Organizational Change

Organizational Change Plan-Part One The use of mobile technology for health care professionals, including personal digital assistants (PDAs) has increased exponentially in both clinical practice and nursing education (Farrell & Rose, 2008). Some evidence exists that the use of a PDA in health care settings may improve decision-making, reduce the numbers of medical errors, and enhance learning for both students and professionals (Nilsson, 2008); for these reasons, the Learning Technology Committee (LTC) at Sinclair Community College (SCC) explored the benefits of nursing students using the PDA at the bedside in the clinical setting.The committee proposed a change, Project PDA, to implement the use of PDA among novice nursing students and faculty. The following paragraphs will focus on the assessment and plan of the Project PDA; and examine the rationale for the change, barriers to change, influences on change, application of a theoretical model and resources available to support t he change initiative. Rationale for Change Healthcare is a dynamic and evolving field of knowledge. Nursing students are trying to learn and implement this large amount of information at a rapid pace.Nursing students are generally unsure of their skills, feel insecure about their knowledge level, and lack self-confidence (Fisher & Koren, 2007). Many advantages have been seen with the use of the PDA, such as time savings, reduction of errors, and ease of use (Miller, Shaw-Kokot, Arnold, Boggin, Crowell, Allegri, Blue, & Berrier, 2005). Through the use of the PDA, it is thought, the nursing student will have reduced stress, fear, and improved self-confidence (Martin, 2007). Students will benefit from gaining immediate access to resources at the point of care, become more efficient, and spend more time focusing on patient care.PDAs will provide a bridge for students to apply theoretical learning to practice and foster the development of critical reasoning skills and professiona l autonomy. Nurse educators will need to develop creatively new, innovative models of teaching to keep up with changing society and technological advances in nursing practice (Jeffries, 2005). Adopting this new technological process will ensure SCC is keeping up with the trends of technology in nursing education. Organizational and Individual Barriers to Change Organizational change is a complicated process and is likely to be met with resistance.According to Borkowski (2005), resistance may originate from two sources: organizational barriers and individual barriers. These barriers threaten to impede change success. In an effort to avoid change failure, management must identify and understand potential barriers to change. Organizational barriers are typically beyond the control of management and may be perceived as insurmountable, which in the early stages of change can prove to be futile (Borkowski, 2005). Two potential organizational barriers to implementing Project PDA are cultur al complacency; and the lack of financial and technology resources.The first barrier was cultural complacency. Spector (2010) suggests that organizational culture may enable and create barriers to change. The nursing department has functioned like a well oiled machine as result of shared values and beliefs among faculty and students; subsequently creating a complacent atmosphere. Management must change the culture of the nursing department to engage faculty and students; and promote behaviors in line with the proposed change. The second barrier was the lack of financial and technology resources.The college was in the midst of a new levy campaign and there were no current funds allocated in the nursing department budget for technology improvements including the purchase of equipment. The college does not own PDAs for the students or faculty to use. No process was in place for technical support if students were to experience challenges with the device. The individual barriers identifi ed included lack of motivation, staff support, and computer competency. Faculty and students may lack motivation if they perceive the change will disrupt the status quo, or the preference for the current situation (Borkowski, 2005).The lack of support and acceptance of the new technology by other clinical staff and faculty is one of the key challenges of implementing new technology into educational programs (Farrell & Rose, 2008). Some students and faculty are computer literate, but many are less familiar and lack experience with computer systems. As a result, it will take time for students, faculty, and clinical staff to become comfortable with using the PDA. Factors of Influence The college’s readiness to change could lead to success or failure.The change itself is not the reason, but the organization’s culture of environment and the employees respect, trust, and attitude toward the management implementing the change (Krause, 2008). The attitudes of faculty and s tudents may directly affect how responsive and committed they will be to the change process. The factors of influence within any organization may originate or draw in part on the quality of leadership (Krause, 2008). The leaders must implement strategies to communicate the value of the change, establish a coalition, and empower all participants to become change agents.Theoretical Model Kurt Lewin’s change theory was the theoretical framework selected for analyzing the change process involved in adopting the use of PDAs in the clinical setting as planned in Project PDA. Lewin’s change theory identified three stages in the change process-unfreeze, move, and refreeze. To unfreeze leaders must create a sense of disequilibrium to motivate change. A pre-pilot survey completed by the LTC revealed students and faculty believed time management was the priority challenge for students in the clinical setting.PDA use is expected to improve time management skills. In stage two, cha nge is implemented. Students and faculty will be required to use the PDA during clinical for access required textbooks and other resources. The final stage, refreeze, the change is cemented into the organization’s culture (Spector, 2010). The LTC will evaluate the change process, communicate progress, maintain support structures, reinforce required behaviors and encourage continued commitment to sustain the change. Internal and External ResourcesBorkowski (2005) noted managers must be certain adequate resources are available to implement change and ensure organizational goals are met. The nursing department at SCC is fortunate to have access to internal and external resources needed to support efforts to implement Project PDA. A strong organizational structure facilitates collaboration within the department. Webinars will be used for faculty and student development. The nursing department secured grant funding to purchase 16 i-Touch devices for faculty. Students will use fina ncial aid to purchase the PDA and software undle. E-book resources will be made available through contracted publishing vendors. Learning and troubleshooting tutorials will be included with the software as well as the Sinclair Help Desk will be available for technical support. Information technology has integrated in the health care delivery systems to include the use of personal digital assistants (PDA) and other computer devices (Fisher & Koren, 2007). Teaching institutions are being challenged to keep up with the trends in technology and meet demands for use of hand held devices.In response to this challenge, SCC proposed to implement Project PDA. Students and faculty will begin using PDAs in the clinical setting. The use of these devices will provide real-time access to important resources enabling medical personnel and students to manage point of care activities more efficiently (Lee, 2006). As a result, students will be less stressed, more confident, and more competent hea lth care providers. Change may be complicated by organizational or individual barriers.The specific barriers were identified as cultural complacency, lack of financial and technology resources, employee motivation, staff support, and computer competency. Organizational change in the nursing department at SCC could be influenced by the nursing department’s readiness for change; and the attitudes of faculty, students, and clinical staff toward the change. The Kurt Lewin change theory was applied to Project PDA examining the three stages of the change process. Leaders at SCC have access to internal and external resources necessary to implement the proposed change.The presence of a solid organizational structure, access to grant funding, technology resource vendors, and on-site technical support will facilitate the success and sustainability of Project