Strategic management (Coursework) - 825 Words

Strategic management (Coursework Sample) Content: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: CASE FOR AMAZON.COMBy[Name][Course][Institution Affiliation][Date]Introduction The current business environment presents a number of challenges for firms, especially those in the IT industry such as Amazon.com. For this reason, such firms have been obligated to explore and adopt relevant strategies for gaining a competitive advantage over their competitors. One of the key tools of analysis that have been given weight is the application of value chain analysis. Ideally, this paper presents a unique approach to the analysis of Amazon.coms value chain and thereafter, suggests possible strategies for future improvement. Porters Value Chain Model In analyzing a firms competitive position, experts argue that, it is imperative to focus on a firms value chain as opposed to the firm as a whole. In his value chain model, Michael Porter asserts that an organizations value chain consist of those activities done by an organization, which adds up to the value delivered to its stakeholders (particularly shareholders and customers) (Sekhar 2009). Though unique for each industry, it is only through value chain that a firm can gain cost advantage or differentiation. For manufacturing firms, their value chain entails both primary and support activities. In this context, primary activities are those in which materials are purchased, processed and delivered to customers as final products. These include activities such as inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, sales and marketing, and after-sales services. Support activities, in this case, are those that support the execution of primary activities (Monczka 2009). They entail activities like procurement, technological development, human resource management and the firms infrastructure. The Value Chain Analysis for Amazon.comFor Amazon.com, the application of Porters value chain model is not a new concept in the firm. In order to strengthen the organizations competitive position over its two key industrial rivals (Ebay and Walmart), the Amazon.com has embarked only on primary and supportive activities, which create stakeholder value. From the firms initial business strategy, a number of value chain activities can be identified as sales and marketing, customer service, logistics, operations, procurement and human resource management. In using value chain to improve Amazon.coms competitiveness, the above value chain activities have been assigned different weights (attentions). Moreover, though executing the same value chain activities as it rivals, Amazon.com gains a competitive advantage by doing same things differently. For example unlike its traditional competitors, which perform their activities in physical stores, Amazon.com uses a virtual store. This enables the firm to offer anything that customers want. In its value chain, Amazon.com has laid more emphasis on two activities, which include customer service, and sales and marketing. By focusing on customer service, the firm has made a significant step towards being the worlds most customer-centric firm. For example, in 2000, research indicates that Amazon.com spent over $200 million to seven distribution centers (warehouses) with a 3 million-ft3 capacity from Nevada to Kentucky (OS Financial Trading System 2011). This has helped to increase customer awareness of its products, thus boosting its revenue and profitability. For example, during that year, the sales went up by 169%. A critical analysis of the companys value chain, further, indicates that the firm applied diversification as a strategic competitive strategy. Here, evidence reveals that Amazon.com offers a wide range of products (books, Telecommunication facilities, furniture, chicken products) to minimize the risks associated with a single product firm, such as product failure or market frustration (Amazon.com 2012). In addition, the firm has found it effective to open up new companies and collaborating with existing companie s. In the past two decades, the company has been paying less weight to value chain activities like inbound logistics, operations and filing. However, with more focus directed to operational efficiency in 2003, the three value chain activities have been incorporated into the companys new business strategy. Up to date, inbound logistics, operations and filing has helped to lower the firms product and shipping prices by reducing its cost of operations through operational efficiency. In addition to the above primary activities, recently, Amazon.com added a new activity to its value chain, business-to-business (B2B) marketing, by launching AmazonSupply. Through this site, its customers (both industrial and commercial) now benefit by making direct purchase online. Moreover, the customer are enjoying a wide range of products such as pneumatics, hydraulics, drill bits, hand dryers, cash registers and cutting tools that were not initially available (Dow Jones and Company Inc 2012). Also pro vided through AmazonSupply is free shipping on intelligible orders of $ 50 or more, dedicated customer-services, and corporate lines of credit. These activities increase the competitive edge of the company over its competitors (Dow Jones and Company Inc 2012). Amazon.com also attains a competitive advantage through its supportive activities like low price procurement and effective human resource management. Through its low price procurement activities, low cost of sales and low product prices has been realized by the firm and its customers respectively. This had made Amazon.com to be a preferred by most customers. Since its incorporation, Amazon.com has highly invested in its human resources with highly delegated decision-making capabi...

