Religion And Its Effect on Medical Decisions Essay

Religion And Its Effect on Medical Decisions - Essay Example The author of the essay "Religion And Its Effect on Medical Decisions" believes that religion is an impactful force in the lives of many individuals, it undoubtedly impacts medical decisions. Health issues such as life, death, abortion, chemotherapy, etc have attracted religious arguments. At most instances, medical decisions are taken in accordance with the religious beliefs in order to avoid moral clashes. However, at many places, religion and medical decisions have conflicted to culminate in inhibited health care. The case of Adam Lovell is an example of when his parents let their religious convictions to risk the life of their two and a half year old son (Novotny, Perkin, and Orr). At the end of the essay the author comes to a conclusion. He sums up that medical decisions are impacted by various factors many of which are influenced by religion and spirituality. Also, the religious orientation and inclination of patients and their families are central factors that dominate the level of religiosity impacting medical decisions. The notion that religious individuals tend to go for life extending treatments is not generally true as willingness varies from person to person. Also, for serious illnesses and diseases such as cancer, the health care professionals may not consider religion as a priority for decision making as opposed to life saving scenarios that involve a greater focus on clinical recommendations than religion. That said, religion still dominates medical decisions as many patients are more religiously inclined.

Large-scale energy and metallurgy Essay Example for Free

Large-scale energy and metallurgy Essay Industrialisation (or industrialization) is the period of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one. It is a part of a wider modernisation process, where social change and economic development are closely related with technological innovation, particularly with the development of large-scale energy and metallurgy production. It is the extensive organisation of an economy for the purpose of manufacturing.[2] Industrialisation also introduces a form of philosophical change where people obtain a different attitude towards their perception of nature, and a sociological process of ubiquitous rationalisation. There is considerable literature on the factors facilitating industrial modernisation and enterprise development.[3] Key positive factors identified by researchers have ranged from favourable political-legal environments for industry and commerce, through abundant natural resources of various kinds, to plentiful supplies of relatively low-cost, skilled and adaptable labour. As industrial workers incomes rise, markets for consumer goods and services of all kinds tend to expand and provide a further stimulus to industrial investment and economic growth. The first country to industrialise was the United Kingdom during the Industrial Revolution, commencing in the 18th century.[4] By the end of the 20th century, East Asia had become one of the most recently industrialised regions of the world.[5] Contents [hide] 1 Description 2 History of industrialisation 2.1 Industrial revolution in Europe 2.2 Early industrialisation in other countries 2.3 The Third World 2.4 Petrol-producing countries 2.5 Industrialisation in Asia 2.6 Newly industrialised countries 3 Social consequences 3.1 Urbanisation 3.2 Exploitation 3.3 Change to family structure 4 Current situation 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading Description[edit] According to the original sector-classification developed by Jean Fourastià © (1907-1990), an economy consists of: a primary sector of commodity production (farming, livestock breeding, exploitation of mineral resources) a secondary sector of manufacturing and processing (as paid work) a tertiary sector of service industries Historically, the industrialisation process involves the expansion of the secondary sector in an economy originally dominated by primary-sector activities. The first transformation to an industrial economy from an agricultural one, known as the Industrial Revolution, took place from the mid-18th to early 19th century in certain areas in Europe and North America; starting in Great Britain, followed by Belgium, Germany, and France. Later commentators have called this the first industrial revolution.[4][6] The Second Industrial Revolution labels the later changes that came about in the mid-19th century after the refinement of the steam engine, the invention of the internal combustion engine, the harnessing of electricity and the construction of canals, railways and electric-power lines. The invention of the assembly line gave this phase a boost.[7][8][9] The lack of an industrial sector in a country can slow growth in the countrys economy and power, so governments often encourage or enforce industrialisation. On the other hand, the presence of industry in a country does not mean in general that it will bring wealth and prosperity to the people of that country. And third, the presence of an industry in one country can make it more difficult for other countries to develop the same type of industry. This can be seen in the computer software and internet industries. Started from the US around the 1990s these industries seemed to spread over the world. But after a period of monopolisation less than a decade long, the globally-leading companies remain concentrated in the US.[citation needed] Their economic power and capacity to dominate the media work against the developing of the same types of industry in other states. History of industrialisation[edit]

Thesis Statement On Illegal Immigrants Politics Essay

Thesis Statement On Illegal Immigrants Politics Essay The illegal immigrant (unauthorized alien) population in the United States is a controversial and key immigration issue. Competing political views in recent years to address the illegal aliens has proven to be a core hindrance to the enactment of comprehensive reform legislation regarding immigration. This paper hopes to highlight the political issues that are connected to illegal immigration in American. The relative cheapness and increased ease of travel compounded by the improvements in information have spurred to a large extent the international illegal immigration around the globe in recent decades. Most countries that are developed experience illegal flows, but the United States has an inflow that is high in comparison to other developed countries, originating mainly from Mexico (Edmonston 50) The problem of immigration is a long standing one in the United States. Francis Walker, the then director of Census, in the 1890s, cited data of census in support of a debate that the country was at the time being overrun by immigrants who were less desirable. At this timer, this were mainly immigrants from eastern and southern Europe who were described as being beaten men who originated from a race that was beaten, he implied that the newer immigrants comprised a stock that was poorer as compared to those who had come earlier. The new immigrants did not have enough resources to leave the cities in the east so as to help the progression of the country west. As such the undesirable immigrants started to be viewed as a burden to the country. The arguments put forth by Walker contributed to an intellectual