PDA. Organizational Change Organizational Change Plan-Part One The use of mobile technology for health care professionals, including personal digital assistants (PDAs) has increased exponentially in both clinical practice and nursing education (Farrell & Rose, 2008). Some evidence exists that the use of a PDA in health care settings may improve decision-making, reduce the numbers of medical errors, and enhance learning for both students and professionals (Nilsson, 2008); for these reasons, the Learning Technology Committee (LTC) at Sinclair Community College (SCC) explored the benefits of nursing students using the PDA at the bedside in the clinical setting.The committee proposed a change, Project PDA, to implement the use of PDA among novice nursing students and faculty. The following paragraphs will focus on the assessment and plan of the Project PDA; and examine the rationale for the change, barriers to change, influences on change, application of a theoretical model and resources available to support t he change initiative. Rationale for Change Healthcare is a dynamic and evolving field of knowledge. Nursing students are trying to learn and implement this large amount of information at a rapid pace.Nursing students are generally unsure of their skills, feel insecure about their knowledge level, and lack self-confidence (Fisher & Koren, 2007). Many advantages have been seen with the use of the PDA, such as time savings, reduction of errors, and ease of use (Miller, Shaw-Kokot, Arnold, Boggin, Crowell, Allegri, Blue, & Berrier, 2005). Through the use of the PDA, it is thought, the nursing student will have reduced stress, fear, and improved self-confidence (Martin, 2007). Students will benefit from gaining immediate access to resources at the point of care, become more efficient, and spend more time focusing on patient care.PDAs will provide a bridge for students to apply theoretical learning to practice and foster the development of critical reasoning skills and professiona l autonomy. Nurse educators will need to develop creatively new, innovative models of teaching to keep up with changing society and technological advances in nursing practice (Jeffries, 2005). Adopting this new technological process will ensure SCC is keeping up with the trends of technology in nursing education. Organizational and Individual Barriers to Change Organizational change is a complicated process and is likely to be met with resistance.According to Borkowski (2005), resistance may originate from two sources: organizational barriers and individual barriers. These barriers threaten to impede change success. In an effort to avoid change failure, management must identify and understand potential barriers to change. Organizational barriers are typically beyond the control of management and may be perceived as insurmountable, which in the early stages of change can prove to be futile (Borkowski, 2005). Two potential organizational barriers to implementing Project PDA are cultur al complacency; and the lack of financial and technology resources.The first barrier was cultural complacency. Spector (2010) suggests that organizational culture may enable and create barriers to change. The nursing department has functioned like a well oiled machine as result of shared values and beliefs among faculty and students; subsequently creating a complacent atmosphere. Management must change the culture of the nursing department to engage faculty and students; and promote behaviors in line with the proposed change. The second barrier was the lack of financial and technology resources.The college was in the midst of a new levy campaign and there were no current funds allocated in the nursing department budget for technology improvements including the purchase of equipment. The college does not own PDAs for the students or faculty to use. No process was in place for technical support if students were to experience challenges with the device. The individual barriers identifi ed included lack of motivation, staff support, and computer competency. Faculty and students may lack motivation if they perceive the change will disrupt the status quo, or the preference for the current situation (Borkowski, 2005).The lack of support and acceptance of the new technology by other clinical staff and faculty is one of the key challenges of implementing new technology into educational programs (Farrell & Rose, 2008). Some students and faculty are computer literate, but many are less familiar and lack experience with computer systems. As a result, it will take time for students, faculty, and clinical staff to become comfortable with using the PDA. Factors of Influence The college’s readiness to change could lead to success or failure.The change itself is not the reason, but the organization’s culture of environment and the employees respect, trust, and attitude toward the management implementing the change (Krause, 2008). The attitudes of faculty and s tudents may directly affect how responsive and committed they will be to the change process. The factors of influence within any organization may originate or draw in part on the quality of leadership (Krause, 2008). The leaders must implement strategies to communicate the value of the change, establish a coalition, and empower all participants to become change agents.Theoretical Model Kurt Lewin’s change theory was the theoretical framework selected for analyzing the change process involved in adopting the use of PDAs in the clinical setting as planned in Project PDA. Lewin’s change theory identified three stages in the change process-unfreeze, move, and refreeze. To unfreeze leaders must create a sense of disequilibrium to motivate change. A pre-pilot survey completed by the LTC revealed students and faculty believed time management was the priority challenge for students in the clinical setting.PDA use is expected to improve time management skills. In stage two, cha nge is implemented. Students and faculty will be required to use the PDA during clinical for access required textbooks and other resources. The final stage, refreeze, the change is cemented into the organization’s culture (Spector, 2010). The LTC will evaluate the change process, communicate progress, maintain support structures, reinforce required behaviors and encourage continued commitment to sustain the change. Internal and External ResourcesBorkowski (2005) noted managers must be certain adequate resources are available to implement change and ensure organizational goals are met. The nursing department at SCC is fortunate to have access to internal and external resources needed to support efforts to implement Project PDA. A strong organizational structure facilitates collaboration within the department. Webinars will be used for faculty and student development. The nursing department secured grant funding to purchase 16 i-Touch devices for faculty. Students will use fina ncial aid to purchase the PDA and software undle. E-book resources will be made available through contracted publishing vendors. Learning and troubleshooting tutorials will be included with the software as well as the Sinclair Help Desk will be available for technical support. Information technology has integrated in the health care delivery systems to include the use of personal digital assistants (PDA) and other computer devices (Fisher & Koren, 2007). Teaching institutions are being challenged to keep up with the trends in technology and meet demands for use of hand held devices.In response to this challenge, SCC proposed to implement Project PDA. Students and faculty will begin using PDAs in the clinical setting. The use of these devices will provide real-time access to important resources enabling medical personnel and students to manage point of care activities more efficiently (Lee, 2006). As a result, students will be less stressed, more confident, and more competent hea lth care providers. Change may be complicated by organizational or individual barriers.The specific barriers were identified as cultural complacency, lack of financial and technology resources, employee motivation, staff support, and computer competency. Organizational change in the nursing department at SCC could be influenced by the nursing department’s readiness for change; and the attitudes of faculty, students, and clinical staff toward the change. The Kurt Lewin change theory was applied to Project PDA examining the three stages of the change process. Leaders at SCC have access to internal and external resources necessary to implement the proposed change.The presence of a solid organizational structure, access to grant funding, technology resource vendors, and on-site technical support will facilitate the success and sustainability of Project