Six Month SAT Study Schedule

Hoping to get a head start on your SAT prep? You’re in luck! If you have six months before your test date, you can spread out your studying and avoid cramming at the last minute. The SAT won’t be all about taking a lot of practice tests to hone your performance; it’ll be about learning lots of fundamentals, from math to reading. With this in mind, we’ve devised a six month SAT study schedule that will help you not only become a better test taker, but transform you into someone who’s far more skilled at reading and math. After all, the test is designed to measure how much high school math you remember and how well you can handle a wealth of ideas packed into a 700-word passage. Let’s get started! If youre reading this post, chances are you have at least six months until youre taking the SATunless, oops, you procrastinated. Never fear! If you have less time before your test, check out one of these study schedules instead: Three Month schedule One Month schedule One Week schedule Table of Contents How this Study Schedule is Organized Materials and Resources The Six Month SAT Study Schedule Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Week 18 Week 19 Week 20 Week 21 Week 22 Week 23 Week 257305730 Math Math Review Magoosh Lessons Watch any four Geometry lessons Math Practice Magoosh Do 15 practice questions. Randomized practice is becoming increasingly important in this SAT study schedule, since you’ll be taking more practice tests and the order on tests is randomized. Week 15 Verbal Verbal Practice Complete questions from two Writing passages. Complete questions from two Reading passages. Week 16: Week off! Use the time to catch up on anything youve missed. Week 17 This week, review your notes and make sure you understand the answers to all the questions from practice exams you’ve taken. Reach out to our help team if you have questions. The help button is displayed on all pages in your course. No supplemental reading Week 18 Practice Test #3 from Official Guide The College Board Test #3 is in the Official Guide and also available online for free here and here. Follow the same format as Weeks 10 and 13. Assuming you have a better sense of the format, and therefore that the whole process won’t take as long, here are some Magoosh videos to watch: Statistics lessons Use however much time you have left to read articles. Week 19 Math Math Practice Magoosh Do 10 random practice questions from the no-calculator section. Week 20 Verbal Verbal Practice Choose â€Å"practice mode† and complete questions from one Writing passage. Choose â€Å"practice mode† and complete questions from one Reading passage. Supplemental Reading Read three articles. This is a light week. So go back and review any of the concepts that you still feel shaky on. If there was one week in which you weren’t able to cover everything, now is a good opportunity to go back and complete what you can. Week 21 Practice Test #4 from Official Guide The College Board Test #4 is in the Official Guide and also available online for free here and here. Follow the same format as previous weeks. Week 22 Math Math Review Magoosh Lessons Watch any four lessons you need to brush up on. Supplemental Reading Read three medium-length pieces or one long piece. Week 23 Mixed Practice from Practice Test #5 in the Official Guide The College Board Test #5 is in the Official Guide and also available online for free here and here. Follow the same format as previous weeks. Based on your weaknesses, choose a part to focus on. For instance, if you’ve struggled in reading, do the practice questions that relate to reading. If you’ve struggled with math, focus on the math questions. Read the explanations once you’ve thought through your wrong answers. Week 24 Practice Test #6 in the Official Guide The College Board Test #6 is in the Official Guide and also available online for free here and here. Follow the same format as previous weeks. Assuming you have a better sense of the format, and therefore that the whole process won’t take as long, you can use the remaining time to go back and review any of the concepts that you still feel shaky on. If there was one week in which you weren’t able to cover everything, now is a good opportunity to go back and complete what you can. You can also spend however much time you have left reading articles (two suggested). The day before your SAT No studying! If you made it all the way through this six month SAT study schedule, you should be well prepared. Eat well and go to sleep early. Test Day No studying! Eat a full breakfast before leaving home. Read our SAT Test Day Checklist. Remember to pack: Admissions ticket Separate photo ID Several #2 pencils (no mechanical pencils no pens!) Your calculator A drink and a healthy-but-sugary snack with some protein (dried fruit nuts, or crackers, cheese, juice, are great options) Water Layers No phones allowed!! Congratulations, you made it! Now its time for a well deserved breakbut dont forget to come back here when you get your scores, and let us know how all your hard work paid off! 🙂

Who Is Blame For Gregor s Unfortunate Fate - 1550 Words

