jazz Essay -- essays research papers

Jazz is the kind of music that makes me want to do one of two things. Depending on the mood of the jazz, sometimes I feel like relaxing and just listening to the music and letting it run through me. Other times I feel like getting up and dancing as if I have not a care in the world. The jazz concert I attended on at SLO Brewing Company on October 6, 2001 inspired me to do both of these due to the variety used by the musicians in dynamic, rhythm, tempo, and many other aspects of music.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The group consisted of three individuals called the Anthony Wilson Trio. The instruments included an electric guitar, a percussion set, and an organ. The three sounds were creatively combined to make for a wonderful concert.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first aspect of the music I recognized was the volume, or the dynamics. It ranged from forte during the climactic moments to mezzo piano during the calmer parts, but mostly remained in this range throughout the concert. There were also several instances of crescendo and decrescendo, which served to build up tension or slow the piece down, respectively.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next element I discovered was the pitch of the music. Relatively speaking, I would estimate that the majority of the pieces were on the high side of the pitch, and therefore frequency, scale. The range of pitches was moderate, but as stated previously, mostly higher notes were used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The rhythm and...

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Essay

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was created by the Banking Act of 1933 in response to the banking crisis that faced the nation after the stock market crash on Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929. Although the FDIC has grown and changed since then, its purpose is still the same – to guarantee the safety of bank deposits up to a certain amount. Until recently, that amount was $100,000 but Congress, in response to the current economic crisis has temporarily increased FDIC deposit insurance from $100,000 to $250,000 per depositor through December 31, 2009. (Who, n.d.) All of the banks that are members of the FDIC must adhere to certain liquidity and reserve requirements in order for the banks and their depositors to benefit from the insurance. (Overview, n.d.) If a bank becomes undercapitalized the FDIC issues a warning. If the undercapitalization worsens it can take other corrective measures which may ultimately result in the FDIC taking over management. All of this is meant to sustain the confidence of depositors so that there are no runs on the banks as so often happened in past history. The History of the FDIC To understand the importance of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in today’s economic market one must look to the history that led up to its establishment as part of the Banking Act of 1933. After the crash of the stock market in 1929 the United States fell into the longest economic depression in its history – from 1929 to 1939. Since loans that were made to stock market speculators were not being repaid after the crash, many banks failed and bank panics were commonplace. This led to their depositors’ losing money, which only served to fuel the depression further. The bank failures of the early 1930s were not the first in the history of the United States, but they were the most severe to date. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt saw the need to stem the tide of failures by enacting the Banking Act of 1933. Part of this act established the FDIC, gave it authority to regulate and insure banks, and the act also provided its funding. The purpose of the FDIC was to build the confidence of the American people in their banks and to assure them that their funds would be safe, at least up to a certain amount. (FDIC Timeline, n.d., 1930) This is still the general purpose of the FDIC, although much has changed since its birth in 1933. According to the FDIC website â€Å"since the start of FDIC insurance on January 1, 1934, no depositor has lost a single cent of insured funds as a result of a failure.† (Who, n.d.) When the FDIC was established in 1933 it was a temporary agency. But just two years later the Banking Act of 1935 made it a permanent agency. (FDIC Timeline, n.d., 1930) This was the first of many changes and adjustments to the FDIC over the years. The Federal Deposit Insurance Act of 1950 raised the insured amount to $10,000 and that amount has increased steadily until now, it is $250,000. The 1950 legislation also gave the FDIC â€Å"the authority to lend to any insured bank in danger of closing if the operation of the bank is essential to the local community, and authorized the FDIC to examine national and state member banks for their insurance risk.†Ã‚   (Important, n.d.) In 1989, in response to the savings and loan crisis gripping the nation, the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) added two more functions to the FDIC, eliminating the Federal Savings & Loan Insurance Corporation (FSLIC). The FDIC was given the authority to oversee and administer two other insurance funds that replaced the FSLIC – the Savings Association Insurance Fund (SAIF) and the Bank Insurance Fund (BIF). (FDIC, n.d.) Still more powers were given to the FDIC by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act (FDICIA) of 1991. This act addressed issues that the FIRREA did not, giving the FDIC more authority as well as more obligations. The FDIC continued to grow both in funding and authority until it reached the status that it holds in our economy today. The Structure of the FDIC The FDIC of today is run by a five-member board of directors headed up by Chairman of the Board, Sheila C. Bair who has been in that post since she was sworn in on June 26, 2006. She will serve a five year term and at the expiration of that term, she will remain on the Board of Directors until 2013. Each Chairman of the Board is appointed by the President to serve a five-year term and each appointment is subject to the approval of the US Senate. (Barrymore, n.d.) Since the chairman is appointed by the President, she can also be removed by the President. The other members of the Board are the Vice Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, Director Thomas J. Curry, Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan, and Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision John M. Reich. (Board, n.d.) The Board meets about once a month in either open or closed meetings. The public may attend open meetings as a result of the Government in the Sunshine Act. (FDIC Board Meetings, n.d.) In 2008 there were ten open meetings held. The FDIC has seven divisions. The Division of Finance directs the accounting and auditing aspects; the Division of Information Technology oversees and maintains the computer network of the organization; the Division of Administration provides administrative support; the Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection conducts reviews to assure that each bank is sound and that its internal controls are adequate; the Division of Resolutions and Receiverships goes into action when a bank is in danger of failing; the Legal Division handles the corporations litigation; and the Division of Insurance and Research keeps an eye on the economic health of the nation, examining business activity, markets, etc. (FDIC Divisions, n.d.) To run these seven divisions the FDIC employs about 5,000 people in its Washington, D.C. headquarters as well as in six regional offices and in field offices around the country. (Who, n.d.)