PDA. Organizational Change Organizational Change Plan-Part One The use of mobile technology for health care professionals, including personal digital assistants (PDAs) has increased exponentially in both clinical practice and nursing education (Farrell & Rose, 2008). Some evidence exists that the use of a PDA in health care settings may improve decision-making, reduce the numbers of medical errors, and enhance learning for both students and professionals (Nilsson, 2008); for these reasons, the Learning Technology Committee (LTC) at Sinclair Community College (SCC) explored the benefits of nursing students using the PDA at the bedside in the clinical setting.The committee proposed a change, Project PDA, to implement the use of PDA among novice nursing students and faculty. The following paragraphs will focus on the assessment and plan of the Project PDA; and examine the rationale for the change, barriers to change, influences on change, application of a theoretical model and resources available to support t he change initiative. Rationale for Change Healthcare is a dynamic and evolving field of knowledge. Nursing students are trying to learn and implement this large amount of information at a rapid pace.Nursing students are generally unsure of their skills, feel insecure about their knowledge level, and lack self-confidence (Fisher & Koren, 2007). Many advantages have been seen with the use of the PDA, such as time savings, reduction of errors, and ease of use (Miller, Shaw-Kokot, Arnold, Boggin, Crowell, Allegri, Blue, & Berrier, 2005). Through the use of the PDA, it is thought, the nursing student will have reduced stress, fear, and improved self-confidence (Martin, 2007). Students will benefit from gaining immediate access to resources at the point of care, become more efficient, and spend more time focusing on patient care.PDAs will provide a bridge for students to apply theoretical learning to practice and foster the development of critical reasoning skills and professiona l autonomy. Nurse educators will need to develop creatively new, innovative models of teaching to keep up with changing society and technological advances in nursing practice (Jeffries, 2005). Adopting this new technological process will ensure SCC is keeping up with the trends of technology in nursing education. Organizational and Individual Barriers to Change Organizational change is a complicated process and is likely to be met with resistance.According to Borkowski (2005), resistance may originate from two sources: organizational barriers and individual barriers. These barriers threaten to impede change success. In an effort to avoid change failure, management must identify and understand potential barriers to change. Organizational barriers are typically beyond the control of management and may be perceived as insurmountable, which in the early stages of change can prove to be futile (Borkowski, 2005). Two potential organizational barriers to implementing Project PDA are cultur al complacency; and the lack of financial and technology resources.The first barrier was cultural complacency. Spector (2010) suggests that organizational culture may enable and create barriers to change. The nursing department has functioned like a well oiled machine as result of shared values and beliefs among faculty and students; subsequently creating a complacent atmosphere. Management must change the culture of the nursing department to engage faculty and students; and promote behaviors in line with the proposed change. The second barrier was the lack of financial and technology resources.The college was in the midst of a new levy campaign and there were no current funds allocated in the nursing department budget for technology improvements including the purchase of equipment. The college does not own PDAs for the students or faculty to use. No process was in place for technical support if students were to experience challenges with the device. The individual barriers identifi ed included lack of motivation, staff support, and computer competency. Faculty and students may lack motivation if they perceive the change will disrupt the status quo, or the preference for the current situation (Borkowski, 2005).The lack of support and acceptance of the new technology by other clinical staff and faculty is one of the key challenges of implementing new technology into educational programs (Farrell & Rose, 2008). Some students and faculty are computer literate, but many are less familiar and lack experience with computer systems. As a result, it will take time for students, faculty, and clinical staff to become comfortable with using the PDA. Factors of Influence The college’s readiness to change could lead to success or failure.The change itself is not the reason, but the organization’s culture of environment and the employees respect, trust, and attitude toward the management implementing the change (Krause, 2008). The attitudes of faculty and s tudents may directly affect how responsive and committed they will be to the change process. The factors of influence within any organization may originate or draw in part on the quality of leadership (Krause, 2008). The leaders must implement strategies to communicate the value of the change, establish a coalition, and empower all participants to become change agents.Theoretical Model Kurt Lewin’s change theory was the theoretical framework selected for analyzing the change process involved in adopting the use of PDAs in the clinical setting as planned in Project PDA. Lewin’s change theory identified three stages in the change process-unfreeze, move, and refreeze. To unfreeze leaders must create a sense of disequilibrium to motivate change. A pre-pilot survey completed by the LTC revealed students and faculty believed time management was the priority challenge for students in the clinical setting.PDA use is expected to improve time management skills. In stage two, cha nge is implemented. Students and faculty will be required to use the PDA during clinical for access required textbooks and other resources. The final stage, refreeze, the change is cemented into the organization’s culture (Spector, 2010). The LTC will evaluate the change process, communicate progress, maintain support structures, reinforce required behaviors and encourage continued commitment to sustain the change. Internal and External ResourcesBorkowski (2005) noted managers must be certain adequate resources are available to implement change and ensure organizational goals are met. The nursing department at SCC is fortunate to have access to internal and external resources needed to support efforts to implement Project PDA. A strong organizational structure facilitates collaboration within the department. Webinars will be used for faculty and student development. The nursing department secured grant funding to purchase 16 i-Touch devices for faculty. Students will use fina ncial aid to purchase the PDA and software undle. E-book resources will be made available through contracted publishing vendors. Learning and troubleshooting tutorials will be included with the software as well as the Sinclair Help Desk will be available for technical support. Information technology has integrated in the health care delivery systems to include the use of personal digital assistants (PDA) and other computer devices (Fisher & Koren, 2007). Teaching institutions are being challenged to keep up with the trends in technology and meet demands for use of hand held devices.In response to this challenge, SCC proposed to implement Project PDA. Students and faculty will begin using PDAs in the clinical setting. The use of these devices will provide real-time access to important resources enabling medical personnel and students to manage point of care activities more efficiently (Lee, 2006). As a result, students will be less stressed, more confident, and more competent hea lth care providers. Change may be complicated by organizational or individual barriers.The specific barriers were identified as cultural complacency, lack of financial and technology resources, employee motivation, staff support, and computer competency. Organizational change in the nursing department at SCC could be influenced by the nursing department’s readiness for change; and the attitudes of faculty, students, and clinical staff toward the change. The Kurt Lewin change theory was applied to Project PDA examining the three stages of the change process. Leaders at SCC have access to internal and external resources necessary to implement the proposed change.The presence of a solid organizational structure, access to grant funding, technology resource vendors, and on-site technical support will facilitate the success and sustainability of Project PDA.

