Developmental Stages Matrix Essay

Due to the fact that the nervous system is not yet fully developed at this stage, a lot of the actions performed during this stage can be involuntary or just abrupt and spontaneous. Vision is undeveloped at ages 1 month to 5 months. Typically they are able to see just roughly 10 inches out. Once they reach 6 months old, their vision should be at full capacity, Initially, all actions are involuntary. Their arm may go up, but they are unsure as to how it got there, or why did it just hit them in their face. Suckling is another involuntary movement that is simply in their nature to do. Slowly they begin understanding that they control these movements. They are then able to figure out what they want and how to get what they want. Learning to trust the primary caregiver. Believing they will continue to feed them, change them, play with them, comfort them etc. Their primary form of communication is crying or cooing. When they need something they will cry to indicate a current need is not b eing met. Typically a coo would indicate all is well and they are content. Early Childhood During infancy, the body is very disproportionate. During the transition into early childhood, the body starts to transform in to what seems to appear as a mini adult form. The baby fat begins to go away, they gain a longer neck, and the round belly shrinks. During this stage they grow approx.. 2-3 inches per year. Brain development continues during early childhood. Children learn rapidly and brain changes enable more reflective coordinated thought and memory (Stassen Berger, 2010). Children learn when and how to express emotion. Emotional regulation influenced by brain maturation. Social guidance gradually increases from age 2-6. Children teach one another to be kind and loyal and how to control aggressive impulses (Stassen Berger, 2010) Middle and Late Childhood Growth slows down and muscle develops and health is usually good. Many children age 7 to 11 eat too much and exercise too little and become obese and overweight as a result (Stassen Berger, 2010). School age children have active minds and can learn almost anything. Reaction time increase. The brain becomes more selective in attention. Children are more efficient in memory (Stassen Berger, 2010). There are important transitions that happen during middle and late childhood that grow during adolescence. At the stage of middle and late childhood, children still relate to their families. Their parents have a strong influence regarding their decisions and actions. However, friendships are starting to grow and become more and more important. Friendships are developed based on â€Å"convenience†. However, similar interests are starting to become an important factor in making friends. Friends have not yet become an influence in behavior. The urge to be independent hasn’t taken p lace yet. Adolescence Puberty takes places during adolescence. Each step involved with puberty happens at different ages. A non-physical change associated with puberty is the release of hormones. One of the hormones is the sex hormone. This causes a heighten desire for sexual activity. Physically, females go through changes such as the growth of their breast, the beginning of their menstrual cycle, and a growth spurt. Males go through a growth spurt, enlargement of the testicles and penis, and their first ejaculation. The adolescent brain develops at different times. The portion of the brain associated with emotions develops first. This explains why teenagers show a range of emotions are easily made upset. During the later adolescent years the brain develops the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with making healthier decisions and planning ahead (Berger 2010). Because of the delay of in brain development, teenagers do not think of the consequences of their actions. It is also during this stage that teenagers develop a sense of self, identity. During adolescence teenagers search for independence. Although they are not old enough to support themselves and make their own decisions, they try to find small ways to experience independence. Teenagers will try to make decisions on what they wear and what they do with friends. These kinds of decisions can create tension between teenagers and their parents. Parents are losing control of their teenager. They also do  not share the beliefs of their teenager because they belong to a different cohort. While teenagers are trying to establish their own beliefs and morals, they can clash with their parents. During this stage in life teenagers will conflict the most with their parents. Friends become the main influence in an adolescent’s decisions. It is during this stage that a teenager cares the most about what their friends think. Early Adulthood In early adulthood, between adolescence and middle age, the body begins to change. This is sometimes the point where the body is at its healthiest. Changes in diet affect how weight is gained or lost. How proper health habits will change the way the body reacts and grows. Life experiences begin to lend a hand to problem solving. More experiences lead to better decision making when it comes to relationships, career choice, or what events to attend. More of a realistic look on life versus a daydream or an idea. Goals are achieved by becoming more focused on the tasks in front of them, The ability to process problems for the best solution. Desire for intimacy. Having personal relationships become more fulfilling. A sense of self-sacrifice when it comes to others. A sense of belonging when in large groups. Fears isolation, ridicule, and loneliness. Change of behavior occurs dependent on the individual’s marital status, and continues until status is changed. Establishment of career goal and status. Middle Adulthood Aging has become a factor. Hair begins to turn grey or become lost, skin begins to wrinkle, and the body slows when it comes to metabolism which decreases weight loss. Women may start going through menopause while testosterone levels will decrease in men. The brain in middle adulthood goes through some changes and begins to slow down. People start to become forgetful and cannot remember things, which can be very frustrating and people start going into a midlife crisis. This is all caused by the brain shrinking as we get older. A person’s personality and temperament also changes as they begin to age. Middle aged is important time to have and keep good friends who are also in their middle age. The reason is that they are also going through all the different changes and all the anxiety as you are. Having friends that are going through the same things as you is very beneficial and supporting especially when you are having a hard time dealing  with the changes in life. Intimacy i s also something that is always needed throughout all stages of life. Late Adulthood In late adulthood, it is very common to lose vision to where it is harder to see things and it is common to develop cataracts, glaucoma, or macular degeneration. More common physical changes are sensory loss and more health problems such as cardiovascular disease which is common in late adulthood. It is very important for the elderly to get some exercise just like they use to do when they were younger, whether it is just walking, climbing stairs, or something that keeps you moving and not staying still all the time are all ways to stay healthier The adult brain in late adulthood changes just like it does all throughout life. In late adulthood, the brain does not function as well as it use to during the younger days. There is a lot more confusion and it is harder for a lot of elderly to understand things. As people get into their late adulthood they start gather some things that mean a lot to them and hoard them for safe keeping. Also people like to keep traditions going in order to stay in touch with family and friends as they age. Some people also still continue to work as long as they do not have any disabilities restricting them from doing so, while others are retired and rely on their retirement funds, AARP, disability payments or Medicaid to survive. Then as we get older, we start having to deal with the sad part of life called death that happens to everyone at some point in life.

Journal Entry

Wing evolution has been a highly debated topic in insects. Wings play a crucial role for insects since they are used to assist with collecting food, migration, fleeing from predators, and many other activities. There are three main theories that have been thoroughly researched to help explain the evolution of wings. These theories include the parental origin of wings, the tracheal gill theory, and the exit-endive theory. The parental origin of wings hypothesis states that wings developed from parental lobes.When insects fell on the ground, nobles first acted like a racquet so the insect can land swiftly on its feet and scurry away from predators. As nobles grew larger they developed from gliders into wings. The main evidence behind this theory is the presence of broad thoracic onto and wing like pornographic lobes on fossils Of Ephemerals, Plenipotentiary and Appropriate that show venation and articulation (Whitfield 324).The tracheal gill hypothesis postulates that wings developed f rom tracheae gills since both were thin, membranous and mobile. Gills first started off for being used for breathing in oxygen, then used as fins to promote locomotion, ND finally modified the spiracles which reduced water loss to permit gliding which eventually turned into flying. Wigglers supported this theory by stating that wings and legs could be found in the thorax if it was originated by exits (Whitfield 325).The exit-endive hypothesis proposes Koala-Peck's theory about wings developed from exits that were found on many leg bases of early insects. Later, it was found that those insects also had endives. This theory was us ported by the fact that wings are originated from a structural feature that already had the necessary muscles, tendons and appendages of insects. This was later proven by the dismissal of Montana's theory that insect's legs are different than other arthropods legs (Whitfield 326). Live that the exit-endive theory seems the most plausible since it is most lik ely that wings emerged from endives and exits since those features were already present in insects. Also this theory has the most support compared to the other two theories and there are not many who oppose this theory. For the tracheal gill hypothesis to be true, the invasion of land would have to happen twice to accommodate for both insects with wings and without wings, Journal Entry On the news there was a story about a new museum being opened up in the American South that depicts the belief in creationism instead of evolution. Basically, this museum depicts human beings being created by God alongside dinosaurs and does not recognize that the Earth is older than 10,000 years old. Many people are protesting the museum because they feel that it perpetuates a religious belief as science and that it cannot be considered truthful and shouldn’t be viewed as a museum. I feel that this article is important because it shows how different religions and cultures can clash and different viewpoints can cause conflict amongst people. This news story, that I saw on CNN, has a central theme revolving around the fact that religion and science can cause conflict in a community. This was very interesting because of the fact this is the first museum to depict creationism as a science and because it is making such an impact in the community, with so many people protesting it because they feel it shouldn’t be marketed as science but as religion. This is important because both religious and non-religious people need to live side by side in our communities and it raises questions about how this can happen in terms of their beliefs about creation versus evolution, and how this aspect can help shape each of us depending on our upbringing and personal beliefs. Journal Entry # 2 The article â€Å"Trial set to begin in Mississippi civil rights-era case† by Jerry Mitchell appeared the USA Today on May 24, 2007 and deals with the case of a man who is facing charges for killing two African-American teenagers in 1964. This is an interesting article because it shows how much different our culture is today from the culture of the civil rights-era United States. Back then, white men were not punished for killing blacks, but today our culture and society have changed enough that we can look to make the past right to make a better foundation for the future. In the past few years there has been a push in Mississippi to bring to justice former klansmen and other racists who killed civil rights workers and African-Americans during a time and in a place where discrimination was so abundant that no one would convict them. This case is one of these, and is an interesting look at how the justice system can be corrupt and yet, today, we can try to make things right. This is so important today because of the issue of racism that is still there below the surface in many instances. Journal Entry # 3 The article â€Å"Gold Star wives help a new generation of war widows† that appeared on CNN.com on May 26, 2007 is an interesting look at the way that our own suffering can be a basis for helping others in similar situations. The article deals with the social issue of war and how it affects not only the people in the midst of the war but the wives, husbands, and children that are left behind by the men and women who die in the war in Iraq. This article is about a woman named Marie Speer who lost her husband in WWII and how she founded this organization called Gold Star Wives, which was established to help war widows in many various ways, from friendship and compassion, to helping lobby for benefits for the wives and husbands of those lost in the war. This story is applicable to the real world because of how our culture has been affected by the war in Iraq and how society looks at this conflict and the people affected by it. This is interesting because it shows how Americans are coming together and using their own experiences to help others and try to bring them through the pain of loss and grief. This is so important today because of the loss of connection many of us have in relation to each other. For example, many people cannot connect with people of other generations but in this article it shows how a WWII war widow has so much in common with a widow of a soldier in Iraq. It shows how we can all connect with each other on some level, and this is important in a country that lacks that. Journal Entry # 4 On Glenn Beck there was a story about how Rev. Al Sharpton, who had just finished recently lobbying to get Don Imus fired for his racial remarks regarding the Rutgers basketball team, had said something discriminatory about Mitt Romney’s Mormon religion. This is an important issue because so many people can look at this and see that so many people have underlying racism or discrimination about other people’s race, ethnicity, or religion. This is an aspect of our culture that has shaped each of us, depending on where we grew up and who raised us, as well as what our own experiences have shown or taught us. The central theme of this news story is that sometimes we can see discrimination within others more than we can within ourselves and that this needs to be an issue that is raised to each of us when it comes to light. This is very interesting in one aspect because those who thought that the media made too much out of the comments by Imus could say that Sharpton had no right to complain because he then becomes embroiled in his own scandal, but others can look at it from a different perspective and say that comments about race and religion are completely different and shouldn’t be equally compared. This is so important in our politically correct society because it begs an answer to the question about what is discrimination and when does free speech cross the line, and how has society viewed free speech and political correctness. Journal Entry # 5 The article â€Å"The First Steps† by Alex Tresniowski, et al, appears in the May 7, 2007 issue of People Magazine and is a look at the healing process that is happening at the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia following the massacre that killed 33 students in Norris Hall on April 16th. This article is unlike many of the others because instead of dealing with the dark, brooding gunman or all of the mistakes and issues that led up to the shooting, it deals with how the students affected will take steps to heal and help create a better environment for all students on campus. This article was interesting to me because it was not just another doom and gloom article about the tragedy but point out what was being done right by the Virginia Tech students, faculty, and campus administrators to help the college heal. It was interesting to read the stories about these heroes and the terrible trauma that they went through during the massacre. It was also interesting to learn about how the community and society has come together to help create a safer environment at colleges and to help these students through the tragedy. Violence has become such a huge social problem in our society and this issue was made even more glaring by this particular school shooting. The article’s look at the counseling being offered, the changes in the college, and most especially the way that the community, parents, and students are all reaching out to each other as a means of healing is incredible. It also shows how they are hoping to eliminate loners and outcasts like the shooter by reaching out to their fellow classmates in need. Instead of dwelling on the bad, they are looking for something positive to come out of the tragedy.                Journal Entry Wing evolution has been a highly debated topic in insects. Wings play a crucial role for insects since they are used to assist with collecting food, migration, fleeing from predators, and many other activities. There are three main theories that have been thoroughly researched to help explain the evolution of wings. These theories include the parental origin of wings, the tracheal gill theory, and the exit-endive theory. The parental origin of wings hypothesis states that wings developed from parental lobes.When insects fell on the ground, nobles first acted like a racquet so the insect can land swiftly on its feet and scurry away from predators. As nobles grew larger they developed from gliders into wings. The main evidence behind this theory is the presence of broad thoracic onto and wing like pornographic lobes on fossils Of Ephemerals, Plenipotentiary and Appropriate that show venation and articulation (Whitfield 324).The tracheal gill hypothesis postulates that wings developed f rom tracheae gills since both were thin, membranous and mobile. Gills first started off for being used for breathing in oxygen, then used as fins to promote locomotion, ND finally modified the spiracles which reduced water loss to permit gliding which eventually turned into flying. Wigglers supported this theory by stating that wings and legs could be found in the thorax if it was originated by exits (Whitfield 325).The exit-endive hypothesis proposes Koala-Peck's theory about wings developed from exits that were found on many leg bases of early insects. Later, it was found that those insects also had endives. This theory was us ported by the fact that wings are originated from a structural feature that already had the necessary muscles, tendons and appendages of insects. This was later proven by the dismissal of Montana's theory that insect's legs are different than other arthropods legs (Whitfield 326). Live that the exit-endive theory seems the most plausible since it is most lik ely that wings emerged from endives and exits since those features were already present in insects. Also this theory has the most support compared to the other two theories and there are not many who oppose this theory. For the tracheal gill hypothesis to be true, the invasion of land would have to happen twice to accommodate for both insects with wings and without wings,