A Survey Of The Kenyan Banking Sector Business Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 14 Words: 4251 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Type Case study Did you like this example? Communication is an organisational asset which has a big impact on the success of the business. Communication serves a number of important functions in an organisation such as sharing and clarifying goals, identifying how goals are to be achieved, exerting control, motivating others, developing a sense of community and commitment, sharing information and creating common understanding. It is estimated that employees spend about four fifth of their working life communicating (Ferreira, 2006). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Survey Of The Kenyan Banking Sector Business Essay" essay for you Create order Communication in the organisation is central to the success of the business and must be taken into consideration in a quest to increase organisational competitive advantage. According to a study conducted in the U.S. by Watson Wyatt, a human resources consulting firm, companies that communicate more effectively with their employees have a lower turnover rate (on average 33.3 percent) than those that communicate less effectively (average 51.6 percent) (Ewing, 2007). Du Plessis and Boshoff (2008, p.3) defined internal communication as the communication between people working together to achieve individual or collective organisational goals. Internal communication, also referred to as organisational communication, is the process of communication between the people within the organisation (Scheffer Crystal, 2008). Internal communication process is used to maintain good relationships, describe tasks, give instructions and communicate the goals and philosophy of the organisation (Ferre ira, 2006). Effective internal communication is a major contributor to the success of change initiatives in organisations. In particular, at the individual level, appropriate internal communication helps employees to understand both the need for change, and the personal effects of the proposed change (Goodman Truss, 2004). The study of internal communication is arguably one of the fastest growing areas within the field of communication, with a 25-30 percent growth rate in the past five years. In fact, studies indicate that organisations are pointing to effective internal communication as an influential factor in business success (Cees, Berens, Dijkastra, 2005; Holtz, 2006). Internal communication is defined as the formal and informal communication taking place internally at all levels of an organisation (Kalla, 2005, p.304). Research on internal communication is cross disciplinary, and the number of available definitions reflects this fact. Internal communication can be termed as internal marketing, organisational communication, employee relations (Quirke, 2000), management communication, internal media, cross-departmental communication (Greenbaum, Clampitt, Willihnganz, 1988), business or corporate communication (Kitchen, 1997), strategic communication (Argenti, 2007) or integrated internal communications (Kalla, 2005). Welch and Jackson (2007) view internal communication from a stakeholder approach and define it as the strategic management of interactions and relationships between stakeholders at all levels within organisations (p. 183). Holtz (2006) noted that, in the past, company communication, typically in the form of publications, consisted of the four Bs: birthdays, babies, brides and bowling scores. In marked contrast, today, the function of internal communication includes the transmission of organisational goals, activities, new developments, achievements and personal contributions as well as strategic visionary messages (Welch Jackson, 200 7). Welch and Jackson (2007) suggest the function of internal communications has four dimensions: (1) internal line management, (2) internal team peer communication, (3) internal project peer communication and (4) internal corporate communication (as noted in Table 1.1 below). Table 1.1 Internal communication matrix Dimension Level Direction Participants Content Internal line management communication Line managers/ supervisors Predominantly two-way Line managers-employees Employees roles Personal impact e.g. appraisal discussions, team briefings Internal team peer communication Team colleagues Two way Employee-employee Team information, e.g. team task discussions Internal project peer communication Project group colleagues Two way Employee-employee Project information e.g. project issues Internal corporate communication Strategic managers/top management Predominantly one-way Strategic mangers-all employees Organizational/corporate issues e.g. goals, objectives, new developments, activities and achievementsSource: (Welch Jackson, 2007, p.185) These four dimensions emphasize that the content of internal communication has moved from the four Bs into all areas of the organisation including strategic go als and personal development. In addition to the content, the four dimensions also highlight the two-way relationship between employees and managers at all levels of the organisation and the importance of internal communication to organisational success (Tourish, Wilson, 2002; Zetterquist Quirke, 2007) with effective internal communication leading to improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, increased levels of innovation, higher quality of services and products and reduced costs (Argenti, 2007). Literature spanning the last 10 years suggests that good internal communication management is one of the pivotal steps towards successful and productive communication within an organisation (Holtz, 2006; Karian Box, 2006; Cees et al., 2005; Quirke, 2000a; Tourish Hargie, 2000a). Welch and Jackson (2007) state that; internal communication management includes participation in communication, its direction and the content of communication (p.184). However, participation and direction o f communication is strongly influenced by the hierarchical structure of the organisation where issues of status, power, rank and prerequisites often cloud the form and content of upward communication (Silburyte, 2004, p.192). Today, organisations are adopting flatter more dynamic structures which have more inclusive participation from all levels of the organisation (Silburyte, 2004) as well as varied content including new developments, organisational achievements, appraisal discussions and employee roles, noted previously in Welch and Jacksons four dimensions of internal communication (see Table 1.1) Similarly, Quirke (2000a) also suggests that internal communication can be shared across different organisational departments and likens it to a jigsaw where each section is responsible for a piece of the internal communication puzzle (i.e. the core departments within an organization). This metaphor suggests that internal communication is more than the realm of corporate communicatio n and is involved in all areas of the organisation. In the modern global competitive environment, corporate branding has become an important source of sustainable competitive advantage and a central element of corporate strategy (Balmer Gray, 2003). It includes core values cherished by a company, its corporate culture, identity, business model, people and it can be described as -the visual, verbal and behavioral expression of corporate identity and business model (CicvariÃÆ'„à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¡, 2006). The corporate branding strategy determines the manner in which a company will fulfill its mission and vision, and realize value for its stakeholders (Jarventie-Thesleff et al, 2011). It is most often expressed through the so-called brand promise which the company has to live and maintain in everyday business, to all stakeholders (Aaker, 2004). In delivering the value and brand promise, as well as in the application of each branding strategy, a strategic part is played by the companys employees (from top management to those on lower-level positions, who co-operate daily with different stakeholders. The employees role becomes clear when considered in conjunction with the corporate branding strategy framework, which is not only the products and services it sells, but it also represents what the company does and actually is, (i.e. a functionally and