CSR

CSR CSR New trends and focuses that companies are trying to employ Concepts of social responsibility or alternatively corporate citizenship have formed a predominant business lexicon hence attracting the attention of the academicians especially due to advents of the technological advancements of the 21st century. Nelson and Jane (2004, p.3) notes that, â€Å"over the past decade, however they have grown to encompass a more complex, multidimensional and global set of issues, with strategic implications for both business leaders and policy makers.† The current trends in the CSR, encompasses organizations orientations so as to enhance CSR integration to form part and parcel of corporate strategies. To achieve these, the corporations attempt to mainstream CSR functions to transform them into fabric of values that remain evenly integrated within the business enterprise of the company.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on CSR specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The trends focus pinpoints on the need to â€Å"breakdown the silos, adopting a strategic vision, implementing and operationalization of CSR on a global basis, addressing CSR as a risk management as opposed to one that can be electively be avoided and addressing social risks in the context of total risk management† (Nelson Jane, 2004 , p.10). More critically, the modern trends are oriented to solve communication challenges: becoming cognizant of impeccably different communication demands for various stakeholders, and making decisions on appropriate strategies of communication. Among other crucial changes in the perception of the CSR concept include: self regulation and juggling regulation, solution of legacy issues that jeopardize the trust of future stake holders, strike of balance between the long term and short term business market pressures and â€Å"creating new forms of public/private collaboration and partnerships† (C apriotti Moreno, 2007, p.90). Consistent with the established demands that require to be fulfilled by the emerging businesses laid on the foundation of the CSR programs, the trends include focusing of CSR on the dimension of being a risk management tool by the potential investors. They further include the inculcation of social responsibility in the investment of funds of speedily developing the component of mutual benefit fund industry and addressing the interrogative of the governance crisis matters of the corporate CSR fund. Further trends entangles taking into consideration â€Å"reinsurers increasingly nervous and vocal concerns about climatic change† (Burke Logsdon, 1996, p.500). Consequently, NPF business establishment to aid the CSR programs with the intent to develop green products of an organization has chances of success due to support by various government and international policies of putting into place mechanisms to deal with the problem of environmental degrad ation.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reasons why companies do not engage in more CSR The reason why companies do not engage in CSR activities can be broadly divided into government and financial institution and reasons related to human resources. Falck and Heblich (2007, p.249) notes that, â€Å"the first and greatest barriers to the broader adoption of CSR practices are of an institutional or governmental nature – the lack of an appropriate regulatory framework and the lack of government involvement, followed by a mix of financial and government related barriers.† In one or other impediments to success of CSR inclusions in the companies’ strategic plans are perceived to result to increased operation costs of an organization, absence of results that are visible from companies’ main business objective: to involve in activities that places it at a more competitive edge through profit generation, and lack of financial linkages. Barriers related to human resource entangles â€Å"lack of staff (middle management) incentives, (followed by current Government policy), cultural differences, employee resistance and management resistance† (Porter Kramer, 2006, p.81). In the light of all the corporate fare to incorporate CSR, the main ones include: escalated operating costs, hiked perceived risks, more exertion of stakeholders’ interests, competitive disadvantage, evidence of regulatory authorities interventions, decreased productivity coupled with devastating impacts to the companies’ profits with a consequence of diminished quality levels of company’s product qualities. Current risks for in-house CSR Risk associated with the application of CSR or current risks for in-house CSR fall into six categories entangling the issue of compliance, operational, employment market, extrinsic busines s relationships, reputation and stock markets. All these risks surrounding implementation of CSR programs need to be impeccably and or closely monitored and controlled if at all CSR initiatives have to be aligned with the corporation strategic plans of operation.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on CSR specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the issues that need to be ardently addressed include â€Å"conflicting global laws and regulations that pose potential risks when organizations implement CSR initiative† (Sharma Talwar, 2005, pp. 35-45). Omissions, violation of laws governing CSR disclosures, in adequate performance in comparison with the goals and objective of the company have the capacity to cause substantial harm to the company’s reputation or brands. Other issues included in the spectra of CSR initiatives risks includes failing to give consideration to integration of objectives of CSR i nto the product , services and manufacturing process and non compliance to the established regulations on CSR. According to Matten and Moon, â€Å"Companies could also lose investors if they don’t qualify for socially responsible investment and reduce their pool of potential employees who don’t want to work for organizations without social and community commitment† (2008, pp. 40-42). Worse still a company may be in operation under relationships with organizations such as supplier companies, customers, among other business partners who do not pay any concern to CSR principles. Social media reputational risk Within a spectrum of stake holders, discontent exist with regard to ‘state of play’ in spite of amicable formulation of initiatives and standards to guide CSR globally. â€Å"NGOs and action campaigners want corporations to be legally responsible and accountable for human rights violations and CSR lapses† (Mullerat, 2005, p.40). Strides mad e with the aid of advocating green business or sustainability initiatives, various draw backs have been registered especially when addressing social and labor risks attributable to operations of corporations and in general those who are afflicted by them either for good or bad.