Marketing Myopia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Myopia - Essay Example Marketing Myopia, written by Theodore Levitt, was published in the Harvard Business Review. It won the McKinsey award in 1960. This is a business article that asks the question, â€Å"What business are you really in?† It talks about the strategy of doing business and marketing. Levitt argues that for a business to do better, focus should not be on selling products to customers. Rather focus should be on the customer needs and meeting those needs. According to the writer, most businesses that do not grow, or whose growth keeps declining have a management problem. This management is of the top executives of a company since they are the policy makers and implementers. For a long time, companies have been focusing on the kind of products they think suits the customers. This has led to failures of this company or stagnating growth, to say the least. Theodore Levitt is remarkably insightful in arguments about the failure of management. It is argued that the failure is with the top e xecutives whose work is to make policies. An example is given of the transportation industry, where railroad has been replaced by other means of transport that meet the needs of the customers. The railroad failed to meet the needs of the customer. This is because they had a wrong definition for their business, which is product oriented. They instead should have defined it as customer oriented. The second example is Hollywood, whose focus was in production of movies and not providing entertainment. They have since been overtaken by TV, which meets the needs of the customer by providing entertainment. Levitt’s other examples are of companies whose orientation is customer based. They are nylon and glass-based companies respectively. They have both customer and product advantages that emanate from their excellent technical competence. They apply this technical competence to make sure the products produced are of quality. The focus is on the customers’ needs but not on the product. They apply excellent technical competence to fulfill those needs. In his examples, Theodore Levitt compares different companies that are in different sectors of an economy. The writer is critical in arguing that there is an error of analysis in judging companies according to their products. Success of a company is not on the product, which is a narrow way of classification. Companies die because of a lack of imaginativeness in the management and a lack of will to fulfill the needs of the customer. A railroad industry lacks the imaginativeness to fulfill the needs of the customer, which in this case is transportation. This point is made clearly and shows that companies that have narrowed down their product line are doomed to fail for having a wrong business definition. This gives a serious point for management to think, evaluate their business strategy, applicability, survival, and plan appropriately. The writer argues intuitively that the success of a company is sometimes a ttributed to lack of competition. These companies have since gone under a shadow. Why is that? The dry cleaning companies have been replaced with other customer-friendly companies that discovered how to reduce the amount of dry cleaning required for clothes. The use of chemical additives and synthetic fibers is about to make dry cleaning obsolete. Another company that the writer examined is in the electric utilities. They have no competition, yet, they are not growing. This is because other companies are replacing electricity lines with a small cell electricity transmitter. Grocery stores, on the other hand, have been replaced with large chains of supermarkets. It is argued that the growth industry is non-existent. Arguably, there exist companies that create and capitalize on growth opportunities. The self-deceiving cycle thrives on the ever-expanding population, lack of competition, mass production, and product focus. A company can focus on mass production of goods to meet an expan ding populatio

Procurement Control Systems Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Procurement Control Systems - Case Study Example The review should include a check for accuracy and legitimacy. After the purchasing department receives the requisition, purchasing needs to submit the order to a vendor selection process. The company has omitted this step. If the material is a standard item, the selection should be on the basis of competitive bidding to assure the best price and reduce costs (Dall and West, 22). Buyer relationships or a vendor attribute system could be used for specialized material. This would help assure cost containment as well as reduce undue buyer-vendor influence and corruption of the process. When the material is received, a receiving report should go to the stores as well as purchasing and accounts payable. There also needs to be an interface with the inventory system to update the count and material level. In the example, receiving does not match the material to a purchase order to check for accuracy or completeness. This has the potential of accepting incorrect shipments or backorders that may have been cancelled. There is also too little control over the invoicing process. In the example, purchasing matches the purchase requisition, purchase order, and receiving report and generates an invoice. The invoice is sent to the controller for payment.

Some questions about the Art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Some questions about the Art - Assignment Example The protagonists in this film are left to rely on their minds in solving the situation. The movie is all about relationship, which comes out as the prominent theme. Relationship between Jeff and Lisa is featured. Marriage theme is also featured whereby by the newly wedded couple shift to a new apartment. On approaching a film, we can consider such perspectives like themes, which explain what the movie is all about. Character traits of the casts are also analyzed to identify their roles within the film. Feminist perspective has been used to explain the Rear Window in a criticism on whether women in the movie have their points of view validated since they are explained as being used as objects of the male (Modleski and Tania 34). This movie has still maintained its ability to create fear and tension in an audience despite that it is close to sixty years old. When Thorwald attacks Lisa in his house, the audience is caught with fear and much tension as they watch the reactions of Jeff. Sigmund Freud was the father of psychoanalysis. He was a physiologist, psychologist, and influential thinker. All psychoanalytical concepts in the Rear Window are based on his work. Such concepts like; ego, repression, the stages of psychosexual development and family romance among others are borrowed for the works of Sigmund

The Context of Blight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Context of Blight - Essay Example In his interview with (Plath), the author revealed his intention to incorporate his experience of the comedy bars, his memories of the stand-up comedians and the daring quality of theater into a poem. But as he was on his way to writing the poem, the anecdotal stories started as formal design originating in something that was more of entertainment than a model of literacy. As the anecdotal characters started to acquire more hold over the poem’s plot, the author had little choice but to convert it into a short story. Blight was meant to be a story irrespective of the author’s plans for it. The characters in the story present a semi-autobiographical story. Had the author originally intended to write it as a story, it would probably have come out of his pen much different than it did otherwise. Therefore, this context is the most important controlling factor in the story of  Blight.  

Violent video games effects on children and teenager Essay

Violent video games effects on children and teenager - Essay Example Psychologists explain that being overly exposed to violent video and computer games can be responsible for shaping violent patterns of behavior among children. It is argued that the content and plot of games is often not appropriate for the young and not mature individuals as far as it is focused on aggression and killing. Many scenes can show shootings, fights, and blood. As a result, children see pictures that can lead to alternation of their behavior, increasing frequency of violent response and decreasing their ability to take anger under control. The following is proved various studies conducted by specialists. As a whole, there is substantial ground to believe that violent games teach children to response to situations in a violent way, acting like they used to in games. Apart from that, there is a considerable concern that video games make children accustomed to seeing and participating in violence, which results in devaluation of morality and helpfulness among them. Extremely realistic scenes which are common for any modern game today are likely to lead to desensitization of young individuals. The following happens due to habituation of observing initially negative physiological, emotional, and cognitive responses that people experience when they see gore and blood. Putting it in other words, children are not perceiving violence and aggression as bad as they would normally do. Subsequently, they can hurt people without realizing the moral consequences of their actions as well as would not view helping others as a necessary action. As a whole, their overall understanding of moral values becomes distorted to the great extent. This can also lead to reduced academic performance since children will think that this is not diligence and discipline that l ead to success, but force and suppression of others, just like in a video game. Video games have already become an integral part of

