Factors that influence the effectiveness of teamwork in clinical Essay

Factors that influence the effectiveness of teamwork in clinical settings - Essay Example Competent leaders communicate clearly to team members, regardless of the instructions they intend to pass across (Leonard, Graham & Bonacum, 2004). Team leaders with effective communication skills also have appreciable proficiency. An effective team leader is ready to listen to information from other team members to ensure informed decision-making. Building commitment begins with the ability to trust other team members and have self-confidence. The quality of team members and leaders to embrace commitment is important in providing a unified set of goals that directs the clinical team members. Alongside giving direction, commitment is a quality that motivates the entire team, and individual members. Moreover, commitment enhances team responsibility and inclusive participation among team members, hence promoting cooperation (Tost, Gino & Larrick 2013, p. 1). Committed team members in a clinical working environment make independent and rational decisions that contribute to team success. Commitment among team members can withstand pressures during stressful conditions of service that may be challenging. In the healthcare sector, commitment mainly occurs when team members share comprehensive patient care goals. The common confidence in a team and its belief that has the best style generates commitment (Reeves, Lewin, Espin & Zwarenstein 2010, p. 1). A flexible individual possesses the ability to maintain an attitude that is open to criticism and accepts any erroneous conducts. Flexible team members can accommodate varied personal values and be receptive to ideas. Team members who possess the trait of flexibility are reflective, self-knowledgeable and honest (Mickan & Sylvia 2009, p. 1). Team members who lack flexibility, however, fail to understand the diversity of personal and professional values. Consequently, they risk making judgment according to their value systems without

Qualitative and Quantitative Research: Sampling and Ethics

Qualitative and Quantitative Research: Sampling and Ethics 1. Discuss the main difference between qualitative and quantitative research? While qualitative research involves the analysis of unstructured information from interview transcripts, open ended survey responses, photos and videos, quantitative research involves the analysis of numerical data. According to Reswick, J. B., (1994 p. viii), â€Å"Quantitative and qualitative research differ in at least three major ways.First, the process is very different; second, the tools are different; and, third, the outcomes differ†. Qualitative research is used to explore and understand peoples attitudes, behaviour, experiences, value systems, concerns, motivations, aspirations, culture or lifestyles.It generates non-numerical data and tries to elicit a detailed opinion from the participants. In a qualitative study, fewer participants take part in the research but the interaction between the researcher and the subjects is longer.Qualitative research techniques include focus groups, participant observations, content analysis and in-depth interviews.A qualitative type of approach strives for depth allowing the researcher to view behaviour in a natural setting without the artificiality that sometimes surrounds experimental or survey research. Quantitative research aims to classify its subjects, counting them and constructing statistical models in an attempt to explain what is observed with the data collected being in the form of numbers and statistics. Usually the researcher knows clearly in advance what he or she is looking for. This type of study is considered to be more efficient in data collecting and is able to test hypotheses, but however as opposed to qualitative methodology, it may miss contextual detail. Qualitative research is considered to be more flexible, allowing more spontaneity and informal interaction between the researcher andthe study participant.Qualitative research uses open ended questions whilequantitative research is characterized by close ended questions.With open ended questions, the participant expresses himself or herself more freely than in close ended questions, where a â€Å"yes† or a â€Å"no† answer is expected.Thus, replies in qualitative research leave more space for subjectivity and interpretation. For example, if anorganization would like to know how many people in Malta are affected by diabetes, the researcher would have to conduct a quantitative studyas numerical data is required.On the other hand if a researcher would like to discover what are the bio-psycho-social factors that may influence which patients are able and willing to adhere to a strict regiment, self management behaviour to control their medical situation, a qualitative study would be more suitable. The research methodology can include both qualitative and quantitative research, as none of them is necessarily more scientific than another; one is not exclusive of the other. Driscoll et al (2007 p.26) believe that integrating both type of research â€Å"can provide pragmatic advantages when exploring complex research questions. The qualitative data provide a deep understanding of survey responses, and statistical analysis can provide detailed assessment of patterns of responses†. 