelling out† each point of writing a CV. Questions were asked as feedback throughout to ensure delegates fully understood each point. Good responses were recognised and acknowledged, and corrective feedback was provided for incorrect responses. To improve my performance, I have reviewed the feedback and will introduce a working example of what a good CV looks like. I will get each of the delegates to reiterate and share the key learning they would take away at the end of the session to help reinforce in their minds what they have learned and make it real for them. I will also make a bit more use of the room – â€Å"owning it† by walking around to show authority and more importantly, observing more closely (e.g. at the breakout session).