emotionally rounded unity). Due to intensive technological changes, the life cycle of products and services has a declining tendency, so corporate branding becomes the cornerstone for building and maintaining relations with stakeholders. One the other hand, the corporate reputation definition, describing reputation -as a set of relatively long-term impressions, attitudes and emotions of individuals or groups in respect of an organization, established through experience or partially credible indirect information, in the context of personal and social expectations, which impacts intentions or behavior of indiv iduals or groups in connection with that specific organization (Vlastelica BakiÃÆ'„à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¡, 2012), helps to grasp the significance of employees in the establishment of beliefs and attitudes of the companys other stakeholders. The value of corporate branding and reputation yields benefits for the company which increases its financial performances and market value on the long run. This represents valuable resources which competitors cannot copy or imitate. Aside from reputation, being the organizations intangible capital, another precious resource that is unique and attributable to one company only involves its employees, their knowledge, abilities and skills. Kotler Wong, Saunders and Armstrong (2005) define a brand as a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of these, that identifies the maker or seller of a product or service and seeks to differentiate them from those of competitors. The brand is more or less the essence of an organization that i nforms the customers choice to interact with one brand over another. It is therefore clear that by focusing more efforts on branding, organisations can attempt to differentiate themselves more in the minds of customers and potential customers by increasing the value propositions associated with their brands and create a strong brand image and presence in the market thus giving them a stronger competitive advantage. Fernandez (2004) defines a corporate brand as the institutions image, reputation, financial assets, performance and people. Thus, the corporate brand of an organisation tells us what to expect from the organisation as a whole the set of values, promises, standards and characteristics of an organisation as embodied in the brand. It is thus the totality of the organisation and what it represents and what it hopes to achieve through provision of goods and services in the ordinary course of business. A brand can thus be said to constitute the collection of associations in the mind of a customer connected to the brand -e.g. quality, friendliness, added value, superior service among others and such are what can greatly differentiate between similar products and services. The value of these associations, their uniqueness and relevance are an indication of the power of the brand. The underlying brand promise is what many organizations are looking to further underscore and highlight in their increased branding efforts to retain existing customers and attract more customers. The traditional approach to studying brands is focused on how the brand is applied to customers and to investigate customers perceptions of the same; however, this is slowly changing. It has been shown through research (Barrow Mostley, 2005; Sartian Shuman, 2006) that the concept of the brand also exists in the minds of other stakeholders for example employees; and that this aspect of the brand as it applies to employees is just as important, if not more important especially in the service sector where employees are in essence the embodiment and ambassadors of the brand. Noble et al (2002) note that organisations that have developed successful brands are the ones where all areas of the organization are committed to the branding process; thus, employees are now viewed as playing a crucial role in brand management as they are the interface between the organisation and the market. Brand identification is argued to be an antecedent of employees brand commitment, which is defined as the extent of psychological attachment of employees to the brand, which influences their willingness to exert extra effort towards reaching the brand goals (Burmann Zeplin, 2005, p.284). Employee commitment is the degree to which employees identify with and are involved with the brand; are willing to exert additional efforts to achieve the goals of the brand and are interested in remaining with the organisation. Employee commitment to the brand is most essential in the service s ector where it is the extra touch that the employees add to their work that provides a memorable brand experience to the customers and makes them want to come back for more and enhances their staying power with the organisation. Therefore, the objective of employer branding is to convince employees that their organisation is a good workplace, to retain them and ensure both their understanding of the organizations goals and commitment to them (Sullivan, 2002; 2004). One key element of effective employer branding is internal branding. Internal branding is only effective when internal audiences are reached with the message of the organizations values, through effective communicational efforts and when top management also exemplifies the same. Employees cannot be expected to show what they do not know. The service sector particularly has woken up to the fundamental importance of engaging employee commitment in delivering customer satisfaction and loyalty. The service sector does not provide tangible products/output that customers can take away with them and experience on their own; their experience with an organizations brand is through interacting with the organizations staff. There has been a shift in the branding world as explained by Vargo and Lusch (2004) to a new orientation known as service branding which is more balanced in its outlook. It considers both brand identity (internal) and brand image (external); highlighting the importance of staff in the service encounter. The banking sector is one such where service branding is very vital. Customers experience of the brand begins the moment they walk through the doors of the banking hall and in their dealing and experience with the banks employees. Thus, they way they are treated while in the banking halls, response to their queries, promises made and fulfillment of the same all contribute to their perception of the brand and indeed affect their loyalty to the brand. Hence, there is a need to have a sta ff that fully understands the brand in order to deliver a more superior and unique brand experience to the customers in line with the organizations mission and vision. Overview of the Banking Industry in Kenya The banking industry in Kenya is governed by the Companies Act, the Banking Act, the Central Bank of Kenya Act and the various prudential guidelines issued by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). The banking sector was liberalized in 1995 and exchange controls lifted. The CBK, which falls under the Minister for Finance, is responsible for formulating and implementing monetary policy and fostering the liquidity, solvency and proper functioning of the financial system (Equity Bank, Annual Reports, 2008). As at December, 2012 there were forty six banking and non-banking institutions, fifteen micro finance institutions and one hundred and nine foreign exchange bureaus. The banks have come together under the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA), which serves as a lobby for the banking sectors interests. The KBA serves as a forum to address issues affecting members (KBA, 2012). Over the period between years 2006 to 2012, the banking sector in Kenya continued to grow in assets, deposits, profitabi lity and products offering. The growth was mainly underpinned by; first; an industry wide branch network expansion strategy both in Kenya and in the East African community region. Second; automation of a large number of services and a move towards emphasis on the complex customer needs rather than traditional off-the shelf banking products (KBA, 2012). Players in this sector experienced increased competition over the period between years 2006 to 2012 resulting from increased innovations among the players and new entrants into the market. Key players in the early stages of the operation of the Industry were; Kenya Commercial Bank(k) Ltd. (KCB), Barclays Bank of (K) Ltd., (BBK), Standard Chartered Bank (K) Ltd.