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Going green can solve some of the challenges. However, this attempt may not be sufficient to ensure substantial company health since ignorance to non-green CSR concerns exposes a company to reputational and financial risks. As Fombrun, Gardberg and Barnett notes, â€Å"This is definitely a case where going green can leave you in the red management might suffer thinner coffers and embarrassment from a CSR oversight† (2000, p.101). Adequate capacity that ensure support, provide counseling and legal advice services so as to implement and sustain effectively CSR programs to companies while not disregarding stake holders that are sought to be protected so as to maintain social reputation of the organization. Society’s perception of companies linked to revenue Focusing on profit is agreed upon by many economists to amount to paramount businesses’ indulgencies. This is necessary for the success of any company. Nevertheless, how does the society perceive such companies ? According to Luo and Bhattacharya the word profit serves â€Å"to project images of greed, exploited workers, and rich capitalists† (2006, p.14). In the eyes of the consumers: who comprise what the company may term, as the target group for its products, have never welcomed the term profit with good regards (Trevino, Nelson, 2007, p.23). The society in most situations tends to focus mainly on cash profits as opposed on accompanying value it receives. To many members of the society, profit is attained at an expense of somebody else’s welfare. â€Å"Reducing company profits by contributing more to community organizations is frequently applauded by the public but however, company contributions almost always are made with some hope of a return or benefit to the company† (Carroll, 1991, p.43). Consequently, companies have come to the realization that to attain long term success, they ought to adjust their social corporate behavior enormously to levels that are cohe rent with societal anticipations in terms of norms and values. Increased corporate concerns in social interest alongside with the media in CSR Has got also the capacity to foster companies to embark on practices that help to cover their negative image before the eyes of the society. Michael Porter – perceived benefit Over a long time, capitalism ideologies had been deemed as a major causative of success of profit making organization since they are anchored on the need to maximize profits. Porter and Kramer believe â€Å"companies have been perceived to be prospering on behalf of the wider community† (Porter Kramer, 2011, p.3). Companies, on realizing the magnitude of blame they receive in contributing to societal failure, have embarked on methodologies of correcting the existing gap through deployment of value sharing tactics. With reference to Porter and Kramer’s work, companies deserve to extend their efforts beyond tradeoffs and create shared value between t hem and the society through â€Å"re-conceiving products and markets, redefining productivity in the value chain, and building supportive industry clusters at company’s locations† (2011, p.7). He further suggests that not all profits are equal where by profit that entails social purposes integrated within it depicts a greater form of capitalism that has the capacity to create community prosperity and company’s positive cycles. How companies propose business plans for internal CSR There is no specific plan for internal CSR for adoption universally by every corporate. â€Å"Each firm has unique characteristics and circumstances that will affect how it views its social responsibilities; and each will vary in its awareness of CSR issues and how much work it has already done towards implementing a CSR approach† (McWilliams, Siegel Wright, 2006, p.13). Proposed Plans streams widely from the corporate existing knowledge in certain other fields for example envir onmental management and quality control and assurance. With reference to, the work of Dicken (2006), â€Å"The framework follows the familiar plan, do, check and improve model that underlies such well-known initiatives as those of the International Organization for Standardization in the areas of quality and environmental management systems† (p.73). Plans are engineered to be flexible since any viable CSR implementation framework demand to have components of social, economic and environmental decisions, as the need to go green is critical. The decision making task is planned by many companies to stem from the board of directors to officials of the organization and finally to the contracted partners charged with supplies tasks. This is perceived as necessary since CSR program need be agreeable and coherent with all organizations stakeholders. As Ira and Jane (2003) lament, â€Å"A properly governed firm can reap optimal benefits for itself and its shareholders and in turn for those who are affected by the firms activities† (p.41). The plan contains six essential elements, which depending on the complexity level of an organization; some may be skipped while their implementation has already been begun. the plans entails conducting corporate social responsibility assessments, developing CSR strategies, developing commitments to CSR, commitment implementations, verifications and reporting the progress of the plans and finally evaluation so as to provide room for improvements where necessary. Competitive analysis CSR is a diverse field. In the private sector, within an organization CSR departments are placed within anything ranging from compliance, legal or public relations. In the public sector, USAID, UN, international labor organizations have all endorsed CSR career options. On the other hand, in the non-profit sector, â€Å"There are a wide variety of NGO’s, industry associations, think tanks, and academic institutions engaging in learning and/or advocacy within the CSR arena† (David, 2004, p.57). Social responsibility business groups and Harvard business schools for social enterprise do specialize in this arena. However, important element that ensures thriving in any business venture, whether profit oriented or non-profit making is the products differentiation. Therefore, the presented idea is viable in a free competitive environment inasmuch as the products remain well thought of clearly distinguished from what is on offer by charitable organizations. References Burke, L., Logsdon, J., 1996. How corporate social responsibility pays off. Long Range Planning, 29(4), pp 495-502. Capriotti, P., Moreno, A., 2007. Corporate Citizenship and public relations: The importance and interactivity of social responsibility issues on corporate websites. Public Relations Review, 33(7), pp. 84-91. Carroll, A., 1991.The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: Toward and moral management of organizational stakeholders. Busi ness Horizon, 34(3), pp. 39-48. David, B., 2004. How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Dicken, P., 2006. Global shift Reshaping the Global Economic Map in the 21st Century, London: Sage. Falck, O., Heblich, S., 2007. Corporate social responsibility: Doing well by doing good. Business Horizons, 50 (1), pp. 247-254. Fombrun, C., Gardberg, N., Barnett, M., 2000. Opportunity Platforms and Safety Nets: Corporate Citizenship and Reputational Risk. Business and Society Review, 105(1), pp 85-106. Ira, A., Jane, N., 2003. Profits with Principles: Seven Strategies for Delivering Value with Values. New York: Currency Publishers. Luo, X., Bhattacharya, C., 2006. Corporate social responsibility, Customer satisfaction, and Market value. Journal of Marketing, 70 (4), pp. 1-18. Matten, D., Moon, J., 2008. ‘Implicit’ and ‘explicit ’CSR: A Conceptual Framework for a Comparative Understanding of Corpor ate Social Responsibility’. Academy of Management Review, 33(2), pp 40–42. McWilliams, A., Siegel, D., Wright, P., 2006.Corporate social responsibility: strategic implications. Journal of Management Studies, 43(1), pp. 1–18. Mullerat, R., 2005. Corporate Social Responsibility: The Corporate Governance of the 21st Century. Kluwer Law International: The Hague. Nelson, A. Jane, T., 2004. Leadership, Accountability, and Partnership: Critical Trends and Issues in Corporate Social Responsibility. Report of CSR Initiative: Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative, Report no.1. Cambridge, MA: John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Porter, M., Kramer, M., 2011. Creating Shared Value: How To Reinvent Capitalism-and Unleash A Wave of Innovation and Growth. Harvard Business Review. Web. Porter, M., Kramer, M., 2006. Strategy and Society: The link between competitive advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility. Harvard Business Review (HBR) Spotlig ht, 53 (5), pp 76-94. Sharma, A., Talwar, B., 2005. Corporate social responsibility: modern visvis Vedic approach. Measuring Business Excellence, 9(1), 35-45. Trevino, L., Nelson, K., 2007. Managing Business Ethics: Straight talk about how to do it Right. New York: John Wiley Sons.