Kate Vicars April 6, 2017 Who to Blame for Gregor’s Unfortunate Fate Changes in your life, depending on how you see it, can be good or bad. In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, we come across Gregor, the protagonist of this story, whose miserable life takes a turn when he turns into a vermin, resulting as a burden to his family. He then later dies at the end of the novella causing a relief to the family. With that being said, who can we ultimately blame for Gregor’s own transformation and death? Although Gregor is largely responsible for his unfortunate fate, his parents are the biggest culprit for Gregor s atrocities. Before Gregor’s transformation, he was a busy traveling salesman. He did this because he was a the†¦show more content†¦Once I’ve got together the money to pay off the parent s debt to him— that should take another five or six years—I’ll do it for sure. Then I’ll make the big break.†(pg.5) In other words, Gregor is working so much for his parents and the debt that he needs to pay off. As a result of that, Gregor is overworked, he never really goes out, and spends his time reading the newspaper or looking at the bus schedule. Kafka writes, â€Å"The young man has nothing in his head except business. I’m almost angry that he never goes out at night. Right now he’s been in the city eight days, but he’s been at home every evening. He sits there with us at the table and reads the newspaper quietly or studies his travel schedules.† (pg. 15) Gregor has lost his sense of humanity and spends his time thin king about business. He has also lost all sorts of creativity he had before he started working so much. He is pretty much used to a routine based lifestyle, which lacks creativity because he has a set schedule that he follows almost everyday. This resulted into his metamorphosis. His parents relied on him to work so much, they forgot that Gregor is human just like themselves. Gregor is human who needs basic human essentials. Like going out with his friends, relaxing, and learning to appreciate the things and people around him. He could not do so because he was stuck paying off debt with a job that he hated. Franz Kafka was a German writer whose worksShow MoreRelatedLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesthe sign, and she agrees with Emilio that the nearby stream might not even contain Giardia, so she decides to do whatever the majority wants. She adds that the three of you might get lucky while you are hiking out and meet someone who can help, maybe a hiker who knows more about Giardia or has extra watersterilization tablets. Then again, you might not be so lucky; you didnt pass anybody on the way in. Hiking out while you all have a bad case of Giardia might even be life threatening. Emilio

World War II Battle of the Bulge

The Battle of the Bulge was German offensive and key engagement of World War II, which lasted from December 16, 1944 until January 25, 1945. During the Battle of the Bulge, 20,876 Allied soldiers were killed, while another 42,893 were wounded, and 23,554 captured/missing. German losses numbered 15,652 killed, 41,600 wounded, and 27,582 captured/missing. Defeated in the campaign, Germany lost its offensive capability in the West. By early February, the lines returned to their December 16 location. Armies and Commanders Allies General Dwight D. EisenhowerGeneral Omar BradleyField Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery830,000 men424 tanks/armored vehicles and 394 guns Germany Field Marshal Walter ModelField Marshal Gerd von RundstedtGeneral Sepp DietrichGeneral Hasso von Manteuffel500,000 men500 tanks/armored vehicles and 1,900 guns Background and Context With the situation on the Western Front rapidly deteriorating in the fall of 1944, Adolf Hitler issued a directive for an offensive designed to stabilize the German position. Assessing the strategic landscape, he determined that it would be impossible to strike a decisive blow against the Soviets on the Eastern Front. Turning west, Hitler hoped to exploit the strained relationship between General Omar Bradley and Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery by attacking near the boundary of their 12th and 21st Army Groups. Hitlers ultimate goal was to compel the U.S. and U.K. to sign a separate peace so that Germany could focus its efforts against the Soviets in the East. Going to work, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (Army High Command, OKW) developed several plans including one that called for a blitzkrieg-style attack through the thinly defended Ardennes, similar to the assault conducted during the Battle of France in 1940. The German Plan The final objective of this attack would be the capture of Antwerp which would split the American and British armies in the area, and would deprive the Allies of a badly needed seaport. Selecting this option, Hitler entrusted its execution to Field Marshals Walter Model and Gerd von Rundstedt. In preparing for the offensive, both felt that the capture of Antwerp was too ambitious and lobbied for more realistic alternatives. While Model favored a single drive west then north, von Rundstedt advocated for dual thrusts into Belgium and Luxembourg. In both cases, German forces would not cross the Meuse River. These attempts to change Hitlers mind failed and he directed his original plan to be employed.   To carry out the operation, General Sepp Dietrichs 6th SS Panzer Army would attack in the north with the goal of taking Antwerp. In the center, the assault would be made by General Hasso von Manteuffels 5th Panzer Army, with the goal of taking Brussels, while General Erich Brandenbergers 7th Army would advance in the south with orders to protect the flank. Operating under radio silence and taking advantage of poor weather which hampered Allied scouting efforts, the Germans moved the necessary forces into place. Running low on fuel, a key element of the plan was the successful capture of Allied fuel depots as the Germans lacked sufficient fuel reserves to reach Antwerp under normal combat conditions. To support the offensive, a special unit led by Otto Skorzeny was formed to infiltrate the Allied lines dressed as American soldiers. Their mission was to spread confusion and disrupt Allied troop movements. Allies in the Dark On the Allied side, the high command, led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, was essentially blind to German movements due to a variety of factors. Having claimed air superiority along the front, Allied forces typically could rely on reconnaissance aircraft to provide detailed information on German activities. Due to the decaying weather, these aircraft were grounded. Additionally, due to the proximity to their homeland, the Germans increasingly used telephone and telegraph networks rather than radio for transmitting orders.  