2) What are the advantages of secondary data analysis? Secondary data is existing information collected for another purpose, by a person or organization other than the users of the data. Sources of secondary data include census data, national surveys, health care registers, government administrative records such as birth and death registers. Secondary data is economical, as itcheaper and quicker to collect than primary data as it reuses and recycles existent data already collected by a third party. According to Boslaugh S. (2007, p.3)â€Å"even if the secondary data set must be purchased, the cost is almost certainly lower than the expense of salaries, transportation, and so forth that would be required to collect and process a similar data set from scratch†. Another advantage of using secondary data is that it takes less time to collect than primary data. It is faster than doing original studies, as web-based materials and search engines makes research for secondary analysis easily accessible. This leavesmore time for the researcher to make in depth data analysis, rather than engaging in a primary data collection exercise. . Secondary data overcomes limited funds and time restrictions allowing the researcher to study large scale populations, particularly if the financial budget is constrained. Another plus is thatthe researcher using secondary data has often at his disposalâ€Å"data collection process is informed by expertise and professionalism that may not available to smaller research projects.†Boslaugh S. (2007, p. 4). Furthermore, secondary datais unobtrusive as corroborated bytheSocialResearch Association(2003, p.26) report considers secondary data as â€Å"one way of avoiding inconvenience to potential subjects is to make more use of available data instead of embarking on a new enquiry†.The researcher does not need to obtain approval from ethics committees or informed consent from the subjects particularly if the study of the research of a highly sensitive nature such as mental illness or drug abuse. 3) How are samples used to describe populations? 4) Discuss the difficulties with gaining access to the research site and the population. Researchers often face a multitude of difficulties to obtain access to the research field, organization or population.It can be â€Å"complex and depends on the researchers familiarity with the subjects, the location, local culture, bureaucracy, and political situation†. (Mathie, A. Camozzi, A. (2005). p. 105) Being familiar with the subjects will enable the researchers to follow the protocol to gain entrymore easilyinto a bureaucratic organization, such as a police force or an education system.The researchers should be prepared to deal with the complexities of facilitating and maintaining access into such organizations and dealing withâ€Å"gatekeeperswho intentionally or unintentionally prevent easy access to study subjects† (Mathie, A. Camozzi, A. (2005). p. 105) Other groups which verge on illegality are very hard to infiltrate.Schrock, A., Boyd, D., (2008, p. 13), sustain that groups suchas â€Å"online solicitors of youth, adult offenders participating in Internet-initiated relationships, and consumers of child pornography remain extremely difficult populations to research†. Besides information obtained from incarceration or rehabilitation institutions on those who commit similar crimes, other quantitativedatadoesnot exist. Another difficult study to carry out and gain access to is a secretive subject such asa Masonic Lodge or a cohesive religious cult.It might take years for a researcher to build up a trusting relationship with one of the membersandto gain access in such organizations. The task becomesfurtherextremely difficult when the research involves a sensitive topic such as mental illness. Confidentiality and data privacy issues often crop up and prohibit professionals in revealing their clients identity to the researcher.Other sensitive issues such as domestic violence, prostitution and poverty might be a hard nut to crack for the novice researcher.Social stigma prevents such vulnerable groups from revealing data to the researcherifhe or she is considered as an outsider to their group. Theresearchershave to be tactful and use social skills when it comes to taboo subjects such as sexuality, in order to gain trust and acceptance from their subjects and conduct ones research.Researchers must also always keep in mind sensitivity of such subjects and respect the persons confidentiality. 5. What are the major ethical issues in research? The researcher has a moral obligation to minimize personal and social harm of the subjects and to safeguard their human rights. The design stageshould be carefully planned covering possible scenarios dealing with ethical issues that might emerge during the research. Obtaining informed consent from interested subjects is a necessary requisite when conducting researchensuring that the subjects are voluntarily participating and are not coerced in taking part in the study.Fouka, G. Mantzorou, M. (2011, p. 5) consider that it is essential to inform the prospective research participants about the procedures and risks involved including â€Å"any physical harm or discomfort any invasion of privacy and any threat to dignity† before they give their consent to participate.When subjects are identifiedfrom vulnerable groups or individuals with diminished autonomy such as children or people with mental health problems,a written consent from guardians or relatives should be sought. The participants safety, both physical and psychological should be a primary concern for the researcher.â€Å"This is accomplished by considering all possible consequences of the research and balances the risks with proportionate balance†.Fouka, G. Mantzorou, M. (2011, p. 5) Anonymity and confidentiality are issuesclosely connected. Anonymity prevents disclosure of identities, where subjects names are changed. The use of pseudonyms is widely used in social science, to prevent the subjects from being identified. Confidentiality is the management of private information such as confidential communications, personal records and patient records, by the researcher in order to protect the subjects identity. Data should not be available to third parties outside the agreement made with the subject. â€Å"The researcher is responsible to maintain confidentiality that goes beyond ordinary loyalty†. Fouka, G. Mantzorou, M. (2011, p. 6) â€Å"The researcher should certainly resist requests for the identity disclosure of any individual subject or subjects when such disclosure could lead to the failure to preserve the anonymity of other subjects who choose not to disclose their identity† Social Research Association(2003. p. 40), Privacy