CSFs, Benefits and Barriers during the Implementation of ERP in the Dissertation

CSFs, Benefits and Barriers during the Implementation of ERP in the Security Forces Hospital Program (SFHP) from the Management Perspective - Dissertation Example This paper aims to determine how the Security Forces Hospital Program (SFHP) in Saudi Arabia can successfully implement and maximize the benefits of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Aside from providing a short background on SFHP and the need to consider implementing ERP system, this paper will summarize the research aim, research objectives, research justification, research scope, summary of relevant literature, proposed research methodology, research ethics, and strategies that will be use in collecting data. The implementation of ERP system within a hospital setting is unique due to the fact that healthcare organization such as the case of a hospital is often divided into heterogeneous functional areas (i.e. Human Resources, Financial and Cost Management, Patient Care Management, and Clinical Management among others). To give the readers a better understanding of this subject matter, this study will first discuss what ERP is all about followed by identifying the hospital management benefits associated with the use of ERP system. Although the process of customizing the development of ERP will enable the healthcare administration of SFHP to incorporate specific hospital rules in the system, the implementation of ERP systems can lead to the development of organizational conflicts.... healthcare professionals, the SFHP will be able to deliver safe and high quality health services to the local people (Security Forces Hospital Program 2012b). To integrate internal and external information that are useful in making necessary business and management decisions, the ERP system involves the use of information technology (Bidgoli, 2004, p. 656). Although implementing ERP system can be useful in terms of integrating the hospital management system of SFHP, there will always be some challenges associated with the implementation of ERP system. Considering the future business benefits associated with the process of investing on the customization of ERP systems, this study will carefully examine how the development and implementation of ERP systems could further improve the quality of medical services provided by the healthcare professionals who are currently employed at SFHP. Research Aim This study aims to identify the CSFs and to examine the benefits and barriers and difficu lties related to the possible implementation of ERP at SFHP. Research Objectives In relation to the research am, the following objectives will be used as a guide throughout the completion of this study: 1. To conduct a literature review with regards to the critical success factors (CSFs), benefits and barriers of a successful ERP implementation; 2. To determine how the SFHP can maximize the benefit of implementing a newly customized ERP system; 3. To establish if these CSFs exist at SFHP; 4. To identify potential benefits and barriers to a successful ERP implementation at SFHP; and 5. To provide a list of recommended actions when managing the barriers to a successful ERP system. Research Justification This is a shortage of ERP studies in Saudi. Despite a long list of management benefits

Students` Satisfaction with Online Courses Research Paper

Students` Satisfaction with Online Courses - Research Paper Example and is there a correlation between the frequency of student and instructor interaction and student’s satisfaction of online courses? A quantitative research will be conducted to answer these questions. The research affirms that there is a direct correlation between the frequency of student-Instructor interaction and students’ satisfaction in online courses. Keywords: nursing, students’ satisfaction, online/e-learning. Section 1 Background of the Study The effects and influences of rapid technological developments permeate all facets of human interactions in contemporary society. It continues to redefine and reshape the manner in which society addresses issues and concerns relevant to its contemporary condition. In this regard, the landscape of education is undergoing a radical transformation as new technologies emerge (Skiba, Connors and Jeffries, 2008). In effect, one of the most obvious changes happening is the democratization of learning (Dolence and Norris, 1 995). Information technology enables people to access to knowledge and information available anytime, while at the same time, allowing for learning services to be provided by non-traditional learning institutions (Skiba et al., 2008). As such, developments in information technology create new paradigms in the content of knowledge, knowledge management and knowledge acquisition (Norris, 1995). This context creates an impetus for education in general and nursing education in particular to adapt to the demands of technological changes as education continues its evolution and become globalised (Skiba et al., 2008; Suarez-Orozco and Qin-Hilliard, 2004). In addition, the demand for the integration of information technology in nursing education is not only driven by technological developments, but it is also motivated by the increasing demand for nurses to have competence in information technology as it is necessary in the efficient discharge and management of care services to the patients (Mitchell et al., 2007). However, online/e-learning is not only about placing the modules and lectures in the web or conducting lectures through web (Murray, 2003). It requires the consideration of many factors such as information technology experience both of the teacher and students, socio-economic status, learning styles, teaching styles, skills and confidence in using information technology, technical support and other similar concerns (Cragg et al., 2003; Mitchell et al., 2007; Smith, 2002). In this regard, e- learning is a complex evolution in nursing education. As such, understanding nursing student’s satisfaction in online/e-learning may provide an opportunity to enhance both the nursing education and nursing practice. Purpose of the Study The primary purpose of this study is to gain information regarding students’ satisfaction in on-line courses in Nursing. This study is motivated by the intention of developing of online courses that are responsive not only t o the challenges of technology to nursing education, but also to the demands of technology to the nursing profession. Likewise, the study can help in determining the effectiveness of online courses from students’ perspective through knowing their satisfaction with the online courses. As such, opening the possibility for the meeting between technology and advantages of technology in healthcare, this until now, seems to be obscure (Booth et

The New Deal, specifically the works progress administration Thesis

The New Deal, specifically the works progress administration - Thesis Example Prior to America’s entrance into this particular battle, the economy in the country was once again faltering, unemployment was, and basic infrastructure needs at an all time high1. Roosevelt’s New Deal was certainly making a solid impact in this area, as many people were involved in programs facilitated by the Works Progress Administration, yet the reality was that much more was needed. With social welfare programs being taxed to the max, entrance into the Second World War actually ended up making the Works Progress Administration obsolete, as wartime jobs were created, and numerous families found themselves entering into a time of renewed prosperity. The United States entrance into World War II was a far more effective economic stimulus than the social welfare programs introduced under The New Deal, and was specifically more helpful to the economy in the long term than was the the Works Progress Administration. In a nutshell, the Works Progress Administration was created as a way out of the Great Depression. With millions wallowing in despair, government coffers nearly empty, and businesses shuttering their doors all around the country, President Roosevelt and his closest advisors were charged with the task of rectifying a dire situation before it spiraled even further out of control. Since businesses could no long employ the masses, the thought was that the government could provided much needed temporary assistance to working people in the formed of training for skilled labor positions and then having them build up an infrastructure in the country that was sorely in need of repair2. It was seen as win-win situation for the country and for society. This section will highlight some of the benefits that were achieved during the Works Progress Administration, leading into the inherent problems that seem to always invade upon large social welfare programs in nearly any society. Signed into law via and executive order in 1935, the Works Progress