foundation development for enactments of quotas on national origins that came later. As such, even in the early studies on immigration, immigration data, examined by social, ethnicity and economic characteristics was used to support restrictions on immigration and the realignment of national origins of immigration (Bean, Edmonston, and Passel 13). Politics and illegal immigration By October 1996, The United States Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Services estimated roughly 5 million illegal immigrants that were residing in the country at that time. This figure represented an annual average rate increment of quarter million between 1992 and 1996. Illegal immigration into the United States has been a contested issue since the midcentury. A consequence of this debate was the passage of the first United States legislation which was designed to curb this illegal immigration. The Immigration Control and Reform Act was passed into law in 1986. This number was up to 7 million in 2000 and roughly 10 million in 2004. Illegal Immigration reform and Immigrant Responsibility act was passed by Congress ten years later. They were both passed with the intention of curbing illegal migration (Portes and Rumbaut 138). The origin of illegal immigration id the united states place half of those that are undocumented as originating from Mexico wit 15% form central America. Some of the motivation includes political turmoil in their countries as well as civil war which reflected the long term economical and political involvement by the United States (Johnson 2). The past two decades have witnessed very little meaningful legislation on the issue of immigration despite President Bushs attempt in his second term for comprehensive reform and also president Obamas promises in his campaign to address the issue. Pointing at the economic recession is convenient as is the health care proposal by Obama as a roadblock to reforms in immigration, but these reasons barely scratch the surface. Politicians have always shied away from asking questions that are relevant when it comes to immigration. The policy makers must shift their focus from boarder security to the more relevant underlying economic implications if proper reforms are to be made on the issue. They must As well evaluate the impact that undocumented workers have on the job market. Issues concerning illegal immigration continue languishing in political limbo because politicians do not adopt concrete strategies when it comes to addressing the issue (Johnson 7). Throughout history, politicians have addressed illegal immigration by emphasizing on border security. They have consistently stated that the reason why there are so many illegal immigrants is because the countrys borders are porous. This approach has continuously obscured the main issue that underlies this problem. The political balance on the issue has been between border security and employer sanctions. The government has been largely unsuccessful in the employer sanctions and as such the politicians find it easier to talk about enforcing border crackdowns. This approach, security focused, is not adequate to address the flow of illegal aliens across the Mexican border. These are complex movements that are based on seasonal changes and economic conditions. The border fence is thought of having the paradoxical effect of making those already in the country illegally more determined not to go back as it will be had to get back in. Policy makers in order to make reforms on immigration s tick have therefore to focus more on economic incentives that primarily bring into the country illegal aliens (Bean, Edmonston, and Passel 14). The main concern for congress and states that have a large population of illegal immigrants raise concerns about their impact financially on the programs by the government, their participation in criminal activities and generally the effect that they have in economies of the local community they reside in. the main political claim is that the illegal immigration result in an influx of undocumented workers into the market who take away most of the jobs that belong to the Americans. The jobs done by this immigrant stands roughly at 8 million. However research tends to disregard this fact as the illegal immigrants occupy job markets that are fundamentally different. The illegal immigrants perform the cheap labor such as picking tomatoes and cherries in the Californian desert (Edmonston 51). Another political concern with regard to illegal immigration is that the illegal aliens would and do in fact retain most of their original language as well as develop political issues that are foreign to those found in the United States. As such many people who are passionate about this issue have called for the punishment of illegal immigration by deportation via proceedings of removal. Others believe that the illegal aliens will overtime overpopulate the country as well as damage, culture economy and environment. Still, some believe that the illegal immigrants are criminal as their illegal presence justifies. The political outcry that tool place as a result of the influx in illegal immigration that claimed a loss of control over the border also saw Congress approve measures that would be the fist reform that is comprehensive on matters of immigration laws for more than two decades (Hanson 10). Illegal aliens in the united states once found in violation of the countrys immigration laws may be through a formal process removed from the country or may be given a chance to depart through their own voluntary action. The formal process included penalties such as imprisonment, fines of the prohibition from entering the country in future. The number of people who were legally removed in 2004 was approximately 203,000 people and about another million departed voluntarily. 42000 of the 203,000 of the formal removal were removals that were expedited. This process was designed to speed up the aliens removal that were or wanted to enter the country illegally. Despite these measures, imprisonment, deportations and sealing of borders, the rate of illegal aliens continues to rise (Bischoff 182). It is important to note that the political influence of illegal immigrants in the United States is far reaching than anticipated. Illegal aliens affect the way seats are distributed in the House of Representatives. This is because the appointment is based on the total population of each state; this includes non-citizens as well as illegal alien, relative to other states in the country. This impact is derived from estimates in the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which indicated that almost 7 million illegal immigrants were counted in the census, 2000. The same report showed that the states with low-immigration rates and which might seek to be unaffected by issues of immigration have in fact had a significant erosion of influence politically in Washington (Poston Jr., Camarota and Baumle 1). Among the findings in this report include: the presence of illegal immigrants in other states caused the states of Michigan, Indiana and Mississippi to lose a seat respectively in the House in 2000 while the state of Montana failed to gain a seta it would have had otherwise; Illegal immigration redistributes seats in the House as well as the presidential election as a result of the electoral college which is based of the congressional delegation