(SCB), National Industrial Credit Bank (NIC), National Bank of Kenya (K) Ltd. (NBK) and Co-operative Bank of Kenya (Co-op bank) ( KBA, 2012). Statement of the Problem Despite its importance, few organisations devote enough time and resources to ensure that effective communication systems and processes are in place (Ferreira, 2006). Sanchez (1999) reported in the study conducted by Watson Wyatt Worldwide in cooperation with IABC Research Foundation that only 40 percent of 913 organisations which participated in the study, mainly from the manufacturing industry had formal communication strategies. Knowledge is important, not only between organisations, but also within the organisation. About 90 percent of the knowledge in any organization is embedded and synthesized in peoples heads (Smith, 2001). The transfer of knowledge is thus important in ensuring that organisational members learn from one another and also create new knowledge. Communication performance within organisations has been considered an understudied area and therefore poorly understood (Pandey Garnett, 2006) yet it is deemed a central component of effective business operations (Har gie, Dickson, Tourish, 2004, p.5). Hargie et al., (2004) state that a lack of effective communication can contribute to a range of problems including at one end of the continuum, job dissatisfaction and stress, through to damaging strikes, operating losses, bankruptcies, production line injuries, shipwrecks, plane crashes and, at the other extreme, mass slaughter in the field of battle (p.5). Asif and Sargeant (2000) undertook a study of two major United Kingdom clearing banks to explore a range of internal communication issues. Literature specifically referring to the banking industry and internal communication is scarce; however, studies have been undertaken within the last few years that suggest there is growing recognition of the importance of internal communication within this sector (Moorcroft, 2006; Wadman, 2006; Sablosky, 2005; Lennon, 2003; Asif Sargeant, 2000). According to Bierly, Kessler Christensen (2000, p.596) success does not necessarily go to the firms that know the most, but to the firms that can make the best use of what they know. Hence, for knowledge to give competitive advantage, it must be effectively transferred within the organisation (Murray Peyrefitte, 2007; Watson Hewett, 2006). Communication plays a vital role in the knowledge transfer process within the organisation (Du Plessis Boshoff, 2008). One way of managing the knowledge -transfer process is to select appropriate communication media for the property or type of knowledge to be transferred (Murray Peyrefitte, 2007). Information about the employees preferred communication methods and technologies is important in ensuring positive and effective communication (Du Plessis Boshoff, 2008; Ferreira, 2006). Research suggests that intranets should be considered a mosaic of top-down and bottom-up communication with distributed ownership (Dasgupta, 2001). A study carried out by Papasolomou and Vrontis (2006a) on the UK retail bank industry concluded that the problems lin ked to the branding of intangible offerings can be overcome through an emphasis on the effective implementation of Internal Marketing (IM). The study found out that since employees play a valuable role in the delivery and strengthening of corporate service brands UK retail banks have placed greater emphasis on IM in order to deliver the brands promise. A blanket approach throughout the organisation, regarding regulations on intranet usage, may not be appropriate as different business units will have different requirements. Rather a collaborative and facilitative managerial style would acknowledge diversity and individual contributions (Dasgupta, 2001), thereby allowing individual units and teams to control their own information. Studies show that the versatility and multifaceted nature of intranets has seen an increase in research that is largely multidisciplinary (Lehmuskallio, 2006); however, research into the measurement of intranet effectiveness and perceptions of the employe es towards the medium is still in its infancy and is seen as a fundamental shortcoming (Jacoby Luqi, 2007). This study will therefore focus on establishing the effectiveness of intranets to communicate brand message to its internal publics within the Kenyan banking sector. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study therefore is to establish the effectiveness of intranets to communicate the brand message to its internal publics within the Kenyan banking sector in an effort to find out if banks are taking the time, effort and resources to sell the brand to their internal audiences and what strategies have been employed to achieve this. Objectives of the Study This study will be guided by the following objectives: To establish whether banks in Kenya have adopted internal communication strategies within their organizations to communicate the brand message. To find out the effectiveness of intranets in communicating the brand message among internal publics within the Kenyan banking sector. To find out how employees in the banking sector integrate the organizations brand values through internal communication. Research Questions This study will undertake to answer the following questions How have the banks in Kenya adopted internal communication strategies within their organizations to communicate the brand message? What is the effectiveness of intranets in communicating the brand message among internal publics within the Kenyan banking sector? How do employees in the banking sector integrate the organizations brand values through internal communication? Justification of the Study Despite its importance to corporate communications, rigorous corporate communication research about the use intranets in developing nations is limited. Effective internal communication methods and media for knowledge transfer in the service industry are important for organizations to excel. Internal communication processes are therefore used to maintain good relationships, describe tasks, give instructions and communicate the goals and philosophy of the organisation. Effective internal communication is a major contributor to the success of change initiatives in organisations. In particular, at the individual level, appropriate internal communication helps employees to understand both the need for change, and the personal effects of the proposed change. This study will act as a benchmark to influence banks to adopt excellent internal communication strategies in order to better position their employees to deliver a more superior brand experience to the customers of the bank. Significance of the Study This study will add more knowledge in terms of academic contribution and knowledge which is limited in the area of internal communication within the Kenyan banking sector. This study will act as a platform through which the policy-makers within the banking sector can formulate policies to better enhance effective internal communication. The study will be able to provide recommendations and guidance on the effective internal communication strategies that can be put in place within the banking sector. Scope of the Study This study will be an overview of the internal banking environment in the Kenyan banking sector and will seek to study the 46 banks in the country. The subjects of the study will be the Public relations (PR)/marketing managers of the various institutions and the front office bank staff. Assumptions of the Study The assumptions that underlie this study are that: The banks selected for study will have some form of internal communication strategy in place used to inculcate brand knowledge among their employees. The data required for this study will be available and that the researcher will receive maximum cooperation from the expected respondents to allow for a smooth, successful and timely completion of the study. Limitations of the Study Unexpected negative response from respondents due to the fact that they might be unwilling to give out sensitive personal information. This will be mitigated through counter-checking on organizational information manuals as well as service charters. Lack of local