As a result, there were fewer radio transmissions for Allied code breakers to intercept. Believing the Ardennes to be a quiet sector, it was used as a recovery and training area for units that had seen heavy action or were inexperienced. In addition, most indications were that the Germans were preparing for a defensive campaign and lacked the capabilities for a large-scale offensive. Though this mentality permeated much of the Allied command structure, some intelligence officers, such as Brigadier General Kenneth Strong and Colonel Oscar Koch, warned that the Germans might attack in the near future, and that it would come against the U.S. VIII Corps in the Ardennes. The Attack Begins Commencing at 5:30 AM on December 16, 1944, the German offensive opened with a heavy barrage on the 6th Panzer Armys front. Pushing forward, Dietrichs men attacked American positions on Elsenborn Ridge and Losheim Gap in an attempt to break through to Lià ¨ge. Meeting heavy resistance from the 2nd and 99th Infantry Divisions, he was forced to commit his tanks to the battle. In the center, von Manteuffels troops opened a gap through the 28th and 106th Infantry Divisions, capturing two U.S. regiments in the process and increasing pressure on the town of St. Vith. Meeting increasing resistance, 5th Panzer Armys advance was slowed allowing the 101st Airborne to deploy by truck to the vital crossroads town of Bastogne. Fighting in snowstorms, the foul weather prevented Allied air power from dominating the battlefield. In the south, Brandenbergers infantry was essentially stopped by the U.S. VIII Corps after a four-mile advance. On December 17, Eisenhower and his commanders concluded that the attack was an all-out offensive rather than a local assault, and began rushing reinforcements to the area. At 3:00 a.m. on December 17, Colonel Friedrich August von der Heydte dropped with a German airborne force with the goal of capturing crossroads near Malmedy. Flying through foul weather, von der Heydtes command was scattered during the drop, and forced to fight as guerillas for the remainder of the battle. Later that day, members of Colonel Joachim Peipers Kampfgruppe Peiper captured and executed around 150 American POWs at Malmedy. One of the spearheads of 6th Panzer Armys attack, Peipers men captured Stavelot the next day before pressing onto Stoumont. Encountering heavy resistance at Stoumont, Peiper became cut off when American troops retook Stavelot on December 19. After attempting to break through to German lines, Peipers men, out of fuel, were forced to abandon their vehicles and fight on foot. To the south, American troops under Brigadier General Bruce Clarke fought a critical holding action at St. Vith. Forced to fall back on the 21st, they were soon driven from their new lines by the 5th Panzer Army. This collapse led to the encirclement of the 101st Airborne and the 10th Armored Divisions Combat Command B at Bastogne. The Allies Respond As the situation was developing at St. Vith and Bastogne, Eisenhower met with his commanders at Verdun on December 19. Seeing the German attack as an opportunity to destroy their forces in the open, he began issuing instructions for counterattacks. Turning to Lieutenant General George Patton, he asked how long it would take for Third Army to shift its advance north. Having anticipated this request, Patton had already begun issuing orders to this end and replied 48 hours. At Bastogne, the defenders beat off numerous German assaults while fighting in bitter cold weather. Short on supplies and ammunition, the 101sts commander, Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe rebuffed a German demand to surrender with the famed reply Nuts! As the Germans were attacking at Bastogne, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery was shifting forces to hold the Germans at the Meuse. With Allied resistance increasing, clearing weather allowing Allied fighter-bombers to enter the battle, and dwindling fuel supplies, the German offensive began to sputter, and the farthest advance was halted 10 miles short of the Meuse on December 24. With Allied counter attacks increasing, and lacking fuel and ammunition, von Manteuffel asked for permission to withdraw on December 24. This was flatly denied by Hitler. Having completed their turn north, Pattons men broke through to Bastogne on December 26. Ordering Patton to press north in early January, Eisenhower directed Montgomery to attack south with the goal of meeting at Houffalize and trapping German forces. While these attacks were successful, delays on Montgomerys part allowed many of the Germans to escape, though they were forced to abandon their equipment and vehicles. In an effort to keep the campaign going, a major offensive was launched by the Luftwaffe on January 1, while a second German ground offensive began in Alsace. Falling back the Moder River, the U.S. 7th Army was able to contain and halt this attack. By January 25, German offensive operations ceased.