is a debatable issue. What constitutes a breach of privacy mayvary from a society to another, from one culture to another.For example,Kasper, D.V.S (2005) considers both stockpiling and physical observationas invasionsof privacy, in which the research participants have little knowledge and even less control.Treece and Treece (as cited in Fouka, G. Mantzorou, M., 2011, p.7) suggest that â€Å"privacy can be invaded when researchers study certain groups without their knowledge and without identifying themselves† such as in the case of Humphries study in which he observed homosexuals during sexual activities in public mens rooms. The researcher should also be familiar and adhere to the relevant laws in which the research is being carried out taking into consideration institutional and governmental policies on the data protection of the individual. Workers Rights in Dubai: Infringement of human rights Workers Rights in Dubai: Infringement of human rights Issue: There are worse condition of workers and infringement of human rights in Dubai. Background: According to a survey report the main and important issues are the worse treatment with the workers, violation of the rights of workers/labours in Dubai. Some human rights organizations of Dubai have complained about infringement of human rights and, consideration of workers as slaves and problem of payment of recruitment fee. In 60 years Dubai has become a cosmopolitan city from fishing village and growing to become a worldwide city .In past Dubai’s economy was based on oil industry now it is generating its revenue highly from tourism, real states and financial transactions (Buckley 2012). In Dubai human rights are based on the enacted law, in which it is mentioned that all people should be treated equally apart from their race, or social status. But people of Dubai are violating the laws by not giving rights to the workers who work so hard for them honestly. Many labours or workers in the city were supposed to live in the good conditions which were illustrated by Human Rights Watch but they are forced to live in worse conditions because of their bad employers. Other bad practices they are doing with the workers that they are not giving rights to the workers to raise their voice for the sake of their own basic needs, workers are mistreated by their owners, and their lives are in miserable condition, seven to eight workers are compel to live in one room apartment and then they will be able to send money to their families, sometimes workers do not get their salaries at the end of the month, workers are not allowed to switch their jobs if they do so they can lose their job, workers are bound to work excessively , workers often work from day till night with no days off to rest so that they are not be able to have relaxation time, workers get insufficient food, some workers are threatened by their owners(some employers threat their workers if they do not listen to them they will kill them) , premature termination is also a big problems faced by workers because there is no job security for the workers (Smith 2010). These problems have increased a lot and it is become important to take some significant steps and serious action for the protection of the worker rights. Analysis: Injustices in Dubai with the labours have attracted the attention of many Human Rights groups, and these groups have tried to convince the Dubai Government to take important steps for the workers’ rights and also allow them to form the labour union. But the Government of Dubai has refuted all the allegations regarding to the labour injustice or the violation of human rights and said that the Human Rights Watch’s allegations were totally misguided (Connell et al 2009). In the end of March 2006 the Government hence allow taking steps for the construction of labour union and then allow forming labour union. In September 2005 Labour Minister instructed one company to pay unpaid salaries of the workers in 24 hours after 24 hours workers protested and they published the name of felonious company. In 2013 the Government finally reform new labour regulations with the help of Labour Ministry for the workers. In which it is stated that the employer or owner is not allowed to impose work on the worker or labour unless or until his/she has been agreed upon, and the owner is also banned to give difficult and dangerous task to the employee that can threaten the safety, health and dignity and honour of the worker, new rules also stated that employers have to pay the workers’ salary at the end of each month some additional benefits in the form of cash and cheques should also be provided to the worker, the employers are also imposed to give workers at least daily rest of nine hours per day and a day off so that workers can have relaxation time and they can enjoy their lives too, owners are not allowed to ‘rent out’ their workers, the regulations made by Government also stated that workers can get one month leave after giving two years of services. Regulation contains rules for workers as well that their duty is to take care of the owners’ property (Obay 2009), they should keep secrets of the employer and the place where they work, they should not refuse the given task or leave the job without any valid reason and should follow the rules and regulations and should not involve in any criminal activity which can give harm. The regulations also contains strict penalties for workers and employers both who violate them or try to violate them. Employers who will not follow the rules will give 2,000 dirham as a penalty and will not allowed hiring any worker, while workers who violate the regulation will be fine 2,000 dirham and will not be allow working in Dubai. There are some advantages and disadvantages of these policies; the first advantage is that the workers are now getting their rights to work; they are having freedom of speech through which they can talk about their problem freely, they can get salaries on time, they can get incentives too, if they don’t get salaries on time they