scholarly literature on the topic as relates to banks and internal branding means that the some of the methods, concepts and models used in this study are foreign and will be adopted to suit the local experience. Definition of Terms Brand Stern (2006, p.217) argues that the word brand can be classified as both an entity and a process, depending on whether it is used as a noun or as a verb. When expressed as a noun, it is connected to a person, place, or thing; as a verb, it refers to the process of making a product meaningful (i.e., the naming or positioning of a product). Dual-function brand concepts such as brand identity and brand reputation (both used as nouns) show the flexibility of this concept. The words branding and branded, on the other hand, are used as verbs to indicate how a brands meaning changes over time. Stern further comments that in the physical world, a brand is a name or mark associated to a product while it in the minds of people refers to a mental representation or perception of a psychological meaning. This study will adopt this definition in consideration to the fact that this holistic definition reflects the fact that the brand is expressed in numerous ways, not only through market ing. Brand commitment: Burmann and Zeplin (2005, p.284) define employee brand commitment as the extent of psychological attachment of employees to the brand, which influences their willingness to exert extra effort towards reaching the brand goals. It is the degree to which employees identify and are involved with their service brand, are willing to exert additional efforts (extra touch) to achieve the goals of the brand and are interested in remaining with the organisation. Corporate communication: Steyn and Puth (2000, p.5) define corporate communication as managed communication on behalf of the organisation, aiming to increase organisational effectiveness by creating and maintaining relationships with stakeholders. Internal branding: According Drake, Gulman, and Roberts (2005) and Thomson, de Chernatony, Arganbright and Khan (1999), internal branding is the practice of selling and promoting the brand to the internal audiences of an organisation, i.e. its employe es in order to be instrumental in influencing employees attitudes and shaping their behaviours to be aligned with a brand, by creating employees understanding of brand values and engaging them in living brand-reality. Internal customers: This is the concept of customer-service provider relationships inside the organisation; employees providing a service to other employees or departments in the organisation as opposed to providing a service to clients external to the organisation. Services should be provided to fellow employees and departments with the same commitment to customer satisfaction as for external clients (Gronroos, 2000, p.307; Landman, 2005, p.7). Internal communication: Du Plessis and Boshoff (2008, p.3) defined internal communication as The communication between people working together to achieve individual or collective organisational goals. Internal communication, also referred to as organisational communication, is the process of communication between th e people within the organisation (Scheffer Crystal, 2008). Intra-organisational communication: Intra-organisational communication is the channels and systems of communication within the organisation. It entails the continuous design of interaction between all members of an organisation forming an all-inclusive device that joins people and structures within that organisation. Intra-organisational communication forms part of internal communication. Internal communication includes many configurations and disciplines of communication, for example interpersonal communication, intrapersonal communication, intra-organisational communication and management communication (Van der Walt in Verwey; Du Plessis, Barker, 2006, p.264; Landman 2005, p.7). Service marketing: Gronrooss (2000, p.7) perspective on service marketing describes it as an organisation taking the view that an enhanced offering is required to support the customers value-generating processes and that the core solu tion of a physical product, service or combination of services and goods, is not sufficient to differentiate the offering from those of competitors. Landman (2005, p.8) defines service marketing as an approach to an organizations market that recognizes that the external customer becomes an active part of its processes, and that an organisation in its totality and in all its facets determines the quality of service delivered to the customer.

Movie Analysis The Four Young Boys - 1520 Words

In American society, gender stereotypes and the topic of stereotypes remain a central focus of art and individual discussion. Rob Reiner addresses stereotypes in Reiner’s film Stand by Me when he sheds light on multiple stereotypes in society. Throughout the film, Gordon, Chris, Vern, and Teddy, the main characters in the movie, frequently describe each other with derogatory terms, which characterize stereotypes in American culture. In Reiner’s movie, the four young boys follow the stereotypes that society establishes for boys and men. The main characters in the film display various stereotypes that society holds for both men and women. Reiner’s film shows that some men have a preconceived and a detrimental belief that showing emotion is a†¦show more content†¦Near the end of this scene, Chris describes himself by using the term â€Å"pussy† (59:15). Chris’ usage of the word â€Å"pussy† raises questions about its implications and it s negative connotation. When the boys classify actions as â€Å"pussy,† the boys are stereotyping both women and themselves. Individuals utilize stereotypes as a defining tool for specific actions and groups. In their article What Women and Men Should Be, Shouldn’t Be, Are Allowed to Be, And Don’t Have to Be: The Contents of Prescriptive Gender Stereotypes, researchers Deborah A. Prentice and Erica Carranza address the topic of gender stereotypes in American culture: Gender stereotypes are highly prescriptive. The qualities they ascribe to women and men tend also to be ones that are required of women and men. For example, the stereotypic belief that women are warm and caring is matched by a societal prescription that they should be warm and caring. Similarly, the stereotypic belief that men are strong and agentic is matched by a societal prescription that they should be strong and agentic. (269) Prentice and Carranza’s findings suggest that gender stereotypes force individuals into conformity with the stereotypes that society assigns. Prentice and Carranza’s research argues that members of a society must follow their stereotypical description in order for society’s acceptance of these individuals. By misusing the word â€Å"pussy,† the main characters are

Compare and Contrast Two Theories of Motivation - 2294 Words

Essay Question Compare and Contrast Two theories of motivation. Suggest how a team leader might use these theories to motivate their team. Motivation according to Vroom (1964) is based within the individual , which influences one to complete a task. It is important for team leaders to motivate their team in order to improve productivity (Hyun and Oh ,2011, P103) and ensure that employees enjoy their jobs. Many theories of motivation have been developed, which allows team leaders use in work to motivate their teams The theorys which will be compared and contrasted in this essay are:- Herzbergs two-factor theory and Adams equity theory. Herzbergs theory, has become widely used as well as an respectable theory for explaining†¦show more content†¦Unlike, Herzbergs, Adams (1968) maintained that inequity results from people not only when they are relatively underpaid but also when the are overpaid. For example a person may feel inequity when they are being paid low for high productivity of input whilst another may also feel inequity when they are being paid high for low productivity. Whilst in the two-factor theory, motivation is more to do with increase in motivators thus this may occur even when productivity is low. (Herzbergs 1976). Therefore according to the equity theory, motivation is effected by how one perceives being treated fairly. Equity is defined as justices (Al-zawahreh and Al-madi 2012). Thus inequity occurs when a person feels that an imbalances in the ratio