Announcing #IWriteBecause - A Campaign For Writers

Announcing #IWriteBecause - A Campaign For Writers Announcing #IWriteBecause: A Campaign For Writers, By Writers The pinnacle of a writer’s life may not ever be a tearful speech at the Oscars. (â€Å"I want to thank my ergonomic keyboard for not giving me carpal tunnel.†) However,  though it might not take the form of a miniature golden statue, all writers possess inspirations that drive them to put pen to paper. So what's yours?We know that words are powerful - and now more than ever, we can use our words to get the message of writing out and do good. Perhaps one day a child who watches your video will be able to say that #TheyAlsoWriteBecause.How  can you contribute to #IWriteBecause?Submit your short, one-minute video via the campaign site, and tell us your reasons for writing. In doing so, you’ll be joining writers of all stripes who already sent in videos, including bestselling author Mark Dawson, award-winning food and travel writer Joanna Pruess, USA Today bestselling author Carter Wilson, New York Times bestseller David Heinemeier Hansson, and popular BookTuber Hailey LeBlanc.We’re featuring a couple of videos every day on the site, so feel free to browse through other writers’ stories! The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, or so they say.Here are a few questions to get you started:Why do you write?What do you love the most about writing?What do you get out of writing?What do you want to achieve by the end of your career as a writer?So grab your phone or a camera now. You can change a child's life for the better. All it takes is a minute to fill in the blank and say via video: I write, because ___________.Why do you write? This is your chance to tell us. Send us a video through the campaign site  and contribute to the movement.

MD Program Step-by-Step Guide

How to Get Into a BS/MD Program Step-by-Step Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Is your goal to become a doctor? Do you want to put yourself on a fast track to medical school and making your dream a reality? If so, you may want to consider applying for a BS/MD program. In this article, I'll explain what theseprograms are and go overexactly how to get into a BS/MD program, so that you can be one step closer to your dream of becoming a doctor. What Is a BS/MD Program? A BS/MD program offers you admission to medical school if you meet certain minimum requirements while you’re in college or applying to colleges. You can apply for a BS/MD program as a high school student during the regular college application process. Additionally, there are BS/MD programs you can apply to as an underclassman in college. Most people begin applying to med school the summer between their junior and senior years of college, so BS/MD programscan let you know you've been accepted to med school years before many of your peers find out. Much of the information in this article is geared towards current high school students who are considering applying to programs that admit first-year students, but some of the advice and information also applies to current college students who are contemplating entering a BS/MD program. Typically, for BS/MD programs, you have to maintain a 3.5 GPA while in college, and many programs still require you to take the MCAT, the medical school entrance exam. However, assuming you meet the minimum requirements, you’ll be guaranteed admission to the medical school that’s associated with your BS/MD program. Usually, it takes at least eight years to finish your undergraduate and medical school programs, but sometimes, you can do so in six or seven through a BS/MD program. Upon completion of the program, you’ll have a Bachelor of Science and a Doctor of Medicine degrees. Requirements for Getting Into a BS/MD Program Getting into a BS/MD program is extremely difficult. Each program has different requirements, but, in all cases, you need a high GPA and stellar standardized test scores.The requirements are usually much stricter than those for other undergraduate applicants. The University of Missouri-Kansas City's BS/MD program has a minimum unweighted GPA requirement of 3.0, one of the lowest for a BS/MD program. However, the average unweighted high school GPA for an admitted student to the program is a 3.80. The minimum ACT score is a 24, but the average for admitted students is a 31. The minimum SAT score is 1090, but the average score for an admitted student is 1380. So, even if the bare minimum that a BS/MD program requires isn't that competitive, expect to need stellar academics if you want to actually get acceptedbecause the competition will be tough. Also, for most BS/MD programs, you have to write a personal statement, get recommendations, and do an interview. Additionally, you’ll be evaluated on your extracurricular activities. These programs want to see that you’ve demonstrated leadership and achievement; furthermore, they like to see involvement in extracurriculars related to health and medicine. Here’s a chart with the minimum GPA and standardized test requirements for some BS/MD programs to give you an idea of what you need to be eligible for most of these programs. Keep in mind that you’ll probably need to comfortably exceed the minimum requirements to give yourself a decent shot at getting into these programs. School GPA SAT ACT SAT Subject Tests University of Alabama at Birmingham 3.5 1340 30 Not Required Baylor University 3.7 or top 5% 1400 32 Not Required University of Cincinnati No minimum requirement 1300 29 Not Required Drexel University 3.5 1360 31 Not Required Florida Atlantic University 4.3 weighted 1450 33 Recommended University of Miami 3.75 1400 32 600 in Math and one Science (Biology, Chemistry, or Physics) The College of New Jersey/New Jersey Medical School 4.5 weighted or top 5% 1500 35 Not Required Rutgers University Top 10% 1400 32 Not Required Saint Louis University No C's 1330 30 Not Required While the table should give you an idea of the minimum requirements of different BS/MD programs, as mentioned above, you’ll likely have to do substantially better to have a reasonable chance of getting accepted. To give yourself a good chance of getting into a BS/MD program, you should shoot for at least a 3.8 unweighted GPA and either a 1500 SAT score or a 34 composite ACT score. Basically, getting into a BS/MD program is on par with getting admitted to the most selective colleges in the country. Dom Sagolla/Flickr How to Get Into a BS/MD Program: Application Components Now I’ll focus on each component of your BS/MD program application and offer advice and tips to make yourself as competitive for these programs as possible. Your GPA and Classes Your high school transcript is probably the most important component in determining whether or not you gain admission to a BS/MD program. First, your goal should be to get as close to a 4.0 GPA as possible. Also, you should make sure to excel in the most rigorous math and science classes offered at your school. Because pre-med programs and medical school are very science intensive, you want to show that you’re extremely capable of doing well in demanding science classes. Depending on what classes your school offers, you should plan on taking at least two of these three classes: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics. Your