size; non-citizen present in the census redistributed in total nine seats. Non-citizens include legal immigrants, illegal aliens, temporary visitors, mainly guest workers and foreign students. In addition the four states that each lost a seat due to illegal immigrants, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Utah each had one less seat than they could have had; non of the states that lost a seat because of immigrant has a population on the decline, all recorded population growths of more than a million in the 1990s; the reappointment that is immigrant-induced is not similar to reappointment that is caused when natives in a state relocate to another; Immigration takes away from the state the representation that is composed entirely of citizens and results in a creation of state districts that have large numbers of non-citizens; the states with illegal immigrants gained the most seats with California where e immigrant population is 43%gaining 10 of these seats; the political stakes to be found in low-immigration states are enormous. The illegal immigration has the ability to redistribute these sears because of the large number of illegal aliens as well as their high concentration density, two out of every three live in just three states (Poston Jr., Camarota and Baumle 1). In order to counteract the immigration problems, the United States has often responded in a number. For example, California passed an initiative in1994 that was labeled Proposition 187. This came to pass as a draconian proposal which aimers at cutting off education as well as other social services accept for emergency health care for illegal immigrants. The proposition required in addition to what is mentioned above that doctors and teachers were required to turn in such illegal aliens to the appropriate authorities. The passage of this proposal marked the return of a perennial divisive political issue in the country: who to keep in and who to keep out of a country that Native Americans are finding difficult to define as theirs (Bischoff 184). Most of the immigrants who are in the country and have stayed here for a lifetime hope that they will eventually be legalized. The county offers a unique place for this aliens as it has policy that generate legions that oversee illegal aliens almost daily but also in the process also provides them with a home where the can be legalized. The process of legalizing although controversial is an initial step that can help reduce the illegal aliens numbers. However there is no single solution to the above problem in the countrys legislative history, social and political climate and practical experience that can deal with the matter. The country has some form of organized, planned and even institutionalized action that are in place to deal with the illegal immigrants. There is also the practical and the ideologically fundamental necessity to deal with the issue. Primarily, it is to save the image of American democracy which is currently perceived as positive. Secondly, is the need to avoid lawlessness and chaos and to keep the harmonious relationship between those who have lived in the country for generations and those who have managed to acquire homes in the dreamland as a result of their illegal action. Legalization offers a significant step in the provision of hope and the pursuit of happiness for immigrants in the country illegally even though it presents practical and fundamental issues (Hanson 11). The political unpopularity of the United States policy on immigration lays on the obtrusiveness that exist in current efforts that are aimed at enforcing the united states interior accounts that would ensure the expulsion of illegal immigrants or their legalization. The political opening to the issue of illegal immigration in the country lies with the consensus that is building that emphasizes that the immigration policies are broken. This is further highlighted by the fact that despite it being a major issue, the candidates for the 2004 presidential campaign only vaguely addressed how best the reforms would be implemented even though they invoked the issues as important and deserving attention. This implies the political interest in the topic of illegal immigration in the United States (Hanson and Institute for International Economics 10). Conclusion The contentiousness that surrounds immigration often deters politicians from tackling issues on illegal aliens. If changes are implemented on Policies governing the issue, these will mainly specific groups of employers, workers and taxpayers with the aggregate effects on the economy appearing to be minimal. By revising entry and admission restrictions, the government might be in a better position to regulate illegal immigration into the country. In the discussion we see that political issues in this topic arise in different areas, from country of origin, mode of immigration and to the illegal residence in the country which presents political consequences in itself. Reforms in the immigration policy are the only way of addressing this issue adequately.

Ray Carvers collection Where Im Calling From :: Ray Carver Essays

Ray Carver's collection "Where I'm Calling From" After reading more than a dozen of Ray Carver’s short stories from his collection Where I'm Calling From, I have to ask the question, "Where was Carver calling from?" On the surface, his stories seem very simple. They are about people with average jobs such as hotel managers, waitresses, salesmen, and secretaries, who live unsophisticated, mediocre lives. Below the surface, however, there is always more to be discovered if the reader is willing to put forth a little bit of effort. Carver obviously put a lot of thought into his stories. The least that we, as readers, can do is scratch the surface a little, or better yet, dig deep into his words to see what he is really trying to say to us. This is a task that is easier said than done. One story that does not seem quite as difficult as some others to interpret is "They’re Not Your Husband." Carver actually tells us quite a bit about Earl and Doreen if, once again, we are willing to look for the hidden clues. Earl is a salesman who is currently unemployed. He is looking for work, and he does find a sales job, but not a paying one. When he overhears two of his wife’s customers commenting on her "fat ass" (Magee), and saying, "Some jokers like their quim fat" (Carver 45), Earl realizes who his next sales pitch will be aimed at. Not wanting to be considered a joker, he decides to "sell" Doreen on the idea of losing weight (Magee). Using his sales tactics, Earl cautiously presents his "product" to Doreen. At first she is surprised because he has never brought up her weight before, but Earl is able to convince her that she should go on a diet without upsetting her. "‘All right,’ she said. I’ll try. For a few days I’ll give it a try. You’ve convinced me"’ (Carver 47). After hearing this, Earl replies, "I’m a closer" (Carver 47). Earl feels that he has successfully closed the deal but if we keep digging, we see something more. John Magee, in his article on "They’re Not Your Husband" for The Explicator, says, "Drop the c from 'closer’and 'loser’ emerges, which is what Earl is" (2). Earl is a loser because he thinks that the way his wife looks says something about him. He hopes that if he can successfully help Doreen begin to look better, he may start to feel better about himself.