between their outcomes and inputs with others workers outcome and inputs. (Mine 1980) Moreover, according to Bell ( to improve productivity using the equity theory is to remove the feeling of unbalance, a team leader should do this by providing regularly evaluation of each employee on their perception of input which should be balanced with their perception of fair outcomes. This would provide the employees would understanding of the outcome received and remove any thoughts of unfairness. Moreover a lager amount of research has examined the characteristics of motivation factors that occur. For example Bandura cited in Sachau (2007) found that people are motivated to perform an activity to the extend that they feel aShow MoreRelatedIn this compare and contrast paper I will highlight the differences and commonalities1167 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Compare and Contrast Paper Jeremiah Barwick Liberty CCOU 201 In this compare and contrast paper I will highlight the differences and commonalities between Larry Crabb’s biblical model of counseling, theories, and techniques of Rodgerian theory called Rodgers’ Client-Centered Therapy (RCCT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). All of these theories are a form of psychotherapy. Couselors today use techniques such as pharmacologicalRead MoreCompare and Contrast Different Structure of Organisation and Culture964 Words   |  4 Pagesbusinessballs.com Section 1 Understanding the relationship between organisational structure and culture You will need to: ï‚ · compare and contrast different organisational structures and culture Here you need to briefly describe the different types of organisational structure, and what different types/formats of culture can be found in organisations, and then compare and contrast them – what causes/creates each type, and positive factors / negative factors of each. ï‚ · explain how the relationship betweenRead Morebusiness Assignment1024 Words   |  5 PagesOrganisations and Behaviour Outcome 1: Understand the relationship between organisational structure and culture Outcome 2: Understand different approaches to management and leadership Outcome 3: Understand ways of using motivational theories in organisations Outcome 4: Understand mechanisms for developing effective teamwork in organisations SCENARIO According to Bergstram and Hamilton, organisations have different structures and these structures have a bearing on attitudesRead MoreNeed Theories: Comparing Maslow, Alderfer, and Mcclelland1194 Words   |  5 Pages19 July 2014 Need Theories: Comparing Maslow, Alderfer, and McClelland Most theories of motivation revolve around the idea an employee’s needs influence their motivation.  Needs  are physiological or psychological scarcities that stimulate behavior therefore are necessary to live a healthy, productive lives both in personal and work lives. â€Å"If work is meaningless, then life comes close to being meaningless†(Maslow, Stephens Heil 39). These needs, whether weak or strong and are greatly influencedRead MoreEssay on What is Motivation?1168 Words   |  5 PagesMotivation in the workplace is an important area for discussion and many theories as to what motivates people to do their jobs well have been formulated. This essay will discuss three different theories of motivation and work. Also produce a definition of motivation. First mention that you will define motivation then state that you will talk about different theories of motivation To begin with, there are to aspects of motivation to look at the first of these is a definitions of motivation. RobbinsRead MoreThe Theory And Integrated Control Theory976 Words   |  4 Pagessecond motivation theory is the Integrated Control Theory. The Integrated Control Theory offers a design for analyzing and processing work motivation and organizational problem solving. It allows individuals to develop expectations, plan and execute actions, receive environmental feedback, compare feedback to expectations and adjust behavior accordingly (Klein, 1989). Klein chose the name control theory because it is a compilation of various overlapping theories of motivation. The theory also incorporatedRead MoreA Comparison of Theorist1317 Words   |  6 Pageswriter will compare two of the most talented theorists of the time. Abraham Maslow and B.F. Skinner are just two of the many theorists that have formed the organization in today’s classrooms. This paper will address the differe nces in the theories and the similarities. It will describe how each theory can be implemented in the learning environment of an early childhood classroom. Lastly, it will describe each theory that will be compared supported by research. Comparison of two Theories Operant BehaviorRead MoreCompare and Contrast Herzbergs Two-Factor Theory with Vrooms Expectancy Theory640 Words   |  3 PagesCompare and contrast Herzberg’s Two-Factor theory with Vroom’s Expectancy theory. Is it possible to combine these two theories? How and why should, or shouldn’t it be so? Provide examples to support. Herzberg’s Two-Factor theory focuses on the internal needs of employees. This theory suggests that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction are not mere opposite of each other and controlled by a different set of factors. While job dissatisfaction is believed to be associated directly with theRead MoreThe Motivational Theories Of Abraham Maslow And Frederick Herzberg1106 Words   |  5 Pagesshould find better ways to motivate their staffs to achieve organizational objectives efficiently and effectively. Many psychologists understand the importance of motivation in the industry; they worked on various motivational theories which could help employers to have a fruitful and productive employee. According to Feldman, motivation is a factor that direct and energize the behaviors of humans and other organisms, in other words, an inner state that stimulates us to fulfill a goal, something thatRead MoreThe Self-Determination Theory by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan1720 Words   |à ‚  7 PagesThe motivation of different individuals can vary for many reasons, two of those reasons can be internal and external factors. The internal factors are referred to as intrinsic motivators and the external factors are signified as extrinsic motivators. The Self-Determination Theory developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan is constructed on the basis of three distinctive psychological essentials, which include competence, relatedness, and autonomy (self-determination) (Moneta, 2004, p. 181). In order

Critique of a Nursing Theory free essay sample

This is a critique of Myra Estrin Levine’s conservation principles model. I will be discussing the meaning of the theory of the four principles; conservation of energy, conservation of structural integrity, conservation of personal integrity, and conservation of social integrity. I will be using the criterion-based model (C-BaC) as a focus of the positive aspects of the theory, as outlined by Johnson Webber (Johnson Webber, 2010, p. 92-214). I will discuss the intent and theory, the concepts and propositions, and the usefulness in nursing practice. How a nurse is defined could be very influential for those who aspire to become a nurse, and even for those who are already nurses. My definition of a nurse is one whose main focus is to care for others, medically, emotionally, and spiritually. Myra Levine has a unique outlook on the world of nursing that many may find hard to interpret. She had her own theories and principles of nursing that implemented health and well-being to patients through her conservation principles model. Her model was originally developed, not to be a nursing theory, but to attempt to teach nursing students a new approach to daily nursing activities. Intent and Boundaries The meaning of the theory of Myra Levine consists of four principles: conservation of energy, conservation of structural integrity, conservation of personal integrity, and conservation of social integrity. Each are fundamental to the expected outcomes when the model is used, but Levine also discussed â€Å"two other concepts critical to the use of her model; adaptation and wholeness† (â€Å"Myra Levine’s Conservation Theoryâ€Å", 2009) (which will be discussed throughout the critique). Her goal was to â€Å"promote adaptation and maintain