can protest against it and there are laws which can protect their rights, now they are no more slaves because there are rules which can protect their dignity, now workers are not compel or bound to do illegal and dangerous work which can risk their life and health, workers can enjoy their lives by utilizing their fre e time (Vora 2011). All of these rules sound good but there are some disadvantages the first and foremost disadvantage is that the Government has made many regulations to protect the worker rights but there are many people who violate those rules for the sake of their personal interests it is very necessary to monitor the behaviour of the employers with their workers, but it is difficult for the Government to keep an eye on each and every one. Decision- maker i.e. obviously a Government had made policies or regulations for the workers but they should take certain steps to the implementations of those steps first step is to aware every one about rules and regulations by giving authority to the responsible people area wise, those responsible person would conduct workshops, seminars and interact with the people and will brief them about the regulation policies and penalties of violating those regulations, Secondly involve police and ask them to take complaints seriously whether it’s from employer si de or from worker side, Third make area consular who can keep eye on peoples’ activities and they complaint to police about the person who violate the regulation. All these three parts should have connection with each other for the betterment of the people. Recommendation: The surveys shows that still workers in Dubai are suffering from extreme exploitation problems with excessively workings hours and unpaid salaries. Although Dubai is a member of ILO i.e. International Labour Organization but they are putting their reputations are at risks because of violation of human rights laws. This means that they need to make some changes in their certain policies which they have made for the human rights or workers’ rights. The Dubai Government knows that it is facing some difficult issues like reforming of its policies for the human rights, which needs to acclimatize to high pays and protection of government. The Ministry of Labour should need to take some measure steps to tackle these kinds of situations and should change policies which can be easily implemented and can be abide by the organizations for the benefits of their workers. The policies which Government has made for the sake of human rights needs to be some change means it should be more practical. There is a rule that employer cannot give dangerous task to the worker that can risk workers’ life and workers have right to disobey the order given by the employer, this rule need some change like in this rule the government has to mentioned the criteria that which task is dangerous or risky for the worker or it can give harm on the basis of it one can follow the regulations, second rule is that owner cannot impose work on worker unless or until he/she has been ready to work this rule also need some changes in this condition again criteria is not mentioned and the workers can take bad advantage from it, there is one rule for workers is that they should take care of the employer’s property again criteria is not mentioned in this rule the owner can take disadvantage from this rule and can use it for the personal interest and can ask the worker to do his/her personal work which can be illegal and the worker are compel to do so. Unions and human rights organization have criticised a lot the policies failure of human rights because mostly workers are still paying recruitment fee to secure their jobs in the organizations which is a very bad example. And it is the biggest issue that there is a shockingly rise in the recruitment fees. Main construction companies of Dubai are also failed to follow rules made by the Government and are unable to protect the rights and safety of the labours or workers. The Dubai Government should take some practical steps with the Labour Ministry to reduce this problem and should try to make a good image of Dubai. Government should start to tackle the key issues like focusing on the issue of recruitment fees, payment of wages, workers’ basic health problems, and workers’ staying problems because seven-eight workers live in one room apartment. For handling all these major issues which is not good for cosmopolitan city like Dubai’s image. Government should need to create better incentive programs for the workers that can benefit them, government should make a ‘wage council’ for reviewing the pay from national level to the market level, they should trained their workers by conducting different workshops and arranging seminars and make it compulsory to al l the organizations to make their workers to attend those workshops and seminars so that it can benefit to workers as well as to the organization, the Government should establish a commission which duty is to investigate the complaints about the worst condition of the workers in the city, disallow the companies to do business with recruitment agencies, who charge fees from workers for employment contract, government should make law to investigate those companies who involve in violating the labour law, there should be a committee who can have the qualitative and quantitative data of workers’ riots, injuries and deaths at working place so that government can take some serious actions to deal and address those issues and can have contingency plan to deal with issues like them, government should significantly increase the inspectors who can be responsible for supervising the behaviour of the employers with the workers or labours, there should be another committee whose duty is t o educate and inform the new workers about their rights under the law made by government. These are few recommendations which can suited to deal this problem and can be helpful to resolve this problem hopefully. Dubai has made an impressive progress during six decades, and it is also progressing in particular areas like improvement in the rights for children, improvement in the living standard, improvement in education, with all those improvement it needs to work hard on it’s one sector specially that is Improvement in the law of Workers’ Right and implementation of the laws of worker’s right laws. Although it’s a tough task to make improvement in this sector suddenly, but gradually improvement can be seen by working honestly on it and by abiding and implementation of the rules and regulations made by government and the labour ministry References: Abdella, A. (2009). Global Dubai, particular challenges ahead. Retrieved from http://www.n-aerus.net/web/sat/workshops/2009/Rotterdam/pdf/Abdella.pdf Buckley, M. (2012). From Kerala to Dubai and back again: construction migrants and the global economic crisis.Geoforum,43(2), 250-259. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016718511001734 Buckley, M. (2013). Locating neoliberalism in Dubai: Migrant workers and class struggle in the autocratic city.Antipode,45(2), 256-274. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8330.2012.01002.x/abstract;jsessionid=5D1E68EA13553F82BE05F0F498AF0005.f02t01?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=userIsAuthenticated=false Caplin, J. (2009). Mirage in the Desert Oasis.Harvard International Review. Cambridge,30(4). Retrieved from http://www.homeworkmarket.com/sites/default/files/q1/11/12/download.pdf Connell, J., Burgess, J. (2009). Migrant workers, migrant work, public policy and human resource management.International Journal of Manpower,30(5), 412-421. Retrieved from http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1810950show=abstract Obay, L. A. (2009). Corporate Governance Business Ethics: A Dubai-Based Survey.Journal of Legal, Ethical Regulatory Issues,12(2). Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/abstract?direct=trueprofile=ehostscope=siteauthtype=crawlerjrnl=15440036AN=44574768h=52kgIFM5MmEH6Zr6uMn3ioEzmRKiveye6YUIUILnL5%2bXw7ItD8VZ9oZVF50HYXqrep4DK%2fuKQmhVaVHffG8rFw%3d%3dcrl=c Smith, B. (2010). Scared by, of, in, and for Dubai.Social Cultural Geography,11(3), 263-283. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14649361003637182 Vora, N. (2011). Unofficial citizens: Indian entrepreneurs and the state-effect in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.International Labor and Working Class History,79(1), 122-122. Retrieved from http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=A963D95F73B00A05F525F7C18197A8F5.journals?fromPage=onlineaid=8275495

Poem :: Poems

As we sat around like every other day, We decided we could no longer stay. So we packed up the van And we were determined to darken our tan. California was where we were going To the beach where it’s never snowing. We were off to watch the scenery during the day And at night, find the best partay. By now you’re wondering who is we It is five of my friends and don’t forget me. So without further adieu Let me introduce my crew. First on my list Is a man who is hard to miss. He wears a bright orange coat But is rarely one to gloat. He frequently runs naked through the streets But is a friend to most anyone he meets. He is the kind of guy that is never a stranger He waves to everyone in his Ford Ranger. His music is a unique pick Pretending to play along is his trick. He works at the hardware store called ACE But teaching is what he wishes to chase. Hunting and skanking is what he loves to do His name is Mickey now onto number two. The next girl is the understanding one. She takes a lot of crap, but it’s all in fun. I.S.U. is where she chose to learn An education she hopes to earn. Soccer was her favorite sport She is very good, although she is quite short Hanging out with her is always cool She did quite well during high school. She has always been a real smarty Whenever we visit her, she knows where to party. She will always be a part of the group Her name is Julie and she’s the second of the troop. My long time friend Gabe is the third He is hard to describe in just one word. He has the biggest ears around His girlfriend, Staci’s house is where he’ll be found . Soccer’s what he loves to play Instead he’s stuck at work all day. When it comes to humor he’s the best At funny stories, he’s better then the rest. He tried to change the color of his hair Many people just turned to stare. With his future he is still unclear Purdue is where he’d like his path to steer. As for worries he has none His mind is set on having fun. This trip is all he has on his mind Now we have the fourth member to find. The next member lives down the street form me. My college roommate will soon be he. He is the tallest of our six His basement’s where we watch our flicks. A ’97 Camero is what he drives An I.S.U. education is for what he strives. A hockey goalie he used to play,

The Long Term Impact of Staff Reduction on Surviving Staff: Starbucks Experience

Research Aims Staff reductions are often required as part of the restructuring of an organisation, or as a response to economic conditions. However, the focus of the research here is to look at the long term and whether this type of staff reduction has an impact on the staff that remain, rather than focussing on those that leave. It is argued, at the outset, that the remaining members of staff are often overlooked, as they are perceived to be the â€Å"lucky ones†. Despite this, the basis of the research is that there will be both a psychological and practical impact on those remaining staff and these issues needs to be considered with much greater emphasis by the management team when looking at this type of restructuring. The aim is to provide a much greater understanding, by looking at Starbucks as an example, so that the management team is in a better position to deal with these types of situations in the future (Ferrie et al., 2001) Objectives In order to achieve this aim and to look at the broader issues associated with staff reactions, it is recognised that there will need to be several focussed