Coffeehouse and Starbucks

1. Original Strategic Vision for Starbucks Howard Schultz’s original strategic vision was to transform Starbucks into a national company with an emphasis on placing great value on its employees. He believed that the key to success was for Starbucks to capitalize on its people; he wanted a somewhat decentralized organizational structure which emphasized the importance of including employees in the decision-making process. Schultz wanted to place an image of Starbucks as an employer that cared for the general well-being of its employees and one that employees could be take pride in being a part of.A key strategic objective espoused by Schultz in his original strategic vision was to transform Starbucks into â€Å"the most respected brand name in coffee and for the company to be admired for its corporate responsibility. † Also worth noting is the fact that after visiting Milan, Italy Schultz also made it part of his strategic vision to transform Starbucks as a remake of the Italian coffee bar culture. He wanted customers to perceive a visit to a Starbucks coffee shop as a social gathering where customers could grab a fresh-brewed beverage, meet their friends and visit.He believed that creating this emphasis on customer â€Å"experience† could distinguish Starbucks from its competitors. Schultz’s 2010 strategic vision for Starbucks is an extension of his original vision from the 1980s which has been expanded to include more innovative and cost cutting practices. It can also be argued that some of his new strategic objectives are more prudent instead of being fully aggressive. For example, while Schultz still believed that the company should continue to pursue international expansion, he makes it evident that this should be pursued at a slower, more methodical pace.In addition, with regards to the volume of stores in the US, he acknowledges the fact that expansion efforts were not properly coordinated with regards to the close proximities of many Starbucks shops. Therefore he closed 900 underperforming shops, three quarters of which were located three miles away from a nearby shop. The 2010 strategic vision also continued to emphasize the customer experience. He believed that employees have lost their â€Å"soul of the past† in their passion to educate customers about their products and provide customers with a quality experience .As a result in 2008, Schultz ordered 7,100 US stores to be temporarily shut down for three business hours to provide special training for store employees. The purpose of this was to give their baristas hands-on training to aid in improving the quality of the beverages they served. It was also an effort to renew and reignite Starbucks’ culture of a customer-centric focus to help employees understand the importance of a satisfying customer experience. Lastly, much innovation and cost-cutting practices were incorporated into the 2010 strategic vision.For example as part of a seri ous cost-cutting strategy, the company undertook a 1000-person cut in staffing to cut down on administrative costs from the company’s organizational support infrastructure. With regards to innovation, the company also implemented ideas such as internet-based software for scheduling work hours for store employees and new resources such as laptops for store employees. Innovation was also implemented in the products the company offers.An example of this is the launch of VIA instant coffees and menu items designed to offer healthy breakfast choices for people with busy lifestyles such as fruit cups and healthier bakery selections. 2. Has Starbuck’s strategy evolved as the strategic vision has evolved? 3 . The Broad Differentiation strategy most closely approximates the competitive approach used by Starbucks. This is supported by the fact that the company’s target segment is not limited to a specific niche market.As reinforced by the company’s resurging commit ment to expand to global markets, it is committed to serving the needs of a broad market with widely diverse preferences. Supporting Starbuck’s use of a Broad Differentiation strategy is the fact that Starbucks tries to distinguish itself from competitors by offering a service devoted to going the extra mile to deliver a satisfying customer experience. This is congruent with the company’s theme of â€Å"just say yes† to customer requests.Another key aspect of the Broad Differentiation strategy that Starbucks practices is the offer of a wide selection of products which emphasize differentiating attributes. An example of this would be Starbuck’s introduction of VIA Ready Brew Coffee. These were packets of coffee that could be prepared instantly by simply adding them to a cup of water. VIA coffee had the superior attribute of easy preparation while replicating the same rich full-bodied taste of fresh-brewed coffee delivered by Starbucks from its coffeehouses .Another unique product introduced by Starbucks with a differentiating feature is the introduction of Vivanno â€Å"better-for-you† smoothies. These smoothies offered those health-conscious customers with little to think about with only 250 calories, one serving of fruit, 16 grams of proten and 5 grams of fiber. 4 The key policies, practices, principles and procedures that underlie how Howard Schultz and Starbucks management have implemented and executed the company’s strategy are as follows: Emphasis on providing employees with a caring, desirable work environment in which they can contribute to the success and development of the company.It is clear that Shultz believes in taking care of his employees to win their commitment to enhancing the well-being of the company. As evidence, Schultz instilled a comprehensive benefits package which unlike the norm for other businesses, were offered not only to full-time employees but part-time employees as well. In order to empha size the connection between employee contributions and the company’s market value, Schultz also implemented Bean Stock- Starbuck’s stock option plan.The purpose of this was to allow each employee to become a partner and share in the success of the company to promote a positive long-term effect on the company’s operations. Applying ethical and high standards of excellence to the purchasing, roasting and fresh delivery of coffee. Evidence for Starbuck’s commitment to ethical sourcing of its coffee can be supported by its partnership with Conservation International Center to develop Coffee and Farmer Equity (C. A. F. E. ) Practices. Such practices were designed to help farmers grow coffee in ways that prevented harm to the planet.These practices were designed to cover safe and humane working conditions (ensuring congruence with minimum wage requirements as well as child labor provisions), and making sure that the prices Starbucks paid were sufficient to allo w farmers to cover their production costs