wholeness by using the principles of conservation† (Nursing Theories: A Companion to Nursing Theories and Models, 2010). Conservation of energy: balancing energy output and input to avoid fatigue. Conservation of structural integrity: maintaining the integrity of a patient by restoring the structure of the body by preventing physical breakdown and facilitating healing. Conservation of personal integrity: to recognize a sense of self-worth, identity and acknowledging uniqueness. Conservation of social integrity: an individual who is recognized as someone who is part of a family, a community, and a population. Levine’s conservation model was designed to â€Å"provide a curriculum that would recognize medical-surgical coursework for a graduate curriculum† (Johnson Webber, 2010, p. 140). She believed that the conservation model was for the use of all fields of professional nursing practice, but she also believed that a professional nursing practice â€Å"could only be achieved at a graduate level† (Johnson Webber, 2010, p. 140). Other theorist’s such as Selye’s, Bertalanffy, and Erickson had an impact on Levine’s idea for her theory. My definition of nursing and Levine’s theory do differ in many ways, but our ultimate goals are the same. Levine, in my opinion, focuses on the integrity, uniqueness, and the structure of the patient, and then she focuses on whatever necessary to make the patient well. Within my nursing practice, and with the evolution of nursing since Levine’s time, my focus is comfort of the patient, educating the patient, the patient’s family, the community, and teaching how to adapt and maintain a healthy lifestyle physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Levine’s theory has been applied for research purposes, such as: â€Å"The investigation of an exercise intervention to mitigate cancer related to fatigue (Mock et al. , 2007, p. 1). There is a table on page 5 of the journal that shows the breakdown of the study and how Levine’s conservation model is implemented for the study. Boundaries are consistent with nursing practice† according to Johnson Webber (2010, p. 193). These boundaries, as I interpret them form Levine, when a patient is in a state of conservation, then the patient has successfully adapted to optimal energy, structural, personal, and social integrity, and this is achieved by nurse-patient rapport and interac tion. Although I do not define optimal patient health as Levine would, I do believe that the boundaries of today’s health disciplines and Levine’s theory ultimately have the same patient goal; patient wholeness. The meaning of Levine’s conservation theory is defined differently in all the secondary sources used. There are no words used that are misunderstood. I would not constitute any of the definitions read as jargon, slang or unnecessary and meaningless writing. The primary source, Levine’s definition of â€Å"Conservation of Social Integrity is to recognize the individual as one who strives for recognition, respect, self awareness, selfhood and self determination† (Nursing Theories: A Companion to Nursing Theories and Models, 2010). Selfhood is one word that I am not familiar with and had to look up for confirmation of meaning. The meaning of selfhood is integrity; strive for selfhood would be to strive for individuality or for your own true identity. Concepts and Propositions Levine’s theories share four major concepts; person, environment, health, and nursing. A concept of person is one who is being holistic and striving to accomplish complete integrity, â€Å"someone who is future-oriented and past-aware† (â€Å"Myra Levine’s Conservation Theoryâ€Å", 2009). Each individual has an internal and external environment that completes their wholeness. The internal environment is divided into â€Å"perceptual, operational, and conceptual environments† (â€Å"Myra Levine’s Conservation Theoryâ€Å", 2009). Perceptual being a person’s senses, operational being the function of the body’s interaction with the elements that can have long term effects on bodies but are not perceived until later. Conceptual environment consists of â€Å"language, ideas, symbols, the ability to think and experience, to have emotion, and to have individual psychological patterns that come from life experiences† (â€Å"Myra Levine’s Conservation Theoryâ€Å", 2009). Health is the general condition in all aspects, physically, mentally and emotionally. Nursing is promoting all of the concepts above and realizing that every patient is an individual with different needs to be met to complete their wholeness. Levine’s theories are consistent with the major concepts when referring to the ultimate goal of patient health, which is to complete their wholeness. Two examples of a proposition might be: 1. Encouraging your patient to continue to wear their mouth guard at night to decrease headaches and better sleeping patterns. 2. Teaching your patients the importance of completing their antibiotics to avoid having recurring episodes of the same bacteria causing infection. The concepts in the first example using Levine’s conservation principles would be: Wearing the mouth guard- conservation of structural integrity. The second concept would be: Decrease of headaches- conservation of personal integrity. Ultimately this would give the patient less pain and a better quality of life. The concepts in the second example using Levine’s conservation principles would be: Completing the antibiotics- conservation of structural integrity. The second concept would be: Learning the importance of completing the antibiotics- personal integrity. By the patient completing the antibiotics he is preventing the bacteria from spreading and from becoming ill from infection. The increase of knowledge gives him understanding and knowledge about antibiotics and why it is important to complete them. The variables in the examples are â€Å"the observable and measurable concepts with the ability to change† (Johnson Webber, 2010, p. 207). Example 1: the variable: patient compliance with wearing the mouth guard. Internal variables: compliance, physical well-being. External variables: headaches, increased sleep (better sleeping patterns). Assumption: With continued use of mouth guard the patient will have a decrease number of headaches, better sleeping patterns and an increased quality of life. Example 2: the variable: compliance in completing the antibiotics. Internal variables: compliance, physical well-being. External variables: infection, increased knowledge. Assumption: Completion of antibiotics will indicate no presence of bacteria causing infection and learning about antibiotics will increase his knowledge. Usefulness in Nursing Phenomenon can be defined as an â€Å"observable connection or relationship between objects, events or ideas† (Johnson Webber, 2010, p. 317). I chose the phenomenon of referred pain because I work on a Day Surgery unit I will often get patients complain of pain that is unrelated to their surgery. 1. Phenomenon: When stimulated by pressure, different areas give rise to brief episodes of referred pain perceived at a distance from the trigger spot. 2. Frequently patients who have endured a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) complain of pain unrelated to their surgery, often in the shoulders. It has been reported that this is due to â€Å"the analgesics used by the surgeons during the surgery† (Michaloliakou, Chung, Sharma, 1996, p. 5). 3. This phenomenon could be a negative effect on nursing practice if the nurse’s are unaware of the possible side effects of have referred pain post laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Understanding the theory behind referred pain post-operatively has influenced by nursing practice by being able to give an educated response to patient’s inquiries about the pain. It has been beneficial to both me and my patient’s to have this knowledge. Self Evaluation I am particularly happy with my choice to learn more about Myra Levine. Although I feel not quite fully informed of what her role was as a nurse. Most of what I had learned about her theory was how other researchers implemented her conservation theories to their research. I was also not aware completely of how to structure this type of critique in the paper. I followed the text, learned what I believe is correct, but I do not feel as though the paper flows as well as a critique should.