Standardized Tests Again, you need exceptional SAT/ACT scores to make yourself competitive for admission. You should follow our tips to get a perfect SAT or ACT score. We recommend taking the SAT/ACT for the first time by the fall of your junior year. If you don’t reach your target score, you can retake the test in the spring, and, hopefully, you won’t have to worry about it during your senior year when you’ll be busy with school, extracurricular activities, and college applications. Know how long you’ll have to study to reach your target score. Remember that you want to get at least a 1500 on the SAT or a 34 on the ACT to give yourself a good chance to get into a BS/MD program. Also, many programs require SAT Subject Tests. I recommend taking your SAT Subject Tests in the spring of your junior year. Some schools have guidelines on what subject tests you must take, but even if there are no specific subject requirements, you're probably going to want to take a math and science SAT Subject Test. If you're doing well in high-level math and science classes, you shouldn't have much trouble with the SAT Subject Tests, assuming you spend a little time to familiarize yourself with the tests. If you take the tests in subjects you excel at, you should do very well. Your Extracurricular Activities BS/MD programs want to admit students who have exceptional achievements both in and out of the classroom. Your commitment to your extracurricular activities demonstrates your willingness to do more than what’s required and your initiative to actively pursue your passions. Because BS/MD programs are looking for students who are passionate about pursuing a career in medicine, you should have at least a couple of extracurriculars related to your interest in the medical field. You may want to volunteer at a hospital, shadow a doctor, help a professor with medical research, or get involved with a summer medical program. Extracurriculars are a great way to separate yourself from other applicants who have similar grades and test scores. You'll enhance your applications and gain valuable experience by pursuing leadership positions, conducting research, and participating in otheractivities that show your potential and achievement in the medical field. Your College Essay Your college essay or personal statement is another critical component of your college application. The essay gives the school an opportunity to get to know you outside of your grades and accomplishments. It can give you a chance to explain any unique obstacles you’ve had to overcome or express why you’re motivated to become a doctor. College essays can be challenging and time-consuming. Learn what you need to know about college essays and how to come up with great essay ideas. I recommend starting to work on your college essays the summer before your senior year or at the beginning of your senior year at the latest. The essays aren’t very long, but you want to give yourself ample time to write and revise your college essays. I've worked with hundreds of students who procrastinated on their college essays, and they ended up not having enough time to produce their best work. In a few years, you too could be sporting a stethoscope. Your Recommendations While your college essay allows a school to get to know you from your own perspective, your recommendations help a college get to know you from another person's perspective. Most BS/MD programs will require recommendations from your teachers. Ideally, at least one of your recommendations will come from a science teacher who can speak glowingly about your science skills, character, and desire to learn. Make sure you know what a good recommendation looks like and how to ask for a letter of recommendation. You can initially ask teachers if they would be willing to write you a letter of recommendation at the end of your junior year. That will give them time to think about what they’re going to write, and you can get them to agree to write a recommendation for you before they become inundated with requests during your senior year. Then, you can submit a formal request at the beginning of your senior year. For your reference, here are examples of excellent recommendation letters. Your Interview Many BS/MD programs do have an interview requirement. I know interviews can be scary, but with some basic preparation, the interview should only enhance your application. Because these programs are so selective, they try to take every necessary step to ensure they admit the best applicants. Be ready to answer why you're interested in that particular program and why you want to become a doctor. Avoid generic answers that could be given by any applicant; incorporating anecdotes and specific examples will strengthen your interview responses. Don’t worry about the interview too much. By the time you interview, you’ll have completed most of the hard work needed to apply to a BS/MD program. As long as you’re respectful, you’ve done your research on the program, and you thoughtfully answer the questions you’re asked, you should be just fine. Is a BS/MD Program Right for You? At this point, you may be wondering if you want to do what’s necessary to get into a BS/MD program. These programs aren’t ideal for everyone, but they're excellent options for certain types of students. If you have your heart set on becoming a doctor, a BS/MD program will set you on a direct path toward becoming one. You won’t have to deal with the stress of applying to medical school, and you’ll possibly be able to finish medical school in less time. However, a BS/MD program may not be the best option for you if you’re not completely sure that you want to be a doctor. In fact, most of my friends who started college intending to pursue medical school ended up changing their plans. Furthermore, many of the most selective and prestigious colleges and medical schools aren’t connected with BS/MD programs. If you want to attend a top college or medical school that isn’t associated with a BS/MD program, then perhaps you should just make yourself competitive for admission to Ivy League schools and not worry about BS/MD programs. Schools like Harvard and Stanford don’t have BS/MD programs, but the vast majority of their pre-med students get into medical school. In 2012, 93% of Harvard pre-med students with at least a 3.5 GPA were admitted to medical school. Finally, BS/MD programs tend to be demanding, and the workload can be very rigorous, especially if you're in a 6 or 7-year program. Make sure you're capable of doing the work that will be required, and more importantly, make sure you really want to do the work. What's Next? If you think you want to enter a BS/MD program, you really should have a high GPA and excellent test scores to give yourself the best chance of getting into the program of your choice. Learn helpful test prep strategies if you have a low SAT/ACT score but a high GPA. Also, understand the secret to getting a perfect SAT/ACT score. Finally, regardless of whether or not you end up deciding to apply to BS/MD programs, you should know how many colleges to apply to. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Compare and contrast rationalism and empiricism Essay