and provide for their families. In addition, the company’s resoluteness to provide excellent standards in the roasting and serving of coffee is supported by Starbuck’s rigorous training program for all its partners/baristas.The program includes a minimum of 24 hours of training in the first two to four weeks of training and involves classes in coffee history, drink preparation, coffee knowledge and customer service. The enthusiastic development of satisfied customers all of the time. It is clear that Schultz is adamant about ensuring that customers are provided with the best experience every time they visit a Starbucks coffee shop. This meant paying careful attention to what pleases their customers.The company employs a customer-centric culture where they are trained to take extra measures to ensure that the customer was fully satisfied, and to employ a â€Å"just say yes† theme to customer requests. Make a positive cont ribution to the communities in which we operate our business. In order to give back to the communities in which their numerous shops reside, the company participates in many philanthropic events which are coordinated by the Starbucks Foundation. Some of their activities include participation in local charitable projects as well as community development activities.Recognition of profitability as essential to our success. Starbucks is aware that in being able to deliver in all of the aforementioned areas, that it will be able to enjoy the success that its shareholders desire. As a result, the company believes that it is fully accountable to performing well in each of these areas so that Starbucks and its various stakeholders can continue to â€Å"endure and thrive. † 5. What values does Starbucks have? How well do they connect to the strategy and the way the company conducts its business? 6. Social Responsibility: * C. A. F.E : Coffee and Farmer Equity- Partnership in which Sta rbucks sought to develop practices to help farmers grow high-quality coffees in ways that were good for the planet. This covered practices such as safe and humane working conditions including compliance with minimum wage requirements and child labor provisions) and environmental responsibility P359 * Definition for social responsibility- Wikipedia: Starbucks’ corporate culture involves the moral binding of partners to run the company’s operations with consideration of the well-being of others around them.Ie: the company purchases a growing percentage of coffees that Starbucks purchases are grown organically without the use of chemical fertiliziers, pesticides and herbicides. This supports the company’s devotion to socially responsible practices. Such efforts helps in maintaining the cleanliness of groundwater and prevents degradation of environmental ecosystems nearby. embrace As indicated by its countless efforts to manage business in a way that promotes social and environmental concern, Starbucks has very strong dedication to its corporate social responsibility.Not only has this effort to â€Å"build a company with soul† has also been ingrained in the company’s mission statement, Starbuck’s has also received wide recognition for its efforts in this area. In fact in 2010, the company was named to Corporate Responsibility’s list of â€Å"The 100 Best Corporate Citizens† for the 10th time. In addition the company has received over 25 awards for its efforts in the areas of philanthropic, community service and environmental activities.As one of its most noteworthy efforts, in 1997 the company established The Starbucks Foundation to organize the company’s philanthropic undertakings. Under the Foundation, many of its coffee shops participated in regular charity events and community improvement initiatives. Starbuck’s social responsibility is also reflected in its generosity towards worthy causes. For example, in 2005 the company made a $5 million, five year commitment to aid in the relief and recovery of victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.More recently in 2010, the company also donated funding worth $1 million to support the American Red Cross’ efforts to provide relief for those who survived the earthquake in Haiti. In view of such devout efforts to these environment and humanitarian concerns, it can definitely be argued that Starbuck’s social responsibility strategy is genuine. The company’s past and continued devotion to such undertakings support this conjecture, making it evident that Starbucks is true to its cause and is not only publicizing its social responsibility strategy to instil a positive image in its takeholders. 7. Assessment of Starbuck’s financial performance during 2005-2009? 8. Assessment of Schultz’s Transformation Agenda for Starbucks during 2008-2010? (C-363-C-363) Has he done a good job since his return as Starbu cks’ CEO? Why or why not? While Howard Schultz has managed to instil a very strong corporate culture based on delivering the best customer experience possible during his tenure at Starbucks, it seems that the guidance of the company under Jim Donald as CEO starting in 2006 has brought on cultural change.The introduction of Donald as the new CEO has brought on two factors of cultural change as indicated in Figure 1 below: shifting internal conditions (brought on by Donald’s assumption of role as Starbucks CEO) and rapid growth of the firm through his introduction of an aggressive corporate culture that pursued rapid store expansion at the expense of the long-established commitment to customer service.This new focus on aggressive growth with less emphasis on maintaining customer relationships spurred uneasiness amongst member of Starbuck’s board and eroded customer traffic in US stores starting in 2007. Investors became distressed about the company’s steadi ly declining stock price. As a result, in January of 2008, Starbucks asked Howard Schultz to overtake his original position as CEO. Thus he proposed to fix the inefficiencies that impaired Starbuck’s original customer-centric culture.This initiative was set out in a very well-developed set of directives which came to be known as Schultz’s 2008-2010 transformation agenda. By analyzing the various steps necessary in trying to implement change in a problem culture (shown in Figure 2 below), one can see that Schultz’s actions and numerous objectives as set out in his agenda are congruent with those outlined in these steps.Step1: Identify facets of the present culture that are conducive to good strategy execution and those that are not In his letter to All Starbucks Partners written in February 2008, Schultz makes it clear what he believes is necessary to return Starbuck’s at its original competitive position. Of the utmost importance is Howard Schultz’ s address of the waning of Starbuck’s emphasis on providing a distinct quality customer experience. He indicates has concern by saying â€Å"We are