Consider the marriage proposals in Essay Example for Free

Consider the marriage proposals in Essay Consider the marriage proposals in Pride and Prejudice and what we learned about the characters and the early 19th Century society in which they lived in. During Pride and Prejudice there are six examples of marriage proposals to consider. Throughout this essay I am going to be commenting on the proposals between Mr Darcy and Lizzie the first time, Mr Collins and Lizzie, Mr Collins and Charlotte as well as Mr Bingley and Jane, Wickham and Lydia and the second proposal of Mr Darcy to Lizzie. Whilst looking at these proposals I will also be analysing the aspects of Love, Money, the relative status and class and the views of others, which might have influence within these proposals. The first proposal I am going to analyse is Mr Darcy to Lizzie. Mr Darcy proposed to Lizzie in Kent at Mr Collins and Charlottes house when Lizzie was visiting them for a few weeks and Mr Darcy was staying with Lady Catherine De Bourgh, his aunt. Mr Darcy and Lizzie were first acquainted with one another at Netherfields, which is the neighbouring estate to Longbourne, Lizzies family house. They met at a ball, which was held by the new lodger Mr Bingley at Netherfields, and Mr Darcy was there as a friend of Mr Bingleys who hosting the ball for his new arrival to the village. Lizzie and Darcy didnt get on at first as Lizzie thought he was arrogant and unsociable. But Mr Darcys dislike for Lizzie gradually grew to love for her. It seems that the continuation of this dislike was all a cover for his real feelings as he did not want to love or marry a woman who was beneath him in every state, money and status and especially the views of others would of discouraged him to act upon his feelings for Lizzie as he was thought of as much more superior to Lizzie and her family and at that time it was thought of as wrong or unheard of to marry someone beneath you. Mr Darcy did not only hide his feelings from Lizzie he also tried to hide them from himself. Mr Darcy gets to a stage where he cant avoid his feelings for Lizzie anymore so he decides to act upon them because Lizzie is so beneath him he assumes that Lizzie will have no other option but to accept his proposal as he feels that she cant resist him as he has enough money and class to set her up for life. Mr Darcy says to Lizzie. In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings for you cannot be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. However to Mr Darcys surprise Lizzie refuses his proposal as she will only marry for love and she doesnt love Mr Darcy and she also is outraged with Mr Darcy at the insults towards her family. Just before the proposal Lizzie also found out that Mr Darcy had separated her sister and her love, Mr Bingley by persuading him to move back to London, which infuriates Lizzie even more. Lizzie says to Mr Darcy. You are mistaken, Mr Darcy, if you suppose that he mode of your declaration affected me in any other way, than as it spared me the concern which I might have felt in refusing you, had you behaved in a more gentlemen like manner. This quotation showed how much Lizzie really despised him at that moment in time by questioning his gentlemen like manner, which was a big thing for men in those days. The second proposal I am going to look at is Mr Collins to Lizzie. Mr Collins proposed to Lizzie at Longbourne, the family estate. Mr Collins was a clergyman to Lady Catherine De Bourgh. Mr Collins asked Lizzie to marry him as Lady Catherine De Bourgh requested him too and as he is a clergyman he is expected to marry. Mr Collins also wants to marry her for the sake of her family, as Mr Collins is the closest male relative to Mr Bennet being his cousin, which meant that when Mr Bennet died Mr Collins would inherit Longbourne estate and Mrs Bennet and the girls would be kicked out of their own house so by marrying Lizzie they would become a proper family meaning he wouldnt have to kick the rest of the Bennet family out. Mr Collins goes into the kitchen to talk to Lizzie. Lizzie knows Mr Collins will try and propose to her so she tries to get out of being alone with him but Mrs Bennet orders Lizzie to stay and talk to Mr Collins. Mr Collins tries to get Lizzies attention but Lizzie is trying desperately not to acknowledge him. Believe me, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that your modesty so far from doing you any disserve, rather adds to your perfections. Mr Collins takes Lizzies resistance the wrong way as he thinks Lizzie is trying to be modest where as Lizzie is actually trying to get out of this proposal before Mr Collins makes anymore a fool of himself. Even still Mr Collins carries on with the proposal assuming that Lizzie will accept his hand in marriage. Lizzie then says after much need for an answer. You are too hasty- you forget I have made no answer. Lizzie has become very irritated by Mr Collins at this stage, but Mr Collins is still not happy with this answer so he goes to find Mrs Bennet. Mr Collins explains the situation to Mrs Bennet and she is furious with Lizzie for turning down his marriage proposal and tries to reassure Mr Collins that she will change her mind. Lizzie shall be brought to reason. I will speak to her about it myself directly. She is a very headstrong foolish girl and does not know her own interest, but I will make her know it. This quotation shows how infuriated Mrs Bennet is with Lizzie as she turned down such an opportunity. Mrs Bennet is a very shallow woman as she wants her daughters married off as soon as possible because in those days it was thought the sooner all your daughters were married the better they were brought up or the more successful mother you had been. Mrs Bennet speaks to Lizzie about it but she is persistent she doesnt want to marry Mr Collins, as she does not love him, she doesnt have any affection for him. Mrs Bennet talks to Mr Bennet about the proposal to try and get Lizzie to marry Mr Collins but Mr Bennet is also against the wedding. In this proposal money doesnt really play a part as Lizzie and Mr Collins are of about the same wealth. Love plays no role, as neither of them loves another although Mr Collins has great affection for Lizzie. Status plays a minuet role as Mr Collins has contacts, which are high up in society, but this is not enough for Lizzie. The views of others plays the biggest role in this proposal as Mr Collins only looked for a wife in the first place as he was told to be his patron, Lady Catherine De Bourgh. Mrs Bennet also was for the wedding, as she wanted her daughter to be married. The third proposal is Mr Collins to Charlotte. Mr Collins proposes to Charlotte as he wanted a wife and was turned down by Lizzie. He wants a wife because his patron, Lady Catherine De Bourgh requested him to get one, who is not too rich or pretty just a nice friendly woman who she can get along with and invite over for tea or dinner. After the refusal from Lizzie Mr Collins felt awkward staying with the Bennets so when he was invited to stay with Charlotte and her family who was Lizzies best friend he jumped at the chance. Charlotte was very happy about the new arrangements, as she was 27 years old and not married so in those days she was considered as on the shelf which meant this could be her last chance of marriage. Mr Collins proposed to Charlotte at Lucas Lodge, her family home. Charlotte accepted without any hesitation and couldnt wait to make her news known. She went to tell her best friend, Lizzie first but Lizzie didnt approve, as she knew her friend did not love him but Charlotte aired her opinions to her. I am not romantic, you know, I never was I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr Collins character, connections and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast when entering the marriage state. This quotation proves that Charlotte did not marry Mr Collins for love she married him for security. Lizzie is not satisfied with this but congratulates her still. When Mrs Bennet hears the news doesnt believe it as she still thinks Mr Collins still wants to marry Lizzie. God Lord! Sir William, how can you tell such a story? Do you not know that Mr Collins wants to marry Lizzie. Mrs Bennet is very upset that Mr Collins has got engaged to Charlotte rather than Lizzie. In this proposal love doesnt play any role for either of them and status doesnt as they are of about the same class although Mr Collins has higher society connections than Charlotte. Money doesnt influence the marriage, as there are both of about the same wealth where as the influence of others does as he is told be his patrons to find a wife. The next proposal I am going to analyse is Mr Bingley to Jane. Mr Bingley and Jane where a love match from the beginning of the book, when Mr Bingley moved into Netherfields, the neighbouring estate to Longbourne. Their love was blossoming until his best friend Mr Darcy talked Mr Bingley as he felt it was in his best interest. But Mr Bingley and Jane were united again when Mr Darcy saw the error of his ways, thanks to Lizzie Janes sister. The proposal took place in Longbourne estate. Mr Bingley after a few visits since after moving back asks Jane to take his hand in marriage however the actual proposal is not written in the book. Jane is ecstatic about the news and tells Lizzie. I am certainly the most fortunate creature that ever existed! Oh Lizzy, why am I thus singled from my family, and blessed above them all! If I could but see you as happy! This quotation shows how happy Jane is about the marriage but it also shows even though she is so happy she is still sparing thought for her family, as she wants them to be as happy as she is. In this proposal love plays a very big role as that is what drives the relationship forward to marriage, status doesnt play a role although Mr Bingley is of a much higher class than Jane I think their love for each other conquers this. Money doesnt play a role in this, as Jane isnt interested in his money even though he has much more wealth than her. The influence of others does help them as everyone is for the marriage as they can see the true love between them. After Mr Bingley has left Jane speaks to her father about the marriage. Jane I congratulate you. You will be a very happy woman. This quotation proves the support for the wedding from Janes family and it also proves that Mr Bennet has great admiration for Mr Bingley. The next proposal I am going to analyse is Wickham and Lydia. Lydia and Wickham run away together. Wickham is only interested in Lydia because he had been turned down by many woman as they realised he was only after their wealth but with Lydia it is different she doesnt have any money. He run away with Lydia because he wanted someone young he could have a good time with. But when Mr Gardiner, Lydias uncle asked him, to marry her he accepted as Mr Gardiner offered to pay off all his debts if he married her as it would redeem some respect towards them from others as they would be married. Mr Gardiner wrote to Mr Bennet to tell him what had happened, later Mr Bennet talked to Jane about the situation. Yes, yes, they must marry. There is nothing else to be done. But there are two things that I want to know: one, how much money your uncle has laid down to bring it about; and the other, how I am I ever to pay him. This quotation shows that Mr Bennet thinks marriage is the right thing to do but is very concerned about how he shall pay back the money to Mr Gardiner. In this proposal love doesnt play a role for Wickham as he doesnt feel any consideration or affection for Lydia but I think Lydia loves Wickham and is perhaps naive enough to think that he loves her back. Money plays a huge role for Wickham as he is only going to marry Lydia for the money he is going to receive from her uncle, which will pay off all his debts it also means that he will be related to Jane and Lizzie who are married to very wealthy men. Status and the views of others play no role for either of them as they ran away together regardless of what other people thought. The last proposal I am going to look at is the second proposal between Mr Darcy and Lizzie. After the refusal of his last proposal Darcy has done all he can to get back into Lizzies good books. He got Mr Bingley and Jane back together after separating them. Mr Darcy was also really hurt by Lizzies remark to him after she refused his hand in marriage. Had you behaved in a more gentlemen like manner. This hurt Mr Darcy as he felt he was a perfect gentlemen but when he looked back at how he behaved towards Lizzie and her family he realised he had behaved appallingly. However Mr Darcy still felt the same about Lizzie he even felt he loved her more and he now thought that nothing else mattered so he decided he would ask Lizzie for her hand in marriage again. Mr Darcy went to visit Lizzie as his aunt, Lady Catherine De Bourgh had come to see her and warn her off from marrying Mr Darcy although Lizzie didnt intend too as she thought all feelings for her from Mr Darcy were over by then. Lady Catherine De Bourgh tried to stop Lizzie from marrying Mr Darcy. You are determined to ruin him in the opinion of all his friends, and him the contempt of the world. Lizzie was agitated at such a comment as she had no intention in marrying Mr Darcy as she had not spoken to Mr Darcy for months but this made her think about her real feelings for Darcy, she discovered that from hate she had started to like Mr Darcy even love him. Mr Darcy proposed to Lizzie on a lane outside her house. Lizzie accepted his proposal and showed remorse for how she treated him in the past. Mr Darcy was overwhelmed by her answer. The happiness which this reply was such as he had probably never felt before, and he expressed himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do! This quotation shows how strongly Mr Darcy felt for Lizzie, as he was so happy from her acceptance in his hand of marriage. Lizzie was so excited by the marriage that she went and told her family straight away. She spoke to Mr Bennet and he wasnt so sure if Lizzie loved Mr Darcy as it wasnt so long ago she hated him, he wanted to make sure that Lizzie wasnt marrying him for his or her mothers sake. My child let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect your partner in life. You know not what you are about. This quotation is basically Mr Bennet saying to Lizzie that it might be great at the moment but make sure you still will feel the same way in the later future as he is saying that he doesnt want her to end up like him not respecting his partner, Mrs Bennet. This shows how protective Mr Bennet is over Lizzie, as he only wants her to marry if she is sure it is the right thing to do. In this proposal love plays a big role as it alimented all the other aspects as they loved each other so much in the end that it didnt matter how much money they had, what status they were and they definitely didnt care what other people thought about the marriage especially as Mr Darcy was disowned by his aunt Lady Catherine De Bourgh due to his marriage to Lizzie. But Mr Bennet and the family where very pleased for Lizzie as they knew it was for love. Lizzie and Jane had a joint wedding, which made it more special for both of them. In the 19th Century marriage was thought of as a must for women and if you were over the age of 26 years old you were considered as on the shelf, which made it hard for woman to get married over that age. There were also many issues that a woman had to think about before they got married, whether they were in love which wasnt a major issue but it was though of as a bonus if they were. Money and status played a huge role in deciding who to marry, rich men went for women of the same class or a bit higher which made it difficult for woman of a lower class or without much wealth to marry a wealthier or higher classed man. It was thought of as unethical to marry someone beneath you in any state. The influence of others played a big role in those days as people were put under a lot of pressure to get married as soon as possible and to someone higher up the society ladder. As you can see the attitudes to marriage in the 19th Century in which these characters lived in is very different to the attitudes in which we live in today.

Stackelberg Leader Follower Models For Strategic Decision Making Engineering Essay