objectives. Staff reactions are by their very nature going to vary, depending on a variety of subjective factors and by being clear with the objectives this will ensure that the overall aim remains the focus of the research throughout. The key objectives are as follows: To gain an understanding of the initial redundancy or downsizing process, including the impact of the various selection processes; for example, the long-term impact is likely to be different where the redundancy is voluntary and therefore understanding the involvement of those staff retained in the process is the first step to understanding the reactions. To understand the perception of individuals, depending on their role within the downsizing process; this recognises that there are multiple staff being impacted on when some are made redundant as well as the retained staff. These include the staff members who were not involved in the process, in the first place, as well as the managers, to make the ultimate decision. To appreciate the psychological reactions and individual perceptions of those staff members who remain within the organisation, depending on the way in which this process is managed; for example, is there a difference between staff who are engaged with post-redundancy, or does it generally seem preferable to return to a â€Å"business as usual† mentality (Armstrong-Stassen, 1993) Finally, the impact on the performance of the business over a longer time horizon will then be considered, looking at the immediate aftermath, as well as six months or even one year down the line, with potential reference to the ways in w hich staff members then react when the recovery process takes place. For example, it is potentially suggested in the literature that staff lack loyalty to the organisation and when general economic conditions improve may be more likely to look for alternative employment, as a result of the treatment they received during the recessionary period. Research Questions Two key questions emerge from this proposed research: Which factors impact on and to what extent do they impact on the remaining employees, following a period of downsizing or redundancy How can a management team look to mitigate the negative effects of downsizing and redundancy Critical Review of the Literature The literature in this area has already dealt with a variety of factors relating to redundancy and the impact on an organisation, but has not looked specifically at the longer term impact on the retained staff and the wider staff groups that may not have been directly linked to the restructuring and decision making. Firstly, it is noted that research in this area recognises that staff members will typically understand that there are often periods where it is necessary to downsize or restructure, to such an extent that there will be involuntary redundancies. Klein (2009) states that, although staff will recognise this need, there is now also a recognition that the business managers are making decisions with the staff in mind, but are instead looking specifically at the immediate business demands. This shows lack of long term recognition of business sustainability, when it comes to retaining staff loyalty. Research by Machlowitz (1983) looked at the emotions of the individuals, following on from a redundancy situation where they were survivors. This looked at the immediate aftermath, from an individual perspective, finding that individuals typically felt emotions of guilt or isolation, as well as a feeling of betrayal, where they felt that the process had not been undertaken completely fairly. Research from Brockner et al. (1985) looked at a laboratory experiment where students were subject to â€Å"lay offs†, finding that feelings of inequality were emerging and a sense of disgruntlement happened where it was felt that the relationship between the individuals was in some way unfair. This indicates that where there is a redundancy situation, the vitally important aspect to consider is the process of the downsizing, rather than the actual downsizing itself. Anxiety also ranked as a driving factor, as there was the concern that others would be made redundant, in the future. These perceptions and fears potentially result in efficiency within the organisation reducing and the staff then being more prepared to look towards other locations for their long term employment (Hughes, 2000). The longer term impact of staff reduction and downsizing remains largely unexamined and the purpose of this paper is to look at how these activities can have an impact on the longer term operation within the business, by understanding the way in which the surviving individuals react (Cascio,1993). Further research is also required to ensure that the management team understands the impact of the way they handle a downsizing process and that this can have a direct and lasting impact on the success of the business, in the long run. Industry background In order to explore this issue in more detail and to create a relevant analysis, Starbucks is being looked at as a case study. Starbucks presents an interesting opportunity for analysis, as it has risen very rapidly from its first store which opened in 1971 to an organisation that has stores in nearly 21,000 locations across the world. Despite this, during the last ten years, the store has actually reduced its numbers, in the wake of the global financial crisis and lowering profits (Jennings, 2008). Starbucks was not seemingly on the brink of disaster and in fact continued to open up other stores across the world, yet chose to close 600 stores across the United States, creating an interesting question as to how it impacted upon staff members where there were reports of a globally successful organisation that was still experiencing redundancies in their local area. Arguably, the reason for the downsizing in the United States was the recognition that they had achieve the maximum growth available within the industry and they simply had too many stores. Takeaway coffee is largely a luxury product, with a