in the people business and always have been†¦It means you make the difference.We succeed in the marketplace†¦[by] embracing the values, guiding principles and culture of our company and bringing it to life one customer at a time. † As a result, in his letter Schultz affirms his goal to reintroduce a renewed clarity of purpose devoted to a â€Å"laser-focused† customer experience. Another of these beliefs is his continued persistence to include all employees as partners in the effort to move the company to success. Schultz continues to encourage employees to voice their opinions on how to improve the company’s operations.This makes evident Schultz ‘s belief in holding serious esteem of the opinions of employees. Such a practice is conductive to good strategy execution as he states: â€Å"thank you for your ideas and suggestions†¦keep them coming. No one knows our business and our customers better than you. † Step 2: Specify what new actions, behaviors and work practices should be prominent in the â€Å"new† culture With regards to revitalizing the company’s original customer-centric focus, Schultz clearly states â€Å"we are not going to embrace the status quo.Instead we will be curious, bold and innovative in our actions and, in doing so, we will exceed the expectation of our customers. † In addition Schultz outlines several new objectives in his transformation agenda which establishes the new culture. By analyzing some of these, it becomes evident that much prudence was taken in developing these objectives to correct some of Schultz’s own past inefficiencies.For example, instead of continuing an aggressive expansion policy, the agenda sets out to â€Å"slow the pace of new store openings in the US,† as well as â€Å"closing 900 underperforming company-operated stores in the US,† which were in close proximity of an existing Starbucks store and cannibalizing on its customer base. Step 3: Talk openly about the problems of the present culture and how new behaviors will improve company performance 9. Issues that confront the company as of mid 2010? What should management be worried about? 10. Recommendations to Schultz to sustain the company’s growth and support continued strong financial performance? Coffeehouse and Starbucks 1. Original Strategic Vision for Starbucks Howard Schultz’s original strategic vision was to transform Starbucks into a national company with an emphasis on placing great value on its employees. He believed that the key to success was for Starbucks to capitalize on its people; he wanted a somewhat decentralized organizational structure which emphasized the importance of including employees in the decision-making process. Schultz wanted to place an image of Starbucks as an employer that cared for the general well-being of its employees and one that employees could be take pride in being a part of.A key strategic objective espoused by Schultz in his original strategic vision was to transform Starbucks into â€Å"the most respected brand name in coffee and for the company to be admired for its corporate responsibility. † Also worth noting is the fact that after visiting Milan, Italy Schultz also made it part of his strategic vision to transform Starbucks as a remake of the Italian coffee bar culture. He wanted customers to perceive a visit to a Starbucks coffee shop as a social gathering where customers could grab a fresh-brewed beverage, meet their friends and visit.He believed that creating this emphasis on customer â€Å"experience† could distinguish Starbucks from its competitors. Schultz’s 2010 strategic vision for Starbucks is an extension of his original vision from the 1980s which has been expanded to include more innovative and cost cutting practices. It can also be argued that some of his new strategic objectives are more prudent instead of being fully aggressive. For example, while Schultz still believed that the company should continue to pursue international expansion, he makes it evident that this should be pursued at a slower, more methodical pace.In addition, with regards to the volume of stores in the US, he acknowledges the fact that expansion efforts were not properly coordinated with regards to the close proximities of many Starbucks shops. Therefore he closed 900 underperforming shops, three quarters of which were located three miles away from a nearby shop. The 2010 strategic vision also continued to emphasize the customer experience. He believed that employees have lost their â€Å"soul of the past† in their passion to educate customers about their products and provide customers with a quality experience .As a result in 2008, Schultz ordered 7,100 US stores to be temporarily shut down for three business hours to provide special training for store employees. The purpose of this was to give their baristas hands-on training to aid in improving the quality of the beverages they served. It was also an effort to renew and reignite Starbucks’ culture of a customer-centric focus to help employees understand the importance of a satisfying customer experience. Lastly, much innovation and cost-cutting practices were incorporated into the 2010 strategic vision.For example as part of a seri ous cost-cutting strategy, the company undertook a 1000-person cut in staffing to cut down on administrative costs from the company’s organizational support infrastructure. With regards to innovation, the company also implemented ideas such as internet-based software for scheduling work hours for store employees and new resources such as laptops for store employees. Innovation was also implemented in the products the company offers.An example of this is the launch of VIA instant coffees and menu items designed to offer healthy breakfast choices for people with busy lifestyles such as fruit cups and healthier bakery selections. 2. Has Starbuck’s strategy evolved as the strategic vision has evolved? 3 . The Broad Differentiation strategy most closely approximates the competitive approach used by Starbucks. This is supported by the fact that the company’s target segment is not limited to a specific niche market.As reinforced by the company’s resurging commit ment to expand to global markets, it is committed to serving the needs of a broad market with widely diverse preferences. Supporting Starbuck’s use of a Broad Differentiation strategy is the fact that Starbucks tries to distinguish itself from competitors by offering a service devoted to going the extra mile to deliver a satisfying customer experience. This is congruent with the company’s theme of â€Å"just say yes† to customer requests.Another key aspect of the Broad Differentiation strategy that Starbucks practices is the offer of a wide selection of products which emphasize differentiating attributes. An example of this would be Starbuck’s introduction of VIA Ready Brew Coffee. These were packets of coffee that could be prepared instantly by simply adding them to a cup of water. VIA coffee had the superior attribute of easy preparation while replicating the same rich full-bodied taste of fresh-brewed coffee delivered by Starbucks from its coffeehouses .Another unique product introduced by Starbucks with a differentiating feature is the introduction of Vivanno â€Å"better-for-you† smoothies. These smoothies offered those health-conscious customers with little to think about with only 250 calories, one serving of fruit, 16 grams of proten and 5 grams of fiber. 