An Exploratory Middle Ground Position Between Atheism And...

David Eagleman, during an interview with National Public Radio in February of 2009, coined the term â€Å"Possibilianism†. An exploratory middle ground position between atheism and theism. In this essay I argue that possibilianism as a new standpoint in the debate on the existence of God is irrelevant, as it holds the same ideological stance as agnosticism. In an article written by Eagleman titled â€Å"Beyond God and atheism: Why I am a possibilian† he says that â€Å"we know too little to commit to strict atheism, and too much to commit to any religion† (Eagleman, 2), this is the driving force behind his possibilianists standpoint. From my understanding, possibilianism is a philosophy that rejects the certainties held by both atheists who would argue in the complete non-existence of God and similarly theists who would vouch for His definite existence. In this situation we take God to refer to the monotheistic and orthodox depiction, as seen in the Christian, Judaism and Islamic faiths. Possibilianists are open to the ideas that we currently have no way of testing the existence of God, however we should hold off a definite judgement until further evidence can be provided through scientific research and exploration. Possibilianists emphasize the active exploration of new, unconsidered notions whereby anything goes at first (Eagleman, 3), but science is then added into the equation to rule out the impossible, and often to provide insights into new parts and possibilities. The overall

Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 And Type 2 - 1675 Words

According to The American Diabetes Association, â€Å"Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The chronic hyperglycemia of diabetes is associated with long-term damage, dysfunction, and failure of various organs, especially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and blood vessels† (p.1). There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. Insulin management is needed for type 1 diabetes, because it is an autoimmune disease. Diabetes Mellitus type 2 is controlled by a strict diet. If the diet is not followed, then hypoglycemic proxies and insulin may be necessary to control a steady blood sugar level (Burden M, 2003). The main symptoms of diabetes common in type 1 are, lethargy, stupor, weight loss, breath which smells like acetone, kussmaul breathing (hyperventilation), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Signs and symptoms that associate with both diabetes type 1 and 2 are, polydipsia, polyphagia, blurred vision, polyuria, and glycosuria. A diagnostic test which supports the signs and symptoms of diabetes is the fasting plasma glucose. This test diagnoses diabetes primarily during pregnancy. Diabetes is confirmed with a level of greater than 126 mg/dl. The patient must remain NPO for at least 8 hours with the exception of water. An oral glucose tolerance test or glucose challenge test is when a patient drinks a beverage containing glucose. The levels being greaterShow MoreRelatedDiabetes Mellitus : Type 1, Type 2, And Gestational Diabetes3102 Words   |  13 PagesIntroduction Diabetes Mellitus, also known commonly as diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the body doesn’t produce or misuses insulin in the body. There are different classifications of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 is when the body does not produce any insulin. It is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. Type 2 is when the body doesn’t use insulin properly and can develop in anyone and seen at any age. Both types require strict management whichRead MoreThe Pathophysiology Of Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 And 21496 Words   |  6 PagesThe Pathophysiology of Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 and 2 According to the National Diabetes Statistics Report from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2012, it revealed that 29.1 million of the American population has diabetes with 1.7 million new diagnoses each year. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and costs over 176 billion dollars per year. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia due to the dysfunction of the pancreasRead MoreType 1 Or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus During Pregnancy, Self1477 Words   |  6 PagesType 1 or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus During Pregnancy, Self Care Caring for yourself during your pregnancy when you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes (diabetes mellitus) means keeping your blood sugar (glucose) under control with a balance of: †¢ Nutrition. †¢ Exercise. †¢ Lifestyle changes. †¢ Insulin and other medicines, if necessary. †¢ Support from your team of health care providers and others. The following information explains what you need to know when managing your diabetes at home duringRead MoreDifferentiating Between Type 1 and 2 Diabetes Mellitus1497 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Diabetes Mellitus is a disease of the endocrine system primarily differentiated between type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin and was previously seen in the younger generation which is no longer the