limited number of affluent individuals able to partake on a regular basis. Despite Starbucks being a popular location for individuals and being recognised as an outlet in which individuals can choose to spend a large amount of time working or meeting friends, there are some limits to the number of customers who are prepared to pay premium price for good quality beverages. With an industry essentially at saturation point, there needs to be a readjustment of strategy, yet there is likely to be a reaction from the employees who feel somewhat jilted having been involved in the dramatic growth and now suffering from their own success and hard work. This type of reduction is therefore particularly interesting, as it is a reaction within the industry, rather than something which can necessarily be attributed to the staff members themselves. Research design The research design for this paper is particularly important, as it involves looking at the feelings and reactions of individuals, thus making it a different type of research than simply collecting statistical data and then analysing this in a quantitative manner. In order to look at the reactions of individuals to a downsizing scenario, it is necessary to consider a sufficiently broad range of individuals, to gain any material understanding of exactly what is actually going on and the way in which individuals react. Different individuals will naturally react differently to a downsizing scenario. Certain individuals may even view this as an opportunity to further their own position, as there will be less competition within the organisation when it comes to securing their future; others will be much less positive, despite both individuals being part of the same process (Vahtera et al., 1997). For this reason, the primary method of research will be a detailed case study of precisely what is happening within the organisation. This will include an understanding of the management theory behind the downsizing, before then going on to undertake a relatively detailed questionnaire with individuals from a variety of different locations, all of whom have been affected by the downsizing in some way, as well as completing at least two focus groups where individuals are brought together to discuss their experiences. This form of research is particularly important in this scenario, due to the fact that when individuals are left to openly discuss their thoughts and feelings, it is likely that they will open up and produce a much deeper understanding of their reactions (Weca, 2008). Data Analysis Plan Due to the qualitative nature of the research planned, the necessary data analysis also needs to be sufficiently open to looking at individual reactions and trying to find consistency of patterns of behaviours or thoughts. For this reason, the questionnaires will involve a quantitative analysis of the results, which will offer an understanding of any patterns being formed, before then looking towards the qualitative aspect of the research, in order to understand why certain responses have been obtained. By taking this two-stage approach, it is anticipated that the overall conclusions will have sufficient certainty, based on the quantitative analysis and will also be able to add to the understanding, through the use of individual thoughts and responses. A particular concern does arise, however, that there will be some limitations in the accuracy of the research. Firstly, the research focuses on survivors within a certain location or organisation and there may be an unwillingness of th e individuals to be completely open about their thoughts and feelings, for fear of jeopardising their own position in the future. There are also likely to be limitations, due to the fact that this research is focusing on one organisation alone and downsizing may have different responses in different organisations (Stone, 2008). By ensuring that any results obtained are dealt with anonymously, this will assist in some way to ensure greater accuracy. Nevertheless, there will always be the need to recognise that interviewing survivors of a redundancy process is potentially a skewed approach and some individuals are going to present an inaccurate picture, purely to further their own position, or at least to protect it. On balance, however, this overall analysis is likely to present the most balanced result and also establish some themes and generalisations which will be useful for the future. Conclusion In conclusion, understanding the impact of a downsizing programme on surviving staff members is crucial to the approach taken by the management team and any such situations in the future, either within the same organisation or for management teams of other organisations (Schwaner-Albright, 2008). Personal reactions to a situation can be somewhat difficult to appreciate and understand, due to the fact that individuals, by their very nature, will react differently to exactly the same factual scenario. The aim of this research, is to identify themes and generic strategies that may be useful to those looking at downsizing in the future, in order to ensure that surviving members of staff do not suffer from the negative effect of the redundancies and that the organisation is able to return to full efficiency, as soon as possible. Time-scale for Project This research is being undertaken over one academic year, although the plan is to undertake a full research and write-up within eight months. The following chart depicts the general approach that is being followed. 