4 The key policies, practices, principles and procedures that underlie how Howard Schultz and Starbucks management have implemented and executed the company’s strategy are as follows: Emphasis on providing employees with a caring, desirable work environment in which they can contribute to the success and development of the company.It is clear that Shultz believes in taking care of his employees to win their commitment to enhancing the well-being of the company. As evidence, Schultz instilled a comprehensive benefits package which unlike the norm for other businesses, were offered not only to full-time employees but part-time employees as well. In order to empha size the connection between employee contributions and the company’s market value, Schultz also implemented Bean Stock- Starbuck’s stock option plan.The purpose of this was to allow each employee to become a partner and share in the success of the company to promote a positive long-term effect on the company’s operations. Applying ethical and high standards of excellence to the purchasing, roasting and fresh delivery of coffee. Evidence for Starbuck’s commitment to ethical sourcing of its coffee can be supported by its partnership with Conservation International Center to develop Coffee and Farmer Equity (C. A. F. E. ) Practices. Such practices were designed to help farmers grow coffee in ways that prevented harm to the planet.These practices were designed to cover safe and humane working conditions (ensuring congruence with minimum wage requirements as well as child labor provisions), and making sure that the prices Starbucks paid were sufficient to allo w farmers to cover their production costs and provide for their families. In addition, the company’s resoluteness to provide excellent standards in the roasting and serving of coffee is supported by Starbuck’s rigorous training program for all its partners/baristas.The program includes a minimum of 24 hours of training in the first two to four weeks of training and involves classes in coffee history, drink preparation, coffee knowledge and customer service. The enthusiastic development of satisfied customers all of the time. It is clear that Schultz is adamant about ensuring that customers are provided with the best experience every time they visit a Starbucks coffee shop. This meant paying careful attention to what pleases their customers.The company employs a customer-centric culture where they are trained to take extra measures to ensure that the customer was fully satisfied, and to employ a â€Å"just say yes† theme to customer requests. Make a positive cont ribution to the communities in which we operate our business. In order to give back to the communities in which their numerous shops reside, the company participates in many philanthropic events which are coordinated by the Starbucks Foundation. Some of their activities include participation in local charitable projects as well as community development activities.Recognition of profitability as essential to our success. Starbucks is aware that in being able to deliver in all of the aforementioned areas, that it will be able to enjoy the success that its shareholders desire. As a result, the company believes that it is fully accountable to performing well in each of these areas so that Starbucks and its various stakeholders can continue to â€Å"endure and thrive. † 5. What values does Starbucks have? How well do they connect to the strategy and the way the company conducts its business? 6. Social Responsibility: * C. A. F.E : Coffee and Farmer Equity- Partnership in which Sta rbucks sought to develop practices to help farmers grow high-quality coffees in ways that were good for the planet. This covered practices such as safe and humane working conditions including compliance with minimum wage requirements and child labor provisions) and environmental responsibility P359 * Definition for social responsibility- Wikipedia: Starbucks’ corporate culture involves the moral binding of partners to run the company’s operations with consideration of the well-being of others around them.Ie: the company purchases a growing percentage of coffees that Starbucks purchases are grown organically without the use of chemical fertiliziers, pesticides and herbicides. This supports the company’s devotion to socially responsible practices. Such efforts helps in maintaining the cleanliness of groundwater and prevents degradation of environmental ecosystems nearby. embrace As indicated by its countless efforts to manage business in a way that promotes social and environmental concern, Starbucks has very strong dedication to its corporate social responsibility.Not only has this effort to â€Å"build a company with soul† has also been ingrained in the company’s mission statement, Starbuck’s has also received wide recognition for its efforts in this area. In fact in 2010, the company was named to Corporate Responsibility’s list of â€Å"The 100 Best Corporate Citizens† for the 10th time. In addition the company has received over 25 awards for its efforts in the areas of philanthropic, community service and environmental activities.As one of its most noteworthy efforts, in 1997 the company established The Starbucks Foundation to organize the company’s philanthropic undertakings. Under the Foundation, many of its coffee shops participated in regular charity events and community improvement initiatives. Starbuck’s social responsibility is also reflected in its generosity towards worthy causes. For example, in 2005 the company made a $5 million, five year commitment to aid in the relief and recovery of victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.More recently in 2010, the company also donated funding worth $1 million to support the American Red Cross’ efforts to provide relief for those who survived the earthquake in Haiti. In view of such devout efforts to these environment and humanitarian concerns, it can definitely be argued that Starbuck’s social responsibility strategy is genuine. The company’s past and continued devotion to such undertakings support this conjecture, making it evident that Starbucks is true to its cause and is not only publicizing its social responsibility strategy to instil a positive image in its takeholders. 7. Assessment of Starbuck’s financial performance during 2005-2009? 