Stackelberg Leader Follower Models For Strategic Decision Making Engineering Essay This paper reviews some Stackelberg Leader-Follower models used for strategic decision making. The simple Stackelberg duopoly is looked at first, and a generalisation of the Stackelberg duopoly problem is given. By studying the models by Murphy et al. (1983) and Smeers and Wolf (1997), the paper reviews Stackelberg model from its classical form to the recent stochastic versions. The paper looks at the mathematical formulation of both a nonlinear mathematical programming model and a nonlinear stochastic programming model. Towards the end of this paper, a simple numeric example is given and practical applications of Stackelberg Leader-Follower models are discussed. Chapter 1: Introduction In economics, an oligopoly is considered to be the most interesting and complex market structure (amongst other structures like monopolies and perfect competition). Most industries in the UK and world- from retailing to fast food, mobile phone networks to professional services- are oligopolistic. Given the current financial climate, it is imperative for firms to be sure that they make decisions accurately, maximising not only their profit, but also their chances of remaining competitive. Many mathematicians and economists have attempted to model the decision making process and profit maximizing strategies of oligopolistic firms. For example, A. A. Cournot was one of the first mathematicians to model the behaviours of monopolies and duopolies in 1838. In Cournots model both firms choose their output simultaneously assuming that the other firm does not alter its output (Gibbons, 1992). Later, in 1934, H. V. Stackelberg proposed a different model where one of the duopoly firms makes its output decision first and the other firm observes this decision and sets its output level (Stackelberg, 1934). The classical Stackelberg model has been extended to model a variety of strategic decision making. For example, Murphy et al. (1983) model the output decision making process in an oligopoly. Later works by Smeers and Wolf (1997) extend this model to include a stochastic element. More interestingly, in a model by He et al. (2009), the Stackelberg theory is used to model the interaction between a manufacturer and a retailer when making decisions about cooperative advertising policies and wholesale prices. The objective of this paper is to review the Stackelberg models from its classic form to the more recent stochastic versions. In chapter 2, the simple Stackelberg duopoly is reviewed and a generalisation of the Stackelberg duopoly problem is given. In chapter 3, more complicated and recent models are reviewed. The mathematical formulation of Murphy et al.s (1983) and Smeers and Wolfs (1997) model is given. At the end of chapter 3, a numerical example is applied to Smeers and Wolfs (1997) model. In chapter 4, practical applications of Stackelberg leader-follower models are discussed. Chapter 4 also looks at the drawbacks of and possible extensions to Stackelberg models. Appendix 1 explains the Oligopoly market structure and economics involved in profit maximisation. Chapter 2: Classical Stackelberg Leader-Follower Model 2.1 Duopoly Behaviour Stackelberg (1934) discussed price formation under oligopoly by looking at the special case of a duopoly. He argued that firms in a duopoly can behave either as dependent on or independent of the rival firms behaviour: Referring to the two firms as firm 1 and firm 2, respectively, firm 1s behaviour can be generalised as follows: Firm 1 views the behaviour of firm 2 as being independent of firm 1s behaviour. Firm 1 would regard firm 2s supply as a given variable and adapts itself to this supply. Thus, the behaviour of firm 1 is dependent on that of firm 2 (Stackelberg, 1934). Firm 1 can view the behaviour of firm 2 as being dependent on firm 1s behaviour. Thus, firm 2 always adapts itself to the formers behaviour (firm 2 views firm 1s behaviour as a given situation) (Stackelberg, 1934). However, according to Stackelberg (1934), there is a difference in the firms actual positions; each of the firms could adapt to either of these two positions, making price formation imperfect. Stackelberg (1934) describes three cases that arise from this situation: Bowler (1924) first described a situation when both firms in the duopoly strive for market dominance. According to Bowler (1924), for this to happen the first firm supplies the quantity it would if it dominated the market with the second firm as a follower. This supply is referred to as the independent supply. By supplying this output level the first firm tries to convince the second firm to view its behaviour as a given variable. However, the second firm also supplies the independent supply since it is also striving for market dominance. This duopoly is referred to as the Bowler duopoly with total supply of the duopoly equalling the sum of two independent supply. According to Stackelberg (1934), the price formation under the Bowler duopoly is unstable because neither of the firms tries to maximise profit under the given circumstance. The second case described by Stackelberg (1934) is a situation where both firms favour being dependent on the other firms behaviour. The first firm would have to match (in a profit maximising manner) its output level to the each output in the second firms feasible set of output. The second firm does the same and both firms are thus followers. This is a Cournot duopoly, first described by A. A Cournot in 1838. According to Stackelberg 1934, the price formation here is unstable because neither of the firms tries to achieve the largest profit under the given circumstance. The third case is a situation where one firm strives for independence and the other favour being dependent. In this case both firms are better off doing what the other firm would like. Both firms adapt their behaviour to maximising profit under the given circumstance. This situation is referred to as the asymmetric duopoly or more commonly as the Stackelberg duopoly. The price formation is more stable in this case because, according to Stackelberg (1934), no one has an interest in modifying the actual price formation. The Stackelberg model is based on the third case of a Stackelberg duopoly. 2.2 The Model In the Stackelberg duopoly the leader (Stackelberg firm) moves first and the follower moves second. As opposed to other models like the Bertrand model and Cournot model where firms make decisions about price or output simultaneously, firms in the Stackelberg duopoly make decisions sequentially. The Stackelberg equilibrium is determined using backwards induction (first determine the follower firms best response to an arbitrary output level by the Stackelberg firm). According to Gibbons (1992), information is an important element of the model. The information in question is the Stackelberg firms level of output (or price, Dastidar (2004) looks at Stackelberg equilibrium in price). The follower firm would know this output once the Stackelberg firm moves first and, as importantly, the Stackelberg firm knows that the follower firm will know the output level and respond to it accordingly. Inspired by the work of Gibbons (1992), Murphy et al. (1983) and Dastidar (2004), a general solution to the Stackelberg game (duopoly) is derived in the parts that follow. 2.2.1 Price function, cost functions, and profit functions Suppose that two firms in a duopoly supply a homogeneous product. Denote the demand function of this market as, where is the total level of output supplied by the duopoly (is the Stackelberg firms output level and is the follower firms output level). The price function can be re-written as. Denote the cost functions (Appendix 1) as for the Stackelberg firm, and for the follower firm. The profit function of the Stackelberg firm is given by: Similarly, the profit function of the follower firm is given by: 2.2.2 Backward induction to derive the best response functions and Stackelberg equilibrium According to Gibbons (1992), the best response for the follower will be one that maximises its profit given the output decision of the Stackelberg firm. The followers profit maximisation problem can be written as: This can be solved by differentiating the objective function and equating the differential to zero (as seen in Appendix 1). Using chain rule to differentiate equation [2] and setting the differential to zero, the following result is obtained: Note that this is a partial differentiation of the profit function since the function depends on the demand function which depends on two variables. Equation [4] gives the followers best response function. For a given the best response quantity satisfies equation [4]. As a result, the Stackelberg firms profit maximisation problem becomes: By differentiating the objective function in equation [5] and equating the differential to zero, the following result which maximises the Stackelberg firms profit is obtained: By solving equation [6] with the follower firms best response profit maximising output, is obtained by the Stackelberg firm given the followers best response. Gibbons (1992) describes as the Stackelberg equilibrium (or the Nash equilibrium of the Stackelberg game). 2.2.3 Example Gibbons (1992) considers a simple duopoly selling homogeneous products. He assumes that both firms are identical and the marginal cost of production is constant at. He also assumes that the market faces a linear downward sloping demand curve. The profit function of the firms is given by: where, with representing the Stackelberg firm and representing the follower firm. Using backward induction, the follower firms best response function is calculated: Solving equation [8]: The Stackelberg firm anticipates that its output will be met by the followers response. Thus the Stackelberg firm maximises profit by setting output to: Solving equation [10]: Substituting this in equation [9]: Equations [11] and [12] give the Stackelberg equilibrium. The total output in this Stackelberg duopoly is. Note: Gibbons (1992) worked out the total output in a Cournot duopoly to be (using this example) which is less than the output in the Stackelberg duopoly; the market price is higher in the Cournot duopoly and lower in the Stackelberg duopoly. Each firm in the Cournot duopoly produces; the follower is worse off in the Stackelberg model than in the Cournot model because it would supply a lower quantity at a lower market price. Clear, there exists a first mover advantage in this case. In general, according to Dastidar (2004), first advantage is possible if firms are identical and if the demand is concave and costs are convex. Gal-or (1985) showed that first mover advantage exists if the firms are identical and have identical downward sloping best response functions. Chapter 3: Recent Stackelberg Leader-Follower Models The classical Stackelberg model has been an inspiration for many economists and mathematicians. Murphy et al. (1983) extend the Stackelberg model to an oligopoly. Later, Smeers and Wolf (1997) extended Murphy et al.s model to a stochastic version where demand is unknown when the Stackelberg firm makes its decision. In a more recent report by DeMiguel and Xu (2009) the Stackelberg problem is extended to an oligopoly with multi-leaders. In this section the models proposed by Murphy et al. (1983) and Smeers and Wolf (1997) are reviewed. 3.1 A Nonlinear Mathematical Programming Version The model proposed by Murphy et al (1983), is a nonlinear mathematical programming version of the Stackelberg model. In their model, they consider the supply side of an oligopoly that supplies homogeneous product. The model is designed to model output decisions in a non-cooperative oligopoly. There are followers in this market who are referred to as Cournot firms (note that from now onwards the follower firms are referred to as Cournot firm as opposed to just follower firms) and leader who is referred to as the Stackelberg firm (as before). The Stackelberg firm considers the reaction of the Cournot firms in its output decision and sets its output level in a profit maximising manner. The Cournot firms, on the other hand, observe the Stackelberg firms decision and maximise their individual profits by setting output under the Cournot assumption of zero conjectural variations (Carlton and Perloff, 2005, define conjectural variation are expectations made by firms in an oligopolistic market about reactions of the other firm). It is assumed that all the firms have complete knowledge about the other firms. 3.1.1 Notations and assumptions For each Cournot firm, let represent the output level. For the Stackelberg firm, let represent the output level (note that is used here instead of, as seen earlier, to distinguish the Stackelberg firm from the Cournot firms). is the total cost function of level of output by Cournot firms and is the total cost function of level of output by the Stackelberg firm. Let represents the inverse market demand curve (that is, is the price at which consumers are willing and able to purchase units of output). In addition to the Cournot assumption and assumption of complete knowledge, Murphy et al. (1983) make the following assumption: and are both convex and twice differentiable. is a strictly decreasing function and twice differentiable which satisfies the following inequality, There exists a quantity (the maximum level of output any firm is willing to supply) such that, For referencing, these set of assumption will be referred to as Assumption A. Assumption 2 implies that the industrys marginal revenue (Appendix 1) decreases as industry supply increases. A proof of this statement can be found in the report by Murphy et al. (1983). Assumption 3 implies that at output levels the marginal cost is greater than the price. 