Compare and contrast rationalism and empiricism - Essay Example He said that when look at a knife they think of pain. This is the quality of the knife, but the painful thought is the idea in their minds (Cuddy 1). Locke describes the difference between primary and secondary qualities in terms of the different ideas that they produce in the people’s minds. According to Locke, primary qualities of objects create ideas in people’s minds that resemble the matching qualities in the objects that caused people to have those ideas. The secondary qualities of objects create ideas in people’s minds that do not resemble the matching qualities in the objects that created those ideas in people’s minds. According to Locke, color, being red, is a secondary quality, as shape, being square is a primary quality (Cuddy 1). Locke’s concept on what a substance was not clearly understood. There were, however, two key views regarding what Locke meant. These views were that a substance referred to that what supported quality in an object. This is because Locke’s concept of a substance mainly consisted of bare particulars that lacked properties. The other thought of a substance, according to critics, is that a substance refers to a solid stuff that makes a material. The two philosophers believed that people perceive what they perceive. Their eyes do not lie since they cannot lie. They both agreed upon that it is the power the eyes to distinguish what their have seen for what it stands to be. They both used the example of Copernicus and Galileo to explain their theory. They said that it took Galileo and Copernicus to convince people that the world spins. That is a thought that people did not perceive. Sensible things, according to Berkeley, are things that are perceived by sense. He, however, states that the things that are perceived by senses are ideas. Hence, according to Berkeley, a sense is an idea. He connects the two by saying that mountains, houses, rivers among other objects are

Dating paragraph Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dating paragraph - Essay Example I currently work as support staff in the I.T department where most of my duties revolve around creating systems and getting applications and software that ensures operations efficiently. I work at a pharmaceutical company that brings in medicine and medical equipment from Europe and Asia mostly and sells to retailers within the country. My other hobbies include reading legal drama novels (in another life I would have probably pursued a career in law), dance/trance music and indie rock, and a good old-fashioned meal of fries and a cheeseburger. Things I am not too fond of include loud-mouthed and intolerant people, that is, people who cannot accommodate people that are different from them whether in physical appearance or social background, reggae music, celery (I don’t care how healthy it is, it tastes unpleasant!) and brown bread. That being said, I should point out that I do try to eat healthy and keep fit though I am not much of a runner. My choice of exercise is swimming thus warm weather places appeal to me, and cycling. My favorite alcoholic drink is vodka mixed with club soda and I indulge in this when I am out partying only, I generally do not enjoy drinking at home maybe an occasional glass of sweet red wine. This brings me to another revelation; I have a sweet tooth, which has cost me many visits to the dentist! I am looking for an outgoing girl to complement my laid-back nature who enjoys TV and movies as most of my free time is spent watching comedies and legal drama stuff. It would be a plus if she can bake, as I like to indulge my sweet tooth from time to time. Men should look for a girl that brings out their good parts and helps them become better. I am a good listener and I believe this is important in relationships as it makes communication easier. However, I hate confrontations, this makes me walk away from any potential arguments, and I will more likely than not let things slide when they should be aired out. I am working on this and at

Elderly Patients and Malnutrition Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Elderly Patients and Malnutrition - Dissertation Example Nevertheless, as previous reports establish, hospital services are insufficient to meet the nutritional needs of ill patients. Given the present scenario, the government, along with health care professionals, faces a serious problem of alleviating the risks associated with malnutrition in the elderly population. Several proposals have been made in the past to address the current issue but the problem remains unresolved. It is therefore important to reassess current approaches to nursing practice and further expand research in the field of elderly care. To date, experts have identified proper screening and management as basic responses to the current problem. However, the diverse needs of elderly patients in the hospital setting demand comprehensive approaches and resources in the nursing practice. Additionally, the availability of resources is another question. For such reasons, nurses assigned in hospitals should have a wide background of the issue and the solutions to the problem. Basic information such as the causes, symptoms, and risks of malnutrition are therefore imperative and should be considered common knowledge in the nursing practice. To address the current issue, nurses in the hospital setting should, in the first place, be aware of the symptoms and causes of malnutrition. A working definition of malnutrition should lead every health care practitioner to be aware of the problems associated with malnutrition and to be sensitive to the symptoms at-risk patients have. According to Peters (1996), malnutrition is a ‘deficiency state which occurs when inadequate proteins, calories, or specific nutrients are ingested to meet an individual’s nutritional requirements’ (p.45). Malnutrition can cause varying adverse effects on... This paper approves that the current literature offers a number of screening tools and interventions to malnutrition. Among screening tools are the MUST, GNRI, and Nursing Nutritional Checklist. Commonly, these screening tools aim to guide nurses on proper screening of at-risk patients. They also ensure communication between the nurse and the patient, giving way for patients to express their needs and apprehensions relating to hospitalisation. Screening tools also serve as guide for making recommendations to doctors, dieticians, and other health care providers. The screening tools found in the literature obviously vary in structure but they commonly aim at securing information about the patient. This paper makes a conclusion that pharmacologic therapy and giving supplements are the most successful interventions based on the literature. However, it should be clear that pharmacologic therapy was often used in the past for preventing anorexia among terminally ill patients. Therefore, future research should examine the effectiveness of the intervention to elderly patients in general, including those who are not suffering from diseases. Nevertheless, extra care should be taken when administering drugs to patients, making sure of the absence of side effects. Exercise, educating patients and their families, and minimising dietary restrictions likewise emerge as other alternatives to pharmacologic therapy in fighting the problem of malnutrition in the field of elderly care.