8. Assessment of Schultz’s Transformation Agenda for Starbucks during 2008-2010? (C-363-C-363) Has he done a good job since his return as Starbu cks’ CEO? Why or why not? While Howard Schultz has managed to instil a very strong corporate culture based on delivering the best customer experience possible during his tenure at Starbucks, it seems that the guidance of the company under Jim Donald as CEO starting in 2006 has brought on cultural change.The introduction of Donald as the new CEO has brought on two factors of cultural change as indicated in Figure 1 below: shifting internal conditions (brought on by Donald’s assumption of role as Starbucks CEO) and rapid growth of the firm through his introduction of an aggressive corporate culture that pursued rapid store expansion at the expense of the long-established commitment to customer service.This new focus on aggressive growth with less emphasis on maintaining customer relationships spurred uneasiness amongst member of Starbuck’s board and eroded customer traffic in US stores starting in 2007. Investors became distressed about the company’s steadi ly declining stock price. As a result, in January of 2008, Starbucks asked Howard Schultz to overtake his original position as CEO. Thus he proposed to fix the inefficiencies that impaired Starbuck’s original customer-centric culture.This initiative was set out in a very well-developed set of directives which came to be known as Schultz’s 2008-2010 transformation agenda. By analyzing the various steps necessary in trying to implement change in a problem culture (shown in Figure 2 below), one can see that Schultz’s actions and numerous objectives as set out in his agenda are congruent with those outlined in these steps.Step1: Identify facets of the present culture that are conducive to good strategy execution and those that are not In his letter to All Starbucks Partners written in February 2008, Schultz makes it clear what he believes is necessary to return Starbuck’s at its original competitive position. Of the utmost importance is Howard Schultz’ s address of the waning of Starbuck’s emphasis on providing a distinct quality customer experience. He indicates has concern by saying â€Å"We are in the people business and always have been†¦It means you make the difference.We succeed in the marketplace†¦[by] embracing the values, guiding principles and culture of our company and bringing it to life one customer at a time. † As a result, in his letter Schultz affirms his goal to reintroduce a renewed clarity of purpose devoted to a â€Å"laser-focused† customer experience. Another of these beliefs is his continued persistence to include all employees as partners in the effort to move the company to success. Schultz continues to encourage employees to voice their opinions on how to improve the company’s operations.This makes evident Schultz ‘s belief in holding serious esteem of the opinions of employees. Such a practice is conductive to good strategy execution as he states: â€Å"thank you for your ideas and suggestions†¦keep them coming. No one knows our business and our customers better than you. † Step 2: Specify what new actions, behaviors and work practices should be prominent in the â€Å"new† culture With regards to revitalizing the company’s original customer-centric focus, Schultz clearly states â€Å"we are not going to embrace the status quo.Instead we will be curious, bold and innovative in our actions and, in doing so, we will exceed the expectation of our customers. † In addition Schultz outlines several new objectives in his transformation agenda which establishes the new culture. By analyzing some of these, it becomes evident that much prudence was taken in developing these objectives to correct some of Schultz’s own past inefficiencies.For example, instead of continuing an aggressive expansion policy, the agenda sets out to â€Å"slow the pace of new store openings in the US,† as well as â€Å"closing 900 underperforming company-operated stores in the US,† which were in close proximity of an existing Starbucks store and cannibalizing on its customer base. Step 3: Talk openly about the problems of the present culture and how new behaviors will improve company performance 9. Issues that confront the company as of mid 2010? What should management be worried about? 10. Recommendations to Schultz to sustain the company’s growth and support continued strong financial performance?

Dailigh Romano Essays - Abortion, Fertility, Human Reproduction, RTT

Dailigh Romano Essays - Abortion, Fertility, Human Reproduction, RTT Dailigh Romano Miss Strimel English 9 8 March 2015 Abortion Pros and Cons There are many opinions on the pros and cons arguments of abortio n. There are two si des to the abortion argument and the opinions are very strong from others. I t is either people are against it or for it. This paper will be about all sides of the argument and I will have no part take o n any of the opinions stated . The most discussed side of the abortion topic is how much people dislike it. A lot of religi ons such as Buddhism, Catholicism, Christianity, and etc. All religions that are against i t have many different views on the topic, so they are not all the same feelings. Many are against abortion because of what the mother, family, etc. is doing to the child. In abortion there are many health risks to the child and mother. Abortion is a form of murder and demeans the value of human life , abortion eliminates legal rights of the unborn child, most decisions fo r abortion are chosen by a young adult/teenager that don't have the maturity yet. All three of those topics are very important in the argument of abortion and are fought over in states and religion . Another side of abortion is the fact of people agreeing with it. Some facts are that carrying and delivering the child can be dangerous to the mother, abortion is not murder because it is performed before a fetus h as developed into a human person , giving up a child for abortion can be just as emotionally damaging as having an abortion. There are many religions that go for abortion such as Quakers, certain Jewish groups, Free voices of Catholic, etc. A lot of people are going for abortion because it is the choice of the mother and fathers if they want to conceive and raise the child or not. In conclusion, the both sides should come together and work the issues out. Both sides of the abortion argument have many sides and supportive details to back up the opinion. Abortion is talked about in many different ways, opinions, and so called facts. After writing this paper, I have learned a lot about abortion and the sides on it. WORK CITED PAGE Niebuhr, Reinhold. Moral Man and Immoral Society: A Study in Ethics and Politics. Charles Scribner's Sons. 1932. Thompson, Judith Jarvis. "A Defense of Abortion." Philosophy and Public Affairs, 1, (1). 1971