case.1 Type 2 diabetes is the more prevalent of the two types and involves elevated blood sugar levels due to the insufficient production of insulin. Risk factors that make an individual higher risk for type 2 diabetes include increasingRead MoreDiabetes Mellitus : The Leading Chronic Disease1102 Words   |  5 PagesDiabetes Mellitus Diabetes mellitus is one of the leading chronic diseases that can cause high rates of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Diabetes mellitus is characterized by hyperglycemia due to a lack of insulin, insulin resistance, or both. The four main types of diabetes mellitus include type 1 diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes mellitus, and other specific types (Darby, 2015, 824). A high rate of periodontal disease has been reported with type 1 and 2 diabetesRead MoreInterview A Registered Nurse From Georgia University Medical Center Essay878 Words   |  4 Pagesinformation about a disease that she mentioned she sees commonly in her in-patient unit. The disease she noted was diabetes mellitus. During the interview, she gave me information about the disease in terms of its causes, its frequency, and the reason she decided to identity this disease. When speaking with healthcare provider Denead Buoy, RN, MSN, she explained that diabetes mellitus is a condition in which one has elevated blood glucose levels due to an inadequate insulin production or because theRead MoreHigh Incidence Of Early Onset Type 2 Diabetes1613 Words   |  7 PagesThe High Incidence of Early-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Introduction Diabetes is a metabolic body condition in which the pancreas is unable to secrete enough insulin, hence leading to increased levels of blood sugar. Age, genetics, weight and ethnicity are the four main risk factors of Type 2 diabetes. Common symptoms include frequent urination, persistent fatigue, slow healing process for cuts and wounds and blurred vision. Type 2 diabetes affects 1 out of 10 people in America, as research has concludedRead MoreDiabetes Mellitus Essay1600 Words   |  7 Pages Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 In Children INTRODUCTION: Diabetes is not a single disease it is a multifactorial group of syndromes all characterized by an increase in the level of blood glucose that occurs due to lack of presence of insulin. Mainly, the less release of insulin leads to excess deposition of glycogen which is a peptide hormone synthesized by the pancreas and plays a role in raising the level of glucose in blood. (Mycek, 2007). Diabetes is usually divided into two types, insulin dependentRead MoreDiagnosis Of Diabetes Mellitus ( Dm )843 Words   |  4 PagesDiabetes or clinically referred to as Diabetes Mellitus (DM), is part of several groups of metabolic illnesses where there are high glucose levels for an extended period of time. Diabetes happens if there is not enough insulin produced by the pancreas or the body cells are not adequately responding to the insulin produced. (Ciccone, 2016 p510-511). Delving into its early history, diabetes was one of the early illnesses described, from a tablet found in Egypt from the year 1500 BC that statedRead MoreTrick or Treat Diabetes863 Words   |  3 Pages Trick or treat diabetes Diabetes also known as diabetes mellitus is a disease related to metabolism, caused due to high level of glucose present in the blood. Diabetes is caused because pancreas is not able to produce enough insulin or cells are not able to respond to the insulin. The most common symptoms include periodic urination, increase thirst and hunger. There are different types of diabetes mellitus some are listed below: 1) Type 1 diabetes is caused because of the destruction of ÃŽ ²-cells

Labour Relations Management Public Servants Strikes

Question: Discuss about the Labour Relations Managementfor Public Servants Strikes. Answer: Strike is the unilateral stoppage of work with intention to impact on negotiations revolving around wage or work conditions. Throughout the world, workers employ a number of strategies in the process of trying to achieve better working conditions and remuneration. However it appears collective bargaining is not a popular method for most workers. More often than not, they resort to go on strike. As much as this sometimes gets workers issues resolved, it does not justify such industrial action. This paper evaluates the argument of strike by focusing on some of the major reasons employees often go on strike as well as the impact it has on the business. In his study, Hui (2016) points out that the civil servants often go on strike when the employers partially or totally break their employment agreement, do not accept some or all of the work they normally do, or even reduce their rate of work, performance, and normal output. Hence to be considered a strike, the employees action must be part of or a combination of agreement, common understanding, or a joint action done by the employees. The employees often take this action with the aim of trying to make the employers accept or give in to their demands. Brym, Bauer, and McIvor (2013) also points out that if the strike is legal, a party is allowed to apply to the Employment Court for an injunction of stopping it or even sue individuals for the