Model Essay Comparison Essay Post-Classical Civilizations free essay sample

With the collapse of the classical civilizations, post-classical civilizations arose shortly thereafter. Compare the factors that led to the rise post-classical civilizations from 500 CE to 1200CE between two of the following regions- Europe, East Asia, Africa or the Middle East. Model Essay Comparison Essay Post-Classical Civilizations With the collapse of the Roman, Gupta and Han empires, the world was left in a period of chaos with little structure in most areas. However after these collapses and the interlude that followed, post-classical civilizations arose in various regions. There were various reasons for this that ranged from rise of religion to the re-organization of political structures. During the time frame 500 CE to 1200 CE the Middle East and Europe both experienced this post-classical rise and had many similarities and differences among the factors that led to this, particularly in the areas of religion (similarities in rise, differences in spread and role of Christianity and Islam), trade (similarities in rebirth of commerce and rise of new economic systems) and political structure (differences with feudalism, similarities in theocracies and imperial). We will write a custom essay sample on Model Essay Comparison Essay Post-Classical Civilizations or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Religion was an important factor in the re-emergence of post-classical civilizations in both the Middle East and Europe. Both the religions of Christianity and Islam had their origins in the Semitic Near East and had spread widely throughout both regions by 1200 CE. This is because both were easy to convert to and traveled along the trade routes of the Roman Empire prior to its collapse and through jihad by the caliphs that followed Muhammad after his death. A difference between these two religions in regards to their spread was how people converted. Early in Christianity, people came to the religion based on the efforts of missionaries. Later as Christianity was spread by the Franks (particularly Charlemagne), it was a forced conversion. Evidence is also seen in this in the Reconquista when Ferdinand and Isabella conquered southern Spain and forced thousands of Jews and Muslim Moors to convert, die or leave. Though Islamic jihads spread rapidly throughout the Middle East and North Africa (even into Europe), they rarely forced conversion by the sword and instead wanted people to come to t of their own will, which allowed a â€Å"truer† believer. The reason for this difference is probably due to the threats that the early western European church faced from constantly invading nomads and thus wanted those under their control to be Christian and nothing else. Islam was not as concerned with this due to the overwhelming nature of their conquests. This is also demonstrated in the eastern Roman empire (Byzantine Empire) because they never â€Å"collapsed† and thus allowed a diversity of religions within their empire unlike western Europe. The structure of these religions allowed both regions to have a sense of stability and common beliefs even though both had a diversity of cultures within their regions. This structure allowed for political systems to get stronger and protect the people during this period of constant invasion (especially for Europe) and allowed the rise of more advanced civilizations. One sees this with rise of the Holy Roman Empire in Western Europe and the caliphate empires of the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties. This similarity in the impact of structured religion in both regions can be explained by the need for people to latch on to any stable, organized entity that would allow them to survive the chaos after 500 CE. The revival of trade was also a common factor in the rise of post-classical civilization in the Middle East and Europe. Commerce in much of the Middle East and Europe collapsed with the fall of Roman and the Han empires since they controlled both ends of the lucrative Silk Road. With the rise of caliphate empires in the Middle East and as a result of the Crusades upon Europe, trade re-emerged within and between these regions. Trade occurs within the confines of the Islamic world which stretched from Spain to the Indus River. In Europe the Italian city-states (Venice in particular) take advantage of post Crusade Mediterranean trade. One also sees trade in the Northern European cities of Ypres, Bruges and Ghent. This is most likely due to merchants now having a modicum of protection for their trade caravans from the newly arisen political rule in both regions. Commerce between regions also helps lead to the advancement of post-classical civilizations in both regions because it allows for the spread of new ideas and innovations. The stirrup from central Asia finds its way into Europe and the Middle East through trade. Gunpowder also makes its way from China into both regions due to trade (also Mongol conquests). The great advancements of the Abbasid dynasty and the city of Baghdad were a result of this new trade which led to medical, scientific and literary achievements unrivaled in other parts of the world. The Italian Renaissance in Europe was a direct result of the new trade caused by the Crusades. A difference between the Middle East and Europe (west) economically was the fact that Europe relied on the manorial system for so long after the collapse of Rome (at least a millennium) and the Middle East primarily stayed a commerce oriented region. This difference is due to the fact that Europe, outside of Charlemagne’s brief rule, never had a unified empire to protect the old Roman overland trade routes and towns and the schism between the Byzantine Empire and Rome further isolated the West. People thus had to become self-sufficient. Trade will come back to Europe, but not as fast as it does for the Middle East. The final factor that both regions shared commonalities and dissimilarities with was political systems. Western Europe was unique compared to the Middle East in that it developed a feudal system that was land oriented and fragmented whereas the Middle East was imperial under the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates. This difference occurred because there were no kings strong enough to protect all the people from the invasions of various nomadic groups after Charlemagne’s death, and people were forced to pledge fidelity to the local strong man. These strong men became the new noble class in Europe and it would not be until after the Crusades that kings begin to reclaim their power. Similarities between the two regions politically however did include the rise of theocratic governments (caliphates in the Middle East and the Holy Roman Empire in Europe). Also the Byzantine emperors held power over their respective Orthodox sect of Christianity and were thus theocratic. Also with Abbasids and Umayyad caliphates, the Holy Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire, imperial government did exist in both regions. The fact that both regions’ governments were tied so heavily to religion was because that religion played such a critical role in the period of chaos after the fall of Rome and to control the people, one had to control or least be a part of the new religious structures that emerged. As one can see, there were many similarities and differences between the regions of the Middle East and Europe in regards to the factors that allowed for the rise of new post-classical civilizations in these regions. However, these factors can also be compared globally. For instance, feudalism also arose in Japan during the Heian period and was very similar to European feudalism in the fact that it was land oriented and had a hierarchy of nobles and peasants. The Inca of South America were also a theocratic empire (king was seen as a son of the Sun God) and relied on trade across its Andean roads to survive. These factors were common outside of the two regions where post-classical civilizations arose and led to advanced civilizations across the world during this time frame.