12345678 Background, Aims and Objectives Literature Review Research Design Research Collection Analysis of Research Writing Up Revisiting and Checking The majority of this research will involve the collection of primary data and the analysis of the research findings that have then been collected. It is anticipated that there will need to be several re-visits to the original data, as new information or themes arise. For example, analysing questionnaires will provide a strong starting point for the focus groups, but following the focus groups, it may then be necessary to go back to the questionnaires to further explore certain key issues. It is for this reason that the research collection and analysis of research findings takes up such a substantial part of the time allowed. There is a degree of flexibility in this process and the research will be sufficiently flexible to ensure that the key points arising from both the case study, conducted as part of the literature review and the research collection, is able to take a longer period of time, if required. Resources As noted previously, the research is focusing entirely on the experience of individuals within one organisation. Therefore, good access to those individuals will be an essential element of ensuring that this research is conducted in sufficient depth. It is also noted at the outset that one of the main aims of this research is to provide the management team with guidance as to how it can better manage a downsizing operation in the future and therefore having management support in order to gain access to key individuals is a necessary resource. Secondly, understanding the responses received and looking at existing literature will also require access to a variety of different publications, although this can largely be obtained through library facilities. On balance, the key resource within this research is the ability to speak to a variety of individuals who have survived the downsizing process in Starbucks. This will require the management team to be completely supportive of the overall agenda. Individuals may be reluctant to speak about the subject or do not feel that the management team is supportive of this. No specific software is required for the analysis, although Microsoft Office suite including Excel will be useful, in order to collate the information received. References Armstrong-Stassen, M. (1993). Survivors reactions to a workforce reduction: A comparison of blue-collar workers and their supervisors. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 10: 334-343. Cascio, W. F. (1993). Downsizing: What do we knowWhat have we learnedAcademy of Management Executive, 7: 95-106. Ferrie, J. E., Shipley, M. J., Marmot, M. G., Martikainen, P., Stansfield, S. A., & Smith, G. D. (2001). Job insecurity in white-collar workers: Toward an explanation of associations with health. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 6: 26-42. Hughes, J. (2000). Avoidance of emotional pain during downsizing in a public agency. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 52: 256-268. Jennings, L. (2008). Starbucks to pull breakfast items, shut 100 units, put focus back on java. Nation’s Restaurant News. [Online Version] published 11th February 2008, reproduced in bnet.com, available from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_6_42/ai_n24267543 [Accessed 12/11/2014]. Kivimaki, M., Vahtera, J., Pentti, J., & Ferrie, J. (2000). Factors underlying the effects of organizational downsizing on health of employees: Longitudinal cohort study. British Medical Journal, 320: 971-976. Schwaner-Albright, O., (2008). Tasting the future of Starbucks coffee from a new machine. The New York Times. [Online Version]. Published March 26th 2008, available from: http://www.nytimes.com/03/26/dining/26starbucks.html?_r?=2&sq=starbucks&st=nyt&oref=slogin [Accessed 12/11/2014]. Stone, B. (2008). Starbucks Plans Return to its Roots. The New York Times, [Online Version], published March 20th 2008, available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/business/20sbux.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&sq=starbucks&st=nyt&scp=3 [Accessed 12/11/2014]. Vahtera, J., Kivimaki, M., & Pentti, J. (1997). Effect of organizational downsizing on health of employees. The Lancet, 350: 1124-1128. Weca (2008). Pay more/ stop reliance on Tips. Mystarbucksidea.com. Posted May 23rd 2008, available from http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/ideaView?id=087500000004hShAAI[Accessed 12/11/2014].

Assesment Reporting Essay

Reporting and Resource Development Kate McGrath Student ID 11479964 Emt446 Assessment, Reporting and Resource Development 08 Fall 08 Fall Indicative Time Allocation The HSC course is 120 hours (indicative time). The following table shows the appropriate amount of time you should spend on each unit of work. HSC modules| Approx. number of weeks| Hours | The Australian Food Industry| 8 weeks| 25| Food Manufacture| 12 weeks| 40| Food Product Development| 12 weeks| 40| Due week 10 Weight 20%| Food manufacture ‘ Developing the undeveloped’Students are to research an Australian Food product and analyse the chosen product from ‘Farm to fork’. This includes the process of transforming the raw materials into a new product. The level of manufacturing and of the organisation will influence the amount of information gathered and the processes used. The assignment should include: manufacturing diagram, HACCP, Q&A, QU, principles of preservation along with external impact. Due week 10 Weight 25%| Product Design ‘The never ending design’Students are design, develop, create and produce a food item which caters for high school students. This item must be relevant to their recommended daily intake and the requirement that it helights, the food item must also have appeal to this target market. The food item must be designed for consumption for breakfast, recess or lunch, and is to be consumed at school. The limitationas that this places must be explored and addressed along with a list of product criteria. The food item can be a breakfast food item, a snack consumed during recess or a lunch product. The product must be relevant to the recommended daily intake for teenagers ager 13-17, the food item must also have appeal to this target market. The product must be justified as to how it meets these requirements. A series of tests and surveys must be conducted in establishing the target market and the products ability for success, this will be written in experimental format as found on page 261 of foodtech in action text.