loss caused by the strike such as the loss of working time. Strike should not be allowed due to the impact it causes, some of which include; The Collective Bargaining Framework To say that strikes and lockouts are a legitimate part of the collective bargaining agreement would be a valid argument. For instance the right of employees to strike against employers and that of employers to lock them out in an attempt to persuade them is recognized and protected in Canada according to the Canada Labor Laws (Part-1 Industrial Relations). Whether or not a strike is a protected right is not in contention, the matter at hand is how workers go about it (Zhang, Zuberi, 2017). This is especially important because the same labor laws provide for an elaborate and extensive framework for addressing the workers welfare. As such parties can resolve bargaining disputes through appointed conciliation officers, conciliation boards and commissioners and even the Federal Mediators and Conciliation services of Canada (FMCS). Employers and workers unions have a way therefore of reaching an agreement without recourse to industrial action. With all these provided for in the constitut ion, there is not much reason to justify workers strike. Violence Labor laws in most democratic countries world over just like in Canada recognize and protect the right of workers to hold peaceful demonstrations. However, if the recent happenings worldwide are anything to go by, this is far from the truth. Violence is increasingly becoming the face of workers protests. From the French workers protests against the contested Labor Reform Bill-where more than two dozens of police were seriously injured and more than seven people were arrested put behind bars for the industrial action by garment workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh protesting where several dozens of people sustained injuries. An even worse case in point is the strike at BHP Billiton's Escondida copper mine in Chile that saw a fire break out and more than 300 masked people storm the site in February this year. A close look at such events is evidence that it is increasingly become too costly to allow strikes. According to Slinn (2014), time has come when we must carefully consider labor laws and policy reform that must be abolished. Disruption of Essential Services The recent few years has seen the rise in strikes by workers in essential service providing sectors. These include services such as healthcare (a case in point would be a 100-day strike by doctors in Kenya in from January 2016), education, transport and communication. In Kenya a concurrent strike by doctors that lasted 100 days led to the loss of more than a hundred lives. Within the same period in that country, a lecturers strike that lasted slightly over two months caused a delay in the opening of the semester in public university. The transportation services in Greeces capital witnessed one of the worst strikes in their history which caused serious disruptions in the major transport system in the city in September 2016. The transportation workers were protesting austerity measures instituted by government to pay back creditors on time. Still in Canada, a month long strike during the spring involving more than 6000 teaching assistants at the University of Toronto cannot be overlooked. At the heart of the strike was the issue of graduate students funding. To this affect Deacon (2014) argues that there is need to strike a balance between the constitutional right to strike and the right to education for students. The university management fortunately won the labor arbitration case but not without an unnecessary disturbance in the learning of students. In all these mentioned cases in recent times one thing is common-crippling of essential services to the public. This is not a good place to be as it creates a multiplicity of inconvenience to various sectors of the economies of countries affected. Measuring and responding to precocity in the labor economy should involve more than just strikes (Zhang Zuberi, 2017). Knzler (2016) submits that the solution to workers welfare issues is elaborate reforms in social security .The very existence of strike as a protected right for workers in the most democracies constitutions is a setback. This provision is bound to and has more often than not been abused by union officials whose real intentions are usually to extort from the government. As a result union leaders from time to time declare strikes only to call them off after they are compromised by cash handouts from corrupt regimes. Abolishing strikes would effectively prevent such incidences from happening as there would not be a mechanism for such unscrupulous unionists to leverage on the government officials. Strikes are an Economic Setback When workers withdraw their labor from whatever sector, the economy suffers as a result in the decline in economic activity in the affected sector. The recent years have been characterized by a trend where Western owned companies shift operations base to low cost labor countries in Asia such as China, Thailand, Malaysia and Mexico South America. This is partly because the workforce in these countries is less likely to go on strike hence manufactures are guaranteed of cheap and efficient