3.1.2 Stackelberg-Nash-Cournot (SCN) equilibrium The Stackelberg-Nash-Cournot (SCN) equilibrium is derived at in a similar way to the Stackelberg equilibrium seen in chapter 2. Using backward induction, Murphy et al. (1983) first maximise the Cournot firms profit under the assumption of zero conjectural variation and for a given. For each Cournot firm let the set of output levels be such that, for a given and assuming are fixed, solves the following Cournot problem: According to Murphy et al. (1983), the objective function in equation [15] is a strictly convex profit function over the closed, convex and compact interval. This implies that a unique optimum exists. The functions can be referred to as the joint reaction functions of the Cournot firms. Murphy et al. (1983) define the aggregate reaction curve as: The Stackelberg problem can be written as: If solves, then the set of output levels is the SNC equilibrium with To get this equilibrium, the output levels need to be determined. Murphy et al. (1983) use the Equilibrating program (a family of mathematical programs designed to reconcile the supply-side and demand-side of a market to equilibrium) to determine: Let the Lagrange multiplier associated with the maximisation problem [19] be. Murphy et al.s (1983) approach here is to determine for which the optimal. The following result, obtained from Murphy et al. (1983), defines the optimal solution to problem [19]: Theorem 1: For a fixed, consider Problem suppose that satisfy Assumption A. Denote by the unique optimal solution to and let be the corresponding optimal Lagrange Multiplier associated with problem [19]. (In case since alternative optimal multipliers associated with problem [19] exist, let be the minimum non-negative optimal Lagrange Multiplier.) Then, is a continuous function of for. is a continuous, strictly decreasing function of. Moreover, there exist output levels and such that and . A set of output levels optimal to Problem, where, satisfy the Cournot Problem [15] if and only if, whence, for. (This theorem is taken from Murphy et al. (1983) with a few alterations to the notation) The proof of this result can be found in the report by Murphy et al. (1983). This theorem provides an efficient way of finding for each fixed. For example, one can simple conduct a univariate bisection search to find the unique root of. 3.1.3 Properties of and Murphy et al. (1983) describes the aggregate Cournot reaction curve as follows: is a continuous, strictly decreasing function of. If the right hand derivative of with respect to is denoted as (the rate of increase of with an increase in ), then for each : The proof to these two properties can be found in the report by Murphy et al. (1983). Murphy et al. (1983) state that if solves the Stackelberg problem [17], then the profit made by the Stackelberg firm is greater than or equal to the profit it would have made as a Cournot firm. Suppose that is a Nash-Cournot equilibrium for the firm oligopoly. is the output the Stackelberg firm would supply if it was a Cournot firm. solves: But since solves the Stackelberg problem [17], the following must hold: In fact, is the lower bound of. The proof to this can be found in Murphy et al. (1983) From assumption 3 in Assumption A, it is clear that. Thus, it is clear that is an upper bound. However, according to Murphy et al. (1983) another upper bound exists. In a paper by Sherali et al. (1980) on the Interaction between Oligopolistic firms and Competitive Fringe (a price taking firm in an oligopoly that competes with dominant firms) a different follower-follower model is discussed. In this model, the competitive fringe is content at equilibrium to have adjusted its output to the level for which marginal cost equals price. Murphy et al. (1983) summarise this model as follows: For fixed and suppose is a set of output levels such that for each firm solves: and For the Stackelberg firm, let satisfy: In addition to Assumption A, if is strictly convex, then a unique solution exists and satisfies conditions [23] and [24]. The Equilibrating Program with a fringe becomes: Theorem 1 holds for with and which implies that. In fact, if is strictly convex, is the upper bound of. Collectively, is bounded as follows: 3.1.4 Existence and uniqueness of the Stackelberg-Nash-Cournot equilibrium Murphy et al. (1983) prove the existence and uniqueness of the Stackelberg-Nash-Cournot (SCN) equilibrium. Their approach to the proof is summarised below: Existence For the SNC equilibrium to exist, and for should satisfy Assumption A. Since is bounded and is continuous (as is continuous), the Stackelberg problem [17] involves the maximisation of a continuous objective function over the compact set. This implies that an optimal solution exists. From Theorem 1 it is seen that a unique set of output levels, which simultaneously solves the Cournot problem [15], exists. As a result the SNC equilibrium exists. Uniqueness If is convex, then the equilibrium is unique. Since is convex, the objective function of the Stackelberg problem [17] becomes strictly concave on. This has been proven by Murphy et al. (1983) and the proof can be found in their report. This implies the equilibrium is unique. 3.1.5 Algorithm to solve the Stackelberg problem Murphy et al. (1983) provide an algorithm in their report to solve the Stackelberg problem. This algorithm is summarised as follows: To start with the Stackelberg firm needs the following information about the market and the Cournot firms: Cost functions of the Cournot firms, satisfying Assumption A. The upper bound as per Assumption A. The inverse demand function for the industry, which also satisfies Assumption A. With this information, the Stackelberg firm need to determine the lower bound and split the interval into grid points with, where and (from [26]). A piecewise linear approximation of is made as follows: Here, is an approximation to and from equation [20] it follows that: Note that at each grid point the approximation agrees with. The Stackelberg problem [17], thus, becomes: can be re-written as: Where and Thus problem [30] becomes: The objective function is strictly concave and solvable. Let be the objective function of the Stackelberg problem [17] and the objective function of the piecewise Stackelberg problem [32], then: Suppose is the optimum level of output. First, suppose that is an endpoint of the interval, then. Now suppose that, that is, . Then needs to be evaluated in order to determine. Theorem 1 can be used here. Recall that is a continuous, decreasing function of. To find the point where (part iii of Theorem 1), the following method is suggested by Murphy et al. (1983): Figure : Method for determining Source: Smeers and Wolf (1997) (alterations made to the notation) First determine using the bounds. Next, determine using the bounds. Then determine using the bounds.Next, determine using the bounds and so on. If then evaluate using the bounds. Having evaluated for some grid points, the game can either be terminated with the best of these grid points as an optimal solution or the grid can be redefined at an appropriate region to improve accuracy. Murphy et al. (1983) go on to determine the maximum error from the estimated optimal Stackelberg solution. This is summarised below: Let be the derivative of with respect to , then: Let be the marginal profit made by the Stackelberg firm for supplying units of output, Let be the actual optimal objective function value in the interval with the estimate being . Then the error of this estimate is defined as: satisfies the following: This concludes the review of Murphy et al.s (1983) nonlinear mathematical programing model of the Stackelberg problem in an oligopoly. 3.2 A Stochastic Version Smeers and Wolf (1997) provide an extension to the nonlinear mathematical programming version of the Stackelberg model by Murphy et al. (1983) discussed in subsection 3.1. In the same way as Murphy et al.s (1983) model, the Stackelberg game in this version is played in two stages. In the first stage, the Stackelberg firm makes a decision about its output level. In the second stage, the Cournot firms, having observed the Stackelberg firms decision, react according to the Cournot assumption of zero conjectural variation. However, Smeers and Wolf (1997) add the element of uncertainty to this process. When the Stackelberg firm makes its decision the market demand is uncertain, but demand is known when the Cournot firms make their decision. This makes the Smeers and Wolfs (1997) version of the Stackelberg model stochastic. Smeers and Wolf (1997) assume that this uncertainty can be modelled my demand scenarios. 3.2.1 Notations and Assumption For the costs functions, the same notations are used. is the total cost function of level of output by Cournot firms and is the total cost function of level of output by the Stackelberg firm. The demand function is changed slightly to take into account the uncertainty. is a set of demand scenarios with corresponding probabilities of occurrence As such, is the price at which customers are willing and able to purchase units of output in demand scenario . has a probability of occurrence. The same Assumption set A discussed in subsection 3.1.1 apply here with alterations made to conditions [13] and [14]. Assumption set A can be re-written as: and are both convex and twice differentiable, as before. is a strictly decreasing function and twice differentiable which satisfies the following inequality, There exists a quantity (the maximum level of output any firm is willing to supply in each demand scenario) such that, For referencing, these set of assumption will be referred to as Assumption B. 3.2.2 Stochastic Stackelberg-Nash-Cournot (SSNC) equilibrium Smeers and Wolf (1997) use the same approach seen before to derive the SSNC equilibrium. The Cournot problem [15]can be re-written as follows: For each Cournot firm and each demand scenario, let the set of output levels be such that, for a given and assuming are fixed, solves the following Cournot problem: Note that is the output level of Cournot firm when the demand scenario is . For each, according to Murphy et al. (1983), the objective function in equation [40] is a strictly convex profit function over the closed, convex and compact interval. The functions can be referred to as the joint reaction functions of the Cournot firms for a demand scenario. The aggregate reaction curve becomes: The Stackelberg problem with demand uncertainty can be written as: Note the Stackelberg problem defined problem [42] differs from that defined in [17]. This is because of the element of uncertainty. The Cournot problem [40] is similar to the Cournot problem [15] because the demand is known when the Cournot firms make their decision. In the Stackelberg problem [42] note the element. This is the estimated mean price, that is, the Stackelberg firm considers the reaction of the Cournot firm under each demand scenario and works out the market price in each scenario, and it then multiplies it by the probability of each scenario. The summation of this represents the estimated mean price. If solves the stochastic, then the set of output levels is the SSNC equilibrium for demand scenario. To get this equilibrium, the output levels need to be determined. Smeers and Wolf (1997) use the same approach as Murphy et al. (1983) in doing so. The Equilibrating program is the same as that in [19], with changes made to the Cournot output and demand function: For each demand scenario , Theorem 1 lays out a foundation on how to solve the Equilibrating program in problem [19] and can also be used to solve [44]. Smeers and Wolf (1997) Summarise Theorem 1 as follows: Theorem 2: For each fixed, An optimal solution for the problem satisfies the Cournot problem [40] if and only if the Lagrange multiplier,, associated with the Equilibrating program [44], is equal to zero. This multiplier is a continuous, strictly decreasing function of . Moreover, there exists and such that: (This theorem is taken from Smeers and Wolf (1997), with a few alteration to the notations) The properties of are the same as those discussed in subsection 3.1.3. The existence and uniqueness of the SSNC equilibrium is shown in the same ways as the SNC equilibrium of Murphy et al.s (1983) model discussed in subsection 3.1.4. 3.2.3 Algorithm to solve the Stackelberg problem The Stackelberg problem here is solved in the same way Murphy et al. (1983) proposed (discussed in subsection 3.1.5). In their report, Smeers and Wolf (1997) do not specify the upper and lower bound of, thus, it is assumed that is bounded by.The interval can be split into grid points with, where and . The piecewise linear approximation of in [27] can be re-written as follows: Here, has the same properties as [29]. The Stackelberg problem [42], thus, becomes: Hereafter, the algorithm summarised in subsection 3.1.5 can be used to solve this problem. 3.3 Numerical Example In Murphy et al.s (1983) report a simple example of the Stackelberg model is given. They consider the case of a linear demand curve and quadratic cost functions: It is assumed that the Stackelberg firm and Cournot firms are identical. The Cournot problem [15] becomes as follow, with as the optimal solution: Solving this problem yields: Note the upper bound of is found by setting. The working to get equation [51] is shown in Appendix 2. The aggregate reaction curve can be written as: Using this information, this example is now extended to Smeers and Wolfs (1997) model with numerical values. Note that the functions listed in equations [49], [50], [51] and [52] satisfy Assumptions A B and other properties discussed in previous sections. Suppose and. And suppose demand is unknown when the Stackelberg firm makes its decision. The cost functions of the firms will be as follows: Figure : Different Demand Scenarios The tables below describe the possible demand scenarios, probability of each scenario occurring, the joint reaction curve and aggregate reaction curve for, and: Scenario, Demand, Probability, = Demand falls, = Demand remains unchanged, = Demand Increases, Scenario, Joint reaction curve, Aggregate reaction curve, Using this information, the Stackelberg problem [42] can be solved. First, the estimated price element can be calculated as follows: Substituting this result back into the Stackelberg problem [42] gives: This problem can easily be solved by differentiating the objective function and finding the value of for which the differential is equal to zero. The working to obtain the following optimal solution is shown in Appendix 2. Using this result, the following result is obtained for each demand scenario: Figure : Optimal Output, Price and Profit 1 260.870 98.02 652.96 147.04 2 260.870 134.39 798.42 201.58 3 260.870 170.75 943.87 256.13 Stackelberg firm Profit, Cournot firm Profit, Industry Profit, 1 21,243.87 12,010.81 69,387.12 2 35,573.12 22,574.95 125,872.92 3 49,802.37 36,444.87 195,581.87 The tables in figure 3 state the SSNC equilibriums for each scenario, and the profits made by each firm in this oligopoly and the total industry profit in each scenario. Note that since is strictly convex, the equilibrium obtained for each scenario is unique. Also note that in all three scenarios, the Stackelberg Output and profit is greater than that of the Cournot firms, illustrating the first mover advantage. Chapter 4: Discussion In this section, the practical applications, drawbacks and possible extensions to Stackelberg models are discussed. 4.1 Practical Applications of Stackelberg models Stackelberg models are widely used by firms to aid decision making. Some examples include: Manufacturer-Retailer Supply Chain He et al. (2009) present a stochastic Stackelberg problem to model the interaction between a manufacturer and a retailer. The manufacturer would announce its cooperative advertising policy (percentage of retailers advertising expenses it will cover-participation rate) and the wholesale price. The retailer, in response, chooses its optimal advertising and pricing policies. When the retailers advertising and pricing is an importan

Strategic change in organizations Creative and Innovation Strategic hrm

Strategic change in organizations Creative and Innovation Strategic hrm The factor of change is one of the most certain factors in an organisational life. The certainty of change gives birth to the need of its appropriate management. Academics presented various models of the change management like McKinsey 7-S Model, Kotters Eight Step Change Model, etc. In this section of the paper we will evaluate the changing environment of Abbey National in the current economy by employing three models of change i.e. 5 Ps Model of Pryor, McKinsey 7-S Model, and Lewins Change Management Model in detail. 5 Ps Model of Pryor: Introduction The 5P model is a joint presentation of Mildred Golden Pryor, J. Chris White, Leslie A. Toombs and John H. Humphreys. It is a model of strategic management to obtain organisational success through 5 variables: Purpose, Principles, Processes, People, and Performance. Key Points of the Model The points mentioned below explain the model: Purpose is a variable that includes the objectives, goals, mission, strategies, feedback, and vision, and all other factors that show the intensions of the organization. Leaders of the organizations should clearly deliver the strategies and tactics to the staff in order to obtain the organizational goals. The other variables like principle and processes must be aligned with the purpose. Principles are the next P after Purpose. They encompass all organisational attitudes, assumptions and philosophies that indicate how to conduct the business. They also include ethics and other integrity elements to which employees need to make the commitment at the time of hiring. They are extremely important for the successful execution of organisational activities. Principles should be aligned with processes that involve all those infrastructure, systems, procedures and structure which are employed by organisation for the production of goods and for performing services. People are a group of individuals that achieve the organisational purposes by following principles of the organisation. Performance is comprised of all the metrics, results and measurements that are used as a standard for decision making process of the organisation. The establishment of measurement and feedback is an important task of leader for the long run survival and profitability of the organisation. All above stated 5Ps must be aligned with each other if the organisational leaders want to achieve a maximum efficiency and output (Pryor, et al 2007). Relevance of 5 Ps Model to Abbey National in the current economy The 5P model is of relevance to Abbey National in the current economy, especially when it is undergoing a big change of its history. This is so because the 5Ps model is a best suit for strategic, quality, organisational, and change management. As Abbey National is overtaken by Grupo Santander, which is an international banking group so the new leader has to realize the current economic conditions of the UK in order to make this investment worthwhile (Winslow, 2005, p.8). Along with this the new leader should communicate the organisational purpose and principles clearly to the people. The processes should also be made clear from the leaders in order to remove any ambiguity. Lastly, leaders need to set up processes appropriately to reward the success of people. Thus by following the 5P model the occurrence of change in Abbey National can be managed very well by keeping in view the current economy of UK. Lewins Change Management Model Introduction In the 1950s, idea of change management was presented by Kurt Lewin in a form of three steps model. For over 40 years his model ruled in the area of change management. Core points of the Model His model is explained in below stated points: In order to implement a change effort Lewin purposed three step process to managers and that is Unfreeze-Change-Freeze (Burne, 2004). Unfreeze is a stage in which those employees are motivated who either do not accept change or are not accustomed to the change occurred in the processes and duties (Burne, 2004). Lewin is of view that for the successful adoption of new behavior, the old behavior needs to be discarded. Schein (1996, p.27) explains that three factors i.e. status quo disconfirmation regarding its validity, anxiety for survival and creation of psychological safety are essential for the attainment of unfreezing stage. The second stage is the phase in which the change is implemented and adjusted. This stage is a transitional period in which people are unfrozen and started moving towards a new way (Burne, 2004). The last phase is freezing or refreezing in which the organization is strengthened and people or employees are allowed to refreeze (Burne, 2004). Relevance of Lewins Change Management Model to Abbey National in the current economy This model can be relevant to Abbey National in the current economy because it defines ways for change management by keeping in view the psychological behaviour against the element of change. The employees of Abbey National would not accept the change if they are not treated by new leaders according to their mind. As the change has been occurred at Abbey National so by employing unfreezing strategies they will be able to successfully cover the transitional phase in order to refreeze towards the new directions. If new leaders do not reduce the anxiety of people by providing them safety the change cannot be implemented successfully. Lewin rightly acknowledged that change is not merely a step but a journey that needs persistent and strong efforts. McKinsey 7-S Model Introduction The 7S framework was presented by McKinsey and Company in 1980s. It is not a pure strategy model but an approach that focuses on the force of the change employed by the leaders to achieve superior performance by affecting organizational change (PAPERS4YOU, 2010). Core points of the Model The model is based on the points explained underneath: He draws a line of distinction between managers and leaders of the organizations (Watson, 1983). For McKinsey the organizational development depends on seven factors and that are: strategy, skills, structure, systems, staff, shared values, and a style (Watson, 1983). Managers rely on a hard Ss like systems, strategy, and structure whilst leaders work with soft Ss like shared values, staff, style, and skills. The harda variables are more tangible, feasible and easy to identify against softa because they are well documented in the form of corporate plans, organisational charts and strategy statements, etc. (Burtonshaw-Gunn, 2009). McKinsey explains systems as scheduled processes and procedures that organisation follows. Likewise, strategy is a way that is adopted during resource allocation for the attainment of defined organisational goals. The last managerial harda is a structure which means the skeleton of the organisations (Burtonshaw-Gunn, 2009). Shared values are the guiding themes and things of the organisation that everyone knows are essential for the organisations successful functioning. The factor of staff means the description of people needed by the organisation. The pattern of action whether symbolic or actual that are adopted for the organisational communication at large scale is known as style. Lastly, skills are a bunch of the attributes and unique competencies of the organisation (Watson, 1983). The model links planning with the organisational change by stating that all variables i.e. softa or harda are interdependent. Thus, organisational change as a whole is necessary instead of changing one or two variables (Grant, 2008). The softa variables are challenging for all kinds of change management strategies. This is because managing staff resistance against changing organisational structure and values is very hard (Grant, 2008). The change management in case of organisations is also difficult because employees are valued and encouraged for their innovations and thus are an important part of any organisation (Grant, 2008). Relevance of 7S model to Abbey National in the current economy The organisational analysis of Abbey National is very delicate especially by using the 7S model, when it is undergoing a big organisational change. Moreover, the dynamic and complex nature of softa variables is also making the task little challenging. Few points mentioned underneath are important to remember before making analysis of Abbey National with the help of the 7S framework model: Abbey National was a UK based bank that was taken over by Grupo Santander in 2004, that is an international banking group headquartered in Spain. This change in Abbey National is drastic in respect of cultural and demographic differences. Abbey National has rebranded since 2010 which means the change has occurred in its softa variables. This is because the source of leadership has moved from UK to Spain. As softa and harda variables are closely interrelated according to the 7S framework so change in softa will transform the harda factors as well. These days UK economy is going through the last phase of global economic crises of 2008. As the result of which, a stiff resistance is expected from the staff which is one of the constituting softa factors. Managers that are an exact opposite category of leaders have to deal with this situation with great care. They have to manage two kinds of changes; one that has occurred in the organisational staff and the second is the resultant change that comes in the strategy of the organisation as the result of staff resistance. In brief, both changes can be handled appropriately if managers and leaders work in coordination with each other. Section: B Change Management and 5Ps Model of Pryor at Abbey National Although all above stated models are relevant to Abbey Nationals changing condition but 5Ps model is the most appropriate to implement and monitor the change occurred at the local bank of UK. It is suitable because it completely and constantly analyzes change by employing various management techniques and concepts. Plan for the implementation of 5Ps model of change in Abbey National The Plan for the implementation of 5Ps model is illustrated below History Abbey National was the sixth major bank in the United Kingdom and was ranked second in terms of high mortgage lending before the acquisition by Santander Ltd, a well known international banking chain in the Euro zone. At the time of acquisition it was going in a loss of $1.6bn for a year 2002, against a profit of  £1.47bn a year earlier. Later, Santander group took it over in 2004. Upon this change of leadership the goals, objectives, and strategies, etc of the bank has been restated which are mentioned underneath (Pryor et al., 2007). Purpose It includes all strategic theories like mission, vision, goals, objectives, etc. The mission and objectives of Abbey National have changed with its rebranding. Thus managers need to device new strategies and technologies in order to achieve the big goal of Abbey which is to lift the customers trust on the bank along with the introduction of international banking at Abbey. The new mission of the bank needs to be completely delivered to all the stakeholders especially, people. Moreover it should also be aligned with the new principles of the bank. Principles It includes the philosophy and attitude of Santander Ltd which are mentioned below: The philosophy of new leaders is to widen the nature of Abby National from indigenous banking to the international criteria. All employees have to abide by the international banking rules and ethics instead of domestic UK rules during their job tenure. Fraudulent consumers will be treated according to international banking law. Processes It involves the theories pertaining to systems like structure, procedures and communication channels, etc for the production of goods and services. The new leadership of Abbey National will introduce following new services and product mentioned below: It will launch online banking at international level. In this way offshore consumer can also reach their accounts and avail the services of Abbey National from outside the UK. An offshore foreign exchange services will also be introduced at Abbey National. In addition competitive overseas interest rates will be introduced. People This P includes all behavioural theories and aspects like team, individual, different types of customers and suppliers, etc. The new leader will bring following change in this area: Internal consumer will be briefed about international banking whilst external customers will be encouraged at Abbey National. For the availability and provision of new products and services internal and external suppliers will be encouraged to make bids via tender. To understand the local consumer and to contribute in the economy of UK local people will be recruited along with outsiders. Team members and individual workers will be encouraged by offering bonuses and other benefits on the display of good performance. Performance It includes measurement and feedback strategies like benchmarking, etc. The change will be implemented by keeping in view the performance of the people working at Abbey National. In respect of performance of the organisation below mentioned steps will be undertaken: Individual and team work will be awarded with appropriate feedback. Clear measuring scales are defined to note down the performances of workers at Abbey National. These measures will not only keep the leaders up-to-date on recent changes but also provide employees information about the performance of all the activities of Abbey Bank. Measures to monitor the change Progress All above stated Ps will work in perfect alignment with each other. They are well integrated with each other and will not be assessed individually. To monitor the progress of change at Abbey National the above analysis will be employed. Section: C Assessment to use a suitable strategic intervention technique in Abbey National The development of any organisation greatly depends on strategic intervention techniques. An organisation is a workplace where people of different attitudes and calibre have to work with each other by resolving the conflicting issues. A strategic intervention technique is way by which workers get training on how to work with the different types of people in order to achieve the goals of organisation. Abbey National plc is one of the most renowned banks in the UK that offers commercial services. The operation of Abbey has expanded internationally after the takeover by Santander, which is one of the largest financial groups. Currently, Abbeys staff is composed of the diverse workforce due to which emergence of conflicts among workers is very normal aspect. In such circumstances there is a dire need of an appropriate strategic intervention technique. The technique should encompass the followings: It should educate employees on how to work efficiently with the different types of individuals. It should encourage workers to appreciate their co-workers in all organizational spheres. Section: D The need for strategic change in Abbey National The strategic change means the change in organizational mission, goals and