labor. Industrial action is very infrequent in most of these countries thanks to capitalist hegemony and class politics (Hui, 2016).This is the example that other nations of the world need to emulate. It is no wonder that China for instance has the largest manufacturing sector ion the world. Unless there is a mechanism in place like abolishing workers strike especially in Western countries, this trend is likely to continue. This has the potential to lead to loss of jobs. The Public and Private Sectors are Different The reason why public servants were not allowed to strike in the 70s in Canada was primarily because of the fact that the public and private sectors are not similar in a variety of ways.Brym, Bauer and McIvor (2013) describe strikes as the 21st Century anomaly. It is a global phenomenon that governments exercise a monopoly over the provision of vital services in a manner that no private sector can. Today, the government, of Canada is grappling with a wave of public sector unrest. When unionized workers in any a private company go on strike,say Ford or General Motors, people can still get the same goods or services from another provider, but when nurses, doctors or teachers down their tools the effect is that the services they provide are withdrawn. When it is a vital sector like healthcare involved, the results are disastrous. Van Rensburg van Rensburg (2013) raise questions to the extent that it is unethical for nurses to go on strike. As a result the public is sucked into the public sector wage disputes in a manner that can never occur in the private sector. This then becomes a front for opposing political sides to clash since politicians have a keen eye and a fat appetite for public discontent. To reclaim the veto power that the state once had over the public sector ensuring that their services were available, the ability of public servants to strike should be withdrawn. This is the only way governments can restore vital services to the people. Another glaring difference between the private sector and the public sector is this. The former face the discipline of the bottom line, hence they have to provide goods and services at the prices that consumers would have willingness to pay (Zhang, Zuberi, 2017). When private companies fail to achieve this it means that they are edged out of business. The latter though cannot go out of business. Public sectors are government agencies which pay their bills through taxes-they must ensure that the public gets value for every dollar paid in taxes. As such public servants cannot and should not be allowed to hold them at ransom through frequent strikes .Stern Lehrer (2017) recommend that in modernizing labor laws, rules governing labor organizations must be explored. Conclusion Strikes are legitimate actions that are adopted by parties with the aim of advancing their bargaining objectives in the workplace. However, it is an action that a destructive impact on both the employers and the civil servants thus should not be taken slightly. Strike has major economic and emotional effect on the families, parties, or in the society as well. It can also significantly harm the parties involved in terms of job loss as well as loss of life and property. However, the employers do not have to shut down their businesses as they are often to hire a replacement worker during the strike. At the end of the strike, the decision of hiring back the striking worker will be determined by the reason that caused the strike. While still on the same line of thought, it is important to note that the consumers of public services usually do not pay the total cost of labor settlements like is the case with the private firms. The taxpayer bears a portion of the cost of public sector settlement. This obviously means the cost ends up entangled in a more complex tax burden as opposed to a direct bill for a private sector that the consumers can easily understand. On a positive note, the fact that the power of unions is on a terminal decline especially in the private sector is a good indicator even for the public sector. Workers are becoming more and more confident in their own abilities and are less attracted by the idea of a third party being a mediator in their welfare issues to the employer. In the face of globalization and the growing free trade, workers and firms alike must pull in the same direction to overcome foreign competition. The interests at the end of the day ought to be aligned and not opposed. References Brym, R., Bauer, L. B., McIvor, M. (2013). Is Industrial Unrest Reviving in Canada? Strike Duration in the Early Twenty-First Century. Canadian Review Of Sociology, 50(2), 227-(Robert Brym, 2013)238. doi:10.1111/cars.120. Cake, S. (2016). Worker Movement as a Union issue: An Examination of Collective Bargaining Agreements in the Construction Sector in Alberta, Canada. Canadian Journal of Sociology, 41(3), 327-348. file:///C:/Users/Raey%20Joshua/Downloads/28275-73948-1-PB.pdf Deacon, H. (2014). The balancing act between the constitutional right to strike and the constitutional right to education. South African Journal Of Education, 34(2), 1-15. Hui, E. S. (2016). The Labour Law System, Capitalist Hegemony and Class Politics in China. 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