objectives. There are many causes of strategic changes and one of the most prominent is the change in the leadership of the organisation. The acquisition of Abbey National by Santander Ltd provides the ground for the strategic change in Abbey National. This is so because the new leaders of Abbey National will restate the goal, and objectives according to their vision (Winslow, 2005). Abbey National was UK based bank while its acquisition by Santander Ltd converts it into international bank. This new status has been given to Abbey National by introducing offshore online and offline banking services. Now managers and workers have to adopt new strategies in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the bank. The factors driving the need for strategic change in Abbey National Some factors that are driving the need for strategic change in Abbey National are assessed below: Change in the vision and mission of the banks leadership. The previous leadership of Abbey National was local so their aims and objectives were national. With the takeover of Santander Ltd the banks objectives and missions were transformed to international, which created the need for strategic change. Change in the category of customers. The majority of customers were local before the acquisition of Santander Ltd. The customers composition changed after the addition of international customers. The composition of suppliers also changed after the acquisition of Santander Ltd. International suppliers started working along with national suppliers. The strategies and tactics to attain new organisational goals also generate the need for strategic change. Section: E Assessment of the resource implications of Abbey National not responding to strategic change Some of the resources that are not responding to the strategic change at Abbey National are assessed underneath: Small investors that were attached to Abbey National before its rebranding are not accepting its recent status. In particular they are opposing the change of banks name and the revamping of its branches. Thus the new leaders and managers need to make proper strategy in order to satisfy their stakeholders (Market Watch: Global Round-up, 2003). The shareholders of banks are also rebelling against pay policy of Abbey including its reward strategy. The business strategies employed by new managers and leaders are also not being appreciated by market partners of Abbey National. As the result of this the bank has to face the fluctuating figures of wholesale business and mortgages. Although the social order of UK is one of the modern societies in the world but Abbey National need some time to revitalize its image of online banking, especially of mobile banking? For this purpose the bank management needs to increase the security measures against its online banking services and products. The employees at Abbey National are also responding very slowly to the strategic change. This is so because old workers need some time to adjust with the new ones. The leaders need to align their people with the processes in order to achieve the purposes of the new leadership of the bank (Cave, 2004). Section: F Systems development to involve stakeholders in the planning of change The major national and international stakeholders of Abbey National are: shareholders, employees, customer, business partners and community. A bank functions with the collaboration of all stakeholders, so to take all of them on board during planning of change is very essential. The system to involve stakeholders in the planning of change is developed by employing 5Ps model of Pryor which is illustrated below The brief description of above illustrated points is stated underneath: The new objectives and goals of the leaders should be well communicated to all stakeholders especially shareholders, employees and business partner. This is so because they are directly influenced by the profit and loss of the bank. If the stakeholders are divided on the implementation of change then leaders should try to convince the opposite side with the help of those who favours the change. The new philosophy of revamping and giving the bank international status should be properly delivered to all stakeholders. This is so because with the mutual cooperation of all stakeholders the changed objectives of Abbey National can be attained. With the rebranding of Abbey International the means of production and services are also changed. All stakeholders must be taken in confidence on this change. The new purposes like the objectives and products and services of Abbey National should be delivered to employees in particular and other stakeholders in general. Lastly all stakeholders like national and international customers, suppliers and shareholders, etc should be well informed with the performance of the bank (Botin, 2004). Development of a change management strategy with stakeholders In order to incorporate stakeholders Abbey is adopting a back to basic strategy of change management. Some of the points for a change management with stakeholders are discussed below: The brand name of Abby National will be revamped by taking all stakeholders, especially domestic customers and investors in confidence (Market Watch: Global Round-up, 2003). The red Santanders interior and marketing communications strategies will be incorporated within Abbey with the mutual understanding of all stakeholders (Market Watch: Global Round-up, 2003). The talks will be made with various media agencies on the activities of Abbey. Section: G Evaluation of the systems used to involve stakeholders in the planning of change incorporating a strategy for managing resistance to change The above stated system that is devised to involve stakeholders in the planning of change also helps in reducing the resistant factors to change. This is so because the confidence of customers, employees and other shareholders will be revived as the result of their involvement in the decision making strategies of Abbey. Those domestic investors, employees who were not accepting the restructuring of bank will be taken in confidence through negotiations and table talks. An evaluation of systems is illustrated below: Conclusion This section is concluded on the statement that the implementation of change in organisational life is not possible without taking all the stakeholders in confidence. Unit: 6 Innovative Management Section: A During the change processes discussed above, evaluate the creative and innovative management processes applied at Abbey National and explain how Santander Ltd could lead Abbey National to positively embrace innovation and change The creative and innovative management processes play a significant role in the change implementation processes of the organisation. This is so because these processes help in bridging up the differences between the new leadership, management and other working staff. Some of the innovative management processes that were employed by Abbey National Ltd are discussed below: Revamping of the Abbeys logo from an umbrella to a rainbow pastiche. It changes its customer approach from national to international. To introduce Abbey as a customer-centric organization. The name of bank has been changed from Abbey National to Abbey. Redecorating and re-colouring the branches of Abbey. To simplify its product range, for instance, the division of saving products into three categories i.e. Freedom, Sure Easy, and Start. More staff will be recruited for customer-facing roles to improve customer services in different branches of Abbey. To increase the number of telephones centres to facilitate customer services. To increase training opportunities for customer-facing staff in order to facilitate customer from all aspects. To make the availability of the product and services simple and transparent. Santander Ltd can only make Abbey National to embrace innovation and change by taking all of its stakeholders on board. For this purpose the new leader of Abbey National has to follow the above stated system that is derived from the 5Ps model of Pryor. Section: B Assess the influence of vision and mission of Santander Ltd on generation of creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National using analytical tools to identify potential creative and innovative management ideas SWOT analysis is one of the most and widely used analytical tool of strategic management that helps in analysing the influence of vision of Santander Ltd on generation of creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National at macro level. SWOT Analysis A framework of SWOT analysis is employed for the identification and assessment of the potential creative and innovative management ideas in Abbey National. SWOT analysis is briefly discussed underneath Strength The new vision and mission of Abbey is to alleviate the status of Abbey from internal bank to the international bank. As the result of which managers have to adopt creative and innovative management strategies in order to compete with the international competition. The new international status of Abbey National will give it more exposure by invigorating the trust of the general public on the bank. To integrate the banking activities of Abbey National with that of the Santander Groups management of Abbey has to make use of creativity (Cave, 2004). Weaknesses The reaction of ex staff members in the form of resignations can threaten the implementation of creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National. Santander group has to bear a loss on the implementation of the creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National until customers trust on the bank is rejuvenated. Opportunities The well developed and well aware society of the UK is the biggest opportunity of Santander group for the implementation of creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National because they do not need to invest in public awareness programs about international online or offline banking. A good international reputation of Santander group is another major strong point. The implementation of creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National is necessary to offer consumers an international banking exposure by providing them bank access even from outside the UK (Botin, 2004). Threats The increasing number of online banking fraudulent and technology is a biggest threat for the implementation of creative and innovative management processes in Abbey National. The stiff reaction from the employees in respect of strategies adopted by the new leaders can also threaten the creative and innovative management processes in Abbey (Cave, 2004). Section: C Assessment of creative and innovative management ideas for Abbey National via 5Ps model Overall the creative and innovative management ideas of Santander group for Abbey National alleviate the growth rate of the bank. A thorough assessment of the innovative management ideas are discussed below with the help of 5Ps model of change. Risks A negative reaction of the stakeholder especially private investors, shareholders and customers is risky for the implementation of the innovative management ideas. Launching of advanced online products and services against big competitors. Benefits The support of some stakeholders is a plus point for the implementation of the innovative management ideas in Abbey. The introduction of new products and services. Barriers An unexpected fall in the banks yearly or monthly margin due to the introduction of the innovative management ideas. Decelerating profits due to the occurrence of change and a poor financial condition of the bank in past. Moreover, costly and unpopular mortgage lock-ins also diminishes profits which can restrict the implementation of the innovative management ideas. The barriers and risks can be transformed into benefits by making strategies according to the 5Ps model of Pryor. For this, managers and leaders have to create alignment between the 5Ps which are Purpose, Principles, Processes, People, and Performance. Conclusion In few words, the management of innovative and creative strategies is a key to attain the new objectives of Abbey successfully. . Unit: 10 Human Resource Management Section: A Understanding the events at Abbey National initiated by Santander Ltd, explain the importance and purposes of strategic human resource management for Abbey National Introduction A skeleton of the organisation is based on three factors: mission, structure and Human resource management. Human resource management is a composition of methods of recruiting, firing, and rewarding. HR mangers deal with the work force of the organisation by employing different managerial strategies. HRM encompasses all sorts of strategies, decisions, principles, functions and operations concerned with management of individuals as employees working in an organization (Kaila, 2005, p.14). Undoubtedly, the role of strategic human resource management is significant at the time when Abbey National is going through the biggest change of its history. Before going in detail it is pertinent to see the meaning of the strategic human resource management. Strategic human resource management is a link that connects strategic goals of an organization with its human resources in order to promote the culture of innovation, and flexibility in the organization. Strategic human resource management recognizes human resource as a strategic partner in the formulation and implementation of the organizational strategies The aim of all strategies is the attainment of organizational goals by making use of available resources. In fact, it would be pertinent to say that the success of organisations is greatly dependant on the human resource management. In this section an attempt is made to explain the importance and purposes of strategic human resource management for Abbey National. This will be done by keeping in view the actions of Santander Ltd (Botin, 2004). The importance and purposes of strategic human resource management for Abbey National Employees are one of the major stakeholders of Abbey National plc (Previously Abbey National). The success of strategies and goals of the new leadership is greatly based on the willingness, talent and diversity of its workforce. The new leaders should device rewarding strategies by keeping in view the opinions of employees. This is necessary not only to develop, encourage and retain existing employees but also to recruit the ones with highest calibre. If the employees are not assigned role according to their abilities and qualification they can quit the job which should be alarming for the new leaders. This is so because if trusted and old workers will start quitting at increasing rate, the reputation of the organization will deteriorate. Another very important and delicate issue arises when human resource management announced the plan of job-cut. This decision creates uncertainty among the workers which can further diminish their performance. In few words, the role of strategic human resource management cannot be ignored especially at a point when Abbey is undergoing a big change. Section: B Assess the impact of strategic human resource management activities